Monday, June 5, 2017
Video - Nigeria sets new regulations to limit tobacco use
Nigeria has announced a new set of regulations aimed at controlling the sale, distribution and consumption of tobacco in the country.
Friday, June 2, 2017
Video - Nigeria's National Assembly passes bill that will see NNPC disbanded
Nigeria's National assembly has finally passed the long awaited Petroleum industry governance bill that could see the state owned National Petroleum Corporation disbanded. The bill which is seen as essential in entrenching accountability and maximising benefits from the country's petroleum resources, now awaits the president signature before it can be made law.
Closure of Abuja airport cuts Nigeria travel by 28.9%
The closure of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, led to a 28.2 per cent decline in the number of air travellers across Nigerian airports, the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, had said.
According to the air transport report figures released by the NBS Thursday, the number of air travellers declined by 983,705, due to the six-week closure of the airport.
The Abuja airport was closed by the Nigerian government on March 8 for repair works to be carried out on its runway and taxiways.
The airport was reopened on April 18 following the completion of the repair work.
According to the NBS , the total number of passengers who passed through Nigerian airports in the first quarter of this year at 2,505,612.
The bureau added that 67.3 per cent were domestic passengers, while the rest were international passengers, entering or leaving Nigeria.
The report noted that, “relative to the previous quarter , there were 983,705 fewer passengers , a fall of 28.2 per cent and relative to the first quarter of 2016 there were 1,165 ,482 fewer, or 29 . 4 per cent less.
“This was largely due to the closure of the Abuja airport from March 8,” it explained.
There were 311, 261 fewer domestic passengers to travel through the Abuja airport relative to the previous quarter, it added.
The bureau noted, however, that the effect on the total number will not be limited to a reduction in passengers travelling through Abuja, as each domestic passenger to leave Abuja would have also counted as an arrival at a different domestic airport, and vice versa.
“Therefore , although all airports saw a reduction in domestic passenger numbers, this is still partly explained by the Abuja airport closure,” it said.
The Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, the report said, recorded the most activity as it accounted for 41.4 per cent of domestic passengers, 76.5 per cent of international passengers, 90.3 per cent of cargo movement and 94.9 per cent of mail movement.
But despite the closure, the Abuja airport remained the second largest domestic airport, and accounted for 499,149 passengers, representing 29.6 per cent of the total, the NBS said.
According to the air transport report figures released by the NBS Thursday, the number of air travellers declined by 983,705, due to the six-week closure of the airport.
The Abuja airport was closed by the Nigerian government on March 8 for repair works to be carried out on its runway and taxiways.
The airport was reopened on April 18 following the completion of the repair work.
According to the NBS , the total number of passengers who passed through Nigerian airports in the first quarter of this year at 2,505,612.
The bureau added that 67.3 per cent were domestic passengers, while the rest were international passengers, entering or leaving Nigeria.
The report noted that, “relative to the previous quarter , there were 983,705 fewer passengers , a fall of 28.2 per cent and relative to the first quarter of 2016 there were 1,165 ,482 fewer, or 29 . 4 per cent less.
“This was largely due to the closure of the Abuja airport from March 8,” it explained.
There were 311, 261 fewer domestic passengers to travel through the Abuja airport relative to the previous quarter, it added.
The bureau noted, however, that the effect on the total number will not be limited to a reduction in passengers travelling through Abuja, as each domestic passenger to leave Abuja would have also counted as an arrival at a different domestic airport, and vice versa.
“Therefore , although all airports saw a reduction in domestic passenger numbers, this is still partly explained by the Abuja airport closure,” it said.
The Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, the report said, recorded the most activity as it accounted for 41.4 per cent of domestic passengers, 76.5 per cent of international passengers, 90.3 per cent of cargo movement and 94.9 per cent of mail movement.
But despite the closure, the Abuja airport remained the second largest domestic airport, and accounted for 499,149 passengers, representing 29.6 per cent of the total, the NBS said.
Thursday, June 1, 2017
Video - Nigerian government downplays fears for president Buhari's health
Nigeria’s government says fears for President Muhammadu Buhari's health were unfounded. Speaking about the matter during a cabinet meeting, the country's information minister said that Buhari was in competent hands and there was no cause for alarm. President Buhari, 74, has spent a large part of this year in London receiving treatment for an unspecified medical condition. He left Abuja on May 7 for what his office said was a follow-up medical consultation in the British capital. Buhari's wife who left Nigeria for London on Tuesday has previously played down rumours that the president was too ill to rule.
Surgery keeps Victor Moses out of Nigerian squad
The attacker, who helped Chelsea win the Premier League title this season, has been left out of Gernot Rohr's squad as he requires treatment on his toe.
"He has been carrying a toe injury for a while and has surgery scheduled for it," Green told Kwesé ESPN. "The coach has known about it for a while and so have we.
"We decided it was best to let him have his surgery now so he can be ready for the new season."
Without Moses, Trabzonspor midfielder Ogenyi Onazi leads 22 other players named for the matchup against Bafana Bafana.
SC Zamalek defender Maroof Yusuf is a surprise first-time call-up. All invited players are expected in Abuja on Friday 2 June, with the team set to train on Monday 5 June before departing for Uyo on Tuesday.
The Super Eagles play Bafana Bafana at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo in their Group E opener on Saturday 10 June, with the match kicking off at 5pm local time.
Navy officers kill police men in Nigeria
Three Nigerian police officers have reportedly been killed after clashes with members of the navy in the south-eastern city of Calabar.
It is unclear what sparked the clashes but a senior police officer told the BBC that a police station had been set on fire.
One media report says that a policeman had confronted a navy officer for failing to stop at some traffic lights.
The police and the navy have not officially commented on the incident.
Images of burned cars and building were shared on the Nigeria police Facebook page but they have since been removed.
Another media report says that a navy officer who had been involved in a minor accident with a motorised rickshaw had been angered by the policeman's behaviour.
Shortly afterwards, a group of armed naval officers are said to have attacked and burnt down a local police station.
The BBC's Martin Patience in Lagos says the attack highlights the often lawless behaviour of the country's defence forces.
It is unclear what sparked the clashes but a senior police officer told the BBC that a police station had been set on fire.
One media report says that a policeman had confronted a navy officer for failing to stop at some traffic lights.
The police and the navy have not officially commented on the incident.
Images of burned cars and building were shared on the Nigeria police Facebook page but they have since been removed.
Another media report says that a navy officer who had been involved in a minor accident with a motorised rickshaw had been angered by the policeman's behaviour.
Shortly afterwards, a group of armed naval officers are said to have attacked and burnt down a local police station.
The BBC's Martin Patience in Lagos says the attack highlights the often lawless behaviour of the country's defence forces.
Wednesday, May 31, 2017
Video - Nigerian women turn to smart agriculture to put food on the table
For decades, farming in Nigeria has been considered a vocation for rural communities that attracted meagre profits. But this perception is changing. More urban-based, professional women are taking up farming as a business, using modern technology to make it more lucrative.
Freed Chibok girls start rehabilitation in Abuja, Nigeria
Nigerian officials say the 82 young women released by Boko Haram extremists this month are now joining those already freed in a special rehabilitation program.
Aisha Alhassan, minister of women's affairs and social development, said Tuesday that the women will attend months of remedial studies. They will have doctors and nurses available to help them heal from the trauma of three years in captivity.
Some have criticized how the freed women have remained in Nigeria's capital instead of rejoining their families. But Alhassan says they are in Abuja "with their full consent."
The young women will not be returning to rural Chibok, where they were abducted from school in 2014. Officials say they will be placed in other schools in September.
Nearly 300 schoolgirls were seized in the mass abduction.
Aisha Alhassan, minister of women's affairs and social development, said Tuesday that the women will attend months of remedial studies. They will have doctors and nurses available to help them heal from the trauma of three years in captivity.
Some have criticized how the freed women have remained in Nigeria's capital instead of rejoining their families. But Alhassan says they are in Abuja "with their full consent."
The young women will not be returning to rural Chibok, where they were abducted from school in 2014. Officials say they will be placed in other schools in September.
Nearly 300 schoolgirls were seized in the mass abduction.
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Video - Kids and Play program helping groom top track athletics prospects in Nigeria
A sports program in Nigeria supporting rural youth is producing top track athletic prospects in the country. And as CGTN's Sophia Adengo reports, it is also showcasing their talent on the national stage.
Norway plans to digitize literature from Nigeria
The National Library of Norway said Monday it would digitise literature from Nigeria following a seemingly unprecedented agreement which organisers hope will lead to an “African digital library”.
In the northern Norwegian town of Mo i Rana, at the rim of the Arctic Circle, the National Library of Norway plans to digitise part of its Nigerian counterpart’s collection.
The library’s public division is located in the capital Oslo. “Our goal is for this project to serve as a model for other countries, and that we can help create a fully-fledged African digital library,” the Norwegian library’s director Aslak Sira Myhre said in a statement.
In the northern Norwegian town of Mo i Rana, at the rim of the Arctic Circle, the National Library of Norway plans to digitise part of its Nigerian counterpart’s collection.
The library’s public division is located in the capital Oslo. “Our goal is for this project to serve as a model for other countries, and that we can help create a fully-fledged African digital library,” the Norwegian library’s director Aslak Sira Myhre said in a statement.
The agreement, which is to be signed on June 10 in Abuja, will initially cover works written in the Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba languages, the library said. The costs will be shared, with the library in Nigeria responsible for collecting the works and the Norwegian one for carrying out the digitisation, with the transport covered by the Norwegian embassy in Nigeria.
