Diaspora Solution Group Nigeria (DSGN) is set to launch a groundbreaking malaria attenuation project entitled: “Research to curb female anopheles mosquito breeding.”
It is billed for December 20, 2025, at Aloha Hotel & Resort, Osogbo, Osun State.
DSGN, in a statement, said the pioneering research initiative is aimed at reducing the breeding of female Anopheles mosquitoes.
Female Anopheles are the primary carriers of malaria.
The research deployed advanced genetic approaches in controlled laboratory settings.
DSGN is partnering with Sickle Cell Warriors and Troptions Unity Token to launch the national-scale initiative aimed at ending the malaria crisis in Nigeria “once and for all”.
The innovative project, led by a multidisciplinary team of Nigerian scientists and global partners, seeks to develop sustainable biological solutions to malaria transmission by targeting the reproductive capacity of female mosquitoes.
Through precise genetic modification using Crispr techniques, the study aims to limit the population growth of malaria vectors without harming the environment or non-target species.
According to DSGN, the Malaria Project, led by Dr. Emmanuel O. Emenike and Dr. Olof Olsson, is an advanced scientific initiative that uses a cellular and molecular correction approach to prevent the mosquito’s ability to transmit the malaria parasite.
Emenike stated that the project is geographic and specie specific, adding that the initiative will bring Nigeria to the map to end malaria disease not only in the country but across Africa.
“Our goal is to harness the power of genetics to address one of Africa’s most persistent public health challenges,” he said.
”This research represents a major step toward malaria elimination using safe, science-driven methods tailored for Nigeria.”
DSGN said the project aligns with Nigeria’s National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) and supports Africa-wide efforts to reduce malaria cases through innovative, homegrown research.
It reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening local scientific capacity and fostering collaboration between Nigerian experts abroad and researchers at home.
DSGN is a charitable, non-governmental organisation established by Nigerian American and Nigerian-loving professionals living in the United States. Founded on February 17, 2023, with dual headquarters in Los Angeles, California, and Seattle, Washington, DSGN is dedicated to addressing the social, economic, and infrastructural challenges facing specific communities in Nigeria.
The Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), alongside major international oil companies including Shell, TotalEnergies and ExxonMobil, has pledged full support for Nigeria’s ambitious plan to ramp up crude oil production.
Their commitments were made at the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission’s (NUPRC) Project 1MMBOPD Additional Production Investment Forum, in London — a high-level engagement aimed at attracting investment and adding one million barrels per day (bpd) to Nigeria’s output.
The forum convened leading operators, investors and regulators to explore new investment opportunities, address funding constraints, and strengthen collaboration needed to meet the nation’s production target.
NUPRC Chief Executive, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, disclosed that the 2025 Oil Licensing Round will begin on December 1, 2025. The round will focus on unlocking undeveloped and fallow oil and gas assets across the country.
The forum provided direct access for investors to key decision-makers, showcasing a portfolio of commercially viable projects designed to promote transparent and efficient partnerships across the upstream sector.
Lawmakers and senior government officials reiterated Abuja’s commitment to removing operational bottlenecks, stressing that the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) remains stable and will not be arbitrarily amended — a major concern for global investors.
A new indigenous brand, Captain Cool, has entered Nigeria’s air conditioning market with a mission to raise standards of professionalism, technical quality and reliability across the HVAC sector.
Launched in mid-2025 as a subsidiary of Sabiwork, the company was created in response to the rising demand for skilled cooling system services observed during major construction projects nationwide.
According to the Founder of Captain Cool, Olatayo Ajiboye, the brand emerged to fill a service gap that had long frustrated both residential and commercial clients.
“We consistently saw clients who had invested in quality air conditioning systems but suffered from poor installation and irregular maintenance. This often led to inefficiency and discomfort. Captain Cool was conceived to bridge that service gap with a commitment to technical integrity and customer satisfaction,” Ajiboye said.
Within its first week of operation, Captain Cool secured a contract to supply and install air conditioning units for a hotel project in Benin City — an early milestone the company says reflects growing client awareness about the need for skilled hands in HVAC installations and maintenance.
Captain Cool offers end-to-end cooling system services, including sales, installation, maintenance, system upgrades and repairs.
Its team of trained technicians is equipped to tackle long standing industry issues, such as improper installation, inefficiency, and delayed service response.
Nigeria’s air conditioning sector is expanding rapidly due to urbanisation, rising temperatures and increased construction activities. However, challenges remain, including erratic power supply, forex-driven fluctuations in equipment prices and a shortage of certified technicians. Captain Cool says it aims to address these gaps through continuous staff training, transparent processes and the introduction of energy-conscious innovations.
The company emphasises structure, accountability and technology-driven monitoring, which it says will boost client confidence and support broader skill development within the HVAC workforce.
Looking ahead, Captain Cool plans to expand into major cities across Nigeria while exploring energy-efficient cooling solutions suited to the country’s climate conditions.
Ajiboye said the broader vision is not only business growth but raising the overall professional benchmark for HVAC services.
“Our vision is to help redefine how cooling services are delivered in Nigeria; through competence, honesty and a culture of quality that benefits both clients and technicians,” he added.
Nigeria has an opportunity to boost its export earnings by up to $3.9 billion if it fully exploits untapped global demand for high-value products, according to new findings from the International Trade Centre’s (ITC) Export Potential Map.
