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NRS unveils new tagline, targets greater taxpayer trust

The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) on Thursday unveiled a new tagline, ‘Inspiring Trust, Sustaining Growth,’ as part of its ongoing transformation from a tax-focused agency into a broader revenue administration institution.

The new tagline is expected to shape how the NRS relates to taxpayers while supporting the Federal Government’s drive to increase revenue without relying solely on higher tax rates.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony in Abuja, Chief of Staff to the Executive Chairman of the NRS, Tayo Koleosho, said the new identity was designed to build confidence in the country’s revenue administration system.

He said taxpayers must be confident that their data will be protected, their tax assessments will be fair, and their dealings with the revenue authority will be handled professionally.

‘The new tagline is ‘Inspiring Trust and Sustaining Growth’. And that encapsulates what the new NRS serves to deliver to Nigerians,’ Koleosho said.

According to him, trust is essential to improving voluntary compliance and increasing revenue collection.

‘If we don’t start from inside, where our staff understands that the job of revenue collection involves people trusting each other, then we cannot achieve the objective,’ he said.

Koleosho said the NRS also wanted taxpayers to understand that the Service was interested in the growth of their businesses because a larger and stronger economy would ultimately provide a wider revenue base for government.

He referred to the philosophy of NRS Executive Chairman, Dr Zacch Adedeji, that the Service wants to ‘tax the fruit, not the seed.’

He explained that businesses should be allowed to grow from emerging companies into medium-sized and eventually large businesses, creating more economic activity and, in turn, more revenue for the government.

‘The more you grow, the more the tax authority collects. So that will then help us to sustain the growth on our side,’ he said.

The NRS leadership also expressed confidence that the Service would meet the revenue target set by the Federal Government for 2026.

Koleosho attributed the revenue authority’s performance to economic growth, increased productivity, and improvements in tax administration.

He said the recent changes in tax administration were not based on increasing tax rates, but on improving the efficiency with which existing taxes are assessed and collected.

‘The new tax bill and everything has stabilised in terms of the rate; there’s no new rate increase. It’s just our ability for the Service to do better in terms of how we are collecting from taxpayers,’ he said.

According to him, the NRS’s digital transformation programme is also making it easier for companies to comply with their tax obligations.

He cited electronic invoicing and the new 360 tax payment system as examples of reforms designed to reduce the time and disruption businesses face when dealing with tax authorities.

‘These have helped companies to have less time in terms of disruption to their business when they are paying their taxes,’ he said.

Koleosho said the combination of economic growth and more efficient tax administration had created a situation where government could collect more revenue without increasing tax rates.

He expressed confidence that the trend would continue and that the NRS would meet the revenue target set by the government before the end of the year.

The new tagline is also expected to support the Federal Government’s ambition of growing the Nigerian economy to $1 trillion by 2030.

Koleosho said the objective could not be achieved without public confidence in government institutions and the systems they operate through.

He said the NRS wanted to use trust as a basis for stronger taxpayer participation and sustained economic growth.

Group Director, Transformation and Strategy of the NRS, Alfred Okoh, said the new tagline reflected the Service’s broader responsibilities under its new legal framework.

According to him, the NRS has moved beyond the traditional focus on taxes to a wider revenue administration role that includes non-tax revenues.

‘We’re now a new revenue administration, and we’re not just talking taxes. So there are non-tax revenues that we are also accounting for with the new tax law, and therefore, the new tagline is reflective of that ambition,’ Okoh said.

He said the transition from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to the Nigeria Revenue Service, together with the new NRS Establishment Act, formed part of the wider transformation of revenue administration in the country.

Okoh said the new tagline differed deliberately from the previous FIRS identity because the NRS mandate had broadened.

‘We’re moving away from the previous tagline that was tax-focused, to the new tagline that is focused on revenue administration: ‘Inspiring Trust, Sustaining Growth’,’ he said.

He added that the Service was focused on expanding revenue coverage, improving its relationship with taxpayers and supporting the country’s economic growth objectives.

The new tagline emerged from an internal competition that attracted 3,308 submissions from NRS employees within six working days after the exercise began on August 10.

Okoh said every directorate participated, with entries received from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

He said the large number of submissions showed how involved employees had become in shaping the identity of the new organisation.

The submissions underwent a three-stage selection process. The initial 3,308 entries were reduced to 112, then 85, before seven finalists were presented to the Tax Controllers Committee of Judges and subsequently to management, which selected the final four.

Okoh said the judges assessed the entries based on strategic alignment, originality, clarity and memorability, as well as their ability to connect with taxpayers and reflect the mission and transformation agenda of the NRS.

He said the exercise was intended to produce more than a catchy phrase.

‘We were not looking for clever phrases; we were looking for words capable of carrying a national institution like ours,’ he said.

He said successful taglines can connect people with an institution or brand through a few memorable words.

Okoh cited familiar commercial phrases such as Nike’s ‘Just Do It’ and LG’s ‘Life’s Good’, as well as the former FIRS tagline, ‘It pays to pay your tax’, as examples of how short phrases can become closely associated with organisations.

He said the NRS wanted the same level of recognition for its new identity.

‘Our ambition should be that, just as ‘Just Do It’ reminds us of Nike, or ‘It pays to pay your tax’ reminds us of FIRS, let this new tagline connect directly with revenue administration,’ he said.

However, Okoh said the real test of the new tagline would not be its unveiling but how it would be reflected in the daily experience of taxpayers.

He said the words would have to be backed by simpler processes, better use of data, cooperation among NRS employees and more disciplined execution of the Service’s strategy.

‘Transformation is not achieved by technology alone, nor by a new logo, nor by a powerful tagline,’ he said.

