Category: Business Day

John-Davis Chukwuemeka Oyedum, a communication network researcher, says characterizing machine-induced impulsive noise could accelerate the transition to fifth-generation (5G) enabled smart manufacturing in Nigeria and other emerging economies.

Oyedum, a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) student in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Rutgers University, New Jersey, said the approach could help manufacturers overcome severe wireless communication challenges caused by existing industrial machinery.

He said his research focuses on developing ultra-reliable, next-generation wireless networks for automated smart manufacturing at the Wireless Information Network Laboratory (WINLAB), a premier research facility at Rutgers University.

He noted that industrial environments pose unique challenges to wireless networks because heavy machinery generates sudden, high-power bursts of electromagnetic interference.

‘Standard 5G networks were designed under the assumption that factory noise is soft and continuous, like a gentle background hum,’ Oyedum explained.

‘However, real-world empirical measurements across sub-6 gigahertz (GHz) frequencies and the Frequency Range 3 (FR3) spectrum inside active factories showed the exact opposite. Heavy machinery such as electric welders and industrial motors generate sudden, high-power bursts of electrical static, known as machine-induced impulsive noise,’ he said.

He explained that these noise bursts severely disrupt wireless signals used to control automated machinery and industrial robots, causing data loss, signal drops, and critical communication delays.

This challenge is increasingly vital as industries adopt wireless sensors, robotics, and automated production systems. Consequently, his research seeks to model the behavior of impulsive noise and develop software-driven physical-layer solutions to mitigate its disruptive effects.

Oyedum highlighted that his research team has also engineered a physical-layer digital twin framework to simulate wireless communication within industrial environments.

‘A digital twin is essentially a virtual 3D replica of a real factory running on a computer,’ he said. ‘Most existing digital twins map physical machines and routers but overlook what happens to invisible radio waves in the air. Our framework allows engineers to simulate actual radio signals in real time and stress-test wireless networks before installing expensive physical infrastructure.’

This work was presented at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Future Networks World Forum (FNWF) 2025.

He added that findings presented at the IEEE Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM) 2025 revealed that as networks transition toward sixth-generation (6G) spectrums with higher subcarrier spacing, wireless links become even more vulnerable to impulsive noise.

‘Next-generation 5G and 6G networks use shorter signals to transmit information more rapidly,’ Oyedum noted. ‘This means a single, split-second burst of machine noise can completely wipe out an entire message. As networks become faster, they require stronger, targeted noise protection rather than relying on speed alone.’

To classify this dynamic interference in real time, the research team employed a statistical framework known as a Hidden Markov Model (HMM), parameterized using the Baum-Welch algorithm to identify underlying noise burst patterns.

Oyedum likened the HMM framework to a smart weather forecasting system for radio waves that continuously monitors changing conditions and predicts when sudden static ‘storms’ are about to strike, enabling wireless receivers to dynamically adjust and protect incoming data from corruption.

The researcher proposed a two-part defense system combining advanced Forward Error Correction (FEC) codes with spatially separated receiving antennas.

He explained that error-correcting codes-such as Reed-Solomon (RS), Polar, and Low-Density Parity-Check (LDPC) codes-attach redundant data to allow damaged information to automatically repair itself.

‘Multiple receiving antennas can also be positioned across the factory floor,’ he noted. ‘If a machine burst disrupts one antenna, another antenna located a few feet away can still capture a clean signal.’

By integrating this setup with Software-Defined Networking (SDN), a central controller can automatically detect noise bursts and instantly route data through a clean antenna while applying backup error-correction coding.

Oyedum noted that findings across research at WINLAB and the New Jersey Advanced Manufacturing Institute (NJAMI) identified four critical physical parameters that digital models must capture to accurately reflect industrial wireless environments: burst timing, energy spikes, state switching, and spatial spread.

‘Burst timing measures how long each noise burst lasts and how frequently it recurs,’ Oyedum explained. ‘Energy spikes capture the exact power surges across sub-6 GHz and FR3 frequencies. State switching tracks how rapidly an environment flips from quiet conditions to heavy interference, and spatial spread determines how noise travels across metal-heavy factory floors.’

Accurately modeling these four parameters allows engineers to construct virtual simulations that mirror real physical factories. Oyedum emphasized that these insights hold immense promise for accelerating industrial digitalization in Nigeria and other emerging economies.

‘Manufacturers in Nigeria and similar developing hubs are eager to adopt modern 5G sensors, but many still depend on older, heavy machinery that generates massive electrical static,’ he said. ‘Replacing all that equipment or constructing extensive physical shielding is prohibitively expensive. My research offers a practical, software-driven solution that enables factories to run reliable 5G and Beyond 5G (B5G) automation on top of existing machinery.’

He concluded that combining impulsive noise prediction models with strategic antenna placement, higher signal power, and advanced error-correction algorithms will lower the cost barrier to smart manufacturing, ensuring emerging economies can fully leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven robotics, connected Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, and real-time industrial automation.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has opened applications for the second cohort of its Regulatory Sandbox Programme, expanding the initiative to include virtual asset service providers (VASPs), stablecoin businesses and other emerging financial technology companies.

Applications for the new cohort open on August 12, 2026, and close on August 31, 2026. The programme is designed to allow innovators to test new financial products, services and technologies under the supervision of the apex bank before wider market deployment.

The second cohort introduces two dedicated testing tracks, which are the Virtual Asset Service Provider (VASP) Track and the Data-Enabled Financial Services (Non-VASP) Track.

The VASP Track covers virtual assets, stablecoins, payments, settlement, custody, wallets, and related financial infrastructure solutions that require supervised live testing.

The Data-Enabled Financial Services Track, meanwhile, targets non-VASP innovations that use secure digital infrastructure and permission-based data sharing to improve financial inclusion, payments, credit, risk management, operational efficiency and consumer outcomes.

According to the CBN, the sandbox will provide a controlled environment where innovators can test their products under regulatory oversight while allowing the regulator to better understand emerging technologies and their potential risks.

The move marks a significant expansion of the CBN’s approach to fintech regulation, particularly as virtual assets and stablecoins become relevant to payments, remittances and financial infrastructure in Nigeria.

