Tanzania has dismissed a World Health Organisation report of a suspected new outbreak of the Ebola-like Marburg virus in the north-west of the country. Tanzania's Health Minister Jenista Mhagama says after samples were analysed, all suspected cases were found negative for Marburg virus. Tanzania experienced its first Marburg outbreak in March 2023 in the Bukoba district. It killed six people and lasted for nearly two months. The highly infectious disease is similar to Ebola, with symptoms includ...
Jan 22, 2025•1 min
The FCT Minister Nyesom Wike says Vandals who damaged and stole transmission cables throwing the Federal Capital Territory into darkness will learn their lessons. He says the arrested persons would not be charged with stealing but economic sabotage. The minister says the vandals are threatening the stability of the nation’s capital city and would be punished severely for the crime. Wike urged FCT residents to be involved in the policing of the nation’s capital by reporting suspicious activities....
Jan 22, 2025•51 sec
The World Bank has pledged $500 million to Nigeria’s ambitious 90,000km fibre optic project by Q3 2025. This contribution, while significant, covers only part of the $3.2 billion required for the project. A coalition of development finance institutions (DFIs), including the Islamic Development Bank and the African Development Bank, have also expressed financial commitment. Minister of Communications, Technology, and Innovation Bosun Tijani has continued attracting financial backers, showing grow...
Jan 22, 2025•1 min
European foreign ministers have agreed to meet at the end of January to discuss lifting sanctions on Syria as foreign ministers and top diplomats from Western countries and the Middle East convened in Saudi Arabia in the first such regional meeting since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad last month. Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, says that the foreign ministers would convene in Brussels on January 27 to probe how the 27-member bloc might approach the issue. Saudi Ara...
Jan 13, 2025•1 min
The country’s headline inflation for December 2024 slowed to about 24.1%, down from 25.1% in November. December’s figure was the lowest since 2022. The latest inflation rate has raised hopes of the first interest rate cut since 2022. The Central Bank of Egypt has held its interest rates since March 2024. The Egyptian government also agreed to cost-cutting measures, including the gradual removal of fuel subsidies and divestment from state-owned enterprises. The government recently sold 30% of its...
Jan 13, 2025•1 min
Nigeria’s justice ministry says close to $53m in alleged illicit funds recovered from Nigeria's former oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke will be used to fund public services. The money is being sent back to Nigeria from the US, whose authorities allege that Alison-Madueke enriched herself, and others, while leading Nigeria's state oil firm by awarding contracts in exchange for bribes. The US alleged that the money was then used to buy a 65-metre superyacht called the Galactica Star plus multip...
Jan 13, 2025•1 min
The President of the African Development Bank, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, says Nigeria has secured $7.6bn in investment interests at the Africa Investment Forum 2024, which took place in Rabat, Morocco, from December 4 to 6, 2024. He expressed optimism about the potential impact of the investment interests, highlighting the presence of several Nigerian state governors at the forum The forum facilitated $29.2bn in total investment interests for various African projects, ranging from energy and infrastr...
Jan 13, 2025•1 min
The Federal Government has approved four airlines as official air carriers for pilgrims of the 2025 Hajj. The Executive Chairman, of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Prof. Abdullahi Usman says the four airlines were selected out of the 11 companies that submitted applications to transport Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for Muslim pilgrimage. He says the four approved airlines are Air Peace Ltd., Fly-Nas, a Saudi Arabia-designated airline, Max Air, and UMZA Aviation Services Ltd. He st...
Jan 13, 2025•1 min
Syria’s new Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani has called on the United States to lift crippling sanctions on his country, as he visited Qatar as part of a regional trip to seek support after the fall of Bashar al-Assad. He says these sanctions constitute a barrier and an obstacle to the rapid recovery and development of the Syrian people who await services and partnerships from other countries. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry says that the Gulf country’s premier also met with Syria’s Defence Mi...
Jan 06, 2025•1 min
Somalia's foreign minister says the diplomatic dispute between Ethiopia and Somalia that had led to tense regional relations has been resolved. Ahmed Moalim Fiqi's says Somalia had made no concessions. Ethiopia has not commented on the Somali claim, but said the two countries had agreed to "strengthen bilateral relations". Ethiopia has thousands of troops stationed in Somalia which are not part of the AU force and it has not been clear what role they will play in the future. Somalia's foreign mi...
