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What’s Missing in Nigerian Universities’ Programmes

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Nigerian universities have long been heralded as institutions of higher learning, providing students with a foundation of knowledge and critical thinking skills. Yet, as we navigate the complex challenges facing our society, it’s essential to consider whether our academic programmes are equipping graduates with the skills and mindset necessary to address these issues effectively. While education is about more than just business creation, the ability to solve societal problems is a crucial outcome of higher education. In this piece our analyst explores what is lacking in Nigerian universities’ programmes when it comes to fostering the entrepreneurial and problem-solving spirit.

A Foundation of Knowledge

Nigerian universities have traditionally excelled in imparting a solid foundation of knowledge across a wide range of disciplines, from the sciences to the arts. This foundation is essential, providing students with the tools to understand the world around them. However, knowledge alone may not be sufficient in a rapidly changing and complex society. The ability to apply this knowledge to real-world challenges is equally crucial.

Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving

One of the primary goals of higher education is to cultivate critical thinking skills. These skills empower graduates to analyze situations, identify problems, and propose innovative solutions. In this regard, Nigerian universities do an admirable job. However, there seems to be a disconnect between problem-solving within the academic realm and addressing the pressing issues of society. Graduates are often well-equipped to solve theoretical problems within their fields but may lack the skills to tackle the real-world challenges that Nigeria faces.

The Missing Piece: Entrepreneurial and Business Creation Skills

Nigerian universities should consider the value of instilling entrepreneurial and business creation skills in their programs. The ability to take knowledge and turn it into practical solutions, whether in the form of startups, innovative projects, or policy initiatives, is a vital aspect of education. Graduates who possess these skills can become agents of change, addressing the societal problems we face with creativity and resourcefulness.

While entrepreneurship is not the sole answer to every challenge, it can be a powerful vehicle for change. It empowers individuals to take initiative, create jobs, and address societal issues in a sustainable manner. Nigerian universities must not overlook this aspect of education. Incorporating courses and resources that teach entrepreneurial skills, from business planning to financial management, can bridge the gap between academic knowledge and real-world impact.

Nigerian universities have long played a pivotal role in shaping the future of our nation by providing a strong educational foundation. However, the evolving needs of society demand a more holistic approach. Graduates should not only be knowledgeable and critical thinkers but also possess the skills and mindset to create solutions to societal problems, often in the form of businesses.

By incorporating entrepreneurial and business creation skills into their programmes, Nigerian universities can produce graduates who are not only well-educated but also empowered to tackle the challenges that lie ahead. The combination of knowledge, critical thinking, and entrepreneurship can truly transform our society and drive us towards a brighter, more innovative future. It’s time for our universities to take the lead in this endeavour and pave the way for a new generation of problem-solvers and entrepreneurs.

Most people who use blockchain technology are unaware of the following

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This is a continuous educational highlight from the fundamentals for Blockchain users, especially the newcomers who are already eager to study the origin and significant language and word. I’m writing this from a place of understanding for the Blockchain technology. Please understand the fundamentals of the Blockchain register to understand the nature of this technology. Let’s learn together, and the features below will tell you everything you need to know:

Learn with me: ATH and ATL
ATH: The All-Time High is the highest price ever reached by a cryptocurrency. The reaching of a new ATH by a cryptocurrency denotes a positive signal.
ATL: The All-Time Low is the lowest price ever reached by a cryptocurrency.

Correlated words
Drawdown

The phrase “drawdown” in finance refers to the change in price of a financial instrument or a portfolio of investments over a specific time frame. It is determined as the difference between the highest value (also known as the peak or maximum drawdown) and the lowest value (also known as the trough or minimum drawdown) during that time period.
Drawdowns are typically represented as percentages, however they can also be specified in terms of the unit of fiat money or cryptocurrency that is being taken into consideration.

The formula for calculating a percentage drawdown is as follows:

Drawdown% (DD) = ((Pmax — Pmin) / Pmax) * 100

In this case, Pmax corresponds to the maximum recorded in the period under consideration, while Pmin is the minimum in the same timeframe.

For example, if in a bear market, the peak value of crypto corresponded to €100 and the price fell to a minimum of €50, the drawdown would be 50%. The calculation of drawdown is used in trading to measure the volatility of an asset and the associated risk, in order to compare its performance with other types of investment.

Floor price
The expression ‘floor price’ is used in auctions, including auctions, and indicates the minimum price at which an asset can be bought. In other words, the floor price is the starting price in an auction, whereby lower bids are not accepted.

Bitcoin Dominance
‘Bitcoin dominance’ is a term used to refer to the percentage of total market capitalization that Bitcoin holds within the overall cryptocurrency market.

It is calculated by dividing the market capitalization of BTC by the total market capitalization of all cryptocurrencies. For example, if the market capitalization of Bitcoin is $500 billion and the total market capitalization of all cryptocurrencies is $1 trillion, Bitcoin dominance would be 50%.

