Chika (24) had a pretty sweet life and solid friends in Nigeria, so when his parents told him they had processed his visa to the UK, he rebelled against it, but later, he came around. In this Abroad Life episode, Chika talks about leaving for the UK a day after his NYSC and finding his footing in the country.

Where do you currently live, and when did you leave Nigeria?

I live in England, and I left Nigeria in October 2023, a day after my National Youth Service Corpe (NYSC) Passing Out Parade (POP)

How did you leave?

I left on a student visa; I’m here for my master’s.

Is there a reason you chose that route and the part of England you stay in?

There’s no particular reason. When I arrived, I stayed in London for a bit with my sister, but she got a job in this city, so I had to move with her. It wasn’t easy to manoeuvre school, but I did it because I had no choice. I had just arrived, and I had no job or money to get my own place.

I’m also not the kind of person to burden anyone, so I had to just stay with my sister and find my way to school. But I didn’t go every time I had lectures. Sometimes I did it the Nigerian way and asked someone to sign my attendance for me.

Was there a reason you moved immediately after your NYSC?

 Trust me, it wasn’t planned. I guess it was just God’s plan.

You must have been working towards it at some point. How did that happen?

My parents instigated it, and I was against it. I didn’t want to travel, so I rebelled against the idea. I was enjoying my time with my boys, doing drive-throughs and stuff. 

 Nigeria was really fun for me, and I was doing just fine.  There were already signs I was going to be retained at the company I worked at so I saw no reason to travel.

That said, I accepted my parent’s plans later on.  I felt like it was going to work if God wanted it to, so I gave it a shot.  People thought it was something I had been planning for a very long time, but the whole thing took about three months or so.

Can you walk me through the process?

My parents and my uncle had already started working on the process before I was in the loop.

I usually dropped my important documents like my NECO, WAEC, and testimonials with my dad. My uncle also works in my secondary school, so it was pretty easy to start the admission process without me. It was when they needed other documents (my transcript certificate) that they involved me. Like I said, I initially rebelled, but I ultimately gave them everything they needed. After that, all he told me was I needed to go for my interview, biometrics, and all that. Everything happened so fast. That’s how I knew God actually wanted it to happen, so I just gave in as much as I could.

Did your parents process the whole thing themselves because they already knew you wouldn’t want to leave?

Not really. I think my parents have always sought an easy way for their kids because they sort of foresaw the way Nigeria would turn out.

That’s really nice and thoughtful. So, did they pick your course of study?

My dad and I had tons of conversations about masters prior to this, so he already knew my choice.

That makes a lot of sense. So, how has life been since you got to the UK?

I can’t say it’s good. I can’t say it’s bad.

Oh, okay. Please tell me more.

It’s mostly because I was only able to make a friend about eight months after I moved here.

Ah, your first friend? 

Yeah. He’s Nigerian, and I connected with him through TikTok. But before then, I had already bumped into him twice on my way to work.

That’s very interesting. I’m curious about why it took you that long to make your first friend

All I do is go to school, come back home, shop for groceries, come back home, go to work, come back home, or go on a stroll and come back home.

So, have you tried expanding your community?

Not really. I feel like, another reason why I’ve found it hard doing that is because making new friends online is okay for me but I’m not really so keen on making new friends physically, because I feel like the devil I know is even better than the one I don’t. 

Once, I tried making friends with someone I met on the bus. We live ten minutes away from each other, but after we met like twice and I walked her home, we haven’t seen each other again. I mostly just talk to my friends online and make TikToks. That’s my life here, but I’m willing to expand.

Would you consider living in England lonely compared to the life you had in Nigeria? 

It’s not like it’s lonely. I’m normally a very social person, but I haven’t really been able to be that person here because of the things I’ve had to do. Also, I don’t just make friends with just anybody. I like creating strong and proper connections. And I actually have friends in the UK, only that they live so far away. My social life will definitely change once I’m done with my master’s.

How so though?

First, I’m going to move out of my sister’s house. When I stay on my own, my friends can come over, and I can go over to my friends. I can also explore other lifestyles, going into fashion content and modelling and stuff. I want to get serious with things I used to do in Nigeria that I just had to put on hold because of my master’s.

Let’s talk a bit more about you living with your sister. What is it like?

It’s just like living with family, which has always been normal and fun. It’s just like leaving home for home.

Would you say that living with your sibling limited your social freedom in a way?

Not really. In fact, I can actually say it was me who limited myself because they know I’m an adult who can decide things for myself. It’s not like they can stop me from going out if I want to. The least they can do is tell me to be careful and stay safe.

You said earlier that you didn’t want to leave Nigeria because you had fun with your boys. What was so special about that life?

It was the bond and the fact that we all shared the same life and interests. They were people I could relate to. We like the same things. I love cars, and they do, too. It’s so easy that we never planned our outings; they just happened.

One can’t have everything, but I had the things that I could. Having real and sincere friends is one of the best things in this life. Friendship is not something that is just so easy to get and I had mine for six years and over.

So, what is the most interesting part about living in the UK for you?

One of the good things about living in the UK is that your eyes will be opened to things that you didn’t know before. Another thing is that it exposes you to things that can actually help you make a more profitable life for yourself. I also like creating content on TikTok, and the UK makes that easier.

Have you witnessed any culture shocks since moving to the UK?

Quite a lot. There are many sexy cars here that aren’t in Nigeria. I’m sorry, the first time I’m talking about is a car, but I can’t help it.

The laws are also a culture shock, but they make sense because they keep us safe. In Nigeria many people are scared of walking in the night because of the risks, but you can literally walk in the UK at 1 am, or 2 am without fear. I think it depends on the city though but it’s generally safe.

