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Envoy: US invests $200m on Nigeria’s food security in last 5 years

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Envoy: US invests $200m on Nigeria’s food security in last 5 years


… Gives $150m grant to 33 Private Companies, Invests $22 million in Cocoa Value Chain

By: Michael Mike

The United States government has said it has invested $200 million in food security in Nigeria in the last five years.

The US government also said another $150 million was given as grants to 33 private sector companies in Nigeria.

The revelation was made by the US Acting Ambassador to Nigeria, David Greene at the 2024-2029 Global Food Security Strategy Launch.

He also revealed that another $22 million, has been invested in Nigeria’s cocoa value chain, spanning across seven states.

The implementation of the Global Food Security Strategy for Nigeria, is expected to boost agriculture productivity and drive agriculture-led economic growth over the next five years.

The envoy however said despite the support of the US government, Nigerians are best placed to solve the issues that affect them.

He said: “The U.S. government is providing broad assistance across Nigeria to support agriculture development. As Melissa mentioned, USAID invested almost $200 million in agriculture for the last five years to improve food security and build household resilience to shocks in Adamawa, Benue, Borno, Cross-River, Delta, Ebonyi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kebbi, Niger, and Yobe states.

” We also provided modest grants to 33 private-sector companies to leverage over $150 million in private-sector development, generated $306 million in domestic sales, and created over 23,000 jobs.”

“USAID is one of many U.S. government agencies promoting agricultural development in Nigeria. For example, this year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture inaugurated a $22 million, five-year investment in Nigeria’s cocoa value chain, spanning across seven states.

“The investment improves rural livelihoods by building capacity in cocoa productivity, trade capacity, and traceability.”

He lamented that “Nigeria is currently experiencing a severe food crisis due to insecurity, inflation, currency devaluation, the increased cost of inputs, trade restrictions, climate change, and post-harvest loss.

” In January 2024, Nigeria recorded an over thirty-five (35) percent increase in food prices, making it difficult for the 84 million Nigerians living below the poverty line to buy food. If we project out into the future, global food demand will double by 2050, and yet at the same time key staple crops are showing a decrease of up to 30 percent.

“Furthermore, while climate change is causing extreme weather conditions like drought and floods, it is even more challenging for smallholder farmers to increase yields and incomes.”

He said: “Ranked the sixth least prepared globally to confront climate change, Nigeria must focus on adaptation if food security is to be achieved.”

The envoy also noted that US and Nigeria are engaged in exchange programmes and fellowship which aimed at equiping Nigerians, adding that: “In the last two years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has also sponsored more than a dozen scientific exchange fellows to study at U.S. agricultural universities and 30 private sector stakeholders to visit the United States, all so they can come back to improve Nigeria’s crop production, animal breeding, efficient pesticide use, and trade capacity. “

He cited the case of one Agada Blessing, a Ph.D. student from the Joshua Sarwuan Tarka University in Benue State, a soil scientist that USAID supported to attend Michigan State University and develop her research on climate change and fertilizer use.

He said Blessing returned to Nigeria, and has been sharing her research work and organized training programme on the importance of soil management for agricultural productivity, trained graduate students and government staff on soil management for maize production across Benue State, and used her research to support the development of the first-ever state-level climate change policy in Kebbi and Ebonyi States.

He noted that: “Nigeria is a country of immense talent and potential. The potential to drive agriculture-led economic growth is endless. While the U.S. government and other partners are here to support Nigeria, Nigerians are best placed to solve the issues that affect them.

“However, for ideas to grow and drive economic development, the Nigerian government must create an enabling environment that supports private sector-led growth and entrepreneurship. U.S. companies and other U.S. private sector stakeholders are eager to help Nigeria improve agricultural productivity, trade, and food security. However, clear and transparent tax and investment rules are needed for meaningful growth.

“Food must be available to buy, and prices must be affordable for all Nigerians. The Nigerian government should embrace the adoption of genetically modified crops to boost the productivity and income of smallholder farmers while removing trade restrictions, including food and agricultural import bans. Competition and free trade fosters creativity and efficiency.

“Helping Nigerians to put food on the table can go a long way in rebuilding the reputation of the Nigerian government in the eyes of Nigerians.”

