Reporting News and opinions
Long before many African nations even gained independence, an international economic architecture had already been designed to ensure Africa remained primarily a supplier of raw materials while Europe and other industrial powers controlled manufacturing, branding, finance and ultimately the profits.
Oba of Benin gathers his chiefs, raises a ceremonial staff, and recites a rhythmic Edo formula to combat insecurity within his domain, the Western-trained mind instinctively shifts its vocabulary. Suddenly, it’s not a prayer. It’s an incantation. It’s a spell. It’s juju. Why does one man commune with the divine while the other plays with magic? The difference isn't actually in the action; it’s in the vocabulary of power, race, and who owns the dictionary.
Nigeria's relationship with the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice has been tense, highlighted by two recent rulings. The 2017 victory in the landmark case "Dorothy Njemanze & Ors v. Nigeria" saw the court find that Nigeria violated the women's rights to dignity, personal liberty, freedom of movement, and non-discrimination under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. The 2025 case, "Lawyers Alert Initiative v. Nigeria," was dismissed because it lacked specific incidents and evidence of concrete harm. The contrasting outcomes underscore the importance of victim-centred litigation in achieving success at the court.
Yusuf Buhari There are economic textbooks, there are IMF reports, and then there is the most accurate indicator of Nigeria’s political economy: the call log on the phone of a man close to power. Yusuf Buhari, son of Nigeria’s late president, has accidentally written the clearest thesis on Nigeria’s rent economy without citing Adam Smith, …
Centre for Nigeria Progress 