Lagos fortified rice market targets $38.4b

Lagos State Government has begun training rice millers and regulatory agencies on fortified rice production as the global fortified rice market is projected to reach $38.4 billion by 2035, amid rising demand for nutritious staple foods.

The market forecast by Future Market Insights puts the global fortified rice market at $22.5 billion in 2025 and projects it to reach $38.4 billion by 2035, representing a compound annual growth rate of 5.5 per cent.

The three-day training, held in Lagos, is aimed at positioning the state’s rice industry to capture a share of the expanding market while improving the nutritional quality of rice consumed in Nigeria.

The opportunity is significant given Nigeria’s huge rice consumption. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service, Nigeria’s rice consumption is forecast at 8.6 million metric tonnes in the 2025/26 marketing year, up five per cent from 8.2 million tonnes projected for the previous marketing year.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture and Food Systems, Dr. Oluwarotimi Fashola, said the country’s large rice consumption provided a significant opportunity for fortification.

‘Rice is the singular food product that best reaches everybody, from the youngest to the oldest,’ Fashola said.

He said fortification could help deliver essential micronutrients, particularly to children and young people, through a widely consumed staple.

‘Rice fortification is still in its infancy. There are only about six rice mills that have the capacity for fortification across Nigeria,’ he said.

Fashola said expanding capacity was necessary to increase access and consumer awareness, adding, ‘We need to promote it. We need to encourage its consumption and its knowledge.’

Lagos State has introduced Eko Fortified Rice alongside Eko Rice Farm Fresh and Eko Rice Classic. The fortified product contains essential micronutrients, including iron, folic acid and vitamin B12. The state launched its rice fortification plant and Fortified Eko Rice at the Lagos State Rice Mill in Imota, Ikorodu, in November 2025. The state said the facility was among the few rice mills in Nigeria with the capacity to fortify rice with essential micronutrients.

Fashola said the state would continue to work with millers, regulators and development partners to expand the adoption of fortified rice and strengthen the rice value chain.

A Deputy Director and Head of the Food and Agriculture Group, Standards Development Department, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mrs. Nene Obianwu, said standards would be critical to maintaining product quality and consumer confidence.

‘The code of practice was brought into play to guide the manufacturer into the production of a high-grade product,’ she said.

Obianwu added that standards would ensure consistency among products from different mills. ‘If there is no standard, somebody will produce it and it will not be the same,’ she said.

She added that standards would ensure that a product manufactured in one factory would meet the same requirements as a similar product produced elsewhere.

‘The standard helps you to get it right. It helps you maintain consistency so that you do not deteriorate,’ she said.

The importance of standards and regulatory compliance in rice fortification has also been emphasised in previous training involving SON and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). TechnoServe said rice millers are being supported to produce fortified rice in line with national regulatory requirements.

The Project Manager, Promoting Rice Fortification in Nigeria (PRiFN), TechnoServe, Seun Elere, said rice fortification had been driven by increasing concern over anaemia and micronutrient deficiencies, as well as government-led food distribution, nutrition and social-protection programmes.

He urged participants at the training to apply the knowledge gained to their operations, improve quality control and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

TechnoServe, in collaboration with the World Food Programme (WFP), is implementing the PRiFN project to increase the adoption of rice fortification by rice millers and processors and promote consumption of fortified rice in Nigeria. The project supports rice mills with equipment, technical assistance and fortification inputs and is designed to contribute to improved nutrition, particularly among vulnerable populations.

Propak West Africa set to return with global innovation, industry expertise

Propak West Africa, one of the leading manufacturing and packaging exhibitions in the region, is set to return to Lagos from September 8 to 10, with local and international exhibitors expected to showcase technologies and solutions across the manufacturing and processing sectors.

The exhibition, organised by Montgomery Group Africa, will take place at the Landmark Centre, Lagos, bringing together manufacturers, technology providers and industry professionals from Nigeria, other parts of West Africa and beyond.

The event will focus on the packaging, plastics, print, labelling and food processing industries, with emphasis on productivity, efficiency, sustainability, automation and digital technologies.

According to the organisers, the exhibition will provide manufacturers with opportunities to examine new machinery, materials and technologies, compare solutions and engage directly with technical specialists and industry experts.

A dedicated conference for production and packaging professionals will also hold alongside the exhibition, offering insights into trends, innovations and operational strategies shaping the future of manufacturing and packaging.

The organisers said the growing participation of international exhibitors and regional manufacturers reflects West Africa’s increasing importance in the global manufacturing and packaging industry.

Among the local and regional exhibitors expected at the event are Beta Glass Nigeria, SBA Nigeria, PET Associates and Bristol Scientific Company.

International exhibitors include Windmöller and Hölscher, Reifenhäuser Blown Film, the Piovan Group, Nissei ASB Africa, Clearpack Group, Snetor and Vinmar International, among others.

