Category: Business Day

Africa Magic Showcase have been airing a documentary celebrating the life and career of veteran actor, Sir Olu Jacobs, following his death on September 16, 2026. Titled ‘Doyen of Nollywood: Celebrating Olu Jacobs’, the documentary is a tribute to one of Nigeria’s most respected actors and enduring figures in the creative industry.

Directed by Femi Odugbemi and produced by Zuri 24 Media, the documentary explores Jacobs’ life and career across theatre, television and film, while reflecting on the impact he made on Nigeria’s entertainment industry over several decades.

The late Olu Jacobs was widely regarded as one of the most influential actors of his generation. His career, which spanned several decades, saw him take on roles across stage and screen, earning recognition for his versatility, depth, and commitment to the craft.

Beyond his performances, he played a significant role in shaping the Nigerian acting industry and inspiring a new generation of actors.

Doyen of Nollywood brings together some of the people who knew and worked with Jacobs, offering personal reflections on his career and the mark he left on the industry.

The documentary features contributions from notable actors and industry figures, including: Joke Silva, Afolabi Adesanya, Taiwo Ajai-Lycett, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Patience Ozokwor, Kate Henshaw and Jahman Anikulapo.

Through their stories and recollections, the documentary offers viewers an opportunity to remember Jacobs not only for the memorable characters he portrayed, but also for the discipline, professionalism and influence that defined his career.

The documentary premiered on Africa Magic Showcase on September 25, 2026 at 6:35 pm, with rebroadcast on September 26 at 10:30 pm; September 28 at 4:30 pm; and September 30 at 2:35 pm.

It will also air across other Africa Magic channels, including Africa Magic Epic, on Sunday, September 27 at 10:05 pm; September 28 at 6:30 pm; September 29 at 1:55 pm; and September 30 at 4:20 pm. On Africa Magic Family on September 26 at 7:30 pm, with repeat broadcasts on September 27 at 5:00 pm and September 29 at 1:00 pm.

The special broadcasts will give audiences across Africa Magic an opportunity to revisit the career of one of Nollywood’s most celebrated veterans and remember his contribution to Nigerian theatre, television and film.

Research journalist and Mariner, Mujahid Al-Ibenu, has called for peaceful protest and greater accountability from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) over what he described as prolonged uncertainty surrounding the implementation of new policies affecting Nigerian Mariners, coupled with the reported disruption of officers’ professional examinations.

Al-Ibenu said the situation has created considerable anxiety among cadets, students officers, and serving officers who have invested years of their lives and substantial financial resources in training and professional certification.

He argued that while regulatory reforms are necessary to strengthen Nigeria’s maritime administration and bring its seafarer-training system in line with international standards, such reforms must not leave candidates who entered the system under previously approved arrangements without a clear and equitable transition.

Of particular concern, according to Al-Ibenu, is the position of candidates who enrolled in the Associate Certificate programme previously introduced under the regulatory framework and offered through NIMASA-approved Maritime Training Institutions (MTIs).

He said many of those candidates committed significant financial resources, time and personal sacrifices on the understanding that they were undertaking a recognised programme through institutions approved to provide maritime education and training.

The question now demanding an unequivocal answer, he said, is what becomes of those candidates if the regulatory position on the Associate Certificate programme changes.

‘Candidates did not create the programme themselves. They enrolled in institutions operating within the framework approved or recognised by the maritime administration. If people paid substantial sums of money, left employment, committed years to training and pursued sea service on the basis of that programme, NIMASA has a responsibility to explain clearly what happens to them,’ Al-Ibenu said.

He called on the Agency to publish a definitive position on the Associate Certificate programme and provide a transparent transition pathway for every affected candidate.

According to him, it would be unacceptable for candidates to bear the consequences of a regulatory transition when they entered their programmes in good faith through institutions authorised to conduct maritime training.

Al-Ibenu maintained that regulatory accountability should extend beyond the introduction of new rules.

‘An agency cannot simply introduce a programme, allow approved institutions to operate it, allow candidates to invest their money and years of their lives in it, and then leave those candidates to determine their fate when the regulatory framework changes,’ he said.

He called for NIMASA to disclose the status of candidates who have already completed or are currently undertaking the Associate Certificate programme, including whether their qualifications will remain valid, whether they will be permitted to progress to the next stage of certification, and whether additional bridging requirements will be imposed.

Where additional requirements are necessary, he said, NIMASA should clearly state the legal and regulatory basis for such requirements and provide reasonable transitional arrangements rather than placing the entire burden on candidates.

His concerns come against the backdrop of significant reforms announced by NIMASA to Nigeria’s seafarer education, training, assessment, examination and certification regime.

NIMASA has announced new standards pursuant to the Merchant Shipping (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers) Regulations, 2025, saying the reforms are intended to strengthen compliance with international maritime standards and improve the global competitiveness of Nigerian seafarers.

The Agency has also announced revised curricula and new academic requirements for prospective officers, including arrangements affecting candidates progressing through nautical science and marine engineering.

Al-Ibenu said the reforms should therefore be accompanied by a comprehensive transition policy that answers the questions confronting people already enrolled in the system.

He said the issue is not whether Nigeria should improve its maritime standards but whether the transition will be administered fairly.

‘International standards are important, but so is institutional responsibility. A marina who entered a programme through an approved institution should not wake up one morning to discover that years of investment have become uncertain,’ he said.

The maritime analyst also expressed concern over what he described as the reported abrupt suspension or disruption of officers’ examinations, saying the matter requires an official explanation from NIMASA.

He urged the Agency to provide candidates with a clear examination calendar and explain the circumstances surrounding any suspension, postponement or alteration of examinations.

He further called for clarification regarding candidates who had already completed the prescribed training and sea-service requirements and were preparing for their professional examinations before any changes were introduced.

For Al-Ibenu, uncertainty surrounding professional examinations can have serious consequences for maritime careers.

Seafarers progressing towards officer certification depend on a predictable system of training, sea service, assessment and examination. Delays can affect employment opportunities, contractual commitments, sea-time progression and the ability of candidates to advance towards higher certificates of competency.

He further warned that prolonged regulatory uncertainty should also be considered from the standpoint of the psychological well-being and morale of Nigerian seafarers.

According to him, a law-abiding citizen who has carefully planned his professional life, invested his resources and followed the established regulatory pathway can become deeply frustrated when the process upon which his future depends remains uncertain for an extended period.

