State visits by Leaders are not tourism, and diplomacy is not a fashion parade. Every foreign trip undertaken by a government must deliver measurable benefits to the people, including investments, technology transfer, trade agreements, factory expansion, industrial partnerships, and job creation.
During President Trump’s recent visit to China, the American delegation reportedly included a few top government officials, and many of the biggest figures in global business and technology:
Consequently, huge trade deals worth several billion dollars including about 200 Boeing orders were achieved.
The list of the entourage included
1. Donald J. Trump – President of the United States
2. Marco Rubio – Secretary of State
3. Pete Hegseth – Secretary of Defence
4. Elon Musk – CEO, Tesla & SpaceX
5. Jensen Huang – CEO, Nvidia
6. Tim Cook – CEO, Apple
7. Larry Fink – CEO, BlackRock
8. Stephen Schwarzman – CEO, Blackstone
9. Kelly Ortberg – CEO, Boeing
10. Brian Sikes – CEO, Cargill
11. Jane Fraser – CEO, Citigroup
12. Larry Culp – CEO, General Electric
13. David Solomon – CEO, Goldman Sachs
14. Sanjay Mehrotra – CEO, Micron Technology
15.Cristiano Amon – CEO, Qualcomm
16. Dina P. McCormick – President of Meta
17. Ryan McInerney – CEO, Visa
18. Michael Miebach – President, Mastercard
19. Jim Anderson – CEO, Coherent
20. Jacob Thaysen – CEO, Illumina
That is how serious nations approach diplomacy, by aligning foreign policy with economic expansion, industrial growth, innovation, and national productivity.
I hope that lessons can be learned from these recent visits comparing them with the President of Nigeria’s recent state visit to the United Kingdom.
A large entourage of politicians, aides, and government officials travelled, yet Nigerians are still asking a simple question: what exactly did Nigeria bring home?
Which factories are coming to Nigeria?
What power, technology, manufacturing, agricultural, or industrial agreements were secured?
How many direct jobs will this visit create for Nigerian youths?
What investments were attracted?
What measurable economic outcomes can the ordinary Nigerian point to?
The delegation reportedly included:
1. President Bola Tinubu
2. Senator (Mrs) Tinubu
3.12 governors
4.9 ministers
5.7 members of the National Assembly
6. Over 20 senior State House staff
7. Over 30 security personnel
8. Over 10 domestic staff
9. Several supporters and associates
It is not enough to ride horses, wear matching uniforms, attend royal banquets, and release glossy photographs. Symbolism without substance cannot feed hungry citizens.
Today, Nigeria is in decline, battling serious insecurity, food insecurity, unemployment, a weakened naira, declining industrial productivity, and worsening poverty.
At a time when millions of Nigerians struggle daily to afford food and survive economic hardship, every kobo spent on foreign trips must produce tangible national value: investments, factories, jobs, exports, infrastructure, and economic opportunities.
Nigeria needs leadership that is focused less on optics and more on productivity; less on ceremony and more on measurable economic results.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO
When a Society Turns Against Its Own
Reports from Cross River State this week have brought to light a deeply troubling incident involving young boys who were tied up like animals and brutally treated under the label of “Skolombo boys.” These are not merely disturbing images; they are a stark reminder that we have failed the children of our nation.
These young people, often labelled “Skolombo boys” and “Lakasara girls,” are not criminals by birth; they are victims of a system that has neglected them. Children who ought to be in classrooms, learning and building their future, are instead on the streets, struggling to survive.
Today, Nigeria has over 20 million out-of-school children, the highest number in the world, which constitutes a national emergency.
A society that ties up and beats its children with machetes is one that has lost its moral direction. We cannot claim to be building a future while destroying the very foundation of that future - our children.
Even more troubling is the contradiction we now live with. In a country where we speak of rehabilitation and reintegration for “repentant” terrorists, how do we justify brutality against vulnerable children whose only “crime” is poverty and abandonment?
We must move from punishment to compassion, from neglect to responsibility. These children must be taken off the streets and given access to education, shelter, and structured rehabilitation. Governments at all levels should seek ways to protect and integrate them into society, rather than criminalise them.
This is not just about Cross River; it is about the kind of Nigeria we are choosing to build. We must do better. Our nation must protect the weak and the future of its people.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO
@Mamiee_e May the almighty God continue to keep you in the best of health and personal fulfilment, here's wishing you a day and a year that's as beautiful in every way as you are, happy birthday dear.
@chiamakadk May the almighty God continue to keep you in the best of health and personal fulfilment, here's wishing you a day and a year that's as beautiful in every way as you are, happy birthday dear
While Politicians Jostle, Poverty Deepens
As we politicians scramble for positions and vie for control of party structures—often sharing posts even before elections are concluded—a harsh truth confronts our nation: a staggering 62% of Nigerians—roughly 141 million people—are ensnared in poverty. This alarming statistic indicates that more than half of our population is living in dire conditions. While other nations are lifting millions out of hardship, Nigeria is regressing.