“The project has not been launched because the National Library wants to provide foreign development aid but because it enables us to enlarge our foreign language library, so this becomes a win-win project for us and Nigeria,” a spokeswoman for the Norwegian library, Nina Braein, told AFP. The National Library of Norway made headlines in 2014 when it announced it was putting virtually all Norwegian literature published before 2001 online and available free of charge, thanks to a pioneering agreement with rightsholders on the thorny issue of royalties. The digitisation of Norwegian works is expected to be completed this year.
The Biafra secessionist movement in Nigeria
Nnamdi Kanu waves his hand and puffs in frustration: "Nothing seems to be working in Nigeria. There is pain and hardship everywhere. What we're fighting [for] is not self-determination for the sake of it. It's because Nigeria is not functioning and can never function."
The leader of a group demanding the secession of southeastern Nigeria is speaking exclusively to Al Jazeera in the parlour of his father's home in the southeastern city of Umuahia.
It's the first time he has spoken to an international media outlet since he was granted bail on health grounds last month. His bail conditions prohibit him from being in a crowd of more than 10 people, leaving the country and giving media interviews.
But when asked if he is worried that he will get in trouble with the Nigerian authorities for speaking to Al Jazeera he scoffs, "I don't care," and rolls his eyes.
"I can't go outside to call for a press conference. I can't go on Biafra Radio to broadcast. I can't allow large [groups of] people to basically congregate outside to see me … it's like asking me not to breathe," he says.
On the other side of the parlour door, dozens of people are waiting to see Kanu. A throng of young men dressed in black guard the compound. They refer to Kanu as, "our supreme leader" or "his royal highness".
Kanu left Nigeria to study economics and politics at the London Metropolitan University and started Radio Biafra, an obscure, niche, London-based radio station in 2009.
In one broadcast, Kanu said: "We have one thing in common, all of us that believe in Biafra, one thing we have in common, a pathological hatred for Nigeria. I cannot begin to put into words how much I hate Nigeria."
Over the past two years, Kanu's status has risen.
Today, he's a highly visible activist and leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) organisation, and after being imprisoned in the Nigerian capital of Abuja for nearly two years on treasonable felony charges, he has now returned home.
"Kanu is my saviour," says Sopuru Amah, a senior student at one of Nigeria's oldest universities, the University of Nigeria in the southeastern city of Nsukka.
"Just like Jesus was sent to save the world, Kanu was sent by God himself to save the Igbo people."
The leader of a group demanding the secession of southeastern Nigeria is speaking exclusively to Al Jazeera in the parlour of his father's home in the southeastern city of Umuahia.
It's the first time he has spoken to an international media outlet since he was granted bail on health grounds last month. His bail conditions prohibit him from being in a crowd of more than 10 people, leaving the country and giving media interviews.
But when asked if he is worried that he will get in trouble with the Nigerian authorities for speaking to Al Jazeera he scoffs, "I don't care," and rolls his eyes.
"I can't go outside to call for a press conference. I can't go on Biafra Radio to broadcast. I can't allow large [groups of] people to basically congregate outside to see me … it's like asking me not to breathe," he says.
On the other side of the parlour door, dozens of people are waiting to see Kanu. A throng of young men dressed in black guard the compound. They refer to Kanu as, "our supreme leader" or "his royal highness".
Kanu left Nigeria to study economics and politics at the London Metropolitan University and started Radio Biafra, an obscure, niche, London-based radio station in 2009.
In one broadcast, Kanu said: "We have one thing in common, all of us that believe in Biafra, one thing we have in common, a pathological hatred for Nigeria. I cannot begin to put into words how much I hate Nigeria."
Over the past two years, Kanu's status has risen.
Today, he's a highly visible activist and leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) organisation, and after being imprisoned in the Nigerian capital of Abuja for nearly two years on treasonable felony charges, he has now returned home.
"Kanu is my saviour," says Sopuru Amah, a senior student at one of Nigeria's oldest universities, the University of Nigeria in the southeastern city of Nsukka.
"Just like Jesus was sent to save the world, Kanu was sent by God himself to save the Igbo people."
Nigeria's ethnic politics
With an estimated population of more than 180 million, Nigeria is often called the "giant of Africa". The complexity of Nigeria's population is compounded by its ethnic diversity. Around 250 ethnic groups, each with their own languages, reside in Nigeria. With a myriad of ethnicities dotted across the landscape, three major groups tend to emerge in national dialogue due to their sheer numbers: the Yoruba, from the southwest; the Hausa-Fulani in the north and the Igbo from the southeast.
Pro-Biafrans say the federal Nigerian government is discriminating and marginalising them, the Igbo people.
"I'm not allowed to contest for the presidency of Nigeria because I'm Igbo. I'm not allowed to aspire to become the inspector general of police because I'm Igbo. I'm not allowed to become chief of army staff because I'm Igbo. What sort of stupid country is that?" Kanu asks. "Why would any idiot want me to be in that sort of country?"
In Kanu's mind, Umuahia does not exist in Nigeria. It is in Biafra and he is waiting for the world to acknowledge it.
Since the 1964 appointment of the first indigenous Nigerian as the head of the Nigerian Police Force, known as the inspector general, more than a dozen officers have held the post. Two of them have been Igbo. In a lineup of almost two-dozen chiefs of army staff, the highest-ranking military officer in the Nigerian army, two have come from southeastern Nigeria.
With an estimated population of more than 180 million, Nigeria is often called the "giant of Africa". The complexity of Nigeria's population is compounded by its ethnic diversity. Around 250 ethnic groups, each with their own languages, reside in Nigeria. With a myriad of ethnicities dotted across the landscape, three major groups tend to emerge in national dialogue due to their sheer numbers: the Yoruba, from the southwest; the Hausa-Fulani in the north and the Igbo from the southeast.
Pro-Biafrans say the federal Nigerian government is discriminating and marginalising them, the Igbo people.
"I'm not allowed to contest for the presidency of Nigeria because I'm Igbo. I'm not allowed to aspire to become the inspector general of police because I'm Igbo. I'm not allowed to become chief of army staff because I'm Igbo. What sort of stupid country is that?" Kanu asks. "Why would any idiot want me to be in that sort of country?"
In Kanu's mind, Umuahia does not exist in Nigeria. It is in Biafra and he is waiting for the world to acknowledge it.
Since the 1964 appointment of the first indigenous Nigerian as the head of the Nigerian Police Force, known as the inspector general, more than a dozen officers have held the post. Two of them have been Igbo. In a lineup of almost two-dozen chiefs of army staff, the highest-ranking military officer in the Nigerian army, two have come from southeastern Nigeria.
Perceptions of marginalisation
"The southeast feels it has been politically marginalised. There is a point to that. It has been shrunken from being one of the three major regions of the country to now being virtually a minority with the smallest number of states of the six zones in the federation," explains Nnamdi Obasi, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group.
He says that there has only been one Igbo president and one Igbo vice president since Nigeria declared independence from the UK in 1960.
Pro-Biafrans also complain that the federal government is not funding enough infrastructure development in the region, despite a recent announcement by the federal Minister of Power, Works and Housing that road construction will be completed in the southeast.
The southeastern region of Nigeria has five states, while other regions have more.
"They certainly are at a disadvantaged position now," Obasi says. "The political configuration of the country ensures that less federal allocation gets to the southeast."
Nigeria's national economics is closely tied to its politics. Nigeria is a highly centralised federalism that relies on revenue from oil sales. Money trickles down from the central government and more money flows towards regions that have more state and local governments.
A recent poll conducted by SBM Intelligence, a local research group, found that the pro-Biafra movement is gaining popularity in the southeast and that this growth could be a reaction to the perception that the region is marginalised and economically deprived.
"So the Nigerian government has to be seen clearly as carrying the region along," Cheta Nwanze, a lead researcher at SBM Intelligence, says.
But pro-Biafrans like Amah have written off the Nigerian federal government and, in particular, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
"Buhari hates the southeast because we didn't vote for him," says Chukwudi Diru, a taxi driver with a mini Biafran flag taped to the dashboard of his 2003 car.
In his landmark 2015 election victory, Buhari garnered the least amount of votes in the southernmost and southeastern region.
Buhari commented on this during a visit to the United States shortly after his win. During an address at the United States Institute of Peace, Buhari responded to a participant in the audience who asked how he would bring development to the oil-rich Niger Delta region in the south, which has suffered decades of environmental degradation due to oil spills and oil bunkering.
"I hope you have a copy of the election results," Buhari responded to the woman. "Naturally, the constituencies that gave me 97 percent cannot, in all honesty, be treated [in the same way] on some issues with constituencies that gave me five percent. I think this is a political reality."
Buhari's soundbite has been tagged and re-posted across Nigeria's social media spaces.
"To be honest, things like the president's 97 percent and five percent comment only helped add further fuel to the fire that the southeast is being marginalised," Nwanze says.
And that fire is already burning in the southeast. On storefronts along the streets of Umuahia, photos of Nnamdi Kanu and Odumegwu Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, the leader of the short-lived Republic of Biafra (1967-1970) are pasted on wooden doorframes.
At the campus of Amah's university, more students are reading pro-Biafran books and followers of Kanu hold "evangelism" meetings to preach the gospel of pro-Biafra.
At crowded bus stations in town, Kanu's voice booms from loudspeakers. Many people here mark May 30 as Biafra Remembrance Day.