The report shows that Nigeria’s total export potential to the world stands at $7.6 billion, driven primarily by strong opportunities in cocoa, urea, cashew nuts and, increasingly, coffee.
The ITC assessment reveals that cocoa beans remain Nigeria’s strongest export performer, with the largest absolute gap between potential and real-world exports. The agency stated that cocoa alone presents an unrealised export opportunity worth $749 million, representing 19 percent of the country’s untapped potential. Cashew nuts (in shell) and urea also rank among Nigeria’s highest-potential export products, underscoring the country’s competitiveness in agricultural and agro-industrial commodities.
The report highlights a significant new frontier: unroasted, non-decaffeinated coffee (HS 090111). It identifies coffee as one of Nigeria’s best options for export diversification alongside copper cathodes and frozen fish. ITC noted that global demand for coffee continues to surge and that Nigeria “has closest export links with Japan,” while the United States is “the market with the highest demand potential” for Nigerian coffee.
Japan currently imports $1.4 billion worth of this category of coffee, while Germany imports $4 billion and the United States $5.8 billion. All three markets apply a zero-percent tariff to Nigerian coffee, strengthening Nigeria’s competitiveness.
The Netherlands, Italy and Belgium also import large volumes of unroasted coffee—$843 million, $2.2 billion and $1.7 billion respectively—with no tariff barriers for Nigerian exports. Korea applies a modest tariff of 2 percent on the same product.
ITC indicated that the scale of global demand makes coffee a strategic commodity for Nigeria’s export expansion efforts. The agency adds that “Nigeria finds Beans ‘Vigna mungo/radiata’, dried and shelled easiest to reach,” while jewellery of precious metals faces the strongest international demand potential.
Responding to this, Chairman , Board of Trustees , Cocoa Association of Nigeria,(CAN) Dr. Victor Iyama, said coffee remains one cash crop that can boost the nation’s foreign exchange earnings.
With cocoa, cashew, urea and coffee all showing substantial headroom for growth, the report positions Nigeria to unlock billions of dollars in additional export revenue if it aligns investment, logistics and trade policy with global demand.
Nigeria’s and other Africa’s digital payments landscape is expanding at a record pace, marking a turning point towards more inclusive interoperable financial systems.
According to a report obtained at the weekend, 36 systems are now live across 31 African countries, with five launched over the past year. Collectively, they processed 64 billion transactions worth nearly $2trillion last year, underscoring Africa’s rapid transition to digital finance.
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), reveals how instant payment systems (IPS) are driving economic participation, innovation, and opportunity across the continent.
Now in its fourth edition, SIIPS 2025 is Africa’s leading benchmark for inclusive instant payment systems (IIPS).
CEO, AfricaNenda Foundation, Dr. Robert Ochola, said IIPs are redefining how the African economies connect, adding that progress has been made.
“Inclusive instant payments (IIPs) are transforming how Africans connect economically. The findings of SIIPS 2025 show 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 across the continent,” Dr Ochola said.
The World Bank acknowledged improvement but noted that more still needed to be done. The global bank urged countries without fast payment systems to begin implementations, while those already operating them should focus on greater inclusivity, innovation, and affordability in digital payment services.
Its Acting Global Director, Finance, Competitiveness & Investment Global Department, Niraj Verma, said: “The latest SIIPS report shows steady progress across Africa in the uptake of fast payments. This is promising and represents a great start, but there is much work to be done. Countries without fast payment systems should begin implementations, while those already operating them should focus on greater inclusivity, innovation, and affordability in digital payment services.
“Regional FPS models have demonstrated a unique opportunity to facilitate cost-efficient and speedy cross-border payments and could be explored for scaling across regions and ultimately across the entire continent. At the World Bank Group, we believe fast payments development promotes broader goals such as financial inclusion, job creation, and trade facilitation. Through Project FASTT, the World Bank continues to help countries build and strengthen fast payment ecosystems through financing, technical assistance, and capacity building.”
The report highlighted increasing interoperability across systems, with half of Africa’s IPS now connecting banks, mobile money operators, and fintechs through cross domain platforms.
Nigeria’s Instant Payments (NIP) became the first system to achieve mature inclusivity on the AfricaNenda Inclusivity Spectrum, while 10 others have advanced to progressed levels.
Beyond person-to-person (P2P) transfers, more systems are enabling person-to-business (P2B), government-to-person (G2P), and cross-border payments.
Research conducted in Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar, and Tunisia finds that individuals are adopting digital payments faster than merchants, particularly in emerging and nascent markets. Adults over 30 and those with regular income remain the most active users, while young adults and women continue to face barriers such as fraud concerns, lack of identification, and limited access to agents.
Between 50 and 75 per cent of cash-first users cited fraud risks as a key barrier to adoption. Addressing these challenges, the report notes it will be critical to ensure that digital payments are safe and accessible for all.
Also commenting on the report, Chief of Section, Innovation and Technology, UNECA, Dr. Mactar Seck, said: “For digital payments to reach everyone, inclusion must be intentional. The data from SIIPS 2025 gives policymakers and regulators the confirmation they need to design ecosystems that serve marginalized parts of Africa’s communities. That is, women, youth, the informal sector and those in rural communities at large.”
