Nigerian authorities have urged citizens not to target South African nationals or businesses following renewed xenophobic attacks on immigrants. Officials say security has been strengthened around key locations to prevent a repeat of the retaliatory attacks seen during previous outbreaks of xenophobic unrest.
Friday, June 12, 2026
Video - Nigeria warns against reprisals over xenophobic attacks in South Africa
Nigerian authorities have urged citizens not to target South African nationals or businesses following renewed xenophobic attacks on immigrants. Officials say security has been strengthened around key locations to prevent a repeat of the retaliatory attacks seen during previous outbreaks of xenophobic unrest.
“Criticize Me, But Never Stop Believing in Nigeria,” Tinubu Tells Citizens
President Bola Tinubu has urged the media and civil society organisations not to stop believing in Nigeria even when they criticise his government.
Mr Tinubu spoke in a televised broadcast to mark this year’s Democracy Day on Friday.
Addressing key democratic institutions, Mr Tinubu described the National Assembly, the judiciary, the press and civil society groups as the “guardrails” of the republic.
“To our National Assembly, Judiciary, the Press, and Civil Society: you are the guardrails of our republic. Criticise me, disagree with me, but never stop believing in Nigeria,” the president said.
The president noted that Nigeria had sustained 27 years of uninterrupted civilian rule since 1999, describing it as the country’s longest period of democratic governance.
“Our democracy is not perfect, but it is ours, and we must continue to defend and strengthen it,” he said.
Mr Tinubu spoke in a televised broadcast to mark this year’s Democracy Day on Friday.
Addressing key democratic institutions, Mr Tinubu described the National Assembly, the judiciary, the press and civil society groups as the “guardrails” of the republic.
“To our National Assembly, Judiciary, the Press, and Civil Society: you are the guardrails of our republic. Criticise me, disagree with me, but never stop believing in Nigeria,” the president said.
The president noted that Nigeria had sustained 27 years of uninterrupted civilian rule since 1999, describing it as the country’s longest period of democratic governance.
“Our democracy is not perfect, but it is ours, and we must continue to defend and strengthen it,” he said.
Elections, Security
Mr Tinubu also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and political parties to ensure peaceful and credible governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states.
According to him, democracy is weakened when citizens lose confidence in the electoral process.
The president also addressed Nigeria’s security challenges, noting that the mood of the day was “dampened by the abduction of our children in Oyo and Borno.”
He said the administration had declared a security emergency, approved recruitment of more than 50,000 police officers and thousands of military personnel, and committed N5.41 trillion to defence and security in the 2026 budget — the largest allocation yet.
Speaking on the economy, the president defended recent reforms as a “necessity,” citing improved federation revenues, higher domestic refining capacity, and growth in non-oil exports.
He said the next phase would focus on making democracy felt in the quality of life through job creation, lower inflation, and expanded opportunities for youth.
He also honoured the heroes of the ‘June 12’ struggle, including M.K.O. Abiola, Kudirat Abiola, and announced national awards for democracy activists and “soldier-democrats” who suffered persecution.
“Let us renew our covenant: That the labours of our heroes’ past shall never be in vain, and that the government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from this land,” Mr Tinubu said.
Mr Tinubu also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and political parties to ensure peaceful and credible governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states.
According to him, democracy is weakened when citizens lose confidence in the electoral process.
The president also addressed Nigeria’s security challenges, noting that the mood of the day was “dampened by the abduction of our children in Oyo and Borno.”
He said the administration had declared a security emergency, approved recruitment of more than 50,000 police officers and thousands of military personnel, and committed N5.41 trillion to defence and security in the 2026 budget — the largest allocation yet.
Speaking on the economy, the president defended recent reforms as a “necessity,” citing improved federation revenues, higher domestic refining capacity, and growth in non-oil exports.
He said the next phase would focus on making democracy felt in the quality of life through job creation, lower inflation, and expanded opportunities for youth.
He also honoured the heroes of the ‘June 12’ struggle, including M.K.O. Abiola, Kudirat Abiola, and announced national awards for democracy activists and “soldier-democrats” who suffered persecution.
“Let us renew our covenant: That the labours of our heroes’ past shall never be in vain, and that the government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from this land,” Mr Tinubu said.
Nigeria orders arrest of former state oil chief over $154 billion audit probe amid failed refinery repairs
The Senate Committee on Public Accounts issued the order on June 10 after nine hearings into 19 audit queries involving the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, or NNPC, covering 2017 to 2023.
The investigation has intensified scrutiny of Africa’s biggest oil producer, where billions of dollars have been spent on state-owned refineries that have yet to achieve reliable production.
“Anywhere Mele Kyari is, the former group GCEO should be arrested and brought before the committee immediately,” committee chairman Ibrahim Dankwambo said after lawmakers approved the motion.
The ₦210 trillion under review, equivalent to about $154 billion, does not necessarily represent missing funds.
NNPC told lawmakers that ₦103 trillion ($75.6 billion) reflected accrued expenses, while ₦107 trillion ($78.5 billion) was listed as receivables.
However, lawmakers rejected the explanation and demanded supporting documents and testimony from former company executives.
Appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019, Kyari led NNPC first as group managing director and later as group chief executive following the company’s restructuring. He remained in the role until 2025.
‘Not only when it catches the rabbit’
Adams Oshiomhole, a former state governor who now serves in the Senate, backed the arrest motion and said Kyari must personally account for decisions taken during his tenure.
“Some people believe they are bigger than Nigeria,” Oshiomhole said. “The law must be effective when it catches the lion, not only when it catches the rabbit.”
He urged the committee to issue the warrant “not tomorrow, but today”.
“These are allegations involving trillions of naira at a time Nigerians are suffering, and the country is borrowing heavily,” Oshiomhole said.
Another lawmaker informed the committee that Kyari was receiving medical treatment in Germany and had promised to attend the hearing.
Kyari said he had notified lawmakers about his condition and was “deeply shocked” by the arrest order. Nonetheless, the committee maintained that his repeated absence had stalled the investigation.
Adams Oshiomhole, a former state governor who now serves in the Senate, backed the arrest motion and said Kyari must personally account for decisions taken during his tenure.
“Some people believe they are bigger than Nigeria,” Oshiomhole said. “The law must be effective when it catches the lion, not only when it catches the rabbit.”
He urged the committee to issue the warrant “not tomorrow, but today”.
“These are allegations involving trillions of naira at a time Nigerians are suffering, and the country is borrowing heavily,” Oshiomhole said.
Another lawmaker informed the committee that Kyari was receiving medical treatment in Germany and had promised to attend the hearing.
Kyari said he had notified lawmakers about his condition and was “deeply shocked” by the arrest order. Nonetheless, the committee maintained that his repeated absence had stalled the investigation.
Borrowing raises pressure for accountability
The audit dispute comes as Nigeria increases borrowing to finance government spending and infrastructure.
In October 2025, parliament approved a $2.85 billion foreign borrowing plan, including a proposed $500 million sovereign sukuk.
More recently, the government arranged access to as much as $5 billion through a derivatives agreement with First Abu Dhabi Bank.
The International Monetary Fund warned that such financing structures could be complex and opaque, creating additional fiscal risks.
Nigeria is also expected to spend about $11.6 billion on debt servicing in 2026, close to half of projected government revenue.
The audit dispute comes as Nigeria increases borrowing to finance government spending and infrastructure.
In October 2025, parliament approved a $2.85 billion foreign borrowing plan, including a proposed $500 million sovereign sukuk.
More recently, the government arranged access to as much as $5 billion through a derivatives agreement with First Abu Dhabi Bank.
The International Monetary Fund warned that such financing structures could be complex and opaque, creating additional fiscal risks.
Nigeria is also expected to spend about $11.6 billion on debt servicing in 2026, close to half of projected government revenue.
State refineries remain unreliable
Scrutiny of NNPC has also focused on Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna.
The facilities have a combined processing capacity of 445,000 barrels a day and were intended to reduce the country’s dependence on imported petrol, diesel and other refined products.
However, years of rehabilitation programmes and billions of dollars in spending have failed to restore sustained production.
The Port Harcourt refinery resumed limited operations in November 2024 after a rehabilitation programme valued at about $1.5 billion. NNPC shut it again in May 2025 for maintenance and a performance review.
The Warri refinery also restarted briefly before halting production, while the Kaduna plant has yet to return to commercial operations.
Nigeria’s parliament previously estimated that about $25 billion had been spent over a decade trying to repair the state-owned refineries.
Despite being one of Africa’s biggest crude oil producers, Nigeria has continued to depend on imported fuel and the privately owned Dangote refinery near Lagos.
Scrutiny of NNPC has also focused on Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna.
The facilities have a combined processing capacity of 445,000 barrels a day and were intended to reduce the country’s dependence on imported petrol, diesel and other refined products.
However, years of rehabilitation programmes and billions of dollars in spending have failed to restore sustained production.
The Port Harcourt refinery resumed limited operations in November 2024 after a rehabilitation programme valued at about $1.5 billion. NNPC shut it again in May 2025 for maintenance and a performance review.
The Warri refinery also restarted briefly before halting production, while the Kaduna plant has yet to return to commercial operations.
Nigeria’s parliament previously estimated that about $25 billion had been spent over a decade trying to repair the state-owned refineries.
Despite being one of Africa’s biggest crude oil producers, Nigeria has continued to depend on imported fuel and the privately owned Dangote refinery near Lagos.
Dangote alleged links to Malta blending plant
NNPC also faced public criticism from billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote during Kyari’s tenure.
In July 2024, Dangote alleged that some NNPC personnel, fuel traders and terminal operators had established a blending plant in Malta and were importing petroleum products into Nigeria.
“Some of the NNPC people and some traders have opened blending plants somewhere off Malta,” Dangote said during a visit by Nigerian lawmakers to his refinery.
Kyari denied owning or operating such a facility and said he was unaware of any NNPC employee with a blending plant in Malta or elsewhere.
He also challenged Dangote to identify the officials involved and called on security agencies to investigate any evidence of wrongdoing.
While the Senate has not established that Kyari stole or personally controlled the ₦210 trillion under review, the inquiry remains focused on disputed accounting entries, supporting documents and the management of public revenue during his tenure.
NNPC also faced public criticism from billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote during Kyari’s tenure.
In July 2024, Dangote alleged that some NNPC personnel, fuel traders and terminal operators had established a blending plant in Malta and were importing petroleum products into Nigeria.
“Some of the NNPC people and some traders have opened blending plants somewhere off Malta,” Dangote said during a visit by Nigerian lawmakers to his refinery.
Kyari denied owning or operating such a facility and said he was unaware of any NNPC employee with a blending plant in Malta or elsewhere.
He also challenged Dangote to identify the officials involved and called on security agencies to investigate any evidence of wrongdoing.
While the Senate has not established that Kyari stole or personally controlled the ₦210 trillion under review, the inquiry remains focused on disputed accounting entries, supporting documents and the management of public revenue during his tenure.
By Olamilekan Okebiorun, Business Insider Africa
Nigerian man unable to claim Italian lottery win gains residency permit
“I’ve been praying for this moment ever since I arrived in Italy,” said Imagbe Ehizomwengie, 36. “It’s a huge relief. You might think it’s incredible, but receiving the permit means more to me than winning the money. I want to work and contribute to society.”
Ehizomwengie bought the €5 Gratta e Vinci – Italy’s official instant scratchcard lottery – last October with money scraped together from selling handkerchiefs and begging outside a supermarket in Turin.
He cried tears of joy and relief when he discovered he had hit the jackpot, only for the win to be overshadowed by his bureaucratic quagmire.
Speaking to the Guardian, Ehizomwengie said he had arrived in Italy in 2016 after a treacherous journey across the Mediterranean from Libya, where he had been held captive for two years and was only released after a ransom was paid.
His request for a “special protection” permit – which until being restricted by Giorgia Meloni’s far-right government in 2023 granted residency to asylum seekers who did not qualify as refugees but faced serious risks to their life if sent home – was rejected.
Unable to work, Ehizomwengie got by as a street seller, occasionally chancing his luck with scratchcards in the hope of reversing his fortunes.
“When I lived in Nigeria, I was always praying for opportunities, but they never came,” he said. “But you also need to take risks in life, and I kept believing that one day I might even become a millionaire.”
He added: “I stopped buying the scratchcards for years but on the day I won … I truly believe God was watching over me.”
But then began his quest to claim his winnings. Without a residency permit, Ehizomwengie could not open a bank account to receive the money. In turn, without the money he could not demonstrate the financial independence needed to support his renewed appeal for a residency permit.
Scrambling for a solution, after being taken advantage of by a Nigerian friend to whom he had entrusted the money, the friend agreed to transfer about half of the post-tax winnings to Ehizomwengie’s cousin’s account. The funds were then used to buy Mama Africa, a shop selling food produce from Africa in the seaside town of Falconara in the Marche region of Italy.
In the meantime, Ehizomwengie’s lawyer, Andrea Palazzeschi, pursued his case through a court in Ancona, which this week ordered that a residence permit be issued, taking into consideration Ehizomwengie’s competent Italian, his work at Mama Africa and, pertinently, his new financial independence.
Palazzeschi said: “But it’s important to stress that Imagbe didn’t get the residence permit because he won the money, he got it because he proved to be a good candidate.”
Gratta e Vinci scratchcards are hugely popular in Italy. In 2019, an unemployed fisher in Puglia found a winning €100,000 scratchcard in a rubbish bin and was able to cash it in, while in 2022 a young man in northern Italy won €500,000 and fainted on the spot due to the shock.
Needless to say, Ehizomwengie has attracted much attention in Falconara, where he said he would organise a party to which everyone will be invited. “But only to celebrate receiving my permit,” he said. “I want to work and intend to keep my feet firmly on the ground. I just want to live a normal life.”
President Tinubu says 13,000 Terrorists Neutralized in past year
Nigeria has killed more than 13,000 "terrorists" in the past year, President Bola Tinubu said Friday, adding that the death toll from the country's jihadist insurgency is down 81 percent since he took power in 2023.
