Six Nigerian states have yet to publish their audited financial statements for the 2024 fiscal year, with five of them already past their statutory deadlines, raising serious concerns over fiscal transparency and accountability. The states are Akwa Ibom, Kaduna, Ogun, Oyo, Plateau, and Rivers. While Akwa Ibom remains within its acceptable timeframe—thanks to a 2021 amendment in its audit law that grants up to nine months for the Auditor-General to publish its statement—the other five have exceeded their legal obligations. Most state audit laws set strict timelines for the preparation, auditing, and publication of financial statements. These typically begin with…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
Spanish startup Multiverse Computing is revolutionizing artificial intelligence with groundbreaking technology that compresses large language models (LLMs) by up to 95% without sacrificing performance. Headquartered in San Sebastián, Multiverse has developed a proprietary quantum-inspired compression tool, CompactifAI, which leverages tensor networks from quantum physics to reduce model sizes dramatically while maintaining accuracy and efficiency. Founded in 2019 by Enrique Lizaso Olmos, Román Orús, Alfonso Rubio, and Samuel Mugel, the company’s innovation marks a significant departure from the prevailing industry trend that increasingly relies on larger and more resource-intensive AI models. Multiverse’s compressed AI models are reported to be 4 to…
By Abdallah el-Kurebe I August 18, 2025: The July 2025 edition of the AGRA Food Security Monitor (FSM) paints a mixed picture of Africa’s food systems, with West Africa seeing notable price declines, East Africa grappling with policy frictions and high hunger rates, while Southern Africa remains split between surplus-driven price relief and pockets of stress. West Africa: Prices ease, but conflict weighs Across key West African markets, staple food prices showed a downward trend. Nigeria’s maize dropped by 20 percent to USD 285 per metric ton, while Ghana and Togo also recorded declines. Rice prices were mixed—slightly up in…
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, has approved the redeployment and appointment of senior officers across key command, instructional, and staff positions in a move aimed at enhancing the operational effectiveness of the Nigerian Army. According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Appolonia Anele, the reshuffle affects a number of Principal Staff Officers (PSOs) at the Army Headquarters, General Officers Commanding (GOCs), Corps Commanders, Commandants of training institutions, and Brigade Commanders. At the Army Headquarters, Major General AA Adeyinka has been posted from the Nigerian Army…
China has made a groundbreaking leap in naval aviation with the successful development of the world’s first high-speed, jet-powered vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drone. Spearheaded by aerospace engineers at Beijing’s prestigious Beihang University, this advanced unmanned aircraft can be launched from virtually any Chinese naval vessel—including destroyers, frigates, and amphibious ships—without requiring a traditional runway. This innovation essentially transforms every warship into a mini aircraft carrier, dramatically expanding China’s naval aviation capabilities. Developed over a span of more than ten years by associate professors Wang Yaokun and Qiu Yuting, the VTOL drone addresses longstanding challenges in shipborne aviation by…
Nigeria, once again, stands at a defining crossroads. Two seemingly separate events— the arrest of two of the country’s most-wanted militant leaders and the government’s approval of a $2.6 billion electricity sector debt-refinancing plan—together reveal the nation’s ongoing struggle with two critical challenges: security and infrastructure stability. These are not isolated battles; they are intertwined wars for the soul, growth, and dignity of our nation. Security: A breakthrough, but not yet victory The capture of militant commanders such as Mahmud Muhammad Usman of Ansaru and Mahmud al-Nigeri represents a symbolic triumph. For too long, Nigerians have lived under the shadow…
In 2018, Lulu Jemimah, a 32-year-old Ugandan student at Oxford University, took the bold step of marrying herself—a decision that has captured global attention for its message on independence and societal expectations. Growing up in Uganda, Jemimah faced relentless questions from family and community members about when she would marry and start a family—a common pressure for women in her home country. On her 32nd birthday, tired of the constant reminders, Jemimah organized a wedding ceremony in Kampala. Wearing a wedding gown and walking down the aisle, she informed her guests that the wedding involved no groom: she was marrying…
Delegates from Global South member states and civil society organisations (CSOs) have urged negotiators at the ongoing Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC-5.2) in Geneva to adopt a robust, legally binding treaty that mandates significant cuts in plastic production. The call came as negotiations entered a crucial phase, with countries and stakeholders pressing for strong measures to tackle the plastic pollution crisis that is threatening ecosystems, human health, and the global climate. Representatives of the Global South stressed that their regions bear the heaviest burden of plastic pollution, despite contributing the least to global production and consumption. They argued…
How Nigeria’s security forces tracked, cornered, and arrested two of the world’s most wanted terrorists has been revealed by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), in what authorities described as one of the most decisive blows against the Al-Qaeda-linked Ansaru group since its emergence in 2012. National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, said at a press briefing in Abuja on Saturday that the arrests of Mahmud Muhammad Usman, popularly known as Abu Bara’a, and Mahmud al-Nigeri, also called Mallam Mamuda, were the result of a months-long, intelligence-driven operation carried out between May and July 2025. “These two men…
Efforts to finalize a global treaty to combat plastic pollution stalled in Geneva after 10 days of intense negotiations, with delegates failing to reach consensus on a draft text. The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC), tasked with developing a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, adjourned its resumed fifth session (INC-5.2) on Friday without agreement, but pledged to continue talks at a later date. The meeting drew more than 2,600 participants to the Palais des Nations, including 1,400 government delegates from 183 countries, representatives from over 400 organizations, and nearly 70 ministers and vice ministers. Despite the broad turnout, sharp divisions…