Regional News

Sahel accounts for nearly half of all terror-related deaths: report | Africanews The Sahel region of Africa, which has become the “global epicentre of terrorism,” accounted for nearly half of all terrorism-related deaths for the third consecutive year in 2025, the Global Terrorism Report said Thursday. The index, compiled by the Institute for Economics and Peace think tank, has ranked 163 countries for 13 years according to the impact of “terrorism” based on indicators such as the number of attacks, deaths, injuries and hostages. It defines terrorism as “the systematic threat or use of violence, by non-

Sudan drone attack kills 17 in neighboring Chad A drone from war-torn Sudan killed 17 people when it bombed the border town of Tine in eastern Chad, the Chadian government said Thursday, raising an earlier toll. The incident late Wednesday was the latest spillover into Chad from the conflict in Sudan, where the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have been fighting the Sudanese army since April 2023.

Travelers Walk 2km at Borno-Yobe Security Checkpoints Following the recent attacks across Borno state, the Nigerian Army and the police have commenced a new security exercise, subjecting travelers, including elders and children, to a two-kilometer foot walk when crossing the checkpoint into Yobe before heading to Borno State. Recall, PUNCH Online earlier reported that the Yobe State Police Command has issued a security alert ahead of

After 6-month break, food inflation resumes upward climb, rises 12.12% – Vanguard News LAGOS — Nigeria’s annual food inflation rate reversed a six-month downward trend, rising to 12.2 per cent in February, from 8.89 per cent in January, driven by prices of beans, yam flour, cassava tuber, crayfish and other items. Similarly, the monthly food inflation rate reversed a two-month downward trend and rose to 4.69 per cent in February from -6.02 per cent in January.  The National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, disclosed this yesterday in its Consumer Price Index report for February.

Troops Kill 3 ISWAP Commanders, 80 Fighters in Borno Troops of Operation Hadin Kai on Wednesday repelled a Boko Haram attack in Mallam Fatori, Abadam Local Government Area of Borno State, killing three high-profile commanders and more than 80 insurgents. A statement by the Media Information Officer, Northeast Joint Task Force Operation Hadin

King Charles acknowledges ‘painful’ colonial past with Nigeria at state banquet – TRT Afrika King Charles III on Wednesday praised Britain’s “partnership of equals” with Nigeria as he hosted a banquet for President Bola Tinubu during the first state visit by the leader of Africa’s most populous nation in nearly four decades.

Nigeria ride‑hailing drivers protest pricing as fuel costs rise – TRT Afrika Hundreds of Nigerian drivers who are signed up with ride-hailing services Uber, Bolt and inDrive protested on Wednesday in Lagos over low fares and high commissions while calling on the Lagos State Assembly to intervene and mandate higher pricing.

At least 18 killed in vigilante clash with bandits in Nigeria’s Katsina | Reuters ABUJA, March 18 (Reuters) – At least 18 people were killed on Tuesday in Nigeria’s ​northwestern Katsina state, authorities and police said on Wednesday, exposing the fragility of peace pacts with gunmen with the second most deadly attack in a month. Katsina and neighbouring ​states have pursued amnesty deals and community security ​pacts to persuade armed gangs

Police condemn assault on Bauchi journalist, vow sanctions – Yerwa Express News The Bauchi State Police Command has condemned the assault on a radio journalist during Sallah celebrations in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area. The reaction follows public outrage over the alleged attack on Mohammed Adamu of Albarka Radio while covering the Eid Durbar in Bununu.

Maiduguri Zoo Cancels Eid Festivities Over Security Concerns — Northern Nigerian Express The management of Sanda Kyarimi Park Zoo has announced the cancellation of this year’s Eid al-Fitr celebrations at the facility, citing security concerns. The zoo manager, Ali Abacha, also known as Donbest, disclosed this in a public notice issued on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, stating that all gates to

Travelers Walk 2km at Borno-Yobe Security Checkpoints Following the recent attacks across Borno state, the Nigerian Army and the police have commenced a new security exercise, subjecting travelers, including elders and children, to a two-kilometer foot walk when crossing the checkpoint into Yobe before heading to Borno State.