"Over 13,000 terrorists have been neutralised in the past year," Tinubu said, without specifying if he meant in 2025 or in the previous 12 months.
He also said that over "124,000 fighters and dependents have laid down their arms since 2023 through Operation Safe Corridor".
Africa's most populous country is fighting a long-running jihadist insurgency across its northern regions, complicated by inroads made by militants from the Sahel, and non-ideological "bandit" gangs.
The insurgency, which has spawned multiple armed groups, has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions since it began in 2009 with an uprising by the jihadist group Boko Haram.
The crisis has also been compounded by violent farmer-herder clashes in parts of the northeast and central regions, while secessionist agitation rumbles on in the southeast, and rampant kidnappings for ransom plague the country's northwest and central regions.
The unrest is inching closer to the relatively safer southwest, where more than 40 students and teachers were seized from their schools in the state of Oyo in May.
"Over 13,000 terrorists have been neutralised in the past year," Tinubu said, without specifying if he meant in 2025 or in the previous 12 months.
He also said that over "124,000 fighters and dependents have laid down their arms since 2023 through Operation Safe Corridor".
Africa's most populous country is fighting a long-running jihadist insurgency across its northern regions, complicated by inroads made by militants from the Sahel, and non-ideological "bandit" gangs.
The insurgency, which has spawned multiple armed groups, has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions since it began in 2009 with an uprising by the jihadist group Boko Haram.
The crisis has also been compounded by violent farmer-herder clashes in parts of the northeast and central regions, while secessionist agitation rumbles on in the southeast, and rampant kidnappings for ransom plague the country's northwest and central regions.
The unrest is inching closer to the relatively safer southwest, where more than 40 students and teachers were seized from their schools in the state of Oyo in May.
Thursday, June 11, 2026
Video - UN warns of food crisis for 35 million Nigerians
Nearly 35 million people in Nigeria are expected to face acute food insecurity between June and August, according to the UN. Conflict, displacement, and economic hardship have left millions struggling to access food, while funding shortages are hampering humanitarian response efforts.
US-Nigeria joint operations eliminate over 200 terrorists in northeast
The US Africa Command (AFRICOM) and Nigerian military have killed more than 200 terrorists in joint operations targeting Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in northeastern Nigeria, the two sides said Wednesday.
"AFRICOM, in continued coordination with Nigeria, conducted operations against ISIS (Daesh) fighters in NE Nigeria," AFRICOM said in a post on the US social media platform X. "The targeted operations eliminated more than 200 terrorists, including (ISIS leader) Abu-Bilal al-Minuki. No U.S. or Nigerian forces were harmed."
Nigerian Defense Headquarters spokesperson Samaila Mohammed Uba said the joint operations had significantly degraded terrorist networks in the region, with strikes targeting militant hideouts, logistics bases and operational infrastructure.
Uba confirmed that over 200 terrorists had been killed in the operations and noted that this partnership has also enhanced the Nigerian security forces’ capabilities in intelligence-driven operations, surveillance and reconnaissance.
Nigeria has faced a prolonged insurgency in its northeast for over a decade, largely driven by extremist groups such as Boko Haram and its splinter faction, ISWAP. The conflict has led to tens of thousands of deaths and displaced millions, particularly in states like Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.
By Rabia İclal Turan, AA
"AFRICOM, in continued coordination with Nigeria, conducted operations against ISIS (Daesh) fighters in NE Nigeria," AFRICOM said in a post on the US social media platform X. "The targeted operations eliminated more than 200 terrorists, including (ISIS leader) Abu-Bilal al-Minuki. No U.S. or Nigerian forces were harmed."
Nigerian Defense Headquarters spokesperson Samaila Mohammed Uba said the joint operations had significantly degraded terrorist networks in the region, with strikes targeting militant hideouts, logistics bases and operational infrastructure.
Uba confirmed that over 200 terrorists had been killed in the operations and noted that this partnership has also enhanced the Nigerian security forces’ capabilities in intelligence-driven operations, surveillance and reconnaissance.
Nigeria has faced a prolonged insurgency in its northeast for over a decade, largely driven by extremist groups such as Boko Haram and its splinter faction, ISWAP. The conflict has led to tens of thousands of deaths and displaced millions, particularly in states like Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.
Portugal beat Nigeria in World Cup tune-up despite Ronaldo woes
Chelsea forward Neto opened the scoring midway through the first half, but Nigeria levelled through Akor Adams before half-time.
Juventus winger Conceicao restored Portugal's lead 15 minutes from the end in Leiria as five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo wasted a number of good chances.
At 41, Ronaldo will be heading to his record sixth World Cup, but there are concerns in some quarters that his presence will prevent Roberto Martinez's strong side from flourishing.
With his full squad available following the arrival of the four players who won the Champions League with Paris Saint-Germain, Martinez started midfielders Vitinha and Joao Neves alongside Manchester United playmaker Bruno Fernandes.
Portugal leave on Friday to set up base camp in Palm Beach, Florida.
They open their World Cup campaign on June 17 in Houston against the Democratic Republic of Congo, before facing Uzbekistan and Colombia in Group K.
Juventus winger Conceicao restored Portugal's lead 15 minutes from the end in Leiria as five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo wasted a number of good chances.
At 41, Ronaldo will be heading to his record sixth World Cup, but there are concerns in some quarters that his presence will prevent Roberto Martinez's strong side from flourishing.
With his full squad available following the arrival of the four players who won the Champions League with Paris Saint-Germain, Martinez started midfielders Vitinha and Joao Neves alongside Manchester United playmaker Bruno Fernandes.
Portugal leave on Friday to set up base camp in Palm Beach, Florida.
They open their World Cup campaign on June 17 in Houston against the Democratic Republic of Congo, before facing Uzbekistan and Colombia in Group K.
Nigeria evacuates citizens from South Africa as anti-migrant sentiment rises
Nigeria has become the latest African state to repatriate some of its citizens from South Africa following a rise in anti-migrant sentiments in the country.
A flight carrying 268 Nigerians has landed in Lagos after leaving Johannesburg on Thursday morning. The passengers were part of around 1,000 people who the Nigerian consulate in South Africa says have registered to be repatriated.
Ghana, Zimbabwe and Malawi have already carried out evacuations, ahead of a 30 June deadline set by some campaigners for undocumented migrants to leave.
Many people from other parts of Africa moved to South Africa around the time white-minority rule ended in 1994, hoping for a better life.
But with South Africa facing an unemployment rate of more than 30%, anti-migrant sentiments have risen, with protest marches being held in major cities and people facing xenophobic attacks.
At the main international airport in Johannesburg, Justin, one of the Nigerian passengers, told the BBC that he had lived in South Africa since 1998.
"I'm leaving because of the conditions they've given us here. They say we must leave on or before 30th June. And because of the way they are killing people, killing our brothers, so I'm not safe," Justin said.
Justin told the BBC that he had already been targeted.
"Recently they attacked me in a taxi. I ran away and left my things. I left my phone and everything.
"They call us names and say you must leave this country. When we tried to beg them, they started insulting us."
There have been no official figures regarding the number of deaths caused by xenophobic violence in recent weeks.
The police have said two Mozambican men were killed in Western Cape province earlier this month but have not given a motive.
The Mozambican authorities said the death toll was higher, and their citizens have been killed as a result of xenophobia.
Some of the protesters have pointed the finger at migrants for South Africa's high unemployment rate, and putting pressure on public services like schools and hospitals.
However, Nigeria's Consul General in South Africa, Ninikanwa Okey-Uche, told the BBC that migrants made up less than 10% of South Africa's population, and could not be "blamed for broken systems in education, health care, policing, unemployment".
"They are not and cannot be the problem. So, migrants are basically being scapegoated," Okey-Uche added.
A spokesman for South Africa's Border Management Agency told local TV station Newzroom Afrika that none of the passengers on the flight had documents to live in South Africa legally.
Okey-Uche said she did not have the figures, but delays in processing applications could lead to some people ending up as undocumented migrants.
She added that the South African authorities need to do more to act against people "propagating these xenophobic attacks and anti-foreigner sentiments".
"There are a lot of top South African politicians who have spoken up against what's happening, saying it's absolutely wrong.
"But down on the street, we need to see arrests. We know the people in charge. They're not hiding. They've caused mayhem in people's lives, but they're walking free. Some of them are running for election," Okey-Uche said.
South Africa is due to hold local government elections in November, with some analysts believing that migration is being turned into a major campaign issue.
On Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa made a televised address responding to the protests, announcing new measures to crackdown on illegal migration.
These include jailing employers who hire undocumented workers, setting up dedicated courts to speed up the deportations and having a biometric database for everyone in the country to avoid identity theft.
He also warned South Africans not to take the law into their own hands by targeting those they suspect of being in the country illegally.
By Mayeni Jones, BBC
A flight carrying 268 Nigerians has landed in Lagos after leaving Johannesburg on Thursday morning. The passengers were part of around 1,000 people who the Nigerian consulate in South Africa says have registered to be repatriated.
Ghana, Zimbabwe and Malawi have already carried out evacuations, ahead of a 30 June deadline set by some campaigners for undocumented migrants to leave.
Many people from other parts of Africa moved to South Africa around the time white-minority rule ended in 1994, hoping for a better life.
But with South Africa facing an unemployment rate of more than 30%, anti-migrant sentiments have risen, with protest marches being held in major cities and people facing xenophobic attacks.
At the main international airport in Johannesburg, Justin, one of the Nigerian passengers, told the BBC that he had lived in South Africa since 1998.
"I'm leaving because of the conditions they've given us here. They say we must leave on or before 30th June. And because of the way they are killing people, killing our brothers, so I'm not safe," Justin said.
Justin told the BBC that he had already been targeted.
"Recently they attacked me in a taxi. I ran away and left my things. I left my phone and everything.
"They call us names and say you must leave this country. When we tried to beg them, they started insulting us."
There have been no official figures regarding the number of deaths caused by xenophobic violence in recent weeks.
The police have said two Mozambican men were killed in Western Cape province earlier this month but have not given a motive.
The Mozambican authorities said the death toll was higher, and their citizens have been killed as a result of xenophobia.
Some of the protesters have pointed the finger at migrants for South Africa's high unemployment rate, and putting pressure on public services like schools and hospitals.
However, Nigeria's Consul General in South Africa, Ninikanwa Okey-Uche, told the BBC that migrants made up less than 10% of South Africa's population, and could not be "blamed for broken systems in education, health care, policing, unemployment".
"They are not and cannot be the problem. So, migrants are basically being scapegoated," Okey-Uche added.
A spokesman for South Africa's Border Management Agency told local TV station Newzroom Afrika that none of the passengers on the flight had documents to live in South Africa legally.
Okey-Uche said she did not have the figures, but delays in processing applications could lead to some people ending up as undocumented migrants.
She added that the South African authorities need to do more to act against people "propagating these xenophobic attacks and anti-foreigner sentiments".
"There are a lot of top South African politicians who have spoken up against what's happening, saying it's absolutely wrong.
"But down on the street, we need to see arrests. We know the people in charge. They're not hiding. They've caused mayhem in people's lives, but they're walking free. Some of them are running for election," Okey-Uche said.
South Africa is due to hold local government elections in November, with some analysts believing that migration is being turned into a major campaign issue.
On Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa made a televised address responding to the protests, announcing new measures to crackdown on illegal migration.
These include jailing employers who hire undocumented workers, setting up dedicated courts to speed up the deportations and having a biometric database for everyone in the country to avoid identity theft.
He also warned South Africans not to take the law into their own hands by targeting those they suspect of being in the country illegally.
By Mayeni Jones, BBC
Tuesday, June 9, 2026
High hopes as Nigeria-U.S. pact shifts global counter-terrorism to Sahel
The global war against terrorism is entering a new phase, and Africa has become its central battlefield following recent happenings in the fight against terror in Nigeria.
Security developments indicate that the United States is increasingly redirecting its counter-terrorism operations from the Middle East to Africa, with Nigeria emerging as a critical strategic ally in the expanding offensive against ISIS and Al-Qaeda affiliates operating across the Sahel and the Lake Chad Basin.
For years, the epicentre of global terrorism was concentrated in Iraq and Syria, but intelligence assessments now point to a dramatic geographic shift.
ISIS leadership structures are believed to have migrated into the Lake Chad region, while Al-Qaeda-linked groups have entrenched themselves across the Sahel, turning parts of West and Central Africa into one of the world’s most volatile terror corridors.
Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Nigeria have borne the brunt of the insurgents’ migration, but worsening political instability in the region, evidenced by military takeovers in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger Republic, has deeply fractured regional cooperation and weakened coordinated responses to terrorism.
Now, observers believe that Washington appears determined to prevent the region from slipping further into extremist control.
The U.S. believes that ungoverned spaces in Africa allow groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda to build bases for external operations targeting America.
Also, beyond security, the U.S. seeks to ensure access to critical resources, such as high-quality crude oil from the Gulf of Guinea and minerals in nearby regions, which serve as alternatives to Middle Eastern or Chinese-dominated supply chains, while equally trying to suppress Chinese and Russian interests in the region.
Security sources said the region is witnessing an unprecedented escalation of American military engagement, including sustained air operations targeting ISIS strongholds around Lake Chad.
The renewed offensive mirrors earlier American tactics used in the Middle East.
For instance, in 2019, the United States deployed a B-52 bomber to obliterate an ISIS logistics and training base hidden on an island in Iraq’s Tigris River, dropping over 36,000 kilograms of bombs and wiping the enclave off the map.
Similar counter-terrorism intensity is unfolding in Africa following the recent joint U.S.-Nigeria military operations, which struck terrorist enclaves in Sokoto during the 2025 Christmas period and later in Metele, Borno State, where airstrikes allegedly eliminated ISIS global deputy leader, Al-Minuk.
The operations mark a major turning point in Abuja’s security partnership with Washington.
Nigeria, once viewed in Washington with deep suspicion over allegations of human rights abuses and governance concerns, has gradually rebuilt diplomatic trust through intelligence sharing, strategic military cooperation and counter-terrorism coordination.
