Category: Business Day

Nigeria is tearing up two decades of ad hoc dealmaking in its offshore oil patch, betting that a single, rules-based framework will do what years of one-off negotiations could not and pull as much as $50 billion into deepwater fields that have sat untouched since the price crash of the 2010s.

President Bola Tinubu approved the new regime on August 11, replacing the project-by-project haggling that has defined Nigeria’s relationship with international oil companies since the country’s last major deepwater sanction.

The mechanism, formalised as the Deep Offshore Oil and Gas Projects Incentives (Tax Remission) Order, 2026, sets fixed eligibility criteria and implementation timelines that apply across the sector rather than being negotiated field by field.

The shift matters because Nigeria has spent the better part of ten years losing capital to rivals. Angola, Namibia and Mozambique have all courted the same pool of supermajors chasing pre-salt and ultra-deepwater prospects, while Nigeria’s output slid from a peak above 2 million barrels a day to closer to 1.6 million.

Executives at Shell, ExxonMobil and TotalEnergies have long complained that Nigeria’s fiscal terms shifted too often to justify multibillion-dollar, multi-decade commitments.

The first project expected to move under the new order is Bonga South West, the roughly $10 billion deepwater development Shell has weighed sanctioning for nearly 20 years. Shell’s own public estimates for the full Bonga Southwest-Aparo complex have run as high as $20 billion, a gap that underscores how fluid the numbers remain this early in the process.

Wael Sawan, chief executive officer at Shell, raised the project directly with Tinubu earlier this year, an exchange the presidency said became the catalyst for building a framework that could apply well beyond one field.

‘The countries that attract long-term investment are not necessarily those with the greatest natural resources,’ Tinubu said in a statement released by his office. ‘They are the ones that provide the greatest certainty.’

Tinubu said this reform reflects his determination to build an investment environment defined by clear rules, strong institutions and enduring partnerships.

‘We are creating the conditions for capital to flow, for Nigerian businesses to grow, for our people to prosper and for our natural resources to deliver lasting national value,’ Tinubu said.

Experts said approving an incentive is not the same as securing a final investment decision, and Shell’s board still has to sign off on Bonga South West’s economics, project design and partner alignment before steel gets ordered.

Nigeria has been here before. Fiscal incentives unveiled in 2024 and cost-efficiency credits introduced in 2025 were both pitched as the reform that would unlock stalled projects, and the deepwater pipeline mostly stayed where it was.

Government officials are framing this order as different in kind, not just degree, because it is meant to function as standing policy rather than a bespoke concession tied to one company’s leverage.

The framework also leans on Nigeria’s long-standing local content push, as projects that qualify will be required to maximise work done inside the country, especially where it is commercially and technically feasible.

‘Projects qualifying under the framework will maximise execution within Nigeria wherever commercially and technically feasible, strengthening domestic engineering, fabrication, marine logistics, technical services and project management,’ said Olu Arowolo-Verheijen, the President’s special adviser on oil and gas.

She added, ‘The objective is not only to increase investment and production, but also to create skilled jobs, deepen local supply chains and position Nigeria as Africa’s regional hub for deep offshore project execution.’

Nigeria has cast this as a way to grow a domestic deepwater services industry that has largely watched contracts go to yards in Singapore, South Korea and the Gulf.

The order was drafted through what the presidency described as an extensive inter-agency process, pulling in the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigeria Revenue Service, NNPC Limited, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, investing partners and other industry stakeholders whose collaboration, technical expertise and commitment helped shape the framework.

A report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) reveals that 67 million young people are without jobs, triggering a fresh unemployment crisis.

In a departure from historical trends, some of the sharpest spikes in youth unemployment occurred in higher-income economies. For instance North America saw its youth unemployment rate climb from 8.3 percent in 2023 to 9.8 percent in 2025. Across Northern, Southern, and Western Europe, the rate hovered at 15 per cent, with nearly 70 per cent of countries reporting weakened entry-level job opportunities.

The report titled The Global Employment Trends for Youth 2026: Back to the Future reveals that the global youth unemployment rate rose to 12.4 percent in 2025, leaving approximately 67 million young people aged 15 to 24 without work.

Concurrently, the proportion of youth not in employment, education, or training (NEET) ticked upward to 20 per cent, affecting more than 257 million young individuals worldwide, driven by stagnant economic growth, persistent geopolitical tensions, and rapid technological disruption.

A major contributor to this squeeze in developed markets is the steady erosion of middle-skilled jobs. Traditional entry-level roles-such as administrative positions, service and sales roles, manufacturing jobs, and select technical occupations-are shrinking.

Conversely, developing economies face a structural shortfall in quality job creation. While nominal youth unemployment rates in lower-income regions often appear low, they mask widespread economic insecurity. Millions of young people, unable to afford to remain idle, are forced into low-quality, informal work. Nearly nine out of ten young workers aged 15 to 29 in low- and lower-middle-income countries operate in the informal sector, devoid of income stability or social protection.

