Category: Business Day

Several challenges trail Nigeria’s food sector. Farmers are faced with bad roads that make transportation from food-producing states difficult.

Experts say the agric sector requires urgent, coordinated investments to improve infrastructure, enhance farmers’ livelihoods, and build food system resilience.

A new report released by the World Food Programme (WFP), in partnership with the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), has listed out key recommendations that can improve efficiency as well as enhance the livelihoods of farmers.

The report titled ‘Investing in Innovative Food Systems Solutions in Challenging Contexts’ outlines a roadmap for transforming food production and distribution in Northern Nigeria, where insecurity, climate shocks, and poor infrastructure have eroded productivity over the years.

It emphasises how targeted policies and investments can help the region reclaim its role as the country’s agricultural powerhouse while supporting inclusive growth nationwide.

Identifying key areas for policy reforms and private-sector partnerships, the report urges the expansion of digital input platforms, rehabilitation of rural infrastructure, and the reduction of post-harvest losses that continue to undermine farmers’ revenue.

For a country that currently loses up to 30 percent of grains and 50 percent of perishable foods each year due to poor handling and inadequate storage facilities, effective policies must be implemented.

To reverse this trend, the report recommends deploying affordable hermetic bags, low-cost moisture meters, and community-based training on post-harvest management.

Also, it notes that expanding access to certified seeds and fertilisers through digital platforms would help address the challenge of counterfeit inputs and unstable pricing, improving farmers’ output and profitability.

‘Access to affordable, high-quality inputs must be expanded through mobile platforms that offer transparency and verified suppliers,’ the report said, adding that better logistics networks and the removal of multiple checkpoints along trade corridors would reduce informal levies that drive up food costs.

It highlights the need for investment in rural storage and cold-chain infrastructure, particularly in food-producing regions.

According to the report, investing in decentralised storage hubs and refrigerated warehouses will connect farmers to processors and urban markets while reducing waste and price volatility.

It noted that shared mechanisation and cooperative models are a pathway to greater efficiency, as by pooling equipment and resources, smallholder farmers can reduce production costs, increase productivity, and access better market opportunities.

However, beyond production, the report calls for policies that promote climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy integration, and land tenure reforms.

It argues that investments in solar-powered storage facilities, irrigation systems, and agroforestry can boost resilience against climate shocks and reduce dependence on diesel-based operations.

Similarly, equitable land access, particularly for women and young people, remains central to the transformation agenda.

‘Equitable access to land and resources will unlock innovation and reduce youth unemployment,’ the report said, noting that secure land ownership would encourage investment and entrepreneurship across value chains.

It further urged the federal government to link humanitarian and development efforts in the North by aligning food aid with longer-term system-building.

The report stressed that humanitarian food assistance should be leveraged to strengthen local food systems, calling for stronger public-private partnerships to expand infrastructure and credit access for agribusinesses.

Nigeria’s agricultural sector accounts for about 24 percent of Gross Domestic Product and employs nearly 36 percent of the labour force, yet productivity remains among the lowest in sub-Saharan Africa.

The report notes that implementing these recommendations could not only improve efficiency and farmer incomes but also stabilise food supply and reduce food prices.

By strengthening food systems through coordinated investments, policy alignment, and inclusivity, experts say Nigeria can unlock the full potential of its agric sector – transforming it from subsistence-driven to a globally competitive and resilient industry.

María Corina Machado, the leading figure of Venezuela’s democratic opposition, has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for what the Norwegian Nobel Committee described as her ‘tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.’

The announcement was made on Friday at the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo, recognising Machado’s decades-long campaign to restore democracy in a country where political repression, economic collapse and mass emigration have defined daily life for years. Jørgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Nobel Committee, called Machado ‘one of the most extraordinary examples of civilian courage in Latin America in recent times.’ He praised her decision to remain in Venezuela despite ‘serious threats against her life,’ noting that her determination had ‘inspired millions.’

‘When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognise courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist,’ Frydnes said.

