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Ausso Leadership Academy Launches #Take5toGiveBack to Impact Governance
Nigeria’s Leading business and entrepreneurial mentorship platform, the Ausso Leadership Academy (#ALA) has launched the #Take5toGiveback programme in a bid to extend the ultimate mentorship experience to grassroots government decision makers in Nigeria.
The initiative was launched as part of her one-year anniversary commemoration.
#Take5toGiveback, a brainchild of the Alumni of #ALA aims to impact Local Government Chairmen and other decision makers within the Local Government Areas (LGAs).
The program entails soliciting sponsorships from Corporate Bodies and well-meaning High Networth Individuals to sponsor at least five decision makers from select LGAs to attend each cohort of the #ALA Signature Masterclasses to imbibe the mentorship framework for effective governance that will improve their communities; It cannot be gainsaid that to make any meaningful progress towards job creation and shared prosperity, Business must move in step with Government and Regulators rather than each operating in silos.
The mentorship framework will cover three distinct areas; the first being Driving Alignment through inspirational leadership and courageous followership, delivering a project through relentless execution and imbibing the virtue of serving the electorate.
The second focus area is Winning On Delivering Value, leading and managing change and setting up for socio-economic growth, while the third focus area is Imbibing Corporate Governance and Ethics, re-imaging the workplace for greater productivity and leaving an endearing legacy.
This initiative will empower decision makers at the Local Government Area to enact and enforce enabling regulation as well as breaking down the barrier between Government and Business, to foster inclusive growth at the grassroots, thus ensuring shared prosperity.
#ALA set the ball rolling by offering a full scholarship to Hon. Bolaji Madamidola (Chairman, House Committee on Education, Youth and Sport Development, Iru-Victoria Island LCDA) of the Eti-Osa Local Government Area.
Seeing the benefit of the impact, Hon. Madamidola convinced his cohort to assist in extending the benefit to his other colleagues in the LGAs, and hence the initiative was born. Other Legislators that have attended #ALA as Guest Delegates are Hon.Tayo James and Hon. Rotimi Ojutamo, both of Eti-Osa LGA.
Speaking at the occasion of the launch during the anniversary celebration, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Ausso Leadership Academy, Austin Okere noted that the strides of the academy in just one year is a validation of its founding purpose, which is to “mentor entrepreneurs to institutionalize and scale their businesses geometrically in order to maximize the jobs they create and ensure shared prosperity”.
He passionately appealed for full support to the #Take5toGiveBack initiative, to enable more members of the legislature and decision makers in government to benefit from the #ALA impact.
Thanking all stakeholders for their commitment and support, he remarked that “one year from inception, ALA has remained true to its purpose and we have enjoyed ever-increasing recognition and endorsement by key stakeholders.
“This is highlighted by the visits of the Hon. Min. of Industry, Trade and Investments, Dr. Okey Enelama, Former Minister of Communications and Technology, Dr Omoobola Johnson, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mrs Aishah Ahmad, the CEO of the three exchanges, Mr Oscar Onyema (Nigerian Stock Exchange), Mr Bola Onadele (FMDQ) and Mr Bola Ajomale (NASD), the former DG of the National Pension Commission, Muhammad K. Ahmad (OON), the Deputy British High Commissioner in Nigeria, Laure Beaufils, and many others.”
“We are indeed grateful to everyone that has committed themselves to this initiative, and we continue to count on you in our quest to mentor the giants of today and tomorrow, especially those in government on whom we depend for an enabling environment for business growth”, he concluded.
In his testimonial, Mr Udukheli Izibuno, an Alumni of the Academy said “every aspect of this institution has been carefully designed for the next generation of people that will do great things. I think #ALA is properly designed and properly targeted to attract these set of entrepreneurs and leaders.”
In the past year, the Ausso Leadership Academy has Mentored about 102 Entrepreneurs, representing 10 major corporates from diverse industry sectors and about 44 medium enterprises.
The academy has hosted 47 Champions of Business and Entrepreneurship to share their experiences and impacted about 400 Guest Delegates with its open Sessions; in line with her commitment of building a strong Community of Nigerian Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs.
Using its online content platform, #BusinessInsightsWithAO, ALA has produced over 50 video episodes on salient business and leadership issues to an audience of over 77,000 viewers on YouTube and other social media.
Africa Prudential Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable growth and digital transformation after posting another strong half-year financial performance, driven by robust growth in its core registrar business, technology-driven solutions and increased activity in Nigeria’s capital market.
Speaking during the company’s H1 2026 Investor Call on Tuesday, the management outlined plans to deepen revenue diversification and accelerate innovation as part of efforts to reduce reliance on interest income and strengthen long-term profitability.
The company reported gross earnings of ₦4.28 billion for the first half of 2026, representing a 27 per cent increase from ₦3.34 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.
Profit before tax rose by 22 per cent to ₦2.41 billion, while profit after tax climbed 18 per cent to ₦1.59 billion.
Net operating income also increased by 27 per cent to ₦4.21 billion, while total assets grew by 13 per cent to ₦46.53 billion. Shareholders’ funds similarly rose by 13 per cent to ₦12.52 billion.
According to the company, the impressive performance was driven by sustained growth in its registrar business, increased corporate actions across the Nigerian capital market, stronger treasury earnings supported by the prevailing interest rate environment and rising adoption of its technology-enabled products and services.African Mineral Wealth
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Catherine Nwosu, said Africa Prudential is steadily evolving from a traditional share registrar into a diversified technology and business solutions provider serving the broader capital market ecosystem.
