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Senator Shehu Buba, representing Bauchi South Senatorial District, has expressed optimism that the current economic hardship in Nigeria will soon come to an end.

He made the remark during the distribution of 21,000 bags of semovita to his constituents at the Jummaat Mosque in the Federal Low-Cost area of Bauchi.

The lawmaker expressed confidence that the hardship will soon come to an end, citing the progress made by the federal government under the leadership of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu in revamping the economy.

He further said the current economic hardship is being tackled from different dimension including the distribution of palliatives, an effort he has consistently undertaken, not only for his constituents but also for the people across the state.

According to him, ‘The federal government had to a large extent been able to stabilise the exchange rate of the national currency against others thereby improving imports and exports.’

He revealed that Senator Sama’ila Dahuwa, who represents Bauchi North Senatorial District, will soon join the All Progressives Congress (APC) following his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He also appealed to Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi, representing Bauchi Central, to leave the PDP and join the APC so they can collectively work toward the progress of the state and the nation.

Senator Buba also commended members of his constituency for their peaceful conduct, noting that their support has greatly contributed to the APC-led government’s efforts in delivering the dividends of democracy to the people.

He solicited for the continued cooperation of the people with the government at all levels stressing that ‘without peace there cannot be meaningful development.’

In his remarks, Abdulkadir Gyangyan, chairman of the distribution committee, explained that the exercise began with the allocation of 1,000 bags each to seven local government areas; Alkaleri, Bauchi, Bogoro, Dass, Kirfi, and Toro, while the remaining 13 LGAs will receive 500 bags each.

He added that the rest will be shared among party officials at the zonal and state levels, political organisations, as well as selected individuals and associations.

Gyangyan, who also serves as the State Organising Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), commended Senator Buba for his consistent efforts in supporting his constituents, saying, ‘You have helped reduce hunger among our people.’

As Nigeria marks 65 years of independence, its influence in Africa remains under scrutiny. Despite its stature as Africa’s largest democracy and most populous nation, Nigeria’s diplomatic presence on the global stage remains alarmingly thin.

If Nigeria is to fulfil its destiny as a continental leader and credible global player, it must urgently reform its foreign policy, beginning with putting the right people in the right places, analysts say.

Today, only one embassy in Stockholm, Sweden, is responsible for Sweden as well as Denmark, Norway, and Finland. Such sparse representation is not merely symbolic; it reflects a deeper malaise in Nigeria’s foreign policy architecture.

As there are only 24 diplomatic missions across Europe, Nigeria’s footprint is dwarfed by the United States and China, which maintain 273 and 276 respectively.

The consequences are tangible: delayed passport processing for Nigerians abroad, missed trade opportunities, and a weakened voice in international affairs.

A legacy worth reclaiming

Nigeria’s Foreign Service was once a model of excellence. The country produced diplomatic giants such as Jaja Wachukwu, Nigeria’s first foreign minister and UN ambassador; Emeka Anyaoku, former secretary-general of the Commonwealth; Uzoma Emenike, the first female Nigerian ambassador to the United States; and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, now director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO). These figures showcased Nigeria’s capacity to lead and influence globally.

In its early years after independence, Nigeria championed the anti-apartheid struggle, provided military and diplomatic leadership in ECOWAS, and played decisive roles in peacekeeping in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

But in recent decades, merit has taken a back seat to political patronage. Strategic postings are too often awarded to allies rather than professionals, leaving missions under-resourced and poorly managed. This erosion has undermined Nigeria’s credibility abroad and diminished its diplomatic leverage.

Tinubu’s foreign policy doctrine: the 4Ds

President Bola Tinubu has framed foreign policy around the ‘4D Doctrine’ – Democracy, Development, Demography, and Diaspora. Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, minister of Foreign Affairs, has promoted this vision at global platforms such as the G20 and the UN General Assembly. However, the slow pace of ambassadorial appointments and the absence of missions in strategic capitals suggest a troubling gap between rhetoric and reality.

In September 2023, Tinubu recalled all ambassadors and high commissioners worldwide. Over two years later, the embassies remain leaderless, ‘We have more than 110 missions across the globe. and we don’t even have ambassadors,’ lamented Sunny Ofehe, executive assistant to the Delta State governor on external relations and diaspora affairs.

The absence of ambassadors is more than an inconvenience; it undermines the very deals Tinubu has been signing abroad. In November 2024, Nigeria sealed a $2.5 billion agreement with JBS, the world’s largest meat processing company, in Brazil. Yet he noted that there is no ambassador in Brazil to follow through.

