Category: Business Day

The Nigerian Copyright Commission (the ‘Commission’) once issued a strong warning to Disc Jockeys (DJs) in the country, advising them against playing music in public without authorization from the lawful owner of the music. As reported by The Nation, a local Nigerian Newspaper, on June 13, 2025, DJs who play music without obtaining license from the Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria (‘MCSN’) are liable to a fine of not less than N1,000,000 (One million Naira) or imprisonment for a term of not less than 5 (five) years or to both. The Commission also noted that the public performance of music by DJs whether at hotels, event centres, clubs, gardens, or recreational facilities qualifies both as public performance and communication to the public under the Copyright Act. Therefore, DJs and venue operators must ensure they have the proper authorization to avoid infringing copyright laws.

The Commission acknowledged that the Deejays Association of Nigeria (‘DJAN’), the umbrella organization that represents Deejays across the country, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (‘MoU’) with the MCSN to work closely with MCSN to facilitate the collection and payment of royalties on behalf of Deejays. The royalties are based on a tariff structure negotiated between DJAN and MCSN, ensuring that Deejays comply with copyright laws. This partnership formalizes their collaboration on management of copyright-related matters while ensuring fair compensation of rights holders.

While the Statement by the Commission is a step in the right direction with regard to enforcement of copyright in music, it invites an obvious question: what protection is afforded copyright owners when their music is played in venues such as Supermarkets, Restaurants, Airports, Gymnasiums, Official lobbies, receptions or elevators, which do not involve a DJ? This Article advocates the extension of the enforcement of public performance licence beyond DJ performances to the use of music in public venues where DJs may not be involved. This will involve a collaboration between the Commission, the MCSN and other stakeholder groups to ensure easy issuance of blanket licences to those venues, public knowledge of the applicable tariff structure, easy payment and licencing process.

The concept of public performance licensing is built on the principle that Artistes should be compensated when their music is played in venues or contexts where they may neither be present nor be aware of. Sections 9 and 12 of the Copyright Act 2022 (‘Copyright Act’) vest owners of copyright in musical works or sound recordings respectively, with the exclusive rights, among other rights, to perform or communicate the work to the public. Section 15 recognises the right of performers and record producers to fair and equitable remuneration whenever their sound recording is published for commercial purposes. A public performance license secures economic compensation for musical creators whenever their works are published in public or commercial contexts. It prevents the economic dilution of the monopoly granted under copyright, as creators would otherwise lose revenue stream from the related work entirely once a copy was sold or a work was published, undermining the incentive-to-create rationale that anchors copyright law generally. It also ensures that businesses (such as pubs, radio stations, gyms, retailers) that use music to attract customers or enhance their commercial offering compensate the creator rather than extracting value for free.

Any exercise of the rights vested exclusively on a copyright owner under sections 9 and 12 without that owner’s explicit authorization is considered an infringement under the law. Under section 36(1)(g), copyright is infringed by any person who, without the owner’s authorization, ‘performs or causes to be performed for the purposes of trade or business or the promotion of a trade or business, any work in which copyright subsists.’ Section 36(1)(e) provides that copyright is infringed by a person who permits a place of public entertainment or of business to be used for a public performance. Such infringement can lead to serious consequences, as outlined in section 44(7). Upon conviction, offenders may face a fine of no less than N1,000,000 (One Million Naira) imprisonment for a minimum of five years, or both penalties combined.

Nothing in this provision conditions liability on the presence of a DJ. A supermarket that plays music in its venue for twelve trading hours a day is exercising the same exclusive right as a nightclub and would most likely be doing so for a considerably longer time. The supermarket deploys music to shape mood, extend dwell time, and increase basket size. It is a promotional instrument and therefore falls within ‘the purposes of trade or business or the promotion of a trade or business’ language of section 36(1)(g). Under section 36(1)(e), liability attaches to the venue independently of the performer. This means that event centres and hospitality operators cannot displace responsibility onto the DJs they engage.

When a supermarket plays music during its trading hours, every day of the week; when a gymnasium’s sound system runs from its opening to closing; when an airport terminal and a hotel lobby operate around the clock; the aggregated volume of unlicensed public performance in these venues without DJ involvement and across Nigeria’s retail, hospitality, aviation, fitness, healthcare, and commercial real estate sectors, they almost certainly exceed that of the nightlife economy by a wide margin.

