International
Russian/Ukraine War: ActionAid Calls on FG to Roll Out Social Protection Measures to Mitigate Economic Crunch
Russian/Ukraine War: ActionAid Calls on FG to Roll Out Social Protection Measures to Mitigate Economic Crunch
By: Michael Mike
ActionAid has lamented the rising cost of living in Nigeria and across the world as a result of the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, therefore calling on Nigerian government to immediately roll out social protection measures to mitigate the effects on Nigerians
A statement on Friday said: “The cost of food, fuel, and fertiliser in some of the world’s poorest communities is soaring, with families spending double, triple, and nearly four times what they were paying before Russia invaded Ukraine, a new analysis by ActionAid finds.”
The statement added that while the average cost of wheat products like pasta has increased by more than 50% in local markets and communities in the 13 countries surveyed, families in Lebanon, which is heavily dependent on imports from Ukraine and Russia, are spending as much as 275% more than they were at the end of February.
The statement read: “In the Horn of Africa, where 20 million people are already facing severe hunger due to prolonged drought, communities in Somaliland are now spending more than double (163%) as much on a loaf of bread. Average prices for cooking oil have increased by over 60%, but in some areas of Somaliland, costs are up by as much as 260%.
“In Nigeria, findings show that the prices of wheat bread have increased up to 59 % in Sanrab semi-urban community in Kwara state. In Yobe state urban community of Nasarawa, the prices of wheat bread have increased up to 67 %. In Lagos, the price increase has been up to 127%. In rural areas of Kaduna, fertiliser prices have increased up to 111 %. At the same time, few areas of Lagos have witnessed up to a 111 % increase in sunflower cooking oil.”
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The statement while noting that the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is releasing its latest global food price index, which found that world food commodity prices reached their highest levels last month, said ActionAid’s analysis finds that, at the local community level, food and fuel price hikes are far outstripping already record-breaking rises globally*, suggesting the Ukraine war has exacerbated ongoing food and fuel price challenges in communities most impacted by the climate crisis, humanitarian emergencies, and political and economic turmoil.
The survey of market traders and community members in 13 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East found that the cost of essentials has increased with fertilizer up by an average of 83% (rising by up to 196% in the Elfeta area of Ethiopia), cooking oil up by an average of 64% (rising by up to 260% in the villages of Googeysa and Xidhinta in Somaliland); petrol up by an average of 63% (rising by up to 253% in the Myaing area of Magway District, Myanmar, cooking gas up by an average of 60% (rising by up to 175% in one area of Zimbabwe); pasta up by an average of 53% (rising by up to 275% in the Baalbek area of Bekaa district, Lebanon) and bread up by an average of 48% (rising by up to 163% in villages of Ceel-Giniseed and Teysa, Somaliland).
ActionAid International’s global climate justice lead, Teresa Anderson, said: “The conflict in Ukraine has created a perfect storm of skyrocketing prices for food, fuel and fertiliser, disproportionately affecting local communities who barely have any belt left to tighten.
“Our survey found that prices are now double, triple or almost four times as much as before the war started in some places.
“The world is now on track for a global food crisis that looks far more deadly, devastating, and prolonged than 2007-08. Governments and international institutions must take urgent action to avert catastrophic hunger on an unprecedented scale.”
According to the statement, just over two months from the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, families in existing hunger hotspots worldwide are already feeling the burden of skyrocketing prices.
Mothers are reported to having have to take their children out of school to afford to buy food and shared their heartache at only being able to provide one meal a day for their families. In Somaliland, one woman spoke of giving her children black tea to stave off hunger pangs.
Other people said they have become sick from drinking unclean water from ponds, and many families are incurring debt to cover essential expenses such as medical costs, seeds and fertiliser.
As well as the soaring cost of wheat products and cooking oil, the cost of fuel and fertilisers is also rising at an alarming rate.
ActionAid’s survey shows the cost of petrol and cooking gas has gone up by around 60% on average. However, one community in Myanmar reports that the price of petrol has soared by 253%, and families in Zimbabwe report petrol increases as high as 227% and cooking gas increases by 175%.
Chemical fertilisers, a key component of industrialised farming systems, require large amounts of fossil fuels for their production. The survey shows that the average fertiliser price has increased by more than 80%. However, prices have gone up by as much as 196% in one district of Ethiopia. With the planting season about to begin or already underway in many parts of the world, crop yields and farming incomes will be hit hard in 2022.
Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Ene Obi, in her reaction, said: “The Ukraine-Russia war has worsened the cost of living in many parts of the world, but the gaps in governance and lack of social safety-net have thrown more Nigerians into the abyss of poverty. The current hyper-inflation has made the meagre income of many Nigerians insignificant; for a government committed to lifting 100million Nigerian out of poverty, there is a need for reflection and immediate action.