"The southeast feels it has been politically marginalised. There is a point to that. It has been shrunken from being one of the three major regions of the country to now being virtually a minority with the smallest number of states of the six zones in the federation," explains Nnamdi Obasi, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group.
He says that there has only been one Igbo president and one Igbo vice president since Nigeria declared independence from the UK in 1960.
Pro-Biafrans also complain that the federal government is not funding enough infrastructure development in the region, despite a recent announcement by the federal Minister of Power, Works and Housing that road construction will be completed in the southeast.
The southeastern region of Nigeria has five states, while other regions have more.
"They certainly are at a disadvantaged position now," Obasi says. "The political configuration of the country ensures that less federal allocation gets to the southeast."
Nigeria's national economics is closely tied to its politics. Nigeria is a highly centralised federalism that relies on revenue from oil sales. Money trickles down from the central government and more money flows towards regions that have more state and local governments.
A recent poll conducted by SBM Intelligence, a local research group, found that the pro-Biafra movement is gaining popularity in the southeast and that this growth could be a reaction to the perception that the region is marginalised and economically deprived.
"So the Nigerian government has to be seen clearly as carrying the region along," Cheta Nwanze, a lead researcher at SBM Intelligence, says.
But pro-Biafrans like Amah have written off the Nigerian federal government and, in particular, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
"Buhari hates the southeast because we didn't vote for him," says Chukwudi Diru, a taxi driver with a mini Biafran flag taped to the dashboard of his 2003 car.
In his landmark 2015 election victory, Buhari garnered the least amount of votes in the southernmost and southeastern region.
Buhari commented on this during a visit to the United States shortly after his win. During an address at the United States Institute of Peace, Buhari responded to a participant in the audience who asked how he would bring development to the oil-rich Niger Delta region in the south, which has suffered decades of environmental degradation due to oil spills and oil bunkering.
"I hope you have a copy of the election results," Buhari responded to the woman. "Naturally, the constituencies that gave me 97 percent cannot, in all honesty, be treated [in the same way] on some issues with constituencies that gave me five percent. I think this is a political reality."
Buhari's soundbite has been tagged and re-posted across Nigeria's social media spaces.
"To be honest, things like the president's 97 percent and five percent comment only helped add further fuel to the fire that the southeast is being marginalised," Nwanze says.
And that fire is already burning in the southeast. On storefronts along the streets of Umuahia, photos of Nnamdi Kanu and Odumegwu Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, the leader of the short-lived Republic of Biafra (1967-1970) are pasted on wooden doorframes.
At the campus of Amah's university, more students are reading pro-Biafran books and followers of Kanu hold "evangelism" meetings to preach the gospel of pro-Biafra.
At crowded bus stations in town, Kanu's voice booms from loudspeakers. Many people here mark May 30 as Biafra Remembrance Day.
A bloody past
Kanu and leaders of other pro-Biafra groups have called for supporters to stay at home on May 30 to remember those who died during the 1967-1970 Nigerian-Biafran War.
This May 30 will mark 50 years since the 1967 declaration of the Republic of Biafra, by the late Ojukwu.
The declaration of the establishment of the Biafra nation, carved out of southeastern Nigeria, came after failed attempts by the Nigerian government to address the grievances expressed by southeastern Nigerians. In 1966, thousands (PDF) of Igbo civilians were killed, mainly in northern Nigeria.
The 1966 killings began after a group of young army officers - some of whom were Igbo Christians -overthrew Nigeria's democratic government and assassinated several people, including the prime minister and other Muslim northern leaders.
"They came with every dangerous thing, some with arrow, some with gun, some with cutlasses, some with iron. So anything they could handle, they handled it and began to kill Igbo people," says Lawrence Akpu, recalling the day in 1966 when he was in a market in a town in northern Nigeria where he lived with fellow Igbos. "Everybody started running up and down and from there, we left everything we had."
Akpu joined the mass exodus of Igbo people from northern Nigeria to their ancestral homeland in the southeast.
When the war started, he joined a Biafran brigade to fight Nigerian soldiers. He says he fought wearing rubber sandals and t-shirts with holes in them. During a heavy wave of shelling, a piece of shrapnel cut into his spinal cord. Today, he's in a wheelchair.
Three years of war left southeastern Nigeria in ruins. Estimates of the death toll range from one million to six million. After the Nigerian federal military government - supported by the UK - imposed blockades that made it difficult for aid groups to deliver food and relief supplies to Biafra, many children died of kwashiorkor, a severe form of malnutrition characterised by a distended abdomen.
Igwe Christopher Ejiofor, aide-de-camp to Ojukwu throughout the war, remembers carrying nearly dead children as he helped to manage relief services.
"I can't count the number of people I picked [up] who were at the point of starvation and death," he says. "And every time I took them to the hospital, they died and I [would go] back the next day [with more children]." Igwe Ejiofor is the traditional ruler of his community in the southeastern state of Enugu.
When images of Biafran children flooded Western media, the world began to pay attention. Beatles singer-songwriter John Lennon returned his MBE order in protest at the UK's involvement in the Nigerian-Biafran War. Writer Kurt Vonnegut travelled to Biafra and wrote about the war. Steve Jobs, according to Walter Isaacson's 2011 biography of the Apple co-founder, began to question his beliefs about God after he saw a picture of two skeletal Biafran children on the infamous July 12, 1968 cover of Life magazine. In the wake of what unfolded in Biafra, doctors and journalists formed Doctors Without Borders, known by its French initials MSF.
Kanu and leaders of other pro-Biafra groups have called for supporters to stay at home on May 30 to remember those who died during the 1967-1970 Nigerian-Biafran War.
This May 30 will mark 50 years since the 1967 declaration of the Republic of Biafra, by the late Ojukwu.
The declaration of the establishment of the Biafra nation, carved out of southeastern Nigeria, came after failed attempts by the Nigerian government to address the grievances expressed by southeastern Nigerians. In 1966, thousands (PDF) of Igbo civilians were killed, mainly in northern Nigeria.
The 1966 killings began after a group of young army officers - some of whom were Igbo Christians -overthrew Nigeria's democratic government and assassinated several people, including the prime minister and other Muslim northern leaders.
"They came with every dangerous thing, some with arrow, some with gun, some with cutlasses, some with iron. So anything they could handle, they handled it and began to kill Igbo people," says Lawrence Akpu, recalling the day in 1966 when he was in a market in a town in northern Nigeria where he lived with fellow Igbos. "Everybody started running up and down and from there, we left everything we had."
Akpu joined the mass exodus of Igbo people from northern Nigeria to their ancestral homeland in the southeast.
When the war started, he joined a Biafran brigade to fight Nigerian soldiers. He says he fought wearing rubber sandals and t-shirts with holes in them. During a heavy wave of shelling, a piece of shrapnel cut into his spinal cord. Today, he's in a wheelchair.
Three years of war left southeastern Nigeria in ruins. Estimates of the death toll range from one million to six million. After the Nigerian federal military government - supported by the UK - imposed blockades that made it difficult for aid groups to deliver food and relief supplies to Biafra, many children died of kwashiorkor, a severe form of malnutrition characterised by a distended abdomen.
Igwe Christopher Ejiofor, aide-de-camp to Ojukwu throughout the war, remembers carrying nearly dead children as he helped to manage relief services.
"I can't count the number of people I picked [up] who were at the point of starvation and death," he says. "And every time I took them to the hospital, they died and I [would go] back the next day [with more children]." Igwe Ejiofor is the traditional ruler of his community in the southeastern state of Enugu.
When images of Biafran children flooded Western media, the world began to pay attention. Beatles singer-songwriter John Lennon returned his MBE order in protest at the UK's involvement in the Nigerian-Biafran War. Writer Kurt Vonnegut travelled to Biafra and wrote about the war. Steve Jobs, according to Walter Isaacson's 2011 biography of the Apple co-founder, began to question his beliefs about God after he saw a picture of two skeletal Biafran children on the infamous July 12, 1968 cover of Life magazine. In the wake of what unfolded in Biafra, doctors and journalists formed Doctors Without Borders, known by its French initials MSF.
Biafra today
The war ended in January 1970 with the surrender of the Republic of Biafra, which dissolved and was reincorporated into Nigeria. The federal government' s "no victor, no vanquished policy" was promoted to foster national unity.
But today, the pro-Biafra movement is back and louder than ever.
Dozens of pro-Biafra activists were arrested last week in cities across southeastern Nigeria.
Last year's May 30 Biafra Remembrance Day ended in what Amnesty International described as part of a "chilling crackdown" that left at least 60 peaceful pro-Biafran activists dead at the hands of Nigerian security forces. An investigation by the organisation revealed that more than 150 pro-Biafrans were killed from August 2015 to August 2016.
"The night before the rally, the security forces raided homes and a church where IPOB members were sleeping," the report reads.
Amnesty International has released a statement recommending that the Nigerian security forces not repress today's Biafra Remembrance Day activities.
Nigerian federal government officials say the country must remain united.
"They say that secession is the answer to the charges of marginalisation," said Acting President Yemi Osinbajo during a Biafra civil forum last week in Abuja. "Brothers and sisters, permit me to differ and to suggest that we're greater together than apart."
But people like Amah and Kanu no longer identify as Nigerians. They say Nigeria has failed them. They are Biafrans.
And with that Kanu stands up and goes outside to meet the people who have waited hours to see him.
The war ended in January 1970 with the surrender of the Republic of Biafra, which dissolved and was reincorporated into Nigeria. The federal government' s "no victor, no vanquished policy" was promoted to foster national unity.
