Economy

The Electoral Act: Embracing Electronic Transmission of Results The recently amended Electoral Act marks a significant shift in the electoral process, embracing modern technology by allowing for the electronic transmission of results. This change promises to enhance transparency and efficiency in the voting process, ensuring that results are reported more swiftly and accurately. However, the new provision is not without its caveats. What the Amendment Means The incorporation of electronic result transmission is designed…

Legal Challenges Emerge Over U.S.-Congo Minerals Deal Congolese lawyers and human rights defenders are challenging a controversial "minerals-for-security" deal signed between the government of President Félix Tshisekedi and the United States in December. Critics argue that the agreement not only bypassed necessary parliamentary approval but may also require a national referendum under the Congolese constitution. The deal, designed to grant the U.S. preferential access to vital minerals such as cobalt and coltan—critical…

Johannesburg residents are embroiled in a worsening water crisis that is triggering community conflict and stretching relief efforts, while authorities in the Western Cape urge conservation as municipalities confront failing infrastructure, according to local reports. In Johannesburg, shortages have forced people to queue for hours at water tankers only for supplies to run out. The breakdown is reportedly driving arguments and physical fights as some residents collect far more water than others. Some neighbourhoods remain…

Senegal Dismantles Paedophile Network Linking France In a significant crackdown on organized crime, Senegalese authorities have arrested 14 individuals in connection with a criminal network operating between Senegal and France. This group, composed primarily of Senegalese nationals, is accused of engaging in serious offences involving the exploitation of minors. According to police reports, the alleged crimes committed by this network include "organised paedophilia, pimping, rape of minors under 15, sodomy, and…

TRIPOLI — A rubber boat carrying 55 migrants from several African countries overturned off the coast of Libya after taking on water about six hours after leaving al-Zawiya, the U.N. migration agency said, in one of the deadliest incidents this year on the Libya‑Europe route. Only two women from Nigeria survived and received emergency medical care from the International Organization for Migration, the agency said. Survivors told IOM officials the overcrowded dinghy departed late at night and capsized north of Zuwara. One…

Ghana's High Commissioner to Nigeria Recalled Amid Electoral Malpractice Allegations In a decisive move, President John Mahama has directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to recall Mohammed Baba Jamal Ahmed, Ghana's High Commissioner to Nigeria. This action comes in response to serious allegations accusing Ahmed of electoral malpractice during recent National Democratic Congress (NDC) party primaries in Ghana. Reports have surfaced outlining claims of voter inducement and vote buying associated with Ahmed's candidacy in…

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and OCP Group, a global leader in plant-nutrition solutions, announced a five-year strategic partnership to accelerate scientific innovation for sustainable agriculture and resilient food systems. The collaboration, designed to bolster the IAEA’s Atoms4Food initiative, brings together the IAEA’s expertise in nuclear and isotopic techniques with OCP’s fertilizer science and field reach to address soil fertility, crop productivity and post-harvest safety. The agreement signals an…

Human Rights Watch Urges Investigation into Deadly Drone Attack in Niger Human Rights Watch (HRW) is pressing Nigerien authorities to undertake an independent investigation into a drone strike conducted by the army in January, which the organization claims resulted in the deaths of approximately 17 civilians, including four children. In a recent statement, HRW emphasized that, while the attack may have also claimed the lives of several militants, it breaches international law. The incident occurred on January 6, when…

Blessed Runesu “Bombshell” Geza, an outspoken and controversial Zimbabwean war veteran who publicly pushed for the removal of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has died in a Johannesburg hospital, his family said. He was 73. The family said Geza had been hospitalized for about 10 days and died at a cardiology facility in Johannesburg. They announced his death on social media and warned the public to be wary of any solicitations for cash donations allegedly for his funeral. Once a member of the Zanu-PF Central Committee, Geza…

King Charles III Invites Nigerian President to Historic State Visit In a significant diplomatic gesture, King Charles III and Queen Camilla have invited Nigerian President Bola Tinubu for a state visit, marking the first of its kind by a Nigerian leader to the United Kingdom in 37 years. The last state visit from Nigeria occurred in 1989, when then-President Gen Ibrahim Babangida met with Queen Elizabeth II. Unlike routine official trips, state visits follow a formal royal protocol and are designed to enhance diplomatic…