I have observed with deep concern the ferocious manner in which black South Africans continue to mistreat fellow Africans in recurring waves of xenophobic violence. South Africa, often regarded as more developed and better organized than many other African countries, has repeatedly witnessed attacks targeting African migrants, who are accused of taking jobs that locals believe should belong to them. The perpetrators of these xenophobic attacks are mainly frustrated youths who cite unemployment, poverty, and inequality as justification for targeting fellow Africans. Yet, the irony is impossible to ignore: many of the countries from which these victims come were among…
Author: Editor
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recorded N5.63 trillion in Open Market Operations (OMO) sales within two weeks after strong investor appetite overwhelmed its May 2026 auctions, with the 126-day bill emerging as the biggest attraction. Between May 4 and May 12, the apex bank conducted three OMO auction sessions, offering a combined N1.8 trillion across eight instruments but allotting more than three times the amount due to heavy subscriptions. Despite the aggressive liquidity mop-up, the CBN also repaid N4.78 trillion in maturing OMO bills during the period, leaving a net issuance of N850 billion. Strong demand across auctions At…
Yesterday, we lost a comrade, mentor, friend and teacher, Dr Ṣẹ́gun Ọṣọbá. He was a patriot and socialist who was deeply committed to Nigeria. He was 92 years old and passed on peacefully at his Ijẹbu-Ode residence yesterday morning. I last met Dr Osoba in 2015 when I attended his 80th birthday celebration in Ijebu Ode in 2015. Dr. Osoba, not the former governor of Ogun State, had his career teaching History at the University of Ife, and devoted his life to training and motivating generations of progressive students into radical politics. To mark his 80th birthday, the Coalition for…
The National Universities Commission (NUC) on Wednesday signed additional performance contracts worth $65 million with the vice-chancellors of six participating universities under the World Bank-supported Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards Enhancement (SPESSE) Project. The signing ceremony, held in Abuja, brought together officials of the NUC, the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), the World Bank, participating universities, and other stakeholders. The SPESSE project, launched in 2021 with an initial $80 million World Bank facility, was designed to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity in procurement, environmental, and social governance through specialised university-based training programmes. Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of the…
ASHENEWS reports that Federal scholarship awardees have expressed frustration over long delays in the payment of their allowances, years after submitting required documents through their institutions to the Federal Scholarship Board. At an engagement with awardees’ leaders, the students urged the government to act fast and ease the hardship caused by the unpaid funds. “Several attempts have been made to engage relevant authorities, including the Federal Ministry of Education, the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, and the National Assembly. Regrettably, these efforts have not yielded any concrete action or a credible timeline for…
Over 1,000 secondary school students and residents in Sokoto State have benefitted from a free dental consultation organized by Edibo Peter Princess, a female corps member in Sokoto state. Edibo who is serving at the Specialist Hospital had the community health outreach whuch provided free dental screening, treatment, and basic dental care, and helped improve the aesthetic condition of patients in Sokoto South local government area. Other services offered include oral health awareness, tooth extraction, and replacement of missing tooth with a question and answer session to educate beneficiaries on what is required of them to improve their oral health.…
President Bola Tinubu has revealed that Nigeria will spend about $11.6 billion on debt servicing in 2026, warning that high borrowing costs are undermining Africa’s industrialisation drive. According to a statement issued by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu spoke on Tuesday while leading Nigeria’s government, diplomatic and business delegation to the Africa Forward Summit at the Kenyatta Convention Centre in Nairobi. The President said the country’s projected debt servicing obligation for 2026 would consume nearly half of expected government revenue. “Every single dollar that leaves our treasury to pay punitive interest rates is a dollar that did not go into…
A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, to about 75 years imprisonment in a 12-count amended money laundering case involving N33 billion. ASHENEWS recalls that the Federal High Court, on May 7, 2026, convicted Mamman on the same fraud and money laundering case filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The court found Mamman guilty of illegally diverting funds meant for the Mambilla and Zungeru Hydroelectric Power projects during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. “The evidence of the prosecution witnesses is quite believable,” the judge said during the…
At BOAD, we have translated this philosophy into concrete financing commitments: 25% of our overall financing envelope is now dedicated to climate resilience, including coastal and marine ecosystem protection. We channel these resources through our four multilateral climate accreditations, with the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Adaptation Fund, and the Loss and Damage Fund (FRLD), which gives us access to concessional instruments specifically designed for ecosystem-based adaptation and sustainable ocean investments.
Residents and youths in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State have begun raising difficult questions about the state of security and leadership in the country following deadly airstrikes and renewed bandit threats across affected communities. The concerns followed yesterday’s airstrikes by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), which reportedly killed scores of people and injured many others, including women and children, in Kusasu and other villages in Shiroro Local Government Area. The incident also coincided with reports of a mass exodus of residents from several communities in neighbouring Munya Local Government Area due to escalating banditry threats. Over the years,…