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Beyond law, into AI: John Ivan Busulwa building the future of insurance

At seven years old, John Ivan Busulwa had already chosen his profession: he wanted to be a lawyer.

His interest in law began with an admiration for the way lawyers dressed and confidently presented their arguments.

Despite excelling in the sciences at O -Level, where he scored Aggregate 13 with distinctions, he chose arts at A-Level because he wanted to study law.

He joined Makerere University School of Law, where he pursued a Bachelor of Laws, and subsequently Law Development Centre (LDC), where he undertook postgraduate training.

Knowledge beyond law school

Busulwa’s interest in fields beyond law began while he was still at university. In his second year at Makerere, he picked interest in venture capital while trying to raise money for a startup.

‘When I approached a lawyer for guidance, he initially ignored me and later told me not to disturb him because he was busy. I decided to teach myself,’ Busulwa recalls.

He began reading about venture capital every day.

‘I made it a point to read something new about venture capital every single day for three years,’ he says.

That curiosity introduced him to the world of investment and business finance, where he learnt about deal structuring, drafting term sheets and partnership agreements, private equity and financial modelling.

The experience also changed his understanding of what a lawyer could become.

By then, he had begun thinking beyond conventional legal practice. He wanted to create something that could make a difference to many people at once.

‘I felt law was often reactive, with lawyers and regulators stepping in only after technologies and industries had developed. I wanted to be on the field, building the technologies and creating the impact I wanted to see,’ he says.

He eventually pursued formal finance certifications to complement what he had learnt independently.

‘I enrolled with the Corporate Finance Institute and earned certifications in Financial Modelling and Valuation and Financial Planning and Wealth Management. By the time I joined the LDC, I knew a lot about venture capital,’ Busulwa explains.

Starting up

While still at university, Busulwa and his longtime friend, Matthew Mwesigwa, built Shopline, a platform designed to help small businesses sell online. The venture failed as the two struggled to balance developing the product with their studies.

However, they pressed on.

In their third term at LDC, Busulwa and Mwesigwa began building Credtics, a financial technology platform that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help microfinance institutions automate their credit processes.

The company has since developed an AI model specifically for insurance companies. Busulwa says the model can reduce claims processing time from about seven minutes to five.

The AI reviews claims documents, including handwritten ones, and checks them against the insurer’s policies and the claimant’s details before generating a verdict and a detailed report.

‘It flags inconsistencies, potential fraud, overcharging, double billing and issues involving documents such as driving licences. It is designed to work with a company’s existing technology rather than requiring it to rebuild its systems,’ Busulwa explains.

The company has not yet secured a paying insurance client, but several insurance companies are running trials. Busulwa says the results so far have been encouraging, with interest from insurers in Uganda, elsewhere in East Africa and in Asia.

Restoring trust in insurance

Busulwa is concerned about trust in insurance, particularly in Uganda, where insurance penetration remains low. He believes the claims process is one of the key moments that shape a customer’s relationship with an insurer.

‘If claims are processed quickly, fairly and accurately, trust grows,’ he says.

His legal background remains useful in this work. It enables him to assess legal risks alongside technological ones, while his finance training helps him understand the commercial implications of the systems he is building.

Busulwa believes professionals become more valuable when they can connect seemingly unrelated fields.

‘A lawyer who understands technology and finance can bring something different to a room filled with lawyers, engineers and finance professionals,’ he argues.

Shift in perspective

His move into technology gained momentum in 2025, when he received a scholarship to pursue a Master of Science in Engineering, Science and Entrepreneurship Excellence at the University of Notre Dame in the United States.

The transition from law to a programme combining engineering, science, technology and entrepreneurship was challenging, he says, but that challenge was part of what attracted him to it. Busulwa believes tackling difficult things can create a competitive advantage because most people naturally avoid them.

‘My experience at Notre Dame expanded my sense of what was possible. My master’s research focused on commercialising bio-based stretch fabric and involved interviews with senior executives from companies such as Nike and Under Armour,’ he says.

He adds that interacting with people building successful companies broadened his perspective.

Guidance that shaped him

Busulwa attributes his ambition to a culture of accountability instilled by his parents, Stephen and Gorret Kayiwa. Every year, he says, the three set goals and later review their progress, a practice that keeps him focused on what he hopes to achieve.

A formative moment came in Senior Three, after he performed poorly.

‘My parents told me that education was the strongest gift I had and I was wasting it. The conversation changed how I viewed my abilities,’ he recalls.

Another turning point came when Busulwa was about 19. He walked from Makerere to Kololo to seek an opportunity from Awel Uwihanganye, who would later become his mentor. The meeting eventually led to a job at the LeO Africa Institute, where he received mentorship over the years.

‘The networks I built there later opened another door. A fellow, Maria Nakalanda, told me about the Notre Dame programme, so I applied and got the opportunity,’ he explains.

Delayed gratification

Building Credtics has come with trade-offs. Busulwa says he often goes to bed at about 2am and wakes up at 6am, spending his evenings learning, developing products, contacting potential clients and pitching the platform.

Future

Five years from now, Busulwa sees Credtics operating on a larger scale, helping insurance companies automate claims processing and financial institutions streamline operations across industries and countries. His goal is to develop technology that saves clients time and helps them make more money.

QUICK NOTES

Trade-offs: ‘My social life is limited. I do not go out much and I have a few friends. I am grateful that they understand,’ he says. ‘I invest my own money in building our technology and in my learning. I could have spent money on other things.’