Machado, 58, ran as the main opposition candidate in Venezuela’s 2024 presidential election before being disqualified by Nicolás Maduro’s government. Her disqualification prompted her to back Edmundo González Urrutia, who became the united opposition’s replacement candidate. Official results declared Maduro the winner with 51 percent of the vote – his third term since taking power in 2013 following the death of Hugo Chávez. But the opposition said the election was rigged, claiming González had in fact won with around 70 percent of the vote.

Mass protests erupted across the country, demanding transparency and the publication of results from individual polling stations. The government’s response was swift and brutal, opposition leaders were detained, demonstrators were dispersed with violence, and Machado herself went into hiding.

Observers, including international journalists and election monitors, reported widespread irregularities during the election, from voter intimidation to long, unexplained delays outside polling stations. In a video shared by her press team and posted by González on social media, Machado appeared visibly stunned upon hearing the news of her Nobel win.

‘I’m in shock!’ she said in the video.

‘We’re shocked with joy,’ replied González, speaking from exile. ‘What is this? I can’t believe it,’ Machado repeated, smiling through tears. Despite years of repression, Machado has remained inside Venezuela, occasionally surfacing for brief public appearances. She was briefly detained during a protest ahead of Maduro’s inauguration in January, before being released.

Machado has long been a polarising yet powerful figure in Venezuelan politics. Trained as an industrial engineer, she became known for her uncompromising stance against authoritarianism and corruption. Her political movement has managed to unify disparate factions of the opposition, long seen as fragmented and ineffective.

For many Venezuelans, she represents a rare figure of moral consistency in a political landscape shaped by fear and exhaustion. Her rallies in 2024 drew some of the largest crowds seen in years – a visible sign of public yearning for change.

The Nobel Committee’s decision to honour Machado marks a symbolic moment for Venezuela’s pro-democracy movement. It places her alongside figures such as Aung San Suu Kyi, Malala Yousafzai and Nelson Mandela – individuals recognised for standing up to oppression through peaceful means.

Last year’s Peace Prize went to Nihon Hidankyo, Japan’s confederation of atomic bomb survivors, for its campaign to abolish nuclear weapons.

Although the award is unlikely to ease the political crisis in Venezuela immediately, it serves as an international acknowledgment of the country’s ongoing struggle for freedom, and of the courage of those who continue to fight for it, often at great personal risk.

Nigeria’s startup ecosystem is one of the most vibrant on the continent. Venture funding has flowed into fintech, healthtech, and mobility startups. Hubs in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt are buzzing with innovation, and founders are increasingly building with a global outlook.

Yet, beneath this energy lies a stubborn reality: too many Nigerian startups struggle to scale sustainably.

While capital, a fledgling regulatory environment, and the prevalence of poor infrastructure dominate conversations about barriers to growth, one critical factor is often overlooked: digital sales capability. In other words, our startups know how to build, but too few know how to sell effectively at scale.

Building without selling: The common trap

Across Nigeria’s ecosystem, a familiar pattern emerges. A startup secures seed funding, builds a promising product, and gains early adopters, only to stall when it comes time to expand. The reasons vary: long sales cycles, fragmented market infrastructure, and limited access to high-quality buyer data. But at the heart of the issue is a missing engine for predictable revenue: a modern, data-driven sales system.

Unlike in markets where a startup can ‘plug into Stripe’ and unlock instant payment rails, Nigerian startups face fragmented infrastructure. To serve a pan-African market, they often stitch together multiple providers, each with its own requirements, compliance hurdles, and onboarding processes.

This complexity elongates sales cycles and forces teams to reinvent the wheel rather than scale a tested sales playbook.

Why digital sales matters

Digital sales are more than cold calls or closing deals. It is the discipline of engineering revenue growth. It combines structured go-to-market strategies, customer intelligence, automation, and global best practices to convert innovation into commercial traction.

Done well, digital sales deliver three critical benefits to Nigerian startups:

Revenue resilience

In volatile markets, predictable revenue is the best hedge against uncertain funding cycles. Sales-led companies can survive funding winters by monetising customers instead of relying solely on venture capital.

2. Global market access

With structured outbound sales, Nigerian startups can sell across borders from day one. Talent in Lagos can close clients in London or São Paulo, expanding total addressable markets far beyond local constraints.

