Sadly for me, my fifty years of studying political science have not helped me much in understanding Nigerian electoral politics. After 27 years of electoral democracy in the Fourth Republic and seven governments, the political process has been completely transformed, to be clearer, largely destroyed. Opposition party leaders are regularly expelled from their parties, and the expulsion is made legal by a corrupt judiciary that has no respect for laws but has lots of obedience to governments in power. Anti-corruption agencies are given lists of “troublesome” opposition leaders and instructed to persecute rather than prosecute them for their sins against…
Author: Editor
South Africa has once again found itself at the center of growing continental concern following the renewed tensions between citizens and African migrants across parts of the country. Reports of harassment, violent attacks, destruction of businesses, forced displacement, and rising anti-migrant rhetoric have triggered fresh debates around migration governance, economic inclusion, unemployment and the future of African integration. While the issue is often discussed as a domestic security or immigration problem, the broader implications extend far beyond South Africa itself. Increasingly, the situation is emerging as a strategic African governance, investment and regional integration challenge with implications for trade, diplomacy,…
Leading financial media firm, Nairametrics, has issued a public disclaimer distancing its Founder and Chief Analyst, Ugo Obi-Chukwu, from a series of fraudulent AI-generated videos circulating online that falsely depict him promoting stock investment groups. The company said the videos, widely shared across social media platforms, are fabricated and designed by fraudsters to lure unsuspecting investors into dubious schemes. According to Nairametrics, the manipulated clips deploy artificial intelligence to mimic Obi-Chukwu’s voice and likeness, urging viewers to join private groups where they are promised guidance on stock investments. The firm categorically stated that neither its founder nor any of its…
Nigeria’s largest banks delivered a mixed but ultimately reassuring set of financial results in 2025, with balance sheet expansion and revenue growth offset by a sharp, policy-driven hit to profitability. According to the 2025 audited financial statement for the period ended December 31st, tier one lenders’ gross earnings rose broadly, with the total amount collectively rising by 7.69 percent to N18.2 trillion from N16.9 trillion in the same period of 2024. This growth was led by Access Holdings to N5.52 trillion in 2025 from N4.87 trillion reported in 2024, followed by Zenith Bank rising to N4.07 trillion from N3.82 trillion,…
At least 17 members of the House of Representatives have defected from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), in a major shift on the floor of the lower chamber. The defections were formally announced during plenary on Tuesday, signalling a fresh wave of political realignments. Also announced was the defection of Leke Abejide, who moved from the ADC to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Those who joined the NDC include Yusuf Datti, Uchenna Okonkwo, Adamu Wakili, Thaddeus Attah, George Ozodinobi, Lilian Orogbu, Oluwaseyi Sowunmi, Peter Aniekwe, Mukhtar Zakari, George Oluwande and Munachim Umezuruike. Others are…
Impairment charges across Nigeria’s 10 banks surged to N3.2 trillion in their 2025 audited financial statements, as the end of regulatory forbearance triggered the sharp recognition of credit losses that had been deferred in earlier periods. The increase represents a 39 percent jump from N2.3 trillion recorded in 2024, according to data compiled by BusinessDay. The surge follows the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) decision to unwind Covid-era forbearance measures, which had allowed banks to restructure loans and delay classifying troubled exposures. In practical terms, loans previously tagged as “performing” under forbearance have begun to migrate into Stage 3 (credit-impaired),…
Three key figures who profoundly shaped my life passed away on April 15th, 17th, and 29th, 2026. While I mourned them, I also learned of the death of a former student and colleague. It was truly a season of loss. Death is inevitable; our holy book says every soul must taste it. We each die at our appointed time, regardless of the cause. Death never misses its schedule. As mortals, why obsess over worldly things, knowing we arrive in this world and leave it with nothing? Big houses, luxury cars, beautiful wives, and displays of wealth are nothing but mere…
I was in Makkah on the third of December last year for Umrah and to seek healthcare. And perhaps to run and rest from a political endeavour I willingly jumped into with both feet, even though wide-eyed. By February 10th I was through and was planning to return to Nigeria on the 20th of the month. My intention was to start the Ramadhan that commenced on the 18th there. I informed the airline, which rescheduled my return ticket accordingly. Man, always proposes. And you must as long as you are alive. But like it or not, it is God that…
KAMPALA — Uganda has launched its first locally developed modern biotechnology-based livestock vaccine, marking a significant milestone in the country’s scientific and agricultural advancement despite longstanding resistance to genetically engineered (GE) products. President Yoweri Museveni, on April 30, 2026, officially unveiled the anti-tick vaccine, branded “NAROVAC,” at the National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NALIRRI) in Nakyesasa, Wakiso District, near Kampala. The vaccine is the first of its kind developed within Uganda using modern biotechnology. The development comes amid years of opposition from anti-biotech activists, which has slowed the establishment of a comprehensive regulatory framework for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in…
There is a notable structural shift in the Nigerian banking sector as the industry is characterized as highly capitalized but has to navigate a dynamic macroeconomic and regulatory climate, particularly after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has carried out a vigorous 24-month recapitalization exercise that spanned requirements of N500 billion for international licenses and N200 billion for national licenses. Recent capital raises have enabled top-tier banks to have large liquidity buffers, and several Nigerian banks have a Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) of more than 20 percent. These banks can expand more cross-border banking within the continent to participate in…