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Tag: Chief Executive Officer

  • 2021 Verdant Zeal ‘Innovention’ Series sets Circular Economy on the Front Burner

    2021 Verdant Zeal ‘Innovention’ Series sets Circular Economy on the Front Burner

    The 9th edition of the Verdant Zeal ‘Innovention’ Series is set to enlighten, address and proffer solutions to how circular economy can be achieved in Nigeria through innovation.

    An initiative of one of the nation’s leading Marketing Communications Group, the ‘Innovention Series’ is a platform designed to bring both public and private interest owners together to deliberate on issues affecting the nation’s economics and development with a view to charting agendas towards moving it forward.

    Scheduled for 2nd of November, 2021 with the theme, “Brand, Innovation and Circular Economy”, this year’s event which is designed to hold virtually plans to bring both local and international focus on the current global discus on circular economy.

    Speaking about the event, the convener and Executive Vice-Chairman, Verdant Zeal Group, Dr. Tunji Olugbodi, noted that, “As a multi-disciplinary marketing and communications Organisation, one key element we have always leveraged and traded is the strategic importance of ideas and how it pushes the frontiers of creativity and innovation.”

    “Innovention is all about ideas ruling the world, which is why we have built the Innovention Series on five pillars; Development Accelerators, Youth Empowerment, Technology for Growth, Entrepreneurship, and Leadership. And we aim to affect a lot of lives with this benchmark”, he added.

    Unveiling the speakers for this year’s event, Olugbodi stated that “This year’s event will have a touch of difference as various speakers from across the world will be speaking on the theme and encouraging others to imbibe the Circularity in every aspect of existence”.

    Some of the invited speakers are Soren Bouer, President, Revolve Circular; Fela Akinse, Founder, Salubata; Joanna Bingham, Chief Executive Officer, Footprints Africa, and Oluwaseun Fasuhanmi, Head, Sustainability, Mottainai Africa amongst others.

    The theme will focus on how to fuse innovation and integration between natural ecosystems, businesses, our daily lives, waste management technology, entrepreneurship, and development in Africa. The discuss will attempt to provide practical ways of harnessing the power of African sustainability and circular economy to generate revenue streams from across the world.

    Invited dignitaries and patrons for the event will be drawn from corporate and social Nigeria to stimulate the pragmatic conversation. Other participants for the series are CEOs, Business Leads, Functional Directors, and Senior Managers across Marketing, Media, Creative Arts, and Communication whose functions require the making and implementation of business development decisions that influence business growth and profitability in the immediate and long term.

    Instituted in 2012 by Verdant Zeal, the Innovention Series is a Corporate Social Responsibility Event Series that examines the development of Africa, discusses the Nigerian project as well as pinpoints opportunities for development and growth within the continent. Patrons from both the public and private sectors have found it a strong route to engage in stimulating but pragmatic conversations and discourse that challenge that status quo.

    Verdant Zeal Marketing Communications Group, a multidisciplinary business solutions provider in Nigeria, Ghana, and The Gambia, and with specializations in Branding, Consultancy, PR Management, Media Consulting, Digital Marketing, and Events Activation, has been in operation for over a decade.

    For registration, click on the link below- bit.ly/Vzinnovention9

  • Comply with Telecoms Regulations, License Conditions- NCC task Licensees

    Comply with Telecoms Regulations, License Conditions- NCC task Licensees

    The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta has enjoined telecom licensees to always comply with the provisions of extant laws, subsidiary legislations and other regulatory frameworks put in place by the Commission to ensure a more competitive and sustainable telecoms sector in Nigeria.

    The EVC gave the charge at a two-day tripartite dialogue of the Commission tagged, ‘Talk To The Regulator (TTTR) Forum’ which was held in the ancient city of Kano on Friday, October 15, 2021.

    The programme had in attendance representatives of more than 104 telecoms licensees in different categories and segments of the Nigerian telecoms market as well as consumers of telecoms services.

    Prof. Danbatta said while the Commission continues to engender an effective regulatory environment, there is a need for licensees to support several initiatives carefully designed to enhance market opportunities for all its licensees.

    “Telecoms industry sustainability can only be guaranteed where all licensees ensure full and effective compliance with licence conditions and other regulatory prescriptions. So, this forum provides an opportunity to discuss areas where some of our licensees are falling short of their licence obligations, and how we can collectively improve on the present situation,” he said.

    The EVC highlighted some of the key policies that have been articulated by the Federal Government, including the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS, 2020-2030); the Nigerian national Broadband Plan (NNBP, 2020-202), the Revised national Digital Identity Policy for SIM Registration, among others, and sought the licensees’ full and unalloyed commitment to ensure their successful implementation.

    Danbatta also briefed the licensees about some activities which the Commission is pursuing to further facilitate the achievement of its regulatory mandate.

    These include the recently-launched NCC’s five-pillar Strategic Vision Plan (SVP, 2021,2025); commencement of a comprehensive review of its licensing frameworks; ongoing reviews of other key regulatory instruments to align with the rapidly emerging contemporary developments; ongoing National Identification Number (NIN) and Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) linkage exercise; as well as the ongoing efforts to launch the Fifth Generation (5G) network in Nigeria.

    The NCC CEO said, as the regulator, the NCC provides the enabling environment for healthy competition in the industry.

    Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, NCC, Adeleke Adewolu, who amplified Danbatta’s voice on the need for strict compliance with telecoms regulations by the licensees, said telecoms has continued to lead national economic growth through effective regulation and adherence to rules of engagement by the licensees.

    Thus, Adewolu said the sector has consistently driven growth of the Nigerian economy and has provided the critical infrastructure required for the digital transformation of practically all spheres of life. He declared that in the second quarter of 2021, the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector sustained its trajectory of growth and contributed 17.9 percent to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

    Adewolu, however, identified three key factors driving the sector’s performance to include a stable policy environment engendered by various digital economy policies; a consistent tradition of firm, fair, forthright, transparent and developmental regulatory oversight provided by the NCC; as well as long-term infrastructure investment and service commitments of telecoms licensees.

    “The NCC has, therefore, organized this forum to enable us to strengthen collaboration along these three lines, to enable our valued stakeholders to give us feedback on ongoing initiatives, and to enable you to seek clarifications on issues of concern,” Adewolu told the forum.

