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World Suicide Prevention Day: Police urges Nigerians to always check on loved ones

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has urged Nigerians to always check on people around them to minimise rising suicide cases.

In doing so, the NPF advised that people facing serious emotional difficulties should be encouraged rather than passing judgments on them.

The Force made the appeal yesterday as the world marked World Suicide Prevention Day, joining the global campaign against the stigma and the silence that often prevent people from speaking about their struggles.

The police said that persons with emotional difficulties might not always display obvious signs. stressing the need for family members, friends, colleagues and other members of the public to reach out to them.

Nigeria records an estimated 15,000 suicide deaths annually, with official and health agency estimates pointing to a suicide mortality rate of roughly 6.9 to 9.5 per 100,000 people.

Health agencies list multi-faceted factors, including life stressors such as financial problems, relationship disputes, or chronic pain and illness as the primary triggers.

In a message to mark the day, the police said a simple conversation, a listening ear or timely intervention could make a meaningful difference in the life of someone going through a difficult period.

‘A person who is struggling may not always show it. Taking the time to listen, check in on someone, offer support and encourage them to seek appropriate help can make a meaningful difference,’ the Force said.

The NPF also called for greater openness in discussing suicide and mental health. It said stigma could make vulnerable people withdraw further and discourage them from seeking assistance.

It urged Nigerians to create supportive environments where people can speak about their challenges without fear of condemnation or ridicule.

‘Let us challenge the stigma and silence that can prevent people from speaking about what they are going through.

‘Let us listen without judgement, respond with compassion, and encourage those who may be struggling to seek appropriate support,’ the Force said.

The police stressed that suicide prevention should not be left to individuals or professionals alone, but a collective responsibility of families, communities, workplaces and relevant support services.

The Force also called on Nigerians to take signs of distress seriously and ensure that people who may be at risk are encouraged to obtain appropriate professional help.

The appeal is part of broader efforts to promote compassion, early intervention and open conversations around suicide prevention, while reminding Nigerians that reaching out to someone in distress can be an important first step towards getting help.

Defensible AI: The hidden cost of decisions you cannot explain

Almost every large company in a 2025 EY survey reported financial losses from AI-related risks. Sixty-four percent lost more than US$1 million, while the estimated average loss was US$4.4 million. These figures should unsettle boards not because every AI failure can be prevented, but because the cost of AI is increasingly determined by what happens after confidence is challenged.

The most consequential AI failure may not be an incorrect output. It may be the loss of the organisation’s ability to justify continued use of the system.

When an organisation cannot demonstrate why a consequential system was appropriate, which risks were accepted, what evidence supported its use, or why intervention came when it did, a technical problem becomes an enterprise problem. The immediate loss may come from an incorrect decision. The greater loss can include remediation, suspended deployment, regulatory restrictions, damaged reputation and a reluctance to pursue the next valuable innovation.

This is the AI Trust Gap: the distance between an organisation’s confidence in its AI and its ability to demonstrate that such confidence is justified.

The consequences are no longer theoretical. A national pharmacy chain deployed facial-recognition technology to identify people suspected of shoplifting. According to the US Federal Trade Commission, the system generated thousands of false matches, leading to customers being followed, searched, removed from stores or reported to the police. Women and some racial and ethnic groups were disproportionately affected. The company was subsequently prohibited from using facial recognition for surveillance for five years. The loss extended beyond a faulty system: the organisation lost permission to use the technology.

In Australia, an automated welfare-debt programme treated income estimates as evidence of money owed. Hundreds of thousands of people were affected before the system was dismantled. A Royal Commission later described it as unfair, unlawful and costly in both human and economic terms. Refunds, cancelled debts and settlements have run into billions of Australian dollars. Automation did not create the unsupported assumption, but it enabled that assumption to operate at scale.

A less visible failure emerged in the United States healthcare system. Researchers writing in Science found that a commercial algorithm used to identify patients needing additional care systematically underestimated the needs of patients from historically underserved communities. The system relied on previous healthcare spending as a proxy for illness, overlooking the reality that lower spending may reflect unequal access to care rather than better health. It accurately predicted the measure it was given while failing the decision it was intended to support. Correcting that assumption would have more than doubled the number of affected patients identified for additional care.

These cases differ in sector and consequence, but each exposes the same governance weakness: organisations trusted an output without preserving sufficient discipline around the decision.

Boards cannot eliminate AI uncertainty, nor should they assume management’s responsibility for selecting, testing and operating individual systems. Their role is to ensure that the organisation is equipped to take intelligent risks and remain accountable for the consequences. Three disciplines matter.

First, connect AI oversight to material decisions. The board does not need an inventory of every productivity tool. It needs confidence that management can identify where AI materially influences customers, employees, capital, rights, safety, or reputation-and apply scrutiny proportionate to the consequence.

Second, ask for evidence, not reassurance. A policy, committee or statement that a human remains involved demonstrates activity, not effectiveness. Directors should expect a credible basis for confidence: the purpose of the system, the assumptions and limitations accepted, the outcomes monitored and evidence that challenge can alter a decision.

Third, preserve the capacity to intervene. Defensibility is not proof that the original decision was perfect. It is the organisational capability to detect when assumptions no longer hold, escalate emerging harm and change course before a correctable weakness becomes a crisis.

