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Tag: Abubakar Suleiman

  • FDI: Invest in Lagos 3.0 to attract N4tr

    FDI: Invest in Lagos 3.0 to attract N4tr

    The Lagos State Government is set to host the third edition of its flagship investment forum, ‘Invest in Lagos 3.0’, with the target to attract both local and foreign direct investment worth N4trillion. The summit is scheduled to be held from Monday, June 08 to Tuesday, June 09, 2026, at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos state, in partnership with the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC).

    The summit, which will attract experts and business leaders from the fifty-six Commonwealth nations, is conceived to position Lagos as Africa’s leading sub-national hub for capital flows, trade integration, financial innovation, and infrastructure development.

    Speaking during a press conference held on Tuesday, May 12, 2026 at Eko Hotel & Suites, the Co-Chair, Local Organising Committee (LOC), Invest Lagos Summit 3.0 & Honourable Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Folashade Bada Ambrose-Medebem declared that outcomes from Invest in Lagos Summit 3.0 will build on and surpass the achievements of the previous editions with greater depth, stronger global engagement, and clearer implementation pathways”.

    Ambrose-Medebem explained the high-level forum, themed “Lagos: The Business Gateway to Africa -Where Innovation Meets Capital” is expected to feature investment opportunities across key priority sectors including infrastructure, industrialisation, the digital economy, agriculture, energy transition, logistics, financial services, real estate, and SME development.

    “Lagos sits at the centre of the African economic story. With a population in excess of 23 million people, a GDP that ranks among the largest city economies on the continent, expanding infrastructure, a vibrant innovation ecosystem, a growing industrial base, and one of the busiest seaports in Africa, Lagos remains uniquely positioned as the preferred destination for investment, trade, manufacturing, finance, technology, and enterprise development”, she said.

    In his remarks at the conference, the Co-Chair of the Local Organising Committee & Deputy Chief of Staff to Lagos State Governor, Mr. Sam Egube, disclosed that more than twenty-nine global speakers from across the different countries of the world and industries have confirmed attendance

    “This summit will move conversation into measurable outcomes. In fact, the summit will spotlight key sectors including technology, infrastructure, healthcare, transportation, energy, environment, and the creative economy “, he added.

    With this Summit, Lagos is determined to translate investment conversations into deployable channels and maintain commitment to the Lagos State Development Plan 2052 as well as the T.H.E.M.E.S+ policy framework of the current administration designed to stimulate socio-economic development in the state.

    It is expected that the 500 to 600 high-level delegates comprising innovators, global institutions, sovereign wealth funds, development finance institutions, multilateral institutions, structured finance specialists, trade networks across the Commonwealth, and senior public officials confirmed for attendance will share perspectives that will ease movement of conversations into measurable outcomes.

    Among the key guests already confirmed for the summit are the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Deputy Governor, Lagos State, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat; Hon. Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole; the Chair, Commonwealth Enterprise & Investment Council (CWEIC), Lord Marland; The Secretary-General, Commonwealth, Hon. Shirley Botchwey; the Co-Chair, Lagos Finance & Investment Council (LFIC) Mr. Aig Imoukhouede; Chief Growth & AI Officer, Middle East & Africa, Microsoft, Tomiwa Williams; MD/CEO, First Bank of Nigeria, Olusegun Alebiosu; MD/CEO, Sterling Bank, Abubakar Suleiman; MD/CEO, Lagos Free Zone, Adesuwa Ladoja; Chairman, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Segun Ogunsanya; Vice President, Adani Group, Shahzad Athar and CEO, Benoy, Tom Cartledge.

    As a summit designed to drive private sector investment, stimulate enterprise growth, expand value chains, strengthen the fiscal sustainability of Lagos, Invest in Lagos 3.0 is more than a mechanism for economic growth acceleration, but also a platform for showcasing the investment sustainability of Lagos and a catalyst for structured engagement with capital providers.