These venues use music to influence consumer mood, pace of movement and perceived wait times and spending. All of these are commercial usage. A venue that uses music in this manner is extracting measurable commercial value from a copyright work. Where value is extracted, then the first stated objective of the Copyrights Act, which is to ‘protect the rights of authors to ensure just rewards and recognition for their intellectual efforts’ – (Section 1(a) – is triggered and the rights owner is entitled to share in the value so extracted. Further, venues are administratively easier to license than DJs, as venues (unlike most DJs) are fixed, registered with corporate and state authorities and physically inspectable. Thus, licensing the venues will be cheaper to administer and will be easier to verify. Extending the enforcement net to include these venues will result in wider compliance, thus reducing the incidence of unauthorised use of music and ensure higher compensation for the affected right holder. These are all aligned with the stated objectives of the Copyright Act.

The Statement by the NCC is laudable in that it emphasizes the importance of protection of copyright in music by obtaining the license for the use of the music. It is also commendable that the Commission not only creates awareness of the penalties but also directs the public to the lawfully authorized body in charge of issuing blanket licenses and remitting public performance royalties to the owners of the music sought to be utilized or already in use.

While the Statement directs DJs and venue operators to ensure that they have the proper authorization to avoid infringing copyright laws, its emphasis on DJs provides a lopsided message on enforcement of public performance licences. It is recommended that the Commission should also issue another statement directed at commercial premises, expressly naming the categories covered: supermarkets and retail chains, restaurants and quick-service outlets, hotels and serviced apartments, gymnasiums and fitness centres, airports and transport terminals, and shopping malls. This will discharge the Commission’s duty under section 78(1)(d) and materially narrow the ‘reasonable ground to suspect’ defence provided venue operators under section 36(1)(e). A well-publicised awareness campaign directed at venue operators in the form of a public notice educating them on the statutory provisions on the public use of music and drawing attention to MCSN’s role and its tariffs would substantially erode that defence.

In addition to the foregoing, the MCSN, being the authorised Collective Management Organisation (‘CMO’) in Nigeria, must significantly improve the performance its role in public performance licencing beyond current level of merely issuing blanket licenses to venues which by the nature of their businesses, regularly play Artist’s music within their vicinity. MSCN should design a simple blanket licence that covers the entire repertoire for a defined premises, priced against objective and independently verifiable criteria such as floor area, seating capacity, number of guest rooms, registered membership, trading hours, or staff headcount. This will remove discretion, and thereby negotiation cost and the suspicion of arbitrariness.

In addition, MCSN should make publicly available, in a single accessible location, the full terms of its blanket licence: the repertoire covered and any exclusions, the banding criteria on which fees are assessed, the fee payable in each band, the licence period and renewal terms, the treatment of temporary or seasonal use, and the consequences of late payment. MCSN’s current practice of throwing figures at applicant without providing any information about how the figures were obtained must stop. It does not portray the organisation in any favourable light.

Also, MCSN should further simplify the licensing process by adopting a self-service digital licensing platform. A prospective licensee should be able to obtain an instant quotation online, pay by bank transfer or USSD, and receive an automatically generated certificate. Furthermore, it should introduce a visible compliance mark, which when displayed in a visible place on the venue, makes compliance socially legible, allows inspection to be easily conducted, and creates peer pressure among neighbouring businesses. This will convert an invisible obligation into a visible norm.

Industry stakeholder organisations should also take steps to replicate the DJAN model. The DJAN-MCSN Memorandum of Understanding demonstrates that sector-level negotiation produces workable tariffs at low transaction cost. It is suggested that similar agreements should be pursued with associations representing owners and operators in the hotel and hospitality, restaurant and quick-service chains, retail and shopping mall, fitness industries and sectors involved in the public use of music. Associations negotiating collectively secure better terms than members negotiating individually, and give the CMO a scalable distribution channel. The Commission should take step to facilitate the necessary engagements. Also, in view of the envisaged increase in enforcement and attendant liability, mall operators and landlords should start including music licence warranties in tenancy agreements. Event centres should require proof of licence from engaged DJs and performers, or preferably hold a venue licence covering all performances on the premises.

The enforcement of copyright protections in music, as emphasized by the Commission and supported by the collaboration between DJAN and MCSN, represents a crucial step toward ensuring artists receive fair compensation for the public use of their work. However, to fully safeguard Artists’ rights, it is essential that public performance licensing extends beyond DJs to include all venues that regularly play music. While the Commission’s Statement is a laudable step in the right direction, it only addressed the most visible users of music rather than the most numerous, and the least well-resourced rather than the best able to pay.

The Copyright Act already provides the framework for a fair, effective system that respects and protects artists’ copyrights across all public spaces where their music is enjoyed. It is now left to relevant stakeholders, led by the Commission, to take steps to implement the framework evenly, and adopt an administrative design to make compliance easier than evasion. The measure of a functioning public performance regime is not the number of prosecutions it secures. It is the number of venues that were never needed to be prosecuted, because obtaining a licence was straightforward, the tariff was published and fair, and the artist whose work is used was paid a fair compensation for the use of his work.

