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Category: Special Report

  • Stronger naira, falling inflation driving investors back to local assets

    Stronger naira, falling inflation driving investors back to local assets

    Investors who relied on dollar funds to hedge against inflation and naira-induced losses missed their targets this year. The weaker naira, which for years had incentivized a rush into dollar funds, appreciated instead. Many investors who entered the dollar fund market at N1,655/$1 at the beginning of the year are now losing at least N165/$1 due to the exchange-rate differential, with the naira trading at N1,490/$1. Meanwhile, high inflation—a key driver for dollar fund demand—also eased sharply, falling from 34.60 per cent in November 2024 to 14.50 per cent in November 2025. The biggest beneficiaries have been naira-denominated assets, strengthened by a firmer local currency and lower inflation. As a result, savvy investors are now exiting dollar funds in favour of naira assets to maximize yields and protect their wealth from value erosion, writes Assistant Editor COLLINS NWEZE

    Investors are always in search of higher-yielding assets capable of delivering their target returns. Yet, such assets are rarely free of risk and uncertainty. Stanley Ben-Okoafor, a Nigerian investor based in the Netherlands, understood this reality well. For years, he adhered strictly to a diversified investment strategy, mindful of the age-old principle—often the first lesson taught to novice investors—that one should never put all their eggs in one basket.

    However, in January this year, the lure of higher yields led him to abandon that long-standing discipline. Seeking better returns, Ben-Okoafor instructed his banks to liquidate his naira-denominated investments, including savings and fixed deposits, and convert the proceeds into dollars. His equity holdings were also sold, with the proceeds similarly converted. In total, he committed $100,000 to dollar investments at an exchange rate of N1,655 to the dollar.

    While the investment yielded a return of 7.5 per cent in dollar terms, much of that gain was eroded by movements in the foreign-exchange market, particularly the strengthening of the naira. “The naira’s appreciation to N1,490/$1 at my exit point meant I lost N165 on every dollar,” he explained. “That significantly reduced my take-home return from the investment.”

    At present, the naira trades at around N1,490/$1 in the parallel market and N1,460/$1 at the official window, creating a premium of N30/$1. Many dollar investors, including Ben-Okoafor, typically exit at the parallel market rate. The currency’s recent appreciation has been attributed to increased foreign-exchange inflows and improved transparency in the FX market.

    Ben-Okoafor’s experience mirrors that of millions of Nigerians who shifted funds from naira assets into dollar-denominated investments this year, only to see the value of their portfolios eroded. The sharp naira depreciation that previously justified such strategies failed to materialise. Instead, the currency posted notable gains at both the official and parallel markets, alongside a marked slowdown in inflation. Predictably, this triggered a wave of portfolio realignments in Nigeria’s investment landscape. Savvy investors began divesting from dollar funds—which had once dominated as high-yield instruments—and reallocating capital into naira assets, now emerging as the preferred choice.

    Michael Steven-Aku, one of the investors who recently switched from dollar funds back to naira-denominated assets, offered insights into the forces reshaping the market. “After eight consecutive months decline in inflation rate to 14.45 per cent in November 2025, according to the latest Consumer Price Index report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the naira has stabilised and the appeal of holding dollar as a hedge by investors also reduced. With naira trading at N1,490/$1, investors are moving away from dollar hoarding and back into naira-denominated investments to avoid currency fluctuation risks,” he explained.

    Likewise, Obiageli Maduka, a Lagos-based entrepreneur and avid investor in dollar funds, said she recently had a rethink. According to her, dollar-denominated assets no longer provide the level of protection they once did against inflation-induced capital erosion. “I lost interest in investing in dollar funds. In January 2025, I invested $50,000 in dollar funds at the exchange rate of N1,655/$. Today, the naira exchanges at N1,490/$ and large part of the 7.5 per cent yield was wiped out by negative N165/$1 exchange rate differential,” she disclosed.

    Maduka explained that her friends that made similar investments in naira-based Money Market Fund had a better deal. “A close friend of mine invested N60 million in Money Market Fund and has constantly earned above 19 per cent monthly yield or over N1 million monthly returns on investment,” she said.

    Maurice Stevenson, an Abuja-based investment banker, explained that the investment climate in 2025 was extremely difficult for dollar fund investors because of significant naira rebound and drop in inflation figures. “These two developments meant that unlike in the previous years when dollar fund investors earned interest on their funds, and still earned extra from positive exchange rate differential due to weaker naira, they had to contend with a stronger naira and negative exchange rate differential at the exit point this year,” he said.

    In practical terms, the inflation rate dropping from 34.60 per cent in November 2024 to 14.50 per cent in November 2025 means that the prices of goods and services dropped by 19.5 per cent between November 2024 and November 2025. That means a bag of onions that cost N100,000 in November 2022 dropped by N20,100 in November 2025 to cost N79,900.

    Findings showed that when the supply of goods and services outpaces demand, buyers become unwilling to pay higher prices, resulting in a decline in prices. Similarly, a contraction in money supply, especially when not matched by an increase in output or productivity in the economy, can also exert downward pressure on prices. As inflation eases, millions of Nigerians who invested in high-yield interest funds have seen their wealth grow in real terms. With their funds gradually gaining value, these investors are better positioned to meet their daily financial obligations.

    Investors show interest in equities

    High returns in equities also reignited investor interest in naira-denominated assets. Despite a tight monetary policy environment, Nigeria’s equity market delivered substantial wealth to investors this year. From index heavyweights and old-economy stocks to turnaround plays and previously overlooked names, the market offered bountiful yields across a broad spectrum of listed companies.

    By December 22, 2025, no fewer than 40 companies listed on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) had returned over 100 per cent to investors—an outcome that sharply contrasted with the cautious sentiment that prevailed at the start of the year. Although the NGX All-Share Index (ASI) recorded a strong year-to-date gain of 48.12 per cent, the scale of outperformance by select stocks underscored how exceptional equity returns were in 2025.

    Some individual performances were particularly striking. NCR Nigeria posted a staggering 1,354 per cent rally, redefining what was possible on the local bourse within a single calendar year. Beta Glass advanced by 470.11 per cent, Mutual Benefits Assurance rose 408.20 per cent, Champion Breweries gained 339.63 per cent, while Eunisell Interlinked climbed 315.15 per cent, among others.

    Several investors who participated in the rally shared their experiences. Kingsley Nwadike, an entrepreneur, said he moved funds from his savings deposit account into the equities market—a decision that paid off handsomely. “I had kept my funds in a savings account for decades because of the ease of access,” he said. “But the interest earned could not even beat inflation. I decided to move my funds into equities, where I earned a 28 per cent year-to-date return.”

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    Another investor, Akpan Okon, said he is better off than those who left their funds in savings accounts and bore the brunt of inflation. “Even now, there are pockets of value in the equity market worth exploiting,” he noted. “Several listed companies have long-term internal returns on equity that point to positive total returns over time.”

    Commenting on the broader market dynamics, Managing Director of Afrinvest West Africa Limited, Ike Chioke, said improved currency stability, stronger-than-expected corporate earnings and consistent dividend payments encouraged investors to rotate back into equities, particularly stocks trading below their intrinsic value. He added that overall market participation strengthened steadily throughout the year, with sustained bullish sentiment occasionally interrupted by profit-taking. According to him, reform-driven developments, policy implementation and rising investor awareness collectively drove higher trading volumes across the market.

    Understanding dollar investments

    Investor interest in dollar funds surged after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) liberalised dollar investments through a new foreign-exchange policy that allows investors to transfer dollar cash deposits from one domiciliary account to another. Under the policy, daily transfers are capped at $10,000. Previously, dollar-denominated investments were largely restricted to individuals with offshore dollar inflows, effectively limiting participation to a narrow segment of investors. The policy shift broadened access, enabling more Nigerians to invest in dollar assets using funds held in their domiciliary accounts.

    Several asset managers and investment banks now facilitate dollar funds and fixed-income investments. Notable among them are Chapel Hill Denham Advisory Limited, FCMB Capital Markets Limited, Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited, Vetiva Advisory Services Limited, Coronation Merchant Bank Limited, Meristem Capital Limited and Afrinvest Asset Management Limited.

    Afrinvest Asset Management Limited, for instance, introduced an open-ended mutual dollar fund offering returns of about 10 per cent per annum. The fund delivers significantly higher returns compared to funds kept in domiciliary accounts in Nigeria or current accounts in Europe and the United States. The Afrinvest Dollar Fund was designed to support income generation, capital preservation and portfolio diversification over the short to medium term. It targets superior returns and pays dividends twice yearly. Investors can participate with a minimum investment of $1,000.

     Similarly, Stanbic IBTC Asset Management launched the Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund to provide currency diversification, income generation and stable growth in U.S. dollars. In a note to investors, the firm said the fund will allocate a minimum of 70 per cent of its portfolio to high-quality Eurobonds, up to 25 per cent to short-term U.S. dollar deposits, and a maximum of 10 per cent to U.S. dollar-denominated equities approved and registered by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Nigeria. The fund manager advised that investors must transfer a minimum of $1,000 for the initial investment and at least $500 for subsequent top-ups, either through the bank’s mobile application or by visiting a bank branch to initiate the transfer. “When you fund your investment, you can earn extra money by referring friends and family. You can also add to your investment over time and withdraw at your convenience. If you have questions or need assistance, please reach out. We are here to help you get started,” the company said.

    The fund also promised competitive dollar returns, controlled risk exposure and seamless access to funds through its Super Apps. It reiterated that investors could hedge against inflation by earning in dollars, noting that the new foreign-exchange guidelines permit the transfer of dollar cash deposits between domiciliary accounts, subject to a daily limit of $10,000.

    An investment analyst and Chief Executive Officer of Nairametrics Financial Advocates Limited, Ugochukwu Obi-Chukwu, explained that dollarisation largely stems from fear that inflation will continue to erode the value of the naira. According to him, many investors overlook the fact that sustained demand for dollars contributes to exchange-rate depreciation. “There is a sense of urgency that even the government shares. The government itself dollarises. When public assets are privatised, they are sold in dollars. At the seaports, fees are also denominated or converted in dollars. Government machinery is essentially dollarised, and other segments of the economy simply follow,” he said.

    Meanwhile, Chief Business Officer of Countryside Investment Limited, Michael Akpan, highlighted the risks associated with keeping idle funds. While encouraging Nigerians to invest rather than leave money dormant, Akpan noted that one of the harsh realities of inflation spikes is the steady erosion of purchasing power.

    “Even if interest or the return you are getting on your investment is below inflation rate, doing nothing will make you worse off. By investing in equities, money market, treasury bills or dollar funds, you are likely to reduce the impact of inflation on your funds,” he stated.

    Akpan explained that even where inflation is running far ahead of returns, that should not deter investors’ commitment. “Assuming you earn between 10 to 20 per cent returns, it means you have been able to cut down your actual cost of living by at least 10 per cent. In real terms, your exposure to inflation is moderated by the extra income from investing, which is better than just taking inflation 100 per cent,” he said.

    He added, “The options available are equity investment, treasury bills/commercial papers, federal government bonds/corporate bonds, federal government savings bond and dollar funds. Equity investment is the buying and selling of stocks listed on the Nigerian Exchange and NASD OTC market. Treasury bills are issued by the CBN on behalf of the federal government; commercial papers are issued by corporate bodies to meet short term obligations. The federal government of Nigeria bonds/corporate bonds are issued by the federal government and corporate bodies, respectively, to meet capital projects.”

    Views from other stakeholders

    CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, said that despite persistent geopolitical tensions, supply-chain realignments, rising protectionism and other global headwinds, a softer U.S. dollar and easing global inflation present clear advantages for Nigeria and other emerging markets. According to him, many African currencies that were previously under intense pressure are now beginning to stabilise. He noted that with improved economic management and the implementation of domestic reforms, Sub-Saharan Africa is projected to record growth of 3.8 per cent in 2025 and 4.4 per cent in 2026, according to World Bank estimates. “Nigeria, Ethiopia and Côte d’Ivoire are leading this continental recovery, demonstrating the impact of decisive reforms, credible institutions and focused policy direction,” Cardoso said. “This type of resilience is never automatic; it is the outcome of difficult, disciplined choices—choices we too have had to make.”

    The CBN governor added that the significant and steady decline in inflation is helping to restore real purchasing power for households and businesses. He said the trend also underscores disciplined policy execution and signals Nigeria’s return to orthodox monetary policy management. “We continue with determination to bring inflation down further. The current double-digit rate cannot be acceptable. Price stability is the foundation of sustainable growth. Our transition to an inflation targeting framework is gaining traction. We have improved data analytics, strengthened communication, and ended monetary financing of fiscal deficits. These actions have strengthened monetary policy transmission and anchored expectations,” he said. Cardoso also emphasised that a functional, transparent and liquid fixed-income market is critical for effective monetary policy transmission and the mobilisation of long-term domestic savings.

    Echoing this view, a member of the CBN-led Monetary Policy Committee, Aloysius Ordu, said the naira has demonstrated relative stability, largely due to the CBN’s implementation of market-reflective exchange-rate policies. “These measures have helped narrow the gap between official and parallel market rates, enhanced investor confidence and promoted transparency in the foreign-exchange market,” he said. “The CBN’s continued efforts to strengthen market liquidity and maintain exchange-rate stability are essential to sustaining external sector resilience.”

    President of the Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), Dr. Aminu Gwadabe, attributed recent naira stability to a surge in foreign portfolio investment (FPI) inflows and the rise in external reserves to about $45.23 billion as of late December 2025. He further noted that the deployment of the Electronic Foreign Exchange Management System (EFEMS), powered by Bloomberg BMatch, has transformed FX trading by enforcing mandatory order submission, enabling real-time regulatory visibility and improving price discovery.

    Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) cautioned that dollarisation of the economy could be difficult to reverse. As a partially dollarised economy, Nigeria operates with a dollar bias in international trade, financial invoicing and, more recently, as a store of value. In its report titled Digital Money and Central Bank Balance Sheets, the IMF warned that once an economy becomes accustomed to a bi-monetary system, reversal is challenging—even after the original triggers, such as high inflation and exchange-rate volatility, have been addressed. “The optimal choice between domestic currency and the dollar depends on the monetary framework and the relative benefits each offers as they coexist,” the IMF noted.

    The IMF further explained that in highly dollarised economies like Nigeria, exchange rates are extensively used for price indexation, resulting in high real dollarisation and near-complete pass-through from currency depreciation to inflation. For many stakeholders, this underscores the need to assess investment decisions not only in terms of nominal returns, but also with regard to capital safety and long-term wealth sustainability.

  • Digital learning widens gap of educationally disadvantaged children

    Digital learning widens gap of educationally disadvantaged children

    • Lack of access to power supply, internet connections set hordes of pupils backward

    • Digital policy deprives pupils of level playing ground – Experts

    The deployment of technology in education and public examinations is no doubt widened the gap of educationally disadvantaged children. Many pupils, especially those in rural communities lack access to power supply and internet connections and yet, they are expected to write the same examinations with those who have unfettered access to all this all year round. Is the digital policy in any way fair to these pupils? Innocent Duru asks.

    Hilda, a public school pupil in New Ekuri, a suburb of Cross River State isn’t computer savvy. Her community lacks power supply and internet connection which are crucial for her and other pupils in her community to be in tune with the aggressive digital learning and examination policies being canvassed by leading examination bodies like JAMB and WAEC.

     “We have never had power supply in our community. We also don’t have internet connection. We cannot do whatsApp chat or call. There is nothing like internet here.Many of us don’t even know how to power a computer let alone knowing how to use it to write or answer examination questions,” the young girl said.

    Hilda and her peers in New Ekuri are not alone in this.

    The World Bank in its 2025 report put the number of people without access to electricity in Nigeria at 86.8 million, the highest world-wide. The GSMA also in a report early this year noted that 130 million Nigerians are not connected to the internet.

    In fact, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, earlier in the years said only 23 percent of rural communities in Nigeria have access to the internet compared to 57 percent in urban areas, a situation the NCC said  continues to widen the country’s digital divide.

    From the statistics provided by the NCC, it means that about 77 percent of rural communities, often populated by the young ones of school age don’t have access to the internet.

    One of Hilda’s teachers, Okon who should be in the best position to prepare the students for digitaI education and examination still leaves in the past. “I cannot read online because we are not connected. If there is an opportunity online, I cannot apply for it because there is no internet facility here,” he said.

    Aside from not having access to internet, Okon also has serious difficulty reading to prepare for classes. “It very sickening teaching without power supply. I rely on torch to see in the house. I use torch to read or better still, I will read in the afternoon. There is a torch I used to tie on my head to read. But the challenge is that it causes headache after a while.”

    In spite of his meager salary, Okon sometimes uses generator. “I manageably spend about N10, 000 on fuel monthly from my meager salary of N20, 000. I am sustained by what I get from my farm and small business. A litre of fuel is N1,500. It used to be about N2000 and above before now but the price has dropped to N1500.  When there is no money to buy fuel, I do go out to power my phone at a charging point. It costs N300 to do that.”

    A leading member of the community, Pastor Louis said: “There is no internet access here. They mounted an antenna that carries just 2G and that is to enable our people make calls and it is not regular.  Because there are some certain times the service will no longer be there and you will wait until that service is restored before you can make calls. And if you have emergency at that point then you are lost out completely.

    “There was a time they came to upgrade it to 4G and because of the bad road and with the load they were carrying, they could not access New Ekuri.  They had to end halfway and return back again with the equipment.  And since then till date New Ekuri is still managing with 2G.You can’t do internet calls because you need data to do that.And your data cannot be effective.”

    For people in New Ekuri to use internet, Pastor Louis said they have to travel out of the environment.  “If you have anything, even if it is photographs you want to send, you have to travel out of the environment, at least get up to 18 kilometers out of the community before you can access internet in the nearby area.

     “The young people who have these Android phones, they only use it to play pre-recorded music.  It is when they leave the environment for the city that they can have access to internet services, to connect to Facebook and connect to WhatsApp and all others.  So which means that, in that environment, all the jobs that people do online, they cannot access it.

    They can’t do all this TikTok. They can’t do anything there. Even to access your WhatsApp, nothing happens. The moment you enter New Ekuri, you will just shut down everything that has to do with internet activities.”

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    Technology should be a bridge, not a barrier – NAPPS

    National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools decried what it described as uneven availability of infrastructure in the country.

    Responding to questions from our correspondent, the National President, Chief Yomi Otubela, said: “Digital education and examinations in themselves, are not the problem. In fact, they hold great potential to improve learning outcomes, expand access to quality content, and prepare our children for a technology-driven world.

    “However, the reality in Nigeria today is that the uneven availability of basic infrastructure has meant that the benefits of digital education are not being enjoyed equally.”

    He averred that “there is no denying that the digital shift has exposed and, in some cases, widened existing inequalities between students in urban or well-served communities and those in rural or underserved areas where power supply, internet connectivity, and access to devices remain major challenges. When a child cannot log in simply because there is no electricity or network, that child is already disadvantaged, not by ability, but by circumstance.”

