Families in Nigeria’s Borno State continue to search for loved ones who have disappeared, as the world marks the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances. The annual observance highlights people whose whereabouts remain unknown after abduction, arrest, detention or other unlawful deprivation of liberty.
Monday, August 31, 2026
Video - Families search for missing loved ones in Nigeria
Families in Nigeria’s Borno State continue to search for loved ones who have disappeared, as the world marks the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances. The annual observance highlights people whose whereabouts remain unknown after abduction, arrest, detention or other unlawful deprivation of liberty.
Video - Nigeria football federation undergoes leadership shake-up
Nigeria Football Federation President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi and members of the Executive Committee have resigned amid mounting pressure over the recent poor performance of the country’s national teams.
Video - Nigeria subsidy debate returns ahead of elections
As Nigeria prepares for general elections in January 2027, petrol subsidies have emerged as a key campaign issue. President Bola Tinubu’s government scrapped the subsidy in 2023, triggering a sharp rise in fuel prices. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has now pledged to reinstate petrol subsidies if elected president.
Africa’s largest refinery faces fresh challenge at home as Dangote threatens to cut off petrol importers
Dangote Petroleum Refinery is considering restricting Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) sales to major Nigerian marketers that continue to import petrol, as the refinery raises concerns over product quality, market transparency and the protection of its brand.
The proposed measure could take effect as early as this week, subject to further consultations and any last-minute intervention, according to sources familiar with the refinery’s position.
The potential restriction comes as Nigeria’s downstream petroleum market undergoes a major shift from decades of dependence on imported refined products towards increased domestic production.
At the centre of Dangote Refinery’s concerns is the alleged blending of imported petrol with products purchased from the refinery before the mixture is distributed to consumers.
The refinery is concerned that if imported PMS of uncertain quality is mixed with its products, consumers may be unable to distinguish between fuel supplied directly by Dangote and products subsequently blended or handled by marketers.
The Punch reported that a source familiar with the refinery’s position said, “It is difficult to understand why we would invest heavily in producing high-quality petroleum products for Nigerians, only for those products to be mixed with imported products of uncertain quality and the resulting product to be associated with the refinery.”.
The proposed measure could take effect as early as this week, subject to further consultations and any last-minute intervention, according to sources familiar with the refinery’s position.
The potential restriction comes as Nigeria’s downstream petroleum market undergoes a major shift from decades of dependence on imported refined products towards increased domestic production.
At the centre of Dangote Refinery’s concerns is the alleged blending of imported petrol with products purchased from the refinery before the mixture is distributed to consumers.
The refinery is concerned that if imported PMS of uncertain quality is mixed with its products, consumers may be unable to distinguish between fuel supplied directly by Dangote and products subsequently blended or handled by marketers.
The Punch reported that a source familiar with the refinery’s position said, “It is difficult to understand why we would invest heavily in producing high-quality petroleum products for Nigerians, only for those products to be mixed with imported products of uncertain quality and the resulting product to be associated with the refinery.”.
Dangote challenges continued petrol imports
The refinery has also raised concerns about Nigeria’s ability to independently test and certify imported petroleum products.
The Punch further reported that sources familiar with the refinery’s position said the regulator lacks a standard laboratory and sufficient quality-control infrastructure to independently verify the specifications of some imported petroleum products
That concern has become more significant as Dangote’s 700,000-barrel-per-day refinery has expanded domestic production and emerged as a major supplier of refined products in Nigeria and international markets.
The refinery’s position reflects a broader argument that continued petrol imports are becoming increasingly difficult to justify as Nigeria develops substantial domestic refining capacity.
The United States Energy Information Administration recently highlighted the transformation in Nigeria’s refined-product trade, identifying the Dangote refinery as a major contributor to the country's rising seaborne petroleum-product exports.
Nigeria’s seaborne petroleum-product shipments averaged about 561,000 barrels per day in the second quarter of 2026, compared with an annual average of just 79,000 barrels per day in 2023.
The development underscores how rapidly Nigeria’s role in the international refined-products market has changed since the Dangote refinery began ramping up operations.
The refinery has also gained a growing presence in international aviation-fuel markets. Its jet fuel has been supplied to major overseas markets, including Europe and the US, where its exports have become increasingly significant.
For Dangote, the dispute is therefore not simply about controlling who buys its petrol. It is also about protecting the reputation of products carrying the refinery’s name at a time when it is seeking to establish Nigerian refined petroleum products as a competitive alternative to imports.
Any decision to restrict supplies to marketers that continue importing PMS could further reshape Nigeria’s downstream market, putting additional pressure on major fuel distributors to choose between domestic supply and imported petrol.
It could also intensify the debate over whether Nigeria should continue allowing significant petrol imports while one of Africa’s largest refineries is operating at scale and increasingly supplying both domestic and international markets.
The refinery has also raised concerns about Nigeria’s ability to independently test and certify imported petroleum products.
The Punch further reported that sources familiar with the refinery’s position said the regulator lacks a standard laboratory and sufficient quality-control infrastructure to independently verify the specifications of some imported petroleum products
That concern has become more significant as Dangote’s 700,000-barrel-per-day refinery has expanded domestic production and emerged as a major supplier of refined products in Nigeria and international markets.
The refinery’s position reflects a broader argument that continued petrol imports are becoming increasingly difficult to justify as Nigeria develops substantial domestic refining capacity.
The United States Energy Information Administration recently highlighted the transformation in Nigeria’s refined-product trade, identifying the Dangote refinery as a major contributor to the country's rising seaborne petroleum-product exports.
Nigeria’s seaborne petroleum-product shipments averaged about 561,000 barrels per day in the second quarter of 2026, compared with an annual average of just 79,000 barrels per day in 2023.
The development underscores how rapidly Nigeria’s role in the international refined-products market has changed since the Dangote refinery began ramping up operations.
The refinery has also gained a growing presence in international aviation-fuel markets. Its jet fuel has been supplied to major overseas markets, including Europe and the US, where its exports have become increasingly significant.
For Dangote, the dispute is therefore not simply about controlling who buys its petrol. It is also about protecting the reputation of products carrying the refinery’s name at a time when it is seeking to establish Nigerian refined petroleum products as a competitive alternative to imports.
Any decision to restrict supplies to marketers that continue importing PMS could further reshape Nigeria’s downstream market, putting additional pressure on major fuel distributors to choose between domestic supply and imported petrol.
It could also intensify the debate over whether Nigeria should continue allowing significant petrol imports while one of Africa’s largest refineries is operating at scale and increasingly supplying both domestic and international markets.
By Solomon Ekanem, Business Insider Africa
Huawei Launches Agentic AI Cloud in Nigeria to Accelerate AI Adoption
Huawei has launched its Agentic AI Cloud and related artificial intelligence solutions in Nigeria as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s AI capabilities and accelerate the adoption of AI agents across key sectors.
The solutions were unveiled at the Huawei Nigeria AI & Cloud Summit held in Lagos on August 27, where government officials, industry stakeholders and technology partners discussed opportunities for advancing Nigeria’s digital and intelligent transformation.
Huawei said its local cloud infrastructure, supported by data residency, security, compliance and low-latency capabilities, will enable organisations to develop and deploy AI agents more efficiently across sectors including finance, telecommunications, internet services, government and enterprises.
Speaking at the summit, Lagos State Deputy Governor Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat said AI readiness requires more than advanced models and algorithms, highlighting the importance of reliable connectivity, cloud and digital infrastructure, secure data, digital talent and collaboration.
“Lagos is not a city waiting for the AI future to arrive. We are building the digital foundations and real-world conditions in which that future can take root.”
– Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, Deputy Governor, Lagos State
He said Lagos aims not only to become a market for emerging technologies but also to serve as a platform for technological innovation, solution validation and large-scale deployment.
NITDA Director-General and CEO Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi also stressed the importance of infrastructure, data, talent, funding, governance and partnerships in determining Nigeria’s AI future.
He said the National Sovereign Cloud Initiative is intended to create a secure, resilient and competitive ecosystem capable of attracting investment and helping Nigeria transition from a technology-consuming country into a leading African hub for AI and cloud innovation.
Huawei Nigeria CEO Austin You, in a keynote titled Advancing Nigeria’s AI Future, Together, said the country has the necessary foundation to take a leading position in Africa’s AI development.
“Nigeria has the foundation to lead Africa’s AI era. Huawei’s commitment is to turn that foundation into intelligent productivity through All Intelligence, deep local capabilities, an open ecosystem and build the next chapter of Nigeria’s growth, together.”
– Austin You, CEO, Huawei Nigeria
Huawei said it has operated in Nigeria for 27 years, expanding its presence from network connectivity and digital infrastructure into cloud computing and AI technologies.
The company said Huawei Cloud launched its first hyperscale local cloud in Nigeria in 2024, enabling local data storage and computing while supporting data residency requirements.
In 2025, Huawei Cloud expanded its local data and cloud services with industry-focused capabilities for the finance, internet, government and enterprise sectors, with emphasis on data security, compliance and digitalisation.
The launch of Agentic AI Cloud in 2026 represents the latest stage of that development, with Huawei positioning its local cloud infrastructure as a platform for delivering intelligent services rather than primarily hosting data.
Roc Bai, Managing Director of Huawei Cloud Nigeria, said the technology could help organisations convert local data, industry expertise and business requirements into practical AI applications.
“With Huawei Cloud as a trusted local foundation, AI can turn local data, industry knowledge, and business needs into real intelligence and lasting value.”
– Roc Bai, Managing Director, Huawei Cloud Nigeria
At the summit, Huawei Cloud also showcased AI-native technologies covering big data, artificial intelligence and AI agents, while holding discussions with Nigerian ecosystem partners on joint innovation and industry applications.
Huawei said it will continue working with the Nigerian government, customers, partners and developers to strengthen local cloud and AI capabilities, accelerate the integration of cloud and AI technologies, and support the growth of intelligent industries in Nigeria.
By Jennifer Onyeagoro, Tech Africa News
The solutions were unveiled at the Huawei Nigeria AI & Cloud Summit held in Lagos on August 27, where government officials, industry stakeholders and technology partners discussed opportunities for advancing Nigeria’s digital and intelligent transformation.
Huawei said its local cloud infrastructure, supported by data residency, security, compliance and low-latency capabilities, will enable organisations to develop and deploy AI agents more efficiently across sectors including finance, telecommunications, internet services, government and enterprises.
Speaking at the summit, Lagos State Deputy Governor Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat said AI readiness requires more than advanced models and algorithms, highlighting the importance of reliable connectivity, cloud and digital infrastructure, secure data, digital talent and collaboration.
“Lagos is not a city waiting for the AI future to arrive. We are building the digital foundations and real-world conditions in which that future can take root.”
– Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, Deputy Governor, Lagos State
He said Lagos aims not only to become a market for emerging technologies but also to serve as a platform for technological innovation, solution validation and large-scale deployment.
NITDA Director-General and CEO Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi also stressed the importance of infrastructure, data, talent, funding, governance and partnerships in determining Nigeria’s AI future.
He said the National Sovereign Cloud Initiative is intended to create a secure, resilient and competitive ecosystem capable of attracting investment and helping Nigeria transition from a technology-consuming country into a leading African hub for AI and cloud innovation.
Huawei Nigeria CEO Austin You, in a keynote titled Advancing Nigeria’s AI Future, Together, said the country has the necessary foundation to take a leading position in Africa’s AI development.
“Nigeria has the foundation to lead Africa’s AI era. Huawei’s commitment is to turn that foundation into intelligent productivity through All Intelligence, deep local capabilities, an open ecosystem and build the next chapter of Nigeria’s growth, together.”
– Austin You, CEO, Huawei Nigeria
Huawei said it has operated in Nigeria for 27 years, expanding its presence from network connectivity and digital infrastructure into cloud computing and AI technologies.
The company said Huawei Cloud launched its first hyperscale local cloud in Nigeria in 2024, enabling local data storage and computing while supporting data residency requirements.
In 2025, Huawei Cloud expanded its local data and cloud services with industry-focused capabilities for the finance, internet, government and enterprise sectors, with emphasis on data security, compliance and digitalisation.
The launch of Agentic AI Cloud in 2026 represents the latest stage of that development, with Huawei positioning its local cloud infrastructure as a platform for delivering intelligent services rather than primarily hosting data.
Roc Bai, Managing Director of Huawei Cloud Nigeria, said the technology could help organisations convert local data, industry expertise and business requirements into practical AI applications.
“With Huawei Cloud as a trusted local foundation, AI can turn local data, industry knowledge, and business needs into real intelligence and lasting value.”
– Roc Bai, Managing Director, Huawei Cloud Nigeria
At the summit, Huawei Cloud also showcased AI-native technologies covering big data, artificial intelligence and AI agents, while holding discussions with Nigerian ecosystem partners on joint innovation and industry applications.
Huawei said it will continue working with the Nigerian government, customers, partners and developers to strengthen local cloud and AI capabilities, accelerate the integration of cloud and AI technologies, and support the growth of intelligent industries in Nigeria.
By Jennifer Onyeagoro, Tech Africa News
Nigeria’s worsening insecurity tests president’s second-term bid
The mass abduction of hundreds of people from mosques in northern Nigeria this month was at once shocking and yet unsurprising: The targeting of civilians by insurgents and bandits has surged compared to last year, and the three months through June were the most violent in at least three decades.
The latest attack comes on the heels of a retired army general's shocking death in captivity after being kidnapped on his way to a wedding, and the kidnap of more than a hundred other travelers in two separate events in the northwest.
President Bola Tinubu, who began a three-week vacation in Europe on Sunday, ordered an army and police rescue operation of the 600 people kidnapped in Niger state, but the episode comes at a crucial moment: He is in the midst of campaigning for reelection and while his team has trumpeted economic progress, it has been quieter about Nigeria's security situation.
Tinubu anchored his 2023 manifesto on grand national security promises of "a proactive and intelligence driven security approach," but he has mainly focused on fixing Nigeria's ailing economy in his first term. His team put out a scorecard this month of his three-year performance that focused on economic results.
"Certainly in the first couple of years of this administration, insecurity did not seem to be the priority," said James Barnett, a non-resident fellow at the Hudson Institute who has lived and researched conflict in Nigeria. "That doesn't mean there weren't security policies being implemented, but it was not really getting the top level engagement."
Leading opposition candidates Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, also Tinubu's main rivals ballot in 2023, have pledged to hire more people and "decentralize security management" to tackle insecurity, if elected. For his part, Tinubu has backed a law that will allow Nigerian states to set up their own police departments, and tasked a security committee with drafting a five-year "strategic defence operations plan."
By Alexander Onukwue, SEMAFOR
The latest attack comes on the heels of a retired army general's shocking death in captivity after being kidnapped on his way to a wedding, and the kidnap of more than a hundred other travelers in two separate events in the northwest.
President Bola Tinubu, who began a three-week vacation in Europe on Sunday, ordered an army and police rescue operation of the 600 people kidnapped in Niger state, but the episode comes at a crucial moment: He is in the midst of campaigning for reelection and while his team has trumpeted economic progress, it has been quieter about Nigeria's security situation.
Tinubu anchored his 2023 manifesto on grand national security promises of "a proactive and intelligence driven security approach," but he has mainly focused on fixing Nigeria's ailing economy in his first term. His team put out a scorecard this month of his three-year performance that focused on economic results.
