General News
4 Simple Steps Your Business Can Take to Retain Top Talent
By Andrew Bourne, Regional Manager, Africa, Zoho Corporation
The past few months have put organisations around the globe under unprecedented pressure. Few have been spared the economic fallout, with many unable to survive. Others have had to downscale and even those operating at full capacity have quickly had to adapt to new ways of working.
Offices that were used to having everyone onsite suddenly had to deal with fully remote teams. And even as people slowly come back into the workplace, it’s far from business as usual. All of these changes, in combination with the ongoing pandemic, have put employees under incredible strain.
As organisations move beyond the measures needed for short term survival, they should return to focusing on employee wellness and engagement. Here are four simple steps they can take in doing so.
Train your senior and mid-level management
The significance of effective communication during a crisis is obvious. What is even more important is ensuring that the right parties are equipped with the right skills. In any organisation, middle management is largely responsible for making employees feel truly valued. During periods of high anxiety, employees will appreciate team managers who are empathetic and practice clear communication.
As much as managers need to be accessible and reliable, they should also refrain from overdoing it and remember to give people space. As employees get accustomed to novel working conditions, it’s important to be sensitive to their mental well-being and offer routine flexibility. Another key consideration to keep in mind is to avoid micromanagement at all costs and trust your remote workers.
Design wellness programmes
Just as workplace premises include facilities like coffee stations or playrooms to help employees unwind and re-energise themselves, stay-at-home policies should also carry an equivalent. With physical activity taking the hardest knock in the daily routine, healthy lifestyle choices are imperative. Think about introducing provisions like corporate access to online workout classes, yoga, and meditation programs to help people stay physically and mentally healthy.
The absence of a workstation at home means employees can end up lounging wherever they find space. Another option is to provide one-time allowance packages that enable employees to set up an ergonomically correct home office and avoid spinal distress.
Educate your talent
Now is the time to take a step back and reflect on your business goals. Take a good look at the evolving business environment, identify the technologies that will make a real difference, and build up your employees’ skills accordingly. You should, for instance, consider establishing an in-house Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Machine Learning (ML) division if your business is exposed to large amounts of data. Doing so will equip your employees with a deep sense of AI/ML technologies and save you from having to outsource.
With every economic crisis, enterprises have experienced similar levels of unpredictability. Thoughtful leaders have, however, been able to adapt and rebuild their businesses to stand the test of time.
Keep up the team spirit
Loss of social interaction can leave people feeling disconnected and subsequently negatively impact morale. Keep your team connected by encouraging monthly or weekly online team bonding activities, such as virtual Wednesday lunches that allow for non-work discussions.
Another idea is to suggest employees team up and participate in open competitions, such as virtual hackathons or exercise challenges. Such public activities are an added opportunity for remote teams to showcase their skills and present ideas that can create a social impact.
While the concept of remote work has been around globally since the 1970s, most companies have only recently embraced the model as part of their Covid-19 response. This unexpected shift was a huge culture shock for many employees. As they reel under the effect and rethink their priorities, how businesses take care of their workforce now will determine whether employees decide to stick with their current employer in the post-pandemic era.
Kaspersky has detected a wave of phishing attacks preying on former customers of the bankrupt crypto lending platform BlockFi.
These scams leverage the ongoing distribution of customer assets following BlockFi’s 2022 bankruptcy, tricking victims into surrendering cryptocurrency wallet seed phrases, potentially leading to financial losses.
BlockFi, once a prominent provider of high-yield interest accounts and crypto-backed loans, announced bankruptcy in November 2022. The company began disbursing repayments to affected clients in 2024 as part of its restructuring plan.
Kaspersky has detected fraudulent emails mimicking BlockFi’s official branding, which falsely invite recipients to “claim the payment” they are “entitled to.” After clicking on the link, users land on a phishing page and are prompted to “connect their wallet”.
The attackers suggest that users import their existing wallet by typing in the secret phrase – this grants attackers direct access to the funds in the victim’s wallet.
