A petty trader, Mrs. Mary Okunrinnla, in September 2024, downloaded one of the fintech apps for the first time to enhance her business transactions. Before being financially included in the banking system, Aunty Mary, as she’s fondly called in her shop, directed customers to use Point-of-Sale (PoS) agents or bring cash whenever they patronized her. “The stress of getting my money from other people whom my customers paid to have gone. Sometimes, some people I use their accounts to collect my money wouldn’t even give me [the money] on time. But now I have my income safely kept in my…
Author: Editor
Onion farming is a cornerstone of the economy in Sokoto State, located in the northwest region of Nigeria. It employs thousands of young people and contributes significantly to the socioeconomic development of both the state and the country as a whole. Local government areas (LGAs) such as Wamakko, Dange-Shuni, Gada, Goronyo, and others cultivate and produce large quantities of onions during both the dry and wet farming seasons. These onions are sold locally, and a significant portion is transported to markets across Nigeria and even internationally. As a result, Sokoto State is recognized as the largest onion producer in the…
Paul Okunola, who recently lost his mother, needed a death certificate to process her government benefits as a former civil servant. Despite obtaining a paper copy of the death registration from the hospital where she was treated, he was disappointed to find that the details were not digitized or easily accessible. “It would be more beneficial if the process can be digitized and secure so that it’s without compromise, and one can access it with evidence of being the next of kin,” Okunola said. The bigger problem: Low awareness of vital registration Nigeria faces a broader challenge: limited public awareness…
Chinua Achebe’s chilling phrase, “Things Fall Apart,” resonates profoundly with the history of North(ern) Nigeria following the assassination of Sir Ahmadu Bello in 1966. His death marked a catastrophic turning point, unleashing a cascade of events that plunged the region into a cycle of instability, underdevelopment, and social fragmentation. This essay will explore the consequences of Sardauna’s assassination, examining its impact on the political, economic, and social spheres of Northern Nigeria, and relating these to the efforts of groups like the Rebuild Nigeria Initiative for Development (RBID) to instigate positive change. By Abdul-Azeez Suleiman The Sardauna’s influence transcended his role as…
ASHENEWS reports that the Niger state Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago is elated over the successful first neurological and knee surgeries conducted by the IBB Specialist Hospital, Minna. A team of surgeons led by Consultant Neurosurgeon Dr Uthman Uthman successfully performed its first brain surgery on a 19-year-old boy who had sustained a severe brain injury and skull fracture during a road crash. Another team of surgeons led by Orthopedic Surgeons Abdullahi Mohammad and Mustapha Ibrahim also performed its first total knee replacement surgery after many decades on a 65-year-old woman with bilateral advanced osteoarthritis of the knee. Bago applauded the…
Some time ago, I had an oblique conversation with Governor Mai Mala Buni about my health condition, and something related to the topic of this piece came out. Sometimes, I get amazed at how he recalls things we see as inconsequential or forgotten because of time and relates them to everyday life. Because of this and many others, I believe the creator blessed him with so much wisdom that he could pass for a sage. Thanks to present realities, I mostly stay at home throughout the week, going to the office only on Mondays. However, I sometimes stay in town…
Lagos State has suffered hugely from non-indigenes ruling the state since 1999, they have become wealthy without antecedents of wealth In their family tree. The non-indigenes have succeeded in dividing the indigenes, they pocketed some of their iconic leaders and notable elders. Infact Lagos elders are now described as Mr. Follow, Follow in the words of Fela Anikulapo Kuti. They no longer have an idea of their own but ready to carry out any anti-indigenous move all for personal gains. By Abanikanda Olumoro I describe this as Lagos State capture and according to Professor Adele Jinadu of De Renaissance Patriots…
In response to the increasing prevalence of infertility among young Nigerians, the Quiver Full Foundation is set to host the 2025 Annual Fertility Conference on January 25, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. The online event aims to explore the impact of modern diets, lifestyle habits, and medications on reproductive health. The conference will feature esteemed experts, including Dr. Abayomi Ajayi of Nordica Fertility Centre and entrepreneur Mrs. Yewande Zaccheaus, who will share insights into the complex interplay between lifestyle choices and infertility. Mental health professional Mrs. Gbemi Adekoya and Apostle Femi Lazarus will also discuss the emotional and psychological aspects of…
Toyin Ajayi, the Nigerian-born founder of the Canadian Black Farmers’ Association, has identified key factors contributing to Nigeria’s escalating food shortage. He cites excessive exportation, poor local farming practices, and pervasive insecurity as primary causes. Ajayi highlights the high demand for Nigerian food products among citizens abroad, leading to substantial exports that deplete local supplies and drive up domestic prices. The Ekiti-born farmer advocates for the Federal Government to implement an incentive-driven farming system similar to Canada’s to boost local food production. Additionally, Ajayi emphasizes the need for stringent control over food exports, noting the government’s lack of accurate data…
In February 2024, a Nigerian-based Chinese agricultural machinery and equipment company, Chinige Technology Services Limited, invited me to speak as the keynote speaker at a high-level agricultural mechanization sensitization workshop for policymakers and managers of agricultural institutions. I used the NAERLS results of the 2023 wet-season agricultural performance survey (APS) to present the abysmal level of farm productivity and the vast unexplored and untapped agricultural potential that needed investment. The primary factor responsible for agriculture’s appalling and disappointing productivity level is inadequate, inaccessible, and unaffordable farm machinery and equipment for small-scale farmers, who constitute about 90% of the Nigerian farming…