In a bid to overturn a century-old economic contradiction, the Chief Executive of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Dr. Ransford A. Abbey, has made a passionate call to Nigeria and Cameroon to join forces with Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.
The goal is to form a unified African cocoa bloc controlling a decisive 75% of the world’s cocoa output to command price sovereignty and accelerate local processing.
Speaking at the Cocoa Value Addition Summit 2026 in Abuja under the theme “Moving Beyond The Bean: Unifying Africa For Value Addition And Price Sovereignty,” Dr. Abbey lamented that while West African nations produce the lion’s share of global cocoa, they remain trapped in a colonial economic cycle.
“Africa produces nearly 75-77% of the world’s cocoa beans, yet our continent earns less than 10% of the global chocolate industry’s wealth,” Dr. Abbey stated. “For decades, we have, and continue to package our sweat and toil into raw jute bags, shipping them off to foreign shores. In return, we import high-priced finished chocolate products and economic vulnerability. This system cannot stand. We must shift the paradigm from exporting raw poverty to creating refined wealth right here on the African continent.”
Ditching Offshore Loans for Local Financing
To back this paradigm shift, Dr. Abbey announced a historic departure from COCOBOD’s traditional financing methods. Effective from the 2026/27 crop year, Ghana will abandon its 79-year-old reliance on foreign syndicated loans in favor of an independent, domestic funding framework.
This operational shift is explicitly designed to empower local processors who have historically operated at less than half capacity due to bean shortages locked up in foreign export contracts.
● Financial Autonomy: The new model establishes a domestic financing system that provides liquidity without forcing COCOBOD to lock in advance export contracts.
● Access for Local Processors: COCOBOD will gain the flexibility to sell directly to local factories, actively supporting Ghana’s aggressive policy target to process at least 50% of its cocoa beans at home starting in the 2026/27 season.
“We are moving away from restrictive offshore syndicated loans and other funding regimes implemented over the past 79 years,” Dr. Abbey explained. “Hence, COCOBOD will now have the flexibility to sell any quantity of cocoa beans directly to local processors. This will increase access to beans and working capital, thereby increasing capacity utilization.”
The Push for a 75% Global Cocoa Alliance
The highlight of the summit was Dr. Abbey’s strategic push to expand the existing Côte d’Ivoire–Ghana Cocoa Initiative (CIGCI). Following a High-level Presidential Summit in Abidjan on June 16, 2026, where Ghanaian President John Mahama and Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara harmonized their farm-gate pricing policies, the alliance is ready to scale up.
Dr. Abbey revealed that President Mahama and President Ouattara will personally engage Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Cameroon’s President Paul Biya to seal a binding economic pact.
By coordinating crop calendars and supply management, the unified bloc intends to prevent international buyers from artificially depressing cocoa prices.
“As separate nations, global buyers play us against one another to crash prices,” Dr. Abbey warned. “But as a unified front, Africa should dictate the direction of the market. Our cooperation will send a clear message: we will protect our environment, but we will no longer tolerate sustainability without fair compensation.”
Confronting Western Demands
The COCOBOD Chief also took aim at stringent regulations regularly imposed by Western consumer markets, emphasizing that an expanded African alliance would provide the collective bargaining power needed to push back against unfair trade demands.
Looking forward, Dr. Abbey noted that Ghana will carry this message of origin-led resilience to the global stage when it hosts the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) Partnership Meeting in Accra in March 2027.
“The destiny of millions of our hardworking farmers, and the acceleration of value addition in the cocoa economy, rests in our hands,” Dr. Abbey concluded. “We do not need charity; they deserve equity.”
A routine flight to London turned into a high-stakes drug bust at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport when a 67-year-old grandmother was caught with 13 kilograms of cocaine ingeniously disguised as a bunch of fresh plantains.
Narcotic agents intercepted the elderly caregiver just moments before she could board her international flight, unraveling a highly sophisticated smuggling plot that went far deeper than a taste of home.
An Elaborate Disguise
According to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the multi-million-naira drug consignment was meticulously packaged to evade airport security. Officers conducting a thorough search of the suspect’s luggage discovered 31 large wraps of cocaine that had been masterfully molded and colored to look like real, fresh plantain hands.
