As students return for a new term, Nigeria is enhancing security at schools nationwide due to increasing threats of armed attacks and kidnappings for ransom, particularly in the north, where abductions and government-led rescues have become more frequent.
Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Nigeria boosts school security amid rising kidnapping threats
As students return for a new term, Nigeria is enhancing security at schools nationwide due to increasing threats of armed attacks and kidnappings for ransom, particularly in the north, where abductions and government-led rescues have become more frequent.
Nigeria pitches $600m lithium and gold projects to Saudi investors
Nigeria is positioning itself as Africa’s next major minerals hub after rolling out a $600 million lithium processing plant and multiple gold refineries, part of a strategy to make the country a key global supplier of materials needed for the green-energy transition.
The PUNCH reports that Nigeria's minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, disclosed the developments during a meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Ibrahim Al-Khorayef, ahead of the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh.
The projects, he said, represent the most concrete outcome yet of Nigeria’s policy to end the export of raw minerals and build domestic processing capacity.
“Nigeria’s value-addition policy is already yielding tangible results, with a gold refining plant of very high purity now operational in Lagos, three additional gold refineries at various stages of development, and a $600 million lithium processing plant in Nasarawa State ready for commissioning,” Alake said
The PUNCH reports that Nigeria's minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, disclosed the developments during a meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Ibrahim Al-Khorayef, ahead of the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh.
The projects, he said, represent the most concrete outcome yet of Nigeria’s policy to end the export of raw minerals and build domestic processing capacity.
“Nigeria’s value-addition policy is already yielding tangible results, with a gold refining plant of very high purity now operational in Lagos, three additional gold refineries at various stages of development, and a $600 million lithium processing plant in Nasarawa State ready for commissioning,” Alake said
Why Nigeria’s mining pivot matters for Africa
This new phase follows years of government efforts to dismantle illicit mining networks, particularly in gold-rich states such as Zamfara and Niger, where terrorist groups and criminal syndicates had turned illegal mining into a major funding source.
Nigeria is estimated to hold about 757,000 ounces of gold, potentially worth up to $1.4 billion, with at least 17 states hosting notable deposits.
The government has deployed security forces, tightened licensing, and strengthened oversight of mineral exports, gradually bringing more of the sector under formal control to attract international investment.
Nigeria’s mining push mirrors a broader African trend as countries race to tap demand for gold, lithium and other critical minerals driven by the global energy transition.
While illegal mining persists in parts of Nigeria’s northwest and central regions, Abuja’s strategy which involves combining security enforcement, value addition and foreign partnerships, offers a potential model for resource-rich African economies seeking to move beyond raw exports.
This new phase follows years of government efforts to dismantle illicit mining networks, particularly in gold-rich states such as Zamfara and Niger, where terrorist groups and criminal syndicates had turned illegal mining into a major funding source.
Nigeria is estimated to hold about 757,000 ounces of gold, potentially worth up to $1.4 billion, with at least 17 states hosting notable deposits.
The government has deployed security forces, tightened licensing, and strengthened oversight of mineral exports, gradually bringing more of the sector under formal control to attract international investment.
Nigeria’s mining push mirrors a broader African trend as countries race to tap demand for gold, lithium and other critical minerals driven by the global energy transition.
While illegal mining persists in parts of Nigeria’s northwest and central regions, Abuja’s strategy which involves combining security enforcement, value addition and foreign partnerships, offers a potential model for resource-rich African economies seeking to move beyond raw exports.
By Solomon Ekanem, Business Insider Africa
Nigeria, UAE strike trade pact to scrap tariffs on over 7,000 products
Nigeria has signed a far-reaching trade agreement with the United Arab Emirates that will eliminate tariffs on thousands of products and deepen economic ties between Africa’s largest economy and one of the world’s most dynamic trading hubs.
The Nigeria–UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement was signed on the sidelines of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, with President Bola Tinubu and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in attendance.
The deal is designed to expand market access for Nigerian exporters, encourage new investment flows, and strengthen Nigeria’s role as a gateway for trade into Africa.
President Tinubu described the agreement as a practical step with direct economic impact. He said it would grant duty-free access for thousands of Nigerian products into the UAE, expand opportunities for exporters and manufacturers, and provide greater certainty for UAE investors looking to back Nigeria’s productive sectors. According to him, the pact supports Nigeria’s industrialisation and diversification agenda while reinforcing its long-term national interest.
The agreement is the outcome of negotiations led by Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, and her UAE counterpart, Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi. Tinubu commended both teams for bringing the talks to a conclusion and expressed optimism that the renewed partnership would deliver lasting benefits for both countries.
For Nigerian exporters, the deal represents a significant opening. Oduwole said the UAE will eliminate tariffs on more than 7,000 Nigerian products, including agricultural and industrial goods such as fish and seafood, oil seeds, cereals, cotton, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals. Over the next three to five years, tariffs will also be removed on machinery, vehicles, electrical equipment, apparel, and furniture.
She noted that Nigerian industrial exports now have a clearer and more competitive pathway into the UAE market. Beyond goods, the agreement allows Nigerian businesses to establish operations in the UAE through new corporate entities, branches, and subsidiaries.
Business visitors from Nigeria will be able to enter the UAE for up to 90 days within a year to explore trade and investment opportunities, while managers, executives, and specialists can relocate under renewable three-year arrangements.
On investment, the minister said the agreement removes long-standing constraints that have discouraged foreign direct investment. She added that UAE investors now have clearer rules and protections to invest in Nigeria’s productive sectors, supporting industrial growth, improved logistics, and job creation for Nigeria’s youthful population.
Nigeria has also made commitments under the deal. Oduwole said the country will eliminate tariffs on around 6,000 products, with about 60 percent removed immediately and the remainder phased out over five years. These imports are largely industrial inputs, capital goods, and machinery intended to boost domestic productive capacity, while Nigeria’s import prohibition list will remain in force.
In services, Nigeria’s commitments cover 99 specific services across 10 sectors, including business, communications, transportation, financial services, construction, health, and tourism.
The government has pledged swift implementation, with the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment working alongside agencies such as the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria to ensure businesses can fully benefit from the agreement.
Oduwole said the deal was negotiated with the Nigerian private sector in mind, urging businesses to seize the new market access and expand confidently into the UAE and beyond.
The Nigeria–UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement was signed on the sidelines of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, with President Bola Tinubu and UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in attendance.
The deal is designed to expand market access for Nigerian exporters, encourage new investment flows, and strengthen Nigeria’s role as a gateway for trade into Africa.
President Tinubu described the agreement as a practical step with direct economic impact. He said it would grant duty-free access for thousands of Nigerian products into the UAE, expand opportunities for exporters and manufacturers, and provide greater certainty for UAE investors looking to back Nigeria’s productive sectors. According to him, the pact supports Nigeria’s industrialisation and diversification agenda while reinforcing its long-term national interest.
The agreement is the outcome of negotiations led by Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, and her UAE counterpart, Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi. Tinubu commended both teams for bringing the talks to a conclusion and expressed optimism that the renewed partnership would deliver lasting benefits for both countries.
For Nigerian exporters, the deal represents a significant opening. Oduwole said the UAE will eliminate tariffs on more than 7,000 Nigerian products, including agricultural and industrial goods such as fish and seafood, oil seeds, cereals, cotton, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals. Over the next three to five years, tariffs will also be removed on machinery, vehicles, electrical equipment, apparel, and furniture.
She noted that Nigerian industrial exports now have a clearer and more competitive pathway into the UAE market. Beyond goods, the agreement allows Nigerian businesses to establish operations in the UAE through new corporate entities, branches, and subsidiaries.
Business visitors from Nigeria will be able to enter the UAE for up to 90 days within a year to explore trade and investment opportunities, while managers, executives, and specialists can relocate under renewable three-year arrangements.
On investment, the minister said the agreement removes long-standing constraints that have discouraged foreign direct investment. She added that UAE investors now have clearer rules and protections to invest in Nigeria’s productive sectors, supporting industrial growth, improved logistics, and job creation for Nigeria’s youthful population.
Nigeria has also made commitments under the deal. Oduwole said the country will eliminate tariffs on around 6,000 products, with about 60 percent removed immediately and the remainder phased out over five years. These imports are largely industrial inputs, capital goods, and machinery intended to boost domestic productive capacity, while Nigeria’s import prohibition list will remain in force.
In services, Nigeria’s commitments cover 99 specific services across 10 sectors, including business, communications, transportation, financial services, construction, health, and tourism.
The government has pledged swift implementation, with the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment working alongside agencies such as the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria to ensure businesses can fully benefit from the agreement.
Oduwole said the deal was negotiated with the Nigerian private sector in mind, urging businesses to seize the new market access and expand confidently into the UAE and beyond.
By Segun Adeyemi, Business Insider Africa
Tuesday, January 13, 2026
Nigeria reopens some schools in the north, defying threats of kidnap
Schools across parts of northern Nigeria started reopening on Monday, after months of closure triggered by the abduction of hundreds of students in November.
The abductions last year had underlined the vulnerability of education facilities in a region plagued by criminal gangs and Islamist insurgents.
Schools resumed academic activities this term after the federal government said in a circular last month that enhanced security measures had created a safer environment for students to return. It did not provide details.
In northern Kaduna state, a 17-year-old student said it was difficult for her to return to school after two months away.
"What I love most about our school is being together at lunchtime and spending time with my teachers and friends. I miss it so much," she said at her home before leaving for Federal Government College boarding school in the state.
Her father, Haruna Danjuma, said the decision to return his daughter to school was difficult, but fear of kidnapping should not deprive children of their right to education.
“A child is a gift from Almighty Allah, and it is my responsibility to educate her,” he said. “But it is the responsibility of government to secure the children.”
In Niger State, central Nigeria, where more than 300 students and staff were abducted in November, a majority of the schools remained shut for security reasons, state officials said.
Saint Mary’s Catholic School in the Papiri hamlet was among those that would not reopen yet, the Christian Association of Nigeria said, citing a statement from the state government directing areas facing security challenges to remain closed until further notice.
Explaining the continued closure of schools, Niger commissioner for education Hadiza Mohammed said "the safety of students, teachers, and school communities remains paramount."
Nigeria set to pass AI law, among first in Africa to regulate sector
Nigeria is moving to become one of the first African countries to formally regulate artificial intelligence (AI), as lawmakers prepare to pass legislation that would tighten oversight of a fast-growing digital sector long dominated by global technology firms.
The proposed National Digital Economy and E-Governance Bill would give regulators broad powers over data use, algorithms and digital platforms, filling a regulatory gap that has persisted since Nigeria released a draft national AI strategy in 2024.
Lawmakers expect to approve the bill by the end of March.
Under the proposal, higher-risk AI systems — including those deployed in finance, public administration, surveillance and automated decision-making — would face stricter scrutiny. Developers would be required to submit annual impact assessments detailing risks, mitigation measures and system performance.
The bill would also allow regulators to impose fines of up to 10 million naira ($7,000) or as much as 2% of an AI provider’s annual revenue generated in Nigeria, although it does not specify how penalties would be calculated or enforced.
The legislation is designed to regulate AI early rather than retroactively, as adoption accelerates across Nigeria’s financial sector, public services and private industry, according to Kashifu Abdullahi, director-general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
“If passed, Nigeria would be among the first African countries to adopt an economy-wide regulatory framework for artificial intelligence,” Abdullahi said in an interview with Bloomberg.
Several African countries, including Mauritius, Egypt and Benin, have published AI strategies, but few have enacted comprehensive legislation governing the technology.
The proposed law sets ethical standards around transparency, fairness and accountability, and adopts a risk-based approach similar to regulatory frameworks emerging in Europe and parts of Asia. That could reshape how multinational technology companies — from US-based firms such as Google to Chinese cloud providers — operate in Africa’s most populous country.
“In governance, we need safeguards and guardrails to ensure the AI we build operates within acceptable boundaries,” Abdullahi said. “That way, bad actors can be detected and contained.”
The bill would empower regulators to demand information from AI providers, issue enforcement directives and suspend or restrict systems deemed unsafe or non-compliant. It also provides for regulatory “sandboxes”, allowing startups and institutions to test AI systems under supervision in an effort to balance oversight with innovation.
“Regulation is not just about giving commands,” Abdullahi said. “It’s about shaping market and societal behaviour so people can build AI for good.”
By Oluwatosin Ogunjuyigbe, Bussiness Day
The proposed National Digital Economy and E-Governance Bill would give regulators broad powers over data use, algorithms and digital platforms, filling a regulatory gap that has persisted since Nigeria released a draft national AI strategy in 2024.
Lawmakers expect to approve the bill by the end of March.
Under the proposal, higher-risk AI systems — including those deployed in finance, public administration, surveillance and automated decision-making — would face stricter scrutiny. Developers would be required to submit annual impact assessments detailing risks, mitigation measures and system performance.
The bill would also allow regulators to impose fines of up to 10 million naira ($7,000) or as much as 2% of an AI provider’s annual revenue generated in Nigeria, although it does not specify how penalties would be calculated or enforced.
The legislation is designed to regulate AI early rather than retroactively, as adoption accelerates across Nigeria’s financial sector, public services and private industry, according to Kashifu Abdullahi, director-general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
“If passed, Nigeria would be among the first African countries to adopt an economy-wide regulatory framework for artificial intelligence,” Abdullahi said in an interview with Bloomberg.
