World Food Safety Day is gaining importance in Nigeria, where street vendors play a vital role in feeding millions. In Lagos, they are a familiar sight on almost every main street, catering to diverse food needs. However, in this largely unregulated sector, concerns about health and safety remain prevalent.
Monday, June 9, 2025
Video - Nigerian street vendors in the spotlight
World Food Safety Day is gaining importance in Nigeria, where street vendors play a vital role in feeding millions. In Lagos, they are a familiar sight on almost every main street, catering to diverse food needs. However, in this largely unregulated sector, concerns about health and safety remain prevalent.
China’s BYD aims for foothold in Nigeria’s auto market
Chinese auto giant BYD is aiming for a foothold in Nigeria’s auto market with a large customer engagement centre along Akin Adesola in Victoria Island in Lagos.
BYD which first made name with its reliable inverter batteries has now become China’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer with presence across the globe.
It is unclear if BYD is entering Nigeria directly or through a franchise given tha Mandilas has been working to be BYD’s partner in Nigeria.
China’s ability to make electric vehicles (evs) cheaply has caused angst in countries with big carmakers, prompting governments to investigate China’s subsidies for the sector and to erect trade barriers.
On May 23rd China’s byd, caused shockwaves when it slashed the cost of 22 electric and hybrid models. Now the starting price of its cheapest model, the Seagull, has fallen to a mere 55,800 yuan ($7,700). The move came just two years after byd had originally unveiled the electric hatchback, at a then astonishingly low cost of 73,800 yuan.
In Nigeria the Seagull ev is priced at a range starting at N31m by Mandillas.
BYD which first made name with its reliable inverter batteries has now become China’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer with presence across the globe.
It is unclear if BYD is entering Nigeria directly or through a franchise given tha Mandilas has been working to be BYD’s partner in Nigeria.
China’s ability to make electric vehicles (evs) cheaply has caused angst in countries with big carmakers, prompting governments to investigate China’s subsidies for the sector and to erect trade barriers.
On May 23rd China’s byd, caused shockwaves when it slashed the cost of 22 electric and hybrid models. Now the starting price of its cheapest model, the Seagull, has fallen to a mere 55,800 yuan ($7,700). The move came just two years after byd had originally unveiled the electric hatchback, at a then astonishingly low cost of 73,800 yuan.
In Nigeria the Seagull ev is priced at a range starting at N31m by Mandillas.
Friday, June 6, 2025
Nigeria’s labour market crisis: How ‘Yahoo’, ‘Hookup Culture’ drain talent
For years, Nigeria’s human capital crisis has been defined by the japa narrative—the migration of skilled professionals seeking better lives abroad. Doctors, nurses, IT experts, and creatives continue to exit in droves. But while policymakers focus on curbing emigration, another crisis is festering within: the internal erosion of potential talent through the rise of cybercrime (Yahoo Yahoo) and the normalisation of transactional sex, now rebranded as “hookup”.
By Temitope Richard-Banji, Business Day
Beyond Japa: A bigger, uglier picture
The japa wave involves individuals who have endured Nigeria’s failing systems—strikes, unemployment, stagnation—and still managed to build careers. But what of the youth who never get that far? Many don’t even try.
In cities like Benin, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Warri, Lagos (Lekki, Festac, Surulere), Abuja (Gwarinpa, Wuse 2), and Port Harcourt, subcultures have formed where fraud and sex work are glamorised, not hidden. In some areas, Yahoo and hookup culture are not outliers—they are norms.
The japa wave involves individuals who have endured Nigeria’s failing systems—strikes, unemployment, stagnation—and still managed to build careers. But what of the youth who never get that far? Many don’t even try.
In cities like Benin, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Warri, Lagos (Lekki, Festac, Surulere), Abuja (Gwarinpa, Wuse 2), and Port Harcourt, subcultures have formed where fraud and sex work are glamorised, not hidden. In some areas, Yahoo and hookup culture are not outliers—they are norms.
‘Yahoo and Hookup’: The youth’s new economy?