The Grey Matter Concept is an initiative of the law firm, Banwo and Ighodalo.

DISCLAIMER: This article is only intended to provide general information on the subject matter and does not by itself create a client/attorney relationship between readers and our Law Firm or serve as legal advice. We are available to provide specialist legal advice on the readers’ specific circumstances when they arise.

President Bola Tinubu’s decision to extend his working vacation in Europe by a few days, while Vice-President Kashim Shettima represents Nigeria at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, has intensified debate over the President’s repeated absence from the annual gathering.

The Presidency announced on Monday that Tinubu, who departed Nigeria on August 30 for a working vacation in London before moving to Paris, would return to Nigeria at the weekend. Shettima, who left Abuja on September 20, is leading Nigeria’s delegation to the UNGA and will deliver the country’s national statement.

The development means Tinubu will not personally attend the 81st UNGA, making this his third consecutive absence from the high-level gathering after Shettima represented him in 2024 and 2025.

Is Tinubu afraid that he could become the next Nicolás Maduro? – Atiku

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has demanded an explanation for Tinubu’s repeated absence, arguing that three consecutive years can no longer be treated as a routine delegation arrangement.

Atiku, in a statement on Sunday, said the UNGA provides presidents with a unique opportunity to defend their countries’ interests, negotiate partnerships, court investors and engage directly with other world leaders.

‘A seat was reportedly secured for Bola near United States President Donald Trump at the world’s most important annual diplomatic gathering. Yet, for the third consecutive year, Tinubu refused to occupy it,’ Atiku said.

He questioned whether Tinubu’s history with US authorities had become a burden on Nigeria’s foreign relations and asked: ‘Is Tinubu afraid that he could become the next Nicolás Maduro?’

Maduro, former Venezuelan president, was abducted from his country by the US military early January over narcotics allegations.

Atiku’s comments have effectively linked the president’s repeated absence to the unresolved political controversy surrounding a 1993 US civil asset-forfeiture case involving funds held in an account in Tinubu’s name.

US court records show that the United States filed a civil forfeiture action in 1993 over funds in accounts associated with Tinubu and others. A settlement resulted in $460,000 being forfeited to the US government. The case was a civil forfeiture proceeding rather than a criminal prosecution, and Tinubu was not convicted of a drug offence in the case, the presidency has maintained.

The matter has nevertheless resurfaced in the political contest ahead of the 2027 election.

A Washington lobbying firm working for Atiku has submitted historical US Department of Justice records relating to the case to members of the Trump administration and Congress, seeking to put the issue back into the US political conversation.

The Presidency has described the renewed attention to the case and suggestions that it influenced Tinubu’s UNGA decision as irresponsible and baseless. It has maintained that the decades-old matter carries no criminal weight.

A diplomatic opportunity lost?

For Nigeria, the controversy goes beyond the President’s personal attendance.

UNGA is one of the few occasions when virtually all world leaders converge in one city, creating opportunities for bilateral meetings, investment discussions, security diplomacy and negotiations with international institutions.

Nigeria is currently seeking greater international cooperation against terrorism, more foreign investment and stronger support for its economic reforms.

It is also attempting to manage its relationship with Washington after a period of heightened tension over religious violence and terrorism.

The two countries have deepened security cooperation, including intelligence sharing and collaboration against terrorist groups in Nigeria and the Lake Chad region.

Tinubu’s administration has also invested heavily in shaping Nigeria’s image in Washington. The Federal Government reportedly engaged DCI Group for $9 million annually to communicate Nigeria’s position on religious freedom and counterterrorism to US policymakers.

The administration’s diplomatic outreach has included First Lady Remi Tinubu’s appearance at the US National Prayer Breakfast earlier this year, where Trump publicly recognised her. Trump has also subsequently praised Tinubu’s leadership in addressing Nigeria’s security challenges.

Against this backdrop, critics argue that Tinubu’s personal presence at UNGA would have offered an important platform to reinforce those diplomatic gains.

But supporters of the President have dismissed the criticism.

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State governor, speaking from New York, said there was ‘nothing to worry about’ because Nigeria would be adequately represented.

Tony Elumelu, chairman of Heirs Holdings, also offered a different perspective, arguing that leaders have to prioritise where their presence is most valuable. He noted that leaders could reasonably choose to devote time to domestic problems such as poverty and infrastructure deficits rather than attend every international gathering.

Jimoh Ibrahim, Nigeria’s permanent representative to the UN, similarly said Nigeria would be adequately represented, noting that many countries were represented by vice-presidents or foreign ministers.

Tinubu working remotely – Presidency

The Presidency has also stressed that Tinubu has remained engaged with affairs at home despite being abroad.

