Muhammadu Buhari - The African Mirror

Feb

2023

Burkina Faso assailants kill at least 15 Nigerian pilgrims travelling to Senegal

AT least 15 Nigerian Muslim pilgrims on their way to Senegal were killed when gunmen in Burkina Faso attacked the buses transporting them, Nigeria's presidency said. "President Muhammadu Buhari has received the tragic news of the murder," the State House said in a statement without providing a number of casualties or further details on the attack. A Nigerian presidency spokesperson told Reuters via a WhatsApp message that the death toll stood at 15 "so far". According to a Senegalese religious order, unidentified assailants attacked the convoy of buses on Wednesday and killed 18 passengers. The pilgrims were on their way…

Feb

2023

By The African Mirror

Factbox: The candidates contesting Nigeria’s presidential election

NEWS

NIGERIA will elect a new president on February 25 to take over from Muhammadu Buhari in a contest pitting the old guard against a third-party candidate seeking to upset the established political order. There are 18 candidates on the ballot, but only three are considered the top contenders. Bola Tinubu, a veteran from Buhari's ruling party, will face off with the main opposition's Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president and veteran presidential contender, and Peter Obi from the smaller Labour Party. Here are some details on the candidates and their running mates. BOLA AHMED TINUBU Tinubu is the flagbearer for the ruling…

Feb

2023

By The African Mirror

Factbox: Nigeria’s election: when is the vote and what’s at stake

NEWS

VOTERS in Africa's biggest economy and most populous nation are heading to the polls on February 25 to elect a new president and lawmakers amid growing frustration over unprecedented insecurity, industrial-scale oil theft and surging inflation. President Muhammadu Buhari, who will complete his constitutionally allowed two terms in May, is not on the ballot. Voters will also choose new senators and members for the House of Representatives. Governorship races follow on March 11 Here is what you need to know about the election. WHO IS RUNNING? A total of 18 candidates are vying for the presidency. But the main contest…

Jan

2023

By The African Mirror

Nigeria to spend $7.5 bln on petrol subsidy to mid-2023

BUSINESS

CAMILLUS EBOH NIGERIA will keep its costly but popular petrol subsidy until mid-2023 and has set aside 3.36 trillion nairas ($7.5 bln) to spend on it, Finance Minister Zainab Ahmed said. Africa's biggest economy spent 2.91 trillion nairas ($7 billion) towards a petrol subsidy between January and September 2022, state-owned firm NNPC said, a cost the government has blamed for dwindling public finances. President Muhammadu Buhari signed the 2023 budget of 21.83 trillion nairas ($49 billion) into law on Tuesday after lawmakers increased the size by 6.4% and raised the oil price assumption. "Petrol subsidy will remain up to mid-2023 based on…

Jan

2023

By The African Mirror

Nigeria to pay $4 bln extra in 2023 if lawmakers reject loan-bond swap – president

NEWS

FELIX ONUAH NIGERIA will pay 1.8 trillion nairas ($4 billion) extra interest in 2023 if parliament rejects a loan-to-bond swap request on the central bank's overdrafts to the government, President Muhammadu Buhari said after signing the 2023 budget into law. The Senate last week delayed a decision on the president's request to convert $53 billion worth of central bank overdrafts to the government into 40-year bonds after some lawmakers questioned the plan. In a speech on Tuesday, Buhari said the government currently pays a 3% margin above the central bank's lending rate of 16.5% but his administration has negotiated a rate of…

Oct

2022

By The African Mirror

Nigeria’s 2023 budget is a plan of despair and won’t change the tempo of the economy

BUSINESS

NIGERIA’S 2023 budget, recently presented by President Muhammadu Buhari to the National Assembly, has generated a furore. There are concerns about the impact on the country’s rising deficits and debt, as well as its failure to address some of the structural deficiencies behind declining revenues and rising inflation. The 2023 budget expenditure of 20.51 trillion naira (US$43.7 billion) is the highest ever. More than half of this is money the government doesn’t have and has to be financed with new debt. This will mean that the country exceeds the 3% of GDP threshold stipulated by the Fiscal Responsibility Act of…

Jul

2022

By The African Mirror

OPEC leader and oil diplomat dies at 63

NEWS

MACDONALD DZIRUTWE MOHAMMAD Barkindo, the outgoing secretary-general of OPEC who played a key role in forming the wider OPEC+ group of oil producers that has helped the industry navigate global shocks, has died aged 63. The Nigerian oil industry veteran was due to step down at the end of this month after six years in the top job at the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Barkindo died late on Tuesday, Mele Kyari, the boss of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corp (NNPC), wrote on Twitter, calling the death "a great loss". Hours earlier Barkindo had met Nigerian President Muhammadu…

Apr

2022

By The African Mirror

Nigerian vice president Osinbajo launches bid for president, faces hurdles

NEWS

FELIX ONUAH NIGERIAN vice president Yemi Osinbajo said he wanted to run for president next February on the ruling All Progressives Party ticket but faces a challenge from another party stalwart who said he also wanted to join the race. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari will step down after serving two four-year terms following a February 23, 2023 ballot. The country's political parties are due to pick presidential candidates by June 3. Official campaigning will begin in September, according to the country's electoral commission. Osinbajo said in a statement he wanted to complete the job of "radically transforming" Africa's biggest economy.…

Sep

2021

By The African Mirror

How countries alongside the Sahara can restore productive land faster

ENVIRONMENT

NIGERIA'S President Muhammadu Buhari is about to take over the presidency of the Pan-African Agency of the Great Green Wall – the continent’s effort to restore degraded cropland, grazing areas and woodlands bordering the Sahara Desert. He takes over from Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, president of Mauritania. LARS LAESTADIUS, Adjunct Research Scientist, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences CHRIS REIJ, Sustainable land management specialist, World Resources Institute DENNIS GARRITY, Board Chair, Global EverGreening Alliance & Distinguished Senior Fellow, World Agroforestry (ICRAF), World Agroforestry (ICRAF) Buhari has the support of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and an international accelerator platform with…

Sep

2021

By The African Mirror

Buhari sacks power and farming ministers

NEWS

FELIX ONUAH NIGERIAN President Muhammadu Buhari sacked the ministers for power and agriculture, in a rare cabinet reshuffle, citing the need to improve economic management and the delivery of public services. Saleh Mamman was replaced as power minister by Abubakar Aliyu, the minister of state for works and housing, while Mohammed Sabo Nanono was replaced as agriculture minister by Mohammad Abubakar, his counterpart at the environment ministry. Buhari told a cabinet meeting the sackings were a result of a process of "independent and critical self-review", according to a statement from his spokesperson. "These significant review steps have helped to identify…