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The Chief of Special Services and Programmes of the Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Jamal Abdulsalam, has said the current welfare of soldiers is the best since the creation of the force.

He said the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, had, since his assumption of office, made soldiers’ welfare his top priority.

Abdulsalam spoke after inaugurating the newly completed blocks of 18 rooms and flats constructed by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Emekah, as transit accommodation for the general officers and staff at Bori Camp in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

He said: ‘The welfare of soldiers has never been as good as it is now since the creation of the Nigerian Army. Many welfare aspects of the soldiers have been tackled.

‘The ration cash allowance of soldiers has been doubled since the Chief of Army Staff came. Many issues about soldiers have been handled; their medical and accommodation, including the education of their wards and children. All the things provided for them are excellent, top-notch.’

Abdulsalam, the immediate past GOC of 6 Division, said the transit accommodation, codenamed Python Camp, was in line with the command philosophy of the COAS on staff welfare.

He said: ‘You can see that everything within the complex is meant for soldiers. He has been able to build this edifice that will accommodate nothing less than 40 to 50 soldiers.

‘It is a commendable project, and this is what the Army is all about everywhere. Everybody wants to emulate what the Chief of Army Staff is doing.’

Maj.-Gen. Emekah lauded the achievements of his predecessor in the division, saying the project was done in the spirit of continuity.

Addressing Abdulsalam, the GOC said: ‘It is an addition to the laudable achievements recorded under your command and it reflects the drive to align with the Chief of Army Staff’s command philosophy as it relates to troops’ welfare, the provision of befitting living and working conditions.

‘The project stands as tangible evidence of continuity, growth, and sheer commitment to the well-being of our personnel.’

According to him, construction work is also ongoing on a 60-unit block of flats within the division.

The GOC explained that the project was designed to address the accommodation deficit faced by officers and to complement the solid foundation his predecessor laid down during his tenure.

Emekah said Abdulsalam’s legacies remained enduring and assured him that they would be preserved and improved upon.

Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Limited, a member of Coca-Cola Hellenic Beverage Company (CCHBC), has again shown its commitment to sustainability and community partnership with an awareness walk in Apapa, Lagos, to mark World Clean-Up Day.

The initiative brought together volunteers, including employees from the company’s Ikeja Plant, HeadOffice at Iddo House, and its recycling plant in Apapa.

Walking with officials of Apapa Local Government, community leaders, and youth groups, volunteers engaged residents on importance of proper waste management and recycling as a way of life.

The activity, from Liverpool Roundabout to NBC rPET Hub in Apapa, was an opportunity for interaction with the community, raising awareness on environmental stewardship and reinforcing role of recycling.

Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Director, Soromidayo George, said the walk was part of a wider Waste-to-Wealth drive.

‘What we are doing goes beyond picking plastics; it is about creating awareness and changing mindsets. Recycling also provide economic opportunities. Our employees who volunteered are sustainability champions and with the community, we will build a cleaner and greener Apapa,’ she said.

Since the launch of its Apapa recycling plant in January, NBC has continued to strengthen its role in Lagos State’s green economy. The facility has provided jobs and become a model for other operators in the recycling sector.

Community voices also noted impact of the collaboration. Youth Coordinator in National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) in Apapa, Samuel Idoko, noted that NBC’s initiative complements youth-led recycling efforts.

Chair of Azare Community Development Association, Jide Santos, lauded NBC’s role in encouraging environmental consciousness in Apapa.

Through this, NBC shows that environmental protection is a shared mission with companies, governments, and communities.

One is James Duru, a chartered accountant who recently earned a Master’s degree from American University in Washington, D.C., the political heartbeat of the United States. Another is Sunday Ogunleye, an MSc graduate in Management and Data Analytics from Indiana Wesleyan University. No less accomplished is Moses Adebayo, who studied Quantitative Economics at Miami University and is now pursuing a PhD in Economics at Northern Illinois University.

Though separated by hundreds of miles and charting careers in seemingly different fields, the trio discovered a unison of purpose that transcended books and borders. Together, they built a dual-function software system aimed at defending one of education’s most fragile values: integrity. AI Guard is designed to block students from copying real-time tests or exams into Optical Character Recognition (OCR) tools for answers from ChatGPT and other generative AI platforms, while Cite Guard helps researchers craft theses that are solidly referenced and academically sound.

