EFCC seizes hundreds of homes in huge anti-graft case in Nigeria

Nigeria's anti-graft agency has said it has made its biggest ever seizure of assets, alleged to have been purchased with the proceeds of corruption.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced that it has taken possession of a large housing estate comprising of more than 750 properties in the capital, Abuja.

The agency did not reveal exactly who had owned the land and luxurious homes but its statement said they belonged to a former high-ranking member of government.

The EFCC was set up in 2003 to fight corruption in a country where it is seen as endemic, existing through all government structures.

“The forfeiture of the property... was [in line with the] EFCC’s mandate and policy directive of ensuring that the corrupt and fraudulent do not enjoy the proceeds of their unlawful activities,” the agency said.

Situated on the outskirts of Abuja, passers by have for years wondered who owned the estate covering some 150,000 square metres.

A property expert based in Abuja estimated that the seized assets would be worth tens of millions of dollars on the market.

Corruption remains one of the biggest problems in Nigeria despite succesive governments promising to stop it.

The country is one of the Africa's largest oil producers, but few of its more than 225 million inhabitants have benefited from this wealth.

At the moment there are several graft cases in court involving past or present government officials.

In May this year, a former minister of aviation, Hadi Sirika, appeared in court on corruption charges, along with his daughter and son-in-law.

Sirika was regarded as one of the most powerful ministers in former President Muhammadu Buhari's government.

The EFCC accused him of using his position to give undue advantage to a company linked to his daughter and son-in-law.

The three pleaded not guilty and were released on bail.

By Mansur Abubakar, BBC

Nigeria begins malaria vaccine rollout

Nigeria, the country with the most malaria deaths worldwide, began rolling out a vaccine against the disease for the first time.

The vaccine — which is being administered to children up to five years old, the worst affected population — has an effectiveness rate of 75%, meaning other prevention tools are still necessary.

“We are confident that this vaccine, in combination with other preventative measures, will drastically reduce the burden of malaria in Nigeria,” the World Health Organization’s Nigeria representative earlier said.

Africa accounts for almost the entirety of global malaria deaths, with Nigeria, the continent’s most prosperous nation, representing nearly a third of those in 2022.
Billions of dollars lost every year to malaria

Besides the human toll, estimates suggest Africa loses billions of dollars a year in productivity and health expenses linked to malaria. In turn, a 90% reduction in case incidence by 2030 — part of the Sustainable Development Goal target on malaria — could boost the GDP of malaria-endemic countries by $142.7 billion, according to research conducted by Oxford Economics Africa on behalf of Malaria No More UK. The corresponding increase in international trade would also significantly benefit the global economy, the report added.

Human movement is one of the biggest challenges to eliminating malaria, two scientists noted in The Conversation. Vulnerable populations are also more likely to travel significant distances, and high rates of mobility are associated with greater onward transmission, they wrote. In the US, a combination of public health measures and infrastructure improvements helped to eliminate malaria in the mid-twentieth century. But malaria hospitalizations have increased in recent years as people travel into the country from malaria-endemic areas, according to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

By Mizy Clifton and Jeronimo Gonzalez, Semafor

Regional analysts suggest caution as Nigeria signs new deals with France

Political analysts in Nigeria say the country needs to be careful after signing a series of agreements with France during President Bola Tinubu’s three-day visit to the European country last week.

Tinubu’s three-day visit to France was the first official state visit to Paris by a Nigerian leader in more than two decades.

During the visit, Nigeria and France signed two major deals, including a $300 million pact to develop critical infrastructure, renewable energy, transportation, agriculture and health care in Nigeria.

Both nations also signed an agreement to increase food security and develop Nigeria's solid minerals sector.

Tinubu has been trying to attract investments to boost Nigeria's ailing economy. While many praise his latest deals with France, some critics are urging caution.

The deals come as France looks for friends in West Africa following a series of military coups in countries where it formerly had strong ties — Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

Ahmed Buhari, a political affairs analyst, criticized the partnership.

"Everybody is trying to look for a new development partner that would seemingly be working in their own interest, but obviously we don't seem to be on the same page,” Buhari said. “We're partnering with France, who [has] been responsible for countries like Chad, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso and the likes, and we haven't seen significant developments in those places in the last 100 years."

Abuja-based political analyst Chris Kwaja said France's strained relationships with the Sahelian states do not affect Nigeria.

"That the countries of the Sahel have a fractured relationship with France does not in any way define the future of the Nigeria-France relationship,” Kwaja said. “No country wants to operate as an island. Every country is looking at strategic partnerships and relationships.”

France has a long history of involvement in the Sahel region, including military intervention, economic cooperation and development aid. Critics say the countries associated with France have been grappling with poverty and insecurity.

Eze Onyekpere, economist and founder of the Center for Social Justice, said Nigeria must be wary of any deal before signing.

"It is a little bit disappointing considering the reputation of France in the way they've been exploiting minerals across the Sahel,’ Onyekpere said. “They've been undertaking exploitation in a way and manner that's not in the best interest of those countries. I hope we have good enough checks to make sure that the agreements signed will generally be in the interest of both countries and not a one-sided agreement."

Nigeria is France’s top trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa.

During the president's visit, two Nigerian banks — Zenith and United Bank for Africa — also signed agreements to expand their operations into France.

By Timothy Obiezu, VOA

Video - Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala secures second term at WTO

The former Nigerian finance minister ran unopposed, and the WTO's 166 members agreed by consensus to the proposal to reappoint her. Okonjo-Iweala called on members to adopt a creative approach to deal with the issues that will face the world trading system. Her next term is set to commence on September 1, 2025.

CGTN

Nigeria seeks South Africa's help to join G20, BRICS

The Nigerian government on Monday signaled a desire for South Africa's endorsement to join the G20 and BRICS groups of leading and emerging economies.

Nigeria's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, officially made the request on a trip to Cape Town for bi-annual talks between the two countries, sometimes seen as political and economic rivals.

However, South Africa, which assumed the rotating G20 presidency on Sunday, welcomed the request.

"We will count on Nigeria's wise counsel as we assume this major responsibility," Minister of International Relations Ronald Lamola was quoted by Nigerian news agency NAN as saying.

"Our people expect South Africa and Nigeria, given our common roots, to continue working together and more closely in order that their conditions and prospects are improved and the quality of life enhanced," he added.

At the same summit, known as the Bi-National Commission Meeting (BNC), the two countries pledged closer cooperation in key areas of development such as mining and infrastructure.
 

BRICS account for major share of global GDP

In addition to being a member of the G20 bloc of the world's biggest economies, South Africa was also an early member of the BRICS group of emerging economies meant to offer an alternative to Western dominance. Other members include China, Russia, and India.

According to European Union figures, the BRICS group, which comprises nine nations, now represents about 37% of global GDP. Recently, several other African nations have joined, such as Egypt and Ethiopia.

On Tuesday, Odumegwu-Ojukwu and Lamola are expected to present their draft communique on Nigerian membership of both groups to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Nigerian President Bola Tinubu for their approval.

Earlier this year, President Tinubu announced a series of ambitious reforms that he hopes will diversify Nigeria's oil-dependent economy and revive flagging growth.

By Elizabeth Schumacher, DW