Aliko Dangote, Mike Adenuga, Abdulsamad Rabiu and Femi Otedola have been named in Forbes’ 2025 billionaires list in Africa.

There are only four Nigerians named in the list published on Saturday.

Forbes said Africa’s 22 billionaires saw their fortunes rise to $105 billion from $82.4 billion that it was in 2024 for 20 billionaires.

According to Forbes, Dangote, the owner of Dangote Petroleum Refinery, occupies the top spot in Africa with a net worth of $23.9 billion from $13.9 billion in 2024.

The international magazine attributed the increase in Dangote’s wealth to the valuation of his refinery, which was added to the calculation of the net worth.

Adenuga, chairman of Globacom, a telecommunication company in Nigeria, is in fifth position in Africa with a net worth of $6.8 billion.

With a $5.1 billion net worth, Rabiu, chairman of BUA Group, is ranked sixth position in Africa.

In the joint 16th position is Otedola, chairman of the First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) Holdings Plc, with $1.5 billion net worth.

“South Africa had the largest number of billionaires this year, with seven, followed by four from Nigeria and four from Egypt,” Forbes said.

“The list also includes three billionaires from Morocco, one from Algeria (Isaad Rebrab), one from Tanzania (Mohammed Dewiji) and one (Masiyiwa) from Zimbabwe.

“Our list tracks the wealth of African billionaires who reside in Africa or have their primary business there, thus excluding Sudanese-born billionaire Mo Ibrahim, who is a U.K. citizen; and South African Nathan Kirsh, who operates out of London and has his business in the U.S. and U.K.

“Net worths were calculated using stock prices and currency exchange rates from the close of business on March 7, 2025.”

[TheCable]

The organizers of the rally in support of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, have dared Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, vowing to go ahead with the rally that the number one citizen in Bayelsa kicked against.

During a meeting with Bayelsa Elders and Security agencies, on Wednesday, the governor had raised concerns that the rally could trigger violence.

He alerted security agencies and stakeholders not to encourage anything that could lead to the breakdown of law and order in the state.

But reacting in a statement which his Media Assistant, Kelvin Loveday-Egbo, issued on his behalf, George Turnah, the South South Zonal Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who is the lead promoter of the rally, said arrangements for the programme were in top gear.

Expressing shock over the governor’s comment, Turnah said ethnicity has no place in politics, adding that the rights to freedom of association and peaceful assembly is constitutional.

He said the rally is planned in solidarity with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the FCT Minister.

Turnah also dispelled the governor’s notion that he was collaborating with a former governor to create instability in the state.

Turnah stated that he has no intention of politically destabilizing Bayelsa or any other state, but he leads a grassroots political movement called New Associates aimed at mobilizing support for President Tinubu’s administration in the South South Zone, devoid of ulterior motives.

In a promo flyer obtained by Daily Trust in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, the promoters of the rally listed the eminent Nigerians to attend the rally to include Wike, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, and Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Samuel Ogbuku, among others.

He said: “The organization is set to officially launch in Bayelsa on April 12, 2025, and the arrangements are in top gear to ensure a hitch-free outing, including formal notifications to relevant security organizations in the state as required by law.

Turnah reminded Governor Diri that the Ogbia leaders and elders he asked to call him to order were the same leaders who, in 2019, requested him not to support the governor’s ambition at the time, a request he ignored.

“I am not only a member of the PDP but also a serving Zonal Secretary of the Party in the South South, I wonder which other office the Governor was accusing me of occupying if I am not a member of the PDP.”

Expressing concern over the governor’s anger regarding his personal choice of political association with Wike, Turnah noted his constitutional right to freedom of association.

He reminded the governor that this is not the first time he had made personal political choices.

While acknowledging that the current disagreement within the PDP in the state are a family affair, Turnah assured that the issues would be resolved in no time.

He commended the Governor on his many achievements and pledged his continued support for the prosperity administration led by Governor Diri.

He also called on the teeming youths, women, political class across Party lines and divides as well as all lovers of the President to come out en masse and show their appreciation to President Tinubu and Wike for their special love for Bayelsa and Ijaw nation.

[DailyTrust]

Former Rivers State Head of Service, George Nwaeke, has denied reports that he was kidnapped and forced to address the press yesterday.

Nwaeke insisted that he was in Abuja to report himself and event in Rivers State to security agencies.

Yesterday, the former HoS in Rivers State had made damning claims against Governor Sim Fubara.

Shortly afterwards, Nwaeke’s wife had declared him missing, stressing that his whereabouts were unknown.

She suggested in a phone conversation with Fubara that Nweke might have been kidnapped and forced to make the claims against the governor.

However, a video which surfaced this morning showed Nweke claiming to have lodged at Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.

According to Nwaeke, he would be visiting all the headquarters of security agencies in Abuja to report issues of Rivers State that makes him sick.

He said: “My name is Frank Nwaeke and I’m in Transcorp in Abuja. I came in here this morning from Port Harcourt to meet the security agencies to report myself and things that happened in the state that is making me to feel sick.

“Actually, I was the Head of Service until Monday when I resigned because of the things that are happening.

“After the press interview I granted, I just saw a video of my wife trending, where they went to feed her with all kinds of fallacies that I have been kidnapped.

“I want to clear this that I’m not kidnapped, I’m in Abuja, this is Transcorp Hotel where I’m lodging. They told her I was kidnapping and they wrote a script for her to say all sorts of things.