But today, the pro-Biafra movement is back and louder than ever.
Dozens of pro-Biafra activists were arrested last week in cities across southeastern Nigeria.
Last year's May 30 Biafra Remembrance Day ended in what Amnesty International described as part of a "chilling crackdown" that left at least 60 peaceful pro-Biafran activists dead at the hands of Nigerian security forces. An investigation by the organisation revealed that more than 150 pro-Biafrans were killed from August 2015 to August 2016.
"The night before the rally, the security forces raided homes and a church where IPOB members were sleeping," the report reads.
Amnesty International has released a statement recommending that the Nigerian security forces not repress today's Biafra Remembrance Day activities.
Nigerian federal government officials say the country must remain united.
"They say that secession is the answer to the charges of marginalisation," said Acting President Yemi Osinbajo during a Biafra civil forum last week in Abuja. "Brothers and sisters, permit me to differ and to suggest that we're greater together than apart."
But people like Amah and Kanu no longer identify as Nigerians. They say Nigeria has failed them. They are Biafrans.
And with that Kanu stands up and goes outside to meet the people who have waited hours to see him.
Written by Chika Oduah
Monday, May 29, 2017
President Buhari marks two years in office
In 2015, when Nigerians went to the polls, hopes were high in the country that Buhari would improve on the security situation especially in the northeast of the country, end rampant corruption and revamp the economy. Buhari had inherited a broken system from his predecessor Goodluck Jonathan, whose party the People's Democratic Party, (PDP), had run the country for the last sixteen years but virtually failed to embrace good governance principles.
Two years down the road, despite his bad health, Buhari has been able to improve on the security situation in northern Nigeria that had been run down by Boko Haram Islamists. Nigeria's minister of information and government spokesperson, Lai Mohammed, is full of praise for President Buhari.
"When the President was sworn in May 2015 at the Eagle Square, about 20 local governments out of 27 in Borno state were under the control of Boko Haram. Four local governments in Adamawa and three in Yobe state respectively. As we speak today there is no single territory under the control or command of Boko Haram and that is not a mean feat," Lai Mohammed told DW.
"Again, the president promised that he will do everything possible to ensure that the abducted Chibok girls were released."
"In less than two years we were able to secure the release of over 100 of these girls. When you look at the phenomenon of insurgency and hostage taking all over the world you see that this is a very remarkable achievement," he stressed.
Beyond the issue of restoring peace in north eastern Nigeria, the current government also boasts of fighting corruption in the country, with several corruption cases being heard in various courts within the country.
Not all is a bed of roses
The plethora of achievements as articulated by the information minister, however, seem not to impress some Nigerians who say that the government needs to buckle up and improve on their livelihood.
"People cannot pay house rent and are struggling to pay school fees. We cannot properly feed our families," Juliana Obolonye said.
Chesa Chesa, a resident of Abuja, also told DW that inflation was high in the country, and because of the economic recession, prices of food stuffs were on the rise. But he also reserved some praise for Buhari.
"On the security front he has considerably performed well except for the frequent attacks between herdsmen and farmers in the plateau region. So security-wise, I can say kudos," Chesa said.
Buhari's record in fighting corruption is what endeared Peter Inalegwu to his government. "We had no idea how corruption had wrecked our country until when he decided to clampdown on corruption," Inalegwu said.
Despite the achievements that have been attributed to President Buhari, he has been away for most of the time in London seeking medical treatment. In his absence his deputy Yemi Osinbajo won himself admirers as the true hero behind these achievements.
Dr. Garba Umar Kari, a political analyst and lecturer at the University of Abuja, thinks the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo did a commendable job in the abscence of his boss, Muhammadu Buhari.
"He has been able to ensure that government programmes run smoothly, and to a large extent they [programmes] have not been adversely affected, "Umar Kari said.
For now, Nigerians will have to wait for another two more years to decide whether or not Buhari carries on the mantle of leadership albeit health concerns.
Friday, May 26, 2017
Video - Nigeria's military spokesperson denies coup plot rumours
In Nigeria, the military has dismissed a rumour about a possible coup. A spokesperson insists the armed forces remain loyal to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Nigeria working on prisoner transfer agreement with China
The Federal Government is working out a prisoners’ transfer agreement with China, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, announced in Abuja on Thursday.
Onyeama made the announcement at a news conference on the achievements of the current administration since it came into power in the past two years.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that thousands of Nigerians are being held behind bars in China for various offences, including those attracting death sentence.
Human rights groups in Nigeria have, however, been drawing the attention of the Federal Government to the plights of the Nigerian prisoners.
A group, the Black African Re-orientation and Development Organisation, recently told the government to secure the release of no fewer than 6,000 Nigerians in Chinese prisons.
Onyeama said the release of the prisoners could not be facilitated because there was no existing agreement between Nigeria and China on the transfer of prisoners.
“The issue of Nigerians in prisons in China is something we are dealing with and the prisoner transfer agreement is something we have to have an agreement on with China.
“We are working to have one in place. We have taken that on board and we are trying to get our prisoners to serve the rest of their terms here.”
The minister disclosed that government had stepped in to plead for commutation of prisoners on death row in the Asian nation.
“The Federal Government has on several occasions reiterated that it would be impossible to get Nigerians on death row in different countries repatriated.
“This is because they do not fall within the prisoner transfer or exchange agreements.’’
Onyeama made the announcement at a news conference on the achievements of the current administration since it came into power in the past two years.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that thousands of Nigerians are being held behind bars in China for various offences, including those attracting death sentence.
Human rights groups in Nigeria have, however, been drawing the attention of the Federal Government to the plights of the Nigerian prisoners.
A group, the Black African Re-orientation and Development Organisation, recently told the government to secure the release of no fewer than 6,000 Nigerians in Chinese prisons.
Onyeama said the release of the prisoners could not be facilitated because there was no existing agreement between Nigeria and China on the transfer of prisoners.
“The issue of Nigerians in prisons in China is something we are dealing with and the prisoner transfer agreement is something we have to have an agreement on with China.
“We are working to have one in place. We have taken that on board and we are trying to get our prisoners to serve the rest of their terms here.”
The minister disclosed that government had stepped in to plead for commutation of prisoners on death row in the Asian nation.
“The Federal Government has on several occasions reiterated that it would be impossible to get Nigerians on death row in different countries repatriated.
“This is because they do not fall within the prisoner transfer or exchange agreements.’’
Six children kidnapped from their school in Lagos, Nigeria
Nigerian police are searching for six children abducted from their school on the outskirts of the main city, Lagos.
The abductors freed four other children after "profiling" their parents, police said, apparently referring to the fact that they were not regarded as wealthy.
The men came through a swampy forest bordering the state-run Model College school, and cut a hole in the fence to enter, police said.
Schools in Lagos have been hit by several kidnappings for ransom.
Four children were abducted from the same school in October 2016, and three from another school in Lagos in March this year. They were later freed.
Lagos police spokesman Olarinde Famous-Cole condemned the abductions as "dastardly" and said an operation was under way to rescue the girls and apprehend the kidnappers.
The abductors freed four other children after "profiling" their parents, police said, apparently referring to the fact that they were not regarded as wealthy.
The men came through a swampy forest bordering the state-run Model College school, and cut a hole in the fence to enter, police said.
Schools in Lagos have been hit by several kidnappings for ransom.
Four children were abducted from the same school in October 2016, and three from another school in Lagos in March this year. They were later freed.
Lagos police spokesman Olarinde Famous-Cole condemned the abductions as "dastardly" and said an operation was under way to rescue the girls and apprehend the kidnappers.
May 29 to become public holiday in Nigeria to celebrate Democracy Day
The Federal Government has declared Monday, May 29, as Public Holiday to celebrate the 2017 Democracy Day.
The Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, made the declaration in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
The minister congratulated Nigerians for witnessing yet another Democracy Day, marking the second year anniversary of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government.
Mr. Dambazau assured Nigerians of the government’s continued efforts at achieving its three main targets of guaranteeing security, revitalising the economy and tackling corruption.
“While a lot has been achieved in the areas of security, particularly in the North-East, and in tackling corruption, recent statistics released by the National Bureau of Statistics have shown tremendous improvement of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“No doubt, the nation is closer to getting out of recession, particularly with the recently inaugurated Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), which seeks to revitalise the nation’s economy soonest.
“Following the recently signed Executive Orders on Ease of Doing Business, we have opened our doors wider for both domestic and foreign investors,’’ said Mr. Dambazau.
He wished all Nigerians a happy Democracy Day celebration and enjoined them to join hands with the government in building a peaceful and enduring democratic legacy.
The Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, made the declaration in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
The minister congratulated Nigerians for witnessing yet another Democracy Day, marking the second year anniversary of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government.
Mr. Dambazau assured Nigerians of the government’s continued efforts at achieving its three main targets of guaranteeing security, revitalising the economy and tackling corruption.
“While a lot has been achieved in the areas of security, particularly in the North-East, and in tackling corruption, recent statistics released by the National Bureau of Statistics have shown tremendous improvement of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“No doubt, the nation is closer to getting out of recession, particularly with the recently inaugurated Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), which seeks to revitalise the nation’s economy soonest.
“Following the recently signed Executive Orders on Ease of Doing Business, we have opened our doors wider for both domestic and foreign investors,’’ said Mr. Dambazau.
He wished all Nigerians a happy Democracy Day celebration and enjoined them to join hands with the government in building a peaceful and enduring democratic legacy.
