By Sabiu Abdullahi

An Indian teacher and activist, Rouble Nagi, has won the $1 million Global Teacher Prize for her groundbreaking work in bringing education to marginalized communities across India. The award was presented on Thursday at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, an event that attracts leaders from around the world.

Nagi, founder of the Rouble Nagi Art Foundation, has established over 800 learning centers in India. These centers provide structured education for children who have never attended school and supplement learning for those already enrolled. She also paints educational murals across slum walls, teaching literacy, science, mathematics, and history.

Accepting the award, Nagi said the recognition was not just for her but for India. She recalled starting 24 years ago with 30 children in a small workshop, and now reaching over a million children.

> “I think every step has just motivated me, inspired me to take every child in India to school,” Nagi said. “You know when I was a child it was my dream to see every child at school and as you grow up fulfilling that for as many as we can reach, I think it’s a very humbling experience.”



Sunny Varkey, founder of the Varkey Foundation, which awards the prize, praised Nagi’s dedication.

> “Rouble Nagi represents the very best of what teaching can be – courage, creativity, compassion, and an unwavering belief in every child’s potential,” Varkey said. “By bringing education to the most marginalized communities, she has not only changed individual lives, but strengthened families and communities.”



Nagi plans to use the $1 million prize to establish an institute that will offer free vocational training. UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Education, Stefania Giannini, added that Nagi’s recognition highlights the crucial role teachers play in shaping lives.

> “Teachers matter,” Giannini said. “We are honoured to join the Global Teacher Prize in celebrating teachers like you, who, through patience, determination, and belief in every learner, help children into school — an act that can change the course of a life.”



Nagi is the tenth recipient of the Global Teacher Prize since it was established in 2015. Past winners include educators from Kenya, Palestine, Canada, and Saudi Arabia, all recognized for their efforts to improve access to education in challenging environments.

Her work continues to inspire and redefine what is possible in education for underserved communities worldwide.

By Abdulhameed Ridwanullah

This week, the article titled “Something Big Is Happening” was published on X by AI entrepreneur Matt Shumer. It became viral with around 80million views, 36k retweets, 105k likes and 5.7k comments at the moment of this writing. The virality stems from the central thesis of the post – AI disruption of white-collar jobs within years. Days later, the CEO of Microsoft AI, Mustafa Suleyman, while granting an interview to the Financial Times, claimed that the tasks undertaken by white-collar workers will be automated within 12 to 18 months (watch the details in the video). Previously, Dario Amodei predicted that up to 50% of entry-level white-collar jobs would be automated within one to five years in his January 2026 essay.


All week, the debate has been whether AI will take your job. The discourse is loud. Spoiler alert! The discourse is almost entirely about the West. The Global South is often an afterthought. So, when I read Shumer say, “the experience everyone else is about to have,” or Suleyman say, “most tasks fully automated in 18 months”, I ask: Whose experience? Automated for whom?


The West debates whether AI will take their jobs. Much of Africa is still waiting for the jobs AI is supposedly coming to replace.


Most importantly, studies have shown that automated AI moderation barely works in the Global South (read the CDT study by Mona Elswah and her colleagues here). In my PhD research, I study how AI content moderation systems fail in Nigerian languages. The failures are systematic, not incidental. Moreover, there are over 2000 languages in Africa. AI moderation seldom works in 3 major Nigerian languages. There is a wide gap between what Silicon Valley promises about AI and the deliverables to the world population. That is the story.


Moreso, this doomsday discourse about new technology is not new. The pattern is real. Connor Boyack’s rejoinder (AI isn’t coming for your future. Fear is) beautifully captures by invoking Bastiat’s insight about the “seen and unseen” changes brought by new technology. The debate all week has been focused on the “seen”, but the “unseen” invoked by Boyack are the new industries and possibilities that emerge when technology reduces costs and eliminates drudgery. No doubt, every major technology disruption has eventually created more than it destroyed. If anything, Africa’s unofficial content creation economy is a pointer to such an opportunity. 


However, the challenge is that the benefits are never evenly distributed. They are concentrated where infrastructure exists, languages are resourced, and capital flows. The boom and doom are not the same for a worker in London or Boston and someone in Cape Town, Lagos, Kano or Nairobi. One pays $20 ChatGPT subscription and enlists AI as a co-pilot. But the other is faced with the unseen failure of AI moderation, wreaking havoc in their community. This inequality runs in both directions: who benefits from AI’s capabilities and who is harmed by its failures.