Sub-Saharan Africa remains under severe demographic stress, struggling to generate formal employment fast enough to match its expanding youth population. Meanwhile, the Arab States and Northern Africa continue to record the highest youth unemployment rates globally, standing at 26.2 percent and 22.6 percent respectively, with over a third of young people classified as NEET in both regions.

Technological shifts, particularly the rise of artificial intelligence, are accelerating these labour market disruptions. The ILO estimates that 6.1 percent of jobs held by young people aged 15 to 29 are highly exposed to AI-driven automation. Many of these positions overlap with the declining middle-skilled administrative roles that historically served as career stepping stones.

‘A generation that cannot find decent work cannot build its future with confidence,’ said Gilbert F. Houngbo, ILO director-general. ‘When young people are locked out of quality employment, countries lose talent, productivity, and social cohesion. Creating decent jobs for young people is not just a social imperative; it is one of the smartest investments a country can make.’

While demand grows for high-skilled technical roles in science, healthcare, and engineering, bridging the gap requires targeted policy interventions. Sukti Dasgupta, director of the ILO’s Employment, Skills and Sustainable Enterprises Department, warned against underestimating the speed of technological adoption, emphasising that labour policies, social safety nets, and lifelong learning frameworks must be upgraded so technology works for young job seekers rather than displacing them.

To mitigate these systemic risks, the ILO calls on global policymakers to implement human-centred AI governance, expand vocational training and apprenticeships, strengthen employment services targeting young women, and deploy supportive macroeconomic policies aimed directly at formal job creation.

ESG has become a familiar acronym in Nigerian boardrooms. Policies have been written, sustainability committees established, and glossy reports published. Yet the real question is no longer whether organisations have ESG strategies; it is whether those strategies are changing how they produce, hire, procure, govern, and create value.

The gap between policy and action remains one of the greatest sustainability risks facing African businesses.

An old African proverb says, ‘Wisdom is like a baobab tree; no one person can embrace it.’ ESG implementation requires collective action across finance, operations, human resources, procurement, and leadership. A policy sitting on a shelf is like a seed never planted; it carries potential but produces no shade, fruit, or resilience.

The World Health Organisation has repeatedly demonstrated the economic cost of environmental degradation and poor occupational health, linking air pollution, unsafe workplaces, and climate-related disasters to rising health expenditures and productivity losses. This is why relevant UN SDGs are no longer viewed as abstract global aspirations but as practical business imperatives.

Nigerian businesses can move from talk to transformation through

1. Translation of ESG commitments into measurable operational targets. Many companies announce ambitions such as ‘reduce emissions’ or ‘support communities’, but few define annual milestones, responsible executives, timelines, and budgets. Seplat Energy’s Tree4Life initiative provides a useful example. Beyond the public commitment to reforestation, the programme has involved structured planting targets, community engagement, monitoring processes, and alignment with international carbon methodologies. The lesson is simple: ESG becomes credible when it is embedded in operational planning, not treated as corporate philanthropy.

2. Connecting ESG to core business risks and opportunities. Nigerian manufacturers facing rising energy costs can no longer view renewable energy as a public relations exercise. Companies such as BUA Foods and Dangote Cement have increasingly invested in energy efficiency and alternative energy solutions because operational sustainability improves competitiveness. In Kenya, Safaricom’s M-PESA ecosystem demonstrates how social inclusion can become a profitable business model by expanding financial access to millions previously excluded from formal banking.

3. Building ESG accountability into governance structures. One recurring weakness in Nigerian companies is that sustainability teams often operate without decision-making authority. Global best practice increasingly places ESG oversight at board level, with executive compensation linked to sustainability performance. The International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) and IFRS S1 and S2 frameworks reinforce this direction by requiring organisations to disclose sustainability-related risks and opportunities with the same rigour applied to financial reporting.

A real-life example comes from Nigerian Breweries, which has invested significantly in water stewardship across several brewery locations. Water efficiency is not merely an environmental initiative for a beverage company; it is a business continuity strategy. By treating water as a strategic asset, the company demonstrates how ESG action can protect long-term enterprise value.

4. Using procurement as a transformation tool. Large Nigerian corporations have enormous influence over thousands of suppliers. Requiring vendors to meet basic standards on labour practices, environmental management, health and safety, and ethical conduct can create ripple effects across entire value chains. South Africa’s mining sector, despite its challenges, has shown that supplier development programmes tied to social and environmental standards can stimulate broader economic inclusion.

The ancient parable of the wise and foolish builders is instructive here. One built on sand; the other on rock. When storms came, only the structure with a strong foundation endured. Climate shocks, regulatory changes, investor scrutiny, and social unrest are the storms confronting modern businesses. ESG policies are the architectural drawings; operational execution is the foundation.

