Author: Gift Ifeanyi

Excitement reached new heights as Lagos hosted GITEX Nigeria 2025, a four-day convergence of innovators, policymakers, investors, and startups shaping Africa’s digital future. Speaking on day one, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu described Lagos as “a launchpad for Africa’s tomorrow”, underscoring the state’s determination to lead Nigeria into a data-driven era where governance, business, and society are powered by technology. The governor stressed that Lagos is not only Nigeria’s commercial capital but also its innovation hub, positioning itself as the heart of Africa’s digital transformation. The event, held under the patronage of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, is jointly supported by the…

African nations must work together to develop shared artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure or face being sidelined in the global economy, according to Bosun Tijani, Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy. Speaking in Abuja at the opening of the GITEX Nigeria Summit 2025, Tijani warned that without deliberate collaboration, AI could deepen existing productivity divides between developed and developing nations. “If we are not intentional, AI will widen the global productivity gap. Countries that are already ahead will accelerate further, while those still trying to catch up will fall behind,” he cautioned. To underscore the urgency, Tijani compared crop…

As governments across the continent tighten rules on how information is stored and used, Africa is being pushed to decide whether its future digital wealth will remain onshore or flow overseas. That debate takes centre stage in Lagos on September 18, 2025, when more than 300 leaders from business, government, and tech assemble for the Africa Data Sovereignty Conference. The gathering, convened by Olla Systems in collaboration with Africa Hyperscalers, will tackle pressing questions of data localization, infrastructure capacity, and digital trust. For countries like Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, and the DRC, which are already rolling out strict…

Nigeria’s unemployment challenge remains one of its toughest battles. Millions of young people search endlessly for work while the formal economy struggles to absorb them. Yet hidden in plain sight lies an overlooked solution: communities themselves becoming business owners. Across the country, from local wards to sprawling villages, the potential is staggering. With more than 80,000 villages nationwide, even if half of them each launched a single enterprise employing just 200 people, that would mean eight million new jobs. At the current minimum wage of ₦70,000, those jobs could circulate more than ₦6.7 trillion in annual wages — a game-changing…

Nigeria has entered into a new production-sharing contract (PSC) with energy giant TotalEnergies and indigenous firm South Atlantic Petroleum (Sapetro), marking a significant step in its effort to attract fresh investment into its oil sector under the recently introduced petroleum framework. The agreement covers petroleum prospecting licences (PPL) 2000 and 2001, which were allocated during the 2024 licensing round. Together, the blocks span approximately 2,000 square kilometers in the Niger Delta Basin. According to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), TotalEnergies will serve as the lead contractor with an 80% interest, while Sapetro will hold the remaining 20%. NUPRC…

The Federal Government has welcomed a remarkable surge in diaspora remittances, with inflows rising to $600 million per month over the last two months, according to Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) data. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chair of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), described the increase as a sign of renewed confidence in the Nigerian economy and credited recent monetary reforms for the turnaround. She noted that the new figure represents a 200% jump from the $200 million monthly average previously recorded. In a statement released by NiDCOM spokesperson Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Dabiri-Erewa applauded CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso for introducing initiatives such…

Public discourse around former President Goodluck Jonathan often swings between exaggerated praise and unfair dismissal. In his recent piece, “Jonathan, Don’t Just Run… Please Flee!” Dr. Chidi Amuta leans heavily toward the latter — offering a portrayal that reads more like caricature than critique. His essay, while witty in style, relies on selective recall and sweeping claims that distort Jonathan’s actual record. The Question of Youth Appeal Amuta suggests Jonathan failed to connect with young Nigerians. Yet history shows the opposite. Jonathan was the first Nigerian leader to formally launch his campaign online, using Facebook as a platform to engage…

Amid the pressures of survival and ambition, some stories rise above the noise — like that of Nigerian-born creative, Ramatallahi Abubakar, who is quietly making waves in Bradford, West Yorkshire, as the force behind Ramatporsche Design. For her, success didn’t come from deep pockets but from relentless passion and clever resourcefulness. She learned early that being a designer wasn’t only about sketching gowns or mixing bold African prints with sleek modern styles — it was also about learning how to make every naira, pound, and penny count. Her love for fashion began in unexpected places. While studying Medical Science at…

Addosser Finance has expanded its footprint with the launch of its first regional branch in Ibadan, Oyo State, underscoring its commitment to bridging funding gaps for individuals, corporates, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Announcing the development on Sunday, the company described the move as a milestone in its mission to deepen financial inclusion and empower business growth across Nigeria. At the inauguration, Ayodeji Sobulo, Founder and Managing Director of Addosser Finance, highlighted the significance of the expansion, calling it a turning point for the institution. “This is not just another office opening,” Sobulo said. “It marks a new chapter…

Plans are underway for Fidelity Bank to expand into the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a move expected to deepen financial inclusion and support the country’s fast-growing digital economy. During a recent meeting in Kinshasa, the bank’s chief executive, Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, engaged with the Minister of Digital Economy, Augustin Kibassa Maliba, to discuss the project. She highlighted that Fidelity’s DRC operations would concentrate on channeling funds into digital initiatives while broadening access to banking services. If completed, the expansion will make Fidelity Bank the DRC’s 16th active lender and the fourth Nigerian-owned institution, alongside Access Bank, FirstBank, and United Bank…