So, the future of AI is not one story. It is two. While professionals in well-resourced economies leverage, adapt, upskill and thrive, billions of people in low-resource economies remain in the blind spot of a technology that was never designed for them.  


The real question is not whether AI will take your job. It is whether AI will equally serve everyone or continue to perpetuate historical inequality.
This is the conversation we should all be having.

Abdulhameed Ridwanullah is a doctoral researcher working on AI and platform studies in Nigeria at Media for Empowerment and Impact Lab, Northeastern University, Boston. He can be reached at olaitanrido@yahoo.com

By Sabiu Abdullahi

South African authorities have arrested a woman suspected to be involved in the murder of 22-year-old Nigerian e-hailing driver, Isaac Satlat, in Pretoria West earlier this month.

The Gauteng Police Command confirmed the arrest following investigations into the violent hijacking and murder of the Bolt driver, who was attacked while on duty. His death has sparked outrage among Nigerians both in the country and in the diaspora.

According to the South African news outlet IOL, the incident occurred on February 11, 2026. Satlat was allegedly attacked inside his vehicle after picking up passengers who had requested a ride.

Preliminary investigations suggest the driver was targeted by a male and female duo who hijacked the vehicle during the trip. Satlat’s body and the stolen car were later recovered in Atteridgeville on the same day.

The police also noted a video circulating on social media that reportedly shows the victim being attacked while seated behind the steering wheel. Authorities have cautioned the public against sharing the footage.

> “The police strongly condemn the circulation of the video that depicts what appears to be a gruesome murder of the victim,” the Gauteng Police said in a statement.



The arrested female suspect is scheduled to appear before the Atteridgeville Magistrate’s Court on Monday, February 16, 2026. She will face charges including hijacking and murder.

Meanwhile, authorities have launched a manhunt for the second suspect believed to have participated in the attack. The public has been urged to provide any information that could help locate the fleeing individual.

The incident has intensified concerns about the safety of Nigerian nationals working abroad, with calls for increased security measures for drivers and other expatriate workers.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Chinese President Xi Jinping announced on Saturday that Beijing will remove tariffs on imports from nearly all African countries starting May 1, according to state media reports.

Currently, China maintains a zero-tariff policy for imports from 33 African nations. However, last year, the government pledged to extend the policy to all 53 of its diplomatic partners on the continent.

From May, the zero-tariff arrangement will apply to every African country except Eswatini, which continues to maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

Xi highlighted the move during the annual African Union summit in Ethiopia, describing it as a significant boost for development across Africa.

“This will undoubtedly provide new opportunities for African development,” he said, underscoring China’s role as Africa’s largest trading partner.

The country has been a major supporter of infrastructure projects across the continent through its expansive “Belt and Road” initiative.

African nations are increasingly turning to China and other international partners for trade, following the imposition of steep tariffs by US President Donald Trump last year.

The zero-tariff policy is expected to strengthen trade ties between China and Africa, giving African exporters greater access to Chinese markets while encouraging economic growth in the region.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Residents of Surulere Community in Amikanle, near the Command area of Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, have been thrown into distress after suspected landgrabbers invaded the neighbourhood and destroyed multiple properties.

According to a report t a Nigerian newspaper, the Punch, homeowners said the attackers, widely known as Omo Onile, stormed the community on Tuesday, January 27, 2026. They allegedly demanded payments ranging from N15m to N25m from property owners. Those who failed to comply reportedly had their buildings pulled down.

Findings revealed that at least 50 structures have been affected. The demolished properties include residential houses, shops, and perimeter fences.

Residents explained that the invaders arrived in large numbers. They claimed to be acting on court documents from the Federal Housing Authority, authorising them to collect renewal fees. They also threatened to demolish any structure whose owner refused to pay.

One of the children of an affected landlord, identified simply as Oluwafewa, alleged that security personnel accompanied the group during the operation, which lasted about two weeks. He said the development left many families devastated.

“The thugs asked the landlords to obtain a form, which cost N100,000. Then they demanded an initial payment of N5m, with N10m to be paid later. They charged different prices for different houses.

“Some said they were asked to pay N25m, but they demanded N15m from my parents,” he said.

When asked if the group identified those backing them, he replied, “They are working for no one. They are Omo Onile, and they claimed they own the estate. The FHA has told them to desist, as it didn’t authorise any demolition.”