This is the discipline of Defensible AI. It does not ask boards to slow innovation until uncertainty disappears. It enables them to steward the organisation through uncertainty without surrendering judgement, accountability or strategic ambition.

The question for directors is therefore not simply, ‘Could this AI fail?’ It is: ‘If confidence in this system were challenged tomorrow, could management show why its use remains justified and could the organisation act before trust, capital and strategic freedom are lost?’

Mbah bags UK varsity’s honorary degree

Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, was yesterday conferred with a Doctor of Laws degree, honoris causa, by his alma mater, the University of East London, UEL, in the United Kingdom.

Presenting Mbah’s citation during the graduation ceremony at the Docklands Campus of UEL, Vice-Provost (Business) and Executive Dean, Royal Docks School of Business and Law, Prof. Fatima Ana-Diab, recalled his academic and leadership excellence as a student, which, she said, he had also translated into resounding success as an entrepreneur and governor of Enugu State, Nigeria.

‘More than two decades ago, Peter Mbah walked these halls as a law student, developing the knowledge, determination and leadership that would take him from UEL to the Nigerian Bar, the world of business and ultimately to public office as Governor of Enugu State.

‘Peter’s leadership was already evident during his time at UEL. As President of the Students’ Law Society, he helped transform the society into one recognised as the University’s Most Productive Society of the Year.

‘He represented his fellow students on the Students’ Representative Council and School of Law Board, won UEL’s Mooting Competition and went on to represent the University at the International Negotiation Competition.

‘After graduating with his Bachelor of Laws in 2000, Peter returned to Nigeria, where he attended the Nigerian Law School and was called to the Nigerian Bar.

‘His pursuit of knowledge continued through a Master’s degree in Maritime and Commercial Law from Lagos State University, an MBA from IESE Business School in Spain, executive education at Lagos Business School and postgraduate study in Strategy and Innovation at the University of Oxford.

‘Peter went on to build a distinguished career spanning law, entrepreneurship and public service. As the founder of Pinnacle Oil and Gas, he demonstrated how ambition, innovation and enterprise can transform an organisation and contribute to economic development. His career in government has included service as Chief of Staff and Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development in Enugu State.

‘In May 2023, Peter Mbah took office as Governor of Enugu State, bringing his experience across law, business and public administration to the leadership of millions of people,’ Prof. Ana-Diab stated.

‘At the heart of his approach is a belief in the transformative power of education. His administration has made significant investment in education and skills, seeking to move learning beyond traditional models and equip young people with the knowledge, competencies and confidence to participate in a changing global economy,’ the citation added.

The university hailed Mbah’s investment in education and his philosophy that education is fundamentally the cornerstone of human progress, the bedrock upon which the future stands, which resonates strongly with the institution.

‘Peter’s journey from UEL law student to lawyer, entrepreneur and Governor demonstrates the possibilities that education can unlock and the responsibility that comes with using those opportunities to create change for others.

‘His commitment to development extends beyond education. Through public service, business and philanthropy, Peter has championed investment, innovation, infrastructure, healthcare and community development, bringing together the disciplines that have shaped his own career to pursue a wider vision for economic and social progress.

‘For our graduates today, his journey offers a powerful example of where a UEL education can lead. It reminds us that leadership is not defined simply by the positions we hold, but by what we choose to do with the knowledge, opportunities and influence entrusted to us,’ Ana-Diab concluded.

Meanwhile, in his acceptance speech, Mbah reiterated his firm belief in disruptive innovation, the power of education, service and dreaming beyond one’s inherited circumstances.

‘One quality has always mattered to me: the willingness to disrupt. I have never been particularly interested in accepting the limits of my inherited circumstances.

‘But imagination is not enough. There must be purpose. For me, that purpose is service, because there will always be mornings when ambition alone will not get you out of bed; and moments when the road becomes difficult, and the rewards seem far away. At those moments, it matters to have something that transcends self.

‘Education enlarges our capacity to transform the world. I believe that deeply. What we are given must somehow enlarge the possibilities available to others.

‘That is why, today, we invest 33 per cent of our state budget in education. We are building schools, tech hubs and opportunities for young people to participate in an economy that is increasingly driven by knowledge, innovation and technology,’ he stated.

He thanked his alma mater profoundly for the honour and its immense contributions to the man he is today.

D’Tigress gear up for brighter future after Berlin meltdown

Nigeria’s women’s basketball team otherwise known as D’Tigress, arrived in Germany as reigning continental champions, carrying the memories of an extraordinary 2024 Paris Olympics campaign that changed global perceptions.

Instead, they departed with three defeats, zero victories, and a record-breaking 55-point loss that stripped away illusions and laid bare an urgent reality: D’Tigress are rebuilding.

Head coach Rena Wakama’s admission after the 111-56 defeat to France was more revealing than the scoreline itself. Rather than measuring the present group solely against the historic quarter-finalists of Paris, Wakama acknowledged that the current team is still searching for its identity.

‘A lot of people saw what we did in 2024, and the reality of where we are today is that we’re in a rebuilding process,’ Wakama said.

That rebuilding process is now the most important conversation surrounding Nigerian women’s basketball. The question is no longer simply how badly D’Tigress lost in Berlin, but what the tournament revealed about the team, what needs to change within the programme, and whether Nigeria can turn a disappointing World Cup into the starting point for another period of growth.