The weather is another shocker, too. UK weather is bi-polar. I always say that I can’t be friends or even date someone who is as bipolar as the weather here.

Speaking of dating. I mean, if you took it this long to find a friend, I’m wondering if anything has happened to your dating life since you moved to the UK. 

I’ve not been in any relationship since I’ve been in the UK. My previous relationship became tough months before I left Nigeria, so we broke up. I think it’s also one of the reasons why I gave the UK a chance. I just wanted to get a breath of fresh air because I was mentally and emotionally messed up. It really affected me.

Do you mind telling me why it affected you enough to influence your move?

I had an emotional and mental breakdown. Everything around me revolved around her. She was a part of me already. My family knew already, too; we dated for about three years and were on our way to the fourth.

On a scale of one to 10, how happy would you say you are with your life in the UK?

I’m not sure, but I’ll say 8.5. It’s good, but things could be better. I had a breakdown a few months ago because of school stress. It’s not fully great, but it’s still really good.

Do you want to share your Abroad Life story? Please reach out to me here. For new episodes of Abroad Life, check in every Friday at 12 PM (WAT). 

We are not sure if this is to be categorised as a high or low-quality problem, but some Nigerians might be in for the mother of all modern inconvenience– a telecommunication shutdown. 

On December 31, just as Nigerians said goodbye to  2024, the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) said that they might suspend their services in some regions of the country if the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) does not okay their demand for a tariff increase.

In a statement signed by ALTON Chairman Gbenga Adebayo, the association said that Nigeria’s telecom industry is hanging by a thread and would need to increase the current tariff as a matter of survival as they currently suffer high energy costs, rising inflation, high cost of operation, unstable exchange rates, and other issues.

The ALTON chairman emphasised that telecom operators need to, as a matter of survival, raise the tariff to reflect the unfortunate impact of the Nigerian economy on their businesses but have been able to do so due to the NCC’s refusal and have experienced stagnancy as a result.

Although they were not specific on time and location, ALTON said it’d be cutting telecommunication services in certain regions of the country and at certain times. In the words of its chairman: “If nothing is done, we might begin to see in the new year grim consequences unfolding, such as Service Shedding; operators may not be able to provide services in some areas and at some times of the day leaving millions disconnected…”

How will a telecommunications shutdown affect you?

Actually, the question should be, “How will it not affect you?” because a telecommunications shutdown is on the same level (if not worse) as an electricity blackout. If telcos go ahead with their plan to suspend their services in some regions of the country, this means that people in those regions will literally be catapulted back to the Stone Age, as they will only be able to use their devices at certain times of the day. Imagine using your phone only when the rationing allows you to.

On a larger scale, a suspension of telecom services would be potentially catastrophic for Nigeria, as essential sectors like healthcare, education, security, and commerce would be mad  stranded without those services.

What does a tariff increase mean for you?

Telecom operators have explained how the current tariff weighs heavily on their operations, and Nigerians will definitely be singing the same song if the NCC agrees to a tariff increment.

Currently, the tariff stands at ₦11.00 per minute for voice calls,  ₦4.00 for Short Message Services (SMS), and  ₦1,000 for one GB data bundle. If the tariff increases, customers will be charged  ₦15.40 per minute for voice calls,  ₦5.60 for SMS, and  ₦1,400 for one GB data bundle.

So, in addition to paying more for almost everything, Nigerians will have to dig into their pockets for extra cash to afford services as essential as telecom services.

What is the solution to this problem?

The obvious solution here might seem to be for telecom operators and the NCC to come to an agreement, but according to all that ALTON has said, the only acceptable agreement in their books is a tariff increase, which unfortunately brings us back to the issue of being forced to pay more.

The only real solution is the not-so-obvious one—an economic turnaround. Nigeria is currently experiencing what has been termed its worst economic crisis on record, and its impact has been felt on just about everything in the country.

From an increase in the cost of air and road travel to an increase in food prices and more, people in the country have barely caught a break, and neither has its industries. In 2023, following the impact of fuel subsidy removal and bold monetary policies, several companies like  Bolt Food, Procter & Gamble, GlaxoSmithKline (which had operated in the country since 1972), and Jumia Food all left the country for similar reasons. 

Also, in 2023 alone, about 767 manufacturing companies in Nigeria had to shut down their operations due to the same old culprit– the economic crisis. Now, telecom operators are asking for a tariff review, citing the same issues.

From all angles, there hardly seems to be a solution or an end in sight to the current telecom threat. As it stands, the NCC might have to finally agree to the tariff hike and Nigerians might have to pay extra for telecom services.

In a lot of ways, 2024 was a hell of a year for Nigerians; from fuel scarcity and hikes in fuel prices to sky-high inflation, poor power supply, and crazy exchange rates, people living in Nigeria braved so much to survive.

Micro, Medium, and Small Enterprises (MSMEs) were no different. Like every other year, 2024 came with its ups and downs, but the lows were so severe that their impact was felt nationwide. From the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN) announcing that unsold products worth about ₦1.24 trillion were stuck in different warehouses across the country (just by the first half of the year) due to the inability of their owners to sell them, to the Bank Of Industry (BOI) stating that MSMEs in Nigeria need about $160 billion bailout funds, the country didn’t exactly prove itself as a good business environment.

As the year comes to an end today, Zikoko Citizen spoke to three young micro business owners to understand how the Nigerian economy affected their businesses in 2024 and what they look forward to in the coming year.

Chisom, 27– Fashion Designer, Abuja.