For them, this is more than tech innovation-it is a crusade. ‘As much as no student desires to fail, the least we can all do is to study a little more-not cheat the process to academic excellence,’ says James, speaking from his Washington, D.C., office at H and R Block Inc., where he juggles a demanding tax consultancy schedule with his passion project. His comic, easy-going manner makes him a favourite at work, but he admits the venture is steadily eating into his nightlife. The sacrifice, he insists, is worth it. Sunday agrees, confessing that the project has consumed the time he once devoted to social media.

Sunday has always been fascinated by social media trends and algorithms. At one point, he even wrote an article on how Elon Musk’s X (formerly Twitter) posts influenced the U.S. stock market-a subject that sharpened his understanding of the digital economy. For balance, he works as a financial reporting analyst at the Indiana University Foundation, where spreadsheets and statements keep him grounded in the realities of finance. Moses, on the other hand, barely paused after completing his Master’s before securing a scholarship for his PhD. The doctorate, often described as a marathon that consumes every corner of life, is no less demanding. Yet Moses dares the odds, carving out space for both his research and the AI Guard/Cite Guard project. ‘I have a lot of hope for this project. That is why I don’t mind pouring all my resources into its success,’ Moses says. He refuses to see the PhD as a narrow, solitary path. ‘If this project becomes another contribution I make to the academic community, I am satisfied.’

Sunday, however, is less easily contented. ‘My aspiration is to replicate the applications of this software in the schools where the three of us studied. Beyond that, I want to see it adopted widely by lecturers across the United States.’ Once that milestone is reached, Sunday dreams of bringing the innovation to Nigeria. He envisions a tour across African universities, beginning in Nigeria, to promote AI Guard and Cite Guard as a way of giving back to the communities that shaped them.

From ‘Yahoo Boy’ to ‘Tech Bro’: How African innovators are rewriting the narrative

James, Sunday, and Moses wear their impressive academic laurels with pride. Yet, it is their shared passion for artificial intelligence that has carried them beyond the professional lanes they already mastered. They are not alone in this pursuit. Across Africa, the rise of the so-called ‘tech bro’ has become a cultural phenomenon-one that is rattling old stereotypes and positioning the continent as a serious player in the global tech revolution.

Take Nigerian-born Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, for instance. Trained in legal studies at the University of Waterloo, he pivoted into fintech entrepreneurship and went on to co-found Andela and Flutterwave. In 2019, New African magazine listed him among the 100 most influential Africans, after he led Flutterwave to process over $2 billion across 50 million transactions, pulling in millions of dollars in annual revenues. The list of black and indigenous talents transforming Africa into a budding Silicon Valley is growing-and fast. More importantly, it is upending a damaging stereotype. Once, the continent’s digital-savvy youth were dismissed as ‘yahoo boys,’ shorthand for internet fraudsters. Today, they are more likely to be recognized as software developers, fintech disruptors, and artificial intelligence pioneers. And it’s not just fintech. In South Africa, Sam Hutchinson’s Sendmarc has emerged as a cybersecurity force, helping businesses fight phishing, spoofing, and impersonation through automated DMARC, DKIM, and SPF controls. From Lagos to Johannesburg, Nairobi to Accra, Africa’s innovators are rewriting the continent’s tech story-one line of code at a time.

Introducing the first-of-its-kind offline AI software in academics

Since the disruptive rise of artificial intelligence, its application across fields has become almost inevitable. The COVID-19 pandemic, which triggered a global lockdown, accelerated this shift dramatically. With classrooms shut and offices emptied, AI-powered tools helped bridge the gap between people and their work-life. At the height of the pandemic, even the United Nations endorsed remote learning as a way to preserve quality education and ensure social inclusion. Artificial intelligence was the engine that kept learning afloat.

Globally, the education technology sector saw an explosion of platforms. In Singapore, Erudite became a household name for personalized online learning, while in the United States, Yellowbrick carved a niche with its expansive digital courses. The U.S. now dominates the edtech landscape, accounting for more than a third of leading platforms worldwide. China follows with around 10 percent, while the United Kingdom contributes just over 6 percent. Even Brazil has carved a space, with Afya, a company that runs medical schools and delivers online courses in health sciences, earning a spot among the global top 10. Yet, as impressive as these platforms are, they share one limitation: connectivity. That is where the first-of-its-kind offline AI academic software steps in to change the game.

