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Nigeria, Angola to Sign 15 MOUs as 5th Joint Commission Begins in Luanda

Nigeria, Angola to Sign 15 MOUs as 5th Joint Commission Begins in Luanda
…Cooperation in technical manpower, migration partnership, transfer of sentenced persons, security, defence top list
By: Michael Mike
Nigeria and Angola are expected to sign no fewer than 15 Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs) at the ongoing 5th session of the Nigeria-Angola Bilateral Economic Joint Commission (BEJC) in Luanda.
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the MoUs when signed will propel the existing bilateral relations between the two countries to a higher pedestal, and play very crucial roles in enhancing their mutual interest, strengthening domestic institutions, promoting economic and social growth, and building capacity for friendly countries.
She listed the areas covered by the MOUs to include: Establishing Nigeria-Angola Business Council; Economic and Technical Cooperation; Cooperation in Combating Illicit Production, Manufacturing, and Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances, and their Precursors; Migration Partnership;
Cooperation Waiver of Visa Requirements for Diplomatic and Official Passport Holders; Cooperation on Transfer of Sentenced Person(s) and Cooperation in Correctional Administration and Reforms.

Others are-Cooperation in Technical Manpower Assistance; Cooperation in the Field of Tertiary/Higher Education; Cooperation in the Fight Against Corruption; Cooperation in Youth Development; Cooperation in Policing and Security; Cultural Cooperation and Exchanges; Cooperation on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters; Cooperation on Defence and Intelligence;
Cooperation on Public Communication, Media, and Information Exchanges;
Cooperation in the Field of Mining and Mineral Processing; Cooperation on Land Transportation and Related Matters; and Cooperation in the Field of Health and Medical Sciences.
The minister however regretted that previous efforts to hold another session since the 4th session in Abuja in October 2001 were not successful but expressed delight that the event became possible after over two decades.
The Minister who spoke on Tuesday in Luanda, Angola at the opening of the Session, said: “Our gathering here today is the outcome of the recent efforts by both countries from February this year after decades of unfruitful efforts including the failed 2013 attempts by technical officials.
“The continued efforts toward resuscitating this Joint Commission by both countries over the years is aimed at strengthening the fraternal relations between Nigeria and Angola, whose foundation was laid when Nigeria’s Diplomatic Mission was established in Luanda in 1975. Prior to that, Nigeria contributed immensely to the liberation of Angola from Portugal and the recognition of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) as the legitimate representative of the Angolan people.”
Odumegwu-Ojukwu noted that the eventual reactivation of the Joint Commission attested to the continued efforts by both countries towards actualising the aspirations of their diplomatic relations for the mutual benefit of their people.
She said: “This reactivation, which has birthed the 5th Session of the Joint Commission, has provided an opportunity to resuscitate the moribund bilateral agreements between the two countries. I am specifically delighted to note that the collective efforts by both sides have yielded results in the drafting, strenuous vetting of 19 Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) together with two Twinning Agreements between the Government of Bayelsa State (Nigeria) and the Province of Namibe (Angola) as well as the Twinning Agreement between the Government of Nasarawa State (Nigeria) and the Province of Bengo (Angola), on very important areas of cooperation for final consideration during this Joint Commission meeting.”
The minister disclosed that she and her delegation looked forward to presenting several other vital issues for consideration, including cooperation and partnerships in the human and natural resources development, such as Technical Manpower Assistance to achieve human capital development, deliberation on the commencement of the Nigerian airline carriers’ flight to Angola and other Bilateral Air Services Matters; exploring abundant opportunities existing in the richly endowed oil and gas sectors of both countries, as well as the mineral resources.
She further said that the draft cooperation and collaboration for the Elimination of Double Taxation with respect to taxes on income and Prevention of Tax Avoidance and Evasion from the Ministry of Finance and Economy and deliberation on the progress made between the Central Bank of Nigeria and the National Bank of Angola in the finalization on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the proposed take-off of the operation by some selected Nigerian banks in Angola, among others, will also be considered.
The Nigerian side presented a draft of four broad Working Groupings of the participating MDAs for consideration by the Joint Commission. They include
Diplomatic, Consular and Migration Group, Defence and Security Group, Economic Trade and Investment Group, as well as Natural and Human Resources Development Group.
In his opening remarks, Angolan Secretary of State for International Cooperation, Domingos Vieira Lopes welcomed the Nigerian delegation, saying that his country looked forward to very fruitful outcomes.
He said: “This meeting is an opportunity to strengthen the ties and diplomatic relationship between African people. I am convinced that this meeting will open new dynamics in our diplomatic relationship. The relationship between the two countries began in 1975 when Nigeria was the first country to recognize Angola as an independent State. And the relationship has continued to grow.
“So, the signing of new cooperation instruments will boost our bilateral relations.
“I know that the mutual benefit would be enormous. These agreements and cooperation will help development and growth in both countries to the benefit of our people.”
Nigeria, Angola to Sign 15 MOUs as 5th Joint Commission Begins in Luanda
News
RHI Flow With Confidence program Launched across Nigeria

