The West African Examination Council (WAEC) in Nigeria has announced plans to gradually eliminate the use of paper in the conduct of its examinations. Dr. Amos Dangut, Head of National Office, revealed this development on Thursday while monitoring the ongoing West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in Abeokuta. Dr. Dangut, accompanied by the Permanent Secretary of the Ogun Ministry of Education, Mrs. Mariam Oloko, stated that WAEC is preparing to deploy electronic devices to various recognized examination centers across the country. “In the future, we will enable schools with the necessary facilities to conduct computer-based testing for the…
Author: Omolemi Eboisetale
A man died on the sidelines of mass demonstrations against proposed tax hikes in the Kenyan capital, police said Friday, with the mounting protest a day earlier also leaving 200 people injured. A police watchdog said it was investigating allegations that the man was shot by police after Thursday’s demonstrations in Nairobi, the second this week. Led largely by young Kenyans, the protests began in Nairobi on Tuesday before spreading nationwide. They have been galvanised by widespread discontent over President William Ruto’s economic policies as many people already grapple with a cost-of-living crisis. Thursday’s demonstrations in Nairobi were mostly peaceful,…
A top Namibian court on Friday struck down the African country’s colonial-era laws criminalising same-sex relationships, in a victory for the LGBTQ community. The high court in the capital, Windhoek, declared the crimes of “sodomy” and “unnatural sexual offences” as “unconstitutional and invalid” in a ruling hailed by LGBTQ rights groups. “We are not persuaded that in a democratic society such as ours… it is reasonably justifiable to make an activity criminal just because a segment, maybe a majority, of the citizenry consider it to be unacceptable,” the judges wrote. The judgement overturns rarely enforced laws dating back to 1927,…
At a United Nations Security Council Arria-formula meeting, U.S. Ambassador Robert Wood delivered an address on the urgent need to combat the rise of terrorism and violent extremism in West Africa and the Sahel. Ambassador Robert Wood stated the role of inclusive democratic processes and international partnerships in addressing the growing threat. The Sahel has become the global epicenter of terrorism-related deaths. Ambassador Robert Wood highlighted the necessity of involving civil society in counterterrorism efforts to address the underlying conditions that foster terrorism and violent extremism. He noted that overly broad counterterrorism laws can inadvertently contribute to radicalization by shrinking…
Russian President Vladimir Putin, on Thursday, warned South Korea that sending lethal weapons to Ukraine would be a “big mistake.” Putin’s comment comes a day after he signed a new strategic agreement with North Korea, and Seoul announced it would consider arming Ukraine in response to Russia and North Korea signing a mutual defence pact. Speaking during a visit to Vietnam, Putin said, “With regard to deliveries of lethal weapons to Ukraine to combat zones, this would be a very big mistake. “If that happens, then we will take the according decision, which the current leadership of South Korea will…
Jihadi fighters from Africa’s Sahel region have established a presence in northwestern Nigeria, according to a recent report by the Clingendael Institute. The report reveals that extremists, likely linked to al-Qaida, have crossed from northern Benin into Nigeria and settled in Kainji Lake National Park. This vast protected area, once a hub for tourism, has now become a hotspot for armed groups an issue of serious security and environmental concerns. This is the first major link between Nigeria’s homegrown extremists, engaged in a decade-long insurgency in the north, and al-Qaida-linked militants from the Sahel, a vast arid region south of…
Nigeria’s total public debt has escalated to N121.67 trillion (USD 91.46 billion) as of March 31, 2024, an increase of N24.33 trillion, or 24.99%, within just three months. The Debt Management Office (DMO) disclosed this rise in a press release issued on Thursday.The latest figure reflects a substantial jump from the total debt of N97.34 trillion (USD 108.23 billion) recorded on December 31, 2023. The public debt encompasses the combined total of domestic and external debts owed by the Federal Government of Nigeria, the thirty-six state governments, and the Federal Capital Territory. According to the DMO report, Nigeria’s total domestic…
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye is currently in France for his first official visit outside Africa, aiming to redefine Senegal-France relations. President Faye, who assumed office on April 2, arrived in Paris on Wednesday to participate in the Global Forum for Vaccine Sovereignty and Innovation. During his visit, President Faye met with French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss ways to rethink and enhance the longstanding relationship between Senegal and France. “Senegal wants to rethink the relations with France, but to do so, discussions are necessary,” Faye stated. At the Global Forum for Vaccine Sovereignty and Innovation, which took place on…
South Africa and Nigeria have reported a substantial increase in bilateral trade, reaching $670 million in the first quarter of 2024. This development was highlighted during a bilateral meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa and President Bola Ahmed Adekunle Tinubu of Nigeria on Thursday. President Tinubu attended the Presidential Inauguration in South Africa on Wednesday, witnessing the swearing-in ceremony of President Ramaphosa. South Africa regards Nigeria as a pivotal partner in pursuing the African Agenda, fostering South-South cooperation, and promoting a rules-based international system. The strengthening of ties between these two AfCFTA member countries is seen as a…
Young Educators Foundation, an NGO, has announced that Nigeria and Ghana will represent Africa at the prestigious Scripps National Spelling Bee, that will be hosted in the U.S. in 2025. Mrs Eugenia Tachie-Menson, Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, disclosed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja. Tachie-Menson said that the spelling competition that tested students’ competence in spelling and vocabulary prowess had seen Ghana representing the continent for about two decades. She said that the foundation in collaboration with Lucid Education Initiative, Nigeria, facilitated for Nigeria to join the…
The cholera outbreak in Lagos has intensified, resulting in 21 deaths and 401 suspected cases across the state. This was confirmed by Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Health, during an update on the disease. Dr. Ogunyemi disclosed that the hardest-hit areas include Lagos Island, Kosofe, and Eti Osa. The death toll has increased from the previously reported 15 to 21 fatalities. “The rise in cases was anticipated following the Ileya festivities, during which large gatherings occurred,” Dr. Ogunyemi stated. She noted that the number of suspected cases is starting to decline across Local Government…
Bilateral trade between the Philippines and Nigeria has surpassed $100 million, according to the Philippine Ambassador to Nigeria, Meresole Mellejor. Speaking during the 126th anniversary celebration of Philippine independence in Abuja, Mellejor highlighted the robust and long-standing relationship between the two countries, which has been steadily growing since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1962. “The Philippines recorded the highest bilateral trade with Nigeria in 2020, prior to the COVID-19 era,” Mellejor noted. This milestone was achieved despite the geographical distance and an 18-hour flight time between the two nations. The ambassador stated the significance of bilateral agreements and ongoing…