Special Reports

Sunday, 08 September 2024 04:34

Nigerians lament as latest petrol price hike worsens living conditions

Families and operators of businesses in the country have continued to decry the recent hike in petrol prices as they grapple with the escalating cost of living amid widespread discontent in the country. The 50 percent increase in petrol price has rippled through the economy, driving up prices of essential goods and services, and exacerbating financial hardships for many. The price hike, which came into effect last week, has seen petrol prices soar to record highs of between N850/litre and N1,400 per litre depending on the area, adding to the already mounting pressure on household budgets. Owing to the hardship…

Saturday, 07 September 2024 04:58

Dangote’s petrol is colourless like water. Does this indicate quality? The Cable helps us with an answer

On Tuesday, Aliko Dangote showed off the new colourless petrol from his refinery — a stark contrast to the colour which Nigerians are used to, which is typically yellowish or reddish-pink. This made people question the quality of petrol in Nigeria. “You might think it looks different, but this is the real thing,” Dangote said,while pointing at the bottle. “You will now have good petrol and your car engines will last longer. You won’t have engine problems like we used to. It won’t happen at all. “The quality here is as good as anywhere in the world. We will make…

Sunday, 01 September 2024 04:55

‘A building has collapsed in Lagos once every two weeks on average so far this year’. Here’s why Lagos buildings keep falling

A building has collapsed in Nigeria’s megacity, Lagos, once every two weeks on average so far this year. Whereas the commercial cost can be calculated, a figure can never be put on the value of the lives lost underneath the rubble. The gaps among the buildings, replaced by piles of debris, represent a failure of governance as well as giving rise to allegations of contractors trying to cut corners to save money. There are regulations, there are maintenance schedules, there are inspectors – but the system does not work. Those responsible are never held to account, and so nothing ever…

Friday, 30 August 2024 04:57

Nigeria’s divorce rate highest in Africa - Report

Divorce.com, a United States website which offers resources and support for navigating divorce, has included Nigeria on its list of countries with high divorce rates. According to data published on their website in July, Nigeria ranked eleventh out of twenty-six countries with the highest divorce rate. The results were obtained after sampling respondents from these countries and compiling statistics from 16 primary sources, ensuring a comprehensive and reliable research process. The report also revealed a significant trend. Women in sub-Saharan Africa, especially Nigeria, are taking the initiative in divorce more often than men, a reflection of changing gender dynamics. According…

Thursday, 29 August 2024 04:53

Nigerians plan to borrow to meet personal needs for next 3 months as economy worsens, CBN survey finds

Nigerians are bracing for tough months ahead, with many planning to rely on borrowing and depleting their savings to manage their financial obligations amid a challenging economic landscape. This is according to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) July 2024 Household Expectations Survey, which highlights growing consumer pessimism about the nation’s economic trajectory. The survey, which involved 1,665 households from across Nigeria, reveals a stark decline in consumer confidence, with the overall confidence index for the next three months standing at a negative 9.1 points. This figure reflects a significant level of anxiety among consumers who anticipate a continued decline…

Sunday, 25 August 2024 04:04

Teaching hospitals meant to support lives are themselves on ‘life support’. Here’s how it is with the health institutions nationwide

Established as referral health facilities, with adequate and qualified health professionals, most teaching hospitals in Nigeria have fallen short of the expectations of those that are in need of healthcare services. The teaching hospitals are burdened by unreliable and high costs of electricity supply to power diagnostic equipment. Medical equipment in most of the facilities are either obsolete, malfunctioning or lack maintenance where they exist. The hospitals are poorly funded, resulting in health workers leaving the country in search of alternative means of living. Their patients groan in pain; and in most cases, the doctors and nurses watch helplessly. In…

Saturday, 24 August 2024 04:51

Security agencies overwhelmed as abductors reign supreme nationwide

From schoolchildren to VIPs, no one is safe from the pervasive menace of kidnapping ravaging the entire length and breadth of the country. Despite efforts from security agencies, gunmen still loom large on the horizon, as Nigerians live in constant fear of the unknown. Kidnapping has become one of the most pressing security concerns in Nigeria. The criminal enterprise touches every corner of the country. Abduction for ransom was rare until the emergence of Niger Delta militants in the early 2000s. The militants engaged in various forms of criminal activities under the pretence of resisting environmental degradation and absence of…

Thursday, 22 August 2024 04:39

‘A revolution is building’: Can young people force change across Africa?