    That said, the NAPPS chairman stated that  it would be unfair and counterproductive to roll back digital progress, adding:  “The issue is not whether digital education should continue, but how government and relevant stakeholders can ensure inclusiveness. This requires deliberate investment in rural electrification, affordable internet access, community digital hubs, and targeted support for disadvantaged schools and learners.”

    As private school operators, he said:  “we believe digital education must go hand in hand with strong equity policies. No child should be left behind because of where they live or the economic status of their parents. Technology should be a bridge, not a barrier, and achieving this demands coordinated action from government at all levels, the private sector, and development partners.”

    Students no longer assessed on knowledge preparation, but on access to infrastructure CONUA

    The Congress of University Academics (CONUA)  in a response to our inquiry bewailed the aggressive shift to digital education and education without considering the less privileged ones.

    The body regretted that students are no longer assessed based on knowledge and preparation, but on access to infrastructure.

    CONUA’s National President, Comrade ‘Niyi Sunmonu,  said the body recognises that digital education and computer-based examinations are inevitable components of modern learning systems. However, It said “we are deeply concerned that the current pace and manner of implementation in Nigeria risk widening existing educational inequalities rather than reducing them.”

    He strongly noted that digital education and examinations, when introduced without universal access to stable electricity,affordable internet connectivity, functional devices, and adequate digital literacy, disproportionately disadvantage students from rural, peri-urban, and low-income communities. “In effect, students are no longer being assessed solely on knowledge and preparation, but on access to infrastructure they do not control. This contradicts the principle of equity that should underpin any credible education system.”

    CONUA therefore maintains that digital education reforms must be phased, inclusive, and infrastructure-led, not policy-led alone. Government at all levels must first close gaps in power supply, broadband penetration, ICT capacity and student support systems before enforcing full digital transitions. Until these fundamentals are addressed, Comrade Sunmonu said digital examinations risk becoming instruments of exclusion rather than progress.

     “Our position remains consistent: technology should level the educational playing field, not tilt it further against the already disadvantaged. CONUA will continue to advocate for reforms that combine innovation with fairness, access, and social justice in Nigeria’s education sector.”

    Community without digital connectivity is functionally invisible, cut off from modern education, healthcare, markets, opportunity – NCC

    Speaking during the Rural Connectivity Summit, organised by the Rural Connectivity Initiative in Lagos, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, validated the  widening gap concerns caused by deployment of technology in public education and exams.  He noted that a community  without digital connectivity is functionally invisible, cut off from modern education, healthcare, markets, and opportunity.

    He said the disparity in access remains one of the biggest obstacles to inclusive development, stressing that without deliberate intervention, millions of Nigerians would remain excluded from education, healthcare, and economic opportunities that rely on digital connectivity.

    Maida, who delivered the keynote address titled: “Leaving Nobody Behind: Leveraging Regulatory Advantages to Bridge Nigeria’s Digital Divide,” said the lack of connectivity in rural areas is not just a development issue but a national security concern.

    According to him: “A community without digital connectivity is functionally invisible, cut off from modern education, healthcare, markets, and opportunity. This ‘digital invisibility’ is an unacceptable situation we must act decisively to end.

    He said: “Nigeria’s broadband penetration currently stands at 48.81 percent, and research has shown that a 10 percent increase in broadband penetration can boost a country’s GDP by up to 1.38 percent. This shows clearly that connectivity is not just about speed, but about economic growth and national development.”

    According to him, the Commission, through its Universal Service Provision Fund, USPF, has continued to implement targeted interventions to expand digital access in underserved and unserved communities across the country.

    He explained: “Through programmes such as the Rural Broadband Initiative, RUBI, and the Accelerated Mobile Phone Expansion, AMPE, we are supporting infrastructure deployment in commercially non-viable areas. The USPF has also implemented more than 2,500 education projects and delivered over 100,000 computers to schools nationwide.”

    WAEC to conduct exams online from 2026

    The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has reaffirmed its readiness to fully implement Computer-Based Testing (CBT) for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) by 2026.

    The Head of National Office, WAEC, Dr. Amos Dangut, disclosed this while speaking during the sensitisation on computer-based WASSCE for members of the National Assembly Committee on Education in Abuja.

    Dangut, who explained that the rollout of CBT examinations had already begun, assured that no candidate would be left behind in the transition.

    He stressed that the move to CB-WASSCE was motivated by the need to safeguard the credibility of Nigeria’s certificates and to align assessment practices with global standards.

    On preparations for students, he noted that WAEC would introduce mock sessions and online practice platforms to enable candidates familiarise themselves with the system before the main examinations.

    He recalled that WAEC successfully conducted Nigeria’s first-ever CB-WASSCE in 2024 for private candidates in a hybrid format, combining paper-and-pen with computer-based responses.

    Building on that experience, he said that the council had deployed the system for the WASSCE for school candidates in 2025, recording significant progress.

    “The Federal Government has directed that we carry out our exams using the computer testing mode and by the grace of God, we have started it.

    “We are up to the task and that is our intention. We have started it and there is no going back, it is going to be on a large scale.

    “We have done five exams now; four exams for the private candidates and one exam for the school candidates.

    “And for 2026, we are going to do it massively, we are going to deploy it massively, just like JAMB, there is usually mock exam preparatory to the main exam,” he said.

    Addressing concerns about infrastructure and connectivity, Dangut assured lawmakers and stakeholders that no student would be disadvantaged, regardless of location.

    “We are taking our sensitisation and demonstration to the nooks and crannies of Nigeria.

    “We have conducted exams even in hard-to-reach areas, so infrastructure will not stop this programme. All registered candidates will sit for their exams,” he stated.

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) had introduced the Computer-Based Test (CBT) in 2013 and made it mandatory for all candidates in 2015.

    Previously, the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) was conducted as a Paper-Pencil Test (PPT). The transition to a mandatory online (computer-based) format was implemented to enhance the examination process and curb malpractice. Since May 17, 2014, all administrations of the exam have been entirely computer-based.

    The challenge here is that no attempt has been made to find out the number of students who don’t participate in the examination because of the aforementioned challenges.

    Nigeria mimicking global trends over addressing local needs – Activist Orji

    Also frowning at the disadvantaged position that the deployment of technology has placed less privileged pupils, Activist Orji said the shift to digital education and exams in Nigeria risks widening the gap between students with access to power, internet, and computers, and those in communities without. “This development meant to be an advantage, highlights the disparity in our education system.Nigeria’s approach to education seems to prioritize mimicking global trends over addressing local needs. We’ve adopted computer-based testing (CBT) without ensuring infrastructure and equity. This is absurd. Education should be tailored to local contexts, not imported wholesale.”

    Going down memory lane, he said: “Before Western-style education, Africans had robust systems equipping youth for community roles. For example, apprenticeships in farming, fishing, or craftsmanship ensured young people had practical skills. Now, we churn out jobless graduates, disconnected from their roots. CBT exams will exacerbate this, ignoring unequal access to technology, power, and internet. Not all Nigerians have computers or reliable connectivity.

    “In rural areas, students struggle with erratic power supply and limited internet access. Urban counterparts, often more affluent, have better resources. This digital divide will deepen inequalities, undermining the purpose of education.

    “The gap will grow unless we rethink our approach. Education is local and location-based. We must prioritize practical skills, community needs, and inclusivity. Let’s walk before we fly – plan based on local realities, not global pressures.”

    While  commending  Minister Dr. Morufu Alausa for reversing counterproductive policies, he said: “ Let’s craft an education system that serves Nigeria’s diverse communities, equipping learners for success. This means investing in infrastructure, training teachers, and developing context-relevant curricula.

    We must recognize that education is not one-size-fits-all. Localizing education will help bridge the gap and foster development. It’s time to rethink our priorities and build an education system that truly serves Nigeria.”

    Ministry yet to respond

    When contacted on what the ministry is doing to address the gap created by the deployment of technology in public  examinations, the spokesperson of the  Ministry of Education, Folasade Boriowo requested our correspondent to send his questions through text message.

    She hadn’t responded to the questions at press time.

  • Sentenced to sickly life, premature death

    Sentenced to sickly life, premature death

    GAVI, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation, is said to have provided over $732 million to Nigeria for vaccine procurement, cold chain infrastructure, and health systems strengthening over the last 24. With this and billions of naira committed by previous governments towards local production of vaccines, Nigeria still depends on international help to get millions of its citizens, especially the children immunized. Following massive cuts in global funding for vaccination, the die appears cast for Nigeria as thousands of children may not have access to vaccination in coming years. There are concerns that the country may witness a spike in preventable diseases and deaths if nothing drastic is done to address this challenge. Innocent Duru reports.

    • Global cut in funding of vaccines puts thousands of Nigerian children’s lives in danger

    • How corrupt official ate innocent children’s future

    • Questions trail multi-billion naira investment in local vaccine production

    In 2017,  May and Baker Plc, an indigenous pharmaceutical industry reportedly signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Government, to immediately begin local production of vaccines.

    Under that agreement, Nigeria was expected to roll out its first locally produced vaccines by July 2019, beginning with the drugs against Yellow fever, Tetanus Toxoid and Hepatitis B.

    To ensure that the firm being floated to achieve this target, Biovaccines Nigeria Limited, met the target   May and Baker said it would need to invest $50 million (N18.5 billion) to resuscitate a manufacturing line at the defunct National Vaccine Production Laboratory (NVPL) in Yaba, Lagos, which it had acquired.

    According to the MoU, the project, which is being handled through Biovaccines, will build local capacity in vaccine production as well as develop a centre of excellence for research and development of vaccine technology and other biologics.

    May and Baker, confirming its involvement in Nigeria’s quest to produce vaccines locally, said  on its website that it “ began an aggressive expansion and diversification programme since 2005 which has culminated in the creation of new businesses and subsidiaries. In 2005, Biovaccines, a local vaccine production subsidiary was set up in partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria. In 2006, the company constructed a multi-billion naira food processing factory, constructed a local plant for the production of anti-retroviral drugs in Nigeria while the construction of a World Health Organization Standard Pharmaceutical production facility was completed and commissioned on June 27, 2011.”

    However, eight years after the signing of the MoU, Nigeria is yet to start local production of vaccines. It still spends billions of naira annually to   import vaccines highly subsidized by international organisations like GAVI. 

    A Public Health Physician, Dr Rotimi Adesanya says there will be grave consequences should Nigeria have challenges accessing vaccines as it has always done.

    “The implication is that our infant mortality rate will worsen. All the things that the minister of health said are already improving will continue to get worse,” he told The Nation.

    “Many of these diseases that vaccines prevent are deadly.”

    Dr Adesanya recalled that the GAVI funds that would have benefitted the health sector was lost to corruption. 

    His words:“ The GAVI  issue is in the public domain.  We read about how corruption affected how those funds were utilized.  GAVI actually supports immunization programme all over the world but in our own situation, the experience we had with GAVI is that corruption came in and many of the people that were programme managers, those who were in charge, allowed that money to be embezzled.

    “Corruption set in and the money was not judiciously used.  This led to why many funders had to withdraw because there was no transparency in the policy regarding how the money was used. Corruption made it impossible for us to use the GAVI funding very well.  Corruption destroyed the stability of the programme.”

    Dr Adesanya’s assertion was corroborated by reports of how Professor Oyewale Tomori, the distinguished virologist and former Vice-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University informed the world of the way in which avarice and ineptitude combined to undermine the effectiveness of Gavi’s interventions in Nigeria, thereby putting the lives of millions of children at risk.

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    In an article entitled “The Shame of Nigeria’s Stalled Transitioning from Gavi Support,” he explained the brazen manner in which a total of US$7.6 million in Gavi funds were misappropriated. The organisation had undertaken an extensive audit of its programmes in Nigeria between January 2010 and March 2015, and found that $2.2 million and $5.4 million had gone into irregular or ineligible use.

    After prolonged discussion, Nigeria agreed to return the misused funds to Gavi. An initial $5.4 million was paid; payment of the balance of $2.2 million became a condition for Gavi to consider Nigeria’s proposed request to extend its transition from Gavi support to 2028.

    Alarmed by the development, Tomori reportedly asked: “How come a nation so rich with enough resources to fully vaccinate every child and more, is asking for such a long extension?”

    Nigeria produced vaccines between 1940 to 1991

    Time there was when Nigeria never depended on international organisations for supply or getting subsidized vaccines. The country produced its own vaccines to take care of its citizens.

    Between 1940 and 1991,it was not only producing vaccines for  smallpox, yellow fever, and anti-rabies vaccines, but also exported to Cameroon, Central African Republic and a few other countries.

    However, in 1991 the Federal Vaccine Production Laboratory (FVPL) in Yaba, Lagos, stopped production ostensibly because the government wanted to reactivate and upgrade the facility, which never happened.Also, Nigeria spends over N8 billion annually importing vaccines into the country, with about 80 percent cost of vaccines being subsidized by Global vaccine initiative (GAVI).

    Reacting to our question regarding the defunct centre, Dr Adesanya said: “The federal vaccine centre in Yaba was producing vaccines but not all the vaccines. Inconsistency in government policy affected the production of vaccines.  This minister will come and bring a different policy, that one will come and bring his own policy.  The fact that the country went through recession and all that affected the centre.

    “But like I said earlier, such centres are heavily funded by non-governmental organisations and by the government in order for it to succeed.    Inconsistency in policy affects funding for such centre.”

    Continuing, Dr Adesanya said: “our population has increased. In those days, we were able to produce vaccines for the population but now the population has increased. The kind of population we have now especially for the paediatric age is very high. So, it will take a lot to be able to produce vaccine to meet that population.

    “Our younger population is one of the highest in the world.  We need a lot of resources to make such a place to be active.  You can see how funding came during Covid 19.  Oil companies, philanthropists and others put money together to curtail that pandemic that happened that time. Things like vaccine and vaccination go through a lot. Funding, unstable government, inconsistency in policy is what has affected the vaccine centre.”

    FG releases N10b for vaccine production

    The Federal Government in January 2021 announced the release N10 billion to support domestic vaccine production.

    The then Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, during a briefing by the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 in Abuja said N10 billion was released by the Ministry of Finance to explore “options for licensed production in collaboration with recognised institutions.”

    Dr Adesanya clarified that the N10 billion released by the federal government was just a seed money and not all that was needed to embark on local vaccine production.

    “Production of vaccines involves a lot. If you look at a place like the US, apart from the funds that the government will put on the ground, there are different foundations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the rest that will also put their money into that research to make sure that they are able to produce quality vaccines that are safe for the environment,” he said.

    “The funds that the Federal Government gave that time may not actually be enough to assist. This money given was for programmes.   A lot of logistics are also involved. Things like paying royalty, flying experts from one country to the other, paying volunteers , then recruiting people. By the time they start putting money in different places that they are meant to be, it may not achieve much.”

    Continuing, the physician said:  “As I have said, in a place like the US, there are many foundations that inject funds into all these beyond what the government has done.  We may not yet be there but if you look at the budget, it is not yet up to the 15 percent that is globally expected for health.  Whatever the federal government gives, is still part of the health budget.  The health budget in Nigeria is less than 10 percent,whereas   WHO prescribes that  15 percent of a nation’s total budget should go to health.”

    Fresh global health crises loom

    WHO, UNICEF, and Gavi, during World Immunization Week in April, warned that outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, meningitis and yellow fever are rising globally, and diseases like diphtheria, that have long been held at bay or virtually disappeared in many countries, are at risk of re-emerging. In response, the agencies called for urgent and sustained political attention and investment to strengthen immunization programmes and protect significant progress achieved in reducing child mortality over the past 50 years.

    “Vaccines have saved more than 150 million lives over the past five decades,” said WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

    “Funding cuts to global health have put these hard-won gains in jeopardy. Outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases are increasing around the world, putting lives at risk and exposing countries to increased costs in treating diseases and responding to outbreaks. Countries with limited resources must invest in the highest-impact interventions – and that includes vaccines.”

    The world bodies noted that measles is making an especially dangerous comeback. They stated that the number of cases has been increasing year on year since 2021, tracking the reductions in immunization coverage that occurred during and since the COVID-19 pandemic in many communities. Measles cases reached an estimated 10.3 million in 2023, a 20% increase compared to 2022.

    The agencies warned that this upward trend may continue.

    In the past 12 months, 138 countries have reported measles cases, with 61 experiencing large or disruptive outbreaks – the highest number observed in any 12-month period since 2019.

    The agencies equally observed that meningitis cases in Africa also rose sharply in 2024, and the upward trend has continued into 2025. In the first three months of this year alone, they said, more than 5500 suspected cases and nearly 300 deaths were reported in 22 countries. This follows approximately 26 000 cases and almost 1400 deaths across 24 countries last year.

    The statement further said that yellow fever cases in African are also climbing, with 124 confirmed cases reported in 12 countries in 2024. This comes after dramatic declines in the disease over the past decade, thanks to global vaccine stockpiles and use of yellow fever vaccine in routine immunization programmes. In the WHO Region of the Americas, yellow fever outbreaks have been confirmed since the beginning of this year, with a total of 131 cases in four countries.

    These outbreaks, the agencies regretted, came amidst global funding cuts. A recent WHO rapid stock taking  with 108 country offices of WHO – mostly in low- and lower-middle-income countries – shows that nearly half of those countries are facing moderate to severe disruptions to vaccination campaigns, routine immunization and access to supplies due to reduced donor funding. Disease surveillance, including for vaccine-preventable diseases, is also impacted in more than half of the countries surveyed.

    At the same time, the agencies said the number of children missing routine vaccinations has been increasing in recent years, even as countries make efforts to reach children missed during the pandemic. In 2023, an estimated 14.5 million children missed all of their routine vaccine doses – up from 13.9 million in 2022 and 12.9 million in 2019. Over half of these children live in countries facing conflict, fragility, or instability, where access to basic health services is often disrupted.

    “The global funding crisis is severely limiting our ability to vaccinate over 15 million vulnerable children in fragile and conflict-affected countries against measles,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.

    “Immunization services, disease surveillance, and the outbreak response in nearly 50 countries are already being disrupted – with setbacks at a similar level to what we saw during COVID-19. We cannot afford to lose ground in the fight against preventable diseases.Continued investment in the ‘Big Catch-Up initiative’, launched in 2023 to reach children who missed vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic, and other routine immunization programmes will be critical.”

    NAFDAC still hoping to achieve local production

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has continued to speak of its commitment to the commencement of local production of vaccines.

    In 2021, the agency said it was being audited by the WHO to prepare Nigeria for local production of COVID-19 vaccines.

    The Director-General of the NAFDAC Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye told stakeholders at a hearing organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Safety Standards and Regulations in Abuja that the agency takes the issues of health, safety and environment seriously.

    NAFDAC supervises 165 pharmaceutical industries, over 45, 000 food manufacturing industries and over 5000 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in the food and drug industry.

