Business
How ‘Leggedes’ Emerged King Of Lagos Roads
The taste of the pudding, an adage has it, is in the eating.
Many well-meaning Nigerians were clamouring for the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), famous in Nigeria as petrol, because the subsidy regime was laced with corruption, while enriching few privileged and unscrupulous business people.
Efforts by several successive governments, including military regimes, could not summon enough courage to put an end to the menace. Why? It was always met with stiff resistance from the masses.
The fear of mass revolt and resistance discouraged several governments from taking the bull by the horn, despite counsel from well-informed and well-meaning individuals and organisations, including the World Bank.
However, the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration has bitten the bullet.
The date, May 29 has come to be known in Nigeria as democracy day.
However, when President Tinubu welcomed himself to office on May 29, 2023 with the stern announcement ‘subsidy is gone’, the day transformed into the day hardship was born to many people.
It was first greeted with confusion, which saw several filling stations shutdown; then an adjustment of the pump prices of petrol from N180 to N490 per litre in the Lagos area.
The removal of subsidy also saw marketers selling at different prices in different parts of Nigeria, with prices per litre, ranging from N490 to N750.
The signal, meant a new day, indeed a day of adversity to many Nigerians. But it appears that the people are confronting the demon with tenets in Robert H Schuller’s bestseller, “Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People Do”.
All over the world, Nigerians are famous for courage and their ‘can do spirit’. So it appears that with the shock, Nigerians quickly swung to survival modes.
Consequently, the unveiling of tough times by President Tinubu has seen Nigerians mutate to their tough sides. After all, life must go on.
How People in the Lagos Area Are Adapting
In the Lagos area, the working class have resorted to hibernating, rotation, trekking, skipping meals, cooking at the office, two-or-three-day working week, remote working, e-trading, among others, to keep themselves going.
An administrative manager with a manufacturing concern in the Ikeja area of Lagos State, Elendu Uwarue, lives in Gowon Estate, Ipaja.
He copes with the subsidy removal which has seen transportation cost from his house to office move from N800 to N2500 per day by hibernating.
He said, “I commute twice a week, Mondays and Fridays. I leave for the office very early, so that I can join those who hustle with their private cars at affordable rates on Monday.
“I hibernate at the office till Friday when I also make sure that I leave late to ensure that I don’t spend too much on transportation.”
In a related situation, a banker, Tosin Olaito, informed Biztellers that in her department, they have fallen back to survival instincts and resorted to rotation.
What this means according to Olaito, is that, not everyone has to be physically on duty every day.
A department of 10 people can opt to have three or four people on seat to take on the day’s tasks. Others can support remotely.
For those who have been wondering why several banking halls are sparsely populated by employees, this might be one of the reasons.
“We agree among ourselves who should be physically present and who can be sending in in-swingers. On the day you’re to support from your location, you will quickly go the branch nearest to your house and sign-in, and you’re good to go,” she said.
Transporters Lament
Biztellers reports that transporters are lamenting because the prevailing economic situation does not permit them to adjust charges to cover escalating costs from the subsidy removal.
A transporter, Segun Olawuyi, took to his Facebook page to lament that while cost of petrol, a major input for the business has gone up by over 300 percent, they are only able to increase charges by 50-100 percent in some cases.
Olawuyi wrote, “This is not a good time for transport business. Imagine paying three times what you used to, for petrol only to charge about 100 percent what you used to.”
Biztellers’ investigations revealed that fares have increased, albeit marginally in some cases. There are some extreme cases where no increase has been recorded at all.
For instance, a shuttle within the Ikeja business district used to be N100 per trip in commercial buses, say from Ikeja under-bridge to Alausa-Secretariat-Express. But it has increased to N150 per trip.
Another transporter, Olopo Andy told Biztellers that they had to reduce the fare from N200 to N150 when they noticed that majority of the people turned to ‘legging it’ instead of riding in the buses.
“Oga na leggedes be king now o. Since (President) Tinubu enter, na so, so trek people dey trek o. We no dey see passenger carry again,” he lamented.
Biztellers observed that several people were trekking the estimated four-six-kilometer distance between Express-Ikeja-Along through Awolowo Road to Express-Alausa area.
