The announcement was made by Saudi Arabia’s energy minister, Abdulaziz bin Salman, during the Saudi-Arab-African economic conference held in Riyadh on Thursday, as reported by Reuters.

The meeting served as a platform for global oil and gas stakeholders to engage in discussions about the stability and conditions of the petroleum market, addressing topics of mutual interest in the energy sector.

Abdulaziz bin Salman also held discussions with Heineken Lokpopiri, Nigeria’s minister of state for petroleum resources.

Highlighting the broader partnerships with African countries, Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan revealed that the Saudi Fund for Development is set to sign agreements totaling two billion riyals ($533 million) with nations in the region.

Al-Jadaan also emphasized ongoing efforts to support Ghana and other countries in managing their debt.

Khalid Al-Falih, Saudi investment minister, shared plans for the kingdom’s wealth fund, the public investment fund, which holds over $700 billion.

Al-Falih announced intentions to make “game-changing” investments in Africa, indicating a strategic move towards enhancing economic ties between Saudi Arabia and African nations.

This collaboration comes on the heels of President Bola Tinubu’s arrival in Riyadh for the Saudi-Africa summit.

The summit aims to foster foreign direct investment, mobilize capital, and facilitate infrastructure development—an integral part of Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen economic ties with Saudi Arabia.

The announcement was made on Twitter by Saudi Gazzette, on Tuesday evening.

The match which held on Tuesday afternoon saw the Arabian side shockingly defeat World Cup favourites Argentina in Group C after an unbelievable performance.

Although, Argentina were tipped to win, plus they had arguably the best player in the world at the moment, seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, Lionel Messi, they struggled to have a foothold in the game loosing all three points to a resilient Saudi Arabia.

The tweet read, “King Salman orders that tomorrow, Wednesday, will be a holiday for all employees in public and private sectors as well as students in all phases of education in celebration of #SaudiArabia’s stunning victory against Argentina in #WorldCup2022.”

Saudi Arabia turned the game around immediately after the second half resumed with Saleh Alshehri’s goal, 48′, leveling up with Argentina and Saleh Aldawsari’s 53rd minute winning goal.

Saudi Arabia have now played 17 matches at FIFA World Cups, losing 11 and drawing two. Saudi Arabia have only once progressed beyond the group stage at a World Cup in 1994

Johnson arrived in Abu Dhabi for talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed and was due to fly to Riyadh later as the West seeks to end its dependency on Russian oil following the invasion of Ukraine.

His visit, as oil prices seesaw in extreme volatility, coincides with fresh condemnation of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record after 81 men were put to death in a mass execution on Saturday.

Johnson will also meet de facto Saudi leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as he becomes one of the few Western leaders to visit Riyadh since the 2018 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

US President Joe Biden and Prince Mohammed haven’t spoken since Biden took office and vowed to treat the kingdom as a “pariah” state over Khashoggi’s killing, which the CIA blamed on the Saudi royal.

The UK leader’s spokesman insisted he would raise human rights concerns and the recent executions, and would ask bin Salman to condemn Russia’s President Vladimir Putin over its assault on Ukraine.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which are two of the world’s biggest oil exporters and both have ties to Russia, have so far avoided taking a position against Russia.

But Johnson said before leaving that the impact of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “brutal and unprovoked” assault will be felt far beyond Europe.

He added that as Western sanctions begin to bite, a new international coalition was needed to offset their impact on consumers already feeling the pinch from rising inflation and increases in the cost of living.

“The world must wean itself off Russian hydrocarbons and starve Putin’s addiction to oil and gas,” he said in a statement.

“Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are key international partners in that effort.

“We will work with them to ensure regional security, support the humanitarian relief effort and stabilise global energy markets for the longer term.”

The UAE and Saudi Arabia are the UK’s two largest economic partners in the region, with bilateral trade worth £12.2 billion ($15.9 billion, 14.5 billion euros) and £10.4 billion respectively in 2020, Johnson’s office said.

The prime minister is hoping he can persuade bin Salman to boost his kingdom’s oil production to help lower spiralling prices that are pushing up household energy bills.

Germany last week issued an “urgent appeal” to the Saudi-led OPEC oil producers group to increase production “to create relief on the market” because of supply fears.

Like the United States, Britain plans to phase out Russian oil imports by the end of the year, as part of wide-ranging sanctions targeting Russian businesses and billionaires.

Russian imports account for 8.0 percent of total UK oil demand — less than in mainland Europe, where there has been a reluctance to turn the taps off completely.

