Nairabrains, Author at NairaBrains

10 Oldest Living Presidents, State Leaders and Head of States in the World (2021)

July 24, 2021 No Comments

There are certainly quite a lot of aged presidents and heads of state in several countries of the world. We have compiled a list of the oldest living presidents, heads of state or state leaders across the world.

This is a list of people currently serving as heads of state and/or government, president or ruler of an independent state or country. These are also current state leaders whose age are confirmed beyond reasonable doubt.

This list is restricted to people who are confirmed to be alive (at least within the last 3 years) and still in office. We hope to update this list at least on an annual basis with new information at our disposal.

Here we go!

Queen Elizabeth II – 95

Queen Elizabeth II has been the Queen of the United Kingdom and head of government since February 6, 1962 till date. Born in 1926 the Queen is currently aged 95 and was married to Prince Phillip (Duke of Edinburgh) who died in 2021.

Paul Biya – 88

Paul Biya is a dictator and President of Cameroon, a position he has occupied since November 1982! He has been in power for over 36 years. He is the longest serving non-royal (monarchial) leader in the world. Having run a one party system for decades, Biya reluctantly allowed multi party politics in the 1990s. However since then Biya has won every single election and most recently in 2018 won the Presidential election for another 7 years in office.

Michel Naim Aoun – 86

Michel serves as President of Lebanon since 31 October 2016. He was a former military officer who got appointed Prime Minister of a military government on 22 September 1988. After refusing to the newly elected Presidents Rene Moawad and Elias Hrawi he survived an assassination attempt on 12 October 1990.

He later fled into asylum in France, from Syrian forces, where he lived in exile for 15 years. In exile he founded the Free Patriotic Movement and later returned to Lebanon in 2005 after the withdrawal of Syrian troops.

He was elected to Parliament same year, with his party winning 21 seats thus forming the largest christian bloc and second largest bloc in parliament. In 2006 he signed a memorandum of understanding with Hezbollah kickstarting a major alliance that has remained since.

After getting endorsements from Lebanese forces, Progressive socialist party and Hezbollah he became the 13th president of Lebanon in 2016.

Mahmoud Abbas – 85

Abbas, born 15 November 1935, is the President of the state of Palestine and the Palestinian National Authority. He assumed office on 15 January 2005.

Abbas served as the first Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority from March to September 2003. Before that he led the PLO Negotiation Affairs department.

Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud – 85

Salman has been King of Saudi Arabia since 23 January 2015. He is the 25th son of King Abdulaziz. Before becoming King he was governor of Riyadh for 48 years from 1963 to 2011 and then became appointed Minister of Defence. He was named Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia in 2012 and became King in 2015 upon the death of his half brother King Abdullah.

One of his notable achievements is the 2017 decree allowing Saudi women to drive.

Pope Francis – 84

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on 17th December 1936, Pope Francis is the head of the catholic church and sovereign leader of the Vatican city since 2013. He is the first to become Pope from the Americas.

He sits atop the Holy See – the universal government of the catholic church – from the Vatican city which itself is a sovereign, independent city state.

Harald V – 84

King Harald V is the king of Norway, he ascended the throne on 17 January 1991. As king he is the head of state of Norway (Norway is a constitutional and hereditary monarchy with a parliamentary system).

The King does not, by convention, have direct participation in government. He ratifies laws and royal resolutions, receives and sends envoys from and to foreign countries and hosts state visits. The King is also Supreme Commander of the Norwegian armed forces.

Cornelius A. Smith – 84

Cornelius is the Governor-General of the Bahamas. The Governor-General is a representative of the Bahamian monarchy (currently Queen Elizabeth II) and serves at the Queen’s pleasure (usually 5 years). Governor-Generals appoint the Prime Minister, as well as other government ministers after consultation with the Prime Minister.

Before becoming Governor-General, Cornelius was Ambassador to the United States, as well as Ambassador/Permanent Representative to the Organisation of American States.

Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah – 84

Al-Sabah is the Emir of Kuwait and Commander of the Kuwait military forces. The Emir is the country’s head of state, head of government and the country’s most powerful office. He became Emir on 30 September 2020 after his half brother Sabah Al Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah died.

Previously he was, at various times, Governor of Hawalli, Minister of Defence, Minister of Interior, Acting Minister of Labour, Deputy Chief of the Kuwait National Guard, Deputy Prime Minister.

Alpha Conde – 83

Alpha Conde is the current President of Guinea, a position he has held since December 2010. He became the first freely elected President of his country. In 2020 he won a presidential election for a controversial 3rd term in office amidst allegations of fraud.

This was after changing the constitution’s 2 term limit controversially to enable him extend his stay in power and run for another term.

** All ages are as of the time of publishing this article.

In Technology

These 9 Countries Have the Fastest Internet Speed in Africa 2021 (Fixed Broadband)

July 24, 2021 No Comments

Wondering about the countries with the fastest internet speed in Africa? These are the countries who have the fastest fixed broadband internet speed in Africa as at June 2021.

This ranking is according to the Speedtest Global Index which ranks mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds from around the world on a monthly basis.

Ghana, South Africa and Egypt lead the pack of African countries with the fastest internet speed. Ghana’s inclusion in the list will surely come as a surprise to lots of non-Ghanaians as South Africa and Egypt are expected to be somewhere at the top of a list of this nature.

Internet speed is becoming a very important factor in the overall technology development sector of any country. Most times the internet speed available in a country points to development strides going on in its tech sector and by extension its economy.

Here’s the ranking for internet (fixed broadband) speed in Africa by Mbps.

Ghana – 53.2
South Africa – 47.3
Egypt – 42.4
Madagascar – 38.6
Ivory Coast – 37.3
Seychelles – 37
Senegal – 35.2
Morocco – 28.3
Mauritius – 25.6

In Money

Watch Out for These Appliances That Suck Your Electricity the Most

July 19, 2021 No Comments

If you are like most people you definitely wonder why your electricity bill is always outrageous. The answer is – there are probably appliances that suck your electricity most and cause the increasing bills you get.

Reducing your electricity bill starts with finding out which of the appliances are responsible for the hike in the first place. To do this you first have to realise how much energy a device or appliance consumes. You simply have to look for the wattage – how much watts or kilowatts (Kw) per hour a device uses in a month or year and then find ways to cut down on them.

You have to find the average number used for utility consumption rate by the energy commission or regulator in your country.

When you are finally able to breakdown how much Kilowatts per hour (kWh) each major appliance you use has, you can then check the utility bill from your energy provider and compare to the consumption numbers of each appliance. That way you see clearly which appliances are draining more electricity than others.

What to Do to Reduce Your Bill?

The major way is to reduce your electricity consumption or more practically reduce use of appliances that consume more electricity than others.

Generally these devices listed below are energy suckers and take up more electricity than other appliances. You will do well to regulate, reduce their use.

Hot water circulation pump

Set top box

Television

Air conditioners

Refrigerators

Water heater

Washing machines/cloth dryers

Water pump

Hair dryer

Dishwasher

Coffee maker

Microwave

Credit: Some information for this article was obtained from Yahoo Finance

In Life

These Nigerian English and Pidgin Words Have Been Added to the Oxford Dictionary

July 19, 2021 No Comments

Like many English speaking societies Nigeria has, over time, crafted its own unique Nigerian English and Pidgin words – new phrases that has gradually sunk into daily use and communication.

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) seems to have acknowledged the importance and relevance of these Nigerian English words in everyday communication as it has added about 29 of them to the English dictionary.

In its release notes announcing new updates, the dictionary states that the majority of these new additions are either borrowings from Nigerian languages, or unique Nigerian coinages that have only begun to be used in English in the second half of the twentieth century, mostly in the 1970s and 1980s.

The dictionary talked about interesting Nigerian English word such as buka (bukateria), danfo, k-leg etc.

See below a list of the new Nigerian English words and senses added to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) in this update;

Recommended Read – Top grossing Nigerian Movies at the Theatres

In Money

Richest Kings in Africa: How Africa’s Wealthiest Monarchs Flaunt Their Wealth

July 6, 2021 No Comments

Who are the richest kings in Africa? Is the monarchy dead in Africa? You bet not. Even after years of colonial rule which basically shifted the role of kings and previously powerful traditional rulers across Africa, some of them have somehow managed to retain and grow their wealth (if not their power).

We take a look at some of the wealthiest/richest kings in Africa;

King Mohammed VI of Morrocco

King Mohammed VI of Morrocco was named as the richest king in Africa by Forbes Magazine in 2014 and 5th richest king in the world. Born on 21 August 1963 he belongs to the Alaouite dynasty and became king on 23 July 1999 upon the death of his father, King Hassan II.

According to Wikileaks documents there is apparently high level of corruption in Morocco where the King has interests in many spheres of business. Wikileaks published diplomatic cables which alleged high-level corruption involving the king himself in December 2010. In April 2016 the King’s personal secretary was named in the Panama papers.

Mohammed is Morocco’s leading businessman and banker. He is estimated to be worth over $3 billion. Mohammed is also a leading agricultural producer and land owner in Morocco, where agriculture is exempted from taxes. His holding company “Siger” has shares in the large agricultural group “Les domaines agricoles” (originally called “Les domaines royaux”, now commonly known as “Les domaines“), which was founded by Hassan II. Les domaines has annual revenue in hundreds of millions of dollars. His palace’s daily operating budget is reported by Forbes to be $960,000 as at 2014.

After the death of his father Hassan II, King Mohammed VI of Morocco inherited a 35% stake in Societe Nationale d’Investissement (SNI), a holding company that has stakes in several publicly traded companies, including the country’s largest bank, Attijariwafa; mining company Managem Group; sugar producer Cosumar; and dairy firm Centrale Danone.