The organisers said the participation of local companies would provide opportunities to engage customers, establish new business relationships and expand professional networks.

The exhibition will also place emphasis on sustainability and the circular economy, with support from organisations involved in manufacturing, food processing, packaging and recycling.

Among the supporting organisations are the Food and Beverage Alliance, Recyclers Association of Nigeria, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology, Consumer Advocacy for Food Safety and Nutrition Initiative, Advertisers Association of Nigeria, African Packaging Organisation and Advanced Institute of Packaging Professionals Nigeria.

The organisers also announced the participation of Girls Who Print Africa, a regional network focused on women in the print, packaging and graphic communications industry.

As part of the programme, Propak West Africa will partner with Girls Who Print Africa to host the maiden Women in Print and Packaging session on the first day of the Propak West Africa Summit.

The session will bring together industry leaders and professionals to discuss opportunities, challenges and pathways for increasing women’s participation and leadership in the sector.

Speaking ahead of the exhibition, Portfolio Director at Montgomery Group Africa, Mark Anderson, said the event had established itself as one of West Africa’s leading manufacturing and packaging exhibitions because of its focus on practical business value.

‘Propak West Africa has established itself as one of West Africa’s leading manufacturing and packaging events because it delivers real business value for visitors,’ Anderson said.

He added: ‘Whether companies are looking to improve productivity, reduce costs, enhance sustainability or explore new technologies, the exhibition provides the opportunity to compare solutions, speak directly with technical specialists and suppliers, and gain practical insights that can be applied in their own operations.

‘By bringing together international technology providers, regional manufacturers and industry stakeholders under one roof, Propak West Africa continues to drive innovation, support more sustainable manufacturing practices and contribute to the long-term growth and competitiveness of West Africa’s manufacturing sector.’

After Walson-Jack, Enitan faces task of sustaining civil service reforms

After more than three decades of meritorious and illustrious service to the nation, Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, on Thursday, retired from the Federal Civil Service as the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, with the responsibility now placed on her successor, Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan to sustain the momentum.

For Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, the journey from a young State Counsel in the Rivers State Civil Service to the highest administrative office in Nigeria was never planned as a race for titles.

It was, instead, a career built around what she herself describes as a simple philosophy: ‘I planted, I believed, and I moved on.’

On Thursday, August 27, 2026, that remarkable journey formally came to an end as Walson-Jack retired from the Federal Civil Service after 34 years of meritorious service, having spent the final two years as Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF). Her tenure marked by institution-building, reform and an unwavering commitment to duty.

But as she bowed out, the challenge she leaves behind is considerably larger than the story of one successful career.

It is the challenge of sustaining the momentum of reforms she helped drive at the heart of Nigeria’s bureaucracy.

Her successor, Mr Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, who was sworn in by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House and assumed office as HCSF on August 27, inherits a Federal Civil Service undergoing perhaps its most significant transformation in decades.

The new Head of Service is therefore not merely taking over an office. Until his appointment, Enitan was the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education. He is taking responsibility for consolidating an emerging culture of digitalisation, professionalism, productivity, welfare, institutional accountability and citizen-centred service delivery.

Some civil servants have observed that the retirement of Walson-Jack represents more than the departure of another public servant, noting that it marks the end of a career that coincided with, and in many instances actively contributed to, some of the most important transitions in Nigeria’s public administration.

For decades, the Federal Civil Service had been criticised for bureaucracy, inefficiency, corruption, cumbersome procedures and an institutional culture often perceived as resistant to change.

Walson-Jack came to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) at a time when the demand for a more modern, professional and citizen-centred public service had become unavoidable.

According to a civil servant, Mr. Johnson Onuh with the Federal Ministry of Education, ‘In the last two years, Walson-Jack has been pushing aggressively towards digitalisation, professionalisation, staff welfare and institutional renewal.

‘The result is a civil service that, by the end of her tenure, had begun moving visibly away from paper-driven administration towards digital processes,’ he said.

Walson-Jack’s two years at the helm may have been relatively short, but the volume of reforms initiated or accelerated during the period has left Enitan with an enormous task: to ensure that the momentum does not slow down with the departure of the woman who championed it.

The symbolism of Walson-Jack’s retirement was captured in the titles of the two books she presented shortly before her exit: ‘I Planted: A Memoir of Purposeful Service’ and ‘Beyond the Mandate: A Memoir on Leadership, Legacy and Labour of Public Service.’

The books were presented in Abuja on August 25 as part of activities marking her retirement and 60th birthday.

The books were an attempt to document three decades of public administration and the lessons she gathered while moving through some of Nigeria’s most challenging institutions.

‘Thirty-four years is a long time to be entrusted with the people’s business,’ she said at the presentation.

‘It is long enough to plant things; institutions, systems, people, and to watch some of them grow taller than you.’ That philosophy explains much of the trajectory of her career.