  • LASG, BOI to sign MoU to boost SME access to Finance

    LASG, BOI to sign MoU to boost SME access to Finance

    The Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, is set to officially sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Bank of Industry (BOI) and Sterling Bank as part of efforts to boost access to finance for small and medium-scale entrepreneurs across the state.

    The signing ceremony, which is part of activities for the launch of a new initiative tagged Lagos State Access to Finance for SMEs through Co-operatives (LASMECO) programme, is billed to hold on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at Adeyemi Bero Hall, The Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.

    According to the Honourable Commissioner of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Folashade Ambrose, LASMECO is a first-of-its-kind public-private financing platform that aims to deliver low-interest, risk-mitigated loans to SMEs across strategic sectors, including healthcare, agriculture, creative industries, manufacturing, and circular economy clusters.

    Ambrose explained that the initiative is a game changer that will accelerate access to finance for SME business owners in the state by providing a loan of up to Ten Million Naira at a 9% interest rate for two to three years. She added that the loans are non-collateralised and will be 50% guaranteed by Sterling Bank.

    She disclosed that the Access to Finance for SMEs initiative, which is to be launched by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the event, would be witnessed by key stakeholders in both public and private sectors, including Managing Director, Bank of Industry (BOI), Olasupo Olusi, Managing Director, Sterling Bank Plc, Abubakar Suleiman, President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Dr. Francis Meshioye and President, Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Gabriel Idahosa.

    During the launch, the Honourable Commissioner will sign the MoU on behalf of the state government, while the Managing Director of the Bank of Industry will do same for the bank.

    The programme’s launch marks a significant milestone in Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES+ economic transformation agenda and pathway to industrial inclusiveness in Lagos State.

  • Teach For Nigeria hosts the graduation ceremony of its 4th cohort of fellows

    Teach For Nigeria hosts the graduation ceremony of its 4th cohort of fellows

    …Over 300 changemakers will join the Teach for Nigeria alumni network and continue to build on their initiatives to expand educational outcomes for children in underserved schools

    Teach For Nigeria, a non-profit organization focused on building a movement of leaders across the nation who are committed to improving foundational learning outcomes and life opportunities for low-income children in Nigeria today graduated its fourth cohort of fellows. The graduating class comprised 385 fellows who served in 279 schools across Lagos and Ogun states reaching over 77,000 students in underserved communities. 

    The graduation ceremony which took place in Abeokuta had industry experts, partners, alumni and stakeholders in attendance. Present at the ceremony included the former president of Nigeria, His Excellency Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and representatives of the Honourable Commissioners for Education, Lagos and Ogun states. 

    Speaking at the ceremony, Folawe Omikunle, CEO, Teach for Nigeria said,  “This cohort is the largest and most diverse cohort at Teach For Nigeria fellows and they made a tremendous impact in their schools and communities. We recorded significant gains in academic and non-academic outcomes in the schools,  impacting over 70000 pupils even as the world experienced learning losses. It is a big feat for the graduating fellows, as not everyone who started with the cohort made it through. 385 out of the 417 appointed fellows chose to stay through despite the challenges of COVID-19 and in the space of 2 years, have left an indelible impact on their communities.”

    In his commencement speech, Abubakar Suleiman, CEO  of Sterling Bank while encouraging the graduating fellows to keep up the good work stated: “You might have started small, but I need you to think big in your next phase.  Do not think that your job is done. Imagine that the world is waiting to support your dreams. You must step out and you must continue your journey. Think of how you will inspire and encourage others by sharing your stories with them. No matter how big your dreams are, remember that there are people who will support you.”

    While speaking on behalf of the chairman of the board, Mr Gbenga Oyebode, Mrs Alero Ayida-Otobo said, “TFN is a platform on which greatness stands and from which greatness impacts the community. I have seen so many alumni of TFN doing amazing things. The first cohort in 2017 graduated 44 Fellows but today we are graduating 385 Fellows. Teach for Nigeria is an incubator that prepares its fellows for greatness. When you leave, you leave as a force for a change. Together, all of us are changing the narrative of education inequity and raising a generation of new primary school pupils.” 

