What’s Going On: Fuel Scarcity in Nigeria, Taxation in Ghana & More
Notable headlines from around the continent
“What’s Going On” Tallies Notable News Headlines From Across The Continent — The Good, The Bad, And The Horrible — As A Way Of Ensuring That We All Become A More Sagacious African Generation. With This Column, We’re Hoping To Disseminate The Latest Happenings In Our Socio-Political Climate From Across The Continent, Whilst Starting A Conversation About What’s Important For Us To All Discuss. From Political Affairs To Socio-Economic Issues, ‘What’s Going On’ Will Discuss Just That.
Nigerian Government seeks patience amidst fuel scarcity
For decades, episodes of fuel scarcity have plagued Nigeria. Fortnightly, the country faces a new bout of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) scarcity, worsening the living conditions of citizens—as if that was already challenging. In the past few weeks, the scarcity of PMS, colloquially referred to as petrol or fuel, has effected long, gruelling queues at filling stations, arbitrary hikes in the price ranging from one fuelling station to the next, as well as accidents from purchasing adulterated fuel from the black market.
According to reports, the scarcity was caused due to the importation of bad PMS—contaminated with methanol—into the country, however, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) put out a statement claiming that the situation would be stabilised within a few days. Currently, though, access to petrol hasn’t been any easier, with ongoing presence of queues and price hikes. In addition to powering vehicular movement, petrol is used by many Nigerian households and businesses to power generators that serve as alternative means of electricity to the country’s everlasting, epileptic power supply. With general groans of the power situation being much worse during this bout of petrol scarcity, Nigerians are really going through it.
In a recent statement, the Federal government of Nigeria sympathized with its citizens and called for patience as they make moves to find an enduring solution to the problem. Chief Timipre Sylva, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, made the plea on Sunday in an announcement by his Senior Adviser (Media & Communications), Horatius Egua. “In the last weeks, Nigerians have grappled with fuel scarcity not because of the absence of supply of products but due to inspection failure, which allowed adulterated products into the country. This is regrettable, and the Federal Government sympathizes with the citizenry over the unforeseen hardship, occasioned by the inevitable scarcity. Let me once again appeal to Nigerians to be patient with the government in finding lasting solutions to the crisis,” Sylva said.
Also, the NNPC recently stated that it is expecting 2.3 billion litres of PMS by the end of February, perhaps giving a clear path to the return of relative normalcy.
More taxes in Ghana
Last November, during its 2022 budget presentation, the Ghanaian federal government announced the impending introduction of an electronic transaction levy, charging 1.75 percent on all electronic transactions above GHs 100. The announcement immediately proved controversial, drawing backlash from many Ghanaians who are already weary of the economic woes and corruption allegations under Nana Akufo-Addo’s administration.
Last August, thousands took to the streets of Accra to protest the country’s uninspiring economic situation, which has been worsened by the coronavirus pandemic. The announcement clearly incensed many who feel the E-levy is a tone deaf measure by the federal government, citing its potential to worsen economic inequality, especially as it is yet to address concerns on corruption and misappropriation of public funds. The proposed tax hasn’t been passed into law yet, proving to be divisive in Ghana’s parliament, which broke out into a brawl last December while the deputy speaker stood to vote. While the tax hasn’t proved popular amongst the general populace and legislative arm, the federal government sees this as an avenue to improve revenue by leveraging on the increased popularity of mobile money over the last half-decade, projecting to rake in GHc 6.96 billion in 2022 alone.
As the debates on the E-levy continue, with the government even scaling back to 1.5 percent, the Ghanaian Revenue Authority (GRA) has laid its sights on making GHc 2.7 billion from imposing taxes on betting, gaming and e-commerce companies, this year. The commissioner for Domestic Tax Revenue Division of the GRA, Edward Appenteng Gyamerah stated that the GRA is rolling out a policy to enable it effectively receive a fair share of tax of companies that fall under this umbrella, both domestic and foreign entities with a presence in Ghana. This new tax policy should take effect from the second half of this year.
With an economy in desperate need of a boost, as well as a pile of external debt, the Ghanaian federal government clearly sees taxation as its best means of revenue. However, not only is this method increasing resentment among citizens, it might dampen Ghana’s reputation as the ideal location for foreign investment in West Africa. Also, without wholesome oversight and accountability, these taxes will only fuel the corruption that’s already allegedly rampant amongst public office holders.