Jan 06, 2025•58 sec
Outgoing President Nana Akufo-Addo says All African passport holders are now able to visit Ghana without needing a visa. He announced the plan last month but in his final state-of-the-nation address he said that the policy had come into effect at the beginning of the year. Visa-free travel within the continent has long been an aspiration for those promoting pan-African values and is seen as vital for economic cooperation. Ghana is now the fifth African country to offer this to travellers from th...
Jan 06, 2025•1 min
The Federal Government has increased the allocation to group life assurance by 80 per cent in the proposed Appropriation Bill for 2025. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, revealed that the N9.6bn was for 12 local insurance firms to cover the federal workers in case of unforeseen eventualities in the course of their duties. N17.31bn was allocated to group life assurance for all MDAs (including the Department of State Services/insurance of sensitive assets/member...
Jan 06, 2025•1 min
The military has expressed determination to explore ways to harness the skills of law-abiding citizens engaged in the local production of firearms and military-grade equipment even as it is committed to putting an end to the production and circulation of illegal arms in the country. Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, reiterated that additional resources, including advanced weaponry, vehicles, and welfare improvements were on the way to enhance their operational capabilities furthe...
Jan 06, 2025•1 min
Malawi's government is demanding the astonishing sum of $309bn in unpaid taxes and royalties from a US-based gemstone company for rubies exported from the southern African state over the last 10 years. Columbia Gem House, a family-owned business which says that it upholds fair trade practices, dismissed the claim as "baseless and defamatory". Attorney General Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda says the government is also demanding $4bn from French gas giant TotalEnergies in unpaid revenue from an oil storag...
Dec 27, 2024•1 min
The net foreign exchange inflow to the Nigerian economy in the third quarter of the year decreased by 2.97 per cent to $14.46bn from $14.89bn in the preceding quarter. The Central Bank of Nigeria in its third-quarter economic report reports that on a quarter-on-quarter basis, net foreign exchange in the third quarter decreased by 2.97 per cent however compared to the third quarter of 2023, net foreign inflow had increased by 75.91 per cent from $8.22bn to $14.46bn. In Q3, foreign exchange inflow...
Dec 27, 2024•1 min
The Federal Government lifted the ban on mining activities in Zamfara State five years later. The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, stated that Nigeria has much to gain from reawakened economic activities in a highly mineralised state like Zamfara imbued with vast gold, Lithium, and copper belts. The minister explained that the previous ban, which was well-intentioned, inadvertently created a vacuum exploited by illegal miners to fleece the nation of its resources. He also emph...
Dec 27, 2024•58 sec
South Korea's constitutional court has begun trial proceedings for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was suspended for declaring martial law and plunging his country into political turmoil. The court now has six months to decide whether to remove Yoon or reinstate him. Yoon's ruling People Power Party (PPP) has been grappling with the fallout ever since, with its leader announcing his resignation. While public hearings for Yoon's impeachment trial could take months, the court is un...
Dec 17, 2024•1 min
Three West African states ruled by military leaders have announced visa-free travel and residency rights for citizens in the 15-member regional bloc Ecowas, ahead of the trio leaving the group. The leaders of the states - Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger - said the visa and residency decision had been taken in the spirit of friendship, and to strengthen centuries-old ties among African people. The trio plan to withdraw from Ecowas in January after refusing the bloc's demand to restore democratic rul...
Dec 17, 2024•1 min
The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, has secured over $600m in foreign agricultural loans in 2024 to boost food security and rural development. The government obtained a $134m loan facility from the African Development Bank to enhance seed and grain production nationwide. The Federal Government, through the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project, secured a $500m loan from the World Bank bringing the fund to $634m. Become a supporter of this podc...
Dec 17, 2024•55 sec
President of the ECOWAS Commission Omar Touray says Nigeria has paid its accrued debt to the Economic Community of West African States, totaling ₦85 billion. He says while the community had suffered a slow response from member states in remitting their levies, Nigeria, under the leadership of President Tinubu, had cleared its levies from 2023 to date. Touray says this is the first time in 19 years that Nigeria will pay 100% of its ECOWAS levy. The ECOWAS President also lauded President Bola Tinu...