King Frederick Obateru

Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan (born 1950) is a Nigerian monarch and traditional ruler of Ugbo kingdom Ondo state, Southwestern Nigeria. He is worth at least an estimated $200 million. He has a custom built 2012 Rolls Royce similar to that of Queen Elizabeth II.

Obateru was born into the royal family of Sir Frederick Adetolugbo at Ugbo, a riverine area in Ilaje as the 4th child in a family of 8.

He is the founder of founder of Obat Oil, one of Nigeria’s largest privately and locally owned oil companies. The company owns one of the largest tank farms in Africa, a modern storage facility able to hold 65 million litres of petroleum products.

King Mswatini III

Mswatini III of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) was born on 19 April, 1968. He was crowned King of Swaziland at age 18 making him the youngest ruling monarch in the world at the time. He rules the country as an absolute monarch together with his mother Ntfombi Tfwala, now Queen Mother.

Mswatini III has 15 wives and leads a lavish lifestyle. He owns several luxury cars including a $500,000 Maybach. In 2018 he was reported to have got himself a plane and an airport worth $190 million for his birthday.

He is reportedly worth over $200 million

King Osei Tutu II of Ghana

Osie Tutu II (born Nana Barima Kwaku Duah) is a monarch in Ghana, the Kumasehene of Kumasi. He studied Accountancy at the University of Professional Studies (formerly Institute of Professional Studies) in Accra. He later obtained a Diploma in Management and Administration at the now London Metropolitan University.

Between 1981 – 1985 he was a senior consultant at the Mutual of Omaha Insurance company in Toronto, Canada. He returned to London and later founded his own mortgage finance firm, Primoda Financial Services Limited, located on Kilburn High Road, North West London.

He became the Asantehene in 1999. The Asantehene is highly revered in the Asante territories (Ashanti Region and other parts of Ghana), and is often regarded as the first among equals of traditional rulers in Ghana.

Osei Tutu is the owner and chief executive officer of Transpomech Ghana; a mining company that provides large industrial companies in Ghana. He is believed to be worth more than $15 million. He also owns extensive real estate in Ghana and South Africa as well as a collection of valuable gold crown jewels.

Togbe Afede XIV of Asogli

Togbe Afede XIV is the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli state, President of Asogli Traditional Area, and former President of the National House of Chiefs in Ghana.

Togbe is the executive chairman of World Trade Centre Accra and was voted member of the Board of Directors of the World Trade Centre in 2015. SAS Finance Group Ltd, constituting Strategic African Securities Ltd, a stock brokerage and corporate finance advisory firm, and SAS Investment Management Ltd, an asset management firm. Other firms he owns or co-owns include Strategic Initiatives Ltd (SIL) a portfolio and private equity investment firm, Databank Financial Services and Africa World Airlines.

He is estimated to be worth at least $10 million

Obi Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe

Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe is the 21st Obi of Onitsha in Anambra State, Nigeria. Before he became the Obi of Onitsha is 2002 he had a long, accomplished career in the Royal Dutch Shell Group where he served as Director in several companies in the group.

He has been Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University. His several corporate board positions include Chairman of the board of Directors of Unilever Nigeria as well as Chairman of the board of Directors of International Breweries Nigeria (ABInBev).

He is estimated to be worth between $5 – $10 million. His fleet of cars includes a 2016 Rolls Royce costing around $200,000.

Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar of Sokoto

Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar is the 20th Sultan of Sokoto. The Sultan is regarded as the spiritual leader of the muslims in Nigeria.

Sultan Abubakar served in the Nigerian military and retired as a Brigadier General. He has several cars including a Rolls Royce 2017 model.

The Sultan of Sokoto’s networth is estimated at between $5 – $10 million.

Recommended Read: See some of the treasures stolen by the Europeans from Africa

In General

Major Artifacts and Treasures Stolen from Africa by Europeans

July 3, 2021 No Comments

Years after most African countries colonised by the Europeans have gained their independence there are increasing calls for Europe to return the various cultural artifacts and treasures they stole from the African continent.

As Europe colonised Africa they plundered the continent and carted away its rich cultural artifacts and heritage to their European museums.

Here are some of the best artifacts and cultural treasures that has been stolen from Africa by the Europeans during the course of colonisation.

Benin Bronzes

These are one of the most famous artefacts stolen by the British. The Benin bronzes are a collection of sculptures made of brass that adorned the royal palace of the Oba of Benin, Ovonramwen Nogbaisi.

The pieces were carved usually out of brass, ivory, ceramic and wood and were cast for the ancestral altars of past kings and queen mothers.

In 1897 during an expedition against Benin, bronze sculptures and plaques, innumerable royal objects were taken as a result of the mission and are scattered all over the world.

Man Eaters of Tsavo

At the end of the 19th century two lions from the Tsavo region in Kenya killed and ate railway workers who were building the railway line between Mombasa and Lake Victoria over nine months in 1898.

British engineer Lieutenant Colonel John Patterson, who was heading the project, later shot dead the two killer beasts.

The stuffed lions were purchased from Patterson by the Field Museum of Natural History in the US city of Chicago in 1925 and catalogued into the museum’s permanent collections. The Kenya National Museum now want the lions returned.

The Rosetta Stone

The Rosetta Stone is a broken part of a bigger slab with text carved on to it that has helped researchers learn how to read Egyptian hieroglyphs – a form of writing that used pictures as signs.

It has three columns of the same inscription in three languages: Greek, hieroglyphs and demotic Egyptian – and is the text of a decree written by priests in 196 BC, during the reign of pharaoh Ptolemy V.

It is unclear how the stone was discovered in July 1799, but there’s a general belief that it was found by soldiers fighting with the French military leader Napoleon Bonaparte as they were building an extension to a fort near the town of Rashid – also known as Rosetta – in the Nile Delta.

When Napoleon was defeated, the British took possession of the stone under the terms of the Treaty of Alexandria in 1801.

It was then transported to England, arriving in Portsmouth in February 1802. George III offered it to the British Museum a few months later.

The Maqdala Treasures

Maqdala Treasures

The Maqdala treasures include an 18th Century gold crown and a royal wedding dress, taken from Ethiopia (formerly Abyssinia) by the British army in 1868.

According to Historians, 15 elephants and 200 mules were needed to cart away all the loot from Maqdala, Emperor Tewodros II’s northern citadel capital.

The British raided Maqdala in protest at the detention of its consul when relations between the two powers deteriorated.

Maqdala Wedding Dress

The crown, admired for its silver and copper filigree designs and religious embossed images, and royal wedding dress are significant symbols of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

Scholars believe the crown was commissioned in the 1740s by Empress Mentewwab and her son King Iyyasu and given as a gift to a church in Gondar, together with a solid gold chalice.

The dress and jewellery belonged to Emperor Tewodros II’s widow, Queen Woyzaro Terunesh.

Bangwa Queen from Cameroon

The Bangwa Queen is a 32in (81cm) tall wooden carving from Cameroon, representing the power and health of the Bangwa people.

It is one of the world’s most famous pieces of African art and has huge sacred significance for Cameroonians.

Sculptures were made of titled royal wives or princesses and would be referred to as Bangwa Queens in the Bangwa land of present-day Lebialem district of Cameroon’s South-West region

The Bangwa Queen was believed to have either been given to or looted by the German colonial agent Gustav Conrau around 1899 before the territory was colonised.

It ended up in the Museum für Völkerkunde in Berlin and was then bought by an art collector in 1926.

The Dapper Foundation in Paris, France now owns the Bangwa Queen sculpture – and it was on display at the Musée Dapper until 2017 when the museum that focused on African art closed because of low attendance and high maintenance costs.

Traditional leaders of the Bangwa have been corresponding with the foundation, requesting its return to Cameroon.

Soapstone Birds of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe Soapstone Birds (Artifacts and Treasures Stolen from Africa)

A soapstone sculpture of a fish eagle is Zimbabwe’s main national emblem. Eight of the Zimbabwe Birds were looted from the ruins of an ancient city.

Only eight of the birds were ever recovered. They stood on the walls and monoliths of the ancient city built between the 12th and 15th Centuries by the ancestors of the Shona people.

Credits: The BBC

In General

How to Transition From Full Time Work to Freelancing

July 2, 2021 No Comments

Today you find that many more people are interested in how to transition from full time work to freelancing, especially with the after-effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. People may desire to move to freelancing for a variety of reasons.

Why Would You Want to Freelance?

Typically people want to become freelancers because of the following reasons;

Time: You want to own more of your time, determine when you work or not. With a regular full time job your choices are limited, you have to show up at specific times.
Income Flexibility: You find that with a full time job you have a fixed salary and it is not always in your power to earn more no matter how hard you work (except you work in areas with performance driven compensation such as sales or executive careers where you take home bonuses based on performance)
Love: People sometimes work at jobs they tolerate. The move to freelancing sometimes is to enable you do what you love most eg someone who leaves a good job to become a freelance writer.

Leaving your full time job for Freelancing comes with its challenges of course. You just have to be aware of them and plan accordingly. While there are lots of advice on balancing freelancing with a full time job there is barely significant information on how to switch from full time to only freelancing. This will involve understanding the following;

Income Stability: Have you thought of how your income will be affected by the move? With a full time job at least you have income stability, you know you earn a particular sum every month. Moving to freelance you should know the first few months may come with significant change in how stable your income is. Planning for those months until you get into your stride is important.
Adaptability: It will take you sometime to adapt to the different rigours of the freelancing life. For one you are only changing bosses and your new boss (clients) will make different demands than you are used to. Freelancing is by no means easier as the quality of your work will have bigger impact on your earning potential

When’s the Right Time to Move or Leave Your Full Time Employment?

