Category: The Nation – Nigeria

Adedapo Adedayo Olagunju an Oxford-trained Nigerian banker with more than two decades of experience in the financial services industry has been nominated to lead JPMorgan’s proposed merchant bank in Nigeria following approval by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Olagunju has led JPMorgan’s West African business since January 2018 overseeing its engagement with financial institutions corporate clients and other participants in the region’s financial markets. His nomination comes as the American financial institution moves to expand its presence in Nigeria through a proposed merchant banking subsidiary.

On October 23 2026 the CBN announced its approval-in-principle for the establishment of JPMorgan Merchant Bank Nigeria Limited and approved Olagunju’s nomination as Managing Director. The proposed bank is still awaiting a final operating licence.

Before pursuing a career in banking Olagunju was fascinated by space exploration and hoped to become an astronaut. His childhood ambition influenced his decision to study science in secondary school.

However his plans changed when he discovered that aeronautical engineering was not listed among the courses in the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) brochure at the time. He recounted the experience in a May 2019 interview.

Olagunju studied Banking and Finance at Ogun State University now known as Olabisi Onabanjo University graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 1998.

His university education laid the foundation for his eventual career in investment banking and financial markets.

A year after graduating Olagunju obtained his professional accounting qualification through the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).

His decision to pursue the qualification was partly influenced by frequent university strikes and disruptions to academic activities in Nigeria during the 1990s.

He is now a Fellow of ICAN and an Honorary Senior Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria.

Olagunju furthered his education abroad earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Oxford in 2005.

In 2014 he completed the General Management Programme at Harvard Business School adding to his academic and professional development.

Olagunju started his professional banking career at Investment Banking and Trust Company (IBTC) which later became part of Stanbic IBTC.

He worked as Chief Dealer from January 2000 to March 2003 gaining early experience in financial market operations.

After leaving IBTC Olagunju joined Access Bank as Treasurer in 2003 a position he held until September 2005.

The role broadened his experience in treasury operations liquidity management and the handling of financial assets and liabilities.

Between May and July 2006 Olagunju worked briefly as a consultant with the United Nations in New York.

During the assignment he contributed to the organisation’s peacekeeping financing operations before returning to Access Bank later that year.

Olagunju returned to Access Bank in September 2006 and served as Group Treasurer until January 2018.

His responsibilities included overseeing treasury operations managing balance sheet activities and handling transactions involving fixed-income securities and foreign exchange markets.

The position was a significant stage in his professional development strengthening his experience in financial markets and banking operations.

In January 2017 Olagunju was appointed Head of Global Markets at Access Bank.

His responsibilities expanded to cover Treasury Financial Institutions and Project and Structured Finance bringing several key areas of corporate and institutional banking under his leadership.

Olagunju joined JPMorgan in January 2018 as Managing Director responsible for its West African business.

In the role he has overseen the institution’s engagement with corporate clients financial institutions and other participants in the region’s financial markets.

His experience in Nigeria and across West Africa has become relevant as JPMorgan pursues plans to expand its regulated banking operations in the country.

On October 8 2026 Olagunju discussed plans to establish JPMorgan’s merchant bank in Nigeria during the Nigeria-Asia Financial Connectivity Dialogue in Singapore.

The event involved representatives of the CBN JPMorgan Nigerian Exchange Group and FMDQ Group.

The proposed subsidiary would broaden JPMorgan’s existing presence in Nigeria beyond its representative office in Lagos subject to the required regulatory approvals and licensing.

On October 23 2026 the CBN announced its approval-in-principle for the establishment of JPMorgan Merchant Bank Nigeria Limited and approved Olagunju’s nomination as Managing Director.

The regulator also approved Latter Kevin George Nzelu Chinedum Izunwanne and Syed Gabriel Murtaza as Non-Executive Directors.

Alade Sarah Omotunde Ajayi Olukonyinsola and Adetu Seni were approved as Independent Non-Executive Directors.

However the proposed bank must obtain its final operating licence before commencing its authorised banking activities.

If the proposed subsidiary receives its final operating licence Olagunju will lead its operations as JPMorgan seeks to broaden its regulated banking activities in Nigeria.

The nomination marks another milestone in a career spanning more than 26 years from his early days at IBTC to senior treasury and global markets positions at Access Bank and his leadership of JPMorgan’s West African business.

His experience in Nigerian banking international financial markets and institutional relationships is expected to play an important role in establishing and developing the proposed merchant bank.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu expressed sadness over the death of renowned scholar and matriarch of the Okonjo royal family of Ogwashi-Uku Delta State Professor Kamene Okonjo who died at 96.

