Author: Faith Daniel

The Federal Government has approved the purchase of two new communication satellites to boost Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and support President Bola Tinubu’s plan to grow the economy to $1tn. The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Mr Bosun Tijani, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja at a press conference to mark Global Privacy Day 2026, organised by the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC). Tijani said the approval marked a significant shift in Nigeria’s digital strategy, noting that the country currently stands out in West Africa for lacking active communication satellites — a gap the new assets are expected to address.…

Africa, the second-largest continent in the world, is undergoing a significant and gradual transformation that could shape its future geography for millions of years. The East African Rift, a geological feature running from the Red Sea down to Mozambique, is slowly pulling the continent apart. Over millions of years, this rift is expected to split Africa into two separate landmasses, potentially giving birth to a new ocean. While this may seem like a distant event, the geological processes are already underway. In this article, we explore the science behind Africa’s slow split, the potential impacts on geography, ecosystems, and society,…

Rwanda has launched an arbitration case against the United Kingdom, saying it is owed more than $130m under a cancelled asylum agreement. In a filing with the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, the East African country says Britain breached the terms of a “migration partnership” signed in 2022. Under the deal, the UK agreed to pay Rwanda to accept asylum seekers and migrants who arrived in Britain illegally. The policy was introduced by a Conservative government but was scrapped by Prime Minister Keir Starmer after he took office in 2024. Rwanda says it agreed to waive future payments…

Sudan’s gold industry, a major source of foreign currency, is struggling as conflict, damaged infrastructure, and broken trade ties take their toll. Gold prices are at record highs, but Sudanese traders are missing out. Sudan is one of Africa’s top gold producers and exporters, but ongoing fighting and trade disruptions have hit the industry hard. “The current market is incredibly difficult. It’s a heavy blow to the gold sector,” said Mohammed Al-Sawakni, head of the Gold Industry Association in Sudan’s Red Sea State. Most gold mining in Sudan is still done by traditional methods. Since the conflict began, insecurity has…

American streamer and YouTuber IShowSpeed is finishing a 28-day tour of Africa to showcase the continent’s cultural diversity, often overshadowed by negative media. “I’ve done so many incredible things in my life,” he said in Botswana. “But this trip is different. It opened my eyes. Africa is not what I thought.” The tour started in Angola in late December and included 19 countries across southern, eastern, and North Africa. He attended the Africa Cup of Nations final in Morocco on January 18, celebrated Senegal’s soccer victory with fans, and visited Nigeria, where he marked his 21st birthday and hit 50…

JOHANNESBURG: The African Union’s ratings watchdog has warned that any future credit assessments issued by Fitch Ratings on Afreximbank could mislead investors, after the pan-African lender cut ties with the agency. Afreximbank, formally known as the African Export-Import Bank, said last week it had ended its relationship with Fitch, citing concerns over the quality of the agency’s analytical approach. In a statement issued on Monday, the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) said it viewed the bank’s decision as justified, adding that any subsequent ratings from Fitch would be unsolicited and non-participatory. “Any future ratings issued by Fitch in respect of…

…14 power plants sign debt settlements Nigeria raised N501 billion in its first bond sale dedicated to clearing power sector debts, achieving full subscription as President Bola Tinubu’s administration moves to address payment arrears that have choked electricity generation for over a decade. The inaugural tranche under the Presidential Power Sector Debt Reduction Programme closed Tuesday with participation from pension funds, banks and asset managers, according to Olu Arowolo Verheijen, special adviser to the President on Energy. The issuance comprised N300 billion from capital markets and N201 billion in bonds allocated directly to power generation companies. The programme targets 14…

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has made public the full identities of 16 Nigerian Armed Forces personnel accused of involvement in an alleged coup plot against President Bola Tinubu. The officers were indicted by a Special Investigative Panel, which accused them of grave misconduct, including reportedly conspiring to remove Tinubu’s administration from power. Speaking on Monday, the Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, confirmed that the panel had completed its probe and determined that several of the officers had questions to answer regarding their conduct. Uba stated that the implicated personnel will now be tried before a military Court…

Several Nigerian military officers are expected to appear before a military tribunal after being accused of planning to remove President Bola Tinubu from office, according to a statement from the armed forces. The case stems from the arrest of 16 officers in October last year. At the time, the military described their actions as misconduct and violations of service rules, while firmly rejecting speculation that there had been an attempted coup. Following a subsequent investigation, authorities have now confirmed that some of those detained will face a military judicial panel. Nigeria’s history of military rule has made any suggestion of…

Nigeria’s oil industry has received a renewed lift after the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited announced a fresh crude oil discovery at the Awodi-07 appraisal and exploration well in the western Niger Delta, further cementing the country’s status as Africa’s dominant oil-producing nation. The discovery at Awodi-07 marks a significant development for Nigeria’s upstream sector, reinforcing its leadership role within the continent’s energy landscape. Findings from the well indicate the presence of multiple hydrocarbon-bearing reservoirs, prompting plans for additional exploration by the joint venture operated by NNPC Limited and Chevron Nigeria Limited. Nigeria’s crude output has been on a…