Nigerian air strikes reportedly kills and injures children in Niger
Nigeria’s battle against insurgency has been a long drawn one. Since its first attack in 2009, Boko Haram has upended the stability in the country, especially in Northern Nigeria, killing thousands and leaving over 3 million people displaced from their homes. To this day the onslaught against insurgency still rages, and amidst all of this, civilians are also vulnerable to fire from the Nigerian military.
According to multiple sources, the Nigerian air force has killed and wounded several children in neighbouring Niger in an airstrike, possibly aimed at insurgent forces. Speaking to Al Jazeera, Chaibou Aboubakar, governor of Niger’s Maradi region said, “There was a mistake with the Nigerian strikes on the border that resulted in victims on our territory in the village of Nachade.” He estimated that the victims were 12 children, seven dead and five wounded. According to the governor, “the parents were attending a ceremony and the children were probably playing when the strikes” hit them. Four children died instantly and three others succumbed “to their injuries while being transported to hospital.”
The Nigerian military has neither confirmed nor denied the launching airstrike and causing these casualties, but a military spokesman has stated that a probe was underway.
French military exits Mali after almost a decade
In 2013, France sent 5,000 troops to Mali at the government’s request, following increased insurgent activities by al-Qaeda-linked Islamists in the country’s northern region. Last Thursday, President Emmanuel Macron announced his decision to withdraw French troops from Mali, following soured relationships with the current military government and the Malian populace. A linked European special forces task force, Takuba, will also withdraw from the country.
In its entrance nearly a decade ago, France’s government said it wanted to help in protecting the Malian populace and the 6,000 French citizens living there, however, the insurgency and armed rebellion has only worsened in that time period. Also, deteriorating relations with Mali’s military leaders, who seized power in a coup in 2020—the second coup in 8 years—catalysed France’s exit. The ruling junta had reneged on an agreement to organise democratic election in February, and proposed holding power till 2025, to the public disagreement of the French ambassador, Joel Meyer, who was given 72 hours to leave Mali after his comments.
President Macron has stated that the withdrawal of French troops and Takuba will take four to six months, during which time there would be fewer operations against jihadists. In its own retort, the Malian junta has demanded the immediate exit of French troops, instead of the drawn out plan. This was met with positive reactions from many Malians, who took to the streets celebrating the exit announcement with symbolic brooms. Currently, it is alleged that Mali has sought alliance with a Russian mercenary group in the fight against insurgency, a move that analysts claim will have profound effect on the anti-terrorism situation in the Sahel region, since the majority of French military support was focused in Mali.
[Featured Image Credits: BusinessdayNG]
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NATIVE PREMIERE: Rigo Kamp Runs Ahead Of The Pack With The Visuals For “Marathon”
Rigo Kamp’s Marathon video is an intimate Afro-juju revival that pays homage to Sir Shina Peters and stamps...
Last Friday, Rigo Kamp, a NATIVE uNder alum and one of the architects of an equal parts nostalgic and refreshing sound released his self-titled debut EP, delivering a propulsive fusion of Alte, R&B, Funk, and Soul-infused rhythms.
Featuring previously released singles “Morning Sun” and “Summer”, the six-track eponymous EP executively produced by Odunsi The Engine sees Rigo lean heavily into his element as a sonic alchemist, jumping from silky falsettos to gritty grooves without losing an ounce of cohesion, and ultimately stamping the Abuja-born, Lagos-based singer-songwriter as a mad scientist of sound.
Just last November, Apple Music named Rigo Kamp as its Up Next artist, an acknowledgment that underscored his potential and confirmed what the tastemakers and underground scene already knew. Weeks later, he delivered an exhilarating live set for Spotify Fresh Finds in Lagos, proving he’s just as compelling live as he is in the studio.
On “Marathon”, the refreshing opener to the Rigo Kamp EP, Rigo borrows the bounce and swagger of Afro-Juju legend, Sir Shina Peters’ golden-era, fusing nostalgia with re-imagination to birth a vintage performance that feels like a private party for two, where it’s just Rigo, and you.