Military sources said troops recorded fresh gains against Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters in the North-East and the Lake Chad Islands, with several insurgent commanders neutralised in recent offensives.
For Nigeria, the expanding U.S. military footprint, while appearing on the surface to appease the Trump administration’s Christian evangelical base through claims that American involvement is aimed at preventing Christian persecution, also serves a broader strategic purpose. It provides Washington with a critical entry point for monitoring the evolving and adaptive insurgency landscape across the Sahel and the Lake Chad Basin, which directly threatens U.S. interests in the region and, potentially, the homeland itself.
Notwithstanding the military victories, Nigeria’s internal security crisis has continued to deepen.
Across the country, kidnappings for ransom have continued to surge alarmingly.
Schools, markets, worship centres and highways are increasingly under siege, while communal clashes, separatist agitation, banditry, herder-farmer conflicts and economic sabotage continue to destabilise several regions.
According to a Corporate Security & Risk Management Professional/Regional Security Adviser, Austen Pabor, terrorism and extremism have gone side-by-side with the same outcomes over the years, resulting in armed conflicts and extensive wreckage across the globe, with the United States playing the role it plays to restore stability in these affected countries.
“This shift in global counter-terrorism attention toward Africa reflects how threats can evolve and where the threat is evolving. For Nigeria, this presents an opportunity to strengthen intelligence sharing, regional security cooperation, and counter-terrorism capabilities, provided the country views it through this lens and takes advantage of the potential relationships.
“However, military action alone will not secure lasting stability in Nigeria. The real solution lies in combining targeted security operations with stronger border management, effective governance, disruption of terrorist financing, and the restoration of state authority in underserved communities,” he suggested, adding that terrorist groups thrive where governance is weak.
Pabor stated that sustainable security must focus on both defeating the threat and eliminating the conditions that allow it to regenerate.
“I am hopeful that if the Nigerian government explores the pros of this possibility, where intelligence, surveillance, border strengthening, etc., are shared with the common goal of combating terrorism, it will certainly be a conversation on the front burner,” he said.
Also, security expert, Matthew Ibadin, agreed with the assessment that most of the insecurity challenges are coming from the Sahel region.
This, he attributed to porous borders. According to him, the Nigerian border in the Sahel is porous, making it easy for the terrorists to migrate into the country.
He argued that even if all the country’s military might were deployed to the Sahel, they would not be able to contain the terrorists pouring into the country as a result of porous borders.
“It is time for the Nigerian government to fortify our borders and dismantle the current security architecture in the country.
“This is because we are operating under a single-digit security architecture, where the police are on the exclusive list. The federal government owns the police, so we have a centralised police force. It means that the federal government owns the army, navy, air and the police,” he pointed out.
He explained that it would be difficult to fix the security challenges without devolving power. According to him, that is the only way out of the quagmire.
Ibadin said: “We should allow state police by taking policing from the exclusive list to the concurrent list. Let state governments be able to formulate and undertake policing tasks in their states, so we can hold state governors accountable when there are issues in their states.
Arguing that the police can combat insecurity, Ibadin stressed that the police, if properly empowered, trained, and equipped, could do the job of fighting pervasive insecurity effectively.
Meanwhile, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has reportedly announced the closure of its ‘hijrah’ migration routes for foreign fighters, acknowledging that traditional entry corridors into Nigeria have become too dangerous due to sustained military operations by United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) and Nigerian forces.
According to an intelligence report from security analysts covering the Lake Chad region, the terrorist group reportedly acknowledged that the routes, which have historically served as vital channels for the movement of fighters, weapons, supplies, and external support into insurgent-controlled territories, are now considered inaccessible.
Security sources described this development as evidence of increasing pressure on the group’s logistics infrastructure. The restriction on those corridors, they said, could complicate the terrorist organisation’s recruitment, logistics, and operational planning.
The closure of migration routes is believed to be the result of the intelligence-led strikes targeting ISWAP command structures and supply chains across Borno State and the wider Lake Chad region. Experts said this campaign should be sustained.
For a security analyst and digital communications expert, Deji Adesogan, the increasing shift of U.S. counter-terrorism efforts from the Middle East to Africa positions Nigeria as a key strategic partner in the fight against ISIS and Al-Qaeda affiliates in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin.
This development, he said, could enhance Nigeria’s security through improved intelligence sharing, military cooperation, and access to advanced technology, helping to combat Boko Haram, ISWAP, and other extremist groups.
“Improved security could also boost economic development by attracting investment, restoring agricultural activities, and promoting regional stability. However, Nigeria may also face increased terrorist threats as extremist groups adapt to growing pressure.
“To maximise the benefits, Nigeria must complement military operations with investments in technology, innovation, education, job creation, and good governance to address the root causes of extremism and build long-term national stability,” he said.
A security expert, Abubakar Sadeeq, said, “First, before development, there must be peace. In any situation where crises take the lead, development will be very, very scarce, because how do you even develop when there is no peace?”
Sadeeq blamed insecurity in Nigeria and in the Sahel on the former colonial master. He accused them of using insecurity to exploit the resources of Africa.
“You should know that without Africa’s resources, places like France cannot survive, places like Europe cannot survive. So, there must be crises. Those are factors that are creating this insecurity.
“And Libya is just a next-door neighbour where there was a crisis. And after the crisis, there was no proper resolution to cover the movement of arms. Those arms were deployed into some parts of Africa, here, Nigeria, to be precise.
“So, those are the major factors. And until we have those factors curtailed by having a serious strategy, bringing all security experts together to draft a strategy, of course, there will not be peace.
By Joseph Onyekwere and Johnson Eyiangho, The Guardian
Security developments indicate that the United States is increasingly redirecting its counter-terrorism operations from the Middle East to Africa, with Nigeria emerging as a critical strategic ally in the expanding offensive against ISIS and Al-Qaeda affiliates operating across the Sahel and the Lake Chad Basin.
For years, the epicentre of global terrorism was concentrated in Iraq and Syria, but intelligence assessments now point to a dramatic geographic shift.
ISIS leadership structures are believed to have migrated into the Lake Chad region, while Al-Qaeda-linked groups have entrenched themselves across the Sahel, turning parts of West and Central Africa into one of the world’s most volatile terror corridors.
Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Nigeria have borne the brunt of the insurgents’ migration, but worsening political instability in the region, evidenced by military takeovers in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger Republic, has deeply fractured regional cooperation and weakened coordinated responses to terrorism.
Now, observers believe that Washington appears determined to prevent the region from slipping further into extremist control.
The U.S. believes that ungoverned spaces in Africa allow groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda to build bases for external operations targeting America.
Also, beyond security, the U.S. seeks to ensure access to critical resources, such as high-quality crude oil from the Gulf of Guinea and minerals in nearby regions, which serve as alternatives to Middle Eastern or Chinese-dominated supply chains, while equally trying to suppress Chinese and Russian interests in the region.
Security sources said the region is witnessing an unprecedented escalation of American military engagement, including sustained air operations targeting ISIS strongholds around Lake Chad.
The renewed offensive mirrors earlier American tactics used in the Middle East.
For instance, in 2019, the United States deployed a B-52 bomber to obliterate an ISIS logistics and training base hidden on an island in Iraq’s Tigris River, dropping over 36,000 kilograms of bombs and wiping the enclave off the map.
Similar counter-terrorism intensity is unfolding in Africa following the recent joint U.S.-Nigeria military operations, which struck terrorist enclaves in Sokoto during the 2025 Christmas period and later in Metele, Borno State, where airstrikes allegedly eliminated ISIS global deputy leader, Al-Minuk.
The operations mark a major turning point in Abuja’s security partnership with Washington.
Nigeria, once viewed in Washington with deep suspicion over allegations of human rights abuses and governance concerns, has gradually rebuilt diplomatic trust through intelligence sharing, strategic military cooperation and counter-terrorism coordination.
Military sources said troops recorded fresh gains against Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters in the North-East and the Lake Chad Islands, with several insurgent commanders neutralised in recent offensives.
For Nigeria, the expanding U.S. military footprint, while appearing on the surface to appease the Trump administration’s Christian evangelical base through claims that American involvement is aimed at preventing Christian persecution, also serves a broader strategic purpose. It provides Washington with a critical entry point for monitoring the evolving and adaptive insurgency landscape across the Sahel and the Lake Chad Basin, which directly threatens U.S. interests in the region and, potentially, the homeland itself.
Notwithstanding the military victories, Nigeria’s internal security crisis has continued to deepen.
Across the country, kidnappings for ransom have continued to surge alarmingly.
Schools, markets, worship centres and highways are increasingly under siege, while communal clashes, separatist agitation, banditry, herder-farmer conflicts and economic sabotage continue to destabilise several regions.
According to a Corporate Security & Risk Management Professional/Regional Security Adviser, Austen Pabor, terrorism and extremism have gone side-by-side with the same outcomes over the years, resulting in armed conflicts and extensive wreckage across the globe, with the United States playing the role it plays to restore stability in these affected countries.
“This shift in global counter-terrorism attention toward Africa reflects how threats can evolve and where the threat is evolving. For Nigeria, this presents an opportunity to strengthen intelligence sharing, regional security cooperation, and counter-terrorism capabilities, provided the country views it through this lens and takes advantage of the potential relationships.
“However, military action alone will not secure lasting stability in Nigeria. The real solution lies in combining targeted security operations with stronger border management, effective governance, disruption of terrorist financing, and the restoration of state authority in underserved communities,” he suggested, adding that terrorist groups thrive where governance is weak.
Pabor stated that sustainable security must focus on both defeating the threat and eliminating the conditions that allow it to regenerate.
“I am hopeful that if the Nigerian government explores the pros of this possibility, where intelligence, surveillance, border strengthening, etc., are shared with the common goal of combating terrorism, it will certainly be a conversation on the front burner,” he said.
Also, security expert, Matthew Ibadin, agreed with the assessment that most of the insecurity challenges are coming from the Sahel region.
This, he attributed to porous borders. According to him, the Nigerian border in the Sahel is porous, making it easy for the terrorists to migrate into the country.
He argued that even if all the country’s military might were deployed to the Sahel, they would not be able to contain the terrorists pouring into the country as a result of porous borders.
“It is time for the Nigerian government to fortify our borders and dismantle the current security architecture in the country.
“This is because we are operating under a single-digit security architecture, where the police are on the exclusive list. The federal government owns the police, so we have a centralised police force. It means that the federal government owns the army, navy, air and the police,” he pointed out.
He explained that it would be difficult to fix the security challenges without devolving power. According to him, that is the only way out of the quagmire.
Ibadin said: “We should allow state police by taking policing from the exclusive list to the concurrent list. Let state governments be able to formulate and undertake policing tasks in their states, so we can hold state governors accountable when there are issues in their states.
Arguing that the police can combat insecurity, Ibadin stressed that the police, if properly empowered, trained, and equipped, could do the job of fighting pervasive insecurity effectively.
Meanwhile, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has reportedly announced the closure of its ‘hijrah’ migration routes for foreign fighters, acknowledging that traditional entry corridors into Nigeria have become too dangerous due to sustained military operations by United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) and Nigerian forces.
According to an intelligence report from security analysts covering the Lake Chad region, the terrorist group reportedly acknowledged that the routes, which have historically served as vital channels for the movement of fighters, weapons, supplies, and external support into insurgent-controlled territories, are now considered inaccessible.
Security sources described this development as evidence of increasing pressure on the group’s logistics infrastructure. The restriction on those corridors, they said, could complicate the terrorist organisation’s recruitment, logistics, and operational planning.
The closure of migration routes is believed to be the result of the intelligence-led strikes targeting ISWAP command structures and supply chains across Borno State and the wider Lake Chad region. Experts said this campaign should be sustained.
For a security analyst and digital communications expert, Deji Adesogan, the increasing shift of U.S. counter-terrorism efforts from the Middle East to Africa positions Nigeria as a key strategic partner in the fight against ISIS and Al-Qaeda affiliates in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin.
This development, he said, could enhance Nigeria’s security through improved intelligence sharing, military cooperation, and access to advanced technology, helping to combat Boko Haram, ISWAP, and other extremist groups.
“Improved security could also boost economic development by attracting investment, restoring agricultural activities, and promoting regional stability. However, Nigeria may also face increased terrorist threats as extremist groups adapt to growing pressure.
“To maximise the benefits, Nigeria must complement military operations with investments in technology, innovation, education, job creation, and good governance to address the root causes of extremism and build long-term national stability,” he said.
A security expert, Abubakar Sadeeq, said, “First, before development, there must be peace. In any situation where crises take the lead, development will be very, very scarce, because how do you even develop when there is no peace?”
Sadeeq blamed insecurity in Nigeria and in the Sahel on the former colonial master. He accused them of using insecurity to exploit the resources of Africa.
“You should know that without Africa’s resources, places like France cannot survive, places like Europe cannot survive. So, there must be crises. Those are factors that are creating this insecurity.
“And Libya is just a next-door neighbour where there was a crisis. And after the crisis, there was no proper resolution to cover the movement of arms. Those arms were deployed into some parts of Africa, here, Nigeria, to be precise.
“So, those are the major factors. And until we have those factors curtailed by having a serious strategy, bringing all security experts together to draft a strategy, of course, there will not be peace.
Bandits in north-west Nigeria abduct villagers they invited to discuss peace talks
Armed bandits in north-west Nigeria abducted dozens of villagers whom they invited to a meeting about potential peace negotiations, authorities and residents said on Monday, highlighting the region’s worsening security.
According to local police, 39 people were seized on Sunday during a meeting in the forest near Magamin Diddi village in the Maradun municipality of north-west Zamfara state. But some residents and officials believe the number of those abducted could be as high as 50.
It is believed the victims were meeting the relatives of a bandit leader in the hope of bringing peace and easing restrictions imposed on the community.
“While the meeting was ongoing, the bandit kingpin allegedly arrived at the location with members of his gang and forcefully abducted 39 members of the group to an unknown destination,” a police spokesperson, Yazid Abubakar, said in a statement on Monday.
