Category: Business Day

Routelink Group, a digital solution provider, has expanded its digital footprint in the financial services ecosystem with the launch of Routelink Microfinance Bank Limited, expected to support its digital payments platform, RoutePay.

Before entering the microfinance space, the group has spent several years developing technology infrastructure across payments, telecommunications and digital services. Over the years, the group leveraging RoutePay built payment capabilities designed to make it easier for businesses to collect and make payments through digital channels.

‘Our vision is to create an ecosystem where technology makes financial services simpler, more accessible and more useful to everyday Nigerians and small businesses,’ Femi Adeoti, group managing director, Routelink Group, said in a statement.

Adeoti said that the digital firm is leveraging technology, which is at the centre of its operations, with the microfinance bank adopting a digital-first operating model designed to reduce the complexity traditionally associated with accessing financial services.

According to him, the establishment of Routelink Microfinance Bank represents the next phase in the journey of providing broader services in Nigeria’s financial ecosystem. He added that RoutePay will continue to focus on payment technology, while Routelink Microfinance Bank will provide regulated banking services.

‘Beyond receiving payments, businesses need convenient ways to manage their money, build financial histories, access working capital and obtain financial services that can support their growth,’ Adeoti said.

He disclosed that RoutePay has enabled the group to build strong capabilities around digital payments; the microfinance bank will complement those capabilities with regulated banking services such as savings, deposits and credit as the two platforms play complementary roles.

According to him, the launch forms part of Routelink Group’s broader strategy of connecting payments, financial services and digital commerce while maintaining separate governance and regulatory responsibilities.

‘This is the beginning of a much larger journey for Routelink Group. Our ambition goes beyond making financial services more convenient. We are building a connected, technology-driven financial ecosystem capable of unlocking opportunities at scale,’ Adeoti said.

Catholic priests in Benue State have rejected the Federal Government’s plan to include Benue in the pilot phase of its National Ranching Policy, declaring that ‘our land is not for sale and has never been on sale.’

The Nigeria Catholic Diocesan Priests Association (NCDPA), Makurdi Diocese, warned that imposing ranching on Benue, an ‘already bleeding and targeted state,’ amounts to a disguised agenda for land grabbing and the permanent displacement of indigenous communities.

This came as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), in Benue State, described it as ‘provocative and unacceptable’ to imagine that the scarce land in Benue would be taken from farming communities and converted into grazing settlements.

The party, in a statement by Bright Antyo, its Publicity Secretary, argued that the best approach to modern ranching was for livestock owners to acquire land lawfully and establish ranches as private businesses just as farmers acquire land for agricultural enterprises.

Terfa Beba, Chairman of NCDPA, in a statement, quoted the priests as condemning what they described as the exclusion of the Benue State Government from the decision-making process.

‘Had the elected leadership of Benue State been genuinely consulted, we believe it would never have consented to any arrangement capable of undermining the rights, dignity, security and ancestral heritage of our people,’ the statement said.

The FG had announced that the pilot implementation of the National Ranching Policy would kick off at the Wase Grazing Reserve in Plateau State, with Benue listed among States for the rollout.

But, NCDPA said Benue, which had suffered years of killings, displacement and destruction of communities, cannot be used for such a policy.

‘We cannot accept a policy imposed upon a people whose communities have suffered killings, displacement, destruction and prolonged insecurity. Ranching must never become a disguised instrument for land grabbing, forced occupation or the permanent displacement of indigenous communities’, Beba said.

The Association threw its weight behind the position of the Bishop of Makurdi Diocese, Wilfred Chikpa Anagbe, whom it said, had ‘consistently and courageously spoken against this injustice.’

‘There is no going back on this as long as as we still draw breath,’ the priests declared.

The priests called on the Federal Government to respect the Constitutional Rights of Benue people and engage the State Government, traditional and community leaders transparently.

They demanded that displaced persons be enabled to return safely and take possession of their ancestral lands before any discussion on ranching.

‘Let this be on record: Benue is predominantly an agrarian state, not a pastoralist society. Ranching in Benue State is therefore NOT VIABLE, and WE REJECT THIS PROJECT IDEA WITH ALL LEGAL AND SPIRITUAL RESOURCES.

