Abuja, Nigeria | Xinhua | Nigeria has transformed the state-run Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) into an independent and limited liability firm, about 45 years after the creation of the national oil corporation. The move is part of the ongoing reform of the country’s oil industry, heralded by the Petroleum Industry …
Read More »Nigeria outlaws payment of ransom to kidnappers
Abuja, Nigeria | Xinhua | Nigerian Senate on Wednesday passed a bill seeking to outlaw the payment of ransom to kidnappers while amending an existing law against terrorism in the most populous African country. The newly passed Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2013 Amendment Bill 2022 is expected to be assented to by …
Read More »Nigerian president demands return of looted artifacts from abroad
Abuja, Nigeria | Xinhua | Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday appealed to nations, international institutions, and private and public bodies to return the country’s looted artifacts. Buhari’s appeal came after Saturday’s return of two Benin bronzes pillaged by British troops. The bronzes were repatriated from the University of Cambridge and …
Read More »Nigerian gov’t ends 7-month suspension of Twitter
Abuja, Nigeria | Xinhua | The Nigerian government on Wednesday ended its suspension of Twitter, seven months after it halted the operation of the California-based microblogging platform in Africa’s most populous country. The lifting of the ban in Nigeria would take effect from 12 a.m. local time on Thursday (2300 GMT …
Read More »Nigeria launches Africa’s first central bank digital currency
Abuja, Nigeria | Xinhua | Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday launched the eNaira, the country’s central bank digital currency (CBDC), becoming the first African nation to introduce an official digital currency. With the launch of the eNaira in Abuja, Buhari noted Nigeria is also one of the earliest in the …
Read More »Nigerian president lifts ban on Twitter with conditions
Abuja, Nigeria | Xinhua | Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday said he had directed that the ban of Twitter’s operations in the country be lifted, but only if the California-based microblogging giant meets certain conditions given by the government. In an Independence Day broadcast to mark Nigeria’s 61st independence anniversary, …
Read More »Nigeria suspends Twitter’s operations indefinitely
The social media company says the post violated its abusive behaviour policy, leading to a 12-hour suspension of his account Abuja, Nigeria | Xinhua | Nigerian government on Friday suspended the operations of Twitter, two days after it accused the U.S. social networking company of double standards and supporting the secessionists …
Read More »Nigerian gov’t accuses Twitter of double standards, supporting secessionists
The social media company says the post violated its abusive behaviour policy, leading to a 12-hour suspension of his account Abuja, Nigeria | Xinhua | The Nigerian government on Wednesday expressed doubts about Twitter’s mission in the country, accusing the U.S. technology company of double standards and supporting the secessionists in …
Read More »Nigeria leader’s top aide dies of coronavirus: presidency
Abuja, Nigeria | AFP | The powerful chief of staff to Nigerian leader Muhammadu Buhari has died after contracting the novel coronavirus, the presidency said Saturday. Buhari’s office announced in a statement that it “regrets to announce the passage” of Abba Kyari, who acted as gatekeeper to the president of Africa’s …
Read More »Fifty years on, Nigeria struggles with memory of Biafra war
Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | Diekoye Oyeyinka, 33, has been billed as one of the most promising Nigerian writers of his generation. He went to some of the finest schools in his West African homeland but says that like the majority of his classmates he “didn’t know about Biafra until …
Read More »