This is a widely observed metric in the cryptocurrency industry, as it provides an indication of the relative strength of Bitcoin compared to other cryptocurrencies. High Bitcoin dominance indicates that BTC is the dominant player in the market and that other cryptocurrencies are struggling to gain ground. Conversely, low dominance indicates that other cryptocurrencies are gaining popularity and market share.

One of the main reasons for BTC’s high dominance is the advantage of being the first cryptocurrency created: this longevity has allowed it to build a strong network effect.

However, the cryptocurrency market is constantly evolving and dominance can change rapidly. As new cryptocurrencies emerge and gain popularity, they can begin to undermine Bitcoin’s dominance. For example, in 2017 Bitcoin dominance had reached 95%, but by the beginning of 2018, it had dropped to around 33% due to the popularity of other cryptocurrencies, such as Ethereum.

Pair
In the context of trading, the term ‘pair’ refers to two different currencies that are traded against each other on an exchange market.

An example of a pair is BTC/EUR, also spelled BTC-EUR or BTCEUR, which represents the financial relationship between Bitcoin and the Euro. The price of the pair, or exchange rate, tells traders how many units of the quoted currency (the second one, Euro) are needed to buy one unit of the base currency (the first one, Bitcoin). The base currency is bought or sold, while the quoted currency is used as a reference for the pair price.

Price action
Price action is a technical term for the price movements of an asset over time. These can be observed using simple linear or candlestick charts. Price action trading is based on the idea that focusing only on price, support, resistance level, and trendlines can reveal signals that would otherwise be difficult to detect with an approach based on indicators and fundamental analysis.

Relative Strength
The analysis of a relative strength chart allows the price performance of two separate cryptocurrencies to be compared.

It is a technical analysis tool that allows you to quantitatively compare the price trend of one crypto to the price trend of a second cryptocurrency (denominator) over a defined time interval.

The most commonly used denominator is Bitcoin: it is in fact the cryptocurrency with the highest market capitalisation and is considered as the reference index for the cryptocurrency market.

This means that if an upward (or bullish) trend is identified on a relative strength chart, the performance of the cryptocurrency being analyzed has outperformed the denominator price.

Conversely, if a downward (or bearish) movement is identified, the price of the crypto has underperformed the value of the reference index.

Breakout
A breakout occurs when the price of an asset exceeds a resistance and support level, thereby increasing trading volumes and volatility.

Breakouts may follow periods of low volatility, when there has been stationary price behavior, i.e. when the value of the security moves within the limits imposed by support and resistance.

In general, the longer the price ‘bounces’ between these levels, i.e. remains in the ranging phase, the stronger the impact of an eventual breakout could be.

Depending on the price trend following the breakout, we can be faced with two possibilities:

Continuation breakout: price respects the direction of the breakout, upwards for resistances and downwards for supports, without undergoing any reversal;
Reversal breakout: The price trend that caused the breakout is not maintained; instead, it reverses. The breakout in this situation may turn into a Bull Trap or a Bear Trap.
False breakouts (also known as fakeouts) occur when the price of an asset soon follows “breaking” support or resistance and then drops back to the previous level. Investors may be misled into buying or selling, which could result in losses, as a result of this brief breakout.

In fact, traders pay particular attention to breakouts, trying to predict the price movements that might follow.

Technical analysis methods can be used to predict “breakouts” in order to at least pinpoint the support or resistance areas involved; however, breakouts could only happen if they were accompanied by sufficient trade volumes, therefore this is not a sufficient criterion to predict them.

Relative Strength
The analysis of a relative strength chart allows the price performance of two separate cryptocurrencies to be compared.

It is a technical analysis tool that enables you to objectively analyze the price trends of two cryptocurrencies (denominators) over a predetermined period of time.

The most popular denominator is Bitcoin, which has the biggest market capitalization of any cryptocurrency and is regarded as the market’s benchmark index.

This means that if an upward (or bullish) trend is identified on a relative strength chart, the performance of the cryptocurrency being analyzed has outperformed the denominator price.

Conversely, if a downward (or bearish) movement is identified, the price of the crypto has underperformed the value of the reference index.

Bull Run
A bull run is a market phase characterized by a favorable (or bullish) tendency, that is, a time in which prices generally increase. Bull markets, a market condition that lasts for several months or even years, can develop from bull runs over the long term. Because a bull assaults by raising its horns from the bottom up, the term “bull” refers to a bullish trend in the financial markets. This represents growing prices on a chart metaphorically.
It is typically helpful to use the technical analysis tools at our disposal to determine whether we are in a bull run.
Higher trading volumes, or a growth in the number of purchases and sells, and, more importantly, supports and resistances at increasingly higher price levels, are typical characteristics of market bullish periods.

Additionally, bull runs are typically accompanied by an upbeat and hopeful mood, which encourages investors to invest and make purchases. Enthusiasm also fuels the formation of a large number of blockchain-based initiatives and projects in the cryptocurrency sector.
Some mathematical models, including stock-to-flow, link Bitcoin bull runs to mining reward halving. But this event, which is due to happen every four years, is merely a connected event and not the origin of bull runs.

