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Africa Headlines

Wigwe’s death continues to reverberate in the world media– The death of one of Nigeria’s golden banking and business icons in the US over the weekend continues to reverberate in global media. From BBC to Bloomberg, the UK Guardian, Kenya’s Nation, Africanews, Reuters, Fortune, The Africa Report, The Washington Post, BusinessDay South Africa, USA Today, Yahoo, Forbes, Spectrum News, Business Insider Africa, Sky News, CNN, AllAfrica, the news of Herbert Wigwe’s death and that of his wife, son, and Abimbola Ogunbanjo has continued to reverberate. Tributes continue to pour in while dignitaries continue to visit the aged parents in their Lagos home. The scale of reporting reflects both the massive hole and gap his death represents and the scale of his achievements in the space of 20 years. There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Nigeria and Africa have lost one of its brightest and courageous minds.  While investigation into the helicopter crash continues, a prominent US aviation lawyer Robert Clifford has suggested that the crash could have been avoided if the adverse weather conditions was taken into consideration. 

Kenya Government on a privatisation spree – William Ruto, the president of Kenya and his cabinet has approved the privatisation of key government businesses.  The most prominent is the privatisation of the country’s development bank, the Development Bank of Kenya (DBK).  Other state-owned enterprises to be privatised include Kenya Safari Lodges and Hotels Ltd, which include properties such as Mombasa Beach Hotel, Nguilia Safari Lodge, and Voi Safari Lodge. The Kenya government has been trying to restructure its finances since it got an International Monetary Fund assistance. The government is currently seeking to approach the Eurobond for US  $2 billion  in the second quarter of this year. The government says the sale of the State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) will boost the country’s foreign exchange reserves and that it will stimulate the expansion of the hospitality industries in line with the government’s visa free for Africa nationals policy. 

UK lawyers can’t practise in Nigeria, FG makes U-turn – The Nigerian government has clarified its stance on UK lawyers practicing in Nigeria, reversing an earlier statement by Trade Minister Uzoka-Anite. Initially, she claimed a signed agreement allowed for this, but after backlash from the Nigerian Bar Association, she clarified that no such agreement exists. Nigeria currently does not have a "Mutual Recognition Agreement" with the UK, meaning foreign lawyers, including those from the UK, cannot practice in Nigeria. While discussions about cross-jurisdictional practice are ongoing, the signed MoU does not address this and explicitly states foreign lawyers cannot currently practice in the country. This clarification follows criticism from the legal community who raised concerns about the initial announcement.

Ghana president sacks Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta in reshuffle – Ghana's finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has been replaced amid the country's severe economic crisis. Though no reason was officially given, Ofori-Atta faced criticism for his handling of the situation, including high inflation and currency depreciation. He will be replaced by Mohammed Amin Adam, previously deputy energy minister. This move comes ahead of elections where the vice president, also an economist, is aiming to distance himself from the economic woes. Analysts suggest it might create a "new narrative" for his campaign but doesn't signal a major shift in strategy. Though Ghana's economy shows signs of recovery with an IMF loan program and debt restructuring, Ofori-Atta's departure reflects accountability for the ongoing crisis. His replacement, with experience in the petroleum sector, might indicate a focus on addressing challenges in that crucial area.

Global Headlines

Prabowo Subianto claims victory in Indonesian presidential election – Indonesia's presidential election results remain uncertain as unofficial tallies show Prabowo Subianto with a significant lead, while rivals allege fraud. Prabowo, a former military commander with a contested past, claims victory with 58% of the vote according to quick counts. Rivals Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo contest the results, calling for investigations into "massive fraud" without providing evidence. If confirmed, Prabowo's win raises concerns about potential democratic backsliding and the return of military influence. He inherits a growing economy and ambitious infrastructure projects from the popular outgoing president, Jokowi. However, questions linger about Prabowo's human rights record under the Suharto regime and his possible future policies. Despite Prabowo's apparent lead, official results are still pending and could trigger a run-off election if no candidate secures a majority. The situation remains tense as both sides await results and allegations of fraud hang in the air.

Erdogan, el-Sisi urge Israel to halt looming offensive on Rafah – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi have called for an end to Israel's anticipated offensive in Rafah, southern Gaza, during bilateral talks in Cairo. Erdogan's visit to Egypt marks a significant improvement in relations between the two countries after years of tension. The leaders discussed bilateral ties and regional challenges, with a focus on achieving a ceasefire in Gaza and calming the situation in the West Bank to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and establish an independent Palestinian state. Egypt is concerned that an Israeli ground assault on Rafah could lead to a mass influx of displaced Palestinians into Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. Egypt, along with Qatar and the United States, has been working to broker a ceasefire. Erdogan also expressed Turkey's readiness to cooperate with Egypt in rebuilding Gaza and pledged to increase trade with Egypt to US $15 billion in the short term.

US House impeaches Biden’s immigration chief Mayorkas over border crisis – Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has been impeached by the United States House of Representatives in a second attempt, with the Republican-led House blaming him for a surge in illegal entries from Mexico. The impeachment, passed in a tight vote of 214-213, sets the stage for the upcoming presidential elections, which Republicans hope to focus on the border issue. Mayorkas is accused of "willful and systemic refusal" to enforce immigration law and "breach of public trust." This marks the first impeachment of a cabinet secretary in nearly 150 years. President Joe Biden criticized the move as a "political stunt" and defended Mayorkas's background as a Cuban immigrant who has served the country with integrity. The impeachment is largely symbolic, as Mayorkas is expected to be acquitted in the Senate trial.