Bello Hassan, a member of the House of Representatives representing Zurmi/Shinkafi Federal Constituency, reported on Tuesday that bandits have attacked at least 50 communities in the Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State. In an interview in Abuja, Hassan stated that the relentless attacks have forced residents to abandon their homes.

Hassan recounted a recent attack on the Gidan Shaho community last Monday, where bandits invaded in large numbers. “Not less than 50 villages have been attacked, displacing the residents. Whenever the military attacks the gunmen, they retaliate by attacking the villagers. It is a dire situation that requires urgent action to protect lives in Zamfara,” he said.

He criticized the security forces, alleging that despite being aware of the bandits' activities, they failed to act effectively. "Last Monday, the bandits were meeting, and the vigilantes, police, and military were aware. When the military moved to confront them, the bandits ambushed and attacked the village, killing two vigilantes and two policemen," Hassan explained.

Displaced residents are now seeking refuge in schools, disrupting education as students are afraid to attend. Hassan called for better support and oversight for the military and other security agencies, questioning if they receive their allocated allowances. He urged the Federal Government to mobilize resources and intervene.

In response, Yazid Abubakar, the state Police Public Relations Officer, acknowledged the situation, stating, “A team has been set and the operation is ongoing.”

However, Defence Headquarters denied the allegations against the military. Edward Buba, a major general and Director of Defence Media Operations, stated in a telephone interview, “The ongoing counter-terrorism operations have prevented terrorists from achieving their objectives. Operations are ongoing in Tsafe LGA of Katsina State and surrounding communities.”

Last week, at least 49 people were reportedly killed by bandits during a five-day attack in Zamfara's Anka Local Government Area. Residents reported that 18 were killed in Farar-Kasa village, 22 in Dangulbi, two in Duhuwa, four in Tsatsomawa, and three in Yar Sabaya.

An anonymous resident from Anka town confirmed the ongoing attacks, noting that bandit activities have persisted since the beginning of the previous week.

Israeli tanks push deeper into Rafah; battles rage in northern Gaza

Israeli tanks pushed deeper into Rafah on Tuesday, reaching some residential areas of the southern Gazan border city where more than a million people had sought shelter, and its forces pounded the enclave's north in some of the fiercest attacks in months.

Israel's international allies and aid groups have repeatedly warned against a ground incursion into Rafah, where many Palestinians fled and Israel says four Hamas battalions are holed up. Israel says it must root out the remaining fighters.

The White House said U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan will visit Israel and Saudi Arabia this weekend. The Biden administration declined to comment on a report by Axios that Israel agreed not to expand its Rafah operation significantly before Sullivan's visit.

A U.S. official who declined to be identified told Reuters that Israel promised not to make a major move in Rafah without advising Washington.

Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said in a briefing that Israeli forces had killed about 100 militant fighters, located 10 tunnel routes and found many weapons in Rafah since the start of the operation a week ago.

Fighting has intensified elsewhere across the Gaza Strip in recent days, including in the north, with the Israeli military returning to areas where it had claimed to have already dismantled Hamas. The clashes on Tuesday were the fiercest in months, residents and militant sources said.

"We are operating with determination in all three parts of the Gaza Strip. Forces from the air, land and sea are simultaneously striking terrorist targets," Hagari said, referring to the enclave's north, centre and south.

The Palestinian death toll in the war has now surpassed 35,000, according to Gaza health officials, whose figures do not differentiate between civilians and fighters. They said that 82 Palestinians had been killed in the past 24 hours, the highest death toll in a single day in many weeks.

Fierce gun battles raged late on Tuesday in northern Gaza's Jabalia, a sprawling refugee camp built for displaced Palestinians 75 years ago. "Many people are being trapped in their houses," Nasser, 57, a father of six, said by phone.

Israel killed about 80 militant fighters and destroyed rocket launchers and weapons manufacturing facilities in the heart of Jabalia on Tuesday, Hagari said. He said 13 Israeli soldiers were injured on Tuesday, four seriously.

In Gaza City, also in the enclave's north, an Israeli air strike on a house in the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood killed four people and wounded several others late on Tuesday, medics said.

In the Zeitoun neighbourhood of Gaza City, Israeli bulldozers demolished houses to make a new road for tanks. The Israeli military said it had eliminated about 150 fighters and destroyed 80 structures used by Hamas there.

With fighting intensifying, Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, mediated by his country and Egypt, were at a stalemate.

