January 2025

1st January 2025

30 January 2025
New Telegraph
Intersociety Raises Concerns Over Level Of Insecurity
Nigeria is gradually becoming overwhelmed by its insecurity challenge. But the nature of insecurity defer from one geo-political zone to another. In the North East, especially Borno, Bauchi and Adamawa, Nigeria has been fighting terrorism of the worst order in the last 17 years and counting…

29 January 2025
Joy News
Ghana saves $2.86bn in debt service relief as it secures final MoU with Official Creditors
The Government of Ghana has formalized a crucial debt treatment agreement with its Official Creditors Committee (OCC) by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), a significant step towards restoring long-term debt sustainability…

World Socialist Website
Dozens of civilians killed in Nigeria in government airstrikes against armed gangs
Dozens of civilians have been killed by the Nigerian government in air raids on alleged armed gangs in recent weeks. Over the weekend of January 11–12, around 20 civilians were killed in the village of Tungar Kara in the northwestern state of Zamfara, after local self-defense groups set up to protect residents from armed gangs were reportedly misidentified as gang members and targeted by the Nigerian Air Force…

27 January 2025
BusinessDay
Poor roads sink hope for Nigeria’s economic growth
Nigeria needs to overhaul its road infrastructure for the West African nation to reduce food prices, draw more tourist attention and drive inflows. Good road network will potentially ward off lingering insecurity that’s threatening the economic growth of Africa’s most populous nation, data and interviews with sources familiar with the matter have shown…

25 January 2025
ICIR Nigeria
Communities under threat as armed men terrorise Kwara South
Lukman Balogun welcomed his newborn child in September last year. The night before the naming ceremony, his home was festive, filled with cooking and guests trooping in…

22 January 2025
CGTN
Nigeria joins BRICS as ninth partner country
Following Uganda’s recent inclusion, Nigeria has officially joined the BRICS alliance as a partner country, strengthening its economic, trade, and geopolitical ties with member countries China, India, Brazil, and Russia…

Foreign Policy
Mozambique Forms Government Amid Protests
The highlights this week: U.S. President Donald Trump’s Africa policy comes into focus, Nigeria becomes a BRICS partner, and a South African musician speaks truth to power…

Punch
Portugal plans Nigeria, US gas imports to end Russian supply
Portugal has indicated plans to increase the purchases of Liquefied Natural Gas from Nigeria and the United States as part of efforts to reduce dependence on the already dwindling supplies from Russia…

21 January 2025
BusinessDay
Trump’s energy policy seen threatening Nigeria financial stability
U.S President Donald Trump’s energy policy could likely threaten Nigeria’s fiscal sustainability in a country where some 90 percent of its revenue is dependent on oil, according to a report by SB Morgen Intelligence…

Human Angle
Assessing Nigeria’s Digital Battle Against Insecurity Through NIN-SIM Linkage
In January 2024, a family abduction in North-central Nigeria exposed the country’s weak security architecture, stirring up outrage on the internet, tears from relatives, and sympathies from the people…

News Central
Donald Trump’s Second Inauguration: Implications for Africa and Solutions for Resilience
Donald Trump’s second presidential inauguration on January 20, 2025, has triggered waves of speculation regarding its global ramifications. While Africa was not directly addressed in his speech, the policies he has already announced are likely to influence the continent’s political and economic trajectory significantly…

Impact of Trump’s Policies on U.S.-Africa Relations
As Donald Trump begins his second term as the 47th President of the United States, his “America First” policies are already shaping the global economic landscape. From withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement and the World Health Organization to revoking predecessor policies, Trump’s executive actions carry significant implications for Africa’s trade, investment, and aid relations with the U.S…

20 January 2025
BusinessDay
Food production seen rising on improved security
Nigeria’s agricultural production will likely increase this year as security improves in food-belt areas, farmers say. They note that the likely improvement in food production will lower inflation and reduce the nation’s cost-of-living crisis…

Top 5 issues to shape Nigeria’s agriculture in 2025
Agriculture plays a pivotal role in Nigeria where 40 million of the country’s over 200 million population are farmers. It contributes about 23 percent to Africa’s most populous nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), establishing its economic significance…