Education timeline

January 29, 2024. Attained Bachelor of Laws (LLB), Makerere University

June 19, 2026. Postgraduate Diploma from Law Development Centre

May 17, 2026. Master’s from University of Notre Dame

Professional certifications: Financial Modelling and Valuation Analyst (FMVA) and Financial Planning and Wealth Management Professional from Corporate Finance Institute.

From reforms to delivery: Our infrastructure investment and growth strategy

Since 2023, we have made difficult but necessary decisions: removing the petrol subsidy, unifying the exchange rate, modernising the tax framework, and coordinating action on inflation. These reforms have restored macro balance, quadrupled federation revenue since 2021 and rebuilt the credibility of the state’s balance sheet. The results are now visible: real GDP growth reached 4.43% in Q2 2026 and 4.2% in H1, up from 2.74% in 2023, while headline inflation fell to 14.63% in September 2026 from 20.98% a year earlier.

Food inflation, while still elevated, stood at 19.59%. Gross external reserves reached USD 55.1 billion as of 9 October 2026, including about USD 46 billion in net reserves, an 18-year high. The NFEM exchange rate stood at ?1,333/US$, with the market spread below 5%, and public debt remains low compared to peers. Nigeria’s cost of borrowing keeps falling. Confidence has a price: our cost of borrowing is going down, and the country’s risk premium has drastically decreased.

This changes the purpose of public borrowing. The objective is to increasingly direct new borrowing towards productive capital investment, while maintaining fiscal discipline, reducing refinancing pressures and ensuring that public debt translates into measurable economic value. Nigeria borrows to invest in roads, ports, rail and power that will generate growth, revenue and jobs for decades.

Every naira and every dollar raised goes to assets that create value, and that value repays the debt. This is how Nigeria will reach the objective of a USD 1 trillion economy by 2030: not through consumption, but through investment in the infrastructure that makes growth possible. This shift is being supported by a stronger fiscal position: tax-to-GDP has risen to 12.5% from 7%, net FAAC increased by 44% from ?15.2 trillion in 2024 to ?21.9 trillion in 2025, and Nigeria recorded a ?20.1 trillion trade surplus in H1 2026, almost double the ?10.2 trillion recorded in H1 2025.

I. Borrowing to build, not to bridge, not for consumption:

Nigeria is fundamentally changing the purpose of public borrowing: from financing short-term fiscal pressures to investing in assets that will transform the economy for generations. This shift is taking place with public debt at 35.75% of GDP in Q2 2026 and debt service at about 65% of revenue in H1 2026, underscoring why investment must remain anchored in fiscal discipline.

The Federal Executive Council economic strategy is clear on this point: no deficit monetisation and no unfunded commitments during the pre-election period. At the heart of this disciplined shift towards productive borrowing are our administration’s legacy projects:

The administration is focusing productive borrowing on financing major infrastructure projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway; improvements to the power sector and electricity grid; the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway; the Trans-Sahara Superhighway; and upgrades to Nigeria’s major commercial ports in Lagos.

Together with other priority projects, the rehabilitation of key hospitals, and investment in education and vocational training, these investments are game-changing. They will connect entire economic regions, unlock agricultural and industrial potential, reduce logistics costs, attract private investment and create hundreds of thousands of direct and indirect employment opportunities over time.

Delivery is already visible on the Lagos-Calabar highway as a major transport infrastructure project as of August 2026. Lot 2 was reported to be over 80% complete, while Calabar-Akwa Ibom works were over 30% complete. This increased emphasis on investment is also evident at the subnational level, where the share of state spending devoted to capital expenditure rose from 46% in 2023 to 61% in 2025.

This is not simply about building infrastructure. It is about reshaping Nigeria’s economic geography, unlocking new sources of growth and creating the productive capacity to achieve a USD 1 trillion economy. The debt is finite; the economic value these assets can generate will endure for generations.

II. Value for money and impact on growth:

The legacy projects are selected and financed on value addition: what they return to the economy for every naira spent. They connect production to markets, ports to the hinterland and Nigeria to its neighbours. The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway alone is expected to reduce logistics costs by 15-20% along the corridor and could add up to 2% to Nigeria’s GDP through new industrial zones, trade and tourism.

These projects are also among the largest job creators in the country. The Coastal Highway is expected to generate around 100,000 direct jobs in construction and engineering and more than 150,000 indirect jobs in logistics, materials and services.

Across the Sokoto-Badagry and Trans-Sahara corridors, the same logic applies to the enhancement of the power grid, ports, rail lines, and social infrastructure: jobs during construction and lasting employment in the industries, farms, and businesses that grow along the routes once they open.

Lower transport costs mean lower food prices, more competitive exports and stronger revenue for the state. That is value for money: assets that pay back through growth, jobs and revenue, financed over a horizon that matches their life, and each one a step towards the USD 1 trillion economy.

III. Long-term commitments for long-term assets:

The structure of Nigeria’s debt now matches the nature of what it finances. The government is extending the maturity profile and shifting from short-term borrowing to long- and very long-term maturities at lower cost. Infrastructure built to last forty years should be financed over a horizon consistent with its life. International investors are willing to commit to Nigeria over ten, fifteen years and beyond, which is the clearest signal of confidence in the country’s trajectory. The broader financing environment is also benefiting from monetary easing: the Monetary Policy Rate was cut by 350 basis points on 22 September 2026, from 26.5% to 23%.

Yet lending rates remain above 30%, reinforcing the need to secure longer-tenor, more competitive financing for productive investment.

