Category: Business Day

In an era defined by artificial intelligence, digital platforms, data-driven economies, and unprecedented technological transformation, the meaning of wealth is undergoing a profound re-evaluation. Across societies, success is often measured through financial statements, market valuations, luxurious lifestyles, and visible symbols of prosperity. Yet beneath the surface of these measurements lies a deeper truth that deserves careful reflection.

The digital age has amplified humanity’s capacity to create and accumulate wealth. Individuals can build global businesses from mobile devices, acquire new skills through online learning, and connect with opportunities that were unimaginable only a few decades ago. Nevertheless, the increase in economic possibilities has not automatically translated into greater fulfilment, peace, or purpose. Indeed, many people possess financial resources yet struggle with anxiety, isolation, and a lack of meaning.

This reality invites an important question: What is the true face of wealth?

My reflection on this subject emerged from a simple but insightful conversation. Someone asked whether wealth should not simply be measured by the amount of money a person possesses. The question was understandable. Throughout history, money has served as a visible indicator of prosperity. It provides access to goods and services, facilitates commerce, and offers opportunities for personal advancement.

Yet money, important as it is, does not tell the whole story.

The true face of wealth is not money itself. The true face of wealth is sufficiency.

Sufficiency represents a state in which a person possesses what is necessary to live meaningfully, contribute positively, and fulfil a purpose-driven life. It reflects balance rather than excess, substance rather than appearance, and wholeness rather than accumulation.

In the digital age, this understanding of wealth is more relevant than ever. We live in a world where social media often encourages comparison. Individuals are continuously exposed to curated images of success, luxury, influence, and achievement. The danger is that many begin to pursue symbols instead of substance.

Money is a symbol of wealth, but it is not wealth itself.

Similarly, follower counts are symbols of visibility, but they are not influence. Academic titles are symbols of knowledge, but they are not wisdom. Digital connectivity is a symbol of access, but it is not necessarily a meaningful relationship.

When people mistake symbols for substance, they risk building lives that appear successful externally while remaining empty internally.

True wealth begins with wisdom. A person with sufficient wisdom can make sound decisions, discern opportunities, avoid unnecessary pitfalls, and navigate complexity with clarity. In contemporary society, information is abundant, but wisdom remains rare. The internet can provide facts within seconds, yet wisdom is required to interpret those facts responsibly and apply them effectively.

Another dimension of genuine wealth is peace. Regardless of financial standing, a person who cannot sleep peacefully at night due to fear, guilt, anxiety, or constant pressure has not fully experienced wealth. Peace provides stability during uncertainty and confidence during adversity. It is a priceless asset that cannot be purchased in any marketplace.

Relationships also form an essential component of wealth. Human beings are designed for connection. A person may possess extensive financial resources but still experience loneliness and emotional emptiness. Conversely, individuals with strong families, trusted friends, supportive communities, and healthy professional networks often enjoy a richness that transcends monetary valuation.

Purpose is another pillar of true prosperity. Wealth without purpose eventually loses direction. The most fulfilled individuals are often those who understand why they exist and consistently align their efforts with that understanding. Purpose transforms work into contribution, ambition into service, and success into significance.

The digital economy provides countless opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship. However, genuine prosperity should not simply be measured by what people accumulate but also by the value they create. The entrepreneurs, educators, healthcare professionals, technologists, faith leaders, and community builders who improve the lives of others contribute to a form of wealth that outlives financial transactions.

An equally important lesson emerges when considering the relationship between health and wealth.

Many people assume that medicine represents health. In reality, medicine serves a valuable role when health has been challenged. The ultimate desire is not medicine but wellness. Likewise, the ultimate pursuit should not be money alone but a state of sufficiency that enables flourishing.

Good health remains one of the greatest dimensions of wealth in the digital age. As technology enables longer working hours and constant connectivity, individuals must intentionally preserve their physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. Productivity without wellness eventually becomes unsustainable.

This perspective helps to explain why some of the world’s most financially successful individuals continue to invest significant time in health, learning, personal growth, and meaningful relationships. They understand that wealth is multidimensional.

A balanced life therefore, becomes a more accurate indicator of prosperity than financial figures alone. Balance allows individuals to pursue excellence without sacrificing integrity, build careers without neglecting family, embrace innovation without abandoning values, and achieve success without losing themselves in the process.

For younger generations navigating a rapidly evolving digital landscape, this understanding offers an important corrective. The goal should not merely be to become rich. The goal should be to become sufficient in all things that matter.

This includes sufficient knowledge to adapt to change, sufficient resilience to overcome setbacks, sufficient character to sustain leadership, sufficient compassion to serve others, sufficient health to enjoy life, and sufficient resources to fulfil meaningful aspirations.

