Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie has explained his approach to calls and messages from fellow musicians following complaints from artistes who claim he often fails to respond to their attempts to reach him.
Musicians, including Samini, Edem, Kofi Mole and Ras Kuuku, have reportedly raised concerns about their experiences with the award-winning rapper, prompting questions about whether he deliberately avoids communicating with his colleagues.
In a recent interview with media personality Serwaa Amihere, Sarkodie acknowledged that many people got through to him but explained that he preferred meeting people in person to spending long hours on the phone.
“A lot of people get through to me. What I don’t do is stay on the phone. That’s what I don’t do. So, I like to schedule days, and we meet because I like when we meet,” he stated.
When asked whether he intentionally refused to answer calls, Sarkodie said he was aware of the narratives surrounding his relationships with fellow musicians. He, however, stopped short of dismissing their complaints, acknowledging that he could not simply insist that all those who had expressed disappointment were wrong.
The discussion also touched on his longstanding relationship with Edem, with whom he worked on the song “You Dey Craze”. Sarkodie explained that his expectations of others could sometimes influence how he viewed their actions, even though he recognised that people approached relationships differently.
“Moving from individuals, I think my problem is because I treat everything based on how I think I would treat it, which is the wrong thing to do,” he admitted.
He stressed that he did not usually hold grudges against people simply because they were unable to do something for him.
Using his annual Rapperholic concert as an example, Sarkodie explained that if he invited a colleague who could not attend, he would not necessarily take offence, regardless of whether the person’s excuse made sense to him.
“I don’t have one person that my issue is because he wasn’t able to do something for me. The only issues I have is when you do something to me,” he stated.
According to him, what could damage a relationship was not someone’s inability to meet a request but actions such as speaking negatively about him behind his back.
Sarkodie also addressed perceptions that he was being insincere by continuing to associate and work with people who might have criticised him. He maintained that personal opinions and musical preferences should not automatically create problems between people.
To explain his position, he recounted an encounter with a fellow Ghanaian musician who appeared uncomfortable while they were on the set of a music video. The artiste later approached him privately to apologise for something he had previously said about him.
Although Sarkodie remembered the comment, he explained that he did not consider it sufficient reason to hold a grudge against the musician.
He further pointed out that people were entitled to their musical preferences, even when those preferences did not favour him.
“I’m pretty sure I have family members who might not necessarily find my music. They appreciate I am Sarkodie, you are my family member, but you don’t have to force them to like the songs,” he explained.
He maintained that he would only take issue with someone when their actions gave him a genuine reason to be upset, rather than simply because they held a different opinion about him or his music.
These days, it’s difficult for me to talk about club culture without falling into “old man yells at cloud” clichés. Namely, that when I was young in the 1990s, everything was better, faster, more fun, more vivid… You get the idea.
In the 90s, older people said the same things to me about the Swinging London of the 1960s. Millennials are no doubt saying the same things now to Gen Zers about the 2010s era. Everyone thinks their youth culture was better than everybody else’s. I get it.
At the same time, though, there’s no denying that the 90s rave scene was kind of special. And a new book by Mark McNulty brings this out better than I’ve ever seen to date.
Better still, though, it doesn’t just stop at 1999 and get off the bus. It keeps going, and going, and going right up till the modern era.
Four decades of dance
The Liverpool-born photographer has certainly put in the hours. As evidenced by this heavyweight book, he’s been an eyewitness to a range of dance eras, from the early days of acid house through the superclub boom. Now, In Clubland: 35 Summers of Love brings it all together in more than 550 photographs across 240 pages.
After-hours party in a car park in Birmingham, 1992. All images: Mark McNulty
Berlin Love Parade, 2003
Published on 5 November by Modern Sky, it arrives while Mark’s work is on show at Tate Britain, as part of the British Culture Archive’s exhibition The ’90s: Art & Fashion, alongside work by Damien Hirst and Vivienne Westwood.
From the inside out
Mark is best known for documenting the music world, but he was once part of it himself. In 1987 he was briefly in a Liverpool band called Eat My Dog, whose first gig was at the Earthbeat festival in Sefton Park, on a line-up that also featured a young Stone Roses and Pulp. He quit after playing the first three songs of a four-song set.
“I was holding them back, and fifteen minutes on the wrong side of the camera was enough to put me off for a lifetime,” he recalls in the book. “So I put down the guitar, used the photo pass to get back in on the Sunday and inadvertently took up a day job.”
He never had any formal training beyond a short documentary photography course. From there on, Mark simply shot what was happening around him, while pestering magazines such as The Face and i-D “to try and get my new friends into their pages”. Soon, they were commissioning him.
Dance like nobody’s watching
His first time photographing a party in full flow was at Quadrant Park in Bootle, Merseyside, in 1990. Thanks to a loophole in the local licensing laws, this was actually the UK’s first legal all-nighter, drawing people from all over the north of England.
Cream at Nation, Liverpool
Cream at Nation, Liverpool
“The saying ‘dance like nobody is watching’ is used a lot these days, but this really was the case here, with the exception of me, maybe,” he writes. “The weirdo who’s taken a camera to a nightclub. They weren’t watching the DJ, and they weren’t watching each other, and they definitely weren’t watching me.”
That sense of being invisible runs right through the book. Mark went on to shoot for Mixmag and DJ Magazine, work that took him from dive bars to power stations, across the UK and beyond. These images are full of colour, motion blur and raw, unselfconscious joy.
Cream to Eurovision
Liverpool’s Cream plays a starring role, so it’s perhaps surprising that Mark didn’t even take his camera to its opening night in 1992. “It was just another club night, and there was no concept of thinking that this might go down in history as being one of the most important nightclubs to have ever existed,” he recalls. Within a few years, though, Duke Street was “a traffic jam of coaches” every Saturday night.
Beyond Liverpool, there’s BackIIBasics in Leeds, which Mark calls “the greatest nightclub of all time” (although he adds: “ask me on another day, and I’ll say Voodoo in Liverpool”). There’s also Berlin’s Tresor, The Haçienda and Nottingham’s Heavenly Social, where an unmasked Daft Punk and The Chemical Brothers make cameos.
Garlands, Liverpool, 1990s
Herbal Tea Party, Manchester, 1993
We get shots, too, of Berlin’s Love Parade between 1995 and 2006: for me, a 2003 shot of a reveller in a rainbow wig and peacock feathers sums up this legendary event’s anything-goes spirit.
The story doesn’t stop with the 90s. It moves through Bugged Out! in the late 90s and Club EVOL in the 2000s, takes in soul all-nighters in Southport and the Creamfields festival, and ends with Eurovision 2023 in Liverpool and the all-female DJ line-up Girls Don’t Sync.
The disco doesn’t stop
How does Mark still do it? Turns out, he doesn’t – well, not in the way he used to. “My nightclub years are well and truly behind me, and late-night capers are mostly a thing of the past,” he admits. “The time I used to go out is now the time I go to bed, and the photographs of the places I went to, played in, danced in, and photographed are starting to appear on the walls of museums and galleries.”
He’s philosophical about it, though. “People of all ages are still going out at night, and the scenes that we thought were ours have just evolved and changed,” he writes. “The world carries on, and the discotheque most certainly doesn’t stop for anybody.”
Kaos in Leeds, 1992
Revolution at The Lakota in Bristol
That’s what I love most about In Clubland. It makes me nostalgic, but in no way is it a nostalgia trip. Instead, it’s a tribute to a culture that began decades back and is still thriving today.
It’s also a reminder that the best documentary photography often comes from the inside, rather than an outsider peering in. As Modern Sky’s Dave Pichilingi puts it: “This isn’t someone writing about club culture from the outside looking in; he lived it.”
From haunted houses to horror movie moments to twisted tales of terror, there’s loads of fun stacked up for Halloween this year. Here are things to do in Singapore that you can check out…
Halloween Horror Nights 14
This season, Universal Studios Singapore is getting into main character terror with a ghoulish version of the legendary Karang Guni Man, and he’s trading old newspapers for a cursed collection of pure nightmares.
Check out four unhinged haunted houses — ranging from cursed shophouses and eerie broadcast studios to killer robotics labs. You also get roller coasters in pitch-black darkness plus chaotic live shows featuring HamiKuma. All you need to do is try to make it out alive.
Until Nov 1 at Universal Studios Singapore, Resorts World Sentosa.
Scaredy-Cats Anonymous
Forget haunted houses. The real horror stories are those that happen in real life. This Halloween, swap spooky tales, share your deepest arts-scene nightmares and find out what keeps fellow creatives up at night.
Think ghost stories with a twist or the very real horrors of – gasp! – rejection letters. Come for the vibes and leave with a few new nightmares to think about. Your usual Halloween plans could never.
Oct 31, 7.30pm at Studio 5, Intercultural Theatre Institute (ITI).
Haw Ror Villa 5: Back From The Dead
If you thought Haw Par Villa was creepy during the day, wait till you see it at night. “Singapore’s most cursed cultural park” turns into an unhinged playground of Asian folklore horrors this Halloween. Forget basic Hollywood tropes.
This is local folklore, hellish myths, and deep childhood nostalgia served in four eerie zones, via interactive puzzle hunts in Hell’s Museum, spooky performance tours, eerie mazes, and total chaos. Test which of your friends actually has spine and who will scream at their own shadow.
Until Nov 15, 6.30pm onwards at Haw Par Villa, 262 Pasir Panjang Road, Singapore 118628.
Thirteenth Night
The Second Breakfast Company, a not-for-profit theatre company founded by youths for youths, is hosting a tiny theatre party. Expect food, drinks, some communal readings, storytelling and buckets of fun with fellow theatre lovers and practitioners.
Dress as your favourite villain to win the Best Dressed Award; plus, there will also be a workshop on costume making and design. No minimum theatre experience required, but costumes are a must. (Normies will be denied entry!). Tickets at $10.
