Nigeria suspends third-party services for visa applicants in the US

Residents of the US seeking Nigerian visas will now have to submit their applications directly to the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington, DC, or the Consulates in New York and Atlanta, following the suspension of Online Integrated Solutions (OIS Services) services.

The OIS, which operates Nigeria’s Visa Application Centres, has been suspended from offering the service.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the National Immigration Service (NIS) announced that the suspension of the OIS is effective from July 2026.

“Effective from July, 2026, the service of Online Integrated Solution (O15 SERVICES), the operator of Nigeria’s Visa Application Centres in the United States of America, has been suspended until further notice,” the statement reads.

The NIS did not state the reason for the suspension of OIS Services or indicate when the arrangement would be reviewed.

However, the new policy was introduced several months after the US imposed partial visa ban on Nigeria and many other African countries. PREMIUM TIMES reported that the ban on Nigeria covered a wide range of visa categories, including B‑1, B‑2, B‑1/B‑2, F, M, and J visas.

The US also imposed bond requirements on African countries, requiring applicants to post a bond of up to $15,000 before applying for other categories of visas.

In its statement, the NIS also clarified that the suspension affects only visa application submissions handled by OIS Services and does not impact Nigeria’s electronic visa (e-Visa) system.

It explained that travellers seeking e-Visas are still expected to submit their applications through the official e-Visa portal.

The agency also noted that it has put measures in place to ensure the seamless submission, processing and issuance of visas despite the suspension of the visa application centre operator.

“The Service further clarifies that this notice applies only to Visa application submissions at the Embassy and does not affect the e-Visa System. Applicants can continue to apply via

“The public should note that adequate measures have been put in place to ensure seamless submission, processing, and issuance of visas.

“In this regard, applicants are advised to monitor the official communication channels of the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Nigerian Mission in the United States for updates on visa application procedures,” the statement further noted.

The NIS also advised applicants to monitor official communication channels of the Nigeria Immigration Service and Nigeria’s diplomatic missions in the US.

It reiterated that it remained “committed to providing efficient Service Delivery.”

By Beloved John, Premium Times

Video - Severe flooding in West Africa sparks food shortages and rising prices in Lagos

Severe flooding continues to wreak havoc across West Africa, damaging homes, businesses and farmland. In Nigeria's commercial capital, Lagos, disrupted food supplies are driving up market prices, forcing many families to tighten their budgets as recovery efforts continue.

CGTN Africa

Nigeria orders probe into fake agency that nearly got $944,000 in state funds

Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu has ordered an investigation into how a fake government agency operated openly in the heart of his administration and was almost handed nearly a million dollars in public funds.

The agency, called the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, doesn't exist under Nigerian law. Yet it was set to receive about 1.3 billion naira ($944,300) in this year's national budget.

Its offices were reportedly located inside the federal secretariat in Abuja, the same complex that houses genuine government ministries.

Anti-corruption agency given 30 days

Tinubu's office announced on Tuesday night that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has been ordered to investigate. It has 30 days to report back.

Investigators will look into claims of forged appointment letters, and allegations that the agency used a fake presidential appointment to gain official recognition, including help securing visas.

"Con artist," says presidential spokesman

Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga described Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, the man who claimed to run the agency, as a "con artist" with a track record of misrepresentation.

Onanuga said no public money had actually been paid out. But critics are asking a harder question: how did a nonexistent agency make it into the national budget in the first place?

Pressure builds on Tinubu

The scandal adds to political pressure on Tinubu ahead of the presidential election, putting Nigeria's long-running corruption problem back in the headlines.

Local media reported that Adeyemi claimed he'd been given an appointment letter by Tinubu's chief of staff, Femi Gbajabiamila. Gbajabiamila denies ever meeting or knowing him.

Analysts say the government still needs to explain how the fake agency slipped into official spending plans.

Court date set

Adeyemi is due in court on July 27. He faces charges of forging official documents, falsely seeking recognition for a fake government agency, and opening multiple bank accounts in its name.

AFP

New lithium plant in Nigeria marks major shift to value-added critical minerals

As African countries focus on growing their critical mineral value chains and shifting from raw material exporters to true value creators, as previously reported, those ambitions are now beginning to take shape. Nigeria recently commissioned its, and one of Africa’s, largest lithium processing plants in Nasarawa State.

The Diamond New Energy lithium plant has a processing capacity of 6,000 tonnes of lithium per day, with an estimated 3 million tonnes annually.