‘As officers, we are trained to operate within established procedures, respect authority and comply with the law. But when a law-abiding person has done everything expected of him and is subsequently left in prolonged uncertainty about his career, the effect on morale should not be underestimated,’ Al-Ibenu said.

He said prolonged frustration, anxiety and uncertainty could contribute to serious psychological distress and, in some cases, mental-health challenges, particularly among young people whose professional identity and economic future are tied closely to their progression within the maritime sector.

He cautioned that such consequences could ultimately create problems beyond the maritime industry if affected individuals lose confidence in legitimate professional pathways.

‘When a right-thinking individual becomes frustrated for too long, there is a possibility of a deviation of interest or a loss of confidence in the system. That can create additional problems for society and, ultimately, for the country. This is why we must maintain the rule of law while ensuring that the system itself gives citizens reason to continue believing in lawful and legitimate processes,’ he said.

Al-Ibenu stressed that his position was not against regulatory reform or Nigeria’s pursuit of international maritime standards.

Rather, he said, the human and psychological effects of regulatory implementation should form part of the consideration whenever major changes are introduced.

He said Nigeria must seek a balance between achieving international standards and protecting the morale, confidence and professional stability of the people expected to operate under those standards.

‘While the new regulations are designed to promote international standards and strengthen our maritime sector, the psychological effect of their implementation should also be put into consideration. We are not regulating machines; we are regulating a profession made up of human beings who have families, responsibilities, aspirations and legitimate expectations for their careers,’ he said.

He therefore called for NIMASA to publish a comprehensive transition framework covering existing students, Associate Certificate candidates, cadets, officers awaiting examinations and other seafarers affected by the regulatory changes.

The framework, he said, should identify which candidates are covered by previous arrangements, who is required to undertake bridging courses, what qualifications remain recognised, and the precise pathway through which affected candidates can continue their professional progression.

Al-Ibenu further called for direct engagement between NIMASA, approved MTIs and representatives of affected candidates.

He said such engagement would help prevent misinformation and allow the Agency to hear directly from the people whose professional futures are being affected by the implementation of its policies.

He stressed that accountability must be measurable.

‘If NIMASA approved or recognised institutions to conduct these programmes, then there must be an institutional record of what candidates were admitted to study, what requirements they were given and what certification pathway they were promised. The regulator should therefore be able to explain, with records and not general statements, what happens next,’ he said.

He also urged approved MTIs to provide candidates with full documentation concerning their programmes, including admission records, course requirements, examination status and any correspondence received from NIMASA regarding the transition.

While advocating peaceful protest if the concerns remain unresolved, Al-Ibenu said any demonstration by officers and ratings must remain lawful, orderly and professionally conducted.

He said the objective should not be confrontation for its own sake but to demand transparency, fairness and institutional accountability.

He called on the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, NIMASA, maritime training institutions and other relevant stakeholders to urgently address the concerns.

According to him, Nigeria cannot credibly seek to develop a globally competitive maritime workforce while leaving existing candidates uncertain about whether the qualifications they pursued through approved institutions will be recognised.

He said the responsibility for providing clarity ultimately rests with the regulator.

‘Nigerian seafarers deserve a system in which the rules are clear before they make life-changing investments. Where the rules change, there must be a fair transition. And where an approved programme is discontinued or fundamentally altered, those who relied on it deserve to know exactly what becomes of their investment,’ Al-Ibenu said.

He consequently demanded that NIMASA publicly account for the implementation of its policies, clarify the status of the Associate Certificate programme and affected candidates, publish a transparent examination timetable, and provide a defined transition mechanism for seafarers caught between the previous and current regulatory frameworks.

For Al-Ibenu, the credibility of Nigeria’s maritime regulatory system will ultimately be measured not only by the standards it introduces, but also by how responsibly it treats the people who entered the system in good faith and trusted the regulator to protect the integrity of their professional pathway.

He maintained that the objective should ultimately be to build a regulatory system that commands both international respect and the confidence of Nigerian mariners.

He said Nigeria’s maritime future depends not only on stronger regulations, but on ensuring that those who are expected to uphold those regulations remain confident that the system is fair, predictable and worthy of their trust.

Nigeria’s public service has witnessed several waves of reform since independence. Successive administrations have introduced policies, committees, transformation programmes, digital platforms and institutional restructuring designed to make government more efficient, responsive and accountable. Yet one persistent challenge remains: how do we know, with sufficient evidence, whether these reforms are actually being implemented and producing the results for which they were designed?

From the perspective of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), this is no longer simply a question of monitoring. It is a question of building a modern system of reform intelligence capable of giving government a clear and continuously updated picture of reform implementation across the public service.

BPSR occupies a strategic position within Nigeria’s reform architecture. Its mandate includes coordinating, monitoring and evaluating public-sector reforms, conducting research and promoting best practices for improving the effectiveness of the public service. This responsibility places the Bureau at the centre of one of the most important challenges facing contemporary governance: translating government policies and reform commitments into measurable institutional and citizen outcomes.

The public service is increasingly digital. Government is deploying electronic platforms, digital records, online services, data systems and technology-enabled processes. It is therefore logical that the management of public-sector reform should also become digital.

This is where the concept of a BPSR Digital Reform Tracker deserves serious consideration. The proposed tracker should become more than an online repository of government reforms. It should function as a strategic management and accountability instrument through which BPSR can monitor the lifecycle of major reforms-from policy commitment and implementation to institutionalisation and measurable results.

Every major reform should have a digital profile showing its objective, responsible institution, implementation milestones, timelines, performance indicators, current status, and evidence of progress, implementation risks and measurable outcomes.

For public-sector officials, this would create a common reference point for reform implementation. A Permanent Secretary should be able to know the status of reforms within the ministry. A Director should be able to identify outstanding milestones. Reform coordinators should be able to see where implementation is falling behind. Senior government leadership should have access to an aggregated national picture.

Most importantly, BPSR itself would be better positioned to provide evidence-based advice on where intervention is required.

The proposed system could classify reforms according to a simple performance architecture: on track, at risk, delayed, stalled, completed or institutionalised. But the real value would come from the evidence behind each classification.

A reform should not be considered successful simply because a policy document has been approved, a committee established or a digital platform launched. The critical issue is whether the intended institutional change has occurred.