‘Our ancestral homes are not bargaining chips. Our people must return home. Benue must not be enslaved through policy. There will be no surrender of our ancestral heritage in whatever form or guise being proposed or presented’, the statement read.

Benue has in the last decade been at the centre of farmer-herder conflicts that have claimed thousands of lives and displaced hundreds of thousands. The State in 2017 enacted the Anti-Open Grazing Law to regulate livestock movement.

The priests insisted there is ‘no land in Benue State for commercial ranching.’

However, the opposition PDP further affirmed that the majority of people in the State depend on farming for survival, and with growing population and expanding communities, most farmers still struggle to obtain sufficient land.

‘The PDP wishes to state without ambiguity that Benue land is not available for grazing reserves, grazing settlements or any policy, whatever name it is given, that seeks to carve out portions of our ancestral lands for the exclusive settlement of herders.’

‘What we will never support is a scheme under which government takes land belonging to communities and farmers and converts it into grazing reserves or settlements for a particular group. There is no idle land in Benue State waiting to be donated for grazing reserves,’ it said.

The FIFA World Cup, the Africa Cup of Nations, geopolitical tensions, celebrity feuds and the viral ‘Six Seven’ meme were among the biggest stories that captured Nigerians’ attention between January and July 2026, according to new Google Trends data.

The review of anonymised Google search data offers a snapshot of the issues, personalities and events that dominated public interest in Nigeria during the first seven months of the year.

At the top of the rankings was the FIFA World Cup in North America, which generated search interest several times higher than any other major topic during the period.

Nigerians closely followed the Super Eagles’ campaign, the tournament’s opening ceremony featuring Shakira and Burna Boy, and the eventual final between Spain and Argentina.

Individual players and teams also drove search activity, with Erling Haaland recording a surge in July as Norway’s campaign ended against England.

France’s run to the latter stages of the tournament and Morocco’s historic quarter-final campaign also attracted significant attention.

The tournament has since extended into discussions around the Ballon d’Or.

AFCON heartbreak

Before the World Cup took centre stage, the Africa Cup of Nations dominated searches in January.

The Super Eagles’ semi-final against hosts Morocco generated particularly strong interest after Nigeria suffered a penalty shootout defeat.

Searches around the fixture, AFCON results and the final reflected Nigerians’ intense engagement with the tournament.

Senegal eventually won the competition on January 18.

Winter Olympics surprise Nigerians

The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics emerged as another unexpected source of interest in February.

Despite Nigeria having no team competing in ice hockey, the Winter Games generated substantial search traffic, highlighting Nigerians’ appetite for major global sporting events beyond football.

Iran, Strait of Hormuz and rising costs

Geopolitical tensions also translated into strong search activity.

As the conflict involving Iran intensified and the Strait of Hormuz became a major focus of international attention, Nigerians searched for terms including ‘Iran news’, ‘Israel Iran war’ and ‘Strait of Hormuz meaning’.

The interest was closely linked to economic concerns. The Strait of Hormuz is a major route for global oil shipments, meaning disruption there can affect crude prices and, indirectly, fuel costs in oil-import-dependent markets.

For Nigerians, a geopolitical crisis thousands of kilometres away therefore became connected to an everyday concern: the cost of transportation and living.

Blord, VeryDarkMan feud dominates social searches

The prolonged dispute involving cryptocurrency entrepreneur Blord and activist VeryDarkMan also maintained significant search interest.

The saga peaked around Blord’s arrest and remand in Kuje prison in April, followed by his release on bail 16 days later.

Searches for ‘who is Blord’ alongside the main queries suggested that the controversy attracted both existing followers and people attempting to understand the personalities at the centre of the dispute.

Deaths that captured national attention

Several high-profile deaths also drove significant search activity during the period.

Afrofuji singer Destiny Boy died in January at the age of 22, with the circumstances surrounding his death and subsequent investigation generating sustained interest.

Internationally, actor Eric Dane, known for his roles in Grey’s Anatomy and Euphoria, died in February after battling ALS.

In May, Nollywood actor Alexx Ekubo also became a major search subject following reports of his death at 40. Search interest surged again in June during his burial in Arochukwu.

Politics, corruption and the Epstein files

Political and accountability-related stories featured prominently in Nigeria’s search trends.

Saleh Mamman, former minister of power, attracted attention after the EFCC arrested him in Kaduna in connection with a corruption case involving N33 billion. He was later sentenced to 75 years in prison.

