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Tag: business strategy

  • Personality Spotlight: Tobi Rasaq Alaka – Driving Reputation, Innovation and Influence in Africa’s Digital Economy

    Personality Spotlight: Tobi Rasaq Alaka – Driving Reputation, Innovation and Influence in Africa’s Digital Economy

    In recent times, trust, visibility, and credibility have become critical business assets. Tobi Rasaq Alaka has distinguished herself as one of Nigeria’s emerging strategic communications and marketing leaders, helping organisations navigate transformation, strengthen stakeholder confidence, and build enduring brands.

    With over 13 years of experience spanning fintech, payment infrastructure, technology, advertising, and professional services, Alaka has built a reputation for translating complex business innovations into compelling narratives that drive growth, trust, and market leadership. Her career has been defined by a deep understanding of the intersection between communications, business strategy, reputation management, and stakeholder engagement.

    Currently serving as Corporate Communications Manager and Marketing Team Operations Lead at Zone, Nigeria’s first blockchain-based payment infrastructure company, Alaka plays a central role in shaping the organisation’s corporate narrative and positioning the company as a leading voice within Africa’s rapidly evolving financial technology ecosystem.

    In her dual leadership role, she oversees corporate communications, executive visibility, media relations, thought leadership, reputation management, brand governance, and strategic stakeholder engagement. She also provides operational leadership for the marketing and communications function, ensuring alignment between corporate objectives, brand initiatives, campaigns, and business priorities. Through effective planning, execution, performance measurement, and cross-functional collaboration, she helps ensure that communications activities contribute directly to business growth and corporate reputation.

    Transforming a Nigerian Fintech into a Pan-African Brand

    One of Alaka’s most notable achievements has been leading the strategic communications and brand repositioning programme that transformed Appzone into Zone, Nigeria’s first blockchain-based payment infrastructure company.

    Recognising that innovation creates value only when people understand and trust it, she developed and executed a comprehensive communications strategy that included corporate storytelling, executive communications, stakeholder engagement, media relations, and internal alignment throughout the transition process.

    The impact was significant. The rebranding initiative generated a fivefold increase in positive media coverage and strengthened the company’s credibility among regulators, investors, enterprise partners, and the broader fintech community. More importantly, it helped establish Zone as a recognised thought leader within Africa’s payment infrastructure landscape.

    Building Executive Visibility and Industry Influence

    Alaka believes that strong organisations require visible and trusted leaders. This philosophy informed the design and execution of a strategic executive positioning programme focused on elevating leadership voices within the technology and financial services sectors.

    Through a combination of proactive media engagement, executive profiling, thought leadership content, and stakeholder outreach, she created opportunities for business leaders to contribute meaningfully to conversations shaping the future of payments, digital innovation, and financial inclusion in Africa.

    The initiative secured media placements across leading local and international publications in a single year, significantly enhancing executive visibility, investor engagement, and industry influence.

    Aligning Communications with Business Growth

    For Alaka, communications must be more than a support function; it must deliver measurable business outcomes.

    This philosophy was evident during her tenure as Branding and Communications Team Lead at CRC Credit Bureau, where she developed integrated marketing and communications campaigns aimed at driving customer acquisition, expanding market awareness, and strengthening trust in credit reporting and financial inclusion services.

    The strategy combined media relations, consumer education, stakeholder engagement, content marketing, and brand repositioning initiatives. The result was substantial business impact, contributing approximately ₦2 billion in revenue growth while strengthening the organisation’s market position and stakeholder confidence.

    Empowering the Next Generation

    Beyond the corporate environment, Alaka is committed to empowering future leaders.

    She is the Founder of Empowher.ng, a platform dedicated to supporting African women through mentorship, learning, leadership development, and community building. Through the initiative and various professional mentoring programmes, she has provided guidance, visibility opportunities, and career development support to young professionals.

    Her focus is on helping professionals intentionally build careers, strengthen their personal brands, and position themselves for leadership opportunities.

    Her philosophy is simple: leadership is measured not only by personal achievements but also by the ability to create opportunities for others to succeed.

