Author: user user

CMFC’s President and Co-CEO, Dr Israel Ovirih named in Nigeria’s top 25 CEOs

President and Co-CEO, Critical Minerals Financing Corporation (CMFC) Plc, Dr Israel Ovirih, was at the weekend honoured as one of Nigeria’s 25 topmost chief executives, an award that highlighted Dr Israel Ovirih’s transformational leadership and impact in Nigerian economy.

Dr Israel Ovirih was awarded as one of ‘BusinessDay Top 25 CEOs’, in a selection process coordinated by Nigeria’s leading business and economy daily, BusinessDay in collaboration with the Nigerian Exchange (NGX). The data were primarily collated by the NGX based on corporate performances and records of listed companies.

Dr Israel Ovirih, a versatile investment banker and development economist, was honoured for successfully birthing CMFC as Africa’s premier investment bank for minerals and metals, with the award celebrating strategic ambition, institutional transformation and disciplined execution that made the milestone possible.

Dr Israel Ovirih’s Banklink Africa Private Equity had purchased majority equity stake in Deap Capital Management and Trust Plc and rebuilt the company through rigourous process of corporate reassessment, redirection, repositioning, recapitalisation and growth and stability.

The BusinessDay Top 25 CEOs Awards celebrates Nigeria’s most outstanding business leaders and it is widely recognised as one of the country’s most respected platforms for recognising excellence in corporate leadership and performance. The awards honour chief executives whose leadership delivered exceptional shareholders’ value, strengthened institutions, transformed industries and contribute meaningfully to the development of Nigerian economy.

Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Exchange (NGX), Mr. Jude Chiemeka, said Dr Israel Ovirih and others top chief executives were selected based on scientific parameters for measuring corporate governance excellence and performance.

‘Your achievement represents what’s possible when enterprise and leadership come together,’ Chiemeka said.

He pointed out that quoted companies like CMFC contribute more meaningfully to the economy as publicly quoted companies have been found to be more compliant in most key parameters, including tax compliant, governance and disclosures.

He noted the strategic importance of CMFC in helping to opening up the capital market to vast minerals sector of the economy and unlocking much-needed resources for the greater development of the country.

Chief Executive Officer, BusinessDay Media, Mr. Frank Aigbogun said Dr Israel Ovirih was honoured for demonstrating exemplary attributes during a defining period for corporate Nigeria marked by macroeconomic adjustments, a period when success required more than resilience but also strategic agility, disciplined execution, innovation and capability to deliver sustainable value.

‘Your leadership reflects the core attributes celebrated by the Awards: strategic vision, resilience, innovation, disciplined execution, and the ability to build a sustainable institution in a dynamic operating environment,’ Aigbogun said.

He pointed out that the Award was a recognition of both CMFC’s organizational achievement and Dr Israel Ovirih’s leadership excellence, noting that Dr Ovirih set a record with the birth of CMFC as a specialised financing group for a high-growth segment of Africa’s economy.

He explained that the 2026 awards recognised performance during the 2025 financial year, ‘describing the past year as a year of transition for Nigeria’s economy and a period when producing results was difficult.

He said the awardees were selected on the basis of evidential research based on assessable data, pointing out that the selection process was designed to recognise substance over visibility and performance over popularity.

‘We look beyond the personality of the chief executive to the quality of the enterprise the leader is building. The Top 25 CEOs represent established businesses that have demonstrated exceptional leadership and performance,’ Aigbogun said.

He underlined the importance of the leadership factor in corporate growth and general economic development, noting that top decision makers are the engines that drive much-acknowledged private sector’s roles in building productive capacity, shared prosperity and long-term sustainable development.

He said: ‘Our economy is not built only by policy. It is built every day by companies making decisions about capital, people, technology, markets and risks’.

In a brief remarks, Dr Ovirih reassured that CMFC is committed to its vision of providing much-needed structured financing and expertise to unlock values in Nigeria and Africa’s critical minerals and metals.

He dedicated the award to shareholders, directors, staff and all other stakeholders whose efforts have continued to drive CMFC’s success story.