Reuters

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Putin backs China's Ukraine peace plan, says Beijing understands the conflict

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in an interview published early on Wednesday, said he backed China's plan for a peaceful settlement of the Ukraine crisis, saying Beijing had a full understanding of what lay behind the crisis.

Putin, speaking to China's Xinhua news agency ahead of his visit to Beijing this week, said Russia remained open to dialogue and talks to solve the more than two-year-old conflict.

China's plan and further "principles" made public by President Xi Jinping last month took account of factors behind the conflict, Putin said.

"We are positive in our assessment of China's approach to solving the Ukrainian crisis," Putin said, according to a Russian-language transcript on the Kremlin website. "In Beijing, they truly understand its root causes and its global geopolitical meaning."

And the additional principles, set down by Xi in talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, were "realistic and constructive steps" that "develop the idea of the necessity to overcome the cold war mentality".

Beijing put forward a 12-point paper more than a year ago that set out general principles for ending the war, but did not get into specifics.

It received a lukewarm reception at the time in both Russia and Ukraine, while the U.S. said China was presenting itself as a peacemaker but reflecting Russia's "false narrative" and failing to condemn its invasion.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov last month called the proposal a "reasonable plan that the great Chinese civilization proposed for discussion."

Xi's additional principles call for a "cooling down" of the situation, conditions for restoring peace and creating stability and minimising the impacts on the world economy.

Russia views the conflict as a struggle pitting it against the "collective West" which took no account of Moscow's security concerns by promoting the eastward expansion of NATO and military activity close to its borders.

Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a "special operation" to disarm Ukraine and protect it from fascists. Ukraine and the West say the fascist allegation is baseless and that the war is an unprovoked act of aggression.

Russia and China proclaimed a "no limits" relationship just days before Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, but Beijing has so far avoided providing actual weapons and ammunition for Russia's war effort.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's peace plan calls for a withdrawal of Russian troops, the restoration of its 1991 post-Soviet borders and bringing Russia to account for its actions.

A "peace summit" is scheduled for Switzerland in June. But Russia is not invited, dismisses the initiative as meaningless and says talks must take account of "new realities".

China has attended some preparatory talks for the summit and Ukraine has deployed great efforts to persuade it to attend.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

‘No’ deal between Moscow and Kiev – London

Britain will not support any solution to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine that involves what it sees as concessions to Moscow, Defense Secretary Grant Chapps told Times Radio on Tuesday.

The UK has been among the largest arms donors to Kiev. In recent weeks, London has stepped up its rhetoric by saying that the British weapons supplied to Ukraine may be used for attacks deep inside Russia. Moscow recently summoned the UK ambassador over the matter and warned of possible retaliation, including strikes targeting “any British military facilities and equipment” in Ukraine and beyond.

Earlier on Tuesday, Chapps confirmed that Kiev could use British-supplied weapons to strike Russia’s Crimean Peninsula. London considers the region, which joined Russia in 2014 following a referendum, to be an “integral part of Ukraine,” the defense secretary stated.

When asked by Times Radio about whether London would consider any agreement between Moscow and Kiev, Chapps simply answered: “No.” He then further elaborated that the UK sees “no sense at all” in persuading or “strong-arming” Ukraine into accepting any peace conditions and “giving up some of their territory.”

Apart from Crimea, four other former Ukrainian territories – two Donbass Republics and Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions – joined Russia in autumn 2022 following a series of referendums. Kiev branded the votes a “sham”and claims as its own all four regions and Crimea.

On Tuesday, Chapps maintained that the only way to end the conflict was by inflicting a military defeat on Russia. “I do not think it is plausible at all for [Russian President Vladimir] Putin to win this war,” he said, calling for increased arms shipments to Ukraine.

“It is very, very important that the US follows the UK lead. Remember: we’ve just increased our money to Ukraine this year to £3 billion ($3.78 billion), our biggest-ever package,” the defense secretary said, referring to an earlier announcement by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who committed to spend that sum on military support for Ukraine per year.

Chapps also indirectly compared modern Russia to Nazi Germany by saying that “we have been in this position before in Europe and we will simply not allow that to happen again.”

“If you give a bully like Putin an inch, he will take a mile. In this case, he will probably take quite a lot, not just Ukraine. I’m not sure he will stop there either,” Chapps added.

In the years prior to World War II, Western nations are seen as having sought to appease Adolf Hitler, most notably through the infamous 1938 Munich Agreement, under which Germany, Italy, Great Britain, and France coerced Czechoslovakia into surrendering its border regions to Germany.