The report points to significant opportunities for growth through digital public infrastructure (DPI) integration, government-to-person (G2P) payments, and cross-border interoperability.
With 36 countries now having live IPS, digital IDs, and data protection laws, better coordination across these systems could make Africa’s financial ecosystem more inclusive and secure. financial ecosystems.
Scaling G2P and cross-border use cases, the report finds, will require improved digital identity coverage, regulatory harmonization, and stronger collaboration between public and private sectors. These efforts are crucial to Africa’s ambition of creating a single, digitally connected market.
The SIIPS 2025 launch event, hosted by the Central Bank of Eswatini (CBE) brought together central banks, payment operators, policymakers, development partners, and the media from across the continent to discuss how inclusive instant payments can drive Africa’s digital future.
History is not just a collection of old stories; it is the memory of a nation — a mirror reflecting both its mistakes and triumphs. Yet today, many young Nigerians, born after 1999, have become strangers to their own history. Out of frustration with bad governance, unemployment, and economic hardship, some now echo a dangerous call on social media for military take over!
Such sentiments, though often born of anger, reveal a frightening ignorance of what military rule truly meant for this country — the blood, the fear, the silence, and the destruction. Those who lived through it remember not glory but grief. The military era was not a golden age; it was the darkest chapter in our national story.
Nigeria gained independence in 1960, full of promise — a land of endless potential and unity in diversity. But that promise was shattered on January 15, 1966, when Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu and other young officers staged Nigeria’s first coup. They claimed they wanted to end corruption and tribalism, but their bullets silenced the nation’s founding fathers — Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa, Premier Ahmadu Bello, Chief Samuel Akintola, and others. In one bloody night, democracy died, and suspicion was born.
The revenge coup of July 1966 deepened the wound. General Johnson Aguiyi Ironsi was assassinated, and the country slipped into chaos. Ethnic mistrust consumed the land, and by 1967, Nigeria was at war with itself. The Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970) under General Yakubu Gowon remains one of Africa’s greatest human tragedies. Over a million people — mostly women and children — perished. The war left physical scars on our land and psychological scars on our souls.
This was the price of military intervention — a nation that lost its innocence to the sound of gunfire.
After the war came a cycle of power and betrayal. General Gowon promised civilian rule, but the lure of power prevailed. On July 29, 1975, Brigadier Murtala Mohammed overthrew him. Murtala was energetic and decisive, briefly giving Nigerians hope. However, that hope was short-lived. In February 1976, he was assassinated in a failed coup attempt. His deputy, Olusegun Obasanjo, took over and returned Nigeria to civilian rule in 1979 — the first time in Africa’s history that a military government handed over voluntarily.
Just four years later, on December 31, 1983, soldiers returned. Major-General Muhammadu Buhari ousted President Shehu Shagari, claiming to save the nation from corruption. His “War Against Indiscipline” began with good intentions but quickly became an era of fear. Newspapers were banned, journalists imprisoned, and citizens brutalised for minor offences.
In 1985, another coup toppled Buhari. General Ibrahim Babangida seized power, promising a “new beginning.” Nigerians initially welcomed him; he smiled where others barked. But behind that charm lay deceit. Babangida’s endless “transition to democracy” became a cynical game. His greatest betrayal came in June 1993, when he annulled the election won by Chief Moshood Abiola — the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history. That act destroyed public trust and plunged Nigeria into crisis.
When General Sani Abacha seized power later that year, Nigeria entered its darkest tunnel. His rule (1993–1998) was an age of fear and blood. Critics disappeared, journalists were jailed, and human rights were buried. The execution of environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight Ogoni men shocked the world and isolated Nigeria internationally.
The economy collapsed under corruption and greed. Abacha’s cronies looted billions — money still being recovered decades later as “Abacha loot.” Ordinary Nigerians suffered, while a small circle of power-hungry men fed fat on the nation’s lifeblood. When Abacha died suddenly in 1998, Nigerians did not mourn — they celebrated. That speaks volumes.
By 1999, after more than three decades of military domination, Nigeria was left wounded — economically, socially, and institutionally. The return to civilian rule under General Abdulsalami Abubakar was like light after a long night. But democracy had to be rebuilt from the ruins: broken institutions, crippled infrastructure, and a people traumatised by decades of dictatorship.
Today, some youths who never knew that darkness call for a return to military rule. But they forget — under the military, there were no elections, no free speech, no accountability, and no future. The gun ruled, and the people obeyed. The freedom to protest, criticise leaders, or demand justice — all of which democracy allows — would never have survived under a regime of fear.
Across Africa, the story is the same. Military takeovers have left nations in ruins. In Uganda, Idi Amin’s brutal rule between 1971 and 1979 killed over 300,000 people. In Ghana, Jerry Rawlings’ coups in 1979 and 1981 led to economic collapse before democracy eventually returned. Sudan, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso are still struggling under soldiers who promised salvation but delivered suffering.
Every coup begins with promises of discipline and reform, but ends in dictatorship and decline.
Democracy may be a hard road, but it is worth taking. The truth many young Nigerians ignore is that the current government is not blind to the nation’s challenges. Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the government has begun steps to rebuild the economy, strengthen national security, and reposition Nigeria for growth.
The economic reforms — including the removal of fuel subsidies, unification of the exchange rate, and efforts to attract investment — are painful but necessary corrections after decades of decay. They are not instant fixes, and their success will depend on transparency, accountability, and consistent implementation.