The fake plantain peels were packed alongside genuine food items in her bags to blend in, but the unusual weight and texture aroused the suspicion of eagle-eyed narcotic officers. Upon closer inspection, the “plantains” were sliced open, revealing a total of 13 kilograms of pure cocaine hidden inside.
Suspect Confesses
Following the discovery, the elderly suspect was immediately taken into custody. In her official statement to law enforcement, she admitted full ownership of the recovered illicit substances.
The NDLEA has launched a comprehensive investigation to trace the syndicate behind the sophisticated smuggling attempt, as well as the local suppliers who manufactured the deceptive packaging.
The grandmother is currently being held in custody and is expected to be arraigned in a federal court as soon as investigations are concluded.
ABUJA, NIGERIA — In a major step toward building a more inclusive and resilient West Africa, the ECOWAS Commission has officially reinforced its commitment to citizen-centred regional integration by signing a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI).
The historic agreement was signed on Friday, July 3, 2026, at the newly inaugurated ECOWAS Commission Headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria. The pact was formalized by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, and the Executive Director of WACSI, Dr. Nana Asantewa Afadzinu.
A Strategic Alliance for Vision 2050
According to official statements, the MoU represents far more than a routine formal agreement between the two institutions. It reflects a deeply rooted, shared commitment to strategic partnership, constructive dialogue, and collective action aimed at advancing peace, democracy, and prosperity across the sub-region.
By institutionalising this collaboration, ECOWAS and WACSI have established a robust framework for engagement that will significantly enhance cooperation on key regional priorities.
“This partnership underscores the Commission’s unwavering commitment to placing citizens at the heart of regional integration,” an ECOWAS representative noted during the ceremony.
The initiative directly aligns with the aspirations of the ECOWAS Vision 2050, the bloc’s sweeping roadmap aimed at transforming West Africa into a more united, peaceful, inclusive, and prosperous community.
Bridging the Gap Between Policy and People
For years, critics have called for stronger bridges between regional governance bodies and the grassroots populations they serve. This new alliance with WACSI a leading civil society capacity-building institute is expected to bridge that gap.
The framework will allow both organizations to leverage their unique strengths to:
● Foster democratic governance and civic space.
● Enhance peace and security mechanisms through community engagement.
● Drive socio-economic development that directly benefits West African citizens.
As West Africa navigates complex political and economic landscapes, this institutionalized cooperation signals a progressive shift toward a “people-focused” diplomatic strategy, ensuring that the voices of civil society actively shape the region’s future.
From October 7 to 8, 2025, members of the ECOWAS ad hoc ministerial Committee are meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, to discuss and propose the allocation of positions for the ECOWAS’s future statutory appointees by country.
Among the positions to be filled are those of President, Vice-President, and Commissioners of the ECOWAS Commission, the honorable judges of the Community Court of Justice, the Auditor General, the Directors General of the Intergovernmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) and the West African Health Organization (WAHO).
The rotation of statutory appointees at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) follows a principle of rotation among member countries for their representation in executive bodies, as stipulated in the legal texts and regulations of the regional organization, with a non-renewable four-year term.
The proposals resulting from this meeting will be submitted to the approval of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in December.
Upwards trend in Ghana’s interest payment (debt servicing costs) due to it unsustainable debt levels, is expected to continue to exert upward pressure on government spending, Fitch Solutions has predicted.
The elevated interest payments, which has brought a situation of tight external and domestic financial conditions since 2022, will created a budget financing gap.
This is not particular with only Ghana but with Uganda and Nigeria as well, the UK-based firm, in an article titled “Return To International Capital Markets Belies Persistence Of Fiscal Risks In Sub-Saharan Africa,” indicated.
“Many governments across the region will continue to rely on domestic and external borrowing to cover fiscal deficits in 2025”, the article highlighted.
This comes as Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) experiences mixed progress in fiscal consolidation.
Efforts to reduce deficits through tax measures are likely to face challenges due to structural revenue constraints.
Domestic yields remain elevated, despite a gradual shift towards monetary easing in the region.
