Nigeria’s lower house of parliament passed four tax reform bills proposed by President Bola Tinubu, marking progress in the government’s tax overhaul. The new system aims to raise value-added tax (VAT) to 12.5% by 2026, streamline tax collection, and overhaul revenue-sharing between federal and state governments. However, lawmakers retained VAT at 7.5% and excluded minimum wage earners from income tax to ease the tax burden on lower-income earners. The bills are expected to be passed by the upper house of parliament next week, taking effect as soon as President Tinubu gives his assent.
Uganda deployed troops to South Sudan, on Tuesday, to protect President Salva Kiir’s fragile government amid a tense rivalry with his deputy, Machar. The troops are expected to support the government in Juba, the capital, against a possible rebel advance. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has acted as a guarantor of the peace process, ensuring the unity of Kiir and Machar in a delicate national unity government. The deployment is part of a larger effort to prevent a return to civil war in the east African nation.
A hotel in Beledweyne, Somalia, was attacked on Teusday by armed Islamists, al-Shabab, who have been waging a brutal insurgency for over two decades. The attack began with a car bomb and gunmen entering the hotel, leading to intense clashes with security forces. The raid occurred during a meeting between politicians, security officials, and traditional elders. However, Somali security forces ended the siege on Wednesday, leaving an unknown number of people dead, including all the al-Shabab militants who launched the attack.
The European Union has announced a €4.7 billion ($5.1 billion) investment package for South Africa, during the first bilateral summit between the EU and South Africa in seven years, held at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office in Cape Town on Thursday. This commitment aims at supporting green energy and vaccine production, marking a significant step in strengthening economic and political ties. While highlighting South Africa’s stability and predictability, the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the country as a “reliable partner” and also expressed Europe’s commitment to expanding trade ties and South Africa’s leadership within the G20.
Angola has announced that the Democratic Republic of Congo government and the M23 rebel group will hold direct peace talks on 18 March. Angola has acted as a mediator in the conflict in eastern Congo, which escalated in late January. The rebels, supported by Rwanda, have taken control of Goma and Bukavu, the region’s second biggest city. This announcement comes despite the previous refusal of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi to engage directly with the M23, and after several cancelled peace talks hosted by Angola, which had previously excluded the M23 and focused on their Rwandan backers. The ongoing conflict has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, displacing over seven million people.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has ended its military mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following the loss of at least a dozen soldiers in January. The SADC confirmed a phased withdrawal of its troops, which were deployed in December 2023 to restore peace amid conflict. South Africa lost 14 soldiers, while three Malawian troops were killed. The M23 rebel group has taken control of key cities, leaving many soldiers trapped. SADC chairperson and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa emphasized the need for dialogue to prevent further instability in the region. The talks come amid allegations that Rwanda has supported M23 fighters, though Rwanda denies the claims.
Algeria’s president, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, has announced plans to import 1 million sheep ahead of Eid al-Adha, the holiday where Muslims worldwide buy livestock for sacrifice. The plan aims to stabilize costs and meet soaring demand, building on previous efforts to flood markets with food staples during Ramadan. However, the scale of the plan has few parallels, as North Africa is facing a record drought that has reduced harvests and increased animal feed prices, particularly in the northern Algerian highlands.
Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has recovered nearly $500 million in crime proceeds last year, as part of its anti-graft campaign launched by President Bola Tinubu’s administration. The agency also seized over 931,000 metric tonnes of petroleum products, 975 properties, and company shares. It secured over 4,000 criminal convictions, its highest since its founding over two decades ago. Some of the recovered money has been reinvested in government projects. Nigeria has long struggled with endemic corruption, contributing to widespread poverty and is ranked 140 out of 180 on Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index.
A dam collapse in eastern Zimbabwe, kills five children, leaving two others missing. The dam’s walls which were breached by an influx of water from recent rains, caused flooding in Chipinge, a remote district, resulting into a frantic search and rescue mission. Four more children’s bodies were recovered this week, and the Civil Protection Unit is still searching for two more missing children. The floods flooded downstream villages, catching children fishing or doing laundry by surprise, destroying agricultural equipment and killing livestock. Zimbabwe, which has experienced its most severe drought in four decades, is experiencing incessant rains in recent weeks. A team from the Civil Protection Unit, police, and community members is attempting to locate the missing children.
A British jury has convicted a United Nations judge, Lydia Mugambe, of forcing a young Ugandan woman to work as a slave after tricking her into coming to the UK. Mugambe, a high court judge in Uganda, was studying law at the University of Oxford when the offenses occurred. Prosecutors claimed Mugambe exploited and abused the victim, deceiving her into coming to the UK and taking advantage of her lack of understanding of her rights. Mugambe denied the charges, but the Oxford Crown Court convicted her on all four charges, including immigration offense, forcing someone to work, and conspiracy to intimidate a witness.