USAID Nigeria Deputy Mission Director, Sara Werth said Nigeria, like many nations, is grappling with the growing challenge of food insecurity.

She said Nigeria’s diverse ecological zones and vibrant young populace holds the key to a bountiful future.

She however said: “But to unlock this potential, we must join hands. From government to private enterprise, to academia and the tireless efforts of civil society, let’s work together to end forge a path towards food security.”

Envoy: US invests $200m on Nigeria’s food security in last 5 years

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Gombe Govt. prioritises economic growth, job creation in 2026 budget

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Gombe Govt. prioritises economic growth, job creation in 2026 budget

Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, says his administration will prioritise economic growth, job creation and social welfare in 2026 budget.

Yahaya, who was represented by his deputy, Manassah Jatau, stated this on Thursday in Gombe, during the inauguration of a one-day citizens’ engagement on the 2026 budget.

He said the state government would increase investments in critical sectors and focus on consolidating ongoing reforms in 2026.

The governor said that his administration had made remarkable progress in areas such as fiscal responsibility, budget discipline, and public financial management reforms over the years.

According to Yahaya, the state is being ranked among the top states in Nigeria in transparency and ease of doing business in view of his administration’s progress.

“As we prepare the 2026 budget, our focus will remain on consolidating ongoing reforms and deepening investments in critical sectors that drive economic growth, job creation and social welfare.

“We are also committed to aligning our budget priorities with the State Development Plan and Nigeria’s National Fevelopment framework, as well as global commitments like the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” he said.

On the citizens’ engagements, Yahaya said the forum was a demonstration of his administration’s firm belief that good governance must be participatory, inclusive, relevant and responsive to the desire and priorities of the people.

“As a government that values transparency and accountability, we recognise that an effective budget is not merely a financial document.

“It is the roadmap for delivering the aspirations of our people and a reflection of our collective priorities as a state,” he said.

Yahaya assured that his administration remained resolute in promoting fiscal prudence, expanding the revenue base, adding that, “every naira spent delivers maximum value to the people of Gombe State.”

Yahaya urged citizens to contribute meaningfully to the design of the 2026 fiscal plan, stressing that their inputs would help shape decisions on how scarce public resources would be utilised.

Mr Salihu Baba-Alkali, Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, reiterated government’s commitment to foster transparency, inclusiveness and accountability in budgeting process.

Also, Muhammad Magaji, Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, said the engagement had given voice to the people in the state’s development process.

Magaji said the engagement played a major role in strengthening partnership between government and the people.

“When we work together, we can create budget that not only meets the immediate needs of the population but also lays a foundation for a prosperous and resilient Gombe State in years to come,” he said.

Gombe Govt. prioritises economic growth, job creation in 2026 budget

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The resurgence of coups and the uncertain future of democracy in Africa

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The resurgence of coups and the uncertain future of democracy in Africa

By: Zagazola Makama

The growing wave of political instability across Africa underscores the continent’s fragile democratic foundations and the deepening crisis of governance, legitimacy, and public trust. The recent developments in Madagascar and Cameroon illustrate how decades of poor governance, corruption, and military interference have converged to threaten democratic stability across the region.

On 11 October 2025, Madagascar descended once again into military rule following a coup led by Colonel Michael Randriannirina, commander of the elite Corps d’Administration des Personnel et des Services des Armées Terrestres (CAPSAT). The coup, staged in the capital city, Antananarivo, came after weeks of public protests and defections within the military, with demands for President Andry Rajoelina’s resignation.

As in previous interventions, the junta cited corruption, economic hardship, and poor service delivery particularly in electricity and water supply as justifications for their action. Rajoelina’s whereabouts remain uncertain amid reports that he fled aboard a French military plane. Despite the country’s top court directing the junta to organize elections within 60 days, Colonel Michael has declared a two-year transition period before elections are held.

The coup has drawn cautious reactions from the international community. The African Union, United Nations, and Western governments have called for restraint, while France suspended flights to Madagascar and the United States advised its citizens to shelter in place. The crisis signals the re-emergence of military dominance in Malagasy politics, reminiscent of the 2009 coup that first brought Rajoelina to power, raising fears that Colonel Michael’s youthful leadership could easily devolve into authoritarian rule.

