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100 Years and 100 Interesting Facts about Nigeria
Nigeria’s century compilation was created as a historical snapshot of peculiar events, for our benefit and that of Nigeria’s younger generations.
It was compiled to the best of our ability and influenced by our learning, recollection and prejudices.
We invite Nigerians to collect and share with us more important and unique events that define 100 years of Nigeria.
Resources utilized here can be found on ENDS.ng.
1. Nigeria, with a 2013 estimated population of 174,507,539 is the most populous Black nation and the 7th most populated nation in the entire world, trailing after—from least to most—Pakistan, Brazil, Indonesia, USA, India and China (1.3bn).
2. Nigerians are 1/5th the total population of Black Africa.
3. Nigeria, with 521 languages has the fourth most in the world. This includes 510 living languages, two second languages without native speakers and 9 extinct languages.
4. The Portuguese reached Nigeria in 1472. In 1880 the British began conquering Nigeria’s south. The north was conquered by 1903.
5. Wole Soyinka is a Nigerian Nobel laureate. He wrote ‘Telephone Conversation!’
6. With a net worth of $16.1bn, Nigeria’s Aliko Dangote is the richest Black person in the world.
7. Yoruba and their bloodlines worldwide have the highest rate of twinning (having twins) in the world.
8. The 2006 Census found Nigerians to be the highest educated ethnic or racial group in America.
9. The Northern knot, Arewa insignia has Christian origins, investigation by Ibraheem A. Waziri revealed. It is adapted from the Church Celtic knot.
10. Pre-tribalism: Malam Umaru Altine, a northern Fulani man was the first elected Mayor of Enugu, in the east, and was even re-elected for a second term.
11. Pre-tribalism: John Umoru, from Etsako in today’s Edo State (Western region) was elected for the House of Assembly to represent Port Harcourt in the Eastern Nigerian House of Assembly.
12. The Colonial Cantonments Proclamation of 1914 established ‘foreign quarters,’ ‘Sabon Gari,’ institutionalizing the Sabon Garuruwa system of ‘foreigner’ residential segregation in Nigeria.
13. Crispin Curtis Adeniyi-Jones (1876-1957) who the street in Ikeja, ‘Adeniyi-Jones’ was named after, was a medical director from Sierra Leone (a Saro). As a co-founder of NNDP, he won one of the Lagos 3 legislative council seats in 1923 and represented Nigerians for 15 yrs.
14. Saros was the name given to 19th and 20th century ‘Creole’ African literati migrants from Sierra Leone.
15. Amaros was the name for repatriated Brazilian and Cuban slaves; the ‘Aguda’ people of Lagos today. This Brazilian community includes deportees of the brave “Malê Revolt” in Portugal.
16. British colonization was not all voluntary ‘happy slave trade,’ but involved brutal terror against non-cooperation and stiff opposition. Captain Lord Esme Gordon Lenox, ‘With The West African Frontier Force,’ describes: “…we stormed down to Amassana, which was a town supposed to be friendly and fined them 25 goats and 20 chickens for non-assistance, then returned to Agbeni and burned half…October 1st was spent in continuance of yesterdays incendiraism by burning every town or farm we could see. I shudder to think of how many houses we have destroyed in these two days. On our way back to Egbbeddi in the afternoon we passed by Sabagreia and told our old friend Chief Ijor that most likely we should burn down Sabagreia the next day…”
17. Nigeria’s population was just 16 million in 1911. It is projected to hit 444million by 2050, surpassing the US and becoming the 4th largest in the world.
18. The population of Lagos today is about more than the total population of all Eastern states combined.
19. Lagos’ population in 1872 was 60,000. By 2015 it will be the third largest city in the entire world.
20. Nigeria’s north (719,000 sq. km), occupies 80% of Nigeria’s land mass. In size it is four times the South.
21. 1st republic Aviation Minister, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi hid former South African President, Nelson Mandela, for six months in Nigeria to evade his arrest by the apartheid regime.
22. Gangsta: In 1984 under the disciplinary Buhari/Idiagbon government, there was a sophisticated attempt to kidnap and repatriate ex-civilian regime minister of transport, Umaru Dikko from the UK, anesthetized in a freight crate, for the embezzlement of $1bn under the Shagari regime.
