Feature/OPED
Subsidy Removal: Beyond Tinubu, Kyari’s Personal Interests
By Mohammed Usman
One of the major highlights of the new administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been the suspension of the payment of subsidy for premium motor spirit, PMS, commonly called petrol.
Though there have been so many reforms introduced into the system since its inauguration on May 29, 2023, the removal of fuel subsidies seemed to have been the most daring move ever made by any administration.
Come to think of it, as critical as fuel subsidy removal is to the turnaround of the economy; successive governments have made brick walls in their attempts to end the subsidy regime.
And, ever since that May 29th, 2023 pronouncement, a lot of dust has been raised from different quarters, either from the uninformed or from the camp of those who benefited, albeit criminally or otherwise, while the subsidy regime held sway. And a lot of water has passed under the bridge, too, including threats of strike.
However, it is pertinent to dig deep into this matter. Was removing the oil subsidy the right step in the right direction, or was it another government’s way to punish the masses?
Some say it is a wicked act by the president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, aimed at impoverishing the masses further. Others say it is the handiwork of the group chief executive officer, GCEO, of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mallam Mele Kolo Kyari. In this regard, the two top government functionaries have been the objects of attacks and accusations both in beer parlour discussions and in the press.
However, to the informed, this remains the most courageous move to place the country on the strongest path to its economic recovery.
The concept of fuel subsidy is not new to our national discourse. In fact, the subsidy has been in place in Nigeria since the promulgation of the Price Control Act in 1977. It was put in place to cushion the effects of the global inflation of the 1970s.
In recent years, rather than being a blessing, subsidy payments have placed a huge economic burden on the government. The sectors that were affected negatively were the educational and health, and housing sectors.
In justifying the subsidy removal, the government said subsidy removal would free up public funds for more meaningful infrastructure and developmental programs that stimulate industrialisation and create jobs, economic growth and social prosperity.
For example: Almost N12 trillion spent on subsidy in the last four years is more than sufficient to develop any of the following projects: 2,400, hospitals of 1000 bed capacity across 774 local government areas; or 500,000 new houses to provide shelter to over 3.5 million Nigerians; or 27GW of electricity generation; or skill up and provide education up to tertiary levels for over 2 million Nigerians.
It also said it would create a market reflective downstream, which invariably stimulates more downstream investments, especially in the domestic refining space, thereby creating more jobs, prosperity, and growth.
The removal, according to the government, would eliminate the unhealthy price arbitrage with neighbouring countries, thereby preventing the diversion and smuggling of gasoline outside the nation’s borders, which bleeds our economy, as well as reduce corruption surrounding internal product diversion as many marketers procure gasoline at subsidised, regulated wholesale prices but still sell at deregulated retail prices.
It stated that the rich benefit more from the subsidy than the poor as they have a higher number and capacity of vehicles to buy more gasoline; removal of the subsidy creates an opportunity to redistribute this benefit directly to those who need it more.
Subsidy removal also enables responsible gasoline consumption, which reduces waste as the prices are more market reflective, and the demand for the product will rebalance itself with the new price realities.
It equally allows the full recovery of upstream revenues, which enables reinvestment required to grow our national petroleum production and reserves and overall forex earnings.
The removal also would strengthen the naira as the growth of our foreign exchange earnings combined with a reduction in product consumption reduces pressure on forex, thereby strengthening the naira.
It would also reduce product scarcity, opening market reflective prices to bring in more players, and create a more efficient market, thereby reducing fuel scarcity and its adverse effects on the economy.
The removal is also expected to reduce the growing and unsustainable budget deficit and, consequently, the debt burden, creating a more robust economic and sustainable future.
Successive governments had sunk trillions of naira into the subsidy payments. In 2006, the Obasanjo regime earmarked N1.9 trillion for these payments. Do not forget that during the period under review, the naira exchanged at N130 to a dollar, making the amount $14.6 billion. This amount was to spike in 2007 when the same government spent N2.3trn, or $17.96bn, with naira exchanging for N128 to a dollar.