Nigeria to shut down five emabassies
The Federal Government has approved the closure of five foreign missions and embassies, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama said.
Mr. Onyeama told journalists in Abuja on Thursday that the process for closure was underway and was also subject to the approval of the president.
He did not name the affected embassies or missions.
“We do not want to indicate the embassies that will be closed yet because we are in the process of submitting the proposals, the cost analysis and also the political analysis we did to the president.
“When he sees that, he may or may not want to close some, so we have not yet reached the stage of closing some,” he said.
The minister said closing missions abroad was “extremely expensive”.
“The expense, costs of closing embassies is so high and prohibitive but in the long run it will more economical.”
The minister, on April 10, told NAN the closure of Nigerian missions abroad is inevitable.
Mr. Onyeama said the reduction of Nigeria’s foreign missions remains on the agenda of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Mr. Buhari had said at the inception of his administration that the Federal Government would reduce the number of missions to save cost.
Nigeria currently has 119 foreign missions.
Mr. Onyeama said: “The government is following up on that and we have sort of prepared the roadmap; we have started the implementation of that and made also recommendations in that context.
“Paradoxically, closing missions is extremely expensive. At first sight it seems obvious that you close it you are saving cost but you will actually find that the cost of closing is almost prohibitive.
“But in the long run it will be cheaper, but in the immediate and short term it is expensive but we have started the process,” he said.
Mr. Onyeama told journalists in Abuja on Thursday that the process for closure was underway and was also subject to the approval of the president.
He did not name the affected embassies or missions.
“We do not want to indicate the embassies that will be closed yet because we are in the process of submitting the proposals, the cost analysis and also the political analysis we did to the president.
“When he sees that, he may or may not want to close some, so we have not yet reached the stage of closing some,” he said.
The minister said closing missions abroad was “extremely expensive”.
“The expense, costs of closing embassies is so high and prohibitive but in the long run it will more economical.”
The minister, on April 10, told NAN the closure of Nigerian missions abroad is inevitable.
Mr. Onyeama said the reduction of Nigeria’s foreign missions remains on the agenda of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Mr. Buhari had said at the inception of his administration that the Federal Government would reduce the number of missions to save cost.
Nigeria currently has 119 foreign missions.
Mr. Onyeama said: “The government is following up on that and we have sort of prepared the roadmap; we have started the implementation of that and made also recommendations in that context.
“Paradoxically, closing missions is extremely expensive. At first sight it seems obvious that you close it you are saving cost but you will actually find that the cost of closing is almost prohibitive.
“But in the long run it will be cheaper, but in the immediate and short term it is expensive but we have started the process,” he said.
Thursday, May 25, 2017
Video - Nigerian troupe wins world record for longest theatre performance
A group of Nigerian performers have staged the longest marathon theatre performance on record. To break the record it took five days of open air non-stop performances.
Video - Oil production in Nigeria could reach 2.2 mln barrels per day by end of June
The worst disruptions in Nigeria's oil-producing Delta region are over, and production could reach 2.2 million barrels per day by the end of June. According to authorities the long-closed Forcados oilfield could be back to capacity by the end of June, enabling a return to nearly full production from what is typically Africa's largest oil exporter. Attacks in the Niger Delta had pushed production to just over 1 million bpd at certain points last year, which were the lowest in decades, but attacks have abated since the start of the year. The first Foracdos cargo from the main Trans Forcados export line loaded last week, though operator Royal Dutch Shell has said force majeure remains in place.
Rumors of a coup brewing in Nigeria
A mystery container of weapons suddenly appeared this week at the Tin Can Island port in Lagos, Nigeria. Upon opening, the Nigerian Customs Service found it loaded with 440 arms and ammunition of various sizes and designs.
This was the second time in four months that a shipment with weapons was intercepted at one of Lagos’ ports. In January, the container had 661 weapons, and suspects were arrested. While covered by Nigeria’s newspapers as an ordinary daily event, the timing of the weapon finds is particularly unnerving. Nigeria’s political and military circles have been swirling with rumors that that some unknown people are discussing a military coup. How do we know? Because the military has come out to refute such allegations.
The chief of Army staff Tukur Buratai on May 16 issued a statementsaying the Army had “received information that some individuals have been approaching some officers and soldiers for undisclosed political reasons.” He warned “such persons to desist from these acts.” Soon after various key politicians, union leaders and pretty much everyonewho was anyone queued up to denounce the idea of a coup or supporting any such thing.
Coup talk has revived because president Muhammadu Buhari is again on an extended medical leave for an undisclosed length of time while his vice president Yemi Osinbajo acts in his place. It’s the second time Buhari has been absent this year; last time, the president was away for 50 days.
African countries have a long history of military coups taking place while the president is away. But many of those coups took place in an Africa that is different from today and certainly Nigeria is a different place from 1993, the last time a coup occurred. Most Nigerians hadn’t yet been born—the country’s median age is under 21.
Many can’t fathom, much less support, the idea of a coup. Nigeria’s current political uncertainty has more to do with whether: a) Buhari is healthy enough to continue in office; b) If not, should Osinbajo stay on as president till 2019 when the next elections are due; and, most crucially of all, c) Whether Osinbajo, who hails from Ogun state in Nigeria’s southwest, would be allowed to run for president in 2019 given the unwritten political agreement not to have a southerner running then. Based on the unofficial power-sharing pact, the presidency is meant to rotate between the north and south at eight-year intervals. With the uncertainty over the health of northerner Buhari, the north likely fears losing their “tenure” to a southerner.
To make things even more complicated there are several other delicately balanced and significant political issues. Perhaps the best known outside the country is the Boko Haram insurgency which has devastated parts of Nigeria’s northeast over the past eight years. While Buhari’s government has made progress to contain the deadly terrorist insurgency—recovering swathes of territory and rescuing abductees—it has struggled handling the aftermath and now is dealing with a humanitarian crisis in the region. More than five million face acute food shortages in the northeast.
Meanwhile, the Niger Delta region, where most of Nigeria’s oil production is located, is calm for now, but requires constant government input to soothe unrest. Farther east, talk that a “republic of Biafra” will once again try to break away continues as secessionist groups call for a referendum. Many think the government’s brutal crackdown on pro-Biafra protests and its detention of the leader of a major pro-Biafra group is only making matters worse.
The biggest issue of all is the economy, which has suffered five straight quarters of recession. Though tiny shoots of recovery have emerged, the downturn has gone on long enough that key businesses and sectors are loudly complaining that the government hasn’t moved quickly enough to diversify the economy beyond oil production.
The drop in oil prices has kept Nigeria’s economy from rebounding. The Buhari government came into office just as oil began its great decline from the peak in 2014. “The Nigerian economy is not set for a dramatic turnaround anytime soon,” says Teneo Intelligence’s Manji Cheto.
The government has talked up the idea of diversifying the economy away from oil and gas exports, but while the ‘D’ word is a mantra from the lips of every government minister, especially when trying to convince investors to bet on Nigeria, oil still largely drives the economy.
“The key driver [of the economy] was the contraction in the oil sector, and we see this improving in the coming quarters,” says Razia Khan, chief Africa economist for Standard Chartered. Non-oil sectors are growing, notes Khan. Reforms to boost other exports have been put in place. Crucially, Central Bank policies boosting the supply of dollars to keep Nigeria’s currency stable has proven somewhat effective over the last few months.
The central bank’s solution may be temporary, says Nonso Obikili, a Lagos-based economist, given the continued demand for dollars on the black market. “The forex policy is still not ideal with multiple prices and multiple windows. It is not clear that an economy can grow under such market structure,” he says. “The structure is not equipped to deal with shocks, any of which could tip it back into chaos.”
Fears of a backlash should inflation spike due to the forex issue as well as increased politicking given current uncertainties could “militate against any serious reforms,” says Cheto.
Long-term, for Nigerians to see any notable impact, Obikili says the economy will require significant growth. “My fear is that we will remain in a low-growth scenario for a while—and for Nigeria, anything below 3% growth really means we are moving backwards given that population growth is estimated to be about 2.9%.”
This was the second time in four months that a shipment with weapons was intercepted at one of Lagos’ ports. In January, the container had 661 weapons, and suspects were arrested. While covered by Nigeria’s newspapers as an ordinary daily event, the timing of the weapon finds is particularly unnerving. Nigeria’s political and military circles have been swirling with rumors that that some unknown people are discussing a military coup. How do we know? Because the military has come out to refute such allegations.
The chief of Army staff Tukur Buratai on May 16 issued a statementsaying the Army had “received information that some individuals have been approaching some officers and soldiers for undisclosed political reasons.” He warned “such persons to desist from these acts.” Soon after various key politicians, union leaders and pretty much everyonewho was anyone queued up to denounce the idea of a coup or supporting any such thing.
Coup talk has revived because president Muhammadu Buhari is again on an extended medical leave for an undisclosed length of time while his vice president Yemi Osinbajo acts in his place. It’s the second time Buhari has been absent this year; last time, the president was away for 50 days.
African countries have a long history of military coups taking place while the president is away. But many of those coups took place in an Africa that is different from today and certainly Nigeria is a different place from 1993, the last time a coup occurred. Most Nigerians hadn’t yet been born—the country’s median age is under 21.
