The government says it has recruited about 2,500 community health workers to promote basic prenatal and antenatal care. According to the UN, one in every 100 pregnant women in Nigeria dies during labour or shortly thereafter.
Thursday, January 29, 2026
Nigeria implements measures to reduce maternal deaths
The government says it has recruited about 2,500 community health workers to promote basic prenatal and antenatal care. According to the UN, one in every 100 pregnant women in Nigeria dies during labour or shortly thereafter.
Ex-Nigeria oil minister in bribery trial spent £2m at Harrods, court hears
Diezani Alison-Madueke, 65, is alleged to have been provided with "a life of luxury in the United Kingdom", including the use of multimillion-pound properties, a chauffeur driven car, travel by private jet, and £100,000 in cash.
Other benefits she allegedly received included £4.6m spent on refurbishing properties in London and Buckinghamshire, the trial at Southwark Crown Court was told.
She denies five counts of accepting bribes and a charge of conspiracy to commit bribery.
Alison-Madueke was minister of petroleum resources between 2010 and 2015 under then-President Goodluck Jonathan.
Jurors were told that over £2m was spent on behalf of Alison-Madueke at Harrods using the payment cards of Nigerian businessman Kolawole Aluko and the debit card of his company Tenka Limited.
The defendant had her own personal shopper at the store, only available to Harrods Rewards Black Tier members who must spend over £10,000 a year, the court heard.
Jurors were also told she lived some of the time in the UK where she was provided with a housekeeper, nanny, gardener and window cleaner.
The salaries and other running costs were paid for by the owners of energy companies who had lucrative contracts with the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the court was told.
"This case is about bribery in relation to the oil and gas industry in Nigeria during the period 2011 to 2015," said Alexandra Healy KC, prosecuting.
"During that time those who were interested in the award and retention of lucrative oil and gas contracts with the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation or its subsidiaries the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company and the Pipelines Product Marketing Company, provided significant financial or other advantages to Alison-Madueke."
Healy added: "It might seem strange to be dealing here in the UK with a case that concerns bribery in relation to the Nigerian oil and gas industry.
"We live in a global society. Bribery and corruption undermine the proper functioning of the global market.
"There is an important public interest in ensuring that conduct in our country does not further corruption in another country."
Jurors were also shown photographs inside a property called The Falls in Gerrard's Cross, Buckinghamshire, which was bought in 2010 by Nigerian businessman Olajide Omokore, owner of a company called Atlantic Energy.
From late 2011 Alison-Madueke allegedly had exclusive use of the house which has a cinema room. The court heard she stayed there three or four times over two years, and spent six weeks at the property writing a book about the president of Nigeria.
She was assisted by a chef and the driver of car whose role included dropping off shopping for Alison-Madueke, whom he knew as "HM" - short for honourable minister.
It was said that this, along with £300,000 worth of refurbishment, was paid for by Tenka Limited. The court was told Aluko also had contracts with state-owned entities that were in the process of securing new oil contracts.
The court heard that between May 2011 and January 2014, £500,000 was also paid in rent for two flats in a block in central London where Alison-Madueke and her mother lived.
Records seized at the Tenka offices in Nigeria show the company settled the bill, it was claimed.
Alison-Madueke sat in the dock besides oil industry executive Olatimbo Ayinde, 54, who is charged with one count of bribery relating to Alison-Madueke and a separate count of bribery of a foreign public official.
Alison-Madueke's brother, former archbishop Doye Agama, 69, is charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and joined the trial by video link for medical reasons.
Ayinde and Agama also deny the charges against them.
The trial – expected to last about 12 weeks - continues.
Oil plays a significant role in Nigeria's economy, but the population at large has not seen the benefits.
It is one of the 13 members of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec), set up to deal with the worldwide supply of oil and its price.
By Steve Swann, BBC
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Nigeria’s oil demand-supply imbalance raises questions about energy transition
Despite being one of Africa’s top oil producers, Nigeria remains heavily reliant on imported petrol. Even with increased domestic refining capacity driven by the Dangote Refinery, over half of the country’s fuel consumption is still sourced from abroad. This mismatch is raising renewed concerns about supply chains, pricing pressures, and the pace of Nigeria’s transition to cleaner energy.