A University of Lagos-trained lawyer and certified legislative drafter, Walson-Jack entered the Rivers State Civil Service in 1992 as a State Counsel in the Ministry of Justice after completing her National Youth Service Corps programme and briefly practising law in Port Harcourt.

However, when Bayelsa State was created on October 1, 1996, Walson-Jack became one of only seven pioneering Law Officers in the new state’s Ministry of Justice.

She recalled that the conditions were far from ideal, noting that the ministry operated from inadequate premises, while officers sometimes travelled from Port Harcourt to Yenagoa before dawn along difficult roads. Yet, the new state needed something fundamental: laws, institutions and a functioning legal architecture. Walson-Jack became part of the team that helped provide them.

Her legislative drafting expertise proved critical as she worked across the Ministry of Justice and State House of Assembly, contributing to the development of foundational legislation and training other officers in legislative drafting.

By July 2002, she had risen to Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary of the Bayelsa State Ministry of Justice. Over seven years, she helped transform the pioneer ministry from seven Law Officers into an institution with 72 legal professionals working across ten specialised departments.

She also introduced reforms aimed at improving access to justice, including simplified probate procedures for small estates, benefiting widows and other vulnerable beneficiaries.

The ministry produced The Justice Gazette, established a Committee on the Quick Dispensation of Justice, worked on the Revised Laws of Bayelsa State, published the Bayelsa State Law Report and developed a practical handbook on official corruption for public officers.

Walson-Jack’s career later moved beyond law into broader executive administration. Between 2012 and 2014, she served successively as Deputy Chief of Staff, Commissioner for Science, Technology and Manpower Development, and Chief of Staff to the Governor of Bayelsa State.

In December 2014, she returned to the Federal Civil Service as a Director and subsequently served as Permanent Secretary across portfolios including Niger Delta Affairs, Power, Water Resources and Sanitation, Education and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

By the time President Tinubu appointed her Head of Service in August 2024, she had accumulated more than three decades of experience spanning law, policy implementation, human capital development, institutional reform and executive administration.

Her appointment placed her at the centre of efforts to transform a bureaucracy employing more than 100,000 federal civil servants.

In office, Walson-Jack championed reforms across the six pillars of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021-2025, while strengthening its critical enablers.

The results provide a substantial part of her legacy.

The number of Ministries, Departments and Agencies operating digitalised work processes increased from just three to 38. Official government email access expanded from fewer than 20,000 officers in August 2024 to more than 116,000 active accounts by August 2026.

The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation also transitioned into the integrated 1Gov Cloud environment, incorporating platforms such as GovMail, inMail, GovDrive and GovConference.

Some 15,800 civil servants received digital-skills training, while Walson-Jack pioneered the service-wide GPT initiative, an AI-enabled knowledge platform designed to provide faster access to Public Service Rules, circulars, policies and institutional information.

For a bureaucracy traditionally associated with paperwork and slow administrative processes, the significance of these changes cannot be overstated. The reform agenda was not, however, limited to technology.

Walson-Jack placed considerable emphasis on the welfare of civil servants. Among the initiatives during her tenure were the provision of 100 per cent annual emoluments as exit benefits for retiring officers, a N10 billion housing loan intervention under the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board, approval of 100 per cent duty tour allowance for officers participating in approved capacity-development programmes, and a 40 per cent increase in peculiar allowances across CONPSS and CONRAISS.

A Personnel Audit and Skill Gap Analysis covering more than 90,000 officers was completed, while 100 electric buses were introduced to provide safer, more reliable and affordable transportation for federal civil servants.

Other institutional reforms included the development of a National HR Competency Framework, mechanisms for engaging former Heads of Service, a regional liaison office and the reintroduction of the Civil Service Anthem.

Stakeholders have observed that these initiatives have created expectations that would now confront Enitan.

At the Abuja book presentation, President Tinubu described Walson-Jack as a distinguished public servant and reformer who understood that public service was a calling to national purpose rather than a platform for personal achievement.

Represented by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, SAN, the President said the Federal Civil Service remained indispensable to the success of government because policies and programmes ultimately depended on the machinery of the service for implementation and delivery.

He said his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda required a professional, competent, ethical, innovative and citizen-centred public service capable of translating government policies into tangible results.

The President also stressed the importance of digital transformation, including stronger integration between payroll and human-resource systems, as part of efforts to improve accountability, eliminate leakages and strengthen personnel management.

For Walson-Jack, the presidential endorsement represented a recognition of the institutional rather than personal character of the reforms.

The tributes that accompanied her retirement reflected the unusual breadth of Walson-Jack’s career.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, who had known her for more than two decades, described her journey as an example of perseverance, merit and integrity.

Jonathan thanked President Tinubu for appointing an indigene of Bayelsa State to the nation’s top civil service position, but stressed that the appointment should be understood primarily through the prism of competence.