"Certainly in the first couple of years of this administration, insecurity did not seem to be the priority," said James Barnett, a non-resident fellow at the Hudson Institute who has lived and researched conflict in Nigeria. "That doesn't mean there weren't security policies being implemented, but it was not really getting the top level engagement."
Leading opposition candidates Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, also Tinubu's main rivals ballot in 2023, have pledged to hire more people and "decentralize security management" to tackle insecurity, if elected. For his part, Tinubu has backed a law that will allow Nigerian states to set up their own police departments, and tasked a security committee with drafting a five-year "strategic defence operations plan."
Alexander's view
The worry over being abducted is more firmly ingrained in the Nigerian psyche compared to three years ago. The increasing chances of being taken, whether one is in a church, mosque, school, on a trip to the capital Abuja or resting at home, is a grim reality that should not be the case given Tinubu's firm campaign pledges.
Since his first day in office, Tinubu has made sweeping economic changes — from a fuel subsidy removal and naira devaluations, to overhauling tax laws and reigniting oil and gas investment — but has not shown the same urgency on security issues that should be his primary duty. It means that Nigeria's continuing failure to stamp out abduction and terrorism is Tinubu's failure.
"Despite sustained military pressure, there's no evidence that Nigeria's insecurity is abating in substantial terms," Taiwo Hassan Adebayo, a researcher at the Institute for Security Studies in South Africa, told me. "Nigerian security planners need to ask and respond to the questions about how the armed groups source their weapons, get fuel they use to power their bikes, and access Starlink for connectivity in their remote locations where telco service is off," Adebayo said.
For Tinubu and his chief adversaries Atiku and Obi, then, Nigeria's security predicament will require more than election season sloganeering. The candidates are yet to captivate voters with a robust action plan that seriously takes into account the ideological, economic, and governance gaps that enable bad actors to thrive. And so in facing the same electoral choices as last time, Nigerians are limited to the same set of ideas ill-suited against worsening problems.
The worry over being abducted is more firmly ingrained in the Nigerian psyche compared to three years ago. The increasing chances of being taken, whether one is in a church, mosque, school, on a trip to the capital Abuja or resting at home, is a grim reality that should not be the case given Tinubu's firm campaign pledges.
Since his first day in office, Tinubu has made sweeping economic changes — from a fuel subsidy removal and naira devaluations, to overhauling tax laws and reigniting oil and gas investment — but has not shown the same urgency on security issues that should be his primary duty. It means that Nigeria's continuing failure to stamp out abduction and terrorism is Tinubu's failure.
"Despite sustained military pressure, there's no evidence that Nigeria's insecurity is abating in substantial terms," Taiwo Hassan Adebayo, a researcher at the Institute for Security Studies in South Africa, told me. "Nigerian security planners need to ask and respond to the questions about how the armed groups source their weapons, get fuel they use to power their bikes, and access Starlink for connectivity in their remote locations where telco service is off," Adebayo said.
For Tinubu and his chief adversaries Atiku and Obi, then, Nigeria's security predicament will require more than election season sloganeering. The candidates are yet to captivate voters with a robust action plan that seriously takes into account the ideological, economic, and governance gaps that enable bad actors to thrive. And so in facing the same electoral choices as last time, Nigerians are limited to the same set of ideas ill-suited against worsening problems.
Know More
Ladd Serwat, senior Africa analyst at ACLED whose data shows a 30% rise in the targeting of civilians by insurgents and bandit groups in Nigeria, said this year's second quarter was the country's most violent since the Wisconsin-based firm began collecting data in 1997. "The spread and intensification of armed banditry across northern and central Nigeria" drove the escalation, Serwat told Semafor.
Banditry is increasingly lucrative: Between July 2025 and this year, ransom payments for abductions in Nigeria tripled to $5.8 million, according to the SBM, a Lagos-based consultancy. The rise was on the back of a 66% year-on-year increase in the number of kidnap victims, the firm said.
Analysts say terror groups like rival factions of Boko Haram and al-Qaida affiliates such as the JNIM sect are surging in number and increasingly competing with one another in Nigeria, to a degree that makes it sometimes difficult to distinguish between them and correctly attribute actions.
The insecurity landscape is also more chaotic because some groups, after initially being invited to help defend against insurgents, turned into terrorists, said Dengiyefa Angalapu, an analyst at the Center for Democracy and Development in Abuja.
One such group is Lakurawa. It entered Nigeria from the Sahel following a recourse to self-help by some communities in the northwest, but Nigeria declared it a terrorist group last year for its al-Qaida ties. This identity flux adds to the difficulty of Nigeria's fight against guerrilla warfare, Angalapu said. "They sometimes mix very well with their communities. Sometimes they are bandits by night, and community members by day."
Other conflicts such as between farmers and herders, separatist movements in the southeast, and oil theft in the Niger Delta make up Nigeria's "increasingly layered and geographically dispersed," security troubles that raise the cost of doing business, Jervin Naidoo, political analyst at Oxford Economics Africa, said.
Ladd Serwat, senior Africa analyst at ACLED whose data shows a 30% rise in the targeting of civilians by insurgents and bandit groups in Nigeria, said this year's second quarter was the country's most violent since the Wisconsin-based firm began collecting data in 1997. "The spread and intensification of armed banditry across northern and central Nigeria" drove the escalation, Serwat told Semafor.
Banditry is increasingly lucrative: Between July 2025 and this year, ransom payments for abductions in Nigeria tripled to $5.8 million, according to the SBM, a Lagos-based consultancy. The rise was on the back of a 66% year-on-year increase in the number of kidnap victims, the firm said.
Analysts say terror groups like rival factions of Boko Haram and al-Qaida affiliates such as the JNIM sect are surging in number and increasingly competing with one another in Nigeria, to a degree that makes it sometimes difficult to distinguish between them and correctly attribute actions.
The insecurity landscape is also more chaotic because some groups, after initially being invited to help defend against insurgents, turned into terrorists, said Dengiyefa Angalapu, an analyst at the Center for Democracy and Development in Abuja.
One such group is Lakurawa. It entered Nigeria from the Sahel following a recourse to self-help by some communities in the northwest, but Nigeria declared it a terrorist group last year for its al-Qaida ties. This identity flux adds to the difficulty of Nigeria's fight against guerrilla warfare, Angalapu said. "They sometimes mix very well with their communities. Sometimes they are bandits by night, and community members by day."
Other conflicts such as between farmers and herders, separatist movements in the southeast, and oil theft in the Niger Delta make up Nigeria's "increasingly layered and geographically dispersed," security troubles that raise the cost of doing business, Jervin Naidoo, political analyst at Oxford Economics Africa, said.
Step Back
After the threat of a coup late last year, Tinubu reshuffled the Nigerian military's top brass. The new leadership then participated in a joint operation with the US in December, striking terrorist enclaves. This year, Tinubu has raised army officers' pay and created more army units, while Nuhu Ribadu, his national security advisor, has met with US officials on three occasions since November to update Washington on Nigeria's efforts to prosecute terrorists and counter terrorist financing.
Yet, "a lot of the Nigerian government's reaction has had to do with managing diplomatic relations," Barnett, of the Hudson Institute, said. Raising military pay and expanding firepower were positive measures, but whether Tinubu maintains the political energy needed to fully implement structural changes beyond this election season remains to be seen, Barnett said.
After the threat of a coup late last year, Tinubu reshuffled the Nigerian military's top brass. The new leadership then participated in a joint operation with the US in December, striking terrorist enclaves. This year, Tinubu has raised army officers' pay and created more army units, while Nuhu Ribadu, his national security advisor, has met with US officials on three occasions since November to update Washington on Nigeria's efforts to prosecute terrorists and counter terrorist financing.
Yet, "a lot of the Nigerian government's reaction has had to do with managing diplomatic relations," Barnett, of the Hudson Institute, said. Raising military pay and expanding firepower were positive measures, but whether Tinubu maintains the political energy needed to fully implement structural changes beyond this election season remains to be seen, Barnett said.
Room for Disagreement
Ebenezer Obadare, the Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow on African Studies, tallies about a half dozen military operations by the Tinubu administration that have rescued hostages, and declares that "the Nigerian President has every reason to be delighted." The killing of at least four high-profile terror group leaders and more than 1,000 terrorists with the US government's assistance suggests that the tide of a prolonged fight against jihadist insurgency "has turned in favor of the Nigerian authorities," he wrote.
But Obadare added that Nigeria's security situation "remains critical," and that continued cooperation with the US remains necessary "for the foreseeable future."
Ebenezer Obadare, the Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow on African Studies, tallies about a half dozen military operations by the Tinubu administration that have rescued hostages, and declares that "the Nigerian President has every reason to be delighted." The killing of at least four high-profile terror group leaders and more than 1,000 terrorists with the US government's assistance suggests that the tide of a prolonged fight against jihadist insurgency "has turned in favor of the Nigerian authorities," he wrote.
But Obadare added that Nigeria's security situation "remains critical," and that continued cooperation with the US remains necessary "for the foreseeable future."
The View From Washington DC
The US Department of Defense plans to withdraw 200 troops who were deployed to Nigeria in February as part of the Trump administration's counter-terrorism assistance. The mission generated "significant security returns," the Pentagon said.
President Donald Trump's aides and Republican political allies have often framed security engagements with Nigeria firstly as a defense of Christians that are supposedly being particularly targeted by jihadists. It continues to be the leading priority of a joint working group that said Abuja has taken steps to prosecute hundreds of terror suspects, and improve law enforcement capacity.
Nigeria has spent at least $9 million on lobbying in the US to counter sentiments questioning Tinubu's security commitment. But that has not stopped Trump allies, like Sen. Ted Cruz, chair of the US Senate's Africa subcommittee, from threatening sanctions and an aid freeze in response to what they still deem to be "mass violence against Christians and religious minorities."
The US Department of Defense plans to withdraw 200 troops who were deployed to Nigeria in February as part of the Trump administration's counter-terrorism assistance. The mission generated "significant security returns," the Pentagon said.
President Donald Trump's aides and Republican political allies have often framed security engagements with Nigeria firstly as a defense of Christians that are supposedly being particularly targeted by jihadists. It continues to be the leading priority of a joint working group that said Abuja has taken steps to prosecute hundreds of terror suspects, and improve law enforcement capacity.
Nigeria has spent at least $9 million on lobbying in the US to counter sentiments questioning Tinubu's security commitment. But that has not stopped Trump allies, like Sen. Ted Cruz, chair of the US Senate's Africa subcommittee, from threatening sanctions and an aid freeze in response to what they still deem to be "mass violence against Christians and religious minorities."
Friday, August 28, 2026
Entire Nigeria FA board resigns
Nigeria Football Federation president Ibrahim Musa Gusau, general secretary Mohammed Sanusi, and the entire NFF executive committee resigned Thursday, amid mounting public pressure following a series of failures by the country's national teams.
Gusau was elected in September 2022 and his resignation comes just 34 days to the end of his four-year term. The NFF president was seeking re-election at next month's election, but announced his departure at a news conference at the NFF headquarters in Abuja.
He pointed to the sustained public demand for the leadership to go, following the failures of both the Super Eagles and the Super Falcons to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, as major reasons for the decision, despite successes elsewhere. "Because of that, there was so much clamour from here and there," Gusau said. "We feel it is important to see that as Nigerians, nobody is greater than this country.
"And we all love our country and we all love the progress of our country and we need to look at yourselves and say what next.
"So we made consultations with family, friends and I decided to resign my position as president of the NFF and I advised my board members that everybody should also resign."
Gusau said he was leaving office with a sense of satisfaction over what his administration had been able to achieve during his tenure, pointing to the renewed and vigorous focus on coaching education, with coaching courses organized consistently in virtually all the license categories, culminating in the long-awaited CAF A-License course set to commence on September 13.
He also pointed to the improved stability in the domestic league calendar, progress in the refereeing sector and infrastructure in the form of a 68-room Players' Hostel and new training pitches at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, as well as silver and bronze medal finishes of the Super Eagles from the past two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, and the Super Falcons' WAFCON triumph in Morocco in 2025.
Still, the immediate trigger for the demands for the leadership to resign was the Super Falcons' disastrous Women's Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Morocco last month.
Nigeria arrived at the tournament as defending champions and 10-time African champions but suffered their worst performance in WAFCON history, losing three of five matches and failing to reach the semifinals for the first time.
The Super Falcons still had a second opportunity to remain in World Cup qualifying through the WAFCON playoffs but lost 2-1 to South Africa four days later.
That defeat meant the Super Falcons will miss the Women's World Cup for the first time since the competition began in 1991. Nigeria had been one of only seven countries to appear at every edition of the tournament.
The twin failures sparked widespread demands for Gusau and the NFF leadership to resign, and came less than a year after the Super Eagles also failed to qualify for the 2026 men's World Cup.
It was Nigeria's second consecutive failure to qualify for the men's World Cup after also missing Qatar 2022.
The pressure on the NFF intensified after the Super Falcons' elimination, with the federation apologizing to the country's President Bola Tinubu and Nigerians following the quarterfinal defeat.
Gusau then established a six-member fact-finding committee headed by former NFF general secretary Fanny Amun to investigate what he described as the "direct and remote causes" of the recent failures of Nigeria's national teams, with particular attention to the Super Falcons.
The committee's findings ultimately went considerably further. In its four-page report submitted August 21, the panel identified administrative, technical, financial, organizational and developmental problems across Nigerian football, including concerns about the structure and composition of the NFF Congress.
The committee accused the Congress of resisting changes to the federation's statutes despite reform requests under three Nigerian presidents, saying amendments were needed to broaden representation and "liberate" the federation.
It recommended that Congress members be knowledgeable, credible and experienced and serve no more than two terms.
Amun also said Gusau had declined an invitation to appear before the committee.
The findings reinforced an argument the National Sports Commission had been making for months.
NSC chairman Shehu Dikko told delegates at the NFF's Extraordinary General Assembly in March that the federation needed to undertake wide-ranging governance reforms, including greater representation for players, clubs, leagues, referees, coaches and administrators.
"This Assembly must set aside any personal interest and or any immediate benefits, to initiate and drive a process of reform that is deliberate, inclusive, and aligned with both international standards and national realities," Dikko said in his address to the Congress.
"Football governance must now be designed not only to administer the game, but to grow its economic value as well as ensure its sustained competitiveness and success on the pitch."
He ended his address with a warning: "Let me state this clearly and without ambiguity: the system must correct itself. If it does not, the correction will be done for it."
The resignations potentially clear the way for the NSC, which supervises Nigerian sports, to begin implementing those reforms without directly removing the NFF's elected leadership and risking a confrontation with FIFA over third-party interference.
FIFA statutes require member associations to manage their affairs independently and without undue third-party influence, and Nigeria has previously faced the threat of suspension over government involvement in NFF affairs.
The voluntary departure of Gusau and the entire executive committee now provides a pathway toward establishing an interim management structure while the governance reforms are carried out.
Gusau said his resignation should help accelerate that process: "My resignation is intended to give way to a comprehensive and orderly reform process aimed at addressing the longstanding institutional, governance and developmental challenges confronting Nigerian football."
By Colin Udoh, ESPN
Gusau was elected in September 2022 and his resignation comes just 34 days to the end of his four-year term. The NFF president was seeking re-election at next month's election, but announced his departure at a news conference at the NFF headquarters in Abuja.
