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Algeria: Macron Heads to Algeria With Energy, Post-Colonial Relations Topping Agenda

French President Emmanuel Macron travels to Algeria on Thursday seeking to soothe festering diplomatic tensions with an increasingly important supplier of gas to Europe in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine. More than 60 years after Algeria’s bitter war of independence, Franco-Algerian relations are still fraught with resentment from the colonial era. Paris ruled […]

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Nigeria: Drop in Nigeria’s Out-of-School Children Population Excites Buhari’s Group

The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has hailed the drop in the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria from 10.5 million to 6.9 million under President Muhammadu Buhari. The group noted that the current figure was contrary to various figures in the media space. The BMO said this in a statement signed by its Chairman, Mr […]

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Sierra Leone – Female Genital Mutilation ‘Amounts to Torture,’ Impunity Must End

UN-appointed independent human rights experts called on Wednesday for stronger measures to prevent and penalize female genital mutilation in Sierra Leone. Following criminal proceedings over the death of a 21-year-old student who was subject to the brutal practice in the Bonthe District, three Special Rapporteurs issued a statement condemning female genital mutilation as “a grave […]

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Nigeria: MTN Launches 5G Trial in Nigeria, Marks Seven Cities for a Start

Lagos, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Abuja, Maiduguri, Kano and Owerri will start MTN 5G services but no date has been disclosed yet. MTN initiated a trial of its 5G technology in the country on Wednesday with seven Nigerian cities targeted for a start when the services launch proper, the wireless operator said in a statement to […]

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Nigeria: African Nations Copied Kano to Scale Up Covid-19 Vaccination – WHO

World Health Organisation (WHO) country representative and head of mission, Dr Walter Malumbo, has revealed how some African countries copied Kano State’s commitment under Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje in scaling-up COVID-19 vaccination. Malumbo spoke yesterday in Kano when he visited the governor in his office. He praised the governor for applying the same strategy to […]

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Nigeria Seeks $10bn Package From International Partners for Energy Transition Plan – Osinbajo

The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has declared that Nigeria is seeking $10 billion from international partners to fund the nation’s new Energy Transition Plan. This was just as the World Bank and the US Exim Bank have pledged to assist Nigeria in its energy renewal efforts with $3 billion. Speaking yesterday in Abuja, at […]

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Nigeria: Artefacts – Oba of Benin’s Representatives, Others to Attend Berlin Humboldt Forum Arts Exhibition

The Humboldt Forum, a museum of art and culture would play host to arts collectors, enthusiasts, and researchers across the globe at the second opening of Humboldt forum in Berlin, Germany. The museum housed non-European collections including thousands of artefacts looted from the palace of Benin Kingdom during the 1897 invasion would be on display […]

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Nigeria: Domestic Airline Operators Accuse Foreign Carriers of Ripping Off Nigerians With Outrageous Fares

The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has accused foreign carriers operating in Nigeria of charging fares at prevalent parallel market foreign exchange naira to dollar rate and at the same time want to blackmail the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to exchange their revenue at the official market rate. Speaking on Arise News Channel’s ‘The […]

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Nigeria: Abuja-Kaduna Train to Resume After Abducted Passengers’ Release – Federal Govt

Federal government said it would be insensitive to commence the Abuja-Kaduna train services now due to the plight of families whose loved ones kidnapped in the March incident are still in captivity. Minister of transportation, Mu’azu Sambo disclosed this to State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu […]

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Nigeria: MTN Rolls Out 5G Across 190 Sites, Targets More Cities

MTN Nigeria yesterday rolled out the fifth generation (5G) mobile network across 190 sites making it the first of telecommunication service provider to do so in Nigeria. MTN won the auction for the 3.5GHz 5G spectrum alongside Mafab Communications in December 2021 and switched on the 5G network in 190 sites across the country. Nigeria’s […]

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Nigeria: EFCC Arraigns Cubana Manager Over Alleged $164,000 Money Laundering

EFCC said Mr Ndukwe, also known as Cubana Prime Minister, and a co-suspect were arrested recently by its operatives, “following credible intelligence received about their involvement in the fraudulent activity”. The EFCC has arraigned arraigned Lucky Uchechukwu Ndukwe, a Manager with Cubana Group, on charges of conspiracy and money laundering. He was arraigned alongside Precious […]

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Ethiopia: The Chairperson of the African Union Commission Deeply Concerned At Reports of Renewed Military Confrontation in Ethiopia, Urges Deescalation.

Addis Ababa — 24 August 2022 – The Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat is following with deep concern the reports of renewed military confrontation in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. The Chairperson strongly calls for the immediate cessation of hostilities and urges the parties to resume talks to seek a […]

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Ethiopia: Five Months of a Humanitarian Truce in Ethiopia

We are concerned by reports of renewed hostilities in Ethiopia. We call on the Government of Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) to redouble efforts to advance talks to achieve a durable ceasefire without preconditions and ultimately bring a permanent end to the conflict. Over the past five months, the March 24 humanitarian […]

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South Africa: Jobs, Crime and Cost of Food, Transport and Electricity Top Marchers’ Litany of Woe

National shutdown activities on Wednesday saw about 300 workers affiliated with the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) march through Cape Town, calling for a reduction in food, electricity and fuel prices. Daily Maverick spoke to several protesters about their reasons for taking to the streets. When Daily Maverick arrived at Hanover Street in […]

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South Africa: Civil Society Shows Its Support for Trade Unions’ Cost of Living Protests

Activists say their support for the shutdown is understandable as many of the demands being put forward by the unions relate to fundamental human rights in the Constitution’s Bill of Rights. Wednesday’s protests organised by South Africa’s two largest trade union federations, Saftu and Cosatu, have elicited strong support from several civil society organisations. Their […]

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Ethiopia: Drought, Hunger and Fighting Leave Ethiopia in ‘Very Difficult Humanitarian Situation’

Amidst deteriorating levels of malnutrition and Ethiopia’s worst drought in 40 years, 17 million people are being targeted for humanitarian assistance, the UN spokesperson said on Wednesday. “Ethiopia is facing a very difficult humanitarian situation to say the least,” Stéphane Dujarric told journalists at UN Headquarters in New York at a regular press briefing. Over […]

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Nigeria: Falconets ‘Stranded’ After World Cup Elimination – NFF Shifts Blame

The NFF blames the ugly situation the Falconets found themselves in on multiple factors that have very little or nothing to do with the Federation After being eliminated from the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, Nigeria’s U-20 Women’s team, the Falconets, have been sentenced to a torturous journey back to the country from Costa Rica. […]

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Nigeria Integrates Rotavirus Vaccine Into National Vaccination Programs Amid Shortfalls

Abuja, Nigeria — Nigeria this week added a rotavirus vaccine to its national program that is expected to prevent 50,000 deaths of children per year from the diarrheal disease. But the launch comes amid shortages of the vaccine in countries such as Cameroon, Kenya, Senegal and Tanzania. The launch Monday coincided with the commemoration of […]