23. Valor: Part of the ‘Forgotten Army,’ Nigerians volunteered to fight with the allied forces among the 81st and 82nd West African Divisions, in the Second World War.
24. The Adubi war in 1918 was a major uprising by 30,000 Abeokuta Ebga warriors against the colonial government for colonization, taxation and slave labor. One British was killed and rail and telegraph lines destroyed. The British rewarded their soldiers with medals for quelling the uprising. Awape Adediran a Molashin/ Kingmaker was imprisoned for his active involvement.
25. Activist Mrs. Fumilayo Ransome-Kuti travelled widely, including to the Eastern bloc (Hungary, USSR and China where she met Mao Zedong). These interactions angered Nigeria, Britain and America. America called her a communist and refused her a U.S. Visa.
26. Mrs. Fumilayo Ransome-Kuti, legendary Fela’s mother, was one of the delegates that negotiated Nigeria’s independence in Britain.
27. Once upon a time, the north was the more literate part of Nigeria. According to Lord Luggard, there were 25,000 Qur’anic Arabic schools with about 250,000 pupils in the north.
28. Sardauna of Sokoto said he preferred foreign workers to Igbo’s because he felt Igbo’s are domineering. This was while Nigeria existed as regions with regional administrations.
29. Kaduna Nzeogwu killed Sardauna in Nigeria’s first military coup.
30. In 1966, a mischievous Igbo owned bakery allegedly made a loaf of bread with a label that depicted Nzeogwu as the Saint in the ‘Saint George and the Dragon’ medieval tale, killing Sardauna, the ‘dragon,’ this labeled bread provoked deadly anti-Igbo riots.
31. Idrîs Aloma (1571-1603) King of Kanem-Bornu went on pilgrimage and came across firearms. He brought some guns back, along with Turks to train his army on how to use them.
32. Travel Visa was not required to travel to the United Kingdom till 1984.
33. A brand new car sold for N2000 in 1975. A ticket to London was less than N100 in 1975.
34. In 1976, 75 kobo exchanged for one British Pound and 60 kobo for one US dollar.
35. A dollar was 90 kobo at the beginning of Babangida’s tenure in 1985.
36. Nigeria took its first loan from the World Bank in 1977.
37. Obasanjo’s first term and Babangida’s regime oversaw the weakening of the naira.
38. General Buhari and Idiagbon rejected IMF demands that Nigeria devalue its currency.
39. Babangida’s coup in 1985 was invaluable to the colonialists suspected to have been in support as it led to Nigeria accepting SAP restrictions, loans and crippling foreign monetary conditions.
40. Nigeria has 5 of the 10 richest pastors in the entire world, with net worth’s according to Forbes, from $10-150 million. They are Pastors, David Oyedepo, E. A. Adeboye, Chris Oyakhilome, Mathew Ashimolowo and Temitope Joshua.
41. Nigeria has the 4th highest number of poor, living under a dollar a day in the entire world. 100 million are ‘destitute’ according to figures from the NBS (National Bureau of Statistics).
42. Nigeria, the 3rd biggest economy in Africa is 160th out of 177 countries in HDI (Human Development Index).
43. Nigeria has the highest paid legislators in the entire world.
44. Based on amount squandered, of an income of $81 billion per year, Nigeria is the most corrupt nation in the world.
45. The nation with the most defrauded people, aka ‘mugus,’ in history, is Nigeria. Successive administrations continue to loot a greater percentage of the nation’s wealth, running in hundreds of billions of dollars.
46. Nigeria in 2013 was rated the worst country to be born based on welfare and prosperity projection.
47. Aliko Dangote funded Presidents Obasanjo, Yar’Adua and Jonathan’s 4th republic campaigns. Buhari rejected funding from Dangote.
48. Usman dan Fodio (1754–1817) was trained in classical Islamic science, philosophy and theology and wrote over 100 books on society, culture, religion, governance and politics. He could only declare Jihad when he was made leader in Gudu {In Islam you can only declare Jihad if you are an official Muslim leader}.