On security, the military is being re-equipped, morale is improving, and local defence collaborations are being strengthened. Insurgency in the Northeast has reduced, and efforts continue to curb banditry and kidnapping in the Northwest and Middle Belt.
No government is perfect, but unlike the military regimes of the past, this one is accountable to the people. It can be questioned, challenged, and voted out — and that, in itself, is the power of democracy.
Young Nigerians must understand that the call for a military takeover is not bravery — it is betrayal. Betrayal of history, of sacrifice, and of the dreams of those who died so that we might live free. The military once promised to save Nigeria, but nearly buried it.
If today’s system is weak, we must strengthen it, not destroy it. If leaders fail, we must replace them, not hand power to men who rule without consent. Progress is not born in the barrel of a gun; it is forged through patience, participation, and persistence.
We must say it clearly, for the sake of generations unborn: never again. Never again should Nigerians flirt with the idea of military rule. Never again should we trade freedom for fear. Never again should we forget that every coup, no matter how noble its excuse, leaves a nation bleeding.
The soldiers once promised to save Nigeria, but they nearly destroyed it. Our duty now is to ensure that never again shall this nation bow to the rule of the gun.
Africa must urgently dismantle systemic barriers and embrace rapid continental integration if it is to move from poverty to lasting prosperity.
This was the collective message delivered by economists, policymakers, and business leaders at The Paul Alaje Colloquium 2025, which was held in Abuja under the theme, “Breaking the Cycle: How Nigeria Can Lead Africa from Poverty to Prosperity.”
Speakers maintained that the continent stands at a defining moment, insisting that Nigeria, as Africa’s largest economy and most populous nation, must lead the charge toward a unified economic future.
The convener, Dr. Paul Alaje, said the continent’s setbacks have little to do with resource scarcity and everything to do with structural failure. “Africa is rich in natural resources, vast in land, brimming with youth — yet the reality remains stark.”
He said, “Our poverty is not simply a failure of resources. It is a failure of systems. It is a failure of conversion — converting potential into productivity, converting ambition into action. Our greatest enemy is not lack. It is underutilization. Potential is not prosperity.”
Delegates were reminded that despite a population of 1.4 billion people, intra-African trade still accounts for only 14 to 16 percent of total trade. Visa restrictions, weak transport networks, and bureaucratic hurdles continue to impede free movement and limit opportunities for cross-border value creation.
A major consensus emerged that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) offers the clearest path for unlocking the continent’s full potential. Brigadier General Dr. Wallace W. Williams, Global Board Chairman of the Africa International Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AICCI), who represented the PLO leader, Patrice Lumumba, described AfCFTA as “one of the greatest opportunities in our history.”
He urged countries to abandon isolated strategies, saying, “Africa cannot continue to function as 54 disconnected markets. We must build interconnected regional value chains driven by innovation, production, and trade. Africa will not rise through isolated national strategies. Africa will rise through unified regional action.”
General Williams said Nigeria’s role remains pivotal and referenced President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s assurance that current hardships will not define the nation’s future. “We may be poor; poverty is not going to be our milestone.
We are going to come out of it,” the President was quoted as saying. According to Williams, this outlook reinforces that “economic challenges are not destiny; they are a phase.”
The colloquium also featured the presentation of a four-pillar transformation blueprint by Dr. Alaje, who described poverty as a condition that must be confronted intentionally.
The first pillar focuses on economic transformation through a shift from consumption to production. He argued that Africa must stop importing goods it can competitively produce, calling for stronger regional value chains and the establishment of anchor factories supported by a massive expansion of Technical and Vocational Education (TVET). The goal, he explained, is to train millions of artisans and skilled professionals within five years.
The second pillar targets governance and institutional reform. Dr. Alaje insisted that no development plan can succeed without institutions that are “competent, transparent, and meritocratic.” He said the fight against corruption must be “real, not symbolic,” and urged border agencies to facilitate rather than obstruct continental trade and mobility. “Customs authorities, migration bodies, regulators — all must become facilitators of pan-African trade and movement, not gatekeepers of exclusion,” he added.
Security formed the third pillar, with the audience told that prosperity cannot be achieved without stability. The proposal calls for integrated territorial, internal, food, and economic security systems supported by drones, satellites, data-driven intelligence tools, and strong regional alliances.
The fourth pillar emphasises technology and innovation as Africa’s future growth engine. Delegates were urged to support broadband expansion, fintech and agritech hubs, and Digital Government platforms to reduce leakages and improve transparency.
General Williams closed the session with an appeal for a continental mindset. “Africa’s progress depends on our ability to collaborate, coordinate, and act collectively. We must adopt a continental mindset. We must embrace cooperation over competition. Africa’s prosperity is a shared project—one that requires patience, courage, vision, and continental solidarity.”
Speakers also urged young people and the African diaspora — which contributes over $50 billion annually — to take up leadership roles in enterprise development and governance reform.
As proceedings drew to an end, Dr. Alaje delivered a final message of determination: “We will break the cycle. We will build prosperity. We will rise — Nigeria, Africa, together.”
Ore Town, a commercial nerve centre and stopover point for travelers in Southern Nigeria is located in the Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, Southwest Nigeria. It is a town which has over the years earned its reputation as a melting pot for different tribes of people and business transactions, based on its strategic location and embracing atmosphere. Tosin Tope, who recently visited the town, reports.