The chair of the Maradun local government told a local newspaper that authorities in the state were not in support of reconciliation with bandits.
According to the chair, the bandits had recently blocked all roads leading to the community market to show their anger over the persistent killing of their members by security operatives.
He questioned why the community chose to meet the aggrieved bandits, who were seeking an opportunity to retaliate.
Zamfara is at the centre of a long-running security crisis in which armed groups, locally referred to as bandits, carry out mass kidnappings, killings and village raids. The violence has disrupted farming and displaced thousands. Individual negotiations with kidnappers have occurred to gain access to farmland or secure the release of abductees despite authorities warning against it.
Security forces have deployed personnel and intelligence assets to locate the victims, the police statement said. Several individuals were reported by local people to have been released to convey the kidnappers’ ransom demands to the village.
Bashar Aliyu, a resident of Magamin Diddi, said the armed group was demanding 125m naira (£69,000) for the release of those abducted.
Abubakar said security operatives were working to rescue the captives and had assured residents that every effort was being made to ensure the victims were rescued unharmed and the perpetrators were brought to justice.
Gunmen kidnap 7 students from school in northwestern Nigeria
According to local police, 39 people were seized on Sunday during a meeting in the forest near Magamin Diddi village in the Maradun municipality of north-west Zamfara state. But some residents and officials believe the number of those abducted could be as high as 50.
It is believed the victims were meeting the relatives of a bandit leader in the hope of bringing peace and easing restrictions imposed on the community.
“While the meeting was ongoing, the bandit kingpin allegedly arrived at the location with members of his gang and forcefully abducted 39 members of the group to an unknown destination,” a police spokesperson, Yazid Abubakar, said in a statement on Monday.
The chair of the Maradun local government told a local newspaper that authorities in the state were not in support of reconciliation with bandits.
According to the chair, the bandits had recently blocked all roads leading to the community market to show their anger over the persistent killing of their members by security operatives.
He questioned why the community chose to meet the aggrieved bandits, who were seeking an opportunity to retaliate.
Zamfara is at the centre of a long-running security crisis in which armed groups, locally referred to as bandits, carry out mass kidnappings, killings and village raids. The violence has disrupted farming and displaced thousands. Individual negotiations with kidnappers have occurred to gain access to farmland or secure the release of abductees despite authorities warning against it.
Security forces have deployed personnel and intelligence assets to locate the victims, the police statement said. Several individuals were reported by local people to have been released to convey the kidnappers’ ransom demands to the village.
Bashar Aliyu, a resident of Magamin Diddi, said the armed group was demanding 125m naira (£69,000) for the release of those abducted.
Abubakar said security operatives were working to rescue the captives and had assured residents that every effort was being made to ensure the victims were rescued unharmed and the perpetrators were brought to justice.
By Serena Richards, The Guardian
Nigeria launches coffee revival plan
According to various news reports, the Nigeria Coffee Revival Initiative (NCRI) – with the support of the federal government, farmers, state governments, research institutes, and private sector stakeholders – was unveiled at the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) in Ibadan on Thursday 28 May.
The initiative will be cast across 14 coffee-producing states, with a shared goal of rebuilding Nigeria’s coffee industry through policy reforms, improved seedlings, farmer support, value addition, and private sector investment.
Representing the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, Engr. Adetunji, Oyo State Coordinator of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), framed the initiative as a strategic economic intervention.
“Revitalising Nigeria’s coffee industry is a strategic imperative for sustainable economic growth, export development and climate resilience,” says Kyari.
By Meg Kennedy, Global Coffee Report
Monday, June 8, 2026
Army frees 360 people abducted by Boko Haram in Nigeria’s Borno state
The Nigerian army says it has secured the release of 360 people abducted by the Boko Haram armed group earlier this year in the country’s northeast.
The rescue operation unfolded in a Boko Haram stronghold in the south of Borno state, the military said in a statement on Sunday. Forces descended upon the Mandara mountains where Boko Haram fighters were holding hundreds of people “under harsh conditions”, it said.
Two infants “succumbed to exhaustion occasioned by the extremely challenging mountainous terrain” and the conditions they endured during captivity, army spokesperson Haruna Sani said.
“The remaining rescued abductees were successfully evacuated to safe locations for medical care and humanitarian support, marking a major operational success and a significant setback for the terrorist group,” Sani added.
The military statement said troops had gathered intelligence and used “psychological operations” to sow “mistrust within the insurgent ranks” before “the commencement of the assault phase”.
Several Boko Haram fighters fled into the surrounding mountains, while others surrendered, though the army did not say whether it completed arrests.
A local youth leader and Borno senator confirmed the release to the AFP news agency on Saturday, but said the group included more than 400 people.
Boko Haram had demanded millions of Nigerian naira in ransom for the captives.
Video - Teachers protest schoolchildren kidnappings in Nigeria
The rescue operation unfolded in a Boko Haram stronghold in the south of Borno state, the military said in a statement on Sunday. Forces descended upon the Mandara mountains where Boko Haram fighters were holding hundreds of people “under harsh conditions”, it said.
Two infants “succumbed to exhaustion occasioned by the extremely challenging mountainous terrain” and the conditions they endured during captivity, army spokesperson Haruna Sani said.
“The remaining rescued abductees were successfully evacuated to safe locations for medical care and humanitarian support, marking a major operational success and a significant setback for the terrorist group,” Sani added.
The military statement said troops had gathered intelligence and used “psychological operations” to sow “mistrust within the insurgent ranks” before “the commencement of the assault phase”.
Several Boko Haram fighters fled into the surrounding mountains, while others surrendered, though the army did not say whether it completed arrests.
A local youth leader and Borno senator confirmed the release to the AFP news agency on Saturday, but said the group included more than 400 people.
Boko Haram had demanded millions of Nigerian naira in ransom for the captives.
Growing insecurity
Borno state is the epicentre for armed groups, bandits and separatists driving northeastern Nigeria’s security crisis, which accelerated in 2009 when Boko Haram began its bloody attacks.
The group regularly carries out kidnappings and raised about $1.66m in ransom payments between July 2024 and June 2025, according to Lagos-based consultancy SBM Intelligence.
In response, the Nigerian military has ramped up efforts to confront Boko Haram and its breakaway group, the ISIL affiliate in West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Nigeria said a joint operation with the United States had killed 175 ISWAP fighters last month.
In mid-May, the Nigerian and US presidents announced the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as ISIL’s second-in-command.
The fight led by Boko Haram and various armed groups has killed tens of thousands of people and forcibly displaced at least two million from their homes.
Borno state is the epicentre for armed groups, bandits and separatists driving northeastern Nigeria’s security crisis, which accelerated in 2009 when Boko Haram began its bloody attacks.
The group regularly carries out kidnappings and raised about $1.66m in ransom payments between July 2024 and June 2025, according to Lagos-based consultancy SBM Intelligence.
In response, the Nigerian military has ramped up efforts to confront Boko Haram and its breakaway group, the ISIL affiliate in West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Nigeria said a joint operation with the United States had killed 175 ISWAP fighters last month.
In mid-May, the Nigerian and US presidents announced the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as ISIL’s second-in-command.
The fight led by Boko Haram and various armed groups has killed tens of thousands of people and forcibly displaced at least two million from their homes.
Related stories: Gunmen kidnap 7 students from school in northwestern Nigeria
Friday, June 5, 2026
Nigeria Ranks 5th Among Africa's Best-Performing Nations in 2026
Nigeria has emerged as the fifth-best performing country on the continent in the 2026 edition of the Africa Performance Index. Compiled jointly by Jeune Afrique and The Africa Report, the ranking reflects the country's growing economic influence, robust innovation capacity, and regional importance, even as it navigates ongoing governance challenges.
The annual ranking, now in its second edition, evaluates African nations using a proprietary methodology that extends far beyond traditional economic indicators like Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Instead, it measures trajectories across three key pillars—governance, influence, and innovation—offering a broader, forward-looking assessment of how countries are positioning themselves for long-term growth and competitiveness.
The Continental Leaderboard
South Africa retained its position at the top of the index, maintaining a comfortable lead over its peers. The report attributed its first-place ranking to exceptional performances in the influence and innovation dimensions, supported by its strong academic and scientific ecosystem, deep diplomatic reach, entrepreneurial activity, and global platform membership in the BRICS bloc and the G20.
Mauritius moved into second place on the back of sustained institutional stability, an attractive business environment, and successful economic diversification.
Namibia emerged as the index's biggest riser, jumping from 15th place all the way to third. The southern African nation was rewarded for significant improvements in governance, infrastructure development, financial market performance, and tax collection.
Morocco ranked fourth, consolidating gains from years of targeted investments in infrastructure, manufacturing, renewable energy, and sports development.
The Outlook for Nigeria
Similar to South Africa, Nigeria’s overall score was weighed down by domestic governance challenges, a falling GDP per capita over the reference period, and high debt levels. Despite these pressures, Nigeria locked in the number five spot because it remains an undisputed continental heavyweight. Its rank was heavily driven by the massive scale of its domestic market, its widespread cultural and diplomatic influence, and its high capacity for tech innovation.
The top ten is rounded out by Egypt in sixth, followed by Rwanda (7th), Ghana (8th), Côte d'Ivoire (9th), and Kenya (10th).
Ultimately, the 2026 data highlights a highly dynamic West African corridor. Fueled by the economic rivalry between Accra and Abidjan, alongside the sheer market scale of Nigeria, the sub-region is steadily cementing its status as one of the continent's most competitive and vital economic zones.
Dangote refinery raises throughput above nameplate capacity to 700,000bpd ahead of IPO
Nigeria's Dangote Petroleum Refinery has increased crude processing capacity to 700,000 barrels per day (bpd), exceeding its official nameplate capacity of 650,000 bpd, according to company executives.
The refinery, Africa’s largest, said on Thursday (June 4) the achievement was confirmed during a performance test conducted by its process licensors, marking a milestone for the facility, which is also the world's largest single-train refinery.
Anthony Chiejina, head of corporate communications at Dangote Petroleum Refinery, said in a statement cied by state news agency NAN that the higher throughput demonstrated the strength of the refinery's engineering design and operational efficiency.
Speaking on the development, Devakumar Edwin, vice president for oil and gas at parent company Dangote Industries, confirmed plans to expand processing capacity to 1.4mn bpd within the next 30 months. This is part of a broader $40bn industrial expansion by the parent company spanning refining, fertiliser production and associated industries.
"The objective is to position the refinery among the largest refining complexes in the world," Edwin said is quoted as saying, adding that the expansion would enhance Nigeria's energy security, reduce dependence on imported fuels and strengthen the country’s role as an exporter of refined petroleum products. The plant this spring sharply increased exports across Africa after reaching full capacity, including cargoes to Tanzania, Ghana, Cameroon and Togo.
Owned by Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote, the refinery commenced fuel production in 2024 and has steadily increased output of petrol, diesel, jet fuel and other petroleum products. The facility currently supplies the domestic market and exports refined products across Africa and to international destinations including the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands.
Edwin said the Nigeria refinery has also supplied gasoline cargoes to the United States and jet fuel to Saudi Arabia, helping establish its presence in international fuel markets.
According to Dangote, the rising production has also attracted growing interest from international crude suppliers and commodity traders, with feedstock sourced from both domestic and foreign producers.
The refinery's petrochemicals operations are also expected to support downstream manufacturing through supplies of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), polypropylene and other industrial feedstocks. Future plans include production of linear alkylbenzene (LAB), a key raw material used in detergent manufacturing.
Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE, owner of the refinery in Lagos, plans to list shares in the third quarter of 2026 at a valuation of between $40bn and $50bn, with the company proposing to sell a 5%-10% stake in the business. The company is considering a multi-exchange structure that would include the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) and other African bourses.
Meanwhile, founder Aliko Dangote has said he is considering Kenya as the preferred location for a proposed 650,000 bpd refinery in East Africa, shifting focus away from an earlier plan centred on Tanzania.
He said the potential East African refinery would process crude from Uganda and other international suppliers, reducing regional dependence on imported refined petroleum products, adding that crude could be delivered by sea rather than relying solely on the planned East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) linking Ugandan oilfields to Tanzania’s port of Tanga.
That planned 1,443-km export pipeline being developed by a consortium including TotalEnergies (EPA: TTE), China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) and the governments of Uganda and Tanzania. It is designed to transport crude from Uganda’s Lake Albert oilfields to Tanzania’s port of Tanga for export.
The refinery, Africa’s largest, said on Thursday (June 4) the achievement was confirmed during a performance test conducted by its process licensors, marking a milestone for the facility, which is also the world's largest single-train refinery.
Anthony Chiejina, head of corporate communications at Dangote Petroleum Refinery, said in a statement cied by state news agency NAN that the higher throughput demonstrated the strength of the refinery's engineering design and operational efficiency.
Speaking on the development, Devakumar Edwin, vice president for oil and gas at parent company Dangote Industries, confirmed plans to expand processing capacity to 1.4mn bpd within the next 30 months. This is part of a broader $40bn industrial expansion by the parent company spanning refining, fertiliser production and associated industries.
"The objective is to position the refinery among the largest refining complexes in the world," Edwin said is quoted as saying, adding that the expansion would enhance Nigeria's energy security, reduce dependence on imported fuels and strengthen the country’s role as an exporter of refined petroleum products. The plant this spring sharply increased exports across Africa after reaching full capacity, including cargoes to Tanzania, Ghana, Cameroon and Togo.
Owned by Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote, the refinery commenced fuel production in 2024 and has steadily increased output of petrol, diesel, jet fuel and other petroleum products. The facility currently supplies the domestic market and exports refined products across Africa and to international destinations including the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands.
Edwin said the Nigeria refinery has also supplied gasoline cargoes to the United States and jet fuel to Saudi Arabia, helping establish its presence in international fuel markets.
According to Dangote, the rising production has also attracted growing interest from international crude suppliers and commodity traders, with feedstock sourced from both domestic and foreign producers.