He pointed to the sustained public demand for the leadership to go, following the failures of both the Super Eagles and the Super Falcons to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, as major reasons for the decision, despite successes elsewhere. "Because of that, there was so much clamour from here and there," Gusau said. "We feel it is important to see that as Nigerians, nobody is greater than this country.
"And we all love our country and we all love the progress of our country and we need to look at yourselves and say what next.
"So we made consultations with family, friends and I decided to resign my position as president of the NFF and I advised my board members that everybody should also resign."
Gusau said he was leaving office with a sense of satisfaction over what his administration had been able to achieve during his tenure, pointing to the renewed and vigorous focus on coaching education, with coaching courses organized consistently in virtually all the license categories, culminating in the long-awaited CAF A-License course set to commence on September 13.
He also pointed to the improved stability in the domestic league calendar, progress in the refereeing sector and infrastructure in the form of a 68-room Players' Hostel and new training pitches at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, as well as silver and bronze medal finishes of the Super Eagles from the past two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, and the Super Falcons' WAFCON triumph in Morocco in 2025.
Still, the immediate trigger for the demands for the leadership to resign was the Super Falcons' disastrous Women's Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Morocco last month.
Nigeria arrived at the tournament as defending champions and 10-time African champions but suffered their worst performance in WAFCON history, losing three of five matches and failing to reach the semifinals for the first time.
The Super Falcons still had a second opportunity to remain in World Cup qualifying through the WAFCON playoffs but lost 2-1 to South Africa four days later.
That defeat meant the Super Falcons will miss the Women's World Cup for the first time since the competition began in 1991. Nigeria had been one of only seven countries to appear at every edition of the tournament.
The twin failures sparked widespread demands for Gusau and the NFF leadership to resign, and came less than a year after the Super Eagles also failed to qualify for the 2026 men's World Cup.
It was Nigeria's second consecutive failure to qualify for the men's World Cup after also missing Qatar 2022.
The pressure on the NFF intensified after the Super Falcons' elimination, with the federation apologizing to the country's President Bola Tinubu and Nigerians following the quarterfinal defeat.
Gusau then established a six-member fact-finding committee headed by former NFF general secretary Fanny Amun to investigate what he described as the "direct and remote causes" of the recent failures of Nigeria's national teams, with particular attention to the Super Falcons.
The committee's findings ultimately went considerably further. In its four-page report submitted August 21, the panel identified administrative, technical, financial, organizational and developmental problems across Nigerian football, including concerns about the structure and composition of the NFF Congress.
The committee accused the Congress of resisting changes to the federation's statutes despite reform requests under three Nigerian presidents, saying amendments were needed to broaden representation and "liberate" the federation.
It recommended that Congress members be knowledgeable, credible and experienced and serve no more than two terms.
Amun also said Gusau had declined an invitation to appear before the committee.
The findings reinforced an argument the National Sports Commission had been making for months.
NSC chairman Shehu Dikko told delegates at the NFF's Extraordinary General Assembly in March that the federation needed to undertake wide-ranging governance reforms, including greater representation for players, clubs, leagues, referees, coaches and administrators.
"This Assembly must set aside any personal interest and or any immediate benefits, to initiate and drive a process of reform that is deliberate, inclusive, and aligned with both international standards and national realities," Dikko said in his address to the Congress.
"Football governance must now be designed not only to administer the game, but to grow its economic value as well as ensure its sustained competitiveness and success on the pitch."
He ended his address with a warning: "Let me state this clearly and without ambiguity: the system must correct itself. If it does not, the correction will be done for it."
The resignations potentially clear the way for the NSC, which supervises Nigerian sports, to begin implementing those reforms without directly removing the NFF's elected leadership and risking a confrontation with FIFA over third-party interference.
FIFA statutes require member associations to manage their affairs independently and without undue third-party influence, and Nigeria has previously faced the threat of suspension over government involvement in NFF affairs.
The voluntary departure of Gusau and the entire executive committee now provides a pathway toward establishing an interim management structure while the governance reforms are carried out.
Gusau said his resignation should help accelerate that process: "My resignation is intended to give way to a comprehensive and orderly reform process aimed at addressing the longstanding institutional, governance and developmental challenges confronting Nigerian football."
Nigeria switches from Nike to adidas in $8.5 million-a-year kit deal
Nigeria will end its 11-year association with Nike and return to adidas, after agreeing an $8.5 million-a-year equipment deal that the Nigeria Football Federation says is the biggest in African football.
Former NFF president Ibrahim Gusau, who resigned along with the federation's executive committee on Thursday, revealed the agreement at a news conference in Abuja, saying adidas will pay the federation $4.5 million annually in cash and provide another $4 million worth of equipment for Nigeria's national teams.
The NFF will also receive a 20% royalty on merchandise sales, potentially pushing the value of the agreement way beyond the guaranteed $8.5 million annually.
According to Gusau, the contract has been signed but was originally scheduled to be announced in September and tops any previous deal signed by an African country.
"It is about the highest kit sponsorship in Africa. No other country in Africa has that kind of sponsorship," Gusau told reporters.
"Adidas will pay Nigeria $4.5 million every year in cash and then they will provide kit worth $4 million every year."
The $8.5 million annual package is the largest publicly disclosed current kit-supply agreement for an African national football federation, as financial terms of agreements involving some of the continent's biggest national teams are usually not made public.
Morocco's current agreement with Puma, is the highest publicly known figure, and is reportedly valued at $1.7 million.
Nigeria's new agreement also represents a substantial increase on its outgoing Nike contract, which Gusau said had become inadequate to meet the requirements of the federation's national teams.
He said: "As [then] president, I cannot gift someone a jersey because we met a contract that has been running for 11 years on the same terms worth $500,000 in cash and $1 million in kit supply.
"$500,000 in 2015 and still $500,000 in 2026. It is like you have nothing."
Nigeria first signed with Nike in April 2015 after its previous agreement with adidas was cancelled due to breaches during the FIFA World Cup in 2014. Nike initially agreed to supply kits to Nigeria's national teams until 2018, with the relationship subsequently extended.
Gusau said the limitations of the existing arrangement had become so severe that the federation was purchasing additional equipment for its teams, including Nigeria's under-20 women's team for the World Cup in Poland.
"We have to buy jerseys for the girls that travelled to Poland because $1 million worth of equipment cannot even service Super Eagles qualifiers for World Cup and Nations Cup as well as Super Falcons," he said.
Gusau said the inadequacies of that deal prompted the federation to begin negotiations with Nike in 2024 for improved terms.
"This was unacceptable to us as a country and we looked out and found that even countries that did not have our profile in football had better deals," he said.
"These smaller countries, with less visibility than us, had better deals. And so we engaged Nike about getting an improved contract. This process started since 2024, going back and forth with them, but we could not reach an agreement because we could not accept what they were offering."
Gusau said Nike eventually allowed the NFF to solicit competing offers but retained the contractual right to match the best proposal.
"Finally, they agreed that we could negotiate with others," he said. "At the end of the day we contacted adidas and other kit sponsors and we were able to secure a substantial agreement with adidas.
"According to the terms of the contract, Nike has to match whatever we were offered. They were unable to match the offer from adidas and that is why we are moving on. The deal was to be announced in September, but I am saying it now because that contract has been duly completed, signed and it is going to be a great deal for Nigerian football."
The switch brings Nigeria back to a manufacturer with whom the federation shares a long history.
Adidas supplied Nigeria around the country's 1994 Africa Cup of Nations triumph and its first World Cup appearance later that year before Nike took over in 1995. Nigeria returned to adidas in 2004 and remained with the German company through 2014, a period which included the Super Eagles' 2013 Africa Cup of Nations title.
Nike's return in 2015 produced some of Nigeria's most recognisable kits, most notably the Super Eagles' 2018 World Cup jersey, which became an international commercial and fashion success.
The new adidas contract also contains a potentially significant retail component. Gusau pointed to adidas' larger retail presence in Nigeria as another reason for making the switch and said the company's planned expansion could increase the NFF's income from its 20% royalty on sales.
"Nike has only one shop in Nigeria. That is in Lagos. Adidas has about 13 shops, so they are visible everywhere," he said.
"And they have promised that within the next two years, they will expand that to 32 shops. Within that range, NFF will have 20% royalties from their sales."
Those royalties are additional to the guaranteed $8.5 million annual package, meaning the eventual value to the federation could rise depending on merchandise sales.
Gusau said the additional revenue would also give the NFF greater flexibility in recruiting coaches for its senior national teams, an area where finances have repeatedly limited the federation's options.
"The issue of people clamouring for a high-profile coach for the Super Eagles or Super Falcons that we were running away from because we asked ourselves how do we pay, will be a thing of the past going forward," he said.
"The money will be enough for NFF to hire high-profile coaches for the Super Eagles and Super Falcons."
By Colin Udoh, ESPN
Former NFF president Ibrahim Gusau, who resigned along with the federation's executive committee on Thursday, revealed the agreement at a news conference in Abuja, saying adidas will pay the federation $4.5 million annually in cash and provide another $4 million worth of equipment for Nigeria's national teams.
The NFF will also receive a 20% royalty on merchandise sales, potentially pushing the value of the agreement way beyond the guaranteed $8.5 million annually.
According to Gusau, the contract has been signed but was originally scheduled to be announced in September and tops any previous deal signed by an African country.
"It is about the highest kit sponsorship in Africa. No other country in Africa has that kind of sponsorship," Gusau told reporters.
"Adidas will pay Nigeria $4.5 million every year in cash and then they will provide kit worth $4 million every year."
The $8.5 million annual package is the largest publicly disclosed current kit-supply agreement for an African national football federation, as financial terms of agreements involving some of the continent's biggest national teams are usually not made public.
Morocco's current agreement with Puma, is the highest publicly known figure, and is reportedly valued at $1.7 million.
Nigeria's new agreement also represents a substantial increase on its outgoing Nike contract, which Gusau said had become inadequate to meet the requirements of the federation's national teams.
He said: "As [then] president, I cannot gift someone a jersey because we met a contract that has been running for 11 years on the same terms worth $500,000 in cash and $1 million in kit supply.
"$500,000 in 2015 and still $500,000 in 2026. It is like you have nothing."
Nigeria first signed with Nike in April 2015 after its previous agreement with adidas was cancelled due to breaches during the FIFA World Cup in 2014. Nike initially agreed to supply kits to Nigeria's national teams until 2018, with the relationship subsequently extended.
Gusau said the limitations of the existing arrangement had become so severe that the federation was purchasing additional equipment for its teams, including Nigeria's under-20 women's team for the World Cup in Poland.
"We have to buy jerseys for the girls that travelled to Poland because $1 million worth of equipment cannot even service Super Eagles qualifiers for World Cup and Nations Cup as well as Super Falcons," he said.
Gusau said the inadequacies of that deal prompted the federation to begin negotiations with Nike in 2024 for improved terms.
"This was unacceptable to us as a country and we looked out and found that even countries that did not have our profile in football had better deals," he said.
"These smaller countries, with less visibility than us, had better deals. And so we engaged Nike about getting an improved contract. This process started since 2024, going back and forth with them, but we could not reach an agreement because we could not accept what they were offering."
Gusau said Nike eventually allowed the NFF to solicit competing offers but retained the contractual right to match the best proposal.
"Finally, they agreed that we could negotiate with others," he said. "At the end of the day we contacted adidas and other kit sponsors and we were able to secure a substantial agreement with adidas.
"According to the terms of the contract, Nike has to match whatever we were offered. They were unable to match the offer from adidas and that is why we are moving on. The deal was to be announced in September, but I am saying it now because that contract has been duly completed, signed and it is going to be a great deal for Nigerian football."
The switch brings Nigeria back to a manufacturer with whom the federation shares a long history.
Adidas supplied Nigeria around the country's 1994 Africa Cup of Nations triumph and its first World Cup appearance later that year before Nike took over in 1995. Nigeria returned to adidas in 2004 and remained with the German company through 2014, a period which included the Super Eagles' 2013 Africa Cup of Nations title.
Nike's return in 2015 produced some of Nigeria's most recognisable kits, most notably the Super Eagles' 2018 World Cup jersey, which became an international commercial and fashion success.
The new adidas contract also contains a potentially significant retail component. Gusau pointed to adidas' larger retail presence in Nigeria as another reason for making the switch and said the company's planned expansion could increase the NFF's income from its 20% royalty on sales.
"Nike has only one shop in Nigeria. That is in Lagos. Adidas has about 13 shops, so they are visible everywhere," he said.
"And they have promised that within the next two years, they will expand that to 32 shops. Within that range, NFF will have 20% royalties from their sales."
Those royalties are additional to the guaranteed $8.5 million annual package, meaning the eventual value to the federation could rise depending on merchandise sales.
Gusau said the additional revenue would also give the NFF greater flexibility in recruiting coaches for its senior national teams, an area where finances have repeatedly limited the federation's options.
"The issue of people clamouring for a high-profile coach for the Super Eagles or Super Falcons that we were running away from because we asked ourselves how do we pay, will be a thing of the past going forward," he said.
"The money will be enough for NFF to hire high-profile coaches for the Super Eagles and Super Falcons."
Thursday, August 27, 2026
Video - Kidnappings surge in Nigeria as ransom payments climb
A SBM Intelligence report found that 7,825 people were kidnapped in Nigeria in the 12 months to June — a 66% rise on the previous year. The consultancy estimates nearly $5.8 million was paid in ransoms, cautioning that the true total is likely higher because many payments go unreported.
Video - Nigerian armed groups raise nearly $6 Million in ransoms, study finds
Armed groups in Nigeria collected nearly $6 million in ransom payments over the past year, as kidnappings surged across Africa’s most populous country, according to a new study.
The Lagos-based SBM Intelligence consultancy estimates that about 7.78 billion naira, or $5.8 million, was paid in ransom between July 2025 and June 2026 — more than three times the amount recorded the previous year.
At least 7,825 people were abducted, a 66% increase, while more than 1,100 people were killed, including nearly 900 civilians. Two mass kidnappings attributed to Boko Haram accounted for almost 90% of the ransom total, according to the report.
More than 400 people were abducted in Borno state, while around 300 pupils and staff were taken from a Catholic school in Niger state. The figures may be an underestimate, as many victims and their families are reluctant to report ransom payments, which are illegal in Nigeria.
Kidnapping has become an increasingly lucrative source of income for jihadists and criminal gangs known as bandits. The northwest remains the hardest-hit region, with mass abductions becoming increasingly common.
The report says 80% of victims were taken in group seizures, highlighting the growing scale of the crisis. Nigeria's security forces are already stretched by a 17-year jihadist insurgency in the northeast, widespread banditry in the northwest and central regions, and separatist tensions in the southeast.
SBM Intelligence says tackling the crisis will require cutting off the financial networks that fund armed groups while addressing the poverty and economic instability that help provide a pool of recruits.
Security is expected to be a major issue in Nigeria's January elections, when President Bola Tinubu will seek a second term. The latest warning comes after another jihadist attack in Niger state last week left dozens dead and saw scores of people kidnapped.
Related story: Video - A mass kidnapping is testing Nigeria's government
Video - A mass kidnapping is testing Nigeria's government
An armed group has posted a video appearing to show hundreds of people kidnapped from a mosque in Nigeria's Niger State. Sub-Saharan Africa Lead Writer David Lewis explains why the attack is piling pressure on the government of the country.
