Among them is 52-year-old Iniebong James, who arrived in Lagos earlier this month on a government-organized repatriation flight after spending a decade in South Africa. While relieved to have escaped an increasingly hostile environment, he now faces many of the same economic pressures that originally drove him to leave Nigeria.

James moved to South Africa in 2016 after losing his job as a truck driver during Nigeria’s first recession in more than two decades. Settling in Eastern Cape Province, he worked as a car mechanic despite overstaying a six-month visitor visa.

His return followed an attack by anti-immigrant protesters in May that left him with a head injury. The incident occurred amid rising anti-foreigner sentiment in South Africa, where demonstrations demanding the removal of undocumented migrants have intensified in recent months.

South Africa has long attracted migrants from across the African continent due to its comparatively developed economy and broader employment opportunities. However, periodic outbreaks of xenophobic violence have repeatedly exposed tensions over unemployment, poverty, public services and crime.

Back in Nigeria, James says he faces a more difficult economic landscape than the one he left behind. Inflation has surged following sweeping economic reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu in 2023, including the removal of fuel subsidies and the liberalization of the national currency.

The resulting increase in living costs has been compounded by global energy market disruptions linked to the recent US-Iran conflict. According to James, fuel prices that stood at about 85 naira per liter when he departed Nigeria have climbed to approximately 1,400 naira per liter upon his return.

Seeking employment, he says he hopes government assistance programs promised for returning citizens will help him rebuild his life.

Nigeria’s government has stated that repatriated nationals will receive support before reuniting with their families, though officials have not publicly outlined long-term reintegration measures.

Migration experts say returning home after years abroad often presents challenges that extend beyond transportation and immediate assistance.

“Repatriation is not transformation,” said Margaret Monyani, founder of the Johannesburg-based OLAM Africa Research Institute. She noted that migrants who have spent years building lives elsewhere frequently struggle to reconnect economically and socially upon their return.

For younger returnees, the adjustment can be equally difficult.

Omotola Adeniyi returned to Nigeria after spending 11 years in South Africa, where she moved as a child with her mother. Although she completed secondary education there, she said finding employment proved difficult as a foreign national.

Unable to secure stable work and lacking the resources to finance her own return journey, she accepted Nigeria’s offer of repatriation. Now back in Lagos, she says the country feels unfamiliar after more than a decade abroad.

The wave of anti-migrant protests in South Africa has prompted diplomatic responses from several African governments, including Nigeria, Ghana and Malawi, which have repatriated hundreds of their citizens in recent weeks.

Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, defended the government’s repatriation efforts, describing the safety of citizens as the primary concern amid rising tensions.

Analysts note that despite recurring xenophobic incidents, South Africa remains a major destination for African migrants because of its relatively advanced infrastructure, stronger institutions and broader economic opportunities compared with many neighboring countries.

The experience of returnees such as James underscores a broader dilemma facing many African migrants: balancing security concerns abroad against economic hardship at home, with neither option offering an easy path to stability.

The short-tailed roundleaf bat, known scientifically as Hipposideros curtus, was found in 2016 by Nigerian biologist Iroro Tanshi during field research in the Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary in Cross River state.The discovery came decades after the species had last been recorded in the wild during the 1970s.

Researchers had feared that the bat had become extinct after previously documented habitats in parts of Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea disappeared because of deforestation and other human pressures.Tanshi was conducting doctoral research when her team captured the bat during a night expedition.

The scientists had been setting traps near a known bat roost when they noticed one animal that appeared different from the others.She said the bat’s unusually large ears and distinct features led her to consult identification records, which confirmed that the specimen was the short-tailed roundleaf bat.

The discovery prompted further surveys across cave networks in the Afi sanctuary and nearby Cross River National Park. Using harp traps and mist nets, Tanshi and local assistants identified 15 additional bats from the species.The short-tailed roundleaf bat is a small insect-eating mammal that weighs roughly the same as a teaspoon of salt.

Unlike larger fruit bats, it has small eyes and a highly developed nose structure that helps it navigate through darkness using echolocation.Because the species relies heavily on sound and is sensitive to disturbance, researchers have adapted their methods to avoid harming the animals.

Tanshi said she often uses red light during fieldwork because bright lights and noise can affect the bats.The rediscovery highlighted the importance of the Afi sanctuary, a protected rainforest area that supports several threatened species, including gorillas, drill monkeys and other wildlife.

