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September 25, 2025

Electricity Workers Strike: 5 Negative Impacts for Small-Scale Businesses
Feature, News, Trending

Electricity Workers Strike: 5 Ways Nigerians Can Prepare for the Blackout Ahead

If you live in Nigeria, you already know that light no dey get respect. One minute you’re frying plantain and jamming Wizkid’s new track on loudspeakers, the next minute gbam! darkness swallows the whole street. But this time around, it’s not just the usual “up NEPA, down NEPA” routine. With electricity workers officially on strike, what we’re staring at is not just power cuts—it’s the possibility of a nationwide blackout that could drag for days or even weeks.

Picture this: you’re in Lagos traffic on a humid evening, your phone battery blinking red at 2%. You finally get home, only to realise there’s no light, your generator is out of fuel (and fuel station queues are longer than wedding guest lists), and your frozen stew in the fridge is already beginning to smell like “wahala.” That’s the exact nightmare this looming strike could unleash on millions of households if we don’t brace ourselves.

In true Nigerian spirit, we don’t just fold arms when wahala knocks—we improvise, strategise, and survive by fire by force.

So before darkness fully settles in, here are 5 ways you can prepare for the blackout ahead:

1. Charge Like Your Life Depends on It

Forget casual charging. This is the time to charge everything chargeable—phones, laptops, rechargeable lamps, power banks, even that torchlight you bought during COVID but abandoned in the drawer.

Nigerians know the drill: once strike action bites, even small 2-hour flashes of electricity will be like gold. So whenever the grid still blinks with power, treat it like last supper—plug everything in.

2. Fuel Your Generator, but Think Smart

Let’s be honest: not every pocket is smiling right now. Fuel prices have turned gen usage into a luxury. But this strike is a reminder—better to buy fuel today than to join the midnight queue tomorrow.

Even if you can’t fill the tank, at least keep some handy for emergencies. But here’s the smarter angle—don’t just waste fuel to power your entire flat. Learn to ration: maybe light + fan at night, fridge during the day. Survival over vibes.

3. Stockpile Food That Survives Heat

If you’re the type who loves packing your freezer with soup for three weeks, my sister, it’s time to rethink. A blackout will turn your fridge into a microwave in less than 24 hours.

Also Read: Before You Rent on Lagos Island, Read This Flood Survival Guide

Focus on non-perishable foods—yam, garri, beans, plantain, dried fish, groundnut, and packaged stuff like noodles. Even bread and sardine will save you from unnecessary hunger cries. Nigerians have survived worse; this one too, we go survive.

4. Community Spirit Is Everything

In times like this, your neighbour is your best friend. That guy with solar panels? Befriend him now. That woman who sells ice blocks? She’ll be more powerful than CBN. This is where Nigerians shine—borrowing, sharing, hustling together. If your estate or street can chip in for shared fuel or ice, better start mobilising. After all, blackout no dey respect mansion or face-me-I-face-you.

5. Prepare Mentally for Darkness

This might sound funny, but truth be told—mental readiness is half the battle. Strikes in Nigeria can drag longer than a Yoruba movie wedding scene.
So prepare your mind for long evenings without light, plan alternative entertainment (Ludo, cards, neighborhood gist), and keep the spirit up.

Nigerians have mastered the art of turning suffering into comedy—this might be the moment TikTok comedians get their biggest inspiration.

Up Nepa

The electricity workers’ strike may look like another chapter in Nigeria’s endless struggle with power, but for the average citizen, it’s survival mode that really matters. We can’t control the negotiations between unions and government, but we can control how ready we are.

As the saying goes, “Na who get torchlight go find road first.” So charge, stock up, fuel wisely, lean on community, and prepare your mind. If we can survive fuel subsidy removal, inflation, and endless traffic, trust Nigerians to survive blackout too.

Edo Gov’t Locks ₦250M Deal with EuroAfrica CCI: Jobs, Agriculture, Growth on the Line
Business, News, Politics

Edo Gov’t Locks ₦250M Deal with EuroAfrica CCI: Jobs, Agriculture, Growth on the Line

In a state where fertile land, youthful energy, and entrepreneurial spirit collide—but often without enough capital or support—officials in Edo State just sealed what might be a turning point.