Walking long distances to and from work, business locations and other places has become increasingly popular with the people having no choice.
Some people have been asserting, albeit jokingly that those trekking in Nigeria because of hardship would soon earn her a world record in the Guinness World Records (GWR).
General impact
The greatest impact of the fuel subsidy removal might yet be in the in the mounting angst among the populace. Everything imaginable has seen their prices jumped through the roof, including foodstuffs. This has left the populace irritable.
People are lamenting everywhere about economic hardship. The public outcry doesn’t seem to be heading anywhere near the ears of those in power with fears becoming palpable that any little thing can ignite public outrage of uncontrollable measures.
However, a public affairs analyst, Charles Ikewe told Biztellers that it doesn’t all have to do with the subsidy.
“There was hardship before President Tinubu was sworn in,” he started. “What is evident,” he continued, “is that things have gone from bad to worse, which the masses can longer bear.”
He traced it to previous governments who could not make bold and timely policy pronouncements.
The cumulative result from Ikewe’s perspective might be best expressed in the words of a former American President, Abraham Lincoln, “You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”
As things stand, the removal of subsidy on petrol has enthroned ‘leggedess’ as king of Nigerian roads, but only time will tell how long it would be and how the people react to it.
Nigerian comedian and popular skit maker, Chibuike Josh Alfred, known by his stage name Josh2Funny, has shed light on the profitability of the content-creating industry.
In a recent interview with Echo Room, Josh2Funny highlighted the impressive financial potential that content creators can achieve, noting that it is possible for them to comfortably afford multiple luxury cars, including up to four Lamborghini vehicles.
Speaking candidly, Josh2Funny emphasised that content creation has become an extremely lucrative field due to the constant demand for fresh and engaging material. “If you want to buy four Lamborghini from content creation, you can buy it,” he said.
His remarks underscore the significant revenue opportunities available in the digital content landscape.
Josh2Funny explained that the continuous consumption of online content is what drives its profitability. “What do you think we are doing in the content-creating industry? Are we joking? You all are with your phones, when you’re in the bathroom, when you’re [using the restroom], you’re consuming our stuff. It’s like pure water,” he stated.
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The comedian further elaborated that businesses or industries that deliver products consumed on a daily basis often see the most substantial financial returns. Content creation, with its high rate of daily consumption by audiences worldwide, aligns perfectly with this model.
“People are out there, consuming our content every time,” he said, reinforcing the idea that the reach and influence of content creators have never been more extensive.
Josh2Funny’s insights reveal why the content-creating industry has become a lucrative career path for many in Nigeria and around the world. With the continuous growth of social media platforms and the public’s insatiable appetite for entertainment and relatable content, creators are finding new and innovative ways to monetize their craft.
This shift not only highlights the potential for significant financial gain but also showcases the evolving landscape of digital media, where influencers, comedians, and skit makers can turn creativity into a sustainable and highly rewarding business.
A safety alert notification by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Nigeria issued on October 31, 2024, regarding NIVEA BLACK & WHITE Invisible Roll-on deodorant (50 ml) batch number 93529610, in relation to the general European Union (EU) Rapid Alert System for Dangerous Non-Food Products (RAPEX), has come to our attention.
The batch is said to contain 2-(4-tert-Butylbenzyl propionaldehyde (BMHCA).
In a statement on Saturday, in Lagos, Beiersdorf, the owner of NIVEA brand, assured that the “the Batch No. 93529610 in question has not been marketed in Nigeria and thus never recalled”.
According to the statement, Beiersdorf was well informed that “Based on current European legislation, the use of ingredient 2-(4-tert-Butylbenzyl propionaldehyde (LilialTM) in cosmetic products has been banned from the European markets as of March 1, 2022.”
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It acknowledged that “The batch in question, in fact, expired in January 2022 and was hence at the time fully compliant with the then valid European cosmetic regulation.
“As a responsible corporate citizen, Beiersdorf is working collaboratively with NAFDAC to safeguard the interest of the Nigerian consumers by ensuring that our locally manufactured product meets the global quality standards.”
It maintained that “The safety of our consumers remains our highest priority, consistent with our ethical philosophy as a business.”
