Category: Business Day

The Federal Government has evacuated another 105 distressed Nigerians from South Africa following renewed concerns over xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Nigerians and other Africans in the country.

The returnees, comprising 82 adults and 23 children, arrived in Lagos on South African Airways flight SA060 at about 8:30pm on Thursday, September 24, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement by Oluwafemi Adeniyi, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Friday.

Officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other relevant government agencies received the returnees on arrival.

The latest evacuation brings to 1,821 the number of Nigerians repatriated from South Africa since the Federal Government commenced the consular evacuation exercise on June 10, 2026.

According to the ministry, the latest exercise was the 13th consular evacuation from South Africa since the programme began.

Of the 1,821 Nigerians evacuated so far, the Federal Government fully funded the evacuation of 1,388 persons.

The ministry said the evacuation of 100 of the 105 returnees in the latest batch was funded from a $265,854 donation made by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) to purchase one-way tickets for 500 distressed Nigerians seeking to return to Nigeria from South Africa.

The remaining five returnees were evacuated with funding provided by a private Nigerian citizen, the ministry said.

The government said its diplomatic mission in South Africa was continuing discussions with the leadership of RCCG and other philanthropic groups and individuals to facilitate the return of additional Nigerians who have expressed concerns over their safety.

It added that some distressed Nigerians were undergoing preliminary clearance with the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg and relevant South African authorities.

‘They will be evacuated as soon as the process is finalized,’ the ministry said.

The Federal Government expressed appreciation to RCCG, led by Enoch Adejare Adeboye, for its donation towards the evacuation of 500 Nigerians, describing the intervention as a contribution to efforts to provide relief to Nigerians seeking to return home because of distress and concerns over their safety.

It also commended other groups and individuals that had supported the evacuation programme.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Federal Government remained ‘deeply concerned’ about persistent xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Nigerians and other Africans in the country.

It said Nigeria would continue diplomatic engagements and pursue other measures to secure the cooperation of South African authorities in tackling xenophobia and Afrophobia and protecting Nigerians living in the country.

‘The Federal Government remains deeply concerned about persistent Xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Nigerians and other Africans in South Africa,’ the ministry said.

It reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the lives, rights, welfare and dignity of Nigerians in the diaspora, adding that appropriate diplomatic and consular measures would be deployed whenever circumstances required.

The government also urged Nigerians resident in South Africa to remain vigilant and law-abiding and maintain contact with the Nigeria High Commission in Pretoria and the Consulate General of Nigeria in Johannesburg for consular assistance when necessary.

The global development funding landscape changed dramatically in 2025, exposing vulnerabilities that had long been building beneath some of Africa’s most critical programmes. For Dr. Uchenna Igbokwe, Executive Director and CEO of the Solina Centre for International Development and Research (SCIDaR), the shock raised a bigger question: how can countries build health and development systems that remain resilient when external funding becomes uncertain?

In this conversation, Dr. Igbokwe reflects on what the disruption exposed, the choices SCIDaR made in response, and what he believes governments, development partners and African institutions must do differently to build systems that last. As SCIDaR marks its fifteenth anniversary, he argues that the future of development will depend less on the volume of funding mobilised and more on the strength of the institutions, partnerships and local leadership that remain when individual projects end.

Q1. Let’s start at the beginning. When the scale of the USAID cuts became clear in early 2025, what went through your mind?

The January 2025 U.S. foreign-assistance pause and subsequent USAID stop-work directives were one of those moments that forces you to confront just how interconnected our health systems have become.

My first thoughts were not about budgets or projects. They were about people, and my mind immediately went back to a recent visit to Jega LGA in Kebbi State, where I had spent time with PHC workers, community volunteers, mothers and their children. I couldn’t help but wonder what the stop-work order would mean for vulnerable people all over the world who depended on services funded through these mechanisms. At SCIDaR, we support 113 health facilities providing HIV services to more than 12,000 people. I knew that behind every funding cut announcement were patients wondering whether treatment would continue, healthcare workers trying to reassure anxious families, and government teams working urgently to understand the implications for essential services.

As the days unfolded, however, my concern evolved. Beyond the immediate disruption, I found myself asking a more uncomfortable question: how had we allowed critical services to become so vulnerable to decisions made thousands of miles away? For years, transition planning has often been treated as an activity that begins when donor support is ending. In reality, it should begin the day a programme starts. Sustainable systems are not built through good intentions at project close-out; they are built through deliberate investments in government ownership, local capacity, and financing mechanisms that can withstand uncertainty.

As CEO of SCIDaR, I was, of course, also thinking about our people and our programmes. I was thinking about the governments we partner with and the communities they serve. The stop-work order did not create the challenges facing our health systems. It simply exposed vulnerabilities that had existed for far too long and reminded us that resilience must be built long before it is tested.

Over the years, I have seen many programmes deliver exceptional results while donor funding is available, only to struggle once that support comes to an end. The issue is rarely that the intervention itself was ineffective. More often, it is that sustainability was never truly designed into the programme.

In my experience, these programmes tend to share three characteristics.

First, they are often designed around what external partners perceive countries need, rather than what governments and communities have jointly identified as their priorities. Governments may welcome the support, but they have not been sufficiently involved in shaping the agenda, and ownership never fully takes root.

Second, the implementation model is frequently imported. The tools, systems and processes that make the programme successful are designed with limited consideration for whether they are appropriate, affordable or maintainable within the local context. I have seen situations where governments inherit systems they cannot sustain not because they lack commitment, but because the technology, licensing costs or operating models were never designed with long-term local ownership in mind.

Finally, transition planning often begins far too late. We wait until a project is approaching its end before discussing capacity, financing and handover, when those conversations should have started from the very beginning. Successful transition requires deliberate investment in local capability, continuous hand-holding and careful monitoring long before external funding comes to an end. Without that, the handover becomes abrupt, and many of the gains begin to erode.

These lessons have fundamentally shaped how we work at SCIDaR. Sustainability is not something we discuss at project close-out; it is a design principle. From the outset, we think deliberately about political sustainability by ensuring governments own the priorities, operational sustainability by building on systems and tools that countries can realistically maintain, and financial sustainability by identifying pathways that can sustain essential services long after donor funding ends.

