Recognising the underrepresentation of women in the technology sector, Lafarge Africa Plc, has launched the Girls in Tech Program, a pioneering initiative aimed at empowering young women in technology.

Meticulously crafted to bridge the gender gap in tech and empower 10 young females between the ages of 18-25 years from Lafarge Africa Host communities in Cross River State, the program is poised to make a significant impact in the region.

The Girls in Tech Program seeks to harness the unique talents of these young women and introduce them to the dynamic world of technology. By providing them with essential skills and opportunities, the initiative aspires to equip them to become self-reliant as well as problem solvers in society.

In collaboration with Aptech and Arena Multimedia,globally recognized leaders in technology incubation and opportunity, as well as The Bridge Leadership Foundation, the boot camp promises to be a transformative experience for the participating girls, who are eager to make their mark in the tech industry.

Speaking during the onboarding to flag-off in Calabar recently, the Plant Manager, Lafarge Africa Plc, Sotirios Valsamakis, who was represented by the Human Resources Business Partner, Lafarge Africa Plc; Barong Ita, revealed that the program was in line with the company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

She also added that the initiative is designed to ignite a spark of inspiration, hope, and possibilities in the heart of the selected girls across the host communities.

“As an organization, people are an integral part of our sustainability drive, and we are invested in building lasting progress by empowering members of our host communities. We also recognize the need for greater and greener diversity and inclusivity within the tech sector.”

Today’s event is not just about launching a program. It is about igniting a spark of inspiration, hope, and possibilities in the hearts of these young women. It is about challenging stereotypes.”

Also speaking at the event, the Cross Rivers State Commissioner for Science, Innovation & Technology, Justin Beshel represented by Edwin Adie, Technical Senior Advisor, Cross Rivers State Ministry of Science & Technology commended Lafarge Africa for the initiative adding that it is in line with the State government’s plan towards science, technology and innovation development.

As the country faces economic challenges, the need for adaptive strategies in the fintech industry becomes paramount. In line with this, leading Fintech startup, Hydrogen Payment Services Limited (‘Hydrogen’), has teamed up with Co-creation Hub (‘CcHub’) to host an insightful event themed, ‘Adapting Fintech Business Models to Economic Climes’.

The event, set to take place on Thursday, April 18, 2024, from 12:00 WAT at the CcHub office in Sabo, Lagos, will delve deep into the intricacies of Nigeria’s economic challenges and how these influence the fintech ecosystem.

Participants will gain actionable insights on how to adapt fintech business models to volatile economic conditions by prioritising flexibility, agility, and customer-centricity.

This collaboration underscores the shared commitment of both entities to empower aspiring founders venturing into the Fintech space amidst economic uncertainties.

By leveraging their respective expertise and resources, Hydrogen and CcHub aim to equip emerging entrepreneurs with the knowledge, tools, and support needed to thrive in today’s dynamic economic conditions.

Emeka Awagu, Chief Technology Officer at Hydrogen, commented on the strategic partnership with CcHUB: “Our alliance with CcHUB amplifies our shared commitment to pioneering transformative solutions in Nigeria’s fintech sector.

“By leveraging Hydrogen’s technological expertise alongside CcHUB’s innovative approach, we are primed to set a new standard for fintech excellence and drive impactful change across the industry.”

The event will feature a distinguished panel of industry experts and thought leaders, including, Ina Alogwu, Group Director, Digital Transformation, ARM HoldCo; Emeka Awagu, Chief Technology Officer, Hydrogen, and Miracle Ezechi, Digital Marketing Manager, Hydrogen.

The panel discussion will be moderated to encourage an engaging and insightful conversation on the strategies and innovations required to thrive in Nigeria’s Fintech landscape amidst economic challenges.

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has issued a new directive to all Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) introducing a reduction in the loan-to-deposit ratio (LDR) to 50 per cent.

So called LDR refers to the interaction between total loans and total deposits, expressed as a percentage.

The LDR gives an insight into the proportion of assets a bank can create from its liabilities.

This significant policy adjustment, effective immediately, marks a 15%-point decrease from the previous rate.

The change is a strategic move aligning with the CBN’s recent shift towards a more contractionary monetary approach, in sync with heightened Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) requirements, which have been raised to 45% for DMBs and 14% for merchant banks.

The new directive signed by Dr Adetona S. Adedeji, acting director, Banking Supervision Department of the CBN, and titled ‘RE: Regulatory Measures to Improve Lending to the Real Sector of the Nigerian Economy’ is a follow-up to a circular released on January 20, 2020.

It underlines the CBN’s ongoing commitment to refining its regulatory framework in response to evolving economic conditions.

With this banks are now required to recalibrate their lending strategies, adhering to the revised LDR of 50%.

This measure is anticipated to influence the banks’ ability to offer credit, particularly impacting large and medium-scale enterprises that are dependent on bank financing for their operations.

The circular read:

“The Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) regulatory directive on the above subject dated January 20, 2020, referenced BSD/DIR/GEN/LAB/12/070 refers.

“Following a shift in the Bank’s policy stance towards a more contractionary approach, it is imperative to review the loan-to-deposit ratio (LDR) policy to align with the current monetary tightening by the CBN.

“Accordingly, the CBN has decided to reduce the LDR by 15 percentage points to 50%, in a similar proportion to the increase in the CRR rate for banks. All DMBs are required to maintain this level and are further advised that average daily figures shall continue to be applied to assess compliance.

“While DMBS are encouraged to maintain strong risk management practices regarding their lending operations, the CBN shall continue to monitor compliance, review market developments, and make alterations in the LDR as it deems appropriate.”