3. Investor confidence

Venture capitalists are no longer satisfied with ‘growth at all costs’. They demand sustainable unit economics. A strong digital sales system demonstrates scalability, improving both valuation and investor confidence.

Lessons from global and African startups

Companies like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Stripe grew into global giants because they paired product innovation with sophisticated revenue engines. Even within Africa, fintechs such as Flutterwave and Paystack have shown that commercial excellence is as important as technical ingenuity. Their success demonstrates a clear truth: growth is not accidental; it is designed.

For Nigeria’s ecosystem, this means founders must prioritise building sales teams as deliberately as they build engineering teams. Without this, even the most innovative products risk becoming ‘zombie startups’, alive but unable to grow.

What needs to change

To unlock the full potential of Nigeria’s startup economy, three shifts are essential:

Founders must treat sales as a core competency.

From day one, startups should invest in structured go-to-market strategies, not treat sales as an afterthought once funding runs low.

2. Talent development in sales must accelerate.

Nigeria has a growing pool of engineers, but we need just as many skilled sales professionals. This is why I co-founded Tech Sales Starter, a digital-first training platform that has already trained over 300 Nigerians in tech sales, with a 65% job placement rate. By equipping young professionals with practical skills and connecting them to global opportunities, initiatives like this prove that Nigeria can build the commercial talent needed to fuel startup growth.

3. Investors should incentivise revenue discipline.

Rather than celebrating vanity metrics, investors should back startups that demonstrate strong sales conversion, customer retention, and scalable revenue processes.

The path forward

Nigeria has no shortage of entrepreneurial talent or global ambition. What it lacks is an equally strong culture of digital sales excellence. By embedding sales as the missing link in our startup economy, we can shift from a cycle of building and stalling to one of building and scaling.

Through my work at AiPrise and Tech Sales Starter, I’ve seen firsthand how digital sales innovation can transform both companies and careers. If we embed sales excellence as deeply as we embed technical excellence, Nigeria’s startups will not only grow at home but also redefine how the world sees African innovation.

In a world where capital is cautious and competition is fierce, those who sell best will win.

The 10th Nigeria Digital PR Summit has unveiled its lineup of keynote speakers and faculty members for this year’s milestone edition.

Themed ‘Digital PR in Action: Owning Your Narrative, Telling Your Story.’, the event, scheduled for mid October at the Conference Centre, Naval Dockyard, Victoria Island, Lagos, will spotlight the growing importance of intentional, story-driven communication in an age defined by disruption, misinformation, and digital complexity.

Designed for public relations professionals, brand communicators, content creators, academics, and the media, the Summit, according to a statement will equip participants with practical strategies and tools to shape narratives, influence public perception, and strengthen stakeholder trust.

According to the statement, delegates will also gain insights into emerging PR trends, artificial intelligence in communication, crisis and reputation management, and digital storytelling, while networking with the industry’s finest minds.

The faculty features seasoned experts in digital marketing, corporate communication, brand and digital reputation management, public affairs, cybersecurity, and technology; each renowned for leveraging digital platforms to build trusted brands and authentic connections.

The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani; Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; and Executive Vice Chairman, Globacom Limited, Bella Disu, are expected to deliver the keynote papers at the Summit, the statement said.

Among the confirmed speakers, the statement said are the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Digital and Media, O’tega Ogra; Vice President, Chain Reactions Africa, Frankline Ozekhome; Head of Marketing, Diageo Africa Partner Markets (SOWECA), Segun Ogunleye; Founder/CEO, Africa Business Radio, Soji Akinlabi; Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, UBA Group, Tolu Alero Ladipo; Group Head, Brand Transformation and Digital Marketing, Bank of Industry, Jide Sipe; and Director, External Affairs and Sustainability, Seplat Energy, Chioma Afe.