According to the State House, he ordered an independent investigation into the deaths of 37 illegal miners in Minna and continued directing government business. The President also held meetings in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron and businessman Vincent Bolloré during the vacation.

Still, the timing of the extended vacation has added another layer to the debate.

With his return now scheduled for the weekend, Tinubu will remain abroad while the UNGA high-level session takes place in New York.

For his supporters, the arrangement demonstrates that the constitutional structure works: the President can delegate and the Vice-President can represent Nigeria.

For his critics, the third consecutive absence is becoming a pattern that deserves explanation, particularly as Nigeria seeks to project confidence and influence internationally.

The competing interpretations leave Nigeria with a broader diplomatic question: whether presidential presence at UNGA is primarily symbolic or an important instrument of foreign policy.

For now, Shettima has the task of carrying Nigeria’s message to the world. Tinubu, meanwhile, will return to a country already deep in the political preparations for 2027, with the controversy over his repeated absence from one of the world’s most consequential diplomatic gatherings likely to follow him home.

Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State has approved a new salary structure for academic staff of the four state-owned universities effective from August 2026, while that of non-academic staff and other tertiary institutions would take effect from September.

Governor Oborevwori stated this in Asaba while speaking at the swearing-in of Emasogbe Oghene, the newly appointed Auditor-General of the State, and the inauguration of the Governing Councils of the University of Delta, Agbor; Dennis Osadebay University, Asaba; and Southern Delta University, Ozoro.

He said the four state-owned universities now offer professional courses including medicine, law, nursing and accounting, adding that student enrolment had risen from about 50,000 in 2023 to more than 100,000 in 2026. The enrolment figure has also been reported by the state government in recent education-sector briefings.

He further noted that the academic calendar of the universities had not been disrupted by staff strikes or student unrest in 17 years, describing the development as evidence of the state government’s commitment to stable academic activities.

He described the State as an emerging education hub in Nigeria, saying his administration is committed to repositioning the state-owned universities as centres of excellence and charged the newly inaugurated councils to pursue policies that would strengthen corporate governance, improve institutional efficiency and position the universities for sustainable growth.

He said the Councils, as the highest policy-making bodies of the institutions, must ensure regular meetings, collective responsibility, transparency and accountability, while ensuring that the universities operate strictly in accordance with their enabling laws.

Governor Oborevwori also tasked the Councils to maintain zero tolerance for sexual harassment, examination malpractice, cultism, favouritism and corruption, urging them to apply disciplinary measures whenever rules were breached.

Saying that the State Government would continue to support tertiary education within the limits of available resources, he noted; ‘It is unrealistic and unsustainable for a university to rely solely on government funding’.

While urging the Councils to devote substantial time and resources to marketing their institutions and attracting private-sector investments, he said his administration had continued to invest heavily in infrastructure and staff welfare. He disclosed that he had approved the construction of two hostels for each of the nine state-owned tertiary institutions, with each hostel designed to accommodate 480 students.

The governor charged the councils to build on the progress recorded and make the institutions more competitive nationally and internationally.

He charged the new Auditor-General of Delta State, Emasogbe Matthew Oghene to discharge his duties with transparency, courage, professionalism and fairness, warning against political witch-hunting and deliberate cover-up.

Responding on behalf of the appointees, Patrick Muoboghare, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Dennis Osadebay University, thanked Governor Oborevwori for appointing him and other members of the council.

Muoboghare called for the establishment of a Higher Education Endowment Fund to provide sustainable funding for tertiary institutions to enable them to compete favourably with their counterparts globally.

He challenged eminent Deltans and Nigerians to partner with government by investing in student hostels, staff accommodation, lecture halls and faculty buildings, stressing that government alone could not provide all the infrastructure required to develop the universities.

The newly inaugurated councils comprise distinguished academics, professionals and public servants. Victor Peretomode chairs the University of Delta Governing Council, Patrick Muoboghare chairs that of Dennis Osadebay University, while Godson Echegile chairs the Southern Delta University council. The three councils had been formally constituted by the state government in August.

The people of Ahiaba Ubi community in the Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area of Abia State have called on the Abia State Police Command to ensure that they prosecute an alleged notorious drug kingpin arrested in the community last week.

Some community members alleged that the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), Olokoro, on Thursday, September 17, 2026, arrested a notorious drug kingpin who has been terrorising their community.

According to them, they have been crying and writing petitions to several security agencies, including anti-drug authorities, but none had ever tried to effect the arrest of the suspect popularly known as ‘Oga C E’ or ‘Evergreen’, whom they said has introduced all sorts of violent crimes in their community.