Russia has repeatedly stated throughout the conflict that its goals are to protect the people of Donbass against persecution by Kiev and ensure its own security in light of constant NATO expansion toward its borders. Moscow has also repeatedly pointed to the nationalist nature of the Western-backed post-Maidan governments in Kiev that have persecuted Russian-speaking minorities in Ukraine.

Reuters/RT

In business, you can never win every battle, but you must win the critical ones for your own longevity and the success of your business.

Picking the right ones is more than half the battle. In my experience as a business advisor, I find that many people spend most of their time on the wrong problems, usually due to ego, daily pressures or emotions. You must re-prioritize daily.

For example, I once had a business associate who loved to help his peers, which is a positive attribute, until he was unable to complete his own commitments on time and his career was in jeopardy.

As a business owner, I myself had to learn to depend on skilled partners, rather than jump in and try to solve every business challenge myself, from fund raising to social media.

Here is a summary of my recommendations for picking the right battles in a business environment and how to fight challenges most effectively for satisfaction and growth:

1. Set personal objectives and make your own decisions

Listen to others and seek their input, but don't allow them to make your decision for you. Follow your own interests and business insights to increase satisfaction and long-term success.

Create a personal business plan, with milestones for your own tracking and celebrate each step completed.

2. Help others who have the potential for helping you

By helping others, you will learn from their mistakes, and greatly increase their interest of helping you back.

Both of these results will increase your odds of success on your next decision and step forward. In addition, helping others will give you experience you need in other business domains.

3. Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you 

None of us can be experts in all the disciplines required in any business. Build relationships with people who have complimentary skills, rather than "yes" people or just friends and family.

You can then get better guidance and learn more, in order to win on tough issues we all face in business.

4. Become an active listener, and ask more questions

You can't learn anything while talking, so try to spend more your time listening and asking for input.

Pick your battles carefully, since real analysis requires focus and this is required for good decisions and positive outcomes. Be sure to watch body language of others carefully, for more input.

5. Budget your time carefully to work on the right problem

Due to the daily pressures of business, I find that many professionals spend their time on the issue of the day, rather than issues important to their future.

The result is no decision or bad planning leading to personal failure on priority issues. Time management is a major key to business success.

6. Don't let procrastination leave you stuck and frustrated

Tackle the challenges first that are most important to you, rather than trying to solve every problem or seeking to satisfy someone else.

Drive that issue to a conclusion and make a decision. Any decision is better than no decision and it will leave you with the satisfaction of moving forward.

7. Learn things from every setback, no matter how small

Everything learned is a success and step forward, so keep a positive perspective. How well you handle uncertainties by climbing over your hurdles and standing back up after a fall is what will determine your ability to win in the long run. Pick battles that have value in that context.

8. Don't let fear of failure lead you to compromise your values

Use your passion for positive results and confidence in your abilities to overcome the natural fear of failure when approaching any new challenge.

Use your support resources and access to coaching to solidify your mindset and personal values and don't back down prematurely.

9. Never assume a victim mentality in a business challenge

There is no entitlement to success in business, so the only way to win is to take full responsibility for your actions and decisions.

It's easy to blame the economy or some other person for your challenge, but you must learn that there are always more positive alternatives that you can find.

10. Look for innovative alternatives that have never been tried

People who succeed in business recognize that everything is subject to change and innovation and there are very few absolutes.

Make it part of your satisfaction to find that unique solution no one else had yet seen or tried. You become the winner when you outwit your competition.

In my view, the business world is moving faster and faster, making the opportunities for your success even greater.

Don't let your own perseverance wane on any of the critical challenges and dreams you have now or will experience soon. We need your success to feed our own. Make every challenge a win-win.

Inc

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) spearheaded protests against the recent electricity tariff hike, targeting distribution companies (DISCOs) across the country on Monday.

Organized labour mobilized members to oppose the increase in electricity tariff for customers categorized under Band A. Approved by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) on April 3, the tariff surged from N66 to N225 per kilowatt for this classification.

The demonstrations saw the blockade of key DISCOs' headquarters including the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), the Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC), and the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC). Additionally, protests were staged at the offices of the Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC), Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC), and the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

Under the banner "Reverse Electricity Tariff Hike or Face Economy Shutdown," labour unions, civil society organizations, and concerned citizens disrupted operations at DISCOs and NERC offices nationwide. Their demands included not only the reversal of the tariff hike but also a complete reversal of power sector privatization and the recovery of all public electricity assets sold.