Scroll through Instagram or TikTok, and you’ll see youth flaunting designer wear, Dubai trips, and hotel stays paid for by sugar daddies or online scams. These are no longer fringe activities. They are disturbingly mainstream among segments of Gen Z.
What began as covert fraud or discreet sex work is now a structured economy. Yahoo boys operate in “offices”, run training programmes, and use spiritual fortification. Hookup culture features pricing menus, agents, and hotel affiliations.
This is where talent dies before it matures.
Scroll through Instagram or TikTok, and you’ll see youth flaunting designer wear, Dubai trips, and hotel stays paid for by sugar daddies or online scams. These are no longer fringe activities. They are disturbingly mainstream among segments of Gen Z.
What began as covert fraud or discreet sex work is now a structured economy. Yahoo boys operate in “offices”, run training programmes, and use spiritual fortification. Hookup culture features pricing menus, agents, and hotel affiliations.
This is where talent dies before it matures.
Impact on employers and the labour market
From tech startups to farms, employers lament the growing challenge of hiring trainable, motivated young Nigerians. The reasons are stark:
From tech startups to farms, employers lament the growing challenge of hiring trainable, motivated young Nigerians. The reasons are stark:
Eroding work ethic: Many youths dismiss ₦100,000 jobs as pointless when a single “client” or hookup can bring triple that in one night.
Disinterest in skills training: Technical schools and internships struggle for attendance. The long-term payoff of skill-building pales against the instant rewards of fraud and sex work.
No career vision: Even when hired, many young employees lack commitment. Some resign mid-project for better “offers”—not from firms, but from sponsors or hookups.
This creates a talent bottleneck. Investors decry the difficulty of building reliable teams. Multinationals now import staff from other African countries. Even Nigerian SMEs recruit remotely from Ghana and Kenya.
Disinterest in skills training: Technical schools and internships struggle for attendance. The long-term payoff of skill-building pales against the instant rewards of fraud and sex work.
No career vision: Even when hired, many young employees lack commitment. Some resign mid-project for better “offers”—not from firms, but from sponsors or hookups.
This creates a talent bottleneck. Investors decry the difficulty of building reliable teams. Multinationals now import staff from other African countries. Even Nigerian SMEs recruit remotely from Ghana and Kenya.
The societal irony: “Leaders of Tomorrow”?
We chant, “The youth are the leaders of tomorrow.” But which youth?Those who list cyber fraud as a skill?
Those who livestream hookup routines on Snapchat?
Those who say a CV is irrelevant if you have a plug?
If we stay this course, we risk raising a generation with smartphones and data but without skills, ethics, or purpose.
We chant, “The youth are the leaders of tomorrow.” But which youth?Those who list cyber fraud as a skill?
Those who livestream hookup routines on Snapchat?
Those who say a CV is irrelevant if you have a plug?
If we stay this course, we risk raising a generation with smartphones and data but without skills, ethics, or purpose.
The collapse of value systems
What makes this more dangerous than japa is its corrosive effect on values. We are witnessing a collapse of moral and professional aspirations. When fraudsters and hookup influencers are wealthier and more admired than teachers, engineers, or entrepreneurs, young minds are no longer drawn to excellence—they are seduced by excess.
Even universities are affected. Campuses now serve as recruitment grounds for Yahoo rings and hookup networks. Students are lured not by dropout risks but by fast cash.
What makes this more dangerous than japa is its corrosive effect on values. We are witnessing a collapse of moral and professional aspirations. When fraudsters and hookup influencers are wealthier and more admired than teachers, engineers, or entrepreneurs, young minds are no longer drawn to excellence—they are seduced by excess.
Even universities are affected. Campuses now serve as recruitment grounds for Yahoo rings and hookup networks. Students are lured not by dropout risks but by fast cash.
The data we don’t talk about
Though hard to quantify, anecdotal evidence paints a grim picture:A 2022 NOIPolls survey found 62 percent of Nigerians aged 18–30 knew someone involved in cybercrime or transactional sex.
In Lagos, hotel managers report that over 40 percent of daily mid-tier bookings are hookup-related.