‘It is achieved when the words on the wall begin to make sense, when a taxpayer experiences the promise behind the tagline, when our people collaborate across organisational boundaries, when we simplify rather than complicate, when we use data to make better decisions, and when every interaction reinforces the trust and confidence that a modern revenue institution like ours must earn.’

The Chief of Staff also said the NRS was making progress toward its plan to have 80 per cent of its work carried out internally.

He said the 80/20 approach was intended to strengthen NRS employees’ capacity and reduce dependence on external consultants.

Koleosho said the tagline competition was an example of what could be achieved through internal capacity, and that the new tax administration system and electronic invoicing platform were also developed internally.

‘The skills are there, and the enthusiasm is there, and we are ready to inspire trust and sustain growth for the country,’ he said.

He attributed the development to staff training, skills acquisition and the emergence of a younger workforce capable of supporting the Service’s digital transformation programme.

Director of Change Management, Mrs Olanike Adegoke, said the tagline should reflect the NRS’s collective identity rather than merely a phrase produced by management.

She compared the organisation to an octopus with many hands working towards a single vision, saying the exercise demonstrated the Service’s capacity to adapt to change.

Adegoke said technology drove the process and that employees’ contributions showed the NRS identity was being built collectively.

‘This competition reminds us that the identity of the Nigeria Revenue Service is not shaped by top management alone; it is strengthened by the people who make this revenue administration what we are,’ she said.

She said the unveiling was therefore not only about the winning tagline but also about the contributions of employees who participated in the process.

The NRS leadership said the new identity would now become the common message of the organisation as it pursues its transformation agenda and seeks to build stronger confidence among taxpayers.

The Service is expected to measure the success of the new tagline not simply by how quickly Nigerians remember it, but by whether the principles of trust and sustained growth become visible in the way revenue administration is carried out across the country.

Experts push for Resilience Fund to address infrastructure deficits along coastal communities

Experts and stakeholders at the 4th Ehingbeti Maritime Hub Summit have advocated a dedicated Coastal Resilience Fund to support coastal protection, infrastructure development and community empowerment across Nigeria.

The call was made during the 4th Ehingbeti Maritime Hub Summit in Lagos, where stakeholders examined the legal, regulatory, security and investment frameworks required to unlock the blue economy potential and promote sustainable coastal development.

Delivering the keynote address, president of the Maritime Arbitrators Association of Nigeria (MAAN), Chief Jean Chiazor Anishere, SAN, said a dedicated financing mechanism was necessary to address infrastructure deficits and improve the living conditions of people in coastal communities.

Anishere urged Nigeria to explore international financing opportunities through climate funds, development banks and multilateral organisations to scale up coastal resilience and community development.

She said sustained investment in coastal resilience would help strengthen infrastructure, protect livelihoods and create an enabling environment for coastal communities to participate meaningfully in the emerging blue economy.

The legal luminary stressed that Nigeria’s blue economy should be underpinned by effective governance, noting that the country needed to establish the legal and institutional conditions required for innovation, investment and sustainable exploitation of marine resources.

She called for a regulatory system that provides certainty and security for investors while remaining flexible enough to encourage innovation, environmentally responsible enough to protect marine resources and inclusive enough to benefit coastal populations.

Anishere identified security, sustainability and governance as critical pillars for the future of Nigeria’s blue economy.

She also advocated improved waste-management infrastructure, sustainable fishing practices, recycling education and environmental stewardship initiatives that directly benefit coastal communities.

The keynote speaker further called for increased private-sector participation in blue tourism, resilient infrastructure and marine-based enterprises through appropriate incentives, streamlined regulations and public-private partnerships.

Representing the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Bopo Oyekan-Ismaila, said the state remained committed to an inclusive approach to blue economy development.

She noted that while Ehingbeti’s history was closely associated with Lagos Island, the state’s blue economy development agenda would encompass communities across Lagos.

According to her, Governor Sanwo-Olu encouraged participants to collaborate and develop a communiqué capable of advancing the blue economy agenda of Lagos State.

The Convener of the Ehingbeti Maritime Hub and Founder of the Ocean Ambassadors Foundation, Hon. Olaitan Violet Williams, said the Hub was established in 2023 to trace and reconnect with the historical roots of maritime activities in Lagos.

Williams said Ehingbeti represented an important chapter in Lagos’ evolution from its early trading history to modern-day Eko.

She identified inland waterways as one of the low-hanging fruits of Nigeria’s blue economy and called for greater investment and stronger legal protection for investors.

The Chairman of the occasion and Chairman of the NIWA Governing Board, **Alhaji Mukhtar Shehu Shagari**, represented by NIWA Board Member, Capt. Tajudeen Alao, commended the Convener for her commitment to the development of Nigeria’s marine and blue economy.

Shagari stressed that coastal communities must remain central to the implementation of blue economy policies, while advocating an appropriate legal framework for the development of Nigeria’s littoral states.

A major highlight of the summit was the official launch of the 28 Inland Waterways Investment Jigsaw, an initiative designed to highlight viable investment opportunities across Nigeria’s inland waterways and provide a structured pathway for private-sector participation.

The initiative is expected to support efforts to identify investment opportunities across the country’s inland waterways while encouraging greater private-sector involvement in water transportation and other marine-related businesses.

Environmental Sustainability: Nigerian Breweries Plants 340,000 trees, restores over 350 hectares in Olokemeji forest

In alignment with its ‘Brew a Better World’ sustainability initiative, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Nigeria’s leading brewing company, has planted over 340,000 indigenous trees and restored more than 350 hectares of degraded forest in the Olokemeji Forest over the past five years. This effort was made in collaboration with the Ogun State Ministry of Forestry.