The dream of greener pastures abroad has fueled a wave of migration among young Nigerians, but media personality and former reality star Natacha Akide, better known as Tacha, believes the rush to leave may be misguided. Speaking on the Outside the Box podcast, she encouraged citizens to reconsider abandoning their lives at home, stressing that Nigeria also holds untapped opportunities for growth and success. “Stay in Nigeria to check this country or to affect the change we want to see,” she urged. Tacha explained that although countries like the UK offer functioning systems and infrastructure, Nigeria remains rich with potential.…

A new season of The Next Titan Nigeria has been launched, setting the stage for 20 young innovators to compete in weekly business challenges across Lagos over the next 10 weeks. At the unveiling of Season 10, themed “The Unconventional,” the show’s creator and executive producer, Mide Akinlaja, described the programme as more than just television entertainment. He emphasized that it serves as a platform to shape young Nigerians into business leaders capable of generating ideas, jobs, and long-term value for the country. According to him, the series is designed to nurture participants through intensive tasks, mentorship sessions, and boardroom…

A fresh boost is coming for Nigeria’s small businesses as Keystone Bank Limited and the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) join forces to launch the MSME Mini Business Boot Camp. The initiative is designed to provide entrepreneurs with hands-on training, mentorship, and access to resources that will help them scale and compete more effectively. The partnership was sealed on Thursday, August 28, 2025, at the LCCI headquarters in Lagos, where executives of both organisations, industry leaders, and the media witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Speaking at the ceremony, Mrs. Olayemi Sule, Group Head of…

The 2025 Education Conference of the West African Insurance Companies Association (WAICA) will place climate change at the centre of dialogue when industry leaders gather in Lagos from October 12 to 15. Hosted by the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) on behalf of Nigeria’s insurance sector, the annual forum will draw participants from across West Africa, including Ghana, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and other regional markets. According to the conference’s Local Organising Committee Chairperson, Ebelechukwu Nwachukwu, discussions will emphasise how insurers can help shield societies and economies from the rising impact of climate-related risks. She noted that the global industry is…

As Africa accelerates toward a cloud-first economy, critical questions about where data resides, who controls it, and how enterprises comply with fast-evolving policies are taking center stage. On September 18, 2025, Lagos will host the Africa Data Sovereignty Conference, a high-stakes summit addressing data localization, infrastructure readiness, and the future of digital trust on the continent. The conference, convened by Olla Systems in partnership with Africa Hyperscalers, is expected to attract more than 300 decision-makers from enterprises, startups, and government institutions. It comes at a pivotal time as countries including Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo,…

Stakeholders from across the sub-region will gather in Lagos this October for a major dialogue on how the insurance sector can respond to the growing threats posed by climate change. The 2025 West African Insurance Companies Association (WAICA) Education Conference, hosted by the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA), will take place from October 12 to 15. The annual forum will draw participants from Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, The Gambia, and other member states. According to the NIA, this year’s theme — “West African Insurer in the Face of Climate Change” — reflects the urgent need for the industry to redefine…

For decades, Nigerian companies struggled with one persistent obstacle: moving money across borders was slow, costly, and riddled with uncertainty. Importers, exporters, and service firms alike often found themselves at the mercy of delayed banking systems, high fees, and little visibility on when payments would clear. That reality is shifting. Oneremit, a cross-border payment platform built specifically for Nigerian enterprises, is opening seamless payment corridors to over 100 countries. By doing so, it is transforming how local businesses handle international transactions and equipping them to compete on the global stage. Breaking Down Long-Standing Barriers For most business owners, the pain…

A group of United Nations human rights experts has sounded the alarm over recent oil asset sales in Nigeria, cautioning that the divestments by international energy giants risk deepening environmental harm and undermining ongoing cleanup efforts in the Niger Delta. In letters published on the UN’s website, the mandate holders expressed concerns that companies including Shell, Eni, ExxonMobil, and TotalEnergies transferred oil fields and infrastructure to local buyers “without transparency” and outside a human rights-based framework. The correspondence was also sent to the governments of Nigeria, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and the Netherlands, underscoring the global…

What was once dismissed as a niche sound has grown into Nigeria’s most powerful cultural signature—Afrobeats now commands worldwide attention. Artists such as Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido have filled arenas across continents, led major international festivals, and collaborated with stars including Drake, Beyoncé, and Ed Sheeran. Rema’s Calm Down remix with Selena Gomez has become one of the most-streamed Afrobeats records in history, while Tems has helped craft global hits for Rihanna and Beyoncé. This movement is more than a musical trend. According to a study by the Rome Business School, The Entertainment Business in Nigeria: A Model for…

T2mobile has taken a bold step in its transformation journey by entering a multi-million-dollar partnership with Huawei, a global leader in ICT solutions and network equipment. The collaboration is designed to overhaul T2mobile’s core infrastructure and usher in a new era of advanced connectivity across Nigeria. The agreement was formalized through a symbolic handshake between T2mobile’s Chief Executive Officer, Obafemi Banigbe, and Constantine Jiang, Managing Director of Huawei Nigeria’s Carrier Business Group. Beyond network upgrades, the initiative places strong emphasis on resilience, customer experience, and wider economic impact. Leveraging Huawei’s expertise, T2mobile plans to deliver faster, more secure, and more…