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Tag: Nigeria

  • Nigeria data protection ecosystem hits N16.2 billion in value within three years 

    Nigeria data protection ecosystem hits N16.2 billion in value within three years 

    The National Commissioner and CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Dr Vincent Olatunji, said on Wednesday that Nigeria is now a global player as the country’s Data Protection and Privacy ecosystem now peaked at about 16.2 billion naira in value. 

    Dr Olatunji attributed the feat to pragmatic steps taken by the leadership of the Commission following the signing into law of the Data Privacy and Protection Act by President Bola Tinubu in June 2023.

    The NDPC boss said in less than four years the NDPC has transformed into a global institutions with no fewer than 12 countries understudying its ecosystem, while some institutions had signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NDPC on how to replicate the Commission’s achievements in their country. 

    Speaking during the opening ceremony of the 2026 Data Protection and Privacy Summit at the Transcorp Hotel, Abuja on Wednesday, Dr Olatunji praised President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Communications, Innovations and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani for the transformations taking place in the sector. 

    He announced that besides the on going massive awareness campaigns embarked upon by the NDPC under his leadership, the Commission has been able to ensure the conclusion of investigations on 246 data privacy breaches by various institutions in the country. 

    Olatunji said while appropriate sanctions and remediation mechanisms have been meted out, no fewer than 23,000 new jobs have been created within the ecosystem, while government has earned 5.2 billion naira in compliance revenue from the sector. 

    He said the 2026 National Privacy Week with the theme “Privacy in the Age of Emerging Technologies: Trust, Ethics, and Innovation” which started on 28th January through to 4th February, ending with the summit would further enlighten Nigerians, the private and public sectors about the significance of data protection and privacy in the context of national security and economic development. 

    Listing the achievements of the NDPC, Dr Olatunji said, “The Commission initiated a multi-sector compliance drive, issuing compliance notices to 1,348 entities in August 2025 across the banking, insurance, pension, and gaming sectors, strengthening engagement and informing enforcement actions.

    “Since the signing of Act by Mr President over 23,000 new jobs have been created within the ecosystem while the value of the data protection ecosystem is now over N16.2b.”

    Read Also: French Embassy partners firm to boost Nigerian filmmakers

    The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Communications, Innovations and Digital Economy, Mr Nadungu Gagare said the choice of the theme of the summit could not have been more relevant given the challenges of digitalisation in contemporary global economy. 

    The Permanent Secretary who was represented by Adetunji Adeyemo, a Director in the Universal Service Provision Department in the Ministry, called for ethical guidance that respect human dignity in the management of personal information and citizens’ data 

    He said responsible data management would be a catalyst to the growth and development of Nigeria economy, stressing that protection and privacy of data by institutions would not constitute any obstacle to innovations in the digital space. 

    He emphasised trust, credibility and collaboration of stakeholders in data protection and privacy, assuring that the government would continue to strengthen regulatory frameworks and build capacity of its workforce to enable them carry out their duties efficiently and effectively. 

    The Permanent Secretary further said emerging technologies such Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and others should be leveraged and deployed ethically to improve Nigeria Gross Domestic Product (GDP), while the private and public sectors, academia and civil society groups should work together to protect the private rights of citizens. 

  • World Bank: Nigeria now global reference for credible reform leadership

    World Bank: Nigeria now global reference for credible reform leadership

    Nigeria is now frequently cited globally as an example of steady, credible reform leadership, World Bank’s Managing Director of Operations Anna Bjerde said yesterday

    The World Bank chief made the remark yesterday during a meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima at the State House, Abuja.

    With the President to receive her were the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun and the Deputy Chief of Staff (DCoS) to the President, Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia.

    Anna Bjerde was accompanied by other officials of the institution.

    The World Bank Managing Director praised Nigeria’s reform progress over the past two years, particularly the government’s consistent resolve to stay the course despite challenges.

    The consistency and the clear evidence of positive results, she noted, have built strong confidence among investors, policymakers, and the private sector.

    The Bank chief highlighted the forthcoming Country Partnership Framework as being firmly anchored in Nigeria’s own development vision, particularly the goal of achieving a $1 trillion Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and seven per cent growth.

    READ ALSO: U.S. confirms troops on ground in Nigeria amid ISIS counterterror push

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the ongoing economic reforms, acknowledging that though the process has been challenging, “there will be no turning back.”

    The President stressed that while the subsidy removal and the unification of exchange rates initially triggered inflation, it has since reduced significantly, and the naira has stabilised, improving investor confidence and ease of doing business.

    According to Tinubu, the reforms being implemented are anchored on transparency, accountability and stable policies.

    President Tinubu highlighted agricultural transformation as a priority of his administration, noting that investments have been made in the sector through zonal mechanisation centres, improved seed development, and fertiliser availability, supported by the growing petrochemical industry, to boost yields and move farmers from small-scale operations into strong cooperatives.

    “Nigeria is the heart of the continent, and we must do what’s necessary to strengthen the economy, particularly looking at the young population of this country, looking at the vast area of arable lands.