This thinking has increasingly pushed us towards models that do not rely solely on traditional donor financing. Through initiatives such as our Access to Finance work and partnerships with private-sector players across the health ecosystem, we are exploring more sustainable approaches to financing health. One example is the PACS project, which brings together Wema Bank, the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, community pharmacists, patent and proprietary medicine vendors, and digital health innovators to mobilise domestic capital and strengthen local markets. These are the solutions that excite me most-because they are designed to endure well beyond the life of any single project.

That said, we must be careful not to pursue sustainability at the expense of effectiveness. Too often, sustainability becomes an excuse for deploying systems or programmes that ultimately fail to deliver meaningful results. At SCIDaR, we often say that you can only sustain what works. Our objective should therefore be to build solutions that are effective, scalable and capable of delivering impact long after external support has ended.

Q3. You have described this period as a ‘reset’ rather than a crisis. What convinced you that the contraction of aid could be a corrective rather than only a loss?

The stop-work order did not change my conviction that countries needed greater ownership of their health systems. I had believed that long before the funding landscape shifted. What changed was my confidence that this transition was not only necessary, but increasingly possible.

As governments began responding, the conversation became less about replacing donor funding and more about strengthening country leadership. That was an important shift. The question was no longer simply, ‘How do we keep programmes running?’ It became, ‘How do we build systems that can continue delivering results regardless of external funding?’

In Nigeria, we began to see encouraging signs of that transition. The Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp), which had already been conceived before the funding disruptions, suddenly became even more relevant because it positioned the government at the centre of coordinating the health sector, with development partners aligning behind nationally defined priorities rather than fragmented programmes. In many ways, this reflected the foresight of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, whose health sector agenda had already laid the foundation for many of the reforms we are now seeing take shape. We are also seeing stronger momentum towards health sovereignty through the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC), reflecting a deliberate push to strengthen local manufacturing and build greater resilience across the health value chain in Nigeria.

Perhaps most encouraging was the speed and ambition of the Nigerian government’s response. The supplementary appropriation of the equivalent of US$200 million in the immediate aftermath of the stop-work order was not simply an emergency measure; it signalled a willingness to take greater ownership of the country’s health priorities. We also saw renewed momentum to reposition traditionally vertical, U.S. Government-supported HIV, tuberculosis and malaria programmes within a more integrated primary healthcare system. This approach connects disease-specific services with routine immunisation, family planning, and maternal, newborn and child health services, supported by health insurance, effective referral pathways and emergency transport. Such integration will preserve the gains from longstanding investments while building stronger systems that can endure beyond any single programme or funding cycle.

For me, that is why that period represents more than a crisis. It was an opportunity to reset the relationship between governments and development partners. External financing will continue to play an important role, but its greatest value is not in defining a country’s direction, it is in strengthening the direction that countries have already chosen. When development partners support nationally defined priorities, rather than shape them, they help build institutions and systems that endure long after individual projects have ended.

Q4. When the funding landscape shifted, what was the hardest decision you had to make in that period?

The hardest decision was resisting the instinct to retreat.

When uncertainty enters an organisation, the natural response is to become defensive, to pause investments, narrow your ambitions and focus on protecting what already exists. Like many organisations navigating that period, we had to adapt how we deployed our people and resources. But I was determined that those necessary adjustments would not become the defining story of SCIDaR.

Instead, we chose to keep building. We strengthened our research capability, accelerated our innovation agenda, expanded into education through our partnership with UBEC, deepened our government partnerships and deliberately diversified our portfolio. Those decisions required significant investment at a time when the future funding landscape was far from certain. They were not easy decisions, but I believed that if we responded only by preserving the status quo, we would emerge from the crisis smaller, not stronger.

What gave me confidence was the remarkable commitment of the people around me. Throughout that period, the team at SCIDaR consistently went above and beyond, demonstrating resilience, creativity and an unwavering commitment to the communities we serve. I am equally grateful to our Board, whose confidence and courage gave us the space to continue investing in the organisation’s future when a more cautious path would have been easier.

Leadership is often described as managing risk. I see it differently. Leadership is about discerning which risks are worth taking. At that moment, we believed the greater risk was allowing uncertainty to shrink our ambition. Looking back, choosing to continue building rather than simply preserving what we already had has positioned SCIDaR to emerge from the crisis stronger, more resilient and more diversified.

Q5. Of everything SCIDaR did in 2025, which move do you believe will matter most ten years from now?

If I had to choose one, it would be our expansion into education-not because it is separate from our work in health, but because it represents one of the most important investments we can make in Nigeria’s long-term development.

Health and education are deeply interconnected. Better education leads to healthier populations, stronger livelihoods and more productive economies, while healthier children are better able to learn, thrive and contribute meaningfully to society. Strengthening one inevitably strengthens the other.

This conviction led us to deepen our work in education. We were not expanding into a new sector simply for growth; we saw an opportunity to apply the same approach that has shaped our work in health, partnering with the government to strengthen institutions, build local capacity and translate reform into measurable results.

Our partnership with the Universal Basic Education Commission reflects this philosophy. Under the broader Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative led by the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and the leadership of UBEC’s Executive Secretary, Dr. Aisha Garba, the Commission is implementing its 2025-2031 Strategic Blueprint and advancing reforms in digital planning, performance management, infrastructure standards, education technology and financing. SCIDaR has supported this agenda through strategic planning, institutional strengthening, implementation monitoring and stakeholder coordination.

I am particularly proud that we supported the development of UBEC’s 2025-2031 Strategic Blueprint and the redesign of the two-decade-old Basic Education Action Plan into a more structured, digital and results-oriented planning framework. These reforms have contributed to unlocking more than ?167 billion in Matching Grant intervention funds across Nigeria’s 36 states and the FCT.

When I think about SCIDaR’s greatest contribution over the next decade, I think about the children who will benefit from the stronger institutions we are helping to build today. Nigeria’s ambition to become a trillion-dollar economy ultimately depends on the quality of its human capital. By strengthening education systems now, we are investing in the people who will drive that future. That, to me, is an impact that will endure.

Q6. You often speak of three elements that must align for impact to be sustainable: policy and systems, product and market infrastructure, and the client journey. Which is most often neglected, and what does neglecting it cost?

The three are deeply interconnected, so I would hesitate to elevate one at the expense of the others. Sustainable impact only happens when sound policy and systems, strong product and market infrastructure, and a well-designed client journey reinforce one another. But if I had to identify the element that is most frequently neglected, it would be the client journey.