EFCC data shows internet fraud arrests rose over 200 percent between 2015 and 2023, yet conviction rates remain low, emboldening offenders.
Though hard to quantify, anecdotal evidence paints a grim picture:A 2022 NOIPolls survey found 62 percent of Nigerians aged 18–30 knew someone involved in cybercrime or transactional sex.
In Lagos, hotel managers report that over 40 percent of daily mid-tier bookings are hookup-related.
EFCC data shows internet fraud arrests rose over 200 percent between 2015 and 2023, yet conviction rates remain low, emboldening offenders.
A national reset is urgent
This crisis is not just a youth problem—it’s systemic. Solutions must include:
This crisis is not just a youth problem—it’s systemic. Solutions must include:
Economic incentives for honest work: Government and the private sector must make entrepreneurship, tech, and vocational work attractive with grants, visibility, and meaningful returns.
Education reform: Beyond curriculum changes, career guidance and mentorship must be embedded at secondary and tertiary levels.
Strengthen the rule of law: Fraud thrives on impunity. Agencies must improve conviction rates, not just conduct high-profile arrests.
Media responsibility: Influencers and media outlets must stop glorifying crime and hookup culture.
Community engagement: Churches, mosques, and local leaders must engage youth, not with judgment, but with purposeful alternatives.
Education reform: Beyond curriculum changes, career guidance and mentorship must be embedded at secondary and tertiary levels.
Strengthen the rule of law: Fraud thrives on impunity. Agencies must improve conviction rates, not just conduct high-profile arrests.
Media responsibility: Influencers and media outlets must stop glorifying crime and hookup culture.
Community engagement: Churches, mosques, and local leaders must engage youth, not with judgment, but with purposeful alternatives.
Conclusion: A nation at war with its potential
Nigeria is not only losing talent to Heathrow, Toronto, or Berlin. It is also losing them to hotel rooms, VPN scams, and the worship of vice. If we fixate only on emigration and ignore the rot within, we risk hollowing out the nation entirely.
This is not just a labour market issue. It is a moral emergency. The fight for Nigeria’s future must begin with reclaiming the minds of its youth.
Nigeria is not only losing talent to Heathrow, Toronto, or Berlin. It is also losing them to hotel rooms, VPN scams, and the worship of vice. If we fixate only on emigration and ignore the rot within, we risk hollowing out the nation entirely.
This is not just a labour market issue. It is a moral emergency. The fight for Nigeria’s future must begin with reclaiming the minds of its youth.
Binance Compliance Chief Tigran Gambaryan Exits Exchange After Nigeria Detention
Tigran Gambaryan, Binance's head of financial crime compliance who was detained for eight months in Nigeria last year, is leaving the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, according to a Bloomberg report on Friday.
Gambaryan, a former US Internal Revenue Service agent known as the "Crypto Wizard" for his expertise in tracing illicit digital transactions, told Bloomberg that Friday marks his last day at Binance. He joined the exchange in 2021 to help strengthen its anti-money laundering protocols amid increasing global regulatory scrutiny.
The executive's departure follows a harrowing ordeal that began in February 2024 when he traveled to Nigeria on behalf of Binance to address allegations that the exchange's operations had contributed to the country's currency crisis. Nigerian authorities detained Gambaryan and British-Kenyan colleague Nadeem Anjarwalla on charges of money laundering and currency manipulation.
Gambaryan was released in October on humanitarian grounds after his health severely deteriorated in custody. He reportedly suffered from malaria, pneumonia, and tonsillitis, while complications from a herniated disk left him wheelchair-bound and requiring urgent medical care outside Nigeria. The Nigerian government subsequently dropped the money laundering charges against him.
"Tigran has made a lasting impact on Binance, just as he did in his previous roles in law enforcement," a Binance spokesperson said. "We are deeply grateful for his dedication in transforming our financial crimes compliance organization. Thanks to his tireless efforts, the crypto industry is safer for all."
The Nigeria incident occurred as Binance faced multiple regulatory challenges globally. The exchange and former CEO Changpeng Zhao pleaded guilty in November 2023 to violating anti-money laundering and US sanctions laws, with Binance agreeing to pay $4.3 billion in penalties. Zhao served four months in US prison after stepping down as CEO.
