PPPs cited as better option for government infrastructure

Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are the preferred mechanism for delivering large-scale government infrastructure, according to two key public officials.

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla and Department of Public Works and Highwasy Secretary Vince Dizon (DPWH) cited the alleged failure of the DPWH to produce quality buildings for state agencies.

“Kaya PPP ‘yan. ‘Pag binigay mo sa DPWH, iba na naman hitsura niyan,” Remulla said in his radio program on August 15, referring to the P9-billion UP-PGH Cancer Center Project, which he said failed to attract bidders.

He also pointed to the Bureau of Immigration (BI) building, where over P8 billion was spent and which has been underway for 10 years; and a Cebu flood control project where the proposed 63-meter waterway width was reduced to 25 meters.

Remulla urged the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to consider purchasing an existing private building instead of constructing a new one.

“Ang sabi ko nga kay (NBI Director) Melvin Matibag, huwag niyo na ituloy ang building ng NBI, bumili na lang kayo ng building… Ang pangit ng lalabas diyan,” he was quoted as saying.

He compared old buildings sold in the private market with new government construction.

“I-compare mo ngayon ‘yung mga buildings na pinagbibili kaysa sa mga ipapagawa natin. Hindi kayang gawin ng gobyerno ‘yung quality. Mura pa, ang ganda ng building… Bumili ka na lang sa private sector. Parang PPP rin ‘yan in reverse,” he said.

“We have to take a cue from the quality of work that happens with government projects… As it is right now, wala tayong maasahan sa (DPWH),” Removal added.

Dizon, for his part, agreed with Remulla’s stance.

‘Until the internal systems and culture within the DPWH are thoroughly reformed, Public-Private Partnerships remain the far better option for large-scale, complex infrastructure like government buildings,” Dizon said.

He added: “I have always been a strong, consistent advocate of PPPs whenever they are viable. Through PPPs, we can guarantee timeliness, high quality, and cost efficiency – standards that the public deserves.”

Dizon also expressed dismay over the BI building project.

“In fact, nagalit talaga ako noong nalaman ko ‘yung delay sa Bureau of Immigration building project. The design is so poorly executed that the driveway can barely accommodate normal-sized vehicles. This is unacceptable, and it highlights the exact structural problems,” he said.

Regarding the NBI building, Dizon said he would personally speak with NBI Director Melvin Matibag.

“DPWH is more than willing to discontinue the current project so that the NBI can explore far better, more practical options for its headquarters,” he said.

The Civil Aviation and Immigration Security Services (CAISS) project, a proposed border security project under the BI, is among the initiatives cited in several discussions on PPPs.

According to the BI, the project aims to modernize 11 international airports, among others, across the country using artificial intelligence, biometrics, and real-time data processing, criminal record search, and deception detection.

It is structured to be financed entirely through minimal user fees, with a guaranteed four-year technology refresh cycle to ensure that the system never falls behind global standards, eliminating the typical government procurement delays that render new infrastructure obsolete within years.

Amid the controversy, the proposed P10.74-billion CAISS project has been cited as an example of why other PPP advocates remain steadfast in their support for a partnership model.

Unlike traditional government projects bogged down by red tape and budget constraints, CAISS uses an International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)-compliant, cutting-edge technology.

ICAO is a UN specialized agency based in Montreal, Canada, that is responsible for establishing the standards and practices that govern international air navigation.

“Ang kagandahan po nitong proyektong ito ay end-to-end,” BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said in previous interviews, highlighting how the private sector’s expertise in innovation and efficiency complements the government’s regulatory mandate.

The CAISS project, if approved, would cover all major international gateways, including NAIA, Clark, Davao, Mactan-Cebu, Boracay, Iloilo, Kalibo, Laoag, Bohol-Panglao, Puerto Princesa, and Zamboanga airports.

The CAISS model demonstrates exactly what Remulla and Dizon envision – a partnership where the private sector assumes construction, operation, and maintenance risks, while the government focuses on policy, oversight and ensuring public welfare.

The fundamental argument championed by both officials is rooted in the concept of comparative advantage. The government, with its bureaucratic procurement laws, political cycles and rigid budget allocations, struggles to match the speed, innovation and cost-efficiency of the private sector.

As Remulla noted, even purchasing old private buildings often yields better results than constructing new ones through public funds.

While Dizon has committed to reforming the DPWH from within, both leaders agree that PPPs offer the most reliable mechanism for big-ticket projects in the interim.