RHI Flow With Confidence program Launched across Nigeria
“Don’t Allow Shame or Stigma Affect Your Confidence” – Senator Oluremi Tinubu to School Girls at the Launch of Flow With Confidence Program in Maiduguri, Borno State
By: Our Reporter
The Flow With Confidence program, a vital menstrual health intervention, is designed to empower schoolgirls with knowledge, build confidence, and promote improved menstrual hygiene. The initiative targets 370,000 beneficiaries, mostly from rural communities who struggle to access hygienic care while in school.
Launched simultaneously in seven states – Borno, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Kebbi, and Lagos – by the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the program provides each beneficiary with a one-year supply of disposable sanitary pads.
At the official launch in Maiduguri, the First Lady was represented by the Wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima. She stressed that it is unacceptable for young girls to face significant challenges during their menstrual cycle, often forcing them to miss school days because they cannot afford sanitary pads.
Senator Oluremi Tinubu noted that many girls resort to unhygienic alternatives, hence the introduction of Flow With Confidence as a safe, hygienic option to enhance reproductive wellbeing. Each state under the initiative will have 10,000 beneficiaries.
Encouraging the girls, the First Lady urged them not to allow shame or stigma to affect their confidence but to boldly pursue their dreams as future leaders of the nation. She further called on corporate organizations and well-meaning individuals to support the program, while charging traditional, religious, and community leaders to ensure transparent distribution in their localities.
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, represented by the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Umar Usman Kadafur, expressed the government’s profound appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose leadership continues to rekindle hope and restore dignity to countless families by prioritizing economic empowerment as a driver of national development.
The Governor also commended the First Lady for addressing an often-neglected aspect of girls’ and women’s dignity and reproductive health.
Similarly, the Borno State RHI Coordinator and Wife of the Governor, Dr. Falmata Umara Zulum, lauded the First Lady’s commitment to caring for the most vulnerable in society through her numerous interventions under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), complementing the efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Meanwhile, the First Lady also handed over assorted food items to the Borno State RHI Coordinator, Dr. Falmata Babagana Zulum, for onward distribution to vulnerable groups and persons with disabilities. This places Borno among the beneficiaries of the monthly RHI Food Outreach Scheme, flagged off in March 2024 with support from two leading industrialists.
RHI Flow With Confidence program Launched across Nigeria
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Fagbemi Calls for Appellate Mechanism in ECOWAS Court

Fagbemi Calls for Appellate Mechanism in ECOWAS Court
…Insists Absence of Appellate Court at Regional Level Undermines Access to Justice
By: Michael Mike
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi has called for the establishment of an appellate mechanism within the ECOWAS Court of Justice, stating that the absence of such mechanism continued to undermine access to justice in the region.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2025/2026 legal year of ECOWAS Court, Fagbemi said while the finality of judgments is crucial, fairness also demands that decisions be open to review in order to correct possible errors of law or procedure.
Fagbemi while noting that the absence of appellate court at the regional level is a letdown, said: “It is concerning that there is currently inadequate room for appeal against the judgments of the ECOWAS Court. While finality is important, justice must also be seen to be fair and revisable,” insisting that: “The absence of a separate appellate mechanism limits access to justice. As we expand the Court’s reach, we must also ensure that its decisions are subject to the same standards of review and accountability that underpin robust judicial systems.”
He urged the Court to draw lessons from other regional judicial institutions such as the European Court of Human Rights, the East African Court of Justice and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which, according to him, offer valuable models of transparency, judicial independence and procedural innovation.
He however restated Nigeria’s support for the ECOWAS Court as host country, describing it as central to regional integration, human rights enforcement and stability. “Nigeria remains steadfast in its support for the ECOWAS Court of Justice… I pledge to continue advocating for legal reforms that align domestic laws with regional obligations while respecting our constitutional order and national interests,” Fagbemi added.
Also speaking, the President of Cabo Verde, José Neves, said community justice remains vital for Africa’s credibility in global affairs. He stressed that strengthening institutions such as the ECOWAS Court was essential for peace, democracy and integration on the continent.
He said: “In a continent still marked by border disputes and recurring tensions, the existence of an independent and respected community tribunal is a civilisational triumph that we must preserve and enhance,” Neves said. He noted that access to the Court by individual citizens was one of the most significant gains of regional integration, as it brings justice closer to the people.
Neves also called for reforms within African sub-regional bodies to make them more effective in addressing contemporary challenges such as insecurity, institutional fragility, migration and climate change.
In his address, the President of the ECOWAS Court, Justice Ricardo Goncalves, disclosed that the Court handled 34 new cases in the past year, including matters relating to civil and political rights, economic freedoms, and disputes between member states.
He also revealed that the Court held 79 judicial sessions and issued 54 rulings, many of which reaffirmed key principles such as the justiciability of socio-economic rights and the supremacy of community law over conflicting national legislation. According to him, 112 cases are currently pending before the Court.
Fagbemi Calls for Appellate Mechanism in ECOWAS Court
News
Trans-Border Security: Zulum travels to Niger Republic Community