LegitNG
Expert Explains Why NBS is Including Hidden and Illegal Activities in Rebased GDP
The latest announcement from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) that the Gross domestic product (GDP) calculation would be rebased attracted many reactions from Nigerians…

Sundiata Post
Military and task of keeping Nigerians safe while crushing terrorists
The recent news that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) mistakenly hit members of the Zamfara Community Protection Guards (ZCPG), vigilantes, and some residents has once more brought such occurrence to the fore…

19 January 2025
News Central
Banditry or Error: Examining Civilian Casualties from Air Force Strikes
Nigeria’s struggle against insurgency and banditry has faced a troubling setback with recent airstrikes by the Nigerian Air Force, resulting in civilian casualties…

ThisDay
Worrisome Accidental Airstrikes by NAF
The recent killing of 16 persons by an accidental airstrike in Zamfara State has raised concerns about the Nigerian Air Force’s incessant bombing of innocent citizens the military is supposed to protect…

The Will
Resurgent Terrorist Attacks Set N/West, N/East on Edge as S/West Reviews Security Response
For the second time in a month, Nigerian military authorities have blamed the upsurge in terrorist attacks in the New Year, across many states in the North-West and North-East geopolitical zones, on foreign influence…

18 January 2025
Guardian Nigeria
Navigating life: Surviving in a harsh economy
As inflation skyrockets and costs of living soar, individuals around the world—and particularly in Nigeria—are grappling with unprecedented financial stress…

PM News
Military and task of keeping Nigerians safe while crushing terrorists
The recent news that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) mistakenly hit members of the Zamfara Community Protection Guards (ZCPG), vigilantes, and some residents has once more brought such occurrence to the fore…

17 January 2025
Guardian Nigeria
War against terrorists: Caught in the middle, survivors count cost of accidental air strikes
Abused and levied by terrorists before they can access their farmlands, northern farmers are in a real dilemma. While the outlaws even slaughter some of them for failing to comply with their dictates and monetary demands, many in the North now live in the shadows of death worried by accidental bombing…

16 January 2025
Daily Trust
Unseen and unheard: Nigeria’s children of conflict
My novel, ‘When We Were Fireflies’, centres around a man, Yarima Lalo, going about his usual business when he suddenly realises he might have been murdered twice before…

ICIR Nigeria
Airstrike cover-up: Katsina government helped Nigerian Air Force conceal civilian deaths
On November 20, 2024, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) launched an airstrike that resulted in civilian casualties and left many injured in Shawu village, Ruwan Godiya district, Faskari Local Government of Katsina State…

News Central
“The Bravest Individuals in Nigeria Are These Girls Who Stand On The Street Every Night”
From discussing the disheartening 28-year fight for justice in Kano to exploring Nigeria’s controversial decision to include illicit activities in GDP calculations, we’ve covered it all. We’ve shared our thoughts on how these changes impact our economy and society…

15 January 2025
AP
Why do civilians often die in Nigerian military strikes that target rebels?
The Nigerian military has mistakenly killed hundreds of civilians in airstrikes targeting armed groups in the nation’s conflict-battered north over the years, many of them locals bombed in their villages…

14 January 2025
CNBC Africa
Can ECOWAS curb security concerns amid junta-led breakaway?
The Economic Community of West African states has condemned recent attacks on Benin border districts with Niger and Burkina Faso. Ikemesit Effiong, Partner at SBM Intelligence joins CNBC Africa for more on the relevance of ECOWAS and its capacity to curtail security concerns and any further breakaway following the formation of the Alliance of Sahel States…

News Central
Nigerian Airstrikes: Civilian Casualties Raise Concerns
Nigerian Air Force airstrikes, aimed at targeting armed groups like Boko Haram, ISWAP, and bandits, have reportedly resulted in civilian casualties and damage to properties…

