The so-called ‘Orderly Return Law’ (das Geordnete-Rückkehr-Gesetz) was approved in June. It went into force on Wednesday (21 August). It gives authorities and police more powers to enforce deportation orders. Critics fear more refugees could now be legally detained. The tightening of rules governing the deportation of rejected asylum-seekers took effect on Wednesday. Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) said …

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has kicked off the registration of Nigerians resident in Germany. The exercise, being carried out in collaboration with private data management companies, enrols Nigerians, including those living in the diaspora, in the country’s National Identity Database. A registered person is issued a National Identification Number (NIN), a unique set of eleven-digit number. Kicking off …

Nearly one quarter of Germany’s population of 82 million has an immigrant background, according to statistics released Wednesday (21 August). Germany’s statistical agency Destatis said 20.8 million people in 2018 had a so-called “migrant background,” defined as a person who is a migrant or has at least one parent not born as a German citizen. That’s an increase of half …

The SAP Quality Awards were established in 2005 as a means of recognising companies that have excelled in their use of SAP technologies to achieve digital transformation against a number of key metrics. This year, a total of 19 organisations from West, East and Southern Africa were recognised for their outstanding results across a number of successful implementations.

While the assault on Senator Ike Ekweremadu has been strongly condemned by all Nigerian diaspora organisations, some commentators have called for a broader look at the import of the unfortunate incident for the culture of governance in their home country. Dr Ike Ekweremadu, a member of the Nigerian Senate – the upper chamber of the country’s bicameral national legislature, was …

President Muhammadu Buhari swore in the members of his cabinet for his second term in office today and assigned portfolios to the new ministers. The full list is below: Dr. Ikechukwu Ogah (Abia State) – Minister of State, Mines and Steel Development Mohammed Musa Bello (Adamawa State) – Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom State) – …

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a change of name for the Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi in Benue State. The new name for the institution is Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi. The approval follows the president’s decision to sign a bill amending the law that set up the university. Mr Buhari also approved a separate bill that changes the name …

PRESS STATEMENT NIDOG condemns assault on Senator Ekweremadu in Nuremberg The Executive Committee of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Germany (NIDO Germany) held an emergency meeting on Sunday, 18 August to discuss the assault on the person of Senator Ike Ekweremadu at the Second Annual Igbo Cultural Day on Saturday, 17 August in the German city of Nuremberg. The meeting …

The Nigerian Embassy in Germany has called on German authorities to unmask the identity of and try the Aug. 17 attackers of Sen. Ike Eweremadu in Nuremberg, Germany. In a statement on Monday in Berlin, the embassy also demanded that the attackers be tried in accordance with German laws.   The embassy stated that investigations would help identify the attackers …

Below is a Press Statement released by Ndi Igbo Germany e.V. on the assault on the person of Senator Ike Ekweremadu at the Second Annual Igbo Cultural Day on Saturday, 17 August in the German city of Nuremberg. The event was organised by Ndi Igbo Germany. ………………………………………. PRESS STATEMENT NDI IGBO GERMANY APOLOGISES TO SENATOR IKE EKWEREMADU AND CALLS FOR WORLD …

The physical assault on the person of Senator Ike Ekweremadu at the Second Annual Igbo Cultural Day on 17 August in the German city of Nuremberg has been attracting different reactions from Nigerians in the diaspora. The attack is suspected to have been carried out by members of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), an organisation agitating for a separate independent …

No fewer than 20 Nigerian migrants have been deported by the German authority, The African Courier can confirm. The migrants arrived the Murtala Muhammed International Airport at 4:30pm on Monday (19 August). The African Courier gathered that the returnees were picked randomly at different times and detained in a deportation prison prior to their repatriation. READ MORE New law for …

Nigeria’s ambassador to Germany, HE Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, hosted a delegation* of the Edo Community of Nigeria, Germany e.V. (Edo`s in Germany) on Friday, 16 August in Berlin. Alhaji Tuggar held a meeting with the delegation, including members of the national executive council of Edo Community Germany, in the company of Ambassador (Mrs) Shakirat Ogundero, the Deputy Head of Mission, …

Germany has become the most popular country in the world for foreign students in the non-English speaking world. A new study released by two academic services found that students were attracted by better prospects. Ben Knight of DW reports Germany has overtaken France as the most popular non-English speaking country for international students, according to a new study. Germany came …

Information and practical knowledge on dealing with racist experience of children and young people with migration or non-Christian religious background is the theme of a lecture taking place on Tuesday, August 20 in Gießen. The sociologist, journalist and author Nkechi Madubuko, PhD, will deliver the lecture at the Hermann-Levi concert hall in the town hall of Gießen. The speaker, who …

After five exciting weekends of quality football and the accompanying tension and fun, Sierra Leone beat Cameroon 5:4 to become winners of the 13th African Football Cup in Bremen on Sunday (11 August). It was however not easy for the Sierra Leoneans as they achieved their hard-won victory after a penalty shoot-out. Senegal had it easier at the third-place match …

During the first half of 2019, German authorities registered 8,605 far-right hate crimes. That was 900 more than in the first half of 2018. In the first half of 2019, the authorities registered 8,605 extreme right-wing crimes in Germany. These included 363 acts of violence. A total of 179 people were injured, according the Federal Government in response to a …

More than one hundred Human Resource (HR) Professionals have gathered in Accra for the 2019 Ghana HR Summit organised by Mercer, a global consulting leader in advancing health, wealth and career , in partnership with Learning Organisation Ghana to brainstorm on the future of work and how it will be created.  The two-day Summit which started on 13 August 2019 took …

The German city of Frankfurt will again host the Nollywood Film Festival Germany (NFFG) and its sister event Nollywood Europe Golden Award (NEGA) on 30-31 August. The yearly entertainment show, organized by Ehizoya Golden Entertainment e.V., features Nigerian film screenings, live music concerts and an awards night. The main attraction of NFFG/ NEGA this year is the performance of Nigerian …

Beatrice Achaleke, founder of the International Centre for Black Women’s Perspectives and the First Black European Women’s Congress, recalls her fortuitous encounter with the African-American writer and Nobel laureate Toni Morrison, who died last week (7 August), that changed the course of her life forever! ….. “There are some people you only get the chance to meet once in your …