For example, if a reform seeks to reduce the time required to deliver a public service, the relevant indicator should measure whether processing time has actually declined. If a reform seeks to improve procurement efficiency, the assessment should examine measurable improvements in compliance, cycle time, value for money and transparency. If an MDA introduces a digital service, the question should extend beyond whether the platform exists to whether citizens are actually using it and receiving better services.

This distinction is critical to the future of public-sector reform. BPSR is championing a transition from activity-based reform monitoring to results-based reform management.

The Bureau’s existing monitoring and evaluation responsibilities provide an important foundation for this approach. Its reform work already recognises the importance of indicators, targets, baseline information and means of verification. The next step is to bring these elements together through a digital system that allows reform information to be updated, analysed and interpreted continuously.

Such a system would also strengthen coordination across government.

Public-sector reform does not take place within isolated institutional boundaries. Budget reform can affect procurement.

Procurement reform can affect project implementation. Human-resource reform can affect institutional performance. Digital transformation can affect almost every government process. Regulatory reform can determine whether private-sector investment responds to government policy.

Without an integrated reform-tracking mechanism, these interdependencies can easily become invisible. The BPSR Reform Tracker is providing government with a national reform map, showing not only individual reforms but also how they relate to one another.

This would help identify duplication, conflicting mandates, implementation gaps and reforms that are dependent on decisions or actions by other institutions.

For BPSR, the value is particularly significant. The Bureau would be able to move from receiving reform reports periodically to having access to a dynamic evidence base from which it can generate early-warning signals.

If an MDA repeatedly misses implementation milestones, the system should flag the reform for attention. If several institutions encounter similar implementation obstacles, BPSR should be able to identify the systemic issue and advise government accordingly.

In this sense, digital reform monitoring becomes an early-warning mechanism for government performance. There is also a powerful opportunity to strengthen institutional accountability.

Every reform should have a clearly identified institutional owner. Responsibilities should not disappear into the language of committees or broad government programmes. The tracker should identify the responsible MDA, implementation lead, milestone and expected delivery date. This does not mean creating a punitive system for public servants. Rather, it should create a professional management tool that allows government to distinguish between genuine implementation challenges and avoidable delays.

Public-sector reform is often complex. Officials face changes in policy direction, funding constraints, legal limitations, institutional resistance, capacity gaps and technological challenges. A credible reform-tracking system should therefore capture not only whether a reform is delayed but why it is delayed.

This is where BPSR’s professional judgement becomes essential. The Bureau should not merely collect data. It should interpret it.

The future BPSR should increasingly operate as a centre of reform intelligence, helping government understand the evidence behind reform performance and recommending practical interventions. This also provides an opportunity to improve the relationship between BPSR and MDAs.

Rather than viewing monitoring as an inspection exercise, the Reform Tracker should promote a culture of continuous improvement. MDAs should be able to update their implementation status, identify constraints and request technical support. BPSR, in turn, can provide comparative analysis, identify good practices and facilitate institutional learning.

A reform that succeeds in one ministry should not remain a ministry-specific success. The system should make it possible to identify successful practices and determine whether they can be adapted elsewhere in government. This could turn BPSR into a stronger knowledge hub for public-sector transformation.

There is another dimension that deserves attention: institutional memory. Nigeria has experienced several changes of administration, and each administration naturally brings new priorities. Yet important public-sector reforms should not disappear simply because political leadership changes.

A digital reform tracker would preserve the history of government reform commitments. It would show what was initiated, what was completed, what was discontinued and what remains outstanding.

This would help future administrations make better decisions. They would not have to begin every reform conversation from zero.

The system could also strengthen the quality of annual public-service reporting. Instead of relying primarily on retrospective reporting, BPSR could generate periodic national reform performance reports based on continuously updated information. Such reports could identify reforms that are performing well, reforms requiring intervention and emerging systemic risks.

For senior public-sector officials, this would provide a more useful basis for decision-making than fragmented reports from individual institutions. For policymakers, it would provide evidence. For development partners, it would provide greater clarity about reform implementation. For researchers and civil society, it would create a stronger basis for assessing government performance. For citizens, it would provide greater transparency.

But transparency must be approached carefully. Not every piece of administrative information should necessarily be placed in the public domain. BPSR should develop appropriate data governance, verification, and security and access protocols. Public disclosure should focus on information that can legitimately strengthen accountability without compromising sensitive government information.

The ultimate objective should be to create a system that is credible, evidence-based, secure and useful to government. Technology should also be deployed intelligently. Artificial intelligence and data analytics could eventually assist BPSR in identifying patterns in reform performance, detecting recurring delays, comparing implementation trends and generating early-warning alerts. However, technology should support professional judgement rather than replace it.

The principle should remain simple: data informs judgement; officials make decisions; institutions remain accountable. For BPSR, the digital transformation of reform monitoring represents an opportunity to redefine the Bureau’s strategic value to government.

The future should not be about BPSR merely asking MDAs to submit reform reports. It should be about creating a system in which reform information is structured, verified, analysed and transformed into actionable intelligence. That is the real promise of a BPSR Digital Reform Tracker.

Nigeria does not need another dashboard that simply displays impressive statistics. It needs a management instrument that tells the truth about reform implementation.

Which reforms are moving? Which ones are stuck? Why are they stuck? Who is responsible? What resources are required? What intervention is necessary? And most importantly, what has changed for the Nigerian citizen? These are the questions that should define the next generation of public-sector reform.

From the perspective of BPSR, digital reform tracking should therefore be understood not as an information-technology project but as a governance reform in its own right. It would strengthen evidence-based decision-making, improve coordination, preserve institutional memory, support accountability and enable government to identify implementation problems before they become systemic failures.

The ambition should be clear: every major public-service reform should be traceable, measurable and evidence-backed. Nigeria has invested considerably in reform ideas. The next frontier is reform delivery. BPSR can lead that transition by building a national digital architecture in which reforms are no longer buried in reports, policy documents and institutional files, but can be continuously tracked from commitment to implementation, from implementation to outcomes, and from outcomes to lasting institutional change.

The measure of successful reform is ultimately not how often government announces change. It is how consistently government can demonstrate that change has occurred. That is the reform dashboard Nigeria now needs.

.Dr. Arabi is the director-general, Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), The Presidency, Nigeria.

