Nigeria's suspected coup plotters deny treason charges

Six people, including a retired major general and a serving police inspector, have pleaded not guilty to plotting a coup to overthrow Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu.

The defendants appeared at the Federal High Court in the capital, Abuja, where they were ordered to remain in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria's domestic spy agency.

A seventh person - a former governor and one-time oil minister, Timipre Sylva - has also been named as a conspirator but court documents said he was still at large.

Rumours of the coup plot surfaced when the government abruptly cancelled a planned military parade to mark Nigeria's 65th Independence Anniversary on 1 October 2025.

At the time, officials cited security threats - but speculation quickly linked the cancellation to a possible coup plot.

The military initially denied the reports, but in January it announced that 16 officers were to be tried before a military court for attempting to oust the president.

Those to go on trial at the Federal High Court on charges of treason, terrorism and money laundering are civilians or retired military personnel alleged to have been part of the plot.

Sylva, who served as petroleum minister from 2019 to 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari and was also governor of the oil-rich southern Bayelsa state from 2007 to 2012, denied links to a coup plot after his house was ransacked by investigators last October.

An arrest warrant was issued for him the following month in a separate case launched by the country's anti-corruption agency. At the time his spokesman said the former minister was in the UK for a medical check-up and that the allegations were politically motivated.

The charges were filed by Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi on Tuesday. The six on trial are:

Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, a retired major general
Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, a retired navy captain
Ahmed Ibrahim, a police inspector
Zekeri Umoru, an electrician working at the Presidential Villa
Bukar Kashim Goni, a civilian
Abdulkadir Sani, an Islamic cleric based in Zaria in Kaduna state.

The court scheduled 27 April for bail hearings.

During proceedings on Wednesday, defence lawyers complained of restricted access to their clients, claiming they had been unable to meet them since September 2025 - which would mean they had been arrested ahead of the Independence Day parade.

According to the charge sheet, the six defendants "conspired with one another to levy war against the state to overawe" the president.

The court papers suggest the coup plot was led by Col Mohammed Alhassan Ma'aji, who was arrested along with other alleged accomplices, and is due to go on trial at a military court.

Prosecutors also allege the defendants had prior knowledge of Col Ma'aji's "treasonable act", but failed to inform authorities.

The charges include the suppression of intelligence, with prosecutors alleging the defendants were intent on destabilising the state and had failed to disclose information that could have helped prevent terrorism.

Money-laundering allegations form a significant part of the case - with accusations that money changed hands linked to the financing of terrorism.

Under Nigerian law, treason attracts severe penalties, including life imprisonment.

Nigeria has experienced a period of unbroken civilian rule since 1999.

This case is being closely watched as one of the most significant coup-related prosecutions in recent Nigerian history.

For months, the secrecy and unanswered questions over the alleged coup plot created a fertile ground for rumours, with speculation ranging from wider military involvement to claims of political vendettas.

Journalists and civil society groups repeatedly pressed for clarity, but access to information was limited.

The eventual arraignment of these six men has now brought the matter into open court.

However, questions remain about the scale of the alleged conspiracy and whether more suspects will be charged.

By Mansur Abubakar and Chris Ewokor, BBC

Related story: Nigeria charges six people with treason for plan to overthrow president

Africa’s richest man sees his net worth surge by $3.21 billion

 

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, is emerging as one of Africa's top wealth creators in 2026, with his riches skyrocketing amid significant changes in Nigeria's petroleum sector.

According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Dangote is Africa's third best-performing billionaire this year, with a net worth of $33.2 billion and a year-to-date gain of $3.21 billion.

He trails Natie Kirsh, who has added $5.50 billion despite having a lower net worth of $15.2 billion, and fellow Nigerian Abdulsamad Rabiu, whose wealth has increased by $4.64 billion to $14.8 billion.

Dangote began the year with a net worth of $30.4 billion, making him the 80th richest person in the world at the time.

A month later, the Nigerian billionaire, per the Bloomberg index, saw his net worth rise by $2.79 billion to $32.8 billion, making him the 73rd richest person globally, the same spot he currently occupies.

Dangote's recent increase follows a significant milestone in Nigeria's oil sector.

For the first time in decades, the country has become a net fuel exporter, thanks largely to output from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

According to data from energy analytics firm Kpler, Nigeria exported approximately 44,000 barrels of petrol per day in March 2026, slightly exceeding imports and leaving a surplus.

The refinery's rising presence is already felt across the continent.

In March alone, it sent 12 cargoes of refined petroleum products to Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Tanzania, Ghana, and Togo, totaling 456,000 tons.

This signifies Nigeria's return to regional fuel markets as a supplier rather than a buyer.