There are lots of advice on this. However it boils down to two simple things.

The Money and Your Feeling

And both have to work in harmony. If you jump ship just because you feel you have to, without making plans to have enough finances to tide you over the first few months, things might be rough for you.

Plan ahead before quitting your job. Maybe test the waters, take on one or two freelance gigs while still holding down your job. Build your reputation and potential client base without sacrificing your job yet. That way, when you finally quit you should

have enough money saved up to take you through the start stages
have an idea of the freelance market already before going in fully

Taking jobs on the side will help you learn core freelance skills you need to succeed in your chosen area as well as discover your weaknesses and strengths.

Jump Only When You’ve Saved up Enough

We cannot emphasise this too much. Having several months worth of income stashed away in your short term investment or savings account will allow you start your freelance journey without falling into desperation. You will not need to underprice your services just to make ends meet. Building a successful freelance career or business takes time so you will need the cash to burn slowly as you work up the earning ladder.

Set Income Realistic Income Targets and Work Towards Them

When setting out as a freelancer set realistic monthly income targets. This should basically help you know how many gigs you need to complete on average to hit your earning target. Then work your way towards meeting the target. Of course when you have hit a target consistently you can raise it to a higher amount and push on.

In Life

4 Most Effective Exercises to Get Rid of Pot Belly

July 1, 2021 No Comments

What are the most effective exercises to get rid of pot belly? If you have a pot belly (as lots of men do) you are probably looking for a way to get the damn thing down.

First you have to realise there are no shortcuts to getting rid of pot belly. It will require work and some dedication but we are sure you will feel they were worth it when you attain that flat tummy.

Pot bellies can be caused by a variety of reasons. Some people have weak stomach muscles and can bloat easily even when they do not consume too much food. Sometimes it can be caused by lifestyle choices, drinking too much beer and very little or no exercise.

You should however note that reducing pot belly will not happen based only on exercises, you will have to also make lifestyle adjustments on what you eat and how much you eat to complement the exercises. Then you will see some very good results.

Weight Training

A study showed that healthy men who practiced 20 minutes of weight training daily had a lower increase in age-related abdominal fat in comparison with men who performed aerobic exercises for the same amount of time.

Start with lifting appropriate weights and increasing as your strength builds. Weight training is most effective when done 2–3 times a week per muscle group with 8–12 repetitions. It is always recommended to seek the guidance of an experienced trainer if you are a beginner.

2. Core Exercises

There are several core exercises that will help with reducing belly fat. Here are some basic, effective ones to start with.

Mountain Climbing

The mountain climber exercise helps with toning up your abdominal muscles, as well as burning extra calories. Here’s how to do it;

Face the floor in a push-up position with your palms flat on the floor, shoulder-length apart.
Hold yourself with your arms outstretched and back flat.
Bring one knee to your chest and then return it to its previous position. That’s one repetition.
Repeat the steps on the other leg.
Do 3 sets of 10–20 repetitions per leg.

Depending on your current level, you can perform this exercise 3–4 times a week.

Basic Crunches

Crunches are very easy to do, and you have plenty of variations to choose from. They are a great basic exercise for a beginner to build up the core muscles. Here are some directions on crunches you can do.

Lay down with your back flat on the floor.
Raise your legs off the floor and bend them to a 90° angle.
Place your hands by your ears, but do not clasp them together behind your head.
Bracing your abdominal muscles, lift your head and upper back from the floor and hold for 2–3 seconds.
Repeat for the reps desired, starting with 3 sets of 10–12 repetitions.

You can do this exercise 3-4 times a week

Bicycle Crunches

The Bicycle crunch targets the rectus abdominis and obliques and is a good variation of the traditional crunch.

Here’s how to do the Bicycle crunch

Similar to the basic crunch, you start in the crunch position but with the legs straight.
Lift your head and upper back.
Bring one knee up to the chest, and reach the opposite side elbow to the knee.
Lower the knee and elbow back to the starting position and repeat on the opposite sides. Focus on slow movement, rather than trying to complete it as fast as possible.
Repeat for 10–12 reps each side for 3 sets.

You can do this 3-4 times a week

3. Yoga Poses

There are yoga exercises that help with tightening the flesh and muscle in the stomach area. Asides helping eliminate excessive abdominal fat they also have other significant benefits: increased flexibility.

Chair Pose (Utkatasana)

The Chair pose helps strengthen not only your abdominal muscles but also your legs and arms. It is an isometric exercise, which means you hold the position for several seconds without moving.

Standing Forward Bend (Padahastasana)

The forward bend helps with stubborn belly fat. With the forward bend yoga pose there is complete compression of the abdominal area occurs, leading to fat burning in the tummy and waistline area.

What to do to Complement Your Exercise and Reduce Belly Fat Faster

Eat more of vegetables, fruits and lean proteins
Limit your consumption of processed foods
Sleep enough
Drink plenty of water throughout the day
Watch the portion of food you eat

Recommended: Check out more life improvement articles such as How to Overcome Shyness and Embrace Talking to People

In General

10 Most Outdated Things People Still Use Everyday

July 1, 2021 No Comments

The world moves at a pace where things we used some years ago suddenly become outdated. What are some of the most outdated things people still use everyday?

We looked at the answers to this question on an online forum and some of them are truly incredible. What some people still use everyday that you might consider outdated.

A Notebook: For people who are tech savvy they can’t remember the last night they used a jotter or notebook. However for many people they still make use of notebooks everyday, at school, at work etc.
A Calculator: With phones becoming so ubiquitous you would think calculators would have gone extinct. Well, not quite. Lots of people, accountants, business owners, etc still use a proper calculator (HP, Cacio etc) on their desk everyday. Old habits die hard, I guess

A Flip Phone: A user said they are like dinosaurs. Surprisingly in some parts of the world lots of people still use flip phones. This article shows how many people still use flip phones in Japan, in 2019!
Windows 7: You will be surprised how many people use a computer running on Windows 7 OS. One user hilariously said the fan will randomly go off when he has like 3 tabs on and shut down.
Typewriters: Yes, Typewriters are still used in lots of places in the developing world, India and Nigeria as an example.
Watches: Watches should be outdated already with phones everywhere that people use to tell the time. Still, millions of people still spend significant sums on watches and wear them everyday. We guess they are more like fashion items these days.
Print Newspapers: In many places around the world people still rely on print newspapers for their daily information and news. This may not be your reality if you are able to access the internet for all the news and information you need. However millions of people still buy and read the printed newspapers.
CDs: Lots of people still use compact disks especially to play music on their disk players or save stuff on their computers. In the current world of streaming, bluetooth file sharing etc you would think CDs would have been gone forever but no, they are still very much around.
Wooden Pencils: Lots of people in schools, artists, architects still use wooden pencils everyday despite the availability of new means like pens, plastic, mechanical pencils and even software for writing, drawing etc
Playstation 2: You will be surprised how many people still use their old playstation for games despite much more newer, modern versions available.

What other outdated things do you see people still use everyday? You can let us know in the comments.

In Business

Apply for the Google Black Founders Fund Grant to Boost Your Startup Business

July 1, 2021 No Comments

If you are a young African entrepreneur looking for funding the Google Black Founders Fund grant could be exactly what you need.

This is a Google for Startups program that gives access to funding to black-founded startups in Africa.

Google for Startups Black Founders Fund Africa supports early-stage Black-founded startups and startups that are benefitting the Black community on the continent.

The Program Overview

We want to bridge the existing fundraising gap for Black startup founders in Africa’s fast-growing technology landscape. This non-dilutive $3 million fund is allocated across a pipeline of 50 investable startups in Africa. The fund is open to all startups that meet the criteria, with priority given to Google for Startups Accelerator and Partner program alumni. This fund will be given along with mentorship support and Google platform credits to help the startups grow.

Who Should Apply?

The Black Founders Fund is intended for startups with self-identifying Black leaders or companies directly supporting the Black community. We encourage established startups based in Africa who are seeking seed-stage funding to apply. Applications are open now through July 7, 2021

Some FAQs

Which Countries are Eligible? – We’re currently accepting applicants from the following countries in Africa: Botswana, Cameroun, Cote D’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe
Who is Eligible? -Here’s our eligibility criteria:A startup that is:
- Headquartered in Africa or has a legal presence on the continent
- Building for Africa and a global market
- Creating jobs, has growth potential to raise more funding, and making an impact
With a founding team that is:
- Diverse, with at least one Black C-level founding member
- Directly supporting the Black community
Technical requirements:
- Technology startups with a live product in market or business where technology is core to their ability to scale (not for consultancies or not-for-profits)
- Compatibility with Google products—our products can accelerate their growth

You can find more details on How to Apply for the Google Black Founders Fund grant Here

Check out more of our business posts especially this one on How to Raise Small Startup Capital the unconventional way

In General

These are the Countries That Have Blocked or Banned Twitter

July 1, 2021 No Comments

Recently Nigeria was in the news for joining the list of countries that have blocked or banned Twitter for their citizens. Banning or blocking social media is not a new thing. Many regimes with distaste for human rights, free speech have either blocked the use of Twitter on their territory or banned the citizens from using or accessing the social media platform.

This is because Twitter is usually the most radical of the various social media platforms available. It’s very nature attracts outspoken citizens and criticism. It breaks new and makes information go viral. This can be a nightmare to governments who thrive on control of news and information.

So we have compiled an extensive list of countries that have either blocked or banned the use of Twitter. If you find yourself travelling to any of these countries you should be sure to get a VPN to tunnel your internet access as that will be the only way to access Twitter.

