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Global energy transition gains ground, but security, capital challenge persist

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Global progress towards secure, equitable and sustainable energy is accelerating after years of sluggish gains, according to a World Economic Forum report released today. However, rising geopolitical tensions, investment gaps, and a growing disconnect between clean energy innovation and deployment where it is needed most threaten to undermine momentum. The Fostering Effective Energy Transition 2025 report, developed in collaboration with Accenture, benchmarks the performance of energy systems of 118 countries across three performance dimensions – security, sustainability and equity – and five readiness factors: political commitment, finance and investment, innovation, infrastructure, and education and human capital. In 2025, 65% of countries improved their Energy Transition Index scores, with 28% advancing across all three core dimensions. While advanced economies grapple with grid congestion, high prices and delivery bottlenecks, regions like Emerging Europe and Emerging Asia are making gains, driven by targeted reforms, improved infrastructure and growing clean energy investment.
“Energy systems are evolving at varying speeds,” said Roberto Bocca, Head of the Centre for Energy and Materials, World Economic Forum. “We are seeing more holistic approaches and visible progress. It is encouraging that 28% of countries, including major energy consumers and producers like Brazil, China, the US and Nigeria, have advanced across multiple dimensions. Staying on track demands urgent investment in fast-growing emerging economies.” The 2025 Energy Transition Index recorded a 1.1% year-on-year gain – the fastest since pre-COVID levels. Equity showed the strongest gains, aided by stable energy prices and subsidy cuts, while sustainability improved thanks to increased renewable energy adoption and improvements in energy efficiency. But energy security stagnated due to inflexible power systems, import reliance and limited diversification. Despite $2 trillion in clean energy investment in 2024, emissions hit a record 37.8 billion tons in the hottest year on record, as energy demand rose 2.2% driven by artificial intelligence (AI), data centres, cooling and electrification.
 “AI is the most transformative technology of our lifetimes and the single greatest lever of a more intelligent, adaptive and resilient energy future,” said Muqsit Ashraf, Group Chief Executive for Accenture Strategy. “Leading companies are harnessing technology, data and AI to accelerate their reinvention and placing people at the core of that change – ultimately becoming more resilient and delivering long-term profitable growth.” Sweden, Finland and Denmark topped the Energy Transition Index, reflecting their long-standing policy commitment, robust infrastructure and diversified low-carbon energy systems. Norway and Switzerland rounded out the top five, underscoring renewed momentum in their energy transition. Austria, Latvia and the Netherlands followed closely, with strong performances in equity, clean energy capital flows and renewable energy capacity buildout. Germany and Portugal completed the top 10. Among the top 20, China reached a record 12th place, fueled by its scale and leadership in innovation and clean energy investment. Brazil ranked 15th, leading Latin America with greater energy diversification, lower prices and rising clean energy use. The United Kingdom placed 16th, while the US rose to 17th overall and ranked 1st in energy security, supported by a diversified energy system and strong innovation.
India advanced on energy efficiency and investment capacity, while the United Arab Emirates recorded the strongest year-on-year gain in a decade, driven by rapid infrastructure upgrades, targeted subsidy reforms, rising clean energy use and lower energy. The report highlights three system-level priorities to keep the energy transition on track. These include redefining energy security beyond traditional supply concerns to include grid resilience and digital infrastructure; correcting capital imbalances, particularly in emerging economies; and addressing infrastructure bottlenecks, such as permitting delays, workforce gaps and grid capacity, which now constrain progress more than technology availability. To sustain momentum and build resilience, the report calls for adaptive policies to attract long-term capital and foster cooperation; modernize infrastructure; invest in workforce skills and innovation; scale deployment of clean tech, especially in hard-to-abate sectors; and enhancing capital investment in developing economies. Since 2021, over 80% of energy demand growth has come from emerging and developing economies, but more than 90% of clean energy investment has been seen in advanced economies and China, revealing a misalignment between capital flows and future demand.
 Emerging Europe recorded the strongest gains with notable progress in infrastructure (+8.3%) and equity (+5.8%). Latvia scored the highest, whereas Bosnia and Herzegovina grew the most. Emerging Asia, with leadership from China, followed by Malaysia, has seen regulatory improvements (2.6%) and rising clean energy investment (18.7%). Sub-Saharan Africa also made progress through stronger political commitment and financial flows. Notably, Nigeria made notable progress, rising from 109th place in 2016 to 61st in 2025. These trends underscore the growing impact of targeted reforms and localized transition strategies across diverse markets. The Energy Transition Index emphasizes the need for context-specific strategies, as energy systems evolve amid climate pressures, conflict and economic fragmentation. Sustained progress will also depend on resilience, adaptability, and stronger regional and global cooperation.

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Cardano rises as midnight launch triggers rally

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Cardano (ADAUSD) climbed amidst tight trading activities in the crypto market, up by 1.05% in the past 24 hours, showing resilience near key support.

The price ticked up on Sunday amidst negative movements in the global crypto market. The gain has reduced its negative movement in the week to 1%. Cardano is showing strength with a $70 million ADA treasury push and a bullish December setup, but it faces key resistance amidst competing traders.  

The token is trading at $0.4165 at the time of filing the report on Sunday, gaining more than 1% on the day as volume traded reached $359.252 million. The token is in a notable correction from its November highs. Recent trading activity reflects pronounced investor caution. Over a 30-day period, ADA has declined approximately 15%, mirroring the broader pressure on risk assets from macroeconomic uncertainties.

