Asianet Pakistan Private Limited

Early roles: The call of the rig

Perpose Onaghise with over 20 years in drilling and measurement engineering joined the oil and gas industry in 2005, driven by a fascination with the complex interplay of rigs, turbines, and precise measurements that unlock the field’s most critical data. His first role was as a Maintenance Technician with a global oil and gas company, based in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. The objective was simple in theory: keep the equipment running, minimise downtime, and learn the language of maintenance, reliability, and measurement.

Early responsibilities

As a Maintenance Technician, he performed routine preventive maintenance on rotating equipment, hydraulic systems, and drilling support equipment. Documented work orders, tracked failure patterns, and supported calibration activities for measurement tools.

Perpose gained proficiency in mechanical disassembly, inspection, and reassembly, learning to identify wear, misalignment, and lubrication issues that affected drill string performance and downhole measurements and further embraced rigorous HSE practices, conducted toolbox talks, and participated in incident investigations to ensure root-cause analysis informed future interventions.

First break: A move into drilling and measurement

As he demonstrated reliability and a detail-oriented mindset, opportunities opened to join the Drilling and Measurement team. The role combined field drilling operations with measurement-while-drilling (MWD) and wireline instrumentation. This transition allowed Perpose to develop the core competence that would define his career: translating instrumentation data into actionable decisions that maximized drilling efficiency and minimized risk.

Geographies of growth

Early exposure to mature wells and frontline maintenance, pushing the limits of equipment uptime and measurement integrity were his experience in Nigeria; in Ghana gained experience with coastal operations, sand management challenges, and wellbore stability considerations that influenced measurement strategies.

Extended reach and deep-water readiness drills, refining calibration routines for downhole sensors under demanding conditions formed his experience in Cameroon.

Senior roles and reliability leadership

In Nigeria, Perpose advanced to Senior Maintenance Technician, responsible for supervising crews, planning maintenance windows, and ensuring critical equipment-pumps, mud motors, rotary tables, draw-works-maintained peak reliability. Key outcomes included:

Reduced unscheduled downtime through proactive vibration analysis, lubrication optimization, and equipment condition monitoring. His leadership implemented standardized maintenance checklists that improved consistency across shifts and sites.

Mentored junior technicians, fostering a culture of meticulous fault diagnosis and rapid issue escalation and ultimately elevating equipment uptime.

Reliability and quality maintenance champion: Driving data-driven excellence

With a focus on reliability, he led a cross-functional Reliability Improvement initiative that spanned Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, and Equatorial Guinea. The mission was to connect maintenance rigor with measurement fidelity to improve drilling performance and well integrity.

His leadership also developed KPI dashboards tracking MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures), MTTR (Mean Time to Repair), calibration drift, and measurement accuracy.

Instituted a Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) process for critical drilling and measurement assets, prioritizing actions that delivered the greatest reliability gains, not forgetting the implementation of a Quality Maintenance program that aligned with ISO standards and client specifications, ensuring that maintenance activities did not just restore function but preserved measurement integrity.

International exposure

Perpose led reliability studies on off-site standby equipment and surface readout systems, reducing inadvertent test departures due to measurement errors, coordinated with drilling performance teams to correlate equipment health with drilling performance metrics, informing wobbling-cassette calibration and downhole tool readiness; facilitated and implemented remote diagnostic practices, leveraging telemetry from rigs to regional hubs for rapid fault isolation and maintenance planning across Ghana, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and the United States.

Mechanical tech lead and cross-functional excellence

As a Mechanical Tech

Lead, Perpose transitioned into a more strategic role-robust designing maintenance plans, leading technical reviews, and mentoring regional teams across multiple countries.

Technical Leadership was brought to the fore when he guided mechanical integrity programmes for surface equipment, vibration analysis programs, and lubrication optimization, ensuring alignment with operational targets. Demonstrating top notch capabilities in project execution. He also led equipment modification and retrofitting efforts to raise reliability of rotary steerable equipment, and measurement-while-drilling sensors.

Mindful of standards and best practices, he developed a library of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for critical mechanical tasks, calibrations, and condition monitoring activities.

Global company context: Leveraging scale for local impact

Working in a global oil and gas company provided exposure to standardized best practices, lifecycle management, and a global supply chain. The key success factors included:

Adopting a structured maintenance planning system that integrated with drilling schedules to minimize non-productive time (NPT).