However, Tanshi said she found that public awareness and conservation efforts were often focused on larger animals, while smaller species such as bats received less attention.She said local communities had strong cultural connections with some large mammals and often understood the need to protect them. Bats, however, continued to face threats despite existing conservation protections.

One of the major challenges has been hunting. In some communities, bats are considered a source of food and are traded as bushmeat.Bats have also historically faced negative perceptions in many societies, with some communities associating them with superstition or disease.

Tanshi described attitudes toward bats as complicated, noting that public concerns around diseases such as Ebola and Covid-19 had further influenced perceptions.In response to the threats facing bats and other small mammals, Tanshi and bat specialist Benneth Obitte established the Small Mammal Conservation Organisation in 2016.

The organisation later launched the Zero Wildfire Campaign, aimed at reducing forest fires that damage habitats and threaten wildlife.The campaign introduced colour-coded warning systems to help farmers manage controlled burning and reduce accidental fires.

Tanshi also created a community-based Forest Guardians group to monitor burning activities and respond quickly when fires spread.According to Tanshi, wildfire incidents in the forest area have declined significantly over several years following these efforts.

Her conservation work around the Afi sanctuary has received international recognition. She was named a National Geographic explorer and received environmental awards for efforts to protect the rainforest ecosystem.

A decade after the discovery of the short-tailed roundleaf bat, Tanshi continues to study the biodiversity of Nigeria’s forests and the species that remain hidden within them.The scientist said the rediscovery demonstrated how little is still known about some ecosystems and how species thought to have vanished can sometimes survive unnoticed.

The survival of the bat colony has also raised questions about how conservation strategies can better include smaller and less visible species, particularly in regions facing habitat loss and pressure from human activity.

For researchers working in the Afi sanctuary, the discovery transformed a species once considered lost into a focus of renewed conservation efforts.

The report by UNICEF said it cross-referenced population data of roughly 2.4 billion children with the geographic distribution of eight major climate hazards, including coastal flooding, river flooding, drought, tropical storms, heat waves, extreme heat, wildfires and sandstorms.

It found that around 1.1 billion children are exposed to at least three climate hazards, with the most common combination being drought, extreme heat above 35 degrees Celsius, and heat waves. That specific combination alone affects about 296 million children globally.

The report highlighted that exposure is heavily concentrated in parts of South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Countries with large child populations, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nigeria, account for some of the highest absolute numbers of affected children.

Nigeria alone has about 74 million children exposed to at least three hazards, while Pakistan has 34 million and India 32 million, according to the report.

It also found that nearly all children globally — about 2.3 billion — are exposed to at least one climate hazard, while 2 billion face at least two and 364 million are exposed to four or more.

The report warned that 123,000 children face seven or more climate hazards, including about 46,000 in Myanmar, underscoring extreme exposure in some regions.

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said children are “at the forefront of the impact of climate change,” according to the report, which also noted that vulnerability is intensified in countries with limited capacity to respond to disasters.

UNICEF researcher Tom Slaymaker said climate risks are concentrated in “hot spots” in Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of South Asia, though he added that no country is entirely spared from climate-related threats.

The report noted that in some countries such as Chad, more than 95 percent of children are exposed to at least three climate hazards, driven by compounding risks and weak infrastructure.

It also identified 39 small island states as particularly vulnerable due to limited freshwater resources, import dependence and exposure to extreme weather events, including hurricanes.

Community-led peace initiatives are emerging as a potential tool in Nigeria’s struggle against bandit violence, with some local leaders reporting improvements in security after negotiating directly with armed groups that have terrorized large areas of the country’s northwest.

One of the most prominent examples comes from Kurfi, a local government area in Katsina State, where a peace agreement brokered by community figures has brought what residents describe as a period of relative stability following years of attacks, kidnappings and displacement.

Dayyabu Abba-Kurfi, a civil servant and local politician, played a central role in negotiating the agreement in August 2025 between residents and bandit groups operating in the area. Abba-Kurfi, known locally by the nickname “Doncaster,” earned during his school football days in the 1980s, said the arrangement has allowed many residents to begin rebuilding lives disrupted by years of insecurity.

The initiative reflects growing frustration among communities that have endured repeated violence despite extensive security operations by Nigerian authorities. While federal and state governments continue military campaigns against armed groups, some local leaders argue that dialogue and community engagement can complement conventional security responses.