Rally
When referring to a quick and sharp increase in the value of a market index or financial instrument, the term “rally” is used in the context of financial markets. A big boost in asset demand is typically what sparks a rally.
Market movers, such as the introduction of a new product, economic data points (like inflation), or the overthrow of a government, can also have an impact on investor interest. A rally may extend for several months due to investor interest.

Following the brief price increase, the trend may reverse or there may be a period of stability. In the latter scenario, the financial rise may quickly develop into a bull trap or a phony bullish movement that doesn’t alter the market trend overall.

The durability of a financial rally, therefore, depends strictly on the motives behind it.

Technical and fundamental analytical tools, such as price charts and consideration of micro- or macro-economic elements like a company’s balance sheet or a state’s finances, can be used to identify financial rallies.

Fakeout
A fakeout is a market situation in which a movement or signal foreshadows a certain trend that will later be rejected or falsified.

After a false breakthrough of a support or resistance level has led investors to sell or buy an asset, respectively, a fakeout may take place. In this case, the fakeout is a false breakout: the price only momentarily crosses the level, reversing almost immediately; this then causes financial losses or missed gains for those who do not recognize it.

Any financial market, from forex to cryptocurrencies, is susceptible to fakeouts. Fakeouts typically indicate that there is not enough volume in the market for the trend to solidify or alter.
Fakeouts and Bull Traps and Bear Traps should not be confused, despite the fact that they might have some similarities.

Fakeouts generally indicate any disappointment in a trader’s expectations, not only bullish or bearish. Moreover, in fakeout situations, investors usually act in advance of price movements, before they occur, based on forecasts; on the other hand, during Bull Traps and Bear Traps, the change in trend is already in place and observable.

There is no perfect method for identifying a fake out. To identify them from true breakouts, however, many investors rely on technical analysis tools like volume analysis, moving averages, or oscillators.

Mutual Funds
Mutual funds are financial instruments with collective participation, i.e. in which the capital provided by several savers is used and invested as if it were a single asset. The amount of money made available by each individual investor is called a mutual fund share or participation share.

Mutual funds are usually managed by an intermediary, i.e. a figure who puts the investor in contact with the financial market, also referred to as an ‘asset management company‘. To open an investment fund, it is therefore necessary to turn to dedicated financial intermediaries, generally represented by the bank or private advisors, bank branches, and online platforms. Once the most suitable asset management company for your needs has been identified, a fee, called an entry or management fee, will need to be paid to access the mutual fund.

Compared to other financial products, mutual funds fall into several asset classes, as capital can be invested in several different instruments.
This characteristic is essential to diversify your investment portfolio in order to try to amortize risk.

Depending on their knowledge and objectives, each investor must consider the type of mutual fund best suited to their needs. The first distinction can be made by analyzing the financial instrument in which you invest.

In equity funds, for example, the collective capital is invested in shares. It should be remembered that, compared to other types of investments, the equity market exposes the shares more to market trends, increasing the possible risk.

Bond funds, as the name might suggest, invest units in bonds.

If you want to further diversify your portfolio, not limiting yourself to investing exclusively in stocks or bonds, you can also consider balanced funds. They are forms of investment that allow you to invest your capital in both bonds and stocks. The percentage of units dedicated to shares and that on bonds varies from fund to fund.

In addition to the financial instruments invested in, mutual funds can also be categorized on the basis of their objectives and time horizon.

Contrary to what you might expect, mutual funds are not necessarily long-term financial instruments. There are some types of funds, such as money funds, in which capital is invested in short-term investments with the aim of preserving the value of money, acting as de facto substitutes for the classic bank deposit.

For more experienced and risk-oriented investors, there is a non-traditional, speculative type of mutual fund, i.e. one that is based on making money based on the difference in prices at certain times in the market. These funds are called hedge funds, or speculative funds, and have absolute return as their main objective, an investment strategy that aims to generate profit regardless of market trends.

Market Mover
A market mover is an occurrence that has the potential to affect a market’s performance by moving the prices of the financial instruments traded there.
There are many other factors that can affect the market, including people or organizations, macroeconomic data, unforeseen events, and political speeches.
All financial markets, including those for stocks and cryptocurrencies, are in fact influenced by outside forces.

But what are the main market movers?
We can distinguish three types of market movers:

Economic indicators: statistical data used to describe the economic performance of a country or company.
An economic indicator, for example, might refer to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of a country, or unemployment data.
Financial indicators: elements describing the performance of a company or market.
The consumer price index (CPI), for example, is a financial indicator that describes the US inflation rate and has a great influence on central bank decisions.
Geopolitical factors: events such as the collapse of a government, the victory of a particular party in elections or the issuing of new laws are capable of affecting the price trend of a market.
Not to add, real people or exceptionally powerful businesses, such as significant cryptocurrency exchanges or market leaders in this sector, can also have a significant influence on the markets.

Sometimes these entities are called Crypto Whales: individuals or organizations that hold a large amount of cryptocurrencies and are able, by selling or buying large sums, to move the price of that market even heavily.