The warning signs appeared from the opening game. Nigeria entered Group B with expectations shaped by their recent success, but South Korea immediately exposed some of the difficulties facing the new-look side, handing D’Tigress a 99-81 defeat.

That response came close against Hungary, but ultimately fell short in a 71-67 loss that left them with little room for error heading into their final group game against France. Against one of the strongest teams in the competition, the gap became much wider. France raced to a 31-13 lead after the opening quarter before extending the advantage to 65-26 by half-time.

Nigeria struggled to contain France’s movement and perimeter shooting, while their own offensive production failed to keep pace. The third quarter further widened the gap, with France moving 95-36 ahead before completing a 111-56 victory. The result became the heaviest defeat in D’Tigress history and their largest loss at a FIBA Women’s World Cup.

Nigeria managed only 17 successful field goals from 56 attempts, while France converted 22 three-pointers. Gabby Williams led France with 25 points, while Janelle Salan added 19 and Marine Johannes finished with 17.

For D’Tigress captain Amy Okonkwo, the defeat reflected a team that never found the rhythm required to compete with France.

‘I think we just struggled to find our rhythm early and weren’t able to get the win or really stop them,’ Okonkwo said.

The result completed a winless group-stage campaign and sent Nigeria out of the tournament without advancing to the knockout stages.

The scale of the disappointment becomes clearer when placed against what D’Tigress achieved two years earlier. At the Paris 2024 Olympics, Nigeria became the first African women’s basketball team to reach the Olympic quarter-finals. The achievement transformed expectations around the national team and demonstrated that an African side could compete beyond the continental level. But success also created a new standard. Every subsequent tournament would inevitably be judged against Paris.

The reality, however, is that the team in Berlin was not simply a continuation of the group that made history in France. Players change, roles evolve, opponents study previous performances, and the chemistry that makes a successful team cannot automatically be transferred from one tournament cycle to another.

Wakama’s fresh master plan

Wakama acknowledged that reality directly. ‘We can’t rely on two years ago success,’ she stated. ‘Who we are today, we’re still figuring that out, and I know we will.’

That distinction is important. The Paris achievement remains significant, but it cannot substitute for the work required to build the next generation of D’Tigress. The task is therefore not to recreate the Paris team exactly as it was, but to develop a new group capable of creating its own identity.

One of the more encouraging aspects of Nigeria’s campaign was the emergence of younger players who were given significant exposure against some of the best opposition in the world. Grace Efosa-Aguebor produced 15 points in roughly 20 minutes against France, while Maryam Dauda and Elizabeth Balogun also gained valuable experience, with Balogun contributing 11 points.

Wakama specifically identified the young players as one of the positives to emerge from the difficult campaign. ‘I am most proud of our fight,’ she said. ‘Grace Efosa played about 20 minutes and gave us 15 points. Maryam, these are names you guys will hear in the future. I threw my young ones in the fire and they responded for me, so I am super proud of them.’

Their performances provide an important starting point. The challenge now is ensuring that the exposure they received in Berlin becomes part of a sustained development pathway rather than a one-off experience. Young players need consistent opportunities to train alongside established internationals, compete at a high level, and gradually take on greater responsibility so they do not have to wait for a major tournament to discover the demands of elite international basketball.

Former D’Tigers captain and Nigeria Basketball Federation board member Olumide Oyedeji believes the World Cup result should trigger an immediate review of the national team programme. For Oyedeji, the issue extends beyond the result against France and requires a broader examination of how Nigeria prepares its teams for major international competitions.

‘The early exit is a wake-up call. It is a major step backward for the team, and urgent attention needs to be paid to the situation because the rest of Africa is also catching up with us,’ he said.

His comments highlight another reality confronting D’Tigress. Nigeria’s dominance in African women’s basketball can no longer be viewed as sufficient evidence of global competitiveness. Other African nations are improving their structures, developing players, and closing the competitive gap. Oyedeji’s call for urgent action points towards the need for a comprehensive assessment of player development, preparation, competition exposure, and the administrative structures supporting the national team.

D’Tigress’ recent record in Africa remains extraordinary. Nigeria have won the Women’s AfroBasket five consecutive times and seven times overall. Their latest triumph came in 2025 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, where they defeated Mali 78-64 in the final. That victory extended Nigeria’s unbeaten run in the competition to 29 consecutive games and made D’Tigress the first team in Women’s AfroBasket history to win five successive titles.

Those achievements demonstrate the strength of Nigerian women’s basketball on the continent, but Berlin provided a different measure. The demands of a World Cup are considerably broader. Teams face deeper benches, greater tactical variety, stronger perimeter shooting, and a level of preparation that requires months of planning. For Nigeria to convert continental supremacy into sustained global competitiveness, success in Africa must become one stage of a wider development model. The aim should not be to choose between winning in Africa and competing globally, but to use continental success as a platform for achieving global competitiveness.

