Regional News

Former jihadist fighters join Niger army – Vanguard News Ex-jihadists who “repented” have successfully been integrated into the Nigerien army after several months of training, military authorities said Monday. Niger’s junta, which came to power two years ago in a coup, has struggled to contain jihadist violence.

Flood Kills 236 Persons In 27 States, FCT – Daily Trust At least 236 people have lost their lives to devastating floods that have swept through 27 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) this year, according to the latest update from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) 2025 Flood Dashboard.

Sahel juntas in online bid to disrupt polls in Côte d’Ivoire Accounts linked to the juntas in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have, among other things, announced the (fake) death of Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara and alerted followers to a (fictitious) coup. In August, several accounts with total followers in the tens of thousands “attempted to show there had been an insurrection to incite unrest” in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire’s National Agency for Information System Security (ANSSI) said. 

Italian appeals court upholds conviction for Milan prosecutors in Eni Nigeria case | Reuters MILAN, Oct 16 (Reuters) – An Italian appeals court on Thursday upheld an eight-month prison sentence for two Milan prosecutors for failing to file documents that would have supported energy group Eni’s position in an international corruption case. Eni (ENI.MI), opens new tab, Shell (SHEL.L), opens new tab, and all the defendants were nevertheless acquitted in March 2021 in what

Nigeria secures over $400 million in renewable energy investments – Shettima Vice President Kashim Shettima has said that Nigeria’s renewable energy manufacturing value chain has attracted over $400 million in new investment commitments. Mr Shettima made the disclosure at the opening of the Nigerian Renewable Energy Innovation Forum (NREIF) 2025 in Abuja on Tuesday. “I am pleased to announce that, through the engagements and partnerships facilitated under this forum, more than $400 million in new investment commitments are being mobilised into Nigeria’s renewable energy

Gen. Irabor’s Book Exposes Boko Haram’s Sexual Violence Tactics and Drug Use – PRNigeria News Former Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor (Rtd.), has painted a harrowing picture of Boko Haram terrorists in his newly released book, “Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum,” describing them as “sex maniacs” who derive pleasure from the sexual exploitation of women and children. In the 300-page military memoir, which was reviewed by PRNigeria, Irabor discloses that the varying traumatic encounters in communities ravaged by Boko Haram included

Woman gets seven years for human trafficking in Bayelsa A Bayelsa State High Court has sentenced a 29-year-old woman, Mariam Omokiri, who hails from neighbouring Delta State, to seven years imprisonment for human trafficking. The convict will also pay a fine of one million naira for trafficking, exporting and promoting prostitution of young girls, the court said.

Jigawa drug bust: Police arrest 105 suspected dealers In a major crackdown on drug trafficking, Jigawa State Police Command arrested no fewer than 105 suspects during simultaneous raids across the state. The arrests were confirmed by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Shi’isu Adam, while addressing journalists on Tuesday at the command’s headquarters in Dutse, the state capital. Adam revealed that in recent raids, officers of the command searched every nook and cranny

Farming project trains inmates, tackles food insecurity A Non-Governmental Organisation, Hope Behind Bars Africa, has inaugurated the Farming Justice Project at the Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja to promote inmate rehabilitation and tackle food insecurity within correctional facilities. The initiative, implemented in partnership with the Nigerian Correctional Service, is funded by the European Union through International IDEA under the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme.

WHO appoints new representative to Nigeria The World Health Organisation (WHO) has appointed Pavel Ursu as its new Representative to Nigeria, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen health partnerships and drive improved healthcare outcomes nationwide. “We welcome Ursu to Nigeria and look forward to deepening our collaboration with WHO under his leadership,” said Yusuf Tuggar, Nigeria’s minister of Foreign Affairs, during the official announcement in Abuja.