For him, the lesson from Walson-Jack’s career was clear: Nigeria must put the right people in the right positions.

‘If integrity and merit are not considered, especially in the leadership of a country, if you compromise merit, then you cannot go anywhere,’ he said.

The National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who was Walson-Jack’s course mate at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, recalled meeting her 18 years ago and described her as a woman of dignity, discipline and distinction.

He told her that retirement represented only one chapter of her story. ‘The one year relating with her made me to believe that indeed, in her, something is going to happen,’ Ribadu said.

‘I believe this is not the end of the story for you. This is one chapter and another one is going to open.’

Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State similarly urged Walson-Jack not to regard retirement as retirement from service to Nigeria, encouraging her to continue contributing to policy development and mentoring younger public servants.

Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State described her career as a source of pride to the state, her family and the Niger Delta.

Former SGF Boss Mustapha also placed Walson-Jack alongside former Heads of Service Folasade Yemi-Esan and Ekpenyong Oyo-Ita, describing the three women as among the finest the country had produced in the civil service.

Former Governor Seriake Dickson, under whom Walson-Jack served in Bayelsa, offered perhaps one of the most personal reflections.

He recalled her family background, particularly her late father, a literary figure and poet, and linked Walson-Jack’s own oratory and literary abilities to that heritage.

He also thanked President Tinubu for the decision to appoint her to the highest administrative position in the country.

At the formal handover, Walson-Jack made her expectation clear. She reminded civil servants that transformation of the Service was never about individuals but about Nigeria and the collective responsibility to provide citizens with quality services delivered by competent, professional and committed public servants. The message effectively defines the assignment awaiting Enitan.

The new HCSF acknowledged the enormity of the responsibility and commended his predecessor for laying a strong foundation for continued progress.

He pledged to build on the reforms already established while strengthening the EPIC Culture – Efficiency, Productivity, Incorruptibility and Citizen-Centredness – across the Service.

Unrestrained anger

When, on August 16, a 34-year-old Rabiu Mukhtar, allegedly opened fire at a wedding ceremony in Kano, it made the headlines. This became big news especially against the reason for the shooting, which left one guest, Aliyu Mustapha, dead and injured at least three others.

The suspect said he released the trigger because the noise from the wedding party was disturbing his sleep.

Spokesperson for the Kano State Police Command, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, confirmed the incident. He said the suspect allegedly came out of his house and opened fire on people attending the ceremony.

He said ‘The man, Rabiu Mukthar of Tudun Yola Quarters, used a pump-action gun to sporadically shoot at the gathering of the marriage celebration.’ Kiyawa added that ‘two suspects were arrested during the incident, which happened on Sunday, 16th August 2026, and the pump-action rifle was recovered as well. The case is still under investigation.”

Another example of a wedding that went awry and similar to the Kano incident happened in the Surkh Rod district of Nangarhar Province, Eastern Afganistan in October 2021, when three guests were shot dead at a wedding reception apparently because music was being played at all.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid later told reporters that no law permits killing anyone for playing music. ‘In the ranks of the Islamic Emirate no one has the right to turn anyone away from music or anything, only to try to persuade them. That is the main way,’ Mujahid told the press conference.

Just as in Afghanistan, playing of music is not prohibited in Nigeria. What is prohibited is playing the music too loud in a way that it causes noise pollution.

We sympathise with Mukhtar whose sound sleep was disturbed by the noise from the loud speakers. He is entitled to freedom to sleep soundly without disturbance.

However, he does not have the right to take life simply because his sleep was disturbed. He should have reported the matter to the law enforcement agencies in the area. Good enough, Kano State has enough laws to deal with the matter. These include the Kano State Public Health Law of 2019: Section 7 of which prohibits environmental nuisances and disturbances, including excessive noise from generators, machinery, or business operations that prevent residents from resting or sleeping.

There is also the Kano State Environmental Control Law which empowers authorised officers to act on noise complaints, seize offending equipment, and penalise violators; and the National Environmental (Noise Standards and Control) Regulations, 2009, a federal law enforced locally that set area-specific noise limits for residential, commercial, and mixed-use zones.

Mukhtar could have taken advantage of any of these rather than resort to self-help.

Unfortunately, he has messed up his case through his uncontrolled anger. Now, he risks being prosecuted for culpable homicide and attempted murder and causing grievous hurt. And, if his pump-action rifle is not licensed, that is another crime: unlawful possession / use of firearm would join the charges.

Many people had overreacted in the past when faced with such provocation. They have had to engage the celebrators physically, resulting into bodily injuries and what have you. Even this is bad enough.

However, amidst what seems a confusion or lack of understanding of where individual rights stop, perhaps what we need to reduce such ugly incidents is sustained enlightenment to educate both those who think they have the right to blare their music anyhow, and the law-abiding citizens.