Nigeria

Advertisement

: Nigeria became the latest country to ban/block Twitter for its citizens. This came after the country’s President, Muhammadu Buhari had one incendiary tweet deleted after thousands of Nigerians reported the tweet. The government in a matter of days announced a blanket ban of Twitter in the country. It claimed to ban Twitter for ‘undermining the country’s corporate existence.’ While there are news in some quarters of talks between Twitter and the Nigerian government it is not clear yet how long the ban will be in place
China: China has a very strong grip on social media censorship as the country has not only blocked Twitter but several other social media platforms especially ones with western roots. Other social media platforms blocked in China include Facebook, Reddit, Instagram and many more. While Twitter remains banned in China a report from the New York Times show that there are still users in small but active communities using special software to access the platform. However these users face detention and threats if discovered.
Iran: Iran practices some degree of social media censorship. Reports indicate that Twitter, as well as Facebook, has been banned since 2009 though many Iranians find ways to still use them. In a report on Iranian censorship the Express UK reported that Twitter was banned for ordinary Iranians though top government officials still use it.
North Korea: In 2016 North Korean government started to block Twitter for ‘concerns with the spread of online information’. Anyone who tries to access it without official permission from the government including foreign visitors and residents, is subject to punishment. The government doesn’t allow citizens use the internet as we know it, rather it makes available a heavily restricted and walled off intranet.
Turkmenistan: Turkmenistan is one of the world’s most isolated regimes. The ex-soviet republic has blocked western services including Twitter, Facebook, Whatsapp along with some popular Russian networks – Odnoklassniki and VKontakte. The country is constantly at the bottom of global rights and press freedom rankings

There have been other countries who have periodically and sporadically blocked social media or even the internet in the past for various reasons. Egypt cut off access to Twitter during the Arab spring protests, Turkey banned Twitter for 2 weeks in 2014, Uganda suspended access to social media during an election earlier in 2021 and Pakistan has sporadically blocked access to social media for brief periods.

You may want to check out our post on Countries where cryptocurrency is blocked or banned

In Business

These are the Nigerian Movies That Made the Highest Sales at the Cinemas

June 8, 2021 No Comments

The past few years have seen Nigerian movies gain more exposure and prominence in the cinema. The following are top grossing Nigerian movies from cinema/screening revenue. The list covers movies that showed from 2000 till date.

Omo Ghetto: The Saga – Directed by Funke Akindele, Omo Ghetto overtook The Wedding Party from the first spot. Omo Ghetto grossed N636,129,120 from the theatres/cinemas.

The Wedding Party – The movie from EbonyLife Films grossed N453,000,000 from theatres.
The Wedding Party 2 – The sequel to the Wedding Party. Made 433,197,377
Chief Daddy – Another EbonyLife films movie. Grossed N387,540,749
Sugar Rush – Kayode Kasum’s Sugar Rush pulled in N287,053,270
King of Boys – produced by Kemi Adetiba, grossed N244,775,758
Merrymen, The Real Yoruba Demons – N235,628,358
Merrymen 2: Another Mission – 234,505,169
Your Excellency – N186,340,948
A Trip to Jamaica – N180,264,964

In Money

This is the List of Countries That Have Banned Bitcoin and Other Cryptocurrencies

June 8, 2021 No Comments

When the current cryptocurrency bear run started we wrote an article on Why Cryptocurrency prices was falling. Some of the reasons was because a major country banned the use and trade of cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin made its debut as the first cryptocurrency in 2009 ushering in the new era of peer to peer digital currencies. While many countries and governments are contemplating best practices to regulate and manage the legality or not otherwise of the rising cryptocurrency economy.

So you want to know about all the countries where crypto is currently banned

Dive in!

China

Recently China became the largest economy to ban Bitcoin. All cryptocurrencies exchanges are also banned. All banks and other financial institutions like payment processors are prohibited from transacting or dealing in bitcoin. The government also cracks down on miners.

Vietnam

The government of Vietnam and its state bank has stated that bitcoin is not a legal or recognised payment method though there is not regulation of bitcoin as an investment

Bolivia

The central bank of Bolivia has banned the use of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

Colombia

Colombia has outlawed the use of Cryptocurrencies for either payment or investment.

Ecuador

The National Assembly in Ecuador passed a majority vote banning bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

Nigeria

Nigeria’s Central Bank recently also joined the list of countries that have banned bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. It instructed the banks to withdraw support for any crypto related services/transactions and block any accounts used in transacting or facilitating cryptocurrency transactions.

Turkey

Turkey banned the use of cryptocurrency for payments. This came after months of increasingly tight restrictions on cryptocurrency exchange operations.

Algeria

Algeria in 2018 banned cryptocurrency use and trading. Those who break the ban are punishable under the country’s existing financial laws.

Nepal

Trading in or using cryptocurrency in Nepal could land you in jail. The Nepal Rastra bank has banned the use and trade of cryptocurrency in the country.

Qatar

In Qatar banks are banned from trading in cryptocurrencies. The Central Bank warned banks not “deal with bitcoin, or exchange it with another currency, or open an account to deal with it, or send or receive any money transfers for the purpose of buying or sell this currency.”

Bangladesh

Bangladesh government has banned cryptocurrency since 2017. It asked citizens “to refrain from performing, assisting, and advertising all kind of transactions through virtual currencies like Bitcoin to avoid financial and legal damage.”

As you read this the list of countries not allowing cryptocurrency may change as more countries deliberate on their approach to the crypto/digital currency revolution.

In Life

Nigeria Today: All the Major Kidnappings in 2021 and What You Need to Know

May 31, 2021 No Comments

Even a child knows 2021 has so far been a very testing year for the country, with violence escalating in different parts of the country while the Boko Haram war is still far from won. Kidnappings, highway attacks, unknown gunmen, herdsmen attacks etc are some of the widespread security issues currently facing the West African country.

We have chronicled all the major kidnappings that have happened in Nigeria in 2021. The security agencies appear to not have a concrete strategy to nip these in the bud.

1. Kagara Kidnapping: On 17th February 2021 about 27 school children, 3 staff members and 12 relatives were kidnapped by armed men from a secondary school in Kagara, Niger State. This was the next major kidnapping event following from the audacious kidnap of hundreds of school boys in Katsina in December 2020.

The Nigerian President ordered security agencies to carry out a rescue operation while the governor of the state Abubakar Sani-Bello confirmed that the state government was in negotiation with the bandits for the release of the boys.

A military plane sent to Minna to rescue the 42 abductees crashed, killing all 7 persons on board. On 27th February the Niger state government announced that all 42 abducted persons have been released. It was not clear whether and how much ransom was paid for their release.

2. Jangebe (Zamfara) Kidnapping

: 279 female students aged between 10 and 17 were kidnapped from the Government Girls Secondary School, a boarding school in Jangebe, Zamfara state on 26th February 2021. The incident took place 9 days after the Kagara kidnapping.

This kidnapping happened at about 1 am by over 100 armed gunmen. According to local residents they remained in the school for hours before leaving with the girls. The gunmen also reportedly attacked a military camp and security checkpoint nearby to prevent intervention during the raid. One policeman was killed and about 50 girls were able to hide/escape from the kidnappers

All the girls were released on March 2, 2021. It was unclear the negotiation methods deployed by the government to facilitate their release.

3. Afaka Kidnapping: Just weeks after the incident in Zamfara, another kidnapping raid was carried out in Kaduna state when gunmen attacked the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka and abducted 39 students (23 females, 16 males).

This was the third incident of mass kidnapping in Northern Nigeria in 2021.

The college was on the outskirts of Kaduna city near the Nigerian Defence Academy military barracks. According to sources a distress call by students and staff of the school brought members of the Nigerian Armed Forces’ first division who were based in the nearby military academy who engaged the kidnappers in a firefight.

At the end of the operation over 180 students and staff were rescued but around 30 persons were unaccounted for. The kidnappers were alleged to have taken those students to the nearby Rugu forest.

On 5th April the Kaduna state government announced that 5 of the 39 abducted persons have been released. On 8th April the government announced that another 5 captives have been released. On 5th May the state government announced that the remaining 29 students have been released by their abductors after spending 55 days in captivity.

4. Greenfield University Kidnapping: On 20th April at least 20 students and 2 staff of Greenfield University were kidnapped in Chikun LGA, Kaduna state. The armed bandits infiltrated the school in large numbers and killed one staff member.

They later demanded for N800 million ransom. On 23rd April the kidnappers killed 3 students in their captivity. The dead bodies were found in Kwanan Bature village, close to the University. On 26th April 2 more kidnapped students were killed.

On May 1 one of the abducted students was released after his parents allegedly paid an undisclosed ransom. On 29th May, after 4o days in captivity the remaining 14 students were freed. Their parents disclosed that they paid a ransom of N150 million (150 million naira) and 8 brand new motorcycles to the bandits.

5. Makurdi Kidnapping: On 24th April gunmen kidnapped two students from the Federal University of Agriculture in Makurdi, Benue state. This was the 5th kidnapping from an academic institution in 2021 and happened just 4 days after the Greenfield kidnapping. On 28th April 2021 the University released a statement confirming the return of the abducted students.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Check out our previous Nigeria Today Feature

In Money

3 Little Things to Do and Boom! You’re Saving 100% More Than You Used To

April 23, 2021 No Comments

These days personal finance is becoming more important and everyone needs to save more money. Without saving you will likely continue to get broke no matter how much you earn.

From savings you can make investments to grow your money when the opportunity arises.

So for some of us it is difficult to save. Especially when you are not earning enough.

So how do you ensure you save more money than you currently do?