13 January 2025
Al Jazeera
Nigerian air raid targeting bandits mistakenly kills civilians
An air raid targeting criminal gangs in northwest Nigeria has accidentally killed civilians, according to officials and reports citing locals. In a statement on Sunday, the spokesman for the governor of Zamfara State said the Nigerian air force over the weekend targeted so-called bandits, who kill villagers and carry out mass kidnappings, in the Maradun and Zurmi local government areas…

AP
Nigerian airstrike mistakenly kills civilians supporting security forces while targeting rebels
A Nigerian military airstrike targeting armed groups in the conflict-battered northwest mistakenly killed a number of civilians working in community security outfits, authorities and residents said…

BusinessDay
Rising bandit attacks claim lives of 229 children, leave 886 missing
Increasing bold attacks by bandits caused pain for several families in 2024 as about 886 children went missing and 229 lost their lives…

Daily Post
Port Harcourt, Maiduguri, 6 others named most dangerous areas in Nigeria
A research firm, SB Morgen, SBM, Intelligence, has identified Port Harcourt, Lagos, Maiduguri, Jos, Calabar, Kano, Eleme Junction in Rivers State and Onitsha as the eight most dangerous areas for security threats in Nigeria…

Guardian Nigeria
Airstrike: Zamfara govt, APC applaud NAF as military denies civilian casualties
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) yesterday claimed there is no credible evidence to support reports that 16 civilians were killed during an airstrike targeting insurgents in Tungar Kara, Maradun Local Council of Zamfara State…

Security: Report lists Lagos, Port Harcourt, Maiduguri, others as danger spots
A report by the SB Morgen (SBM) Intelligence, a research firm, has listed Port Harcourt, Maiduguri, Lagos, Calabar, Jos, and other areas as the most dangerous spots for security incidents in the country…

Leadership
Death Trap Roads : A National Emergency
The latest report by SB Morgen Intelligence on Nigeria’s road infrastructure presents a horrifying picture of what has become a national emergency…

Neusroom
SBM Intelligence Unveils 2024 Africa Country Instability Risk Index (Aciri)
SBM Intelligence, a leading research and risk consultancy firm in Nigeria, is pleased to announce the release of the updated version of its “Africa Country Instability Risk Index” (Aciri), a vital resource for assessing political, economic and social instability across Sub-Saharan Africa…

People’s Gazette
Lagos, Port Harcourt named among eight most dangerous cities in Nigeria
Port Harcourt, Maiduguri, Lagos, Jos, Calabar, Kano, Eleme Junction in Rivers State, and Onitsha in Anambra have been identified as the eight most dangerous cities in Nigeria…

Premium Times
Insecurity, poor infrastructure make road travel difficult in Nigeria
A new report by SBM Intelligence highlights the profound impact of road conditions on Nigeria’s transport sector, stating that issues such as traffic congestion, insecurity, and poor road infrastructure have led to delays, increased operational costs, frequent vehicle maintenance, and reduced efficiency, undermining the sector’s productivity and profitability…

Sahara Reporters
Port Harcourt, Maiduguri, 6 Others Emerge Most Dangerous Areas In Nigeria
A report by SB Morgen (SBM) Intelligence, a research firm, has identified Port Harcourt, Maiduguri, Lagos, Jos, Calabar, Kano, Eleme Junction in Rivers State, and Onitsha as the eight most dangerous areas for security threats in Nigeria…

Voice of America
In Nigeria, spate of airstrikes killing civilians sparks concern
Human rights groups in Nigeria are condemning a pattern of civilian deaths from airstrikes in the northeast, and are calling for an impartial investigation of the military’s operations…

12 January 2025
BusinessDay
Top 8 dangerous spots for security incidents in Nigeria
A recent survey highlighting security incidents across Nigeria has identified major cities and highways as high-risk zones, highlighting areas prone to theft, attacks, and road hazards. This report sheds light on the country’s security landscape, offering critical insights for residents and travellers…

Daily Post
17 bodies recovered as military airstrike mistakenly kills vigilantes, residents in Zamfara community
An airstrike by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) mistakenly struck members of the Zamfara Community Protection Guard (ZCPG), local vigilantes, and residents in Tungar Kara, a village in Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State on Saturday evening…