    Former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo emphasized the importance of providing educational opportunities for people to maximize their innate potential. According to him, “There is nothing more frustrating than having the capacity and no opportunities.  Education for children, youths and adults should be limitless. There is no one who is born without an element of innate capacity which has to be developed and if the person does not go to school, the development of that innate capacity will be hindered.”

    Omotoyosi Idris, a graduating fellow, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to pass through the Fellowship. Idris said, “I can’t tell my success story and journey without mentioning my experience at Teach For Nigeria. It changed my perspective on our society and made me realize that I was the change. During the fellowship, I launched the Hale and Hearty initiative focused on improving the education and health conditions of kids in underserved communities. So far, we were able to set up and equip a sick bay accessible to 450 direct beneficiaries including learners and school staff. We also conducted free medical outreaches like malaria tests, dental checks and diabetes tests in the community.  I am motivated to do more for my society and I look forward to hearing about our exploits in the different sectors in Nigeria. 

  • Sterling partners Farafina to unveil the Anthology Of Nigerian Literature

    Sterling partners Farafina to unveil the Anthology Of Nigerian Literature

    Sterling Bank Plc has collaborated with Farafina Books, Nigeria’s leading independent literary publishers, to launch a premier anthology of the best of Nigerian writings spanning 200 years, from 1789 to 2018. 

    The anthology, titled: “A Possible Future,” was curated to preserve the gems of Nigeria’s literary history, promote a reading culture in the country as well as to support featured authors in the distribution of their timeless books. The 411-page book features some of the best works of 46 literary authors in the country. 

    Featured authors include Olaudah Equiano, D.O. Fagunwa, Gabriel Okara, Cyprian Ekwensi, Obotunde Ijimere, Chinua Achebe, Duro Ladipo, Chukwuemeka Ike, Christopher Okigbo, Elechi Amadi, Wole Soyinka, Ola Rotimi, J.P. Clark-Bekederemo, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Isidore Okpewho, Mobolaji Adenubi, Buchi Emecheta, Femi Osofisan, Niyi Osundare, Tanure Ojaide, Odia Ofeimun and Ben Okri.

    Others are Uzor Maxim Uzoatu, Dulue Mbachu, Ikeogu Oke, Biyi Bandele, Sarah Ladipo Manyika, Aisha Osori, Omolola Ijeoma Ogunyemi, Yemisi Aribisala, Lola Shoneyin, Teju Cole, Yejide Kilanko, Eghosa Imasuen, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Niran Okewole, A. Igoni Barret, Abubakar Adam Ibrahim, Taiye Selasi, Jowhor Ile, Tope Folarin, Lesley Nneka Arimah, Helen Oyeyemi, Uche Okonkwo, Gbenga Adesina and Wale Lawal.

    Addressing lovers of literature, authors, influencers, and other stakeholders at the event, Mr. Abubakar Suleiman, Chief Executive of Sterling Bank said the institution decided to collaborate with Farafina on the project because ensuring continued literacy, being a key component of education, is in line with the education component of the bank’s HEART strategy.  The other sectors are health, agriculture, renewable energy, and transportation.

    He said besides this, the Bank has for some time now been supporting the literary arts through the Ake Arts and Books Festival, an initiative of the Book Buzz Foundation, which is driven by Lola Shoneyin, an award-winning writer and poet among others. 

    Also, in the foreword to the book, Mr. Suleiman noted that, “In the long stretch of time between 1947 when Professor Molly Mahood declared that Nigeria, at the time, had no literature and today, the country’s literary tradition has established itself as a force in the world.

    “This is not to agree with Mahood that Nigerian literature is only as old as British involvement in the country’s affairs. In fact, by the time British colonialism invaded the geographical space that would later become Nigeria, there was already a deep-rooted literary tradition in the north of the region going as far back as the 15th century. So, we had literature long before we practiced the art in the colonial tongue.”

