Foreign
Trump’s tariff threatens $10bn US-Nigeria trade
•Nigeria’s crude revenue may plunge as US begins enforcement Wed, NACCIMA raises concerns
The newly imposed 14 per cent tariff by US President Donald Trump on exports by Nigerian businesses presents a significant risk to the $10bn annual exports to the United States, potentially disrupting key sectors such as oil export and agricultural trade, experts and trade associations concerned about a potential global trade war stated on Thursday.
The economic experts, in separate interviews noted that the policy, which would raise the prices of goods and services for consumers, would weaken the standard of living, slow down manufacturing activities, hinder international trade and consequently weaken demand for Nigerian oil in the US, one of its key markets.
The experts also predicted that Nigeria’s oil earnings were poised for a significant decline following the announcement of the new tariff regime.
National President of the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce, Sheriff Balogun, stated that since the inception of the African Growth and Opportunity Act in 2000, Nigeria had exported an estimated $277bn worth of goods to the United States, with crude taking the majority.
Nigeria’s exports to the United States currently average between $10bn and $12bn annually, although it has been fluctuating in recent years, according to US and Nigerian trade data.
Trump had announced in a decision widely condemned by the European Union and exporting nations that countries seeking to sell goods to the United States would now face taxes as high as 50 per cent.
The announcement, made during a ‘Make America Wealthy Again’ event in the Rose Garden, marked a dramatic shift from decades of free-trade orthodoxy that had underpinned the global economy since World War II.
He said the new sweeping tariffs of at least 10 per cent on all countries were part of a broader strategy aimed at rebalancing global trade and addressing perceived unfair trade practices.
According to the Trump administration, Nigeria imposes a 27 per cent tariff on US exports, a disparity they claim has long been detrimental to American businesses and consumers. It said the higher tariffs were charged through currency manipulation and trade barriers.
Our correspondent gathered that the reciprocal tariff was calculated based on the trade deficit for the US in goods with the particular country divided by the total goods imports from that country, and then divided that number by two. A trade deficit occurs when a country buys (imports) more physical products from other countries than it sells (exports) to them.
In his address, Trump framed the tariff as part of a larger initiative to protect American industries and ensure that other nations play by what he described as “fair” trade rules.
Trump declared the start of what he called a new era of “fair trade”, promising to “supercharge America’s industrial base” and force open foreign markets long accused of shutting out US goods.
“This is one of the most important days in American history,” Trump said. “We will supercharge our domestic industrial base. We will pry open foreign markets and break down foreign trade barriers, and ultimately, more production at home will mean stronger competition and lower prices for consumers.
“This will be, indeed, the golden age of Americans coming back. We are going to come back very strongly.”
Responding to the development, NACC president Balogun warned that the policy could impact trade volumes worth $277bn.
“Since the African Growth and Opportunity Act began in 2000, Nigeria has exported an estimated $277bn worth of goods to the United States under the programme,” he stated. “The vast majority of this trade value comes from crude oil shipments, with petroleum products overwhelmingly dominating Nigeria’s AGOA exports each year. In fact, oil alone accounts for nearly all of Nigeria’s exports under the initiative by value.”
Economic experts say this move threatens Nigeria’s exports to the US, particularly petroleum goods, its major export product. With oil accounting for the bulk of Nigeria’s export revenue, the move could exacerbate economic challenges, including a weaker naira and rising inflation. Additionally, reciprocal tariffs on imported goods like wheat and vehicles could further drive up local prices, compounding the financial strain on businesses and consumers alike.
According to Afreximbank research, the 14 per cent reciprocal tariff will reduce oil demand and lower forex earnings, while higher tariffs on wheat and vehicles may increase local prices; key exports include oil, cocoa, and rubber, while key imports include wheat, refined petroleum, and vehicles.
It added that these tariffs could reduce export revenues, increase production costs, and disrupt investment flows, particularly for nations heavily reliant on US trade.
Nigeria’s main exports to the U.S. included crude petroleum, petroleum gas, and nitrogenous fertilisers, flour and meals of soya beans, urea, refined lead, flowers buds and natural gas, while the western country mainly exported cars, refined petroleum, and wheat to Nigeria.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria’s trade with the United States reached a combined N31.1 trillion in ten years between 2015 and 2024. An analysis of the foreign trade report showed that N16.4tn was recorded as exports and N14.71tn in imports, indicating a trade surplus of N1.64tn
A breakdown showed that Nigeria exported goods worth N344.27bn in 2015 and received N581.99bn as imports. In 2016, it increased to N1.03tn in exports and N706.09 in imports. Exports surged to N1.73tn in 2027, N1.094tn in 2018, N1.01tn in 2019 before dropping to N382.19bn in 2020 due to the pandemic. By 2021, exports increased to N800.34bn, N1.82tn in 2022, N2.61tn in 2023 and N5.52tn in 2024.
