General News
10 Challenges Facing Buhari
President Muhammdau Buhari faces a tough battle to diversify an economy reliant on oil and hampered by terrorism and endemic corruption. Buhari won the 2015 election as a self-described “converted democrat,”took over from Goodluck Jonathan.
However, it’s not the first time he has led the Nigeria—he ruled as dictator between 1983 and 1985, after taking power in a coup.
But below are some of the top challenges the new leader of Africa’s most populous nation faces:
1. Too much oil, not enough fuel
The crisis caused this week by fuel shortages will make this the topmost item in Gen Buhari’s in-tray, but the problems in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry are more fundamental.
Nigeria is among the top 10 oil producers in the world and Africa’s leader, pumping 2.5 million barrels of oil out of the ground every day.
It is also one of the leading importers of petroleum products because its four refineries have long been run down through corruption and mismanagement, leading to an inefficient and wasteful subsidy system behind the regular fuel shortages.
Gen Buhari must find ways to divert the wasteful fuel-import subsidies into refurbishment of Nigeria’s oil refineries and sell some government stakes to bring in foreign investment and technical know-how.
2. Powered by generators
The fuel shortages this week exposed another chronic energy security problem in Nigeria: the country is powered by generators. A regular soundtrack to the hum and din of Nigeria’s cities is the diesel symphony of millions of generators purring away, powering everything from lights to water pumps to air conditioning units.
A quick solution to more stable power supply is to set up heavy thermal power plants fed by the country’s oil, but the power grid is in need of refurbishment and investment.
Official figures show that Nigeria requires about 40,000 megawatts of electricity for its population of more than 100 million.
It only produces a little more than 3,000 megawatts and this dropped to less than 1,200 megawatts during the recent crisis as 18 out of the 23 power stations were forced to shut down for lack of fuel.
3. Boko Haram Inc.
The high level of insecurity since 2009 had become worrisome, starting with the menace of Niger Delta militant groups, but the Boko Haram insurgents in the north east have turned insecurity into a national crisis with terror attacks across the country.
As a Muslim leader from the north and with a military background, Gen Buhari has the credentials to get the Nigerian military back into fighting shape and seize the initiative against the insurgents, who have killed upwards of 10,000 people in a few years.
Rescuing the 200 girls captured from Chibok will be a psychological victory, but stamping out extremist views will take a lot more firepower and smarter anti-radicalisation policies.
4.Corruption
Many Nigerians complain about being stereotyped over corruption, and with some merit; you are more likely to be hacked by a Bulgarian or Russian gang.
However, Gen Buhari acknowledges that corruption is a big problem in Nigeria, as does Transparency International, which ranks only 39 countries out of 175 as being more corrupt than Nigeria.
Gen Buhari has promised a crackdown, but as a civilian leader, he is unlikely to resort to the executions he ordered against corrupt officials in his 20 months in office as a military dictator from 1983.
A good place to start is the $20 billion that former Nigeria Central Bank Governor Sanusi Lamido said was stolen from the country’s oil revenue account. The figure is contested; the extent of graft is not.
5. Education’s missing children
As with many African countries, Nigeria’s public education system is wobbling under large numbers, poor policies, poorly paid teachers, and poor facilities. Many move their children to the mushrooming and expensive private schools as soon as they can afford it. Most of the country’s 69 federal and state universities and institutions of higher learning are full.
Of the more than 1.4 million qualified candidates who write the matriculation examination yearly, fewer than 230,000, or less than two in 10, are placed.
6. No jobs
Thanks to the high drop-out rate, an education system that produces graduates ill-suited to the job market, and an economy growing without producing enough jobs, unemployment has been on the rise in Nigeria for many years.
This has been exacerbated by the lack of deliberate job-creation programmes; a high cost of doing business that has forced the relocation of industries, and non-payment of contractors.
The unemployment figure has been put at between 20 million and 24 million – about the entire combined population of Benin, Gambia, Gabon and Togo.
7. National debt
When the previous government took power, it inherited zero national debt. It leaves the country with more than $30 billion debt, according to Finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
This debt is likely to expand further as the government invests in energy and transport infrastructure, but Gen Buhari must make earlier investments work to provide the tax revenue the government needs to repay its creditors.