Many can’t fathom, much less support, the idea of a coup. Nigeria’s current political uncertainty has more to do with whether: a) Buhari is healthy enough to continue in office; b) If not, should Osinbajo stay on as president till 2019 when the next elections are due; and, most crucially of all, c) Whether Osinbajo, who hails from Ogun state in Nigeria’s southwest, would be allowed to run for president in 2019 given the unwritten political agreement not to have a southerner running then. Based on the unofficial power-sharing pact, the presidency is meant to rotate between the north and south at eight-year intervals. With the uncertainty over the health of northerner Buhari, the north likely fears losing their “tenure” to a southerner.
To make things even more complicated there are several other delicately balanced and significant political issues. Perhaps the best known outside the country is the Boko Haram insurgency which has devastated parts of Nigeria’s northeast over the past eight years. While Buhari’s government has made progress to contain the deadly terrorist insurgency—recovering swathes of territory and rescuing abductees—it has struggled handling the aftermath and now is dealing with a humanitarian crisis in the region. More than five million face acute food shortages in the northeast.
Meanwhile, the Niger Delta region, where most of Nigeria’s oil production is located, is calm for now, but requires constant government input to soothe unrest. Farther east, talk that a “republic of Biafra” will once again try to break away continues as secessionist groups call for a referendum. Many think the government’s brutal crackdown on pro-Biafra protests and its detention of the leader of a major pro-Biafra group is only making matters worse.
The biggest issue of all is the economy, which has suffered five straight quarters of recession. Though tiny shoots of recovery have emerged, the downturn has gone on long enough that key businesses and sectors are loudly complaining that the government hasn’t moved quickly enough to diversify the economy beyond oil production.
The drop in oil prices has kept Nigeria’s economy from rebounding. The Buhari government came into office just as oil began its great decline from the peak in 2014. “The Nigerian economy is not set for a dramatic turnaround anytime soon,” says Teneo Intelligence’s Manji Cheto.
The government has talked up the idea of diversifying the economy away from oil and gas exports, but while the ‘D’ word is a mantra from the lips of every government minister, especially when trying to convince investors to bet on Nigeria, oil still largely drives the economy.
“The key driver [of the economy] was the contraction in the oil sector, and we see this improving in the coming quarters,” says Razia Khan, chief Africa economist for Standard Chartered. Non-oil sectors are growing, notes Khan. Reforms to boost other exports have been put in place. Crucially, Central Bank policies boosting the supply of dollars to keep Nigeria’s currency stable has proven somewhat effective over the last few months.
The central bank’s solution may be temporary, says Nonso Obikili, a Lagos-based economist, given the continued demand for dollars on the black market. “The forex policy is still not ideal with multiple prices and multiple windows. It is not clear that an economy can grow under such market structure,” he says. “The structure is not equipped to deal with shocks, any of which could tip it back into chaos.”
Fears of a backlash should inflation spike due to the forex issue as well as increased politicking given current uncertainties could “militate against any serious reforms,” says Cheto.
Long-term, for Nigerians to see any notable impact, Obikili says the economy will require significant growth. “My fear is that we will remain in a low-growth scenario for a while—and for Nigeria, anything below 3% growth really means we are moving backwards given that population growth is estimated to be about 2.9%.”
Wednesday, May 24, 2017
Video - Nigerian central bank keeps benchmark interest rate at 14%
Nigeria's central bank has kept its benchmark interest rate at 14 percent, after the statistics office said Africa's biggest economy contracted in the first quarter. Governor Godwin Emefiele says the bank's Monetary Policy Committee had voted to retain the headline rate. The statistics office has published data showing that Africa's biggest economy, in its second year of a recession caused by low oil prices, contracted in the first quarter by 0.52 percent.
Nigeria has been in recession for five quarters
Nigeria’s economic worries are not yet over. Statistically, at least.
With negative growth recorded for the fifth consecutive quarter,Nigeria’s economy remains mired in recession, according to newly published data by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). But, however slightly, the economy appears to be inching towards growth as even though the economy shrank by 0.52% in the first quarter of 2017, it represents an improvement compared to previous quarters.
Analysts suggest the slight improvement in GDP growth could mean the worst could be over for Nigeria’s economy. “The positive which can be taken from the figure is that the hemorrhaging has stopped, thus clearing the path to growth,” analysts at SBM Intelligence, a Lagos-based firm, commented in a note.
The negative growth rate since the start of last year has been mainly attributed to a drop in Nigeria’s foreign revenues, following the fall in price of oil—Nigeria’s main export. But just as critical, a brief resumption in militancy in the Niger Delta, the country’s oil-rich south last year saw oil production levels tank to 20-year lows, making a bad situation much worse. However, with a peace pact agreed with Niger Delta agitators, NBS data shows an uptick in average oil production levels which have now reached 1.8 million barrels per day (mbpd)—the highest point since the first quarter of 2016—but still some way off desired levels of around 2.2 mbpd.
Getting back to peak production levels is vital, not just for earnings but also to cushion the impact of a possible deal by OPEC to cut production. While OPEC agreed its first deal to cut production last November, Nigeria was exempt having suffered damage to its oil installations during militant attacks earlier in the year. But, with that deal set to be extended, that concession may no longer be available to Nigeria.
Just as importantly, the Nigerian government has also sought to stimulate growth by making it easier to do business in a country where excessive red-tape and corruption has often made things difficult. Last week, Nigeria’s presidency ordered reforms at local ports in a bid to boost exports and diversify its revenue sources and back in February, Nigeria’s Immigration Service relaxed its entry visa rules for tourists and investors.
With negative growth recorded for the fifth consecutive quarter,Nigeria’s economy remains mired in recession, according to newly published data by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). But, however slightly, the economy appears to be inching towards growth as even though the economy shrank by 0.52% in the first quarter of 2017, it represents an improvement compared to previous quarters.
Analysts suggest the slight improvement in GDP growth could mean the worst could be over for Nigeria’s economy. “The positive which can be taken from the figure is that the hemorrhaging has stopped, thus clearing the path to growth,” analysts at SBM Intelligence, a Lagos-based firm, commented in a note.
The negative growth rate since the start of last year has been mainly attributed to a drop in Nigeria’s foreign revenues, following the fall in price of oil—Nigeria’s main export. But just as critical, a brief resumption in militancy in the Niger Delta, the country’s oil-rich south last year saw oil production levels tank to 20-year lows, making a bad situation much worse. However, with a peace pact agreed with Niger Delta agitators, NBS data shows an uptick in average oil production levels which have now reached 1.8 million barrels per day (mbpd)—the highest point since the first quarter of 2016—but still some way off desired levels of around 2.2 mbpd.
Getting back to peak production levels is vital, not just for earnings but also to cushion the impact of a possible deal by OPEC to cut production. While OPEC agreed its first deal to cut production last November, Nigeria was exempt having suffered damage to its oil installations during militant attacks earlier in the year. But, with that deal set to be extended, that concession may no longer be available to Nigeria.
Just as importantly, the Nigerian government has also sought to stimulate growth by making it easier to do business in a country where excessive red-tape and corruption has often made things difficult. Last week, Nigeria’s presidency ordered reforms at local ports in a bid to boost exports and diversify its revenue sources and back in February, Nigeria’s Immigration Service relaxed its entry visa rules for tourists and investors.
Tuesday, May 23, 2017
Video - 5 days power outage to occur in Lagos, Nigeria
Electricity supply will be disrupted in many parts of Lagos this week as Eko Electricity Distribution Company announced a five day power outage in the city. EKEDC spokesman, Godwin Idemudia, said in a statement that the outage would affect Ikoyi, Victoria Island and parts of Lagos Island from Wednesday to Sunday. Mr. Idemudia said the outage was to enable maintenance crew from the Transmission Company of Nigeria -TCN- to address technical and maintenance issues at Alagbon transmission station. The EKEDC spokesman said the company regretted any inconveniences caused by the five-day outage. He promised that supply would be restored to the affected areas as soon as the maintenance was successfully completed.
Nigerian Minister of State for Petrol says he will resign if Nigeria continues to import oil by 2019
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, on Monday vowed to resign if Nigeria continues to import fuel by 2019.
Mr. Kachikwu stated this during an interview on BBC World Service programme, HardTalk, anchored by Stephen Sackur.
In the interview, which lasted 23 minutes, Mr. Kachikwu promised to deliver on the completion of the refineries, noting that he was committed to delivering a future for oil in Nigeria.
On Nigeria’s over-reliance on oil, the minister said the government plans to diversify into agriculture and other sources of revenue.
He said, “Oh, yes, clearly over- reliant , but whether that is dangerous… I look at the positive side of oil also in terms of what it’s done to a country over the years . But when the price slumps, it’s dangerous.
“But we will love to see a lot more diversification, a lot more efforts going into agriculture, emphasis on tourism…”
When asked when the country was going to be self-sufficient in terms of refining petroleum, Mr. Kachikwu declared that 2019 had been set as the target.
“2019 is the target time… I target 2019 . If I don’ t achieve it, I will walk…I put the date and I will achieve it,” the minister said.
He, however, did not clarify if he meant early 2019 or the end of 2019 with the current administration’s tenure set to lapse in May 2019 unless re-elected.
When probed about President Muhammadu Buhari ’s health, the minister noted that he didn’t know the details of the president’s medical treatment.
“He is in London; he’s undergoing hospital treatment. I don’ t know the details of that. I obviously wouldn’t know. But…he’s back in London, he ’s continued some levels of meetings.
“He has a very efficient vice president who is sitting in for him in his absence,” he added.
Commenting further, Mr. Kachikwu explained that he had delivered on all his promises, stating that he made the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, a profit-making organisation.