    Preparing for the Future of Communications

    As artificial intelligence continues to transform how people access information, build trust, and engage with brands, Alaka has become a prominent advocate for the responsible adoption of AI within communications and reputation management.

    Through her writing, speaking engagements, and industry contributions, she explores the future of public relations, digital influence, search visibility, stakeholder engagement, and corporate reputation in an increasingly AI-driven world.

    Looking ahead, she believes that the organisations and leaders that will thrive are those capable of combining technology, credibility, authentic storytelling, and human connection to create lasting value and meaningful impact.

    For Tobi Rasaq Alaka, communication is not simply about transmitting information, it is about building trust, shaping perception, inspiring action, and creating influence that endures.

  • NLNG Concludes 2026 VIBES Pitch-a-Thon, Disburses ₦250m in Business Grants

    NLNG Concludes 2026 VIBES Pitch-a-Thon, Disburses ₦250m in Business Grants

    NLNG has disbursed a total of ₦250 million in grants to 51 entrepreneurs following the conclusion of its 2026 Vocational Innovation and Business Empowerment Scheme (VIBES), which commenced with the induction of 103 participants from its host communities in Rivers State.

    The grants followed a competitive pitch-a-thon that brought the programme to a close, with participants presenting their business ideas and funding requirements before a panel of judges. Selections were based on the viability, scalability, and sustainability of each proposal.

    Speaking at the event, NLNG’s General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Sophia Horsfall, said the grant component of VIBES is designed to ensure that participants are not left with just training, but are supported to take the next practical step in establishing their businesses.

    “What we are doing with this funding is bridging the gap between learning and execution. Many small businesses struggle at that stage where they have the knowledge but lack the capital to move forward. Through VIBES, we are providing targeted support to help these entrepreneurs implement their ideas, stabilise their operations, and position their businesses for growth,” she said.

    Horsfall added that the initiative reflects NLNG’s broader approach to sustainable community development, noting that combining capacity building with access to funding enables beneficiaries to make measurable progress, strengthen their businesses, and create real economic value within their communities. “It is about providing sustainable livelihoods”, she said.

    In his remark, Manager, Community Relations and Sustainable Development, Yemi Adeyemi, commended participants for their dedication throughout the programme and the quality of ideas presented during the pitch-a-thon. He noted that the funding is intended to provide critical growth capital to enable beneficiaries expand operations, improve productivity, create jobs, and strengthen their market position.

    He thanked all participants for their commitment and reaffirmed NLNG’s continued investment in enterprise development, and support for initiatives that build local capacity, promote entrepreneurship, and create sustainable economic opportunities in its host communities.

    The pitch-a-thon marked the culmination of a four-week intensive business capacity-building programme, during which participants were equipped with practical skills in financial management, business strategy, marketing, and operations to strengthen their enterprises.

    The programme, built on innovation, scalability, and sustainability, reinforces NLNG’s commitment to inclusive economic development, integrating capacity building with funding to help entrepreneurs grow, sustain their businesses, and drive long-term impact.

  • Africa Finance Corporation Returns to Global Debt Capital Markets with Oversubscribed Five-Year US$500m Eurobond

    Africa Finance Corporation Returns to Global Debt Capital Markets with Oversubscribed Five-Year US$500m Eurobond

    Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), the continent’s leading infrastructure solutions provider, today announced an outstanding return to the global debt capital markets, successfully issuing a US$500 million 144A/Reg S Eurobond.

    The benchmark five-year Note, issued at par with a coupon of 5.55%, had a negative concession with pricing inside the Corporation’s outstanding yield curve, resulting in the tightest T-spread ever achieved by AFC on a 5-year US dollar benchmark and enabling AFC to broadly reset its yield curve in the secondary market. The issuance generated significant interest across Europe, Asia, United States, and the Middle East, resulting in a peak book that was over two and a half times oversubscribed.

    “After about three years of absence from the Eurobond market, we are proud of the overwhelmingly positive reception for this bond issuance, which underscores the global capital market’s continued confidence in AFC’s credit story, our holistic investor engagement strategy and support for our mandate to develop and finance infrastructure projects that will enable Africa’s sustainable industrialization and prosperity,” said Samaila Zubairu, President & CEO of AFC. “The significant oversubscription and success of this bond issue is an endorsement of our impressive financial performance, business strategy, conservative financial policies and our impact in leading transformative change in Africa.”

