Author: Ifetayo Adeniyi

Manny Ita  – The Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions has urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to strengthen its oversight of Nigeria’s rapidly expanding fintech sector in order to curb increasing cases of financial fraud within the country’s banking system. The chairman of the committee, Adetokunbo Abiru, made the call on Wednesday during an investigative hearing into the operations of Ponzi schemes in Nigeria, with particular reference to the recent activities of Crypto Bullion Exchange (CBEX). The hearing was jointly organised by the Senate Committees on ICT and Cyber Security, Capital Market, and Anti-Corruption and…

Manny Ita  – Nigeria’s Federal Executive Council (FEC), chaired by President Bola Tinubu, has approved six major road projects across the country, including the planned demolition and reconstruction of the Carter Bridge in Lagos. The Minister of Works, David Umahi, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents after the council meeting on Wednesday. According to him, the projects approved include the reconstruction of the 103-kilometre Ibadan–Ife–Ilesa dual carriageway, which has been re-awarded for ₦427 billion after minimal progress was recorded by the previous contractor. He also announced the review and redesign of the 132-kilometre Kano–Kongolam road linking Kano, Jigawa State…

Zenith Bank Plc will commemorate the 2026 International Women’s Day with a renewed call to purposeful action and leadership. As part of preparations to celebrate this significant occasion, the Bank is set to hold its annual International Women’s Day Seminar on Monday, March 9, 2026, at The Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos. Aligned with the global theme ‘Give to Gain” which underscores the principle that sustainable progress is achieved when individuals and institutions invest intentionally in women, Zenith Bank’s 2026 IWD seminar is themed “Take It, You Own It.” The theme reflects the Bank’s belief that while institutions must give…

Institutional investors, corporate leaders and economic experts gained practical insights into portfolio positioning at the recently held Stanbic IBTC Economic Summit. Delivered virtually under the theme ‘From policy to pockets: How 2026 economic shifts will shape your financial decisions’, the summit explored how Nigeria’s shift from economic stabilisation to growth consolidation is redefining opportunities and risks for decision-makers. Discussions examined monetary policy transmission, sectoral opportunities, equity valuations and institutional risk frameworks. Speaking on the objective of the webinar, Busola Jejelowo, Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Asset Management, said: “Stanbic IBTC brings a distinct perspective to this conversation. As an integrated financial…

Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO) has announced the appointment of Mrs. Marie Namias as an Independent Non-Executive Director of the company. The notification was made to the Nigerian Exchange Limited, shareholders and the investing public, with the company confirming that regulatory approval has been obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria. Mrs. Namias, a French national, brings over 25 years of experience spanning retail banking, corporate banking, digital banking and strategy consulting. She previously served as a member of the Executive Board of Caisse d’Epargne Bretagne Pays de Loire (Groupe BPCE), where she led both the Retail and Corporate…

Manny Ita  – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the immediate suspension of the cashless payment system recently introduced at the nation’s airports by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). The directive was disclosed by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, while briefing State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday. Mr Keyamo said the president instructed him to “go back to the drawing board, suspend the present system and perfect a system that will work perfectly without putting unnecessary pressure on citizens.” The minister explained…

Manny Ita  – The Book Buzz Foundation, organisers of the renowned Ake Arts and Book Festival, has announced a nationwide call for writers aged 21 to 30 to participate in the Nigeria Picture Book Project, an initiative aimed at strengthening the country’s children’s publishing ecosystem. The project, which is funded by the European Union, seeks to build what organisers describe as a “world-class ecosystem” for Nigerian children’s literature across the six geopolitical zones of the country. In a statement announcing the initiative, the foundation said the project is designed to identify and nurture emerging writers with a passion for storytelling…

Manny Ita  – A public hearing at the House of Representatives has generated divided opinions over a bill seeking to establish a Nigerian FinTech Regulatory Commission (NFRC), with lawmakers defending the proposal as a necessary reform while industry operators warn of potential regulatory overlap. The bill, which was considered over two days, proposes the creation of an independent body to regulate financial technology companies in Nigeria, a space currently supervised by multiple agencies including the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the National Information Technology Development Agency. Sponsors of the legislation argued that the present structure…

Manny Ita  – Dr. Suji Ogundele, Group Managing Director of Sujimoto Holdings, has described his recent meeting with the Group Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO), Segun Julius Agbaje, as “a conversation worth billions.” Ogundele disclosed that the 25-minute meeting with Agbaje focused on entrepreneurship, resilience, banking relationships, and brand positioning amid prevailing economic headwinds. According to Ogundele, he shared the journey of his company over the past 12 months, highlighting the operational and financial challenges faced, and how the business remained focused despite the economic storm. Agbaje, in response, offered strategic advice on banking relationships,…

Ecobank Nigeria, a subsidiary of the leading pan-African financial services group Ecobank Group, has unveiled a significantly enhanced version of its multi-award-winning gender financing initiative, Ellevate by Ecobank, as part of activities commemorating International Women’s Day 2026. The upgraded programme reinforces the bank’s long-term commitment to advancing women-led enterprises in Nigeria and across Ecobank’s pan-African footprint. Originally launched to improve access to finance for women-owned, women-led, and women-focused small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) within its Commercial Banking segment, the enhanced Ellevate programme now adopts a broader, more inclusive structure. The new framework extends across all business segments, positioning Ellevate as…