In Nigeria, the governor of Lagos State appealed for calm Wednesday as protesters defied a curfew and attacked police stations in retaliation for injuries and at least one death that followed violent clashes at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos. Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu confirmed a fatality caused by blunt force…
Humanitarian aid workers in Nigeria say that food prices have soared because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the cost is driving hunger in parts of the country that can ill afford yet another challenge. “Everywhere we work the food prices have gone up, in some places they doubled. It means…
The 2020 Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to the World Food Program (WFP) for its efforts to fight hunger, thereby improving the prospects for peace in global conflict zones and prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war. “The coronavirus pandemic has contributed to a strong upsurge in…
A new report from UNCTAD, the United Nations agency on trade and development, finds that African nations are losing an estimated US$88.6 billion every year in illicit financial flows (IFFs) across borders. IFFs are movements of money and assets that are illegal in source, transfer or use. These losses approach…
Alexander Nix, a director of companies linked to the former Cambridge Analytica firm and its role in elections in Kenya, Nigeria and other nations, will serve a seven-year suspension from acting as any firm’s director without court permission. The decision announced Thursday by the British government follows a high-profile investigation…
Social media giant Facebook announced Friday a new office in Lagos, Nigeria, meant to support operations in sub-Saharan Africa. It is expected to be operational next year. The office will be home to several teams for sales, partnerships and communication, as well as becoming the first Facebook office on the…
Back in 2015, Liberia was among the highest-ranked countries in the world with citizens who said they think vaccines are safe, while Ethiopia was atop the list of those whose people said vaccines were important. Morocco, conversely, was among the lowest on both measures. But now, at a time when…
Nigeria’s war on corruption suffered several body blows this month after Ibrahim Magu, the chief of its Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was suspended on suspicion of malfeasance, including collecting bribes and siphoning funds away from the EFCC. A dozen more staff members within the anti-corruption agency were subsequently…
In Nigeria, the Gokada delivery service continues on despite the gruesome murder of CEO Fahim Saleh, whose body was discovered in New York City on Tuesday. “As painful as these last days have been for us, we at Gokada owe it to ourselves and to Fahim’s memory to act and…
Senegal’s capital Dakar is facing yet another water shortage, though this time concerns have been exacerbated by the ongoing Covid-19 epidemic and the greater need for personal hygiene. “How do you wash your hands during a coronavirus crisis when the heat is coming?” Papa Mbodj, the father of a 9-month-old…
Nine Nigerian nationals working aboard the Sendje Berge have been abducted by armed attackers, according to vessel operator BW Offshore. The nine were taken about 4:20 a.m. local time on Thursday, said the company in a statement. The incident happened on the Okwori oil field, located offshore of Bonny Island…
By Adekemi Omotubora COVID-19 is ravishing the world, putting in focus both the public health and economic implications. For a country like Nigeria, hemorrhaging its revenue from oil, the catastrophe of the pandemic also stresses the need to develop a diversified Nigerian economy – and it is a digital economy….
A global expert on soil health who began his research career in Nigeria has been named the recipient of the 2020 World Food Prize. Dr. Rattan Lal, who grew up as a refugee on a smallholder farm in India, received the US$250,000 prize for his work in protecting and improving…
More than 200,000 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed on the African continent, and the sweep of the pandemic is accelerating, according to World Health Organization (WHO). Officials said Thursday the coronavirus count reached the benchmark of 100,000 cases in 98 days, but it then took only 19 days to…
Struggling French automaker Renault is set to cut 15,000 jobs around the world, according to labor leaders who met with company officials Thursday night to discuss the plans before a public announcement expected Friday. The cuts are part of a deal the company hopes will deliver €2 billion in savings…