Technology also has a critical role. Digital ESG platforms, data dashboards, satellite monitoring for environmental projects, and automated compliance tracking can help organisations move from anecdotal reporting to evidence-based management. What gets measured gets managed, and what gets managed gets improved.

However, implementation will require courage. Some actions may increase short-term costs: cleaner technologies, workforce training, safer facilities, or stronger governance controls. Yet the cost of inaction is far greater. Floods in Lagos, drought pressures affecting agriculture, energy insecurity, and community conflicts in extractive regions already demonstrate that sustainability failures have direct financial consequences.

For Nigerian businesses, the ESG conversation must now enter a new phase. The era of aspirational statements is giving way to the era of demonstrable outcomes. Investors are asking harder questions, regulators are strengthening expectations, customers are becoming more conscious, and younger employees increasingly want to work for organisations whose values are visible in practice.

Closing the ESG gap is not about producing thicker sustainability reports. It is about creating businesses that are healthier for people, safer for communities, more resilient to climate risks, and better governed for long-term prosperity.

The future will not reward the companies that spoke most eloquently about ESG. It will reward those that operationalised it with discipline, transparency, and measurable impact. In Africa’s defining decade, execution and not intention will separate sustainability leaders from sustainability spectators.

Nigeria’s economy has become one of resilience, adaptation and relentless survival. Businesses are battling inflation, exchange rate volatility, rising operational costs and shrinking consumer purchasing power. Consumers, on the other hand, are making difficult choices every day, cutting discretionary spending and demanding greater value for every naira spent.

In such an environment, traditional advertising that merely promises affordability, quality or speed no longer commands the attention it once did. Consumers have become increasingly sceptical of some marketing claims. They now gravitate toward brands that genuinely understand their daily realities and communicate with authenticity.

It is against this backdrop that inDrive Nigeria’s ‘Chief Wahala Officer’ (CWO) campaign deserves attention, not merely as a clever marketing act, but as a broader lesson on how brands can remain relevant in one of Africa’s most challenging consumer markets.

The campaign demonstrates that successful marketing in today’s Nigeria is no longer solely about selling products. It is increasingly about building emotional relevance through shared experiences.

Marketing in an economy defined by pressure

Few economies demand creativity from businesses as much as Nigeria’s. Persistent inflation has reduced disposable incomes. Transport costs remain among the highest household expenditure, particularly in major commercial centres such as Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. Businesses are simultaneously coping with rising fuel prices, elevated logistics costs, expensive financing due to high interest rates and weakened consumer demand. Every additional cost eventually finds its way into the prices consumers pay.

Consequently, Nigerians have become far more intentional about where they spend their money. Brand loyalty is no longer automatic. Consumers are willing to switch platforms if they perceive better value, improved customer service or a stronger emotional connection.

This changing environment means companies must compete not only on price but also on trust, empathy, and authenticity. That is precisely where the CWO campaign found its strength.

Turning everyday frustration into customer insight

At first glance, the vacancy appeared funny. Applicants were invited to compete for the fictional position of CWO, with one major requirement being several years of surviving Lagos traffic and understanding Lagos Wahala.

Yet, beneath the humour was an intelligent business strategy. Rather than commissioning another customer satisfaction survey or organising expensive focus groups, inDrive transformed customer research into entertainment. Thousands of Nigerians voluntarily shared their daily transportation frustrations (traffic gridlock, ride cancellations, delayed deliveries, confusing pricing, and commuter stress).

In effect, consumers became both storytellers and researchers. The company received valuable real-time consumer insights while simultaneously strengthening public engagement with its brand.

For businesses operating under severe marketing budget constraints, a growing reality in Nigeria’s current economic climate, this represents an efficient approach to customer intelligence. Instead of paying heavily to understand consumers, companies can create platforms where consumers willingly tell their own stories.

The power of speaking the customer’s language

Perhaps the campaign’s greatest achievement was its use of the word ‘wahala.’ To outsiders, the word translates to problem or trouble. To Nigerians, wahala, represents something much deeper. It reflects the accumulated frustrations of daily life (traffic congestion, electricity shortages, transportation delays, poor customer service, inflation, unreliable infrastructure, and countless unpredictable disruptions).

By building its campaign around this universally understood expression, inDrive did something many multinational brands struggle to achieve – it localised a global brand without losing its international identity.

Many companies still approach Nigerian marketing by adapting campaigns originally designed elsewhere, merely changing faces while retaining foreign messaging. The result often feels artificial. Consumers quickly recognise when brands are merely speaking to them rather than speaking like them. inDrive instead adopted the language consumers already use among themselves. That authenticity significantly increased credibility.