    In his remarks, Director, Licensing and Authorisation, NCC, Mohammed Babajika, said while the Commission is fully aware and committed to discharging its mandate, especially in facilitating a conducive telecoms environment and guiding the industry to sustain the achievement already recorded in the industry, these can only be possible with the cooperation and support of the licensees.

  • Oscar Onyema’s Appointment Violates SEC’s Rule- Group

    Oscar Onyema’s Appointment Violates SEC’s Rule- Group

    A rights and transparency group, Nigeria for All Nigerians (NAN) has called on the concerned regulatory authorities to stop violation of the Nigerian Investments and Securities Act by the impending listing by the introduction of the shares of Nigerian Exchange Group on the Main Board of Nigeria Exchange Limited with effect from October 13, 2021.

    The concern of NAN relates to the likely infringement of Rule 184(2)(a) on the status of Mr. Oscar Onyema as the Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Exchange Group while also serving as a Non-Executive Director of Nigerian Exchange Limited.

    A statement from Mr. Dele Ajanaku, NAN’s Secretary-General said, “the impending listing by the introduction of the shares of NGX Group on the Main Board of NGX ltd with effect from October 13, 2021 vis-a-vis Mr. Onyema’ s portfolio in the two companies will be a violation of Rule 184(2)(a) on the status of Mr. Oscar Onyema as the CEO of NGX Group while also serving as a Non-Executive Director of NGX Limited.”

    Ajanaku continued, “Rule 184 (2) states that a securities exchange shall have a code of conduct for its council members or Board which shall be approved by the Commission and shall contain provisions that the council members or Board shall not be staff of a quoted company and its subsidiaries.”

    According to NAN, “The purpose of this provision is to forestall a situation where a Council or Board member of an Exchange would be in a position to extend special privileges or exercise undue influence towards a listed company which he/she works for.”

    In the scenario under review, by virtue of his position as CEO of NGX Group, Mr. Onyema is a staff/employee of the company. Given that he also serves as a non-executive on the NGX Ltd, the Exchange on which NGX Group is set to be listed, Mr. Onyema would (if permitted to hold both portfolios), be in contravention of Rule 184(2).

    “On the basis of the foregoing, NAN concluded, “it is recommended that the Commission should request Mr. Onyema to relinquish one of the portfolios he is currently occupying so as to comply with Rule 184(2).”

  • Fintech 5.0: Evaluating How FirstBank Strengthens Collaboration

    Fintech 5.0: Evaluating How FirstBank Strengthens Collaboration

    …To drive financial inclusion

    It was Sir Isaac Newton, in his letter to Robert Hooke in 1675, who wrote the now-famous quote: “If I have seen further (than others), it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”

    The shoulders of giants Sir Newton referred to has to do with leverage provided by the discoveries and experiences of people who have gone before or walked that same path earlier, that pave the way for and enable other people and a new generation to take things to a totally new dimension.

    The truth is, giants whose shoulders provide such leverage to the next generation can be found in various fields and various nations. In Nigeria, for example, such giants exist in various fields and they are known and recognised.

    Take the fintech (financial technology) space in Nigeria, where one bank is known to have stood as a giant with very broad shoulders, having capacities that have been built up and accumulated over 127 continuous years. Every year since 2016 (apart from 2017 when it was implementing ideas from 2016, including a Digital Innovation Lab), this well-recognised bank has provided a platform for the most robust engagement of the fintech industry in Nigeria. Tagged Fintech Summit, the annual engagement has continued to help in catalysing the fintech sector to ever-higher levels from year to year.

    Held in Lagos the commercial capital of Nigeria and arguably the fintech capital of Africa, given Nigeria’s status as the leading nation in the fintech space in Africa, the annual FirstBank Fintech Summit has attracted an average of a thousand participants, who are mostly fintech owners, workers and enthusiasts, yearly. Last year’s Summit, Fintech Summit 4.0 with the theme

    “How Blockchain and Artificial Intelligence will Disrupt Fintech in Nigeria”, however, drew an unprecedented number of participants – over 6,000 from across 52 different countries. It was the first virtual Summit due to the restrictions imposed because of the COVID-19 pandemic and it featured as keynote speaker Silicon Valley-based innovator of international repute, Chinedu Echeruo, who founded HopStop that was later sold to Apple for US$1 billion. Imagine the inspiration, dreams and aspirations young people soak up while listening to speakers with such a profile.

    Far from being one-directional – with all the talk flowing from only the speaker to the audience – the yearly Summit is actually a platform for multidimensional engagement involving various stakeholders in the fintech industry – operators, regulators, investors, enthusiasts, fintech journalists and writers, bankers, et cetera.

    It offers an unequalled opportunity for networking among fintech and other stakeholders, leading to opportunities for collaboration within the community. For small businesses and start-ups powered by FirstBank’s support, the annual Summit has been a veritable platform for showcasing them. The platform has also served for the announcement of policy initiatives coupled with pronouncements that provide clarifications to policy. This is due to invitations extended to regulators and the important role they are assigned in conversations facilitated during the Summit.

    The Summit that preceded last year’s, i.e., the third edition of Fintech Summit 3.0 held in 2019, featured another heavyweight in Nigeria’s fintech industry, Victor Asemota, founder of Swifta Systems & Services, as keynote speaker. The theme “Banking + Tech = Solving Real Problems”, included panel sessions featuring experts with over two hundred combined years of experience in both the financial and technological industries.

    They applied their knowledge, expertise and experience to address challenges in the technologically-driven business world, structured in terms of Solving Business Problems; Solving Regulatory, Security and Legal Problems; and Solving Lifestyle Problems. At the end of the Summit, participants must have felt that the Summit delivered on the confidence the Chief Executive Officer of FirstBank, Adesola Adeduntan, had expressed when he remarked in his welcome address, “I am optimistic that every organisation represented here will be empowered to provide services with greater speed and solve real societal problems to the advantage of the Nigerian populace through the insights that will be gained from this event.“

    Fintech Summit 3.0 had built on the success of the second edition, Fintech Summit 2.0 held in 2018, which had “The Future of Banking – The Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data” as a theme. Adia Sowho, the Managing Director of Mines in Nigeria, had, as the first keynote speaker, stressed the importance of collaboration between legacy banks and fintechs in the overall good of their shared financial services space. The Deputy Managing Director of FirstBank, Gbenga Shobo, had, in his welcome address, said that FirstBank was committed to finding the right balance in its approach in supporting the budding fintech industry. It is gratifying that the bank has since found that right balance and pushed ahead enthusiastically with the continual annual engagement that is its yearly Fintech Summit.

