<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/4UNUX7FQ65IZBCL7HMEZC5KRYA-820x547.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-427655" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/4UNUX7FQ65IZBCL7HMEZC5KRYA-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/4UNUX7FQ65IZBCL7HMEZC5KRYA-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/4UNUX7FQ65IZBCL7HMEZC5KRYA-135x90.jpg 135w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/4UNUX7FQ65IZBCL7HMEZC5KRYA-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/4UNUX7FQ65IZBCL7HMEZC5KRYA-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/4UNUX7FQ65IZBCL7HMEZC5KRYA-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">FILE PHOTO: Nigeria&#8217;s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu addresses the 78th Session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York City, U.S., September 19, 2023. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo</figcaption></figure>



UNITED NATIONS, (Reuters) &#8211; Nigerian President Bola Tinubu urged the United Nations to become more proactive in addressing his African nation&#8217;s poverty and security issues and helping to fight illicit resource extraction, his spokesman said on Thursday.



Tinubu raised the issues when he met U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, his spokesman Ajuri Ngelale said in a statement.



The Nigerian leader said malign actors who engage in illicit activities, including resource and weapons smuggling, exploit&nbsp;Africa&#8217;s vast mineral wealth and undermine its stability.



&#8220;We are facing the great challenge of scavengers ravaging our lands and oppressing our people on illegal mines, taking our gold and mineral wealth back to developed economies by stealth and violence,&#8221; the statement cited Tinubu as saying.



&#8220;We will now be aggressive and we will question motives. We will stop what is happening,&#8221; he said, urging &#8220;effective collaboration&#8221; with the U.N.



Tinubu called for the United Nations to evolve from a global discussion platform into a proactive coordination centre, highlighting the urgency of addressing poverty and security issues.



In response, Guterres acknowledged the need for comprehensive reform within the U.N. to address institutional weaknesses and improve decision-making power for developing nations, according to the statement.



&#8220;We now recognize the need to reform the institution to represent the world as it is today,&#8221; Guterres was quoted as saying.



In a speech at the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday, Tinubu, who chairs the West African bloc ECOWAS, assailed military coups that have swept through West Africa and pledged to help re-establish constitutional order in Niger.



(Reporting by Felix Onuah in Abuja; Writing by Elisha Bala-Gbogbo; Editing by Howard Goller)

FILE PHOTO: 78th UNGA General Debate at UN HQ in New YorK

Nigeria’s Tinubu urges UN to help curb exploitation of Africa’s resources

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/YDIKUITJQBO5LKBTKO2ZYRWSXY-820x547.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-426413" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/YDIKUITJQBO5LKBTKO2ZYRWSXY-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/YDIKUITJQBO5LKBTKO2ZYRWSXY-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/YDIKUITJQBO5LKBTKO2ZYRWSXY-135x90.jpg 135w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/YDIKUITJQBO5LKBTKO2ZYRWSXY-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/YDIKUITJQBO5LKBTKO2ZYRWSXY-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/YDIKUITJQBO5LKBTKO2ZYRWSXY-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">FILE PHOTO: The Central Bank of Nigeria&#8217;s logo is seen on its headquarters building in Abuja, Nigeria, January 22, 2018. REUTERS/Afolabi Sotunde/File Photo</figcaption></figure>



ABUJA, Sept 21 (Reuters)&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;Nigeria&#8217;s central bank said on Thursday that it had delayed an interest rate meeting that had been planned for next week and that it would schedule a new meeting later.



In a statement on its website, the Central Bank of Nigeria did not say why the Sept. 25-26 meeting of its Monetary Policy Committee was delayed and a new date would be set later.



The postponement comes days after President Bola Tinubu nominated a new central bank governor and four new deputy governors. The Senate is yet to hold confirmation hearings for Tinubu&#8217;s picks.



In July, the central bank opted for a small rate hike at the first monetary policy meeting since Tinubu suspended central bank governor Godwin Emefiele.



Emefiele oversaw a much-criticised system of multiple exchange rates used to keep the local naira currency&nbsp;NGN=D1&nbsp;artificially strong and lent directly to businesses to try to boost growth in&nbsp;Africa&#8217;s biggest economy.



Tinubu criticised the central bank&#8217;s policies under Emefiele at his inauguration in May, saying they needed &#8220;thorough house-cleaning&#8221;.



(Reporting by Camillus Eboh; Editing by Alexander Winning and Bernadete Baum)

FILE PHOTO: The Central Bank of Nigeria’s logo is seen on its headquarters in Abuja

Nigeria central bank postpones next week’s policy meeting

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/L6UULG4GG5NIDGTBYMBIPOWQRY-820x547.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-425798" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/L6UULG4GG5NIDGTBYMBIPOWQRY-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/L6UULG4GG5NIDGTBYMBIPOWQRY-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/L6UULG4GG5NIDGTBYMBIPOWQRY-135x90.jpg 135w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/L6UULG4GG5NIDGTBYMBIPOWQRY-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/L6UULG4GG5NIDGTBYMBIPOWQRY-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/L6UULG4GG5NIDGTBYMBIPOWQRY-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">FILE PHOTO: Nigeria&#8217;s President Bola Tinubu looks on after his swearing-in ceremony in Abuja, Nigeria May 29, 2023. REUTERS/Temilade Adelaja/File Photo</figcaption></figure>



UNITED NATIONS, Sept 19 (Reuters) &#8211; Nigerian President Bola Tinubu said on Tuesday he was seeking to re-establish constitutional order to address political and economic problems in neighboring Niger following a July coup and welcomed any support for the process.



Tinubu is chairman of the main West African bloc ECOWAS, which has been trying to negotiate with the Niger military junta. ECOWAS has said it is ready to deploy troops to restore constitutional order if diplomatic efforts fail.



In a speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Tinubu assailed military coups, which have swept through West Africa in the past few years and are sometimes cheered by citizens.



&#8220;The wave crossing parts of Africa does not demonstrate favor towards coups. It is a demand for solutions to perennial problems,&#8221; Tinubu said.



