There are nearly 600 million women aged 15-24 worldwide, with 90% living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), making them a significant share of the global population.
37 countries grant women less than half of the legal rights of men, affecting 500 million women, while globally, women enjoy less than two-thirds of the legal rights available to men.
Closing the gender gap in employment and entrepreneurship could boost global GDP by over 20%, and eliminating the gap within a decade could double the global growth rate.
Women hold just 1 in 5 corporate board positions, partly because less than 20% of countries require gender-sensitive public procurement, excluding them from a $10 trillion-a-year opportunity.
Women earn only 77 cents for every $1 paid to men, while 92 countries lack equal pay laws. Additionally, 20 countries prohibit women from night work and 45 ban women from “dangerous” jobs.
By 2030, an estimated 8% of the world’s female population (342.4 million women and girls) will still live on less than $2.15 a day, with 220.9 million in sub-Saharan Africa.
Climate change could push 158.3 million more women and girls into poverty by 2050, which is 16 million more than men and boys under a worst-case scenario.
By 2020, food insecurity was projected to impact 236 million more women and girls, compared to 131 million more men and boys.
By 2050, women will still spend 2.5 times more hours per day on unpaid care work than men. If valued monetarily, women’s unpaid labor could exceed 40% of GDP in some countries.
The International Women's Day (IWD) 2025 theme, "Accelerate Action," calls on everyone—individuals, businesses, and governments—to break barriers and speed up progress toward gender equality.
The United Nations Secretary-General, in his IWD address, emphasizes the importance of heeding the voices of women and girls globally, advocating for action over apathy to advance gender equality.
Source:
World Bank Group, United Nations, Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP)
Gaining independence in 1847, Liberia has been free for 177 years, long before most African nations began their fight for sovereignty.
With only 13 years of independence, South Sudan remains the newest nation on the continent, still navigating the challenges of nation-building.
The difference between Liberia and South Sudan is 164 years, showing the vast timeline over which African nations gained independence.
The majority of African nations secured sovereignty between the 1950s and 1970s, marking the height of the decolonisation movement.
Countries like Zimbabwe (1980), Namibia (1990), and Eritrea (1993) faced prolonged struggles against colonial rule.
Despite Liberia’s long years of independence, it has faced civil wars and economic instability, showing that the length of sovereignty doesn’t always translate to political or economic strength.
While sovereignty marks a historic milestone, many African nations, especially younger ones like South Sudan, continue to grapple with political, economic, and developmental challenges even decades after gaining independence.
Sovereign currency-backed instant payments are rare, suggesting limited adoption of central bank digital currency (CBDC) models.
Cross-domain instant payment systems are the most popular, showing a strong push for interoperability across financial platforms.
Instant payment systems with only bank participants are still widely used, indicating that traditional financial institutions remain central to digital transactions.
Some African countries operate multiple instant payment systems, enhancing financial access through diverse options.
₦1.9 trillion spent on the PAP from 2015 to 2024, a significant amount dedicated to reintegrating former militants and fostering peace in the Niger Delta.
2017 saw an extraordinary spike with ₦1.3 trillion spent, which is over 68% of the entire decade’s spending.
Expenditure stabilized after 2017, maintaining a consistent ₦59.6 billion - ₦65 billion annually from 2018 to 2024.
2024 spending (₦65 billion) reflects only the first three quarters, meaning the final total could be slightly higher.
Since 2013, the Nigerian government has disbursed ₦3.4 trillion in pension and gratuity payments.
Pension expenditure jumped from ₦107.4 billion in 2013 to ₦438.6 billion in 2023, a nearly four times increase, showing the rising cost of maintaining pension obligations.
While pension spending grew gradually between 2013 and 2018, a significant spike began in 2019 (₦307.4 billion), showing a shift in pension allocations.
The highest pension expenditure recorded so far was in 2023, surpassing all previous years.
The Need for a Sustainable Pension System – With pension spending climbing yearly, ensuring a sustainable funding model will be crucial for future government budgets.
New NIN enrolments increased by over fivefold in 2021, reaching 27.1 million. Interestingly, women were responsible for this surge. For many Nigerians, 2021 marked a race against deadlines as NIN registration became mandatory for critical requirements, including SIM card usage and registration. This urgency drove the record-breaking numbers. The number started falling in subsequent years (from 2022), with 22.2 million total new enrolments in 2022 and 10.13 million (according to Punch News) new enrolments in 2023.
As of 2021, only 10 African countries have enacted a Freedom of Information (FOI) Act with three of these countries enacting theirs in 2011. South Africa was the first country on the continent to enact a FOI act in 2001.
