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Concerns over Plans to De-Radicalise Boko Haram after Sack of Akilu
The future of a UK-backed programme to de-radicalise Boko Haram Islamists in Nigeria is in doubt after the British-trained expert who set it up was abruptly sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.
The expert has been replaced by a colonel in the military, robbing the programme not only of its chief architect but also its civilian face.
According to Telegraph, UK influential newspaper, Fatima Akilu, an NHS-trained psychologist who was educated at a boarding school in Kent, set up a pioneering national scheme to rehabilitate Boko Haram members and spread counter-extremist messages.
The first such scheme of its kind in Nigeria, it was hailed as a key plank in the government’s long-term strategy to tackle Boko Haram, who are blamed for the deaths of 10,000 people across northern Nigeria in the past five years.
Two weeks ago, however, Ms Akilu was removed from her post as part of a clear-out of the entire top tier of the country’s national security agency by its new head, retired Major General Babagana Monguno.
He was appointed by President Buhari, the ex-general who swept to power in May’s elections.
Ms Akilu has now been replaced by a colonel in the military, robbing the programme not only of its chief architect but also its civilian face.
The programme had been designed to be civilian-led so as to have greater success in winning the confidence of insurgents. It had been funded by the EU to the tune of £5.6 million and an unknown amount by the UK.
There are concerns now that without its original backer, the scheme may end up being quietly sidelined, depriving Nigeria of its only counter-extremism scheme.
A source close to the government told the Telegraph: “The decision to remove Fatima came without any warning and now she has been replaced by a military man that nobody has heard of.
“Her staff are not happy about what has happened, and many are considering whether to stay or not.”
The question marks over the programme come as Boko Haram continues to pose a major threat to Nigeria, despite Mr Buhari’s pledges to crush it. On Monday, the group claimed responsibility for multiple suicide bombings over the weekend that killed 18 people around the capital, Abuja.
Ms Akilu, who was educated at the Beechwood Sacred Heart boarding school in Tunbridge Wells, set up the scheme last year at the invitation of Mohammad Sambo Dasuki, a national security adviser under the previous president, Goodluck Jonathan.
She had previously been working as a children’s author and adviser to troubled teenagers, but caught Mr Dasuki’s attention after writing a series of articles on the importance of education in drawing Nigerian youngsters away from trouble.
The programme focused partly on educating young Nigerians about the dangers of radicalisation in the first place, and also on trying to rehabilitate the thousands of Boko Haram suspects already in jail.
Suspects would be challenged by imams on their radical views, and also given access to sports facilities and classes in computing and craft skills.
It was considered to be innovative in Nigeria, where “hearts and minds” has never been a strong aspect of counter-terrorism strategy.
“The project was just beginning to bear fruit,” said the source. “At first the Boko Haram prisoners wouldn’t even talk to us, but we had reached the point where both were at least taking part in the programme. Some of the ex-commanders were even telling us about other commanders in other jails that might also be persuaded to take part.”
News of Ms Akilu’s removal first emerged on social media in Nigeria, and has been the subject of much speculation since.
Some believe that Mr Buhari, who was elected on pledges to take a tough approach with Boko Haram, is not convinced that “softer” strategies work. Others say he may not even have been aware of her removal.
Another theory is that she was the victim of score settling between the Jonathan and Buhari camps, which date back to Mr Buhari’s brief time as military ruler of Nigeria in the mid-1980s. Ms Akilu’s ex-boss, Mr Dasuki, is said to have been among a team of soldiers who arrested Mr Buhari shortly after his overthrow that year.
This summer, three of Mr Dasuki’s houses were raided on suspicion that he was involved in “undermining” national security, leading to him eventually being charged with possession of an unlicensed pistol. The Nigerian government denies that there has been any kind of witch hunt.
A Western official linked Ms Akilu’s removal to the wider clear-out in the NSA, but said there had been problems with the programme in the first place.
“Fatima set the programme up and had a lot of good ideas, but there were some shortcomings, partly in her team’s own capacity to run it, and partly in the lack of buy-in from the Nigerian military, who at the end of day need to be onside for this kind of thing.
“We hope that the programme will continue, and that this can become an opportunity to get more buy-in from the military and make it better than it was.”
An EU source said: “We are maintaining close contact with the office of the national security adviser staff and with the technical assistants working on the EU funded activities to evaluate the impact of the recent staff changes.”
The Nigerian government did not respond to requests for comment.
Africa Prudential Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable growth and digital transformation after posting another strong half-year financial performance, driven by robust growth in its core registrar business, technology-driven solutions and increased activity in Nigeria’s capital market.
Speaking during the company’s H1 2026 Investor Call on Tuesday, the management outlined plans to deepen revenue diversification and accelerate innovation as part of efforts to reduce reliance on interest income and strengthen long-term profitability.
The company reported gross earnings of ₦4.28 billion for the first half of 2026, representing a 27 per cent increase from ₦3.34 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.
Profit before tax rose by 22 per cent to ₦2.41 billion, while profit after tax climbed 18 per cent to ₦1.59 billion.
Net operating income also increased by 27 per cent to ₦4.21 billion, while total assets grew by 13 per cent to ₦46.53 billion. Shareholders’ funds similarly rose by 13 per cent to ₦12.52 billion.