49. The Borno Empire rejected Dan Fodio’s colonization jihad. Al-Hajj Muhammad al-Amîn ibn Muhammad al-Kânemî not only militarily defended his Empire, but also did so by religious, theological, legal and political debates, challenging why a Muslim Empire should colonize another.
50. Kano history has it that a great warrior princess Magajiya Maimuna led her cavalry from Zaria to conquer Kumbwada.
51. Kumbwada in Kano today is ruled by Queen Hajiya Haidzatu Ahmed, who presides over up to half a million subjects. A throne curse which makes men sick and die, keeps males off the throne. {Sadly, the woman ruled Kumbwada is the least funded chiefdom in Nigeria}.
52. Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire) is Nigeria’s leading trade partner in Africa.
53. There are several Nigerian officials in the government of English speaking The Gambia.
54. There is a Nigerian origin, Yoruba chief in Accra. Chief Brimah is the only foreign Chief with a seat in the Ghanaian traditional council.
55. Cross River State: The Ejagham (Ekoi) people in the Southeast are believed to have originated the Nsibidi (Nsibiri) writing system which later spread to the Efik, Igbo, Ibibio, Efut, Banyang and Annag peoples.
56. Discovered in 1928, Nigeria’s North and North Central region hosts West Africa’s oldest civilization; the Nok civilization which flourished between 1000 BC and 300 BC. {Nok sculptures recently went on display disappointingly in Germany (not Africa).}
57. Finished in 1460 the Benin Iya or moat is a historic world defense wonder. Spanning 1,200 kilometers with walls as high as 18 metres, it is the world’s largest archeological structure.
58. Sungbo’s Eredo in Ogun state (6°49′N, 3°56′E) is a 100 mile system of up to 70 ft trenches and walls around Ijebu-Ode. It’s Queen, Bilkisu Sungbo has been attributed to the Biblical Queen Sheeba (Queen Bilkis in Quran).
59. Lord Lugard estimated in 1904 that there were 170 walled towns still in existence in the whole of just the Kano province of northern Nigeria. He described Kano: ‘Commercial emporium of the western Sudan.’ Of its wall, he said, ‘I have never seen, nor even imagined, anything like it in Africa.’
60. Osun: Queen Luwo, the twenty-first Ooni (ruler) of Ile-Ife paved the streets with quartz pebbles—and broken pottery, in 1000AD. The architecture had decorations that originated from Ancient America.
61. Borno: The capital city of Kanem-Borno, Ngazargamu, was one of the largest cities in 1658 AD; the metropolis housed “about quarter of a million people” and had 660 well planned, wide and unbending streets.
62. In 1246 AD the Kanemi of Borno created a sensation in Tunisia when he sent a gift of a giraffe to Al-Mustapha, king of Tunis.
63. Sokoto: Two-story buildings with constructions glazed with tsoluwa, (laterite gravel), 10 mile circumference city walls, some as high as 20 feet, is how 16th century Surame, a Sokoto metropolis created by empire ruler, Muhammadu Kanta Sarkin Kebbi, was. UNESCO describes Surame as “one of the wonders of human history, creativity and ingenuity.”
64. Kano: In 1851, this city, one of the largest in Africa, made 10 million sandal pairs and 5 million hides for export every year.
65. Kebbi: Nigeria’s Sorko Sea lords of Kebbi state, made ships (Kanta) which were used for far away expeditions, including the 1311 AD, 2000 ship, famous voyage of Songhai Empire’s Mansa Abubakari II to the America’s, decades before Columbus.
66. Yobe: The oldest discovered boat in Africa, and 3rd oldest on the world, the 8500 yr old Dufuna canoe was discovered by a Fulani herdsman in 1987 in Dufuna village, Fune LGA.
67. Ondo: Confusing evolution scientists, the 13,000 yr old Iwo-Eleru cave skull, the oldest human fossil remains found in West Africa, has ‘ancient’ (140,000 yr old Laetoli) features, yet lived in more modern times.
68. Benin Kingdom: The high quality and highly sophisticated bronze work of the Benin Kingdom dating as far back as the 13th century is a world wonder. Great works in iron, wood, ivory, and terra cotta products also highlight the empire’s history.