IV. Credibility recognised by international markets:

The international financial community has delivered a clear and unprecedented convergence of positive signals on Nigeria. All three major credit rating agencies (SandP, Fitch and Moody’s) have taken positive rating actions, with SandP upgrading Nigeria’s sovereign rating and Fitch and Moody’s raising their outlooks to Positive.

FTSE Russell has restored Nigeria to Frontier Market status, reopening its visibility to global institutional investors, while the FATF has removed Nigeria from its grey list, recognising progress in financial transparency and compliance. Nigeria’s successful Eurobond issuance, attracting strong international demand, further demonstrates renewed investor appetite for Nigerian sovereign risk. The specific rating actions reinforce this convergence: Fitch rates Nigeria B with a positive outlook as of 9 October 2026. Moody’s rates it B3 with a positive outlook, and SandP upgraded Nigeria to B on 15 May 2026 with a stable outlook.

Nigeria’s exit from the FATF Grey List in October 2025 and the EU list in January 2026 further support improved financial transparency and compliance. These are not political endorsements; they are independent assessments by global rating agencies, index providers, regulators and investors, recognising stronger external reserves, improved macroeconomic management and greater financial credibility. The implications are transformative: broader access to international capital, greater investor participation, and the potential for lower financing costs and longer maturities. Every improvement in Nigeria’s cost of capital creates additional capacity to finance infrastructure, accelerate growth and deliver my government’s economic transformation agenda.

V. What the international community expects:

The message from international investors, global banks and development institutions is unequivocal: Nigeria has undertaken the reforms; now is the time to invest, build and deliver at scale. International capital increasingly sees Nigeria as a major infrastructure investment opportunity, with lenders showing a growing appetite to finance our growth projects (roads, railways, electricity, water and agriculture, transport, and social infrastructure) and support the country’s long-term development.

Improving market confidence is creating opportunities for more competitive financing terms and greater access to long-term capital.

Nigeria must seize this window of opportunity. The greatest risk is no longer simply the cost of borrowing but the economic cost of failing to invest. Every year of delayed infrastructure means lost growth, higher logistics costs, missed investment and jobs that are never created. The international financial community is ready to support credible, bankable projects.

Nigeria must now convert this confidence into capital expenditure, completed infrastructure and lasting economic value. The reforms have opened the door to capital; delivery is what will turn that capital into prosperity. The delivery agenda is reflected in the five priorities FEC identified for the next stage: food affordability and energy price stability; budget harmonisation and fiscal discipline; high-impact project completion and investment in critical infrastructure; an economic policy framework and regulatory efficiency; and targeted household support and investment in human development.

At this point, it must be clearly stated that we did not undertake difficult reforms merely to stabilise the economy. We undertook them to unlock Nigeria’s economic potential and build lasting prosperity. These reforms laid the foundation for economic recovery, while infrastructure investment will drive growth, create jobs and improve living standards. The next phase of Nigeria’s economic transformation must be defined by projects completed on the ground and tangible results for Nigerians, not policy documents alone.

Borrowing and long-term investment

We are moving from borrowing to bridge fiscal gaps to borrowing to build the productive capacity of our nation. The key question is not how much we borrow, but what we build, the value we create and the future we leave behind. Although loans must be repaid, the roads, ports, railways and economic opportunities they finance can serve generations.

We cannot build a $1 trillion economy with infrastructure designed for an economy a fraction of that size. We are investing in infrastructure for the next 50 years, and our financing strategy must reflect that ambition. We must also weigh the cost of borrowing against the cost of inaction because every delayed project means lost opportunities for growth, employment and investment.

Infrastructure and economic impact

We are building more than highways. We are opening economic corridors, connecting markets, supporting industries and reshaping Nigeria’s economic geography. The value of a road extends beyond the completed construction to the farms, factories, businesses and communities it connects.

Every kilometre of infrastructure creates jobs during construction and opens opportunities for decades. Infrastructure provides the foundation for private investment, industrial development, trade and employment. We are therefore building an interconnected national economy in which roads, railways, ports and power infrastructure work together to improve productivity and strengthen Nigeria’s competitiveness in global markets.

International confidence and access to capital

International confidence gives Nigeria an opportunity to secure better financing, accelerate investment and deliver tangible results for its citizens. We must take advantage of our renewed access to international markets by turning investor confidence into productive investment. That investment must translate into economic growth, job creation and improved living standards.

Accountability and delivery

Securing financing is only the beginning. The real achievement lies in completing projects, delivering value for money, and improving Nigerians’ lives. Every Naira borrowed must be justified by the economic value it creates, and we must measure every project by its results.

Our ambition is not simply to announce a large infrastructure programme but to deliver projects that transform Nigeria’s economy. We must pursue our development goals with urgency while maintaining the discipline required for responsible public financial management.

Building a $1 trillion economy

A $1 trillion economy will not emerge through declarations alone. We must build it through investment, higher productivity, industrialisation and trade. Nigeria’s greatest asset is its economic potential, and we must provide the infrastructure to turn that potential into prosperity. We are not borrowing against our children’s future. We must invest responsibly to expand opportunities available to them.

Makinde unveils agenda in Southeast promises to train one million youths

Allied Peoples Movement (APM) presidential candidate Seyi Makinde yesterday unveiled his agenda with a promise to train one million Nigerian youths in employable skills.

The training of one million youths is part of the four-point agenda to reset the economy rejig the security architecture education system and socio-political space if elected president on January 16.

Makinde made the pledge during the Southeast Town Hall of the Makinde/Daura 2027 presidential campaign in Enugu.