8. Big economy, small base
Gen Buhari needs to find a way to wean Nigeria off oil and gas which account for more than 90 per cent of the total export revenues and 70 per cent of the tax revenues.
The recent slump in world crude oil prices has hit Nigeria’s tax revenues, export earnings and national reserves hard, and contributed to the Naira sliding from N160 to N221 to the dollar since November 2014.
To cure Nigeria’s Dutch disease, Gen Buhari must force through reforms to attract investments in the agricultural, services and manufacturing sector. The new government must use oil as the means to, not the end of, economic growth.
9. Big country, bloated government
Gen Buhari must find ways to cut down the size and cost of public administration. A mismatch between revenues and expenditures has seen 28 out of the 36 states fail or struggle to pay salaries.
Some 70 per cent of the Nigeria’s budget is devoted to recurrent expenditure, most of it wages. Although the country presently has 42 ministers for its 22 ministries, these are swollen by large retinues of aides, assistants and other political appointees.
In a megalomaniac society such as Nigeria, it is hard to think of a lean and efficient government, yet that is precisely what the country needs to work its way out of its difficulties.
10. Sleeping African giant
Finally, the Gen Buhari administration must take Nigeria’s rightful place alongside South Africa at the head of the African table. The country has long punched below its weight on continental issues.
With South Africa showing signs of uncertainty and hamstrung by a xenophobic outlook by some of its people towards the rest of the continent, Nigeria has an opportunity to emerge as the leader among African nations.
With the right diplomatic outreach in Ecowas, SADC and the East African Community, Gen Buhari might find that his election as President of Nigeria gives him a platform to shape continental policy. Africa is watching him and his government.
General News
GOMYCODE Partners Woolf University to Offer Globally Recognised Master’s Degree in Software Engineering in Nigeria
GOMYCODE, a leading technology education provider, has announced a groundbreaking partnership with Woolf University, a global collegiate higher education institution, to offer Master of Science in Computer Science with Specialization in Software Engineering to aspiring and established tech professionals in Nigeria.
This collaboration aims to provide accessible, high-quality, globally recognized education to individuals seeking to advance their careers and expand their opportunities.
The Master’s program is designed to empower busy professionals and ambitious individuals with advanced skills and qualifications, opening doors to global job opportunities and facilitating potential emigration for those seeking international careers.
“We are thrilled to partner with Woolf University to bring this exceptional opportunity to Nigeria,” said Yahya Bouhlel, Co-founder of GOMYCODE. “In today’s competitive tech landscape, advanced degrees are increasingly essential.
“This partnership allows us to provide a flexible, world-class education that empowers our students to achieve their career aspirations, whether they seek to excel locally or on a global stage.”
The program’s online, flexible structure caters to the demands of working professionals, enabling them to balance their studies with existing commitments. Students will benefit from Woolf University’s rigorous academic standards and GOMYCODE’s practical, industry-relevant approach to learning.
“Woolf University is excited to collaborate with GOMYCODE to expand access to quality higher education in Nigeria,” stated Naveen Jangir, Head of Strategy and Growth, from Woolf University. “Our mission is to democratize education, and this partnership aligns perfectly with our goal of providing accessible, accredited degrees to learners worldwide.
“We believe this program will equip Nigerian tech professionals with the skills and credentials they need to thrive in the global economy.”
Babatunde Olaifa, Country Head of GOMYCODE in Nigeria, emphasized the significance of this partnership for the Nigerian tech ecosystem.
“This collaboration represents a significant leap forward for tech education in Nigeria. By offering a globally recognized Master’s degree, we are empowering our professionals to compete on a global scale.
“This is a chance for people to level up their careers, and to open doors that they previously thought were closed.
“We are very excited to see the impact that this program will have on the lives of our students and the broader Nigerian tech community.”
This Master of Science in Computer Science with Specialization in Software Engineering program is ideal for tech professionals seeking to enhance their qualifications; Individuals aiming for global job opportunities; those considering emigration and requiring advanced degrees; ambitious individuals looking to accelerate their career growth.
GOMYCODE and Woolf University are committed to providing a supportive and enriching learning environment that fosters innovation and excellence.
The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), Africa’s leading philanthropy empowering entrepreneurs is set to announce the 11th cohort of the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme on Saturday, March 22, 2025.