Bear Trap
A Bear Trap is a false bearish signal within a bullish trending market. Basically, this price drop leads investors to believe that the market is undergoing a reversal from bullish to bearish (a bearish trend phase). Investors, in order to minimize their losses, are led to exit the market immediately, selling their assets.

However, after a brief descent, the market continues in a bullish trend, causing investors to miss out on potential gains.

The Bear Market, a market phase distinguished by a usually negative tendency, is responsible for the term “bear trap.”
The Bull Trap, a bullish trap in a bearish trending market, should not be confused with the Bear Trap, which is a trap in all financial markets, including those for cryptocurrencies and conventional instruments.

It is not possible to accurately predict market movements, but in general, there are some recurring causes that can generate a Bear Trap.

These traps can be caused by trades of the same type made simultaneously (or within a short period of time) by a group of investors. Due to the rule of supply and demand, an asset’s price will decrease if multiple dealers sell it. This movement could generate a Bear Trap and push other traders out of the market.

How can a bear trap be identified? Although there isn’t a 100% accurate statistical method or mathematical formula, a comprehensive technical study of the market might be helpful. For instance, you can look at an asset’s trading volume, which is the total of the amounts sold and bought during a specific time period, to try and spot a bear trap. When a market is clearly entering a bearish phase, most institutional investors will try to exit the market by selling their securities. As a result, an increase in trading volumes will be observed. If, on the other hand, the trading volumes of an asset remain unchanged, we are probably facing a Bear Trap.

The financial market, however, is impossible to predict: it is important for every investor not to be overwhelmed by their emotions, and to carry out an analysis based solely on factual data before each trade.

Bull Trap
A Bull Trap is a false bullish signal in a bearish market. In practice, this rise in price may suggest that the asset is entering a bullish phase (characterized by a positive trend), prompting investors to buy. The market, after an even sustained ascent, however, returns to a bearish trend, ‘trapping’ within it investors who were hoping to profit.

It is no accident that the phrase “Bull Trap” specifically refers to the Bull Market, a financial market with a strong upward trend.

The Bear Trap, which gets its name from the Bear Market, is the reverse of the Bull Trap. The key distinction between a Bear Trap and a Bull Trap is the type of false signal used and the market trend that is taken into account. In a Bear Trap, the bullish market experiences a downward trend reversal that causes investors to sell assets, robbing them of the opportunity to make future gains.

How can a bulltrap be identified? While there is no perfect strategy, it is generally vital to do a thorough technical study of the market and have the ability to spot bull traps based on previous events. For instance, they can be located by carefully examining the asset’s trading volume, which is the total of the amounts sold and acquired during a specific time period. When an asset is actually in a bullish phase, institutional or expert investors are more likely to enter the market in a timely manner, leading to an increase in volumes. If, on the other hand, volumes remain unchanged or change little during the price rise, this could be a trap.

If you are still uncertain whether you’re facing a Bull Trap or not, you can consider another indicator: momentum. This value analyses the change in a market’s prices over a certain time frame and helps determine which trend it might follow in the future. In a nutshell, it is a technical indicator that helps you understand whether the asset price will go up or down. This means that if the price of an asset rises but the momentum remains unchanged, we could be facing a Bull Trap. Usually, in a clearly bullish market, the value of momentum indicators increases along with the price.

There are other technical analysis tools that may or may not confirm the presence of a Bull Trap. In any case, the golden rule to avoid it is not to get carried away by your emotions: When an asset’s value increases unexpectedly, it’s important to analyze the market objectively and avoid acting rashly out of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out).

Futures Contract
A pre-approved contract between two parties to process a transaction when the value of a cryptocurrency reaches a specific price. It differs from a limit order since the purchaser and the seller are already nominated and bound.

Volatility
Volatility refers to the percentage change in the price of a financial instrument over a certain timeline. In finance, it corresponds to an index that measures the uncertainty of the performance of an asset or any asset to which a price is assigned. The term was later adopted in the cryptocurrency market to describe the unstable performance of certain virtual currencies. For example, Bitcoin is highly volatile. Since it is not controlled by institutions, its price depends solely on the supply and demand of actors within the market. Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies that aspire to avoid volatility through different kinds of pegging methods.

Pump&Dump
The “pump and dump” scheme is a type of scam in which an investor or a group of investors aggressively promote a cryptocurrency that they hold. They do this to artificially inflate its price and then liquidate all their holdings in order to make a profit. Once the promoters of the scam sell (dump) their cryptos, the price of the cryptocurrency sinks, and all those who are still investing in it lose their money.

Bid and Ask
Order books are used in both traditional and cryptocurrency exchanges to settle trades. A list of all open sell (ASK) and purchase (BID) orders is known as an order book, and it provides a snapshot of supply and demand in a market.

The sell orders (ASKs) represent supply because they are the price offered to buyers of the asset.

The buy-side items (BIDs) represent the demand because they are the price users are willing to pay to purchase the asset.

The Best ASK is the lowest price at which an asset is sold. The Best BID is the highest price at which an asset is asked to buy.

Oracle
A third-party information provider verifies and authenticates data sources external to a blockchain, usually via APIs, and then feeds the collected information to smart contracts.

