Nigeria's Super Falcons will take on the Lionesses of England for a place in the quarterfinals of the ongoing World Cup at the Brisbane stadium in Australia on Monday. The Falcons were the first African side to qualify for the Round of 16 after playing out a goalless draw with the Republic of Ireland.
Monday, August 7, 2023
Video - Nigeria face off against England in Round of 16 of the Women's World Cup
Senate in Nigeria rejects president’s demand to send troops to Niger
The head of the Senate in Nigeria, Godswill Akpabio, said Saturday that the chamber rejected military force to reinstate President Bazoum Mohamed in Niger, following a military coup.
The Senate also pleaded with the current head of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) bloc, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, to embrace diplomacy in handling the toppling of the democratic government.
The bloc last Sunday gave coup leaders one week to reinstate Bazoum.
Akpabio said parliament leadership agreed to meet Tinubu to discuss the chamber’s resolutions.
Tinubu sought Friday the support of the Senate in official communication sent to the chamber to implement ECOWAS resolutions on the situation in Niger.
“The Senate recognises the fact that President Tinubu by virtue of his correspondence has not asked for the approval of this Senate to go to war as being erroneously suggested in some quarters.
“The Senate calls on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as chairman of ECOWAS to further encourage other leaders of ECOWAS to strengthen the political and diplomatic options and other means with which to resolve the political impasse in Niger Republic,” according to a statement.
Thursday, August 3, 2023
Video - Labour unions in Nigeria begin strike against fuel price hike, cost of living
Nigerian workers across numerous sectors have gone on strike, after the government removed fuel subsidies. Petrol prices and other costs are soaring. Talks with unions have broken down. Al Jazeera's Ahmed Idris reports from Abuja, Nigeria.
Related stories: Protest against soaring cost of living under president Tinubu erupts in Nigeria
Black market collapses in Nigeria due to fuel subsidy removal
President Tinubu sends more cabinet nominees to Senate
Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu has sent 19 additional names to the Senate to be approved for cabinet positions, a week after submitting 28 names for confirmation, according to a letter read out by the Senate President.
Tinubu is under pressure to quickly revive Africa's largest economy, which is facing a high debt burden, double-digit inflation and widespread insecurity.
His cabinet nominations come nearly two months after he was sworn into office. Tinubu and his ministers have their work cut out for them, including dealing with the fall-out from scrapping a popular fuel subsidy that benefited the rich but cost the government $10 billion last year alone.
The new nominees included former governors and political associates and technocrats. Given Tinubu's party majority in the Senate, his cabinet picks are expected to be confirmed.
On Wednesday, hundreds marched through major Nigerian cities to protest at the removal of the subsidy and demand a new minimum wage after Tinubu axed it in the country's boldest reforms in decades, aiming to help the economy out of slow growth.
Tinubu has sent a total of 47 names to the Senate for approval. Under the constitution, the president must include a member from each of the country's 36 states in his cabinet which includes ministers, ministers of state (junior ministers) and ministers in the presidency.
By Camillus Eboh, Reuters
Nigeria cuts power to Niger
Nigeria has cut its electricity supply to Niger, AFP learned on Wednesday from a source close to the management of the Nigerien Electricity Company (Nigelec), in line with the sanctions decided by the West African neighbors of Niger destabilized by a coup.
"Nigeria disconnected since yesterday (Tuesday) the high voltage line that carries electricity to Niger," the source said. A Nigelec agent for his part indicated that the capital, Niamey, was "supplied thanks to local production".
On Sunday, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), led by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, decided on sanctions against the putschists who toppled President-elect Mohamed Bazoum a week ago.
In addition to a one-week ultimatum to restore constitutional order and the suspension of financial transactions with Niger, ECOWAS decreed the freezing of "all service transactions, including energy transactions".
According to a report by Nigelec - the country's sole supplier -, in 2022, 70% of Niger's share of electricity came from purchases from the Nigerian company Mainstream. Electricity is produced by the Kainji dam (western Nigeria).
Many neighborhoods in the city of Niamey are normally subject to power cuts and Nigeria's decision will aggravate this situation.
To free itself from its strong energy dependence on neighboring Nigeria, Niger is working to complete its first dam by 2025, on the river of the same name. Some 180 km upstream from Niamey, the Kandadji dam should generate 629 gigawatt hours (GWh) annually.
Niger, one of the poorest countries in the world, is dependent on its foreign partners in many areas. "The sanctions will hurt our country very badly," Nigerian Prime Minister Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou said on France 24 on Sunday, as sanctions are increasing internationally.
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