AFCON 2025: Qualified Eagles falls to Rwanda 2-1

An already qualified Super Eagles fell to the superior play of the Rwandan national team as the traunced the Eagles 2-1. The Eagles defeat is however, not enough to qualify the Rwandans as they were earlier defeated by the Benonoise national team

United Africa Royal Assembly Congratulates Rwandan President on Re-election

The United Africa Royal Assembly has extended its heartfelt congratulations to President Paul Kagame on his re-election as President of the Republic of Rwanda. The Assembly lauded the peaceful nature of the election, highlighting it as a testament to the unwavering trust and confidence the Rwandan people have in President Kagame’s 24 years of visionary leadership. In a statement, the President of the United Africa Royal Assembly, His Imperial Highness Prince Estifanos Matewos, commended President Kagame for the tremendous growth and development Rwanda has witnessed under his guidance. He noted that Rwanda has become a beacon of hope and resilience under President Kagame’s tenure. “Your tireless efforts to foster unity, peace, and sustainable development have set a commendable example for leaders across Africa and the world,” said Prince Estifanos. He also praised the elections for the special seats reserved for women, young people, and people with disabilities, calling them a shining example of promoting inclusive governance and the empowerment of all segments of society. Prince Estifanos expressed confidence that President Kagame’s continued leadership would further propel Rwanda towards greater heights of achievement. He emphasized the United Africa Royal Assembly’s eagerness to strengthen collaboration and partnership with Rwanda, working together to promote peace, stability, and prosperity across the continent. “May your tenure be marked by continued success and the fulfillment of your vision for a brighter future for Rwanda and a stronger Africa. May God bless you with wisdom, health, and strength to overcome,” concluded Prince Estifanos. The United Africa Royal Assembly looks forward to a fruitful partnership with Rwanda under President Kagame’s leadership, aiming for a prosperous future for the nation and the continent as a whole.

Nigeria’s Impressive $20.1bn Tops Diaspora Remittances In Sub-Saharan Africa

Nigeria's Impressive $20.1bn Tops Diaspora Remittances In Sub-Saharan Africa

Nigeria has emerged as the leader in Diaspora remittances within Sub-Saharan Africa for the year 2022, receiving an impressive $20.1 billion, representing 38 percent of the total remittance flow to the region. This figure surpasses that of other countries in the region, including Ghana (11.9 percent), Kenya (8.5 percent), Tanzania (25 percent), Uganda (17.3 percent), and Rwanda (21.2 percent). According to the World Bank, Nigeria played a pivotal role in contributing to the total remittance flow of an estimated $52.9 billion into Sub-Saharan Africa in 2022. The increase in remittances has provided significant support to several African nations facing various challenges such as food insecurity, supply chain disruptions, drought (particularly in the Horn of Africa), floods (in countries like Nigeria, Chad, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Cameroon), and debt-servicing difficulties. Taking a broader perspective, global remittance flows to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) reached $647 billion. It is projected to experience a modest 1.4 percent increase, reaching $656 billion in 2023. Highlighting the significance of remittances, the World Bank emphasized that over the past year, remittances have become a major source of external finance for LMICs, surpassing foreign direct investment (FDI), official development assistance (ODA), and portfolio investment flows. The report also pointed out that in several countries, remittances have overtaken key exports as the primary source of foreign exchange earnings. For instance, in Kenya, remittances exceed the earnings from critical sectors such as tourism, tea, coffee, and horticulture. Other nations, including the Gambia, Lesotho, Comoros, and Cabo Verde, are also highly dependent on remittance receipts as a proportion of their GDP. However, the report highlighted that Sub-Saharan Africa continues to face the highest remittance costs globally. Sending $200 to African countries during 2022Q4 incurred an average cost of 8.0 percent, up from 7.8 percent in 2021Q4. Costs vary widely across the region, ranging from 2.1–4.0 percent in the lowest-cost corridors to a staggering 17–35 percent in the highest-cost corridors. Notably, banks impose the highest costs, underscoring the importance of cross-border mobile money transactions. Limited interoperability among telecom operators and money transfer operators in countries like Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda poses challenges for such transactions. Furthermore, the growth of remittance flows into Africa is projected to slow down to 1.3 percent in 2023, compared to 6.1 percent in 2022. Factors contributing to this slowdown include risks related to capital outflows, foreign exchange controls, and sanctions. South Africa’s placement on the “gray list” by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is also noted. However, remittance flow growth is expected to rebound to 3.7 percent in 2024, according to the World Bank.

Afrobasket: D’Tigress crush Rwanda, reach 4th consecutive final

Afrobasket: D’Tigress crush Rwanda, reach 4th consecutive final

Nigeria’s Senior Women’s Basketball Team, D’Tigress on Thursday pummeled host country Rwanda, 79-48 to reach another final of the ongoing Afrobasket Women’s Championship. The team, who has been dominant in the competition since 2015, are yet to lose any match and are now gunning for their fourth successive title.They have now extended their unbeaten run to 23 games and will next face the winner between Senegal and Mali in the final on Saturday.Amy Okonkwo as usual, unleashed the necessary qualities as she recorded 23 points, 10 rebounds, two steals, and one block to help the team get past Rwanda who had a huge home support.D’Tigress were dominant all through the four quarters of the match recording, 22-6, 22-12, 17-14, and 13-21 to coast home a 79-48 victory.The last time Nigeria lost a game in the Women’s Afrobasket was in 2015 against Cameroon in the semi-finals.In a post-match news conference monitored, the Head Coach of Rwanda, Sheik Caar, admitted that Nigeria is a powerhouse in basketball and that they made three points look easy and they had a 45 percent average.“If you have a team making three points look easy and you only have just one player making points, how are you going to win a team like Nigeria?“We tried but Nigeria is better physically and mentally, indeed they deserve to win and we just have to prepare harder next time,” Caar said.Also speaking, Nigeria’s Head Coach, Rena Wakama, who had just two weeks to prepare the team, expressed happiness over the victory.“It’s a very good feeling I give kudos to the players who gave their best and have done very well to reach another final.“Indeed it’s a great achievement and we look forward to playing in the final and winning the championship trophy,” Wakama said.The D’Tigress’ scorecard in the competition is, 69-35 against Congo, 83-65 against Egypt, 59-52 against Mozambique, and now 79-48 against Rwanda.