Also featured on the faculty are the Associate Director, Sustainability, IHS Towers, Asmau Smaila; Founder/CEO, TruCSR Consulting, Ken Egbas; Chief Visionary Officer, Digital Encode, Prof. Adewale Obadare; Secretary General, Confederation of African Audiovisual Professionals (Ghana), Madu C. Chikwendu; Founder/CEO, JSK Consulting, Dr. Janet Adetu; Chief Innovation Officer, BusinessPlus, Ekundayo Ayeni; Manager, Platforms, MTN Nigeria, Joshua Esiebo; Founder, Olori Supergal, Tosin Ajibade; Marketing Director, Marketing Edge, Anietie Udoh; Team Lead, Sponsorship and Branding, Zenith Bank, Ayotunde Adeniyi; Head, Communication and Marketing, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Oge Maduagwu; and Public Relations Manager, Showmax, Jennifer Ukoh.

Special highlights include keynote addresses, masterclasses, and a technology showcase, alongside the unveiling of the fourth edition of the Digital PR Digest; the Summit’s flagship publication featuring case studies, trends, and practical insights on digital communication.

The event will climax with the 2nd Nigeria Digital PR Awards Gala, a premium evening celebrating excellence, innovation, and impact in digital communications. This year’s Gala will feature the Fashion Runway Showcase; a creative fusion of fashion, technology, and storytelling symbolizing the power of owning and amplifying one’s narrative in the digital space.orsed by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Digital and New Media, and supported by major media organisations, the Summit remains the premier gathering for public relations and digital communication professionals in Nigeria, the statement said.

FCMB Group Plc has commenced a N160 billion public share sale to strengthen its banking subsidiary and meet the Central Bank of Nigeria’s new N500 billion minimum capital requirement for international banks.

The offering of 16 billion shares at N10 each runs until November 6, 2025. Proceeds will be used to recapitalise First City Monument Bank Limited and help the lender retain its international licence.

The raise follows a N147.5 billion share sale in 2024, the first in 16 years. This 2024 share sale was oversubscribed by 33 percent, with 42,800 investors participating, 92 percent through digital channels. Analysts expect momentum to carry into this second phase of FCMB’s three-stage recapitalisation plan. FCMB Group posted robust growth, with group profit before tax rising at a 72 percent compound annual rate between 2022 and 2025. Non-bank subsidiaries delivered a 61 percent PBT CAGR, led by Credit Direct Finance Company Limited, Nigeria’s largest non-bank lender, and FCMB Capital Markets, which topped the FMDQ fixed income league table for bond listing and commercial papers in the first half of 2025.

Groupwide digital initiatives continue to underpin growth, with digital revenues growing at more than 58 percent annually since 2022, now accounting for 13.9 percent of gross earnings. As of June 2025, digital lending stood at 9 percent of the loan book.

At a 2025 estimated price-to-book ratio below 0.6x, FCMB stock trades at what analysts describe as a rare mix of deep value and high growth.

Following the completion of this share sale, the group plans to conclude the sale of minority stakes in two subsidiaries, with proceeds also injected into the bank. This will lift qualifying core capital beyond N500 billion and close its recapitalisation programme.

Nigeria’s drive toward digital transformation received a fresh boost as telecommunications company, Globacom, pledged its full support for the Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) business roundtable on Broadband Investment and Protection of Critical Information Infrastructure, which opened today at the NCC Headquarters in Abuja.

The two-day event, themed ‘Right of Way and Protection of Broadband Infrastructure – The Road to Success in Broadband Investment and Connectivity,’ brings together stakeholders from government, regulatory bodies, and the private sector to develop practical strategies for expanding broadband access and enhancing infrastructure protection.

Globacom’s sponsorship and active participation reaffirm its leadership role in advancing Nigeria’s digital agenda. The company is providing logistical and technical support for the event, underscoring its commitment to a secure, inclusive, and connected digital future.

Industry observers note that the forum provides a crucial platform for harmonising policies between public and private sectors, fostering investment, and bridging the nation’s digital divide-particularly in rural and underserved communities.

Globacom’s engagement also positions it strategically to contribute to policy discussions on Right of Way (RoW), infrastructure investment incentives, and regulatory frameworks that can drive broadband growth nationwide. By participating in these deliberations, the company aims to fast-track the deployment of high-speed internet and reinforce protection for critical communication assets.