NaijaNews
Scores Of Residents, Vigilantes Reportedly Killed As Military Airstrike Mistakenly Hit Zamfara Community
An airstrike conducted by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) inadvertently targeted members of the Zamfara Community Protection Guard (ZCPG), local vigilantes, and residents in the village of Tungar Kara, located in the Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State, on Saturday evening…

News Central
The Cost of Neglecting Nigeria’s Road Network
Nigeria’s road network, the largest in West Africa, is in a dire state. Poor infrastructure, security issues, and years of neglect have turned vital roads into major liabilities…

Premium Times
Another military airstrike kills 20 civilians, vigilantes in minister’s hometown
At least 20 people, including members of a local vigilante group, have been killed in a mistargeted airstrike by the Nigerian Air Force…

11 January 2025
Arise News
86% Of Nigerians Say Bad Roads Hike Transport Fares
Stanley Ikechukwu, Head of Operations at SBM Intelligence, spoke to the Global Business Report about the firm’s latest report on the state of Nigeria’s roads…

BusinessDay
The top 10 highroads shaping Nigeria’s economically
Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, relies heavily on its road networks to drive trade, connect communities, and sustain livelihoods. Among thousands of roads crisscrossing the nation, a few stand out as economic powerhouses, forming the backbone of commerce, agriculture, and industry…

CNBC Africa
Stakeholders share initial reactions on Nigeria’s GDP & CPI rebasing exercise
CNBC Africa got the initial reactions of some key stakeholders in the Nigerian economy, including Ikemesit Effiong, Partner at SBM Intelligence, about the progress of the rebasing exercise and the sensitisation workshop…

The Nation
Why Peter Obi never mentions kidnappings in Southeast – Omokri
Social commentator, Reno Omokri has accused former Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) Peter Obi of speaking only about insecurity in the North and Southwest but neglecting the Southeast…

ThisDay
Insecurity, Poor Infrastructure Make Road Travel Unsafe, Expensive
SB Morgen Intelligence (SBM) has identified insecurity and poor infrastructure as major challenges that make road travels unsafe for operators and passengers alike in Nigeria…

10 January 2025
Arbiterz
The Human and Economic Toll of Nigeria’s Deteriorating Road Network
Nigeria has the largest road network in West Africa, with over 108,000 kilometers of paved roads. However, as SBM Intelligence’s recent report, “Roads to Nowhere: A Bumpy Ride Through Nigeria’s Roads,” points out, these vital routes face many problems that affect the economy and everyday life…

BusinessDay
Lagos, P’Harcourt identified as dangerous hotspots amid insecurity
Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Maiduguri have been identified as dangerous hotspots across Nigeria’s major cities and highways, amid rising insecurity according to a new report…

Business Insider
Top 10 most economically important highways in Nigeria
Due to Nigeria’s underdeveloped rail system, major businesses have resorted to using the highways which are more expensive, to transport goods and services across the country…

Guardian Nigeria
Lagos-Ibadan, Lagos-Onitsha, Kano-Maiduguri as most economic viable roads
A national survey by SBM Intelligence has picked Lagos-Ibadan Highway as the most economically viable road in the country…

Sahara Reporters
58% Of Nigerians View Nation’s Roads As Unsafe, Survey Reveals
A recent report by SB Morgen Intelligence has shown that 58% of the Nigerians surveyed believe that the country’s roads are generally unsafe…

The Sun Nigeria
Nigeria’s infrastructure deficiencies could lead to billions in lost productivity
Unless Nigeria addresses its road infrastructure challenges, the country risks incurring substantial losses in productivity, potentially running into billions of dollars, according to a report released by SBM Intelligence on Thursday…

Vanguard
Mass abductions: South East tops ransom payments, accounts for 40% nationwide
The South East region of the country witnessed a surge in violence perpetrated by separatist groups enforcing sit-at-home orders, which essentially attacked Nigeria’s sovereignty with effrontery and arrant disregard for constituted authority…

9 January 2025
The Cable
Poor state of Nigerian roads contributed to interstate transport fares hike
A report by SB Morgen (SBM) Intelligence, a research firm, says the poor condition of roads in Nigeria is responsible for the hike in interstate transport fares…