An economist said that for the Philippines, a nation with immense infrastructure needs but limited fiscal space, PPPs are no longer optional but essential. They reduce the burden on the national budget, accelerate project delivery, transfer financial and operational risks to the private sector, and ensure that the public receives services that meet international standards.

When structured correctly, he said, PPPs can transform government services from liabilities into assets.

Marcos declares Sept. 14 a non-working day in BARMM for first parliamentary polls

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has declared September 14 a special non-working day across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the voting day for the region’s first regular parliamentary elections.

The declaration was made through Proclamation No. 1395, signed on August 18 by Acting Executive Secretary Ralph Recto.

Giving Bangsamoro residents the chance “to actively and fully participate in the election and exercise their right to vote” made it “fitting and proper” to set aside the Monday as a special non-working day, the proclamation read.

The vote will fill the seats of the Bangsamoro Parliament, the region’s first to be chosen by voters rather than appointed.

The September vote comes after several postponements. First, the Bangsamoro Organic Law had set the original date for the parliamentary elections for May 2022. Congress moved that to May 2025, citing the pandemic, then to October 13, 2025, after the Supreme Court removed Sulu from BARMM in 2024 and scrambled the region’s district map.

The third delay came after the SC struck down the region’s two districting laws and ordered the Commission on Elections to hold the polls by March 31, 2026. That deadline also slipped as the Bangsamoro Transition Authority passed a valid districting law only in mid-January, too late for Comelec, which deferred the March vote until Congress set a new date.

Anticybercrime body seeks ban on site that livestreamed Ateneo shooting

The country’s primary digital security and cyberthreat coordinating agency has sought to block the website used to livestream Tuesday’s deadly school shooting in Zamboanga City.

Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) Undersecretary Renato Paraiso on Thursday told a Senate panel that the gore and shock content website, which is no longer accessible from the Philippines, was being used to connect viewers to messaging platforms where similar content could potentially be shared.

‘We’ve already recommended the blocking of the website within the Philippine jurisdiction. But the website’s following is not really on the website. That’s where the videos are streamed, but their [followers] usually talk, discuss, maybe radicalize, on separate messaging platforms,’ Paraiso told the Senate women and children committee.

The committee is investigating the Aug. 18 shooting in Ateneo de Zamboanga University (AdZU) involving a Grade 8 student who allegedly opened fire on campus, while streaming the entire event to a website and to social media using a body camera. A Grade 10 student was killed before the alleged shooter took his own life.

No jurisdiction

The incident was also streamed on Meta’s social media platform, Facebook, but it took five minutes before authorities reported the content.

According to Paraiso, the video remained online for another nine minutes before it was taken down.

He explained that the CICC does not have direct jurisdiction over social media, gaming, messaging or streaming platforms and, therefore, cannot independently remove content from these services.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros, committee chair, then called on Meta to ensure their social media platforms are safe.

Meta did not send a representative to the hearing.

‘Meta itself has to do better. It gets a lot of benefits from the platform. It shouldn’t allow that kind of content to go viral,’ Hontiveros said.

‘This committee is calling out Meta. You have to do better. Clean up your mess, your garbage on your powerful platform, don’t leave it all to the CICC,’ she added.

Paraiso noted that no law directs a government agency to order the removal of livestreams and other harmful content from online platforms.

He proposed that legislators pass a law giving specific law enforcement authorities jurisdiction over messaging platforms, such as Telegram and Discord, where violent content is accessible and extremist groups have been reported to gather.

Online safety

In the same hearing, the Game Developers Association of the Philippines (GDAP) said parents should not be blamed for failing to protect their children from inappropriate online content.

GDAP president Ria Lu said many parents may be unaware of the safety features already available on devices and online platforms and do not know how to activate them.

Lu cited instances where parents may unknowingly expose their children to such content by allowing them to use their phones, which may not have parental controls or restrictions.

She said educating parents about these tools should be among the first steps in addressing children’s online safety.

Beyond parental awareness, Lu also proposed incorporating digital literacy into elementary and high school curriculum so children learn how to navigate online spaces safely.

‘Implement classes or subjects inside elementary and high school on how to navigate in the digital world, because one of the weird things that we have right now is we just assume that our children know how to deal with themselves in the digital world,’ Lu said.

Children should instead be taught to become responsible ‘digital citizens’ who know how to protect themselves from bad actors and avoid becoming harmful actors themselves, she said.

