Category: Business Day

The Ubiaja Traditional Council in Edo State has cautioned bloggers and members of the public against inflammatory and unverified commentary on the marital dispute involving the Onojie of Ubiaja, His Royal Highness Curtis Iredia Eidenojie, and his estranged wife, Ese Jane Iredia Eidenojie, née Ejodawene.

The council said the dispute, which is currently before the courts, remains essentially a private family matter and should not be allowed to degenerate into a wider public controversy through social media publications.

In a statement jointly signed by Odion Ugbesia, for the Council of Elders, and Chief Omochiere Aisagbonhi, the council appealed to all parties and members of the public to exercise restraint and avoid comments capable of further worsening the situation.

‘The matter is presently the subject of pending litigation and is also receiving the urgent attention of the Ubiaja Traditional Council, which is actively engaging with the parties and other relevant persons with a view to facilitating a peaceful and amicable resolution of the dispute,’ Aisagbonhi said.

The council expressed concern over the circulation of what it described as unverified, inaccurate or misleading information about the dispute, warning that such publications could deepen disagreements between the parties and undermine ongoing reconciliation efforts.

It acknowledged the right of individuals to express their views but urged those commenting on the matter to exercise responsibility and avoid statements or publications that could cause embarrassment or unnecessarily inflame the situation.

The traditional council said it remained committed to fairness, reconciliation and the preservation of peace, stressing that any eventual settlement should reflect the customs and traditions of the Esan people while taking into account the legitimate concerns of all parties.

It therefore urged the parties involved, bloggers and members of the public to allow the judicial and traditional processes to run their course.

The council expressed confidence that continued dialogue and good-faith engagement could produce a peaceful and lasting resolution, while appealing to all concerned to prioritise peace, reconciliation and the dignity of the parties.

There is a question I keep returning to when I think about women’s health in Lagos: when a woman is worried about a pregnancy or needs sensitive reproductive healthcare, where does she go?

Not where we assume she should go. Not where our policies say she should go. Where does she really go?

Recent evidence from a rapid assessment conducted by the Women Empowering Women Initiative (WEWIN) gives us reason to think more deeply about that question. The assessment engaged 154 people across Lagos State, including women of reproductive age, women with lived experience of sensitive pregnancy-related care, healthcare workers, pharmacists and Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors (PPMVs).

Among the access patterns captured, government hospitals accounted for only 5 percent, compared with 20 percent for private clinics and 45 percent for pharmacies and PPMVs. A further 30 percent involved self-managed, traditional or other potentially unsafe pathways. These figures are not estimates for every woman in Lagos. They are findings from this assessment. But even with that limitation, they raise an important public-health question: why might a woman choose somewhere else when a formal health facility exists?

The easy answer would be to question women’s choices. The more useful answer is to understand them.

For many women, healthcare decisions are made within the realities of cost, privacy, distance, family circumstances, and fear of being judged. Our assessment found concerns about judgement, exposure and discrimination when seeking care. Younger women faced concerns about confidentiality, while financial barriers were more pronounced among women from low-income communities.

Imagine being a young woman who needs help with a deeply personal health concern. You know the facility is there, but you are unsure who will see you, what questions will be asked, whether your information will remain private, or whether you can afford the care you may eventually need.

The pharmacy around the corner may suddenly feel easier.

This does not mean pharmacies and PPMVs are inherently the problem. In many Nigerian communities, they are among the most accessible and trusted points of healthcare. Our assessment found that trained PPMVs demonstrated appropriate practices and referral awareness. The concern was inconsistency: knowledge varied among untrained providers, while referral pathways were sometimes weak or absent.

That distinction matters.

A stronger health system should recognise where people are already seeking help and build safer connections between those entry points and formal healthcare. Community-level providers need appropriate knowledge and referral pathways. Formal facilities, meanwhile, must become places women associate not only with clinical expertise but also with confidentiality, dignity and respectful treatment.

Lagos already has an extensive health system and policy infrastructure. Primary healthcare facilities are intended to serve as accessible first points of care and connect people to higher levels of treatment when necessary. But infrastructure alone cannot create trust.

We also must pay attention to the experience of walking through the door.