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
Israel donates first batch of ambulances, medical equipment to Nigeria
The Israeli government has donated the first batch of ambulances, medical equipment, and wheelchairs to Nigeria at the Port of Ashdod.
A statement issued Tuesday by Nigerian Ambassador to Israel, Nkechi Ufochukwu, read that the donation was made by Israel’s national emergency medical service, Magen David Adom, on behalf of the Israeli Government and received by Nigeria’s Ambassador.
Speaking during the handover, Ambassador Ufochukwu expressed Nigeria’s gratitude for the timely intervention, stressing that the equipment will significantly strengthen the country’s healthcare delivery system and improve emergency response capacity, especially in underserved communities.
The consignment includes fully equipped ambulances, modern medical devices, and mobility aids such as wheelchairs, which are expected to be deployed to hospitals and emergency centers across Nigeria to support patient care and disaster response efforts.
The gesture, according to the ambassador, underscores the growing partnership between Nigeria and Israel in health, humanitarian aid, and technology transfer.
“The ambulances, for instance, represent more than vehicles or medical equipment; they represent time saved in critical moments of medical emergency. These gifts will support families and save lives. As they begin their journey from Israel to Nigeria, they carry with them a shared commitment to save lives irrespective of race or religion.
“It also reflects Israel’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s efforts to achieve universal health coverage and build a more resilient health system.
“We deeply appreciate Israel’s commitment to saving lives and deepening bilateral ties. This donation is a clear demonstration of friendship and solidarity between our two nations”, Ufochukwu stated.
A statement issued Tuesday by Nigerian Ambassador to Israel, Nkechi Ufochukwu, read that the donation was made by Israel’s national emergency medical service, Magen David Adom, on behalf of the Israeli Government and received by Nigeria’s Ambassador.
Speaking during the handover, Ambassador Ufochukwu expressed Nigeria’s gratitude for the timely intervention, stressing that the equipment will significantly strengthen the country’s healthcare delivery system and improve emergency response capacity, especially in underserved communities.
The consignment includes fully equipped ambulances, modern medical devices, and mobility aids such as wheelchairs, which are expected to be deployed to hospitals and emergency centers across Nigeria to support patient care and disaster response efforts.
The gesture, according to the ambassador, underscores the growing partnership between Nigeria and Israel in health, humanitarian aid, and technology transfer.
“The ambulances, for instance, represent more than vehicles or medical equipment; they represent time saved in critical moments of medical emergency. These gifts will support families and save lives. As they begin their journey from Israel to Nigeria, they carry with them a shared commitment to save lives irrespective of race or religion.
“It also reflects Israel’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s efforts to achieve universal health coverage and build a more resilient health system.
“We deeply appreciate Israel’s commitment to saving lives and deepening bilateral ties. This donation is a clear demonstration of friendship and solidarity between our two nations”, Ufochukwu stated.
By Bridget Chiedu Onochie, The Guardian
Dangote plans to buy ships after struggling to move cement from Nigeria to Ghana
Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, is looking to take greater control of another part of his industrial supply chain, this time by putting his company’s products on its own ships.
Dangote Industries is moving towards acquiring vessels to transport products from Nigeria to markets across West and Central Africa, as limited shipping capacity and the cost of moving goods by road complicate the group’s regional expansion.
Sada Ladan-Baki, head of international trade export at Dangote Cement, disclosed the plan on Tuesday at a seminar on non-oil exports, according to BusinessDay.
“We are moving forward towards getting our own ships in order to do this business,” Ladan-Baki said.
The problem facing the conglomerate is particularly striking given the short distance between some of its markets.
Ladan-Baki said the company was unable to find a vessel to transport a 1,000-metric-tonne shipment from Nigeria to Ghana, highlighting the shortage of readily available shipping capacity for regional trade.
The alternative, moving products by road through neighbouring countries, comes with its own costs.
Dangote said cement transported from Nigeria towards Ghana encounters taxes while passing through countries including Benin and Togo, increasing the final cost and making Nigerian exports less competitive.
The shipping plan could therefore allow the conglomerate to bypass some of those overland barriers while strengthening its control over logistics.
Dangote’s growing dependence on the sea
The move is significant because Dangote’s businesses are becoming increasingly dependent on maritime trade.
Its $20 billion refinery in Lagos is already dramatically changing Nigeria’s seaborne trade. The U.S. Energy Information Administration said this week that Nigeria’s petroleum-product exports by sea have increased seven-fold since 2023, driven primarily by production from the Dangote refinery.
The refinery is also expected to handle about 600 vessels annually, combining ships bringing crude into the facility and those carrying refined products to domestic and international markets.
Last year, the refinery was considering vessel acquisitions as its maritime operations expanded. The latest comments show that the shipping strategy is extending beyond petroleum products to the group’s wider regional export ambitions.
Dangote Cement has operations across several African markets, making transport costs particularly important to the group’s ability to compete across borders.
The company has built a substantial trucking operation to support distribution, but moving heavy commodities such as cement long distances by road can become expensive when fuel costs, border delays and taxes are added.
Owning ships would give Dangote greater control over another section of its supply chain, much as the group has invested in ports, terminals and other infrastructure supporting its cement, fertiliser and refinery businesses.
Nigeria’s shipping gap
The problem also exposes a longstanding weakness in Nigeria’s maritime economy.
Nigeria has struggled to develop a sizeable domestically owned commercial fleet since the collapse of the Nigerian National Shipping Line in 1995. BusinessDay estimates that about $6 billion in annual freight earnings is largely captured by foreign shipping companies.
Dangote would not be the first Nigerian billionaire-led industrial group to respond by buying vessels.
In 2022, BUA Group, controlled by Nigerian billionaire Abdul Samad Rabiu, acquired two vessels to support sugar exports to West African markets and reduce logistics costs.
Nigeria is simultaneously trying to increase local ship ownership through the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund.
The fund was established under the 2003 Cabotage Act to provide financing for Nigerian operators to acquire vessels. The government launched a digital portal for accessing the fund in January 2026 after more than two decades of delays surrounding its disbursement.
Ladan-Baki called for faster access to the fund and greater participation from commercial banks and institutions such as Afreximbank in financing vessel purchases.
For Dangote, however, acquiring ships would do more than solve a Nigerian logistics problem. It could give one of Africa’s largest industrial groups greater control over how cement, fertiliser and potentially other products move between its growing network of African markets.
The move is significant because Dangote’s businesses are becoming increasingly dependent on maritime trade.
Its $20 billion refinery in Lagos is already dramatically changing Nigeria’s seaborne trade. The U.S. Energy Information Administration said this week that Nigeria’s petroleum-product exports by sea have increased seven-fold since 2023, driven primarily by production from the Dangote refinery.
The refinery is also expected to handle about 600 vessels annually, combining ships bringing crude into the facility and those carrying refined products to domestic and international markets.
Last year, the refinery was considering vessel acquisitions as its maritime operations expanded. The latest comments show that the shipping strategy is extending beyond petroleum products to the group’s wider regional export ambitions.
Dangote Cement has operations across several African markets, making transport costs particularly important to the group’s ability to compete across borders.
The company has built a substantial trucking operation to support distribution, but moving heavy commodities such as cement long distances by road can become expensive when fuel costs, border delays and taxes are added.
Owning ships would give Dangote greater control over another section of its supply chain, much as the group has invested in ports, terminals and other infrastructure supporting its cement, fertiliser and refinery businesses.
Nigeria’s shipping gap
The problem also exposes a longstanding weakness in Nigeria’s maritime economy.
Nigeria has struggled to develop a sizeable domestically owned commercial fleet since the collapse of the Nigerian National Shipping Line in 1995. BusinessDay estimates that about $6 billion in annual freight earnings is largely captured by foreign shipping companies.
Dangote would not be the first Nigerian billionaire-led industrial group to respond by buying vessels.
In 2022, BUA Group, controlled by Nigerian billionaire Abdul Samad Rabiu, acquired two vessels to support sugar exports to West African markets and reduce logistics costs.
Nigeria is simultaneously trying to increase local ship ownership through the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund.
The fund was established under the 2003 Cabotage Act to provide financing for Nigerian operators to acquire vessels. The government launched a digital portal for accessing the fund in January 2026 after more than two decades of delays surrounding its disbursement.
Ladan-Baki called for faster access to the fund and greater participation from commercial banks and institutions such as Afreximbank in financing vessel purchases.
For Dangote, however, acquiring ships would do more than solve a Nigerian logistics problem. It could give one of Africa’s largest industrial groups greater control over how cement, fertiliser and potentially other products move between its growing network of African markets.
By Ayodeji Adegboyega, Business Insider Africa
Dangote refinery boosts Nigeria’s petroleum product exports
The startup and incremental expansion of Dangote Group's integrated Lekki refinery has sharply increased Nigeria's refining capacity, supporting reduced imports and expanded exports to Europe and Africa, positioning Nigeria as a vital supplier amid global supply disruptions.
Nigeria’s seaborne petroleum product exports have surged since the startup and expansion of Dangote Industries Ltd. (Dangote Group) subsidiary Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals Co.'s (DRPC) integrated refining and petrochemical complex in southwestern Nigeria’s Lekki Free Trade Zone, in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, increasing the country’s role as a regional and international supplier as refined-product markets face supply constraints elsewhere.
Nigeria’s seaborne petroleum product shipments averaged 561,000 b/d in the second quarter of 2026, up nearly sevenfold from an annual average of 79,000 b/d in 2023, according to data from Vortexa Analytics cited by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). Exports accounted for about 350,000 b/d of the quarterly total, compared with 46,000 b/d in 2023.
The increase has been driven primarily by DPRC's complex, which began operations in January 2024 and has significantly expanded Nigeria’s domestic refining capacity. The refinery’s impact has become more pronounced following maintenance and expansion work completed in February 2026.
The February 2026 work increased DRPC’s crude distillation capacity to 700,000 b/d from 650,000 b/d. Higher refinery runs, combined with disruptions to petroleum product flows through the Strait of Hormuz, helped push Nigeria’s total seaborne product shipments higher during second-quarter 2026.
The increase in domestic refining has also reduced Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products. Seaborne imports averaged less than 130,000 b/d in second-quarter 2026, down sharply from nearly 400,000 b/d in 2023.
At the same time, Intra-Nigerian shipments increased to 211,000 b/d in second-quarter 2026, compared with 81,000 b/d in 2025 and 33,000 b/d in 2023. The growing domestic distribution network has allowed Dangote to supply more products to parts of the country that previously depended on imports.
Before DRPC's complex came online, Nigeria’s existing state-owned refineries collectively shipped less than 100,000 b/d of petroleum products to domestic and international destinations, EIA said.
Nigeria’s seaborne petroleum product exports have surged since the startup and expansion of Dangote Industries Ltd. (Dangote Group) subsidiary Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals Co.'s (DRPC) integrated refining and petrochemical complex in southwestern Nigeria’s Lekki Free Trade Zone, in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, increasing the country’s role as a regional and international supplier as refined-product markets face supply constraints elsewhere.
Nigeria’s seaborne petroleum product shipments averaged 561,000 b/d in the second quarter of 2026, up nearly sevenfold from an annual average of 79,000 b/d in 2023, according to data from Vortexa Analytics cited by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). Exports accounted for about 350,000 b/d of the quarterly total, compared with 46,000 b/d in 2023.
The increase has been driven primarily by DPRC's complex, which began operations in January 2024 and has significantly expanded Nigeria’s domestic refining capacity. The refinery’s impact has become more pronounced following maintenance and expansion work completed in February 2026.
The February 2026 work increased DRPC’s crude distillation capacity to 700,000 b/d from 650,000 b/d. Higher refinery runs, combined with disruptions to petroleum product flows through the Strait of Hormuz, helped push Nigeria’s total seaborne product shipments higher during second-quarter 2026.
The increase in domestic refining has also reduced Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products. Seaborne imports averaged less than 130,000 b/d in second-quarter 2026, down sharply from nearly 400,000 b/d in 2023.
At the same time, Intra-Nigerian shipments increased to 211,000 b/d in second-quarter 2026, compared with 81,000 b/d in 2025 and 33,000 b/d in 2023. The growing domestic distribution network has allowed Dangote to supply more products to parts of the country that previously depended on imports.
Before DRPC's complex came online, Nigeria’s existing state-owned refineries collectively shipped less than 100,000 b/d of petroleum products to domestic and international destinations, EIA said.
Europe, Africa as key markets
Nigeria’s rising product availability has also translated into higher exports to overseas markets.
Seaborne petroleum product exports from Nigeria to Europe averaged 130,000 b/d in second-quarter 2026, more than three times the 40,000 b/d recorded in 2025 and nearly nine times the 15,000 b/d average in 2023.
Exports to other African countries also increased, reaching nearly 120,000 b/d in second-quarter 2026, compared with 89,000 b/d in 2025.
The increase comes at a time when petroleum product supplies from several other regions have been constrained. Disruptions to flows through the Strait of Hormuz have added to the need for alternative sources of refined products, creating additional opportunities for Nigeria’s growing refining sector.
Dangote Group plans to expand the refinery further by adding a second 750,000-b/d crude distillation unit by 2028, which would substantially increase the complex’s potential contribution to Nigeria’s domestic market and international product trade.
Nigeria’s rising product availability has also translated into higher exports to overseas markets.
Seaborne petroleum product exports from Nigeria to Europe averaged 130,000 b/d in second-quarter 2026, more than three times the 40,000 b/d recorded in 2025 and nearly nine times the 15,000 b/d average in 2023.
Exports to other African countries also increased, reaching nearly 120,000 b/d in second-quarter 2026, compared with 89,000 b/d in 2025.
The increase comes at a time when petroleum product supplies from several other regions have been constrained. Disruptions to flows through the Strait of Hormuz have added to the need for alternative sources of refined products, creating additional opportunities for Nigeria’s growing refining sector.
Dangote Group plans to expand the refinery further by adding a second 750,000-b/d crude distillation unit by 2028, which would substantially increase the complex’s potential contribution to Nigeria’s domestic market and international product trade.
By Conglin Xu, Oil & Gas Journal
More than 50 children die in diphtheria outbreak in northwestern Nigeria
More than 50 children have died from a diphtheria outbreak in Rano Local Government Area of Nigeria’s northwestern Kano state, a state lawmaker said Tuesday, urging authorities to step up efforts to contain the disease.
Ibrahim Malami, who represents Rano Constituency in the Kano State House of Assembly, raised the alarm during a motion of urgent public importance, saying the outbreak had severely affected communities in Rurum Ward, including Rurum A, Rurum B and Sabuwar Kaura.
He said the local government’s medical department had launched emergency measures, while his office had provided medicines to support the response.
Malami called on Kano Gov. Abba Kabir Yusuf and state health authorities to deploy additional medical personnel, medicines and other emergency assistance to the affected communities.
“We want to inform the Governor and the Commissioner for Health to send further emergency aid to the region because the disease has spread heavily in that area,” Malami said.
Another lawmaker, Usman Abubakar Tasiu, representing Kiru Constituency, warned that the outbreak had spread beyond Rano, with cases also reported in Kwanar Dangora, Garin Dangora and Yelwa communities in neighboring Kiru Local Government Area.
