Nigeria Ranks Lowest On Maritime Tourism Index

The International Ocean Institute (IOI) has said Nigeria is ranked among the lowest maritime nations on marine tourism index despite possessing over 850km coastline.

The director of IOI Nigeria, Akanbi Williams, stated this while speaking at the 4th edition of Maritime Writes Project (MWP) bootcamp with the theme: “Protecting Heritages in the Blue Economy,” held in Lagos.

He, said that that Nigeria ranks among the bottom three countries on marine tourism index

However, he encouraged MWP 2024 participants to write stories around maritime tourism and deep sea exploration to correct the anomaly.

“At IOI, we have developed a curriculum for ocean literacy to address the problem of sea blindness. Coastal areas and organisms need to be studied as well as the deep sea.

“It is unfortunate that Nigeria isn’t exploiting its potentials in tourism. The nation has some problems which affect its ability to fully explore marine tourism. These include; maritime security and cultural attitudes. If an environment isn’t secured, if it’s not clean and habitable; there will be no attraction for tourists,” he said.

He expressed optimism that with the creation of the Marine and Blue Economy Ministry in Nigeria, maritime tourism will be a huge component and the ministry will help in the development of this aspect in conjunction with the security agencies.

According to him, If Nigerians know about the maritime sector in elementary and primary schools, that will better position the nation to harness the multiple opportunities in the sector.

“Most of the 2024 participants are young minds and they have an opportunity to get the correct information about maritime could help them decide to have a future in the industry,” he added.

Also speaking, the President of African Women Fish Processors and Traders Network (AWFISHNET) Nigerian chapter, Funmi Shelika, described MWP 2024 as a laudable event that opens the minds of participants to understand the diverse aspects of the blue economy.

“Participants have learnt so much to help them conceptualise stories that will further promote awareness of the blue economy.

The historical stories of the maritime industry and how it affects our daily activities have been explained by experts in this bootcamp,” she said.

Shelika asserted that there is a future in fish processing, adding that, “It isn’t just a smelling-woman selling fish at the market. The business is more than catching the fish, smoking and selling it. There are other aspects of the trade for participants to explore.”

She equally lamented a decline in fishes across several Nigerian riverine communities resulting from pollution and overfishing. Therefore, she encouraged the Nigerian government to do better to support artisanal fishers and grow small-scale fishing.

“Nigeria isn’t enacting policies and laws for people in coastal communities to enjoy the aquatic assets in their communities. There should be an agreement between the International Oil Companies (IOCs) and the communities to preserve the aquatic life and the marine environment,” she argued.

By Yusuf Babalola, Leadership

Nigeria to Allow Aliko Dangote’s Refinery to Set Gasoline Prices

Nigeria is considering allowing billionaire Aliko Dangote’s refinery to set the price of the gasoline it sells, people with knowledge of the matter said, a move that’s poised to refashion the government’s control over what customers pay for fuel.

Until now, Africa’s largest oil producer has imported all of its gasoline and subsidized the price at a hefty annual cost. But in a major change, Dangote’s massive plant near the commercial hub Lagos is starting to locally refine gasoline.


Nigeria will allow Dangote to set the price of gasoline to petroleum marketers starting next month, according to officials with knowledge of the matter. They asked not to be identified as they’re not authorized to speak to the media.

State-owned oil company NNPC Ltd. — the sole importer of gasoline — has since August 2023 been reselling the product below market cost to temper prices, after a brief removal of the subsidy pushed up inflation and fanned public protests. This week it lifted the price by 45%, to 897 naira ($0.56) per liter, moving it closer to market prices.

The government said Dangote will be free to set its own price.

“Dangote Refinery will certainly not sell their products below market value as a business that was set up to make profit,” said government spokesman Temitope Ajayi. “I don’t see how NNPC or the federal government will control price for a private business,” he said.

The role of the petroleum industry regulator “will be to ensure products quality and fair pricing so that the business doesn’t take undue advantage of the citizens or rip them off,” Ajayi said.

The changes occur amid severe gasoline shortages in major Nigerian cities after debts incurred by NNPC, in part due to the subsidy, disrupted its ability to supply gasoline. It said it is owed 7.8 trillion naira ($4.9 billion) by the government in subsidy debts for the seven months to July.

Going forward, petrol marketers will be allowed to buy products directly from the Dangote Refinery, the people said. A spokesperson from Dangote Industries didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

The facility at full rates is expected to be able to produce about 330,000 barrels a day of gasoline, according to Randy Hurburun, senior refinery analyst at consultancy Energy Aspects Ltd. That’s more than 1% of global demand for the road fuel, which is about 27 million barrels a day. It’s more than enough to meet the UK’s entire requirement.

By Ruth Olurounbi, Bloomberg

Related story: Dangote Refinery begins petrol production, vows to ease Nigeria’s fuel crisis

Gridlock in Nigeria amid fuel shortages and price hikes

Nigerians have been hit by a double whammy of chronic fuel shortages and a hike in prices by the state-owned oil company.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which imports the country’s fuel and distributes it to private sellers, blamed its debts and rising global prices for its difficulty in getting fuel.

