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West Africa is Facing Hard Times, Finding it Difficult to Cope with Effects of Population Growth- ECOWAS

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West Africa is Facing Hard Times, Finding it Difficult to Cope with Effects of Population Growth- ECOWAS

By: Michael Mike

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has lamented that member states are currently facing hard times as they are finding it difficult to cope with population growth and subsequent demand for housing, transportation, basic services, food, jobs, and urban livelihood.

Speaking at the Stakeholders’ Consultation Workshop on ECOWAS Regional Resilience Strategy for West Africa in Abuja on Tuesday, the ECOWAS Commissioner on Human Rights and Social Affairs, Prof. Fatou Sow Sarr said: “The current realities of rapid population growth in West Africa with women and children being worst victims contribute to increased demand for housing, transportation, basic services, food, jobs, and urban livelihood opportunities among others. These issues further strain the coping capacity of the region as Member States struggle to recover from these challenges.”

He said the workshop, holding in Abuja for three days, marks a significant milestone in our collective efforts to strengthen regional stability, peace, and development in West Africa, noting that the overall objective of the workshop is to bring together key technical stakeholders to deliberate on the development of a comprehensive Regional Resilience Strategy that will enhance our collective capacity to address the complex challenges facing our region.

He added that: “This forum which is to enhance promoting transparent communication and collaboration, will certainly foster resilience and sustainable development across our region.”

He decried that: “West Africa, with an estimated population of 446,452,019 equivalent to 5.47% of the total world population is faced with a magnitude of vulnerability and exposure to hazards and losses from disasters expected to increase over the next decade. The impact of climate change which is expected to result in more extreme weather situations such as heavy rains leading to devastating floods and drought in West Africa remain some of the most severe disasters in West Africa.
Further to the natural disasters, our region is currently facing some of the world’s most complex challenges including conflict and violence, terrorism, extreme poverty, weak governance, high food insecurity leading to malnutrition.

“Also, the region suffers from forced human displacement of different kinds, outbreaks of epidemics including cholera, Ebola virus disease and COVID-19. Vulnerability is due to the high level of poverty and high dependence on climate change sensitive sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, mining, and forestry leading to substantial economic losses, damage to agricultural lands, infrastructures as well as human casualties.”

He said despite the development of some policies and strategies to address the issues, the region continues to witness increasing disasters which have grossly affected key sectors of the economy thereby directly affecting population and livelihoods.

He said some of the strategies emplaced to build Good Governance; Peace and Security; Macroeconomic resilience; Equitable access to basic services; (Sustainable livelihood; Gender Sensitivity and Social Inclusion; and Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction.

On her part, the Resident Representative of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Nigeria, Ms. Elsie Attafuah, said West African region is undergoing significant demographic, social, economic, environmental, and political transformations, noting that the population of the region is expected to exceed 900 million by 2050, with over 64% under 25 years old.

She insisted that: “These demographic changes have a bearing on the effectiveness of our current policies, resource allocation decisions, and development trajectory, demanding innovative approaches to address the needs of our youthful population.
Despite abundant natural resources, their sustainable exploitation and equitable distribution of the benefits to communities remain a challenge. While West Africa contributes to only 1.8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, the region faces rising temperatures and extreme weather events, the impacts of which are exacerbated by inadequate development and governance, peace, and security related challenges.

Attafuah, who was represented by Deputy Resident Representative Nigeria, Mr. Blessed Chirimuta, said: “We are confident in the resilience and unwavering determination of the people of West Africa to overcome these challenges to build a better future for all, through collaborative efforts and innovative solutions.”

The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mustapha Ahmed said the workshop whose outcome is expected to provide the foundation for resilient building is very timely considering the prevailing regional and global crises, insisting that “the workshop comes at a time, economic downturn has impacted the entire world with adverse socio-economic outcomes. Countries of the West African subregion are amongst the worst hit; hence there is no better time than now to develop a resilience strategy that will help them cope with the externalities and foster sustainable devclopment.”

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, you may recall that the geography, demographic and political dynamics of West Africa have predisposed the sub region to complex nature and human induced disaster and emergency situations, ECOWAS countries have experienced scries of disasters, crises and conflict that have posed threats to normal life, the means of livelihood of the people and sustainable economic growth and development.

He noted that the predominant disaster risk profile of West Africa has significantly posed a threat to region’s efforts in meeting crucial global and continental initiatives including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030; the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR) 2015-2030; and the African Agenda 2060, with the other initiatives impacted include the African Union Program of Action (AUC-PoA) and the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) treaty.

West Africa is Facing Hard Times, Finding it Difficult to Cope with Effects of Population Growth- ECOWAS

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Nigerian Embassy in Kuwait Issues Safety Advisory to Citizens Amid Regional Tensions

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Nigerian Embassy in Kuwait Issues Safety Advisory to Citizens Amid Regional Tensions

By: Michael Mike

The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the State of Kuwait has urged Nigerian nationals in Kuwait and Bahrain to remain calm, vigilant, and compliant with host government ldirectives in light of prevailing regional developments.

In a circular dated March 1, 2026, and referenced NKT/GA/C/004/Vol. I, the Embassy — which holds concurrent accreditation to the Kingdom of Bahrain — advised citizens to strictly observe safety guidelines and official advisories issued by authorities in both countries.

