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To celebrate the beauty, power, and majesty of God through art, Fobally Gallery Ltd, in collaboration with Saviorite Limited and the Redeemed Christian Church of God, City of David, Lagos, has commenced a 2-week Christian art exhibition in Lagos.

The exhibition, which came under the theme, ‘Creation Speaks’, is a showcase of powerful artworks that reflect the beauty, glory and truth of God’s creation.

Speaking at the event, Creative Director of Fobally Gallery Ltd, Abiola Folasade, affirmed that the ongoing exhibition actually aimed at letting all artists know that the gifts, the artistic talent they have, were given by God.

According to her: ‘Most of the artists were born with that talent. They just up-skilled it through formal education. So, God is the giver of talent. The exhibition is a call for reflection for artists and for the people, the society at large’.

Highlighting the theme of the exhibition, ‘Creation Speaks’, Folasade said it was designed as a spiritual encounter, not just an art show.

‘As people walk through the exhibition, we pray that the weary will find rest; the discouraged will find hope; the lost will find Jesus and believers will be reminded of God’s faithfulness from Genesis to Revelation,’ she added.

While stating that art bypasses arguments and speaks directly to the heart, she said that the exhibition hoped to engage culture and redeem the arts for God’s kingdom.

‘God is the first Artist; creativity is divine. For too long, the Church has been silent in the art and culture space. This exhibition is our statement that excellence is worship and beauty is ministry.

‘We want to raise a new generation of Christian artists who know that their talent is a calling.

‘We also want to show the wider society that the gospel is beautiful, intelligent, and relevant’, she submitted.

On the collaboration between Fobally Gallery Ltd, Saviorite Limited, and RCCG City of David, Fobally Gallery Ltd boss said it models unity in the body of Christ, emphasising that the exhibition will also create a platform for artists to be celebrated and supported; families and schools to learn about God through creativity; the public to have a wholesome, uplifting experience in the city.

She expressed optimism that the exhibition will not just be seen, but heard adding, ‘the Holy Spirit will use colors, forms, and stories to speak to every visitor. That Lagos, and Nigeria, will see that the Church is a place of beauty, truth, and excellence.

‘The purpose of ‘Creation Speaks’ is to let God’s creation speak again of His glory, His gospel, and His call on our lives’.

Speaking also, the presiding Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, City of David, Victoria Island Lagos, Kayode Pitan who was represented by Trevor Akindele, described the exhibition as a unique platform to inspire faith and creativity through art.

While the Director Saviorite Limited, Jide Aiyegbusi, who also spoke at the event, had the Christian art exhibition as a direction from the Holy Spirit, noting that the theme of the exhibition was given to them by God.

To Aiyegbusi, who is an elder in the Redeemed Christian Church of God and a British trained Graphic Designer: ‘God has created us in His own image and in His own likeness. And whatsoever we have, God wants us to use it to honor Him, to glorify His name. God wants us to use whatever we have, our profession, our talent, our faith, to honor His name. And that is what we are here to do’.

On her part an artist, Stella Awoh Mofunanya, expressed excitement over what she described as the first Christian Art exhibition in the RCCG and added that it brought Christian artists together.

‘Some years back, some Christian artists were throwing away their works. Some said that it has to do with rituals, but this exhibition has given Christian artists opportunity to showcase their God’s given talents.’

However, she encouraged artists in the society to work harder adding, ‘art is money making machine now. People are buying artworks and they keep it like gold and resell. Art work is appreciated now.’

One of the exhibiting artists, Peacemaker described his art work as an expression of images that show the truth that God created the whole world.

‘This exhibition resonates well with the faith we preach that God made the whole world and Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God. Whom the world must receive’, he said.

Art works displaced at the ongoing exhibition include a curated collection of: Paintings- depicting biblical themes, nature, and God’s glory; Sculptures and Installations-reflecting on creation, redemption, and hope.

Others were; Mixed media – works that blend faith, culture, and contemporary expression and; Live art sessions and artist talks- insight into the creative process as ministry.

Redeemers University’s Institute of Genomics and Global Health (IGH) hackathon has reiterated the need for interdisciplinary collaboration in proffering home-grown solutions for African health challenges.

This was the outcome of its 2026 XR and Al Genomics Hackathon, themed, ‘From Genome to Impact: XR and Al Solutions for African Health,’ culminating in a Demo Day at the IGH/ACEGID Auditorium, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State.

The hackathon brought together participants from science, technology, 3D design and science communication to develop immersive learning experiences aimed at making complex genomic procedures easier to understand.

Adedayo Okunfolami, CITIO at IGH and convener, XR and Al Genomics hackathon 2026, stated that the central challenge is to ensure that emerging technologies are scientifically accurate, accessible to their intended users and connected to clearly defined needs.

According to him, Genomics can contribute to understanding health and disease, while immersive technologies can offer new ways to explain scientific concepts and practise selected procedures in simulated environments.

Five teams develop virtual reality prototypes for polymerase chain reaction (PCR), training as IGH builds its GenomicsXR platform and creates new pathways for the next generation of genomics talent.