Several African countries, including Mauritius, Egypt and Benin, have published AI strategies, but few have enacted comprehensive legislation governing the technology.
The proposed law sets ethical standards around transparency, fairness and accountability, and adopts a risk-based approach similar to regulatory frameworks emerging in Europe and parts of Asia. That could reshape how multinational technology companies — from US-based firms such as Google to Chinese cloud providers — operate in Africa’s most populous country.
“In governance, we need safeguards and guardrails to ensure the AI we build operates within acceptable boundaries,” Abdullahi said. “That way, bad actors can be detected and contained.”
The bill would empower regulators to demand information from AI providers, issue enforcement directives and suspend or restrict systems deemed unsafe or non-compliant. It also provides for regulatory “sandboxes”, allowing startups and institutions to test AI systems under supervision in an effort to balance oversight with innovation.
“Regulation is not just about giving commands,” Abdullahi said. “It’s about shaping market and societal behaviour so people can build AI for good.”
Monday, January 12, 2026
US tech billionaire Joe Lonsdale invests $11.8m in Nigerian drone firm to tackle Africa’s insecurity
The funding round, announced on Monday, January 12, 2026, was led by Lonsdale’s venture firm 8VC, with Alex Moore, a defence-focused partner at 8VC and Palantir non-executive director, joining Terra’s board last year.
Founded in 2024 by Nathan Nwachuku, 22, and Maxwell Maduka, 24, the Abuja-based startup designs and manufactures long and mid-range drones, autonomous sentry towers, and uncrewed ground vehicles.
Terra provides security solutions for infrastructure assets across Africa valued at approximately $11 billion, including hydropower facilities in Nigeria and gold and lithium mining operations in Ghana.
“Africa is industrialising faster than any other region, with new mines, refineries and power plants emerging every month,” said Nwachuku.
“But none of that progress will matter if we don’t solve the continent’s greatest Achilles’ heel, which is insecurity and terrorism.”
The investment comes amid rising threats from extremist groups such as Islamic State and al-Qaeda, which are increasingly active across West Africa.
The Economic Community of West African States has declared a regional state of emergency in response to escalating insecurity.
Terra said the funds will be used to expand manufacturing capacity and accelerate its cross-border security and counter-terrorism operations.
The round also attracted global investors, including Valor Equity Partners, Lux Capital, SV Angel, Leblon Capital, Silent Ventures LLC, Nova Global, and angel investors such as Meyer Malka, managing partner at Ribbit Capital, known for backing fintech firms like Revolut and Credit Karma.
Terra Industries emphasises homegrown innovation, with the majority of its engineering team based in Africa, designing, building, and producing all systems on the continent.
The move positions the company at the intersection of African technological ingenuity and the urgent security demands facing the region.
By Segun Adeyemi, Business Insider Africa
Super Eagles lose Wilfred Ndidi ahead of Morocco clash
For the highly anticipated CAN 2025 semi-final showdown between Morocco and Nigeria, the Super Eagles will have to do without their captain, Wilfred Ndidi. The midfielder picked up his second yellow card of the tournament during Nigeria’s 2-0 victory over Algeria yesterday. As a result, he is suspended for one match.
The midfielder had already been booked during the group stage win over Mozambique, leaving him just one yellow card away from suspension. Ndidi will therefore miss the semi-final against Morocco.
The Nigerian captain should be available for either the final or the third-place playoff, depending on the Super Eagles’ result in the semi-final against Morocco.
Africa’s megacity of Lagos reshapes its coast by dredging and puts environment at risk
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Beneath an eight-lane expressway, Nigerian men stand waist-deep in the Lagos Lagoon, lowering buckets into murky water. Each load brings up sand, reshaping the coastline of Africa’s largest city and driving away fish and livelihoods for some of its poorest people.
Not far from the bridge, wooden boats are loaded with sand. One of thousands of local dredgers, Akeem Sossu, 34, has been diving for sand for at least three years. He slips beneath the surface for about 15 seconds at a time, hauling up bucketloads bound for construction sites.
Akeem said he and his partner earn about 12,000 naira ($8) each per boatload, selling to a middleman who supplies larger buyers. Filling a boat takes about three hours. Formerly a tailor, he said dredging now supports his household.
“I come out early, sometimes 5 a.m. or 6 a.m., depending on the tide,” he said.
Dredgers and local traders say the price of sand, crucial for making concrete, has risen steadily as development in Lagos has accelerated. A standard 30-ton truckload of what’s known as sharp sand — coarse and gritty — now sells for about 290,000 naira, or roughly $202, reflecting strong demand.
The changes to the lagoon that buffers the megacity of about 17 million people are unmistakable. What was once an open stretch of water is increasingly broken up by sandy patches, narrowing channels and reshaping currents that support thousands of fishermen.
The transformation is most visible near Makoko, one of Lagos’ oldest fishing communities. Dredging barges operate close to homes built on stilts, while reclaimed land and construction of upscale beachfront properties press in from the edges. Residents say the encroachment has destroyed fishing grounds and put many out of work.
Nearby, fishermen wait for the day’s dredging to pause. They say that when it does, even briefly, some fish return.
Not far from the bridge, wooden boats are loaded with sand. One of thousands of local dredgers, Akeem Sossu, 34, has been diving for sand for at least three years. He slips beneath the surface for about 15 seconds at a time, hauling up bucketloads bound for construction sites.
Akeem said he and his partner earn about 12,000 naira ($8) each per boatload, selling to a middleman who supplies larger buyers. Filling a boat takes about three hours. Formerly a tailor, he said dredging now supports his household.
“I come out early, sometimes 5 a.m. or 6 a.m., depending on the tide,” he said.
Dredgers and local traders say the price of sand, crucial for making concrete, has risen steadily as development in Lagos has accelerated. A standard 30-ton truckload of what’s known as sharp sand — coarse and gritty — now sells for about 290,000 naira, or roughly $202, reflecting strong demand.
The changes to the lagoon that buffers the megacity of about 17 million people are unmistakable. What was once an open stretch of water is increasingly broken up by sandy patches, narrowing channels and reshaping currents that support thousands of fishermen.
The transformation is most visible near Makoko, one of Lagos’ oldest fishing communities. Dredging barges operate close to homes built on stilts, while reclaimed land and construction of upscale beachfront properties press in from the edges. Residents say the encroachment has destroyed fishing grounds and put many out of work.
Nearby, fishermen wait for the day’s dredging to pause. They say that when it does, even briefly, some fish return.
A city built on sand
Lagos, Nigeria’s economic engine, is in constant construction. Roads, bridges and housing estates are rising daily on reclaimed waterfronts as the city’s rich displace many of its poor.
Over the past five years, dozens of registered dredging firms and numerous informal operators have sprung up or increased their operations, extracting sand from rivers and coastal waters across Lagos State.
Industry analysts estimate the city consumes tens of millions of cubic meters of sand each year, an amount roughly equivalent to 16,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Lagoon sand is particularly prized by builders, who say it produces stronger concrete than sand that is dredged inland.
Fishermen and environmental researchers say the cost of that demand is increasingly visible in the water.
Lagos, Nigeria’s economic engine, is in constant construction. Roads, bridges and housing estates are rising daily on reclaimed waterfronts as the city’s rich displace many of its poor.
Over the past five years, dozens of registered dredging firms and numerous informal operators have sprung up or increased their operations, extracting sand from rivers and coastal waters across Lagos State.
Industry analysts estimate the city consumes tens of millions of cubic meters of sand each year, an amount roughly equivalent to 16,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Lagoon sand is particularly prized by builders, who say it produces stronger concrete than sand that is dredged inland.
Fishermen and environmental researchers say the cost of that demand is increasingly visible in the water.
Driving fish away
“We are not powerful,” said a community leader of Makoko, Baale Semede Emmanuel. “Dredgers have spoiled the entire waters.”
Fishermen there say dredging has wiped out shallow areas where fish once spawned before moving into deeper waters. At times, fish are sucked through dredging pipes.
“Anywhere dredging is happening, there’s no fish,” Emmanuel said. “The noise drives them away. The places where they used to reproduce are gone.”
With catches shrinking, fishermen say they must travel farther offshore, increasing fuel costs and exposure to rougher seas. Some have stopped fishing altogether.
“We have no other work apart from fishing,” Emmanuel said. “If we don’t find fish, we will starve.”
“We are not powerful,” said a community leader of Makoko, Baale Semede Emmanuel. “Dredgers have spoiled the entire waters.”
Fishermen there say dredging has wiped out shallow areas where fish once spawned before moving into deeper waters. At times, fish are sucked through dredging pipes.
“Anywhere dredging is happening, there’s no fish,” Emmanuel said. “The noise drives them away. The places where they used to reproduce are gone.”
With catches shrinking, fishermen say they must travel farther offshore, increasing fuel costs and exposure to rougher seas. Some have stopped fishing altogether.
“We have no other work apart from fishing,” Emmanuel said. “If we don’t find fish, we will starve.”
Pushed from the water
For some fishermen, dredging has forced an uneasy shift away from the sea. Joshua Monday said he has largely parked his two fishing boats and now works as a mechanic.
He learned how to fix boat engines years ago as a backup.
“If not for this mechanic work, I don’t know how I would survive,” he said.
He said rising costs and shrinking catches have made fishing untenable. Fuel can cost more than 150,000 naira ($104) for a single trip, he said, with no guarantee of a return.
“Sometimes you go to the sea and come back with nothing,” he said. “All the fuel is gone.”
Meanwhile, he said, wealthy developers and other powerful interests are reclaiming land around Lagos while fishermen are pushed aside.
“Big men are stressing us,” Monday said. “When they come, you have no option. You pack your things and leave.” He now lives in another waterfront community under pressure, Sagbo-Koji.
For some fishermen, dredging has forced an uneasy shift away from the sea. Joshua Monday said he has largely parked his two fishing boats and now works as a mechanic.
He learned how to fix boat engines years ago as a backup.
“If not for this mechanic work, I don’t know how I would survive,” he said.
He said rising costs and shrinking catches have made fishing untenable. Fuel can cost more than 150,000 naira ($104) for a single trip, he said, with no guarantee of a return.
“Sometimes you go to the sea and come back with nothing,” he said. “All the fuel is gone.”
Meanwhile, he said, wealthy developers and other powerful interests are reclaiming land around Lagos while fishermen are pushed aside.
“Big men are stressing us,” Monday said. “When they come, you have no option. You pack your things and leave.” He now lives in another waterfront community under pressure, Sagbo-Koji.
Making money from sand
Dredgers say the work offers rare income in a city with limited opportunities.
“I’m a father of one,” said Joshua Alex, a dredging operator. “This is how I take care of myself.”
He explained how informal dredgers interact with authorities and pay their “dues” to stay in business.
“Marine Police will come, we settle them. NIWA will come, we settle them,” he said, referring to the National Inland Waterways Authority. He said the payments make the work legitimate.
Environmental advocates say such arrangements blur the line between legal and illegal dredging, allowing operators to resume work shortly after enforcement actions.
Government warnings, limited regulations
Lagos State officials, including Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, have repeatedly pledged to clamp down on illegal dredging, especially operations that are blamed for worsening flooding, erosion and other environmental degradation along the coast.
The government says it has shut down sites operating without permits and strengthened monitoring through waterfront and environmental agencies. The Lagos State Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development didn’t respond to questions.
But community leaders say enforcement is inconsistent, pointing to the payments by informal dredgers.
“When the government stops dredging activities today, they get paid, and then they ask them to resume activities,” said the Makoko community leader, Emmanuel.
He accused authorities of prioritizing revenue and private development over the survival of fishing communities, citing land allocations for real estate projects along the waterfront.
“The government has the power, not us,” he said.
Dredgers say the work offers rare income in a city with limited opportunities.
“I’m a father of one,” said Joshua Alex, a dredging operator. “This is how I take care of myself.”
He explained how informal dredgers interact with authorities and pay their “dues” to stay in business.
“Marine Police will come, we settle them. NIWA will come, we settle them,” he said, referring to the National Inland Waterways Authority. He said the payments make the work legitimate.
Environmental advocates say such arrangements blur the line between legal and illegal dredging, allowing operators to resume work shortly after enforcement actions.
Government warnings, limited regulations
Lagos State officials, including Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, have repeatedly pledged to clamp down on illegal dredging, especially operations that are blamed for worsening flooding, erosion and other environmental degradation along the coast.
The government says it has shut down sites operating without permits and strengthened monitoring through waterfront and environmental agencies. The Lagos State Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development didn’t respond to questions.
But community leaders say enforcement is inconsistent, pointing to the payments by informal dredgers.
“When the government stops dredging activities today, they get paid, and then they ask them to resume activities,” said the Makoko community leader, Emmanuel.
He accused authorities of prioritizing revenue and private development over the survival of fishing communities, citing land allocations for real estate projects along the waterfront.
“The government has the power, not us,” he said.
What the science says
Scientific research supports fishermen’s claims about the impacts of dredging in Lagos.
Peer-reviewed studies by Nigerian scholars conducted along the Ajah–Addo-Badore corridor, a major dredging zone east of Makoko, found water turbidity levels far above national safety standards, conditions that disrupt fish feeding, reproduction and migration.
Researchers also documented unstable seabeds and erosion-prone zones beneath dredging sites, and more stable conditions where dredging was absent. In some locations, groundwater samples showed bacterial contamination linked to human waste.
