Opinion

BEYOND THE DATA: How states still rely on ‘Abuja’ despite big IGR figures

Guest Writer 5 November 2025 0

BY VICTOR EJECHI When the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released the latest Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) figures for 2024, several state governments were quick to celebrate. From Enugu’s record-breaking N180 billion to Rivers’ N317 billion and Lagos’ colossal N1.26 trillion, the

Opinion

Data is the new oil, but who owns Nigeria’s data?

Guest Writer 21 October 2025 0

By Victor Ejechi I have spent the last few years making sense of Nigeria through numbers. From my early days at StatiSense to heading TheCable Index and now leading insights at SBM Intelligence, data has been the constant thread connecting my work. Across all these roles, one thing has remained clear to me: data tells […]

Opinion

Nigeria’s paid influencers and the politics of X spaces

Guest Writer 19 September 2025 0

BY VICTOR EJECHI If politics was once about rallies in stadiums and motorcades through dusty towns, today it often begins with a notification on your phone. A Space goes live on X (formerly Twitter), hosted by a familiar influencer, joined by hundreds or thousands of listeners. The topic might read, “Is Nigeria ready for real […]

Opinion

What kerosene taught Nigeria, CNG may teach again

Guest Writer 6 September 2025 0

By Victor Ejechi When compressed natural gas (CNG) was being sold at N230 per standard cubic metre (SCM), it was marketed as the people’s alternative to expensive petrol. It was cheaper, cleaner, and supposedly shielded from the subsidy politics that has haunted Nigeria for decades. But this week, the promise dimmed: the price jumped by […]