CEO Emmanuel Ojo says the company will first extend its services to 29 African countries, after which they will consider a Series A funding round. Redtech expects annual transactions on its platform to grow from $25 billion in 2025 to $100 billion within two years, with the transaction value tripling to $73.6 billion. Backed by tycoon Tony Elumelu, Redtech is also looking to expand its equity base and introduce new products across the continent.
Thursday, February 12, 2026
Nigerian fintech Redtech plans to raise $100 million for expansion
CEO Emmanuel Ojo says the company will first extend its services to 29 African countries, after which they will consider a Series A funding round. Redtech expects annual transactions on its platform to grow from $25 billion in 2025 to $100 billion within two years, with the transaction value tripling to $73.6 billion. Backed by tycoon Tony Elumelu, Redtech is also looking to expand its equity base and introduce new products across the continent.
US Bill targets illegal Chinese mining in Nigeria
A new bill in the United States House of Representatives seeks to have the US Secretary of State collaborate with Nigeria to counter what lawmakers describe as the destabilizing impact of illegal Chinese mining operations in the country.
The “Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026” was introduced on Tuesday by five Republican lawmakers: Chris Smith, Riley Moore, Brian Mast, Mario Diaz-Balart, and Bill Huizenga. The sponsors allege that some Chinese mining companies operating in Nigeria have been paying protection money to Fulani militias, fueling local violence and insecurity.
Under the proposed legislation, the Secretary of State would provide technical support to Nigeria aimed at reducing and ultimately eliminating militia-related violence, including through disarmament programs and comprehensive counter-terrorism cooperation. The bill also calls for coordination with international partners such as France, Hungary, and the UK to advance religious freedom and peace.
Clauses 10 and 11 of the bill specifically direct:
“The Secretary of State should work with the Government of Nigeria to counteract the hostile foreign exploitation of Chinese illegal mining operations and their destabilizing practice of paying protection money to Fulani militias.”
The legislation also tasks the Secretary of State with determining whether certain Fulani-ethnic militias qualify as Foreign Terrorist Organizations.
The bill references a 2023 report by The Times, which alleged that Chinese nationals in Nigeria’s mining sector were indirectly funding militant groups in the northwest to secure access to mineral resources. According to the report, some miners in Zamfara acted as runners for militant groups, raising concerns that “Beijing could be indirectly funding terror in Africa’s largest economy.”
If passed, the bill would represent a significant US intervention in Nigeria’s mineral sector and security landscape, linking foreign mining operations to militia activity and underscoring broader concerns about regional stability, counter-terrorism, and governance.
By David Meshioye, The Guardian
The “Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026” was introduced on Tuesday by five Republican lawmakers: Chris Smith, Riley Moore, Brian Mast, Mario Diaz-Balart, and Bill Huizenga. The sponsors allege that some Chinese mining companies operating in Nigeria have been paying protection money to Fulani militias, fueling local violence and insecurity.
Under the proposed legislation, the Secretary of State would provide technical support to Nigeria aimed at reducing and ultimately eliminating militia-related violence, including through disarmament programs and comprehensive counter-terrorism cooperation. The bill also calls for coordination with international partners such as France, Hungary, and the UK to advance religious freedom and peace.
Clauses 10 and 11 of the bill specifically direct:
“The Secretary of State should work with the Government of Nigeria to counteract the hostile foreign exploitation of Chinese illegal mining operations and their destabilizing practice of paying protection money to Fulani militias.”
The legislation also tasks the Secretary of State with determining whether certain Fulani-ethnic militias qualify as Foreign Terrorist Organizations.
The bill references a 2023 report by The Times, which alleged that Chinese nationals in Nigeria’s mining sector were indirectly funding militant groups in the northwest to secure access to mineral resources. According to the report, some miners in Zamfara acted as runners for militant groups, raising concerns that “Beijing could be indirectly funding terror in Africa’s largest economy.”
If passed, the bill would represent a significant US intervention in Nigeria’s mineral sector and security landscape, linking foreign mining operations to militia activity and underscoring broader concerns about regional stability, counter-terrorism, and governance.
Wednesday, February 11, 2026
Desperation pushes communities in Nigeria to seal peace pacts with armed gangs
In northern Nigeria's Katsina state, persistent insecurity has led some communities to take drastic measures. A recent attack in a town occurred despite a local peace agreement with armed groups, highlighting the fragility of such deals. While authorities like the police do not endorse these arrangements, they reflect the extreme steps residents are taking to protect themselves when formal security measures fall short. CGTN explores this complex reality on the ground.