Dec 17, 2024•59 sec
President-elect Donald Trump says he would have to deport all undocumented immigrants in the United States, as he doubled down on his hardline campaign pledges including ending birthright citizenship. He insist he would end birthright citizenship — enshrined in the US Constitution — “if we can, through executive action,” calling it “ridiculous.” Trump also says he would absolutely consider leaving NATO if allies didn’t pay their bills. He says they have to pay their bills, saying he would absolu...
Dec 13, 2024•57 sec
The chief prosecutor of the South Korea's corruption investigation bureau has ordered a travel ban to be imposed on President Yoon Suk Yeol, who is currently under investigation in the wake of his shock martial law declaration last week. Travel bans have also been imposed on several senior officials in Yoon's administration. Tens of thousands of people had come out in protest since the short-lived martial law order, calling for Yoon's resignation or impeachment. But a vote to impeach Yoon failed...
Dec 13, 2024•1 min
Islamist-led rebels declared that they had taken Damascus in a lightning offensive on Sunday, sending President Bashar al-Assad fleeing and ending five decades of Baath rule in Syria. Residents in the Syrian capital were seen cheering in the streets of Damascus, as the rebel factions heralded the departure of “tyrant” Assad and “declared the city of Damascus free”. The president’s reported departure comes less than two weeks since the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group launched its campaign cha...
Dec 13, 2024•1 min
Burkina Faso's military ruler Capt Ibrahim Traoré has sacked his Prime Minister Apollinaire Joachim Kyelem de Tambela and dissolved the entire government. The decree did not specify why the prime minister was sacked, but said members of the dissolved government will continue to serve until a new cabinet is appointed. Tambela, a civilian, was named prime minister in 2022, shortly after Ibrahim Traoré seized power in a coup. His dismissal comes barely weeks after another civilian prime minister, C...
Dec 13, 2024•1 min
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority is encouraging aviation passengers to be more informed about their challenges while travelling via airports. NCAA Head of Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, noted that this is the heavy travel season and a lot of travelers need to be properly sensitized about the cause of delays and solutions to the problem. Achimugu stated they are now in the high travel season in aviation and as you know there’s been a lot of flight disruptions as well as a lot of compl...
Dec 13, 2024•1 min
The National Bureau of Statistics says foreign investments in Nigeria’s telecommunications sector fell sharply to $14.4m in the third quarter of 2024, marking an 87 percent decline from the $113.42m recorded in the second quarter. Foreign investments in the sector dropped by $99.02m. The bureau revealed in its capital importation report that the figure reflected a 77 per cent year-on-year drop compared with the $64.05m attracted in 2023. The decline signalled a significant downtrend for the sect...
Dec 13, 2024•1 min
The UN agency providing aid to Palestinians says it is suspending deliveries through the main crossing between Israel and Gaza because of security concerns. The head of Unrwa, Philippe Lazzarini, says two recent convoys had been looted by armed gangs near the Kerem Shalom crossing and called on Israel to maintain law and order. Mr Lazzarini says the road away from the crossing "has not been safe for months", citing the theft of five more lorries on Saturday as well as the incident last month. He...
Dec 02, 2024•1 min
US President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to impose 100% tariffs on a bloc of nine nations if they were to create a rival currency to the US dollar. Major world powers China and Russia are part of the Brics alliance, along with Brazil, India, South Africa, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates. Leading politicians in Brazil and Russia have suggested creating a Brics currency to reduce the US dollar's dominance in global trade. But internal disagreement has slowed any progress. ...
Dec 02, 2024•1 min
Hackers stole $16.8 million from the Bank of Uganda. A group of Asia-based hackers code-named “Waste” accessed the central bank’s IT systems and illicitly transferred the funds in early November. The hacker group sent parts of the money back to Japan and the UK. The bank is questioning several of its employees and the Ministry of Finance. While the Central Bank claims it is recovering the lost funds, the episode continues an uptick in cyber-attacks in Uganda since COVID-19. In 2022, Uganda lost ...
Dec 02, 2024•1 min
The Federal Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Republic of France to promote and diversify the critical mineral value chain in the solid minerals sector. The Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Segun Tomori says the MoU signing was done by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, on the sidelines of President Bola Tinubu’s visit to France. He says Critical minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt, and rare ear...
Dec 02, 2024•1 min