When viewed through this lens, wealth becomes less about possession and more about stewardship. Resources, talents, opportunities, and influence are not merely assets for personal consumption; they are responsibilities to be managed wisely for the benefit of others and future generations.

The digital age presents extraordinary opportunities. Artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud computing, data analytics, and emerging technologies are reshaping economies worldwide. However, regardless of how advanced society becomes, the foundational principles of meaningful living remain remarkably consistent.

People continue to seek peace. They continue to seek purpose. They continue to seek belonging, significance, and well-being.

These enduring human needs remind us that technology should enhance life rather than define it. Financial achievement should support purpose rather than replace it. Success should elevate character rather than overshadow it.

Ultimately, the richest life is not necessarily the one with the greatest accumulation of money, but the one characterised by sufficiency in purpose, abundance in peace, strength in health, depth in relationships, clarity in wisdom, and impact in service.

That is the true face of wealth.

As society continues its journey through the opportunities and complexities of the digital age, we would do well to remember a timeless lesson: pursue not merely the symbols of success, but the substance of a meaningful life.

For money may measure certain aspects of prosperity, but sufficiency reveals its deepest meaning. And in a world increasingly focused on appearances, the greatest wealth remains a life well lived, a purpose well fulfilled, and a legacy that positively transforms others.

Daystar Power Group has completed solar installations at four Nestlé manufacturing facilities across West Africa, bringing total installed capacity to 6,884 kilowatt-peak, a figure that positions the partnership among the largest commercial and industrial clean energy arrangements on the continent.

The deployments, which cover sites in Abidjan, Tema, and Dakar, are all fully operational. In Côte d’Ivoire alone, two Abidjan facilities account for 3,447 kWp of combined capacity. A 2,547 kWp system serves Nestlé’s factory in Tema, Ghana, while an 890 kWp installation runs at the Dakar facility in Senegal. Each system was engineered to the specific grid conditions and operational demands of its location, rather than applied as an off-the-shelf solution.

The expansion marks a significant evolution from what began as a single-site commissioning. That Daystar Power has now delivered across three countries for the same client signals something the broader C and I solar market in sub-Saharan Africa has been waiting to see: a replicable model that a global manufacturer is willing to scale.

‘Nearly 7 megawatts across four Nestlé facilities is a number we are proud of, but what it represents matters more than the figure itself,’ said Yischai Beinisch, chief executive of Daystar Power Group. ‘It means that one of the world’s most demanding manufacturers has tested our model, trusted it, and come back. Our job now is to keep earning that, across every market where industry needs energy it can count on.’

For Nestlé, the installations are part of a wider effort to embed sustainability into its West African operations rather than treat it as a peripheral commitment. The company has publicly stated net-zero targets, and the solar buildout feeds directly into those obligations – reducing greenhouse gas emissions while improving energy resilience at facilities that rely on consistent power to maintain production.

Samer Chedid, chief executive of Nestlé’s Central and West Africa region, framed the investment in terms of the company’s broader identity in the region. ‘This investment reflects our commitment to building a business that not only grows but does so responsibly,’ he said. ‘By advancing solar energy projects in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Senegal, we are embedding sustainability into our growth, reinforcing our role as a force for good, creating long-term value for communities, and ensuring that our footprint actively contributes to a cleaner, more resilient future.’

The timing is notable. West Africa’s industrial sector faces persistent grid instability in major manufacturing corridors, and the cost of diesel backup power remains a significant drag on operating margins. Commercial solar, particularly when designed around a facility’s load profile and grid interface, increasingly offers manufacturers a credible path to both cost control and emissions reduction – without requiring them to compromise on uptime.

Daystar Power, which operates across multiple West African markets, has built its model around exactly that proposition: energy that industrial clients can run on, not just point to. The Nestlé partnership now provides the clearest public proof of that thesis at scale.

With Nestlé’s manufacturing footprint extending further across the region, and Daystar Power’s operational infrastructure already in place in the relevant markets, the companies have indicated the relationship is structured to grow. Whether additional sites follow will depend on how the existing four perform under the demands of a company whose production tolerances leave little room for energy variability.

At 6,884 kWp and counting, the baseline is set.

Co-hosts Canada became the first team to book a place in the Round of 16 of the FIFA 2026 World Cup after a dramatic 1-0 victory over South Africa on Sunday.

Stephen Eustaquio struck deep into stoppage time to send Canada into the last 16, breaking South African hearts in a tense Round of 32 clash at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

With both sides making their first-ever appearance beyond the World Cup group stage, the contest looked destined for extra time before Eustaquio produced the decisive moment in the 92nd minute.

