Category: Business Day

The Imole Campaign Council (TICC) has dismissed allegations by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that political thugs are being accommodated at the Osun State Government House ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.

In a statement signed by Pelumi Olajengbesi, spokesman of the council on Friday, described the allegations as false, irresponsible and reckless, insisting that Governor Ademola Adeleke would not engage in criminality or accommodate thugs anywhere, including the Government House.

He said, ‘Governor Ademola Adeleke is a staunch respecter of the rule of law, a noble man, a promoter of peace and democratic values. Governor Ademola Adeleke will not engage in criminality, directly or by proxy, or accommodate thugs anywhere, not even at the Government House, as criminally alleged by the APC.’

The council further described the APC’s allegations as ‘expired theatrics from the empty playbook of the APC’, a party it described as jittery over its inevitable defeat on Saturday.

The statement partly reads: ‘The good people of Osun State know their true aggressor and thug-sympathiser; they know those importing thugs into the state and shielding them when caught in the act.

‘Just yesterday, the APC House of Assembly candidate for Atakumosa East/West Local Government Area, Babatunde Festus Komolafe, was reportedly caught with a gun. Some two weeks ago, a notorious APC thug, Asiri Eniba, was arrested with pump-action guns.

‘Unfortunately, both men were released immediately by the police. These are just two of a number of instances.’

The campaign council urged members of the public to disregard what it described as ‘reckless disinformation and senseless claims’ by the APC and come out en masse to vote for their preferred candidate in person of Adeleke come Saturday’s election.

Recently, I found myself in Taraba (but that’s not the point yet), in deep thought, reflecting on why women sometimes seem to age considerably faster than the men around them. My curiosity raced: if women generally have a biological survival advantage and live longer than men, what exactly is going on?

Then I came across a term that stopped me: the male-female health-survival paradox, also known as the morbidity-mortality paradox. In simple terms, it describes a fascinating contradiction: women tend to live longer than men, but spend more of their lives living with illness, disability, or poorer health.

And that got me thinking. What if the question is not simply how long women live, but how well they live those additional years?

This is where I want us to take a deeper dive. Because while biology may give women a baseline survival advantage, socioeconomic conditions, health systems, and the way societies structure women’s lives can profoundly shape what happens to those extra years. In other words, women may have the advantage in lifespan, but the real question is whether we are doing enough to protect their healthspan.

Why Women Live Longer but Not Necessarily Healthier

The caregiving penalty is one of the first places where this paradox becomes visible. Women carry a disproportionate share of unpaid domestic and caregiving work, and over time, caring for everyone else can come at the expense of their own health. The physical strain, chronic stress and exhaustion accumulate, while women often defer their own healthcare, postponing medical appointments, screenings or attention to persistent symptoms while caring for children, spouses or ageing parents. There is also an economic cost. Time spent outside the formal workforce to provide care can interrupt career progression and reduce the income, savings and assets women accumulate across their lifetimes.

This connects directly to systemic barriers to healthcare access. Women are more likely to work in lower-paid, informal or part-time employment, often without comprehensive health coverage, making the management of chronic conditions financially difficult over many years. There are also gaps within healthcare itself. Medical research has historically relied heavily on male models, leaving important gaps in understanding how some conditions present in women. As a result, women can experience delayed diagnosis or have their symptoms dismissed, particularly when dealing with chronic pain and complex conditions. And in many low- and middle-income settings, access to healthcare depends on more than whether a health facility exists. It depends on whether a woman has the money, transport, time and decision-making power to actually use it.

Then comes what I think of as the cumulative old-age trap. Living longer does not automatically mean living better or living with greater financial security. If women spend their working years earning less, accumulating fewer assets and taking time out of the workforce to care for others, their additional years of life can also become additional years of financial vulnerability. They are also more likely to outlive their spouses and experience widowhood in later life. After spending much of their lives caring for others, some women eventually reach old age without the same care, financial security or social support they once provided to everyone else.

And that, perhaps, is the uncomfortable side of the longevity story: women may be winning the race for survival, while losing too many of the conditions that make those extra years healthy, productive and dignified.