The regulator said the programme is intended to support responsible innovation while maintaining consumer protection, financial stability and market integrity.

The CBN first opened applications for its Regulatory Sandbox in December 2022, receiving more than 1,000 applications before the window closed in February 2023.

The latest cohort therefore represents an attempt to create a more structured pathway for emerging financial technologies to be tested in real-market conditions without exposing consumers or the wider financial system to unnecessary risks.

For fintech and crypto startups, participation in the sandbox could also provide an opportunity to engage directly with the regulator as they develop products that may fall outside existing regulatory frameworks.

The expansion comes as Nigerian regulators increasingly seek to balance innovation with tighter oversight of the country’s rapidly evolving digital financial ecosystem.

Aliyu Bin Abbas, 44, is a Nigerian political strategist and the consensus presidential candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) for the 2027 general election. In this interview with AKOMBO AONDONA and GIFT WADA, he spoke about his journey from an Almajiri in Kano to a presidential candidate, his vision for Nigeria, youth participation in politics, his relationship with Atiku, the 2027 election and the need for Nigerians to rise above tribal and religious sentiments. Abbas, a former political aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, insisted that governance should be about service, not sharing the ‘national cake.’ Excerpts:

Campaigns are expected to begin soon, precisely on August 19. Your emergence as the ADP consensus candidate has been described as a ‘miracle.’ What strategic shifts within the ADP made this breakthrough possible ahead of the campaign?

The party is what I refer to as the ‘tsunami in the making.’ You asked me about strategy, but unfortunately, I think I will run away from giving you a direct answer because, as you mentioned, the campaign will begin on August 19 or 18, while our presidential campaign council has not yet been established. I am not the director of the campaign, so we have to wait. We are going to have a very serious campaign team because it is all about Nigeria.

For the first time, we want to focus and concentrate on the country called Nigeria. We are tired of these recycled old politicians who keep recycling themselves every four years. We want to have very deep thinking and critical analysis about this country.

The 2027 presidential campaign is going to be something different. The strategy is also going to be something very unique, something Nigerians have never seen before.

As we have always said, the speed of the world today is higher than the speed of these ageing politicians. The speed is too high, and they may not be able to withstand it. But we are not coming to fight them. We are coming as a solution because it is long overdue. Nigeria needs to be transformed. Nigeria needs to be taken first.

We say Nigeria first before anything else. The campaign strategy is going to be very unique. One important thing is that young people and women will be directly involved. It is going to be a campaign for, and by, young people and women. By the time you bring young people and women together, definitely, the outcome will be something great.

As soon as we establish our campaign council, our strategies, manifesto, blueprint and everything else will be clearly presented. But I don’t want to run faster than my shadow and go against some of the principles or norms of INEC or even my political party. So, I suggest we keep quiet for now. By the time we establish our campaign council, the strategy will be out for everybody to know.

You have described your journey from being an Almajiri to studying globally. How will your personal story shape the policies of your administration, if you win?

It may interest you to know that I have never contested even for councillorship, not to talk of the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate or governorship. I did not just wake up one day and say I wanted to run for president of this country.

I think this is because of my background. I came from an extremely poor background and suffered a lot in life before I could even go to school.

I remember telling my father that I wanted to go to school. I was lucky because my father sponsored my primary education. But after primary school, there was nothing for me to continue my education with.

I was passionate about education, just as I love my country passionately. I had no option but to leave my parents. I am from Borno State, precisely Southern Borno. I travelled to Kano at night. I knew nobody there. I went there as an Almajiri – the usual Almajiri experience from northern Nigeria. I became an Almajiri. We begged for food, read the Qur’an and did all sorts of things. I was a complete street boy. As time went on, I started looking for money so I could return to school. I was telling my vice-presidential candidate this story today.

I later became a ‘mai shayi,’ selling tea on the streets of Kano. After two or three years, the government of the day embarked on an expansion project that affected my business, so I had to quit.

I later became a shoe shiner for years. I quit that and ventured into nail cutting. I was cutting people’s nails. The last business I did was working as a conductor. I became a conductor, saved some money and eventually went back to school.

Ordinarily, I should not have passed through those experiences because my country is blessed with natural resources. Nigeria is one of the richest countries, not only in Africa but in the entire world. So, I believe education was my constitutional right, and government should have been able to provide it. But I survived by the grace of God.

I knew many young people with whom I started that journey. Some died along the way. Some became drug addicts because there was no guidance, no parents and nobody to help them. But, to the glory of God, I survived. Sometimes I engage myself in question-and-answer sessions about Nigeria. I believe that God Almighty strategically placed Nigeria as the heart and soul of the entire black race – not just Africa, but the entire black race. Wise people always say that whenever Nigeria gets it right, the entire African continent and the black race will get it right. Unfortunately, we have continued to produce leaders who cannot effectively manage the affairs of our country. They concentrate on their personal and selfish interests. I think they don’t have Nigeria at heart.

That is why we began to think critically about what we could do differently. I worked closely with His Excellency, the former Vice President. I don’t want to mention his name because I am no longer there and I am no longer a believer in his political ideology.

Remember, our slogan is ‘Building a New Nigeria.’ We want to build a new Nigeria where every citizen will feel that there is a new man in charge.

However, a lot of people started talking and asking questions. Some called me depressed. Some said I was mad. Some said I didn’t know what I was doing by running for president.

But I strongly believe that power and authority belong to God Almighty. They are not in the hands of anybody. They are in the hands of God.

We don’t have the resources. We don’t have the power. We don’t have the military, police or judiciary. We don’t have the structures that the existing politicians have.

But we are leveraging the power and strength of God Almighty because power belongs to Him. I believe that with that conviction, things are already beginning to work.

Let me give you an example. When I left Atiku Abubakar in 2023, I intentionally refused to join the APC. I am not against Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the President, as a person. I am not against Atiku Abubakar as a person. I am not against Peter Obi, Nasir El-Rufai or Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as individuals. I am against the system.