The concerned indigenes of Ahiaba Ubi told Newsmen that they had to approach the following unconfirmed reports that some powerful people were trying to secure the release of ‘Mr Evergreen’ from detention at VCRU Olokoro, a move they said would endanger their own lives, especially some of them who aided the police to ensure his arrest.

They lamented that despite all pieces of evidence and the high volume of drugs he was arrested with, including methamphetamine (Mkpuru Mmiri), cocaine, tramadol and other prohibited substances, some powerful people are having a clandestine plot to secure his release and have him continue to terrorise them.

‘Activities of Mr Evergreen have turned the Ahiaba Ubi community and its environs into a criminal hideout for criminals that raped young ladies and robbed innocent citizens of their properties after taking those drugs.

‘The effects of these criminals’ activities have caused many youths around the affected communities to break into people’s houses, and stealing farm produce from innocent citizens, as some sold their aged parents’ properties, especially lands, to get money and keep taking those drugs.

‘The situation has become unbearable, and we can’t continue to fold our hands. Why are our youths being destroyed every day because of illicit drugs?

‘We’ve always told the police and all authorities that we’re ready to identify houses and hideouts of members of this syndicate for apprehension and possible prosecution.

‘Now that he has been apprehended, we are calling for his prosecution. Let the world know that such a person was arrested and prosecuted, to serve as a deterrent to others.

‘We’re pleading with the Abia State Police Command, especially our hardworking Commissioner of Police, to please save the people of Ahiaba Ubi by ensuring that only the law is obeyed and not the will of any man in this case,’ a member of the concerned indigenes of Ahiaba Ubi, who pleaded anonymity, said.

Seyi Makinde, Presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), has pledged to transmit power to the Vice President whenever he is away on vacation, saying he would adhere strictly to the provisions of the Constitution if elected president in 2027.

Makinde made the declaration on Tuesday at the Makinde/Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation’s North-West Town Hall meeting in Katsina, where he questioned why the constitutional provision on the transfer of presidential powers should not apply when the President is away on vacation.

‘I have looked at the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and, of course, as a state governor, I also operate under that Constitution,’ Makinde said.

‘Anytime I have to travel out, not for work but on vacation, for more than 21 days, I transmit power to the Deputy Governor. Why is this not happening at the national level?’

Citing Section 145 of the Constitution, Makinde said the President is required to transmit a written declaration to the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives when proceeding on vacation or otherwise unable to discharge the functions of office.

He said the provision was particularly important because circumstances could arise in which the President may be unable to perform his constitutional duties.

‘If the President is unable, whether through sickness, a medical trip or incapacitation, to function, we are all human. Anything can happen to anybody at any time. If that happens, the President should also transmit power to the Vice President,’ he said.

Makinde, who said his campaign would be issue-based, then made a personal commitment to Nigerians on how he would handle presidential absences.

‘I promise you that, as your President, I will follow the Constitution to the letter. If I am not going to be available, if I am on vacation, I will transmit power to the Vice President,’ he said.

‘Record this and hold me accountable.’

Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and its subsidiaries are showcasing a broad range of construction, engineering, manufacturing and facility management solutions at the Big 5 Construct Nigeria Expo in Lagos.

The expo, which brings together leading construction and engineering companies from Nigeria and other parts of Africa, Europe, Kuwait, Asia and the Middle East, provides a platform for manufacturers, developers, contractors, consultants, suppliers and technology providers to explore business opportunities and exchange ideas on the future of the construction industry.

At the centre of the Julius Berger Group’s participation is its pavilion, where visitors can explore the diverse capabilities of the Group and its subsidiaries, highlighting its evolution beyond traditional construction into an integrated provider of engineering, infrastructure, manufacturing and support services.

According to a statement made available by the company, one of the key exhibitors is ABUMET Nigeria Limited, the Group’s specialist aluminium and glass solutions company. The company is displaying a range of products, including its latest Glass Bridge and Balustrade Star, a unique ABUMET Grid2shell product, as well as aluminium windows, curtain walls, façade systems and bespoke architectural solutions for commercial, residential and industrial projects.

Visitors to the ABUMET stand are also engaging with the company’s experts on its fabrication processes and sustainable building technologies.

PrimeTech Design and Engineering Nigeria Limited is another major participant at the pavilion, showcasing its expertise in architectural, structural, mechanical and electrical engineering, infrastructure planning and design.

Its exhibition highlights modern engineering concepts, sustainable development solutions and master-planning capabilities applied across sectors including infrastructure, oil and gas and other areas of the economy.

Julius Berger Precast Services is also displaying a range of engineered concrete products, including paving stones, blocks, pipes, drains and other precast solutions. The company is highlighting the role of quality precast products in improving construction efficiency, shortening project timelines and enhancing the durability of infrastructure.

