Author: News Editor

The military rulers of Niger have cancelled more than 990 diplomatic passports held by nationals and foreigners connected to the ousted regime of the deposed President Mohamed Bazoum. According to the country’s Nigerien Press Agency, the foreign ministry has written to notify diplomatic representations in Niger that the passports are now “lapsed”, according to copies of the letter posted on social networks. The diplomatic documents were held by former senior figures in institutions and ministries as well as ex-MPs and advisers including the president and prime minister. In the statement released on Thursday, about 50 of the passports had been…

Front Pages | Friday September 15, 2023

   The Economic Community of West African States adopts a regional strategy to accelerate the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement in the ECOWAS region and leverage on opportunities for growth and prosperity in the region.    The 90th Session of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Council of Ministers endorsed the ECOWAS Implementation Strategy for the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement on the 6 and 7 July 2023, in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau.     This step follows the Strategy’s adoption by ECOWAS Ministers of Trade and Industry (ECOMOTI) at the 3rd Ministerial meeting which was held on the 27th and 28th April, in…

In a world where economic stability and global markets are constantly evolving, the BRICS nations are making significant strides towards reshaping the global financial landscape. During their 15th annual summit, held recently, discussions on de-dollarization and the creation of a new currency took center stage.    The BRICS bloc, consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, has long been seen as a rising force in the global economy. As of March 2023, they collectively represent a substantial 31.5% of the world’s GDP. However, their ambitions don’t stop there.  In a historic expansion move, the BRICS welcomed six new…

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and its partners are mobilizing support to strengthen cybersecurity in West Africa through the launch, this Tuesday, September 12, 2023, in Abuja, Nigeria, of the Joint Platform for the Advancement of Cybersecurity in West Africa. This initiative was launched by the ECOWAS Commission in collaboration with Germany’s G7 Presidency in 2022. The three-day event will serve as an official starting point for the joint implementation of the ECOWAS Action Plan to increase regional cybersecurity resilience and capacity. The first concrete lines of work from the action plan to be implemented will focus…

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) adopts E-commerce Strategy to support Member States in leveraging e-commerce to build resilient micro-small and medium sized enterprises, create new jobs and spur economic diversification. The 90th Session of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Council of Ministers endorsed the ECOWAS E-commerce Strategy at its last meeting held from the 6 – 7 July 2023. This step follows its adoption by ECOWAS Ministers of Trade and Industry (ECOMOTI) at the 3rd Ministerial meeting which held from the 27th – 28th April, in Abidjan Cote d’Ivoire. The ECOWAS Commission developed the…

The Global Africa Business Initiative (GABI), a platform for promoting business, trade, and investment across the continent, at a virtual news conference, unveiled the lineup for its flagship event ‘Unstoppable Africa’ scheduled for Sept. 21-22 in New York. The two-day event, co-convened by the African Union (AU) on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, serves as a pivotal forum for leaders to discuss and strategise the way forward for Africa’s dynamic business landscape. Mrs Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General and CEO, UN Global Compact, said the event was a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation in amplifying…

The African Union (AU) has officially joined the G20 at its annual meeting in India in the latest sign of Africa’s growing clout in international forums. The AU was admitted to the organisation – which includes 19 of the world’s leading economies and the European Union – at its meeting in New Delhi on Saturday. “We welcome the African Union as a permanent member of the G20 and strongly believe that inclusion of the African Union into the G20 will significantly contribute to addressing the global challenges of our time,” said the summit’s final declaration. India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi…

Soon after Judy Kengo was sworn into office last year, the Kenyan legislator faced her first public test when a doctored photo of a lookalike kissing another woman surfaced online. The aim of the misleading photo, she says, was to force her to quit her position in the county assembly of Kwale, a staunchly conservative region along Kenya’s southern coast. “You see, here is your leader. What kind of role model is she to our girls?” Kengo, 35, remembers one online user saying after the image began making the rounds. Kengo’s case is far from isolated. There is growing evidence…

Nigerians who have an Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, or St Lucia second passport now have visa-free air travel via an eTA to Canada.    However, Nigerians travelling to these countries must have held a Canadian visa within the past 10 years or possess a valid United States non-immigrant visa to qualify.    This enables application for an eTA instead of a traditional visa when visiting Canada by air. Canada also announced that Dominica and Grenada citizens are eligible for the Can+ Visa programme. This speeds up the process of applying for a visitor visa, and it is…