That is understandable because the client journey is often the hardest to measure. Organisations naturally focus on developing policies, strengthening systems, mobilising resources and delivering programmes. Those are all essential. But somewhere along the way, it becomes easy to lose sight of how people actually experience those interventions. A programme can be technically sound and operationally efficient, yet still fail to achieve its intended impact if it does not reflect the realities of the people it is designed to serve.

At SCIDaR, we have deliberately tried to bridge that gap by ensuring that technical excellence is always complemented by empathy and practicality. Whether through initiatives like CROWN, where trusted women strengthen the connection between communities and the health system, or through our Adopt a PHC initiative, where we work closely with frontline health workers, community leaders and patients to strengthen primary healthcare, we constantly remind ourselves that lasting change is experienced by people before it is measured by indicators.

As my responsibilities have become more administrative, I have been intentional about not losing touch with the people at the centre of our work. I still make time to visit communities and health facilities because the conversations I have there often teach me far more than any report could. They reveal the practical realities, frustrations and opportunities that data alone cannot fully explain.

For leaders navigating today’s funding environment, my advice is simple: never become so focused on designing solutions that you lose sight of the people those solutions are meant to serve. Policy creates direction. Markets enable scale. But it is the client journey that ultimately determines whether impact is real, trusted and sustained.

Q7. If you could leave fellow CEOs, government leaders and development partners with one lesson from this period, what would you want them to do differently as they think about Africa’s next decade of development?

If there is one lesson I hope fellow CEOs, government leaders and development partners take from the past year, it is that moments of disruption are also moments of choice. They force us to decide whether we will spend our energy preserving what exists or building what the future requires.

For CEOs, that means resisting the instinct to retreat. Continue investing in your people, your capabilities and your ability to solve the problems that will matter tomorrow, even when today’s environment is uncertain.

For governments, it means leading with greater confidence. Set the agenda, strengthen your institutions and invite partners to support nationally defined priorities rather than substitute for them.

For development partners, it means asking a different question. Instead of measuring success only by the programmes delivered, ask whether your investments have left countries better able to solve the next challenge on their own.

If each of us embraces that responsibility, I believe the next decade of development in Africa will be defined less by how much funding we mobilise and more by the strength of the institutions, partnerships and local leadership we leave behind.

Q8.Finally, in one line: what has changed, and what must never change?

‘The conditions under which we work have changed. What has not changed is our appetite for lasting change and our commitment to improving lives. At SCIDaR, we are more energised than ever to work alongside the government and our partners to build the right solutions for Africa’s future. ‘

China and Nigeria have renewed calls for stronger cultural and people-to-people exchanges, with Beijing saying cultural diplomacy can deepen mutual understanding and strengthen the countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership.

Yang Jianxing, Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria and Director of the China Cultural Centre in Nigeria, made the call at the ‘Shared Moon, Shared Moment, Meet in Africa: Hunan Culture and Tourism in Nigeria’ event in Abuja on Thursday.

The event featured cultural performances and presentations showcasing the heritage of China’s Hunan Province alongside Nigerian cultural expressions.

Jianxing said the visit by the Hunan cultural and arts delegation was an opportunity not only to showcase Chinese culture and art but also to promote friendship and greater understanding between the peoples of China and Nigeria.

He expressed appreciation to the Hunan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and members of the delegation for travelling to Nigeria to participate in the programme.

‘The visit is not only about sharing the beauty of Chinese culture and art, but also about building greater mutual understanding and friendship between our two peoples,’ he said.

The Chinese diplomat said the Mid-Autumn Festival, which was to be celebrated the following day, offered a significant cultural bridge between China and Nigeria because of the shared importance both societies attach to family, reunion, harmony and peace.

He said the full moon traditionally reminds Chinese people of loved ones, while the family reunion dinner symbolises warmth and togetherness.

According to him, the traditional Chinese expression that ‘the same moon shines over us, though we may be thousands of miles apart’ reflects the longing for reunion, harmony, peace and a better life.

Jianxing said these values also resonate with Nigerian cultural traditions despite the geographical distance between the two countries.

‘Although China and Nigeria are thousands of miles apart, our shared appreciation of family, friendship and a better life brings our hearts closer together,’ he said.

He linked the cultural exchange to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Global Civilization Initiative, which calls for respect for the diversity of civilisations and greater exchanges and mutual learning among countries.

‘Culture and art know no borders. A song, a dance or a sincere gathering can cross mountains and oceans and touch people’s hearts,’ Yang said.

He described Hunan as a province known for its spicy cuisine, warm and straightforward people, and a strong spirit of optimism, perseverance and determination.

According to him, the province has three World Heritage sites, while nine of its cultural elements have been inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

He also highlighted Hunan’s growing economic and people-to-people links with Africa, noting that Changsha, the provincial capital, has hosted the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo since 2019.

Jianxing said the province had developed close ties with Nigeria in trade, investment, culture and people-to-people exchanges.

He said the cultural programme, which included songs, dances, acrobatics and other performances, was designed to provide Nigerians and members of the Chinese community in Abuja with an opportunity to discover and appreciate Hunan and Chinese culture.

He added that the inclusion of Nigerian cultural performances would provide a platform for the Chinese delegation and other participants to experience Nigeria’s cultural diversity.

‘I am confident that these performances will provide an important and vivid window for our Nigerian friends and Chinese delegation and Chinese society in Abuja to discover China and Nigeria, gain a deeper understanding of mutual culture,’ he said.

The Chinese Embassy official encouraged more Nigerians to visit Hunan to experience its cultural heritage and the hospitality of its people.

He said increased cultural exchanges would further strengthen the relationship between Hunan and Nigeria, particularly between Hunan and Abuja.

The event also comes as China and Nigeria mark 55 years of diplomatic relations.

Jianxing noted that 2026 had also been designated the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, providing an additional platform for strengthening cultural and social connections between China and African countries.

He said the timing of the programme was significant, coming shortly before October 1, when China celebrates the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and Nigeria marks its Independence Day.

According to him, the Chinese Embassy had hosted a National Day reception in Abuja the previous day to celebrate China’s achievements over the past 77 years and highlight progress in China-Nigeria cooperation in politics, trade and people-to-people exchanges.

Some participants at the cultural event had also attended the National Day reception, he said.

