Navigating headwinds facing Nigeria’s economy

Almost three months after the Taliban swept to power in Afghanistan, the country's economy is imploding. Many NGOs and foreign companies have left, leaving thousands of Afghans suddenly unemployed. Some $9.5 billion of assets have been frozen abroad and banks are running out of money. The value of the local currency is plummeting and food prices have soared. This dire situation is pushing thousands of Afghans to flee the country. FRANCE 24's Catherine Norris-Trent and Roméo Langlois report.

Golf is a club-and-ball game in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course. The sport dates as far back as the 15th century and it is one of the most popular outdoor games around the world. Even though the game is not really popular in mainstream Nigeria, it has often been regarded as a male and elite sport, but this set of women are changing the narrative, to them, golf is more than just a game. Some female golfers took out time to share their experiences playing a sport that is mostly dominated by men.⁣⁣⁣

Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama told FRANCE 24 that recent coups in West Africa are undermining democracy and that events have reached a crucial juncture for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) regional bloc. “Clearly it is a threat, it is an unfortunate precedent,” he said.

A fact-checking media in Mali has identified false claims of child harvesting in Nigeria – so-called "baby factories". The claim that the images in question are recent is bogus, but a real phenomenon of child harvesting does exist in Nigeria. Also, a Canadian media dramatically claimed that the wife of Pfizer's CEO died due to the Covid-19 vaccine. In fact, she is alive and well.

The Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has voted unanimously to retain the benchmark interest rate (MPR) at 11.5%, whilst keeping all other monetary parameters constant.

Nigeria has the second largest film output in the world, but many filmmakers struggle with low budgets and barely make a profit. But streaming platforms are giving a boost to African films.

China's post-COVID recovery has been hurt by Beijing's crackdown on real estate and tech giants. Strong exports have, until now, saved the economy but what happens when global demand for Chinese goods slows?

In October, the Central Bank of Nigeria launched the hugely-anticipated eNaira, joining the small league of countries to own their digital currency. But it hasn’t been smooth sailing for the currency that, according to the CBN, offers more possibilities. What do you think about the eNaira? How would you describe your experience with the eNaira app?

Oil giant Shell will pay a Nigerian community $111m (£80m) over an oil spill more than 50 years ago. A spokesman said the payment would mark the "full and final settlement" to the Ejama-Ebubu community over a spill during the 1967-70 Biafran War. The company has maintained that the damage was caused by third parties.

The general global trend towards protectionism has been boosted by the pandemic, as countries try to buy more locally. That's a serious threat to jobs in Germany.

Here are a few reasons to pick up a copy of The Guardian on Wednesday.

Traditionally, growing avocados requires lots of water. But entrepreneurs in Nigeria are attempting to grow them in a new water-saving and sustainable way by using drip irrigation systems and recycling water.