Borno Bombing: Yobe Gov Donates N10m to Victims’ Families The Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, on Wednesday condoled with the government and people of Borno State, as well as the families of victims of the recent multiple bomb explosions in Maiduguri, which claimed over 23 lives.

Suspected suicide bomb attacks kill at least 23 in Nigeria’s Maiduguri | Reuters MAIDUGURI, Nigeria, March 17 (Reuters) – At least 23 people were killed and 108 injured on Monday night in suspected multiple suicide ‌bomb attacks in Maiduguri city, the capital of Nigeria’s insurgency-hit northeastern state of Borno, police and the military said. The attack in the heart of Maiduguri – the most fortified city in Borno, the seat of the state government, and the headquarters of Nigeria’s

Institutional barriers still limit women’s leadership in Nigeria – Experts Despite growing public acceptance of women in leadership, stakeholders have raised concerns that entrenched structural and institutional barriers continue to limit women’s representation across Nigeria’s political and economic sectors. The concerns were raised on Tuesday in Abuja during a high-level policy summit on advancing women’s leadership and dismantling institutional barriers.

‎Terrorists May Have Deployed Multiple Suicide Bombers Into Maiduguri – Army • Channels Television The Nigerian Army says more Boko Haram suicide bombers may have deployed multiple suicide bombers in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, after multiple blasts rocked the city on Monday night.

Midnight terror attack foiled in Maiduguri, other parts of Borno A joint force of the army, air force, police and local vigilantes have thwarted a terror attack on Ajilari, a Maiduguri (Borno State) suburb adjacent to a Nigerian Air Force base and close to the international airport in the capital city. Ajilari had been targeted several times in previous attacks by Boko Haram. At least 89 people were killed in bomb attacks on the garrison area in 2014, 2015 and 2021.

NAFDAC alerts Nigerians to counterfeit breast cancer drug Phesgo in Nigeria The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has alerted healthcare providers and the public to the circulation of suspected counterfeit batches of Phesgo 600mg, a medicine used in the treatment of breast cancer. The agency disclosed this in a notice published on Tuesday on its website, following complaints received by the product’s Marketing Authorisation Holder, Roche.

Peace and Security

Violence linked to Ramadan tafsir leaves several injured in Gombe – Yerwa Express News Tension remains in parts of Birin Fulani town in Nafada Local Government Area after a violent attack early Sunday left several people injured and religious facilities damaged. Eyewitnesses and community sources told YERWA EXPRESS NEWS that the incident followed days of tension surrounding the Ramadan Tafsir delivered by Sheikh Abubakar Mahmoud Puma, secretary of

African nations tiptoe around recruitment of citizens by Russian networks | Reuters LONDON/JOHANNESBURG, March 15 (Reuters) – Kenya’s foreign minister is visiting Russia this week under pressure back home to convince Moscow to stop recruiting Kenyans into its military, but Nairobi – ​like other governments in Africa – is unlikely to take too confrontational an approach. Reports in recent weeks revealed the scope and scale of the recruitment of Africans ‌into

Chad relocates Sudan refugees as army deploys near border | Reuters N’DJAMENA, March 23 (Reuters) – Chad has begun the emergency relocation of refugees from its border with Sudan as the army prepares to ​deploy to the area in response to cross-border attacks, an ‌official from the country’s refugee agency told Reuters on Monday. President Mahamat Idriss Deby last week ordered the army to prepare to retaliate after a cross-border drone attack ​from Sudan killed

Nigeria Ranks Fourth in Global Terrorism Index The 2025 Global Terrorism Index (GTI) has ranked Nigeria as the fourth most-affected country by terrorism globally. Nigeria rose to fourth place on the index, with 750 people killed in 2025, up 46% from 2024. The West African country, which is the continent’s most populous country, recorded a major increase in terrorism deaths globally in 2025, with fatalities rising by 46% from 513 in 2024 to 750, behind Pakistan,

CDS urges Borno, Yobe residents to take ownership in fight against Boko Haram/ISWAP – Vanguard News Speaking to journalists on Wednesday after a closed-door meeting with the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Waidi Shaibu, the Theatre Commander of North East Operation HADIN KAI, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, and other senior military officers in Maiduguri, Oluyede alleged that credible intelligence indicates many individuals responsible for attacks over the past 15 years are from the affected states.

