Author: fatimah

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency’s (NDLEA) Alternative Development Programme has commenced a pilot intervention in Ondo State, South-West Nigeria, aimed at tackling illicit drug cultivation and drug abuse. During a courtesy visit to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa in Akure, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, citing a 2018 UN survey, revealed that about 15 million Nigerians aged 15-64 use drugs, nearly three times the global average. According to him, Ondo State has a drug use prevalence rate of 17 per cent, estimated at about 400,000 users, compared with Lagos State’s 33 per cent and Oyo State’s 24…

Traditional religion practitioners from the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) have gathered in Bamako for a three-day forum aimed at promoting and safeguarding indigenous cultural expressions across the region. The meeting, taking place from 25 to 27 January 2026 at the Palace of Culture in Mali’s capital, brings together custodians of ancestral spiritual practices, researchers and cultural stakeholders from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. The opening ceremony was held on 25 January and was overseen by the Ministry of Crafts, Culture, Hospitality and Tourism, represented by Chief of Staff Dr Salia Malé. Organised by the Faso Kanu Blonba Association, the…

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has announced that the mpox outbreak is no longer classified as a continental public health security emergency.The decision was confirmed in a statement issued by the Africa CDC through its Executive Director, Jean Kaseya, formally lifting the emergency status that had been imposed in response to the spread of the disease across the continent. According to the statement, the move reflects Africa’s growing capacity to manage complex public health crises, underpinned by strengthened political leadership, regional solidarity, and effective international cooperation. The Africa CDC explained that the decision followed a…

A Gambian lawmaker representing Wuli East, Hon. Swaibou Touray, has stated that European nations owe former colonies more than US$7 trillion in reparations for slavery and colonialism. Hon. Touray made the remarks during a session of the National Assembly while presenting figures previously cited in a 2025 parliamentary session by Hon. José Manteigas Gabriel, who served as Rapporteur of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights and is also a member of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP). Speaking during discussions on the African Union’s (AU) 2025 theme, Touray said the theme represents a critical milestone in Africa’s pursuit of justice, historical…

The National Audit Office (NAO) of The Gambia has instructed the Accountant General’s Department to launch an investigation into uncleared and misclassified transit accounts amounting to more than one billion dalasis (approximately US$13.7 million). The directive was issued in a management letter accompanying the audit of government accounts for the 2024 fiscal year. In its findings, the NAO explained that transit accounts are temporary holding accounts used to facilitate the transfer of funds between different accounts or entities. These accounts are expected to be cleared and reduced to zero at the end of each month or financial year. However, the…

Benin has entered financial history after securing $500 million through its first-ever seven-year sovereign sukuk, marking the first time an African government has issued the Islamic financing instrument on the international market. According to an official government release, the sukuk was issued on Thursday and carries a seven-year maturity. Although denominated in US dollars, the transaction benefits from a dollar-to-euro currency hedge, resulting in a euro yield of 4.92 percent. In addition to the sukuk, Benin also expanded an existing Eurobond due in 2038, raising an extra $350 million at a 6.19 percent euro yield. Investor appetite was exceptionally strong,…

Algeria has summoned France’s chargé d’affaires in Algiers in response to the airing of a documentary on French public television channel France 2, which Algerian authorities have denounced as misleading and deliberately provocative. In an official statement, the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the decision reflects the gravity with which it views the broadcast and its potential impact on bilateral relations. The programme in question was an episode of the investigative show “Complément d’enquête,” aired on Thursday, examining the ongoing diplomatic tensions between Algeria and France. Algiers accused the broadcaster of targeting the Algerian state, its institutions, and national…

Nigeria has made a major medical milestone, becoming the first African country in the sub-region to sucessfully carry out its first robotic gynaecological surgery. The surgery, carried out at The Prostate Clinic in Lagos by Consultant Robotic Surgeon and Medical Director, Dr Kingsley Ekwueme, marked the expansion of robotic surgery from male-focused treatments to women’s health interventions. Dr. Ekwueme described the procedure as transformative in the treatment of fibroids, endometriosis, ovarian tumours and selected ectopic pregnancies. According to the surgeon, robotic procedures significantly reduce pain, blood loss and lengthy hospital stays associatioed with open surgery, allowing patients to return to…

The Chadian government has introduced stricter rules on police arrests and detentions, banning custody during weekends and public holidays except when someone is caught committing a crime. The new directive, issued by the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, was communicated through a circular to magistrates, police units, and gendarmerie brigades nationwide. The measure is based on Law No. 011/AN-SENAT/2025, adopted on December 9, 2025, which amended Article 282 of the Criminal Procedure Code and was formally enacted by presidential decree on January 16, 2026. Authorities say the reform is intended to curb recurring abuses in police and gendarmerie facilities,…

French President Emmanuel Macron has outlined his vision for a renewed partnership between France and African nations, highlighting the need to move beyond patterns inherited from the post-colonial era. His comments were made in the documentary “France-Africa, the Divorce?”, broadcast by the French National Assembly. Macron presented himself as the first French president born after the period of colonisation, noting that the majority of Africa’s population today had no direct experience of that era. He stressed that his approach aims to acknowledge historical realities while fostering relations based on present-day cooperation rather than past conflicts. The French president reaffirmed that…