Washington, Jan. 7, 2026 – President Donald Trump said Venezuela would relinquish as much as 50 million barrels of oil to the US, worth roughly $2.8 billion at the current market price, announcing the cargoes would be sold with proceeds benefiting both countries. The announcement late on Tuesday, which came with few details, marked a significant step up for the US government as it seeks to extend its economic influence in Venezuela and beyond after the capture of leader Nicolas Maduro over the weekend. It’s also a blow to China, …
2025: An anti-climax for governance, democracy in Africa
By Paul Ejime Abuja, Jan. 6, 2026 – As Africa continues to experiment with electoral democracy, 2025 was among the busiest election years on the continent. But apart from Malawi, where an incumbent lost to a former and older opponent, political power remained largely in the same hands, with a resurgence of military incursions. The danger signals have always been there, coupled with warnings from concerned experts that liberal democracy is in decline worldwide, particularly in Africa. However, incurable optimists remain in denial, while the beneficiaries of the anti-democratic …
Trump’s Venezuela gambit tests investor appetite for geopolitical risk
By Ankur Banerjee and Rae Wee Singapore, Jan. 5, 2025 – Markets may have shrugged off the audacious U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, but some investors warn that geopolitical risks are perhaps being underestimated after Donald Trump threatened further action in the Americas. Investors held their nerve on Monday, with stocks in Asia surging and oil prices down modestly although safe-haven flows lifted gold prices, after President Trump said the U.S. would take control of the oil-producing nation. While Washington has not made such a direct intervention …
Trump’s plan to seize revitalize Venezuela’s oil industry faces major hurdles
Washington, Jan 5, 2026 – President Donald Trump’s plan to take control of Venezuela’s oil industry and ask American companies to revitalize it after capturing President Nicolas Maduro in a raid isn’t likely to have a significant immediate impact on oil prices. Venezuela’s oil industry is in disrepair after years of neglect and international sanctions, so it could take years and major investments before production can increase dramatically. But some analysts are optimistic that Venezuela could double or triple its current output of about 1.1 million barrels of oil …
ECOWAS leaders fall For Embalo’s deceit
By Paul Ejime Abuja, Dec. 15, 2025 – After suspending Guinea-Bissau due to the 26th November military coup, which many believe President Umaro Sissoco masterminded because the results of the 23rd November elections were not in his favour, West African citizens and indeed, the international community had expected consequential decisions by ECOWAS leaders against impunity and the brazen disruptions of constitutional order in the region. Instead, the Communique from the Summit in Abuja, the Nigerian capital on 14th December is considered as an anti-climax, falling disappointingly and spectacularly …
Guinea-Bissau gets new prime minister after military coup
Abuja, Nov. 28, 2025 -Guinea-Bissau’s Transitional President Horta Inta-A on Friday, Nov. 28, announced Ilídio Vieira Té as Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of his new regime, according to a Presidential decree. Té was Minister of Finance in the government of deposed President Umaro Sissoco Embalo and his electoral campaign director in the 23 November inconclusive legislative and presidential elections. Official sources in Dakar said the government of President, Doimaye Faye, has evacuated Embalo to Senegal. The military took power on 26 November in Guinea-Bissau before the electoral …
Tinubu wins big in Nigeria-U.S. diplomatic rapprochement – TDF
Abuja, Nov. 28, 2025 – The Democratic Front (TDF) has described the outcome of the recent meeting between Nigerian officials and their American counterparts on issues surrounding insecurity in Nigeria as a big win for the country. The group said this in a statement signed by its Chairman, Mallam Danjuma Muhammad, and Secretary, Chief Wale Adedayo. It credited its success to the diplomatic approach adopted by President Bola Tinubu. The statement reads: “We believe that President Tinubu actually prepared the ground for the new understanding and partnership between …
ECOWAS suspends Guinea-Bissau, threatens more sanctions over military coup
Abuja, Nov. 28, 2025 – The ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council (MSC) has suspended Guinea-Bissau and threatened more sanctions over a military coup in the country. The MSC took the decision at an extraordinary virtual meeting at the level of Heads of State and Government and took wide-ranging decisions, including the “suspension of Guinea-Bissau from all ECOWAS decision-making bodies until the restoration of full and effective constitutional order in the country,” following the military coup of 26 November. “The MSC condemns in the strongest terms the coup d’état… and …
Trump vows permanent pause of migration from ‘Third World Countries’
Washington, Nov. 28, 2025 – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that his administration will work to “permanently pause” migration from all “Third World Countries” to allow the U.S. system to fully recover. Trump did not identify any countries by name or explain what he meant by third-world countries or “permanently pause”. He said the plan would include cases approved under former President Joe Biden’s administration. “I will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover, terminate all of the millions of …
Donald Trump bars South Africa from G20 summit
….US president says country will not be invited to Miami meeting following latest diplomatic spat Washington, Nov. 27, 2025 – President Donald Trump said he would bar South Africa from the G20 summit in Miami next year, rekindling a diplomatic stand-off in which the US boycotted last week’s first ever summit in Africa. On Monday, South Africa symbolically passed on the G20 presidency to the US, but the handover — which normally takes place between heads of state at the summit — became a low-key event at the foreign …