I don’t want to sound cliche, but doing business in Nigeria this year was hard. I consider this one of the most difficult times to be a young adult in Nigeria. The economy and everything is just so difficult. The cost of living is high, and the cost of doing business is even higher.

The crazy thing is that because customers struggled, they didn’t understand that business owners had it difficult as well. It’s even worse with my kind of business because some people feel like you just want to overcharge them or think you are overpriced.

You might just tell a customer the price for something this minute, then go to the market the next minute to buy that same thing, only to find out that the price is way higher than what you’ve already charged. Only a few people understand when you come back to them to say you’d need to increase the initial price you told them. I’ll give you an example– one time within the year, a bundle of lining was about ₦9000 to  ₦1000.  A few weeks after I bought some, I felt like the prices of sewing accessories might go up, so I went to the market to restock, but I was super shocked to find that it had increased to  ₦35K and the sellers at the market were not even begging or haggling price. The energy they gave was like, “If you’re not buying, go.”

Navigating price increments and incorporating them into my business was not easy for me this year, and I don’t think it was easy for others, either. It came to a point where I needed to charge more to sustain my business. A lot of things came into play and I  had to consider all those factors to be able to charge appropriately for my brand, so you have to accept the reality that not everybody who could afford me before will be able to afford me presently and just be fine with it.

People who appreciate the services you offer enough will keep patronising you, while those who can’t handle the price increase will go to another place that is cheaper and more affordable for them. It has nothing to do with the quality you offer; it’s just about what they can afford.

I don’t think there’s a specific thing that’ll make my business easier in 2025. I’m saying this because I don’t think it’s a matter of specifics– as it stands, everything and everyone is struggling. Even middle-income earners now are not fully able to afford our (fashion designers) services.

Every aspect of the economy is struggling right now. I can’t even say that access to loans, funding, or policies that’ll increase the ease of doing business will ease things for me in 2025 when every other aspect of the economy is suffering. It won’t really make sense because I can now have access to that funding or loan, and then find that my customers are still struggling, so everything just needs to be better in 2025 for other things to be better. I don’t know if that makes sense.

Sarah, 25. Jewellery Vendor– Warri

Living and doing business in Nigeria as a jewellery vendor in 2024 came with its own unique challenges and opportunities. The jewellery industry in Nigeria is already highly saturated due to its profitability, but 2024 was slightly stressful for a number of reasons.

This year, the cost of procurement and shipping became drastically high. Import prices, for instance, climbed by about 35%, and this affected the amount of goods I was able to purchase at a go.

Normally, doing business in Nigeria is quite difficult, so you have to be strategic, but this year required extra strategy to avoid running mad due to the way prices skyrocketed. The country’s economic environment was just unpredictable, with fluctuations in currency exchange rates, inflation, and government policies affecting the cost of doing business.

2024 has been a tough year for me and my brand, but I was able to scale through and make the best of it through careful planning, adaptability, and a deep understanding of the local market and culture. Coming up with the right strategy and mindset helped me achieve good results.

My initial plan for my brand was to sell super affordable jewellery, but with the increase in procurement and shipping, I just had to increase my own prices to avoid running at a loss. However increasing my price due to the whole exchange rate madness and other things actually brought in new customers, who are now my target audience. Because of that change, I strategised and moved from just selling regular earrings to luxury items like custom-made unique designs and venturing fully into niches like wedding rings and male jewellery accessories. 

So yes, I lost a few clients because most of them were no longer able to afford me due to the increase in prices, but I also gained newer customers.

My business will be four years old next year, and this year, we recorded lots of sales than we’ve made in the past four years, not because the environment was encouraging but because I was strategic in adding new niches

When it comes to things that’ll make business easier for me in 2025, I’ll say the exchange rate first of all– I know it’s sort of decreasing right now, but I need the Nigerian government to look into it next year. If the exchange rate was actually good, people won’t be complaining, and businesses won’t be struggling. 

A lot of the time when I’d reach out to my suppliers to calculate the prices of goods, I realised over and over again that the gap between the exchange rate in 2023 and this year was just too much. 

Another thing I want the government to take a look at is this whole custom-clearing thing. To clear goods has now become another issue. The payment for clearing goods has become so heavy that many business owners now have to order bit by bit because ordering so much at once brings a lot of issues. The delay is also insane. These things just need to be better for businesses to thrive in 2025.

Ugonna, 29. Footwear Vendor– Lagos

Doing business in Nigeria was very challenging for me this year, and I tried to evade and minimize costs as much as possible.

The exchange rate didn’t make things easier either because it affected me like mad and this made me withdraw from importing by myself and buying from a friend that had a stronger capacity than I did. I’ll explain– When we order from shipping companies, the goods take about two months to get to Nigeria, but you can’t really monitor the exchange rate and take advantage because even though you had ordered two months away, you’ll still have to clear the containers at whatever price the exchange rate is at when you goods finally arrive. You also have to settle Alayes and Owo da boys. 

I didn’t make as much profit as I set out to this year and I couldn’t take my business offline because the crazy costs of rent in prime locations were way more than I could afford.

What will make my business easier in 2025? Access to funding. This is particularly important to me because I need to diversify and look into other sectors because having more than one source of income will shoot me up the ladder. One of those sectors is entertainment/full-scale film production. I’m already working on this. My production company is set to release its first film by January, but there are so many ups and downs in the industry that make this type of venture unsustainable by a singular individual, so going into 2025, I need avenues to access more that’ll enable me to run my film production and footwear businesses properly and profitably.

Currently, MSMEs account for 40% of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and provide 90% of jobs in the country, making them the backbone of the economy, without which the country will experience more harsh times than it already is. Just like the young entrepreneurs who spoke to us, we hope that 2025 is a better year for MSMEs in Nigeria.