However, issues remain as Nigeria imported an estimated 61.7 million barrels of crude oil from the United States between January 2024 and January 2026, totaling approximately $4.9 billions, most of which were purchased by the country’s only working oil refinery.

Beyond fuel, Dangote is diversifying the products he is offering from his refinery to include other petrochemicals.

A recent report showed that the Dangote Refinery is looking into using Honeywell International Inc. technology to produce 400,000 metric tons of linear alkylbenzene, a major ingredient in detergent manufacturing, in a $11.5 billion venture.

Taken together, these developments demonstrate how Dangote's industrial ventures are not only altering Nigeria's energy scene but also fueling his quick rise in global wealth rankings.

By Chinedu Okafor, Business Insider Africa

Nigeria targets $74bn livestock boom to tackle food crisis and inflation

Nigeria’s federal government has set out plans to expand the country’s livestock industry to $74bn over the next decade, positioning the sector as a key lever to address food insecurity, curb inflation, and support economic stability.

The proposal, outlined at the ninth Vanguard Economic Discourse in Lagos, forms part of a broader strategy to revitalise agriculture, which contributes roughly a quarter of Nigeria’s gross domestic product and employs up to 40 per cent of its workforce.

Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, adviser Eustace Iyayi said the government aims to grow the sector from its current estimated value of $32bn to $74bn by 2035 through a 10-pillar transformation plan.

“Agriculture remains central to Nigeria’s economy… yet the country continues to grapple with persistent food insecurity,” Iyayi said.

The urgency of the reforms reflects mounting strain on Nigeria’s food systems. More than 25 million people are at risk of acute food insecurity, according to figures cited at the event, while food inflation has stayed above 30 per cent in recent periods, eroding household incomes.

Although the livestock sector accounts for between five and eight per cent of GDP and about one-third of agricultural output, officials say it remains underperforming. Average daily animal protein intake stands at 7 to 10 grams per person, well below the recommended minimum of 20 grams.

Nigeria has one of Africa’s largest livestock populations, including tens of millions of cattle, sheep, and goats, as well as nearly 700 million poultry birds. However, productivity has been constrained by limited access to quality feed, weak animal health systems, poor genetics, and inadequate infrastructure.

The government’s reform agenda focuses on improving feed and fodder systems, expanding veterinary services, increasing access to finance, and strengthening market infrastructure. Iyayi highlighted high borrowing costs as a major obstacle, warning that current interest rates of 23 to 25 per cent are unsustainable for agricultural investment.

“There is no viable agricultural business with interest rates at 23 to 25 per cent,” he said, calling for single-digit lending rates.

Officials also identified insecurity in farming regions and post-harvest losses, estimated at up to 40 per cent for perishable goods, as critical challenges to be addressed.

Participants at the forum, including international development agencies and local stakeholders, stressed that food security is increasingly tied to broader economic and national stability.

“Food security is no longer just an agricultural issue. It is a pillar of national security and economic resilience,” Iyayi said.

By Segun Adeyemi, Business Insider Africa

Related story: Nigerian meat traders face uncertainty as cattle cost more than cars

Dangote taps Honeywell to expand plastics and detergent petrochems

Nigeria’s Dangote oil refinery has reached a deal with Honeywell to use the U.S. industrial group’s technology to build up production of petrochemicals for plastics and detergents, the companies said, expanding the $20 billion complex’s footprint beyond fuels and making Nigeria less dependent on imports.

The move is part of Dangote’s wider plan to build an integrated petrochemicals business around Africa’s largest refinery, producing industrial and consumer inputs locally while positioning Nigeria as a regional manufacturing hub.

Dangote said on Monday it will use Honeywell UOP’s Oleflex technology to produce an additional 750,000 metric tons a year of propylene at its Lekki refinery, supporting plastics used in packaging, consumer goods and industrial applications.

The refinery will also deploy Honeywell technologies to produce 400,000 tons a year of linear alkylbenzene (LAB), a key ingredient in detergents and cleaning products. Once fully operational, Dangote says its LAB plant is expected to rank among the world’s largest.

Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.

Dangote’s $2 billion petrochemical plant at the Lekki complex near Lagos, situated close to the main refinery and with a 830,000 metric tonne capacity, also began producing polypropylene in March 2025, in 25kg bags for the local market.

Dangote and Honeywell have worked together for years on the main refinery, which currently has capacity of 650,000 barrels per day. Using Honeywell technology, Dangote plans to lift capacity to 1.4 million bpd by 2028, a move that Dangote says would make it the world’s biggest refinery by throughput.

By Isaac Anyaogu, Reuters

Nigeria partners with China to boost egg production

Nigeria is turning to China for support in a major push to scale up egg production and tackle rising food prices. The government plans to build six large industrial poultry farms with Chinese assistance, each capable of producing one million eggs per day.

CGTN Africa