Category: Business Day

Cape Verde have written one of the greatest underdog stories in FIFA World Cup history, becoming the smallest nation by population ever to reach the knockout stages of the tournament.

The Atlantic island nation secured a place in the Round of 32 of the FIFA 2026 World Cup after a goalless draw with Saudi Arabia in Houston, finishing second in Group H behind Spain and ahead of Uruguay.

With a population estimated between 525,000 and 611,000, Cape Verde became the smallest country by population to reach the World Cup knockout rounds. They are also the first tournament debutants to advance beyond the group stage since Slovakia and Paraguay did so in 2010.

Their reward is a blockbuster last-32 showdown against defending champions Argentina in Miami on July 3.

Emotional scenes as qualification confirmed

The historic achievement sparked emotional celebrations after the final whistle, with Cape Verde’s players gathering around a mobile phone on the pitch to watch the closing moments of Spain’s victory over Uruguay, which confirmed their qualification.

Three draws that changed history

Cape Verde’s remarkable campaign began with a stunning 0-0 draw against former world champions Spain, with 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha producing a man-of-the-match display. They followed that with an impressive 2-2 draw against two-time World Cup winners Uruguay before sealing qualification with another resilient goalless draw against Saudi Arabia.

Despite failing to win a match, Bubista’s side progressed unbeaten with three draws, demonstrating remarkable defensive discipline and resilience throughout the group stage.

‘It’s incredible what they are doing. It wasn’t just one game against Spain; it is three games at the highest level,’ Spain World Cup winner Juan Mata said on ITV.

‘We are small, but we have big hearts’

Vozinha, who spent last season with Portuguese second-tier club Chaves, has been the cornerstone of Cape Verde’s historic run.

‘We are small, but we have big hearts and we are fighters,’ the 40-year-old goalkeeper said.

Head coach Bubista, draped in Cape Verde’s flag after qualification was confirmed, praised his team’s belief and determination.

‘The team was very eager to show this to the whole world,’ Bubista said.

‘We are proud of having arrived at this stage. We have shown that we are a small country, but that we fight for the things that we want to achieve.’

Argentina await in the Round of 32

From a nation made up of 10 islands off the west coast of Africa, Cape Verde have emerged as one of the surprise packages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Their reward is a daunting meeting with Lionel Messi’s Argentina, but after defying expectations to become the smallest nation ever to reach the knockout rounds, few will be willing to write them off.

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has been recognised with two prestigious honours at the 2026 International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Gold Quill Awards, one of the world’s most prestigious awards programmes for strategic communications.

The Bank received an Award of Excellence in Special and Experiential Events category for the Intra-African Trade Fair 2025 (IATF2025) held in Algiers, Algeria and an Award of Merit in the Social Media category for its Afreximbank Social Media Campaigns, reaffirming Afreximbank’s commitment to delivering impactful communications that advance its mandate of promoting trade, investment and industrialisation across Africa and the Caribbean.

The Award of Excellence for IATF2025 recognises the successful communications and stakeholder engagement programme delivered around the fourth edition of the Intra-African Trade Fair, Africa’s premier trade and investment event. IATF2025 brought together governments, businesses, investors, buyers, sellers and entrepreneurs from across Africa and beyond, creating a platform for trade and investment opportunities while advancing the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The communications campaign played a pivotal role in driving global awareness, stakeholder participation, media visibility and engagement before, during and after the event, while showcasing the scale, ambition and dynamism of African enterprise and reinforcing a positive narrative about Africa’s capacity to trade, industrialise and compete on the global stage. Over 120,000 delegates attended IATF2025 in person and virtually, with deals worth over US$50 billion recorded.

The Award of Merit for Afreximbank Social Media Campaigns recognises the Bank’s strategic use of digital platforms to engage stakeholders, amplify its developmental impact and elevate conversations around trade, industrialisation, economic integration and investment opportunities across Africa and the Caribbean. Through a combination of compelling storytelling, thought leadership content, executive advocacy, multimedia production and real-time event coverage, Afreximbank’s social media platforms have continued to expand their reach and influence among policymakers, businesses, investors, development partners and the wider public.

Among these platforms is the Afreximbank TV, a digital TV channel that is wholly owned and managed by Afreximbank, whose fifth edition was celebrated with dedicated coverage of IATF2025, providing live coverage of the activities to both pan African and global audiences.

Anne Ezeh, director and Global head, Communications and Events at Afreximbank commented: ‘We are delighted to receive these two awards, which attest to the expertise, creativity and efficiency of Afreximbank’s communications. As a pan African multilateral financial institution, we see storytelling as a powerful tool for advancing our mission, ensuring our initiatives, events, programmes and key announcements not only inform, but also inspire confidence, deepen engagement and amplify Africa’s transformation. These awards reinforce our resolve to continue delivering world-class communications that elevate African voices and projects a bold and authoritative narrative of the continent.’

Ezeh added that through innovative storytelling, digital engagement and integrated campaigns, the Bank will continue to amplify the impact of its programmes and partnerships to project a more authentic narrative of Africa, one defined by opportunity, innovation, resilience and growing influence in the global economy.

For more than five decades, the IABC Gold Quill Awards have recognised excellence in strategic communications globally, celebrating programmes and campaigns that demonstrate measurable impact, innovation, creativity and outstanding execution. Widely regarded as the pinnacle of achievement in the communications profession, the awards are judged through a rigorous and independent evaluation process conducted by experienced communication leaders from around the world.