Coordinating with procurement and engineering teams to source high-quality components, reducing the risk of counterfeit or substandard parts in multiple jurisdictions.

Ensuring compliance with local regulations and international specifications, balancing global standards with on-the-ground realities in Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, and Equatorial Guinea.

Measurement integrity as a core competency

A central pillar of success for Perpose was ensuring measurement integrity in all operations:

Calibrated sensors, downhole tools, and surface readouts with traceable standards.

Implemented routine calibration verification and drift analysis to maintain data accuracy critical for well placement and formation evaluation and built a culture of measurement quality that stakeholders could trust for decision-making in drilling campaigns.

Outcomes, leadership philosophy, and looking forward

He achieved significant reductions in downtime across multiple rigs due to predictive maintenance and robust calibration regimes.

Improvement in drilling performance metrics attributed to higher reliability of surface and downhole measurement systems.

Enhanced safety and compliance through standardized maintenance practices and better data governance and stronger capability in remote diagnostics, enabling faster response times and reduced field visits without compromising equipment health.

Leadership philosophy: People, process, and performance

Perpose invests in the growth of newly recruited technicians and engineers through mentorship, structured training, and clear career pathways through standardized maintenance workflows, measurement calibration routines, and data collection practices to deliver consistent results thereby wrapping compensation and recognition to reliability metrics, quality maintenance outcomes, and overall drilling efficiency.

Regional collaboration and knowledge sharing

Perpose established cross-border communities of practice for Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and the United States where he shared incident learnings, calibration techniques, and best practices for measurement instrumentation to raise the bar regionally and globally. His coordination with global headquarters to ensure regional feedback informs global standards and equipment upgrades.

Looking forward

As the industry evolves with digital twins, advanced analytics, and autonomous drilling systems, his aim is to: deepen data-driven maintenance capabilities with more sophisticated predictive models for measurement and surface equipment, expand remote diagnostics to empower field teams with real-time support and faster decision-making and to continue mentoring the next generation of drilling and measurement engineers to sustain high reliability, quality maintenance, and safe operations across geographies.

Benedict Oramah, the outgoing President of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), has transformed the institution into what has been described as ‘Africa’s development supermarket,’ according to George Elombi, the incoming President of the bank.

Elombi remarked on Friday during the Afreximbank Legacy Conference and Investiture held in Cairo, Egypt, in honour of Professor Oramah. He said Oramah’s leadership redefined the role of Afreximbank and repositioned it as a powerhouse of development ideas and practical solutions for the continent’s economic transformation.

‘Okey has helped turn the Bank into Africa’s development supermarket, an institution with a suite of solutions for our challenges to development,’ Elombi said, describing Oramah’s decade-long presidency as a turning point in the bank’s history.

From a relatively modest financial institution with only $6 billion in assets in 2015, Afreximbank has grown into a continental giant with assets exceeding 40 billion dollars. The bank’s rapid expansion, Elombi noted, has been accompanied by the creation of several strategically important subsidiaries and initiatives, including the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), AfrexInsure, a project preparation fund, a concessionary finance window, and the African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE), among others. These initiatives have broadened the bank’s impact beyond trade finance into critical areas of industrialisation, healthcare, and sustainable development.

Elombi recalled that when Oramah assumed office in 2015, his vision for Afreximbank was already clear. Building on the solid foundations laid by his predecessors, he sought to accelerate Africa’s trade and socio-economic transformation by expanding the bank’s scale and depth of intervention. ‘He implemented ideas that many of us once considered overambitious,’ Elombi said, explaining that Oramah adopted what became known as a ‘portfolio approach’, a comprehensive model that did not focus on trade alone but also on the infrastructure, systems, and institutional support that make trade possible. Under his leadership, Afreximbank and its partners built a solid foundation for advancing intra-African trade and industrial development. New instruments were designed to dismantle obstacles that have hindered Africa’s progress for nearly seven decades since independence. Oramah, Elombi said, confronted Africa’s industrial challenges head-on, building upon the groundwork of those who came before him while charting bold new directions for the future. Today, Afreximbank stands among the leading multilateral financial institutions driving Africa’s development efforts, particularly in implementing the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) and transforming the continent’s industrial landscape.