Legit NG
New SBM Intelligence Report Shows Economic Cost of Bad Roads in Nigeria, Dangerous Security Spots
Nigeria’s inadequate road infrastructure poses significant economic challenges, costing billions annually in lost productivity and resources…

News Central
A Bumpy Ride: Nigeria’s Roads Face Critical Test
Nigeria, a country full of promise, struggles with a key infrastructure shortfall: its highways. The report “Roads to Nowhere: A Bumpy Ride Through Nigeria’s Roads,” published recently by SBM Intelligence, depicts a transport system beset by insecurity, neglect, and a growing disconnect between expectations and reality…

8 January 2025
Channel 4 News
‘They kidnap people, then leave’: inside Nigeria’s bandit crisis
Arriving in Sokoto, in Nigeria’s far northwest, you’d think there was a war going on. Armoured vehicles and guns trucks zoom through dusty streets. Women and children – refugees we’re told – beg on the streets…

7 January 2025
BusinessDay
One week to crucial inflation data, NBS website remains down
Barely one week to the release of Nigerian inflation data that would shape decisions at a crunch monetary policy meeting this month, the National Bureau of Statistics’ (NBS) website remains inaccessible…

6 January 2025
Channels TV
Social Analysts Assess Future Of Nigeria’s Security To Ensure Safety Of Citizens
The topic discusses strategies to address Nigeria’s security challenges, including insurgency, banditry, and cyber threats. It highlights the need for modernising military equipment, international collaboration, leveraging technology, and community-based security initiatives…

The Eagle Online
2025: Tinubu’s promises, expectations of Nigerians
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on January 1, 2025 was named by Thisday Newspaper as its man of the year for 2024. The Board of Editors at the newspaper based their decision on what they termed his bold, resilient and courageous decisions so far taken since he assumed office on May 29, 2023…

News Central
Coffee Prices Drop: Supply Outlook Improves
The global coffee market is experiencing a decline in prices, both for arabica and robusta coffee, as supply outlooks improve and inventories rise. Analysts attribute this bearish trend to several key factors, including a smaller Brazilian crop outlook and significant flooding in Vietnam, which has impacted exports…

5 January 2025
Punch
Havens of terror: Survivors share harrowing tales inside kidnappers’ dungeons
On the evening of May 30, 2023, the serene atmosphere at Kayode Ogunsade’s farm in Sagamu, Ogun State, was shattered by a rapid burst of gunfire…

The Way I see It Podcast
Macroeconomic and systemic risk for Nigeria in 2025
Starting 2025 with a Broad discussion about the macroeconomic, Systematic and country risks facing Nigeria with ⁦Cheta Nwanze of ⁦SBM Intelligence…

ThisDay
Issues in the Christmas day bombing
At the funeral prayer for victims of the military airstrike in Sokoto State on 25th December 2024, Governor Ahmad Aliyu remarked that the bombing was accidental…

3 January 2025
Legit NG
Experts Break Down Factors That Drove Food Inflation Up in Nigeria in 2024
The year 2024 came with strong economic headwinds, and for most Nigerians, the narrative can hardly be separated from food inflation. The year started with food inflation of 35.41%, already 11.10% higher than the 24.32% food inflation in January 2024…

2 January 2025
BusinessDay
How fuel, food squeezed families in 2024
Adetola Adebayo, an Abuja-based mother of three, stared forlornly at her half-empty pantry. “Two years ago, I could feed my family comfortably with ₦6,000 daily. Right now, the same amount of money buys only one-third of what we need.”…

Semafor
Predictions for Africa in 2025
African countries face a range of challenges and opportunities over the next 12 months, from the impact of Donald Trump’s upcoming presidency on global trade to expected investments by China and Gulf nations. Semafor Africa asked key thought leaders for their predictions on what lies ahead in 2025…

1 January 2025
BusinessDay
Security seen driving food production in 2025
Analysts say enhanced security will boost food production in 2025, noting that livestock development, mechanisation, accessible financing and youth engagement also have the capacity to spur growth in the agriculture sector…