When assessing the wealthiest countries in Africa, it’s crucial to consider the GDP per capita, a measure of the value of all goods and services produced per resident.

This list, featuring smaller nations like Mauritius and Libya, is based on purchasing power parity (PPP) which accounts for inflation and local cost variations, providing a more accurate comparison of the average standard of living in these countries.

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Here are the 10 richest countries in Africa by GDP per capita (PPP) in Africa 2024 – IMF as of February 22.

Mauritius

Mauritius claims the top spot as the richest country in Africa in 2024, with a GDP-PPP per capita of $31,157. Known for its diverse economy, Mauritius has successfully diversified beyond its traditional sectors like sugar and textiles.

Libya

Despite facing political and economic challenges in recent years, Libya is second on the list with a GDP-PPP per capita of $26,527. The country’s wealth is primarily derived from its vast oil reserves, and efforts to stabilize its economy have played a crucial role in maintaining its position among Africa’s richest nations.

Botswana

Botswana, with a GDP-PPP per capita of $20,311, is recognized for its stable economic growth and successful diversification strategies. The country has effectively managed its diamond resources and invested in sectors such as tourism and agriculture, contributing to its economic resilience.

Gabon

Gabon, ranking fourth, boasts a GDP-PPP per capita of $19,865, driven by its abundant natural resources, including oil and minerals. The government’s emphasis on sustainable development and economic diversification has played a pivotal role in maintaining Gabon’s status as one of Africa’s wealthiest nations.

Egypt

Egypt secures the fifth position on the list with a GDP-PPP per capita of $17,786. As one of the most populous countries in Africa, Egypt’s economy is diverse, with key sectors including tourism, agriculture, and manufacturing.

Equatorial Guinea

With a GDP-PPP per capita of $17,237, Equatorial Guinea relies heavily on its oil wealth to drive economic development. While oil remains a dominant factor, efforts to diversify the economy and invest in sectors like agriculture and infrastructure have contributed to its economic success.

South Africa

South Africa, the continent’s economic powerhouse, ranks seventh with a GDP-PPP per capita of $16,625. Despite facing challenges such as inequality and unemployment, South Africa’s diverse economy encompasses mining, manufacturing, and services, making it a key player in the region.

Algeria

In eighth place, Algeria has a GDP-PPP per capita of $14,227. The country’s economy is heavily reliant on hydrocarbons, but efforts to diversify into other sectors, such as renewable energy and manufacturing, have been underway to ensure sustained economic growth.

Tunisia

Tunisia, with a GDP-PPP per capita of $13,694, has positioned itself as a strategic economic player in North Africa. The country’s focus on economic reforms, tourism, and manufacturing has contributed to its ranking among the top 10 richest nations in Africa.

Morocco

Morocco secures the tenth position with a GDP-PPP per capita of $10,926. Renowned for its stability and strategic geographic location, Morocco has built a diverse economy with strengths in agriculture, tourism, and manufacturing, making it a key player in the region.

THERE were contrasting fortunes for Super Eagles of Nigeria players in the top two tiers of English football today.

In the Premier League, Taiwo Awoniyi came on as a second-half substitute for Nottingham Forest but it was his former club Liverpool who benefitted from his presence.

The striker, who has scored six Premier League goals this season, played a huge part in Liverpool’s winner as the Reds stretched the gap at the top of the table to four points.

With the game in the ninth minute of stoppage time and just seconds from the final whistle, Awoniyi attempted to dribble on the edge of the Forest box instead of booting the ball away, and he paid dearly for the error.

The Nigeria international was robbed of the ball by Alexis Mac Allister who crossed to Darwin Nunez to head home the only goal of the game, earning Liverpool a 1-0 win.

Awoniyi’s error deprived Forest of a crucial point, leaving them 17th in the table, just four points clear of Luton Town who occupy the third relegation spot and have two games in hand.

In stark contrast to Awoniyi, Joe Aribo came on in the 70th minute of Southampton’s Championship clash at Birmingham City and scored in the sixth minute of added time to give the Saints a 4-3 victory.

It was Aribo’s third Championship goal this season and second in three matches as Southampton stay in fourth spot, seven points behind Ipswich who occupy the second automatic promotion place.

Championship leaders Leicester City, who were without their Nigeria stars Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho, lost 2-1 at home to Queens Park Rangers to record a third straight defeat in the league.

Back to the Premier League, Super Eagles midfielder Frank Onyeka started for Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium and played for 77 minutes as they drew 2-2 with Chelsea.

