Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has warned that it may be compelled to shut down its two major social media platforms in Nigeria following a series of hefty fines totaling over $290 million and what it describes as “unrealistic” regulatory demands from Nigerian authorities. The crisis stems from regulatory actions taken by three Nigerian oversight bodies: the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC), and the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON). The FCCPC levied the largest fine—$220 million—for alleged anti-competitive practices. The NDPC fined Meta $32.8 million for…

President Bola Tinubu has openly acknowledged the severe economic hardship facing Nigerians, admitting that hunger, unemployment, and insecurity are real and demand urgent solutions. His admission comes as workers nationwide marked May Day amid skyrocketing living costs, mass job losses, and escalating violence. Speaking through the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, at the Workers’ Day celebration in Abuja, Tinubu stated: “I am aware of the peculiarities of the economic hardship Nigerians face—rising living costs, hunger, insecurity, unemployment, and the loss of livelihoods. These challenges are real and demand definitive solutions.” Dire Statistics Highlight National Crisis The President’s acknowledgment…

As Nigerian workers join the global commemoration of Workers’ Day, the mood is far from celebratory. Instead, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has painted a grim picture of widespread suffering, blaming President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies for exacerbating the cost-of-living crisis and pushing millions deeper into poverty. Since Tinubu took office in May 2023, his administration’s economic policies—including the abrupt removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the naira—have triggered skyrocketing inflation, a collapsing currency, and unprecedented economic hardship. Official data underscores the severity of the crisis: - Inflation has surged to 33.2% (March 2024), the highest in nearly…

The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has claimed responsibility for a deadly attack in Nigeria’s northeastern Borno State that killed at least 26 people, underscoring renewed violence in the region and prompting a change in military leadership. The group announced the attack via its Telegram channel on Tuesday, as insurgents continue to target civilians and security forces using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and other guerrilla tactics. In response to the surge in attacks by both ISWAP and Boko Haram—its Islamist rival—Nigeria has appointed Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar as the new commander of its counterinsurgency operations in the northeast. Abubakar…