The Olokemeji Forest Reforestation Project, implemented in partnership with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), aims to promote environmental stewardship and contribute to biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, watershed protection, and sustainable ecosystem management.

This achievement was highlighted during a joint meeting among representatives from Nigerian Breweries Plc, the Ogun State Government, and IITA, where stakeholders reviewed the project’s progress and reaffirmed their commitment to expanding collaborative efforts toward environmental restoration and sustainable land management.

During the meeting, Uzodinma Odenigbo, the Corporate Affairs Director of Nigerian Breweries Plc, stated that this initiative is part of the ongoing efforts to enhance ecosystem restoration and environmental sustainability in the communities where the company operates.

‘At Nigerian Breweries, sustainability is central to our operations and the value we create. The restoration of over 350 hectares of degraded forest and the planting of more than 340,000 indigenous trees illustrate what can be achieved through strategic partnerships. Beyond restoring ecosystems, we are investing in a healthier environment and creating opportunities that will benefit surrounding communities for generations to come,’ he said.

In his remarks, Engineer Oludotun Taiwo, the Honourable Commissioner for Forestry in Ogun State, praised the collaboration between the Ogun State Government, Nigerian Breweries Plc, and IITA, emphasising that such partnerships are vital for preserving the state’s forest resources and promoting sustainable development.

The event was attended by prominent figures, including Engr. Oludotun Taiwo, the Ogun State Commissioner for Forestry; Dr. Adekunle Oyesanwen, Permanent Secretary of the Ogun State Ministry of Forestry; Uzodinma Odenigbo, Corporate Affairs Director of Nigerian Breweries Plc; Danjuma John-Ekele, Corporate Affairs Manager (West) of Nigerian Breweries Plc; Oluseye Olokun, Sustainability and CSR Manager of Nigerian Breweries Plc; and Franklin Angermund, Manager of Public Affairs and Sustainability at Namibia Breweries Limited.

In addition to reforestation, the Olokemeji Reforestation Project has enhanced biodiversity, strengthened climate resilience, and improved watershed protection within the forest reserve. The initiative has also created alternative livelihood opportunities for surrounding communities through beekeeping and vegetable farming, while enhancing access to clean water by providing community boreholes.

BASL urges parties to free MPs for conscience vote on 22A

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) yesterday called on all political parties in Parliament to allow MPs to speak and vote on the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution Bill according to their conscience, after the Supreme Court determined that the Bill does not require the approval of the people at a referendum.

The vote will be taken up in Parliament today (24).

The BASL said: ‘The Supreme Court has now delivered its Determination on the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution Bill and determined that the Bill does not require the approval of the people at a

referendum.

In terms of Articles 120, 121 and 123 of the Constitution, the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court in relation to the Bill is to determine the constitutional requirements for its enactment, including importantly whether the Bill, or any provision thereof, requires the approval of the People at a Referendum by virtue of Article 83.

The Determination is therefore not a determination as to whether the proposed Amendment is good or bad policy, desirable or undesirable, wise or unwise, or whether Parliament ought to enact it.

This distinction is also evident from Sri Lanka’s previous constitutional amendments. During the 48-year history of the second republican Constitution, there have been many amendments which passed constitutional muster but nevertheless had a negative effect on democracy, constitutionalism, the independence of the judiciary, and the rule of law.

The question that now arises is whether Parliament ought to enact the proposed Amendment. That responsibility rests with Parliament and with each individual MP when they vote on the Bill.

In making that decision, MPs should be mindful of the possible and probable consequences the 22nd Amendment will have on our nation. They should also consider the lack of transparency and a proper consultative process in the introduction of the 22nd Amendment. As representatives of the people they should also consider the concerns that have been expressed in relation to the proposed Amendment by a broad cross-section of society including the Mahanayakss of the Three Nikayas, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference in Sri Lanka, the Church of Ceylon, the BASL, the Judicial Service Association, the Commonwealth Lawyers Association, LAWASIA, the International Association of Judges, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, the French National Bar Council, and more than 40 professional associations and unions, including the Government Medical Officers’ Association and other leading professional bodies.

Accordingly, the BASL calls upon all the political parties in Parliament to allow the MPS to speak and vote on the 22nd Amendment according to their conscience.

The responsibility now lies with MPs, when called upon to vote, to take a principled position according to their conscience giving due consideration to their constitutional responsibility, their representative capacity, and, most importantly, their duty to the sovereign people of Sri Lanka.’

Playing ostrich

The newspaper vendors at Ijaiye bus stop, Pen Cinema, Agege and Ojodu Berger bypass frequently map the Nigerian psyche at their stalls.

Every day, the headlines are spread on wooden tables, held down against the breeze by broken concrete or old spark plugs. Around them, men gather in small clusters, their voices rising against the rumble of yellow buses. Many of them define the news strictly by the headlines; only a few dare read between the lines.

The latter may occasionally display a sharp instinct for the unsaid, a realisation that the most significant truths are often buried in the inkwell of the press.

Of the institutions that shape national discourse, a curious habit has taken root with the press. It is an old reflex, an editorial tendency to ignore deep wounds and obsess over superficial scratches.

It may also be explained as the posturing of a knowing press, a penchant for perverting its knowledge to suit what I dare call the toxic triad: political, socioeconomic and prejudicial benefits. This is nothing new, however. I lay no claim to some ingenious labelling, as this trinity stems from the consequences of the political economy – a discourse best suited for another day.

Today, the conversation dwells on the vanity of a press that knows the terrain too well but uses its awareness to exploit structures it ought to protect. It’d rather play the ostrich, blindly burying its head in the sand, as a measure of political correctness; it chooses to blend with the dust rather than face the storm.