Even if the idea of AI use for learning and grading had been alien to less developed countries, COVID-19 made sure that changed. Despite the advantages of AI in education, its threat to education is a greater nightmare. This is why the AI Guard/Cite Guard are nipping the bud in the head. ‘My mentor, Prof Augustine Duru, approached me with his concerns about how his students were mostly inactive and less-performative in classes but acing their tests and exams, he suspected they received some forms of assistance,’ James recounted the story of how his team’s project was conceived.

‘The prof further investigated the issue and found out indeed that students are able to copy questions and transfer to Chat-GPT for answers. It was then I knew it was a problem that needed an urgent solution. He shared the problem with me because he perceived I was tech-savvy.’ During his Master’s programme at AU, he was a research assistant under Prof Duru in the same college, and grew fond of the professor in spite of his educational feat.

James grew increasingly restless after one of his lecturers voiced concerns about the creeping influence of artificial intelligence on academic honesty. Determined not to leave the problem unattended, he reached out to two erudite colleagues with whom he had once toyed with the idea of co-authoring research papers in Economics. What began as casual intellectual brainstorming soon evolved into long hours of Zoom meetings that gave birth to AI Guard-a tool designed squarely to address lecturers’ anxieties. Out of that same creative fire, the trio later forged Cite Guard, born from their shared desire to ease the recurring headache researchers face when managing references in their theses.

AI Guard is built to empower educators. The software allows mobile and computer users to edit, format, and convert text documents into various image formats. It supports loading and saving text from file types such as .docx and .pdf, while offering robust text editing and image-handling options. Crucially, it encourages faculties to upload assessments-tests and examinations-as reduced-quality but clearly visible images on learning platforms. By doing so, students are hindered from running Optical Character Recognition (OCR) tools to extract questions accurately for AI-driven solutions. In essence, AI Guard safeguards the sanctity of real-time academic assessments.

Cite Guard, on the other hand, is crafted specifically for researchers. It streamlines the painstaking process of citation verification by automatically detecting missing or uncited references in academic manuscripts. Compatible with widely used citation styles such as APA, Chicago, and Harvard, the tool enables users to load documents, analyse them for compliance, and generate reports highlighting gaps. For students and scholars alike, Cite Guard is a quiet guardian-helping to strengthen the credibility of research outputs by ensuring references are not overlooked. Together, the innovations embody one mission: protecting academic integrity. The duo of AI Guard and Cite Guard could easily have joined the long list of plagiarism- and cheating-detection tools like Turnitin, Quetext, and Scribbr. But James, Sunday, and Moses pushed their idea a step further, introducing a groundbreaking twist: both applications were designed to function offline. This decision was not cosmetic-it was strategic.

For years, U.S. schools have grappled with the menace of data leaks. Even before AI surged into classrooms, vulnerabilities in educational software exposed millions of records. A study by Comparitech’s Charlotte Bond revealed that since 2005, K-12 school districts and universities across the United States have suffered 3,713 data breaches, compromising more than 37.6 million records. The problem reached crisis levels in 2023-the year before AI Guard and Cite Guard were conceived-when educational institutions recorded 954 breaches, nearly seven times the 2022 figure of 139. That year alone, almost 4.3 million student records were exposed, much of it traced to exploitation of vulnerabilities in internet-connected systems.

Against this backdrop, the trio understood their assignment: protecting academic integrity must not come at the cost of worsening exam leaks or exposing sensitive data. Thus, they built a platform that works independently of the internet. This offline attribute is the software’s unique selling point, one the developers believe will win the trust of lecturers, administrators, and students alike. As they put it in their mission statement: ‘Any software is more vulnerable to attack when it is run over the internet. Setting up an offline software reduces the chances of a hacker a great deal.’ That offline-first philosophy makes AI Guard and Cite Guard not just tools against academic dishonesty, but also guardians of institutional security-offering peace of mind in an age of digital vulnerability.

A former President of the Handball Federation of Nigeria(HFN) , Dr. Lanre Glover, has backed the candidacy of Jibrin Saidu for the federation’s exalted position in the upcoming elections this month.

Glover said Saidu who is bidding to take over from Samuel Ocheho who has served his mandatory two terms, has the capacity to build on the achievements of the outgoing President of the HFN.