    “The WHO is carrying out an audit of NAFDAC, which will enable the country to start manufacturing vaccines” Adeyeye, who was represented by the Director of Planning Research and Statistics, NAFDAC, Fori Tatama, said.

    Four years after, NAFDAC is still hoping that the country will one day start local production of vaccines.

    In October this year, Prof. Adeyeye, challenged pharmaceutical manufacturers in Nigeria to make bold investment decisions that will make the local production of human vaccines a reality.

    She warned that Nigeria must not wait for another pandemic before getting prepared.

    “When COVID-19 struck, we were at the mercy of other countries because we depended entirely on foreign supplies for vaccines. That experience should never repeat itself,” she said.

    According to her, NAFDAC has strengthened its regulatory system through a major restructuring process in line with WHO’s  global benchmarking standards to pave the way for vaccine manufacturing in Nigeria.

    The agency, according to her, achieved WHO Maturity Level 3, ML3, in 2022 for medicines and imported vaccines, a global recognition that qualifies it as a functional regulatory authority.

    She said that in November 2024, NAFDAC established a new Directorate of Vaccines, Biologics, and Medical Devices, following approval by the Head of Service of the Federation, to align with international best practices and ensure effective oversight.

    “For NAFDAC to be benchmarked for vaccines and biologics, we needed a dedicated directorate,” she said.

    “We are now operating at the same level as advanced countries.”

    Expressing optimism that Nigeria would soon begin manufacturing its own vaccines, Adeyeye said:

    “It will be exciting news for me if, before I leave office, Nigeria begins vaccine production. We’ve been producing veterinary vaccines since 1924, yet we still depend on foreign countries for human vaccines. That must change.”

    She noted that Nigeria fulfilled nine WHO Global Benchmarking Tool modules, with NAFDAC responsible for eight of them, and has achieved ML3 for seven—except for locally manufactured vaccines, which are yet to begin.

    “We are working towards ML3 for locally manufactured vaccines. WHO has verified our vaccine Lot Release indicators; what remains is local vaccine production, which will allow us to carry out facility inspections,” she added.

    Adeyeye also revealed that NAFDAC is the only National Regulatory Agency (NRA), in sub-Saharan Africa with an in-house laboratory for vaccines, biologics, and medical devices.

    “The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority has a vaccines lab, but it’s outsourced. Ours is fully in-house,” she said.

    Speaking further, she urged manufacturers to seize the moment, noting that President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda encourages local manufacturing across sectors.

    “We have capable scientists and a strengthened regulatory framework. We can start with the ‘Fill and Finish’ stage while developing full-scale manufacturing. Now is the time to get it done,” she said.

    Corroborating the NAFDAC DG’s position, Mrs. Khadijah Ade-Abolade, Director of Vaccines, Biologics, and Medical Devices Registration and Regulatory Affairs, said the federal government is already playing a strategic role to ensure that vaccine production takes off in Nigeria.

    “The regulatory framework is already established and functional for imported vaccines, and it will be applied to locally produced ones once manufacturing begins,” she explained

    Ministry yet to respond

    Effort to get the reaction of the Ministry of Health on why the country has not commenced local vaccine production was unsuccessful.

    The spokesperson, Alaba Balogu, was yet to respond to our inquiry at press time.

  • How Nigerian Afrobeats conquered the world

    How Nigerian Afrobeats conquered the world

    Afrobeats has transcended borders, transforming from a Lagos-born sound into a global cultural force. Through streaming milestones, sold-out arenas, and international collaborations, Nigerian artists like Wizkid, Burna Boy, Davido, and Rema have redefined global pop music. This is more than music—it is influence, economy, identity and pride. Afrobeats now shapes festivals, charts and lifestyles worldwide, proving that what began as local rhythms is today a commanding, worldwide phenomenon, reports ADENIYI ADEWOYIN.

    At was an arresting spectacle, the kind that stills the breath before it steals the heart. A living, breathing constellation of music lovers stretched endlessly beneath the lights of the 32,000-capacity Madison Square Garden in Midtown Manhattan. A sea of heads, swaying and shimmering, as though the night itself had learned how to dance.

    More than 30,000 people—Black, white, Hispanic, French, English, and everything in between—gathered shoulder to shoulder, their differences dissolving into one shared rhythm. Voices rose in unison, singing every lyric at the top of their lungs, surrendering fully to the mellifluous beats pouring from the stage. In that moment, the music did not merely play; it possessed. It fused souls, blurred borders, and rewrote geography.

    Then came the glow. Thousands of phones lifted skyward, flashlights blazing like stars summoned on command. It was more than spectacle; it was affirmation. An unfiltered declaration of love for a Nigerian artist commanding one of the world’s most iconic arenas—deep in Midtown Manhattan, in what many still call “God’s own country.” For any Nigerian in that hall on that electrifying night, pride was unavoidable. This was not just a concert. It was a coronation.

    Afrobeats—once dismissed, misunderstood, and confined to local airwaves—had arrived. No, it had conquered. But like all great triumphs, this moment was born of improbable beginnings. What now feels inevitable once seemed impossible, even absurd. For decades, Nigerian music barely whispered beyond Africa’s shores. International recognition was a distant mirage, shimmering but unreachable. When early pop acts like Eedris Abdulkareem, under Kennis Music—the powerhouse label of Nigeria’s early-2000s pop era—travelled to the United States and released visuals for his hit single “Live in Yankee (Marry Me)”, it felt monumental. Almost mythic. Yet, in reality, it was modest. No stadium tours. No global chart domination. No sold-out arenas. Just a trip, a video, and a daring dream. Still, that moment mattered. It marked the fragile first steps of a genre that would later run, leap, and soar. Afrobeats—an evolution inspired by Fela Anikulapo-Kuti’s Afrobeat—did not sprint into global relevance. It crawled. It dragged. It endured. And then, against all odds, it rose.

    From the streets of Lagos to the grandest stages on earth, Afrobeats transformed itself into one of the most powerful cultural forces of modern pop history. Today, it does not knock on the doors of global music; it owns the keys. It anchors stadium tours, shatters streaming records, and shapes the sound and style of contemporary pop culture. From Lagos to London, New York to Paris, Dubai to Toronto, the Nigerian sound now defines moments that matter. It fills arenas, headlines festivals, and commands the world’s attention with confidence earned, not borrowed. It was destiny fulfilled. Afrobeats is no longer emerging. It has arrived—and the world is singing along.

    The numbers that tell the story

    In the streaming era, global music dominance is no longer debated through opinion or hype; it is measured by numbers. How often people hit “play,” and where those streams come from—whether in Lagos, London, New York, or faraway Germany—has become the most objective proof of cultural reach. By that standard, Afrobeats is no longer knocking on the doors of global pop. It is firmly inside, shaping listening habits across continents.

    Afrobeats now sits comfortably among the world’s biggest streaming records. Rema’s “Calm Down,” both the original version and the remix featuring Selena Gomez, has become the most-streamed Afrobeats song of all time, surpassing two billion streams on Spotify alone—a milestone achieved by only a handful of global pop anthems. It is a figure that places a Nigerian-born sound at the very centre of worldwide music consumption.

    CKay’s “Love Nwantiti (Ah Ah Ah)” also carved its name into history, crossing one billion Spotify streams and becoming the first solo Nigerian song to reach that landmark. What began as a soft, emotionally charged track recorded far from global spotlights grew into a viral phenomenon, embraced across Europe, Asia, the Americas, and beyond.

    The story deepens when albums are considered. Rema’s Rave & Roses has amassed over 3.1 billion streams, while Burna Boy’s African Giant and Love, Damini, Omah Lay’s Boy Alone, and Ayra Starr’s The Year I Turned 21 have each crossed the one-billion-stream mark on Spotify. These are not isolated successes; they represent a sustained, catalogue-wide global appetite for Nigerian music.

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    By early 2025, Rema topped global streaming charts among Nigerian artists with 223 million streams in a single period, followed closely by Burna Boy, Ayra Starr, Davido, Wizkid, CKay, and Asake. Together, they underline not just star power, but depth—evidence that Afrobeats is driven by a generation, not a single name. Crucially, these figures reflect organic engagement. Each stream represents a conscious choice: a fan pressing play on a phone, tablet, or computer somewhere in the world, including markets as distant as Asia. Collectively, they speak with clarity—Afrobeats has become a pillar of global pop culture.

    From arenas to stadiums Afrobeats’ global live music takeover

    Over the years, these massive streaming numbers have crystallised into fiercely loyal global fan bases and, ultimately, into commanding live performances that fill arenas and stadiums around the world. Today, Afrobeats stars routinely sell out arenas and stadiums once reserved exclusively for the biggest American and European acts, completing the journey from digital playlists to historic global stages.

    By the time Wizkid stepped onto the stage at London’s O2 Arena in 2021, Afrobeats had already crossed borders. What happened next confirmed it had conquered them. Tickets for his Made in Lagos concert—20,000 seats—vanished in just 12 minutes. The demand was so overwhelming that the show expanded into a three-night run, transforming what was meant to be a single performance into a landmark moment for African music in Europe. It was not merely a concert; it was a declaration that Afrobeats had arrived, loudly and irreversibly, on the world’s biggest stages.

    Two years later, that declaration grew even bolder. In July 2023, Wizkid became the first African artist to sell out London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, drawing roughly 45,000 fans. With that feat, he entered a rarefied space occupied by global titans such as Beyoncé and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It was no longer a question of representation or novelty. Afrobeats was now competing—and winning—on the same commercial and cultural terrain as the most powerful forces in global pop.

    Wizkid is not alone. Davido, another pillar of the movement, has repeatedly demonstrated the genre’s live-performance power. He has sold out the O2 Arena three times—2019, 2021, and 2024—and has moved more than 300,000 tickets across major international venues. From the Ziggo Dome in the Netherlands to New York’s Barclays Center, Paris’s Accor Arena, Kigali Arena in Rwanda, and back again to the O2 in London, Davido’s tours read like a map of global relevance. He has headlined Madison Square Garden and performed at the closing ceremony of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar—platforms reserved for artists whose appeal transcends borders, languages, and cultures.

    Then there is Burna Boy, whose ascent has been as commercially potent as it has been culturally resonant. His sold-out show at Paris La Défense Arena—capacity 36,585—stands as the second highest-grossing single concert by an African artist globally, earning an estimated $2.86 million in ticket revenue, second only to Congolese superstar Fally Ipupa. In 2024 alone, Burna Boy’s sold-out Capital One Arena concert in Washington, D.C., generated over $1.7 million. These numbers underscore a crucial truth: Afrobeats is not only a sonic force; it is a financial one.

    What makes this era particularly significant is the audience itself. Nigerian artists are no longer performing solely for African diaspora communities nostalgic for home. They are selling tickets to local audiences—Americans, Europeans, Asians—who have fully embraced the music on its own terms. Afrobeats concerts today are melting pots, spaces where cultures collide, sing along, argue, celebrate, and claim ownership of the experience.

    A striking example of this cultural shift emerged during Burna Boy’s recent concert in Denver, where he stopped his performance and asked two American concertgoers to leave after one appeared to be sleeping. The incident ignited a fierce debate across American social media. Critics accused the artist of disrespect, while others defended his demand for engagement and respect from the audience. Calls for boycotts followed, and reports suggested lower turnout at some U.S. venues afterward—a sharp reminder that global stardom comes with heightened scrutiny and expectations.

    Whether seen as disciplinary or excessive, the episode reveals something profound. Nigerian artists are no longer operating on the margins of global entertainment. They are fully embedded within it. Their actions, choices, and missteps now ripple across continents, sparking debates far beyond Africa’s shores. They are judged by the same standards as any global act, because they are global acts.

    At its core, this evolution signals something deeper than ticket sales or streaming records. Afrobeats has grown large enough to be lived, contested, and defended by non-African fans as part of their cultural reality. It is no longer just music from Nigeria—it is music of the world. And in arenas and stadiums filled with tens of thousands of voices singing every word, Afrobeats continues to prove that its rise is not a moment, but a movement.

    Diversity in fans and global adoption: The data speaks

    One of the clearest signs of Afrobeats’ global dominance is its audience diversity. Streams and concert stats show that this music is no longer confined to Nigerians or Africans abroad—it has reached every corner of the world. Football stars, party-goers, and pop culture icons alike have been caught vibing to Afrobeats. Global football icons like Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Pogba, and Lamine Yamal have been seen moving to Afrobeats in dressing rooms, private celebrations, and behind-the-scenes moments—showcasing the genre’s irresistible, cross-cultural appeal.

    Even former Manchester United player Jordan Sancho shared the stage with Burna Boy during a Wireless Festival weekend in London, while Pogba joined him backstage and even hit the stage after a Manchester United win. Afrobeats’ influence isn’t limited to football either—England women’s national team manager Sarina Wiegman was caught singing along word for word when Burna Boy surprised her team during their Euro 2025 victory parade.

    Streaming analytics paint a similarly vivid picture. Millions of monthly listeners from Europe, the U.S., Asia, and Latin America tune in every week on Spotify, Apple Music, Audiomack, Tidal, Deezer, and YouTube. Wizkid’s Essence, Davido’s Fia, Burna Boy’s Last Last, Rema’s Calm Down, and CKay’s Love Nwantiti have climbed charts in countries with predominantly non-Black, non-African audiences, including multiple Billboard entries and top European pop chart placements.

    Then there’s Asake, whose music—mostly sung in Yoruba—has sold out arena shows in the U.K., France, Germany, and Portugal. His audiences, largely unfamiliar with Yoruba and Pidgin, sang along flawlessly, proving Afrobeats transcends language barriers. This level of cross-cultural adoption is a testament to Afrobeats’ mainstream appeal. No longer a niche export or diaspora phenomenon, it has become a global genre, embraced across races, regions, and cultures, and in the process, reshaping what modern pop music looks and sounds like worldwide.

    The artists at the heart of the Afrobeats revolution

    Few names in African music resonate with the kind of consistency and charisma that Davido carries. Born in Atlanta but raised in Lagos, he returned to Nigeria with a fire for music and an instinct for connection. Davido isn’t just about hits—though he has a lot of them—he’s about creating bridges. His collaborations are a masterclass in cross-cultural chemistry, pairing Nigerian sounds with global stars seamlessly. In 2018, at the BET Awards, he won Best International Act and didn’t just take a bow. He made a statement, a warm and direct invitation: “Visit Africa, eat our food, wear our clothes.” That wasn’t a casual remark—it was a manifesto. Davido has positioned himself as a cultural ambassador, an artist who understands that music is only part of the story; the rest is sharing the heartbeat of Africa with the world.

    Wizkid’s influence, by contrast, is quieter, almost understated, but no less transformative. He is the architect behind Afrobeats’ entry into the global mainstream. The 2015 remix of his song “Ojuelegba” with Drake introduced the genre to a new, vast audience, but it was his hand in the 2016 mega-hit “One Dance” that truly cemented Afrobeats on the global map. Since then, the roll call of international stars he has collaborated with reads like a who’s who of contemporary music: Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, Selena Gomez, and 21 Savage. Wizkid didn’t just participate in a trend; he quietly engineered the movement, making African sounds inseparable from today’s global pop landscape.

    Then there’s Burna Boy, widely known as the African Giant, whose influence stretches far beyond album charts. Burna Boy is not merely an artist; he’s a global brand. With over three billion views on YouTube, stadium tours that span continents, and unforgettable performances at events like the UEFA Champions League, he embodies Afrobeats’ transition from regional favorite to worldwide phenomenon. His music carries both political depth and irresistible groove, proving that commercial success and cultural significance can exist hand in hand.

    Rema represents a new generation of Afrobeats stars who are redefining the rules. His remix of “Calm Down” with Selena Gomez didn’t just climb charts; it rewrote streaming records. Rema’s music has a youthful, playful energy that transcends borders, turning him into a cultural icon whose influence reaches far beyond Africa. In many ways, Rema embodies the fearless experimentation and digital-era savvy that will define Afrobeats’ next chapter.

    Some songs arrive quietly and then explode, and CKay’s “Love Nwantiti” is a perfect example. What began as a catchy tune became a global sensation, a viral moment that took over TikTok feeds, dance challenges, and playlists worldwide. CKay’s success illustrates the organic appeal of Afrobeats, a genre whose rhythm and melody naturally resonate with a global audience, sometimes even before radio and mainstream channels catch on.

    While the veterans command attention, the next generation is quietly reshaping Afrobeats from within. Asake, Ayra Starr, Tems, and BNXN bring fresh voices, bold experimentation, and a willingness to blur genre lines. They ensure that Afrobeats doesn’t stagnate, giving it a sonic depth and global adaptability that guarantees its longevity. These emerging stars are not just followers—they are innovators, carving out new spaces within a sound that has already conquered the world.

    Afrobeats and global music culture

    Today, Afrobeats is not a niche curiosity. It stands alongside Hip Hop, RnB, and Reggae as a defining sound of contemporary global music. Its rhythms dominate festivals from Coachella to Glastonbury, inspire major international tours, and attract brand partnerships with the likes of Roc Nation, Burberry, Martell, and Coca-Cola. Afrobeats isn’t just being heard; it’s being lived, celebrated, and monetized worldwide.

    The impact of Afrobeats goes far beyond streaming numbers. In Lagos, “Detty December” has transformed the city into a global destination, drawing tourists, boosting local economies, and sparking a wave of brand investments. Globally, Afrocentric fashion, dance, and lifestyle are no longer fringe—they are central to contemporary culture. Afrobeats is shaping the way we see Africa, not as a distant idea but as a vibrant, dynamic force. Looking ahead, the trajectory is clear. More Grammy wins, more global visibility, and a permanent place for Nigerian music in the cultural consciousness are inevitable. Afrobeats is no longer a genre; it’s a global phenomenon, defining creativity, commerce, and identity across continents. The beats of Lagos, Lagosians, and Nigeria are now part of the soundtrack of the world—and they are here to stay.

  • How Lagos rental market marginalises single women

    How Lagos rental market marginalises single women

    Beyond the painted gates and manicured compounds, Lagos’ rental market exacts invisible tolls. Single women face repeated rejections, inflated rents and invasive questions from landlords, making independence a liability and honesty a burden. Despite financial capacity, safety and dignity, they are often forced to navigate a system where housing is not a right but a prize contingent on marriage—and conformity to entrenched stereotypes. AFIONG EDEMUMOH examines how these biases turn housing into a tool of control in a state with a housing deficit of 3.4 million units

    The gate is freshly painted black. The compound is quiet, lined with potted plants. Electrical/Electronics engineer and social justice advocate, Sefa Ikpa, stands outside a two-bedroom flat in Oko-Oba, clutching documents that testify to her financial capability—employment letter, bank statements, six months of payslips. She is ready to pay N1.1 million that very day. The caretaker reviews her bio-data form—tribe, workplace, marital status. His eyes linger on the last entry. He lowers his voice. “Madam, the landlord is asking—are you married?” She answers honestly: no.