Banditry has become one of Nigeria’s most serious security challenges over the past decade. Criminal groups operating primarily in northwestern states have carried out kidnappings, extortion, cattle rustling and attacks on rural communities. Many groups operate on motorcycles and maintain bases in remote forest areas that are difficult for security forces to access.

Researchers trace the origins of the crisis to a combination of social, economic and environmental pressures. Rapid population growth, competition over land and the effects of climate change have intensified tensions between farming and pastoral communities across northern Nigeria.

Historically, nomadic herders relied on established grazing routes that allowed livestock to move across large areas of the region. However, expanding agricultural activity and population growth have reduced access to these traditional pathways, contributing to disputes over land and resources.

According to Malik Samuel, a senior researcher at the Abuja-based policy organization Good Governance Africa, many members of nomadic Fulani communities have long felt politically and economically marginalized.

He said disputes between farmers and herders often reinforce perceptions that pastoral groups receive less support from authorities during conflicts.Samuel noted that while such grievances may be legitimate, some individuals have exploited them to justify or facilitate criminal activity. Over time, local vigilante structures and self-defense groups evolved in some areas into organized criminal networks involved in kidnapping, illegal mining and other illicit enterprises.

The scale of the problem has grown significantly in recent years. According to data compiled by SBM Intelligence, a Lagos-based risk analysis firm, approximately 15,000 kidnapping incidents were recorded across Nigeria between 2019 and 2025. A large proportion occurred in the northwest, where insecurity has become deeply entrenched.

Separate research by the firm estimated that kidnappers received approximately 2.57 billion naira, equivalent to about £1.4 million, in ransom payments between July 2024 and June 2025. The figures underscore the extent to which kidnapping has become a lucrative criminal enterprise.Katsina State remains among the regions most heavily affected.

Eleven of its 34 local government areas have experienced repeated attacks by bandit groups, resulting in widespread displacement and economic disruption.Many rural residents abandoned villages and farms to seek safety in urban centers, where living expenses were often significantly higher.

Agricultural production suffered as fields were left unattended and livestock movements disrupted. Residents reported that bandits frequently allowed cattle to graze on cultivated farmland, destroying crops and reducing harvests.The psychological impact of the violence has been equally severe. Across affected communities, families developed survival routines designed to minimize risk during nighttime raids.

Many households ate meals early in the evening before leaving their homes to seek refuge in forests or isolated locations.Residents described scenarios in which parents separated while fleeing attacks, with fathers taking some children in one direction and mothers taking others in another attempt to improve the family’s chances of survival.

In the confusion, children were occasionally left behind or became lost while escaping.Accounts from affected communities highlight the human cost of prolonged insecurity. In one incident recalled by residents in Kurfi, a family that remained at home during an attack experienced severe violence. According to local accounts, armed men assaulted the mother while the father hid inside the house fearing for his life.

Such experiences have contributed to growing support for alternative approaches aimed at reducing violence. Community leaders involved in peace efforts argue that their familiarity with local dynamics allows them to communicate with armed groups in ways that external actors often cannot.Supporters of local mediation contend that trusted intermediaries possess knowledge of community relationships, historical grievances and social networks that can facilitate dialogue.

They argue that these connections can help create opportunities for de-escalation in areas where military operations alone have struggled to establish lasting stability.Critics, however, have previously questioned whether negotiations with criminal groups risk legitimizing armed actors or providing temporary rather than permanent solutions. Security analysts note that peace agreements can be fragile and may collapse if underlying economic and social conditions remain unresolved.

Despite those concerns, the relative calm reported in communities such as Kurfi has attracted attention from policymakers and residents seeking practical responses to a crisis that has displaced thousands of people and disrupted economic activity across northern Nigeria.For many residents, the immediate priority is not broader political debate but restoring daily life.

In communities emerging from years of fear, the ability to return to farms, reopen businesses and sleep in their own homes represents a significant measure of progress.Whether locally negotiated peace arrangements can be replicated across other parts of northwestern Nigeria remains uncertain.

However, their emergence reflects a growing recognition that resolving the country’s bandit crisis may require a combination of security operations, community engagement and efforts to address the deeper social and economic factors that have fueled violence for years.

The 416 captives, all taken from Ngoshe village in Borno State, regained their freedom on Saturday, according to community representatives involved in efforts to secure their release.

Samaila Kaigama, president of the Borno South Youth Alliance (BOSYA), said the organization helped facilitate communication between the abductors and affected families and confirmed that all those kidnapped from Ngoshe had been released.