In Lagos, the political drama surrounding Mudashiru Obasa’s return as Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly also generated sustained interest.

Beyond Nigeria, the release of millions of pages of documents connected to Jeffrey Epstein prompted Nigerians to join a global search for information about the case.

‘Six Seven’ and the internet’s latest mystery

Not all the major searches were driven by politics, tragedy or geopolitics.

The ’67’ or ‘Six Seven’ meme became one of the internet’s biggest talking points, particularly among younger Nigerians.

The phrase, drawn from a US rap song, became a viral expression used by teenagers in seemingly random contexts, often accompanied by a hand gesture.

Its popularity left many Nigerians, particularly older users, searching for an explanation of what the phrase actually meant.

The trend illustrated the speed at which global internet culture can move into Nigeria’s digital mainstream.

Another viral story emerged in April when OPay customer Opeyemi Awodoyin reportedly received N100,000 in error and declined to return the money.

The incident triggered a wider debate online about honesty, ownership and what Nigerians should do when money is mistakenly transferred to their accounts.

In May, searches for ‘what is hantavirus’ also spiked following reports of an outbreak aboard a cruise ship.

Celebrity controversies remain powerful search drivers

Celebrity news continued to attract Nigerians’ attention throughout the period.

Frank Edoho, Veteran broadcaster trended in May following confirmation of his divorce and allegations involving his former wife.

In July, Sam Larry, music promoter survived a crash on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road that killed his bodyguard. The incident also revived public discussions around the death of singer Mohbad and events surrounding the controversy three years earlier.

Music, film and football exports

Nigeria’s entertainment industry remained a consistent source of search interest.

Wizkid and Asake’s ‘Jogodo’ generated strong attention in January, while Asake’s album sparked another wave of searches in May.

The 2026 Grammy Awards also attracted interest, with searches for the winners rising around the ceremony. Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime performance generated additional attention among Nigerian audiences.

In film, Mortal Kombat 2 and Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey were among the movies attracting searches.

Football also produced another Nigerian storyline, with teenager Zadok Yohanna’s reported pound 28 million move to Brighton becoming a significant talking point and highlighting Nigeria’s continuing pipeline of young football talent.

Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, communications and public affairs manager, West Africa, Google, said search data provides a window into what Nigerians genuinely care about.

‘Search data is the most honest record of national attention we have, because nobody performs for a search bar,’ he said.

According to Google, the rankings are based on each story’s peak monthly search interest in Nigeria between January and July 2026, with related queries grouped together.

The trends show that Nigerians’ attention in 2026 has moved fluidly between sport, politics, global affairs, entertainment, internet culture and everyday economic concerns.

The Federal Ministry of Youth Development (FMYD), through the Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA), has partnered with Cascador to launch a new programme aimed at helping young Nigerian entrepreneurs move from business ideas to investment-ready ventures.

The partnership, announced to mark International Youth Day 2026, will see the NiYA × Cascador Founders Program provide training, mentorship and non-dilutive funding to a pilot cohort of 20 early-stage Nigerian youth founders.

Under the programme, participants will undergo an intensive four-week curriculum covering business fundamentals, investment readiness and pitch preparation.

At the end of the programme, eight of the top-performing founders will receive up to N5 million each in non-dilutive funding from Cascador.

The selected founders will also receive an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution to help them structure and manage their businesses as they scale.

The programme will culminate in a Pitch Day organised by NiYA and FMYD, where participants will present their businesses to a panel of judges.

According to the organisers, the pilot is designed to support young founders who may not have formal business registration, established financial records or access to traditional funding networks.

‘For NiYA, training is only one part of the journey. The real value is in helping young people move from learning to enterprise, from ideas to investable businesses, and from potential to sustainable economic participation,’ the minister for youth development said.

The minister added that the partnership with Cascador would combine business preparation with access to capital, particularly for young entrepreneurs who lack the formal structures and financial history typically required by traditional funders.

The programme forms part of NiYA’s broader ambition to train and empower seven million Nigerian youths within two years.

Cascador, a Nigeria-focused platform supporting growth-stage founders, will work with FMYD and NiYA to establish eligibility criteria, support participants’ investment readiness, assess their pitches and provide funding to the strongest performers.