Okunfolami stated that the initiative reflects IGH’s wider ambition to preserve the legacy of genomics education, encourage younger scientists to enter the field, and explore how emerging technologies can help people understand scientific processes that are often difficult to visualise.

‘At the centre of this effort is GenomicsXR, an extended reality (XR) product being developed to bring genomics activities and laboratory procedures into interactive virtual experiences.’

According to him, the 2026 hackathon focused on the next module PCR, a laboratory technique used to make many copies of a selected DNA segment for analysis; while its first module, DNA Extraction, was deployed in 2025.

Rather than asking one group to build the entire PCR experience, Okunfolami disclosed that the workflow was divided into five stages, while each stage was a team. ‘The result was five separate prototypes intended to contribute to a larger, connected learning experience.’

Adeleke Osho, Provost, Postgraduate School, Redeemer’s University and lead judge, announced the results of the hackathon on Demo Day,

According to him, team 5 emerged as the overall winner, followed by team 2 in second place and team 3 in third place. Accordingly, team 4 placed fourth, while team 1 finished fifth.

The results recognised the teams’ work in developing their respective stages. He also disclosed that the next step would see participants review and connect the separate contributions so that users can move through the PCR process as a single learning experience.

The Reproduction Rights Society of Nigeria (REPRONIG) has called for stronger protection of intellectual property rights to promote creativity, innovation and sustainable growth of Nigeria’s creative economy.

The call was made at a South-East zonal advocacy and sensitisation programme on copyright protection and the responsible use of intellectual works held on Thursday at Amadeo Recreation Centre, Enugu.

Speaking at the event, Uchenna Cyril Anioke, Chairman of the Programme Planning Committee, highlighted REPRONIG’s role in protecting authors and publishers against the unauthorised reproduction and secondary use of printed and digital materials.

He explained that the organisation collects royalties on behalf of authors and publishers and distributes the proceeds to rightful copyright owners, ensuring that creators receive financial benefits from their intellectual works.

Anioke urged participants to deepen their understanding of the Copyright Act 2022 and collaborate with REPRONIG to safeguard their intellectual property rights.

He also encouraged them to disseminate the knowledge acquired at the programme to their institutions, professional associations, departments and publishing houses to promote wider awareness of copyright protection.

He stressed the need for collective action to build an academic and creative environment where intellectual property is respected, protected and appropriately rewarded, particularly in the South-East and Nigeria at large.

Anioke commended the resource persons, including Macfoy Akachukwu, Sam Owokoniran, Sunny Udeze and Mary Oyesola Adewumi, a REPRONIG administrative officer, as well as members of the planning committee and participants who attended physically and virtually.

The programme attracted librarians, publishers, academics and representatives of corporate organisations from Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia, Anambra and Imo states.

Also speaking, Sunny Udeze of the Department of Mass Communication, Enugu State University, explained the role of academia in REPRONIG’s activities and called on academics and other stakeholders to register with the organisation.

Udeze emphasised the importance of institutional participation in promoting respect for copyright laws and ensuring that authors and researchers benefit from the use of their intellectual contributions.

In his remarks, Owokoniran, who described Udeze as intellectually sophisticated, said the programme was designed to sensitise stakeholders to opportunities provided by the government and REPRONIG for the protection and responsible use of intellectual property.

He commended the organisers for the programme, noting that REPRONIG had been conducting advocacy activities across the country.

‘We have been doing advocacy around the country, but I tell you, this is the largest media crew I’ve ever seen,’ he said.

Owokoniran explained that the programme sought to improve understanding of Nigerian copyright law and promote the responsible use of intellectual works, particularly within the South-East’s academic and professional communities.

He noted that copyright protection was relevant to universities, lecturers, researchers, students, authors, polytechnics, colleges of education and other knowledge-driven institutions across the country.

He condemned the practice of individuals reproducing and profiting from books and other intellectual works without the permission of their creators, describing such activities as unfair to those who invest their time, resources and expertise in producing original materials.

According to him, the objective of copyright protection was not to discourage education or restrict access to knowledge, but to establish a sustainable balance between access to information and fair compensation for intellectual work.

The programme was therefore aimed at encouraging stakeholders to understand their rights and responsibilities under Nigerian copyright law while fostering a culture that recognises and rewards creativity, research and innovation.

Brazil would on October 25, 2026, take the hand of Nigeria to political school, the second in one month. The first one, like in kindergarten, Brazil showed the world, nay, Nigeria, that it is possible for a developing country to conduct an election without rancour, vote buying, and violence.

Coming closely to the time Nigeria is about to go to the polls in January, 2027, there is no reason to give excuses by Nigeria. The first round of the presidential election in Brazil took place on October 4, 2026; in that election, the incumbent President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro locked horns looking for a fair share of the 158.7 million votes from voters, in the end, no ballot box snatching, no burning of results sheets, and results were known same night, while the runoff was rescheduled for October 25.