Many people have been left stranded with long queues at petrol stations nationwide. Commuters in Lagos have been lining up at bus stations, but there very few buses operating.

Others told the BBC they have been forced to trek long distances as public transport prices have doubled along some routes.

On Tuesday, the NNPC said it was putting up the petrol price from 617 naira ($0.40, £0.30) to 897 naira a litre.

Its petrol stations have the cheapest fuel on sale in the country - but at the vast majority of other private garages the pump price is much higher.

When the NNPC puts up the price, so do private sellers and in some states, like Oyo, Kano and Kaduna, petrol is now selling for as much as 1,200 naira a litre.

Many garages around the country have shut because they have run out of fuel, others have closed to adjust their prices.

In the capital, Abuja, most are open but all have long queues as desperate drivers wait their turn - some slept in their cars overnight.

Fuel stations are not rationing supply, so there is a danger their wait will be futile.

A motorcycle rider in Kano, the main trading hub of northern Nigeria, said it was frustrating: “Most of the fuel stations here in Kano are closed because they want to adjust their pumps to the new price.

“I was able to get fuel at 950 naira at a particular station, but other places have already started selling at 1,200 per litre,” Aminu Danyaro told the BBC.

Black-market traders, who buy fuel from petrol stations and sell it by the roadside from jerrycans at inflated prices, are doing a brisk trade in Kano, where there is significantly less traffic than usual.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) - the country’s main trade union body - says it feels “betrayed”, explaining that the reason it accepted the new minimum monthly wage of 70,000 naira ($44, £34) in July was because there was an agreement with the government that petrol price would not be increased.

When President Bola Tinubu came to power last year, he shocked Nigerians on his first day by removing a subsidy that kept the price of fuel low.

This - amongst other policies - has led to the worst economic crisis in a generation and cost-of-living protests, dubbed “10 days of rage”, were held countrywide last month.

Nigerians are now pinning their hopes on the new privately owned Dangote Petroleum Refinery, which has been built by one of Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote.

On Monday, it was announced with great fanfare that the refinery had just started producing petrol - a milestone in Nigeria which despite being Africa’s largest producer of crude oil imports all its refined fuel.

But it is not clear how long Nigerians will have to wait to see ready availability of petrol or a drop in prices.

By Yūsuf Akínpẹ̀lú, BBC

Video - President Tinubu to advocate for increased investments in Nigeria at FOCAC summit

The Director of the Centre for China Studies in Abuja, Charles Onunaiju, says President Tinubu will focus on expanding and consolidating existing cooperation at the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). The expert emphasized that Nigeria urgently needs critical infrastructure, and the 2024 FOCAC summit presents a crucial platform to address that need.

CGTN

Suspected Boko Haram attack kills dozens in Nigeria

People gathered on Tuesday (September 3) in northeastern Nigeria, to bury the victims of a suspected Boko Haram attack in Yobe state.

Suspected Islamist militants belonging to the group roared into Mafa village on motorcycles on Sunday afternoon, opening fire on a market and setting shops and homes ablaze.

An early estimate from a military official said at least 37 people were killed in the attack.

But residents and officials said the death toll could be even higher, with villagers still missing and feared dead after fighters chased them into the bush.

A Yobe police spokesperson told Reuters the attack was an apparent retaliation for the killing of two suspected Boko Haram fighters by local vigilantes.

General Dahiru Abdulsallam is a special adviser on security matters in Yobe state.

‘’Coward Boko Haram that went and attacked innocent citizens in their villages and killed them, so we came to bury them and to also condole their families and relations as well as the local government.’’

Yobe is one of three states at the frontline of an insurgency that has lasted 15 years.

Thousands of Nigerians have been killed and more than two million people have been displaced.

Reuters

Why Nigeria’s ‘Mr Flag Man’ has waited a year to be buried

The family of the man who designed Nigeria’s national flag have told the BBC they have given up waiting for a promised state funeral, a year after he died.

Instead Taiwo Michael Akinkunmi, who died a year ago aged 87, is going to be buried this week in Oyo state, where he lived.

Akinkunmi, known by many as “Mr Flag Man” and whose house was painted in the distinctive green and white colours of the national flag, was a humble man.

But his son hopes that during his send-off, which Oyo state has agreed to fund, he will be remembered for the design that became a symbol of a united Nigeria.

“We have to give him the befitting burial he deserves,” his son Akinwumi Akinkunmi told the BBC Focus on Africa podcast.

Taiwo Akinkunmi always said he was an unlikely flag designer. He entered a competition for a new design ahead of Nigeria’s independence from the UK in October 1960.

At the time he was studying electrical engineering in London and had spotted a newspaper advert about the competition.

According to flag expert Whitney Smith, 3,000 designs were submitted - “many of great complexity”.

But Akinkunmi’s was a simple affair, with equal green-white-green vertical stripes - and it replaced the colonial flag that had included the British union jack and a six-pointed green star under a red disk.

Akinkunmi’s original design included at its centre a red sun surrounded by rays. This was intended as “as a symbol of divine protection and guidance”, Mr Smith wrote in the Encyclopaedia Britannica.

However the sun was omitted by the committee, which awarded the then 23-year-old £100 (then worth $280) for his winning design.