Trish Thomas, CEO of Cascador, said the partnership would help create a practical pathway between entrepreneurship training and access to capital.

‘NiYA and FMYD have already shown what real commitment to Nigeria’s youth looks like the platforms, the reach, the ambition to train millions,’ Thomas said.

She added that the partnership would provide a bridge from the ideation stage to capital readiness.

Oyin Solebo, COO of Cascador and former managing director of the ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator, said the programme demonstrated how government-backed entrepreneurship training could be combined with private-sector capital.

‘This is what innovative capital deployment looks like as a government building real investment readiness at scale, and a partner meeting that foundational work with non-dilutive funding at exactly the moment it’s needed,’ Solebo said.

The pilot will be delivered in person in Abuja, supported by virtual sessions and one-on-one mentorship.

The organisers said all 20 participants who complete the programme will retain NiYA alumni status and receive priority consideration for future opportunities.

For FMYD, the pilot is also intended to test a model that could eventually be expanded beyond the initial cohort.

The minister said the broader objective is to create a youth entrepreneurship ecosystem where access to opportunities is determined by business readiness, ideas and execution rather than an entrepreneur’s background or existing networks.

The partnership comes as Nigeria continues to grapple with youth unemployment and the need to create pathways for young people to participate more meaningfully in the digital and wider economy.

By combining public-sector reach, entrepreneurship training and private capital, the NiYA-Cascador initiative seeks to address one of the persistent challenges facing young Nigerian founders which is moving from acquiring skills to building businesses capable of attracting and effectively deploying capital.

There is a particular kind of regret that arrives a few seconds too late. You answer a call from an unknown number and hear a calm voice claiming to be from your bank. For the next 90 seconds, you believe the caller, or you let the phone ring because, like millions of Nigerians, you have learnt to treat unknown numbers with suspicion, only to discover later that it was the client you had been trying to reach for three weeks.

Both come at a cost, and for the average Nigerian professional, that cost is becoming more frequent, more complicated and, increasingly, difficult to measure.

Nigeria has reached a point where distrust of an unfamiliar telephone number is no longer simply a personal precaution. It has become a rational response to an environment in which legitimate communication and fraud increasingly arrive through the same channel.

According to Truecaller’s latest Global Insights Report, 51 per cent of unknown calls received by Nigerians are flagged as spam or fraud, the highest rate recorded in Africa. When more than one in every two unknown calls carries that warning, it is hardly surprising that people stop trusting the number on their screen, and that caution comes with its own price.

When the Scam Works the most obvious cost is the fraud that succeeds. It can begin with nothing more than a telephone call. A confident voice introduces itself as a bank official. There is an urgent transfer to reverse, an account that needs to be secured or a one-time password that must be confirmed immediately.

The trick is rarely sophisticated, and what makes it effective is urgency. By the time the victim realises what has happened, the consequences may extend well beyond the money transferred. There are calls to the bank’s fraud desk, police reports, cancelled cards, blocked accounts and the exhausting process of proving that a transaction was not authorised.

The financial loss is only part of the damage. There is also the time lost, the disruption to work and the lingering anxiety that follows. For a professional whose livelihood depends on access to a phone, bank account and digital identity, a fraudulent call can quickly become an operational crisis.

One call can open the door

The greater danger is the cascade that can follow a compromised call. A victim may surrender what appears to be a harmless piece of information. From there, a SIM swap could follow. Then access to a banking application. Then other accounts connected to the same telephone number.

The phone number has quietly evolved into something much more valuable than a means of communication. For many Nigerians, it is a gateway to banking, payments, social media, email and other parts of their digital lives.

That makes a compromised call potentially far more damaging than the original request made by the fraudster. What begins as an attempt to obtain one piece of information can become an attack on an individual’s wider financial and digital identity.

The call that comes through the family

But perhaps the most expensive call is not the one that reaches your phone, it is the one that reaches your mother’s.

Fraudsters understand that the people around a professional can sometimes be easier targets. An ageing parent, a younger sibling or a dependent who is less familiar with common scams may provide the easiest route to someone else’s money.

The script is often familiar: a child has been arrested, a relative is stranded somewhere, an emergency has occurred, or a small payment is required before a larger benefit can be released. The sums requested may initially appear insignificant, but the emotional pressure, however, is enormous.