The system has been favouring nobody. So, if we truly believe in this country, we have to change the entire system. I don’t believe any of those people I mentioned has a plan that can fundamentally change the country. They want to continue with the existing system. You call it the status quo, right?

In the next 10, 15 or 20 years, you may look for many of these politicians and may not find them. What happens to Nigeria tomorrow? They don’t seem to care enough.

Whenever there is an opportunity, the first people that come to their minds are their relatives and those close to them. They don’t care enough about the village boys or the street boys.

There are a lot of things happening that I believe we have to go back to the drawing board and address.

Let’s remember that Nigerian leaders in the past sacrificed their lives and time to build this country. Today, nobody is talking enough about the development of Nigeria. I understand that many politicians are involved in competition. Someone becomes governor, and I say I must become minister. Someone becomes minister, and I say I must become governor. Someone becomes president, and I say I must become president – without a clear plan.

Nigeria is bleeding. Nigeria is collapsing. Nigeria is disintegrating. We must not forget the sacrifices of our founding fathers.

People call me names and say I am mad or that I don’t know what I am doing. But I believe in what I am doing.

You previously attempted to register another political movement. What happened?

We tried our best to register our movement, which we called the United Nations Alliance and Separatist Party, but our constitutional rights were denied by INEC. We nearly lost hope. I called my team members. There were 9 of us. Five were Christians and four were Muslims. I said, ‘Okay, I think we have to embark on fasting and prayers for seven days for God to give us direction.’

I didn’t want to lose hope in this country.

Our initial hope was that INEC would register our association as a political party so that we could participate in the 2027 elections. But that did not happen. After our prayers, we moved on and joined the Action Democratic Party. At that time, I didn’t know anybody in the ADP. Nobody knew me in the party. The only person I knew was the National Chairman Yabagi Sani Yusuf, because we had once invited him to one of our programmes in Kano.

I joined the Action Democratic Party on May 5 this year, and I emerged as the presidential candidate of the party on May 31 – just 26 days later. Against all odds. Thank God you were there. You saw what happened that day. But you saw only what happened on that day. You did not see what happened before or after. That is why I speak with confidence.

My life, my death, my health, my work – everything is in the hands of God Almighty. If God can stand by us, give us victory during the primary election and give us victory again, then we are grateful. Our name is already on the INEC portal, and we are set for the 2027 presidential race.

What qualifies you to become President of Nigeria?

My experience. I have worked with potential presidents, former presidents and former vice presidents. I have gathered a lot of experience.

One of the things I have learnt is that in Africa, not only in Nigeria, when your opponents begin to understand your good intentions, they may try to use those intentions against you. That is why I believe this election is going to be different. We are not looking up to anybody. We are looking up to God. It is not necessary for us to follow the same path that previous politicians have followed. Do we have billions of naira to sponsor our campaign? Why did I choose my vice-presidential candidate from a poor but humble background? We have a lot of big people who have called me and pledged to sponsor my presidential campaign, but I cannot agree to their terms. That is the beginning of the problem.

If you give me billions of naira to support my campaign and then give me conditions, that means I am not serving my country. I will be serving you. So let us leave the pocket politicians aside. It is not our strength. It is not our power. It is not our knowledge. It is not our money.

Many Nigerians are losing interest in voting. Some have completely lost their appetite for participating in elections. What is your message to them?

That is why I say we have to speak to the inner minds of Nigerians.

You were a close political aide to Atiku Abubakar until you emerged as the ADP presidential candidate. Critics say you are simply holding the seat warm for him. How do you convince Nigerians that your candidacy is authentic and not a placeholder script written by Atiku?

I really don’t want to go too deep into that because I am very direct and open. Whenever I speak, I speak with confidence. I speak as if God sent me directly to come and salvage this country. So, I don’t give a damn about what anybody says.

But I know the truth, and the God we serve knows the truth. Of course, I served Atiku for almost 14 years. I am the kind of person who cannot come out and deceive people because I hate being deceived, and I will never deceive you. But you can ask people in our party what happened before and after I emerged as the presidential candidate. I don’t want it to come from me. I want it to come from some of the people who participated in the battle. That battle was beyond what many people imagined. I know they will be shocked and surprised. How did our name even appear on the ballot? If I were a placeholder for somebody, I would have signed the voluntary withdrawal form that I was allegedly being pressured to sign. But I declined.

So, when the time comes for me to speak, I will speak.

In the first three days after assuming office as President of Nigeria, what are the first three executive orders you would sign to address the economic hardship Nigerians are facing?

When the time comes, Nigerians will see it. For now, the only thing I can say is that when I was working with one of my former principals, I had very serious conversations with my team members. Some are in Nigeria and some are in the diaspora. Is it even necessary for me to reveal the details? I think it is part of my strategy. It is something I will use, so I don’t think it is important to mention it now.

But all I want to say is that Nigerians will produce a President they have never produced before.

Look at people like Nnamdi Azikiwe, Tafawa Balewa and Ahmadu Bello. These were people who tried their best to build Nigeria and secure independence. They wrote their names in gold. That is why their names will not be forgotten in the history of this country. By the time we emerge as President of Nigeria, within the first six months of our administration, Nigerians will feel that, yes, we truly have a country called Nigeria. It will be a shocker to everybody. And it will not be us alone doing it. It is God Almighty. It is the power of God.

Nigeria is facing serious regional and political polarisation. How will your campaign bridge the widening geopolitical and ethnic gaps between the North and South?

Nigeria has never been divided in its history the way it is today. We have a lot of strategies. When we sat down and critically examined how our policies should look, we studied former presidents – both those who are alive and those who are no longer with us. I looked at former President Musa Yar’Adua. I will take his seven-point agenda and adopt it, but I am going to add one more point to make it eight – national unity. That’s all.

If you want to know more about our policies, go and read the seven-point agenda of Musa Yar’Adua and then add national unity. It may sound crazy or stupid to some people, but it is reality. We need continuity. We will continue from where some leaders stopped. We can do this for our country.

There are widespread security challenges, particularly in Borno, Benue and other parts of the country. What structural security reforms do you propose to restore public safety?

