By Prince Charles Dickson PhD

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, holds two remarkable distinctions: it has both the highest number of Muslims on the continent and the largest population of Christians as well.

Globally, Nigeria ranks among the top in both religions—boasting the sixth largest Christian population in the world and one of the largest concentrations of Muslims anywhere. By sheer numbers, Nigeria should represent a beacon of faith, morality, and godly example. Yet, the paradox remains: despite our crowded mosques and overflowing churches, our society is still riddled with corruption, injustice, insecurity, and a shocking contradiction between faith professed and life lived.

The Nigerian religious story is one of complexity—of gods old and new, of rituals that never quite disappear, and of a people who wear devotion on their lips but often defy it in their deeds. To speak of Nigerians and their gods is to enter the space where prayer meetings intersect with political thievery, where city streets turn into ghost towns on Fridays and Sundays, but where Monday mornings are marked by the hustle of swindling fellow citizens.

There is faith in numbers, decay in practice as by every measurable standard, Nigerians are religious. In almost every office, government meeting, and school gathering, prayers begin and end official functions. Even criminal gangs pray before embarking on their nefarious missions. We bless meals, recite scriptures, and fill radio waves with sermons. Mosques call the faithful five times daily; churches stretch services across the weekend with vigour.

But what has this avalanche of religiosity produced? Nigeria remains one of the most corrupt nations in the world. Governance is riddled with inflated contracts, missing billions, and leaders who mouth the name of God while looting public treasuries. A road project budgeted for billions of Naira is either abandoned or executed so poorly that it collapses within months. Who signs off these contracts? Who pockets the money? Are they not the same men and women who lead prayers, fund cathedrals, build mosques, and occupy front seats at religious ceremonies?

Here lies the great irony: our religiosity has not transformed our morality. In fact, it seems to have become a convenient mask—an outward cloak to conceal the rot within.

Christianity and Islam arrived in Nigeria centuries ago, bringing new texts, prophets, and doctrines. Yet, beneath the polished surfaces of imported faiths, older traditions remain alive. Nigerians still patronize voodoo priests, consult witch doctors, and invoke African magic in private moments of desperation. A politician may attend Sunday Mass in the morning and visit a shrine at midnight. An entrepreneur may recite Quranic verses but tie charms to his business doors.

This dual devotion—professed monotheism mixed with hidden polytheism—reveals a deeper struggle: Nigerians have not fully replaced their gods; they have simply expanded their pantheon. Faith in Allah or Christ often coexists with faith in ancestral spirits, diviners, and traditional sacrifices. In times of crisis, many revert to the old ways, seeking power or protection where modern religion and government have failed them.

Thus, religion in Nigeria becomes less a matter of deep conviction and more a utilitarian pursuit of survival, influence, or fortune. The gods, old or new, are reduced to instruments of power rather than anchors of virtue.

We suffer fanaticism and the burden of Extremes as despite the abundance of churches and mosques, freedom of religious belief remains fragile in Nigeria. From sectarian violence in the North to discriminatory practices in the South, religious tolerance is often preached but rarely practiced. Extremist groups, most notoriously Boko Haram, cloak their campaigns of terror in religious rhetoric, killing those who refuse to subscribe to their ideology.

Even within families and communities, interfaith marriages are frowned upon, and adherents of minority faiths face ostracism or persecution. Nigeria’s religious energy, rather than being harnessed for unity, often becomes combustible material for conflict.

We are left with a dangerous contradiction: a nation deeply religious, yet perpetually at war with itself in the name of religion.

Consider the everyday rituals of hypocrisy of Nigerian officialdom. A meeting begins with an opening prayer—sincere, perhaps, in tone—where God is invited to bless the deliberations. Discussions then follow, where decisions are taken to divert funds, inflate budgets, or marginalize certain groups. At the end, another prayer is offered, thanking God for “a successful meeting.”

In this ritual, God is both invoked and mocked. The prayer serves as a ceremonial cloak for systemic theft. Nigerian religiosity has perfected this cycle: sin boldly, pray loudly, repeat endlessly.

Our cities testify to this contradiction. On Fridays, streets empty as men and women flood mosques. On Sundays, roads are blocked by worshippers attending multiple services. Yet, by Monday morning, many of these same worshippers cannot wait to cheat their neighbour, manipulate figures, or exploit the system.

We profess to love God, but our love rarely extends to obeying His commands.

Here, the parable of the madman becomes instructive.

A wealthy man parks his expensive car, only to return and find that one of his tires is missing four bolts. Frustrated, he despairs until a madman suggests a simple solution: remove one bolt from each of the other three tires and use them to secure the fourth. Surprised by the brilliance of the idea, the man asks how someone “mad” could think so clearly. The madman replies: “I am mad, not stupid.”

This story is Nigeria’s mirror. We are a nation of wealthy resources, brilliant minds, and boundless faith. Yet, we often act foolishly, parading our religiosity without applying its wisdom. Like the rich man, we look helplessly at problems—corruption, bad roads, poverty, insecurity—while the solutions lie in plain sight. The madman’s lesson is that wisdom is not about appearance but application.