The President described the late academic mother of the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as an accomplished scholar whose life was characterised by intellectual distinction service to humanity and unwavering commitment to the advancement of women and society.

In a condolence message issued on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga Tinubu extended his sympathies to the Okonjo royal family particularly Okonjo-Iweala other family members and the people of Ogwashi-Uku over the loss of their revered matriarch and community leader.

He noted that Professor Okonjo distinguished herself not only through her contributions to scholarship but also as a passionate advocate of women’s empowerment whose accomplishments and dedication to societal development remained worthy of emulation.

According to the President the late scholar exemplified intellectual excellence compassion and commitment to humanity’s progress leaving an enduring legacy of service.

Tinubu particularly acknowledged her remarkable ability to combine a distinguished academic career with devotion to family community development and the preservation of traditional institutions.

He observed that her life and accomplishments provided an inspiring example of the important roles women could play in advancing education strengthening families and contributing to national development.

The President urged the bereaved family to take solace in the late matriarch’s remarkable achievements the lives she touched and the lasting impact of her contributions to scholarship and society.

He prayed that Almighty God would grant Professor Okonjo eternal rest and comfort her family the people of Ogwashi-Uku and all those mourning her passing.

The management of Imade College in Owo Ondo State has urged Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to address its shortage of teachers and personnel.

It said the manpower shortage has been putting pressure on the school.

The management of the state-owned secondary school established by the late Governor Adekunle Ajasin said its old students had employed 29 ad hoc teachers at a monthly salary of N70000 each to prevent disruptions to teaching and learning.

Members of the Imade College Owo Old Students’ Association (IMACOSA) expressed concern over the weekend during the school’s 80th anniversary celebration and the association’s annual general meeting.

Speaking at the event the association’s Vice President Ambassador Godson Echegile said the alumni had repeatedly appealed to the state government to address the staffing challenges. chegile who represented IMACOSA President Felix Ajibade noted that adequate staffing was necessary to sustain effective teaching and learning ensure the safety of students and staff as well as support the smooth running of the institution.

‘We have a shortage of teachers. That is why the old boys’ association that is IMACOSA decided to employ 29 ad hoc teachers each of whom we pay N70000 every month. Otherwise the students will suffer’ Echegile said.

The IMACOSA vice president noted that the shortage of essential personnel remained a major challenge requiring government attention stressing that adequate staffing was crucial to maintaining the school’s standards and providing students with an environment that is conducive to learning.

Echegile appealed to the government to recruit more teachers and provide drivers for the school’s three vehicles as well as security personnel to protect the college during the day and at night.

‘We also appealed to the government to help us in these areas. Give us more teachers. That’s our plea’ he added.

The IMACOSA vice president also urged the state government to complement efforts by old students through the recruitment and deployment of qualified teachers and other workers needed to meet the school’s operational requirements.

Amid the challenges the association said it had invested about N200 million in infrastructure and other projects to improve learning conditions at the school.

The Chairman of the Anniversary Planning Committee Yinka Akinola said the association executed about 10 projects through contributions from individuals and various graduating sets of the association.

Akinola stated that the projects included classrooms laboratories accommodation facilities three-bedroom flats and public toilets.

‘These projects could not be less than N200 million that we have spent on the projects. People have spent a lot on the projects’ Akinola said.

The committee chairman expressed concern that the alumni had been forced to shoulder the responsibility of employing teachers noting that the funds used to pay their salaries could have been channelled into other areas of the school’s development.

‘This year alone we have paid about N11 million. We pay salaries to more than 29 members of staff and we pay them maybe more than the minimum wage so that they can live and be hardworking’ Akinola said.

He urged the state government to complement the association’s efforts by recruiting additional teachers noting that the growing student population had increased pressure on the school’s existing facilities.

According to him the association has supported students through scholarships and other educational interventions including the payment of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board examination fees.

The Chairman of the Ondo State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) Dr. Oluwadiasi Oke said the state government was taking steps to address the shortage of teachers through recruitment and improved welfare packages.

Oke said education remained a priority for the administration adding that teacher training and retraining regular salary payments and attention to pensioners’ entitlements were among the measures the management was pursuing to improve teachers’ welfare and encourage more young people to join the profession.

Lagos State Deputy Governor Dr Obafemi Hamzat will tomorrow inaugurate two cutting-edge facilities at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) marking a major milestone in digital humanities research and postgraduate education in Africa.

Hamzat who is also the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in next year’s election will inaugurate the remodelled Centre for Digital Humanities (CEDHUL) and a state-of-the-art Smart Postgraduate Classroom at the university’s Akoka campus.

The ceremony scheduled for 11 am is expected to bring together the university’s Vice-Chancellor principal officers scholars students industry partners and members of the diplomatic and development community.