    “How do we employ mechanisation and make agriculture easier? I have embarked upon that. We have created zonal mechanisation centres to help the farmers,” he said.

    The President called on the World Bank to deepen its partnership with Nigeria by accelerating financing options, reducing bureaucracy, sharing development models, managing risks, and building local skills to fast-track inclusive growth and prosperity.

    During the meeting, the World Bank chief underscored the importance of improving access to finance for small, medium, and large enterprises, especially mid-sized firms, which are key drivers of employment.

    She acknowledged Nigeria’s focus on strengthening early childhood development as essential to long-term productivity, and assured the Bank’s support in this regard.

    “Many countries around the world, even middle-income and upper-middle-income countries, are suffering again with rising levels of stunting. And here, we’ve identified early childhood development as a strong entry point. So, all of this, to say we’re looking forward to a new country partnership framework,” she said.

    She reaffirmed the World Bank Group’s commitment to a programme aligned with Nigeria’s priorities, combining public and private sector support.

    Bjerde stressed that the World Bank Group, through its institutions, the International Development Association (IDA), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), is ready to continue to support Nigeria’s reform agenda.

  • Leadership, power, and the politics of calumny

    Leadership, power, and the politics of calumny

    By Habib Haruna

    In Nigeria’s recent political history, few public office holders have generated as much attention, debate, and controversy as the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike. Whether as governor of Rivers State or as minister in the present administration, Wike has emerged as one of the most visibly active and consequential political figures of his generation, particularly in the areas of infrastructure development, administrative control, and internal security.

    These attributes, taken together, have positioned him as a formidable political force whose influence extends beyond his immediate constituency. Measured against the yardstick of performance—especially infrastructural renewal, urban transformation, and enforcement of governmental authority—Wike’s tenure in public office presents a record that is difficult to dismiss. His approach to leadership reflects a firm grip on the levers of power and a readiness to deploy state authority decisively. Such traits, while applauded by supporters as evidence of strong leadership, have equally made him a target of intense political hostility.

    In Nigeria’s political environment, performance rarely insulates a leader from opposition; rather, it often intensifies resistance, especially when such performance translates into growing political capital.

    It is therefore unsurprising that Minister Wike has, in recent times, been subjected to sustained campaigns of calumny. These attacks, largely orchestrated by political opponents and others unsettled by his rising influence, have sought to recast his leadership narrative from one of achievement to one of controversy. This phenomenon is not unique to Wike. Nigerian political history is replete with examples of high-performing public officials who, by virtue of their success, attracted relentless opposition. Successive Lagos State governors like Bola Tinubu and Raji Fashola, Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Abdullahi Ganduje, former Central Bank governors Charles Soludo and Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and Oby Ezekwesili all illustrate how competence and assertiveness often provoke resistance rather than consensus.

    Ironically, the current wave of hostility directed at Wike has found fertile ground within Nigeria’s social media space—a domain increasingly populated by politically uninformed but highly vocal participants. Social media, while democratizing access to information, has equally become a powerful tool of manipulation in the hands of political actors. Simplistic narratives, stripped of context and nuance, are easily amplified, shaping public opinion in ways that often distort reality. The controversy surrounding Wike’s relationship with the governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara exemplifies this dynamic.

    A sober examination of the Wike–Fubara political relationship is therefore imperative. What is beyond reasonable dispute is that Fubara’s emergence was largely facilitated by Wike. Against formidable odds and entrenched political interests within Rivers State, Wike singlehandedly championed Fubara’s candidacy and navigated the complex political terrain that ultimately produced his victory. At the time, Fubara was widely regarded as a technocrat with limited political visibility, minimal grassroots structure, and virtually no independent political following. His ascension to the governorship was neither inevitable nor self-propelled; it was the result of deliberate political engineering by Wike.

    This context raises profound questions about the prevailing narrative that casts Wike as the villain and Fubara as the victim. How did opposition figures succeed in reframing the story so effectively? More fundamentally, what does this episode reveal about political loyalty, gratitude, and power in Nigeria’s democratic experience? Is it reasonable to assume that a political benefactor suddenly becomes an antagonist within months of an ally assuming office—particularly when that alliance endured for nearly a decade?

    The more plausible interpretation is that power itself often alters political behaviour. History demonstrates that individuals elevated from relative obscurity to positions of immense authority may, upon acquiring power, seek autonomy at all costs—even if it means severing ties with those who facilitated their rise. This is not merely a personal failing; it is a structural feature of Nigerian politics, where loyalty is frequently transactional and short-lived.

    However, the Wike–Fubara saga is ultimately not an end in itself. Rather, it serves as a precursor to a broader and more troubling pattern within Nigeria’s political elite: the deliberate weaponization of misinformation and moral outrage as tools for political rehabilitation. Time and again, political actors who presided over periods of national decline reposition themselves as messiahs once they exit office. Figures who were integral to administrations between 2015 and 2023—an era marked by severe economic contraction, rising insecurity, institutional decay, and disregard for the rule of law—now seek to reinvent themselves as champions of national rescue.

