Newscast - Africa

Emirates Airlines has restored its flight operations to Nigeria’s commercial capital of Lagos. 
The company announced this in emails sent to its customers.
Emirates says that effective from 11th September 2022, they will reinstate operations of the flights.
The reinstatement came two weeks after the United Arab Emirates carrier suspended flight operations, citing its inability to repatriate its earnings in foreign exchange from Nigeria.

Defaulters of the ban on commercial motorcycle operators in Lagos State risk a three-year jail term as enforcement for the phase two ban starts on Friday.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Transport, Dr Frederic Oladeinde, says the phase two okada ban was in four local government areas and six local council development areas.
The commissioner, 200 officials of the Lagos Traffic Management Authority have been deployed alongside other security agencies to enforce the ban.
He stated that the extension is in the right direction to ensure the security of the lives and properties of Lagosians.

President Muhammadu Buhari has assented to eight bills passed by the National Assembly.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives), Nasir Illa, listed the bills as Counselling Practitioners Council of Nigeria, Civil Aviation Act, Nigerian Metrological Agency, Pharmacy Council of Nigeria and Nigerian Council for Management Development.
Others are the National Institute of Credit Administration, Chartered Institute Of Social Work Practitioners and Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria.

The Federal Government, says 10 states were to contribute 1,000 megawatts of off-grid electricity to the quantum of power being produced across the country.
It says each of the states would generate 100MW of solar power, noting that it was currently enabling off-grid electricity projects in their various domains.
The Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, also announced that the Federal Government was set to build a 2.5MW hybrid solar power plant in the Nigerian Defence Academy to enhance security at the institution.
The minister noted that to achieve Nigeria’s commitment to climate change, the Federal Government was implementing different initiatives targeted at achieving at least 30,000MW generation by 2030 with 30 per cent from renewable energy sources.

United States President Joe Biden plans to ask Congress to approve an estimated $1.1bn arms sale to the self-ruled island of Taiwan, including 60 anti-ship missiles and 100 air-to-air missiles, according to Politico.
The package, which is still in an early stage, includes 60 AGM-84L Harpoon Block II missiles for $355m, 100 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder tactical air-to-air missiles for $85.6m, and $655.4m for a surveillance radar contract extension, three people familiar with the matter told the publication.
The US says it had sent two of its warships through the strait in a freedom of navigation exercise.

Equity Bank Uganda Limited has unveiled the $ 6 billion Africa Recovery and Resilience Plan to help businesses hit hard by Covid-19 recover.
Dr James Mwangi the Equity holding Group CEO says the fund will not only support businesses to flourish but also spur economic recovery.
Dr Mwangi says the project will be implemented through six strategic pillars of Food and Agriculture, Trade and Investment, MSMEs, Technology, Manufacturing and Logistics and Social and Environmental transformation all envisaged reaching millions of customers while creating over 25 million direct jobs.
Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa revealed that Parliament has also finalized four laws aimed at boosting the performance of the private sector.

U.S retail giant Walmart Inc has launched a 6.4 billion rand offer for the 47% of Massmart shares it does not already own, a deal Massmart says would support the overhaul of the loss-making South African retailer.
Massmart’s announcement of the offer sent its shares up 46%. If approved by shareholders, the retailer would be delisted from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
Massmart added that Walmart has offered 62 rands for each outstanding Massmart share, which represents a premium of 53% to Friday’s closing share price.
Massmart Chairman Kuseni Dlamini says that a preliminary report from an independent expert indicates that the terms and conditions of the offer are fair and reasonable.

African countries called for an end to climate injustice saying the continent causes less than four per cent of global CO2 emissions but pays one of the highest prices for global warming.
Government officials, international organisations, NGOs and the private sector from more than 60 African nations attended Monday’s opening of Africa Climate Week in Gabon’s capital to prepare for the COP27 UN climate conference in Egypt in November.
Host President Ali Bongo Ondimba says the continent has to speak with one voice and offer concrete proposals for COP27.

The Federal High Court in Lagos has stopped President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Broadcasting Commission from revoking the licenses of 53 broadcast stations in the country and shutting down the stations for allegedly failing to renew their licenses.
Honourable Justice Akintayo Aluko granted an order of interim injunction following the hearing of an argument on motion exparte by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project and Nigerian Guild of Editors.

The Federal Government reiterated petrol subsidy will remain in place until mid-2023. Ahead of the 2023 budget presentation,
The Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed says the government is proposing to spend only N3.36 trillion on petrol subsidy in 2023.
The minister added that the Federal Government is proposing an aggregate expenditure of N19.76 trillion for the 2023 financial year, with a projected deficit of N11.30 trillion.
She says the Federal Government is projecting total revenue of N8.46 trillion, out of which N1.9 trillion is expected to come from oil-related sources while the remaining is to come from non-oil sources.