Oct 30, 7pm at *SCAPE, 2 Orchard Link, Singapore 237978.
Starhub Watchparty: Halloween
The Fountain Square area at Clarke Quay turns into a Halloween-themed space where you can enjoy a screening of Disney’s Haunted Mansion, an interactive mystery-solving activity to unlock a free Halloween treat, a Best Dressed contest, and of course, dining deals and treats from participating outlets.
Oct 30 and 31, CQ @ Clarke Quay, Fountain Square, 3 River Valley Road, Singapore 179024. Admission is free.
The Killing Moon
A pre-Halloween night of goth, post-punk, darkwave and noise, with live music, DJs and a magic performance all in one night! Taking the stage are The Batcave Project, SEER, SPECTRE-6, T.HIRST, SVNSET HAZE, and The Magician, so you can expect big guitars, big synth sounds and big beats. There’s also a Best Dressed contest. Dress code: Wear any colour, as long as it’s black.
Oct 25, 6.30pm onwards at WE! Livehouse, 82 Lorong 23 Geylang, #01-04 Atrix Building, Singapore 388409. Tickets from $15 (students) and $25 (the rest).
Haunts & Handmade
Changi Experience Studio at Jewel Changi Airport will host its first-ever Halloween-themed festival, featuring workshops and 35 local makers and independent brands offering a variety of F&B treats and lifestyle finds.
This family-friendly event will also feature activities for both the young and the young at heart, including a costume contest where one winner is selected each day to receive a prize hamper worth S$100.
31 Oct and Nov 1 at Changi Experience Studio at Jewel Changi Airport. Tickets from $10.
Filmhouse Of Horrors
Get a serving of scares, laughs, and pure unadulterated camp that’ll hit different this Halloween season. Traumatise yourself with the psychological horror of Hereditary (Oct 24, 28, 31) or just vibe with some century-old flatmate vampires in What We Do In The Shadows (24 Oct, Nov 1,10 ), or just get in on the action with the main event: a screening of The Rocky Horror Show (Oct 30) followed by the afterparty called The Hoe Down presented by the Glory Hoes.
Until Nov 10, various dates and times. Tickets from $14.
Play Dead
A Halloween rave party? Why not? Legacy club Zouk turns into a twisted playground where the whole complex is morphing into a horror multiverse across four interconnected worlds, each serving unhinged themes, dark nostalgia, and non-stop electronic beats. Leave the basic cat ears at home, too: Zouk’s team will roam all four venues to reward the most creative fits with over $10K in cash and prizes.
Oct 30 and 31 at Zouk Singapore, 3C River Valley Road 01-05 to #02-06, Singapore 179022.
Spookology: Afterdark
This is one happening in conjunction with the Science Centre’s Spookology Halloween season. It includes entry to the Science Centre at night, so you can check out the Glitch in the Web investigative trail with four Fear Labs to get your freak out; the Robo Trick or Treat session; the Omni-Theatre horror film; the multi-zone DJ experience (where you also get 1 complimentary drink) and much more.
Oct 27 to Nov 1, 7 to 11 pm at Science Centre Singapore.
Farm Fright 2026: Homecoming After Dark
It’s spooky school vibes at City Sprouts this Halloween, with six themed zones packed with hands-on workshops, carnival games, creepy crawlies and after-dark farm adventures. But the fun doesn’t stop there.
Expect a ’90s and 2000s-inspired school disco, a Monster Kids Rave, food stalls and a costume competition. Best of all, there’s no admission fee, so you can freely soak up the Halloween atmosphere and make a night of it.
31 Oct, 5pm to 10pm at City Sprouts Henderson, 102 Henderson Road. Free with RSVP. Selected workshops and activities require a paid Farm Fright Pass.
Dia de los Muertos
Celebrate Halloween and the Day of the Dead in the heart of Orchard at Third Floor. Doors open at 5pm for those who want to start the party early, with the main set by DJ Marco Alonso at 8pm. El Guapo Tacos will be popping up for the occasion, bringing their flavourful street-style tacos to the festivities.
Oct 31, 5pm onwards at Third Floor @ Design Orchard (250 Orchard Road, Singapore 238905. Tickets from $28 (includes one drink).
Spookerz 2026: The Curse Of Horrorwood
The setting: a house in a village with a supernatural curse. The task: get out alive. Grab your crew and have some Halloween fun in this escape room experience by solving challenges, and keep your cool as you navigate the cursed village.
Think Alice In Borderlands but for Halloween. It’s perfect for horror fans, escape-room enthusiasts and anyone who enjoys watching their friends lose their nerve.
Oct 23 to 25, at Inmers Escape Room, ORTO, 27 West Coast Highway. Tickets from $30.
SpoOktober 2026: Detention After Dark
Hands up those who felt school was just years of horror heaped on. This is your excuse to exorcise those thoughts across different dates and HomeTeamNS clubhouses. Step into haunted storylines inspired by local legends at Bukit Batok with The Night Walk (24 and 25 Oct) and at Khatib with The Last Class (Oct 31 and Nov 1).
Don’t like jump-scares? Bring the fam for the carnival games, face painting, craft activities, snacks and trick-or-treating too. Expect a spooky outing packed with seasonal fun, eerie vibes and opportunities to make core memories with your favourite people.
Until Nov 1, 5pm onwards at various HomeTeamNS venues.
Bookmark this article for all our recommendations on unique things to do this week in Singapore!
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This article was first published in Wonderwall.sg.
In October 2020 a large number of young Nigerians took to the streets demanding an end to police brutality and it was tagged the ENDSARS movement, this remains a defining moment in Nigeria’s recent history. The ENDSARS protests gained momentum in October 2020 following renewed outrage over alleged abuses of power by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a police unit accused of unlawful arrests, extortion, torture and extrajudicial killings. What initially began as a demand to end SARS quickly grew into a nationwide call for police accountability, justice and better governance, although the Federal Government announced the disbandment of SARS in October 2020, the movement’s most painful moment came on October 20, when soldiers opened fire on protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos.
The incident, which became widely known as the Lekki shootings, left Nigerians demanding answers about casualties, accountability and the treatment of peaceful demonstrators. After investigations, the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry subsequently found that protesters were shot at, injured and killed, although the state government disputed key aspects of the panel’s findings. Six years later, calls for justice, compensation and comprehensive police reforms remain central to the movement’s legacy.
Today, Tuesday October 20, 2026, activists and concerned Nigerians gathered at the Lekki Toll Gate to commemorate the sixth anniversary and honour those who lost their lives during the protests, however the planned memorial was disrupted when police officers fired tear gas to disperse the gathering, forcing participants to flee before they could complete the wreath laying ceremony. Among those present were Lagos governorship aspirants Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Funso Doherty of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), alongside activist Yemi Adamolekun.
The Nigerian police force reportedly cited public safety and the need to maintain access for road users, while participants renewed their calls for justice and police reform. The incident has once again raised questions about the right of Nigerian citizens to peaceful assembly and the handling of public commemorations. Six years after ENDSARS, the anniversary is not only a moment to remember the events surrounding 20th of October 2020 but also an opportunity to examine how far Nigeria has come in addressing the grievances that brought thousands of young people onto the streets.
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Temitope “Tope” Olowoniyan is an actress, television host, filmmaker, producer, executive producer and the founder of Bayla Productions. For more than a decade, she has built a career in front of the camera, appearing in King of Boys: The Return of the King, Sista, Dwindle, L.I.F.E., The Order of Things, Set Up 2 and The Men’s Club: Next Gen, and on shows like Wake Up Nigeria. Her continuing television career includes hosting Kellogg’s Superstars Quiz Show. But somewhere between moving from Zaria to Lagos and becoming a familiar face on screen, she began to want more say in the stories she helped bring to life.
That desire led her to found Bayla Productions, a growing production company with a body of original work that includes Her Next Chapter, Love Notes, Lights, Camera, It’s My Turn and The Father’s Path. It also led her to build Tope Olowoniyan TV, one of the platforms where those stories reach audiences. On September 10, 2026, she released A Summer for Fountain on Tope Olowoniyan TV, her debut original feature under Bayla Productions, which she acted in, produced and solely executive produced. The film has now crossed 3.6 million views on YouTube.
Tope talks about the grandparents who raised her in Zaria, the craft she built on stage and screen, the years of training and work that taught her to think like a producer, and the home she is building for African stories.
This Is Tope Olowoniyan’s Story As Told To Zia
I grew up with my grandparents in Zaria, and I think that’s where everything started. My granddad and I had a ritual. I would watch the news, write down everything the newscaster said on a full scap sheet of paper, then read it back to him like I was the one on television. Eugenia Abu was my role model. I was going to be a broadcaster, simple.
His best friend was a professor of English, and by the time I was in senior secondary school, he was already training me. I even wrote the foreword for his book. I was invested in everything that would make me a fantastic broadcaster. I didn’t know it then, but I was already learning how stories get told.
The Zaria I grew up in was communal. Everybody knew everybody. I trekked to school with my neighbours, and some of them are still my friends today. It was peaceful, even though I experienced some of the riots and the bomb blasts. My church was attacked. I lost two friends. There was chaos, but there was still peace. It was not always the way the media portrayed it. I am very cultured and very homely because of where I grew up, and the North has a strong role to play in my sense of self and in the way I relate to people.
Acting was never the plan. I studied English and Theatre Arts at ABU, but theatre was just how I filled my electives. I’m heavily introverted, always the quiet one at the back, but every time I stepped on a stage in drama village, I became somebody else. By my third year, my head of department (HOD) noticed and suggested I take the theatre courses seriously, just in case I ever wanted to act. I laughed. I used to say I could never be an actress. Look at me now.