Africa has the youngest population of any continent, and recent protests in Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda suggest growing youth disillusionment. Will they be able to turn discontent into action? The youth-led protests that have broken out in several African countries over the past weeks should, say observers, serve as warnings that a disillusioned generation blame the elders of the ruling political classes for missed economic opportunities. From mid-June to early August, young people in Kenya hit the streets protesting against what they described as runaway corruption and high taxes levied by President William Ruto’s regime. In Uganda, what was shaping…

Tuesday, 20 August 2024 04:44

News analysis: How much do minimum wage workers in London spend on transport vis-a-vis their counterparts in Abuja? These are the numbers

This comparison reveals a stark contrast between the situations of minimum wage workers in London and Abuja, particularly in terms of transportation costs and their impact on workers' lives and the broader economy. Let's break it down: 1. Economic Context: - London, UK: - Monthly Minimum Wage: £1,830.40. - Living Conditions: London is one of the most expensive cities globally, with high costs for housing, transportation, and other essentials. The minimum wage in London is higher compared to other regions in the UK due to the elevated cost of living, but this wage is still considered low relative to the…

Monday, 19 August 2024 04:45

News analysis: Minimum wage in UK is £1,830.40; N70,000 in Nigeria. Here’s how workers in both countries stand in terms of food affordability

Tesco London prices as at Sunday August 18: 25kg of white rice - £37.50 25kg of brown beans - £60 400g of white bread - £1.20 1 crate of 6 eggs - £1.20 1kg of broiler chicken - £4.00. For a family of 4 living on the monthly minimum wage of £1,830.40 in London earned by one of two adults in the family, let’s assume the following monthly food consumption: 1). 25kg of white rice - £37.50 2). 25kg of brown beans - £60 3). 30 loaves of 400g of white bread @ £1.20 per loaf = £36 4). 10…

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Friday, 16 August 2024 04:54

Having no food for her children, this woman fed them with poultry feeds

A 22-year-old woman in Akwa Ibom State,south-south Nigeria, has been feeding her four children with chicken and fish feeds, apparently because of poverty and hunger. The children are all girls, the oldest five years old and the youngest slightly above one year. The woman, Grace Eseneowo, a widow, works at a small farm in Eket Local Government Area of the state. The farm, which is a fishery and poultry, is at Ikot Abia community in Okon Eket. She lives in her father’s house in the community and earns N15,000 monthly at the farm. Grace’s pathetic story became public a few…

Tuesday, 13 August 2024 04:52

This student was handing out bottles of water to protesters. Minutes later, he was dead

Using his sleeve to wipe tear gas from his burning eyes, 25-year-old Mugdho weaves through the crowd, handing out bottles of water to the protesters whose demands for reform would soon topple Bangladesh’s leader. Fifteen minutes later, the university student would become a martyr of the protest movement, when a bullet pierced his forehead as he paused to rest during the searing afternoon heat in the capital Dhaka. Mugdho – whose full name was Mir Mahfuzur Rahman – was rushed to hospital by his friend and fellow protesters, but it was too late, his twin Snigdho – Mir Mahbubur Rahman…

Thursday, 08 August 2024 05:06

Babies in Nigeria are being born with antibiotic resistant bacteria - Study

Sepsis occurs when one's immune system has an extreme response to an infection. It's a life-threatening condition: globally, it accounts for about 11 million deaths—20% of all deaths per year. And it doesn't just affect adults. In 2020, 2.4 million newborn babies died of sepsis in the first month of their lives. Most of these deaths happened in sub-Saharan Africa. The main treatment for sepsis is antibiotics. However, the overuse and misuse of antibiotics in human medicine and agriculture has led to antimicrobial resistance—a process in which bacteria, fungi and parasites have developed the ability to resist the action of…

Monday, 05 August 2024 04:42

Rich, western countries face a stark choice: 6-day workweeks or more immigration, top economist warns

A specter is haunting Europe — the specter of aging. Many Western countries are facing what the World Bank calls a “profound demographic crisis”: The twin perils of an aging population and record-low fertility rates are predicted to send their populations plunging in the coming decades. The worst consequences of this demographic shift, per the World Bank, are economic. Soon, the shrinking working population in the U.S., Canada, or Germany won’t be able to meet their own constant demands for high-quality goods and services. These rich, elderly countries will have to make a hard choice for economic survival: force people…

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