Category: Business Day

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has unveiled its first-ever Unified Training Manual and standardised professional Course Badges as part of efforts to establish a common training doctrine across all its training institutions nationwide.

The new framework replaces the 2019 Training Manual and is designed to strengthen uniformity, professionalism and contemporary capacity development within the Service.

The NCoS said the revised manual had been comprehensively reviewed to reflect contemporary realities, evolving correctional practices and emerging professional demands.

It provides a common framework for training across the various cadres, disciplines and specialised areas of the Service, with the objective of ensuring greater consistency in the delivery of instruction across the country.

A major feature of the new manual is that it was developed internally by personnel of the Service, marking a departure from the previous practice in which much of the Service’s training materials were produced by external bodies.

According to the Service, the internally developed curriculum would strengthen institutional ownership, preserve professional knowledge within the organisation and ensure that training content remained closely aligned with operational realities and professional requirements.

The revised training framework covers both routine and specialised courses and establishes common instructional standards for all NCoS training institutions.

The courses covered include Command Courses, Commissioned Officers Courses, Basic Recruit and Chief Corrections Assistants Courses, as well as specialised and refresher courses.

The Service also unveiled Unified Course Badges for different cadres as part of the initiative.

The badges include the Advanced Command Course Badge for Controllers of Corrections (CC), Command Course Badge for Deputy Controllers of Corrections (DCC), Chief Superintendent of Corrections (CSC) Course Badge and Assistant Superintendent of Corrections (ASC) Course Badge.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony, Sylvester Nwakuche, Controller-General of Corrections, commended members of the Manual Review Committee and other personnel who contributed to the development of the Unified Training Manual and standardised Course Badges.

Nwakuche described the initiative as a landmark achievement that would further strengthen professionalism, institutional identity and uniformity in personnel training across the Service.

The Controller-General, who was decorated with one of the newly unveiled course badges during the ceremony, described the decoration as a symbol of professional identity and accomplishment with enduring prestige.

He urged officers to appreciate the significance of the badges and uphold the discipline, values and professional excellence they represent.

Nwakuche also decorated the Deputy Controllers-General with the Advanced Command Course Badge.

Olanrewaju Amoran, Deputy Controller-General in charge of Training and Staff Development, said the Unified Training Manual was conceived to address the need for a single and contemporary training resource capable of reflecting the changing demands of correctional administration and practice.

Amoran said the development process drew on the expertise of experienced personnel across relevant professional areas of the Service.

He said this ensured that the manual was grounded in institutional experience, operational realities and emerging trends in the corrections sector.

According to him, the manual would serve as a common reference point for both instructors and trainees, promote consistency in the interpretation and delivery of course content, and improve the overall quality of professional training across NCoS training institutions.

Amoran added that the initiative would strengthen continuous professional development by providing officers with relevant and standardised learning materials throughout their career progression.

He said this would reinforce a culture of excellence, competence and lifelong learning within the Service.

Earlier, Ado Sale, Chairman of the Manual Review Committee and Deputy Controller-General in charge of the Human Resources Directorate, underscored the importance of the Unified Training Manual and standardised Course Badges to the professional development of NCoS personnel.

Sale stressed that the badges were not ceremonial accessories or items that could be purchased from open markets.

Rather, he said, they were professional distinctions earned through prescribed training and formally conferred by the Commandants of the Service’s training institutions.

The ceremony also featured the presentation of an Award of Excellence to the Controller-General by the Manual Review Committee in recognition of his leadership and support for the initiative.

Nwakuche subsequently presented plaques and certificates of recognition to members of the committee in appreciation of their contributions to the development of the new curriculum and training manuals.

The NCoS said the unveiling of the Unified Training Manual and standardised Course Badges represented another step in its ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening institutional capacity, promoting training excellence and developing a modern correctional workforce capable of responding effectively to emerging challenges.

The Service reaffirmed its commitment to continuous professional development and to building a competent, disciplined and forward-looking workforce in furtherance of its mandate to secure custodial centres and facilitate the reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders into society.