Why authenticity matters more during economic hardship

Economic hardship fundamentally changes consumer thinking. People become less interested in aspirational advertising and more interested in practical value. When households face financial pressure, they naturally question every purchase decision, and promises of perfection often generate suspicion rather than confidence. Whereas what consumers increasingly appreciate is honesty.

Rather than pretending transportation in Lagos is effortless, the campaign openly acknowledged that moving around the city is difficult, with traffic remaining unpredictable; drivers sometimes cancel, and deliveries encounter delays, and these realities are not unique to one platform but are part of urban Nigerian life.

By acknowledging these frustrations rather than denying them, the campaign builds trust before offering solutions, marking a subtle but significant shift from conventional advertising. Consumers tend to believe brands that acknowledge imperfections more readily than those that claim flawless performance.

Celebrity endorsement with strategic purpose

The appointment of actress and content creator KieKie as Chief Wahala Officer stood out because her personality naturally aligned with the campaign. Her public image revolves around humour, quick thinking, and navigating everyday Nigerian situations with confidence.

Rather than forcing a celebrity into an unrelated campaign, inDrive selected someone whose personality already reflected the campaign’s central idea, an important lesson for Nigerian businesses.

A lesson in customer-centred innovation

Another strength of the campaign lies in how closely the marketing reflected the actual product. Many campaigns generate excitement but disappoint consumers because the experience fails to live up to the promise, and inDrive avoided that trap.

The frustrations highlighted during the campaign correspond directly with features already available on the platform, including negotiated fares, driver selection, courier options, route flexibility, tracking capabilities, and customer support – an alignment that matters, as marketing creates expectations and product delivery sustains reputation.

What Nigerian businesses can learn

The broader implications extend far beyond ride-hailing. Banks, insurance firms, telecoms, manufacturers, fintech startups, healthcare providers and even government agencies face similar credibility challenges.

Consumers increasingly expect organisations to demonstrate a genuine understanding of their realities, and rather than rely on polished corporate language, companies should spend more time listening. Instead of focusing exclusively on product features, businesses should identify the emotional experiences surrounding those products.

Beyond marketing, toward meaningful connection

The Chief Wahala Officer campaign ultimately reflects a broader truth about Nigeria’s business landscape. In difficult economic times, empathy has become a competitive asset.

Consumers no longer expect companies to eliminate every challenge overnight. What they increasingly value is recognition that those challenges exist and that genuine efforts are being made to address them.

For Nigerian businesses seeking sustainable growth amid economic uncertainty, the message is clear. Winning consumers today requires more than competitive pricing or catchy slogans. It requires listening before speaking, acknowledging before promising, and delivering consistently after making commitments.

The most successful brands of the coming decade will not necessarily be those with the largest advertising budgets. They will be those who understand Nigeria’s realities deeply enough to convert everyday struggles into opportunities for meaningful engagement, lasting trust, and shared value.

A 2026 study examining LinkedIn found that content posted directly by employees generally resonates more strongly with social media users than content published through official brand pages, suggesting that a company’s next brand influencer may already be among its employees.

The study by Sociallyin, a social media marketing agency based in the United States (US), notes that this presents a new opportunity for businesses to turn employees into credible brand ambassadors. It also highlights the growing interest in employee-generated content as companies seek to transform their workforce into knowledgeable and trusted brand advocates.

The research describes employees as gatekeepers because corporate content can only reach their personal networks after they decide that it is worth sharing. As a result, employees have considerable influence over which company messages travel beyond the organisation’s immediate audience.

In other words, companies which spend heavily on external influencers to win consumer trust, may be overlooking a valuable group of potential advocates within their own workforce.

The study found that 54 percent of marketers currently work primarily with micro- and nano-influencers, while 40 percent of influencer marketing budgets are directed towards micro-influencers.

This shift reflects the growing preference for human-led content, as consumers increasingly respond to smaller creators who offer specialised knowledge, relatable perspectives and highly engaged communities.

Employees could become the next brand advocates

For businesses, however, the next step may be to look beyond influencers altogether.

Employees already possess something that many external creators have to spend months building: first-hand knowledge of the company, its products, customers and culture. Their professional and personal networks can also take corporate messages beyond the audience that follows the company’s official social media accounts.

Keith Kakadia, founder and chief executive of Sociallyin, said employees can provide practical knowledge that is difficult for a corporate account to reproduce.

‘An employee can explain how a product was built, answer a question customers regularly ask, or show what the work looks like behind the scenes,’ he said. ‘That first-hand perspective gives people something more useful than another polished brand announcement.’

An employee’s expertise matters more than social media following

The value of employee influencers, therefore, is not necessarily determined by the size of their following. A product manager explaining a new feature, a recruiter discussing workplace culture or a customer-service employee addressing a recurring customer problem may generate more meaningful engagement than a celebrity with millions of followers.