Insecurity is not only in Borno State. We have a very good strategy that we are going to apply within the first six months of our administration, by the grace of God. We should be able to tackle it. It will cost us a lot. I am not talking about the monetary aspect. It will cost us many things. It may even cost some lives. The policies we are going to introduce will be firm. Anybody who tries to sabotage them, whoever that person may be, will not be tolerated. I may have come from a very poor background, but God Almighty raised me from the lowest point to where I am today. There must be a purpose for that. I have some things to put in place. It is a divine responsibility, so I have to do it. Nobody can take me back to my mother’s womb. I can only be stopped if God permits it. So, by the time we emerge as the democratically elected President of this great country, Nigeria, we will tackle insecurity.

Can I say it? Yes, I will. Since God Almighty has chosen us, we are on the ballot.

Since you don’t want to reveal some of your strategic campaign plans, what should Nigerians expect?

I have been told that you journalists are part of our problem in this country. If I mention something small now, you will go and coin it into something big. You begin to do what the Nigerian economy does – take it this way and take it in another direction – instead of going straight to the point.

So, you people are actually playing a role in bringing us backwards. I think it is time the media understood that Nigeria is our country and we don’t have another country like this. We have to serve this country. The country has served us for over 60 years. Let’s serve the country now. Wherever you are and whatever work you are doing, let part of your responsibility be to serve your country. Always go in the right direction. I understand that, but I am talking about the media in general. Stop all this propaganda. If media personnel are given money and they know something is black, they paint it white and begin to prove that it is white. Let’s work for this country so that all of us will be happy.

I was there on the day you emerged as the ADP presidential candidate, including the crisis of interest surrounding your emergence. How do you plan to unite the ADP ahead of the campaigns, particularly with those who contested against you?

Who are the people who contested with me? There were three people who contested. One has gone back to where he came from. He was sent to deny some people the ADP presidential ticket and, after succeeding, he went back to the party he belonged to. The other has also gone to run for president under another party.

So, nobody?

You can ask both of them to provide their receipts for payment of the nomination forms. What are we talking about? You know. And that is why I say there are things that should not come from me as a leader. Whenever people begin to think about age, previous experience and qualifications – ‘You are not this, you are not that, so you cannot become this’ – that is a big mistake. Leadership is given by God. God cannot come down directly to rule nations. That is why, throughout history, prophets were sent by God Almighty. So, when people remain rigid and continue to fight because they cannot accept the outcome, they are making a mistake. They are not fighting us. They are fighting God. I don’t want to mention their names, but if you know, you know. We have tried everything within our power. We have reached out to them, but it seems their doors are not open. If their doors are not open, we cannot force them open.

But anytime they say, ‘Okay, we now agree that God has chosen you. Despite your age, despite the fact that you have never been a councillor, senator or held any other elective office, let’s come together, build our party and save Nigeria,’ I will be glad.

Everything will go well. But even if they don’t, I believe you were part of the process from day one and you know what transpired before my emergence as the ADP presidential candidate. Against all odds, God decided to choose me among a few people.

If they don’t agree, they are not fighting us. They are fighting God. We will leave them with God.

This 2027 election is not going to be about political parties. It is a movement. It is about Nigeria. That is why I want to use this opportunity, as the ‘poor boy’ from Biu Local Government Area of Borno State, to urge Nigerians that if they truly believe in this country, they should keep sentiments and differences aside. Keep tribal and religious considerations aside.

Let’s concentrate on the country called Nigeria, at least for once. This is my message to all Nigerians. If not, all of us will cry. We are already crying. We will cry more.

INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan recently promised that every lawful vote will count in 2027. Some opposition figures have dismissed such assurances as ‘lip service.’ Do you personally have confidence in his leadership?

With what we saw on August 1, when the first INEC list of candidates was released, my name was even second on the list. Against all odds, some people went the extra mile to prevent INEC from publishing my name. The reason is best known to them. But whatever their plans are, whoever they may be, even when we are not at INEC, the God we serve is always there. God is always ahead of them.

With what we saw on August 1, we are confident and optimistic that INEC will continue to do the right thing. Our name is already there on the ballot.

Let me tell you, we are not desperate. We are not saying we must be President of Nigeria. If eventually something happens and our name is withdrawn, that means God did not approve that we should not become President of Nigeria. We are not desperate and we are not fighting anybody. We believe strongly in God. Maybe it is not the best thing for me to be President. Maybe that is what God has chosen for me and my vice president. So, we are not fighting these people. Even information we receive about plans to do this or that does not bother me. We can only succeed with the permission of God Almighty. God created us. Whether we like it or not, we will die one day. When you die, people may eventually forget everything you have done in this world. There will be a day of judgment when God Almighty will ask you about your deeds. So, we are not desperate to rule Nigeria. We are not fighting anybody. We are just trying. Sometimes when I wake up in the morning, I look at myself and ask, ‘What is this? Who is pushing me? Where am I getting this strength from?’ Sometimes an inspiration just comes to me, almost like a prophecy, and I go and do it. Later, I ask someone else, ‘How did I even do this?’

That shows that God’s hand is definitely in what we are doing. Otherwise, who are we to be presidential candidates at this age? I am not trying to preach violence or anything like that. But it is time.

I have said it: it is my turn now as a youth to be the next President of Nigeria. Please, our fathers, come and hold our hands, even if you want to continue.

We will not be voted into office to enjoy the comfort, eat the national cake or travel abroad. We have chosen to serve. We were elected to serve. We will be in the Villa to serve. It is high time we faced reality, no matter how bitter or difficult it may be. Let’s save this country.

You have spoken about the need for a generational transition in leadership. What exactly do you mean?

You just came to my office, right? I accepted you, and we started this interview. After some time, you might turn around and say, ‘How can we move you out of your office? How can we push ourselves in front of you and take ownership of your office?’

Maybe you use all kinds of techniques to take over my position. This is exactly what is happening with Nigeria’s leadership. It is our country, but we are not in charge. For instance, imagine that this is my phone, and then somebody else has to tell me how to operate my own phone. Nigeria is in a very deep situation that not every politician can come out and talk about openly. But at the appropriate time, we will tell Nigerians. I am calling on Nigerian youths and women. Our government will not be for youths alone. It will be for everybody. But young people and women have to fight for their future so that Nigeria will continue to remain one indivisible country – the giant of Africa that we used to know.

