The Body Shop Extends Reach in Nigeria

…. Opens First Store in Lagos

By: Michael Mike

The Body Shop has announced the opening of a new store in Nigeria, bringing ethical, naturally inspired beauty to Lagos.

Following the successful launch in Abuja and a national e-commerce site earlier in the year, the new opening marks an important step in the brand’s commitment to West Africa and its broader global growth strategy.

The new store in Lagos, located at Ikeja City Mall, brings the number of jobs created by the brand in Nigeria to over 20. The store will be home to the full range of Body Shop products, ranging from newly launched collections, such as Spa of the World, to its Most Loved products and ranges enriched with Community Fair Trade ingredients, including Shea, Tea Tree, and Aloe

According to a statement on Monday by Senior Press & Public Affairs Officer | Comms Lead, Prosperity and Economic Growth. Ndidiamaka Eze, with the customer placed at the heart of the store experience, locals and visitors alike will be welcomed through the signature dark green facade, into a world where confidence is beautiful. Members of the expert in-store team will be on hand to guide customers through the product ranges, consult on skincare needs and even offer a relaxing hand massage or treatment at the sink.

Speaking at the launch ceremony hosted at his Residence, the British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Mr. Jonny Baxter said:“The Body Shop’s arrival in Lagos marks more than a business expansion. It’s a powerful symbol of the deepening UK-Nigeria trade relationship. With bilateral trade now at £7.9 billion and rising, Nigeria stands as the UK’s second-largest trading partner in Africa and our leading export market on the continent.

“We’re especially proud to see this franchise led by Shalom Lloyd MBE, a dynamic British-Nigerian entrepreneur whose work in skincare, healthcare, and women’s empowerment reflects the kind of innovative, purpose-driven partnerships we champion. Her collaboration with The Body Shop is a shining example of the impact UK-Nigeria cooperation can achieve.”

“Expanding into Lagos marks another step in The Body Shop’s global growth strategy. As we accelerate our presence across high-potential markets, West Africa plays an important role in shaping the future of our business. Lagos, as a dynamic commercial hub, allows us to connect with a new generation of consumers who share our belief that beauty can be a force for good,”said Mike Jatania, CEO & Executive Chairman, The Body Shop.

“This is not just about opening a store, it is about deepening trade ties, creating opportunities, and showing the world what happens when values-driven business meets one of the most vibrant cities on earth,” added Shalom Ijeoma Lloyd MBE,

General Manager, The Body Shop Nigeria.

The Body Shop has longstanding and meaningful connections to Africa, first forged by founder Dame Anita Roddick who built personal and professional ties to the region that have been carried forward by the brand and continue to thrive today. They include partnerships with three Community Fair Trade suppliers – tea tree oil grown by smallholder farmers near Mount Kenya to shea butter handcrafted by women’s cooperatives in northern Ghana to moringa seed oil cultivated by wild harvesters in Rwanda’s eastern provinces.

The Body Shop has long invested in sourcing high quality ingredients from Community Fair Trade partners across the globe. The brand believes in building sustainable, fair supply chains that empower women and support local communities.

The Body Shop was founded in 1976 in Brighton, England, by Dame Anita Roddick. The Body Shop is a pioneer in ethical beauty, offering high quality, innovation-driven skin care, body care, hair and makeup products made with natural and fair-trade ingredients from around the world.

The Body Shop Extends Reach in Nigeria

Army troops restore calm after farmers, herders clash in Sokoto

By: Zagazola Makama

The troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA have restored normalcy to Karangiya and Danjawo villages in Silame Local Government Area following a violent clash between farmers and herders on Sunday.

Zagazola reliably informed by sources that the clash erupted at about 9 a.m. over alleged cultivation of farmlands along cattle routes.

According to the sources, the altercation between Hausa farmers from Karangiya and Fulani herders from Danjawo escalated into violence before security operatives intervened.

The troops swiftly moved to the scene to restore order.

Nine people from both sides five farmers and four herders sustained varying degrees of injuries. Five were treated and discharged at the Silame General Hospital, while three others are still receiving treatment.