Scientists have warned that dredging reduces the lagoon’s ability to absorb floodwaters, increasing long-term risks for Lagos and its population. Wetlands and shallow lagoon areas act as natural buffers. When they are removed or destabilized, communities become more vulnerable.
Lagos has experienced increasingly severe flooding in recent years, with waterfront and low-lying neighborhoods among the hardest hit.
Scientific research supports fishermen’s claims about the impacts of dredging in Lagos.
Peer-reviewed studies by Nigerian scholars conducted along the Ajah–Addo-Badore corridor, a major dredging zone east of Makoko, found water turbidity levels far above national safety standards, conditions that disrupt fish feeding, reproduction and migration.
Researchers also documented unstable seabeds and erosion-prone zones beneath dredging sites, and more stable conditions where dredging was absent. In some locations, groundwater samples showed bacterial contamination linked to human waste.
Scientists have warned that dredging reduces the lagoon’s ability to absorb floodwaters, increasing long-term risks for Lagos and its population. Wetlands and shallow lagoon areas act as natural buffers. When they are removed or destabilized, communities become more vulnerable.
Lagos has experienced increasingly severe flooding in recent years, with waterfront and low-lying neighborhoods among the hardest hit.
By Grace Ekpu, AP
Nigeria's 'Special Economic Zones' earnings hit $500m
Nigeria’s Special Economic Zones generated more than $500 million in export revenues and created over 20,000 direct jobs last year, underlining their growing contribution to the government’s strategy to shift the economy away from oil and towards export-led growth, according to a new government review document.
The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment said the performance of the zones reflected broad reforms implemented in 2025 to deepen industrial capacity, expand exports, attract investment, and restore confidence among global investors.
The findings were outlined in a document titled 2025: A Defining Year for Nigeria’s Industry, Trade and Investment.
“Nigeria’s Special Economic Zones generated over $500m in export revenues and created more than 20,000 direct jobs, reinforcing their role as engines of export-led growth, industrialisation and employment generation,” the report said, noting coordinated work by the Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority and the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority.
The figures arrive amid broader gains in Nigeria’s trade landscape, with non-oil exports rising by about 21 per cent to $12.8 billion in the first half of 2025, nearly double the government’s internal target of $6.5 billion for that period.
This growth helped produce a trade surplus worth roughly N12 trillion, driven by stronger export performance and improvements in trade facilitation and logistics.
According to the review, the rise in non-oil exports was supported by increased value addition in key agricultural and manufactured products.
Nigeria’s top export earners included cocoa and cocoa derivatives, sesame seeds, cashew nuts, shea butter, ginger, hibiscus flowers, rubber, processed palm oil, fertilisers, cement, and liquefied natural gas. Efforts to build exporter capacity were also highlighted.
Working with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, the ministry said it trained more than 27,000 exporters, certified 200 micro, small, and medium enterprises for international markets, and supported over 3,000 farmers by distributing hybrid seedlings. One inclusive trade initiative, the Women Export Fund, attracted more than 67,000 applications and awarded grants to 146 women-led businesses.
On investment flows, the ministry pointed to a recovery in foreign interest in Nigeria’s economy, reporting that four priority projects worth a combined $13.7 billion had advanced from the memorandum of understanding stage towards implementation.
These commitments stemmed from a larger pipeline of deals originally valued at more than $50.8 billion.
The review credited structured engagement with investors and high-level trade missions for helping to reshape perceptions of Nigeria’s business environment and improve deal quality. It said these engagements laid the groundwork for stronger investment pipelines and positioned Nigeria as a credible destination for long-term capital.
Analysts say the performance of the special economic zones and the wider export boom are part of efforts to diversify the economy, reduce reliance on crude oil earnings, and build more resilient sources of foreign exchange.
Nigeria’s recent trade and export momentum is seen as a sign of gradual progress in structural economic reforms, even as challenges in infrastructure and competitiveness remain on policymakers’ agenda.
The government said it plans to build on the gains of 2025 by accelerating export execution and sustaining investment flows, aiming to create jobs and foster more inclusive growth in the coming years.
The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment said the performance of the zones reflected broad reforms implemented in 2025 to deepen industrial capacity, expand exports, attract investment, and restore confidence among global investors.
The findings were outlined in a document titled 2025: A Defining Year for Nigeria’s Industry, Trade and Investment.
“Nigeria’s Special Economic Zones generated over $500m in export revenues and created more than 20,000 direct jobs, reinforcing their role as engines of export-led growth, industrialisation and employment generation,” the report said, noting coordinated work by the Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority and the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority.
The figures arrive amid broader gains in Nigeria’s trade landscape, with non-oil exports rising by about 21 per cent to $12.8 billion in the first half of 2025, nearly double the government’s internal target of $6.5 billion for that period.
This growth helped produce a trade surplus worth roughly N12 trillion, driven by stronger export performance and improvements in trade facilitation and logistics.
According to the review, the rise in non-oil exports was supported by increased value addition in key agricultural and manufactured products.
Nigeria’s top export earners included cocoa and cocoa derivatives, sesame seeds, cashew nuts, shea butter, ginger, hibiscus flowers, rubber, processed palm oil, fertilisers, cement, and liquefied natural gas. Efforts to build exporter capacity were also highlighted.
Working with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, the ministry said it trained more than 27,000 exporters, certified 200 micro, small, and medium enterprises for international markets, and supported over 3,000 farmers by distributing hybrid seedlings. One inclusive trade initiative, the Women Export Fund, attracted more than 67,000 applications and awarded grants to 146 women-led businesses.
On investment flows, the ministry pointed to a recovery in foreign interest in Nigeria’s economy, reporting that four priority projects worth a combined $13.7 billion had advanced from the memorandum of understanding stage towards implementation.
These commitments stemmed from a larger pipeline of deals originally valued at more than $50.8 billion.
The review credited structured engagement with investors and high-level trade missions for helping to reshape perceptions of Nigeria’s business environment and improve deal quality. It said these engagements laid the groundwork for stronger investment pipelines and positioned Nigeria as a credible destination for long-term capital.
Analysts say the performance of the special economic zones and the wider export boom are part of efforts to diversify the economy, reduce reliance on crude oil earnings, and build more resilient sources of foreign exchange.
Nigeria’s recent trade and export momentum is seen as a sign of gradual progress in structural economic reforms, even as challenges in infrastructure and competitiveness remain on policymakers’ agenda.
The government said it plans to build on the gains of 2025 by accelerating export execution and sustaining investment flows, aiming to create jobs and foster more inclusive growth in the coming years.
By Segun Adeyemi, Business Insider Africa
Nigerian stars dominate All Africa Music Awards
Global superstar Burna Boy claimed the prestigious Album of the Year award for his latest work No Sign of Weakness.
He also shared the award for Best African Collaboration with fast-rising compatriot Shallipopi, who separately won the coveted Song of the Year for his hit single Laho, which made waves on social media.
The week-long event, which had a diverse group of music experts from across Africa and the diaspora as jurors, brought together industry professionals, culminating in a ceremony where Nigeria's current musical prowess was firmly on display.
Leading the tally for the evening was Rema, who took home three awards: Artiste of the Year, Best Male Artiste in Western Africa, and Best African Artiste in RnB and Soul.
Other notable Nigerian winners included Yemi Alade, who won Best Soundtrack in a Movie, Series or Documentary for her song You Are from the animated series Iyanu, and veteran rapper Phyno, named Best African Artiste in African Hip-Hop.
The awards also celebrated emerging talent. Qing Madi was crowned Most Promising Artiste of the Year, while Chella earned the title of African Fans' Favourite.
While Nigerian stars dominated, the ceremony celebrated talent from across Africa.
Senegal's Bakhaw Dioum won Song Writer of the Year and Algeria's DJ Moh Green who scooped DJ of the Year award ahead of some notable South African DJs.
Ghana's Wendy Shay won Best Female Artiste in West Africa, South Africa's Nontokozo Mkhize won Best Female Artiste in Southern Africa and Tanzania's Juma Jux was named Best Male Artiste in Eastern Africa.
The success of Nigerian artists underscores the continued global appeal of Afrobeats.
The genre, which fuses African rhythms with Western influences, has seen explosive international growth in recent years.
Burna Boy, a defining figure in this movement since its breakthrough, remains one of its most prominent ambassadors, with his album win cementing his influential status.
Saturday, January 10, 2026
Video - Algeria vs Nigeria | Victor Osimhen was UNSTOPPABLE in the AFCON quarterfinals
The difference made by Victor Osimhen—with one goal and one assist—ultimately defined Nigeria national football team’s clear superiority over Algeria national football team. Nigeria won with authority and merit, creating more chances and finishing better, and returned to the semifinals of the Africa Cup of Nations, where they will face Morocco—the host nation—on Wednesday in Rabat.
Friday, January 9, 2026
Anthony Joshua issues emotional first remarks since car accident in Nigeria that killed two close friends
Former heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua issued his first public remarks after a tragic car accident in Nigeria took two lives.
Anthony Joshua suffered the loss of two of his longtime team members in a car accident last month in Nigeria. Joshua, who defeated Jake Paul just days before the crash, suffered minor injuries and received treatment at a local hospital.
It was a scary and tragic moment for Joshua, the victims, and their families. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, and a 46-year-old man was charged with death by dangerous driving, according to police.
Joshua recently video-called with former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, a fellow Nigerian, after the accident. But Joshua has remained relatively quiet on social media since the accident as he begins his grieving process.
Anthony Joshua makes first public statement since fatal car accident
In a recent social media post, Joshua spoke about the accident and paid tribute to his two teammates.
“Thank you for all the love and care you have shown my brothers,” Joshua said. “I didn’t even realise how special they are. I’ll just be walking with them and cracking jokes with them, not even knowing God kept me in the presence of great men.
“100 percent it’s tough for me, but I know it’s even tougher for their parents. I have a strong mind, and I believe God knows their hearts. May God have mercy on my brothers.”
Joshua is considered one of the top heavyweight fighters on the planet and is reportedly set to fight Tyson Fury in a heavyweight match later this year. Fury hasn’t fought since suffering back-to-back losses to Joshua’s former foe Oleksandr Usyk.
In the meantime, Joshua and his family are dealing with the aftermath of the horrific car accident. This is a developing story and we’ll continue to update you as new details become available.
In a recent social media post, Joshua spoke about the accident and paid tribute to his two teammates.
“Thank you for all the love and care you have shown my brothers,” Joshua said. “I didn’t even realise how special they are. I’ll just be walking with them and cracking jokes with them, not even knowing God kept me in the presence of great men.
“100 percent it’s tough for me, but I know it’s even tougher for their parents. I have a strong mind, and I believe God knows their hearts. May God have mercy on my brothers.”
Joshua is considered one of the top heavyweight fighters on the planet and is reportedly set to fight Tyson Fury in a heavyweight match later this year. Fury hasn’t fought since suffering back-to-back losses to Joshua’s former foe Oleksandr Usyk.
In the meantime, Joshua and his family are dealing with the aftermath of the horrific car accident. This is a developing story and we’ll continue to update you as new details become available.
By Curtis Calhoun, BJPENN.COM
Related story: Police arrest Joshua’s driver after boxer discharged
Trump Says There Could Be More US Strikes In Nigeria
President Donald Trump has warned that the United States could carry out further military strikes in Nigeria if Christians continue to be killed, reigniting a sensitive debate over religious violence and foreign intervention in Africa’s most populous nation.
Trump made the remarks in an interview with The New York Times, published on Thursday, while responding to questions about a US military strike carried out in Nigeria on Christmas Day. At the time, the US military said the operation targeted Islamic State militants in north-west Nigeria and was conducted at the request of the Nigerian government.
Nigeria, however, described the operation as a joint counterterrorism effort, stressing that it was aimed at armed groups designated as terrorists and “had nothing to do with a particular religion”.
“I’d love to make it a one-time strike,” Trump was quoted as saying. “But if they continue to kill Christians, it will be a many-time strike.”
Pressed on comments by his own Africa adviser that extremist groups such as Islamic State and Boko Haram have killed more Muslims than Christians in Nigeria, Trump acknowledged that Muslims were also victims but insisted that Christians were being targeted disproportionately.
“I think that Muslims are being killed also in Nigeria. But it’s mostly Christians,” he said.
Trump has repeatedly raised alarms about the safety of Christians in Nigeria, beginning in late October when he warned that Christianity faced what he described as an “existential threat” in the country. He has accused Nigerian authorities of failing to adequately protect Christian communities and has openly threatened US military intervention if the violence continues.
Nigeria has firmly rejected claims of systematic persecution of Christians. The government maintains that the country’s security challenges are complex and largely driven by insurgency, banditry and criminal violence rather than religious targeting.
With a population of more than 230 million people, Nigeria is almost evenly divided between Christians, who are concentrated mainly in the south, and Muslims, who predominate in the north. Islamist insurgencies, particularly Boko Haram and its offshoots, have plagued parts of northern Nigeria for more than a decade, killing thousands and displacing millions.
Nigerian authorities have repeatedly pointed out that militant attacks have claimed the lives of both Muslims and Christians, arguing that framing the violence along religious lines oversimplifies the crisis and risks inflaming tensions.
Following Trump’s earlier threats, the Nigerian government said it was willing to continue cooperating with Washington in combating terrorism but rejected language suggesting that Christians alone were under threat.