During construction, the project generated over 1,000 direct jobs and over 2,000 indirect employment opportunities for the community, making it a significant contributor to Nigeria’s industrialisation and growth agenda.

Speaking on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the commissioning, Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima stressed the importance of metals and minerals in the modern, tech-driven era, saying Nigeria is set to enter a new phase of growth in the metals sector.

In his statement, Senator Shettima notes that Nigeria “must either maximise its industrial advantage and turn its endowments into engines of prosperity, or spend years manufacturing excuses for the nation’s lack of innovation”.

“The commissioning of Diamond New Energy Projects here in Nasarawa State represents confidence in Nigeria, in Nasarawa State, and in the revolutionary reforms set in place by this administration,” says Senator Shettima.

“It represents confidence that Nigeria is ready to participate in the global minerals economy on terms that create jobs, build skills, strengthen local enterprises, and expand our productive base.”

Senator Shettima notes that Nigeria, like many other countries across Africa, has often focused on “what lies beneath our soil” rather than what can be done to add value to these metals and minerals.

“What changes a nation is the deliberate movement from extraction to processing, from potential to production, from raw materials to value-added goods, and from isolated investments to integrated industrial ecosystems.”

Nigeria’s commissioning of the Diamond New Energy lithium plant marks a clear pivot in Africa’s push to to build local mineral value chains and capture more value from its resources.

As more nations move to secure downstream capacity, the continent’s critical minerals narrative is rapidly evolving from potential to production, with Nigeria now positioning itself as a serious participant in the global lithium supply chain.

By Amy Rotman, mining.com.au

Related story: Lithium, copper reserves key to clean energy transition in Nigeria

Dangote lowers petrol price in Nigeria even as Trump resumes fighting in Iran

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery lowered its wholesale petrol price on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, despite the resumption of the conflict in the Middle East, which, for the last few months, has brought on a surge in energy prices across Africa.

This price reduction has instigated minor price competition among local fuel suppliers in Nigeria, offering consumers some relief even as domestic diesel costs escalate and global oil markets experience sudden fluctuations.

The massive refinery trimmed its ex-depot petrol price by ₦1, bringing it down to ₦1,075 per litre from the old price of ₦1,076 per litre.

Local market response and diesel hikes

Dangote’s price change has forced other major oil marketers in Lagos to lower their prices slightly to stay competitive.

MRS Oil Nigeria led the way by cutting its depot price by ₦2 to ₦1,074 per litre from the old price of ₦1,076 per litre, making it one of the cheapest options in the city.

While a few suppliers in Lagos and Warri dropped their rates by ₦1 or ₦2, other major companies like NIPCO, Sahara Energy, and Aiteo kept their prices steady.

Right now, most petrol prices at Lagos depots are stable, staying between ₦1,074 and ₦1,075 per litre.

This adjustment in fuel pricing occurs despite the resurgence of hostilities in the Middle East, a conflict anticipated to influence global energy markets.

Trump ends Iran ceasefire, spiking global oil prices

Per recent reports, International oil prices jumped by over 7% in a single day after U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, that America's temporary ceasefire with Iran is officially "over."

According to global trading platforms like Oilprice.com, this caused immediate worries that global oil supplies might run low, pushing the price of international unrefined petroleum on the global commodities exchange up sharply from its previous $72 to nearly $80 a barrel.

Experts warn that if these global tensions keep driving unrefined petroleum prices upward, the cost of raw oil input will become much higher.

This could eventually force fuel prices back up across Nigeria, potentially ending the local price cuts.

Business Insider Africa

Nigeria turns to Chinese solar solutions as Kano battles chronic power shortages

Kano, northern Nigeria's commercial hub, requires about 600 megawatts of electricity each day but receives only around 180 megawatts from the national grid. Some Chinese companies have stepped in to fill this void by supplying solar products to the ancient city. Many residents and business operators say it's a welcome addition to the energy mix.

CGTN Africa

Related story: Hertfordshire invention helps power homes in Nigeria

Nigeria's UTM secures gas supply deal, clears key hurdle to $3 billion LNG project

Nigeria's UTM Offshore said on Tuesday it had secured a 15-year gas supply agreement, removing a ​major obstacle to a final investment decision on its $3 ‌billion floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) project, now expected in the fourth quarter after delays.

Under the agreement, a joint venture between Nigeria's state-owned NNPC Ltd and ​independent Seplat Energy Producing Nigeria Unlimited will supply 200 ​million standard cubic feet (5.7 million cubic metres) of gas ⁠per day to the UTM FLNG project, designed to produce ​1.8 million tonnes of LNG per year from gas sourced from ​the Yoho field.

