An armed group has posted a video appearing to show hundreds of people kidnapped from a mosque in Nigeria's Niger State. Sub-Saharan Africa Lead Writer David Lewis explains why the attack is piling pressure on the government of the country.
Thursday, August 27, 2026
Video - A mass kidnapping is testing Nigeria's government
An armed group has posted a video appearing to show hundreds of people kidnapped from a mosque in Nigeria's Niger State. Sub-Saharan Africa Lead Writer David Lewis explains why the attack is piling pressure on the government of the country.
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
Israel donates first batch of ambulances, medical equipment to Nigeria
The Israeli government has donated the first batch of ambulances, medical equipment, and wheelchairs to Nigeria at the Port of Ashdod.
A statement issued Tuesday by Nigerian Ambassador to Israel, Nkechi Ufochukwu, read that the donation was made by Israel’s national emergency medical service, Magen David Adom, on behalf of the Israeli Government and received by Nigeria’s Ambassador.
Speaking during the handover, Ambassador Ufochukwu expressed Nigeria’s gratitude for the timely intervention, stressing that the equipment will significantly strengthen the country’s healthcare delivery system and improve emergency response capacity, especially in underserved communities.
The consignment includes fully equipped ambulances, modern medical devices, and mobility aids such as wheelchairs, which are expected to be deployed to hospitals and emergency centers across Nigeria to support patient care and disaster response efforts.
The gesture, according to the ambassador, underscores the growing partnership between Nigeria and Israel in health, humanitarian aid, and technology transfer.
“The ambulances, for instance, represent more than vehicles or medical equipment; they represent time saved in critical moments of medical emergency. These gifts will support families and save lives. As they begin their journey from Israel to Nigeria, they carry with them a shared commitment to save lives irrespective of race or religion.
“It also reflects Israel’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s efforts to achieve universal health coverage and build a more resilient health system.
“We deeply appreciate Israel’s commitment to saving lives and deepening bilateral ties. This donation is a clear demonstration of friendship and solidarity between our two nations”, Ufochukwu stated.
A statement issued Tuesday by Nigerian Ambassador to Israel, Nkechi Ufochukwu, read that the donation was made by Israel’s national emergency medical service, Magen David Adom, on behalf of the Israeli Government and received by Nigeria’s Ambassador.
Speaking during the handover, Ambassador Ufochukwu expressed Nigeria’s gratitude for the timely intervention, stressing that the equipment will significantly strengthen the country’s healthcare delivery system and improve emergency response capacity, especially in underserved communities.
The consignment includes fully equipped ambulances, modern medical devices, and mobility aids such as wheelchairs, which are expected to be deployed to hospitals and emergency centers across Nigeria to support patient care and disaster response efforts.
The gesture, according to the ambassador, underscores the growing partnership between Nigeria and Israel in health, humanitarian aid, and technology transfer.
“The ambulances, for instance, represent more than vehicles or medical equipment; they represent time saved in critical moments of medical emergency. These gifts will support families and save lives. As they begin their journey from Israel to Nigeria, they carry with them a shared commitment to save lives irrespective of race or religion.
“It also reflects Israel’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s efforts to achieve universal health coverage and build a more resilient health system.
“We deeply appreciate Israel’s commitment to saving lives and deepening bilateral ties. This donation is a clear demonstration of friendship and solidarity between our two nations”, Ufochukwu stated.
By Bridget Chiedu Onochie, The Guardian
Dangote plans to buy ships after struggling to move cement from Nigeria to Ghana
Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, is looking to take greater control of another part of his industrial supply chain, this time by putting his company’s products on its own ships.
Dangote Industries is moving towards acquiring vessels to transport products from Nigeria to markets across West and Central Africa, as limited shipping capacity and the cost of moving goods by road complicate the group’s regional expansion.
Sada Ladan-Baki, head of international trade export at Dangote Cement, disclosed the plan on Tuesday at a seminar on non-oil exports, according to BusinessDay.
“We are moving forward towards getting our own ships in order to do this business,” Ladan-Baki said.
The problem facing the conglomerate is particularly striking given the short distance between some of its markets.
Ladan-Baki said the company was unable to find a vessel to transport a 1,000-metric-tonne shipment from Nigeria to Ghana, highlighting the shortage of readily available shipping capacity for regional trade.
The alternative, moving products by road through neighbouring countries, comes with its own costs.
Dangote said cement transported from Nigeria towards Ghana encounters taxes while passing through countries including Benin and Togo, increasing the final cost and making Nigerian exports less competitive.
The shipping plan could therefore allow the conglomerate to bypass some of those overland barriers while strengthening its control over logistics.