He explained that the plans outlined in his manifesto would tackle unemployment poverty and economic hardship while rebuilding public trust in government.

The presidential hopeful who is the current governor of Oyo State said his campaign team consulted Nigerians across the six geopolitical zones to develop a manifesto that reflects their expectations and addresses the country’s challenges.

The manifesto according to him will be unveiled on November 4 2026.

‘We don’t just manufacture things from the sky. We listen to our people we hear from them what they would like to see and we incorporate it into our agenda’ he said.

Makinde identified the four pillars of his proposed reset agenda as economic reform restructuring the security architecture improving the educational system and transforming the socio-political space.

He argued that sincerity in governance would significantly reduce the country’s challenges and help bridge the trust deficit between leaders and citizens.

‘To deal with those challenges 30 per cent of it will go away just by being sincere. When we take those challenges and we deal with them with sincerity 30 per cent will go away on its own’ Makinde said citing his experience in Oyo State as evidence that public confidence could be restored through honest leadership and fulfilled promises.

He urged Nigerians to reject religious and ethnic divisions stressing that the country’s problems affect citizens regardless of their backgrounds.

‘The challenges we are faced with do not know religion do not know ethnicity’ he said adding that government must create opportunities for young people to overcome hunger unemployment and poverty.

As part of his youth empowerment plan Makinde announced a partnership with Skill Research Nigeria to train one million young Nigerians in skills that could improve their employment prospects.

‘We have one million youth that we want to train on skills that can get them employed almost immediately’ he said urging interested youths to access the programme through the organisation’s online platform.

On the economy the APM candidate said Nigeria must move away from sharing revenue allocations towards expanding production supporting manufacturers and creating sustainable jobs.

He expressed concern about high borrowing costs and the lack of long-term financing for businesses particularly manufacturers in the Southeast.

‘You cannot expand manufacturing where millions are employed at 25 per cent interest rates and no long-term facility. Those two challenges we will tackle and tackle decisively’ he said citing Nnewi and Onitsha as examples of Southeast commercial centres where manufacturing and trading contribute to economic activity.

Makinde who said he had been paying salaries since entering the private sector at 29 maintained that government should create an enabling environment for entrepreneurs to establish and expand businesses.

‘The job of the government is to create an atmosphere a conducive atmosphere for businesses to thrive. And that is exactly what we will do’ he said.

He also questioned why Nigeria continues to borrow despite government claims of substantial foreign reserves and improved revenue collections.

The presidential hopeful argued that economic performance should be measured by its impact on citizens and productive businesses.

He called for greater transparency in communicating the country’s financial situation and addressing the hardship confronting Nigerians.

The governor further alleged that opposition parties had faced attempts to undermine their activities through the destruction of campaign posters and billboards and disruptions at political events.

He urged supporters to remain committed to the democratic process saying: ‘Let them pull the posters down. Let them destroy your billboards. But please have your voter’s card and your thumb. They cannot pull your thumb from you. And that is what you will use to send them away.’

Makinde acknowledged that the Southeast is widely associated with support for Peter Obi but insisted that his campaign would present its proposals to voters in the region.

‘When we were coming here we were almost discouraged. ‘Oh this is the zone for my friend and brother His Excellency Peter Obi.’ And the Southeast is totally for him.

‘We said well we definitely will bring our message also to the Southeast’ he said.

Earlier APM National Chairman Yusuf Mamman Dantalle said Nigerians are experiencing severe economic hardship and need a change in leadership.

‘We were buying fuel at N185 before Tinubu came but today we are buying almost N1400’ he said citing rising fuel prices struggling industries and worsening insecurity as evidence of the country’s difficulties.

Dantalle argued that transport support for some civil servants could not adequately address the hardship affecting the wider population insisting that manufacturers needed policies that encouraged domestic production.

He urged Nigerians to support Makinde as a youthful presidential candidate capable of transforming the country and appealed particularly to women to back the APM ticket.

SM brings energy efficiency to everyday mall experiences

SM’s commitment to a more sustainable future can be experienced through the everyday features found across its malls, from large-scale renewable energy systems to smart technologies that help reduce energy consumption.

At SM Supermalls, energy efficiency is embedded into both mall design and operations. Through innovations such as rooftop solar panels, green building features, and energy-efficient systems, the company reduces electricity consumption while supporting the country’s sustainability goals.

Many of these initiatives are seamlessly integrated into the mall experience. Among them are motion-sensor escalators, which detect passenger movement and operate only when needed. By automatically activating when a shopper approaches and remains idle when not in use, these systems help reduce unnecessary energy consumption by up to 50% during low foot traffic hours and 20% during high foot traffic hours while maintaining convenience and comfort.

SM Supermalls also create bright, comfortable, and energy-efficient spaces through the use of LED lighting. Compared with traditional incandescent bulbs, LED lights consume significantly less energy while providing enhanced illumination. They also generate less heat, helping reduce the cooling load on air-conditioning systems, particularly during warmer months.

These daily operations are further supported by SM Supermalls’ expansive solar power network. Lighting systems, air-conditioning units, kitchen equipment, and other essential facilities benefit from renewable energy generated by what is now the country’s largest rooftop solar panel network among property developers. With more than 200,000 solar panels installed across 75 mall properties, SM continues to expand its renewable energy capacity to help ease demand on the national power grid, reaching 125 MWp reaching 125 MWp-enough to power the equivalent of all households in Romblon province.

