Nigeria halts Christian pilgrimages to Holy Land over Middle East conflict

Nigerian authorities have suspended all pilgrimages to Israel and the occupied West Bank with immediate effect, citing security concerns linked to the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

The decision was announced by the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), the national body responsible for coordinating Christian pilgrimages.

In a statement, the commission said the measure was necessary to prioritise the "safety and comfort" of Nigerian pilgrims.

The conflict has spread across the Middle East following US and Israeli strikes on Iran, which killed the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has responded by launching attacks on Israel and US-allied states in the Gulf.

Many flights to the Middle East have been cancelled, as countries across the region have shut their airspace, leaving passengers stranded.

Rev John Hayab from the Christian Association of Nigeria told the BBC that all of the Nigerian pilgrims in Israel and the West Bank - about 600 - had been evacuated to Jordan and then back to Nigeria since the conflict broke out on Saturday.

The suspension of Christian pilgrimages applies to all state-organised trips as well as those arranged by private tour operators. Officials said the ban would remain in place until the situation in the region stabilises., external

Thousands of Nigerian Christians go on pilgrimages each year to Biblical sites in Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Nazareth. The journeys, often subsidised or coordinated by state governments, are a significant part of Nigeria's religious calendar.

Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, is home to a large Christian population, particularly in the south of the country. The pilgrimages are widely regarded as being spiritually significant, with many saving for years to make the trip.

Easter, which falls in a month, is one of the most popular times for Christians to go to Israel and the West Bank.

Many Nigerian Muslims trying to get to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia for the Umrah, also known as the "lesser" pilgrimage, have also been affected by the cancellation of flights to the region.

Unlike the Hajj, which has fixed dates once a year, the Umrah can be performed at any time and involves a shorter set of religious rites.

Alhaji Zaharaddeen Abubakar is one of those stranded in the northern Nigerian city of Kano after buying plane tickets and securing accommodation in Mecca.

"I wish to be there too but I can't at the moment. I'm still hoping," he told BBC Hausa.

Alhaji Musa Rabi'u Muhammed, head of the Murna travel agency in Kano State, told the BBC: "Some of our people had even boarded planes ready for take-off, but they had to be brought back down, and now they are at home."

By Chris Ewokor and Jean Otalor, BBC

Nigerian doctors suspended over death of Adichie's son

 

Nigeria's medical council has provisionally suspended the director of a private hospital and two other doctors following the death of the 21-month-old son of renowned author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Nkanu Adichie-Esege, one of twins, died on 7 January after complications arose during preparatory medical procedures at Euracare Hospital in Lagos.

The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) investigation panel established a prima facie case of medical negligence against Euracare and Atlantis Hospital over the child’s management.

The three doctors have all been suspended from practising medicine pending the determination of their cases by a disciplinary tribunal.


Dr Munir Bature, publicity secretary for the Nigeria Medical Association, confirmed the suspensions to the BBC.

"What will ultimately happen to those affected will be determined after another panel sits on their case," he said.

He added that they could permanently lose their licences.

The doctors have not commented.

Butare encouraged Nigerians to report any perceived wrongdoing by medical personnel so the council could intervene.

The family of Adichie had accused the hospital of negligence, alleging that medics denied oxygen to her son and administered excessive sedation, which they say led to cardiac arrest.

In a statement, the hospital expressed its "deepest sympathies" over the child's death but denied any wrongdoing.

An inquest into Nkanu's death is due to begin on 14 April at the Yaba Magistrate Court in Lagos.

The coroner will hear from medical experts and hospital representatives to establish the circumstances and cause of death.

The case has sparked a wider debate about patient safety in Nigeria's healthcare system.

Following a public outcry, Nigeria's health ministry admitted there were "systemic challenges" and announced the creation of a national task force on "clinical governance and patient safety" to improve the quality of care.

Adichie is an award-winning writer known for novels including Half of a Yellow Sun and Americanah.

Her 2013 essay We Should All Be Feminists was sampled by Beyoncé on her track Flawless, while the author was named among Time Magazine's 100 most influential people in 2015.

She explores themes around gender and immigration in her works, establishing her as a leading voice in postcolonial feminist literature.

By Mansur Abubakar and Makuochi Okafor, BBC

Related story: Medical negligence claims spark countrywide debate over hospital safety in Nigeria

Death of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s son prompts calls for overhaul of Nigeria’s healthcare sector

‘Nigeria records one suicide every 33 seconds’

An anti-suicide advocacy group, Suicide Is No Solution, yesterday, raised the alarm over Nigeria’s escalating suicide crisis, highlighting that a death occurs every 33 seconds and an estimated 15,000 to 16,000 Nigerians die by suicide annually.