Dangote’s growing dependence on the sea
The move is significant because Dangote’s businesses are becoming increasingly dependent on maritime trade.
Its $20 billion refinery in Lagos is already dramatically changing Nigeria’s seaborne trade. The U.S. Energy Information Administration said this week that Nigeria’s petroleum-product exports by sea have increased seven-fold since 2023, driven primarily by production from the Dangote refinery.
The refinery is also expected to handle about 600 vessels annually, combining ships bringing crude into the facility and those carrying refined products to domestic and international markets.
Last year, the refinery was considering vessel acquisitions as its maritime operations expanded. The latest comments show that the shipping strategy is extending beyond petroleum products to the group’s wider regional export ambitions.
Dangote Cement has operations across several African markets, making transport costs particularly important to the group’s ability to compete across borders.
The company has built a substantial trucking operation to support distribution, but moving heavy commodities such as cement long distances by road can become expensive when fuel costs, border delays and taxes are added.
Owning ships would give Dangote greater control over another section of its supply chain, much as the group has invested in ports, terminals and other infrastructure supporting its cement, fertiliser and refinery businesses.
Nigeria’s shipping gap
The problem also exposes a longstanding weakness in Nigeria’s maritime economy.
Nigeria has struggled to develop a sizeable domestically owned commercial fleet since the collapse of the Nigerian National Shipping Line in 1995. BusinessDay estimates that about $6 billion in annual freight earnings is largely captured by foreign shipping companies.
Dangote would not be the first Nigerian billionaire-led industrial group to respond by buying vessels.
In 2022, BUA Group, controlled by Nigerian billionaire Abdul Samad Rabiu, acquired two vessels to support sugar exports to West African markets and reduce logistics costs.
Nigeria is simultaneously trying to increase local ship ownership through the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund.
The fund was established under the 2003 Cabotage Act to provide financing for Nigerian operators to acquire vessels. The government launched a digital portal for accessing the fund in January 2026 after more than two decades of delays surrounding its disbursement.
Ladan-Baki called for faster access to the fund and greater participation from commercial banks and institutions such as Afreximbank in financing vessel purchases.
For Dangote, however, acquiring ships would do more than solve a Nigerian logistics problem. It could give one of Africa’s largest industrial groups greater control over how cement, fertiliser and potentially other products move between its growing network of African markets.
The move is significant because Dangote’s businesses are becoming increasingly dependent on maritime trade.
Its $20 billion refinery in Lagos is already dramatically changing Nigeria’s seaborne trade. The U.S. Energy Information Administration said this week that Nigeria’s petroleum-product exports by sea have increased seven-fold since 2023, driven primarily by production from the Dangote refinery.
The refinery is also expected to handle about 600 vessels annually, combining ships bringing crude into the facility and those carrying refined products to domestic and international markets.
Last year, the refinery was considering vessel acquisitions as its maritime operations expanded. The latest comments show that the shipping strategy is extending beyond petroleum products to the group’s wider regional export ambitions.
Dangote Cement has operations across several African markets, making transport costs particularly important to the group’s ability to compete across borders.
The company has built a substantial trucking operation to support distribution, but moving heavy commodities such as cement long distances by road can become expensive when fuel costs, border delays and taxes are added.
Owning ships would give Dangote greater control over another section of its supply chain, much as the group has invested in ports, terminals and other infrastructure supporting its cement, fertiliser and refinery businesses.
Nigeria’s shipping gap
The problem also exposes a longstanding weakness in Nigeria’s maritime economy.
Nigeria has struggled to develop a sizeable domestically owned commercial fleet since the collapse of the Nigerian National Shipping Line in 1995. BusinessDay estimates that about $6 billion in annual freight earnings is largely captured by foreign shipping companies.
Dangote would not be the first Nigerian billionaire-led industrial group to respond by buying vessels.
In 2022, BUA Group, controlled by Nigerian billionaire Abdul Samad Rabiu, acquired two vessels to support sugar exports to West African markets and reduce logistics costs.
Nigeria is simultaneously trying to increase local ship ownership through the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund.
The fund was established under the 2003 Cabotage Act to provide financing for Nigerian operators to acquire vessels. The government launched a digital portal for accessing the fund in January 2026 after more than two decades of delays surrounding its disbursement.
Ladan-Baki called for faster access to the fund and greater participation from commercial banks and institutions such as Afreximbank in financing vessel purchases.
For Dangote, however, acquiring ships would do more than solve a Nigerian logistics problem. It could give one of Africa’s largest industrial groups greater control over how cement, fertiliser and potentially other products move between its growing network of African markets.
