₦airaland Forum

Stears, a pan-African data company, released the results of a new, predictive electoral poll suggesting a Peter Obi victory by 9 percentage points in a high-turnout scenario and a tighter Tinubu victory in a low-turnout election.

To arrive at that conclusion, Stears conducted a statistically significant, nationally representative poll to survey voter preferences and intentions ahead of the 2023 elections.

Currently, the Stears poll is the largest public opinion electoral poll on the 2023 Elections with 6,220 Nigerians polled.

Read more about the poll here: https:///3ljaFta

Nigeria is on the verge of a food crisis as our agricultural productivity is at an all-time low. Both Atiku and Tinubu included plans to solve this unproductivity in their manifestos. But who has a higher chance of succeeding?

Before you drop an answer, lemme give quick context.

First, the root of our low agricultural productivity is that our inputs (labour, land, capital) are declining due to many issues like insecurity, storage, farmer’s poverty, etc.

The APC intends to improve productivity by leveraging increased private-sector participation to increase local production. The party’s manifesto also had an entire section detailing strategies to address the agriculture sector's issues, such as lifting farmers out of poverty by creating cooperatives and increasing our arable land use to 65%. However, the manifesto excluded solutions for the insecurity that cost us primary inputs like land, labour, capital, and investor appetite towards the sector.

In contrast, the PDP's manifesto had no theme for the agriculture sector. Unlike the APC, the PDP merged agriculture with its transportation and domestic financing plans.

The good part of the PDP’s plan for agriculture is its focus on improving access to finance for the agriculture sector, which is a crucial bottleneck for farmers.

So tell me, which of the two parties has a better potential to revamp the agriculture unproductivity in Nigeria?

Still not decided? You can read this article to have more understanding of the parties' plans for Nigeria's agriculture: https:///3FeHD4a

The World Bank estimates that 45% of Nigerians don’t have access to electricity from the grid. That’s 99 million people.

Tinubu of the APC & Atiku of the PDP have promised to solve this problem if elected.

As seen in the table, the APC’s manifesto acknowledges most of the bottlenecks in the power sector. It also highlights improvement strategies—from tariffs to metering, generation and transmission capacity, rural electrification, and solar adoption.

Overall, the APC seems to have a good grasp of the power issues and solutions, but their plan would have been more impressive if it showed how they intend to fund them, given that funding is at the core of the power sector’s issues.

Another issue is timing. There is no clear timing for the implementation of APC’s solutions. Also, there is no mention of the existing debt overhang in the power sector.

In contrast, PDP’s plans are vague. There was no mention of a “creative solution” they plan to adopt to address the debt overhang in the sector. Its strategy to extract firm loss reduction commitments from distribution companies is also unclear.

Who, in your opinion, has a better plan?

You can come up with a comprehensive answer by reading this article: https:///3Bjzuu9

Since 2015, Nigeria has been in the top 10 of the most terrorised countries in the world.

Atiku plans to solve this insecurity problem by recruiting 1 million police officers, while Tinubu wants to ‘recharge’ Lake Chad.

Who has a more promising plan?

To answer this, you might need to first examine both candidates' plans well.

On Tinubu's part, he aims to reallocate the existing police workforce away from VIP security and guard duties while handing over those functions to the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). On top of that, he plans to rehabilitate (AKA recharge) Lake Chad.

On the other hand, Atiku prefers to recruit up to 1 million additional police officers instead. However, it is unclear if this promise accounts for the cost of such recruitment regarding salaries, weapons, training and welfare as it relates to the country’s finances and the existing security budget.

So who, between Atiku and Tinubu, has a better plan for insecurity in Nigeria?

Still don't have a conclusive answer? Then try reading this article providing a comprehensive review of APC and PDP’s plans for insecurity in Nigeria: https:///3F5Yd6a

According to his manifesto, Bola Tinubu of the All Progressive Congress (APC) plans to achieve a 10% GDP growth rate for Nigeria over the next four years, if elected.

What is the possibility and implication of this growth plan?

First, Tinubu’s growth plan is audacious, given the current state of the economy. Since 2014, the Nigerian economy hasn’t achieved an annual growth above 4%. However, this ambition comes at a price.

To achieve APC’s growth target, Tinubu will have to spend based on growth plans for the country rather than the amount the country earns. And so, if his government’s revenue doesn’t meet its growth requirement, it will need to borrow until it reaches its desired growth goal.

The idea of increased borrowing is worrisome as Nigeria has a track record of bad fiscal management. And so, by committing to Tinubu’s plan, we could be sealing Nigeria’s fate as a country trapped in a cycle of escalating borrowing and debt.

But could Tinubu's plan really disrupt the Nigerian economy? Find out in this eye-opening article: https://www.stears.co/premium/article/2023-manifesto-explained-apc-and-pdps-plans-for-insecurity-in-nigeria/

Are you starting your independent career or business with clients from other country? Or a Nigerian who wants to start earning in dollars but unable to cash out?

Here is an in-depth guide containing credible payment options for freelancers and digital content creators in Nigeria.

The guide covers:

- A breakdown of statistics concerning the gig-talent-freelance economy in Nigeria
- Methods to circumvent PayPal’s restrictions on Nigerian users
- A list of credible options to receive international payments
- Popular marketplace platforms and payout methods available for Nigerian freelancers
- Action steps to take if none of the recommended options work for you

Check it [https://weekofsaturdays.com/receive-international-payments-freelancers-nigeria/]here[https://weekofsaturdays.com/receive-international-payments-freelancers-nigeria/]

If you want to earn without the regular 9-5 path, freelancing is one of the most advised routes.