For its growing role in developing and managing travel destinations across the country, Glocient Hospitality, the hospitality arm of Cavista Holdings, emerged Top Travel Company in Nigeria, while Ikogosi Warm Springs Resort was awarded Best Resort in Nigeria.

The awards were presented to the company at the Top 100 Travel Icons in Nigeria Awards at the 22nd Akwaaba African Travel Market in Lagos recently.

The famous Ikogosi Warm Springs Resort in Ekiti State is known for the meeting point of warm and cold springs and its unique natural setting. Under Glocient Hospitality’s management, the resort has grown beyond that singular attraction to offer comfortable accommodation, wellness experiences, corporate retreats, conferences, events and outdoor leisure.

The awards highlight the work done to develop and manage destinations with strong natural and tourism potential.

Francis Ogosi, hospitality manager at Glocient Hospitality, said that the recognition reflects the hard work of the whole team and the value of intentional destination development.

‘These recognitions show that with the right management, investment and service, Nigeria’s tourism assets can become destinations that attract visitors from home and abroad,’ he added.

Glocient Hospitality said that the awards are both a milestone and a reminder to keep improving hospitality standards, grow domestic tourism and position Nigerian destinations more competitively across Africa and globally.

Nigeria’s refinery capacity has become a source of European supply resilience. That reversal should change how both sides understand their economic relationship. The challenge is to turn crisis-driven demand into a durable productive partnership.

For decades, the economic relationship between Europe and Africa has been described through a familiar vocabulary. Europe possessed capital, technology, infrastructure and industrial capacity. Africa possessed natural resources, development needs and market potential. Trade frequently followed the same pattern: raw materials travelled north; higher-value products travelled south.

In recent months, a different relationship has emerged. As conflict disrupted Middle Eastern energy exports, Europe lost roughly one-quarter of its usual diesel and aviation-fuel supplies. Inventories in Northwest Europe tightened. Buyers sought alternatives. Nigeria supplied part of the answer.

Market data indicate that Europe imported about 80,000 barrels per day of jet fuel from the Dangote refinery in the second quarter of 2026, covering roughly 13% of the shortfall. Nigeria became Europe’s second-largest supplier country for jet fuel after the United States, with Dangote a major individual refinery supplier.

This is more than a remarkable statistic. It reveals a shift in economic position. A facility built principally to end Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products has become relevant to European energy and aviation security.

A reversal worth understanding

Nigeria’s petroleum history has long contained a painful contradiction. The country was one of Africa’s largest crude-oil producers but depended heavily on imported refined products. European refineries and trading centres converted crude into petrol, diesel and aviation fuel, some of which was sold back into Nigerian and West African markets.

I remember the other side of that trade from my teenage years. During school holidays with my sister’s family near the oilfields around Omoku in Rivers State, gas flares and thick, dark smoke seemed such ordinary features of the sky that I scarcely thought to question them. Her husband worked in the oilfields. The elnvironmental cost of extraction was part of the landscape we lived in; it was never an abstract argument to us. That is why the question of where petroleum is processed,P and who retains the value it creates, has always meant more to me than a line in a trade report.

Nigeria carried the environmental and political burden of extraction while surrendering much of the value associated with refining, logistics and product trade. The Dangote refinery has begun to alter that structure. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Nigeria’s seaborne petroleum-product imports fell from nearly 400,000 barrels per day in 2023 to less than 130,000 in the second quarter of 2026. Meanwhile, exports of refined products to Europe and other African markets have grown. The shift is from dependence towards strategic relevance. That should influence how Nigeria conducts economic diplomacy and how Europe approaches Nigeria.

Crisis created the opening

We must nevertheless avoid turning a market opening into a permanent conclusion. Nigeria’s European fuel exports expanded during exceptional circumstances. Conflict disrupted Middle Eastern refineries and shipping routes. European inventories fell. Refining margins rose. The Dangote refinery was operational and geographically positioned to respond. This was sound commercial timing, but crisis-driven demand is not guaranteed demand. When traditional supply routes recover, Nigerian products will have to compete against established refiners in the Middle East, Asia, the United States and Europe. Buyers will judge them on price, specification, reliability, shipping time, contractual performance and regulatory compliance.

Nigeria should treat this moment as an audition, not a coronation. The aim is to turn emergency cargoes into lasting customer relationships. That requires consistent production, transparent contracts, reliable ports and the ability to meet seasonal and environmental fuel specifications. Strategic relevance becomes lasting market access through operational credibility.

Belgium sits at the centre of the opportunity

The development has particular meaning in Belgium. The Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp region is one of the world’s most important centres for petroleum refining, storage, blending and commodity trading. Antwerp’s terminals and industrial infrastructure connect maritime cargoes to European markets. Belgium also sits within a dense network of airports, pipelines, logistics companies and chemical industries.

Until recently, the commercial question was often how European fuel suppliers could reach Nigerian and West African consumers. Now it is also how Nigerian products can enter and move through European supply systems. That creates opportunities in storage, blending, inspection, shipping, trading and distribution. Belgian engineering and industrial-service companies can also contribute to maintenance, efficiency, emissions management, water treatment and petrochemical development.

But Europe should not interpret partnership merely as an opportunity to sell more services to one successful Nigerian enterprise. A mature relationship would help build a wider Nigerian industrial ecosystem: local suppliers, engineers, laboratories, logistics operators, manufacturers and training institutions capable of participating in the value chain. Europe’s commercial role should evolve as African productive capacity evolves.

From supplier to strategic partner

Europe has increasingly organised economic policy around resilience. It speaks of energy security, strategic autonomy, diversified supply chains and reduced dependence upon individual countries or unstable routes. Yet Africa is still too often treated principally through development cooperation or migration management.

Nigeria’s aviation-fuel exports expose the inadequacy of that framework. A country capable of relieving part of a European fuel shortage is not merely an aid recipient or a market waiting for European goods. It is a potential contributor to Europe’s economic security. That does not eliminate the profound development challenges Nigeria continues to face. Nor does one refinery transform the entire economy. But international relationships should respond to demonstrated capability.

Europe should identify sectors in which African countries can strengthen supply resilience: energy, critical minerals, agricultural processing, pharmaceuticals, digital services, maritime logistics and manufacturing. Partnerships should connect African production with European technology, finance, standards and markets while retaining a fair share of value in Africa.