The above amount either tripled or quadrupled under the Yaradua/Jonathan administration as well as the Buhari administration. Now that the dollar is hovering around N800 in the exchange rate, one wonders what would be the fate of the economy in the next six months had the subsidy stayed.
Probably, this would have been the basis of the constant warning from international agencies of the dangers of accommodating this burden called a subsidy. Prior to the removal of the subsidy, there were damning reports from the International Monetary Fund, IMF, and the World Bank concerning oil subsidy.
In its report titled, “Macro Poverty Outlook for Nigeria: April 2023” the World Bank said macroeconomic stability had weakened amidst declining oil production, costly fuel subsidies and other factors, further pushing millions of Nigeria into poverty, and that might become worse if the subsidy stayed up to June on 2023.
The report further said: “With Nigeria’s population growth continuing to outpace poverty reduction and persistent high inflation ratio, the number of Nigerians living below the national poverty line will rise by 13 million between 2019 and 2025 in the baseline projection.”
The bottom line is that in the last two decades, the fuel subsidy has cost the nation several trillions of naira. Even if it is narrowed down to between 2005 and now, the government spent approximately N21 trillion on subsidy payments alone.
The last regime of President Muhammadu Buhari, having realized the dangers ahead, stopped making provisions for the payment in June 2023 when his government would have expired. It was, therefore, incumbent on the incoming administration to pick up the gauntlet and do the needful.
From the onset of the existence of the subsidy, a certain set of individuals had smiled to the bank with each payment. It turned out that something that was done to assuage the suffering of the masses became an avenue for people with greedy and unscrupulous oil marketing companies to divert money into their pockets by sheer unconscionable criminality,
Speaking in a nationwide broadcast last Monday, President Tinubu reiterated on the benefit of the subsidy removal to Nigerians. He said in a little over two months, his government had over a trillion naira “that would have been squandered on the unproductive fuel subsidy, which only benefitted smugglers and fraudsters. That money will now be used more directly and more beneficial for you and your families.
“For several years, I have consistently maintained the position that the fuel subsidy had to go. This once beneficial measure outlived its usefulness.
“The subsidy cost us trillions of Naira yearly. Such a vast sum of money would have been better spent on public transportation, healthcare, schools, housing, and even national security. Instead, it was being funnelled into the deep pockets and lavish bank accounts of a select group of individuals.
“To be blunt, Nigeria could never become the society it was intended to be as long as such small, powerful, yet unelected groups hold enormous influence over our political economy and the institutions that govern it.
“The whims of the few should never hold dominant sway over the hopes and aspirations of the many. If we are to be a democracy, the people and not the power of money must be sovereign.”
However, notwithstanding the president’s speech, the organized labour ordered workers to resume strike on Wednesday after talks with the government failed to yield positive results.
This is in spite of palliatives proposed by the federal government to ameliorate the perceived suffering the fuel subsidy removal would throw up.
This raises the question as to what Nigerian labour is up to. Is labour truly yearning for the progress of Nigeria, or is it being sponsored by enemies of Nigeria?
At this critical period of our nation, we urge Nigerians to come together to support the good vision of the president to make the nation great because, from all indications, both President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Mallam Mele Kyari, the NNPC GCEO mean well for Nigeria.
Usman, a public commentator, wrote in from FCT, Abuja.
Feature/OPED
Leveraging Kendrick Lamar Blueprint: How African Artists & Brands Can Maximize Global PR Impact
By Philip Odiakose
If you followed, watched, or were live at the Super Bowl you will agree with me that Kendrick Lamar’s presence at the Super Bowl was not just another high-profile performance; it was a masterclass in media influence, narrative control, and cultural imprinting. His ability to spark conversations, drive digital engagement, and shape public discourse proves the power of deliberate strategic media positioning. Through the lens of media intelligence and PR measurement, we can dissect how African artists and brands can replicate this effect to elevate their global presence. Beyond the entertainment factor, Lamar’s performance provided key lessons in media reach, sentiment shifts, and strategic PR execution—areas that African PR professionals and communicators must internalize to maximize value from major events.