With a population of approximately 213.8 million to 214.2 million people in 2026, according to Worldometer Brazil tracker, Nigeria’s own population hovers around same figures.

Indeed, Nigeria and Brazil share a lot in common: large population, diverse federation, high inequality, and history of military rule. Brazil has over 158.7 million voters while Nigeria has over 103 million registered voters. Such high volume of voters in Brazil is as a result of the fact that Brazil made voting compulsory for every adult citizen, unlike Nigeria where voting is optional.

The first round of election in Brazil has come and gone, with so many lessons, however, the issue is, if a country like Nigeria is ready and humble enough to learn without feeling too big.

Election in Nigeria has become a four-yearly national political event which keeps testing the nation’s strength, maturity, civility, unity, among other indices of civilization, sometimes it appears the nation will simply break away, but in the end it will not, some see it as a game, some see it as serious business, while still it is seen as a necessary end because there is no other credible alternative to democracy.

Indeed, Nigeria’s democracy continues to go by the baptismal name, nascent, in another it is still a young adult, since independence and its republican stage from there up to the present Fourth Republic. Many a time, the nation’s elections are characterised by violence, rigging, cutting corners, many a time election are rigged before the actual voting, many a time, constituencies are delineated to favour a political party, codenamed gerrymandering, sometimes it comes in the form of appointments of the members of electoral commission, they tell them that they are independent, when they are not really.

Again, they make sure they make the judiciary beggarly by appointing their cronies as those in charge of the judiciary so that what they need is for the electoral umpire to pronounce them winners, the rest would be handled by the judiciary, you don’t need to call them, already they know what to do. The pre-election rigging did not exclude those that make laws as they continually create loopholes for manipulation to favour the highest bidders, depending if the election is at state or National level. As in Nigeria, we talk about using paper to right result when there is network issues, but Nigerians have argued that such clause has no meaning, that if bandits, terrorists and kidnappers in the remotest forests can make videos of their activities and there is no network issues, that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, should do better by finding solution so as to make the election in Nigeria truly electronic, because technology doesn’t lie. As it is Brazil has been using complete electronic means to conduct election since 1996.

Of course, that is the bane of Nigeria’s electoral system. From the First Republic down the line, election in Nigeria has never come without complaints. The one that remains indelible in the minds of the people is the 1993 election, adjudged to be the freest and fairest in Nigeria, but what happened, the then military president, General Ibrahim Babangida annulled the election.

It took the doggedness and patriotic stubbornness of the then Chairman of the Electoral Commission, the late Professor Humphrey Nwosu to declare that result, and of course, the military authorities never liked what he did, in fact Prof Nwosu, it was who made it possible for Nigerians to know that the election was won by the accountant-turned businessman, socialite and philanthropist, Moshood Abiola.

That election, if you noticed, is also indicative of lack of accountability in our nation. In a twinkling of an eye, General Babangida cancelled years of planning, sleeplessness, dreams, party engagements, public and individual spending and all of that went down the drains. How much was spent in that 1996 election? The parties that took part in the 1993 general election spent between N120 million to N1 billion.

Even looking at it, it is not for want of good laws, but it is the potentialities of the politicians to cut corners, because they know that this is a game where there is no second position, the nation also practices winner-takes-all, so, it becomes a do-or-die affair, especially when that politician has either not done his homework and assignment well, he wants a shortcut by all means.

Obviously, Brazil used 100 percent electronic voting machines, which they have started using since 1996. No paper ballot to snatch, no ink to smear. All that was needed was, you press, it records, it transmits encrypted to the electoral court (TSE) and Result of the election was in 2-3 hours.

In contrast, for Nigeria, BVAS/IReV is good progress, but still depends on manual collation and upload, which creates loopholes.

In the Brazil presidential election, because no one got 50percent + 1, the two presidential contenders are now expected to go to a runoff on October 25, 2026, to decide the winner. That’s where the real lesson for Nigeria is.

In the Brazilian Election the whole votes were counted same day with electronic machines, by TSE, no ballot snatching. What is TSE? The Brazil’s Tribunal Superior Eleitoral or Superior Electoral Court in English, is not just an organiser, it is a court. It can arrest, fine candidates, remove fake news within hours, but in Nigeria, INEC is administrative. It still needs police and courts to enforce. Brazil shows that when the electoral umpire has judicial power, impunity drops.

Another lesson is that voting is compulsory in Brazil, 53percent of voters are women. Civic education starts early. People see election as duty, not do-or-die. In Nigeria, there is still voter apathy and thuggery, voting is also optional.

In Brazil no godfather control of ballot materials. Also in Brazil, there is no ‘collation centre chaos’ because there is almost nothing to collate physically. Logistics failure is near zero because machines are deployed weeks ahead and tested publicly.

There is swift punishment for electoral violence, and in Brazil, trying to disrupt election is a federal crime with immediate arrest. In Nigeria, ballot snatchers often walk the street free, and top politicians usually what happens to voting from their mansions.

If we want Brazil-like elections, we must move from human-managed to system-managed elections, make BVAS work offline and transmit automatically, give INEC prosecutorial powers like Brazil’s TSE, and punish electoral offenders on election day, not 3 years after.