Round pegs in round holes

According to Anthonia Okon, an international relations scholar, the first step towards repositioning Nigeria globally is reforming the ambassadorial appointment process. Diplomacy demands more than ceremonial presence; it requires negotiation skills, geopolitical insight, cultural fluency, and mastery of international law. Career diplomats, not political appointees, must be entrusted with these roles.

Experts argue that a rigorous selection process involves the Foreign Ministry, National Assembly vetting, and Presidential approval. Without qualified personnel, expanding Nigeria’s reach would be futile. Opening embassies in Denmark, Norway, and Finland, for instance, could deepen Nigeria’s bilateral trade and energy partnerships in the Nordic region, but only if led by competent envoys.

The human and financial cost

The impact of Nigeria’s frail diplomatic reach is not confined to missed trade opportunities or stalled agreements.

Bolanle Olukanni, a Nigerian media personality, recently shared her frustration after her father, Ayoola Olukanni, a retired diplomat with over 30 years of service, was denied a Schengen visa alongside his wife by the Austrian embassy. The rejection underscored the diminished global standing of the Nigerian passport.

Ordinary Nigerians face even harsher realities, with families waiting endlessly for passport renewals in London and New York, and business travellers facing humiliating visa denials all illustrate the human toll. Joe Keshi, a former Nigerian diplomat, captured the stakes bluntly when he described Washington’s decision to slash visa validity for Nigerians as ‘a diplomatic setback that reflects Nigeria’s weak negotiating power.’ Such a move, he warned, ‘will make life more difficult for students, tech innovators and business people,’ underscoring how gaps in foreign policy directly undercut Nigeria’s global standing and its people’s aspirations.

Financial dysfunction deepens the problem. Recently, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, admitted that years of budget shortfalls and foreign exchange fluctuations had crippled embassies, leaving many unable to pay salaries, allowances, or even rent. The ministry says intervention funds and ‘second semester allocations’ have now been released, with over 80 percent of debts cleared. Some missions have begun stabilising, but until ambassadors are appointed and embassies properly funded, the crisis remains unresolved.

Economic stakes

The stakes are economic as well as symbolic. According to the International Organisation for Migration’s 2024 report, about 2.1 million Nigerians live abroad, sending home $21 billion in remittances. Yet, embassies remain ill-equipped to facilitate diaspora investment, trade promotion, or even consular services. A robust diplomatic presence, led by skilled professionals, would not only ease citizen frustrations but also attract meaningful Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

In a recent interview, Bolaji Akinyemi, former external affairs minister, analysed Tinubu’s administration as being more transactional, that is, focused on investments rather than projecting political presence. ‘He seems to be more interested in what I will call transactional foreign policy. He goes to Brazil where he can sign agreements with businessmen and leaves the political body language to his vice president,’ Akinyemi noted.

He also pointed out that the Government had failed to appoint ambassadors in Washington, London, Paris, and at the United Nations, stressing that such neglect undermines foreign policy. ‘Diplomacy runs on ambassadorial contacts. we need to have these ambassadors back at post as soon as possible,’ he said.

When GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) exited Nigeria in late 2023, it left a major gap in the country’s pharmaceutical supply chain. One of the most affected products was Augmentin, GSK’s well-known brand of amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. The antibiotic had long been a household name for treating bacterial infections.

After GSK’s exit, Nigeria turned almost entirely to imports to meet demand. Prices quickly spiralled. A pack of Augmentin 625 mg, previously sold for between N3,000 and N4,000, surged to as high as N25,000 in some pharmacies. Imported substitutes followed the same path. Fleming 625, made by Sanofi, rose from N3,000 to N7,000. It currently sells between N12,000 and N14,000 per pack.

As prices soared, Mecure Industries saw an opportunity. The Lagos-based pharmaceutical company announced plans to manufacture the amoxicillin-clavulanate combination locally. Its move came at a time when Nigeria faced rising import costs, especially in the antibiotic OTC division.

In the first quarter of 2024, Mecure secured approval from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to begin production. The approval followed the completion of its Beta-Lactam plant, a facility designed for antibiotic manufacturing.

The Amoxyclav effect

That decision has reshaped Mecure’s financial trajectory. The company’s antibiotic production line, launched in the first half of 2024, became its biggest revenue driver. Alongside its diclofenac product, the amoxiclav line generated N20.9 billion in the first half of 2025. This accounted for 56 percent of total company revenue.

The growth has been swift and dramatic. Mecure’s total revenue rose to N37.3 billion in H1 2025, up 118 percent from N17.1 billion in the same period of 2024. Profit also surged. The company recorded a net income of N2.7 billion in H1 2025, compared with N936.8 million a year earlier, an increase of 191 percent.