Nigeria's non-oil exports surge to record high of $6.1 billion in 2025
Efforts by the Nigerian government to boost non-oil exports appear to be paying off as new data from the Nigerian Export Promotion Council shows non-oil exports climbed to a record $6.1 billion in 2025. Authorities say the figure marks an 11.5 percent increase from the $5.4 billion recorded in 2024.
Nigerian Army rescues 11 kidnapped persons after 92 days in captivity, foils terrorist escape
The Nigerian Army yesterday said it rescued 11 kidnapped persons during a late-night operation along the Kaduna–Abuja Expressway after foiling an attempt by terrorists to move their captives through a bush route.
The army said the operation, carried out on January 26, 2026, was executed by troops of the Forward Operating Base (FOB), Doka, following intelligence obtained through surveillance.
In a statement, the army said its troops detected armed terrorists attempting to transport their captives through the Gidan Duna–Amale bush track under the cover of darkness.
It added that soldiers launched a swift pursuit using tactical vehicles and motorcycles, forcing the terrorists to abandon the victims and flee into nearby scrubland.
Five adult males, three adult females and three children were rescued during the operation. The army said the victims had been in captivity for 92 days, having been abducted from Gada Mallam Maman Community on October 26, 2025.
“The operation resulted in the successful rescue of five adult males, three adult females, and three children, who had been held in captivity since their abduction from Gada Mallam Maman Community on 26 October 2025,” the statement added.
The army described the operation as a demonstration of its effective use of modern surveillance technology combined with agile ground operations, stressing its commitment to denying criminal elements freedom of movement.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, yesterday announced a renewed alliance between the Nigerian Army and the Taraba State Government in an all-out push against terrorism and other forms of insecurity.
He spoke while receiving the Executive Governor of Taraba State, Agbu Kefas, alongside federal lawmakers and members of the Executive Council of the International Institute for African Defence, Security and Governance during a courtesy visit to Army Headquarters in Abuja.
Lieutenant General Shaibu said the army remained resolute in its constitutional mandate to support civil authorities in maintaining peace and security, noting that Taraba State occupies a strategic position within Nigeria’s security architecture because of its terrain and security dynamics.
He commended Governor Kefas for what he described as decisive leadership and effective coordination with security agencies, adding that the state government’s support — including the donation of land and provision of operational equipment — had served as critical force multipliers, significantly enhancing the tempo, reach and effectiveness of military operations in the region.
By Victor Gbonegun, The Guardian
The army said the operation, carried out on January 26, 2026, was executed by troops of the Forward Operating Base (FOB), Doka, following intelligence obtained through surveillance.
In a statement, the army said its troops detected armed terrorists attempting to transport their captives through the Gidan Duna–Amale bush track under the cover of darkness.
It added that soldiers launched a swift pursuit using tactical vehicles and motorcycles, forcing the terrorists to abandon the victims and flee into nearby scrubland.
Five adult males, three adult females and three children were rescued during the operation. The army said the victims had been in captivity for 92 days, having been abducted from Gada Mallam Maman Community on October 26, 2025.
“The operation resulted in the successful rescue of five adult males, three adult females, and three children, who had been held in captivity since their abduction from Gada Mallam Maman Community on 26 October 2025,” the statement added.
The army described the operation as a demonstration of its effective use of modern surveillance technology combined with agile ground operations, stressing its commitment to denying criminal elements freedom of movement.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, yesterday announced a renewed alliance between the Nigerian Army and the Taraba State Government in an all-out push against terrorism and other forms of insecurity.
He spoke while receiving the Executive Governor of Taraba State, Agbu Kefas, alongside federal lawmakers and members of the Executive Council of the International Institute for African Defence, Security and Governance during a courtesy visit to Army Headquarters in Abuja.
Lieutenant General Shaibu said the army remained resolute in its constitutional mandate to support civil authorities in maintaining peace and security, noting that Taraba State occupies a strategic position within Nigeria’s security architecture because of its terrain and security dynamics.
He commended Governor Kefas for what he described as decisive leadership and effective coordination with security agencies, adding that the state government’s support — including the donation of land and provision of operational equipment — had served as critical force multipliers, significantly enhancing the tempo, reach and effectiveness of military operations in the region.
By Victor Gbonegun, The Guardian
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