The latest comments are likely to strain diplomatic relations further, as Nigeria balances its partnership with the United States against concerns over sovereignty, security cooperation and the portrayal of its internal conflicts on the global stage.
By Melissa Enoch, Arise News
Trump made the remarks in an interview with The New York Times, published on Thursday, while responding to questions about a US military strike carried out in Nigeria on Christmas Day. At the time, the US military said the operation targeted Islamic State militants in north-west Nigeria and was conducted at the request of the Nigerian government.
Nigeria, however, described the operation as a joint counterterrorism effort, stressing that it was aimed at armed groups designated as terrorists and “had nothing to do with a particular religion”.
“I’d love to make it a one-time strike,” Trump was quoted as saying. “But if they continue to kill Christians, it will be a many-time strike.”
Pressed on comments by his own Africa adviser that extremist groups such as Islamic State and Boko Haram have killed more Muslims than Christians in Nigeria, Trump acknowledged that Muslims were also victims but insisted that Christians were being targeted disproportionately.
“I think that Muslims are being killed also in Nigeria. But it’s mostly Christians,” he said.
Trump has repeatedly raised alarms about the safety of Christians in Nigeria, beginning in late October when he warned that Christianity faced what he described as an “existential threat” in the country. He has accused Nigerian authorities of failing to adequately protect Christian communities and has openly threatened US military intervention if the violence continues.
Nigeria has firmly rejected claims of systematic persecution of Christians. The government maintains that the country’s security challenges are complex and largely driven by insurgency, banditry and criminal violence rather than religious targeting.
With a population of more than 230 million people, Nigeria is almost evenly divided between Christians, who are concentrated mainly in the south, and Muslims, who predominate in the north. Islamist insurgencies, particularly Boko Haram and its offshoots, have plagued parts of northern Nigeria for more than a decade, killing thousands and displacing millions.
Nigerian authorities have repeatedly pointed out that militant attacks have claimed the lives of both Muslims and Christians, arguing that framing the violence along religious lines oversimplifies the crisis and risks inflaming tensions.
Following Trump’s earlier threats, the Nigerian government said it was willing to continue cooperating with Washington in combating terrorism but rejected language suggesting that Christians alone were under threat.
The latest comments are likely to strain diplomatic relations further, as Nigeria balances its partnership with the United States against concerns over sovereignty, security cooperation and the portrayal of its internal conflicts on the global stage.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie reveals her one-year-old son has died after a short illness
“We’re deeply saddened to confirm the passing of one of Ms Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Dr Ivara Esege’s twin boys, Nkanu Nnamdi, who passed on Wednesday,” read a statement made by Adichie’s communications team.
“The family is devastated by this profound loss, and we request that their privacy be respected during this incredibly difficult time,” continued the statement, signed by Omawumi Ogbe of GLG Communications. “We ask for your grace and prayers as they mourn in private.”
“No further statements will be made, and we thank the public and the media for respecting their need for seclusion during this period of immense grief.”
Adichie and Esege married in 2009. Adichie had her first child, a daughter, in 2016. In 2024, her twin boys were born via surrogate.
Adichie has become one of the most celebrated modern novelists for works exploring love, conflict, identity, feminism and colonialism among other themes. Her debut novel, Purple Hibiscus, was longlisted for the Booker prize in 2004. Her second novel, Half of a Yellow Sun – set during the Biafran war – won the Women’s prize for fiction in 2007, and was named the “winner of winners” from 25 recipients in 2020. Her 2013 novel Americanah won the National Book Critics Circle award. Her most recent novel, Dream Count, was published last year and longlisted for the Women’s prize.
She is also the author of the short story collection The Thing Around Your Neck as well as the nonfiction titles We Should All Be Feminists; Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions; and Notes on Grief, which she wrote following the death of her father in 2020. Her mother died months later, in 2021.
By Ella Creamer, The Guardian
Thursday, January 8, 2026
Nigerians living with albinism demand inclusion beyond pity
Nigerians living with albinism have renewed calls for inclusion, equal treatment and respect, saying their greatest challenge is not health-related conditions but persistent discrimination and social exclusion.
The demand was made at an empowerment and listening session organised by the Consumer Advocacy and Empowerment Foundation (CADEF) in partnership with the Albino Empowerment Foundation, where participants urged government, institutions and the public to move beyond sympathy and address structural barriers facing persons living with albinism.
Speaking at the event, Professor Chiso Ndukwe-Okafor, CADEF’s executive director, stressed that real progress only becomes possible when people are respected and included, not pitied.
While relief items such as food, protective clothing and materials to address skin and eye care were shared, Ndukwe-Okafor noted that the most powerful moments came when participants spoke for themselves.
“They reminded us that dignity begins when people are seen fully and treated equally,” she said, adding that self-awareness and knowledge of fundamental human rights are essential tools for self-advocacy.
According to her, understanding one’s rights equips people to demand fairness, inclusion and accountability, a principle CADEF holds firmly in its belief that an informed consumer is an empowered one.
Speaking on the broader meaning of inclusion, Ifeoma Ngesina, founder of the Albino Empowerment Foundation, said inclusion for persons with albinism is fundamentally about dignity and equal rights.
“It is about being seen, being heard and being part of decisions that affect our lives, not being reduced to stereotypes or treated as weak simply because of our skin,” she said.
Ngesina noted that much of the discrimination faced by persons with albinism is driven by myths and rumours, compounded by insufficient public enlightenment. “But when persons with albinism are included in schools, workplaces, leadership spaces and the media, those harmful beliefs begin to fade,” she added.
According to her, inclusion goes beyond access to opportunities; it builds confidence, nurtures leadership and reinforces the truth that every person, regardless of appearance, has value and potential.
Ms. Kobi Ikpo, an advisory board member of CADEF, challenged participants to take ownership of how society relates with them. “If you do not tell people how to treat you, they will not know how to address you,” she said.
In her view, the time for endless complaints has passed; what is needed now is experience-sharing, education and confident self-presentation. “Once you accept yourself as a complete human being deserving of respect, it reflects in how you carry yourself — and that confidence commands respect.”
For Afolake Odudinu, the conversation turned to the harsh realities many families still face. She highlighted how lack of parental enlightenment continues to shape the future of children with albinism.
Some struggle in school not because they lack intelligence, but because poor eyesight is misunderstood as dullness. Too often, such children are withdrawn from school and pushed into lifelong disadvantage.
She recalled a painful encounter with an albino woman selling bottled water under the scorching sun, her skin badly damaged. “Sometimes all you can do is pray,” she said, noting that skin cancer treatment in Nigeria remains out of reach for many.
Beyond education and health, Odudinu also spoke about social and marital challenges, where stigma still shadows many albinos seeking companionship and family life.
Another strong intervention came from Efosa Peter, who warned that empowerment without sincerity is dangerous. He shared how he once joined an organisation claiming to empower albinos, only to discover it had become political, with resources never reaching those who needed them most. “I hate pity. I don’t want to be pitied, I want empowerment,” he said firmly.
Peter described persons with albinism as uniquely gifted with creativity and deep thinking, urging leaders to ensure empowerment initiatives are driven by genuine motives. As a father of three and an associate pastor, he recounted moments of raw ignorance, including people insisting on checking his newborn child for albinism, and stressed that confidence built through self-development is key to overcoming such encounters. “Empowerment must include self-esteem and self-motivation. Many people withdraw because of past experiences. When you see yourself as whole, others will follow,” he said.
Other speakers at the session highlighted challenges ranging from limited access to quality education and healthcare to workplace discrimination and social rejection. Participants warned that many children with albinism are wrongly labelled as dull due to visual impairment, leading to school dropouts and long-term disadvantage.
The organisers said the initiative is part of ongoing efforts to promote rights-based advocacy for persons with disabilities, noting that the empowerment session will be institutionalised as an annual programme. They called on policymakers and stakeholders to prioritise inclusive policies that guarantee equal access to education, healthcare and economic opportunities for Nigerians living with albinism.
Nigeria reveals $17.8 million electricity debt owed by its neighbours
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), in its Third Quarter 2025 report, disclosed that Togo, Niger, and Benin owe Nigeria $17.8 million (N25 billion).
The report showed that the Market Operator invoiced a total of $18.69 million for electricity provided over the review period to the three countries, but only remitted $7.125 million, leaving an outstanding balance of $11.56 million.
Furthermore, international bilateral clients had legacy invoices totaling $14.7 million, of which they paid $7.84 million, leaving a debt of $6.23 million.
As reported by the Punch Newspaper, the debt accumulated between the previous quarters and Q3 2025 was $17.8 million (N25.36 billion).
The regulator identified the international offtakers as Compagnie Énergie Électrique du Togo, Société Béninoise d'Énergie Électrique of the Republic of Benin, and Société Nigérienne d'Électricité of the Republic of Niger.
The regulatory body reported that the three foreign bilateral clients that bought electricity from the grid-connected GenCos paid a total of $7.125 million toward the $18.69 million invoice that the Market Operator sent them for services provided in 2025/Q3.
A majority of the invoices remained outstanding at the close of the quarter, per to the report, which revealed that the remittance level reflected a 38.09 percent remittance performance.
“The three international bilateral customers being supplied by GenCos in the NESI made a payment of $7.12m against the cumulative invoice of $18.69m issued by the MO for services rendered in 2025/Q3, translating to a remittance performance of 38.09 per cent,” the NERC stated.
“The domestic bilateral customers made a cumulative payment of N3.19bn against the invoice of N3.64bn issued to them by the MO for services rendered in 2025/Q3, translating to 87.61 per cent remittance performance,” it added.
The NERC went on to disclose that, from a total invoice of N400.48 billion, Nigeria's 11 energy distribution companies sent a sum totaling N381.29 billion to the Nigerian Bulk Energy Trading Plc and the Market Operator in Q3 2025.
This reflects a remittance performance of 95.21%.
The report showed that the Market Operator invoiced a total of $18.69 million for electricity provided over the review period to the three countries, but only remitted $7.125 million, leaving an outstanding balance of $11.56 million.
Furthermore, international bilateral clients had legacy invoices totaling $14.7 million, of which they paid $7.84 million, leaving a debt of $6.23 million.
As reported by the Punch Newspaper, the debt accumulated between the previous quarters and Q3 2025 was $17.8 million (N25.36 billion).
The regulator identified the international offtakers as Compagnie Énergie Électrique du Togo, Société Béninoise d'Énergie Électrique of the Republic of Benin, and Société Nigérienne d'Électricité of the Republic of Niger.
The regulatory body reported that the three foreign bilateral clients that bought electricity from the grid-connected GenCos paid a total of $7.125 million toward the $18.69 million invoice that the Market Operator sent them for services provided in 2025/Q3.
A majority of the invoices remained outstanding at the close of the quarter, per to the report, which revealed that the remittance level reflected a 38.09 percent remittance performance.
“The three international bilateral customers being supplied by GenCos in the NESI made a payment of $7.12m against the cumulative invoice of $18.69m issued by the MO for services rendered in 2025/Q3, translating to a remittance performance of 38.09 per cent,” the NERC stated.
“The domestic bilateral customers made a cumulative payment of N3.19bn against the invoice of N3.64bn issued to them by the MO for services rendered in 2025/Q3, translating to 87.61 per cent remittance performance,” it added.
The NERC went on to disclose that, from a total invoice of N400.48 billion, Nigeria's 11 energy distribution companies sent a sum totaling N381.29 billion to the Nigerian Bulk Energy Trading Plc and the Market Operator in Q3 2025.
This reflects a remittance performance of 95.21%.
By Chinedu Okafor, Business Insider Africa
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Video - Nigeria implements reform aimed at widening tax net
Nigeria has launched one of its most ambitious tax reforms in decades, aimed at broadening the tax base, streamlining collections, and boosting government revenue. The policy, introduced following a costly fuel subsidy removal and currency reforms that increased the cost of living, has generated both hope and concern across Africa’s largest economy.
Video - Nigeria businesses look to shift trade to Asia, Europe in response to Trump "America First" policy
In Nigeria, some business owners say they are being pushed to look beyond the United States as the Trump administration tightens anti-migrant policies and visa restrictions. Many say they are now exploring opportunities in other parts of the world.
Video - Northern Nigeria village mourns after deadly weekend attack
Residents of a village in Nigeria’s northern Niger State are grappling with the aftermath of a deadly attack by an armed group over the weekend. At least 30 people were killed, while an unknown number were abducted. Locals have condemned the government’s handling of security, warning that such attacks will continue unless serious action is taken.
US introduces $15,000 visa bond for Nigerians
The United States has introduced new travel restrictions that could require Nigerians applying for B1/B2 visas to post bonds of up to $15,000.
According to information published on the US Department of State’s website, Travel.State.Gov, the payment of a bond does not guarantee visa issuance, adding that fees paid without the direction of a consular officer will not be refunded.
Of the listed Nations, African countries accounted for 24 of the 38, including Nigeria, in the updated list released by the US State Department on Tuesday.
Visa bonds are financial guarantees required by the US State Department for certain foreign nationals from countries classified as high-risk, who are applying for B1/B2 visas for business or tourism purposes.
The implementation dates vary by country, with Nigeria’s date set for January 21, 2026.
The Department of State said nationals from the listed countries have been identified as requiring visa bonds, with implementation dates shown in parentheses.
