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Okonjo-Iweala Says Trump Tariffs Have Caused Greatest Trade Disruption In 80 Years

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Okonjo-Iweala Says Trump Tariffs Have Caused Greatest Trade Disruption

Okonjo-Iweala Says Trump Tariffs Have Caused Greatest Trade Disruption In 80 Years

Okonjo-Iweala says Trump tariffs have caused greatest trade disruption in 80 years. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), says the ripple effect of the Trump administration tariffs is “the greatest disruption in trade in 80 years”.

Okonjo-Iweala spoke recently during CNN’s Global Perspectives conference.
On April 3, the United States President Donald Trump announced sweeping global tariffs on all imports into America — leading to a bout of several global trade events.

Speaking on the numerous tariff impositions at the event, Okonjo-Iweala said “it is the greatest disruption in trade in 80 years”.

“You can see the battering by the fact that the most favoured nation (MFN) trade came down from 80 percent to 72 percent,” she said.
“But, there is also one thing that has come up which I know that all nations are taking account of: the system was built for interdependence, not overdependence.”

The former Nigerian minister said many nations had become too overdependent on the US for market demand and on China for critical supplies.

“So, this is also a wake-up call to try to diversify your sources of demand and supply,” she said.

The WTO director-general said global trade and the system built over 80 years has broadly delivered prosperity to all nations.
The economist said it has lifted “more than a billion people out of poverty” and made rich and poor countries better, noting that she agrees with certain criticisms of the trade organisation voiced by some Americans.

“Not everyone benefitted the way they should. We recognise that and I think some problems have crept into the global trading system that should have been dealt with,” Okonjo-Iweala said.

“That is why I say I agree with some of the criticisms that the Americans make. But, by the way, they are not the only ones criticising the system.”

Okonjo-Iweala Says Trump Tariffs Have Caused Greatest Trade Disruption

Okonjo-Iweala Says Trump Tariffs Have Caused Greatest Trade Disruption

Okonjo-Iweala said developing countries feel the system has not worked for them, “that they have not been fully integrated, and that they have not benefited as much”.

“Emerging markets want to industrialise. They also feel the system needs to work better,” she said.
“So, there’s lots of work to do and it is looking at those criticisms.”

She noted that such criticisms are “coming to the fore now because of the crisis we are in”, assuring that WTO members “are now focused on trying to resolve it”.

Crime

Brazil Fines TikTok $30m Over Failure to Implement Child Safety

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TikTok Not A Social Media Platform, Official Reveals

Brazil Fines TikTok $30m Over Failure to Implement Child Safety

Brazil’s data protection agency on Tuesday fined TikTok nearly $30 million for failing to implement child safety measures in what it said was a “powerful signal” to social media companies.
Eereporter.com

Brazil has taken a tough stance on the regulation of social media platforms, cracking down on disinformation and requiring users under 16 years to have their accounts linked to those of their parents.

An enforcement director with the ANPD data protection agency, Fabricio Lopes, told a press conference that TikTok “was not taking the necessary measures to prevent adolescents from accessing the platform and from having the data of these children and adolescents processed.”

This data was “being used to offer advertising to adolescents.”

He said the fine of 153.7m reais ($29.9 million) was a “powerful signal to other platforms regarding how seriously the ANPD takes this work” and that the agency hoped they “get the message.”

TikTok agreed last week to pay $400m to settle a lawsuit with the US Department of Justice over claims that the video-sharing platform collected children’s personal data without parental permission.

– Tougher enforcement –
This month, the ANPD also ordered popular streaming platform Discord to suspend livestreams and video calls after a teenage girl was allegedly encouraged to take her own life during a broadcast.

The agency told AFP that an appeal filed by Discord on Monday against the suspension is under review.

ANPD director Lorena Coutinho said the agency had, last week, initiated proceedings to verify the compliance of 22 social media networks and platforms with a law passed this year to protect children and teens online.