Get an exclusive first look at the video for Marathon here:
Listen to the Rigo Kamp EP:
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Togo YEYE & VLISCO’s new collaboration is a celebration of Lomé’s thriving creative scene
Togo YEYE is a community we are building for us by
Togo YEYE, a creative duo formed by Lomé-based creative director Malaika Nabillatou and London-based photographer Delali Ayivi, is a conceptual publication that was created to empower and champion Togo’s young fashion creatives. Since its inception in 2021, Togo YEYE has released several personal projects and has also partnered with a number of brands to further its hugely imaginative aesthetic mandate. For their latest collaboration, Togo YEYE teamed up with textile printing company VLISCO to present Blossoming Beauty. Tagged as a love letter to Togo’s creative community, the campaign captures Lomé’s scenic beauty alongside VLISCO’s vibrant prints with the aim of connecting the feminine grace of nature with identity and artistry.
What does Togo YEYE mean?
Malaika Nabilatou: My name is Malaika Nabilatou, I’m the creative director of Togo YEYE. I’m Togolese and I was born and grew up in Lomé. I see myself as a West African creative director and I’m working to be the best in a few years. Togo YEYE means new Togo in Ewe, one of the most popular languages spoken in the South of Togo.
What inspired you to create Togo YEYE?
Malaika Nabilatou: We started this project, my friend Delali and I, 5 years ago. We just wanted to show that Togolese youth are also creative. Togo YEYE is a community we are building for us by us. It wasn’t just a project for Delali and I. It’s become something for the creative scene of Lomé. Lomé is like our studio.
What role does Togolese culture play in your creative process?
Maryline Bolognima: For me, Togolese culture comes first. For example, in the South, there are the people of Anero. If you come, you can go to Anero. In the North, there are the Evals, so if you come to Togo, you’ll learn a lot.
What’s the most exciting part of working as a team on projects like this?
Malaika Nabilatou: I need to tell the truth, we dreamt about this campaign before [it happened]. When VLISCO contacted us, we were like wow. I can’t really explain how thankful we are to VLISCO for trusting us. Because it’s a risk that they took by trusting us, making that campaign here with our team and honestly we are going to keep it in our hearts for the rest of our lives.
Claudia Sodogbe: For me, it is the first big contract of my life that I had with Togo YEYE. I still remember, on the last day of the shoot, I was feeling nostalgic about separating from the teams and the others. It went well in any case, and I’m very grateful to have been on this project.
What has been your proudest moment as part of Togo YEYE?
Malaika Nabilatou: I think the proudest moment I had with this campaign was when I saw the result first on the website. When I saw the story, I was like “wow, we finally made it.”
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Inside The Parties Breathing New Life Into Lagos’ Nightlife Scene
No matter who you, these parties provide a safe space to let loose without fear of objectification or...
The crowd marches along on the dancefloor, vibrating to a pulse that is both familiar and electrifying. It takes a second to identify Grammy nominee, Rema’s “Ozeba,” pouring out of the speakers and whipping the crowd into a frenzy as it takes on new life as a turbulent EDM track. The crowd growls and screams in approval of the DJ’s remix, yet another banger in a night filled with back-to-back hits. Hands in the air, sweat dripping from glistening bodies, smoke floating around the dancefloor and young people gyrating with reckless abandon, Element House provides the people with the release they deserve and they reward it with an undying loyalty to its rhythm and raves as they keep coming back.
Party culture has taken on new dimensions in Nigeria over the last two decades as a reaction to economic, social and cultural progressions. This evolution of the way we party is significant considering that Nigeria is a society that lays heavy emphasis on certain accepted standards of moral behavior, rooted in culture and tradition. But that has never once stopped a good time from happening. Millennials and older gen-z will remember the street parties and carnivals of old, usually held at the end of summer holidays or in December, where music by TuFace, Mo’Hits, Akon, Shakira, Lady Gaga and 50 Cent were the staple, among others. There were certain songs automatically expected from any DJ worth his salt otherwise it was not too far-fetched to see a DJ, with his equipment on his head, fleeing for his safety while being chased by an irate mob of partygoers.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. These carnivals and street parties might have been phased out but the idea remains the same while the power and influence of communities powering party culture in Lagos and Nigeria at large has only gotten stronger, especially with the advent of social media. The Block Party series–started in Lagos, Nigeria as the Mainland Block Party–has become the go-to event to celebrate youth culture and foster connections that cut across multiple African cities and walks of life. Today, with curated events in Ibadan, Abuja, Lagos, Accra and others, a community of partygoers is assured maximum enjoyment whenever the Block Party organisers announce an event in their city of the month. The people will always return to where their tastes are catered to, bringing along friends, family and newbies eager to bask in the atmosphere of loud music and togetherness.