In Abuja, demonstrators led by NLC President Joe Ajaero and TUC President Festus Osifo converged at NERC's premises, impeding workers' access to offices. Chants of solidarity filled the air as protesters brandished placards bearing messages such as #WeAreNotAGeneratorRepublic, #EnoughOfTheExcusesGiveUsLight, and #LetThePoorBreatheGiveUsAffordableAndConstantPower.

Ajaero criticized the failure of power sector privatization and urged the government to honor agreements made with labour, including halting further tariff increases until certain conditions are met. These conditions encompass a review of the privatization process, de-dollarization of gas supply to electricity generation, and the distribution of prepaid meters to all consumers.

While NERC Chairman Sanusi Garba commended the peaceful demonstration, promising to reconsider some of the demands, protesters remained resolute in their call for a complete reversal of the tariff hike. Their dissatisfaction was palpable, with chants echoing demands for immediate action rather than further deliberation.

Adeyeye Adebiyi, National President of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), highlighted issues such as unpaid salaries, poor working conditions, and victimization of union leaders, exacerbating challenges within the sector.

Labour's discontent extended to government entities as well, with protests staged at the Ministry of Power and the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). Amidst expressions of displeasure, labour leaders emphasized the need for tangible improvements in electricity generation and supply, rejecting additional burdens on Nigerians.

With warnings of a potential total strike looming, labour unions urged swift action from the government, signaling their readiness to escalate protests if demands are not met.

Premium electricity consumers categorised as Band A customers are embracing solar power as an alternative source of energy following the recent tariff hike as well as the high cost of fuel, DARE OLAWIN reports

In Nigeria, the average person is gradually losing the ability to afford electricity as they still struggle to pay for other essentials of life. Since April, many people have seen an increase in their electricity costs of over 300 per cent, as a result of the government’s decision to stop providing subsidies for electricity in areas covered by Band A feeders. They are now considering solar energy as an additional source of renewable and sustainable energy as a result.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, in its supplementary Multi-Year Tariff Order for April, raised the tariff in Band A to N225 per kilowatt-hour from N68. In May, the tariff was reduced to N206.80/kWh, but Nigerians, including organised labour, insisted that the tariff in the 15 per cent Band A feeders be reversed to N68/kWh.

However, Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, argued that the tariff could no longer be reversed, as doing so would drag Nigeria into perpetual darkness.

According to Adelabu, the tariff hike is now attracting investors to the power sector, as the cost-reflective tariff is now bringing liquidity to the sector.

The government had insisted that customers on Band A were individuals who could afford the cost of energy without the need for subsidies.

But there are arguments that several indigent persons, including pensioners, traders, farmers, civil servants, artisans and transporters, also live within these Band A feeder locations.

Some of these individuals may get disconnected when they begin to find it hard to fund their electricity bills.

For civil servants and other low-income earners who fall into the premium customer category, electricity appears to have become a luxury in a nation where some state governors have yet to pay the N30,000 minimum wage.

Our correspondent gathered that Nigerians in Band A now get 4.8 units for N1,000 instead of 14 units before the tariff hike. With N30,000, an electricity consumer would get 145 units instead of over 400 units before the subsidy was removed.

Speaking about how much they have spent on electricity since the tariff hike, some Nigerians shared their experiences with The PUNCH.

Oduro Oladunni said: “Before the increase, my house prepaid meter was using an average of N60,000 per month, but since the heavy tariff increase for Band A this month, my household has bought a meter card of N129,00 in April. We now switch off the meter from 7.30 a.m to 6.30 p.m everyday. We now only use light late at night. As a result of the heavy expenditure, we have reduced many things in the house, like food and other household needs. May God touch the heart of this government to reduce this heavy burden.”

Another Band A customer, Adesayo Sulaimon, noted that he formerly spent N12,000 to buy 160 kWh of electricity that he used for 35 days.

“But now, N40,000 is needed to get the same units, which now lasts us for 30 days. In April, we have spent N40,000 for the electricity that we only needed N12,000 to get before April,” Sulaimon stated.

According to Obioma Ejimofor, she currently spends N5,000 every three days to purchase electricity units as a Band A user.

Aside from this, most areas not on the Band A feeders have continued to lament the lower power supply in their areas. While the premium customers are lamenting high tariff, others in Band B to E said they have been abandoned in darkness.

A customer expressed worry, “Since this new tariff regime on April 1 for Band A customers, it is clear that no DisCo has been able to meet up supply to this less than one per cent of Band A customers. The fact remains that DisCos have been pushing all the electricity away from other band users but still cannot meet up.”

On Monday, the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, led other Nigerian workers to the NERC head office in Abuja to protest the tariff hike. The nationwide protest halted business activities in various offices of distribution companies in Nigeria.