Nigeria’s religiosity is vast, but what we lack is the wisdom to apply the moral essence of our faiths. We build grand cathedrals and imposing mosques but fail to build integrity, justice, and love of neighbour. We perform rituals but neglect righteousness. We pray for prosperity but cheat our systems. We revere gods, but our gods—old and new—have not saved us because we have not lived their principles.

Yet, to be fair, not all Nigerians bow to this hypocrisy. Scattered across the nation are men and women who live by the tenets of their faith with integrity. The honest civil servant who resists bribes. The teacher who shows up every day in underfunded schools. The nurse who treats patients with dignity despite low pay. The entrepreneur who refuses to cheat his customers. The religious leader who preaches justice rather than prosperity.

These Nigerians—though often drowned in the noise of corruption and fanaticism—embody the hope of the nation. They prove that faith can indeed inspire virtue, that religion can transform society when applied with sincerity. They remind us that change will not come from prayers alone but from actions aligned with those prayers.

The problem, therefore, is not religion itself but the way Nigerians practice it. Our gods—whether Christ, Allah, or the spirits of our ancestors—are not to blame. The blame lies with us: we invoke their names without embodying their values. We exalt them in worship but abandon them in conduct.

If Nigeria is to rise from its contradictions, it must learn from the wisdom of the so-called madman: apply the principles already within reach. We must strip religion of its hypocrisy and return it to its essence—justice, mercy, love, and accountability.

A nation that prays at dawn but steals by noon cannot prosper. A people who fill mosques and churches but empty their institutions of integrity cannot progress. Nigerians must decide whether their gods are mere ornaments for ritual or guiding lights for life.

Until then, our religiosity will remain loud but hollow, plentiful but powerless. And like the man stranded by his car, we will continue to stare at problems, waiting for a madman to remind us that the solution has been in our hands all along—May Nigeria win!

For more than three decades, MultiChoice has been known for telling Africa’s stories, from Nollywood to live sports and real-life documentaries. But today, it’s telling a different kind of story. One about the planet. One about the future. One where sustainability is the main character.

The world is at a turning point. Climate change is no longer a distant warning; it’s a daily reality. Businesses everywhere are rethinking how they operate, not just to protect the bottom line, but to protect the Earth itself. For MultiChoice, the shift feels natural. After all, improving lives through entertainment has always been at the heart of its mission. Now, that mission extends beyond screens into the air we breathe, the energy we consume, and the communities we serve.

At the centre of this transformation is a bold commitment: achieve carbon neutrality in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, with a significant milestone of cutting emissions by 20% by 2028. It’s a journey that requires more than ambition; it demands action, innovation, and consistency. And so far, the results are encouraging. Between 2024 and 2025, the company reduced its Scope 1 carbon emissions by 25%, bringing the figure down to 19,483 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

Across its operations, changes are quietly reshaping the way the business runs. Motion-sensor lighting clicks on only when needed. Solar panels are powering offices and reducing reliance on the grid. Daylight-harvesting LED systems, energy-efficient inverters, and smarter heating, cooling, and ventilation systems are saving thousands of kilowatts.

Here in Nigeria, outdated chillers have been swapped for energy-efficient models, synchronising electric panels now ensures better power regulation, and solar installations are set to cut daytime electricity use by almost a third. Wastewater is treated and reused for landscaping, ensuring even the gardens tell a story of sustainability. In Ghana, powerful 44kV solar panels crown the MultiChoice Accra headquarters.

But MultiChoice’s sustainability journey isn’t confined to behind-the-scenes changes. The company is also using its greatest asset, its platform, to spark environmental awareness across Africa. Through its partnership with The Earthshot Prize, one of the world’s most prestigious environmental awards, MultiChoice shines a spotlight on innovators tackling some of the planet’s biggest challenges. This year, stories of African ingenuity, from plastic recycling to solar lighting and refrigeration innovations, reached up to five million viewers, generating 56 million Naira in media coverage and inspiring communities to think green.

John Ugbe, Chief Executive Officer at MultiChoice Nigeria, sums it up simply: “Our environmental efforts have picked up pace. We’re focused on shrinking our footprint and using our platforms to raise awareness around climate change.”

It’s this blend of internal change and public storytelling that makes MultiChoice’s approach unique. The company isn’t just cutting emissions; it’s weaving sustainability into Africa’s cultural conversation. And with the 2028 milestone in sight, the story is still unfolding.

“ESG isn’t a side project,” Ugbe says. “It’s part of who we are and will be in the future. It shapes how we work, how we innovate, and how we show up for Africa every day.”

This is not just the story of a greener future. It’s the story of how Africa’s most-loved storyteller is making sure the future is one worth telling.

By Kehinde Ogundare

Business growth should feel energising — not like a daily struggle. When operations begin to scale, the software systems need to scale as well, and adapt to the new processes and needs of the growing organisation. For many Nigerian startups, with rising costs, lean teams, and limited time, staying organised becomes a challenge. Growth demands structure, not just ambition.

The good news? A wide range of affordable and accessible tech tools can help businesses reduce costs, streamline operations, and unlock capacity. Whether it’s managing finances, people, or customers, small teams now have the means to operate at enterprise-level efficiency.

