Intelpoint

The global workforce stands at 3.7 billion people, but it’s far from evenly spread. China and India alone account for 21% of all workers worldwide, a reflection of Asia’s massive population and industrial backbone. The United States comes a distant third, proving that economic output doesn’t always match workforce size. Nigeria, with 113 million workers, ranks 5th globally and stands as Africa’s largest labour force, underscoring the continent’s young and growing population. Meanwhile, countries like Japan and Russia round out the list, their smaller workforces reflecting aging populations and slower demographic growth.

Kenya’s financial inclusion story continues to evolve positively, and data from 2024 shows that adults aged 26–45 years have the highest formal financial access, with inclusion rates surpassing 92%. This indicates that the country’s economically active population is deeply integrated into formal financial systems such as banks, mobile money, and insurance platforms. In contrast, younger adults (18–25 years) and older adults (above 55 years) show relatively lower levels of formal inclusion, underscoring the uneven spread of financial access across age groups. This suggest that Kenya’s digital financial revolution—driven by platforms like M-Pesa and increased mobile penetration—has largely benefitted those within their prime working years. These individuals often have regular incomes, business activities, or families to support, making them more likely to use savings accounts, mobile money, and credit facilities.

Despite Kenya’s significant progress in financial inclusion, 5.6 million adults—about 9.9% of the adult population—remained financially excluded as of December 2024. This means that nearly 1 in 10 Kenyan adults still lack access to formal or informal financial services, such as bank accounts, mobile money, or savings groups. Rural youths form a large portion of the excluded population, highlighting the urban–rural divide in financial access. Limited access to mobile phones, the absence of valid identification documents, and low financial literacy continue to restrict this group from participating in Kenya’s growing digital financial ecosystem. These challenges show that inclusion is not just about access, but also about empowerment and enabling tools that make participation possible.

The Federal Government of Nigeria allocated ₦2.1 billion in the 2025 budget for the procurement of arms and ammunition by the Ministry of Defence headquarters. This allocation is part of an effort to modernise Nigeria’s defence capabilities and strengthen national security. It reflects the government’s ongoing focus on equipping the armed forces to better respond to rising security threats across the country, including insurgency, banditry, and terrorism. The allocation also aligns with Nigeria’s strategy to balance fiscal responsibility with national security needs. While the country grapples with budgetary constraints and competing development priorities, ensuring sufficient funding for defence modernisation remains essential. Modern equipment and adequate ammunition are crucial for maintaining peace, supporting regional operations, and restoring public confidence in the nation’s security forces.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been allocated ₦2.5 billion in the 2025 Nigerian budget to purchase motor vehicles for its management staff. This allocation, which covers 20 Hilux vehicles, 20 buses, and management cars, is aimed at strengthening the agency’s mobility and response capabilities in the fight against corruption. It highlights how operational logistics remain a significant focus in Nigeria’s anti-graft framework.

Between April and June 2025, Nigeria spent around ₦1.7 trillion repaying domestic debts, underscoring its reliance on internal borrowing to fund fiscal operations. FGN Bonds remained the government’s primary financing tool, taking up nearly two-thirds of total debt servicing, followed by Treasury Bills, which cover short-term funding needs. Meanwhile, niche instruments like Sukuk, Promissory Notes, FGN Savings Bonds, and Green Bonds accounted for less than 6% combined, a reminder that while Nigeria has diversified its borrowing instruments, the debt burden still leans heavily on conventional bonds and bills. The pattern mirrors a government strategy balancing liquidity needs with long-term financing, but it also highlights persistent fiscal strain driven by high domestic interest obligations.

Between January and June 2025, Nigeria spent roughly $2.3 billion repaying external debts, a clear reflection of the country’s mounting fiscal pressure. The IMF and Eurobond holders together absorbed nearly two-thirds of total payments, highlighting the growing weight of non-concessional and market-based obligations. Meanwhile, payments to traditional development partners such as the World Bank’s IDA and the African Development Bank indicate Nigeria’s continued dependence on multilateral support for long-term financing. China, once a dominant creditor, received comparatively smaller repayments this period, hinting at either maturing loans or a strategic debt management shift. Overall, Nigeria’s debt service pattern in the first half of 2025 underscores a tightening fiscal space, where more resources are directed toward debt repayment than developmental expenditure.

Nigeria stands as one of the world’s most religiously diverse nations, a country where faith is not just a belief but a way of life. Out of its millions, 106.6 million Nigerians identify as Christians, representing about 46.5% of the population. Running almost parallel in number are the Muslims, about 105.3 million, making up 46% of Nigerians. Together, these two dominant faiths (Christianity and Islam), represent a remarkable balance rarely seen in one country. Yet, Nigeria’s spiritual story goes beyond the familiar, as 16.4 million people still follow ethnic or traditional religions, honouring ancestral spirits, deities, and sacred rituals that predate colonial times. Their beliefs thrive quietly in villages, festivals, and oral traditions, preserving a heritage that reminds Nigerians of where faith began. Other religions in Nigeria includes Agnostics (592,000), Baha'is (57,600), Hindus (45,000), Buddhists (12,600), Jews (1,200) and 65,000 Atheists. There are also 31,700 people identifying with other minor faiths and movements, reflecting Nigeria’s openness to diversity and spiritual experimentation. Despite its frequent religious tensions, the country’s balance of belief remains a living testimony of coexistence. In every prayer, chant, or drumbeat lies the heartbeat of a nation bound by faith, a land where almost everyone in one form or another is an adherent of something sacred.

Nigeria recorded its highest year-on-year increase in tax revenue in 2024, rising from ₦12.3 trillion to ₦21.7 trillion. The tax authority recorded a year-on-year drop six times within the last 13 years, four of which were consecutive from 2013 to 2016.

Kenya’s financial landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation in less than two decades. Formal financial access among adults has more than tripled, rising from 26.7% in 2006 to 84.9% in 2024. This shift underscores Kenya’s position as one of Africa’s leaders in financial inclusion, primarily driven by innovations in mobile banking and digital financial services. Over time, the country has witnessed a steady decline in the number of financially excluded adults, from 41.3% in 2006 to just 9.9% in 2024. This progress reflects deliberate policy efforts, technological adoption, and the success of platforms like M-Pesa, which have helped bridge the gap between traditional banking and informal systems. By making financial services more accessible and secure, Kenya has demonstrated how innovation can drive inclusion even in developing economies.