PBAT’s cash booster

While the Berlin campaign exposed areas requiring urgent attention, developments away from the court have provided a positive indication of institutional backing. Players and officials of D’Tigress have now received the financial rewards promised by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for their 2025 Women’s AfroBasket triumph. The payment represents the completion of presidential rewards following efforts by National Sports Commission chairman Shehu Dikko and Minister of Finance Taiwo Oyedele to conclude arrangements. Within three days of the process being concluded, players and officials of both D’Tigress and the Super Falcons received their funds.

For D’Tigress, the timing gives the development added significance. Returning from a tournament that exposed the gap between continental dominance and global standing, visible institutional backing provides confidence that the programme remains valued.

D’Tigress captain Amy Okonkwo welcomed the payment and expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for fulfilling the promises made to the team following their AfroBasket triumph. Speaking on behalf of the players, Okonkwo described the support as an indication of a changing approach to athlete welfare in Nigeria.

‘On behalf of the entire D’Tigress team, I want to specially thank our dear President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for this show of love and support,’ Okonkwo said. ‘We are truly grateful for everything he has done to ensure that we receive all that he promised us after winning the Afrobasket last year. This is an unprecedented gesture from Mr. President. We have received the houses he promised us, the national honours he bestowed on us, and now we have all received the financial rewards promised to us in our various accounts.’

Okonkwo also acknowledged the broader sports administration for facilitating the process. ‘We are more than grateful to Mr. President, the First Lady, and the leadership of the National Sports Commission, led by the Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko, and the Director General, Hon. Bukola Olopade,’ she added. ‘We are also very grateful to the Nigeria Basketball Federation and its President, Engr. Musa Kida. This has shown us that Nigerian sports is taking a major positive shift in administration and that we truly have a sports-loving President.’

The presidential rewards are significant, but their greatest value must extend beyond financial benefits. For a team rebuilding after a difficult World Cup, incentives contribute to morale and reinforce the connection between achievement and recognition. However, financial rewards should be viewed as only one component of a wider system. Nigeria needs a structure that allows players to arrive at national-team camps properly prepared, integrates younger talents earlier, creates opportunities to play quality opposition, and maintains tactical continuity between major competitions. The Berlin experience demonstrated how difficult it can be to build tactical connections when a team is forced to find its identity during a major tournament itself.

Los Angeles 2028 countdown

The next major benchmark is the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. That gives Nigerian basketball a defined target and time to address the lessons from Berlin. The two-year period leading to Los Angeles should become a structured development cycle. The focus must include identifying the core of the next D’Tigress team, integrating younger talents like Efosa-Aguebor, Dauda, and Balogun, and effectively bringing in players competing across the WNBA and European leagues. The objective must be continuity rather than constant reinvention.

The 2026 World Cup should not be remembered solely for the 111-56 defeat to France. That scoreline will remain part of D’Tigress’ history, but its greater value lies in what it revealed regarding preparation, cohesion, and continuity. The path forward is cleared by three key elements: an honest admission from Coach Wakama that the team is rebuilding, a call for institutional action from NBBF board member Olumide Oyedeji, and continued government support acknowledged by captain Amy Okonkwo.

Paris proved that D’Tigress can break barriers. The 2025 AfroBasket triumph proved that they remain the dominant force in African women’s basketball. Berlin provided the warning of what happens when the next stage of global development is incomplete. If the lessons from the World Cup lead to structured technical planning, earlier player integration, and quality preparation, the Berlin campaign could ultimately become a crucial turning point.

The future of D’Tigress does not have to be defined by what went wrong in Berlin; it will be defined by what Nigeria chooses to do next.

Deyemi Okanlawon, Tola Odunsi, Enado Odigie, others attend 19 premiere in Lagos

Nollywood stars including Deyemi Okanlawon and Enado Odigie, as well as filmmakers including Tola Odunsi, and leading entertainment industry personalities gathered at Fame, Lekki, Lagos, for the Nigerian premiere of ’19.’

The highly anticipated crime drama written and directed by filmmaker Tola Odunsi is produced by Bola Atta.

The premiere attracted a strong turnout of industry heavyweights including Toyin Abraham, Kunle Afolayan, and Wale Ojo amongst the notable personalities who walked the red carpet.

Also in attendance were Linda Ejiofor, Femi Adebayo, Darey Art Alade, Kunle Remi and members of the film’s cast and crew, who came together to celebrate the movie ahead of its nationwide cinema release.

Led by Stan Nze, Sola Sobowale, Bisola Aiyeola, Deyemi Okanlawon, William Benson and Ademola Adedoyin, ’19’ boasts an impressive ensemble cast that also includes Boma Akpore, Helen Enado Odigie, Tayo Faniran and Charles Okafor.

But beneath the glamour of its star-studded cast and premiere, ’19’ tells a story set against the backdrop of Nigeria’s battle with internet fraud.

’19’ tells the story of Ndubuisi Madueke, played by Stan Nze, a young man whose circumstances and desperation eventually draw him into the world of internet fraud. His journey takes a decisive turn after he encounters Usuanlele, a wealthy and influential figure in his neighbourhood who becomes his mentor. Rather than simply portraying internet fraud as a criminal act, ’19’ explores the circumstances that can push young people towards it, including poverty, unemployment, corruption, peer pressure and the relentless pursuit of financial success.

