Abuja, Nigeria – Senator Sadiq Suleiman Umar, representing Kwara North Senatorial District and Chairman of the Senate Committees on Trade & Investment and Rules & Business, has urged young Africans to take the lead in driving the continent’s trade and investment future under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

Delivering the keynote address at the 2025 Africa and Middle East Senate Association (AMESA) Summit hosted by Junior Chamber International (JCI) in Abuja, Senator Umar commended JCI’s global role in raising leaders and promoting active citizenship.

He emphasized Africa’s demographic advantage, stating:

“With 1.4 billion people and 60% under the age of 25, Africa holds the key to the future of global trade and innovation.”

Referencing World Bank statistics, Umar highlighted that AfCFTA could lift 30 million Africans out of poverty and increase incomes by $450 billion by 2035, provided countries commit to cross-border collaboration, trade missions, and youth-driven entrepreneurship.

On Nigeria’s role, he described the nation as a “gateway for investment and innovation”, citing its 220 million population, dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem, and recent policy reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

He further noted that Nigeria’s fintech sector has attracted over $2 billion in foreign investment within the last five years.

The Senator urged African governments and businesses to prioritize agriculture, renewable energy, digital trade, and infrastructure, stressing that trade must be viewed beyond goods and services.

“Trade is not just about goods and services; it is about the movement of ideas, opportunities, and hope,” he declared.

Senator Umar closed by reaffirming the Nigerian Legislature’s commitment to policies that unlock Africa’s untapped potential, challenging young Africans to lead with integrity, innovation, and service.

THE JCI AMESA SUMMIT – WAZOBIA 2025

The Junior Chamber International (JCI) Africa and Middle East Senate Association (AMESA) Summit 2025 officially opened in Abuja, bringing together leaders and changemakers from across the continent and beyond.

The four-day summit, themed “Rediscovering Africa’s Untapped Potential Through Regional Collaboration & Partnerships,” runs from September 18 to 21, 2025.

Organizers say AMESA 2025 promises to be a transformative event, serving as a platform for influential figures to drive progress, explore opportunities, and shape the future of Africa and the Middle East through united efforts and strategic cooperation.

Throughout the summit, participants will engage in dynamic discussions, exchange best practices, and build actionable frameworks aimed at fostering sustainable development, regional integration, and stronger partnerships.

PHOTOS FROM THR OPENING CEREMONY

A senior government official in Equatorial Guinea, Baltasar Ebang Engonga, popularly known as “Bello”, has been sentenced to eight years in prison after being convicted of embezzlement in a scandal that shook the nation with both financial crimes and viral sex tapes.

The Bioko provincial court found Engonga guilty of diverting hundreds of thousands of dollars through fake travel claims for personal gain, according to Supreme Court press director Hilario Mitogo.

Engonga, a married former head of the National Financial Investigation Agency, first hit global headlines last November when explicit sex tapes leaked online. The videos, some allegedly filmed in his Finance Ministry office, featured him with wives of fellow senior officials.

The scandal triggered a storm of online ridicule, sparking parody songs, skits, and viral dance challenges, with even a cheeky reference appearing in Burna Boy’s hit track “Tatata.”

Alongside five other senior officials, Engonga was ordered to pay a $220,000 fine in addition to serving his prison sentence.

The case has fueled fresh debates about corruption and abuse of office within Equatorial Guinea’s ruling elite, in a country long criticized for lack of transparency despite its vast oil wealth.

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A tragic helicopter crash in Ghana’s Ashanti Region has claimed the lives of eight people, including two prominent government officials. The Ghana Air Force helicopter went down in the Adansi Akrofuom district on Tuesday, August 6, 2025, during a flight from Accra to Obuasi.

Among the victims were Ghana’s Defence Minister, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, and Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed. Several other government officials and crew members also perished in the crash.

President Nana Akufo-Addo has expressed profound sorrow over the loss and has directed that flags be flown at half-mast nationwide for a week in honour of the deceased. The government has also launched an urgent investigation into the cause of the crash, with initial reports indicating bad weather may have played a role.

This incident marks one of the deadliest air disasters involving government officials in Ghana’s recent history, prompting an outpouring of condolences from across the country and beyond.

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Malabo, Equatorial Guinea – The high-profile corruption trial of Baltasar Ebang Engonga, former director-general of the National Financial Investigation Agency (ANIF), began on June 30.

Engonga, known for his leaked sextapes, faces charges of embezzlement, illicit enrichment, and abuse of office.

The prosecution alleges Engonga orchestrated an elaborate scheme to siphon off public funds during his tenure as head of the Directorate General of Insurance and Reinsurance (DGAR) from 2015 to 2020.