69. Benin Kingdom: Lourenco Pinto, captain of a ship that carried missionaries to Warri in 1619, described Benin kingdom, ‘Great Benin where the king resides is larger than Lisbon, all the streets run straight and as far as the eyes can see….’
70. Akwa Ibom: King Jaja of Opobo (1821–1891) founded Opobo city-state in 1867 and shipped palm oil to Britain independently of British middle men.
71. Ancient Greeks appear to have Nigerian roots as supported by the Benin Haplogroup or Haplogroup 19. According to Jide Uwechia, ‘The Benin Haplotype (which originates from Nigeria, West Africa) accounts for HbS associated chromosomes in Sicily Northern Greece.’
72. Ilorin’s Oba Afonja utilized Fulani warriors to help rebel against the Oyo Empire. The warriors after defeating Oyo took over Ilorin and Sheikh Alimi, their leader became the first Emir.
73. Much of north Nigeria was part of the Songhai Empire. Muhammad Kanta annexed Kebbi and other states between 1512 and 1517.
74. The Obasanjo military regime converted Nigeria from a Parliamentary system to a Presidential system of government.
75. Much of traditional pre-colonial Nigeria operated a parliamentary form of government. The council of elders could make or impeach the King.
76. General Johnson Thomas Umurakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi on 24 May 1966, with Decree No. 34, dissolved Nigeria’s regions, creating provinces. He unified Regional Public Services under a single Commission. Riots were provoked in Kano and mutiny in Abeokuta; eventually there was a coup.
77. In 1967 Gowon split the four regions into 12 states.
78. Gowon’s Decree No. 8 of 1967 after the Aburi conference restored Nigeria as a confederacy.
79. Late President Murtala Muhammed’s dad, Pam Azatus Iyok was from Dogon-Gaba, near Vom in Plateau state, Nigeria’s Middle Belt. Pam became a Muslim and married Ramat from Kano. Murtala Muhammed’s wife, Hafsat Ajoke was a Yoruba lady.
80. Ex- President Yakubu Gowon from Jos state (Middle Belt) is a Christian. General Obasanjo was his Army chief who helped him defeat the Biafra attempted secession from 1967-1970.
81. Nigeria has been ruled for 30 years by Christians (25 years if Azikiwe is excluded).
82. Mujahid Asari Dokubo, the leader of the southern Movement for Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) and the most vocal enemy of the north, is a Muslim.
83. Nigeria is not roughly divided between a Muslim north and a Christian South. The far north, east and far south do have concentrations, but the rest of the nation defies such demarcations.
84. In the Southwest, Osun, Lagos, Ondo and Oyo have a higher population of Muslims than Christians according to counts. Benue, Nasarawa and Plateau in the north have Christian majorities.
85. According to the Senate joint committee, Nigeria’s chief terrorist leader, Abubakar Shekau is not a Nigerian; he hails from Niger republic. {Shekau is believed by security services to be deceased.}
86. According to current demographics, after Hausa-Fulani (29%), Yoruba (21%), Igbo (18%) and Ijaw (10%) comes Kanuri (4%) and then Ibibio (3.5%) and Tiv (2.5%).
87. Not really a northern caucus, but it was late M. K. O. Abiola that orchestrated and sponsored the Buhari /Idiagbon coup and then again the Babangida coup overthrow of Buhari. –Shagari memoir, “Beckoned to Serve;” Babangida, “Karl Maier – Midnight in Nigeria.” (Max Siollun)
88. The leading caucus is basically a childhood friendship: President Obasanjo was childhood friends with President Babangida, President Abacha and Commander Danjuma.
89. President Babangida was childhood friends with President Abdulsalam.
90. President Obasanjo graduated Abdulsalam who later became President and went on to hand over power to democratically arranged President Obasanjo.
91. Under the Presidential system, Nigerians have had 7 years total Northern rule and 11+ years Southern rule.
92. Total civilian rule, Parliamentary and Presidential, Nigeria has had 12 years Northern and 11+ years Southern rule.
93. 6 coups is the highest number of any nation in Africa. Nigeria along with Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Uganda and Mauritania are the nations with 6 coups.
94. The Biafra war included a ‘Mid West invasion.’ The Midwest was either a battle field or in Biafra’s sights—Dr. Nowamagbe A. Omoigui relays.