The 2025 announcement comes at a critical time, as Africa’s entrepreneurship ecosystem faces funding constraints and global economic headwinds. TEF continues to provide much-needed support, empowering African entrepreneurs to transform their ideas into sustainable businesses and engines of economic growth.
Each selected Tony Elumelu Entrepreneur will receive $5,000 non-refundable seed capital, a world-class business training on TEFConnect, one-on-one mentorship, and access to global networks and investment opportunities. The selection process is being conducted by Ernst & Young, to ensure independent assessment.
The impact of the Tony Elumelu Foundation extends beyond funding. It is changing lives and shaping Africa’s future, as witnessed by beneficiaries of the catalytic TEF Entrepreneurship Programme.
Ahead of the upcoming announcement, Tony O. Elumelu, C.F.R., Founder of TEF and Group Chairman of Heirs Holdings, reiterates his unwavering belief in the potential of Africa’s entrepreneurs:
“I believe that Africa’s transformation will not be led by aid, but by empowering the next generation of African entrepreneurs—giving them the tools, the funding, the training, and the networks to build sustainable businesses that create jobs and drive economic growth.
Over the past decade, we have nurtured entrepreneurs from inception to success, scaling our impact across all 54 African countries. We have provided capital and also developed a robust monitoring and evaluation framework that allows us to track the progress of our entrepreneurs and measure their contributions to their communities and economies.
No other organisation is implementing entrepreneurship development at this scale across Africa. We have learned, we have refined, and we continue to improve, ensuring that African entrepreneurs—women and men—are at the forefront of solving our continent’s challenges and creating wealth for themselves and their communities. Entrepreneurship is the key to Africa’s prosperity. I wish the 2025 cohort of Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurs success, as they chase their ambitions, and play their part in Africa’s transformation.”
The Tony Elumelu Foundation is the leading philanthropy empowering a new generation of African entrepreneurs, driving poverty eradication, catalysing job creation across all 54 African countries and ensuring inclusive economic empowerment.
Since the launch of the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme in 2015, TEF has lifted over 2 million Africans out of poverty, provided 2.5 million young Africans with access to training on TEFConnect, and disbursed more than $100millon in direct funding to thousands of African entrepreneurs who have gone on to create over 1.5 million direct and indirect jobs and generate over $4.2 billion in revenue.
Tony Elumelu Entrepreneur Testimonials from Previous Years:
“I started my agribusiness with nothing but an idea. TEF changed everything. With the funding, training, and mentorship, I have now expanded across three countries and employ 25 people.”
– Fatima Diallo, Senegal, Agritech Entrepreneur
“As a woman in the fintech industry, it was difficult to secure funding. TEF not only provided me with capital but also the confidence and skills to build a business that is now attracting international investors.”
– Mary Okeke, Nigeria, Fintech Founder
“The TEF Entrepreneurship Programme helped me commercialise my clean energy innovation. Today, we provide solar solutions to over 50,000 homes in rural Tanzania.”
– Juma Nyerere, Tanzania, Renewable Energy Entrepreneur
For more details on the Tony Elumelu Foundation’s impact visit our Impact Page, African Success Stories Page, and Annual Report Page.
For Media Inquiries: media@tonyelumelufoundation.org
National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) has urged the National Assembly to enact Executive Orders 003 and 005 into law to ensure full compliance by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
Executive Order 003, signed by former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, mandates MDAs to prioritise local manufacturers and service providers in procurement.
Similarly, Executive Order 005, issued by former President Muhammadu Buhari, directs MDAs to promote science, technology, and innovation in achieving national development goals.
Speaking on the necessity of these Orders, Dr Kazeem Raji, director-general, NBTI emphasised the need for legal backing to enhance enforcement and compliance.
He noted that while Executive Orders remain in effect until revoked or ruled unlawful, transforming them into legislation would strengthen their implementation and enforcement.
Raji stressed that enacting these Orders as laws would drive the adoption of indigenous technology, increase patronage of local innovations, and enhance economic growth.
“If Executive Orders 003 and 005 become laws, capital flight will reduce, foreign reserves will increase, GDP will grow, and employment opportunities will expand. These Orders will no longer be ignored, as there will be legal consequences for non-compliance,” he stated.
He emphasised that institutionalising these policies through legislation would solidify the government’s commitment to boosting local production and supporting homegrown industries.
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