    For those who like to bring up the argument that deposit money banks (DMBs) and fintech are rivals competing in the same space for the same customers and wonder why FirstBank, a leading deposit money bank, would itself be involved in efforts to catalyse the fintech industry, they need to wake up and smell the coffee. FirstBank is continuously evolving and staying on the cutting edge of technology in order to better serve its customers, who are themselves evolving and adapting to newer and more efficient and convenient technologies as they become available.

    And FirstBank is on a journey to a future where it is happy, in the spirit of the African tradition of Ubuntu, to take all fintech along with it. In the words of another famous quote, “The sky is too big for two [or many] big birds flying in it to collide.” FirstBank believes there is ample room for all players – deposit money banks, fintech, et cetera – to fulfil their unique roles. Therefore, collaboration, not competition, is FirstBank’s watchword. And FirstBank considers fintech partners in progress in its avowed commitment to driving financial inclusion.

    FirstBank’s own evolution and the transition is causing some people to question its continuous classification by the Central Bank as a deposit money bank (with a preponderance of bricks-and-mortar banking operations) rather than a digital bank. And the reasons for their argument cannot be easily waved aside. In 2020, for example, over 85 percent of the banking transactions that were required by customers of FirstBank were performed on the bank’s self-service channels.

    That means customers of the bank only needed the attention of the bank’s staff or branches for just 15 percent of all the banking transactions they required in 2020. There are now as many as over 16 million customers between FirstBank’s digital channels of online banking (called FirstOnline), mobile banking (christened FirstMobile) and USSD banking (called *894# quick banking).

    Between FirstOnline and FirstMobile, a growth of 21 per cent in the user base was experienced in 2020. Customers on both platforms conducted approximately 256 million transactions worth N15.7 trillion in the same year. FirstOnline, as of June 2021, had an impressive 597,466 customers on the service, a 17 per cent growth on the previous year and 578,292 transactions per month, averaging a value of N388 billion per month.

    For FirstMobile, besides the impressive gain in numbers, it gained recognition as “Best Mobile Banking App” at the Global Finance Best Digital Bank Awards, for providing excellent self-service through its user-friendly app. FirstMobile had, as of June 2021, 4,596,203 users on the platform, which is a nine per cent growth on the previous year and an average of 27,730,830 transactions every month. While these numbers point to the giant statue of the bank, none of it excites FirstBank as much as Firstmonie, because of its invaluable role in driving financial inclusion at the grassroots level, one of FirstBank’s overriding commitments.

    Firstmonie, the agent banking network of FirstBank, currently has over 130,000 agents across the country, making it the largest bank-led agent network anywhere in Africa. As the foremost financial inclusion service in the country, it has achieved over 750 million transactions worth N15 trillion (about US$30 billion) processed from inception to date.

    Over 295 million of those transactions with a total value of N6.65 trillion were processed in 2020 alone – the same year COVID-19 caused widespread disruptions across the globe. Firstmonie agency banking scheme has empowered agents across all Local Government Areas in the country, providing employment to thousands of people.

    FirstBank through the Firstmonie platform further supports the fintech industry via partnership collaborations with local and international fintechs. All these are geared towards expanding financial inclusion and providing a variety of services to customers of the bank with giant shoulders that customers and fintechs can stand on to see further.

    As for Sir Isaac Newton, the giant of a scientist whose famous quote began this piece, if he could read us from the grave, he would feel very proud today to see that celebrated line from his 1675 letter being aptly used to represent the relationship that exists between the broad, energetic and dynamic shoulders of Nigeria’s banking behemoth, FirstBank, and the rapidly emerging beautiful bride of Nigeria’s economic sectors, the fintech industry. This relationship climaxes every year in the annual Fintech Summit and the forthcoming Fintech Summit 5.0 promises to take the relationship to a whole new dimension.

    Culled from BusinessDay

  • CopterJet International berths in Lagos

    CopterJet International berths in Lagos

    …calls for synergy to transform the aviation industry
    Aviation specialist service firm, Copterjet International has called for strategic collaboration with stakeholders to drive growth, transformation and development in Nigeria’s aviation value chain.
    The company, which officially launched on Thursday, September 30th at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), said that with the right initiatives, support and collaboration with key players, the Nigerian aviation industry would drive economic prosperity and sustainability.
    Speaking during the highbrow event, Chief Executive Officer, Copterjet International, Captain Toluwa Olorunyomi stated that the company is fully prepared to step into the aviation industry from the top end of the market with the capacity to drive growth and development, not only in Nigeria’s aviation industry but in Africa at large.
    According to Olorunyomi, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global aviation ecosystem and its fallout on the tourism and hospitality businesses have created an opportunity for stakeholders to identify strategies and innovative solutions that would change the narratives in the business space; hence it is a fitting time for Copterjet to emerge.
    “At Copterjet, our vision is premised on a resolute mandate to transform the aviation industry in Nigeria and beyond. We have drawn a detailed roadmap with a back-end strategy geared towards driving major initiatives that would herald a new era of opportunities to position Nigeria’s aviation industry as a global powerhouse. Our coming marks the beginning of a new dawn and also a historic event in the aviation industry”, he stated.
    Speaking on the need for innovative solutions that will propel the aviation industry to the fore of global competitiveness, Olorunyomi stated that collaboration with key stakeholders, such as government and the private sector will play a critical role. According to him, Copterjet is focused on building strong and dynamic partnerships with people from diverse backgrounds as no entity can possibly drive structural transformation alone; hence strategic collaboration is key.
    “I call on captains of industry to rise to the occasion and make Nigeria the hub of aviation in Africa. We have the number, we have the strength and so it is high time we leveraged on our strengths. We must be as competitive as possible in the industry given the necessary support”, he added.
    Also speaking at the event, National President, National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), Engr. Abednego Galadima, lauded Copterjet for its commitment to taking aviation to an enviable height, stating that the company’s emergence at a time COVID -19  is still ravaging all sectors of the economy including aviation is a favourable development.
    He said that the services which the company offers would not only help airline operators but also other aviation stakeholders.
    “Copterjet will provide solutions to aircraft and equipment leasing where there has been a huge gap for years. With greater cooperation in the industry, Nigeria will experience newness and that will spur a new impetus in the industry. They have come and are here for the good of all,” Galadima stated.
  • 9PSB, Flutterwave Partner to Boost Growth of Inclusive Financial Services in Nigeria

    9PSB, Flutterwave Partner to Boost Growth of Inclusive Financial Services in Nigeria

    Nigeria’s very first payment service bank, 9PSB and Africa’s leading payments technology company, Flutterwave have entered into a partnership agreement that will help facilitate seamless financial services for Nigerians.