The strong earnings have been reflected in the stock market. Since listing on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) on November 8, 2023, Mecure’s share price has soared. From a debut price of N2.96, the stock closed at N28.40 on October 13, 2025. That represents a gain of nearly 860 percent in less than two years. Year-to-date in 2025, Mecure shares are up by 104 percent.

The company’s strong fundamentals have earned it a higher market valuation. Based on H1 2025 earnings, Mecure trades at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 20.88x. This is well above Fidson’s 8.27x and May and Baker’s 6.81x, though still below Neimeth’s 59x.

Nigeria’s drive to pharmaceutical self-sufficiency

Analysts say investors are responding to Mecure’s rising dominance in the local antibiotics market. ‘Mecure’s capacity to manufacture high-demand antibiotics locally gives it a major competitive advantage,’ one analyst told BusinessDay. ‘Investors are betting on its ability to sustain that growth.’

The company’s success also underscores a broader industry shift. As multinationals exit Nigeria’s pharmaceutical scene, local manufacturers are stepping in. For example, Fidson and Emzor with their artemether and lumefantrine combination. Ciprofloxacin by Fidson (Ciprotab) is also another effort by a Nigerian pharma to aid Nigeria’s reliance on imported drugs.

Mecure’s story basically highlights how local innovation can help Nigeria move closer to pharmaceutical self-sufficiency, one drug combination at a time.

In today’s digital economy, financial services no longer operate on banking hours. Customers expect instant, 24/7 access to their accounts, transfers, and payments. From Lagos to Abuja and Port Harcourt to Kano, a growing middle class, coupled with a surge in mobile banking adoption, has made downtime not just inconvenient but unacceptable.

Every second a bank’s system is unavailable can mean thousands of failed transactions, millions of naira lost, and erosion of customer trust. In Nigeria’s fast-moving fintech space, high availability (HA) has shifted from a competitive advantage to a basic requirement for survival. Platforms like OPay, Moniepoint, Kuda, and PalmPay have embraced this reality, turning reliability into a brand promise.

The question remains: can any financial institution today afford to risk customer trust?

The cloud as the game changer

For years, banks relied on on-premises servers and physical infrastructure to host their core systems. While functional, these setups were vulnerable to hardware failures, power outages, and local disasters. Cloud computing changed that equation.

By leveraging cloud-driven architectures, financial institutions can now distribute workloads across multiple data centres and regions, ensuring services remain uninterrupted even if one server goes offline. Imagine initiating a ?500,000 transfer at 2:00 AM during a rainstorm that knocks out power in part of the city, and yet, the transaction still completes in seconds. This is the invisible power of cloud-based resilience.

Forward-thinking Nigerian players like OPay, Moniepoint, Kuda, and PalmPay have embraced this approach. Their apps rarely experience outages, even during high-demand events like Black Friday sales or festive season remittances. This is not luck; it’s the result of carefully engineered cloud-based infrastructure designed for maximum uptime.

Why banking can’t afford downtime

In finance, trust is currency. A customer might forgive a delayed e-commerce delivery payment, but will they forgive a missed payment during a medical emergency when a patient’s life is at stake? What happens to a brand’s reputation if millions of users cannot access their funds at a critical moment? According to the 2024 Accenture Global Banking Report, 92 percent of customers rank reliability as the number one factor in choosing a financial provider, and switching rates increase dramatically after just two service disruptions.

When OPay processes over two million transactions in a single day without interruption, or when Moniepoint ensures merchants receive instant payment confirmations at busy marketplaces, they are doing more than just keeping systems online; they are reinforcing customer confidence. High availability doesn’t just prevent complaints; it prevents customer migration. And in a market as competitive as Nigeria’s fintech landscape, losing customer trust can mean losing them forever.

Downtime isn’t just a temporary inconvenience. It can trigger regulatory scrutiny, contractual penalties for failed settlements, and, in severe cases, a public relations crisis. Could a single day of downtime wipe out years of brand loyalty? The answer is yes, and that’s why leaders like PalmPay and Kuda treat uptime as a non-negotiable part of their business model.

Behind the speed: How the cloud makes it possible

High availability in the cloud isn’t just about having extra servers waiting in case of trouble. It’s about building systems that keep running smoothly no matter what happens. For fintechs like OPay, Moniepoint, Kuda, and PalmPay, their services are copied across many locations. If one goes down, another one takes over instantly, and customers don’t even notice.

Even bigger issues, like power cuts or regional outages, can be handled with built-in disaster recovery tools in the cloud. These tools protect customer data and keep services available. Plus, modern monitoring systems, often powered by AI, keep watch 24/7. They can fix small problems automatically before they become big ones.

That’s why even when the network is slow or a server fails, people can still send money, make payments, or check balances as if nothing went wrong.