Uncertainty on the streets over Nigeria’s sachet alcohol ban
Philip, who buys sachets “almost every day,” says he prefers to “take it small, small” rather than buy a large bottle. “I plan it…I have a minimum and a maximum.” For him, sachets are about volume control, not price. “If there is no sachet, I can switch to a bigger one… It depends on my mood,” he told DW.
Nigeria’s food and drug regulator, NAFDAC, has long planned a phase-out of alcohol packaged in sachets and in plastic bottles of less than 200ml (0.05 gallons). It announced the ban would be enforced as planned from December last year, but disagreement between government agencies has created confusion and ambiguity about whether the ban is actually in force. The policy is intended to reduce alcohol abuse by minors and drivers.
Conflicting directives are causing confusion
At a Lagos press briefing in late January 2026, NAFDAC Director General Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye stated that enforcement had resumed, saying the agency had received a “matching order” from the Senate. But NAFDAC’s statement conflicts with a December 15, 2025, directive issued by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), ordering an immediate suspension of all enforcement actionspending consultations and a final directive. The statement also added that any action taken without OSGF clearance “should be disregarded.”
At the time of publication, there was no public OSGF notice lifting that suspension, leaving manufacturers, retailers and buyers guessing which order to obey.
Segun Ajayi-Kadir, director general of Nigeria’s Manufacturers Association (MAN), says that a “renewed ban” would hurt the economy, disrupt compliant producers, and encourage the sale of illicit, unregulated products. He added that operators are “confused as to which directive to follow.”
According to Ajayi-Kadir, alcohol packaged in sachets serves low-income adult consumers, and an outright ban would limit their choice.
On January 23, members of Nigeria’s labour unions, including the country’s Distillers and Blenders Association, held demonstrations outside NAFDAC’s Lagos office, holding placards that read: “Local manufacturers deserve protection, not frustration” and “5.5 million Nigerians cannot be pushed to the streets.” They argue that the ban risks jobs and investments.
At a Lagos press briefing in late January 2026, NAFDAC Director General Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye stated that enforcement had resumed, saying the agency had received a “matching order” from the Senate. But NAFDAC’s statement conflicts with a December 15, 2025, directive issued by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), ordering an immediate suspension of all enforcement actionspending consultations and a final directive. The statement also added that any action taken without OSGF clearance “should be disregarded.”
At the time of publication, there was no public OSGF notice lifting that suspension, leaving manufacturers, retailers and buyers guessing which order to obey.
Segun Ajayi-Kadir, director general of Nigeria’s Manufacturers Association (MAN), says that a “renewed ban” would hurt the economy, disrupt compliant producers, and encourage the sale of illicit, unregulated products. He added that operators are “confused as to which directive to follow.”
According to Ajayi-Kadir, alcohol packaged in sachets serves low-income adult consumers, and an outright ban would limit their choice.
On January 23, members of Nigeria’s labour unions, including the country’s Distillers and Blenders Association, held demonstrations outside NAFDAC’s Lagos office, holding placards that read: “Local manufacturers deserve protection, not frustration” and “5.5 million Nigerians cannot be pushed to the streets.” They argue that the ban risks jobs and investments.
Each sachet has its ‘own work’ in the body
For Amara Ruth, who has sold alcohol packaged in sachets at her roadside kiosk in FESTAC town since 2019, demand has not dipped. “People always buy,” she told DW. “At night sales are very high,” she said, adding that afternoons also bring in a steady flow of clients. Pricing is simple: 100 Naira for the smaller sachet, 200 Naira for the larger one.
Ruth believes buyers would still pay even if prices rose, because sachets are an inexpensive entry point. Her bestsellers range from gins used for libation to bitters and “manpower” brands popular for sexual enhancement. “Each sachet has its own work they do in the body,” she explained. Nigerian bitters drinks are herbal-based alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks that are traditionally believed to provide the body with various health benefits.
“Nobody from NAFDAC has come here. Nobody at all,” she says, recalling only a temporary squeeze on one bitters brand last year. Ruth sometimes refuses sales to older men who get drunk quickly or to young buyers she does not trust, but admitted that children may buy for adults.
Philip’s experience is similar. He says availability has not tightened since talk of a ban began. “Nothing changed. It’s even multiplied. In Lagos, you can get it anywhere, within 20 meters, you have one.” On youth access, he adds: “If they want to get it, they will get it.”