In his reaction to the film, Odunsi said, ‘Every crime has a story before the crime. With 19, I wanted to tell that story, to ask how a brilliant young man can move from wanting a better life to losing himself in the pursuit of it. This is not a film about glorifying the fast life; it is about understanding its cost and reminding us that the choices we make today can define the lives we live tomorrow.’

For the Producer Bola Atta, this was at the heart of the decision to make the film.

‘Internet fraud is gradually becoming endemic and is eating into the fabric of Nigerian society. Lives are being lost needlessly and families are being ruined as a result of the wrong choices made by some people.

‘Something definitely needs to be done to address this situation. That is why we decided to make a movie that not only reflects this reality but also shows that there is a better path to success, one that does not have to end in tragedy or destruction.’

The response at the premiere was particularly encouraging, with audiences connecting with the film’s themes and its underlying message.

Obi Asika, Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, who attended the premiere, described the film as both timely and necessary.

’19 is an important and timely film. Life is about choices, and we see that play out through Ndubuisi and his best friend, who face similar pressures but take different paths. Ndubuisi chooses the shortcut and pays the price, while his friend reminds us that legitimate pathways remain open to those with talent and discipline. These are the films we need to see more of: real issues, real stories and real decisions, told with courage and consequence.’

Also speaking at the premiere, Dr Busola Tejumola, Senior vice President of Content at Canal plus said ‘ 19 excellently delivers a timely message at a moment when internet fraud, cable piracy and content theft are becoming increasingly sophisticated threats to our society and our industry. The film doesn’t shy away from the real circumstances that push young people towards these choices. It is entertaining, but also necessary storytelling’

The title 19 is a reference to Section 419 of the Nigerian Criminal Code, historically associated with advance-fee fraud, a term that has become synonymous with internet fraud in popular Nigerian usage.

19 opens in Nigerian cinemas on Friday, September 11.

Immigration extends passport intervention exercise in UK, processes 1,477 applications

The Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, has extended the Passports intervention exercise in the United Kingdom, (UK) from 19th September to 3rd of October.

The Service said the extension was necessitated by the huge turn out of Nigerians who applied for the documents in London and Manchester cities.

In a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the NIS, Deputy Comptroller of Immigration, Akinsola Akinlabi, the Service acknowledged that the intervention exercise ordered by the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo was being carried out smoothly, ‘ despite the initial challenges experienced on the first day of the commencement.’

‘In line with NIS commitment to an orderly and transparent process, eligible applicants are required to book appointments for the special intervention exercise via the website of the High Commission of Nigeria, United Kingdom,’ Akinlabi said.

He said applicants are also expected to present

completed application form and payment receipt, ?appointment slip for the intervention exercise, applicant current Passport (where applicable) and, ??a self-addressed return envelope.

He reiterated that the passport application and payment processes are fully automated and strictly cashless.

‘The applicable fees remain $162 for a five-year validity passport booklet and $242 for a ten-year validity booklet. No additional charges are required to participate in the intervention exercise.

‘ Within the first four days of the exercise, a total number of 1477 Nigerians have been successfully processed and enrolled. Over half of those enrolled have already had their passports produced and dispatched to their respective addresses,’ Akinlabi said.

He announced that the extension was in response to the high turnout and interest shown by Nigerians to the intervention exercise that the Minister approved the extension of the exercise in London and Manchester from 19th September to 3rd October, 2026.

‘The extension is intended to provide additional capacity to accommodate the increasing demand and ensure that as many eligible applicants are attended to.

‘Further information regarding the extended dates, participating locations and appointment procedures will be communicated through the official channels of both Nigeria Immigration Service and High Commission of Nigeria, in the United Kingdom,’ he said.

He expressed the appreciation of the Service for the patience and cooperation of Nigerians in the United Kingdom, noting that and the NIS remains committed to delivering efficient, transparent and responsive passport services to Nigerians at home and in the diaspora.

FG Pays D’Tigress Players $100,000 Each For Afrobasket Triumph

Players of Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, have received the naira equivalent of $100,000 each as part of the Presidential reward approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for their victory at the 2025 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket.

The National Sports Commission (NSC) confirmed that the accounts of the players and team officials were credited on September 9, 2026, with all beneficiaries confirming receipt of the payments.

Each team official received the naira equivalent of $50,000.

The payment completes the financial component of the Presidential reward promised to the team following D’Tigress’ historic triumph at the 2025 Afrobasket, where they secured a record fifth consecutive title and seventh overall.

In a statement signed by its Director of Information and Public Relations, Kehinde Ajayi, on Wednesday, the NSC said the payment marked the completion of all components of the reward promised by Tinubu.

‘With the payment, the entire presidential rewards promised to each member of the team by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR comprising a 3-Bedroom flat in Abuja, national honours of OON and Naira equivalent of $USD 100,000 to players and $USD 50,000 to officials have been fully redeemed and completed,’ the commission said.

The NSC recalled that D’Tigress players and officials had earlier received title documents for their three-bedroom apartments in Abuja, alongside certificates of national honours.

The documents, duly signed by Tinubu, were presented to the team in February 2026 during the FIBA World Cup qualifiers in Lyon, France.

The commission said the cash component was paid following the team’s participation in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Germany.

It will also be noted that the Federal Government has also extended similar Presidential rewards to the Super Falcons following their achievement at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

According to the NSC, Falcons players have received title documents for their three-bedroom apartments in Abuja and certificates of national honours.