Lu urged lawmakers and stakeholders to focus on both sides of digital safety, equipping parents with knowledge about existing controls while teaching children how to responsibly navigate the digital world

Sheikh Jingir’s incendiary declaration

IN Nigeria, words from the pulpit are not always just words. In a country with a long history of religious tension, what an influential cleric says publicly can either calm people or deepen existing divisions. That is why Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir’s recent declaration deserves serious attention. His support for a continued Muslim-Muslim political arrangement is his right. But reportedly telling Muslims to collect their voter cards and ‘show the infidels their limit,’ in reference to Christians, crosses a dangerous line.

There is nothing wrong with a Muslim supporting a Muslim candidate, just as there is nothing wrong with a Christian supporting a Christian candidate. Democracy gives every Nigerian that freedom. The problem begins when political competition is turned into a religious contest between ‘us’ and ‘them,’ particularly when one group is described as having to be shown its place. That kind of language does more than express political preference. It creates an atmosphere in which fellow citizens are treated as outsiders simply because of their faith. Nigeria belongs to all Nigerians. Muslims, Christians, traditional worshippers and people who practise no religion are equally Nigerian. Nobody’s citizenship is superior to another person’s because of religious identity. The Nigerian Constitution is clear on this principle. Section 10 prevents government from adopting a state religion. Section 38 protects freedom of thought, conscience and religion, while Section 42 prohibits discrimination on religious grounds. These provisions are important because they remind us that citizenship is not determined by which religion has the larger population.

Sheikh Jingir has every right to support President Tinubu or advocate for a Muslim-Muslim ticket. But freedom of religion and freedom of political expression cannot become a licence to demean other Nigerians particularly before a large audience and in the presence of political leaders. Nigeria has learnt, painfully, that inflammatory religious language can have consequences beyond the moment. In May 2022, Deborah Samuel, a student of Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto, was killed by a mob following an allegation of blasphemy. Whatever one’s religious beliefs, no accusation can justify taking another person’s life. The incident showed how quickly religious emotion can overwhelm reason and the rule of law.

We also recall the controversy surrounding the cleric, Idris Tenshi, who reportedly described First Lady Oluremi Tinubu as an ‘infidel’ in 2024 and called for her death because of her Christian faith. Although he later apologised, such provocative attacks are becoming one too many, particularly against Christians and the Christian faith. Shiekh Jingir’s remarks should not simply be dismissed as another political speech. Context matters. Words that might have a theological meaning within a religious discussion can take on an entirely different character when used at a political gathering to mobilise voters against another religious group. When ‘infidels’ are presented as people whose ‘limits’ must be demonstrated, the language becomes exclusionary and potentially threatening.

The National Human Rights Commission through its Executive Secretary, Chief Tony Ojukwu, SAN, described the remarks as hate speech and called for investigation by the police and DSS. That investigation should be allowed to run its course.

The presence of political leaders at the event also deserves serious attention. Reports identify Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi among those present. Any governor who hears language that demeans a section of the people he governs has a responsibility to speak out. A governor does not govern only Muslims, Christians or members of his political party; he governs everyone. If Christians in Kano or Jigawa are made to feel that their citizenship is somehow inferior, their governors should be the first to reassure them that their rights and place in society are not conditional upon their religion. In this regard, Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso deserves credit for making it clear that Kano does not endorse such remarks. That is an important distinction. Rejecting religious intolerance is not a betrayal of the North. In fact, respected Muslim leaders should be at the forefront of rejecting language that could damage both Islam and the wider society.

The Presidency should also not remain silent. If the government genuinely wants Nigerians to believe that the 2027 elections will be about ideas, performance and democratic choice, then it must discourage attempts to turn the election into a religious battle. Condemning inflammatory rhetoric does not amount to interfering with religious freedom. It is simply an affirmation that every Nigerian deserves equal dignity. And let us be fair: the same standard must apply to Christian clerics. If a Christian preacher were to describe Muslims in similarly degrading terms or encourage Christians to demonstrate their dominance over Muslims, the response should be exactly the same. Selective outrage is not justice. It is merely favouritism wearing the clothes of principle.

What Nigeria needs from its religious leaders is wisdom, not provocation; from its politicians, leadership rather than religious arithmetic; and from its security agencies, impartial enforcement of the law. Sheikh Jingir’s declaration therefore presents Nigeria with a larger question. Do the constitutional guarantees of equal citizenship mean anything when influential people can publicly demean another faith without consequence? Can Nigerian leaders confront intolerance even when it comes from their own political or religious camp? As 2027 approaches, these questions matter enormously. Nigeria cannot afford an election in which Muslims are mobilised against Christians, or Christians against Muslims. We have too much history, too many wounds and too much at stake. Religious freedom must be protected. Political freedom must be protected. Freedom of speech must be protected. But none of these freedoms should become a weapon for turning fellow citizens into enemies.

