Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria. Photo: SMEDAN The National Credit Guarantee Company Limited and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to improve access to finance for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises across the country. The agreement, signed at the NCGC headquarters in Abuja, seeks to strengthen financial inclusion, support enterprise development and stimulate economic growth by addressing one of the major constraints facing small businesses, access to affordable financing. According to a statement released on Wednesday by NCGC, the partnership will see both organisations collaborate on initiatives to…

Both Nigeria and United Kingdom security chiefs held the fourth security and defence partnership dialogue in Abuja on Tuesday to strengthen defence cooperation between the two countries. Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, joined top Nigerian security leaders at the meeting in the nation’s capital. The high-level meeting was attended by the national security adviser (NSA),Nuhu Ribadu; Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede; Inspector-General of Police, IGP Tunji Disu; Service Chiefs, and other senior security stakeholders. The dialogue, which focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in addressing emerging security challenges and advancing shared strategic interests between…

National telecommunications operator, Globacom has extended its “Borrow Me Credit” service in a calculated move meant to guarantee that none of its customers will ever be disconnected because of a low or zero airtime balance. According to a statement released by Globacom in Lagos, the service’s eligibility requirements have been simplified to offer millions of active prepaid consumers nationwide quick airtime and data solutions. The company made it clear that even though there is a service fee, the main objective is still to provide instant assistance whenever the customer’s balance is low. The enhanced “Borrow Me Credit” service also allows…

NASENI Organises Capacity-Building Programmes To Empower Women, Youths In Kano. The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) will this week commence a series of empowerment and capacity-building programmes in Kano State aimed at equipping women, youths, and students with practical skills for economic advancement and self-reliance. The programmes, to be led by the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NASENI, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, form part of the Agency’s commitment to promoting innovation, renewable energy adoption, entrepreneurship, STEM education, and sustainable livelihoods across Nigeria. The first event, the Closing Ceremony of the NASENI She-Powers Energy Initiative, will hold…

On Saturday, July 4, Access Bank will host its annual UK Polo Day in Windsor, an event when judged by past editions, promises to be one of the season’s most captivating social experiences. The guest list is a true global roll call, bringing together investors, entrepreneurs, public sector leaders, and cultural influencers, from around the world. It is the kind of setting where a brief exchange over lunch can swiftly evolve into a strategic partnership by day’s end. But beyond the prominence of those in attendance lies a deeper significance: the collective impact their presence is helping to drive, far…

Nigeria: The Belly of the Beast Drive northeast from Abuja toward Maiduguri and the road will tell you the truth before any official does. The tarmac is smooth, paid for by Chinese contractors and World Bank loans, but the checkpoints come faster than the kilometres. Soldiers in fading camouflage wave you through with the tired hands of men who stopped expecting good news a long time ago. Beyond them the bush thickens, the villages thin out, the network bars on your phone disappear one by one. Somewhere in that green silence, the insurgents are waiting. This is Nigeria today. A…

Chairman of the Lagos Task Force, CSP Adetayo Akerele Elegbede Abiodun *Alaba Rago corridor along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway inclusive. The Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Task Force) has issued a 72-hour ultimatum to street traders and illegal occupants operating along the Alaba Rago axis of the Mile 2–Badagry Expressway. The affected persons have been directed to vacate the area ahead of a planned enforcement exercise. The Chairman of the Task Force, CSP Adetayo Akerele, announced this in a statement signed by the agency’s spokesperson, Mr Abdulraheem Gbadeyan, on Wednesday in Lagos. Akerele said the move was part of…

Nigeria Sanctions Committee Logo. Photo: NIGSAC The Nigeria Sanctions Committee has welcomed the decision by the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control to designate Mukthar Muhammad Adamu, Nine to Nine Bureau De Change, and Generation BDC Limited over alleged links to terrorism financing. In a statement on Wednesday, the committee said the US action followed Nigeria’s earlier designation of the individuals and entities under the Nigeria Sanctions List on June 18, 2026. According to the committee, the sanctions were based on extensive intelligence gathering, financial investigations and inter-agency assessments which established reasonable grounds to believe that the affected individuals…

Afe Babalola University In Sustainability Ratings, Afe Babalola Varsity Won Nigeria’s Best in 2026 Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, has emerged as Nigeria’s highest-ranked university in the 2026 Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings, placing 72nd globally and becoming the only Nigerian institution to break into the top 100 worldwide. The ranking, released on Wednesday by Times Higher Education, assessed 1,646 universities across 116 countries and territories based on their contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. ABUAD achieved an overall score of 90.8, earning strong ratings in Climate Action, No Poverty, and Affordable and Clean Energy. The private varsity…

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin Elegbede Abiodun * Engagement between state officials and transport unions was to make them more responsive as regards the refuse in their parks, garages. * No replacement of the duties of LAGESC, task force Towards improving waste evacuation across the state, ZoomLion Nigeria Limited, which is a waste-to-wealth partner to the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), has commenced preliminary works to stabilise and reopen Road E at the Olusosun refuse facility. Speaking on LAWMA’s ongoing interventions, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said they are expected to improve access,…