    Read Also: NESG projects 5.5 per cent GDP growth for Nigeria

    The irony is profound. Individuals such as former ministers and senior party officials, who wielded immense power and resources for years without delivering commensurate progress, now appeal to Nigerians for renewed trust. This pattern reflects not only political cynicism but also an underestimation of public intelligence.

    While Nigerians remain vulnerable due to economic hardship and information asymmetry, the recycling of failed political actors under the banner of “rescue missions” is increasingly losing credibility.

    Every political narrative, like every drug, has an expiry date. The persistent reliance on recycled slogans, selective amnesia, and manufactured outrage has reached a point of diminishing returns. The Nigerian electorate must begin to interrogate not just the promises of political actors, but their historical records. Those who failed to rescue Nigeria for over two decades cannot plausibly present themselves as its saviours today.

    In conclusion, Nigeria’s democratic future depends on a decisive break from the politics of deception and personality assassination. The nation must resist the temptation to be swayed by emotionally charged but historically hollow narratives. More importantly, Nigerians must demand accountability, competence, and renewal—qualities unlikely to be found among the same political actors who have dominated the system for decades. If meaningful change is to occur, it must be driven by a new generation of leaders unburdened by the failures and contradictions of the past.

    •Haruna is an Abuja-based business development consultant.

  • Nigeria’s economic test before 2027

    Nigeria’s economic test before 2027

    By Leonard Karshima Shilgba

    Against the pessimism that dominated late 2025, the Naira has emerged as an unexpected bright spot. Closing the week at approximately N1,391/$1 on the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM), the currency has sustained a rally that leaves it more than 10% stronger than its opening level in 2025. This is not a speculative blip. It is the visible consequence of structural corrections long overdue.

    Two forces explain this recovery. First, improved FX inflows—especially from non-oil exports—have strengthened supply. Second, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s disciplined withdrawal of excess Naira liquidity has punctured speculative demand. Most importantly, the long-distorted gap between the official and parallel FX markets has effectively vanished, now trading within a 2% margin. For investors, this convergence signals credible price discovery and renewed confidence.

    Yet markets alone do not determine the political and social economy. Nigerians experience both the cost and the benefits of these reforms directly—and that is where perception becomes decisive.

    The Tinubu administration faces three interlinked challenges.

    The first is physical insecurity, which continues to disrupt agriculture, commerce, schooling, and family life across large parts of the country. No macro-economic gain will be felt where farmers cannot farm, traders cannot travel safely, or communities live in fear.

    The second is translation—the conversion of macroeconomic stabilization into tangible, everyday benefits. Nigerians hear that indicators are improving, yet high prices, tight credit, and fragile incomes persist.

    The third, and most politically consequential, is communication. Economic reform that is not clearly explained feels punitive; reform that is not empathetically communicated feels indifferent. In an election year, that perception can harden quickly.

    The opposition has filled this communication vacuum with a simple narrative: things are harder, money is scarce, prices are rising, Nigerians are unsafe—and the government is to blame. That message resonates because citizens are living through the pain of adjustment.

    What is missing is an honest alternative. Fuel subsidy restoration is fiscally unsustainable and legally constrained by the Petroleum Industry Act. A return to multi-tier exchange rates would revive arbitrage, scare away foreign capital, and undo the fragile FX stability now emerging. The opposition’s silence on alternative solutions does not make it unattractive to the electorate as a viable alternative nor does it neutralize hardship—and hardship shapes perception.

    A stronger naira, a tighter economy

    Nigeria’s $46.1 billion external reserve position, now at a multi-year high, gives the Central Bank genuine capacity to defend the Naira without reverting to trade bans or capital controls that previously strangled enterprise. Yet, this stability has a cost. In its determination to tame inflation, the financial system has swung toward extreme caution. Commercial banks parked over N33 trillion in the Standing Deposit Facility in January alone. Currency stability has improved—but credit circulation remains constrained.

    This creates a paradox: macro-stability without micro-access. Medium, Small, and Micro Enterprises (MSMEs)—responsible for roughly 40% of GDP—remain largely excluded from affordable financing. Stability that does not reach producers, traders, and employers risks becoming politically hollow.

    Markets are optimistic—voters are cautious

    Nigeria’s stock exchange market ended the last week of January with a N45 billion increase in market capitalization, led by industrial goods and Tier-1 banks. Consumer goods stocks remain subdued, weighed down by high borrowing costs and weak household demand.

    International observers are taking note. Nigeria is now projected to rank among the top contributors to global real GDP growth in 2026, alongside economies such as Indonesia and Brazil. These signals strengthen investor confidence—but they do not substitute for domestic legitimacy. Elections are not won on IMF projections.

    Read Also: ‘Clear regulations key to Nigeria-European investment’

    Beyond stability: The institutional imperative

    Recent economic analyses have rightly observed that Nigeria has moved from emergency crisis management into a phase of stabilization. While broadly accurate, this assessment understates the urgency of converting macro-economic stability into tangible relief and institutional trust.