So, What Would It Take to Close the Healthspan Gap?

Universal childcare: Reliable, affordable childcare is not only a family-support policy; it is a women’s health intervention. When women have predictable support for caring for young children, they have more time for work, rest, healthcare, and self-care. It can reduce the psychological strain associated with constantly balancing caregiving and employment, while also making it easier for women to remain economically active. Over time, this can improve both wellbeing and financial security.

Paid family and sick leave: Women should not have to choose between caring for themselves or an ageing parent and keeping their income. Paid sick and family leave can reduce the physical and psychological wear associated with managing family health crises while working. Paid maternity leave is equally important, particularly in reducing postpartum stress and depression and giving women a healthier physical and emotional foundation from which to return to work.

‘Daddy quotas’ in parental leave: If we want to reduce the lifelong caregiving burden carried by women, we also have to change who provides care. Reserving a portion of parental leave specifically for fathers, on a use-it-or-lose-it basis, encourages men to participate in caregiving from the beginning. This does more than support fathers; it establishes a more balanced distribution of household responsibilities and can reduce the cumulative physical and psychological burden women carry over decades.

Gender-responsive universal health coverage: Universal health coverage must recognise that removing the cost barrier is not enough if women’s specific health needs remain invisible. Health systems should deliberately incorporate preventive and reproductive health services, alongside screening and management of conditions that disproportionately affect women across the life course. When women can access care without having to weigh the cost against competing household needs, they are more likely to seek care early rather than waiting until a condition becomes harder and more expensive to treat.

Design health systems around the whole female life course: Perhaps most importantly, women’s health cannot be treated as a series of isolated moments: menstruation, pregnancy, childbirth and menopause. Health systems need to follow women across the life course, recognising how experiences in one stage can shape health decades later. The question should not simply be how long women live, but how many of those years they can live in good health, with financial security, independence and dignity.

Final Thoughts

So, I mentioned how I found myself in Taraba, and perhaps now I can explain why it stayed with me. I was in a room filled with decision-makers discussing policy priorities for women and girls. As a non-profit leader, it was a proud moment because it reminded me that the work we do at Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR) matters, particularly because we count on institutions and public policy to create the enabling environment women need to advance.

But sitting there, I also found myself thinking about this article differently. We spend a lot of time talking about getting more women into education, into the workforce, into leadership, and into positions of economic power. All of that matters. But what happens if, after much talk about helping women access opportunities, we do not build societies that enable them to enjoy those gains?

This is why policy matters. As a member of the Women in Leadership Coalition comprising WISCAR, WIMBIZ, WILAN and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, we continue to advocate for policies that can change the conditions under which women live and work, including 35% representation of women in state and federal cabinets, boards and executive management, as well as stronger parental leave protections – minimum 16 weeks maternity and 14 days paternity leave with full pay.

Perhaps the real measure of progress is not simply that women are living longer than men. It is whether those additional years are healthy, productive, and dignified years. Because if women are living longer but spending too many of those years caring for everyone else, struggling to access healthcare, carrying financial insecurity and ageing without adequate support, then longevity alone is not the victory we think it is. The goal should not simply be to add years to women’s lives. It should be to add life to those years.

Do you remember when owning a mobile phone in Nigeria was an exclusive status symbol, sending a ‘missed call’ was a recognised communication strategy, and a single SMS required careful character counting?

MTN Nigeria is bringing those nostalgic moments back to life while charting its next quarter-century of operations.

To mark 25 years of connecting the country, the telecommunications giant has opened ‘Y’ello Street’, a museum-style, interactive exhibition situated at the MTN Plaza car park in Ikoyi, Lagos.

Open to the public through August 17, the immersive installation offers visitors a walk down memory lane-featuring vintage SIM card packages, early phone models, retro memorabilia, and interactive displays that trace how communication in Africa’s largest economy has evolved since MTN made its debut in 2001.

For many visitors, the experience is as much an emotional retrospective as it is a showcase of technology, illustrating how deeply mobile connectivity has woven itself into the social and commercial fabric of everyday Nigerian life.