If you are a young person and you say, ‘You must give me money before I vote for you,’ you are selling your right. If I give you money, it means I have bought your right. By the time I get into office, I may have spent trillions or billions of naira. How do I recover my money? I will not care about you.

You don’t know how I got the money. Maybe I went to the bank and collected loans that I now have to repay. But if you say, ‘This is a vibrant young person like us. He understands us. Let’s support him,’ that is different. We have social media, and it works. If you go on TikTok and say, ‘Hey, my candidate is very young,’ before you know it, people will begin asking, ‘Who is this guy?’ They will start calling you. But perhaps you may not do it because I don’t have money to pay you. Yes. With God, all things are possible because God controls the hearts of human beings wherever they are. Even if you don’t believe it now, as time goes on, God can change hearts. These things will happen in the next two or three months of our administration.

Even you who interviewed me today will be surprised. You will ask, ‘Is this the same person I interviewed in his office?’ It is long overdue.

Like I said, we are not fighting our elders. We are not fighting them. We are trying to provide a safe landing for Nigeria’s prosperity. But if they say they are going to deploy all their strength to crush their children, it doesn’t make sense. If you crush your children today, in a few years, who will bury you? Who will take care of you in old age? This is very serious. You cannot crush your children. They represent the future of your country.

Unless perhaps you are an agent of darkness or have been deployed to scatter your country. Of course, it will not work.

The Yobe State Government has officially handed over four major agro-industrial hubs to the Nigeria Food Corporation (NFC) as part of its efforts to revitalise the State’s agro-industrial sector and implement its Agro-Food Industrial Revolution.

The handover ceremony held at the Governor’s Office, Damaturu, was chaired by the Secretary to the Yobe State Government, Mohammed Goje, alongside the Commissioner for Commerce, Industry, Solid Minerals and Tourism.

The Nigeria Food Corporation, established as a Public-Private Partnership initiative of the administration of Governor Mai Mala Buni, is positioned as the flagship institution for driving Yobe’s emerging agro-industrial transformation.

In a statement by the Media Coordinator in the Office of the Secretary to the State Government the assets transferred to the Corporation comprise Yobe Flour and Feeds Mills Company Limited and Wheat Flour Global Mills Company Limited, transferred by Yobe Investment Company Limited; Yobe State Fertilizer Blending Company, Gujba Ltd, transferred by the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Tourism and Solid Minerals; and the Damaturu Modern Abattoir, transferred by the Ministry of Livestock Development.

Two additional assets, which include Nguru Oil Mills and the property designated for the headquarters of the Nigeria Food Corporation, have also been listed for subsequent consideration, pending the reconciliation of shareholders’ interests, the statement added.

Speaking briefly during the handover ceremony, Mohammed Goje, the Secretary to the State Government, said the transfer was consistent with Governor Mai Mala Buni’s vision of repositioning Yobe as a competitive agro-industrial hub.

He explained that the decision was driven by the need to revive industrial assets, improve productivity, create employment opportunities and expand the state’s revenue base.

According to him, placing the assets under the Nigeria Food Corporation would provide a coordinated institutional framework for their rehabilitation, investment and eventual full-scale operation.

The transfer documents were signed by the Chairman of the NFC Board of Directors, Sa’id Alkali Kori, and witnessed by the Managing Director of the corporation, Babagana Mohammed Adam.

Representing the Yobe State Government as signatories were the Commissioners from relevant ministries, DG YAPPPIP, Aliyu Isa Chikaji, who joined the meeting virtually, the outgoing Managing Director of Yobe Investment Company Limited, Hamza Saidu, alongside the new MD, represented by the Secretary, legal representatives of government, among others.

Amala Sky, a Nigerian restaurant brand, has launched a 90-day promotional campaign offering discounted meals to customers in Lagos, as rising food and dining costs continue to influence how consumers spend on meals.

The campaign, tied to the Big Brother Naija (BBNaija) season, offers a 20 percent discount on selected meals from the restaurant’s Lekki Admiralty branch.

The initiative targets customers living and working around Lagos Island, with the discounted meals available through the BBNaija Corner on the Chowdeck food-delivery platform.

Under the promotion, customers can choose between two meal options. The first, the Amala Sky BOGOF Offer, includes a goat-meat meal with an additional small portion of beef. It is being sold for N7,760, down from N9,700.

The second, the Amala Sky Feast Combo, consists of amala, ewedu, goat meat and water. Its price has been reduced to N6,192 from N7,740.

The restaurant said both offers will remain available for 90 days throughout the BBNaija season, subject to meal availability and delivery coverage.

Madam Anthonia Sheffield, general manager of Amala Sky’s Lekki Admiralty branch, said the campaign was designed in response to the pressure facing consumers as the cost of food and eating out rises.

‘We recognise that many customers are becoming more deliberate about how they spend on food. Our objective is to continue making quality and delicious Nigerian meals available without requiring customers to spend beyond their means,’ Sheffield said.

The campaign comes as consumers increasingly weigh the cost of food against household income, making affordability a growing consideration in decisions about eating out and ordering meals online.

For Amala Sky, the promotion also provides a way to combine a popular entertainment season with digital food delivery while keeping Nigerian dishes at the centre of the offering.

The restaurant’s focus on amala, ewedu and traditional meat dishes also reflects the changing place of Nigerian cuisine in the country’s urban food market.

Amala, long associated with traditional homes and local food canteens in Southwestern Nigeria, is increasingly being presented in modern restaurants in upscale areas, including Lekki in Lagos.

Restaurants such as Amala Sky are helping to position the meal within contemporary dining spaces while retaining its traditional flavours and cultural identity.

The latest campaign extends that shift into the digital economy, allowing customers to order familiar Nigerian meals through a food-delivery platform while benefiting from lower promotional prices.