Other awardees included Group Managing Director, Zenith Bank Plc, Dame Adaora Umeoji; Managing Director, Jaiz Bank Plc, Dr Haruna Musa; Group Managing Director, HBM Nigeria Plc, formerly Lafarge Africa, Mr Lolu Alade-Akinyemi; Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, Mr Chuma Nwokocha; Chief Executive Officer, UPDC Plc, Mr Odunayo Ojo; Group Managing Director, VFD Group Plc, Mr Nonso Okpala; Founder and Group Managing Director, Custodian Investment Plc, Mr Wole Oshin; Managing Director, May and Baker Nigeria Plc, Pharm Patrick Ajah; Chief Executive Officer, Seplat Energy Plc, Engr Effiong Okon; President and Group Chief Executive Officer, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria, Mrs Owen Omogiafo and Managing Director, Transcorp Power Plc, Engr Peter Ikenga.

Gen Zs, others losing touch with Nigerian values – Primate Ndukuba

The Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate, the Church of Nigeria, Most Rev. Dr Henry C. Ndukuba, has expressed concern over what he described as the loss of valuable societal values among younger generations, particularly Gen Zs and Gen Alpha.

Ndukuba raised the concern while speaking during the dinner held in his honour by the Obafemi Awolowo family in Ikenne, Ogun State.

He said Nigeria was gradually losing some of the values that shaped previous generations, particularly as young people increasingly looked up to celebrities as role models.

The Primate questioned the influence and messages of some contemporary celebrities, saying many young people appeared more familiar with celebrities than with historical figures who made significant contributions to society.

‘I know that the Gen Zs and I think the Alphas may know more of the celebrities,’ he said.

Ndukwuba said growing up in the 1970s and 1980s, people were familiar with music that carried meaningful messages, expressing concern that the situation had changed.

‘Today, even when they dance, I don’t know what they are dancing to. But it seems that we are losing something very precious,’ he said.

He also criticised the decline of history education in Nigerian schools, warning that young people who do not understand the country’s history may struggle to appreciate where the nation is headed.

‘Unfortunately, I don’t know why our education managers decided to kill history,’ Ndukuba said, lamenting that secondary school students and young Nigerians were no longer being given adequate opportunities to study history.

Ndukuba described Awolowo as a man who ‘lived for others’, using his life and legacy to illustrate the importance of selflessness, sacrifice and service to humanity.

He urged leaders and Nigerians to learn from such examples and build lives that would leave positive legacies for future generations.

The Primate said the lessons from the past should challenge contemporary leaders and citizens to move away from selfishness and embrace service to others.

He added that the impact of a person’s life should remain beneficial to society even after the person is gone.

MTN Nigeria leads Africa in gender equality, secures EDGE Advance

MTN Nigeria Communications Plc has become the first company in Africa to attain EDGE Advance Certification, placing the telecommunications giant among a select group of organisations globally recognised for measurable progress in workplace gender equality.

The certification, the third of four levels under the global Economic Dividends for Gender Equality (EDGE) framework, also makes MTN Nigeria the first organisation in the global Communication Services sector and only the third company worldwide to reach the level.

The recognition followed an independent certification audit conducted under the EDGE Certified Foundation framework, which assesses organisations against measurable standards covering policies, workplace practices and outcomes relating to gender equity.

MTN Nigeria’s latest achievement builds on its EDGE Move Certification secured in July 2023, when it became the first telecommunications operator in Africa to receive EDGE certification and the second organisation in Sub-Saharan Africa to attain EDGE Move status on its first assessment.

The latest certification reflects the company’s continued progress in improving female representation, strengthening leadership opportunities for women and embedding gender equity in its workplace policies and practices.

According to MTN Nigeria’s 2025 Annual Report, women accounted for 43.4 per cent of the company’s total workforce, while female representation on its Executive Committee stood at 41.18 per cent.

The company has set a target of achieving 50:50 gender balance across its workforce by 2030, indicating that the latest certification is part of an ongoing strategy rather than an end point.

Commenting on the achievement, MTN Nigeria Chief Executive Officer, Karl Toriola, said the milestone reflected deliberate and sustained efforts to expand opportunities for women, including at senior leadership levels.

‘This milestone reflects deliberate action and a sustained commitment to expanding opportunities for women across our workforce, including at senior leadership levels,’ Toriola said.