FOMO
FOMO stands for Fear Of Missing Out, a form of social anxiety characterized by the desire to constantly participate in other people’s activities, and by the fear of being excluded from any event or social context. In the crypto world, it refers to the social anxiety that creates a snowball effect in the sales or purchases of a specific cryptocurrency, consequently enhancing a market drop or growth.

ETF
ETF is an acronym that stands for Exchange Traded Fund. ETFs replicate the performance of a benchmark, i.e. a reference index containing various financial securities, by reproducing its performance. By definition, each ETF is passively managed because it attempts to faithfully reproduce the value of the benchmark index simply by holding the underlying financial products, or derivative contracts. By contrast, a traditional investment fund seeks to outperform the reference index by actively trading securities in the market. Compared to index funds, ETFs have lower costs and management fees, but require the payment of a commission to an intermediary for each transaction made.

ETFs fall under the classification of ETPs (Exchange Traded Products), a category that also includes ETNs (Exchange Traded Notes) and ETCs (Exchange Traded Commodities). Although they are all part of the category of financial instruments that replicate the performance of a reference index, ETNs, and ETCs are not funds but debt instruments. Exchange-traded commodities, specifically, replicate the performance of commodities (including, for example, gold or silver).

Investing in ETFs means diversifying your portfolio, i.e. automatically distributing your capital among different securities and/or market sectors, thus reducing risk. An ETF portfolio can include bond ETFs, which by definition replicate the performance of bond indices, equity ETFs, which benchmark equities, and commodity or real estate ETFs.

Bitcoin ETFs are funds that replicate the performance of BTC. By investing in this type of ETF, investors can take advantage of Bitcoin’s trend, without buying it directly: there is therefore no need to open a wallet or rely on crypto exchanges.

Choosing a BTC ETF also means more security from a legal point of view, as these financial products are more thoroughly regulated than cryptocurrencies in general. In states where it is illegal to hold cryptocurrencies, investing in Bitcoin ETFs could allow investors to gain exposure to BTC without violating any regulations.

Summary,
Learning ahead will help you earn as there is no cap on the quantity of research that can be done in a classroom setting. Please inspire me, special reader.

BlockFi will begin repaying creditors; Polygon’s POL, Fund from FTX transferred to Binance amid ongoing SBF Trials

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BlockFi, a leading crypto lending and trading platform, has announced that it has successfully exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and is ready to resume normal operations. The company filed for bankruptcy in November 2022, after facing a series of regulatory challenges and liquidity issues. BlockFi had raised over $500 million from investors, including Coinbase, Galaxy Digital, and Morgan Creek, but was unable to meet its obligations to creditors and customers.

According to a press release, BlockFi has reached an agreement with its creditors, which include Gemini Trust, BitGo, and Silvergate Bank, to repay them in full over a period of 18 months. The company will also pay interest and fees to its creditors, as well as a portion of its future profits. BlockFi said that it has secured new financing from existing and new investors, as well as from its own revenue streams, to fund its operations and growth.

According to the official statement from BlockFi, the main reason for its bankruptcy was a series of regulatory actions and lawsuits that had severely impacted its business operations and liquidity. BlockFi had been under scrutiny from several state regulators in the US, who accused it of offering unregistered securities and violating consumer protection laws. BlockFi had also faced legal challenges from some of its competitors and partners, who claimed that BlockFi had breached contracts and infringed intellectual property rights.

As a result of these legal troubles, BlockFi had to suspend some of its services, such as interest accounts and trading, in certain jurisdictions. It also had to reduce its interest rates and limit its withdrawals. These measures led to a loss of trust and confidence among its customers, who started to withdraw their funds en masse. BlockFi was unable to meet its obligations to its creditors and lenders, who demanded immediate repayment of their loans. BlockFi was also unable to raise more capital from investors, who were wary of its regulatory risks and financial situation.

BlockFi’s bankruptcy is a major blow to the crypto industry, as it shows the vulnerability of decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms to regulatory uncertainty and legal disputes. BlockFi was one of the largest and most reputable DeFi platforms, with over $10 billion in assets under management at its peak. Its collapse could have a ripple effect on other DeFi platforms, as well as on the overall crypto market sentiment and adoption.

BlockFi’s bankruptcy also raises questions about the security and safety of users’ funds on DeFi platforms. BlockFi claimed that it had always followed the highest standards of compliance and transparency, and that it had sufficient reserves to cover its liabilities. However, some users have reported difficulties in accessing their funds or receiving their interest payments. It is unclear how much of users’ funds are recoverable or protected by insurance. Users may have to wait for a long time or face significant losses in the bankruptcy process.

BlockFi’s CEO and co-founder, Zac Prince, said that the company is grateful for the support and trust of its creditors, investors, customers, and employees during this difficult time. He said that the company has learned from its mistakes and is committed to improving its governance, compliance, and risk management. He also said that the company is optimistic about the future of the crypto industry and its role in it.