The Julius Berger Excellence Centre and the Group’s Facility Management operations are equally represented at the expo, offering visitors insights into property maintenance, facility management and technical support services aimed at improving the lifespan and performance of clients’ assets.

The company added that the international participation at Big 5 Construct Nigeria is further underscoring the growing importance of technology, innovation and sustainable solutions in the construction sector, with exhibitors presenting advanced equipment, smart building technologies, sustainable materials and digital solutions designed to improve productivity and project delivery.

Representatives of the participating Julius Berger subsidiaries described the expo as an important platform for networking, exchanging ideas and developing new business relationships. The event is also providing an opportunity for the Group to reconnect with existing partners while introducing prospective clients to the range of expertise available across its businesses.

The United Kingdom (UK) recently excluded Nigeria, Ghana and India from the list of countries whose teachers are eligible to use its direct application service for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) to strengthen their prospects for teaching jobs in the UK.

The change followed difficulties verifying applicants’ work history, as more than 70 percent of applications from teachers trained in Nigeria and Ghana use public-domain email addresses such as Gmail and Hotmail for references, according to the UK’s Department for Education (DfE).

QTS is the professional status required to teach in many schools in England and is preferred by most schools when recruiting teachers. For this reason, the government said it must be confident that information provided by overseas-trained teachers is genuine, as QTS is intended to ensure that teachers entering England’s schools have the necessary skills and experience.

India was excluded for a different reason, as the UK government said the country does not have a national regulator capable of confirming teachers’ professional standing, one of the conditions now required for countries to remain eligible for the QTS application service.

According to the DfE, the use of public email addresses creates additional verification work for assessors. Its publication states: ‘Our data shows that more than 70 percent of applications from teachers in Ghana and Nigeria include work history references that use public email addresses, such as Gmail or Hotmail, rather than a school’s official email domain. This means assessors spend additional time and resources trying to verify information provided in applications.’

The exclusion does not affect teachers trained in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United States, Switzerland, Ukraine, Hong Kong and countries in the European Economic Area. Teachers trained in Jamaica, Singapore and South Africa can also apply if they are working in a valid teaching role in England and meet the other requirements.

What QTS means for overseas teachers

QTS does not guarantee a teaching job or give an overseas-trained teacher the right to work in England. Applicants must still secure employment separately and have the appropriate visa or immigration status to work in the country.

For teachers who remain eligible, QTS applications are assessed against mandatory requirements covering academic qualifications, professional recognition and teaching experience.

Applicants must generally hold a bachelor’s degree equivalent to a UK undergraduate degree, have full professional status to teach in the country where they trained, meet the mandatory training and induction requirements of that country and have no conditions or restrictions on their teaching practice.

They must also be qualified to teach children aged five to 16 and have completed teacher training that meets prescribed standards, including the equivalent of at least one year of full-time English initial teacher training.

Applicants must demonstrate at least the equivalent of one school year of teaching experience after obtaining their teaching qualification.

That experience must have been gained in mainstream compulsory education and involve unsupervised teaching of primary or secondary pupils. Teachers must have been responsible for planning, preparing and delivering lessons, as well as assessing and reporting on pupils’ progress.

The UK government will contact applicants’ references to verify their work history, making the quality and verifiability of professional references an important part of the application process.

Other routes remain open

For Nigeria-trained teachers who can no longer use the QTS application service, the change does not mean that all routes into teaching in England are closed.

Affected teachers may still qualify through assessment-only while those who need further training can undertake an approved teacher-training programme in England. Teachers living outside the UK can also pursue International Qualified Teacher Status (iQTS), which allows them to train in their country of residence and leads to English QTS upon successful completion.

In addition, qualified overseas teachers may be able to teach in England for up to four years provided they meet the conditions of the four-year exemption and secure the necessary employment and immigration status. QTS is also not required for every teaching role, with some independent schools, academies, further education and early-years schools are able to employ teachers without the status.

Teachers who hold Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) and are members of the Society for Education and Training can also work as qualified teachers in schools in England, subject to the requirements of the individual school or local authority.

The September 2026 change therefore restricts the direct QTS application route for Nigerian-trained teachers but does not eliminate all pathways into teaching in England.

Reckitt, a global leader in health and hygiene, has appointed Ujunwa Chukwumah as its general manager, West Africa, effective September 15, 2026, the company said in a statement seen by BusinessDay.

Ujunwa brings more than 19 years of commercial and leadership experience across Africa, spanning commercial strategy, business transformation, market development and team leadership.

Her appointment also marks a leadership milestone, as she is the first Nigerian to assume the position, as well as the first female to do so in the region.

She joins Reckitt following senior leadership roles at global organisations including Diageo and Procter and Gamble. Most recently, she served as Commercial Director for West and Central Africa at Diageo, where she gained extensive experience leading businesses across diverse African markets.