Twenty-four Nigerian universities have secured spots in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings. This achievement reflects the country’s expanding presence in global higher education, despite persistent funding and infrastructure challenges across the tertiary sector.

The progressive milestone reinforces Nigeria’s growing influence, with the country securing the highest representation of any nation in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Dominance of federal institutions

The latest rankings place the University of Ibadan and the University of Lagos among Nigeria’s premier institutions, while Bayero University Kano emerged as one of the top-performing universities.

The Nigerian contingent comprises 17 federal, three state and four private universities. This distribution underscores the increasing competitiveness of the country’s tertiary education sector across core metrics, including teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook.

Growth of specialised and state universities

The rankings reflect expanding recognition for specialised institutions, with several federal universities of technology and agriculture earning positions. Concurrently, state-owned universities continue to strengthen their global standing through improved academic performance and research output.

Education Minister Tunji Alausa described the achievement as a significant milestone for Nigeria’s higher education sector. He noted that it reflects the positive outcomes of ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening the nation’s universities.

Catalysts for national innovation

Alausa emphasised that the growing international recognition of Nigerian institutions underscores the federal government’s commitment to transforming tertiary education. The administration aims to position universities as catalysts for innovation, research, human capital development and sustainable national growth.

Academic analysts state that this global recognition will elevate the international profile of Nigerian universities. The visibility is expected to enhance opportunities for global collaborations, attract international research funding and encourage sustained institutional investment.

Featured institutions in 2026 rankings

The 24 featured Nigerian institutions include the University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, Bayero University Kano, Covenant University, Landmark University, Ahmadu Bello University, Federal University of Technology, Minna, University of Ilorin, University of Jos, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Babcock University, and Delta State University, Abraka.

The remaining institutions completing the contingent are Ekiti State University, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Lagos State University, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Benin, University of Calabar, and University of Port Harcourt.

Top African musicians, filmmakers, music executives, investors, policymakers and creative entrepreneurs have called for stronger collaboration among African countries, more investment in the creative sector and greater cultural exchange to help Africa build a stronger and globally competitive creative industry.

The call was made at the Africa Music Business Conference recently, organised by the All-Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) in partnership with the African Union and key Moroccan partners including the Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation, (AMCI), Royal Air Maroc, BigTime Morocco, Afrobian and Marriott Casablanca.

Hosted at the Marriott Hotel in Casablanca, the conference brought together musicians, producers, filmmakers, investors, policymakers, entertainment executives, creative entrepreneurs and young talents from across Africa and beyond to discuss the future of Africa’s music and creative industries.

Among those who attended were Egyptian-American comedian Bassem Hossad, Moroccan Afrobian star and AFRIMA Ambassador for Northern Africa, Ahmed Soultan, Moroccan rapper Khtek, respected Moroccan producer Bayadis, AFRIMA Regional Director for Eastern Africa, Mike Strano, rapper Young Loun, rapper Real Khalid, artiste manager Tayze, Moroccan singer Inkonnu, Nigerian filmmaker and entrepreneur Kunle Afolayan, Chinese investors interested in Africa’s creative industry, and several other stakeholders. Popular Moroccan DJ Soufiane entertained guests with energetic performances throughout the conference.

The conference hosted by Moroccan On-Air Personality, Latis, featured two panel discussions on how the creative industry can promote African unity and the growing influence of Moroccan artists across North Africa and the rest of the continent. The speakers agreed that Africa’s creative industry can only reach its full potential if artists, investors, governments and creative organisations work together more closely.

The experienced panel speakers encouraged African creatives to build stronger partnerships within the continent before looking outside Africa for opportunities. According to them Africa already has the talent, culture and creativity needed to compete with the rest of the world.

Speaking at the conference, AFRIMA Ambassador for Northern Africa, Ahmed Soultan shared how AFRIMA changed his career.

‘I was the first Moroccan and one of the first North African artists to submit my music to AFRIMA. At the time, I never imagined how much that decision would change my life. AFRIMA opened the door for me to connect with the rest of Africa. It introduced my music to new audiences and gave me opportunities to work with people I might never have met,’ he said.

Soultan described AFRIMA as an important bridge between North Africa and the rest of the continent.

‘Today, AFRIMA connects artists from every part of Africa and even the African diaspora. Many artists from West, East and Southern Africa want to enter the North African market but don’t know how to begin. At the same time, many North African artists want to work with musicians from other African countries. AFRIMA makes those connections possible.

‘Every year we receive more entries from North Africa, but we want to see even more. We want more artists, producers and creative entrepreneurs from Morocco and the entire region to work with the rest of Africa. Some of the best collaborations we have seen have involved North African artists working with musicians from other regions. We need many more partnerships like that.’

Award-winning Nigerian filmmaker and entrepreneur Kunle Afolayan urged young African creatives to understand that success comes through hard work and strong relationships.

‘Whatever area of the creative industry you choose, always give it your best. But talent alone is not enough. Build relationships because nobody succeeds alone. Where I come from, we say one tree cannot make a forest. Build the right connections, create the right platforms and continue learning from others. Many of the opportunities we enjoy today came through relationships that were built many years ago,’ Afolayan said.

He praised AFRIMA, Africa’s global music award platform, for going beyond giving awards.