Politicians in the country were no better either; in different ways, they added to the frustrations of Nigerians either by idly watching as citizens suffer due to harmful policies, helping implement those policies themselves, supporting them, or generally incompetent at their jobs. As the year slowly comes to an end, we thought to remind you (and the politicians) of their bad characters within the year by giving them awards that represent all they did in 2024.

Godswill Akpabio- Best in Agbaya behaviour

Godswill Akpabio is Nigeria’s Senate President, but this year, he did and said things that were in no way appropriate for the leader of the Nigerian Senate. On July 31, for instance, while Nigerians prepared for the Hunger Protests, Akpabio was in the news for mocking the protest plans of many Nigerians.

While he attended a Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) event, the Managing Director of the NDDC, Samuel Ogbukwu, made a solidarity statement saying the Niger Delta region was in support of the present administration and wasn’t pushing for a regime change to which Apkabio responded. “…You said we are not interested in regime change; let us own this government. Those who want to protest can protest, but let us be here eating.” 

The Senate President was famous in 2024 for insulting the sensibilities of ordinary Nigerians, and there are other instances of this, but that was not the only thing he was guilty of this year. He also had a thing for showing his loyalty and support to the Tinubu administration to the detriment of the reputation of his office as the leader of the Senate, an arm of government which is supposed to keep the executive in check.

In May 2024, in the thick of suffering for Nigerians, Apkabio thought Tinubu’s intention to phase out the country’s national anthem for the old anthem, “Nigeria we hail thee”, was a fantastic idea, and he didn’t just show this by skipping an essential step like a public hearing and ensuring that the bill was hastily passed in a matter of days, he also thought it’d be fun to voice his thoughts on the bill even if they didn’t make sense to anyone. 

On June 18, a few weeks after the bill passed, Akpabio implied that the national anthem change was the best thing since sliced bread because, according to him, insecurity, one of Nigeria’s biggest problems, wouldn’t exist if the anthem hadn’t been removed. In his words: “If we kept the anthem, we probably would not have banditry today in Nigeria because if you took your neighbour as your brother, you would not want to kill your brother…”

Akpabio probably saw the criticisms that followed this development as haters hating because, in December, he topped off his pro-Tinubu theatrics with an even more distasteful drama. On Wednesday, December 18, when Tinubu walked into the Senate chamber to present the controversial 2025 budget, Akpabio, like a true Agbaya, started singing, “On your mandate, we shall stand!” (and other senators joined in) even before the President had a chance to begin his presentation.

This behaviour is wrong on all fronts, and Nigerians called him out for it, but the thing with the winner of the Agbaya prize is that he does not seem to care that his behaviour is unbecoming his position. Just like an Agbaya wouldn’t. We couldn’t think of a more fitting winner for this award.

Remi Tinubu– Best in “Innovative Solutions”

Like the previous politician, this award-winner was mighty proud of her decisions, but there is something quite unique about her. No, it’s not her position as the wife of Nigeria’s President; her one big thing is that she wasn’t in the news for merely supporting her husband’s ideas and performance (or of others in his government); she backed up her support by coming up with innovations of her own.

Like most things, food was costly for Nigerians in 2024, but Remi Tinubu did not think this crisis would be solved by finding solutions to insecurity, inflation, climate change, or any other cause of the problem; she felt that food would suddenly become affordable if all Nigerians started cultivating a garden in their backyard, so she came up with the “Every Home a Garden” farming Initiative in July to “boost food production” in the country.

In September, ahead of the country’s Independence Day, Remi Tinubu came up with yet another brilliant innovation— a unity fabric.

The Unity Fabric is a special project, which envisions the end to national issues caused by tribal differences through the help of a fabric (Unity Fabric) which would be worn by all.

Haters will say that these brilliant innovations did not yield any results, but what did they say about haters hating again?

Abdulmalik Sarkindaji– 1st Runner Up, Innovative Solutions category

The position of the most innovative Nigerian politician of 2024 was hotly contested, but the speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, held his own and came out second only to Remi Tinubu, all thanks to a bright idea he came up with in the first half of the year.

On May 10, Sarkindaji announced that he was going to marry off 100 orphan girls who lost their parents due to attacks in the Mariga Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State. Sarkindaji probably took a look at obvious solutions like scholarship programs and scoffed because he believed in his genius idea. Even when he came under fire for his plan, he stuck to it and was able to marry all 100 of the girls off in separate ceremonies on Friday, May 24.

Yahaya Bello– Best in audacity

This year, Yahaya Bello proved that you can get away with just about anything in Nigeria with the right amount of audacity.

Bello’s journey to this award first started in April 2024 when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said he used $720,000 of state funds (during his time as governor) to pay the school fees of his children in advance to the American International School in Abuja. The EFCC shortly attempted to arrest Bello on April 17 over corruption charges it brought up against him, but the former governor evaded the arrest and was declared wanted. Bello continued to play in Nigerians’ faces until November when he submitted himself to the EFCC. If another politician won the audacity category, it’d insult what Bello pulled off this year.

Adebayo Adelabu– Best in incompetence

This is by far the most hotly contested award category because by default, both President Tinubu and everyone in his administrations were eligible for this award but the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, worked extremely hard to emerge the winner of this category.

This year under Adelabu, Nigerians, on top of having an epileptic power supply were thrown into complete darkness as a result of the collapse of the national grid.

In 2024, the national grid fell so much that Nigerians stopped being surprised when it happened. In a particular week in October, for instance, the grid collapsed three times, and by December, it had collapsed 12 times in total.

