🇳🇬NigeriaWest Africa
Townhall CEO advises Nigerian political parties to begin 2027 election preparations now
via Punch Nigeria6 min read
Ugochukwu Nwagba, CEO of Townhall, a digital platform for grassroots mobilization, states that political parties aiming for success in the 2027 Nigerian general election should have started their preparations three years ago. He emphasizes that elections are decided by long-term preparation, including building structures, volunteer networks, and community relationships, rather than last-minute campaigning. Townhall, which was instrumental in the 2023 elections, has been redeveloped to serve as a "command center" for political and non-political organizations, offering tools for unified operational systems from leadership down to the polling unit. The platform addresses key challenges in political organizing by enabling movements to manage multiple support groups centrally, ensuring coordination and accountability. Nwagba also highlights the importance of internal democracy, with Townhall supporting transparent internal elections to build trust within movements. Furthermore, the platform facilitates structured grassroots fundraising with full accountability, allowing for transparent tracking of contributions and disbursements. A critical feature is its real-time reporting infrastructure from polling units, providing immediate field updates during electoral moments. Nwagba warns against the "expensive mistake" of late mobilization, advocating for early, sustained engagement to build genuine political capital. He notes that the Labour Party utilized Townhall in 2023 for volunteer
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
Uche Nwosu, a former governorship candidate in Imo State and former Chief of Staff to former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha, has called for a comprehensive overhaul of the traditional Igbo apprenticeship system. Speaking at the 2026 Igbo National Convention organized by Igbo Union Canada, Nwosu urged Igbo professionals globally to embrace mentorship and entrepreneurship to secure the economic future of the younger generation. He described the apprenticeship model, known as Igba Boi, Imu Ahia, and Imu Oru, as a significant expression of Igbo enterprise and resilience, noting its historical role in transforming young people into various professionals after the Nigerian Civil War. Nwosu highlighted that the system allowed a young person to enter an experienced entrepreneur's home or business not just as a worker, but as a future business owner, with the master providing a pathway into business through capital, goods, equipment, contacts, or customer access. He emphasized that the system's strength lies in successful entrepreneurs training future competitors, reflecting the principle "Onye aghana nwanne ya" let no one leave his brother or sister behind. However, Nwosu acknowledged shortcomings such as apprentices not being settled, verbal agreements, exploitation, and the exclusion of women and girls. He also noted that many apprentices lack modern skills like technology, financial management, and digital marketing. Nwosu proposed reforms including written agreements, structu
Neymar scored two goals for Santos in a 2-2 home draw against Chapecoense, marking his return to action after Brazil's World Cup campaign. The 34-year-old, who had been absent for two and a half months, celebrated his first goal with a card-dealing gesture and mimicked a golf swing with a corner flag. This comes after recent criticism regarding his lifestyle, including his participation in a poker tournament while his teammates played a Copa Sudamericana match. Santos remains one point above the relegation zone in Brazil's top flight. Neymar, Brazil's all-time record goalscorer, ended his international career after Brazil's elimination from the World Cup by Norway.
Must ReadNigerian manufacturers face significant competitive disadvantages due to high costs for electricity, credit, and logistics, according to Kamar Bakrin, Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council. He stated that Nigerian factories pay two to ten times more for these inputs compared to counterparts in countries like Vietnam and China. Bakrin highlighted that the primary challenge for Nigerian manufacturers is the cost of production, not weak demand. For instance, industrial electricity costs about 15 cents per kilowatt-hour on Nigeria's national grid, rising to nearly 30 cents with diesel generators, compared to 8-10 cents in Vietnam and China. Nigerian manufacturers spent an estimated ₦1.34 trillion generating their own electricity last year. Working capital costs are also substantially higher in Nigeria, at 27-35 percent, versus 9 percent in Vietnam and 3 percent in China. Nigeria ranks 88th out of 139 countries on the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index, far behind Vietnam 43rd and China 19th. As a result, manufacturing contributes barely 8 percent to Nigeria's GDP, and capacity utilization has fallen to 57.7 percent. Bakrin emphasized that while macroeconomic reforms have brought stability, the focus must now shift to industrial competitiveness. He proposed four key targets: power delivered to industrial clusters at 8-10 cents per kilowatt-hour, single-digit industrial lending, port clearance in under seven days, and doubled output per worker by 2030.