“Phishing attacks like this are widespread, capitalising on real-world events to build trust and urgency. Victims who fall for these scams risk exposing their crypto wallets to theft. It’s critical for individuals to verify any communications directly through official channels and to check the address from where the email originates for legitimacy,” comments Roman Dedenok, anti-spam expert at Kaspersky.
The phishing emails feature convincing logos, colour schemes, and language, making them difficult to spot at first glance. Kaspersky recommends the following steps to avoid falling victim to this or similar scams:
- Do not click on links or respond to unsolicited emails.
- Protect Sensitive Information: Never share banking credentials, wallet seed phrases, or other private keys in response to an email or online form.
- Use Security Tools: Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on all financial accounts, employ reputable security software like Kaspersky Premium, and consider using a password manager to safeguard credentials.
Universal Insurance Plc has secured the approval of its shareholders to raise additional capital of N15 billion through a proposed recapitalisation exercise, as the insurer intensifies efforts to strengthen its balance sheet and position the company for long-term sustainability.
The approval will be granted at an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) scheduled for February 5, 2026 in Lagos.
Currently, Universal Insurance’s share capital stands at N8 billion, with 16 billion ordinary shares held by existing shareholders on the NGX. The board is seeking to revalidate, authorise, and regularise 14 billion unissued ordinary shares for the planned capital raise and also secure approval to list and admit the new shares for trading
Following resolutions passed at the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM), Universal Insurance Plc is moving forward with a comprehensive recapitalisation programme aimed at reinforcing its capital base and improving its capacity to underwrite larger and more diversified risks.
Shareholders approved the plan to raise new equity through a combination of capital market instruments, subject to regulatory approvals, as part of efforts to meet industry capital requirements and support future growth.
Gross premium written rose to N18.59 billion, up from N12.29 billion a year earlier, driven by increased underwriting activity across key insurance segments. Insurance revenue also grew to N14.68 billion, compared with N9.85 billion in the prior period, reflecting stronger risk acceptance and improved pricing discipline.
Despite higher insurance service expenses, the company posted an insurance service result of N1.13 billion, while net investment income surged to N2.79 billion, supported largely by fair value gains on financial assets. As a result, net insurance and investment income increased to N5.18 billion, nearly double the N2.61 billion recorded in the same period of 2024.
On the balance sheet, total assets expanded to N21.82 billion as at September 30, 2025, from N18.14 billion a year earlier, supported by growth in financial assets and investment properties. Shareholders’ funds rose to N14.38 billion, up from N12.33 billion, reflecting improved profitability and reserve accumulation.
Investors have also responded positively to Universal Insurance’s performance, with its stock delivering an 83.33 percent return in 2025, rising from N0.66 to N1.21 per share, and trading volumes exceeding 6 billion shares.
The recapitalisation initiative, combined with the improving financial performance recorded in Q3’25, underscores Universal Insurance Plc’s determination to reposition itself as a more resilient and competitive player in Nigeria’s insurance industry.
The company aims to deliver improved value to policyholders, investors, and partners, while supporting broader economic activity and generating sustainable returns for shareholders.
Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has debunked allegations by the Northern Elders Forum that the Federal Government sited a gold refinery in Lagos, breaching the federal character principle.
Minister Dele Alake
In a statement from Abuja, Special Assistant to Minister Dele Alake, Segun Tomori, described the claim by the forum’s spokesperson, Prof. Abubakar Jiddere, as “false and misleading.” He clarified that the minister never announced any government-owned gold refinery in Lagos or elsewhere.
Mr Tomori stressed that Minister Alake explicitly described the refinery as a private initiative by Kian Smith, one of several such projects nationwide. “The Federal Government does not compel private companies to site operations in specific regions,” he added, crediting founder Nere Emiko’s leadership.
The project supports the government’s value-addition policy to curb raw mineral exports and boost local processing. Reforms over two years have spurred investments like a $600 million lithium plant in Nasarawa, a $400 million rare earth facility there, and a $200 million ASBA lithium plant in Abuja.
Tomori highlighted the policy’s role in attracting foreign capital and creating jobs, describing the Lagos refinery as proof of successful reforms. He urged the Northern Elders Forum to back efforts for a stronger Nigerian economy rather than spreading misinformation.
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