General
Experts Advocate Women Empowerment in Leadership
Some experts representing both international and local firms have joined forces to lend a voice to the empowerment of women and gender equality in leadership, especially as regards the workplace.
Chairman of Inclusion@Lloyd’s, who equally doubles as Global Chair of Aon Benfield Reinsurance, Dominic Christian; Executive Director, Navigate Consulting Africa Ltd., Egbe Oyegun-Adeoye; Managing Director, CMC Connect, Yomi Badejo-Okusanya and member Board of Directors, Global Reporting Initiative, GRI, Bekeme Masade-Olowola, were the panelists at the ‘Dive In Festival for Diversity & Inclusion In Insurance’, with the theme: ‘Empowering Women in Leadership’, which held recently in Lagos.
The event, which was a gathering of key players in the Insurance sector, basically talked to the issue of inclusion, especially of the women folk; stressing that by enabling and empowering women to lead in the workplace, an atmosphere of belonging with outstanding results is created.
According to Dominic Christian, Global Chairman, Aon, five years ago, when the first Dive In festival was launched in London, they wondered back then whether it would be popular enough to warrant an annual event.
“We had no idea how much support and enthusiasm was out there around the insurance industry for an initiative like this whose focus is on levelling the playing field for talent and supporting people to reach their true potential at work.
“Inclusion@lloyds created The Dive In Festival as an opportunity to enable open conversations around topics such as gender equality, social mobility and cultural differences, physical and mental health and well-being.
“We know that in order to unlock the business power of diversity, we need to build workplace cultures where people feel they can be themselves. We need to practice inclusive leadership – role modelling the behaviour we want to see in the business, respecting differences and creating space for everyone based on talent and equality.
“Our festival message, then as now, was that diversity and inclusion are good for business. Our industry must be one step ahead of the complex global challenges that are affecting business and the public sector – from globalisation, to climate change and cyber crime- and to do that, we need the brightest minds and the boldest innovation. That doesn’t come from groups of people who all think the same way. We need different perspectives, life experiences and cultures in our teams to see opportunities from different angles,” he said.
He added that since its launch in 2015, the festival message has spread across four continents. Christian also alluded to the fact that women represented 50 per cent of the global population, hence the importance of inclusion.
“Gender is one of the most apparent signs of diversity. Walk into any workplace and it is immediately apparent that there is a problem if the room is almost exclusively male”, he said.
Quoting from ‘The Business case for Change’, a global research published by the International Labour Organisation earlier this year which cited Nigerian companies among its respondents in Africa, he said: ‘Our findings indicate that enterprises with equal employment opportunity policies and gender-inclusive cultures are over 60 per cent more likely to have improved profits and productivity, and they are almost 60 per cent more likely to experience enhanced reputation, greater ease in attracting and retaining talent, and greater creativity and innovation. The business case for gender diversity, particularly for increasing the proportion of women in the management and board pipelines, is compelling.’
On their part, Bekeme Masade-Olowola and Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, were united in stressing the need for attitudinal change and a change of the mindset and thinking of the African woman, especially as it relates to cultural and traditional beliefs.
They were both of the opinion that the African cultural system of/and beliefs had done a lot in stifling the growth mindset of the African woman, and this, they say, had affected her performance in the work place. They also alluded to religious beliefs which had great influence on most African societies, as being a factor which had limited the Nigerian cum African woman’s ability to express herself in critical situations, rather seeing herself as being subject to the menfolk.
They unanimously posited a changed mindset and reorientation in order to get out of the mental rot affecting women.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NiHSA) has warned that 17 states across the country face a medium flood risk between July 21 and July 27, 2026, urging governments, emergency agencies and residents in vulnerable communities to take immediate precautionary measures to minimise potential loss of lives and property.
The warning was contained in the agency’s National Flood Advisory (Alert No. NFA-2026-200) issued on Tuesday, following hydrological assessments indicating rising water levels in several rivers and critical monitoring stations nationwide.
Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NiHSA, Mr Umar Mohammed, said the forecast identified Bauchi, Edo, Imo, Kaduna, Plateau and Benue among the states expected to experience flooding during the period, alongside 11 others.
According to Mohammed, the latest hydrological data revealed that water levels at key monitoring stations, including Saminara on the Karam River, Waya Dam Site on the Waya River and Amber on the Amber River, have exceeded established watch and warning thresholds, increasing the likelihood of localised flooding along major river channels and adjoining floodplains.
He disclosed that 16 hydrological gauging stations across the country have recorded elevated river stages, placing several communities at heightened risk of inundation.
“Our hydrological monitoring network indicates that river stages at critical monitoring stations have exceeded watch and warning thresholds. Communities located along these river channels face imminent localised flooding, and we strongly advise state governments, local authorities and residents in flood-prone areas to take immediate preventive action,” Mohammed said.
NiHSA’s impact assessment showed that Bauchi State has the highest level of exposure, with 1,841 communities, 145 schools, 101 health facilities and eight markets identified within areas vulnerable to flooding.