    He said, “Modern Nigerian literature may have been ‘founded’ by the English based on an assumption – a falsehood, in fact – but the lie does not have to hold any longer. When we decided to believe in ‘A Possible Future,’ we did so with the understanding that Nigerian literature was already of age. While its story is still unfolding and the yardage of its potential still vast, nay infinite, the baby- Buchi Emecheta, Flora Nwapa and Amos Tutuola once nurtured in verse, prose and on stage, no longer crawls.

    A possible Future is a primer for anyone – and I cannot imagine who, in this age – just getting introduced to Nigerian literature.”

    According to him, “Kachifo Limited and Farafina Trust have created a definitive, yet not conclusive text that summarises our literary journey and gestures to its destination. The details of which we do not know yet except that, in that future, everything is excellent, anything is possible and we are here for it.”

    The Sterling Bank CEO also read excerpts from Arrow of God by Chinua Achebe, which featured on pages 41 to 42 of the anthology. Temilade Aina, a literature curator, took the second reading from the works of Biyi Bandele’s Burma Boy.

    The event also featured a panel session made up of Professor Niyi Osundare, Eghosa Imasuen, A. Igoni Barrett, Wale Lawal and Temilade Aina. The session was moderated by Faniyi Kayode, a writer, book critic and editor.

    The panel commended the anthology and described it as a premier national work and expressed the hope that subsequent ones will accommodate the works of other writers which are not covered now.

  • ZOLA Electric opens First Experience Centre in Nigeria

    ZOLA Electric opens First Experience Centre in Nigeria

    ZOLA Electric, the leading renewable energy brand in Africa has opened its first Experience Centre in Nigeria. The Experience centre, which is located at the Fezel Plaza, Alfred Rewane Road, Ikoyi, Lagos would serve as the retail footprint for ZOLA in Nigeria as part of its commitments to provide 24 hours reliable, renewable and clean energy solutions to its customers.

    The company also unveiled the limited edition of its flagship renewable power solution product, ZOLA Infinity to the first set of 100 customers who pre-ordered the innovative renewable energy product at a grand event held at Raddision Blu Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos

    Speaking during the unveiling of the Experience Centre, the Chief Executive Officer, ZOLA Electric, Bill Lenihan explained that the Centre would serve as a retail hub for the business ensuring seamless interactions with customers on the innovative power solutions that is aimed at bringing a permanent solution to the energy needs of Nigerians and businesses.

    “We are excited to open our first experience centre in Nigeria which would afford Nigerians the opportunity to have a feel of how we provide clean, 24 hour reliable and affordable energy to Nigerians. When we started in Tanzania, we built a system for that market particularly for those who don’t have access to the grid whatsoever to power their homes. We are grateful today that ZOLA Electric has touched millions of lives in the process’’, he said.

    Two years ago, we built products to serve the Nigerian market. We are glad to say that today we are prepared to solve Nigeria’s acute energy problem with these revolutionary products. As you aware, energy needs of countries are different and Nigeria requires a technology solution that was different in anything from the one we had in the past”, he added.

    Also speaking shortly after the inauguration of the centre, the Managing Director, ZOLA Electric Nigeria, Mr. Abdallah Khamis noted that the opening of the experience centre as well as the launch of ZOLA INFINITY is a clear demonstration of the company’s capacity to solve the energy needs of Nigerians and businesses groaning under the pain of poor power supply through its custom built innovative products.

    According to Khamis, the different power solutions have been uniquely designed to meet the energy demands of customers regardless of their status.

    Khamis further disclosed that ZOLA’s energy systems are accessible with payment plans from her financial partner, Sterling Bank.

    In his remarks, the Chairman of ZOLA Electric, Mr. Femi Tejuosho expressed profound joy on the birth of the experience centre in Nigeria which he described would afford Nigerians regardless of status the unique opportunity to witness firsthand how 24 hour reliable power solution works.