Authenticity is central to this model. Employees are most valuable as creators when they communicate in their own voices rather than reproduce carefully scripted corporate messages.

Employee advocacy creates an HR challenge

But the growing role of employee creators also creates an important human resources challenge.

Companies cannot treat employee advocacy as a cost-free extension of influencer marketing. Creating content requires time, judgement and creativity, and businesses must establish whether participation is voluntary, part of an employee’s existing responsibilities or additional work that should attract recognition or compensation.

‘Posting for the company can look informal, but it still takes time, judgment, and creative effort,’ Kakadia said. ‘HR needs to be clear about whether content creation is voluntary, part of the job, or additional work that deserves recognition.’

Creator expectations are changing

This is particularly important as the broader creator economy becomes more professionalised. Sociallyin found that 79 percent of creators want to be treated as professionals during brand negotiations, while 63 percent prefer long-term partnerships. The same expectations are likely to emerge among employees who build reputations as corporate creators.

For businesses, effective employee-creator programmes will therefore require more than asking workers to share company posts.

Participation should remain voluntary, while employees should understand what is expected of them and whether content creation forms part of their paid responsibilities. Companies must also establish clear rules around confidentiality, intellectual property, disclosure and what happens to content when an employee leaves.

At the same time, employees should retain enough freedom to communicate naturally. Excessive corporate control could destroy the authenticity that makes employee-generated content attractive in the first place.

Trust and recognition will determine success

The strongest programmes are likely to be those that recognise employees not as free distribution channels, but as professionals whose expertise and reputations add value to the company.

‘Employee advocacy works when people feel trusted and valued,’ Kakadia said. ‘Clear rules protect the company, but they also protect the employees whose knowledge and reputation are helping the brand grow.’

As trust in polished corporate advertising weakens and audiences increasingly seek real voices, companies may not need to look far for their next influential brand ambassador. In many cases, the person capable of telling the most convincing story about the business is already sitting inside it.

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has barred the Western Nigeria Security Network, popularly known as Amotekun, vigilance groups, hunters’ associations and other non-state security outfits from participating in security operations for the August 15 Osun State governorship election.

The police said only accredited and authorised security agencies would be permitted to undertake election-related security duties, warning political parties, candidates and their supporters against engaging, arming or deploying non-state security groups during the poll.

Ani Iniedu, Force Public Relations Officer, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday as the police intensified preparations for the governorship election.

According to the statement, the directive covers Amotekun, the Joint Civilian Task Force, hunters’ associations, community-based security groups, neighbourhood watch organisations and other similar outfits.

He said the groups would have no role in escorting election materials, guarding polling units, mounting checkpoints, carrying firearms or performing any other election-security function.

The police spokesperson said the restriction was part of measures designed to prevent intimidation, violence and other forms of disruption during the election.

The Police warned political parties, governorship candidates, their supporters and residents of the state against acts capable of undermining the peaceful conduct of the election.

It said the police would not tolerate electoral violence, intimidation, thuggery or any attempt by individuals or groups to interfere with voters, election officials or the electoral process.

It specifically listed ballot snatching, voter intimidation, vote-buying and clashes between supporters of rival political parties among offences that would attract decisive security action.

According to Forces, individuals who commit or sponsor such offences will be arrested and prosecuted, irrespective of their political affiliation, social status or connections.

‘Political parties, candidates, and the public are warned against engaging, arming, or deploying any non-state security outfit for election-related purposes,’ the statement said.

The police further warned that members of unauthorised security outfits who participate in election-related activities, as well as their sponsors, would be arrested and dealt with in accordance with the law.

The Force also reiterated its prohibition on the possession or use of firearms, dangerous weapons and other offensive materials around polling units and collation centres.

It said the only exception would be firearms lawfully carried by accredited security personnel deployed for election duties.

The police said election security operations would be handled by authorised federal security and law-enforcement agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS) and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

The deployment, the Force said, is aimed at ensuring that voters are able to exercise their franchise without fear or intimidation, while also protecting election personnel, materials and facilities.

The police warned that anyone found in possession of election materials without lawful authority, or involved in inciting violence or disrupting the electoral process, would be arrested and prosecuted.

It also cautioned political actors against using security groups outside the officially recognised election-security architecture to gain an advantage or intimidate opponents.

The Force urged residents to remain peaceful and cooperate with authorised security personnel throughout the election period, stressing that political differences must not be allowed to degenerate into violence.

The Osun governorship election is scheduled for Saturday, August 15, with the police expected to deploy personnel across the state to secure polling units, collation centres and other critical locations.

The NPF said it remained committed to providing a secure environment for the election and ensuring that all participants operate within the provisions of the law.

Aviation labour unions that singled out Air Peace for a violent and disruptive terminal blockade on Tuesday will be held legally and financially responsible for passenger compensation and any resulting lawsuits, Oluwatoyin Olajide, the airline’s Chief Operating Officer, declared during a press conference on Wednesday.

