General News
Many Headaches of GMB, President-Elect
For President-elect Muhammadu Buhari, winning Nigeria’s tight election race is the easy part. Keeping Africa’s biggest country afloat will be harder, according to Aryn Baker of Time.
When he defeated President Goodluck Jonathan at the polls on March 28, Buhari made history as the first opposition candidate in Nigeria to unseat a president through the ballot box.
But the president-elect faces far greater challenges when, on May 29, he takes office and must confront Nigeria’s multiple problems, from an economy that has been hit by the falling price of oil, a government paralysed by corruption, and a security sector beset by one insurgency and threatened by another.
Time reported that if Buhari, 72, is to leave a legacy equal to his history-making victory, he will have to take on these challenges:
Cutting out corruption
Buhari’s All Progressives Congress [APC] party emblem is a broom, symbolizing his commitment to sweeping out the corruption that has plagued Nigeria for decades. He has a proven track record, too.
Unlike most of his predecessors and successors, he did not use his time in power, as military president from 1983 to 1985, to enrich himself, and still lives in the modest home of a retired general.
But even if he manages to resist the temptations of office, he will have to work with the political elites in his party who brought him to power, largely through Nigeria’s deeply entrenched system of political patronage and its attendant promises of favors and kickbacks.
“The APC line is that there will be no corrupt individuals in Buhari’s cabinet, but there will have to be some wiggle room,” says Elizabeth Donnelley, assistant head of the Africa program at London’s Chatham House foreign policy institute. “Deals have been made, and things are owed.”
Buhari may not be able to sweep away graft in the short term, but if he immediately strengthens existing anti-corruption institutions that had been intentionally weakened under previous administrations, such as Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and oversees the prosecution of standout cases, he will set the right tone.
A good place to start would be an investigation into the country’s petroleum ministry, where an estimated $20 billion in oil revenue is thought to have gone missing, according to a 2014 report by Nigeria’s Central Bank.
Taming Boko Haram
In tackling the Islamist insurgency that has killed more than 13,000 over the past six years, Buhari faces a three-fold problem. With significant help from neighbors Chad and Niger, along with an estimated 100 foreign mercenaries, Nigeria’s army has managed to push Boko Haram out of all but three local districts, liberating territory roughly the size of Belgium.
But in order to keep Boko Haram from re-grouping, Buhari will have to oversee a complete restructuring of an army hollowed out by years of neglect and corruption. He will also need to ramp up security and intelligence services as the insurgents, denied territory, resort increasingly to terror attacks.
Two assaults in the country’s northeast over the weekend took several dozen lives, underscoring the urgency.
Buhari will also need to strengthen the relationship with those countries assisting in the fight, whose leadership feels that they are doing the bulk of the work with little recognition.
The insurgency has devastated parts of Nigeria. The United Nation’s Deputy emergency relief coordinator, Kyung-wha Kang, says that some 1.5 million people have been displaced by the fighting, creating one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world today.
More than 300 schools have been severely damaged or destroyed, and less than 40% of health facilities, in a historically underserved area, remain operational. Farmers have fled fighting in the country’s agricultural heartland, leading to rising food costs and the risk of widespread malnutrition.
It’s the economy, stupid
Nigeria may have surged past South Africa to become the continent’s biggest economy last year, but that growth has slowed.
The International Monetary Fund estimates that economic growth will slow to 4.8% this year, down from 6.1% in 2014, and the Naira is down 17% against the dollar. Inflation is on the rise, and foreign reserves are at a historic low, largely due to the decline in oil and gas prices, which provide nearly 70% of government income.
The oil and gas sector only accounts for about 16% of GDP, which means that if Buhari can help the government diversify its revenue base to better incorporate Nigeria’s booming entertainment and telecoms sector, he could oversee a return to better growth.
The problem is that when it comes to economics, he is largely inexperienced, and will have select cabinet members with strong economic and business backgrounds.
“I believe that Buhari is going to choose a very strong, good team in various departments, but most especially in economy,” Nigeria’s Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka told Bloomberg TV. “I think, like me, he’s an economic illiterate.”
Keeping the oil-rich delta area onside
To secure Nigeria’s economic growth, Buhari will have to prioritize his government’s relationship with the militants that upended the oil industry for much of the early 2000s. In 2009, then Vice President Jonathan negotiated a temporary amnesty deal with the militants that saw an end to the attacks on oil pipelines and kidnappings of foreign oil workers that made the region a no-go area and drove the price of oil to record highs.