In the second quarter of 2024, the quarterly GDP-weighted average of SSA’s 10-year government bonds reached 12.63%, surpassing the previous peak of 12.62% seen in the final quarter of 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent tightening of global financial conditions.
The spread between SSA bonds and US 10-year Treasuries also widened, reflecting domestic challenges, including monetary tightening in Nigeria and election-related volatility in South Africa.
By the fourth quarter, yields remained high in countries like Nigeria and Kenya, driven by ongoing monetary tightening and heightened political risks.
West Africa’s macroeconomic environment has remained challenging due to several factors, the prominent ones being high inflation, a high interest rate environment, currency weakness, and elevated debt levels.
These challenges are likely to persist for the rest of 2024, driven by ongoing market reforms, weak consumer demand, and low foreign investment. As a result, consumers will likely face further declines in purchasing power, and businesses are likely to experience higher operating costs. Both households and businesses are already implementing belt-tightening measures to survive.
The resulting effect of these macroeconomic headwinds on productivity and overall aggregate demand is likely to stall the region’s economic growth for the year. In July, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) revised its 2024 growth forecast for Nigeria to 3.1% from its April forecast of 3.3%.1 The IMF also reduced sub-Saharan Africa’s growth forecast to 3.7% from 3.8% in April due to the downward revision in Nigeria’s growth outlook.2 Meanwhile, the IMF projects Ghana’s economy will grow 2.8% in 2024 and 4.4% in 2025.3
Economics
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Around 50 countries across the world are heading to the polls this year—or have already done so—including West African countries.4 Ghanaians are going to the polls this December. The current state of the economy and citizens’ welfare will factor heavily into how voters evaluate campaign promises and determine the next leader of the nation, an economy heavily dependent on cocoa and gold. The election outcome will weigh on policy direction, as well as investor and market sentiment.
West Africa’s economic growth rates to remain tepid in 2024
West Africa’s economic output has been limited by the rising cost of goods and services, leading to an increase in interest rates as monetary authorities attempt to rein in inflation. Nigeria and Ghana have also been facing currency volatility, which has had a severe impact on their ability to import raw materials and equipment required to boost output. In the first six months of the year, the Nigerian naira has lost over 40% of its value, and the Ghanaian cedi over 20% of its value against the US dollar.5
Nigeria
Nigeria’s economy grew by 2.98% year on year in the first quarter of 2024. Although faster than the corresponding period in 2023, when the economy grew 2.31% (figure 1), it marked a slowdown from an even faster growth rate of nearly 3.5%, seen in the fourth quarter of 2023. Major growth drivers in the first quarter of 2024 include the finance and insurance sector, which grew 31.24% year on year, and the water supply, sewage, waste management, and remediation sector, which grew by 6.95%. The oil and gas sector—the country’s economic mainstay—grew by 5.7%, after a year of contraction. The agriculture sector, on the other hand, continued to trudge along with a growth rate of 0.18%.6
The sluggish pace of growth is indicative of multiple factors, including reduced spending and investment. Consumer spending has declined significantly due to rising consumer product prices. Investment spending in the country has also dwindled, primarily due to foreign exchange difficulties that have partly contributed to the exit of several multinational corporations.
Nigeria will likely experience tepid short-term growth due to ongoing macroeconomic headwinds. Ongoing public protests, targeted against rising cost of living, have been largely predominant in the northern regions of the country, with pockets of unrest in some southern states as well. Further degeneration—especially in the south, the commercial belt of the country—could severely affect the nation’s overall economic output.
The IMF recently reduced its 2024 growth forecast for Nigeria, but there is some good news: It retained its 2025 growth forecast at 3%.7 Ongoing pro-market reforms will likely have positive effects on the economy, contributing to growth in 2025 and onward.
Looking beyond 2025, economic output is expected to accelerate as inflationary pressures start to ease and monetary conditions follow suit. An increase in oil-refining output, driven by Dangote’s refinery, operations resuming at government-owned refineries, and the possible entry of other private sector players will likely boost the country’s net exports. This could significantly propel economic growth in the medium term as fuel imports decline, while fuel exports and domestic crude production both increase.