In other Premier League fixtures today, Tottenham Hotspur came from behind to beat visiting Crystal Palace 3-1, Everton lost 3-1 at home to West Ham United and Fulham, with Super Eagles stars Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi starting, dismissed Brighton 3-0 at Craven Cottage.

[NaijaTimes]

The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said an Israeli strike hit tents housing displaced civilians near a hospital in the southern city of Rafah Saturday, killing 11 and wounding dozens.

A paramedic was among those killed and children were wounded in the blast close to the Emirati Maternity Hospital, ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said in a statement.

“Eleven citizens were martyred and about 50 injured, including children, as a result of Israeli forces targeting tents of displaced people near the Emirati hospital,” Qudra said.

The Israeli military said it was looking into the incident.

Footage posted on social media, which AFP could not independently verify, appeared to show bloodied bodies in the streets as crowds gathered, with men carrying away the wounded for treatment.

An AFP journalist saw wounded people being rushed on stretchers to the Kuwaiti Hospital, also in Rafah.

“Destruction is everywhere and there are many martyrs,” said Rafah resident Belal Abu Jekhleh.

“Suddenly the glass shattered and a fire broke out. Everyone fled, some of whom were martyred and others injured. I was injured in my hands and head, and my brother was also injured.”

Israeli troops have carried out multiple operations in and around hospitals in the Gaza Strip since they launched their offensive in the Palestinian territory.

Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas militants of using hospitals for military purposes, something the Palestinian group denies.

An estimated 1.5 million Palestinians have sought refuge in Rafah, raising fears of mass casualties if Israel goes through with a planned ground invasion of the city.

Mediators are scrambling to secure a new truce ahead of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which begins on March 10 or 11, depending on the lunar calendar.

The war in Gaza broke out with Hamas’s unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7 which resulted in the deaths of around 1,160 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli figures.

Israel’s retaliatory military campaign against Hamas has killed at least 30,320 people, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

[DailyTrust]

The Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise said revoking 4,173 Bureau De Change operator licenses by the Central Bank of Naira is good for the Naira amid the foreign exchange crisis.

The Director of CPPE, Muda Yusuf, disclosed why reacting to the recent revoking of BDCs licenses over failure to meet regulatory guidelines.

CPPE said the move to regulate the operations of the BDCs in Nigeria is laudable.

He said, “Definitely, revoking the licences of non-operational BDCs is appropriate now. It is the right move because the previous number was difficult to manage and unwieldy.”

DAILY POST recalls that the CBN revoked the licenses of 4,173 Bureau De Change operators.

[DailyPost]

No fewer than two persons were shot on Saturday at Okere Community in Warri Metropolis of Delta State.

It was gathered the victims were shot by security operatives believed to be soldiers from the 3 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Effurun Barrack.

The first victim was identified as Macaulay Uku and the second simply identified as Eguono, was shot around midday during the visit to the area by the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III.

Uku, according to various sources, was shot early in the afternoon while Eguono was shot hours later.

The Commanding Officer of the Battalion, Major A. Ohegbe, who was contacted by The Nation, said he was not aware of any shooting but confirmed the heavy presence of security personnel during the visit.

He  hinted that the fracas was sparked off by resistance to the monarch’s visit by a section of the indigenes of Okere community, which is the home of Chief Ayiri Emami.

The Nation recalled  that a section of the Okere community sided with Chief Ayiri Emami, the Ologbotsere of Warri, whose alleged removal is the subject of an ongoing litigation.

“Those who are loyal to the Ayiri essentially are opposed to the monarch and this has resulted in the polarisation of Okere,” a source in the area said.

 Supporters of the monarch however said that there was no opposition to the monarch in Okere, stressing, “He is the Olu of all Itsekiri people”.

Our source further added that the people of the area were incensed by an attempt by the monarch to sprinkle anointing oil at the sacred ground of the Okere shrine.

It was gathered that two of the victims of Saturday’s shooting were those loyal to Chief Emami, leading to insinuation that the soldiers were brought in to suppress opposers of the monarch’s visit.

Tension has gripped the community as supporters on the opposing sides trade words on social media and on the streets on the next line of action.

[TheNation]

A Ghanaian cleric, Bishop Sam Owusu, has expressed disappointment in his fellow Ghanaians for not offering the same level of support to Ghanaian clerics as they do to Nigerian pastors.

This is coming in the wake of Nigerian Pastor Jerry Eze’s conference in Ghana.

The Nations’ Service Project with Pastor Jerry Eze reportedly attracted over 60,000 people last week.