Countries affected include Algeria (21 January 2026), Angola (21 January 2026), Antigua and Barbuda (21 January 2026), Bangladesh (21 January 2026), Benin (21 January 2026), Bhutan (1 January 2026), Botswana (1 January 2026), Burundi (21 January 2026), Cabo Verde (21 January 2026), Central African Republic (1 January 2026), Côte d’Ivoire (21 January 2026), Cuba (21 January 2026), Djibouti (21 January 2026), Dominica (21 January 2026).
Others are; Fiji (21 January 2026), Gabon (21 January 2026), The Gambia (11 October 2025), Guinea (1 January 2026), Guinea-Bissau (1 January 2026), Kyrgyzstan (21 January 2026), Malawi (20 August 2025), Mauritania (23 October 2025), Namibia (1 January 2026), Nepal (21 January 2026).
The rest are; Nigeria (21 January 2026), São Tomé and PrÃncipe (23 October 2025), Senegal (21 January 2026), Tajikistan (21 January 2026), Tanzania (23 October 2025), Togo (21 January 2026), Tonga (21 January 2026), Turkmenistan (1 January 2026), Tuvalu (21 January 2026), Uganda (21 January 2026), Vanuatu (21 January 2026), Venezuela (21 January 2026), Zambia (20 August 2025), and Zimbabwe (21 January 2026).
The directive states that, “Any citizen or national travelling on a passport issued by one of these countries, who is otherwise found eligible for a B1/B2 visa, must post a bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000. The amount is determined during the visa interview.
“Applicants must also submit the Department of Homeland Security’s Form I-352. Applicants must also agree to the terms of the bond through the US Department of the Treasury’s online payment platform, Pay.gov. This requirement applies regardless of the place of application.”
It added that Visa holders who post bonds must enter the United States through designated airports, including Boston Logan International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, and Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia.
Bonds will only be refunded when the Department of Homeland Security records the visa holder’s departure from the United States on or before the expiration of their authorised stay, when the applicant does not travel before the visa expires, or when a traveller applies for and is denied admission at a US port of entry.
This development follows the introduction of partial US travel restrictions on Nigeria a week earlier. Nigeria was among 15 mostly African countries, including Angola, Antigua, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, The Gambia and others that were placed under partial travel suspensions by the US government on 16 December.
In Nigeria’s case, the US cited the presence and operations of radical Islamic terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State in certain parts of the country, resulting in “substantial screening and vetting difficulties.”
An overstay rate of 5.56 per cent for B1/B2 visas and 11.90 per cent for F, M, and J visas was also cited as a justification for Nigeria’s inclusion. As a result, the travel suspension covered immigrant visas as well as non-immigrant categories, including B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas.
By Deborah Musa, Punch
According to information published on the US Department of State’s website, Travel.State.Gov, the payment of a bond does not guarantee visa issuance, adding that fees paid without the direction of a consular officer will not be refunded.
Of the listed Nations, African countries accounted for 24 of the 38, including Nigeria, in the updated list released by the US State Department on Tuesday.
Visa bonds are financial guarantees required by the US State Department for certain foreign nationals from countries classified as high-risk, who are applying for B1/B2 visas for business or tourism purposes.
The implementation dates vary by country, with Nigeria’s date set for January 21, 2026.
The Department of State said nationals from the listed countries have been identified as requiring visa bonds, with implementation dates shown in parentheses.
Countries affected include Algeria (21 January 2026), Angola (21 January 2026), Antigua and Barbuda (21 January 2026), Bangladesh (21 January 2026), Benin (21 January 2026), Bhutan (1 January 2026), Botswana (1 January 2026), Burundi (21 January 2026), Cabo Verde (21 January 2026), Central African Republic (1 January 2026), Côte d’Ivoire (21 January 2026), Cuba (21 January 2026), Djibouti (21 January 2026), Dominica (21 January 2026).
Others are; Fiji (21 January 2026), Gabon (21 January 2026), The Gambia (11 October 2025), Guinea (1 January 2026), Guinea-Bissau (1 January 2026), Kyrgyzstan (21 January 2026), Malawi (20 August 2025), Mauritania (23 October 2025), Namibia (1 January 2026), Nepal (21 January 2026).
The rest are; Nigeria (21 January 2026), São Tomé and PrÃncipe (23 October 2025), Senegal (21 January 2026), Tajikistan (21 January 2026), Tanzania (23 October 2025), Togo (21 January 2026), Tonga (21 January 2026), Turkmenistan (1 January 2026), Tuvalu (21 January 2026), Uganda (21 January 2026), Vanuatu (21 January 2026), Venezuela (21 January 2026), Zambia (20 August 2025), and Zimbabwe (21 January 2026).
The directive states that, “Any citizen or national travelling on a passport issued by one of these countries, who is otherwise found eligible for a B1/B2 visa, must post a bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000. The amount is determined during the visa interview.
“Applicants must also submit the Department of Homeland Security’s Form I-352. Applicants must also agree to the terms of the bond through the US Department of the Treasury’s online payment platform, Pay.gov. This requirement applies regardless of the place of application.”
It added that Visa holders who post bonds must enter the United States through designated airports, including Boston Logan International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, and Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia.
Bonds will only be refunded when the Department of Homeland Security records the visa holder’s departure from the United States on or before the expiration of their authorised stay, when the applicant does not travel before the visa expires, or when a traveller applies for and is denied admission at a US port of entry.
This development follows the introduction of partial US travel restrictions on Nigeria a week earlier. Nigeria was among 15 mostly African countries, including Angola, Antigua, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, The Gambia and others that were placed under partial travel suspensions by the US government on 16 December.
In Nigeria’s case, the US cited the presence and operations of radical Islamic terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State in certain parts of the country, resulting in “substantial screening and vetting difficulties.”
An overstay rate of 5.56 per cent for B1/B2 visas and 11.90 per cent for F, M, and J visas was also cited as a justification for Nigeria’s inclusion. As a result, the travel suspension covered immigrant visas as well as non-immigrant categories, including B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas.
By Deborah Musa, Punch
Akor Adams Forced To Leave Nigeria Camp At AFCON 2025 Due To Off-Field Reasons
Just as his name was starting to gain weight inside Nigeria’s attack, an off-the-field situation forces an unexpected pause at a crucial stage of the tournament.
Nigeria continue their strong run at the AFCON 2025, but football sometimes takes a back seat. At a key moment of the competition, the Super Eagles were hit by unexpected news: one of their most in-form attackers had to step away from the squad just as his influence was beginning to grow.
In a tournament where momentum, focus and emotional balance are everything, any off-field disruption is felt deeply. Even more so when it involves a player who was delivering on the pitch and earning his place among Nigeria’s most trusted attacking options.
A Personal Situation That Changes The Picture
The Nigeria Football Federation confirmed on Tuesday that Akor Adams has temporarily left the national team camp. The reason is personal: his mother was hospitalized, and the striker was granted permission to travel and be with her.
The decision was made with full support from the coaching staff. Nigeria made it clear that Adams’ absence is temporary, with the expectation that he will rejoin the squad once the situation allows. For now, the priority goes beyond football.
Performances That Made Him Stand Out
What makes this absence particularly notable is the form Akor Adams was showing at the AFCON. The forward has already recorded 1 goal and 2 assists, numbers that underline his growing importance within the Nigerian setup.
His standout performance came in the emphatic 4–0 win over Mozambique, where he found the net with a powerful strike and played a key role in Nigeria’s attacking flow. The Super Eagles currently boast the most productive attack of the tournament, and Adams has been a central part of that success.
Matching Nigeria’s Biggest Stars
In a squad filled with elite talent, breaking through is never easy. Yet Akor Adams has managed to perform at the level of established stars like Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen.
Beyond goals and assists, his movement, physical presence and ability to combine with teammates have given Nigeria more attacking variety. His rise has added another layer to a frontline that already strikes fear across the continent.
Nigeria Await His Return For The Knockout Stage
Nigeria now turn their attention to the quarterfinal clash against Angola, scheduled for Saturday the 10th at 17:00. While preparations continue, the squad remains hopeful that Akor Adams will be able to return in time for the decisive stages.
As the AFCON enters its most demanding phase, Nigeria know that regaining a player in rhythm and full confidence could make all the difference. And based on what he had shown so far, Adams was ready to play a major role.
Nigeria now turn their attention to the quarterfinal clash against Angola, scheduled for Saturday the 10th at 17:00. While preparations continue, the squad remains hopeful that Akor Adams will be able to return in time for the decisive stages.
As the AFCON enters its most demanding phase, Nigeria know that regaining a player in rhythm and full confidence could make all the difference. And based on what he had shown so far, Adams was ready to play a major role.
By Antonio Medina, beinSPORTS
Nigeria Misses 2025 Oil Production Target by 500,000 Bpd
Nigeria booked average daily crude oil production of around 1.5 million barrels for 2025, which was half a million barrels daily lower than the government’s target for the sector, Vanguard reported today.
Official data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission showed there were 40 active drilling rigs in the country at the end of the year, while OPEC reported the number of active drilling rigs in Nigeria at 18 for November, the report noted.
In that month, oil production jumped to around 1.6 million barrels daily, the Nigerian state oil company, NNPC, said earlier this month. NNPC is set to increase oil production to 2 million bpd over the next two years, its executive vice president for upstream, Udy Ntia, said in November 2025. By 2030, NNPC will be pumping 3 million barrels daily, according to the official.
Nigeria has been pumping more crude and drilling more new wells than it has in years, thanks to reforms under President Bola Tinubu that are finally leading to more cash flowing into the upstream industry. Daily output had climbed to between 1.7 million and 1.83 million barrels, while active rigs surged from 31 in January to 50 by July 2025.
To maintain momentum in the revival of its oil industry, Nigeria, at the end of 2025, held a licensing round for 50 oil and gas blocks. The round could result in investments of $10 billion over the next ten years and add some 400,000 barrels daily to the country’s oil production capacity, the government said at the time.
Support for the momentum comes from Big Oil, which, after years of shrinking its activities in Nigeria, now has plans to expand there. Shell, for instance, is on track to start production from the Bonga North deepwater field next year, while TotalEnergies is planning to launch gas production at the Ubeta field in 2027 as well.
By Irina Slav, Oilprice.com
Official data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission showed there were 40 active drilling rigs in the country at the end of the year, while OPEC reported the number of active drilling rigs in Nigeria at 18 for November, the report noted.
In that month, oil production jumped to around 1.6 million barrels daily, the Nigerian state oil company, NNPC, said earlier this month. NNPC is set to increase oil production to 2 million bpd over the next two years, its executive vice president for upstream, Udy Ntia, said in November 2025. By 2030, NNPC will be pumping 3 million barrels daily, according to the official.
Nigeria has been pumping more crude and drilling more new wells than it has in years, thanks to reforms under President Bola Tinubu that are finally leading to more cash flowing into the upstream industry. Daily output had climbed to between 1.7 million and 1.83 million barrels, while active rigs surged from 31 in January to 50 by July 2025.
To maintain momentum in the revival of its oil industry, Nigeria, at the end of 2025, held a licensing round for 50 oil and gas blocks. The round could result in investments of $10 billion over the next ten years and add some 400,000 barrels daily to the country’s oil production capacity, the government said at the time.
Support for the momentum comes from Big Oil, which, after years of shrinking its activities in Nigeria, now has plans to expand there. Shell, for instance, is on track to start production from the Bonga North deepwater field next year, while TotalEnergies is planning to launch gas production at the Ubeta field in 2027 as well.
Refugees return to ruined Nigerian town despite threats from armed groups
Malam Fatori, Nigeria - It’s been more than 10 years since Isa Aji Mohammed lost four of his children in one night when Boko Haram fighters attacked their home in northeast Nigeria’s Borno State.
Maryam, who was 15 at the time, was killed alongside her brothers Mohammed, 22, and Zubairu, who was only 10. Yadoma, 25 and married with children, who had returned home to her parents’ house for a visit, also died in the attack.
“We ran with nothing,” said 65-year-old Isa, standing on the parched soil of his farm in the Lake Chad village of Malam Fatori, to which he recently returned. “For more than 10 years, we slept in relatives’ homes. I felt like a stranger in my own country.”
Before the deadly attack, Isa, a farmer, produced hundreds of bags of rice, maize and beans annually, enough to feed his family and sell in markets in neighbouring Niger.
After that night, he fled and spent the next decade in displacement camps across the border.
But last year, he joined thousands of other former residents who have relocated back to Malam Fatori and other towns as part of a resettlement programme initiated by the government.
The village sits on the edge of Nigeria’s northeastern frontier, close to the border with Niger, where the vast, flat landscape stretches into open farmland and seasonal wetlands.
A decade ago, homes there were intact and full, their courtyards echoing with children’s voices and the steady rhythm of daily life. Farms extended well beyond the town’s outskirts, producing grains and vegetables that sustained families and supported local trade.
Irrigation canals flowed regularly, and the surrounding area was known for its productivity, especially during the dry season. Markets were active, and movement between Malam Fatori and neighbouring communities was normal, not restricted by fear.
Today, the town carries the visible scars of conflict and neglect, with much of it lying in ruin.
Rows of mud-brick houses stand roofless or partially collapsed, their walls cracked by years of abandonment. Some homes have been hastily repaired with scrap wood and sheets of metal, signs of families slowly returning and rebuilding with whatever materials they can find.
The farms surrounding Malam Fatori are beginning to show faint signs of life again. Small plots of millet and sorghum are being cleared by hand, while irrigation channels – once choked with sand and weeds – are gradually being reopened.