Nigeria must manage its new leverage carefully

Strategic relevance brings responsibilities. Nigeria must not confuse temporary European need with unlimited bargaining power. Nor should it allow the success of one privately controlled refinery to become a substitute for functioning institutions and competitive markets. The country requires transparent rules for crude supply, credible downstream regulation, adequate strategic fuel reserves and conditions that allow additional refiners and service companies to invest. It must also use present petroleum strength to prepare for an energy system that will gradually become less carbon-intensive.

Aviation is particularly important. Conventional jet fuel will remain essential for years, but Europe is introducing increasingly demanding sustainable-aviation-fuel and emissions requirements. Nigerian engagement should therefore extend towards renewable feedstocks, synthetic fuels, certification, traceable carbon data and cleaner refinery operations. The future opportunity is not simply to sell more fossil-based jet fuel. It is to build capability in the fuels and industrial systems that aviation will require during transition.

Bilateral resilience still needs multilateral rules

The World Trade Organization warns that the global trading system is at a critical juncture. Its 2026 World Trade Report estimates that fragmentation into geopolitical blocs could reduce global exports by 18.6% relative to its baseline scenario. Smaller and poorer economies would bear disproportionate losses.

Nigeria’s new position in European fuel markets demonstrates the value of strategic bilateral relationships. Yet it also demonstrates why multilateral rules remain essential. A crisis may create opportunities for a country possessing a needed product. But many African economies do not yet possess sufficient scale to negotiate with major blocs from a position of strength. They depend on rules that limit discrimination, constrain arbitrary barriers and preserve access beyond preferred alliances.

Africa should therefore pursue strong economic corridors without abandoning multilateralism. Deeper Nigeria-Belgium and Nigeria-EU cooperation should diversify supply and improve resilience. It should not become another closed arrangement in a world divided into rival commercial camps.

The meaning of a cargo

A cargo of Nigerian aviation fuel arriving in Europe represents industrial conversion. Nigerian crude has been processed at home, creating operating income, technical jobs, export revenue and strategic relevance before entering the international market. That differs from exporting crude and buying back finished fuel.

Nigeria must now multiply this logic across other sectors. Cocoa should lead to more processing and branded products. Gas should support power and industrial inputs. Minerals should feed manufacturing chains. Agricultural production should connect to storage, standards, logistics and food processing.

The principle is straightforward: resources create leverage when they become capabilities other economies value. Europe’s fuel shortage has given Nigeria an unexpected demonstration of that principle. When Europe faced a supply gap, Nigeria possessed a product it needed and the industrial capacity to deliver it. The task now is to make this more than a profitable consequence of crisis: evidence that a more reciprocal Africa-Europe economic relationship can endure.

African Travel Market, a Lagos-based leading travel and tourism event in West Africa, would once again participate at this year’s Magical Kenya Travel Expo (MKTE), which will be held in Nairobi this October.

Akwaaba, which will participate at the expo as an exhibitor, is the only international travel fair in West Africa in the last 22 years, and has consistently participated at several travel fairs around the world including: World Travel Market WTM London, EMITT Travel Expo Istanbul, Turkey, ITB Berlin, Germany, Magical Kenya Travel Expo, Kenya, Pearl of Africa Travel Expo POATE, Uganda, Kilifair Expo in Arusha, Tanzania, Sanganai in Zimbabwe, Travel Indaba in Durban, South Africa, among others. In 2025, Akwaaba made its presence at MKTE as an exhibitor for the first time and will again participate this year as an exhibitor. The 16th MKTE is set to take place from October 6-8, 2026, at the Uhuru Gardens National Monument and Museum in Nairobi, Kenya.

Akwaaba, targeted mainly at Africans promoting Africa to Africans, has successfully opened up intra-African travel, connecting Africans to each other. In its 22 years of existence, it has networked African tour operators, hospitality, aviation and other travel professionals. It attracts over 3000 tourism professionals from over 20 African countries. The three-day exhibition attended by delegates from all over Africa, will hold its 23rd edition from September 5-7, 2027.

In 2022, it received an award of excellence from the UN Tourism and the Nigerian Ministry of Tourism.

Many presidents and VIPs have attended Akwaaba, including President Olusegun Obasanjo, President Dawda Jawara of The Gambia, current President Bola Tinubu among others. It is the host of the annual Africa Travel 100 Awards, the African Medical Tourism Expo and the West African Jollof Rice war.

Ecocide is now feared in a community in Rivers state where gas leaks have persisted since October 2025. Now, Scientists have found heavy presence of methane gas, formalin, formaldehyde, hydrogen sulphide, sulfur oxide, carcinogens, and carbon dioxide said to be deadly to human organs.

These were found as the experts began testing water and air as part of their efforts in the Bille gas seepage crisis which began since October 2025.

The environmental scientists who went to Bille in Degema LGA of the state began testing to ascertain the types and grades of gases that have been leaking for about a year now.

Continuous seepage of methane and other gases had sparked a severe health and environmental emergency in the area. The situation escalated further in May 2026, when leaking gas ignited and erupted into fire at multiple spots, including an abandoned water mono pump.

Now, environmental and medical experts have urged the Rivers State Government to evacuate the residents and stop the leakage in the polluted Bille community said to be saturated with different gases.

Courage Nsirimovu, a lawyer and environmental rights advocate who is the coordinator of PILEX Centre for ‘Civic Education Initiative’ led experts and media people on a physical inspection in Bille town.

Courage, who was accompanied by a team of scientific researchers said the visit was necessitated by the need for the scientists to make all of the attribution concerning what is happening to people attending to gas spillage in the Bille area.

Tests and inspections conducted in various compounds revealed the presence of gas leaks and gas bubbling sound. Also a sample of sparkling colourless water turned into black after 15 seconds, indicating and confirming high intensity of gas leaks in Bille community.

Nsirimovu recalled with nostalgia the experience of their first visit, and the subsequent rallies done to that effect, all to inform and persuade the Government to evacuate the people, and mitigate the gas leakage but to no avail.

He expressed regrets that the gas leaks matter has lingered up to alleged gas explosion at a location known as Joy Amos.

He said: ‘What prompted us to come is the fact that we had been here before. We told the Government that the incident in the community is an ecocide, and if nothing is done about it, it could lead to strategic genocide. People may begin to die.

‘There is bio accumulation of this gas in the body of people. There is the fact that if people eat fishes in Bille community, they are ingesting the same methane or benzene. It is a form of carbon dioxide. It is dangerous to the body.