The Ghana Conference, also known as the NSPPD conference, attracted a lot of buzz on social media.

However, Owusu, in a viral clip on Saturday, chided his church members and his countrymen for attending the conference.

Owusu is the Senior Pastor of the Pottersville church, East Legon Hills, Accra, Ghana.

He shared concerns about Ghanaians labelling their pastors as fake but supporting the ministries of Nigerian pastors.

In an impassioned speech in front of his members, he said, “Sometimes I am very surprised about Ghanaians, how hypocritical we are.

“We don’t respect our own and we don’t honour our own and we don’t love our own. We celebrate foreigners more than our own.

“But there is no foreigner that will celebrate Ghanaian. Look at how Ghana members and Ghanaian Christians follow Nigerian pastors and respect Nigerian men of God than even Ghanaian pastors.

“Every prophet in Ghana is considered as fake. Every anointed man of God is considered fake.”

Talking about Eze’s programme, he said, “Just last week, one of the young men in Nigeria came to do a prayer conference here and over 50,000 people were there praying, Ghanaians o!

“But let me tell you, do you know there is no Ghanaian Pastor that will go to Nigeria to have that crowd? Not even 10%?

“Nigerians will never that’s why there is no bigger Ghanaian Church in Nigeria. Nigerians respect and love their own”

He added, “You go to Jerry Eze programme, you are sponsoring a Nigerian at the detriment of your own prophet in Ghana.

“I don’t hate him. I love the man. I love the young man. He came to Ghana and pulled over 100,000 crowd and took offerings and seed to his country and I saw even the Electoral commissioner who was the one who went to receive him from the airport.”

This situation has triggered responses from many individuals, who have highlighted the ongoing competition between Ghana and Nigeria.

The two African nations have often clashed in attempts to establish superiority.

In recent years, Ghana and Nigeria have engaged in friendly competition over Afrobeats, football, and jollof rice.

[Punch]

Mauricio Pochettino admitted he feels unloved at Chelsea after frustrated fans called for his sacking during Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Brentford.

Pochettino’s side led through a Nicolas Jackson header, but were pegged back by Mads Roerslev’s close-range strike after half-time.

Shortly after Yoane Wissa put Brentford ahead with a spectacular overhead kick, Chelsea supporters packed into one corner of the stadium began chanting for Pochettino’s dismissal and singing the name of former Blues manager Jose Mourinho.

But it was hardly an enjoyable afternoon for the former Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain manager on his 52nd birthday.

Asked if he had heard the Chelsea fans’ taunts, Pochettino said: “I’ve been told, I didn’t hear to be honest, it’s difficult for me to understand.

“But it’s normal, we were losing the game 2-1 and they expressed their frustration. I am one of the ones responsible, I’m the coach.

“I was asked before if I feel the love from the fans? No.”

Pochettino has failed to revitalise Chelsea after arriving in the close-season to clear up the mess left by his predecessors Graham Potter and Thomas Tuchel.

Chelsea have spent over £1 billion ($1.2 billion) on signings since Todd Boehly’s consortium bought the west London club from Roman Abramovich in 2022.

But the spree has left Chelsea with an unbalanced and underachieving squad who are languishing in 11th place in the Premier League.

The Blues, who have not won a domestic trophy since 2018, were beaten by Liverpool in last weekend’s League Cup final despite facing an inexperienced line-up.

Pochettino is certain to suffer more terrace jibes amid mounting speculation that he will be axed by the end of the season.

But the Argentine, yet to win a trophy in English football, is adamant he can cope with the vitriol.

“I’m not worried. We need to accept this relationship. You win your relationship through winning games,” he said.

“I will continue to work and try to change this perception. We need to manage some reality. We are working really hard to try to win games, the team is fighting.

“If it doesn’t work and the fans are disappointed I need to respect their opinion. I think the relationship is good. If they did what they did, fans are emotional.

“I am fighting with all my sense to try to provide a team to play in the best way to score goals and win games. Today is my 52nd birthday, I know this business, but I’m going to fight.”

[Vanguard]

John Okafor, the ace Nigerian actor popularly known as Mr Ibu, has passed away.

Emeka Rollas, the president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), broke the news in an Instagram post on Saturday evening.

Rollas quoted Don Nwuzor, the actor’s longtime manager, as confirming that he died due to cardiac arrest.

“Mr Ibu suffered cardiac arrest according to his manager for 24 years Mr Don Single Nwuzor,” the post reads in part.