Many fields, however, remain empty, overtaken by thorny bushes and dry grass after years without cultivation. Farmers move cautiously, working close to the town, wary of venturing too far into land that was once fertile but has long been unsafe.
For returnees like Isa, walking through these spaces means navigating both the present reality and memories of what once was. Each broken wall and abandoned field tells a story of loss, while every newly planted seed signals a quiet determination to restore a town that violence nearly erased.
Maryam, who was 15 at the time, was killed alongside her brothers Mohammed, 22, and Zubairu, who was only 10. Yadoma, 25 and married with children, who had returned home to her parents’ house for a visit, also died in the attack.
“We ran with nothing,” said 65-year-old Isa, standing on the parched soil of his farm in the Lake Chad village of Malam Fatori, to which he recently returned. “For more than 10 years, we slept in relatives’ homes. I felt like a stranger in my own country.”
Before the deadly attack, Isa, a farmer, produced hundreds of bags of rice, maize and beans annually, enough to feed his family and sell in markets in neighbouring Niger.
After that night, he fled and spent the next decade in displacement camps across the border.
But last year, he joined thousands of other former residents who have relocated back to Malam Fatori and other towns as part of a resettlement programme initiated by the government.
The village sits on the edge of Nigeria’s northeastern frontier, close to the border with Niger, where the vast, flat landscape stretches into open farmland and seasonal wetlands.
A decade ago, homes there were intact and full, their courtyards echoing with children’s voices and the steady rhythm of daily life. Farms extended well beyond the town’s outskirts, producing grains and vegetables that sustained families and supported local trade.
Irrigation canals flowed regularly, and the surrounding area was known for its productivity, especially during the dry season. Markets were active, and movement between Malam Fatori and neighbouring communities was normal, not restricted by fear.
Today, the town carries the visible scars of conflict and neglect, with much of it lying in ruin.
Rows of mud-brick houses stand roofless or partially collapsed, their walls cracked by years of abandonment. Some homes have been hastily repaired with scrap wood and sheets of metal, signs of families slowly returning and rebuilding with whatever materials they can find.
The farms surrounding Malam Fatori are beginning to show faint signs of life again. Small plots of millet and sorghum are being cleared by hand, while irrigation channels – once choked with sand and weeds – are gradually being reopened.
Many fields, however, remain empty, overtaken by thorny bushes and dry grass after years without cultivation. Farmers move cautiously, working close to the town, wary of venturing too far into land that was once fertile but has long been unsafe.
For returnees like Isa, walking through these spaces means navigating both the present reality and memories of what once was. Each broken wall and abandoned field tells a story of loss, while every newly planted seed signals a quiet determination to restore a town that violence nearly erased.
Between ‘two pressures’: Boko Haram and the army
For the Borno State administration, the returns are a success. “There are 5,000 households of returnees in Malam Fatori, while the town’s total population now exceeds 20,000 people,” Usman Tar, Borno State commissioner for information and internal security, told Al Jazeera last year.
As we toured the town, the security presence was visible. Armed patrols, checkpoints and observation posts were stationed along major routes and near public spaces, reflecting ongoing efforts to deter attacks and reassure residents.
Families interviewed said they were subjected to frequent security checks and strict movement controls, measures they understand as necessary but which also disrupt daily routines and limit access to farms, markets and neighbouring communities.
Residents and local officials say the threat remains close. Fighters from Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), another armed group active in the area, are believed to be operating from swampy areas approximately two kilometres from the town, using the difficult terrain as cover.
Although the town itself is under heavy military protection, surrounding areas continue to experience attacks, kidnappings and harassment, particularly along farming routes and access roads.
These persistent security incidents reinforce a climate of fear and uncertainty among returnees. While many families have chosen to remain and rebuild despite the risks, they say the proximity of armed groups and the ongoing violence in nearby communities make long-term recovery fragile.
“Here in Malam Fatori, we live under two pressures,” said resident Babagana Yarima. “Boko Haram dictates our safety, and the military dictates our movement. Both limit how we live every day.”
Farmers wait up to eight hours at military checkpoints when transporting produce. Curfews prevent evening farm work. Access to agricultural land beyond the town requires military permits or armed escorts.
“Insecurity and military restrictions limit access to farmlands, forcing farmers to cultivate smaller areas than before,” said Bashir Yunus, an agrarian expert at the University of Maiduguri who also farms in the region.
Fishing, previously a major food source and income generator from Lake Chad, has become dangerous and requires permits to leave the town boundaries.
“Movement beyond the town’s boundaries now requires military permits. Militant attacks in isolated areas continue,” said Issoufou.
The United Nations has raised concerns about the government’s resettlement programme, citing potential protection violations. Mohamed Malick, UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Nigeria, said during an interview with journalists in Maiduguri that “any returns or relocations must be informed, voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable”.
Malick added that the return of refugees to Malam Fatori and other insecure areas must be carefully evaluated against established safety and humanitarian standards, and must only take place if conditions allow for basic services and sustainable livelihoods.
For the Borno State administration, the returns are a success. “There are 5,000 households of returnees in Malam Fatori, while the town’s total population now exceeds 20,000 people,” Usman Tar, Borno State commissioner for information and internal security, told Al Jazeera last year.
As we toured the town, the security presence was visible. Armed patrols, checkpoints and observation posts were stationed along major routes and near public spaces, reflecting ongoing efforts to deter attacks and reassure residents.
Families interviewed said they were subjected to frequent security checks and strict movement controls, measures they understand as necessary but which also disrupt daily routines and limit access to farms, markets and neighbouring communities.
Residents and local officials say the threat remains close. Fighters from Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), another armed group active in the area, are believed to be operating from swampy areas approximately two kilometres from the town, using the difficult terrain as cover.
Although the town itself is under heavy military protection, surrounding areas continue to experience attacks, kidnappings and harassment, particularly along farming routes and access roads.
These persistent security incidents reinforce a climate of fear and uncertainty among returnees. While many families have chosen to remain and rebuild despite the risks, they say the proximity of armed groups and the ongoing violence in nearby communities make long-term recovery fragile.
“Here in Malam Fatori, we live under two pressures,” said resident Babagana Yarima. “Boko Haram dictates our safety, and the military dictates our movement. Both limit how we live every day.”
Farmers wait up to eight hours at military checkpoints when transporting produce. Curfews prevent evening farm work. Access to agricultural land beyond the town requires military permits or armed escorts.
“Insecurity and military restrictions limit access to farmlands, forcing farmers to cultivate smaller areas than before,” said Bashir Yunus, an agrarian expert at the University of Maiduguri who also farms in the region.
Fishing, previously a major food source and income generator from Lake Chad, has become dangerous and requires permits to leave the town boundaries.
“Movement beyond the town’s boundaries now requires military permits. Militant attacks in isolated areas continue,” said Issoufou.
The United Nations has raised concerns about the government’s resettlement programme, citing potential protection violations. Mohamed Malick, UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Nigeria, said during an interview with journalists in Maiduguri that “any returns or relocations must be informed, voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable”.
Malick added that the return of refugees to Malam Fatori and other insecure areas must be carefully evaluated against established safety and humanitarian standards, and must only take place if conditions allow for basic services and sustainable livelihoods.
‘A man without land is a man without life’
Settled back on his land, Isa wakes before dawn each day, leaving his home in the quiet hours before the town stirs.
He walks to the fields that once yielded fertile harvests, now choked with weeds and debris. The land that once fed his family and supported their livelihood now demands relentless effort just to coax a small crop from the exhausted soil.
With each turn of the hoe and careful planting of seeds, he is determined to reclaim a fragment of the life that was disrupted by conflict.
He also participates in community farming initiatives, joining neighbours in collective efforts to restore agricultural production for the returning population and aid the town’s slow recovery.
However, the area he personally cultivates is far smaller than what he once managed, constrained by limited access to tools, seeds and water, as well as by the lingering insecurity in the region.
”A man without land is a man without life,” he said.
Most families in Malam Fatori now eat only twice a day, a sharp contrast to life before the conflict. Their meals typically consist of rice or millet, often eaten with little or no vegetables due to cost and limited availability.
Food prices have risen dramatically, placing further strain on households already struggling to recover. A kilogramme of rice now sells for about 1,200 naira (approximately $0.83), nearly double its previous price, making even basic staples increasingly unaffordable for many families.
Fish, once plentiful and affordable thanks to proximity to Lake Chad, have become scarce and expensive. Insecurity, restricted access to fishing areas, and disrupted supply chains have severely reduced local catches.
At the local market and at aid distribution points, women queue before dawn, hoping to secure small quantities of dried fish, groundnut oil or maize flour when supplies arrive.
Deliveries are irregular and unpredictable, often selling out within hours. Many women say they return home empty-handed after waiting for hours, compounding daily stress and uncertainty about how to feed their families.
Local health workers warn that malnutrition remains a serious concern, particularly among children under the age of five.
Basic services remain inadequate across town. Roads are poor, and schools and health clinics operate with minimal resources.
“Security risks and inaccessible routes through surrounding bushland continue to restrict humanitarian access, preventing aid agencies from reaching several communities. Basic services such as clean water, healthcare and quality education remain inadequate,” Kaka Ali, deputy director of local government primary healthcare, told Al Jazeera.
Settled back on his land, Isa wakes before dawn each day, leaving his home in the quiet hours before the town stirs.
He walks to the fields that once yielded fertile harvests, now choked with weeds and debris. The land that once fed his family and supported their livelihood now demands relentless effort just to coax a small crop from the exhausted soil.
With each turn of the hoe and careful planting of seeds, he is determined to reclaim a fragment of the life that was disrupted by conflict.
He also participates in community farming initiatives, joining neighbours in collective efforts to restore agricultural production for the returning population and aid the town’s slow recovery.
However, the area he personally cultivates is far smaller than what he once managed, constrained by limited access to tools, seeds and water, as well as by the lingering insecurity in the region.
”A man without land is a man without life,” he said.
Most families in Malam Fatori now eat only twice a day, a sharp contrast to life before the conflict. Their meals typically consist of rice or millet, often eaten with little or no vegetables due to cost and limited availability.
Food prices have risen dramatically, placing further strain on households already struggling to recover. A kilogramme of rice now sells for about 1,200 naira (approximately $0.83), nearly double its previous price, making even basic staples increasingly unaffordable for many families.
Fish, once plentiful and affordable thanks to proximity to Lake Chad, have become scarce and expensive. Insecurity, restricted access to fishing areas, and disrupted supply chains have severely reduced local catches.
At the local market and at aid distribution points, women queue before dawn, hoping to secure small quantities of dried fish, groundnut oil or maize flour when supplies arrive.
Deliveries are irregular and unpredictable, often selling out within hours. Many women say they return home empty-handed after waiting for hours, compounding daily stress and uncertainty about how to feed their families.
Local health workers warn that malnutrition remains a serious concern, particularly among children under the age of five.
Basic services remain inadequate across town. Roads are poor, and schools and health clinics operate with minimal resources.
“Security risks and inaccessible routes through surrounding bushland continue to restrict humanitarian access, preventing aid agencies from reaching several communities. Basic services such as clean water, healthcare and quality education remain inadequate,” Kaka Ali, deputy director of local government primary healthcare, told Al Jazeera.
Community rebuilding efforts continue
Despite ongoing challenges, residents of Malam Fatori are steadily working to rebuild their community and restore livelihoods disrupted by years of conflict.
Across the town, women have organised themselves into small cooperatives, producing handmade mats and processing groundnut oil for household use and local sale.
Fishermen, once central to the local economy, now operate cautiously in small groups in line with security regulations. Along riverbanks and storage areas, they repair damaged canoes and carefully mend fishing nets that were abandoned or destroyed during the conflict.
At the same time, teams of bricklayers are reconstructing homes destroyed during the violence, using locally sourced materials and shared labour to rebuild shelters for returning families.
The town’s clinic, staffed by six nurses, is overstretched. Vaccinations, malaria treatment and maternal health services are rationed. Power outages and equipment shortages compound the challenges. But it is a lifeline.
At Malam Fatori Central Primary School, children from the town and surrounding communities are being taught with the few resources available.
There are only 10 functional classrooms for hundreds of pupils, so some learn outdoors, under trees or in open spaces. There is a shortage of teachers, so some educators brave the conditions and travel long distances from the southern parts of Borno State.
In another, more unusual arrangement, soldiers stationed in the town occasionally step in to teach basic civic education and history lessons.
While not a replacement for trained teachers, community leaders say their involvement provides pupils with some continuity in education. The presence of soldiers in classrooms, they say, also reassures parents about security and underscores a shared effort to stabilise the town and rebuild essential services.
Despite ongoing challenges, residents of Malam Fatori are steadily working to rebuild their community and restore livelihoods disrupted by years of conflict.
Across the town, women have organised themselves into small cooperatives, producing handmade mats and processing groundnut oil for household use and local sale.
Fishermen, once central to the local economy, now operate cautiously in small groups in line with security regulations. Along riverbanks and storage areas, they repair damaged canoes and carefully mend fishing nets that were abandoned or destroyed during the conflict.
At the same time, teams of bricklayers are reconstructing homes destroyed during the violence, using locally sourced materials and shared labour to rebuild shelters for returning families.
The town’s clinic, staffed by six nurses, is overstretched. Vaccinations, malaria treatment and maternal health services are rationed. Power outages and equipment shortages compound the challenges. But it is a lifeline.