The documents were presented during the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco in July and August 2026, while the cash component of their reward is expected to be paid before their next official engagements.

Kampala us under construction: We prayed for tarmac, naye…

Just the other day, I was heading to Ntinda for an early morning errand. My chauffeur and I hopped onto our open-roof, two-wheel Bugatti and decided to use the Kireka-Kamuli road to connect to the Northern Bypass. Yo, that was the moment we unknowingly bought VIP tickets to Mad Max.

By the time we reached Ntinda, I was cocoa brown, dust had baptised me, my clothes had changed colour without my consent, my nose had collected enough soil samples for NEMA, and I genuinely felt like I needed a shower before whatever meeting had brought me there. That is when it hit me. The dust in Kampala has become a full-time resident.

Then I remembered one of Uganda’s greatest conspiracy theories: why people suddenly become lighter the minute they land abroad. We have all seen it, someone spends two weeks in Dubai or London and returns looking like they discovered a new skincare routine.

Kumbe the secret is not expensive body lotion or foreign water. It is simply the absence of Kampala dust. Here, you can moisturise with shea butter, sunscreen, vitamin C serum and the tears of your ancestors, but one trip through Kireka, Najjera or Busega will humble your entire skincare investment before lunchtime.

There is now a special kind of faith required to leave home in Kampala believing you know how you will reach your destination. Yesterday’s road is today’s construction site. Google Maps has completely given up; it now says recalculating with the exhaustion of our leaders. Every corner has an excavator, or a trench.

Kampala is under construction everywhere, at the same time, and nobody seems to know when anything will end. At this point, our tourism slogan should simply be: Visit Kampala, bring a face mask, a boda rider and a prayer. You will need all three.

We need the roads, Nayeee….

The problem is not that roads are being fixed. The problem is that it feels like government woke up one morning and said, ‘You know what? Let’s repair Kampala… all at once.’ Every route now comes with a surprise package.

You leave home thinking you are using your usual shortcut, only to find an excavator parked in the middle of it like it pays rent there. The diversion takes you through somebody’s village, somebody’s gate and somehow still ends in traffic.

To be fair, Kampala needs better roads. Nobody is out here campaigning for potholes, we have complained for years about craters so deep they deserve their own postal addresses. There are potholes in this city that boda riders know on a first-name basis. They do not even get shocked anymore, the rider simply taps your knee and says, boss, hold tight, we are approaching the chairman.

You automatically lean because both of you know what is coming. Right now, graders, tipper trucks and heaps of murram have become Kampala’s new national symbols. Every junction is under construction, every bypass has dust, and every road has that one man in a reflector jacket pointing confidently into chaos. We prayed for better infrastructure, yes. We just did not expect God to answer all our road prayers on the same day.

Then the bloody dust

Kampala dust has officially stopped being a visitor. It has unpacked its bags, found a plot and become a resident of this city. At this point it deserves a National ID, a passport and honestly, it has spent enough time here to contest for MP.

You leave home looking fresh, smelling expensive, white shirt ironed like you have serious plans for the day. Then you board a boda through one construction zone in Kinawataka, another in Busega and a small detour in Najjera. My friend, by the time you reach work you look like you have been volunteering at a brick-laying site.

And please do not think car owners are enjoying life.

You wash your car on Saturday, admire it for exactly 15 minutes, then Kampala gently coats it with a fresh layer of development. Dust enters places you did not know dust could enter. SUV drivers have become mobile weather forecasts.

A Prado flies past on an unfinished road and suddenly the entire neighbourhood disappears inside a brown cloud. Pedestrians start coughing, boda riders become silhouettes, someone’s rolex gets free murram toppings. The funniest part is that the Prado is already in the next trading centre while the rest of us are still waiting for visibility to return.

The jokes write themselves, but for roadside businesses it is not funny anymore. Traders dust tomatoes every three minutes, boutiques keep doors shut, salon owners mop floors that become dirty before the bucket is empty, and restaurants now serve chapati with a complimentary side of Kampala seasoning.

Then the rain comes and Kampala changes departments and yesterday’s dust becomes today’s mud. The diversion that looked questionable in the morning becomes a river by evening. Excavations become ponds. Motorists, meanwhile, have become amateur geologists.

You approach a puddle, slow down, look carefully at its colour and ask yourself the most important question of the journey: ‘Is this three inches deep, or am I about to lose my Toyota?’

In comes the heavy traffic

Perhaps the biggest problem with moving around Kampala right now is that nobody knows what kind of journey they are signing up for. Every diversion seems to have given birth to another diversion. A closed main road sends traffic into a residential neighbourhood where children were playing football yesterday, only to wake up and discover their street has been promoted to a highway.

Suddenly, taxis, bodas, school vans, delivery trucks and one confused cement truck are squeezing through a road designed for 12 homes, three dogs and a bicycle. Then Google Maps calmly tells you, this route will save you three minutes.

Three minutes where? The shortcut involves reversing for a truck, negotiating with six boda riders and somehow squeezing between an excavator and somebody’s perimeter wall.

Kampala traffic was already doing enough before the construction boom decided to add steroids. Morning traffic now has no respect for morning; it can comfortably escort you towards lunch. Evening traffic starts while some people are still pretending to work.