The tariffs also come just as the US began importing jet fuel from Nigeria’s Dangote Refinery, with six vessels carrying 1.7 million barrels arriving this month.
The CEO, Cowry Asset Management Limited, Johnson Chukwu, explained that crude oil exports from Nigeria may remain unaffected by the tariff.
Chukwu added that while Nigeria was not a major non-oil exporting nation, the larger concern is that the US tariffs could lead to reduced global production. “Once production declines, demand for crude will fall, bringing down oil prices and likely affecting Nigeria’s projected revenue for the year,” he warned.
Beyond crude oil, the broader implications of the tariff war include rising consumer prices and weaker economic activity worldwide.
The economist noted that as countries adjusted to the new trade landscape, the cost of goods and services would rise, leading to a lower standard of living and a slowdown in manufacturing and international trade.
“However, at the general level, what Trump has done would trigger a higher cost of goods and services globally because countries would add it to their economies and it will be borne by final consumers. So, prices will go up in almost all the jurisdictions, the standard of living will weaken, manufacturing activities will slow down, and international trade will slow down. Ultimately, where it will affect Nigeria is that the demand for crude will decline because production will go down, and once the demand reduces, it means the price will come down and likely affect the projected revenue from crude sales this year. We are not a strong non-oil exporting country, so it may not affect our agricultural products, but reduced demand will affect our crude revenue,” he added.
Already, crude oil prices took a sharp hit on Thursday, with Brent crude dropping below $70 per barrel following an unexpected increase in production by OPEC+.
The CEO, Centre for Promotion of Private Enterprises, Muda Yusuf, highlighted the indirect effects Nigeria might face.
“The Trump administration has practically brought closure to the AGOA trade window. Additionally, the trade war and retaliatory tariffs could trigger inflationary pressures in the U.S., leading to higher costs for imports into Nigeria,” he said.
Yusuf also warned that disruptions in global supply chains could weaken economic growth worldwide, potentially lowering crude oil prices — a development that would reduce Nigeria’s foreign reserves and revenue.
Despite these challenges, Yusuf noted that the shifting trade landscape could present new opportunities for Nigeria.
“Many countries affected by the trade war will seek new bilateral trade relationships, which may create investment opportunities for Nigerian businesses,” he explained.
However, he cautioned that if US inflation worsens, the Federal Reserve may tighten monetary policy, leading to higher interest rates and capital outflows from emerging economies—potentially putting further pressure on the naira’s exchange rate.
On his part, the Director General, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Sola Obadimu, urged the Federal Government to focus on domestic economic growth rather than overreacting to U.S. policies.
He emphasised that every country, including the United States, implemented policies in its best interest, and Nigeria must do the same to protect its economy and create jobs.
Obadimu explained that the tariff aligned with former US President Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda, aimed at revitalising domestic industries and creating employment opportunities for American citizens.
“Trump’s goal has always been to make America great again, and one way to achieve that is to get factories running again,” he said. “Many factories in the U.S. have shut down due to outsourcing, and this policy is designed to discourage imports, boost local production, and generate jobs. It’s a valid argument.”
However, he stressed that the real concern for Nigeria should be its own economic strategy. He pointed out that the country exports mostly crude oil and raw agricultural products with little value added, effectively outsourcing jobs instead of creating employment locally. To address this, he called for policies that prioritize industrialization and job creation.
“We cannot industrialise on generators. We should aim for 150,000 megawatts of electricity, add value to our products, and employ more people,” he urged. While noting that Trump’s policies could be overturned by a future administration, Obadimu emphasised that Nigeria must take proactive steps to safeguard its economy from external shocks and long-term poverty.
In addition to the 14 per cent tariff on Nigerian exports, Trump also unveiled a broader trade policy that included a baseline 10 per cent tariff on all US imports.
The new tariffs, which take immediate effect, apply to more than 50 countries.
They include major trade partners like China, the European Union, India, and Japan, as well as developing economies in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
The new policy is a dramatic shift in global trade and economic policy, rattling markets and stirring fears of a global trade war.