‘AFRIMA is doing much more than celebrating talented people. It has become a platform where musicians, filmmakers, investors, entrepreneurs and government officials meet, share ideas and build businesses together. That is exactly what Africa needs if we want to build a strong creative economy.’

Moroccan rap star Khtek also encouraged African musicians to use AFRIMA to build stronger partnerships across the continent, also insisting that Morocco has the potential to become one of Africa’s major creative centres.

‘We have already seen how collaborations between North African artists and musicians from other parts of Africa have created powerful cultural connections. Now we need to do even more. We need more collaborations, more joint projects and more opportunities that will help African artists grow together,’ she said.

‘Imagine artists from every region of Africa coming to Morocco to make music, exchange ideas and build lasting friendships. That is how we remove barriers. That is how we make African music stronger. AFRIMA gives us that opportunity, and we should all take advantage of it.’

AFRIMA Regional Director for Eastern Africa, Mike Strano, said Africa’s music industry is growing rapidly and attracting global attention.

‘The African music industry has never received this level of international recognition. But our biggest opportunity is still within Africa. Imagine what can happen when artists from Lagos, Nairobi, Casablanca, Kigali, Dakar and Johannesburg work together, not just creatively but also commercially. That is the kind of music industry AFRIMA is building,’ he said.

‘This conference shows that Africa’s creative economy is no longer just about potential. Investors are here. Governments are paying attention. Artists are ready to work together. Our next task is to build strong systems that will allow African talents to succeed from within the continent before taking their creativity to the rest of the world.’

In the build-up to the 10th AFRIMA Awards, the Music Business Conference in Casablanca forms part of the series of stakeholder engagement campaigns across Africa and the diaspora running up to the week-long Main Awards programmes. , The Road to 10th AFRIMA campaign had earlier in this year held successful activations in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (January 28) and Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire (March 17).

AFRIMA, the longest-running African music awards platform, was founded in 2014 by the International Committee of AFRIMA in partnership with the African Union Commission (AUC). The award ceremony is broadcast to millions of people in more than 84 countries across the world.

Every government has two responsibilities. The first is to govern. The second is to help citizens understand what it is doing and why it is doing it. Success in the first does not automatically guarantee success in the second.

Examples abound of governments that implemented difficult reforms but failed to carry the public along. There are also those who communicated difficult realities so effectively that even people who disagreed with specific policies understood the rationale behind them.

The difference was not always the quality of policy. More often than many governments realise or acknowledge, it was the quality of communication. That distinction matters more today than at any other time in recent history.

Public opinion is no longer shaped primarily by official statements or newspaper headlines. It is shaped minute by minute across television, radio, online publications, podcasts, WhatsApp groups, X, Facebook, TikTok and countless other platforms where competing narratives constantly vie for attention. In this environment, communication is not a support function of governance; it is an instrument of governance.

Yet governments frequently misunderstand the role of spokespersons. Many assume that their primary responsibility is to respond to critics, defend decisions, and win arguments. The purpose of strategic communication is not to make governments look good. It is to help citizens understand the government well enough to judge it fairly. That requires five disciplines: credibility, empathy, clarity, consistency and initiative.

Recent public communication from Nigeria’s presidency provides a useful case study-not because this administration is uniquely challenged, but because the communication dilemmas it illustrates confront governments everywhere. The lessons, therefore, extend beyond one administration or spokesperson.

Credibility: The messenger matters

One of the oldest principles of communication is that audiences evaluate both the message and the messenger.

Credibility and trust accumulate over time, and they travel with the messenger. Individuals who once took strong public positions against an administration may later decide to support it. Democracies allow such evolution. But strategic communication must also reckon with how audiences receive that transition. Whether fairly or unfairly, communicators whose previous public positions sharply contrast with their current advocacy often face a higher burden of persuasion.

That burden is not only about political history. It can be just as much about fit. A technically accurate message delivered by someone the audience struggles to relate to may prove less persuasive than the same message delivered by one they connect with more easily. This is not necessarily a judgment on the individual. It is simply how public perception works.

Every government message is filtered through public perceptions of the messenger. The messenger can strengthen the message. The messenger can also become the story. When that happens, attention shifts away from policy and towards personality-a costly trade-off in public communication. Strategic communication, therefore, pays careful attention not only to what is said, but also to who says it, when it is said, and how it is said.

Empathy before explanation

Perhaps the greatest challenge facing any government implementing difficult economic reforms is public frustration.

When citizens experience rising prices, declining purchasing power or prolonged uncertainty, they evaluate government communication through the lens of their own lived experience. People first want to know that their reality is understood.

In a recent television interview, a spokesperson for Nigeria’s Presidency made remarks suggesting that widespread reports of hunger in the country may be exaggerated because members of his own domestic staff appeared to be coping well.

Whether the remarks were intended to reassure, explain or make a different point matters less than how they were received. Communication is judged not by what is intended, but by what is understood. Empathy, therefore, is not a public relations tactic; it is a strategic necessity.

Clarity: Anticipating interpretation

Strategic communicators ask themselves one question before they speak: How will this be understood?

Audiences interpret messages through personal experience, emotion and existing beliefs. The responsibility of strategic communication is not merely to craft the intended message but to anticipate the most likely interpretation.