    Stability is not a destination—it is a narrow corridor. Linger too long, and public patience erodes; move too fast, and inflation resurges. The real challenge is not merely affordability; it is perceived fairness and credible governance. Nigerians are asking harder questions than price indices reveal:

    • Is the burden shared fairly?

    • Are institutions reforming, or merely enforcing pain?

    • Will today’s sacrifice translate into dignity tomorrow?

    Affordability without fairness still feels unjust. Growth without credibility still feels exclusionary.

    The agenda before October 1

    First, security must be treated as economic infrastructure. Every secured farm, road, and school reduces costs and safeguards livelihoods. Security spending should be explicitly linked to household welfare outcomes.

    Second, fiscal policy must now lead. Interest rates cannot build roads, ports, or power plants. Infrastructure is Nigeria’s most potent anti-inflation and pro-employment lever.

    Third, idle capital must be deliberately mobilized. Targeted credit guarantees, risk-sharing mechanisms, and sector-specific financing can unlock MSME productivity without reigniting speculative pressure.

    Finally, communication must become an institutional function of governance. Nigerians need clear timelines, measurable benchmarks, and plain explanations—what was unavoidable, what has been achieved, and what relief is realistically ahead. Not slogans. Not silence.

    The political test ahead

    The Tinubu administration has corrected distortions that nearly broke Nigeria’s economy. The Naira’s recovery, FX convergence, reserve accumulation, and renewed investor confidence are real and consequential. But politics is not audited in reserve statements. It is lived in markets, classrooms, farms, and homes.

    Between now and October 1, the task is unmistakable: Convert stability into shared relief, reform into reassurance, and data into dignity.

    In politics, perception rivals truth.

    But truth that is felt still wins.

    •Prof Shilgba writes via <shilgba@gmail.com>

  • Tinubu’s foreign travels, meetings strengthening Nigeria’s global partnerships – Yilwatda

    Tinubu’s foreign travels, meetings strengthening Nigeria’s global partnerships – Yilwatda

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, says President Bola Tinubu’s foreign travels and meetings with global leaders have strengthened Nigeria’s global partnerships.

    Yilwatda stated this in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications Strategy, Mr Abimbola Tooki, on Tuesday in Abuja.

    He commended Tinubu for his strategic international engagements and measurable gains, noting that through the engagements, Nigeria had recorded sustained diplomatic and economic outreach.

    “Tinubu’s foreign travels and meetings with global leaders are not ceremonial but purposeful actions that had strengthened Nigeria’s global partnerships and attracted significant foreign investments into the country.

    “Mr President’s engagements with strategic global partners underscore his unwavering commitment to advancing Nigeria’s economic interests.

    “These visits have helped reposition our country on the world stage, yielding tangible benefits that will support long-term prosperity,” he said.

    Yilwatda further stated that since assuming office in May 2023, the president had undertaken series of international visits to key regions, including Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and America.

    He said that Tinubu had engaged leaders and investors in countries, such as the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, China, India, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Brazil and others.

    Yilwatda added that the missions had been focused on economic cooperation, trade expansion and enhanced strategic partnerships.

    He noted that Nigeria had already secured over 50 billion dollars in foreign direct investment (FDI) commitments through Tinubu’s diplomatic drive.

    This, the APC national chairmanship said, was especially with major companies and sectors committing to investments that spanned energy, manufacturing, logistics, agriculture, technology and infrastructure.

    “These are not promises on paper. These commitments represent real capital flows, job creation opportunities and technology transfers that strengthen our economy,” he said.

    Yilwatda applauded Tinubu for negotiating agreements that prioritised Nigeria’s growth and sustainable development.

    He recalled recent diplomatic achievements, such as the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with the United Arab Emirates, designed to deepen trade, investment and cooperation across critical sectors, including energy and agriculture.

    Read Also: APC and the Yilwatda doctrine

    The APC national chairman said that those describing Tinubu’s international travels as overdone or unnecessary, were short-sighted and lacked appreciation for the broader reform trajectory which the administration had championed.

    “Those who focus on the cost without recognising the returns are missing the bigger picture. Nigeria’s reform programme under President Tinubu is bold, strategic and necessary.

    “We urge all Nigerians to support these efforts with patience, knowing that the dividends will be felt across the economy,” he said.

    Yilwatda emphasised that Tinubu’s capacity to follow through on reforms, from economic policy shifts to institutional strengthening, demonstrated a deep commitment to transforming the Nigerian economy and enhancing living standards for citizens.

    According to him, the president has shown both the vision and determination to see through the reforms the country needs.

    “Now is not the time for cynicism but for unity and constructive support, as these diplomatic and economic efforts begin to translate into tangible improvements in people’s lives,” Yilwatda said.

    He assured that APC remained committed to amplifying the positive impacts of Nigeria’s international engagements and ensuring that global partnerships contributed directly to national growth, job creation and shared prosperity.