The government has entered a ₦250 million investment deal with EuroAfrica Chamber of Commerce & Industries (EuroAfrica CCI), aimed at bolstering agriculture, processing, and value-chain development. It’s the kind of deal that whispers “possible” in a place often accustomed to “delay.”

But for many in Edo, the real question isn’t whether the dollars will arrive—it’s whether this deal will translate to better tractors, more jobs, fresher food in markets, and long-term change.

With high expectations comes great scrutiny. Will this pact become another political headline, or the start of measurable transformation?

Deal Details — What We Know & What’s Promised

Amount and Parties: Edo State Government has committed to or sealed a ₦250 million investment with EuroAfrica CCI, an institution focused on trade, agriculture, business linkages.

Focus Areas: The investment is targeted towards agro-processing, value chain development (especially around crops like oil palm, cassava), possibly with attention to logistics, cold storage, and training of local producers. The deal aligns with Edo’s ongoing drive to strengthen its agricultural sector, diversify revenue, and create jobs.

Government’s Role: Edo State will likely provide incentives—land, policy support, perhaps tax breaks, access to state infrastructure, facilitation through state agencies. EuroAfrica CCI is expected to bring capital, technical know-how, investment networks.

Also Read: Before You Rent on Lagos Island, Read This Flood Survival Guide

Timeline & Expectations: While precise timelines are not fully public, typical frameworks suggest that initial implementation (facility setup, input supply, value chain linkages) should begin within the next several months. Local farmers and processors are expected to be onboarded progressively.

Potential Impacts of The Deal

1. Boosting Local Agro-Industrial Capacity
With processing closer to farms, post-harvest losses drop, value retained locally, supply chains shorter. For Edo, this means more local jobs and better returns for farmers.

2. Employment, Especially for Youth and Women
Agro-processing tends to create numerous semi-skilled jobs—sorting, packaging, logistics, cold chain, marketing. This deal could offer vital opportunities where unemployment is high.

3. Food Security & Market Stabilization
If production and processing scale up, Edo might reduce dependence on imported processed goods. Prices of staples could stabilize if supply chains improve.

4. Unlocking Investor Confidence
Sealing such a deal signals to other investors (foreign & domestic) that Edo is serious—policies, infrastructure, partnerships. It could unlock more capital.

What This Deal Says About Edo & Subnational Investment

Edo State, under its current governance leadership, has repeatedly pushed for diversification—less oil, more agriculture; less import dependency, more home-grown value chains.

The EuroAfrica CCI deal isn’t just about money—it’s evidence of a model of governance that leans toward enabling markets, enabling partnerships.

But whether it becomes part of a lasting legacy depends on leadership while things get messy. Deals sound great—delivery matters more. Agriculture works in seasons; investors work in confidence; communities work when they see themselves in the plans.

This ₦250 million investment will be remembered not by its announcement, but by what ends up growing in fields, and what ends up filling markets.

Electricity Workers Strike: 5 Negative Impacts for Small-Scale Businesses
News, Trending

Nigeria’s Electricity Sector Shuts Down as Workers Strike

Electricity workers in Nigeria have commenced industrial action, sparking fears that the country may experience a widespread blackout in the coming days. The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) has reportedly pulled out staff from key generation, transmission, and distribution posts.

As workers down tools, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) is expected to struggle to maintain power flow across the national grid. Sources suggest that several power stations may go silent if critical manpower is withdrawn.

Also Read: Victor Boniface Called In by Bremen After Controversy Over Cryptic Online Posts

According to reports, the strike is a protest over unmet welfare demands, unpaid entitlements, and unresolved negotiations between workers and management.

Distribution companies have already begun issuing warnings to customers, noting that supply interruptions are possible. Several states may experience total darkness if the strike deepens and key substations are shut down.

Before You Rent on Lagos Island, Read This Flood Survival Guide
Feature, News

Before You Rent on Lagos Island, Read This Flood Survival Guide

If you’ve ever lived in Lagos, you’ll know that the city doesn’t just test your patience—it tests your wallet, your sanity, and sometimes, even your swimming skills.

The dream of living in “Island life”—Lekki, Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Ajah—often looks glamorous on Instagram: rooftop lounges, short drives to the beach, sparkling waterfront views. But behind the fine aesthetics, there’s a hidden Lagos tax that no landlord will ever disclose: the flood tax.

