Sobowale On Business

Why akara and kulikuli trap always succeed

Why akara and kulikuli trap always succeed

By Dele Sobowale It is another election year; and suddenly, “free” money is being given at every convenient gathering. Givers, usually politically exposed individuals, call it empowerment; their paid megaphones in the media hail the altruism and, naturally expect widespread gratitude. Those of us, who have experienced this sort of grand deception before, know the truth […]
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Nigeria drowning in unpayable debt

Nigeria drowning in unpayable debt

By Dele Sobowale Words of wisdom ring true for ages. The United States of America is neck-deep in debt; and most of its economic leaders-of-thought are convinced that it is only a matter of time before the bubble bursts and a full-blown recession will follow. Nigerian governments, since 2004, after we secured debt relief, have returned […]

FG don’t mess with tax law

FG don’t mess with tax law

By Dele Sobowale The report in the PUNCH went on to state that “The Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, has warned of the risks the nation becomes exposed to over alleged discrepancies between the tax laws passed by the National Assembly and the versions that were gazetted.” President Tinubu is strongly advised to listen to the […]

Petroleum Sector Retards National Progress

Petroleum Sector Retards National Progress

By Dele Sobowale NNPCL is the only state-owned oil producing organization in the entire world which has become a perpetual drag on the nation’s progress. Last week, just as the nation was celebrating the declaration of Ntn profits from operations last year, Nigerians were once again reminded that very little has changed in the management of […]

State of the Nigerian economy an objective view

State of the Nigerian economy an objective view

By Dele Sobowale Ask anybody, including the best educated and most erudite, about the Nigerian economy, and the response will probably be subjective summary based on personal and political bias long ingrained. Members of political parties have made up their minds in advance of any event regarding the economy. For some, President Tinubu can do no […]

FG exceeds 2025 borrowing target by 55.6%

FG exceeds 2025 borrowing target by 55.6%

. expected to hit 80% by year end. By Dele Sobowale VANGUARD, November 10, 2025. “Where is the money?” Weekend Trust, November 8,9, 2025. Drowning in debt and liking it As a subscriber to several newspapers, it has been possible to follow virtually all the issues affecting our lives from several perspectives. Every Monday brings a big […]

FIX FOOD FIRST AND FAST OR FORGET IT

FIX FOOD FIRST AND FAST OR FORGET IT

By Dele Sobowale The great Indian leader and liberator made that remark before he was assassinated in 1948 at a time when his country, now divided into at least three nations, suffered from food scarcity worse than Nigeria is experiencing now.  Certainly, it can also be said that there are millions of people in Nigeria today, […]

Budget 2025 political not economic document

Budget 2025 political not economic document

Why Nigerian budgets often fail “Whatever a man prays for, he prays for a miracle; every prayer reduces itself to this; Great God, grant that twice two be not four.” Ivan Turgenev, 1818-1883 VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ p 198.  No Federal or, as far as I know, state budget since 1999 has been successfully implemented as […]

We must save Dangote Refinery at all costs

We must save Dangote Refinery at all costs

By Dele Sobowale “Our refinery has recorded 22 incidents of sabotage” — Dangote Nigerian history, since my return from the US in 1974, has always made me to thank God, that I not only read History as an elective subject as an undergraduate in the US; but, that the interest remains abiding. In fact, if I […]

Dangote versus others, time for FG mediators

Dangote versus others, time for FG mediators

By Dele Sobowale “Sacked workers: PENGASSAN threatens to picket Dangote Refinery” – Report, September 29, 2025 When Alhaji Dangote embarked on establishing the largest single train refinery in the world in Lagos, his intentions could not possibly have included fomenting trouble. He had more exalted aims like ending Nigeria’s perennial and intractable fuel scarcity; saving Nigeria […]

Two metaphors on public waste: Flyovers and tractors

Two metaphors on public waste: Flyovers and tractors

By Dele Sobowale “Nothing is more wasteful than doing with great efficiency that which should not be done.” Theodore Levitt, Harvard Business Review, March-April, 1993. For five years, after being confined to a wheelchair, I now feel strong enough to travel around Nigeria more often. Thus, in August, I was able to touch eight states. What I […]