Author: kajarbi54

A US court has sentenced former Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) official Paulinus Okoronkwo to 87 months in federal prison for receiving a $2.1 million bribe linked to oil drilling rights in Nigeria. Okoronkwo, a dual US-Nigerian citizen, previously headed NNPC’s Upstream Division, overseeing the country’s oil and gas operations. In August 2025, a jury found him guilty of three counts of transactional money laundering, one count of tax evasion, and one count of obstruction of justice. The court also ordered $923,824 in restitution to the IRS and the forfeiture of $1,039,997 linked to a house purchased with the illicit…

Women and youths play a pivotal role in enhancing regional economic growth and unlocking the full potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). These points were made on Thursday by Trade Director Christopher Mensah-Yawaon during his presentation at the ongoing extraordinary session and seminar of the ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja. The presentation, entitled “Women, Youth and Informal Cross-Border Traders: Unlocking Inclusive Growth Under AfCFTA,” focused on the contributions of women and youth to national economies. Referencing the high percentage of female traders, which makes up about 74% of cross-border traders, Mensah-Yawaon emphasized that women are key to securing…

The EUCAP Sahel Mali mission has conducted an evaluation visit to the River Brigade of the National Gendarmerie to assess equipment provided under its mandate to support Mali’s internal security forces. The initiative includes targeted training and logistical support aimed at strengthening the operational capacity of units responsible for securing inland waterways. As a result, the River Brigade is better equipped to carry out surveillance, control, and anti-trafficking operations along the Niger River. Beyond routine security patrols, the technical support is also expected to enhance emergency response capabilities, enabling gendarmes to conduct faster and more effective rescue operations in the…

The Economic Community of West African States Commission has concluded a two-day virtual regional sensitization workshop aimed at strengthening Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) capacity to engage with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Digital Trade Protocol. Organized in collaboration with GIZ, the training targeted SMEs across the ECOWAS region, focusing on improving understanding of both the ECOWAS E-commerce Strategy and the AfCFTA Digital Trade framework. Representing ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Dr. Kalilou Sylla, Director of Trade Kolawole Sofola said the workshop was designed to equip SMEs with practical knowledge to leverage emerging digital trade opportunities…

The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), has flagged multi-level collation of results as the biggest threat to Nigeria’s elections, requiring presiding officers to upload images of completed Form EC8A and submit party scores directly into the system. According to INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, said the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) has been upgraded with safeguards to prevent manipulation of results transmitted to the INEC Result Viewing Portal, (IReV). The upgraded BVAS was tested successfully in the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Area Council, Kano, and Rivers State elections, Amupitan said, warning that staff negligence or indiscipline would be sanctioned. Amupitan…

The race for the Speakership of Uganda’s 12th Parliament has crystallized into a high-stakes, multi-candidate contest, defying early attempts by the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Central Executive Committee (CEC) to ring-fence the position. On January 27, 2026, the CEC endorsed incumbent Speaker Anita Annet Among and her deputy Thomas Tayebwa, citing continuity and stability as Parliament transitions into its 12th term. However, several political heavyweights have since defied the party line, transforming what was expected to be a routine affirmation into a competitive five-way race. The unfolding contest now tests internal NRM cohesion, the durability of cross-party cooperation agreements, and…

Somalia’s food and malnutrition crisis is expected to nearly double compared to the previous year, with about 6.5 million people projected to face acute food insecurity, as acute malnutrition rises for the second consecutive year, affecting more than 1.8 million children. A report published by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) initiative revealed that key drivers such as poor rainfall, conflict and insecurity, displacement, and soaring food prices are major contributors to the worsening crisis. The projected figure of 6.5 million is nearly double the 3.4 million recorded in the last analysis conducted in August 2025. The situation is…

The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a critical health assessment in Ogoniland, Rivers State, Southern Nigeria, to investigate illnesses linked to decades of oil pollution. The study, targeting 4,000 residents, seeks to establish a correlation between long-term exposure to hydrocarbons and adverse health outcomes. It is being conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a specialized WHO agency. Commissioned by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), the study began in mid-2025 with desk reviews, mapping, and baseline research, and is expected to span nearly three years. HYPREP Project Coordinator Professor Nenibarini Zabbey described the assessment as…

The Chiefs of Naval Staff of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) member states have moved to strengthen and operationalise a Combined Maritime Task Force (CMTF) to combat rising security threats in the Gulf of Guinea. A statement issued by the Nigerian Navy’s Acting Director of Information, Capt. Abiodun Folorunsho, highlighted key discussions during the 5th Meeting of the ECOWAS Sub-Committee of Chiefs of Naval Staff held in Accra from February 16-20, 2026. The meeting addressed escalating maritime insecurity, including terrorism, drug trafficking, piracy, and Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. Discussions were led by Nigeria’s Chief of Naval…

The High Court of Uganda has halted the scheduling of the treason trial against veteran opposition leader Kizza Besigye and his co-accused after the prosecution failed to fully disclose its evidence to the defense. During proceedings held in Kampala on Tuesday, trial judge Emmanuel Baguma ruled that the case could not proceed to conferencing a critical pre-trial stage, until the state complies with earlier court orders requiring full disclosure. Defense lawyers led by Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and Fredrick Mpanga told court that the prosecution had only supplied what they described as “Volume One” of the case file. According…