“We have secured the release of all the 416 women and children abducted from Ngoshe,” Kaigama told journalists.

The release was also confirmed by Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South in Nigeria’s Senate. However, neither Ndume nor BOSYA disclosed how the captives’ freedom was obtained.

Authorities have consistently maintained that the Nigerian government does not pay ransoms to secure the release of hostages. Nevertheless, security analysts and local observers have long argued that ransom payments frequently occur through various channels, including negotiations involving families, intermediaries and local actors.

The circumstances surrounding the latest release remain unclear, with neither government officials nor community mediators providing details about any negotiations that may have taken place.

The incident underscores the continuing threat posed by Boko Haram and other armed groups operating across Nigeria despite years of military campaigns against insurgents.

Ngoshe, located less than 10 kilometers from the border with Cameroon in the mountainous Gwoza area, lies within a region historically regarded as a stronghold of Boko Haram militants. The community has repeatedly been targeted during the insurgency.

Kidnapping has evolved into one of the most lucrative tactics employed by armed groups in Nigeria. Militants, criminal gangs commonly known as bandits and separatist organizations increasingly rely on abductions for financial gain, targeting villagers, students, travelers and local officials.

According to a report by Lagos-based security consultancy SBM Intelligence, ransom payments across Nigeria totaled approximately $1.66 million between July 2024 and June 2025, highlighting the scale of the country’s abduction crisis.

Boko Haram launched its insurgency in 2009 with the aim of overthrowing the Nigerian state and imposing its interpretation of Islamic rule. The conflict has since fractured into multiple armed factions and evolved into one of Africa’s longest-running security crises.

The violence has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions across northeastern Nigeria and neighboring countries, while recurring attacks and kidnappings continue to challenge efforts to stabilize the region.

Most of those displaced are from Malawi and Mozambique. Many said they spent nights hiding in nearby mountains and bushland before seeking shelter in community centers in towns including Gansbaai, Kleinmond and Stanford.

The unrest follows weeks of protests against undocumented migrants that escalated into violence over the weekend. In Mossel Bay, 55 shacks were burned, while authorities reported the deaths of Mozambican nationals amid the tensions.

Local officials said more than 500 people fled their homes in the Gansbaai area alone. Witnesses alleged that groups carrying sticks, whips and other weapons targeted foreign residents regardless of their immigration status.

Mozambique said five of its citizens were killed as a direct result of the attacks and reported that hundreds had already returned home. Ghana and Nigeria have also organized repatriation efforts for affected nationals.
South African authorities have deployed officials to assist displaced migrants with documentation and voluntary return arrangements as fears of further violence persist.

In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump said the operation targeted Abu-Bilal Al-Minuki, whom he identified as the second-in-command of Daesh globally. Trump said the mission was conducted jointly with Nigerian forces following intelligence tracking the militant’s activities across Africa.

“Brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria flawlessly executed a meticulously planned and very complex mission,” Trump said, adding that Al-Minuki “will no longer terrorize the people of Africa, or help plan operations to target Americans.”Trump did not specify where the operation occurred or whether it involved airstrikes, ground forces or drone attacks.

Nigerian authorities had not immediately issued a public statement detailing the mission.The United States sanctioned Al-Minuki in 2023, identifying him as a senior Daesh figure based in the Sahel region and part of the organization’s General Directorate of Provinces, the administrative structure responsible for coordinating operations and financing across multiple regions.

According to the US State Department, Al-Minuki played a role in providing operational guidance and funding support for Daesh affiliates operating in Africa and beyond.Nigeria has faced escalating militant violence from regional branches linked to Daesh as well as rival Islamist group Boko Haram.

Nigerian security forces have also been engaged in operations against heavily armed criminal gangs known locally as “bandits.”Washington has increased military cooperation with Nigeria since late 2025 amid growing US concerns about the expansion of Islamist insurgencies across West Africa and the Sahel.

On Christmas Day last year, US and Nigerian forces conducted joint airstrikes in Sokoto State targeting fighters from the Islamic State in the Sahel Province, a Daesh affiliate active across parts of Niger and northwestern Nigeria.

Since then, hundreds of US personnel have reportedly been deployed to Nigeria to assist with intelligence sharing, military training and counterterrorism coordination.

Trump thanked the Nigerian government for what he described as its “partnership” in the latest operation, saying the removal of Al-Minuki had significantly weakened Daesh’s international network.