When I moved to Lagos, the culture shock was crazy. People kept saying, “You don’t look Yoruba.” I didn’t know Yoruba people had a look. Where I’m from, nobody asked what you were. Everybody was just a human being. Lagos taught me to read between the lines, to hear what people say and what they’re not saying. But I made sure I never lost my sense of self. Who I am should not be guided by who people are.
I completed NYSC between 2014 and 2015, and in 2015 I travelled to the United Kingdom for professional broadcast training. When I returned to Nigeria in 2016, I looked for a job in broadcasting. It took a while, but eventually I was called to audition for Linda Ikeji TV. I joined in December 2016 and worked there until September 2018 as a producer and presenter. I created shows for the platform and hosted them too. From 2019 to 2021, I was a live show host on Wake Up Nigeria at TVC. At the same time, I was building my acting career. I’d finish my day shift and head straight to film sets, juggling live television with the acting roles that were beginning to come my way.
Those years gave me practical experience developing programmes, creating content and understanding production beyond being in front of the camera. Television was my first producing school, even if I didn’t call it that at the time. After my time at TVC, I focused more on acting while continuing to explore hosting opportunities. My screen work has included King of Boys: The Return of the King, Sista, Dwindle, L.I.F.E., The Order of Things, Set Up 2 and The Men’s Club: Next Gen.
But before film, there was stage. I did shows for the Lagos Theatre Festival and in Abuja, and I performed for five days at a world theatre festival in Germany. My theatre training carried me. I’ve always wanted my talent, preparation and performance to speak for me. I approached my King of Boys audition with a spirit of excellence, because if you’re going to experience me through my work, I want you to experience the best version of my creativity. These days I’m also particular about the stories I join. If I read a script and think my parents, or my little cousins who look up to me, would learn nothing valuable from it, I walk away, respectfully.
My years of auditioning taught me the importance of preparation, consistency and showing up ready. Every opportunity was a chance to grow, whether or not I got the role. If an audition was at 8 a.m., I’d arrive by 5 a.m. to be among the first five names on the audition list, sometimes chatting with the security men while we waited to be let into the building. My parents would have preferred that I explored opportunities in the UK, but I was convinced I could build a career as a talk show host in Nigeria. I knew that if I was going to make it here, I had to be ready to put in the work.
I’m grateful for the growth I’ve experienced in this industry, and now I’m carving my own path. Sometimes, you have to bring your own table. My journey has been about process, consistency, discipline, building and evolving. I’m an actor, and I’ve evolved into actively producing films as well. That journey didn’t happen overnight. It was built on years of training, practical experience, relationships and preparation. I went for broadcast training without knowing exactly where it would lead. Here I am, years later, still acting and also producing my own films through my production company.
“Now I’m carving my own path. Sometimes, you have to bring your own table.”
Bayla Productions was born from a question. When I first came to Lagos, someone I looked up to asked me, “What’s your ten-year projection?” At 22, I had dreams and ambitions, but I hadn’t learned to structure them into a long-term plan. That conversation taught me to become more intentional about my goals, not just professionally, but financially and personally. Work goals, financial goals, travel goals, enjoyment goals, all of it.
When I said I wanted to shoot my own films, he asked if I had a company. I didn’t. He said the name had to be something authentic to me. I already had a name saved for the daughter I hope to have one day. I want her to grow up hearing her name everywhere. I want her to know that before she was born, mummy was already thinking of her, and that I built something entirely hers. That’s how Bayla was born. The company carries her name. Tope Olowoniyan TV, the platform, carries mine.
“I want her to know that before she was born, mummy was already thinking of her, and that I built something entirely hers.”
Bayla isn’t a one-film company. Before A Summer for Fountain, I had already developed Her Next Chapter, Love Notes, Lights, Camera, It’s My Turn and The Father’s Path. They are different stories in different formats, from talk shows and personal conversations to entertainment, and Fountain is the next stage of something I’ve been building for years.
Moving from being the talent to the production side taught me a lot about the business of film. For one, you don’t sleep. It cost me time with friends, but it didn’t cost me my relationships. I’m a very involved producer. I’m not someone who will hire you and just let you go and do it. You carry me along. I want to know everything. I want to be sure that you understand my vision. I also had to learn how to lead people. I’m a very straightforward person, but I’ve learned that managing people requires understanding their personalities. Some people respond better to encouragement, others to direct communication.
Leadership has taught me to be more patient, empathetic and intentional about how I work with people. I also believe in paying people for their work. At the same time, I’m grateful for the generosity I’ve received from people I built relationships with over the years, and the discounts I got were heartwarming. My director, Jide “JBlaze” Oyegbile, and I auditioned for King of Boys together. We brainstormed how we wanted to approach it, and we won together. My art director was once a set design assistant. My makeup artist was an SFX assistant. We were all building at the same time, and now we’re all leading teams.
Building is like farming. I know, because I grew up around a farm in Zaria. We planted beans, rice and maize, and I went to the farm a lot. You plant the seed, it goes into the ground and looks dead, and you water it even though you’re seeing absolutely nothing. Then one day, after the roots have gone deep into the ground, something comes back up.
My first talk shows didn’t make money. But women who had dealt with postpartum depression were in my comments, saying Her Next Chapter helped them find themselves again. Women stop me at the gym to say the same thing. That is what money cannot buy. And I remind myself: you may not make all the money on your first project, but it is your intellectual property. Nobody can take that away from you.
People ask why YouTube. It’s simple. Where are people watching things now? I’m not there because everybody is there. I’m there because that’s where I can sell my story and get a large audience, and when you see me, you’ll define me by the quality of my work. I wasn’t making a film for YouTube. I was making a film, and YouTube is just the outlet.
Which brings me to A Summer for Fountain, my debut original feature under Bayla Productions. I acted in it, and I also produced it and solely executive produced it. I had co-executive produced a film that went to cinemas before, but this is the first film I have executive produced entirely on my own. It premiered on September 10, 2026 on Tope Olowoniyan TV, and it has now crossed 3.6 million views on YouTube. I didn’t write the script; a friend of mine did, but I knew exactly what I wanted it to do. I told my writer I wanted a film that teaches people to stay connected to their family.
Death is an inevitable part of life, and that’s why I believe we should be intentional about the time we have with the people we love. We shouldn’t wait until someone is gone before wishing we had spent more time with them. I miss my grandparents every day, but I have no regrets. From the moment I started making money, I was present. Every weekend trip I could make, I made. In this money-driven craze, people are becoming increasingly disconnected from family. I wanted to stir chords in us that remind us of our humanity.
My grandmother was very ambitious. She had a cooking show, worked with UNICEF, and was among the first people in Northern Nigeria to educate women in rural communities about polio. I was closer to my granddad, but I am very much like her. She chased every dream she had.
That’s also why Fountain’s story matters to me. The film is about more than grief and family. It also explores love, compatibility, emotional fulfilment and the choices people make when choosing a life partner. Fountain is in a relationship that looks right on paper, and her journey is about asking whether it gives her the emotional connection and fulfilment she truly wants. I’ve built my life on the belief that everything you want is on the other side of your fear.
I’ve also learned to speak confidently about the value of my work. Earlier in my career, I would practise discussing my rates in front of a mirror. Over time, I’ve become more comfortable having those conversations with confidence and clarity.
What I want now is to keep telling our stories the way I want to tell them. One thing that matters deeply to me is creating stories that allow people to recognise themselves in the characters they watch. I want audiences, especially women, to see reflections of their experiences, struggles, decisions and growth in my work. Storytelling should go beyond entertainment. It should start conversations, encourage reflection and sometimes help people see their circumstances from a different perspective.
Bayla Productions is the creative company through which I want to develop, produce and build a catalogue of original intellectual property. Tope Olowoniyan TV is one of the platforms through which those stories can reach audiences, a home for original African films, talk shows, conversations and entertainment.
My long-term ambition is to create high-quality African stories that can travel beyond geographical boundaries and connect with audiences around the world. I still pray to take my films to festivals, to travel the world and share my stories my way. The past 11 years didn’t just go into acting. They went into understanding production, from the business side to the creative side. I want people to recognise my work for its storytelling, production quality and performances, regardless of the platform they find it on. Anybody, anywhere, should watch my film and see that she made a good film. That’s what I want.
And if you take one thing from A Summer for Fountain, let it be this: your loved ones are not here forever. No matter how much you’re chasing that bag, you may get the whole bag and have only yourself to enjoy it with. If you’re lucky enough to still have your grandmother, spend more time with her. Tomorrow is not promised.
That’s the legacy I want to build: stories that matter, told well, that leave people more present with the people they love. I’m still growing, still learning, still building, and I’m committed to telling stories that matter.
LThe Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has stepped up vigilance across airport operations following a confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), assuring travellers of its commitment to safeguarding public health.
The Authority said it was working with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Port Health Services, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and other relevant agencies to support ongoing containment efforts.
In a statement issued on by the director, Public Affair and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, FAAN said it was maintaining heightened vigilance across airport operations and would continue to coordinate its response with public health authorities to address potential health threats.
FAAN To Close Owerri Airport Runway For 25 Days For Repairs, Expansion
The Authority noted that the early identification of the case and the commencement of contact tracing underscored the importance of established public health protocols, effective surveillance and inter-agency collaboration.
“The early identification of the case and commencement of contact tracing underscore the importance of established public health protocols, effective surveillance and inter-agency collaboration in responding to potential health threats,” he stated.
He continued, “FAAN is maintaining heightened vigilance across airport operations and will continue to coordinate with public health authorities, align its response with further guidance and support additional measures considered necessary to safeguard passengers, airport personnel and the wider public,” Agbebire stated.
He added that it would align its response with further guidance from relevant health authorities and support additional measures considered necessary to protect passengers, airport personnel and the wider public.
FAAN urged passengers, airport users, airlines and other aviation stakeholders to remain calm, vigilant and cooperative with health officials as efforts to contain the case continue.
The Authority also advised the public to rely on verified information and refrain from spreading unconfirmed reports that could trigger unnecessary panic.