Picture this: you’ve just signed a two-year lease on a shiny duplex in Lekki Phase 1. Fresh tiles, gleaming kitchen, POP ceiling lights. You even popped champagne with your friends to celebrate your “soft life upgrade.”

Then the rains come. At first, just a drizzle, then a downpour. Within two hours, your street has transformed into the Atlantic Ocean. Cars are floating, mosquitoes are rehearsing for a festival, and your Uber driver calls to say, “Oga, I dey sorry, but boat no dey for Bolt.”

Welcome to Lagos Island, where luxury homes can quickly become luxury swimming pools.

Even popular influencer, Enioluwa had no choice but to cry out on social media. He lamented paying heavily for a house in a prime location in Lagos only to be trapped indoor by the flood.

Also Read: Enioluwa Blasts Lagos Infrastructure: “Trapped Indoors” in Prime Neighborhoods

That’s why before you rent a house in Lagos Island, you must look beyond the chandelier in the living room and the imported tiles. Otherwise, you’ll pay millions just to learn how to kayak your way to work.

Here are 5 things you must do before renting a house in Lagos Island.

1. Visit the House During Heavy Rainfall

Forget glossy real estate flyers. Forget that your agent says, “Madam, this street no dey flood.” Lagos agents can swear on their ancestors’ graves just to close a deal. The real test is rain.

Take a drive to the area on a rainy day. If you can’t access the street without folding your trousers to your knees, don’t even bother. That “duplex with sea view” might just be the sea itself.

A banker friend rented a N5 million apartment in Lekki. First rain of the season, she had to climb her neighbor’s fence to escape because the gate was under water.

2. Talk to the Neighbors, Not Just the Landlord

Landlords will tell you everything good about the property, but neighbors will tell you the truth that keeps them awake at night.

Knock on a few doors. Ask the okada riders. Ask the pepper seller. Lagos people don’t sugarcoat their suffering. They’ll tell you how often NEPA takes light, if the road floods, or if the landlord is the type that collects rent with a cane.

This step can save you millions and plenty tears.

3. Inspect the Drainage System Yourself

Don’t let the paved compound deceive you. Look at the gutters. Are they wide? Are they choked with pure water nylon and sachet biscuit wrappers? Are they even connected to a proper channel or just ending behind the house?

Some “luxury estates” only exist on paper. In reality, you’ll find open gutters masquerading as swimming pools. If you rent there, congratulations—you’ve bought yourself a waterbed without asking.

4. Test the Commute During Rush Hour

Flood is not the only wahala on Lagos Island. Traffic is the second devil. Before you sign anything, drive from the area to your office during peak hours. You’ll be shocked how 10 minutes on Google Maps can turn into 3 hours of staring at danfo drivers cursing each other.

Because when the rains mix with Lagos traffic, you’re not just paying rent—you’re paying with your mental health.

5. Forget the Glamour, Check the Survival Basics

Forget the chandeliers, the imported Italian tiles, or the fact that the house has 6 bathrooms. The questions you should be asking are:

* Does water run 24/7 or will you be carrying buckets like it’s 1999?
* Is the estate generator just for decoration?
* How high are the fences—can flood water walk in freely?
* Do neighbors use canoes or cars when it rains?

If you don’t ask these survival questions, you’ll realize too late that Lagos Island luxury is often just a glossy scam.

Lagos Will Always Lagos

Living on Lagos Island comes with bragging rights, yes. But don’t let social media fool you. Many people are trapped in flooded estates, regretting why they didn’t ask the right questions.

So before you sign that lease, shine your eyes. Because in Lagos, the real estate agent will sell you “Prime Waterfront Property.” But what they really mean is: “Your compound go flood reach your waist.”

Victor Boniface Called In by Bremen After Controversy Over Cryptic Online Posts
News, Sports, Trending

Victor Boniface Called In by Bremen After Controversy Over Cryptic Online Posts

In the high-stakes arena of European football, it’s not just what you do on the pitch that draws attention—it’s what you post off it. For Victor Boniface, the spotlight shifted from goals and assists to damaged car mirrors, cryptic captions, social‐media sermons, and eyebrow-raising relationship advice.

It’s 2025, he’s a 24-year-old Nigerian striker on loan at Werder Bremen, and suddenly, the club’s expectations extend beyond athletic performance into daily conduct, online tone, public perception.

