The Nation Newspaper

Category: Letters

  • Dictatorship at Nasarawa varsity

    Dictatorship at Nasarawa varsity

    Sir: At the instance of the vice chancellor and the entire management of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, the hammer is slamming down hard and fast on the students of the school for doing nothing other than organize, make demands of the management and seek clarification.

    The university took the extraordinary step of rusticating about 37 students for forming and joining a WhatsApp group with the aim of organizing a protest against the introduction of fees for a third semester.

    Following an election into the school’s Student’s Union Government, the management alleged irregularities and violence before suspending the exercise.

    It also took the extraordinary measure of proscribing the familiar student union government, before replacing it with a dubiously described student representative council. Curiously, the management also stipulated that ascension into the body shall be based on academic performance.

    The university management may argue that it has taken these extremely shortsighted measures to forestall a breakdown of law and order on campus. But since it is clear that the students are becoming restive, it would be prudent to inquire into what cause of the restiveness in the first place. Are the students suddenly giving in to dangerous mischief, or are the insensitive decisions of the management making life unbearable for the students?

    Nigeria’s democracy owes a blood debt to student unionism in Nigerian universities. In the heydays of military rule, even when the country was under the most brutal dictatorships, students spread across Nigerian universities formed a battering bulwark against dictatorship. That some men and women who have gone on to play key roles in Nigerian politics and government started as student unionists is testament to the key roles student unionism has played in the history of the country.

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    So, why is the management university led by Professor Saadatu Liman intent, even desperate, on destroying what is a cradle of Nigeria’s democracy? The answer lies in the increasing intolerance underpinning the subtle dictatorship sweeping through the country.

    The management of the university should immediately rescind the rustication handed down to the students. In the circumstances, rusticating the students amount to killing a fly with a sledgehammer. The university should also discard the utterly ridiculous idea of a Student Representatives Council in favour of Student Union Government and students should be allowed to peacefully mobilize and form their government. That is where democracy begins.

    If mistakes are made by the students, it should be corrected with reasonable measures and not wild attempts to suppress the voice of the students. Student unionism has shown its ageless value to democracy in Nigeria from the days of Nigeria’s independence struggle. This value must be preferred to the misplaced distaste and disgust of ultra-political and dictatorial university administrators, many of whom want to drive students and staff with an iron fist.

    •Kene Obiezu, keneobiezu@gmail.com

  • Trump’s sledgehammer on immigrants

    Trump’s sledgehammer on immigrants

     Sir: These days, it’s almost impossible to scroll through social media without coming across videos of United States’ law enforcement officials chasing suspected undocumented immigrants, arresting them, or escorting them to the airport for deportation. It’s like a scene straight out of a Hollywood thriller—people abandoning their cars at the sight of law enforcement officers and sprinting for their lives, while American police give chase with relentless determination. Those who get caught are swiftly detained, while the ones who escape are left for another day. 

    Seeing grown men and women who left their countries in search of greener pastures being bundled into waiting police vans and driven straight to the airport for deportation feels like watching a dream shatter in real time. It’s a harsh reminder that for many, the American dream has become a nightmare—one where years of struggle, sacrifice, and hope are erased in an instant, replaced by the cold reality of forced return to the very circumstances they sought to escape.

    This is precisely why Trump’s detractors are condemning his deportation strategies, pointing out that they could usher in an era of human rights violations as well as large-scale trauma which could affect families and communities more likely to be targeted by mass deportations. I personally struggle to imagine the kind of horrors that many potential deportees, especially those who have lived in the U.S. for years, will now be forced to contend with.

    Do people not remember that Biden carried out deportations as well, with about 271,000 immigrants being flown out to approximately 192 countries in just 2024? As a matter of fact, Biden deported a total of 1.5 million illegal immigrants during his four years as the 46th President. The Biden-led administration’s deportation numbers are surprisingly at par with the numbers Trump pulled in his initial term, but shockingly, both of them pale in comparison to the sheer scale of deportations carried out under Barack Obama’s first term—a staggering estimate of 2.9 million people.

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    Nigerians have a term for the burst of aggressiveness that Trump is infusing into the first few weeks of his fresh presidency—initial gra-gra. This term usually refers to instances where someone or something performs at high capacity at the beginning, only to falter, recede or even quit in due time. The Trump administration is unlikely to successfully enforce the scale of mass deportations it impressed upon Republican voters during its election campaigns. There have been legitimate concerns that the United States might not be able to fully fund that level of determination.