Jianxing called for continued use of culture and the arts to reinforce the longstanding relationship between the two countries.

‘Let us continue to use culture and art as a medium to celebrate the rock-solid and enduring friendship between the Chinese and Nigerian peoples, and to further strengthen the emotional bonds of mutual understanding and affinity within the China-Nigeria comprehensive strategic partnership,’ he said.

He said the partnership should continue to serve the interests of the peoples of both countries while contributing to broader international cooperation.

‘Let us continue to build bridges through culture and friendship through art, bringing our peoples even closer together and contributing to the deepening of the China-Nigeria comprehensive strategic partnership,’ Jianxing said.

Jianxing expressed hope that the cultural event would contribute to stronger friendship and understanding between the two countries.

On his part, Abdulkarim Ibrahim, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, represented by Musa Alhamdu, said the programme provided an important platform for Nigeria and China to deepen friendship, mutual understanding and people-to-people exchanges through culture and the arts.

He welcomed the Chinese delegation from Hunan Province, describing the cultural programme as a reflection of the shared humanity and mutual understanding between Nigeria and China.

‘Culture has a unique ability to bring people together. It translates language, geography and differences, allowing us to discover what we share as human beings,’ he said.

According to him, music, dance, theatre, acrobatics, puppetry, traditional arts and other forms of creative expression provide avenues for societies to tell their stories, preserve their heritage and build bridges between communities and nations.

He said the programme was therefore more than a cultural performance, describing it as a celebration of Nigeria-China friendship, cultural diversity, mutual respect and people-to-people engagement.

The permanent secretary particularly welcomed the artists and cultural practitioners from Hunan Province, whose programme featured song, dance, theatre, acrobatics and shadow art.

He said the participation of institutions involved in the protection, preservation, inheritance and promotion of traditional cultural expressions was significant because cultural heritage needed to be transmitted to future generations.

‘While culture belongs to the past, it must also be preserved and transmitted to future generations so that it can continue to inspire creativity and innovation,’ Ibrahim said.

He noted that Nigeria, like China, possessed extraordinary cultural diversity and deeply rooted traditions spanning indigenous music, dance, theatre, visual arts, festivals, crafts, fashion, film, literature and contemporary creative industries.

According to him, Nigeria’s evolving cultural heritage, which remains connected to its history, provides a strong foundation for sustained cultural cooperation between the two countries.

Ibrahim said the relationship between Nigeria and China had expanded over the years beyond cultural engagement to include agriculture, education, infrastructure, trade and other areas of socio-economic development.

He acknowledged the role of the Chinese Embassy and the China Cultural Centre in Nigeria in facilitating cultural collaboration and creating opportunities for cultural practitioners and audiences from both countries to engage with one another.

‘We appreciate this spirit of friendship and partnership,’ he said.

The permanent secretary said cultural diplomacy remained an important instrument for strengthening international relations, promoting tourism and creating opportunities for practitioners in Nigeria’s creative sector.

He said programmes such as the Hunan cultural exchange enabled artists to travel, collaborate, learn from one another and expose new audiences to the cultural heritage of both countries.

Such exchanges, he added, also demonstrated the economic potential of culture and creativity.

‘For us at the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, cultural diplomacy is an important instrument for strengthening international relations, promoting tourism and creating opportunities for our creative practitioners,’ Ibrahim said.

He said Nigeria was committed to developing its creative economy as a significant contributor to national development, employment, tourism, investment and international cultural relations.

The government, he said, viewed cultural exchanges with China not only as opportunities for artistic interaction but also as platforms for exploring new partnerships, creative collaborations, tourism opportunities and skills development.

He added that such cooperation could create avenues for young Nigerians to participate more actively in the global creative economy.

‘As we welcome our brothers and sisters from Hunan Province, we equally look forward to showcasing the warm hospitality and extraordinary cultural heritage of Nigeria,’ he said.

Ibrahim called for expanded exchanges involving artists, cultural institutions, museums, theatres, creative entrepreneurs, young people and tourism stakeholders from both countries.

He said greater interaction would help deepen understanding of the traditions of Nigeria and China while creating relationships that extend beyond individual cultural events.

‘The moon that shines over China is the same moon that shines over Nigeria,’ he said, describing the symbolism as a reminder that despite differences in history and culture, both countries shared a common humanity and a common world.

‘That is the essence of Shared Moon, Shared Moment,’ he said.

He urged stakeholders in both countries to build on the existing relationship and explore more opportunities for meaningful cultural cooperation.

‘To our distinguished visitors from Hunan, I say once again, welcome to Nigeria, welcome to Africa. May your stay be memorable, fruitful and filled with the warmth of Nigerian hospitality,’ he said.

He expressed the hope that the Nigeria-China relationship would continue to expand and that cultural exchanges would become enduring bridges of friendship between the peoples of both countries.

‘May the friendship between Nigeria and China continue to grow from strength to strength and may our shared cultural moments become enduring bridges of friendship between our people,’ Ibrahim said.

Nigeria’s new tax regime is adding to the pressure on dealmakers, raising the cost of exits and complicating transaction pricing just as mergers and acquisitions in the West African country suffer their sharpest decline in at least nine years.

M and A deal value in Africa’s third-largest economy plunged 88.9 percent year-on-year to $105.8 million in the first half of 2026, its lowest level in nearly a decade, according to DealMakers Africa’s latest H1 deal report.

The collapse came in the first full half-year under Nigeria’s new tax regime, which took effect on January 1 and raised the effective capital gains tax rate applicable to companies from 10 percent to 30 percent by bringing capital gains into the corporate income tax framework.

The higher tax burden is particularly significant for private equity investors, whose returns depend on existing investments at attractive valuations. It can also widen the gap between what sellers expect to receive and what buyers are willing to pay, potentially making some transactions harder to close.

Yet the tax change is not the only explanation for the collapse in deal value. Africa’s most populous nation recorded 39 M and A transactions in H1 2026, up from 31 a year earlier and the highest number of deals among African markets.

The divergence between deal volume and value signals that investors remain interested in Nigeria but are committing significantly less capital to individual transactions, with the tax regime adding another layer of uncertainty to an already challenging market.

‘It may not necessarily prevent transactions from happening, but it can influence how transactions are structured and priced,’ said Abiodun Keripe, managing director of Afrinvest Consulting.