“I have delivered on all that I have promised when I came into office,” he said.
“First, I took Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and made it a profit- making organisation.
“This is the first time such is happening. I reshaped the organisation. I removed cash call deficits of over $ 6 billion and renegotiated it. I will deliver on the refineries and I’m committed to it. I will deliver a future for oil that makes sense for Nigeria.
“I can ’t pretend that we’re going to solve in one day all the problems that happened in Nigeria in the past,” he added.
Mr. Kachikwu stated this during an interview on BBC World Service programme, HardTalk, anchored by Stephen Sackur.
In the interview, which lasted 23 minutes, Mr. Kachikwu promised to deliver on the completion of the refineries, noting that he was committed to delivering a future for oil in Nigeria.
On Nigeria’s over-reliance on oil, the minister said the government plans to diversify into agriculture and other sources of revenue.
He said, “Oh, yes, clearly over- reliant , but whether that is dangerous… I look at the positive side of oil also in terms of what it’s done to a country over the years . But when the price slumps, it’s dangerous.
“But we will love to see a lot more diversification, a lot more efforts going into agriculture, emphasis on tourism…”
When asked when the country was going to be self-sufficient in terms of refining petroleum, Mr. Kachikwu declared that 2019 had been set as the target.
“2019 is the target time… I target 2019 . If I don’ t achieve it, I will walk…I put the date and I will achieve it,” the minister said.
He, however, did not clarify if he meant early 2019 or the end of 2019 with the current administration’s tenure set to lapse in May 2019 unless re-elected.
When probed about President Muhammadu Buhari ’s health, the minister noted that he didn’t know the details of the president’s medical treatment.
“He is in London; he’s undergoing hospital treatment. I don’ t know the details of that. I obviously wouldn’t know. But…he’s back in London, he ’s continued some levels of meetings.
“He has a very efficient vice president who is sitting in for him in his absence,” he added.
Commenting further, Mr. Kachikwu explained that he had delivered on all his promises, stating that he made the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, a profit-making organisation.
“I have delivered on all that I have promised when I came into office,” he said.
“First, I took Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and made it a profit- making organisation.
“This is the first time such is happening. I reshaped the organisation. I removed cash call deficits of over $ 6 billion and renegotiated it. I will deliver on the refineries and I’m committed to it. I will deliver a future for oil that makes sense for Nigeria.
“I can ’t pretend that we’re going to solve in one day all the problems that happened in Nigeria in the past,” he added.
Monday, May 22, 2017
Video - Nigerian football stakeholders concerned by decline in U20 national team's performance
The Under-20 FIFA World cup kicked-off in South Korea on Saturday, with African teams registering mixed results. However, in absent was one of Africa's most successful football nations, Nigeria. The West African Nation is seven-times champion of the Africa Under-20 Championships and their declining performance is becoming a cause for concern back home as CGTN's Kelechi Emekalam now reports.
Friday, May 19, 2017
Escaped chibok girl not one of the 276 kidnapped
A schoolgirl who escaped Nigeria's militant Islamists is not one of the 276 Chibok girls abducted in 2014, contrary to earlier reports, a presidential aide has told the BBC.
Although this girl went to the same school in Chibok, she was abducted in a separate incident, Femi Adesina said.
The 15-year-old girl was found by government troops while she was escaping.
Boko Haram has captured thousands of people in north-eastern Nigeria.
The abduction of the 276 Chibok girls is the most high-profile case but many others have never had any media attention or support, aid organisations say.
Three years since the abduction, 113 Chibok girls remain in captivity.
A total of 103 of the girls have been released so far, including 82 earlier this month in a prisoner swap.
The 82 girls, who met Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on 7 May, are expected to be reunited with their families later this week.
They are believed to have been swapped for five Boko Haram commanders.
Last month, President Buhari said the government remained "in constant touch through negotiations, through local intelligence, to secure the release of the remaining girls and other abducted persons unharmed".
Aside from the Chibok girls, Boko Haram has kidnapped thousands of other people during its eight-year insurgency, which is aimed at creating an Islamic caliphate in north-eastern Nigeria.
The government says more than 30,000 people have been killed, and hundreds of thousands forced to flee their homes.
Aid agencies are warning of a famine in the area, as people have not been able to farm for several years.
Although this girl went to the same school in Chibok, she was abducted in a separate incident, Femi Adesina said.
The 15-year-old girl was found by government troops while she was escaping.
Boko Haram has captured thousands of people in north-eastern Nigeria.
The abduction of the 276 Chibok girls is the most high-profile case but many others have never had any media attention or support, aid organisations say.
Three years since the abduction, 113 Chibok girls remain in captivity.
A total of 103 of the girls have been released so far, including 82 earlier this month in a prisoner swap.
The 82 girls, who met Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on 7 May, are expected to be reunited with their families later this week.
They are believed to have been swapped for five Boko Haram commanders.
Last month, President Buhari said the government remained "in constant touch through negotiations, through local intelligence, to secure the release of the remaining girls and other abducted persons unharmed".
Aside from the Chibok girls, Boko Haram has kidnapped thousands of other people during its eight-year insurgency, which is aimed at creating an Islamic caliphate in north-eastern Nigeria.
The government says more than 30,000 people have been killed, and hundreds of thousands forced to flee their homes.
Aid agencies are warning of a famine in the area, as people have not been able to farm for several years.
Thursday, May 18, 2017
Video - Nigerian woman designs clean energy stove
Traditional three-stone ovens are common in rural communities across Africa. However, they pose serious health risks as a result of their high carbon emissions. And that's over and above their environmental impact due to deforestation. One Nigerian woman has designed a safer, greener stove that could change millions of lives in rural communities across the country.
Nigerian video producer arrested for poisoning pregnant girlfriend
A Nigerian video director and CEO of Hg2filmworks, Olaolu Akorede, has been remanded in Ikoyi prison, Lagos, for allegedly poisoning his pregnant girlfriend and killing their unborn child.
He was arrested by police on Tuesday and arraigned before an Igbosere magistrate court on a four-count charge of obtaining N2.5 million under false pretense, procuring unknown herbal liquid to terminate pregnancy, maliciously administering poison which caused the death of an unborn baby.
Police prosecutor, Okete Ejima, told the court that the accused intentionally procured the harmful liquid for the complainant to kill her and the unborn child.
The accused, however, denied the allegations in the open court and the magistrate, O. O. Otitoju, admitted him on bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum.
Mrs. Otitoju also adjourned the case till May 22 for mention, while the defendant was taken to Ikoyi prison, Lagos pending when he would be able to fulfill his bail conditions.
Olaolu, however, denied almost all the allegations, but admitted that he procured an herbal liquid to treat his estranged lover’s diabetic condition.
The 28-year-old director is alleged to have procured a harmful herbal liquid for his lover, Halimat, to drink for the treatment of diabetes, which later allegedly terminated her pregnancy and damaged her fallopian tube.
His arrest followed a petition by Halimat through her counsel in the Chamber of Bislaw Legal Practitioners.
Her petition read, “I met the suspect in New York, U.S, in November, 2016 while both of us were on vacation and began a relationship. When I came back to Nigeria, I noticed that I was pregnant and I told him about the development and he was very happy on the phone. And he begged me to keep the pregnancy until he returns to Nigeria for us to wed.
“He requested for a return ticket to come back to Nigeria and I spent N400,000 to purchase a return ticket for him. When he came back to Nigeria, he also collected the sum of N2.5 million from me to prepare for our wedding. But instead, he went to Abeokuta, Ogun State, to meet a native doctor who prepared a herbal liquid for him which he claimed was for treatment of diabetics.”
She added, “He convinced me to drink it and because I did not suspect anything, I drank from it. Unknown to me, it was to abort my pregnancy or to kill me. After drinking it, I began stooling blood and ended up in the hospital. Doctors later performed surgery on me and discovered that the herbal liquid had affected my unborn baby and damaged my Fallopian tube.”
He was arrested by police on Tuesday and arraigned before an Igbosere magistrate court on a four-count charge of obtaining N2.5 million under false pretense, procuring unknown herbal liquid to terminate pregnancy, maliciously administering poison which caused the death of an unborn baby.
Police prosecutor, Okete Ejima, told the court that the accused intentionally procured the harmful liquid for the complainant to kill her and the unborn child.
The accused, however, denied the allegations in the open court and the magistrate, O. O. Otitoju, admitted him on bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum.
Mrs. Otitoju also adjourned the case till May 22 for mention, while the defendant was taken to Ikoyi prison, Lagos pending when he would be able to fulfill his bail conditions.
Olaolu, however, denied almost all the allegations, but admitted that he procured an herbal liquid to treat his estranged lover’s diabetic condition.
The 28-year-old director is alleged to have procured a harmful herbal liquid for his lover, Halimat, to drink for the treatment of diabetes, which later allegedly terminated her pregnancy and damaged her fallopian tube.
His arrest followed a petition by Halimat through her counsel in the Chamber of Bislaw Legal Practitioners.
Her petition read, “I met the suspect in New York, U.S, in November, 2016 while both of us were on vacation and began a relationship. When I came back to Nigeria, I noticed that I was pregnant and I told him about the development and he was very happy on the phone. And he begged me to keep the pregnancy until he returns to Nigeria for us to wed.
“He requested for a return ticket to come back to Nigeria and I spent N400,000 to purchase a return ticket for him. When he came back to Nigeria, he also collected the sum of N2.5 million from me to prepare for our wedding. But instead, he went to Abeokuta, Ogun State, to meet a native doctor who prepared a herbal liquid for him which he claimed was for treatment of diabetics.”