Rising public debt, unemployment, inflation, and high cost of living require the immediate embracing of fiscal federalism in absolute terms. This will enable the country to break the vicious cycle of poverty. It will eliminate the wholesale dependence on oil, making Nigeria a monolithic economy. Adopting fiscal federalism principles will be a practical approach to solving the challenges governments at all levels face today, such as the generation and equitable distribution of income, efficient and effective allocation of resources, and economic stability. Revenue drive and allocation of resources can be done effectively by states and local governments with strong measures to curtail graft and corruption”.
ActionAid therefore called for the immediate roll-out of social protection measures, which target women and girls, including cash transfers and food support, to assist families most at risk.
The statement further read that: “Governments must rapidly train farmers on agroecological approaches to avert dramatic global yield losses from a worldwide lack of fertilisers later this year to avert dramatic global yield losses. Agroecology means adopting farming practices that work with nature, such as using local manure to build soil fertility and reduce reliance on chemical fertilisers. “In the longer term, governments dependent on food imports must also invest in national and regional food reserves to act as buffers and reduce countries’ vulnerability to food shortages and price rises. The global fallout from the Ukraine crisis shows why a just transition to renewable energy and agroecological farming practices is more urgent than ever to address climate change and protect communities from shocks to world food and energy markets.”
Russian/Ukraine War: ActionAid Calls on FG to Roll Out Social Protection Measures to Mitigate Economic Crunch
WAHO Pledges Support for Nigeria’s Ebola Response, Donates 20,000 Thermometers
By: Michael Mike
The West African Health Organisation (WAHO) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Nigeria’s health emergency preparedness and response, following confirmation of the country’s first Ebola case.
The organisation also announced the donation of 20,000 non-contact infrared thermometers and 1,200 bottles of alcohol-based hand sanitiser to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s response to the outbreak.
The Director-General of WAHO, Prof. Palokinam Pitche, gave the assurance when he led a delegation to the NCDC headquarters in Abuja on November 2, 2026, to discuss regional support for Nigeria’s health emergency preparedness and response.
The delegation included the Executive Director of the ECOWAS Regional Centre for Surveillance and Disease Control (RSCDC), Dr Mamadou Diarrassouba, and the Acting Director of Public Health and Research at WAHO, Prof. Joseph Olorunda.
The meeting was attended by officials of the NCDC and representatives of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
Discussions centred on aligning international and regional assistance with Nigeria’s national priorities, avoiding duplication of interventions and ensuring effective utilisation of available resources.
Pitche reaffirmed WAHO’s readiness to support Nigeria, stressing that health threats confronting the country had implications for the wider West African region and required coordinated regional action.
He recalled the organisation’s ongoing collaboration with Nigeria in disease surveillance, laboratory capacity development and technical assistance, noting that clearly identified needs would guide further support and strengthen collective responses to shared health challenges.
Welcoming the delegation, the Director-General of NCDC, Dr Jide Idris, expressed appreciation for WAHO’s continued support, stressing that effective management of public health emergencies required sustained collaboration among national, regional and international institutions.
Idris highlighted the need for a coordinated response covering surveillance, disease detection, case management, risk communication and logistics, particularly in tackling health threats capable of spreading across national borders.
Representatives of WHO and Africa CDC also pledged to work with WAHO to align their contributions with Nigeria’s government-led response plan.
They emphasised the need for assistance to be guided by clearly established priorities, defined institutional responsibilities and accountability mechanisms, while ensuring that each organisation deployed its technical expertise effectively.
The partners further reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that emergency interventions translated into sustainable improvements in Nigeria’s preparedness and overall health system capacity.
WAHO’s technical and financial assistance is being channelled towards implementing the incident management plan following confirmation of the first Ebola case in Nigeria.
The donation of the thermometers and hand sanitisers is also expected to support infection prevention and control measures as the country strengthens its preparedness and response capacity.
WAHO Pledges Support for Nigeria’s Ebola Response, Donates 20,000 Thermometers
Venezuela Solidarity Campaign Demands Release of Maduro, Flores
By: Michael Mike
The Venezuela Solidarity Campaign in Nigeria (VSCN) has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, whom it accused the United States government of detaining illegally.
The campaign, in a statement issued on Friday by its Coordinator, Dimeji Macaulay, said the continued detention of the Venezuelan leaders represented an assault on national sovereignty and international law.
It called on Washington to end what it described as political persecution of Venezuela, abandon its interference in the affairs of sovereign nations and respect the right of the Venezuelan people to determine their political future without external pressure.
The group also condemned the reported expansion of criminal charges against Maduro and Flores, alleging that the US administration was using its judicial system to exert political pressure on governments opposed to its interests.
“We reject the use of military power, economic coercion and politically motivated prosecutions as instruments for determining the political future of Venezuela,” the statement said.