Brazil proved that even a deeply polarized country, son of jailed ex-president vs sitting president can be in contest without violence as the system makes violence useless.

Nigeria must learn from international best practices even as it concerns election. The will of the people must be upheld in all election, just as Brazil has just demonstrated.

Idris Shuaibu, Kaduna-born politician contesting the ADC governorship position in his state, said: ‘The current general election taking place in Brazil is a test case for democracy especially Nigeria. As usual, it’s a cycle that’s usual after every 5 years. It’s a contest between the two ideological divides of the left and the right. Current President Lula Da Silva and his long-standing rival Flavio Bolsonaro of the left and the right of the centre respectively. Lula scored about 46 percent while Flavio scored 47percent of the votes cast.

For Adetokunbo Pearse, no country in the world is perfect. ‘No democracy is without flaws’, he said.

He further said: ‘You notice even though they would say there is corruption in Brazil, the electoral commission would do the right thing; if he doesn’t do the right thing, they would kill the national chairman, they would burn his house down. In France, 6000 people arrested, over 200 schools shut down, 20 schools burnt, teachers, parents, students’ unions, on the streets asking for good education’ as the people protest.

History has been made. For the first time since the return to democracy in 1999, the push for state police has crossed the most difficult constitutional hurdle.

As at today, 24 out of 36 State Houses of Assembly have passed the resolution approving the establishment of state police in Nigeria, meeting the mandatory two-thirds requirement under Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

Section 9(2) provides that a bill to alter the Constitution shall not be passed by National Assembly unless the proposal is supported by resolution of at least two-thirds of all State Houses of Assembly – that is, 24 states.

In pursuant to that requirement, the National Assembly, having endorsed state police, transmitted the 1999 Constitution (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026 to the 36 State Houses of Assembly on September 16, seeking their concurrence.

Today, the numbers stand thus:

Southern Nigeria: 14 of 17 states have approved the bill leaving only Lagos, Ondo and Ebonyi still at deliberation stage. In Northern Nigeria, 10 out of 19 states have approved the bill. Nine states are still pending: Kogi, Niger, Borno, Gombe, Bauchi, Jigawa, Katsina, Kano and Sokoto. Five of them are in North-West, two in North-Central and three in North-East.

The implication is clear: even though 12 states are still awaited, the bill stands approved in the eyes of the law. Of course, more states are expected to join this week, the more, the merrier, but the legal threshold has been met.

Crossing 24 states is not the end. It is the beginning of stage two. Under Section 9, here is what must happen next: Return to National Assembly for Collation and Authentication. All 36 resolutions, whether Yes or No, must be transmitted back to the Clerk of the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana. The Constitution Review Committee, chaired by Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin and Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, will collate and verify that at least 24 approvals are authentic, signed by Speakers and Clerks.

Secondly, there must be votes, proceedings and passage at NASS. Once satisfied, NASS will adopt a resolution confirming that the bill has been duly approved by required number of states. The bill will then be re-passed with final amendments reflecting state inputs. And thirdly, the authenticated Bill will be transmitted to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assent. Under Section 9(3), the President has 30 days to assent. Once assented, it becomes Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Sixth Alteration) Act, 2026.

The next stage is the Enabling Law, State Policing Act: This is the most important part many miss. The Constitutional alteration only creates the legal space for state police. It does not create the police itself. What will create it is a second law, the National Policing Act/State Police Services Act, currently being worked on by the Presidency. The Presidency said last week that the draft is 90percent ready and will be sent to NASS before October 29.

That Act will spell out: Recruitment, training and minimum standards; Funding formula, federal support grant vs state funding; Command and control, who is Commissioner? Who appoints? Oversight, State Police Service Commission, State Police Complaints Board, Jurisdiction, what offences belong to federal vs state; Election security, role of INEC and federal police during elections; and State-Level Domestication: Each state that wants state police must then pass its own State Police Law establishing its State Police Service, Service Commission, funding, and community policing committees at LGA level. In short, Constitutional Amendment opens the door, National Act defines the rules, State Law builds the house.

Why State Police matters

Nigeria’s security challenge has exposed the limits of a centralised police force of about 370,000 men policing over 230 million people across 774 LGAs.

The benefits of state police include:

Faster Response Times: Local police can react quicker to crimes and emergencies than a heavily centralized federal command sitting in Abuja; Better Local Intelligence: Officers recruited from local areas understand environment, language, culture and networks needed to track down criminals. A policeman from Sokoto understands Sokoto better than one posted from Bayelsa; Tailored Security Approaches: Banditry in North-West, farmer-herder clashes in North-Central, IPOB/ESN in South-East, cultism and urban robbery in South-South and South-West, a one-size-fits-all national strategy is ineffective.

Other benefits include Manpower Relief: The federal NPF faces severe personnel deficit. State police will provide extra hands, allowing federal police to focus on terrorism, border control and interstate organized crime; Success of Regional Initiatives: The perceived effectiveness of Amotekun in South-West and Ebube Agu in parts of South-East proved sub-national policing can work.