Among its notable renewable energy installations are the solar canopies at SM Mall of Asia and the solar parasols at SM City Bicutan. These features combine functionality and sustainability, enhancing outdoor spaces while generating clean energy and promoting environmental awareness among visitors.

These initiatives demonstrate how energy efficiency can be integrated into everyday mall experiences. Beyond reducing electricity consumption at the property level, they contribute to the broader decarbonization strategy of SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SM Prime), which prioritizes energy efficiency and renewable energy as key pathways for reducing carbon emissions.

By lowering its operational footprint and advancing responsible energy use across its developments, SM Supermalls’ integrated approach to energy management helps conserve resources, strengthen energy security, and create lasting benefits for the communities it serves.

‘The energy-efficient systems we implement today are investments in a more sustainable future,’ said Engr. Junias M. Eusebio, Vice President for Operations of SM Supermalls. ‘We continuously explore new ways to strengthen our energy management practices and create long-term value for the communities we serve while supporting the country’s transition to a more sustainable and low-carbon future.’

Clarity, confidence and courage: Helping Sri Lanka’s graduates into work

For over 30 years, much of my work has involved helping people make sense of where they are in their careers and where they might go next. I have worked with people of different ages, in very different sectors and in different parts of the world. But there is something particularly troubling about what I am seeing amongst young graduates in Sri Lanka today.

These are not young people who have failed to try. Many have done exactly what was expected of them. They worked hard for their O/Ls and A/Ls. Their families paid for tuition and made sacrifices. They competed for university places and earned their degrees. The understanding was that, somewhere at the end of all this effort, there would be a job.

For far too many, that job is simply not there.

The figures tell us just how serious the problem has become. An IMF analysis published in September put unemployment among Sri Lankans aged 15-24 with post-secondary education at around 43%, the highest amongst the 12 Asia-Pacific economies compared. Our own Labour Force Survey measures this differently, but the picture is hardly reassuring. Youth unemployment stood at 19.5%, rising to 22.5% amongst young people with GCE A/L and above. Nearly 40,000 graduates aged 20 and above were unemployed, and around half of them were Arts graduates.

So I think we need to be careful about telling young people that they simply need to become more ’employable’. There is a shortage of jobs. The World Bank estimates that nearly one million young Sri Lankans will enter the labour market over the next decade, while, without stronger growth and private investment, only around 300,000 new formal jobs are expected to be created.

We cannot coach our way out of that.

But there is another part of this which I believe we need to talk about. Have we prepared our young people for a world of work that no longer works in the way many of us were brought up to expect?

For generations the pathway was fairly straightforward: Education ? Qualification ? Job ? Career. You did your part and expected the system to do its part.

But now, that relationship has changed. Careers today are much less tidy. Young people may have to experiment, learn, adapt, reskill, make connections, change direction and try again. Sometimes more than once. I do not think we have done enough to prepare them for that reality.

There is also something particularly Sri Lankan in this. For many students, the subject they study at university is determined by Z-scores and district cut-off marks rather than by their interests, aptitude or career goals. So a young person can spend years earning a degree they did not really choose, and then arrive at the end without ever having had the chance to ask: What am I actually good at? Where could I use it?

In my work I keep coming back to three things: Clarity, Confidence and Courage.

Clarity, for me, is not simply deciding what job you want. It is knowing yourself well enough to understand what you are good at, what gives you energy, what matters to you and where those things might be useful. A degree tells us what somebody studied. It does not tell us all of that.

I think we have put far too much weight on qualifications in Sri Lanka. The right results. The right degree. The right title. Somewhere along the way, the person themselves can get lost.

I remember talking to one young person in Sri Lanka about strengths. Part-way through the conversation they stopped me, genuinely surprised. It had never occurred to them that you could actually enjoy what you do and come away from work energised rather than drained. Work, in their mind, was something you secured and then endured.

That conversation has stayed with me.

Confidence is another matter. Rejection wears people down. So does sending application after application and hearing nothing at all. After a while, a young person can move from thinking ‘the job market is difficult’ to ‘perhaps I am not good enough’. Those are two very different conclusions.

When I work with people who have reached that point, I often ask them to tell me their story. What have you actually done? What difficulties have you overcome? What have other people trusted you to do? We put it down on paper. Quite often they are surprised by what is there, because they have become so focused on what has gone wrong that they have stopped seeing what has gone right.

Confidence has to come from what we have actually done. Full stop.

And then there is courage. Not dramatic courage. The ordinary kind. Applying for something when you do not meet every criterion. Asking somebody for an introduction. Learning something new when you are worried you might not be very good at it. Taking a first job that does not have the title your family hoped for. Or sometimes seeing a need and creating an opportunity rather than waiting for somebody to offer one.

A couple of years ago I worked with a young Sri Lankan man who was very capable but had become stuck and was being overlooked for promotion. We went through his skills and experience and practised how he could talk about what he had to offer. At his next appraisal, instead of simply waiting to hear what his manager thought of him, he talked about things he could see needed improving in the organisation and how he could help.

His manager listened. A position was created for him to do exactly that.

I like that story because it was not about somebody suddenly becoming fearless. He had become clearer about what he could offer, confident enough to say it, and courageous enough to put an idea on the table. So perhaps, sometimes, instead of only asking ‘Where is the position?’, we should also be asking ‘What could I create?’

But I do not want this to turn into yet another lecture to young people about resilience. Confidence and courage cannot manufacture jobs. Employers have a part to play. Universities have a part to play. Policymakers certainly do. And families do too.