    (NAN)

  • Language as an instrument for cultural preservation

    Language as an instrument for cultural preservation

    • By Tolulope Sobiye

    Sir: Language is one’s identity. Language is one of the most important tools for keeping a person’s culture alive. It is through language that people express their beliefs, traditions, values and way of life. How can we ignore our language to promote the western language? How can we jettison our culture and call it barbaric? When a language disappears, much of the culture of the people who speak that language also disappears. In Nigeria, where there are different ethnic groups and languages, language plays a very strong role in preserving culture.

    Nigeria has more than 500 indigenous languages such as Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Tiv, Kanuri, Efik and many others. Each language represents the identity of its people. These languages carry stories about the past, explain customs and guide how people behave in their communities. Through language, cultural knowledge is passed from older generations to younger ones.

    One major way language preserves culture in Nigeria is through oral tradition. Before writing became common people used spoken words to pass on knowledge through folktales, myths, proverbs, songs and riddles which are told in local languages. These stories teach children good behaviour, respect for elders, honesty, hard work and cooperation. For example, Yoruba folktales often teach wisdom while Igbo proverbs express deep ideas about life and community. All these cultural lessons remain alive because the language is still spoken.

    Language is also very important in traditional ceremonies and festivals. Nigerian cultural festivals such as the New Yam Festival, the Durbar Festival, the Argungu Fishing Festival and the Osun-Osogbo Festival are carried out in local languages. During these events, people use traditional songs, prayers, greetings and chants. These expressions cannot be properly explained in English because they carry special cultural meanings. Using indigenous languages in these ceremonies helps people stay connected to their history and ancestors.

    Read Also: Police urge NLC to shelve Tuesday’s planned protest

     Language also preserves culture  in traditional leadership and social life. Traditional rulers like the Oba, Emir, Obi, Eze and Olu govern their communities using their native languages. Meetings, judgments, community rules and conflict settlement are mostly done in local languages. This keeps the traditional system alive and meaningful to the people.

    In modern Nigeria, language also helps preserve culture through literature, music and the media. Many Nigerian writers include indigenous expressions in their works to show Nigerian life and values. Wole Soyinka in “The Lion and the Jewel “ shows how culture must be preserved through language, a word like “Baale” was used in place of “chief”. Indigenous names and places like “ Sidi, Lakunle, Sadiku and Ilunjinle” were also mentioned to preserve Yoruba culture through language. Musicians sing in their local languages to tell stories, praise heroes and promote cultural pride. Radio and television programmes in Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo and other local languages also help keep culture strong and visible in everyday life.

    However, Nigerian languages are now facing serious danger. Many young people prefer to speak only English. Some parents also discourage the use of local languages at home. Isn’t that funny ?As a result, many children cannot speak their mother tongue properly. It’s sad to discover that many parents are proud to see that their children cannot speak their mother tongue. Some see it as being classy. What is happening to our cultural heritage?When this happens, cultural knowledge begins to fade away. Aren’t we aiming at language death? Some Nigerian languages are even at risk of disappearing completely. What are we going to do when this happens?

    Meanwhile, we are still struggling with  English language that we claim to jettison our indigenous languages for. We forget that when we have a solid foundation and knowledge of our mother tongue, it will help in English language acquisition.

    To protect Nigerian culture, indigenous languages must be protected. Parents should speak their native languages at home with their children. Schools should teach Nigerian languages seriously and not treat them as less important than English. Government should support local languages through books, radio, television and cultural programmes. They should also make  indigenous languages core in secondary schools.  Communities should encourage young people to be proud of their language and culture. Speakers at events should also code mix and code switch between English and their mother tongue just to show how proud they are of their mother tongue.

    To sum it up, language is more than just a way of speaking. It is the heart of culture and identity. It defines us.  The Nigerian example shows clearly that preserving language means preserving our culture and our dignity. If Nigerians protect their indigenous languages they are protecting their history, values and future.

    •Tolulope Sobiye,

     <favour0405@gmail.com>

  • Supporting Nigeria’s future nation builders

    Supporting Nigeria’s future nation builders

    • By Nick Vaughan-Williams

    With one of the world’s youngest populations, Nigeria faces both a profound challenge and an extraordinary opportunity. Over 60% of Nigerians are under 30 and, with recent estimates suggesting that nearly 80 million young Nigerians are unemployed, this skills and employment gap threatens national productivity, social cohesion, and long-term economic resilience. 

    Yet it is precisely here that universities—both within Nigeria and internationally—can play a more ambitious, targeted role. As provost of the University of Birmingham, I have witnessed how strategic partnerships, innovative pedagogy, and industry-aligned learning can transform prospects for young people and societies at-large. 

    Universities are not simply places of knowledge generation; they are engines of economic renewal. My own institution contributes £4.4 billion every year to the UK economy. For Nigeria, this means building ecosystems that bridge the gap between education and employment at scale.

    Since the 1980s, access to education has grown the global economy by 50%, led to increased income for 70% of the world’s poorest 20% of people, and reduced extreme poverty by 40%. Higher education equips young people with the technical, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills that economies need, whilst driving innovation to forge our global future.