‘The outgoing President Sam Ocheho has done an excellent job bringing respectability to handball both locally and internationally. There is an important need to put someone in the position to continue the trajectory and that person is Jibrin Saidu,’ Glover said.

Glover, who also served as the first Vice President of African Handball Confederation, said Saidu has shown his commitment to the development of handball and has the financial capacity to take handball to a higher level.

He continued: ‘In 2015 during the Handball Nations Cup in Egypt, Saidu bailed the federation out by sponsoring the team when the then President, the Late Dauda Yusuf was helpless.

‘He has sponsored several championships in Nigeria and singlehandedly sponsored the African Delegates meeting of the Commonwealth Handball Association in Abuja. He has the financial wherewithal and experience to propel handball to greater heights.

Glover said he was publicly endorsing the candidacy of Saidu in order to ensure a capable successor to Ocheho practically turned the fortunes of the federation around, adding: ‘I seize this opportunity to salute Ocheho for a job well done as he bows out.’

The rush and craze for university admission among youths is no less encouraging. Many students see it as avenue to upgrade their status, others see it as an opportunity for learning and new experience. For some it is an opportunity to be certificated in certain fields, and start earning through knowledge gain. However, once they start rounding off their course of study, it is not uncommon for students to start thinking of the next thing.

Speaking to CAMPUS LIFE, Amuwa Olufemi, a 400-Level student, at Redeemer’s University, said: ‘After graduation, I plan to focus on my automobile business

I’ve always been passionate about cars, and I’m excited to build a business that will make a lasting impact on the industry and provide exceptional services to my customers.

‘I want to be my own boss and create something from scratch, I’m excited to take the risks and challenges that come with starting a business, and I’m confident that with hard work and determination, I can achieve my goals.

I also believe that my business will be successful because I’m passionate about cars and I’m committed to providing excellent customer service.’

Omowumi Olawale, an HND 2 student, at Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) said after completing her studies, she planned to further her education.

‘I believe that education is key to unlocking my full potential, and I’m determined to achieve my goals and make a positive impact in my field.

‘I’ve always been interested in learning new things, and I believe that education is a lifelong process, and I’m excited to continue learning and growing.

‘I want to use my skills and knowledge to make a difference in the world, and I’m excited to contribute to my community and help others achieve their goals.

‘I believe that furthering my education will give me the opportunity to achieve my goals and make a positive impact in my field,’ she said.

Esther Emedom, a 400-Level student, at Caleb University, Lagos, said: ‘I plan to start up a small business. I want to be my own boss and create something from scratch.

I’ve always been interested in business, and I believe that starting my own business will give me the freedom and flexibility to pursue my passions and achieve my goals. I want to be a successful entrepreneur and make a positive impact in my community,’ she said.

For Anozike Alexander, a 400-Level student at Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, he wants to use his skills to help businesses and individuals achieve their goals.

‘I believe that social media is a powerful tool for communication and marketing, and I’m excited to use my skills to help businesses and individuals achieve their goals.

‘I’ve been managing social media accounts for student organisations and creating content for various projects, and I can build a successful career in social media and achieve my goals.

I want to use social media to build relationships and achieve goals, I’m excited to help businesses and individuals succeed in the digital age,’ he said.

The U17 Women National Team, Flamingos, are wrapping up their World Cup preparations in Abuja with a streak of impressive results that demonstrate their growing confidence and cohesion.

Since returning to camp, the girls have played eight friendly matches, winning all, scoring 26 goals and conceding none-a perfect record that has boosted morale ahead of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals taking place in Morocco.

Last week, the Flamingos turned on the style. They cruised to a 3-0 victory over Abuja All-Stars, with Praise Agba scoring on a loose ball, Olamide Olanrewaju converting from the penalty spot, and Zainab Raji adding a thundering third soon after the break. Goalkeeper Sylvia Echefu was heroic, pulling off multiple saves to keep her sheet clean. Earlier, they battled through a rain-disrupted friendly against Josiah Academy, winning 2-0 thanks to a Chisom Nwachukwu brace inside the opening 10 minutes before the heavens forced an early halt.

There were also emphatic wins over Nazareth Angels (5-0), with Queen Joseph scoring twice alongside goals from Praise Agba, Mariam Yahaya, and Chisom Nwachukwu, and a commanding 5-0 triumph over Horvel Prime, in which Queen Joseph grabbed a hat-trick in 35 minutes, supported by strikes from captain Shakirat Moshood and Azeezat Oduntan. In all their tune-up games, the Flamingos have demonstrated balance, depth, and hunger, from precise finishing in attack to defensive resilience.