    “We are excited to have the first experience centre in Nigeria. I know a lot of Nigerians would be wondering if there is going to be 24 hour reliable power supply. I want to say that ZOLA Electric is ready to provide that solution. I can assure you that right from the man in the village to the man living in mansion, ZOLA electric has come to offer 24 hour power access. We have the ZOLA Flex, which as little as about N1, 000 a week can give you 24 hour electricity as well as ZOLA Infinity which can pack as much power demand as possible”, he noted.

    Also speaking, Managing Director, Sterling Bank Plc, Abubakar Suleiman stated Nigeria particularly Lagos remains the most suitable market to offer the ZOLA Electric unique solutions given the myriads of socio-economic problems impeding the country’s growth. He assured that Sterling Bank is partnering ZOLA in Nigeria to provide financing to Nigerians to give them access to constant, reliable, scalable and affordable energy.

    According to Suleiman, energy access remains a huge problem that cannot be left alone in the hands of government to solve hence the need for partnership between the bank and ZOLA Electric for the provision of power solutions. “There is nowhere else you need to be if your desire is to create access to power other than Nigeria. I cannot imagine anywhere that come close than Nigeria” he noted.
    Zola Electric which has its footprints in the African continent comprising Tanzania, Ghana, Rwanda, Cote d’voire and Nigeria has powered more than 200,000 homes and businesses.

  • Sterling Bank Partners NESG, Others to Fund Early Stage Ventures

    Sterling Bank Partners NESG, Others to Fund Early Stage Ventures

    Sterling Bank, Africa’s most agile company, has partnered the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), Venture Capital for Africa, Verakki and GreenHouse Capital, to fund early stage ventures with grants up to 10 million at the NES #25 Startups Pitch which held yesterday in Abuja.

    Sterling Bank and the NESG will announce the top three winners during the Closing Plenary Summit by the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo tomorrow, October 8, 2019. The top three winners will get grants ranging from 2.5 million to 10 million, through the Nigerian Economic Summit Group Innovation Fund.  A 1million audience choice prize will also be awarded.

    The 10 ventures that made it to the finals are Agriple, Notitia, Phaheem Pharmaceuticals Limited, Tiny Hearts Technology, AfriNET Power Tech Solutions, Doctoora E-Health Ltd, GatePass, Loystar, Gricd Services Limited and Green Axis. They are all early-stage startups registered in Nigeria and have been doing business for no more than five years. They have pitched their business to venture capitalists and investors, and are awaiting the announcement of the top three winners, and audience choice prize.

    Each startup had five minutes to pitch to prospective investors and 10 minutes to respond to their questions. The session also connected all the 10 start-ups to venture capitalists and investors.

    Before the finals, precisely on Tuesday, 1st of October, Sterling Bank in partnership with NESG and GreenHouse Lab hosted a welcome dinner to kickstart a weeklong startup bootcamp to prepare the finalists for business, pitching at the grand finale, and meetings with venture capitalists and investors. The intensely educative bootcamp featured sessions on forming a team, working with coaches and/or mentors, business advisory, and communicating a venture to venture capitalists and investors with confidence.

    In 2017, the NESG introduced a Start-ups Pitching Event as part of the annual Nigerian Economic Summit (NES). Many start-up entrepreneurs struggle to get the funds they need to grow their business and, in some cases, even require mentorship, professional advisory services, among others.

    The 2019 edition of the Startups Pitching Event, just like the 2018 edition, is powered by Sterling Bank. It provides innovators and entrepreneurs from all over Nigeria with opportunity to pitch their start-ups, collaborate and interact with individuals and organisations interested in promoting entrepreneurship. It also provides startups with opportunity to meet experienced investors and obtain great feedback and possibly capital.

    The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) organises the Annual Nigerian Economic Summit in partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Sterling Bank Plc, among others. It has become an annual dialogue and indeed the flagship event of NESG and the Federal Government that has provided a credible and widely recognised platform for top policymakers and corporate leaders.