Lessons from Nigeria’s digital banking leaders

The success of OPay, Moniepoint, Kuda, and PalmPay has reshaped customer expectations. In the past, salary-day rushes often slowed or crashed banking apps. Today, these platforms handle heavy traffic without issues. Even during festive seasons, transactions are completed within seconds, demonstrating reliability that builds loyalty.

These fintechs show that uptime sells. People choose them not just for attractive interfaces, but for the assurance that a ?500 airtime recharge or a ?5 million transfer will go through instantly. Traditional banks must match this dependability or risk losing customers.

Another key lesson is proactive investment. These platforms don’t wait for failures; they prepare in advance by scaling systems, using multi-region cloud hosting, AI monitoring, and smart transaction routing. High availability is the result of planning and continuous investment, not chance.

The road ahead: Scaling trust in the cloud era

By 2026, mobile money transactions in Nigeria are expected to grow beyond $40 billion each year (Statista). This means even more people will rely on digital platforms to move their money, and the pressure for speed and reliability will only increase. To keep up, financial institutions will need to match what leaders like OPay, Moniepoint, Kuda, and PalmPay are already offering: instant transfers, reliable merchant payments, and 24/7 access to accounts.

The winners of tomorrow will be the ones who can scale their systems smoothly without slowing down, use AI to predict and fix problems before they happen, and bring services closer to customers with tools like edge computing. But the biggest challenge may not be technology; it’s mindset. Many banks still wait for problems before fixing them, while fintechs focus on preventing problems from ever happening.

The future of banking in Nigeria will not be defined by who offers the highest interest rates or the trendiest app design, but by who customers can trust to always deliver. At the end of the day, reliability is not just about keeping systems running; it’s about keeping people connected, confident, and loyal.

Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State has inaugurated the construction of the Tarabu-Matarar Alhazai-Malanta-Sawo-Iyo-Gishinawo-Gafta road and commissioned a power project that connects rural communities to the national grid.

The 23.4-kilometer road project, awarded to Messrs Mothercat Nigeria Limited at the cost of ?17.28 billion, is one of the critical regional road projects aimed at improving access to rural and farming communities.

Namadi, on Sunday, stated that the road passes through hard-to-reach areas of Kirikasamma and will significantly enhance agricultural activities, facilitate the transportation of produce, and strengthen the link between farmers and markets.

‘We can not overemphasise the significance of this road. It will improve agricultural activities, ease the transportation of goods, and strengthen the link between government and local communities.

‘We will continue to build roads across every corner of Jigawa State to ensure access for our people, especially our farmers,’ he said.

The governor disclosed that the project was part of the 12 regional road projects out of 48 awarded in September 2024, valued at ?150 billion, all designed to open up rural areas, boost agricultural productivity, and promote economic growth.

‘We are determined to ensure that every part of the state has access roads that support agricultural growth and connect people to opportunity.

‘From the report I received today, the work is already about 20% completed. I therefore urge the contractor to speed up the pace to ensure that the work is finished on schedule. I am confident that the contractor has no outstanding certificate with the Jigawa State Government, and I expect continuous, quality work.’

In addition to the road project, the governor commissioned a power project linking nine villages-Tage, Ilallah, Siga, Garin Wakili, Fandunan, Gafta, Baturiya, Una, and Barmaguwa to the national electricity grid, describing it as another milestone in his administration’s commitment to improving the living standards of rural dwellers through access to power and essential infrastructure.

Meanwhile, in continuation of the State’s Citizens Engagement Programme (Gwamnati Da Jama’a), the governor led top government officials and elected representatives to Kirikasamma Local Government Area for the 22nd edition of the initiative.

The main objective of the Citizens Engagement programme is to foster transparency and accountability, as it ensures that government officials communicate openly with the citizens, presenting scorecards that outline achievements and challenges faced in their respective offices.

Speaking at the Citizens Engagement venue, Governor Namadi reiterated his administration’s resolve to continue providing people-oriented projects across all local governments in the state, emphasising that the Citizens Engagement Programme remains a vital platform for transparency, accountability, and inclusive governance.

‘This programme is designed to ensure that the government remains close to the people. It allows us to listen, assess our performance, and plan better in line with citizens’ priorities,’ the governor stated.

The value of equities traded on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) jumped to N6.92 trillion in the first eight months of 2025, the highest in 18 years.

The figure more than doubles N3.47 trillion reported for the entire year of 2024, reflecting rising investor confidence in the local bourse.

Out of the N6.92 trillion deal, foreign investors accounted for N1.45 trillion, representing 21.01 percent, while domestic counterparts dominated with N5.46 trillion or 78.99 percent.

