The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has issued a landmark ruling that raises the standard for EU countries when designating “safe countries of origin” in asylum procedures. Persons from safe countries of origin have little chance of being granted asylum in the EU. According to the Court, a country can only be considered safe if all groups within its population, …

The suicide of a 15-year-old Black boy in a German juvenile detention centre has sparked fierce debates about racism, violence and systemic neglect within the country’s justice system. The incident, which occurred on 1 August at the Justizvollzugsanstalt (JVA) Ottweiler in Saarland, has drawn parallels to past cases of Black people dying in state custody, raising urgent questions about institutional …

A rare opportunity for Nigerians in Germany to speak directly with their diplomats took place in Frankfurt on 1 August 2025. The town hall meeting, part of the Consulate’s Consular and Migration Sensitisation Programme, addressed urgent community concerns — from passport delays to legal challenges and child welfare cases. In this exclusive interview with The African Courier, Chuks Lewis Ehiwario, …

The Nigerian Consulate General in Frankfurt brought the diaspora together for a landmark town hall meeting on Friday, 1 August 2025, as part of its ongoing Consular and Migration Sensitisation Programme. Held in Frankfurt am Main, the gathering provided a rare platform for direct interaction between the Consul General, Ambassador Yakubu Dadu, and Nigerians living in Germany. Among the speakers …

Get ready to be dazzled — the third edition of Africa Fashion Week Cologne (AFWC) is on the horizon, returning in style on 13–14 September 2025 at the elegant Sartory-Saal in the heart of Cologne, Germany. This move to the iconic venue follows two sensational editions, including an unforgettable display at the Rautenstrauch–Joest–Museum in 2023. This year’s Africa Fashion Week …

Nollywood royalty is coming to Germany! Award-winning actress, producer and director Funke Akindele, revered as Nigeria’s queen of cinema, will be one of the celebrated guests at this year’s Nollywood Film Festival Germany (NFFG), taking place from 8–9 August in Frankfurt am Main. Joining Akindele are other Nollywood stars Charles Inojie, Rita Edochie and Rahama Sadau, promising a dazzling lineup …

A German court has ordered a couple to repay more than €33,000 in Bürgergeld after authorities found they had been living in Nigeria while claiming social benefits. The couple had failed to inform the Jobcenter of their long-term absence abroad — a violation of the conditions for receiving Bürgergeld. The new court decision has again confirmed the Jobcenter’s right to …

Nigeria has officially launched a programme designed to connect Nigerian professionals abroad with universities, polytechnics and other tertiary institutions in their homeland. The Diaspora BRIDGE is a cornerstone of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at harnessing global talent to elevate educational standards and drive institutional transformation in Nigeria. At the Abuja launch ceremony on Tuesday (29 July), …

A new study by the University of Siegen has uncovered stark evidence of discrimination against young people with migrant backgrounds applying for apprenticeships in Germany. The field experiment, based on over 50,000 fictitious email inquiries sent to 700 businesses with open training positions, revealed a troubling trend: the likelihood of receiving a positive response strongly correlates with the applicant’s name …

Animal Friends Academy is not just an app; it is the flowering of a deeply personal journey that began in a loving Nigerian home and now reaches into the hands of children and youths across the world. At the centre of this story is Emmanuel Fadipe, a man whose life has been molded by the quiet strength and relentless sacrifices …