In that same interview, the remark by the government spokesperson that some ministers have used personal resources to support the running of their ministries may have been intended to demonstrate commitment. Yet some listeners may reasonably conclude that ministries are operating under constraints inconsistent with public expectations. Others may ask questions about institutional funding arrangements.

Effective communication anticipates alternative readings because public interpretation-not private intention-is what ultimately shapes perception. Strategic communication is rarely undermined by one isolated incident. More often, it is weakened incrementally when avoidable controversies eclipse opportunities to explain policy.

Consistency: One Voice, one narrative

Clarity within a single statement is not enough if the government’s public voices are not reinforcing a coherent narrative.

When official spokespersons, political allies and informal advocates communicate with different emphases, different tones or different priorities, audiences often notice the inconsistencies before they appreciate the substance.

Consistency does not require identical language. It requires disciplined alignment around the same underlying reality. This is where credibility and consistency reinforce one another. Strategic communication succeeds not because every communicator speaks in the same way, but because every communicator advances the same strategic objective.

Initiative: Leading the conversation

Governments often communicate reactively. By the time they respond, they are already operating within someone else’s frame.

Strategic communication works differently. It explains difficult decisions before misunderstanding develops. It anticipates public concerns before they become controversial. It tells the story of policy impact before critics define that story themselves.

Every unnecessary communication controversy carries an opportunity cost. Time that should be spent explaining reforms is diverted into clarifying remarks. Political capital that could have strengthened public understanding is instead consumed managing headlines. The cost is rarely measured, but it is real. Narrative leadership is almost always more effective than perpetual rebuttal.

Communication is not propaganda

None of this argues for polished messaging at the expense of honesty. Propaganda seeks unquestioning acceptance. Strategic communication seeks informed understanding. The distinction matters.

Strategic communication also requires the humility to recognise that expertise does not remove the obligation to explain. Governments will almost always understand their policies more deeply than the public does. That is natural. But the burden of explanation rests with those exercising authority, not with citizens trying to make sense of its consequences.

Effective governments acknowledge challenges honestly while explaining why difficult decisions are necessary. They communicate with confidence, but also with humility, recognising that public confidence is built through sustained explanation rather than repeated assertion.

Beyond one administration

Although these observations arise from recent public communication, the principles extend well beyond the present administration.

Every government eventually encounters periods when reforms are unpopular, expectations are high and public patience is limited. Those are precisely the moments when strategic communication becomes most valuable.

Communication cannot compensate for poor governance, and no amount of storytelling can substitute for sound policy. But poor communication can undermine public understanding of even well-intentioned reforms, weaken stakeholder confidence and leave a vacuum that misinformation is often eager to fill.

A final thought

The most effective spokespersons rarely become the centre of attention. Their success lies in keeping the public conversation focused where it belongs: on the decisions being made, the reasons behind them and their impact on citizens.

Governments should devote as much attention to how policies are explained as they do to how they are designed. Policy and communication are not competing priorities. One shapes decisions; the other shapes how those decisions are understood, and that is often the bridge between intention and legitimacy.

Today, leaders do not communicate because they govern; they govern through communication. Strategic communication should never be viewed as an afterthought or a defensive exercise. At its best, it is a public service-one that helps citizens make informed judgements, strengthens democratic accountability and enables governments to lead with greater clarity, credibility and confidence.

Medical experts have warned Nigerians against the prevalent practice of self-medication. They described it as a major threat to liver health and stressed the need for early diagnosis and preventive testing to curb liver-related diseases.

The experts gave the warning during a webinar titled, ‘The Hidden Costs of Self-Medication on Liver Health’ organized by SYNLAB Nigeria as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives aimed at promoting health awareness and encouraging preventive healthcare.

Speaking during the webinar, Ganiyat Kikelomo Oyeleke, a consultant Physician, Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist explained that the liver performs several vital functions, including detoxification and metabolism, making it particularly vulnerable to damage caused by the inappropriate use of medications.

According to her, socioeconomic challenges, easy access to over-the-counter drugs, and cultural beliefs have contributed to the widespread practice of self-medication among Nigerians.

She noted that the misuse of common medications such as painkillers, antibiotics, and herbal supplements can result in drug-induced liver injury, especially when taken in excessive doses or combined with alcohol and other medications.

Oyeleke also cautioned against the indiscriminate use of herbal remedies, stressing that ‘natural’ does not always mean safe. She added that liver diseases often progress silently and may not present symptoms until significant damage has already occurred.

She advised Nigerians to avoid unnecessary self-medication, limit alcohol consumption, maintain healthy lifestyles, receive hepatitis vaccinations where appropriate, and seek professional medical attention whenever symptoms persist.

Also speaking, Olusola Omoyele, a consultant Chemical Pathologist, highlighted the importance of preventive testing and early diagnosis in protecting liver health. She explained that routine liver function tests and other screening procedures can help detect abnormalities early, thereby improving treatment outcomes.

Omoyele noted that individuals who frequently self-medicate, consume herbal remedies, abuse alcohol, or have underlying health conditions are particularly at risk and should undergo regular screening. She emphasised that normal liver function test results do not necessarily rule out liver disease, underscoring the importance of comprehensive evaluation by healthcare professionals.

The medical experts advised caution in the use of herbal products and reiterated the need for proper diagnosis before commencing any form of treatment. They also stressed that early

Nigeria has moved a step closer to ending nearly six decades of a centrally controlled policing system following the passage of the State Police constitutional amendment bill by the National Assembly.