The refinery's petrochemicals operations are also expected to support downstream manufacturing through supplies of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), polypropylene and other industrial feedstocks. Future plans include production of linear alkylbenzene (LAB), a key raw material used in detergent manufacturing.
Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE, owner of the refinery in Lagos, plans to list shares in the third quarter of 2026 at a valuation of between $40bn and $50bn, with the company proposing to sell a 5%-10% stake in the business. The company is considering a multi-exchange structure that would include the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) and other African bourses.
Meanwhile, founder Aliko Dangote has said he is considering Kenya as the preferred location for a proposed 650,000 bpd refinery in East Africa, shifting focus away from an earlier plan centred on Tanzania.
He said the potential East African refinery would process crude from Uganda and other international suppliers, reducing regional dependence on imported refined petroleum products, adding that crude could be delivered by sea rather than relying solely on the planned East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) linking Ugandan oilfields to Tanzania’s port of Tanga.
That planned 1,443-km export pipeline being developed by a consortium including TotalEnergies (EPA: TTE), China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) and the governments of Uganda and Tanzania. It is designed to transport crude from Uganda’s Lake Albert oilfields to Tanzania’s port of Tanga for export.
Thursday, June 4, 2026
Four sentenced to death for killing worshippers at Catholic church in Nigeria
A court in Nigeria has sentenced four men to death for attacking a church in the south-western Ondo state in 2022 in a case which sent shockwaves across the nation.
Forty-one worshippers were killed and more than 100 others injured when they opened fire at the St Francis Catholic church in the town of Owo during a Pentecost service.The court in the capital Abuja also sentenced the men - Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik and Abdulhaleem Idris - to 20 years in prison for belonging to a terrorist group.
Presidential assent is required before any death sentence is carried out in Nigeria. There have not been any executions in the country for several years.
Judge Emeka Nwite, who presided over the case, said the evidence presented against them was "neither shaken nor contradicted during cross examination".
He had ordered an accelerated hearing after the high-profile trial commenced in August 2025.
In his judgement, Justice Nwite said that the prosecution had proved their case beyond reasonable doubt as they had brought before the court witnesses who saw the attack, including one who testified to recognising two of the defendants as attackers.
"Hence this court finds the first to fourth defendants guilty of all nine counts," he added.
One of the witnesses the court heard from was a woman who had her legs amputated from the knees, and had lost her left eye as a result of a dynamite explosion which the attackers had detonated.
The nine counts included joining a terror group, and planning and carrying out killings.
Prosecutor Ayodeji Adedipe said: "Justice has been served, justice has been done to the deceased who were murdered in cold blood."
The men's defence lawyer said they would appeal against the sentence.
During the trial, the defendants said they had been tortured, including being hung from the ceiling, beaten countless times, and using electric shocks on their genitals.
A fifth defendant, Momoh Otuho Abubakar, was discharged and acquitted by the court due to insufficient evidence against him.
He was accused of having financed the attack, by allegedly receiving 800,000 naira (£440; $590) twice from another suspect - who is still at large - and then disbursing the funds to the attackers.
During cross examination, however, Abubakar said the money in his account was the proceeds of his farming business, as well as activities from his cooperative society. He denied that the four other defendants were beneficiaries of the money.
Since the Owo attack, Nigeria has witnessed many more attacks on churches across the country as it continues to grapple with rising insecurity.
US President Donald Trump has accused Nigeria of failing to protect its Christian population from jihadist attacks.
On Christmas Day, the US hit two camps run by a jihadist group in north-western Nigeria, and threatened more if attacks continued.
Claims of a genocide against Nigeria's Christians have been circulating for some time in right-wing US circles, but organisations monitoring political violence in Nigeria say most victims of the jihadist groups are Muslims.
The Nigerian government also denies that Christians are being persecuted in the country.
By Chukwunaeme Obiejesi, BBC
Gunmen kidnap 7 students from school in northwestern Nigeria
Gunmen raided an off-campus residence in northwest Nigeria and kidnapped seven students, police said.
The attack occurred early Wednesday in the Kaura Namoda area of conflict-battered Zamfara state, police spokesman Yazid Abubakar said in a statement. One of the students escaped and was in custody.
The police spokesman said it wasn’t clear where the students were taken but efforts were underway to rescue the remaining six.
Zamfara has been a hotspot for armed gangs that carry out kidnappings for ransom, with abductions of students increasing in recent years across the country.
A tally by local news outlet Premium Times found that at least 1,900 students have been kidnapped from 20 schools since the 2014 mass abduction of over 200 schoolgirls from Chibok in Borno state.
The attack occurred early Wednesday in the Kaura Namoda area of conflict-battered Zamfara state, police spokesman Yazid Abubakar said in a statement. One of the students escaped and was in custody.
The police spokesman said it wasn’t clear where the students were taken but efforts were underway to rescue the remaining six.
Zamfara has been a hotspot for armed gangs that carry out kidnappings for ransom, with abductions of students increasing in recent years across the country.
A tally by local news outlet Premium Times found that at least 1,900 students have been kidnapped from 20 schools since the 2014 mass abduction of over 200 schoolgirls from Chibok in Borno state.
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Video - Nigerian manufacturers struggle with rising electricity costs
Due to an unreliable power grid, many companies rely on alternative energy sources to keep their factories running. However, rising fuel and gas prices are further increasing operating costs and squeezing profitability. Some businesses have been forced to scale down production or suspend operations altogether.
Nigeria housing crisis looming as cement prices hit NGN15,000
The Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN) has warned of a looming housing crisis as soaring cement prices threaten national homeownership.
According to REDAN President Oba Akintoye Adeoye, a 50kg bag of cement has surged from NGN7500 (US$5.49) in late 2025 to between NGN11,500 (US$8.41) and NGN15,000 (US$10.97). This rapid spike is heavily disrupting construction projects and intensifying financial strain on developers already battling inflation and exchange-rate volatility.
According to REDAN President Oba Akintoye Adeoye, a 50kg bag of cement has surged from NGN7500 (US$5.49) in late 2025 to between NGN11,500 (US$8.41) and NGN15,000 (US$10.97). This rapid spike is heavily disrupting construction projects and intensifying financial strain on developers already battling inflation and exchange-rate volatility.
Because cement dictates overall construction costs, these current prices make housing delivery unsustainable.
REDAN is urgently calling for Federal Government intervention to stabilise the building materials value chain and protect ongoing developments.
REDAN is urgently calling for Federal Government intervention to stabilise the building materials value chain and protect ongoing developments.
Related story: Video - Nigeria housing crisis worsens amid rising costs
Religious divide in Nigeria worsens conflict during drought
Across the Sahel region, where many Fulani herders have historically lived, rising temperatures, drought and desertification have reduced grazing land. Now, pastoralists are increasingly driving their stock beyond traditional ranges and coming into conflict with sedentary farming communities.
The WZB Berlin Social Science Center has drawn on over two decades of data from across Nigeria to examine links between drought patterns, conflict incidents, and the religious composition of local communities.
Sociology professor Ruud Koopmans, who co-authored the study, said the data challenged the perception that climate change was the main driver of violence. Instead, he pointed to religious divisions as the decisive factor.
By Okeri Ngutjinazo, DW
The WZB Berlin Social Science Center has drawn on over two decades of data from across Nigeria to examine links between drought patterns, conflict incidents, and the religious composition of local communities.
Sociology professor Ruud Koopmans, who co-authored the study, said the data challenged the perception that climate change was the main driver of violence. Instead, he pointed to religious divisions as the decisive factor.
Religion influences violent conflict in Sahel
"Where these Muslim pastoralists meet farmers, who are in majority Christian, that is where we have the largest number of violent confrontations," says Koopmans, who is based at Berlin's Humboldt University.
He added: "Where there is this religious divide, the conflict is further exacerbated by droughts."
The Fulani are a primarily Muslim-cattle owning people that have historically lived across what is now Nigeria, Niger, Mali, and other West African nations. Many in Nigeria have adopted the Hausa language, and used to be far more nomadic than today. Depletion of cattle herds has led some Fulani to become sedentary.
In the past, Fulani herders and farming communities have suffered killings and property destruction during clashes.
Researchers used a survey in Kaduna State, north-western Nigeria, to establish that Christian respondents were more likely to attribute conflict over grazing lands to religious causes, and harbor greater distrust of Muslim Fulani. Meanwhile, Muslim respondents were more likely to cite droughts and competition for resources as the cause for conflict.
The researchers say similar dynamics could apply beyond Nigeria, including in parts of the Sahel where climate stress and social divisions overlap.
In their report, the researchers call for policies to address water and land management, but also for early warning systems and community-based conflict mediation in religiously mixed regions. Such measures,they suggest, could help to prevent environmental pressures from turning into violent conflict.
"Where these Muslim pastoralists meet farmers, who are in majority Christian, that is where we have the largest number of violent confrontations," says Koopmans, who is based at Berlin's Humboldt University.
He added: "Where there is this religious divide, the conflict is further exacerbated by droughts."
The Fulani are a primarily Muslim-cattle owning people that have historically lived across what is now Nigeria, Niger, Mali, and other West African nations. Many in Nigeria have adopted the Hausa language, and used to be far more nomadic than today. Depletion of cattle herds has led some Fulani to become sedentary.
In the past, Fulani herders and farming communities have suffered killings and property destruction during clashes.
Researchers used a survey in Kaduna State, north-western Nigeria, to establish that Christian respondents were more likely to attribute conflict over grazing lands to religious causes, and harbor greater distrust of Muslim Fulani. Meanwhile, Muslim respondents were more likely to cite droughts and competition for resources as the cause for conflict.
The researchers say similar dynamics could apply beyond Nigeria, including in parts of the Sahel where climate stress and social divisions overlap.
In their report, the researchers call for policies to address water and land management, but also for early warning systems and community-based conflict mediation in religiously mixed regions. Such measures,they suggest, could help to prevent environmental pressures from turning into violent conflict.
Religious tensions in northern Nigeria
According to Koopmans, religious tensions have intensified since the late 1990s. He cited the introduction of Sharia law in parts of northern Nigeria, resistance in regions such as Nigeria's Middle Belt, and the rise of the jihadist group Boko Haram as factors that had deepened mistrust between communities.
These developments, he argued, had also revived older historical fears, particularly among Christian communities.
Clashes were more likely in the Middle Belt,where Muslim herders and predominantly Christian farming communities interacted, he said. Conflict is less likely in northern regions where pastoralists and sedentary communities are mostly Muslim.
According to the WZB study, shared religious identity can help limit escalation, with conflicting parties able to appeal to religious authorities respected by both sides, making dispute resolution more likely and reducing the risk of violence.
"When both nomads and farmers are Muslim, they are also more likely to respect common religious norms concerning property and the use of violence. There is a clear spiritual disbenefit associated with harming people who share the same faith," the study said.
According to Koopmans, religious tensions have intensified since the late 1990s. He cited the introduction of Sharia law in parts of northern Nigeria, resistance in regions such as Nigeria's Middle Belt, and the rise of the jihadist group Boko Haram as factors that had deepened mistrust between communities.
These developments, he argued, had also revived older historical fears, particularly among Christian communities.
Clashes were more likely in the Middle Belt,where Muslim herders and predominantly Christian farming communities interacted, he said. Conflict is less likely in northern regions where pastoralists and sedentary communities are mostly Muslim.
According to the WZB study, shared religious identity can help limit escalation, with conflicting parties able to appeal to religious authorities respected by both sides, making dispute resolution more likely and reducing the risk of violence.
"When both nomads and farmers are Muslim, they are also more likely to respect common religious norms concerning property and the use of violence. There is a clear spiritual disbenefit associated with harming people who share the same faith," the study said.
Fulani militancy driving religious violence
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has identified armed Fulani groups as being among the most prominent non-state actors behind religious violence in Nigeria. It says an "estimated 30,000 Fulani militants" likely operate across Nigeria.
"While these militants do not share a centralized leadership, some collaborate on attacks," said the USCIRF, which added that violence linked to Fulani militants had caused more deaths among religious communities over the past year than attacks by insurgent groups or criminal gangs.
While many attacks have focused on Christian communities, particularly in the Middle Belt and increasingly in southern Nigeria, Muslim communities have also faced raids, killings and kidnappings.
The violence has contributed to mass displacement, with at least 1.3 million people in the Middle Belt forced into overcrowded and insecure camps. Kidnappings for ransom have also become a major tactic, with religious institutions often targeted.
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has identified armed Fulani groups as being among the most prominent non-state actors behind religious violence in Nigeria. It says an "estimated 30,000 Fulani militants" likely operate across Nigeria.
"While these militants do not share a centralized leadership, some collaborate on attacks," said the USCIRF, which added that violence linked to Fulani militants had caused more deaths among religious communities over the past year than attacks by insurgent groups or criminal gangs.
While many attacks have focused on Christian communities, particularly in the Middle Belt and increasingly in southern Nigeria, Muslim communities have also faced raids, killings and kidnappings.
The violence has contributed to mass displacement, with at least 1.3 million people in the Middle Belt forced into overcrowded and insecure camps. Kidnappings for ransom have also become a major tactic, with religious institutions often targeted.
Calls for stronger security coordination in Nigeria
The legal expert and founder of the Abuja-based House of Justice, Gloria Mabeiam Ballason, said the scale of the threat was difficult to independently verify due to a lack of verifiable information presented by Nigerian authorities.
She said this risked undermining public confidence and warned that conflicting messaging could fuel uncertainty and fear.
"These threats are real. It would help for the government to have a clear program and strategy around ensuring that the next set of recruits into terrorism are stopped," she told DW.
Wilson Inalegwu, a retired assistant inspector general of police, said that immediate efforts must combine force with better planning and coordination. He warned that attacks often spread across neighboring Nigerian states because authorities failed to anticipate patterns.
"Those in Kwara were not prepared. They thought it was a Niger problem. You go to Kwara State, those in Oyo State thought it was a Kwara problem. Now it is in Oyo. So, we must have a kind of very robust patrols along these areas," he told DW.
The legal expert and founder of the Abuja-based House of Justice, Gloria Mabeiam Ballason, said the scale of the threat was difficult to independently verify due to a lack of verifiable information presented by Nigerian authorities.
