By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The director-general of the World Trade Organisation, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has urged the Nigerian government to be careful about borrowing and managing the country’s debt, saying economic reforms must improve the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

She also called on the government to sustain ongoing reforms while creating more jobs and economic opportunities for the country’s growing youth population.

Mrs Okonjo-Iweala spoke on Wednesday at the seventh Africa Emerging Markets Forum in Abuja.

Commending the Central Bank of Nigeria for its monetary and foreign exchange reforms, Ms Okonjo-Iweala urged Nigeria to continue broader economic reforms while remaining disciplined in managing its finances.

“Nigeria needs to continue the work on overall macroeconomic reforms with a careful approach to fiscal issues, contracting of debt and debt management,” the WTO chief stated.

According to the latest data from the Debt Management Office, Nigeria’s total public debt stood at N159.28 trillion at the end of December 2025, rising by N14.61 trillion, or 10.10 per cent, from N144.67 trillion recorded at the end of 2024. The figure covers the debt owed by the federal government, the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. The government is also expected to continue borrowing this year to finance its 2026 budget deficit.

Mrs Okonjo-Iweala said the success of Nigeria’s reforms should not be measured only by improvements in economic indicators. Instead, she said Nigerians must begin to experience better living conditions through more jobs and opportunities.

“Above all, Nigeria needs to focus on creating jobs and economic opportunities for a young and hungry population. Nigerians have to feel the dividends of reform in the real economy,” noted the WTO chief.

Nigeria has one of the world’s youngest populations, with millions of young people joining the labour market every year. However, many struggle to find decent jobs, making employment one of the biggest economic challenges in the country.

Since President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, his administration has introduced major reforms, including the removal of petrol subsidy and the liberalisation of the foreign exchange market.

The policies have pushed up the cost of living, with many Nigerians facing higher prices for food, transport and other essentials. Although inflation has slowed in recent months, prices remain high.

The National Bureau of Statistics said Nigeria’s headline inflation rate eased slightly to 15.91 per cent in June 2026 from 15.93 per cent in May. Food inflation, however, increased to 17.52 per cent, showing that many households are still paying more for basic food items.

For opportunities, Ms Okonjo-Iweala said countries that maintain stable economic policies and improve their business environment will be better placed to benefit from changes in global trade.

She noted that companies are increasingly looking for new places to invest and diversify their supply chains, creating opportunities for countries that can offer stability and predictable policies and urged Nigeria to continue strengthening its economy so it can attract long-term investment and create more jobs for its people.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The U.S. government says routine visa services in Abuja and 24 other African cities will end on August 1.

“Effective August 1, 2026, the Department of State will realign routine visa services in Antananarivo, Abuja, Asmara, Bamako, Banjul, Brazzaville, Bujumbura, Conakry, Cotonou, Durban, Freetown, Gaborone, Harare, Juba, Libreville, Lilongwe, Lusaka, Maputo, Maseru, Mbabane, N’Djamena, Niamey, Nouakchott, Ouagadougou, and Windhoek to a regional visa hub,” the agency stated.

It noted that citizens and residents of the affected countries who wish to apply for a visa on or after August 1, 2026, must schedule an appointment and pay the required visa fee at the appropriate designated non-immigrant visa locations or designated immigrant visa locations.

From August 1, Nigerians who want to process a U.S. visa would have to travel to the U.S. consulate in Lagos.

According to a statement on July 23 by the agency, the move is “realigning visa operations in Africa to regional hubs, part of a long-standing Department practice that strengthens national security by promoting more uniform screening, vetting, and adjudication standards, as well as improves efficiency”.

Last June, reports had it that Abuja was missing from President Donald Trump administration’s shortlist of 20 African cities where foreigners seeking to travel to the U.S. can process visa applications.

The U.S. currently has around 50 embassies and consulates across Africa that process visa applications, but the new move by the State Department will slash that number to 20 amid Mr Trump’s crackdown on immigration.

Abbas Yushau Yusuf

The Sardaunan Sokoto and Nigeria’s former British high commissioner Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji is dead.

A family source informed Nigerian Tracker about the passing of Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji this morning

Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji died this morning in Abuja Hospital after a prolong illness.

NIGERIAN TRACKER reports that Abubakar Alhaji is a Nigerian administrator who is a former Minister of Planning and Finance. He currently holds the title of Sardauna of Sokoto. Alhaji was a long serving Permanent Secretary who worked with various Nigerian administrations

Alhaji was born to the family of Muhammed Sani also known as Alhaji Alhaji because he was born on the day of Sallah and went on a made pilgrimage to Mecca, he was also called Dogon Daji, Sarkin Shanu.

Alhaji attended a secondary school in Kano before transferring to Katsina Government College. He later attended Bournemouth College of Commerce and University of Reading, Berkshire earning a degree in political economy.

Alhaji took courses at the Hague Institute of Social Services and the IMF Institute, Washington.

He joined the Nigerian civil service in 1964 and was an Assistant Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Finance in the late 1960s. After attending a course in Hague, he was briefly posted to the Ministry of Industries where he became a Principal Assistant Secretary. In 1971, he was posted back to the Ministry of Finance. In 1975, he became a Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Trade and was in the ministry till 1978. In 1979, he was posted to the Finance Ministry as the Permanent Secretary. In his role at the Finance Ministry, he was involved in managing Nigeria’s relationship with its external creditors and was on the Nigerian negotiating team for Lome II agreement.

Alhaji was later posted to the Ministry of Planning before Babangida upgraded his position as Minister of State, Budget and Planning in 1988. Between 1990 and 1991, he was the Minister of Finance. In the mid-1990s, he was the country’s High Commissioner to United Kingdom.

Alhaji was turbaned Sardauna in 1990, the previous title holder, Ahmadu Bello died in 1966. He is a senior brother to the late Aliyu Dasuki who was raised by Ibrahim Dasuki. He has a grandson, Ibraheem Dasuki Aminu-Alhaji.