Throughout her career, Ujunwa has built a strong track record in driving commercial performance, developing teams and building relationships with customers and partners. Her experience across Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa has also given her a strong understanding of the region’s markets, consumers and evolving business landscape

In her new role, Ujunwa will lead Reckitt’s West Africa business, with responsibility for driving commercial performance and sustainable growth across the region.

She will also focus on building organisational capabilities, developing talent, and creating opportunities for Reckitt’s brands to meet consumers’ evolving needs.

Commenting on her appointment, Ujunwa said: ‘I am delighted to join Reckitt and lead its West Africa business. Having spent much of my career working across the region, I am excited about the opportunity to bring my experience to a business whose brands play an important role in the lives of consumers. I look forward to working with our teams, customers and partners to grow our brands, develop our people and deliver sustainable growth, while continuing to ensure we provide better health in more hands everyday across West Africa.’

Ujunwa’s appointment reinforces Reckitt’s commitment to strong leadership and its long-term ambitions in Nigeria, Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire and other West African markets.

Her combination of commercial expertise, transformational leadership, and extensive regional experience will support the company’s ambition to deepen its market presence, drive sustainable growth, and create greater value for consumers, and communities across the region.

African filmmakers have until October to put their next big story in front of MTN One TV as the platform searches for projects with the potential to reach audiences across the continent.

MTN One TV made the announcement on September 16, 2026, inviting established African producers and production companies to pitch film and television projects that are locally rooted but capable of connecting with audiences beyond their home markets.

The opportunity is open across Africa, with particular focus on audiences in Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana and Zambia. The platform is targeting young people aged 18 to 34 as well as mass-market viewers.

This is not a call for completed movies to be sent in for immediate broadcast. Selected applicants will pitch projects directly to MTN One TV, creating a route for stories still in development to be considered for a potential commercial relationship.

Two pitch opportunities are available. The deadline for the Durban FilmMart pitch is September 28, while applications for the MIP Africa pitch at FAME Week Africa close on October 5.

MTN is looking for limited series, scripted and unscripted series, micro-dramas and feature films. Eligible genres include drama, comedy, reality, action, thriller, romance and animation.

The initiative follows MTN’s launch of One TV in June as part of its expansion into digital entertainment. The platform brings together local storytelling, live channels and international programming, with viewing models that can include free-to-view content, advertising-funded viewing, pay-as-you-watch access and subscriptions, depending on the market.

That makes the content search part of a wider commercial push. MTN wants stories that can attract viewers, work across markets and suit digitally connected and mobile-first audiences.

The requirements reflect that expectation. Applicants must operate through registered production companies, while lead producers must have at least seven years of professional industry experience and a relevant track record.

Submissions must include a pitch deck, synopsis, pilot or relevant episode script, production budget, schedule, financing status, target audience and rights information.

Nigeria is one of the four priority markets named in the pitch call, giving local production companies another potential route to audiences outside the country.

But the opportunity does not amount to guaranteed funding. MTN’s published terms state that submitting or pitching a project does not guarantee a commission, investment, licence, acquisition or development agreement. If MTN decides to pursue a project, the commercial terms will be negotiated separately.

Shortlisted projects will be pitched in person at the relevant industry event. Two complimentary Durban FilmMart accreditations are available for each shortlisted project, although travel, accommodation, visas and other attendance costs remain the responsibility of participants.

Nigeria’s central bank surprisingly delivered its biggest single interest-rate cut on record, slashing the benchmark by 350 basis points to 23 percent as money-market rates had already fallen well below the previous policy rate.

The decision follows a three-month continuous cooling of inflation to 15.39 percent in August, down from 15.43 percent the previous month. And a subsequent decline in food prices to 19.57 percent, the first slowdown in about six months.

The move by Governor Olayemi Cardoso and the Monetary Policy Committee on Tuesday marks a sharp recalibration of the CBN’s policy framework, bringing the Monetary Policy Rate closer to prevailing Treasury bill, OMO and interbank rates rather than signalling a broad shift toward cheap money.

The MPC also narrowed its asymmetric corridor to plus 50 basis points and minus 300 basis points, while cutting the Standing Deposit Facility to 20 percent and the Standing Lending Facility to 23.5 percent.

Analysts said the MPR ‘reset’ reflects the significant disconnect that had emerged between the 26.5 percent benchmark rate and prevailing market rates, particularly Treasury bills and Open Market Operations (OMO) yields, which had already traded below 20 percent.

Razia Khan, managing director and chief economist, Africa and Middle East Global Research at Standard Chartered Bank, said the 350-basis-point cut came as a surprise, although the changes to the corridor blunt its overall impact.

