Nigerian Professor breaks 148-year jinx

A Nigerian-born mathematician, Professor Oghenetega Ighedo,  has made history as the first Black woman to earn a PhD in Pure Mathematics from the University of South Africa (UNISA) in its 148-year existence.

Ighedo, who is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at UNISA, achieved the milestone while balancing the demands of family life, completing her doctoral studies within three years.

She obtained a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Industrial Mathematics from Delta State University, followed by a Master of Science (MSc) in Pure Mathematics from the University of Ibadan, before proceeding to UNISA for her PhD.

Ighedo credited her late interest in mathematics to her mother, a retired mathematics teacher. “I was inspired by my mother. I saw the way she taught mathematics, and as I grew older, I found it interesting and wanted to do it like her,” she said.

“My decision to study pure mathematics was motivated by the fact that not only are there few Black pure mathematicians, but there are even fewer Black women in the field,” she added.

Ighedo encouraged young women to remain determined despite challenges stating she began her PhD while married with two children and pregnant with her third. Despite these odds, she completed the programme within the stipulated time.

Nigeria fourth in Africa with highest number of dollar millionaires

Nigeria retained its position as Africa’s fourth-wealthiest country by number of dollar millionaires.

According to the 2025 Africa Wealth Report by Henley & Partners in collaboration with New World Wealth, Nigeria is said to be a home to an estimated 7,200 millionaires, 20 centi-millionaires (worth at least $100 million) and three billionaires.

However, the report noted that the record represents a 47 percent decline in its millionaire population since 2015.

South Africa sits atop the ranking, with 41,100 millionaires, 112 centi-millionaires and eight billionaires, followed by Egypt with 14,800 millionaires, 49 centi-millionaires, and seven billionaires.

Morocco ranked third with 7,500 millionaires, 35 centi-millionaires and four billionaires, narrowly ahead of Nigeria, while Kenya completed the top five with 6,800 millionaires but no billionaires.

Mauritius takes the sixth position with 4,800 millionaires, followed by Algeria (2,700), Ghana (2,600), Namibia (2,500) and Ethiopia (2,400) to complete the top 10 list.

Among the countries tracked in the report, Seychelles had the fewest resident millionaires at 500 —  recording one billionaire and six centi-millionaires.

Mozambique followed with 800 millionaires, while Rwanda and Zambia each had 1,000 millionaires. Uganda ranked fifth from the bottom with 1,600 millionaires.

The report noted that several African countries, including Tunisia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, were excluded because of insufficient reliable data.