Hello Venturer,
I bet you enjoyed riddles and jokes at some point. When I was a child, I had fun taking turns playing the game with my friends. I found two riddles very fascinating.ย
The first is, โWhat comes down but never goes up?โ The answer to that is โrainโ.
The second is โWhat goes up and never comes down?โ We were told the answer to the riddle was โageโ.ย
Well, in Nigeria, many things go up and never come down - inflation, cost of living, and external debt.
Last week, the National Bureau of Statistics announced that Nigeriaโs inflation surged to an 18-year high in August 2023, with the headline inflation rate reaching 25.80 per cent. This marks a significant increase of 1.72 per cent points compared to the previous monthโs rate of 24.08 per cent.
More so, fluctuations in exchange rates and a weakening currency are complicating the countryโs debt problems. Is there an end in sight to Nigeriaโs rising debt?
Ishioma Imokhai-Bello,
Staff Writer
Whatโs new?
Is there an end in sight to Nigeriaโs rising debt?
38.05 per cent of Nigeriaโs debt constitutes external debt, presenting a formidable challenge due to its reliance on foreign currencies. Fluctuations in exchange rates, such as currency depreciation, can lead to increased interest payments and adverse fiscal impacts. Furthermore, the possibility of rising interest rates makes the situation more complex. Read more.
Africaโs biggest cities have unique problems
Africa is home to 1.4 billion people, twice as many as Europe and growing three times faster than the global average. The continentโs biggest cities will be major contributors to this growth, and hereโs what you should know about them. Read more.
The new CBN governor has a difficult job to do
On September 15th, President Bola Tinubu nominated Olayemi Michael Cardoso to succeed Godwin Emefiele, who had been in office since June 2014. Emefieleโs tenure halted in June when the President suspended him, and Folashodun Shonubi took over as a placeholder. Read more.
My Pivot Journal: How Kehinde Olorundare went from sales to strategies
Kehinde always dreamt of being a dancer. But she soon realized that dancing is not an easy career to pursue in Nigeria, especially with bills to pay. So she settled for a career in sales. A couple of tokunbo (used cars) later and a stranger believing in her, she finally found her steps in advertising. Read more.
What are Africaโs top economies doing about interest rates?
Over the next three weeks, several African central banks will have monetary policy meetings. Most will have to decide on interest rates, which will be crucial for their economiesโ fourth-quarter performances. These decisions will influence the next move for many African countries since many of them need these foreign currencies in their reserves and for trade. Read more
Last Friday, the 15th of September, President Bola Tinubu revealed the nomination of Olayemi Cardoso to serve as the new Governor of Nigeriaโs Central Bank (CBN). Also, the South African Competition Commission initiated an investigation into Johnson & Johnson (J&J), a prominent pharmaceutical corporation headquartered in New Brunswick, New Jersey.ย Read more.
Minister, Bosun Tijani will share the agenda for Nigeriaโs digital economy at Moonshot 2023
Dr. Bosun Tijani, an icon in the Nigerian tech ecosystem, brings a wealth of experience and an unwavering commitment to driving nationwide digital transformation. As the founder of CcHub, one of Africaโs foremost tech hubs with a presence in Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania, he has been a driving force behind numerous successful tech startups and initiatives. Read more
The VA Pod
In this podcast, we interview Sunday Silungwe, CEO and Co-Founder of Zambiaโs Good Nature Agro; Mostafa Ali, CEO and Co-Founder of Egyptโs iSpark; Funmi Adewara, CEO and Founder of Nigeriaโs Mobihealthcare Ltd; Fred Swaniker, an ABH Judge; and Albert Munyabugingo, CEO and Co-Founder of Rwandaโs Vuba Vuba Africa Ltd. These entrepreneurs share their stories of impact, resilience, growth, and success.
Press play๐to listen to a snippet of our latest podcast.ย
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