The PILEX Centre boss regretted the whole scenario and demanded full compensation for the victims of the incident and remediation of the environment.

In his submission, Eferegbo Fortune Uchenna, the environmental scientist gave his opinion on field observations which he said indicated possible gas seepage from the subsurface. He said this was characterised by continuous bubbling and audible emissions from the ground.

These, according to him, include methane gas, formalin, formaldehyde hydrogen sulphide, sulfur oxide, carcinogenic (which is cancerous) and carbon dioxide which are unhealthy to human organs.

Uchenna added: ‘Such toxins when inhaled for a long period could be bad for people whose immunity are already compromised especially the elderly and the little children whose lungs are not properly developed.’

He confirmed that the water in the area is polluted. ‘The people are drinking poison from the sample of the sparkling colourless water suddenly turning to black. This is ecocide that is strategically leading to genocide.’

He joined in calling for a state of emergency in Bille, saying; ‘This community is not a place where human beings should stay, even animals. If they come here and drink this water, they will die!’

He said the only solution at this point is to plug or stop the leakage. ‘For Bille people, they should be evacuated from this environment. That is the only way.’

The scientist has carried out many tasks including the assessment of the activities of Indorama fertilizer Company Ltd on human health and the environment 2026; investigation of the activities of oil companies on coastal communities in Ilaje local government Area of Ondo State 2025; and the environmental and socioeconomic assessment in Ibaa community in Emohua LGA of Rivers State 2023.

Earlier in his welcome address, Timothy Agunbade, the executive vice president of the Bille kingdom Youth Federation, lamented the current situation of the community. He said people in the community were experiencing signs consistent with a potentially contaminated and hazardous environment, including reported gas seepage, petroleum-like substances in ground water. According to him, this has affected social life and financial viability of the people in the community.

Also, educational growth progress of children in the community has been affected because of the gas bubbling in the school environment, which is up to 360 degrees spreading for hours in the community.

The only hotel, which was a recreational centre in the Bille community, has been abandoned.

Residents told newsmen thus: ‘This building has more than 30 rooms. If you came here before now, you’ll hear music and people enjoying themselves. The place is deserted now. This is what we are living with everyday.’

He called upon Nigerians to come to their aid by raising their voices for action to be taken to rescue the Bille people of Rivers State. ‘We want visits but we want it to translate to meaningful actions.’

Genocide: All words and no action?

There are reasons why most activists believe that genocide may have been initiated. When leaders fail to save lives or deliberately initiate deaths of a large population of people, it may be regarded as genocide.

The Bille gas leak first began in October 2025 when residents and fishermen in the area reported toxic gas bubbling to the surface in nearby rivers, swamps, and drinking wells.

The continuous seepage of methane and other gases sparked a severe health and environmental emergency in the area. The situation escalated further in May 2026, when leaking gas ignited and erupted into fire at multiple spots, including an abandoned water mono pump.

Gov Sim Fubara approved the ?100 million relief fund for the Bille community on April 1, 2026. The intervention was announced by Dagogo Wokoma, the Secretary to the State Government during an on-the-spot assessment of the community. The funds were provided as immediate palliative support to mitigate the impacts of persistent gas emissions and seepages that had been affecting the community’s land and water sources.

As inaction continued for months, the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) announced that a fire incident occurred in Bille.

On Wednesday, May 13, 2026, the Centre said it received a report from the community that the gas leaking and bubbling from the ground in and around Opu Dah Community in Bille caught fire on an abandoned mono pump head.

Keg of gunpowder:

YEAC-Nigeria said it had repeatedly warned in previous press statements and media advocacy that Bille was sitting on a keg of gunpowder because of these hazards. ‘Unfortunately, that warning has now materialized as the ‘keg of gunpowder’ has caught fire, putting lives, property, and the environment at immediate risk.

YEAC-Nigeria led by Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface demanded for declaration of state of emergency in Bille, saying the scale and duration of the gas leaks required urgent executive action to protect residents and prevent possible loss of life.

Other demands included temporarily relocating the residents, saying this should be done after the emergency declaration to prevent further inhaling of gas and poisonous hydrocarbon-related chemicals by the residents, as well as possible impending larger fire incidents triggered by cooking and other domestic activities. Fumigation should also be carried out.

YEAC also called for the deployment of marine fire service teams and tugboats, saying there was the need for the government to urgently deploy and station marine fire service units and patrol tugboats from the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Navy firefighting unit in Bille and its environs to respond to any further fire outbreaks.

They also called on the Federal Government, Rivers State Government, New Cross, and all other oil companies operating in Bille to treat this situation as an emergency and take concrete steps to stop the gas leaks, secure abandoned facilities, and prevent recurrence of not just the gas leakages but the reported fire incident.

There was the call for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to act fast and urgently rise to the occasion and distribute relief materials to affected households in Bille to cushion the impact of the ongoing disaster.

YEAC-Nigeria promised to continue to monitor the situation and hold all responsible parties accountable until the safety of Bille residents and the environment is guaranteed for human habitation.

In June 2026, Gov Fubara pledged swift action to tackle the gas leakage and environmental pollution in Bille. Fubara gave the assurance while addressing a group of peaceful protesters who were at Government House in Port Harcourt to draw government’s attention to the plight of the Bille people and other oil and gas bearing communities across the Niger Delta.

The delegation comprised members of two non-governmental organisations namely, the Pilex Centre for Civic Education Initiative, (PCCEI), and Lekeh Development Foundation, (LDF).

The governor, who was represented by Honour Sirawoo, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communications, assured the demonstrators that their grievances would receive immediate attention, considering the impact of the gas leakage on their environment and the livelihoods of the people.

Gov Fubara commended the protesters for maintaining peace and orderliness in spite of the environmental challenges in their community and the economic hardships the situation has imposed on them.

He acknowledged that the challenges facing the community were enough to provoke violent demonstrations, and commended them for choosing the path of peace.

Be assured that the Rivers State Government has a responsibility to protect the lives and property of our people and this issue is not one that will be swept under the carpet,’ he said.

According to Gov Fubara, safeguarding the environment remained a top priority of the government as that was the only way farming and fishing, which are the main stay of the local economy in these coastal communities, can be sustained.

Nsirimovu had stressed that Bille was not alone as several other communities including Rukporkwu, Ebubu, and Elelenwo were also suffering from similar environmental issues because of spread effect through tidal waves.