The Edo State Government says it is in talks with Chinese investors and other prospective investors for the establishment of drug manufacturing companies in the State.

Kenny Okojie, Executive Secretary, Edo State Drugs and Health Commodities Management Agency (DMA), stated this at a press briefing organised by the Ministry of Information and Strategy in Benin City.

Okojie said the proposed drug manufacturing company would entail the revitalisation of the moribund Edo Pharmaceutical Company located on Medical Store Road, Benin City.

She said the pharmaceutical company, established during the military administration of the late Samuel Ogbemudia, was vandalised in 2020 during the #EndSARs protest in the State.

According to her, when established, the company would supply drugs to neighbouring states, including Delta, Bayelsa, Ondo and Kogi, as well as other African countries.

‘We’re looking at investors who had come to talk to us to establish a manufacturing firm that will be producing our medicine in the state. And it will not be for consumption of the State alone.

‘We are looking at all the neighbouring states around us. We have Ondo, we have Delta, Bayelsa, Kogi and even into the African region too, because what they are coming in is a large, huge and focused manufacturing outfit.

‘They want to have a PPI arrangement with us. They will build, establish and run. The state, we only give the enabling environment and the right policy for them to exist in the State.

‘That’s where we are now. And in no time, we will be able to accomplish that mandate. It’s going to give employment to our youth, generate revenue to the state as well,’ she said.

While attributing the development to the leadership provided by the Governor Monday Okpebholo-led administration, Okojie said the agency’s operations had been digitalised.

She said through software, the agency had been able to run its entire warehouses along with other DMAs in the country to establish a group purchasing framework.

According to her, through the framework, the agency had been able to bring into the warehouse part procurement worth N13.2 billion carried out in the State.

‘I can say we are 90% fully stocked with medication that will go to all the health facilities and even to the private sector in the state,’ she stated.

She also said the agency had since its inception renovated all the warehouses established from the time of the former Bendel State.

The executive secretary said the warehouses were renovated by the Global Fund, noting that the state now has functional and standard warehouses for storing drugs.

‘We have about 26 states that now have DMA and Edo is fortunate to be one. Edo State is the first in the South. Edo State is also the first to establish DMA that was able to hit the ground running within six months.

‘We’ve renovated all the warehouses that had been right from the time of Bendel State. The warehouses were all renovated by Global Fund. So we have functional and highly standard warehouses to warehouse our medications.

‘The function of the DMA is, among others, to ensure that we have affordable medicine for our citizens, as well as to also ensure that the medicines we are taking are of high standard,’ she added.

Okojie further stated that the State Government, in prioritising the healthcare of citizens, was now purchasing drugs directly from manufacturers at affordable prices.

She said the cost was far cheaper when compared with that of middlemen.

‘The governor has been able to bring to us medicines that are affordable. There is no middleman in anything that comes to the Drug Management Agency. We’re talking directly to manufacturers.

‘The manufacturers have promised us that the medications they are giving us, the prices, they don’t even give to their distributors over the years. So that will be beneficial to you and I.

‘And because of that, other sponsors who are involved in giving products to the different states are talking with us also.

‘So we’ll have free products that we’ll be able to distribute for family planning and for malaria. Today, we have a free malaria medicine distribution around the hospitals in the state. If there is anyone who is not giving treatment for free, if it is malaria, we want to make it clear that malaria drugs are free,’ she said.

Okojie said the agency was registered and supervised by the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

She, however, assured that as a highly regulated, registered and monitored agency, the DMA would not compromise standards in the discharge of its responsibilities.

Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc has commenced its approved share capital reconstruction, consolidating every ten existing ordinary shares into one new ordinary share.

Following the expansion of its equity base through multiple rounds of capital raises, the exercise is designed to improve capital-structure efficiency, support strategic growth and strengthen the Group’s positioning with institutional and retail investors.

Shareholders approved the reconstruction at the Annual General Meeting on June 9. The requisite regulatory no-objections have been obtained and an order of the Federal High Court, dated September 22, confirmed the share reduction exercise.