A N1.6 trillion Infrastructure Bet

While ‘Y’ello Street’ celebrates the cultural history of the feature-phone era, the company behind it is operating at a vastly different scale today.

Speaking at the exhibition opening, Modupe Kadri, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of MTN Nigeria, revealed that the operator has invested over N1.6 trillion in capital expenditure (Capex) over the last 18 months alone. The massive outlay has been directed toward network expansion, capacity upgrades, and service quality improvements to keep pace with surging data consumption.

According to Kadri, MTN’s Capex (excluding leases) grew by 92.8 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026 to relieve network congestion in major metropolitan centers. In addition to capital investment, the operator paid more than N620 billion in taxes and regulatory levies during the same 18-month period.

‘Over the past 25 years, MTN has been leading the way,’ Kadri noted, tracing the transition from traditional voice calls to data-heavy platforms like WhatsApp, video streaming, and mobile financial applications.

The Strategic Pivot: From Connectivity to Platform Economics

With a subscriber base touching 96 million customers, MTN Nigeria is preparing for a future where traditional voice calls and SMS are no longer the core engines of top-line growth. Instead, the operator is shifting its focus toward artificial intelligence (AI), financial technology (FinTech), digital content, and cloud infrastructure.

FinTech and Platform Services

The first 25 years of Nigerian telecommunications were primarily about connecting people. The next era is about monetizing what happens after they connect.

Through MoMo Payment Service Bank and expanded digital channels, MTN aims to transition users from simple airtime buyers into active consumers of financial, entertainment, and enterprise services.

Kadri highlighted that an evolving regulatory landscape has created broader latitude for telco-led financial inclusion and AI-driven consumer products.

Portugal football icon Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez have begun a new chapter in their relationship after reportedly tying the knot in a private civil ceremony in Cascais, Portugal, on August 11, 2026.

The couple, who have been together since 2016, reportedly exchanged vows in the presence of their five children and close family members. Ronaldo, 41, appeared to confirm the marriage on Instagram by sharing a photograph of the couple’s hands displaying their wedding rings.

For Rodríguez, 32, the marriage caps a remarkable journey from working as a Gucci sales assistant in Madrid to becoming a model, entrepreneur, television personality and one of the world’s most recognisable social media figures.

From Gucci employee to global celebrity

Rodríguez’s rise to global prominence began before her relationship with Ronaldo, although meeting the football superstar dramatically changed the trajectory of her career.

She was working as a sales assistant at Gucci in Madrid when she met Ronaldo, who was playing for Real Madrid at the time.

Rodríguez has described their first encounter as an immediate connection, recalling a strong sense of peace and energy when they first held hands.

The relationship developed quickly, with the couple making their red-carpet debut at the Best FIFA Football Awards in Zurich in January 2017 before becoming Instagram official later that year.

Ronaldo has also spoken about their relationship, admitting he did not initially expect it to become serious.

In Rodríguez’s Netflix series I Am Georgina, Ronaldo recalled initially seeing her as an interesting and mature woman before eventually realising she could become ‘the woman of my life.’

Building a brand beyond Ronaldo

While her relationship with Ronaldo accelerated her global profile, Rodríguez has worked to establish an identity beyond being the football star’s partner.

She moved into modelling and developed relationships with major fashion and luxury brands, while appearing in international magazines and building a substantial social media following.

Her public image has become closely associated with luxury fashion, beauty, travel and family life.

She has also turned her visibility into commercial opportunities through brand endorsements, sponsored social media content and fashion ventures.

Her Netflix series, I Am Georgina, has further expanded her profile, offering viewers an insight into her personal life, family and relationship with Ronaldo.

How much is Georgina Rodríguez worth?

There is no publicly verified figure for Rodríguez’s personal net worth, and estimates vary considerably.

Some celebrity-wealth websites have put her fortune at around $2 million, although such estimates should be treated cautiously because they are not based on audited financial statements.

Her income is believed to come from modelling, endorsements, sponsored content and business ventures.