‘Against expectations, the Central Bank of Nigeria cut its policy rate by 350bps, to 23.0 percent, from 26.5 percent. Changes were also made to the asymmetric corridor around the policy rate, to +50bps/-300 bps, from a previous +50bps/-450bps,’ Khan said.

She noted that the new SLF rate is now 23.5 percent, compared with 27 percent previously, while the theoretical floor on interest rates, represented by the SDF, has fallen to 20 percent from 22 percent.

Khan said the CBN, while highlighting the downtrend in inflation as a consequence of earlier monetary tightening, was presenting the decision less as conventional monetary easing and more as a recalibration aimed at strengthening the transmission mechanism.

‘Policy will remain ‘restrictive’ going forward, and geopolitical risks could slow the ‘normalisation’ of policy,’ she said.

According to her, OMO yields were already around the level implied by the new floor on rates and had since moved lower, although modestly.

She added that some commentators had linked the move to the new memorandum of understanding establishing cooperation between the fiscal and monetary authorities, arguing that it could boost demand for longer-duration securities and ultimately lower Nigeria’s debt-service costs.

Others, she said, had raised concerns over Nigeria’s reliance on portfolio inflows and whether the CBN could ease meaningfully when the United States Federal Reserve is expected to tighten.

Khan said she believes the CBN can ease despite these external considerations, although petroleum product prices could put pressure on inflation beyond the harvest months.

She said there remains scope for further monetary easing next year after the elections.

Ayodele Ebo, chief executive officer of MDU Capital, said the governor’s description of the decision as a ‘recalibration’ suggests that the CBN is bringing the MPR closer to prevailing money-market and fixed-income rates.

He said the MPR had previously been significantly above market rates, creating a disconnect and reducing its effectiveness as a policy signal.

‘The immediate impact on fixed-income yields may be limited because market rates had already adjusted, but the decision should support lower borrowing costs over time and improve sentiment in the equities market,’ Ebo said.

He added that the adjustment was positive for the market but did not signal a return to cheap money.

Adebowale Funmi, head of Research at Parthian Securities, said the CBN governor’s description of the decision as a recalibration rather than conventional easing reflected the significant disconnect between the 26.5 percent MPR and prevailing market rates.

‘The CBN governor’s description of the decision as a recalibration, rather than conventional easing, reflects the significant disconnect between the 26.5 percent MPR and prevailing market rates, with Treasury bills and OMO yields trading below 20 percent,’ Funmi said.

She said the adjustment was therefore aimed at bringing the policy rate closer to actual market conditions and improving the transmission of monetary policy to the broader economy.

‘For the market, the recalibration should strengthen the signalling role of the MPR and provide greater alignment between the policy rate and funding conditions. It could also support credit growth and economic activity at the margin,’ she said.

However, Funmi said the adjustment should not be interpreted as the beginning of an aggressive easing cycle, as the CBN is likely to remain guided by the inflation trajectory, liquidity conditions and the extent to which market rates respond to the adjustment.

Ayodele Akinwunmi, chief economist at United Capital Plc, said the CBN was seeking to align the MPR with interbank rates and other market rates.

‘What the CBN governor is trying to communicate is that the decision to reduce the MPR to 23 percent with the asymmetric corridor of +0.5%/-3.0 percent around the MPR is to align the MPR to where the interbank rates and other market rates are,’ Akinwunmi said.

He, however, noted that the adjustment still represented a form of policy easing because banks would now place excess funds with the CBN at 20 percent, compared with 22 percent previously, while borrowing from the central bank as lender of last resort would cost 23.5 percent, compared with 27 percent previously.

The CBN retained the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) at 45 percent for Deposit Money Banks, 16 percent for Merchant Banks and 75 percent on non-Treasury Single Account public-sector deposits.

The unchanged reserve requirements indicate that while the CBN has adjusted the price of money and narrowed the policy corridor, it has not simultaneously relaxed the existing liquidity controls on banks.

Ubah Jeremiah, chief investment officer of VNL Capital Asset Management, described the 350-basis-point reduction as a significant surprise, saying the scale of the move indicated that the CBN was responding to changes in inflation, naira stability and external reserves.

He said the stronger naira and healthier external reserves had provided the CBN with room to reduce the cost of credit without necessarily loosening liquidity conditions indiscriminately.

For the real economy, Jeremiah said a lower MPR should begin to filter through to lending rates, potentially reducing working-capital costs, improving access to consumer credit and easing debt-servicing costs.

He said the magnitude of the reduction suggested that the CBN was seeking to move the benchmark rate closer to the prevailing economic and market conditions rather than adjusting it incrementally.

The next MPC meeting is scheduled for November 24, 2026.