95. The Biafra 12th battalion headed by Lt Col Victor Adebukunola Banjo captured Benin and set out to capture Ibadan and Lagos.
96. The Biafra 13th battalion, led by Ivenso entered Kwara, now Kogi and captured Okene, Atanai and Iloshi.
97. Cameroon was an administrative part of Nigeria in 1945, hence the NCNC party (National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons). Towards independence the UN mandated British held former German territory, south Cameroon opted to join French Cameroon and not Nigeria.
98. J.C. Vaughn, Ernest Ikoli, H.O. Davies, Obafemi Awolowo and Samuel Akinsanya founded the Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM) in 1934 to promote national unity particularly between Yoruba and Igbo.
99. Azikiwe left Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM) because he claimed the organization had been seized by Yoruba’s and it discriminated against Igbo’s including himself.
100. Oyo defeats Ashanti: In 1764 the Ashanti army marched on Dahomey, Togo. At Atakpamé, the Ashanti army was ambushed and sacked by Dahomean infantry and female elite soldiers allied with forces from the Oyo Empire. Ashanti King Kusi Obodum was destooled after the defeat.
Dr. Peregrino Brimah
http://ENDS.ng [Every Nigerian Do Something]
Email: drbrimah@ends.ng Twitter: @EveryNigerian
At the Security Analyst Summit in Thailand, Kaspersky’s Global Research and Analysis Team (GReAT) unveiled the latest BlueNoroff APT activity through two highly targeted malicious campaigns ‘GhostCall’ and ‘GhostHire’. The ongoing operations have been targeting Web3 and cryptocurrency organisations across India, Turkiye, Australia and other countries in Europe and Asia since at least April 2025.
BlueNoroff, a subdivision of the notorious Lazarus group, continues to expand its signature ‘SnatchCrypto’ campaign, a financially motivated operation which targets crypto industries worldwide. The newly described GhostCall and GhostHire campaigns employ new infiltration techniques and customised malware to compromise blockchain developers and executives. These attacks affect macOS and Windows systems as primary targets and are managed through a unified command-and-control infrastructure.
The GhostCall campaign focuses on macOS devices, beginning with a highly sophisticated and personalised social engineering attack. The attackers reach out via Telegram, impersonating venture capitalists and in some cases using compromised accounts of real entrepreneurs and startup founders to promote investment or partnership opportunities. The victims are invited to fake investment meetings on phishing sites mimicking Zoom or Microsoft Teams during which they are prompted to “update” their client to fix an audio issue, this action downloads a malicious script and deploys a malware infection on the device.
“This campaign relied on deliberate and carefully planned deception. Attackers replayed videos of previous victims during staged meetings to make the interaction appear like a real call and manipulate new targets. The data collected in this process is then used not only against the initial victim but also exploited to enable subsequent and supply-chain attacks, leveraging established trust relationships to compromise a broader range of organisations and users,” comments Sojun Ryu, security researcher at Kaspersky GReAT.
Attackers deployed seven multi-stage execution chains, four which were previously unseen, to distribute a range of new customised payloads, including crypto stealers, browser credential stealers, secrets stealer, and Telegram credential stealers.
In the GhostHire campaign the APT targets blockchain developers by posing as recruiters. Victims are tricked into downloading and running a GitHub repository containing malware, presented as a skill assessment. GhostHire shares its infrastructure and tools with the GhostCall campaign, but instead of using video calls, it focuses on approaching hands-on developers and engineers through fake recruitment. After initial contact, victims are added to a Telegram bot that delivers either a ZIP file or a GitHub link, along with a short deadline to complete the task. Once executed, the malware installs itself on the victim’s machine, customised for the operating system.
The use of generative AI has enabled BlueNoroff to accelerate malware development and refine its attack techniques. The attackers introduced new programming languages and added additional features, complicating detection and analysis tasks. It further enables the actor to manage and expand its operations, increasing both the complexity and scale of attacks.
“Since its previous campaigns, the threat actor’s targeting strategy has evolved beyond simple cryptocurrency and browser credential theft. The use of generative AI has significantly accelerated this process, enabling easier malware development with reduced operational overhead.