    The UK Government’s recently published International Education Strategy aims to make the UK the global partner of choice at every stage of learning. A blueprint for continued change, the strategy looks to grow the UK’s leadership in transnational education (TNE) — expanding access to high‑quality UK study programmes overseas. The strategy also maintains focus on Nigeria as one of several key partner countries for ongoing TNE development. 

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    Aligning curricula with labour market demands

    A key driver of unemployment in Nigeria is the mismatch between the skills that employers need and those that students acquire. Many graduates leave university without the practical or digital capabilities required for today’s job market, particularly in rapidly evolving fields such as technology, renewable energy, logistics, and health sciences. We also know that, for many employers, graduates need more support to be work-place ready. This can be addressed by integrating experiential learning—internships, placements, apprenticeships, simulations, and problem-based learning—into core degree pathways. Expanding digital skills training, from basic data literacy to advanced AI, cybersecurity, and software development will also provide vital support.

    With global technological shifts displacing some job categories while creating millions more, Nigeria’s young people will need to equip themselves for roles in the emergent digital economy. The World Economic Forum projects that 97 million new roles may emerge globally due to AI and automation—and Nigeria cannot afford to be left behind. 

    Expanding university–industry partnerships

    Employability thrives when universities and employers work together. In the UK, universities like Birmingham have pioneered co-created programmes with industries that not only shape curriculum but provide direct employment pipelines.

    For Nigeria, scalable impact requires sector specific advisory boards made up of employers co-guiding university teaching and research priorities. Companies hosting students for paid placements will help to grow the country’s skills and experience base. Industry sponsored innovation hubs — especially in agriculture, fintech, health technology, manufacturing, and the creative industries – will help to future-proof the nation’s skills. 

    Supporting entrepreneurship and job creation

    A sizeable proportion of youth unemployment in Nigeria is driven by the economy’s ability to integrate new people or capital into its workforce or market without causing instability, such as increased unemployment, poverty, or reduced wages. There are 1.7 million graduates entering the Nigerian labour market annually, but too few jobs to match. Universities thus have a responsibility not only to prepare students for existing jobs but also to empower them to create new pathways to decent work and lead inclusive growth. 

    Strengthening research capacity to drive national development

    Universities are uniquely positioned to generate the research and innovation that fuels long-term economic transformation. Nigeria’s strategic priorities—from food security to healthcare improvements, from digital transformation to climate resilience—require evidence-based solutions and skilled researchers. By investing in research talent, Nigeria can grow high value labour markets while reducing reliance on foreign expertise.

    Broadening access to Higher Education and skills training

    Despite progress, many young people in Nigeria—particularly women, rural populations, and those in marginalised regions—face barriers to accessing high-quality higher education. Studies highlight continuing regional and gender disparities in youth unemployment. 

    Universities can expand inclusivity through flexible and hybrid learning models, allowing students to study while working or managing family responsibilities. Micro credentials and short professional programmes can help to ensure fast and affordable pathways into employment. Targeted scholarships— especially in STEM, digital skills, and sectors experiencing talent shortages—can help to create a more inclusive education system leads to stronger national outcomes and social stability.

    Global institutions have a responsibility to collaboratively support Nigeria’s strategic development goals. At the University of Birmingham, we have strengthened our existing strategic partnership with the University of Lagos — signing a new agreement to explore the expansion of high-quality transnational education and research collaboration in Nigeria. We will now work closely with Nigeria’s Ministry of Education to develop fully scoped proposals for a Transnational Education Unit, based in Lagos, with the ambition to begin programme delivery from 2027.

    Nigeria’s youth are the nation’s greatest asset—and universities are critical to unlocking their potential. By aligning curricula with market needs, expanding industry partnerships, supporting entrepreneurship, strengthening research, widening access, and deepening international collaboration, universities including Lagos and Birmingham will play an indispensable role in advancing Nigeria’s economic and social aspirations.

    •Prof Vaughan-Williams is provost and vice-principal, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom.

  • Report: Supply chain reform could unlock billions for Nigeria

    Report: Supply chain reform could unlock billions for Nigeria

    Fixing Nigeria’s weak and fragmented supply chains could lift annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth by between two and three per cent and unlock thousands of jobs across key sectors, a new report by Rome Business School Nigeria has said.

    The report, released last month notes that efficient supply chains are central to connecting farms to markets, factories to ports and consumers to essential goods, warning that current gaps are costing the country billions of naira yearly.

    Dean and Founder of Rome Business School Nigeria, Prof. Antonio Ragusa, described supply chains as “the backbone of modern economies,” stressing that their failure is felt most by ordinary Nigerians.

    According to him, strengthening supply chains would improve access to food and medicines, support industrial growth and reduce over-reliance on oil.

    The report traces Nigeria’s supply chain evolution from the colonial era of raw material exports, cocoa, palm oil and minerals, to the oil-driven expansion of the 1970s that reshaped trade and logistics around petroleum. 

    While oil and gas still account for about 90 per cent of foreign exchange earnings, the report says the sector remains highly exposed to theft, vandalism and bureaucratic delays.