The award for this category should naturally go to Tinubu, but that would be stating the obvious, so for this reason, because Adelabu’s failures are the only ones as loud as Tinubu’s, he gets to go home with the award for most incompetent Nigerian politician of the year.

Tinubu– Grandpatron award

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu gets this position not only because he is the leader of all the politicians in the country but simply because there is nobody badder. Tinubu’s doings are so loud that his policies from the previous year are still showing an immeasurable amount of shege to Nigerians.

While Nigerians battled with the unending consequences of the removal of fuel subsidies, the devaluation of the Naira, and many others, the grand patron taxed them more while continuing to promise things that he never did.

Under President Tinubu, the exchange rate skyrocketed, several factories closed down, the manufacturing sector went into life support, and Nigerians suffered hunger more than ever. This translated to what has been described over and over by the international media and experts as the worst economic crisis on record witnessed by Nigeria.

In response to this hardship, Tinubu has been adorned with nicknames like T Pain, so we cannot think of a more deserving winner than him.

Going into 2025, we hope for better representation and leadership from Nigerian politicians, and we’ll be on the alert to report their bad and hopefully good behaviours to you. 

Band A, Band B, freezer drama

The thing about this particular event was that it happened so close to April Fool’s Day, it almost seemed like a dumb prank because many Nigerians were on different social media platforms saying “ain’t no way” in different forms immediately after the news dropped.

On April 3, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) announced it was going to increase the electricity tariff on Band A feeders by 230.8%. The implication of their announcement was that Band A customers would be billed ₦225 per kilowatt hour (kWh) instead of the ₦68 per kWh they were being charged.

NERC said they were introducing the increase to reduce the burden of the electricity subsidy the government was paying.  According to them, FG was going to spend an estimated 3.13 trillion on subsidising electricity in 2024, but with the increment of tariff price for Band A customers (who enjoy up to 20 hours of electricity), the government’s payment would be reduced by 63.58%, making the amount they’d pay to be ₦1.14 trillion.

Nigerians were so livid about this because the economy was already showing everyone pepper due to the removal of fuel subsidies. As if this wasn’t painful enough, less than 24 hours after the announcement, the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu told Nigerians to start turning off their freezers once in a while if they want Nigeria’s power issue to get better.

Fuel scarcity

Nigeria experienced fuel scarcity at different points of the year, but in April 2024, the fuel queues in different parts of the country became too long. People complained about this on the streets and on social media platforms, but that was all they could do because the NNPCL was busy arguing with the Independent Petroleum Marketers of Nigeria (PETROAN) over whose fault it was that there was no fuel. The scarcity lasted way into May, but you know what they say about Nigerians and the survival spirit.

Mass marriage of orphan girls

Nigerians were still being crushed under the weight of the fuel scarcity when a lawmaker dropped his own shocker. On May 10, Speaker of the Niger State Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, decided that marrying off 100 girls orphaned by banditry attacks in the Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State was a genius idea that would help alleviate the poverty the girls were suffering.

Sarkindaji’s Plan was met with criticism from different quarters; one of the most promising pushback was from the former Ministry of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, but Nigerians barely got the opportunity to dance in celebration before she grabbed an invisible mic and yelled sike! In our faces— after some back and forth, Uju backtracked, saying, “I did not intend to stop the marriage but to ensure the girls are of marriageable age and were not being forced into it.” On Friday, May 24, two weeks later, all 100 of the girls were married off in separate ceremonies.

Minimum wage gbas-gbos

No thanks to the five-year Minimum Wage Act (of 2019), Nigerian workers were paid ₦30,000 minimum wage, but the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) could hardly do much about it. Following the expiration of the Act in April 2024, the NLC said it was time for a review because the ₦30,000 was barely going anywhere for workers.

NLC demanded 615,000 from the Federal Government (FG), but FG said they didn’t have it, and both parties entered a boxing match that lasted from April to July when they finally settled on ₦70,000 which has now been passed into law as the country’s official minimum wage.

National anthem change

In May, Nigerians realised that surprises might be one of President Tinubu’s love (or torture) languages because his last surprise announcement (fuel subsidy removal) was still showing Nigerians shege but just in time for the commemoration of his one year in office, the President pulled out another shiny surprise from his pocket— a new national anthem.

The bill legalising the anthem change was an even bigger shocker because it literally came out of nowhere. For context, this bill was passed in one week—the House of Representatives debated it on Thursday, May 23, and passed it on the same day. Then, it was handed over to the Senate, which passed it on Tuesday, May 27, while President Tinubu signed it into law the following day, Wednesday.

Dangote rants

Before now, Billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote was on that laidback mysterious aesthetic but after the astronomical levels of shege Nigeria showed him in 2024, he has now left that aesthetic for Beyonce.

Dangote had plenty of back and forth with oil institutions and officials this year, but it all mostly began with him coming out to raise the alarm about alleged plots to sabotage his new refinery. Dangote said that the  Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and the International Oil Companies (IOCs) refused to sell him the crude oil needed to start production at his refinery, so he had to go all the way to the United States (US) to buy some. 

As if that wasn’t enough stress for him, the CEO of Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed alleged that Dangote’s oil was substandard and that the imported ones were better than it. Alhaji was stressed but had to pick up a mic to debunk the claim. He also had another spat with the NNPC over the petrol pricing as well as other side frustrations surrounding his refinery. It’s just been a hell of a year for Alhaji, and we all sort of went through it with him.

National asoebi

Albert Einstein shakes when Nigeria’s First Lady enters the conversation because only she can rival his genius. This year. Remi Tinubu spiced up our lives with her bright innovations; after starting her own garden and telling Nigerians to do the same (“to boost food production”), she launched an Asoebi for the country.