Speaking at the demonstration, Ajaero challenged the NERC to reveal to Nigerians which power plant it intends to build by the end of the year, claiming that the nation cannot exist on 4,000 megawatts of electricity. He mentioned that if the Mambilla plant was operational, it could produce more than 3,600 MW of electricity.

Ajaero further said that the NERC could not continue to charge tariffs without availability and accessibility to what they were paying for, adding that the commission was creating inflation, for which it would continue to charge Nigerians.

He called on the Federal Government not only to reverse the planned hike but to abolish all forms of tax that could further impoverish Nigerians.

In response to their increased financial burden due to the tariff hike, worsened by the rising cost of petrol and diesel, many Band A electricity customers are switching to solar as their alternative source of power.

Some Nigerians said they would have to review their partnerships with the power companies and opt for solar.

According to a social media commentator, Morris Monye, N65,000 now gives him access to 288 kWh instead of 812 kWh, announcing that he has opted for solar.

Monye posted on X in pidgin, “I don leave una. Solar is the best way to go. No more Band A.”

He explained that he got 20 panels and eight batteries for about N6m.

“I think everyone should go this route,” he advised other Nigerians.

Angel Thomas stated that with N2m he got four solar panels and two big batteries for his mother’s building, noting that his mother’s fridge and water pump were working perfectly.

Amid the desire for solar power lies the concern of affordability. Our correspondent learned that the costs of solar panels and batteries have been on the rise.

Experts have blamed it on Nigeria’s volatile foreign exchange rate.

Another challenge many tenants who have the financial strength to switch to solar have been having is securing the approval of their landlords.

Sulaimon, a resident of Abeokuta, said his landlord did not allow any tenant to install solar panels on his rooftop over fear that it might temper the structural integrity of the roof.

Speaking with our correspondent, the Chief Executive Officer of Pam Africa, a renewable energy company, Patrick Agese, disclosed that the demand for solar power had increased in the last few weeks, following the removal of electricity subsidies.

According to him, many Nigerians desire to have solar panels installed in their homes, but they lack the financial capacity.

He, however, said solar energy companies now offer monthly payment plans to lessen the burden on interested individuals.

“Since the tariff increase, we have recorded about a 60 per cent increase in call rates,” Agese stated.

He explained that calls were coming from Nigerians who wanted to know what it would require to have solar in their houses and offices.

The determination, he added, was to save the amount being expended on energy daily.

The Pam Africa CEO maintained that the majority of the callers had yet to make a final decision due to the cost involved.

Agese noted that ordinarily, a prospective customer would need about two months to conclude whether or not he wants to choose solar as an alternative means of electricity.

He remarked that the cost of installing solar was still more economical compared to the cost of electricity and fuel.

He told The PUNCH that some existing customers had added more to their solar power system after the tariff hike, while others were calling to save energy costs by going solar.

Instead of spending millions of naira on electricity every month, Agese suggested that businesses and individuals could partner with microfinance banks that would help in paying the cost of solar monthly.

The payment, he admonished, should be spread over four to five years.

He advised low-income earners to consider the cheaper alternative if they cannot afford up to N4m or more. With N700,000, Agese said a customer could get the capacity that could power his television set, a standing fan and bulbs.

Agese enunciated that the cost of solar panels was reducing In the international market, saying that the fall of the naira against the dollar was the major issue.

On durability and capacity, the Pam Africa boss pleaded with Nigerians to patronise only qualified service providers while following the instructions of the engineers on what could be powered with the solar system.

The PUNCH notes that streetlights and solar bulbs have gained popularity among Nigerians recently. Traders now use solar bulbs to light up their shops instead of spending money on fuel.

According to the International Energy Agency, solar photovoltaics is expected to grow rapidly, with an average rate of above 50 per cent per year over the next three years” in Nigeria.

In February, the Federal Government said it was planning the construction of renewable power plants to boost electricity generation across the country.

The power minister highlighted that the creation of renewable power plants would be one of his strategies to ensure incremental improvement in the national power supply.

Adelabu mentioned multiple times that areas that are underserved and unserved might require the use of renewable energy sources for power.

As Nigeria faces issues such as energy poverty and fluctuating foreign exchange rates, it is evident that solar power could be a sustainable and eco-friendly solution to some of these challenges.

By adopting solar power, individuals and businesses can reduce their dependence on the national grid, and take steps towards energy independence.

However, concerns about affordability remain a major obstacle, preventing many from accessing this environmentally friendly option.