By Ayodeji Adegboyega, Business Insider Africa
Dangote refinery boosts Nigeria’s petroleum product exports
The startup and incremental expansion of Dangote Group's integrated Lekki refinery has sharply increased Nigeria's refining capacity, supporting reduced imports and expanded exports to Europe and Africa, positioning Nigeria as a vital supplier amid global supply disruptions.
Nigeria’s seaborne petroleum product exports have surged since the startup and expansion of Dangote Industries Ltd. (Dangote Group) subsidiary Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals Co.'s (DRPC) integrated refining and petrochemical complex in southwestern Nigeria’s Lekki Free Trade Zone, in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, increasing the country’s role as a regional and international supplier as refined-product markets face supply constraints elsewhere.
Nigeria’s seaborne petroleum product shipments averaged 561,000 b/d in the second quarter of 2026, up nearly sevenfold from an annual average of 79,000 b/d in 2023, according to data from Vortexa Analytics cited by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). Exports accounted for about 350,000 b/d of the quarterly total, compared with 46,000 b/d in 2023.
The increase has been driven primarily by DPRC's complex, which began operations in January 2024 and has significantly expanded Nigeria’s domestic refining capacity. The refinery’s impact has become more pronounced following maintenance and expansion work completed in February 2026.
The February 2026 work increased DRPC’s crude distillation capacity to 700,000 b/d from 650,000 b/d. Higher refinery runs, combined with disruptions to petroleum product flows through the Strait of Hormuz, helped push Nigeria’s total seaborne product shipments higher during second-quarter 2026.
The increase in domestic refining has also reduced Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products. Seaborne imports averaged less than 130,000 b/d in second-quarter 2026, down sharply from nearly 400,000 b/d in 2023.
At the same time, Intra-Nigerian shipments increased to 211,000 b/d in second-quarter 2026, compared with 81,000 b/d in 2025 and 33,000 b/d in 2023. The growing domestic distribution network has allowed Dangote to supply more products to parts of the country that previously depended on imports.
Before DRPC's complex came online, Nigeria’s existing state-owned refineries collectively shipped less than 100,000 b/d of petroleum products to domestic and international destinations, EIA said.
Nigeria’s seaborne petroleum product exports have surged since the startup and expansion of Dangote Industries Ltd. (Dangote Group) subsidiary Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals Co.'s (DRPC) integrated refining and petrochemical complex in southwestern Nigeria’s Lekki Free Trade Zone, in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, increasing the country’s role as a regional and international supplier as refined-product markets face supply constraints elsewhere.
Nigeria’s seaborne petroleum product shipments averaged 561,000 b/d in the second quarter of 2026, up nearly sevenfold from an annual average of 79,000 b/d in 2023, according to data from Vortexa Analytics cited by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). Exports accounted for about 350,000 b/d of the quarterly total, compared with 46,000 b/d in 2023.
The increase has been driven primarily by DPRC's complex, which began operations in January 2024 and has significantly expanded Nigeria’s domestic refining capacity. The refinery’s impact has become more pronounced following maintenance and expansion work completed in February 2026.
The February 2026 work increased DRPC’s crude distillation capacity to 700,000 b/d from 650,000 b/d. Higher refinery runs, combined with disruptions to petroleum product flows through the Strait of Hormuz, helped push Nigeria’s total seaborne product shipments higher during second-quarter 2026.
The increase in domestic refining has also reduced Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products. Seaborne imports averaged less than 130,000 b/d in second-quarter 2026, down sharply from nearly 400,000 b/d in 2023.
At the same time, Intra-Nigerian shipments increased to 211,000 b/d in second-quarter 2026, compared with 81,000 b/d in 2025 and 33,000 b/d in 2023. The growing domestic distribution network has allowed Dangote to supply more products to parts of the country that previously depended on imports.
Before DRPC's complex came online, Nigeria’s existing state-owned refineries collectively shipped less than 100,000 b/d of petroleum products to domestic and international destinations, EIA said.
Europe, Africa as key markets
Nigeria’s rising product availability has also translated into higher exports to overseas markets.
Seaborne petroleum product exports from Nigeria to Europe averaged 130,000 b/d in second-quarter 2026, more than three times the 40,000 b/d recorded in 2025 and nearly nine times the 15,000 b/d average in 2023.
Exports to other African countries also increased, reaching nearly 120,000 b/d in second-quarter 2026, compared with 89,000 b/d in 2025.
The increase comes at a time when petroleum product supplies from several other regions have been constrained. Disruptions to flows through the Strait of Hormuz have added to the need for alternative sources of refined products, creating additional opportunities for Nigeria’s growing refining sector.
Dangote Group plans to expand the refinery further by adding a second 750,000-b/d crude distillation unit by 2028, which would substantially increase the complex’s potential contribution to Nigeria’s domestic market and international product trade.