In 2012, Warner Bros. Pictures released Project X–a film that follows three friends and high-school students who attempt to gain popularity by throwing a party which ends up escalating out of their control and reaching epic proportions. This idea propagated by Hollywood would go on to influence several house parties thrown in Lagos during the mid to late 2010s. The idea that with the right DJ/music playing at the right venue and with just the right crowd, then immortality was possible–a party so grand that it would be spoken about in glowing terms for years to come until it became lore. Today, house parties are more intimate and controlled, the degrees of separation between attendees reduced by a mutual friend or WhatsApp group they all have in common. From game nights to karaoke sessions to kinky sex parties, whether it’s at Balloons & Cups, a Vogue Boys pool party, or a get-together by the ‘Lagos on a Budget’ IG Community, the role house parties play in the ever evolving party culture is not insignificant, creating a pipeline that feeds into the much larger raves which weekends in Lagos are becoming synonymous with.
Whether it’s Element House today, Mainland House tomorrow, Group Therapy next weekend, WIRED or a host of other house and EDM inspired movements, partygoers are spoiled for choice when it comes to where to indulge their fundamental music tastes in a secure and controlled environment. Nothing is off the menu and a good time is the only badge of honor worth collecting. The increasing popularity of the rave movement in recent years is testament to the fact that it works for both organizers and attendees. The Covid-19 lockdowns changed the way Nigerians party; after months of being isolated from their communities and having to socialize in more intimate and private spaces, it’s no surprise that raves, with their underground nature, became the outlet of choice for several young people as soon as the world opened back up. According to Tonia, a medical doctor and frequent raver living in Lagos, her first few times at parties following the end of the lockdowns were not fun. “I was partying with caution, wearing face masks constantly and carrying hand sanitizer around. It became a much better experience subsequently when everything relaxed and soon enough, I was back enjoying the time of my life at Lagos parties.”
Unburdened from the heavy spending, bottle-popping culture that characterizes Lagos nightlife and cloaked in the embrace of judgment-free anonymity and numbers, raves have become a safe haven for a community of partygoers determined to turn up in the midst of the sheer craziness of living in this day and age. For Michael-Peace, a brand & creative assistant and frequent raver, the appeal goes beyond a need to unwind and the feelings of peace he experiences at raves. “Whether I’m listening to the DJ or just watching the crowd move to the music, it’s a very mindful experience for me,” he says.“I’m grateful to just be there and appreciative of how we can all be one community or family for that period of time.”
The appeal of the rave scene is its inclusivity and it’s a common theme for the new wave of parties exploding in Lagos and environs. No matter who you are or what you stand for, these parties provide a safe space to let loose without fear of objectification or discrimination resulting from socio-economic and political differences, misogyny and other less elegant occurrences which are part of mainstream Nigerian nightlife. This is important to Tonia who, on multiple occasions, has been prevented by bouncers from entering clubs without a male companion. “I’ll always prefer raves, they are much freer and nobody is performing here. There’s no need to show off the number of bottles you bought like there is in a club. Everyone just wants to turn the fuck up and have the time of their lives.”
For five or six hours, the disco lights, turbulent music and fellow ravers provide solace from the outside world. “Dancing the night away” is not merely a suggestion but a divine mandate from the gods of the rave. It is almost impossible to emerge after such an experience and not want to do it again. The music beckons all and sundry to come out, purge yourself of all inhibitions on the dancefloor, then return home and spread the gospel of the electronic music scene to all who might listen. In Michael-Peace’s own words: “There are people I’ve put onto raves and who loved the experience and constantly thank me for introducing them to it. Once you get hooked on it, you’ll never want to let go.”
Party culture in Nigeria continues to evolve as the new wave of parties mark their time and place in history. But the street parties and carnivals of yesteryears are not to be forgotten. The power of community continues to connect the old wave with the new wave, ensuring that actual people remain the focal point of these events, and party goers can enjoy nightlife experiences uniquely tailored to their ever changing wants and needs.
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