&#8220;Regarding Niger, we are negotiating with the military leaders. As chairman of ECOWAS, I seek to help re-establish democratic governance in a manner that addresses the political and economic challenges confronting that nation, including the violent extremists who seek to foment instability in our region.&#8221;



The decision by ECOWAS in August to activate a so-called standby force for a possible intervention has raised fears of an escalation that could further destabilize the insurgency-torn Sahel region.



The junta in Niger last month ordered its armed forces to go on highest alert, citing an increased threat of attack.



(Reporting by Felix Onuah in Abuja, writing by MacDonald Dzirutwe, editing by Howard Goller and Stephen Coates)

FILE PHOTO: Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu looks on after his swearing-in ceremony in Abuja

Nigeria’s Tinubu tells UN he seeks to restore democratic order in Niger

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="820" height="480" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/WTBJLVS2VZLE7G53QJ2LALCVAM-820x480.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-427575" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/WTBJLVS2VZLE7G53QJ2LALCVAM-820x480.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/WTBJLVS2VZLE7G53QJ2LALCVAM-300x175.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/WTBJLVS2VZLE7G53QJ2LALCVAM-154x90.jpg 154w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/WTBJLVS2VZLE7G53QJ2LALCVAM-768x449.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/WTBJLVS2VZLE7G53QJ2LALCVAM-1536x898.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/WTBJLVS2VZLE7G53QJ2LALCVAM-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">FILE PHOTO: Some of the men charged with public displays of affection with members of the same sex are seen gathered outside a court in Lagos, Nigeria October 27, 2020. REUTERS/Temilade Adelaja/File Photo</figcaption></figure>



YENAGOA, Nigeria, Sept 19 (Reuters)&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;A court in Nigeria has released on bail 69 people who were arrested last month in connection with an alleged gay wedding, which is illegal in the country, their lawyer said on Tuesday.



In Nigeria, like in most parts of&nbsp;Africa, homosexuality is generally viewed as immoral on cultural and religious grounds, and the country implemented an anti-gay law in 2014 despite international condemnation.



A court sitting in southern oil-producing Delta state ruled that the suspects could be released from prison detention after their application was heard by the court, lawyer Ochuko Ohimor said.



The suspects did not appear in court, said Ohimor.



&#8220;They are to provide sureties, who will submit their particulars to the court. So, the 69 suspects have been granted bail and I am processing their paperwork,&#8221; Ohimor said.



(Reporting by Tife Owolabi, writing by MacDonald Dzirutwe; Editing by Jon Boyle and Hugh Lawson)

FILE PHOTO: Some of the men charged with public displays of affection with members of the same sex are seen gathered outside a court

Nigerian court frees on bail dozens arrested over alleged gay wedding – lawyer

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="820" height="539" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/MJHPWSHJTNMMDPLYVD74R5SY6U-820x539.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-427524" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/MJHPWSHJTNMMDPLYVD74R5SY6U-820x539.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/MJHPWSHJTNMMDPLYVD74R5SY6U-300x197.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/MJHPWSHJTNMMDPLYVD74R5SY6U-137x90.jpg 137w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/MJHPWSHJTNMMDPLYVD74R5SY6U-768x505.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/MJHPWSHJTNMMDPLYVD74R5SY6U-1536x1009.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/MJHPWSHJTNMMDPLYVD74R5SY6U-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">FILE PHOTO: A view shows Nigeria&#8217;s Central Bank headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria November 22, 2020. REUTERS/Afolabi Sotunde/File Photo</figcaption></figure>



ABUJA, Sept 15 (Reuters)&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;President Bola Tinubu has nominated the former head of Citibank in Nigeria Olayemi Cardoso to serve as the country&#8217;s new central bank governor, days before its next interest rate meeting, a presidential spokesperson said on Friday.



Cardoso would replace Godwin Emefiele who was suspended by Tinubu in June and later detained by the country&#8217;s state security agency. It is not clear whether Emefiele has resigned.



Tinubu sent Cardoso&#8217;s nomination to the Senate for confirmation alongside four new deputy governors, spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale said.



The central bank did not respond to a request for comment on whether Emefiele and its deputy governors had resigned.



&#8220;The President expects the above listed nominees to successfully implement critical reforms at the Central Bank of Nigeria, which will enhance the confidence of Nigerians and international partners,&#8221; Ngelale said in a statement.



The central bank raised rates by a smaller-than-expected 25 basis points in July, contrary to analysts&#8217; expectations, under acting Governor Folashondun Shonubi, one of Emefiele&#8217;s deputies.



The bank is due to set rates again on Sept. 26 and some analysts expect a more hawkish stance.



Tinubu had promised a &#8220;thorough house cleaning&#8221; of monetary policy, during his inauguration in May and said that the central bank should work towards lower interest rates after criticising Emefiele&#8217;s handling of the currency.



The central bank pursued unorthodox policies under Emefiele who kept the currency artificially strong, a policy backed by former President Muhammadu Buhari, which supported government borrowings on the international markets.



Nigeria&#8217;s new government wants to encourage investments rather than rely on borrowing to create jobs as it tries to revive an economy struggling with record debt, a weak currency, double-digit inflation and fragile power supplies.



Cardoso was part of the team that had been working on an economic blueprint for the new government. He was a former commissioner for economic planning and budget in Lagos state when Tinubu was governor between 1999-2007.



(Additional reporting by Camillus Eboh; Writing by Chijioke Ohuocha; Editing by MacDonald Dzirutwe, Richard Chang and Jane Merriman)

FILE PHOTO: A view shows Nigeria’s Central Bank headquarters in Abuja

Nigeria’s Tinubu picks banker Cardoso as next central bank governor

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="800" height="553" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/download-70.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-427480" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/download-70.jpg 800w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/download-70-300x207.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/download-70-130x90.jpg 130w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/download-70-768x531.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A man holds Ghana&#8217;s cedi notes in Accra July 3, 2007. . REUTERS/Luc Gnago</figcaption></figure>



ACCRA, Sept 14 (Reuters)&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;Ghana is reopening a debt exchange that was originally settled in February for another 12.9 billion cedis ($1.1 billion) of local bonds, the finance ministry said on Thursday.



The terms of the new invitation are identical to those of the February 2023 exchange, which closed with an 85% participation rate of &#8220;relevant&#8221; bonds, the ministry said in statement.



