Ghana Rejects MTN Financial Support For Victims Of Xenophobic Attacks In South Africa

The Government of Ghana has declined a GHS20 million donation offered by MTN Ghana to support Ghanaian victims of the recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa, saying it has already made adequate financial provision for the evacuation and reintegration of affected citizens.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a press statement issued in Accra on Wednesday said it had become aware of media reports indicating that MTN Ghana was preparing to donate GHS20 million to Ghanaian victims of the attacks.

According to the ministry, the reports appeared to attribute the announcement of the intended donation to an interview granted by the MTN Board Chairman, Dr. Ishmael Yamson.

While acknowledging the gesture, the government said it had decided not to accept the financial support.

“The Government of Ghana commends MTN for the offer, however, we respectfully decline,” the statement said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the John Mahama Administration had already made adequate provision for the ongoing evacuation and reintegration of Ghanaians affected by the attacks.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirms that the Mahama Administration has made adequate provision for ongoing evacuations and reintegration of Ghanaians and is therefore unable to accept this offer,” it said.

The ministry further disclosed that the government’s position had previously been communicated directly to MTN’s leadership during a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (MP), on August 14, 2026.

“This position of the Government of Ghana had earlier been directly conveyed to the Board Chair and CEO of MTN when they called on the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa (MP) on August 14, 2026,” the statement said.

The government, however, stressed that it remained committed to providing humanitarian assistance to Ghanaians being brought back from areas where they faced danger.

“Meanwhile, the Government of Ghana remains fully committed to current humanitarian evacuations and reintegration financial support for every Ghanaian brought back from harm’s way,” the ministry said.

It also pledged to disclose the total expenditure incurred on the evacuation exercise after its completion, describing the planned disclosure as part of its commitment to transparency and accountability.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs assures that it will present to the general public a comprehensive account of the total cost of evacuations as soon as the exercise is concluded, in the interest of transparency and accountability,” it added.

The government also sought to reassure international businesses operating in Ghana that it would continue to support their operations irrespective of their countries of origin.

“Government will continue to create the best business ecosystem for all international brands operating in Ghana to succeed, irrespective of which country their businesses originated from,” the ministry said.

It added: “The welfare of all Ghanaians remains our utmost priority.”

The government’s decision comes amid concerns over the safety and welfare of Ghanaians affected by the recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa, with authorities undertaking evacuations and reintegration efforts for citizens brought back from harm’s way.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the government’s existing arrangements were sufficient to cover the humanitarian response, making it unnecessary to accept the proposed MTN donation.

Earlier in July, fresh diplomatic tensions emerged between Ghana and South Africa after the Ghanaian government reportedly declined to host South African President Cyril Ramaphosa for a planned state visit, citing concerns over the reported killing of a Ghanaian citizen and alleged xenophobic attacks against its nationals.

The decision follows the death of 40-year-old Bashiru Isak, whom Ghana says was killed during demonstrations associated with renewed attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa on June 30, 2026.

Officials in Accra said the postponement of the visit reflects Ghana’s growing concern over the security of its citizens residing in South Africa. They maintained that ensuring the safety of Ghanaians abroad must take precedence over high-level diplomatic engagements.

President Ramaphosa had been expected in Ghana during the first week of August for a state visit aimed at reinforcing the longstanding relationship between both countries. The visit was also expected to provide an opportunity for discussions on bilateral cooperation and concerns surrounding attacks on foreign nationals.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, has approved a special compensation package for eligible Band A electricity customers affected by power supply shortfalls caused by grid generation constraints between February and March 2026.

In a public notice issued on Thursday, the commission said the directive became necessary following significant generation shortages across the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, NESI, which hindered Distribution Companies, DisCos, from delivering the committed service levels to some Band A customers.

According to NERC, the shortfalls were largely caused by inadequate gas supply and the vandalism of critical gas and transmission infrastructure, factors beyond the direct control of the DisCos.

The commission said the compensation scheme covers the period from February to March 2026.

Under the directive, Band A feeders that recorded an average daily supply of between 18 and 20 hours will continue to be compensated under the existing framework contained in Addendum No. NERC/2024/003 for both Maximum Demand (MD) and Non-Maximum Demand (Non-MD) customers.

For Band A feeders that received less than 18 hours of electricity supply, NERC said the affected feeders would not be downgraded during the covered period. Instead, eligible Non-MD customers will receive compensation equivalent to 20 per cent of the approved February 2026 energy cap applicable to their feeders, while MD customers will receive compensation equivalent to 20 per cent of the average energy billed per MD customer in February 2026.

The commission stated that prepaid customers will receive the compensation through token credits, while postpaid customers will benefit through bill adjustments.

NERC directed that compensation for February 2026 must be completed by May 31, 2026, while compensation for March 2026 must be implemented no later than June 30, 2026.

It also barred DisCos from offsetting compensation credits against any existing customer debts and directed them to clearly inform customers of the value and period of compensation received.

The commission reaffirmed its commitment to protecting electricity consumers while ensuring the stability and sustainability of the electricity market.

It added that it would continue to monitor implementation and verify compliance by DisCos to ensure all eligible customers receive the compensation due to them.

The United States sharply reduced its imports of Nigerian crude oil in January 2026, with purchases falling by approximately 47.16% month-on-month, according to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Figures from the U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services report indicate that U.S. crude imports from Nigeria fell to 1.664 million barrels in January 2026, down from 3.149 million barrels recorded in December 2025. This represents a decline of 1.485 million barrels within one month, showing a significant contraction in Nigeria’s share of the U.S. crude market.

In value terms, the drop was equally steep. The customs value of Nigerian crude imports declined from $217.36m in December to $115.99m in January, while the cost, insurance, and freight value fell from $223.10m to $118.95m over the same period. The difference between the two measures reflects additional costs such as shipping and insurance included in CIF values, which are excluded from customs valuation.

This means that in January, the CIF value of Nigerian crude was about $2.96m higher than its customs value, compared to a wider gap of about $5.74m in December. The narrowing gap suggests relatively lower freight or insurance costs, or shorter shipping distances within the period.