The interchanged flyover tagged the “Freedom Bridge” is perhaps the first thing anyone notices when entering Ore town – whether coming from the Shagamu/Lagos axis in the Southwest or the Benin/Niger Delta corridor in the Southsouth. Apart from the dizzying mass of humanity caught in the flux of survival, the bridge stands as a symbol of transformation and progress – a legacy of late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, who fulfilled the vision of modernising the gateway town.
The bridge put an end to the perennial traffic jam on the popular Ore junction and Showboy area and adequately eased the flow of traffic on the notorious transit axis of Lagos-Benin road which was caused by the location of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) deport at the entrance of the expressway in Ore.
Welcome to Ore, in Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State – a town etched in Nigeria’s historical and commercial map. Once notable for its role during the Nigerian Civil War, where federal troops halted the advancing Biafran forces in a decisive battle that preserved the country’s unity, Ore has since evolved into a bustling commercial hub – a city where history meets enterprise.
The gateway town has developed into a commercial hub, attracting traders, travellers and settlers. Ore has remained a strategic, dynamic, and regenerative melting pot of people and cultures, with an aggressive commercial inclination as well as an eye for innovation and the progressives. The bustling city has been recognised for its strategic position as a major transportation and commercial hub. It has been serving as a critical junction for travellers and goods moving between the southwestern and southeastern parts of the country.
Ore’s location along key highways, characterised by its vibrant markets and diverse population, makes it an essential stopover for long-distance travellers, enhancing its role in trade and commerce within the country.
Aside its busy commercial activities, which often causes hours of heavy traffic gridlock, it was also notorious for its perennial accidents, which has the highest rate in the state but since its transformation, there have been an increase in the influx of vehicular movements and activities on the road. Ore town has since joined the league of industrialised areas of the country.
Ore town’s strategic location is legendary. The Yoruba adage says, “Mẹta lọja, mẹrin n’Ore,” meaning “Three junctions confuse a stranger, but Ore has four.” From Ore, the road splits in four directions: Shagamu and Lagos to the West; Benin and the Niger Delta to the East; Akure and the North up country; and Okitipupa with the coastal towns to the South.
This intersection makes Ore a nerve centre of Nigeria’s road network — a vital point for travellers, traders, and transporters. It is a lifeline connecting regions and economies, a place where goods, cultures, and dreams converge.
Its position as a transport hub has also made Ore a bustling commercial centre, especially for agricultural products. The town is a key market for crops like cocoa, rubber, oil palm, and timber, which are major exports from Ondo state.
The ancient town is a ‘big world’ on its own, priding itself as one of the largest commercial nerve centres for trading, with a very booming population of settlers who are mostly traders across the tribes and regions in the country. Following the Civil War in the late 1960s, where thousands of Nigerians were mowed down in that epic battle, it has grown into an urban city; transiting from a ‘theatre of war’ to a ‘theatre of trade’. Many old enough would recall how the town’s landscape echoed with the thunder of artillery, as the Federal and Biafran forces clashed fiercely, with the Nigerian troops’ victory halting the Biafran’s advancement toward Lagos and the Western Region.
Today, the sound of war has been replaced by the hum of commerce. The same soil that once bore the footprints of soldiers now carries the footsteps of traders and entrepreneurs. The relics of war have given way to symbols of peace and progress – shops, warehouses, fuel stations, markets, and hotels.
Ore now breathes business. The town’s air is thick with trade — from hawkers waving snacks and drinks at motorists, to wholesalers dealing in cocoa, palm oil, rubber, and timber. It is a true “city of milk and honey,” where many arrive with little but find opportunity through hard work and enterprise.
The markets are an orchestra of activity – women selling food and provisions; young men pushing wheelbarrows of goods; mechanics, transporters, artisans, and hotel owners – all thriving in an economy that never sleeps.
Even at night, the town’s rhythm doesn’t fade. Restaurants, lodges, and roadside vendors keep the lights on, serving travellers journeying across the regions.
Despite the impact of the Battle of Ore, as that epic battle has come to be known, the town has continued to experience endless influx of people, especially from the Eastern part of the country, with their penchant for business – almost like Lagos.
With its overwhelming population of traders, the town has its market place of happening points for different businesses, ranging from consumables, perishables, electronics, transportation, restaurants, hospitality, salons, oil and gas, aforestation among several others.
One could easily observe various categories of people united by their types of business, such as petty trading, hawking of satchet water, nylon bags, cold soda drinks, bottle water and other beverages; sausages, meat pie, egg roll and other snacks; butter bread, food vendors (such as moi moi, beans and rice, plantains) among several others.
Hospitality
Aside the thriving business activities, travellers have also come to see Ore as a major hospitality haven. Drivers and passengers alike stop-over in the ancient city to either have some rest, grab a meal or catch a glimpse of the bubbling activities of the city that never sleeps. Meanwhile, hoteliers smile home, raking in cool cash courtesy the endless patronage of travellers.
Ore town has its market which is open for business and regulated by unions. Like every other market hub, it has a good dose of the good, the bad, and ugly, as traders and visitors often encounter pick pockets and mobile phone snatchers, among several others. Following this, the leadership of the unions, it was gathered, came up with conditions for admission at the market.