Do women feel safe asking difficult questions? Is confidentiality protected? Are healthcare workers sufficiently supported to respond to complex reproductive health needs? Are referrals clear? When a woman feels poorly treated, does she know where to complain, and does anything happen afterwards?

These may sound like softer questions than medicines, equipment and staffing. They are not. They are health-system questions.

Because delayed care has consequences, when fear, cost or uncertainty pushes a woman away from appropriate healthcare, a manageable situation can become an emergency. The burden eventually returns to the same health system, only later and often more complicated.

Perhaps, then, we need to change the question.

Instead of asking why women are not using the services we have provided, we should ask what their choices are telling us about the services we have built.

A responsive health system listens to that answer.

Women’s healthcare choices do not happen in a vacuum. They are shaped by cost, trust, privacy, experience, and accessibility. If women are choosing other doors before the formal health system, the answer is not simply to close those doors. It is to understand why and make the formal system a door worth choosing.

Stella Peters is an Executive Director of WEWIN, a rights-driven organisation dedicated to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights, empowering women, youth, and girls through advocacy, education, and community-centered interventions to end unsafe abortion, reduce maternal mortality, and create a future of dignity, autonomy, and equality

Every successful business begins with a vision. Over time, that vision is transformed into an enterprise through years of hard work, calculated risks, resilience and disciplined execution. Yet while many entrepreneurs devote enormous energy to building successful businesses, far fewer give the same attention to ensuring those businesses can continue to thrive when they are no longer at the helm.

This is why succession planning has become one of the most important conversations business owners should be having today. It is not simply an estate planning exercise or a discussion reserved for retirement. Rather, it is a strategic business decision that safeguards continuity, preserves value and protects the legacy a founder has worked so hard to build.

Over the years, we have seen a gradual shift in how Nigerian business owners view succession planning. Traditionally, many considered it a subject to be addressed much later in life, often after retirement or a significant life event. Today, more entrepreneurs are recognising that succession planning is fundamental to building resilient businesses that can withstand change and continue creating value across generations. Increasingly, business owners are beginning to ask not only who will inherit the business, but how the business itself will continue to thrive long after the founder has stepped away.

The risks of failing to plan are substantial. When a company relies too heavily on an individual for decisions, client relationships, and overall direction, it becomes even more obvious if that person suddenly cannot continue – whether due to retirement, illness, incapacity, regulatory action, or some other unexpected event. Now, this isn’t just theoretical. Picture a founder who built a thriving business over a twenty-year period but never created an ownership structure or had succession plans in place. If that founder dies unexpectedly, the company will plunge into chaos: relatives clash over who owns and controls the business rather than keeping the business running.

During this limbo, valued staffs quit, clients lose faith, investors become really concerned and may pull out, and opportunities slip away. By the time the ownership question is finally settled, much of the company’s value has evaporated. This scenario is not uncommon, and it illustrates an important point: businesses rarely fail because they lack potential; they often falter because continuity was left to chance rather than secured through deliberate planning.

For this reason, business owners should not wait for a trigger event before beginning the succession planning process. The most effective succession plans are developed while founders remain actively involved in their businesses. Starting early provides the opportunity to identify and prepare future leaders, strengthen governance structures, transfer institutional knowledge and ensure that important stakeholder relationships are not concentrated in one individual. It also allows founders to shape the future of their businesses deliberately, rather than being forced into reactive decisions by unforeseen events.

Succession planning should begin with a clear understanding of the founder’s vision. Business owners should ask themselves what legacy they want the business to create and how they expect that legacy to survive and prosper across future generations. These conversations provide the foundation for decisions around leadership, ownership and governance. Equally important is objectivity. Succession decisions are often influenced by emotion or family expectations, yet sustainable businesses require leaders who possess the competence, integrity and technical capability to guide the organisation into its next phase. Engaging experienced professionals throughout the process also helps founders evaluate options objectively and develop structures that reflect both their personal wishes and the long-term interests of the business.

Additionally, strong governance plays a central role in successful succession planning. Boards, shareholder agreements, family constitutions and clearly documented policies provide continuity by establishing how important decisions should be made, regardless of who occupies leadership positions. They ensure that the business is guided by enduring principles rather than individual personalities and create the discipline required for a successful transition.