A player’s net worth, shirt number, or his first goal can win hearts. But here, a post about settling down, criticism of spending “on too many women,” subtler nods, even a Snapchat vid of a smashed mirror—these ordinary-seeming moments rippled into something bigger. WTF does “Ok Bremen” mean with a busted mirror? Why “at most three women—or if you are going through a lot four is okay”? What kind of responsibility comes with being a role model when your followers see you in neon lights or behind content filters?

Now, Bremen has summoned Boniface. Because in this age, what you broadcast can be just as impactful as your ball control.

What Exactly Happened — Key Details

Boniface has been called in by Werder Bremen management after recent social media posts stirred discomfort within the club. These posts include relationship-advice messages, cryptic snippets, and more personal commentary.

One of the posts read: “If you waste your money on too many women, you will not achieve anything in life. Find yourself one or two women and settle down. At most three women, or if you are going through a lot, four is also okay.”

Victor Boniface Called In by Bremen After Controversy Over Cryptic Online Posts

This post attracted attention both from fans and media, some calling it humorous, others criticizing it for tone, respect, and being potentially misogynistic.

Another post showed a damaged side mirror of his car—he captioned it “Ok Bremen.” It’s unclear what the post was meant to imply, but it added to what the club sees as “strange” or “inconsistent” communications.

According to reports, Werder Bremen has not issued a full public statement but is arranging a closed-door meeting between Boniface and the club hierarchy to clarify the nature and intent of his social media activity.

Beyond Social Media Drama — Deeper Implications

1. Player Image & Club Reputation

Clubs increasingly see players as brands. What they post reflects not just personal taste but team values. When off-field behavior is seen to clash with club standards, especially in foreign environments where cultural norms differ, management often steps in.

2. Cultural Misunderstandings & Sensitivities

What may seem lighthearted or typical in one context (e.g., among fans in Nigeria) may be misunderstood or disapproved of in another. Cryptic posts might be seen as disrespect, controversial advice may be judged as inappropriate. What’s acceptable in one sphere may trigger trouble in another.

3. Gender & Respect Conversations

Boniface’s comments about “too many women” or “finding few women” tap into gender relations, expectations, and respect. That can polarize audiences. Some see straightforward advice; others see sexism or objectification. This kind of public text forces footballers to navigate moral, social, and reputational minefields.

4. Mental Health, Consistency & Media Pressure

Young players are under pressure: performance, expectations, criticism, virality. Sometimes posts are made in passing, without full reflection. But in today’s digital age, every post lingers. Managing that is part of being a professional in the modern game.

5. Club Discipline & Cohesion

If the player’s behavior off the field becomes a distraction or breeds dissent (among fans, media, teammates), clubs often act—not just to punish, but to ensure team cohesion. Bremen calling him in signals seriousness: they want clarity, boundaries, maybe a warning.

Should Footballers Be Controlled or Just Guided?

This incident raises broader questions: Where is the line between personal expression and professional decorum? Are clubs acting out of protection or control? Do players surrender part of their personal freedoms when they become public figures?

Boniface’s case may serve as a lesson: that in today’s game, with culture, race, national identity, and cross-border expectations, silence or avoidance is rare. Every tweet, snap, or message becomes part of the narrative.

But also, it begs empathy. A young man, far from home, under scrutiny, with passion, fear, maybe ego, maybe imposter syndrome, maybe cultural contradictions. Should clubs demand perfection? Or teach better?

Goals, Virality, and What Comes Next

Victor Boniface has promise—on the field, he’s shown flashes: a solid debut assist, strength, positional promise. But this moment off the field could define how he’s seen: as a raw talent who matures under scrutiny, or as a liability overwhelmed by his own online footprints.

You May Like: “I’ll Use You as a Scapegoat” — Paul Okoye Responds to Rape Allegation Against Him

Werder Bremen’s decision to summon him is a test—for the player and the club. It’s where performance meets perception, where goals meet guidelines.

Enioluwa Blasts Lagos Infrastructure: “Trapped Indoors” in Prime Neighborhoods
Entertainment

Enioluwa Blasts Lagos Infrastructure: “Trapped Indoors” in Prime Neighborhoods

Media personality Enioluwa has voiced frustration over the regular flooding that renders homes in supposedly prime Lagos locations unusable, saying residents buy luxury houses only to find themselves “trapped indoors” whenever heavy rains strike.