In spite of its oppressively dysfunctional infrastructure and public amenities, there is a contrastive feeling of relative calm and order in the market. Many first-time visitors would be puzzled, even shocked, by the intense movement of cash here, even without state security operatives.
Another popular area is ‘Showboy,’ where truck drivers from Northern parts of country often park to rest or offload goods and passengers.
During a visit to the ancient town, one of the leaders of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Mr. Ibukun Daodu explained that the essence of the condition was to minimise the influx into the commercial community.
He said, “Many of those you’re seeing here are people from other states and parts of the country. They came into the town to do business and it is flourishing as you can see. We just have to regulate their activities to avoid the unnecessary influx. We are excited that people are coming into the city. Lots of settlers are here engaging in various means of legal business because this place is a gateway to other states and adjoining towns.
“Ore town has its history far back to commerce, economic development, socialisation and hospitality but you would agree with me that we should also do some regulations. It is often said that where there is no law, there is no sin. So, amid our population, we are also being careful not to chase people away from here but to know the ones who are transacting business and the exact trade they are here for.”
A trader in the town, Madam Amarachi Ogechukwu, who had been in the town for over 30 years, said her family had to settle in Ore as a result of its booming business environment.
Ogechukwu, who lost her husband two years ago, explained that she had her two children in the town due to its peaceful nature. She also said she has never regretted leaving her Eastern Nigeria base to settle there.
“I have been here for decades. My husband and I came into the town from Ebonyi State. It was here that we gave birth to our children. I have two boys. I’ve never regretted been a dweller in the town. We came here for business and we sell building materials. Truly, in this town, business flourish and trade also move. I can refer to Ore as a town that flows with milk and honey.
“Unfortunately, I lost my husband two years ago in a motor accident while on his way to procure some goods in Lagos. The fact here is that, things are cheaper here in Ore town and it is one of the reasons it flourishes. People who can’t travel to Lagos to buy their things, also come down here to get them at cheaper rates.
“They also know they are getting the best like in Lagos. The town is like a commercial hub centre and there is nothing you’re looking for that you will not find here. It’s a meeting point for everybody, and quite peaceful. Many travellers coming from Lagos will always stopover here to buy things and relax themselves,” she said.
Asked if she would one day return to the East where she hailed from, she said, “I can’t actually say because our investment is all here. We built house here in Ore. Our business is also here in the town. I have brought my younger sister here who used to stay in Delta and she is also learning business.
“I understand that there is no place like home but Ore has also been my home. I can travel to Ebonyi to go greet my parents and return but I don’t think I can settle down there again. Now, I have my family and children settling down here in Ore. They are going to school here. It will be difficult for me to take a decision that will affect their future.”
A traveler from Lagos en route Benin, Festus Adeleke, sharing his experience, told The Nation that he loves stopping over in Ore town to eat, rest, and do some shopping for his family.
He described Ore as one of the very few towns like Lagos, where strangers from various parts of the country meet and also network for businesses.
“We just had a stopover here (in Ore) to rest and eat before continuing our journey to Benin. I am used to the town; it is a gateway to other states. I have my family in Lagos, but I go to Benin all the time for private business, so stopping over here has become a habit for me.
“You would see people (passengers) buying things here. Some will buy and take home for their family. The other time we stopped here, I bought some clothes for my children. They were very cheap and classy too. I had to collect the number of seller. Till today, we have maintained connection; anytime I am passing by, I notify him if I need clothes for my children I bulk ad he supplies.
“Really, there is no way you will journey through Ore that you will not want to stop and buy something here. It’s cool and fun for me, especially I have the money,” he said.
Ore town is peopled predominantly by Christians and Muslims, who rely on prayers for protection and progress in their businesses and trades, hence the major streets are littered with churches and mosques of different denominations. The activities of these worship centres also contribute to its growing economy, as some of the churches have their headquarters in the city, bringing influxes, expansions and revenue generation.
Amid the commercial nerves centre, Ore town also enjoys the attention it deserves from the government in term of industrialisation. The late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu turned the town into an “industrial hub” with the massive investment of insfrastructure and companies. The Linyi Industrial Park in Ore is bubbly as human and vehicular traffic are common features of the landscape of this once-empty space in the woods. Also, different companies have set up plants and warehouses while many others are undergoing construction.
Adeolu Ogungbeni, an industrialist, said Ore is now an industrial centre that has been accommodating various companies for business development.
“Beyond being a commercial centre, we now have industries setting up here in Ore. They are doing their business with ease, and an interesting part of it is that they are engaging people from the town. When you are measuring the growth of a society, you look at how the businesses thrive. You look at the industries or companies being set up. Also, you look at the investment, both local and foreign because these and many more would drive people into the town. These companies even source their materials locally. I mean, they return back to the town because they buy from here to produce whatever they want. This is the best way to grow the city.”
Describing Ore as a commercial hub that connects both the South and the East in Nigeria, the Executive Chairman of Odigbo Local Government Area, Taiye Adegoroye called for more government presence and infrastructural development in the area.
Speaking with The Nation, Adegoroye noted that Ore has historically served as a melting pot for different ethnic groups across the country and continues to play a key role in national commerce.
According to him, the town’s strategic location and economic potential makes it deserving of greater attention from both state and federal governments, especially in line with the ongoing economic reforms of President Bola Tinubu.