The planned accord, expected to be signed by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and Mohammed VI, follows the completion of preliminary technical studies for the project, also known as the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline.

Nigeria’s foreign ministry said the development was discussed during a telephone conversation last Friday between Foreign Minister Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu and Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita.

The pipeline project, first agreed roughly a decade ago, is designed to span about 6,900 kilometers along a hybrid offshore and onshore route linking Nigeria to Morocco through several West African countries.

Amina Benkhadra, head of Morocco’s state hydrocarbons and mining agency ONHYM, told Reuters last month that the project would have a maximum annual capacity of 30 billion cubic meters of gas, including around 15 billion cubic meters intended for Morocco’s domestic market and onward exports to Europe.

The initiative forms part of broader efforts by African producers to strengthen regional energy integration and capitalize on European demand for alternative gas supplies following disruptions to global energy markets in recent years.

Nigeria, Africa’s largest natural gas producer, has long sought to expand export infrastructure beyond existing liquefied natural gas facilities, while Morocco has positioned itself as a strategic energy transit hub between Africa and Europe.

The two governments also discussed expanding cooperation in fertilizer production and distribution, highlighting the sector’s role in strengthening food security across Africa, according to the Nigerian foreign ministry.

Both sides further emphasized reviving the Nigeria-Morocco Business Council to encourage trade and investment under the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area and an existing bilateral double taxation treaty.

In its Global Hepatitis Report 2026, the United Nations health agency said hepatitis B and C, which account for 95% of hepatitis-related deaths worldwide, caused 1.34 million deaths in 2024, while more than 1.8 million new infections were recorded during the year.

WHO estimated that 287 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B or C infections in 2024, despite the availability of vaccines and highly effective treatments.“Progress is too slow and uneven,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement.“Many people remain undiagnosed and untreated due to stigma, weak health systems and inequitable access to care.

While we have the tools to eliminate hepatitis as a public health threat, urgent scale-up of prevention, diagnosis and treatment is needed,” he said.Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver caused by infectious viruses and other agents, often leading to severe complications including liver failure, cirrhosis and cancer.

Of the five main viral strains, hepatitis B and C are the deadliest and remain among the world’s leading infectious disease killers.The WHO said fewer than 5% of the 240 million people living with chronic hepatitis B in 2024 were receiving treatment. For hepatitis C, only 20% of infected people have been treated since 2015.

In Africa, which carries the heaviest burden of hepatitis B infections, only 17% of newborns received the recommended birth-dose vaccine in 2024, raising concerns about continued mother-to-child transmission.

Six countries China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, South Africa and Vietnam are among the top 10 globally for deaths linked to hepatitis B and C, the report said.“Every missed diagnosis and untreated infection due to chronic viral hepatitis represents a preventable death,” said Tereza Kasaeva, director of the WHO department overseeing hepatitis programs.

The agency said proven medical tools are already available. The hepatitis B vaccine protects more than 95% of recipients from both acute and chronic infection, while long-term antiviral treatment can help prevent severe liver disease in chronic cases.

For hepatitis C, short-course curative therapies lasting eight to 12 weeks can cure more than 95% of infections, WHO said.The agency pointed to United Kingdom, Egypt, Georgia and Rwanda as examples of countries demonstrating that hepatitis can be eliminated as a public health problem through sustained policy action and financing.

“Eliminating hepatitis is not a pipedream: it’s possible with sustained political commitment, backed by reliable domestic financing,” Tedros said.Since 2015, annual new hepatitis B infections have fallen by 32%, while hepatitis C-related deaths have declined by 12%, according to WHO data.

Under trees, inside narrow sheds, and along dusty alleyways, artisans work for hours arranging colourful threads into narrow patterned strips that are later stitched together into wider cloth used for ceremonial wear, designer outfits, shoes, bags and accessories. Despite rising international demand and repeated attempts to modernise production, many weavers insist that aso-oke must remain handwoven to preserve its authenticity.

Located about 200 kilometres from Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial and fashion hub, Iseyin is widely recognised as the historic centre of aso-oke production. The fabric, whose name roughly translates to “cloth from up country,” has long been associated with Yoruba identity and social prestige.

Traditionally worn by wealthy families and ruling elites during weddings, festivals and major ceremonies, aso-oke has expanded far beyond formal occasions. It now appears in contemporary fashion collections across Nigerian cities and on international runways in London and Paris, reflecting both the influence of Nigeria’s fashion industry and the visibility of its diaspora abroad.

