Africa Business Radio

The World Health Organization has released its HIV drug resistance report for 2021. WHO’s latest report gives an in-depth picture of the extent to which drug resistance is growing, and the steps that countries are taking to ensure people will receive effective medicine to treat and prevent HIV. It reveals that in 2020, 64% of focus countries (countries with a high burden of HIV infection) had national action plans to prevent, monitor and respond to HIV drug resistance. WHO encourages countries to monitor resistance and recommends that for people starting antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) called pretreatment HIV drug resistance.

The Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading company announced that its operating license had been renewed for additional three years by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission. It says in a statement issued by the firm in Abuja that the license was renewed following a review of NBET’s application and corporate business plan. The firm in the statement says that NBET was established to undertake the business of managing and trading in wholesale electricity. It explained that the agency functioned as a bulk purchaser and bulk reseller of power and ancillary services pursuant to the Electric Power Sector Reform Act 2005.

The Nigeria Labour Congress has rejected a planned petrol price hike in the country and the Federal Government’s proposal to pay the sum of N5000 monthly to Nigerians as palliative. NLC President, Ayuba Wabba in a statement described the plan of the Federal Government as a penny wise-pound foolish gamble. Wabba lamented that there are no ongoing talks between labour and the Federal Government, as negotiation was adjourned. He accused the government of adopting monologue in arriving at its conclusion on subsidy removal, stressing that it will continually reject deregulation that is anchored on the importation of petroleum products.

President Muhammadu Buhari has renewed charges to all security agencies to double down on their response to all those challenging Nigeria’s sovereignty and creating insecurity through criminality in whatever way. The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, told State House correspondents that the meeting which lasted more than four hours also discussed the resurgence of criminal activities along the Abuja-Kaduna Highway. He says all agencies concerned with security have been ordered to improve on their activities, intensify surveillance, and minimise if not eliminate totally any threat.

The Federal Government has declared that it will begin the process of reviewing the National Oil Spillage Detection and Response Agency in order to mete out stiffer penalties to oil companies involved in oil spillage in the country. The Minister of Environment, Sharon Ikeazor noted that a strong legal framework has become expedient to stop ongoing oil spills. The Environment minister further revealed that the OML29 oil spill in Nembe, Bayelsa State has been brought under control while blaming the oil spillage on sabotage by the locals. She says necessary personnel and equipment have been deployed to begin recovery and remediation efforts handled by NOSDRA, as the agency assures that a post-spill impact assessment will be concluded in one month.

The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, believes Nigeria is on the right path to economic diversification focusing on non-oil exports, with the zero-oil plan actively promoted by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC). The Vice President commended the outgoing NEPC chief for his foresight, and for putting in place a well-structured and detailed plan. He says it is important to note that Nigeria is certainly getting away from the oil and gas era.

Australia has designated Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed, Lebanon-based Shia group, as a terrorist organisation. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that the designation covers the entirety of the group, Hezbollah’s military wing has been on the list since 2003. Saudi Arabia classified the Lebanon-based Al-Qard Al-Hassan association as a terrorist entity, citing links to activities supporting Hezbollah. Australia also listed the global neo-Nazi group The Base as a terrorist” organisation, making it a criminal offence to be a member.

President Joe Biden reached for the US strategic oil reserves in an attempt to flatten fuel price rises pummeling Americans at Thanksgiving — and hoping to reignite his own political fortunes. The White House says the effort to tamp down the oil market by using emergency reserves was for the first time being done in conjunction with other countries, following weeks of negotiations. The White House in a statement says the release will be taken in parallel with other major energy-consuming nations including China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom.

Uber is making its first foray into the marijuana market, as Uber Eats users in Ontario, Canada will soon be able to order cannabis products on the app. Customers will be able to place orders in a dedicated section of the app for cannabis retailer Tokyo Smoke and then pick them up at a nearby store. The firm refused to be drawn on whether it will roll out the offering further across Canada and the US. The company says Canada's marijuana market is worth around CAD$5bn a year. Chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi said the company will consider delivering cannabis once it is permitted under US law.

Mali says that it would delay a nationwide debate on reform that the army-dominated government views as a precondition for returning to civilian rule after two coups.  Mali’s interim government is facing international pressure to swiftly restore civilian rule after the military seized power in August 2020, and then deposed another civilian-led government in May. It previously said that it would set a date for elections only after holding the nationwide forum. The panel stated that it had decided to postpone due to consultations designed to guarantee inclusive participation in the forum.