The team is now fully focused on their World Cup campaign, where they have been placed in Group D against Canada, France, and Samoa.

The team is scheduled to depart Nigeria on 8th October, bringing their perfect run and growing belief to the international stage as they seek glory in Morocco (17th October – 8th November 2025).

Super Falcons forward Gift Monday has expressed her emotions after missing out on Nigeria’s campaign for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), despite putting up a historic performance in the United States.

Speaking after her record-breaking display in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), the striker described playing for the Super Falcons as ‘a very big honour’ and reaffirmed her desire to return to the national team setup.

‘I am always more than happy to represent the green white green. I’m doing what I can to get my feet together and hopefully get called up. I am so, so glad to give Nigeria this precious gift,’ she said.

While her current exploits have grabbed global attention, Monday revealed her biggest motivation remains wearing the Nigerian jersey again. Having missed out on the recent WAFCON 24 campaign in Morocco ,she believes her form could soon open the door for another Super Falcons call-up ahead of the WAFCON qualifiers second round double header against Benin Republic next month

23-year-old Monday’s last involvement with the Super Falcons was in October 2024, when the Super Falcons faced Algeria in a two-legged friendly.

Chief Economist at Afrexximbank, Yemi Kale, yesterday projected that inflation could fall to about 14 per cent by the end of 2026 if the Federal Government’s ongoing structural reforms are sustained.

Kale, former Statistician-General of the Federation, spoke at the Independence Day edition of ‘The Platform Nigeria’ yesterday, with the theme: ‘Rebuilding our nation.’

Others who spoke at the event convened by the Pastor Poju Oyemade Covenant of Nation were entrepreneur/ expert on food ecosystems, Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli; governance expert and lawyer, Joe Abah; strategy consultant, Leke Alder; and former Super Eagles captain, Segun Odegbami.

Delivering his speech entitled ‘Reform and resilience: Strengthening Nigeria’s economic Foundations,’ Kale projected that inflation could fall to about 14 per cent by the end of next year, if reforms are sustained.

He, however, cautioned that despite the projected drop in inflation, Nigerians would continue to feel the strain.

‘Between now and then, the hardship will continue. The lesson here is clear: reforms must be matched with targeted and effective social cushions to protect the most vulnerable,’ Kale said.

The expert urged the Federal Government to stay the course on reforms despite the short-term hardships they inflict on Nigerians.

He warned that abandoning the reform process could push the country back into another cycle of low growth, high inequality, and fiscal stress.

According to him, the government’s reforms since 2023, including subsidy removal, exchange rate unification, and tighter monetary policy, have begun stabilising the macroeconomy.

Kale, however, stressed that the reforms would be incomplete without strong social protection and structural transformation.

He said: ‘Reform is like curing a fever. You must endure some discomfort as the medicine takes effect. But the alternative of letting the fever run just because the pill is bitter, or the injection is too painful, is far worse.’

Kale pointed out that Nigeria’s monetary policy had regained credibility after years of inconsistency and quasi-fiscal interventions by the Central Bank.

He noted the sharp increase in the monetary policy rate to 27.5 per cent, one of the steepest in history, which was recently reduced to 27 per cent, as well as efforts to mop up excess liquidity through streamlined open market operations.

The Afrexximbank boss said importantly, these actions were accompanied by clearer communication, regular policy reports, forward guidance, and transparent explanations of the inflation outlook.

The results, according to him, are now visible.

For instance, headline inflation, which averaged 25-30 per cent in 2023 and 2024, he said, has begun to ease towards the low 20s.

Also, every percentage point reduction, he added, protects the real value of salaries, pensions, and savings, and reduces uncertainty for investors who must plan projects years in advance.

Kale was, however, quick to acknowledge that while macroeconomic stabilisation was visible in the data, millions of Nigerians still measure progress in ‘the price of food, the reality of electricity, and their children’s job prospects.’

He commended initiatives like the Student Loan Act and state-level fuel relief packages but called for deeper reforms in education, healthcare, and social protection.

‘Without shared opportunities, inequality and unrest will erode stability. Power and fiscal reforms should empower states, while federal economic and agro-processing zones can lift lagging regions,’ he said.