Akinkunmi always said his inspiration came from his childhood as he had travelled and lived in various parts of Nigeria.

Born in Ibadan in the south-west, now capital of Oyo state, he spent his early years in the north of the country because of his parents’ work. He grew up in what he said was a happy polygamous family and was one of his father’s 10 children.

He returned to Ibadan to finish his education. He once told ThisDay journalist Funke Olade that his secondary school was like a “mini-Nigeria” as it had students from all over the country.

Nigeria is home to more than 300 ethnic groups and while Africa’s most populous country has no official religion, the nation is roughly divided between the mainly Muslim north and the largely Christian south, though many communities are mixed.

For Akinkunmi the green in his flag symbolised the nation’s rich agricultural heritage, while the white represented peace and unity.

“It is typical that Nigeria, like many other culturally diverse countries, chose a simple flag design. A more complex design might have explicitly honoured some ethnic and religious groups while excluding others,” Mr Smith wrote.

Agriculture was always close to Akinkunmi’s heart and he was excited to return to Nigeria after independence to take up at a job with the Ministry of Agriculture, where he worked as a civil servant until he retired in 1994.

But for much of his life very few people knew about his contribution to the country, though wherever he lived he reportedly used to paint the outside of his house green and white.

It was not until Nigeria celebrated its 50th year of independence that he was recognised as one of 50 distinguished Nigerians.

His son says an Oyo state politician later lobbied for him to be given a national honour and pension - and in 2014 he was made an Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR), one of Nigeria’s highest awards.

After Akinkunmi’s death last year, a senator sponsored a successful motion that he be given a state burial.

However, no plans have ever been made and as they waited, Akinkunmi’s family have been paying 2,000 naira ($1.30; £1.00) a day to keep the body at a morgue.

The flag designer’s son said that in June they found out that the arts ministry’s National Institute for Cultural Orientation (Nico) had been directed to sort out the state funeral.

But apart from one phone call, he said the institution had failed to communicate any further.

He feels waiting any longer would just sully his father’s name.

This is when the Oyo state government decided to step in to fund the burial rites for the flag designer.

“My late father was an easy-going person who didn’t want anything to tarnish his image,” his son told the BBC.

“He was well brought up, he was a very intelligent man, and a good person that everyone wanted to associate with,” he added.

By Blessing Aderogba, BBC

Dangote Refinery begins petrol production, vows to ease Nigeria’s fuel crisis

The Dangote Refinery, a $20 billion project spearheaded by billionaire Aliko Dangote, has officially begun petrol production, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria’s energy sector.

This development is expected to alleviate the ongoing petrol scarcity that has gripped the nation, offering much-needed relief to millions of Nigerians.

“This refinery will fuel growth, development, and prosperity by supplying energy to our people,” said Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, during a press briefing on Wednesday.

Dangote expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu’s administration for fostering an environment conducive to the success of the initiative.

“I salute the people of Nigeria and President Bola Tinubu’s government for creating the conditions that allowed us to achieve this monumental task. This refinery will drive growth, development, and prosperity by providing energy to our people,” Dangote stated.

He also praised Tinubu for the “Naira for crude, Naira for product” initiative, which he believes will stabilise the Naira by reducing the demand for dollars by 40%.

“As we have this refinery working, it will show the true consumption of Nigeria; we can track every loaded truck and ship,” he said.

He added that the refinery is designed to meet the demands of not only Nigerians but also those in sub-Saharan Africa.

Vanguard

Related stories: Dangote Refinery Presents First Petrol Sample

Nigeria's Dangote refinery set to start gasoline output in September

Dangote Refinery Presents First Petrol Sample

Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group has presented the first sample of Premium Motor Spirit, better known as petrol.

He made the presentation on Tuesday in a broadcast at his refinery situated in the Ibeju-Lekki Area of Lagos State.

"I would like to salute the people of Nigeria and the government of President Bola Tinubu for giving us the platform for growth, development, and prosperity. I also want to thank him personally for creating the idea of the Naira for crude. Doing that will give Naira stability.

"As we have this refinery working, it will show the true consumption of Nigeria; we can track every loaded truck and ship," Dangote said

He further disclosed that the refinery is meant to serve not just Nigerians, but also sub-Saharan Africa.

Vanguard 

Related story: Nigeria's Dangote refinery set to start gasoline output in September

 

 

Nigeria charges protesters with treason

Nigeria on Monday charged 10 people with treason and conspiring to incite the military to mutiny following last month's nationwide demonstrations that saw thousands take to the streets to protest against a cost of living crisis.

The protests were met with a deadly crackdown by security forces and Amnesty International said at least 13 people were killed. Security forces denied using lethal force.

The 10 men were arraigned in the Abuja Federal High Court and entered a not guilty plea. They face the death penalty if convicted, human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong said.

State prosecutors said in court papers seen by Reuters that the protesters intended to destabilise Nigeria and "conspired together to commit felony to wit, treason".

Prosecutors also laid five other charges against the accused under the country's penal code, including inciting the military to mutiny, burning government buildings and disturbing public peace.

Lawyers for the protesters sought their release on bail, which was opposed by the state. The court will make a ruling on Sept. 11 when their trial is expected to begin.

