New data comparing Africa’s largest economies and labour-market structure show a sharp contrast between output and work patterns, with Nigeria recording the highest self-employment rate among the continent’s 10 biggest economies. The list of the largest economies The nominal GDP rankings in the graphic align with the International Monetary Fund’s April 2026 World Economic Outlook, which places South Africa first on the continent, followed by Egypt, Nigeria, Algeria, Morocco, Angola, Kenya, DR Congo, Ethiopia and Ghana. The IMF data put South Africa’s 2026 nominal GDP at 479.96 billion dollars, Egypt at 429.65 billion dollars and Nigeria at 377.37 billion dollars.…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
A suspected diphtheria outbreak in Plateau State has claimed 23 lives, with 143 cases recorded over the past two weeks as health authorities intensify measures to contain the spread. The Plateau State Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Baamlong, disclosed the figures, saying nine patients were still receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) and the Plateau Specialist Hospital in Jos. Baamlong said patients were being managed in isolation, while the state government had commenced community awareness campaigns involving traditional rulers and other stakeholders to prevent further transmission. According to him, the response is being hampered by shortages of…
The Federal Government has commissioned a new veterinary vaccine storage centre in Jimeta, Yola North Local Government Area of Adamawa State, with capacity to hold about 40 million doses, in a move aimed at strengthening livestock disease control in the North-East. The facility was inaugurated by the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, during a three-day working visit to Adamawa State. The solar-powered centre is designed to serve as a national and regional hub for storing and distributing veterinary vaccines, with a cold-chain system intended to preserve vaccine quality and potency. Maiha said the facility represents a strategic investment in…
Vice President Kashim Shettima has called for tighter monitoring and greater accountability in the implementation of major Federal Government food and agriculture programmes, including the $500 million Nigeria Sustainable Agricultural Value-Chains for Growth (AGROW) Project. Shettima made the call at the seventh meeting of the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit Steering Committee held at the State House, Abuja, where government officials, state governors, private-sector players and development partners reviewed the country’s food security situation. The Vice President, who chairs the committee, stressed that government spending on food-system interventions must produce measurable benefits for farmers, markets and households. He also called…
Nigeria’s oil refining industry posted its strongest quarterly performance in recent years in the second quarter of 2026, with output growth accelerating to 43.94 per cent year-on-year, as increased activity at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery boosted domestic refining. The latest figures were contained in the National Bureau of Statistics’ Q2 2026 Gross Domestic Product report released on Monday. The performance represents a significant acceleration in the refining industry, which recorded growth of 16.67 per cent for the full year 2024 under the rebased GDP series. The Dangote refinery, located in the Lekki Free Trade Zone, has emerged as a major…
Nigeria’s economic growth accelerated in the second quarter of 2026, with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) expanding by 4.43 per cent in real terms, as stronger performances in agriculture, services and oil helped lift economic activity. The latest figure, released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), represents an improvement from the 4.23 per cent recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2025 and a significant rise from the 3.89 per cent recorded in the first quarter of 2026. The Q2 performance suggests that the economy is sustaining its gradual recovery, although the pace of growth remains moderate compared with the government’s…
Malawi has emerged as the African country with the highest petrol price, with a litre selling for $3.235, according to the latest data from GlobalPetrolPrices. The data, covering petrol prices as of August 24, 2026, show wide disparities in pump prices across the continent, with Malawi’s price more than twice the global average of $1.53 per litre. Rwanda ranked second at $1.999 per litre, followed by Zimbabwe at $1.930 and the Central African Republic at $1.868. Seychelles, Sierra Leone and Cape Verde occupied the next three positions at $1.798, $1.779 and $1.774 per litre, respectively. Uganda ranked eighth at $1.753,…
A Senegalese pharmaceutical company has begun producing a locally made generic treatment, DREPAF for sickle-cell disease, offering patients a cheaper alternative to imported medicines and strengthening the country’s drive to develop domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing. The medicine is produced by Teranga Pharma at its facility in Mbao, near Dakar. The company launched the drug in November 2025 in 500mg and 100mg formulations, respectively intended for adults and children. DREPAF contains hydroxyurea, a disease-modifying medicine used in the management of sickle-cell disease. According to the WHO, hydroxyurea can reduce the frequency of painful crises and the need for blood transfusions, while its…
…Five leaders spanning agricultural finance, technology, investment and food systems will select the winners from more than 1,000 applications received across Africa.
The Federal Government has placed 915 communities across 19 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on critical flood alert, warning residents to take immediate precautions and prepare for possible evacuation. The warning, issued through the National Flood Early Warning Systems Centre, covers the period from August 27 to September 9, 2026. The affected communities have been classified as requiring immediate monitoring, preparedness and protective action. The list The states listed under the critical-risk category are Kogi, Benue, Rivers, Edo, Delta, Cross River, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo. Major cities…