He said the additional tax burden could make sellers demand higher valuations to preserve their returns, while buyers may be unwilling to meet those expectations.

‘When this is factored into M and A valuations, the transaction can start to look expensive and lower internal rate of returns,’ said Ayokunle Olubunmi, head of financial institutions ratings at Agusto and Co.

For private equity investors, the issue is particularly important because the higher tax burden affects the economics of eventual exits.

‘One of the things that PE investors have always considered is their exits,’ Olubunmi said. ‘So there is no way you can look at the new capital gains tax without considering its potential impact on those exit decisions.’

The concern comes as Nigeria’s position in Africa’s M and A market deteriorates sharply.

The country, which ranked as Africa’s leading M and A market by value in H1 2021, H1 2022, H1 2024 and H1 2025, fell to ninth place in H1 2026.

Kenya overtook Nigeria as the continent’s largest M and A market by value, attracting $1.44 billion from 25 transactions.

Across Africa, excluding South Africa, M and A value fell about 10 percent year-on-year to $5.58 billion, while deal volume declined approximately 13 percent to 166 transactions.

Nigeria’s 88.9 percent decline was therefore significantly steeper than the broader African slowdown.

Still, analysts caution against attributing the collapse in Nigeria’s M and A value to the tax regime alone.

‘I don’t think capital gains tax was the major factor behind the decline in M and A activity,’ Olubunmi said. ‘Private equity contributes to a portion of total M and A activity in Nigeria, but the decline in private equity was not significant enough to explain the scale of the overall drop. So I would see capital gains tax as one of several factors rather than the main driver.’

Private equity accounted for about $91.7 million of Nigeria’s H1 M and A value, down from $127.4 million a year earlier but above the $52.5 million recorded in H1 2024.

For dealmakers, the tax change is therefore less about shutting down transactions than changing the economics of doing business.

With the naira, repatriation of returns, valuations and political uncertainty already weighing on investment decisions, the higher capital gains tax risks making large transactions even harder to price and execute.

Nigeria’s M and A market is still attracting investors – but the combination of higher exit taxes and greater uncertainty is making the market increasingly difficult for large-ticket deals.

What is this Dangote Refinery Offering about?

There’s a global buzz about the Dangote Refinery’s IPO, since its launch on the 14th of September 2026, coined ‘The People’s IPO’. Investors are being offered a chance to own shares in *Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals PLC*, the company that owns the $19 Billion refinery in Lekki, Lagos, and brainchild of Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man. Dangote Refinery is the largest single-train refinery in the world, with a production capacity of 650,000 barrels per day. It started producing petroleum motor spirit (PMS), or fuel, in 2024 and now supplies 60% of Nigeria’s petrol, diesel and jet fuel. It also exports to other parts of the world, including Europe and America.

Introduction: The Most Anticipated Listing in Africa.

For 40 years, Alhaji Aliko Dangote built a cement and commodities empire worth $13.5 billion. But his most ambitious bet was always oil. The Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals complex in Lekki, Lagos, took 11 years to build, cost over $19 billion, and nearly broke the Group. It was first announced in 2013 as a 300,000 bpd refinery. It ended up as a 650,000 bpd behemoth – the largest single-train refinery on earth, capable of processing 2% of global crude output.

Now, the asset that was supposed to end Nigeria’s fuel import dependency is about to become a public company. Management has guided to a dual listing on the Nigerian Exchange, NGX, and the London Stock Exchange, LSE, in Q2 2027, with a target raise of $3-5 billion at a $25-30 billion valuation. Should this be successful, it will turn out to be Africa’s largest IPO ever, surpassing MTN Nigeria and Airtel Africa. It will double the market capitalisation of the NGX. And it will test whether Nigeria can credibly take world-scale industrial assets to the public market. The buzz is huge, and it has also hit the global stage, with adverts shown at Times Square, New York.

This assessment covers seven dimensions every investor must understand before investing in the IPO.

1. The Asset: What Investors Are Actually Buying.

Investors are not buying a concept. They are buying a fully integrated, operational industrial city on 2,635 hectares.

The core asset stack is captured below:

? Refinery Unit: 650,000 bpd nameplate. Single-train configuration means 30% lower opex per barrel than conventional multi-train refineries. It can process all Nigerian crude grades – Bonny Light, Forcados, Escravos – as well as American WTI and Saudi Arabian Light.

? Product Portfolio: Designed for maximum distillate yield: 52% gasoline, 17% diesel, 13% jet fuel, 10% LPG, 8% polypropylene and base oils. All products meet Euro V specifications, 10 ppm sulfur, which allows export to Europe and the US.

? Petrochemicals: 900,000 tonnes per annum polypropylene plant – the largest in Africa. This hedges fuel margins with plastics margins.

? Logistics and Infrastructure: The refinery owns its own 435MW power plant, 2 subsea crude pipelines, a Single Point Mooring 25km offshore, 2 jetties, 126 storage tanks with 4.5 billion litres capacity, and a fleet of 2,900 CNG-powered trucks.

Operational Reality in September 2026:

After commissioning in May 2023 and first products in January 2024, the refinery has ramped up to ~485,000 bpd, 75% utilisation in Q2 2026, according to NMDPRA data. It now supplies ~60% of Nigeria’s Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, and is the sole domestic supplier of jet fuel. It has exported diesel cargoes to Rotterdam, and gasoline to the US and Brazil. The de-risking is crucial. This is no longer a construction risk story. It is an operations and margin story.

2. Financial Assessment: The $19 Billion Question.

The refinery’s capital structure is both its strength and its biggest overhang.

Cost Breakdown:

Total project cost grew from $9bn in 2013 to $19bn in 2024 due to naira devaluation, COVID delays, and scope expansion. It was funded with ~$7bn equity from Dangote Industries Limited and ~$12bn debt syndicated via 15 Nigerian banks led by UBA, Access, Zenith, plus Afreximbank and international lenders.

As of H1 2026, net debt is estimated at $10-11bn after early repayments. Debt was refinanced in late 2025 at 8.5% average cost with a 7-year tenor, reducing near-term pressure.

Profitability: What the Numbers Look Like.

Using current 2026 refining margins, we can model:

– Throughput: 485,000 bpd x 330 days = 160 million barrels per year

– Gross Refining Margin: $15-18 per barrel for African coastal refineries in 2026

– Revenue: 160m bbls x ~$90/bbl blended product price = ~$14.4bn from fuels. Add

polypropylene and LPG: $26-28bn total revenue.

