Ghana has abstained from a United Nations Human Rights Council vote to renew the mandate of the Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Ghana abstained from a UN Human Rights Council vote on renewing the LGBTQ+ rights mandate. 30 member states supported the mandate, reflecting strong…
Senegal has officially cancelled R&B singer Akon’s ambitious plans to build a multibillion-dollar city along the country’s Atlantic coast, replacing it with a more modest, privately funded development in light of economic pressures. Senegal has canceled Akon’s proposed Akon City project due to insufficient progress and financial complications. Akon City was intended to be a…
President John Dramani Mahama has pledged a 10% reward to whistleblowers who provide credible information that leads to the recovery of illegally traded or smuggled gold. President Mahama announced a 10% reward for whistleblowers aiding in recovering smuggled or illegally traded gold. The Ghana Gold Board Task Force was inaugurated to combat illegal gold trading…
Barely 24 hours after the United States announced sweeping visa restrictions for Nigerian nonimmigrant travellers, the United Arab Emirates has followed with a sharp escalation of its own immigration policy. The UAE introduced new restrictions on visa application policies for Nigerian citizens, affecting transit and tourist visas. This policy shift occurs following U.S. visa restrictions…
Gold and foreign-currency reserves supporting Zimbabwe’s bullion-backed currency, the ZiG (Zimbabwe Gold), hit a record high in June, according to the central bank. Zimbabwe’s central bank reported record-high gold and foreign currency reserves, reaching $731 million in June. The ZiG currency experienced its largest single-day gain against the U.S. dollar due to increased gold production…
Aliko Dangote, via the Dangote Oil Refinery, is continuing his campaign to aggressively influence Nigeria’s fuel market. Recent reports indicate that he has slashed fuel prices again, the second time in less than 2 weeks. Aliko Dangote continues to impact Nigeria’s fuel market through competitive pricing strategies. Recently, the Dangote Oil Refinery reduced fuel prices…
Mali’s court-appointed administrator for the disputed Loulo-Gounkoto gold complex has moved to sell one metric ton of gold, valued at over $100 million (according to Daily Metal Price), that was previously seized from the site owned by Canadian mining firm Barrick Gold. Mali’s administrator arranged the sale of one metric ton of gold seized from…
The United States has introduced significant changes to its visa issuance policy for Nigerian seeking nonimmigrant entry into the country. The United States has revised its nonimmigrant visa policies for Nigerian citizens, introducing changes effective July 8, 2025. Under the new rules, most Nigerian applicants will receive single-entry visas valid for three months The U.S.…
Dangote refinery will be fully reliant on Nigerian crude by the end of 2025, according to Devakumar Edwin, vice president of Dangote Industries. Dangote Refinery aims to fully rely on Nigerian crude by the end of 2025, transitioning from international sources. As of June, 53% of crude supply for the refinery was sourced domestically, with…