This is where trust structures become a valuable complement to governance. A properly established trust provides a flexible framework through which business assets can be held and managed in accordance with the founder’s objectives. Unlike a Will, which only takes effect after death and is subject to probate, a Trust is established during the settlor’s lifetime, allowing the founder to see the arrangement in operation and make adjustments where necessary. It also offers greater confidentiality while ensuring that assets are administered according to clearly documented intentions, well before any dispute has the chance to take root.

The role of the trustee is particularly important during periods of transition. Acting in a fiduciary capacity, the trustee remains impartial and administers the trust strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Trust Deed. This neutrality helps preserve business continuity, minimise disputes and ensure that leadership and ownership transitions take place in an orderly and transparent manner. Every trust is unique because each founder’s objectives are different, making it possible to create arrangements which align with the specific needs of the business, the family and future generations.

Encouragingly, we are seeing more Nigerian entrepreneurs embrace succession planning as a strategic priority rather than an end-of-life discussion. Increased awareness of corporate governance, the emergence of multi-generational family businesses and the experiences of enterprises that have struggled following the loss of their founders are prompting business owners to think differently about continuity. More conversations are now centred not simply on who will inherit a business, but on how that business can continue to grow, create value and remain relevant for decades to come while preserving the legacy of its founder.

Succession planning should never be regarded as a one-time exercise. As businesses evolve through expansion, restructuring, acquisitions or other significant corporate actions, succession arrangements should be reviewed to ensure they remain aligned with the organisation’s strategic direction and the founder’s objectives.

Ultimately, succession planning is not about replacing a founder. It is about preserving a vision, protecting enterprise value and creating the structures that allow a business to outlive the individual who established it. A truly successful business is one that continues to prosper, inspire confidence and create opportunities long after its founder is no longer in the picture. That is the hallmark of an enduring legacy, and every business owner has the opportunity to begin building that legacy today.

Business owners who want to start this conversation, whether about governance, trust structures or a broader succession framework, are welcome to reach out to our team at CardinalStone Trustees via trustees@cardinalstone.com

Lagos State has stepped up its push to attract climate finance and private-sector investment, with Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu calling for stronger partnerships and greater access to affordable, long-term funding for sub-national governments.

Sanwo-Olu made the call while addressing Heads of State and Government at the United Nations high-level meeting on Climate Action and the Just Transition during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The governor, who addressed the meeting as a representative of the Under2 Coalition, said states and regions are increasingly responsible for translating climate commitments into physical infrastructure and economic opportunities, but often lack access to the capital required to execute projects at scale.

‘For Lagos, climate action is about turning ambition into opportunity: protecting our people, strengthening our economy and building a more resilient and prosperous state for generations to come,’ Sanwo-Olu said.

He identified cleaner transportation, waste management, recycling, circular-economy initiatives and clean energy as areas where climate action could generate economic value while addressing the environmental pressures created by Lagos’ rapid urbanisation.

Lagos generates more than 5,000 tonnes of solid waste daily, according to the state government, creating potential investment opportunities across waste recovery, recycling, resource efficiency and clean-energy value chains.

‘These are not abstract climate policies. These are decisions that can create jobs, improve services, strengthen resilience and make everyday life better for millions of people,’ he noted.

Lagos seeks climate investment

A major focus of the Governor’s intervention was the financing gap confronting subnational governments seeking to implement climate and infrastructure projects.

Sanwo-Olu called on development finance institutions, investors and private-sector players to increase their participation in climate-related projects in emerging markets, arguing that the investment opportunity is substantial.

‘States and regions need access to affordable, long-term finance that can help turn strong plans into infrastructure on the ground,’ he said.

‘Our message from Lagos is simple: states, regions and subnational governments are ready to deliver. We have ambition. We have the responsibility. And increasingly, we have the solutions. Now we need to build the partnerships and mobilise the investment that will allow us to deliver them at scale.’

The governor’s intervention was made alongside California Governor Gavin Newsom, with Lagos using its membership of the Under2 Coalition to deepen international partnerships and exchange practical approaches to climate action.