Under the approved structure, issued ordinary shares will reduce from 68,502,331,708 to 6,850,233,171, each retaining a nominal value of 50 kobo. This reclassification leaves total shareholders’ funds unchanged. It does not constitute a fresh capital raise or a cash distribution.

For individual shareholders, every 10,000 existing shares will become 1,000 reconstructed shares, with a corresponding tenfold adjustment to the reference price. This preserves the calculated holding value at the point of adjustment. Actual trading prices may rise or fall when trading resumes.

To implement the exercise, trading in the Group’s shares on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) was temporarily suspended on Wednesday, September 23. The announced suspension period runs for up to ten working days, through Wednesday October 7, allowing the Central Securities Clearing System Plc (CSCS) and Pace Registrars Limited to reconcile holdings and update the shareholder register. Resumption of trading will be communicated following completion and confirmation by NGX.

Sterling Financial enters this phase following a first half (H1) in which profit after tax (PAT) grew 20.4 percent to N50.3 billion on gross earnings of N279.6 billion. Total assets reached N4.67 trillion, while shareholders’ funds increased 27.8 percent to N547.7 billion. The reconstruction forms part of its approach to optimising its share structure as it pursues sustainable earnings growth and stronger returns.

Sterling Financial expects the revised share structure to support more efficient price formation and strengthen its appeal to institutional and retail investors. Alongside consistently adjusted financial disclosures, the reconstruction is intended to make per-share performance easier to assess across reporting periods and support sharper comparisons with relevant sector peers.

Voting and economic interests will continue in proportion to reconstructed holdings. Accrued dividend entitlements remain intact. Future dividends, when declared, will be calculated on the reconstructed share base. The reconstruction does not itself determine the amount of any future dividend.

Conversion of eligible holdings is automatic and requires no application or payment. Shareholders with valid CSCS account and stockbroker details will have their reconstructed shares credited electronically without further action. Holders of physical certificates should contact Pace Registrars and a licensed stockbroker for assistance in converting their holdings into electronic form.

CSCS maintains electronic securities records, while a Clearing House Number (CHN) identifies an investor within that system. Holdings without valid CSCS account details will remain with Pace Registrars under a non-tradeable Registrar Identification Number pending completion of the required process. Shareholders whose records are outdated or incomplete should contact the registrar to update them.

Investors with transactions awaiting settlement around the suspension should confirm with their stockbroker and the registrar how the approved record date and settlement cut-off apply to their holdings. Once adjustments are completed, shareholders should check their revised balances through their stockbroker, CSCS or Pace Registrars and report any missing or incorrect balance promptly for reconciliation.

t moves to revive the steel industry and strengthen local mineral processing and manufacturing.

Shuaibu Audu, minister of steel development, disclosed this on Thursday, September 24, when he received a delegation of German Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), led by Chux Onaa, head of VDMA-German Original Equipment Manufacturers, at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.

Audu said the government was seeking to deepen cooperation with German companies in steel production, mineral processing, equipment manufacturing, engineering services and technology transfer.

He said the engagement was aimed at translating discussions between Nigeria and Germany into investment opportunities across the steel and metallurgical value chains.

The minister recalled discussions at the 9th German-African Economic Forum in Dortmund earlier this year, where both countries explored opportunities in steel development, mining, mineral processing, engineering and industrial investment.

Audu said Nigeria’s mineral resources and domestic market provide opportunities for German companies to invest in the country’s industrial sector.

‘Nigeria possesses significant mineral and metallurgical raw material resources, alongside a large and growing market with substantial opportunities for industrial development,’ he said.

He said the Ministry of Steel Development was working to create an environment that would support a technology-driven steel industry and contribute to infrastructure development, manufacturing, job creation and economic diversification.

Areas identified for collaboration include the deployment of production technologies, equipment supply and manufacturing, mineral processing, steel production, engineering services, capacity development and local value-chain development.

Audu also invited German OEMs to participate in ongoing and planned projects in Nigeria’s steel and metallurgical sectors.

The engagement comes as the Federal Government seeks to revive domestic steel production and reduce dependence on imported industrial inputs.