He added that the global recognition was a source of pride for the company and demonstrated its commitment to gender equity, inclusion and creating opportunities for employees to thrive.

Chief Human Resource Officer, MTN Nigeria, Esther Akinnukawe, said the certification demonstrated that the company’s gender-equity initiatives were translating into measurable outcomes.

She attributed the increase in female representation across the workforce and senior management to deliberate policies covering recruitment, mentorship and leadership development.

‘Attaining EDGE Advance Certification is a clear signal that the work we have put into building a more equitable workplace is translating into real, measurable progress,’ Akinnukawe said.

She reaffirmed MTN Nigeria’s commitment to its 2030 target of achieving equal gender representation across its workforce.

The achievement has also attracted recognition from key institutions in Nigeria’s business and development ecosystem.

Regional Director for West Africa at the International Finance Corporation, Olivier Buyoya, said MTN Nigeria’s achievement demonstrated that workplace equality could serve both as a social imperative and a driver of business performance.

He noted that by embedding inclusion into its strategy and measuring outcomes, the company was setting an example for private-sector leadership in Africa.

Similarly, Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NGX Group, Temi Popoola, said the certification demonstrated how inclusion, governance and accountability could translate into measurable business outcomes.

According to Popoola, certifications such as EDGE were becoming increasingly relevant as investors looked beyond conventional financial performance for indicators of long-term value creation and institutional strength.

For the EDGE Certified Foundation, MTN Nigeria’s achievement underscores the importance of independently verified outcomes in measuring progress on workplace equity.

Founder of the EDGE Certified Foundation, Aniela Unguresan, said MTN Nigeria now belonged to a very small group of organisations globally to have reached the Advance level.

She stressed that the certification was based on independent assessment of measurable outcomes across nearly all areas of the EDGE Standards, rather than stated corporate intentions.

Headquartered in Switzerland, the EDGE Certified Foundation manages the global EDGE Certification framework, which is used by organisations across 77 countries and 46 industries.

The framework has been adopted by organisations including the World Bank Group, IFC, OECD, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, UNFPA, Capgemini, L’Oréal and Allianz.

For MTN Nigeria, the latest certification reinforces its positioning as a corporate leader in workplace inclusion, while its 2030 gender-balance target places further emphasis on translating the recognition into sustained representation across all levels of the organisation.

Mr. Eazi earns commendation on betPawa Locker Room Bonus role

Sports marketing firm Skybound has congratulated Nigerian musician Mr Eazi, chairman of Choplife Records, on his appointment as betPawa Locker Room Bonus (LRB) ambassador.

Skybound is a partner in betPawa’s sponsorship arrangement with the Nigeria National League (NNL).

Skybound CEO John Joshua Akanji said the appointment reflected betPawa’s continued investment in African football, in a statement issued Saturday.

‘We congratulate Mr Eazi on this new role and we are confident betPawa will continue to support the NNL and other leagues in Africa,’ Akanji said.

Akanji said betPawa’s involvement had made the NNL more competitive. He said the company would continue its commitment to Nigeria’s second-tier league.

Army recruitment: How to apply through official portal

Joining the Nigerian Army is an ambition shared by many young Nigerians, but prospective applicants should understand that recruitment follows an official process and should rely only on information provided by the Nigerian Army.

The Nigerian Army operates an official online recruitment portal where eligible applicants can create accounts, submit applications and access recruitment-related information.

The official recruitment portal is recruitment.army.mil.ng, while the Nigerian Army’s main website is army.mil.ng.

1. Visit the official recruitment portal

Applicants should first visit the Nigerian Army’s official recruitment website.

They should avoid links circulated through unofficial social media accounts, WhatsApp groups or individuals claiming to be recruitment agents.

The official portal provides access to the Army’s recruitment application system and relevant support information.

2. Check the recruitment announcement

Before starting an application, applicants should confirm that a recruitment exercise is open and carefully read the requirements for that particular intake.

The Nigerian Army conducts recruitment exercises under specific intakes, meaning the requirements, application period, and applicant categories can vary.

For example, the recruitment portal currently contains information relating to the 91st Regular Recruit Intake (91RRI) and shortlisted candidates.

3. Create an account

Applicants eligible for an open recruitment exercise must create an account on the recruitment portal.