The greatest danger is not one provocative speech; it is what happens when such speeches become normal, when leaders hear them and remain silent, and when society gradually accepts intolerance as an instrument of political mobilisation. Nigeria must not wait until words turn into violence before deciding that enough is enough. A stitch in time saves nine.

The consequences of distorting the Abuja master plan

ABUJA was not designed to become another sprawling African metropolis where concrete competes endlessly with nature for space. From its conception, Nigeria’s Federal Capital was planned as a modern city in which roads, residential districts, commercial centres, public institutions and natural environments would exist in a carefully balanced relationship. At the heart of that vision was the Abuja Master Plan-a document conceived not merely as a map showing where buildings should stand, but as a long-term blueprint for creating a functional, healthy and aesthetically distinguished capital city.

Yet decades after Abuja was established as Nigeria’s Federal Capital, one of the most troubling threats to that vision is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore: the gradual distortion and erosion of the city’s original planning principles. Open spaces are disappearing. Green corridors are being encroached upon.

Road setbacks are being reduced. Commercial and residential structures are appearing in areas that were originally intended to remain undeveloped. The consequences are no longer theoretical they are beginning to stare the city and its residents in the face.

One of the most important but least appreciated elements of the original Abuja planning philosophy was the deliberate preservation of environmental buffer zones and green corridors. These spaces were not accidental leftovers between roads and buildings. They were part of the city’s infrastructure.

Along major roads, substantial setbacks were maintained to provide visual openness, improve environmental quality, regulate temperatures, facilitate drainage and preserve the character of the capital. The long corridor around the Kubwa Expressway provides a particularly striking illustration. From the Zuba axis through Kubwa and Gwarimpa and towards the central districts, extensive areas were historically maintained between major road corridors and surrounding developments.

The idea was simple but sophisticated: Abuja needed room to breathe. Those spaces provided separation between major transportation routes and human settlements. They offered opportunities for landscaping and tree planting while helping to absorb stormwater and reduce the environmental impact of an increasingly urbanised landscape.

But much of that philosophy is now under pressure.

Buildings, shops, business premises, informal developments and other structures have progressively moved into spaces that were originally intended to provide buffers and setbacks. What may appear to an individual developer as a small encroachment can, when multiplied across thousands of developments, fundamentally alter the character and functionality of an entire city.

Open space is not wasted space: One of the most dangerous misconceptions in urban development is the belief that an undeveloped piece of land is necessarily idle land. It is not.

A green corridor may not generate immediate rent. A tree-lined setback may not produce commercial revenue. An undeveloped drainage buffer may not look economically productive. But these spaces perform functions that become visible precisely when they disappear.

Trees provide shade and help moderate urban temperatures. Vegetation contributes to cleaner air. Green areas can absorb and slow down rainwater. Properly maintained open spaces can reduce pressure on drainage systems and help prevent uncontrolled surface run-off.

In a rapidly growing city, these functions become increasingly important. As Abuja becomes more densely developed, the replacement of vegetation and permeable ground with concrete, asphalt and other impermeable surfaces inevitably changes how rainfall moves through the urban environment.

Water that would previously have been absorbed into the ground is forced to move rapidly across hard surfaces.

Where drainage infrastructure is inadequate, blocked or overwhelmed, flooding becomes an increasingly predictable consequence.

The irony is that the warning signs are already visible. Across Nigeria, flooding is no longer an occasional inconvenience. It has become a major urban and environmental challenge, destroying property, disrupting transportation and threatening lives.

Abuja cannot assume that its status as a planned city automatically protects it from the consequences of poor planning. A master plan is only as effective as the discipline with which it is respected.

From Planned Capital to Uncontrolled Expansion?

The greatest danger is not one building or one disputed parcel of land. It is the cumulative effect of thousands of decisions made outside the original planning philosophy.

A city can lose its character one approval at a time. A green area is converted there. A commercial structure emerges where open space was intended. Another development changes the drainage pattern. Another road corridor becomes increasingly congested.

Eventually, what was once an exception becomes the new normal. That is how cities decline.

Urban decay does not necessarily arrive dramatically. Sometimes it comes quietly through administrative compromises, illegal constructions, weak enforcement, political pressure and the gradual normalisation of violations.