At Malam Fatori Central Primary School, children from the town and surrounding communities are being taught with the few resources available.
There are only 10 functional classrooms for hundreds of pupils, so some learn outdoors, under trees or in open spaces. There is a shortage of teachers, so some educators brave the conditions and travel long distances from the southern parts of Borno State.
In another, more unusual arrangement, soldiers stationed in the town occasionally step in to teach basic civic education and history lessons.
While not a replacement for trained teachers, community leaders say their involvement provides pupils with some continuity in education. The presence of soldiers in classrooms, they say, also reassures parents about security and underscores a shared effort to stabilise the town and rebuild essential services.
‘This land contains our future’
Amid all of the returning and rebuilding, security remains a dominant feature of daily life in Malam Fatori.
Soldiers remain stationed throughout the town, at markets and other public spaces to deter attacks.
Meanwhile, former Boko Haram members who have enrolled in a government-led deradicalisation and repentance programme also assist in protecting farmers working on the outskirts of the town, helping to rebuild trust between civilians and security structures.
Abu Fatima is a former Boko Haram fighter who joined the repentance programme. “Troop patrols are constant, curfews dictate daily life,” he said about the security arrangements in Malam Fatori.
Although residents welcome the security provided by the soldiers’ presence in the town, “many say they feel trapped – unable to fully rebuild the lives they had before Boko Haram, yet unwilling to abandon a homeland that defines them”, he said, echoing the tension felt by many returnees.
Bulama Shettima has also lived through the personal cost of the fighting that has devastated northeast Nigeria. Two of the 60-year-old’s sons joined ISWAP, a tragedy that left the family with deep emotional scars. After years of uncertainty and fear, one of his sons was later deradicalised through a government rehabilitation programme. This has allowed his family to heal and reconcile. Coming back to Malam Fatori is also part of that.
“Returning wasn’t about safety,” he said. “It was about belonging. This land contains our history. This land contains our grief. This land contains our future.”
Today, Bulama is focused on rebuilding his life and securing a different future for his children.
He works as a farmer, cultivating small plots of land under difficult conditions, while also running a modest business to supplement his income.
Despite his losses, Bulama places strong emphasis on educating his other children, saying that their schooling is a form of resistance against the cycle of violence that once tore his family apart. It will also allow them to grow up with choices, he says.
As many displaced families remain in Niger or live in limbo in Maiduguri, fearing a return to towns where armed men operate not far away, those now in Malam Fatori consider it a move worth making.
For Isa, the decision to return represents a calculated risk.
“We are caught between fear and order,” he said. “But still, we must live. Still, we must plant. Still, we must hope.”
Amid all of the returning and rebuilding, security remains a dominant feature of daily life in Malam Fatori.
Soldiers remain stationed throughout the town, at markets and other public spaces to deter attacks.
Meanwhile, former Boko Haram members who have enrolled in a government-led deradicalisation and repentance programme also assist in protecting farmers working on the outskirts of the town, helping to rebuild trust between civilians and security structures.
Abu Fatima is a former Boko Haram fighter who joined the repentance programme. “Troop patrols are constant, curfews dictate daily life,” he said about the security arrangements in Malam Fatori.
Although residents welcome the security provided by the soldiers’ presence in the town, “many say they feel trapped – unable to fully rebuild the lives they had before Boko Haram, yet unwilling to abandon a homeland that defines them”, he said, echoing the tension felt by many returnees.
Bulama Shettima has also lived through the personal cost of the fighting that has devastated northeast Nigeria. Two of the 60-year-old’s sons joined ISWAP, a tragedy that left the family with deep emotional scars. After years of uncertainty and fear, one of his sons was later deradicalised through a government rehabilitation programme. This has allowed his family to heal and reconcile. Coming back to Malam Fatori is also part of that.
“Returning wasn’t about safety,” he said. “It was about belonging. This land contains our history. This land contains our grief. This land contains our future.”
Today, Bulama is focused on rebuilding his life and securing a different future for his children.
He works as a farmer, cultivating small plots of land under difficult conditions, while also running a modest business to supplement his income.
Despite his losses, Bulama places strong emphasis on educating his other children, saying that their schooling is a form of resistance against the cycle of violence that once tore his family apart. It will also allow them to grow up with choices, he says.
As many displaced families remain in Niger or live in limbo in Maiduguri, fearing a return to towns where armed men operate not far away, those now in Malam Fatori consider it a move worth making.
For Isa, the decision to return represents a calculated risk.
“We are caught between fear and order,” he said. “But still, we must live. Still, we must plant. Still, we must hope.”
By Adamu Aliyu Ngulde, Al Jazeera
Tuesday, January 6, 2026
Nigeria to use intel from US flights to aid strikes on Islamic State, government says
Nigeria, which is battling multiple armed groups, said last month that the US strikes were part of an exchange of intelligence and strategic coordination between the two nations.
The Nigerian air force will reportedly take the lead from the US after Washington's strikes against militants of the so-called Islamic State (IS) group in northwest Nigeria last month.
A Nigerian official told the AFP news agency on Tuesday that the country's fighter jets woulds use intelligence gathered from US reconnaissance flights to aid their own air strikes as part of a new security arrangement with Washington.
However, Nigeria remains open to further US strikes like the ones on Christmas Day, according to the official.
US President Donald Trump announced on 26 December that the US had carried out "powerful and deadly" strikes against IS gunmen in Nigeria's Sokoto state.
Trump said that "terrorist scum" targeted in the strikes were "viciously targeting and killing mostly innocent Christians". The number of casualties is unclear, although Nigerian and US officials said that militants were killed in the strikes.
Nigeria, which is battling multiple armed groups, said last month that the US strikes were part of an exchange of intelligence and strategic coordination between the two nations.
Despite Trump's comments about Christian victims of violence, Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar said the attacks had "nothing to do with a particular religion."
This echoed comments by Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who said that security challenges affect people "irrespective of religions and regions."
Residents and security analysts have said Nigeria's security crisis affects both Christians, who are predominant in the south, and Muslims, who are the majority in the north.
The armed groups operating in Nigeria include at least two organisations linked to IS: the Islamic State of West Africa — an offshoot of Boko Haram that operates mainly in the northeast — and the lesser-known Islamic State's Shahel Province (ISSP) — known locally as Lakurawa — with a strong presence in the northwest.
Jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa have wreaked havoc in northeastern Nigeria for more than a decade, killing thousands of people, yet most of them were Muslims, according to ACLED, a group that analyses political violence.
In November, Trump ordered the Pentagon to begin planning for potential military action in Nigeria to try and curb what he called Christian persecution.
The US president previously designated Nigeria a "country of particular concern" due to the "existential threat" it poses to its Christian population.
This designation allows for US sanctions against countries "engaged in serious violations of religious freedom."
The Nigerian air force will reportedly take the lead from the US after Washington's strikes against militants of the so-called Islamic State (IS) group in northwest Nigeria last month.
A Nigerian official told the AFP news agency on Tuesday that the country's fighter jets woulds use intelligence gathered from US reconnaissance flights to aid their own air strikes as part of a new security arrangement with Washington.
However, Nigeria remains open to further US strikes like the ones on Christmas Day, according to the official.
US President Donald Trump announced on 26 December that the US had carried out "powerful and deadly" strikes against IS gunmen in Nigeria's Sokoto state.
Trump said that "terrorist scum" targeted in the strikes were "viciously targeting and killing mostly innocent Christians". The number of casualties is unclear, although Nigerian and US officials said that militants were killed in the strikes.
Nigeria, which is battling multiple armed groups, said last month that the US strikes were part of an exchange of intelligence and strategic coordination between the two nations.
Despite Trump's comments about Christian victims of violence, Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar said the attacks had "nothing to do with a particular religion."
This echoed comments by Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who said that security challenges affect people "irrespective of religions and regions."
Residents and security analysts have said Nigeria's security crisis affects both Christians, who are predominant in the south, and Muslims, who are the majority in the north.
The armed groups operating in Nigeria include at least two organisations linked to IS: the Islamic State of West Africa — an offshoot of Boko Haram that operates mainly in the northeast — and the lesser-known Islamic State's Shahel Province (ISSP) — known locally as Lakurawa — with a strong presence in the northwest.
Jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa have wreaked havoc in northeastern Nigeria for more than a decade, killing thousands of people, yet most of them were Muslims, according to ACLED, a group that analyses political violence.
In November, Trump ordered the Pentagon to begin planning for potential military action in Nigeria to try and curb what he called Christian persecution.
The US president previously designated Nigeria a "country of particular concern" due to the "existential threat" it poses to its Christian population.
This designation allows for US sanctions against countries "engaged in serious violations of religious freedom."
Nigeria 4-0 Mozambique - Super Eagles cruise into quarter-finals
Nigeria swept into the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) with a commanding 4-0 victory over Mozambique in Fes.
The Super Eagles were on top from the off, and talisman Victor Osimhen had an effort ruled out for offside within the first two minutes.
Their pressure eventually told in the 20th minute as Ademola Lookman curled home from Akor Adams' cutback to break the deadlock.
Five minutes later Osimhen doubled the advantage, turning in after Alex Iwobi's incisive play through midfield released Lookman and his ball across took a deflection off Adams.
Mozambique, making their first appearance in the knockout stage, struggled to contain Nigeria's relentless attack and offered little threat going forward.
Osimhen made it 3-0 early in the second half, tapping in from Lookman's clever ball across from the left at the back post to score his second of the night.
Adams then capped a fine individual display, firing in Nigeria's fourth in the 75th minute after more good work by Lookman.
Nigeria, who could have added more, now await Algeria or DR Congo in Saturday's quarter-final tie in Marrakech (16:00 GMT).
Nigeria are looking to go one better than the 2023 edition, where they finished as runners-up to hosts Ivory Coast, and entered the knockout stage in Morocco as one of two sides with a perfect record alongside Algeria.
Yet the last time the three-time champions started an Afcon so well, in 2021, they exited in the last 16 against Tunisia.
Eric Chelle's side managed to survive that fate against Mozambique as they put in a performance which underlined their credentials as a challenger for the trophy, becoming the first side to score four goals in a game at this year's edition of the finals.
Iwobi was a hub of creativity, Lookman and Adams were full of invention as they terrorised the Mozambique defence, and Galatasaray front man Osimhen will have boosted his confidence with two goals from close range.
Nigeria continued to pour forward in search of more goals and Mambas goalkeeper Ernan was kept busy before being forced off with injury in the closing stages.
A first clean sheet in six outings at the finals - having conceded four times in the group stage - will also be a point of pride for the West Africans before their last-eight tie.
Yet Nigeria's performance so far at this tournament may not be enough to atone for the disappointment felt by their fans for the team's failure to deliver qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
The Super Eagles may yet get the chance to gain revenge over DR Congo, who beat them on penalties in the continent's play-off final in November, while a meeting with Algeria will see a repeat of the Afcon 2019 semi-final which the North Africans won.
By Emmanuel Akindubuwa, BBC
The Super Eagles were on top from the off, and talisman Victor Osimhen had an effort ruled out for offside within the first two minutes.
Their pressure eventually told in the 20th minute as Ademola Lookman curled home from Akor Adams' cutback to break the deadlock.
Five minutes later Osimhen doubled the advantage, turning in after Alex Iwobi's incisive play through midfield released Lookman and his ball across took a deflection off Adams.
Mozambique, making their first appearance in the knockout stage, struggled to contain Nigeria's relentless attack and offered little threat going forward.
Osimhen made it 3-0 early in the second half, tapping in from Lookman's clever ball across from the left at the back post to score his second of the night.
Adams then capped a fine individual display, firing in Nigeria's fourth in the 75th minute after more good work by Lookman.
Nigeria, who could have added more, now await Algeria or DR Congo in Saturday's quarter-final tie in Marrakech (16:00 GMT).
Nigeria are looking to go one better than the 2023 edition, where they finished as runners-up to hosts Ivory Coast, and entered the knockout stage in Morocco as one of two sides with a perfect record alongside Algeria.
Yet the last time the three-time champions started an Afcon so well, in 2021, they exited in the last 16 against Tunisia.
Eric Chelle's side managed to survive that fate against Mozambique as they put in a performance which underlined their credentials as a challenger for the trophy, becoming the first side to score four goals in a game at this year's edition of the finals.
Iwobi was a hub of creativity, Lookman and Adams were full of invention as they terrorised the Mozambique defence, and Galatasaray front man Osimhen will have boosted his confidence with two goals from close range.
Nigeria continued to pour forward in search of more goals and Mambas goalkeeper Ernan was kept busy before being forced off with injury in the closing stages.
A first clean sheet in six outings at the finals - having conceded four times in the group stage - will also be a point of pride for the West Africans before their last-eight tie.
Yet Nigeria's performance so far at this tournament may not be enough to atone for the disappointment felt by their fans for the team's failure to deliver qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
The Super Eagles may yet get the chance to gain revenge over DR Congo, who beat them on penalties in the continent's play-off final in November, while a meeting with Algeria will see a repeat of the Afcon 2019 semi-final which the North Africans won.
Health Minister Confirms Mass Measles, Yellow Fever Vaccination
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Pate, says the Nigerian Government has administered more than 25 million doses of measles vaccine and 22 million doses of yellow fever vaccine nationwide.
Pate highlighted significant gains in immunisation coverage and preventive healthcare delivery across the country.