    In a joint statement issued by both companies, the partnership seeks to create a seamless payment ecosystem by aggregating and simplifying transactions for banking agents, merchants, and consumers.

    The partnership will also support the drive for economic growth through empowerment of the SME sector, entrepreneurs in FinTech and other industries, as well as contribute to the transformation of the informal sector to formal.

    Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony, held at the 9PSB head office in Lagos, the Chief Executive Officer, 9PSB, Branka Mracajac remarked that the collaboration between 9PSB and Flutterwave represents an important milestone in making banking services accessible to all.

    According to her, the partnership supports both companies’ commitment to expand accessibility and serve as last-mile delivery of solutions to the unbanked, under-banked and underserved. She said, “9PSB, being focused on the presence in unserved, rural, and remote areas, has a unique business model that provides Agent Banking as a Service to our partners to drive financial inclusion. Expanding on our promise to deliver relevant products, with this partnership, our existing agents, partners, and customers will have a single point of entry to enjoy various products and services provided by Flutterwave.”

    With this partnership, Flutterwave and 9PSB are jointly launching a suite of products to enable other corporate entities, FinTech, technology and other industries to take advantage of the robust end-to-end system available for payments, collections, and transactions for both the banked and financially excluded Nigerians.

    Commenting on the choice of 9PSB as its settlement bank, Founder and CEO, Flutterwave, Olugbenga Agboola noted that both companies share the same vision and are committed to one goal of powering seamless financial services. “At Flutterwave, we believe in an ecosystem of shared value that transforms and impacts society. We are showcasing the power of strategic partnership and cross-sectoral collaboration in advancing Nigeria’s financial ecosystem,” he said.

    A paper published by the CBN—Financial Inclusion in Nigeria; Issues and Challenges, admits that there is global consensus on the importance of financial inclusion due to its key role of bringing integrity and stability into an economy’s financial system as well as its role in fighting poverty in a sustainable manner. The partnership between 9PSB and Flutterwave keys into various calls for interconnectivity and interoperability amongst stakeholders in the financial sector in accelerating the country’s financial inclusion drive to create prosperity and grow the economy.

  • Eat ‘N’ Go Partners with Slum2School to Celebrate International Literacy Day at Tarkwa Bay

    Eat ‘N’ Go Partners with Slum2School to Celebrate International Literacy Day at Tarkwa Bay

    Eat ‘N’ Go Limited, the leading QSR (Quick Service Restaurant) operator and lead franchisee for Domino’s Pizza, Cold Stone Creamery and Pinkberry Gourmet Yoghurt in Africa, celebrated International Literacy Day in a unique way for the children residing at Tarkwa bay with the support of their CSR partners Slum2School.

    Since 2017, Eat ‘N’ Go has proven itself to be an exemplary corporate citizen with its partnership with the Slum2School- a non-profit organisation committed to providing a sound education for underserved children across multiple communities in Nigeria. The Eat ‘N’ Go Group pledged support in sending 1200 children to school this year.

    Patrick McMichael, Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Eat ‘N’ Go, while commenting at the event, said, “We are delighted to be an active participant of such a formidable partnership, by providing a sound education for underserved children across different communities in the country, which gives them aspiration and hope for a brighter future through provision of quality education.”

    He also added, “This celebration of International Literacy Day with our Slum2School partner and these kids here at Tarkwa bay, offers an avenue to promote collaboration between the Private sector and NGO organisations in providing education to underserved kids. This will make an indelible mark in the future of these young Nigerians to achieve greatness and purpose to the country and world at large.

    Eat ‘N’ Go has consistently demonstrated its unwavering commitment in its corporate social responsibility activities as a company with a solid and intentional focus on education. In 2020, the Group supported 1,000 kids across various communities by donating N50million and has increased its pledge to supporting 1,200 kids this 2021.

    As the leading QSR group in Africa, community touchpoints and outreach programmes are critical for the Group’s overall operations. Now more than ever, with the ravaging effects COVID-19 had on education and learning. The Eat ‘N’ Go Group ensures its active participation provides a solid foundation for human-centred recovery, starting with education for underserved kids.

  • Airtel, NIMC urge Nigerians to embrace digital identity enrollment

    Airtel, NIMC urge Nigerians to embrace digital identity enrollment

    … to commemorate National Identity Day on 16th September

    Leading telecommunications services provider, Airtel Nigeria, has announced a strategic partnership with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to intensify the campaign on the need for Nigerians to embrace digital identity (ID) enrollment in commemoration of this year’s National Identity Day scheduled to hold tomorrow, 16th September.

    According to Airtel, the partnership with NIMC to mark the National Identity Day is in line with its commitment to support the government’s agenda of building a robust and reliable soft infrastructure and identity management system that will accelerate economic development as well as boost safety and security of all citizens and residents across the country.

    Commenting on the partnership, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Airtel Nigeria, Surendran Chemmenkotil, said Airtel is delighted to join NIMC, the Nigerian government and other well-meaning stakeholders to create further awareness on the importance of identity and digital identity enrollment, noting that a solid national identity database is a powerful tool that can drive efficient economic and social planning, governance and service delivery.

    “Airtel commends the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami and the management of the NIMC under the leadership of Aliyu Aziz for their commitment to creating a world class identity database for Nigerians and for the relentlessness in inspiring several platforms and initiatives to put the conversation around identity management on the front burner. Airtel is excited to join NIMC in hosting this year’s identity management day and we will continue to support the institution in delivering its mandate to Nigerians,” he said.

