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UNILAG, Ecobank Partner to Promote Entrepreneurship among Youths
Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, vice chancellor, University of Lagos has commended Ecobank for its consistent support for the promotion of entrepreneurship among students and youths across the country.
The Vice Chancellor, who was speaking while receiving Ecobank Management in his office ahead of the Investment Society, UNILAG Colloquium, said that the university would collaborate with the bank on such initiatives, stressing that partnership between operators in the financial sector and the academia in raising budding entrepreneurs would bring the much-needed development of the nation’s economy.
In particular, Ogundipe lauded Ecobank for partnering with The Investment Society – UNILAG, an association set up by some undergraduate students of the school to share and expand their knowledge of finance and consulting towards entrepreneurship.
He noted that such support was in tandem with the vision of the academic to raise self-reliant graduates rather than job seekers.
He announced that a University of Lagos Economic Summit has also been planned in this direction.
“We are glad to have you and your team here. Your financial support and physical presence in this Colloquium are clear indications that you are interested in building young entrepreneurs which also aligns with our vision as a university.
“Ecobank has been our good partner. We appreciate your support on some of our various programmes over the years.
“This is also an opportunity to seek your partnership for our up-coming Economic Summit and NUGA games. We seek stronger ties in this direction of raising young entrepreneurs,” he said.
Professor Ogundipe who reeled out some achievements of the institution, stated that only recently two of their lecturers won a combined sum of £1.2m (over N485m) as a research grant for the development of integrated solutions that would maximise employment opportunities and enhance the future of work in Africa.
Patrick Akinwuntan, managing director, Ecobank Nigeria, in his response, restated the commitment of the bank to partner with tertiary institutions in the country on initiatives that would enhance and promote entrepreneurship, scholarship and conducive learning environment across the country.
He assured that Ecobank would partner the University of Lagos on its planned Economic Summit and other initiatives that would widen the students’ entrepreneurial scope.
Akinwuntan reiterated that Ecobank, as a Group was committed to contributing to the economic development and financial integration of Africa, noting that Ecobank offered a natural advantage with its unmatched pan-African banking competencies, built up over the last 25 years.
“We are marshaling our impressively broad presence, our proficiency and our performance to support Africa’s development.
“We will continue to play a pivotal role as a pioneer in financial integration and inclusive banking in Arica.
“We operate in 36 countries in Africa with representative offices in Paris, Beijing, Dubai, Johannesburg and London.”
Furthermore, he said “we have made many pioneering achievements, many “firsts’ across various products and platforms in the Nigeria.
“We are the first to issue an international credit card in Nigeria – Ecobank MasterCard in 2004; pioneers in mobile banking with USSD *326#; first to offer QR code scan and pay (EcobankPay) which accepts payments from other platforms – mVisa, Masterpass and mCash; first to offer instant cards and so on.
“We have several youth friendly products and array of digital offerings that offer payment and transaction solutions.”
In his address at the Colloquium, Akinwuntan commended the students for coming together to form an association that would prepare them for the future in finance, investment and entrepreneurship, stating that Ecobank as a youth friendly Bank was committed to helping them achieve their goals and aspirations.
Akinwuntan, who was the Chairman of the event further advised the students to have set out goals and map out steps to actualizing them.
“As a Bank, we set out to support you because we believe in your vision and are prepared to assist you achieve it.
“As the future leaders of tomorrow, I challenge you to be innovative, resilient, be dedicated to your goals. You must have self-belief , the right mindset and be ready to dare to achieve the right results.”
Timileyin Idowu, president, the Investment Society, UNILAG, said the Colloquium was organized to provide a holistic platform for the smooth exchange of ideas among established and widely renowned professionals who have vast knowledge and experience in the investment and finance industry and the students.
While commending Ecobank and other sponsors of the event, she explained that the choice of the theme: ‘Driving investment in Africa through innovation and leadership’ and selection of facilitators were targeted at exploring how innovation and right leadership can attract investment to Africa and Nigeria in particular.
Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has disclosed that the commission recovered more than N7.2 million stolen from the bank account of a serving judge by suspected internet fraudsters in a midnight cyberattack.
Ola Olukoyede, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Olukoyede made the disclosure at the public presentation of two books authored by retired High Court judge, Justice Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye.
He said the serving judge, who is from a South-South state, contacted him around 1:00 a.m. after receiving multiple debit alerts indicating that funds had been withdrawn from her account.
According to him, the stolen money represented savings the judge had accumulated over six years to finance her child’s education.
Olukoyede said the EFCC immediately swung into action and successfully recovered the entire sum before 6:00 p.m. on the same day.
