NFM Weekly Digest: The Week in Women’s Lives, Work, Struggles and Wins
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This week brought stories about women making history, taking up space and pushing back against the things that continue to limit us. We looked at the history behind abortion restrictions in Africa and the realities women face when safe abortion is out of reach, the sexism directed at women in the public eye, and the disturbing normalisation of relationships that raise questions about power and age. We also celebrated women making their mark in film, football, international diplomacy and social impact, while women-led media organisations across Africa came together to confront the funding crisis facing independent media. Here’s what we reported this week.
By Cynthia Velle
- Nigeria, a Pedophile’s Paradise: Inside the Horrifying “Olamet” Child Sexual Abuse Industry
On the evening of Thursday, September 10, a video circulating online brought 36-year-old Anulika Onyeanusia to the attention of the Anambra State Police Command. The footage showed Anulika sexually abusing a child with a sex toy, prompting police to trace her to her home in Onitsha and arrest her that evening. Four children, aged two, three, six and nine, were found in the house and rescued. Police also recovered sex toys and other items they said were relevant to the investigation. Police also recovered sex toys and other items considered relevant to the investigation. Anulika was taken into custody, while her husband was questioned.
- International Safe Abortion Day: The Colonial Laws Behind Africa’s Abortion Restrictions
On September 28, International Safe Abortion Day, everything is worth confronting: abortion existed in African societies before colonial rule, but so did systems of patriarchal authority. In simple terms, abortion was not introduced to Africa by colonialism. Before European rule, different African societies had their own practices for ending pregnancies, including herbs and other methods. These practices were not uniform, and neither were the rules governing them. In some communities, custom, lineage structures, and women’s councils governed matters related to fertility and pregnancy.
- Years After Turning Her Film Earnings Into Education for Makoko’s Children, Omotola Jalade Ekeinde Bags Global Social Impact Award
Veteran Nollywood actress and producer Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, MFR, has been recognised with both a Social Impact Award and a Lifetime Social Impact Recognition, a joint first, from the Israel Tribune and 90210 Enterprise.
- Flamingos Emerges Victorious as WAFU-U17 Title
Nigeria’s under-17 national women’s team, Flamingos, has emerged victorious at the West Africa Football Union, (WAFU-U17) Girls’ Cup after thrashing Togo 4-0 on Sunday, September 27, 2026, at Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire.
- Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu Takes Nigeria’s Diaspora Story to the World Stage at UNGA 81
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, represented the nation at a Town Hall meeting with the Nigerian Diaspora Community in the United States, held on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at Nigeria House, New York.
- Damilola Osikoya, Nora Awolowo Make Guinness World Records History With Black Market
Nigerian filmmakers Damilola Osikoya and Nora Awolowo have made Guinness World Records history after the premiere of Black Market drew 51,258 people to a single film screening at Tafawa Balewa Square ( TBS), Lagos.
- Despite Oscar win, Lupita Nyong’o faced Hollywood Stereotypes over Skin Colour
Oscar-winning Kenyan-Mexican actress Lupita Nyong’o has revealed that winning an Academy Award early in her career did not shield her from the racial and gender stereotypes that have long shaped opportunities for Black women in Hollywood.
- Moyo Lawal Claps Back at Critic, Challenges Prostitution Rhetoric
Nigerian actress Moyo Lawal has hit back at an X user who called her a “prostitute” and a “veteran” who should retire, after she posted photos announcing her return to work. In her reply, Moyo asked whether his reason for “typing this nonsense” was that she looks “amazing,” or because she “left a man whose feeble brain could not deal with losing me” and who “tried to destroy me in the process.”
- Backlash as Former Nigerian Lawmaker Dangana Ocheja Marries Reportedly Teenager
Former Kogi East senator Emmanuel Dangana Ocheja has drawn widespread reactions on social media after marrying an 18-year-old woman identified as Winifred, reportedly the best friend of his granddaughter.
- Who Pays the Price When Abortion Is Unsafe? NFM X Space Examines the Cost of Access
On September 28, 2026, Naija Feminists Media (NFM) marked International Safe Abortion Day with an X Space titled “Who Pays the Price When Abortion Is Unsafe?” bringing together speakers from Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya to examine the realities of abortion access, the consequences of unsafe abortion and the wider impact of reproductive healthcare restrictions on women and girls.
- Education is Independence,” Adunni Foundation Tells Nigerians as Nation Turns 66
The Adunni Foundation has called for a renewed national commitment to basic education, saying Nigeria’s independence cannot be fully realised when children are denied access to quality education.
- Seven African Women’s Media Groups Launch Coalition to Tackle Funding Crisis
Seven women-led media and gender-focused organisations have launched the Coalition for Gender Equality and Media Sustainability in Africa (CGEMSA), a continental alliance aimed at strengthening gender equality and the financial survival of independent media.