Building a climate investment pipeline

Lagos is now seeking to move beyond policy commitments by developing mechanisms to connect its climate priorities with investors and sources of capital.

Through the Office of Climate Change and Circular Economy (OCCE), led by Special Adviser to the Governor, Titilayo Oshodi, the state is working to translate its State-Determined Contributions framework into investable projects.

‘The SDC Framework gives us the policy direction, but policy ambition alone does not move capital,’ Oshodi said.

‘Our focus now is on building the bridge between climate ambition and investment – developing investable opportunities, strengthening the data and measurement systems around them and creating pathways for investors, financial institutions, development finance institutions and businesses to participate.’

The state is also developing a Lagos Climate Finance and Investment Platform, which is expected to link climate priorities with capital, technology and implementation partners.

The platform will focus on areas including climate finance, deal-making, Article 6 and climate assets, digital measurement and verification, as well as international partnerships.

For Lagos, the strategy represents an attempt to position climate action not only as an environmental programme but also as a potential source of infrastructure financing, private investment, technology transfer and employment.

The state plans to further showcase its investment proposition at COP31 in Antalya, Trkiye, where it intends to engage investors, development finance institutions, financial institutions, project developers and technology companies.

The broader objective is to convert Lagos’ climate commitments into a pipeline of bankable projects capable of attracting domestic and international capital while supporting the state’s long-term economic and infrastructure development.

Chelsea Football Club have been charged by the Football Association (FA) over alleged discriminatory conduct by fans during their Premier League win over Fulham in August.

If found guilty, the Blues could face disciplinary action from the Football Association.

The FA said Chelsea were charged with breaching Rule E21 over alleged conduct by spectators during the ninth minute of the 3-2 at Craven Cottage on August 24.

According to the FA, Chelsea allegedly failed to ensure that their spectators and supporters did not behave in an ‘improper, offensive, abusive or insulting’ manner.

The governing body further alleged that the conduct was discriminatory because it included a reference, either express or implied, to religion or belief.

The charge follows Chelsea’s own acknowledgement of concerns raised after the match. The club wrote to supporters following the victory, saying it had received ‘multiple reports of sectarian chanting from a small portion’ of its fans.

Chelsea said it did not condone discriminatory chanting and warned that supporters found responsible would face ‘the strongest possible action’.

The FA’s disciplinary process could now result in a financial penalty or other sanctions if the charge is proven, depending on the circumstances and the findings of the relevant disciplinary panel.

The case adds another disciplinary issue for Chelsea to manage as the club seeks to maintain its conduct standards both inside and outside the stadium.

Chelsea are currently 10th in the Premier League with seven points after five matches.

Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), says he will lead the campaign for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in Abuja and Rivers State ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Wike disclosed this on Friday while inspecting the ongoing construction of the second phase of the Kuje-Gwagwalada road dualisation project in Chikuku, Abuja.

He said he would soon inaugurate campaign teams in the FCT and Rivers State, adding that supporters of Tinubu from different political platforms were already preparing for the election.

‘The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is putting itself together for an aggressive campaign,’ Wike said. ‘For us who are supporting Mr President from different political platforms, we have put our machinery ready to fully kickstart.’

The minister said the government’s infrastructure projects in the FCT would help build public support for Tinubu’s administration.

According to him, residents would judge the administration by the roads and other projects being delivered, rather than claims of electoral malpractice.

‘People are happy, and I don’t know who will contest against Mr President as far as this election is concerned,’ Wike said.

He also expressed confidence that Tinubu would receive support in the FCT, including for Senator Philip Aduda and candidates seeking election to the two House of Representatives seats in the territory.

Wike said the projects being delivered in the FCT would make allegations of election rigging difficult to sustain.

‘The ‘rigging’ is the projects we are delivering, making the people happy,’ he said.

On the Kuje-Gwagwalada road project, Wike commended the contractor and engineers for the progress made so far. He said funding would be provided to ensure the project is completed by December.

The minister said the high population around the project area showed the importance of completing the road and providing better infrastructure for residents.