The asoebi  (or national unity fabric if you’re fancy) was launched ahead of Nigeria’s independence day in order to help Nigerian citizens “break down tribal barriers to identify as a people of one nation.”

She didn’t just launch with an empty hand, either. The unity fabric was rolled out with a Fabric Designs Competition with a ₦25m prize money. We stan an innovative queen.

Hunger protests

2024 has been an especially hard year for Nigerians. What was even more frustrating was that the government seemed not to be listening. In August, Nigerians trooped out to make their voices heard through the #EndBadGovernance or hunger protests.

But the 10-day protests, shadowed by subtle threats even before they started, did not end well as protesters were met with brutal force by the Nigerian Police. Later, on November 28, Amnesty International released a report revealing that at least 24 protesters were killed as a result of this force. Amnesty International said that “in all cases, the victims were shot by the police, firing live ammunition at close range often at the head or torso, suggesting that officers were shooting to kill.

Cabinet reshuffle

On Wednesday, October 23, President Bola Tinubu shook the internet when he surprised everyone and announced his cabinet reshuffle. The reshuffle involved the sacking of five ministers from his record-high 45-member cabinet, hiring of seven new ministers, and reassignment of ten others to new positions.

This move got Nigerians talking, with some saying not enough ministers were sacked and others saying the President should have included his own name in the list of sacked people.

Arrest of minors

Another thing the government did this year was show Nigerians it wasn’t above manhandling kids as much as it did adults. On Friday, November 1, the Inspector General of Police arraigned about 72 minors at a Federal High Court in Abuja on ten-count charges over their participation in the #EndBadGovernance protests of August. The minors, who had been detained for three months, were accused of treason and trying to destabilise Nigeria, among other things. But after many Nigerians and Civil Rights Organisations (CSOs) condemned the government and pointed out that it was against several laws to detain minors in the way that they did, President Tinubu ordered that they be released, and a committee set up to look into the arrest and detention of the minors.

Wake up, kids! A new update just dropped–Nigeria is about to get a mining school and it’s expected to have some ripple effects on the country

On Tuesday, December 10, the Nigerian Senate passed a bill to establish a Federal University of Mining and Geo-Sciense in Jos, Plateau State.

The bill is looking to upgrade the already existing Nigerian Institute of Mining and Geo-Sciense (NIMG), Jos, into a federal university, and it was sponsored by Diket Plang, an APC Senator representing Plateau Central.

Are mining schools a thing?

This idea is not new, neither is it original to the Nigerian Senate. In fact, Nigeria is actually pretty late to the party. Mining schools exist in different countries in the world, with ever-changing curricula that reflect technological advancement of times.

Mining schools typically offer programs ranging from mining engineering to geosciences and more. Recently, mining schools like McGill University, Canada, offer courses in robotic mining, and University of Queensland, Australia has also introduced artificial intelligence and virtual reality to its programs.

Will this school affect your life?

The proposed university will impact you in many ways, whether you’re interested in enrolling for a program or not. How? It’ll help diversify Nigeria’s economy and ultimately get rid of the things currently making life difficult in Nigeria, like sky-high inflation, unstable exchange rate, and general high cost of living.

How?

Nigeria currently runs a mono-product economy (this means that it relies on one product for money). The product it depends on is oil, and it’s currently responsible for more than 95% of the country’s export earnings, 70% of government revenue, and 90% of new investments.

Because the country makes all its money from this singular source, the economy is always shaken by changes in global oil prices (and it’s been shaking a lot lately). Bad oil prices lead to harsh consequences like inflation and criminally high exchange rates, which trickle down to every aspect of Nigerians’ daily lives. They also affect the amount that the government is able to spare for development and other things.

Even though it refuses to act like it, Nigeria is rich in over 40 mineral resources like Lithium (used in electric cars and batteries), iron ore, gold, limestone, and zinc, all currently valued at about $750 billion. Yet, these resources hardly generate revenue for the country; in 2023, the mining sector only managed to contribute a meagre 0.77% to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

By reviving its mining sector, Nigeria can turn around its constant economic issues and make the lives of its citizens better however a couple of problems like lack of geological data, weak human capital (no skilled, educated, or experienced workforce in the sector), and lack of enforceable regulations, have been identified as roadblocks preventing the mining industry from reaching its full potential.

The establishment of a well funded, functional mining university will solve some of those problems by producing a skilled workforce, driving mineral exploration and exploitation, improving mining practices, and driving research. It’s not the magic wand that will fix all of Nigeria’s problems but it’s a start.

The bill to establish the University has not become law yet but it’s almost there. Following its passage at the Senate on Tuesday, it will now be transmitted to the House of Representatives for alignment, and then to the President for an assent. Is this something you’re rooting for?

Nigerian politicians are probably the only people in the world who apply for a job and then blatantly refuse to show up for an interview after their potential employer asks them to. For the longest time, this behaviour has bothered Nigerians but there’s a possibility it’ll stop soon.

Reports have it that lawmakers in the House of Representatives are preparing to empower the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct compulsory debates for candidates vying for the posts of President and Governor. This move was made possible by a private member bill sponsored by House of Reps member, Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere. 

What are the specifics of the bill? 

The bill is proposing to change the Electoral Act to add a new section (24) saying that:

1. INEC must ensure that a Presidential and Gubernatorial Debate is conducted for people seeking to be elected into the offices of President and Governor on a date it picks.
2. Anybody looking to be the President of Nigeria must participate in the Presidential Debates, during which they are required to present a detailed analysis of their manifesto and plans for Nigeria as its potential President.
3. Anybody looking to be the Governor of a Nigerian State must participate in the Gubernatorial Debates, during which they must present a detailed analysis of their manifesto and plans for the State as its potential governor.