By the time the consequences become impossible to ignore, reversing the damage can be enormously expensive. Demolishing a building after it has been constructed is more politically and financially difficult than preventing the inappropriate development in the first place.

Restoring a destroyed green corridor is far more expensive than protecting it. Rebuilding an urban drainage system after decades of uncontrolled development can cost billions.

Planning, therefore, is fundamentally about prevention.

UK warns citizens against travel to 11 Nigerian states

The United Kingdom has warned its citizens against travelling to some parts of Nigeria.

The warning is contained in the latest Nigeria travel advice published by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)yesterday.

The advisory, updated on August 20, listed 11 states,- Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Katsina, Zamfara, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River-as no-go areas for its citizens.

It said other states and the Federal Capital Territory could be visited by them if essential.

The FCDO cautioned travellers that ‘no travel can be guaranteed safe’ and urged those planning trips to Nigeria to read the travel advice.

It also advised travellers to ‘research your destinations’ and ‘get appropriate travel insurance’ if they opt to travel.

Seized/ forfeited assets: Auctioneers ask Tinubu to order probe of MDAs

The Nigeria Auctioneers Association(NAA) has accused some federal ministries, departments and agencies of violating due process in the disposal of seized and forfeited properties.

The association’s National President, Musa Kurra, told reporters at a news conference in Abuja yesterday that their acts cost the Federal Government billions of naira.

Kurra consequently called on President Bola Tinubu to order an investigation into the alleged illegal auctions.

He stated that the law requires government agencies that seized or forfeited properties to engage qualified valuers to determine their worth and appoint licensed auctioneers to dispose of them.

According to him, some of the MDAs created internal structures to conduct auctions themselves, thereby bypassing licensed auctioneers and exposing the government to revenue losses.

He said: ‘Most ministries and agencies have become auctioneers on their own. They don’t care about due process anymore. This is not good for the government. There are a lot of properties worth billions, if not trillions, of naira that are being wasted.’

TRCN targets certification of all teachers by Dec. 31

Nigeria’s teaching profession is heading for a major regulatory shake-up as the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) moves to enforce full professional certification and licensing of teachers by December 2027.

The council’s Registrar, Dr Ronke Soyombo, disclosed this in an interview with The Nation.

Soyombo described the move as a part of broader reforms aimed at restoring professionalism, strengthening standards and ensuring that only qualified and licensed practitioners remain in Nigerian classrooms.

According to the TRCN boss, the council intends to ensure that at least 75 per cent of teachers possess its certificates by the end of this year. Schools, Soyombo said, would be required to demonstrate compliance with the professional certification requirement.

She added that the council would monitor schools seeking to register candidates for public examinations, including those conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO), to determine whether they meet the 75 per cent professional certification threshold.

‘By December 2027, no teacher will be allowed to remain in the classroom without a valid TRCN licence,’ Soyombo said.

Soyombo revealed that as part of its reforms, TRCN would change the structure of its Professional Qualifying Examination (PQE).

She explained that the council is moving away from a system that could give the impression of a uniform examination irrespective of academic qualification.

According to her, under the new integrated examination system, candidates will be assessed according to the qualification with which they seek registration.

‘Thus, a PhD holder will take a PhD-level examination, a first-degree holder will take a degree-level examination, while an NCE holder will take an NCE-level examination.

The new structure, she said, will commence with the November examination,” she explained.

The reform is also designed to eliminate ambiguity over the qualification a candidate presents at the point of registration.

‘For instance, a candidate who sits for the examination as an NCE holder cannot subsequently rely on obtaining a doctorate after the examination to claim that the earlier examination should be treated as a PhD-level assessment.

The date on which the qualification was obtained will therefore become critical.

‘If the doctorate was obtained before the examination, the candidate will need to sit for the appropriate examination to register as a PhD holder,’ Soyombo explained.

Soyombo noted that the TRCN is also overhauling the technology underpinning its certification process.

She also said that the council inherited a test-taking platform that had serious capacity limitations, particularly as the number of candidates seeking professional certification increased.

At the time, she explained, the system could accommodate only about 120 candidates at a time, forcing the council to spread examinations over several days.

‘The new platform has dramatically increased that capacity. We can now accommodate up to 5,000 candidates at a time,’ she said.

The technological upgrade is expected to enable the council to conduct examinations simultaneously across different states, subject to the capacity of available Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres.

The scale of demand became evident during the May 2026 examination, which attracted more than 26,000 candidates nationwide.