    According to the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Aliyu Aziz, the commission is celebrating 16th September as National Identity Day in collaboration with the global agitation for the day to be formally declared as world international identity day.

    “Nigeria has been positioned to take giant steps in providing a unique identity to all through collaboration with government institutions and viable partnership with the private sectors.  The essence of this celebration is to create awareness among Nigerians on the importance of identification as a tool for national development.

    “We need more Nigerians to not only understand the role identity plays in improving governance but also in empowering individuals to exercise their rights and responsibilities fairly and equitably in modern society. We are delighted Nigeria became the first country in the world to declare September 16 as ID Day, thereby leading the rest of the world in this important direction”, he said.

    September 16 has been recognized annually as National Identity Day in Nigeria since 2019, following approval of the Federal Government under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, to join the Coalition for International Identity Day.

    The National Identity Day is commemorated as part of the Government’s efforts to promote awareness on the importance of identity in enhancing access to rights, social services, and formal economy.

  • NCC set to unveil the Compendium of Danbatta’s Speeches, two other Strategic Projects

    All is now set for the historic launch of the compendium of landmark speeches and presentations of the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta.
    Scheduled to hold at the Communications & Digital Economy Complex, Mbora, Abuja, on September 7, 2021 by 10:00 a.m. prompt, the epoch-making launch will also feature the unveiling of two other strategic initiatives of the Commission.
    Titled: “Catalysing Nigeria’s Socio-Economic Transformation through Broadband Infrastructure,” the book is a compilation of carefully selected, seminal speeches and presentations of Prof. Danbatta, touching on all strategic areas of the nation’s telecoms industry development and the entire digital economy ecosystem, since his assumption of office as the EVC/CEO of NCC in August, 2015.
    Danbatta, a Professor of telecommunications engineering, accomplished academic, and a seasoned administrator has made extensive speeches and presentations on a wide range of subjects in telecoms and ICT at important national, regional, and international events since leaving the ivory tower to become the EVC of NCC in 2015.
    His landmark speeches and presentations from 2015 till date have, thus, been codified in a concise collection, as a compendium, providing useful information that will significantly add value to the existing body of knowledge in the telecoms sector, and by extension, the entire Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry.
    The foreword to the book has been painstakingly written by the late former Chairman, Board of Commissioners of NCC, Alh. Ahmed Joda of blessed memory. The book will serve as useful reference material not only for existing and prospective investors in the sector but also for researchers in academia as well as policy analysts and others interested in any aspects of the telecom industry and regulation. The book which also chronicles important milestones attained by the Commission under Danbatta’s leadership is a compelling read.
    Other strategic projects to be unveiled by the Commission alongside the compendium are the NCC’s new five-year Strategic Vision Plan (SVP) 2021-2025 and the Commission’s new social media channel, the NCC’s Global Connect Podcast.
    The new SVP will enable cross-functional infrastructure, ubiquitous services and deepen consumer engagement to consolidate the growth of the telecoms sector and expand the possibilities of the digital economy.
    The need to develop another SVP, as a five-year implementation roadmap for the Commission, followed the expiration, in 2020, of the first SVP unveiled by Danbatta in 2016.
    It has been widely acknowledged that the diligent execution of the first SVP initiative, under Danbatta, has helped to consistently lift broadband penetration, increase telephone access, boost the sector’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), enhance healthy competition in the industry, improve quality of service (QoS), as well as put the sector’s overall investment profile on an impressive growth trajectory, among others.
    The ‘NCC Global Connect,” podcast is the third initiative enlisted for unveiling during the launch. The latest addition to the NCC social media spectrum will help in enhancing the Commission’s corporate communication activities within the online space. The podcast initiative was conceived in keeping with NCC’s core values of innovation and excellence;. It adds to the existing media channels, providing an inclusive medium to broaden our media platforms to educate external stakeholders on its regulatory activities irrespective of their circumstances, through audio content.
    The Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, will be the Special Guest of Honour at the occasion and other Senior government officials, industry leaders, and stakeholders as well as dignitaries from across the country are billed to attend the landmark event.
  • Rite Foods Set To Sponsor King’s Cup Golf Tournament at Abeokuta

    Rite Foods Set To Sponsor King’s Cup Golf Tournament at Abeokuta

    Rite Foods Limited, makers of Nigeria’s favorite Bigi drinks, Rite sausages and leading energy drink brand, Fearless, has announced its sponsorship of the second edition of the King’s Cup Golf Tournament, scheduled for October 10, 2021 in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
    Rite Foods Limited is the official beverage sponsor of the King’s Cup Golf Tournament, Abeokuta.

    The company restated its commitment to sports development and connection with consumers through the golf tournament at a press conference organized by Nilayo Sports Management Limited (NSML) in Abeokuta this week.

    Boluwatife Adedugbe, Assistant Brand Manager, Beverage and Bakery, Rite Foods Limited, stated that the company’s operations are centered around consumer satisfaction, and sports create a unifying platform for consumers to connect with their various brands. “As a company, we ensure we throw our weight and support for such sporting platforms like the King’s Cup Golf Tournament because it helps us connect and get closer to our consumers.

    The golf tournament creates a unifying platform to help us unite consumers with our brands and the people of Abeokuta, hence, the reason for sponsoring this golf tournament,” she added.

    Mr. Bukola Olopade, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nilayo Sports Management Limited, organizers of the King’s Cup Golf Tournament, Abeokuta, expressed his sincere appreciation to Rite Foods Limited for being a sponsor of the golf tournament and called on other organizations to emulate the leading brand that refreshes consumers all over the country.

    Wale Adeogun, Chairman, Local Organizing Committee of the King’s Cup Golf Tournament, Abeokuta welcomed all stakeholders to the press conference and applauded the effort of Rite Foods Limited for throwing its weight behind the competition. “We must applaud Rite Foods Limited for their giant strides in supporting sporting events of this nature that seek to unite the people at the grassroot level. We appreciate you for believing in this course that would empower our people and communities,” he said.

    Rite Foods Limited has been a great supporter of people-oriented platforms where it significantly supports causes that add value to people and use existing platforms to innovate and create a uniting point for its consumers across the country.