ISWAP / Boko Haram’s Ramadan attacks is a repeated pattern – Yerwa Express News A review by Yerwa Express News shows that attacks by the extremist group Boko Haram repeatedly occurred during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan between 2023 and 2026, leaving more than 100 civilians dead, at least 29 soldiers killed, and over 527 civilians abducted across several communities in Borno State.

Nigerian military thwarts two midnight attacks in Borno – Yerwa Express News After thwarting an attack by members of ISWAP / Boko Haram in Kofa, a satellite village near Maiduguri, Nigerian troops this Monday beat back a similar violent overture by the group in Damboa Local Government Area. The group may have dispatched two groups of fighters to attack both Damboa Town and Kofa Village a little

ISWAP commander ‘Black’ regrouping fighters for revenge after multiple defeats from troops in Lake Chad – Yerwa Express News Suspected terrorists linked to Boko Haram are reportedly regrouping under a commander popularly known as ‘Black’ along the waterways of Lake Chad, raising fears of a possible attack. A source familiar with the development, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to brief the media, told our reporter that the suspected

Humanitarian

Displaced: 3.726m Nigerians now in 3,900 camps over insecurity – Vanguard News Nigeria is paying a heavy price for years of protracted insecurity, with 3,725,593 internally displaced persons, IDPs, now scattered across about 3,900 camps and settlements nationwide. Data compiled from the International Organisation for Migration Displacement Tracking Matrix, the National Bureau of Statistics, and humanitarian agencies and government officials showed that the figure is only an estimate, as displacement patterns change frequently.

Mobilization and economic development

UK and Nigeria agree billion-dollar export finance deal to refurbish ports | Reuters LONDON, March 19 (Reuters) – Britain and Nigeria announced a 746 million pound ($990.32 ​million) export finance deal ‌on Thursday to fund the redevelopment of two of Nigeria’s main ​trading ports. – UK Export ​Finance will guarantee the investment in ⁠the refurbishment of the ​Lagos Port Complex and the ​TinCan Island Port Complex.

African nations to borrow $155 billion this year, S&P says  | Reuters NAIROBI, March 18 – African nations are expected to borrow $155 billion in long-term commercial debt this year, S&P Global Ratings said in a report, a ​10% increase on the previous year, to refinance maturing debt ‌and navigate growing fiscal obligations at home.

MTN rebounds to profit, hikes dividend and plans share buyback  | Reuters JOHANNESBURG, March 16 (Reuters) – Africa’s biggest telecoms operator MTN Group (MTNJ.J), opens new tab rebounded to an annual profit and said on Monday it would pay shareholders a dividend that exceeded guidance and planned to ​buy back shares. The strong performance in the year ended December 31 followed a ​difficult 2024 for the group, when its largest business, MTN

Bola Tinubu’s state visit to UK: major steel deal agreed with British PM | Africanews British Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed Nigerian President Bola Tinubu at 10 Downing Street in London during the first state visit by the leader of Africa’s most populous nation in nearly four decades. Nigerian president Bola Tinubu arrived in London on Wednesday during his first state visit to the United Kingdom. His first day was taken up by a banquet hosted by King Charles III at Windsor Castle.

Elumelu’s foundation commits $16m to empowering additional 3,200 young African entrepreneurs – Yerwa Express News The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) on Sunday unveiled 3,200 new beneficiaries with 5,000 dollars empowerment grant for young African entrepreneurs in its 2026 cohort. The Foundation said that the entrepreneurs would be funded via Heirs Holdings Group Companies, the European Commission, Seme City Development Agency, DEG, the German Development Agency, and the IKEA Foundation.