COVID lockdowns in Nigeria brought the fear of crime closer to home. What communities did next
The COVID pandemic changed people’s lives in many ways. For instance, lockdowns and curfews drove people from their cities’ streets and kept many at home. Nigeria was no different. Many studies about COVID have focused on economic losses, disrupted livelihoods and changes in social relations. But there’s been little research into changes in criminal behaviour. […]
How to understand what’s going on with UK mortgage rates
The UK mortgage market has tightened as confidence in the economy has faltered in recent weeks. Lenders withdrew more than 1,600 homeloan products after the (then) chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s September mini-budget sent the UK economy into a tailspin. Rates on the mortgage products that are still available have risen to record levels – average two-year […]
debt restructuring must go hand-in-hand with managing finances better
Ghana is struggling with managing its debt, 20-year high inflation, a weak currency, and rising inequality. For example, inflation rose to 33.9% in August 2022 from 9.7% a year earlier, while the cedi has depreciated by 41% year-to-date against the US dollar. These vulnerabilities have been worsened by the aftershocks of the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war […]
A provincial sales tax is the solution to Alberta’s fiscal roller-coaster
With a new Alberta premier taking office in October and a general election required by the end of May 2023, fiscal policy may become a wedge issue between Alberta’s United Conservative Party and the NDP. A key issue for analysts who study Alberta’s finances is the erratic behaviour of the province’s revenue stream, which is […]
Blaming poor labour conditions in Ghana’s transport sector on ride-hailing companies misses the deeper issues
Ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft have become ubiquitous in many parts of the world over the past decade. Criticism of their business model has also become commonplace: ride-hailing companies are frequently accused of destroying traditional taxi businesses, undermining wages, and creating the digital equivalent of sweatshops. Though many of the complaints have emanated from […]
five essential reads on why there isn’t an inspiring story to tell
As Nigeria marks its 62nd independence anniversary, many will be checking to see if there is indeed any reason for celebrations. Reasons for pessimism are not hard to find. Major statistics for the economy, security and human development paint a picture of a country in despair. Time was when the naira, Nigeria’s currency, was stronger […]
How the tech giants are innovating to weather the looming downturn
Rising inflation and looming recessions are squeezing household finances, but businesses also worry about an economic downturn. This is not just because of higher bills, but also because consumers spend less and finance from banks and investors dries up when the economy worsens. Even strong industries such as technology feel these effects. With the Standard […]
rights and freedoms may be one reason
Nigeria has always managed to attract foreign direct investment despite its poor economic outlook. This is thanks to its oil reserves and the consumption potential of its large population. But these inflows of foreign investment have been in decline and now seem to have hit a halt. Over the past five years, foreign direct investment […]
Nigeria is producing less and less oil. Here’s why
Nigeria’s oil output was at the lowest since 1990 as its crude oil production fell below 1 million barrels per day (bpd) in August 2022. And data from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries in early September showed that Angola and Libya have overtaken Nigeria as Africa’s highest crude oil producers. The Conversation Africa’s […]
What if carbon border taxes applied to all carbon – fossil fuels, too?
The European Union is embarking on an experiment that will expand its climate policies to imports for the first time. It’s called a carbon border adjustment, and it aims to level the playing field for the EU’s domestic producers by taxing energy-intensive imports like steel and cement that are high in greenhouse gas emissions but […]