Have a Budget and Stick to It: It’s not just enough to have a spending budget. The most important thing is to stick to it. Draw out a realistic (don’t be too stingy) budget outlining what you will spend each month for food/feeding, utilities (electricity, water, waste disposal, estate dues etc), friends/family (it’s important to have a budget on the maximum you will spend helping out family and friends), transportation, rent (yes, you have to set aside something for rent every month so it is easier to pay especially if you are in Nigeria where rent is mostly due annually) etc

Have a Maximum Spend for Miscellaneous Expenses: Your Miscellaneous budget covers all the impulse buys, spending you may do every month. It helps to have a budget so when you reach the limit you know you cannot buy anything or treat yourself to some impulse buying for the rest of that month.
Pay Yourself First: Whatever you decided in your budget to save (whether 10,15 or 20% of your salary/income) make sure you pay it first when you receive your income. Put it away in a fixed savings account (you can use any of the savings apps around) and forget about it. You will then be forced to allocate the remaining amount to the different aspects of your budget (food, transport etc)

This simple yet effective strategy will get you saving far more than you used to. Sometimes the simplest advice is the most effective. No need for elaborate planning. Just follow this advice and thank us later.

In People

Nigeria Today: All You Need to Know About the Raging Isa Pantami Issue

April 23, 2021 No Comments

If you are a Nigerian or living in Nigeria you must have read or heard about the burning matter of Isa Pantami, a Minister of Communications and ICT in Nigeria.

In case you do not fully get all that has been happening with Isa Pantami here’s a summarised low down of what has been boiling for the past few days.

Isa Pantami was alleged to have made incendiary and extremist Islamic comments earlier in his career as an Islamic cleric. He was alledged to be listed in the US terror watchlist in a publication by a western source.
By virtue of this information several sources started to question why a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria would be on a Terrorism watchlist and still remain in government. Several online news publications published articles on this revelation

Isa Pantami replied on Twitter stating he was going to take those publishers to court for defamation. One particular publication retracted their article but the others like Gazette NG doubled down and dug in deeper
Some of these news publications published further details and instances corroborating their view that Isa Pantami is an Islamic extremist and apologist, including his history of inciting voilence against non-muslims at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), audio and video recordings showing his extremist views and comments supporting terrorism
Soon calls for Isa Pantami to resign gathered steam on social media. Meanwhile hordes of Isa Pantami’s supporters came with the notion that this was a political witch hunt and canvassed that Isa Pantami was going nowhere and would remain as Minister
A particular journalist, David Hundeyin, published an investigative article detailing Isa Pantami’s actions and comments supporting terrorism and inciting violence. Clips of the infamous IJN meeting 2010 was also released and shared online by activists pushing for the Minister’s resignation
Soon calls for the Federal government to act on the matter became louder. When asked if the Federal Government was going to do anything about the serious allegations against one of its Ministers, the Minister for Information Lai Mohammed informed journalists that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) did not discuss the matter in their last meeting
A motion raised by a member of the Federal House of Representatives, Hon Ndudi Elumelu to discuss the allegations against Pantami on the floor of the House was struck down by the House Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, on technicality grounds
Many Nigerians expressed dismay that the FG would remain silent on such weighty issue considering the various security and terrorism challenges the country was facing.
On 22nd April online news sites published information that the Federal Government has released a statement backing the embattled Minister. So far the issues has not been addressed and it remains to be seen whether the agitation for Pantami’s resignation loses steam and ends at this point.

Do you think we missed anything regarding this issue? Let us know in the comments

In Technology

Top 20 Most Visited Nigerian Websites (April 2021)

April 23, 2021 No Comments

The top 20 most visited Nigerian website rankings is back. We research and publish top Nigerian websites every month.

If you want to know the most visited Nigerian websites this is the list to follow.

Our Criteria – A website must be fully or partially owned by a Nigerian or operating majorly in Nigeria to be featured.

The top Nigerian websites for April 2021

Bet9ja – Bet9ja remains the most visited betting website in the country. Estimated monthly traffic – 148 million
Betking – The second most visited sports betting website has currently average 34.8 million visits per month
Nairaland – Nigeria’s oldest and most popular online forum/community continues to feature in our list of most visited websites. With over 2.6 million users the forum records average 34.3 million visits monthly
Punch – Punch retains its place as one of the oldest and most widely read online newspapers. It averages 14.1 million visits monthly

Advertisement
Sportybet – The mostly online only sports betting site has continued to grow recently, cementing its place in the top 20 list. It sees around 13.9 million visits monthly
LindaIkeji’s Blog – The premier gossip and entertainment blog that shot owner Linda Ikeji to limelight continues to wax strong posting about 12.7 million visits monthly
Vanguard – The daily newspaper comes in as the second most visited online news site in Nigeria with 10.4 million visits monthly
Jumia – Jumia retains its place as the top ecommerce site in the country seeing an average 9.1 million visits monthly
Legit NG – The general information and news site operating formerly as Naij comes in strongly with 8.3 million visits monthly
Premium Times – Premium Times is another of the newspaper websites dominating this month’s list of top 20 Nigerian websites. PT has average 6.1 million visits monthly
The Net Naija – An information and entertainment hub that showcases news, movies updates etc posts a strong 6 million visits monthly
The Nation – The Nation newspapers comes in with 5.8 million visits to take a place as one of the most visited newspaper sites
Jiji – The most popular and used classifieds site in the country, Jiji sees about 5.8 million visits monthly
Betpawa – Betpawa is another sports betting website that made it to the list. Betpawa has around 4.5 million visits monthly
Daily Post – Daily Post, a newspaper site records 4.4 million visits monthly
Google NG – The Nigeria version of the popular search engine sees quite some use. Google NG records 4.1 million visits monthly
Nairametrics – A business and finance information site, Nairametrics appears to be the first fully finance and business focused publication in the top 20 list. Nairametrics sees around 2.9 million visits monthly
Naijaloaded – Naijaloaded is a music and entertainment blog visited over 2.5 million times monthly
Nairabet – Sports betting is very popular in Nigeria and this shows in the number of sports betting sites in this list. Nairabet, arguably the oldest sports betting website comes in at 2.2 million visits monthly
Tooxclusive – The second most used music and entertainment website comes in with 1.8 million visits monthly

Honourable Mention

Yabaleftonline – The information, gist and entertainment blog sees around 1.5 million visits monthly

What this List Shows Us

Sportsbetting remains popular, as all major leagues are part and playing, Nigerians are back betting
Nigerians love gist and gossip a lot as can be seen by the way news, entertainment and gossip sites (even the Nairaland forum is powered by a lot of those) dominate the list
Free music downloads are still a think even with the proliferation of several streaming sites such as Audiomack, Deezer, etc
Significant level of commerce still goes on online as can be seen by the presence of Jumia and Jiji

In Mobile/Gadgets

Top, Most Used Android Apps in Nigeria ( Quarter 1, 2021)

April 2, 2021 No Comments

This is a list of top 20 most used android apps in Nigeria for the first quarter (January to March) 2021. We hope to make this a quarterly list to show the android apps Nigerians use or download the most within every 3 month period.

Palm Pay – The fintech app that enables users pay bills, get airtime etc apparently benefits from the fact that it comes pre-installed in most Transsion owned phones (Transsion owns Tecno, Infinix phone models).
Opay – Opay came into Nigeria a few years ago with fanfare launching its all in one app that featured try-cycle, bike hailing, fintech etc. Now mostly used as a bill payment, funds transfer and related financial activities app Opay continues to maintain strong usage in the country especially with its mobile money, POS agent network.
Whatsapp – The world’s number one messaging and chat app continues to feature heavily in the lives of millions of Nigerians. It is a surprise it is not the top ranking android app in Google playstore.

Truecaller – The Caller ID app has seen more adoption by Nigerian android users in recent times.
Opera mini – The minimal data consumption browser app continues to be used by many Nigerians especially with the cost of data. This shows that lots of Nigerians are still very conscious about data consumption.
Facebook Lite – Facebook Lite is the smaller, data friendly version of the world’s largest social network. It is not surprising that Facebook Lite is well used in Nigeria given that the internet coverage is still not strong enough in many parts of the country.
Tiktok Lite – The video based social app that became wildly popular in 2020 also has the poor internet friendly version – Tiktok lite. Little surprise that lots of Nigerians also have it on their phones mostly due to weak and costly internet bundles.
Audiomack – Audiomack is a free music sharing and discovery app that has quietly become increasingly used in the country by Android phone users. It distributes quite a lot of songs from Nigerian artists.
Whatsapp Business – The business version of Whatsapp meant for business owners to engage better with customers has good adoption as many small, micro small enterprises use it as primary mode of engagement on social media.
Zoom – The video conferencing and meeting tool became highly popular as the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent shut downs took prominence in 2020. It continues to be heavily used for remote business meetings.
Snapchat – Snapchat is the multimedia messaging app that saw a fairly decent usage among younger Nigerians and appears to continue featuring in lots of android phones.
Smart Security – The phone cleaner, booster and defender app that comes with many Transsion owned phones
Memory Cleaner – This is a phone speed boosting and junk removal app that comes by default with many Transsion owned phones.
Instagram – The heavier version of the second largest social media app sees enough use to make it in the top 20.
Xender – The file sharing app appears to be popular enough among Nigerians
Telegram – Telegram apparently stakes a claim to being the second most used chat/messaging app in the country
Pi Network – A new kind of digital currency that allows you grow your holdings and digital assets in a wallet
Jumia – Nigeria’s top ecommerce site appears to see some usage of its app in Nigeria
Boomplay – Boomplay is a Transsion affiliated music discovery and sharing app that comes with many newer models of Transsion owned phones
Facebook – The heavier version of the world’s largest social network brings up the rear in this Top 20 most used Android apps ranking

This ranking is curated from Similarweb Mobile app ranking of all Google Play free apps.

