News

The World Health Organization (WHO) has delivered its first Covid-19 doses to Ghana under a programme to ensure low-income countries do not wait for years to start inoculating their populations. Ghana became the first country to receive the vaccines through the COVAX program on Wednesday, a joint statement issued by UNICEF Ghana and WHO Ghana said. An aircraft carrying 600,000 …

How an IOM frontline worker goes beyond return counselling by providing African migrants in Germany with the support they need Berlin – It is a full day for Danielle Al-Qassir at the foreign immigration office in Berlin. “I have clients calling me on my work phone, my private phone and the landline, and we have clients coming in in-person,” she …

In order to strengthen political dialogue and promote economic relations, Professor Robert Dussey, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration and Togolese Abroad, held diplomatic talks on February 16, 2021 with his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in St. Petersburg. According to reports, Professor Dussey’s visit was on the invitation by Moscow, and came on exactly one year after their …

In 2018, Germany’s asylum office BAMF came under fire for supposedly wrongly issuing numerous positive asylum decisions. Now, German courts have ruled in favour of 66 refugees whose positive asylum decisions had been revoked. Benjamin Bathke/DW reports German administrative courts have ruled in favour of 66 refugees after they brought lawsuits against the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees …

The number of asylum applications in Europe fell by almost a third last year. A total of 461,300 applications, 31 per cent fewer than in 2019, were filed, according to EASO, the EU’s asylum office based in Valletta, Malta. The main reason for the decline, according to EASO, is the Corona pandemic travel restrictions. The figures cover all initial applications …

A look into the ban on cryptocurrency in Nigeria by Ibrahim Moshood and Oneyka Cindy Ojogbo, Associate and Senior Associate respectively of the international law firm Centurion Law Group In a letter dated 5 February 2021[1], the Nigerian government through its apex bank – the Central Bank of Nigeria (“CBN”) – clamped down on cryptocurrencies in Nigeria. The letter specifically …

Calls for political consequences are loud as Germany commemorates the first anniversary of the racist killings in the western German city of Hanau. On 19 February 2020, a 43-year-old German shot dead nine people with foreign roots in Hanau out of sheer racially-motivated hate — One year ago, on 19 February 2020, a 43-year-old German in Hanau had shot and …

International remittance service provider, WorldRemit has described the move by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, mandating commercial banks to open dollar accounts for customers who do not have as timely and apt. Country Manager, WorldRemit, Nigeria and Ghana, Gbenga Okejimi, stated that the move would enhance remittance payments for those who receive support from family and friends abroad. The …

The global pandemic has accelerated the need for true digitisation as African customers demand a more seamless digital customer experience from their communications service providers (CSPs), writes Pikie Monaheng, CEO at Amdocs South Africa JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, February 17, 2021/ —  It’s no secret that CSPs need to transform their businesses to compete in the continent’s highly competitive communications landscape …

The security situation in Nigeria is worsening by the day as marauding bandits, camouflaging as herdsmen, roam across the country kidnapping for ransom, waylaying travellers, killing farmers and generally making the country unsafe. Added to the security troubles of the country is the possibility of inter-ethnic clashes flaring in different parts of the country caused by worsening inter-communal relationship. Members …

The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved the first vaccine for its COVAX program, aimed at ensuring equitable access to vaccines in Low- and middle-income countries. On Monday, the UN health agency issued emergency approval for the AstraZeneca vaccine, with deliveries expected to commence by March. The approval comes after a study in South Africa indicates that the AstraZeneca vaccine …

The World Trade Organisation has confirmed Nigeria’s former Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the next Director-General. She is the first woman and the first African to lead the international trade body. According to a statement by the organisation on Monday, her term is scheduled to start on 1 March 2021. The term, which is renewable, will expire on 31 August 2025. …

The immediate past chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Europe (NIDOE), Hon Kenneth Gbandi, has called on the body to withdraw the award it once conferred on the current governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Bala Mohammed, if he does not deny a recent statement credited to him on security in Nigeria. Mohammed had last week said that herdsmen were …

 Britain’s Karim Ahmad Khan was elected on Friday by the parties to the International Criminal Court (ICC) as the new chief prosecutor for a nine-year term starting in June. The Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court held its second resumed nineteenth session on 12 February 2021 at the UN Headquarters in New York. …

Lagos, Nigeria: Following the decision of the Lagos State Judicial Panel to allow the Lekki Concession Company to reopen the Lekki tollgate where soldiers opened fire on peaceful protesters, killing many in cold blood on 20 October 2020, Nigerian youths protested on Saturday to show their dissatisfaction of the decision. Despite the presence of heavy security operatives on ground, youths …

The ongoing global coronavirus pandemic, and the impact thereof, has presented Humanitas Afrika with both a challenge and an opportunity

A new airline begins commercial operations in Nigeria on Friday, 12 February. The Enugu-based United Nigeria recently received approval to commence operation and was handed an Air Operators Certificate (AOC) by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), having fulfilled all mandatory regulatory requirements.  The airline will conduct its inaugural flight on Friday, taking off from the domestic wing of Murtala …

Western media has long been criticised for reporting negatively about Africa. However, a new study, which analysed content from news outlets in 15 countries across the continent, has found that African media also reports negatively about Africa. Our contributing editor Kester Kenn Klomegah explains what’s behind this disturbing reality and what should be done to change it  Interestingly, one-third of all …

Moussa Faki Mahamat was re-elected the chairperson of the African Union Commission on Saturday during the two-day virtual summit of the organisation. The Chadian diplomat won the support of 51 of 55 member states in a secret ballot to win a second term as AU executive head at the 34th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and …

The Central Bank of Nigeria has reacted to criticisms trailing its declaration that  the use of cryptocurrencies in Nigeria contravenes existing laws. The apex bank had issued a statement on Friday warning banks and other financial institutions to desist from transacting cryptocurrencies and dealing with entities who do same. According to the CBN in a new statement on Sunday, cryptocurrencies …