Soyombo said the council is examining how the different areas in the teaching profession can be properly reflected within its emerging professional framework.

‘There are different categories and areas of specialisation within the education sector, and these are being taken into consideration as we continue to develop the professional framework,’ she said.

FG tasks builders on quality, supervision

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, gave the charge while opening the 56th Builders’ Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) in Abuja.

Akume said the government was committed to improving housing delivery through quality construction, increased use of locally produced building materials and stronger collaboration with professionals under the Renewed Hope Housing Agenda.

He described housing as more than physical structures, saying it provides safety, dignity, family stability and opportunities for wealth creation.

The SGF stressed that every completed building must demonstrate the competence and ethical responsibility of professional builders.

He warned that Nigeria’s growing population, projected to reach about 450 million by 2050, required stricter adherence to construction standards and an end to the use of substandard materials, poor supervision and unqualified personnel.

Akume also urged registered builders not to lend their names or professional seals to projects they did not supervise, describing the practice as a threat to public safety, professional credibility and public trust.

He called for wider adoption of modern construction methods, transparent procurement and stronger domestic supply chains to reduce construction costs and make housing more affordable.

The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Muttaqa Darma, represented by Musa Abdullahi, identified recurring building collapses as one of the sector’s major challenges.

He said builders had a critical role in ensuring compliance with construction standards through quality control, material testing and effective site supervision.

Darma urged participants at the conference to develop practical policy recommendations that could improve housing delivery and strengthen safety in the built environment.

President of the NIOB, Builder Daniel Kolade, said the institute had intensified nationwide advocacy against building collapse and professional quackery.

He said the institute looked forward to marking March 13 as National Builders’ Day to commemorate victims of a tragic building collapse in Lagos and raise public awareness about the importance of engaging qualified building professionals.

Kolade expressed confidence that sustained advocacy, stronger regulation and collaboration between government and industry stakeholders would help reduce building collapses and improve safety at construction sites.

The conference, themed ‘Repositioning the Building Profession: Advocacy and Policy Influence on Housing Delivery for a Sustainable Built Environment,’ brought together policymakers, builders and other construction industry stakeholders to address challenges confronting Nigeria’s housing sector.

Dating in Kampala: Meet today, get close tomorrow and disappear by Friday

Kampala’s dating scene is slowly becoming less of a dating scene and more of a dating sin. Everybody appears to be trying to get something from everybody, and somehow love has become the cover story. Money and sex sit comfortably at the centre of the whole operation.

There are women who have turned dating into a small, informal enterprise, trying to maintain lifestyles that require serious financing. The argument is simple: if one man cannot sustain the standard, diversification is just good business. One date here, another dinner there, perhaps a weekend in Entebbe. Multiple options, multiple revenue streams. Capitalism has entered the relationship.

Then there are the men, many of whom are perfectly happy to provide the supply. Some are genuinely looking for relationships; others are looking for a good time and have no intention of staying around afterwards. Add a few sweet words, strategic promises and enough confidence to convince someone that ‘I am different’ actually means something, and you have a functioning ecosystem.

There is also the status game: who is dating whom, who is sleeping with which celebrity, who has upgraded from a Toyota to a Range Rover and suddenly has access to women he could previously only admire on Instagram. Dating becomes less about companionship and more about collecting social points.

Then come the married people, quietly entering a market they supposedly exited years ago. Married men want excitement; married women may want attention, youthful energy or simply the feeling of being desired again. Suddenly, the dating pool is full of people who are technically unavailable but somehow extremely available.

And somewhere in the middle are women approaching the dreaded mythical marriage deadline, going on date after date hoping that somewhere between a rooftop dinner and a badly planned weekend adventure, Prince Charming will finally appear.

So what do we have? Money, sex, status, insecurity, expectations and a frightening shortage of patience.

Kampala dating has become part romance, part battlefield and part financial services sector. Everyone wants love, but nobody wants to look like they need it. And while everybody is searching for the perfect partner, we keep treating each other like temporary investments.

The First Date

This is where the whole thing should start, because before you reach bride price, there is the small matter of surviving the first date. And these days, even that has become a financial and constitutional debate. Where should you go? Who chooses the place? What should you eat? Who pays?

And, most importantly, how much money are we prepared to lose before we even know whether this person likes us?

The older generation had it easier. Things were black and white. The man came, the woman agreed, they went somewhere, ate something and went home. Our generation inherited the same dating institution but added 17 shades of grey.