The campaign further demanded an end to economic sanctions against Venezuela and the US economic blockade of Cuba, arguing that the measures imposed hardship on ordinary citizens, including workers, children and vulnerable communities.
It described the restrictions as collective punishment for the political and economic choices of the two countries, insisting that their populations should not suffer because of their governments’ preferred systems of social and economic organisation.
The VSCN expressed solidarity with Cuba, citing its achievements in education, healthcare, international solidarity and social development, and urged Washington to end what it called economic strangulation of the Caribbean nation.
Beyond Venezuela and Cuba, the campaign criticised the global capitalist system, arguing that the concentration of wealth in the hands of billionaires had worsened inequality while millions of people continued to face hunger, homelessness, inadequate healthcare and limited educational opportunities.
It cited the wealth accumulated by billionaires, including Elon Musk, as an example of what it described as an unequal economic order in which a small minority controlled resources generated through the collective labour of millions.
The group called on workers, peasants, students, trade unions, socialist organisations and progressive movements worldwide to unite in pursuit of what it described as a socialist system founded on equality, democracy, solidarity and collective ownership of productive resources.
On Western Sahara, the campaign reaffirmed its support for the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination, rejecting any attempt to impose Morocco’s autonomy proposal as a substitute for a democratic decision on the territory’s political future.
It called for a free, fair and internationally supervised referendum that would allow the Sahrawi people to choose their future, including independence.
The group noted that Western Sahara remained on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories and argued that its people should not be denied the right to determine their political status.
It maintained that self-determination should apply equally to the peoples of Palestine, Western Sahara and Venezuela, as well as other nations facing occupation, domination or foreign interference.
Venezuela Solidarity Campaign Demands Release of Maduro, Flores
Nigeria, Japan Move to Set Up Industrial Hub to Unlock Investment
…Abuja seeks Japanese capital, technology transfer as Tokyo promises faster visa processing
By: Michael Mike
Nigeria is seeking to establish a joint industrial and investment hub with Japan to attract foreign capital, accelerate technology transfer and position local businesses to tap into Japanese supply chains and the wider African market.
The proposal, put forward by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, signals Nigeria’s push to turn 66 years of diplomatic relations with Japan into a stronger economic partnership driven by investment, industrialisation and job creation.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu made the proposal during a bilateral meeting with Japan’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Suzuki Hideo, urging Tokyo to work with Nigeria on a practical roadmap for the proposed Nigeria–Japan Industrial and Investment Hub.
The initiative is expected to facilitate joint ventures, connect investors with credible Nigerian businesses, promote skills development and encourage Japanese companies to establish stronger industrial links with Africa’s largest economy.
The minister stressed that existing bilateral agreements must translate into concrete investment commitments and measurable development outcomes, rather than remain diplomatic declarations.
“The outcomes of the Forum must be translated into concrete programmes, investment commitments and measurable development outcomes,” she said.
She urged both countries to implement the agreements reached at the 10th Nigeria–Japan Special Partnership Forum, held in Abuja on August 27, through practical programmes and regular consultations between their foreign ministries.
To strengthen private-sector participation, Odumegwu-Ojukwu called for more partnerships between Nigerian and Japanese companies through joint ventures, local content development, skills transfer and the integration of Nigerian businesses into Japanese supply chains.
She also sought greater engagement by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) to link Japanese investors with Nigerian enterprises and public-sector partners.
Beyond manufacturing and trade, Nigeria is seeking Japanese investment in solid minerals, gas development, cleaner energy technologies and industrial decarbonisation, with the minister highlighting the strategic importance of resilient energy and critical-mineral supply chains.
The proposed investment push comes alongside Japan’s development cooperation in infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture, education and technical training through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Odumegwu-Ojukwu welcomed a $10 million JICA-supported initiative to strengthen Nigeria’s startup ecosystem through catalytic capital and institutional development, in partnership with the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority.
She also called for sustained Japanese support for peacebuilding, humanitarian assistance and stabilisation in Nigeria and West Africa, reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to regional stability through the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States.
On mobility and business exchanges, the minister urged continued dialogue to resolve visa-related challenges affecting businesspeople, students, researchers, government officials and tourists.
Responding, Suzuki said Japan was desirous of deepening cooperation with Nigeria, which he described as a strategic African giant.
He also assured that visa-related issues would be handled expeditiously, an undertaking that could help facilitate business and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the existing cordial relations between Nigeria and Japan offered an opportunity to build a more dynamic partnership anchored on investment, industrialisation, technology transfer and shared prosperity.
The renewed engagement comes as both countries seek to move beyond decades of diplomatic relations towards stronger commercial ties, with the proposed industrial hub emerging as a potential platform for converting bilateral goodwill into investments and economic opportunities.
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