He said, “Under this administration, over 25 million measles doses and 22 million yellow fever vaccinations have been administered, alongside Africa’s first Mpox vaccine rollout.”
The Minister explained that beyond measles and yellow fever, five million children had received the pentavalent vaccine, and 10 million Nigerians were vaccinated with the tetanus-diphtheria vaccine through the nationwide diphtheria response.
According to the Minister, more than one million vaccine doses from the Gavi-funded global stockpile were also deployed to support meningitis outbreak control in northern regions.
“As the country bearing the world’s highest malaria burden, accounting for approximately 39.3 per cent of malaria-related deaths among children under five, deployment of the R21 Matrix-M vaccine marks a major public health milestone,” he said.
He explained that the malaria vaccine rollout commenced in Bayelsa and Kebbi states, with Kebbi alone targeting 179,542 children of age five to 15 months.
“Nigeria received one million doses of the malaria vaccine, including 846,200 doses from Gavi and 153,800 doses financed by the Federal Government, with plans underway for further scale-up,” he said.
The Minister stated that in 2025, the Federal Government committed 54 million dollars in domestic resources to the global fight against tuberculosis and emerged as the largest African contributor to the Global Fund, as announced at the most recent G20 meeting in Johannesburg.
“These gains are substantive,” Pate said.
Pate also highlighted Nigeria’s drive to eliminate cervical cancer, noting that although about 12,000 Nigerian women are diagnosed annually, the disease is preventable through early Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination.
He said that since the launch of the HPV vaccination programme in October 2023 across 15 states and the Federal Capital Territory, over 14 million eligible girls aged nine to 14 years had been vaccinated, representing more than 90 per cent coverage.
He added that formal approval had recently been granted for an additional 68 billion naira for vaccine financing and related requirements, with funds lodged at the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and scheduled for release.
He said Nigeria’s population of over 240 million was increasingly demonstrating commitment to accessing quality health services and preventive tools that protect lives, reduce avoidable illness and sustain productivity.
“In the second quarter of 2024, health facilities nationwide recorded approximately 10 million hospital visits. By the second quarter of 2025, visits exceeded 45 million, representing a more than fourfold increase,” Pate said.
He explained that the rise reflected increased use of essential and life-saving services, particularly immunisation, among Nigeria’s youthful population, which had previously been constrained by misinformation, distrust and limited access.
According to the minister, the administration remains committed to ensuring that preventable illness and avoidable death no longer limit the capacity of Nigerians to live healthy, productive and dignified lives.
Pate highlighted significant gains in immunisation coverage and preventive healthcare delivery across the country.
He said, “Under this administration, over 25 million measles doses and 22 million yellow fever vaccinations have been administered, alongside Africa’s first Mpox vaccine rollout.”
The Minister explained that beyond measles and yellow fever, five million children had received the pentavalent vaccine, and 10 million Nigerians were vaccinated with the tetanus-diphtheria vaccine through the nationwide diphtheria response.
According to the Minister, more than one million vaccine doses from the Gavi-funded global stockpile were also deployed to support meningitis outbreak control in northern regions.
“As the country bearing the world’s highest malaria burden, accounting for approximately 39.3 per cent of malaria-related deaths among children under five, deployment of the R21 Matrix-M vaccine marks a major public health milestone,” he said.
He explained that the malaria vaccine rollout commenced in Bayelsa and Kebbi states, with Kebbi alone targeting 179,542 children of age five to 15 months.
“Nigeria received one million doses of the malaria vaccine, including 846,200 doses from Gavi and 153,800 doses financed by the Federal Government, with plans underway for further scale-up,” he said.
The Minister stated that in 2025, the Federal Government committed 54 million dollars in domestic resources to the global fight against tuberculosis and emerged as the largest African contributor to the Global Fund, as announced at the most recent G20 meeting in Johannesburg.
“These gains are substantive,” Pate said.
Pate also highlighted Nigeria’s drive to eliminate cervical cancer, noting that although about 12,000 Nigerian women are diagnosed annually, the disease is preventable through early Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination.
He said that since the launch of the HPV vaccination programme in October 2023 across 15 states and the Federal Capital Territory, over 14 million eligible girls aged nine to 14 years had been vaccinated, representing more than 90 per cent coverage.
He added that formal approval had recently been granted for an additional 68 billion naira for vaccine financing and related requirements, with funds lodged at the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and scheduled for release.
He said Nigeria’s population of over 240 million was increasingly demonstrating commitment to accessing quality health services and preventive tools that protect lives, reduce avoidable illness and sustain productivity.
“In the second quarter of 2024, health facilities nationwide recorded approximately 10 million hospital visits. By the second quarter of 2025, visits exceeded 45 million, representing a more than fourfold increase,” Pate said.
He explained that the rise reflected increased use of essential and life-saving services, particularly immunisation, among Nigeria’s youthful population, which had previously been constrained by misinformation, distrust and limited access.
According to the minister, the administration remains committed to ensuring that preventable illness and avoidable death no longer limit the capacity of Nigerians to live healthy, productive and dignified lives.
Nigerians’ health at risk from pesticides used by farmers
The use of hazardous pesticides and agrochemicals by farmers and traders to protect crops, control weeds, and store food products is silently poisoning Nigerians and causing havoc to their health and the environment, experts say.
Some of the highly hazardous pesticides include: Atrazine, Butachlor, Dichlorovos, Carbendazim, Cypermethrin, Dimethoate, Diuron, Endosulfan, Glyphosate, and Imidacloprid. Others are Carbofuran, Chlorpyrifos, Paraquat, Mancozeb, and Permethrin among others.
These hazardous pesticides, often banned in other countries, are still widely traded in Nigeria despite their devastating impacts on human health.
According to data from the Alliance for Action on Pesticides in Nigeria (AAPN), 17 of these highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) banned in other countries are found in the hands of Nigerian farmers.
Although the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has banned six of the 17 HHPs, they are still in use in the country and can be found in local markets.
Most of these pesticides, when accumulated in human bodies, cause endocrine and nervous system disruption, carcinogenic, developmental and neurological damage, among others, experts say.
“When pesticides are used beyond the maximum limits on food products, it becomes dangerous to human health,” said Joseph Akinneye, a professor at the Department of Biology at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State.
“Farmers and traders in the country often use these chemicals at high levels, and the accumulation of them in the body causes cancer, difficulty in breathing and hormonal imbalance among other illnesses,” Akinneye said.
“This is wrong and must stop to save lives,” he said, while calling for farmers and traders’ education on pesticide use and application. He noted that limited knowledge of the dangers of highly hazardous agrochemicals is fuelling increased use.
He explained that in most countries, there are regulations and penalties for exceeding the maximum limits on the use of agrochemicals, noting that the Nigerian Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is responsible for this in the country.
He added that the agency has failed to effectively regulate these hazardous chemicals, as some that are banned in the country are still found in open markets.
Pesticide imports into Africa have increased significantly in recent years. In West Africa, imports nearly doubled in five years, rising from 218,948 tonnes in 2015 to 437,930 tonnes in 2020. Of this total in 2020, Nigeria accounted for 33.67 percent, according to data from the Alliance for Action on Pesticides in Nigeria (AAPN).
In 2021, almost two-thirds (about 66 percent) of agrochemicals found in Nigeria were categorised as highly hazardous, according to a Pesticide Atlas report.
The report also found elevated levels of residues were detected in tomato samples from Nigeria, including traces of permethrin, a chemical the US Environmental Protection Agency classified as probably carcinogenic.
Beans from Nigeria showed high levels of contamination as samples contained up to 0.3 milligrammes per kilogramme of dichlorvos. The legal limit in Europe is 0.01 milligrammes per kilogramme.
Patrick Ijewere, medical director at The Nutrition Hospital, said most of the agrochemicals used by Nigerian farmers contain active ingredients that the World Health Organisation (WHO) and International Agency for Research on Cancer, among others, have categorised as highly hazardous due to their toxic effect on humans and the environment.
He noted that the use of highly hazardous agrochemicals is dangerous to human health when consumed over a long period. “The side effects are responsible for the rising cases of cancer we have now in the country because Nigerians consume these food products daily,” Ijewere said.
By Josephine Okojie-Okeiyi, Business Day
Some of the highly hazardous pesticides include: Atrazine, Butachlor, Dichlorovos, Carbendazim, Cypermethrin, Dimethoate, Diuron, Endosulfan, Glyphosate, and Imidacloprid. Others are Carbofuran, Chlorpyrifos, Paraquat, Mancozeb, and Permethrin among others.
These hazardous pesticides, often banned in other countries, are still widely traded in Nigeria despite their devastating impacts on human health.
According to data from the Alliance for Action on Pesticides in Nigeria (AAPN), 17 of these highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) banned in other countries are found in the hands of Nigerian farmers.
Although the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has banned six of the 17 HHPs, they are still in use in the country and can be found in local markets.
Most of these pesticides, when accumulated in human bodies, cause endocrine and nervous system disruption, carcinogenic, developmental and neurological damage, among others, experts say.
“When pesticides are used beyond the maximum limits on food products, it becomes dangerous to human health,” said Joseph Akinneye, a professor at the Department of Biology at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State.
“Farmers and traders in the country often use these chemicals at high levels, and the accumulation of them in the body causes cancer, difficulty in breathing and hormonal imbalance among other illnesses,” Akinneye said.
“This is wrong and must stop to save lives,” he said, while calling for farmers and traders’ education on pesticide use and application. He noted that limited knowledge of the dangers of highly hazardous agrochemicals is fuelling increased use.
He explained that in most countries, there are regulations and penalties for exceeding the maximum limits on the use of agrochemicals, noting that the Nigerian Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is responsible for this in the country.
He added that the agency has failed to effectively regulate these hazardous chemicals, as some that are banned in the country are still found in open markets.
Pesticide imports into Africa have increased significantly in recent years. In West Africa, imports nearly doubled in five years, rising from 218,948 tonnes in 2015 to 437,930 tonnes in 2020. Of this total in 2020, Nigeria accounted for 33.67 percent, according to data from the Alliance for Action on Pesticides in Nigeria (AAPN).
In 2021, almost two-thirds (about 66 percent) of agrochemicals found in Nigeria were categorised as highly hazardous, according to a Pesticide Atlas report.
The report also found elevated levels of residues were detected in tomato samples from Nigeria, including traces of permethrin, a chemical the US Environmental Protection Agency classified as probably carcinogenic.
Beans from Nigeria showed high levels of contamination as samples contained up to 0.3 milligrammes per kilogramme of dichlorvos. The legal limit in Europe is 0.01 milligrammes per kilogramme.
Patrick Ijewere, medical director at The Nutrition Hospital, said most of the agrochemicals used by Nigerian farmers contain active ingredients that the World Health Organisation (WHO) and International Agency for Research on Cancer, among others, have categorised as highly hazardous due to their toxic effect on humans and the environment.
He noted that the use of highly hazardous agrochemicals is dangerous to human health when consumed over a long period. “The side effects are responsible for the rising cases of cancer we have now in the country because Nigerians consume these food products daily,” Ijewere said.
Fuelling export rejection
The high use of agrochemicals by farmers has continued to drive rejection of Nigerian food exported to the European Union (EU), the U.S. and others.
The European Union (EU) had in 2016 rejected 24 food products from Nigeria. Groundnuts were rejected because they contained aflatoxin, while palm oil had a colouring agent that was carcinogenic.
The European Food Safety Authority had likewise rejected beans from Nigeria in 2015 because they contained between 0.03mg per kg and 4.6mg/kg of dichlorvos pesticide, when the acceptable maximum residue limit was 0.01mg/kg.
The ban is still in place, indicating that Nigerian food processors and exporters are yet to change from such practice.
“The high use of hazardous pesticides is why our food products are still banned in Europe and other countries,” Ijewere said.
Organic pesticides provide alternative
Experts have urged governments at all levels to prioritise investments in organic and agroecological farming as sustainable alternatives to conventional agriculture.
Jude Obi, a professor and president of the Association of Organic Agriculture Practitioners of Nigeria (NOAN), stressed the need for awareness and advocacy for organic agriculture while de-emphasising conventional practices that rely heavily on agrochemical application.
Obi noted that countries are shifting to using more organic pesticides and less agrochemicals in food production owing to its health and environmental benefits.
The high use of agrochemicals by farmers has continued to drive rejection of Nigerian food exported to the European Union (EU), the U.S. and others.
The European Union (EU) had in 2016 rejected 24 food products from Nigeria. Groundnuts were rejected because they contained aflatoxin, while palm oil had a colouring agent that was carcinogenic.
The European Food Safety Authority had likewise rejected beans from Nigeria in 2015 because they contained between 0.03mg per kg and 4.6mg/kg of dichlorvos pesticide, when the acceptable maximum residue limit was 0.01mg/kg.
The ban is still in place, indicating that Nigerian food processors and exporters are yet to change from such practice.
“The high use of hazardous pesticides is why our food products are still banned in Europe and other countries,” Ijewere said.
Organic pesticides provide alternative
Experts have urged governments at all levels to prioritise investments in organic and agroecological farming as sustainable alternatives to conventional agriculture.
Jude Obi, a professor and president of the Association of Organic Agriculture Practitioners of Nigeria (NOAN), stressed the need for awareness and advocacy for organic agriculture while de-emphasising conventional practices that rely heavily on agrochemical application.
Obi noted that countries are shifting to using more organic pesticides and less agrochemicals in food production owing to its health and environmental benefits.
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