Then comes the location. Apparently, the first-date venue is now a personality test. Take her to a nice restaurant and you are intentional, take her somewhere simple and you are financially responsible. Take her for bird watching at Kyadi and suddenly she is wondering how pure your intentions are. This is where the modern dating economy becomes interesting.

The first date is no longer just about whether two people like each other; it can feel like a financial audition. And if you keep meeting people, those costs accumulate quickly. One date becomes two, two become five, and suddenly your salary is disappearing faster than your enthusiasm.

Then there are dating apps, where romance has been converted into a subscription package. You buy boosts, super likes and premium memberships, essentially paying money to be ignored by people who are also paying money to ignore you.

Transactional

Dating has become very transactional. Simply liking someone stopped being enough. Before you even decide whether you enjoy talking to this person, you are already trying to figure out what they bring to the table. Money? Connections? Looks? Lifestyle? Good sex? A car? A well-paying job?

These days, ‘What do you do?’ can sound less like getting to know someone and more like a bank officer checking whether you qualify for a loan. Everybody is calculating something. The guy is wondering how much this date will cost him, the woman is wondering whether this man is serious, and both are pretending they are just enjoying the evening.

You buy dinner, she is assessing your intentions. She dresses up, you are assessing your chances. With all this algebra, two human beings are supposed to fall in love.

Things have become complicated because intimacy is easier to find, but genuine commitment seems harder to come by. You can meet someone today, get close tomorrow and disappear by Friday.

But ask people to take things slowly, communicate, build trust and actually work through their problems, and suddenly everyone has alot going on.

There is always another person in the DMs, another match on the app and another option waiting around the corner. So why struggle with one person when you can simply swipe?

The problem is that relationships, unlike Uber, cannot always be cancelled when traffic gets bad. At some point, somebody has to stay, communicate and do the uncomfortable work. We have made meeting people easier, made intimacy quicker, and somehow made commitment feel like the most expensive subscription of them all.

The H*es Aint Loyal

Then there is the small issue of loyalty or what remains of it. Dating these days sometimes feels like everyone is running a recruitment agency from their phone like that company that is always hiring. You are talking to one person, another is in the DMs, a third is on standby, and there is always that one friend who says they are just checking on you but has clearly submitted an application.

People call it having options, everybody is shopping, everybody is being shopped, and everybody is quietly checking whether there is a better deal somewhere. Of course, there are still loyal people. They are probably just too busy being loyal to post about it, the loudest people online are usually the ones who have been left on read since last week but the perception remains: people seem increasingly willing to leave at the first inconvenience, especially when another option is only one ‘hey stranger’ away.

And then we arrive at the elephant in the dating room: hookups. Dating apps, Instagram, WhatsApp and the general availability of people have made casual relationships easier to find than a serious person willing to define the relationship. For some people, that is perfectly fine. Adults will adult. But when casual dating becomes the default, everybody is available, but nobody is available for commitment.

The more the dating scene rewards quick access and short-term excitement, the less attractive patience, communication and emotional effort become. Eventually, genuine effort starts looking suspicious. Someone actually communicates consistently, that is a Red flag.

A Liability?

Dating is increasingly being treated like a liability rather than an investment. For men, you spend money on transport, dinner, drinks, airtime, data and sometimes an entire weekend, only to be told three weeks later that she is not looking for anything serious.

Meanwhile, the serious thing you were looking for has apparently gone to Dubai.

Add the emotional investment, the possibility of rejection, being ghosted, or discovering that you were actually competing with three other men, and some men have decided that staying home with their PlayStation is the safer investment. At least the PlayStation does not ask where the relationship is going.

Women face their own risks, including unsafe encounters, inconsistent men and wasting months on someone whose idea of commitment is sending good morning every day.

In an economy where rent, fuel and Kampala traffic are already doing enough damage, some people are simply choosing peace.

Careers, friends, hobbies, travel and personal growth are becoming more attractive than relationships that feel like another monthly bill. Being single is also increasingly seen less as failure and more as self-preservation.

Expanded acceptance

Then, just when you thought dating was already complicated enough, enter sexual exploration and fluidity. The modern dating scene has more options, identities and relationship arrangements than a Kampala restaurant menu.

You have the straight ones, the bisexuals, the pansexuals, the bicurious ones, the still figuring it out ones, the demisexuals who need an emotional connection first, and the people who have apparently decided that labels are oppressive and simply want to go with the flow. A tough time for us the sapiosexuals!

