Author: Gift Ifeanyi

In a major effort to strengthen Nigeria’s Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) ecosystem, the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) have launched a nationwide initiative to register 250,000 small businesses for free. The scheme, unveiled in Abuja on September 26, follows the formal signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two agencies. It supports the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which focuses on reducing entry barriers for young entrepreneurs and creating a more inclusive economy. Speaking at the launch, CAC Registrar-General Hussaini Ishaq Magaji (SAN) said the initiative…

The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) is taking bold steps to strengthen its position as a continental leader in technology-driven education. According to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olufemi Peters, the university is focused on advancing its global digital ranking and showcasing Nigeria’s capacity for innovation in Open and Distance Learning (ODL). Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, Peters revealed that NOUN will host the 3rd MoodleMoot Africa Conference from October 8 to 10, 2025, at the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre — marking the first time the international event will hold in Nigeria after two previous editions in South Africa. “This…

A new wave of Nigerian creativity is set to make its mark on the global stage as 105 innovators head to Hilton London Paddington for the NextGen Innovation Challenge 2025 Grand Finale. Selected from a competitive pool of over 3,000 entries, these trailblazers represent all 36 states and the FCT — united by one goal: redefining Africa’s future through innovation. The innovators will present pioneering ideas across sectors such as HealthTech, AgriTech, FinTech, Clean Energy, Artificial Intelligence, and IoT, pitching to a high-profile audience of investors, policymakers, and global development partners. Organized by the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI)…

Amid global reflections on the vital role of educators, a senior lecturer at Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Dr. Vincent Paul, has urged governments across all levels to prioritize teacher welfare and create more supportive working environments capable of attracting and retaining quality educators. The appeal, delivered in a statement commemorating World Teachers’ Day 2025, underscores growing concern over the state of the teaching profession in Nigeria, particularly within public institutions where educators often face inadequate facilities, limited recognition, and low remuneration. World Teachers’ Day, established by UNESCO, ILO, UNICEF, and Education International in 1994, celebrates the adoption of the 1966…

Lagos became the creative capital of Africa as Ayodotun Akinfenwa, global brand strategist and author of Fire Up Your Brand, led the continent’s first-ever Adobe Express Bootcamp — a landmark initiative aimed at empowering Africa’s growing creative and entrepreneurial community. Organized in collaboration with the Adobe global team, the bootcamp marked a major milestone for digital creativity on the continent, attracting over 70 in-person participants and many more virtual attendees. The event served as an immersive hybrid training hub for creative professionals, entrepreneurs, small business owners, marketing specialists, and students eager to enhance their design, content creation, and branding capabilities.…

In an era where African stories are capturing global attention, Nigerian-born media entrepreneur Ehijie Jeffery Ebhodaghe is emerging as one of the continent’s defining voices — a creative visionary transforming how the world sees Africa through the lens of digital storytelling. This vision recently earned him global recognition at the African UK Trade and Investment Awards 2025 in London, where he was honoured for Outstanding Corporate Excellence in Digital Innovation and Inclusive Impact — an acknowledgment of his work in reshaping Africa’s broadcast and creative industries for a digital future. A Journey from Local Passion to Global Stage Raised in…

Nigeria’s private sector stakeholders are calling for a national rethink on how the country protects those who drive its economy — investors, entrepreneurs, and employers. At the forefront of this call, Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), Dr. Muda Yusuf, emphasized that Nigeria urgently needs a comprehensive framework to safeguard investor rights and business interests. Despite being the backbone of job creation, innovation, and tax revenue generation, Yusuf noted, investors and employers remain exposed to significant risks with minimal legal protection. He lamented the imbalance in Nigeria’s labour and investment environment, explaining that…

A new player has emerged in Nigeria’s logistics industry as MS FastTrack officially launched its operations, pledging to deliver technology-powered, customer-focused services designed to transform the logistics experience for individuals and businesses alike. During the company’s unveiling in Lagos, Muoh Sylvia Onyedikachukwu, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of MS FastTrack, emphasized that the firm was founded to redefine logistics standards and offer clients reliability, innovation, and satisfaction. According to Sylvia, MS FastTrack’s vision is anchored on becoming Nigeria’s leading provider of sustainable and technology-driven supply chain solutions. She added that the company’s mission is to connect businesses and customers…

As 2025 nears its end, Nigeria’s digital marketplace isn’t just busy—it’s transforming. The convergence of Independence Day celebrations, holiday spending, and new consumer habits has created an inflection point for online retail. Behind the year’s $9.35 billion e-commerce boom lies a story of reinvention—one driven by technology, connectivity, and shifting consumer psychology. From Clicks to Chats: The Rise of Social Commerce Nigerians aren’t just scrolling—they’re shopping. Social platforms like Instagram and WhatsApp have evolved into full-fledged digital storefronts, collapsing the traditional gap between marketing and purchase.With 37 million Nigerians spending roughly four hours daily on these platforms, brands are integrating…

While the world races toward a clean-energy future powered by lithium batteries, Nigeria—home to one of the largest lithium deposits in Africa—finds itself watching from the sidelines as foreign companies dominate extraction and profits. Lithium, often called the oil of the new economy, fuels the global electric vehicle and renewable energy revolution. Yet, despite Nigeria’s massive reserves—valued at over $34 billion—the nation remains a raw material supplier, with local investors largely absent from the booming industry now valued globally at $92 billion annually. Foreign Firms Take the Lead Across Nigeria’s lithium-rich states—Nasarawa, Kaduna, Niger, Kwara, Kogi, and Ekiti—Chinese corporations have…