In Edo State, the agency identified 148 communities, 131 schools, 123 health facilities, four markets, seven religious centres and approximately seven hectares of farmland as being at risk.
The advisory also listed 415 communities, 423 schools, 198 health facilities, 49 markets, 111 religious centres and 75 hectares of farmland in Imo State as vulnerable to flooding, while Kaduna State has 168 communities, 16 schools, three health facilities and three religious centres within areas likely to be affected.
For Plateau State, NiHSA identified 205 communities, 137 schools, 44 health facilities, 16 markets, 81 religious centres and 64 hectares of farmland as susceptible to flooding, while Benue State has five communities, eight schools, two health facilities and four religious centres within the projected flood-risk zone.
The agency urged the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, State Emergency Management Agencies, SEMAs, local government authorities and community leaders to activate emergency response measures without delay.
Among its recommendations, NiHSA advised the immediate evacuation of residents, livestock and valuables from flood-prone communities to designated safe locations, while emergency agencies were urged to pre-position food supplies, medical equipment, potable water and other relief materials in vulnerable areas.
The agency also called for the activation of community-based early warning systems, continuous public sensitisation, regular clearing of blocked drainage channels and strict adherence to safety guidelines, warning residents against attempting to walk, drive or ride through flooded roads or fast-flowing water.
NiHSA further advised state governments and the public to monitor its daily flood forecasts and advisories to support timely decision-making and reduce the impact of anticipated flooding during the forecast period.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has warned that it is ready for a major nationwide struggle to secure a new national minimum wage and better pensions for retired workers.
NLC President, Mr Joe Ajaero, said the union would not accept a review of workers’ salaries without a corresponding increase in pension benefits, adding that organised labour would also push for the creation of a National Minimum Pension.
Mr Ajaero made this known during the commissioning of the Comrade Godwin Abumisi Pensioners Legacy House and Multipurpose Hall in Abuja, noting that rising inflation and the high cost of living have made the current minimum wage and pension inadequate, leaving many workers and retirees struggling to survive.
“We are currently preparing for a major national struggle for a comprehensive review of the national minimum wage,” Mr Ajaero said.
“But it is no longer acceptable to discuss the welfare of workers without also discussing the welfare of those who have retired after years of service.”
He said the NLC would campaign for both a new minimum wage and a National Minimum Pension.
“It is a historical injustice that men and women who devoted their youth and productive years to serving this nation should be forced to live below the poverty line after retirement,” he said.
According to the unionist, the rising cost of food, healthcare and transportation has made life increasingly difficult for pensioners.
“We cannot continue to allow our senior citizens to survive on pensions that have become poverty wages. Every retiree deserves to live with dignity after decades of faithful service to the nation,” he added.
The NLC president urged pensioners to remain united and prepare for the struggle ahead, describing the newly inaugurated Legacy House as a centre for mobilisation and solidarity
He also called on workers to stand together, saying unity would strengthen labour’s ability to compel the government to fulfil its obligations to both serving workers and retirees.
Mr Ajaero further demanded the immediate payment of outstanding pension arrears and the implementation of a pension system that guarantees every retiree a decent standard of living.
“Together, we shall continue to fight until every Nigerian worker and pensioner receives the justice, respect and welfare they deserve,” he said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Preparing a pot of Nigeria’s most valued delicacy, jollof rice, costs as much as N29,578 in June 2026 compared to N25,798 in July 2025, an increase of 14.6 per cent, according to a new survey by SBM Intelligence.
The data and research firm, in its Jollof Index Q2 2026 report, titled Rebasing, Redefining, and the Weather’s Toll on the Pot, stated that it rebased the index in the July edition to a higher standard as of July 2025 and introduced re-standardised ingredient measures.
According to the report, the index now more accurately captures how households navigate the current affordability crisis.
The study collected monthly price data on 12 key ingredients: rice, vegetable oil, turkey or chicken, beef, tomatoes, pepper, onions, tinned tomatoes, salt, curry, thyme, and seasoning cubes from 13 markets across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
The markets include Nyanya and Wuse II (North Central), Bauchi (North East), Kano (North West), Awka and Onitsha (South East), Port Harcourt, Calabar Municipal, and Bayside Mbakpa (South South), and Bodija, Dugbe, Trade Fair, and Balogun (South West).
The report stated that the upward trajectory in the cost of jollof rice since July 2025 was non-linear, with prices dipping in September and October 2025 before accelerating from November through the first half of 2026.
It revealed that the index has risen from N4,087 in July 2016 to N29,578 in June 2026, a staggering 624 per cent increase over 10 years.
“The data confirms that food inflation is not a cyclical phenomenon but a structural crisis, embedded in Nigeria’s failure to secure supply chains, stabilise its currency, invest in agricultural resilience, and now adapt to a changing climate,” the SBM survey stated.
Throughout the second quarter of 2026, Nigeria’s agricultural supply chain has been gripped by a compounding crisis driven by extreme weather patterns and structural logistical failures, the report stated.