Nura Abba Rimi, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Steel Development, said the initiative was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the government’s decision to establish a dedicated ministry to drive the development of the steel sector.

Earlier, Onaa said the delegation’s visit was aimed at advancing discussions on investment and technical cooperation in Nigeria’s steel industry.

He said VDMA-member companies have technologies that can support raw-material processing, including applications in the cement and building materials industries.

The ministry said the discussions are expected to identify specific areas of investment and cooperation as Nigeria works to develop an integrated steel and metallurgical value chain.

Communities in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State have released a list containing the names of 547 people they said were abducted during attacks on worshippers and surrounding settlements in the Dekara District, challenging the lower figure previously given by the state government.

The community disclosure has intensified questions over the actual scale of the August 21 abduction, after Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago said 33 worshippers were taken from a mosque, with an additional 30 abducted from a nearby market, bringing the total to 63.

Bago made the disclosure while receiving former governor Abubakar Sani Bello, who visited the Government House to commiserate with the state over the deaths of 37 artisanal miners in Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps custody.

The governor described reports that more than 500 people had been abducted as ‘social media hype’ and said residents should not be misled.

However, a document signed by Zubairu Umar, youth president of Dekara District, listed 547 people from five communities and stated that their whereabouts remained unknown.

The breakdown showed 341 people allegedly abducted from Gbenji, 104 from Giagbasso, 88 from Dekara, nine from Kpenya and five from Gbabara.

The figures were also reported by AFP, which said the document listed the 547 names individually and described it as a comprehensive community count.

The incident occurred on August 21 when gunmen attacked communities in the Dekara District during Friday prayers. The affected areas included Dekara, Kpenya, Giagbasso, Gbenji and Gbebara.

Among those listed as abducted from Dekara were Adamu Attahiru, chief imam of Dekara, as well as local community leaders including Abubakar Lafiya, village head of Ka’ada, and Mamuda Lafiya, Magaji of Dekara.

The community document also contains the names of women and children, indicating that the reported abductions affected entire families rather than only worshippers at the mosques.

The list from Giagbasso includes Attahiru Zakari, Sarkin Gari, Yakubu, Magajin Gari, and Mohammed, an imam, alongside scores of other residents.

Gbenji recorded the largest number on the community list, with 341 names.

The disclosure contradicts an earlier position attributed to Mohammed Nasir Abdullahi, chairman of Borgu Local Government Area, who reportedly said slightly more than 60 people were abducted.

The controversy over the number of victims comes as families continue to seek information about their relatives.

According to AFP, the identities were published after local residents protested against the governor’s account of the incident. The agency also reported that a video circulating online appeared to show hundreds of people in a forest, although the circumstances surrounding the footage could not independently be established.

The attack occurred in an area near Nigeria’s border with Benin that has experienced increasing security challenges involving armed groups and criminal gangs.

The community’s list has therefore shifted attention from the disputed number of victims to the individual identities of those allegedly taken, with families demanding information on their whereabouts and condition.

The names published by the community are now being used by residents as a record of those they say remain missing more than a month after the attack.

Stakeholders in Nigeria’s technology and investment sectors have called for patient capital, blended financing and stronger commercial partnerships to help startups overcome funding constraints and transform innovative ideas into scalable businesses.

The stakeholders said inadequate access to appropriate financing, weak market linkages, infrastructure gaps and limited business development support continued to constrain growth stage ventures, despite increasing innovation across technology, agriculture, healthcare and climate related sectors.

They made the call at the Innovation Makers Challenge (IMC) 2.0 Conference and Exhibition, where Stakeholders call for blended financing, stronger infrastructure and commercial partnerships to bridge funding gaps and unlock growth stage enterprise.

The event, organised by the Telecommunications and Technology Sustainability Working Group (TTSWG), in collaboration with IPS and other partners, brought together technology companies, investors, policymakers and entrepreneurs to examine how Nigeria could move promising innovations from pilot stages into commercially viable enterprises.