– EBITDA: With opex of ~$3.5/bbl and low crude procurement cost via Naira-for-Crude, EBITDA

margin of 18-20% is achievable. That is $4.8bn to $5.5bn EBITDA.

– Free Cash Flow: After debt service of ~$1.2bn and capex of $300m, FCF of $3.0-3.5bn.

For context, that EBITDA would make it more profitable than Dangote Cement, BUA, and Seplat combined.

Working Capital: The critical change since 2024 is subsidy removal. The refinery sells to marketers at import-parity price, on 15-day letters of credit. No more NNPC subsidy arrears. This is what makes the IPO bankable.

3. Valuation: Is $30 Billion Realistic?

There are three ways to value it. All these point to its estimated $24-30bn enterprise value.

A. Comparable Company Analysis:

– Indian refiner Reliance Jamnagar, 1.24m bpd complex: trades at 6.8x EV/EBITDA

– Middle East refiners like ADNOC Refining: 5.5x-6.5x

– US merchant refiners like Valero, Marathon: 4.0x-5.0x

African assets deserve a discount for country risk, but a premium for growth and scale. Using 5.5x-6.5x on $5.1bn EBITDA = $28-33bn EV. Less $10bn debt = $18-23bn equity.

B. Replacement Cost:

No one could build this refinery today for less than $25bn. EPC costs have risen 35% since 2019. IHS Markit estimates greenfield cost at $32,000 per bpd in Africa vs $22,000 in 2015. 650,000 x $35k = $22.7bn, before land and infrastructure. So $25bn+ is justified.

C. Dividend Discount / Discounted Cash Flow DCF:

Assume 30% payout ratio on $3.2bn net income = $960m dividend. At 7% dividend yield demanded by NGX pension funds, equity value = $13.7bn. But with 8% growth to 2030 from petrochemicals expansion, DCF at 11% WACC gives $24-27bn.

What the IPO will target:

Investment banks will push for $27bn to reward Aliko Dangote’s equity risk. Institutional investors will push for $22bn to get entry discount. The compromise will likely be $25bn post-money, raising $3.75bn for 15% float. This is aggressive but feasible if crude supply and governance are contractually secured.

4. Market and Strategic Rationale: Why List Now?

The timing is deliberate.

Policy Window: The Petroleum Industry Act, PIA, and full deregulation in 2023 removed price controls. The Naira-for-Crude deal approved in October 2024 allows the refinery to buy 445,000 bpd from NNPC in naira, at market price. It sells local fuel in naira, exports in dollars. This natural FX hedge solves the biggest concern of foreign investors in 2021.

Demand Window: Nigeria consumes 65 million litres of PMS per day, ~410,000 bpd. West Africa consumes 800,000 bpd of imports. The Dangote Refinery is the only asset that can serve this. With population growing to 400m by 2050, domestic demand alone will absorb its output.

Capital Market Window: NGX needs a jumbo listing. Its total market cap is ~$40bn, smaller than many S and P 500 companies. Pension Fund Assets under Management are N20 trillion ($13bn), with no large industrial asset to buy. The IPO solves asset allocation pressure. The LSE listing taps EM funds that cannot buy on NGX directly.

Deleveraging Need: Dangote Group needs to deleverage to fund the next projects: expansion of fertiliser to 6m tpa, and the 1,200km gas pipeline from Niger Delta to Lekki. The IPO is the cleanest way to recycle capital without selling control.

5. The Five Critical Risks.

Every prospectus will have these risk factors. These will determine subscription levels.

Risk 1: Crude Supply Reliability.

Nigeria’s crude production has struggled to exceed 1.5m bpd due to theft and underinvestment, vs OPEC quota of 1.74m bpd. If NNPC cannot supply 445,000 bpd, the refinery must import crude at higher cost.

Mitigant to watch for in prospectus: A minimum 10-year crude supply agreement with take-or-pay clause and ability to import via SPM.

Risk 2: Regulatory Creep.

Ahead of 2027 elections, will government cap fuel prices again? Any reintroduction of subsidy would destroy the valuation model.

Mitigant: Listing in London subjects the company to stronger minority shareholder protections. Also, PIA Section 205 makes price control illegal.

Risk 3: Corporate Governance.

DIL has historically been a family-run conglomerate. Public investors will demand: 50% independent board, IFRS audited accounts for 3 years, related-party transaction policy, and separate CEO and Chairman.

Mitigant: The hiring of former Shell CFO and appointment of KPMG as auditor in 2025 signals intent. The prospectus must include a governance charter.

Risk 4: Concentration and Key Man Risk.

Over 80% of equity will still be owned by Aliko Dangote after IPO. His health, political relationship, and succession are material.

Mitigant: Key man insurance, creation of a Management Committee, and gradual sale of 5% per year to increase float to 30% by 2030.

Risk 5: Refinery Cyclicality.

Refining margins are cyclical. In 2020, margins were negative. In 2022, $30/bbl. Currently high, but could fall.

Mitigant: Integrated petrochemicals and polypropylene smooth earnings. Also, African margins are structurally higher than Europe due to import freight.

6. Impact Assessment.

For Nigeria’s Economy:

– FX: Replacing $15bn of fuel imports saves ~$7-8bn FX annually, reducing pressure on naira.

– Fiscal: No more subsidy payments which cost $10bn in 2022. Plus new corporate taxes: ~$800m

annually at full profit.

– Capital Market: Will increase NGX market cap by 62%, trigger index inclusion in MSCI Frontier, and attract $1-2bn of passive flows.

For Retail Investors:

This will be Nigeria’s ‘people’s IPO,’ like MTN in 2019 which had 400,000 subscribers. Expectations: minimum N50,000, oversubscription of 200%. If dividend yield is 6-8%, it beats treasury bills and offers inflation hedge.

For Dangote Group:

It transforms the Group from private to public. DIL can retain 80-85% control while crystallizing value. A $25bn valuation makes DIL’s equity worth $20bn+, allowing it to raise non-recourse debt for other projects.

7. Investment Recommendation.

Who should buy?

– Long-term domestic institutions: BUY. Pension funds and insurance companies need long-

duration naira hedged assets. This is the best proxy for Nigeria GDP growth.

