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By Gloria Ikibah

Nigeria and Ghana have agreed to strengthen cooperation in tackling the growing wave of Afrophobic protests and attacks against African nationals across the continent, with both countries pledging to push the issue onto the agenda of the next African Union Summit.

The commitment followed a bilateral meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, and Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, on the sidelines of the ECOWAS Mid-Year Summit in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

During the meeting, Ambassador Enikanolaiye commended the longstanding relationship between Nigeria and Ghana, describing both countries as partners with shared values and common aspirations for Africa.

He said, “There is a need for increased collaboration and strategic consultation between our two countries, as well as preventive diplomacy that will enable us to address potential challenges before they escalate.”

The minister also conveyed the goodwill of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama and praised Ghana’s leadership in advancing Pan-Africanism and the campaign for reparations for Africans and people of African descent affected by the transatlantic slave trade and colonialism.

He congratulated President Mahama on the adoption of the landmark United Nations resolution on the Transatlantic Slave Trade and the successful hosting of the Next Steps High-Level Conference on reparative justice.

According to him, “Nigeria aligns with and fully supports the decisions of the Conference in the quest for reparative justice for Africans.”

Responding, Ghana’s Foreign Minister congratulated Ambassador Enikanolaiye on his recent appointment and expressed confidence that both countries would continue to strengthen their diplomatic partnership.

He said, “There is a need for continuous collaboration between Nigeria and Ghana, anchored on action-oriented preventive diplomacy achieved through brotherly communication devoid of unnecessary bureaucracy.”

Ablakwa also thanked Nigeria for supporting the landmark UN resolution on the transatlantic slave trade and its continued advocacy for reparative justice.

He highlighted progress already made, including formal apologies issued by the Pope, the Church of England and the Church of Scotland, alongside ongoing efforts by several European countries to return looted artefacts.

The Ghanaian minister further acknowledged Nigeria’s contribution at the recent high-level conference on reparative justice.

He said, “We appreciate the positive impact of the Nigerian delegation, particularly the statement delivered and the commitment expressed by Nigeria in advancing the cause of reparative justice.”

A major focus of the meeting was the recent rise in Afrophobic protests and attacks targeting African nationals, particularly in South Africa.

Both ministers expressed concern that such incidents threaten the ideals of African unity, regional integration and the free movement of people envisioned under the African Union and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
They jointly condemned xenophobia, Afrophobia and all forms of violence directed at fellow Africans.

The ministers stated that “all forms of xenophobia, Afrophobia, intolerance and violence against fellow Africans are contrary to the shared values of Pan-Africanism and the collective progress of the continent.”

They stressed the need for coordinated continental action to address the root causes of such tensions, safeguard the rights and dignity of African migrants and promote peaceful coexistence across the continent.

The ministers also maintained that while individuals involved in criminal activities should face justice, they should be prosecuted in accordance with the law rather than becoming victims of mob violence.

They emphasised that “criminals among migrant populations must be treated in accordance with the rule of law and not be subjected to violence and mob actions that often target even regular migrants and other law-abiding African citizens.”

As part of their resolutions, both countries agreed to work together to ensure that Afrophobia becomes a priority issue at the next African Union Summit.

They also pledged to engage other member states in advocating stronger African Union mechanisms, including enhanced monitoring systems, early warning structures and preventive diplomacy to prevent future incidents.

The meeting reaffirmed the close ties between Nigeria and Ghana, with both ministers calling on African Union member states to recommit themselves to the principles of Pan-Africanism, mutual respect and the free movement of persons.

They further encouraged sustained public education and dialogue to combat prejudice, strengthen solidarity and promote greater understanding among African communities.

The discussions ended with both countries reaffirming their commitment to working together within ECOWAS, the African Union and other multilateral platforms to build a more peaceful, inclusive and prosperous Africa.

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By Gloria Ikibah

Members of the 18th Regular Course of the Foreign Service Academy (FSA), have honoured Ambassador Ahmed Olatunji Sulu-Gambari with a send-off dinner following his appointment as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Malaysia, with concurrent accreditation to Brunei Darussalam.

The event which held on Wednesday, in Abuja, brought together serving and retired diplomats, senior government officials, colleagues, family members and friends to celebrate the ambassador’s appointment and recognise his years of service in the Nigerian Foreign Service.