Timeline of Nigerian Presidents who refused to appear in debates

Refusal of candidates to participate in debates has been a thing in Nigeria for so long that it has become almost normalised. It’s kind of bizarre too because all the Presidents of Nigeria since its return to democratic rule in 1999 have been candidates who refused to show up to election debates.

1999—Obasanjo won his election into office even though he refused to debate Olu Falae, his major rival.

2003—Obasanjo still won his reelection bid after he turned down a debate against his major opponent, Muhammadu Buhari.

2007—Umar Musa Yar’Adua refused to debate against Muhammadu Buhari and won the election by a landslide.

2011—Goodluck Jonathan won the Presidential election after failing to show up to the debate

2015— Buhari who had attended debates for his past Presidential campaigns, did not attend the 2015 debate and went on to win the election.

2019—Buhari refused to attend the Presidential debate but, after a bit of pressure, participated in a political town hall program known as The Conversation. However, that hardly counts as a debate as the audience was mostly made up of his and Atiku’s (his main opponent at the time) supporters.

Governorship candidates also do the same thing and go on to win their election bids. In the just concluded Edo State governorship elections, for instance, APC candidate, Monday Okpebholo did not attend the debate, yet he went on to win the elections. If this bill becomes law, however, no candidate will refuse to appear in debates again because it will become a requirement rather than an option. Once this becomes a necessity.

Why does this bill matter?

You can draw a straight line from Nigeria’s poor leadership problem to the refusal of candidates to participate in debates. Political economist and Professor, Pat Utomi thinks so too. 

Speaking to journalists before the 2023 general election, Utomi gave an example of South Korea’s situation.

“The fortunes of South Korea were turned around because the electoral commission was so despondent about the quality of their politics that they decided that the thing that should matter the most for elections are debates between candidates,” he said, explaining it was incorporated into conventions in the country’s politics.

“Once debates came to define (the) elections, moneybags and all kinds of criminals and charlatans ran away and their electoral process became one of a sustained, enormously developed country,” Utomi continued.

Will this bill be successfully passed?

I’ll hold your hands when I say that the chances of this bill going on to become law aren’t a 100 per cent, partly because it still has to pass through five more stages, and mostly because the bill has been around before and was not successful.

In July 2014, a similar bill seeking to make Presidential Debates compulsory did not get past the fourth stage (reference to a committee) because the committees rejected it. They took the decision because they felt election debates “should remain outside the purview of the law.”

What can you do to help the bill become law?

1. Track the bill’s progress as it moves through different stages by monitoring official channels for media updates.
2. Talk to other people about it. You know that saying about “power in numbers.” 
3. Participate in Public Hearings: The National Assembly usually organises public hearings for bills under consideration, and Citizens are allowed to attend to express their opinions.
4. Reach out to your representatives: you can contact the lawmaker representing your constituency via email or phone to let them know you support the bill. Here is the list of all Senators and House of Rep members with contact details attached.
5. Launch or sign digital campaigns through platforms like this.
6. Advocate for the bill on social media platforms by using hashtags.

Put a finger down if you don’t joke with your bank account and would literally spiral if you smell any funny business around it. If your finger is down, the update in this article is for you.

You know how you gently drop “it can never be me” when someone comes on X to scream about money that has suddenly disappeared from their bank account? The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is saying it could be you like mad.

What’s going on?

On Monday, December 9, the Computer Emergency Readiness and Response Team (CERRT) at NITDA released a public advisory warning Nigerians of the new version of a banking malware called Grandoreiro which has been stealing sensitive information such as banking credentials and personal data from users worldwide.

How can Grandoreiro steal from you?

NITDA says the malware steals from users through complex phishing schemes (like emails and fake websites) that trick them into downloading harmful software, posing as important updates or documents.

Once the malware is installed on users’ systems, it bypasses security controls and gives it access to users’ devices. This means that the malware can intercept or bypass the usual Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) methods, like One-Time Passwords (OTP), usually put in place by banking institutions to steal from users.

In what specific ways can Grandoreiro harm you?

1. It can bypass your system and enable unauthorised banking transactions
2. It can steal your identity
3. It can exploit you by taking control of your devices and bypassing security measures.

How can you safeguard your devices against Grandoreiro?

To protect your devices from the malware, NITDA strongly advises that you do the following:

1. Avoid links and attachments from unfamiliar email addresses
2. Do not download software from untrusted sources
3. Enable Multiple Factor Authentification (MFA) on your online banking accounts to protect them
4. Do not use public WIFI to make financial transactions. If you must, be sure to use a VPN
5. Monitor your bank accounts closely and often in order to flag unusual activities or transitions
6. Make sure that the antivirus software in your devices is always updated

In the case of suspicious activities, contact the Computer Emergency Readiness and Response Team (CERRT) at NITDA either through their email address (cerrt@nitda.gov.ng ), their phone number (+2348178774580), or website.

If the many sins of Nigeria’s education system, like constant strikes, poor infrastructure, and archaic curriculum, have been pissing you off, you might like to hear what the Ministry of Education and The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has for you.

On Friday, December 6, during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, the DG of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, revealed that his agency has partnered with the Ministry of Education to integrate digital literacy into Nigeria’s education system.

What does this mean for Nigerian students?

The surface-level explanation of this development is that new subjects and courses centred on digital literacy will be developed and added to the curriculums used in all levels of education, from kindergarten to the tertiary stage.

