- TICAD9: $238m Japan power-grid loan
If structured well, this can reduce transmission bottlenecks that waste generated power. Nigerians will judge by outages avoided, not MOU photos. Track project milestones and publish feeder-level improvements. - Federal cash transfers target 2.2m poor households (by end of August)
The humanitarian ministry says it will reach 2.2m households—big headline, but the credibility test is delivery: clean registers, transparent payments, and public dashboards. Without that, it risks becoming another well-intended promise that fuels distrust. - Politics watch: PDP turbulence, defections, zoning jitters
Makinde’s “won’t go into the gutters” line captures a party in flux. With zoning decisions imminent, the opposition’s coherence—or lack of it—could define the 2027 map more than any single speech. - RMAFC has opened the process to update the centre–state–LG allocation—last comprehensively touched in 1992. With inflation, insecurity and devolved responsibilities, a modern formula is overdue. Expect intense lobbying: states want more take-home; LGs want direct access; the FG cites national security costs. Outcome will shape service delivery for years.
- FX reserves climb to $41bn (44-month high)
Reserves hitting $41bn eases some currency-market nerves and strengthens the CBN’s hand. But sustainability hinges on oil output stability, non-oil exports, and whether this is borrowed buffers or genuine inflows. Watch how much of this translates into FX liquidity for manufacturers and SMEs. - Southwest work-free day for Isese festival
Formal recognition of traditional religion holidays across multiple SW states signals a maturing pluralism conversation. The opportunity: use the day for cultural tourism and community cohesion. The risk: partisan weaponisation of identity debates. - Dialysis subsidy slashed by 76% in federal hospitals
A bold health-cost intervention that can be life-changing for kidney patients. Execution matters: hospital stockouts, machine downtime, and staff capacity can wipe out the intended relief. Publish the facility list, new prices per session, and monitoring data so patients actually feel it. - UNICEF warns of N240bn lifesaving funding gap
A stark alert: aid pipelines are thinning just as needs spike. Abuja’s policy response can’t only be appeals to donors—domestic financing, state-level buy-in, and measurable protection outcomes are essential to prevent avoidable deaths and malnutrition. - Amnesty flags deadly week; rights to life under pressure
Multiple outlets carried Amnesty’s criticism after fresh killings. Government messaging celebrates security gains, but citizens measure progress by safer roads, farms, schools—everyday peace. Aligning claims with verifiable data (incident dashboards, response times) is the path to rebuilding confidence. - Minimum wage value eroded by naira slide (US report)
It’s the uncomfortable truth behind the pay-rise headlines: inflation and FX pressure have chewed off real wages. Any wage talk now must be paired with food/transport cost containment and productivity gains, not just bigger nominal figures. - 7,000 Nigerians stranded in Libya, says NiDCOM
The migration squeeze tightens. Beyond repatriations, Nigeria needs job-linked reintegration and bilateral labour pathways to reduce re-trafficking and re-migration cycles. - Vote-buying claims in Anambra by-election
Allegations of ₦15k–₦20k per vote underscore how monetised our local polls remain. INEC and security agencies must prosecute one high-profile case to shift incentives; otherwise, “cash out” politics will keep muting citizens’ voices.
Biggest Stories Across Nigeria – Mon 18 Aug to Sat 23 Aug 2025