    With an order book exceeding US$1.2 billion, the bond drew high-quality investors seeking exposure to investment-grade issuers like AFC. The Corporation’s consistent A3 credit rating, upheld since 2014 and recently reaffirmed by Moody’s, with a rating outlook change from Negative to Stable, further boosted the bond’s appeal among institutional investors. The breakdown of the order book reflected AFC’s very strong capital market access, with final allocation of Europe: 57%; North America: 23%; Middle East: 15%; and Asia: 5%.

    The Eurobond was issued under AFC’s $5 billion Global Medium-Term Note (GMTN) programme. The proceeds from the bond, listed on the Euronext Dublin and the London Stock Exchange, will support AFC’s mission to drive rapid industrialisation and accelerate development impact across Africa.

    Banji Fehintola, Executive Board Member and Head of Financial Services, commented: “The success of this bond signals more than just strong market access for AFC; it represents a gateway for other African issuers to follow suit. Despite market volatility, our ability to secure this level of demand affirms the resilience of AFC’s credit profile and opens new doors for Africa’s infrastructure financing.”

    The issuance was coordinated by a consortium of global financial institutions, including BofA Securities, Citigroup, First Abu Dhabi Bank, and Goldman Sachs International as Global Coordinators and Joint Bookrunners, alongside Rand Merchant Bank and SMBC Nikko as Joint Bookrunners.

  • EFG Hermes Successfully Concludes Advisory to the Second Issuance for EFG Hermes Corp-Solutions in an EGP 2.0 billion Securitization Bond Offering

    EFG Hermes Successfully Concludes Advisory to the Second Issuance for EFG Hermes Corp-Solutions in an EGP 2.0 billion Securitization Bond Offering

    EFG Hermes, the leading investment bank franchise in Frontier Emerging Markets (FEM), and EFG Hermes Holding’s wholly-owned subsidiary, EFG Hermes Corp-Solutions, announced today the successful conclusion of the latter’s second issuance of a securitization bond worth EGP 2.0 billion. The bond is backed by a receivables portfolio of c. EGP 2.9 billion, representing 24 lease contracts.

    The securitization bond comprises of three tranches, where tranche A is valued at EGP 260 million, with a tenor of 13 months, and a credit rating of AA+ from Middle East Ratings and Investor Services (MERIS). Tranche B is valued at EGP 890 million, with a tenor of 36 months, and a credit rating of AA from MERIS. The final tranche, tranche C, is valued at EGP 850 million, with a tenor of 72 months, and a credit rating of A- from MERIS.

    Commenting on the issuance, Moustafa Gad, Co-Head of Investment Banking at EFG Hermes said, “Following the success of the first issuance in Corp-Solutions’ securitization program, we’re proud to have successfully concluded this second issuance, providing EFG Hermes Corp-Solutions with substantial new funding to expand their operations. The completion of this second transaction among many others reflects the DCM team’s commitment to support the growth of businesses during today’s challenging financial landscape, fostering job creation and economic development. With our all-embracing product offering in the DCM space and our strong team of top professionals in the field, our objective is to provide world-class corporate financing solutions and alternatives to serve our clients’ needs and adapt to the evolving market dynamics.”

    “This securitization transaction is another milestone met in accelerating our operational growth and solidifying our position in the Egyptian market, and we’re proud to have secured such high ratings despite being late comers to the market, a testament of our strong financial position and solid business strategy.” said CEO of EFG Hermes Corp-Solutions, Talal El Ayat. “Diversifying our funding sources helps us achieve our goals in expanding our operational footprint and growing our client base through providing a wide variety of novel financial solutions, as we continue our commitment to support private sector growth.”

    EFG Hermes Corp-Solutions enjoys a healthy and diverse client mix of 20% SMEs and 80% mid-cap to large corporations covering a myriad of sectors such as real estate development, logistics and maritime, printing and packaging, education, healthcare, trading and distribution, among others. This year, the company aims to focus on adding on more SMEs to its roster of clients and leveraging synergies across EFG Hermes Holding’s verticals and subsidiaries to further expand the business.