Rather than limiting the discount to a short-term offer, Amala Sky said the 90-day period is intended to give customers sustained access to the meals throughout the BBNaija season.

The strategy places affordability alongside convenience and entertainment, as restaurants seek new ways to remain relevant to increasingly cost-conscious consumers.

For Amala Sky, the campaign is therefore not only a seasonal promotion but also part of a broader effort to make Nigerian meals accessible to a younger and increasingly digital generation of consumers.

South Africa’s unemployment rate rose to a four-year high, underscoring the economy’s persistent struggle to create enough jobs to absorb its growing labour force.

Data by Statistics South Africa, indicates that the rate rose to 33.6 percent in the second quarter of 2026, from 32.7 percent in the first quarter, reaching its highest level since the second quarter of 2022.

The number of unemployed people also rose by 4.2 percent, from 8.1 million in the first quarter to 8.5 million in the second quarter. This came even as the labour force expanded by 1.3 percent to 25.2 million.

However, the labour-force participation rate declined to 59.6 percent, indicating that the expansion in the potential workforce is not translating into stronger employment.

Reports also indicates that job losses were concentrated in the community and social services and mining sectors, while the trade and construction sectors recorded employment gains.

Broader labour-market weakness deepens

The headline unemployment rate also understates the extent of the country’s labour-market distress.

The combined unemployment and time-related underemployment rate rose to 36.6 percent in the second quarter, from 35.9 percent in the previous quarter. This measure includes people who are unemployed as well as those working fewer hours than they would like and available to work more.

The broader measure combining unemployment with the potential labour force also increased slightly to 43.8 percent from 43.7 percent.

Meanwhile, the overall measure of labour underutilisation remained elevated at 46.3 percent, indicating that a substantial share of the potential workforce is either unemployed, underemployed or insufficiently engaged in economic activity.

Job creation remains the central challenge

The latest figures reinforce the structural nature of South Africa’s unemployment crises. Although the labour force grew during the quarter, employment failed to keep pace.

The worsening labour market comes amid sustained anti-foreigner sentiment and xenophobic attacks in South Africa, which have prompted many foreign nationals, including Nigerians, to leave the country.

Several Nigerian-owned businesses have reportedly closed or relocated, with some employing South Africans. The development has raised concerns that a hostile environment for foreign-owned businesses could further weaken investment, small-business activity and employment, particularly in sectors that rely heavily on migrant entrepreneurs.

Nigeria’s state-owned refineries were shut down primarily because their operations were commercially unviable, not because they were incapable of processing crude oil, Festus Osifo, president of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), has said.

Osifo said the refineries were still capable of producing petroleum products, but the cost of processing crude was higher than the value of the products generated, resulting in operational losses.

‘The refineries were actually shut down, not that they were not functioning,’ he said.

He explained that continuing to operate the facilities under such conditions would have increased financial losses for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

According to Osifo, the experience highlights the need to run Nigeria’s refineries on commercially sustainable terms rather than keeping them operational solely for the sake of domestic refining.

‘If you put, let’s say, $5 million worth of crude, you feed it through, when the product comes out, you are supposed to get the product of, let’s say, $6 million worth. But when you feed in that crude, what you now get at the end will not be like $4 million. So, you are losing money,’ he said.

Osifo backed the proposed entry of a Chinese investor into the ownership structure of Nigeria’s state-owned refineries, arguing that greater private-sector participation could improve operational efficiency and reduce government interference.

He said PENGASSAN was advocating a structure under which private investors would hold a 51 percent controlling stake, while the Federal Government would retain 49 percent.

He cited the ownership model of Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) as an example of how government and private-sector interests could coexist in a commercially driven structure.

‘They are going to buy some shares of the government from this refinery. So, for us, we are advocating that, because the company is about a 3-in-1 company, let them buy up to 51 per cent. Let government retain 49 per cent as it is in NLNG,’ Osifo said.

He argued that majority private ownership would allow refinery management to take critical operational, maintenance and investment decisions without lengthy government approval processes.

‘What that is going to do is that the decision-making is going to leave the hands of government, so that if you want to do any maintenance, you don’t need to discuss it in federal council meetings anymore,’ he said.

Osifo said private investors would be more inclined to make decisions based on profitability, efficiency and commercial realities rather than political considerations.

Policy uncertainty threatens investment

Beyond refining, the PENGASSAN president said Nigeria needed greater policy stability to attract long-term investment into the oil and gas industry.

He acknowledged that the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) introduced significant reforms, including the establishment of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the creation of a regulatory framework for the midstream and downstream sectors, and the transformation of the NNPCL into a limited liability company.

The legislation also established frameworks for host community development and frontier exploration.

However, Osifo expressed concern over subsequent adjustments to some fiscal provisions of the PIA and the use of executive action to alter provisions of the legislation.

He said policy stability was critical because oil and gas projects require substantial capital and have long investment horizons.

‘For us, one of the ways to attract investment is for you to have some level of certainty,’ he said.

Osifo said investors needed clarity on taxes, royalties and other financial obligations before committing capital to oil and gas projects.

‘But if I’m investing today and I’m doubtful that tomorrow the laws will change and the laws might not favour me, I will be a bit worried in how I carry out my investment,’ he said.

He therefore urged the Federal Government to allow the PIA and its regulatory framework to operate for a reasonable period before introducing major changes.

According to him, frequent changes to the regulatory and fiscal environment could increase investment risk and discourage the long-term capital required to develop Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

‘In the oil and gas business, you don’t just invest today, and you think you will reap tomorrow. At times, for this investment, you start reaping even after the 30th year,’ he said.

Nigeria’s N945 billion onion industry has come under threat after an indefinite suspension of exports to Ghana, following disputes between traders at Kotoku Market.

The halt, which is owing to restrictions imposed by market actors at Kotoku Market in Ghana on Nigerian and Nigerien onion trucks seeking to offload consignments, has disrupted a key food corridor between the two ECOWAS members.

According to the National Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NOPPMAN), trucks have been delayed for days at the market, leaving exporters to absorb losses as perishable onions deteriorate.