    This crisis our compatriots currently face in America further reinforces my belief that Nigeria is all we have.  For the average Nigerian facing the daily struggles of living in this country, this may be hard to believe—until they find themselves caught in the web of a Donald Trump deportation order.

    World War 2 and following the Cold War, the United States of America has been tasked with maintaining world order through military might while also setting the pace for global trade and commerce. This role seemed like it would be a longstanding tradition. The United States would lead, and others would follow. But now, in the aftermath of costly adventurism and economic decline, it appears that Trump’s America is looking to upend this order by favouring a more self-centred, insular and transactional approach towards how it relates with the rest of the world.

    Could we be witnessing the start of a new era where US influence and dominance would recede, enabling the rise of a rival economy such as China?

    Would America really begin to put itself first? Or would the world be treated to an endless tussle where policies established by a conservative and Republican administration inevitably get upturned by a liberal and Democratic government? How long does this back-and-forth need to go on before the rest of the world either weans itself off American support, or steps up to renounce this epileptic world order?

    I just hope that during the course of the next few years or so, Nigeria in particular will not only reconsider its precarious position in the world order, but move progressively towards a more dignified and exalted state. We cannot allow ourselves to be comfortable with the idea of being yet another immigrant nation.

    Nigeria is one African nation that can step up to not only restore its deserved image as a leading centre of great potential, talent, resources and innovation, we can find the requisite strength to lead this blessed continent and finally place “Africa First!”

    •Zayd Ibn Isah,lawcadet1@gmail.com

  • Misplaced priorities and wasteful spending by MDAs

    Misplaced priorities and wasteful spending by MDAs

    Sir: Successive administrations have always complained of paucity of funds for critical projects and their maintenance. Yet, in the midst of the said “scarcity of funds”, there has been a disheartening trend of avoidable wastage of funds by many MDAs resulting mainly from lack of focus on their primary mandates and duties.

    Lately, the Nigeria Police Force has been dissipating a lot of energy on the enforcement of third party insurance for vehicles. This is happening at a time that the same Nigeria Police Force is complaining of inadequate manpower to address the worrisome high rate of insecurity. Vehicle insurance, driver’s licence, and vehicle licence are part of what confirms the road worthiness of a vehicle which the police should leave in the hands of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs) and the State Traffic Management Agencies who have the legal and up to date mandate to handle the responsibilities of ensuring the road worthiness of vehicles while the Nigeria Police focus on security which is their primary mandate.

    Sometime last year, I saw boreholes constructed and donated to communities by the Nigeria Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI). When and how did this become their responsibility or mandate? Why are they spending scarce resources on constructing, commissioning and donating boreholes to communities when roads and houses are suffering substandard construction and misuse nationwide with no loud voice and actions to put right the wrongs? What has become of the prototypes of cheap housing units and construction equipment designed by NBRRI?  Have they gotten tired of their primary mandates that donation of boreholes have now become their preferred duties in a country with ignoble record of bad roads and housing deficits?

    I also discovered that the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) has also deviated from promoting hospitality and tourism into the supply and installation of solar street lights for communities.

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    Some African nations like Kenya, Zambia and Morocco that don’t even have tourism potentials like Nigeria are reaping billions of dollars annually from tourism while the agency with the mandate of promoting hospitality and tourism is idling away and installing solar street lights in communities without tourist potentials. For example, what stops NIHOTOUR from promoting the establishment of a tourist centre and a five-star hotel between Ondo and Ekiti states to explore the tourism potentials of the Ikogosi Warm Spring (where hot and cold water meet), the Erin Ijesa Water Falls and Idanre Hill? These three potential international tourist attractions are within 50km to each other.

    There are so many other tourism potentials in other parts of the country that NIHOTOUR can source investors for or encourage governments and private sector organisations to invest in, but they derive more pleasure in donating and installing solar street lights which is not their primary mandate.

    There are many other federal and state Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that have deviated from their primary mandate into other areas thereby wasting government revenues, collecting salaries and allowances for doing implementing wrong mandates.

    Why should the National Assembly charged with the responsibility of oversight approve budgets for such misplaced priorities?

