General News
Agusto and Co Announces Retirement of Vivien Shobo Its Chief Executive Officer

Agusto & Co, Nigeria’s foremost Credit Rating Agency, has announced the retirement of its Chief Executive Officer – Vivien Shobo, effective 31 December 2019.

Vivien Shobo
Following over two decades with the organization, Vivien leaves with an outstanding record of achievements further strengthening Agusto & Co’s formidable market position.
She also led Agusto & Co’s African expansion initiatives by obtaining Credit Rating Agency licenses from the Capital Market Authorities of Kenya and Rwanda.
Under her leadership, Agusto & Co has successfully rated most of Nigeria’s leading banks and pioneered domestic credit ratings for notable corporates such as Dangote Cement Plc, MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, Lafarge Africa Plc, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Julius Berger amongst others.
Vivien’s management at Agusto & Co also played major roles in facilitating landmark multibillion transactions including the:
- Largest Municipal Bond programme and single largest tranche issuance – Lagos State Government’s ₦500 billion Bond programme and ₦87.5 billion Bond issuance.
- First bond issued by a deposit money bank in Nigeria in 2006 “the Access Bank ₦13.5 billion-naira redeemable bond”.
- First bond issued by an insurance company in 2008 “Crusader Nigeria Plc ₦4 billion Unsecured Convertible Debenture
- First 15-year corporate green bond fully guaranteed by infrastructure Credit Guarantee Company Limited (Infracredit) – NSP-SPV PowerCorp Plc’s ₦8.5 Billion 15-year 15.60% Series 1 Guaranteed Fixed Rate Senior Green Infrastructure Bond Due 2034
- First commercial paper issuance under the new guidelines of FMDQ – UPDC’s ₦24 billion commercial paper programme
- First hospitality corporate bond issuance in the Nigerian debt capital market – Transcorp Hotels Plc’s ₦19.7 billion Series I & II bonds Due 2020
- First FinTech corporate bond (callable) issuance in the Nigerian debt capital market- Interswitch Africa One Plc’s ₦23 Billion 7-Year 15% Fixed Rate Series 1 Senior Unsecured Callable Bonds Due 2026
- First logistics corporate bond issuance in the Nigerian debt capital market – TAK Agro Plc’s ₦15 Billion 16.49% Seven-Year Fixed Rate Senior Bond Due 2026
- World Bank credit rating assessment for City of Kigali and the 30 districts in Rwanda in 2015
Following her retirement, Yinka Adelekan, Executive Director, has been appointed as Agusto & Co’s Chief Executive Officer designate. Yinka is an astute finance executive with over twenty years’ experience in the financial services industry, and her expertise spans credit ratings, corporate banking, risk management, product development, financial analysis, and information management.
Agusto & Co is a pioneer in the Nigerian Credit Ratings Industry and commenced business in January 1999. In 2001, Agusto & Co became the first credit rating agency to be licensed by the Securities & Exchange Commission.
General News
Breaking News…Hackers Allegedly Expose EFCC Data, Operatives’ Identities

Nullsec Nigeria, a threat actor, has claimed responsibility for leaking the identities of operatives and sensitive internal data linked to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Ola Olukoyede, chairman, EFCC
The leak raises fresh concerns over cybersecurity vulnerabilities within Nigerian public institutions and safety the agency’s operatives.
The breach surfaced on April 21 on a dark web forum, where a user identified as “ki4t,” reportedly affiliated with the group, published details of the dataset.
The exposed data is said to include agent names, phone numbers, operational code names, and password hashes tied to EFCC personnel.
The breach allegation comes amid growing concerns over cyber risks facing government agencies, following a recent reported compromise involving the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
Cybersecurity analysts say that if confirmed, the exposure of such sensitive operational data could pose risks to both personnel security and ongoing enforcement operations, particularly if password hashes are successfully decrypted or linked to other compromised systems.
The development adds to increasing pressure on public institutions to strengthen digital infrastructure, access controls, and internal cybersecurity protocols as threat actors continue to target government databases.
Authorities are yet to confirm the extent of the alleged breach or whether any mitigation measures have been activated.
Nigeria has lately experienced a growing activities of hacktivists defacing websites and leaking data.
General News
Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation to Open Portal for 1,000 University Tech Scholarships on Monday

The Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation (LSEF), in collaboration with TD Africa, Konga Group, Zinox Technologies, and Task Systems, is set to officially launch its highly anticipated scholarship programme aimed at empowering 1,000 exceptional Nigerian indigent whiz-kids in the field of technology.