"The execution of this agreement establishes the long-term feed gas framework needed to advance project financing, construction and operations," UTM Offshore Chief ​Executive Julius Rone said at the signing ceremony in Abuja.

Rone ​said the agreement would provide certainty for investors, lenders and LNG buyers and ‌position ⁠the project for a final investment decision in the fourth quarter of 2026.

The project, in which NNPC holds a 20% stake, UTM Offshore 72% and Delta state government 8%, received Nigeria's ​first licence for ​a floating LNG ⁠export facility in 2024 as the government seeks to monetise large volumes of stranded gas reserves ​and expand LNG exports.

Nigeria holds some of Africa's ​largest ⁠gas reserves but has struggled for decades to convert much of the resource into commercial exports and domestic industrial use because of ⁠funding ​constraints, infrastructure gaps and regulatory uncertainty.

Front-end engineering ​and design of the project was completed in 2023 by JGC and Technip ​Energies, according to UTM.

By Isaac Anyaogu, Reuters

South African Police Say Death of Nigerian Man Not Linked to Anti-Migrant Violence

South African police ⁠said ⁠on Tuesday the ⁠death of a Nigerian man in custody late ​last month had nothing to do with a surge in anti-migrant ‌violence and that he ‌collapsed after being arrested for drug possession.

Nigeria's foreign ministry ⁠alleged ⁠on Sunday the man had died during an interrogation ​by South African police two days before nationwide rallies against undocumented migrants, threatening unspecified action if there were more attacks on its ​citizens.

"The South African Police Service strongly rejects attempts to ⁠link this ⁠incident to anti-illegal immigrant ⁠protests," ​a police spokesperson said in a statement.

The spokesperson said a police ​drugs team had ⁠arrested the Nigerian at his apartment in an intelligence-driven operation. Drugs were found at the scene, and the man collapsed while being taken into custody in a Pretoria police ⁠station, the spokesperson added.

Paramedics were called and declared him dead, ⁠and a police watchdog was notified and will investigate the incident, the spokesperson said.

South Africa's foreign ministry has said Nigeria's government should send in any evidence it has about the man's death but has not commented on the specific allegations made by its Nigerian counterpart.

The anti-migrant protests over the past few months have ⁠been mostly peaceful but at times turned violent, with attacks on foreign nationals and looting of foreign-owned shops.

Rights groups say foreigners are being used as scapegoats for ​deep-rooted problems like crime and unemployment.

By Alexander ​Winning, Reuters

Related stories: Nigeria sees no sign that anti-immigrant violence is waning in South Africa

Nigeria says two nationals killed in South Africa amid rise of anti-migrant attacks

Nigeria sees no sign that anti-immigrant violence is waning in South Africa

The safety of African immigrants in South Africa is deteriorating, Nigeria’s foreign minister has warned, after two Nigerians were killed in disputed circumstances during anti-immigrant protests.

“There are no signs that the situation is improving,” Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu said on Monday, while announcing more evacuation flights.

The minister demanded South African authorities investigate the deaths of two Nigerians, Musa Yunana Joe and Charles Iroegbu, killed amid “the ongoing xenophobic protests and attacks on migrants”.

South African police said Joe’s killing did not appear to be related to the protests, but could not immediately comment on Iroegbu’s death.

Nigeria’s foreign ministry says Joe was killed in front of his shop in the northeastern city of ⁠⁠eMalahleni by unidentified criminals on June 28 , while Iroegbu was killed by South African police during interrogation in Pretoria on the same day.

In a statement on Sunday, the ministry said: “We wish to place the Government of South Africa on ‌‌notice that if the situation continues to persist, all options remain on the table, some of which will be activated if the uncultured and provocative trend of intolerance… against foreigners is not addressed”.

South African foreign ministry spokesman Chrispin Phiri said the government had asked Nigeria’s High Commission to submit “any actionable information to our law enforcement authorities, which will enable a thorough, objective investigation in accordance with the rule of law”.

Weeks of anti-immigrant marches

There have been weeks of protests against undocumented migrants, with many South Africans blaming workers from other African countries for taking their jobs and putting a strain on their social services.

South Africa’s government has been accused of not doing enough to crack down on the violence, which has claimed the lives of several foreigners and seen shops owned by immigrants looted and torched.

