The city of al-Fashir, the historic heart of Sudan’s Darfur region, has descended into a nightmare. Once a hub of culture, trade, and education, the city now stands as a stark symbol of the human cost of Sudan’s ongoing war. Over the past week, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group led by General …
In the shifting landscape of Nigeria’s investment economy, a silent revolution is underway. It is not powered by oil rigs or government budgets but by data, digital innovation, and private capital that are redefining how Nigerian startups grow, scale, and survive. For the first time in decades, private equity (PE) and venture capital (VC) have …
Nigeria’s drive toward full financial inclusion has entered a defining phase, one where digital identity, smart regulation, and data-led innovation will determine who gets left behind in Africa’s largest economy. At the Semafor “Next 3 Billion Tour” held in Abuja this week, Minister of State for Finance, Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite, announced that the Federal …
In a sign of shifting priorities at the world’s most powerful central bank, the U.S. Federal Reserve is expected to cut interest rates twice more before year-end, a move analysts say reflects mounting concern over a slowing job market despite persistent inflation. According to a survey, out of 117 economists, 115 expect the Fed to …
In a sweeping structural reform, Nigeria has effectively abolished its standalone 10% Capital Gains Tax (CGT) and integrated the gains into its new income tax regime, a move that has triggered widespread debate over its potential to stifle investment or modernize tax fairness. Under the newly signed Nigeria Tax Act, 2025, capital gains for individuals …
The hot sun beats down on Nigeria's farmlands, drying up the once fertile soil. Dust sweeps across fields that used to be full of life. Maize plants are broken, cassava tubers are rotting under the intense heat, and rice paddies are dried up, with no water left to help the crops grow. From Niger to …
Across Nigeria’s capital city, the dream of living close to work is fast slipping away. The recent spike in house rents across Abuja has triggered an exodus of residents from central districts to far-flung areas, as landlords adjust their prices in response to inflation, rising building costs and, in some cases, sheer greed. For many, …
Chairman of MTN Nigeria, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, has said the success of the company from its early years to its dominance as Nigeria’s leading telecom operator stems from strong corporate governance and merit-based recruitment. Speaking at the 31st Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja, during a panel session themed “Titans on the Move: Africa’s Multinationals,” Ndukwe …
In the bustling corners of Nigeria’s cities, from the tight alleys of urban slums to the crowded student hostels of Kaduna and Abuja, a quiet crisis is unfolding as a growing number of young Nigerians are skipping meals just to stay online. From recharge kiosks in Lagos to street-side vendors in Benin, data and airtime have …
With Nigeria set to roll out its long-awaited open banking policy in August 2025, hopes are high, but so are concerns. The question on the lips of everyone is this: will this digital shift finally bring financial services to over 38 million unbanked Nigerians? Or will it widen the gap between those online and those …