Leo Stan Ekeh
The dedicated application portal, initially scheduled to go live on April 22, will now launch on Monday, April 27, 2026, following final technical enhancements to ensure a seamless, secure, and transparent application experience for prospective candidates nationwide.
This landmark initiative, first announced by Leo Stan Ekeh, Africa’s foremost tech icon and chairman of Zinox Group, forms part of his unwavering commitment to national development and youth empowerment.
The programme was unveiled on February 22, 2026, when Ekeh marked his 70th birthday. Rather than host an elaborate celebration befitting a man of his stature, he chose to channel resources into a cause that would create long-term impact for an economy, offering university scholarships to indigent but brilliant Nigerian youths to study Computer Science in federal institutions.
Building on a legacy of over 6709 beneficiaries trained over four decades by him and his companies, Mr. Ekeh at the time said the goal is to nurture a new generation of highly skilled technology professionals capable of supporting both the private and public sectors, while positioning Nigeria for greater competitiveness in the global digital economy.
This vision reflects his decades-long commitment to building sustainable positive disruptive capacity within Nigeria’s technology ecosystem that shall alter the nation’s GDP.
The scholarship programme is designed to transcend mere financial support, offering beneficiaries access to a comprehensive ecosystem powered by the initiative’s distinguished partners. Beneficiaries will receive technical support, mentorship by very successful members of Nigeria Compute Society, and industry exposure to ensure that recipients are equipped with practical, market-relevant skills.
This multi-faceted approach ensures that scholarship beneficiaries gain not only theoretical knowledge but also hands-on experience and professional networks that will propel their careers in technology.
By leveraging the combined expertise and infrastructure of these industry leaders, the initiative is poised to deliver a transformative learning experience that prepares young Nigerians to compete effectively on the global stage. Beneficiaries will emerge as future-ready innovators capable of driving digital transformation across sectors and contributing meaningfully to Nigeria’s economic growth.
The initiative builds on the longstanding legacy of Leo Stan Ekeh, whose contributions to Nigeria’s technology landscape and by extension Africa have spanned decades and fundamentally reshaped the nation’s digital infrastructure. From pioneering indigenous computer manufacturing through Zinox Technologies to driving digital transformation across public and private sectors, Ekeh has consistently demonstrated a commitment to building sustainable technological capacity within Nigeria.
His investments in digital infrastructure, talent development, and indigenous innovation have positioned Nigeria as a formidable player in the global technology landscape.
This scholarship programme represents the latest chapter in that transformative journey, directly addressing the critical need for skilled technology professionals in an increasingly digital global economy.
As anticipation builds ahead of the April 27 launch, interested applicants are advised to visit the Konga.com website and click the Foundation banner on 1000 Tech Scholarships Awards where the application link and detailed participation guidelines will be published on the launch date. The organisers have assured that the selection process will be merit-driven, inclusive, and transparent, with a focus on identifying truly outstanding young talents from across Nigeria’s diverse regions.
General News
US Library Blames Hackers for Viral Posts Urging Violence in Nigeria

Westerville Public Library, a public library that serves the community of Westerville, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus in United States is in the news after its social account urged violence against Nigerian politicians.

Library staff said the inflammatory messages were not written by any employees and moved quickly to purge the feed and regain control of the account, rattling regulars who are used to the library’s usually low-traffic presence in Uptown Westerville.
The Columbus Dispatch reported that the library’s X account first posted a message calling for the death of Nigerian politicians, starting with the country’s president.
According to the paper, most of those posts were wiped from the feed within about half an hour.
The Dispatch also noted that the account had been sitting dormant since 2024 before the violent statements suddenly went live, and its full report includes the timeline and language that circulated on the platform.
After the posts appeared, the library issued a short note on X that read, “Please disregard any recent posts you may have seen from the Westerville Library on this platform today. Thank you for your understanding.” As reported by The Columbus Dispatch, communications director Tamara Murray told the paper the account was hacked shortly before the messages were published and that staff were working to recover passwords.
The library did not immediately say whether law enforcement had been notified.
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