Nigeria’s ‘Take-It-Back’ Movement Determined to Hold Protest
Organizers of planned nationwide protests named the Take-It-Back Movement said they would go ahead with their action despite a call by the authorities for the protests to be canceled. In a statement, the Nigeria Police Force said the April 7 date is “ill-conceived and mischievous”, given that it coincides with the maiden edition of the National Police Day celebration. The movement said it called the demonstration to address “authoritarianism of President Bola Tinubu administration, abuse of human rights and the misuse of the Cybercrime Act”. The group’s coordinator, Juwon Sanyaolu, listed as part of their demands the need to repeal the Cybercrime Act and end emergency rule in Rivers State. A similar protest action in August 2024 against “bad governance” and the rising cost of living in the country disrupted business activities in many states.
Guinea’s Junta Sets Date For Long-Promised Referendum
General Mamadi Doumbouya – who seized power in 2021 – set September 2025 for a referendum on the adoption of a new constitution. A decree announcing the date was read on state television by a government spokesperson. It followed the pardoning of Moussa Dadis Camara, another military leader who had been serving a 20-year sentence for crimes against humanity. The junta has faced growing criticism from local and international groups, including members of the country’s opposition, who accuse the military of clamping down on free expression and delaying the transition process.
Liberia Receives Over 10,000 Doses Of Mpox Vaccines To Boost Surveillance
Although the country currently has no active cases, the vaccines were provided by the Africa Centres for Disease Control as part of measures to prevent further spread in the region. Neighboring Sierra Leone and Cote d’Ivoire also received vaccines from Africa CDC. Since the declaration of mpox as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security, Liberia recorded a total of 586 suspected cases, 511 of which were tested, with seventy confirmed for mpox infections. All seventy confirmed individuals have recovered.
How the U.S. Calculated Its New Tariffs – and the Threat to AGOA Trade Benefits
The Trump administration’s formula for calculating global tariffs faced widespread criticism from trade experts, who called it “arbitrary and economically flawed.” President Donald Trump described the tariffs as “reciprocal,” claiming they matched half the duties imposed by other nations on U.S. exports, his administration used a formula based on bilateral trade deficits. The policy, which took effect in early April, imposed higher tariffs on 20 African nations. Lesotho, one of the world’s poorest countries, faced the highest tariff of 50%, despite being unable to import at a level equal to its exports. What remains unclear for the African nations on the list is whether the new tariffs will override the concessions granted to 14 of the 20 Africa nations under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
Zimbabwe Seeks ‘Positive’ U.S. Ties, Halts Tariffs
President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced he would suspend tariffs on goods imported from the United States in an attempt to build a positive and mutually beneficial relationship with the U.S. The decision came after Trump imposed 18% tariffs on Zimbabwean exports to the U.S. Mnangagwa stressed the importance of reciprocal tariffs for protecting domestic jobs and industries but reiterated Zimbabwe’s commitment to amicable international relations. “This measure was intended to facilitate the expansion of American imports within the Zimbabwean market while promoting the growth of Zimbabwean exports destined for the United States,” said Mnangagwa. The U.S. has maintained strained diplomatic relations with Zimbabwe since the Southern African country adopted a controversial land policy about 25 years ago.
U.S. Revokes Visas for All South Sudanese Passport Holders
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the U.S. would revoke visas issued to South Sudanese passport holders due to the African nation’s refusal to accept its citizens. It was the first such measure singling out all passport holders from a particular country since U.S. President Donald Trump had returned to the White House on 20 January, having campaigned on an anti-immigration platform. Rubio blamed “the failure of South Sudan’s transitional government to accept the return of its repatriated citizens in a timely manner.” South Sudanese nationals had been granted “temporary protected status” (TPS) by the administration of Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, with the designation scheduled to expire on 3 May 2025.
Nigeria Receives 1 Million Meningitis Vaccines
The Nigeria Ministry of Health received over 1,000,000 pentavalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine (Men5CV) doses from the Gavi-funded global stockpile to combat the meningococcus C and W outbreak in northern Nigeria. The outbreak, according to reports, had already claimed over 151 lives, with more than 1,826 suspected cases across the country. The outbreak, which had affected 23 states, put significant pressure on public health resources, particularly in northern Nigeria, where the majority of cases were reported. The vaccine doses, funded by Gavi, were received by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, according to a joint press statement on Friday by the Vaccine Alliance, Gavi, the World Health Organisation (WHO), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The Men5CV vaccine, approved by WHO in 2023, represents a significant advancement for high-risk countries in Africa’s meningitis belt, offering protection against the five major serogroups of meningococcus bacteria.
Miss Ivory Coast Bans Wigs and Extensions in Preliminary Rounds
In a significant shift from long-standing beauty norms, the Miss Ivory Coast pageant introduced a ban on wigs, weaves, and extensions during its preliminary rounds in 2025, encouraging contestants to embrace their natural hair. The move aimed at celebrating natural African beauty has sparked a lively debate across the country, where wigs and extensions are popular. Salon owners expressed concern about the impact on the $300 million hair industry, despite some contestants feeling more confident and proud of their natural looks. There is no decision yet about whether the wig ban will apply to the 15 contestants who make it to the final of Miss Ivory Coast 2025.
UN Shocked by Reports of Summary Executions in Khartoum
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk expressed deep shock over reports of widespread summary executions in Khartoum following its recapture by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). In a statement, Türk condemned the killings, urging SAF commanders to halt arbitrary executions and stressing that perpetrators – including those with command responsibility -must be held accountable. The UN reviewed videos showing armed men executing civilians in public, some accused of supporting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). At least 20 civilians were reportedly killed in Khartoum’s Southern Belt alone, while hate speech targeting ethnic communities surged. The UN also documented rising hate speech, particularly targeting ethnic communities from Darfur and Kordofan, with lists of suspected RSF collaborators circulating.