– Foreign EM funds: BUY on dip. Wait for post-listing volatility around election. The dollar

listing in London will be liquid and allow exit.

– Retail investors: SUBSCRIBE for IPO allocation. Do not borrow to buy. Hold for dividends, not

trading. This is a 5-year story.

– Short-term traders: AVOID. Early price will be volatile as 2,900 truck logistics and crude

supply stabilize.

Target Price Framework:

– Conservative case, $20bn equity, $4bn EBITDA: 12-month price target = 15% upside

– Base case, $25bn equity, $5.1bn EBITDA, 7% yield: 35% upside including dividends

– Bull case, $30bn equity at full 650k bpd, polypropylene expansion: 60% upside by 2030

The biggest determinant is not the refinery itself, but trust. If the prospectus provides transparent crude contracts, 3-year audited accounts, and a binding dividend policy, it will be oversubscribed.

If it is opaque, priced too aggressively, and dominated by related-party sales to Dangote entities, it will fail like many African resource IPOs.

Conclusion: Dangote Refinery Offer – More Than an IPO.

The Dangote Refinery IPO is a referendum.

Can Nigeria build world-scale industry? Yes, it has proven that it can.

Can it run it profitably without government support? The 2025-2026 results suggest yes.

Can it now govern it to international capital market standards? That is the question the IPO will answer.

If the answer is yes, this is not just an oil refinery listing. It is the moment Nigeria’s private sector proved it could replace the state as the builder of infrastructure, and use public markets to fund it.

The refinery turned crude into fuel. The IPO will try to turn fuel into trust.

And trust is the scarcest commodity in Nigerian markets.

Sources for Prospectus Review: NNPC 2025 Crude Term Contracts, NMDPRA Refinery Utilisation Data Q2 2026, Dangote Industries Audited 2024 Accounts, IHS Markit Refining Margins Africa, NGX Pension Fund Regulations.

Nigeria will host Madagascar in their opening Group D fixture before travelling to Bissau for their second qualifier against Guinea-Bissau at the 24 September Stadium on Tuesday, September 29.

Chelle demands strong start

Chelle has challenged his players to start the qualifying campaign on a winning note, insisting that Nigeria must target maximum points from their opening game.

‘We have to show everyone from Day One that we want it, and the only way to do that is to go for it with our hearts and refuse to slow down at any point,’ Chelle said.

‘We must go for the points without any hesitation.’

The Franco-Malian coach wants the Super Eagles to avoid putting their qualification campaign under unnecessary pressure by dropping points at home.

The Super Eagles have been drawn in Group D alongside Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau and other opponents, with the opening two fixtures providing an early test of Chelle’s team.

NFF targets maximum points

Emmanuel Ikpeme, NFF acting General Secretary, has also urged the Super Eagles to secure victory against Madagascar.

‘We are back to the familiar surroundings of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, for another qualifying race. It was here in Uyo that the Super Eagles won the tickets to the 2019 and 2025 AFCON finals,’ Ikpeme said.

‘The NFF has absolute confidence in the team to run another good race and win the ticket with matches to spare.’

Ikpeme said the immediate target was to secure three points against Madagascar before turning attention to the trip to Guinea-Bissau.

‘Surely, the only way we can do that is to start with the maximum three points tomorrow and then with another three points in Bissau on Tuesday,’ he said.

‘However, since we are taking it one match at a time, the focus now is on Madagascar on Friday.

Nigerians are looking forward to victory tomorrow, and I know the Super Eagles will give them joy.’

The match kicks off at 5pm Nigerian time on Friday in Uyo.

Lagos, Nigeria – Nigerian parents weighing the cost and complexity of an international education will have face-to-face access to admissions representatives from leading overseas schools on Saturday, 10 October 2026. On that day, Zeta Brent Education (ZBE) will host the International Education and Future Pathways Conference 2026 at Radisson Blu Anchorage, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The Conference is the centrepiece of ZBE’s 2026 International Education Pathways Programme and comes a decade after the advisory firm began placing Nigerian students in schools and universities abroad. It will convene Lagos secondary schools alongside institutions including The King’s School Canterbury, Mill Hill School, RMS for Girls, Cardiff Sixth Form College, Oxford International College, New Hall School, Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate, Wellington School and Swiss International School. Between them, these institutions offer GCSE, A-Level, IB, foundation and university pathway routes in the United Kingdom, the United States and the United Arab Emirates.

The format responds to a change in how Nigerian households approach these decisions. Rather than relying on printed prospectuses or recommendations passed between parents, families are increasingly looking for structured, first-hand conversations with the institutions they are considering.

Around the Conference, the programme runs on three connected tracks. The first takes ZBE into Lagos secondary schools for career and future-pathways sessions with students and their parents. The second is a talent assessment through which eligible students can be considered for fee waivers of between 10% and 70%. The third is an education financial planning session with CardinalStone Trustees, ZBE’s official partner, focused on how families can fund a child’s education over the long term.

Utannah Joy Dania, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Zeta Brent Education, said the programme was built to address the access gap families face at a critical point in their child’s education.

Founded in 2016, Zeta Brent Education is an international education advisory firm that guides students and families through decisions on boarding schools, sixth form, universities and pathway programmes, including selective admissions support for Oxbridge, the Ivy League and other highly competitive universities. The firm has helped more than 530 students and families secure places at leading boarding schools, colleges and universities in the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada, and works with a global network of more than 200 partner institutions. ZBE holds accreditation as a British Council Certified Agent, a Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA) Certified Agent, a BBSN Approved Agent and an ICEF Accredited Agent.

Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President and Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has called on Nigerians to unite and democratically vote out the administration of Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.

Abubakar, who spoke on Thursday in Akure, Ondo State capital while welcoming the former Governorship Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the State, Eyitayo Jegede and his supporters into the ADC, however, said the Tinubu’s APC led administration has worsened the hardship faced by Nigerians.

According to him, ‘We are committed to restoring subsidy; we are committed to restoring security all over this country. If we are elected, no part of this country would feel insecure anymore.’

He said the ADC is committed to providing an alternative government that would address insecurity, economic hardship and other challenges confronting the country, promising that his administration would restore the petrol subsidy if elected.

Atiku, who served as Vice President between 1999 and 2007, also recalled the economic performance of the country during the period, arguing that Nigeria had moved from being Africa’s largest economy to a lower position under successive administrations.