He added that delivering functional infrastructure was central to good governance because it improves the lives of residents and increases public satisfaction.

Wike also thanked Tinubu for supporting capital projects in the FCT.

Ghana’s reserves hit 12-month low despite strong gold exports

Ghana’s gross international reserves fell to $11.07 billion in August, their lowest level in 12 months, despite strong gold export earnings. Data from the Bank of Ghana show reserves dropped by about $1.9 billion between June and August, from $12.94 billion to $11.07 billion, and are now about $3.09 billion below their level at the end of the first quarter. Import cover has also fallen to 4.2 months from 5.7 months at the start of the year.

The central bank said rising foreign exchange demand towards the end of the year, a projected current account deficit and a pause in gold exports by the Ghana Gold Board could put further pressure on the country’s external position. Governor Johnson Asiama said rebuilding reserves would be a key priority in the coming months.

Why it matters: Lower reserves reduce Ghana’s foreign exchange buffer and could make it harder for the central bank to respond to currency or external payment pressures if dollar demand rises.

Kenyan banking giants lose market share as mid-sized lenders gain ground

Kenya’s largest banks lost market share in 2025 as mid-sized lenders expanded their assets, deposits, capital and profits. According to the Central Bank of Kenya’s latest Bank Supervision Annual Report, the combined market share of large banks fell to 69.7 percent in December 2025 from 75.6 percent a year earlier, while mid-sized banks increased their share to 23.2 percent from 16.7 percent.

Mid-sized banks’ combined assets rose from KSh1.24 trillion to KSh1.84 trillion, while deposits increased to KSh1.39 trillion. Their combined profit before tax more than doubled to KSh58 billion, compared with KSh27 billion a year earlier. Kenya’s overall banking sector also expanded, with total assets rising 10.3 percent to KSh8.35 trillion.

Why it matters: The shift gives smaller lenders a larger role in Kenya’s banking market and shows that competition is increasingly extending beyond the country’s traditional banking giants.

Zambia’s inflation falls to eight-year low, raising rate cut hopes

Zambia’s annual inflation rate fell to 6.1 percent in September from 6.2 percent in August, reaching its lowest level since February 2018. The decline extended the disinflation trend to nine consecutive months, with food inflation easing to 5.8 percent while non-food inflation remained at 6.6 percent.

The moderation strengthens expectations that the Bank of Zambia could cut its policy rate for a fourth time this year. However, temporary tax measures, including fuel tax suspension and zero rating of VAT, are due to expire on September 30, while monthly inflation accelerated to 0.4 percent from 0.2 percent in August.

Why it matters: Continued disinflation gives Zambia more room to lower borrowing costs and support economic activity, although the end of temporary tax measures could put renewed pressure on prices.

South Africa raises repo rate to 7.25% as inflation risks return

The South African Reserve Bank raised its policy rate by 25 basis points to 7.25 percent, its first increase since May, as higher fuel prices and a weaker global economic outlook raised inflation risks. The unanimous decision came after headline inflation rose to 4.4 percent in August from 4.3 percent in July.

The SARB now expects inflation to rise above five percent later this year and in early 2027 before easing. It raised its 2026 inflation forecast to 4.4 percent from four percent, while cutting its economic growth forecast to 1.2 percent from 1.4 percent.

Why it matters: South Africa is tightening policy even as growth remains weak, creating a difficult balance between containing imported energy inflation and avoiding further pressure on household spending and business investment.

Ghana holds policy rate at 14% as global tensions threaten inflation

The Bank of Ghana kept its key policy rate at 14 percent for a third consecutive meeting, as global conflicts and supply chain disruptions create new risks to inflation. The decision was unanimous and came after inflation increased to five percent in August from 4.6 percent in July, although it remains below the lower end of the central bank’s target band.

Governor Johnson Asiama said exchange rate stability has helped contain imported inflation, while borrowing costs have continued to ease. Average bank lending rates declined by 15.9 percent and private sector credit growth recovered, while the banking sector remained solvent, profitable and liquid.

Why it matters: Ghana’s rate pause supports cheaper credit and economic activity, but rising oil prices, geopolitical tensions and supply disruptions could make it harder to sustain the country’s recent inflation gains.