Bankole Oloruntoba, the lead consultant/spokesperson for the TTSWG, said the initiative had made about N10 million in seed capital available for early and mid stage ideas, while expanding its focus beyond telecommunications and technology to include healthcare, agriculture and climate change.

Oloruntoba said collaboration across sectors was essential to building a sustainable innovation ecosystem, noting that technology alone could not deliver sustainable development.

He urged participants to use the conference to develop partnerships and financing relationships capable of supporting young businesses beyond the idea stage.

Opeyemi Oriniowo, a senior policy adviser on economic affairs and public diplomacy at the consulate-general of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Lagos, said Nigeria had no shortage of innovative entrepreneurs, but the challenge remained how to convert their ideas into enterprises capable of generating measurable economic impact.

Oriniowo said the Netherlands was supporting the Nigerian Circular Economy Impact Fund through technical assistance aimed at mobilizing resources for a $10 million fund for entrepreneurs.

He affirmed that access to appropriate financing, technology, knowledge and international partnerships would be critical to unlocking opportunities in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and climate-smart infrastructure.

The policy adviser said sustainability should be treated as an economic opportunity capable of generating new markets, business models and investment opportunities. ‘The opportunity right now is how Africa collaborates with the world, and how Nigeria collaborates with the world, in a win-win situation,’ he added.

Nissi Madu, managing partner, CcHub, said the financing gap facing Nigerian startups was partly an information and understanding gap between founders and investors, rather than simply a shortage of money, while disclosing that founders required support beyond funding, including talent, regulatory guidance, management capacity and access to relevant institutions and markets.

‘The funding gap is partly an insight and understanding gap, not simply a lack of money. We need local funders and patient capital to support founders at different stages,’ Madu said.

She added that investors needed to assess business fundamentals such as unit economics, customer acquisition costs, margins, working capital requirements and the ability of startups to expand beyond a single market or distribution partner.

Ireayomide Oladunjoye, managing director of Endeavour, said entrepreneurs needed to stabilise their operations, test their markets and establish appropriate business structures before attempting to scale.

Oladunjoye urged corporates to support startups through procurement and commercial opportunities, rather than relying solely on grants, saying such partnerships could provide market validation and sustainable revenue opportunities.

Anil Atmaramani, partner at Antler, said the challenge facing startups was not necessarily the absence of capital but the structure, timing and suitability of financing available to businesses at different stages of development. He said entrepreneurs needed to focus on differentiated solutions and product-market fit instead of relying on replicated business models.

Dapo Otunla, senior vice president and chief corporate services officer at IHS Nigeria, said infrastructure investments must translate into economic opportunities for businesses and individuals. He said IHS Nigeria had deployed towers, fibre networks and in-building solutions supporting more than 130 million mobile subscribers in Nigeria, but noted that connectivity alone could not guarantee economic impact.

‘Connectivity means little if it does not translate into opportunity,’ Otunla said, adding that education, knowledge and mentorship were important to building businesses capable of creating jobs and surviving beyond their founders.

Akinbulejo Onabolu, head of Enterprise Segments at MTN Nigeria, said telecommunications infrastructure had created opportunities for entrepreneurs through improved access to digital payments, customers, cloud services and business solutions.

Onabolu said MTN Business was seeking to work with innovators to develop and scale digital solutions across sectors, including retail and hospitality.

During a discussion on climate and sustainability financing, Titilope Oguntuga, director of sustainability at IHS Nigeria, said entrepreneurs needed to demonstrate the measurable economic value of sustainability investments to attract investors and corporate decision-makers.

Using IHS Nigeria’s transition towards renewable energy as an example, she said sustainability investments could deliver economic, social and environmental benefits while improving business performance.

She noted that the company’s efforts had contributed to a 21.4 percent reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions intensity.

For Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem, stakeholders said the priority was to bridge the gap between developing solutions and building sustainable businesses, with access to patient capital, reliable infrastructure and commercial markets emerging as critical requirements for growth.

The conference also featured discussions on sustainability metrics for telecommunications, with participants highlighting the importance of reliable energy, digital inclusion, data security and resilient infrastructure in supporting Nigeria’s digital economy.

