Author: WAJ Editor

Nigeria’s National Orientation Agency (NOA) has announced that President Bola Tinubu’s agricultural reforms have led to the creation of 60,000 jobs by June 2025. The agency highlighted the impact of the Renewed Hope Agricultural Mechanization Program (RHAMP) in its latest weekly bulletin. According to NOA, the RHAMP initiative aims to tackle key challenges such as low productivity, rising food prices and post-harvest losses. The programme is built on four pillars: mechanization and technology adoption, rural infrastructure development, youth participation and international cooperation. The RHAMP, which was launched on June 23, involves the distribution of 2,000 tractors and 9,022 pieces of…

Somali security forces have killed at least 37 al-Shabaab militants during a military operation in the southern region of Lower Jubba, the country’s defence ministry announced on Saturday. According to the ministry, the attack was carried out by Somalia’s elite Danab special forces, with support from international partners. The operation took place in the village of Maqooqaha, located west of Buulo Xaaji. The ministry described the assault as “carefully executed” and aimed at high-ranking members of the militant group. The identities of those killed will reportedly be released in due course. The government praised the operation as a clear demonstration…

Recent anti-government protests in Togo’s capital have left at least seven people dead and many others injured, according to local civic and human rights groups. The groups, speaking to the media on Sunday, accused security forces and affiliated militias of committing abuses during the demonstrations. They reported that seven bodies were recovered from rivers in Lomé following the unrest. Togolese authorities have not released an official death toll, but a gendarmerie unit acknowledged two deaths by drowning. The government has yet to comment on the wider claims. Protests remain uncommon in Togo, where President Faure Gnassingbé has held power since…

Authorities have confirmed that at least 37 people have been killed and 30 injured in a fatal crash involving two buses in northern Tanzania. The tragic incident took place on Saturday evening in the Sabasaba area along the Moshi-Tanga highway in the Kilimanjaro region. The buses reportedly collided head-on and burst into flames. The identities and nationalities of the victims have not yet been released. President Samia Suluhu Hassan expressed deep sorrow over the loss of life in a statement issued on Sunday. “I extend my heartfelt condolences to Kilimanjaro Regional Commissioner Nurdin Babu, the bereaved families, relatives and friends,”…

The eastern-based government of Libya has dismissed recent criticisms by Greece regarding a 2019 maritime agreement between Libya and Türkiye, asserting the deal’s legitimacy under international law. In a statement on Saturday, Prime Minister Osama Hammad, who leads the Benghazi-based administration, reaffirmed that Libya’s cooperation with Türkiye is conducted within the framework of international legitimacy and does not infringe on any nation’s sovereignty. Hammad stressed Libya’s rejection of any external interference in its sovereign affairs, especially concerning international agreements made with strategic partners. He warned Greece against continuing what he described as a provocative and escalating approach, saying Libya reserves…

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled the country since 1986, has indicated that he plans to contest next year’s general elections. Museveni, 80, made the announcement in a message shared on social media on Saturday, highlighting his administration’s economic goals. He said Uganda has undergone five distinct stages of development under his leadership and that the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) is now targeting a GDP of $500 billion in five years. The long-serving leader called on newly elected NRM regional chairmen to remain neutral, avoid corruption and support candidates who align with the party’s core ideology rather than…

A prominent political ally of Cameroon’s long-time President Paul Biya has resigned from his ministerial post to launch a presidential bid, potentially reshaping the political landscape ahead of the country’s October elections. Issa Tchiroma Bakary, former government spokesperson and until recently the Minister of Employment, announced his resignation this week, citing growing national demand for political change. His departure marks a rare break from Biya’s inner circle and could signal deeper shifts within the ruling elite. “In response to appeals from across the country, I feel compelled to act,” Tchiroma said in an interview broadcast on social media platforms YouTube…

Liberia on Friday held a state funeral for former President Samuel Doe, 35 years after his assassination—a symbolic act aimed at promoting national healing after years of violent conflict that devastated the country. Hundreds gathered in Grand Gedeh County, Doe’s home region in southeastern Liberia, to pay their respects. The ceremony also honored his widow, Nancy Doe, who passed away in May and is being laid to rest at the family estate. The former president’s coffin was symbolic, as the fate of his remains remains uncertain. The event drew large crowds, with mourners lining the streets of Zwedru as the…