Aside from Nigeria, some African countries that will bear the brunt of the new policy include Algeria (30 per cent); Lesotho (50 per cent); Mauritius (40 per cent); Kenya (10 per cent); Namibia (21 per cent) and Ethiopia as well as Ghana 10 per cent apiece. South Africa was handed down a reciprocal tariff of 30 per cent.
Other countries, including China, got 34 per cent, India (26 per cent), South Korea (25 per cent), Japan 24 (per cent), Taiwan (32 per cent), United Kingdom (10 per cent), Vietnam (46 per cent), Switzerland (31 per cent), Cambodia 49 (per cent) South Africa (30 per cent), Indonesia (32 per cent), Brazil (10 per cent) and Singapore (10 per cent).
Trump said the baseline 10 percent tariff would start on April 5, while higher rates on various partners would begin on April 9.
The parents of a Nigerian student convicted of robbery and blackmail in the United Kingdom have appealed to the authorities to review the verdict, insisting that their son was wrongly convicted and is innocent of all the charges against him.
Mr Aderinkola Akinrinola and Mrs Olayinka Akinrinola made the appeal in a statement released in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Thursday, following the conviction of their son, Oluwatobiloba Akinrinola, by a UK court on June 19, 2026.
He is currently being held in a prison in Nottingham pending his sentencing, scheduled for July 27.
The distraught parents alleged that the conviction was based largely on circumstantial evidence and their son’s association with the principal suspect in the case.
They explained that their son met Richile Vagnu shortly after resuming his studies as a first-year student at Leicester University in September 2025, describing their relationship as that of acquaintances rather than close associates.
“Our son was present at the party where the incident took place, but he was never involved in the robbery,” the parents said.
They claimed that some of the victims testified in court that Oluwatobiloba was not among those who robbed them and that he only briefly entered the room where the incident occurred, asked what was happening and left after making it clear that he did not want to be involved.
The parents further stated that investigators found evidence of money transfers made by victims to accounts linked to other suspects, but found no such transactions in their son’s bank records.
They also alleged that CCTV footage presented during the trial did not place their son at the scene of the alleged robbery, apart from showing him arriving at the party.
According to them, the police were unable to produce some of the suspects in court because they allegedly failed to honour police invitations.
The family further claimed that one of the victims testified that Oluwatobiloba appeared to be trying to assist those affected rather than participating in the crime.
They disclosed that shortly after the incident, their son came across a social media video that allegedly linked him to the attack.
Concerned by the allegations, he reportedly contacted the police voluntarily and offered to present himself for questioning.
According to the parents, officers informed him at the time that he was not considered a suspect.
Describing their son as a calm and sociable young man with no previous criminal record, the couple appealed to the UK authorities to re-examine the case.
They also called on relevant authorities, legal institutions and human rights organisations to look into the circumstances surrounding the conviction and ensure that justice is served.
The statement read in part, “Our son, Oluwatobiloba Akinrinola, was wrongfully convicted of robbery and blackmail. We are Mr Aderinkola Akinrinola and Mrs Olayinka Akinrinola, parents of Oluwatobiloba Akinrinola, who was wrongfully convicted of robbery and blackmail by the UK government on June 19, 2026. He has been remanded in Nottingham Prison pending sentencing on July 27, 2026.
“Our son is innocent of the charges against him. The police argument against him is that he is guilty by association with the prime suspect. The only evidence presented in court against our son is a picture he took with Richile Vagnu, the prime suspect, and CCTV footage showing him entering the venue of the party where the robbery took place on November 21, 2025. Oluwatobiloba Akinrinola met Richile Vagnu in October after resuming school in September as a fresher at Leicester University. They were, at best, acquaintances.
The parents’ statement added, “While our son was present at the party where the robbery took place, he was never part of the robbery. Some of the victims also confirmed this in court. As recorded in his statement, he briefly entered the room where the robbery was taking place, questioned the prime suspect about what was happening and then left, insisting that he did not want to be part of it.
“The robbery victims said they were robbed of their jackets and footwear, and none of the items was found in our son’s possession after police searched his apartment. The police said they found evidence that money was transferred by the victims to the accounts of the other suspects, Vagnu and Ayomide Ibraheem, but no such evidence was found in our son’s bank records.
“The court insists our son is guilty but allowed other suspects to go scot-free, including Ayomide Ibraheem, whom victims identified as the person preventing them from leaving the room during the robbery. In all the CCTV footage played by the police in court, our son did not appear at the scene of the crime. He was only seen entering the party. The police also failed to produce the other suspects in court, despite allegations that they received money from the victims. The police said they did not honour invitations.