Amnesty urged the government to unconditionally release all the people arrested during the protests. It said the trial was meant to unlawfully justify detaining protesters.

"These are blatantly trumped-up charges that must be immediately withdrawn," said Isa Sanusi, director for Amnesty International Nigeria.

Nigerians blame economic reforms by President Bola Tinubu, in office since May 2023, for economic hardship, worsened by double-digit inflation after the currency was devalued and the cost of petrol and electricity rose.

By Camillus Eboh, Reuters

Related story: Video - Nigerian business owners count losses following anti-government rallies

 

Video - Nigeria records surge in remittances from its diaspora

Compared to the same period last year, inflows from the Nigerian diaspora rose by 130 percent in July to reach 553 million U.S. dollars. Analysts said the growth was driven by central bank-backed initiatives and the expansion of licensed international money transfer operators.

CGTN

Video - China's agricultural assistance improves Nigeria's cassava yields

The China-Nigeria partnership is spearheaded by the National Root Crops Research Institute and the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences. The initiative aims to teach Nigerian farmers how to produce more with fewer resources.

CGTN

DNA Testing Surge in Nigeria: Yoruba Record Highest Number of Tests

A new report from Smart DNA, a prominent DNA testing center in Lagos, reveals a significant rise in DNA testing across Nigeria. The report, released on September 1, covers data from July 2023 to June 2024.

The findings from Smart DNA show a high rate of paternity uncertainty, largely influenced by the increasing trend of migration, commonly referred to as “japa.”

The report indicates that 27 percent of paternity tests returned negative results, meaning that more than one in four men tested were not the biological fathers of the children in question.

The report also notes that a growing number of parents with dual citizenship are conducting DNA tests as part of the process for their children’s emigration paperwork.

Regionally, the report highlights that 73.1 percent of DNA tests were conducted in Lagos, with a significant disparity between the Mainland (67.5 percent) and the Island (32.5 percent).

Ethnic group data from the report shows that the Yoruba accounted for 53 percent of the tests, followed by the Igbo at 31.3 percent, while the Hausa made up just 1.2 percent.

Elizabeth Digia, Smart DNA’s operations manager, commented on the findings: “The high rate of negative paternity tests and the surge in immigration-related testing are particularly noteworthy. These trends reflect broader societal shifts that require further discussion and research. The concentration of testing in Lagos also raises important questions about the accessibility and awareness of DNA testing services across Nigeria.”

By Halimat Shittu, The News Digest

Eniola Bolaji Clinches Nigeria’s First Medal at 2024 Paris Paralympics

Nigeria has secured its first medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, thanks to a stellar performance by 18-year-old Eniola Bolaji.

Bolaji captured a bronze medal in the women’s singles SL3 badminton event, defeating Ukraine’s Kozyna Oksana in a dominant 2-0 victory on Monday at the La Chapelle Arena.

In a match that lasted just 24 minutes, Bolaji overpowered her Ukrainian opponent with identical 21-9 scores in both sets.

Her commanding performance in the third-place match marks a historic achievement, as she not only secured Nigeria’s first medal at this year’s Games but also solidified her place as one of Africa’s rising stars in para-badminton.

Bolaji’s journey to the podium has been nothing short of remarkable. On Sunday, she became the first African athlete to reach the semi-final of a badminton event at the Paralympic Games, after defeating India’s Mandeep Kaur 2-0 in the quarter-final.

Despite her dreams of gold being dashed in the semi-final by China’s Xiao Zhuxian, Bolaji’s determination remained unshaken as she stormed back to claim the bronze.

The young para-athlete had dedicated her participation in the Paris Paralympics to her late coach, Bello Rafiu Oyebanji, who tragically passed away in a road accident while Bolaji was preparing for the Tokyo Olympics. Bolaji had vowed to honor his memory by winning a medal at the Paralympics, a promise she has now fulfilled.

As Nigeria celebrates Bolaji’s achievement, attention now turns to other athletes who will compete later in the Games.

Flora Ugwunwa is set to compete in the final of the F54 women’s shot put, hoping to add to Nigeria’s medal tally. Additionally, Kayode Alabi and Isau Ogunkunle are scheduled to take part in the round of 16 in the men’s table tennis event.

With Bolaji’s triumph setting the tone, Nigeria’s athletes continue to demonstrate their resilience and determination on the world stage, bringing pride and inspiration to their nation.

By Chioma Kalu, Arise

NNPC says its facing financial strain over costly fuel imports

Nigeria's state-oil firm NNPC on Sunday said it is facing financial strain making it unable to import petrol into Africa's most populous nation, that has seen weeks-long fuel scarcity across its retail stations.

The news comes after Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), the country's sole importer of refined products, in August announced record profits for 2023 but warned that it was covering for shortfalls in government's petrol import bill.

Reuters reported early July that the NNPC's debt to oil traders had surpassed $6 billion, doubling since early April, as the company struggled to cover the gap between fixed pump prices and global fuel costs. The NNPC declined to comment at that time.

It later blamed operational hitches for the long fuel queues.

"This financial strain has placed considerable pressure on the company and poses a threat to the sustainability of fuel supply," NNPC's spokesperson Olufemi Soneye said in a statement late on Sunday.