In exchange the militants, who claimed that they had long been denied the oil riches from their native lands, received generous payouts. The deal, which includes education stipends for some 30,000 residents, is set to expire at the end of 2015.
If Buhari is not prepared to extend multi-million dollar contracts with local powerbrokers that make up a large portion of the amnesty agreement, the militants could respond with violence, igniting an uprising in the south even as he tackles the Boko Haram insurgency in the north.
Buhari could extend the agreement, but better still would be to address the underlying issues: that the Delta’s oil wealth funds the nation with little in return for locals but environmental degradation and a few low-wage, low-skill jobs.
Guinness Nigeria has officially begun rewarding consumers under its nationwide ‘Open For More’ National Consumer Promotion (NCP), with an impressive ₦17 million in rewards to 107 winners during the campaign’s first live draw held on July 31, 2026.
The inaugural draw instantly transformed the fortunes of consumers across the country, producing seven new millionaires, who each received ₦1 million, alongside 100 additional winners, who each walked away with ₦100,000. The milestone marks the beginning of a series of weekly live draws that will see hundreds more Nigerians rewarded throughout the promotion.
The seven ₦1 million winners are Marcus Barieepie, Ani Valentine Ogochukwu, Okafor Sochima, Taiwo Adebola, Zubair Rukayat, Oluwatobi Femi, and Ebubechukwu Okolo.
The live draw was conducted under the supervision of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) to ensure transparency and fairness. Representatives of the commission present included Dr. Olubunmi Otti, Zonal Coordinator, FCCPC Southwest, and Mrs. Abosede Ogundeji, Surveillance and Investigation Officer.
Speaking during the draw, Ramanathan S, representing Guinness, said the promotion reflects the brand’s enduring commitment to celebrating and rewarding the consumers who have supported Guinness over the years.
“For decades, Nigerians have made Guinness a part of their milestones and celebrations. Today, we are proud to give back by putting ₦17 million directly into the hands of 107 consumers in our very first draw. This is only the beginning. Over the coming weeks, many more Nigerians will experience life-changing rewards as we continue to celebrate the loyalty of the people who have made Guinness part of their stories.”
He added that all weekly draws will continue to be streamed live across Guinness Nigeria’s official platforms, enabling consumers to witness the winner-selection process in real time and reinforcing the transparency and credibility of the promotion. He also encouraged eligible consumers nationwide to participate, noting that every valid entry presents another opportunity to win.
The ‘Open For More’ National Consumer Promotion offers consumers the chance to win ₦1 million every day, ₦100,000 cash prizes for 1,000 winners, and a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado as the grand prize. Altogether, the promotion will reward consumers with more than ₦400 million in cash and prizes.
To participate, consumers simply need to purchase specially marked bottles of Guinness Foreign Extra Stout or Guinness Smooth, locate the unique code beneath the crown cork or can lid, and enter the code via the designated campaign platform.
With ₦17 million already won in its opening draw, the campaign is off to a remarkable start, reinforcing Guinness Nigeria’s commitment to rewarding consumer loyalty through transparent processes and unforgettable experiences that go beyond the product. Consumers are encouraged to look out for specially marked promotional packs and follow Guinness Nigeria’s official communication channels for updates, winner announcements, and details of upcoming draws.
National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has expressed readiness to deepen collaboration with Nigerian universities to promote research, innovation and technology-driven solutions to local challenges.
NITDA, UniAbuja
NITDA’s Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, stated this when the management of Yakubu Gowon University, formerly the University of Abuja (UniAbuja), led by its Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi, paid a familiarisation visit to the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
Abdullahi said stronger collaboration between NITDA and tertiary institutions was essential to building a robust innovation ecosystem, developing practical skills and positioning Nigeria for technology-driven economic growth.
He stressed the need for increased investment in research, particularly in emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, cybersecurity and cloud computing.
“We need to invest more in in-depth research with universities to build a robust research ecosystem that will help us develop solutions.
“Research will focus on harnessing AI, IoT, blockchain, cybersecurity and cloud technology, among other emerging technologies, to improve our lives and grow our digital economy,” he said.
The DG described universities as critical talent factories required to achieve Nigeria’s digital transformation aspirations.