He said the incident underscored the increasing sophistication of cybercriminals and the urgent need for stronger collaboration among law enforcement agencies, the judiciary and members of the public in tackling financial crimes.
The EFCC chairman also called for amendments to Nigeria’s legal framework to accommodate the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in criminal investigations and prosecutions.
According to him, existing evidence laws should be reviewed to recognise AI-generated evidence as technology continues to reshape crime detection and investigation.
Also speaking at the event, former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), urged anti-corruption agencies to intensify efforts to trace and recover public funds allegedly stolen and stashed in foreign countries.
Agabi stressed the need for sustained collaboration among relevant institutions to strengthen Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts and improve accountability in public service.
In his remarks, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), called for stricter enforcement of the country’s cybercrime laws to curb the growing menace of internet fraud.
Olanipekun said effective implementation of existing laws, alongside stronger institutional cooperation, would help address the increasing threat posed by cybercriminals to individuals and the nation’s financial system.
Federal Government has cleared nearly N39 billion in outstanding pension liabilities owed to retirees under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS), including former employees of the defunct Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL), Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTEL), the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and other federal government agencies.
The Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) disclosed this in a statement, saying the payments were in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises the settlement of inherited pension liabilities and improved welfare for retired public servants.
According to the directorate, the largest component of the payment, amounting to N25 billion, covered about 35 months of outstanding pension arrears owed to nearly 10,000 eligible retirees of the defunct NITEL and MTEL.
PTAD also said it disbursed about N9.5 billion as the first tranche of Back End Computation (BEC) arrears to eligible pensioners of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria.
The Executive Secretary of PTAD, Mrs Tolulope Odunaiya, described the payments as a significant milestone in the Federal Government’s efforts to clear inherited pension obligations and strengthen confidence in the Defined Benefit Scheme.
Odunaiya said the settlement was made possible following presidential approval granted in 2025 and funding provided under the 2026 Appropriation Act.
She noted that the intervention had enabled the directorate to resolve long-standing pension liabilities affecting thousands of retirees.
“The successful settlement reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to sustaining pension reforms and ensuring that retirees receive their entitlements promptly in line with the objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda,” she said.
Odunaiya thanked the affected pensioners for their patience while the liabilities remained outstanding and reaffirmed PTAD’s commitment to transparent, efficient and pensioner-focused service delivery.
She added that the directorate would continue to work towards improving pension administration and ensuring timely payment of retirees’ benefits.
A Federal High Court, Lagos has declared Mrs. Ebele Okpala, a female banker with Keystone Bank, wanted over alleged N35 million fraud.
Apart from declaring the banker who is said to be outside the country wanted, Justice deinde Dipeolu, trial judge in the matter, also directed the Department of State Security (DSS), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), and Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), to arrest her upon arriving the country.
Justice Dipeolu made the above order while granting a motion ex-parte marked FHC/L/530C/2024, filed and moved by M. Bello, on behalf of the Nigeria Police.
In the motion, Ebele Okpala and one Perpetual Onyeto, also a banker were listed as first and second defendants/respondents in the suit, while DSS, NIS and NCS were listed as cited parties/respondents.
In urging the court to make the above orders, Bello, informed the court that the application was pursuant to several sections of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, and under the court’s inherent jurisdiction. Adding that the application was supported by an affidavit deposed to by Inspector Tope Akerele of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Special Fraud Unit (SFU), Ikoyi, Lagos.
In granting the application, Justice Dipeolu held, “After considering the application and the supporting affidavit, the request had merit and granted all the reliefs sought by the prosecution.
“That an order is hereby made that the 1st defendant/despondent be declared wanted and placed on the wanted list of the Nigeria Police Special Fraud Unit, 13, Milverton Road, Ikoyi, Lagos until she is arrested.
“That an order is hereby made compelling cited parties/respondents to assist in apprehending 1st defendant/Respondent once he enters into the country.
“That an order is hereby made permitting the Publication of the name of the 1st defendant/despondent in the National Daily Newspapers and Social Media handles by the Nigeria Police Special Fraud Unity Ikoyi, Lagos for the purpose of fulfilling the requirement of the Order 1 above.”
Recall that both the wanted banker and the second defendant/respondent were previously arraigned before the court by the operatives of the police Special Fraud Unit, PSFU.
Specifically, the two bankers were arraigned before the court sometimes in September 2024, on alleged conspiracy, theft, money laundering, fraudulent lift of lien placed on bank’s customer’s account and obtaining the sum of N35 million by false presence.
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