When Olusegun Obasanjo took office in 1999, the exchange rate was ₦97 to $1; it was ₦128 under Yar'Adua in 2007. During Jonathan's tenure in 2010 it was ₦151 while it was ₦199 when Buhari was in office.
Despite efforts to let market forces decide the rate, the naira continues to weaken. Will the current administration turn things around soon?
With over ten million registered Retirement Savings Accounts as of Dec 2023, Nigerian workers' pension contributions have grown steadily, despite fluctuations in recent years, to reach ₦1.32t in 2023.
In 2023 alone, 13.3% of the total savings since inception was contributed.
Total contributions since 2004 reached ₦9.9 trillion by 2023, with 52% coming from the public sector. The public sector grows at an average annual rate of 15.8%, while the private sector averages 16.2% yearly growth.
Nigeria was the seventh most populous nation in the world in 2020, with 206.1 million people. Projected to reach a population of 401.3 million by 2050, Nigeria will rank third after India (1st) and China (2nd). According to Institut national d'études démographiques' projections, Nigeria, Ethiopia, DR Congo, Egypt, Tanzania, and Kenya will be among the world’s top 20 most populous countries by 2050.
Between 2018 and 2021, adult literacy rates across African nations exhibited significant disparities. Seychelles and South Africa led with literacy rates of 96% and 95%, respectively, indicating a high proportion of literate adults. Conversely, Chad had the lowest literacy rate during this period.
These statistics underscore the uneven progress in educational attainment across Africa, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to improve literacy in lower-performing nations.
Eighty-six (86%) of the money involved in these cases was recovered thanks to banks' internal control techniques and assistance from relevant government agencies; ₦45 billion remains unrecovered.
Half of the top 10 African countries with significant gold reserves come from North Africa, with Algeria leading with 174 tonnes. Egypt and South Africa come in second and third with 126 tonnes and 125 tonnes, respectively. Algeria, Egypt, South Africa, and Libya hold the most significant gold reserves.
Temu has embarked on an extraordinary global expansion, cementing its place as a leading e-commerce platform across multiple markets. From its launch in the US in 2022, Temu has quickly become one of the most downloaded shopping apps in the country.
However, Temu's rapid rise has not been without its challenges. Regulators in the EU, US, and South Korea have closely scrutinised the company, examining potential links to labour issues, data protection concerns, and intellectual property violations. Despite these hurdles, Temu has continued to forge ahead, becoming Meta's top advertiser for the year and making a splash with its second Super Bowl campaign in 2024. As Temu expands into new regions, the company must navigate an evolving regulatory landscape to maintain its momentum and solidify its position as a global e-commerce powerhouse.