    There is a need for the federal and state governments to set up committees to carry out objective and intensive assessment of all the MDAs to prune and reshape them to be more productively focused towards result-oriented and sustainable operations. This is the only step that can prevent further unjustifiable drain on the country’s financial and other resources.

    •Jide Owatunmise, Lagos.

  • Illegal mining as national security issue

    Illegal mining as national security issue

    • By Kene Obiezu

    Sir: Illegal mining to continues across Nigeria, with no signs of stopping any time soon. If anything, it is picking up in ferocity and atrocity.  In parts of Nigeria where minerals have been discovered in commercial quantities, miners, many of them expatriates, working with locals, have descended like locusts, determined to gather as much as they can. They are as ruthless as they are ruinous. But what is even more alarming is the fact that in their bid to get to Nigeria’s minerals, they are often prepared to get anyone or anything out of the way.

    Entire families have been slaughtered with entire communities displaced. Their modus is to start and stoke conflicts. They follow a pattern around the world that exposes the ruthless underbelly of the resource curse as has been seen in countries like DR Congo and Sudan. With blood money flowing in, they fire up conflicts so that in the chaos they can have unfettered access to mineral resources.

    In Nigeria, traditional rulers, government officials, security personnel, foreigners, and many others who have no compunction whatsoever about participating in criminal enterprises have all been accused of participating in illegal mining and benefiting from its blood money. Locals have hardly benefitted from illegal mining. Instead, in many cases, they have become pawns in a ruthless game of greet and gain.

    In a country vulnerable on all sides, one in which a jarring lack of transparency provides many a hiding place for criminals and the proceeds of their crimes, terrorists also participate in illegal mining to fund their operations.

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    Money realized from illegal mining also goes into rigging elections and all manner of illicit schemes.

    It is disheartening that despite the clear and present dangers posed by illegal mining, the Nigerian government is not doing enough to curb the menace. The country is losing revenue in billions; the environment is being degraded and insecurity is festering all at the instance of the illegal miners, yet the government is not doing enough.

    There are laws regulating the solid minerals sector and mining in the court. These illegal miners are clearly and illegally operating outside the bounds of these laws. They ought to be punished in accordance with law.

    Mining operations ought to be regulated by law. It is the only way criminals who convert Nigeria’s minerals into blood minerals and blood money can be checked.

    •Kene Obiezu,

    keneobiezu@gmail.com

  • Path to sustainable economic stability

    Path to sustainable economic stability

    • By Isah Aliyu Chiroma

    Sir: As we navigate the complex and evolving economic landscape, the Central Bank of Nigeria’s commitment to improving communication, fostering dialogue, and collaborating on critical issues shaping monetary policy is more crucial than ever. The 2025 Monetary Policy Forum, themed “Managing the Disinflation Process,” provides a timely platform for rigorous intellectual discourse and evidence-based insights to enhance policy effectiveness.

    The past year has presented significant challenges, including persistent inflationary pressures exacerbated by global and domestic shocks. Despite these headwinds, the CBN’s commitment to price and monetary stability has yielded measurable progress. Relative stability in the foreign exchange market, narrowing exchange rate disparities, and rising external reserves of over US$40 billion as of December 2024 are all testament to this progress.

    However, recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics indicates that inflationary pressures persist, with headline inflation standing at 34.80 percent as of December 2024. Domestic structural challenges, exchange rate pass-through effects, and energy price adjustments continue to exert pressure on prices and economic activity.

    To address these challenges, the CBN has implemented bold policy measures, including raising the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) by a cumulative 875 basis points to 27.50 percent, increasing the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) of Other Depository Corporations (ODCs) by 1750 basis points to 50.00 percent, and adjusting the asymmetric corridor around the MPR.

    These measures have contributed to a decline in inflationary pressures, with counterfactual estimates suggesting that without these interventions, inflation could have reached 42.81 percent by December 2024. The CBN’s commitment to ensuring price stability while minimizing adverse effects on growth and livelihoods is evident in these reforms.

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    Beyond monetary policy, CBN has undertaken critical reforms to strengthen the financial system and ensure macro-economic stability. These reforms include unifying multiple exchange rate windows, which aims to reduce the complexity and uncertainty associated with multiple exchange rates, promoting a more stable and predictable foreign exchange market.