Established in 2019 CEDHUL is described by the university as sub-Saharan Africa’s first dedicated Centre for Digital Humanities. It promotes the integration of technology data analysis and artificial intelligence into the study preservation and interpretation of African languages archives cultures and history.

The two facilities will support the centre’s Senate-approved postgraduate programmes including the Postgraduate Diploma Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Digital Humanities.

The centre is designed to provide a collaborative research environment for digital archiving computational linguistics text and data analysis and artificial intelligence-driven investigations into African cultures and societies.

The Smart Postgraduate Classroom will provide a technology-enabled learning environment for training a new generation of researchers equipped to combine traditional humanities scholarship with emerging digital tools.

The centre’s Founding Director Prof. Babatunde Olusola Ope-Davies who is described as the first professor of Digital Humanities in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa said the commissioning represented an important step towards redefining humanities scholarship.

He said the facilities would help preserve and interpret Africa’s intellectual heritage while equipping scholars to engage with the opportunities of the digital age.

Hamzat’s participation is also expected to underscore the potential partnership between the Lagos State Government and the university in advancing innovation research youth empowerment and the development of a knowledge-driven economy.

The initiative reflects growing efforts to harness technology not only for scientific and industrial advancement but also for preserving cultural heritage expanding research opportunities and strengthening African scholarship.

For CEDHUL the commissioning marks a new phase in its ambition to position African languages histories and cultural knowledge at the centre of global digital research.

The event will be held at the Centre for Digital Humanities University of Lagos Akoka.

Nigeria’s foremost brewing company Nigerian Breweries Plc(NB Plc) through its Nigerian Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund has inaugurated a Digital Learning Centre at Wisdom International School of Excellence (WISE) Sauka Lugbe Abuja in honour of Ms. Serah Yusuf winner of the 2025 Maltina Teacher of the Year Competition.

The school infrastructure project forms part of the broader objective of the Maltina Teacher of the Year initiative which recognises outstanding educators while extending the benefits of their achievements to students and school communities.

The centre is equipped with computers internet connectivity a smart screen computer-based testing (CBT) facilities digital learning and assessment tools and a 10KVA solar-powered inverter system.

Head of Public External and Government Affairs NB Plc Chukwuemeka Aniukwu said: ‘Through this project we are extending the impact of the Maltina Teacher of the Year award beyond recognising outstanding teachers. We want to ensure that their achievements translate into lasting benefits for their schools and communities. By investing in digital learning we are creating more opportunities for students to access technology-enabled education.” Deputy Director Education Federal Ministry of Education Dr. Iyabode Alli commended the Fund for its contribution to education.

Alli underscored the significance of digital learning infrastructure and public-private partnerships in improving teaching and learning outcomes.

Also Head of Academics WISE Schools Adesuwa Ogwu expressed appreciation to the Trust Fund for the investment noting that the Centre would strengthen the school’s capacity to deliver digital learning.

The commissioning ceremony was attended by representatives of the Federal Ministry of Education the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) Union Bank of Nigeria Plc a partner in the initiative Nigerian Breweries Plc and the school community.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) clarified that Nigeria has not been declared Ebola-free saying it is still monitoring 52 contacts linked to the country’s confirmed case of Bundibugyo virus disease.

WHO Nigeria issued the clarification after reports suggested the country was free of the disease following the evacuation of the index patient to Switzerland.

The organisation said Nigeria currently had no confirmed case following the patient’s medical evacuation but stressed that this did not mean the outbreak had officially ended.

‘WHO has not declared Nigeria Ebola-free. Nigeria currently has no confirmed case of Ebola following the medical evacuation of the index patient to Switzerland. Health officials are closely monitoring 52 contacts who may have been exposed’ it said.

The organisation explained that it could declare an outbreak over only after the required monitoring period under international health regulations had ended.

It said a 42-day countdown would begin after the last confirmed case tested negative twice for the virus or in the current situation after the confirmed case was evacuated.

The period would be followed by heightened surveillance to detect any possible resurgence of the disease.

WHO urged media organisations to correct reports claiming Nigeria had been declared Ebola-free calling them an inaccurate interpretation of a post by its Regional Director for Africa.

The clarification follows Nigeria’s confirmation of an imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease a type of Ebola in a 42-year-old woman who travelled from Uganda to Nigeria.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) confirmed the infection on October 20 2026 after laboratory tests returned positive results.

The patient was isolated and treated by Nigerian health workers before being medically evacuated to Switzerland alongside her husband who is also a Swiss citizen.

Following the evacuation health authorities have continued monitoring 52 contacts who may have been exposed to the patient.

Authorities are monitoring the contacts to identify possible infections and prevent further transmission.