“I want to put this straight, I’m the head of Service and I’m on oath; my wife does not know what happens in my office – it’s only my domestic or social matters that we discuss.

“I want to clear the air that I’m safe and fine, I’m in Abuja; and by tomorrow morning, I’m going to security agencies to report myself.

“My coming to Abuja was based on the fact that Abuja is where all the headquarters of security agencies are housed. I came here and I think I’m safe to make this report here.”

[DailyPost]

Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has alleged that the ongoing political crisis in Rivers is a struggle over money sharing between suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike.

In an interview with DW on Friday, Amaechi dismissed the feud as a battle for financial control rather than governance, questioning why Nigerians have not demanded transparency from both politicians.

“The fight between the current governor of Rivers State and the FCT minister is about sharing money. If not, what’s the quarrel?” he said. “Nigerians don’t dislike corruption again. I’ve not seen anybody on the street querying what the problem is. Can both of them speak to the public and tell us what the problem is about?”

His remarks come as President Bola Tinubu, on March 18, declared a six-month state of emergency in Rivers State, suspending Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and the State House of Assembly. In their place, Tinubu appointed Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd.) as Sole Administrator, citing political instability and pipeline vandalism.

Amaechi condemned the move, arguing that it sets a dangerous precedent where governors can be removed at will. He described the situation as a political power struggle between the president and Wike, with Fubara caught in the middle.

“The president wants a power grab. They want to frighten governors who may not support them in 2027,” he said.

He also questioned the justification for emergency rule, pointing out that other regions facing severe security challenges have not been subjected to similar actions.

“If the president said it is because of insecurity, because they blew the pipeline, what about parts of the country where there is insecurity? Is the president saying they should impose emergency rule on him too?”

Amaechi maintained that security matters fall under the president’s jurisdiction, not the governor’s, and insisted that Fubara is being unfairly punished.

“Rivers governor has no security responsibility; it rests squarely on the president. So why punish a man who did not commit an offence?” he added.

He called on Rivers residents to resist Tinubu’s decision through democratic protests, warning that the emergency rule undermines constitutional governance.

 [Vanguard]

Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation, has alleged that President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of emergency rule in Rivers state is a ploy to intimidate governors to support his re-election bid. 

Amaechi spoke in an interview with DW Africa on Friday.

On March 18, Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers, citing the protracted political crisis and vandalisation of oil facilities.

The president suspended Siminalayi Fubara, the Rivers governor; Ngozi Odu, his deputy; and all house of assembly members for six months.

Tinubu also appointed Ibok-Ete Ibas as the sole administrator of the state.

The president’s decision has been described as unconstitutional by the opposition, members of civil society and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

In his criticism of the emergency rule, Amaechi claimed the president’s move has sown fear in governors “that if you are not careful, the president will remove you”.

He added that Fubara has “no security responsibility” over the Rivers crisis and that the suspended governor is being punished for an offence he “did not commit”.

“It is between the president and the FCT minister. The president wants a power grab. They want to frighten governors who may not support them in 2027. So, there is a rumour everywhere that if you are not careful, the president will remove you,” the former Rivers governor said.

“If the president said it is because of insecurity, because they blew the pipeline, what about part of the country where there is insecurity? Is the president saying they should impose emergency rule on him too? They can’t because he is a democratically elected president. Nobody can impose an emergency rule on him because there is serious insecurity in the north-east, north-west — even in south-east and south-west.

“Rivers governor has no security responsibility; it rests squarely on the president. So why punish a man who did not commit an offence?”

Amaechi called on Rivers residents to “resist the president”.

He said the resistance should be done “by democratically protesting against the president”.

[TheCable]

Programme: City Talks with Reuben Abati

Time: 12:00pm

Guest : Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe
Niger Delta Activist and Elder Statesman

Topic: State of Emergency: The Latest Controversies in Rivers State

Date: March 29th, 2025
Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/92877141732?pwd=VEJWb29OL2VVekZUTHRpdWYxK0xxZz09

Meeting ID: 928 7714 1732
Passcode: 600206

The couple’s legal representatives have issued a formal demand for a public apology, warning that legal action will be pursued if the senator fails to comply.

In a letter dated March 27, 2025, with reference WIC/W/AB/W3/25, the solicitors representing Chief Uduaghan, a high chief in Warri Kingdom, and Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District, accused Nwaebonyi of making damaging statements during a television interview.

The remarks were aired on News Central TV and its affiliate platforms, including DSTV, GOTV, Startimes, and AVO.

During the interview, Nwaebonyi allegedly made derogatory remarks that suggested Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had a pattern of making false accusations of sexual harassment.

He also implied that her marriage to Chief Uduaghan was based on coercion rather than mutual affection.

The legal representatives of the couple have condemned Nwaebonyi’s comments as an intentional attempt to damage their clients’ reputations.

The statements, which quickly spread across social media, were described as a deliberate effort to tarnish the public image of both individuals.

The solicitors argued that Nwaebonyi’s remarks falsely portrayed Chief Uduaghan as a victim of blackmail and Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan as a person of questionable moral character.

The letter pointed out that these false allegations have caused significant reputational harm, leading to distrust and embarrassment among their political, social, and business associates.

The letter from the law firm demands a public apology from Senator Nwaebonyi within 14 days, to be broadcast on News Central TV and widely shared across social media platforms.

The solicitors warned that failure to comply with this request would result in legal proceedings being initiated against Nwaebonyi to seek redress.

[NaijaNews]