    Clearing the backlog of foreign exchange commitments to address the legacy issues that have contributed to the country’s foreign exchange challenges, promoting a more efficient and transparent market and lifting restrictions on 41 items previously banned from access to the official FX market also aim to promote trade and economic growth by providing businesses with greater access to foreign exchange.

    Introducing new minimum capital requirements for banks to strengthen the banking sector, promoting financial stability and resilience, the launch of the WIFI initiative under the National Financial Inclusion Strategy aims to promote financial inclusion, providing underserved populations with greater access to financial services.

    The Nigeria Foreign Exchange Code, launched recently, marks a decisive step forward for integrity, fairness, transparency, and efficiency in the foreign exchange market. The CBN’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for inclusive economic development is evident in these reforms.

    However, achieving macroeconomic stability requires sustained vigilance and a proactive monetary policy stance. The 2025 Monetary Policy Forum provides an opportunity to generate actionable insights and refine strategies for the road ahead.

     With foreign exchange liquidity improving, the naira gradually aligning with market fundamentals, and a more predictable environment for domestic production, exports, and essential imports, we are confident that those policies are setting Nigeria on the path to sustainable economic stability.

    Collaboration is key to driving meaningful change. Policymakers, the private sector, and civil society must work together to achieve Nigeria’s economic goals. The 2025 Monetary Policy Forum provides a platform for such engagement, with all subject-matter experts, policymakers, scholars, and market economists to this critical discussion.

    The Honorable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, recently outlined a roadmap towards ensuring Nigeria’s macroeconomic stability and growth at the 30th Nigeria Economic Summit. The minister stressed the necessity of immediate and comprehensive economic reforms, including fiscal reforms, efficient government spending, and targeted interventions to alleviate fuel price pressures.

    As we navigate the path ahead, we are optimistic that with bold, coordinated policy measures and a commitment to collaboration, Nigeria can achieve sustainable economic stability and prosperity for all. Collaboration, transparency, and a commitment to inclusive economic development will be crucial in achieving our economic goals.

    •Isah Aliyu Chiroma,

    <aliyuisahchiroma29@gmail.com>

  • When hell hath no fury like social media mob

    When hell hath no fury like social media mob

    • By Funke Adeoye

    Sir: In an age dominated by social media and big tech, the relationship between misinformation, disinformation and the criminal justice system has become increasingly complex.

    Weeks ago, the Nigerian media erupted with the alarming news about a 16-year-old girl who had allegedly laced a pepper soup with toxic substances, resulting in the death of 5 individuals, including her ex-boyfriend. The sensational story was widely shared across mainstream news outlets, blogs, and social media platforms. Some social media users even went as far as advocating for mob justice, calling for immediate punishment without the benefit of due process. On platforms like X (formerly Twitter), misogynists seized the moment to push deeply harmful and gendered narratives, chanting ‘Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned”.

    At this point, the accused, an underage girl who had yet to be proven guilty,  became a symbol, not of an individual on trial, but of a larger ideological battle. She was arrested by the police after being saved from being lynched and remanded in a facility for children. Weeks later, after human rights lawyers took an interest in the case, reports revealed that the accusations were hogwash. The deceased had unfortunately died from generator fumes. If they had died from any other cause, the police might have left important investigative trails in pursuit of shadows.

    The media had followed a post from one of the deceased’s friends on WhatsApp, determining that the young girl had a mens rea (mental intent), she was scorned by her boyfriend, and a follow up action – she had laced his food with poison and thus she was guilty. The police, who have the power of arrests and investigation, had this to say: “While authorities understand how the deaths occurred, they are still determining the precise cause of death, which was initially believed to be related to food poisoning or potentially toxic fumes from a generator.”

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    This incident is not an isolated case. Around the world, the proliferation of misinformation and disinformation through big-tech platforms is becoming undeniably challenging even for criminal justice actors. In Nigeria, as in many other countries, the speed at which false information circulates online poses a significant threat to the presumption of innocence — one of the most sacred principles of criminal law and human rights.

    The presumption of innocence ensures that no individual is considered guilty before a fair trial and that the burden of proof rests with the prosecution. In Nigeria, this principle is enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, specifically Section 36(5), which states that anyone charged with a criminal offence is presumed innocent until proven guilty. It stems from one of the principles of natural justice: Audi alteram partem, no one must be condemned unheard. However, this constitutional safeguard is often undermined by the explosive nature of trials that take place online.