Speaking at the airline’s headquarters in Lagos following the Tuesday selective picketing of Air Peace operations in Lagos and Abuja, Olajide explained that because the picketing constituted an unexpected and uncontrollable external disruption beyond the carrier’s operational control, it falls under the legal principle of force majeure (‘superior force’).

Under aviation regulations and standard conditions of carrier, force majeure relieves airlines from liability to pay direct compensation for flight cancellations or delays caused by third-party disruptions.

However, Olajide emphasised that should aggrieved passengers choose to seek legal redress in court, the financial liability must fall squarely on the unions that instigated the blockade.

‘Legally, passengers are not entitled to compensation from Air Peace because what happened was entirely out of the scope of the airline’s operations,’ Olajide told reporters. ‘However, if passengers insist on compensation through legal channels, then the unions that caused this disruption will have to bear the brunt.’

The coordinated action by the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) and the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) forced the cancellation of more than 70 daily flights, leaving thousands of travelers stranded nationwide and inflicting direct financial damage estimated at over N2 billion on Air Peace.

While union leaders cited two primary grievances-unpaid 5 percent Ticket Sales Charge (TSC) debts to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and restrictions on worker unionization-Air Peace management raised sharp questions over why it was exclusively targeted when virtually all domestic operators share similar debt structures and non-unionized workforces.

Olajide referenced official statements by Chris Najomo, Director General of Civil Aviation, who confirmed that domestic carriers are currently adhering to a structured repayment plan agreed upon with the NCAA to clear historical TSC arrears accumulated during the US-Iran fuel price crisis.

‘If the issue of TSC indebtedness is industry-wide, why was Air Peace singled out for violent and disruptive picketing?’ Olajide questioned.

‘It is quite disturbing and curious that union members were captured on video urging passengers not to fly Air Peace again, but rather to use other airlines-the very same airlines that owe debts to the NCAA and are equally not unionized. The Federal Government must investigate this.’

Beyond the financial fallout, she disclosed that the blockade involved physical violence against its workers, including a female staff member who was left bleeding and bruised while trying to access the terminal.

The COO revealed that Tuesday’s action directly violated a subsisting Federal High Court Judgment obtained on April 26, 2024, by Air Peace employees against the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), NUATE, and the Inspector General of Police.

The court ruling explicitly declared it unlawful and unconstitutional for labor unions to coerce Air Peace staff or attempt to force union membership upon them against their will. It also granted a Perpetual Injunction restraining unions from harassing workers or disrupting Air Peace’s operations, while ordering law enforcement agencies to enforce the protection.

Under Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, trade union membership is strictly voluntary. According to the airline, over 98 percent of Nigerian airline workers are non-unionized, and Air Peace staff have repeatedly voted against forming or joining a union.

The COO further cautioned that blocking access to controlled terminal zones constitutes an Act of Unlawful Interference under International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) rules and Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (NCARs).

Olajide warned that individuals identified in security video footage could face international severe consequences, including inclusion on global ‘no-fly’ lists or arrest abroad under international aviation safety conventions.

‘Airports are sensitive national assets, and such violence should never be allowed to occur with impunity,’ Olajide stated. ‘This incident has caused deep concern among our international partners and aircraft lessors, raising legitimate questions about confidence in Nigeria’s aviation business environment.’

Air Peace called on the federal government, the NCAA, and law enforcement agencies to launch an immediate, independent investigation using available video evidence to prosecute those responsible for the breach.

Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at Niger Delta University (NDU) and Bayelsa Medical University (BMU), owned by the Bayelsa State Government, have declared an industrial action over the alleged refusal of the State Government to implement the 2025 CBA agreement and outstanding 19-month arrears, among others.

NDU and BMU declared the indefinite strike action after enlarged congresses held separately at their Amassoma and Yenagoa campuses, respectively, while the University of Africa, Toru-Orua, another state-owned university, gave a two-week ultimatum.

At Amassoma, ASUU-NDU, led by Lucky Bebeteidoh, the Chairperson, confirmed that the union has declared an indefinite strike action, while demanding that the government implement the Collective Bargaining Agreement signed in December, 2025, whose implementation timeline was January, 2026.

Bebeteidoh said: ‘Lecturers are demanding the implementation of the computed figure of CATA for the three state-owned universities amounting to N336, 936, 294.87, for all academic staff, which has a valid signed agreement since December 23rd, 2025.’

He also said that ASUU is demanding the implementation of the CATA, as contained in the agreement.

According to him, ‘ASUU wrote to the state government in February, 2026 to inform the state government of the signed agreement and the need to commence payment.’

He insisted that available records showed that more than 10 states, which do not get half of what comes to Bayelsà State Government from the Federation Account, have implemented the agreement.