Mozambique said that five of its citizens were killed in xenophobic attacks in late May. South Africa ⁠⁠said the number was only two.

Ghana and South Africa were embroiled in a diplomatic row last week, following the killing of a Ghanaian national. The South African government said the death of Bashiru Isak was not linked to anti-immigrant protests.

Hundreds of Nigerians, among tens of thousands of foreigners, have already left South Africa, once a popular destination for documented and undocumented African immigrants due to its relatively strong economy.

Uganda’s High Commission in Pretoria announced on Monday that a fourth group of Ugandan nationals were voluntarily repatriating.

South Africa has had a longstanding violent crime problem that precedes the outbreak of xenophobic violence.

By AFP and Reuters

Related story: Nigeria says two nationals killed in South Africa amid rise of anti-migrant attacks

Nigeria Dumps 120 Million Tons of Sand into Atlantic to Build Massive City with 8.4 km Sea Wall for Protection Against Ocean Waves and Erosion

Project in Lagos transforms a stretch of the Atlantic into a new urban area, combining land reclamation, planned infrastructure, and coastal defense in one of the regions most pressured by erosion in Nigeria.

Lagos, the largest city in Nigeria and one of Africa’s main economic centers, has been advancing for years with the development of Eko Atlantic, a planned city on land reclaimed from the Atlantic Ocean, next to Victoria Island.

The project had already received more than 75 million m³ of sand by June 2023, according to the consultancy Haskoning, responsible for maritime studies and projects, and was created to combine urban expansion, infrastructure, and coastal protection in a region affected by erosion and population growth.

The initiative is not a newly announced work.

The project began to be structured in the 2000s and is still under development.

The official website of Eko Atlantic states that phases 1 and 2 already have active infrastructure, including completed bridges, operational water and sewage systems, and expansion to new stages.

Rugby School Nigeria also reported that it welcomed its first class in September 2025 on the campus located within the planned city.

Eko Atlantic creates solid ground where there was once sea

Eko Atlantic was planned as an extension of Victoria Island, one of the most important areas of Lagos for business, services, and real estate ventures.

The proposal involves dredging sand from the seabed, depositing it in a designated area, and creating a new portion of solid ground capable of accommodating streets, buildings, power networks, drainage, water, sewage, telecommunications, and areas for residential and commercial use.

When completed, the city is expected to occupy about 10 million m² of reclaimed land, a size compared by Haskoning to the skyscraper district of Manhattan, in New York.

The project is developed by South Energyx Nigeria Limited, in strategic partnership with the Lagos state government, and receives support from the federal government of Nigeria, according to the official website of the venture.

The scale of the project is directly linked to the complexity of the work.

The construction is not limited to the implementation of buildings near the coast but involves creating an urban base in an area previously occupied by the sea.

The technical plan foresees 95 million m³ of sand to form the foundation of the new city.

By June 2023, two-thirds of the area had been reclaimed, with more than 6.5 million m² already formed, according to Haskoning.

CPG

Hertfordshire invention helps power homes in Nigeria

 

A small solar-powered box developed in the East of England is providing power to people in Nigeria and "transforming how they live and work".

The Powerbox SE has been developed at Hertfordshire Business School, which is part of the University of Hertfordshire, and a Nigerian manufacturer.

The project is led by Prof Hafiz Alaka, who grew up in the African country with "unreliable or non-existent electricity".

He said the box offered "a sustainable, low-cost solution".

The box is being used in remote parts of Nigeria and can power everyday items such as lights, fans, laptops and washing machines. Each one absorbs about 1,200 watt-hours of solar energy a day.

In Kaduna State, 70 units are already in use.

"Many households and small businesses are too far from the national grid to access power, and this affects everything from trade to communication and education," said Alaka, associate dean in research and enterprise at the business school and director of the Big Data Technologies and Innovation laboratory.

"It runs entirely on clean solar energy, has no running costs and is made from components that can be sourced locally in Nigeria.

"It's built for Africa's environment and for Africa's people."

Amina Yusuf, who runs a grocery shop in Kaduna, said: "I can keep my shop open after sunset, my children can study at night, and I've reduced my fuel costs significantly.

"It has transformed how we live and work."

Bala Ibrahim, a teacher in a rural village, said it "allows my students to study after dark and keeps our community connected".

Alaka added: "This product is starting to bring people together in a way no other technology can – sustainably, affordably and through a locally made product.

"With investment, we can extend access to clean energy to millions who have never had reliable electricity before."