    The impact of misinformation on the criminal justice system has dire implications that cannot be exhausted in a short piece. There is a need to revisit the functions of law enforcement agencies in our digital age. The Nigerian police force is already marred by a plethora of inefficiencies, and one cannot overlook the importance of transparency, accountability, and better funding for investigative work. Law enforcement agencies must be trained to deal with the pressures of public opinion and social media hysteria. A robust system of checks and balances is needed to ensure that police investigations are not swayed by viral narratives but are instead based on facts and proper procedure.

    Also, while freedom of speech is a fundamental right, the algorithms that amplify sensationalism must be recalibrated to prioritize truth and factual reporting over engagement-driven content.

    In conclusion, the convergence of social media, misinformation, and the criminal justice system presents a clear and present danger. The case of the “pepper soup girl” highlights the urgent need for systemic reform to protect individuals and institutions from the potentially devastating consequences of online falsehoods. Only by strengthening accountability within media platforms, law enforcement agencies, and the legal system itself can we begin to mitigate the harm caused by digital misinformation and restore a semblance of fairness and integrity to the criminal justice process.

    • Funke Adeoye,

     University of Oxford.

  • Zacch Adedeji defining new goals for FIRS in 2025

    Zacch Adedeji defining new goals for FIRS in 2025

    By Arabinrin Aderonke

    I have said it countless times, and I will continue to say it: Dr. Zacch Adedeji is not here to play. From day one as the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, we all knew that things were about to change for good. 

    The tax boss came in with a plan, a vision, and the determination to make the tax system work better for Nigerians. 

    The just concluded Strategic Management Retreat, themed Reimagining Tax Administration for Equity and Economic Growth, brought together top management of FIRS as well as powerful voices from government, professional organizations, and the private sector. Everyone came together with one mindset: to understand the new strategy and gain an in-depth knowledge of the organizational structure and what it means for their roles.

    One of the takeaways from the retreat was the revised revenue target of N25.2 trillion. Having closed 2024 with a record-breaking N21.6 trillion, expectations are high. But this is not just about pushing numbers. It is about creating a system that works for the Nigerian economy. The focus is on ensuring that taxation is not a burden but a tool for national development.

    Alongside the new target, the retreat also saw the launch of the Standard Operating Procedures for FIRS field offices. These procedures outline clear policies, guidelines, and practices that everyone in the field will follow. 

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    The aim is to provide straightforward guidance, define each person’s job, close any gaps in policy information, and make sure that procedures are applied consistently. In short, there is no more guesswork at the agency. These changes are designed to solve many of the old problems and bring a much-needed level of clarity and efficiency to the service delivery. 

    Every step taken under this new strategy is aimed at creating a system that works for all of us, ensuring that Nigeria’s progress is visible in our everyday lives. The work has already begun this year, 2025, and there’s no turning back. 

    Here’s the big question: How can Nigerians help support the Tax Boss’ vision? Nigerians can do their part by paying taxes on time and adequately. With simpler tax processes now, engaging with the FIRS through the available channels to ask questions or share feedback can help improve the system and tackle any issues that come up.

    As everyone knows, there were many reforms and accomplishments last year, all thanks to Dr. Zacch’s initiative, his team’s effort, and transformative leadership style. Surpassed the target before, and he will undoubtedly do so again. 

    Real change, not empty promises, is what his leadership is all about. He is breaking barriers, simplifying processes, and making sure that taxes become a tool for advancement. Nigeria is fortunate to have a leader who is ready to make a real difference.

    The ball has been set rolling. The plans are in place, the leadership is focused, and the team is committed. Nigerians can expect a tax system that works for them, not one that causes frustration.

    Arabinrin Aderonke Atoyebi is the technical assistant on broadcast media to the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS

  • Deadly gamble of drug trafficking

    Deadly gamble of drug trafficking

    Sir: Every time I come across reports of individuals swallowing illicit drugs to smuggle them abroad, I am left in utter disbelief and sadness. How can reasonable human beings risk their lives by ingesting dozens of wraps of cocaine for a few thousand dollars?

    The desperation, greed, and recklessness involved are both alarming and tragic.

    Last weekend, the case of another such desperado, Chijeoke Nnanna, was reported by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Sunday, February 2. The 59-year-old was apprehended while carrying 81 wraps of cocaine inside his stomach. In his case, he almost died after ingesting cocaine wraps for eight days, from January 22 to 30, and had to endure a near-death situation, requiring surgery to extract 57 wraps of the drugs from his body. All in exchange for just $3,000!