The Senate approved the bill on Wednesday, following its earlier passage by the House of Representatives, marking what many have described as one of the country’s most significant security reforms since independence. While the legislation is yet to become law, its passage opens the constitutional pathway for the establishment of state police across the federation.

The move comes amid growing concerns over rising insecurity, including banditry, kidnapping, communal violence and other crimes that many stakeholders argue have exposed the limitations of a single federally controlled police force.

Why the bill matters

The existing policing structure is rooted in Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution, which establishes a single Nigeria Police Force under the command of an Inspector-General of Police appointed by the President.

Although governors are constitutionally recognised as the chief security officers of their states, they do not exercise operational control over police commissioners deployed to their states, creating what critics describe as a disconnect between those responsible for security and those with the authority to direct policing operations.

Supporters of the State Police Bill argue that the centralised model has struggled to respond effectively to increasingly localised security threats because officers are often posted to communities where they have limited knowledge of the terrain, language or local dynamics.

The bill seeks to decentralise policing while maintaining national standards and federal oversight.

A dual policing system

Rather than replacing the Nigeria Police Force, the bill creates a dual policing structure.

Under the proposed arrangement, the federal police will continue to handle national security responsibilities such as terrorism, cybercrime, organised crime, protection of federal institutions and policing of the Federal Capital Territory.

State police services, on the other hand, will focus on maintaining law and order within their respective states.

Both institutions will operate simultaneously under nationally prescribed minimum policing standards coordinated by an expanded National Police Council.

Expanded role for the National Police Council

One of the most significant changes proposed by the bill is the strengthening of the National Police Council.

Beyond government officials, the council will include representatives of civil society organisations, the Nigerian Bar Association, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, the National Human Rights Commission and traditional rulers.

The council will set national policing standards, supervise both federal and state police services, certify states before they establish police services and resolve disputes arising from policing operations.

How commissioners will be appointed

The bill provides that state police commissioners will be appointed by governors but must first receive confirmation from their respective state Houses of Assembly.

More importantly, commissioners are empowered to challenge directives they believe are unlawful by referring such orders directly to the National Police Council, whose decision will be binding.

This provision is intended to provide an institutional check against political interference in policing.

Safeguards against abuse

Perhaps the biggest concern surrounding state police has been the possibility that governors could use the force to intimidate political opponents or suppress dissent.

The bill attempts to address these fears through several safeguards.

It expressly prohibits the arrest or detention of individuals solely for criticising the government or holding opposing political views.

It also establishes an independent mechanism allowing commissioners to reject unlawful directives from governors by referring them to the National Police Council.

To reduce political manipulation, the legislation protects the tenure of both the Inspector-General of Police and state police commissioners by requiring legislative supermajorities before they can be removed from office.

The proposal also creates 37 Police Service Commissions-one federal and one in each state-to oversee recruitment, appointments and disciplinary matters.

Another safeguard requires states to meet nationally prescribed standards before establishing police services, while the use of weapons will remain subject to federal regulation, with states restricted largely to light arms for routine policing.

When can the federal government intervene?

Despite devolving policing powers to the states, the bill preserves federal authority under clearly defined circumstances.

Federal police may intervene if a state’s security situation completely collapses, if a governor formally requests assistance, or if a state’s police service becomes inoperable with the approval of the National Police Council.

The intention is to decentralise policing without weakening national security coordination.

The bill is not yet law

Although the National Assembly has passed the constitutional amendment, several important steps remain before state police become operational.

The amendment must first be approved by at least 24 of the 36 state Houses of Assembly, as required for constitutional alterations.

It must then receive presidential assent.

Following that, the National Assembly will have to enact a comprehensive State Police Act covering funding arrangements, training standards and operational coordination between federal and state police services.

Individual states will also be required to pass their own laws establishing state police institutions and service commissions before recruitment can begin.

Finally, the National Police Council must certify that each participating state has met the required standards before officers can be deployed.

The road ahead

The passage of the State Police Bill represents one of Nigeria’s most ambitious attempts to reform its security architecture since the return to democratic rule.

Supporters believe decentralising policing will improve intelligence gathering, strengthen community policing and enable faster responses to local security challenges.

However, analysts caution that the success of the reform will ultimately depend on adequate funding, professional recruitment, effective oversight and strict adherence to the safeguards designed to prevent political abuse.

For now, the constitutional door has been opened. Whether state police become a transformative security solution or another institutional experiment will depend on how faithfully the remaining legal, political and operational processes are implemented.

When the economy turns, most companies retreat. They cut budgets, go quiet, and wait for the storm to pass. It feels like the responsible thing to do. But the brands that come out of a downturn stronger are the ones that did the opposite, and history keeps proving this point.

During the 2008 financial crisis, companies that maintained or grew their marketing spend saw revenue increase by an average of 3.5 times compared to those that cut back, according to McKinsey. A study by the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising found that brands which went dark during a recession took an average of two years to recover their market share.

And research by Kantar shows that a brand which loses 1 point of awareness during a downturn needs to spend roughly 7 times more to recover it later. These are not hypothetical numbers. They represent real money, real customers, and real trust that was lost and had to be rebuilt at enormous cost.

The brands that come out of a downturn stronger are the ones that showed up when everyone else went quiet.

So what, exactly, do these brands do? Here is what separates the ones that endure from the ones that merely survive.