    The next morning, the rent is N1.3 million. She agrees. By afternoon, it climbs to N1.5 million. Three days later, a male friend, married with a son, calls the same caretaker about the same flat. The price: N1.1 million. The penalty for being single and female: N400,000 annually.

    From Akowonjo to Surulere, Ijesha to Ogudu, the question “Are you married?” has become the gatekeeping mechanism that dictates who sleeps where. Behind freshly painted gates and manicured compounds, landlords are turning away financially capable women, inflating rents to drive them off, or forcing them to fabricate spouses just to secure basic shelter. What emerges is a rental market where constitutional guarantees of equality collide with entrenched gender bias—where independence is punished rather than celebrated.

    Rejected at the gate

    Ikpa’s housing search spanned six months and included at least four documented rejections. Each followed a predictable pattern: initial interest, routine screening questions about tribe and employment, then the pivot point—marital status. In Ogudu, landlords asked deeply personal questions before deeming her “unacceptable.” “Agents remained indifferent—their fees were guaranteed regardless. It was landlords who imposed the criteria, probing marital status with more scrutiny than they applied to income verification,” she said.

    The Oko-Oba incident, along the Agege–Abule Egba axis, remains her biggest trauma. Exhausted from international travel, she had cut short a trip to attend the landlord’s meeting. She answered every question, filled out forms, and demonstrated financial readiness. The rent inflation that followed felt calculated, a thinly veiled attempt to drive her away. “They told the agent to inform me that they had moved the rent again to N1.5 million. Remember, when I first saw the house, it was N1.1 million. And I said, even if it’s N1.5 million, I will pay—I just needed a place to stay. I really liked the house, even though I was going to do some work on it.

    “So, finally, when I said I was willing to pay N1.5 million, I already suspected it was because I was a lady. I asked a friend to go undercover and inquire. A male friend went, and the house was still valued at N1.1 million. That confirmed it—the landlord only hiked the rent because he didn’t want to give the house to a woman,” Ikpa recounted.

    When her male friend’s inquiry confirmed the original price, the agent admitted the truth: landlords relied on familiar stereotypes—single women are “not responsible, they don’t renew their rent, and men keep trooping in and out.”

    Even after securing her current apartment along the same axis, the stigma lingered. During move-in, a facility manager, unaware she was listening, launched into a rant about single female tenants, predicting disputes and conflicts. Ikpa had already paid in full. When introduced as the tenant, the man backtracked, but the episode confirmed how reflexive the bias had become among estate gatekeepers.

    The endless cycle of rejection

    Social commentator and event planner Grace Okonta experienced a similar pattern. In Akowonjo alone, she was turned away ten times. Each time, landlords reviewed her documents, verified her ability to pay a year’s rent upfront, then delivered the same verdict: “We don’t give houses to single ladies.” The phrase, repeated with unsettling certainty, sounded less like a personal choice and more like an unwritten law.

    “After the tenth rejection, I realised it didn’t matter who I was or what I earned,” Okonta lamented. “I was a working professional with references; I could pay a year’s rent upfront. But the moment they heard I was single, the conversation ended. I was told outright, ‘We don’t give houses to single women.’” Exhausted and desperate, she resorted to deception. She presented a fictitious fiancé to gain access. “Even then, I lived in constant fear—fear of being exposed, fear of eviction, fear of questions I couldn’t answer. It was exhausting, humiliating, and broke something in me. Housing should not require a performance or a lie to access.”

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    For the eleventh viewing, Okonta enlisted her friend Kunle to pose as her fiancé. The strategy worked. The landlord, reassured by Kunle’s presence, approved the tenancy: “Your fiancé is a responsible young man. You both can move in,” he said. The relief, however, was temporary. Two years later, when the promised marriage failed to materialise, the landlord’s attitude shifted. Warmth turned to contempt. Okonta was issued a six-month notice to quit, the reason familiar and blunt: “This house is not for single women.”

    A systemic challenge

    From Ikpa to Okonta, these stories reflect a broader systemic bias. Across Lagos and beyond, single professional women face structural obstacles in accessing housing, regardless of their financial capacity. Agents, caretakers, and landlords rely on entrenched stereotypes, manipulating rent or denying access outright. Women are compelled to fabricate partners, pay inflated rents, or risk endless rejection—effectively penalised for independence.

    As Nigerian cities expand, and more women pursue professional and social mobility, this discriminatory practice not only infringes constitutional guarantees of equality but also undermines urban development and social cohesion. Housing, a fundamental right, has become a gatekeeper for gender bias, revealing a market where independence is punished and tradition outweighs merit. The stories of Ikpa and Okonta demonstrate how informal barriers—fuelled by perception, stereotypes, and discriminatory practice—can inflict real financial, emotional, and social costs. They highlight the urgent need for policy, advocacy, and societal shifts that protect tenants, enforce anti-discrimination statutes, and recognise women’s autonomy in accessing housing without compromise.

    Risky tenants’ conundrum

    In a three-bedroom apartment in Surulere, Mr. Tunde Akomolafe, a retired civil servant managing his late brother’s property, sits behind a desk cluttered with tenant files. On the reluctance of landlords to rent to single women, Akomolafe explained: “It is not that we hate women. But when you give a house to a single lady, you don’t know who will be coming in and out. Neighbours complain. People start talking. Before you know it, the house has a reputation.”

    His words reveal the underlying logic: a woman’s independence is assumed to invite male visitors; male visitors spark gossip; gossip tarnishes the compound’s reputation. In this framework, unmarried women living alone are presumed promiscuous, regardless of their behaviour. Landlords pre-empt potential conflict by excluding women entirely. For some, the concern is financial pragmatism rather than morality. A female property owner of four mini-flats in Ijesha, identified only as Mrs. Comfort, explained: “A married woman has a husband to support her. A single lady, if she loses her job, who will pay the rent? I don’t want stories that touch.”

    This assumption persists despite the fact that many rejected women are salaried professionals with verifiable income. The cultural belief that men provide financial backup often outweighs economic logic. Estate agent Festus offered another perspective: “When it is a man, you can confront him. But women, they can cry or bring human rights people. It’s stress we want to avoid.” His comment reflects a broader anxiety: women are perceived as unpredictable, emotionally volatile, or litigious. Men, by contrast, are assumed straightforward.

    Coleman Nwafor, a property owner, articulated the bias explicitly to BBC Africa in August 2018: “Most single ladies are under the responsibility of their lover or their parents. You can never tell what will happen after the first year. Most single ladies are not working. There are more jobs for men than women in Nigeria. That is just the way it is.”

    A real estate associate in Apapa, Ariyo Bamidele, stated that his former office maintained a “policy of not renting properties to single women” unless they provided male references. He justified this with “bad experiences,” recounting an unverified anecdote where a woman allegedly turned a leased duplex into a brothel. One isolated story became the basis for profiling an entire demographic as “risky tenants.”

    Not all landlords uphold these views. A younger property owner in Lekki, speaking anonymously, said he rents to single women without hesitation: “Times have changed. Women are independent now. The only thing I care about is rent being paid. If she can afford it, why not?” His perspective signals a generational shift, particularly among urbanised landlords in professional settings. Yet even personal tolerance can yield to societal pressure. A landlord in Isolo, preferring anonymity, admitted: “They will say I am encouraging waywardness if I give my house to single ladies. To avoid trouble, I just reject them.”

    Sociologist Clement Agbor contextualises the trend as gendered gatekeeping: “It’s not about rent, it’s about control. Landlords act as moral guardians, deciding who is respectable enough to occupy space. In our society, women without men are often deemed suspicious by default.” Across Lagos and beyond, these perceptions create systemic barriers for single women seeking housing. Economic capacity, references, and professionalism often count for little when gendered stereotypes shape access to shelter. As women pursue independence and professional mobility, housing—a fundamental right—remains a gatekeeper for societal bias, reflecting broader patterns of gendered control and cultural expectation.

    Deceit as a survival strategy

    The pressure to misrepresent marital status is relentless. Throughout her housing search, Sefa Ikpa faced repeated suggestions to lie. Agents encouraged her to present male relatives as husbands—a tactic widely reported among women navigating Lagos’ rental market. Friends borrowed wedding rings, invented overseas spouses, or brought cousins to inspections. But for Ikpa, it was a non-negotiable: tying her income to a man’s presence felt humiliating and unjust.

    That refusal came at a steep cost. Apartments she could afford slipped away. Inspection fees accumulated. Months passed. Yet she remained firm: she would not rent from landlords imposing tribal restrictions, and she would not pretend to be married. Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, Executive Director of the human rights organisation Spaces for Change, warned that such deceptions carry grave risks. At a policy dialogue, a woman recounted securing a flat by asking a male colleague to pose as her husband. The strategy worked—but the colleague, emboldened by frequent home access, later attempted sexual assault.

    “Discriminatory housing practices set off dangerous chain reactions,” Ibezim-Ohaeri explained. “By compelling women to misrepresent their marital status, the system pushes them into situations where personal safety is compromised. In cases of sexual violence, such misrepresentation can undermine access to justice, as earlier claims of a spousal relationship may discredit testimony or blur consent boundaries.” The strategy of lying often festers. Women who fabricate husbands face ongoing pressure to maintain charades—producing men for landlord meetings, explaining prolonged absences, or risking eviction when fictions unravel.

    The scale of the problem is staggering. A 2019 Guardian Nigeria survey found 83.3 per cent of Nigerian women experienced housing discrimination as single adults. Ebosetale Okoduwa, writing in Medium, interviewed ten women aged 23 to 28 across several states. Every single one had been denied accommodation because landlords refused to rent to single women or doubted their ability to pay, despite steady employment. Some were asked to present husbands or male guarantors before their applications could be considered.

    Resistance pays off

    Not every woman accepts defeat quietly. In 2023, corporate lawyer Beatrice Essien successfully challenged discriminatory treatment in Surulere—not in court, but with knowledge and authority. When a landlord insisted her husband must be present to sign a lease, Essien arrived with printed copies of Section 42 of the Nigerian Constitution, which prohibits sex-based discrimination, and the 2011 Lagos Tenancy Law, which does not require tenants to be married. “I told him politely but firmly: ‘If you proceed with this requirement, I will file a constitutional rights enforcement action and notify the media,’” she recalled. Within 24 hours, the landlord relented.

    Essien acknowledged, however, that her success required privilege. “I’m a lawyer. I knew my rights and could afford litigation. Most women can’t.” She now volunteers with an NGO educating women on legal options but remains realistic: “We’ve trained hundreds. Maybe five have successfully pushed back. The power imbalance is too great.” Some women find refuge in female-friendly estates—newer developments in Lekki Phase 1, Ajah, and similar areas where management companies enforce non-discrimination policies. “But these are rare and expensive,” Essien noted. “They’re not accessible to average-income earners.”

    The pattern behind the  prejudice

    According to Ibezim-Ohaeri, Lagos records Nigeria’s highest levels of tenant-based discrimination, cutting across gender, ethnicity, and religion. Comparative fieldwork across the Niger Delta, Southeast, Federal Capital Territory, and northern states such as Kaduna and Kano revealed stark contrasts: in many regions, housing decisions are driven primarily by economic considerations—ability to pay rent. In Lagos, however, social identity, moral judgment, and personal bias shape access in both affluent and low-income neighborhoods. Landlords openly impose restrictive criteria, with some posting exclusionary notices on gates: “Igbos not allowed,” “Married couples only,” or “Single mothers not allowed.”

    Gender-based discrimination is particularly pervasive. When landlords reject “female tenants,” it rarely targets unmarried women alone. It extends to married women whose husbands do not live with them, categorising all women living alone as undesirable. These issues were central to a memorandum submitted by Spaces for Change at the August public hearing on the proposed Lagos State Tenancy and Recovery of Premises Bill 2025, intended to regulate landlord-tenant relationships. The group situates the bill within Lagos’ estimated 3.396 million housing deficit, warning that without stronger tenant protections, rising rents, discriminatory practices, and unchecked agency fees will push low-income residents into overcrowding and homelessness.

    For Ikpa, being single narrowed her options beyond discrimination. Safety was non-negotiable. She avoided areas without security, stable electricity, or enclosed estates. Living alone, she prioritized well-lit environments and reliable services—features already scarce. When landlords excluded single women outright, the housing pool shrank further, transforming straightforward transactions into prolonged struggles.

    For single women, discrimination compounds already difficult searches. The Roland Igbinoba Real Foundation’s State of Lagos Housing Market Report notes the housing deficit has grown 15 per cent since 2016. Over 70 per cent of Lagosians are tenants, many spending 40–60 per cent of income on rent, far above the UN’s 30 per cent affordability benchmark. In such an environment, deceit emerges as both a strategy and a symptom: women navigating Lagos’ rental market are forced to balance financial independence, safety, and societal expectations, often at great personal and emotional cost.

    A law that exists only on paper

    On paper, Nigeria’s legal and international commitments appear unequivocal. Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution prohibits discrimination on the grounds of sex, ethnicity, religion, or circumstances of birth. Internationally, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and Article 25 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognise access to adequate housing as a fundamental human right. Together, these frameworks ostensibly provide robust protection against exclusion in the rental housing market.

    Yet, as Ibezim-Ohaeri observes, rental discrimination—particularly the exclusion of women—constitutes a direct violation of these guarantees. From this standpoint, landlords who deny housing based on gender or marital status are not exercising personal discretion; they are breaching constitutionally protected rights. The act of exclusion, she insists, crosses from private preference into unlawful conduct. In practice, these constitutional protections remain largely theoretical. Discrimination persists with little fear of consequence, as landlords and agents operate in a regulatory vacuum where bias is rarely punished. In its August 2025 submission to the Lagos State House of Assembly, Spaces for Change described this gap between law and lived reality as the central failure of tenancy regulation. The organisation urged lawmakers to explicitly prohibit discriminatory practices in the proposed Tenancy Bill and back such provisions with enforceable sanctions, including fines, suspension of estate agents’ licences, and temporary restrictions on landlords found guilty of violations.

    Beyond prohibition, the memorandum stressed the need for institutional mechanisms that make redress possible. Spaces for Change called for clear reporting channels for victims of discrimination, incident-tracking systems, and defined penalties for offenders. According to Ibezim-Ohaeri, the strength of reform lies not only in punishment but in norm-setting. When discriminatory conduct attracts legal consequences, it generates compliance pressure and signals a broader societal shift about what behaviour is acceptable.

    The organisation’s intervention also extended to structural cost drivers within the rental market. It flagged the widespread practice of exorbitant agency fees, noting that landlords and agents often charge commissions even where no intermediary is involved, sometimes collecting fees from both parties. While the Bill proposes reducing agency fees from 10 per cent to 5 per cent, Spaces for Change warned that agents may attempt to circumvent the cap by inflating ancillary charges such as inspection, search, or file-opening fees.

    Similarly, the group highlighted persistent abuse around professional fees, where landlords or agents compel tenants to pay for lawyers or valuers they did not engage. Although prohibited under previous tenancy laws, enforcement has been weak due to the absence of meaningful penalties. Spaces for Change therefore called for strong sanctions, including mandatory refunds and punitive fines, to curb the abuse.

    Even among legal practitioners, there is broad agreement that reform is overdue but fraught. Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Olisa Agbakoba, has described the Tenancy Bill as necessary but imperfect. While it seeks to curb exploitative practices and standardise eviction procedures, he notes deep fault lines in perception: tenants see it as long-overdue protection, while landlords fear it could disrupt investment incentives in the property market.

    Underlying these tensions is a familiar enforcement dilemma. Estate agent Seun Ademoye recalled the fate of rent restriction policies introduced during the former Lagos State governor Babatunde Fashola’s administration. “Landlords told prospective tenants, ‘We don’t have Fashola’s house here; go and meet him for houses at his prescribed rate,’” he said. With few alternatives, tenants often returned, resigned to paying whatever was demanded. “It was a catch-22.”

    For Ebosetale Okoduwa, the deeper issue lies in Nigeria’s fragmented regulatory framework. The absence of a single, codified tenancy law applying uniformly nationwide means each state operates its own rules, creating inconsistencies that allow abusive practices to thrive unchecked.

    Lagos’ experience underscores this weakness. The 2011 Tenancy Law sought to regulate the market by capping advance rent at one year, mandating rent receipts, and outlining eviction procedures. Yet, according to property lawyer Abraham Anyanwu, the law quickly proved ineffective. “It was a paper tiger,” he said. “There was no dedicated enforcement agency, penalties lacked deterrent force, and judicial redress remained slow and costly. Crucially, the law made no mention of discrimination, leaving those denied housing on the basis of identity with no clear legal remedy.”

    The cost of independence

    For Ibezim-Ohaeri, consequences extend beyond financial exclusion. Denial of housing directly undermines women’s safety, dignity, and access to justice. When excluded from safe, affordable housing, women are forced into precarious arrangements—cohabiting with men they distrust, remaining in abusive relationships, or settling for unsafe environments lacking basic infrastructure.

    Sefa Ikpa, an Electrical/Electronics engineer and social justice advocate, explained: “As a single woman living alone, safety is non-negotiable. Already, options are narrow, and then even narrower when landlords have closed off their housing.” Ikpa questioned why landlords feel entitled to probe her private life in ways male tenants never face. She had proven financial capacity and employment status, yet her character was judged solely on marital status. The financial implication stung: accepting the inflated Oko-Oba rent meant paying N400,000 extra annually simply for being a woman.

    Owning property may expand options for some women, but it is not a cure-all. Ikpa revealed that she was also rejected by a female landlord, underscoring that patriarchal attitudes are not limited to male property owners. Without regulation, access remains subject to personal bias. Her argument is uncompromising: she was not seeking welfare or special consideration; she had the means to pay. She insisted that financial capacity should be the sole criterion in any functional rental market. “Until tenancy laws are tightened and discrimination explicitly addressed, single women in Lagos will continue being priced out, scrutinised, and pushed to the margins of a city they can afford, but are routinely denied the right to call home,” she said.

    Still standing at the gate

    Ikpa eventually secured an apartment, but the victory feels fragile. She knows other women are still being turned away, inflating budgets to accommodate gender penalties, borrowing rings, and inventing husbands to pass inspection. Grace Okonta, evicted after her charade collapsed, has returned to the exhausting cycle—scanning listings, fielding invasive questions, bracing for the next “We don’t give house to single ladies.” She recently viewed another flat in Akowonjo. The compound was gated, well-maintained. The caretaker was polite until he asked the question. When she said she was single, his expression shifted. “Let me check with the landlord,” he said, already reaching for his phone.

    Both women fear what comes next—not because they lack resilience, but because the system they navigate is designed to exhaust it. Ikpa worries about her next lease renewal, whether lingering suspicion from facility managers will translate into unreasonable demands. Grace fears being displaced again, forced to choose between lying and homelessness. In a city where housing is treated as a privilege contingent on marital status rather than a right earned through payment, independence remains precarious. Until the law intervenes, women like Ikpa and Okonta will continue standing at gates, waiting for doors that may never open—not because they cannot afford to enter, but because they refuse to lie about who they are.