He said: ‘Other states did not wait for Bayelsà State Government to implement before they started. Why will Bayelsà State Government wait for other states to implement before they do?’

On the outstanding 19 months 25% and 35% wage award arrears, the ASUU leadership explained that the late implementation of the wage award has led to arrears of 25 months and the payment of six months arrears left a balance of 19 months, with a promise by the state government that it will be paid when state revenue improves.

Bebeteidoh recalled that following the signing of the MOU with the state government in February, 2025, ASUU suspended the avoidable industrial action which was allegedly foisted on the union by the state government.

He lamented that more than a year after the signing of the MoU, no action has been taken on the 19 months’ arrears’.

PalmPay is stepping up its investment in youth development as Nigeria faces a widening gap in the digital skills needed to participate in the country’s increasingly technology-driven economy.

The financial technology company said its youth-focused programmes are designed to address some of the barriers facing young Nigerians, including limited digital skills, weak financial literacy and inadequate access to workplace experience and career opportunities.

The push comes as Nigeria’s large youth population faces growing pressure to acquire skills that can translate into jobs, entrepreneurship and financial independence.

According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), only about seven percent of young people aged 15 to 24 in Nigeria possess basic information and communication technology skills, underscoring the scale of the challenge as businesses and public services become increasingly digital.

For PalmPay, the skills gap makes youth development more than a corporate social responsibility initiative. The company sees investment in young people as part of building the workforce and entrepreneurial capacity that Nigeria will need to sustain economic growth.

‘At PalmPay, we are committed to equipping young Nigerians to learn, earn and thrive in an increasingly digital economy. Unlocking their potential requires access to the right skills, knowledge and opportunities. We believe that investing in young people today is an investment in a stronger, more inclusive Nigeria,’ Chika Nwosu, managing director of PalmPay Nigeria, said.

One of the company’s initiatives is its Graduate Trainee Programme, which gives young graduates exposure to the workplace while allowing them to develop professional skills and gain experience in the fast-changing technology and financial services industry.

PalmPay is also using financial education as another route to youth empowerment.

Through its NYSC Financial Literacy Programme, the company provides practical lessons to members of the National Youth Service Corps on saving, budgeting, spending and protecting their money.

The programme targets young Nigerians at a critical transition point, when many are moving from education into employment, entrepreneurship and greater financial responsibility.

PalmPay’s youth strategy also includes initiatives targeted at young women.

Its Purple Woman programme provides opportunities for internships, learning and professional development, with a focus on increasing female participation in the technology sector.

The initiatives reflect a broader shift in the way youth empowerment is being approached by companies operating in Nigeria’s digital economy.

Rather than focusing only on financial support, the programmes combine skills, workplace exposure, financial knowledge and access to professional networks.

That approach is particularly important as employers increasingly require workers who can use digital tools, manage money effectively and adapt to changing business models.

For Nigeria, the challenge extends beyond getting young people into the labour market. The country also needs to ensure that its growing youth population has the skills required to contribute productively to an economy increasingly shaped by technology, digital finance and entrepreneurship.

The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, has also identified skills development, job creation, entrepreneurship and social inclusion as priorities in its youth development agenda.

PalmPay said its long-term objective is to contribute to that wider effort by giving young Nigerians practical opportunities to build careers and make better financial decisions.

A graduate who gains workplace experience can build the foundation for a professional career or business. A Corps member who develops stronger financial habits can carry those skills into adulthood. A young woman who gains access to professional networks can increase her chances of participating in the technology sector and potentially create opportunities for others.

The company said these outcomes demonstrate why youth empowerment should be viewed as an investment in Nigeria’s economic future rather than simply as a social intervention.

As Nigeria works to close its digital skills gap, the ability of businesses, government and other institutions to provide young people with relevant skills and meaningful opportunities will become increasingly important.

For PalmPay, International Youth Day provides an opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to that effort, with the company positioning its youth programmes around a broader goal: helping young Nigerians become skilled, financially informed and better prepared to participate in the economy.

Zipline is seeking to deepen its role in Nigeria’s healthcare system by expanding the use of autonomous logistics to tackle persistent gaps in the distribution of medicines, vaccines, and other critical medical supplies.

The company, which began operations in Nigeria in 2022, says it has served more than six million people across three states, completed over 190,000 deliveries, and delivered more than 6.5 million vaccine doses.

As Nigeria continues to invest in healthcare infrastructure, in this exclusive interview, Anthonio (Tonio) Pinheiro, the newly appointed Country Director of Zipline Nigeria, told BusinessDay’s Chinwe Michael that the bigger challenge is ensuring that existing facilities can consistently access the products they need.

Pinheiro, who previously worked as director of marketplace operations at Andela and later as chief operating officer and operating partner at Ingressive Capital, said Zipline’s strategy is focused on building long-term logistics infrastructure rather than running short-term technology pilots.