Nigeria continues to pursue legal action against Binance, seeking $79.5 billion in damages and $2 billion in back taxes, claiming the exchange caused economic losses to the country. The government has also faced separate defamation lawsuits related to bribery allegations made during the detention controversy.
Freed Binance exec Tigran Gambaryan says he ‘almost died twice’ in Nigeria
Gambaryan, a former US Internal Revenue Service agent known as the "Crypto Wizard" for his expertise in tracing illicit digital transactions, told Bloomberg that Friday marks his last day at Binance. He joined the exchange in 2021 to help strengthen its anti-money laundering protocols amid increasing global regulatory scrutiny.
The executive's departure follows a harrowing ordeal that began in February 2024 when he traveled to Nigeria on behalf of Binance to address allegations that the exchange's operations had contributed to the country's currency crisis. Nigerian authorities detained Gambaryan and British-Kenyan colleague Nadeem Anjarwalla on charges of money laundering and currency manipulation.
Gambaryan was released in October on humanitarian grounds after his health severely deteriorated in custody. He reportedly suffered from malaria, pneumonia, and tonsillitis, while complications from a herniated disk left him wheelchair-bound and requiring urgent medical care outside Nigeria. The Nigerian government subsequently dropped the money laundering charges against him.
"Tigran has made a lasting impact on Binance, just as he did in his previous roles in law enforcement," a Binance spokesperson said. "We are deeply grateful for his dedication in transforming our financial crimes compliance organization. Thanks to his tireless efforts, the crypto industry is safer for all."
The Nigeria incident occurred as Binance faced multiple regulatory challenges globally. The exchange and former CEO Changpeng Zhao pleaded guilty in November 2023 to violating anti-money laundering and US sanctions laws, with Binance agreeing to pay $4.3 billion in penalties. Zhao served four months in US prison after stepping down as CEO.
Nigeria continues to pursue legal action against Binance, seeking $79.5 billion in damages and $2 billion in back taxes, claiming the exchange caused economic losses to the country. The government has also faced separate defamation lawsuits related to bribery allegations made during the detention controversy.
Thursday, June 5, 2025
Eric Chelle Determined To Win More Trophies for Nigeria After Unity Cup Victory
Chelle led the Super Eagles to victory over Jamaica in the final of the second edition of the tournament, 21 years after winning the first-ever organised Unity Cup.
In 2004, Nigeria beat the Reggae Boyz 2-0 to win the maiden edition in Charlton, but they went through a penalty shootout to claim a 5-4 victory on Saturday, after 2-2.draw in regulation time
Chelle, who had begun his reign with a win and a draw in the troubled 2026 World Cup qualifiers, was delighted to lift his first piece of silverware as a coach and hopes to add more as Nigeria go into the 2025 AFCON in Morocco by December.
“This is my first trophy as a coach. When I was a football player, I won lots of trophies. I hope with this trophy I can bring Nigeria another trophy,” Chelle said.
At the Unity Cup, the Franco-Malian coach had a blend of home-based and foreign stars, as they remain hopeful of picking a ticket to the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico before the AFCON.
“We have an important goal in September. So I saw this as an opportunity to give many players a chance to show what they can do. And I’m really happy and proud of them because, in just two or three training sessions, they worked really hard. That’s the reality.
“During this tournament, we scored goals, we created chances, and we showed some very good things in our game. But of course, we still need to work. We have weaknesses. In today’s game, for instance, we made 22 mistakes — that’s a lot.
“We need to improve, to step up as a group and as a team, especially if we want to qualify for the World Cup.”
The Super Eagles will face Russia in another international friendly on Friday before resuming their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign in September.
With four games left in the series, Chelle’s men will face Rwanda at home and South Africa away in September, while their last two games are against Lesotho away and the Benin Republic at home in October.
They need to win their remaining matches to stand a chance of qualifying as they are currently fourth in Group C with just seven points, six points behind leaders South Africa.
By Paul Akhagbemhe, AIT
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)