“Geographically, Ore links the South to the East, and it remains a major commercial centre in Ondo State that attracts different types of investors. It is a cosmopolitan town where all ethnic groups in Nigeria are represented,” he said.
According to him, the government had been trying its best, but like Oliver Twist, more infrastructural projects such as good roads are still begging for attention in the town.
“The government has been doing its best, but like Oliver Twist, we are asking for more – especially in terms of road infrastructure and other developmental projects.”
Adegoroye commended Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for his ongoing developmental efforts in the area, noting that some dilapidated roads in Ore are currently being rehabilitated
“His Excellency, Dr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa is performing, and his presence is being felt in Ore. We can see some of the roads being fixed, and we are also putting measures in place to grade more roads in Ore and Odigbo as a whole,” he added, appealing to both local and foreign investors to take advantage of Ore’s safety and economic potential.
“Ore is safe for investors, and that’s what we need here – more investments to drive development and create jobs.”
For Hon Tunji Fabiyi, the state lawmaker representing Odigbo Constituency I in the Ondo State House of Assembly, Ore town needs a “comprehensive master plan”, describing it as long overdue.
Fabiyi commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the ongoing expansion of the Ore–Ondo–Akure road project, noting that the initiative would significantly boost the economic fortunes of the ancient town.
“Let me commend our own President Bola Tinubu for this laudable project that they are doing as regards road construction from Akure to Ore. This will boost the economic resources of the community.”
The lawmaker, however, lamented the poor physical and infrastructural planning in Ore, stressing the need for an urban development strategy to match the town’s rapid expansion.
He decried the deplorable state of internal roads and the collapse of a key bridge linking parts of the town, calling for urgent government intervention.
“But it’s highly unfortunate that some of the structures we have in Ore are not well planned. It’s not well structured. A master plan for Ore is long overdue. If you look at the rate at which Ore is expanding; from the Ikale axis, Ore has extended to Kajola, almost reaching Kajola Oju irin. And if you look at it, it has extended to Agbabu area too. And talking about this Odigbo side, Ore has linked up with Ijebu.
“But it’s highly unfortunate that there ar no good road network to link Ore. You will observe that, if there is any traffic jam on the major expressway, the only linking road that can be an alternative road is the Ode or the Benni road.
“And if you observe very well, the bridge linking it to Showboy has collapsed, begging for the attention of government. Besides, Ore deserves a big institution. If we are able to get all this in Ore, there is no way you can put Ore down, aside the fact that we don’t have big rivers like Lagos.”
He emphasised that Ore’s fast-growing, heterogeneous population and agricultural potential present enormous opportunities for economic growth if properly harnessed.
“And there is Araromi Beach with its coastal line. If we are able to get that one, I think it will go a long way. Whatever cargo ship that is landing in that place, Ore will be the major beneficiary.
“I pray that God gives our leaders the wisdom to focus on and tap into the advantages and enormous opportunities at our disposal,” Fabiyi said.
The story begins in dimly lit corners of forgotten neighborhoods places where hope feels like a luxury, and survival comes one risky choice at a time. Among Nigeria’s most vulnerable youth, a chilling new ritual is emerging, known not for its innovation but its horror. They call it “bluetoothing.”
The name sounds harmless even modern borrowed from the wireless technology that connects our phones and gadgets. But in this context, it has nothing to do with devices. Instead, it describes a tragic and deadly act: people injecting themselves with the blood of others who have just taken drugs, hoping to “share” the high. In reality, what they are sharing is something far more like disease, infection, and death.
Bluetoothing is born from a mix of poverty, addiction, and misinformation. Among those who inject drugs but cannot afford their own dose, a desperate belief has taken root that the blood of someone already “high” can transmit the drug’s effect. One syringe becomes a bridge of blood between users, linking not only their veins but their fates.
Each shared needle, each drop of borrowed blood, becomes a ticking time bomb for HIV and hepatitis B and C transmission.Health experts fear that in places where bluetoothing is practiced, the gains made in HIV prevention could vanish overnight. For Nigeria, where nearly 1.8 million people already live with HIV, this could open a catastrophic new front in the epidemic one not driven by sex or birth, but by needles and blood.
Nigeria’s rising drug use has created fertile ground for this deadly practice. According to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), about 14.3 million Nigerians aged 15–64 use psychoactive substances a rate higher than the global average. Economic hardship, unemployment, trauma, and lack of mental health care have pushed many into dangerous coping mechanisms.
In overcrowded urban slums, peer influence spreads faster than facts. With little access to clean syringes, drug counseling, or nonjudgmental healthcare, bluetoothing becomes an act of survival and rebellion. For many, it is not about getting high; it is about escaping pain. But the escape is short-lived, and the consequences are lifelong.
Law enforcement agencies like the NDLEA play a vital role in curbing drug trafficking and abuse. Yet bluetoothing is not a problem that arrests can solve. This is a public health crisis, one that demands compassion, education, and practical harm-reduction strategies.
To truly stop bluetoothing, we must meet people where they are.
● Community outreach must replace judgment with empathy, spreading awareness about the dangers of blood-sharing.
● Needle-exchange and testing programs, proven effective globally, should be introduced to prevent disease transmission.