Employers can create genuine entry-level opportunities and stop expecting young applicants to arrive with years of experience. Universities can start career conversations in the first year rather than waiting until students are about to leave. Policymakers need to keep working on the much bigger issue of job creation and the connection between education, vocational training and industry. And as families, perhaps we need to loosen our ideas about what a ‘good’ career is supposed to look like.

After more than three decades of doing this work, I have no doubt that the talent is here. Our young people are capable and qualified. What worries me is how many have had very little opportunity to discover what they are good at, where they might contribute, and how much more they are than the certificate they hold.

We cannot promise them certainty and I am not sure we should even try. But we can help them find enough clarity to see a direction, enough confidence to recognise what they already bring, and enough courage to take the next step when the whole route is not yet visible.

The full article, including the supporting data, research and practical recommendations, is available on the Oxford Psychometrics website: oxford-psychometrics.com/qualified-but-uncertain-clarity-confidence-and-courage-for-sri-lankas-young-graduates

In Surigao del Norte, dry spell prompts water rationing

DAVAO CITY-The provincial government of Surigao del Norte has enforced water rationing since September due to the severe drop in both rainfall and the common sources of household and potable water.

The provincial has been issuing regular advisories, tapping its social media accounts to guide residents when and where the next round of water distribution will be held. In its regular update, it would ask residents to ‘store water responsibly when supply is available; prioritize cooking and other essential household needs; avoid unnecessary water consumption; and to share this information with your family, neighbors, and community.’

It said the Surigao City government was coordinating with the Surigao Metropolitan Water District (SMWD) ‘to ensure that the available water supply is distributed as fairly and efficiently as possible during the current water shortage.’

In its situation update on Thursday, the city government said the Surigao City Public Information Office has implemented rolling water schedules where availability rotates across different barangays with limited supply durations. It said the SMWD has reported ‘significant drops’ in available water volume, ‘with deficits cutting deep into normal output.’

The city government also said that Surigao City Mayor Paul Dumlao and SMWD teamed up with Hiraya Water Corp. to implement interventions and alternative sources to ease the dry faucets. ‘Beyond current weather patterns, watershed health, illegal logging/mining pressures, and infrastructure strain have historically impacted the Parang-Parang Watershed and local surface water systems.’

The social media account Mindanao Weather Update posted in August that Dinagat Islands of Surigao del Norte was the first listed province in Mindanao to sustain the negative impact of the El Niño. At least 15 percent of the provincial population was at risk and emergency water assistance was being provided, it posted on its account on August 28. It said that in late August, 18,000 of residents have been affected by lack of water in Dinagat Islands, with around half of all river sources of water of the local water utility have dried up.

Early water rationing saw water tanks sent to communities, schools and hospitals identified as severely affected. Dinagat Islands is the island province east of Surigao del Norte and consist of seven islands and several islets.

Water rationing was also being reported in Butuan City, part of the Caraga Region where Surigao del Norte is also part of, and while Davao City has a more stable water resource, the Philippine Information Agency reported that its city government will tap 700 water catchments but these were mainly to provide water to the agriculture sector.

Davao City has formerly relied on its aquifers for several decades for its potable and other household uses but eventually put it on reserve shortly after the pandemic when it tapped the pristine waters of the Tamugan River running across its northern watershed region for its main water source.

The country’s weather agency said El Niño has intensified from a strong when it hit the country in the last quarter of this year to ‘very strong’ phenomenon going to last through mid-2027.

Sri Lanka, Trkiye sign MoU to boost agricultural cooperation

Sri Lanka and Turkiye this week signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Ankara to strengthen cooperation in agriculture.

The signatories were Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment Deputy Minister Arun Hemachandra and Turkiye Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Dr. Ahmet Bagci.

The MoU marks an important step towards strengthening bilateral cooperation in agriculture, providing a framework for technical collaboration, knowledge sharing, capacity building and the exchange of agricultural expertise.

The instrument is expected to facilitate practical cooperation between the relevant institutions of the two countries, contributing to agricultural development, productivity and food security.

Regenerating Colombo: Is adequate housing really for all?

What does regeneration mean?

On 31 October, World Cities Day 2026 will focus on ‘Regenerating the City: Adequate Housing for All.’ For Colombo, the theme raises a central question: has the city merely grown and modernised-or is it actually regenerating?

Colombo has more homes, improved services, comparatively stronger infrastructure and increasingly valuable land. Yet these achievements do not automatically make the city more affordable, inclusive, accessible or resilient. Regeneration means renewing the connected systems of housing, neighbourhoods, infrastructure, ecology, mobility and opportunity-so that the people who live and work in the city share in the value created by urban change.

The test is therefore not whether Colombo is becoming bigger and more valuable, but whether it is becoming better to live in-and better able to support the people who depend on it.

Colombo’s housing transformation

Colombo District has experienced remarkable housing progress. Occupied housing increased from approximately 272,000 units in 1981 to 654,000 in 2024. By 2024, 98.6% of houses were permanent, 97.2% had drinking water within the unit, 98% had national-grid electricity, and 95.5% had exclusive sanitary facilities. 85.5% of households used LP gas.

Housing is also becoming more intensive: single-storey houses account for 54.4%, multi-storey houses 32.1% and apartments 13.4%. Between 2012 and 2024, total housing units rose from approximately 634,000 to 768,000, while occupied units increased from 556,000 to 654,000.

Colombo has moved beyond simply producing more dwellings. The next challenge is ensuring that homes are affordable, well located, suitable, and connected to jobs and services.