  • How telecom infrastructure vandalism is crippling the digital economy

    How telecom infrastructure vandalism is crippling the digital economy

    Nigeria’s march toward a digital economy is being undermined by fragile infrastructure and frequent network disruptions, with real consequences for everyday life. From rural traders and roadside diners to banks, schools, and hospitals, connectivity failures ripple across commerce, education, and healthcare. With an average 1,100 fibre cuts, 545 access denials and 99 thefts of telecom equipment weekly, the promise of e-learning, telemedicine, digital jobs and GDP growth increasingly looks fragile, reports Assistant Editor LUCAS AJANAKU.

    Regina Elehinafe is a rural, small-scale trader whose livelihood depends on the steady circulation of everyday food items—yam tubers, garri, and locally processed rice known in the southwest as ofada, prized for its distinctive aroma. For years, her business ran on cash, guided by familiarity and trust across market towns in Ekiti State. That routine was abruptly disrupted by the chaotic implementation of the cashless policy ahead of the 2023 presidential election, an episode that forced many informal traders like Regina into an unplanned digital transition.

    Reluctantly at first, she embraced mobile banking, aided by the rapid spread of fintech platforms that allow phone numbers to function as bank account identifiers. Today, Regina, a mother of two based in Ilawe-Ekiti, moves from one market town to another, timing her journeys to coincide with local market days. Digital transfers have become central to her trade, replacing the cash that once changed hands without incident.

    In May this year, she travelled to Erinjiyan-Ekiti on one of her regular supply trips to purchase ofada rice and other foodstuffs. The transactions went smoothly until it was time to pay her supplier. Multiple attempts to complete the transfer via a Point of Sale (PoS) terminal failed. Each declined notification deepened the anxiety. With goods packed and no cash alternative, Regina found herself stranded between trust and technology. “I became confused. I didn’t know what to do,” she recalled. Years of business dealings ultimately saved the day. Her supplier, relying on their established relationship, allowed her to leave with the goods on trust. It was a reprieve, but not an experience she describes lightly. “It was not funny,” she said.

    Regina was fortunate. Carlos Reginald was not. His own encounter with network failure unfolded in a modest local restaurant in Lafenwa, Ogun State, where he had stopped to eat amala, ewedu soup, and goat meat while waiting for a friend. Lafenwa, separated from Ayobo in Lagos by a severely degraded road, already bears the scars of infrastructural neglect. When it came time to pay, the PoS terminal failed repeatedly. With no cash and no network, embarrassment set in. A resident of Agege, Lagos, Carlos depended on the kindness of a stranger. A fellow diner with liquid cash paid his bill. They exchanged phone numbers and bank details. Later that day, after returning to Ayobo, Carlos walked into a First Bank branch and used a self-service kiosk to transfer the money back. “Without that man, I would have been stuck,” he said.

    These experiences, though personal, reflect a broader national challenge. Across Nigeria, network failures and service degradation routinely disrupt voice calls, internet access, and digital banking transactions. Often driven by vandalism of telecom infrastructure, these disruptions expose the fragility of a system that now underpins commerce, trust, and daily survival. As Nigeria pushes toward a digital economy, the reliability of its telecommunications backbone is no longer optional—it is essential.

    When vandalism becomes a national threat

    According to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the telecommunications sector continues to grapple with widespread vandalism and infrastructure sabotage, despite the Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) Order, 2024, signed into law on June 24, 2024, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Rather than abating following the Executive Order, the menace has assumed what industry stakeholders describe as a cancerous scale—spreading from isolated pockets to a nationwide phenomenon that now threatens service reliability and Nigeria’s digital economy ambitions.

    The NCC disclosed that telecom operators are battling persistent incidents of wilful vandalism, theft of diesel, generators and inverter batteries, fibre cuts, and systematic denial of access to base transceiver stations (BTS) by non-state actors. These challenges, the Commission said, have continued unabated, undermining network stability and quality of service across the country.

    Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, acknowledged that while stakeholders have made concerted efforts to safeguard infrastructure, several critical challenges persist. Providing a snapshot of the scale of the problem, he revealed that the industry records an average of about 1,100 fibre cuts weekly, alongside 545 cases of access denial and 99 theft incidents. “Access denial, vandalism, fibre cuts and theft remain bitter experiences within the industry,” Maida said, stressing that these incidents directly translate into service disruptions, prolonged downtimes and poor customer experience.

    Earlier in July, the industry’s umbrella body, the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), raised the alarm over what it described as an alarming escalation in vandalism within the telecom space. According to the association, between May and July 2025 alone, multiple incidents were recorded across cell sites in Rivers, Ogun, Osun, Imo, Kogi, Ekiti, Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, among other states.

    “These acts of sabotage have significantly disrupted network services, causing widespread connectivity blackouts, degradation of service quality and severe inconvenience to millions of subscribers,” ALTON said. The association noted that the affected infrastructure primarily belongs to its members, other network operators, and critical institutions that depend on telecom networks for connectivity.

    ALTON Chairman, Mr Gbenga Adebayo, explained that critical components such as power cables, rectifiers, fibre optic cables, feeder cables, diesel generators, batteries and solar systems are routinely vandalised or stolen from active sites. “These are not mere materials. They are the backbone of our digital economy, security architecture and national communications grid,” he said. He expressed deep concern over the frequency, intensity and geographical spread of the attacks, noting that states such as Delta, Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Ogun, Ondo, Edo, Lagos, Kogi, Kaduna, Niger, Osun, Kwara and the FCT have recorded particularly high levels of infrastructure sabotage. “These attacks have led to prolonged downtimes, network congestion, widespread blackouts and significant degradation of service quality,” Adebayo added.

    Dr Maida identified denial of access to telecom sites as one of the most significant contributors to service downtime, explaining that it prevents operators from carrying out routine operations and critical maintenance activities. He also cited vandalism, fibre cuts and theft of site equipment, cables and diesel as major operational challenges. With a large proportion of BTS still dependent on diesel-powered systems, the cost of operations remains high, further straining operators’ resources.

    Beyond vandalism, the NCC boss pointed to long-standing structural bottlenecks that continue to slow network expansion and compromise service quality. These include challenges around securing Right-of-Way (RoW), multiple taxation and access delays across states, all of which hinder fibre rollout. He also lamented the suffocating delays in securing permits for new telecom builds, noting that complex and time-consuming approval processes in some jurisdictions have created infrastructure gaps that complicate efforts to improve quality of service.

    Other emerging threats include cybersecurity risks, particularly as over-the-top (OTT) platforms and Internet of Things (IoT) usage expand. In addition, the prevailing security situation in parts of the country has made the deployment, operation and maintenance of communications infrastructure increasingly difficult. Meanwhile, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) say they have responded to recent government interventions with unprecedented investment commitments. Following the Federal Government’s approval of a 50 per cent tariff adjustment on voice calls and internet services earlier this year, operators say they have ramped up spending on network optimisation and capacity upgrades.

    According to ALTON, new systems are being deployed, transmission equipment modernised, power systems overhauled, and thousands of kilometres of fibre optic networks are currently being laid and expanded nationwide. “Our industry has not seen this scale of investment in recent years. We are working round the clock to improve quality of service, and we cannot afford these setbacks,” the association said.

    Compounding the sector’s woes is the emergence of itinerant scrap merchants searching for so-called “condemned iron,” often aided by local collaborators. Adebayo warned of a thriving market for stolen telecom equipment, including power cables and rectifiers sold openly, batteries repurposed for home and office inverters, solar panels resold to unsuspecting households, and diesel siphoned from sites and traded on the grey market. As stakeholders argue, without decisive enforcement of the CNII Order and coordinated action across federal, state and community levels, the gains of Nigeria’s digital transformation risk being steadily eroded by sabotage and neglect.

    How network outages stall growth

    The impact of these disruptions is profound and far-reaching. Across Nigeria, entire communities endure prolonged network outages that sever access to markets, education, healthcare and financial services, effectively rendering them “invisible and incommunicado” in an era defined by digital connectivity. Rural and underserved areas bear the brunt of the damage, as repeated fibre cuts—averaging about 1,100 weekly—delay repairs, often complicated by community demands for compensation before access is restored. In May 2025, subscribers on MTN and 9mobile networks experienced peak disruptions caused by fibre damage and power failures, bringing voice calls, data services and economic activities to a standstill.

    The economic consequences are equally severe. Network outages trigger billions of naira in revenue losses, customer compensation payouts and repair costs. Industry estimates put losses at about N14.6 billion in 2023 alone, with trends in 2025 pointing to even weaker returns on investment (RoI) for mobile network operators (MNOs) and their shareholders. For households and small business owners like Regina Elehinafe, the disruptions translate directly into lost income as e-commerce, remote work and digital banking grind to a halt. The result is a deepening of poverty in a sector that contributes about 14.4 per cent to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

    Beyond lost revenue, outages routinely shut down USSD banking platforms, telemedicine services and digital commerce channels, causing daily income shortfalls for traders, artisans and gig workers. In May 2025, widespread fibre cuts in parts of northern Nigeria stalled business transactions for several days. Vulnerable users, particularly those reliant on feature phones, were forced to travel long distances to access physical banking services, incurring additional costs and compounding economic hardship in already fragile communities.

    Globally, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has consistently emphasised the importance of resilient digital infrastructure as a catalyst for shared prosperity. The organisation notes that fifth-generation (5G) network coverage remains deeply uneven, with about 84 per cent of people in high-income countries having access to 5G services, compared with just four per cent in low-income countries. Nonetheless, ITU estimates that 5G networks will cover roughly 55 per cent of the world’s population in 2025, reflecting strong momentum in advanced mobile technologies—momentum made possible by robust, well-secured infrastructure.

    According to the ITU’s Facts and Figures 2025 report, digital infrastructure, affordable services and skills training are critical to ensuring that populations can truly benefit from emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI). ITU Secretary-General, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, underscored this imperative, noting that “in a world where digital technologies are essential to so much of daily life, everyone should have the opportunity to benefit from being online.” She added that today’s digital divides are increasingly defined by speed, reliability, affordability and skills—factors that must be prioritised to achieve universal connectivity.

    In Nigeria, however, the digital divide continues to widen, largely driven by persistent vandalism of telecom infrastructure that stifles broadband expansion and entrenches both rural and urban poverty. Broadband penetration, as of October–December 2025, stands at 49.89 per cent, while active internet subscriptions reached about 142.6 million by October 2025. Yet only about three per cent of these subscribers—just over four million users—are connected to 5G networks. Fourth-generation (4G) services remain dominant at 44.96 per cent, followed closely by 2G at 43.53 per cent, with 3G trailing at 9.32 per cent. Fixed broadband penetration is even more limited, hovering at approximately six per cent nationwide.

    Under the National Broadband Plan (NBP), the Federal Government set a target of 70 per cent broadband penetration by the end of 2025. Current figures indicate that Nigeria will miss this benchmark by roughly 20 percentage points, reflecting a combination of infrastructure vandalism, regulatory bottlenecks, security challenges and investment constraints. This shortfall carries significant economic implications. The World Bank has established a strong positive relationship between broadband penetration and GDP growth, finding that a 10 per cent increase in broadband access boosts GDP growth by about 1.21 per cent in developed economies and approximately 1.38 per cent in developing countries. While the Bank notes that broadband’s full impact depends on complementary investments in education and healthcare, it argues that connectivity drives innovation, improves market efficiency and accelerates digital transformation—provided digital divides are addressed to ensure equitable benefits.

    Nigeria currently has about 228 million mobile subscriptions, representing roughly 110 million unique users across networks operated by MTN, Airtel, Globacom, T2 and others. Disruptions have been most acute in northern states and rural zones, affecting an estimated 20 to 30 per cent of users weekly through recurrent fibre cuts. With households typically holding two to four subscriptions, between 25 million and 50 million people—or 10 to 15 million homes—have faced outages, particularly MTN and T2 customers during the May disruptions. This occurred despite a local roaming agreement between the two operators, a strategic move by T2’s management aimed at reclaiming lost subscribers.

    ITU’s Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau, Cosmas Luckyson Zavazavam, maintains that achieving universal connectivity will require sustained and well-targeted investment in infrastructure, digital skills and data systems. “By working together and directing resources where needs are greatest, we can ensure that no one is left behind and that everyone benefits fully and safely from the opportunities of the digital age,” he said.

    Despite these challenges, the telecom sector remains a critical pillar of Nigeria’s economy, contributing about N4.4 trillion in the third quarter of 2025 alone—representing 84.5 per cent of the N5.2 trillion generated by the broader information and communications technology (ICT) sector.

    Why protecting infrastructure is central to economy

    According to figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria’s information and communications technology (ICT) sector—which includes telecommunications, broadcasting, sound and media production, and publishing—accounted for 9.1 per cent of real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the third quarter (Q3) of 2025. This represents a decline from the 11.8 per cent recorded in the previous quarter. Despite the drop in quarterly share, the sector posted a year-on-year growth rate of 5.78 per cent, underscoring its continued relevance as a driver of economic activity.

    The data reinforce the centrality of mobile network operators (MNOs) to the performance of the ICT sector. Indeed, the broader digital economy—encompassing telecommunications and financial institutions—contributed about 11.8 per cent to real GDP, translating to roughly N6.7 trillion of Nigeria’s total GDP of N57 trillion during the period under review. This highlights the extent to which digital connectivity underpins commerce, finance and service delivery across the economy.

    A closer breakdown of the NBS report shows that broadcasting contributed N430.7 billion, representing 8.2 per cent of ICT sector output, while sound and media production accounted for N379.2 billion, or 7.2 per cent. Publishing, by contrast, remained marginal, contributing just N9 billion—about 0.1 per cent of the total. Overall, Nigeria’s GDP grew by 3.98 per cent in Q3 2025, slightly below the 4.23 per cent growth recorded in Q2 2025, but higher than the 3.86 per cent posted in the corresponding quarter of 2024.

    Encouragingly, MNOs appear to be on a gradual path to recovery after a turbulent period marked by currency volatility, rising energy costs and infrastructure-related disruptions. MTN Nigeria, the country’s largest operator, reported a pre-tax profit of N419.61 billion in Q2 2025, a sharp turnaround from the pre-tax loss of N179.60 billion recorded in the same period a year earlier. Airtel Nigeria also posted strong performance, generating $333 million in revenue for the quarter ended June 30, 2025—a 30 per cent year-on-year increase.

    Yet industry leaders caution that sustaining this recovery requires urgent and coordinated action to address structural threats to telecom infrastructure. Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr Aminu Maida, said resolving the challenges confronting the sector goes beyond regulatory enforcement alone and demands inter-agency cooperation, legislative backing, private sector responsibility and sustained public awareness. “To ensure the sustainability of our communications sector and the security of Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII), the way forward must rest on five pillars,” Maida said. Chief among these, he stressed, is public awareness and community ownership. “We must scale campaigns that sensitise citizens to treat communications infrastructure as national assets. Community-based surveillance programmes can complement state-led enforcement,” he added, noting that the media has a critical role to play in shaping public consciousness. Other pillars outlined by the NCC boss include stronger inter-stakeholder collaboration on CNII protection, improved coordination between players in the communications industry and other critical sectors, and enhanced information sharing among stakeholders to enable faster response to threats and incidents.

    For their part, MNOs have appealed directly to the public to remain vigilant and to refrain from purchasing suspicious or stolen telecom equipment. “If you buy stolen telecom equipment, you are not just complicit—you are part of the crime,” operators warned in a joint statement. They urged Nigerians to join the fight against infrastructure vandalism, stressing that telecom assets enable banking systems, national security operations, emergency response, education, healthcare and everyday communication. “An attack on telecom infrastructure is an attack on our economy and our security,” the statement said.

    The operators also raised alarm over a second, recurring and deeply troubling issue: the widespread damage to underground fibre optic cables caused by road construction and other civil works along highways and urban roads. According to ALTON, such activities have resulted in significant service outages and substantial financial losses, further undermining network reliability. Consequently, the industry body appealed to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to urgently deploy resources to protect telecom infrastructure and avert a potential breakdown of communications nationwide.

    However, consumer advocates argue that MNOs must do more to carry subscribers along in their advocacy efforts. The Association of Telephone, Cable TV and Internet Subscribers of Nigeria (ATCIS Nigeria) faulted what it described as the operators’ top-down approach. Its National President, Sina Bilesanmi, said consumer groups possess grassroots reach that can help embed a culture of infrastructure protection within host communities. “Our members are in every state of the federation. The MNOs should carry ATCIS along in their campaign to halt vandalism,” Bilesanmi said. “We know how to transmit the message to our members to take ownership of the infrastructure. Telecom infrastructure is at the jugular vein of our national economy, providing services to national security, banking, education and other sectors. Let the MNOs carry our members along in their advocacy crusades.”

    ALTON, meanwhile, commended the NCC for its proactive efforts to safeguard national telecom infrastructure, particularly the establishment of a dedicated reporting portal that allows citizens to report vandalism or suspicious activity via protect@ncc.gov.ng or by dialling 622. The association described the initiative as a forward-thinking step toward strengthening the resilience and security of Nigeria’s communications network. “This is a desperate and urgent hour. The industry cannot fight this battle alone,” the operators warned. “We need coordinated national action by security agencies, governments at all levels, regulators, the media, civil society and the public. Our national security, economic stability and digital future depend on it.”

  • Safeguarding financial sector through e-payment infrastructure upgrades

    Safeguarding financial sector through e-payment infrastructure upgrades

    Nigeria’s digital‑finance transformation is fostering innovation while safeguarding stability across the payment ecosystem. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recently extended the Payment System Vision roadmap to 2028, an ambitious commitment to modernise payments infrastructure and strengthen cybersecurity. The push for contactless payment, revised agent banking guidelines and improved integration across switching companies are creating seamless opportunities for the payment markets, reports Assistant Editor COLLINS NWEZE

    The ongoing payment infrastructure modernisation is an indicator that Nigeria is making significant progress in the e-payment space. Already, more than 12 million contactless payment cards are now in circulation while the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)-instituted regulatory sandbox has expanded to over 40 fintech innovators, enabling safe experimentation and responsible scaling of new digital‑finance solutions.

    The revised agent‑banking guidelines have tightened anti‑money‑laundering controls, including geo‑fencing of high‑risk areas, while improving consumer protection at the last mile. The integration across switching companies has improved, bringing Nigeria closer to seamless domestic interoperability. CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, disclosed recently that supported by these measures, Nigeria today stands among Africa’s most advanced digital payments markets, with a dynamic fintech ecosystem that has produced eight of the continent’s nine unicorns.

    He explained that by mid-2025, leading fintech apps had surpassed 10 million downloads each, with one surpassing 50 million downloads, reflecting deep consumer adoption. “In parallel, our engagement with the global fintech community has been a further significant supportive mechanism. The Strategic Fintech Dialogue at the IMF Fall Meetings brought together policymakers, innovators and investors, culminating in a consultative report that will guide Nigeria’s next phase of fintech evolution,” Cardoso said during the Annual Bankers’ Dinner recently held in Lagos.