● Faith-based groups and NGOs can help rebuild trust in communities, creating safe spaces for education and support.
● Mental health and addiction treatment should be integrated into primary healthcare systems, offering pathways to recovery rather than punishment.
Bluetoothing is more than a dangerous trend it’s a mirror reflecting societal neglect. It tells the story of youth left behind, of communities where despair outpaces opportunity. Behind every syringe is a human being who feels unseen, unheard, and unwanted.
If Nigeria fails to act now, the cost will not only be measured in numbers or statistics but in lost lives and shattered families. The next wave of HIV may not come from unsafe sex or mother-to-child transmission, it may come from a borrowed syringe filled with someone else’s blood.
Stopping bluetoothing will require courage not just from policymakers, but from all of us. From health workers who choose compassion over condemnation. From leaders who invest in prevention instead of prisons. From a nation willing to face the uncomfortable truth that silence is complicity.
The time to act is now. Before another young person picks up a needle not to inject a drug, but to share someone else’s high and unknowingly injects their death sentence. Because in the story of bluetoothing, what’s truly being transmitted isn’t just blood. It’s a cry for help one Nigeria cannot afford to ignore.
I am Dr. Rukayyah Karaye, MBBS, MPH, CPH, a physician and public health researcher with seven years of clinical experience and expertise in infectious diseases and health disparities. I have contributed to HIV-related cancer research, hepatitis B studies, maternal–child health projects, and epidemiologic work at the University of South Florida and Moffitt Cancer Center. I also lead community-focused humanitarian initiatives in northern Nigeria through the HIGOSA Foundation.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of South West Development Commission (SWDC) Dr Charles Akinola has called for deliberate collaboration between business thinkers and policy shapers to foster Nigeria’s transformation.
Akinola made the call in his keynote address at the maiden annual lecture of the Alumni Association of University of Ibadan School of Business. The lecture was themed ‘The Power of Collaboration: Alumni as a Catalyst for Business Growth and Societal Transformation, and Building Legacies.’
Other speakers include the immediate past Managing Director of First Bank PLC Dr Adesola Adeduntan; Dr Adebola Akindele and Mr Godwin Odah.
Akinola, who harped on the need for a deliberate collaboration between business leaders and policy makers, said “Business provides energy, innovation, and risk appetite; policy provides stability, scale, and systems.
“Imagine a partnership where alumni of business schools and alumni of policy schools work hand-in-hand, one designing sustainable business models, the other shaping regulatory frameworks that allow those models to flourish.
“That synergy is how Singapore built its competitiveness, how Rwanda re-imagined governance, and how the Nordic nations transformed welfare into wealth.
“We must reproduce that model here in Nigeria through intentional partnerships between our business thinkers and our policy shapers. The alumni network is the perfect incubator for such collaboration.”
Highlighting the strategic link among network, knowledge and talent to the transformation of the society, the SWDC boss posited: “Knowledge gives us depth — it is the light that guides decision and innovation. Network gives us reach — it extends our influence beyond geography and sector. Talent gives us force — it converts insight into execution.
“When these three combine, collaboration becomes catalytic. It turns a classroom relationship into a lifelong partnership and an alumni body into an economic powerhouse.”
He reinforced his position with the example of how the SWDC is institutionalizing collaboration to achieve true legacies in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda
He said: “At the South West Development Commission, we are turning collaboration into policy and practice.
“Our One Economic Bloc Strategy seeks to integrate the economies of the six South West states into a single competitive region, creating a seamless regional market for goods, skills, and investment.
“We are building partnerships with universities to establish innovation hubs, working with the private sector on industrial corridors, and engaging the diaspora to bring home both capital and competence.None of this can succeed in isolation. It takes the combined effort of public institutions, private investors, academia, and civil society.
“This is what I mean by collaborative federalism development through partnership, not competition. It is collaboration at scale: government, business, academia, and communities co-creating a better future. The alumni community can mirror this approach an ecosystem rather than an association…
“The sub-theme “Building Legacies” reminds us that legacy is not what we leave behind, but what we set in motion. We build legacies when we design systems that outlive us.
“As Chinua Achebe said, “The story is our escort; without it, we are blind.” Let our story be one of service, integrity, and innovation of men and women who used knowledge, network, and talent to change society.
“Whether in business, governance, or academia, let us institutionalize our values. Let our companies become models of sustained ethical excellence.Let our networks become platforms for inclusion. Let our leadership inspire trust across generations.”
Earlier, Dr Adeduntan pointed out that the era of individual efforts was over, stressing that the dynamics are now in favour of collaboration whether in business, academia or governance.
His words: “Globally, growth is no longer about individuals but by networks of people and groups. The world economy has become extremely inter-dependent and connected through collaboration. The era of independent efforts driving growth is over – in business, governance and academia…
“Alumni networks could serve as strategic reservoir of expertise, relationships and influence. They pull relationships and influence together.”
He also said that alumni associations weee already shifting from social events to economic activities that drive innovation, entrepreneurship and prosperity.
“Inclusivity enhances creativity. We need to rethink the focus of the alumni groups to create values for members. That value orientation is very important for us.” He said.
While welcoming participants, the president of the association Prof. Olugbenga Mokunolu,
said the association was determined to support the university, adding that it will continue to support the UI School of Business, mentor future leaders and current colleagues to help them navigate professional landscape successfully.
