Introduction Africa stands at a critical crossroads in its development journey. The continent’s agricultural sector, which employs nearly 60 per cent of its workforce and underpins the livelihoods of millions, faces unprecedented challenges. Climate variability, diminishing arable land, water scarcity, and rapid population growth threaten food security and economic stability. Yet, amid these challenges lies a powerful opportunity: artificial intelligence (AI). As a transformative technology, AI offers tools to leapfrog traditional development hurdles, enabling precision, efficiency, and resilience in farming and beyond. Drawing lessons from global innovators who have harnessed AI to overcome similar constraints, African nations can craft tailored…
Author: Development Reporting
By Malik Samuel With foreign expertise now reshaping battlefield dynamics in the Lake Chad Basin, and raising the stakes for regional security, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) is proving that it is no longer just a localised insurgency. Ongoing developments suggest ISWAP is rapidly transforming into the central pillar of the Islamic State’s global strategy in Africa, with worrying echoes of the mid-2010s in Iraq and Syria. In two recent editorials published in al-Naba, the Islamic State’s official Arabic-language weekly, the group laid out its strategic thinking for the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin, and what emerges is…
Prominent Nigerian authors have paid tribute to the renowned Kenyan scholar and writer, Ngugi wa Thiong’o, who passed away on Wednesday. The late author died at 87. He was a prolific writer of novels, plays, short stories, and essays that critiqued colonialism and explored Africa’s socio-political landscape. His death was announced on Facebook by his daughter, Wanjiku wa Ngugi, who said her father “lived a full life, fought a good fight.” “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our dad, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o. As was his last wish, let’s celebrate his life and his work.…
Introduction As Africa stands at the junction of a new era in development, the role of technology, especially artificial intelligence (AI), in transforming agriculture and other sectors has become increasingly clear. Across the globe, nations grapple with mounting challenges such as climate change, resource scarcity, and population growth. Yet, some countries have pioneered innovative responses that turn these challenges into opportunities for sustainable growth. Among them, one nation stands out as a beacon of technological and agricultural ingenuity, achieving remarkable results despite limited natural resources and complex geopolitical realities. This article explores the lessons Africa can glean from Israel’s innovative…
As conflict rages from the villages of north-east Nigeria to the refugee camps in Jordan, children are bearing the brunt of the violence, robbed of their childhood, education, families, and in many cases, their lives. A global movement of journalists, under the aegis of Reporters for Early Age Children in Humanitarian Crisis (REACH) Network, has raised an alarm over the deepening crisis facing babies and young children in crisis settings. In a communique issued after its second meeting hosted recently by the Moving Minds Alliance, and signed by its co-chair, Mojeed Alabi, REACH Network highlighted sobering data from five countries…
By Malik Samuel In a stark reflection of the deteriorating security situation in Nigeria’s northwest, communities in Bagega and Kawaye districts in Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara State have taken the extraordinary step of negotiating directly with bandits to secure a semblance of peace, especially as the rains set in and the farming season approaches. This move underscores the desperation of communities left vulnerable by the absence of effective government intervention. For nearly three weeks leading up to 8 May, these communities were under siege. Bandits imposed a blockade, preventing movement in and out of Bagega, shutting down its…
The pioneer Professor of Insurance at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Akoka, Tajudeen Yusuf, will, on Wednesday, offer fresh insights into the ethical and practical dimensions of Takaful, an Islamic alternative to conventional insurance. The don, who is billed to present his inaugural lecture at the university on Wednesday, 21 May, will be speaking on the theme: “Risk, Ethics and the Road Less Taken: Navigating the Journey from Insurance to Takaful”. Ahead of the ceremony, Mr Yusuf, in a summary note of his presentation obtained by this newspaper, critically examines how both conventional and sharia-based Takaful models handle risk and…
Introduction The 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), administered by Nigeria’s Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), was intended to showcase the nation’s commitment to a digital-first, fraud-proof tertiary admissions process. Instead, it unveiled a catastrophe. With nearly 400,000 students impacted by severe technical glitches and 78% scoring below the midpoint of 400, the credibility of the exam and the competence of its administrators have been brought into serious question. I was moved seen Professor Oloyede on national TV sobbing for this misdemeanour, and as public servant with character and impeccable record of service, that was a genuine emotional outburst…
The new President defeated his his opponent, Adamu Babayo, a professor from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi State, Northeast Nigeria.
By Adejumo Kabir The oil and gas sector in Nigeria has over the years been plagued by weak management, lack of accountability, defective leadership, and reactive regulation, which has made the country further lose ground among the leading oil producing nations. To address critical challenges in this sector, the Bola Tinubu-led government had introduced reforms aimed at revitalising the industry. While the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and recent Executive Orders to reform the sector seem promising, the implementation has been slow, raising concerns among stakeholders, particularly industry players, who argue that the pace of reform has been sluggish and weak. Recently, Good…