The telecoms firm views the roundtable as a step towards strengthening collaboration between government and industry players, while promoting innovative funding models and equitable access to digital resources. This aligns with Globacom’s enduring mission to empower Nigerians through affordable and dependable connectivity.

‘We believe that digital transformation must be inclusive and secure. Our participation in this roundtable is a continuation of our mission to support national development through technology. A resilient broadband infrastructure is critical to Nigeria’s economic growth and global competitiveness,’ Globacom stated.

The company’s ongoing contributions to the Critical National Information Infrastructure Protection Plan (CNIIPP) are expected to further shape Nigeria’s national telecom security framework, enhancing defences against cyber threats and infrastructure vandalism.

As the roundtable progresses, Globacom reaffirms its position not just as a telecommunications provider, but as a trusted national partner committed to building a digitally empowered and secure Nigeria.

When Nigerian student Oluwapelumi Dada spotted Sam Parr, an entrepreneur and My First Million podcast host, jogging through San Francisco last year, he jumped on his bike, chased Parr down, and pitched him his idea.

This idea is an app that allows students to apply for multiple jobs at once. The pitch, which caught Parr’s attention and later went viral on social media, has been accepted into Y Combinator, one of the world’s most prestigious startup accelerators.

On account of the journey from Lagos to Silicon Valley, Dada’s story is one of grit and belief in possibility. After moving to the United States for university two years ago, he spent much of his time building apps and sharing his progress online.

Last year, he turned down internship offers from Tesla and Dell -two of the world’s top tech firms – to focus full-time on developing his idea, then called One Click Apply.

The app aimed to simplify how students navigated job applications, offering a single platform to apply to multiple opportunities with just one click.

While being unable to afford the summer without a job, Dada took a leap of faith and joined The Residency, a hacker house in San Francisco where young founders live and build startups together.

While there, he convinced fellow Nigerians, David Aladee and Damilola Ajayi, to leave their own pursuits and join him in building what would later become Sorce, described as the ‘Tinder for jobs.’

Their early hustle caught the attention of tech investor Hugo Thieblot and startup collective Founders Inc., who provided the first funding to grow the project. Dada later returned to school, continued refining the app, and officially launched it after graduation.

After missing Y Combinator’s application deadline, the team decided to apply anyway – a decision that would change their lives. Weeks later, Dada received a call from YC’s David Lieb confirming that Sorce had been accepted.

‘We got a call that we got in,’ Dada wrote on X (formerly Twitter). ‘Dreams do come true.’

This marks a new chapter for African Innovation as with its acceptance into Y Combinator, Sorce joins the ranks of a growing number of African-founded startups making their mark in Silicon Valley.

The app aims to help students and young professionals streamline job applications, which is a pain point for millions worldwide.

For many in Nigeria’s tech ecosystem, Dada’s story represents the bold, self-starting attitude driving the next wave of African founders who are competing globally.

The One Click Apply is a website that allows students/job applicants to apply to jobs in one click, with the hope of making the job application process easier for students. One Click Apply helps job applicants not worry about all the repetitive parts of applying for a job.

The end goal is to build the standard for applying to jobs on the internet, so that anyone, anywhere, won’t have to put in the same information on 10 different websites several times.

He hails from Oyo State, in Nigeria. Dada attended Rehoboth Peace Academy, Abuja, for his primary education; Middle School (JSS 1-3) at Salem Academy, Abuja, and the Government Science Secondary School, Abuja (SS1-3).

A student at Huston-Tillotson University from Austin, Texas, representing the Huston-Tillotson University class of 2025, Dada’s tech journey began at the tender age of 11.

He got a full tuition scholarship studying Computer Science at the Huston-Tillotson University and worked as a resident assistant (which gives him free housing).

He said that he got to know about tech at a young age. Temitayo Dada, his mum, brought in a computer when he was young, hence he naturally got an aptitude for computers because he could do a lot of things on it.

Kehinde Dada, his dad, was a graphic designer, whom he learned some graphic designs from. Dada also did some graphic design with Photoshop and CorelDRAW when he was younger.

