As rising fuel costs make petrol and diesel generators increasingly expensive to operate, Nigerian inventor Bala Elisha is testing the Bez Renewable Energy Generator as a potential alternative. Elisha says the machine can generate electricity without fossil fuels, potentially offering a cleaner and more affordable option for businesses and communities.
Monday, September 28, 2026
Video - Nigerian inventor tests fuel-free generator amid power challenges
As rising fuel costs make petrol and diesel generators increasingly expensive to operate, Nigerian inventor Bala Elisha is testing the Bez Renewable Energy Generator as a potential alternative. Elisha says the machine can generate electricity without fossil fuels, potentially offering a cleaner and more affordable option for businesses and communities.
Dozens kidnapped in 2 weekend attacks in northern Nigeria
More than 80 people were abducted by armed gangs in two separate attacks on Saturday and Sunday in northern Nigeria, the latest mass kidnappings for ransom to rock the country.
On Saturday, at least 47 farmers were abducted by armed gangs while harvesting peanuts in Niger state, and on Sunday, 40 women were kidnapped in the neighbouring state of Zamfara, according to two security reports seen by AFP and a local source.
Gunmen on motorcycles -- members of gangs specialising in ransom kidnappings and cattle rustling, locally known as "bandits" -- have for years terrorised rural communities in northwestern and central Nigeria.
These groups regularly carry out bloody raids on villages, killing residents and torching homes after looting them.
A local source said the 47 farmers, most of them women, were taken from their farms in Rimi, an agricultural community in the Mariga area of Niger state.
The women kidnapped on Sunday were taken from Yargada, in the Gusau area of Zamfara, according to a security report prepared for the UN and seen by AFP.
Kidnapping has become a key source of income for criminal groups in Africa's most populous nation, particularly for jihadists and bandit gangs.
On Saturday, at least 47 farmers were abducted by armed gangs while harvesting peanuts in Niger state, and on Sunday, 40 women were kidnapped in the neighbouring state of Zamfara, according to two security reports seen by AFP and a local source.
Gunmen on motorcycles -- members of gangs specialising in ransom kidnappings and cattle rustling, locally known as "bandits" -- have for years terrorised rural communities in northwestern and central Nigeria.
These groups regularly carry out bloody raids on villages, killing residents and torching homes after looting them.
A local source said the 47 farmers, most of them women, were taken from their farms in Rimi, an agricultural community in the Mariga area of Niger state.
The women kidnapped on Sunday were taken from Yargada, in the Gusau area of Zamfara, according to a security report prepared for the UN and seen by AFP.
Kidnapping has become a key source of income for criminal groups in Africa's most populous nation, particularly for jihadists and bandit gangs.
Friday, September 25, 2026
Terrorism, kidnapping choke trade lifeline linking Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon
Kidnappings, assassinations and other attacks have surged over the past year along Cameroon’s national highway linking the capital Yaoundé in the south to Kousséri, the northern border town with Chad. Boko Haram factions target passengers and freight trucks almost daily, despite the heavy military presence along this vital regional trade route. As the 2026 rainy season sets in, already-poor road conditions further threaten travel and commerce.
The Maroua-Kousséri-N’Djamena corridor serves as a lifeline for landlocked Chad, Nigerian exporters and Cameroonian communities living along this stretch of road. Cameroon’s Douala port is vital for Chad’s supply lines, with trade between the two countries dependent on goods moving from the port to N’Djamena. Extensive formal trade flows combine with a massive informal sector valued at over CFA 174 billion ($303 million) for Cameroon, dominated by foodstuffs and livestock.
Insecurity has intensified and become more complex along this route for three main reasons.
The first is collaboration between criminals and terrorists in kidnapping and human trafficking, fuelled by an influx of weapons and ammunition in the region. Opportunists collude with Boko Haram factions and pass on information about potential targets for this lucrative crime.
For instance, on 14 August 2025, suspected Boko Haram fighters abducted 11 coach passengers near Zigagué on the Maroua-Kousséri route. They were freed a week later following a Cameroonian military incursion into Nigeria and the arrest of local accomplices.
Interviews with former hostages and ex-fighters reveal that in the Mora-Waza area, groups of armed bandits, blending in with the local community, kidnap people and sell them on to the Jama’atu Ahlis-Sunna Lidda’Awati Wal-Jihad (JAS) Boko Haram faction. JAS then demands ransom from the victims’ relatives. This suggests a shift from kidnapping to human trafficking, a more complex activity involving both criminals and terrorists.