    Of late, we have seen reports of NDLEA’s successful interdictions on the waterways, particularly in Lekki, which used to be a major landing point for cannabis smuggled from West African countries. Just this past weekend, a large consignment of Loud from Ghana was seized, the traffickers arrested, and their vehicles impounded as the substances were being offloaded at the Lekki beach. That speaks volumes about the efficiency of the anti-narcotic agency.

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    Indeed, the NDLEA has stepped up its operations significantly, employing advanced scanning technologies, gathering intelligence, and increasing personnel at major exit points. Yet, many drug traffickers still believe they can evade capture.

    The latest report is concerning, as it shows there are still people desperate enough for money to ignore the severe health risks of ingesting drugs. The possibility of the wraps bursting inside the stomach is terrifying, as it could immediately lead to overdose, seizures, coma, and almost certain death.

    Most culprits, in their confessions, offer the same tired excuse of poverty or financial hardship as the reason they ventured into drug trafficking. For decades, drug trafficking fuelled the quick-money syndrome. But with the NDLEA’s turnaround, the rules of the game have changed. Traffickers now face the high risk of being caught, jailed, and losing their assets.

    Last year, the NDLEA reportedly arrested 17,670 traffickers and secured 3,427 convictions in court, two of whom received life sentences. Virtually all the convicts had their assets confiscated.

    While Chijeoke Nnanna may be thankful to the NDLEA for saving his life with timely surgery at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, he must now face the consequences in court, where a jail term and asset forfeiture await him. That should serve as a lesson for other traffickers out there.

    •Sini Kwaji,Jimeta, Yola, Adamawa State.

  • ATMs going out of fashion?

    ATMs going out of fashion?

    Sir: Nigeria is a cash-driven economy. Yet, today, when cash is needed, the default option isn’t the bank’s ATM but the nearest Point-of-Sale (POS) agent. ATMs, once the backbone of convenience banking, now sit idle, often empty, gathering dust, while POS agents offer the only real alternative for cash withdrawals. In a cash-driven economy, ATMs have become extremely unreliable for Nigerians needing cash.

    This shift begs several critical questions. Are ATMs going out of fashion in Nigeria? Is the massive infrastructure investment in ATMs now a waste? And most importantly, why do ATMs rarely have cash since the infamous CBN naira redesign policy?

    ATMs were once symbols of banking convenience. Their introduction in Nigeria in the early 1990s revolutionized cash withdrawals, offering 24/7 access to money without the hassle of entering a bank hall. However, the story changed drastically after the CBN’s naira redesign policy in late 2022. The move, which sought to limit cash circulation and encourage a cashless economy, led to a severe cash crunch. Even after the policy was reversed and old notes returned into circulation, ATMs never fully recovered.

    While several factors contribute to the near-death of ATM cash availability, the CBN’s cash policy hangover tops the list. The cash scarcity that began with the naira redesign created a shift in how banks handled cash distribution. Even after the policy softened, many banks still operate under the mind-set of cash rationing, and ATMs remain dry.

    Secondly, running an ATM is expensive. Each machine requires regular cash loading, security, power supply and maintenance. With the high cost of diesel and frequent power outages, keeping ATMs functional has become a burden for banks. Many banks prefer to direct customers to digital transactions or POS agents reducing the need for constant ATM maintenance.

    Another reason is that ATMs are prime targets for fraudsters and criminals. Cases of card skimming, machine tampering and outright vandalism have discouraged banks from investing in more ATMs. It appears easier, safer and maybe more convenient to work with POS agents, who assume the risk of handling cash.

    In addition, POS businesses have exploded across Nigeria, filling the cash withdrawal gap that ATMs once occupied. With over 1.6 million POS terminals in the country, these agents are more accessible than bank ATMs. Banks themselves appear to encourage this shift by supplying POS agents with cash, while ATMs remain empty.

    Furthermore, reports indicate that many banks struggle with logistics, making it difficult to restock ATMs efficiently. Poor cash management strategies, delayed cash deliveries and a lack of urgency in ATM restocking contribute to the ongoing crisis.