President Bola Tinubu scrapped a costly but popular subsidy on petrol last year when he took office, to cut government expenditure. But he reintroduced subsidy partly after inflation skyrocketed, worsening a cost of living crisis and stoking tension among the population.

The IMF has said fuel subsidies could cost Nigeria up to 3% of GDP this year as the increases in pump prices have not kept up with their dollar cost.

The West African country expects to likely spend 5.4 trillion naira ($3.7 billion) this year - 50% more than in 2023 - to keep petrol prices fixed, while borrowing to plug gaps in its budget, a draft document had said in June.

"We are actively collaborating with relevant government agencies and other stakeholders to maintain a consistent supply of petroleum products nationwide," the NNPC said. 

By Ope Adetayo, Reuters

Hounded South African beauty queen wins Nigeria contest

After being hounded over her nationality and forced to drop out of the Miss South Africa contest, Chidimma Adetshina has been crowned beauty queen of a totally different country.

Ms Adetshina cried tears of joy as she was named Miss Universe Nigeria on Saturday.

"This crown is not just for beauty; it's a call for unity," the 23-year-old law student stated after weeks at the centre of an intense media storm.

She was invited to participate in Miss Universe Nigeria after her position as a finalist in the Miss South Africa contest sparked a wave of criticism.

Some people in South Africa had questioned her eligibility to compete in the beauty pageant because despite being a South African citizen, Ms Adetshina's father is Nigerian and her mother has Mozambican roots.

In interviews Ms Adetshina said she was born in Soweto - the South African township next to Johannesburg - and grew up in Cape Town.

The row over her nationality sparked an investigation with the organisers of Miss South Africa asking the nation's home affairs department to look into her eligibility.

After an initial probe, the department announced that Miss Adetshina's mother may have committed "identity theft" to become a South African national.

However, the statement added that Ms Adetshina "could not have participated in the alleged unlawful actions of her mother as she was an infant at the time".

A day after the announcement, Ms Adetshina dropped out of the contest, saying she took the decision for her and her family's safety and wellbeing.

By now, her ordeal had made headlines around the world.

After hearing of Ms Adetshina's story, the organisers of Miss Universe Nigeria invited her to participate in their contest.

They said she would be able to "represent her father's native land on the international stage".

After winning the contest on Saturday, Ms Adetshina will represent Nigeria at November's Miss Universe competition.

Her success has been celebrated on social media.

"Your story is inspirational - you are stronger than you think and we love you our African sister," one South African woman wrote on Instagram.

Another supporter said: "Trust me guys we Nigerians are proud of her... she’s our very own sister, a very smart, intelligent girl, our Nigerian blood runs through her veins."

However, others alleged the contest was "rigged" in Ms Adetshina's favour - an accusation the Miss Nigeria organisers have not responded to.

"She's undeserving," one Instagram user said.

"She has never lived in Nigeria and was merely invited to compete after the final delegates had been chosen... she arrived in Nigeria for the first time after 20 years last week, only to be given our crown. This organisation reeks of sheer bias."

Another wrote: "In all honesty you won out of pity... feeling very sorry for the other contestants who were there long before you came."

At the Miss Universe contest in November, the law student's rivals will include Mia le Roux, who won this year's Miss South Africa competition after Ms Adetshina dropped out.

Ms le Roux became the first deaf woman in history to win the crown.

Wedaeli Chibelushi, BBC

Nigeria ranks among top 20 for US Green Cards

Nigeria ranks among the top 20 countries globally that received United States permanent residency status visas, known as green cards.

This is contained in BusinessDay reports, according to 2022 data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The data revealed that Nigerians received 12,385 PR to migrate into the United States in the period under review.

Comparatively, the data highlighted Mexico and India as the leading sources of new permanent residents.

Together, these two countries accounted for a combined total of 265,784 individuals, which constituted 26 percent of the overall total of new permanent residents.

A further analysis of the data showed that 1,018,349 immigrants globally received their PRs, which included 82,117 green cards issued to African nationals.

The classes of PR visas issued to Nigerians included 7,529 persons who were immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, 818 through family-sponsored preferences, 3,213 through employment-based preferences, 14 through diversity programs, 797 as refugees and asylees, and 14 through other broad classes of admission.

Concerning asylum, Nigeria saw 259 individuals who were granted asylum affirmatively in 2022, a significant increase from 61 in 2013.

In terms of naturalization, Nigeria had 9,545 naturalized persons in 2013, which rose to 14,438 by 2022.

In a similar development, the US Department of State on Thursday announced that it has issued all visas in the Employment-Based Fourth Preference (EB-4) category for fiscal year (FY) 2024.

“The State Department, working in close collaboration with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, is pleased to announce the issuance of all available visas in the Employment-Based Fourth Preference (EB-4) category for fiscal year (FY) 2024,” it said.

The development comes as a desire to emigrate surge among Nigerians especially the Youths in what is now known as ‘Japa syndrome’.

Outside the US, the population of Nigerians in the United Kingdom, Canada, Austria and other countries has increased significantly in the last four years, according to available data.

