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Afriskaut, an African football scouting and talent discovery platform, has onboarded youth team representatives from across Ekiti State ahead of the fifth edition of the Prof Akin Oyebode Cup.

The training, organised by Phoenix Athletics Sports Limited, the competition’s managing company, took place in Ado-Ekiti and focused on data management and use of the Afriskaut platform. Representatives from several Local Football Councils (LFCs) attended.

Afriskaut Chief Operating Officer Ussa Buggu led the session, outlining the platform’s processes and its role in marketing players through data and analysis. Buggu set out steps for teams to keep player data accurate and up to date, saying proper documentation could open doors to scouts, clubs, agents and academies across Africa and beyond.

Phoenix Athletics Sports Limited Chief Executive Officer Bayo Olalenge thanked the Afriskaut team for the training, calling the partnership essential to the competition’s success and long-term impact.

Organisers say the partnership is expected to improve player profiling and create pathways for standout performers to professional opportunities, in line with the tournament’s stated aims beyond on-pitch competition.

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, has revealed the rationale behind the visit of traditional rulers in Oyo State to President Bola Tinubu.

Olubadan in a statement signed by his media aide, Chief Adeola Oloko, noted that Ladoja and other traditional rulers visited Tinubu to thank him for the release of the abducted students and teachers in the state.

Recall that the Olubadan and other prominent traditional rulers in Oyo State visited Tinubu on Thursday.

Other traditional rulers in the entourage of Olubadan include the Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Oba Francis Alao; the Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Sefiu Oyebola; the Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Tajudeen Ajibola; and the Osi Olubadan, Oba Abiodun Kola-Daisi.

Other monarchs at the meeting were the Alajawa of Ajawa, Oba Adeyeye Oyetunji; the Aare Ago of Ogbomoso, High Chief S. Otolorin, who represented the Soun of Ogbomoso; and the Onigbeti of Igbeti, Oba Abioye Basiru Olalekan.

Oba Ladoja, who also doubles as Chairman of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs, said the visit to President Tinubu was also aimed at appreciating the efforts of his administration in tackling the deplorable condition of federal roads linking Ibadan in particular and Oyo State in general with neighbouring states.

According to the monarch, the roads include the Ibadan-Ijebu Ode Road, the dualisation of the Ogbomoso-Ilorin Road, and the Badagry-Sokoto Road through the Ibarapa and Oke-Ogun areas of Oyo State.

He said the roads, when completed, would open up many towns and villages along the corridor.

He said, ‘The visit to Mr President was also aimed at appreciating the efforts of his administration in tackling the deplorable condition of federal roads linking Ibadan in particular, and Oyo State in general, with neighbouring states.

‘On the recent release of abducted teachers and students in Oriire from captivity, Oba Ladoja stated that even though they did not doubt the capacity of the Nigerian security operatives to deliver, there were fears over the possibility of the victims’ recovery at some point.

‘This is why we believe that the efforts of both President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all stakeholders are commendable.’

Thousands of delegates from across Africa gathered in Lusaka as the Africa Creative Market (ACM) 2026 concluded six days of high-level dialogue, strategic partnerships, investment discussions and cultural exchange, reaffirming the continent’s growing determination to build a globally competitive creative economy.

Held from June 29 to July 4, 2026, ACM 2026 was organised in collaboration with the Creative Industries Business Summit Zambia (CIBSZ) and the Kwimbo National Arts Festival. It brought together participants from Zambia, Nigeria, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Cameroon, Senegal and several other African countries.

The gathering united government officials, policymakers, investors, development partners, entrepreneurs, creatives and industry leaders on one of the continent’s most comprehensive platforms dedicated to advancing Africa’s creative and cultural industries.

Opening the event, Founder of Africa Creative Market, Dr. Inya Lawal, described Zambia as the ideal host for this year’s gathering, citing the country’s growing commitment to the creative economy.

‘People often ask me why we chose Zambia. My answer has always been simple: because Zambia is ready,’ she said.

Representing the Zambian Government, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts, Mr. Kangwa Chileshe, underscored the importance of creating enabling systems that allow creative talent to flourish.

‘Talent alone is not enough. We must build the structures that allow talent to thrive,’ he said.

The remarks established the central theme that resonated throughout ACM 2026: Africa possesses extraordinary creative talent, but sustained investment, enabling policies, stronger institutions and deeper collaboration will determine the future of the continent’s creative economy.

Investment and enterprise development emerged as major priorities during the Creative Capital Forum, where policymakers, financial institutions, entrepreneurs and ecosystem builders explored practical pathways to financing creative businesses and accelerating economic growth.

The conversation extended to policy and legal reform through the Global Creative Legal Summit, where legal practitioners, policymakers and industry stakeholders examined intellectual property protection, collective rights management, cross-border licensing, artificial intelligence and opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The summit also witnessed the unveiling of the African Creative Economy Lawyer (ACEL) initiative and the Entertainment and Creative Law Hub (ECLH), reinforcing efforts to strengthen the legal infrastructure supporting Africa’s creative industries.

Innovation remained a defining focus throughout the week.

At the Creative Technology Summit, industry leaders explored how animation, immersive technologies, artificial intelligence and digital innovation are reshaping storytelling and expanding opportunities for African creators in the global digital economy.

Earlier, the session titled The YouTube Economy: A Creator’s Roadmap to Revenue brought creators and digital entrepreneurs together to examine audience growth, platform monetisation and sustainable content businesses.