On Nigeria’s energy and electricity challenges, Kale lauded the Dangote refinery, which exported its first gasoline cargoes in 2025, as a step toward reducing dependence on imported refined products.

He, however, identified a number of unresolved issues that could hinder its impact on domestic supply, such as reliable feedstock supply, transparent pricing formulas, labour disputes, and clear currency settlement mechanisms.

Kale also identified infrastructure investment as both an economic necessity and a macroeconomic stabiliser.

Citing World Bank projections, he said Nigeria requires $3 trillion by 2050 to meet infrastructure needs, including $575 billion for the transport sector between 2020 and 2043.

He urged that part of the savings from subsidy removal should be legislated and earmarked for transport, logistics, and energy infrastructure.

Ahead of this month’s decisive 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, former International midfielder, Friday Ekpo, has raised serious concerns about the capability of the Super Eagles to ride their luck in the upcoming matches against Lesotho and Benin.

Nigeria lie in third position with 11 points behind both Benin and South Africa on 14 points in the

Group C of Africa Qualifications for FIFA World Cup 2026 after FIFA docked three points from Bafana Bafana for fielding an ineligible player in their previous match against Lesotho .

Speaking on the development, Ekpo believes the group remains wide open but warned that the Super Eagles must win their next two matches to have a realistic chances of booking a ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

‘My concern is not Benin or South Africa. We should watch out for Lesotho and Rwanda behind us,’ Ekpo, who represented Nigeria between 1989 and 1993, said in an interview aired on Brila Fm.

He pointed out that South Africa remain a strong threat despite recent points deduction by FIFA, adding the Super Eagles must in the qualifiers,

‘The situation is very critical,’ he said. ‘Nigeria not being able to win back-to-back games is a big worry. We need to sit back, rethink our strategy and ensure we pick up six points from our remaining fixtures. While we are busy calculating, other teams are simply focused on winning their matches.’

The Super Eagles will be away to Lesotho on October 10 while the coach Eric Sekou Chelle-led side hosts neighbouring Benin Republic on October 14 in Uyo.

However, the Super Eagles will have to make do without key players Ola Aina, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Cyril Dessers who are all sidelined with injuries.

There is a question on the lips of many Nigerians today, whispered in market stalls, muttered in traffic jams, debated in beer parlours, and sighed in private living rooms: ‘Is life better now than it was two years ago?’

The instinctive answer is quick, sharp, and unanimous – no. But the danger is not in the answer itself; it is in the very question. For the question carries within it a fatal illusion – that if nothing had changed, if the nation had clung tightly to the status quo of May 2023, then life today would be as it was then. It presumes that the price of a litre of petrol would have stood still, that the cost of rice would have remained steady, and that the exchange rate would have stayed calm like a placid river. But reality is not a stagnant pond; it is a restless tide. And the Nigeria of 2023 was not a pond at all – it was a raging whirlpool pulling the nation downwards.

A nation on the edge of ruin

Let us peel back the calendar to those days of May 2023. The nation was like a fevered patient trembling on a hospital bed, pulse weak, breathing shallow. The economy was already gasping, the naira wheezing under the burden of reckless printing. Over N30 trillion had been conjured out of thin air, not to build, not to innovate, but simply to spend. Inflation was not creeping – it was galloping, trampling the poor first, then reaching hungrily for the middle class.

Federal revenue was no better. Ninety-seven percent of it was devoured by debt servicing. Imagine a man earning N100 and handing N97 of it to creditors, then borrowing again at usurious rates just to pay his children’s school fees and buy garri for the house. That was Nigeria.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), once envisioned as a fountain of national wealth, had become a bottomless pit. Royalties meant for the federation account were poured into the subsidy fire. Petroleum Profit Tax, that should have funded hospitals and roads, was rerouted into the same inferno. And when even these sacrifices failed, the unimaginable occurred – the future itself was mortgaged. Barrels of oil not yet drilled were pledged as collateral, borrowed against at double-digit interest, just so the nation could continue drinking the sweet poison of subsidised petrol.

By then, Nigeria could truly boast of no more than 200,000 unencumbered barrels of oil a day. A thin margin, thinner than a razor’s edge, hardly enough to keep the economy alive for half a year.