Nigeria’s digital health sector is expanding as technology increasingly changes how patients access medical services. The market is projected to exceed ?180 billion by the end of 2026, with a growing number of telemedicine platforms connecting patients with healthcare professionals across the country. One emerging area of demand is among Nigerians living abroad who need to coordinate healthcare for parents, relatives, and other loved ones at home.

VigorCare, operated by Vigor Medical Services Limited, is among the platforms seeking to address this challenge. Its healthcare coordination model connects patients and their sponsors through the VigorCare app, while doctors, nurses and specialists use the VigorProvider app to deliver care. The platform offers teleconsultations, triage support, access to a network of healthcare providers and digital payment services to make healthcare coordination more accessible for families managing care across borders.

As telemedicine adoption grows and demand for diaspora-focused healthcare services increases, BusinessDay’s Oluwafemi Mayowa Olusola spoke with Ronke Fakorede, Director at VigorCare, about how telemedicine works in practice, the healthcare challenges faced by Nigerians supporting relatives from abroad, and the opportunities and limitations of technology-enabled healthcare delivery. In this interview, she explains VigorCare’s approach, how patients and healthcare providers interact through the platform, and what the growth of telemedicine could mean for Nigerian families at home and abroad. Excerpts…

‘A digital record can make the process easier to follow by showing information such as whether a scheduled consultation took place and whether further action was recommended. Where a patient chooses to share relevant information with a sponsor, this can also help the person supporting the care understand what has been done and what may be required next.’

What exactly is VigorCare?

VigorCare is a healthcare coordination platform designed to help patients and the people supporting their care manage consultations, payments, and follow-up remotely. It is particularly relevant to families where the person arranging or paying for care may not be in the same location as the patient. The platform has two connected applications: VigorCare for patients and sponsors, and VigorProvider for doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals. Depending on the service required, users can access teleconsultations, triage, healthcare providers and payment services through the platform.

What does ‘telemedicine’ actually mean?

Telemedicine refers to providing certain healthcare services remotely, usually through a telephone or video consultation rather than a physical appointment. It can allow a healthcare professional to assess a patient’s reported symptoms, provide advice, discuss an existing condition, or determine whether the person needs further examination. It is useful in situations where a physical consultation may not be necessary, but it does not eliminate the need for in-person care when that is clinically required.

Is telemedicine meant to replace hospitals and clinics?

No. Telemedicine complements rather than replaces physical healthcare services. It can be useful for consultations, follow-up appointments, some chronic-care management, and initial guidance, but some situations require a physical examination, diagnostic tests or immediate treatment. Symptoms such as severe chest pain, difficulty breathing, uncontrolled bleeding or possible signs of stroke require urgent in-person medical attention. Telemedicine should not be used as a substitute for emergency care.

Who is VigorCare actually for?

It is intended for patients who need access to healthcare services and for people who help organise or finance their care. This can include Nigerians living abroad who support parents or relatives in Nigeria, as well as people within Nigeria who are helping family members in another city or state. Healthcare professionals are another part of the platform, using VigorProvider to participate in consultations and provide care within the services available.

How does a consultation on VigorCare actually work?

The patient completes the relevant triage information and books a consultation through the VigorCare platform. The patient can then connect with a healthcare professional through a video or voice consultation, depending on the service available. Following the consultation, the healthcare professional may provide advice, recommend follow-up care, issue a prescription where appropriate, request further tests, or recommend an in-person visit. The relevant information is recorded on the platform so that the patient has a record of the consultation and any recommended next steps.

Why does that record matter?

For families supporting healthcare from a distance, knowing what happened after money was sent for treatment can sometimes be difficult. A digital record can make the process easier to follow by showing information such as whether a scheduled consultation took place and whether further action was recommended. Where a patient chooses to share relevant information with a sponsor, this can also help the person supporting the care understand what has been done and what may be required next.

When should someone choose a video consultation instead of going to a hospital?

A virtual consultation can be useful for follow-up discussions, some aspects of chronic-condition management, seeking another medical opinion, or discussing symptoms before deciding whether further care is necessary. It can also be useful when distance makes an initial consultation difficult. However, it is not appropriate for emergencies or situations where a physical examination or immediate intervention is necessary. VigorCare is not an emergency medical service.