Complementing these discussions, the Digital Creator Africa Summit challenged creators to move beyond viral success by building sustainable businesses through intellectual property, strategic partnerships, technological innovation and diversified revenue streams.

Across the visual arts, fashion, photography, film, theatre and music sectors, participants repeatedly returned to a common message: Africa’s cultural assets represent not only artistic excellence but also significant economic opportunities.

One of the week’s defining moments came with the Zambian premiere of the feature film 77, which drew acclaimed actors, filmmakers, government officials, media professionals and cinema enthusiasts in a celebration of African storytelling.

The event also demonstrated the growing momentum behind cross-border collaboration within the continent’s film industry.

Through the FashionEVO Summit and the FashionEVO Fashion Show and Awards, designers, manufacturers, investors, policymakers and fashion entrepreneurs examined opportunities in sustainable production, manufacturing, exports, innovation and investment, while showcasing the creativity, craftsmanship and commercial potential of contemporary African fashion to regional and international audiences.

As the curtains fell on the Lusaka edition, organisers described the Africa Creative Market as a continental platform where policy meets enterprise, culture intersects with commerce, and partnerships evolve into long-term opportunities capable of shaping Africa’s creative future.

Minister of State for Industry, John Enoh, has described Aliko Dangote as Nigeria’s ‘foremost industrialist’ and the driving force behind the successful launch of the Nigeria Industrial Policy (NIP).

He said the ministry was targeting a rise in manufacturing’s contribution to gross domestic product to about 20 per cent by 2030 and 25 per cent by 2035.

Enoh led a high-level delegation on an extensive tour of the 700,000 barrels-per-day Dangote Petroleum Refinery, the Dangote Petrochemicals complex and Dangote Fertiliser Limited in Lagos.

He was accompanied by officials including the Special Assistant to the President on Industrial Training and Manpower, the Director-General of the Industrial Training Fund and the Director-General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN).

‘He is Nigeria’s champion. I mean, it’s even understated when they call him Africa’s wealthiest man,’ the minister said, adding that Dangote’s presence at the NIP’s launch in February ‘gave it the prominence it now has.’

The minister disclosed that his ministry had met its first 90-day implementation benchmark under the industrial policy, and said the manufacturing GDP targets were closely tied to continued investment from Dangote’s businesses.

He also confirmed that discussions were ongoing with relevant authorities over a naira-for-crude arrangement for the refinery, expressing hope that talks would conclude favourably.

On the visit’s outcomes, Enoh said his ministry would present Dangote with a three-point request built around industrial training and skills development, including support for an estimated 65,000 additional trained personnel required for the refinery’s next phase of expansion; downstream value-chain development around the petrochemicals complex; and closer collaboration on free trade zone projects such as the one recently commissioned in Ondo State.

The minister also expressed delight about the level of the refinery’s automation, which he said had reduced human presence on site largely to security personnel. Responding, Dangote, Founder and President/Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, commended President Bola Tinubu for appointing Enoh to the industry portfolio, describing the minister’s commitment to the sector as unmatched by his predecessors.

‘I must also thank His Excellency, Mr President, for appointing people like Senator Enoh. We’ve had a lot of ministers of industry, but the commitment that we have from him, I can tell you, is none compared to the rest. His commitment is absolute,’ he said.

Dangote also threw his weight behind Tinubu’s ambition to grow Nigeria into a $1 trillion economy, declaring that his own conglomerate had carved out a $100 billion target from that vision by 2030.

‘The vision of Mr President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a $1 trillion economy, I think is more than achievable. That’s why we took out from that vision of $1 trillion to carve our own vision, we have seen that, yes, we can do $100 billion out of that $1 trillion,’ he said.

The industrialist disclosed that the refinery alone now processes about 10 per cent of America’s total refining capacity and accounts for roughly 2.5 per cent of the world’s traded crude, buying into what he described as a daily global trade volume of about 66 million barrels out of 100 million barrels produced.

He linked the refinery’s scale to Nigeria’s broader push for foreign exchange stability, predicting that sustained industrial growth could pull the naira down to about N1,000 to the dollar by the middle of 2028, from levels above N1,380 currently. He recalled that the refinery was conceived when the exchange rate stood at N156 to the dollar, and that construction continued through subsequent devaluations partly financed through an unsecured, unrated corporate bond, the first time, he said, that a private Nigerian company had raised debt priced below the sovereign’s own rating.

Dangote also used the visit to press home a separate appeal for the Bank of Industry, urging the Federal Government to help unlock funds so the development bank could extend cheaper credit to manufacturers, recalling that he had once borrowed at an interest rate of 44 per cent to build the Obajana cement plant in Kogi State.

He disclosed that Dangote Cement alone paid about N1 trillion in taxes last financial year, and projected the figure could rise to N1.5 trillion this year based on half-year results, while combined investment in the petrochemicals and fertiliser businesses stood at close to $9 billion. He urged the government to prioritise policy consistency over fresh incentives, arguing that Nigerian manufacturers no longer needed additional tax breaks, and to deepen engagement with domestic investors as the surest route to attracting foreign capital.

The refinery, the Petrochemicals complex and Dangote Fertiliser Limited form the core of the Dangote Group’s downstream diversification from cement and sugar, and have been positioned by the Federal Government as central to Nigeria’s industrialisation agenda under the Nigeria Industrial Policy.