By Adedapo Adesanya

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Mr Peter Obi, has denied any merger talks of the party with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) or any other party.

Mr Obi made this statement during a press conference in Abuja on Thursday morning, where he addressed the state of the nation.

The former Governor of Anambra emphasised that no agreement has been reached with any party as of now, calling on all Nigerians to unite ahead of the 2027 elections to defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The politician also used the event to speak to the current hardships facing the nation, calling on President Bola Tinubu to feel the pulse of the country across different spheres including education, public infrastructure, and health.

He challenged the president to use local hospitals and visit educational institutions in the country to ascertain the level of development in the nation’s educational and healthcare sectors.

He also tackled the incumbent administration on its skyrocketing cost of governance and heavy reliance on debt to support its operations.

Mr Obi said borrowings must be tied to projects that would bring development to the country as against the current template of borrowing for consumption.

He alleged that government officials willfully mismanaged public funds in 2024 through incessant foreign trips.

Mr Obi condemned the endemic poverty that has led to stampedes for palliatives in parts of the country, as the new minimum wage has not solved the hunger crisis in the land.

He also called the security situation in the country unfortunate, saying Nigerians die needlessly due to banditry, terrorism, and kidnapping.

On the controversial tax reform bills, Mr Obi emphasised that it was important that the issues raised by critics be addressed.

He advised that tax should be a function of production, and if the majority of Nigerians live in poverty, the government must first make Nigeria a productive nation before taxing the people.

By Adedapo Adesanya

Nigeria will launch the National Credit Guarantee Company dedicated to increasing access to credit for individuals and critical sectors of the economy.

This was disclosed by President Bola Tinubu in his 2025 New Year’s Message to Nigerians on Wednesday, as he promised to look into the skyrocketing cost of living affecting citizens.

He said the move would help alleviate food costs and also promote local manufacturing of essential drugs and other medical supplies in the New Year.

According to the President, the new company, expected to begin operations before the end of the second quarter of the new year, is a partnership of government institutions, including the Bank of Industry (BOI) Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (NCCC), the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Agency (NSIA), the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), the private sector and multilateral institutions.

“This initiative will strengthen the confidence of the financial system, expand credit access, and support under-served groups such as women and youth. It will drive growth, re-industrialisation, and better living standards for our people.

“On a personal note, thank you for placing your confidence in me as your president. Your trust humbles me, and I promise to continue serving you diligently and wholeheartedly.

“We will continue to embark on necessary reforms to foster sustainable growth and prosperity for our nation.

‘’I seek your cooperation and collaboration at all times as we pursue our goal of a one trillion-dollar economy. Let us stay focused and united,” the president said.

“As the new year dawns, it brings many hopes, aspirations, and prospects for better days. By the grace of God, 2025 will be a year of great promise in which we will fulfil our collective desires.

“Though 2024 posed numerous challenges to our citizens and households, I am confident that the New Year will bring brighter days. Economic indicators point to a positive and encouraging outlook for our nation.

President Tinubu said, “In 2025, our government is committed to intensifying efforts to lower these costs by boosting food production and promoting local manufacturing of essential drugs and other medical supplies. We are resolute in our ambition to reduce inflation from its current high of 34.6 per cent to 15 per cent. With diligent work and God’s help, we will achieve this goal and provide relief to all our people.

“In this new year, my administration will further consolidate and increase access to credit for individuals and critical sectors of the economy to boost national economic output,” he promised.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The latest United Nations data, as estimated by Worldometer, has projected that Nigeria will have a population of 237,527,782 by 2025.

According to the report, the country’s population will grow from 235,072,214 recorded in December 2024.

The statistics showed that between 2023 and 2024, the country’s population increased by 4,796,533.

This is as the US Census Bureau estimates released Monday, the world population increased by more than 71 million people in 2024.

This is a slight slowdown from the 75 million increase witnessed in 2023.

Worldometer’s report said Nigeria’s population is equivalent to 2.85 per cent of the total world population and the country ranks number six in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population.

The data places the most populated cities to be Lagos with 15,388,000 people, Kano at 4,910,000, Ibadan at 3,649,000, Abuja at 2,690,000 and Port Harcourt at 2,120,000, with 53.9 per cent of the population in the urban region at 125,447,884 people in 2024.

The population density in Nigeria is 255 per Km² (662 people per mi²) and the total land area is 910,770 Km² (351,650 sq. miles), the report said.

“The median age in Nigeria is 17.9 years while the life expectancy at birth for both sexes is 54.6 years.

“Females have a life expectancy of 54.9 years at birth while that of males is 54.3 years,” the report said.

The data projected the world population to reach 8.09 billion people on Wednesday, January 1, 2025.

Recall that Nigeria alongside seven other nations will push the world population to 9.7 billion in 2050 before reaching a peak of around 10.4 billion in the 2080s to 2100.

According to the United Nations, more than half of the projected increase in the global population up to 2050 will be concentrated in eight countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and the United Republic of Tanzania.