When such a scam succeeds, the loss is carried twice. First, there is the money that must be recovered or replaced. Then comes the guilt, the feeling that the victim should have known better, or that the person who was defrauded should have been protected.

For many Nigerian professionals, that is the real burden of a bad call. It does not always target the most careful member of the family. It targets the most vulnerable, and the consequences eventually find their way back to everyone.

Then there are the calls we stop taking

There is another cost that receives far less attention: the genuine calls that go unanswered.

A recruiter may be calling about a job opportunity. A hospital may be trying to reach a patient. A supplier may be confirming a delivery. A client may be calling from a number that is not saved on the recipient’s phone.

But when every unknown number is treated as a potential threat, legitimate opportunities begin to look like threats too.

This creates an uncomfortable paradox. The more successful telephone fraud becomes, the less willing people are to answer their phones, and the less willing people are to answer, the harder it becomes for legitimate businesses and individuals to communicate efficiently.

Trust, once lost, is expensive to rebuild. For businesses, the consequences can include missed customers, delayed transactions and failed follow-ups.

For professionals, it can mean missing an opportunity simply because the person making the call was not recognised. A missed call may look insignificant on a phone screen. In real life, it can represent a missed contract, an interview, a medical appointment or an important conversation.

Then there’s the New Cost of Doing Business.This is where the problem becomes larger than telephone fraud. Nigeria’s growing digital economy depends on communication. Businesses need to reach customers. Customers need to reach banks, service providers and professionals. Employers need to contact candidates. Families need to stay connected.

Yet the same infrastructure that makes this possible is increasingly being exploited by fraudsters. The result is an informal tax on trust.

People spend time verifying numbers. Businesses increasingly rely on WhatsApp messages, emails and other channels to confirm calls. Professionals hesitate before answering. Families develop elaborate rules for responding to emergencies.

All of this is understandable, but it also means that the cost of fraud is being transferred beyond the immediate victim. It is being absorbed by everyone who relies on the telephone as part of everyday economic and social life. The challenge, therefore, is not simply to teach Nigerians not to fall for scams. That remains essential, but it is only one part of the solution.

Banks, telecom operators, technology companies and regulators also have a role to play in making fraudulent communication easier to identify and legitimate communication easier to trust.

Individuals, meanwhile, must develop habits that balance caution with practicality: verify unexpected requests through trusted channels, never disclose sensitive banking credentials or one-time passwords to unsolicited callers, and establish family protocols for genuine emergencies.

The objective should not be to make Nigerians answer every call. It should be to make them confident enough to know which calls are worth answering.

Because in an economy where a telephone call can move money, secure a job, close a deal or trigger a fraud investigation, the cost of a bad call is no longer measured only in naira.

Sometimes, the most expensive call is the one we never answer.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has constituted a fact-finding committee to investigate the country’s recent poor performances in international football following the Super Falcons’ failure to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The move comes after the Super Falcons, 10-time African champions and holders of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), suffered a disappointing exit from the 2026 tournament in Morocco.

Super Falcons miss World Cup for first time

Nigeria were eliminated at the quarter-final stage after a 1-0 defeat to Cameroon before suffering a 2-1 loss to South Africa in the subsequent CAF playoff.

The defeat ended Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the Inter-Confederations Playoff and means the Super Falcons will miss the Women’s World Cup for the first time since the tournament began in 1991.

The setback has intensified concerns over the state of Nigeria’s national teams and the country’s declining influence in international football.

Amun heads five-member panel

Former NFF General Secretary, Ambassador Fanny Amun, MON, will chair the fact-finding committee.

The panel also includes former Nigeria U20 coach and President of the Nigeria Football Coaches Association, Ladan Bosso; former Super Falcons captain and multiple WAFCON winner Desire Oparanozie; former Super Eagles captain, AFCON winner and World Cup star Mutiu Adepoju; and former FIFA referee Dr Alex Mana.

Chairman of the Sokoto State Football Association, Mohammed Nasiru Sa’idu, will serve as secretary.

Committee tasked with finding answers

The committee is expected to examine the factors behind the recent struggles of Nigeria’s national teams and identify areas requiring urgent intervention.

Its formation reflects growing concerns over the country’s inability to translate its historic strength and talent pool into sustained success across international competitions.