“I announce with deep sense of grief that Mr Ibu didnt make it. May his soul rest in peace.”

In October last year, the ace actor revealed he was battling with a life-threatening illness.

Ibu, who spoke from a hospital bed, also cried out for financial assistance over the medical condition.

The film star’s plight prompted calls on social media for the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) to assist one of its own.

Several people announced their donations to the ailing actor, including the Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) Foundation, which revealed it “paid the entire medical expenses of Ibu”.

On November 6, Ibu’s family revealed that the actor’s leg had been amputated after undergoing seven surgeries. He, however, remained in the hospital where had been recuperating.

The 63-year-old actor had delved into acting since the early 2000s but rose to fame for his role in the movie ‘Mr Ibu,’ which was released in 2004.

He also featured in a plethora of movies such as ‘Coffin Producers’, ‘Husband Suppliers’, ‘International Players’, ‘Mr.Ibu in London’ and ‘Police Recruit’

Ibu was well known for renowned for his comedic roles and he earned several nominations and awards for his craft.

More to follow…

We called them the ‘happening couple’. Flex (real name was Felix) was a 500 level medicine student while Tunrayo was a 200 level Law student. Though the two of them were very busy ‘effico’, they spent every free moment together. They went to the bukateria together, walked hand-in-hand to the library and the cinema. They were a reference point especially when we girls wanted to ‘yab’ our NFA male classmates who were in the habit of giving excuses to their girlfriends as to why they couldn’t take them to see a movie at Oduduwa. 

We simply sneered at them.

 ‘If a 'medical' student could make out time for his girlfriend, please what is a Philosophy student reading?'

 Stuff like that.

Anyway, shortened version of the story of Flex and Tunrayo was that their love was not hidden, at least not to those who lived with or knew them. Those who didn't know soon did when tragedy struck. Yes, death, avoidable death,  came too soon, before their story got to a happy ending. 

Tunrayo ‘somehow’ got pregnant and Flex metamorphosed into a guy she couldn’t believe existed somewhere inside the fine-boy-no-pimples doctor-to-be she fell in love with. Flex didn’t want the pregnancy. Indeed, he told Tunrayo to ‘let them remove’ it. There were hospitals that would do it in minutes. There were pills. Pregnancy will slow him down. In fact, it will destroy his life. The two of them did not need the distraction of a pregnancy, least of all a baby at that point in their lives. 

True, neither Law or Medicine will nicely make room for pregnancy or a nine-month vacation without a major breach in the course-calendar. Happening couple or not, both Flex and Tunrayo were young. Flex was 22 while Tunrayo was 19. Of course, things fell apart. The 'Baby Doctor didn’t want a baby and so started avoiding Tunrayo. No more lunches at ‘Forks and Fingers’ or dinner at ‘New Buka’.

Flex stopped going to the movies altogether and avoided the library like it was a lepers colony or a tuberculosis ward. 

Love left the Garden of Eden and Tunrayo was inconsolable. She became a shadow of herself. And as the semester break approached, she became really afraid and distracted. How did you face your parents with a teenage pregnancy and disappoint your mother whose friends were already calling ‘Mama Lawyer’. Going home was like being sent to the Guillotine. So,  out of fear, Tunrayo stayed back on campus and as we later heard, she turned up dead in a quack hospital in town. She died alone, along with her dreams, her parent’s dreams , with her unborn baby.

Flex wept and mourned. We were told he got there just before Tunrayo's body was taken to the mogue and that he kept saying he was sorry. 

Dear Mum and Dad, tell your girls ‘sorry after an abortion had gone wrong means nothing’. If she does not die, she may be scarred, irreversibly. My dear girls, don’t put yourself in a meaningless sorry situation just because you think it would please the man or make him stay. Do not put your life and future on the line just for a man to say ‘sorry’ and move on while you carry the scar and bear the trauma. 

Too many times, the words and emotions backing ‘sorry’ don’t mean much or anything at all. It’s okay to be sorry, feel remorse and apologize but the man or woman who has inflicted the pain cannot erase the affliction. The scars sometimes are life-long ones. That’s why it’s better to stay safe than to be sorry. Be careful what you promise. Be wary of what you are promised. Think of the consequences before you lay yourself bare to the situation that might lead to gnashing of teeth. Do not forget yourself in the ecstasy of the moment and let someone else take and take and take until you are spent, only for him to come back and say sorry when it no longer matters.