The second reason for growing security threats is renewed insurgency. Since January 2025, several high-profile attacks by the Islamic State West Africa Province on military posts along the national highway have caused heavy material and human losses for Cameroon’s army. These setbacks created opportunities for kidnapping and banditry to expand.
Third is poor road conditions, especially during the June-October rainy season. This facilitates ambushes because travellers can sometimes spend days traversing distances of less than 300 km.
Beyond worsening security, regional economic problems are directly impacting Cameroon, Chad and Nigeria. Reduced cross-border trade represents a huge loss for national economies, as travellers, traders and transporters are forced to use longer, more costly routes that can damage vehicles and delay the timely delivery of goods. Supply chain disruptions cause shortages of basic goods, soaring prices and the doubling of transport fares.
Harassment by police, gendarmerie or customs agents adds to the burden. For example, on a 7 km bypass route between Yagoua (Cameroon) and Bongor (Chad), 17 checkpoints were counted. After protests by carriers and road users, Chadian authorities reduced the number of checkpoints on their side of the border in May. In Cameroon, truck drivers allege there are more checkpoints on the road passing through Maga than on the entire national highway.
Efforts to rehabilitate the Mora-Kousséri section of the highway are commendable, but security remains a concern. The route lies close to Nigeria’s Borno State, the epicentre of the Boko Haram insurgency. While the Cameroonian side is dotted with villages all the way to Kousséri, Nigeria’s section is a vast uninhabited area serving as a refuge for Boko Haram and armed bandit groups.
Beyond a defensive military presence along the trade corridor, joint offensive operations (both air and ground) between Cameroon and Nigeria are necessary. Civil-military awareness-raising initiatives could also reduce the infiltration of perpetrators into communities. All of this could form part of the military cooperation agreement signed by the two countries on 16 June 2026 in Yaoundé.
Furthermore, the construction of the 280 km Maga-Kousséri road embankment announced in 2013 would allow traffic to bypass the site of Boko Haram’s attacks. If these road links proved viable, they would reduce the risks and provide economic opportunities for the surrounding communities.
For the time being, governments of the affected countries should alleviate the difficulties encountered on alternative routes, particularly through Chad, starting with reducing checkpoints and roadside harassment.
Célestin Delanga is a Research Officer and Remadji Hoinathy is a Senior Researcher in the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) regional office for West Africa, Sahel, Lake Chad Basin and Central Africa.
By Celestin Delanga and Hoinathy Remadji, Premium Times
The Maroua-Kousséri-N’Djamena corridor serves as a lifeline for landlocked Chad, Nigerian exporters and Cameroonian communities living along this stretch of road. Cameroon’s Douala port is vital for Chad’s supply lines, with trade between the two countries dependent on goods moving from the port to N’Djamena. Extensive formal trade flows combine with a massive informal sector valued at over CFA 174 billion ($303 million) for Cameroon, dominated by foodstuffs and livestock.
Insecurity has intensified and become more complex along this route for three main reasons.
The first is collaboration between criminals and terrorists in kidnapping and human trafficking, fuelled by an influx of weapons and ammunition in the region. Opportunists collude with Boko Haram factions and pass on information about potential targets for this lucrative crime.
For instance, on 14 August 2025, suspected Boko Haram fighters abducted 11 coach passengers near Zigagué on the Maroua-Kousséri route. They were freed a week later following a Cameroonian military incursion into Nigeria and the arrest of local accomplices.
Interviews with former hostages and ex-fighters reveal that in the Mora-Waza area, groups of armed bandits, blending in with the local community, kidnap people and sell them on to the Jama’atu Ahlis-Sunna Lidda’Awati Wal-Jihad (JAS) Boko Haram faction. JAS then demands ransom from the victims’ relatives. This suggests a shift from kidnapping to human trafficking, a more complex activity involving both criminals and terrorists.
The second reason for growing security threats is renewed insurgency. Since January 2025, several high-profile attacks by the Islamic State West Africa Province on military posts along the national highway have caused heavy material and human losses for Cameroon’s army. These setbacks created opportunities for kidnapping and banditry to expand.
Third is poor road conditions, especially during the June-October rainy season. This facilitates ambushes because travellers can sometimes spend days traversing distances of less than 300 km.