The dispute puts N14.5 million at risk in the annual cross-border onion trade between both countries, with Nigerian truckers reporting losses as perishable consignments deteriorate at the border.

Aliyu Maitasamu, the national president of NOPPMAN, said the issue is causing ‘significant financial losses to Nigerian onion exporters and transporters and exposing our highly perishable onions to deterioration.’

He stated that the restrictions on Nigeria’s onion supply to Ghana violate agreements under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme and the African Continental Free Trade Area.

He called on ECOWAS to intervene, arguing that ‘no market association or group of traders should be in a position to unilaterally determine the movement… of legitimate consignments originating from another ECOWAS Member State.’

Experts say the dispute raises questions about the effectiveness of regional trade pacts meant to guarantee free movement of goods.

With Ghana heavily dependent on Nigerian onions and Nigeria’s broader N945 billion sector – the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s value estimate – facing pressure from insecurity and logistics costs, the suspension risks higher food prices in Ghana and lost income for Nigerian farmers, while testing AfCFTA’s promise to boost intra-African trade.

They noted that if unresolved, the indefinite suspension risks undermining confidence in AfCFTA’s promise to boost intra-African trade and sets a precedent for other food commodities that underpin food security in West Africa.

Obiora Madu, international trade expert, said the dispute exposes deeper structural problems. ‘The onion dispute is not really about onions. It is about the credibility of regional trade integration,’ he said.

‘We have excellent regional instruments on paper. But integration is not achieved merely by signing protocols.’

He warned that the suspension increases the risk of doing business in West Africa. ‘A trader may have a buyer, a truck, the product, the documentation, and the money, but if market access can suddenly be disrupted by a local dispute, the predictability required for serious cross-border investment disappears.’

Madu argued that it exposes the gap between trade agreements and implementation. ‘If two neighbouring countries cannot resolve a relatively contained commodity-trade dispute… it raises legitimate concerns about how we will manage more complex disputes involving billions of dollars,’ Madu said.

‘The real test… is whether a trader can cross the border with confidence that the rules will still be there when he arrives.’

Eric Alao, an entrepreneur and lecturer at Lead University, noted that ECOWAS has failed to resolve the issue that has been ongoing between Nigerian and Ghanaian traders for a while.

‘AfCFTA, which is supposed to address issues like this that discourage intra-Africa trade, is still on paper and not really functioning the way it should,’ Alao noted.

He explained that a stronger Ghanaian cedi against the naira is also fueling disputes among traders from both countries, as Ghanaian traders prefer coming to Nigeria to buy for their own market instead of allowing Nigerian traders to supply.

Data from the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM) shows that 1 Cedi exchanged for N115.85, confirming Alao’s claim.

With an annual production of approximately 1.7 million metric tons, Nigeria ranks fourth in Africa and fourteenth globally, according to FAO 2024 data.

The country boasts a robust onion market, supplying neighboring African nations such as Côte d’Ivoire, Niger, Ghana, Benin, Chad, Cameroon, and Senegal. However, Ghana accounts for the bulk of the country’s regional onion trade.

Maitasamu, who is also the president of the Regional Observatory of Onion in West and Central Africa, acknowledged interventions by the governments of Nigeria and Ghana.

However, he said, ‘despite these interventions and the resolutions reached, Nigerian onion trucks continue to face restrictions in the offloading of their consignments at Kotoku Market.’

He said its concern is not with the people of Ghana, citing ‘longstanding economic, diplomatic and people-to-people relations.’

He urged ECOWAS to act as a neutral mediator and facilitate talks involving both governments, trade authorities, and onion associations.

It also proposed a formal Memorandum of Agreement for cross-border onion trade guided by the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme and AfCFTA.

‘Such an arrangement should establish clear rules on market access, truck movement, offloading, allocation of consignments, and dispute resolution,’ Maitasamu said. ‘We are seeking a permanent and fair system,’ he added.

Industry challenges

Maitasamu highlighted several key challenges plaguing the onion industry, including high post-harvest losses, limited access to improved seed varieties, inadequate credit facilities, and the absence of agricultural subsidies for onion farmers.

He pointed out that the lack of proper storage infrastructure forces farmers to rely on traditional storage methods, resulting in the loss of over 50 percent of their harvest. This not only leads to significant economic losses for farmers but also impacts the broader economy.

Jumia Technologies has reported a 14 percent year-on-year increase in revenue for the second quarter of 2026, as the African e-commerce company continued to narrow its losses and move closer to its profitability target.

The company, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker JMIA, said revenue rose to $52 million in the three months ended June 30, 2026, compared with $45.6 million in the same period last year. Revenue increased 15 percent on a constant-currency basis.

Jumia’s gross merchandise value (GMV), a measure of the total value of goods sold through its platform, increased 23 percent year-on-year, while gross profit climbed 28 percent.

The company’s gross profit margin expanded to 14.2 percent of GMV, reflecting improved monetisation of its marketplace.

The company also recorded an improvement in its operating performance. Adjusted EBITDA loss narrowed by 36 percent to $8.7 million, while orders increased 28 percent and quarterly active customers grew 24 percent.

The results mark another step in Jumia’s effort to reduce losses through higher transaction volumes, improved marketplace economics and tighter cost management.

Jumia said the growth was driven by stronger performance across key markets, particularly Nigeria and Ghana, while Egypt also showed signs of recovery.

The company has been concentrating its resources on its core markets after exiting several countries as part of a broader restructuring of its operations.

Alongside its second-quarter results, Jumia announced a $50 million capital raise anchored by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group.

The new funding is expected to strengthen Jumia’s financial position as it continues investing in growth while pursuing profitability.

The capital injection comes as Jumia works to reach breakeven on an adjusted EBITDA basis and generate positive cash flow in the fourth quarter of 2026. The company is also targeting full-year profitability and positive cash flow in 2027.

Jumia’s latest performance builds on what it recorded in the first quarter, when revenue increased 39 percent year-on-year to $50.6 million, while GMV rose 31 percent to $211.2 million and adjusted EBITDA loss narrowed 32 percent to $10.7 million.