Meanwhile, Cameroon’s 12 October 2025 presidential election has deepened tensions in an already volatile polity. President Paul Biya now seeking an unprecedented eighth term faces mounting opposition, with rival candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary declaring victory and urging Biya to concede. The ruling party, RDPC, has dismissed such declarations, emphasizing that only the Constitutional Council can certify results. Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, further warned that any parallel announcement of results would amount to high treason.

The polls were marred by widespread allegations of vote-buying, irregularities, and intimidation. The RDPC’s sweeping victory in earlier senatorial elections reflected its entrenched control over state institutions. Compounding this is the deepening Anglophone crisis, where fighting between government forces and separatist groups continues to displace thousands. Civil society restrictions, NGO suspensions, and arrests of human rights defenders have further undermined democratic space, raising questions about the credibility and transparency of the entire process.

The election’s outcome will significantly shape Cameroon’s political trajectory. With Biya’s advanced age and the regime’s dependence on coercive control, growing frustrations among the youth and opposition may lead to renewed protests or even attempts at military intervention.

These crises in Madagascar and Cameroon unfold within a broader continental pattern of democratic decline. The failure to dismantle existing juntas in Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso combined with the unresolved war in Sudan has emboldened new actors to seize power through unconstitutional means. Eight military regimes now govern across Africa, signaling a regression to the pre-2000 era of chronic coups.

The underlying causes remain consistent: corruption, poverty, insecurity, and elite manipulation of institutions. Militaries across the region continue to view themselves as the ultimate guardians of national stability, stepping in where civilian administrations appear weak or compromised. The inconsistent and often selective responses of regional bodies and international partners have further undermined deterrence, emboldening coup plotters and deepening cynicism toward global democratic norms.

From Madagascar and Cameroon to the recent foiled coup plot in Nigeria, where the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) under the leadership of the then Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, successfully foiled a deadly violent coup plot aimed at toppling the federal government and democracy. Thanks to the military.

The pattern of instability reveals how corruption, weak institutions, and elite power struggles continue to erode democratic norms and threaten regional stability. Democratic governance and human rights across Africa are now at a crossroads. The continent’s modest gains over the last two decades are being rapidly reversed, with state fragility and authoritarian resurgence threatening regional peace and development.

To arrest this decline, African leaders must prioritize good governance, transparency, and inclusive economic reform to rebuild public trust. Regional organizations like the African Union and ECOWAS must adopt consistent, non-selective sanctions against unconstitutional regimes, while international partners should focus on strengthening democratic institutions rather than individual rulers.

The future of democracy in Madagascar and Cameroonian and indeed across sub-Saharan Africa depends on leaders’ willingness to uphold constitutional order, respect term limits, and deliver tangible socio-economic progress. Only through sustained political accountability and people-centered governance can Africa break the recurring cycle of coups and restore faith in democracy.

Zagazola Makama is a Counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in the Lake Chad
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JNIM claims first attack in Kwara, four months after announcing new brigade

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JNIM claims first attack in Kwara, four months after announcing new brigade

By: Zagazola Makama

Al-Qaeda–linked militant group, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), has claimed responsibility for an attack in Kwara State, its first in Nigeria, four months after announcing the establishment of a new brigade in the country.

According to intelligence sources, the attack reportedly occurred in the northern part of Kwara, along the border corridor linking Niger and Kogi States.

JNIM, which operates mainly in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, announced in June the creation of a new brigade for Nigeria, raising concerns about a possible southward expansion of jihadist influence.

Zagazola said that the claim aligns with earlier intelligence warnings of cross-border infiltration through smuggling routes connecting Benin Republic and Niger.

“JNIM’s latest statement describes the attack as the debut operation of its Nigerian brigade. If verified, this would indicate a dangerous evolution of the regional threat landscape,” the source said.

Security operatives in Kwara, Niger, and Kogi States should intensify patrols and surveillance in response to the development, with reinforcements deployed to border communities.

Military and intelligence agencies should work to identify possible linkages between JNIM operatives and local extremist networks.

The incident comes amid heightened regional insecurity and the continued fragmentation of terror groups across the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin.

JNIM claims first attack in Kwara, four months after announcing new brigade

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