Donald Trump used his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos to restate his hard-line views on global security, alliances, and American power, while insisting he would pursue his most controversial goals without resorting to military force. In a wide-ranging and confrontational address, the US president defended his interest in Greenland, criticised European and Canadian leaders, commented on Venezuela and Ukraine, and questioned whether America’s allies still contribute enough. His remarks reinforced a foreign policy driven by leverage, pressure, and what he described as America’s disproportionate generosity. Here are six key takeaways from Trump’s speech: 1. No military force…
Author: Elvis Eromosele
Dr. Muda Yusuf, Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), has warned that introducing a sugar-specific tax could harm Nigeria’s manufacturing sector and slow economic recovery. Yusuf described the proposal as “misplaced, economically risky, and weakly supported by evidence,” noting that Nigeria’s economy is still fragile. He said additional taxes could reverse recent industrial gains, weaken employment, and undermine manufacturing-friendly fiscal reforms. According to him, calls for sugar taxation in Nigeria are largely driven by external policy models that do not reflect the country’s structural and macroeconomic realities, including high inflation, weak purchasing power,…
The Federal Government has unveiled the Nigerian Industrial Policy (NIP), setting an ambitious target to raise the manufacturing sector’s contribution to 25 per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2030. The policy was presented in Lagos during the soft launch at the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) Macroeconomic Outlook for 2026, where the Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Enoh, described it as a decisive move to convert Nigeria’s industrial potential into measurable economic output, jobs, and productivity. Approved and validated in 2025, the NIP is designed to drive value addition, industrial expansion, and employment creation,…
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has approved six new Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to begin operations in Nigeria from January 1, 2026, further intensifying competition in the country’s broadband market. According to the NCC’s updated licensing database, the number of authorised ISPs has increased to 231, up from 225 as of December 2025. The newly licensed companies are Intellvision Technologies Limited, Granet Technologies Limited, Fibre Sonic Limited, Dasol Solution Services Ltd, Boost ISP Limited, and Amazon Kuiper Nigeria Limited. Five of the six operators are headquartered in Lagos, while Amazon Kuiper Nigeria Limited is based in Owerri, Imo State,…
By Babafemi Ojudu Even if he were to live ten lifetimes, his art and his life could not measure up to Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. Is it in art? Is it in music? Is it in activism, courage, or originality? Fela was not just a musician; he was a movement, a conscience, a revolution in human form. His music gave birth to Afrobeat, a genre now studied in universities across the world, sampled by global superstars, and performed on the world’s greatest stages. From Lagos to London, New York to Berlin, Fela’s sound reshaped global music and African identity. Fela stood alone,…
As Nigeria’s population continues to grow, estimated by the United Nations Population Fund to reach over 237 million by 2025, so does the volume of waste generated across the country. With over 32 million tonnes of solid waste produced annually, according to the World Bank, the pressure on city authorities and private Stakeholders to develop sustainable waste management systems has never been greater. Among the most transformative responses to this challenge is the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy, introduced in 2014 through the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA). This policy gave birth to the Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA) in 2018, Nigeria’s…
The Public Relations Women Foundation (PRWF) has announced its global launch and commencement of operations. The Foundation, a global social impact enterprise focused on strengthening leadership, talent, and advancing the economic relevance of the public relations profession, has unveiled its new structure in a recent statement. Under its new structure, the Public Relations Women Foundation is positioned to enable inclusive global engagement while centring emerging markets. This recognises distinctive communications practices developed within these economies and their growing influence on global business, governance, and public trust. The unveiling of the PRWF marks a strategic shift from its erstwhile nationally focused…
The Lagos State Government has announced that rehabilitation work on 20 kilometres of the Lekki–Epe Expressway will commence on Sunday, January 25, and last for 64 days. The disclosure was made by Olufemi Daramola, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Infrastructure, during an inspection tour of the corridor, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). The project, which was earlier scheduled to begin in November 2025, was postponed due to the Yuletide period. The rehabilitation will cover the stretch from Admiralty to Jubilee Bridge, on both carriageways. Works will be executed in eight sections using asphalt (flexible…
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says credit availability improved across key lending segments in the fourth quarter of 2025, even as loan defaults increased among households and businesses. The findings, contained in the CBN’s Q4 2025 Credit Conditions Survey, show that banks are cautiously expanding lending while managing heightened repayment risks. Household borrowing costs rose, with spreads on secured and unsecured loans widening to -10.8 and -2.0 index points, respectively, relative to the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR). Corporate loan pricing improved for small businesses, large private non-financial corporations, and other financial firms, but tightened for medium-sized companies. Loan…
A fire outbreak early Tuesday morning destroyed goods worth millions of naira at Lagos’ Computer Village, one of West Africa’s largest technology markets. The incident occurred in a one-storey commercial building on Somoye Osundairo Street, Ikeja, according to a preliminary report by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA). Emergency responders were alerted shortly before 2:00 a.m. after distress calls were received through the state’s 767 and 112 emergency lines. LASEMA officials arrived at the scene around 2:15 a.m. to find the building’s upper floor, occupied by traders dealing in computers and accessories, completely engulfed in flames. LASEMA said…