logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2022
24m 8s

The influencer and the insider: Chinmark...

Bbc World Service
About this episode

In 2020 the Chinmark Group appeared to be a thriving Nigerian business empire, endorsed by a string of popular influencers online. It sold investment deals to its followers, promising them astonishing returns. Today the empire is in tatters, but what went wrong? We hear from a social media star who hyped the company up, a former employee who sold the scheme to the public, and a student who staked his life savings on its success - losing everything in the process. And we’ll find out why firms following a similar pattern are proving so popular in Nigeria.

Reporters: Chiagozie Chiagozie Nwonwu and Fauziyya Tukur Editor: Flora Carmichael

Up next
Jun 2024
Trending is moving to the Documentary Podcast
BBC Trending's podcast feed is closing, but we'll be publishing new episodes in the BBC World Service's Documentary Podcast from now on. Search for The Documentary wherever you get your BBC podcasts, and subscribe to get new episodes of BBC Trending along with a range of exciting ... Show More
43s
Jun 2024
Colombia’s guerrilla recruitment video problem
Fighters from dissident armed groups in Colombia are using TikTok to glorify their lives as guerrillas and recruit youngsters.These armed groups didn't like the terms of a peace treaty negotiated between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the government in 2016 ... Show More
18m 6s
Jun 2024
The Kenyan influencer championing climate denial
Jusper Machogu is a farmer from southwestern Kenya who describes himself as a “climate sceptic”: he wrongly claims that climate change is a “scam” or a “hoax” designed to hold Africa back. On social media, he has also become known as a staunch defender of fossil fuel exploration ... Show More
18m 7s
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2022
India: Why is Gautam Adani so interested in NDTV? | The Listening Post
Gautam Adani - India’s richest man with close ties to Prime Minister Narendra Modi - is in the midst of a takeover of NDTV, a news network considered one of the last bastions of critical journalism on the Indian airwaves. If the sale does go through - what are the chances that Ad ... Show More
25m 20s
Mar 2023
Goldman’s big bet
Goldman Sachs is going all in on asset management, Nigeria’s opposition parties are calling for a rerun of the presidential election over the weekend, and a London mansion tied to the Saudi royal family is up for sale and expected to fetch a record price. Mentioned in this podcas ... Show More
10m 7s
Oct 2021
A Threat to China’s Economy
Every once in a while a company grows so big and messy that governments fear what would happen to the broader economy if it were to fail. In China, Evergrande, a sprawling real estate developer, is that company.Evergrande has the distinction of being the world’s most debt-saddled ... Show More
30m 25s
Nov 2021
J&J Joins the "Split" Club, Big Week for EVs, Elon Musk Taunts Rivian and Iceland Mocks Zuckerberg's "Meta" Announcement.
Carl Quintanilla, Jim Cramer and David Faber led off with a big story: Johnson & Johnson announced it plans to split into two companies, separating its consumer business from pharmaceuticals and medical devices. What does history tell investors about the stock performance of comp ... Show More
43m 59s
Sep 2022
Shareholders vote on Twitter deal
As the world's richest man, Elon Musk, tries to pull out of buying Twitter - the company's shareholders have been voting on whether to approve the $44bn deal anyway. Meanwhile, whistleblower Peiter Zatko has been giving evidence at a Senate hearing, claiming Twitter executives kn ... Show More
26m 45s
Sep 2022
Uber's computer systems are hacked
The ride-hailing company said it was responding to a 'cybersecurity incident' and that several internal systems had been affected. Margi Murphy is cybersecurity reporter at Bloomberg News and updates us on the story. Uganda and Tanzania have strongly criticised a call from the Eu ... Show More
26m 26s
May 2024
Blockout 2024: celebrities face backlash over Gaza
Now trending: the ‘digital guillotine.’ It’s a campaign known as Blockout 2024 to block celebrities on social media. Launched after the Met Gala in New York, it’s meant to hurt celebrities’ ad revenue. Will it have an impact? In this episode:  Ahmed Shihab-Eldin (@ASE), Journalis ... Show More
16m 17s
Apr 2023
Women publishing positive news
In a world that is dominated by news of destruction and disaster it seems as though we will never see any positive news. Amongst this bad news fatigue, media forums focusing purely on positive and uplifting stories have begun to seep through to mainstream media. Kim Chakanetsa me ... Show More
27m 10s
Apr 2023
The Changing World Order For VCs with Hemant Taneja & Fareed Zakaria
Candid Conversation with Fareed Zakaria & Hemant Taneja, CEO and managing director of global VC firm General Catalyst on how changing geopolitics are changing the game for VCs as well. In a new world order of lowered liquidity and a tsunami of tech transcending borders host Anupr ... Show More
37m 5s
Jul 2023
The scandals of Shein's fast-fashion empire
Beyond Shein’s uber cheap clothes, the fast-fashion retailer from China has been involved in numerous scandals, including claims of human rights abuses. Even if you’ve never done a Shein haul, it’s time to get to know the massive company. Read more: A few weeks ago, a handful of ... Show More
22m 3s