Ghana
Ghana, compared to Nigeria, appears to have stronger growth prospects. Its economy grew by 4.7% year on year in the first quarter of 2024, driven by rapid 6.8% year-on-year growth in the industrial sector (figure 2). The agriculture and services sectors grew at a slower pace of 4.1% and 3.3% year on year, respectively. The country is recovering from a debt-induced crisis, following the government’s ongoing restructuring of its US$30 million debt. The implementation of monetary policy measures by the Bank of Ghana has also helped reduce inflation. Ghana has been able to secure approval for two tranches of IMF disbursements so far this year, bringing cumulative disbursements from the IMF to US$1.56 billion since 2023.8
The outlook for the Ghanaian economy is favorable in the short to medium term. However, there are downside risks emanating from the forthcoming general elections in December, high inflation, and elevated interest rates, all of which are weighing on private consumption and investment spending in 2024. However, a faster pace of recovery is expected from 2025 onward, driven by an anticipated decline in consumer prices, which will trigger a further cut in interest rates. In addition, mining output is estimated to rise, supported by increased output from the recommissioned Bibiani gold mine and production from the Ahafo North gold mine.9 The country’s cocoa output—one of the main drivers of the economy—will encounter volatility as a result of climatic conditions, smuggling, diseases (cacao swollen shoot virus and the black pod, for instance), and global commodity price fluctuations.
Inflation: Upside risks persist in the region
Rising consumer prices have been one of the major macroeconomic challenges plaguing developing countries, especially in West Africa. While inflation in Ghana now seems to be on a downward slope, it rages on in Nigeria.
Nigeria
Inflationary pressures in Nigeria are a result of structural issues, as well as external imbalances. A food crisis, heightened insecurity, a misaligned exchange rate and dollar illiquidity, and supply chain disruptions are some key domestic contributors. At the mid-year mark, Nigeria’s inflation rate was 34.19%, year on year. Food inflation, the major driver of the uptick, is trending above 40% year on year, while core inflation was up 27.4%, year on year, in June (figure 3).10 Government reforms implemented have exacerbated the pressure on consumer prices and the cost of doing business due to the inflationary impact. Purchasing power has been severely eroded, and this has led to reduced consumer spending. Business profit margins have also thinned significantly, with many companies struggling to stay afloat.
President Bola Tinubu has approved a new minimum wage of 70,000 naira per month,11 which is over 130% higher than the current level of 30,000 naira. While this is a welcome development, the more pertinent question is how the state government will afford the new wage level, especially since most states are currently struggling to pay their workers. This implies that state governments will have to either borrow more or increase their revenue generation to bridge the fiscal gap. The senate has approved a supplementary budget of 6.2 trillion naira, of which three trillion naira would be used to finance the minimum wage. This has increased the FGN 2024 Appropriation Bill to 34.98 trillion naira and will further widen the fiscal deficit beyond the 3.4% of gross domestic product projected in the 2024 budget.12
The upward trend in the cost of goods and services is estimated to continue for the rest of the year. The government has a year-end inflation target of 21.4%. This is highly optimistic and may not be achieved, especially if policy implementation lags are considered. In addition, for a country that is highly import-dependent, the role of the exchange rate cannot be overemphasized.
The naira witnessed severe volatility in the early part of 2024 before stabilizing at around 1,500 per US dollar. The local currency touched a high of 1,050 per US dollar and a low of 1,800 per US dollar at the parallel market in the first six months of the year. In the official market, the local currency experienced similar volatility, closing at 1,510.10 per US dollar at the mid-year mark.13
The Central Bank of Nigeria’s foreign exchange measures, which include introducing a “willing buyer, willing seller” market, clearing of foreign exchange demand backlog, and releasing new regulations guiding the operations of the bureau de change’s foreign exchange subsegment, are restoring investor confidence in the economy. If the pace of reform is sustained, it should provide some stability in the market. More importantly, new dollar supply sources will be needed to augment the policies and whittle down speculative demand. Nigeria’s oil production level is also projected to increase marginally to 1.3 million barrels per day in 2024 and 1.35 million barrels per day in 2025,14 from 1.23 million barrels per day in 2023.15 This is expected to boost the country’s export proceeds and dollar supply.