WHO stressed that continued surveillance and compliance with public health monitoring requirements remained essential until conditions for officially declaring the outbreak over were met.

Actress and filmmaker Wumi Toriola has urged schools and parents to take extra precautions amid the intense heat currently experienced in parts of the country.

Toriola made the call in a post shared via her Instagram page on Monday.

The actress speaking as a concerned mother appealed to schools to put measures in place to protect pupils from the harsh weather.

She also advised parents to increase the amount of water in their children’s water bottles and to remind them to stay hydrated and dress lightly.

She wrote: ‘As a concerned mother I appeal to our schools to take extra precautions during this period of intense heat.

‘And parents increase their water bottles add extra water remind them to hydrate well and dress light.

‘Just a reminder as we enter a new week.’

Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has urged African nations to aggressively prioritise investment in research-intensive universities science and technology to unlock sustainable economic growth and achieve true economic sovereignty across the continent.

?Speaking on Sunday during the closing panel of the 12th Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa held in Bahir Dar Ethiopia Jonathan warned that Africa can no longer afford to remain a passive consumer of foreign technologies. Instead he argued the continent must position itself as an active producer and exporter of knowledge and innovation.

?Addressing African leaders policymakers and international stakeholders the former president stressed that the continent’s ability to create productive jobs for its rapidly growing youth population hinges on its capacity to translate academic research into viable industrial and commercial ventures.

?Jonathan described research-intensive universities as critical engines of national development highlighting their pivotal role in generating knowledge conducting scientific research and training advanced skills

?’Africa’s transformation and economic sovereignty must be built on African knowledge driven by African ingenuity and sustained by African enterprise’ Jonathan declared during the panel discussion.

?He pointed to Asian and global economic success stories-specifically India Singapore and South Korea-as clear evidence that sustained state investment in scientific and technological infrastructure can transform developing economies into global industrial powerhouses.

?He said African governments must learn from these nations by channelling dedicated funding into science engineering digital technologies and applied research.

He advocated for a stronger formalised synergy between universities government agencies and the private sector.

?He noted that closer ties between higher institutions and industry would ensure research findings directly yield homegrown solutions spur new commercial enterprises and generate employment opportunities tailored to Africa’s unique socio-economic challenges.

?Highlighting the continent’s demographic advantage Jonathan emphasised that Africa’s large youth population is its most valuable resource for long-term transformation. However he cautioned that this potential can only be realised if governments deliberately create the enabling environment for young people to acquire advanced technical skills and pursue entrepreneurial innovation.

?He called on leaders to equip the younger generation with the tools needed not only to participate in the evolving global economy but to influence its direction actively

?The Tana High-Level Forum is an annual platform that brings together African heads of state experts and civil society leaders to address pressing security governance and development challenges facing the continent. Jonathan’s submission firmly placed educational reform and scientific sovereignty at the heart of Africa’s security and economic agenda.

Spain and Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal has won his third consecutive Best Young Player of the Year award in the 2026 Ballon d’or ceremony.

The Spanish youngster won the first of his three in 2024 when he broke into Barcelona’s first team.

For the women’s side of the award Barcelona Femini youngster Vicky Lopez.

Yamal is also one of the nominees for the Ballon d’or an award that he would be looking to secure.

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has attributed the delay in opening the Opebi-Odo Iya Alaro Bridge to the installation of a 25-metre steel monument designed to reflect the cultural heritage of the area.

Sanwo-Olu spoke during an unscheduled inspection visit to the bridge to ascertain the progress of the installation being handled by Julius Berger Plc.

The governor explained that the monument was not part of the original bridge design but was introduced towards the final stage of construction.

He said this delayed the opening earlier projected for the end of September.

Sanwo-Olu also said the monument was conceived to preserve the history of the area as a cane market with four steel structures representing the hands involved in cane weaving.

According to him the installation involved about 300 tonnes of steel and stands approximately 25 metres high.

The governor announced that the installation was 80 per cent complete with three of the four steel components already assembled and installed.

Work on the final component he said would begin before the completion of other proposed features.

Sanwo-Olu urged the residents to exercise patience assuring them that the government would not compromise safety in its efforts to deliver the project.

The governor acknowledged that the bridge had missed its earlier opening target adding that the additional time was necessary to ensure the monument was safely installed before the facility was opened to traffic.

He hailed officials of the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure as well as construction workers for their efforts urging them to accelerate work on the outstanding components.

Sanwo-Olu added that the bridge would ease movement for motorists and improve connectivity along the corridor.

He added that the monument could transform the location into a destination for recreation tourism and cultural appreciation.

The governor assured residents that the bridge would be opened to traffic before Christmas.