Punch

President Bola Tinubu has instructed all ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to transition to vehicles powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) as part of his administration's energy reform agenda.

Addressing members of the federal executive council (FEC) at the State House, Tinubu emphasized the importance of energy security, utility enhancement, and reduction of fuel costs.

Tinubu asserted that his administration is resolute in driving the adoption of CNG nationwide, stressing the need for proactive leadership from public officials to set a precedent for the populace. He emphasized that all procurement requests for traditional petrol-dependent vehicles should be declined in favor of value-driven acquisitions of CNG-compliant vehicles.

Ajuri Ngelale, the special adviser to the president on media publicity, reiterated Tinubu's dedication to maximizing the nation's gas potential and alleviating transportation costs for citizens, thereby improving their standard of living.

The presidential CNG initiative (PCNGI), slated for launch ahead of Tinubu's administration's first anniversary on May 29, aims to establish 100 conversion workshops and 60 refueling sites across 18 states in collaboration with the private sector by year-end.

Furthermore, Tinubu's administration earmarked N100 billion for investment between July 31, 2023, and March 2024 to procure 3,000 units of 20-seater CNG-powered buses. In a bid to incentivize CNG adoption, the federal government announced the waiver of value-added tax (VAT) on CNG bus purchases, with plans to extend duty waivers on parts.

Nigeria's manufacturing export revenue has taken a significant hit, plummeting by 166% to ₦778.4 billion, according to the latest findings from the World Bank's 'Africa Pulse' report. This stark decline marks a sharp contrast from the ₦2 trillion peak recorded in 2019.

The report highlights a downward trajectory since 2019, attributing a substantial decline to the impact of Covid-19. In 2020, revenue dipped to ₦960.7 billion, followed by a modest recovery to ₦1.15 trillion in 2021. However, 2022 witnessed a substantial drop to ₦781.1 billion, further exacerbating to ₦778.4 billion in 2023.

The World Bank identifies poor infrastructure and inefficient logistics as primary culprits behind Nigeria's dwindling foreign trade. The cost of trade in Nigeria, as well as in Ethiopia, is reported to be four to five times higher than that in the United States due to various factors such as insecurity, high transportation costs, topography, and inadequate road infrastructure.

In response to these challenges, African producers tend to prioritize local sales over exports, exacerbating the decline in manufacturing export revenue. Local manufacturers and exporters have voiced concerns over the unfavorable business environment, which renders Nigerian products less competitive on the global stage.

The report's release coincides with efforts by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) to bolster export activities. NEPC has urged Nigerian exporters to comply with the requirements set by the General Administration of Chinese Customs (GACC) for exporting products to China, emphasizing the importance of understanding and adhering to regulatory guidelines.

President Bola Tinubu recently addressed challenges in Nigeria's import-export landscape, citing bureaucratic bottlenecks that result in annual losses of $4 billion due to infractions. Tinubu unveiled the National Single Window (NSW) project aimed at streamlining trade processes by ensuring 24-hour clearance of goods at ports and implementing a digital platform for import and export-related transactions.

Tinubu asserts that the NSW project will revolutionize trade facilitation, offering a seamless and efficient system that eliminates the need for multiple agencies and locations to obtain necessary permits and clearances.

Israeli forces press Gaza offensive from north and south

Israeli forces pushed deep into the ruins of Gaza's northern edge on Monday to recapture an area from Hamas fighters, while in the south tanks and troops pushed across a highway into Rafah, leaving Palestinian civilians scrambling to find safety.

Some of the most intense fighting for weeks is raging in both the north and south. Israeli operations in Rafah, which borders Egypt, have closed a main crossing point for aid. Humanitarian groups say this has worsened an already dire situation.

Hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing again. Around half of Gaza's population took sanctuary there after Israel ordered evacuations from northern Gaza in October.

Gaza's health authority appealed for international pressure to reopen access via the southern border to allow in aid, medical supplies and fuel to power generators and ambulances.

"The wounded and sick suffer a slow death because there is no treatment and supplies and they cannot travel," it said.

A foreign U.N. security staff member was killed on Monday when a U.N.-marked vehicle travelling to a hospital in Rafah was struck - the first international U.N. fatality in the Gaza war, a U.N. spokesperson said, bringing the total death toll of U.N. personnel to around 190.

In northern Gaza's Jabalia, a sprawling refugee camp built for displaced Palestinians 75 years ago, Israeli forces pushed into an area where they claimed to have dismantled Hamas months ago.

