Naijabest: The Firefly Shines Brightest in The Darkest of the Night.

So soon, May is here again! At Naijabest, it feels like just yesterday we closed our eyes and screamed, ‘Haaaappy New Year!’ By the time we opened our eyes this morning, it was already May. Time truly flies, and no one can slow it down. Welcome to May!

Nigeria: Still The Gloomy Economic Picture

The figures aren’t looking good, and so are the countenances of our people in Nigeria. From Mowe to Ajangbadi in Lagos, from Efunrun to Agbo in Delta State, from Terminus Market to Bukuru in Jos, from Bama to Biu in Bornu State, all you see in people’s faces is anguish, frustration, and rage! You can smell the stench of their pain. You can hear the bawling of the youths on the streets and the unprovoked nagging of the mothers. This is the stark reality of the figures staring at us recently.

The economic indices are now horrible to look at; according to Business Insider Africa, April Edition, “Nigeria is now among the 10 countries with the weakest currencies in Africa.” Some other countries in this bracket are Malawi, Sao Tome and Principe, Burundi, D.R.Congo, Tanzania, etc (with due respect to these countries, does Nigeria belong to this class of countries?) The World Bank Reports of April 2025 stated that “Nigeria accounts for 19% of the extremely poor population in Sub-Saharan Africa and 15% of the world’s poorest people.” This is alarming! In the same paper, it was reported that “an additional 13 million Nigerians could be pushed into poverty this year, due to the existing galloping inflation and the weak value of the Naira”.

The unemployment rate is as high as underemployment (disguised employment). The latter is where the bulk of Nigerian youths find themselves, hopping from one unsatisfactory job to another just to keep body and soul together. 

Where Do We Go from Here?

Now more than ever, the Nigerian government must engender fiscal discipline and prudence, especially in government spending and cost of governance. Our government must begin to vigorously curtail non-essential spending and reduce budget deficits, and above all, we need to improve fiscal transparency and accountability. Achieving the above will help ease the pressure on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN )’s ability to fund the  government deficit and will check money supply growth that drives inflation. Diversifying our sources of revenue is another important measure capable of combating the dwindling oil revenues.

Beyond all these economic rhetorics, however, I feel the government must urgently create and invest in comprehensive safety nets to address deep-rooted socio-economic gaps and challenges such as poverty and hunger. The government needs to provide a well-designed and effectively implemented conditional and unconditional cash transfer programs to the poorest and most vulnerable households in Nigeria. Such programs can serve as a crucial defence against poverty and food insecurity, bolster health and education outcomes,  and boost local demand. It is important that these programmes are well-targeted and that leakage is minimized through strong targeting, which makes use of technology and engages the community.

An elaborate and well-coordinated Food Assistance Program is also needed now more than ever before. The government needs to expand and enhance the effectiveness of food assistance programs, such as school feeding programs and targeted food distributions to the most vulnerable households in Nigeria. For children to get the most out of school, for instance, good health and proper food are Key, and without the guarantee of a meal amongst children across the country, there will never come a time when all can achieve their full Potential, he concludes.

As Usual, The Nigerian Fireflies Are Shinning Brightest in the Darkest of Hours. 

Naijabest Magazine is once again bringing you good news from Nigerians across the globe, to the delight of your hearts. April yielded to us many good stories that are unmissable and worth sharing.

Tunde Onakoya, a Nigerian Chess sensation, broke the Chess Marathon world record again for the longest hours of continuous play at New York’s Times Square in New York, clocking an astonishing 70 hours of continuous play.

Nigerian journalist Livinus Chibuike Victor also set a new Guinness World Record with a 75-hour interview marathon.

On Friday, April 18, Mo Abudu, the founder of EbonyLife Group was recognised as one of the 100 most influential people in the world for 2025 by Time Magazine

In London, a distinguished Nigerian, Dr Stella Rita Asogwa was honoured with the Prestigious Global Power Leader Award 2025 for her entrepreneurial and humanitarian prowess. The award was given by Global Power Conclave that was held in London in April, 2025.

A Canada-based Nigerian lecturer, Professor Akolisa Ufodike, has been appointed as a member of a top-tier Canadian Think Tank renowned for its independent, evidence-based policy research called the C.D. Howe Institute.

Nigerian young lawyer Omowumi Ogunrotimi, founder of Gender Mobile Initiative, wins the 2025 Global Citizen Prize. 

Dr Olufunso Ojo, a distinguished Nigerian doctor who is based in Georgia, USA was awarded as an Outstanding Georgian Citizen for the state of Georgia in April, the award was given for his dedication to internal medicine and his philanthropic leadership.

On April 12, Olufemi Oguntamu received the Media Excellence Award in Dubai, United Arab Emirates for the 2025 edition of the Forty Under 40 Global Awards.

…maybe we can pause the list there for space reasons. Nigerians just continue to shine everywhere.

In this edition of Naija BEST Magazine, we bring to your remembrance an unusual story of a late Nigerian man whose wealth in the United States could be compared to that of Elon Musk of our time. High Chief Oladeinde Fernandez was the first African immigrant billionaire in America. His amazing life story will no doubt inspire millions of younger Nigerians all over the world.

Among other juicy stories in this edition, we also brought you a story from Bahia in Brazil, an Afro-Brazilian community with a strong ancestral connection to the Yorubas of Nigeria.

So many other irresistible stories you wouldn’t want to drop in a hurry are packed in this edition.

As we look to the months ahead, we are committed to upholding the quality of our journalism that serves you and everybody else and reporting on Nigeria and Africa in a way that celebrates its essence. We’re very appreciative of having you as a member of our community and for all your support. Together, we will keep discovering, celebrating, and elevating the best of Nigeria.

Until next time,  be inspired and keep shining in whatever you do.

Chief Editor.