According to World Bank data, the number of Nigerians living in poverty surged from 81 million in 2019 to approximately 139 million in 2025. In just one year, from 2023 to 2024, the number of impoverished Nigerians jumped from 115 million to 129 million—an increase of 14 million individuals. Projections for 2026 suggest that this figure will reach around 141 million, meaning an additional 26 million Nigerians will be thrust into poverty between 2023 and 2026.
The Nigeria Economic Outlook 2026 report, titled “Turning Macroeconomic Stability into Sustainable Growth,” reinforces these grim projections. It is estimated that by 2026, an overwhelming 141 million people—62% of the population—will be living in poverty. Despite recent attempts at stabilization, the report underscores that weak real income growth and persistently high living costs will continue to exacerbate poverty.
Most Nigerians will not experience income growth sufficient to counter escalating costs. Although headline inflation may moderate, sustained high prices stemming from energy, logistics, and exchange-rate fluctuations will remain a burden. Low-income households are especially at risk, as food constitutes up to 70% of their total spending, leaving them acutely vulnerable to food inflation and price shocks.
This rising tide of poverty weakens purchasing power, diminishes demand, and places immense pressure on micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises reliant on local consumers. A sustained increase in poverty could unravel public finances, erode human capital, and impede economic recovery unless we see robust job creation, productivity growth, and effective social protection programs.
Our trajectory starkly contrasts with nations like India and Indonesia. India successfully reduced extreme poverty from 35-40% in 2000 to an astonishing 5.3% today. Indonesia, too, has made significant strides, cutting poverty from around 30% in 2000 to roughly 8%, all through unwavering investments in education, health, and social protection. Meanwhile, Nigeria has witnessed a rise in poverty from about 40% in 2000 to a distressing 62% today.
In the year 2000, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Nigeria shared similar Human Development Index scores of 0.49, 0.47, 0.60, and 0.45, respectively. By 2025, while India and Bangladesh surged to 0.685, and Indonesia rose to 0.74, Nigeria languished at 0.53, remaining entrenched in the low human development category after 25 years.
Can we continue to tolerate the reality that a child born in Nigeria today faces one of the highest risks of being born into poverty anywhere in the world? The fact that 141 million Nigerians are living in poverty is not merely a national failure; it is a blatant threat to our future. The time for complacency has passed. Structural reforms—macroeconomic stability, investment in agriculture, food supply, logistics, education, health, productivity, and large-scale job creation—are no longer optional; they are imperative.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO
@Blac_Eve1 We would be needing your services early next year, please where are you located?. Nice presentation and your ability to present strategies and solutions would be top notch. Please revert back to me. Thank you.
@Buss_iii May the almighty God continue to keep you in the best of health and personal fulfilment, here's wishing you a day and a year that's as beautiful in every way as you are, happy belated birthday to you. You are effortlessly beautiful.
@Zah_Zungu May the almighty God continue to keep you in the best of health and personal fulfilment, here's wishing you a day and a year that's as beautiful in every way as you are, happy belated birthday to you. you don't look 40.
@miss_fine_eyes May the almighty God continue to keep you in the best of health and personal fulfilment, here's wishing you a day and a year that's as beautiful in every way as you are, happy belated birthday dear.
@AfricaFactsZone@AfricaFactsZone it seems you forgot or intentionally left out Nwankwo Kanu who came sixth in 1996, the same year the Nigerian national team ( the super eagles dream team) won the Olympics that was held in Atlanta 1996.
@grok kindly confirm this.
Lest we forget, If I Don't Give You Constant Electricity in The Next 4 Years, Don't Vote For Me For Second Term
The impact is too glaring for Nigerians to forget the promise of Mr. President while campaigning on 22nd December 2022 that: "If I Don't Give You Constant Electricity in The Next 4 Years, Don't Vote For Me For Second Term".
For a nation already stated to have more people living without electricity than anywhere in the world, there could not be any more firm comforting political promise than this.
Yet APC and its current Government have presided over more national grid failures and power outages than any government in our history. There are now repeated blackouts despite billions in power investments.
Over the years, billions of dollars have been spent on the power sector in Nigeria. In fact, Nigeria has spent more on power generation with little or no increase in supply, than countries like Vietnam, Egypt, Indonesia, and Bangladesh. Yet, while some of these nations have proudly doubled their electricity generation, and distribution by adding tens of thousands of megawatts to transform their economies and increase their GDP, Nigeria has barely crawled from 4,500MW to 5,000MW.
With a GDP of about $200 billion, Nigeria has the capacity to significantly boost its economy if it invests properly in electricity. Generating even a bare minimum of 10,000MW could raise our GDP by about 50%, which will unlock industrial growth, and create millions of jobs. But rather than focusing on this, which will improve our economy, we are focused on coastal roads that will contribute far less to our economic growth, while factories shut down, jobs disappear, businesses collapse, and ordinary Nigerians live in darkness.
Mr. President, it is time to prioritise generating and distributing more electricity to power businesses, especially NSME, which will create jobs and grow the economy.
A New Nigeria is POssible. -PO