“We are excited to emerge from this process stronger than ever, with a clear vision and strategy to continue delivering value to our customers and stakeholders. We believe that crypto is the future of finance, and we are proud to be part of this revolution. We look forward to serving our customers with the best products and services in the market, and to expanding our global reach and impact,” Prince said.

BlockFi’s customers can expect to see their accounts restored and their funds accessible within the next few days. The company said that it will also resume offering its full suite of products and services, including interest accounts, loans, trading, and rewards cards. BlockFi said that it will also launch new features and enhancements in the coming months, such as institutional products, DeFi integrations, and NFT support.

BlockFi’s bankruptcy is a sad and unfortunate event for the crypto community. It serves as a reminder of the risks and challenges that DeFi platforms face in a rapidly evolving and uncertain regulatory environment. It also highlights the need for more education and awareness among users about the potential pitfalls and trade-offs of DeFi platforms. Users should always do their own research and due diligence before entrusting their funds to any platform and be prepared for the possibility of losing some or all of their money.

BlockFi’s bankruptcy exit is a rare success story in the crypto space, where many companies have failed or folded under regulatory pressure or market volatility. BlockFi’s resilience and recovery demonstrate its strong fundamentals and customer loyalty, as well as the potential of the crypto industry to overcome challenges and thrive.

Polygon’s POL, Fund from FTX transferred to Binance amid ongoing SBF’s Trials

Polygon, a platform for scaling and developing Ethereum-compatible blockchain networks, has announced that its native token POL is now live on the Ethereum mainnet. This means that users can interact with POL contracts, such as staking, governance, and bridge, using any Ethereum-compatible wallet or application.

POL is the utility and governance token of Polygon, which aims to provide a scalable and secure framework for building and connecting Ethereum-compatible blockchain networks. POL holders can stake their tokens to secure the Polygon network, participate in the governance of the platform, and access various services and applications built on Polygon.

One of the main features of POL is the Polygon Bridge, which allows users to transfer POL and other assets between Polygon and Ethereum networks. The bridge uses a POS (proof-of-stake) checkpoint mechanism to ensure the security and finality of cross-chain transactions. Users can also swap POL and other tokens on Polygon using QuickSwap, a decentralized exchange powered by Polygon.

Polygon claims that its platform can offer faster and cheaper transactions than Ethereum, while maintaining a high level of security and compatibility. Polygon supports various consensus mechanisms, such as POS, Plasma, zkRollups, Optimistic Rollups, and Validium, and enables developers to create custom networks that suit their needs. Polygon also hosts several popular decentralized applications, such as Aave, SushiSwap, Decentraland, and OpenSea.

With the launch of POL on Ethereum mainnet, Polygon hopes to attract more users and developers to its platform and foster a vibrant ecosystem of interoperable blockchain networks. Polygon co-founder Sandeep Nailwal said:

“We are thrilled to see our native token POL go live on Ethereum mainnet. This is a major milestone for Polygon and its community, as it opens up new possibilities for interacting with our platform and its services. We believe that POL will play a vital role in securing and growing the Polygon network, as well as enabling cross-chain collaboration and innovation.”

A recent transaction analysis by Nansen, a blockchain analytics platform, revealed that two wallets associated with FTX and Alameda Research sent a total of $8.6 million worth of Ethereum to a Binance address. The transfer occurred on October 26, 2023, and involved 2,500 ETH from each wallet.

The wallets in question are labeled as FTX_1 and Alameda_1 by Nansen and have been active since July 2020. According to Nansen, these wallets have received over 1.2 million ETH from various sources, including FTX’s hot wallet, Uniswap, and other decentralized exchanges. The wallets have also sent out over 1.1 million ETH to various destinations, such as FTX’s cold wallet, Compound, and Aave.

The Binance address that received the $8.6 million transfer has not been identified by Nansen, but it appears to be a new account that was created RECENTLY in October. The address has only received and sent out ETH from and to the FTX and Alameda wallets, and has a current balance of zero ETH.

The reason behind the transfer is not clear, but it could be related to arbitrage opportunities, liquidity provision, or internal operations of FTX and Alameda. FTX and Alameda are both founded and led by Sam Bankman-Fried, a prominent crypto entrepreneur and billionaire. FTX is one of the largest crypto derivatives exchanges in the world, while Alameda is a leading quantitative trading firm and liquidity provider in the crypto space.

FTX and Sam Bankman-Fried are also facing some challenges and controversies in their quest to dominate the crypto market. Some of the ongoing trials that FTX and Sam Bankman-Fried are dealing with include Regulatory scrutiny from various jurisdictions, such as Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and the UK, where FTX has received warnings or restrictions for operating without proper licenses or authorizations.

Legal disputes with Binance, another major crypto exchange, over the use of the Binance Coin (BNB) as collateral on FTX. Binance claims that FTX is infringing on its intellectual property rights and violating its terms of service by allowing users to trade BNB on FTX without Binance’s consent.

Ethical concerns over the environmental impact of crypto mining and trading, as well as the social responsibility of crypto companies. Sam Bankman-Fried has been criticized by some environmentalists and activists for his involvement in crypto, which they claim is contributing to global warming and inequality. Sam Bankman-Fried has defended his position by saying that he is donating most of his wealth to effective altruism causes and that he is working on reducing the carbon footprint of FTX.