Oramah, through visionary leadership, has turned what were once mere political aspirations into concrete economic gains. Africans in the diaspora can now confidently reconnect with their ancestral homeland and participate in growing opportunities across the continent, while those within Africa are increasingly engaging their brothers and sisters across the Atlantic in renewed economic and cultural exchange.

Elombi described Oramah as a man of many dimensions, tireless, brilliant, and deeply committed to Africa’s cause. ‘A few days ago, I told him that each day we discover a new facet of Oramah. You assume you have fully understood him but, like the sphinx, he renews himself into something else. He is therefore a man of numerous facets,’ he said.

He added that Oramah’s colleagues often describe him as generous, energetic, and indefatigable, a man who attends his fifteenth meeting of the day at midnight with the same enthusiasm he shows at his first meeting in the morning. ‘He is the president who reads every document and leaves insightful mark-ups everywhere; a man who embodies grace, humility, and compassion; a devoted family man; a provider of Covid-19 vaccines; and the one who turned the dream of reconnecting Africans in the Diaspora with their homeland into reality,’ Elombi said.

He recounted how Oramah often stayed up late into the night with a glass of red wine, drafting statements or fine-tuning financing proposals, noting that no single description could ever fully capture his essence. ‘Every time you think 50 speakers have exhausted all that can be said about Oramah, another 50 will emerge to say 50 new glorious things about him,’ he added.

As part of the ceremony, Afreximbank presented a coffee table book chronicling the bank’s transformation over the past decade under Oramah’s leadership. Elombi said the publication serves both as a tribute to Oramah’s legacy and a reminder of what the bank can achieve in the next decade.

‘This book symbolises the unforgettable memory of the transformation you brought to the Bank and a gentle reminder to us all of what we can achieve over the next decade,’ he said.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has recovered over ?566 billion, 411 million dollars, and 1,502 properties in the last two years under the leadership of its chairman Ola Olukoyede.

The EFCC boss, represented by Wilson Uwujaren, the Director of Public Affairs, made the disclosure in Abuja on Thursday, at a press conference marking his second anniversary in office.

Olukoyede, who was appointed on Oct. 18, 2023, and confirmed by the Senate the following day, said the commission had made ‘unprecedented progress’ in its fight against economic and financial crimes across all fronts.

According to him, the commission between October 2023 and September 2025, received over 19,000 petitions, conducted 29,240 investigations, filed 10,525 cases in court, and secured 7,503 convictions.

‘The commission in the same period recovered ?566,319,820,343.40, $411,566,192.32, £71,306.25, pound 182,877.10, and other foreign currencies from proceeds of financial and economic crimes.

‘It also recovered 1,502 non-monetary assets, comprising 402 properties in 2023, 975 in 2024, and 125 so far in 2025.

‘Among these recovered assets are two notable landmarks: the final forfeiture of 753 units of duplexes in Lokogoma, Abuja, and the forfeiture of Nok University, now the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia, Kaduna State,’ he said.

Olukoyede listed several major cases prosecuted within the period, involving former governors Willie Obiano, Abdulfatah Ahmed, Darius Ishaku, Theodore Orji, and Yahaya Bello.

Other high profile cases he said included former ministers Olu Agunloye, Mamman Saleh, Hadi Sirika, and Charles Ugwu, and former Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele.

He said that the EFCC also revived longstanding corruption cases involving prominent figures such as Fred Ajudua, former PDP Chairman Haliru Bello Mohammed, ex-National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki, and former NSITF boss, Ngozi Olojeme.

Olukoyede noted that in December 2024, the commission arrested 792 suspects in connection with investment and cryptocurrency fraud in Lagos, including 192 foreign nationals who were later prosecuted and deported.

‘This development sent a strong message that Nigeria will not allow its territory to be turned into a safe haven for cybercriminals,’ Olukoyede stated.

The EFCC chairman disclosed that part of the recovered funds had been channeled into key national programmes, including the Students Loan Scheme and Consumer Credit Scheme, with a total of ?100 billion invested.

He said other agencies such as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), and National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) – also benefited from returned funds.

According to him, some recovered properties were allocated to government agencies for use as offices ‘in line with the Commission’s policy of ensuring that recovered assets are put to productive use’.