Many people selling cassettes and disks, or even churches and mosques, are either ignorant of, or simply refuse to respect the right of people in their environment the way they turn up the volume of their speakers. They assume whatever they are playing must interest everybody. They need to be compelled to know that they are not entitled to any such assumption.

As in Kano State, the laws are everywhere; what is lacking is enforcement. So, the law enforcement agencies should help reduce incidents like that of Kano by enforcing extant laws on noise pollution.

Rising football names in the Champions League

The Champions League’s qualifying phases have already begun and the much-anticipated league phase will soon start. Every year, new players emerge as hopes for renewal, and in the 2026/2027 season, this will be covered with even more expectation with several players who appeared as rising stars at the World Cup.

For this reason, this list highlights a few players to watch in the biggest European club competition. Already established names, such as Lamine Yamal, are left out so the focus stays on athletes who still need to prove themselves at the highest level of world football. By getting to know these new faces, sports fans might be able to bet on individual awards at 1xBet and other similar platforms.

Nico Paz

Como was the big surprise of the last Italian Serie A. After all, the team had just been promoted from the previous division and, in its very first season in the top flight, achieved a historic fourth place. The team’s philosophy was based on players with potential for the future, but this already paid off sooner than expected. The biggest standout was Argentine Nico Paz, who ended up being elected the league’s best midfielder.

Now, it’s time for him to prove himself in the Champions League. This will be Como’s first appearance in the competition, and the fact of qualifying for the European elite has already secured Nico Paz a prominent role among the club’s historic players. The Italian team is doing everything it can to keep him on the squad, considering it has already turned down offers of 70 million euros for the player, having paid only 6 million euros for him in 2024. Besides Como, Nico Paz has every chance of being one of the standouts of the Argentine national team in the next World Cup cycle, with the potential to be one of Lionel Messi’s successors on the team.

Johan Manzambi

The wider football public did not yet know Swiss player Johan Manzambi before the World Cup. The athlete did not start the competition as a starter for Switzerland, but coming on during matches he was able to resolve games and took over the spot in the main lineup. By performing at a very high level in the world’s biggest competition, Manzambi showed that he is ready to prove himself as one of today’s great rising stars. At the World Cup, he scored 3 goals and provided two assists in 4 matches, being considered one of the tournament’s standout emerging players.

Last season, he stood out at European level playing for Freiburg, of Germany, a standout team in the Europa League. Now, he has transferred to Aston Villa and will make his Champions League debut seeking to prove he can already be decisive at the highest level. The English team acquired the player for 60 million euros, which shows how much the club believes in his potential.

Ayyoub Bouaddi

Bouaddi played for Lille, of France, last season, and those paying closer attention to football were already certain that he is one of the world’s great prospects. After the World Cup, everyone got to know him. He could choose to play for France or Morocco, and after not getting the expected opportunities with the European national team, he decided to represent Morocco. The choice proved to be right, since he was an absolute starter for the team at the World Cup and showed himself ready to perform at every level. The athlete is a modern midfielder fully aligned with the sport’s biggest tactical trends, being everywhere on the pitch with extreme intensity.

Now, in a massive deal worth around 100 million euros, Bouaddi will play for Manchester City. He is expected to be one of the pillars of the team’s renewal after Pep Guardiola’s departure and could establish himself as the face of the team’s new generation. The Champions League will be a trial by fire for the midfielder and, if he has a good performance, he will firmly establish himself as a candidate for one of the standout emerging players in the world.

Yan Diomandé

Ivorian Yan Diomandé was elected the Best Rookie of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season, and deservedly so. Playing for RB Leipzig, the athlete scored 12 goals and provided 8 assists during his breakout season. Right in the first World Cup match, in which Ivory Coast faced Ecuador, the player introduced himself to the world with a playing style that favors dribbles toward goal capable of breaking through any defense.

Proof that he is one of the world’s biggest rising stars is that he will now play for Real Madrid. After almost signing with other teams, he chose to play for the Merengues in a deal worth 125 million euros, which is impressive for being the biggest signing in Real Madrid’s history, a club known for always seeking to sign the best players in the world. However, he is not expected to be a starter right upon arrival, considering the team’s attack is already well established. So, he will have to make the most of any opportunity that comes up, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he soon took on a role in the main team.

For a few years now, Endrick has been considered one of the biggest prospects in world football, but the fact of having gone to Real Madrid ended up giving the Brazilian striker few opportunities to prove himself at the highest level. After all, it’s not at all easy to compete for a starting spot with Mbappé. When he played for the Spanish team in domestic cups, he performed very well, but some choices ended up not pleasing the coach at the time, Carlo Ancelotti.