The delegation demanded the immediate relocation of the people of Bille from the polluted environment, just as they called for total transparency regarding the application of remediation funds under the Petroleum Industry Act.

Since this pledge on June 29, 2026, nothing has been heard from neither the oil companies/NNPCL nor from the government.

After four days of thought-provoking conversations, bold ideas, and meaningful connections, the curtains have fallen on the 58th International Conference and Exhibition (ICE) of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM), leaving thousands of HR professionals with a renewed commitment to create measurable value and lasting impact in their organisations.

The conference brought together over 4,000 physical delegates and over 1,000 virtual delegates from across Nigeria and beyond, reinforcing its position as Africa’s largest gathering of human resource professionals.

Delivering his closing remarks,

Mallam Ahmed Ladan Gobir, the President and Chairman of the Governing Council of CIPM, reflected on the journey of the conference and the significance of the conversations that shaped the event.

‘We came, we learned, we networked, and we connected,’ he said, capturing the essence of a conference that brought together business leaders, HR professionals, policymakers, academics, and global experts around the theme, ‘Repositioning for Value and Impact.’

Mallam Gobir noted that while the conference sessions had come to an end, the real work was only beginning.

‘The real conference begins when we return to our boardrooms, leadership teams and organisations. What we have learned here must be translated into action, measurable value and lasting impact,’ he charged.

According to him, the conference succeeded in providing delegates with more than just knowledge.

‘This conference has given us knowledge and memories to take home. The challenge before us now is to ensure that the lessons learned become catalysts for transformation in our workplaces and institutions,’ he said.

Expressing appreciation to participants, speakers, sponsors, exhibitors and partners, the CIPM President acknowledged the vital role delegates played in making the event a success.

‘There is no conference without the people, and you all brought this one to life. We are grateful to every delegate who travelled from different parts of Nigeria and the world in search of knowledge, collaboration and professional growth,’ he added.

Throughout the conference, delegates engaged in insightful discussions on some of the most pressing issues shaping the future of people management, including human-centred leadership, public sector transformation, organisational performance, governance, workforce productivity, artificial intelligence, human capability, HR standards, career development and the evolving expectations of business leaders from the HR profession.

A major highlight of the conference was the announcement of a growing international recognition of CIPM and its commitment to advancing global standards in people management.

Mallam Gobir noted that the Institute continues to deepen its global footprint through mutual recognition and strategic partnerships with leading professional bodies, including the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), Chartered Professionals in Human Resources (CPHR), the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the World Federation of People Management Associations (WFPMA).

He described the partnerships as a testament to the growing influence of Nigerian HR professionals on the global stage and a reflection of CIPM’s commitment to ensuring that its members remain globally competitive.

In another significant announcement, the CIPM President revealed that the Third African Human Resource Summit will be held alongside the 59th International Conference and Exhibition (ICE 2027) next year, a development expected to further strengthen collaboration among HR practitioners across the continent and consolidate Africa’s voice in the global people management ecosystem.

The conference featured an impressive lineup of renowned speakers, business executives, public sector leaders and HR thought leaders who challenged participants to rethink conventional approaches to people management and embrace innovation, data-driven decision-making and value creation.

Many delegates described the conference as one of the most impactful editions in recent years. They praised the quality of the speakers, the relevance of the sessions and the diverse networking opportunities that enabled meaningful exchanges among professionals from different industries and countries.

As delegates departed Abuja with fresh insights, new partnerships and renewed inspiration, the closing message remained clear: the success of the conference will not be measured by the number of sessions held or contacts exchanged, but by the value created and the impact delivered in workplaces, organisations and communities.

With the curtains drawn on the 58th International Conference and Exhibition, CIPM has once again reinforced its position as the leading voice of people management in Africa, leaving participants with a renewed commitment to reposition themselves and their organisations for greater value, relevance and impact in an increasingly dynamic world of work.

Nigeria is calling for a fundamental reform of the United Nations’ global power structure, arguing that an institution created around the balance of power in 1945 must reflect the realities of today.

Delivering President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s national statement at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, Vice President Kashim Shettima said reform of the UN must begin with the reconstitution of the Security Council.

‘The world of 2026 cannot remain captive to the distribution of power in 1945,’ Shettima said, arguing that Africa cannot continue to feature prominently on the Council’s agenda while remaining excluded from permanent membership.

Nigeria is seeking at least two permanent seats for Africa, with the full rights and responsibilities of permanent membership, including veto power for as long as the veto remains. It is also demanding five non-permanent seats for the continent.

The position is supported by the African Union, which has called for at least two permanent African seats with veto rights while the veto remains, alongside five non-permanent seats.

However, changing the structure of the Security Council faces significant diplomatic challenges.

The Council currently has 15 members, including five permanent members, China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States, all of which have veto powers.

The future of the veto remains one of the major issues in the reform debate. Proposals have included extending the veto to new permanent members, withholding it from them, abolishing it or limiting its use.

Africa’s position is that if the veto remains, any new African permanent members should have the same rights.

The debate also raises questions about Nigeria’s own diplomatic engagement.

President Tinubu has missed the UN General Assembly for three consecutive years, with Shettima representing him. The Presidency has maintained that the Vice-President has the President’s full mandate and that his representation does not diminish Nigeria’s diplomatic standing.

However, some analysts have highlighted the value of presidential participation in high-level international diplomacy.

Professor Ayo Olukoju, Professor of History and Strategic Studies at the University of Lagos, has described the General Assembly as a major diplomatic platform where direct engagement between national leaders can help advance negotiations.

Former Foreign Service officer Iliyasu Gadu has similarly argued that presidential-level diplomacy can be important where international decisions require the authority and personal engagement of the President.

Kelechi Nwogu, a research fellow at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, said Tinubu’s absence has implications for Nigeria’s international visibility and could reduce opportunities for direct engagement with other leaders.

Professor Joshua Bolarinwa of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, however, has argued that Nigeria can be adequately represented by the Vice-President, Foreign Affairs Minister or its Permanent Representative to the UN.

The debate therefore extends beyond whether the President should personally attend the General Assembly. It raises broader questions about how Nigeria can combine presidential engagement, professional diplomacy and multilateral representation to advance its interests.

For Nigeria and Africa, the push for permanent representation goes beyond an annual speech. It is a challenge to a global system created in 1945, but changing that system will require sustained negotiations and sufficient international support.