Beyond worsening security, regional economic problems are directly impacting Cameroon, Chad and Nigeria. Reduced cross-border trade represents a huge loss for national economies, as travellers, traders and transporters are forced to use longer, more costly routes that can damage vehicles and delay the timely delivery of goods. Supply chain disruptions cause shortages of basic goods, soaring prices and the doubling of transport fares.
Harassment by police, gendarmerie or customs agents adds to the burden. For example, on a 7 km bypass route between Yagoua (Cameroon) and Bongor (Chad), 17 checkpoints were counted. After protests by carriers and road users, Chadian authorities reduced the number of checkpoints on their side of the border in May. In Cameroon, truck drivers allege there are more checkpoints on the road passing through Maga than on the entire national highway.
Efforts to rehabilitate the Mora-Kousséri section of the highway are commendable, but security remains a concern. The route lies close to Nigeria’s Borno State, the epicentre of the Boko Haram insurgency. While the Cameroonian side is dotted with villages all the way to Kousséri, Nigeria’s section is a vast uninhabited area serving as a refuge for Boko Haram and armed bandit groups.
Beyond a defensive military presence along the trade corridor, joint offensive operations (both air and ground) between Cameroon and Nigeria are necessary. Civil-military awareness-raising initiatives could also reduce the infiltration of perpetrators into communities. All of this could form part of the military cooperation agreement signed by the two countries on 16 June 2026 in Yaoundé.
Furthermore, the construction of the 280 km Maga-Kousséri road embankment announced in 2013 would allow traffic to bypass the site of Boko Haram’s attacks. If these road links proved viable, they would reduce the risks and provide economic opportunities for the surrounding communities.
For the time being, governments of the affected countries should alleviate the difficulties encountered on alternative routes, particularly through Chad, starting with reducing checkpoints and roadside harassment.
Célestin Delanga is a Research Officer and Remadji Hoinathy is a Senior Researcher in the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) regional office for West Africa, Sahel, Lake Chad Basin and Central Africa.
Nigeria, US agree to boost mining investment
Nigeria and the US have agreed to "deepen" American investment in the West African country's mining sector.
The deal was signed on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York City, Nigeria's Minister for Solid Minerals Dele Alake announced on Thursday.
"This is an important step in strengthening Nigeria-US cooperation around our mineral resources, valued at about $700 billion (€796 billion)," Alake said.
"The framework covers geological data and exploration, mineral development and processing, infrastructure, and technical capacity,"he added.
'We want more local processing'
Although known for its vast oil reserves, Nigeria is also home to deposits of lithium, gold, tin, gemstones, iron ore and phosphate.
Lithium, in particular, is in high demand globally as an essential component in the batteries are powering the green energy transition.
Alake said the agreement, which was signed on Wednesday, would be used to identify viable projects. He hinted that local jobs could be created by onshoring the refining of minerals, which until now have largely been exported as ore.
"Nigeria cannot remain a source of raw materials while others capture most of the value," Alake said. "We want more local processing, quality jobs, stronger skills and greater opportunities for Nigerian businesses."
However, these goals come as Nigeria's mining sector remains mired by safety concerns and environmental concerns.
By Zac Crellin, DW
The deal was signed on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York City, Nigeria's Minister for Solid Minerals Dele Alake announced on Thursday.
"This is an important step in strengthening Nigeria-US cooperation around our mineral resources, valued at about $700 billion (€796 billion)," Alake said.
"The framework covers geological data and exploration, mineral development and processing, infrastructure, and technical capacity,"he added.
'We want more local processing'
Although known for its vast oil reserves, Nigeria is also home to deposits of lithium, gold, tin, gemstones, iron ore and phosphate.
Lithium, in particular, is in high demand globally as an essential component in the batteries are powering the green energy transition.
Alake said the agreement, which was signed on Wednesday, would be used to identify viable projects. He hinted that local jobs could be created by onshoring the refining of minerals, which until now have largely been exported as ore.
"Nigeria cannot remain a source of raw materials while others capture most of the value," Alake said. "We want more local processing, quality jobs, stronger skills and greater opportunities for Nigerian businesses."
However, these goals come as Nigeria's mining sector remains mired by safety concerns and environmental concerns.
Thursday, September 24, 2026
Video - Nigerian manufacturers' union welcomes rate cut
Nigeria’s central bank has cut its benchmark interest rate from 26.5% to 23%, its first reduction this year, as inflation shows signs of easing. Manufacturers welcomed the move but call for lower lending rates and further cuts to make credit more affordable and support business growth.
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