Nigeria’s rising product availability has also translated into higher exports to overseas markets.
Seaborne petroleum product exports from Nigeria to Europe averaged 130,000 b/d in second-quarter 2026, more than three times the 40,000 b/d recorded in 2025 and nearly nine times the 15,000 b/d average in 2023.
Exports to other African countries also increased, reaching nearly 120,000 b/d in second-quarter 2026, compared with 89,000 b/d in 2025.
The increase comes at a time when petroleum product supplies from several other regions have been constrained. Disruptions to flows through the Strait of Hormuz have added to the need for alternative sources of refined products, creating additional opportunities for Nigeria’s growing refining sector.
Dangote Group plans to expand the refinery further by adding a second 750,000-b/d crude distillation unit by 2028, which would substantially increase the complex’s potential contribution to Nigeria’s domestic market and international product trade.
By Conglin Xu, Oil & Gas Journal
More than 50 children die in diphtheria outbreak in northwestern Nigeria
More than 50 children have died from a diphtheria outbreak in Rano Local Government Area of Nigeria’s northwestern Kano state, a state lawmaker said Tuesday, urging authorities to step up efforts to contain the disease.
Ibrahim Malami, who represents Rano Constituency in the Kano State House of Assembly, raised the alarm during a motion of urgent public importance, saying the outbreak had severely affected communities in Rurum Ward, including Rurum A, Rurum B and Sabuwar Kaura.
He said the local government’s medical department had launched emergency measures, while his office had provided medicines to support the response.
Malami called on Kano Gov. Abba Kabir Yusuf and state health authorities to deploy additional medical personnel, medicines and other emergency assistance to the affected communities.
“We want to inform the Governor and the Commissioner for Health to send further emergency aid to the region because the disease has spread heavily in that area,” Malami said.
Another lawmaker, Usman Abubakar Tasiu, representing Kiru Constituency, warned that the outbreak had spread beyond Rano, with cases also reported in Kwanar Dangora, Garin Dangora and Yelwa communities in neighboring Kiru Local Government Area.
The state Assembly subsequently adopted a resolution urging immediate government intervention and tasked its health committee with coordinating with the state Health Ministry to ensure emergency measures are implemented in the affected areas.
Diphtheria is a highly contagious bacterial infection that can cause severe illness and death, particularly among unvaccinated children. Nigeria’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention advises parents to ensure children receive the recommended three doses of the pentavalent vaccine, which protects against diphtheria, at 6, 10 and 14 weeks of age.
Nigeria has faced recurring diphtheria outbreaks in recent years, with Kano among the states hardest hit. The World Health Organization said Kano accounted for the majority of suspected cases during a major nationwide outbreak in 2023.
The latest deaths underscore ongoing challenges in vaccination coverage, disease surveillance and access to timely treatment as Nigerian authorities work to contain diphtheria outbreaks.
Ibrahim Malami, who represents Rano Constituency in the Kano State House of Assembly, raised the alarm during a motion of urgent public importance, saying the outbreak had severely affected communities in Rurum Ward, including Rurum A, Rurum B and Sabuwar Kaura.
He said the local government’s medical department had launched emergency measures, while his office had provided medicines to support the response.
Malami called on Kano Gov. Abba Kabir Yusuf and state health authorities to deploy additional medical personnel, medicines and other emergency assistance to the affected communities.
“We want to inform the Governor and the Commissioner for Health to send further emergency aid to the region because the disease has spread heavily in that area,” Malami said.
Another lawmaker, Usman Abubakar Tasiu, representing Kiru Constituency, warned that the outbreak had spread beyond Rano, with cases also reported in Kwanar Dangora, Garin Dangora and Yelwa communities in neighboring Kiru Local Government Area.
The state Assembly subsequently adopted a resolution urging immediate government intervention and tasked its health committee with coordinating with the state Health Ministry to ensure emergency measures are implemented in the affected areas.
Diphtheria is a highly contagious bacterial infection that can cause severe illness and death, particularly among unvaccinated children. Nigeria’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention advises parents to ensure children receive the recommended three doses of the pentavalent vaccine, which protects against diphtheria, at 6, 10 and 14 weeks of age.
Nigeria has faced recurring diphtheria outbreaks in recent years, with Kano among the states hardest hit. The World Health Organization said Kano accounted for the majority of suspected cases during a major nationwide outbreak in 2023.
The latest deaths underscore ongoing challenges in vaccination coverage, disease surveillance and access to timely treatment as Nigerian authorities work to contain diphtheria outbreaks.
By Kabir Adeniyi, AA
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