Here are top 10 practical ways the right tools can boost productivity and help cut operational expenses:

1. Finance and spend management

Tracking expenses through manual spreadsheets and scattered receipts is inefficient and prone to error. It creates blind spots in budgeting and slows down level-headed decisions.

To simplify the process, spend management tools help to consolidate all expense data into one place. They categorise spending, flag unusual activity, and streamline approvals. For example, a startup organising multiple events each quarter could use spend management software to budget per project, track payments in real time, and generate reports with a few clicks. This allows for better planning, clearer oversight, and tighter financial control.

2. Project and task management

As teams grow or operate remotely, task coordination becomes harder. Without clear roles, priorities, and timelines, delays and duplicated work are inevitable.

Project management platforms such as Zoho Projects help align workflows with shared timelines, task ownership, status updates, and performance tracking. Such tools increase transparency and ensure everyone stays focused on the right tasks. For example, a tech startup juggling client work and product development can visualise workflows, prioritise tasks, and measure productivity, all in one place. Using such software also encourages accountability and helps teams meet deadlines.

3. Customer relationship management (CRM)

Customer engagement and consistent follow-up often determine long-term success. However, managing contact data and communication manually across tools, spreadsheets, and inboxes quickly becomes unmanageable.

CRM tools such as Bigin centralise customer records, automate follow-ups, and offer insights into sales performance. This makes it easier to manage relationships, respond faster, and refine your sales and marketing strategies based on what is working. A retail business, for example, could use CRM tools to segment customers, send targeted offers, and track conversion rates, turning first-time buyers into repeat customers.

4. Data storage and cloud access

Relying on physical infrastructure for file storage is expensive and limits flexibility. Cloud storage offers an affordable and secure alternative, giving startups a secure, central location for all business files.

It allows teams to access documents anywhere, collaborate in real time, and avoid the confusion of outdated file versions. With many tools offering free tiers or scalable plans, cloud storage is one of the simplest and most cost-effective upgrades a startup can make. It’s especially useful with distributed teams or partners working across regions or time zones.

5. Social media and marketing management

Social media is a powerful way to reach new customers, but managing it manually is time-consuming. Creating content, scheduling posts, and responding to comments can drain internal resources.

Social media management tools help to plan content ahead of time, monitor performance, and stay consistent across platforms. Automation removes the drudgery of manual work, while analytics help refine your messaging and reach. For instance, a beauty brand or lifestyle brand can schedule campaigns around product launches and holidays while keeping an eye on which content drives the most engagement.

6. HR and people operations

Tasks like recruitment, onboarding, leave tracking, and managing payroll quickly pile up. Without dedicated HR support tools, these responsibilities can distract from core business goals.

With centralised employee records and self-service portals, HR tools reduce admin time and ensure staff get the support they need. A small agency, for instance, could use them to simplify leave tracking and ensure timely salary payments, avoiding disputes or bottlenecks. This builds a more professional internal structure without needing a full HR department.

7. Workflow and process automation

Hours can be wasted on manual admin: copying data between systems, sending reminders, and generating reports. Automation tools remove that burden by connecting everyday apps and triggering tasks based on simple rules.

Whether it’s sending alerts, updating spreadsheets, or managing approvals, automation tools work in the background to keep operations ticking over. For example, when a new sale is recorded, the system could automatically update inventory, notify the finance team, and schedule a customer welcome email.

8. Cybersecurity tools

Data breaches and cyberattacks are not just a risk to large corporations. Even small businesses are vulnerable, and accidental data loss can have serious consequences.

Cybersecurity solutions, such as encrypted storage, secure password managers, and access control systems, help safeguard business and customer data. For startups, building trust with users starts with protecting their information. Tools that alert teams to suspicious activity or restrict access to sensitive files can prevent costly breaches and keep your reputation intact.

9. Website builders and analytics

A professional online presence is essential, especially in competitive industries. Modern website builders allow businesses to create responsive, user-friendly sites without coding experience.

This ensures that potential customers find you easily – and that you understand how they engage with your content. For early-stage businesses, this can mean the difference between visibility and invisibility. Analytics help you learn what pages convert best, which campaigns drive traffic, and how to optimise your digital marketing spend.

10. Integrated business systems

Startups often adopt a mix of standalone tools for different tasks. But as operations expand, switching between disconnected apps becomes inefficient and error-prone.

Integrated platforms bring everything – from CRM and finance to HR and analytics – into a single ecosystem. With connected tools and shared dashboards, teams collaborate better and make faster decisions. Imagine a logistics startup being able to track deliveries, issue invoices, and review driver performance all from one interface. It cuts down on confusion, improves customer service, and saves time across the board.

The bottom line

Whether you’re managing expenses, improving collaboration, or enhancing customer service, the right tech tools can unlock new levels of efficiency.

You do not need a large team or deep pockets to build a business that runs smoothly. With the right systems in place, you can reduce admin, improve visibility, and focus on what really matters: growing the business.

As technology tools become more accessible, now is the time to assess what you’re using— and whether those tools are helping you move forward or slowing you down.

Kehinde Ogundare is the Country Head for Zoho Nigeria