    Four teams will compete at the 2nd edition of the King’s cup golf tournament. The four teams represent the four kingdoms in Egbaland. They are Team Alake, Team Gbagura, Team Owu and Team Oke-Ona, all battling for the prize.

    Rite Foods Limited has assured all golfers and athletes participating in the competition of adequate refreshment with the provision of water points at the golf course to help revitalize the participants during the competition.

  • Nigeria receives 699,760 doses of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca to combat Pandemic

    Nigeria receives 699,760 doses of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca to combat Pandemic

    Nigeria today received 699,760 doses of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca donated by the United Kingdom (UK) through the COVAX initiative. This  brings  the  total  number  of COVID-19  Vaccine  AstraZeneca doses delivered  to Nigeria through COVAX or government agreements to over 4.6 million.

    COVAX is a global initiative co-led by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi (the Vaccines Alliance) and the World Health Organization, which works with governments and manufacturers to accelerate the development, production and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines around the world.

    Dr Faisal Shuaib, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, a parastatal or Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria “This vaccine will be administered as second dose for those who have received their first dose of the vaccine during the first phase of the vaccine roll-out. I therefore enjoin all those who have received Astrazeneca as first dose to visit the nearest vaccination site to receive the second dose to be assured of full protection. We assure Nigerians that the vaccines are safe, effective and can protect against Covid-19.”

    Dr. Shuaib empahisasied that “The WHO does not approve the mixing of different brands of Covid-19 vaccines, except for the guidance that has been provided recently that one can mix the Astrazeneca and Pfizer vaccine. In Nigeria, we have not started that process because we do not have the Pfizer vaccines yet. Right now the guidance is that if you take Moderna as your first dose, you should take it as your second dose, and if you take Astrazeneca as your first dose, you should also take it as your second dose.”

    “I therefore want to urge all persons from 18 years above, who are due for the second dose of the Astrazeneca to visit the vaccination sites, and encourage friends, families, and neighbours to do the same to ensure full protection from the virus.”

    Barbara Nel, Country President for the African Region, AstraZeneca, said: “I was delighted to see the arrival of a further 699,760 doses of the COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, today. This donation from the UK will bolster Nigeria’s vaccination programme and is wonderful news for its people.”

    “Today’s arrival demonstrates the value of governments, industry and others working together to address our continent’s urgent needs to access vaccines.  In this regard, AstraZeneca’s commitment to Africa remains steadfast.”

    AstraZeneca is committed to supplying the vaccine broadly and equitably around the world at no profit during the pandemic period. The supply of the vaccine is estimated to have helped save tens of thousands of lives and to have significantly reduced hospitalisations.

    AstraZeneca  and  its  partners  have   released  for  supply one  billion  doses  of its  COVID-19 vaccine to  more  than 170 countries, including  more  than  100  million  doses  which  have  been delivered to 129 countries through COVAX.

    The COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca, (ChAdOx1-S [Recombinant]), formerly AZD1222, was co-invented by the University of Oxford and its spin-out company, Vaccitech. It uses a replication-deficient chimpanzee viral vector based on a weakened version of a common cold virus (adenovirus) that causes infections in chimpanzees and contains the genetic material of the SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein. After vaccination, the surface spike protein is produced, priming the immune system to attack the SARS-CoV-2 virus if it later infects the body.

  • Winners Emerge in Zedvance-Sponsored Bookville Reading Competition

    Winners Emerge in Zedvance-Sponsored Bookville Reading Competition

    Winners have emerged in the fourth edition of the Bookville Reading Competition, organized by one of the foremost bookstores in Nigeria, Bookville World and sponsored by leading consumer finance company, Zedvance Finance Limited.

    The Book Reading Competition initiated to encourage reading for pleasure, as an avenue to spice up literature as well as give children an incentive to open a book was held from May 8th to June 19th, 2021 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    The event which had over 100 entries saw Ariella Anwana of Aladumo International School emerge as the grand prize winner while Onyeka-Daniel Ivana Blessing of Federal Government Girls College Abuloma and Nekuojo Osahenrumwen Omelikamu of Teko School clinched the second and third position respectively.

    According to Ever Obi, acting Managing Director of Zedvance Finance, the company’s decision to sponsor the competition was to promote reading culture amongst Nigerian students and encourage parents and the society at large to prioritize primary and secondary education for their wards as it is pivotal to our nation-building.

    “Part of the goals of United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development is quality education (Goal 4). The objective is to eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and children in vulnerable situations before 2030.

    “As a corporate organization, we have decided to launch a campaign themed ‘Readers are Leaders’ to support and drive the actualization of SDG 4 (quality education). Between 2019 and 2021, we have provided writing materials, television sets, fans and other academic items for many public schools across Nigeria. We have also done the same for students at special education schools.

    “Before the corona virus crisis, projections showed that more than 200 million children would be out of school, and only 60 per cent of young people would be completing upper secondary education in 2030. Before the corona virus crisis, the proportion of children and youth out of primary and secondary school had declined from 26 per cent in 2000 to 19 per cent in 2010 and 17 per cent in 2018. This is an indication that we still have a lot of work to do as a society.

    “At Zedvance Finance, part of the products offering include Back-to-School loans to enable parents send their wards back to school without worries. They are collateral-free, flexible and convenient loans that they can pay back within 6 to 12 months. This is part of our contributions to ensure that every child has access to education”, he said.

    Obi also called on other corporate organizations, philanthropists and non-government organizations to show more support for SGD 4, stressing that is imperative to our collective growth and development as a people.

    Speaking during the grand finale, Chief Executive Officer, Bookville Integrated Resources Limited, Mrs. Nkem Asoka commended Zedvance Finance for its efforts towards the promotion of quality education, financial inclusion and bridging the credit gap in the country. She urged corporate organizations to also give more support to the education sector.

    At the grand finale held on Saturday, June 19, 2021, Umeji Chiagozim Joan of Helms Bridge School bagged the award of the Most Resilience Contestant while Nwachukwu Kelechi of Oginigba Secondary School won the Most Improved Contestant award. Other winners at the event include Virtue Izontimi of Aladumo International School, Chibuzor Larry Madueke and Bamidele Oluwatobi from Ndubuoke Citadel Schools.

