The US government says it will stop funding programmes in South Africa intended to tackle the spread of HIV and Aids.

More than eight million South Africans are living with HIV – the highest number of any country in the world.

The US State Department appeared to link the decision to South Africa’s alleged failure to protect the white-minority Afrikaner community – an allegation the South African government has repeatedly rejected.

South Africa’s health ministry responded by saying that though it had not been informed of this decision, it had “long been working on a self-reliance plan”.

Until 2025, the US was supporting South Africa’s efforts to deal with the virus with an estimated $400m (£300m) a year through the President’s Emergency Fund for Aids Relief (Pepfar).

But since the inauguration of President Donald Trump, relations between the two countries have increasingly soured.

Shortly after he came into office, Trump issued an executive order alleging that “countless” South African policies dismantled equal opportunities and fuelled violence “against racially disfavored landowners”.

This is disputed by the South African government, which says its Black Economic Empowerment policy is needed to correct economic inequality dating from the apartheid era.

The executive order also highlighted South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice and its links to Iran.

The White House said that given these “unjust and immoral practices”, further aid to South Africa would not be provided.

Trump has also alleged that there is a “white genocide” taking place in South Africa, which has led to the administration setting up a refugee programme for Afrikaners – descendants of western Europeans who settled in southern Africa in the 17th Century. They are now just about the only refugees being allowed into the US.

The genocide claim has been widely discredited.

Pepfar funding, which had been providing about a fifth of South Africa’s total spending on HIV programmes, got a reprieve last October with what was called a “bridge plan”.

But a US State Department official has confirmed that a “phased drawdown” of Pepfar funding would now start.

This was because of “South Africa’s failure to make demonstrable progress on policy requests by the administration”, the official said.

The intention of the US government was to “foster self-reliance” and reduce dependency on American funding, they added, pointing out that “South Africa is a middle-income country and is more than capable of supporting its own health programs”.

South Africa’s health ministry has said that while Pepfar contributed to the country’s HIV programme, the provision of life-saving antiretroviral drugs was funded entirely separately, with most coming from the government.

Attempts to mend US-South Africa relations have floundered. These include a high-profile White House meeting between Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa just over a year ago when the US president confronted his counterpart with his claims of white persecution.

The US also boycotted the G20 meeting, a gathering of the world’s major economies, hosted by South Africa last November.

New office Reinforces OPay’s Commitment to Financial Inclusion, Customer Support across Nigeria

OPay, a leading fintech company in Nigeria, officially launched its new office in Kaduna State on Wednesday, 10th June 2026, marking another important milestone in the company’s commitment to expanding access to secure, convenient, and inclusive financial services across the country.

The event brought together community and business leaders, local merchants, and members of OPay’s senior leadership team.

The new Kaduna office reflects OPay’s continued investment in bringing financial services closer to customers, merchants, agents, and businesses.

It also strengthens the company’s ability to provide localised support, deepen community engagement, and contribute to economic growth in Nigeria.

Over the years, OPay has played a significant role in advancing financial inclusion by providing tens of millions of Nigerians with access to digital payments, transfers, savings, and other financial services through technology-driven solutions. The launch of the Kaduna office further demonstrates the company’s dedication to ensuring that individuals and businesses, regardless of location, can participate fully in the digital economy.

“Today is more than the opening of a new office. It reflects our long-term commitment to Kaduna State and to the millions of Nigerians who trust OPay every day for their financial needs. Kaduna is a city of enterprise, innovation, and opportunity, and we are proud to strengthen our presence here as we continue to make financial services more accessible to individuals, businesses, and underserved communities, said Dotun Adekunle, Chief

Operating and Technology Officer of OPay at the Kaduna office official launch event. “Trust remains the foundation of everything we do at OPay. Every day, millions of Nigerians choose our platform because they know they can rely on us for secure transactions, innovative solutions, and dependable service. As we continue to grow, we will keep investing in technology, security, customer experience, and local partnerships to ensure that financial inclusion reaches every corner of Nigeria,” he continued.

The new office will serve as a key hub for customer engagement, merchant support, business partnerships, and operational activities within Kaduna State and neighbouring communities.

Kaduna continues to play an important role in Nigeria’s economic landscape, with a vibrant population of entrepreneurs, traders, and small businesses. By establishing a physical presence in the state, OPay aims to further support these communities with reliable, secure, and innovative financial solutions designed to meet their evolving needs.

As Nigeria’s trusted digital bank, OPay remains committed to building a more inclusive financial ecosystem where every Nigerian can access and benefit from modern financial services.

About OPay

OPay was established in 2018 as a leading fintech company in Nigeria with the mission to make financial services more inclusive through technology. The company offers a wide range of payment services, including money transfer, bill payment, card service, airtime and data purchase, and merchant payments, among others. Renowned for its fast and reliable network and strong security features that protect customers; funds, OPay is licensed by the CBN and insured by the NDIC with the same insurance coverage as commercial banks.

By David Torough, Abuja

Nigeria’s domestic refiners lifted less than half of the crude oil allocated to them in the first quarter of 2026, despite increased volumes made available by producers under the Domestic Crude Supply Obligation framework, according to data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission.

The commission’s figures showed that oil producers offered a total of 68.

7 million barrels of crude during the period, exceeding the 61.9 million barrels allocated to local refiners. However, actual crude uptake remained low, with refiners receiving only 28.5 million barrels. This translated to a supply conversion rate of between 36 and 46 per cent.

The figures highlight a continuing disconnect between crude availability and refinery intake, raising concerns about the adequacy of feedstock supplies needed to support Nigeria’s drive to expand local refining capacity.

Despite the shortfall, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission reiterated its commitment to enhancing crude supply to domestic refineries in line with the Federal Government’s energy security objectives.

Meanwhile, the Crude Oil Refiners Association of Nigeria said the Dangote Petroleum Refinery’s growing dependence on imported crude is largely driven by commercial pricing considerations and differences in crude grades available in the domestic market.