Had this reckless indulgence continued, by the close of 2023 the nation would have faced its own Sri Lanka moment – citizens clutching naira notes like useless leaves, praying in vain for a single litre of fuel. Petrol stations would have been graveyards of silence, their pumps like broken ribs sticking out of a collapsed chest. Commerce would have stuttered to a halt. And all the hopes of a Dangote refinery would have been nothing more than a mirage in the desert.

Nigeria was not on the road to comfort; it was on the brink of collapse.

The bitter medicine

Then came reform – like a surgeon rushing in with a scalpel, knowing the operation will be painful, but also knowing that without it the patient will surely die. Subsidy was removed. Exchange rates were adjusted. Fiscal tightening was introduced. It was bitter medicine, yes, but medicine nonetheless.

The nation groaned. Prices rose. Families tightened their belts to the last hole. Businesses cried out. But the truth remains: this is the agony of treatment, not the convulsion of death. It is the fire of purification, not the ashes of ruin. Without reform, Nigeria would not be in harder times before better times; it would already be in hardest times with no tomorrow to speak of.

Achievements amidst the storm

It is easy to forget, amid the storm, that there are seeds already being planted. Infrastructure is stirring again. Roads, railways, and bridges are not built in a day, but the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway now stretches like a ribbon of hope across the map. Each kilometre laid is not just tar; it is a stitch in the torn fabric of regional development.

The digital economy hums with new promise. Tech investments and fintech innovations are beginning to sketch the outlines of a future where Nigeria is not merely Africa’s consumer market, but its technological heartbeat.

Foreign investment is trickling back. Those who fled in distrust are returning, cautious but curious, like birds watching the sky after a storm. Pledges of capital, promises of factories, new diplomatic engagements – these are the ripples that may one day swell into waves.

Food security is back on the agenda. Efforts to boost local agriculture, to arm smallholder farmers with tools and credit may yet reduce the humiliating dependence on imported staples. The farmer’s hoe, sharpened with policy, could become the nation’s shield against hunger.

These do not yet soften the bite of inflation in the market. The woman counting tomatoes still sighs. The taxi driver still winces at the pump. But the scaffolding of a stronger economy is being erected, piece by piece, even if the house is not yet habitable.

The distraction

And yet, while the patient struggles through recovery, some prefer to debate the doctor’s childhood. Did he attend primary school? Who were his classmates? Why has he not named them one by one? Why has he not gone to court?

Such arguments are smoke while the house is on fire. They are shadows dancing on the wall while the real battle rages outside.

History does not record Roosevelt’s classmates; it remembers how he steered America through the Depression. No one asks Lee Kuan Yew to name his first teacher; they remember the Singapore he built from swamp to skyline. Leadership is not a roll call of old schoolmates. It is a ledger of results.

Certificates are paper; governance is iron. And the iron question before us is not did he attend this or that school, but is he performing or not?

Tinubu has chosen not to waste his breath on distractions. He has fixed his gaze on the mountain ahead, rather than turning to chase every barking dog on the roadside. A mute man in the marketplace may seem weak, but sometimes silence is the loudest declaration: I am busy with what matters.

Between anger and understanding

Nigerians are justly angry. Anger rises from the empty wallet, from the landlord’s knock, from the hungry child. But anger, if it must burn, should burn in the right direction. It should not be misdirected at personalities, or swallowed by conspiracy theories, or squandered in nostalgia for the subsidy days. Those ‘cheap’ days were not days of blessing; they were days of deceit, when the nation’s lifeblood was drained behind a mask of temporary relief.

To demand their return is to beg for national suicide – a slow, sweet death disguised as comfort.

The long road

Nigeria today is walking through a narrow valley. The road is rough, the sun scorching and the burden heavy. Many stumble. Many curse. But the truth is stark: without reform, there would be no road at all – only a cliff edge and a plunge into ruin.

The task of leadership is not to make today painless; it is to make tomorrow possible. Tinubu’s reforms are not a lullaby; they are a bugle call. They do not promise instant comfort; they promise survival first, stability next, prosperity later.

We stand, therefore, between pain and progress. And while the storms roar and the journey bruises our feet, storms eventually clear the skies, and valleys eventually lead to mountaintops.

The real question is not about certificates tucked away in some drawer of the past. The real question is simple, urgent, unromantic: is Nigeria being steered away from collapse?

And the answer, however grudging, however painful, is yes.