Most modern newsrooms have mastered this art of calculated invisibility. This selective vision became remarkably clear in recent days as Nigerian newspapers fixated on President Bola Tinubu’s absence at the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), in New York, United States. To the critics, it doesn’t matter that Nigeria is represented by a high-level delegation led by the Vice President Kashim Shettima.

They do not analyse the situation through the clinical lens of administrative efficiency to determine whether VP Shettima’s presence, among high-calibre Nigerian representatives, is enough to fulfil the country’s diplomatic and socioeconomic purposes at the event. Interestingly, loud segments of the mainstream press and social media, chose to treat Tinubu’s absence as an existential failure.

The tenor of punditry in newspapers, on television and social media has been maleficent, as commentators mischievously attach malicious import to Tinubu’s absence. So doing, they labelled a standard bureaucratic decision as a sign of global rejection.

There has been a frantic eagerness in the commentary, a desire to find proof of a country drifting into insignificance. It was an easy outrage, requiring no investigative labour or constructive scrutiny of administrative decision. It was news tailored to satisfy a specific appetite for national embarrassment.

Yet, curiously, the same editors and pundits that painstakingly tracked the itinerary of the delegation in New York, and conveniently ignored the president’s attendance at the same event three years ago – 78th UNGA in 2023 – at the United Nations Headquarters, New York City, at the onset of his administration.

The same pundits and editors conveniently turned a deaf ear and a blind eye to the verdict by the International Chamber of Commerce Arbitration Tribunal in Paris. The tribunal had issued its final award regarding the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project, a decades-old dream of energy sovereignty that has been choked by litigation and administrative greed. In the pages of that international ruling lay specific, documented details regarding former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, one of the candidates vying for the presidential seat come 2027.

Here was a story that touched the very bone of the Nigerian condition, a revelation of how the lights were kept off in millions of homes, how factories were stifled, leading to loss of jobs, and how international legal frameworks see the transactions of our political elite. It was a narrative filled with names, dates, offshore accounts, and the specific mechanics of state capture.

Yet, the newsrooms that had found endless airtime for Tinubu’s UNGA absence were disconcertingly quiet. Those who dared publish it kept it off the cover pages, restricting it to the inner pages; the digital pundits ignored it, keeping it out of their soapboxes, altogether. This was the ostrich press at work: hyper-reactive to the optics of power, but completely silent when faced with the cold, hard evidence of betrayal by one of its own favourites.

The current style of media commentary has largely abandoned grounded critique and replaced uncompromising analysis with partisanship. Little wonder most journalists parade as factional players jostling for political spoils.

Agreed, absolute objectivity is impossible, and the world yet suffers the lack of a completely free press – for every news medium, the platform is a paid ‘agent’ or ‘pawn’ within the political economy – still, the relentless commitment to negativity and focus on doomsday will eventually be our undoing.

Such media fixation rarely helps the itinerant traders of the sidewalk or the ambitious entrepreneur hoping to start a small business. It merely exhausts them, turning their real, everyday struggles into raw material for a cynical media elite that treats the country’s fate as a game of narrative dominance.

This professional decline is essentially an economic problem. A journalist whose next meal depends on the patronage of a political actor cannot write the truth about that actor’s offshore accounts. The decline of traditional print revenues has left many newsrooms vulnerable to regional oligarchs and corporate chiefs. When a newspaper relies entirely on government advertising or political sponsors to keep its presses running, its editorial independence becomes a luxury it can no longer afford. And every major news medium, world over, is guilty of this.

Even the so-called independent media depend on funding by non-profits and international NGOs, many of which are tied to each funder’s selfish agenda or ‘selfless mission’ to project sodomy in the name of diversity, gender wars buried in ’empowerment,’ and an organised campaign to replace a ‘hostile government’ with more youthful, unsuspecting stooges in the guise of ‘youth empowerment.’ There is no free meal anywhere.

To build a worthy press, we must change how journalism is funded. This means moving toward subscriber-supported newsrooms, community-funded investigative cooperatives, and independent foundations that are insulated from the designs of the political class.

It necessitates a return to a rigorous investigative culture where an opposition leader’s financial deals are scrutinised with the same intensity as the executive orders of the sitting president.

The danger of failing to make this change will result in a loss of media credibility; there is also the risk of losing the country itself. History is replete with warnings about what happens when a nation’s media infrastructure gets conscripted or captured by factional handlers and foreign interests.

We must remember how the Western press and local media proxies were systematically weaponised in Iran in 1953 to overthrow the nationalist government of Mohammad Mossadegh after he dared to nationalise Iranian oil. And lest we forget, how in Chile in 1973, CIA-funded local newspapers like El Mercurio created economic panic and civil chaos, paving the way for the brutal boots of Augusto Pinochet.

Similarly, during the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, outlets like the Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM) were used by internal political actors to dehumanise fellow citizens and incite violence, leaving nearly a million citizens dead.

The Nigerian press must learn from these historical tragedies.

7 reasons you feel sleepy after eating

You just finished eating, and instead of getting back to what you were doing, you suddenly want to sleep. Your eyes become heavy. You start yawning. Concentrating becomes difficult, and that comfortable bed or chair suddenly looks more attractive than whatever you were doing.

For some people, this happens almost every day after lunch. Others notice it mainly after eating a large or heavy meal. But why does a meal sometimes leave you feeling sleepy when food is supposed to give you energy?

There is no single explanation, but the type and amount of food you eat, the time of the meal, alcohol and your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle can all play a role.

In this article, Tribune Online highlights seven possible reasons.

Your meal may be too heavy

One of the first things to consider is how much you eat. After a meal, your digestive system becomes active as the body breaks down food and absorbs nutrients.

Eating a very large meal can be accompanied by stronger feelings of fullness, relaxation and sleepiness.

