West Africa

The United States announced the building of a consulate in the Nigerian megacity Lagos, the country’s commercial capital, as Washington strengthens economic and diplomatic relations with Africa’s most populous country, Reuters agency reports. The consulate will be worth $537 million. The U.S. is among the largest foreign investors and donors …

Five more victims of a boat accident involving women and children fleeing armed gang violence in central Nigeria have been found, the BBC reports. The head of the Niger state emergency agency, Ahmad Ibrahim Inga, told the BBC the bodies of four children and one man were found on Thursday. …

Nigeria’s military says it has killed 34 members of a motorbike gang in an air raid in the northern state of Kaduna, the BBC reports. It carried out the operation on Wednesday near Mangoro village, an air force spokesperson said. Armed gangs, locally known as bandits, have stepped up attacks …

A boat carrying mostly women and children capsized in north-central Nigeria on Wednesday, leaving at least seven people dead and dozens missing, Reuters agency reports. Two residents in Guni village in Niger state said the passengers on the boat were trying to escape from gunmen who had attacked their village …

Nigerian Pastor David Oyedepo praised the Catholic Church, which is often the target of criticism from other religious denominations, saying the Catholic Church has put in place a good structure to run the religious system. General Overseer of the Living Faith Church, Bishop David Oyedepo has stated that the Catholic …

Hundreds of Ethiopians and Eritreans are protesting across various cities in the US, demanding that the US government drop two separate bills which would impose tough sanctions on people hindering an end to war in Ethiopia. The demonstrators say the policies would hurt ordinary Ethiopians and derail ongoing peace negotiations. …

The majority of lawmakers in Ghana’s parliament approved a controversial electronic direct debit bill, which includes taxes on mobile money payments. It has been fiercely opposed by the opposition since it was proposed in November last year, delaying the passage of the national budget. The Minority in Parliament walked out …

Many public figures in Ghana celebrate their President, His Excellency Nana Akufo-Addo, who turns 78 today. Below are some of the goodwill messages for President Akufo-Addo: Happy birthday Mr. President ❤️😍🥰 pic.twitter.com/ADHrgk0UOY— Rebecca Akufo-Addo (@RAkufoAddo) March 29, 2022 Tomorrow is Mr President’s birthday. Long life, @NAkufoAddo pic.twitter.com/awW4RV31mz— nana aba (@thenanaaba) …

Former Guinean Prime Minister Cellou Dalein Diallo expressed his displeasure against military authorities who decided to destroy his private residence. Military leaders in Guinea said they were targeting irregularly acquired state property and sub-standard buildings. Last month they ordered Mr Diallo to leave the residence, but the former prime minister …

Gunmen in Nigeria attacked a train in which they abducted an unknown number of passengers in northern Kaduna state, local media reported. The gang mined the track between the capital, Abuja, and Kaduna city and forced the evening train to a halt. Many of the approximately 1,000 passengers on board …