By Ogaga Ariemu, Daily Post

Related story: Couple behind popular restaurant face being deported to Nigeria with their three young kids in DAYS

Nigeria signs aircraft maintenance and safety deal with Boeing

Nigeria on Thursday announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Boeing that will enhance Nigerian airlines' ability to lease new aircraft and get maintenance and technical support.

Boeing, which supplies 60 airlines with 500 airplanes throughout Africa, projects the continent will need 1,170 airplanes over the next two decades.

The MOU signed in Seattle on Wednesday by Nigerian aviation minister Festus Keyamo and Boeing executives will see the manufacturer provide planning workshops, training, technical support and assessments to Nigerian airline operators.

Under the terms of the MOU, Boeing Airports Engineering team will provide consultation to open or expand airport capabilities across Nigeria and offer advisory services on the development of local aircraft maintenance facilities.

"This partnership with Boeing represents a significant milestone in our efforts to modernise and enhance the capabilities of Nigerian airlines," Keyamo said.

Boeing vice president of Commercial Sales for Africa Anbessie Yitbarek said the agreement is an important step in establishing a sustainable civil aviation ecosystem in Nigeria.

By Isaac Anyaogu, Reuters

Related stories: President Tinubu Heads for France in Newly Acquired Aircraft

 

Nigeria, others lost $6m to stowaways

Nigeria and other countries within the Gulf of Guinea lost $5.9 million to 143 stowaway cases within the region in 2023, according to Africa Risk Compliance Limited.

The firm disclosed this at the maritime security conference organised by the Maritime Security Providers Association of Nigeria and alumni of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria recently in Lagos.

A report, presented by an intelligent analyst with ARC, Vanessa Hayford, underscored the growing challenges and financial impacts of stowaways in the Gulf of Guinea region.

Stowaways are individuals who covertly board vessels without authorisation from the master or other responsible parties.

These individuals hide within the vessel’s structure or cargo to evade detection.

The discovery of stowaways, particularly after the vessel has departed, can lead to costly delays, complex logistical issues, and severe financial implications for the shipping industry.

Hayford explained that in 2021/2022, the International Maritime Organisation reported that there were 345 stowaway incidents in the GoG, involving 892 individuals, costing the maritime industry an estimated $5.9m.

She noted the figure amounted to an average of $17,100 per incident and $6,600 per stowaway.

According to Hayford, these figures highlight the substantial economic burden that stowaway incidents impose on the industry.

“In 2021, the Gulf of Guinea reported 31 stowaway cases, involving 88 individuals. This number slightly decreased in 2022, with 25 incidents and 71 stowaways.

“However, 2023 saw a sharp increase, with 35 incidents involving 143 stowaways. This rise in cases underscores a significant escalation in the challenge of managing stowaway issues in the region,” Hayford declared.

She stated that preliminary data for 2024 indicated a potential improvement, with 14 stowaway cases reported so far, involving 60 individuals.

Hayford added that nine of those cases were detected before departure, which suggested that ports and vessels in the region were becoming more effective at identifying stowaways before vessels set sail.

“Early detection is crucial, as it helps mitigate the logistical and financial impacts associated with stowaways,” she said.

She further emphasised that despite some progress, the data available was not exhaustive, adding that it reflected only reported incidents and may not capture the full extent of the stowaway problem in the Gulf of Guinea.

She maintained that the rise in reported cases highlighted the need for continued vigilance and proactive measures to address the growing threat of stowaways.

“Stowaways employ various methods to board vessels, including sneaking on board during cargo operations, posing as stevedores with fake documentation, hiding in containers, bribing port workers, or using small crafts to access vessels at anchor.

“Common hiding spots include empty containers, cargo holds, tanks, and behind false panels, with the rudder being a particularly dangerous location due to its exposure to harsh conditions and lack of necessities,” she concluded.

By Anozie Egole, PUNCH

Related story: 14-Year-Old Stowaway Found At Lagos Airport Was Tired Of Nigeria

Nigeria receives 10,000 doses of mpox vaccines from US

Nigeria has received 10,000 doses of the mpox vaccine from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the first batch of the vaccine to reach the country which has confirmed 40 cases with no fatalities so far.

Muyi Aina, executive director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), called the donation a "critical step" for Nigeria.

"We are aware that the vaccine is not exactly in surplus supply. I believe we're getting 10,000 of the about 200,000 doses that are available globally," Aina said in a statement.

The Nigerian government has decided to prioritize five states to receive the vaccines including Bayelsa, Edo, Cross-River and Lagos, according to USAID's statement.

NHPCDA has not yet said when the vaccines would be distributed or who would be prioritised for treatment.

"We encourage the Government of Nigeria to continue to mobilize domestic resources to secure more vaccines to combat mpox," U.S. Ambassador Richard Mills said at the handover ceremony of the vaccines to the Nigerian government. 

By Camillus Eboh, Reuters 

Related story: Nigeria records decline in Mpox cases

 

6 Polish students and a lecturer freed from detention in Nigeria

Six Polish students and a lecturer from the Warsaw University who were detained in Nigeria during protests there have been released, the Polish foreign ministry said Wednesday. They are in good health and will be returning home this week.