    By the end of July 2022, EFG Hermes Corp-Solutions’ leasing and factoring businesses ranked second YTD in the Egyptian market. The leasing business booked a 12.52% market share with a total value of contracts amounting to EGP 5.8 billion, while the factoring business recorded a market share of 13.99% with a total value of bookings amounting to EGP 2.4 billion – according to the latest FRA report.

    The issuance follows the Firm’s conclusion of a series of securitization transactions in 2022 including advisory on Pioneers Properties for Urban Development second securitization issuance, Bedaya Mortgage Finance’s first securitization issuance, a securitization issuance for MNHD, the sixth issuance for Premium International for Credit Services, and valU’s second securitization issuance. This is the second issuance for Corp-Solutions following on the heels of its first successful securitization issuance of EGP 750 million.

  • Dangote Cement best Performing Stock – Nigerian Exchange

    Dangote Cement best Performing Stock – Nigerian Exchange

    Africa’s largest Cement manufacturer, Dangote Cement Plc, has emerged the Best Performing Stock of the Year 2021 by the Nigeria Exchange Group (NGX).

    Dangote Cement pride as the most capitalized company on the Nigeria Stock Exchange was named the best stock ahead of BUA Cement Plc and CAP Plc, during the 2022 Nigerian Investor Value Award (NIVA) organized by the Businessday in collaboration with the Nigeria Exchange Group

    The coveted award is meant for two classes of companies namely, the listed companies segment and the Next Bull segment with Dangote cement leading the pack in the Listed Companies best-performing stock, in the Industrial goods category having been adjudged to have recorded stellar performance in creating value on the Nigeria Stock Exchange on the basis of criteria such as share price, dividend payments, sustainability, brand value, market leadership and business strategy against its peers during the period under review.

    In his address on the occasion, the Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Exchange Limited, Mr. Temi Popoola, who was represented by the Divisional Head, Capital Market, Mr. Jude Emeka said the award by the Businessday Media Limited underlined Nigeria Exchange Group’s goal of promoting actionable and effective multi-stakeholder dialogue on issues central to a well-functioning financial system.

    While acknowledging that the winner organizations are worthy and truly deserving the honour, he clarified that the winners were selected from among companies that are active and the investors have expressed strong demand to own their shares.   

    “As a responsible entity, known for aligning with best global practices, we recognize the importance of corporate governance and effective board leadership in driving sustainability on the business front. That is why we choose to not only recognize listed companies who are blazing the trail in investor relations but also contribute to building a sustainable socio-economic standard in governance, regulation and compliance.

    The Nigeria Exchange boss said the leveraging of investments in business innovation and its diversified range of products and services coupled with robust engagement, we are well on our way to achieving our aspiration to be Africa’s preferred exchange hub especially given the number of advances that have been implemented recently including the launch of the NGX Exchange Traded Derivates Market which saw the listing of two Equity Index Futures Contracts, NGX30 Index Futures and the NGX Pension Index Futures. 

    He assured that the NGX remained resolute in its commitment to the provision of a scalable and enterprising platform for issuers and investors to meet their financial objectives irrespective of the prevailing conditions.

    Mr. Popoola said “we will continue to consolidate on the advances by focusing on key initiatives aimed at creating and growing the capital market for the benefit of all key stakeholders.

    In his address of welcome, the Publisher, Businessday, Mr. Frank Aigbogun said the NIVA formerly known as the Top 25 CEOs Award recognizes leaders of private and public companies who have created sustainable alpha-generating value for their shareholders through strategic priorities, operation efficiency, organizational values and marketing engagement activities.

    He explained that COVID-19 was what most companies, including Nigerian businesses, never envisaged but the reality today is that Russian-Ukraine crisis has again emphasized the urgent need for backward integration and value addition to the nation’s primary produce. Aigbogun expressed happiness that the Nigeria capital market has remained strong in the mix of the global realignment that is going on consequent of the Ukrainian crisis.

    Mr. Obu Oliver, the Group Financial Controller, Dangote Cement Plc. who received the award thanked the organizers for the award and assured that the companies would not rest on its oars in sustaining the strategies that make the stock the best performing.