The Porto midfielder, who spent last season on loan at Los Angeles FC, controlled the ball on his chest before unleashing a superb strike from just outside the penalty area that beat South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams and nestled into the bottom corner.

The late goal settled a tightly contested match that produced few clear-cut chances, sparking wild celebrations as Canada’s substitutes and coaching staff poured onto the pitch at the final whistle.

‘We are excited that we’re still playing and relieved that we managed to get over the line. It was a difficult match, and we knew it was going to be,’ Canada defender Alistair Johnston said.

‘It’s still a pinch-me moment, honestly. We just won a knockout-round match at a World Cup.’

Canada are competing in the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time after finishing second in their group behind Switzerland.

Because they did not top the group, the co-hosts had to leave Vancouver for the United States to face South Africa in Los Angeles.

Canada will now travel to Houston for a Round of 16 clash on Saturday against either the Netherlands or Morocco, with a place in the quarter-finals at stake.

When Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesman, said recently that he did not see ‘the level of hunger Nigerians are complaining about,’ his words landed like a spark in a country already weighed down by hardship.

Within hours, social media erupted. Thousands of Nigerians pushed back, accusing the presidential aide of being disconnected from the realities confronting millions of households. For many families, survival has become a daily calculation, whether to buy food or pay transport fares, whether to settle school fees or purchase medicines.

The controversy once again exposed the widening gulf between official optimism and public frustration. But beyond the emotions, the debate raises a more important question: How poor are Nigerians today?

The answer lies not in political rhetoric but in the numbers.

Three years after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office and introduced what economists have described as bold but necessary economic reforms, Nigeria presents two sharply contrasting realities.

On one hand, the government has plenty to celebrate. The removal of fuel subsidy and the liberalisation of the foreign exchange market have helped stabilise public finances. Foreign reserves have climbed above $51 billion, the highest level in nearly two decades. Economic growth accelerated to about 3.87 percent in 2025, while international credit rating agencies have acknowledged improvements in Nigeria’s fiscal outlook. Government officials insist that painful reforms are beginning to yield results and that the economy is finally turning the corner.

Yet for millions of Nigerians, those gains remain largely invisible. The country’s macroeconomic indicators may be improving, but the welfare of ordinary households tells a completely different story.

Figures from the International Monetary Fund paint a troubling picture. The proportion of Nigerians living below the national poverty line has risen steadily, from 56 percent in 2023 to 61 percent in 2024 before reaching 63 percent in 2025.

The IMF’s 2026 Article IV Consultation also estimates that about 27 million Nigerians faced severe food insecurity, driven by persistently high transport costs, rising food prices and disruptions to agricultural supply chains.

Behind every percentage lies a human story. It means millions of families now skip meals more frequently than they did three years ago. It means parents increasingly struggle to keep their children in school, workers spend a larger share of their salaries just getting to work, and many households have abandoned nutritious diets for cheaper alternatives simply to survive.

Independent estimates based on World Bank data reveal an equally disturbing trend.

‘The number of Nigerians living below the national poverty line increased from about 125 million in 2023 to an estimated 143 million in 2026,’ Oluwole Crowther, a Lagos-based economist, said referring to the World Bank report.

‘In practical terms,’ he said, ‘approximately 18 million additional Nigerians have fallen into poverty within three years.’

That increase is roughly equivalent to adding the entire population of several Nigerian states to the poverty register. Much of this deterioration has been fuelled by inflation.

Following the removal of petrol subsidy and the floating of the naira, transportation costs surged, feeding directly into food prices and the cost of virtually every essential commodity. While inflation has begun to moderate, prices remain significantly higher than they were before the reforms.

For households whose incomes have remained largely stagnant, every trip to the market now buys less than it did only a few years ago.

Crowther notes that Nigeria’s experience mirrors what several countries faced after implementing similar reforms.

‘Experience from several countries shows that fuel subsidy reforms often impose significant short-term costs on households, particularly low-income groups,’ he explained.

Countries such as Ghana, Egypt and Iran experienced sharp inflation after subsidy removal. However, many complemented the reforms with robust social protection programmes, targeted cash transfers and expanded public transportation to cushion the impact on vulnerable citizens.

Nigeria introduced interventions including conditional cash transfers, student loans and compressed natural gas initiatives.

However, according to Crowther, ‘available evidence suggests that these interventions have not fully offset the impact of higher living costs on many households.’

This explains why government officials and ordinary Nigerians often appear to be describing two different economies.

‘The apparent disconnect between official statements and public sentiment stems from the difference between macroeconomic indicators and welfare indicators,’ Crowther said.

‘Macroeconomic indicators assess the health and stability of the economy, while welfare indicators measure how households are actually living.’