You leave office at 3pm to beat traffic and find traffic has already arrived and is waiting for you. Even distance has lost meaning. Ask someone how far Ntinda is and they will first ask, depending on the day.

How are the roads being prioritised?

Beneath all the jokes, there is a serious question Kampala residents are asking: who is deciding which roads get fixed first? Because some roads have been terrible since people were still using BlackBerry phones.

Others have appeared in so many political speeches that by now they should be collecting appearance fees. These roads have survived potholes, rain, sunshine, elections and several national budgets, yet somehow the potholes remain employed.

The complaint is not that we do not want better roads. Please, nobody is protesting against tarmac. We have suffered enough. The question is whether there is some method to this madness. You have neighbourhoods where roads become swimming pools every time it rains, while another road that was perfectly usable yesterday is being excavated today.

Naturally, people will ask questions. Which roads are being prioritised, why those roads, and when exactly will the works end? You see, without that information, every new excavator starts looking suspicious. Give people the plan, the timelines and the reason. We can tolerate the dust much better when we know where all this development is taking us.

Then fuel prices to the mix

Then comes the other Kampala punishment: fuel prices. When traffic has you parked for 40 minutes, every drop of fuel suddenly feels like gold. Your car is not moving, but the fuel gauge is moving like it has somewhere important to be. You leave Bweyos confident and reach town with the fuel light on, the air conditioner switched off and serious questions about your financial decisions.

Naturally, the oil-country debate returns. ‘We are an oil country, why is fuel behaving like it is being imported from the moon?’ someone asks online. Another person responds with crude prices, taxes and transport costs. Nobody reads that part.

Yet perhaps the most expensive part of Kampala’s current transformation is not fuel, vehicle repairs or transport fares. It is TIME. A person who spends two hours travelling a distance that should take 40 minutes loses something that cannot be refunded at the pump.

People wake earlier, reach home later and arrive at work already exhausted. Parents miss school pick-ups. Deliveries take longer. Business meetings start late. Dates begin with screenshots of traffic maps as evidence, I swear I left home.

‘Road works’ has become one of the most socially accepted explanations in the city. Weddings, introductions, office meetings, church services and birthday parties increasingly begin with the same apology: ‘Sorry, the road…’ Nobody even asks which road. We understand.

You may genuinely have left home two hours ago. Your destination may be six kilometres away. You might even be able to see the building. Reaching it is another matter entirely.

Then the coordination

Kampala residents have long wondered why infrastructure work sometimes seems to happen sequentially rather than collectively. One team handles drainage ,another handles water. Another arrives for electricity or fibre.

Eventually the road is resurfaced and everybody celebrates. Then, not long afterwards, somebody appears with another machine and opens part of it again.

Installing infrastructure without coordination can feel like beautifully tiling your bathroom and then remembering that you forgot the plumbing. Residents do not necessarily expect construction to be painless, but they reasonably expect agencies to communicate with each other and with the public.

A road closure is easier to tolerate when commuters know it is coming, understand the alternative route and have some idea how long the disruption will last. Instead, Kampala occasionally specialises in surprise excavations. You use a road successfully on Tuesday. On Wednesday morning there is a trench.

’Trade rebound may leave smaller firms behind’

A TRADE rebound can look good on paper while leaving smaller businesses out in the cold, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad), which warned that recovery from global shocks could deepen the dominance of larger firms if small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are pushed out of value chains.

The warning carries particular weight for the Philippines, where more than 99 percent of establishments are classified as micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), per government statistics data.

In its latest report, Unctad said SMEs face a greater risk of exclusion from value chains even when global trade volumes recover from disruptions, partly because smaller firms have fewer financial and operational buffers than larger companies.

‘Rising energy bills, freight rates, insurance premiums and financing constraints place heavier burdens on SMEs than on large firms,’ Unctad said.

The agency cited disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz as an example of how such pressures can widen the gap between large and small businesses.

Larger companies, it said, can spread risks across suppliers, markets and financing sources, while SMEs typically have fewer alternatives, it said.

The country is among the economies exposed to prolonged disruptions because it imports most of its crude oil from the Middle East, maintains limited strategic fuel reserves and has relatively little fiscal space to cushion external shocks.

For the UN trade and development body, SMEs are important links in global value chains because they provide inputs and services while contributing to entrepreneurship, innovation and economic diversification.

Further, when smaller firms are pushed out of value chains, the consequences can extend beyond individual businesses. Unctad said this can contribute to higher unemployment, lower household incomes and greater social vulnerability.

The agency pointed to previous shocks, including the Covid-19 pandemic, as evidence of the vulnerability of smaller businesses.

Based on Unctad’s data, SMEs were more likely to experience declining sales during major disruptions, with declines tending to be larger among smaller firms in developing economies.

Moreover, it said assessing trade resilience should therefore go beyond headline trade flows and sales figures. Governments also need to consider whether SMEs can maintain their market connections and continue operating during and after disruptions.

Keeping SMEs in the chain

Policy responses should address both the continuity of trade and the continued participation of SMEs in value chains, according to UNCTAD.

It recommended closer monitoring of SME participation in trade during periods of disruption, including their ability to maintain relationships with suppliers and customers and resume operations after shocks.