There are conversations about bisexuality, open relationships, non-monogamy and people still figuring out exactly what they want. For some, this is progress. But for others, especially those trying to navigate the traditional man-meets-woman-and-somehow-we-get-married script, it has added another layer of confusion.

The old dating rules were already badly written, now someone has come and changed the syllabus halfway through the semester.

You meet someone, start getting interested, and before you know it, you are trying to understand if they were originally female.

The dating pool has certainly become more complicated, what was once a relatively straightforward game now has more players, more rules and, frankly, several terms and conditions nobody bothered to read.

Taken together, these observations paint a picture of a scene widely regarded as a mess.

The Outliers

But despite all these setbacks, people are still getting married. Week after week, every other day there is a wedding, another couple walking down the aisle, another person changing their WhatsApp status from ‘Single and Blessed’ to somebody’s husband or wife.

From the pictures, everyone looks genuinely happy, and we can only hope that happiness continues long after the photographer has packed his cameras. We are genuinely happy for them, please share the syllabus.

Not everyone is complaining. There are people who swear the apps work, that good people are still out there and that, with enough patience, you eventually find someone who is not just looking for a good time and a free dinner. Maybe we are simply watching old-school expectations collide with modern independence.

School director, two others convicted over Jozan pupil murder

The High Court in Soroti has convicted three people over the murder of Joan Faith Apio, a five-year-old Primary One pupil of Jozan Nursery and Primary School, who was killed and dumped in a pit latrine in February 2025.

Justice Boniface Wamala, the resident judge, convicted Ms Suzan Vivian Ariokot Okedi, Mr Joseph Okedi, the school director, and Mr John Bosco Obotol, a detective police constable attached to Madera Police Post, after finding that the prosecution had proved their participation in the murder.

The court, however, acquitted three other accused persons-Mr James Edoket, the head teacher of the nursery section, Mr Valentine Opio, the school cook, and Ms Osula Apio, a canteen attendant and school matron-after finding that the prosecution had failed to prove their participation in the offence.

Apio, a twin and daughter of Ms Angela Evelyn Akol, had reported to Jozan Nursery and Primary School with her sister before she was killed on February 5, 2025, only three days after starting school.

In his judgment delivered on Thursday, Justice Wamala said the prosecution had proved all the ingredients of murder against Ms Ariokot, Mr Okedi and Mr Obotol.

‘In all therefore, prosecution has proved all the ingredients of the offence of murder against A1, A2 and A4 … I find A1, A2 and A4 guilty of the offence and I convict each one accordingly,’ Justice Wamala ruled.

He said the prosecution had failed to prove the participation of the other three accused persons.

Evidence

The court heard that Ms Ariokot was linked to the crime through evidence from two juvenile witnesses whose identities were withheld for their safety.

According to the judgment, the witnesses linked Ms Ariokot to the incident and told the court that she sent for the deceased and instructed one of them to obtain a cutter knife, which was later used in the killing.

The prosecution further relied on a postmortem report, which showed that Apio died from a deep cut to the neck inflicted by a sharp object. The report also indicated that some body tissue was missing.

The court also considered evidence placing Mr Obotol near the scene of the crime.

Prosecution evidence indicated that he was seen standing about two metres behind the school pit latrine, outside the school fence, at the time of the incident.

The court heard that a black polythene bag containing body tissue was handed to him before he fled the scene.

Ms Ariokot had denied the charge, and had claimed that she was at Pride Bank’s Soroti branch processing a loan when the incident occurred.

She further claimed that she later returned to her shop, where she was ironing wedding gowns, before receiving a telephone call from her husband informing her about the incident.

Justice Wamala rejected the explanation, saying CCTV footage showed that she was at the bank between 4:54 pm and 5:03 pm, while her claim of being at the shop was not proved beyond reasonable doubt.

School director convicted

Although Mr Okedi did not directly participate in the assault, Justice Wamala found that he was involved in the planning of the murder.

The judge noted that a cutter knife used in the killing was not included on the school canteen shopping list but was added and brought to the school on the same day.

‘A1 (Ariokot) sent PW1, a juvenile and her daughter, to buy the cutter knife which was later used for committing an offence,’ Justice Wamala said.

The judge also found that Mr Okedi gave police a false account about an alleged attempted murder involving Apio’s twin sister, Achen.

According to the court, he knowingly transported the deceased to hospital after her death while pretending that she was still alive.

The trio is expected to be sentenced on Friday after the court considers the circumstances of the offence and their mitigation.

Murder attracts the severest punishment of death by hanging on conviction.