Why 12 states still dilly-dallying

If benefits are so clear, why are 12 states still foot-dragging? Well, some say they Fear Political Patronage and Abuse. Nonetheless, critics warn governors could use local police as private armies against opposition, especially during elections. Since 1999, many governors control House of Assembly, SIEC, and local government chairmen. Adding police completes state capture.

Ethnic or Religious Bias: Analysts caution state-controlled forces might be weaponised to promote ethnic dominance, religious favouritism, or protection of local elites, especially in diverse states like Plateau, Kaduna, Taraba; Funding and Resource Constraints: Many states struggle with revenue and can hardly pay salaries. How will they pay, arm, train, equip, provide pension for another thousands of officers? Will we have first-class police in Lagos, Rivers, and third-class in Kogi, Borno?

There is also the issue of lack of Standardisation: Inconsistent training, varying equipment, non-uniform operational protocols could weaken national security standards; while there is also issue of Jurisdictional Conflicts: Dual-policing risks friction, confusion and power struggles between federal and state officers, who arrests who? Who takes custody of high-profile suspects?

These are valid fears. But as some sections of the polity have noted, they are reasons to interrogate details carefully, not reasons to kill the bill. The answer is strong oversight, independent Service Commission, federal minimum standards, and clear constitutional ban on using state police for election intimidation.

With 24 states secured, the politics now shifts to Aso Rock and National Assembly. President Tinubu, a long-time advocate of state police since his days as Lagos governor, is expected to assent quickly to cement a major legacy.

But the real battle will be over the Enabling Act: How much power should governors have? Should state police commissioners be appointed by governor or by independent commission? Should President have power to deploy state police during national emergency?

Those questions will determine whether state police becomes instrument of security or instrument of oppression.

For now, one battle is won. The Constitution has said Yes. Now Nigerians must ensure the law that follows says Yes to accountability.

De’Remi Atanda, managing director and chief executive officer of Remita Payment Services Limited, has urged businesses and public institutions to rethink digital transformation, saying service excellence should be measured by customer outcomes rather than the sophistication of technology deployed.

He made the call at the 2026 Service Excellence Conference in Lagos, where business executives, regulators and public sector leaders examined how technology and human interaction can improve service delivery.

Speaking on the theme, ‘Tech-Enabled. Human-Powered,’ Atanda highlighted a persistent challenge: organisations invest heavily in digital platforms, automation and new features, yet customers continue to face delays, uncertainty and avoidable difficulties.

He urged service providers to understand customer expectations before deploying technology, warning that automated systems cannot compensate for poorly designed processes or unclear service standards.

‘Technology has been, and will continue to be, a means to an end, not the end itself. Customers are not looking for technology; they are looking for outcomes. Technology cannot deliver service excellence if it is optimising for the wrong expectations. The journey begins with how we understand what customers want, which ultimately comes down to less effort and greater certainty,’ he said.

During a panel discussion, Atanda explained that speed alone does not guarantee effective service. Customers may complete transactions quickly, but remain dissatisfied if processes are confusing or services fail when needed most. Digitising poorly designed processes, he warned, merely transfers their shortcomings to digital platforms.

‘Speed is just one attribute of service delivery. Fast service is not always pleasant, nor does it always meet customer expectations. To deliver true service excellence, you must combine speed with smart solutions and human connection. That is what builds consistency and trust,’ he said.

Atanda also stressed the importance of preserving human interaction in digital services, noting that technology should not come at the expense of empathy, responsiveness or accountability when problems arise.

He said maintaining the human element does not require a return to manual processes. Instead, organisations must ensure customers feel understood and receive appropriate support when interacting with a brand.

‘When we speak of human connection in technology, ‘human’ does not mean manual processes. It is about the emotional component of service delivery and how people relate to your brand. As we deploy technology as an invisible layer, we must ensure that it does not remove the human touch, because technology that remembers is technology that feels human,’ he added.

On accountability in financial services, Atanda noted that transactions often depend on multiple networks, service providers and intermediaries. However, he maintained that the brand dealing directly with customers must remain accountable for its promises.

He urged business leaders and policymakers to enforce service standards and ensure failures have consequences.

‘You don’t prepare for war in the time of war; you prepare for war in the time of peace. Service providers must design for failure as seriously as they design for success. In a complex financial ecosystem, reliability is shared across multiple partners, but accountability is never shared. It is entirely yours to deliver on your promise to the customer,’ he emphasised.

Atanda outlined five priorities for business leaders: understand customer expectations before selecting technology, map the entire customer journey, embed empathy and responsiveness in service processes, prepare for failures and measure performance through customer experiences rather than system uptime alone.

The conference, held during the 2026 Customer Service Week, reinforced the need to measure digital investments by the value they deliver to customers.

Valentine Onyeka Ogunaka, Nigerian storytelling diplomat, poet, and development communications professional, has introduced a new framework aimed at transforming how refugees and vulnerable communities are represented in development communications, while warning that today’s narratives could become tomorrow’s artificial intelligence biases.