The Super Falcons’ failure to qualify for the 2027 World Cup represents a particularly significant setback, given Nigeria’s record of appearing at every previous edition of the tournament.

The NFF’s decision to establish the panel could therefore provide an opportunity to assess the technical, administrative and structural challenges affecting the national teams and recommend measures to reverse the decline.

Angola’s annual inflation rate has fallen below 10 percent for the first time in nearly 11 years, strengthening signs that price pressures are easing after years of high inflation and giving the central bank more room to consider further interest rate cuts.

Inflation slowed to 9.33 percent in July from 10.11 percent in June, according to the National Statistics Institute. The latest reading is close to the lowest level recorded in the country’s consumer price index series since 2015.

The July figure represents a 0.78 percentage point decline from June and is about 10 percentage points lower than a year earlier, extending a sustained period of easing price pressures.

The statistics agency attributed the continued slowdown largely to the stability of the kwanza and improved domestic supplies of essential goods. The July reading marked the 24th consecutive month of declining annual inflation.

The easing trend has already allowed the Banco Nacional de Angola to begin reducing borrowing costs. On July 14, the central bank cut its benchmark interest rate by 125 basis points to 15.75 percent, citing the continued improvement in inflation.

However, the decline in headline inflation has not been evenly spread across the economy. Education recorded the highest annual price increase at 25.24 percent, while food and non alcoholic beverages rose 10.40 percent.

Housing, water, electricity and fuel prices increased 10.17 percent, while healthcare costs rose 10.16 percent.

Food and non alcoholic beverages remained the biggest contributor to the overall price level, keeping pressure on household budgets even as headline inflation moved into single digits.

On a monthly basis, consumer prices increased 0.75 percent in July, compared with 0.52 percent in June, showing that the slowdown in annual inflation does not mean price increases have stopped.

Transportation recorded one of the sharpest improvements, with annual inflation falling to 3.65 percent in July from 15.40 percent in June. Prices also eased across clothing and footwear, housing and utilities, and miscellaneous goods and services.

The decline in inflation remains uneven across Angola’s provinces. Cuanza Norte recorded the lowest annual inflation rate at 6 percent, followed by Huambo at 6.59 percent and Cunene at 6.86 percent.

At the other end of the scale, Cabinda recorded inflation of 13.09 percent, while Malanje and Lunda Sul posted rates of 12.01 percent and 11.40 percent respectively.

The wide gap between provinces shows that the improvement in national inflation has not translated into uniform price relief across the country, particularly for households facing higher costs for food, education and basic services.

The latest figures nevertheless strengthen the case for a gradual easing of monetary policy if the downward trend continues. Investors and businesses will be watching August inflation closely for signs of whether Angola can sustain the progress and how quickly lower inflation could translate into cheaper credit and stronger consumer and business activity.

For households, the move below 10 percent is an important improvement, but the continued rise in essential goods and services means the cost of living remains a concern even as the broader inflation picture improves.

Katebridge Impact Advisory, a civic tech firm, has launched in Nigeria with a mandate to help businesses, foundations, philanthropists and development organisations improve how they design, measure and demonstrate the impact of their social investments.

The launch comes as organisations across Nigeria and Africa face increasing pressure to demonstrate not only the resources committed to social programmes, but also the outcomes and lasting changes generated by those investments.

Katebridge’s approach is focused on helping organisations move beyond measuring activities such as the number of beneficiaries reached or programmes delivered to assessing whether interventions are producing meaningful and sustainable outcomes.

The firm provides services across CSR strategy and execution, philanthropy advisory, community impact programmes, impact measurement, and monitoring, evaluation and learning.

According to the firm, its core proposition is that social investments should be assessed by the changes they create rather than simply what is delivered.

This approach involves examining whether an intervention addressed the problem it was designed to solve, what changed for the communities involved, what contributed to those changes, and whether the outcomes can be sustained.

Katebridge said its founding team combines experience across international development, public policy, programme management, community development, strategic communications, research and learning.

Karo Omu, co-founder and managing partner, brings experience in programme management, social impact strategy, community development and stakeholder engagement.

She is also the founder of Sanitary Aid Initiative, a community-focused social intervention organisation.

Temidayo Musa, co-founder, has experience spanning international development, humanitarian emergencies, public policy, strategic communications, research and learning, as well as the use of technology to improve social services and governance.