Olukoyede highlighted the creation of a Task Force on Naira Abuse and Dollarisation of the Economy, noting that the initiative has helped sanitize currency operations and reduce speculative pressure on the naira.

He emphasised the Commission’s dual approach to fighting cybercrime through enforcement and prevention, recalling the National Cybercrime Dialogue held in January 2024, and the National Cybercrime Summit in October 2024, where First Lady Sen. Oluremi Tinubu unveiled the Cybercrime Response Centre.

According to him, the EFCC has deepened international partnerships with agencies such as the FBI, UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), INTERPOL, and Japan’s JICA, resulting in joint investigations and repatriation of stolen assets to victims in Spain, Canada, and the United States.

‘In 2024, we had the honour of hosting Christopher Wray, former FBI Director, and the Director General of the NCA, Graeme Biggar, a testament to the global respect the EFCC commands today,’ he said.

At the regional level, Olukoyede’s leadership as President of the Network of National Anti-Corruption Institutions in West Africa (NACIWA) led to the establishment of a permanent secretariat in Abuja.

He detailed a series of internal reforms, including the creation of the Directorate of Fraud Risk Assessment and Control (FRAC) to enhance corruption prevention.

Olukoyede reaffirmed his commitment to integrity and professionalism within the Commission, saying, ‘You cannot fight corruption with corruption.’

He noted that all staff were directed to declare their assets upon his assumption of office.

‘Those who breached ethical standards were sanctioned in line with due process; 55 officers have been dismissed over misconduct, including one currently facing prosecution for tampering with exhibits.’

He added that while errant staff have been disciplined, hardworking officers have been rewarded through regular promotions, provision of CNG buses, and payment of allowances.

The EFCC Chairman reiterated that corruption prevention remains a cornerstone of his administration.

‘Prevention is a more cost-effective approach than enforcement. That is why we established FRAC to deploy risk-based strategies in monitoring the budget performance of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies,’ he said.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has asked President Bola Tinubu to be honest with Nigerians on the real reasons behind the sudden and rather abrupt change in the leadership of the Nigerian military.

This is as the party expressed concerns that the sack came a few days after the reported rumours of a military coup in the country

Bolaji Abdullahi, the National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, noted that although the President reserves the power to make such changes as he may deem fit, ‘ we are somewhat concerned that this change is coming in the wake of widespread rumours of an attempted coup.’ ‘We reiterate our earlier view that the reactions of the government to the dangerous rumour have veered between deliberate obfuscation and outright confusion in a matter that required crystal clarity.

‘We note that nearly all the Service Chiefs that have been removed were appointed only 28 months ago, with the current Chief of Defence Staff himself appointed just a year ago as Chief of Army Staff’

The party, while also noting that the decision has serious and far-reaching implications for stability within the ranks, added,’ it could not have been taken without strong reasons.

‘Our position remains, therefore, that the Federal Government owes Nigerians a categorical explanation about what truly happened. ‘As an opposition political party, our interest remains the stability of our country and our democracy. In the light of developments in our neighbourhood of Chad and the Sahel States, we are gravely concerned.’

The ADC observed that it is obvious that the Tinubu administration is distracted. It noted that Insecurity had continued to spread with terrorist groups staging a comeback in some parts of the country, while bandits reign supreme in other parts

‘But this is not the reason the government is changing the Service Chiefs. Instead, the administration’s attention appears fully focused on regime politics rather than securing the lives of Nigerians.’

He noted further that the action of near wholesale change in the leadership of the country’s military, if anything, would only further promote rumours and conspiracy theories.

‘We therefore reiterate our earlier position that the Federal Government must address the issue transparently and reassure Nigerians that our democracy is not under threat.’

When we think about what makes a great company endure, our minds often jump to the leaders, the visionary CEOs, the bold decision-makers, and the people whose names make the headlines. But look closer at Nigeria’s most resilient financial institutions, and you’ll find something deeper at work, a quiet force that doesn’t make the evening news but sustains confidence through every economic storm: continuity.

In an era when leadership changes can rattle markets and social media thrives on the drama of transitions, it is easy to mistake stability for stagnation. Yet the strongest organisations do not rely on personalities; they rely on principles. Their strength comes from systems and values that outlive any one individual. For Nigeria’s financial industry, still finding its rhythm amid regulatory reforms, currency shifts, and global uncertainty, that kind of steady, values-driven continuity is not just admirable. It is strategic.