Troops Arrest Gunrunning Couple with 1,207 Rounds – PRNigeria News Troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE, in collaboration with Sector 1 Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have arrested a notorious husband-and-wife gunrunning duo and recovered over 1,200 rounds of live ammunition during a joint security operation in Kaduna State. The coordinated operation, conducted on Wednesday, 8 October 2025, followed credible intelligence from an intelligence agency in Plateau State, which tracked the movement of

Adamawa, Benue, Kogi, 4 Others Still At Risk Of Flooding – FG – Daily Trust The federal government on Thursday warned that some communities on the banks of the Rivers Niger and Benue may still experience localised flooding before this year’s rainy season ends. The government warned affected communities in Benue, Kogi, Kebbi, Adamawa, Delta, Bayelsa, and Anambra to relocate to higher ground or available camps.

Nigerian inflation slows to more than three-year low in September as food prices ease | Reuters ABUJA, Oct 15 (Reuters) – Nigeria’s headline inflation fell to its lowest level in more than three years in September, driven by a moderation in food prices, official data showed on Wednesday, offering some relief to policymakers battling cost-of-living pressures. The National Bureau of Statistics said the consumer price index dropped to 18.02% year-on-year last month, down from 20.12% in August.

Saudi Arabiq reduces Nigeria’s 2026 Hajj slots, tightens health rules The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) says Saudi Arabia has reduced Nigeria’s Hajj quota and introduced new, stricter health regulations for intending pilgrims ahead of the 2026 pilgrimage. According to a statement by Fatima Usara, deputy director of information and public relations at NAHCON, the development was part of discussions during a meeting between the Commission and State Pilgrims Welfare Boards in Abuja,.

Price war: Depot owners in trouble as Dangote Refinery resumes bulk sales at N877 per litre – Vanguard News The Dangote Petroleum Refinery yesterday resumed full operations while raising the gantry price of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, also known as petrol by seven per cent to N877 per liter from N820 per litre. Checks by Vanguard indicated that oil marketers buying two million litres and above would benefit from the relatively low price.

Cameroon opposition’s Tchiroma claims election victory, urges Biya to concede | Reuters GAROUA, Oct 14 (Reuters) – Cameroon opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma declared victory late on Monday in the country’s October 12 presidential election, urging President Paul Biya to accept defeat and “honour the truth of the ballot box”. “Our victory is clear. It must be respected,” Tchiroma said in a speech on his Facebook page from his hometown of Garoua in the north of the Central African state. “The people have chosen. And this choice must be respected.”

Peace and Security

Borno residents rejoice as Nigerian Army establishes new military base in Kirawa – Daily Post Nigeria Residents of Kirawa, a border community in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, have expressed relief over the establishment of a new military base by the Nigerian Army following years of insurgent attacks. The development comes after a series of Boko Haram raids in the area, which claimed lives, displaced residents, and forced many to seek refuge in neighbouring Cameroon.

Mali slaps visa bond on US travelers in retaliation | Africanews Mali has introduced visa bond requirements for United States citizens, mirroring measures recently imposed by Washington on Malian travellers. The Foreign Ministry in Bamako announced the decision on Sunday, calling it a reciprocal response to US rules set to take effect on October 23 that will require Malian business and tourist visa applicants to post bonds of $5,000 to $10,000. Mali says the US policy violates a 2005 bilateral accord guaranteeing long-term visa access, and vowed to apply identical conditions for US passport holders. In its statement, the ministry stressed it has long worked with Washington

Alleged Christian Genocide: Nigerian lawmakers constitute committee to draft engagement strategy with US Congress The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday constituted a 12-member ad hoc committee to guide it on how to respond to allegations of Christian genocide levelled by US lawmakers against the country. The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the composition of the committee during plenary, after lawmakers emerged from a closed-door session that lasted for about 40 minutes.

Insecurity: Reps seek stronger ties with Niger Republic to tackle banditry in Sokoto, Sahel Region The House of Representatives has urged the federal government to renew diplomatic and security cooperation with neighbouring Niger Republic and other Sahel countries to help curb the escalating wave of banditry and cross-border insecurity ravaging border communities in Sokoto State and other parts of the North-west. This resolution was sequel to a motion on “Urgent Need for Intensified Security Operations to Curb the Escalating Wave of Banditry in Kebbe and Tambuwal Federal Constituency, Sokoto State,” moved during Tuesday’s plenary by Abdussamad Dasuki (PDP, Sokoto).