The national prosecutor has requested an exceptionally heavy sentence: 8 years for embezzlement, 4 years and 5 months for illicit enrichment, and 6 years and 1 day for abuse of office.

The charges also carry a proposed fine exceeding 910 million CFA francs (approximately $1.5 million) and a ban on holding public office.

Engonga’s defense team has condemned the charges as politically motivated and challenged the credibility of the evidence.

The trial is ongoing, with proceedings scheduled to continue this week. Six other former senior civil servants are also accused of misappropriating funds in a widespread network of financial malpractice.
A verdict is expected in the coming days.

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President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone has been elected as the new Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.

He succeeds Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, who held the position for the past two years.

The announcement was made during the 67th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority, held on Sunday in Abuja.

In his inaugural address, Bio outlined four strategic priorities for his tenure: restoring constitutional order, strengthening democracy, revitalising regional security, advancing economic integration, and reinforcing institutional credibility across the bloc.

“As Chair, I will prioritise four key areas: first, restoring constitutional order and deepening democracy.

“We must engage transitional governments constructively and support member states in building stronger democratic institutions rooted in the rule of law.

“Second, revitalising regional security cooperation, we must overhaul our collective security architecture, from intelligence sharing to rapid response, to confront new threats with unity and resolve.

“Third, unlocking economic integration. The ECOWAS liberalisation scheme, regional infrastructure, and cross-border value chains must become engines of jobs, trade, and resilience. Fourth, building institutional credibility.

“ECOWAS must reform itself to become more transparent, efficient, and responsive to the needs of its people,” he said.

Earlier, President Tinubu officially handed over the mantle of leadership during the high-level meeting, which brought together heads of state and key regional stakeholders.

“As I now hand over the mantle of leadership to my great friend and dear brother, His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, the new Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.

“I do so with a deep sense of fulfilment and optimism for the future of West Africa.

“I remain confident that with the continued cooperation of all its members, ECOWAS will scale greater heights in our collective pursuit of peace, security, stability, and prosperity for our people and our region,” Tinubu said.

Tinubu was first elected as ECOWAS Chairman on July 9, 2023, during a summit in Guinea-Bissau.

He was re-elected in 2024 in Abuja, following a unanimous decision by member states to uphold continuity and stability in the region’s leadership. (NAN)

Bola Tinubu demands activation of ECOWAS Standby Force

Meanwhile president Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday reflected on the delayed activation of the Standby Force floated by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

He tasked leaders of the regional to move decisively from “concept to operational reality” in the region’s battle against terrorism and transnational crimes.

Speaking during his opening address at the 67th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Abuja, President Tinubu, before bowing out as chairman, underscored the urgent need for collective security measures amid rising insecurity across the sub-region.

Tinubu said: “I am a little bit worried about the slow pace of its activation, which is taking longer than desired. The ECOWAS Standby Force must move from concept to operational reality”.

He warned that security threats facing West Africa are no longer confined within borders and are increasingly driven by agile, dangerous, and borderless networks.

“No single nation can, therefore, address these challenges alone. We must strengthen coordination, amplify political will, and prioritise a collective approach to secure our region”, he stressed.

President Tinubu used the platform to highlight key milestones achieved under his chairmanship, including progress in regional military logistics.

He pointed to the completion of the ECOWAS Military Logistics Depot in Lungi, Sierra Leone, as a significant step toward building a responsive security architecture.

“With the depot’s completion, Nigeria is committing itself to sea-lift and air-lift arrangements with ECOWAS. Last February in Addis Ababa, Nigeria signed the Sixth Agreement with the African Union to reinforce this commitment”, he announced.

He also reflected on diplomatic efforts to reintegrate Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, which have been suspended from the bloc following military takeovers.

While acknowledging the setbacks, Tinubu expressed cautious optimism.

“Under my chairmanship, I deployed all diplomatic means to engage and dialogue with our brothers in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. I am confident that before too long, they may return to the family,” he said.

On the economic front, Tinubu reiterated the importance of regional cooperation and integration, lamenting the persistently low levels of intra-regional trade despite the bloc’s potential.

“Our intra-regional trade remains low, even as we possess the potential to be an economic powerhouse. We must create the enabling environment, empower the private sector, and create the conditions necessary for innovation to flourish”, Tinubu noted.

He urged speedy implementation of key infrastructure projects, identifying the West African Gas Pipeline, West African Power Pool, and Abidjan–Lagos Corridor Highway as critical levers for boosting development and economic connectivity across member states.

“Our future demands action, not hesitation,” he declared, reinforcing his belief that regional peace, prosperity, and security can only be achieved through collective will and purpose-driven leadership.

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