The agency also called for stronger access to trade finance, liquidity and working capital, which become more critical when higher costs, longer delivery times and extended payment cycles strain smaller firms.

In addition, public support for trade and logistics services should likewise be strengthened, particularly in developing economies, Unctad said.

This includes improving SMEs’ access to reliable and affordable logistics, trade facilitation, market information and other business support.

For longer-term resilience, Unctad recommended measures that improve SME productivity and competitiveness while helping businesses maintain and diversify their supplier and customer relationships.

Such support, it said, can help safeguard jobs, encourage innovation and improve businesses’ ability to withstand future disruptions.

The recommendations are relevant to the Philippines, where MSMEs remain a major focus of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), which runs various programs aimed at supporting smaller businesses, including efforts involving financing, market access, entrepreneurship and trade promotion.

Polo Beach Files Injunction Against Labadi Beach Hotel…Over Jakpa’s Threats To Demolish Club

Spartan Ives Limited, operators of renowned Polo Beach Club in Accra, has filed an application for injunction seeking to restrain the management of Labadi Beach Hotel from going ahead to demolish the structures of the Club, as threatened by Richard Jakpa, the Director of Special Operations at the National Security Secretariat.

The two entities have been locked in a legal battle initiated by Labadi Beach Hotel for a piece of land at the beachfront, and the matter is currently pending before a High Court in Accra.

While the parties are yet to file their respective witness statements and other processes as directed by the trial court, the Club in an affidavit in support of the application avers that the Hotel has secured the assistance of Jakpa who has threatened to demolish Polo Beach Club.

According to the application, Jakpa informed the operators of the Club that Labadi Beach Hotel wants Polo Beach Club demolished because the entire Labadi Beachfront lands fall within an Executive Instrument (EI) and, therefore, owned by the Government of Ghana.

The Hotel also claims that the entire Labadi Beachfront lands constitute a buffer zone between the water body (the sea) and not for putting up structures/buildings, and that the Polo Beach Club was built on the beachfront without a building permit.

Polo Beach Club vehemently denies all these allegations, pointing out that Labadi Beach Hotel itself has allegedly leased or rented adjoining beachfront space from the La Stool over several years and made payments to the La Stool, including payments as recently as 2023.

The application argues that it is incomprehensible for the Hotel to now contend that the entire beachfront is government land falling under EI 10 while simultaneously dealing with and paying the La Stool for beachfront occupation.

Polo Beach Club is asking the court to urgently grant an injunction restraining Labadi Beach Hotel, its agents and assigns as well as Jakpa and any other person authorised by him from taking any steps to demolish or interfere with the Club, as such an action will render the substantive matter before the court nugatory.

Threats

The affidavit in support avers that the instant application for injunction is necessitated by threats from Jakpa, who allegedly informed the officials of Polo Beach Club, including its lawyer, that Labadi Beach Hotel wanted the Club demolished and that the decision was ‘non-negotiable and irreversible.’

It states that despite being informed that the land dispute was already before a court, Jakpa, according to court documents, rejected the suggestion that the parties should allow the court to determine the issue and indicated that the demolition would proceed based on his own research.

‘That Mr. Jakpa made it clear that the decision to embark on the demolition exercise requested by the Respondent and the Hotel was non-negotiable and irreversible and encouraged cooperation as any attempt to oppose the exercise or to be combative will result in demolition of the Polo Beach Club without any recourse to Applicant.’

The Hotel has subsequently appointed a consultant to enter the Polo Beach Club and conduct a valuation for purposes of determining a proposed ‘small compensation,’ which Jakpa pointed out that he would be able to secure for the management of the Club from the Hotel as a result of the demolition.

The application points out that the Club fears that refusal to cooperate with the valuation could provoke an immediate demolition by the ‘unpredictable Mr. Jakpa,’ noting that the court’s intervention is necessary to ensure that a party does not obtain, through administrative action, the very relief it is asking the court to grant after trial.

Lawful Ownership

Polo Beach Club has demonstrated its lawful ownership of the disputed land, pointing out that it has a 20-year lease from the La Stool, made substantial payments toward that lease as well as obtained building and operating permits from the La Dade-Kotopon Municipal Assembly.

It also argues that Polo Beach Club has a market value of approximately GHS41.3 million, with a forced-sale value of approximately GHS30.975 million.

It also employs more than 100 people and has become a significant tourism and events venue attracting international visitors and celebrities to Ghana.

The Club also points out that it has developed and protected portions of the beachfront, including substantial works intended to address tidal flooding.

It further contends that Labadi Beach Hotel was fully aware of, and even participated in, the development of the Polo Beach Club, with the former and current Managing Directors of the Hotel allegedly visiting the construction site, as well as the then Director-General of SSNIT during the construction process in connection with an earlier proposed joint venture.

The Club also argues that the Hotel cannot use an assertion of government ownership as a basis for demolishing its structure and then take the land for its own expansion.

It also argues that none of Jakpa’s stated reasons establishes a lawful basis for Labadi Beach Hotel to take possession of the disputed land or demolish the Polo Beach Club’s structures.

The Club is therefore urging the court to grant the injunction, as it is necessary to protect the sanctity of the pending trial and preserve the court’s jurisdiction and the integrity of the pending proceedings.