They protect the relationship, not just the margin

Strong brands understand that customers have a memory. When times are hard, people notice who shows up for them and who disappears. The brands that stay present, through communication, through value, through honest acknowledgement of what people are going through, build a depth of loyalty that no campaign can buy afterwards. Cuts that protect short-term margins but break long-term trust are not savings. They are debts with interest.

They get clearer, not quieter

Uncertainty makes people crave clarity. Strong brands lean into this. They simplify their message, strip away the noise, and say something true and useful. They do not overcomplicate or over-promise. They speak directly to what their customers need right now, not what the brand wishes they needed. This kind of honesty builds credibility at a time when credibility is everything.

They invest in trust instead of transactions

When budgets are tight, the instinct is to chase conversion. Every pound spent must visibly produce a sale. But strong brands resist this. They know that trust compounds over time, and that the brands which invest in being known, liked, and believed during a downturn are the ones customers choose first when confidence returns. They balance the short-term need to sell with the long-term need to matter.

They make decisions from values, not fear

This is perhaps the most revealing difference. A brand under pressure will show you who it really is. The ones that cut corners, change their pricing without explanation, or go silent on their commitments, people remember. The brands that hold their values even when it costs something send a signal that no advertising can replicate. They say: we are who we said we were, even now. That is a brand people come back to.

They treat change as a signal, not a threat

Every period of uncertainty shifts something in consumer behaviour. Strong brands pay attention. They look at what people value now, what they are anxious about, and what they need that they are not getting. Then they adapt, not by abandoning what they stand for, but by expressing it in ways that meet the moment. They see the shift before their competitors do, and they move with it.

There is no secret formula here. What strong brands do during uncertainty is, at its core, what all good brands should do all the time: show up with honesty, invest in relationships, and stay true to what they believe in. The difference is that uncertainty removes every comfortable excuse not to. The brands that rise are simply the ones that choose to keep going.

In a significant milestone for African scholarship and independent media leadership, ScienceOpen, the global open-science discovery network, has appointed Max Nwabueze Amuchie as an Expert Member and Peer Reviewer in the field of Social and Behavioural Sciences.

The appointment, conveyed via official email on Tuesday, was based on Dr. Amuchie’s verified publication record through his ORCID profile. He joins an elite international cohort of scholars responsible for evaluating, validating, and advancing scientific, governance, and policy literature worldwide.

Dr. Amuchie serves as CEO and Theorist-In-Chief of Sundiata Post Media Ltd and Lead Researcher at the Sundiata Post Intelligence Unit (SPIU). He is widely recognised for developing original macro-theoretical frameworks that address complex geopolitical and security challenges in the Global South. His key contributions include:

The Insecurity Triad framework for African security analysis; The Trinity of State Decay (TSD) theory;

The Decoupling Sovereignty Index (DSI) – a quantitative tool for measuring state functionality and sovereignty.

These frameworks are already archived in leading global open-science repositories, including Harvard Dataverse, Zenodo, SSRN, Mendeley, SSOAR (GESIS – Leibniz Institute), and Figshare. His work is also accessible on ResearchGate, Academia.edu, and indexed on Google Scholar.

Reacting to the appointment, Amuchie described it as a major step toward intellectual sovereignty for the Global South.

‘For too long, the Global South has been positioned primarily as a subject of external analysis rather than a producer of macro-theoretical frameworks,’ he said. ‘This recognition by ScienceOpen provides a credible global platform to validate indigenous African research and ensures that original frameworks developed from rigorous field observation and academic inquiry are recognised as primary tools for understanding state structures and governance worldwide.’

A seasoned media professional, Dr. Amuchie previously served as Member of the Editorial Board and Abuja Bureau Chief at BusinessDay, held senior editorial roles at ThisDay, and was Managing Editor at Leadership newspapers. He also led Truetales Publications Ltd as CEO and Editor-in-Chief. He holds degrees from the University of Calabar and the University of Lagos and authors the widely respected weekly column, The Sunday Stew, which examines faith, character, and structural forces shaping contemporary society.

As an official Peer Reviewer on ScienceOpen, Dr. Amuchie will help bridge high-velocity media analysis with rigorous academic standards, further strengthening the credibility and global influence of the Sundiata Post Intelligence Unit’s data-driven policy research.

Headquartered in Berlin, Germany, with major operations in Boston, Massachusetts, ScienceOpen is a leading independent open-science platform. It provides free access to over 85 million research records and operates a transparent post-publication peer review system. Only scholars with verified publication records linked to their ORCID ID are appointed as Expert Reviewers.

Sylva Opuala-Charles, a professor and president of Garden City Premier Business School, Port Harcourt, and one-time commissioner for Finance in Bayelsa State, has experience that spans both the public and private sectors of the economy. In this interview with SAMUEL ESE in Port Harcourt,

he discussed the huge potentials of Nigeria’s Blue Economy, the challenge of environmental pollution, and infrastructure, but stressed the need for action by developing a blueprint to galvanised action among the three tiers of government. But he also believes that the organized private sector led by the various chambers of commerce, BRACED Commission and governments of South-South states should start the conversations. Excerpts:

There has been this talk about the Blue Economy in recent times and its huge potentials. What are the prospects of the Blue Economy in Nigeria?