A 2019 report published in African Health Sciences revealed 30% alcohol use among young Nigerians. The World Health Organization’s (WHO)Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health (2018) estimated heavy episodic drinking among Nigerians aged 15–19 at 22.5%, one of the highest rates in Africa.
For Amara Ruth, who has sold alcohol packaged in sachets at her roadside kiosk in FESTAC town since 2019, demand has not dipped. “People always buy,” she told DW. “At night sales are very high,” she said, adding that afternoons also bring in a steady flow of clients. Pricing is simple: 100 Naira for the smaller sachet, 200 Naira for the larger one.
Ruth believes buyers would still pay even if prices rose, because sachets are an inexpensive entry point. Her bestsellers range from gins used for libation to bitters and “manpower” brands popular for sexual enhancement. “Each sachet has its own work they do in the body,” she explained. Nigerian bitters drinks are herbal-based alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks that are traditionally believed to provide the body with various health benefits.
“Nobody from NAFDAC has come here. Nobody at all,” she says, recalling only a temporary squeeze on one bitters brand last year. Ruth sometimes refuses sales to older men who get drunk quickly or to young buyers she does not trust, but admitted that children may buy for adults.
Philip’s experience is similar. He says availability has not tightened since talk of a ban began. “Nothing changed. It’s even multiplied. In Lagos, you can get it anywhere, within 20 meters, you have one.” On youth access, he adds: “If they want to get it, they will get it.”
A 2019 report published in African Health Sciences revealed 30% alcohol use among young Nigerians. The World Health Organization’s (WHO)Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health (2018) estimated heavy episodic drinking among Nigerians aged 15–19 at 22.5%, one of the highest rates in Africa.
Alcohol in sachets linked to road accidents, domestic violence
Civil society groups like CAPPA, a regional corporate accountability organisation, and NHED, a Nigerian Health Equity NGO, argue that sachets make high-strength alcohol easy for young people to obtain and conceal, linking widespread use to road crashes, school dropouts, domestic violence and early addiction.
Several African countries have restricted or banned sachet alcohol on health grounds. Kenya in 2004 andCote d’Ivoire in 2016, with additional actions in Malawi, Cameroon and Tanzania.
In Nigeria, the question is no longer about availability — sachets remain widely sold — but about who is responsible for enforcement, with NAFDAC announcing a crackdown while the OSGF’s suspension order remains in place.
Back in FESTAC town, very little appears to have shifted. At Amara’s kiosk, sachets continue to sell alongsidebeer and sodas, and demand remains steady through the day.
For consumers like Philip, the appeal is still convenience and control over how much they drink. But until the authorities resolve the conflicting directives and set out how enforcement should work at street level, drinkers can allay their confusion with an alcohol sachet of their choice.
Civil society groups like CAPPA, a regional corporate accountability organisation, and NHED, a Nigerian Health Equity NGO, argue that sachets make high-strength alcohol easy for young people to obtain and conceal, linking widespread use to road crashes, school dropouts, domestic violence and early addiction.
Several African countries have restricted or banned sachet alcohol on health grounds. Kenya in 2004 andCote d’Ivoire in 2016, with additional actions in Malawi, Cameroon and Tanzania.
In Nigeria, the question is no longer about availability — sachets remain widely sold — but about who is responsible for enforcement, with NAFDAC announcing a crackdown while the OSGF’s suspension order remains in place.
Back in FESTAC town, very little appears to have shifted. At Amara’s kiosk, sachets continue to sell alongsidebeer and sodas, and demand remains steady through the day.
For consumers like Philip, the appeal is still convenience and control over how much they drink. But until the authorities resolve the conflicting directives and set out how enforcement should work at street level, drinkers can allay their confusion with an alcohol sachet of their choice.
By Okey Omeire, Inquirer
Nigerian lawmakers approve real-time online election results
Following major pressure from trade unions and civil society, Nigeria's Senate on Tuesday reversed its earlier decision to reject plans for the real-time electronic transmission of election results in future.
The vote last week against making the automatic and immediate uploading of results mandatory — a measure long championed by pro-reform groups as key to reducing risks of interference during manual vote collation — sparked widespread condemnation and public protests.
The lower chamber of parliament, the House of Representatives, had approved the proposal before the Senate threw it out, with some members arguing the plan would prove impractical.