Last week, countries including Germany warned against an abrupt ban on Russian energy imports given the lack of immediate alternative supplies.

Russia is the world’s largest producer of gas and second-largest oil producer behind OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia.

Torbjorn Soltvedt, Middle East and North Africa analyst at Verisk Maplecroft, said efforts to bring down oil prices have so far amounted to little.

He said the odds were “stacked against Johnson as he seeks to secure a shift in Saudi and OPEC oil policy”.

“Saudi Arabia has so far proved reluctant to deviate from the current OPEC+ framework and plan, which mandates incremental monthly production increases,” he told AFP.

“The framework has been highly effective during the Covid-19 pandemic and there is strong reluctance to change course.”

Soltvedt said the UAE “may be more willing to open the taps” as it wants to capitalise on its oil reserves more quickly

But the UAE on March 10 reaffirmed its commitment to OPEC+ alliance agreements to stick to existing output targets through April.

The umrah can be undertaken at any time and usually draws millions from around the globe, unlike the annual hajj, in which able-bodied Muslims who have the means must perform at least once in their lifetime.

The Covid-19 pandemic hugely disrupted both Muslim pilgrimages, which are usually key revenue earners for the kingdom that rake in a combined $12 billion annually.

Before Sunday’s announcement, only immunised pilgrims residing in Saudi Arabia were eligible for umrah permits.

And last month only around 60,000 inoculated residents was allowed to take part in a scaled-down form of the annual hajj.

But the kingdom is slowly opening up and has started welcoming vaccinated foreign tourists since August 1.

Foreign pilgrims must be immunised with a Saudi-recognised vaccine — Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson — and agree to undergo quarantine if necessary, the SPA said quoting deputy hajj minister Abdulfattah bin Sulaiman Mashat.

He added that the kingdom was working on determining the destinations from which pilgrims can come and their numbers on a “periodic basis according to the classification of preventive measures” in those countries.

The kingdom’s Supreme Court said in a royal court statement. “Tomorrow, Tuesday… is the beginning of the blessed month of Ramadan this year,”

Other Muslim countries, including Sunni-majority Egypt and Lebanon, have also announced that Tuesday marks the start of Ramadan, while Shiite-majority countries like Iran are expected to start a day later.

The starting date of Ramadan, the holiest Muslim month, is set by both lunar calculations and physical sightings to determine the beginning of a new month.

Announcing their arrival, the Nigerians In Diaspora Commission said the returnees “shall proceed on quarantine at the Federal Capital Territory Hajj camp in line with the COVID-19 protocols by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.”

The arrival of these returnees brings the total number of those who returned from Saudi Arabia this week to 1,068.

The returnees, according to the Nigerians In Diaspora Commission arrival in the country via Saudi Air Flight SV3405 at about 1pm on Monday, March 29, 2021.

The Commission said the “returnees, as part of a first batch, will proceed on quarantine at the Federal Capital Territory Hajj camp for 14 days in line with the reversed COVID-19 protocols by the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19

“Other returnees arrival are expected in subsequent days.”

The returnees are expected to embark on 14 days self isolation as prescribed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC and the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19.

Annoucing their arrival via a Twitter post, the Chairman, Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, wrote: “424 more Nigerians stranded in Saudi have arrived Abuja. They will proceed on the mandatory 14 days quarantine. We appeal to Nigerians to desist from illegal migration.”

On Thursday, about 384 Nigerians stranded Nigerians in Saudi Arabia arrived in the country.

Recall that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had disclosed on Wednesday that 802 Nigerians would return from Saudi Arabia on Thursday and Friday.

It said the citizens who were held at various detention centres over migration issues would be received at the NAIA by MFA officials.

It said the slots are part of the 6,597 scholarship the kingdom distributes annually to African students.

According to a statement on Monday from the Saudi embassy in Abuja, 150 slots are also given to students from the Republic of Benin annually. The mission advised students to seek information on the scholarship from the ministry of foreign affairs or ministry of education in their countries.

It stated that information could also be obtained from the Royal Embassy.

The 84-year-old ruler, who has ruled the country since 2015, was undergoing medical checks in the capital, state news agency SPA said on Monday, July 20, giving no further details.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi postponed his scheduled visit to Riyadh following the king’s hospitalisation, the Saudi foreign minister said.

Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud wrote on Twitter “In recognition of the importance of the visit and a desire to make it succeed, our wise leadership in coordination with our brothers in Iraq has decided to postpone the visit”