In People

Is This the World’s Oldest Policeman? 91 Year Old Officer Says He Doesn’t Plan to Retire Yet

April 2, 2021 No Comments

Talk about passion, L. C. “Buckshot” Smith may just be the world’s oldest policeman at 91. Smith drives around in an unmarked police car, but everyone in Camden, Arkansas and earned his popularity by working more than four decades for the Ouachita County Sheriff’s Department, where he went by his childhood nickname “Buckshot.”

After 46 years as a deputy, he retired — for only five months. He said he didn’t have any fun during those five months. “I don’t hunt. I don’t fish.”

So he went back to what he knows and loves best – policing

Over the course of his career, Smith said he has “taken more people home than I’ve taken to them to jail.”

“He does not want to retire. In his words, to me, he’ll retire when the good Lord tells him to,” said chief Boyd Woody.

source: CBS News

In General

How a 54 Year Old Man Broke World Record, Holding His Breath Under Water for 24 Minutes

April 2, 2021 No Comments

A 54 year old man from Croatia, Budimir Buda Sobat, set a world record for the longest time breadth held underwater. He spent 24 minutes and 33 seconds underwater without coming up for air – that’s longest than anyone else has ever lasted.

This massive feat was achieved in a swimming pool, in the town of Sisak, under the supervision of doctors, reporters and supporters.

He spent a few minutes hyperventilating on pure oxygen, to increase body oxygenation before spending close to half an hour face down in the pool without coming up for air.

A few years ago, Budimir gave up on his passion, bodybuilding, and embraced static diving, soon becoming one of the world’s top 10 static divers. He managed to break the 24-minute barrier three years ago, but this weekend he broke his own Guinness Record (24:11), by spending an insane 24 minutes and 33 seconds underwater.

This is known as static apnea, a discipline that requires that the respiratory tract be immersed, with the body either in the water or at the surface. The current world record before Budimir’s attempt sits at 11 minutes and 54 seconds, held by Branko Petrovic, in Dubai in 2014. However, that is the unaided version of the challenge, whereas Šobat’s is a different variation where divers are allowed to breathe pure oxygen for up to 30 minutes prior to the attempt, to increase body oxygenation.

Although the pure oxygen clearly makes a huge difference, as evidenced by the time difference between the two records, 24 minutes and a half is still an insanely long time to spend underwater without coming up for air. It requires years of preparation and training the body to pump oxygenated blood at a very slow rate through the body, as we as to retain oxygen for long periods of time.

Budimir Buda Šobat has always been inspired to push the limits of what is considered physically possible by his 20-year-old daughter, Saša, who has been battling cerebral palsy, autism and epilepsy since childhood.

source: Odditycentral

In General

Nigeria’s Airforce Alpha Jet Goes Missing in Borno

April 1, 2021 No Comments

An Alpha-Jet belonging to the Nigerian Airforce is reported missing after losing contact with radar in Borno State during an interdiction mission in support of ground troops.

NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet who disclosed this in a statement Thursday, said the mission was part of the ongoing counterinsurgency operations in the North East.

According to him, the loss of radar contact occurred at about 5:08 pm on 31 March 2021.

“Details of the whereabout of the aircraft or likely cause of contact loss are still sketchy but will be relayed to the general public as soon as they become clear. Meanwhile, search and rescue efforts are ongoing.

More details later

In General

6 Practical Pieces of Money Advice from Billionaires

March 31, 2021 No Comments

It is common sense that if you want to be rich you should listen to rich guys. There is always a lot to learn from millionaires and billionaires who have made their own wealth.

We have put together some simple and relevant advice from a few billionaires on how to improve your finances, earn/make more, save more.

Buy in Bulk – Mark Cuban

“It’s so hard to make a return on regular investments that […] you’re better off buying two years’ worth of toothpaste when it’s on a 50% discount. There’s an immediate return on your money. That’s real savings that you get to put in your pocket.”

2. Find your passion, find something you believe in – Oprah Winfrey

“You become what you believe. You are where you are today in your life based on everything you have believed.”

3. Be a Cheap Bastard, Save! – Chris Sacca

Don’t spend your money! Instead, he advises you to pinch your pennies and have your priorities in order for the long haul. “Being a cheap bastard now means so much more freedom and choices later,”

4. Have a Lifeboat – Reid Hoffman

You have Plan A, which is a your current plan, the business you’re trying to launch or the job you’re working at. It’s your plan to move up in the world.

Then you have a Plan B, your backup plan; it’s what you’ll switch to if you get out of Plan A. Maybe your Plan B is a side project you’ve been working on, or other jobs you’re thinking of applying for. But your Plan B should be flexible. You should be open to pursuing multiple opportunities or having a variety of backup plans should your Plan A fall through.

5. Have an Emergency Fund Set Aside – John Paul Dejoria

“Before investing or starting a company, make sure you have enough money saved for at least six months to pay bills or anything else that might come up financially,”

6. Understand that Entrepreneurship is a High Risk Path – Dustin Moskovitz

Entrepreneurs often work long, grueling hours and there’s very little glamour to it, he said. According to Moskovitz, a surer path to wealth is joining a later-stage company and helping them grow it. You’ll have a better chance of getting a high salary and achieving financial stability.

In People

President Buhari Has Spent Close to 500 Days Outside Nigeria Since He Was Elected President in 2015: See List of all the Countries He Has Travelled to

March 31, 2021 No Comments

After a 2020 of little travel (mostly due to the corona virus pandemic) Nigeria’s President Buhari has once again left the country, to the United Kingdom for medical checkup according to officials from the Presidency.

We took a look at President Buhari’s travel history since he was elected President in 2015. He has spent close to 500 days outside Nigeria on one trip or the other. That’s over 1 year, 3 months of his entire almost 6 years in office.

Here are some of the notable foreign trips and countries President Buhari has visited.

2015

3rd July (Niamy, Niger) – Conference on Boko Haram
4th July (Ndjamena, Chad) – Official visit
7th-8th July (Germany) – G7 Invitation
12th – 13th July (South Africa) – 25th AU Summit

19th – 23rd July (Washington, USA) – Official visit
29th – 30th July (Yaounde, Cameroon) – Official visit
2nd – 3rd August (Cotonou, Benin) – Independence celebration
7th September (Accra, Ghana) – Official visit
14th – 16th September (Paris, France) – Official Visit
24th – 29th September (New York, USA) – 70th United Nations Assembly
26th – 30th October (New Delhi, India) – India Africa Summit
22nd – 24th November (Tehran, Iran) – Gas producing countries meeting
30th November (Paris, France) – Paris club meeting
4th – 5th December (Johannesburg, South Africa) – China – Africa Summit
10th December (Benin Republic) – President Kerekou’s funeral

2016

8th January (Benin) – 11th meeting of River Niger linked countries
17th – 20th January (Abu Dhabi, UAE) – high level meeting on weapons
26th January (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) – meeting of African leaders
27th – 29th January (Nairobi, Kenya) – official visit
2nd – 4th February (Strasbourg, France) – official visit
5th – 10th February (London, UK) – Holiday
18th February (Egypt) – Africa summit 2016
22nd – 27th February (Mecca, Saudi Arabia) – official visit
27th – 28th February (Doha, Qatar) – OPEC gathering
14th March (Equatorial Guinea) – official visit
30th March (Washington, USA) – high level meeting on Nuclear
11th – 14th April (Beijing, China) – official visit
13th – 15th May (London, UK) – meeting on global war on bribery and corruption
6th – 19th July (London, UK) – sick leave
8th Aug (Chad) – swearing in of President Idris Derby
27th – 28th August (Nairobi, Kenya) – Tokyo gathering on Africa
13th – 16th October (Germany) – official visit
14th – 18th November (Marrakech, Morroco) – UN meeting on climate change
5th – 7th December (Senegal) – global meeting on restoring peace in Africa
13th December (Gambia) – ECOWAS meeting

2017

7th January (Accra, Ghana) – Swearing in of President Nana Akufo
12th January (Gambia) – ECOWAS peace parley
13th – 14th January (Mali) – France Africa summit
19th January – 30th March (London, UK) – Holiday and sick leave
7th May – 13th August (London) – sick leave
17th – 21st September (New York) – 72nd UN General Assembly
21st – 25th September (London) – Holiday
18th – 22nd October (Turkey) – official visit and meeting of developing countries
24th October (Niamey, Niger) – ECOWAS meeting on single currency for West Africa
28th November (Abidjan, Ivory Coast) – 5th EU Africa summit
11th December (Paris, France) – meeting on climate change
18th December (Niamey, Niger) – 59th independence day celebrations

See more of President Buhari’s travels since elected President in 2015.

In People

Here’s a List of All the Times President Buhari Has Travelled Abroad for Medical Reasons

March 31, 2021 No Comments

The Presidency recently announced that President Muhammadu Buhari will be going to London on a medical trip, news that lots of Nigerians took with mixed feelings – considering how many times he has embarked on a foreign trip for medical reasons.

Here we have chronicled all the times he has jetted off abroad for one medical reason or the other since he first became President in 2015.

On June 6 2016

Buhari left Nigeria for his first medical vacation. He was away on a 10-day medical trip to London to treat an ear infection. He extended his trip by 3 days to rest, returning on June 19, 2016.

On January 19, 2017 President Buhari left Nigeria to the United Kingdom on medical leave, returning on March 10 after spending 51 days out of the country!

On May 8, 2017 Buhari travelled to the United Kingdom for medical attention and was there till till August 19, 2017. This time he spent a whooping 104 days, a record which surpassed that of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua.

On September 21, 2017 he travelled from the US to the UK for medical purposes and returned to Abuja on September 25, 2017.