She said this risked undermining public confidence and warned that conflicting messaging could fuel uncertainty and fear.
"These threats are real. It would help for the government to have a clear program and strategy around ensuring that the next set of recruits into terrorism are stopped," she told DW.
Wilson Inalegwu, a retired assistant inspector general of police, said that immediate efforts must combine force with better planning and coordination. He warned that attacks often spread across neighboring Nigerian states because authorities failed to anticipate patterns.
"Those in Kwara were not prepared. They thought it was a Niger problem. You go to Kwara State, those in Oyo State thought it was a Kwara problem. Now it is in Oyo. So, we must have a kind of very robust patrols along these areas," he told DW.
Video - Teachers protest schoolchildren kidnappings in Nigeria
Teachers protest schoolchildren kidnappings in Nigeria Teachers in major Nigerian cities Tuesday protested a string of kidnappings and attacks targeting schools by armed groups.
Related story: Video - Gunmen abduct students in Nigeria’s Oyo State
How large scale meth production in Nigeria poses new security risks
Nigeria’s long-standing reputation as a transit hub for international narcotics is undergoing a dark evolution. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency’s (NDLEA) recent bust of an industrial-scale methamphetamine super-lab deep inside the Abidagba Forest marks a critical turning point: Nigeria is no longer just moving drugs—it is manufacturing them on a massive scale.
The raid yielded a staggering $363 million in seized narcotics and precursor chemicals, alongside the arrest of ten suspects, including three Mexican nationals.
The Tactical Shift to Ungoverned Spaces Between 2011 and 2016, the NDLEA dismantled at least 11 meth labs, but those were invariably tucked away in urban and peri-urban neighborhoods. The Abidagba Forest discovery represents a calculated geographic pivot by criminal syndicates into remote, poorly governed spaces. By retreating into southwestern forests, cartels are actively adapting to escape state surveillance, utilizing unmonitored border corridors to move product undetected.
A Troubling Convergence: Drugs and Terror This geographic shift places industrial drug production dangerously close to rising regional insecurity. The meth lab bust in the southwest coincided with the high-profile abduction of 46 students and teachers in neighboring Oyo State. While proximity doesn't automatically equal collaboration, historical data from West Africa shows that drug syndicates and militant groups frequently form partnerships of convenience—trading cash for logistics, funding, and protection.
The Transatlantic Footprint The presence of Mexican operatives points to a deeply worrying trend: the active transfer of specialized chemical expertise from Latin American cartels, such as the Sinaloa Cartel, to local networks. This signals that international syndicates may be looking to consolidate West Africa as a primary manufacturing node rather than a mere pitstop.
An Urgent Security Imperative While the NDLEA’s bust is a major victory, it exposes massive vulnerabilities in Nigeria's border control and domestic security. Moving forward, reversing this trajectory will require:
Immigration Audits: Investigating how foreign cartel operatives entered the country and identifying local collaborators.
Tech-Driven Surveillance: Deploying drones and geospatial monitoring to track unusual developments in dense forested zones.
Community Intelligence: Partnering with local farmers, hunters, and traditional leaders who possess vital boots-on-the-ground awareness.
Without swift, inter-agency action, Nigeria risks cementing its position as a strategic hub in the global illicit drug economy—a development that would severely destabilize regional security.
Related story: Massive Drug Bust: Nigeria Smashes Meth Cartel and Captures Kingpin
Shell pumped oil through Nigeria pipeline for years despite pollution evidence
British multinational Shell continued operating a major oil pipeline in Nigeria for years even though it knew it was causing widespread pollution - despite a warning from its own staff and its own technical standards, internal documents obtained by the BBC show.
The files, including emails and presentations, reveal that a senior Shell executive cautioned as early as 2008 about the risks of continuing to pump millions of barrels of unrefined fuel through one of the company's main pipelines in Africa's biggest oil producer while it was subject to massive and destructive uncontrolled theft and infrastructure failures.
Across Nigeria's oil-rich southern Niger Delta, decades of oil spills have left a landscape deeply scarred, with wetlands increasingly coated in crude and contaminated sediment.
The BBC obtained the internal documents after Shell disclosed them as part of ongoing legal proceedings in the UK brought by communities living around the creeks and mangroves of the Niger Delta, who want Shell to be liable for the pollution caused by more than 100 leaks stemming from theft and illegal refining of oil between 2011 and 2013 that have damaged their health, environment and livelihoods.
The 60-mile (96.5km) Nembe Creek Trunk Line runs near the riverine community of Bille, which is made up of 45 islands, from inland oilfields to a coastal processing site for exporting.
The pipeline, which Shell sold last year, was one of its biggest, most expensive and ultimately most problematic bits of infrastructure in Nigeria. It was capable of carrying up to 150,000 barrels of oil a day, but was repeatedly hit by spills and targeted by illegal oil thieves.
In court papers the oil firm argues that most of the pollution has been caused by "large-scale oil theft, sabotage" and dozens of illegal refineries, and that its Nigerian subsidiary invested heavily over many years to reduce the risk of and response to spills.
In places like Bille, which the BBC visited last week, residents describe once-rich fishing grounds turning toxic and unusable.
"Before 2011, here was a beautiful area. People play here and go into the river," 64-year-old fisherman Balafama Augustus Bruce told the BBC.
A claimant in the case against Shell, Bruce said before all the spills, he was able to catch a variety of fish including sardines, catfish, tilapia and even oysters, but most are hard to find now or if caught, appear deformed.
"We used to fish around here. But because of the damage [the spills] have caused, nobody is fishing here again.
"Because of that I've become poor. I eat from hand to mouth."
The communities via the ongoing international lawsuit against Shell are seeking $1bn (£742m), including:
The files, including emails and presentations, reveal that a senior Shell executive cautioned as early as 2008 about the risks of continuing to pump millions of barrels of unrefined fuel through one of the company's main pipelines in Africa's biggest oil producer while it was subject to massive and destructive uncontrolled theft and infrastructure failures.
Across Nigeria's oil-rich southern Niger Delta, decades of oil spills have left a landscape deeply scarred, with wetlands increasingly coated in crude and contaminated sediment.
The BBC obtained the internal documents after Shell disclosed them as part of ongoing legal proceedings in the UK brought by communities living around the creeks and mangroves of the Niger Delta, who want Shell to be liable for the pollution caused by more than 100 leaks stemming from theft and illegal refining of oil between 2011 and 2013 that have damaged their health, environment and livelihoods.
The 60-mile (96.5km) Nembe Creek Trunk Line runs near the riverine community of Bille, which is made up of 45 islands, from inland oilfields to a coastal processing site for exporting.
The pipeline, which Shell sold last year, was one of its biggest, most expensive and ultimately most problematic bits of infrastructure in Nigeria. It was capable of carrying up to 150,000 barrels of oil a day, but was repeatedly hit by spills and targeted by illegal oil thieves.
In court papers the oil firm argues that most of the pollution has been caused by "large-scale oil theft, sabotage" and dozens of illegal refineries, and that its Nigerian subsidiary invested heavily over many years to reduce the risk of and response to spills.
In places like Bille, which the BBC visited last week, residents describe once-rich fishing grounds turning toxic and unusable.
"Before 2011, here was a beautiful area. People play here and go into the river," 64-year-old fisherman Balafama Augustus Bruce told the BBC.
A claimant in the case against Shell, Bruce said before all the spills, he was able to catch a variety of fish including sardines, catfish, tilapia and even oysters, but most are hard to find now or if caught, appear deformed.
"We used to fish around here. But because of the damage [the spills] have caused, nobody is fishing here again.
"Because of that I've become poor. I eat from hand to mouth."
The communities via the ongoing international lawsuit against Shell are seeking $1bn (£742m), including:
. $250m in compensation
. And $750m to clean up the environmental damage.
According to the UN, since 1958 when Shell sent its first shipment of oil from Nigeria, at least 13 million barrels - or 1.5 million tonnes - of crude oil have been spilled in at least 7,000 incidents.
Campaigners have long tried to hold multinational oil firms accountable for environmental damage there - a vocal critic of Shell was Ken Saro-Wiwa, one of Nigeria's leading writers, who was notoriously executed by the then-military government in 1995 after leading demonstrations against the pollution in his Ogoniland region of the Niger Delta.
Oil theft has also long been a problem in the Niger Delta - known as "bunkering" it usually involves criminal gangs tapping into pipelines and siphoning off crude into boats or storage tanks. Some of the stolen oil is refined in makeshift camps hidden in the creeks, while the rest is sold off illegally.
In the mid-2000s oil militancy was also a major security issue as heavily armed militants on speedboats attacked installations and kidnapped foreign workers for ransom, including a series of incidents in 2007 and 2008, as part of their demands that the impoverished region receive more benefits from oil revenues.
. And $750m to clean up the environmental damage.
According to the UN, since 1958 when Shell sent its first shipment of oil from Nigeria, at least 13 million barrels - or 1.5 million tonnes - of crude oil have been spilled in at least 7,000 incidents.
Campaigners have long tried to hold multinational oil firms accountable for environmental damage there - a vocal critic of Shell was Ken Saro-Wiwa, one of Nigeria's leading writers, who was notoriously executed by the then-military government in 1995 after leading demonstrations against the pollution in his Ogoniland region of the Niger Delta.
Oil theft has also long been a problem in the Niger Delta - known as "bunkering" it usually involves criminal gangs tapping into pipelines and siphoning off crude into boats or storage tanks. Some of the stolen oil is refined in makeshift camps hidden in the creeks, while the rest is sold off illegally.
In the mid-2000s oil militancy was also a major security issue as heavily armed militants on speedboats attacked installations and kidnapped foreign workers for ransom, including a series of incidents in 2007 and 2008, as part of their demands that the impoverished region receive more benefits from oil revenues.
2008 - the first warning
An internal Shell email exchange from October 2008 reveals a disagreement between senior executives over the risks of continuing operations.
Markus Droll, the firm's then technical vice-president, raised concerns about a decision to keep operating the Nembe Creek Trunk Line outside of its usual guidelines.
"If there is another massive explosive attack tomorrow… then we could well find ourselves in the situation of simply having to close the production down," he wrote.
Droll also questioned whether enough safeguards were in place and flagged that other sections of the pipeline could be in a poor condition: "I don't agree that funding can be an issue.
"Sorry if I sound like a broken record on this - but the approach makes me - as your Technical VP - pretty uncomfortable."
In response, Ann Pickard, Shell's regional executive vice-president at the time, criticised him for failing to mark the email as "legally privileged" - protecting their words from being used against them in court.
"You have just exposed us significantly in your official disagreement as technical manager without legal privilege," she said.
Pickard acknowledged it "was not an easy decision" but argued continuing operations represented the "lower risk to both people and environment".
"You are right, we may have to deal with it in the future," she added.
An internal Shell email exchange from October 2008 reveals a disagreement between senior executives over the risks of continuing operations.
Markus Droll, the firm's then technical vice-president, raised concerns about a decision to keep operating the Nembe Creek Trunk Line outside of its usual guidelines.
"If there is another massive explosive attack tomorrow… then we could well find ourselves in the situation of simply having to close the production down," he wrote.
Droll also questioned whether enough safeguards were in place and flagged that other sections of the pipeline could be in a poor condition: "I don't agree that funding can be an issue.
"Sorry if I sound like a broken record on this - but the approach makes me - as your Technical VP - pretty uncomfortable."
In response, Ann Pickard, Shell's regional executive vice-president at the time, criticised him for failing to mark the email as "legally privileged" - protecting their words from being used against them in court.
"You have just exposed us significantly in your official disagreement as technical manager without legal privilege," she said.
Pickard acknowledged it "was not an easy decision" but argued continuing operations represented the "lower risk to both people and environment".
"You are right, we may have to deal with it in the future," she added.
2012 - oil thefts flagged 'red'
One of the internal documents obtained by the BBC is a previously confidential form from 2012 - at the height of the alleged Bille oil spills.
It reveals that Shell bosses recognised its pipeline was not operating within its usual technical standards, with sections classified as "red" because of extensive illegal oil-theft connections - which is when thieves drill a hole to siphon off oil.
According to the company's own definitions, that status required either an immediate shutdown or "immediate corrective action".
But the document shows how despite raising the concerns, executives argued shutting the system down would simply lead to "a significant number of new illegal connections" being installed elsewhere.
Instead, senior officials gave the Nigerian subsidiary permission to continue pumping.
Shell told the BBC that decisions were based on a number of complex factors, including large-scale oil theft, illegal refining and militancy in the area at that time, and that it worked with the Nigerian authorities and also local communities to address them and to clean up spills regardless of cause.
Local leaders in Bille accept that widespread oil theft happened in the region but believe Shell should still be held responsible for pollution from its infrastructure.
"They are not concerned about what happens to you. Their concern is [to] continue to make profit," said Chief Boma Renner Dappa, the spokesperson for the Bille local leaders' council, explaining how people's livelihoods had been wiped out and unknown health consequences.
"All that has happened in this environment is as a result of negligence," he told the BBC.
Other files obtained by the BBC reveal concerns that some inside Shell had at the time about scrutiny of its operations in Nigeria.
One of the internal documents obtained by the BBC is a previously confidential form from 2012 - at the height of the alleged Bille oil spills.
It reveals that Shell bosses recognised its pipeline was not operating within its usual technical standards, with sections classified as "red" because of extensive illegal oil-theft connections - which is when thieves drill a hole to siphon off oil.
According to the company's own definitions, that status required either an immediate shutdown or "immediate corrective action".
But the document shows how despite raising the concerns, executives argued shutting the system down would simply lead to "a significant number of new illegal connections" being installed elsewhere.
Instead, senior officials gave the Nigerian subsidiary permission to continue pumping.
Shell told the BBC that decisions were based on a number of complex factors, including large-scale oil theft, illegal refining and militancy in the area at that time, and that it worked with the Nigerian authorities and also local communities to address them and to clean up spills regardless of cause.