He discusses Nigeria’s healthcare infrastructure gaps, Zipline’s government partnerships, the economics of scaling autonomous logistics, and why drones are only one component of the company’s broader healthcare supply-chain infrastructure.

You recently assumed the role of Country Director for Zipline Nigeria. What have been your biggest observations about the operating environment so far?

My biggest observation is the scale of both the opportunity and the ambition. Nigeria has one of Africa’s largest healthcare systems, and governments are looking for practical ways to improve access and service delivery.

Operating at this scale requires patience, local knowledge, and close partnership. Success is not simply about deploying technology. You have to understand the realities on the ground, earn the trust of healthcare workers, and build something that fits into the health system.

That is how we approach our work at Zipline. We are not building a temporary solution. We are building infrastructure that health workers, governments, and patients can depend on over time.

Nigeria has seen significant investment in health infrastructure over the years, yet challenges remain. From your perspective, where are the biggest gaps today?

Pinheiro: Nigeria has expanded its health infrastructure, including primary healthcare centres, teaching hospitals and diagnostic facilities. However, population growth and the cost of maintaining power, equipment, staffing and medical supplies have grown faster than the resources available.

The challenge is not simply a lack of investment. It is making sure that existing facilities can function consistently and have the products they need when patients arrive.

A health worker should not have to refer a patient elsewhere because a medicine, vaccine, or unit of blood is unavailable. Our role is to strengthen the logistics behind the health system so facilities can request what they need and receive it quickly, rather than holding large amounts of stock that may expire or go unused.

Since launching in Nigeria in 2022, we have served more than six million people across three states, completed over 190,000 deliveries, and delivered more than 6.5 million vaccine doses. Those figures matter because they represent more patients receiving care closer to home and more health workers able to treat people when they arrive.

How does Zipline work with public-sector stakeholders, and what have you learned about implementing technology-driven solutions within government systems?

Everything we do starts with partnership. We don’t operate alongside the public health system, we become part of it. We work with federal and state governments to understand their priorities and integrate our infrastructure into existing healthcare systems.

We’ve learned that successful innovation isn’t about replacing public systems; it’s about strengthening them. Technology creates the greatest impact when it’s aligned with government priorities, embedded into existing workflows, and designed to solve real operational challenges.

That’s why our partnerships are built for the long term. Together with the government, we’re creating more resilient health systems that deliver better outcomes for citizens.

Infrastructure projects often struggle to move beyond pilot stages. What does it take to scale a logistics network sustainably across multiple states?

Sustainable scale comes from proving value, building trust, and delivering consistently over time. Governments don’t scale technology because it’s innovative; they scale infrastructure because it’s reliable and delivers measurable results.

We’ve seen this approach work successfully across Africa, and that is why governments continue to choose us. The results speak for themselves – including a reported 51 percent reduction in maternal deaths, up to 84 percent reduction in severe acute malnutrition, a 60 percent reduction in the duration of vaccine stockouts, and economic development that can literally be seen from space.

Ultimately, lasting scale isn’t about running successful pilots, it’s about building a trusted national infrastructure that governments, healthcare workers, and communities can depend on every day.

What role can private-sector innovation realistically play in addressing some of Nigeria’s infrastructure challenges?

Private-sector innovation can play a major role, but only when it is aligned with public priorities.

Governments define public priorities and provide the policy framework. Companies like Zipline contribute technology, operational expertise, and the ability to build and manage complex infrastructure efficiently.

When those strengths come together, we can improve service delivery, create high-skilled local jobs, strengthen national capability, and help governments deliver better outcomes for citizens.

Before joining Zipline, you worked with technology startups through Andela and Ingressive Capital. How does building physical infrastructure compare with scaling digital businesses?

Many of the leadership principles are the same. You need capable people, disciplined execution, and a clear understanding of the customer.

The main difference lies in the consequences of failure. With physical healthcare infrastructure, each delivery can affect patient care. Reliability is therefore not simply a product feature; it is an operating requirement.

Physical infrastructure also depends on more stakeholders. You are working across regulation, government, supply chains, engineering, healthcare facilities, and local communities. That makes relationships and execution as important as technology.

What misconceptions do people often have about autonomous logistics and its application in markets like Nigeria?

The first misconception is that people see drones when they should see infrastructure.

Autonomous drone delivery is only one part of Zipline’s work. We operate an end-to-end logistics system that includes warehousing, inventory management, cold chain, order fulfillment, delivery, and digital track and trace.

Together, these systems help governments move medical products more efficiently and respond to demand in real time.

The second misconception is that advanced autonomous technology is better suited to developed markets. In reality, African countries have been among the first to deploy autonomous logistics at a national scale.

That is because the need is clear. When the technology is integrated into public health systems and paired with local talent, it can expand access, reduce waste, and help facilities provide more consistent care.