Delivering the welcome address on behalf of members of the 18th Regular Course, former Nigerian Ambassador to Cuba, Ambassador Ben Okoyen, congratulated Sulu-Gambari on what he described as a well-deserved appointment.

He praised the ambassador as a seasoned diplomat whose professionalism, humility and dedication to national service had earned him the confidence of the Federal Government.
Okoyen said the gathering reflected the enduring camaraderie within the Nigerian Foreign Service and expressed optimism that Sulu-Gambari would further strengthen Nigeria’s diplomatic relations with Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam while advancing the country’s foreign policy objectives.

In response, Ambassador Sulu-Gambari expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for entrusting him with the new diplomatic assignment.

He also acknowledged the support he had received throughout his career from the leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, the Permanent Secretary and senior colleagues.

The ambassador pledged to serve Nigeria with commitment and uphold the country’s interests throughout his tenure.

He reiterated his commitment to diligently promoting Nigeria’s national interest, strengthening bilateral relations with Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam, and discharging his responsibilities with dedication, professionalism and integrity.

In a goodwill message, Nigeria’s High Commissioner-designate to India, Ambassador Saidu Dahiru Mohammed, described the appointment as a fitting reward for years of dedicated service in the Nigerian Foreign Service.

He congratulated Sulu-Gambari and wished him a successful and impactful diplomatic mission.

The ceremony featured goodwill messages, presentation of a commemorative plaque, special recognitions, group photographs and a reception attended by senior diplomats, officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representatives of government institutions, members of the 18th Regular Course of the Foreign Service Academy, and family members of the celebrant.

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President Bola Tinubu has signed a new executive order establishing a coordinated regulatory framework for virtual assets in Nigeria, with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) taking the lead in overseeing the sector.

The Presidency announced on Friday that the Presidential Executive Order on Virtual Assets Coordination, 2026, takes immediate effect.

In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the government said the directive is aimed at harmonising the regulation of virtual assets, strengthening collaboration among financial regulators, protecting Nigerians from fraud and encouraging responsible innovation.

According to the statement, the executive order became necessary because the rapid evolution of virtual assets has blurred “the traditional boundaries between currencies, money, commodities and securities”, creating regulatory overlaps and gaps.

The Presidency noted that weak coordination among regulatory agencies has left the country vulnerable to money laundering, terrorism financing, cybercrime, fraud and revenue leakages.

“Too often, unregistered and fraudulent operators have exploited these gaps to prey on unsuspecting Nigerians, costing families their savings,” the statement said.

To address these concerns, the executive order establishes a Virtual Asset Council chaired by the CBN, while the NRS and SEC will serve as vice-chairs.

Other members of the council include the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

Onanuga said the council will provide policy direction, strengthen cooperation among participating agencies and work with the Attorney-General of the Federation to develop a harmonised legal and institutional framework for regulating virtual assets.

The order also creates a Virtual Asset Office, which will be domiciled at the CBN to coordinate information sharing, applications and reporting among relevant agencies.

The presidential spokesman stressed that the new framework does not create another regulator or diminish the statutory responsibilities of existing institutions.

“Significantly, the Order does not create a new regulator or transfer powers between agencies. Each institution retains its full statutory mandate and independence, and the framework coordinates their work rather than replacing it,” the statement added.

Under the new framework, the SEC will continue to regulate virtual assets classified as securities, while the CBN will supervise payment, settlement, custody and other services involving non-security virtual assets. Where regulatory jurisdiction is unclear, the Virtual Asset Council will determine the appropriate supervising agency.

The Presidency also disclosed that the CBN is moving ahead with plans to establish a regulatory sandbox for the virtual assets industry.

According to Onanuga, the sandbox will enable qualified operators to test virtual asset products, blockchain-based services and other innovations under regulatory supervision before they are introduced to the wider market.

“It will help ensure that innovations that reach Nigerians have been properly examined and supervised,” the spokesperson said.

Further details of the sandbox are expected to be announced by the apex bank.

The statement added that the Nigeria Revenue Service will also introduce a tax policy specifically for the virtual assets sector to clarify how existing tax laws apply and improve voluntary compliance.

In addition, the Federal Government is finalising a Virtual Assets White Paper that will outline Nigeria’s long-term policy direction for the industry.

The newly established Virtual Asset Council has also been directed to develop a harmonised implementation framework within 30 days to facilitate the execution of the presidential order.