The state Assembly subsequently adopted a resolution urging immediate government intervention and tasked its health committee with coordinating with the state Health Ministry to ensure emergency measures are implemented in the affected areas.
Diphtheria is a highly contagious bacterial infection that can cause severe illness and death, particularly among unvaccinated children. Nigeria’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention advises parents to ensure children receive the recommended three doses of the pentavalent vaccine, which protects against diphtheria, at 6, 10 and 14 weeks of age.
Nigeria has faced recurring diphtheria outbreaks in recent years, with Kano among the states hardest hit. The World Health Organization said Kano accounted for the majority of suspected cases during a major nationwide outbreak in 2023.
The latest deaths underscore ongoing challenges in vaccination coverage, disease surveillance and access to timely treatment as Nigerian authorities work to contain diphtheria outbreaks.
Ibrahim Malami, who represents Rano Constituency in the Kano State House of Assembly, raised the alarm during a motion of urgent public importance, saying the outbreak had severely affected communities in Rurum Ward, including Rurum A, Rurum B and Sabuwar Kaura.
He said the local government’s medical department had launched emergency measures, while his office had provided medicines to support the response.
Malami called on Kano Gov. Abba Kabir Yusuf and state health authorities to deploy additional medical personnel, medicines and other emergency assistance to the affected communities.
“We want to inform the Governor and the Commissioner for Health to send further emergency aid to the region because the disease has spread heavily in that area,” Malami said.
Another lawmaker, Usman Abubakar Tasiu, representing Kiru Constituency, warned that the outbreak had spread beyond Rano, with cases also reported in Kwanar Dangora, Garin Dangora and Yelwa communities in neighboring Kiru Local Government Area.
The state Assembly subsequently adopted a resolution urging immediate government intervention and tasked its health committee with coordinating with the state Health Ministry to ensure emergency measures are implemented in the affected areas.
Diphtheria is a highly contagious bacterial infection that can cause severe illness and death, particularly among unvaccinated children. Nigeria’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention advises parents to ensure children receive the recommended three doses of the pentavalent vaccine, which protects against diphtheria, at 6, 10 and 14 weeks of age.
Nigeria has faced recurring diphtheria outbreaks in recent years, with Kano among the states hardest hit. The World Health Organization said Kano accounted for the majority of suspected cases during a major nationwide outbreak in 2023.
The latest deaths underscore ongoing challenges in vaccination coverage, disease surveillance and access to timely treatment as Nigerian authorities work to contain diphtheria outbreaks.
By Kabir Adeniyi, AA
As Nigeria's Dangote refinery nears record IPO, investors focus on oil supply costs
Nigeria's Dangote Refinery, the largest on the continent, is expected in October to seek to raise around $5 billion in Africa's biggest IPO listing yet, after months of strong earnings, boosted by the disruption caused by the Iran war.
For potential investors, the question is whether Dangote, majority-owned by Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote, can avoid squeezing its profits while sourcing enough crude oil for its plans to double capacity within three years, in part funded by the initial public offering.
"If Dangote’s only supplier of oil is Nigeria ... this does increase the risk of the refinery as an investment," Rob Thummel, senior portfolio manager at U.S.-based Tortoise Capital Management, said.
Dangote does not disclose its margins, but as a whole the refining industry has benefited from higher profits since the disruption in the Middle East increased demand for alternative sources of fuel.
Dangote was particularly well-placed to meet demand across Africa and beyond. A new, efficient refinery, it reached its initial maximum capacity of 650,000 barrels per day in February, just before U.S.-Israeli attacks launched the war on Iran.
The refinery has already tested production at 700,000 barrels per day.
It is also working on diversifying its sources of crude.
The reality is that much of Nigeria's state oil firm the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited's joint‑venture crude is tied to oil-backed loans and pre‑export deals, reducing the amount it has available for Dangote.
The NNPC does not disclose its obligations, but David Bird, chief executive of the Dangote refinery, told Reuters imports account for about 30% to 40% of crude intake.
"Challenges in accessing feedstock at competitive prices would increase costs and compress margins and utilisation rates, impacting the refinery's commercial performance and therefore its valuation," said Mikolaj Judson, analyst at risk consultancy Control Risks.
The crude Dangote buys from other African countries, as well as more distant producers, including the United States and Guyana, is priced in dollars.
Some domestic Nigerian crude is priced in naira, but is still expensive, Dangote says, as the NNPC prices Nigerian crude against international benchmarks such as Brent that include freight and logistics costs even though domestic refiners do not incur them.
Group Vice President of Dangote Industries Limited Edwin Devakumar told Reuters that certain Nigerian cargoes were more expensive than comparable imports without giving precise figures.
The grades Dangote has imported include U.S. WTI Midland crude, which has generally traded above Nigerian grade Bonny Light in 2026, according to S&P Global Energy Platts data.
Nigerian authorities say they are seeking to improve the flow of local crude.
Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, chief executive of regulatory body the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, said authorities were exploring a crude swap system that would match refiners with local producers to reduce delivery times and ease logistics.
Dangote's coastal location, meanwhile, gives it flexibility to import supplies.
"The main risk is the cost of importing these barrels," Wood Mackenzie analyst Alan Gelder said.
For potential investors, the question is whether Dangote, majority-owned by Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote, can avoid squeezing its profits while sourcing enough crude oil for its plans to double capacity within three years, in part funded by the initial public offering.
"If Dangote’s only supplier of oil is Nigeria ... this does increase the risk of the refinery as an investment," Rob Thummel, senior portfolio manager at U.S.-based Tortoise Capital Management, said.
Dangote does not disclose its margins, but as a whole the refining industry has benefited from higher profits since the disruption in the Middle East increased demand for alternative sources of fuel.
Dangote was particularly well-placed to meet demand across Africa and beyond. A new, efficient refinery, it reached its initial maximum capacity of 650,000 barrels per day in February, just before U.S.-Israeli attacks launched the war on Iran.
The refinery has already tested production at 700,000 barrels per day.
It is also working on diversifying its sources of crude.
THE COMPLICATIONS OF BUYING NIGERIAN CRUDE
Ideally, Dangote would rely on domestic oil, especially when Nigeria, with output of 1.6 million bpd, is Africa's biggest producer.
The reality is that much of Nigeria's state oil firm the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited's joint‑venture crude is tied to oil-backed loans and pre‑export deals, reducing the amount it has available for Dangote.
The NNPC does not disclose its obligations, but David Bird, chief executive of the Dangote refinery, told Reuters imports account for about 30% to 40% of crude intake.
Dangote crude imports hit peak in May as supply sources diversify
Nigeria cemented its position as Dangote's main crude supplier this year, replacing declining U.S. volumes. At the same time, the refinery broadened its sourcing to include more barrels from Libya, Angola, Ghana, Guyana and Cameroon.
The problem is one of economics as well as of availability.
Nigeria cemented its position as Dangote's main crude supplier this year, replacing declining U.S. volumes. At the same time, the refinery broadened its sourcing to include more barrels from Libya, Angola, Ghana, Guyana and Cameroon.
The problem is one of economics as well as of availability.
"Challenges in accessing feedstock at competitive prices would increase costs and compress margins and utilisation rates, impacting the refinery's commercial performance and therefore its valuation," said Mikolaj Judson, analyst at risk consultancy Control Risks.
The crude Dangote buys from other African countries, as well as more distant producers, including the United States and Guyana, is priced in dollars.
Some domestic Nigerian crude is priced in naira, but is still expensive, Dangote says, as the NNPC prices Nigerian crude against international benchmarks such as Brent that include freight and logistics costs even though domestic refiners do not incur them.
Group Vice President of Dangote Industries Limited Edwin Devakumar told Reuters that certain Nigerian cargoes were more expensive than comparable imports without giving precise figures.
The grades Dangote has imported include U.S. WTI Midland crude, which has generally traded above Nigerian grade Bonny Light in 2026, according to S&P Global Energy Platts data.
Nigerian authorities say they are seeking to improve the flow of local crude.
Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, chief executive of regulatory body the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, said authorities were exploring a crude swap system that would match refiners with local producers to reduce delivery times and ease logistics.
Dangote's coastal location, meanwhile, gives it flexibility to import supplies.
"The main risk is the cost of importing these barrels," Wood Mackenzie analyst Alan Gelder said.
By Isaac Anyaogu, Reuters
President Tinubu orders rescue operation after mass kidnapping at mosque
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu ordered the military and other security agencies on Tuesday to launch an immediate rescue operation after scores of people were kidnapped by gunmen in north-central Niger State last week.
An armed group posted a video on Facebook and WhatsApp showing what residents said were about 600 women, children and older people abducted during an attack on a mosque in the state.
Reuters could not independently verify the figure, but if confirmed it would rank among Nigeria's largest and most audacious mass kidnappings in recent years.
An official from Borgu district, where the attack happened, said 30 people had been killed during the attack and were buried on Sunday.
The official, who declined to be identified because she was not authorised to speak to the media, said villagers from the communities of Dakera, Gidan-Zana and Sabon Gida were affected.
An armed group posted a video on Facebook and WhatsApp showing what residents said were about 600 women, children and older people abducted during an attack on a mosque in the state.
Reuters could not independently verify the figure, but if confirmed it would rank among Nigeria's largest and most audacious mass kidnappings in recent years.
An official from Borgu district, where the attack happened, said 30 people had been killed during the attack and were buried on Sunday.
The official, who declined to be identified because she was not authorised to speak to the media, said villagers from the communities of Dakera, Gidan-Zana and Sabon Gida were affected.
'We will defend our people'
In its first public comments on the incident, the presidency condemned the attack as cowardly and vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice.
"Terror will not cow Nigeria. We will defend our people, protect our communities and uphold the sanctity of human life," Tinubu said in a statement.
Tinubu directed security chiefs to provide regular updates on efforts to rescue the abductees and account for all those taken.
Abubakar Umar, the traditional head of Dakera community, said at least 2,000 people fled into neighbouring Benin Republic following the attack.
Obed Nana, Niger state commissioner for information, told Reuters by phone that authorities were still trying to verify the number of missing people.
"I don't want to be too speculative about it because you know how sensitive such information can be," said Nana.
Mass abductions for ransom have become common in parts of northwestern and north-central Nigeria, where heavily armed criminal gangs frequently raid villages, schools and highways.
The groups often hold captives for weeks or months while demanding large ransoms and have increasingly expanded their operations beyond traditional strongholds in the north.
In its first public comments on the incident, the presidency condemned the attack as cowardly and vowed that those responsible would be brought to justice.
"Terror will not cow Nigeria. We will defend our people, protect our communities and uphold the sanctity of human life," Tinubu said in a statement.
Tinubu directed security chiefs to provide regular updates on efforts to rescue the abductees and account for all those taken.
Abubakar Umar, the traditional head of Dakera community, said at least 2,000 people fled into neighbouring Benin Republic following the attack.
Obed Nana, Niger state commissioner for information, told Reuters by phone that authorities were still trying to verify the number of missing people.
"I don't want to be too speculative about it because you know how sensitive such information can be," said Nana.
Mass abductions for ransom have become common in parts of northwestern and north-central Nigeria, where heavily armed criminal gangs frequently raid villages, schools and highways.
The groups often hold captives for weeks or months while demanding large ransoms and have increasingly expanded their operations beyond traditional strongholds in the north.
Tuesday, August 25, 2026
From fighting terrorists to protecting oil, US-made hardware finds a new role in Africa's largest oil-producing nation
That role is now expanding, with American-made technology increasingly being used to protect Nigeria's oil infrastructure and maritime assets.
The latest example is a deal between US-based Textron Systems and Nigerian security company Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited for the supply of Aerosonde Mk 4.7 unmanned aerial systems.
The aircraft will be integrated into Tantita's command-and-control centres to strengthen surveillance, intelligence gathering and maritime security operations around Nigeria's oil and gas infrastructure.
The development comes as Nigeria's oil industry shows signs of recovery after years of production losses linked to crude theft, pipeline vandalism and operational disruptions.
The latest example is a deal between US-based Textron Systems and Nigerian security company Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited for the supply of Aerosonde Mk 4.7 unmanned aerial systems.
The aircraft will be integrated into Tantita's command-and-control centres to strengthen surveillance, intelligence gathering and maritime security operations around Nigeria's oil and gas infrastructure.
The development comes as Nigeria's oil industry shows signs of recovery after years of production losses linked to crude theft, pipeline vandalism and operational disruptions.
From counterterrorism to oil security
The shift is significant because it broadens the role of US-made security technology in Nigeria.
American defence equipment has been deployed in Nigeria's counterterrorism efforts, particularly as the country has battled Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province and other armed groups in the northeast.
But the country's oil industry presents a different security challenge.
Nigeria's oil infrastructure stretches across the Niger Delta's creeks and waterways and into offshore areas, making it difficult to monitor through conventional patrols alone.
The Aerosonde Mk 4.7 gives security operators an aerial surveillance capability that can cover large areas and provide intelligence to command centres. Its vertical take-off and landing capability also allows it to operate without conventional runways.
For Tantita, the system can complement its existing maritime and physical security operations, giving personnel greater visibility over oil-producing areas and infrastructure.
The shift is significant because it broadens the role of US-made security technology in Nigeria.
American defence equipment has been deployed in Nigeria's counterterrorism efforts, particularly as the country has battled Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province and other armed groups in the northeast.
But the country's oil industry presents a different security challenge.
Nigeria's oil infrastructure stretches across the Niger Delta's creeks and waterways and into offshore areas, making it difficult to monitor through conventional patrols alone.
The Aerosonde Mk 4.7 gives security operators an aerial surveillance capability that can cover large areas and provide intelligence to command centres. Its vertical take-off and landing capability also allows it to operate without conventional runways.
For Tantita, the system can complement its existing maritime and physical security operations, giving personnel greater visibility over oil-producing areas and infrastructure.
Oil production is recovering
The deployment comes against the backdrop of improving oil production.
Nigeria's crude output reached 1.56 million barrels per day in June 2026, according to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, its highest level since April 2020. Including condensates, total production reached 1.735 million bpd.
Crude output had increased from 1.483 million bpd in February to 1.546 million bpd in March and 1.663 million bpd in April, before reaching 1.70 million bpd in May.
NUPRC attributed the improvement to stable production operations, fewer major pipeline outages, better production uptime and improved crude evacuation.
The regulator has also highlighted the contribution of security and technology to the broader recovery.
At the company level, businessman Tony Elumelu, founder of Heirs Energies, recently said his company now recovers 98% of the crude produced from its facilities, a significant improvement from the losses previously suffered by operators in the region.
The figures cannot be attributed directly to the Textron-Tantita deal, which was announced in December 2025. Instead, they show the wider environment in which the US technology is being deployed.
Nigeria is increasingly combining physical security, intelligence, surveillance and technology to protect the crude it produces.
For the US, that creates a role beyond traditional military cooperation. American-made systems are becoming part of Nigeria's effort to protect a strategic economic asset and increase the amount of oil that reaches the formal production and export chain.
The shift effectively takes US-Nigeria security cooperation from the battlefield to the oilfield, with American technology now playing a growing role in protecting the infrastructure that underpins Nigeria's economy.
The deployment comes against the backdrop of improving oil production.
Nigeria's crude output reached 1.56 million barrels per day in June 2026, according to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, its highest level since April 2020. Including condensates, total production reached 1.735 million bpd.
