NEWS
Africa Maybe Impoverished Without Skills, Women’s Empowerment —Experts
By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
A panel of development experts has warned that Africa will remain trapped in poverty unless the continent urgently invests in marketable skills, strengthens governance systems, expands production capacity, and prioritises the empowerment of women.
The speakers — economist Paul Alaje, President of the Capital Market Academics of Nigeria (CMAN) Prof.
Uche Uwaleke, and gender advocate Alice Obasanjo — delivered the message at a colloquium themed “Breaking the Cycle: How Nigeria Can Lead Africa From Poverty to Prosperity.”Alaje, a leading economist and partner at SPM Professionals, led the discussion with a stark illustration of Africa’s development paradox.
He argued that while the continent is richly endowed with natural resources such as oil, gold, bitumen, solid minerals and vast arable land, it continues to rank among the poorest regions of the world because it has failed to convert these resources into wealth.
He narrated an allegorical story of a rich man who voluntarily lived poor because of knowledge and information, contrasting it with a poor man who chose temporary riches over long-term wealth.
According to him, “This is the story of Africa. We have traded our future for momentary gain.”
Alaje criticised Africa’s heavy dependence on imports, pointing out that even school uniforms worn by millions of children across the continent are mostly produced in China and India.
Every imported item, he said, weakens African currencies, kills local jobs and deepens poverty.
Using relatable analogies, he compared the price of luxury smartphones to barrels of crude oil, stressing how consumption-driven habits undermine the continent’s ability to build wealth.
“A $3,000 phone is equivalent to 30 barrels of oil. While our nations depend on oil barrels, one company abroad manufactures the phone we crave,” he said.
“A $3,000 phone is equivalent to 30 barrels of oil. While our nations depend on oil barrels, one company abroad manufactures the phone we crave,” he said.
He called for massive investments in vocational training, industrialisation, and the creation of factories that can process Africa’s raw materials, emphasising that no nation prospers with a weak productive base.
Prof. Uche Uwaleke, aligned with Alaje but expanded the argument by drawing attention to Nigeria’s and Africa’s weak institutions, inadequate energy capacity, and shallow financial markets.
He said Nigeria has the natural and human resources required to lead Africa out of poverty but is constrained by structural weaknesses.
Uwaleke particularly stressed the crippling effects of low electricity generation, noting that a country of over 200 million people produces less than 5,000 megawatts, compared to South Africa’s 40,000 megawatts for a population of 65 million.
He also highlighted the low market capitalisation of the Nigerian capital market compared to peer economies, arguing that stronger financial systems are needed to mobilise investment for development.
He commended ongoing government reforms in fuel subsidy removal, tax restructuring and exchange-rate unification but insisted that reforms must be matched with improved public spending in education, health and social welfare to achieve inclusive growth.
“It is not just about revenue; it is about the quality of spending. Growth means nothing if it does not trickle down,” he said.
Also speaking, gender advocate Alice Obasanjo declared that Africa cannot rise if women continue to be excluded from leadership, economic participation and policy-making.
She described women as the “anchor of families, drivers of informal economies and the backbone of communities,” insisting that no nation could achieve sustained prosperity while sidelining half its population.
She cited Rwanda’s example, where women occupy over 60 per cent of parliamentary seats, as proof that deliberate inclusion can transform societies. Obasanjo called for stronger gender-responsive laws, expanded access to education and finance for women, and the removal of cultural barriers that limit their participation.
“A bird cannot fly with one wing,” she said. “Any development that leaves women behind is not development at all.”
The colloquium concluded with a shared message: Africa’s pathway out of poverty lies not in its natural resources but in skills, strong institutions, inclusive policies and the empowerment of women.
They insisted that without these pillars, the continent risks remaining perpetually poor despite its abundant potential.
By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that he will step down from his cabinet position if President Bola Tinubu fails to secure victory in both the FCT and Rivers State in the upcoming 2027 presidential election.
Speaking during an engagement with leadership and members of the Apo Mechanics and Traders Association in Abuja, Wike stated that his continued tenure as a cabinet minister is directly tied to his ability to deliver political results for the president in his primary areas of influence.
Setting a specific timeline, the Minister announced that should the ruling party lose in the FCT and Rivers State at the presidential poll scheduled for January 16, 2027, he will formally tender his resignation the very next day.
“If I cannot deliver where I work, then I’m not worthy to be here,” Wike said, emphasizing that his political mandate requires concrete electoral success.