More housing, greater pressure

The growing stock has created a paradox. Between 2012 and 2024, total housing units increased by 21.1%, occupied units by 17.7%, but vacant or permanently closed units by 45.8%-from 78,052 to 113,837. Their share rose from 12.3% to 14.8% (Figure 1).

The question is therefore whether supply matches effective demand-in price, location, tenure and suitability. An earlier Western Province analysis estimated that Colombo alone could have had approximately 101,600 excess or vacant units by 2015, partly linked to investment demand and second or third homes.

Greater density does not automatically mean greater affordability. National HIES evidence shows housing expenditure represented 26.67% of non-food expenditure among Colombo District households in 2019. Rising land values and construction costs have increased the entry cost for first-time buyers and put pressure on low- and middle-income households. Formal finance can assist those with income and credit access, but may widen exclusion.

Internationally, adequate housing includes security of tenure, services, affordability, habitability, accessibility, suitable location and cultural adequacy. Colombo has improved physical housing conditions, but affordability, location, and access to opportunity remain under pressure.

Land values intensify the pressure

The CBSL Residential Land Valuation Index for Colombo District, with 2017 H1 = 100, rose from 176.3 in 2021 to 221.0 in 2023 H2, 242.9 in 2024 H2, 273.1 in 2025 H2 and 284.9 in 2026 H1-placing the latest index 184.9% above its 2017 H1 base (Figure 2).

As land becomes more valuable, households face difficult choices: pay more, accept smaller or denser housing, or move farther from the city. Moving outward may reduce housing costs, but it can increase commuting time, transport expenditure, and distance from employment, services, and opportunity.

This is not merely an affordability issue. It is a regeneration issue. A city cannot be regenerative if economic growth raises land values while displacing people who depend on the city for employment and daily life. Housing can become more valuable as an investment for those who can afford it, while becoming less affordable as a home for those who need it most.

Adequate housing beyond the front door

Adequate housing does not end at the front door. Location, public space, green-blue infrastructure, services, access to employment and the conditions of daily life all determine whether a home supports a decent urban life.

Colombo has made progress in parks, recreation and the use of wetlands as public assets. More than 20 km of walkways and jogging paths have been developed around Colombo’s wetlands. The Colombo Municipal Council provides 32 city playgrounds, 33 children’s playgrounds and 52 community centres.

Yet provision is not the same as access. Evidence indicates that 373 of 557 Grama Niladhari divisions had no public playground within the division, while 73 were 5 km or more away. For children’s parks, 420 divisions had no facility within the division, with 145 located 5 km or more away. Colombo can therefore expand its overall stock of facilities while neighbourhood-level access remains uneven.

A study of Colombo city’s 47 wards found that green cover declined from 35.67% in 1956 to 22.23% in 2010-a reduction of 13.44 percentage points. Colombo is also becoming more vulnerable to flooding: a recent assessment classified 13.64% of the study area as extremely high flood hazard, with built-up land accounting for approximately 85.6%, compared with 6.5% wetlands and 3.7% tree cover. The Colombo Wetland Complex has declined from approximately 47.5 km² in the 1980s to about 19 km² today.

These figures do not mean that urbanisation alone explains flooding. They do show why natural water-retention areas, expanding impervious surfaces and drainage pressure must be treated as housing and urban-planning concerns-not merely environmental issues. Wetlands and vegetation help protect homes, roads, livelihoods and public investment

Residents, merchants, shopkeepers, property owners, institutions and local authorities should be regarded as partners in maintaining and improving urban precincts. Cleaner streets, shaded walkways, greener commercial areas, pocket parks and well-maintained public spaces can become shared assets. A regenerative city therefore requires collective responsibility, not municipal action alone.

International experience offers concise lessons. Melbourne uses neighbourhood-level urban-forest planning and community participation, while Singapore links parks, waterways and nature corridors with precinct partnerships and shared stewardship. These models should be adapted to Colombo’s own environmental, institutional and social conditions rather than copied mechanically.

Mobility adds another dimension. A lower-cost home farther from employment may reduce housing costs but increase transport expenditure, commuting time and the time available for family and community life. Workforce Mobility Management (WMM) makes this relationship visible: the true cost of housing includes the time and money required to reach work, education, healthcare and essential services.

Adequate homes need adequate neighbourhoods-green, clean, connected, accessible and environmentally resilient.

Is Colombo becoming regenerative?

The evidence is mixed. Colombo has improved housing quality, basic services, infrastructure, public spaces and parts of its wetland system. But rising land values, vacant housing, affordability pressures and unequal access to neighbourhood facilities show that regeneration is not benefiting every part of urban life.

The pattern is therefore uneven regeneration. Buildings and infrastructure are improving faster than affordability, access, environmental recovery and social inclusion.

Regeneration must also protect livelihoods. Shops, vendors, carts and other activities may sometimes need relocation for valid reasons such as safety, congestion or planned land use. However, the process should be transparent, reduce hardship, provide workable alternatives and apply rules fairly. Urban improvement should not cause avoidable loss of livelihood. Housing affordability also depends on location. A cheaper home farther from employment may reduce the initial housing cost but increase transport expenses and commuting time. The real housing burden includes land, house price, rent, finance, transport, and time. This connects housing and location with Workforce Mobility Management (WMM). Moving economic activity away from viable locations can also move people farther from their sources of income.