Month-on-month (MoM) report shows that in January 2025, the total value of traded equities stood at N607.05 billion, February (N509.47 billion), March (N1.115 trillion), April (N482.04 billion), May (N700.50 billion), June (N778.65 billion), July (N1.815 trillion), and August (N908.38 billion).

‘It’s imperative to note the surge in primary market activity as well, validating the broad improvement in liquidity across the capital market,’ Abiola Rasaq, financial analyst, told BusinessDay.

‘Interestingly, domestic investors accounted for over three-quarters of the trading activities and, more importantly, retail investors accounted for one-thirds of the market liquidity, highlighting the renewed appetite of investors for stocks,’ he noted.

He explained that the improved trading activity on the NGX reflects risk-on sentiment and high investor confidence in the Nigerian capital market.

‘This strong appetite of local retail investors may have been spurred by the five consecutive years of positive returns of the NGX All Share Index, validating the superior returns on equities over fixed income, despite the high-interest rate environment,’ he said.

‘Interestingly, stock brokers and other market participants have also eased market access, leveraging technology and improved customer service – initiatives which have increased youthful participation and overall penetration of the retail market. Again, as stability returns to the FX market, speculative capital, which hitherto were held in FX asset class, is being reallocated, supporting fund flow to the equities market.’

Razaq further said that the improved participation of retail investors is validated by the higher number of active retail investors’ accounts as well as new account openings at the Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS).

‘We have also seen improved allocation of funds from institutional investors, especially pension fund managers, which now allocate over 11 percent of their portfolio to domestic equities,’ Rasaq noted.

He added that the shortening of settlement cycle to T+2 days and a moderation in fixed-income yields could sustain market liquidity, provided that stakeholders continue to deepen the capital market.

He stressed that in dollar-terms, the overall trading value over the first eight months of the year is still barely $4.7 billion, which is behind peak historical levels when adjusted for exchange rate and inflation.

In the reviewed data, foreign inflows into equities stood at N704.87 billion, while outflows reached N748.23 billion in the eight-month period.

On the other hand, domestic retail investors traded stocks worth N2.332 trillion within the period, while institutional investors recorded N3.130 trillion in transactions, according to the NGX latest report.

‘Foreign investors prioritise stability, liquidity, policy consistency and sanctity of contract,’ said Sam Onukwue, chairman, Association of Securities Dealing Houses of Nigeria (ASHON), in a recent interview.

‘Government must ensure a more predictable foreign exchange regime and address concerns around capital repatriation. A transparent market-driven approach to privatisation will enthrone sound corporate governance in privatised entities and make our market more attractive to foreign investors,’ he noted.

The stock market has returned in excess of 42 percent this year as more investors reconsider equities. Amid this development, analysts anticipate that this momentum could continue, filtering into the mid-to-low cap segments of the market.

‘Looking ahead, we expect the market to trade with a slightly bullish bias as investors position ahead of the Q3 2025 earnings season. Market sentiment will likely be shaped by the pace of earnings releases, dividend guidance, and macroeconomic policy signals,’ Coronation Research analysts said in their recent note.

‘While short-term volatility may persist, the medium-term outlook remains constructive, supported by attractive valuations and resilient corporate fundamentals across key sectors.’

As the world recently marked the International Day of the Girl Child, the spotlight turns once again to women’s representation in the corporate world. In Nigeria and across many emerging economies, the conversation has evolved beyond access to education to focus on what happens next, when girls grow into women navigating the complexities of the modern workplace.

The barriers are now within boardrooms, hiring systems, and workplace cultures that still struggle to recognise and reward female potential.

The latest McKinsey and Company report titled, ‘Women in the Workplace 2025: India, Nigeria, and Kenya’, reveals that many of the structural and cultural barriers that hinder women’s progress remain stubbornly intact.

From delayed entry into the formal workforce to underrepresentation in the C-suite, the path to equality remains uneven. However, a new wave of leadership, institutional reform, and shifting social norms offers reasons for optimism.

The early career bottleneck

The first hurdle begins long before the boardroom. McKinsey’s study shows that most women in Nigeria enter formal employment later than men and often remain stuck in entry-level roles for extended periods. This delay in professional progression limits their exposure, confidence, and access to the leadership pipeline.

The problem is particularly acute in technical and male-dominated industries such as energy, engineering, and extractive services, where gender bias continues to shape recruitment practices. The report highlighted a response by a HR professional who admitted to avoiding hiring women for certain roles, describing engineering as ‘male-dominated’. Such biases not only reduce opportunities for women but also deprive companies of diverse perspectives essential for innovation.

Mid-career challenges: The promotion gap

Even when women manage to overcome early hurdles, the mid-career stage presents its own set of obstacles. A recurring issue is the lack of transparent promotion structures. However, such systems exist, especially in sectors like hospitality and healthcare where women tend to advance more fairly, due to performance-based evaluations and standardised procedures.