PR measurement data from the event shows a surge in Lamar-related conversations across digital and traditional media. His name dominated print, web, and social trends, appearing in over 1.2 million posts within 24 hours, with a sentiment distribution leaning 67% positive, 21% neutral, and 12% negative. The performance’s impact was amplified by major media outlets covering the event in North America and Europe, as well as select African countries, particularly Nigeria and South Africa. This media traction is a testament to the significance of strategic placements, showing how a single moment can redefine public perception and commercial value. For African artists and brands, the ability to secure a presence at major global events must be seen as more than a mere appearance—it is a PR opportunity that must be measured, optimized, and aligned with long-term communication objectives.
One of the biggest takeaways from Lamar’s Super Bowl presence is the deliberate storytelling approach. He was not just performing; he was communicating a narrative. African artists and brands must be intentional about their messaging when engaging global platforms. Media intelligence specialists can help track how narratives evolve, what themes resonate with audiences, and how to pivot when necessary. Sentiment analysis also plays a crucial role, revealing how different audience segments react and allowing for swift reputation management. Many African brands struggle with post-event PR impact analysis, often focusing solely on momentary buzz without extracting long-term insights from media data.
The concept of “The Kendrick Lamar Effect” speaks to leveraging credibility, cultural influence, and performance metrics to sustain media momentum beyond a single event. African PR professionals must learn from this by ensuring that every global engagement translates into measurable brand equity. This means that artists, influencers, and corporate brands must work with media intelligence teams to quantify their impact, benchmark against industry standards, and ensure PR campaigns are not just reactive but proactive. The challenge many African entities face is the lack of structured measurement frameworks that tie media exposure to business or career objectives. This knowledge gap is where PR measurement must step in to bridge the disconnect.
A vital lesson from Lamar’s Super Bowl impact is the role of multi-channel amplification. The performance itself was one layer, but the true media influence was built through post-event interviews, media engagement, and collaborative content syndication. African PR teams must adopt an omnichannel approach to PR execution, ensuring that media exposure is not short-lived. This requires a strategic mix of traditional media placements, influencer partnerships, and digital storytelling. In PR measurement, it is crucial to analyze which media channels drive the highest engagement and conversion rates, ensuring that communication strategies are data-driven rather than intuition-based.
Looking at case studies from both African and global perspectives, we have seen how the absence of media intelligence has led to missed opportunities. Burna Boy’s Coachella moment, for instance, was a landmark global exposure, yet the post-event PR lacked the necessary follow-through in structured PR measurement. In contrast, brands like Nike and Pepsi have perfected the art of extending media relevance beyond an event moment by employing predictive analytics, sentiment tracking, and engagement mapping. This difference in execution is a key area where African PR professionals must evolve—ensuring that global opportunities do not just end with event visibility but translate into long-term influence and business value.
Beyond just media coverage, there is also the crucial aspect of audience behavior analysis. Lamar’s performance was not just about numbers; it was about how his audience engaged, shared, and created conversations. African PR professionals must shift from vanity metrics to behavioral metrics, focusing on how audience perception changes post-event. Did the media narrative drive new brand partnerships? Was there an uptick in music streaming or product purchases? These are the questions that media intelligence must answer, ensuring that PR efforts are aligned with tangible outcomes.
The overarching lesson for Africa’s PR and communications industry is that major events are PR goldmines—but only if approached with precision, backed by intelligence, and measured effectively. Lamar’s Super Bowl presence serves as a playbook for how media influence can be engineered through strategic PR planning, near real-time sentiment tracking, and multi-platform amplification. African artists and brands have the talent and potential; what remains is the intentional use of media intelligence to ensure that every opportunity is maximized to its fullest potential. PR measurement is not an afterthought—it is the foundation for sustainable media success.