Crude output had increased from 1.483 million bpd in February to 1.546 million bpd in March and 1.663 million bpd in April, before reaching 1.70 million bpd in May.
NUPRC attributed the improvement to stable production operations, fewer major pipeline outages, better production uptime and improved crude evacuation.
The regulator has also highlighted the contribution of security and technology to the broader recovery.
At the company level, businessman Tony Elumelu, founder of Heirs Energies, recently said his company now recovers 98% of the crude produced from its facilities, a significant improvement from the losses previously suffered by operators in the region.
The figures cannot be attributed directly to the Textron-Tantita deal, which was announced in December 2025. Instead, they show the wider environment in which the US technology is being deployed.
Nigeria is increasingly combining physical security, intelligence, surveillance and technology to protect the crude it produces.
For the US, that creates a role beyond traditional military cooperation. American-made systems are becoming part of Nigeria's effort to protect a strategic economic asset and increase the amount of oil that reaches the formal production and export chain.
The shift effectively takes US-Nigeria security cooperation from the battlefield to the oilfield, with American technology now playing a growing role in protecting the infrastructure that underpins Nigeria's economy.
By Solomon Ekanem, Business Insider Africa
Nigeria launches national cloud taskforce
Nigeria has moved from sovereign-cloud policy to implementation with the inauguration of the country's National Sovereign Cloud Initiative Implementation Taskforce (NSCI-ITF).
This initiative is aimed at bringing greater control over critical data, computing infrastructure and a growing digital economy.
The National Sovereign Cloud Initiative Implementation Taskforce will align regulators, government institutions and private-sector operators, while driving the implementation of technical standards, cloud governance, infrastructure assurance and investment frameworks, according to the National Information Technology Development Agency.
It went on to say that the body will also monitor progress and tackle regulatory and operational bottlenecks that could slow adoption.
The timing is significant. Nigerian organisations are estimated to spend about $850 million annually on foreign cloud infrastructure, money that leaves the country as businesses pay international providers for computing, storage and other digital services.
The dependence also exposes companies to foreign-exchange pressures, external infrastructure disruptions and limited domestic control over where critical workloads are hosted.
Nigeria is now attempting to turn that vulnerability into an investment opportunity.
The Federal Government’s National Digital Cloud Policy targets $750 million in private investment in cloud and data-centre infrastructure over the next 24 months, potentially creating a larger domestic market for data centres, fibre connectivity, cybersecurity, cloud engineering and artificial intelligence computing.
The broader African market shows why the stakes are rising. Kenya has attracted investment in sovereign public-cloud infrastructure in Nairobi, while South Africa has developed a more mature hyperscale and local-cloud ecosystem.
Nigeria’s advantage is its enormous domestic technology market; its challenge is converting that demand into reliable local capacity.
For the NSCI-ITF to succeed, policy alone will not be enough. Nigeria must address electricity reliability, connectivity, data-centre capacity, cybersecurity and the shortage of specialised cloud talent.
If it does, the sovereign cloud could become more than a data-localisation exercise; it could form the infrastructure layer for Nigeria’s next phase of digital and AI growth.
This initiative is aimed at bringing greater control over critical data, computing infrastructure and a growing digital economy.
The National Sovereign Cloud Initiative Implementation Taskforce will align regulators, government institutions and private-sector operators, while driving the implementation of technical standards, cloud governance, infrastructure assurance and investment frameworks, according to the National Information Technology Development Agency.
It went on to say that the body will also monitor progress and tackle regulatory and operational bottlenecks that could slow adoption.
The timing is significant. Nigerian organisations are estimated to spend about $850 million annually on foreign cloud infrastructure, money that leaves the country as businesses pay international providers for computing, storage and other digital services.
The dependence also exposes companies to foreign-exchange pressures, external infrastructure disruptions and limited domestic control over where critical workloads are hosted.
Nigeria is now attempting to turn that vulnerability into an investment opportunity.
The Federal Government’s National Digital Cloud Policy targets $750 million in private investment in cloud and data-centre infrastructure over the next 24 months, potentially creating a larger domestic market for data centres, fibre connectivity, cybersecurity, cloud engineering and artificial intelligence computing.
The broader African market shows why the stakes are rising. Kenya has attracted investment in sovereign public-cloud infrastructure in Nairobi, while South Africa has developed a more mature hyperscale and local-cloud ecosystem.
Nigeria’s advantage is its enormous domestic technology market; its challenge is converting that demand into reliable local capacity.
For the NSCI-ITF to succeed, policy alone will not be enough. Nigeria must address electricity reliability, connectivity, data-centre capacity, cybersecurity and the shortage of specialised cloud talent.
If it does, the sovereign cloud could become more than a data-localisation exercise; it could form the infrastructure layer for Nigeria’s next phase of digital and AI growth.
By Samuel Olomu, ITWeb
Monday, August 24, 2026
Dangote refinery drives seven-fold rise in Nigeria petroleum product exports
Seaborne petroleum product exports from Nigeria have grown seven-fold since 2023, as output from the Dangote refinery improved regional fuel trade flows and boosted supplies to Europe and Africa, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said on Monday.
Here are more details:
Seaborne petroleum product shipments from Nigeria averaged 561,000 barrels per day in the second quarter of 2026, compared with an annual average of 79,000 bpd in 2023, Vortexa data showed.
Of those shipments 350,000 bpd were exported during that period, compared with an annual average of 46,000 bpd in 2023.
Dangote Group's Dangote Petroleum Refinery, located in the Lekki Free Zone near Lagos, began operations in 2024 and is the country's largest refinery.
With the increased supply of petroleum products in Nigeria from the country's largest refinery, imports fell, exports increased, and Nigeria became more self-sufficient in refined petroleum products, EIA said.
Product shipments expanded after operations at Dangote began and again following the completion of maintenance and expansion in February 2026, coinciding with supply constraints out of the Strait of Hormuz, EIA added.
The maintenance increased the facility's crude oil distillation capacity from 650,000 bpd to 700,000 bpd.
Intra-Nigerian shipments rose to 211,000 bpd in the second quarter of 2026, up from 81,000 bpd in 2025 and 33,000 bpd in 2023.
Nigeria's seaborne petroleum product exports to Europe rose to 130,000 bpd in the second quarter of 2026 from 40,000 bpd in 2025 and 15,000 bpd in 2023, while exports to Africa climbed to nearly 120,000 bpd from 89,000 bpd a year earlier.
Nigeria imported nearly 400,000 bpd of petroleum products in 2023, and seaborne imports fell to less than 130,000 bpd in the second quarter of 2026.
Here are more details:
Seaborne petroleum product shipments from Nigeria averaged 561,000 barrels per day in the second quarter of 2026, compared with an annual average of 79,000 bpd in 2023, Vortexa data showed.
Of those shipments 350,000 bpd were exported during that period, compared with an annual average of 46,000 bpd in 2023.
Dangote Group's Dangote Petroleum Refinery, located in the Lekki Free Zone near Lagos, began operations in 2024 and is the country's largest refinery.
With the increased supply of petroleum products in Nigeria from the country's largest refinery, imports fell, exports increased, and Nigeria became more self-sufficient in refined petroleum products, EIA said.
Product shipments expanded after operations at Dangote began and again following the completion of maintenance and expansion in February 2026, coinciding with supply constraints out of the Strait of Hormuz, EIA added.
The maintenance increased the facility's crude oil distillation capacity from 650,000 bpd to 700,000 bpd.
Intra-Nigerian shipments rose to 211,000 bpd in the second quarter of 2026, up from 81,000 bpd in 2025 and 33,000 bpd in 2023.
Nigeria's seaborne petroleum product exports to Europe rose to 130,000 bpd in the second quarter of 2026 from 40,000 bpd in 2025 and 15,000 bpd in 2023, while exports to Africa climbed to nearly 120,000 bpd from 89,000 bpd a year earlier.
Nigeria imported nearly 400,000 bpd of petroleum products in 2023, and seaborne imports fell to less than 130,000 bpd in the second quarter of 2026.
'101-year-old great-grandmother' arrested for selling cannabis in Nigeria
Esther Ogunmabo, described as a great-grandmother, was apprehended on Saturday in Ogun state, in the south-west of the country, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) announced.
Femi Babafemi, the agency's media director, said the centenarian was found with "retail sachets of skunk, a strain of cannabis weighing 90 grams, which she claims she sells to locals".
The NDLEA said the suspect told investigators that she turned to the illicit drug trade after her provisions shop was destroyed by fire. She has been released on bail.
According to the Ndlea, one of her daughters, who lives in Lagos, allegedly arranged for the supply of the substance to her every four days. Ogunmabo is accused of then selling it on in smaller quantities to customers in her community.
Ndlea chief executive Mohamed Marwa directed that the suspect be granted bail and given counselling because of her advanced age.
Ogunmabo’s bail status means she could still be charged for criminal activity.
Her daughter has also been arrested.
Ogunmabo’s arrest came as the Ndlea also reported significant drug seizures along Nigeria's maritime routes.
In Akwa Ibom state, operatives acting on credible intelligence intercepted a wooden boat on the high seas last Friday, which was heading to Cameroon, and arrested three people on board.
More than 42kg of narcotics were recovered from the suspects.
In what the agency described as a milestone, the Ndlea also recorded its first-ever seizure of illicit drugs shipped from Thailand.
Kidnappers release video showing hundreds abducted from Nigerian mosque
Kidnappers have released a video of what appears to be a large group of people being held captive by armed men in a forested area in Nigeria.
The video emerged on Sunday, two days after gunmen abducted as many as 600 worshippers during Friday prayers at a mosque in Dekera village in Nigeria’s north-central Niger state.
The incident comes as Nigeria prepares for presidential elections in January, with security likely to be high on the agenda due to a wave of mass kidnappings for ransom across the north of the country.
Dekera village residents have reported that gunmen took people away in simultaneous raids on several communities.
In the video, posted on Facebook and WhatsApp and circulating widely, children can be heard crying. A gunman speaking in the Hausa language speaks directly to families of the captives, telling them to identify relatives.
“These are all your people,” the gunman says.
News agencies reported that they could not verify the exact date or location where the video was filmed. However, no older version of the video has been found posted online before Sunday.
Residents, including Abdulmutallib Muqaddas Dindi, were able to confirm the identities of some of the hostages.
“We have identified our elders, relatives, and some of us have seen their wives and children in the video,” he said.
Police and state authorities have not responded to requests for comment.
Amnesty International has urged Nigerian authorities to secure the release of the worshippers, warning of the growing threat posed by mass abductions in northern Nigeria.
State Commissioner for Information and Orientation Obed Nana told the Anadolu news agency that an operation is under way to “assess the situation, track the attackers, and facilitate the rescue of the abducted worshippers”.
Mass abductions for ransom have become common in parts of northwestern and north-central Nigeria, with armed gangs frequently raiding villages, schools and highways and holding abductees until the gangs are paid large sums of money.
Increasingly, the gunmen are targeting communities further south, beyond hot spots in the north.
As he prepares for the election, President Bola Tinubu has faced growing criticism over lax security.
The video emerged on Sunday, two days after gunmen abducted as many as 600 worshippers during Friday prayers at a mosque in Dekera village in Nigeria’s north-central Niger state.
The incident comes as Nigeria prepares for presidential elections in January, with security likely to be high on the agenda due to a wave of mass kidnappings for ransom across the north of the country.
Dekera village residents have reported that gunmen took people away in simultaneous raids on several communities.
In the video, posted on Facebook and WhatsApp and circulating widely, children can be heard crying. A gunman speaking in the Hausa language speaks directly to families of the captives, telling them to identify relatives.
“These are all your people,” the gunman says.
News agencies reported that they could not verify the exact date or location where the video was filmed. However, no older version of the video has been found posted online before Sunday.
Residents, including Abdulmutallib Muqaddas Dindi, were able to confirm the identities of some of the hostages.
“We have identified our elders, relatives, and some of us have seen their wives and children in the video,” he said.
Police and state authorities have not responded to requests for comment.
Amnesty International has urged Nigerian authorities to secure the release of the worshippers, warning of the growing threat posed by mass abductions in northern Nigeria.
State Commissioner for Information and Orientation Obed Nana told the Anadolu news agency that an operation is under way to “assess the situation, track the attackers, and facilitate the rescue of the abducted worshippers”.
Mass abductions for ransom have become common in parts of northwestern and north-central Nigeria, with armed gangs frequently raiding villages, schools and highways and holding abductees until the gangs are paid large sums of money.
Increasingly, the gunmen are targeting communities further south, beyond hot spots in the north.
As he prepares for the election, President Bola Tinubu has faced growing criticism over lax security.
Nigeria approves two new satellites to cut foreign satellite dependence
Nigeria is moving to strengthen its homegrown satellite infrastructure after the Federal Executive Council approved the acquisition and deployment of two new high-throughput communication satellites, NIGCOMSAT-2A and NIGCOMSAT-2B. The approval, disclosed on August 22, 2026, moves the project into its next implementation phase and is expected to expand Nigeria’s satellite capacity while reducing its reliance on foreign infrastructure. The satellites are being positioned as part of a broader effort to strengthen the country’s digital infrastructure and make more communications capacity available locally.
The bigger issue here is that Nigeria’s digital economy is increasingly dependent on infrastructure it does not own. Satellite connectivity has become particularly visible since Starlink entered the Nigerian market, with the service growing into one of the country’s largest ISPs. That has been useful for connecting places where fibre and terrestrial networks struggle, but it also highlights the gap between Nigeria’s demand for connectivity and the capacity of its own satellite infrastructure. The government now wants NIGCOMSAT-2A and 2B to help close some of that gap rather than leaving the country increasingly dependent on overseas satellite operators.
Nigeria’s existing NIGCOMSAT-1R was launched in December 2011 and has been providing communications services for more than a decade. But its original design life was about 15 years, meaning the country has been approaching the point where replacement capacity becomes increasingly important. The planned 2A and 2B satellites therefore aren’t simply about adding more bandwidth; they are also about giving Nigeria a next-generation replacement and additional capacity as demand for broadband, broadcasting, government communications and other digital services continues to grow.
And this comes at an interesting time for Nigeria’s broader digital-infrastructure push. The government says it has invested more than ₦3.8 trillion in IT infrastructure since 2023, while policies around data localisation are also pushing more digital infrastructure and services into Nigeria. At the same time, satellite operators such as Starlink are demonstrating how quickly private companies can deploy alternative connectivity infrastructure when terrestrial networks fall short. The challenge for NIGCOMSAT will therefore be less about simply putting two satellites into orbit and more about whether Nigeria can turn them into commercially useful infrastructure that attracts customers, generates revenue and competes effectively.
That is ultimately what will determine whether this becomes a meaningful sovereignty story or just another government infrastructure project. Owning satellites gives Nigeria more control over critical communications capacity, but the satellites still need to be well managed, commercially viable and connected to the rest of the country’s broadband ecosystem. If NIGCOMSAT-2A and 2B can provide reliable, affordable capacity to telecom operators, government agencies, businesses and underserved communities, they could reduce Nigeria’s dependence on foreign infrastructure while creating a stronger domestic space and communications industry. But the real test begins after approval: getting the satellites built, launched, operational and, crucially, used at scale.