A visit to the area showed heavy damage across the community. Policemen were seen seated in a corner with patrol vehicles parked nearby, while some of the hoodlums remained around demolished structures.

Another resident, who spoke anonymously, alleged that violence accompanied the invasion. He said one individual was assaulted for recording the incident.

“They beat someone who was filming them on the day they first invaded our community. They nearly destroyed the man’s phone. They really dealt with us,” he said.

A different resident claimed the issue had persisted for years. He recounted how his uncle lost property under similar circumstances a decade ago after failing to meet the financial demand.

“My uncle lost his property to them 10 years ago. The matter has existed for years, and I don’t think there is any solution in sight. That was how they came about 10 years ago and demanded N5m from my uncle. He didn’t have the money to give them, and he forfeited his house,” he said.

Angered by the destruction, residents organised a peaceful protest last week. They gathered in front of the affected buildings with placards, calling on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other leaders to intervene.

One protester said, “They mounted our buildings and removed the roofs. We have been to many offices to lodge complaints, but no help has been offered. At this point, we don’t know what to do.”

An official of the Federal Housing Authority, who spoke anonymously, described the demolition as illegal. The official said personnel sent to monitor the situation were chased away.

“They were impersonating. The FHA didn’t send the thugs. We were told about the incident by the residents. We have written to the Commissioner of Police and even the Lagos State Taskforce to that effect. We also sent our officials to the scene, but the thugs chased them away,” he said.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Abimbola Adebisi, said she was unaware of the incident but promised to make inquiries. She did not respond to subsequent calls or messages seeking updates.

The situation has left many residents counting losses and calling for urgent government intervention to halt further demolitions.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The United States military has conducted another lethal attack on a vessel in the Caribbean Sea, resulting in the deaths of three people. This latest strike adds to a series of operations that have killed at least 133 individuals since September 2025.

US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), which oversees military operations across Latin America and the Caribbean, confirmed that US forces “conducted a lethal kinetic strike” on Friday, killing three people.

The military repeated its claim that those targeted were suspected drug traffickers, describing the deceased as “narco-terrorists,” though it did not provide independent evidence to substantiate the allegations.

SOUTHCOM released a video showing a missile hitting the vessel, which exploded and was completely destroyed.

International law and human rights experts have frequently criticized such attacks, arguing they amount to extrajudicial executions even if the targets are allegedly involved in drug trafficking.

This attack follows an operation earlier in the week in the eastern Pacific Ocean. SOUTHCOM said it struck a vessel, killing two people while leaving one survivor. Officials notified the US Coast Guard about the survivor but did not provide details on the individual’s condition or likelihood of rescue.

The US first attacked vessels in international waters in September 2025. That initial strike included a follow-up attack that killed survivors clinging to the wreckage. US officials, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Admiral Frank Bradley, faced scrutiny over the decision to target the shipwrecked survivors.

Legal experts have warned that the US military could be implicated in a crime for killing individuals after a shipwreck.

Monitors and media tallies indicate that US forces have carried out approximately 38 attacks against 40 vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, resulting in at least 133 deaths, including the two killed earlier this week.

President Donald Trump has described the situation as an “armed conflict” with Latin American cartels, defending the operations as necessary to curb drug trafficking into the US.

Legal observers, however, have argued that the US has no authority to carry out strikes in international waters and that all alleged traffickers have a right to due process.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has alleged that top security and political figures were involved in the abduction of social media influencer, Abubakar Idris Dadiyata, who has been missing since 2019.

Sowore made the claims in a post published on his Facebook page, where he directly accused former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, of having knowledge of the incident.

According to him, Dadiyata’s abduction was “a joint operation carried out by the Nigeria Police Force,” which he alleged was ordered by former Kano State governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, with El-Rufai’s full awareness at the time both leaders were influential figures in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Sowore further alleged that those he accused “didn’t just know who took Dadiyata, they likely knew why, where, and what was done to him afterwards.”

He added that the prolonged silence surrounding the case raises grave concerns, stating that “the most chilling possibility is that they murdered him and dumped him in a shallow grave somewhere, hoping time would erase the crime.”

The activist also linked the incident to what he described as a pattern of state repression, claiming he was abducted the same night in 2019 from a hotel in Lagos.

He alleged that his own arrest was carried out by operatives of the Department of State Services on the orders of then President Muhammadu Buhari, alongside former DSS Director-General Yusuf Bichi, former Attorney-General Abubakar Malami, former Chief of Staff Abba Kyari, and ex-Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele, whom he accused of funding the operation.

Sowore said the presence of CCTV footage at the Lagos hotel where he was arrested served as evidence that prevented what he implied could have been a worse outcome.

He concluded his statement by urging continued public attention to the case, declaring that Nigeria “must not move on from this,” and reiterating the long-running social media campaign hashtag #WhereIsDadiyata.

As of press time, the individuals and institutions named in Sowore’s statement have not publicly responded to the allegations. Dadiyata, a vocal government critic, was abducted by unknown gunmen in August 2019, and his whereabouts remain unknown despite repeated calls for investigation and accountability.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Embassy of Japan in Nigeria has announced a call for entries for the 6th edition of its Nihongo Speech Contest, inviting Nigerian students and enthusiasts of the Japanese language to demonstrate their speaking skills.

In a notice published on its official website on January 28, 2026, the embassy said the competition is aimed at promoting Japanese language learning in Nigeria while providing a platform for learners to gain recognition for their proficiency.

According to the announcement, the contest will begin with a preliminary round requiring applicants to submit a recorded video of their speech in Japanese. The submission deadline is February 22, 2026. Only candidates selected from this stage will proceed to the final phase.

The main round of the competition will take place as a live event on March 14, 2026, in Abuja, where shortlisted participants will present their speeches before judges and invited guests.

Eligibility And Categories

The embassy stated that the contest is open to Nigerian citizens residing in the country. However, Japanese language teachers and past winners of the Best Performance Award at the contest are not eligible to participate.

Participants will compete in two categories:

Beginner Category: For applicants who have never stayed in Japan, have stayed for less than one month, or have not studied Japanese at university level.

Experienced Category: For those who have spent one month or more in Japan, such as for academic exchange programmes, or have studied Japanese at the university level.


Application And Video Guidelines

Applicants are required to upload their speech videos to a cloud storage platform, social media page, or YouTube, and then submit the link through the embassy’s designated application form.

The embassy outlined specific technical and content requirements for submissions:

-Only one video is permitted per applicant.

-Speeches must be delivered in Japanese and must not exceed three minutes.

-Themes are open, but topics reflecting original ideas rather than simple travel experiences in Japan may score higher.

-Videos must be recorded in a single take without editing, using a static camera.

-File size must not exceed 1GB.

+Accepted formats are MP4 or MOV.


Promoting Language And Cultural Exchange

The Nihongo Speech Contest forms part of the embassy’s cultural and educational outreach initiatives designed to strengthen linguistic and cultural ties between Japan and Nigeria.

Japanese language education has continued to grow in Nigeria in recent years, with speech contests, scholarships, and exchange programmes serving as key avenues for engagement between both countries.

Interested applicants are expected to complete their submissions on or before February 22, 2026, ahead of the live finale scheduled for March in Abuja.

By Abdullahi Danlami Hassan

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) was established in 1990 under the provisions of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) as an independent regulatory body responsible for corporate governance and business registration in Nigeria. The Commission formally commenced operations in 1991, marking a significant step toward institutionalising corporate regulation in the country.

In its early years, CAC services were largely centralised in its Abuja headquarters. Customers from across the federation travelled to the capital for business registration, often enduring long queues and extensive paperwork. Registration processes for Business Names, Companies, and Incorporated Trustees (such as Non-Governmental Organisations, religious bodies, and associations) were entirely manual and could take several days to complete. However, by the late 1990s and early 2000s, CAC expanded its operational reach by establishing state offices nationwide, thereby improving service accessibility.

A major regulatory transformation occurred with the re-enactment of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990 into CAMA 2020. The revised legislation strengthened the Commission’s mandate by enhancing its roles in business registration, corporate supervision, incorporation processes, and regulatory compliance. The new Act also modernised corporate governance structures and introduced reforms aimed at improving transparency, efficiency, and ease of doing business in Nigeria.

One of the most remarkable developments in CAC’s evolution has been its transition from manual operations to fully digitised services. The Commission has successfully developed a seamless online service delivery system that offers 24/7 accessibility to customers. This transformation expanded CAC’s service offerings from 33 operational services to over 109 digital service functionalities, significantly reducing processing time and improving customer experience.

As global economic systems increasingly integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into administrative and commercial processes, CAC reached another milestone with the deployment of the Intelligent Company Registration Portal (ICRP) on July 6, 2026. The AI-powered platform revolutionises company registration by offering automated name searches, smart name suggestions, alternative business name recommendations, and instant approvals for Business Name registrations. The system operates continuously with minimal human intervention while maintaining strict credential verification standards. Notably, it enables instant registration, electronic certificates, and status reports within approximately ten minutes.

The introduction of AI technology has dramatically improved registration efficiency. Business Name registration under the ICRP is reported to be approximately 336 times faster than the previous Company Registration Portal (CRP). Additionally, the system has enhanced CAC’s registration capacity, enabling up to 10,000 daily Business Name registrations. Based on current projections, CAC anticipates that by the end of 2026, Nigeria will record approximately three million registered business names, reflecting significant growth in the country’s formal economic sector.

Further technological advancement is evident in the introduction of the AI-Lawyer system within the CAC digital framework. This innovation provides customers with detailed guidance on registration procedures, legal compliance requirements, stamp duty processes, and other regulatory services. The AI-Lawyer simplifies complex legal procedures and improves customer engagement by offering real-time support.

Nigeria’s broader commitment to digital economic transformation also aligns with CAC’s technological innovations. At the 2025 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, emphasised the country’s digital economic future during an interview with CNN Business correspondent Richard Quest. When asked to summarise Nigeria’s economic trajectory for the next four years, she boldly wrote “Digital,” highlighting the government’s strategic direction. CAC’s digital reforms clearly demonstrate alignment with this national vision, reinforcing its role in advancing Nigeria’s economic competitiveness through technology-driven solutions.

As part of activities commemorating its 35th anniversary, the Registrar-General, Ishaq Hussaini Magaji, SAN, announced several corporate social responsibility initiatives. These include free Business Name registration for 3,500 micro and small-scale enterprises, scholarships for six outstanding Corporate Law students across the six campuses of the Nigerian Law School, and enhanced staff welfare packages, including a 25 per cent gross salary bonus, housing loans, and vehicle support schemes.

In conclusion, the Corporate Affairs Commission’s 35-year journey represents a significant milestone in Nigeria’s economic and regulatory development. Through sustained institutional reforms, digital transformation, and technological innovation, CAC continues to play a pivotal role in strengthening corporate governance, promoting entrepreneurship, and facilitating economic growth. Its commitment to modern service delivery positions the Commission as a key driver of Nigeria’s participation in the global digital economy.

This is Abdullahi, writing from the Customer Service/Call Unit at the Headquarters in Abuja.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

A Nigerian university lecturer, Mubarak Ibrahim Lawan, has raised concerns over the scheduling of the 2027 general elections in Nigeria, describing the dates as anti-Islamic and warning that they could spark religious conflict in the country.

In a Facebook post, Lawan criticized the decision to hold the gubernatorial election in the middle of Ramadan and the presidential election on the eve of Eid. He wrote:

“Let Mr. President know that the anti-Islamic election dates set by the Islamophobe, Amupitan, would surely ignite a religious war in the country. To every responsible Muslim, the sacrosanctity of Ramadan is inviolable and, inserting gubernatorial election in the middle of it and the presidential one on the eve of Eid is no different from desecrating the holiness of the month.”

Lawan argued that the timing of the elections could disenfranchise Muslim voters, who may prioritize religious observance over participating in the polls. He added:

“Similarly, this is a criminally insidious way of disenfranchising the Muslim Community as they would surely choose to stay on the holy course and neglect the worldly one, especially on the presidential election day, the eve of Eid. Therefore, we unequivocally disagree and uniformly ask for review of the undue dates.”

The lecturer also expressed concern over the apparent lack of response from northern political representatives, suggesting that the proposed schedule could advantage southern candidates. He stated:

“In the same vein, this dating is anti-northern blog. I wonder why no northern governor, senator or member of the house of representative is yet to attack the proposal. If they think that this dating has only an anti-Islamic agenda they are wrong. I believe, should the elections hold on the dates so far given, voter apathy would be remarkably seen everywhere in the North and that would be an advantage to the South. So, we do not agree!”

Lawan’s post reflects growing debate among civil society groups and political commentators about the potential impact of the election timetable on voter participation and national cohesion.

At the time of filing this report, neither the presidency nor the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had responded to the concerns raised by Lawan.