“NITDA has a vision to make Nigeria a digitally empowered nation. You (UniAbuja) are the talent factory, and we cannot achieve our vision without talented Nigerians.
“The only way to achieve that is by working with institutions like yours. So, we need to build talent,” he said.
Abdullahi also advocated the integration of AI education across disciplines in tertiary institutions, saying students needed practical digital skills to remain relevant in the evolving world of work.
“We can work together to explore ways of introducing AI across the board as a general study course in tertiary institutions.
“Elements of AI should be included in every field of study to equip our students with the hands-on skills for navigating the real world,” he said.
According to him, NITDA is already collaborating with key education sector stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry of Education, National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and National Commission for Colleges of Education.
He said the agency was also working to promote digital literacy programmes across all levels of education to ensure that graduates acquire skills relevant to industry requirements.
Earlier, Fawehinmi said the university’s visit was aimed at seeking NITDA’s partnership and support in strengthening digital infrastructure and technology-based training at the institution.
He expressed appreciation for NITDA’s contributions to the Digital Geoscience Centre at the university.
The Vice-Chancellor said the university was willing to collaborate with NITDA on joint research, capacity-building initiatives and innovation programmes capable of contributing to Nigeria’s socio-economic development.
“We could go into partnership with you to provide data, collaborative engagements, staff exchanges and joint research hubs, so that we can produce high-level human resources.
“The university is committed to serving as a strategic academic partner to NITDA by providing academic expertise required to advance your national digital transformation initiatives,” he said.
The proposed collaboration is expected to strengthen the link between academic research and industry needs while creating opportunities for technology innovation, skills development and practical solutions to Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges.
A New Mexico court has ordered Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, to pay $567 million to address the alleged harms caused to young people by its social media platforms.
Meta
The ruling by Judge Bryan Biedscheid came in the second phase of a landmark trial concerning the impact of Meta’s platforms on children and teenagers.
The judge said $420 million of the amount would be dedicated to treatment services for young people, while the remaining funds would support awareness and prevention programmes, screening services and other related costs over the next five years.
The latest financial order comes on top of $375 million in civil penalties awarded against Meta in March after a jury found that the company knowingly harmed children’s mental health and concealed information about child sexual exploitation on its platforms.
During the second phase of the trial, prosecutors asked the court to order fundamental changes to Meta’s platforms, including measures to reduce addictive features, improve age verification and prevent child sexual exploitation through stronger privacy settings and increased oversight.
The court subsequently ordered Facebook and Instagram to introduce banner notifications and informational screens explaining their safety features, recommended practices and tools for addressing inappropriate comments.
The platforms must also regularly display the information, while an educational campaign in New Mexico will be subject to review by the state.
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez said the ruling sent a clear message that technology companies could be held accountable when their product designs knowingly exposed children to risks.
“Today’s decision is a victory for every parent who has worried about what social media is doing to their child and every child who deserves to grow up safer online,” Torrez said in a statement.
Meta said it would appeal the ruling.
“We work hard to keep people safe on our platforms and have been transparent about the challenges of identifying and removing bad actors and harmful content,” the company said.
The company said it remained confident in its record of protecting teenagers online and would continue to defend itself against what it described as claims that misrepresented the facts.
On age verification, the court said federal children’s privacy laws restricted Meta’s ability to apply certain verification tools to children under 13.
The court cited the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which limits the collection of personal information from children under 13.
Rather than imposing a blanket age-verification requirement exclusively on Meta, the judge ordered the company to continue improving its age-assurance tools in New Mexico.
The tools include the use of artificial intelligence to estimate users’ ages based on signals such as their social connections and the type of content they post and consume.
Meta was also ordered to attempt to develop a dedicated model for predicting whether users are under 13 within the next two years.
Additionally, the company must request proof of age from Facebook and Instagram users in New Mexico whom it estimates to be under 13.
Where Meta determines that a user is under 13, or under 18 but cannot determine a specific age, it must treat the user as being under the applicable age threshold until the user verifies their age.
The court further ordered Meta to partner with schools or a child-safety organisation to establish a reporting portal through which school officials can flag users suspected to be under 13.
Meta must also delete personal information it has collected from users under 13 and submit progress reports twice a year detailing its compliance with the court-ordered measures.
The ruling comes as Meta faces thousands of lawsuits from families alleging that children have been harmed by social media use.
The company is also preparing for another trial in California amid the growing litigation over the impact of social media platforms on young people.
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