The ministry's spokesman, Pawel Wronski, said the seven Polish citizens have had their passports, laptops and belongings returned and were staying at the university campus in the northern Nigerian city of Kano, waiting for the trip back.

The seven were in northern Nigeria to take part in a program to study the Hausa language. They were detained earlier this month in the state of Kano during a political protest, allegedly for carrying Russian flags, Nigeria’s secret service said.

Officials in Poland, which has frosty relations with Russia, said that was unlikely and that the whole situation was a misunderstanding. The seven were held at a hotel in Kano while Warsaw was actively seeking their release.

“Our students were at the wrong time at the wrong place,” Wronski said, urging people to be cautious when traveling to distant locations.

Wronski said the ministry posts warnings and advice to travelers on its website, including a warning about the Nigerian state of Kano, where it described the political situation as being “quite complicated."

Pro-Russian sentiment is rare in the Central European nation, which has bad memories of suffering under Russian rule in the past. Polish society is today deeply critical of Russian aggression in Ukraine and strongly backs Ukraine.

The protests in Nigeria saw thousands, mostly young people, rally against the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation and against alleged bad governance that has stifled development even though the country is a top oil producer.

In several northern states, a few protesters were seen waving Russian flags, a trend that until now was only common in Africa in coup-hit countries where pro-Russian sentiments are growing off the back of coups by militaries severing ties with the West.

AP

Related story: Polish students held in Nigeria will return unharmed

Video - Experts in Nigeria call for formal recognition of its informal economy

Business experts in Nigeria also want simpler government policies and better access to financing to boost the sustainability and survival of the informal sector. Nigeria’s informal sector provides more than 80 percent of jobs in the country and contributes 46 percent to the nation's GDP.

CGTN

At least 170 killed in weeks of flooding in Nigeria

At least 170 people have died and more than 200,000 others are displaced following weeks of flooding in Africa’s most populous country, a spokesperson for Nigeria’s disaster management agency told CNN Tuesday.

Northern Nigeria has been hit hardest by the floods, according to Manzo Ezekiel, who speaks for the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA). Other parts of the country however remain at risk, he added, amid torrential rains and the rising water levels of its two largest rivers — the Niger and the Benue.

“The pattern of flooding in Nigeria is such that it usually happens on the northern side before moving to the central and the southern parts… because the water flows downwards,” Ezekiel said. “In the coming days, the central parts will soon witness similar floods, and even downwards to the southern parts.”

Although parts of Nigeria are prone to floods during the rainy season, Ezekiel said this year’s flooding has been reported in areas where it had previously been rare.

“The situation is such that some places that were not previously known to be prone to floods are experiencing floods this time because of climate change,” he told CNN.

Environmentalists partly blame the country’s annual floods on poor drainage infrastructure.

More than 600 people were killed in floods across the country in 2022, the worst recorded in the West African nation in more than a decade.

Authorities attributed that flooding to above-average rainfall and the overflowing of the Lagdo dam in Cameroon.

Last week, the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) warned that flood waters from neighboring Niger and Mali were “expected to move gradually into Nigeria” while urging states located along the River Niger to be on alert.

The country’s meteorological agency NIMET has also warned of the risk of flash floodsacross the country.

The recent flooding has injured nearly 2,000 people and destroyed more than 100,000 hectares of farmland, according to the latest data from the disaster management agency shared with CNN. 

By Nimi Princewill, CNN

President Tinubu to visit China seeking economic cooperation

Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu will meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping during a visit to China next week to discuss cooperation on the economy, agriculture and satellite technology, a Nigerian government spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Tinubu, who has set in motion deep reforms in Africa's largest economy, will be in Beijing along with other African leaders to attend the China-Africa Cooperation Summit.

"This is going to be part of a broader engagement where the two heads of state will discuss matters of mutual interest across not just the economy, but also on issues of national, regional, and international security," the spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, said.

Africa is a focus of China's flagship economic cooperation programme.

Tinubu's agenda in China will include site visits to two major Chinese companies: Huawei Technologies and the China Rail and Construction Corporation, as Nigeria looks to complete a high-speed rail line linking Ibadan in southwest Nigeria to the capital in Abuja. Tinubu will also meet with 10 CEOs of major Chinese companies across information and communications technology, oil and gas, aluminium production, seaport and harbour construction, financial services and satellite technology development.

Nigeria is seeking investment to boost its economy, which is battling double-digit inflation, foreign currency shortages and issues such as crude oil theft. 

By Felix Onuah, Reuters

Related story: Video - NEVs, digital economy are key areas for cooperation with China according to foreign minister of Nigeria

 

 

Black Axe Mafia of Nigeria dealt a big blow by Interpol

Police units around the world have joined forces in a series of covert operations targeting one of West Africa’s most feared criminal networks - Black Axe.

Operation Jackal III saw officers in body armour carry out raids in 21 countries between April and July 2024.

The mission, co-ordinated by global policing agency Interpol, led to the arrest of 300 people with links to Black Axe and other affiliated groups.

Interpol called the operation a “major blow” to the Nigerian crime network, but warned that its international reach and technological sophistication mean it remains a global threat.

In one notorious example, Canadian authorities said they had busted a money-laundering scheme linked to Black Axe worth more than $5bn (£3.8bn) in 2017.