By Alex Pope, BBC

Related story: Video - Nigerian manufacturers struggle with rising electricity costs

Nigeria says two nationals killed in South Africa amid rise of anti-migrant attacks

Nigeria says two of its citizens have been killed in South Africa "at a time when foreigners are being unduly targeted" there.

A statement from the foreign ministry said Emeka Charles Iroegbu was "reportedly killed" on 28 June by police officers "using gruesome interrogation techniques", while unidentified assailants had killed shop owner Musa Yunana Joe on the same day.

The authorities in South Africa's capital, Pretoria, say they are investigating.

Nigeria's foreign ministry said the incidents came amid a rise in anti-migrant sentiment in South Africa, which has led to roughly 25,000 citizens from other African countries being repatriated by their nations, including some 700 Nigerians.

Protesters in South Africa have urged the government to do more to curb illegal migration. They say foreigners are taking jobs and unfairly benefiting from public services.

In its statement, Nigeria's foreign ministry said Iroegbu was reportedly killed in Pretoria by officers from the Tshwane Metro police department.

The South African body that investigates police conduct told the BBC on Monday the Iroegbu case was reported to it last week and that "our investigation is underway".

Joe, killed on 28 June, was attacked outside his shop in the city of eMalahleni, the ministry said.

Abuja said it was placing the South African government "on notice" and that "all options remain on the table... if the uncultured and provocative trend of intolerance and apartheid-style behaviour of South Africa against foreigners is not addressed".

Nigeria has said it will seek compensation from South Africa for its citizens who have left the country, adding that Abuja had begun documenting businesses and properties left behind by Nigerians.

However, at a media briefing on Friday, South African cabinet minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said her government would not pay compensation and that Nigerians can sell registered properties they left behind on the South African market.

She also said: "We would be interested to know where the drug dens of Nigerians are, so they can show us where they have been holding the drugs so we can clean the drugs in South Africa quite urgently."

Nigeria's foreign ministry strongly condemned this comment in their statement on Sunday, calling it "unacceptable".

"Such derogatory, unprofessional and uncensored generalised public statements by highly placed government officials constitute hate speech," the ministry said.

Nigeria's foreign ministry also accused protest groups in South Africa, including March on March and Operation Dudula, of inciting violence and hatred against other Africans.

It warned that those responsible could face regional and international legal action, though it is unclear steps Nigeria would take and whether it plans to raise the issue with the African Union.

Some anti-migrant groups in South Africa had given undocumented foreigners a deadline of 30 June to leave the country.

Ghana, Malawi and Nigeria are among African countries which repatriated some of their citizens ahead of the deadline.

South Africa has one of the highest rates of unemployment in the world - at more than 30% - and anti-migrant sentiment has been rising in recent months.

The continent's most developed economy remains a magnet for people from poorer countries seeking work often in low-paid jobs.

By Makuochi Okafor, BBC

Related stories: 269 Nigerians return home from South Africa ahead of protest deadline

Nigeria evacuates citizens from South Africa as anti-migrant sentiment rises

Video - Outrage ignites in Nigeria following latest kidnapping in Borno state

At least 37 people, most of them children, remain missing after gunmen abducted them from a school in northeastern Nigeria. The attackers, believed to be from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), raided a school in Borno State on Monday. The incident has sparked outrage, with parents calling for the immediate release of their children.

CGTN Africa

Related story: More than 30 students remain missing after Nigeria school attack

Why Nigeria Must Return to Indigenous Cattle in Solving Farmer-Herder Clashes

Historically, the image of a typical Southern Nigerian farmer was never complete without the muturu cattle breed grazing quietly behind the homestead. It was often tethered at the back of the house, chewing calmly on cassava peels and fresh grass cut by the owner or housed in a simple pen during rest. The muturu is an indigenous cattle breed characterized by diverse coat colour patterns and unique adaptation to the humid, tsetse-infested environments of West Africa, where it has traditionally provided meat, manure, and cultural value to rural communities. Today, this native breed has virtually disappeared. Its decline has left Southern Nigeria increasingly dependent on cattle supplied from the North while also removing a locally adapted production system that once reduced the need for long-distance livestock movement. Together with population growth, climate pressures, changing land use, and weak governance, this shift has added another layer to the complex dynamics shaping farmer-herder relations.