Indeed, both realities can exist simultaneously. An economy may become more stable while millions of citizens continue to struggle. Rising foreign reserves do not automatically lower food prices. A stronger fiscal position does not immediately restore lost purchasing power. Improved investor confidence does not instantly translate into fuller dining tables.

That is the paradox confronting Nigeria today. The reforms have corrected some long-standing distortions in the economy and placed public finances on a stronger footing. But they have also imposed enormous costs on households already living on the margins.

The challenge now is ensuring that macroeconomic gains begin to translate into improvements in people’s daily lives.

For Crowther, that is the real measure of success. ‘Both narratives contain elements of truth,’ he observed.

‘The government can point to improving macroeconomic fundamentals, but indicators relating to poverty, food affordability, real wages and household welfare suggest that many Nigerians continue to face significant economic hardship.’

He argues that the ultimate test of the reforms will not be stronger reserves or better credit ratings alone, but whether economic growth becomes inclusive enough to reduce poverty, improve real incomes and restore purchasing power.

Until that happens, statistics on GDP growth may continue to improve, yet millions of Nigerians will judge the economy by a far simpler measure: whether they can afford three meals a day, pay their rent, send their children to school and meet basic needs without sinking deeper into poverty.

That, perhaps, is where the true state of Nigeria’s economy is measured, not in official reports or political arguments, but on the dining tables of ordinary families.

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has declared that repentant terrorists and other former criminals would not be admitted into its ranks.

Isyaku Mohammed, deputy inspector-general of Police (DIG) in charge of the Department of Training and Development and Coordinating DIG for the North Central Geo-Political Zone, announced this during a stakeholders’ meeting with officers and personnel of the Kwara State Police Command, traditional rulers, religious leaders, transport unions, and other community stakeholders in Ilorin, Kwara State.

Mohammed urged community leaders, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and other stakeholders not to recommend repentant criminals for recruitment into any security agency.

The DIG cautioned traditional rulers, Divisional Police Officers (DPOs), and other community leaders against endorsing recommendation letters for individuals with criminal records, stressing that such persons should instead be identified and exposed to prevent them from infiltrating the nation’s security institutions.

‘Traditional rulers and DPOs often sign recommendation letters for applicants. I don’t believe they should recommend anyone who has been involved in criminality simply because the person claims to have repented.

‘I had the privilege of serving in the North-East. The military, in its wisdom, accepted some deradicalised Boko Haram members, rehabilitated them and reintegrated them into society. During a town hall meeting I attended while serving as Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) in Yobe State, community members were urged to accept these deradicalised individuals because they had repented.

‘However, the community rejected the appeal outright. They insisted that such individuals should be relocated to communities where they were unknown.

‘Their argument was simple, ‘How can someone who killed my parents return with empowerment packages while those whose lives and businesses were destroyed have received no support?’ It became a major subject of debate. Nevertheless, that was a Federal Government policy, and the police had no role in making that decision.

‘What we can do is protect the integrity of the Nigeria Police Force by ensuring that such repentant criminals do not find their way into the Force. We are doing everything possible to prevent not only repentant criminals but also other persons of questionable character from joining the Nigeria Police.

‘Therefore, we appeal to our stakeholders, community leaders and traditional rulers, do not endorse them. Identify them, expose them, and help us keep them out of the system. If they are recruited and trained, they will eventually be deployed to police your communities, and you will have to live with the consequences.’

The DIG disclosed that a joint border patrol operation would soon be inaugurated to strengthen security across Kwara State’s border communities.

According to him, Kwara shares boundaries with Ekiti, Oyo, Kogi and Niger States, as well as the Republic of Benin, making coordinated border security essential to tackling cross-border crimes.

‘The joint border patrol will cover all border corridors in Kwara State to prevent criminal activities and deny criminals freedom of movement,’ he said.

Mohammed explained that the Inspector-General of Police had directed all Deputy Inspectors-General to visit states within their respective zones to engage stakeholders, assess security situations firsthand, and identify operational challenges facing commands and personnel with a view to proffering lasting solutions.

He reiterated the importance of community policing, describing it as an effective crime prevention strategy that enables residents to take ownership of security within their communities.

‘Community policing is a preventive security tool. It is a system where the community takes ownership of its security strategy,’ he said, urging stakeholders to embrace the initiative.

The DIG further emphasised the need for timely intelligence sharing between the public and security agencies, just as he called for greater youth engagement through productive activities as a means of reducing crime and strengthening public safety.

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo, has said that the solution to the housing crisis Nigeria faces is not just in building more structures, but also in planning for both the present and the future.

The former vice president added that the planning should include legal frameworks and structures that will make it possible for the country to have the number, not just the number of houses, but also the number that matches the rapid rate of growth.