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has called on Libyan authorities to collaborate with Greece and the European Union to curb rising irregular migration from North Africa. Speaking ahead of a European Union summit in Brussels on Thursday, Mitsotakis highlighted a sharp increase in migrant departures from eastern Libya, many heading toward the Greek islands of Crete and Gavdos. To address the situation, Greece announced earlier this week it will deploy two naval frigates and an additional vessel off the coast of Libya to deter migrant crossings. “I will brief my European counterparts on the growing number of departures from eastern…

Four people were killed in a tragic stampede outside a large political rally in Ivory Coast on Wednesday, authorities said. The incident followed a rally by the ruling Rally Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP) party at Ebimpe Stadium in Abidjan on Sunday. The gathering, which drew an estimated 60,000 supporters, hinted that President Alassane Ouattara would soon announce whether he would run for a fourth term in the upcoming October presidential elections. The stampede reportedly broke out as participants were leaving the stadium. The head of the event’s organizing committee and Minister of Equipment and Road Maintenance Amede Koffi…

Tunisia is seeking to tap into an estimated \$518 million in untapped export opportunities with sub-Saharan Africa, as part of a broader strategy to strengthen its role in regional value chains and deepen economic ties across the continent. The country’s Minister of Trade and Export Development, Samir Abid, emphasized that this effort aligns with Tunisia’s long-term vision to expand South-South cooperation and industrial integration under the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), of which Tunisia has been a member since 2018. By 2024, Tunisia’s trade volume with sub-Saharan African nations reached \$550 million, with exports accounting for…

Rwanda’s government has unveiled plans to mobilise US \$500 million to support enhanced conservation and environmental protection programmes, as announced by the Minister of Environment. The ambitious funding initiative will be channelled through Rwanda’s Green Fund, targeting critical areas such as biodiversity preservation, forest cover expansion, wetland rehabilitation, and conservation of protected species. Key Highlights of the Funding Strategy: Rwanda Steps Up Efforts for Environmental Protection Rwanda’s commitment to environmental stewardship is clear: the nation is on track to achieving net‑zero emissions by 2050 and has already engaged communities by planting millions of trees. With this bold financial goal, Kigali aims…

Egypt’s Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Ahmed Khalifa, held talks with Saddam Khalifa Haftar, commander of the ground forces in eastern Libya aligned with Khalifa Haftar’s self-declared army, focusing on joint efforts to strengthen border security and combat irregular migration. In a statement released by the Egyptian military, both sides stressed the importance of coordinated strategies to secure the shared border and enhance overall stability throughout Libya. General Khalifa emphasized the historic ties between Egypt and Libya, reaffirming Cairo’s commitment to backing the Libyan people and their military institutions. Saddam Haftar, in turn, commended Egypt’s contributions to regional peace efforts…

The US Embassy in Monrovia has issued a directive requiring all Liberian visa applicants to ensure their social media accounts are public throughout the application process. The move is part of broader vetting measures under the Trump administration aimed at tightening entry requirements for individuals perceived as potential threats to the US. The requirement applies to those seeking international student and other non-immigrant visas. In a statement released Tuesday, the embassy said the new guidelines are intended to help verify applicants’ identities and assess their eligibility under US immigration law, according to local Liberian media reports. Liberia is one of…

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi called for determined efforts to consolidate the recently announced ceasefire between Iran and Israel in a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. A statement from the Egyptian presidency said Sisi welcomed the ceasefire and stressed the need to maintain and strengthen the agreement amid rising regional tensions that have brought the Middle East to the brink of a widespread conflict. Sisi also condemned Iran’s recent missile attack on Qatar, reiterating Egypt’s “categorical rejection of any actions that violate the sovereignty of states, especially other Arab and Islamic countries.” The two leaders reportedly agreed on…

Chadian opposition leader and former Prime Minister Succes Masra has announced that he has begun a hunger strike after spending more than a month in detention. Masra, who was arrested on May 16, 2025, made the statement in a letter to his supporters, condemning what he described as “undeserved injustices.” “Starting tonight, I will begin a hunger strike in solidarity with all of you and in protest against undeserved injustices,” his statement was shared publicly by members of his political party, Transformers. Masra also expressed confusion about the reasons behind his continued detention, saying, “I have been here for 40…