In communities across Southeastern Nigeria, farmers managed muturu cattle alongside crop production as household assets providing manure, occasional meat and a form of livelihood. A 2022 survey in Southern Nigeria found very small herd sizes averaging just 4 animals. This decline has been widely attributed to indiscriminate crossbreeding with exotic breeds, driven by selection for higher growth rates and increased carcass yield. As the muturu declined across Southern Nigeria, larger commercial breeds such as the white Fulani gradually became more dominant. Unlike the muturu, which was integrated into the predominantly smallholder farming systems of Southern Nigeria, these larger herds required substantially more grazing space and greater mobility, contributing to intensified conflicts among farmers and herders.

The livestock system in Nigeria has historically created critical regional connections that link the Northern and Southern parts of the country through production systems, trade, and consumption. For instance, Northern Nigeria currently supplies the overwhelming majority of the country’s cattle, while southern markets provide much of the demand. In a country where history has often made interregional trust fragile, competition over land access, livestock mobility, and resource use has transformed this connection into a source of tension. The relationship between the two regions is now more than an agricultural issue. It is a test of how well different regions can manage economic interdependence while balancing competing claims over land, livelihoods, and national unity.

The competition over land and grazing routes has contributed to thousands of deaths and widespread displacement. In the first half of 2018 alone, farmer-herder violence claimed more than 1,300 lives according to the International Crisis Group. Behind these statistics are farming communities struggling to hold on to their livelihoods. In interviews we conducted with farmers in Nimbo, Enugu State, in 2021, five years after the 2016 attack, many suggested reducing the land they cultivated because of persistent insecurity, while younger people increasingly left agriculture in search of safer livelihoods. The recent attack in Yelwata, Benue State, which claimed more than 100 lives, is a stark reminder that farmer-herder violence continues to affect the security and livelihoods of ordinary Nigerians.

In 2024, the Federal Government of Nigeria established the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, a longoverdue attempt to treat livestock as an economic sector deserving its own vision. However, this Ministry must first solve the farmer-herder clashes ravaging the country for years. By September 2025, the ministry unveiled a bold fifteen‑year transformation plan, placing modern ranching at the centre of its strategy to end open grazing and reduce conflict. And in June 2026, it took another step by moving to centralize livestock data, hoping to finally understand who owns what animals, where they move, and how to manage them sustainably. These reforms represent important efforts toward rebuilding a fragmented livestock production system. However, none of these interventions will achieve their full potential if a more fundamental question remains unaddressed: “What happens when a nation abandons the cattle that once fed its lands?”

Reviving indigenous breeds such as the muturu is not a silver bullet for ending farmer-herder conflict. But it could become an important part of a broader livestock strategy by restoring locally adapted production systems that reduce dependence on long-distance cattle movement. Historically, the breed thrived on crop residues, household wastes, fallow vegetation, and cut and carry forage systems, allowing livestock production to be integrated into existing farming landscapes rather than competing with them. Restoring indigenous breeds would therefore align cattle production with the ecological realities of Southern Nigeria while reducing the need for long distance livestock movement across multiple states, reducing grazing pressure on surrounding landscapes and lowering the risk of overgrazing and land degradation.

If the country is serious about ending these clashes, then modern ranching must go hand in hand with reclaiming the breeds that once fit our land, our farming systems, and our way of life. In the rush to modernize, Nigeria may have forgotten that development is not always about replacing the old with the new. Sometimes, it is about recognizing the value of what was abandoned and adapting it to contemporary realities. The muturu is more than a cattle breed. It represents one part of a broader solution to rebuilding a livestock system that is productive and ecologically compatible, one that balanced livestock, crops, people, and land with far less conflict.

By Simon Chedra Ugwoke, African Arguments

Related stories: Civilians are stepping in to keep the peace in the deadly feud between herders and farmers

Climate change, competition drive deadly land clashes in Nigeria

Northern Nigeria’s hunger hits worst level in almost a decade as 17 million face food insecurity, UN seeks $89 million

The UN agency warned on Thursday that the country’s food security situation is deteriorating faster than previously anticipated, saying it urgently needs $89 million over the next six months to sustain food, nutrition and logistics support across northern Nigeria.

According to WFP, the latest Cadre Harmonisé food security analysis shows that more than 17 million people across nine conflict-affected northern states are experiencing crisis, emergency or catastrophic levels of food insecurity, almost two million more than projected in the previous assessment.

“Conflict is driving hunger in some northern states, particularly the northeast, to levels not seen in almost a decade,” the agency said in the statement.

The situation is particularly severe in Borno State, where renewed insurgent attacks and cuts to humanitarian assistance have left more than three million people acutely food insecure.