Her substantial social media following also gives her significant commercial value, particularly among luxury, fashion and beauty brands seeking access to a global audience.

Her personal wealth should also be distinguished from Ronaldo’s considerably larger fortune, which has been built through football salaries, endorsements and business investments.

A lifestyle built around luxury

Rodríguez’s social media presence frequently showcases designer fashion, jewellery, luxury travel, high-end vehicles and family holidays.

Her lifestyle reflects Ronaldo’s status as one of the world’s most commercially successful athletes, with business interests and endorsements extending far beyond football.

At the same time, Rodríguez has made motherhood and family life a central part of her public identity, regularly sharing moments with the couple’s children.

From engagement to marriage

The couple publicly announced their engagement on August 11, 2025, when Rodríguez shared a photograph of her hand displaying a large oval-shaped diamond ring.

‘Sí, quiero. En esta y en todas mis vidas,’ she wrote in Spanish, meaning: ‘Yes, I do. In this and in all my lives.’

The announcement ended years of speculation about whether the couple would eventually marry.

A year later, their engagement reportedly culminated in the private ceremony in Cascais.

Nearly a decade with Ronaldo

Rodríguez and Ronaldo have been together since 2016, making their relationship one of football’s most closely followed celebrity partnerships.

During their relationship, Ronaldo continued to build one of the most decorated careers in football, representing Real Madrid, Juventus, Manchester United and Al Nassr while remaining a key figure for Portugal.

Rodríguez, meanwhile, transformed from a relatively unknown retail employee into a global model, influencer and entrepreneur.

Her journey illustrates how she has converted global exposure into an independent commercial identity.

From a Gucci store in Madrid to international fashion campaigns, television, entrepreneurship and now marriage to one of football’s biggest icons, Rodríguez has built a public profile that extends beyond being Cristiano Ronaldo’s partner.

Her marriage to Ronaldo marks a new chapter in their personal lives, while also representing another stage in the evolution of the personal brand Rodríguez has built over the past decade.

The naira ended the week relatively stable across the foreign exchange (FX) market segments as Nigeria’s external reserves climbed to a 17-year high of $52.25 billion, strengthening the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) capacity to support the local currency and meet the country’s external obligations.

Data published by the CBN showed that the naira appreciated by N8.08 week-on-week, with the dollar quoted at N1,357.61 at the close of trading on Friday, compared with N1,365.69 quoted a week earlier at the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM).

On a day-on-day basis, the local currency steadied at N1,357.61, representing a marginal N0.04 gain from N1,357.65 quoted on Thursday. Over the five trading days, the naira strengthened by N2.53 from N1,360.14/$ recorded on Monday, the first trading day of the week.

In the parallel market, also known as the black market, the local currency also remained stable at N1,420 per dollar. Consequently, the gap between the official and parallel market rates narrowed slightly to 4.64 percent from 4.71 percent previously.

Total turnover in the interbank segment of the FX market rose by 9.12 percent week-on-week to $1.00 billion on Friday, compared with $919 million recorded on Friday last week. The number of deals also increased by 19.09 percent from 639 on Thursday to 761 deals on Friday.

Although NFEM figures for Friday’s deals and turnover were not available as of the time of reporting, activity moderated during the week, with total turnover declining slightly by 2.23 percent week-on-week to $3.95 billion on Thursday, from $4.04 billion recorded on Thursday last week.

The number of deals, however, increased by 3.17 percent from 1,736 last week to 1,791 deals on Thursday, indicating sustained activity despite the marginal decline in transaction value.

Nigeria’s external reserves, which provide the CBN with the firepower to support the naira and meet external obligations, have maintained a steady growth trajectory, rising to $52.25 billion, their highest level in 17 years. The level represents a 28.32 percent increase from the $40.72 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.

The sustained accretion in reserves comes amid improved conditions in the FX market and growing efforts by the CBN to deepen liquidity and strengthen the transmission of monetary policy.

Within the week, the CBN relaxed restrictions on banks’ access to its discount window, lifted the suspension of tenored repo operations and broadened participation in the Open Market Operations (OMO) market to include non-bank financial institutions, corporates and retail investors.