Synonymous with Upwork and Fiverr (although there are over 54 other platforms to get jobs), freelancing is your unconventional path to financial freedom. However, getting started as a Nigerian freelancer is not easy.
Apart from your susceptibility to the discrimination at marketplaces, getting the right answers to your many questions might prove difficult.

You might even see several resources online, but the bulk of the advice might mostly work for international freelancers; they might not meet your peculiar needs.

Thankfully, you don't have to scratch your head about freelancing anymore.

A resource centre for freelancers and independent workers in Africa, Week of Saturdays, published a guide titled, 'Every Question About Freelancing Answered.'

As the name implies, the guide answered Frequently Asked Questions by Nigerian and Ghanaian freelancers.

Whether you're starting out as a writer, designer, content creator, course creator, digital marketer, communicator, or creative professional, you can get answers from this guide.

Access the guide in the link below:

https:///3jzAIWz

Originally posted on https://weekofsaturdays.com.

The word ‘networking’ can be scary. When you hear it, you may immediately think of corporate events with stand-up cocktails and business card exchanges. This is sometimes the case, but not always. Networking is far more than standing around, exchanging contact details and hoping for the best. If this is how you have been treating them, it’s time to stop.

When done right, networking events have huge advantages for you, freelance business owner. Networking leads you to meet potential clients and partners, discover new projects, and grow professionally and socially.

Unlike in the corporate world, networking events are different for freelancers and business owners as you have to find and connect with relevant industry people and potential clients all by yourself. There is no company to back you, and you have only yourself and your business to lean on. This may make you nervous, but fear no more! Here are our top networking tips for freelancer and business owners.

Arrive prepared

You must have heard the saying, “Failing to plan is planning to fail.” The rule applies to networking. Always prepare for events before you attend them.

Not all events allow you to know the list of people attending. However, you can use social media in such instances. For example, if you plan to attend a meetup for creatives, you can use Twitter to check out the meetup hashtag to find others who will be attending. Once you find a few, ‘stalk’ their social pages. Note recent accomplishments, likes, issues they talk about often, and even interesting people they follow. This would give you an idea of the type of person(s) you are going to meet and make your conversation with them flow better.

Make sure to ready yourself before attending any event. Prepare for unexpected questions, and give yourself permission to relax. Ensure your portfolio is up to date and mobile-responsive so you can easily show it on your phone, and have a short, authentic-sounding elevator pitch ready for all the prospective clients you meet.

The way you present yourself reflects what you can offer to your clients.

Learn the art of listening, but don’t overdo it

When you are new to attending events, it may be tempting to talk about yourself and your business at every opportunity. However, you should approach events with the mentality that you are there to get to know people too. Remember that the best way to expand your network is by listening to people, and then offering value to them. But you would never get to know what value you can offer them if you don’t listen.

Encourage people to talk to you about themselves. It helps. Ask leading questions to advance the conversations. Ask about their business, history, specialisations and challenges. These questions provide concrete answers to inform the value you offer to them. In conversations, ask who, where, what, why, when, and how questions.

Listening is great but you must not overdo it. Nobody likes someone who says nothing and only nods while looking around for another person to ‘listen to’. That signals boredom and disinterest. If a conversation is getting boring, do not feel stuck and stay. Leave instead. You can say, “It was nice meeting and talking with you tonight. Here is my card, let’s stay in touch.”

Stay positive

You don’t want to be known as the complainer on your first meeting with a prospective client or partner. Don’t complain about the terrible situation in your country in the first meeting. Don’t gossip about others. Focus on good things. You can talk about past, present or even future good events. Examples include talking about a recent milestones or asking about the other person.

Polish your freelance elevator pitch

Your freelance elevator pitch is a 10-30 second explanation of your business and the services you offer. It serves as a great medium for you to convey to someone what you do and how you help without using too many words.

Don’t have just one version of your pitch. Vary it in little ways and get comfortable saying it. You should have a concise one and a detailed one for special, unexpected occasions. Your elevator speech should convey value!

Remember people’s names


There is nothing more embarrassing than forgetting someone’s name at a networking event. To avoid such embarrassment, try associating the stranger’s face with someone that you know. If you are not good at committing names to memory, you can also imagine the person’s name written on his/her forehead. You can also take selfies with people you meet and save the pictures with their names. Find ways to enhance your memory.

And when you get home, add to your list of people you met recently. Frequently review this list to connect dots in your network.

Follow up immediately

If you are like me, following up with new contacts might seem tiring. Remembering what you discussed with the person can be another headache. However, you can jot down on the back of their business cards or a notebook, key points from your conversations. These key points will help you create a personal bond whenever you reach out to them.

If you need to provide someone with more information about your business or render gratitude, do so immediately. Be enthusiastic and brief. These follow-ups need not be formal, you can apply creativity and work with each unique scenario.



While it is good to network effectively, never forget that the goal should be to expand your connections, not win clients on the spot. You may even make friends and make acquaintances that send in referrals.

Whether you are an experienced freelancer or a newbie, these tips above will help you network better.

To enjoy the most benefits from these tips, don’t try ALL at once. Pick one and practise that adequately. Learn on the field.

How well do you network? Have any other tips that help freelancers and business owners at networking events? Share in the comments.