If you deep it further, it means the government is trying to position young people in Nigeria to be at the centre stage of digital innovation.

Why is this important?

This latest development from NITDA and the Ministry of Education is an important one. If anything, the move is actually long overdue– Data obtained from the World Bank’s Development Report in 2022 show that more than 50 per cent of Nigeria’s population lacks digital skills. 

Additionally, in 2023 during a presentation titled ‘An Overview of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy In Nigeria,’ an Education Specialist with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Nigeria, Yetunde Oluwatosin, revealed that “only seven per cent of Nigerian youths have ICT (Information Communication Technology) skills needed for working and living in a digital economy.”

A 2023 survey conducted by GetBundi, an online digital education institute, narrows down the situation even more. According to the survey, over 85 per cent of graduates from tertiary institutions in Nigeria have no digital skills. To put this into perspective, it means that over 100 million young educated people in Nigeria are technologically illiterate.

If you think the above figures are bad, you’d hate to know that GetBundi also did a survey that involved 100 NYSC members, and only 19 out of that number had digital skills. The skills in question were mostly basic-level knowledge and Microsoft Excel. Only seven of them had basic knowledge of machine learning, programming, and data science. Coincidentally, those seven “studied outside Nigeria – five in the UK, one in the United States and one in Malaysia.”

Speaking about the poor level of digital literacy shown by his organisation’s survey,  GetBundi CEO, Osita Oparaugo, said Nigerian education was to blame for this as it has failed to remain consistent with the ever-changing digital landscape.

“The curriculum used in many Nigerian universities and other tertiary institutions is outdated and does not adequately cover the practical aspect of relevant digital skills,” he said.

How exactly will this new development change things?

The DG of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, says the collaboration between the agency and the Ministry of Education is part of the government’s plan to meet its long-term target of 95% digital literacy by 2030 and short-term target of 70% digital literacy.

To get the ball rolling, Inuwa says the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), National Universities Commission (NUC), National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), National Mathematical Centre (NMC), Universal Basic Education Board (UBEC), CISCO, are already on board and aligned with the plan.

Apart from updating curriculums to include digital literacy, some of NITDA’s collaborative efforts with the Education Ministry will include teacher training and capacity building, as well as the procurement of state-of-the-art digital tools and infrastructure for educational establishments nationwide.

The world is increasingly moving towards a digital economy. With poor figures like those quoted by the World Bank, UNICEF, and GetBundi, Nigeria will be left far behind. The collaboration between the Ministry of Education and NITDA is definitely a move that could help turn things around, but the huge question is whether this will be properly carried out to ensure that the subjects and courses introduced to the curriculum are taught in a hands-on manner rather than the theoretical method reported in Nigerian schools. Nigerians might have to keep their fingers crossed.

If you’re a Nigerian reading this, chances are you’ve been frustrated and stranded so many times because the Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) attached to banks and other designated spots around you do not have the cash to dispense, so you had no choice but to opt for Point Of Sales (POS) merchants who in turn, charge an arm and a leg before they give you the cash.

If this is you (it’s you for sure), you’re in luck because the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has decided it’s seen enough of this mess and has come up with a solution to relieve your stress. On November 29, the CBN outlined recommended steps for customers to use in reporting banks that cannot provide them with cash through Over-The-Counter withdrawals or ATMs.

In a circular titled ‘Cash Availability Over The Counter in Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) and Automated Teller Machines (ATMs),’ the CBN instructed banks to ensure that cash is always available to customers or face the repercussions that will come with it from now on.

“DMBs are directed to ensure efficient cash disbursement to customers Over-the-Counter (OTC) and through ATMs as the CBN will intensify its oversight roles to enforce this directive and ensure compliance,” the circular read in part.

Continuing, the CBN provided steps that it wants customers affected by cash scarcity to take in reporting banks so that they (CBN) can get rid of issues “hindering the availability of cash” and help improve cash circulation. We list the steps below.

How to report a bank for cash scarcity

1. Call the designated phone numbers of the CBN branch in the state where the defaulting bank falls under and provide them with your account name, name of the defaulting bank, the amount that you want to withdraw (but could not), time, and date when the incident occurred.

2. Send an email to the designated email address of the CBN branch in the state where the defaulting bank falls under and provide them with your account name, name of the defaulting bank, the amount that you want to withdraw (but could not), time, and date when the incident occurred.

How will this help?

Over the past months, Nigerians have suffered on and off cash shortages from bank counters and ATMs that have led them to frequently patronise POS merchants or find other alternatives.

Most recently in November, people were so frustrated with this shortage that they took to X to call for an end to POS businesses as they believed they were the major cause of the cash scarcity across the country.

But POS operators have said they’re not the problem. According to the National Secretary of the Association of Point Of Sale (POS) users in Nigeria, Isa Zakari, the shortage of cash has majorly been caused by bankers (who own many POS outlets) removing chunks of money meant to be in circulation for regular customers and putting them at their outlets who then charge outrageous amounts for the cash.

He added that the cash scarcity can also be traced to greedy bank managers and bankers who have been known to sell cash to some POS operators as well as people from the Niger Republic that now increasingly use the Naira as an alternative to the shortage of theirs.

In November, Daily Post Newspaper also spoke to bankers who denied the claims of the POS operators and bounced back the blame on them instead.

With this new directive, Nigerians will no longer have to play a guessing game to figure out who the guilty party is because banks will now be required to ensure that cash is available to customers both over the counters and at ATMs or face strong consequences from CBN.

Will it work? Nigerians might have to find out by calling and emailing the CBN with their complaints.