The portal lets applicants create a Nigerian Army recruitment account, after which they can log in to continue the application process.

Applicants should ensure that the personal information used to create the account is accurate and belongs to them.

4. Provide the required personal information

After creating an account, applicants should complete the information requested on the application form.

This may include personal details and other information required by the particular recruitment exercise.

Applicants should carefully check their entries before submitting the form because errors in important personal information can create problems during subsequent stages of recruitment.

5. Upload the required documents

Applicants should prepare the documents requested for the particular recruitment exercise before completing the application.

Take the exact documents and eligibility requirements from the official recruitment announcement rather than from unofficial recruitment agents or social-media posts.

Candidates should also ensure that uploaded documents are clear and contain accurate information.

6. Review the application before submission

Before submitting an application, candidates should review the entire form and check their personal information, educational details, and uploaded documents.

This is an important step because applicants should not assume that incorrectly entered information can be corrected automatically after submission.

7. Submit the application through the portal

Once all required sections are complete and checked, the applicant can submit the application through the official recruitment portal.

Applicants should keep any application or registration information generated by the portal for future reference.

8. Check the portal for recruitment updates

Submitting an application does not mean that an applicant has automatically been selected.

Candidates should continue checking the official recruitment portal for information about shortlisting, screening and other stages of the recruitment exercise.

The recruitment portal currently includes a section for shortlisted candidates, showing how it is also used to communicate recruitment-related information.

9. Be careful of recruitment scams

One of the most important precautions for applicants is to avoid people who claim they can guarantee selection in exchange for money.

Applicants should rely on the Nigerian Army’s official recruitment channels and should not hand over money or sensitive information to individuals claiming to be recruitment officials without verifying their identity.

The official recruitment portal provides recruitment support contacts, including the Nigerian Army recruitment email and toll-free number 193.

10. Confirm whether the application window is still open

Applicants should pay close attention to the opening and closing dates of each recruitment exercise.

For instance, information currently available on the Nigerian Army recruitment portal relates to the 91RRI process, including shortlisted candidates. Therefore, anyone intending to apply should first confirm whether a new application window has opened, rather than assuming registration is still ongoing.

AI could kill humans by 2030? ChatGPT boss Altman responds with two warnings

OpenAI chief executive officer Sam Altman has responded to a viral warning that artificial intelligence could kill humans by 2030, admitting that the technology could go ‘very badly’ if humanity loses control of its development.

Altman addressed the growing concerns in a series of posts on X on Sunday night, shortly after former AI researcher Jacob Coxon warned that companies developing advanced artificial intelligence were ‘gambling with our lives’.

‘There are two ways AI could go very badly and that we must avoid,’ Altman wrote.

Although Altman did not endorse the specific claim that AI could kill humans by 2030, his response acknowledged the possibility of catastrophic consequences if the technology develops without effective safeguards.

The ChatGPT boss identified the first danger as a possible loss of human control over the future of AI.

He described such an outcome as ‘unacceptable’, insisting that artificial intelligence must remain aligned with human interests.

‘We are unapologetically on Team Humanity and AI must always serve people,’ Altman stated.

According to him, safety and alignment techniques must stay ahead of the growing capabilities of AI models. He warned that allowing AI systems to become more powerful than the safeguards designed to control them could create serious risks for humanity.

Altman identified excessive concentration of power as the second danger.

He warned that if an extremely powerful AI system were controlled by one person or company, it could be used to impose that individual’s worldview on the rest of the world.

‘If an extraordinarily powerful AI is used by one person or company to impress their worldview onto everyone else, the results could be extremely dystopian,’ he wrote.

Altman’s remarks came amid renewed fears that the race to develop more advanced AI systems is moving faster than governments, researchers and companies can safely manage.

He said he was cooperating with other technology executives to slow the pace of development, stressing that slowing down did not mean stopping progress.

‘When we talk about pacing, we don’t mean stopping,’ Altman wrote.

‘Progress has been rapid and will continue to be. But it should be slower than it otherwise could be.’

He added that no pressure to win the global AI race should justify reckless development or allow AI capabilities to move ahead of safety checks and monitoring.

Coxon, who previously worked with both OpenAI and Anthropic, announced his resignation from Anthropic last week and accused the companies of racing towards self-improving superintelligence without adequate safeguards.