For this reason, he was loaned to Lyon of France and finally performed at a high level in European football. Right from the first matches, he completely changed the way the French team played and had an enormous impact, even though he went through ups and downs after the excitement of his debut. In 18 matches for the team, he scored 6 goals and provided 7 assists, excellent numbers that qualified him to return to Real Madrid. The confidence is even greater than expected, since José Mourinho requested that the Brazilian stay with the team and even gave the striker the number 9 shirt.

Rodrigo Mora

Rodrigo Mora has already been standing out for some time at Porto, of Portugal, and positions himself as the biggest prospect in the European country. So far, he has only proven himself in the domestic league, and in 2026/27 he will have the chance to show himself in the Champions League. Due to Portugal’s strong squad, he ended up not being called up for the World Cup, and so he has not yet been able to show his credentials on a world stage. Evidently, everything will depend on Porto’s performance in the Champions League, which is unknown considering Portuguese teams have been marked by inconsistency in recent years, alternating between surprises and disappointments.

Dro Fernandez

Dro Fernandez is another player of Barcelona’s academy who decided to transfer to another club before establishing himself in the Spanish team’s professional squad. The choice proved to be a good one, since Dro went to Paris Saint-Germain, current back-to-back Champions League champions. While on one hand he will have the best possible environment to show himself as one of today’s great rising stars, it’s hard to imagine that the Spanish player will get opportunities in the main team, even though he has already played a few minutes in the competition last season.

Considering all the expectations surrounding the player, his minutes in the Champions League and French Ligue 1 will be especially relevant, since the domestic competition should offer more opportunities to play. Teamwork can greatly help Dro stand out. Anyone who considers going through the 1xBet registration will see that the French are once again the clear favorites to win the Champions League title.

Antonio Nusa

Norwegian Antonio Nusa is another example of RB Leipzig’s excellent scouting work. In the last Bundesliga, he scored 4 goals and helped the team qualify for the Champions League. At the World Cup, he was extremely useful for the Norwegian national team, even scoring the goal that helped the team qualify for the round of 16. Now, it is time for the winger to take a bigger step in his career and show at European level that he is one more player to join the great stars who have emerged from Norway in recent years.

Lennart Karl

While Bayern Munich has an extremely valuable squad filled with top-tier stars from around the world, the team is also known for giving many chances to new players. One of the main names of the new generation is Lennart Karl, a German attacking midfielder from Bayern’s emerging group. In the last Bundesliga season, he got his first big opportunities and, between games coming off the bench and starting, he has already reached the mark of 5 goals and 5 assists. The player was even called up by Germany for the World Cup, but ended up being cut before the debut due to an injury.

In addition to his good performance in the Bundesliga, Karl’s performance in last season’s Champions League drew even more attention. He has already scored 4 goals and provided two assists in the continent’s biggest competition, surprising numbers for a player still at the beginning of his senior career. Now, he can firmly show that he will be the standout player of the new German generation, a country that has been very disappointing on the world stage lately.

Ondo records Nigeria’s highest debt reduction in 18 months, says Aiyedatiwa

Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa said his administration has reduced the state’s domestic debt profile by 82.6 per cent within the first 18 months in office.

Aiyedatiwa disclosed this on Friday at the maiden edition of the quarterly media briefing of his administration held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Akure.

He also described the reduction as the highest recorded by any state in Nigeria.

The governor, represented by his Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, also presented the administration’s scorecard since he assumed office on 24 February 2025.

According to him, the reduction in the state’s domestic debt was achieved through prudent financial management, fiscal discipline and effective debt management strategies.

He stated that the administration had also cleared outstanding salary arrears owed to workers and former political office holders, as well as gratuity arrears owed to pensioners.

‘These have been made possible with prudent financial management that has led Ondo State to recording an 82.6 per cent reduction in its domestic debt profile, the highest percentage in the country, reflecting fiscal discipline and effective debt management strategies,’ the governor said.

In December 2025, the data released by the Nigeria’s Debt Management Office (DMO) shows that Ondo has the lowest domestic debt profile, standing at approximately at 8,415,296,774.51.

Meanwhile, Aiyedatiwa noted that his administration had created more than 6,000 direct employment opportunities in less than two years, particularly in education, healthcare, security and agriculture.

‘It is on record that no governor has created more direct employment opportunities for the people of the state than Governor Aiyedatiwa.

‘In less than two years, more than 6,000 workers have been recruited into critical sectors such as education, healthcare, security and agriculture to improve service delivery and reduce unemployment,’ he said.

Affirming that healthcare had remained a major priority of his administration, the governor revealed that more than 2,000 health professionals had been recruited to strengthen the healthcare workforce of the state.

He said the state had also improved the remuneration of health workers to retain skilled personnel and expanded health insurance coverage to vulnerable groups.

‘More than 2,000 health professionals had been recruited, while Ondo State became the first state in the South-West to implement enhanced CONMESS and CONHESS allowances for health workers,’ he said.