FAAN reaffirmed its readiness to work with relevant agencies to protect public health while ensuring the safe operation of Nigeria’s airports.
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Yusuf Babalola is a Senior Correspondent with Leadership Newspaper, specialising in maritime, aviation, transport, and economic reporting in Nigeria. He is recognised for well-researched stories that illuminate policy developments, industry challenges, and stakeholder perspectives across Nigeria’s logistics, shipping, and aviation sectors. His reporting is noted for its clarity, balance, and commitment to professional journalistic standards.
The Federal Government has activated emergency public health response measures following the confirmation of an imported case of Bundibugyo ebolavirus in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), assuring Nigerians that efforts are underway to prevent further transmission.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, disclosed this at a media briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, following laboratory confirmation of the infection on October 20.
According to the minister, the patient is a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda. She is currently in isolation and receiving medical care.
Describing the infection as a “contained case,” Pate said the government was working closely with relevant health authorities and partners to contain the situation and prevent further spread of the virus.
The minister disclosed that the woman had initially been admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she received treatment for several days before the Ebola infection was confirmed.
Following the confirmation, public health authorities immediately commenced contact tracing, identifying 44 close contacts who are being monitored as part of efforts to determine the extent of possible exposure.
The exercise covers healthcare workers, patients, caregivers and travel contacts who may have come into contact with the infected woman.
“Surveillance has also been intensified, and the private hospital where the patient was treated is receiving immediate support to strengthen infection prevention and control measures,” Pate said.
As part of the emergency response, the minister urged public and private healthcare facilities across the country to remain on high alert and maintain a high index of suspicion for possible Ebola infections.
He called on medical personnel to promptly identify, isolate and report suspected cases, stressing that early detection and rapid intervention would be critical to preventing further transmission.
Pate also urged Nigerians to observe strict infection prevention and control measures and report suspected infections to the appropriate public health authorities without delay.
Explaining how the virus spreads, the minister said Ebola can be transmitted through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person who is sick or has died from the disease. Transmission can also occur through contact with contaminated materials.
He advised members of the public to practise regular hand hygiene and avoid contact with the body fluids of anyone suspected of having Ebola.
Government Lists Warning Signs
Pate identified fever, severe weakness, headache, vomiting and diarrhoea among the symptoms that could indicate Ebola infection, particularly in people who may have been exposed to the virus.
He urged anyone who believes they may have been exposed to report immediately to public health authorities, even if they are not experiencing symptoms.
The minister further advised anyone who develops symptoms after a possible exposure to avoid close contact with others and contact public health authorities for guidance before visiting a healthcare facility.
He also appealed to individuals contacted during the tracing exercise, including relevant airline passengers, to cooperate with health officials, provide the necessary information and comply with public health instructions.
FG Warns Against Panic and Misinformation
The government cautioned against the spread of rumours, misinformation and stigmatisation, urging Nigerians to rely on verified information from official health authorities.
Pate recalled Nigeria’s successful containment of Ebola in 2014, noting that the country had gained valuable experience and developed public health response capacity that could be deployed to manage the current situation.
He, however, emphasised that the success of the response would depend not only on government intervention but also on public cooperation, early detection and the prompt reporting of suspected cases.
The minister said the government, through the Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), would continue to provide updates on the situation.
He also announced that the NCDC’s toll-free call centre was available around the clock to provide information and receive reports of suspected cases.
“ NCDC free call centre is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For information or to report a suspected case, please call NCDC toll-free number 6232,” he said.
The Federal Government’s immediate priority remains containing the imported infection, monitoring identified contacts and preventing any further transmission within the country.
Nigerians have been urged to remain vigilant, follow official health guidance and report suspected cases promptly as the emergency response continues.
Uganda has clarified that as of Tuesday, October 21, 2026, when Nigerian health authorities confirmed an active case of Ebola in its capital city, Abuja, it had no active case of the virus.
Health Minister, Muhammad Ali, had announced that a female patient who had travelled from Uganda in East Africa, tested positive for the virus.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria confirms one case of Ebola disease in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), following laboratory confirmation today, 20 October 2026. The patient, a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda, was admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she received care for several days before the diagnosis was confirmed. She is currently in isolation and receiving medical care.
“The FG calls on all public and private healthcare facilities nationwide to be on high alert. Healthcare workers must maintain a high index of suspicion, promptly identify and isolate suspected cases, observe strict infection prevention and control measures, and immediately report suspected cases to public health authorities.
“Investigations are ongoing, and we will continue to provide accurate and timely information,” Pate had said.
The development had made many Nigerians look towards the direction of Uganda, just like Patrick Sawyerr, a Liberian, imported the disease to Nigeria in 2014.
But in a statement issued after Pate’s comment, Charles Olaro, Director-General of Health Services in the East African country, clarified that the patient is a Nigerian.
Olaro said the woman had travelled to Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which has over nearly 10,000 active cases with 4,500 deaths from Ebola, for business and transited through Uganda in early October.
According to Olaro, she showed no symptoms while in Uganda but developed symptoms after arriving in Nigeria.
“Travel through Uganda does not establish that infection occurred here. The location of exposure remains under investigation,” the ministry said.
“The Government of Nigeria is yet to provide detailed information on her travel itinerary and clinical history which will guide further investigations and any necessary contact tracing.
“We wish to clarify that, as at the time of this statement, Uganda has NO confirmed active Ebola cases.”
The Ugandan government said it had maintained limited provisions for humanitarian and diplomatic movement, adding that it would strengthen screening and public health controls at points of entry.
Symptoms, spread and what to avoid
Ebola is a severe viral disease that can cause high levels of mortality. The WHO says the average case fatality rate across Ebola disease outbreaks is approximately 50 per cent, although the rate varies substantially according to the virus, outbreak circumstances and access to care.
The virus is not airborne in the manner of infections that spread through ordinary breathing in shared indoor spaces.
According to the WHO, transmission between people occurs primarily through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person who has developed symptoms, or someone who has died from the disease.
Infection can occur when contaminated fluids enter the body through broken skin or the eyes, nose or mouth.
Objects contaminated with infectious body fluids, including clothing, bedding and medical equipment, can also spread the virus.
People may also become infected through contact with infected animals, particularly when handling sick or dead wildlife or consuming inadequately handled products from infected animals.
Traditional burial practices involving direct contact with the body of someone who died from Ebola can contribute to transmission if appropriate precautions are not taken.
Healthcare workers and family members caring for patients without suitable protective measures can face a heightened risk.
The WHO says people infected with Ebola do not transmit the disease before symptoms develop. Once symptoms begin, they can remain infectious while the virus is present in their blood.
The incubation period — the time between infection and the appearance of symptoms — ranges from two to 21 days.
The health minister explained that Ebola spreads through direct contact with the blood or body fluids of someone who is sick with the disease or has died from it, or through contact with contaminated materials. Prof Pate noted that a person with Ebola cannot spread the disease before symptoms begin.
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Africa’s largest insurance group is putting protection inside the live music experience, and building the data infrastructure to show institutions what young audiences really need.
LAGOS, NIGERIA. SanlamAllianz Nigeria, in partnership with Ckrowd TourStack, is taking insurance to young people through the SanlamAllianz Campus Takeover with Ayo Maff & Friends, a three-city concert tour designed to make insurance accessible, relatable and relevant to the next generation. The initiative is funded by SanlamAllianz Nigeria and uses live entertainment to spark conversations about insurance and show how protection can safeguard young people’s health, belongings, income and future.
As a member of Africa’s largest insurance group, SanlamAllianz is meeting young Nigerians where they already are. The initiative challenges misconceptions about insurance and builds a culture of protection among a generation that has rarely been spoken to in its own language.
Commenting on the initiative, Tunde Mimiko, Chief Executive Officer, SanlamAllianz Life Insurance Nigeria, said:
“At SanlamAllianz, we believe insurance should be understood and embraced by everyone, especially the younger generation whose ambitions and future deserve protection. The SanlamAllianz Campus Takeover allows us to connect with young people through an experience they already love. Beyond the music, we want them to leave with a better understanding of insurance, its relevance to their everyday lives and the confidence to make informed decisions about protecting their future.”
Speaking on the strategic thinking behind the initiative, Chris Ekwonwa, Group Head, Strategy, Marketing and Customer Relations, SanlamAllianz Nigeria, said:
“Our strategy is about making insurance relevant to people’s lives, and relevance begins with understanding our audiences and how they engage with the world. Entertainment provides a powerful cultural connection with young people. By taking insurance awareness into their spaces and speaking through a platform they naturally gravitate towards, we are creating an opportunity to build familiarity, spark curiosity and nurture a new generation of insurance-conscious consumers.”
The technology behind the stage
The tour is powered by Ckrowd TourStack, a technology and data platform that runs concert touring as a service: ticketing, payments, audience data and operational coordination in one stack, built for African markets where live events still run on fragmented, undocumented processes. Every ticket sold and every attendee checked in produces verified data on who the audience is and what they need. For banks, insurers, investors, sponsors and government, that data and intelligence is what makes live entertainment a sector they can finance, insure and back with confidence. The Campus Takeover is TourStack working in public across three cities. OLUKAYODE Adebayo, the Founder & CEO of Ckrowd TourStack says it’s time for Africa to do the hardwork of building the Live Entertainment ecosystem to attract the much needed financing to scale it into a global industry, Ckrowd TourStack is doing that hardwork through our Concerts, Touring as a Service product, TourStack.
The culture that brings them in
Ayo Maff & Friends headline a lineup built around the music students already show up for. (I’m happy to be at the forefront working with people that care about my audience like SanlamAllianz does, keeping them safe. I appreciate my partners for also building a sustainable economy across the culture for my people, like Ckrowd TourStack is doing)
What students get
Across the three shows, students can enjoy live music, ask questions, challenge what they think they know about insurance and learn how cover protects what they are building. The data attendees generate helps shape insurance products designed for students and age groups, and for the needs they will have after graduation. The programme also opens routes into insurance agent careers and links to SanlamAllianz’s impact work. Talent can get involved too, the SanlamAllianz Talent Hunt is open, with N500,000 and other prizes to win.
Tour dates
Ile-Ife: Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Amphitheatre, November 14
Ibadan: Lekan Salami Stadium, November 21
Abeokuta: Muslim High School, FUNAAB Road, November 27, 2026
Get involved
Students and fans: Early bird tickets are on sale now. Chat with Adebayo, Ckrowd’s Customer Service lead for the tour, on WhatsApp at +234 901 544 3122.
Sponsors and vendors: Three campuses, thousands of students, one verified-data platform. To put your brand in the room or supply the tour, reach the team at Ckrowdgl.com.
Investors, banks, insurers and government: See how TourStack makes concerts and touring financeable through consumer and enterprise data and intelligence. Start at Ckrowdgl.com.
Media: Interviews with SanlamAllianz and Ckrowd TourStack and show-day access are available on request.
About SanlamAllianz Nigeria
SanlamAllianz Nigeria, comprising SanlamAllianz Life Insurance and its subsidiary, SanlamAllianz General Insurance, is part of the SanlamAllianz group, combining the strengths and expertise of Sanlam and Allianz to advance insurance and financial services across Africa. Through its commitment to customer-centric solutions and financial protection, SanlamAllianz seeks to help individuals, families and businesses build greater financial resilience.
About Ckrowd TourStack
Ckrowd TourStack is a technology and data platform that runs concert touring as a service: ticketing, payments, audience data and operational coordination in one stack, built for African markets where live events still run on fragmented, undocumented processes.
‘Fix your poverty mindset’: Financial advisor explains how Gujarat turns Dussehra into a crores of business
By
, ET Online
Synopsis
Financial advisor Prem Soni claims Gujarat could generate Rs 500 crore in jalebi-fafda sales on Dussehra, with Ahmedabad contributing Rs 200 crore. He highlighted how corporate employees, gyms, grocery stores, boutiques and jewellers set up temporary stalls to benefit from festive demand. Soni attributed Gujarat’s business culture to an entrepreneurial mindset, urging people to overcome ego and pursue opportunities rather than complain about investment distribution.
Financial advisor Prem Soni highlights Gujarat’s entrepreneurial spirit on the day of Dussehra. (Istock- Representative images)
India is celebrating Dussehra on October 20. While in different part of the country it is celebrated differently, in Gujarat Dussehra celebrations is synonymous to fafda and jalebi. Now, as per financial advisor, Prem Soni, Gujarat offers more than festive food and family traditions. He believes the occasion also reveals the state’s entrepreneurial spirit. In a post on X, Soni claimed that the sale of Gujaratis’ favourite sweet and savoury snacks, jalebi-fafda sales across the state could exceed crores in a single day, with Ahmedabad alone accounting for Rs 200 crore. He highlighted Gujarati’s business mindset, especially during festivities.
Gujarat’s jalebi-fafda market could cross Rs 500 crore on Dussehra
Soni took to X to share his estimate of the scale of Gujarat’s jalebi-fafda trade during Dussehra. The financial advisor made claims that Gujarat may end up generating more than Rs 500 crore in sales. and Ahmedabad alone may contribute Rs 200 crore in a day. As per a TOI report from 2024, snacks and sweets worth Rs 200 crore were consumed in Ahmedabad on the day of Dussehra.
According to Prem Soni, those working in corporate jobs also participate in the festive rush, sometimes taking the day off to run temporary stalls. In his post, Soni described a hypothetical regular 9-to-5 employee setting up a temporary business and generating a few lakh in sales. He contrasted this with people spending the public holiday relaxing, highlighting how the festival creates opportunities for those willing to make the most of the demand.
— ValueWithPrem (@ValueWithPrem)
The festive rush
Soni also pointed out how different sectors like gyms, grocey stores, clothing boutiques or even jewellery shop’s owners take advantage of the festivities and set up temporary stalls to sell jalebi-fafda on Dussehra. It shows their persevering mindset and the willingness to pursue another revenue opportunity. He argued that Gujarat’s commercial success is not simply a matter of privilege, but also stems from an ecosystem in which people are willing to put aside their egos to earn money.
‘Fix your poverty mindset’
Soni urged people tp focus on developing their own business instincts. Calling for a shift in attitude, he encouraged people to abandon their ego and learn how to do “dhandho”, a Gujarati term commonly associated with business and trade. His central argument was that entrepreneurial opportunities are not limited to large companies or established business owners. Even a temporary stall during a festival, he suggested, can become a significant source of revenue for someone willing to participate in the market.
Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi met with Cypriot Energy Minister Michael Damianos, East Mediterranean Gas Forum Secretary-General Osama Mobarez and executives of international oil and gas companies operating in Egypt to discuss ways to accelerate investment and increase production.
The meeting took place during a roundtable titled “The Future of Energy in Egypt,” held on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, as part of the Mediterranean Offshore Conference and Exhibition (MOC).
Discussions focused on accelerating the development of discoveries and connecting them to existing infrastructure, maximizing the economic returns from oil and gas resources, strengthening regional cooperation and consolidating Egypt’s position as a regional hub for energy trading and trade.
Badawi said partnerships with investors were based on mutual interests, stressing that the success of companies operating in Egypt translates into success for the country’s oil and gas sector and the Egyptian state.
He affirmed the ministry’s commitment to addressing challenges facing its partners and providing the necessary conditions for expanding investments to generate sustainable economic returns for all parties.
The minister said declining production had been one of the sector’s most significant challenges, requiring efforts to stimulate investment, accelerate exploration and development activities and improve operational efficiency. He stressed that the ministry was focused on strengthening cooperation with partners, addressing factors affecting production and establishing more sustainable foundations for growth in the coming years.
Badawi added that the current phase required more effective partnerships through direct dialogue with companies to identify their needs and proposals, determine measures to accelerate investment decisions and project implementation and enhance the competitiveness of investment in Egypt’s oil and gas sector.
He also highlighted the importance of regional cooperation among Eastern Mediterranean countries and leveraging available resources and existing infrastructure to generate greater economic value from discovered gas reserves and support the development of new resources.
Egypt has significant advantages that position it to play an increasingly central role in the regional energy system, Badawi said, citing its advanced natural gas infrastructure, transportation networks, gas reception and trading facilities and liquefaction capabilities, as well as its strategic location linking production areas with consumer markets.
The ministry is looking to work with its partners to maximize the economic benefits of these assets and facilities, reducing project costs, improving efficiency and enhancing investment viability, he added.
For his part, Mobarez said Egypt’s energy future was closely linked to the future of regional cooperation, given the Eastern Mediterranean’s discovered natural gas resources and promising potential, which require increased investment and the development of infrastructure to unlock their value.
The main challenge, he said, lies in accessing these resources and converting them into sustainable economic value by developing viable projects, accelerating the development of discoveries and connecting them to target markets.
Achieving this requires clear regulatory frameworks and investment-friendly policies that enable the private sector to play an effective role in financing and implementing projects, as well as developing the infrastructure needed to transport gas to markets, Mobarez said.
He added that the East Mediterranean Gas Forum works to strengthen cooperation among governments, oil and gas companies, technology and services providers, financial institutions and regulatory authorities. Its efforts aim to identify priority projects, attract further investment and accelerate the implementation of infrastructure needed to maximize the use of the region’s resources.
Company executives and international partners said Egypt had significant competitive advantages that strengthened its ability to attract investment and reinforced its role in the regional energy sector. These included advanced infrastructure, transportation networks and gas facilities, its strategic geographical location, accumulated technical and technological expertise and the availability of data to support exploration activities and investment decisions.
Participants said these advantages offered promising opportunities to accelerate project implementation and maximize the use of resources in Egypt and the Eastern Mediterranean. They emphasized the importance of continuing to develop government-investor partnerships based on transparency, mutual trust and shared interests.
They also said the settlement of outstanding dues owed to companies had helped strengthen confidence in Egypt’s oil and gas investment climate and encouraged new investments to accelerate the development of discoveries and connect them to the national grid as quickly as possible, boosting production and maximizing economic returns.
Sustaining investment flows, participants stressed, requires a stable and predictable investment environment, clear and flexible regulatory frameworks, and long-term partnerships between the government and private sector. Such conditions would help companies make investment decisions more quickly and ensure projects are implemented according to target schedules.
They further noted that the true value of resources lies not merely in discovering them, but in the sector’s ability to develop, produce and market them efficiently. This requires flexible and innovative business models and the adoption of advanced technologies and artificial intelligence tools to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs and accelerate exploration, development and production.
The discussions underscored the importance of greater integration and cooperation among Eastern Mediterranean countries and companies operating in the region, alongside the development of regulatory and commercial frameworks and coordinated efforts to develop resources, provide infrastructure, transport gas and connect supplies to markets. These measures would support energy security, optimize the economic use of resources and strengthen prospects for sustainable development across the region.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources said the roundtable reflected its commitment to deepening direct dialogue with investment partners and identifying practical solutions to the challenges facing the sector. The efforts aim to increase investment, accelerate resource development, raise production levels, maximize the use of Egypt’s infrastructure and consolidate the country’s position as a regional hub for energy trading and trade.
Ahmed Rostom, Minister of Planning and Economic Development and Chairperson of the National Investment Bank (NIB), chaired a meeting of the bank’s Assets Committee to review assets transferred to the bank and discuss proposed partnership mechanisms to maximise their utilisation and strengthen its financial position.
The meeting was attended by Dalia Mostafa, Acting Deputy Chairperson of the NIB; Waleed Abbas, Deputy Minister of Housing; Mohamed El-Etreby, CEO of the National Bank of Egypt (NBE); Mostafa El-Haiwan, Board Member of Misr Real Estate Asset Management Company; Mohamed Metwally, CEO of NI Capital; Sherif Samy, former Chairperson of the Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA); and several senior ministry officials.
During the meeting, Rostom said the primary objective was to discuss the optimal utilisation of assets transferred to the bank following settlements signed over recent months. He noted that the bank had successfully concluded historic settlements, some dating back to the 1980s, through coordinated efforts with various entities and under the leadership of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.
This reflects the importance of resolving outstanding issues in ways that benefit both the bank and the relevant entities, he said, adding that the settlements would help correct the bank’s financial position and enable it to resume its investment and development role.
Rostom also said the government was seeking to boost returns from these assets through partnerships with the private sector and relevant entities. This would help strengthen the bank’s financial position and provide the liquidity needed to support economic development and implement the state’s investment plan, he noted.
He confirmed that various proposals and mechanisms were being examined to ensure the optimal utilisation of the assets.
The minister added that the move was an integral part of the bank’s restructuring plan, which has contributed to strengthening its financial position and overcoming financial and administrative obstacles.
Additionally, the NIB signed several framework agreements to settle financial entanglements estimated at approximately EGP 400bn with several entities, including the New Urban Communities Authority (NUCA), the National Media Authority, the General Authority for Industrial and Mining Projects, the General Authority for Reconstruction Projects and Agricultural Development, the Egyptian Agricultural Authority, drinking water and wastewater companies, and New Valley Governorate.
These settlements resulted in the transfer of ownership of a number of assets to the bank.
I didn’t go to university after SHS. I went straight into fashion apprenticeship. After completing my training, I worked with my master for some time before starting my own business. Today, I have a fashion shop, employees and a business that takes care of me. I have clients who book me several months ahead of their weddings. Some of my clients live abroad and travel to Ghana specifically to have their wedding dresses made by me. I’m not rich, but I’m comfortable.
Then I met Charles, a man who was proud of my work. Sometimes he accompanied me to deliver wedding gowns, and whenever I posted pictures of my designs, he was among the first people to comment.
READ ALSO: My Wife Said Her Baby Daddy Had Disappeared. I Found Him Living in Our House
After two years of dating, he told me he wanted to introduce me to his family as the woman he intended to marry. I was excited. I bought gifts for his parents and carefully selected what to wear. I wanted to make a good impression because I knew how important family was to him.
When we arrived, they welcomed me, but the atmosphere changed when the conversation turned to my education and profession.
His father asked what I did for a living. He asked which university I attended. His mother asked, “So you didn’t go to university at all?”
I said no. She looked at her husband, and he looked away. I noticed the change immediately. Before that question, they had been engaging me in conversation. Afterwards, they became cold.
In the car, I asked Charles whether I had said something wrong. He said I should relax. A week later, he told me the truth. His family didn’t approve of our relationship because I didn’t have a university degree. According to him, they had told him they didn’t want their son marrying a woman whose highest academic qualification was an SHS certificate.
I was deeply hurt but Charles promised he wouldn’t leave me because of his family’s opinion. Then he suggested, “Why don’t you get a degree? You’re intelligent. I know you can do it. It’ll even help the growth of your business.”
He said a degree would open more opportunities for me and help me manage my business better. I thought about it and decided it wasn’t a bad idea. If going to university would improve my knowledge and also remove the problem his family had with me, why not?
So I enrolled in a degree programme. Combining school with my business wasn’t easy but I was determined to finish. Charles encouraged me throughout my first year. He would ask about my lectures and sometimes tease me that he couldn’t wait to attend my graduation.
When I got to my second year, Charles started behaving differently. He became less available. Sometimes I would call him, and he wouldn’t answer until the following day. One Friday evening, Charles came to visit me. He told me there was something important he needed to tell me, but he didn’t know how to say it.
I became worried. I asked whether he was sick or had lost his job. He said no. I tried all I could to get him say it. Eventually, he told me he was going to talk about it the next day. Before leaving, he hugged me tightly and walked slowly out of the door..
The following day, I was at my shop when a friend sent me some pictures and Instagram link. She asked, “Isn’t this Charles?”
At first, I thought the pictures were from a wedding he had attended. Then I saw the captions. People were congratulating him and his wife. I checked the pictures again. I saw his parents. His siblings. His friends. Everyone was smiling.
I started shaking. I went into my office and called Charles. His phone rang, but he didn’t answer. I called again. And again. I sent him the pictures and asked what was happening. He didn’t respond.
I sat there shaking and crying. I couldn’t understand how someone who had spent the previous evening with me could get married the following day.
When he finally called back, I asked him only one question, “Are you married?”
He told me his family had pressured him into the marriage. According to him, they had introduced him to the woman and insisted that she was more suitable for him. He said he didn’t know how to tell me because he was afraid of losing me.
He kept apologising. He said, “This doesn’t mean anything. “You’re the one I truly love. My heart is still with you.”
I asked him how long he had been involved with her. When he couldn’t give me a clear answer. I cut the line and blocked him.
For weeks, I couldn’t concentrate properly. I would sit in lectures and suddenly start crying. I thought of quitting school since the reason I was going was no longer valid. But when I remembered how much work I had already put into it, I decided to finish the programme. Not for Charles buut for myself.
Charles hasn’t left me alone. He calls with strange numbers. Sometimes he comes with gifts and behaves as though nothing has happened. He says marrying the other woman was a mistake he made because of family pressure.
I asked him what he expected me to become in his life. “Your mistress?” He said I shouldn’t use that word because I was in his life before his wife.
Can you imagine?
He would call at night crying and telling me he’s miserable in his marriage. I don’t even know why I listen to him. mY heart was broken when he got married but these days, his attitude and acting skills make me laugh. He would record himself in the toilet crying and begging me to at least give him one more chance. I told him, “I want to see you do this with your wife behind you. That’s the only way I can believe your tears.”
What Caused The Breakup Between You And Your Ex?
Sometimes I spend hours working on a bride’s gown, listening to her talk excitedly about the man she’s going to marry. I smile and help her prepare for her big day. When I return home, I wonder how I became the woman who helps other women look beautiful for their weddings while the man who promised to marry me went ahead and married someone else.
Charles says we shouldn’t throw away almost four years of love because of one mistake. I don’t know how to explain to him that getting married to another woman is not a small mistake.
Sometimes I wonder whether he ever intended to marry me or whether the degree was simply an excuse to buy himself time. I have refused his proposal to continue our relationship secretly, but he keeps coming around and begging me to reconsider. How can a man claim he can’t live without me when he has already chosen to spend his life with someone else?
—Emilienne
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Delegates gathering for the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) conference of the parties (COP17) will debate how to protect biodiversity and finance its conservation, and they should start by listening to Global South women already doing this work, a new op-ed argues.
Women-led solutions to crises like biodiversity loss and climate change provide ready examples for the delegates, if they are open to learning about them.
“Working with the women behind these initiatives shown me that documenting their solutions is only part of the task,” the author writes.
This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.
As global leaders convene in Armenia this week for the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) conference of the parties (COP17), it is difficult to ignore how women’s oppression is deeply intertwined with the exploitation of ecosystems. After almost two decades of pledges, biodiversity action remains underfunded, forest loss continues to be a growing threat, socio-ecological transitions are a low priority, and ecosystems are spiraling toward collapse.
The impacts of resulting climate disasters and biodiversity destruction are not felt equally, yet gender justice issues also remain unresolved within these international talks.
In Yerevan, Armenia, countries will consider the first global review of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), which was the first formal assessment to measure progress since its adoption in 2022. COP17 is also poised to advance efforts on biodiversity finance under the umbrella of common but differentiated responsibilities.
But progress cannot be measured only in targets, financial commitments and international mechanisms. We should also ask a more basic question: What can we learn from the people who are already protecting biodiversity in their territories?
Women leading agroecology and community conservation initiatives in Zambia. Image courtesy of Kapyanga Women Association & Zamsof.
While hundreds of policymakers spend long hours negotiating decisions to promote false solutions and powerful corporate actors lobby to continue profiting from biodiversity destruction and obstruct environmental regulations, women from the Global South continue working without big cameras or fancy social media presences to protect what is left of their territories. They are ensuring the continuation of life on Earth for you, me, and future generations.
The reality in the negotiation corridors will be very different from the violence, extortion, and environmental destruction in the mining areas surrounding El Callao, in Bolívar state, Venezuela, for example, which is one of the epicenters of the gold rush promoted after the U.S. military invasion of the country earlier this year. Being born and raised in Bolívar, it will be difficult for me to agree in Yerevan that governments are “taking action for nature.”
And after hearing over the last several months from friends and colleagues from the Global South about human rights violations and ecosystem destruction they confront, it is important to remind everyone of an incontrovertible fact: As long as governments fail to address the systemic drivers of biodiversity destruction — especially in the Global South — and continue using domestic policies to expand extractivist sectors while broadening status quo dependency, these failures will persist.
One of the most contentious topics is biodiversity finance. Biodiversity offsets and credits, debt-for-nature swaps, and nature-based solutions are just some of the flawed market-based instruments presented to mobilize finance toward Global South countries. Despite all the widely known controversies, poor performance and human rights abuses, they are increasingly dominating attention while urgent priorities — including allocation of direct resources for community-led conservation actions and giving communities full decision-making power in finance institutional structures — remain unaddressed.
Market-based schemes should be ruled out. They instrumentalize greenwashing and allow brokers, developers, intermediaries and large NGOs to extract funding that should be benefiting communities.
Indigenous women of the Ticuna community of San Francisco de Yahuma in Loreto, Peru, are breaking gender barriers and taking on leadership roles on conservation in their communities. Image courtesy of Joseph Zegarra/Rainforest Foundation US.