Speaking at the Communications for a Better World Conference, which was held in New York and virtually, Ogunaka presented Framing for a Cause (FFAC), a framework developed through his work with Ecrafti and years of field documentation in displacement and migration contexts.

His presentation, ‘Development Narratives Diplomacy: The Framing for a Cause Framework for Dignifying Refugee Portfolios and the Future of Storytelling as AI Listens,’ argued that many humanitarian narratives continue to portray vulnerable populations primarily through crisis, dependency, and need, often overlooking their capabilities, aspirations, and contributions.

‘People should not have to trade their dignity to be seen,’ Ogunaka told participants. ‘Behind every refugee portfolio or displacement story is a person with identity, agency, skills, and dreams.’

Developed from field experience across Nigeria, FFAC is built around four pillars: identity, agency, contribution, and possibility. The framework encourages communicators to move beyond deficit-focused storytelling and present refugees and vulnerable communities as active participants in shaping their own futures.

A central theme of the presentation was the growing impact of artificial intelligence on global communications.

‘If our development narratives consistently portray vulnerable populations through deficit, crisis, and dependency, what happens when machines learn those narratives and reproduce them at scale?’ Ogunaka asked.

The question resonated with ongoing global conversations around AI ethics, representation, and responsible communication.

He currently serves as Communications Coordinator for the ARRIVES Project at the International Trade Centre (ITC) and has contributed to communications initiatives involving migration, displacement, and refugee communities, including work connected to UNHCR. He is also internationally recognised for using poetry and storytelling as tools for social change and development advocacy.

The New York presentation marks a significant milestone for Ecrafti, bringing a framework developed from African field realities into international discussions on development communications, human dignity, and the future of AI-informed storytelling.

As institutions increasingly seek ethical approaches to communication, Ogunaka believes the challenge is no longer simply telling stories about vulnerable populations, but ensuring those stories reflect the full humanity of the people at their centre.

‘How we frame people today may shape how societies and AI understand human dignity tomorrow,’ he concluded.

For many Nigerians, scam calls, phishing messages, and fake websites are becoming increasingly difficult to identify as fraudsters adopt more convincing ways to impersonate trusted institutions and services.

Africa now has approximately 570 million internet users who depend on digital platforms for banking, healthcare, education, and government services, based on the 2026 INTERPOL’s African Cyberthreat Assessment Report.

However, many users have been exposed to cybercriminals because the security systems, laws, and institutions meant to protect them have not kept up with the speed of adoption.

The research findings, reported cybercrime losses across Africa more than doubled between 2024 and 2025, rising from $192 million to $484 million, while identified victims grew from 35,000 to 87,000.

INTERPOL estimated that cybercrime caused at least $5 billion in direct economic damage across the continent in 2025, and that 55 percent of reported cases involved AI in some form.

Accordingly, mobile money fraud is now the most prevalent online scam, with 97 percent of responding countries identifying it as a major threat.

Recent incidents shared online show how easily everyday interactions can turn into financial risks.

In one case, a Nigerian user shared on X how she lost about N400,000 after clicking a link relating to an alleged Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) traffic offence and entering her card details on what appeared to be a website.

The experience highlighted how increasingly convincing phishing attempts can be, particularly when they appear to come from familiar institutions or government services.

The challenge is not limited to phishing links. In another social media post, a user described how money was subsequently debited from his account after his mobile phone was stolen.

In situations like this, losing a device can quickly become a broader concern about the security of the financial accounts connected to it.

While digital payment fraud losses in Nigeria fell by 51 percent to N25.85 billion in 2025, Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS) says social engineering remains a significant concern, with phishing, SIM-swap fraud and account compromise continuing to evolve.

Across Africa digital inclusion has expanded access to education and financial tools, but cyber education has struggled to keep pace.

Young people often expose themselves to identity theft, phishing scams, and account takeovers without realizing it, because they lack practical security habits.

‘Every young person deserves the confidence to learn, work, connect, and build their future safely online,’ Simi Nwogugu, President and CEO of JA Africa, stated.

Nwogugu disclosed that JA Africa is empowering Africa’s next generation with the digital safety skills needed to thrive in an increasingly connected world, through an initiative tagged CyberSmart.

‘By building simple cyber-safe habits today, young people can protect their opportunities tomorrow.’

Deepening digital awareness of fraud

A compromised account or stolen phone can disrupt everyday transactions and create uncertainty about whether their money is truly safe.

The experiences being shared by Nigerians reinforce an important reality: safer digital banking depends on both strong security systems and customers understanding how to recognise and respond to threats.

It is against this backdrop that digital payment platforms are placing greater emphasis on helping customers recognise potential threats and make better use of the security tools available to them.

‘Trust is fundamental to banking. Customers need to know that the institution they rely on is regulated, secure, dependable, and available when they need it,’ Chika Nwosu, managing director, PalmPay Nigeria, stated.

