As we wrap up the week, here are the top stories from Africa. The Dangote Refinery is set to process up to 400,000 barrels of Nigerian crude daily, reshaping the continent’s trade markets. Starting October 1, 2024, Nigeria will sell crude oil to local refineries in naira, including Dangote.
In Ethiopia, Taye Atske Selassie has taken over as president, replacing Sahle-Work Zewde. Meanwhile, TotalEnergies AFCON qualifiers for Morocco 2025 continue this week.
Rwanda begins vaccine trials against the Marburg virus, and Nigeria and Brazil are gearing up to launch direct flights.
Check out all the top stories below:
MOZAMBIQUE HOLDS ITS GENERAL ELECTIONS
On October 9, 2024, Mozambicans went to the polls to cast their votes in the general elections, marking a crucial moment in the country’s political landscape.
Over 17 million voters made their choices for a new president, parliamentary representatives, and provincial leaders.
Also, Mozambicans residing in South Africa voted at more than one hundred stations across the nation.
Vote counting has already started and the full results could take up to two weeks.
This election represented a notable shift since incumbent President Filipe Nyusi could not seek re-election due to term limits, allowing four key candidates to compete for the presidency, each presenting different visions for Mozambique’s future.
Daniel Chapo, the 47-year-old candidate from FRELIMO, which has governed since 1975 and focuses on national unity and economic growth, faces Ossufo Momade, leader of the opposition RENAMO party.
DANGOTE REFINERY’S NIGERIAN OIL DEAL TO CHANGE ATLANTIC MARKETS
In the upcoming months, the Dangote oil refinery is expected to receive up to 400,000 barrels of Nigerian crude each day, transforming Africa’s import and export markets.
Bloomberg reports that the giant refinery outside Lagos is scheduled to take in approximately 24 million barrels of local crude oil in October and November, increasingly relying on domestic supplies.
With this move, Dangote aims to disrupt the Atlantic oil market by significantly reducing Nigeria’s crude exports, limiting shipments to just 13 or 14 each month from the typical 50.
This shift marks a pivotal change for the 650,000-barrel-per-day facility, which is larger than any other in Africa or Europe.
NIGERIA TO BEGIN SELLING CRUDE OIL IN LOCAL CURRENCY
Beginning October 1, 2024, Nigeria will sell crude oil to local refineries, including the Dangote Refinery, in naira. This was announced by Finance Minister Wale Edun on social media.
“From 1 October, NNPC will commence the supply of approximately 385,000 b/d of crude oil to the Dangote refinery, which will be paid for in naira,” Edun said.
“The program will also include Dangote providing gasoline and diesel of ‘equivalent value to the domestic market to be paid for in naira.’
The value of crude and product sales will be based on international prices in dollars, but payments will be made in naira at a fixed exchange rate, which hasn’t been revealed yet.
This plan will help Nigeria keep more oil business at home. By selling 450,000 barrels for local use in naira instead of dollars, the government aims to cut costs associated with fuel imports.
The Dangote Refinery intends to use about 400,000 barrels of Nigerian oil every day. This strategy not only promotes local refining but also aims to make fuel prices more stable, providing better affordability for Nigerian citizens in the long run.
ETHIOPIA APPOINTS NEW PRESIDENT, REPLACING FIRST FEMALE LEADER
Taye Atske Selassie has taken over as president of Ethiopia, replacing Sahle-Work Zewde, the nation’s first female head of state.
Taye was sworn in on Monday after stepping down from his role as Foreign Minister.
However, in Ethiopia, political power rests with the prime minister, who is Abiy Ahmed. Ahmed has held the position since 2018 and backed Sahle-Work’s appointment.
AFCON 2025 QUALIFIERS CONTINUE THIS WEEK
The qualifying matches for the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2025, are set to continue this week.
Here are the upcoming matches:
TANZANIA PLANS TO INCREASE ELEPHANT HUNTING PERMITS
Tanzania is set to grant more hunting permits, emphasizing income and herd management over external conservation pressures.
The rise in legal elephant hunts over the past year has alarmed conservationists, who are pushing to protect the shrinking population, particularly as elephants move freely across the border.
Hunting is illegal in Kenya, but Tanzania permits it, justifying the practice by pointing to human-wildlife conflicts and the economic benefits it brings.
In the last eight months, trophy hunters legally targeted and killed a minimum of five elephants in northern Tanzania, according to conservation organizations.
MAURITIUS SETS ELECTION DATE FOR NOVEMBER 10TH
Mauritius’ general elections are just around the corner, scheduled for November 10th.
This was announced by Mauritius’ President, Prithvirajsing Roopun, confirming that the small island nation will hold its general elections next month.