How are the doctors and providers on VigorCare verified?

Healthcare professionals who provide services through the platform go through a verification process before joining the provider network. The purpose is to establish that providers meet the relevant professional and licensing requirements. Patients should still understand that a telemedicine platform does not remove the normal limitations of remote medical consultations, particularly where a diagnosis requires physical examination or testing.

What happens to a patient’s medical information? Is it private?

Patient information is used in connection with the healthcare services being provided and should be handled in accordance with applicable privacy and healthcare requirements. Information shared with a sponsor is subject to the patient’s consent and the permissions applicable to the service. A sponsor supporting a patient’s healthcare should not be assumed to have unrestricted access to that person’s medical information.

Can a sponsor abroad pay for care directly through VigorCare?

Yes. Where the relevant payment service is available, a sponsor can pay for healthcare services through the platform. This allows the payment and the related healthcare activity to be connected within the same digital process, rather than requiring the sponsor to arrange every part of the transaction separately. The specific services available may depend on the type of care being requested.

What can’t VigorCare do yet?

VigorCare does not replace hospitals, laboratories, pharmacies, or emergency medical services. It is primarily a coordination and access platform, so there are limits to what can be done remotely. A patient may still need to visit a hospital, undergo diagnostic testing, or receive treatment in person. Services that are not currently available on the platform should not be assumed to be part of its offering.

How does someone get started with VigorCare?

Patients and sponsors can access the VigorCare application, while healthcare professionals use the VigorProvider application. Both applications are available through the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Users can then register and select the services relevant to their healthcare or provider needs.

A company adds customers by the day. Revenue climbs. The team hires and hires again. Then, without warning, everything slows. Deadlines slip. Customers leave. Staff quit. The founders ask what happened. The answer stands in view already: growth arrived, but structure never did.

This pattern repeats across industries. CB Insights found that running out of cash accounts for 38% of startup failures, and a lack of structure inside teams often drives that shortfall. McKinsey has tracked change efforts for decades and reports that around 70% fail to reach their goals, a figure that holds steady across sectors and company sizes. Harvard Business Review has documented that companies that grow headcount by more than 40% within twelve months face a much higher chance of breakdown within two years. These figures point to one conclusion: expansion without a framework behind it tends to fail, not succeed.

The cracks that open first

Growth exposes weakness before it rewards effort. A business without structure tends to show the same signs:

? Decisions pile up on one person, because no one else holds authority to make them.

? Communication breaks into fragments, so departments duplicate work or contradict each other.

? Onboarding disappears, and new hires learn their roles through guesswork.

? Errors reach customers, because no process exists to catch them first.

? People stop trusting a system that changes by the week, and culture erodes with it.

Why founders resist structure

Many leaders treat structure as a threat to speed. They built a company on instinct and momentum, and they fear that rules will slow both down. This fear misses the point. Structure does not replace judgement; it protects it. Without structure, judgement gets spent on problems that a system should catch on its own. A founder who reviews every invoice, every hire, every complaint has no capacity left to think about direction. Structure hands that capacity back.

There is a second reason founders resist structure, one they rarely say aloud: structure forces a founder to admit that the company has outgrown them. In the early days, one person can hold the whole business in their head. They know every customer, every supplier, every line of code. Structure means handing pieces of that knowledge to other people, and trusting them with it. That handover feels like a loss of control, even though it is the only path towards a company that can outlast its founder. Businesses that skip this step often stay dependent on one person long after that dependence stops serving anyone.

What structure actually looks like

Structure does not mean bureaucracy. It means clarity. A company with structure can answer, without hesitation, who owns which decision, how information moves between teams, and what happens when something goes wrong.

? Ownership sits with one person per function, not spread across several desks.

? Recurring work follows a written path, so it survives staff turnover.

? Teams review results on a schedule, not only after a failure.

? Hiring and expansion follow capacity, not ambition alone.

The cost of waiting

Leaders often delay structure until a crisis forces their hand. By then, the cost has multiplied. Staff have left. Customers have moved to competitors. Trust, once lost, returns slowly if at all. Building structure early costs time and discomfort. Building it late costs the company itself.