  • NBC Mentors Youth on Entrepreneurship, Financial Literacy, Life Skills

    NBC Mentors Youth on Entrepreneurship, Financial Literacy, Life Skills

    The Nigerian Bottling Company Ltd (NBC) has reiterated its unwavering commitment towards empowering the nation’s youth, through programs that enable them to thrive and also contribute meaningfully to economic development.

    The Manager, Sustainability & Community Affairs, Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC), Ifeoma Okoye reaffirmed this at the campus edition of the company’s Youth Empowered Programme tagged #DiscoverDevelopSucceed held on Tuesday, May 25, 2021, at the University of Lagos.

    In her opening remarks which centered on intentional mentorship and bridging skills gap, Okoye noted that Youth Empowered is designed to set the youths on the right path to success by providing them with sustainable life and business skills. According to her, there is a gap between the skills that employers look out for, and the skills that many job seekers possess. This disparity, she said, makes it difficult for individuals to find jobs and for employers to find appropriately trained workers. “At NBC, we are committed to empowering youths across the country with trainings that help to bridge this skillset gap.

    The Nigerian edition of the Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company (CCHBC) Youth Empowered, was launched in 2017. In its various forms ranging from the free online training platform, three-day workshops and one day campus workshops, Youth Empowered has reached over 21,000 youths who are positively making impact and building the society.

    This UNILAG program was facilitated by the Chief Executive Officer, UnoCasa, Ekundayo Odele; Chief Operating Officer, Shallem Consultants, Sola Ayo-Soyemi; Principal Consultant, Kasher Consulting, Dayo Oluwole, and Shina Matti, UnoCasa; all expert trainers that took the participants through the rudiments of life and business skills, CV and interview leveraging, business planning, financial literacy, and networking strategies to navigate life after graduation.

    In her keynote talk at the program, Legal Director, Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC), Abiodun Peters, extolled the unyielding Nigerian spirit, especially among the youths, to succeed despite the current unemployment situation and other economic challenges in the country.

    She strongly advised the Nigerian youth to be very deliberate about self-development, “today, you are empowered because you have made a decision for yourself to take your future, your career into your hands, and you are empowered because you have the Nigerian spirit in you,” Peters said.

    Mr. A Abolarin, a student of the Electrical Electronics Engineering department of the University of Lagos, and a participant of the program, commended the organizers saying, this was a very fantastic initiative and an opportunity to learn new things that may not have been readily available to me otherwise. It was also a great opportunity to meet people and learn the path to get the things I really want. We need more initiatives like this to show the youth the way and how to get our act right.”

    Deputy Managing Director, PS Offshore Nigeria Limited, Micheal Oyewo, commended the Nigerian Bottling Company for the initiative, saying that in running a graduate trainee scheme such as Youth Empowered, NBC is demonstrating that it is a good corporate citizen.

  • Clappshouse unveils investment opportunities in homeownership in Nigeria.

    Clappshouse unveils investment opportunities in homeownership in Nigeria.

    Clappahouse Analytics Limited, one of Nigeria’s leading business and investment risk companies, last Friday, at Lavender Hall of Eko Hotel & Suites unveiled investment opportunities on how many Nigerians can become proud home owners across the country.

    At the property exhibition and raffle draw organized by the firm, Olaniyi Joshua Adeniran, one of the directors at Clappahouse revealed that one of the proven ways people could increase their wealth and hold as security for investment was by investing strategically in home ownership in the country.

    The chartered accountant said ” investment in property with legal standing is less risky in Nigeria. The security window here is good. When we talk about investment, we need to also analyze the risks that are involved and when you look at investment in homeownership especially in strategic cities in Nigeria, you will all agree with me that it is an investment that yields a very good return” he said.

    The Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sparklight Group of Companies, Chief Toyin Adeyinka, while making his contributions said his organization, Sparklight Property had been providing affordable houses for Nigerians for over 25years and helping intending home owners to facilitate access to National Housing Funds( NHF).

    Adeyinka said, “today’s event is remarkable, the idea and concept and everything put together by Clappahouse Analytics Limited to help people become home owners is highly commendable. We have been providing affordable houses in different cities in Nigeria for over 25 years and with our partnership with this firm now, we can do more and make many other Nigerians become proud home owners. We have strategic partnerships with other mortgage institutions such as National Housing Funds and we help our clients to tap into the financial opportunities in accessing mortgage funds. Not only that, ours is a group of companies in property industry, we have affiliation with a furniture company, facility management company and with our solid partnership with Clappahouse, as our leading marketing consultant, the sky is just the beginning. We have shopping malls, residential buildings, corporate offices buildings across many states in Nigeria including Abuja, Ogun and Lagos and we are still expanding”.

    In the contemporary digital world, where everything has gone technological, the Chief Executive Officer of Smartville Limited, a property automation service firm based in Abuja said, today’s homeowners would like to have an automated smart sequence apartment where everything is driven by technology.

    He said ” can you imagine an automated home with smart sequence of events, good light sensor as you step into your apartment, a smart security, CCTV, smart alarm system, smart GSM module that bursts the alarm system with blinking security light that can put an automated call to the police station in case of security bridge? You all deserve a stress free lifestyle, a smart home, that is the ideal home and where we are all heading to and we provide all these to homeowners”.

    Furthermore, the representative of IBTC, Mrs Aderonke spoke on the processes involved in acquiring loan from her bank by intending property investors. According to her, anyone who would like to obtain mortgage loan from the bank, would provide equity, bank details with IBTC and the bank would help to guide in verification of the title documents, evaluation of the property before loans are granted.

    The banker said” at Stanbic, we will help you throughout all the processes involved to acquire your property. Starting from title verification, documentation, evaluation, account details verification and when all these are done, we give approval for your mortgage loan with a convenient repayment tenure that can last up to 20 years and our loan interest rate is very reasonable and affordable for any investor”

    On having an effective and efficient water system for properties, Glams Engineering’s Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Olayinka Oluwadarasimi opined that water is essential and if one has a nice building with a poor or no smart water system facility in place, living in such apartment would be a nightmare. He therefore advocated that adequate provision should be made for sinking of boreholes, laying of HDP pipes with longer durability years, smart water meter billing, prepaid water system. He said his organization could help intending homeowners and investors put all these in place with workable agreement that is a win-win for all parties involved.