“This AI-driven approach helps to fill the gaps in available information, enabling more focused targeting. By combining compromised data with AI’s analytical capabilities, the scope of these attacks has expanded. We hope our research will contribute to preventing further harm,” comments Omar Amin, senior security researcher at Kaspersky GReAT.
News
Moniepoint Unveils Nigeria’s First Informal Economy AI Chatbot, As FG Lauds Fintech Giant for Powering Business Growth Across the Country
Moniepoint Inc, Africa’s leading business payments and personal banking servicing platform, has launched “M”, Nigeria’s first artificial intelligence-powered chatbot dedicated to demystifying the informal economy, while earning commendations from the Federal Government for its decade-long commitment to driving financial inclusion and business growth across Africa’s most populous nation.
Speaking at the launch of the second edition of Nigeria’s Informal Economy Report powered by Moniepoint, Vice President Kashim Shettima represented by Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment noted that the informal economy lies at the heart of Nigeria’s story of resilience, creativity, and enterprise, from market traders to artisans, service providers, and young digital entrepreneurs.
“Millions of Nigerians power commerce daily in ways that are unseen yet indispensable to our economy. This report gives an important window into the challenges and opportunities within the sector. It provides a stronger foundation for inclusive, evidence-based policymaking.
“The Tinubu-led administration places high priority on the informal sector, which has remained central to Nigeria’s economic resilience. I commend Moniepoint for its decade-long contribution to financial inclusion, supporting millions of informal businesses across Africa”, she said.
To bring the report’s insights to life, “M,” a friendly, AI-powered guide that helps users explore and understand Nigeria’s informal economy. Built on cutting-edge Large Language Model (LLM) technology, M provides conversational and easy-to-understand responses to complex queries. It represents Moniepoint’s belief that technology should serve people, especially the everyday entrepreneurs who keep the economy moving. “M” is designed to make data on small businesses and informal trade accessible, useful, and actionable for everyone from policymakers and researchers to journalists and the general public.
In his welcome remarks, Babatunde Olofin, Managing Director, Moniepoint MFB, noted that the Bank’s focus lies in providing millions of these informal operators with the tools they need to thrive sustainably.
“This year’s report dives deeper into unemployment, taxation, savings behavior, and business operations within the informal economy, and what we’ve found paints a picture of both resilience and fragility. These insights remind us that the informal economy is not just a tool for survival but a living ecosystem of innovation and adaptation.
“We are determined to help shape a more inclusive and sustainable Nigeria, not just for today, but for generations yet unborn. The informal economy is not the shadow of our nation’s progress, it is its pulse. Our job is to make sure it beats stronger”, he said.
The launch event also served to mark a significant milestone as Moniepoint commemorates 10 years of service to now over 10 million active businesses and individuals, processing more than one billion transactions monthly and facilitating payments exceeding $22 billion. The company aims to strengthen public-private collaboration in building a more data-driven, inclusive, and digitized economy aligned with Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda of achieving a $1 trillion economy by 2030.
Founded in 2015 by Tosin Eniolorunda and Felix Ike, Moniepoint has grown from building financial solutions and infrastructure for Nigeria’s major banks to becoming the nation’s largest business payments platform and leading merchant acquirer, providing an all-in-one banking platform offering payments, banking, credit, business tools, and cross-border payment solutions.
Hon. Ayodele Olawande, Minister, Federal Ministry of Youth Development represented by Mrs. Ebiho Agun, Technical Adviser commended Moniepoint for its commitment to understanding and illuminating the dynamics of a sector that, though often overlooked, but remains the backbone of our national economy.
“While Moniepoint has aptly drawn attention to the vast potential of the informal economy, largely powered by youth, it is clear that realizing this potential requires strong synergy among government, private sector players, financial institutions, and development partners.
“Together, we must move from insight to action, designing and implementing strategies that will enable informal enterprises to access finance.”
During a panel session which was moderated by Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Moniepoint Inc, Didi Uwemakpan with the theme: Building an inclusive and sustainable economy for Nigeria, the panelists which included Uche Uzoebo, MD/CEO, Shared Agent Network Expansion Facilities, SANEF, Chinasa Collins-Ogbuo, Head, Inclusion for All Initiative, Enhancing Financial Innovation & Access (EFInA); Charles Odii, Director-General, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria and MD, Moniepoint Microfinance Bank were emphatic about the need to increase access to finance, markets, and other structured interventions for the informal economy.