A crisis-driven structure also arrives with a different tone. Instead of a framework built to support people, it becomes a set of rules imposed to prevent the last disaster from repeating. Staff feel punished rather than supported, and morale drops further at the exact moment a company needs its people most. Structure built ahead of trouble reads as care. Structure built after trouble reads as control. The same policies, introduced at different points, land in opposite ways.

A choice, not a constraint

Structure asks a question that ambition often skips: what happens when this works? Growth without an answer becomes growth without a floor. The company rises until something gives way, and nothing catches it. The founders who last are not the ones who grew fastest. They are the ones who built a floor before they built height.

Growth remains the goal. But growth without structure carries its own end inside it. The choice is not between growth and structure. It is between structure now, on your own terms, or structure later, forced by collapse.

No company gets structure right on the first attempt, and none should wait for a perfect version before they start. A single owner assigned to each decision, one process written down this week, one review scheduled for next month: each step moves a company away from the edge. The work never finishes, because growth keeps changing what structure needs to hold. That is not a flaw in the idea. It is the reason structure matters at every stage, not only at the start.

.Ochugbua is a results-driven media and marketing leader with 17+ years of experience, including 12 in the media industry. As Digital Sales Manager at BusinessDay Media, she drives digital revenue growth, leads high-performing teams, and delivers innovative advertising solutions. A certified APCON member and award-winning professional, Linda is passionate about mentorship, storytelling, and building transformative platforms in Africa’s media space.

Global 6G connections are projected to reach 2.4 billion by 2035, marking a rapid expansion of the next-generation mobile technology after commercial launches begin around the end of the decade, according to GSMA Intelligence.

The research arm of the GSMA expects 6G connections to rise from about 50 million at the end of 2030 to 275 million in 2031 and nearly 740 million in 2032, as operators and technology companies build out the ecosystem around the new standard.

The forecast indicates that 6G will cross the one-billion connection mark in 2033, reaching about 1.3 billion connections by the end of that year. Connections are then expected to rise to 1.9 billion in 2034 before reaching 2.4 billion in 2035.

GSMA Intelligence expects 6G to account for about 0.5 percent of global mobile connections by the end of 2030, reflecting an initial period of limited commercial deployment before adoption accelerates.

The growth is expected to occur in two distinct phases. Between 2030 and 2032, 6G deployment will be driven mainly by initial commercial launches and ecosystem development. From 2033, GSMA Intelligence expects the technology to move into global-scale operations as device availability, network coverage and supporting infrastructure expand.

Despite the rapid growth, 6G is not expected to immediately displace existing mobile technologies.

GSMA Intelligence forecasts that 5G will still account for around 60 percent of global mobile connections in 2035, compared with 23 percent for 6G. This points to a prolonged period in which operators will manage multiple generations of mobile technology rather than move customers wholesale from 5G to 6G.

Matthew Iji, head of data modelling and forecasting at GSMA Intelligence, said the 2035 projection should be viewed as a milestone in the development of 6G rather than its final destination.

By 2035, he said, 6G will have become firmly established in the global mobile technology mix while 5G remains the larger technology base and 4G continues to serve many markets.

‘This coexistence is likely to be one of the defining characteristics of the early 6G era,’ Iji said.

China is expected to have a particularly significant influence on global 6G adoption because of the size of its mobile market.

GSMA Intelligence forecasts that China will account for more than half of global 6G connections by 2035. It also expects several other leading mobile markets to have around half of their connections running on 6G by the middle of the decade.

The forecast suggests that the transition to 6G will therefore be less about replacing 5G outright and more about adding another layer to an increasingly multi-generation mobile ecosystem.

For operators, the prolonged coexistence of 4G, 5G and 6G is likely to require continued investment across network infrastructure, spectrum, devices and supporting technologies as adoption develops at different speeds across markets.

The projected 2.4 billion connections would represent a substantial expansion from the estimated 50 million connections expected during the first year of commercial 6G deployment, underscoring the anticipated acceleration once the technology moves beyond its initial launch phase.