Presidential elections expected a year from now
After an emergency meeting on the matter, the Senate said that members "approved the electronic transmission of election results... after the completion of all statutory procedures at the polling unit."
It said the decision was unanimous and that it would boost "public confidence" and enable "citizens to follow the electoral process more transparently."
Nigeria's next presidential election, when incumbent Bola Tinubu is likely to seek a second and final term, is scheduled for February 2027.
Nigeria's largest trade union group threatened over the weekend to try to boycott the next vote entirely unless the changes were implemented.
"Failure to add electronic transmission in real time will lead to mass action before, during and after the election, or total boycott of the election," NLC President Joe Ajaero said on Sunday.
Public skepticism and voter apathy high, long tradition of contested results
At the last presidential election in February 2023, turnout dipped to 27%, its lowest levels since Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999.
The result was challenged in court and ultimately had to go to the Supreme Court.
Almost every election in Nigerian history, barring 2015 when Goodluck Jonathan conceded defeat, has faced legal challenges. Allegations of wrongdoing are commonplace albeit almost always unsuccessful before the judges.
Can the vast, violence-ridden country deliver real-time vote counts?
Over the past decade, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has introduced various technology designed to improve the integrity and transparency of election results.
However, the implementation and execution has proved extremely challenging and unsuccessful.
In 2023's vote, the new online results database was much touted but proved an unreliable platform, with only around 10% of constituencies, mostly in the larger and wealthier cities and towns, managing to deliver prompt results.
EU election observer Barry Andrews wrote after that vote that the plan to post itemized results online "were perceived as an important step to ensure the integrity and credibility of the eletions," but that "uploading the results ... did not work as expected."
Conditions next February are not likely to be much better in Africa's most populous country.
Internet connections remain patchy in rural areas. The country's police and military is struggling to contain a string of often Islamist rebel and terrorist insurgencies, as well as criminal groups and gangs, in several different states.
Delayed or extended voting has been commonplace in many of the roughly 176,000 polling stations nationwide for years for a variety of reasons, from security concerns to technical mishaps or simple overcrowding.
The vote last week against making the automatic and immediate uploading of results mandatory — a measure long championed by pro-reform groups as key to reducing risks of interference during manual vote collation — sparked widespread condemnation and public protests.
The lower chamber of parliament, the House of Representatives, had approved the proposal before the Senate threw it out, with some members arguing the plan would prove impractical.
Presidential elections expected a year from now
After an emergency meeting on the matter, the Senate said that members "approved the electronic transmission of election results... after the completion of all statutory procedures at the polling unit."
It said the decision was unanimous and that it would boost "public confidence" and enable "citizens to follow the electoral process more transparently."
Nigeria's next presidential election, when incumbent Bola Tinubu is likely to seek a second and final term, is scheduled for February 2027.
Nigeria's largest trade union group threatened over the weekend to try to boycott the next vote entirely unless the changes were implemented.
"Failure to add electronic transmission in real time will lead to mass action before, during and after the election, or total boycott of the election," NLC President Joe Ajaero said on Sunday.
Public skepticism and voter apathy high, long tradition of contested results
At the last presidential election in February 2023, turnout dipped to 27%, its lowest levels since Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999.
The result was challenged in court and ultimately had to go to the Supreme Court.
Almost every election in Nigerian history, barring 2015 when Goodluck Jonathan conceded defeat, has faced legal challenges. Allegations of wrongdoing are commonplace albeit almost always unsuccessful before the judges.
Can the vast, violence-ridden country deliver real-time vote counts?
Over the past decade, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has introduced various technology designed to improve the integrity and transparency of election results.
However, the implementation and execution has proved extremely challenging and unsuccessful.
In 2023's vote, the new online results database was much touted but proved an unreliable platform, with only around 10% of constituencies, mostly in the larger and wealthier cities and towns, managing to deliver prompt results.
EU election observer Barry Andrews wrote after that vote that the plan to post itemized results online "were perceived as an important step to ensure the integrity and credibility of the eletions," but that "uploading the results ... did not work as expected."
Conditions next February are not likely to be much better in Africa's most populous country.
Internet connections remain patchy in rural areas. The country's police and military is struggling to contain a string of often Islamist rebel and terrorist insurgencies, as well as criminal groups and gangs, in several different states.
Delayed or extended voting has been commonplace in many of the roughly 176,000 polling stations nationwide for years for a variety of reasons, from security concerns to technical mishaps or simple overcrowding.
By Mark Hallam, DW
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