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    So, while ATMs may not be entirely obsolete, their role has significantly diminished. Digital banking and mobile money are rapidly replacing the need for physical cash withdrawals. It is no surprise therefore to see banks now focusing on mobile transactions, transfers and QR code payments rather than cash-based transactions.

    To restore ATMs to their former usefulness and balance the cash distribution system, things must be done differently.

    The CBN, for one, should enforce a policy that ensures banks prioritize ATM cash supply. So, just as they provide cash to POS agents, banks should be required to maintain a minimum level of cash availability in their ATMs.

    Banks can also explore solar-powered ATMs to cut operational costs, especially in areas with poor electricity supply. Additionally, introducing deposit-taking ATMs, which allow customers to withdraw and deposit cash simultaneously, could improve liquidity and reduce the frequency of cash restocking challenges.

    Moreover, improved security measures, including surveillance cameras, fraud detection software and real-time tracking can reduce ATM-related crimes and encourage more banks to keep their machines functional. Aside, many Nigerians now see POS agents as the only viable cash source but their withdrawal charges are a real burden. The CBN and banks should regulate these to ensure affordability.

    For now, though, the frustration remains. The days of walking up to an ATM and effortlessly withdrawing cash seem long gone. And unless major reforms take place, the trend of empty ATMs will continue, leaving Nigerians with no choice but to pay extra at POS stands.

    In the end, the real question isn’t whether ATMs are going out of fashion; it is whether banks and regulators are willing to fix the system or let ATMs fade into irrelevance.

    •Elvis Eromosele, elviseroms@gmail.com

  • PBAT and Trump: Siamese stars in a stormy stratosphere

    PBAT and Trump: Siamese stars in a stormy stratosphere

    Sir: Nigeria’s hour of need duly arrived on May 29, 2023. After eight indubitably disastrous years of the Muhammadu Buhari presidency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu was sworn in as Nigeria’s sixteenth president.

    Meanwhile, America’s hour of need was ticking fatefully close. Less than two years later, precisely on January 20, Donald Trump was sworn in for the second time as President of the United States of America.

    Upon inauguration, President Tinubu wasted no time in taking on the fuel subsidy behemoth which had crippled Nigeria for years. Expectedly, the backlash has been fierce. But what has stood out for the former Lagos State governor is his courage and confidence.

    For Trump, his inauguration provided impetus for immediate action. Executive orders have quickly issued to reclaim what it means to be truly American. He has cupped a global backlash. But history, his history suggests he will ride it.

    Apart from the transcendental alphabet ‘T’ engraved in their surnames and their decisive, all-action approaches to leadership, what else makes both presidents so similar?

    Both men are empire builders and massive human capital infrastructure developers.

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    Both are within the same age bracket, proving conclusively that experience and wisdom are not groceries to be picked off some supermarket shelves.

    Both men are dogged fighters and blunt speakers. The manner in which both men ascended to the presidency bear this out, with each of them going against the establishment and winning.

    Both men are known for their charismatic and austere lifestyles. They are wealth creators and strategic planners, as well as dealmakers and great mobilizers.

    Both men are sticklers for institutions. During his first tenure, President Trump appointed more judges in four years as his predecessor did in eight years. In less than two years since he assumed office, President Tinubu has ensured that for the first time ever, Nigeria has a full complement of Supreme Court justices.

    Both men are married to fashionable and stylistic wives who complement their political and personal lives perfectly, even if they are each in their third marriages.

    Both men are promoters of the regions in their country, and are unwavering advocates of their country’s regional economic, political and military powers.

    Both men are strong believers in mega infrastructure, as well as revolutionaries and sticklers for knowledge.

    For all that the two men divide opinion, they have shown a Midas touch in business and politics. For all the storms they have had to ride, they have shown incomparable grit to grind through life’s many hurdles and reach a place of astounding success.

    When they speak, there is no hint of complacency in their words. They know what they want, and they go for it with frightening single-mindedness.

    For Trump, the mission is to make the United States of America, which is the world’s premier democracy, great again. For Tinubu, Nigeria, the ‘Giant of Africa’ has slept for far too long and must be awakened from its slump, to take its rightful place among developed countries.

    With men of such clarity leading the way, Nigeria and the United States of America under Tinubu and Trump respectively, can expect not just to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but to find the bumper harvest that the future promises.

    •Ike Willie-Nwobu,Ikewilly9@gmail.com