He started coding late, according to him. However, he learned Java when he was 11, but only for that summer. ‘I stopped coding when I started secondary (high) school. When I got into SS 2 (11th grade), I started making websites with Wix, and learning HTML until I graduated (from secondary school),’ he said in an interview with Africa Interviews.

General Board of Higher Education and Ministry(GBHEM) said in a release that Oluwapelumi Dada is on a mission to bridge the gap between technology and community service.

‘With the help of General Board of Higher Education and Ministries Scholarships, Dada is pursuing a degree in computer science while actively giving back to the community that shaped him,’ it noted.

GBHEM Scholarships offers financial aid to United Methodist students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees. Every year, an average of $4 million is awarded to help students in the United States and abroad to pursue their dreams through higher education.

‘I am deeply honored to receive this scholarship. Your generous support has lightened my financial burden, allowing me to focus more on my studies and professional development,’ Dada said.

‘Attending college is crucial for me to gain the advanced knowledge in computer science that will allow me to innovate and solve complex problems,’ Dada added. ‘Seminary education is also important to deepen my theological understanding and serve my community with informed spiritual leadership.’

He noted that his goal in the next five to 10 years is to completely reinvent what recruiting looks like. ‘Recruiting today is broken and is desperately begging to be fixed. In terms of recruitment, finding applicants is hard for companies and employers.

‘So, there’s a lot of work to be done in making the experience easier on both the employers and applicants. For my life goals, I want to build really cool stuff and create a lot of value for the world.’

The federal government has unveiled a Forest Guards Initiative, aimed at flushing out bandits, kidnappers, and other criminal elements operating from Nigeria’s forests.

The initiative, formally launched by Nuhu Ribadu, National Security Adviser (NSA), during the opening of the Federal and States Security Administrators’ Meeting (FSSAM) at the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) in Abuja on Thursday, is expected to deploy a massive force of over 130,000 armed forest guards across Nigeria’s 1,129 forest and game reserves.

Ribadu said the initiative, approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is a decisive step towards reclaiming ungoverned forest areas that have become strongholds for violent groups responsible for widespread insecurity, kidnappings, and rural violence.

‘We are taking the fight to where the criminals hide. The Forest Guards Initiative is a bold step to secure our forests, restore peace to rural communities, and deny bandits and kidnappers freedom of action’, Ribadu declared.

According to the NSA, the first phase of the operation will begin in seven frontline states, Adamawa, Borno, Niger, Kebbi, Kwara, Sokoto, and Yobe before expanding to other parts of the country.

He described the initiative as a key component of the Tinubu administration’s broader national security agenda, which prioritizes rural safety, environmental protection, and the restoration of peace in communities most affected by violent crime.

Ribadu noted that the forest guards will be specially trained, well-equipped, and coordinated through a joint command structure to ensure intelligence sharing, rapid response, and effective territorial coverage. ‘The forests have long provided sanctuary for criminal networks. We are changing that narrative by establishing a strong, permanent security presence in these areas’, Ribadu said.

In his remarks, Muhammed Danjuma, Permanent Secretary of the Special Services Office, described the Forest Guards Initiative as a ‘security game-changer’ that reflects unprecedented collaboration between the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the Federal Ministry of Environment, and state governments.

Danjuma explained that the programme would not only target criminal activities but also help safeguard environmental assets and protect vulnerable rural populations who have borne the brunt of insecurity in recent years.

He, however, cautioned that the initiative’s success would hinge on political will, adequate funding, and consistent cooperation between the federal and state governments.

‘This is a long-term investment in peace and stability. If properly sustained, it will change the security landscape of Nigeria’s rural communities’, Danjuma added.

The Bauchi State Police Command on Friday handed over 387 blocks of dried leaves, suspected to be cannabis sativa, to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Bauchi.

Aliyu Sani-Omolori, the State Commissioner of Police, disclosed this during a press briefing at the Yandoka Police Headquarters, explaining that the suspected cannabis was discovered following a motor vehicle accident involving two Toyota Corolla cars in Vom village, Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

Sani-Omolori explained that investigations revealed the first vehicle, a white Toyota Corolla with registration number ABC-459LF, was driven by Ali Muhammad, a 45-year-old resident of Nabardo Village.