    He explained that as digital assets, tokenisation and stable coins become critical topics for central banks worldwide. “Our stance remains clear: we will lead thoughtfully, with discipline and clarity of purpose. Innovation must proceed responsibly, anchored in consumer protection and financial stability,” he said.

    Crucial moves to boost e-payment

    In banking, convenience and security are crucial in securing customers’ trust and satisfaction. That explains why the CBN is taking measures to ensure that Nigeria’s e-payment space is safe and secured. The implementation of new rules on Point of Sale (PoS) terminals and other payment systems reaffirms CBN’s commitment to leveraging digital channels in enhancing access to finance and credit, particularly for under-served populations. It is also a step towards improving transaction monitoring and bolstering consumer protection for the population.

    The CBN raised the innovation bar with the release of a new e-payment guidelines titled: “Migration to ISO 20022 Standard for Payment Messaging and Mandatory Geo-Tagging of Payment Terminals”. The policy aligns with CBN’s move to entrench transparency, compliance and secured e-payment space. According to Cardoso, the Nigerian payments ecosystem has been ahead of many advanced economies, yet has not always received the recognition it deserves. “Many innovations that other countries are only now experiencing have been part of our system for years. We must celebrate these successes, as they contribute to building our global reputation. Nigeria’s dynamic fintech ecosystem has driven financial inclusion and positioned the country as a hub of innovation in Africa,” he said.

    Cardoso explained that despite a challenging external environment, Nigerian Fintechs continue to shine, attracting significant foreign investment and several have achieved global unicorn status this year. Their innovations, alongside other financial service providers, have fuelled growth in transactions and made financial services more affordable and accessible for many more Nigerians. “We must continue to leverage this channel to enhance access to finance and credit, particularly for under-served populations. However, I urge fintech companies and banks to ensure their platforms are not exploited for fraudulent activities. Strengthening the KYC onboarding process is essential to prevent malicious actors from exploiting our financial system.”

    “Additionally, these institutions must prioritise improving transaction monitoring and bolstering consumer protection measures to ensure that digital channels remain safe, especially for the most vulnerable segments of our population.” Cardoso said that while the apex bank continues to lay the foundation for price stability and foster a conducive policy environment, the role of banks in this journey remains crucial. “At the Central Bank, we have intensified surveillance of market activities to ensure compliance. Together, we must build a market based on strong governance and transparency. As regulators, we will maintain a zero-tolerance approach to compliance violations,” he said.

    Speaking during CBN Fair in Lagos, CBN Acting Director, Corporate Communications Department, Mrs. Hakama Sidi Ali, explained that as a means of protecting banks’ customers and ensuring that they are not short-changed, the CBN launched the Unified Complaints Tracking System (UCTS), aimed at streamlining and improving the management of consumer complaints against financial institutions. The system, alongside a USSD code (*959#) for verifying licensed institutions, enhances transparency and consumer protection in the Nigerian financial sector. “The core objective of this engagement, therefore, is to sensitise members of the public on how the bank’s policies and innovations can enhance their lives and livelihood and contribute to the growth and development of the Nigerian economy,” she said.

    Branch Controller, Central Bank of Nigeria, Lagos, Sunday Daibo, said the apex bank is taking steps to ensure more people are brought into the digital payment network. He said: “In a world where technology is reshaping economies and redefining how people interact with financial services, alternate financial services have emerged not as an option, but as a necessity.  They are the bridges connecting the underserved populations to the formal financial system.”

     President, Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), Dr. Aminu Gwadabe, reiterated the benefits of improved technology and digitisation to seamless services in the financial sector. He said that the future of financial services delivery, is digital and all layers of financial sector should embrace technology in their services delivery to the people.

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    Industry statistics

    According to data from the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS), since their introduction in 2013, PoS terminals have become a primary source of cash access for many Nigerians, with an average of about 1,600 operators per square kilometre. As of March 2025, there were 8.36 million registered PoS terminals, of which 5.90 million were active or deployed. Transactions through these terminals reached N10.51 trillion in Q1 2025, representing a 301.67 per cent increase from Q1 2024. In 2024, NIBSS was mandated to develop a geofencing plan to prevent PoS terminals from being used outside their registered deployment addresses. Under this directive, any terminal moved beyond its certified location will be automatically disabled.

    To ensure compliance, the CBN has ordered all payment terminals to be registered with a Payment Terminal Service Aggregator (PTSA) —NIBSS or Unified Payment Services Limited — with accurate latitude/longitude coordinates indicating the merchant/agent place of business/service and status. Terminals not directly routed to a PTSA are not permitted to transact, and all operators must ensure that their PoS terminals and applications are certified by the National Central Switch (NCS).

    Regulatory insights and instant payments in Nigeria and beyond

    For the CBN, digital innovations ranging from self-service technologies like cell phones, online and mobile banking, Artificial Intelligence, big data, blockchain technology, distributed ledgers, among others, have greatly challenged orthodox systems and helped improve the operational efficiency of financial institutions as they respond to customer demands for more innovative services.

    Recognising the growing importance of consumer protection in an increasingly digital financial landscape, Cardoso embarked on a comprehensive review of consumer protection regulations. This review sought to upgrade the regulatory framework to address emerging risks posed by the rapid growth of Fintech and digital banking solutions.

    Nigeria and Africa’s digital payments landscape is expanding at an unprecedented pace, signalling a shift toward more inclusive and interoperable financial systems. Currently, 36 instant payment systems (IPS) operate across 31 African countries, with five launched in the past year alone. Collectively, these systems processed 64 billion transactions valued at nearly $2 trillion in 2024, highlighting the continent’s rapid adoption of digital finance.

    Nigeria’s Instant Payments (NIP) system became the first in Africa to achieve full inclusivity on the AfricaNenda Inclusivity Spectrum, while ten other systems have reached “progressed” levels. Beyond person-to-person (P2P) transfers, many systems now support person-to-business (P2B), government-to-person (G2P), and cross-border payments, broadening economic participation.

    The State of Inclusive Instant Payment Systems (SIIPS) 2025 Report, released by the AfricaNenda Foundation in partnership with the World Bank and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), underscores how IPS are driving financial inclusion, innovation, and economic opportunity across the continent. Dr. Robert Ochola, CEO of AfricaNenda, said: “Inclusive instant payments are transforming how African economies connect. SIIPS 2025 shows clear progress—more countries are adopting instant payment systems, and more people are gaining access to digital financial services that support livelihoods, trade, and growth.”

    The World Bank acknowledged this progress but stressed that more work is needed, urging countries without fast payment systems to implement them and those with existing systems to enhance inclusivity, innovation, and affordability. Dr. Mactar Seck, UNECA’s Chief of Innovation and Technology, added: “Inclusion must be intentional. SIIPS 2025 provides policymakers and regulators with the evidence needed to design ecosystems that serve marginalised communities, including women, youth, the informal sector, and rural populations.” The report highlights further growth opportunities through digital public infrastructure integration, G2P payments, and cross-border interoperability.

    Partnership for seamless payments

    A financially stable Africa’s financial system comes with great benefits for the continent. Aside creating a larger single market, increasing intra-African trade, boosting productivity and competitiveness, a financially stable Africa will help in attracting more foreign direct investment to the continent. That explains why the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Bank of Angola recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for bilateral technical cooperation.

    The partnership further extends to payment, clearing and settlement systems management, financial sector development, banking supervision and regulation as well as Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism. Cardoso, who signed on behalf of the Bank alongside the Governor of the Central Bank of Angola, Manuel Antonio Tiago Diaz, noted that the MoU aligns with Africa’s broader goals of economic integration and financial stability. Both apex bank leaders said the partnership marks a critical development between the two institutions in their efforts to deepen bilateral cooperation and technical exchange. Both institutions are by the MoU expected to establish a bilateral forum for the reciprocal exchange and sharing of technical assistance between the authorities, to enhance capacity in the execution of their respective Central Bank functions. They are also expected to cooperate and collaborate in the cross-border supervision of authorised institutions and exchange of cybersecurity information between them.

    According to them, the institutions are to partner on licensing, supervision, resolution planning and implementation of resolution measures for cross-border financial establishments. They are also to ensure transparent and smooth periodic exchange of Information as well as define procedures for exchange of information. The cooperation will also extend to exchange control, financial markets and foreign reserves management, currency management and economic research.

    Building stronger banks with technology

    Nigeria’s banking sector is navigating one of the most pivotal moments in its history. On March 28, 2024, the CBN announced a comprehensive two-year bank recapitalisation exercise, which officially commenced on April 1, 2024. The initiative, designed to fortify the resilience of the financial system and prepare banks for a rapidly growing economy, sets new minimum capital thresholds across all banking tiers.

    Under the recapitalisation plan, commercial banks with international, national and regional licences are now required to maintain minimum capital of N500 billion, N200 billion, and N50 billion, respectively. Merchant banks are expected to hold N50 billion, while non-interest banks with national and regional licenses must maintain N20 billion and N10 billion, respectively. The programme provides banks a 24-month window to comply, ending on March 31, 2026.

    From the outset, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the CBN has acknowledged the stability and soundness of Nigeria’s banks. At its 303rd meeting in Abuja, the committee observed with satisfaction the sustained resilience of the banking system, noting that most financial soundness indicators remain comfortably within regulatory thresholds. The MPC also highlighted the substantial progress in the ongoing recapitalisation exercise, reporting that 16 banks have already achieved full compliance with the new capital requirements. Committee members underscored the importance of continued regulatory support to ensure a successful conclusion of the programme.

    With less than four months remaining to the end of the exercise, the CBN Governor has confirmed that the recapitalisation is firmly on track. Speaking at the recent Bankers’ Dinner in Lagos, he revealed that several banks have already met the new thresholds, while others are steadily advancing and are well-positioned to meet the March 31, 2026 deadline comfortably. “To date, 27 banks have raised capital through public offers and rights issues, and sixteen have already met or exceeded the new requirements—a clear testament to the depth, resilience, and capacity of Nigeria’s banking sector,” Cardoso stated. He added that recent stress-testing further confirms that the sector remains fundamentally robust, with key financial soundness indicators overwhelmingly satisfying prudential benchmarks.

    The ongoing recapitalisation underscores the importance of sound regulatory oversight and the determination of the Cardoso-led CBN to support the Federal Government’s goal of a $1 trillion Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2030. The Policy Advisory Council report on the national economy outlines clearly defined strategies for achieving this ambitious target, highlighting the critical role of a well-capitalised banking sector in mobilising resources, financing investment, and supporting economic expansion.

    In this context, Governor Cardoso has called on banks to prepare for future rounds of recapitalisation, ensuring they maintain sufficient capital to support Nigeria’s economic ambitions. “Will Nigerian banks have sufficient capital relative to the financial system’s needs in servicing a $1 trillion economy in the near future? In my opinion, the answer is ‘No!’ unless we take action. That action is the ongoing recapitalisation, designed to prepare banks for expansion and attract big-ticket transactions that can drive economic growth,” he emphasised.

    While the recapitalisation exercise continues, the CBN has reassured depositors, investors, and other stakeholders that the Nigerian banking sector remains resilient, safe, and sound. “The CBN affirms that it continues to monitor all financial institutions under its regulatory purview and maintains robust frameworks for early warning signals and risk-based supervision. These mechanisms ensure that any emerging issues are promptly addressed to protect the integrity of the financial system,” the apex bank stated. Governor Cardoso reiterated the CBN’s commitment to fostering a secure banking environment where depositors can have full confidence in the safety of their funds. The bank will continue to monitor financial institutions closely, adapt strategies as needed, and safeguard the interests of all Nigerians and stakeholders in the financial system.

    As Nigerian banks meet the new capital requirements, the sector is not only strengthening its resilience but also positioning itself for a new era of growth, innovation, and participation in high-value transactions that can drive the country toward its economic goals. With recapitalisation and regulatory vigilance working hand in hand, Nigeria’s banking system is being transformed into a more robust and technologically empowered engine for national development.

    What the law says

     The 2007 Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act charges the apex bank with a clear mandate: to promote the stability of Nigeria’s financial system. This legal foundation positions the CBN not only as a regulator but also as a guardian of public confidence in the banking sector. Through a combination of banking sector reforms, enhanced access to finance, institutional capacity building, and the enforcement of sound corporate governance practices, the CBN works to ensure that financial institutions operate safely, efficiently, and transparently.

    Analysts note that maintaining stability in the financial and banking system is critical. The failure of banks or other financial institutions can erode public trust, trigger sudden contractions in money supply, reduce savings and investment, and even destabilise the payment system—all of which have direct consequences for the real economy. In response, the CBN has, over the years, implemented a series of reforms designed to strengthen the resilience and operational effectiveness of the banking sector.

    Beyond safeguarding confidence, a stable financial system is essential for the effective transmission of monetary policy. When banks are sound and the financial infrastructure reliable, policy measures such as interest rate adjustments or liquidity management are more likely to achieve their intended outcomes. Stability thus underpins the CBN’s primary objective of price stability while creating a foundation for sustainable economic growth. In essence, a secure and well-regulated banking sector is not only a regulatory goal but also a critical enabler of broader macroeconomic stability in Nigeria.

  • Why youths are embracing soilless farming to feed cities, build fortunes

    Why youths are embracing soilless farming to feed cities, build fortunes

    As climate change, urban expansion and population growth stretch Nigeria’s food systems, a quiet agricultural revolution is underway. Across Lagos, Abuja, and other rapidly growing cities, innovators are embracing hydroponics—growing crops without soil using nutrient-rich water—to tackle shrinking farmland, water scarcity, and soaring demand for fresh produce. Led by forward-thinking entrepreneurs, investors and policymakers, soilless farming is turning underutilised urban spaces into high-efficiency food hubs, reshaping how Nigeria grows food and builds wealth, reports DANIËL ESSIET.

    Every morning, on the outskirts of Lagos, Aisha Musa moves along rows of plastic pipes, watching nutrient-rich water flow to her plants. There is no soil underfoot, no hoe in hand, no muddy boots tracking through the garden— just the steady flow of water from a small pump keeping her vegetables alive. Aisha once depended on a small plot inherited from her parents, but years of flooding, degraded soil, and unpredictable rains had turned her harvests—and her income—to dust. Determined for a new path, she joined a short hydroponic farming programme.

    Next door, 28-year-old Jide Imole has found a similar refuge. A former civil servant, he traded spreadsheets and office walls for stacked trays of lettuce, spinach and basil thriving under carefully controlled nutrient solutions, using barely half the water traditional farming demands. He saw in soilless farming not just a crop, but a chance to reclaim agency in a city where land is scarce.  Today, Aisha and Jide supply restaurants and households across Lagos, turning overlooked urban corners into lush, productive gardens. “I used to lose everything when the rains failed or the land flooded,” Aisha reflects. “Now I can meet my plants’ needs every single day.” Jide adds, “Hydroponics isn’t just about growing vegetables—it’s about security, independence, and opportunity.”

    For them, hydroponics is more than a method—it’s a lifeline. It offers steady income, shields against climate shocks, and transforms urban agriculture in Nigeria. In a country grappling with shrinking farmland and rising food demand, their small urban farms are quietly reshaping how cities eat—and how a new generation of Nigerians thrives.

    Why hydroponics works where traditional farming fails

    As Nigeria faces shrinking farmland, rising food prices and climate uncertainty, systems like hers are quietly reshaping agriculture. In backyards, rooftops and small urban spaces, hydroponics is offering farmers a resilient, profitable way to grow food—without depending on soil or the seasons. Hydroponics is rapidly gaining traction as a transformative farming method in Nigeria, offering an innovative pathway to food production in an era defined by land pressure, climate uncertainty, and population growth. Unlike conventional agriculture, hydroponics does not depend on soil. Instead, crops are cultivated with their roots immersed in carefully balanced, nutrient-rich water or supported by inert growing media such as coconut fibre. This direct and uninterrupted access to nutrients accelerates plant growth, improves crop quality, and significantly increases yields when compared with traditional farming methods.

    Beyond efficiency, hydroponics addresses some of Nigeria’s most pressing agricultural challenges, including food insecurity, water scarcity, and soil degradation. By removing dependence on rainfall patterns and degraded farmlands, the system reduces exposure to drought and erosion while allowing precise control over water and nutrient use. Analysts argue that these advantages position hydroponics as a viable pathway toward a more resilient and profitable agricultural future for Nigerian farmers, particularly in urban and peri-urban areas where land is scarce.

    Young entrepreneurs are turning innovation into industry

    As Nigeria’s population continues to surge, the urgency of securing reliable food and water supplies has become paramount. In response, a new generation of young agro-entrepreneurs is stepping forward to redefine the country’s food security landscape through technology-driven solutions. One of the most prominent among them is Samson Ogbole, Lead Farmer at Soilless Farm Lab in Awowo, Ogun State. An agricultural entrepreneur with a strong commitment to innovation, Ogbole has replaced soil with a water-based nutrient solution and coco peat—an environmentally friendly growing medium produced from crushed coconut husks—to cultivate vegetables.

    According to Ogbole, coco peat is particularly valuable in hydroponic systems because it is sustainable, lightweight, and capable of retaining moisture while allowing adequate aeration for plant roots. He explains that water used in hydroponic farming can be conserved and reused multiple times, making the system far more efficient than conventional irrigation. The most striking difference between hydroponics and traditional farming, he notes, lies in yield and fruit quality. Plants grow faster, mature uniformly, and produce cleaner, healthier harvests.

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    Ogbole’s success has earned him both local and international recognition, reinforcing the growing belief that hydroponics can play a critical role in Nigeria’s agricultural transformation. It is largely for this reason that soilless farming is gaining momentum across the country, driven initially by private-sector innovators and increasingly embraced by public institutions. In hydroponic systems, plants receive essential nutrients without exposure to toxic heavy metals such as arsenic and cadmium, which are sometimes present in contaminated soils. As a result, the produce is often healthier than crops grown in open fields.

    He emphasises that Soilless Farm Lab is deeply committed to strengthening local food production as a means of empowering communities and reducing agriculture’s climate footprint. In theory and practice, he argues, hydroponics offers higher yields and better profit margins than conventional farming, which remains vulnerable to erratic weather, water shortages, and pollution from unregulated pesticide use. There is also a growing consumer base for vegetables produced without chemical pesticides, further expanding market opportunities. The farm’s impact has attracted high-level attention. Several top government officials, including Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, have visited the Soilless Farm Lab in Awowo, Ewekoro Local Government Area. During one such visit, Ogbole advocated the replication of hydroponics initiatives nationwide to ensure food sufficiency. The governor reportedly expressed admiration for the innovative application of technology at the farm, noting that it demonstrates the government’s potential to support advanced agricultural practices capable of revolutionising food production.