A more stable naira will play a major role in dampening inflationary pressures in Nigeria. An average inflation rate above 30% is expected in 2024.16 However, this is likely to taper toward an average of 23.8% in 2025 due to base effects, and the impact of ongoing monetary tightening.17 Upside risks to this forecast will arise from a possible increase in taxes and tariffs as the government intensifies its revenue mobilization efforts. The government has recently suspended tariffs, duties, and taxes on some imported grains for 150 days to ameliorate the effects of the food crisis on consumer welfare.18 The implementation of other major reforms may also be put on hold in the short term to reduce the contracting effect on consumer pockets.
Ghana
Inflation in Ghana has been on a steady decline since August 2023, with one or two months standing out from the trend. The deceleration has been driven by a tight monetary policy stance, ongoing fiscal consolidation of the government, and relatively stable transportation fares. Ghana’s annual inflation rate has fallen from a record high of 54.1% in December 2022 to a 26-month low of 22.8% in June 2024 (figure 3).19
The disinflationary trend in Ghana is expected to continue over the second half of the year. The Bank of Ghana has a year-end inflation target of 15% (plus or minus 2%). While this appears probable to achieve, there are upside risks, which largely arise from election spending and bouts of local currency volatility. In the first half of 2024, the Ghanaian cedi lost over 20% of its value against the US dollar, due to a mismatch in foreign exchange demand and supply.20 Demand has been growing for US dollars to purchase petroleum products, fuel, and other consumer goods.
On the other hand, cocoa earnings—one of the country’s major sources of foreign exchange—have declined by about 49% in the first four months of the year, due to poor harvests and challenges like smuggling.21 The good news is that the government has made significant progress with its debt-restructuring deal with official creditors, which should fast-track the disbursement of another tranche of funds from the IMF.
The anticipated inflow should shore up external buffers and provide support to the Ghana cedi. This will, in turn, have a positive impact on imported inflation. As of the end of June, Ghana’s gross external reserves were at US$6.9 billion, providing coverage for 3.1 months of imports.22
The anticipated increase in election-related spending will increase the level of money supply in the system, which could spur demand-pull inflation.
Policy environment in West African economies
Monetary policy
The monetary policy environment in West Africa has been contractionary for the last two years, owing to rising inflationary pressures. The Central Bank of Nigeria has raised its benchmark interest rates by a cumulative 15.25% since it commenced its tightening stance in May 2022. As of July 2024, the monetary policy rate in Nigeria was 26.75%.23 The Bank of Ghana, on the other hand, raised its rate by an aggregate of 13% between May 2022 and December 2023, before implementing its first rate cut of 100 basis points in January 2024—Ghana’s monetary policy rate stands at 29% as of July 2024.24
Nigeria
Monetary policy will remain contractionary in Nigeria as long as inflationary pressures persist. The Central Bank of Nigeria has indicated that interest rates will remain elevated as long as inflation continues to rise.25 However, the pace of increase may slow to allow for the impact of previous hikes to take effect on the market.
Higher interest rates have negative implications for these markets in the short run, such as a higher cost of funds and reduced credit to the private sector, which will hinder the growth of the overall economy. We also expect to see a continued shift away from equities toward interest-bearing securities. The effectiveness of raising interest rates to curb inflation in Nigeria will require fiscal policy support, as the main driver of inflation is food inflation.
Ghana
Ghana, on the other hand, may cut interest rates further in the second half of 2024. The rate cuts are likely to be tapered to limit the risk of a resurgence in inflationary pressures. This is because a higher level of money supply is expected as a result of election spending. Beyond 2024, we expect more aggressive rate cuts as inflation falls towards single digits. This will spur an increase in domestic demand and the overall aggregate output of the Ghanaian economy.
Fiscal policy
Fiscal policy in West Africa revolves around two main themes, revenue mobilization and debt restructuring/sustainability. Nigeria and Ghana both have high debt profiles.