From April through June, reports from urban markets across the country- Port Harcourt, Calabar, Onitsha, Lagos, Ibadan, Bauchi, Kano, and Abuja- revealed a consistent pattern of food scarcity and sharp price volatility.
Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said Nigeria’s food inflation stood at 17.52 per cent on a year-on-year basis in June.
“The crisis has been most acute for perishable crops, particularly tomatoes and peppers, but its reach has extended to staples such as yams, plantains, garri, and even grains.
“Across every region, the story is the same: heavy rains have flooded roads, damaged farmland, delayed harvests, and driven up transport costs. Consumers are adapting, but their options are narrowing,” the report stated.
According to the report, consumers across the country are responding in similar ways: buying in smaller quantities, substituting fresh produce with dried or processed alternatives, and reducing portions.
“But these are coping strategies, not solutions,” the report added.
Geographically, the gap between Nigeria’s cheapest and most expensive markets has widened to N14,700.
According to the SBM report, Calabar Municipal is the most expensive market to cook a pot of jollof rice at N34,750, while Awka is the cheapest at N22,050.
“The most expensive markets are either in the South-South (where protein costs and import restrictions have surged) or in Lagos (the import gateway).
“The cheapest markets are in the South-east, which has benefited from local farming and shorter supply chains,” the report stated.
In North-central, ingredient prices at Abuja’s two markets, Nyanya and Wuse II, rose significantly.
Over the year to June 2026, Nyanya rose from N24,300 to N25,450, a modest 4.7 per cent increase, while Wuse II climbed from N28,150 to N29,200, a 3.7 per cent increase.
The report stated that Abuja’s food economy is fundamentally distorted by its dependence on distant supply corridors.
“Every grain of rice, every tomato, every onion must travel from Benue, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Niger, or beyond.
“When diesel prices surge, when insecurity blocks roads, when checkpoints multiply, or when heavy rains flood roads, Abuja’s markets feel it first and most acutely,” the report stated.
In the North-east, Bauchi recorded the most dramatic price movement of any market. The index fell from N38,850 in July 2025 to N32,350 by June 2026, a 16.7 per cent decline.
This correction followed a period of hyperinflation in mid-2025, during which Bauchi’s index peaked above N41,000.
“The decline reflects a combination of factors: a localised influx of early harvest yields, a collapse in demand as prices became unsustainable, and some improvement in supply routes,” the report stated.
In the North-west region, Kano’s Jollof Index rose from N24,520 in July 2025 to N25,820 in June 2026, a 5.3 per cent increase.
The modest rise showed a deeper reality because Kano’s index has been structurally expensive for years, driven by high protein costs and logistical challenges in moving goods into the region.
“Customers will have less money to spend on beauty products when they are struggling to buy food,” a cosmetics seller in Kano captured the sentiment.
Additionally, the South-east remains Nigeria’s cheapest region for jollof, but the gap with the rest of the country is narrowing.
At Awka, the index price of jollof rice rose from N21,700 in July 2025 to N22,050 in June 2026, a 1.6 per cent increase, while the index price at Onitsha market climbed from N22,200 to N22,550, a similar increase.
“These are the only markets below N23,000. The region’s relative affordability reflects its strong local farming culture and shorter supply chains,” the report stated.
It further clarified that the trend is upward because of the South-east’s reliance on food imports from North-central states for staples such as yams and vegetables.
The report stated that this reliance exposed the region to the same transport cost increases that impact Abuja and Kano.
The South-south region recorded the steepest increases of any zone, driven by a combination of structural shifts, policy changes, weather disruptions, and logistics costs.
Port Harcourt rose from N26,400 in July 2025 to N31,200 in June 2026, an 18.2 per cent increase.
Calabar Municipal jumped from N25,500 to N34,750, a 36.3 per cent surge, while Bayside Mbakpa climbed from N25,500 to N34,650, a 35.9 per cent increase.
The South-west region, and Lagos in particular, recorded dramatic price increases.
According to the report, the index price at Trade Fair and Balogun markets rose from N23,200 in July 2025 to N34,700 in June 2026, a 49.6 per cent increase, the sharpest of any market.
“The surge reflects Lagos’s position as Nigeria’s import gateway,” the SBM report stated.
According to the survey, when global oil prices spike, when the naira weakens, when shipping costs rise, or when heavy rains disrupt supply routes, Lagos feels it first.
The Iran war fuel shock in March 2026 pushed both markets from N20,400 in February to N25,200 in March, a 23.5 per cent monthly increase, the report stated.
The upward momentum continued through April, May, and June.
At Ibadan’s markets, Bodija and Dugbe, prices rose more moderately but still significantly.
Both increased from N25,930 in July 2025 to N28,550 in June 2026, a 10.1 per cent rise.
“The gap between Lagos and Ibadan has widened, reversing a trend of convergence seen in previous years.
“In Oyo State, researchers reported that fresh pepper, tomatoes, yam, and plantain are in extreme short supply,” the report stated.