“Victims testified that our son was not involved. In fact, one of the victims said he was trying to help them. A few days after the robbery incident, our son saw a misleading video online posted by a TikTok influencer linking him to the attack. He immediately contacted the police and told them he was willing to come in for questioning because he was not involved in the robbery. The police told him not to bother because he was not a suspect.
“Our son is a calm and sociable young man who has never been linked to any criminal activity before now. Please help us. We are devastated. We simply want the world to hear our side of the story. Our son is about to suffer for a crime he did not commit. His life is about to be destroyed for something he did not do. We want the UK government to review the case and ensure that justice is done.”
Moore, who represents West Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, made the remarks in a post on his X handle on Wednesday.
His reaction followed the Senate’s approval of the bill which seeks to decentralise policing by allowing states to establish their own police services alongside the Nigeria Police Force.
Moore, who has previously spoken on attacks against Christians in Nigeria, said the reform was one he had advocated publicly and privately.
“I’m encouraged to see Nigeria’s Senate approve legislation to establish state-level police forces—a reform I’ve called for publicly and privately since I first started investigating the genocide against Christians in Nigeria.
“I can’t stress how critical this law that will empower states to protect their own citizens and reducing dependence on decision makers in Abuja is to the effort to defend persecuted Christians and address insecurity,” he wrote.
“President Tinubu deserves credit for pushing it forward, but now we need 2/3rds of the states to ratify before it will take effect,” he added.
PUNCH Online reports that the Senate on Wednesday passed the Constitution Alteration Bill seeking to establish state police across the federation after more than two-thirds of senators voted in support during a manual voting process.
The proposed legislation seeks to establish a state policing framework operating concurrently with the federal police system, empowering governors to appoint Commissioners of Police for their respective states, subject to confirmation by their state Houses of Assembly.
The bill also includes safeguards against abuse, providing that state police cannot be deployed against individuals or groups merely for criticising a state government except in accordance with the law. It will only become part of the Constitution after securing the required approvals from state legislatures and completing other constitutional processes.
The department stated that Akintola was taken into custody immediately after her plea and sentencing hearing before Magistrate Judge Kate Vaughan.
The statement noted that at the sentencing hearing, Vaughan condemned the offence, saying she was struck by the fact that Akintola had targeted a vulnerable victim.
It noted that court records showed that Akintola became a social worker for the Snoqualmie Tribe in January 2023 and later applied to become the Social Security Representative Payee for a minor child under the tribe’s care.
The statement added that the child’s mother had died, leaving survivor benefits for the child with a prohibition for social workers from serving as representative payees for children under the tribe’s care.
The statement noted that despite the prohibition, prosecutors said Akintola used the child’s Social Security number and her information to secure the appointment and redirected the benefits into a bank account she controlled.
The attorney’s office stated that she spent the funds on personal expenses, including purchases at a retailer in North Bend, Washington.
The statement read in part, “In September 2023, Akintola applied by telephone to be the Social Security representative payee for a minor child with intellectual disabilities who was a ward of the tribe.
“The Tribe prohibits its social workers from becoming a representative payee for any child under its care. Nevertheless, Akintola used the child’s Social Security number and her own to apply to be the minor child’s representative payee.”
The US noted that the theft was uncovered in July 2024 when Akintola accompanied her supervisor to the Social Security Administration to inquire about the child’s missing benefits.
The department further disclosed that Akintola failed to appear for an earlier plea and sentencing hearing scheduled for May 22, 2026.
The statement added, “Prosecutors learnt she had left the U.S. on May 20, 2026, and travelled to Togo in West Africa using a passport issued in a different last name.
“Akintola appeared for the plea and sentencing hearing yesterday (July 15), and Judge Vaughan ultimately ordered her into custody to begin serving the sentence immediately.”
The statement noted that a representative of the Snoqualmie Tribe told the court that Akintola had abused the trust reposed in her as a social worker and exploited a grieving child for financial gain.
It added that the representative said the stolen funds were intended to support the child’s future independence and well-being and that the victim was an autistic child who depended on the benefits for support following the death of the mother.
“In our profession, a social worker is meant to be a safekeeper. A protector for children who have been stripped of their safety, family, and stability.
“Ms Akintola did not just fail in that duty; she weaponised her position of power to systematically steal from a grieving, autistic child. This money was not a luxury. It was a lifeline.”