More than 750,000 people are experiencing severe hunger, while over 10,000 people have fallen into catastrophic hunger, the highest level of food insecurity.

“What concerns us most is how this crisis is expanding,” said Kinday Samba, WFP Regional Director for West and Central Africa.

“For years, insurgent attacks and violence were largely concentrated in parts of northeast Nigeria. Today, they are spreading across a much wider area and forcing people from farmland, driving displacement and restricting humanitarian access, meaning hunger is quick to follow.”


Humanitarian operations under strain

WFP said deteriorating security and severe funding shortages are making it increasingly difficult to reach vulnerable communities.

The number of locations inaccessible to frontline humanitarian workers has doubled, with 15 additional areas now classified as partially inaccessible.

Attacks and illegal checkpoints along major transport corridors are also disrupting the movement of relief supplies, while in several locations WFP’s air transport service remains the only reliable means of delivering aid.

Funding shortages have meanwhile forced the agency to scale back operations dramatically.

Although 6.2 million people are currently food insecure across Nigeria’s three northeastern states, WFP said it has sufficient resources to assist only about 740,000 people, leaving approximately 5.5 million people, many of them children, without life-saving food and nutrition support.

The figure marks a sharp decline from the 1.3 million people WFP supported during the peak of the 2025 lean season.

The agency warned that shrinking food assistance is pushing vulnerable households towards desperate coping strategies, with some communities reporting cases of people joining armed groups in search of food or income.

It also said the suspension of food assistance in some displacement camps due to funding shortages has contributed to rising exploitation and gender-based violence, particularly affecting women and children.

“When people lose access to food, the risks of displacement, exploitation and instability increase. Yet resources are at their lowest at the time they are needed most,” Samba said.


How Nigeria got here

The latest assessment comes as insecurity continues to spread beyond Nigeria’s traditional insurgency hotspots, disrupting farming, forcing communities from their land and worsening food production across parts of the north.

The crisis has been compounded by rising climate shocks, high transportation costs and elevated food prices, making basic staples increasingly unaffordable for millions of households.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, food inflation remained above 16% in May 2026, underscoring the continued pressure on household purchasing power.

The WFP said the latest Cadre Harmonisé assessment focused on conflict hotspots in northern Nigeria following an escalation in attacks since the previous analysis released in November.

Overall, 36.2 million people across Nigeria are now food insecure, highlighting that the country’s food crisis extends well beyond the areas most affected by conflict.

Without fresh funding, WFP warned it may be forced to reduce operations further, increasing the risk of deeper hunger, fresh displacement and greater instability across northern Nigeria.

By Ayodeji Adegboyega, Business Insider Africa

US pulls back most troops from Nigeria after ISIS operation, keeps intelligence partnership

The United States has pulled back many of its troops in Nigeria following the May operation that killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the second-in-command of ISIS, in the Lake Chad Basin.

Dagvin Anderson, commander of US Africa Command (AFRICOM), announced the development on Thursday at a press briefing Luanda, Angola, after the conclusion of the 2026 African chiefs of defense conference.

He said the US, would however, retain its intelligence partnership with Nigeria.

Speaking on security challenges in Africa and the US approach to supporting partners without external interference, the AFRICOM commander cited the operation that killed Al-Minuki as an example.

“One quick example of not having external interference is I think the partnership that we’ve shown recently with Nigeria, where Nigeria’s a very capable and large country – it’s got a strong economy; it’s got a large, educated population; it’s got a very capable military,” Anderson said.

“But there are things that we have learned in the counterterrorist fight over several years that we were able to assist and integrate with them to help them with their intelligence and help with the intelligence sharing that eventually led to a cooperative effort to where we were able to bring some unique capabilities that the US brings and be able to prosecute together the number two leader within the ISIS or Daesh organization who is responsible for much of the – their global operations, their global media, and their recruiting.

“And so that operation in the Lake Chad Basin of Nigeria not only helped the countries in that immediate region; it also helps countries globally as that disrupts the ISIS network.

“And so, we have withdrawn much of our forces that were just there for that operation but are continuing the partnership that Nigeria has asked for to help continue with the intelligence sharing and the understanding that’s necessary to be able to prosecute these difficult tasks.”

Anderson said the operation significantly degraded ISIS’ leadership in Nigeria and globally.

He added that Nigeria has been “very active” since the May operation, working to eliminate terrorists’ self-sufficiency.