‘You know what we did between 1999 and 2007. We took Nigeria to be the first finest economy in Africa. Today, we are number five. Who is responsible for taking us down and backward? Is it not APC?’.

The former vice president urged Nigerians to use the 2027 elections to change the government, saying, ‘This is the moment for us to vote them out. And there’s this popular saying now that Tinubu must go.’

Atiku also cited the August 2026 Osun State Governorship election as an example of the importance of voter mobilisation and protection of ballots, urging ADC supporters across the country to replicate what he described as the high voter turnout and efforts to protect votes during the poll.

He said the ADC would build its strength from the grassroots and expressed confidence that Jegede’s defection, alongside the movement of his supporters, would strengthen the party in Ondo State ahead of the 2027 elections.

‘We warmly receive Jegede and his team from the PDP to ADC. We enjoy the support we have received from the people of Ondo State, and I want to see that support reflected in the next election,’ Atiku said.

He added that the party was determined to protect its votes and mobilise Nigerians across the country, saying the outcome of the 2027 election would depend significantly on voters turning out and ensuring that their ballots counted.

Earlier, Rauf Aregbesola, ADC National Secretary and former Governor of Osun State, who represented David Mark, the National Chairman, urged party members and supporters to intensify grassroots mobilisation ahead of the elections.

Aregbesola charged them to ‘go from house to house’ to campaign for ADC candidates, promising that the party would address the rising cost of living if elected.

‘You can see things are costly; we are going to bring it down,’ he said, urging Nigerians to support the ADC at the polls.

He added, ‘It is our vote that would determine the strength of our political party. As we came out today, let’s vote ADC massively.’

Also speaking, Jegede said he defected from the PDP to the ADC to contribute to the party’s efforts to provide what he described as a democratic alternative ahead of the 2027 elections.

Jegede said unemployment, economic hardship and rising living costs had made the situation difficult for many Nigerians, insisting that the time had come for citizens to mobilise for political change.

‘There is unemployment in Nigeria; you can all see it. There is hardship; you can all see that. The suffering is too much. The journey has begun. We want a democratic government,’ he said.

The former PDP governorship candidate expressed confidence in the ADC’s prospects in the 2027 elections, saying the party would mobilise and unite its supporters to contest the presidential, senatorial and House of Representatives elections.

‘We are sure of winning the Senate, House of Representatives and presidency. We are going to mobilise and unite to win come 2027,’ Jegede added.

The Lagos State Parking Authority (LASPA) has taken its parking sensitisation campaign to Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area (LCDA), engaging residents, motorists and business owners on responsible parking practices and the Lagos State Parking Policy.

The roadshow, held on Thursday, formed part of LASPA’s broader public engagement ahead of the commencement of enforcement against parking violations across the state.

The sensitisation exercise was led by Adebisi Adelabu, the general manager of LASPA, who was represented by Deen Sanwoola, the executive assistant to the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on LASPA.

Adelabu emphasised the importance of public education and voluntary compliance, noting that indiscriminate parking contributes to traffic congestion and obstructs the free movement of pedestrians and motorists.

She said, ‘Effective parking goes beyond providing spaces; it’s about understanding where, when and how to park responsibly.’

According to her, responsible parking requires motorists to use designated spaces and ensure that roads, walkways and other public areas remain accessible and safe for all road users.

She explained that the roadshow was designed to deepen residents’ understanding of the Lagos State Parking Policy and clarify the expectations for motorists, businesses and property owners ahead of enforcement.

The LASPA general manager urged motorists and business owners to avoid parking in ways that obstruct traffic, pedestrian walkways, entrances to businesses and access to residential or commercial properties.

She stressed that sustained public awareness, stakeholder engagement and cooperation are essential to achieving an orderly and efficient parking management system across Lagos.

The sensitisation campaign, carried out in collaboration with officials of Ikorodu West LCDA, is part of LASPA’s ongoing efforts to take the parking policy closer to communities, address concerns and promote voluntary compliance before enforcement begins.

LASPA reiterated its commitment to continued engagement with communities and stakeholders as the Lagos State Government strengthens parking management and works towards safer, more accessible and better-organised roads and public spaces across the state.

Nigerian fintech startup Nearpays has won the Fintech for Good Award at Money20/20 Middle East, adding another international recognition to its work in digital payments and financial technology.

Nearpays emerged as the winner after competing against more than 500 applicants, with 25 companies progressing to the semifinal stage. The recognition places the Nigerian startup among fintech companies being recognised for using technology to address challenges in financial services.

The company was recognised for its Soft POS solution, which allows businesses to accept card payments through smartphones without buying traditional physical point-of-sale terminals.

The technology is designed to reduce the cost of accepting digital payments, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses that may face financial barriers when adopting conventional payment devices.

Victor Daniyan, Founder and CEO of Nearpays, said the company was focused on making payment collection easier for businesses across Africa.

‘Nearpays is positioned to positively impact SMBs across Africa by making digital payment collection simpler, more accessible, and affordable. Our goal is to remove the barriers that prevent businesses from accepting digital payments and give them the technology they need to grow.’

During the competition, the organisers highlighted Nearpays’ pitch, its focus on customer value and its use of artificial intelligence and contactless payment technology.

Mareme Paullele, one of the judges at the semifinal stage, also praised the startup’s presentation and product.

‘Nearpays delivered an exceptional pitch and presented a strong product that can easily help scale e-commerce businesses by improving digital payment acceptance.’

The Money20/20 award comes after another international recognition for Nearpays at the AI for Good Innovation Factory in Switzerland, where the company was recognised for its use of artificial intelligence to address real-world challenges.

For the company, the two recognitions point to its efforts to develop technology in Africa for businesses and consumers on the continent while pursuing applications beyond the region.

Daniyan said the awards reflected the work of the Nearpays team and its approach to developing technology.

‘These recognitions are a reflection of the hard work of our team and our belief that African technology can solve African problems while creating solutions with global relevance. We are only getting started.’

Through its Soft POS solution, Nearpays is seeking to expand access to digital payment acceptance by allowing businesses to use smartphones as payment devices.

The company says the technology can help businesses accept payments, reach more customers and participate in the digital economy without the need for traditional POS hardware.

The Money20/20 recognition adds to Nearpays’ international profile as it continues to develop payment technology from Nigeria for businesses across Africa and other markets.