According to him, the digital payment platform initiated ‘PalmPay Dey For You’ campaign, which reflects it’s broader approach to security by design, where protection is embedded into the customer experience rather than introduced only when something goes wrong.

‘At PalmPay, protecting our customers and giving them greater control over their banking experience is central to how we operate.’

Nwosu stated that the digital platform wanted customers to understand the security tools available to them, use the tools confidently, and know that PalmPay remains a reliable financial partner for their everyday needs.

He added that through educational content, FAQs, customer forums, and product-led communication, the campaign will provide practical information on account security, fraud awareness, and the steps customers can take to better protect themselves.

‘For PalmPay, the message is clear: convenience, value and security should work together,’ Nwosu stated.

He reiterated that with regulatory oversight, a growing suite of customer-protection tools and the trust of millions of users, PalmPay remains committed to delivering a banking experience Nigerians can depend on.

The evolving fraud risks

Unlike generic, highly technical cybersecurity courses, CyberSmart was built for the day-to-day realities of young Africans to stay safe on the digital space.

As a leader in youth entrepreneurship, financial-health, and work-readiness education across Africa, JA Africa is extending its reach into digital safety, now a foundational life skill for success in education, entrepreneurship, and employment.

CyberSmart is hosted on JA Africa’s Skills Lab platform, which has reached more than 100,000 young people across the continent since 2020, and can be accessed on any internet-enabled device.

‘When learners recognize these situations in characters and scenarios that look like their own lives, the lessons stick. Our goal is to turn awareness into everyday habits that young people carry into school, work, and business,’ Bimpe Olufemi, Vice President, Digital, JA Africa stated.

On the other hand, digital platforms are strengthening their dispute-management experience through initiative like ‘Dispute Page’ by PalmPayq, which gives customers a dedicated channel to submit and monitor transaction disputes directly within the app.

As scams become increasingly convincing, lived experiences show why customers need both the awareness to recognise threats and the tools to respond when something goes wrong.

According to Nwosu, upgraded PalmPay Security Center brings protection tools and secure support options together, giving customers greater control over their account.

He reminded customers to avoid sharing sensitive information such as PINs, OTPs, and passwords. According to him, customers are also encouraged to be cautious with unexpected links and messages.

He added that customers should verify who is contacting them, and use available security controls when they suspect their account may be at risk.

‘For example, customers whose phones are lost or stolen can use *861*12# USSD Lock to restrict access to their PalmPay account and reduce the risk of unauthorised transactions,’ Nwosu stated.

However, customers concerned about activity during late hours, Night Guard allows them to set protection hours between 11:00 PM and 7:00 AM, with additional verification required for transfers during the selected period. ‘Large Transaction Shield provides additional verification for large-value transactions.’

Big corporate stocks on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) have seen an unprecedented wave of capital reallocation this year, and sitting comfortably at the vanguard of this financial renaissance are First Holdco Plc, Seplat Energy Plc, and HBM Nigeria Plc.

Overtaking its traditional NGX Premium Board peers, First Holdco has recorded a 186.64 percent year-to-date (YtD) return, decisively rewriting valuation norms across the local bourse.

This trajectory reflects a major shift in market sentiment, transitioning the conglomerate from a historical value play into an aggressive growth leader.

Driving this market-beating momentum is a powerful convergence of aggressive retail accumulation, institutional positioning, and renewed confidence following strategic balance sheet restructuring.

While fellow elite banking and industrial heavyweights on the Premium Board have posted respectable mid-tier gains, First Holdco’s parabolic ascent to stand at N137.3 as at October 19 highlights how effectively the group has unlocked underlying shareholder value.

BusinessDay’s trend watch shows other Premium Board companies and their returns year-to-date (YtD), such as MTNN (61.45 percent), Dangote Cement (65.52 percent), Seplat (175.44 percent), First Holdco (186.64 percent), HBM Nigeria (163.94 percent), Zenith Bank (100.65 percent), UBA (0.84 percent), and Access Holdings (33.10 percent).

In the basket of eight Premium Board Companies, investors have increasingly rewarded First Holdco for its decisive measures to clean up legacy exposures and optimise its expansive financial services ecosystem.

This exceptional outperformance also highlights a broader structural reallocation toward deeply liquid, highly capitalised tier-one Nigerian equities capable of hedging against macroeconomic volatility.

As market participants search for robust vehicles to preserve capital and outpace inflation, First Holdco’s liquidity depth and massive market capitalisation, hovering around N6.243trillion territory as at October 19 have made it an unavoidable destination for both domestic and foreign portfolio flows.

NGX Premium tracks the Premium Board companies in terms of market capitalisation and liquidity. It is a price index and is weighted by adjusted market capitalisation – the number of a company’s listed shares, multiplied by the closing price of that company, multiplied by a capping factor. Only fully paid-up common shares are included in the index.

As the NGX navigates through market dynamics, the Premium Board continues to serve as the crown jewel for institutional and retail investors seeking liquidity, solid governance, and impressive capital appreciation.

For instance, the performance of the NGX Premium Board highlights a market favouring high-conviction growth stocks, particularly within financial services and energy sectors.

