Business

Beyond GDP, UNCTAD to launch new economic indicators for measuring countries prosperity

Accordingly , a High-Level Expert Group on Beyond GDP, mandated by the UN’s landmark Pact for the Future has been tasked with developing recommendations for a set of universally relevant indicators that countries can own and use to guide policy.

Published

8 months ago

January 6, 2026

OCHEFA

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Photo: UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan. Credit: UNCTAD

UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) says a new metrics for measuring countries progress beyond GDP, will be launched during the upcoming UN General Assembly in the spring of 2026.

UNCTAD serves as co-secretariat to the “Beyond GDP” expert group, alongside other entities including the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the UN Development Programme.

This initiative stems from the urgent need for measures of progress that enable more balanced and integrated pursuit of sustainable development.

GDP does not capture progress in well-being, equity, inclusiveness or sustainability – and it was designed as a measure of economic activity.

“Our approach will emphasize how better well-being and its drivers, such as health, social capital and the quality of the environment, are not only good for societal welfare but also contribute in an integral way to economic prosperity,” the interim report argues.

The “Beyond GDP” agenda, increasingly gaining traction among UN member countries, is about complementing traditional economic measures, rather than replacing them.

To do so, five principles are important.

First, countries need to look at more than GDP to gauge material well-being more accurately.Second, it takes more than income to capture all aspects of well-being.

Third, when addressing inequality and exclusion it’s necessary to look beyond average figures.

Fourth, the need to think in the long term, to ensure economic, environmental, social and institutional sustainability for future generations.

In addition, well-being is interconnected across countries in today’s world.

This makes cooperation all the more crucial, in setting global norms of measurement, unlimited to specific countries or regions.

Related Topics:Featured UNCTAD GDP economic indicators

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Cybercriminals cloning DStv, other brands to steal bank accounts across Africa

According to cybersecurity company NordVPN, the campaign distributes Remote Access Trojans (RATs) and banking trojans, forms of malware that can give criminals control over infected devices and access to sensitive information.

Published

2 days ago

August 21, 2026

OCHEFA

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Cybercriminals are impersonating popular companies and government agencies across Africa in a campaign designed to take over smartphones and bank accounts.

More than 100 fake websites linked to the malware campaign have been identified since August 2025.

Brands including DStv, Takealot and South African Airways, as well as the South African Revenue Service (SARS), are being used to make fraudulent messages and websites appear legitimate.

The attacks are particularly concerning in South Africa, where Android dominates the mobile operating system market.

NordVPN said the attacks typically begin with social engineering, where criminals send convincing messages through SMS, WhatsApp or social media.

The messages may contain urgent offers or requests involving job opportunities, tax refunds, identity renewals or pension verification.

Victims are then directed to fake websites designed to closely resemble the official websites of trusted organisations.

The sites encourage users to download an Android application. Once installed, the malicious software can operate quietly in the background, including after the smartphone is restarted.

Business

Cement price hits N16,000 per bag

The current cement prices mark a steep rise from late 2024, when a bag sold for around N7,500.

Published

2 days ago

August 21, 2026

OCHEFA

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• Chairman of BUA cement, Abdul Samad Rabiu (ASR)

Cement dealers across Nigeria have announced fresh price increases, with a 50kg bag now selling for as much as N16,000 in some markets, up from N13,000 recorded by buyers just days earlier.

The current cement prices mark a steep rise from late 2024, when a bag sold for around N7,500.

By the third quarter of 2025, that had risen to about N9,000 before reaching the N12,000 to N16,000 range now seen across different locations.

Other building materials have followed a similar upward path. Blocks have climbed from around N600 to N1,100 each.

Sand has gone from N165,000 to N250,000 per 30 tonnes. Granite has risen from N530,000 to N780,000 per 30 tonnes.

Reinforcing steel now costs N1.15 million per tonne, up from N850,000.