Explaining the need for legal frameworks in planning for housing, Osinbajo, who spoke at the 35th anniversary dinner hosted by Ubosi Eleh and Co in Lagos, recalled a memo he got from Bola Tinubu, the then-governor of Lagos State, now the president of Nigeria.

According to him, the memo concerned a survey that showed the number of low- and middle-income houses was actually declining, suggesting that people were building fewer of them. They preferred to invest instead in stocks and shares at the time.

‘One of the reasons the scope was falling was because people were scared that if they invested in houses and rented them out, the tenants would not pay for two years, and so the investors would be stuck for years without earning anything from their investment.

Because of all these, and with them travelling, the magistrates’ courts were taking forever to be able to resolve similar and other tenancies. So we had to find common-sense solutions to design the mediation centre that we have today, Osinbajo stated.

He noted that magistrates’ courts were only able to deal with about 2,000 cases a year. But the moment the state started using mediation centres for settlement of land and housing, the state was able to deal with 8,000 to 9,000 cases.

He revealed that, presently, there have been over 20,000 cases every single year. ‘So we have to keep thinking and keep planning,’ he advised.

The former vice president advised further that Nigeria must plan for its population, noting that the country has a huge population that is growing at 5 million every single year. He argued that ‘if a country is growing at 5 million people every year, there is a need for its people to actually sit down and plan.’

Continuing, he said, ‘I think we have to really pay attention to practically everything, education, healthcare, especially for a country that is growing as quickly as we are. By 2030, there will be at least 85 million children under the age of 7. So there’s no question at all that we must plan for education.’

Osinbajo reasoned that there is no way in the world that a country this size, a country with all of the various inventions, can ever succeed if people are not sitting down and planning everything.

He also advised that as part of the planning, Nigeria has to pay attention to technology, noting that as of 2022, nobody was using AI the way they’re using it now, especially generative AI.

‘Now, it’s evident that AI is going to transform all our lives and everything that we do. Someone was saying the other day that he suspected that at least 50 percent of entry-level jobs in finance, law, consulting, and even some new tech jobs will be lost to AI in the next five years, he stated.

The Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) has cautioned that the Senate’s proposal to ban textile fabric imports could disrupt Nigeria’s N17 trillion fashion and furniture value chains, threaten the livelihoods of about 10 million people and ultimately fail to revive the country’s struggling textile industry.

In a statement on Sunday, Muda Yusuf, chief executive officer of CPPE, urged lawmakers to abandon import restrictions in favour of reforms that address the structural challenges undermining the competitiveness of local textile manufacturers.

The Senate had recently called for a ban on textile imports as part of efforts to revive Nigeria’s once-thriving textile industry. However, Yusuf argued that while the objective is commendable, an outright import prohibition would likely inflict broader economic damage by disrupting supply chains, increasing production costs and weakening industries that depend on imported textile fabrics.

‘The proposed measure is unlikely to achieve its intended objectives and could have significant adverse consequences for the Nigerian economy. While the objective of reviving Nigeria’s textile industry is legitimate and commendable, an outright import prohibition is unlikely to achieve that objective.

‘Rather than revitalising the textile industry, the proposed ban could impose substantial collateral costs on downstream industries, disrupt critical supply chains and jeopardise millions of jobs and livelihoods,’ Yusuf said

He added that effective industrial policy should tackle the underlying constraints to competitiveness rather than merely restrict imports.

According to the CPPE, Nigeria’s fashion, garment-making and tailoring industry, valued at about N10 trillion, supports an estimated 10 million livelihoods and remains one of the country’s most vibrant creative economy sectors.

The organisation noted that textile fabrics are essential intermediate inputs for the industry and warned that restricting imports would reduce consumer choice, increase costs for businesses and threaten thousands of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises operating across the value chain.

Beyond fashion, Yusuf said Nigeria’s furniture and interior design industry, estimated at N7 trillion also relies heavily on textile materials for upholstered furniture, office furniture, hotel furnishings and mattresses. Any disruption in fabric supply, it warned, would increase production costs and reduce the sector’s competitiveness.

Yusuf maintained that the decline of Nigeria’s textile industry stems primarily from longstanding structural bottlenecks rather than import competition.

He identified high energy costs, poor infrastructure, expensive credit, logistics challenges, obsolete production technology, smuggling, weak access to long-term finance and inconsistent government policies as the key factors driving the industry’s decline.

According to him, imported textile fabrics already attract combined import duties and Import Adjustment Tax of between 35 and 45 percent, yet these tariff protections have failed to restore the sector’s competitiveness because the core challenge lies in the high cost of production.

‘Textile manufacturing is one of the most energy-intensive industries globally. Operating within a high-cost production environment has severely undermined the competitiveness of local manufacturers.