This is one reason a large lunch may leave you struggling to keep your eyes open shortly afterwards.

The exact relationship between meal size and post-meal sleepiness is still being investigated, particularly in humans, but many people clearly notice a difference between eating a moderate meal and eating until they are uncomfortably full.

What you eat can affect how you feel afterwards

The composition of your meal can also influence your level of alertness. Meals particularly high in refined carbohydrates, such as white rice, bread, pastries and some processed snacks, can cause significant changes in blood glucose and insulin after eating.

Fat-rich meals, including many fried foods, can also leave some people feeling sluggish. This does not mean that rice, bread or other carbohydrate-containing foods are unhealthy by themselves. Rather, the quantity and overall balance of the meal matter.

A meal containing a mixture of protein, fibre and carbohydrates may affect your energy levels differently from one dominated by refined carbohydrates or heavily fried foods.

Eating at a time when your body is naturally less alert

Sometimes, the food is not the main reason.

Your body has an internal biological clock, known as the circadian rhythm , which influences when you feel awake and when you feel sleepy.

For many people, alertness naturally falls during the afternoon.This is why you may feel perfectly energetic in the morning but begin struggling to keep your eyes open after lunch.

If you eat your biggest meal during this period, the natural afternoon dip in alertness and the effects of eating may occur at the same time.

So, when you find yourself fighting sleep after lunch, your meal may not be entirely responsible.

Insulin resistance could be playing a role

Another possible factor is insulin resistance . Insulin helps glucose move from the bloodstream into the body’s cells, where it can be used for energy. When the cells become less responsive to insulin, the body has to produce more insulin to help regulate blood glucose.Insulin resistance is closely associated with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes and can develop before diabetes is diagnosed.

Feeling sleepy after eating does not, on its own, mean that you have insulin resistance.

However, if you regularly experience unusual tiredness after meals, particularly alongside other symptoms or risk factors for diabetes, it may be worth discussing with a healthcare professional.

Your blood sugar may be falling after eating

A common explanation for post-meal tiredness is a supposed sugar crash. For most healthy people, however, the body is able to regulate blood glucose after eating, so a dramatic fall in blood sugar is not the usual explanation for ordinary post-meal sleepiness.

There are exceptions.Some people experience reactive hypoglycaemia, also called postprandial hypoglycaemia, in which blood glucose falls too low after a meal. This typically occurs around two to five hours after eating and can cause symptoms beyond sleepiness.

These may include shaking, sweating, weakness, a racing heartbeat and confusion.

If these symptoms repeatedly occur after meals, they should not simply be dismissed as normal tiredness.

Alcohol can make the sleepiness worse

If alcohol is taken with a meal, it can contribute to the feeling of drowsiness afterwards. Alcohol has a sedating effect, so combining it with a large meal, particularly during the afternoon, may make you feel even more ready for a nap.

However, feeling sleepy after drinking should not be mistaken for getting better sleep. Alcohol can interfere with normal sleep patterns and may affect how rested you feel later.

The real problem may not be your food

Sometimes, the meal is simply making an existing problem more noticeable. Several health conditions can cause persistent tiredness, meaning that a person may feel particularly exhausted after eating even though the food itself is not the underlying cause.

These conditions can include iron-deficiency anemia, obstructive sleep apnoea, anxiety and depression, among others. For example, a person with obstructive sleep apnoea may sleep for several hours but still wake up feeling unrefreshed because their sleep is repeatedly disrupted.If that person then eats a meal during the afternoon, the body’s natural dip in alertness may expose just how tired they already are.

Despite poverty, insecurity, Nigeria has made real progress at 66 – FG

The Federal Government has acknowledged that Nigerians are still grappling with poverty, insecurity and infrastructure deficits, but said the country has made significant progress in the 66 years since independence.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, stated this on Thursday in Abuja at a world press conference to flag off activities marking Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary on October 1, 2026.

Akume said Nigeria had, despite its challenges, maintained its sovereignty and territorial integrity, sustained 27 years of uninterrupted constitutional democracy, diversified its economy and developed a strong pool of human capital.

The SGF, who spoke on the theme, ‘From Reforms to Stability: Consolidating Nigeria’s Renewed Hope for Shared Prosperity,’ said the anniversary provided an opportunity to reflect on the country’s achievements, challenges and responsibilities for the future.

According to him, Nigeria has evolved from a colonial economy largely dependent on agriculture to a major oil-producing nation with growing telecommunications, banking, manufacturing and services sectors.

He added that the country’s economy now ranks among the top 20 globally, while Nigerian entrepreneurs, professionals, scientists, artists and athletes continue to make contributions on the international stage.

Akume, however, acknowledged that poverty remained a major challenge, stressing that ‘many Nigerians still face hardships in their daily lives and experiences.’

He also identified terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other forms of violence as major security challenges in parts of the country, while noting that infrastructure deficits in power, roads, ports, rail, health and education continued to constrain national development.

He said the government was committed to addressing the challenges through consistent policies, stronger institutions and sustained investment.

On the reforms of the President Bola Tinubu administration, Akume said the government had, since 2023, undertaken what he described as difficult but necessary structural reforms, including the removal of the fuel subsidy, unification of foreign exchange windows and tighter fiscal and monetary policies.

He said the reforms were aimed at restoring fiscal balance and creating the foundation for investment and economic growth.

The SGF said the next phase was to consolidate the gains of the reforms and ensure that improved economic stability translated into better opportunities for Nigerians.

He said the Federal Government was mobilising additional revenues, improving public finances, accelerating non-oil revenue collection and attracting new investments.

Akume also highlighted infrastructure development as a priority, saying the government was investing in roads, railways, airports, seaports, electricity generation and transmission, as well as digital connectivity.