Aiyedatiwa said the State Executive Council had approved a N1 billion Hospital Intervention Fund to expand and modernise healthcare facilities across the state.

He added that 100-bed capacity upgrades were ongoing at hospitals in Ikare-Akoko, Ore, Irele and Igbokoda, while more than 100 primary healthcare centres had been renovated within the period under review.

The governor also said the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH) had also received modern diagnostic equipment, including a 1.5 Tesla MRI machine, a 160-slice CT scanner, 3D digital mammography equipment, 4D ultrasound machines and digital X-ray machines.

According to Aiyedatiwa, a pharmaceutical-grade warehouse had been completed in Akure to ensure a steady supply of medicines across the state.

He said the Orange Health Insurance Scheme (ORANGHIS) had also been expanded to cover public servants, workers in the informal sector and, for the first time, retirees and pensioners at no cost.

Aiyedatiwa revealed that the interventions had begun to yield positive outcomes in maternal and child healthcare.

He, however, said the latest Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey ranked Ondo as having the best under-five mortality indicators and placed the state among those with the lowest maternal mortality ratios.

Sokoto govt reaffirms commitment to improve condition of medical health workers

Sokoto State government has restated its commitment to improving the welfare and working conditions of medical and health workers in the state.

The state governor, Ahmed Aliyu, stated this when he received the national president of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), and his delegation on a Kabir Ado Minjibir visit.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Idris Mohammed Gobir, described health workers as frontline personnel providing essential services to the people, often under difficult conditions.

He said the success of the administration’s healthcare reforms largely depends on having a motivated, competent and adequately supported workforce.

Aliyu disclosed that health workers were among the 3,000 workers recently recruited by the state government.

He added that the government had introduced a two-year compulsory rural posting policy for health workers to strengthen healthcare delivery, particularly in rural communities.

The governor also announced that arrangements were underway for the recruitment of 2,400 community health workers in the state.

He said the government has renovated the state specialist hospital and general hospitals in the 23 local government areas, as well as more than 160 primary healthcare centres out of the 244 in the state.

Aliyu assured MHWUN members of the government’s readiness to partner with the union and other stakeholders to address challenges confronting the health sector.

He commended the national leadership of MHWUN for its contributions to healthcare development in Nigeria and the state council for maintaining a cordial relationship with the government.

The governor urged health workers to reciprocate the government’s efforts through commitment, discipline, professionalism and dedication to duty.

Earlier, the national president of the, Comrade Kabir Ado Minjibir, said they were in the state for the inauguration of the ultra-modern secretariat of the state branch of the union.

Comrade Minjibir expressed appreciation for the state government’s efforts towards improving the welfare of health workers in the state and hoped that the tempo will be sustained.

He commended the personal intervention of Governor Aliyu, which led to the amicable resolution of the union’s crisis about two years ago.

The national president said the union has 17 professional associations under its umbrella, whose members work at the local government, state and federal levels.

Minjibir stated that he had discussed with the Commissioner for Health some of the challenges being faced by members of the union in the state, which will be presented to the state government for necessary action.

Also, former national president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Comrade Ayuba Wabba presented an award to Governor Aliyu and his deputy for their giant strides towards improving the health sector in the state.

10 Africa’s strongest currencies in August 2026

Africa’s strongest currencies in August 2026 remain dominated by North African economies, with Tunisia, Libya and Morocco holding the top three positions against the US dollar.

According to exchange rate data from Forbes Advisor’s Currency Converter, the Tunisian dinar remains the continent’s strongest currency, trading at 2.96 dinars to one US dollar. Libya’s dinar ranks second at 6.41 per US dollar, while Morocco’s dirham ranks third at 9.38 per US dollar.

Ghana’s cedi ranks fourth at 11.64 per US dollar, followed by the Seychelles rupee at 13.52 and Botswana’s pula at 13.77. Eritrea’s nakfa ranks seventh, while South Africa’s rand, Eswatini’s lilangeni and Namibia’s dollar complete the top 10.

Rank Country Exchange Rate per US$1 Currency

1. Tunisia 2.96 Tunisian Dinar (TND)

2. Libya 6.41 Libyan Dinar (LYD)

3. Morocco 9.38 Moroccan Dirham (MAD)

4. Ghana 11.64 Ghanaian Cedi (GHS)

5. Seychelles 13.52 Seychellois Rupee (SCR)

6. Botswana 13.77 Botswana Pula (BWP)

7. Eritrea 15.00 Eritrean Nakfa (ERN)

8 South Africa 16.74 South African Rand (ZAR)

9. Eswatini 16.80 Swazi Lilangeni (SZL)

10. Namibia 16.80 Namibian Dollar (NAD)

2027: APC targets total victory in Kano – Jibrin Kofa

The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, is set to deliver 60 boreholes to provide potable water to communities across the three senatorial districts of the state.