By Claire Mom, The Cable

Related story:  Video - Inside the US's biggest military push in Nigeria in years

Video - Nigerian Power Minister praises China's 'remarkable' development

Nigeria's Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has described China's development achievements under the leadership of the Communist Party of China as remarkable on a global scale. He praised China's progress in the power sector and expressed Nigeria's commitment to strengthening cooperation with Chinese enterprises to help address the country's electricity shortages and improve its energy infrastructure.

CGTN Africa

World Bank backs Nigeria 2026–2032 plan with $1.25 billion to spur jobs, private investment

The World Bank Group has approved a new long-term partnership strategy for ​Nigeria alongside $1.25 billion in financing, aiming ‌to drive job creation and economic growth by unlocking private sector investment and expanding ​access to energy, digital, and agricultural ​services.

The World Bank Group approved a ⁠2026–2032 Country Partnership Framework for Nigeria ​and $1.25 billion financing package aimed at driving ​job creation through private sector–led growth.

The strategy builds on recent reforms that have lifted growth, revenues ​and reserves, and aims to translate ​gains into broader living standards.

Targets expanded access: energy ‌for ⁠32 million people, broadband for 58 million, better health and nutrition for 40 million and support for 9.5 million farmers.

Financing ​backs reforms ​to ⁠deepen capital markets, modernise digital regulation, expand electrification, ease regional ​trade, improve farm inputs and boost ​domestic ⁠revenues.

Officials say unlocking private investment and tackling structural constraints - supported by guarantees and ⁠policy ​reforms - is key to ​sustaining growth, resilience and poverty reduction.

By MacDonald Dzirutwe, Reuters

269 Nigerians return home from South Africa ahead of protest deadline

 

A total of 269 Nigerians evacuated from South Africa were airlifted to the southwestern state of Lagos on Tuesday, according to a statement by Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesperson for the ministry, said that officials from the Nigerian Mission in South Africa accompanied the group of 269 evacuees. Last Wednesday, another 66 Nigerians returned aboard a South African Airways flight arranged by a Nigerian benefactor.

Ebienfa said the evacuation process remains ongoing, with more Nigerians having been screened and cleared for repatriation in the coming days.

The returnees will undergo documentation, profiling and medical screening before receiving temporary accommodation and other assistance ahead of reunification with their families.

South Africa has recently witnessed a wave of anti-immigration protests, with organizers citing unemployment, crime and pressure on public services as major concerns.

Some anti-immigration groups have called on undocumented foreigners to leave the country by June 30 and have threatened to stage nationwide protests if their demands are not met.

The first batch of 258 Nigerian nationals evacuated from South Africa arrived in Lagos on June 11.

Xinhua

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More than 30 students remain missing after Nigeria school attack

At least 37 students remain missing after gunmen raided their school in northeast Nigeria, according to local officials.

The attack occurred on Monday when assailants from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) group stormed a secondary school in the town of Lassa, in Borno State, which has faced years of violence by armed groups.

The AFP news agency reported on Tuesday that at least 37 students remain missing following the attack, which occurred while they were sitting exams.

At least three people were killed in the attack, including a soldier and a teacher, according to the military, who initially said that authorities had rescued 10 of them and that only one remained missing.

The “list of students in captivity”, showing the students’ genders and their parents’ mobile phone numbers, was shared with journalists by the area’s local government councillor, Ijagla Ijabila.

An intel source also showed AFP the same list.

Borno Commissioner for Education Lawan Abba Wakilbe told reporters in Lassa that 25 female students, 11 male students and one staff member were still being held, reported the Reuters news agency.

Abba Wakilbe added that eight people, including the school’s vice principal, have been freed.

Kidnapping for ransom, especially of students, has become a common tactic for both armed groups and non-ideological “bandit” gangs operating across the country’s conflict-hit north and centre.

While the 2014 kidnapping of hundreds of schoolgirls from the town of Chibok by members of Boko Haram remains Nigeria’s most infamous, school abductions continue to be prevalent across the country.

In May, gunmen kidnapped more than 40 pupils – who remain in captivity – from Borno State’s Mussa village.

That same month, armed men rounded up dozens of schoolchildren from three schools in Oyo State – a rare attack in southwest Nigeria, considered to be the safest region in the country.

Nigeria has been fighting an armed uprising since 2009, concentrated in the northeast.

While violence has waned since the peak of the conflict a decade ago, analysts have warned of an uptick in attacks since last year.

By AFP and Reuters

Related story: Gunmen abduct students during exams in Nigeria