Sentiment trades mixed, as retail and mid-sized investors are accumulating at lows, but large holders remain sceptical. Cardano’s privacy-centric Midnight Network went live after years of development, introducing NIGHT – the first native asset on Cardano.

According to crypto analysts, Short-term speculation around NIGHT airdrops and interoperability boosted ADA demand. ADA rebounded from $0.371–$0.416 after testing an ascending trend line connecting 2023–2025 lows. Traders interpreted the bounce as a bullish divergence, but ADA remains below critical resistance of $0.5113 and its 200-day EMA of $0.68.

ADA’s minor rally reflects optimism around Midnight’s launch and oversold technicals, but scepticism about its ecosystem impact and whale selling caps upside. While the price surges, analysts stated that Cardano balances technical hope against macroeconomic headwinds, with Midnight’s adoption trajectory and $0.51 resistance serving as critical watch points.

While governance upgrades signal maturing decentralisation, crypto analysts are still querying whether ADA can leverage these developments to reverse its 2025 underperformance.

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NDLEA intercepts 7.6m tramadol pills, 76,273kg Colorado

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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has recovered over 7.6 million pills of tramadol and a total of 76,273.4 kilograms of different strains of cannabis.

The agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja. Mr Babafemi said that the drugs, including Colorado, Loud and Skunks, had several members of drug trafficking organisations linked to the seizures arrested.

He said that out of the total opioids seized during the raids, not less than 3,874,000 pills of tramadol, 225mg and 100mg, and others, as well as 252.2litres of codeine syrup were recovered. He said that they were recovered from a warehouse at Oko market, Asaba, Delta, on Saturday. He also said that no fewer than 1.2 million tablets of tramadol 225mg were seized from a suspect on December 3.

This, he said, was when NDLEA operatives on patrol at Orogwe, along the Onitsha-Owerri road, Imo, intercepted his vehicle conveying the consignment, which was loaded at Aba, Abia, and heading to Onitsha, Anambra. Meanwhile, in Adamawa, NDLEA officers on December 1 intercepted a Toyota Hiace bus marked MGU 554 XB along Maraba-Mubi, coming from Jos, Plateau state, and heading to Mubi, with a total of 1,577,112 capsules of tramadol.

“Other drugs intercepted were Exol-5 tablets, all concealed inside jumbo bags mixed with new rubber sandals and slippers. Two suspects were arrested in connection with the seizure. Similarly, another 27-year-old suspect was nabbed along Zaria-Kano road, Kano state, with 197,000 pills of exol-5,” he said.

The NDLEA chairman, Buba Marwa, commended the officers and men of the SOU commands in Delta, Adamawa, Imo, Ondo, Lagos, and Kano for the arrests and seizures. Mr Marwa said that their operational successes, along with those of their compatriots across the country, especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction, were well appreciated. NAN

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Lagos, Kaduna, Oyo, FCT, Ogun top 2025 subnational ease of doing business report  

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The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) has released the 2025 Subnational Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) Report, with Lagos emerging as the best-performing state, scoring  85.6 per cent.

The report released by the director-general of PEBEC, Zahrah Mustapha-Audu, has Kaduna in second position with  65.1 per cent. Oyo, FCT, and Ogun rounded up the top five with scores of 62.7 per cent, 61.0 per cent, and 59.9 per cent, respectively. Others include Enugu (56.2 per cent) in sixth position, with Plateau (56.2 per cent), Ekiti (55.8 per cent), Kano (54.8 per cent), and Nasarawa (53.4 per cent) rounding out the top 10 states.

The EoDB report is a comprehensive data-driven assessment of how Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT are shaping business competitiveness through regulation, infrastructure, and administrative efficiency.
The report assesses performance across 16 indicators and 36 sub-metrics covering electricity, infrastructure, digital connectivity, land administration, taxation, trade logistics, justice delivery, investor support and skilled labour readiness.

According to the DG, these states distinguished themselves through consistent reform momentum, improved digital processes, and more predictable regulatory environments. “The 2025 Report also highlights five priority interventions states can implement immediately. These include establishing investor aftercare systems, strengthening MSME credit enablement, harmonising interstate trade rules, upgrading commercial justice processes, and improving power reliability for industrial clusters,” she said.

According to her, PEBEC  will continue to support state-led reform adoption, particularly under the $750 million State Action on Business Enabling Reforms (SABER) programme. She added that “the 2025 Subnational EoDB Report provides a critical foundation for policy action, investment decisions, and long-term competitiveness across Nigeria.”
The DG said the  Subnational Ease of Doing Business Report is available for download at www.pebec.gov.ng/reports

PEBEC had earlier released its 2025 Business Facilitation Act (BFA) Performance Report, covering MDAs’ performance from January to October. This performance report is part of the council’s  effort to track and measure the compliance of federal government MDAs with the BFA’s requirements on promoting Transparency and Efficiency of government-delivered services to the  business community.

The report presents a data-driven assessment of 69 priority MDAs, drawing on monthly compliance submissions, independent mystery shopping, website audits, ReportGov analytics, and targeted process-verification exercises.

According to the report, the top five performing MDAs include the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), with an impressive 90.6 per cent score, followed by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at 89 per cent. The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), ranks third with 86.6percent, the  Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) secured the fourth and fifth positions, scoring 85.3 per cent and 84.2 per cent, respectively.

PEBEC, currently chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, was established in July 2016 by the federal government to oversee Nigeria’s business environment intervention. It has a dual mandate of removing bureaucratic and legislative constraints to doing business and improving the perception of the ease of doing business in Nigeria. NAN

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