She added, “He convinced me to drink it and because I did not suspect anything, I drank from it. Unknown to me, it was to abort my pregnancy or to kill me. After drinking it, I began stooling blood and ended up in the hospital. Doctors later performed surgery on me and discovered that the herbal liquid had affected my unborn baby and damaged my Fallopian tube.”
Chibok girl escapes Boko Haram
A schoolgirl believed to have been abducted by Boko Haram three years ago has been rescued by government troops while "escaping from captivity", Nigerian officials said on Wednesday.
Femi Adesina, a presidential spokesman, said the girl was found less than two weeks after 82 others were released by their abductors in exchanged for five Boko Haram commanders.
"The details are yet to fully unravel. But in terms of is it true? Yes, it is true. I learnt she is already being brought to [the capital] Abuja but I have not seen her," Adesina told reporters.
He added that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who is acting president while President Muhammadu Buhari is on sick leave, informed senior ministers of the rescue at the weekly cabinet meeting.
Presidential aide Bashir Ahmad also confirmed the rescue on Twitter, saying the girl was "found by Nigerian troops while she was escaping from captivity".
The schoolgirl is believed to have been among the 276 pupils seized by Boko Haram from a government school in the town of Chibok in April 2014.
Fifty-seven escaped in the immediate aftermath. Of the 219 who did not manage to flee, 106 have either been released or found, leaving 112 still missing.
The government has said that talks for the release of the remaining schoolgirls still missing are under way.
The abduction drew international attention to the armed group, while the Nigerian government's failure to act quickly to free the girls spurred a global Bring Back Our Girls movement.
About 2,000 girls and boys have been abducted by Boko Haram since 2014, with many used as sex slaves, fighters and even suicide bombers, according to Amnesty International.
Some 20,000 people have been killed and about 2.3 million displaced since Boko Haram started its armed campaign in 2009.
Femi Adesina, a presidential spokesman, said the girl was found less than two weeks after 82 others were released by their abductors in exchanged for five Boko Haram commanders.
"The details are yet to fully unravel. But in terms of is it true? Yes, it is true. I learnt she is already being brought to [the capital] Abuja but I have not seen her," Adesina told reporters.
He added that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who is acting president while President Muhammadu Buhari is on sick leave, informed senior ministers of the rescue at the weekly cabinet meeting.
Presidential aide Bashir Ahmad also confirmed the rescue on Twitter, saying the girl was "found by Nigerian troops while she was escaping from captivity".
The schoolgirl is believed to have been among the 276 pupils seized by Boko Haram from a government school in the town of Chibok in April 2014.
Fifty-seven escaped in the immediate aftermath. Of the 219 who did not manage to flee, 106 have either been released or found, leaving 112 still missing.
The government has said that talks for the release of the remaining schoolgirls still missing are under way.
The abduction drew international attention to the armed group, while the Nigerian government's failure to act quickly to free the girls spurred a global Bring Back Our Girls movement.
About 2,000 girls and boys have been abducted by Boko Haram since 2014, with many used as sex slaves, fighters and even suicide bombers, according to Amnesty International.
Some 20,000 people have been killed and about 2.3 million displaced since Boko Haram started its armed campaign in 2009.
Wednesday, May 17, 2017
Suicide bombers kill two in northeast Nigeria
Three female suicide bombers killed two people and injured six others in an attack on a village in northeast Nigeria's Borno state, a police spokesman said on Tuesday.
Nobody has claimed responsibility for the attack but it bears the hallmarks of Islamist militant group Boko Haram, whose heartland is Borno and which often uses women for suicide attacks.
Borno state police spokesman Victor Isuku said the bombers detonated their explosives on Monday night in Mandarari Ward, Konduga Local Government Area, some 36 km (22 miles) from state capital Maiduguri, at about 9:30 p.m. (2030 GMT).
Although Nigeria's army has pushed out Boko Haram from most of a swathe of land in the north that it controlled at the start of 2015, suicide attacks and gun raids in some parts of Borno have increased since the end of the rainy season late last year.
The military says the start of the rainy season in a few weeks' time will probably reduce the militants' movement and activity.
Boko Haram has killed more than 20,000 people and forced more than 2 million to flee their homes since 2009 in an insurgency aimed at creating an Islamic caliphate in the northeast of Africa's most populous nation.
Nobody has claimed responsibility for the attack but it bears the hallmarks of Islamist militant group Boko Haram, whose heartland is Borno and which often uses women for suicide attacks.
Borno state police spokesman Victor Isuku said the bombers detonated their explosives on Monday night in Mandarari Ward, Konduga Local Government Area, some 36 km (22 miles) from state capital Maiduguri, at about 9:30 p.m. (2030 GMT).
Although Nigeria's army has pushed out Boko Haram from most of a swathe of land in the north that it controlled at the start of 2015, suicide attacks and gun raids in some parts of Borno have increased since the end of the rainy season late last year.
The military says the start of the rainy season in a few weeks' time will probably reduce the militants' movement and activity.
Boko Haram has killed more than 20,000 people and forced more than 2 million to flee their homes since 2009 in an insurgency aimed at creating an Islamic caliphate in the northeast of Africa's most populous nation.
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
Video - UNICEF children's trauma project yields positive results
Nigeria has made massive gains against Boko Haram in the country's north-east. But the aftermath of the insurgency has forced millions of children out of school and left hundreds of thousands orphaned. Aid agencies like UNICEF are looking at creative ways of helping young people cope with their trauma. Here's Kelechi Emekalam again with one forum that's producing amazing results.
Monday, May 15, 2017
Victor Moses gets new endorsement deal
While Moses who has had an amazing season is making it count on the pitch, he is also making a fortune for himself off the pitch as he has just sealed an endorsement with Opera Mini, which has named the Chelsea star as an ambassador.
It is understood that Moses will be featured in the new Opera Mini TV commercial as well as a range of collaborative projects extending throughout 2018.
“Football is one of the most popular types of content consumed by Opera Mini users throughout Africa,” says Jørgen Arnesen, Global Head of Marketing and Distribution at Opera. “Victor Moses is a perfect match for Opera, being not only a high performer but also a great role model and natural ambassador of his home country Nigeria.”
Speaking of his choice as a brand ambassador for Opera Mini, Victor Moses states, “I am proud to be in partnership with Opera and am looking forward to working together. The Opera team have taken me through their plans and vision for the brand in the Nigerian market and it’s made me incredibly excited about the future. I’m delighted to be a part of such a groundbreaking campaign.”
Opera recently launched its first nationwide TV and radio commercials to announce a faster and more affordable internet experience with the Opera Mini browser.
Already airing in South Africa and Kenya, there will be a special version for Nigeria. Victor Moses will literally be challenging his on-field speed against Opera Mini’s.
It is not clear how much the deal is worth.
Friday, May 12, 2017
Video - Nigeria to boost budget by 21%
Nigeria’s lawmakers approved to boost spending by 21 percent this year to help the West African economy recover from its worst slump in 25 years.
The Senate, led by its President Bukola Saraki, agreed on Thursday in the capital, Abuja, to increase spending this year to 7.4 trillion naira ($23 billion). That compares to a budget of 7.3 trillion naira that President Muhammadu Buhari proposed on Dec. 14. The House of Representatives, the National Assembly’s lower chamber, approved it earlier Thursday.
Nigeria’s economy, which vies with South Africa’s to be the largest on the continent, shrunk by 1.5 percent last year, the first contraction since 1991, after revenue from oil, its biggest export, fell by almost half. About 30 percent of the budget will be spent on roads, rail, ports and power to help stimulate business activity.
The government should implement the budget quickly “to boost the economy and take it out of recession,” Michael Famoroti, an economist at Lagos-based Vetiva Capital Management, said by phone. Spending on capital projects to promote exports and in the oil-producing Niger delta region, is expected in the second half of the year, he said.
The spending plans assume daily production of 2.2 million barrels of crude oil sold at $42.5 per barrel, and an exchange rate of 305 naira per dollar, according to budget documents. This was unchanged from Buhari’s proposal, the chairman of the Senate’s Committee on Appropriations, Danjuma Goje, told lawmakers.
The government’s oil-production target may be reached in the second half of the year as “oil revenue is expected to be strong,” according to Famoroti. If non-oil revenue doesn’t increase, Nigeria might face “another under-performance of the budget.”
Foreign-currency shortages in the country forced the central bank to introduce multiple exchange rates, with the main rate at 315 naira per dollar, more than 20 percent cheaper than the street price.
The two chambers of Parliament debate and approve spending plans separately before harmonizing their proposals into a single document sent to the president to sign into law. Buhari’s deputy, now acting President Yemi Osinbajo, might sign the bill in the absence of his boss, who flew to London on May 8 for treatment of an undisclosed ailment. The 74 year-old leader’s ill health has fueled concern about his ability to rule Africa’s most-populous nation of 180 million people.
Like last year, Nigeria delayed approving the budget by more than four months.
The budget’s passage paves the way for the government to borrow 2.3 trillion naira, 46 percent of which will be from abroad, to help plug this year’s fiscal deficit at 2.18 percent of gross domestic product. Buhari asked lawmakers on April 27 to approve the borrowing of $7 billion from China and the World Bank to build railroads and help recovery of northeastern Nigeria. The region has been adversely affected by Jihadist group Boko Haram’s insurgency.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)