Nigeria strikes again
86 people died in Niger state this weekend, and the backstory will make you sigh
Good morning, Big Brains. If you’re not in the mood to start your Monday with bad news, you might want to come back to this edition later. And if you’re a TBD reader in Niger State, my heart goes out to you.
- Margaret
Word count: ~ 1, 000
Reading time ~ 4 mins
This Week’s Big Question: ”What's your take on a possible TikTok ban in Nigeria?” Share your responses with us, and if we think they’re fun enough, we’ll feature them in the newsletter :) so be on the lookout.
Let’s get into the news you missed during the weekend:
It was a dark weekend in Niger state
Trump wants to keep TikTok
The Big Deal
It was a dark weekend in Niger state
Saturday, January 18, wasn't the weekend Niger State residents were hoping for. An oil tanker exploded at Dikko Junction on the Abuja-Kaduna expressway, leaving many dead and others severely injured.
It all started when the tanker, filled with fuel (PMS), got into an accident. Some residents rushed to scoop the spilt fuel, but things took a deadly turn when the tanker exploded.
The scene was horrifying—many lives were lost, with reports suggesting over 100 people were caught in the flames. About 55 who survived are now battling various degrees of burn, while 86 people have been confirmed dead.
Governor Umaru Bago of Niger believes that this accident is “pathetic” because of some factors, such as reckless driving and the slow effort of the federal government in the construction of the Minna-Suleja Road.
President Bola Tinubu hasn’t said anything about fixing the road yet but he has asked the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to start a public awareness campaign to warn people about the dangers of scooping fuel. He also committed to helping the injured victims get complete medical care.
Why is this a big deal?
This tragedy isn’t just about the lives lost—it’s a painful reminder of bigger issues we keep ignoring.
First, let’s talk about the roads. The Minna-Suleja Road has been in bad shape for 14 years, and Governor Umaru Bago didn’t mince words when he called out the slow progress of its construction. And this isn’t the first time the governor or residents of state have called out this horrible negligence. In November 2024, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, asked the government to do something about it. He added that even though the contractors assigned to the project claim to have achieved 84% completion, a casual visit to the site will have you wondering if you failed basic maths.
This road connects major routes and communities, yet its poor state is a ticking time bomb. At this point, we’d expect President Tinubu to have at least commented about speeding up its completion, but silence is all we’ve gotten so far.
Then there’s the issue of fuel scooping. It’s heartbreaking that people risk their lives collecting spilt fuel. At first glance, it looks like an act of desperation, but there are underlying factors to consider. Policies like the fuel subsidy removal have made life harder, with hiked fuel prices pushing many into desperation. While the President’s plan for a public awareness campaign is welcome, it feels like treating the symptoms instead of the disease.
We’re sending our heartfelt condolences to the people of Niger State.
Trump wants to keep TikTok
TikTok has been noticeably quieter since a national ban kicked over 170 million American users out of the app. If you’ve started missing your favourite American creators, there’s a tiny chance that you won’t have to miss them for long.
President Trump is getting sworn into office today, January 20, and one of the first things he wants to do is find a way to keep TikTok around for much longer.
Instead of a permanent ban, he plans to issue an executive order to delay it when he becomes president later . If you’re wondering why he’s being so generous, it’s because he’s hoping to negotiate a deal where the U.S. gets a 50% stake in TikTok’s American operations. Yes, it’s exactly what it reads like – he wants the U.S. government to essentially become part-owner of the app.
In a post made on his social media platform, Truth Social, he said his "initial thought" is to set up a joint venture between TikTok’s current (or maybe new) owners and the U.S. The ban would be paused long enough to iron out the details and strike a deal.
What would joint ownership of TikTok look like for Americans?
If this 50% ownership deal happens, it could change how TikTok operates in the U.S. First, USA’s presence at the table could mean stricter rules on data handling. This means the government could likely enforce tighter privacy protections to address those “China is spying on us” concerns.
There’s also the question of creativity. TikTok’s appeal lies in its encouragement of authenticity. If Trump gets involved, it could mean more censorship and control over what kind of content Americans are allowed to publish.
Ultimately, it’s unclear how this would work without making TikTok feel less TikTok-y. We just hope President Tinubu isn’t getting any ideas.
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