Local leaders in Bille accept that widespread oil theft happened in the region but believe Shell should still be held responsible for pollution from its infrastructure.
"They are not concerned about what happens to you. Their concern is [to] continue to make profit," said Chief Boma Renner Dappa, the spokesperson for the Bille local leaders' council, explaining how people's livelihoods had been wiped out and unknown health consequences.
"All that has happened in this environment is as a result of negligence," he told the BBC.
Other files obtained by the BBC reveal concerns that some inside Shell had at the time about scrutiny of its operations in Nigeria.
2013 - audit caution
An email chain from February 2013 shows how executives suggested conducting an audit into how the company managed oil theft and pipeline integrity between 2009 and 2012.
Vincent Holtam, who was then general manager for onshore assets for Shell's Nigerian subsidiary, replied to warn colleagues that doing so could "do more harm than good".
"I have no doubt that this [audit] will come out as UNACCEPTABLE, in which case we may be very exposed in disputing any oil loss claims from the Government or compensation claims from the community," he wrote.
The documents obtained by the BBC do not indicate whether the audit ultimately went ahead.
An email chain from February 2013 shows how executives suggested conducting an audit into how the company managed oil theft and pipeline integrity between 2009 and 2012.
Vincent Holtam, who was then general manager for onshore assets for Shell's Nigerian subsidiary, replied to warn colleagues that doing so could "do more harm than good".
"I have no doubt that this [audit] will come out as UNACCEPTABLE, in which case we may be very exposed in disputing any oil loss claims from the Government or compensation claims from the community," he wrote.
The documents obtained by the BBC do not indicate whether the audit ultimately went ahead.
2013 - oil spill clean-up options
The following month, the documents show how Shell launched a "most confidential" operation, codenamed Project Madrid, to assess how to handle the spills in Nigeria.
A 36-page internal presentation prepared for executives estimated there were 100 illegal refineries operating around the pipeline, causing pollution to around 9,000 hectares (22,000 acres) of water and 9,000 hectares of land.
It also reported its teams were cleaning up 18 reported spills from an estimated 60 bunkering points.
Executives were presented with a menu of options ranging from temporary shutdowns for repairs while essentially tolerating ongoing oil theft, to halting production for years to fully tackle the problem.
The documents do not reveal which option Shell executives decided to take. But the pipeline resumed operations after a series of temporary shutdowns for repairs in 2013.
"The documents selected are presented without the critical context of the operating environment in the Niger Delta at the time," a Shell spokesperson has told the BBC.
"In isolation, they do not reflect the challenges of working against the backdrop of widespread organised criminality."
The company argues that it took significant steps to tackle illegal theft but that Nigeria's poor security environment made it impossible to prevent gangs from targeting its infrastructure.
The following month, the documents show how Shell launched a "most confidential" operation, codenamed Project Madrid, to assess how to handle the spills in Nigeria.
A 36-page internal presentation prepared for executives estimated there were 100 illegal refineries operating around the pipeline, causing pollution to around 9,000 hectares (22,000 acres) of water and 9,000 hectares of land.
It also reported its teams were cleaning up 18 reported spills from an estimated 60 bunkering points.
Executives were presented with a menu of options ranging from temporary shutdowns for repairs while essentially tolerating ongoing oil theft, to halting production for years to fully tackle the problem.
The documents do not reveal which option Shell executives decided to take. But the pipeline resumed operations after a series of temporary shutdowns for repairs in 2013.
"The documents selected are presented without the critical context of the operating environment in the Niger Delta at the time," a Shell spokesperson has told the BBC.
"In isolation, they do not reflect the challenges of working against the backdrop of widespread organised criminality."
The company argues that it took significant steps to tackle illegal theft but that Nigeria's poor security environment made it impossible to prevent gangs from targeting its infrastructure.
Key decisions 'taken in London'
Law firm Leigh Day says the communities it is representing in the UK case "have always argued that Shell plc in London was ultimately making the key decisions in relation to its Nigerian subsidiary which led to the destruction of their environment and are determined to hold the company responsible for the oil pollution which still blights their lives today".
Shell told the BBC it had spoken to the three former executives named in the documents and that none wanted to respond directly. The company says members of the Bille community were among those who took part in theft of oil.
The BBC asked the Nigerian government to respond to Shell's claim that the authorities were unable to deal with the organised criminality, but has not received an answer.
A Shell spokesperson said, "We strongly believe in the merits of our case and will vigorously defend the claims at trial next year."
But Bille residents like Taminoibitein Philip say Shell - despite recently selling on the pipeline to Renaissance Africa Energy - still has a responsibility having benefited from collecting the oil for years.
Philip is a harvester of periwinkles, but says the sea snails - a delicacy in the Niger Delta - are hard to come by these days in the mangroves and swamps.
"When you go to the bush, you won't see periwinkle [any more]," the 49-year-old said.
"And the odour [is] killing us... some places - crude [oil], some place - gas.
"We don't benefit. We are suffering."
She feels the community's only hope is that the court case forces Shell to clean up the waterways: "Let them come and flush the river for us."
Law firm Leigh Day says the communities it is representing in the UK case "have always argued that Shell plc in London was ultimately making the key decisions in relation to its Nigerian subsidiary which led to the destruction of their environment and are determined to hold the company responsible for the oil pollution which still blights their lives today".
Shell told the BBC it had spoken to the three former executives named in the documents and that none wanted to respond directly. The company says members of the Bille community were among those who took part in theft of oil.
The BBC asked the Nigerian government to respond to Shell's claim that the authorities were unable to deal with the organised criminality, but has not received an answer.
A Shell spokesperson said, "We strongly believe in the merits of our case and will vigorously defend the claims at trial next year."
But Bille residents like Taminoibitein Philip say Shell - despite recently selling on the pipeline to Renaissance Africa Energy - still has a responsibility having benefited from collecting the oil for years.
Philip is a harvester of periwinkles, but says the sea snails - a delicacy in the Niger Delta - are hard to come by these days in the mangroves and swamps.
"When you go to the bush, you won't see periwinkle [any more]," the 49-year-old said.
"And the odour [is] killing us... some places - crude [oil], some place - gas.
"We don't benefit. We are suffering."
She feels the community's only hope is that the court case forces Shell to clean up the waterways: "Let them come and flush the river for us."
By Simi Jolaoso, BBC
Tuesday, June 2, 2026
Nigeria's Obi to run for president again after opposition split
Nigerian politician Peter Obi said he would run for president again in January after winning his party's nomination, setting up another contest between incumbent Bola Tinubu and a divided opposition.
Obi was declared winner of the Nigeria Democratic Congress primary on Sunday, less than a month after quitting an alliance that had tried to set up a single opposition challenger.
The acceptance from Obi - who came third in the last election after galvanizing young voters - hit hopes among some opposition backers that he might return to the coalition.
It prepares the ground for a re-run of 2023's three-way contest that is likely to test whether public anger over rising living costs and insecurity can translate into votes against Tinubu, or whether the anti-government vote will once again be split.
"We must address insecurity with resolve and urgency, for no nation can thrive while its citizens live in trepidation," Obi said in a statement late on Sunday.
Nigeria is grappling with overlapping security crises that stretch far beyond the jihadist insurgency in the northeast, where Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have waged a conflict for more than 15 years.
In the northwest, heavily armed gangs known locally as bandits carry out mass kidnappings for ransom and raids on villages and schools, while north-central states have also seen recurring violence linked to disputes over land and grazing routes.
Voters will also be focused on Tinubu's economic reforms, including the removal of fuel and electricity subsidies and ending currency controls which have won over investors even as Nigerians watch their incomes and savings erode.
Higher global oil prices linked to the Iran conflict have added to the pressure, with Nigeria experiencing some of the steepest fuel price increases among major African economies.
Tinubu on Friday defended his reforms, saying they had stabilised the country and revived investor confidence, despite the squeeze on households.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, runner-up in the last election, last week won the ticket to represent the African Democratic Congress party, in what will be his seventh presidential bid.
Leaders of other smaller parties are also expected to run.
By MacDonald Dzirutwe, Reuters
Obi was declared winner of the Nigeria Democratic Congress primary on Sunday, less than a month after quitting an alliance that had tried to set up a single opposition challenger.
The acceptance from Obi - who came third in the last election after galvanizing young voters - hit hopes among some opposition backers that he might return to the coalition.
It prepares the ground for a re-run of 2023's three-way contest that is likely to test whether public anger over rising living costs and insecurity can translate into votes against Tinubu, or whether the anti-government vote will once again be split.
"We must address insecurity with resolve and urgency, for no nation can thrive while its citizens live in trepidation," Obi said in a statement late on Sunday.
Nigeria is grappling with overlapping security crises that stretch far beyond the jihadist insurgency in the northeast, where Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have waged a conflict for more than 15 years.
In the northwest, heavily armed gangs known locally as bandits carry out mass kidnappings for ransom and raids on villages and schools, while north-central states have also seen recurring violence linked to disputes over land and grazing routes.
Voters will also be focused on Tinubu's economic reforms, including the removal of fuel and electricity subsidies and ending currency controls which have won over investors even as Nigerians watch their incomes and savings erode.
Higher global oil prices linked to the Iran conflict have added to the pressure, with Nigeria experiencing some of the steepest fuel price increases among major African economies.
Tinubu on Friday defended his reforms, saying they had stabilised the country and revived investor confidence, despite the squeeze on households.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, runner-up in the last election, last week won the ticket to represent the African Democratic Congress party, in what will be his seventh presidential bid.
Leaders of other smaller parties are also expected to run.
By MacDonald Dzirutwe, Reuters
From Pipelines to Data Centers: Nigeria Positions Natural Gas as the Ultimate AI Baseload
The global artificial intelligence (AI) adoption is fast becoming an energy efficiency race. As hyperscale data centres multiply across the United States, Europe and other regions, electricity has emerged as the single biggest constraint.
Tech giants like Microsoft, Amazon, Google and Oracle are no longer just building servers; they are signing long-term power deals, financing generation assets and partnering directly with energy companies to secure supply.
That same model could soon transform Nigeria’s gas industry.
Today, AI-focused data centres consume staggering amounts of electricity. In March 2026, Google committed 2.7GW of power capacity for a U.S. project, which is equal to the demand of two million homes. Microsoft has already teamed up with Chevron to build 2.5GW of gas-fired generation in Texas. It can be deduced that without reliable energy, AI cannot scale.
Currently, Nigeria holds the trump card. With more than 200 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves, the largest in Africa, and a digital economy racing ahead, the country is uniquely positioned to anchor the next wave of AI infrastructure. Its population is set to exceed 400 million by 2050, internet penetration is rising, and cloud adoption is accelerating.
According to the Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber, NJ Ayuk, “Big Tech changes the financing equation for African gas. For the first time, projects can be underwritten by companies whose energy demand rivals entire industrial sectors.”
The opportunity is immense. Africa accounts for just 0.6 per cent of global data centre capacity despite housing nearly 20 per cent of the world’s population. Nigeria is moving to close that gap, with 21 operational data centres and nearly $1 billion in AI-ready facilities under development. Many are converging around gas-powered models.
However, the sector faces two major bottlenecks: severe geographic concentration in Lagos and heavy reliance on private, gas- and diesel-powered energy due to an unstable national grid.
The market is dominated by major operators such as Equinix (formerly MainOne/MDXi), Rack Centre, Open Access Data Centres (OADC), Africa Data Centres, Dabengwa Data Centre, Galaxy Backbone, among others.
In March, Tetracore Energy Group announced a $400 million gas-powered data centre in Ogun State, backed by Huawei and Inspirive Technologies, with its own 100MW gas plant to guarantee uptime.
For decades, financing domestic gas infrastructure in Nigeria was hampered by payment risks and inconsistent demand. Hyperscale technology firms change that equation. Long-term supply agreements backed by investment-grade companies could unlock pipelines, processing plants, and embedded generation projects, creating privately financed gas-to-power corridors anchored by data centres and industrial parks.
The ripple effects go beyond energy. Hyperscale investment would accelerate fibre rollout, strengthen cloud sovereignty, fuel fintech growth, and reduce reliance on overseas hosting. It could position Nigeria as West Africa’s AI and digital hub at a time when global tech firms are searching for new growth markets.
Gas offers what renewables alone cannot yet guarantee in emerging markets: stable baseload power. For mission-critical AI workloads, uptime and latency demand dispatchable solutions.
As African Energy Week 2026 approaches, one message is clear: the future of African gas may not lie solely in industrialisation or LNG exports. It may lie in powering the global AI economy. And in that future, Big Tech could become Nigeria’s most strategic energy partner yet.
By Adeyemi Adepetun, The Guardian
Tech giants like Microsoft, Amazon, Google and Oracle are no longer just building servers; they are signing long-term power deals, financing generation assets and partnering directly with energy companies to secure supply.
That same model could soon transform Nigeria’s gas industry.
Today, AI-focused data centres consume staggering amounts of electricity. In March 2026, Google committed 2.7GW of power capacity for a U.S. project, which is equal to the demand of two million homes. Microsoft has already teamed up with Chevron to build 2.5GW of gas-fired generation in Texas. It can be deduced that without reliable energy, AI cannot scale.
Currently, Nigeria holds the trump card. With more than 200 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves, the largest in Africa, and a digital economy racing ahead, the country is uniquely positioned to anchor the next wave of AI infrastructure. Its population is set to exceed 400 million by 2050, internet penetration is rising, and cloud adoption is accelerating.
According to the Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber, NJ Ayuk, “Big Tech changes the financing equation for African gas. For the first time, projects can be underwritten by companies whose energy demand rivals entire industrial sectors.”
The opportunity is immense. Africa accounts for just 0.6 per cent of global data centre capacity despite housing nearly 20 per cent of the world’s population. Nigeria is moving to close that gap, with 21 operational data centres and nearly $1 billion in AI-ready facilities under development. Many are converging around gas-powered models.
However, the sector faces two major bottlenecks: severe geographic concentration in Lagos and heavy reliance on private, gas- and diesel-powered energy due to an unstable national grid.