Chris Nwaje, a technology leader who presented on sustainability metrics for telecommunications, called for a comprehensive framework to measure the effectiveness, efficiency and long-term resilience of digital infrastructure. Nwaje said energy use, affordability, data security and environmental sustainability were important considerations for attracting investment and sustaining growth.

Stakeholders therefore called for blended financing structures combining government support, guarantees, technical assistance, commercial capital, equity and debt to reduce investment risks and support emerging technologies.

They affirmed that the financing structure for each enterprise should reflect its specific needs and stage of development, noting that guarantees could help reduce commercial investors’ risk exposure while other partners supported logistics, distribution and infrastructure.

They said stronger collaboration among investors, corporates, government and entrepreneurs would be essential to turning promising innovations into enterprises capable of attracting investment, creating jobs and delivering measurable economic impact.

Skyway Aviation Handling Company PLC (SAHCO) has strengthened its commitment to inclusive Passenger Handling services with the acquisition and deployment of a high-capacity AmbuLift, making it the only aviation ground handling company in Nigeria to own and operate the specialised equipment.

The AmbuLift is designed to provide safe, dignified and efficient embarkation and disembarkation assistance to Passengers with Reduced Mobility (PRM), including wheelchair users and passengers requiring stretcher support.

Its hydraulic lifting system raises the enclosed cabin to aircraft-door level, enabling safe transfers, particularly at remote stands or where passenger boarding bridges are unavailable.

The acquisition builds on SAHCO’s earlier investment in Evac-Chairs, which facilitates the safe embarkation and disembarkation of passengers with reduced mobility on steps where specialised assistance is required. Together, these investments reinforce SAHCO’s ongoing commitment to improving PRM services, passenger safety and accessibility.

SAHCO’s premium customer, British Airways, also provided valuable guidance throughout the process, helping to ensure that the AmbuLift’s deployment, procedures and operational standards are aligned with global best practices and the expectations of international airlines.

Speaking on the development, SAHCO’s Chairman, Taiwo Afolabi, CON, said:

‘Owning and operating the AmbuLift means we can respond directly to the needs of passengers with reduced mobility rather than improvising. It gives our teams the right tool to do this sensitive work properly and gives passengers and their families confidence that they will be handled with care from the apron to the aircraft door.’

Adenike Aboderin, SAHCO’s Managing Director/CEO, said the investment reflects the company’s people-first approach to service delivery and its commitment to international best practices.

‘The AmbuLift is a significant addition to our operations and demonstrates our commitment to providing safe, dignified and professional services to every passenger, particularly those requiring additional assistance. Our investment in both the AmbuLift and Evac-Chairs reflects our deliberate approach to strengthening our PRM handling capabilities.’

Prior to deployment, Expavia Aviation Consultants, a UK-based aviation consultancy, provided project advisory and coordination support for the testing, commissioning, certification and training programme.

Also, Ergon Training Center, a European GSE specialist, delivered theoretical and practical training, technical inspections and functional checks at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

Following the training programme, SAHCO’s designated AmbuLift operators achieved certification in accordance with IATA AHM 1110 RMP 14m standards.

These interventions reinforce SAHCO’s focus on ensuring that its equipment is not only modern and fit for purpose but also operated and maintained in line with the required safety and operational standards.

The AmbuLift complements SAHCO’s comprehensive aviation support services, including Passenger Handling, Baggage Handling, Ramp Handling, Cargo Handling, Aviation Security Services and Premium Lounge Services.

SAHCO continues to invest in modern equipment, technology, infrastructure and people to strengthen safety, improve operational efficiency and deliver superior experiences to airlines and passengers across its operations making it the handling company of choice.

Lagos, Nigeria – Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited recently hosted clients in Lagos and Abuja to exclusive client engagement events themed ‘Beyond Wealth’, reinforcing the Bank’s commitment to supporting clients’ long-term financial ambitions through global expertise, personalized advisory sessions and cross-border opportunities.