The exchanges are part of efforts by Ghana to restructure both domestic and external debt &#8211; a condition set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a $3 billion bailout secured in May.



In August, the finance ministry said it had completed a separate swap of 95% of local debt held by pension funds, which had been excluded from the February exchange after labour unions threatened to strike.



Ghana defaulted on most of its $30 billion external debt in December, after its currency tumbled and inflation and debt servicing costs soared.



It is targeting $10.5 billion of external debt service relief from 2023-2026, as it negotiates the restructuring of $20 billion of overseas debt with bilateral creditors including China and Paris Club members and international bondholders.



(Reporting by Christian Akorlie and Maxwell Akalaare AdombilaWriting by Sofia Christensen and Rachel Savage; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Toby Chopra)

download-70

Ghana reopens debt exchange for 12.9 bln cedis of local bonds – fin ministry

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/JYIDWZRGWVIAJKMD43RPGK5IV4-820x547.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-427276" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/JYIDWZRGWVIAJKMD43RPGK5IV4-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/JYIDWZRGWVIAJKMD43RPGK5IV4-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/JYIDWZRGWVIAJKMD43RPGK5IV4-135x90.jpg 135w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/JYIDWZRGWVIAJKMD43RPGK5IV4-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/JYIDWZRGWVIAJKMD43RPGK5IV4-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/JYIDWZRGWVIAJKMD43RPGK5IV4-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Niger&#8217;s junta supporters take part in a demonstration in front of a French army base in Niamey, Niger, August 11, 2023. REUTERS/Mahamadou Hamidou</figcaption></figure>



DAKAR, (Reuters) &#8211; West Africa&#8217;s Central Bank, BCEAO, hiked its main lending rate on Wednesday in the wake of another military coup that has rocked the region and caused trade blocks between countries.



In Niger, the central bank&#8217;s member state, a military junta seized power on July 26&nbsp;in the&nbsp;seventh military takeover since 2020 in West and Central&nbsp;Africa.



The bank will raise the rate by 25 basis points to 3.25% from Sept. 16&nbsp;against a backdrop of growing regional uncertainty and persistent inflationary pressures,&nbsp;it said in a statement.



&#8220;The increase in key rates is therefore intended to anticipate and contain the impact of these risk factors on the Union&#8217;s macroeconomic outlook,&#8221; the BCEAO said.



Over the coming months, the&nbsp;monetary policy committee will analyse risks surrounding the outlook and, if necessary, take appropriate measures to ensure stability,&nbsp;the BCEAO said.



Following the coup, the bank shut down its branches, citing risks to operations.



The military takeover could further complicate Western efforts to help countries in the Sahel region fight a jihadist insurgency that has spread from Mali over the past decade.



The Central Bank of the eight-nation West&nbsp;African CFA franc zone covers Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.



(Reporting by Diadie Ba; Writing by Anait Miridzhanian; Editing by Richard Chang)

Niger’s junta supporters take part in a demonstration in front of a French army base in Niamey,

West Africa Central Bank raises rate following Niger coup

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/5R7VEUJWQ5PBPF3GBAJZSWUISI-820x547.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-425186" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/5R7VEUJWQ5PBPF3GBAJZSWUISI-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/5R7VEUJWQ5PBPF3GBAJZSWUISI-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/5R7VEUJWQ5PBPF3GBAJZSWUISI-135x90.jpg 135w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/5R7VEUJWQ5PBPF3GBAJZSWUISI-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/5R7VEUJWQ5PBPF3GBAJZSWUISI-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/5R7VEUJWQ5PBPF3GBAJZSWUISI-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Nigeria&#8217;s President Bola Tinubu looks on, as he takes the traditional ride on top of a ceremonial vehicle, after his swearing-in ceremony in Abuja, Nigeria May 29, 2023. REUTERS/Temilade Adelaja</figcaption></figure>



ABUJA, Sept 6 (Reuters) &#8211; Nigeria&#8217;s presidential election tribunal is due to rule on Wednesday on whether Bola Tinubu should stay as president after two rivals challenged his victory in February&#8217;s disputed vote.



There have been numerous legal challenges to the outcome of previous Nigerian presidential elections but none have succeeded. Most political observers expect the tribunal to uphold Tinubu&#8217;s win.



Atiku Abubakar of the People&#8217;s Democratic Party and Labour Party&#8217;s Peter Obi asked the court to invalidate the election, alleging irregularities and accused the electoral body of breaching the law by failing to use electronic machines to upload polling station results, among other criticisms.



The tribunal, which will deliver its ruling in the capital Abuja, has the power to cancel an election and order a fresh one, among other remedies.



If it upholds Tinubu&#8217;s win, Atiku and Obi can still make a final appeal at the country&#8217;s Supreme Court, the highest court in Nigeria. An appeal should be concluded within 60 days from the date of the tribunal judgment.



Ahead of the ruling, the military set up check-points on major roads into Abuja, randomly searching commuters and vehicles.



Tinubu, who is in India ahead of a G20 Summit, has defended his victory and says he is focused on reviving the economy. He has implemented reforms that include removing a popular but costly petrol subsidy and ending currency controls.



But getting Nigerians to stomach the painful reforms has been hard and the 71-year-old veteran faces opposition from labour unions, who started a two-day strike on Tuesday ahead of an indefinite strike from Sept. 21.



Anaemic growth, high unemployment, the highest inflation rate in two decades, record debt, massive oil theft that has hit government revenues and widespread insecurity are among the issues that Tinubu inherited from predecessor Muhammadu Buhari.



Fixing these pressing problems requires public support but Tinubu garnered 8.79 million votes, the fewest won by a Nigerian president since the country returned to democracy in 1999, limiting the goodwill towards him.