‘It is noteworthy that imported textile fabrics already attract combined Import Duty and Import Adjustment Tax (IAT) of between 35 and 45 percent. Yet these tariff protections have not restored the industry’s competitiveness because the core problem lies in production economics rather than import penetration.

‘An import ban proposition addresses the symptom while leaving the underlying causes unresolved. Sustainable industry revival requires lower production costs, improved productivity and stronger enforcement of the existing tariff regime,’ he said

The CPPE also argued that local textile manufacturers currently lack the capacity to meet the quantity, quality and diversity of fabrics demanded by Nigeria’s garment, fashion, furniture and interior design industries.

It warned that imposing an import ban under such circumstances would create supply shortages and hurt downstream industries that collectively employ significantly more Nigerians than textile manufacturing itself.

Instead of prohibiting imports, the organisation recommended a comprehensive value-chain strategy to revive the industry.

Among its proposals are mandatory government patronage of locally produced textiles and garments for military, paramilitary agencies and schools, the establishment of a Textile Competitiveness Fund financed from textile-related import taxes, renewed investment in cotton production, stronger border enforcement to curb smuggling and reforms aimed at reducing energy costs, improving infrastructure and expanding access to affordable long-term finance.

Yusuf said reviving domestic cotton production through improved seedlings, mechanisation, extension services, enhanced security and guaranteed off-take arrangements would also strengthen the industry’s raw material base.

He advised that Nigeria’s textile industry would achieve sustainable growth only through policies that improve competitiveness and productivity rather than blanket import restrictions.

‘A successful revival strategy should focus on reducing production costs, modernising manufacturing, restoring cotton production and leveraging government procurement to stimulate demand for locally made textiles,’ he said.

There are moments when you realise that sport is doing something politics cannot.

Walking through downtown Atlanta after the final whistle for the match between Uzbekistan and DR Congo on Saturday night was one of those moments. Tens of thousands of supporters streamed through the streets long after the match had ended. Many wore the colours of DR Congo and Uzbekistan, but they were joined by fans from dozens of other countries. The atmosphere was international, diverse, joyful and peaceful, all held together by the beautiful game.

Having now experienced the World Cup in Miami, Atlanta, Houston and Kansas City, I can say without hesitation that the 2026 FIFA World Cup has been extraordinary.

That matters because the tournament arrived amid heavy negativity. Critics warned that an expanded 48-team format would dilute quality. Others feared that geopolitical tensions, polarisation and security concerns would overshadow the event. Instead, the football has been compelling, the cities have come alive, and the fan experience has been exceptional.

The United States, in particular, needed this. At a time when the country often appears divided against itself, the World Cup has offered a different picture: people from every continent walking together, singing together, trading shirts, taking photos and celebrating without suspicion. It has restored, if only for a few weeks, some faith in what America can still be at its best.

It has also been a commercial masterpiece. FIFA, the host nations, participating countries, corporate sponsors, and even non-sponsors have all found ways to benefit from the tournament’s energy. Hotels, airlines, restaurants, broadcasters, apparel companies, fan parks, city governments and national investment agencies are all participating in an enormous global marketplace built around football.

And nowhere has the sporting story been more powerful than with Africa.

Before the tournament, many critics questioned whether increasing Africa’s representation would weaken the World Cup. Gennaro Gattuso, the head coach of Italy who failed to qualify, noted that in earlier tournaments there were only two African teams, while this edition had nine, suggesting that the expansion created ‘difficulties.’ UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin warned that many matches in an expanded tournament would be ‘completely uninteresting.’ Harry Kane, after England’s draw with Ghana, suggested that Ghana had largely come to waste time and secure a nil-nil.

Bastian Schweinsteiger described African football as ‘a bit unorthodox’ and ‘a bit wild.’

Those comments have not aged well.

When the group stage concluded, nine of Africa’s ten representatives had advanced to the Round of 32. CAF’s 90 per cent qualification rate was the highest of any confederation, ahead of South America and Europe. Africa did not dilute the World Cup. Africa elevated it.

FIFA’s decision to expand African representation has been vindicated. For years, African football followers have argued that the continent’s talent base was far deeper than its World Cup allocation allowed. This tournament has proved the point. Africa did not need charity. It needed opportunity.

As a Nigerian-born football supporter, this World Cup has been a strange experience. The Super Eagles are absent, but Nigeria is everywhere.

Sixteen players of Nigerian heritage are representing nine different countries. Folarin Balogun has become one of the stars of the United States team, even if American commentators still struggle to pronounce his Yoruba surname correctly. Saka, Madueke and Eze are playing for England. Jamal Musiala and Felix Nmecha wear German colours. Promise David and Tani Oluwaseyi represent Canada. Michael Olise plays for France. The Nigerian football diaspora has become one of the most visible forces in the tournament.