Held in collaboration with global investment partners, the events brought together clients, investment specialists and wealth advisors to explore the evolving investment landscape, discuss strategies for portfolio diversification, and share perspectives on navigating today’s increasingly interconnected global markets.

The engagements formed part of Standard Chartered’s broader approach to wealth management, which extends beyond financial products to helping clients make informed decisions, preserve wealth, and build lasting legacies for future generations.

In his welcome address, Lanre Olajide, Head of Wealth and Retail Banking (WRB), Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited, said:

‘At Standard Chartered, we believe wealth management goes beyond growing assets. It is about understanding our clients’ aspirations, helping them make informed decisions, and supporting them at every stage of their wealth journey. Through engagements such as Beyond Wealth, we provide access to the insights, opportunities and expertise that enable our clients to plan for the future with confidence.’

He further noted: ‘The objective of these engagements was simple but important: to create meaningful conversations that help our clients navigate an increasingly complex financial world with greater confidence. As wealth becomes more global, interconnected and multi-generational, access to trusted advice, global perspectives and relevant expertise has never been more important.’

Commenting on the initiative, Ayesha Abbas, Head, Affluent and Wealth Solutions, EMEA and UAE, said:

‘Beyond Wealth reflects our belief that meaningful wealth management starts with understanding what matters most to each client. By bringing together trusted advice, global perspectives and relevant expertise, we can help clients navigate changing markets, make informed choices and build wealth with purpose for today and for generations to come.’

Beyond discussions on markets and investments, clients were treated to immersive experiences that reflected the Bank’s belief that wealth is deeply personal and extends beyond financial outcomes. The evenings featured curated lifestyle experiences, including an art exhibition, bespoke olfactory fragrance co-creation experience, and live entertainment; creating opportunities for connection, shared experiences and deeper engagement.

A highlight of the events in Lagos and Abuja was the opportunity for clients to share their personal wealth journeys and the role that trusted relationships, advisory support and long-term planning have played in helping them achieve their goals.

The events reflect Standard Chartered’s continued focus on delivering a differentiated wealth proposition that combines the strength of its international network, global investment expertise and dedicated team of Investment Advisors and Relationship Managers.

As clients increasingly seek guidance on navigating changing markets and accessing opportunities around the world, the Bank remains committed to bringing global insights, expertise and opportunities closer to them while helping them build, preserve and transfer wealth across generations.

In his closing remarks, Acting CEO, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited, Ayodeji Adelagun said, ‘Wealth today is about far more than financial returns. It is about making informed decisions, achieving personal aspirations, creating lasting impact and building a legacy for future generations. Our role is to help our clients navigate that journey with confidence.’

Your phone has a signal and the game opens, but the connection slows before the round gets going. That is when good mobile game design becomes useful. For Nigerian players who depend on mobile internet, play starts with software built for the connection they have and the bundle they bought.

In Nigeria, most internet connections run through mobile networks, so every app has to earn its place on the data bundle. A game may have sharp graphics and fast rounds, but neither helps when it chews through data or struggles on a weaker connection. Lightweight design has therefore become a proper product feature, particularly for games built around quick decisions on a phone and played during an ordinary working day.

Crash Games Made for a Phone Screen

That phone-friendly approach begins with Aviator, a crash game that gets to the point quickly. You place a bet, watch the plane take off and cash out before it disappears. The multiplier rises during the flight, so waiting can increase the return, though the whole stake goes when the plane leaves before you collect.

The game has a 97% return to player rate and accepts stakes from ZMW 0.05. Two betting panels let you place separate bets in the same round, while auto cash-out can collect at a multiplier chosen in advance. Auto-bet enters the next rounds without repeated setup, although cash-out remains manual unless both controls are active. Free play lets you understand the timing without using your balance. Each feature suits a phone screen because the decisions stay simple and the rounds ask for your attention in short bursts on the move.

Low-Data Performance Joins the Selling Points

Pilot Chicken takes the same basic idea and makes the connection itself part of the product. The game is built with lightweight, mobile-optimised technology that can run on Android phones and low-bandwidth connections. That is useful when you are playing through a mobile bundle instead of sitting at home with fibre and unlimited Wi-Fi.