In our fast-changing economy, leadership transitions often trigger anxiety. Investors wonder if new leadership will alter direction. Employees ask what it means for their future. But the institutions that thrive, in Nigeria and elsewhere, are those whose foundations are strong enough to transcend these questions. They build governance frameworks that preserve integrity, long-term strategies that outlast short-term market noise, and succession plans that ensure a company’s culture does not vanish with a single announcement. Continuity, in this sense, is not a luxury. It is a form of risk management, a promise to every stakeholder that the organisation knows who it is, no matter who sits at the top.

This is especially true in Nigeria’s insurance and asset management sectors, where trust is everything. When investors place their money in your hands, they are not just buying into performance; they are buying into predictability. They want to know that when conditions shift, as they inevitably do, the institution’s character will hold firm. They seek assurance that its values, decision-making discipline, and collective memory will not evaporate with change.

A clear example of this principle can be seen in Asset and Resource Management Holding Company (ARM HoldCo). During its recent leadership transition, ARM demonstrated what genuine institutional strength looks like. There was no drama or disruption, only a seamless passing of the baton that reaffirmed the company’s stability. The appointment of Wale Odutola as Group CEO was particularly symbolic. Odutola is not a newcomer brought in to redefine the organisation. He joined ARM nearly three decades ago as a fresh graduate and rose through the ranks within its culture. His journey mirrors the company’s own evolution, one shaped by shared values, disciplined strategy, and deep institutional memory. His elevation is not just a personnel move; it is a message that ARM’s identity does not hinge on individuals. Its culture is its strategy.

The implications of this go beyond one company. Nigeria’s broader financial stability depends on how well its key institutions sustain trust. When citizens and investors believe that the people managing their money are guided by principles rather than personalities, confidence grows. And confidence, even more than capital, is the real foundation of economic progress. Too often, corporate Nigeria falls into the trap of chasing star power through high-profile hires or imported executives who may bring impressive résumés but lack the cultural grounding to build continuity. External expertise has its place, but enduring strength comes from within. The leaders who rise through an organisation’s ranks do not just understand its strategy; they embody its soul.

Continuity should never be mistaken for complacency. The institutions that endure are not those that refuse to change but those that know how to evolve without losing their core. Continuity does not mean standing still; it means adapting with purpose. The best-run financial firms in Nigeria and across the world are proving that it is possible to balance change with constancy. They are innovating responsibly, growing deliberately, and anchoring investor confidence along the way.

Continuity rarely makes headlines. It is quieter than quarterly profits or executive appointments, yet it is the invisible force that allows everything else to flourish. When succession is thoughtful, when governance is institutional rather than personal, and when culture becomes strategy, confidence compounds. That quiet, compounding confidence is what builds not just strong institutions, but a stronger Nigeria.

Nigeria must adopt a risk-based approach to anti-money laundering (AML) enforcement, strengthen inter-agency data coordination, and leverage technology to detect illicit financial flows (IFFs) more effectively, according to legal scholar Iguehi Rosemary Onokevbagbe, whose recent research explores how regulatory frameworks can strengthen financial-system resilience.

She argues that the country’s current AML framework is largely compliance-driven rather than risk-informed – a gap that enables corruption networks and weakens investor confidence.

Onokevbagbe, a certified anti-money laundering specialist (CAMS) and former In-House Counsel at the Central Bank of Nigeria, is the author of ‘Addressing Illicit Financial Flows in Nigeria: The Role of AML/CFT/CPF Frameworks,’ published as Chapter 9 in The Resilience of the Nigerian Financial System: Legal Issues, Prospects and Challenges and now available on SSRN.

The study examines how weaknesses in anti-money-laundering (AML), counter-terrorist-financing (CFT), and counter-proliferation-financing (CPF) enforcement enable capital flight, corruption, and revenue loss in emerging markets.

‘Nigeria has made legislative progress through the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022,’ Onokevbagbe told BusinessDay.

‘However, enforcement remains fragmented. A coherent, risk-based supervision model that links the CBN, NFIU, EFCC, ICPC, and other agencies through real-time data sharing would significantly strengthen financial-system integrity.’