Competitive pressure from other crypto exchanges and platforms, such as Coinbase, Kraken, Uniswap, and Solana. FTX faces stiff competition from these rivals in terms of market share, user base, innovation, and reputation. FTX has to constantly improve its products and services to stay ahead of the curve and attract more customers.

FTX and Sam Bankman-Fried are undoubtedly among the most influential and successful players in the crypto industry. However, they are also facing some formidable challenges and risks that could affect their future growth and performance. How they overcome these trials will determine their fate in the fast-changing and unpredictable crypto world.

Neither FTX nor Alameda have commented on the transaction publicly, and it is possible that they will not disclose any details due to privacy or security reasons. However, the transaction shows the high level of activity and sophistication of these entities in the crypto market, as well as the potential for cross-chain interoperability and collaboration between different platforms.

There is more money in Africa than Outside Africa

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This may sound like a surprising or even absurd statement, but it is true. Africa’s total financial wealth is estimated at $41 trillion, while the rest of the world’s wealth is $39 trillion. How is this possible, you may ask?

The answer lies in the concept of illicit financial flows (IFFs), which are defined as “money illegally earned, transferred or used”. IFFs include tax evasion, money laundering, corruption, smuggling, and other criminal activities. According to UNCTAD, Africa loses about $89 billion per year due to IFFs, which is equivalent to 3.7% of its GDP. This means that more money is leaving Africa than entering it through official channels.

Africa is a continent of immense wealth and potential. According to a recent report by the African Development Bank, Africa’s total financial wealth is estimated at $41 trillion, which surpasses the rest of the world’s wealth of $39 trillion. This means that Africa has more resources and assets than any other region in the world, and that it has the opportunity to leverage them for its own development and prosperity.

However, this wealth is not evenly distributed or utilized across the continent. The report also reveals that only 20% of Africa’s wealth is held by Africans themselves, while the rest is owned by foreign investors, multinationals, and governments. Moreover, much of Africa’s wealth is locked in natural resources, such as oil, gas, minerals, and land, which are often exploited by external actors without benefiting the local communities or the environment. As a result, Africa faces many challenges, such as poverty, inequality, unemployment, conflict, and climate change.

The impact of IFFs on Africa’s development is devastating. IFFs deprive African governments of much-needed revenues to invest in public services, infrastructure, education, health, and social protection. IFFs also undermine the rule of law, governance, and democracy, as they create incentives for corruption and violence. IFFs also distort the structure and composition of African economies, as they favor sectors that are easy to conceal and transfer, such as extractive industries, over sectors that are more productive and inclusive, such as manufacturing and agriculture.

IFFs also affect African economies in various ways. For instance:

IFFs reduce the domestic savings and investment rates, which are essential for economic growth and diversification. IFFs increase the dependence on external financing, which exposes African countries to external shocks and debt crises. IFFs erode the tax base and distort the allocation of public resources, which affects the quality and quantity of public goods and services. IFFs create an unfair competition between formal and informal sectors, which discourages innovation and entrepreneurship. IFFs encourage capital flight and brain drain, which deprives African countries of human and financial capital.

Some examples of IFFs are:

The Panama Papers, which revealed how wealthy individuals and corporations used offshore entities to hide their assets and avoid taxes. The Niger Delta oil theft, which involves the illegal extraction and export of crude oil by armed groups and criminal networks. The gold smuggling in Zimbabwe, which deprives the government of millions of dollars in royalties and taxes. The timber trafficking in Madagascar, which threatens the biodiversity and livelihoods of local communities.

What can be done to stop this massive hemorrhage of resources from Africa? UNCTAD proposes a comprehensive and coordinated approach that involves both source and destination countries of IFFs. Some of the measures include:

Strengthening national and regional capacities to prevent, detect, and prosecute IFFs. Improving transparency and accountability in the management of natural resources. Enhancing international cooperation and exchange of information on tax matters. Closing loopholes and gaps in the global financial system that facilitate IFFs. Promoting fair and equitable trade and investment policies that benefit African countries. Supporting African countries in recovering and repatriating stolen assets.

These strategies require strong political will, collective action, and partnership among all stakeholders, including African governments, civil society, private sector, diaspora, and development partners. By harnessing its wealth for its own development, Africa can achieve its vision of a prosperous, peaceful, and integrated continent. By tackling the challenge of IFFs, Africa can unleash its full potential and achieve its development goals. There is more money in Africa than outside Africa, but it needs to stay in Africa for the benefit of its people.

Nigeria Needs A Leader To Shake Things Up!

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I woke up this morning and Trump was on my mind. As I think of Trump and his second pursuit of the US presidency, Nigeria’s judiciary flashed through me. Across human history, no nation has EVER developed better than its legal system because the legal system drives the regime of property rights upon which wealth, commerce and markets stand upon.