Nigeria’s cultural presence has been just as strong. Burna Boy is part of the World Cup theme song and Ayra Star and others are on the soundtrack. Davido thrilled the Atlanta Fan Festival.

Afrobeats is everywhere-in stadiums, fan parks, city streets and sponsor activations. Nigeria may not officially be in the World Cup, but Nigerian footballers, Nigerian music and Nigerian culture are helping define it.

Without the Super Eagles, every Nigerian supporter has had to create a personal formula for choosing teams. Mine has been shaped by identity. I was born in Nigeria, but the Netherlands is my ancestral country throu/gh my parents and one of my passport countries, alongside Canada and the United States. So those became my starting point, followed by every African team, beginning with West Africa, then Central Africa, North Africa and Southern Africa. When none of those teams were playing, I supported whichever side had the strongest Nigerian or African connection.

That is one of the gifts of an expanded World Cup: more people can find themselves somewhere in the tournament.

But the most important lesson for Nigeria has come from watching the Netherlands.

The Dutch are not simply using the World Cup to promote football. They are using football to promote the Netherlands.

Around every Dutch match, the Netherlands Ambassador to the United States, and in Mexico the Dutch Ambassador there, has used the opportunity to spend several days in the host city. Together with the relevant consul-general, the embassy has organised meetings with governors, mayors, corporate CEOs and investors. Dutch companies operating in those regions are involved. American companies with operations in the Netherlands are engaged. Dutch executives looking for opportunities in those markets are present.

Football has become a trade mission.

At the same time, the Dutch federation, the KNVB, has created a spectacular cultural experience around the team. Oranje parties, fan walks behind the famous orange bus, Dutch DJs, the Orange Suit Man, and the powerful national symbolism of orange-drawn from the House of Orange-have all turned each Dutch fixture into a celebration of football, culture, tourism and economic opportunity.

The Dutch King and Queen attended one match. The Prime Minister has also been present. This is not accidental. It is coordinated national soft power.

The message is clear: watch Dutch football, enjoy Dutch culture, visit the Netherlands, invest in the Netherlands and do business with Dutch companies.

Nigeria should be paying close attention.

We have all the ingredients to do this, and perhaps to do it even better. Our musicians are global stars. Our fashion, food, film and creative industries already command worldwide attention. Our entrepreneurs are building companies across Africa and beyond. Our diaspora is vast, influential and emotionally connected to the country. Our football brand, even in difficult periods, remains powerful.

The next time the Super Eagles qualify for a World Cup, Nigeria should not arrive with only a football team. We should arrive with a national strategy.

That strategy should involve the Nigerian Football Federation, government, corporate titans and executives, state governors, investment promotion agencies, tourism bodies, corporate sponsors, musicians, fashion designers, filmmakers, technology founders and diaspora leaders. Around every match, Nigeria should host business forums, cultural festivals, investment roundtables, music showcases and fan experiences that tell a broader story about the country. The Nigerian delegation should not be there just to participate and enjoy the entertainment – they should be there to promote and sell Nigeria.

Football can do far more for Nigeria than win trophies. It can open markets. It can attract capital. It can strengthen diplomacy. It can reshape perceptions. It can give the world a more complete picture of who we are.

The 2026 World Cup has already proved many things. It has proved that the expanded format works. It has proved that Africa deserved more places. It has proved that football can still bring people together in a fractured world. And it has proved that the countries that think strategically about sport will gain far more than ninety minutes of attention.

Nigeria must make sure that when we return to the global stage, we do not only come to play. We must come to compete, to connect, to inspire-and to build the partnerships that will shape our future long after the final whistle.

The Future Awards Africa (TFAA), the platform for spotlighting and celebrating young change makers and visionaries, has officially opened nominations for its landmark 20th year.

According to the organizers, the 20th TFAA event will highlight the evolution of the awards and the African continent by honouring a new generation of Africans using emerging technologies as catalysts for transformation. From creators and founders to innovators and storytellers, the awards will honour a generation that is reshaping narratives and industries across the continent in unprecedented ways.

With the 20th edition of the awards embracing innovation and modern technology, TFAA has also introduced five new categories: Energy and Sustainability, Creative Excellence, Technology and Innovation, Comedy Content Creation, and Lifestyle Content Creation.

Speaking on this year’s edition, the Executive Director of The Future Awards (TFAA), Ayodeji Razaq, said, ‘From inception to this moment, TFAA has never just been an award ceremony; it has been a movement. A movement that reminds young Africans that they are the future, and that greatness is not abstract; it is real, it is human, and it is present in every one of them. As we mark 20 years, we are celebrating a generation that is boldly redefining what is possible. Across the continent, young Africans are leveraging technology, creativity, innovation, and influence to solve problems, build businesses, shape culture, and transform communities. We are excited to discover and celebrate these remarkable individuals.’