She emphasised that IFFs erode investor confidence, reduce fiscal space for infrastructure, and compromise governance outcomes. According to her, the regulatory architecture must evolve from reactive compliance to proactive risk management grounded in technology and analytics. Data interoperability between regulators and law enforcement agencies;

Technology-driven monitoring using AI for anomaly detection;

Formal inter-agency coordination frameworks to improve information sharing; and

Capacity building across supervisory and judicial institutions to ensure consistent enforcement of AML/CFT/CPF obligations.

‘Illicit financial flows are not only an economic issue, they are a governance issue,’ she added. ‘A credible enforcement system that ensures transparency, accountability, and cross-border cooperation is critical for sustainable development.’

She also highlights closer alignment with FATF recommendations, enhanced beneficial-ownership transparency, and clearer supervision of virtual-asset activities as priorities for the next phase of reforms.

Onokevbagbe is currently pursuing her LL.M. in regulation, compliance, and sustainability at the University of Illinois College of Law, continuing research on regulatory innovation and financial integrity. Her contributions underscore how developing economies can leverage data governance and policy coordination to combat financial crime while promoting inclusive growth.

‘Policy coherence and regulatory integrity will define Nigeria’s ability to safeguard its financial system from systemic risks,’ she said. ‘The goal is a resilient financial ecosystem where integrity and innovation reinforce, not undermine, each other.’

The Resilience of the Nigerian Financial System: Legal Issues, Prospects and Challenges (2025) features essays by leading legal scholars and practitioners, including Prof. Fabian Ajogwu, SAN, Hon. Justice (Prof.) E.A. Taiwo, O.M. Atoyebi, SAN, Dr Tukur Galadima, Ebaide Queen Omiunu, and Iguehi Rosemary Onokevbagbe, among others – published in honour of Mr Kofo Salam-Alada, a respected legal and regulatory leader who served as Director of Legal Services at the Central Bank of Nigeria and made significant contributions to Nigeria’s financial system governance.

The outgoing president of the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB), Babatunde Oguntade said the brokerage fraternity has been positioned to take advantage of provisions in the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act (NIIRA) 2025 to expand the market and deepen penetration of the sector.

Oguntade made the remark during a media parley held in Lagos, where he gave account of his two years in office, as well as the unveiling of Ekeoma Ezeibe as the third female president in the Council’s 54 years of existence.

‘I am honored to stand before you today to share some of the remarkable achievements we’ve made over the last two years. As the President, I have had the privilege of leading this esteemed Council, and I am proud to report that we have made significant strides’

Oguntade said over the past two years, his administration worked closely with regulatory bodies, especially, The Mational Insurance Commission (NAICOM), to enhance industry standards, ensuring compliance and professionalism.

This collaboration has led to improved oversight, better risk management, and increased confidence in our industry, Oguntade said.

He said NIIRA 2025 was the most important thing in the Nigerian Insurance Industry as of today.

He said the Council worked assiduously with other sisters bodies to ensure that we got this. I am super excited about the roles played by my predecessors and more excited that the law came on stream during our tenure.

‘ It is my hope that the industry would unite again to see to it that the salient potentials that the law is throwing up are annexed fully.

Oguntade said hia administration invested heavily in training programs and workshops to enhance the skills and knowledge of members.

‘This has enabled them to stay up-to-date with industry trends, best practices, and regulatory requirements’.

On membership engagement, he said his tenure strengthened, providing support, resources, and services that meet members needs.

Today, the NCRIB has become the nest for so many astute insurance professionals who had once been on the divide of underwriting arm. They are here adding significant value to the importance of Brokers in the insurance value chain.’

‘This is made possible because of the enanbling environment we’ve created for them to come and join us as members, Oguntade said. Other achievemets his listed include visibility project.

‘We have seen significant growth in our crave for public space. It is not a gainsay to describe NCRIB as a leading light in the Nigerian Insurance Industry as far as publicity is concerned. We have seen the need to be proactive on some occasions when situation warranted for the good and acceptable brand of our Council.

He noted, ‘our target is to see increased insurance penetration, and expanded product offerings.’

Other achievements are partnerships with key stakeholders, including regulators, industry associations, and international organizations; sustenance of membership seal usage.

Aradel Holdings Plc, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Aradel Energy Limited, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a 40 percent equity interest in ND Western Limited from Petrolin Trading Ltd.