On May 8, 2018, four days after returning from the United States where he met President Donald Trump Buhari returned to the UK for medical reasons and returned on May 11, 2018.

On April 25, 2019 Buhari travelled to the UK for what his office called ‘a private trip’ which lasted for 10 days.

March 30, 2021 President Buhari jetted off to London for medical checkup after having barely travelled out of the country in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Officials did not state how long he was going to be on the trip.

In Money

Nigeria’s Central Bank Bans Banks from Facilitating Cryptocurrency Transactions! What This Means For You

February 5, 2021 No Comments

On Friday 5th February 2021 Nigerians faced the news of a directive from the Central Bank of Nigeria to banks in the country informed them that dealing in cryptocurrencies or facilitating payments for cryptocurrency exchanges are prohibited.

In the circular the apex bank further instructed the banks and other financial institutions to identify persons or entities transacting in or operating cryptocurrency exchanges within their systems and ensure those accounts are closed immediately.

See the circular below

Central Bank of Nigeria’s Circular to banks and financial institutions banning cryptocurrency transactions

Now What Does this Mean to the Fledging Community of Nigerians who have been Actively Trading and Investing in Cryptocurrencies?

Lots of permutations currently fly in the face of this sad development. One thing is sure, it is a decision that threatens to take the country back to the ‘stone age’.

According to information on Binance, Nigeria is the country with the highest volume of cryptocurrency trading in the whole of Africa and second in the world (behind only the United States of America). This invariably has attracted the interest of government who as usual, act as to suppress what they do not understand.

This decision affects not just individuals’ ability to fund their cryptocurrency wallets and withdraw their cryptocurrencies to their bank accounts, this decision by the Central Bank also affects a lot of startups in the cryptocurrency space. Some of those whose operations will be impacted or are already impacted by this include

cryptocurrency exchanges like Binance, Luno

fintech apps that have cryptocurrency trading/exchange as significant parts of their operation: eg Patricia, Buycoin Africa
payment processors/solution providers such as Flutterwave (they power significant cryptocurrency to bank transactions for exchanges like Binance)
and a host of other financial technology companies including savings/investment apps that only recently added cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum to the investment products they offer the public

This is significantly causing a ripple in the financial world and lots of people are already exploring their options.

Short term, some of the effects of this decision by the Central Bank of Nigeria, may include;

increase in peer to peer transactions in cryptocurrencies
this will result in further shortage of foreign currency flow through the normal channels the Central Bank is accustomed to
This may also trigger an increased interest in crypto currency as more people act to put away their money from the reach of the government
already as a result several exchanges have stopped the ability to fund one’s wallet/account to purchase cryptocurrencies
We also believe, if not reversed, the decision may also impact on the growing prospects of the fintech space as it may greatly affect several companies whose operations are significantly affected

We will continue to monitor this space and look at options for anyone to continue to participate in the cryptocurrency revolution.

In Money

How to Know the Naira to Dollar Exchange Rate Today

September 6, 2020 1 Comment

There are basically two naira to dollar exchange rates today in Nigeria – the Central Bank/official exchange rate and the “black market” exchange rate.

For a lot of people who are unable to source dollars from the Central bank and banks they resort to the Bureau De Changes (BDCs). Naira to dollar exchange rate at the BDC and peer to peer markets are significantly higher than the official rate.

If you have the need to purchase or sell dollars you obviously will want to keep tab of the exchange rate for the day as they vary and move depending on perceived demand and supply. Besides keeping abreast of currency exchange rates can be one of the ways to save some money

by not overpaying when buying/selling dollar.

So here are different ways to keep track of the exchange rates;

Google: To get the official/CBN dollar exchange rate simply open Google on your device and type ‘dollar to naira’ to see the current exchange for today.
AbokiFx: Abokifx is a website that curates and tracks the different exchange rates, Naira to Pound rates, Naira to Euro rates. On Abokifx you can check to see the BDC rates, ATM rates as well as forex market news.
NGNRates: At NGNRates you can find current Naira to dollar, pounds, Euro, Canadian dollar rates etc. You can also use the Currency converter on the site to convert any amount to your desired currency

In Technology

UPDATED: All Bank USSD Codes for Money Transfer (2020)

September 5, 2020 1 Comment

This is an update version of our popular post on bank ussd codes for money transfer. Today, money transfer by USSD codes have become almost normal as every bank quickly joined the band wagon after GTBank had launched its successful USSD code for money transfer, airtime topup etc.

With the bank USSD codes anyone with a bank account can now do a lot of things without stepping into the banking hall eg transfer money, buy airtime, pay bills.

So we bring you the update USSD transfer codes for all major banks in Nigeria. Look for the USSD code for your bank and the steps on how to use them below;

GTBank USSD Money Transfer Code

To initiate transfers to a GTBank account, simply dial *737*1*Amount*NUBAN Account No# e.g. *737*1*1000*1234567890# from the mobile number registered with the Bank.

For transfers to beneficiaries in other Bank’s, customers should simply dial *737*2*Amount*NUBAN Account No# e.g. *737*2*1000*1234567890#. Customers will then require the last four digits of their GTBank Naira MasterCard or a 4 digit authorisation code they set up, to authenticate each transaction.

The *737* USSD code service is available to only people with Guaranty Trust Bank (Gtbank) accounts via the mobile phone number registered with their bank account. Daily transfer limit is N100,000.

Access Bank USSD Code for Transfers

To do transfers to an Access bank account, simply dial *901*Amount*Account Number# eg, *901*10000*1234567890# from the mobile number registered with the bank account. Then authenticate the transfer with your transfer security code which is the last 4 digits of your BVN number.

To do transfers to othe bank beneficiaries, customers should dial *901*2*AMOUNT*NUBAN Account Number#. This incurs an N80 charge.

Zenith Bank USSD Code for Transfers

The Zenith bank transfer code for customers sending money to any bank account in Nigeria is *966*Amount*Account Number# (e.g. *966*1000*1234567890#). This should be done from the registered mobile number linked to the account. Then follow the on screen prompts to complete.

Daily transfer limit is N100,000

First Bank USSD Code for Transfers

To transfer money from your First Bank account to any bank account simply dial *894*Amount*Account Number#, select beneficiary bank, confirm amount, beneficiary name, and enter your 4 digit pin, then select account to debit. Customers can transfer up to N100,000 daily

UBA USSD Transfer Code

To send money to a United Bank for Africa (UBA) account dial *919*3*account number*amount# eg *919*3*1234567890*1000#. Follow the prompt and enter your correct PIN.

To transfer to other bank accounts (non UBA accounts) dial *919*4*account number*amount# and follow the prompt to complete the transaction. The maximum daily transfer limit is N150,000.

FCMB USSD Transfer Code

To transfer funds from your FCMB account dial *329*Amount*Account number#

To transfer money to other banks from your FCMB account dial the following code *389*214#. Follow the instruction on your phone screen to complete your transaction or Dial *329*Amount*Account number#

Ecobank USSD Transfer Code

To transfer money via your Ecobank account follow the steps below;

Dial *326# with phone number that you used to open Ecobank account; Enter the account number of the recipient and select the bank, Confirm the full details of the recipient, Enter your 4 digit pin to authorize transaction.

Polaris Bank USSD Transfer Code

To make transfers from your Polaris account dial *833*Amount*Account Number# from your phone line registered with Polaris Bank and follow the on screen prompts. Or you can also dial *833*3#, select account to debit and follow the prompts.

Fidelity Bank Transfer Code

To make transfers from Fidelity bank account dial *770*Account number*Amount#. Select beneficiary bank name, enter your transfer pin to complete the transaction. or dial *770# to start and select transfers.

Sterling Bank Transfer Code

For Sterling bank to Sterling bank transactions dial *822*4*AMOUNT*ACCOUNT NUMBER#. You can transfer up to N100,000 per transaction and a maximum daily limit of N500,000.

For other bank transfers you can dial *822# and select transfer to other banks and follow the prompts.

Wema Bank Transfer Code

To transfer from Wema bank account dial *945*NUBAN Account Number*Amount#.

Or dial *945# and select transfers then follow the prompt.

Stanbic IBTC Transfer Code

To send money from Stanbic dial *909*11*Amount*Account Number# for transferring to other Stanbic IBTC account;

For transferring to other banks dial *909*22*Amount*Account Number#

Jaiz Bank Transfer Code

To make transfers from Jaiz bank you can dial *773# and follow the prompt to select which transfer you wish to make.

In General

Top 20 Nigerian Websites (September 2020)

September 5, 2020 1 Comment

The top 20 Nigerian website rankings is back with the September 2020 edition of the Top 20 Websites in Nigeria. We research and rank top 20 Nigerians websites.

So if you ever need to know which websites are visited mostly by Nigerians this is the list to follow.

Criteria – A website must be partially or fully Nigerian owned or operating majorly in Nigeria to feature.

We update each month so you see who has moved up or down.