The mission encouraged Nigerians to stay informed by monitoring credible local news outlets and official government announcements in Kuwait and Bahrain. It assured the community that it is closely tracking the situation and maintaining communication with leaders of Nigerian groups and associations in both countries.

To enhance real-time communication, the Embassy announced the creation of a dedicated mobile and WhatsApp line to ensure active engagement with nationals.

For further inquiries or assistance, Nigerians were advised to contact the Embassy via email at nigeriakuwait@yahoo.com or through the designated telephone and WhatsApp numbers provided by the mission.

The Embassy reaffirmed its commitment to the safety and welfare of all Nigerian citizens in its jurisdiction and pledged to continue providing timely updates as the situation evolves.

Nigerian Embassy in Kuwait Issues Safety Advisory to Citizens Amid Regional Tensions

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Gov. Fintiri’s defection will boost APC’s chances of winning in 2027 – Dr Girei

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Gov. Fintiri’s defection will boost APC’s chances of winning in 2027 – Dr Girei

Dr Salihu Bakari Girei, Gubernatorial aspirant under the platform All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027 described the defection of Governor Ahmadu Fintiri to the ruling party as a welcome development for the APC in the state.

Girei said that his defection is coming at the right time to galvanise the party’s victory in 2027 General Elections at the national and sub national level.

Dr Girei who is one of the founding fathers of the APC in the state disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Yola.

He said, Fintiri joined APC at the right time considering his outstanding performance in the state which he said was in line with President Tinubu’s transformation agenda.

He added that the defection would add value to the APC family and also help deliver dividends of democracy to the ordinary people that are yearning for good governance as well as to fast-track development.

He said Fintiri has performed credibly well, in line with his 10-point agenda for the state to justify the people’s trust in his leadership and administration.

Dr Girei further lauded President Bola Tinubu for his effort and strategy in addressing Nigeria’s challenges for and ensuring rapid development.

He said, “President Tinubu is very strategic in addressing Nigeria’s challenges and many now understood that Mr President meant well for this country and has turned the fortune of the country around for good.”

According to him, records have shown that the dollar has crashed, the economy stabilized, security improved, food is affordable and issues of strikes are no more among others.

Bakari-Girei said, all these are factors that naturally attract people joining the APC across the country for more development in the country.

He queried those saying that President Tinubu is turning the country into a one-party system, recalling that the PDP once had 30 governors and no one complained.

“Today people have decided to join APC because of many factors initiated by the President Tinubu administration that naturally attracted people to join APC and support Mr President.”

He pointed to President Tinubu’s history as governor of Lagos, where opposition platforms continued to function, as evidence of his commitment to multi-party democracy.

He also appreciated the foresight of the President for appointing Malam Nuhu Ribadu, National Security Adviser who has invested much in APC in the state.

He further urged unity and understanding of all APC stakeholders in the state for the progress and success of the party at all levels.

Gov. Fintiri’s defection will boost APC’s chances of winning in 2027 – Dr Girei

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Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS Moves to Boost Enforcement of Judgments with High-Level Talks in Republic of Guinea

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Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS Moves to Boost Enforcement of Judgments with High-Level Talks in Republic of Guinea

By: Michael Mike

The Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS will hold a high-level bilateral meeting in the Republic of Guinea from March 2 to 4, 2026, as part of efforts to strengthen the enforcement of its judgments across Member States.

The three-day engagement, organised in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Economic Community of West African States, is expected to bring together the Court’s delegation, Guinea’s Competent National Authority (CNA), senior government officials, and representatives of civil society to address persistent challenges in implementing the Court’s rulings.

At the heart of the meeting is the push to close the gap between judicial decisions and their execution at the national level. While the ECOWAS Court continues to deliver landmark judgments on human rights, governance, and community law, enforcement remains a critical concern in several jurisdictions. The Guinea dialogue is aimed at building a more effective, coordinated, and transparent enforcement framework.

Discussions will focus on practical strategies to improve compliance rates, streamline procedures, and strengthen collaboration between national institutions and the regional court. Participants are expected to review existing bottlenecks, share best practices, and identify sustainable solutions that can enhance uniformity in enforcement mechanisms across the sub-region.

The programme will include a dedicated forum examining the current status of enforcement of the Court’s judgments in Guinea, alongside presentations on the Court’s enforcement processes and the national legal landscape. Civil society organisations will also engage directly with the Court in a bilateral dialogue designed to promote accountability and inclusive participation.

Beyond the technical sessions, the Court’s delegation will pay courtesy visits to key government figures, including the Minister in charge of ECOWAS Affairs, the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Finance, the President of the Supreme Court, and the Speaker of Parliament. Meetings are also scheduled with the Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission and the President of the Bar Association.

The delegation will be led by the President of the Court, Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves, and will include Vice-President Sengu Mohamed Koroma, Honourable Justice Gberi-Bè Ouattara, as well as directors and other officials.

Similar bilateral meetings have previously taken place in the Republic of Sierra Leone and the Federal Republic of Nigeria, reflecting the Court’s broader strategy to institutionalise cooperation and reinforce the authority of its judgments throughout West Africa.

As ECOWAS marks five decades of regional integration, the Guinea engagement signals a renewed determination to ensure that the decisions of its judicial arm are not only pronounced but fully implemented—strengthening the rule of law and deepening trust in regional justice systems.

Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS Moves to Boost Enforcement of Judgments with High-Level Talks in Republic of Guinea

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