Trans-Border Security: Zulum travels to Niger Republic Community
By: Michael Mike
Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum on Wednesday, undertook a working visit to Diffa Region of Niger Republic on Wednesday.
The visit, which included a high-level security and economic delegation, focused on strengthening the existing collaboration between Nigerian and Nigerien forces in the ongoing fight against insurgency, particularly around the shores of Lake Chad.
Diffa is a community 17 km from Damasak town in northern Borno where thousands of Nigerians displaced by Boko Haram insurgency are currently taking refuge.
Zulum was received by the Governor of Diffa, Brigadier General Mahamaduo Ibrahim Bagadoma, and other senior officials. The leaders held closed-door meetings centered on joint patrols, intelligence sharing, and sustaining the recent gains that have pushed insurgents out of many of their former strongholds.
Zulum outlined plan to leverage the improved security situation to facilitate the return of thousands of displaced farmers to the vast and fertile agricultural lands around Dutchi town within the Lake Chad basin.
Part of the Governor’s entourage are Engr Bukar Talba, a member of the House of Representatives, Speaker, Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, and otheir senior government officials.
[10/2, 6:35 PM] Mike Olugbode: Maiduguri: For Over a Month, MSF Responds to High Numbers of Children Suffering from Malnutrition.
Since late August and early September, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams have scaled up their medical response in Maiduguri, northeast Nigeria, following a sharp rise in malnutrition cases that overwhelmed MSF-supported facilities. Although admissions have slightly decreased now, the number of children receiving treatment remains very high.
“A month ago, we witnessed a worrying increase in admissions, compounded by a surge in measles cases,” said MSF Project Coordinator Daniela Batista. “Our isolation units for measles patients were quickly filled, and even the additional space we opened reached capacity. Now, those units remain around 70 percent full.”
Since 8 September, MSF’s Inpatient Therapeutic Feeding Centre (ITFC) at Nilefa Kiji Hospital (NKH) has nearly doubled its bed capacity to accommodate the influx of malnourished children. By the third week of September, the emergency facility was recording an average of more than 85 new admissions daily.
In a context of reduced global humanitarian funding, some organizations in Maiduguri reduced their support for – or even left – nutritional outpatient nutrition programmes, causing a significant drop in access for first line care fir malnourished children.
At MSF’s extension facility in Shuwari, teams treated 3,265 children for malnutrition and referred 1,521 others for continued care between August and early September, when the upsurge began. More than 625 malnourished children have also been treated for measles — a disease which can contribute to malnutrition and whose complications can result from malnutrition.
The situation is further exacerbated by shortages of essential supplies. Therapeutic milk — critical for treating severe acute malnutrition — is in short supply, while access to ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) remains a chronic concern. Some partner ITFCs have indicated they can only accept referrals if MSF provides additional medical supplies such as antibiotics, admission kits, and therapeutic milk.
MSF teams also reported regular admissions of patients from Zabarmari — a community they are currently unable to access due to security and logistical challenges. MSF is engaging with the Borno State Ministry of Health to assess and potentially support the local Primary Health Centre (PHC) to ensure residents can access care.
Borno State continues to face the effects of a decade-long insurgency, with recent reports of violence in areas surrounding Maiduguri.
This surge in Maiduguri mirrors an alarming trend seen in all MSF nutrition facilities across Kebbi, Sokoto, Kano, Katsina, and Bauchi in recent months. According to UN estimates, 2.5 million children across northeast Nigeria are at risk of acute malnutrition.
MSF called on health authorities and humanitarian organizations to urgently address the shortages in medical supplies and staffing, and to strengthen community-level health systems to prevent further deterioration.
Trans-Border Security: Zulum travels to Niger Republic Community
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