By Victoria Fakiya, Techpoint
The bigger issue here is that Nigeria’s digital economy is increasingly dependent on infrastructure it does not own. Satellite connectivity has become particularly visible since Starlink entered the Nigerian market, with the service growing into one of the country’s largest ISPs. That has been useful for connecting places where fibre and terrestrial networks struggle, but it also highlights the gap between Nigeria’s demand for connectivity and the capacity of its own satellite infrastructure. The government now wants NIGCOMSAT-2A and 2B to help close some of that gap rather than leaving the country increasingly dependent on overseas satellite operators.
Nigeria’s existing NIGCOMSAT-1R was launched in December 2011 and has been providing communications services for more than a decade. But its original design life was about 15 years, meaning the country has been approaching the point where replacement capacity becomes increasingly important. The planned 2A and 2B satellites therefore aren’t simply about adding more bandwidth; they are also about giving Nigeria a next-generation replacement and additional capacity as demand for broadband, broadcasting, government communications and other digital services continues to grow.
And this comes at an interesting time for Nigeria’s broader digital-infrastructure push. The government says it has invested more than ₦3.8 trillion in IT infrastructure since 2023, while policies around data localisation are also pushing more digital infrastructure and services into Nigeria. At the same time, satellite operators such as Starlink are demonstrating how quickly private companies can deploy alternative connectivity infrastructure when terrestrial networks fall short. The challenge for NIGCOMSAT will therefore be less about simply putting two satellites into orbit and more about whether Nigeria can turn them into commercially useful infrastructure that attracts customers, generates revenue and competes effectively.
That is ultimately what will determine whether this becomes a meaningful sovereignty story or just another government infrastructure project. Owning satellites gives Nigeria more control over critical communications capacity, but the satellites still need to be well managed, commercially viable and connected to the rest of the country’s broadband ecosystem. If NIGCOMSAT-2A and 2B can provide reliable, affordable capacity to telecom operators, government agencies, businesses and underserved communities, they could reduce Nigeria’s dependence on foreign infrastructure while creating a stronger domestic space and communications industry. But the real test begins after approval: getting the satellites built, launched, operational and, crucially, used at scale.
Jihadis kidnap dozens during Friday prayers in Nigeria
Extremists attacked and abducted a number of worshippers in Nigeria's Niger State, authorities said on Saturday.
Police said the armed men attacked a number of villages in the Borgu Local Government Area before storming a mosque in the village of Kpenya during Friday prayers.
"People were abducted while praying at a Juma’at mosque on Friday," Borgu area council chair Abdullahi Mohammed Nasir told the Associated Press.
"That was when the bad people came and surrounded the mosque and took them away."
Some witnesses recounted extreme violence.
"Soon after finishing the normal Friday prayer, the armed group [...] in their hundreds, wielding guns, knives and machetes, began to attack us," one survivor told the AFP news agency. "They slaughtered some of our people, saying we are not practicing the true teachings of Islam."
Local residents told the AFP and Reuters news agencies that dozens of people — as many as 60 — were kidnapped.
Witnesses also told AFP that the armed men killed several people, although according to police, "the developing report indicated that no life was lost."
Police said the armed men attacked a number of villages in the Borgu Local Government Area before storming a mosque in the village of Kpenya during Friday prayers.
"People were abducted while praying at a Juma’at mosque on Friday," Borgu area council chair Abdullahi Mohammed Nasir told the Associated Press.
"That was when the bad people came and surrounded the mosque and took them away."
Some witnesses recounted extreme violence.
"Soon after finishing the normal Friday prayer, the armed group [...] in their hundreds, wielding guns, knives and machetes, began to attack us," one survivor told the AFP news agency. "They slaughtered some of our people, saying we are not practicing the true teachings of Islam."
Local residents told the AFP and Reuters news agencies that dozens of people — as many as 60 — were kidnapped.
Witnesses also told AFP that the armed men killed several people, although according to police, "the developing report indicated that no life was lost."
Who was responsible for the attack?
No group claimed responsibility for the attack in the day that followed and police have not identified the culprits.
One witness told AFP that the gunmen belonged to Lakurawa — an increasingly radical outfit that researchers link to the "Islamic State Sahel Province" group.
Another resident told AFP that the attackers were Ansaru, which split from Boko Haram and is now aligned with al-Qaeda.
Witnesses also said that a third, rival jihadi group known as Mahmuda clashed with the attackers and allowed some of the abductees to escape.
Although jihadi attacks have declined in Nigeria since the height of Boko Haram's insurgency last decade, the military and police remain overstretched as they face multiple, sometimes overlapping conflicts.
In addition to jihadist insurgency in the north, parts of Nigeria also face violence and kidnappings from non-ideological gangs known locally as "bandits."
No group claimed responsibility for the attack in the day that followed and police have not identified the culprits.
One witness told AFP that the gunmen belonged to Lakurawa — an increasingly radical outfit that researchers link to the "Islamic State Sahel Province" group.
Another resident told AFP that the attackers were Ansaru, which split from Boko Haram and is now aligned with al-Qaeda.
Witnesses also said that a third, rival jihadi group known as Mahmuda clashed with the attackers and allowed some of the abductees to escape.
Although jihadi attacks have declined in Nigeria since the height of Boko Haram's insurgency last decade, the military and police remain overstretched as they face multiple, sometimes overlapping conflicts.
In addition to jihadist insurgency in the north, parts of Nigeria also face violence and kidnappings from non-ideological gangs known locally as "bandits."
Google raises cloud storage subscription price by 51.72% in Nigeria
Multinational technology corporation Google has increased its cloud storage subscription for the Standard plan by approximately 51.72 per cent, with the new price range effective 22 September.
Google One, a cloud storage service offered by Google LLC, provides users with additional cloud storage that is shared across Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos.
The company disclosed the price increase in an email sent to customers on Sunday, stating that the monthly subscription for Google One’s 200 GB plan will rise from N2,900 to N4,400.
The subscription enables customers to maintain access to its range of services through a centralised platform.
“Your price may change again as described in the Google Play Terms of Service. You can choose to stop your subscription from renewing at any time and see upcoming charges in Subscriptions on Google Play,” the technology giant stated.
Google said the price increase would not affect customers’ data, adding that subscribers would retain their existing storage capacity and all membership benefits.
It added that customers will be automatically charged the new subscription price, plus any applicable taxes, using their selected payment method at their next billing date, unless they cancel the subscription.
The current prices of other Google One plans listed on the technology company’s website include Google AI Plus at N7,700 per month for 400 GB of storage, Google AI Pro at N28,500 per month for 5 TB, and Google AI Ultra at N89,000 per month, offering 20 TB of storage.
For non-AI plans, Google lists Lite at N1,300 per month for 30 GB of storage, Basic at N2,950 per month for 100 GB, and Standard at N4,400 per month for 200 GB.
Meanwhile, in a July announcement, Nigeria was listed among the countries where Google said prices for Google One plan purchases would increase, alongside Algeria, Egypt, Pakistan and Turkey, with new members in these markets subscribing at the revised rates.
Every Google account comes with 15GB of free storage by default, and a paid plan extends that to 100GB or beyond, depending on subscribers’ preferences.
This also allows subscribers to get access to AI features, Google support experts, and certain benefits that can be shared with family members.
The price hike comes amid complaints from Nigerians over rising costs of digital products and services, including telecoms data and airtime.
The complaints have also prompted telecom operators such as Airtel to launch campaigns highlighting how customers consume data, with cloud services and storage backups accounting for a major share of their data usage.
Google One, a cloud storage service offered by Google LLC, provides users with additional cloud storage that is shared across Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos.
The company disclosed the price increase in an email sent to customers on Sunday, stating that the monthly subscription for Google One’s 200 GB plan will rise from N2,900 to N4,400.
The subscription enables customers to maintain access to its range of services through a centralised platform.
“Your price may change again as described in the Google Play Terms of Service. You can choose to stop your subscription from renewing at any time and see upcoming charges in Subscriptions on Google Play,” the technology giant stated.
Google said the price increase would not affect customers’ data, adding that subscribers would retain their existing storage capacity and all membership benefits.
It added that customers will be automatically charged the new subscription price, plus any applicable taxes, using their selected payment method at their next billing date, unless they cancel the subscription.
The current prices of other Google One plans listed on the technology company’s website include Google AI Plus at N7,700 per month for 400 GB of storage, Google AI Pro at N28,500 per month for 5 TB, and Google AI Ultra at N89,000 per month, offering 20 TB of storage.
For non-AI plans, Google lists Lite at N1,300 per month for 30 GB of storage, Basic at N2,950 per month for 100 GB, and Standard at N4,400 per month for 200 GB.
Meanwhile, in a July announcement, Nigeria was listed among the countries where Google said prices for Google One plan purchases would increase, alongside Algeria, Egypt, Pakistan and Turkey, with new members in these markets subscribing at the revised rates.
Every Google account comes with 15GB of free storage by default, and a paid plan extends that to 100GB or beyond, depending on subscribers’ preferences.
This also allows subscribers to get access to AI features, Google support experts, and certain benefits that can be shared with family members.
The price hike comes amid complaints from Nigerians over rising costs of digital products and services, including telecoms data and airtime.
The complaints have also prompted telecom operators such as Airtel to launch campaigns highlighting how customers consume data, with cloud services and storage backups accounting for a major share of their data usage.
By Omotoyosi Idowu, Premium Times
Nigeria SEC toughens crypto rules
Digital asset exchanges and custodians operating in Nigeria will require a minimum capital of N2bn ($1.41m) under a proposed regulatory framework aimed at tightening oversight of the crypto industry.
The draft rules issued by Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) prescribe a N30m ($21,200) registration fee and set a minimum capital of N500m ($353,000) for digital asset platform operators and real-world asset tokenisation platforms.
Virtual asset service providers will need a minimum capital of N200m ($141,000) under the proposal, according to the SEC.
Regulated entities will also be required to maintain a fidelity insurance bond covering at least 25 per cent of their minimum paid-up capital.
The proposed framework requires all crypto operators serving Nigerian residents to be locally incorporated, maintain a registered office, and have their top executive resident in the country.
No digital asset business may operate in Nigeria or target local users without SEC approval, says the commission.
Applicants face additional processing and application fees, while businesses entering the Accelerated Regulatory Incubation Programme will pay N200,000 ($141) for an initial assessment and N2m ($1,410) to apply.
SEC director-general Emomotimi Agama has previously stressed the importance of taking the market seriously,
He says more than 33 per cent of Nigeria’s population was engaged in digital assets, highlighting both the opportunity and risks created by rapid adoption.
The latest proposal comes as Nigeria remains one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency markets.
Chainalysis ranked the country sixth globally in crypto adoption in 2025, while the International Monetary Fund reported that Nigeria received about $59bn in crypto-asset value between July 2023 and June 2024.
The stricter compliance requirements are expected to favour larger financial institutions while raising operating costs for smaller firms.
By Samuel Olomu, itweb
The draft rules issued by Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) prescribe a N30m ($21,200) registration fee and set a minimum capital of N500m ($353,000) for digital asset platform operators and real-world asset tokenisation platforms.
Virtual asset service providers will need a minimum capital of N200m ($141,000) under the proposal, according to the SEC.
Regulated entities will also be required to maintain a fidelity insurance bond covering at least 25 per cent of their minimum paid-up capital.
The proposed framework requires all crypto operators serving Nigerian residents to be locally incorporated, maintain a registered office, and have their top executive resident in the country.
No digital asset business may operate in Nigeria or target local users without SEC approval, says the commission.
Applicants face additional processing and application fees, while businesses entering the Accelerated Regulatory Incubation Programme will pay N200,000 ($141) for an initial assessment and N2m ($1,410) to apply.
SEC director-general Emomotimi Agama has previously stressed the importance of taking the market seriously,
He says more than 33 per cent of Nigeria’s population was engaged in digital assets, highlighting both the opportunity and risks created by rapid adoption.
The latest proposal comes as Nigeria remains one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency markets.
Chainalysis ranked the country sixth globally in crypto adoption in 2025, while the International Monetary Fund reported that Nigeria received about $59bn in crypto-asset value between July 2023 and June 2024.
The stricter compliance requirements are expected to favour larger financial institutions while raising operating costs for smaller firms.
Friday, August 21, 2026
Boat capsizes in northwestern Nigeria, leaving dozens of people dead
A boat capsized Thursday in a river in Nigeria ’s northwestern Sokoto state, leaving at least 47 people dead, officials and residents said.
The boat was carrying more than 80 people, most of whom were heading to farms for work in Gorau town in the Goronyo local government area of the state, officials said.
Abdulkadir Yusuf, Sokoto state manager at the National Inland Waterways Authority, said the death toll was 47 people “so far.”
Resident Samaila Garba, 55, said his 13-year-old granddaughter, Jamila Usman, was among those who died in the capsizing. He said he had counted at least 42 bodies of victims, most of them women and children. “You know, during the rainy season, most women and children go to the farm to work,” he told The Associated Press.
Another resident, Aminu Dan Hajiya, said he goes to his farm using the same waterway and he considers himself lucky to not have been on the boat. “In fact, almost every household in the community has been affected,” he said.
Usman Yusuf, a community leader in Gorau, said more than 80 passengers had boarded the boat. He said 41 people have been buried so far.
Deadly boat accidents are common in Nigeria, especially during the rainy season. A lack of enforcement of safety regulations allows faulty boats without life jackets to operate in the country. In January, at least 25 people were killed in Yobe state in a similar accident.
‘Over 400 Killed in 6 Months’: The Sorry Cases of Boat Mishaps in Nigeria
The boat was carrying more than 80 people, most of whom were heading to farms for work in Gorau town in the Goronyo local government area of the state, officials said.
Abdulkadir Yusuf, Sokoto state manager at the National Inland Waterways Authority, said the death toll was 47 people “so far.”
Resident Samaila Garba, 55, said his 13-year-old granddaughter, Jamila Usman, was among those who died in the capsizing. He said he had counted at least 42 bodies of victims, most of them women and children. “You know, during the rainy season, most women and children go to the farm to work,” he told The Associated Press.
Another resident, Aminu Dan Hajiya, said he goes to his farm using the same waterway and he considers himself lucky to not have been on the boat. “In fact, almost every household in the community has been affected,” he said.
Usman Yusuf, a community leader in Gorau, said more than 80 passengers had boarded the boat. He said 41 people have been buried so far.
Deadly boat accidents are common in Nigeria, especially during the rainy season. A lack of enforcement of safety regulations allows faulty boats without life jackets to operate in the country. In January, at least 25 people were killed in Yobe state in a similar accident.
By Mohammed Ibrahim, AP
Related story: Why boat accidents keep happening in Nigeria
Families protest in Nigeria over children abducted nearly 100 days ago
The children were seized from their classrooms on May 15 in Mussa, a community on the fringes of the Sambisa Forest, a long-time stronghold of Islamist militants.
The protest underscored families' frustration as kidnappings persist despite years of military operations against Boko Haram and its Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) offshoot in northeastern Nigeria. While the insurgency has weakened since its peak, both groups continue to stage attacks on civilians, schools and security forces across Borno and neighbouring states.
The abduction was followed by another attack in nearby Lassa on June 29, where 36 students and a teacher also remain captive. Last month, authorities secured the release of schoolchildren abducted by gunmen from schools in southwest Oyo state after nearly two months in captivity.
'WE WORRY EVERY DAY'
A police spokesperson said the military is "on top of the situation" but declined further comment, directing enquiries to the military. A spokesperson for the military did not respond to requests for comment.