According to the company, the impressive performance was driven by sustained growth in its registrar business, increased corporate actions across the Nigerian capital market, stronger treasury earnings supported by the prevailing interest rate environment and rising adoption of its technology-enabled products and services.African Mineral Wealth
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Catherine Nwosu, said Africa Prudential is steadily evolving from a traditional share registrar into a diversified technology and business solutions provider serving the broader capital market ecosystem.
Addressing concerns from investors about the sustainability of earnings if interest rates decline, Nwosu said the company was deliberately expanding its non-interest income sources.
“Interest rates influence our treasury income positively, but that is why we are deliberately diversifying our revenue streams. Our strategy is to grow recurring fee-based business lines such as our digital solutions, Know Your Customer (KYC) services, AGM technology, probate services and the SabiVest mobile app. Over time, this will reduce our reliance on interest income and create a more balanced and resilient earnings mix,” she said.
She noted that increasing activity in the Nigerian capital market presents fresh opportunities for technology-driven solutions.
“With capital market activity nearly doubling over the past year, demand for seamless digital investor experiences, improved market efficiency and stronger compliance standards continues to grow. We are investing in technology-enabled solutions that position us to capitalise on these opportunities while delivering sustainable value to our shareholders,” she added.
Looking ahead, the company identified five strategic priorities for the second half of 2026, including driving sustainable growth through its core registrar business and new revenue streams, accelerating technology-led product innovation, strengthening brand leadership, investing in talent development and reinforcing corporate governance.
The investor call attracted institutional investors, shareholders, analysts, regulators and other capital market stakeholders, reflecting strong interest in Africa Prudential’s earnings outlook, revenue diversification strategy and long-term growth plans.
News
IHS Nigeria Donates Business-Support Equipment to Empower People with Disabilities in Abuja Community
Communications infrastructure company, IHS Nigeria, has donated business support equipment to empower people with disabilities within the Karonmajiji community in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. This is part of the company’s commitment to drive inclusive community development and sustainable livelihood support under its Project Empower initiative.
The equipment was distributed to beneficiaries during a ceremony held in the community on Monday, July 27. The initiative was conceived following a community needs assessment and is designed to empower active traders by providing them with business tools rather than cash grants, thereby strengthening their businesses and ensuring long-term economic impact and accountability.
Speaking at the event, Director, Sustainability, IHS Nigeria, Titilope Oguntuga, described the initiative as a reflection of the company’s commitment to advancing inclusive development by equipping persons with disabilities with the tools and opportunities needed to build resilient livelihoods.
She explained that rather than providing short-term financial assistance, IHS Nigeria adopted an asset-based approach by donating 50 pieces of business support equipment, including sewing machines, freezers, generators and hairdressing kits, to the selected beneficiaries.
According to her, the intervention is designed to create lasting value by supporting entrepreneurship, promoting self-reliance and strengthening household incomes, while contributing to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
In his opening remarks, the Chief of the Karonmajiji Disabled Community, Alhaji Sulaiman Muhammed Katsina, represented by the Secretary of the Community, Alhaji Mohammed Dantani commended IHS Nigeria for its commitment to empowering persons with disabilities through practical and sustainable interventions.
He described the initiative as a demonstration of genuine partnership with the community and expressed appreciation for the company’s continued engagement with the Association, noting that the donation of the equipment was a significant investment in improving the livelihoods of persons with disabilities and would create meaningful economic opportunities for the beneficiaries and their families.
The event brought together traditional rulers, government representatives, leaders and members of the Karonmajiji Disabled Community Association, implementing partners, including Field of Skills and Dreams Vocational Technical and Entrepreneurship (FSD VTE) Training Institute and other community stakeholders, reaffirming a shared commitment to promoting inclusion and sustainable community development.
Project Empower reinforces IHS Nigeria’s commitment to advancing sustainable development through strategic partnerships that promote economic inclusion, strengthen community resilience and create opportunities for underserved communities.
The Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIBN) and the Association of Corporate Communication and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB) have enjoined banks to further deepen and prioritize financial inclusion, women’s empowerment and sustained growth through strategic mandates and frameworks, aimed at closing the financial gap and empowering more small, and medium enterprise (MSME) owners.
Both organisations made this call during a courtesy visit to the newly invested 24th President and Chairman of Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Dr. Dele Alabi, Ph.D, FCIB, as part of plans to congratulate him on his investiture as well as seek a stronger alliance between both bodies.
The visit followed Alabi’s investiture where he unveiled his “IMPACT” Vision, themed “Consolidating Our Local Impact, Enhancing Our Global Relevance.”
The vision rests on six pillars: Inclusion across geographic, gender, and generational lines; Membership growth and quality; Professionalism and ethics; Accountability; Competencies and skills development; Technology, automation, and innovation. Other areas of shared interest, include women empowerment, financial inclusion and literacy, as well as MSME clinics, all of which are top on his agenda.
Alabi explained that under him, the institute will be prioritising financial inclusion and women empowerment, because of its realisation that women are often the primary financial managers and caregivers in families. Access to savings, micro-credit, and insurance acts as a safety net during crisis and allows them to significantly improve living conditions.
He added that CIBN would be happy to drive joint knowledge sharing and exchange sessions with CBN and ACAMB across various platforms. “Educating the public through public awareness programmes, with ACAMB as the rallying point, is central to what we do,” he noted.
ACAMB President, Jide Sipe, who led the delegation, spoke in unison with the CIBN president, as he noted that, closing the inbalances in financial access help economies grow faster, reduces inequality, and encourages greater civic participation by all.
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