    Beyond oil, Nigeria exports over $1.5 billion worth of cocoa and sesame annually. However, poor logistics, limited local processing and weak linkages between farmers, processors and exporters continue to erode value and limit the country’s agricultural potential.

    Infrastructure deficits were identified as a major constraint. Of Nigeria’s estimated 195,000 kilometres of roads, only a small fraction is paved, pushing transport costs up by as much as 40 per cent and increasing final consumer prices by nearly 30 per cent.

    Security challenges also weigh heavily on supply routes. Banditry in the North and vandalism in the Niger Delta frequently disrupt the movement of goods, endanger logistics workers and raise the cost of doing business.

    Read Also: TY Logistics to tackle supply chain inefficiencies

    The report further highlights the impact of the 2023 fuel subsidy removal, noting that the sharp rise in transport and logistics costs has strained supply chains and contributed to higher prices of essential goods.

    Although the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of digital tools such as e-procurement and online inventory systems, the report says Nigeria still lags in advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and blockchain. High costs, weak broadband infrastructure and a shortage of skilled professionals have limited uptake, particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises.

    Despite the challenges, the report identifies significant opportunities. It points to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), projecting that intra-African trade could grow by over 20 per cent with improved logistics cooperation, customs processes and infrastructure. Emerging trends such as city-based warehousing, electric delivery vehicles and green logistics were also highlighted as cost-saving and growth-driving options.

    Ragusa said Nigeria has the resources, market size and talent to transform its supply chains, adding that coordinated action to modernise infrastructure, adopt technology and build resilience is now critical for inclusive and sustainable growth.

  • Command intent to coordinate roll out of digital regulation

    Command intent to coordinate roll out of digital regulation

    • By Kike Gbajumo

    Nigeria’s first encounter with the digital frontier of finance was reactive rather than strategic, expressed through episodic controls instead of institutional design. That era of “episodic constraint” and “shadow regulation”—through circulars restricting bank and telecommunications access—has given way to a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework grounded in statute, fiscal oversight, and coordinated supervision. In its place, a new architecture of “sustained supervision” is being bolted together. But as any witness to the grinding gears of bureaucracy knows, the distance between enacting a law or promulgating regulations and a functioning system on the street is measured in friction, deadlines, and the cold reality of the calendar.

    By formally bringing virtual asset regulatory coordination under tax administration by the future of Section 79 of the Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025, the authorities have made a pragmatic calculation: digital assets are now too economically material to ignore. It is the classic sequence of power—first, you make the market observable; only then can you hope to stabilize it. Once observability is established, regulatory pressure typically shifts toward market hardening rather than suppression. But visibility is a double-edged sword. While the Securities and Exchange Commission has seen its jurisdiction clarified and constrained by Section 79, what emerges by statutory design is a model of “distributed supervision,” in which no single agency has eyes on the whole board. In such a system, coordination moves from being a nice-to-have to the difference between a functioning market and an administrative breakdown. What this architecture now requires is not further policy elaboration, but clear command intent to ensure that agencies whose mandates intersect act in sequence rather than at cross-purposes.

    The pincer movement

    It is against this backdrop of fragmented authority and tightening timelines that regulatory measures have begun to stack. The true story of this stage of the reforms is therefore in the dates. In effect, we have been witnessing a pincer movement, as fiscal, market-supervisory, financial-access, and security pressures converge under overlapping and time-bound regulatory calendars.

    On January 16, 2026, the Securities and Exchange Commission issued Circular No. 26-1, materially raising the cost of entry into Nigeria’s digital asset market. Minimum capital requirements for Digital Asset Exchanges and custodians now stand at ₦2 billion, with a compliance deadline of June 30, 2027. Operators must recapitalise, consolidate, or exit.

    This hardening coincides with parallel domestic and international pressures. Nigeria was removed from the FATF Grey List on October 24, 2025, following implementation of a 19-point action plan, but with continuing obligations to strengthen monitoring of virtual asset transactions and inter-agency intelligence coordination. At the same time, banks face a March 31, 2026, recapitalisation deadline under the Central Bank of Nigeria, while a December 2025 Memorandum of Understanding with France’s DGFiP underscores the growing international coordination of digital tax enforcement.

    The ghost in the machine

    The tragedy of poorly coordinated reform is that it doesn’t explicitly address the ghosts in the bureaucratic machine. These include procedural gaps and conditionalities that sit outside the direct permitting pathway. Consider the virtual exchange that clears the SEC’s ₦2 billion hurdle, only to find that banks refuse to host their accounts because CBN has not lifted the ban prohibiting banks from hosting accounts. A licence from the SEC risks becoming operationally meaningless if the banks, wary of risk and waiting for a “comfort” signal from the Central Bank isn’t forthcoming with the license. This is where the coordination imperative becomes a matter of survival. Fortunately, the Central Bank of Nigeria is a critical agency in regulating virtual assets.