"We still have not seen them," said Chinda Buba, whose child was among those abducted. "We do not know where our children are. We don't know whether they are healthy or going through difficult conditions."
Peace Nicolos, whose two children, aged 3-1/2 and 8-1/2, are among the missing, said families lived in constant anxiety.
"We worry every day and struggle to eat," she said. "We are pleading with the government to rescue them."
Orbet Lawan Yakubu, representing the traditional ruler of Mussa, said around 45 children remained unaccounted for.
"There is nothing more painful than separating very young children from their parents," he said. "The entire community is affected because almost every family is connected to those who were taken."
By Ahmed Kingimi, Reuters
Thursday, August 20, 2026
Nigeria faces $159m humanitarian funding gap as needs worsen
The United Nations has warned that hundreds of thousands of vulnerable Nigerians could be left without life-saving assistance as the country’s humanitarian response faces a $159 million funding gap for the remainder of 2026.
The warning was issued in a statement on Wednesday by the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, as the world marked World Humanitarian Day.
“Nigeria’s already hyper prioritised Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan still faces a $159 million funding gap for the remainder of the year, meaning that hundreds of thousands of people risk missing out on the lifesaving support they need,” he said.
Fall said millions of Nigerians are confronting worsening food insecurity, malnutrition and disease outbreaks, particularly during the current lean and rainy seasons, while humanitarian organisations are struggling with dwindling resources.
“Behind every statistic is a family struggling to survive, a child battling malnutrition, a mother seeking treatment for cholera, or a community trying to rebuild after years of crisis. On this World Humanitarian Day, let us #ActForHumanity and reaffirm our shared responsibility to protect those supporting the most vulnerable,” he added.
The Humanitarian Coordinator made the disclosure after leading members of the United Nations and Humanitarian Country Teams on a visit to nutrition and cholera treatment centres in Maiduguri, Borno State.
“I met humanitarian workers who continue to serve communities with extraordinary courage, dedication and compassion despite difficult and often dangerous conditions. We call for greater protection for these brave personnel so that they can do their critical work in safety,” he said.
According to Fall, the humanitarian response in the region reached almost 900,000 people in the first half of 2026, despite declining funding, as he said that the joint response has so far treated more than 55,000 cholera patients, while hygiene promotion activities have reached over one million people.
“Together, the government, health workers and humanitarian partners have treated more than 55,000 cholera patients, providing hygiene promotion services to over one million people and chlorinating in excess of 500 water points, giving communities access to safe drinking water. This collective work has helped drive the cholera case fatality rate down below emergency levels,” he said.
Fall, however, warned that humanitarian workers and critical infrastructure must be protected as the crisis continues.
“Humanitarian workers are not targets. hospitals, treatment centres, relief supplies, assistance convoys and civilian infrastructure must be protected,” he said, stressing that international humanitarian law must be respected by all parties at all times.
He added that when aid workers cannot safely reach communities, vulnerable women, men and children bear the consequences.
He disclosed that $135.5 million has already been distributed in 2026 through the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund and the Central Emergency Response Fund to respond to humanitarian emergencies, noting that additional funding was urgently required, with Nigeria’s already prioritised Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan still facing a $159 million shortfall.
The funding crisis comes amid a broader decline in international humanitarian financing, with the UN warning that current funding levels are only a fraction of what was available a few years ago.
He urged international donors, the Nigerian government, civil society organisations and the private sector to increase support to humanitarian operations, particularly as the country prepares to move towards a more locally led humanitarian response in 2027.
The ICIR reports that the World Humanitarian Day is observed annually on August 19 to honour humanitarian workers and raise awareness of the risks they face while providing life-saving assistance to people affected by conflict, disasters, disease outbreaks and other crises, highlighting the rights, dignity and survival of people caught up in humanitarian emergencies.
By Nanji Nandang, ICIR
The warning was issued in a statement on Wednesday by the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, as the world marked World Humanitarian Day.
“Nigeria’s already hyper prioritised Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan still faces a $159 million funding gap for the remainder of the year, meaning that hundreds of thousands of people risk missing out on the lifesaving support they need,” he said.
Fall said millions of Nigerians are confronting worsening food insecurity, malnutrition and disease outbreaks, particularly during the current lean and rainy seasons, while humanitarian organisations are struggling with dwindling resources.
“Behind every statistic is a family struggling to survive, a child battling malnutrition, a mother seeking treatment for cholera, or a community trying to rebuild after years of crisis. On this World Humanitarian Day, let us #ActForHumanity and reaffirm our shared responsibility to protect those supporting the most vulnerable,” he added.
The Humanitarian Coordinator made the disclosure after leading members of the United Nations and Humanitarian Country Teams on a visit to nutrition and cholera treatment centres in Maiduguri, Borno State.
“I met humanitarian workers who continue to serve communities with extraordinary courage, dedication and compassion despite difficult and often dangerous conditions. We call for greater protection for these brave personnel so that they can do their critical work in safety,” he said.
According to Fall, the humanitarian response in the region reached almost 900,000 people in the first half of 2026, despite declining funding, as he said that the joint response has so far treated more than 55,000 cholera patients, while hygiene promotion activities have reached over one million people.
“Together, the government, health workers and humanitarian partners have treated more than 55,000 cholera patients, providing hygiene promotion services to over one million people and chlorinating in excess of 500 water points, giving communities access to safe drinking water. This collective work has helped drive the cholera case fatality rate down below emergency levels,” he said.
Fall, however, warned that humanitarian workers and critical infrastructure must be protected as the crisis continues.
“Humanitarian workers are not targets. hospitals, treatment centres, relief supplies, assistance convoys and civilian infrastructure must be protected,” he said, stressing that international humanitarian law must be respected by all parties at all times.
He added that when aid workers cannot safely reach communities, vulnerable women, men and children bear the consequences.
He disclosed that $135.5 million has already been distributed in 2026 through the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund and the Central Emergency Response Fund to respond to humanitarian emergencies, noting that additional funding was urgently required, with Nigeria’s already prioritised Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan still facing a $159 million shortfall.
The funding crisis comes amid a broader decline in international humanitarian financing, with the UN warning that current funding levels are only a fraction of what was available a few years ago.
He urged international donors, the Nigerian government, civil society organisations and the private sector to increase support to humanitarian operations, particularly as the country prepares to move towards a more locally led humanitarian response in 2027.
The ICIR reports that the World Humanitarian Day is observed annually on August 19 to honour humanitarian workers and raise awareness of the risks they face while providing life-saving assistance to people affected by conflict, disasters, disease outbreaks and other crises, highlighting the rights, dignity and survival of people caught up in humanitarian emergencies.
By Nanji Nandang, ICIR
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
As campaigns begin in Nigeria, Tinubu's re-election bid puts his party on trial
As campaigning for January's elections begins on Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu's pitch for a second term faces a politically fraught question: are Nigerians better off after more than a decade of rule by his All Progressives Congress?
The answer could shape the presidential contest against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, who have built their appeal on widespread frustration over economic hardship and insecurity.
The main challengers argue the APC's nearly 12 years in power have left Africa's most populous country poorer, more indebted and no safer than when the party swept into office in 2015, then under the leadership of Muhammadu Buhari.
NEARLY 80% SAY NIGERIA HEADING IN WRONG DIRECTION
For Tinubu, nicknamed "T-Pain" by many Nigerians grappling with soaring living costs, the election will test whether voters are willing to endure short-term pain for the promise of longer-term gains.
So far, many appear unconvinced.
"The APC's tenure from 2015 to 2026 makes for unhappy reading and Tinubu's reforms have particularly brought severe pain," Cheta Nwanze, a partner at Nigeria-based risk advisory SBM Intelligence, said.
"Our voter tracker shows nearly 80% of Nigerians say the country is headed in the wrong direction with 45% citing economic hardship and insecurity as their top concern."
Few Nigerian presidents have moved as quickly on economic policy as Tinubu. He scrapped a costly decades-old fuel subsidy and twice devalued the naira.
The reforms delivered changes long sought by investors and international lenders, but also unleashed a shock across households, fuelling protests and what many Nigerians describe as the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation.
Tinubu has defended the measures as necessary to unwind years of state intervention. His government cites higher revenues and stronger investor interest as signs the reforms are working.
"Since 2023, our reforms have restored stability and credibility to economic management," he said during a recent broadcast.
Many voters, however, judge the economy less by macroeconomic gains than by the cost of putting food on the table.
'I USED TO SELL SIX GOATS A DAY'
At Abuja's Garki market, butcher Abdullahi Sani said soaring costs had crushed demand.
"Five years ago, I used to sell six goats a day. Now I struggle to sell two, sometimes just one," he told Reuters. "It is difficult to make a profit and feed my family."
The gap between improving economic indicators and worsening household finances is likely to define the campaign.
Tinubu's challenge is compounded by the risk that voters will not only judge him on his own record. They will also be looking back at his predecessor's legacy.
He inherited an economy moulded by Buhari, whom he helped propel to power. Buhari's interventionist agenda included import curbs, currency controls, border closures and a fuel subsidy that cost the government $10 billion in 2022 alone.
"The inequality gap between the haves and those that do not have is increasing," Sulaimon Arigbadu, executive secretary of HEDA Resource Centre, said.
Living standards have also deteriorated. GDP per capita fell 53% to $1,224 currently from $2,586 in 2015, World Bank data show, highlighting a decade-long erosion of household prosperity.
The legacy is evident in Nigeria's swelling debt burden which rose more than 12-fold to 159.35 trillion naira ($117.34 billion) by March 2026 from 12.6 trillion naira at end-2015, official data shows.
Debt-service costs are forecast at $11.6 billion this year, almost half of projected revenue and more than twice the 2025 bill of $5.15 billion.
If the economy is Tinubu's biggest hurdle, security could prove his most damaging liability.
The government says military operations have curbed attacks, made roads safer and allowed more farmers to return to their fields.
ELECTION ABOUT SURVIVAL, SECURITY AND FOOD
Yet violence remains widespread. Amnesty International says at least 10,217 people have been killed by armed groups and around 15 mass abductions of schoolchildren have been recorded since Tinubu took office.
Critics say threats have evolved rather than receded, with banditry widespread in the northwest, separatist unrest in the southeast and kidnappings for ransom now pervasive.
"For ordinary Nigerians, this election is fundamentally about survival, security ... whether families can afford food, whether farmers can safely return to their farms," Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, head of CISLAC/Transparency International Nigeria, said.
The APC swept to power more than a decade ago pledging to defeat Islamist insurgents, curb corruption, and revive an economy hit by low oil prices. Instead, Nigeria slipped into its first recession in 25 years under Buhari, while inflation hit record highs above 33% and growth remained sluggish.
Tinubu enters the election campaign weighed down by his record and his party's, with the opposition arguing that after more than a decade in power, only results now matter.
For many voters, the election may hinge on whether life is safer and more affordable now than when the APC first promised change in 2015.
"The data tells us the odds are against Tinubu and the only way back is low voter turnout on election day," Nwanze said. "However, the opposition remains disunited, which historically have favoured the incumbent."
By Elisha Bala-Gbogbo and Camillus Eboh, Reuters
The answer could shape the presidential contest against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, who have built their appeal on widespread frustration over economic hardship and insecurity.
The main challengers argue the APC's nearly 12 years in power have left Africa's most populous country poorer, more indebted and no safer than when the party swept into office in 2015, then under the leadership of Muhammadu Buhari.
NEARLY 80% SAY NIGERIA HEADING IN WRONG DIRECTION
For Tinubu, nicknamed "T-Pain" by many Nigerians grappling with soaring living costs, the election will test whether voters are willing to endure short-term pain for the promise of longer-term gains.
So far, many appear unconvinced.
"The APC's tenure from 2015 to 2026 makes for unhappy reading and Tinubu's reforms have particularly brought severe pain," Cheta Nwanze, a partner at Nigeria-based risk advisory SBM Intelligence, said.
"Our voter tracker shows nearly 80% of Nigerians say the country is headed in the wrong direction with 45% citing economic hardship and insecurity as their top concern."
Few Nigerian presidents have moved as quickly on economic policy as Tinubu. He scrapped a costly decades-old fuel subsidy and twice devalued the naira.
The reforms delivered changes long sought by investors and international lenders, but also unleashed a shock across households, fuelling protests and what many Nigerians describe as the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation.
Tinubu has defended the measures as necessary to unwind years of state intervention. His government cites higher revenues and stronger investor interest as signs the reforms are working.
"Since 2023, our reforms have restored stability and credibility to economic management," he said during a recent broadcast.
Many voters, however, judge the economy less by macroeconomic gains than by the cost of putting food on the table.
'I USED TO SELL SIX GOATS A DAY'
At Abuja's Garki market, butcher Abdullahi Sani said soaring costs had crushed demand.
"Five years ago, I used to sell six goats a day. Now I struggle to sell two, sometimes just one," he told Reuters. "It is difficult to make a profit and feed my family."
The gap between improving economic indicators and worsening household finances is likely to define the campaign.
Tinubu's challenge is compounded by the risk that voters will not only judge him on his own record. They will also be looking back at his predecessor's legacy.
He inherited an economy moulded by Buhari, whom he helped propel to power. Buhari's interventionist agenda included import curbs, currency controls, border closures and a fuel subsidy that cost the government $10 billion in 2022 alone.
"The inequality gap between the haves and those that do not have is increasing," Sulaimon Arigbadu, executive secretary of HEDA Resource Centre, said.
Living standards have also deteriorated. GDP per capita fell 53% to $1,224 currently from $2,586 in 2015, World Bank data show, highlighting a decade-long erosion of household prosperity.
The legacy is evident in Nigeria's swelling debt burden which rose more than 12-fold to 159.35 trillion naira ($117.34 billion) by March 2026 from 12.6 trillion naira at end-2015, official data shows.
Debt-service costs are forecast at $11.6 billion this year, almost half of projected revenue and more than twice the 2025 bill of $5.15 billion.
If the economy is Tinubu's biggest hurdle, security could prove his most damaging liability.
The government says military operations have curbed attacks, made roads safer and allowed more farmers to return to their fields.
ELECTION ABOUT SURVIVAL, SECURITY AND FOOD
Yet violence remains widespread. Amnesty International says at least 10,217 people have been killed by armed groups and around 15 mass abductions of schoolchildren have been recorded since Tinubu took office.
Critics say threats have evolved rather than receded, with banditry widespread in the northwest, separatist unrest in the southeast and kidnappings for ransom now pervasive.
"For ordinary Nigerians, this election is fundamentally about survival, security ... whether families can afford food, whether farmers can safely return to their farms," Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, head of CISLAC/Transparency International Nigeria, said.
The APC swept to power more than a decade ago pledging to defeat Islamist insurgents, curb corruption, and revive an economy hit by low oil prices. Instead, Nigeria slipped into its first recession in 25 years under Buhari, while inflation hit record highs above 33% and growth remained sluggish.
Tinubu enters the election campaign weighed down by his record and his party's, with the opposition arguing that after more than a decade in power, only results now matter.
For many voters, the election may hinge on whether life is safer and more affordable now than when the APC first promised change in 2015.
"The data tells us the odds are against Tinubu and the only way back is low voter turnout on election day," Nwanze said. "However, the opposition remains disunited, which historically have favoured the incumbent."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)