According to analysts at Quest Merchant Bank Limited, the reforms should improve market liquidity, strengthen monetary policy transmission and deepen participation in the fixed-income market.

‘The reforms are likely to deepen activity across the money market and fixed-income markets while signalling growing confidence in FX market stability, reserve adequacy and overall market conditions,’ the analysts said.

The reforms could also have implications for yields and investment returns. Broader investor participation in OMO securities could accelerate yield compression over time, potentially reducing treasury income opportunities for banks and moderating the carry attractiveness of naira assets.

On Wednesday, the CBN, through a circular to all banks, introduced a series of reforms aimed at improving the functioning of the financial markets. The measures include easing restrictions on Deposit Money Banks’ access to the discount window and Standing Lending Facility (SLF), resuming tenored repo operations across four to 90 days, and broadening eligible participants in the OMO market to include non-bank financial institutions, corporates and retail investors.

However, the regulator retained restrictions on banks’ participation in OMO auctions on the same day they accessed the discount window.

The most impactful of the reforms, according to Quest Merchant Bank, is the broadening of eligible investors in the OMO market. Going forward, individuals, corporates and non-bank financial institutions will be able to participate in OMO securities through Deposit Money Banks.

The measure effectively expands the investor base for OMO instruments, increases demand for short-dated securities and could exert downward pressure on OMO clearing yields over time. However, the CBN retains discretion over the volume, tenor and frequency of OMO issuances in line with prevailing liquidity conditions and monetary policy objectives, meaning it will continue to exercise significant influence over yield outcomes.

The lifting of discount window-related restrictions also reduces funding frictions for banks. By allowing institutions that access the discount window to continue participating in the FX market and government securities auctions, the reforms reduce the opportunity cost of accessing Central Bank liquidity and give banks greater flexibility to manage temporary funding shortfalls without disrupting their participation in key financial markets.

Additionally, the reintroduction of tenored repo operations across four to 90-day maturities will enhance liquidity management for bank treasuries by providing greater flexibility in funding beyond the overnight market.

This reduces the need for banks to rely exclusively on short-term funding sources and allows for more efficient asset-liability management. The availability of term repos also strengthens the CBN’s liquidity-management framework by enabling more targeted liquidity injections, reducing volatility in money-market rates and enhancing monetary policy transmission across money and fixed-income markets.

‘In our view, the circular forms part of the CBN’s broader efforts to deepen domestic financial markets and strengthen the transition towards a more market-based liquidity management framework,’ the analysts said.

They added that the reforms would enhance market liquidity, improve monetary policy transmission and support more efficient price discovery across the money and fixed-income markets.

More importantly, the relaxation of discount window-related restrictions signals growing confidence in the resilience of the FX market, the adequacy of external reserve buffers and the CBN’s capacity to maintain orderly market conditions during periods of elevated demand.

The reforms could also gradually reduce the market’s dependence on offshore participation by broadening the domestic investor base for OMO instruments. However, as increased demand places downward pressure on yields, the CBN may need to balance its market-development objectives against the need to preserve the attractiveness of naira assets to foreign portfolio investors, particularly in an environment where external financing conditions remain competitive.

‘Overall, we view the circular as structurally positive for Nigeria’s financial markets, particularly as it gives the CBN greater flexibility to inject and withdraw liquidity, while improving money-market efficiency and deepening participation across the domestic fixed-income market,’ the analysts at Quest Merchant Bank Limited said.

Ademola Adeleke, governorship candidate of the Accord Party has taken an early lead in the Osun State governorship election. Preliminary data aggregated from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) result viewing portal by election observer group Kimpact Development Initiative indicates that the incumbent is currently ahead of his primary opponent.

With 61 percent of the total votes processed, Adeleke has secured 300,283 votes. His main challenger, candidate Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC), follows with 254,132 votes. The early results demonstrate a clear lead for the incumbent as collation continues across the state.

The election saw significant civic engagement across Osun State. According to official figures released by the electoral body, 1,906,390 voters collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) out of the registered electorate, making them eligible to participate in the democratic process.

