Germany’s Muslim population has reached between 6.6 and 7 million people, according to a new projection by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge, BAMF). This represents 8.0 to 8.5 percent of the total population, a figure that challenges persistent public misperceptions, with surveys consistently showing that Germans dramatically overestimate the actual proportion of Muslims …

By Collins Nweke On a recent evening in Brussels, I had the privilege of delivering the keynote address at the launch of The City He Never Returned To, a remarkable new novel by a Nigerian-born Belgian writer, Ibekwe Paul Chukwuemeka. The book is ostensibly about the Nigerian Civil War, memory, healing and national repair. But as I reflected afterwards, I …

Refugee and asylum-seeking children in Germany are now entitled to significantly better healthcare, following changes that took effect on 12 June under the implementation of the European Union’s new asylum system. __________ While much of the EU’s Common European Asylum System (GEAS) introduces stricter border procedures and faster asylum processing, one aspect of the reform brings a clear benefit for …

In a judgment delivered on 11 June 2026, a Berlin court awarded financial compensation to a Black German man after finding that he had been subjected to racial discrimination during a police identity check. The ruling is seen as an important application of Berlin’s State Anti-Discrimination Act _______ A Berlin court has ordered the state to pay €500 in compensation …

Twenty years after Germany introduced its landmark anti-discrimination law, campaigners say the legislation has helped improve legal protection against unequal treatment but no longer reflects the realities of discrimination in modern society. The General Equal Treatment Act (Allgemeines Gleichbehandlungsgesetz – AGG) came into force on 18 August 2006 to protect people from discrimination based on ethnic origin, race, gender, religion …

When The African Courier reported in January 2026 on Germany’s proposed overhaul of its paternity recognition rules, the draft law was still working its way through parliament and advocacy groups were watching closely. On 12 June 2026, the waiting ended. The Bundestag passed the legislation with the governing coalition of CDU/CSU and SPD voting in favour, the Greens and the …

Swiss voters have rejected a controversial proposal to cap the country’s population at 10 million people, delivering a setback to anti-immigration campaigners and reaffirming Switzerland’s reliance on migration to support its economy and labour market. In a nationwide referendum held on 14 June, about 55 percent of voters opposed the initiative, while 45 percent supported it. The proposal, championed by …

The European Parliament has approved a sweeping overhaul of the EU’s return and deportation system, paving the way for the establishment of deportation centres in non-EU countries and granting member states broader powers to enforce removals. The legislation was adopted on 17 June 2026 in Strasbourg by 418 votes to 218, with 30 abstentions, following a provisional agreement reached between …

Nigeria’s Ambassador-designate to Germany, HE Senator Ita Enang, has arrived in Berlin to begin preparations for his diplomatic assignment, marking the start of a new chapter in relations between Nigeria and one of its most important European partners. The former senator and presidential adviser landed in the German capital accompanied by his wife, Dr Rosemary Ita Enang on 11 June. …

Jolloful Foods GmbH is on a mission to make African cuisine more accessible across Europe through a range of ready-to-eat meals inspired by traditional recipes from the continent. Its name draws inspiration from jollof rice – one of Africa’s most cherished dishes, famous not only for its distinctive blend of rice, tomatoes and spices, but also for the friendly cross-border …

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted jointly by the United States, Canada and Mexico, has already broken new ground for African football. For the first time, a record 10 African nations are competing in the tournament, raising hopes that the continent could finally produce a World Cup finalist – or even a champion. The expanded 48-team format has allowed Africa …

Nigeria and the European Union are set to strengthen their longstanding economic partnership as policymakers, investors and business leaders gather in Lagos for the 10th Nigeria–EU Business Forum on 25 June. The landmark event reflects growing efforts by both sides to transform diplomatic relations into concrete business opportunities and sustainable investments. Organised under the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, the forum …

In an unprecedented show of unity, Germany’s immigrant communities — African, Turkish, Polish, Kurdish, Italian and many others — have joined forces to fight the planned shutdown of COSMO, ARD’s only multilingual, intercultural public radio service. More than 100,000 people have signed a petition. Now the organised diaspora is calling on ARD’s leadership to act. On 11 June 2026, more …

New UNHCR figures released ahead of World Refugee Day on 20 June show a four percent drop in global displacement in 2025 — the first reduction in ten years. The data offers a moment of cautious optimism, but rights groups warn that the numbers mask deepening long-term crises and deteriorating conditions across Europe. For the first time in ten years, …

Nigeria has emerged as Africa’s largest source of international students and now ranks as the world’s third-largest sender of students abroad, according to UNESCO’s first Higher Education Global Trends Report, released on 12 May 2026. The report found that Nigerian students accounted for 5% of global outbound student mobility in 2023, placing the country behind only China and India, and …

In a landmark ruling issued on 4 June 2026, the European Court of Justice has found that Germany’s practice of cutting basic benefits for rejected asylum-seekers violates EU law, a verdict hailed by refugee advocates, but one whose impact may prove short-lived as sweeping new migration rules take effect just eight days later.____________ The case originated with an Afghan national, …

The European Union’s landmark Pact on Migration and Asylum enters into force on 12 June 2026, ushering in the most comprehensive reform of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) in decades. Designed to address longstanding weaknesses exposed during previous migration crises, the pact consists of ten interlinked legislative acts that reshape how the EU manages migration and processes asylum claims. …

Germany’s Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency handled more cases in 2025 than at any time in its history, with racist and antisemitic incidents accounting for the single largest share — and the country’s chief equality watchdog warning that prejudice is now being expressed more openly and more aggressively than at any point in recent memory. Germany’s Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency (Antidiskriminierungsstelle des Bundes, …

Germany granted citizenship to a record 332,500 foreign nationals in 2025, underscoring the growing importance of naturalisation as a pathway to full participation in German society. According to provisional figures released by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), the number of naturalisations rose by 14 per cent compared with 2024, marking the fifth consecutive annual increase and the highest figure since …

The United Nations General Assembly has elected Austria, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, Zimbabwe and Kyrgyzstan as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council for a two-year term beginning on 1 January 2027. The five countries were elected on 3 June to replace outgoing members whose terms expire at the end of 2026. They will join the Security Council’s 15-member body, …