The Blue Economy actually has to do with the sustainable use, access and conservation of sea and ocean resources for economic development. It is quite massive if you look at our coastline of about 853 kilometres and over 10,000 kilometres of inland waterways. We are a really blessed country in terms of ocean resources and waterways. But, how do we maximize them? If you look at the global economy today, you can see that the Blue Economy is doing close to about $3.0 trillion, which is quite big. And out of that $3.0 trillion, the jobs that come from it are almost 600 million.

In Nigeria, the situation is not as palatable as that, the reason being that pollution is a big issue because when you talk about sustainability, you are talking about preserving it for future generations.

When we were young, you catch kill fish and see big fishes around, even close to our waterways; I’m not talking about the sea and ocean. But today, it’s not the same situation. Oil exploration activities has really driven away all the fish, scattered the water and everything is really bad. And that is the flip side of these multinational corporations that are checked properly by the government.

Inasmuch as we have a lot of opportunities from that, we are not seeing the impact. At another forum, I actually said probably we’ll require about $12 billion to clean up the waterways for us to actually maximise the benefits of the Blue Economy.

Internationally, we are talking about shipping, maritime and other things. Even the ocean related industries that are there such as pharmaceuticals are very big. But, we are yet to see that happening here, so if you look at Nigeria today, you can possibly estimate – look at the Ministry of Blue Economy, the former Governor of Osun State is the minister – they were talking about N700 billion in 2023. This year they’ve announced almost N1.7 trillion.

You can see that in terms of the size of the Blue Economy, it has actually grown widely in terms of revenue. The revenue profile has increased from N700 billion in 2023 to N1.7 trillion in 2026, which is more than double what it was in 2023. So, it’s a very big economy. There are fears that Nigeria’s Blue Economy potentials may not be fully realized because the economy itself, the GDP of Nigeria today, has shrunken because of what happened in the economy, to about $300 billion. So, the Blue Economy cannot be bigger than that. It’s not showing as a significant contributor to the GDP yet.

But I can say that the potential probably lies between $250 billion to $500 billion in terms of the Blue Economy – what it can do in terms of job creation because when you talk of economic development, you are talking about a level of wealth creation, that aspect of what the economy can do for the country, which is quite massive. But, has the government focused its attention on that aspect? Probably, you can look at a government like Lagos State, which is doing a lot of things. Like in Port Harcourt, how much has been put into that economy?

Somebody is at Okrika coming to Port Harcourt, do they do ferries? What type of ferry? Beautiful ferries that they do? If you go to Cross River State and Akwa Ibom, they are doing ferries, but in Rivers State, we are not seeing ferries nor in Bayelsa.

Yes, people use those boats just to roam and come back, not as if they’re doing tourism. Tourism is massive, but because of the issue of insecurity too, the kidnapping, tourism that is supposed to be a key aspect of this business is not there.

I think at the global level, tourism alone is doing about 33 per cent of global GDP. That means it’s quite massive. Shipping is about 22 per cent. Between these two, you’re talking about almost 60 per cent before you talk about the ocean-based industries which is about 16 per cent, and pharmaceuticals and other industries that are related to the ocean.

Now, bringing it back home to Nigeria, you may not see that level of growth, but the potentials are there. It has to be intentional for the government to take action.

First of all, you have to ensure that pollutions are published and people who pollute our areas are punished. Look at this Ogoni cleanup that has taken so many years. It’s almost 30 years now and they’re still talking about it. They had to set up HYPREP and so on.

Ogoni people have been very staunch in refusing to allow any drilling unlike other communities in the riverine areas. We have not been bold to do what the Ogonis have done to say, ‘you can’t come in unless you do this’. So, they have tried to see how the area can be cleaned up.

These are the impediments because environmental remediation is very important for the Blue Economy to thrive. Without that you can’t achieve it. It’s a beautiful name to call, Blue Economy.

Blue Economy means that you have been able to regenerate – continuous regeneration: the sustainable management and regeneration of the marine environment, that is what it is.

From what you are saying now, does it mean that the future, as far as the Blue Economy is concerned for Nigeria, or what can be done in the interim to ensure that small businesses benefit from the Blue Economy?

Quite a lot can still be achieved, but what I am saying is that the major impediment I see there is the pollution because with pollution, you cannot do regeneration. Just like when you want to enter Ogoni, they say come and first cleanup Ogoni land before you can come and do another exploration. The discussion about the Blue Economy must also take care of that (pollution). The oil majors themselves left the onshore to go to the offshore because they have destroyed this side, so they have to go offshore. That’s what they are doing because they are not interested in helping us to regenerate our environment, which is the area that we are concerned with.

So, while we are talking about Blue Ocean and we are excited about Blue Ocean, Blue Ocean, Blue Ocean, we must realize that there’s a lot of work to be done, do a lot of cleanup. That’s the point I’m making.

It’s not bleak, but there must be intention. You can have a blueprint, ocean blueprint. Look at a state like Rivers, they don’t have a blueprint like that. Bayelsa does not have a blueprint like that. I can’t see it. If you Google it, if it’s there, you’ll see it. I can’t see it. It’s not there.

If you want to take something seriously then you must have a blueprint, a document that says this is the way that we want to go. It doesn’t exist.

But I have said the potential is probably from $250 billion to $500 billion. I have also mentioned to you that, in Nigeria today, in terms of revenue from that sector, the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy headed by the former Governor of Osun State, said they did about N1.7 trillion or so this year, which is better than the N700 billion in 2023.