Electoral observers note that processed figures represent a substantial portion of the expected turnout. The Kimpact Development Initiative continues to track and analyze incoming results directly from polling units through the official portal to ensure real-time reporting accuracy and public transparency.

The current margin reflects votes tallied across key local government areas where voter turnout was notably high. While the current trajectory favours the incumbent, official declaration of the final outcome remains subject to the full collation and verification of remaining polling units by INEC officers.

The remaining 39 percent of unprocessed results will decide whether candidate Oyebamiji can close the gap or if Governor Adeleke will maintain his advantage to secure a full term in office. Collation agents and observers remain stationed at central facilities as final figures arrive from rural and urban centers.

Ademola Adeleke,Osun State Governor, has rejected the preliminary report on the ongoing governorship election, expressing dissatisfaction with widespread voting disruptions, technical failures, and voter intimidation across the state.

Speaking on Osun Radio, Adeleke complained that Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS) machines malfunctioned and operated too slowly in numerous polling units. He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to intervene immediately to restore system functionality and safeguard the process.

The governor further alleged that armed thugs were actively disrupting voting operations in Olorunda and Irewole local council areas. He specifically identified a suspect known as Enuku, claiming the individual and his associates were targeting voters in Ikire. Adeleke also accused members of the Nigeria Police Force of assisting the All Progressives Congress (APC) by failing to intervene. He advised residents to remain resilient, defend their votes peacefully, and disregard intimidation tactics at the polling stations.

A coalition of All Progressives Congress (APC) youth supporters has launched a mobilisation drive to secure 10 million votes for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, setting the stage for a major grassroots campaign.

The group, Youth on Ground Progressive and Mentorship Initiative (YOG), said it will activate its structures across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. It plans to hold a nationwide mega rally in November 2026 to mobilise young voters behind Tinubu’s second-term bid.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Obioma Nwuba, YOG founder and national coordinator, described the organisation as a structured, values-driven movement. He said it was established to harness Nigeria’s large youth population for political participation and grassroots development.

Nwuba said the group’s mobilisation strategy will extend across wards, local government areas, and states, with a focus on organising young Nigerians around the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

‘We stand in support of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, and we stand equally in support of his 2027 second-term aspiration because continuity of purposeful leadership is what this moment demands,’ the group said.

YOG called on the presidency and members of the APC Progressive Governors Forum to endorse and partner with the organisation as a grassroots delivery platform. The group argued that government policies must translate into tangible improvements in citizens’ lives, particularly for young people.

‘Hope cannot be renewed from Abuja alone. It must be delivered in Abuja, Awka, and Owo. It must be felt in the farms in Jalingo and the workshops in Benin,’ YOG said.

The organisation urged APC governors to partner with its members on programmes focused on food security, employment generation, and peacebuilding.

‘Governors, we are not asking for handouts. We are offering you foot soldiers for food security, for peace, and for jobs in your states. Partner with us, and let us turn policy into plates of food and internally generated revenue,’ it said.

Announcing the planned November rally, the group invited young Nigerians across the country and in the diaspora to participate in what it described as a ’10 million Youths on Ground mega rally’. The rally will culminate in a youth declaration ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Defending its 10-million-vote target, the group said Nigeria’s youthful population represents a significant electoral asset that could influence the outcome of the 2027 election if effectively organised.

‘Nigeria’s median age sits below 18 years. This demographic is either our greatest asset or our greatest risk,’ it said.

YOG said it is building its structure across all six geopolitical zones, arguing that 10 million organised youths represent a network capable of promoting political stability and economic development.

‘Ten million organised youths are 10 million votes, 10 million voices, and 10 million defenders of the Renewed Hope Agenda,’ the group said.

For people considering a move abroad for work in 2026, the choice of country often depends on career opportunities, visa routes, cost of living and the chance to build a life outside work.

From working holiday options in New Zealand and Australia to skilled migration routes in Germany and Canada, several countries offer pathways for international workers.

Here are 10 countries to consider for working abroad in 2026.