In pursuit of this commitment, Beiersdorf’s entire NIVEA product portfolio formulations have been reformulated to be Lilial-free formulas in full compliance with the EU Regulation on cosmetic products well ahead of its Lilial ban coming into effect as far back as March 1, 2022. For instance, the formulation of NIVEA BLACK & WHITE Invisible Roll-on deodorant has been Lilial-free since at least 2020 across the globe, including Nigeria.
“Our trade partners were informed ahead of time and reminded of their responsibility to remove the outdated Lilial-containing products within the legal timeframe to fulfill their obligations with the European Cosmetic Product Regulation,” it added.
The Shell companies in Nigeria teamed up with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) and other stakeholders to build Information Communication Technology (ICT) centres and a digital library in Nigerian universities in 2024.
Biztellers reports that it initiative is part of their continuing support for education.
Some of the corporate bodies that executed the projects include the Shell Nigeria Exploration Production Company Limited (SNEPCo) and NNPC Ltd, and the Nigerian Content Monitoring and Development Board (NCDMB).
The benefiting institutions were, the Niger Delta University, Amassoma, Bayelsa State, which got a digital library in April, the Sa’adu Zungur University (formerly Bauchi State University), Gadau in Bauchi State, where an ICT Centre was commissioned in July, by The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC) as part of the Joint Venture with NNPC, TotalEnergies and NAOC.
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In what would sound like singing-off on the educational intervention initiative for 2024, the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), overflew with joy at the unveil of a world-class engineering design studios and ICT hub, courtesy of the SPDC, NNPC Ltd and other Joint Venture partners collaborated with NCDMB.
Reflecting on the three facilities, Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, and Managing Director, SPDC, Osagie Okunbor, said, “This is Shell working to power lives in Nigeria. The projects have changed the academic and physical landscapes in the three universities and linked the students and lecturers to the global learning arena.”
The facilities at FUTO include two state-of-the-art engineering design studios and a fully furnished 100-seater ICT lecture hall, equipped with computers and smartboards with dedicated power and water supplies. FUTO was selected for the project as part of the “institutional strengthening” in the catchment area of SPDC’s Assa North Ohaji South Gas Development Project. They were launched at a colourful ceremony attended by representatives of the Imo State Government and principal officers of the university.
Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, represented by the Commissioner for Digital Economy and E-Government, Dr. Chimezie Amadi, said, “We deeply appreciate the efforts of our partners in NNPC, SPDC, Total Energies, and NAOC JV, who have invested in the future of Imo State by supporting this critical project. Your commitment to human capacity building aligns perfectly with our goals, and together, we will continue to drive innovation, skills development, and sustainable economic growth for our people.”
Okunbor’s address at the commissioning was read by General Manager, External Relations, Igo Weli, in which he expressed happiness “that the collaboration of SPDC, Joint venture partners, NCDMB, and FUTO has resulted in this successful social investment project that demonstrates our commitment to improving access to quality education for every Nigerian.”
On his part, the Executive Secretary NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, called on Nigerian institutions to domesticate the advancements in AI and other technologies.
“Our AI must understand Igbo, Hausa, Efik, Yoruba, and other local languages,” he said, speaking through Dr. Ama Ikuru, the Director in charge of Capacity Building.
“We must leapfrog the innovations of other nations and become a net exporter of advanced technology to achieve the lofty ideals of Nigerian content development,” he added.
The Chief Upstream Investment Officer, NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services, Bala Wunti, said in his address which was read by the Senior Advisor Stakeholders Relations, Halimat Wilson, “Innovation thrives in an environment where ideas can be freely exchanged and developed. The Engineering Studio and ICT Hub is designed to be such a place where students, researchers, and faculty can collaborate on projects, share knowledge, and push the boundaries of what is possible.
Welcoming guests earlier, FUTO Vice Chancellor, Prof Nnenna Oti, thanked the sponsors of the project “for a landmark donation” to the university.
The Shell Companies in Nigeria have been education since the 1950s through scholarships and other initiatives. These efforts have resulted in the award of thousands of secondary, undergraduate and postgraduate scholarship awards, provision of educational infrastructure and establishment of sabbatical and internship programmes as well as centres of excellence in several universities.
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