What about husbands, fathers, wives, mothers who leave for greener pastures letting their partners raise their children all alone? And then they come back 20 years later when the ‘soup don done’ and the children are  all made, bearing ‘sorry’ as if it is ‘aporo-epa-Ijebu’, the solution or mixture that cure all ailments. Excuse me, who sorry hep, please?

Do not be like Mama Titi whose husband left with three children only to return 18 years later, his amputated tail in between his ungodly legs and bearing a dammed and cursed sorry bouquet. And I repeat, 'who sorry hep?"  Unfortunately, Mama Titi did not move on. She pined and waited for that 'sorry"for all those 18 years. One day turned into one decade but she trudged on, taking on extra jobs, doing all kinds of petty businesses to feed and put the three children through school. All she did was work and cry. Of course, 18 long years of pity party will take a toll on even the strongest healthiest woman, and it did. She had a mild stroke just before her last child graduated. All the years of hussle and hassle have impacted her body. Let’s not talk about what the loneliness did to her mind and spirit. The years of hard grind and heavy lifting a left its mark, leaving her  looking older than her 60 years. And then Baba Titi returned profusely apologizing.

‘It was the Devil’s work’

‘My eyes are open now’

‘She used juju to cage me’

‘I have wronged you and your Ori’

‘I’m sorry’

Annoying sorry, who needs it? What can roll back the 18 years of tears. Who will take away the toll of playing Father and Mother to the children on Mama Titi’s health?

Who am I to say don’t take your prodigal wife or husband back? It’s not my decision or anybody’s for that matter. 

That’s not even the point of this piece. The crux of this article is what you do while waiting for the return of the prodigal. 

If your wife left you with the children and went off with a richer man, should you just cry, pine away and wither with the years? If she bleached and partied 10 or 15 years away and then returned with a skin that is looking like yet-to -be -cleaned Shaki (tripe), offering you a bouquet of sorry and tears on her discolored cheeks, what will you do? Everybody will probably beg a deserted spouse to welcome home a deserter, right? Even the children most likely will join the plea club. Not a problem. The decision is solely yours. 

My own sermon and view is this: do not let a deserter find you on a dung heap when he or she returns. Take care of your health. In fact, pay extra attention to your health. Live, laugh, move on. Do not waste years you cannot retrieve, crying and beating up yourself with what-if-whips. If he or she is having a blast wherever they are, please enjoy yourself at least if you cannot afford a blast. Bond like never before with those children he or she abandoned for you. Live, I repeat, live. Add values to your life. Let the deserter not meet you at the same spot they left you. Develop yourself. Enrich your life. Make sure you can see through tears of loneliness. Do not become a heap of ruin and rot because your partner chose the easiest route. Make your own luck.  Enjoy as much as you can while fulfilling your parental obligations. If he’s having a blast, have a blast too. If and when he decides to return with ‘sorry’, meet him with ‘sorry’ too,  in case he finds evidence of your ‘blast’.

I came in peace.

I’m going in peace.

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has urged gubernatorial aspirants and stakeholders to close ranks and rally around Asue Ighodalo, the party’s governorship candidate for Edo State.

Naija News reports that Ighodalo had emerged as the winner of the primary conducted by the ruling party, but the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, had also claimed victory in a parallel primary.

Despite the PDP leadership giving Ighodalo a Certificate of Return, Shaibu has vowed to challenge the party’s decision in court.

In a statement on Saturday, Atiku, through his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, congratulated Asue Ighodalo for his victory at the just-concluded primary election of the party.

The former Vice President said that the election of a thoroughbred technocrat by the PDP as the party’s candidate in Edo State signposts the urgency that the PDP gives to ensuring that the next governor of Edo State is a round peg in a round hole.

Atiku said, “The PDP leadership and members in Edo State must be congratulated also, for an amazing primary election that produced the quality of candidate to fly the flag of our party in the upcoming election.

“The party has made a choice, and it is not in dispute that the choice is a good one.

“It is, therefore, on this note that I plead with all other aspirants and aggrieved stakeholders to reconcile and negotiate to make sure that Edo remains a PDP state.

“Barrister Ighodalo, apart from being a brilliant mind, in whose hands the affairs of Edo State will steer on stable waters, is also a fine gentleman.

“I believe that our candidate has what it takes to bring everyone willing to work for the interest of the PDP under the huge umbrella of our party.”

Continuing, he noted that the current hardship being experienced by Nigerians should energize every PDP member to work for the party’s interest, especially in Edo State, in ensuring that the ruling party, the APC, does not enlarge its map of hunger and poverty.

[NaijaNews]