Ghana has an ongoing debt-restructuring plan that has helped it secure an IMF package and disbursements alongside securing agreements with its lenders.
Nigeria, on the other hand, is facing rising debt levels amid low revenue generation. The widening fiscal gap caused by the new minimum wage will have to be bridged by either new borrowings or an increase in revenue. Generating more revenue implies higher taxes and tariffs, which has an inflationary effect.
An international accounting and auditing firm, Deloitte, has indicated that, macroeconomic indicators (inflation, exchange rate, interest rate, and debt to GDP) to remain high throughout the rest of 2024 in Ghana and Nigeria.
The the two giants and the entire West African macroeconomic environment remain challenging due to several factors, prominent ones being high inflation, a high interest rate environment, currency weakness, and elevated debt levels.
The worsening economic conditions erodes the purchasing power of consumers while deteriorating standard of living and also increasing cost of doing business in the sub-region. As remarked by Deloitte, both households and businesses are already implementing belt-tightening measures to survive.
“The resulting effect of these macroeconomic headwinds on productivity and overall aggregate demand is likely to stall the region’s economic growth for the year”, Deloitte said in its West Africa economic outlook, August 2024 report.
“In July, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) revised its 2024 growth forecast for Nigeria to 3.1% from its April forecast of 3.3%. The IMF also reduced sub-Saharan Africa’s growth forecast to 3.7% from 3.8% in April due to the downward revision in Nigeria’s growth outlook. Meanwhile, the IMF projects Ghana’s economy will grow 2.8% in 2024 and 4.4% in 2025.”
The report indicated that around 50 countries across the world are heading to the polls this year—or have already done so—including West African countries.
As Ghanaians gears towards the December polls, the current state of the economy and citizens’ welfare will factor heavily into how voters evaluate campaign promises and determine the next leader of the nation, an economy heavily dependent on cocoa and gold. The election outcome will weigh on policy direction, as well as investor and market sentiment.
“West Africa’s economic output has been limited by the rising cost of goods and services, leading to an increase in interest rates as monetary authorities attempt to rein in inflation. Nigeria and Ghana have also been facing currency volatility, which has had a severe impact on their ability to import raw materials and equipment required to boost output. In the first six months of the year, the Nigerian naira has lost over 40% of its value, and the Ghanaian cedi over 20% of its value against the US dollar,” it said.
In the case of Nigeria, it said the oil-rich country’s economy grew by 2.98% year on year in the first quarter of 2024. Although faster than the corresponding period in 2023, when the economy grew 2.31%, it marked a slowdown from an even faster growth rate of nearly 3.5%, seen in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Major growth drivers in the first quarter of 2024 include the finance and insurance sector, which grew 31.24% year on year, and the water supply, sewage, waste management, and remediation sector, which grew by 6.95%. The oil and gas sector—the country’s economic mainstay—grew by 5.7%, after a year of contraction. The agriculture sector, on the other hand, continued to trudge along with a growth rate of 0.18%.
The sluggish pace of growth is indicative of multiple factors, including reduced spending and investment. Consumer spending has declined significantly due to rising consumer product prices. Investment spending in the country has also dwindled, primarily due to foreign exchange difficulties that have partly contributed to the exit of several multinational corporations.
Ghana, compared to Nigeria, appears to have stronger growth prospects, the report said.
Its economy grew by 4.7% year on year in the first quarter of 2024, driven by rapid 6.8% year-on-year growth in the industrial sector. The agriculture and services sectors grew at a slower pace of 4.1% and 3.3% year on year, respectively. The country is recovering from a debt-induced crisis, following the government’s ongoing restructuring of its US$30 million debt. The implementation of monetary policy measures by the Bank of Ghana has also helped reduce inflation. Ghana has been able to secure approval for two tranches of IMF disbursements so far this year, bringing cumulative disbursements from the IMF to US$1.56 billion since 2023.
Spending the last one week in Maiduguri, from 11 to 17th March, 2023, once a danger zone with full of anxiety, once could feel the presence of restored peacefulness and serenity in the metropolis and the peri-urban areas.