So, you can see that the revenue is coming. But, in terms of what we can get, that’s a fraction, a little fraction of what we can get. If we really do the right thing, if the right steps are taken, then we’ll begin to see the results.

Renewable energy is another emerging industry, like water, wind, waves; all that are being used to generate power. Power is the major problem Nigeria is having. Most of us are using solar panels in our houses, but we that are in the riverine area should be talking about wind energy, which is being used in the UK and most of the countries in Europe.

Have we seen any windmills here? No windmills! So, these are the things that we’re talking about. If we are deliberate about it and begin to build windmills, using waves, hydropower, these are the type of things you have to use to generate power.

The discussion about even power has not been including wind. With all the riverine areas that we have around, if we are talking about almost 853 kilometres of coastline and 10,000 kilometres of inland waterways and there’s no discussion about wind or hydro, or waves to generate power, something is missing.

So, I think the first thing if we want to make progress in any area, we need to have a blueprint on that area. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a local government that is doing it, a sub-national government like a state government or the national government.

At the national level I think there’s some sort of blueprint that they have, but there must be synchronisation with the state or even the local government area to be able to harness these benefits that can come from the Blue Economy. It’s important to do that.

I think the first time we saw something close to that was when we talked about the NEEDS document when Soludo was an Economic Adviser to Obasanjo before he moved to the CBN.

You see the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS), State Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (SEEDS) and Local Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (LEEDS, you know.

That was then, so something like that needs to trickle down from the national level to the local government level to be able to make the desired impact because it’s very important.

Now, the oil and gas that we are enjoying today, most of it comes from the riverine areas. It comes from the waterways, from the aquatic environment. A significant portion of it also comes from the onshore (land areas).

But, those land areas, if they are landlocked, how do you move the oil to sell it? It’s through the waterways, through the riverine areas that ships come in so the port itself is part of the aquatic environment, marine environment, the Blue Economy that matters because you can’t keep the oil without selling it.

Even if we don’t want to talk about the oil because we are talking about sustainability, in the context of the Blue Economy, without the ports, which are also part of the infrastructure of the Blue Economy, the oil that you have, you can’t sell it.

Today, Dangote has the biggest single train refinery in the world in Lekki in Lagos with a 650,000-barrel refining capacity. He wants to make it about 1.4 million barrels. That refinery alone is employing 11,000 expatriates, and it’s part of the aquatic environment.

So, what we are saying is that there’s a linkage between the oil and gas drive that the country has and the Blue Economy. And the point we are making is that when you are doing the exploitation, it should not destroy the aquatic environment because they go together.

And tourism is another big thing. If you go to a lot of countries today, people travel around, enjoy themselves in those environments. They do that because there’s a clean aquatic environment. So, it’s important for the government to know that first, we have this, what do we want to do with it?

If the global is talking about $3.0 trillion and we are saying that in Nigeria we have the potential to do up to $500 billion, so how do we achieve that without a blueprint?

For cleanup we say we need $12 billion to be able to do the cleanup of the aquatic environment in Nigeria to be able to harness more of the potentials. All that will be part of the blueprint. But, it’s important that the industries themselves that can come out of the Blue Economy, we begin to diagnose them.

Pharmaceutical industries, fish terminals in Brass, in Bonny and other areas that they can be found because if you go out to Brass and Bonny, if you go out a little from the shore you’ll see trawlers from other countries like China fishing in our coastal waters.

Initially, when Rivers State was coming up in the ’70s, the state government had a lot of trawlers. Where are those trawlers? They were not sustainable because there was no sustainable plan for them. There was no blueprint.

Let us not do things and hoc. One thing that Nigerians are good at is this temporary way of doing things – not doing them in a sustainable manner. And that is why we are careful about using the word sustainable, conservation of the sea, the ocean resources for economic development.

You talked about the need for a blueprint from the top to the local governments. Discussions about it should start. So, who starts the discussions about the blueprint on the Blue Economy to harness the resources for the growth and development of the nation?

There should be synergy between the organized private sector and the government. I’m happy that you have come through the President of PHCCIMA, Dr. Mrs. Chinyere Nwoga. I like her approach because they want to be able to see an expansion in the economy for the benefit of the private sector.

That’s why they’re doing this. They see that a lot of opportunities exist so they can they can drive the process. They can even do a conference and call the government to conference to participate with them.

Rivers State is one of the biggest economies in the country, probably second to Lagos in all ramifications apart from Akwa Ibom that is coming up very strong. So, I think it’s important to do that.

There’s also one other thing that is there. I learnt there’s a Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce and Industry as well, which the NDDC is funding, and then the BRACED Commission.

And since this area, the South-South, is the hub of oil and gas, and then the Blue Economy; apart from Lagos that is another very good waterway, this is the centre of the Blue Economy.

So, there are key stakeholders that can be identified. We can identify the chambers of commerce, both the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, the Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce, we can identify the Rivers State Government and other state governments, Delta, Bayelsa and all that, which come under the BRACED Commission, although the BRACED Commission is not making much noise these days – Ambassador Keshi.

So, we can bring all that together, set up something. So, the blueprint can be arranged through the organized private sector led by the chambers of commerce with the state governments, with the BRACED Commission, and from there they can drive it to the centre. For me, that’s the way to go.