BY ERHISOHWODE ASSURANCE OVIE The Niger Delta occupies a troubling place in Nigeria’s political economy. For decades, oil and gas extracted from the region have sustained public revenue, foreign-exchange earnings and national development. Yet many of its communities still live with failed roads, unreliable electricity, polluted land and water, and weak public services. This contradiction cannot be explained by the […]
By Innocent Edemhanria Illicit financial flows (IFFs) are not an abstract risk for Nigeria. They are money illegally earned, transferred or used across borders through corruption, tax abuse, trade manipulation, fraud, money laundering and Illegal markets like trafficking in drugs, arms, persons etc, smuggling or cybercrime. Court records show that such flows have occurred, while official estimates indicate a loss large […]
By Innocent Edemhanria The National Economic Council’s (NEC) endorsement of the Revised National Social Protection Policy (NSPP) 2026–2030 marks an important moment in Nigeria’s effort to build a more coherent system of social protection. Announced on 28 August 2026 following NEC’s 160th meeting, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, the endorsement calls on all 36 states to align their policies, […]
BY INNOCENT EDEMHANRIA Across Nigeria, citizens are eager to see government spending translate into real relief for vulnerable populations, especially as poverty deepens nationwide. According to the World Bank Nigeria Development Update, Nigeria’s poverty rate reached 63% in 2025 and is projected to hit 62% (around 141 million people) in 2026, up sharply from 40% in 2019, driven by high […]
Introduction Debates surrounding the introduction of state-level policing in Nigeria have intensified in response to persistent insecurity and growing dissatisfaction with the centralised Nigeria Police Force. Supporters argue that decentralising policing would improve responsiveness to local security challenges, while opponents warn that state police could become instruments of political repression in the hands of governors. Much of this debate, however, […]
“Development is not measured only by the infrastructure we build, but by the people we empower and the vulnerable we protect.” Nigeria is at a defining moment in the evolution of its social protection system. As economic realities continue to place immense pressure on households, governments at all levels are being challenged to develop stronger systems that protect the poor, […]
By Erhisohwode Assurance Ovie At dawn in many communities across Delta State, life begins with uncertainty. Fishermen push their wooden boats into rivers that no longer yield the abundance they once did. Farmers walk to their fields hoping the rains will come at the right time, neither too early nor too late. Mothers in small markets arrange their goods carefully, […]
By Innocent Edemhanria Across Nigeria today, millions of households are grappling with severe economic hardship. Rising food prices, unemployment, and persistent poverty have placed enormous pressure on families already struggling to meet their most basic needs. For the poorest and most vulnerable citizens, widows, persons with disabilities, unemployed youths, and low-income households, social protection programmes often represent the thin line […]
By Hussein Adeleye Nigeria’s new tax law is being sold as reform: modern, efficient, and necessary. On paper, it largely is. The law consolidates fragmented tax regimes, simplifies administration, broadens the tax base, reduces certain loopholes, and promises more predictable government revenue. These are legitimate objectives, and the government deserves credit for attempting a long-overdue overhaul of Nigeria’s tax architecture. […]
By Rev. David Ugolor Aliko Dangote’s public whistleblowing and the resignation of the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Eng. Farouk Ahmed, exposed more than an individual lapse. They revealed a systemic failure in Nigeria’s oil and gas regulatory regime — one marked by weak enforcement, opacity, and a deep deficit of public trust. […]