13-year-old herder, 39 cattle killed in Plateau – Official Unknown assailants have killed a 13-year-old herder, Abubakar Wada, and 36 cattle during an attack on a village in Fan District of the Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State. It was also reported that 49 other cattle were stolen during the attack. The young herder was grazing around the Inzon community when the assailants attacked him. The state chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Ibrahim Babayo, confirmed the incident and described it as “barbaric and unprovoked.”

Nigeria seeks Chinese partnership for Ajaokuta Steel Plant The Federal Government is exploring a partnership with the People’s Republic of China for the revitalisation of the Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited (ASCL) and the National Iron Ore Mining Company (NIOMCO), Itakpe, Kogi State. The Minister of Steel Development, Shuaibu Abubakar, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja at the opening of the 10th edition of Nigeria’s Mining Week, Vanguard reports.

Troops Eliminate Armed Criminal in Benue, Nab Gunman at Nasarawa Market – PRNigeria News Troops of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have recorded fresh operational successes in Benue and Nasarawa States, neutralizing an armed criminal and arresting another suspect found with a locally fabricated pistol. In a statement by the Acting Media Information Officer of Operation Whirl Stroke, Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu, the troops on 15 October 2025 conducted a deliberate ambush operation east of Ayilamo, within Tombo Council Ward of Logo Local Government Area in Benue State.

Military Arrests IPOB Female Logistics Supplier in Abia, Rescues 30 Hostages Nationwide – PRNigeria News The Nigerian military has arrested a female logistics supplier linked to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), during a security operation in Abia State. The arrest came as troops across different theatres of operation recorded major successes in ongoing efforts to combat terrorism, banditry, and other forms of criminality nationwide within the past week. The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Markus Kangye, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during the Defence Headquarters’ weekly media briefing.

Humanitarian

High food prices deepen Kano’s child malnutrition crisis It is a little after noon in Tudun Bayero, a town in the Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area of Kano State. 40-year-old Hadiza Haladu sat outside a small clinic, cradling her frail five-month-old son, Umar, as she waited for further medical attention. Umar’s shirt hung loosely on his bony frame, his tiny hands clutching at his mother as his eyes glistened with tears before closing in exhaustion. Desperate to save her child from what she had thought was diarrhoea, Mrs Haladu rushed Umar to the clinic. However, after he was diagnosed, the infant was discovered to be suffering from severe malnutrition.

Sokoto vaccinates 2.2m children, expands drive to schools, worship centres No fewer than 2.2 million children have received vaccines against measles, rubella, poliomyelitis, and other preventable diseases in the ongoing integrated vaccination campaign in Sokoto State. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Sokoto State government has intensified its outreach efforts by conducting awareness campaigns in churches, mosques, schools, markets, and other public spaces to ensure maximum coverage.

FG Moves To Empower Communities To Manage Flood Disasters – Daily Trust The federal government has announced plans to empower flood-prone communities across Nigeria to manage their own safety during floods and other natural disasters. Vice President Kashim Shettima, who made this known on Monday in Abuja during the 2025 International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR), said the initiative aims to strengthen community-level preparedness and resilience in the face of recurring flood threats nationwide.

From Setback to Sustainability: Initiative empowers Nigerian NGOs affected by USAID funding cuts The development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC) has taken a bold step to fortify Nigeria’s civil society landscape and guarantee the sustainability of local development actors by launching the NGO Support Initiative, a mentorship-driven capacity-building program aimed at empowering 17 Nigerian NGOs impacted by recent disruptions in USAID funding. The new intervention demonstrates the dRPC’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s NGO sector from the

UNICEF: Only 8% of Nigerians wash hands properly The United Nations Children’s Fund has called on the Federal Government to invest in hand washing infrastructures and hygiene education, saying only 35 per cent of schools have basic hand washing facilities and only eight per cent of Nigerians can properly demonstrate hand washing techniques. Speaking on Wednesday during a media mission to schools in Borno State as part of activities

Mobilization and economic development

Nigeria’s Public Debt Rises To N152.4tn By June 2025 – DMO – Daily Trust According to the report, external debt rose to $46.98 billion (N71.85 trillion) in June from $45.98 billion (N70.63 trillion) in March. Multilateral lenders remain Nigeria’s largest creditors, holding a combined $23.19 billion, which accounts for 49.4% of external obligations.