(Writing by MacDonald Dzirutwe; Editing by Alison Williams)

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu looks on as he takes the traditional ride on top of a ceremonial vehicle after his swearing-in ceremony in Abuja

Nigerian election tribunal to decide if Tinubu stays as president

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="820" height="576" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GBWIEXGFANI6VBWXEAZOCTZ7WQ-820x576.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-425831" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GBWIEXGFANI6VBWXEAZOCTZ7WQ-820x576.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GBWIEXGFANI6VBWXEAZOCTZ7WQ-300x211.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GBWIEXGFANI6VBWXEAZOCTZ7WQ-128x90.jpg 128w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GBWIEXGFANI6VBWXEAZOCTZ7WQ-768x540.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GBWIEXGFANI6VBWXEAZOCTZ7WQ-1536x1079.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/GBWIEXGFANI6VBWXEAZOCTZ7WQ-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">FILE PHOTO: Nigeria&#8217;s President Bola Tinubu waves to a crowd as he takes the traditional ride on top of a ceremonial vehicle, after his swearing-in ceremony in Abuja, Nigeria May 29, 2023. REUTERS/Temilade Adelaja//File Photo</figcaption></figure>



ABUJA, Sept 4 (Reuters)&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;A Nigerian election tribunal will on Wednesday deliver its ruling to petitions challenging the result of a presidential vote that brought Bola Tinubu to power, the court registrar said on Monday.



The victory in February for Tinubu, of the All Progressives Congress, is disputed by his two main opponents. Atiku Abubakar of the People&#8217;s Democratic Party and Peter Obi who came second and third in the race, respectively, challenged Tinubu&#8217;s victory in court on the basis of fraud claims.



The tribunal, which started hearing in June, will give its ruling on Sept 6, the registrar said, adding that the judgment will be televised.



Every election result has been contested since Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999, and none has been overturned by the courts, with the exception of the 2015 poll in which Goodluck Jonathan conceded defeat to&nbsp;Muhammadu Buhari.



Most observers expect the tribunal to uphold Tinubu&#8217;s win.



Tinubu, 71, has since been sworn in as Nigeria&#8217;s president, despite the election challenge, and has been under pressure to quickly improve economic and security conditions. He will be in India attending the G20 summit when the ruling is delivered.



Tinubu, a long-standing member of the ruling party, won 37% of February&#8217;s vote, the lowest share since 1999.



The main opposition parties have described the outcome of the election as fraudulent after a new technology that the electoral commission had promised would make the process more transparent malfunctioned, eroding trust.



Voter turnout was also low, even by Nigerian standards. With total votes cast at just under 25 million, out of 87 million people with voter identity cards and eligible to vote, turnout was only 29%. The previous 2019 election saw a 35% turnout.



(Reporting by Camillus Eboh; Writing by Chijioke Ohuocha; Editing by MacDonald Dzirutwe and Mike Harrison)

FILE PHOTO: Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu waves to a crowd as he takes the traditional ride on top of a ceremonial vehicle after his swearing-in ceremony in Abuja

Nigerian tribunal to rule on presidential vote challenge on Wednesday

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/6JMJAWIW3VL33JISGXMANELY74-820x547.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-426124" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/6JMJAWIW3VL33JISGXMANELY74-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/6JMJAWIW3VL33JISGXMANELY74-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/6JMJAWIW3VL33JISGXMANELY74-135x90.jpg 135w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/6JMJAWIW3VL33JISGXMANELY74-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/6JMJAWIW3VL33JISGXMANELY74-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/6JMJAWIW3VL33JISGXMANELY74-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Bola Tinubu, President of Nigeria, arrives for the closing session of the New Global Financial Pact Summit, Friday, June 23, 2023 in Paris, France. The aim of the two-day climate and finance summit was to set up concrete measures to help poor and developing countries whose predicaments have been worsened by the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine better tackle poverty and climate change. Lewis Joly/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo</figcaption></figure>



ABUJA, Sept 3 (Reuters)&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;Nigeria is considering applying to become a member of the G20 bloc of major economies after concluding consultations on the risks and benefits, the president&#8217;s spokesperson said on Sunday.



President Bola Tinubu will leave on Monday to attend the G20 summit in India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale said.



South Africa is the only African member of the group of the world&#8217;s 20 most industrialised nations.



&#8220;While Nigeria&#8217;s membership of the G-20 is desirable, the government has embarked on wide-ranging consultations with a view to ascertaining the benefits and risks of membership,&#8221; Ngelale said in a statement.



Tinubu&#8217;s attendance was in part&nbsp;to&nbsp;further Nigeria&#8217;s membership objective, he said.



On Friday, Ngelale said Tinubu will attend the G20 summit to try to promote foreign investment in Nigeria and mobilize global capital to develop infrastructure.



Nigeria&#8217;s new government wants to encourage investments rather than rely on borrowing to create jobs as it tries to revive an economy struggling with record debt, a weak currency, double-digit inflation and skeletal power supplies.



Tinubu has embarked on the boldest reforms in decades, which have been welcomed by investors. However, they have brought additional hardship to Nigerians already dealing with a cost of living crisis.



Tinubu will attend the summit with some of his cabinet members including foreign affairs, finance and trade ministers.



(Reporting by Felix Onuah, Writing by Chijioke Ohuocha, Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Angus MacSwan)

Summit for a new global financing pact takes place in Paris

Nigeria mulls G20 bloc membership, president to attend summit in India

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="820" height="615" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/AC6OZXPWMVLGNFLNRU2REQQDNU-820x615.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-427185" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/AC6OZXPWMVLGNFLNRU2REQQDNU-820x615.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/AC6OZXPWMVLGNFLNRU2REQQDNU-300x225.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/AC6OZXPWMVLGNFLNRU2REQQDNU-120x90.jpg 120w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/AC6OZXPWMVLGNFLNRU2REQQDNU-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/AC6OZXPWMVLGNFLNRU2REQQDNU-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/AC6OZXPWMVLGNFLNRU2REQQDNU-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">FILE PHOTO: Members of the Nigerian Labour Union, holding flags and placards, march during a protest against fuel price hikes and rising costs, in Abuja, Nigeria August 2, 2023. REUTERS/Abraham Achirga/File Photo</figcaption></figure>



ABUJA, Sept 1 (Reuters)&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;Nigerian labour unions plan a warning strike on Tuesday and Wednesday next week ahead of an indefinite action in three weeks in protest at the cost of living, after the government scrapped a costly petrol subsidy, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) said on Friday.