The market is dominated by major operators such as Equinix (formerly MainOne/MDXi), Rack Centre, Open Access Data Centres (OADC), Africa Data Centres, Dabengwa Data Centre, Galaxy Backbone, among others.
In March, Tetracore Energy Group announced a $400 million gas-powered data centre in Ogun State, backed by Huawei and Inspirive Technologies, with its own 100MW gas plant to guarantee uptime.
For decades, financing domestic gas infrastructure in Nigeria was hampered by payment risks and inconsistent demand. Hyperscale technology firms change that equation. Long-term supply agreements backed by investment-grade companies could unlock pipelines, processing plants, and embedded generation projects, creating privately financed gas-to-power corridors anchored by data centres and industrial parks.
The ripple effects go beyond energy. Hyperscale investment would accelerate fibre rollout, strengthen cloud sovereignty, fuel fintech growth, and reduce reliance on overseas hosting. It could position Nigeria as West Africa’s AI and digital hub at a time when global tech firms are searching for new growth markets.
Gas offers what renewables alone cannot yet guarantee in emerging markets: stable baseload power. For mission-critical AI workloads, uptime and latency demand dispatchable solutions.
As African Energy Week 2026 approaches, one message is clear: the future of African gas may not lie solely in industrialisation or LNG exports. It may lie in powering the global AI economy. And in that future, Big Tech could become Nigeria’s most strategic energy partner yet.
By Adeyemi Adepetun, The Guardian
Related story: Nigeria launches AI-driven education platform
Anthony Joshua vows to be 'good soldier' for parents of friends killed in car crash in Nigeria
Anthony Joshua has said he is putting his own emotions to the side to be "a good soldier" for the grieving parents of two of his close friends, who were killed in a car crash in Nigeria.
The fatal accident in December claimed the lives of Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele, who were members of the boxer's team and long-term friends.
Joshua himself was left with minor injuries.
Speaking to the media for the first time since the crash, as he prepares to return to boxing, the 36-year-old said processing his own emotions would come at later stage.
"I have to put my emotions to the side because I focus on the parents," he said. "I really look at their parents, and I understand it must be most difficult for them."
Ghami was Joshua's strength and conditioning coach, while Ayodele was a trainer, described as being like a "twin brother" to the boxer.
For a period of time after surviving the crash, it was uncertain whether he would continue fighting.
However, the two-time world heavyweight champion is now due to take on Albanian Kristian Prenga, a relative unknown, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on 25 July.
He is expected to face Tyson Fury for the first time at Wembley later in the year, although the details for that match – which would be the biggest fight in British boxing history – have yet to be announced.
'Boxing is therapeutic - it gives us purpose'
Joshua said he would dedicate his fighting to his late friends' parents.
"Everyone does it differently, but for me that's the best way of handling the situation," he said. "It's not about me; it's bigger than me.
"I'm just there for their parents. It's about being a good soldier for them because I've got to look after them."
"This is my purpose. Boxing is not only good for the competitive side of things, it's also quite therapeutic, it gives us fighters a lot of purpose and that's what it does for me."
Joshua paid tribute to his friends in a video posted in January, calling the two men "my left and my right".
He had been on holiday with the men when the crash happened, following his knockout victory over US YouTuber turned-boxer Jake Paul in Miami on 19 December.
A 46-year-old man, Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, has been charged with dangerous driving causing death, reckless and negligent driving, driving without due care and attention, and driving without a valid national driver's licence in connection with the crash.
Joshua said he would dedicate his fighting to his late friends' parents.
"Everyone does it differently, but for me that's the best way of handling the situation," he said. "It's not about me; it's bigger than me.
"I'm just there for their parents. It's about being a good soldier for them because I've got to look after them."
"This is my purpose. Boxing is not only good for the competitive side of things, it's also quite therapeutic, it gives us fighters a lot of purpose and that's what it does for me."
Joshua paid tribute to his friends in a video posted in January, calling the two men "my left and my right".
He had been on holiday with the men when the crash happened, following his knockout victory over US YouTuber turned-boxer Jake Paul in Miami on 19 December.
A 46-year-old man, Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, has been charged with dangerous driving causing death, reckless and negligent driving, driving without due care and attention, and driving without a valid national driver's licence in connection with the crash.
Monday, June 1, 2026
Video - Nigeria flood survivors demand answers
One year after devastating floods killed more than 160 people in Mokwa, Niger State, survivors are protesting over what they say are unfulfilled government promises. Residents are demanding accountability and stronger protections ahead of another rainy season.
Nigeria seeks used German H145M military helicopters and support on Sahel security
Diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Germany have reached a 65 years’ milestone, marked by a recent strategic dialogue between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. During a ten-minute telephone conversation on the afternoon of Wednesday, February 18, 2026, the two leaders addressed a multifaceted agenda covering regional security, energy infrastructure, and cultural exchange. A central focus of this discussion was a request from the Nigerian presidency for the transfer of used military helicopters to bolster Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities within the volatile Sahel corridor.
Strengthening Aerial Reconnaissance in the Sahel
President Tinubu emphasized the deteriorating security environment in the Sahel, noting that instability is increasingly moving toward the coastal states of West Africa. To counter this threat, Nigeria is seeking to acquire used Airbus H145M helicopters from German military inventory. These aircraft would serve as a specialized platform for intelligence reconnaissance, providing a necessary eye in the sky over porous borders and rugged terrain. The H145M is a light twin engine helicopter known for its agility and relatively low acoustic signature, making it an effective choice for covert surveillance and tactical support roles.
The H145M features the Helionix avionics suite and a four axis autopilot, which reduces pilot workload during complex ISR missions. Its performance in high altitude and hot environments is particularly relevant for the Sahel, where temperatures often exceed 40 degrees Celsius. While the German government has not yet formally confirmed the transfer, the Bundeswehr (the German armed forces) has been transitioning its rotary wing fleet. The potential availability of these assets stems from Germany’s ongoing modernization programs, which involve the phased replacement of older light utility units with newer configurations. By utilizing used airframes, Nigeria could potentially shorten the procurement timeline and reduce the capital expenditure required to expand its aerial surveillance fleet.
The request for German aviation support comes at a time of profound transition in Sahelian security architecture. For several years, European partners have modified their engagement in the region. In August 2021, the French Army deployed 32 Griffon armored vehicles to the Sahel as part of the 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment to combat insurgent groups. However, geopolitical shifts led the European Union to end some of its military training commitments in Mali by April 2022, primarily due to the presence of private military contractors and the political direction of the local administration. Despite these withdrawals, the European Union remains vocal about its commitment to the region, with officials stating that the Sahel remains a priority for international stability. During that period, the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) had sent five of its CH-53G Super Stallion heavy-lift helicopters and an additional 120 personnel to Gao, Mali to support the United Nations mission (MINUSMA).
The German military (Bundeswehr) utilizes the Airbus H145M as a highly versatile, multi-role light twin-engine helicopter. Formally designated in German service as the Leichter Kampfhubschrauber (LKH or Light Combat Helicopter), it serves as a flexible platform bridging tactical transport, special operations, and armed reconnaissance.
Nigeria’s proactive stance in requesting German assets demonstrates a regional push to fill the security vacuum left by departing international missions. Effective ISR operations are critical because insurgent movements in the Sahel rely on mobility and the exploitation of ungoverned spaces. Without persistent aerial oversight, ground forces often remain reactive. The H145M could bridge this gap by providing real time data to commanders, allowing for more precise deployments of ground units and a more effective response to cross border incursions.
President Tinubu emphasized the deteriorating security environment in the Sahel, noting that instability is increasingly moving toward the coastal states of West Africa. To counter this threat, Nigeria is seeking to acquire used Airbus H145M helicopters from German military inventory. These aircraft would serve as a specialized platform for intelligence reconnaissance, providing a necessary eye in the sky over porous borders and rugged terrain. The H145M is a light twin engine helicopter known for its agility and relatively low acoustic signature, making it an effective choice for covert surveillance and tactical support roles.
The H145M features the Helionix avionics suite and a four axis autopilot, which reduces pilot workload during complex ISR missions. Its performance in high altitude and hot environments is particularly relevant for the Sahel, where temperatures often exceed 40 degrees Celsius. While the German government has not yet formally confirmed the transfer, the Bundeswehr (the German armed forces) has been transitioning its rotary wing fleet. The potential availability of these assets stems from Germany’s ongoing modernization programs, which involve the phased replacement of older light utility units with newer configurations. By utilizing used airframes, Nigeria could potentially shorten the procurement timeline and reduce the capital expenditure required to expand its aerial surveillance fleet.
The request for German aviation support comes at a time of profound transition in Sahelian security architecture. For several years, European partners have modified their engagement in the region. In August 2021, the French Army deployed 32 Griffon armored vehicles to the Sahel as part of the 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment to combat insurgent groups. However, geopolitical shifts led the European Union to end some of its military training commitments in Mali by April 2022, primarily due to the presence of private military contractors and the political direction of the local administration. Despite these withdrawals, the European Union remains vocal about its commitment to the region, with officials stating that the Sahel remains a priority for international stability. During that period, the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) had sent five of its CH-53G Super Stallion heavy-lift helicopters and an additional 120 personnel to Gao, Mali to support the United Nations mission (MINUSMA).
The German military (Bundeswehr) utilizes the Airbus H145M as a highly versatile, multi-role light twin-engine helicopter. Formally designated in German service as the Leichter Kampfhubschrauber (LKH or Light Combat Helicopter), it serves as a flexible platform bridging tactical transport, special operations, and armed reconnaissance.
Nigeria’s proactive stance in requesting German assets demonstrates a regional push to fill the security vacuum left by departing international missions. Effective ISR operations are critical because insurgent movements in the Sahel rely on mobility and the exploitation of ungoverned spaces. Without persistent aerial oversight, ground forces often remain reactive. The H145M could bridge this gap by providing real time data to commanders, allowing for more precise deployments of ground units and a more effective response to cross border incursions.
Revitalizing the Presidential Power Initiative
Beyond defense cooperation, the dialogue between Tinubu and Merz addressed the long standing challenges within Nigeria’s energy sector. The Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) is a centerpiece of this effort, aiming to modernize the national grid through a $2.3 billion partnership with Siemens. Although the agreement was established in 2019, it has faced numerous regulatory and logistical hurdles. The original roadmap envisioned achieving 7,000 megawatts of reliable power by 2021 and 11,000 megawatts by 2023, targets that remain unfulfilled.
Chancellor Merz assured President Tinubu that Siemens would fulfill its commitments to rehabilitate transmission lines and distribution substations. Financing remains a critical component of this infrastructure push, with Deutsche Bank ready to provide the necessary capital. In late 2021, the Nigerian Federal Executive Council approved €62.9 million and $1.9 million for the initial phase of the project, focusing on grid expansion and modernization. While President Tinubu noted in late 2025 that progress had been made, he acknowledged that the pace of implementation has not yet met the expectations of the Nigerian public. The renewed commitment from Berlin suggests a diplomatic push to clear the remaining bottlenecks and stabilize Nigeria’s electricity supply, which is a prerequisite for broader industrial growth.
Beyond defense cooperation, the dialogue between Tinubu and Merz addressed the long standing challenges within Nigeria’s energy sector. The Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) is a centerpiece of this effort, aiming to modernize the national grid through a $2.3 billion partnership with Siemens. Although the agreement was established in 2019, it has faced numerous regulatory and logistical hurdles. The original roadmap envisioned achieving 7,000 megawatts of reliable power by 2021 and 11,000 megawatts by 2023, targets that remain unfulfilled.
Chancellor Merz assured President Tinubu that Siemens would fulfill its commitments to rehabilitate transmission lines and distribution substations. Financing remains a critical component of this infrastructure push, with Deutsche Bank ready to provide the necessary capital. In late 2021, the Nigerian Federal Executive Council approved €62.9 million and $1.9 million for the initial phase of the project, focusing on grid expansion and modernization. While President Tinubu noted in late 2025 that progress had been made, he acknowledged that the pace of implementation has not yet met the expectations of the Nigerian public. The renewed commitment from Berlin suggests a diplomatic push to clear the remaining bottlenecks and stabilize Nigeria’s electricity supply, which is a prerequisite for broader industrial growth.
Cultural Diplomacy and the New Ambassador
The conversation also touched upon the “soft power” aspects of the bilateral relationship. Chancellor Merz expressed a desire to establish the Great Museum of African Arts, a project intended to foster deeper cultural understanding and academic cooperation. This initiative aligns with broader efforts to preserve and showcase African heritage on a global stage. The German government is also awaiting the arrival of the new Nigerian ambassador to Berlin, a move expected to further streamline communication between the two administrations.
This multifaceted approach to diplomacy suggests that Germany views Nigeria as a pivotal partner not just for regional security, but as a long term economic and cultural collaborator in West Africa. The success of the helicopter request and the Siemens power project will likely serve as the primary metrics for the strength of this partnership in the coming years. By integrating military hardware, infrastructure engineering, and cultural exchange, both nations are attempting to build a resilient framework for cooperation in an increasingly complex global landscape.
The conversation also touched upon the “soft power” aspects of the bilateral relationship. Chancellor Merz expressed a desire to establish the Great Museum of African Arts, a project intended to foster deeper cultural understanding and academic cooperation. This initiative aligns with broader efforts to preserve and showcase African heritage on a global stage. The German government is also awaiting the arrival of the new Nigerian ambassador to Berlin, a move expected to further streamline communication between the two administrations.
This multifaceted approach to diplomacy suggests that Germany views Nigeria as a pivotal partner not just for regional security, but as a long term economic and cultural collaborator in West Africa. The success of the helicopter request and the Siemens power project will likely serve as the primary metrics for the strength of this partnership in the coming years. By integrating military hardware, infrastructure engineering, and cultural exchange, both nations are attempting to build a resilient framework for cooperation in an increasingly complex global landscape.
Related stories: Video - Inside the US's biggest military push in Nigeria in years
US tech billionaire Joe Lonsdale invests $11.8m in Nigerian drone firm to tackle Africa’s insecurity
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