Residents fled along rubble-strewn streets carrying bags of belongings. Tank shells landed in the centre of the camp and health officials said they had recovered 20 bodies from overnight airstrikes.

"We don't know where to go. We have been displaced from one place to the next... We are running in the streets. I saw it with my own eyes. I saw the tank and the bulldozer. It is on that street," said one woman, who did not give her name.

An Israeli air strike on a house in Al-Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza Strip killed at least eight people, said Mahmoud Basal, a spokesperson of the Gaza Civil Emergency Service. He said several other people were wounded and missing.

The Palestinian death toll in the war has now surpassed 35,000, with 57 killed in the past 24 hours, according to Gaza health officials, whose figures do not differentiate between civilians and fighters.

Israeli troops are seeking to wipe out Hamas. A senior U.S. State Department official on Monday said Washington did not think that goal of total victory was "likely or possible."The militant group, which has said it is committed to Israel's destruction, burst into Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 and taking more than 250 hostages, by Israeli tallies.

Hamas' armed wing said because of Israeli bombardments it had lost contact with militants guarding four Israeli hostages, including U.S.-Israeli citizen Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who appeared in a video released by Hamas in late April.

Attending a Memorial Day ceremony on Monday to mark Israel's fallen soldiers, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war against Hamas was a struggle to secure Israel's "existence, liberty, security and prosperity".

"Our war of independence is not over yet," he said.

In Rafah, Israel stepped up aerial and ground bombardments on eastern areas, killing people in an airstrike on a house in the Brazil neighbourhood.

Residents said Israeli air and ground bombardments were intensifying and tanks had cut off the main north-south Salahuddin road.

"The tanks cut the Salahuddin road east of the city, the forces are now in the southeast side, building up near the built-up area. The situation is dreadful and the sounds of explosions never stopped," said Bassam, 57, from the Shaboura neighbourhood in Rafah.

"People continue to leave Rafah ... no place looks safe now and people do not want to escape at the last minute," he told Reuters via a chat app.

RAFAH ASSAULT SPLITS U.S. AND ISRAEL

UNRWA, the main U.N. aid agency in Gaza, estimated that about 360,000 people had fled the southern city since the Israeli military gave its first evacuation order a week ago.

They are moving to empty tracts of land, including Al-Mawasi, a small strip along the coast, designated as an expanded humanitarian area by Israel.

But Shaina Low of the Norwegian Refugee Council aid agency said it was not set up to receive uprooted families.

There was "no space to install latrines or water points. There are huge piles of solid waste. My colleague spoke about seeing donkey carcasses on top of trash, so there are all sorts of health concerns," Low said.

The assault on Rafah has caused one of the biggest splits in decades between Israel and its main ally the U.S., which paused some deliveries of weapons.

U.S. President Joe Biden, who is running for reelection this year, has faced heavy criticism from his own supporters domestically for his support of Israel. Some of those critics have accused Israel of committing genocide, a claim dismissed by the White House and Israel.

"We do not believe what is happening in Gaza is a genocide," U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters.

Washington says Israel must not assault Rafah without a plan to protect civilians, which it has yet to see.

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant's office said on Monday he had briefed U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the "precise operation" in the Rafah area.

The State Department said Blinken spoke with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Monday and reaffirmed that Washington does not support a major military ground operation by Israel in Rafah.

Hamas' armed wing said its fighters were engaged in gun battles with Israeli forces in one of the streets east of Rafah, and in the east of Jabalia.

In Israel, the military sounded sirens several times in areas near Gaza, warning of potential Palestinian cross-border rocket and or mortar launches.

Israeli protesters blocked aid trucks headed for Gaza, strewing food packages on the road at Tarqumiya checkpoint, west of Hebron in the Israeli occupied West Bank.

Sullivan expressed concern about reports of Israeli settlers attacking a humanitarian aid convoy on its way to Erez Crossing in northern Gaza, the second such incident in less than a week.

"It is a total outrage that there are people who are attacking and looting these conveys," Sullivan said. "It is completely and utterly unacceptable behavior."

Reuters

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Russia says troops enter border town near Kharkiv

Russia has said its forces have entered the north-eastern border town of Vovchansk, near Ukraine's second largest city Kharkiv.

Ukraine's military said it had "pushed the enemy back" from the northern outskirts of the town, adding it had "tactical successes" in several areas.

Russia has intensified its attacks on the region following Friday's surprise incursions across the border, seizing at least nine villages and settlements in one of the most significant ground attacks since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.

Thousands of civilians have fled towards Kharkiv.