The attorney’s office said Akintola was ordered to pay $17,638 in restitution to the Social Security Administration.
She was also barred from ever serving as a Social Security representative payee in the future.
Foreign
Putin ‘shuts down CCTV protecting him’ fearing assassination after Iran’s Ayatollah tracked via cameras and killed
The paranoid Russian tyrant is said to be shaking in his boots after the US and Israel used AI camera hacking to hunt down and kill Iran‘s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Putin is paranoid that his security cameras could be used against him.
It comes after the precise strike that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader on February 28.
The sophisticated operation has sparked fears in Russia that similar technology could be used to track top officials – or the despot himself.
The move underscores mounting Kremlin fears that widespread surveillance cameras could be used against Moscow – given the new powers of AI.
Israeli intelligence are reportedly harvesting huge amounts of data scraped from Tehran’s traffic camera network.
Putin’s surveillance system has since been turned back on – but was only reinstated after engineers tried to break it off from the internet, the Financial Times reported.
The Kremlin is terrified that its sprawling surveillance system could be turned against the regimeCredit: East2West
Israel are understood to be analysing these millions of hours of video using AI-powered software.
Methods like these were reportedly used in the operation to assassinate Ayatollah Khamenei on February 28.
Terrified Russian security chiefs are now warning that the sprawling system of surveillance cameras around the country could be harnessed against them.
Head of Russia’s FSB security service Alexander Bortnikov warned that the deaths of senior Iranian figures should serve as a “clear warning sign” about the vulnerabilities of modern camera networks.
It comes amid the growing capabilities of AI – which can now track and flag certain types of behaviour rather than individual faces.
The technology has been described as the “holy grail of surveillance”, according to one European official who told the FT it lets security services to search for movements rather than simply objects or people.
Earlier this week, Putin ordered his two eldest daughters to move into his bunker palace with him.
Maria Vorontsova, 41, and Katerina Tikhonova, 39, have moved into Mad Vlad’s highly guarded forest palace complex.
The tyrant’s demand for his two daughters and three grandchildren to move in was revealed by a new investigation from We Can Explain.
It reported that Putin’s multi-millionaire daughter Maria and her two children moved to the Valdai palace complex.
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Katerina Tikhonova, 39, a rock n’ roll dancer, also moved in with her son.
The deranged dictator already shared the palace with his mistress Alina Kabaeva, 43, and their two sons, Ivan, 11, and Vladimir, six.
The Valdai complex is guarded by dozens of air defence systems making it one of the most secure locations in Russia.
Putin’s palace now has a total of 27 towers fitted with anti-aircraft systems, up from just seven two years ago.
A Nigerian-born Roman Catholic priest, Anthony Odiong, has been convicted by a jury in Texas, United States, for sexually assaulting women under his spiritual care, The Guardian reports.
Odiong, 57, was found guilty on one count of first-degree sexual assault and two counts of second-degree sexual assault after a trial in Waco, Texas.
The jury, made up of eight women and four men, delivered its verdict after about two hours of deliberation on Friday.
The court heard testimony from two women who said Odiong used his role as a priest to manipulate and pressure them into sexual relationships.
He was accused of exploiting his position as a Catholic priest to pursue sexual relationships with women he was providing spiritual direction.
Odiong, who pleaded not guilty, could face life imprisonment on the first-degree charge when sentencing begins on Monday.
Prosecutors said the offences involved two women who testified in court that the priest abused his clerical authority during periods of emotional vulnerability.
One of the women, identified in court documents as Mary Doe, told the jury that Odiong began a sexual relationship with her while providing spiritual counselling during a difficult divorce.
She also testified that her son once walked in on her and Odiong during intercourse at her home.
Another woman, Jane Doe, testified that he pressured her into sexual acts under the guise of spiritual guidance.
The case followed a 2024 report by The Guardian, which first documented allegations of sexual misconduct and coercion against the priest during his ministry in Texas and Louisiana.
Prosecutors said that report prompted one of the victims to come forward to police with further allegations.
Investigators later gathered additional evidence, including DNA linked to a child fathered by Odiong during his time in Louisiana.
Odiong, a naturalised US citizen, was ordained in Nigeria in 1993 and later served in Catholic parishes in Texas and Louisiana.
Authorities said he was suspended from the ministry in 2019 following earlier allegations of misconduct.
His lawyers argued during the trial that the relationships were consensual, but prosecutors maintained that he abused his position of authority as a clergy member.
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