Adolescent children in Kenya and Rwanda are now eligible to receive Pfizer Covid jabs as both countries kick off vaccine campaigns. Rwanda will be vaccinating children from the age of 12 and above from Tuesday while Kenya is allowing those from 15 years. Rwanda's adolescent vaccination programme will cover the entire country and parents or guardians have to sign consent forms before their children can be vaccinated.

Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal has assented to the Child Protection Bill, earlier passed by the state House of Assembly. The governor says since the enactment of the Child Rights Act in 2003, domesticating the law in the state has been very difficult due to cultural and lifestyle differences. He believes it will enhance the conditions of children in the state and protect them against all sorts of abuses. Governor Tambuwal also commended the effort of the state assembly, the role of the Sultan of Sokoto and the Sultanate council, CSOs and other stakeholders that culminated in the signing of the law.

The UN children’s agency called on Lebanon to take urgent action to protect children after it documented a spike in child labour rates and food insecurity since April. UNICEF representative in Lebanon, Yukie Mokuo, says urgent action is needed to ensure no child goes hungry, becomes sick, or has to work rather than receive an education,” She says the staggering magnitude of the crisis must be a wake-up call Lebanon is grappling with its worst-ever financial crisis, with nearly 80 per cent of the population estimated to be living below the poverty line. UNICEF in a survey found 53 per cent of families had at least one child who skipped a meal in October 2021, compared with 37 per cent in April.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, says that the #EndSARS report by the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry was riddled with so many errors and inconsistencies. Mr Mohammed described the report circulating online as fake. He also asked relatives of the victims to come forward with evidence, saying that any parent who is afraid to testify about the death of his or her child is not worthy to be called a parent.

The Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum says Nigeria must embrace restructuring to survive. Chairman of the forum, Aminu Tambuwal says the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government has failed to live up to the expectation of the masses in the past six years. He accused the current administration of failing to take the country to the heights expected by Nigerians, adding that as a result, the PDP must strategise to take over in 2023. Tambuwal says Nigeria must embrace restructuring to survive. It must restructure its polity, economy, security and ways of doing things. It must embrace relative autonomy and decentralisation of power.

The Federal Government ordered the shut down of the Santa Barbara oil fields in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State over what it described as an unfortunate oil spillage. The Ministry of Environment spokesperson, Saghir el Mohammed, says the Federal Government has directed the exploration company, AITEO Eastern Exploration and Production Company Limited to halt operations in the area until a proper investigation is carried out and adequate measures put in place to ensure the safety of lives and property in the area.

Nigerian authorities say Islamic State of West Africa Province and Boko Haram terrorists are planning to establish a camp in Niger State. The Secretary to the State Government, Ahmed Matane, raised the alarm on Tuesday while briefing reporters in Minna, the state capital. He decried the escalated rate of attacks by bandits on innocent residents in recent weeks, saying they were now collaborating with insurgents to worsen the security situation in the state. He was worried that the state was in such a situation despite the effort of the government to protect its citizens, including spending a sum of N5 billion to combat the security challenges in Niger.

President Muhammadu Buhari has suspended the inauguration of the newly constituted Board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, revealed that the inauguration of the Board, initially scheduled to hold on Wednesday, was suspended indefinitely. Mustapha says President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the immediate suspension of the inauguration of the newly constituted Board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited scheduled for Wednesday 24th November 2021 until further notice. He says a new date for the inauguration of the Board will be announced in due course.

The International Monetary Fund says it had agreed with Pakistan on measures needed to revive a stalled $6bn funding programme for the South Asian country, which faces growing economic challenges. The IMF in a statement says the Pakistani authorities and IMF staff have reached a staff-level agreement on policies and reforms needed to complete the sixth review. Pakistan had been in talks with the IMF for several months to seek relaxation in the terms and conditions of the package. Its government bonds jumped between 1.3 and 2.8 cents on the news of an agreement. The IMF added that the agreement is subject to approval by the Executive Board, following the implementation of prior actions, notably on fiscal and institutional reforms.

The state news agencies of both the Gulf states said Oman and Qatar have signed agreements on military cooperation, taxation, tourism, ports, labour and investment as Oman seeks to invigorate its debt-burdened economy. Oman is among the weakest financially of the Gulf oil producers. The agreements were signed during a two-day state visit by Oman’s Sultan Haitham to the small but wealthy state of Qatar, one of the world’s top producers of liquefied natural gas.