He said the investments were designed to reduce the cost of doing business, connect farmers to markets and stimulate industrial activity.

On agriculture, the SGF said the government was supporting farmers with improved seeds, fertilisers, irrigation, storage and processing facilities, while the National Agricultural Development Fund had also been established to support the sector.

He said the administration was equally expanding access to education and improving the quality of schools and teachers.

Akume noted that the Nigerian Education Loan Fund Act, signed into law in May 2024, established a student loan programme designed to enable more young Nigerians to access tertiary education.

He also listed social protection interventions, including conditional cash transfers, NG-CARES, school feeding and vocational training programmes, as measures aimed at supporting vulnerable Nigerians during the economic adjustment.

On security, the SGF said the armed forces and security agencies were intensifying operations against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and oil theft.

He said the government was improving intelligence gathering, modernising security equipment and strengthening coordination among the military, police and local communities.

According to him, President Tinubu had also approved the development of a new National Threat Assessment and a five-year Defence Plan to provide a coherent national security strategy.

Akume said the ultimate objective was to create a Nigeria where parents could send their children to school without fear, markets could operate safely, and communities could thrive.

He further stressed the need for the benefits of economic growth to reach communities across the country, particularly through the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme, which he said would support grassroots projects in agriculture, trade, mining and other sectors.

The SGF called on the private sector to play a leading role in investment, innovation and job creation, while government would provide a stable policy environment, transparent regulation and strong institutions.

He also urged Nigerians to uphold democratic values, noting that the media had a constitutional responsibility to inform the public and hold leaders accountable.

Earlier, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said Nigeria was moving from the reform and stabilisation phase towards growth, production and shared prosperity.

Idris said economic indicators were showing improvements, including strengthening GDP growth, an improved external position, expanded domestic refining capacity and increased investment and productive activity.

He said the next phase was to translate the gains into tangible improvements in the lives of Nigerians through more jobs, higher incomes, improved access to education and credit, lower costs and wider economic opportunities.

The minister said the Renewed Hope Agenda was targeting these objectives through investments in infrastructure, agriculture, education, consumer credit, digital skills, energy and enterprise.

He said the administration’s guiding principle was that Nigeria should increasingly produce what it consumes, process what it extracts and create opportunities from its human and natural resources.

Idris also stressed the importance of security, justice and national cohesion to sustaining economic progress.

He urged the media to uphold accuracy, fairness, balance and verification, while citizens should have access to reliable information to enable them to make informed democratic choices.

He said the 66th anniversary should serve as an opportunity to renew the country’s commitment to building a more prosperous, secure and united Nigeria.

How Nigerian founders can use US EB-2 NIW instead of H-1B lottery

The H-1B lottery is exactly that, a lottery. Thousands of qualified applicants enter every year. Many with strong offers and real skills simply do not get picked, purely by chance.

Even a strong candidate with a great job offer can simply not get picked. For founders and highly skilled professionals, there is another route that skips the randomness entirely. The EB-2 National Interest Waiver does not depend on a lottery, an employer, or luck. It depends on proving a specific legal case.

No employer needed to start this process

This is what makes the NIW genuinely different from most US work visas. Most employment-based US visas start with a job offer. This one starts with the applicant’s own case, built independently of any single employer’s willingness to sponsor them.

A founder can file this petition on their own behalf. There is no need for a company to sponsor the application, and no labor certification process required either. This matters enormously for someone running their own startup, since there is no employer relationship to rely on in the first place. The founder controls their own timeline and their own case.

A founder does not need to convince a company’s HR department or legal team to start this process. They simply need to build a strong enough case on their own.

Everything hinges on one legal test

USCIS evaluates every NIW petition against a specific three-part standard from a 2016 case called Matter of Dhanasar.

The first and most important part asks whether the applicant’s specific proposed work has substantial merit and national importance. These are two separate things that both need proving, not one combined idea.

Substantial merit means the work itself has real value, in fields like technology, health, business, or education. National importance means the impact reaches beyond one company or one local market.

The Dhanasar decision specifically moved away from requiring a nationwide, physical footprint. A project can carry national importance through its model or its potential, not just its size.

A vague pitch will not pass this test

Saying ‘I will work as a software engineer’ is not a proposed endeavor USCIS can evaluate.

A specific claim like ‘I will build AI-driven logistics tools that reduce supply chain waste at a national scale’ gives an officer something concrete to assess. The vaguer the pitch, the easier it is to deny. USCIS reviewers see hundreds of these petitions. A specific, well-defined endeavor stands out immediately against a stack of applications describing generic passion for ‘innovation’ or ‘technology.’

This is where many founders undersell themselves. A real, specific plan, backed by real evidence of what has already been built, matters far more than an impressive-sounding job title.

Evidence of traction, actual users, revenue, a working product, or a specific technical breakthrough, does more to support this argument than a polished mission statement ever could.

Independent letters carry more weight than familiar ones

Letters of recommendation are a central piece of nearly every NIW petition. A letter from a current boss or a long-time colleague still helps, but USCIS weighs it less than a letter from someone with no personal stake in the outcome. An independent expert, someone recognised in the field who knows the applicant’s work by reputation rather than friendship, carries real credibility.

This does not mean employer letters should be skipped. It means they should never be the only kind of letter included in a serious petition. Leaning entirely on people close to the applicant is one of the most common weaknesses reviewers flag in a petition.

A mix of both usually works best. Employer or colleague letters can speak to daily work and character, while independent expert letters speak to the broader significance of that work in the field.

The final two prongs still need real proof

Proving the work matters is only the first step. The second part of the test asks whether the applicant is actually well positioned to carry the work forward, based on their track record, education, and past results. The third asks whether the US benefits more from waiving the usual job offer and labor process than from requiring it.