The Chairman of Silame Local Government Area has convened an emergency stakeholders’ meeting to find a lasting solution to the dispute.

Intensive patrols and surveillance have been intensified in the affected communities, while calm has been restored.

Army troops restore calm after farmers, herders clash in Sokoto

WANEP Hosts National Briefing on Rising Concerns of Religious Radicalism
•Highlights risks of unregulated Madrassas in Nigeria

By: Michael Mike

The West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), under the EU-supported Research and Action for Peace (REcAP) program, hosted a national deliberative briefing to present key findings from two studies exploring the ideological, cultural, and security implications of madrassas in both Northern and Southwestern Nigeria.

This was disclosed in a statement made available on Monday by Mr Emmanuel Ami-Okhani, the representative of the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) in Nigeria.

The session was attended by policymakers, researchers, civil society actors, and security stakeholders, focused on understanding how religious education intersects with radical ideologies, external funding, and youth identity in Nigeria.

The REcAP project, implemented by WANEP in partnership with the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), aims to strengthen the role of civil society and research in shaping effective responses to conflict, violent extremism, and peacebuilding across West Africa and the Lake Chad Basin.

One of the working paper presentations of a major study titled “Madrasas, Charities and Religious Radicalism in Northern Nigeria: A Study of the Almajiri System,” authored by Prof. Freedom Onuoha, Dr Saheed Babajide Owonikoko, and Dr Chukwuma Okoli, explored the theological foundations and operational structures of the Almajiri system, particularly in Abuja, Kano, and Borno states, regions selected for their population size, security relevance, and Islamic education presence.

The research highlighted that the Almajiri system, rooted in the Arabic term al-muhajirun (meaning “to migrate for knowledge”), has historically served as a respected Islamic education platform but has since suffered neglect, a lack of regulation, and infiltration by unverified foreign actors.

According to Owonikoko, who presented the paper, the study found evidence of informal funding from foreign religious charities, mainly from the Middle East. Still, it warned that such support is largely undocumented, making it difficult to monitor for extremist influence.

He disclosed that, based on interviews conducted with school custodians, scholars, former Almajiri students, and security agents, a key concern is the lack of transparency surrounding financial donations and the ideological content introduced by some foreign-linked clerics.

He cited historical and contemporary cases where charities from countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran supported specific sectarian ideologies within Almajiri schools. However, direct links between this support and actual radicalisation remain hard to legally establish due to the clandestine nature of donations.

Owonikoko noted during the presentation that “most Almajiri schools are not documented or supervised, making them vulnerable to ideological manipulation through informal funding channels.”

“While the majority of Almajiri students are peaceful and focused on Quranic education, the lack of structure creates loopholes that can be exploited by extremist elements.”

A second study titled “Madrassas and Islamic Extremism among Teenage Muslim Students in Southwestern Nigeria” was presented by Dr Busari Dauda of the University of Ilorin. Co-authored with Dr Alatise Remi Kasalla from Osogbo, provided an empirical view of how madrassas are shaping youth religious identity in the South-West amidst growing ideological influences from the Middle East.

Unlike the Northern context, madrassas in Ilorin, Ibadan, and Osogbo were found to be more structured, often registered with education ministries and integrated into Yoruba Islamic cultural life, Dr Dauda revealed.

However, the study noted that sectarian interests and prestige-seeking among madrassa founders contribute to the proliferation of ideologically driven schools. Economic motivations and cultural acceptance also play significant roles in their expansion.

Dauda, during his presentation, stressed that, while the study found no widespread evidence of violent radicalisation, it did highlight growing perceptions of global injustice among teenage students, particularly around issues like the Palestinian conflict and Western treatment of Muslims.

He said, these sentiments, amplified by digital media and foreign ideological narratives, shape how young Muslims interpret their religious and social identity.

Dauda emphasised that “extremism is not part of the curriculum, but ideological influences can filter in through sect-based teachings and global narratives of Muslim victimhood.”

WANEP Hosts National Briefing on Rising Concerns of Religious Radicalism
•Highlights risks of unregulated Madrassas in Nigeria