This was contained in a statement signed by Chief Kayode Odunaro, Media Adviser to the lawmaker, which was made available to newsmen in Abeokuta on Friday.

According to Odunaro, the water supply projects, which were based on communal requests, priority and technical feasibility, are ongoing and at various stages of completion, ranging from site assessment and surveying to drilling, casing, pump installation and testing.

He said the projects were expected to be completed within the next 10 days, as contractors had been fully mobilised.

‘I am happy to announce that in the next few days, some of our people in communities in need of potable water across our senatorial districts will start enjoying the commodity, complementary to the major waterworks of the administration of our governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun.

‘The projects were facilitated based on requests to my office and prioritised on the basis of urgent need and expected numbers of beneficiaries,’ the senator stated, while urging the handlers of the projects to deliver them on schedule.

The distribution of the projects indicates that Ogun West will receive 21 boreholes, Ogun Central 20 and Ogun East 19, with Yewa South, Abeokuta North and Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Areas having the highest numbers, with seven and five respectively. All other LGAs will also benefit in varying numbers.

Among the communities and townships benefiting from the water projects are Obasanjo Hill Top, Alubarika, Bode Olude, Opeji, Omida Community, Moriwi Community, Pahayi Police Station in Ilaro, Ijado and Ijako townships, as well as Owode Obafe Township.

Other beneficiaries include Ogijo Market, Igbore Community in Ikenne, Odo Alere Quarters in Ososa, Ibiade Community and Imakun Community, among others.

Senator Adeola stated that all the boreholes would be powered by appropriate generators for maximum efficiency and management.

He added that he hoped the projects would not only serve domestic and economic purposes but also complement preventive healthcare programmes for the people.

It was recalled that Senator Adeola had previously completed several similar borehole projects across Ogun State, including projects in ultra-modern markets, school buildings, primary healthcare centres and other projects he facilitated.

Shettima to NEC: Sustain reforms until Nigerians feel economic gains

Vice President Kashim Shettima has charged the National Economic Council (NEC) to sustain ongoing economic reforms until improvements recorded at the macroeconomic level translate into jobs, stronger purchasing power, increased business confidence and better living conditions for Nigerians.

Shettima, who spoke at the 160th meeting of NEC at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday, said the Federal Government and states must remain focused on implementing policies beyond their announcement, stressing that continuity and measurable outcomes were critical to earning public confidence.

The Vice President, who chairs the Council, said a government should be judged not merely by the policies it initiates, but by its determination to follow them through until they produce tangible result

‘There is no doubt that a serious government is measured by the matters it refuses to abandon. While attention may reveal a problem, continuity determines whether the problem yields to policy’, he said.

Shettima noted that improvements in revenue, debt management, production and investment would be of limited significance unless they ultimately ease the cost of living and improve conditions at the household level.

According to a statement issued on Thursday by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima said the gains of the administration’s reforms must increasingly become evident in the daily experiences of ordinary Nigerians.

‘Macroeconomic progress must therefore continue its passage into jobs, purchasing power, business confidence and stronger subnational economies, because numbers become politically meaningful when citizens recognise themselves in their improvement’, the Vice President said.

He urged NEC to ensure sustained follow-through on existing programmes and commitments, warning that emerging priorities must not displace unfinished responsibilities of government.

‘Continuity is a form of accountability: yesterday’s promise still deserves a place on today’s table, and no new priority absolves us of an old responsibility’, Shettima said.

He said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had placed on NEC the responsibility of making cooperation among the different tiers of government productive and ensuring that policies were converted into outcomes Nigerians could see and feel.

‘A government that remembers earns the confidence of its people because its promises do not expire when the microphones are switched off’, the Vice President added.

Meanwhile, NEC endorsed the Revised National Social Protection Policy, NSPP 2026-2030, presented by the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s social protection architecture.

The Council also urged states to align their social protection policies, laws, budgets and implementation plans with the revised national framework.

The NSPP 2026-2030 provides a national policy framework for strengthening social protection coordination, financing, implementation, monitoring and accountability across the federation.

Under the revised policy, a National Social Protection Council is to be established to provide overarching oversight for the coordination and implementation of social protection interventions nationwide.

The council will be chaired by the Vice President, while the Ministers of Budget and Economic Planning, Labour and Employment, and Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction will serve as vice chairmen.

The Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning will serve as the secretariat, while six governors, representing each of the country’s six geopolitical zones, will serve as members.

In another development, the Federal Government informed NEC that it had awarded contracts for the rehabilitation of 13 police training institutions across the country.

The rehabilitation exercise, expected to be completed within three weeks, is intended to prepare the institutions for the commencement of training programmes by the Nigeria Police Force.

The update on the rehabilitation programme was presented to the Council during Thursday’s meeting.

The 160th NEC meeting brought together governors, ministers and other statutory members of the Council to deliberate on economic, security and social development issues affecting the federation.