    In 2023, Soilless Farm Lab partnered with the Mastercard Foundation to launch a youth-focused initiative aimed at scaling technology-enabled agriculture. The Enterprise for Youth in Agriculture (EYIA) project was designed to train 12,000 young people eager to acquire skills, improve livelihoods, and access income-generating opportunities within the agricultural value chain. The programme has since recorded remarkable success. It has directly trained 12,000 participants drawn from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as several other African countries. According to the project’s manager, Ms. Peace Bassey, the initiative’s ripple effect has been equally significant. More than 18,000 secondary beneficiaries have received training from EYIA graduates. The project has facilitated the construction of 960 greenhouses, provided critical infrastructure for sustainable farming, and supported the establishment of 240 new agribusinesses.

    Expanding markets and economic impact

    Another leading figure in Nigeria’s hydroponics space is Adebowale Onafowora, an Ashoka Fellow and Chief Executive of BIC Farms Concepts. A trailblazer in the field, Onafowora operates large-scale hydroponics farms across Nigeria and Canada, using only a fraction of the water and land required by conventional agriculture. His operations produce an impressive range of crops, including celery, ugu, tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, spinach, strawberries, melons, and various aromatic and medicinal plants, underscoring the vast potential of hydroponics to redefine modern farming in Nigeria.

    According to Onafowora, hydroponics offers one of the most practical ways to maximise agricultural production in limited spaces while meeting rising demand for nutritious food and creating jobs. Long before the current surge of interest, he was already leading large-scale hydroponics training programmes in Lagos and Abuja by 2016, equipping participants with hands-on experience in soilless farming. Having successfully built and scaled his own operations, he now provides consultancy services on greenhouse technology for individuals and organisations seeking to establish similar ventures.

    Onafowora consistently stresses that long-term food security and national self-sufficiency are inseparable from economic growth. For Nigeria, he argues, this reality is becoming more urgent as arable land continues to shrink globally and climate change intensifies pressure on traditional farming systems. Against this backdrop, innovative methods such as hydroponics are emerging not as experiments, but as practical responses to deepening food security challenges.

    Market data support this shift. Analysts note that demand for leafy greens, strawberries, herbs and other fresh produce continues to outpace supply, a trend that has been evident since late last year. According to Global Market Insights Inc’s Fresh Vegetables Market Global Forecast (2025–2034), the global fresh vegetables market was valued at $949.8 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $1.6 trillion by 2034, growing at a compound annual rate of 4.7 per cent. This expansion is being driven by rising health consciousness, sustainability concerns and advances in agricultural technology. The report highlights a surge in consumer interest in freshly harvested vegetables, vegetarian diets, whole foods, local sourcing and sustainable production. It notes that innovations such as vertical farming, hydroponics and precision agriculture are enabling producers to meet growing demand without compromising quality or environmental integrity. These technologies are reshaping how vegetables are produced and distributed globally.

    Within this context, Ogbole points out that Nigerian crops such as scent leaf, bitter leaf, ugu, okra, ginger, turmeric and dried pepper enjoy strong international demand, particularly among African diaspora communities in Europe, North America and Asia. He believes that positioning these products for premium export markets could significantly increase farmers’ incomes while strengthening Nigeria’s agricultural value chain. Yet, experts warn that weak urban food systems governance across Africa continues to fuel dependence on food imports and expose cities to supply shocks. At a recent AfriFOODlinks webinar on urban food systems transformation, researchers and policymakers observed that fragmented institutions, limited funding and inconsistent political commitment have hindered effective implementation of food system policies. These weaknesses, they argued, leave cities highly vulnerable to global market volatility.

    Nigeria’s experience illustrates the scale of the challenge. The Federal Government estimates that the country spends over $10 billion annually importing food items such as wheat, rice, sugar, fish and tomato paste, despite its vast agricultural potential. Speaking at the First Bank of Nigeria 2025 Agric and Export Expo, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, described the situation as unsustainable. He noted that while agriculture contributes about 35 per cent to Nigeria’s GDP and employs a similar share of the workforce, the sector generates less than $400 million in export earnings.

    Recent figures from the National Bureau of Statistics further underline the urgency. Nigeria’s food import bill rose by 33 per cent in the second quarter of 2025 to N1.18 trillion, highlighting continued pressure on foreign exchange and domestic food systems. Against this backdrop, investors are increasingly turning to hydroponics as climate risks, urbanisation and import dependence expose the limitations of conventional farming. Soilless agriculture allows crops to be grown year-round in controlled environments, reducing exposure to erratic weather and degraded soils. For investors, the appeal lies in scalability, faster growth cycles and more predictable returns.

    Onafowora argues that once operational, hydroponic farms can command premium prices due to consistent quality and year-round supply. He challenges the prevailing instinct to channel surplus capital into real estate, describing it as “capital imprisonment” when compared to the faster payback and compounding returns of controlled-environment agriculture. Using greenhouse-based hydroponics near urban markets, he maintains, investors can generate steady income while directly contributing to urban food security. Ultimately, he cautions that technology alone is not enough. Success depends on sound management, quality inputs, appropriate crop selection and reliable market access. Hydroponics, he insists, is not a shortcut to wealth, but a disciplined agribusiness model capable of transforming Nigeria’s food economy when executed with the right expertise and support.

    Ogbole explains that his decision to prioritise high-value, fast-growing crops such as leafy greens, herbs and select fruits over staples like yam is driven largely by economics and technical feasibility. In a soil-free, controlled environment, cultivating a large, starchy tuber presents significant challenges, from space requirements to longer growth cycles and uncertain returns. By contrast, crops such as lettuce, basil and strawberries are well suited to hydroponic systems and align more closely with market realities. According to Ogbole, these crops command premium prices in niche and urban markets, where consumers are increasingly willing to pay more for fresh, locally grown and pesticide-free produce. Yams, while culturally important and widely consumed, are typically low-margin, high-volume commodities. In the specific context of hydroponics, he argues, they do not offer the kind of profitability required to justify the high upfront investment associated with controlled environment agriculture.

    “High-value crops such as vegetables have significantly shorter growth cycles, allowing for more harvests per year,” Ogbole said. “This quicker turnaround helps us recover the high initial investment associated with hydroponic systems much faster than a crop like yam, which has a longer growth period.” He added that leafy greens and herbs enjoy consistent, year-round demand, a market dynamic that hydroponics can reliably service regardless of seasonal weather fluctuations.

    Challenges and strategic considerations

    Despite its promise of year-round production and efficient use of water and space, the adoption and scalability of advanced Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) systems such as hydroponics face substantial hurdles in Nigeria. Stakeholders point to steep operational costs, particularly electricity, alongside a shortage of specialised technical skills and limited access to long-term financing. These constraints, they warn, are slowing uptake and restricting the technology to a relatively small group of well-capitalised operators.

    Onafowora notes that the capital-intensive nature of hydroponics makes it difficult for many individuals and small and medium-sized agribusinesses to transition from traditional farming systems. Without broader access to affordable financing and technical support, he argues, hydroponics will struggle to achieve the scale required to make a meaningful dent in national food security challenges. Industry leaders are therefore calling for more targeted investment in enabling infrastructure, alongside sustained research and development aimed at designing locally adapted, lower-cost CEA systems. They also emphasise the need for robust capacity-building programmes to close the knowledge gap, ensuring that operators possess the managerial and technical competence required to run these systems efficiently.

    Onafowora is careful to stress that hydroponics is not a one-size-fits-all solution. He argues that the technology makes economic sense primarily for low-light, rapid-cycle crops or those with very high market value. “There are cases where hydroponics farms don’t make a tonne of sense,” he said, cautioning against the assumption that any crop can be profitably grown using the system. According to him, attempting to cultivate crops that cannot command prices high enough to offset setup and operating costs often leads to disappointing outcomes. He advises prospective investors and farmers to focus on vegetables and plants that are well aligned with specific market demands. If a crop does not generate sufficient revenue to justify the costs of a hydroponic setup, he argues, it is better suited to conventional open-field farming. The success of hydroponics, he maintains, lies not in technological novelty but in disciplined crop selection and sound market analysis.

    Policy support and the path forward

    On the policy front, government and development partners are beginning to integrate hydroponics into broader agricultural empowerment strategies. About three million young women farmers are expected to benefit from a Federal Government-led hydroponics and agro-kenaf farming initiative designed to boost productivity, livelihoods and food security. Speaking at a recent media conference in Abuja, President of the Police Officers Wives Association, Elizabeth Egbetokun, said the programme forms part of a larger plan to train 12 million people over five years, targeting vulnerable women, grassroots entrepreneurs and civil servants nearing retirement.

    Implemented in partnership with UNESCO and the Read and Earn Federation Strategic Intervention Programme, the initiative will deploy hydroponics and agro-kenaf models across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas. Beneficiaries are expected to receive start-up grants, access to low-interest loans and structured market linkages. Organisers say the goal is to build resilient value chains capable of injecting billions of naira into local economies while expanding women and youth participation in agriculture.

    International development agencies are also engaging. Last year, the Food and Agriculture Organisation strengthened livestock production in parts of the North-East through a Training of Trainers programme on alternative fodder production, funded by the Norwegian government. Held in Maiduguri, the workshop trained participants in pasture development, hydroponic fodder production, hay and silage making, and value addition to crop residues. FAO’s National Livestock Specialist, Abdulrahman Mohammed, said improved feed availability remains central to addressing persistent livestock challenges.

    At the sub-national level, Lagos State has reiterated its commitment to creating an enabling environment for hydroponics operators. Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Abisola Olusanya, said the state is prioritising self-sufficiency by promoting new technologies capable of transforming food production. As Nigeria’s cities continue to expand, experts argue that the future of urban food systems will depend increasingly on innovative, space-efficient solutions such as hydroponics, supported by sound policy, skilled operators and viable markets.

    A recent report by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) has called for a more holistic approach to transforming Africa’s food systems in order to achieve sustainable and resilient growth. The 150-page report, titled Drivers of Change and Innovation in Africa’s Food Systems, offers a roadmap for reimagining the continent’s agricultural landscape in the decades ahead. While Africa has recorded notable gains over the past 30 years—including an average annual agricultural growth rate of 4.3 per cent since 2000 and expanded intra-African trade—the report notes that the continent’s food systems remain vulnerable to shocks linked to climate change, market instability and weak infrastructure.

    Within this context, Ogbole argues that the time has come to inspire school students to view agriculture and allied sectors as viable, forward-looking career paths. He believes early exposure to modern, technology-driven farming can help reposition agriculture as a critical pillar of Nigeria’s development rather than a sector of last resort. Echoing this perspective, the Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Ms Abisola Olusanya, described hydroponics as a significant step toward modernising the agricultural sector, strengthening food security and boosting national income through sustainable, high-efficiency production systems. She said the state’s smart agriculture initiative reflects the ministry’s commitment to deploying advanced technologies that support year-round production, improve output quality and reduce pressure on natural resources.

    According to Olusanya, wider adoption of hydroponics is expected to increase overall production, raise crop quality standards and expand sustainable agricultural models capable of supporting long-term food security. These efforts, she noted, align with national objectives to consolidate agriculture as a key driver of economic diversification and inclusive growth.

  • Exposed: How artisanal mining fuels banditry across Northern Nigeria

    Exposed: How artisanal mining fuels banditry across Northern Nigeria

    Across the gold belts stretching from Niger through Kaduna to Zamfara, artisanal mining—once a humble livelihood—has morphed into a perilous enterprise fuelling banditry and extremism. Forests and abandoned villages now conceal armed camps, while gold extracted from remote pits finances weapons, logistics and recruitment. Communities live under siege, farmlands lie fallow, and governance gaps allow criminal networks to thrive, turning mineral wealth into a deadly engine of insecurity across the Northwest, reports ABDULGAFAR ALABELEWE.

    Across the gold belts stretching from Niger State through Kaduna to Zamfara, a quiet but dramatic infiltration has tightened its grip. What began as small, community-run artisanal mining—marked by crude tools, modest yields and the hope of survival—has transformed into a criminally engineered enterprise. The pits that once sustained rural families have become the economic engine rooms of bandit groups and extremist factions, reshaping local livelihoods and fuelling a dangerous underground economy.

    In Birnin-Gwari, one of the most volatile mining zones in Kaduna State, this shift is stark. As traditional miners withdrew due to rising insecurity, new actors—better connected, better armed and deeply intertwined with bandit networks—moved in. Their arrival opened the door for bandits, and later Ansaru militants, to embed themselves fully into the mining chain. What followed was the conversion of mining pits into controlled criminal enclaves governed by taxation, extortion and violence.

    Community sources and security observers say the belts have now matured into one of the most reliable revenue streams for armed groups operating across the Northwest. Gold extracted from pits in Birnin Gwari and the vast Kaduna–Niger forest corridor finances weapons, logistics, recruitment and the day-to-day maintenance of criminal camps. The pits also serve as camouflage, blending criminals among civilian miners and shielding their movements from routine surveillance.

    Geography as an ally

    Beyond the cash flow, geography itself strengthens these networks. Forests linking Birnin Gwari to Kuyambana, Kamuku and the Kaduna–Niger boundary form an interconnected web of natural citadels. These forests—dense, unmapped and largely inaccessible—provide the perfect cover for armoury storage, hostage holding and operational planning. Investigations show that within these forests lie kilometres of unmapped routes, enabling armed groups to strike with speed and melt away long before reinforcements arrive. This mobility advantage is one of the key reasons the groups remain resilient despite multiple military offensives over the years.

    The crisis is deeply tied to Zamfara, which remains the epicentre of illegal mining driven by armed groups. Their movement from Zamfara into Kaduna and Niger has created a seamless criminal corridor stretching into Chikun, Shiroro and even parts of the North-Central region.

    Communities living in fear

    The human cost of this evolving criminal economy is devastating. In Birnin Gwari alone, more than 120 communities were displaced at the height of attacks, their homes abandoned and farmlands overrun by fear.

    Although the Kaduna Peace Model has helped reclaim several communities and reopen key markets, vast areas remain unsafe. Some women who attempted to resume farming have been abducted after criminals tracked them back to their homes. Residents of Maganda and Doka describe life under a quiet siege—bandits moving calmly along forest paths, surveilling villages, choosing when to strike. Security forces have achieved important gains. Airstrikes have destroyed camps; ground troops have disrupted supply routes. Yet even security officials privately acknowledge that these victories remain fragile. The interconnected forests allow criminals to escape, regroup and return. Investigations have also uncovered troubling lapses in coordination among security agencies—delayed intelligence sharing, poorly synchronised operations and inter-state silos that allow bandits to exploit gaps.

    The recent push by Northern Governors for a six-month suspension of mining—possibly extending to 12 months—is intended to allow for a thorough licence audit and revalidation. But can such a measure meaningfully disrupt criminal networks already entrenched in remote forests, far beyond the reach of routine regulation? For safety and security consultant for the Northwest, Ishaq Usman Kasai, the answer depends on what happens next. “Stopping mining alone will not solve the problem,” he said. Kasai argues that while illegal mining is only one of several revenue channels for armed groups, it remains significant enough to demand government urgency. Without disrupting their camps, financial pathways and supply routes, he warns, the groups may simply pause and resume once the suspension expires.

    He emphasised the seamless mobility of armed groups across Zamfara, Kaduna and Niger. Kasai called for stronger interstate cooperation, improved intelligence management and a sustained offensive targeting not only fighters but also their logistics networks, arms suppliers and forest fortresses. Reinforcing borders, he added, is essential to block the flow of weapons and foreign fighters.

    For communities to return safely, Kasai advocates rebuilding governance structures—health posts, schools, security outposts—and establishing clear policies on repentant fighters to avoid encouraging impunity.

    A Kaduna-based journalist, who requested anonymity, shares similar convictions. He believes the suspension could significantly slow banditry—if government has the will to enforce it with decisive force. He describes the mining corridor across Niger, Kaduna and Zamfara as “largely ungoverned spaces,” where artisanal miners live at the mercy of roaming armed groups, while illegal large-scale mining operators enjoy protection bought through criminal alliances.

    Drawing from field experience, the journalist recalls a 2016 incident when he joined then Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, on a visit to Kaduna. After initial meetings with licensed granite miners, the minister insisted on visiting Birnin Gwari Forest to observe reported artisanal mining activities. “I was on that trip as a reporter,” he said. “We saw artisanal miners digging in their zig-zag fashion, exposed to all kinds of risks, including collapses.” But the real shock lay deeper in the forest: a fully operational illegal foreign mining site.

    Before the minister could arrive, the operators fled. Plans were immediately made to seize their equipment, hoping to force them into formal registration. Then danger erupted. “Bandits on motorcycles started advancing from deep inside the forest to attack the minister’s convoy. The security team ordered an immediate evacuation,” he recounted. The incident made one fact unmistakeably clear: criminal gangs were guarding illegal mining operations—and in some cases, likely armed or financed by them. “This clearly shows that bandits were protecting illegal miners. That is why any mining suspension must be followed by a decisive clearance operation to flush out bandits from forests across affected states.” For him, peace around the mining belt is impossible as long as illegal miners—local and foreign—keep enriching armed groups.

    The gold belt feeding banditry and starving communities

    In Niger State, the Local Government Areas of Shiroro, Munya, Rafi, and Mashegu have become epicentres of insecurity fuelled by illegal and artisanal gold mining. These mineral-rich zones, once promising economic lifelines, have morphed into battlegrounds where banditry, terrorism, and communal violence thrive. The vast gold deposits buried beneath these communities now attract criminal structures that use mining sites as revenue bases, recruitment grounds, and hideouts—creating a vicious cycle that endangers lives and deepens fragility across the region.

    Shiroro is the clearest example of how unregulated mining has spiralled into crisis. Mining pits frequently collapse due to reckless digging, trapping miners in deadly shafts. Rescue efforts are often delayed or halted entirely because bandits patrol the area. One such incident occurred in June 2024 in Galkogo, where insecurity stalled help for more than 50 trapped miners. Attacks on mining sites are common: in July 2022, bandits stormed Ajata Aboki community, killing dozens and abducting Chinese workers. Such sites have become lucrative revenue streams, with criminals demanding “protection fees” before miners are permitted to work.

    The pattern repeats in Munya and Rafi, where mining fuels banditry by providing steady cash through extortion and direct control of pits. Communities and travellers endure frequent ambushes as armed groups tighten their grip on mining clusters. Mashegu, though relatively less attacked, is no safer. Illegal mining thrives there because operators pay tributes to bandits, creating a symbiotic arrangement that protects mining activities while strengthening criminal enterprises. Across these LGAs, more than 50 illegal mining sites operate in Shiroro alone, drawing in underage workers, impoverished families, and desperate migrants. The influx fuels communal clashes, displaces entire settlements, and creates ungoverned spaces where the state’s authority is virtually absent. This mirrors concerns raised across the North, where mining has turned into a major driver of conflict, empowering violent groups and worsening insecurity.