The founders said they intend to position Katebridge at the intersection of strategy, implementation and evidence in the development sector.

‘The conversation around social investment is evolving. Organisations are being asked to demonstrate not only what they have invested, but what that investment has achieved,’ the firm said.

Katebridge said its initial operations will focus on Nigeria and the wider West African region, where organisations are dealing with complex social and economic challenges while facing greater demands for responsible and accountable investment.

Beyond advisory services, the firm plans to contribute to the social impact ecosystem through research, knowledge sharing and thought leadership.

Its flagship publication, ‘Measuring What Matters: The Impact Investment Landscape Report 2026’, is expected to examine the changing impact investment space and the growing role of data, evidence, measurement and accountability in improving social investment.

The firm also plans to examine challenges across areas including maternal and public healthcare, youth unemployment, climate resilience, financial inclusion, food security, youth development and sanitation.

Katebridge’s launch reflects a broader shift in the social investment sector towards evidence-based approaches that seek to establish whether funding and interventions are producing measurable results.

For the firm, counting beneficiaries or measuring activities remains useful but does not provide a complete picture of impact.

It argues that organisations need stronger systems for understanding outcomes, learning from interventions and using evidence to guide future investments.

Katebridge said its ambition is to become a trusted impact partner for organisations seeking to make their social investments more strategic, measurable and effective across West Africa.

The firm is now open to organisations seeking support with social impact strategy, philanthropic investments, community programmes and impact measurement.

The Kwara Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KWACCIMA) has unveiled plans to strengthen its advocacy for policies that promote investment, improve the ease of doing business and create an enabling environment for enterprises to thrive in the state.

Abu Salami, President and Chairman of the Council of KWACCIMA, stated this on Thursday in his address at the opening of the chamber’s 56th Annual General Meeting (AGM), held at the KWACCIMA Secretariat, Afon Junction, Ganmo, Kwara State.

Salami said the Chamber was determined to reposition KWACCIMA as a leading chamber of commerce in Nigeria through innovation, strategic partnerships, institutional reforms, improved member services and sustainable programmes capable of delivering measurable value to its members.

He described the AGM as a significant event in the life of the chamber, providing an opportunity to review its activities and achievements over the past year, assess challenges, strengthen unity among members and chart a progressive course for the future of the chamber and the private sector in Kwara.

According to him, despite prevailing economic challenges confronting businesses across the country, KWACCIMA remained committed to promoting the interests of the organised private sector.

He said the chamber had, during the year under review, organised and participated in several strategic programmes aimed at promoting commerce, industry, agriculture, mining and entrepreneurship.

Salami added that the Chamber had strengthened its relationships with government institutions, corporate organisations, development partners and diplomatic missions.

He specifically cited its collaboration with the Indonesian Trade Promotion Centre and the successful Indonesian Business Forum held in Ilorin as initiatives that had opened new opportunities for trade and investment between Kwara businesses and international business communities.

The KWACCIMA president also stated that the Chamber had intensified its membership drive, encouraged stronger participation by sectoral associations and continued to provide platforms for business networking, investment promotion and enterprise development.

He added that the achievements recorded during the year were made possible by the collective support and commitment of members, the Executive Council, secretariat staff and partners.

‘As we prepare for the forthcoming 13th Kwara Trade Fair, the Executive Council remains committed to delivering an event that will further showcase the enormous economic and investment potential of Kwara State while creating greater opportunities for businesses to grow,’ he said.

Salami urged members to actively participate in the AGM’s deliberations, stressing the need for openness, constructive ideas and a shared commitment to the continued growth of the chamber.

He expressed appreciation to members, past presidents, executive council members, governments at all levels, corporate organisations, development partners and other stakeholders for their support.

‘We shall build a stronger institution that will continue to promote economic prosperity, advocate for the private sector and contribute meaningfully to the development of Kwara State and Nigeria as a whole,’ he said.

Also speaking, Damilola Yusuf Adelodun, the Kwara State Commissioner for Business, Innovation and Technology, said the AGM represented not only a long-standing tradition but also an important platform for discussing ways to strengthen the state’s business environment.

The Commissioner, represented by Rabiat Bola Salaudeen, the Director of Industry, commended KWACCIMA for its sustained advocacy for the business community, promotion of industry partnerships and efforts to strengthen Kwara’s economic base.