The company had previously set a 2026 target of achieving an adjusted EBITDA loss of between $25 million and $30 million, before reaching adjusted EBITDA breakeven in the fourth quarter.

The second-quarter result reveals that Jumia’s strategy of prioritising marketplace growth, improving unit economics and reducing operating costs is beginning to translate into narrower losses.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has called for stronger safety standards, regulation and emergency-response capacity as Nigeria accelerates the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered vehicles.

The Corps said the transition towards cleaner and alternative-energy mobility should not be treated solely as an energy or environmental issue, but also as a critical road-safety concern requiring corresponding changes in regulation, training, vehicle inspection and emergency response.

Osondu Ohaeri, deputy corps commander and corps public education officer at the FRSC National Headquarters, Abuja, in a report said the position reflected the strategic direction of Shehu Mohammed, the Corps Marshal on technology, innovation and safer mobility.

According to Ohaeri, while EVs and CNG vehicles offer opportunities to reduce emissions and support more sustainable transportation, changes in vehicle propulsion do not automatically eliminate road crashes.

He explained that a vehicle powered by electricity, CNG or petrol still operates alongside pedestrians, motorcycles, trucks, cyclists and other road users and remains exposed to risks associated with speeding, poor road design, mechanical failure, driver distraction, fatigue and reckless driving.

‘The EV and CNG initiative aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, especially the SDG 11 and SDG 12, which provide a strong framework because CNG and EVs contribute to cleaner transportation, reduced emissions and more sustainable urban mobility through safer roads and transport systems, cleaner air and healthier communities and more resilient infrastructure,’ Mohammed said at a recent summit of the Nigerian Auto Journalists Association in Lagos.

He said Nigeria’s commitment to international road-safety conventions required the country to ensure that the transition to alternative-fuel vehicles was accompanied by adequate safety measures.

The Corps Marshal also highlighted the FRSC’s National Crash Reporting Information System, FRSC Mobile App and National Community Post Crash Care Initiative as part of the agency’s broader technology-driven approach to road safety and emergency response.

The FRSC said the increasing presence of EVs would require changes in how road-safety agencies, emergency responders, technicians and motorists approach vehicle safety.

Unlike conventional vehicles, EVs rely on high-voltage battery systems, electronic controls and sophisticated software, creating new considerations during crashes, repairs and rescue operations.

One concern is the potential hazard associated with damaged or overheated lithium-ion batteries.

The Corps said emergency responders would need specialised knowledge of high-voltage systems and procedures for safely isolating power sources when responding to crashes involving EVs.

This means that road safety must extend beyond crash prevention to include the ability of emergency personnel to safely manage incidents after they occur.

The relatively quiet operation of EVs at low speeds also presents another consideration, particularly for pedestrians and other vulnerable road users in busy urban environments, residential areas and markets.

The FRSC said public awareness, technological interventions and appropriate regulation would be important in managing such risks.

The emergence of EVs will also require a new generation of technicians trained in high-voltage systems, battery diagnostics and electronic vehicle safety.

The Corps warned that unqualified repairs, unauthorised modifications and incompatible components could introduce additional risks.

The FRSC also stressed that the expansion of CNG-powered vehicles must be supported by effective standards for vehicle conversion, certification, inspection and maintenance.

Nigeria’s significant natural-gas resources provide an opportunity for CNG to play a larger role in the country’s transportation system, particularly as motorists and governments seek alternatives to petrol and diesel.

However, the safety of CNG vehicles depends heavily on the integrity of gas storage systems and the quality of conversion work.

The Corps warned against conversions carried out by unqualified technicians or at unauthorised facilities.

Potential risks from poor conversion include improperly fitted gas cylinders, damaged fuel lines, inadequate ventilation, unsafe modifications to vehicle structures, poor-quality components and failure to carry out appropriate inspections and maintenance.

The FRSC therefore called for stronger standards covering conversion centres and technicians, alongside regular inspection and certification of CNG vehicles.

Drivers and fleet operators, it added, also need adequate information on how to respond to suspected gas leaks, vehicle damage and other emergencies involving CNG systems.

As Nigeria’s vehicle fleet becomes increasingly diversified, the FRSC said existing vehicle inspection and roadworthiness systems would need to evolve to account for the characteristics of new propulsion technologies.

The Corps said the principle that mechanically deficient vehicles should not be allowed on Nigerian roads applies regardless of the source of energy powering the vehicle.

It identified public education, vehicle inspection, personnel training, inter-agency collaboration and technology-driven enforcement as key areas requiring attention.

FRSC personnel, rescue officers and emergency responders would need continuous training to understand the characteristics of EVs and CNG vehicles, particularly during crash response, recovery and evacuation.

The Corps also called for greater cooperation among regulators, vehicle manufacturers, importers, conversion centres, emergency services, fire authorities, transport operators and road users.

The FRSC said Nigeria’s transition to cleaner mobility should be accompanied by continuous review of vehicle safety standards, importation requirements, CNG conversion rules, EV battery and charging safety, inspection procedures, emergency-response protocols, technician certification and fire and rescue preparedness.

The objective, it stressed, should not be to discourage technological innovation but to ensure that new technologies are introduced responsibly.

This approach is consistent with the Safe System model of road safety, which recognises that preventing deaths and serious injuries requires multiple layers of protection involving safe road users, safe vehicles, safe speeds, safe roads and effective post-crash care.

The Corps said no single component could guarantee road safety on its own.

A safer alternative-fuel vehicle, for instance, cannot compensate for unsafe road infrastructure, just as an advanced vehicle cannot eliminate the consequences of reckless driving or poor maintenance.

The FRSC said Nigeria’s road-safety framework must therefore evolve alongside its transportation system to ensure that cleaner mobility also delivers safer mobility.

As EV and CNG adoption expands, the Corps said safety considerations should be incorporated at every stage of the vehicle lifecycle, from manufacturing and importation to conversion, registration, maintenance, driving, crash response and rescue.

The agency said its focus under Mohammed’s leadership would increasingly include preparing Nigeria’s road-safety system for emerging mobility technologies while maintaining its traditional emphasis on enforcement, public education, vehicle roadworthiness and emergency response.