Nigeria may partner China to revive Ajaokuta Steel Company – Minister The Minister of Steel Development, Shuiabu Abubakar, says the ministry is exploring a partnership with the Republic of China for the revitalisation of both Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited (ASCL) and National Iron Ore Mining Company (NIOMCO). Mr Abubakar disclosed this at the opening of the 10th edition of Nigeria’s Mining Week, themed ‘Nigeria Mining: From Progress to Global Relevance`, on Tuesday in Abuja.

Inside Nigeria’s Criminal Rosewood Economy The cold bites harder at night. Nathaniel Bitrus* feels it on his face as the motorcycle roars along the dirt path to Sunawara, a small community in the Toungo area of Adamawa State, north-east Nigeria. A chainsaw sits carefully on his lap, and with two other men, he disappears into the forest. Mr Bitrus has spent nearly half of his 45 years taking this three-hour trip. It has helped feed his family, but it has also taken lives and stripped the forest bare. Once, he says, the forests were so dense that the sun barely 2

Why Nigeria’s cocoa industry needs more than price spikes Dawn breaks gently over the cocoa heartlands of Ondo and Cross River. A low mist clings to the treetops, carrying with it the bittersweet aroma of freshly split pods. Farmers scoop the slick, pale beans into sacks soon to be claimed by local buying agents, the nerve centres of Nigeria’s cocoa trade. LBAs are more than middlemen. Many operate with financing from processors or exporters,

IMF highlights risks of domestic borrowing in sub-Saharan Africa | Reuters JOHANNESBURG/WASHINGTON, Oct 16 (Reuters) – Sub-Saharan African governments are paying more to borrow at home than abroad as they turn increasingly to domestic banks to plug financing gaps, deepening risks for lenders and squeezing private investment, the International Monetary Fund said on Thursday. “The domestic cost of capital remains elevated across the region,” the IMF said in its Regional Economic Outlook, which was released

AFRICA-FX- Nigeria’s naira seen weakening further, Ghana’s cedi to extend rally | Reuters NAIROBI, Oct 16 (Reuters) – Nigeria’s naira < > is expected to depreciate further next week as foreign investors sell local assets amid global risk aversion and limited dollar supply, while Ghana’s cedi will extend its recent rally against the dollar. The naira could depreciate as foreign investors sell local assets owing to a global risk-off mood caused by escalating trade tensions between the world’s two biggest economies and weak dollar supply by the central bank, traders said.

Nigeria | Reuters JOHANNESBURG, Oct 16 (Reuters) – Seismic shifts in global trade and funding have weakened many of Africa’s financial systems in the past year, although there have also been signs of improvements via reforms to foreign exchange regimes and action to help mitigate the impact of climate change, a survey showed on Thursday. Disruptions to long-standing trade deals, rising tariff uncertainty, and reduced foreign aid to Africa have all triggered sharp asset price movements.

IMF warns of rising debt risks in Sub-Saharan Africa | Africanews Sub-Saharan African governments are increasingly turning to local banks to fund their budgets, paying higher borrowing costs at home than abroad and putting new pressure on domestic lenders, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned on Thursday. In its latest Regional Economic Outlook released during the IMF and World Bank annual meetings in Washington, the Fund said the “domestic cost of capital remains elevated across the region,” adding that many local financial markets are “underdeveloped, fragmented, and illiquid,” with high transaction costs and lending spreads. The IMF noted that new domestic borrowing is now “significantly more

Nigeria’s Oil Output Drops to 1.39 Million bpd Nigeria’s crude oil production fell to 1.39 million barrels per day (bpd) in September 2025, representing a decline of 67,000 bpd compared with August’s output, according to the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The figures, released in OPEC’s latest Monthly Oil Market Report, show that Africa’s largest oil producer continues to grapple with production constraints