Author: Gift Ifeanyi

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…

Carloha Nigeria, the sole distributor of Chery vehicles in the country, is reshaping what it means to own a car by combining affordability, peace of mind, and a forward-looking service experience. With its newest customer-focused initiatives, the company is making brand-new sedans and SUVs more accessible to Nigerians while ensuring long-term value through an unmatched after-sales framework. At a recent media gathering at its Alapere showroom in Lagos, Managing Director Sola Adigun explained that Carloha’s strategy is rooted in innovation, significant investments, and staff training. According to him, the company is not only improving the car ownership journey for Nigerians…

In a bold move to support small business owners and side hustlers, PalmPay has unveiled the PalmPay Hustle Grant, an initiative designed to provide financial relief and recognition for hardworking Nigerians. The program offers ₦500,000 cash prizes to selected individuals whose businesses and personal stories reflect determination, innovation, and impact. Who Is Eligible? PalmPay explained that the grant is open to Nigerians engaged in side hustles, startups, or entrepreneurial ventures. Applicants are expected to share an inspiring story about their hustle, highlighting challenges, resilience, and future plans. They must also demonstrate how ₦500,000 would significantly elevate their business—whether through expansion,…

Nigeria has reached a financial milestone: the country’s foreign exchange (FX) reserves climbed to $41 billion in mid-August, the highest level seen in four years, according to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). For policymakers, this represents a win for economic stability; for ordinary citizens, it raises a harder question—when will the numbers translate into relief at the market and in their pockets? The CBN attributes the growth to stronger oil output, higher export revenues, and targeted policy interventions. Economists see it as a sign of renewed investor confidence, the kind of signal that boosts Nigeria’s international credit profile and…

Nigeria’s oil and gas sector recorded a double breakthrough in July 2025: gas flaring dropped to 7.16%, even as daily production climbed to 7.59 billion standard cubic feet per day (BSCFD), according to fresh data from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). The regulator described the milestone as proof of progress toward its 2030 zero-flare commitment, noting that the country has managed to raise output while curbing environmental waste. “The simultaneous growth in output and decline in flaring underscores the Commission’s drive to boost production while advancing its 2030 zero-flare commitment,” NUPRC said in a Saturday statement. Production on…

The Lagos State Government has committed nearly ₦75 million in fresh grants to fuel scientific research, technological innovation, and STEM-focused initiatives across the state. The funding, managed through the Lagos State Science Research and Innovation Council (LASRIC), is designed to strengthen a knowledge-based economy, boost entrepreneurship, and position Lagos as a leading hub for innovation in Africa. The support was distributed in three categories — Research and Development (R&D), Innovation, and STEM Education — demonstrating the state’s focus on nurturing talent and equipping future leaders. At the awards ceremony, held at the Governor’s Office Banquet Hall in Alausa, Ikeja, the…

Nigeria’s manufacturing industry is under increasing pressure to embrace modern systems that boost efficiency, competitiveness, and long-term growth. At the 58th Annual General Meeting of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Ikeja Branch, SeamlessHR reaffirmed its commitment to helping manufacturers achieve this transformation through innovative human resource technologies. Chidi Orji, Director of Sales at SeamlessHR, highlighted the company’s track record of building digital tools used in more than 20 countries and trusted by over 2,000 organisations spanning diverse industries, including manufacturing. He explained that while SeamlessHR is known for its HR and payroll platforms, it has also designed specialised solutions…

Nigeria’s digital economy received a major boost on Saturday as Arigo Technologies introduced seven groundbreaking platforms aimed at proving that Africa can be more than a consumer of global innovations — it can be a creator and trailblazer. At the Lagos launch event, Dr. Arinze Madueke, founder of the company, said the platforms were specifically designed to tackle Africa’s unique social and economic challenges while showcasing the continent’s ability to lead in global technological transformation. “We are not just releasing apps. These are solutions that open up jobs, empower small businesses, connect talents, and demonstrate that Africa can take the…

Nigeria’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which serve as the backbone of the country’s economy, are facing a massive funding gap estimated at $158.1 billion, a challenge experts say is stifling growth and limiting job creation. Speaking at the close of the SDG Investment Forum in Abuja, hosted by Onyx Investment Advisory Limited (OnyxIAL) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Nigeria, the Chief Executive Officer of the Impact Investors’ Foundation, Etemore Glover, stressed that the financing challenges confronting SMEs remain a critical barrier to their expansion. At the event, at least three Nigerian enterprises secured investment commitments and advisory…