In a post shared on social media this week, Enioluwa described buying a home in one of Lagos’s much-sought-after neighborhoods only to be confined indoors because floodwaters made roads impassable. He lamented the irony of investing heavily just for mobility and normal life to be compromised by preventable infrastructural issues.

These complaints echo recurring stories from residents of areas like Lekki, Ikorodu, Victoria Island and other coastal or low-lying zones who report that water levels rise fast, drainage systems are blocked, and relief from Lagos State Government comes too slowly, if at all.

You May Like: “I’ll Use You as a Scapegoat” — Paul Okoye Responds to Rape Allegation Against Him

As Lagos enters a season of heavier rainfall, the government has urged property owners not to block drainage channels, and in some cases, ordered removal of offending structures. But many residents argue that more proactive drainage maintenance and planning are needed, especially in high-investment districts, if flooding is to be meaningfully addressed.

Before You Rent on Lagos Island, Read This Flood Survival Guide
News

Kogi Flood Crisis: Five Communities Swallowed by Water as State Sounds Alarm

It was supposed to be another rainy season. Instead, it has become a test of survival. In Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State, the water has done more than just creep past boundaries—it has swallowed entire communities. Homes once full of life now lie submerged. Roads are rivers. Fields, once green, now stretch under murky floodwater. Ota. Ofogbo. Itima. Owara. Ofogbo. The names of places etched with memories—now echoing with distress.

As the Rivers Niger and Benue swell beyond their banks, people gather what they can carry and flee to higher ground.

For many, there’s no time, no warning, no safety nets. They move toward hastily constructed Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, carrying children, livestock, hopes. Facing not only loss of property but danger from disease, hunger, cold, and uncertainty, the people of Kogi find themselves in a race against rising water—and fading time.

How It Started

The flood completely submerged five communities in the Ibaji Local Government Area, Kogi State. The worst affected include Ota, Ofogbo, Itima, Owara, among others.

Due to rising water levels in Rivers Niger and Benue (with spillover expected), Kogi State has opened 42 IDP camps and an emergency operations centre to manage the displaced.

Experts have marked 258 communities in eight local government areas of Kogi as flood-prone.

The Health Ministry has mobilized professionals and materials; begun fumigation in IDP camps to mitigate disease outbreak, and emphasized that the next 72 hours will be critical.

Also Read: Nigeria @ 65: All Hands on Deck for a Greater Nation — Official Theme Unveiled

No casualties have been reported so far in this recent flood episode (so far, according to state officials).

What Must Be Done Immediately & For Longer-Term Resilience

Immediate Relief

* Speedy evacuation of people in danger zones, with safe routes.
* Adequate shelter, clean water, sanitation in IDP camps. Avoid disease outbreaks.
* Supply of food, medical care, clean bedding and clothing.
* Fumigation, vector control, health monitoring in camps.

Structural & Policy Solutions

* Building of flood defenses: levees, embankments, improving drainage.
* Early-warning systems, real-time dam discharge alerts, community awareness campaigns.
* Map and relocate flood-prone communities where possible, or strengthen their resilience (raise homes, build above flood lines).
* Long-term investment in rural infrastructure: roads, electricity, bridges, schools and hospitals that survive floods.
* Coordination between state, federal, hydrological services, and dam authorities. Transparent dam operation schedules.

Campaign Activities Resume as INEC Removes Freeze for FCT Area Council Polls
News, Politics

Campaign Activities Resume as INEC Removes Freeze for FCT Area Council Polls

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially lifted the ban on campaign activities for the upcoming 2026 Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Candidates and political parties can now resume active campaigning across the territory.

The removal of the campaign freeze comes after the commission had earlier imposed a moratorium to allow for candidate verification, logistics planning, and deployment of election materials. With the ban lifted, political players are expected to intensify outreach to voters in wards and area councils.

INEC urged all contestants to comply strictly with electoral rules, avoid inflammatory rhetoric, and maintain peaceful conduct. The commission also reminded the public that complaints and objections to candidate lists must be lodged within designated time frames.

Also Read: President Tinubu Summons Rivers Sole Administrator Ibas to Aso Villa Amid ₦254 Billion Expenditure Controversy

Observers say the lift of the ban marks a critical juncture in the FCT electoral calendar, signaling the formal commencement of the contest for chairmanships and councilorships in the nation’s capital.

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