Author: kajarbi54

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, (NCDC), has warned of a sharp rise in Lassa fever infections, confirming a 57 per cent increase in cases within one week and 31 deaths recorded in the first five epidemiological weeks of 2026. The country’s ‘Case Fatality Rate’ currently stands at 18.8 per cent, slightly lower than the 19.6 per cent recorded during the same period last year. Nine states have reported confirmed infections across 33 Local Government Areas, with Bauchi and Taraba in the North-East, Ondo in the South-West, Edo in the South-South and Plateau in the North-Central, accounting for…

One of Mali’s major markets, Sougounicoura, was engulfed in flames on Sunday night, destroying goods worth millions of CFA francs. Eyewitnesses say the market became unrecognizable after the heavy destruction to its infrastructure. Reports indicate the first flames were spotted shortly after midnight in the Medina Coura district. Within minutes, the fire spread rapidly through the tightly packed stalls, consuming stocks of food, clothing, and household goods. Fortunately, no deaths were reported. Firefighters responded quickly and managed to control the blaze before it spread to other areas of the market. Sougounicoura is one of Mali’s busiest markets, attracting hundreds of…

President Yoweri Museveni has appointed former Ethiopian Airlines chief executive Mr Girma Wake as consultant and acting Chief Executive Officer of Uganda Airlines, in a move aimed at addressing what he described as significant leadership and management weaknesses at the national carrier. In a letter published on Monday and dated February 13, 2026, addressed to the Minister of Works and Transport, Gen Katumba Wamala, the President directed that Mr Wake be appointed as Consultant and Advisor to help rectify management gaps within the airline. He further instructed that Mr Wake serves as Acting CEO until a substantive chief executive is…

Nigeria’s inflation rate continued its downward trend in January 2026, easing to 15.1% from 15.15% in December 2025, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The slight decline signals a moderation in price pressures, with the statistics agency noting a 0.05 percentage-point drop in headline inflation. On a year-on-year basis, inflation fell sharply by 12.51 percentage points, down from 27.61% in January 2025, highlighting improving macroeconomic price conditions. Food inflation saw the biggest slowdown, falling from 29.63% in December 2025 to 8.89%, driven by lower prices of key staples such as maize, beans, palm oil, cassava, and…

Climate Change is more than statistics, it’s more than data points. It’s more than net-zero targets. It’s about the people, it’s about the people who are being impacted right now – Vanessa Nakate, Climate activist, Uganda.  Climate change has increasingly dominated discussions in both regional and global forums. Its effects are visible through intensified environmental events, including torrential rainfall that causes devastating floods, extreme heatwaves, prolonged droughts, and rising sea levels. These challenges are interconnected, and Africa often bears the brunt, with severe impacts on populations and significant economic setbacks – especially in countries with limited capacity to mitigate the…

The Office of the Ombudsman of The Gambia has recommended the construction of a new prison to ease congestion at Mile 2 and Janjanbureh Prisons. Due to a backlog in submissions, the Office presented a combined 2023/2024 Annual Activity Report before the Finance and Public Accounts Committee. It revealed that Mile 2 Prison had three cells housing a total of 93 inmates – 41 remand prisoners and 52 convicted prisoners. Similarly, at Janjanbureh Prison, the report disclosed that the facility had three cells accommodating 93 inmates, comprising 41 remand and 52 convicted prisoners. The report followed monitoring visits to prisons…

The Thirty-Ninth Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU) concluded on Sunday, following discussions on several regional and global issues. The two-day high-level deliberations by African Heads of State and Government were held at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The Assembly formally welcomed President Évariste Ndayishimiye as Chairperson of the African Union for 2026 and launched the AU Theme of the Year 2026: “Ensuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063.” Key areas of deliberation included peace and security, institutional reform and governance, Africa and global governance (G20),…

Nigeria and Angola have formalised a new agreement to waive visa requirements for holders of diplomatic passports, marking a significant step in strengthening bilateral relations. The memorandum of understanding, (MoU), was signed during the 39th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Sunday. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, said the agreement would enhance mobility for government officials and help pave the way for stronger economic and private sector collaboration. He described the development as “significant,” saying it highlights the deep historical ties between the two nations, and referenced a landmark address delivered…

The African Union has unanimously endorsed Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama’s initiative to table a resolution at the United Nations seeking global recognition of the transatlantic slave trade as the gravest crime against humanity. The resolution also seeks reparations, including the return of looted artefacts. President Mahama made the announcement on Sunday while presenting his report to the 39th Assembly of Heads of State and Government, in his capacity as the African Union Champion for Advancing the Cause of Justice and the Payment of Reparations. The resolution, first introduced during the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly in September…

The Somali Defense Ministry on Sunday said it killed 15 al-Shabaab militants during a targeted airstrike in the south of the country. According to a statement from the ministry, the airstrike was carried out in coordination with international partners and targeted militants planting improvised explosive devices along a key road in the Middle Shabelle region. The operation resulted in the destruction of a vehicle and weapons allegedly intended for use in attacks against civilians. The al-Qaeda-affiliated group has waged an insurgency against the Somali government for more than 16 years, frequently targeting security forces, government officials, and civilians. Since July…