In addition to the fine, the ANPD ordered TikTok parent company ByteDance to delete data collected in violation of regulations.

Coutinho said TikTok had committed to suspend all adverts for users who are not logged in.

TikTok has committed to “implementing a compliance plan to improve the protection of children and adolescents,” the ANPD said.

Brazil Fines TikTok

Brazil Fines TikTok

The platform will be required to automatically apply stricter privacy settings to accounts belonging to children under the age of 16, strengthen parental supervision systems, and implement stricter content filters.

TikTok did not immediately respond to requests for comment from AFP.

In 2024, the platform X was blocked for 40 days in Brazil, until the social media network owned by the world’s richest person, Elon Musk, complied with the Supreme Court’s orders to remove accounts spreading disinformation.
Eereporter.com

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Economy

Umahi Leads the Way as Tinubu Orders Immediate Action on Benin-Agbor-Asaba Road Intervention

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Umahi

Umahi Leads the Way as Tinubu Orders Immediate Action on Benin-Agbor-Asaba Road Intervention

The Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Umahi, CON, has moved swiftly to address the worsening condition of the Ifaki-Kabba-Ado Ekiti road in Ekiti and Kogi States, and Benin-Agbor-Asaba Roads following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive for urgent intervention to ease the hardship being faced by motorists and commuters.
Eereporter.com

Umahi, who expressed deep concern over the deplorable condition of the road and the suffering of road users who have spent hours and, in some cases, days on the route, said the Federal Government was determined to take immediate corrective measures while working towards permanent solutions.

“President Tinubu, GCFR, has directed the Federal Ministry of Works to urgently intervene and ensure that necessary corrective actions are taken to restore movement on the affected roads as quickly as possible.” Said Umahi

The Minister, in response to the directive, has already set machinery in motion for immediate action.

As part of the intervention, Umahi directed the Minister of State for Works to lead a team of ministry officials to the Ifaki-Kabba-Ado Ekiti axis to assess the situation and commence urgent remedial works.

The assignment is already on as of 10 a.m. on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, with officials of the Ministry on the ground to begin the intervention.

While the intervention team moved into Ekiti and Kogi States, Umahi himself headed to Benin, Edo State, alongside members of the National Assembly Works Committees, to initiate a similar coordinated intervention on the Benin-Agbor-Asaba road.

The Benin meeting is expected to bring together key stakeholders, including representatives of the Edo and Delta State Governments and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), with the aim of finding immediate solutions to the challenges confronting motorists on the strategic corridor.

Umahi also took responsibility for the unfortunate situation on the affected roads and apologised to commuters who have been stranded or delayed for several hours and days.

Umahi

Benin-Agbor-Asaba

He assured road users that the Federal Government’s response would go beyond temporary relief, with immediate measures being pursued alongside permanent solutions to restore the affected roads and improve their long-term reliability.

Francis Nwaze
Senior Special Assistant to the Honourable Minister of Works (Media)
August 25, 2026
Eereporter.com

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Economy

NNPC Cares: Boost for Nationwide Medical Access as NMSL Deploys Laparoscopic Instrument in Abuja

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Medical

NNPC Cares: Boost for Nationwide Medical Access as NMSL Deploys Laparoscopic Instrument in Abuja

NNPC Medical Services Limited (NMSL) has deployed articulating laparoscopic instruments at its main hospital in Utako, Abuja. The machine is an advanced surgical equipment designed to enhance precision and flexibility during laparoscopic procedures.
Eereporter.com

The latest deployment widens the range of procedures available at the medical facility and represents a boost for healthcare access in the country.

Medical

NNPC

Acting Managing Director / Chief Operating Officer, NMSL, Dr. Dickson Bada, received the equipment from SQI Limited, represented by Dr. Emmanuel Otitoloju.

NNPC Limited continues to invest in its medical facilities, which are open to the public nationwide, towards improving healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
Eereporter.com

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