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pure organic shea butter was scrapped, while in Senegal, $50,000 earmarked for dragonfruit farmer training was withdrawn.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
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.”
States
NYSC DG tasks corps members on responsible social media use
The DG noted that technology had made it increasingly difficult to distinguish between genuine and fabricated materials.
Africa
Media professionals decry threats to press freedom in West Africa
The media experts noted that press freedom and national security should be complementary objectives and not competitors.
States
NDDC begins negotiations to improve staff welfare
Mr Iyaye congratulated members of the committee on their selection by NDDC management and the NDDC Staff Union.
States
Stakeholders seek quick reform of state public health laws
Mr Danjuma described the initiative as a major milestone in strengthening public health legal preparedness.
States
Two Ogun men jailed seven years each for belonging to secret cults
The magistrate said the evidence presented by the prosecution was tenable.