All three parts need to be satisfied together. Missing even one is enough for a denial, no matter how strong the other two are.

A brilliant, nationally important idea proposed by someone with no relevant track record still fails this test. The applicant’s own credentials and results need to make their claim to advance the work believable.

There is no formal appeal process built into a straightforward denial, which makes building a careful, well-evidenced case the first time far more valuable than rushing to file quickly.

Premium processing speeds up one part of a longer road

It is possible to pay for a faster decision on the initial petition stage. Premium processing currently guarantees a response, approval, denial, or a request for more evidence, within 45 business days, for a separate fee. This only covers the I-140 petition itself, not the full green card process that follows.

That fee currently sits at $2,965, and it buys speed and certainty, not a better outcome. A weak petition processed quickly is still a weak petition; premium processing simply answers the question sooner.

The rest of the journey, including visa availability and the final green card application, still depends on separate timelines that a faster I-140 decision does not shortcut.

Someone in a genuine hurry, perhaps nearing the end of another visa status, often finds real value in this speed even so, since a faster answer, even a denial, is easier to plan around than years of uncertainty.

FAQs

What specific advanced degrees fulfill the baseline educational requirement for the US EB-2 NIW visa? A US master’s degree or higher, or a foreign equivalent, generally satisfies this requirement on its own. Someone with only a bachelor’s degree can still qualify by showing at least five years of progressive, post-degree work experience in the field, or by separately demonstrating exceptional ability under a different set of criteria.

How long does the USCIS take to process an expedited National Interest Waiver application? With premium processing, USCIS guarantees a response, which can be an approval, a denial, or a request for more evidence, within 45 business days, for a separate fee currently set at $2,965. This only speeds up the initial I-140 petition stage. It does not guarantee approval, and it does not shorten the separate visa availability and green card application steps that follow.

Can an approved EB-2 NIW applicant legally bring their spouse and children to live in the United States? Yes. A spouse and any unmarried children under 21 can be included as derivative beneficiaries on the same green card process. They generally do not need to independently qualify under the NIW criteria themselves, since their eligibility is based on their relationship to the main applicant.

NDLEA busts Nigerian-Mexican meth cartel, docks kingpins over Enugu clandestine lab

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled a Nigerian-Mexican drug cartel operating a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in the Eziama community, Obeagu, Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State.

According to a statement by the NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Thursday, two kingpins, 45-year-old Chukwu Obumneme Christopher, alias Brown, and 60-year-old Chukwu Georginus Monday, alias George, were arrested in connection with operating the methamphetamine laboratory in partnership with Rodriguez Villanueva, a Mexican drug cartel member based in Mexico City, Mexico.

Babafemi said the arrests followed several months of intelligence gathering and surveillance on the syndicate.

The two suspects were subsequently arraigned before Justice Mabel Taiye Segun-Bello of the Federal High Court, Enugu Judicial Division, on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, organisation, management and financing of a Drug Trafficking Organisation, as well as unlawful possession of precursor chemicals used in methamphetamine production, contrary to the NDLEA Act.

He said that following their pleas, Justice Segun-Bello scheduled the trial for October 21, 2026, following an application by the agency for an accelerated hearing.

Also named in the charge and currently at large are Uchenna, alias Uche; Celestine Ikemefuna Iwuchukwu; and Rodriguez Villanueva, described by the agency as a notorious member of a Mexican drug cartel.

Investigations by a Special Operations Unit of the NDLEA revealed what the agency described as a sophisticated transnational operation by the Nigerian-Mexican cartel.

Babafemi said surveillance conducted by the agency between December 1 and 4, 2025, tracked Brown’s movements between Lagos, Enugu and Anambra states, eventually leading operatives to a compound in Obeagu where a clandestine laboratory capable of producing methamphetamine in commercial quantities was uncovered.

The laboratory was fitted with improvised reactors and distillation apparatus, which the agency said mirrored similar facilities recently dismantled in Ogun, Oyo and Ebonyi states.

A search of the premises led to the recovery of large quantities of precursor chemicals, including 690 litres of methylamine, 1,000 litres of isopropyl alcohol, 300 litres of hydrochloric acid, 290 litres each of toluene and acetone, 400 litres of liquid sodium hydroxide, 125 kilograms of N-phenylacetamide, 414 kilograms of lead acetate and 769.6 kilograms of tartaric acid, among other controlled substances.

The agency said the recovered chemicals were consistent with a high-potency, P2P-based methamphetamine manufacturing operation.

A related search of George’s family residence also led to the recovery of eight large fuel tanks, four commercial gas burners, four dehydrators and 11 kilograms of ephedrine.

Reacting to the development, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), said the agency remained determined to track down every suspect who had fled in connection with the cartel and ensure they faced the full weight of the law.

Marwa commended the NDLEA officers involved in the operation for their professionalism and doggedness in dismantling the international drug syndicate.

He described the Enugu laboratory bust as further proof that Nigeria would not be allowed to become a haven for transnational drug cartels.

Marwa warned that the agency’s intelligence-driven operations and international partnerships would continue to close every loophole exploited by drug barons, whether local or foreign.

He also charged NDLEA personnel with sustaining the momentum of enforcement until the country was rid of illicit drug production and trafficking.

KSA at 80

MUSIC legend, Sunday Adeniyi Adegeye, famously known as King Sunny Ade, clocked 80 on Tuesday, September 22. Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Adegeye, also known by the moniker KSA, is one of the Nigerian musicians who popularised the Yoruba Juju music and hoisted it onto the global stage. His international success has earned him a place in history as one of the most influential musicians of all time.