Razaq said members of the public are invited to nominate outstanding young Africans aged 18 to 35 who are making meaningful contributions and driving positive change across industries and communities across the continent.

Ventures Platform and the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art (YSMA), Pan-Atlantic University, are pleased to announce Haneefah Adam as the winner of the inaugural Ventures Platform-YSMA Futures Art Award, a pioneering public art commission established to support artistic innovation and future-focused cultural expression in Nigeria.

The announcement was made during the 10th anniversary dinner of Ventures Platform in Lagos, where Haneefah was recognized following a competitive national selection process that attracted submissions from artists and art collectives across Nigeria.

Haneefah will be commissioned to create a 12-foot public sculpture titled ‘Bloom in Unexpected Places’, which will be permanently installed within the YSMA and Pan-Atlantic University environment.

Selected through a rigorous jury process involving leading artists, curators, scholars, and cultural professionals, the proposal distinguished itself through its originality, conceptual strength, artistic ambition, and thoughtful engagement with the award’s central theme: ‘Reimagine the future and build into form through art’.

The work explores themes of growth, resilience, innovation, and possibility, inviting audiences to reflect on how creativity and human ingenuity can flourish in unexpected circumstances and environments. Through its scale and public presence, the installation is intended to spark conversations about the future while enriching the cultural landscape of the University and the wider community.

The award represents a landmark moment in Haneefah Adam’s artistic journey. While she has earned recognition for her innovative and socially engaged practice, this commission marks her first institutional award, her first major public art commission, and the largest public artwork of her career to date.

Speaking on behalf of YSMA, Jess Castellote, museum director, described the Award as an important investment in both artists and public culture.

‘At YSMA, we believe museums have a responsibility not only to preserve cultural heritage but also to support the creation of new cultural futures. Haneefah’s proposal impressed the Jury with its clarity, imagination, and relevance to contemporary conversations about innovation and possibility. We are delighted to support the realization of this ambitious work and to welcome it into the Museum’s growing public art programme. The Ventures Platform-YSMA Futures Art Award demonstrates what is possible when cultural institutions and private-sector partners work together to invest in creativity and public engagement.’

For Ventures Platform, the award forms part of its broader vision of supporting the systems, ideas, and people shaping Africa’s future.

According to Kola Aina, founder and general partner, Ventures Platform: ‘As we celebrate ten years of backing visionary founders across Africa, we wanted to create something

that reflects our belief that innovation is not confined to technology or business alone. The future is also imagined through culture, creativity, and the stories we tell about ourselves. This Award represents an investment in imagination itself. Haneefah’s proposal captures that spirit beautifully, and we are excited to see it come to life as a public artwork that inspires curiosity, reflection, and optimism.’

The award is one component of a broader three-year collaboration between Ventures Platform and YSMA, which also includes entrepreneurship-focused masterclasses, guest lectures, and student engagement initiatives within the Pan-Atlantic University ecosystem.

Supporting the long-term legacy of the programme is Atsur Technologies Ltd, the exclusive Provenance Infrastructure and Physical-Digital Documentation Partner for the Ventures Platform-YSMA Futures Art Award.

Through the partnership, every commissioned artwork produced under the Award will be professionally digitized, authenticated, and recorded using Artsur’s provenance and collection management technology, ensuring robust documentation of the artist’s creative process, the artwork’s history, and its enduring place within Nigeria’s cultural record. The partnership reflects a shared commitment to strengthening transparency, documentation standards, and the long-term preservation of contemporary African artistic production using innovative technologies.

Commenting on her selection, Haneefah Adam expressed gratitude for the opportunity and excitement about the journey ahead.

‘I am deeply honoured to be the inaugural recipient of the Ventures Platform-YSMA Futures Art Award. To have my work selected from among so many strong submissions is both humbling and encouraging. Bloom in Unexpected Places is rooted in the belief that creativity, hope, and transformation can emerge even in the most unlikely circumstances. I look forward to working with YSMA and Ventures Platform to bring this vision into the public realm and create a work that invites people to think differently about the future.’

Beyond the commissioning of a single artwork, the Ventures Platform-YSMA Futures Art Award seeks to establish a new model for collaboration between the cultural and innovation sectors. By positioning artists as active participants in conversations about technology, entrepreneurship, and societal transformation, the Award expands the ways in which the future can be imagined, questioned, and made visible.

As work begins on Bloom in Unexpected Places, the project signals a bold commitment by both Ventures Platform and YSMA to nurturing creative talent, supporting public art, and fostering interdisciplinary approaches to shaping the future.