The news came right after Mauritius secured a deal with Britain to reclaim the Chagos Islands.
RWANDA BEGINS VACCINE TRIALS AGAINST MARBURG VIRUS
On Sunday, Rwanda began a vaccine trial to fight the Marburg virus after an outbreak that has claimed a dozen lives since September 27.
By the time of writing this article, the health ministry of Rwanda confirmed 58 cases, and 13 deaths.
They reported that 700 doses of the Marburg vaccine arrived this week and will be distributed right away to doctors and healthcare workers impacted by the outbreak.
The 700 doses provided by the Sabin Vaccine Institute, based in Washington, DC, are designated for a trial in Rwanda that targets health workers and will take place at six clinical locations under a phase 2 study agreement with the Rwanda Biomedical Centre.
Marburg is a contagious virus similar to Ebola, with signs including fever, muscle pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and in severe cases, death from heavy blood loss.
If not treated, Marburg has a fatality rate of up to 88%.
Health officials are using mobile clinics to administer the vaccine, which has also been employed in Uganda and Kenya, according to Rwanda’s health minister Sabin Nsanzimana.
NIGERIA AND BRAZIL SET TO LAUNCH DIRECT FLIGHTS
Nigeria and Brazil will launch direct flights after a meeting between President Bola Tinubu and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in February 2024.
This major move was announced by Nigeria’s Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, who stated that the government is working to implement the Bilateral Air Service Agreement for direct flights to Brazil.
Per the announcement:
“In line with the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo SAN, has commenced high-level discussions with the Brazilian Ambassador to Nigeria, Carlos Garcete, to activate the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) and initiate direct flights between Nigeria and Brazil,” the statement noted.
ZIMBABWE COMPENSATES LOCAL, AND FOREIGN FARMERS OVER LAND INVASIONS
The Zimbabwean government will pay $20 million this month to farmers who lost their land during the farm invasions under former leader Robert Mugabe, according to the finance minister, Mthuli Ncube.
The budget was allocated for 2024 as part of efforts to revive the struggling farming industry and launch a long-awaited economic turnaround.
The farming sector crumbled in 2000 after Mugabe seized farms from white farmers, land originally taken from Black people during colonial times in the early 20th century.
Both white and Black farmers lost land in the chaotic, unplanned seizures 25 years ago, often benefiting Zanu-PF supporters.
The compensation will go to foreign farmers and 400 Black Zimbabweans, according to Ncube.
POLICE CHARGE WOMAN FOR ACCEPTING ₦2.8M AND REFUSING TO MARRY THE MAN
A Lagos court arraigned 25-year-old tailor Victoria Effiong for allegedly accepting ₦2.8m from a suitor and then refusing to marry him, Punch Newspaper reports.
Inspector Chinedu Njoku told the court that Effiong is facing charges of breach of peace, cheating, and false pretence related to a September 25, 2024, event on Ajanaku Street, Isashi.
Njoku said, “Effiong unlawfully cheated the complainant, Dominic Asuquo, by obtaining the sum of N2,866,000 under the pretext of agreeing to marry him, but she failed to follow through.”
The prosecutor said the defendant received an iPhone worth N240,000, clothes, a wristwatch, shoes, and bags valued at N350,000 while dating Asuquo, who also gave her N810,000 in cash and N4,000 daily for food over seven months, totaling N868,000.
While Effiong admitted accepting gifts like an iPhone, a smaller phone, money, and other items, she denied the relationship, stating Asuquo knew she was dating someone else and that she asked him to stop sending money. The prosecutor said these actions fall under Sections 168, 322, and 314 of the Lagos Criminal Laws.
She pleaded not guilty to the charges.
KENYA LAWMAKERS TO CONSIDER IMPEACHMENT OF DEPUTY PRESIDENT
Next week, Kenya’s Senate will consider whether to remove Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua after the National Assembly voted 281 to 44 in favor of his impeachment.
Gachagua faced a parliamentary hearing on Tuesday for accusations of personal enrichment, inciting ethnic tensions, and undermining the government.
The National Assembly approved the impeachment motion with 281 of 349 members voting yes, surpassing the required two-thirds majority.
Now, the motion moves to the parliament’s upper house for final approval, and if it is accepted, Gachagua will be the first deputy president removed under Kenya’s revised constitution.
However, Gachagua aims to contest the impeachment charges.
He has denied all 11 allegations, labeling the impeachment a “theatre of the absurd.”
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The post Top Stories in AFRICA this week: Dangote oil refinery, AFCON 2025 qualifiers, Marburg virus, Mozambique elections & more appeared first on YOMZANSI. Documenting THE CULTURE.