She acknowledged the resilience of businesses in the state despite global economic uncertainties, supply chain disruptions, post-pandemic recovery challenges, fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange reforms.

According to her, the ability of businesses to adapt and innovate remained critical to the state’s economic progress.

She said the State Government’s vision was to build a prosperous Kwara where businesses could thrive, create jobs and compete effectively at national and international levels.

‘At the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Technology, we are committed to creating an enabling environment that will not only support existing businesses but also attract new investments, foster innovation and improve the ease of doing business across all sectors,’ she said.

Adelodun stressed the importance of stronger collaboration between the government and private sector, noting that sustainable economic development could not be achieved by government alone, adding that the government would continue to engage stakeholders, identify barriers affecting businesses and pursue practical solutions to make Kwara an increasingly attractive destination for investment and enterprise development.

She posited that the State Government was investing in infrastructure, including roads, technology, healthcare facilities, education, digital connectivity and other facilities required to support economic growth.

On access to finance, the commissioner said the government is strengthening support for Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs), describing them as the lifeblood of the economy.

She said the Kwara State Social Investment Programme (KWASSIP) had been strategically positioned to provide support for businesses, while arrangements were underway to reintroduce and reinvigorate the Bureau of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises to cater to larger businesses.

According to her, the government was also engaging Deposit Money Banks to provide lending support to businesses and developing programmes around mentorship, skills training and market access.

She said the initiatives were aimed at equipping businesses with the resources and skills needed to grow and compete effectively.

The commissioner further highlighted Kwara’s resource base, skilled workforce and strategic location as opportunities for local and international trade, adding that the government was particularly focused on promoting industries with strong export potential.

She said the ministry, in collaboration with educational institutions and private-sector partners, was also advancing vocational training, apprenticeships and entrepreneurship programmes for young people across the state.

Adelodun listed the ICT Hub, Sugar Film Factory Studio, Garment Factory and agro-processing facilities, including shea nut and shea butter projects, among initiatives contributing to economic development across various sectors.

She also said government incentives, including tax holidays and reliefs, were being deployed to encourage business growth, while the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KW-IRS) had been strengthened to provide improved services to businesses.

Representatives of the National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN), Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Lower Niger River Basin Authority, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), in their goodwill messages and presentations, encouraged KWACCIMA to sustain its role in coordinating economic development and strengthen collaboration among stakeholders.

The AGM provided a platform for stakeholders in the public and private sectors to review developments in Kwara’s business environment and explore strategies for deepening investment, enterprise development and economic growth in the state.

Festus Keyamo, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has ordered aviation agencies and airlines to work out repayment plans for outstanding debts owed by the carriers, in a bid to prevent future industrial disruptions in the sector.

In a statement by Mahmud Kambari, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, noted that the minister gave the directive on Thursday after convening an emergency meeting with airline operators, aviation sector unions and heads of aviation agencies.

The meeting followed Tuesday’s industrial action that temporarily disrupted operations of most airlines on Tuesday at some Nigerian airports.

The statement also noted that the meeting also resolved to allow aviation unions direct access to workers of all airlines to distribute unionisation forms, with the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) directed to sanction any airline that prevents such access, but noted that workers had a right to decide not to belong to unions.

Kambari noted that the emergency meeting was convened to address the ‘burning issues’ in the sector and foster greater understanding, cooperation and progress among stakeholders.

According to the statement, under the resolutions reached at the meeting, the NCAA and other aviation agencies were to obtain payment schedules from indebted airlines, with the repayment period spread over a reasonable timeframe, taking into consideration the airlines’ cost of operations and prevailing economic realities.

He said: ‘The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and other heads of aviation agencies are to obtain schedule of payments from the airlines, spread over a reasonable timeframe, taking into cognizance, Airlines cost of operation and current economic realities.

‘The Honourable Minister of Aviation recognises the right of workers to decide not to belong or to belong to unions; the Honourable Minister also recognises the rights of the workers to decide for themselves, rather than through management.

‘As a result, the NCAA should immediately ensure that the unions have direct access to the workers of all airlines only to distribute their forms for the workers to directly indicate whether they intend to unionise or not. Any airline that prevents this direct interface will be sanctioned by the NCAA.’