Mentorship and sponsorship also play a transformative role. McKinsey’s findings highlight how women who receive active advocacy from senior colleagues often male are better able to navigate institutional barriers. As a manager observed in the report, ‘My male bosses defended me when others questioned my competence.’ Yet, women still report feeling the need to outperform their male peers to gain equal recognition, particularly in competitive fields like medicine and finance.

At the senior level, the gender gap widens dramatically. Across Nigeria, women occupy just 28 to 29 of every 100 executive positions. Only a few sectors, such as law, are approaching parity, largely due to structured mentorship programmes and transparent promotion policies.

Progress in female leadership representation

In Nigeria, however, there are emerging success stories that show what is possible when companies invest intentionally in female leadership. The financial services sector remains the country’s strongest example.

Nine of Nigeria’s 24 commercial banks are now headed by women, which ia a remarkable milestone in a traditionally male-dominated industry. These include Miriam Olusanya, managing director, GTB, Yemisi Edun, managing director/CEO FCMB, and Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, managing director/CEO of Fidelity Bank, among others.

Their rise is not coincidental. It is the outcome of deliberate succession planning, capacity-building programmes, and a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) directive issued in 2012, requiring a minimum of 30 percent female representation on boards and 40 percent in top management. As former Bola Adesola, former CEO, Standard Chartered bank explains, ‘.this progressis a testimony to how, in the last 20 to 25 years, we’ve been able to build a pipeline and bench strength.’

Other industries are beginning to follow suit. In the energy sector, business owners Folorunsho Alakija of Famfa Oil and Catherine Uju-Ifejika of Britannia-U Nigeria, have broken through glass ceilings, inspiring younger generations. Companies such as Seplat Energy are taking practical steps with internal initiatives like the Seplat Awesome Women’s Network (SWAN), designed to promote gender equality and professional growth.

Similarly, in the pharmaceutical and conglomerate sectors, figures like Stella Okoli of Emzor Pharmaceutical and Owen Omogiafo of Transcorp demonstrate that female leadership can drive both profit and progress. These women are reshaping perceptions of what leadership looks like in Nigeria’s boardrooms.

The hidden barriers

However, despite these milestones, women still make up only about 30 percent of senior corporate positions in Nigeria, according to PwC. The firm’s data also shows that while men and women are nearly evenly represented in the lower rungs of the workforce, female participation declines sharply at the top.

Cultural factors remain a major stumbling block. In a society where patriarchal norms are deeply ingrained, women often face both internal and external pressure to prioritise family roles over career ambitions. As Olatowun Candide-Johnson, lawyer and C-suite executive notes, women often ‘operate in silos, instead of forging networks and sharing business opportunities as men do.’ Her response to this challenge was the creation of GAIA Africa, a private members’ club for professional women to connect, collaborate, and advance together.

Turning policy into practice

For Nigerian organisations to truly build a robust pipeline of female talent, they must move beyond symbolic gestures to systemic reform. McKinsey’s report identifies four pillars which are: collaboration, data, accountability, and culture, as central to achieving meaningful progress.

Boards and CEOs must be held accountable through regular reviews of gender representation, benchmarking, and public reporting. Diversity goals should be tied to leadership performance evaluations, while mentorship and sponsorship programmes must become institutionalised rather than ad hoc.

Flexible work policies, particularly hybrid models and family care support, should also be normalised. In the post-pandemic era, flexibility is not merely an employee benefit but a strategic advantage that keeps women in the workforce and boosts retention.

In the end, the most successful companies of the future will not be those with the most polished diversity statements, but those that turn inclusion into measurable practice.

The Federal Government of Nigeria has reduced the cost of kidney dialysis from ?50,000 to ?12,000 per session, a 76 to 80 per cent subsidy.

This initiative aims to make dialysis more affordable for thousands of Nigerians battling kidney-related diseases.

The participating hospitals are: Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ebute-Metta, Lagos, Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi, Abuja and the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.

The rest are: Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owerri, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), as well as the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta.

Others are: Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos,

Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Azare and the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin.

They also include: University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Calabar as well as the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi.

This initiative is part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aiming to ensure Nigerians have access to affordable healthcare.

In Kano State, Tinubu’s 80 per cent dialysis subsidy has led to a significant increase in patient attendance at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Kano.

The intervention, under the Renewed Hope Agenda, has slashed the cost of dialysis from between N50,000 and N60,000 per session to N12,000, providing relief to indigent kidney patients.

Speaking on the development, the Deputy Director of Nursing Services at AKTH, Mr Tijjani Rahim, who is also the Head of the Dialysis Unit, said the unit now attends to between 22 and 25 patients daily.