    In his closing remark, Mr. Ayuba Mukaila Oluwasanmi, another director at Clappahouse Analytics Limited explained that his organization put the event together to help potential investors see the amazing opportunities in real estate and help them leverage on it to build wealth. He said, investment in estate is good but investing in the right property and location is more strategic and rewarding.

    Ayuba added ” it is our duty and responsibility at Clappahouse to help you leverage on real estate to build an enduring wealth, we will help you get your dream house, sell it if you want to and get tenants if you wish at no cost to you. We all invite you all, to join Clappahouse Investment Club, where members have free but rare opportunities to strategic business information, free business advisory, free business feasibility study, free business diagnosis, free mentorship for start-ups or entrepreneurs having challenges. Right now, we have 10% discount on all our properties exhibited here today, only if you will take this rare opportunity” he said.

    The event ended with a raffle draw and dinner where three participants were given free opportunity to become gold, silver and brown membership categories of Clappahouse Investment Club.

  • Feature: Empowering women in critical sectors to challenge the status quo

    Feature: Empowering women in critical sectors to challenge the status quo

    By Lamin Manjang

    Although women’s rights have seen a significant positive change in the last decade, it remains a critical topic of conversation across various sectors in different parts of the world. According to the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres, “Progress towards equal power and equal rights for women remains elusive. No country has achieved gender equality, and the COVID-19 crisis threatens to erode the limited gains that have been made.”

    Women’s global economic development role provides significant progress and impact, charting new opportunities for women to continue to change the status quo. Even though we continue to record very many successes by women, there is still a lot more that can be achieved, especially in representing more women in the workforce.

    According to the United Nations (2020), only 50% of working-age women are in the labour market for more than twenty years. This means that more women need access to resources and opportunities to break stereotypes resting in labour market positions. As a Bank, one of the ways we commit to addressing this is how we strategically continue to support some of the UN Sustainable development goals that empower women, especially in this new-normal era.

    I echo the words of the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres “The Decade of Action to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals and efforts to recover better from the pandemic offer a chance to transform the lives of women and girls, today and tomorrow…”. We see this as an invitation to work collaboratively with the United Nation as corporate organisations and individuals to achieve growth and sustainable progress for women.

    In line with this year’s International Women’s Day theme, #ChooseToChallenge, our forward-thinking approach to initiatives and programs continues to deliver sustainable value for women, especially in a country like Nigeria, where women account for 49.34% of the total population. We see that the fewer income-generating opportunities for the larger population may leave women in an even more financially vulnerable position, hence our motivation to set up various initiatives such as the Women in Technology Incubator program, which launched in Nigeria 2019, following successful launches in New York, Kenya and the UAE

    This program aims to support female entrepreneurship with the call for increased gender representation and diversity in tech and for more opportunities for women to develop entrepreneurial and leadership expertise. Also referred to as Women in Tech, the incubator supports early-to-mid stage professionals in technology and business sectors to have the requisite domain knowledge, experience, and perseverance to deliver results. Other markets equally running the program include Pakistan, Bahrain, Zambia, and Ghana

    Our goal is to enhance women’s role through business incubation and generate business outputs that improve existing business and women entrepreneurs’ capacity. Additionally, this program promotes and creates awareness about women business incubation globally and strengthens cooperation and network building between the various incubators. This ripple effect will cause an increase in the investment that different incubators receive, therefore integrating and developing more women who are part of this program. It has also created awareness about incubation challenges specific to Nigerian women and outlined various activities required to improve women-led enterprises’ technological infrastructure and structural support for Women Incubation. To date in Nigeria, we have invested over $250,000 in this program and are committed to doing more to sustain the program for posterity

    We understand that investing in Nigerian youth through education and creating productive and remunerative employment is the only way to support this growing demographic. Additionally, SCB sees the need to do its part in empowering the estimated 600 million adolescent girls in the developing world. Hence, the introduction of our Global Goal programme to Nigeria in 2011.

    Goal tackles female empowerment by imparting adolescent girls in rural communities with life skills through sports training in partnership with leading global non-profit organisations. We have strategically designed this programme for girls between 12 and 18 who live in under-served communities by enrolling them in sessions typically offered weekly for ten months. The girls are being taught critical facts about health, communication, rights, and managing their finances. All this is done to understand how to share the knowledge with their friends, family, and communities.

    To ensure that more girls are taught these essential skills, girls who complete the Goal programme and display exceptional leadership qualities are invited to become Goal Champions, making them eligible to receive training to deliver the Goal curriculum to their peers. Since its inception in 2006, the Goal programme has reached more than 525,000 girls and young women worldwide.

    Without gender equality, efforts to empower women will only go so far. For example, our global Futuremakers initiative is set-to up tackle this and promote financial inclusion across our markets. We aim to raise US$50 million between 2019 and 2023, needed to empower the next generation to learn, earn and grow. This augments our desire to continuously #ChooseToChallenge as a Bank.

    Our method is simple; to contribute to Sustainable Economic Growth by investing in strategic leadership training programmes under the youth’s employability project. Globally, we recently partnered with Young Business International (YBI) to support young entrepreneurs hit by the economic impact of Covid-19. The project is part of our Futuremakers by Standard Chartered global initiative to tackle inequality.

    Bringing it home to Nigeria, our implementation partner, FATE Foundation, will provide holistic support through various initiatives, including Digital Transformation Workshop, Resilience-building Series, and Remote Consulting & Advisor services to be delivered virtually by our employees to 2,000 entrepreneurs across Nigeria. We will specifically target entrepreneurs between the ages of 18-35, who the crisis has hardest hit.

    Between 2019 and 2020, we had also invested over USD50,000 in work-ready employability project training and equipping nearly 200 Nigerian youths with skills and resources to aid their career development journeys. Empowering the future is a gift that keeps on giving, and for us, we intend to continue to do this for a very long time.

    For every woman or girl-child not empowered economically, our work is not done. We will continue to grow our current programmes and initiatives, partner with similar organisations, and start new ones in areas we have not yet covered. We strive for equal representation as we #ChooseToChallenge this year and always.

    Lamin Manjang is the Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited