Information and computer technology offers both employment and empowerment for Nigeria’s youth, writes Isah Babayo, 28, a Correspondent from Gombe in Nigeria, who says the technology offers skills and networking opportunity. The current trend is of young people migrating from rural to urban areas in search of white collar jobs that are nowhere to be …

“The role of ICT in the future of Nigerian youth” Read More »

by Diyaulhaq Bin Usman With the neglect of rural communities and the concentration of the ruling elites in urban centers alone, then development is nothing but a mere dream in a polity. Certainly no society can achieve its developmental goals without seriously addressing the issues of underdevelopment in the rural areas of that society. In …

“The media also neglects rural communities” Read More »

NGOs have played a critical role in many countries, but Badru Walusansa, 25, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Kampala in Uganda, argues that it is time for partnerships that encourage accountability and development. Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) in Uganda and elsewhere play a critical role in influencing socio-economic and political development. The year 1980 arguably marked the …

“NGOs should rethink dependency syndrome” Read More »

Does Brexit mean the UK will offer better trade agreements for African Commonwealth Countries, or will it be business as usual? Folmi Yohanna, 27, a Correspondent from Kano in Nigeria, writes that the UK could maintain the trade agreements equivalent to the deal. “Wow! So the Supreme Court will decide whether to reject or uphold …

“Post-Brexit UK – better trade for African countries?” Read More »

Efforts to eradicate poverty are traditionally aimed at men, writes Abdur Rafay Usmani, 22, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Karachi in Pakistan, who argues in support of research that shows better results come from directing aid and assistance to rural women. One of the biggest factors impeding sustained economic growth in the third world has been …

“Key to development: empower rural women” Read More »

Venturing overseas for work can be a fraught experience, writes Eric Omwanda Nehemiah, 26, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Nairobi in Kenya. He makes the case for growing opportunity by investing in Africa. After a long day of work, my friend Darius from Lithuania engages me in a conversation. He tells me that the majority of …

“For careers and the future: It is time for Africa” Read More »

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development envisages a collective journey to ensure that no one is left behind. Mary-Jean Nleya, 25, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Botswana, argues this is not just a journey for the educated, the elite, or the diplomats but a “collective journey” for the uneducated, micro business owners, the poor, and those at the …

“SDGs and conversations in a Malawi market” Read More »

Positive projections for economic growth are misleading as long as infrastructure improvements ignore the capacity to improve the rural economy, writes Munguongeyo Ivan, 24, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Kampala, Uganda. Uganda’s economic outlook report 2017 as usual projected that the economy would grow by five per cent in real terms before accelerating to six per …

“More rural investment could boost economy” Read More »

As the Earth’s population rises and resources are depleted, new resources are in demand, writes Bhagya Wijayawardane, 28, a Correspondent from Colombo, Sri Lanka. She argues sustainable development will be the only option for cities and regional development. The question I’d like to ask the world’s political leaders is: Whether they have the will to make the …

“Sustainable development is the way to go” Read More »

It may sound bizarre for one to say that the coronavirus pandemic has a positive side, but it does. How about we take a small break from discussing the negative effects of COVID-19 and examine the flipside of the pandemic on Nigeria, writes Commonwealth Correspondent Folmi Yohanna, 29, from Abuja in Nigeria. What gains can COVID-19 provide to …

COVID-19: Time to reboot in Nigeria? Read More »