By Sakariyah, Ridwanullah The Nigerian state has subsidised petrol since the 1970s, keeping pump prices artificially low to protect citizens from global oil shocks. But the books tell a darker story. According to the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), between 2005 and 2021 the country spent ₦13.697 trillion on subsidies. NEITI’s 2022 Executive Secretary, Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, explained that this amount could have built at least three modern refineries…

By Clement Abayomi Think about it. When Nigerians discuss democracy, the gist no longer finds expression in Abraham Lincoln’s _“government of the people, by the people, for the people”_. Instead, it goes straight to Aso Rock in forms of biting criticisms. What does this suggest for the pillars of Nigeria’s democracy, specifically Nigerian leaders? It is not untrue to say that a country’s National Assembly is the backbone of its…

By Jeremiah Aminu  Among numerous social vices plaguing the societal stability of Nigeria, the predatory practices of digital lending platforms stand as a pressing problem worsening the economic state of Nigerians within the country. These loan platforms, which tend to serve as a last resort for cash-strapped Nigerians, trap them in an unending cycle of strangling debts through deception, exploitation, intimidation, and defamation. Notably, this vice unfolds through certain unethical…

By Sakariyah, Ridwanullah  The story of the Chinese in Nigeria is a tale of movement, exchange, suspicion, and influence. Some Nigerians have always associated the word “China” with cheap phones, electronics, and construction giants building bridges and railways. But beyond that, the Chinese presence in Nigeria has deeper roots than the smartphones in our pockets. In fact, the Chinese have gained a stronger ground in Nigeria than what anyone could…