While top performers like First Holdco, Seplat and HBM Nigeria have yielded extraordinary triple-digit windfalls, the diverse spread of returns emphasises the importance of portfolio rebalancing and strategic stock selection tailored to risk appetite.

Energy titan Seplat followed First Holdco closely behind with a stellar 175.44 percent YtD return, trading at N16,000.10 and boasting a market cap of N9.599 trillion. Seplat Energy Plc has continued to demonstrate phenomenal financial muscle and capital growth.

Backed by robust performance in the oil and gas exploration and production sector, Seplat stands out as one of the most rewarding large-cap investments for equity holders. Delivering an explosive 175.44 percent YtD return, Seplat has heavily rewarded investors, comfortably outperforming broader market indices and solidifying its status as an elite capital-growth engine.

Seplat’s ability to combine robust fundamental earnings with aggressive capital appreciation makes it a cornerstone asset for portfolios targeting the oil and gas sector. For investors looking for heavy-hitting exposure backed by solid structural valuations and extraordinary capital gains, Seplat remains a premier benchmark of success.

Meanwhile, HBM Nigeria (N355 per share as at October 19) also delivered massive gains at 163.94 percent YtD, cementing the dominance of top-tier growth plays.

As a heavyweight contender on the NGX Premium Board, HBM Nigeria Plc has established itself as an exceptional wealth-generator for investors. Backed by solid market positioning in the industrial goods sector, the company’s strong performance highlights why it remains a focal point for capital appreciation.

Investors who positioned themselves in the stock early this year have enjoyed explosive capital gains, mirroring the bullish momentum seen in select heavy-hitting industrial and energy plays.

Zenith Bank successfully crossed the milestone triple-digit threshold, recording a 100.65 percent YtD return with a share price of N124 as at October 19 and a N5.092 trillion market valuation, proving that tier-1 banking institutions remain a staple for wealth creation.

Market heavyweights MTNN (N17.321 trillion market cap) and Dangote Cement (N17.008 trillion market cap) demonstrated solid, defensive growth, posting respectable YtD returns of 61.45 percent and 65.52 percent respectively, while trading at N825 and N1,008.

While Zenith Bank doubled investors’ capital, other financial institutions like Access Holdings (33.10 percent) and UBA (0.84 percent) experienced more subdued momentum, presenting potential value or consolidation phases for long-term investors.

Crucially, for First Holdco Plc that blazes past others, the 186.64 percent YtD milestone serves as a powerful validation of the holding company structure adopted by the group, enabling greater operational agility and targeted capital allocation across its diverse banking, merchant, and asset management subsidiaries.

By streamlining its risk architecture and improving core revenue generation, the firm has successfully dismantled historical valuation discounts that previously separated it from its closest index rivals.

As the market steers into the final stretch of the year, all eyes remain fixed on whether First Holdco, Seplat Energy, and HBM Nigeria can sustain this blistering momentum against tightening monetary levers and shifting macroeconomic headwinds.

Yet, by decisively outrunning their NGX Premium benchmark peers, these companies have firmly cemented their status as the defining market darlings of the current trading cycle, signalling a bold new chapter for West Africa’s capital markets.

MGE Realty Limited has successfully delivered its first real estate development in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.The project known as Esther’s Court, was developed in partnership with Grandbricks Engineering Limited who doubles as the project contractor.

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Nestled in the heart of Lugbe in the FCT, Esther’s Court comprises 18 units of exquisite 3-Bedroom Terraced apartments.The development which commenced earlier in 2024 covers a vast land area of approximately 3460 square metres, backed with good title. It is strategically located off Airport in Sabon Lugbe, a district that has become a sought-after destination for shopping and leisure facilities.

Its endowed position along Abuja Airport Road ensures quick access to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport within 15 minutes and the inner districts of Abuja within 20-25 minutes which highlights Lugbe’s centrality in the city’s landscape.

Esther’s Court is thoughtfully conceived with serenity in every detail. It harmonises modern living with peaceful nature, boasting abundant green spaces,ample on site parking, reliable power supply and efficient sewage system for tranquil living. What is more,its carefully designed access roads ensure seamless connectivity, complemented with top notch security architecture.

Each terrace is a testament to thoughtful craftsmanship, providing an ideal place that meets urban lifestyle.With all rooms ensuite, Esther’s Court is a perfect blend of contemporary architecture and functionality.

The unit price varies from N60.5m for full payment made within 2 months to N61m for full payment made within 4 months.However,each corner piece unit attracts a further N5m payment.

Other payments include N3m infrastructure fee and N2m legal fee.

MGE Realty Limited has established itself as a prominent player in Nigeria’s real estate market, consistently delivering exceptional residential, commercial and leisure properties.

With an extensive portfolio that spans various locations,MGE Realty has achieved aclaim by delivering a myriad of homes with many more at various planning and progress stages of development.

Notably, the company has also forged strategic partnerships with prominent contractors and architects,ensuring the highest standards of construction and design excellence.