“If I lose FCT, I’m not supposed to be FCT Minister. By January 17, 2027, I will announce my resignation as FCT Minister should the President lose in Rivers State and the FCT,” he stressed.
Outlining his political strategy for the territory, Wike revealed that the administration is building a multi-party coalition to secure victory across various elective offices in the FCT.
He explicitly endorsed candidates across legislative tiers while reiterating total support for the president’s re-election bid.
“Let us be clear on direction: for the Presidency, it is Bola Ahmed Tinubu! For the Senate, Philip Aduda is a man of the people, unlike those who only appear on television. The two House of Representatives candidates we are supporting are also here. They are former Area Council chairmen.
“In the FCT, we are running a unified coalition across parties to deliver results.
“If I cannot deliver FCT as Minister, then I am not qualified to hold this office. We have a firm agreement, and today is the final affirmation.”
The announcement comes amid ongoing efforts by the FCT Administration to resolve the long-standing relocation and land allocation exercise for thousands of traders and mechanics operating within the Apo Mechanic Village corridor.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has extended the deadline for candidates with outstanding admission offers from the 2021 to 2025 admission exercises to Nov. 30, 2026.
JAMB spokesman, Dr.
Fabian Benjamin, made this known in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.Benjamin said the extension followed the temporary unavailability of the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) for about 96 hours.
He said the extension would give affected candidates a final opportunity to either accept or reject their outstanding admission offers.
“The Board has approved Nov. 30, 2026 as the final deadline for candidates in this category to indicate whether they wish to accept or reject their outstanding admission offers,” he said.
He recalled that the Board extended the deadline to Sept. 30, 2026, adding that the recent disruption to CAPS necessitated the further extension.
Benjamin warned that candidates who failed to act by Nov. 30 would no longer be allowed to accept or reject the outstanding offers within the current window.
“Any subsequent request to update an admission record relating to these previous years will attract the applicable penalty fee,” he said.
He said candidates whose admissions were not on the matriculation list could face difficulties accessing benefits, including participation in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.
The spokesman advised all affected candidates to take action before the deadline rather than wait until the last day.
He said candidates who accepted their offers would be able to print their admission letters, while those who rejected them would have their dashboards reverted to “Not Admitted”.
According to him, the process would enable JAMB to update its records and ensure that the national admission database accurately reflected candidates’ current status.
Benjamin said candidates no longer studying at the institutions where they were offered admission could accept the offer and later apply for correction or deletion, where applicable.
He added that candidates currently pursuing a second degree programme, but still having an unaccepted admission offer from a previous year could reject the old offer and continue with their current programme.
“Candidates who have been offered admission in the 2026 admission exercise but still have an outstanding admission offer from an earlier year have no cause for apprehension.
“Such candidates may reject the previous admission offer, and doing so will not affect their 2026 admission,” he said.
Benjamin said the extension was also aimed at helping JAMB maintain accurate and reliable national admission records.
He reiterated that Nov. 30, 2026 was the final deadline for accepting or rejecting outstanding admissions from the 2021 to 2025 admission exercises.
“At the expiration of the deadline, all outstanding admission offers from these years that have neither been accepted nor rejected will automatically revert to ‘Not Admitted’ status on the Board’s records,” he said.
He urged all affected candidates to take immediate action, stressing that failure to accept an admission offer within the stipulated period could render the offer invalid.(NAN)
From Attah Ede, Makurdi
The Board of Directors of the Benue Investment and Property Company Limited (BIPC) has inspected the ongoing maintenance and rehabilitation works at Taraku Mills Limited, ahead of the planned test run of the factory.
The inspection, led by the Group Managing Director of BIPC, Dr.
Raymond Asemakaha, CFA, provided members of the Board with an opportunity to assess the level of work carried out at the facility and preparations for the commencement of operations.Conducting the Board around the factory, Dr. Asemakaha explained the progress made so far and assured that the facility would be test-run during the weekend as part of efforts to prepare the mill for full-scale production.
The Board Chairman, Lady Elizabeth M.N. Shuluwa, commended the GMD, the technical team and staff of Taraku Mills for their commitment and dedication towards restoring the facility to productive use.
Lady Shuluwa also expressed appreciation to the Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, for his support and commitment to the revival of the state’s industrial assets.
She called on the people of Benue State to support the efforts to revive Taraku Mills and other state-owned industries, stressing the importance of collective ownership and support for initiatives aimed at creating jobs, boosting economic activities and improving the state’s industrial base.
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