Abuja, Nigeria | AFP | FIFA president Gianni Infantino said on Monday he hopes Africa gets two more spots at the World Cup if his proposal for the tournament to be expanded to 40 teams goes through. There are presently 32 finalists for the World Cup with Africa represented by …
Read More »Nigeria hails major step towards polio-free Africa
Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | Nigeria on Sunday celebrated two years without a new case of polio, in a major stride towards Africa being declared free of the devastating disease. If no new case is reported by July 2017, Nigeria will be certified free of the virus, which mainly affects …
Read More »Nigeria ‘talking to’ oil rebels: Buhari
Abuja, Nigeria | AFP | Thursday Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday said the government was in talks with oil rebels whose attacks have hit production, as the head of the state-run energy firm laid bare damage to the sector. Buhari said in a statement that “his administration is talking …
Read More »Five things about Nigerian star Ahmed Musa
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Five things about Nigerian international Ahmed Musa after English Premier League champions Leicester City signed him from CSKA Moscow for a club record fee of £16.6 million ($22 million, 20 million euros) on Friday: Congratulations to Ahmed Musa on his move to English …
Read More »Brent oil falls below $50 as Nigeria ups production
Singapore, Singapore | AFP | Oil prices retreated in Asia Tuesday, with Brent easing below $50 on news of increased production from Nigeria following the repair of infrastructure damaged in militant attacks. Bloomberg News reported Tuesday that Nigeria, Africa’s biggest oil producer, pumped an average 1.53 million barrels a day …
Read More »Nigeria to stop defending naira
Abuja, Nigeria | AFP | Nigeria signalled Wednesday it will ease currency controls, opening the door to a plunge in the value of the naira, after the restrictions were blamed for stifling the economy. Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor Godwin Emefiele said in a televised speech from Abuja that …
Read More »MTN to pay $1.7 bn Nigeria telecoms fine
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | South African telecoms giant MTN said Friday it would pay a $1.7 billion fine to the Nigerian government in a “full and final settlement” over its failure to disconnect unregistered mobile phone users. The Johannesburg-based company said in a statement that “MTN Nigeria has …
Read More »Chadian troops ‘pour into Niger after Boko Haram attack’
Niamey, Niger | AFP | The first of an expected 2,000 troops from regional military powerhouse Chad began arriving in neighbouring Niger Wednesday, where Boko Haram insurgents inflicted heavy losses in the town of Bosso last week, a local security source said. Chad is a leading member of a multi-national …
Read More »Former Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi dead at 54
BREAKING Reports from Nigeria indicate that former Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi has died. Nigeria’s leading media houses PUNCH and VANGUARD reported the news, with scanty details. VANGUARD reported that Ademola Olajire, an Assistant Director of Communications in the Nigeria Football Federation, said that Keshi died after he was rushed …
Read More »Second Chibok girl found as Nigerian president meets first rescued student
Abuja, Nigeria | AFP | A second Chibok schoolgirl has been rescued, Nigeria’s army said Thursday, after President Muhammadu Buhari met the first student to be found and voiced fresh hope for the recovery of the more than 200 others still being held. Army spokesman Colonel Sani Usman said the …
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