As Nigeria calls for a greater African voice at the UN, the debate at home also centres on how effectively the country is using every available diplomatic channel to pursue that objective.

Nations are often remembered through the leaders they elect. Just as often, however, they are shaped by the entrepreneurs they produce.

The story of modern Nigeria cannot be told without its great business builders. Aliko Dangote redefined industrial production. Tony Elumelu transformed banking and democratized entrepreneurship. Femi Otedola expanded his influence in energy while elevating the culture of strategic philanthropy.

Among them stands Mike Adenuga, one of the most consequential yet least understood figures in Nigeria’s economic history.

Known as both the ‘Gentle Giant’ and ‘The Bull,’ Adenuga has spent more than four decades reshaping Nigeria’s economy while avoiding the spotlight. He grants few interviews, makes even fewer public appearances, and appears to have concluded long ago that publicity is overrated. Instead, he lets his businesses do the talking.

They have been remarkably chatty.

From telecommunications and oil to banking, real estate, aviation, sports, and entertainment, Adenuga has built enterprises that touch virtually every strategic sector of the Nigerian economy. His companies have done more than create wealth. They have challenged monopolies, expanded access, created jobs, and strengthened indigenous participation in industries long dominated by foreign interests.

Nowhere is that more evident than in telecommunications.

When Globacom entered Nigeria’s telecom market in 2003, mobile communication remained too expensive for many Nigerians. A few operators dominated the industry and consumers had limited options. Adenuga recognized something simple but powerful: telecommunications could not drive national development if ordinary people could not afford to use it.

His introduction of per-second billing changed the game.

Competitors were forced to rethink their pricing models, and millions of Nigerians suddenly gained more affordable access to communication. It was not merely a clever marketing strategy. It reshaped an industry.

But Adenuga was never interested in winning today’s battle and ignoring tomorrow’s war. Through investments such as the Glo-1 submarine cable and an extensive fiber-optic network, Globacom helped lay the infrastructure for Nigeria’s digital future.

More than two decades later, Globacom remains Nigeria’s only wholly indigenous telecommunications giant. In a capital-intensive industry dominated by global players, that achievement is both commercial and symbolic. It demonstrates that Nigerian-owned companies can compete at the highest level and win.

His success in oil and gas tells a similar story.

Through Congas and Conoil Producing, Adenuga built one of Nigeria’s leading indigenous energy companies in a sector historically controlled by multinational corporations. At a time when many assumed only foreign firms possessed the expertise and financial strength to operate at scale, Conoil proved otherwise.

Long before ‘local content’ became a policy buzzword, Adenuga was already practicing it. His success challenged the notion that world-class energy companies had to come from somewhere else.

His influence extended into banking as well, although that chapter receives far less attention.

Through his early investment in Equitorial Trust Bank, Adenuga supported efforts to expand access to modern financial services during a critical period in Nigeria’s economic development. His philosophy was straightforward: people cannot build wealth, grow businesses, or participate fully in the economy if they remain outside the financial system.

That vision outlived the institution itself. Equitorial Trust Bank later became part of Sterling Bank during the banking consolidation era, helping create a stronger institution with wider reach and greater capacity. While often overshadowed by his achievements in telecoms and energy, Adenuga’s contribution helped advance financial inclusion and strengthen Nigeria’s banking landscape.

Yet his ambitions were never confined to balance sheets and boardrooms.

Across Nigeria’s cities, his real estate investments have helped shape the physical spaces where economic activity occurs. Telecom networks may connect people and banks may finance growth, but somebody still has to build the offices, commercial hubs, and developments where that growth happens.

Real estate rarely enjoys the glamour of a telecom revolution or an oil discovery. Innovation gets magazine covers. Buildings get security guards and parking attendants. Yet cities do not grow on headlines. They grow because investors are willing to commit to concrete, steel, and long-term confidence.

Adenuga understood that. The same logic explains his presence in aviation.

Private jets are easy targets in a country where inequality remains a concern. But managing an enterprise that spans telecom networks, oil assets, banking interests, commercial properties, and multiple markets is not exactly a work-from-home arrangement.

For Adenuga, aviation is less about luxury than efficiency.

It is the difference between waiting and moving, between delay and execution. His aircraft serve as business tools that keep executives, engineers, and decision-makers connected across complex operations.

More importantly, every flight supports an ecosystem of pilots, engineers, maintenance specialists, airport operators, and service providers. In classic Adenuga fashion, what appears at first glance to be a personal asset often turns out to be part of a larger economic machine.

The man buys a plane; an entire value chain clocks in for work.

Perhaps the most revealing aspect of Adenuga’s career is that he rarely speaks about national development while consistently investing in it.

His support for football, entertainment, and culture has helped project Nigerian talent beyond the country’s borders. Through sponsorships and strategic investments, he has backed not only businesses but also something economists often struggle to quantify: national confidence.

Successful nations export more than products. They export culture, talent, stories, and identity.

Long before ‘soft power’ became fashionable policy language, Adenuga appeared to understand its value. His investments in sports and entertainment have amplified Nigeria’s voice globally while creating opportunities for artists, athletes, and creative professionals at home.

Perhaps that perspective comes from his own journey.

Before becoming one of Africa’s richest businessmen, Adenuga worked as a taxi driver in New York while pursuing his education. His rise from modest beginnings to the summit of African business has become part of Nigerian entrepreneurial folklore.

Yet the significance of his story is not simply the wealth he accumulated.

Many people make money. Far fewer redefine industries.

What distinguishes Adenuga is his repeated willingness to enter sectors where Nigerians were told they could not compete and then proceed to prove the skeptics spectacularly wrong.

Most business leaders are remembered for the companies they build. A much smaller group are remembered for changing entire industries.

Mike Adenuga belongs firmly in the latter category.

Today, his influence is woven into the fabric of modern Nigerian life. Millions communicate through networks he built. Businesses operate within systems he helped shape. Entire industries became more competitive because he challenged assumptions others accepted as permanent.

Mike Adenuga is more than a billionaire. He is a nation-builder, a disruptor, a patron of culture, and a powerful symbol of indigenous enterprise. His legacy extends far beyond market valuations and rich lists.

The ultimate measure of his contribution may be the idea he has spent decades proving: that Nigerian-owned companies can innovate, compete, and succeed on the global stage.