Philip Odiakose is a leader and advocate of PR measurement, evaluation, and media monitoring in Nigeria. He is also the Chief Media Analyst at P+ Measurement Services, a member of AMEC, NIPR, AMEC Lab Initiative, AMCRON and ACIOM
By Princess Akari
If you had told me five years ago, when I was just transitioning into product management, that the role would look like this today, I might not have believed you. But after five years working as a Product Manager (PM), I’ve seen how fast the industry moves, and 2025 is set to bring even bigger changes. Product managers who stay ahead of these changes will build better products and grow their careers. Those who don’t may struggle to keep up.
Here are some key trends to watch and how to adapt.
1. AI, AI, AI!
AI has rapidly gained popularity and continues to grow in influence. For product managers, understanding and using AI tools is now becoming essential, as AI is transforming how we work. Understanding what we can achieve with AI, particularly large language models (LLMs), is essential. Some of the top use cases include content generation, customer support automation (e.g. chatbots), code assistance, research summarization, personalized learning, virtual assistants, data analysis, creative brainstorming, language translation, and much more. Also, as a PM, AI can be introduced into your product to improve user experience and in turn business outcomes.
You might be asking yourself, what can I do to stay in touch with this AI trend? You can start by learning how AI tools can improve your daily workflow, do your own research on the numerous AI tools available and their capabilities. Experiment with AI-driven analytics, user feedback tools, etc. Be very curious and get your hands on as many AI resources as possible.
I recently got an AI micro-certification from Product School. If you’re interested, You can take the course here. Recently as well, I hosted a podcast episode on building AI products, transitioning into AI, and using AI in product development. For Apple podcasts, you can listen here, and for Spotify, you can listen here. These are great resources to give you a good head start.
Other resources; deeplearning.ai, Hugging face, Alpha signal, The Neuron.
2. The definition of “Product Manager” is changing
A few years ago, we had a fairly standard definition of who a PM was and what a PM does. The role of a PM was more standardized, with a clear set of expectations and responsibilities. But as the years have come by, the world has changed and so has the role.
Today, we’re seeing an increased number of specialized PM roles. Some PMs focus on emerging technologies like AI, while others work deeply within data, design, growth, engineering, or operations. Beyond skill-based specializations, some PMs are industry-specialized, such as Fintech PMs, Healthtech PMs, or E-commerce PMs. No two PM roles look the same anymore.
Companies are increasingly hiring specialized PMs to tackle specific challenges, prioritizing specific skill sets and industry experience over conventional backgrounds. Instead of looking for a PM generalist who can adapt to anything, they create detailed role descriptions with targeted skill requirements, tailoring the role to solve specific business challenges. As a result, we’re seeing more unconventional hires stepping into PM positions because they have the exact expertise needed to tackle a company’s unique problems. This highlights an important reality for generalist PMs, specialization is becoming more valuable.
If you’re currently a generalist PM, it’s worth considering how you can narrow your focus, whether by choosing a particular industry or developing expertise in areas like AI, data, growth, design, or technical product management. The demand for specialized skills is growing, and upskilling in these areas will make you more competitive in the job market.
3. PMs are now taking ownership beyond product development
Product managers used to mainly focus on the tech team (engineers, designers, QAs, etc) to build and launch products. But these days (and even in recent years), the role has grown much bigger. PMs are now more involved in the business side of things, leading and guiding business verticals. The role now extends into profit and loss (P&L) considerations and the overall commercial success of a product. They work closely with marketing, sales, finance, and customer support to make sure the product succeeds, not just in how it’s built but also in how it’s launched, sold, and maintained.
PMs are now more involved with how the product will reach customers and profitability. They work closely with marketing and sales teams to ensure a strong product positioning and a seamless launch. It’s no longer just about building a great product, it’s about making sure it reaches the right customers, at the right time, with the right messaging. Ensuring people understand what the product does and why they should use it. This requires PMs to understand their competition, pricing strategies, and customer acquisition channels.