Bet9ja: In a show of the vast popularity of betting in Nigeria Bet9ja leads in the Top 20 Websites in Nigeria list for the month of September. Est. Global Monthly visits – 78 million
Nairaland: The ever relevant, undying online forum comes up third in the most visited Nigerian website list. With over 2.5 million members the forum continues to dominate the online community/forum niche for local websites. Est. Monthly traffic – 27 million
Betking: Another betting site in the Top 50 Websites in Nigeria ranking. Est. Global Monthly visits – 25 million (over 95% of that comes from Nigeria)
Punch: Punch newspapers is the highest r anked media/news site on this month’s list. Punch records an estimated 16.9 million visits

Sportybet: Sportybet is a sports betting website which almost half its visits and operations from Nigeria. Est. monthly traffic – 13.5 million visits
Vanguard: Vanguard newspapers shows the appetite for news in Nigeria becoming the second news website in the top 20 Nigerian websites list. Est. monthly visits – 12.1 million
Jumia: Jumia leads the ecommerce space as the most visited website on the overall most visited Nigerian website list. Jumia has estimated 10.9 million monthly visits
Lindaikejisblog: The popular gossip and gist blog continues to power strong keeping a place in the top 20 Nigerian websites list with an estimated 8.5 million monthly visits.
The Nation: A national newspaper website, the Nation makes the top 20 Nigerian website list with an estimated monthly traffic of 8.25 million visits.
Legit NG: Formerly Naij, Legit has quickly grown to become one of the leading news sites in Nigeria. Est. monthly traffic – 7.5 million
PremiumTimes: PremiumTimes built its online reputation as a news site on breaking news and deep investigative stories. Est. monthly traffic – 6.8 million visits
Dailypost: Another news site on the top 20 list, Dailypost has an est. monthly 5.4 million visits
The NetNaija: The NetNaija is an online information/news portal offering everything from news to music downloads. Est. monthly visits – 4.9 million
NairaMetrics: A business/financial news and investing information website, NairaMetrics has carved a niche for itself in a difficult area and we are glad to welcome them to this list. Est. monthly traffic – 4.7 million visits
Yabaleftonline: Yabaleft, as the site is popularly called, is an entertainment, comedy and viral content website. Est. monthly traffic – 4.5 million visits
Google NG: Google.com.ng is the Nigerian extension of the popular search engine. Surprisingly, lots of people use that instead for their online searches. Est. monthly traffic – 4.3 million visits.
Jiji: Jiji is the second ecommerce website in the Top 20 list. As a classifieds website Jiji obviously leads in this category with estimated 4.2 million visits monthly (almost 80% of which comes from Nigeria)
Naijaloaded: Showing the continued interest of Nigerians in music/music downloads, Naijaloaded makes the list with an estimated monthly traffic of 4.2 million visits
Betpawa: Betpawa brings up the rear in the number of sports betting sites in the top 20 Nigerian websites list. Est. monthly traffic – 3.3 million visits
Nairabet: The first local sports betting site has seen better days and now does estimated 2.8 million monthly visits to bring up the rear on this month’s list of top 20 Nigerian websites.

Honourable Mention

Tooxclusive: A music discovery/download and entertainment website, Tooxclusive has est. monthly traffic of 2.7 million visits

What We Can Learn from the List of Top Nigerian Websites in September 2020

Sportsbetting is as popular as ever: After the break on sporting activities worldwide caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, Sportsbetting is back as one of the biggest online activities indulged in by Nigerians.
News and gists remain attractive: With the ongoing Big Brother Naija TV show and almost a constant availability of hot gist within the entertainment and political industry, Nigerians continue to spend a lot of time consuming news and entertainment information as can bee seen by the domination of news/entertainment sites in this month’s list
Music Downloads are still going strong. Maybe lots of Nigerians don’t pay for music? (as may be seen from the presence of several music download sites)
Significant ecommerce activity: The presence of Jumia and Jiji in the list shows that a good deal of ecommerce still goes on in Nigeria.

Sources researched in the compilation of this list include Similarweb and Alexa.

In Life

Applying for Canada Permanent Residency? 5 Things to Help You Succeed

October 31, 2019 No Comments

If you are going to go all the way through the process of applying for permanent residency through the Canada Express Entry program the least you can do is be prepared. Gather all the information you need to improve your chances.

We look at 5 important things you could do to help improve your chances of succeeding and getting invited to apply for Canadian permanent residency;

First, Take a Realistic Assessment of Your Potential Score

So let’s assume you have a first degree, have at least 2 years work experience, you do not have a sibling or parent living in Canada etc, the Canada Express Entry program is a point based system. Each of the key areas such as education, work experience, language ability, siblings in Canada, work experience in Canada, job offer from Canada and more have points. So for each box you tick you accumulate points. Checking for an estimate of your score (based on the current qualifications you have) is a good way to start your express entry application as it helps you identify how much gap you need to close. In the Complete Canada Permanent Residency Guide we show you via video how to take a quiz on the immigration site to find out your current score based on the parameters you have.

2. Understand How the Points System Works and the Cut Off Scores

So continuing from number 1 above you need to understand not just how points are allocated but how selection is made and what cut-off scores mean. So for every draw that is held (the draws for Federal Skilled Workers program is done every two weeks except once in a while where that is interrupted to hold the Federal Skilled Trade draws) there is a cut-off score.

The cut-off score is usually the score of the lowest applicants selected from the pool. So let’s assume 3,500 applicants are selected from a draw, they will usually selected the top 3,500 applicants with the highest score (from top to down). The score of the 3,500th person selected is the cut off score. So as someone intending to succeed with your application you should always check at least the last 3 draws to compare what the cut off scores are. This is what you use as a benchmark so once your CRS score matches or exceeds the usual cut off scores then you are sure to be selected in the next draw.

So let’s say you check the last three draws (as at the time of writing this article a draw was held this week and the cut-off score was over 470) and the cut off scores are 464, 461, 471. Get the average of the 3 scores which should be 465. This should be the minimum score you aim for.

3. Create Your Express Entry Profile (and then upload your profile as soon as possible)

Time counts in the Express Entry program. For every draw when there is a tie of 2 or more people having the same lowest score (cut off score) for selection the system picks the candidates based on who created their express entry profile first.

So you see why every day you spend in procrastination costs you.

Get your academic documents verified, Take your language tests and set up your profile as quickly as possible. If you need help Our Complete Canada Permanent Residency Guide will show you every step.

4. Ace Your Language Tests

For some candidates who do not have things that can give them points like having a sibling in Canada, having Canadian work experience, getting a job offer from Canada etc the language tests become important. Hitting the top band of your language tests (IELTS or CLB for English Language) can earn you up to 34 points which will significantly boost your CRS score. Same goes for the French Language tests. We advise you prepare hard for the language tests and try to get the highest band of scores. (Check out The Complete Canada Permanent Entry Guide for tips on preparing for IELTS)

5. Know What to Do If Your CRS Score is lower than previous cut-off scores

Like we said earlier you need to compare and benchmark your CRS score with the cut-off scores in recent draws because those cut-off scores are the minimum score you need to have to stand a chance of being selected. So if your CRS score is much less than the cut-off scores how do you improve your scores so you can get in the selection range?

Some of the things you can do include;

getting a job offer from a registered organisation in Canada. Depending on the NOC of the job (the Complete Guide shows you videos of how to get the NOC of a job in Canada) you could get additional between 50 and 200 points if you show a valid job offer from Canada. The higher the job the higher the point with management level jobs getting you points closer to 200. Getting a job offer from Canadian organisations is not easy but we show you ways you can do that. If you succeed it helps your total CRS considerably.
Improve your education: If you selected one degree as your current educational status you can get additional points by acquiring recognised diplomas or certificates to increase your education level to two or more degrees/diplomas. Diplomas are any post secondary education certificate recognised by the Canadian immigration authorities. We showed in the Complete Guide some diplomas and certifications you can prepare for and take the exams in 3 months to boost your education level to the next band and improve your score. If you have a Masters degree of course it becomes easier as you simply select the Masters degree level which gives you considerably more points than the one degree level and the two or more diplomas level. We explained this more in the Canada Guide here.
Taking additional language tests; If your score is low and you can do the extra work, take additional language tests and aim for a high score. If for instance you have very good score in English language test (eg IELTS) you can do the French language test (either TCF or TEF). If you score high enough that could give you an additional 34 points.

Ready to kick ass in your Canada Express Entry application? Get the Complete Canada Permanent Residency Guide

In Life

Why More People Will Leave for Canada in 2020 Than Ever Before

October 30, 2019 No Comments

This is not a doomsday post, we are just saying it as it is. The way things look and the fact that the Canada Express Entry program officially ends in 2021 expect 2020 to be the year of the Canada gold rush. You know how lots of people like to leave things till the end period.

So what does this mean for you or for anyone intending to migrate to Canada?

Simple.

More competition in the pool. It will become tougher to get invited to apply for permanent residency (In case you are wondering what the Canada Express Entry program means and how you can start the process yourself I suggest you get the Complete Canada Permanent Residency Guide here).

Things that point to a gold rush for Canada in 2020;

Worsening economic situation: For a lot of people the economy bits harder and it’s only natural they will try to escape to better climes. Every year already some of the best professionals leave (doctors, lawyers, engineers, IT specialists etc). The outlook from some quarters/experts on economic matters indicate it isn’t getting better soon, so…
Career/Employment Prospects: Many young people are increasingly getting frustrated at the lack of employment opportunities. It’s normal news now that millions of graduates are not in employment while a lot more are under employed. This naturally points to a greater exodus to Canada in the next year.
Standard of Living: Even people who earn decent salaries and appear to live comfortable middle class lives are jumping ship to Canada and other places like the UK. Why? For this set of people it is more about the quality of life and standard of living in the country. Everyone looks for better of course.

If you are considering joining the Canada train it is important to be fully equipped with all you need to know to stand a chance of succeeding. We have compiled a Guide (with 8 videos) to show you or anyone who wants to start their Canada Express Entry application, how to go through all the stages and succeed. The Complete Canada Permanent Residency Guide covers all you need to do, mistakes to avoid, breakdown of costs so you can plan better and more importantly how to ensure you get a high enough CRS score to stand a good chance of being selected in the draws.

It is ideal for you whether you are a novice (who barely knows much about the Canada Express Entry program) or you are already aware of how it works but still need quality insights and information. Learn how to get permanent residency in Canada here.