Women and youth making a difference
Over the last few months, I have been working with friends and colleagues from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia to understand what real solutions to the climate and biodiversity crises look like. We all have in common a deep reverence for life, respect for traditional wisdom, a great deal of technical forest knowledge, advocacy experience, and a strong commitment to defending territories. And, of course, a tireless stubbornness to fight for systemic changes to the current model of development.
Real solutions might look like an agroecological farming system rooted in traditional knowledge, or a community defending its territory from extractivist industries. They might be women organizing to protect forests, strengthen food sovereignty, or build more equitable forms of community autonomy. I’ve also seen women from Brazil, Colombia, Chile, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Nepal plus researchers from Morocco and Zambia, a peasant from Uruguay, an Indigenous leader from Panama and legal activists from Bangladesh all showing resilience and concrete community-led conservation actions.
All of them remind us that the value of ancestral knowledge, community autonomy, and access to decision-making power cannot be replaced by money or “innovative schemes.” Their real community-led solutions cannot be separated from the political dimensions of life and stay only on the technical side, focusing on reformist approaches to delay urgent systemic changes. They cannot be “scaled up” like the top-down generic schemes presented in international talks.
Women’s group in Thailand’s northern Chiang Rai province leads a community forest restoration project. Image courtesy of RECOFTC.
Real women-led solutions are unique, as every complex ecosystem is, and demand putting power in the hands of environmental defenders. The ancestral ‘nainu’agroforestry system in the Gunayala autonomous territory of Panama is a hopeful example capable of teaching us what biodiversity action actually looks like, as the Gunadule people create a shield of resistance with a concrete community-led solution centered on traditional knowledge and women’s leadership. The strong understanding of these Global South women about the interconnections between oppression and the exploitation of ecosystems is just as inspiring as the sophisticated strategies they have built to confront mining, agribusiness, colonial legal frameworks, and patriarchal policies.
Working with the women behind these initiatives has also shown me that documenting their solutions is only part of the task. The point is not to turn these communities into inspirational examples for an international audience, nor is it to extract their knowledge and package it into another global model. It is to recognize that these communities have their own knowledge, priorities and political agency, and that biodiversity policy needs to create the conditions for those solutions to flourish.
That means secure rights to land and territory. It also means direct, public and accessible finance. And, it means protecting communities from destructive extractive projects, recognizing traditional knowledge and women’s leadership, and giving communities meaningful power over the decisions and financial structures that affect them.
Working with this group of women and men on a Gender-Just Real Solutions Map for Territories and Communities is a learning path to find answers to a complex crisis. One thing is clear: We must support localized actions which are genuinely community-led solutions that uphold rights, autonomy, socio-ecological transitions and create conditions to fight social inequalities.
The question for COP17 is not whether these solutions exist. They do.
The question is whether governments are prepared to recognize them, resource them, and most importantly, listen to the people who are already putting them into practice.
Valentina Figuera Martínez is a feminist researcher and campaign coordinator at the Global Forest Coalition, where she works with communities and civil society organizations to advance gender justice, biodiversity protection and the rights of women and Indigenous and local communities.
Banner image: Women from the Ticuna community of San Francisco de Yahuma, in Loreto, Peru, use drones to monitor and protect their forests. Image courtesy of Joseph Zegarra/Rainforest Foundation US.
Citations:
Carmo, F. F., … Kamino, L. H. (2022). Controversies and hidden risks in biodiversity offsets in critically threatened Canga (ironstone) ecosystems in Brazil. Oryx, 57(1), 63-71. doi:10.1017/s0030605322000333
Shmelev, S. E. (2025). Biodiversity offset schemes for Indonesia: Pro et contra. Sustainability, 17(14), 6283. doi:10.3390/su17146283
Morales, L. A., Castillo, G., … Madi Dias, D. (2025). El sistema nainu de agricultura familiar: Semillas de la memoria social Y de la autonomía alimentaria en Gunayala (Panama). Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America, 21(2), 233-248. doi:10.70845/2572-3626.1438
For three days, a baby walrus had nowhere safe to go because he was stranded on a remote Alaskan island all alone. The young animal had been found lying hiding between the bodies of two dead adult walruses, with hungry seagulls circling above and polar bears nearby. On top of all this, then an Arctic storm made it almost impossible to get the baby walrus to safety. But the calf survived.
Two rescuers sheltered him through the storm before helping him make a journey that was over 800-miles to a specialist rehabilitation centre. Now, after receiving the care he needed to stay alive, the young walrus has a permanent home. There is, however, a painful catch about this sweet story and that is he will never be able to return back to his home.
The rescue mission
The calf was found near Point Lay, on Alaska’s north-west coast, in September by Violet Anniskett, a local resident and student at Ilisaġvik College, and Tony Fischbach, a walrus biologist with the US Geological Survey (USGS), as per Popular Science. They had been examining walrus carcasses when they noticed that one of the animals among the dead remains was still alive.
Anniskett later described to Alaska Public Media that she had been photographing the carcasses so she could count them when she noticed some movement.
“I was taking photos of all the carcasses so that I can go back and count them, and I saw the stomach move,” she told the broadcaster. “I was like, ‘Wait!’ Took a step closer, and all of a sudden, his eyes opened up.”
“When we found him, a determined flock of gulls was intent on scavenging him. He was in immediate peril of suffering this fate had we not gotten approval to intervene. Two polar bears were also active on the island,” Fischbach said in a statement issued by the Alaska SeaLife Center.
Before the rescuers could take the animal away, they needed approval from the Native Village of Point Lay and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The community’s consent was important because walrus hunting is closely connected to local subsistence and cultural traditions.
Three days of Arctic storm
Getting permission was only the beginning. The Alaska SeaLife Center, the state’s only marine mammal rehabilitation facility, was more than 800 miles away, and severe weather conditions left the rescuers stranded on the island with the baby walrus.
With no immediate way to transport the calf, Anniskett and Fischbach moved him into an abandoned building to protect him from the weather and nearby predators. They remained with him for three days, keeping him company while waiting for conditions to improve.
“He bonded with us fast and wouldn’t sleep unless one of us were in the room. It was just us two for three days, stuck in a storm with the young walrus,” Anniskett said.
Once the weather became normal again, the calf was taken to the local airport and transported to the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward where he arrived on September 14.
A second chance at life in rehabilitation
The calf, named Annautaq by Anniskett in honour of her late father, weighed around 200 pounds when he arrived. Staff estimated that he was about five months old.
He was dehydrated and had several superficial wounds, but his overall physical condition was good. Caregivers gave him fluids and also treated his injuries.
Pacific walrus calves generally remain with their mothers for one to two years, relying on close physical contact, social interaction and regular feeding. Hence, the caregivers now had to give that orphaned calf constant attention.
“Caring for an orphaned walrus calf is truly a team effort and requires around the clock commitment,” said Jane Belovarac, the centre’s wildlife response curator.
Why Annautaq cannot go back home
The close human contact that helped Annautaq survive has also determined what happens next. Because he has become accustomed to human care, he cannot be returned to the wild.
After his health stabilised, the Alaska SeaLife Center arranged for him to move to a permanent home. The location of the facility has not been publicly disclosed.
Annautaq is expected to become an ambassador for Pacific walruses, helping people learn about his species and its needs.
Twenty-four inmates of the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Ile-Ife, Osun, on Tuesday graduated from a skills acquisition programme designed to prepare them for reintegration into society.
The graduands completed vocational training programmes in barbing, hairdressing, fashion design, laundering and dry cleaning, auto mechanics, auto electrical work, bricklaying, bag and shoe making, welding and carpentry.
Gov. Ademola Adeleke, who was the special guest of honour, urged the graduands to shun crime and use the skills acquired to contribute positively to society.
Adeleke was represented by Mr Kehinde Olakanmi, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security Matters, at the presentation of certificates to the inmates in Ile Ife.
The governor said the initiative would give the inmates hope for a better future, adding that the skills acquired would empower them to become self-reliant after their release.
In his lecture, Prof. Akindehinde Akindahunsi, of the Department of Civil Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, noted that public partnership in inmates’ reformation and reintegration was essential to build a safe society.
Akindahunsi charged government, private organisations and communities to support vocational training and empowerment programmes for inmates.
He urged employers and communities to provide job opportunities and accept ex-inmates to reduce reoffending and promote peaceful coexistence, warning against rejection and stigmatisation.
Earlier, Mr Rotimi Oluwadele, the Controller of Corrections, Osun Command, urged the inmates to make good use of the knowledge acquired during the training.
Oluwadele said the skills acquired through the programme would provide the inmates with opportunities to secure a better future.
The controller of corrections urged the beneficiaries to contribute positively to society after their release, stressing the importance of applying the new skills to earn a living.
Similarly, Mr Olawuyi Winner, the Assistant Controller of Corrections in-Charge of the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Ile-Ife, said that the training was organised in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Winner said that the initiative was to offer the inmates an opportunity for reformation, rehabilitation and a fresh beginning after their release.
He charged them to use the opportunity to become productive citizens and contribute their quota to the development of the country.
ZenHR, a Riyadh-headquartered, AI-powered human resources and payroll platform, has opened its sixth regional office in Cairo as part of plans to strengthen its presence in Egypt and support the digital transformation of institutions, companies and factories across the local market.
CEO Yousef Shamoun said the Cairo office marks a turning point for the company after around a decade of serving clients in Egypt. ZenHR plans to invest more than EGP 150m over the next two years to expand its local team and broaden its services.
“We have served Egyptian companies for years, and every update we built into our platform for Egypt started with a request from an Egyptian client,” Shamoun said. “Opening our regional office in Cairo is a practical step towards being closer to our partners. It allows us to offer operational solutions that are more efficient and better suited to the local market, and to build the next generation of HR solutions in Egypt.”
Through the expansion, ZenHR is targeting medium-sized and large companies in manufacturing, retail, services and technology, as well as government entities, helping them automate HR processes, reduce operating costs and improve productivity.
