The voting process for the fifth edition of the Consumers Value Awards (CVA) has officially closed, marking the end of another significant chapter in Nigeria’s foremost consumer-driven platform for recognising brands and public institutions that consistently deliver value. Speaking on the conclusion of the nationwide voting exercise, Akonte Ekine, Convener of the Consumers Value Awards, described the response from consumers as another strong affirmation of the growing importance of consumer participation in shaping brand excellence. “Every vote represents a consumer’s experience, confidence and expectation. The conclusion of voting is not the end of the process; it is the beginning of…
Author: Elvis Eromosele
…Asset-backed lending can unlock capital for entrepreneurs as traditional bank credit tightens Eziefula Ezichi, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Pawn NG, has called for wider adoption of alternative financing models, arguing that asset-backed lending can help bridge Africa’s growing credit gap and improve access to capital for entrepreneurs and investors. Ezichi made the call as the alternative finance company announced plans to expand its operations across West Africa amid tighter lending conditions and rising borrowing costs in the conventional banking sector. Founded nearly a decade ago, Pawn NG provides short-term loans secured by high-value assets such as luxury watches…
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commissioned Africa’s first renewable energy college and a Green Hydrogen Research and Demonstration Pilot Plant in Kogi State, marking a major step in Nigeria’s drive to build the skilled workforce needed for its clean energy transition. The facilities, the Barefoot Renewable Energy College, Osara (BARECKS) and the Green Hydrogen Research and Demonstration Pilot Plant, were inaugurated on Tuesday at the Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH), Osara, by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented the President. President Tinubu described the college as a landmark institution that will equip Nigerians with the technical skills required…
The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has launched a new initiative to promote local manufacturing of solar panels and battery storage systems as part of efforts to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported renewable energy equipment and expand access to electricity. The move comes as more than 85 million Nigerians, about 40 per cent of the population, still lack reliable access to grid electricity. The initiative was unveiled in Abuja during the signing of a Joint Development Agreement between the REA and Ecotech Development Nigeria Limited. The partnership will establish a solar panel and battery assembly and manufacturing facility in Nigeria, supporting…
President Bola Tinubu has approved a new salary structure for members of the Nigerian Armed Forces, with pay increases ranging from 30 per cent to 80 per cent, in a move aimed at improving troop welfare and strengthening national security. The revised salary package, which takes effect from September 1, 2026, will benefit about 250,000 military personnel, with junior ranks receiving the largest increases. The approval was announced in a statement issued on Tuesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. Under the new pay structure, soldiers from the rank of Private to Staff Sergeant will…
The World Bank has advised developing countries to stop trying to compete with advanced economies in building massive artificial intelligence (AI) models and expensive data centres, urging them instead to focus on adopting affordable AI solutions tailored to local needs. The recommendation is contained in the World Development Report 2026: The Promise of Artificial Intelligence, released on Tuesday. According to the report, although developing economies are experiencing their weakest average growth in three decades, AI presents a significant opportunity to accelerate economic growth before the end of the decade. Indermit Gill, World Bank’s Senior Vice President and Chief Economist,said developing…
By Babafemi Ojudu I listened to St Janet just as I listened to Fela’s Na Poi. I have always loved creativity in all its forms, just as I cherish freedom. My instinct is to let people create, speak, sing and imagine as they wish, provided they do no harm to others. I have always been an admirer of the free spirit. Civilisation advances not merely through conformity but through those willing to push boundaries. St Janet’s passing has provoked intense debate. The moralists never accepted her. Many religious people could not stand her. Yet she commanded an enormous following among…
The Federal Government has approved the establishment of 33 new universities across the country, raising the total number of licensed universities in Nigeria to 309. The newly approved institutions comprise seven federal universities, six state-owned universities and 20 private universities, in what marks one of the largest single expansions of Nigeria’s higher education system in recent years. The seven new federal universities are the Federal University of Environment and Technology, Tai, Rivers State; Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia, Kaduna State; Tai Solarin Federal University of Education, Ijagun, Ogun State; Federal University of Agriculture and Developmental Studies, Iragbiji, Osun State;…
…Appoints additional Director The Board of Cadbury Nigeria Plc today announced the resignation of Mr. Adedotun Sulaiman as the Company’s Chairman, and the appointment of Dr. Rasaq Adedoyin Salami as his successor. The Board also announced the appointment of Mrs. Uwa Osa-Oboh as an Independent Non-Executive Director. Both appointments took effect from 3rd August 2026. The announcement was contained in a notification issued by Afolasade Olowe, the Company Secretary, to the Nigerian Exchange Ltd (NGX) and the investing public. The statement said the Board thanked Mr. Sulaiman for his immense contributions to the Company since his appointment as a Non-Executive…
The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Nigeria Council has called for greater technical knowledge among journalists covering the energy sector, warning that inaccurate or superficial reporting could undermine investor confidence, distort public understanding and weaken policy discussions. The council also urged stronger collaboration between engineers and the media to improve the quality, accuracy and credibility of energy reporting in Nigeria. The call was made during the Executive Masterclass on Energy Journalism held in Lagos. The programme, organised by the SPE Nigeria Council in partnership with Sequest Upstream Company Limited, was themed “Engineering the Narrative: Why Technical Knowledge Matters in Energy…