Its growing global presence was highlighted when Meghan Markle wore an aso-oke wrapper and shoulder shawl during her 2024 visit to Nigeria with Britain’s Prince Harry, bringing renewed international attention to the textile.For many weavers in Iseyin, however, the craft remains less about fashion visibility and more about livelihood.

Waliu Fransisco, 34, sits at his wooden loom weaving a cream-and-blue fabric, the repetitive click of the machine filling the workshop. A decade ago, he left his job as a nightclub singer in Lagos to learn the physically demanding work of weaving.

“Now I earn a decent living from weaving aso-oke and I’m satisfied,” he told AFP.Like many younger artisans entering the trade, Fransisco represents a generational shift in an industry traditionally dominated by middle-aged men.

Rising unemployment and limited formal job opportunities have drawn young people, including university graduates, back to Iseyin to learn the craft.The work remains labour-intensive. Historically, artisans prepared threads from raw cotton or silk by cleaning, spinning and dyeing fibres manually before setting them on wooden looms.

Colours were limited, and production was slow.Today, many weavers use pre-prepared threads in a wider range of colours, often imported from China, allowing for more varied designs while preserving the manual weaving process.

According to 42-year-old weaver Abdulhammed Ajasa, imported loom-ready thread has made it easier to experiment with patterns and respond to changing market preferences without abandoning traditional production methods.Still, the weaving itself remains entirely manual.Artisans spend hours arranging and tightening threads before weaving narrow, densely patterned strips.

The final product depends heavily on precision, rhythm and experience, qualities many say machines cannot replicate.“This is what Iseyin is known for,” said Kareem Adeola, 35, speaking from behind his loom. “We inherited it from our forefathers.

”Efforts to mechanise aso-oke production have largely failed, according to local weavers, who argue that machine-made versions lose the texture, strength and visual depth associated with authentic handwoven fabric.“If you use a machine to weave aso-oke, it won’t come out as nice as if it was handwoven,” Adeola said while working on a yellow-and-olive design.

“People have tried it before, and it did not work. It is meant by God to be handwoven.”That resistance to mechanisation reflects both economic and cultural concerns.Handweaving creates jobs in Iseyin, where much of the local economy depends directly or indirectly on textile production.

It also preserves a cultural identity tied closely to Yoruba history and craftsmanship.The physical cost, however, is significant. Long hours of sitting at wooden looms can cause chronic pain and other health problems, particularly for older weavers. Yet many continue to accept the strain as part of preserving the craft.For designers, aso-oke’s international rise presents both opportunity and concern.

Ayomitide Okungbaye, creative director of Lagos-based fashion label Tide Chen, has exhibited aso-oke designs in London and sees its growing global appeal as a positive development.“There is nothing wrong with your culture being worn by other people,” the 31-year-old designer said.But she warned that global recognition also raises questions about ownership and misuse.

“Where we start to have a problem is when there’s misappropriation or people start to claim ownership,” she said.The concern is not theoretical. Another Yoruba textile tradition, adire — produced using tie-dye techniques — has already faced challenges from counterfeit versions manufactured abroad, particularly from China. Designers fear aso-oke could face similar risks if demand continues to grow without stronger protections for local artisans.

At the same time, the expansion of aso-oke into mainstream and international fashion has changed how the fabric is used within Nigeria itself.“It is no longer reserved for special occasions,” said Isiaq Yahaya, a 45-year-old mathematician observing the shift in consumer behaviour.

Today, aso-oke appears not only at weddings and traditional ceremonies but also in everyday fashion, adapted into shoes, handbags, purses and contemporary ready-to-wear collections.This evolution has helped sustain the craft economically while keeping it visible to younger generations who may otherwise see traditional textiles as outdated.

In Iseyin, finished rolls of brightly coloured cloth are stacked in small shops waiting for buyers from Lagos, Abuja and overseas markets. Some weavers now collaborate with graphic artists and fashion designers to develop new patterns that appeal to younger customers without losing the fabric’s traditional identity.

The balance between innovation and preservation remains delicate.For artisans here, the question is not whether aso-oke should evolve, but how far that evolution can go before the fabric loses the very qualities that made it valuable in the first place.

As global demand grows, Iseyin’s weavers continue to work under open skies and wooden sheds, preserving a process that has survived generations not because it was the easiest method, but because it carried something machines could not reproduce.