Namibia Swears In First Female President Netumbo

Namibia swears in first female president Netumbo. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah made history as Namibia’s first female president as she took office after being sworn in.

Mrs Nandi-Ndaitwah, 72, who was vice president, was sworn in on Friday, succeeding President Nangolo Mbumba.

Due to heavy rainfall, the Namibian president’s swearing-in, which coincided with the country’s 35th Independence Anniversary, was moved from Independence Stadium to State House in Windhoek.
Mrs Nandi-Ndaitwah polled 58 per cent of the votes, surpassing the 50 per cent requirement to win in the last election held in November 2024.

Her challenger, Panduleni Itula of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) party, came second with roughly 26 per cent of the votes.

The 72-year-old politician now joins the exclusive club of female presidents in Africa, including former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, Joyce Banda of Malawi, and Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania.

Namibia

The trio—Mrs. Sirleaf, Mrs. Banda, and Mrs. Hassan—were all in attendance at Mrs Nandi-Ndaitwah’s inauguration.

Mrs Nandi-Ndaitwah’s leadership will see her party, the South West Africa People’s Organisation (Swapo), remain in power beyond 35 years, having governed since the country’s independence in 1990.

Nigerian Customs Seize $578,000 Undeclared Cash At Lagos Airport

Nigerian customs seize $578,000 undeclared cash at Lagos Airport. The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command, has intercepted $578,000 in undeclared cash from an inbound passenger arriving from South Africa.

Customs Area Controller John Harrison revealed this on Friday, identifying the suspect as Okorie Sunday, who arrived on March 19, 2025, and attempted to smuggle the cash hidden on his body.

Violation of Financial Regulations

Harrison explained that the passenger declared only $279,000 but concealed an additional $299,000, violating Nigeria’s $10,000 cash declaration limit. He also had £100 and a counterfeit $250.

Nigerian Customs dollars

The seized cash was handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation.

EFCC’s acting Zonal Director, Ahmed Ghali, warned that failing to declare large sums of cash raises money laundering concerns and urged travelers to comply with financial regulations.

Nigeria Welcomes Crypto Firms Despite $80B Binance Lawsuit – Minister

Nigeria welcomes crypto firms despite $80B Binance Lawsuit – Minister. Nigeria remains open to cryptocurrency firms even as it pursues an $80 billion lawsuit against Binance, according to Information Minister Mohammed Idris.

Regulating, Not Crippling the Crypto Sector

Speaking to Semafor, Idris clarified that the government’s actions against Binance are part of efforts to strengthen financial regulations, not to stifle the crypto industry.

“There are other crypto companies operating in Nigeria without facing charges,” he said, emphasizing concerns over terrorism financing, money laundering, and tax evasion.

Nigeria’s Crypto Market and Binance Controversy

Nigeria, the world’s second-largest crypto adopter, saw $59 billion in transactions between July 2023 and June 2024.
Binance ceased operations in Nigeria in March 2024, denying all allegations.

The lawsuit mirrors past high-profile fines, including the $5.2 billion penalty against MTN in 2015.

Bitcoin

Government Moves to Improve Business Climate

Idris stated that Nigeria is revising visa policies, tax laws, and expatriate quotas to attract investment. Foreign direct investment dropped from $8.1 billion in 2009 to $1.6 billion in 2023.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued provisional crypto licenses to Busha and Quidax, signaling openness to regulated crypto activities.

Busha manager Ngozi Okonye said the SEC’s move has boosted banking access and business confidence, reinforcing Nigeria’s evolving crypto landscape.