    Agencies such as the National Communications Commission (NCC) are not. They do not have direct oversight of virtual assets, but they play a key enabling role. Telecommunications pathways—the digital arteries that allow a customer to reach a platform—are pivotal. Unlike banks, which are regulated directly by the CBN—making the lifting of restrictions on bank accounts largely self-enforcing—the restriction on telecommunications access requires devolved action by the NCC, following direction from the wider security and financial-integrity apparatus.

    The tax authorities, the securities regulator, the banks, and the telcos, therefore, need to move in a single, synchronised formation. Without this, the reform risks losing credibility. In a low-trust environment, gaps where an activity is legal in law but blocked by infrastructure are read by the market as a lack of institutional will, even where policy intent exists. Coming on the back of the controversy over the proper passage of the tax reform statutes and the MOU with France, getting this part of the operationalisation of Section 79 to roll out without a glitch is essential.

    The final countdown

    Calendar and coordination now converge, creating their own urgency. The foundational laws are—however controversially—on the books, and institutions are adjusting to the new Section 79 reality. What remains unannounced is the institutional mechanism to operationalise that coordination, even as sectoral reform implementation reaches a critical point in banking, capital markets, and international fiscal cooperation. Capital is being raised, and external scrutiny has intensified. But the final test will be found in whether a newly licensed digital firm can actually open a bank account and reach a customer via the internet. Coordination has become an essential condition for credibility. With overlapping regulatory calendars now in motion, the space for informal sequencing narrowed materially when the Nigeria Tax Administration Act came into force.

    Since the formal lifting of CBN restrictions in late 2023, Nigeria has enacted at least three major pieces of legislation incorporating digital assets into multiple regulatory and fiscal regimes. Capital gains taxation, securities licensing, financial and compliance reporting, and revenue-led coordination are now grounded in statute. Yet despite this legislative momentum, residual access constraints have persisted in practice. The result has been a prolonged and expensive period of legal limbo for compliant operators, including firms admitted into regulatory pilot programmes, even as unregulated actors continue to serve the market. This divergence underscores what challenges remain. Simply put, it is the alignment of execution.

    Ultimately, the Gordian Knot here is not legal but coordinative. The policy intent is clear, the statutory foundations are in place, and the relevant institutions are aligned. What remains unresolved is the authority to translate that intent consistently across organisational boundaries at a moment when mandates overlap, and institutional incentives diverge. In such moments, Nigerian reform has historically moved fastest when clear presidential direction reinforces sequencing and inter-agency alignment. Where the Commander’s intent is understood, execution follows.

    – Kike Gbajumo, a Crypto Analyst, writes from Lagos

  • Nigeria’s great economic rebound

    Nigeria’s great economic rebound

    Sir: Nigeria may not be out of the woods yet, but under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the country is showing real promise.

    At some point in the Buhari presidency, he openly admitted that though he knew even before he was elected that Nigeria had serious challenges, he didn’t expect the magnitude of the challenges he encountered in office. Despite the challenges, the current administration is showing a marked departure from its predecessor in two key areas that may yet be the most defining for Nigerians: security and the economy.

    Insecurity in Nigeria has really spiralled during the past decade. Terrorism in its many forms has made many parts of the country insecure, causing Nigerians indescribable anguish at home and imponderable embarrassment abroad by casting the country as critically unsafe.

    Before the advent of the current administration, communities in Southern Kaduna, Benue State, Plateau State, and many other states spread over the core north were regular stomping grounds for criminals of all shades and stripes. While it would be premature to state that the criminals have been conclusively routed, it is clear that they have been largely put in their place, underlining the mammoth efforts that have gone into containing a problem that once threatened the very existence of Nigeria.

    For many Nigerians, poverty remains a costly bed mate. The Nigerian economy was practically in tatters before the current administration came to power.

     Any decision bordering on the removal of fuel subsidy was bound to be critically unpopular, but President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took the unprecedented step of removing it.

    Read Also: Nigeria on ‘healing journey’ to $1trn economy by 2030 – Presidency

    The uproar, which was great, has remained even in the face of the president’s defiance, which he has expertly melded with other decisive steps to rescue Nigeria’s economy. The result of such firmness is that for the first time in many years, the Nigerian economy is producing shoots of recovery.

    As per The Economist, which has heavily criticized the Nigerian government in the past, the Nigerian economy under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is showing signs of recovery.

    The British journal pointed out the abolition of the fuel subsidy and abandonment  of the multi-tiered system of dollar-pegged exchange rates, which has  largely allowed  the naira to float, as key to the forceful signs of economic rejuvenation noticed.

    For a publication that has previously stuck a boot into successive Nigerian governments, this is no idle commentary on a key aspect of Nigeria. It definitely means that the country is on the right path.

    A lot of work remains to be done to completely rescue Nigerians from poverty and set the country moving in the right direction. It is never going to be easy, but with the right amount of decisiveness, Nigeria can continue to engineer a rousing departure from its dark and dreary recent past.

    It is only hoped that the ominous politics of 2027 will not derail a promising project.

    •Ike Willie-Nwobu,Ikewilly9@gmail.com