The week ahead - No chill
Nigeria faces challenges: unregistered land, debt, an ineffective NNPC, and political tensions, while Ghana decentralises mineral management.
This week, we learned most Nigerian land is unregistered, recalling elected officials is not as easy as ABC, debt stays ascendant, the NNPC is still crude work, mineral management in Ghana is on its way to being decentralised, Nigerian politicians love to talk the talk, and tussling rulers in Kano know no chill.
Chart of the week
Nigeria's herdsmen conflict has escalated from regional clashes to a national crisis, with protests erupting in all six geopolitical zones after brutal attacks. While communities demand protection from violence, innocent Fulani pastoralists now face the prospect of retaliation, caught in a dangerous cycle of collective punishment. The government's focus on suppressing protests rather than addressing root causes worsens tensions, leaving farming communities and peaceful herders vulnerable. Without urgent action to break this cycle of violence and protect all civilians, Nigeria risks further fracturing along ethnic lines, with devastating consequences for national stability.
Video
SBM's legal analyst, Veronica Pana Igube, discusses the State of Emergency declared in River State by President Bola Tinubu and the implications for Nigerian citizens with Uwa Saleh of WAYS.
What we are following this week
NNPC Limited has made $21.565 billion in forward crude sales since 2019, impacting its ability to meet domestic supply obligations and forcing local refineries to import and operate below capacity.
The UNCTAD warns that developing nations, including Nigeria, face record-high external debt, with Nigeria's debt projected to exceed $100.67 billion by 2025, posing significant challenges to economic stability and development.
Nigeria's Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, says that over 90% of the country's land remains unregistered, resulting in a staggering estimated $300 billion loss due to a slow and cumbersome registration process.
INEC initially rejected a petition to recall Kogi Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan due to incomplete contact details, despite claiming over 250,000 signatures, citing misconduct and abuse of office.
Tensions are rising in Kano as rival emirs, Aminu Ado Bayero and Lamido Sanusi, planned parallel Sallah durbar processions amid an ongoing emirship dispute, sparking concerns of clashes between supporters and prompting high-security alerts.
Nigerian leaders, including Olusegun Obasanjo and Peter Obi, have called for democratic reforms, citing Western democracy's ineffectiveness in Africa. They advocate for a system that reflects cultural realities, judicial independence, and electoral reforms.
Ghana's Parliament has received L.I. 2462, set to strip the President's power to grant mining licenses in forest reserves, aiming to curb illegal small-scale mining, effective after 21 sitting days.