There are concerns among Ukrainian commanders about what could happen if Russian troops get within artillery-range of the city.

Ukraine's army has said that Russia has deployed "significant forces" - up to five battalions - in its latest offensive and has acknowledged Moscow's troops have had some "tactical success".

But in an evening statement, the army said Russia had lost more than 100 soldiers since the start of the day, adding that Ukrainian forces were restoring old positions.

It said fighting was ongoing in 12 areas and had spread to the settlement of Staritsa, to the west of Vochansk.

Earlier, it had said reserve forces were being moved to the Kharkiv region to reinforce its defences.

Vovchansk, located 74km (45 miles) from Kharkiv, has been heavily bombed in recent days and officials in the surrounding region say Russia is now targeting settlements with glide bombs.

While it is a significant town in the region, Vovchansk is not of specific military importance, though its capture would be a blow to Ukrainian morale.

Kharkiv regional head Oleh Syniehubov said Russia was deliberately trying to stretch the front line by attacking in small groups in new directions.

He told local TV that Ukrainian forces were holding Russian troops back but warned that fighting could spread to new settlements, according to Reuters.

On Telegram he described the situation as "quite complicated" with Russia continuing to advance.

Work is continuing to evacuate residents in the region, with nearly 6,000 people having already been evacuated, he said, adding that 30 settlements had been struck by mortar or artillery shelling.

Some 200-300 people remain in Vovchansk itself, he added.

While it is thought this Russian cross-border incursion is unlikely to result in Kharkiv being captured, their gradual approach on this new, north-eastern front line only increases the anxiety for those living there.

Residents fleeing towns and villages close to the fighting have been arriving in their hundreds at an aid hub in Kharkiv city.

They are being given food, and registering for shelter after leaving their homes.

Veniamin, an 87-year-old resident of Vovchansk told the BBC he had left the besieged town by bicycle on Sunday – cycling 15km to safety.

He said as well as heavy shelling "machine gun fire could be heard from both sides".

"I had to run because it was impossible to be there,” he said, adding the town had been cut off from electricity and water supplies.

Liuda, another resident of Vovchansk, fled the town with her family, who lived in a village nearby.

"We escaped when we heard machine guns, the fire was coming close," she said.

Liuda had remained in Vovchansk when the Russians first invaded in early 2022.

"We survived and got used to it," she said.

Life improved when Ukrainian forces returned later that year, but she said this new Russian offensive "was very scary".

Nadia, her husband and mother had fled the village of Liptsy – near to where Russian forces have also made another incursion across the border.

They packed their belongings, including two dogs, into an old rusting Lada car and made the journey to Kharkiv.

Her husband had wanted to stay “because everything we had would be lost” if they left.

However, she said they were told by the local administration to leave or risk being stranded.

Nadia said: "We lived under occupation in 2022, I don’t want to be under occupation again."

Kostyantyn Tymchenko, who has also left Vovchansk, said he was shocked by how close the fighting was.

"On the one side [of the Vovcha River] are [Russians], on the other - ours," he said.

"Tanks are constantly approaching, shooting back and then leaving. I thought it would be okay. I was shocked. I wish I had known in advance."

Away from Kharkiv, two people were killed by shelling in the Russian-controlled city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, the Moscow-installed mayor has claimed.

And at least three people were killed by a strike on an industrial zone in Krasnodon, known as Sorokyne in Ukrainian, a Russian-held part of eastern Ukraine, the Moscow-backed local governor said.

Separately, a Ukrainian security source said Ukrainian forces had struck an oil terminal and electrical substation in western Russia.

Russia also said it had shot down 31 Ukrainian drones over several regions in annexed Crimea.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Kiev reports difficult situation in Kharkov region

Ukraine's President Vladimir Zelensky described the situation in the Kharkov region as one of the most difficult, while the General Staff also discussed the difficult circumstances and the redeployment of reserves in this direction.

In a video message posted on his Telegram account, Zelensky said that he had received information on the situation from the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Alexander Syrsky and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. According to him, the Kharkov region is such a direction. "The direction has been strengthened," he said.

Earlier on Monday, it was reported that Mikhail Drapaty was appointed as the new commander of the Kharkov operational-tactical group of troops.

The Chief of the Ukrainian General Staff, Major General Anatoly Bargilevich, also described the situation for the Ukrainian Armed Forces as difficult. "The situation in the combat zones remains difficult," he said in a comment to the UNIAN agency. He noted that active hostilities are taking place in the Volchansk area of the Kharkov region.

BBC/RT