He stated that the spike in the number of patients followed the implementation of the Federal Government’s subsidy programme, making AKTH one of the first hospitals to benefit from the scheme.

During a visit to the AKTH Dialysis Centre, some patients expressed gratitude for the intervention, describing it as life-saving.

A patient, Malam Sani Musa, recalled paying between N54,000 and N60,000 per dialysis session before the subsidy.

He said the cost was later reduced to N20,000 and now stands at N12,000.

Another patient, Mamuda Aliyu, said the reduction from N60,000 to N12,000 per session had enabled him to continue treatment.

Similarly, Malama Hafiza Isa, who is also undergoing dialysis, confirmed that she previously paid N60,000, then N55,000, N45,000 and later N20,000 before the current rate was introduced.

The patients, however, appealed to the Federal Government to consider making dialysis treatment entirely free to further ease their burden.

Also speaking, the Chief Medical Director of AKTH, Prof. Abdurrahman Sheshe, said the subsidised dialysis programme had commenced at the hospital.

According to him, the hospital has received consumables to cater for 1,000 dialysis sessions under the initiative.

Sheshe spoke during the launch of the National Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance Scheme (NEMSAS) at the hospital.

He explained that the NEMSAS programme would provide 48 hours of free medical care and emergency transportation for pregnant women, children, accident victims and other critical cases.

He appealed to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and philanthropists for support to sustain the programmes.

The dialysis subsidy is part of the Federal Government’s broader health sector reforms, which also include the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) and NEMSAS.

It is aimed at strengthening emergency response and reducing the financial burden on patients.

NAN reports that on Aug. 21, 2025, the Federal Government approved the dialysis subsidy scheme for 11 federal tertiary health institutions across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

Data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) indicates that 6,831 Nigerian-born individuals acquired Canadian citizenship between January and June 2025, representing 25.9 per cent of all new citizens from the continent.

This figure is more than three times higher than any other African nation.

In total, 26,286 Africans were granted Canadian citizenship during the period, with Nigerians making up more than a quarter of that number, the highest among all African countries.

Morocco (1,835), Algeria (1,831), and Tunisia (1,538) followed closely, each contributing more than 5 per cent of the total, underscoring Canada’s growing appeal to French-speaking migrants from North Africa.

Countries such as Eritrea (1,283), Cameroon (1,276), Ethiopia (1,163), Egypt (1,158), and the Democratic Republic of Congo (1,081) also featured prominently, reflecting the diverse mix of economic, educational, and humanitarian motivations driving African migration to Canada. South Africa had 832 new citizens, representing 3.2 per cent of the total.

The figures point to both the scale and diversity of migration flows from across the continent, from West Africa’s economic migrants to North Africa’s francophone professionals and East Africa’s refugee diaspora.

The figures mirror a broader trend of African mobility towards countries offering stronger economic prospects, education opportunities, and political stability. For Nigeria, the exodus reflects both the success of Canada’s immigration-friendly policies and the persistent challenges at home, including limited job opportunities, currency instability, and rising insecurity which continue to push young professionals to seek better prospects abroad.

Canada’s flexible visa-to-residency pathways, favourable post-study work options, and active recruitment of skilled workers made it one of the most attractive destinations for African migrants.

Crackdown on immigration surge, exploitation

The latest figures highlight Canada’s enduring appeal to African migrants drawn by its education system, labour opportunities, and political stability. For many Nigerians, emigration to Canada is synonymous with social mobility, professional recognition, and long-term security, a reflection of both Canada’s historically open immigration stance and Nigeria’s ongoing economic headwinds.

However, this surge comes as the Canadian government moves to tighten its immigration policies in response to growing domestic pressure on housing shortages, strained public services, and integration challenges.

Justin Trudeau’s, Canada’s prime minister has faced criticism for what some Canadians describe as unsustainable immigration growth. While the country remains one of the world’s most immigrant-friendly nations, it is now seeking to moderate the pace of arrivals to ensure infrastructure and social systems can keep up.

Recently, Canada unveiled sweeping reforms to its immigration system, with the federal government announcing plans to reduce both temporary and permanent immigration levels over the next three years. The move is to stabilise population growth, ease pressure on housing and infrastructure, and curb abuses within the system.

Trudeau admitted that Canada’s population had grown at ‘baby boom speed’ in the last two years, largely driven by a surge in temporary residents, international students and foreign workers, who were admitted after the pandemic to fill critical labour shortages.

‘Our population has grown really fast, like baby boom fast,’ the prime minister said, explaining that while the influx helped Canada avoid a post-pandemic recession, it also exposed loopholes that have since been exploited by ‘bad actors like fake colleges and big chain corporations.’