The deeper issue is whether urban growth creates public value. A regeneration dividend should mean affordable housing, better use of vacant units, lower travel costs, fair access to public space, restored wetlands, lower flood risk and protected livelihoods. What is not measured is unlikely to be protected or improved

On this basis, Colombo is regenerating-but unevenly. A regeneration dividend should be visible in affordable housing, better use of vacant units, lower travel costs, fair access to public space, restored wetlands, lower flood risk and protected livelihoods.’

Colombo’s next agenda

Colombo need not choose between development and regeneration. The challenge is to make development itself regenerative-creating economic value while improving housing, neighbourhoods, environmental quality and access to opportunity.

Put affordability at the centre of planning: Consider land values, rents, construction costs, household incomes and finance together.

Use existing housing better: Expand affordable rental options and return suitable vacant units to productive use.

Connect housing, land use and mobility: Measure not only dwelling price but also the time and cost of reaching employment, education and essential services.

Regenerate neighbourhoods and livelihoods, not just buildings: Integrate housing investment with transport, drainage, sanitation, public spaces and green-blue infrastructure, while recognising the locations on which small businesses and daily-income activities depend.

Make regeneration participatory: Residents, merchants, property owners, businesses, institutions and local authorities should share responsibility for creating cleaner, greener and better-maintained precincts. Residents should be partners in shaping and sustaining regeneration, not merely its beneficiaries.

Cities must change, and redevelopment will sometimes be necessary. But change should be strategic, transparent and inclusive-improving the urban environment without unnecessary displacement and providing viable pathways for livelihoods to adapt.

Colombo’s next chapter should not be judged by how much the city builds, but by how well it regenerates.

IDB Launches ‘i5 | FIVE Industry Excellence Journey & Awards 2026’

The Industrial Development Board (IDB), operating under the Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Ministry, has commenced accepting applications for the ‘i5 | FIVE Industry Excellence Journey and Awards 2026’, a national initiative aimed at recognising and promoting excellence in Sri Lanka’s manufacturing sector.

The program seeks to enhance productivity, innovation, competitiveness and sustainability among local manufacturers while creating opportunities for manufacturing enterprises across the country to improve their performance and prepare for the future of industry. Small, medium and large-scale manufacturing enterprises are invited to apply for this national initiative.

The ‘i5’ program goes beyond a conventional awards ceremony, offering a continuous journey towards industrial excellence and transformation. It is designed around the concept of Industry 5.0, which integrates technological advancement, human capabilities, resilience and sustainable growth to build a more competitive and future-ready manufacturing sector.

A key feature of the initiative is the development of case studies and videos documenting the success stories of award-winning enterprises. These will help share knowledge, practical experience and best practices with other entrepreneurs, encouraging continuous improvement and innovation across the manufacturing sector.

The assessment process will be conducted under three main pillars: Enterprise Excellence, Industry Excellence and Transformation Capability.

Enterprise Excellence focuses on leadership, financial and organisational performance, and stakeholder management. Industry Excellence evaluates manufacturing processes, automation, innovation, operational efficiency, digital capabilities and environmental sustainability. Transformation Capability assesses technology adoption, human resource development, the ability to respond to challenges and long-term sustainable impact.

The programme covers 21 assessment areas across these three pillars, with a total of 69 awards to be presented to enterprises in the small, medium and large-scale categories.

Who can apply? Small, medium and large-scale manufacturing enterprises registered in any district of Sri Lanka and engaged in active manufacturing operations for at least three years are eligible to apply. Micro-scale enterprises are not eligible for this programme.

Applicants will be evaluated through an assessment process that includes the examination of financial records, employee numbers and inspections of manufacturing premises, along with other relevant criteria.

Applications for the program are entirely free of charge. Eligible enterprises must complete and submit their applications online through the official website: www.ifive.idb.lk. The deadline for online applications is Monday, 9 November 2026, at 4.00 p.m.

Women MPs to lead islandwide breast cancer early detection drive

An islandwide special national program to promote the early detection of breast cancer will be held on 2 November, 2026, led by the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus and the Ministry of Health.

The decision was taken at a recent Caucus meeting chaired by Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus Chairperson and Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj.

Ministry of Health officials told the meeting that about 6,000 new cases of breast cancer are reported in Sri Lanka annually and about 1,000 women die from the disease each year. Although breast cancer can be completely cured when detected early, delays in seeking treatment due to fear, embarrassment or a lack of awareness remain a major challenge, they said.

On 2 November, women MPs will organise health clinics and awareness programs at electorate and district level and take part directly. Women MPs and school and university students will also wear pink ribbons, wristbands and clothing to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Special attention will be given to encouraging women in rural communities, plantation areas, urban high-rise housing complexes and underserved areas to attend Suwanari Clinics. Only about 50% of women aged 35 to 45 currently attend these clinics.

A comprehensive program is planned for next year to refer all women aged 35 to 45 for screening, bringing together stakeholders, including women’s societies at Grama Niladhari division level. The meeting also discussed holding cervical cancer awareness programs in January, led by women MPs.

The meeting also took up gender-responsive budgeting, which means considering the impact on women and men when drawing up Budgets, and the care economy. It discussed obtaining technical advisory support to implement the National Care Policy and to incorporate gender-responsive policies into the budgetary process.

The meeting emphasised the need to expedite amendments to address shortcomings in laws on the prevention of domestic violence, maintenance and the prohibition of corporal punishment of children, in coordination with the Ministry of Justice.

Deputy Chairperson of Committees of Parliament and Caucus Deputy Co-Chairperson Hemali Weerasekara, MP Chamindrani Kiriella, several other women MPs, Ministry of Health officials and representatives of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) in Sri Lanka also took part.