Addressing concerns from investors about the sustainability of earnings if interest rates decline, Nwosu said the company was deliberately expanding its non-interest income sources.
“Interest rates influence our treasury income positively, but that is why we are deliberately diversifying our revenue streams. Our strategy is to grow recurring fee-based business lines such as our digital solutions, Know Your Customer (KYC) services, AGM technology, probate services and the SabiVest mobile app. Over time, this will reduce our reliance on interest income and create a more balanced and resilient earnings mix,” she said.
She noted that increasing activity in the Nigerian capital market presents fresh opportunities for technology-driven solutions.
“With capital market activity nearly doubling over the past year, demand for seamless digital investor experiences, improved market efficiency and stronger compliance standards continues to grow. We are investing in technology-enabled solutions that position us to capitalise on these opportunities while delivering sustainable value to our shareholders,” she added.
Looking ahead, the company identified five strategic priorities for the second half of 2026, including driving sustainable growth through its core registrar business and new revenue streams, accelerating technology-led product innovation, strengthening brand leadership, investing in talent development and reinforcing corporate governance.
The investor call attracted institutional investors, shareholders, analysts, regulators and other capital market stakeholders, reflecting strong interest in Africa Prudential’s earnings outlook, revenue diversification strategy and long-term growth plans.
News
IHS Nigeria Donates Business-Support Equipment to Empower People with Disabilities in Abuja Community
Communications infrastructure company, IHS Nigeria, has donated business support equipment to empower people with disabilities within the Karonmajiji community in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. This is part of the company’s commitment to drive inclusive community development and sustainable livelihood support under its Project Empower initiative.
The equipment was distributed to beneficiaries during a ceremony held in the community on Monday, July 27. The initiative was conceived following a community needs assessment and is designed to empower active traders by providing them with business tools rather than cash grants, thereby strengthening their businesses and ensuring long-term economic impact and accountability.
Speaking at the event, Director, Sustainability, IHS Nigeria, Titilope Oguntuga, described the initiative as a reflection of the company’s commitment to advancing inclusive development by equipping persons with disabilities with the tools and opportunities needed to build resilient livelihoods.
She explained that rather than providing short-term financial assistance, IHS Nigeria adopted an asset-based approach by donating 50 pieces of business support equipment, including sewing machines, freezers, generators and hairdressing kits, to the selected beneficiaries.
According to her, the intervention is designed to create lasting value by supporting entrepreneurship, promoting self-reliance and strengthening household incomes, while contributing to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
In his opening remarks, the Chief of the Karonmajiji Disabled Community, Alhaji Sulaiman Muhammed Katsina, represented by the Secretary of the Community, Alhaji Mohammed Dantani commended IHS Nigeria for its commitment to empowering persons with disabilities through practical and sustainable interventions.
He described the initiative as a demonstration of genuine partnership with the community and expressed appreciation for the company’s continued engagement with the Association, noting that the donation of the equipment was a significant investment in improving the livelihoods of persons with disabilities and would create meaningful economic opportunities for the beneficiaries and their families.
The event brought together traditional rulers, government representatives, leaders and members of the Karonmajiji Disabled Community Association, implementing partners, including Field of Skills and Dreams Vocational Technical and Entrepreneurship (FSD VTE) Training Institute and other community stakeholders, reaffirming a shared commitment to promoting inclusion and sustainable community development.
Project Empower reinforces IHS Nigeria’s commitment to advancing sustainable development through strategic partnerships that promote economic inclusion, strengthen community resilience and create opportunities for underserved communities.
The Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIBN) and the Association of Corporate Communication and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB) have enjoined banks to further deepen and prioritize financial inclusion, women’s empowerment and sustained growth through strategic mandates and frameworks, aimed at closing the financial gap and empowering more small, and medium enterprise (MSME) owners.
Both organisations made this call during a courtesy visit to the newly invested 24th President and Chairman of Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Dr. Dele Alabi, Ph.D, FCIB, as part of plans to congratulate him on his investiture as well as seek a stronger alliance between both bodies.
The visit followed Alabi’s investiture where he unveiled his “IMPACT” Vision, themed “Consolidating Our Local Impact, Enhancing Our Global Relevance.”
The vision rests on six pillars: Inclusion across geographic, gender, and generational lines; Membership growth and quality; Professionalism and ethics; Accountability; Competencies and skills development; Technology, automation, and innovation. Other areas of shared interest, include women empowerment, financial inclusion and literacy, as well as MSME clinics, all of which are top on his agenda.
Alabi explained that under him, the institute will be prioritising financial inclusion and women empowerment, because of its realisation that women are often the primary financial managers and caregivers in families. Access to savings, micro-credit, and insurance acts as a safety net during crisis and allows them to significantly improve living conditions.
He added that CIBN would be happy to drive joint knowledge sharing and exchange sessions with CBN and ACAMB across various platforms. “Educating the public through public awareness programmes, with ACAMB as the rallying point, is central to what we do,” he noted.
ACAMB President, Jide Sipe, who led the delegation, spoke in unison with the CIBN president, as he noted that, closing the inbalances in financial access help economies grow faster, reduces inequality, and encourages greater civic participation by all.
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