Beginning with the formation of his band in 1967, which he named the African Beats, KSA has traversed several record labels, including Island Records in 1982, before owning his own independent label. His albums, Juju Music, (1982) and Synchro System (1983) put him on the lips of the world, with the 1983 hit earning him a Grammy nomination. He achieved the same feat in 1998, with a Grammy nomination for his album, Odu. Sunny Ade’s move to Island Records came after he was head-hunted by the British label owner, Chris Blackwell. This followed the death of Bob Marley, who was Blackwell’s major musical export from Jamaica. Upon Marley’s death, the label turned towards Africa. Sunny was introduced to Blackwell by Martin Meissonnier, and a deal was struck that led to the 1982 record. The album gave Sunny Ade so much global leverage that he was dubbed ‘the African Bob Marley’. Shortly after, however, he became estranged from Island Records. Even so, his brief stint on the label opened doors for many other African musicians like Mali’s Salif Keita and Senegal’s Youssou N’Dour.

Known globally as the King of World Beats and creator of the Golden Mercury sound, Sunny Ade is undoubtedly one of Black Africa’s greatest artistes. In his decades of musical engagements, he has traversed the world to promote his brand of music in a way that no other Juju musician has. Adegeye hails from Ondo town in Ondo State, though he was born in Osogbo, Osun State, to a church organist father and a trader mother, Maria Adegeye. Maria was a scion of the Akure royal dynasty, with the highly revered Oba Olofinlade Afunbiowo Adesida I, the legendary 41st Deji of Akure Kingdom and patriarch of the influential Adesida royal dynasty, being her relative. He began his musical career with the Federal Rhythm Dandies, a highlife band owned by the famous Yoruba comedian, Moses Olaiya, popularly known as Baba Sala. From there, Sunny Ade formed his own band which he named The Green Spots in 1967. For a very long time, his band was known as the African Beats, but he later switched to the Golden Mercury. This switch was attributed to musical direction and business strategy.

Critics say KSA’s stylistic form of Juju was born out of the style of Tunde Nightingale, a musician of the same genre in the 1970s. Over the decades, however, he has stamped his own art and musical form on the global stage in a transformative manner. He achieves the right blend of beats, stage presence, and a deft deployment of language and rhythm to inhabit a class of his own. Sunny Ade was one of many musicians of the 1970s who enthralled audiences and popularised the Juju genre of Yoruba music. With colleagues like Ebenezer Obey, Emperor Pick Peters, Dele Abiodun, Ahuja Bello and many others, Juju music was characterised by instruments like the Yoruba talking drum and the guitar, which were rooted in Yoruba tradition and custom. Their music was an admixture of age-old Yoruba oral poetry called ewi, with an infusion of dense proverbs and incantations called ogede or ofo. They were delivered in danceable and eclectic rhythms. What these musicians did was recalibrate the tradition of their forefathers and document it for posterity in evergreen songs.

Sunny Ade, however, sidestepped virtually all his colleagues. He fashioned his own brand of Juju music, infusing into it the pedal steel guitar, as well as several attempts at ‘funkifying’ his sound. More than this, he uniquely branded his music through the introduction of the tenor guitar, vibraphone, synthesisers and clarinet into his repertoire. These helped carve a unique blend for his music. As modern instruments entered Sunny Ade’s music, he did not forsake the traditional African elements that made him the darling of millions. Sadly, however, the Juju music establishment became depleted, leaving Sunny Ade and Ebenezer Obey as the sole exponents. Many critics pilloried the incessant rivalry, musical rhetoric and mutual rain of abuses in the Juju genre that gained infamous traction in the 1970s/80s. It was also alleged that, beyond these exchanges, the musicians attempted to spiritually neutralise one another, and that these attempts were responsible for the early downfall and deaths of many of them.

Significantly, Sunny Ade proceeded to do Nigerian music proud through collaborations with famous musicians around the world. He collaborated with Stevie Wonder and Manu Dibango on Wakafrika, as well as with younger artistes at home like Wasiu Alabi Pasuma. It is also on record that in the 1980s Sunny Ade’s works were featured in Hollywood: his music appeared in Breathless, a 1983 film starring Richard Gere. In 1986, One More Saturday Night, a comedy, also featured his music. He then acted in a 1987 comedy by Robert Altman titled O.C. and Stiggs. Sunny Ade also featured in a couple of Nollywood movies in the early 2000s. In recognition of his imprints on the sands of time, King Sunny Ade has been honoured with diverse awards. He was inducted into the Hard Rock Cafe Hall of Fame in 2016, as well as the Headies Hall of Fame in February 2021. As part of his 80th birthday, a music fiesta in his honour was put together by fellow Juju great Evangelist Ebenezer Obey-Fabiyi, popularly known as Ebenezer Obey. Obey led a galaxy of veteran musicians, including Fuji artistes Kollington Ayinla and Abass Akande Obesere, as well as other prominent musical personalities. KSA has brought succour to those who were down, uplifted many lives through his music, and become an exemplar. In the process, he has fought many musical battles and battles for recognition, ultimately becoming a model with his eclectic dancing steps.

We, however, want to use the occasion of KSA’s 80th birthday to deplore the gradual death of his genre, Juju, with another Yoruba genre, Fuji, seeming to take over the stage. There is a dearth of younger talents in Juju, in contrast to what is seen in Fuji, although Fuji itself has its own issues. This points to one indubitable fact: Juju needs reformation. This can start with mentoring a new crop of Juju artistes and extinguishing the infamous and unhealthy rivalry of the past that plagued the genre. KSA, Obey and a sprinkling of others of their generation who remain on the scene can take up this charge. Their songs contain elevated lyrics that diverge from the banality of today’s musicians. As music cannot be made just for music’s sake, and as music cannot serve just one generation, Juju content today must be recreated to carry the highly educative lyrical content of the Sunny Ade hue.