The NLC, which represents millions of workers across most sectors of Africa&#8217;s largest economy, including parts of the oil industry, said next week&#8217;s action will &#8220;demonstrate our readiness&#8221; for the indefinite action due to start on Sept. 21.



Unions had been on&nbsp;strike&nbsp;a month ago over the cost of living but suspended their action following an offer of talks with the government, but those talks did not result in concessions sufficient to placate organised labour.



President Bola Tinubu, who has embarked on Nigeria&#8217;s boldest reforms in decades, has been under pressure from unions to offer relief to millions of households and small businesses after he scrapped the subsidy that had kept petrol prices cheap but cost the government $10 billion last year.



While the reforms have been seen positively by some investors, unions say they led to soaring costs at a time when Nigerians are already grappling with the highest inflation in almost two decades.



&#8220;The federal government has refused to engage and reach agreement with organized labour on the critical issues of the consequences of the unfortunate hike in the price of petrol which has unleashed massive suffering on Nigerian workers and masses,&#8221; Union leader Joe Ajaero said.



He said union members nationwide would embark on a &#8220;total and indefinite shutdown of the nation&#8221; later in the month, until steps are taken by the government to address the &#8220;excruciating mass suffering and impoverishment being experienced around the country&#8221;.



Nigeria&#8217;s presidency and labour ministry didn&#8217;t immediately respond to request for comments.



(Reporting by Camillus Eboh; Writing by Elisha Bala-Gbogbo; Editing by David Holmes)

FILE PHOTO: Members of the Nigerian Labour Union protest against fuel price hikes and rising costs, in Abuja

Nigerian unions plan warning strike next week over cost of living

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="820" height="589" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/GI47PAU5RVNZPAPZ6Y7AJEMXZM-820x589.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-427166" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/GI47PAU5RVNZPAPZ6Y7AJEMXZM-820x589.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/GI47PAU5RVNZPAPZ6Y7AJEMXZM-300x215.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/GI47PAU5RVNZPAPZ6Y7AJEMXZM-125x90.jpg 125w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/GI47PAU5RVNZPAPZ6Y7AJEMXZM-768x552.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/GI47PAU5RVNZPAPZ6Y7AJEMXZM-1536x1103.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/GI47PAU5RVNZPAPZ6Y7AJEMXZM-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">FILE PHOTO: Russia&#8217;s President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Burkina Faso&#8217;s interim President Ibrahim Traore during a meeting following the Russia-Africa summit in Saint Petersburg, Russia, July 29, 2023. Sputnik/Alexei Danichev/Pool via REUTERS /File Photo</figcaption></figure>



OUAGADOUGOU, Aug 31 (Reuters)&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;A Russian delegation held talks with Burkina Faso&#8217;s interim president Ibrahim Traore on Thursday at a meeting that included discussions on possible military cooperation, the Burkinabe presidency said in a statement.



It said the visit, led by Russian Deputy Defence Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, was a follow-up to talks between Traore and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg in July.



The junta-led West African country&#8217;s relations with Moscow have been in the spotlight since it booted out French troops in February, fuelling speculation it would deepen security ties with Russia like neighbouring Mali, where Russian Wagner mercenaries operate.



The meeting addressed &#8220;areas of cooperation (which) primarily concern the military domain, including the training of Burkinabe officer cadets and officers at all levels, including pilots in Russia,&#8221; the statement said.



It did not say if Russian military trainers would be sent to Burkina Faso.



The visit could be a further sign that Moscow is seeking to shore up its influence in Africa in the wake of the death of mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin, who through the Wagner Group built up a network of interests across several African countries and beyond.



(Reporting by Thiam Ndiaga; Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Leslie Adler and Grant McCool)

FILE PHOTO: Russia’s President Putin and Burkina Faso’s interim President Traore meet in St Petersburg

Burkina Faso says leader discussed possible military cooperation with Russian delegation

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="820" height="461" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/107293616-1693371705428-2023-08-26T102830Z_1534364410_RC2MV2AYXANX_RTRMADP_3_GABON-ELECTION-820x461.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-427126" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/107293616-1693371705428-2023-08-26T102830Z_1534364410_RC2MV2AYXANX_RTRMADP_3_GABON-ELECTION-820x461.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/107293616-1693371705428-2023-08-26T102830Z_1534364410_RC2MV2AYXANX_RTRMADP_3_GABON-ELECTION-300x169.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/107293616-1693371705428-2023-08-26T102830Z_1534364410_RC2MV2AYXANX_RTRMADP_3_GABON-ELECTION-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/107293616-1693371705428-2023-08-26T102830Z_1534364410_RC2MV2AYXANX_RTRMADP_3_GABON-ELECTION-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/107293616-1693371705428-2023-08-26T102830Z_1534364410_RC2MV2AYXANX_RTRMADP_3_GABON-ELECTION-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/107293616-1693371705428-2023-08-26T102830Z_1534364410_RC2MV2AYXANX_RTRMADP_3_GABON-ELECTION-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Election officials carry ballot boxes as people wait for the opening of a polling office during the presidential election in Libreville, Gabon August 26, 2023. Gerauds Wilfried | Reuters</figcaption></figure>



LIBREVILLE, Aug 30 (Reuters)&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;Military officers in oil-producing Gabon said they had seized power on Wednesday and had put President Ali Bongo under house arrest, stepping in minutes after the Central&nbsp;African state&#8217;s election body announced he had won a third term.



The officers who said they represented the armed forces declared on television that the election results were cancelled, borders were closed and state institutions were dissolved, after a tense vote that was set to extend the Bongo family&#8217;s more than half century in power.



One of the officers, Brice Oligui Nguema, who in a video appeared to be hailed as their leader, told French newspaper Le Monde that he and other generals would meet on Wednesday to select someone to head the transitional government.



Hundreds of people on the streets of the Gabonese capital celebrated the military&#8217;s intervention, while France, Gabon&#8217;s former colonial ruler which has troops stationed in the&nbsp;African nation, condemned the coup.



If successful, the Gabon coup would be the eighth in West and Central Africa since 2020. The latest one, in Niger, was in July. Military officers have also seized power in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Chad, erasing democratic gains since the 1990s.



