Lagos: Three time Nigerian ruler, Olusegun Obasanjo drew attention and patronage from far and wide during his stewardship of the country. The scant attendance at the launch of a book on him last Tuesday, however, showed that things are not the same for the man once hailed as the father of modern Nigeria. Politicians are known to be fair weather people with no permanent friends, but permanent interest. The reality of this axiom seems to be playing out in the political camp of former President Olusegun Obasanjo following recent occurrences.
Lagos: India is set to review the bilateral air service agreement (BASA) with Nigeria so that airlines can operate non-stop flights to both countries. Indian high commissioner Mahesh Sachdev said direct flights were necessary as trade and investment between the two countries now stands at $26 billion.
Lagos: The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Andrew Yakubu, has said China had become the alternative market for Nigeria’s crude oil, following dwindling imports by the United States, which was the major buyer of Nigeria’s crude oil. Speaking at the sidelines of a recent oil and gas conference in Lagos, Yakubu stated that China was a very good market for any shortfall in the United States’ imports.
Washington: The United States views its relationship with Nigeria as one of its two most important in sub-Saharan Africa and is offering its assistance to help Nigeria deal with "serious political, security and economic challenges," according to a senior U.S. official. "It ranks right up there with South Africa in terms of...the importance of its relationship to the United States," said the official, who traveled with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to Africa in early August but was not speaking for attribution.
Abuja: The United States wants to help Nigeria fight Islamists it sees as a growing regional menace, but the country cannot rely on military might alone, an official travelling with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said. Clinton visited Africa's most populous nation on Thursday and met with President Goodluck Jonathan. Washington is offering support in the fight against Boko Haram, a Taliban-like group that wants to create a strict Islamic state in Nigeria's north.
Abuja: The Open Society Foundations today announced that it has asked Obiageli Katryn Ezekwesili, a world-renowned expert on economic reforms and economic governance, to lead its new Africa Economic Policy Development Initiative. The initiative was created to build on the strong growth performance of Africa over the last decade and the emergent urgency for structural transformation of economies to expand benefits to the poor majority through policies that boost private sector jobs and incomes.
Abuja: Once described by US President Barack Obama as "a good-news story" in Africa and credited with overseeing Ghana's emergence as one of Africa's newest oil producers, the sudden and untimely death of late Ghanaian President John Evans Atta Mills in the early afternoon of Tuesday July 24 shocked the world. What was more incredible was the smooth power succession just a few hours later as Vice President John Dramani Mahama became head of state, devoid of any political crisis.
Lagos: United States Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, on Tuesday began a 10-day trip to Africa, with stops in Senegal, Uganda, Kenya, South Sudan, Malawi and South Africa, where she is expected to meet visit to the continent's elder statesman, 94-year-old anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela. During her visit, Clinton would meet with leaders of those countries, in what a statement by the State Department said would be, "to emphasize US policy commitments outlined in the Presidential Policy Directive - to strengthen democratic institutions, spur economic growth, advance peace and security as well as promote opportunity and development for all citizens."
Abuja: The Nigerian Army on Saturday stated that 70 per cent of the 10 million illegal weapons in West African are produced in Nigeria. The Chief of Army Standards and Evaluation, Major-General Shehu Abdulkadir, gave the figure in his paper entitled, ‘The challenges of internal security and implications for national development’ at the 7th annual Ramadan lecture of Muslim Media Practitioners of Nigeria in Abuja.
Lilongwe: United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will visit Malawi on August 5, 2012 which is next Sunday, on her tour of some African nations. Though the visit has not been officially announced by the US government, Malawi government official said preparations were in advanced stages for the top American official.