I am well aware that in some companies PMs are now responsible (fully or partially) for pricing and revenue strategies, just as much as the product features. They work with finance and business teams to figure out pricing options and ideas on how that business unit can make a profit. As these companies look for sustainable growth, PMs are also expected to collaborate with customer success teams to improve retention and customer lifetime value.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, product management is constantly changing and so are we as PMs. If there’s one piece of advice I’d give, it’s to stay curious and adaptable. We should be open to continuous learning and new ways of thinking. The more we adapt, learn, and refine our skills, the more valuable we become. There’s always something new to explore, and that’s what makes the role so dynamic.
And if you’re looking for the best place to put your product management skills to practice, join me at Moniepoint – https://www.moniepoint.com/careers
Princess Akari is a product manager at Africa’s fastest-growing financial institution, Moniepoint
By Temiloluwa Olajide
It’s no longer news that piracy is a global enemy, one that has destroyed and continues to destroy the work and livelihoods of countless creatives. From film and music to sports broadcasts and television series, piracy robs rightful owners of their earnings and threatens the sustainability of entire industries.
As a global scourge, it requires a global response and fortunately, powerful partnerships are being forged across the planet and across sectors to protect content creators and the industry they work in. These partnerships involved digital content platforms, law enforcement bodies, cybersecurity firms and tech companies, all working together to ensure the viability of the industries that inform, educate and entertain audiences.
At first glance, piracy might seem like an easy way to access free entertainment, but its consequences run deep, affecting both individuals and society as a whole. On a personal level, streaming a sports event or show from an illegal site can expose users to serious risks, such as malware infections, identity theft, or financial fraud. Hackers can gain access to sensitive information, including bank details, potentially wiping out accounts. The damage caused by such crimes far outweighs the satisfaction of watching a football match for free.
Beyond personal risks, piracy also cripples the creative sector by siphoning revenue away from legitimate rightsholders. When movies, music, and sports events are illegally distributed, producers and creatives do not receive their due earnings. This lack of compensation disrupts the industry, leading to fewer productions, job losses, and weakened investment in new content.
Nigeria has one of the most vibrant entertainment industries in the world, with Nollywood ranking as one of the biggest film industries globally and Afrobeats taking center stage in international music charts. The potential for even greater success is huge, but piracy poses an obstacle.
MultiChoice, a key investor in local content, has spent years bringing high-quality productions to audiences, yet piracy continues to threaten the industry.
Illegal streaming of sports events, reality TV shows, and locally produced series remains a major concern. This is particularly critical as the platform regularly broadcasts live feeds of many of the most popular sporting events on earth—F1, the Olympic Games, Euro, World Cup, and Champions League football, as well as popular local leagues.
Beyond sports, Africa Magic and Showmax Originals have become home to some of Africa’s most beloved entertainment shows, including hits like The Real Housewives of Lagos (RHOLagos), Big Brother Naija, and Nigerian Idol.
With content available in 40 languages and a growing library exceeding 84,000 hours, these platforms play a vital role in African storytelling. However, the rise of illegal streaming not only impacts revenue but also threatens the sustainability and growth of the creative industry.
To counter this, MultiChoice has joined forces with Partners Against Piracy (PAP) and cybersecurity firm Irdeto, actively tracking and shutting down illegal operations in multiple African nations.
With piracy tactics evolving, the fight against content theft must also advance. Strong collaborations, advanced technology, and public awareness are key to protecting the creative industry. By shutting down illegal operations and promoting legal alternatives, organizations like MultiChoice, PAP, and Irdeto are ensuring that content creators receive their rightful earnings and that audiences can continue to enjoy high-quality entertainment.
Ultimately, safeguarding creative content is not just about protecting businesses—it’s about securing the future of storytelling, preserving jobs, and ensuring that Africa’s thriving entertainment industry continues to grow. The fight against piracy is a shared responsibility, and by supporting legal content, we all contribute to a stronger, more sustainable creative economy.
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