1. New Zealand

New Zealand is suited to people seeking seasonal work while travelling. Its key industries include agriculture, technology, healthcare, education, winter sports and ecotourism.

The country offers a Working Holiday Visa for eligible young adults aged 18-35 from participating countries. Auckland is a major employment centre, while Wellington, Christchurch and Hamilton also offer opportunities.

New Zealand’s work culture supports time outside work, although housing costs have increased. Smaller towns may also feel isolated.

One worker, Johanna of JENZA Work New Zealand, said: ‘I had an amazing experience working and traveling in New Zealand. You need to be diligent to get work, but it is well worth it and the country is so easy to get around to see it all while you are there.’

2. The Netherlands

The Netherlands offers opportunities in technology, software, finance, research, international affairs, logistics and sustainable energy.

Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague are key employment centres. The country also hosts European operations for companies including Philips, ASML and Unilever.

English is widely spoken, which can make the transition easier for international workers. However, housing and other living costs can be high, while building local friendships may take time.

3. South Korea

South Korea is an option for people interested in teaching, technology, manufacturing, tourism and entertainment.

Seoul, Busan and Daegu have established international communities. The country is also known for opportunities to teach English as a foreign language.

The English Program in Korea (EPIK), operated by the Korean Ministry of Education and National Institute for International Education, provides opportunities for English teachers.

Teaching contracts can include accommodation, although some workers may experience pressure to work longer hours.

Emily, who taught in South Korea through CIEE, said: ‘Teaching abroad in South Korea has been such a great experience! The culture is amazing, the students are eager to learn. There’s always something new to experience.’

4. Australia

Australia remains an option for skilled workers and people seeking temporary work while travelling.

Its major employment sectors include healthcare, engineering, IT, education, agriculture, hospitality and marketing. Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane are among the main employment centres.

Eligible people aged 18-35 can use the Working Holiday Visa route, while skilled workers can use Australia’s points-based immigration system.

The country offers high wages, but living costs have been rising, particularly in major cities.

5. Germany

Germany is recruiting international workers in engineering, healthcare, IT, finance and skilled trades.

The Skilled Immigration Act and updated EU Blue Card rules have expanded routes for non-EU professionals. Berlin, Munich and Hamburg are among the cities with established international communities.

Germany also offers opportunities for international students, with many public university programmes offering low or no tuition fees.

However, German remains useful for everyday life, even when a workplace operates in English. Taxes can also reduce take-home pay.

Andrew, who completed an internship in Berlin, said: ‘My internship in Berlin was a highly enriching experience that allowed me to grow both professionally and personally.’

6. Canada

Canada is suited to workers seeking career development and a possible long-term route to residency.

Its major sectors include IT, healthcare, research, energy and finance. Express Entry provides a route for eligible skilled workers seeking permanent residence.

Canada also provides employment benefits, including parental leave and paid vacation.

The main challenge is the cost of housing, transport and other expenses, especially in cities such as Toronto and Vancouver.

7. UAE

The United Arab Emirates, particularly Dubai and Abu Dhabi, offers opportunities in technology, real estate, tourism, finance, manufacturing and other sectors.

The country has no personal income tax and has a large expatriate workforce. It also offers visa options for professionals, investors, skilled workers and freelancers.

The UAE provides a one-year renewable virtual work visa and longer-term options such as the Golden Visa and Green Visa.

Workers should also consider the country’s social norms and the high temperatures experienced during the summer months.

8. Denmark

Denmark is an option for people who place work-life balance among their priorities.

Its employment sectors include green energy, biotechnology, agriculture, research, childcare and teaching.

The country has a standard 37-hour working week and provides social benefits, including subsidised childcare and universal healthcare.

However, living costs are high, while cold weather and limited sunlight during parts of the year may affect people moving from warmer countries.

9. Portugal

Portugal has attracted remote workers, freelancers and digital nomads through visa routes that allow people to live in the country while working for foreign employers or clients.

The technology, tourism, customer service and creative sectors also provide employment opportunities.

The D8 Digital Nomad Visa is designed for remote workers and requires proof of income. Portugal also offers the D7 visa and a Job Seeker Visa for people seeking other routes to live and work there.