“They are very organised and very structured,” Tomonobu Kaya, a senior official at Interpol’s Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre, told the BBC.

According to a 2022 report by Interpol, “Black Axe and similar groups are responsible for the majority of the world’s cyber-enabled financial fraud as well as many other serious crimes”.

Mr Kaya said innovations in money-transfer software and cryptocurrency have played into the hands of group, which are renowned for multi-million dollar online scams.

“These criminal syndicates are early adopters of new technologies… A lot of fintech developments make it really easy to illegally move money around the world,” he said.

Operation Jackal III was years in the making and led to the seizure of $3m of illegal assets and more than 700 bank accounts being frozen.

Many Black Axe members are university educated and are recruited during their schooling.

The organisation is a secretive criminal network with trafficking, prostitution and killing operations around the world.

Cyber-crime, targeting individuals and businesses, is the organisation's largest source of revenue.

Multiple so-called “Jackal” police operations have taken place since 2022.

Dozens of Black Axe and other gang members have been arrested and their electronic devices seized during these transnational raids. This work has enabled Interpol to create a vast intelligence database, which is now shared with officers throughout its 196 member countries.

“We need to have data and to collate our findings from these countries to help build a picture of their modus operandi,” said Mr Kaya.

Despite multiple international arrests, some experts feel not enough is being done to address the root of these crime syndicates in West Africa.

“The emphasis must actually be on prevention not on outright operations against these criminal groups,” said Dr Oluwole Ojewale, West Africa Regional Co-ordinator from the Institute for Security Studies.

Nigeria, which has witnessed widespread anti-corruption protests in recent weeks, is one of Africa’s largest economies, but has as many as 87 million people living below the poverty line, according to the World Bank. It is also the main recruitment ground for Black Axe.

Interpol said it was carrying out training exercises with key Nigerian stakeholders and police officials. But corruption, and allegations of collusion between Black Axe and local authorities, remain major obstacles.

“It is the politicians who are actually arming these boys,” said Dr Ojewale. “The general failure of governance in the country has made pressures for people to be initiated [into Black Axe].”

Despite its current global reach, Interpol’s Jackal Operations have their origins in Ireland.

Following a series of police raids by the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) in 2020, a handful of Black Axe members were arrested, paving the way for the exposure of a far wider network.

“They were very under the radar, very low-key,” said Michael Cryan, detective superintendent at the GNECB, which led the operation.

“The amount of money being laundered through Ireland was astronomical,” he added.

The police subsequently identified 1,000 people with links to Black Axe in Ireland and have made hundreds of arrests for fraud and cyber-crime.

“Bank robberies are now done with laptops - they’re far more sophisticated,” said Det Supt Cryan.

He estimates €200m ($220m; £170m) have been stolen online in Ireland in the past five years, and that only accounts for the 20% of cyber-crimes that are believed to be reported.

“This is not typical or ordinary crime… People who make decisions need to know how serious this is,” he said.

Irish police operations in November 2023 revealed that cryptocurrency - which can be sent rapidly between digital wallets around the world - is becoming an integral element in Black Axe’s money-laundering operations.

More than €1m in crypto-assets were seized during one operation.

Interpol has deployed its own new technology in an attempt to tackle these innovations, launching the Global Rapid Intervention of Payments system (I-GRIP).

The mechanism, which enables the authorities in member countries to freeze bank accounts around the world with unprecedented speed, was used to halt a $40m scam targeting a Singaporean business last month.

Interpol's Mr Kaya said technology like this would make it harder for criminals to move money across borders with impunity.

A major effort is under way to gather and share intelligence on Black Axe and other West African syndicates by police around the world.

“If we can gather this data we can take action,” he said.

By Charlie Northcott, BBC

Related story: Video - Italy’s Hunt for a Mysterious Nigerian Mafia

 

First Olympic Medalist of Nigeria, Nojim Maiyegun, Dies At 83

Nojim Maiyegun, a former Nigerian boxer, has died at 83.

The death of the legendary boxer was confirmed on Monday in a Facebook post by Rudolfine F Soultan, a confidante.

“My Jimmy died. I can’t say more about this right now because it’s just horrible. The day after tomorrow, we would have been together for 17 years,” the post reads.

A source close to the family of the deceased also told TheCable that Maiyegun breathed his last on Monday morning at his base in Vienna, Austria.

Maiyegun, who became visually impaired a few years ago, was reportedly battling an unnamed illness for a couple of months.

He was the first Nigerian to win an Olympic medal.

Maiyegun was 23 when he won a bronze medal in the light-heavyweight boxing category at Tokyo 1964.

In the second round of the competition, he defeated Great Britain’s William Robinson in just one minute and 59 seconds — a remarkable feat in amateur boxing.

He defeated Tom Bogs of Denmark in the quarter-final before losing to France’s Joseph Gonzalez in the semi-final.

Maiyegun and Poland’s Józef Grzesiak settled for the bronze.

Two years later, in 1966, he won another bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica.

Maiyegun left Nigeria in 1971 to begin a professional boxing career.

He fought 16 times and won 12 — 10 of them by knockouts.

By Ololade, Information Nigeria