‘Neither company is acting responsibly. They are racing straight to self-improving superintelligence and gambling with our lives,’ he wrote on X.

Coxon warned that future AI systems could hack almost anything, transform entire industries overnight and acquire real power and resources.

He further claimed that some people building advanced AI privately believed the technology could kill humans or wipe out humanity before the end of the decade.

Geoffrey Hinton, the Canadian researcher widely known as the ‘Godfather of AI’, has also warned that losing control of systems more intelligent than humans could lead to catastrophic consequences, including human extinction.

6,000 procurement professionals face deregistration over unpaid fees

More than 6,000 procurement and supply chain professionals risk deregistration after failing to clear outstanding registration fees, the Procurement and Supplies Professionals and Technicians Board (PSPTB) has warned.

The move is intended to strengthen compliance.

The Board has given the affected professionals 30 days to settle their debts, after which it will start deregistration and nationwide workplace inspections to enforce compliance. PSPTB managing director, Mr Godfred Mbanyi, issued the warning on Monday, September 14, 2026, while speaking to journalists in Dodoma.

‘We are giving them 30 days to clear their debts. After that period, we will begin the deregistration process,’ said Mr Mbanyi.

He said the board had already allocated funds for inspection teams to visit institutions across the country after the deadline.

‘After the 30 days, our teams will go to the regions and inspect institutions in both the public and private sectors,’ he said.

The enforcement could affect procurement operations in public institutions because professionals whose registration is cancelled will lose access to public electronic procurement systems.

Mr Mbanyi urged professionals with outstanding fees to use the grace period to regularise their status rather than wait for enforcement.

‘Our appeal is that professionals should obey the law without compulsion. They should clear their debts and maintain their registration,’ he said.

Operating under the Ministry of Finance, PSPTB is mandated by law to register procurement and supply chain professionals working in both the public and private sectors.

The board has four registration categories: Authorised, Approved, Graduate and Technician.

According to PSPTB, more than 12,000 professionals are registered, but over 6,000 have accumulated fee arrears or other outstanding debts.

Only about 400 professionals in the Authorised category are currently fully compliant, the board said.

Annual subscription fees vary by registration category. Professionals who fail to pay on time also face penalties, including a 50 percent surcharge during the first six months after the end of the financial year.

A 100 percent penalty applies to accumulated arrears when payment is made before formal deregistration, with all outstanding fees required to be cleared alongside current annual fees.

The board is also preparing a register of compliant Authorised professionals, and the names of those who have cleared their debts will be published in the Government Gazette and on the PSPTB website.

Mr Mbanyi said professionals whose names do not appear on the register should treat the omission as a warning.

‘If your name is not on the list, it means you have not complied with the financial requirements, and you are at risk of deregistration,’ he said.

PSPTB has already deregistered 47 professionals over non-compliance and registration-related disputes.

The board warned that practising procurement without valid registration, including after deregistration, is an offence under the PSPTB Act and may lead to prosecution.

Mr Mbanyi also said temporary transfer to another department does not remove a professional’s registration obligations.

‘Being transferred to another department does not remove your legal obligation. If you return to procurement while you are deregistered, you cannot legally practise,’ he said.

He urged professionals with outstanding fees to take advantage of the 30-day window to settle their debts and remain legally registered.

’I promise you, I will become Nigeria’s president’ – 2Baba’s wife Natasha

Hon. Natasha Osawaru Idibia has declared her ambition to become Nigeria’s President, telling her grandfather, billionaire businessman Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, that she hopes to lead the country someday.

Natasha made the declaration while celebrating her grandfather, promising to make him proud and describing him as a major inspiration in her life.

‘I promise you, I will be the President of this country,’ she said.

Addressing Chief Igbinedion, Natasha expressed deep affection for the elder statesman, saying his presence remained a blessing to her and her family.

‘I will make you very proud, I promise you. Today shall be one of the best of your days and more to come. May God bless you, my grandfather. You are like my baby right now, I love you so much,’ she said.

She added that spending time with him had continued to be a remarkable experience, praising his strength and personality as he grows older.

‘As you age, you become sweeter and better. It is so amazing to be around you, Grandpa, and I promise you, I will be the President of this country,’ Natasha added.