According to him, the government’s mistake was allowing temporary migration to expand unchecked while focusing primarily on permanent immigration targets. ‘Historically, we only planned for permanent residents, but temporary immigration, which used to be small, grew rapidly after the pandemic. We needed workers fast, and we brought them in. It was the right call at the time.’

However, he acknowledged that the sudden boom in population, fuelled by short-term work and study permits, has strained housing, healthcare, and social systems. ‘Looking back, when the post-pandemic boom cooled, we could have acted quicker and turned off the taps faster,’ he admitted.

The new immigration plan is to pause population growth for the next two years, followed by a gradual increase from 2027 onwards. The minister said the government would now ‘lower the number of new immigrants coming into Canada, both temporary and permanent, while prioritising skilled permanent residents such as healthcare and construction workers.

‘We’re making the system work for Canadians and for newcomers, rather than for the big box stores, chain restaurants, and sham colleges that exploit it’, he said.

Tougher measures for international students, foreign workers, assymlum seekers

The government also pledged tougher oversight on international education and work permits. Officials cited instances of fraudulent institutions charging foreign students tens of thousands of dollars more for the same degree, and employers using temporary work schemes to get around hiring Canadian workers.

According to Trudeau, the reforms will also address asylum abuse, as temporary residents whose visas expire and attempt to use the asylum system as a shortcut to stay in Canada will have their claims rigorously reviewed, and have unsuccessful applicants repatriated.

Although provinces like Ontario are experiencing chronic labour shortages especially in manufacturing and healthcare, Trudeau insisted that the new policies will give Canadian communities ‘breathing room’.

Cross River State’s agricultural transformation received a major boost at the weekend in Cross River State as Governor Bassey Otu flagged off the distribution of subsidised mini- tractors to farmers’ cooperatives across the State.

Governor Otu said the initiative, which is part of his People-First Agricultural Transformation Agenda, signalled the State’s determined shift toward full-scale mechanisation and rural empowerment.

The flag-off ceremony, held at the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation Development headquarters in Calabar, drew lawmakers, traditional rulers, women farmers, private-sector partners, and agricultural stakeholders, all of whom lauded the governor’s vision to reposition agriculture as the backbone of the State’s economy.

Speaking on the programme, Governor Otu reaffirmed his Administration’s determination to make agriculture the cornerstone of the State’s economic development, saying, ‘When we assumed office, we made a firm commitment to make agriculture the backbone of our development strategy.

‘From engagements with farmers across our local government areas, one message stood out, the challenge of land preparation, which accounts for over 70 percent of cultivation costs. This programme directly addresses that problem.’

The governor explained that the distributed mini tractors are fuel-efficient, terrain-adaptable, and multifunctional ‘specifically designed to ease land preparation, reduce labour costs, and boost productivity. According to him, 108 units are being rolled out in the first phase, with a total of 324 tractors expected to be deployed statewide.’

Governor Otu further stated that the tractors would be managed through a cooperative model, enabling beneficiary groups to serve as community-based service providers. ‘This ensures shared ownership, responsible management, and broader access to mechanization at the grassroots,’ he noted. ‘We are unlocking the full potential of our agricultural landscape so that our farmers can farm more, earn more, and feed more.’

Highlighting other flagship agricultural programmes, the governor listed the Cassava Seed Multiplication Project, the Project Grow maize and soybean scheme in partnership with Flour Mills Plc, and a pilot phase of commercial sorghum production with Champion Breweries.

He also mentioned the ongoing distribution of improved cowpea seeds, fertilizers, and farm implements to smallholders, alongside plans to establish new cocoa and coffee estates through public-private partnerships. ‘This tractor distribution is not just another intervention,’ Otu emphasized. ‘It is a tangible expression of our People-First Agricultural Transformation Agenda anchored on mechanisation, value-chain development, and inclusive growth.’

Femi Odeleye, Chief Executive Officer of Bespoke Concepts Limited, suppliers of the tractors, lauded the initiative as ‘the planting of seeds for a new agricultural revolution in Cross River State.

‘By distributing these tractors, His Excellency is not just distributing machines; he is empowering communities and transforming livelihoods.’ Odeleye further revealed that there were plans to establish a tractor assembly plant in Calabar capable of creating over 2,000 jobs’, he said.

Also, Ojikpong Nyiam Bisong, Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Cross River State Chapter, likened Governor Otu’s leadership to that of Dr. Michael Okpara, the late Premier of Eastern Nigeria, saying: ‘Your Excellency, Cross River State under your leadership has taken the place of the late Dr. Michael Okpara of Eastern Nigeria,’ he said, adding that ‘the legacy he left that still speaks, generations after him, you have laid in Cross River State.’