&#8220;I am marching today because I am joyful. After almost 60 years, the Bongos are out of power,&#8221; said Jules Lebigui, a jobless 27-year-old who joined crowds in Libreville.



The officers said they had detained Bongo, who took over in 2009 from his father Omar, who had ruled since 1967. They also said they had arrested the president&#8217;s son, Noureddin Bongo Valentin, and others for corruption and treason.



Opponents say the family has done little to share the state&#8217;s oil and mining wealth with its 2.3 million people. Violent unrest had broken out after Bongo&#8217;s disputed 2016 election win and there was a foiled coup attempt in 2019.



The Gabon officers, calling themselves The Committee of Transition and the Restoration of Institutions, said the country faced &#8220;a severe institutional, political, economic, and social crisis&#8221;. They said the Aug. 26 vote was not credible.



Republican Guard chief Nguema told Le Monde a leader had not been chosen but a meeting would be held on Wednesday to decide.



&#8220;Everyone will put forward ideas and the best ones will be chosen, as well as the name of the person who will lead the transition,&#8221; he said.



Television images showed a man who appeared to be Nguema held aloft by soldiers shouting &#8220;Oligui president&#8221;, using one of his names.



There was no immediate comment from Gabon&#8217;s government.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-french-condemnation">FRENCH CONDEMNATION</h2>



Bongo, 64, was last seen in public casting his vote on Saturday. Before the vote, he had been seen looking healthier than his more frail television appearances after his 2018 stroke.



&#8220;We condemn the military coup and recall our commitment to free and transparent elections,&#8221; French government spokesman Olivier Veran said.



The coup creates more uncertainty for France&#8217;s presence in the region. France has about 350 troops in Gabon. Its forces have been kicked out of Mali and Burkina Faso after coups there in the last two years.



Unlike Niger and other Sahel countries, Gabon, which lies further south on the Atlantic coast, has not had to battle destabilising Islamist insurgencies. But the coup is a further sign of democratic backsliding in the volatile region.



The&nbsp;African Union&#8217;s Peace and Security Council chair called for a meeting on situation with Burundi, Senegal and Cameroon,



China called for a peaceful resolution and Russia said it hoped for a swift return to stability.



&#8220;With the coup leaders claiming to represent all factions of Gabon&#8217;s security apparatus, Mr Bongo is not expected to be able to suppress the uprising,&#8221; wrote Rukmini Sanyal, an analyst at Economist Intelligence Unit, citing &#8220;widespread public discontent&#8221; against Bongo, his family and his ruling party.



Gabon produces about 200,000 barrels of oil a day, mainly from depleting fields. International companies include France&#8217;s TotalEnergies&nbsp;TTEF.PA&nbsp;and Anglo-French producer Perenco.



French miner Eramet ERMT.PA, which has large manganese operations in Gabon, said it had halted operations.



A lack of international observers, the suspension of some foreign broadcasts and a decision to cut internet service and impose a night-time curfew after Saturday&#8217;s election had raised concerns about the vote&#8217;s transparency. Bongo&#8217;s team rejected allegations of fraud.



On Wednesday, internet access appeared to be restored for the first time since the vote.



Shortly before the coup announcement, the election authority had declared Bongo the election winner with 64.27% of the vote and said his main challenger, Albert Ondo Ossa, had secured 30.77%.



Gabon&#8217;s dollar-denominated bonds fell as much as 14 cents on Wednesday before recovering around 2 cents of the losses.



(Additional reporting by Alessandra Prentice, Elizabeth Pineau, Sofia Christensen, Sudip Kar-Gupta and Liz Lee; Writing by Nellie Peyton and Sofia Christensen; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore and Edmund Blair)

107293616-1693371705428-2023-08-26T102830Z_1534364410_RC2MV2AYXANX_RTRMADP_3_GABON-ELECTION

Gabon officers declare military coup, President Ali Bongo detained

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="820" height="461" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/I2NUTJPSN5PB5MIGGB73QYVZGU-820x461.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-427120" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/I2NUTJPSN5PB5MIGGB73QYVZGU-820x461.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/I2NUTJPSN5PB5MIGGB73QYVZGU-300x169.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/I2NUTJPSN5PB5MIGGB73QYVZGU-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/I2NUTJPSN5PB5MIGGB73QYVZGU-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/I2NUTJPSN5PB5MIGGB73QYVZGU-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/I2NUTJPSN5PB5MIGGB73QYVZGU-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Gaboneses nationals prepare to cast their vote at a polling station during the presidential election in Libreville, Gabon August 26, 2023 REUTERS/Gerauds Wilfried Obangome /file photo</figcaption></figure>



Aug 30 (Reuters) &#8211; A group of senior military officers in Gabon announced on national television on Wednesday they had taken power and election results were annulled, just minutes after President Ali Bongo was declared to have won a third term.



If successful the coup would represent the eighth since 2020 in West and Central&nbsp;Africa, a region that in the last decade had made strides to shed its reputation as a &#8220;coup belt&#8221;, only for persistent insecurity and corruption to open the door to military leaders.



Here is a list of some recent coups:



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-niger">NIGER</h2>



In July 2023, members of Niger&#8217;s presidential guard detained President Mohamed Bazoum inside his palace and appeared on national television saying they were seizing power to end the &#8220;deteriorating security situation and bad governance.&#8221;



Days later the junta declared the head of the presidential guard, Abdourahamane Tiani, the new head of state, raising concerns about the security of a region where Niger has been a key ally of Western powers seeking to contain insurgencies by groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State.



The main West&nbsp;African bloc ECOWAS has been trying to negotiate with the coup leaders but said it was ready to send troops into Niger to restore constitutional order if diplomatic efforts failed.



Niger has authorised Mali and Burkina Faso&#8217;s armed forces to intervene on its territory in case of an attack.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-burkina-faso">BURKINA FASO</h2>



In January 2022, Burkina Faso&#8217;s army ousted President Roch Kabore, blaming him for failing to contain violence by Islamist militants.



Coup leader Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba pledged to restore security, but attacks worsened, eroding morale in the armed forces that led to a second coup in September 2022 when current junta leader Captain Ibrahim Traore seized power.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-guinea">GUINEA</h2>



In September 2021, special forces commander Colonel Mamady Doumbouya ousted President Alpha Conde. A year earlier, Conde had changed the constitution to circumvent limits that would have prevented him from standing for a third term, triggering widespread rioting.



Doumbouya became interim president and promised a transition to democratic elections within three years.



ECOWAS rejected the timeline and imposed sanctions on junta members and their relatives, including freezing their bank accounts.



The military regime later proposed to start the 24-month transition in January 2023, but opposition parties say it has done little to put in place institutions and a roadmap to return to constitutional rule.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chad">CHAD</h2>



In April 2021, Chad&#8217;s army took power after President Idriss Deby was killed on the battlefield while visiting troops fighting rebels in the north.



Under Chadian law, the speaker of parliament should have become president. But a military council stepped in and dissolved parliament in the name of ensuring stability.



Deby&#8217;s son, General Mahamat Idriss Deby, was named interim president and tasked with overseeing an 18-month transition to elections.



The unconstitutional transfer of power led to riots in the capital N&#8217;Djamena that were put down by the military.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mali">MALI</h2>



In August 2020, a group of Malian colonels led by Assimi Goita ousted President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. The coup followed anti-government protests over deteriorating security, contested legislative elections and allegations of corruption.



Under pressure from Mali&#8217;s West&nbsp;African neighbours, the junta agreed to cede power to a civilian-led interim government tasked with overseeing an 18-month transition to democratic elections to be held in February 2022.



But the coup leaders clashed with the interim president, retired colonel Bah Ndaw, and engineered a second coup in May 2021. Goita, who had served as interim vice president, was elevated to the presidency.



ECOWAS lifted some of the sanctions on Mali after the military rulers proposed a two-year transition to democracy and published a new electoral law. The country is scheduled to hold a presidential election in February 2024 to return to constitutional rule.



Read more: Gabonese military officers announce they have seized power



(Compiled by Hereward Holland)

Gabon votes as president Bongo seeks to extend 56-year family dynasty

Recent coups in West and Central Africa

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/PFQVUIHS5VNY3KSEWOEPGSYTEM-820x547.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-427104" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/PFQVUIHS5VNY3KSEWOEPGSYTEM-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/PFQVUIHS5VNY3KSEWOEPGSYTEM-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/PFQVUIHS5VNY3KSEWOEPGSYTEM-135x90.jpg 135w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/PFQVUIHS5VNY3KSEWOEPGSYTEM-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/PFQVUIHS5VNY3KSEWOEPGSYTEM-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/PFQVUIHS5VNY3KSEWOEPGSYTEM-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell delivers a speech on the situation in Afghanistan during a plenary session at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, September 14, 2021. Julien Warnand/Pool via REUTERS</figcaption></figure>



TOLEDO, Spain, Aug 30 (Reuters)&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;European Union defence ministers are to discuss the situation in Gabon, foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Wednesday, adding that a coup, if confirmed, would heap more instability on the region.



A group of senior Gabonese military officers appeared on national television in the early hours of Wednesday and said they had taken power, after the state election body announced President Ali Bongo had won a third term.



&#8220;If this is confirmed, it is another military coup which increases instability in the whole region,&#8221; said Borrell, speaking at a meeting of EU defence ministers in Toledo.



&#8220;The whole area, starting with Central African Republic, then Mali, then Burkina Faso, now Niger, maybe Gabon, it&#8217;s in a very difficult situation and certainly the ministers &#8230; have to have a deep thought on what is going on there and how we can improve our policy in respect with these countries,&#8221; he said.



&#8220;This is a big issue for Europe,&#8221; he added.



The signs of a coup in Gabon come just weeks after members of the presidential guard in Niger seized power and established a junta.



(Reporting by Andrew Gray, Sabine Siebold, Benoit Van Overstraeten; Writing by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Conor Humphries)

European Parliament’s plenary session in Strasbourg

Situation in Gabon, West Africa a big issue for Europe – EU’s Borrell

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="820" height="461" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Gabonese-military-officers-announce-they-have-seized-power-820x461.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-427100" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Gabonese-military-officers-announce-they-have-seized-power-820x461.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Gabonese-military-officers-announce-they-have-seized-power-300x169.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Gabonese-military-officers-announce-they-have-seized-power-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Gabonese-military-officers-announce-they-have-seized-power-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Gabonese-military-officers-announce-they-have-seized-power-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Gabonese-military-officers-announce-they-have-seized-power-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Election officials carry ballot boxes as people wait for the opening of a polling office during the presidential election in Libreville, Gabon August 26, 2023 REUTERS/Gerauds Wilfried Obangome</figcaption></figure>



LIBREVILLE, Aug 30 (Reuters) &#8211; A group of senior Gabonese military officers appeared on national television in the early hours of Wednesday and said they had taken power, minutes after the state election body announced President Ali Bongo had won a third term.



Appearing on television channel Gabon 24, the officers said they represented all security and defence forces in the Central African nation. They said the election results were cancelled, all borders closed until further notice and state institutions dissolved.



Loud sounds of gunfire could be heard in the capital Libreville, a Reuters reporter said, after the television appearance.



There was no immediate comment from the government of the OPEC-member nation. There were no immediate reports on the whereabouts of Bongo, who was last seen in public when he cast his vote in the election on Saturday.



&#8220;In the name of the Gabonese people … we have decided to defend the peace by putting an end to the current regime,&#8221; the officers said in a statement.



As one officer read the joint statement, around a dozen others stood silently behind him in military fatigues and berets.



The servicemen introduced themselves as members of The Committee of Transition and the Restoration of Institutions. The state institutions they declared dissolved included the government, the senate, the national assembly, the constitutional court and the election body.



If successful, the coup would represent the eighth in West and Central Africa since 2020. Coups in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Chad and Niger have undermined democratic progress in recent years.



Last month, the military snatched power in Niger, sending shockwaves across the Sahel and sucking in global powers with strategic interests at stake.



Tensions were running high in Gabon amid fears of unrest after Saturday&#8217;s presidential, parliamentary, and legislative vote, which saw Bongo seeking to extend his family&#8217;s 56-year grip on power while the opposition pushed for change in the oil and cocoa-rich but poverty-stricken nation.



A lack of international observers, the suspension of some foreign broadcasts, and the authorities&#8217; decision to cut internet service and impose a night-time curfew nationwide after the poll had raised concerns about the transparency of the electoral process.



Gabon foiled an attempted military coup in January 2019 after soldiers briefly seized the state radio station and broadcast a message saying Bongo, who had suffered a stroke months earlier, was no longer fit for office.



The situation was restored hours later after two of the suspected coup plotters were killed and others arrested.



IN POWER SINCE 2009



The Gabonese Election Centre said earlier on Wednesday Bongo won the election with 64.27% of the vote and that his main challenger, Albert Ondo Ossa, had come in second place with 30.77%.



Bongo, 64, who succeeded his father Omar as president in 2009, had contested against 18 challengers, six of whom backed Ondo Ossa in an effort to narrow the race.



The government has said the web blackout and curfew are necessary to prevent the spread of fake news and to protect public safety. Bongo&#8217;s disputed 2016 election win provoked violent protests that saw the parliament building torched.



His team have rejected allegations of fraud by Ondo Ossa and his opposition alliance after a vote marred by numerous polling stations opening several hours late.



The alliance Alternance 2023 also reported other alleged irregularities including that ballot slips for its candidates had not been deployed correctly in some areas. Reuters could not independently verify the claim.



The European Union was not invited to observe this election. EU monitors previously questioned the validity of Bongo&#8217;s narrow victory in the 2016 presidential vote.



On Monday, media watchdog Reporters without Borders (RSF) voiced concern about the internet block and Gabon&#8217;s temporary suspension of broadcasts by French international news outlets RFI, France 24, and TV5 Monde.



&#8220;RSF denounces a series of attacks on press freedom and information pluralism, facts likely to compromise (the) general election&#8217;s transparency,&#8221; it said in an online post.



The opposition has disputed both of Bongo&#8217;s previous electoral victories, citing fraud. He first came to power in a 2009 vote following the death of his father Omar Bongo before being re-elected in 2016.



(Reporting by Gerauds Wilfried Obangome and Alessandra Prentice; Writing by Raju Gopalakrishnan; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)

Gabonese military officers announce they have seized power

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="820" height="547" src="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/COUQ2IDTUNOELBNXXUCA5G6DWQ-820x547.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-427024" srcset="https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/COUQ2IDTUNOELBNXXUCA5G6DWQ-820x547.jpg 820w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/COUQ2IDTUNOELBNXXUCA5G6DWQ-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/COUQ2IDTUNOELBNXXUCA5G6DWQ-135x90.jpg 135w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/COUQ2IDTUNOELBNXXUCA5G6DWQ-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/COUQ2IDTUNOELBNXXUCA5G6DWQ-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.cnbcafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/COUQ2IDTUNOELBNXXUCA5G6DWQ-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 820px) 100vw, 820px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">FILE PHOTO: A No Parking road sign is seen in front of a shopping complex in an open market, ahead of Nigeria&#8217;s Presidential election in Awka, Anambra state, Nigeria February 23, 2023. REUTERS/Temilade Adelaja</figcaption></figure>



ABUJA, Aug 25 (Reuters)&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;Nigeria&#8217;s annual economic growth rate slowed to 2.51% in the second quarter, data showed on Friday, hurt by a fall in oil production amid a series of reforms by new president Bola Tinubu aimed at reviving Africa&#8217;s largest economy.



The data, which marks the 11th consecutive quarter of growth, is the first release since Tinubu embarked on country&#8217;s boldest reforms in decades to try to boost output which has been sluggish for several years.



&#8220;This growth rate is lower than the 3.54% recorded in the second quarter of 2022 and may be attributed to the challenging economic conditions being experienced,&#8221; the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said.



Tinubu has scrapped a popular but costly petrol subsidy and lifted foreign exchange trading restrictions. But the action has worsened inflation currently in double-digits, fuelling anger and frustration for a population grappling with a cost of living crisis.



Tinubu at his inauguration in May vowed to expand the economy by at least 6% a year, lift barriers to investment, create jobs and unify the exchange rate, while also tackling rampant insecurity.



He inherited a struggling economy with record debt, shortages of foreign exchange and fuel, a weak naira currency, inflation at a near two-decade high, skeletal power supplies and falling oil production due to crude theft and underinvestment.



Nigeria, Africa&#8217;s top oil producer, recorded average daily oil output&nbsp;NGOIL=ECI&nbsp;of 1.22 million barrels per day (mbpd) in the second quarter, down from the daily average of 1.43 mbpd registered in the same quarter of 2022.



The dominant oil sector which accounts for the bulk of government revenue and 90% of foreign-exchange reserves, contracted 13.43%.



The NBS said second-quarter growth was driven by the services sector, which grew 4.42% year on year.



(Reporting by Chijioke Ohuocha; Editing by Toby Chopra, Kirsten Donovan)

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West Africa

Nigeria’s Tinubu urges UN to help curb exploitation of Africa’s resources

Nigeria central bank postpones next week’s policy meeting

Nigeria’s Tinubu tells UN he seeks to restore democratic order in Niger

Nigerian court frees on bail dozens arrested over alleged gay wedding – lawyer

Nigeria’s Tinubu picks banker Cardoso as next central bank governor

Ghana reopens debt exchange for 12.9 bln cedis of local bonds – fin ministry

West Africa Central Bank raises rate following Niger coup

Nigerian election tribunal to decide if Tinubu stays as president

Nigerian tribunal to rule on presidential vote challenge on Wednesday

Nigeria mulls G20 bloc membership, president to attend summit in India

Nigerian unions plan warning strike next week over cost of living

Burkina Faso says leader discussed possible military cooperation with Russian delegation

Gabon officers declare military coup, President Ali Bongo detained

Recent coups in West and Central Africa

Situation in Gabon, West Africa a big issue for Europe – EU’s Borrell

Gabonese military officers announce they have seized power

Nigeria’s GDP growth slows to 2.5% y/y in Q2 as reforms get under way

News Tips

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