Natasha Osawaru Idibia, a lawmaker representing Edo Central Senatorial District, has in recent times attracted public attention through her political activities and public appearances.

2027: ‘No vacancy in Aso Rock,’ Oba Akiolu backs Tinubu

The Oba of Lagos, Rilwanu Akiolu I, on Monday declared that there would be no vacancy in Aso Rock in 2027, expressing confidence that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would secure a second term in office.

Akiolu, who spoke when the Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abdul’aziz Yari, and members of his delegation visited his palace in Lagos, said Tinubu deserved another term based on his performance in office.

The monarch also called on Nigerians to embrace honesty, hard work, unity and sincerity of purpose, saying political disagreements should not be allowed to become permanent divisions.

The delegation, led by Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and accompanied by his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, was at the monarch’s Iga-Iduganran Palace, Lagos Island, to seek his royal blessings ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The visit formed part of the APC campaign council’s consultations with traditional and religious leaders as the party begins preparations for the elections.

Declaring his support for Tinubu, Akiolu said: ‘One important thing that I know very well is that for the next four or five years, there is no vacancy in Aso Rock.’

He prayed for the success of the Tinubu campaign, saying: ‘This journey you have embarked upon, Insha Allah, it shall be smooth, failure-free, and error-free. No hazardous errors.’

The monarch also appealed to political actors to maintain cordial relationships despite their differences.

‘Politicians don’t fight; they only disagree to agree later,’ he said, citing the Yoruba saying, ‘Kosi ba re e d’aso onino se o, ore e go se be ni’, which he explained as reflecting the changing nature of political alliances.

Akiolu recalled his long-standing relationship with Tinubu, noting that his nomination as Oba of Lagos was approved by the Lagos State Government in May 2003, when Tinubu was governor.

He commended successive administrations in Lagos for contributing to the state’s development and specifically praised Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat for sustaining the state’s infrastructure expansion.

The monarch, however, used the occasion to renew his call for Lagos to be granted special status by the Federal Government.

According to him, Lagos bears a disproportionate infrastructural and social burden as Nigeria’s commercial hub, while continuing to accommodate people from across the country.

Earlier, Yari said the delegation was in Lagos to pay homage to the monarch and seek his support and prayers ahead of the 2027 elections.

He described Tinubu as a political leader whose struggles and experience had contributed to the emergence and consolidation of the APC at the national level.

Yari also urged party members and the media to communicate the administration’s policies and achievements to Nigerians, particularly in the areas of economic recovery, infrastructure, youth empowerment, business development and national security.

He said Tinubu had demonstrated the capacity to address the country’s economic challenges despite limited resources.

Yari said: ‘Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is a foundational leader who has laid the foundation, who has done the structural work necessary for this country to develop-not just for the next 10 years, but as far as 25 years and 30 years.’

He added that Tinubu, having fought for democracy and subsequently served as president, had emerged as ‘the Generalissimo of Nigerian politics,’ with what he described as evidence of his political stature.

Sanwo-Olu, who received the delegation at the airport before accompanying it to the palace, described the campaign council as a team of experienced Nigerians comprising former Senate presidents, governors, speakers and senior political leaders.

He said Lagos was a natural starting point for the council’s nationwide consultations, stressing the importance of traditional institutions in promoting peace, unity and national development.

The governor also joined Yari in urging Nigerians to support the APC administration, while assuring the delegation of Lagos State’s cooperation.

The visit ended with prayers for peace, national unity, divine guidance and the success of the country.

Nigerian-American Ugo Ugochukwu wins Formula 3 title

Nigerian-American racing driver Ugo Ugochukwu was crowned champion of the 2026 FIA Formula 3 Championship after placing second in the season’s final race in Madrid, Spain.

The 19-year-old Campos Racing driver secured the title at the Madring circuit on Sunday, September 13, 2026, becoming the first Nigerian-American driver to win the FIA Formula 3 championship.

Ugochukwu entered the final race tied on points with British driver Freddie Slater after a dramatic championship battle throughout the season.

Finland’s Tuukka Taponen won the Madrid Feature Race, but Ugochukwu’s second-place finish earned him enough points to clear Slater by 14 points in the final standings.

The victory strengthens his position as he aims to progress toward Formula 1.