Speaking to its partnership with Moniepoint on the report, DG, SMEDAN expressed satisfaction that the report shows real progress with more businesses formalizing, accessing finance, and using digital tools, while acknowledging some challenges that persist, especially around rising costs and access to affordable credit.
“We are working with our partners and under this administration’s economic agenda to close these gaps: free CAC registration for 250,000 small businesses, a partnership with SEC to list 1,000 SMEs on the capital market, and new shared industrial hubs that make it cheaper to run a business. We are also working with state governments to deepen access to affordable finance and complement efforts of the Federal Government to create a regulatory environment that supports the growth of small businesses,” he said.
Some of the dignitaries who attended the event include Special Adviser to the President on Job Creation & MSME, Temitola Adekunle-Johnson, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital Media and Emergency Management (OVP), Ahmed Ningi, Registrar/ Chief Executive, The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, Akin Morakinyo, Mohammed Bagudu, Special Adviser on Stakeholder Management and Finance, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Deputy Director, Digital Economy, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Dr. Amina Sambo-Magaji, National Coordinator of the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), and Investment Officer. IFC. Meissa Gueye.
Moniepoint’s transformative impact has earned recognition on the Financial Times’ Africa’s Fastest-Growing Companies list, TIME100 Most Influential Companies list, and CNBC’s World’s Top Fintech Companies. The Central Bank of Nigeria honored Moniepoint as Financially Inclusive Fintech of the Year, while the company received SME Microfinance Bank of the Year awards at the BusinessDay Banks & Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards in both 2024 and 2025.
Elon Musk’s company xAI has launched Grokipedia to compete with online encyclopedia Wikipedia, which he has accused of ideological bias.
Elon Musk
The site dubbed version 0.1 had more than 885,000 articles by Monday evening, compared to Wikipedia’s more than seven million in English.
The launch came with the promise of a newer version, 1.0, which Musk said would be “10X better” than the current live site, which he claimed is already “better than Wikipedia.”
“The goal of Grok and Grokipedia.com is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. We will never be perfect, but we shall nonetheless strive towards that goal,” he said on X following the launch.
Grokipedia’s release had been marked down for the end of September, but was delayed by the US entrepreneur to “purge out the propaganda,” Musk said in a separate X post.
Musk has been a regular critic of Wikipedia.
In 2024, he accused the site of being “controlled by far-left activists” and called for donations to the platform to cease.
In August, he said, “Wikipedia cannot be used as a definitive source for Community Notes, as the editorial control there is extremely left-biased.”
The content of Grokipedia is generated by artificial intelligence (AI) and the generative AI assistant Grok.
A Grokipedia article about Musk states that the Tesla and SpaceX CEO has “influenced broader debates on technological progress, demographic decline, and institutional biases, often via X,” amid what the page says are “criticisms from legacy media outlets that exhibit systemic left-leaning tilts in coverage.”
Created in 2001, Wikipedia is a collaborative encyclopedia managed by volunteers, largely funded by donations, and whose pages can be written or edited by internet users.
“Unlike newer projects, Wikipedia’s strengths are clear: it has transparent policies, rigorous volunteer oversight, and a strong culture of continuous improvement,” a spokeswoman from Wikimedia Foundation told AFP in an email.
It claims the site is written to inform “billions of readers without promoting a particular point of view.”
When asked about the launch of Grokipedia, the spokeswoman said Wikimedia is “still in the process of understanding how Grokipedia works.”
She highlighted that Wikimedia “is – and always will be – human.”
“This human-created knowledge is what AI companies rely on to generate content; even Grokipedia needs Wikipedia to exist.”
The birth of Grokipedia has been welcomed by several right-wing figures, including hardline Russian ideologue Alexander Dugin, who described the article about him as “neutral, objective, accurate,” whereas Wikipedia’s page, according to him, is “totally biased and defamatory.”
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Moniepoint Unveils Nigeria’s First Informal Economy AI Chatbot, As FG Lauds Fintech Giant for Powering Business Growth Across the Country
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