In a speech before the Nigerian Society of Engineers last week, I made the point that if you look over 2,000 years of GDP, across nations, you cannot point to any country which advanced faster than its legal system. In other words, despite all the efforts to train and develop better engineers, for an innovation-economy to emerge, you still need to have a system which respects  property rights, because that unlocks capital needed to combine factors of production into products and services.

You are a civil engineer and you have constructed a house. Then one bad person came and planted a grenade inside that house. And when he detonated it, the house crashed killing some residents. You are sued and convicted for bad work. You appealed, but lost. Then at the Supreme Court of Nigeria phase, your legal team was able to find a video which showed the planting of that grenade just hours before the explosion. But unfortunately for you, the Court does not allow you to introduce new evidence at this phase. With that, the conviction stands, and you are going to be locked up forever. Is that justice?

As I think of Trump, I imagine a Nigerian-equivalent who can challenge our current ordinances. Why can’t a higher court allow the introduction of new evidence? Sure, I am not a Trump voter (did not vote for him), but over the last few months, I tend to appreciate some of his views. Nigeria needs someone to shake things up because the ways some of our systems work will never allow PROGRESS.

Comment on Feed

In the UK, Nigeria benefitted with new evidence. “Putting into perspective the recent judgement in favour of Nigeria in the P&ID case in UK. The applleat court relied on new evidence provided by Nigeria counsels which were not presented to the lower court hence the judgement of 2017 was in favour of P&ID. In the appeal, Nigeria counsels submitted fresh evidence to prove there were corrupt practices which the trial judge relied upon to give his judgement saving Nigeria from payment of $11 billion.” – Charles Ochike

Largely, if this was a case in Nigeria, would our Supreme Court have allowed the introduction of the new evidence? Here, we are celebrating our win over P&ID because the UK Judge applied a principle which we may not even give to litigants in our land, easily.

Comment 1: What if Nigerian engineers (NSE) and business owners also take interest and lessons in law, and get to function in the legal system, doubling as legal luminaires?

Could this inject agility into the precincts of the system and the collective mode of reasoning?

My Response: That will not solve the problem since they will still operate on the current system. Having an engineer-turn-lawyer will not change the hypothetical case of the civil engineer I described above. The issue is not the players but the PROCESS and SYSTEM.

Comment 2: Such video would likely have been admitted by the Supreme Court as evidence as the video in the context of your phantom case, would meet the “special circumstances” requirement of the Supreme Court.

Of course your post and the phantom question was in relation to the Supreme Court’s non admission of the famour “Chicago deposition” with respect to the ruling of the Nigerian Presidential Election Petition Tribunal. Equating straightforward election petition issues to a phantom criminal matter seems rather far-fetched and an attempt to (again) mislead your young readers.

Lastly, every profession, including the engineering profession, and now finance profession that you belong to or practice, has its rules which are/should be well known by those in the profession. The Supreme Court’s rules on non-admittance of “fresh evidence” is a long standing rule that those who filed for the admission of the Chicago deposition are very well aware of.

There is certainly a need to shake many things up in the Judiciary. But it cannot be on faulty grounds like faulting the SC on its correct decision not to admit the Chicago deposition. The speech by rtd SCJ Dattijo, is a good place to start shaking things up at the highest level of the judiciary.

My Response: Leave politics out of this so that we can have a debate. I have tried to leave it out. Let us focus on the broad system and not what happened with Atiku and Tinubu. You wrote “The Supreme Court’s rules on non-admittance of “fresh evidence” is a long standing rule”. Why can’t someone provide evidence when it is available and do you think that is justice if that is the norm?

I am trying to understand why SC should not welcome new evidence. The US system does and how is the Nigerian system better?

Comment 3: I agree with you 100% except for the idea of imagining a Nigerian-equivalent of Trump. That personality will further deepen our problems as a nation. We need an individual with excellent character strength that can challenge our current ordinances like you rightly stated.

My Response: You need someone who does not take himself or herself seriously. Nigeria won the P & ID case in the UK with new evidence, but our legal system does not typically allow that. A gentle person may not fix the mess. Trump is not my type of guy and  I do think he does not care that much about certain things; Nigeria needs someone like him as our systems are supremely terrible!

Comment 4: As a matter of fact, there is no appellant court anywhere in the world that admits any evidence that existed when the initial case was being decided (

My Response: “As a matter of fact, there is no appellant court anywhere in the world that admits any evidence that existed when the initial case was being decided” P&ID vs Nigeria in the UK. That Nigeria had corrupt workers existed before the 2017 decision. But when that was presented later in the appeal, the judge included that new evidence to give Nigeria victory. Of course, we the commoners may be wrong in our understanding. The Court voided the old verdict because P&ID did not disclose that it corrupted some Nigerians.

My Response:Just make your point without personal attack. I never like how you write here. You can write without personal attack to me. You show so much bitterness and unhappiness when you comment here. Why not educate us and stop always attaching me and my tribe? Nigeria won a case over $11B because new evidence was allowed in UK, but in Nigeria that is not always possible. I am asking which is better?

Again, this is not about Atiku, Tinubu, etc. I have no interest in that. I want evidence on a broad matter of the law.