    Criminal networks in Niger State have built sophisticated financing and operational systems around mining activities. They extract funds, materials, and manpower from mining sites through extortion, coercion, and collaboration with artisanal and industrial miners. One of the dominant forces is the faction led by notorious bandit leader Dogo Gide, operational across Niger, Kaduna, Zamfara, and Kebbi. His group controls gold fields around Kurebe village in Shiroro. Chinese-associated mining firms operating under licenses such as Eso Terra Investment Limited and Majelo Global Resources Limited are reportedly compelled to pay weekly bribes of up to N3 million, alongside motorcycles and other supplies. These payments buy “safe passage” but fund the purchase of arms, ammunition, and logistics. Fuel, food, and equipment meant for mining are frequently diverted to Gide’s fighters, while impoverished youths at the sites are recruited to swell his ranks.

    The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a Boko Haram offshoot, is also deeply entrenched in mining zones across Shiroro. They impose taxes on artisanal miners, run their own extraction operations, and derive millions annually through gold sales channeled via regional smuggling networks. ISWAP often recruits young miners by offering paid mining work as the first step into their extremist networks, blending economic need with ideological indoctrination.

    Broader Sahelian jihadist networks—including Al-Qaeda affiliate JNIM (Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin)—also exploit Niger State’s mining economy through cross-border tax regimes. Regionally, JNIM extracts revenue from artisanal gold mines estimated at up to 725 kg of gold annually, valued at about $34 million. In Niger State, they coordinate with bandit groups to maintain smuggling routes, using mining proceeds to buy weapons, expand propaganda, and recruit from communities alienated by state neglect. These groups rarely attack mining sites unless payment agreements are breached. Instead, they treat them as protected economic zones—miniature economies that subsidize the violence devastating the North.

    Mining corridors turning into ungoverned spaces

    Niger State’s mining corridors—routes linking mining pits to processing hubs and smuggling networks—have steadily devolved into ungoverned spaces due to weak state presence, bandit dominance, and porous borders. The Shiroro–Munya–Rafi Gold Belt is the state’s largest cluster, hosting more than 369 licensed gold titles, about 81 percent of Niger’s mining licences. Gold-rich villages such as Ajata Aboki, Gurmata, Farindoki, and Kurebe are linked to processing centres in Minna and smuggling routes toward Kaduna and Zamfara. Bandits enforce their own taxation regimes and use the surrounding forests as hideouts and staging grounds for attacks.

    The Mashegu–Kontagora–Mariga Corridor stretches westward, connecting gold, limestone, and talc deposits to Agadez in Niger Republic through desert tracks. Illegal miners here avoid attacks by paying tributes to bandits, effectively creating semi-autonomous fiefdoms. Child labour is rampant across linked communities like Paikoro and Chanchaga. Beyond Nigeria’s borders, Sahelian smuggling routes channel gold from Shiroro and Mashegu toward Diffa, Tripoli, and Benin Republic through informal networks that bypass security checkpoints. ISWAP and JNIM exploit these arteries to move gold, weapons, and fighters, generating illicit flows worth more than $30 million annually across the region. These corridors thrive as ungoverned spaces because state presence is thin, elite collusion allows illegal operations to flourish, and widespread poverty pushes locals into mining. When violence erupts, communities flee, leaving criminals in full control—taxing workers, recruiting youths, buying weapons, and turning the region’s natural wealth into fuel for terror.

    Illegal mining has devastated Niger State’s agrarian economy, where nearly 90 percent of people in affected LGAs rely on farming for survival. Once-thriving farmlands in Shiroro, Munya, Rafi, Mashegu, and parts of Gurara have been turned into cratered landscapes by uncontrolled excavation, poisoning water sources, and driving people away from their ancestral livelihoods.

    Mining encroaches directly on farmlands, destroying staple crops such as maize, yams, millet, and rice through open pits, heavy machinery, and the toxic chemicals used in gold processing. Mercury contamination, in particular, has polluted rivers and streams that irrigate farmlands and supply drinking water. In Gurara LGA, expanding mining activity has rendered fields infertile, shrinking yields and heightening food insecurity. In Shiroro’s mining corridors, deforestation and soil erosion have worsened flooding, washing away farmlands already weakened by years of environmental degradation. Bandit-imposed “protection fees” further prevent farmers from accessing grazing paths and farmlands, intensifying herder–farmer conflicts.

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    Artisanal mining promises quick money—sometimes N45,000 to N50,000 per day for a lucky family—but it comes at the cost of long-term livelihood collapse. Mining diverts labour from agriculture, eroding traditional skills and emptying farms of workers. Today, an estimated 70 percent of residents in the worst-hit communities now mine for survival, abandoning farming even as food prices soar.

    Mining pits in Farindoki and other villages rely heavily on children, some as young as 12, who have dropped out of school to work in hazardous shafts.

    The health risks are enormous: dust inhalation, constant exposure to toxic chemicals, and frequent cave-ins. Injuries and deaths deepen economic hardship, and families receive no compensation when breadwinners are harmed or killed.

    Mining-driven violence and environmental degradation have displaced thousands across Niger State. In Shiroro and Munya, families fleeing bandit-mining conflicts have poured into IDP camps in Kuta and neighbouring areas, leaving behind homes, farmlands, and generations of heritage. Gurara communities have experienced repeated uprooting as mining expands and land becomes unusable. With limited resettlement support, many migrate to urban centres, where they face heightened vulnerability to trafficking, exploitation, and cultural disintegration.

    Across the northern region, more than 420 communities—including those in Niger—have recorded over 12,000 deaths linked to mining-related insecurity since 2001.

    Evidence shows banditry  thrives amid artisanal mining

    In Zamfara State, the convergence of artisanal gold mining and armed banditry has created a potent and deadly ecosystem. Professor Murtala A. Rufa’i, in his book I’m A Bandit: A Decade Research in Zamfara State Bandits’ Den, provides empirical evidence of this nexus, documenting how arms are routinely exchanged for gold in mining areas such as Anka. His decade-long fieldwork combines interviews with active and former bandits, their families, community victims, local officials, and traditional leaders, revealing that banditry is less a spontaneous crime wave than a systemic, economically fueled enterprise.

    Local civil society voices corroborate these findings. Between 2011 and 2019, Dr. Anas Sani Anka of Federal University Gusau and Comrade Mannir Haidara, now chairman of Kaura Namoda Local Government, held repeated press conferences highlighting the alarming influx of arms into mining sites, frequent helicopter landings, and the government’s inability to respond effectively.

    Field accounts from artisanal miners confirm this dynamic. Late bandit warlord Halilu Sububu reportedly controlled large portions of mining areas in Bagega, Bawan Daji, and Gubirawar Chali, exchanging gold for weapons. His son has since taken over, along with other commanders such as Ada Aleru, Dan Hassan, and Sa’idu Na’eka, who oversee operations across multiple districts including Maru, Maradun, Gummi, Birnin Magaji, and Bukuyum. Several villages, once inhabited and productive, have been deserted, creating near-permanent bandit strongholds.

    Former state Secretary to the Government, the late Prof Abdullahi Muhammad Shinkafi, corroborated this structural vacuum, noting in 2019 that over 500 communities in Zamfara lacked security presence, leaving residents vulnerable to bandit attacks. The absence of state authority, combined with lucrative mining opportunities, has allowed bandits to establish parallel governance structures: collecting taxes, enforcing rules, and maintaining internal hierarchies. These systems mimic state functions, granting some local acceptance where official governance is absent.

    Rufa’i’s research emphasises that banditry is rooted in layered social, economic, and political failures. Environmental degradation, youth unemployment, and shrinking pastoral lands have fragmented communities, creating openings for criminal networks. Elite complicity and political patronage further sustain the phenomenon, while the illicit mining economy generates steady revenue streams that fund arms, facilitate expansion, and entrench bandit dominance. As both a warning and a guide, the evidence is clear: in Zamfara, the growth of artisanal mining without oversight has not only fuelled economic opportunity but also created a powerful engine for banditry, threatening security, livelihoods, and the stability of entire communities.

    State and security responses

    Government responses involve a mix of bans, raids, prosecutions, and collaborative security operations, but enforcement remains uneven. Former Governor Abubakar Sani Bello suspended mining in Shiroro, Munya, and Rafi in July 2022 following the Ajata Aboki massacre, initiating profiling of mining sites for security risks. His successor, Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, lifted the suspension in September 2024 but introduced conditions for legal operations. He created a special task force on illegal mining and vowed to prosecute those involved in child exploitation—leading to June 2025 raids in Chanchaga and Paikoro. In July 2025, 41 illegal miners were arrested and tools confiscated, while NSCDC Mining Marshals detained six more operators in November 2025.

    Security agencies have conducted joint operations across bandit strongholds, while intelligence sharing—boosted by investigative reports such as the 2023–2024 WikkiTimes expose—has improved profiling of miners and operators. Still, the sector faces major obstacles: elite protection of mining sponsors, corruption, weak resources for enforcement, and the sheer size of ungoverned forest zones. Without broader reforms, security analysts warn that criminals may simply shift to other forms of violent crime.

    Security consultant Mathew Oladele, based in Minna, argues that stopping mining for six months is essential for flushing out criminals from forests.

    But media and security expert Mr Onifade Abayomi sees risks in such a pause. “If they don’t see what they get from miners, they may turn to more robbery and killing. Still, it’s not bad giving it a trial.”

  • Reimagining economic growth, stability in Imo

    Reimagining economic growth, stability in Imo

    For years, Imo State lived beneath the weight of unrealised promise — a place rich in talent and ambition but starved of the stability required for real growth. That narrative began to shift last week. As global leaders, investors, and policy heavyweights converged on Owerri for the 2025 Imo Economic Summit, the state stepped onto a bigger stage, projecting a new confidence and signalling its readiness to compete, transform and thrive, reports Associate Editor ADEKUNLE YUSUF.

    The dusty stretch of road leading into Owerri’s Concorde Boulevard bore witness to a rare sight: a convoy of sleek SUVs gliding past villages and farmland that had long been isolated by poor infrastructure. In one of the vehicles sat Mr. Chibuzo Okoro, a Lagos-based agribusiness investor, taking in the changes with a mix of curiosity and cautious optimism. For years, he had watched fertile farmland in Orlu and Oguta lie idle, restrained by bad roads, unreliable electricity, and cumbersome land administration. Today, he believed, might mark a turning point—not just for him, but for a state long on potential but short on delivery.

    Inside the expansive conference hall at the Imo Economic Summit 2025, a buzz of expectation filled the air. Delegates from across Africa and beyond gathered for what was billed as the largest summit in the state’s history. Global figures, former heads of state, and business magnates mingled with local leaders and entrepreneurs, all drawn by a single theme: “Unlocking Imo’s Economic Potential: Partnership, Investment and Innovation.” The message was clear. Imo State, under the stewardship of Governor Hope Uzodimma, was sending a signal to the world: it was ready to reimagine its economic future.

    For Okoro, and countless other investors, the summit was more than ceremonial optics. It represented a promise of roads that reach markets, reliable power that can run factories, and land policies that remove the uncertainty which has long plagued commerce in the state. “If Imo can deliver on what it promises, it could transform agriculture and light manufacturing across the region,” he said, surveying the packed hall. Governor Uzodimma’s keynote address set the tone for the summit. With measured candour, he outlined the structural challenges that have historically hindered Imo’s growth: a largely agrarian economy constrained by weak infrastructure, unreliable electricity, outdated land administration, and the perception of insecurity that has long discouraged large-scale investment.

    Yet, his message was resolutely optimistic. “We will no longer run businesses for investors,” Uzodimma said. “Our task is to create an enabling environment. The private sector will lead; government will provide the foundation.” He emphasised that the summit was not simply a ceremonial gathering but a strategic blueprint to move the state from stagnation to growth, from uncertainty to stability. The governor spoke of “Core Certainty”—a term designed to encapsulate the three pillars that underpin the state’s economic reform: infrastructure, power, and land reform. “Without these fundamentals, no investment, no matter how generous, can thrive,” he said, noting that previous administrations had struggled to align policy with delivery.

    Building the foundations

    The most tangible evidence of change lay in the state’s infrastructural achievements. Over 120 strategic roads and bridges now connect Imo’s 27 local government areas, linking previously isolated communities to commercial hubs and regional markets. These roads, Uzodimma emphasised, were more than asphalt and concrete; they were arteries through which commerce, industry, and opportunity could flow. Energy, the governor noted, had been a perennial barrier. Industrial growth across Nigeria has often been constrained by power shortages, forcing businesses to rely on costly generators. Imo’s “Light Up Imo Project” seeks to change this narrative, promising reliable electricity statewide. “For businesses, for our youth, for our industries, uninterrupted power is no longer a dream—it will soon be a reality,” Uzodimma said.

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    Land administration, historically another source of frustration, was also receiving attention. The newly established Imo Land Information Centre (ILIC) leverages digital platforms to streamline the issuance of land titles and Certificates of Occupancy. Investors and citizens alike now have a clearer path to secure property rights. “When investors know that the land they acquire is theirs, with transparent processes and legal certainty, they can plan and execute with confidence,” Uzodimma said.

    Industry, agriculture and innovation

    With the foundational pillars in place, the summit turned to opportunities for growth. Light manufacturing, agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, building materials, and other sectors were highlighted as areas poised for expansion. Imo’s strategic location, improved infrastructure, and access to regional markets give it a competitive advantage, the speakers argued. Energy, particularly natural gas utilization, was identified as a key driver for industrialisation. Special agro-industrial zones and free trade areas were presented as avenues for investment. Alongside these, human capital development remains central to the state’s strategy. The “Skill-Up Imo” initiative seeks to equip young people with digital and technical skills, ensuring that a local workforce is ready to meet the demands of a modern, diversified economy.

    For farmers like Mrs. Ngozi Eze in Orlu, the implications were profound. “If the state can bring roads, electricity, and factories closer to our communities, we won’t just sell raw cassava or palm oil for a pittance. We can add value and sell to wider markets,” she said. The vision, she added, was not only about economic growth but also about dignity and self-sufficiency.

    Global and local endorsements

    The Imo State Economic Summit 2025, held in Owerri under the theme “Unlocking Imo’s Economic Potential: Partnership, Investment and Innovation,” drew an extraordinary blend of federal leaders, global statesmen, and top-tier investors. Their presence—and the substance of their remarks—signalled that Imo’s repositioning is gaining real traction beyond state and national borders. Vice President Kashim Shettima, representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, delivered one of the summit’s defining messages. He described Imo as “a new growth frontier in Nigeria’s economic diversification journey” and emphasised that the Federal Government is firmly aligned with the state’s aspirations. “Imo is not just ready for investment,” Shettima declared. “Imo is primed for transformation.” He went on to affirm that the Federal Government would “work with Imo to improve its investment climate, support SMEs, expand access to financing, and strengthen the structures that make businesses thrive.” His remarks provided an authoritative signal that the state’s reform direction has national endorsement.

    The summit also resonated on the global stage. Former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon delivered a keynote address that broadened the significance of the gathering. He framed Imo’s efforts as part of a larger global movement toward sustainable, locally driven development. “Africa will shape the future of sustainable development,” he said, “and sub-national governments like Imo State are at the forefront of translating global goals into practical, community-level progress.” Ban stressed the importance of climate-smart infrastructure, innovation, and global partnerships, urging international institutions to recognise emerging state-level models of progress.

    Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson added a powerful endorsement from the geopolitical and investor-relations perspective. In a remark that captured widespread attention, he said: “I was told not to come to Imo, that it wasn’t safe. But I can tell you this: I feel perfectly safe here.” His statement directly countered long-standing negative security narratives that often shadow investment conversations about Nigeria. Johnson commended Governor Uzodimma’s administration for “thinking boldly about energy, infrastructure, and the economic opportunities of the future,” and highlighted the need for African sub-nationals to prepare for the transformational impact of technology and artificial intelligence.

    From the private sector, the strongest signal came from Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group. In a session that underscored genuine corporate interest, Dangote pledged: “We are ready to become one of your biggest investors in Imo. Just show us where to invest.” His comment reflected tangible private-sector confidence in the state’s policy reforms—an important departure from the long-standing scepticism that has often characterised investment attitudes toward Imo. Regional endorsement was equally emphatic. Business leaders and cultural institutions across the Southeast described the summit as a turning point for the Igbo economic renaissance. They argued that Imo’s progress could serve as a catalyst for broader regional revitalisation across trade, manufacturing, agriculture, and innovation. Taken together, the breadth of voices and the strength of their statements transformed the Imo Economic Summit 2025 into far more than an aspirational gathering. It became a credible declaration that Imo is entering a new era—one marked by confidence, investment readiness, and a renewed sense of regional and global relevance.

    Challenges ahead

    Despite the optimism, the path ahead is fraught with challenges. Implementation remains the ultimate test. Promises must translate into completed projects, operational factories, reliable energy, and transparent land administration. Without delivery, investor confidence and public trust risk eroding. Macro-economic uncertainties, such as currency fluctuations, inflation, and regulatory unpredictability, pose additional hurdles. Security concerns, too, remain pivotal. Investors need assurance that their capital and operations will be safeguarded. Even citizens, while hopeful, are cautious. Young graduates, entrepreneurs, and farmers all share an acute awareness that change is measured not in speeches but in tangible improvements to their daily lives. “We will believe when the roads are busy, the lights stay on, and our produce reaches buyers without hurdles,” said Chinedu Ibe, a small-scale manufacturer in Owerri.

    If implemented effectively, the summit’s initiatives could redefine Imo’s economic landscape. Reliable electricity and infrastructure can unlock industrial growth and agro-processing, while transparent land policies could attract local and diaspora investors. Energy-intensive industries could establish operations, and a skilled, technology-enabled workforce could drive the knowledge economy. For Okoro, the agribusiness investor, these prospects are concrete. “We are talking about turning potential into production, and production into profit that sustains communities,” he said. “That is what will make Imo a model for sub-national economic transformation in Nigeria.”

    As the summit wrapped up, the air buzzed with cautious optimism and anticipation for what lies ahead. Delegates departed with commitments made and global endorsements noted, yet the true challenge awaits in tangible results: operational factories, consistent electricity, efficient land administration, and meaningful job creation. The event laid the groundwork, but success will be judged by outcomes, not rhetoric. Governor Uzodimma’s administration now stands at a critical juncture. The real measure of the summit will be in transformed lives, empowered businesses, and a recalibrated economic path for Imo State. Speeches and attendance are fleeting; lasting impact will come only through action, delivery, and sustained progress that reshapes the state’s economic landscape for years to come.

    For investors, farmers, and young professionals in Imo, the message is clear: the window for change has opened, but it will require sustained action, vigilance, and commitment to turn ambition into reality. For those like Okoro, Mrs. Eze and Chinedu Ibe, hope has taken tangible shape. The roads, the proposed energy projects, the land reforms, and the skills initiatives signal that Imo is serious about economic growth. The summit may be over, but the journey toward transforming Imo’s economic destiny is only beginning. And if delivery matches the summit’s ambition, stakeholders believe this moment could well mark the point at which Imo State redefined its place on Nigeria’s economic map—reimagining growth, stability, and prosperity for generations to come.