Trading in Maiduguri
Normal activities going on with less anxiousness as trading booming, schools fully in session, civil and public services have fully restored after thirteen (13) years of being under siege by insurgency of Boko Haram.
School girls in Maiduguri peacefully chatting
Maiduguri, the capital city of the largest State by land size in Federal State of Nigeria (Borno State), is the principal trading hub for north-eastern Nigeria. Its economy is largely based on services and trade with a small share of manufacturing. Maiduguri is home to three markets which include a modern ‘Monday market’ that has a spectacular image view, the ‘Customs market’ and ‘Baga Road Market’.
Baga Road Market
During a fact finding mission to ascertain realism and aftermath of Nigeria’s worst experienced insurgency attack by ‘Boko Haram’, many of the people in Maiduguri feel hopeful and full of praises to all those that contributed to the peace restoration. But, as close as a 30 kilometer away from the metropolis is not yet assured of calmness as they do experience sporadic attacks by the insurgency.
“Normal trade and farming activities are ongoing now, Alhamdulilah”, said a civil servant at the Federal Secretariat who spoke to the team on basis of anonymity. “Although normalcy have been restored in some parts of the State and it is a little peaceful to move around now, it is not yet over. In some Local Government Areas (LGAs) attacks are happening there.”
“The last attack was about two weeks ago on lake in Dikwa LGA, about 60 kilometers away from Maiduguri metro, where about 30 fishermen were killed while on their fishing routine”, a top official at the Borno State Ministry For Reconstruction, Rehabilitation And Resettlement disclosed to the team unofficially.
However, he indicated that the situation is better now in the Borno State if compared to years back, where even within the capital city people lived under intense fear.
“About 90 percent of the displaced victims have returned to their various LGA after the government through the ministry rebuild individual houses, social, religious and security infrastructures that were destroyed during the attacks.
“With the 10% still in the metropolis, some are just not willing to return to their various LGAs as they have started meaningful life in the city of Maiduguri whiles others are out of fear of attack”, he added.
This is a sign the the tireless effort of the, political will of the government, security agencies and all collaborating agencies and the social work of Non-Governmental Organisations, para-militia volunteer groups formed by the individual residents within the LGAs.
Some of the NGOs helping restoring life to normalcy include: UNDP, UNHCR, World Food Program, INSO, Solidaire, IRC, IOM, Plan International, Save The Children, Federal Government Victims Support Fund, Empowerment and Education (Self Help Initiative) among others.
Borno State is a state in the North-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, bordered by Yobe to the west, Gombe to the southwest, and Adamawa to the south while its eastern border forms part of the national border with Cameroon, its northern border forms part of the national border with Niger, and its northeastern border forms all of the national border with Chad, being the only Nigerian state to border three foreign countries.
According to history, it takes its name from the historic emirate of Borno, with the emirate’s old capital of Maiduguri serving as the capital city of Borno State. The state was formed in 1976 when the former North-Eastern State was broken up. It originally included the area that is now Yobe State, which became a distinct state in 1991.
Borno is the second largest in area of the 36 states, only behind Niger State. Despite its size, the state is the eleventh most populous with an estimated population of about 5.86 million as of 2016.
As a partially agriculturally-based state, the rural Borno State economy relied heavily on livestock and crops prior to the Boko Haram insurgency while state capital Maiduguri is a major regional trade and service center.
However, after years of the insurgency affecting development and forcing farmers from rural areas in the state, Borno has the thirteenth lowest Human Development Index in the country but as the insurgency has slightly abated since 2016, development has renewed.
As of 2022, much of Borno State has been occupied by the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) overpowering Boko Haram after the death of their leader, Abubakar Shekau in 2021 in a suicide bomb.
ISWAP is a militant group and administrative division of the Islamic State (IS), a Salafi jihadist militant group and unrecognised proto-state. ISWAP is primarily active in the Chad Basin, and fights an extensive insurgency against the states of Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. It is an offshoot of Boko Haram with which it has a violent rivalry; Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau killed himself in battle with ISWAP in 2021. ISWAP acts as an umbrella organization for all IS factions in West Africa including the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (IS-GS), although the actual ties between ISWAP and IS-GS are limited.