The group warned that the issue required serious attention and should not be trivialised.

Project Coordinator of the group, Mr Toye Arulogun, in a statement, said the figures are part of a wider global concern, with over 95,000 deaths by suicide recorded worldwide in just the first two months of this year.

He said this underlined the urgent need for public awareness and responsible content creation.
Arulogun said: “We have noticed in the last couple of weeks an upswing of reckless and insensitive online content by Nigerian content creators promoting deaths by suicide.

“Most of the content also mentions and displays some brands as suicide tools or agents, thereby pointing anyone with suicide ideation or contemplation to what to use; bringing the name, image and reputation of such brands into disrepute.

“What our content creators should be doing is to come up with skits dissuading Nigerians from killing themselves, no matter the situation, rather than the current wave of self-harm promotion.”

By Adeola Badru, Vanguard

Nigeria loses billions annually to employee fraud report finds

A new report warned that employee fraud costs Nigerian small businesses nearly $7 billion annually. Analysts say internal theft and financial manipulation threaten the stability of MSMEs, which play a critical role in job creation and economic development.

CGTN Africa

Dangote Cement posts record profit of over $700m, targets expansion in South Africa, Ethiopia, and other markets

Nigeria’s Dangote Cement, Africa’s largest cement maker, delivered a historic financial performance in 2025 with profit after tax more than doubling to approximately ₦1.01 trillion naira, or about $743 million at prevailing exchange rates.

This result, released in its audited financials for the year ended 31 December 2025, marks the first time the company has crossed the trillion naira profit milestone, underscoring strong operational performance amid ongoing capacity expansions.

Group revenue climbed more than 20 per cent to ₦4.31 trillion (roughly $3.17 billion), driven by resilient demand across key markets and proactive cost management. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation expanded by more than 40 per cent to ₦1.98 trillion, about $1.45 billion, lifting the company’s EBITDA margin to 46 per cent.

In its home market of Nigeria, EBITDA jumped over 60 per cent to about 1.76 trillion naira, or $1.29 billion, with a margin close to 60 per cent.

The board has proposed a 50 per cent increase in the dividend to ₦45 per share, a move that reflects both confidence in the company’s cash generation and returns to investors. Dangote Cement’s performance comes even as total production volumes edged down marginally to 27.5 million tonnes.

Export volumes, however, rose significantly with Nigerian cement and clinker shipments up nearly 19 per cent to 1.4 million tonnes, including 34 sea shipments to destinations such as Ghana and Cameroon.

Chief Executive Officer Arvind Pathak described 2025 as a “landmark year” for the business, highlighting the strength of the company’s strategic model in the face of modest volume declines.

“Profit after tax crossed the ₦1tn milestone for the first time in our history, more than doubling 2024 performance,” he said, noting that disciplined margin focus and operational efficiency were key drivers.

Pathak also pointed to strategic infrastructure projects that are beginning to pay off. In the third quarter of 2025, Dangote Cement commissioned a three‑million‑tonne‑per‑annum grinding plant in the Ivory Coast, which is part of a broader network that expands the group’s annual capacity to 55 million tonnes.

This facility will boost production capabilities in West Africa and position the group to better meet regional demand through an integrated supply chain.

The company’s export terminals at Apapa and Onne in Nigeria have emerged as strategic assets, underpinning its ambition to reach a combined export target of 10 million tonnes by 2030.

Pathak said progress on logistics efficiency, particularly the adoption of compressed natural gas technology in the company’s transport fleet, is enhancing cost leadership.

The addition of more than 3,000 CNG trucks has reduced fuel costs by more than 60 per cent compared with diesel, embedding structural advantages into the cost base and supporting margin expansion.
Dangote Cement Targets More African Markets

Looking ahead, Dangote Cement plans further capacity roll‑outs and geographical expansion. The company is advancing the 6 million tonnes per annum Itori plant while progressing projects in Ethiopia, Cameroon, South Africa, Zambia, and Senegal.

Pathak described a confident growth trajectory, buoyed by stable macroeconomic conditions, structural reforms, and the operational benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

He said the focus on excellence, margin improvement, and export scaling will sustain performance and value creation for stakeholders.

This strong set of results comes at a time when Nigeria’s broader economic indicators show signs of stabilisation, including easing inflation and relatively steady foreign exchange markets, themes that executives say support the cement maker’s long‑term growth outlook.

By Segun Adeyemi, Business Insider Africa