Author: damazah@gmail.com

By Tunji Olaopa Without mincing words, and since independence in 1960, the consecutive governments that have been on the national saddle to transform the Nigerian state have been concerned with reforming the civil service. This came from the recognition that the bureaucracy is a key component of the governance apparatuses for national development and democratic governance. At the risk of stating the obvious, it bears noting that the civil service is designated in its unfolding history as the hub of policymaking professionalism established and structured to backstop the government in terms of planning, designing, policy advisory, and the execution of…

Reform UK to hold press conference after Met rules out investigating Polanski over anti-Farage messageGood morning. Reform UK are holding a press conference this morning. It is going to feature Robert Jenrick, the party’s Treasury spokesperson, and he wants to talk about Andy Burnham’s speech yesterday about social care reform. But we already know what Jenrick thinks about that, and there are plenty of other stories that reporters might want to ask about.For a start, there is Anna Isaac’s latest Guardian scoop about George Cottrell.Someone might want to ask about a Reform UK councillor from Sunderland being charged with posting…

Femi Ogbonnikan As political parties across the state warm up for the official commencement of campaigns ahead of the new election cycle, the electorate in Ogun State stands at a pivotal, historic crossroads. In an era defined by persistent global economic headwinds, soaring food inflation, critical infrastructure deficits, and widespread youth unemployment, only candidates who possess a demonstrable, verified capacity for practical problem-solving deserve the voters’ thoughtful attention.Now, more than ever, is the time for the electorate to demand concrete, measurable solutions to the complex challenges confronting the state—not empty rhetoric, partisan sentiment, or emotional tribalism.At this critical juncture in…

Cross-border payments in Africa remain among the most expensive in the world, despite the rapid growth of instant payment systems across the continent. Sending $200 to another African country can cost as much as 7.9 per cent, more than double the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal target of three per cent. This comes even as Africa’s cross-border payments market, valued at $329 billion in 2025, is projected to reach $1 trillion by 2035. Experts say fragmented regulations, inconsistent policies and heavy reliance on the US dollar continue to hinder efforts to create cheaper and more efficient payment systems across Africa.…

The six basic travel adaptors also presented fire safety concerns in tests.These included missing safety shutters – which protect people from coming into contact with a plug’s live internal parts – missing fuses and oversized pin holes.The Office for Product Safety and Standards has noted such concerns when issuing alerts for travel adaptors.For instance, it recently ordered the recall of one product, external it said lacked safety shutters and rejected the import of another, external, saying it presented a serious risk of fire because it did not meet UK plug dimension requirements.Online reviews seen by ESF also sparked concerns about…

Polling stations across Greater Manchester have opened in a mayoral election that was triggered when Andy Burnham resigned as the city region’s mayor.MPs are not permitted to be mayor, meaning Burnham had to stand down after his success in last month’s Makerfield parliamentary by-election. His election as an MP paved the way for him becoming prime minister earlier this month.Voters are now choosing which candidate they would like to represent them as mayor of Greater Manchester and leader of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.Polling stations opened at 07:00 BST and will close at 22:00. The results are due to be…

Eddie Howe has left his role as Newcastle United head coach.  The decision has been taken following discussions with the club’s hierarchy over the last 48 hours, although Howe had started the ball rolling on a potential departure a number of weeks ago. In this time, Howe continued to focus on preparing the Newcastle team for their season opener against Liverpool on August 23, live on Sky Sports. Howe’s departure comes 25 days before that fixture. Matthias Jaissle of Al Ahli Is the favourite to replace Howe. Sky Sports News understands talks are at an advanced stage with the 38-year-old German…

I’ve spent 16 years doing standup in India, 10 of them under prime minister Narendra Modi’s government. I’ve learned – especially at corporate events, private shows and turns at various associations, universities and business schools among the English-speaking urban elite – that people are most thrilled when politics doesn’t come up, as if it doesn’t exist. I’m often told: “Anuvab, you can joke about anything – just don’t mention any specific names, places, incidents or events.”You might read that and think I live in some humourless, semi-monarchic stasis. That isn’t true either. Many comedians and influencers joke about the government.…

At 5am on Arkösund bay, it is so light it could be midday. I slip out of the pretty clapboard Arkösunds hotell, opened in 1895, as a small boat putters into the Baltic Sea, the sun sparkling on its calm waters. A wooden boardwalk invites me on to a string of tiny islets as geese arrow overhead and a mother swan coaxes her fluffy cygnets into a nook under a bridge.I’m on Sweden’s east coast to explore the Östergötland archipelago, a sprawl of about 9,000 islands scattered across the Baltic Sea a few hours south of Stockholm. Quieter and less…

• E-Payment transactions rose to N3.46 quadrillion in 2025
  •E-Fraud losses declined 50.5% to N25.9bn   •Cross-border payments on PAPSS surged to $143.4m Nume Ekeghe The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said Nigeria’s foreign exchange inflows rose by 13.8 per cent to a record $109.86 billion in 2025, driven largely by stronger autonomous inflows from non-oil exports, capital importation, and over-the-counter (OTC) purchases. According to the report, aggregate foreign exchange inflows into the economy increased from $96.53 billion in 2024 to $109.86 billion in 2025, while aggregate outflows rose by 27.83 per cent to $49.05 billion, from $38.37 billion recorded in…