Elon Musk’s DOGE terminates $84,000 massage parlour grant to Nigeria
The U.S. Department of Government Efficiency, under tech mogul Elon Musk, has terminated $84,000 (N130 million) in funding to massage parlours in Nigeria as the Donald Trump administration continues to curb government spending.
Late Monday, DOGE cancelled $51 million funding previously allocated by the U.S. African Development Foundation earmarked for a mango-drying project, spa centres, and shea butter marketing across various African countries.
In Nigeria, DOGE terminated $84,059 earmarked for “a business incubator spa & wellness entrepreneurs.”
It remains unclear whether this was a one-off grant or part of a recurring funding programme.
Mr Musk’s DOGE similarly halted $239,738 funding intended for marketing pineapple juice in the Republic of Benin and another $246,217 set aside for mango drying facilities in Ivory Coast.
In Burkina Faso, a $229,296 aid that should have gone into marketing pure organic shea butter was scrapped, while in Senegal, $50,000 earmarked for dragonfruit farmer training was withdrawn.
Mr Musk’s DOGE further cancelled “$99,566 to increase yoghurt production in Uganda” and “$48,406 for a WhatsApp marketing chatbot in Kenya.”
The USADF is a Congress-backed agency that issues grants to support African entrepreneurs at the grassroots level but DOGE’s cancellation of its funds will impair the foundation’s ability to function at full capacity.
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette
States
Independence: NBA urges Nigerians to expect better future
The NBA said that ordinary Nigerians should be deriving benefit from the subsidy removal rather than hardship.
Agriculture
FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology
The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices
Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”
Rights
Kebbi: Gov Idris vows to resettle IDPs uprooted by bandits to their ancestral homes
“We are not here for politics, but we are here to sympathise with you over the recent bandit attacks,” the Kebbi governor said.
Anti-Corruption
Stephen Odiboh sentenced to 33 months for multi-victim wire fraud, romance scams
Stephen Odiboh has been sentenced to 33 months in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. His sentencing was announced on Thursday.
Rights
Nigeria questions UN femicide data, seeks stronger action against women trafficking
Nigeria has raised concerns about the reliability of international statistics on femicide in Africa, citing inadequate data collection and reporting mechanisms.
World
Trump admin to livestream Fort Hood shooter’s public execution, says Pentagon
Mr Hegseth told Real America’s Voice that Mr Hasan would be executed by firing squad to send a message that there are consequences for terrorist acts.
Diaspora
Adetoros, Walters: Three sisters who drowned in sea like their mother died by suicide, coroner rules
Their mother, Ms Janice, drowned at sea at the age of 43.
Economy
Nigeria pushes global tax reforms, cheaper development loans at UN
Nigeria has called for urgent reforms of the international financial architecture to address high borrowing costs and persistent development financing gaps.