In Africa’s startup story, Iyin Aboyeji has always stood apart — not just for the companies he built, but for the philosophy that shaped them. To him, success is less about the size of your funding round and more about the courage to believe in what isn’t yet visible. Long before “tech ecosystem” became a buzzword, Aboyeji was already exploring how belief — in people, purpose, and possibility — could power sustainable growth. His work with Andela turned unemployment into export. Flutterwave transformed fragmented payment systems into opportunity. Now, through Future Africa, he’s betting on founders who see constraint not…

Nigeria’s long-standing struggle with unreliable electricity is entering a decisive new phase, as financing begins to flow for projects under the World Bank–supported Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) programme. Designed to deliver clean, decentralized energy to millions, DARES marks one of Africa’s boldest attempts to close the continent’s power gap through renewable innovation. Under the scheme, 17.5 million Nigerians are expected to gain access to reliable electricity through 1,500 solar mini-grids and 1.5 million solar home systems. The approach prioritizes sustainability and inclusivity—linking public ambition with private expertise to drive measurable progress in energy access. Capital Flows Begin:…

MTN Nigeria has announced an extension of its widely embraced Mega Billion Promo until October 21, 2025, creating additional opportunities for customers to participate and win valuable rewards. For small business owners, particularly those in the fashion and creative industries, the extension represents more than just a chance to win—it offers the potential to invest in growth. Proceeds from the promo can be channeled into expanding boutiques, launching new collections, or acquiring digital tools to strengthen competitiveness in today’s dynamic market. Speaking on the initiative, Onyinye Ikenna-Emeka, Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria, highlighted the company’s ongoing commitment to empowering its…

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), in collaboration with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), has positioned Nigerian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) at the heart of continental trade integration through their active participation in the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF2025) held in Algiers, Algeria. More than a showcase, the initiative served as a gateway for Nigerian businesses to access new markets, build cross-border partnerships, and enhance competitiveness across Africa’s emerging value chains. It also reinforced Nigeria’s role in advancing the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by creating new opportunities for diversification, job creation, and regional…

Nigeria has taken a decisive step toward global digital trade leadership as its Tax Identification Number (Tax-ID) has been officially registered under the ISO/IEC 6523 International Coding System, earning international recognition for individuals and businesses engaged in cross-border transactions. This milestone, achieved through the joint effort of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), establishes FIRS as the nation’s Peppol Authority—a move that integrates Nigeria into the Pan-European Public Procurement Online (Peppol) network, already adopted across Europe, Asia, and Australia. With Peppol now operational in Nigeria, businesses gain access to a secure and standardised…

For many, Nigeria’s economic and infrastructural challenges are reasons to look elsewhere. But for Ugbede Attah, entrepreneur and Chief Executive Officer of DEATTAH Group, they are the very reasons to stay, invest, and build. Armed with a Master’s degree in Political Psychology from Bournemouth University in the UK, Attah returned to Nigeria determined to create businesses that meet real needs. Today, he oversees a thriving portfolio that includes Berlin Hotels and Lounge, Circles Restaurant and Fast Food, and Rubytag Properties Limited. “My studies helped me appreciate the complexity of human interactions. In business, understanding your customer is as important as…

Nigeria’s economy rests on the shoulders of small businesses, and global delivery platform Glovo is betting big on their future. On Tuesday, the company launched the Glovo Academy in Abuja, an initiative designed to build skills, strengthen partnerships, and help micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) scale sustainably. At the unveiling, Kolawole Adeniyi, Head of Commercial at Glovo Nigeria, said the academy reflects the company’s long-term vision of investing in Africa’s grassroots economy rather than extracting quick gains. Since expanding into Africa in 2018, Glovo has invested over €206 million across six countries, with Nigeria already becoming one of its…

The Joseph Ogungbemi Foundation (JOF) has opened applications for its 2025 Business Grant Initiative, designed to empower Nigerian entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources to grow and create meaningful community impact. With grants of up to ₦1,000,000, the initiative supports innovative startups and growth-oriented enterprises, helping them scale operations and strengthen sustainability. Application Deadline: Not specified (Winners will be announced on December 5, 2025 at Alone With God 4.0). Who Can Apply? Nigerian entrepreneurs or small business owners. Owners of startups or existing businesses with strong growth potential. Applicants committed to using the funds strictly for business purposes.…

Africa’s gaming sector is experiencing unprecedented growth, driven by mobile technology, digital payment systems, and a young population eager to engage in online entertainment and betting. For investors and entrepreneurs, the continent offers diverse opportunities — but each market has its own strengths, regulatory frameworks, and unique drivers of success. South Africa: Scale and Stability South Africa leads with one of the most structured gaming environments on the continent. With over 118 million smartphone connections — nearly twice its population — the digital betting space is thriving. More than half of South Africans participate in sports betting, and although licensing…

Nigeria is stepping onto the world stage with a bold statement: the nation is no longer just a consumer of technology but a creator of solutions with global impact. This message will resonate in London on October 9, where 105 groundbreaking Nigerian innovations will be unveiled before investors, policymakers, and development leaders. The initiative, spearheaded by the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) in collaboration with UKALD London, represents a defining moment in Nigeria’s innovation diplomacy. Selected from more than 3,000 entries nationwide, the innovations span HealthTech, AgriTech, FinTech, Clean Energy, Artificial Intelligence, and precision farming, reflecting the country’s ambition…