Lisbon and Porto have large international communities, while the Algarve and Silver Coast offer alternatives outside the main cities.

Applicants should note that immigration processing has faced delays.

10. Cambodia

Cambodia offers a lower-cost option for people working abroad, particularly remote workers and digital nomads.

Its major sectors include tourism, agriculture, textiles and English teaching. Phnom Penh and Siem Reap have established expatriate communities.

Locally employed foreigners often work in education, development and tourism, while remote workers can use Cambodia as a base if they already have an income source.

Trading activity on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) recorded a sharp increase in the week ended August 14, 2026, as investors exchanged 12.153 billion shares valued at N176.058 billion across 224,146 deals.

The performance represents a 126.8 percent increase in traded volume compared with the 5.359 billion shares worth N139.053 billion exchanged in 261,869 deals in the previous week. Turnover value also increased by 26.6 percent, while the number of deals declined by about 14.4 percent.

Despite the surge in trading activity, the broader equities market closed lower as investors took profits following recent gains. The NGX All-Share Index declined by 1.20 percent to 242,619.20 points, while market capitalisation fell by 1.19 percent to N156.624 trillion.

The broader market remains firmly positive for the year despite the week’s moderation, with the NGX All-Share Index recording a year-to-date (YtD) return of 55.91 percent as of August 14.

The increase in activity was also reflected in other trading indicators. Market depth improved to 27.76 percent from 21.67 percent in the previous week, while average daily value traded rose to N35.21 billion from N27.81 billion.

The Financial Services Industry dominated market activity, accounting for 11.212 billion shares valued at N88.991 billion across 102,246 deals. The sector contributed 92.25 percent of total equity turnover by volume and 50.55 percent by value.

The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Industry followed with 246.127 million shares worth N51.605 billion traded in 27,169 deals, while the Services Industry ranked third with 198.195 million shares valued at N1.995 billion across 13,747 deals.

Activity was particularly concentrated in three equities; Fortis Global Insurance Plc, Cornerstone Insurance Plc and Consolidated Hallmark Holdings Plc. The trio accounted for 9.488 billion shares worth N36.219 billion in 1,781 deals, representing 78.07 percent of total equity turnover volume and 20.57 percent of turnover value for the week.

The fixed-income segment also recorded increased activity, with investors trading 232,979 units valued at N226.258 million in 35 deals, compared with 117,372 units worth N121.249 million in the previous week.

In the Exchange Traded Products segment, 2.346 million units valued at N501.051 million were traded across 5,291 deals.

Market breadth, however, showed some improvement. 26 equities appreciated during the week, unchanged from the previous week, while the number of declining equities eased to 59 from 63. 62 equities closed unchanged, compared with 58 in the preceding week.

The market breadth ratio consequently improved to 0.69x from 0.62x in the previous week, indicating a narrower gap between gainers and decliners despite the decline in the benchmark index.

Trans-Nationwide Express Plc led the gainers’ chart with a 32.09 percent increase, followed by International Energy Insurance Plc, which advanced 31.68 percent, and Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc, which gained 13.77 percent. On the other side, AVA Capital Plc topped the losers’ chart with a 34.55 percent decline, followed by Unilever Nigeria Plc, down 18.94 percent, and Zichis Agro Allied Industries Plc, which shed 15.08 percent.

Meanwhile, Lasaco Assurance Plc expanded its share capital following the listing of 9.236 billion additional ordinary shares on the NGX Daily Official List on Wednesday, August 12, 2026.

The additional shares arose from the company’s rights issue of five new ordinary shares for every six existing shares held as of February 20, 2026. Following the listing, Lasaco Assurance’s issued and fully paid-up share capital increased from 11.084 billion shares to 20.320 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each.

Sectoral performance has been even stronger in parts of the market, with the NGX Oil and Gas Index up 94.81 percent year-to-date, followed by the NGX Premium Index at 85.14 percent and the NGX Industrial Goods Index at 82.84 percent, underscoring the strength of the market’s gains despite the week’s profit-taking.