The chicken pilot replaces the plane, but the decision remains straightforward: watch the multiplier rise and collect before the flight ends. Rounds move quickly, with the result arriving in seconds rather than after a long sequence. The game carries a 97% return to player rate and high volatility. Its minimum stake is ZMW 2. Bright graphics and smooth animation give it some character, yet the stronger selling point is restraint. It is designed to deliver the game without treating fast fixed internet as the price of entry in daily use.

Nigeria Still Connects Through Mobile Networks

Nigeria had 154.72 million active internet subscriptions in April 2026, but only about 265,000 active fibre-to-the-home connections. Broadband penetration reached 55.67%, yet mobile networks still carried most internet access. Those numbers explain why a product can work perfectly in a development office and still disappoint the person holding the phone.

Mobile broadband offers broad coverage, although speed and reliability can change with congestion or location. A player may have enough signal to open a game but still face delays when a page carries heavy files or demands a steady connection. Developers serving this market have to work with the network people actually use. Smaller downloads and simpler screens help the product load without asking the player to find Wi-Fi first. For a quick game, that ease of access is part of the experience today.

Data Use Changes the Value Equation

A mobile bundle is a paid resource, and every online activity takes a share of it. Email uses data, while downloads use more as the files grow. Pages loaded with video or large graphics can take a bigger bite before the user has done much at all.

Games also consume data as the phone exchanges information with the server. The exact amount depends on the software and what happens during play, which puts the design choices under scrutiny. A lightweight game leaves more of the bundle available for everything else the phone has to do. That gives low-data performance a clear value people can understand without knowing anything about software engineering. They pay for the bundle; the product should use it with some respect.

Lightweight Design Has a Practical Edge

Fast fibre can cover a lot of waste in an online product, but a mobile connection exposes it quickly. Games built for phones need clear controls and sensible data use, with enough visual life to keep the round interesting. Aviator shows the strength of a simple format with useful playing tools. Pilot Chicken carries that format into weaker connections through explicit low-data optimisation. For Nigerian users, good performance begins with the internet connection already in their hands every single day.

That leaves developers with a simple test: can someone open the game and play without burning through a bundle or waiting for each screen to catch up? When the answer is yes, the technology stops getting in the way. The game can do what players came for, with no fuss.

As part of efforts to curb the State of gender-based violence and offences targeted at women and vulnerable persons, operatives of the Oyo State Police Command have arrested a 17-year-old male, one Usman Dauda, for defiling a 3-year-old girl in Saki.

Ayanlade Oluseyi Olayinka, Deputy Superintendent of Police and Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Oyo State Police Command, in a statement, said the operational breakthrough followed a distress report lodged at the Saki Divisional Station on September 17, 2026, at about 1800hrs, after the child went missing while being retrieved from school earlier that afternoon.

Ayanlade stated that a localised search subsequently led to her recovery along the roadside in a state of distress, where preliminary inquiries revealed that the suspect had forcefully taken her into his apartment to commit the heinous act.

Prompted by this revelation, he pointed out that the detectives swiftly visited and secured the scene of the crime, resulting in the immediate arrest of the suspect and the recovery of critical physical evidence linked to the offence.

While investigations were immediately activated, the young survivor was promptly rushed to a medical facility in Saki, where she is currently receiving comprehensive clinical treatment and psychotherapeutic care.

In light of these developments, the Oyo State Police Command reiterates its unwavering zero-tolerance policy against child abuse and sexual violence. Furthermore, in strict compliance with the Child Rights Act and established ethical protection guidelines, the privacy, dignity, and identity of the survivor and her family will remain fully protected throughout this process.

To ensure justice is thoroughly served, the case has been transferred to the Gender Desk, State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Iyaganku, Ibadan, for exhaustive investigation and prosecution.

Consequently, the Command assures the good people of Oyo State of its commitment to safety and urges members of the public to remain vigilant by promptly reporting any acts of violence against children or vulnerable persons to the nearest police facility.