He stated that the vehicle was conveying the District Head of Nabardo, Suleiman Bala Suleiman, 65, and his family members on their way from Bauchi metropolis to Nabardo Village.

The second white Toyota Corolla, bearing registration number GWA-155GW, was driven by an unidentified individual travelling from Jos, Plateau State, to Bauchi. Reports indicated that the driver, while attempting to overtake other vehicles recklessly, collided head-on with the first car.

He explained that all occupants of the two vehicles sustained varying degrees of injuries and were immediately taken to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) in Bauchi for medical attention.

According to the police commissioner, the District Head suffered a fracture in his left leg and is currently receiving treatment, while other victims are also being attended to, with some already discharged. During a search of the wrecked Toyota Corolla with registration number Abuja GWA-155GW after the accident, detectives recovered several items from the vehicle.

Items recovered from the wrecked vehicle included 387 blocks of dried leaves suspected to be cannabis sativa, a black travel bag containing personal belongings, two polythene bags with personal items, a black Tecno phone without a SIM card, the damaged Toyota Corolla (Abuja GWA-155GW) without keys, a national driver’s license, and motor vehicle documents.

According to the Commissioner of Police, ‘These items have been forwarded to the State Investigation Department (S.I.D.) of the Bauchi State Command for further discreet investigation and forensic analysis. Upon completion, the case will be handed over to the NDLEA for continuation of the investigation.’ Sani-Omolori urged anyone with useful information that could help identify the driver to come forward and assist the police, assuring that the command remains committed to uncovering the identity of the main suspect.

In his remarks, Hussaini Umaru, the Deputy State Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Bauchi State, commended the police for their efforts and pledged that the agency would do everything possible to trace the owner of the recovered items.

Olusegun Alebiosu, managing director and chief executive officer of First Bank Group, says the bank’s latest investment in new digital banking technology, currently being deployed across Nigeria, will simplify transaction and enhance accessibility of the bank’s operations.

Alebiosu noted that the new digital banking centres was conceived as a strategic initiative, adopted to deliver robust, and streamless banking experience to the bank`s growing customers.

Speaking during the official launch of the -state-of- the-art digital experience facility at Bayero University, Kano (BUK), northwest Nigeria on Thursday, he disclosed that the facility will be rendering 24/7 automated banking services in the school.

He disclosed that the automated centre, the second established by the bank in Northern Nigeria, was a revolutionise initiative designed to expand, and boost the efficiency of its operations in the country.

Alebiosu said the automated center is also intended to scale access to financial services, and provide seamless, secure, and round-the-clock access to the growing customers of the in the university community, and environs.

He emphasised that the bank’s transformation agenda is anchored on leveraging technology to simplify transactions and enhance accessibility, noting that the future of banking is digital.

In her address, earlier, Abimbola Kunle Ajayi, group head of branch operations and services, explained that the official commissioning of the center, in Kano, will give a big boost to the operations of the bank, generally in the state.

Ajayi noted that the center wired to provide customised banking services, such as cash deposits, withdrawals, and payment transactions through the deployment of advanced ATMs device that does not require human assistance.

She stated that the branch is offering platform for customers to independently perform transactions in a friendly environment.

Ajayi said the center’s efficiency was demonstrated during the commissioning when the Deputy Vice-Chancellor successfully carried out a transfer and the Students’ Union President created an ATM card.

Speaking on behalf of the host university, Haruna Musa, vice-chancellor, BUK, represented by Amina Mustapha, commended the bank’s management for the initiative, and urged the university community to utilise and take care of the facility.

Commenting on his experience after using the facility, a member of the university community, Dauda Yusuf, said that the facility was very robust, and expressed satisfaction with the center’s efficiency.

Dauda described the siting of the facility in the university as a welcomed development, noting it would solve the problem of having to travel to town for banking transactions.

The high point of the ceremony was the demonstration of the efficiency of the services of the center, as witnessed when the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, and the President of Students` Union Government of the University.