Aradel Energy Limited currently owns 41.67 percent of ND Western. Upon completion of this transaction, Aradel’s total shareholding in ND Western will increase to 81.67 percent, reinforcing its strategic position within Nigeria’s upstream oil and gas sector.

This was made known in a release signed by Adegbola Adesina, Chief Financial Officer of Aradel Holdings, early Friday.

ND Western holds a 45 percent participating interest in OML 34, a producing Oil Mining Lease located in the Western Niger Delta. OML 34 contains material crude oil and associated gas reserves contributing to Nigeria’s domestic energy supply and exports.

In addition, ND Western owns 50 percent of the share capital of Renaissance Africa Energy Holding Company Ltd, the parent company of Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, which operates the Renaissance Joint Venture.

‘Completion of the Transaction remains subject to necessary regulatory approvals from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and Ministerial Consent,’ the release stated.

Simpleroomsng has launched what it calls Nigeria’s first 0% commission online rental platform, aiming to upend the country’s costly and opaque property market by eliminating agent fees and directly linking landlords with tenants.

The platform’s pitch is simple: no middlemen, no hidden charges, and no commission. By allowing both landlords and tenants to register for free, Simpleroomsng says it is tackling one of Nigeria’s most persistent housing frustrations – the high costs and inefficiencies associated with property agents.

‘We are incredibly excited to introduce Simpleroomsng.com, a platform built on the principles of fairness and efficiency,’ said Biodun Olusesan, the company’s founder.

‘Our mission is to empower Nigerians by providing a direct, transparent, and cost-effective way to manage rental properties. We believe that finding a home or a reliable tenant shouldn’t come with exorbitant fees.’

The platform’s features include AI-powered tools that guide conversations and simplify rental processes, a landlord dashboard for tracking property performance, and the ability to generate professional-quality listings in minutes. It also offers an optional property management service and premium listings, with the first 50 property owners receiving free promotional exposure.

Simpleroomsng’s launch comes amid rising housing costs and a growing digital shift in Nigeria’s real estate sector, where platforms such as PropertyPro and PrivateProperty still rely on traditional agent commissions. By removing that layer, the company hopes to appeal to cost-sensitive renters and property owners seeking more control.

The startup positions itself not just as a listing site but as what it calls a ‘complete rental ecosystem’ designed to make renting in Nigeria simpler, fairer, and more accessible.

The Youth Economic Intervention and De-Radicalisation Programme (YEIDEP) has urged the public to wary of the activities of fraudsters, just as it announced the postponement of the business grants disbursement to Batch A applicants, earlier scheduled for October 20, 2025.

Kennedy Iyere, the programme coordinator-general, cited complexities in ensuring a transparent, accountable, and accurate disbursement process as the reason for the delay.

He has cautioned applicants against fake news circulating on social media platforms claiming that the disbursement has commenced, warning that internet fraudsters are peddling false information to extort money from unsuspecting individuals. YEIDEP emphasised that every benefit or gain related to the programme is offered free of charge and advised the public to ignore criminal elements seeking to exploit them.

According to him, a new date for funds disbursement will be announced through various media platforms once the process is finalised.

Meanwhile, YEIDEP has announced that the registration portal will reopen on October 27, 2025, for Batch B recruitment, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring that every registered member receives their entitled benefits. ‘We warn and caution all our registered applicants and potential beneficiaries to ignore the fake news which have flooded different social media platforms falsely reporting that YEIDEP’s business grants disbursement has taken effect.

Internet fraudsters are the ones peddling these fake news, in their desperate attempt to misinform innocent Nigerians, and make them to become gullible to their tricks of financial extortion. ‘Please be conscious not to allow anyone to deceive you. Every benefit or gain relating to YEIDEP is offered free-of-charge. We, therefore, advise everyone to be well guided, and be smart enough to ignore criminal elements who may want to extort money from the public by peddling fake news to aid their criminal ambitions.

‘We are also delighted to announce to the general public via this medium that the registration portal will be re-opened on Monday 27th October, 2025 for the ‘Batch B’ recruitment.

‘We sincerely wish to express our commitment towards the successful implementation of YEIDEP, as we work to ensure that every registered member receives the benefits entitled. Further updates will be communicated through our YouTube, Facebook and other digital communication channels,’ Iyere noted