Over the years, the company has adapted its technology to comply with Egyptian labour legislation, including the new Labour Law No. 14 of 2025. The platform automatically calculates payroll in line with income tax, social insurance, the Martyrs’ Fund contribution, end-of-service gratuity and overtime rules. It also links attendance, time off and leave directly to payroll across all branches through a bilingual Arabic-English platform and a mobile application.
Shehab El-Din Gomma, VP of Growth at ZenHR, said Egyptian businesses had a strong appetite for digital transformation and more efficient spending.
“Payroll is where transformation starts, which is why we built the platform to handle the fine detail of Egyptian legislation before anything else,” he said. “From Cairo, we will be closer to our clients and better placed to support them.”
The announcement came at “By Cairo”, a large-scale ZenHR event held in Cairo and attended by Amjad Adaileh, Ambassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to Egypt, and Mahmoud Galal, Director of the Technical Office of the Deputy Minister of Communications, alongside more than 250 HR leaders and business representatives from major Egyptian companies and factories.
The programme included a keynote address by the CEO and a presentation by Hatem Yousry, ZenHR’s VP of Operations and Egypt General Manager, on how the platform’s technology had been localised for the Egyptian business environment. ZenHR also honoured its longest-standing clients in Egypt and signed new partnership agreements.
On the sidelines of the event, ZenHR signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with digital insurance broker Amanleek to integrate its services into the platform. The integration automatically activates an employee’s medical insurance coverage on their first day of work and terminates it when they leave, eliminating the need for manual data entry.
The company also signed an MoU with Dopay, a provider of digital salary payment solutions, to transfer payroll approved through ZenHR directly to employees’ payroll cards, including those who do not have bank accounts. The two partnerships aim to reduce the time and effort required for HR administration and build an integrated ecosystem serving the local business community.
The event also featured a panel discussion titled “Cairo Standard”, bringing together HR leaders from Money Fellows, B.TECH and Nawah Scientific to discuss management and organisational practices adapted to the Egyptian market.
Founded in 2017, ZenHR serves more than 2,500 active companies in 11 countries across the Middle East and North Africa. Its systems are used to manage HR operations and calculate and disburse payroll for hundreds of thousands of employees across various sectors.
Nigerian singer Mr Eazi released new music to raise money for his rent.
He shared insights about his financial needs during a discussion.
He highlighted the types of people he meets in his neighborhood.
Nigerian singer Mr Eazi has revealed that his recent music release was motivated by his need to raise money to pay his rent.
The singer made the disclosure while speaking about his financial needs and the kind of people he encounters in the area where he lives.
According to Mr Eazi, his neighbourhood is home to several prominent personalities, including Formula 1 drivers, tennis players and footballers.
He explained that he could easily run into famous footballer Paul Pogba simply by stepping outside his residence.
“I dropped my recent song because I’m looking for money to pay my rent. I live around Formula 1 drivers, tennis players and even footballers. I could just decide to go downstairs and cross paths with Paul Pogba,” he said.
See post below:
“I dropped my recent song because I’m looking for money to pay my rent. I live around Formula 1 drivers, tennis players and even footballers. I could just decide to go downstairs and cross paths with Paul Pogba” — Mr. Eazi pic.twitter.com/VVKsWplPCM
@St Joseph:”Billionaire son-in-law dey look for music streams to pay rent inside neighborhood where Paul Pogba be ordinary gate neighbor! Eazi, your own definition of ‘struggling to pay rent’ can buy full estate for Lekki abeg. Make we no allow rich people tension us this nigh”
@japhman:”Mr Eazi dey talk about streaming money to settle rent for area wey Paul Pogba fit just stroll pass as neighbour. 😂😭 Oga, the rent wey dey give you headache fit buy some people mansion for Lekki. Abeg, make billionaires no come redefine poverty for us tonight! 💀😂”
@Samuel Kasakwe:”Mr Eazi try take it Easy with us 😂. This Lamba pass Federal government own!”
@🌹May:”It’s just a full time polite insult to those of us actually looking for money to pay rent 🙄”
Hotel wireless connectivity gets noticed twice: when it costs extra, and when it does not work. A growing share of business travelers do not get to notice it at all because their employer’s security policy will not let them connect in the first place.
Many travelers have experienced connectivity challenges: a call that drops the moment an elevator door closes, or a ballroom where hundreds of guests compete for one saturated access point. One technology company planning its own user conference decided to build its main-stage product demonstration to run offline rather than trust the venue’s wireless. The property team was not part of the decision. None of these failures produces a complaint. Each produces a decision, and that decision rarely shows up where a hotelier would look for it.
A Cost Hidden in Five Places
The cost of poor in-building connectivity is not tracked as a line item. It is collected across five categories, and each one looks like something else when it lands.
Meeting and event planners increasingly screen venues for cellular reliability before booking, and a failed screen can cost a property the group business along with its banquet and food and beverage revenue. Dead zones surface in guest reviews and can compress rate against the competitive set. Business travelers who could not get work done are less likely to return. Staff lose time hunting for signal, and connectivity complaints pull front-desk staff into service recovery, often ending in a comp.
Estimates built on industry research, including data from Cvent, STR, and the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research, suggest the combined effect can run 5 percent to 10 percent of average daily rate. The exact figure depends on the property, but the categories are consistent: The cost is already being paid, and none of it is recorded as a connectivity expense.
The Requirement Moved
For most of the last two decades, hotel wireless was judged like any amenity: satisfaction scores and complaint volume. That assumed the guest set the standard. Increasingly, the guest’s employer does.
The Verizon Mobile Security Index, based on a 2022 survey of 632 security professionals, found more than a fifth of organizations banned employee use of public WiFi outright. In July 2026, Microsoft identified a campaign it named CaptiveCrunch, in which actors linked to Russian intelligence compromised hotel and conference captive portals to steal corporate travelers’ credentials. Some enterprise security policies now block a device’s connection outright when a captive portal is detected. A traveler’s device may arrive at a property already configured to refuse the network, a decision the guest did not make and often cannot override.
Why WiFi Alone Will Not Close The Gap
Construction works against a purely WiFi-based fix. Steel, concrete, and the low-emissivity glass common in modern facades all weaken radio signals. Meanwhile, carriers that once funded in-building cellular systems in exchange for space and power have largely stepped back, redirecting investment toward major stadiums, airports, and select medical facilities. Most hotels are not on their list.
A Tradeoff, Not Just a Purchase
Hotel WiFi is more than connectivity. Its captive portal functions as a marketing surface, capturing first-party data and promoting on-property amenities, though that same portal has now become part of the hacker’s attack surface. Cellular offers reliability and security, but no visibility into guest activity at all—no captured email, no promotional touchpoint. For leisure-driven properties, the marketing value may outweigh the limitations. For properties built on business and group travel, the guests lost to connectivity failures likely outweigh what the portal captures. Most full-service hotels serve both segments, which argues for maintaining both deliberately rather than as one budget line.
Where to Start
Properties facing the greatest exposure tend to share traits: proximity to regulated industries such as defense, finance, or health care; heavy reliance on group and business travel; aging, carrier-installed equipment; and construction using concrete or low-emissivity glass. An independent radio-frequency survey, rather than a vendor-supplied coverage map, is the most reliable way to assess actual conditions. Operators can then attach real figures to each cost category using data they already collect, including complaints, satisfaction scores, and RFPs that asked about connectivity.
Public-safety communication requirements, where mandated by code, should be treated as a separate compliance matter rather than folded into the guest-connectivity decision.
Most connectivity failures never reach a general manager’s desk. Some guests complain, but the rest say nothing and simply book elsewhere next time. A planner whose request for proposal asked about cellular reliability quietly removes the property from a shortlist. A company that held its conference on-site adds a line to its venue checklist and never returns. Each of those losses reads as a soft market rather than a specific, addressable cause, and the absence of cellular connectivity rarely appears on a P&L with a name attached to it.
The smart refrigerator market is evolving as connectivity, artificial intelligence and advanced appliance technologies reshape food storage and management. Features such as inventory tracking, remote monitoring and intelligent temperature control are becoming increasingly important to the sector’s development.
For commercial users, including hotels, restaurants and other foodservice operators, smart refrigerators offer applications in food storage, temperature monitoring, inventory management and energy consumption optimization.
Connectivity drives market demand
Smart refrigerators increasingly incorporate real-time temperature controls, expiration alerts, mobile connectivity and food inventory tracking. Furthermore, internal cameras and mobile applications allow users to check refrigerator contents remotely. AI-powered food management systems can help optimize storage and support efforts to reduce food waste. Real-time monitoring and automated alerts also support food storage management and operational oversight.
Energy efficiency presents opportunities
Energy-efficient and sustainable appliances represent a significant opportunity for market growth. Intelligent cooling systems, adaptive temperature controls and usage analytics can help optimize energy consumption. Additionally, integration with energy management systems and renewable energy setups offers further opportunities for manufacturers. These developments place energy optimization among the key areas shaping smart refrigerator innovation.
Product categories and distribution channels
Side-by-side refrigerators account for approximately 34 percent of the market, followed by French door models at 31 percent. Single door refrigerators represent around 21 percent, while other configurations account for 14 percent. Offline distribution remains the leading sales channel, representing approximately 61 percent of the market. In-person demonstrations, product comparisons, installation services and after-sales support contribute to this channel’s importance. Meanwhile, online sales account for 39 percent, supported by digital product information, customer reviews and delivery options.
Cost and cybersecurity remain challenges
High purchase prices remain a major market restraint, as cameras, touchscreens, sensors and connectivity hardware increase manufacturing costs. Maintenance and repair expenses can also influence purchasing decisions. Furthermore, data privacy, cybersecurity and system reliability remain important challenges. Connected appliances depend on software and network access, making secure data handling, regular updates and dependable after-sales support increasingly relevant.
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