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Benedict Peters, True Nigerian Export

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Benedict Peters
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By Jackson Ugbechie

In a season when some Nigerians are being demonised across the world as agents of crime and criminalities, we cannot but raise our glasses to salute the likes of Adewale Adeyemo, Joe Biden appointee as Deputy Treasury Secretary; Dr. Onyema Ogbuagu, the Nigerian-American medic who was one of the brains behind the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine.

Benedict Peters, True Nigerian Export

Benedict Peters

Or Benedict Peters, a Nigerian entrepreneur making waves in Africa and across the world as one who has built an enterprise from the scratch to a billion-dollar multinational.

Remember Kehinde Wiley? He’s a portrait painter of Black people who masterfully painted his way to the White House.

He was commissioned in 2017 to paint a portrait of former President Barack Obama for the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery which showcases portraits of all the US presidents.

Wiley is the first black artist to paint official portraits of any US president for the National Portrait Gallery.

The list is long.  But we must say hello to Dr. Olurotimi John Badero who earned his  medical degree from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State before relocating to the United States where he became a specialist and interventional cardiologist, nephrologist and cardio-nephrologist, ranking as the world’s first and only fully trained cardio-nephrologist.

There are many more Nigerians doing exploits across the globe but the name Benedict Peters strikes a resonance with what portends the greatness of Nigeria.

While others excelled as Nigerians in the White man’s land, Peters is excelling at home and successfully exporting his magical entrepreneurship skills from Nigeria to the rest of the world. He answers the question: can anything good come out of Nigeria?

Yes, many good things have come out of Nigeria, wafting across several seas and mountains to add impactful fragrance to a world in need of heroes.

Peters is one of them. He represents a true Nigerian export. He symbolises the Nigerian spirit of derring-do, chutzpah and unvarnished excellence.

Last month, his company, Bravura Holdings Ltd., made history when it successfully entered into the competitive, capital-intensive and technology-driven platinum mining marketplace of Zimbabwe.

To make good this feat, it shelled out the sum of $1 billion to engage in an industry once dominated by expatriates from Europe, the Americas and Asia.

The beauty of this venture is that Peters, being a genuine pan-Africanist, would be fair to Zimbabweans and other Africans who would be directly or indirectly linked to his enterprise.

Peters would be stamping his big foot on a swathe measuring about 3,000 hectares (7,413-acre) of land in the Selous area, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Zimbabwe’s capital Harare where it plans to dig the mine. Reports said his choice of operational base is close to existing platinum mines.

Having already won the concession, a lot of activities are projected to happen in the next 18 months, explains Lionel Mhlanga, Bravura’s manager in Zimbabwe.

“From where we are now, we will go to resource definition, after that we will go to resource modeling, after mine development and then mine construction. Those are all things that should happen in the next 18 months,” an obviously elated Mhlanga told the media during a tour of the site last month.

The United States Geological Survey lists Zimbabwe as the third largest producer of platinum, only next to Russia and South Africa.

Currently, the Russian-Zimbabwean platinum venture, Great Dyke Investments (GDI), a joint venture (50% parity owned by Russia’s Vi Holding and Zimbabwean investors) is reputedly the biggest platinum mining project in the country with a $2 billion investment outlay. But the Bravura Holding venture represents the new African push for continental integration both in trade and production.

In Nigeria where Peters’ Aiteo Eastern E & P Company is the biggest domestic oil producer, the billionaire oil and gas magnate has demonstrably deployed his wealth to foster development, engender socio-economic growth and improve the nation’s human development index.

From philanthropy to community development and sports sponsorship, Peters’ Aiteo has endeared itself to the hearts of the Nigerian people. Since 2017, when it took over the sponsorship of Nigeria’s longest surviving club football league – The Challenge Cup – now aptly called Aiteo Cup, life has returned to the colourful multi-tier football fiesta, postponed this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

This is a pointer to the good times that await Zimbabweans with the admission of Bravura Holding into the exclusive club of platinum and other minerals miners in the country, a club dominated by Russian and Cypriot companies.

Media reports say Bravura is already looking beyond platinum. Zimbabwe is endowed with treasures in her sub-soil and Peters’ company intends to explore mining lithium, rare earth minerals and tin in Zimbabwe.

Beyond that, it’s also seeking to mine cobalt in the Democratic Republic of Congo, copper in Zambia, gold in Ghana and iron ore in Guinea, with eyes on exploring mining opportunities in Namibia and Botswana. Quite a handful! It’s a case of Africa taking back Africa.

For far too long, Africa has left her richly endowed earth at the mercy of the western world. Nigeria has rich reserves of oil and gas which she yielded to western merchants and exploiters.

It was not until Nigeria switched to the next gear in the promotion of local content in the sector that she started the journey of maximizing the benefits of having huge reserves of crude oil and gas.

Though, so much still remains to be done in the aspect of processing and minding the entire value chain, but the entry of the likes of Aiteo into Exploration and Production (E&P) has kindled hope that someday the owners of the resources would effectively process their resources and have full value of them.

Having made a success of his presence in the Nigerian oil and gas sector, Peters’ foray into Zimbabwe mining sector and plausibly into the mining sectors of other African nations is a priceless public relations stunt for Nigeria.

It’s a salute to the industry and illustriousness of Nigerians. When some sections of the global community rise to tar us in evil and despicable coatings, we trot out the likes of Peters and others who by dint of hard work, academic excellence and entrepreneurial acuity have put Nigeria and Nigerians on the global map of achievers, outliers and role models.

 

  • Ugbechie writes from Abuja

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Kuwait Busts Nigerian Cybercrime Ring Targeting Telecom Tower, Banks

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Kuwait’s Criminal Security Sector has dismantled an international cybercrime ring composed of Nigerians responsible for coordinated attacks on telecommunications towers and banks, the Ministry of Interior announced on Sunday.

Kuwait Busts Nigerian Cybercrime Ring Targeting Telecom Tower, Banks

According to Arabic-language daily Al Qabas, the case was initiated after the Communication and Information Technology Regulatory Authority reported cyber intrusions targeting local telecom networks.

Specialised security teams quickly launched an investigation, discovering that the suspects used advanced electronic devices to breach networks and distribute mass phishing messages impersonating banks, aiming to steal account information and siphon funds.

Signal-tracking technology led investigators to a vehicle in the Salmiya area.

When authorities attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver tried to flee, colliding with several cars before being apprehended following a fierce struggle.

A search of the vehicle uncovered sophisticated electronic equipment and various technical tools.

Upon investigation, the suspect confessed to collaborating with an accomplice to hack telecom networks and send fraudulent messages posing as banks and telecommunications companies.

Police subsequently located and arrested the second suspect, and a search of their residence uncovered additional devices used to analyse the stolen data.

Both suspects, along with the seized equipment, have been handed over to the relevant authorities for prosecution.

The Ministry of Interior reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the nation’s cybersecurity and intensifying efforts to combat electronic fraud targeting both citizens and residents.


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Nigerian Scientists Await Return of Egusi Seeds Sent to Space

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Space in Africa, the Lagos-based firm Oniosun founded, is expecting its Egusi melon seeds to splash down in the Pacific Ocean Saturday—fresh from a trip to the International Space Station.

Nigerian Scientists Await Return of Egusi Seeds Sent to Space

Once Earthside, experiments will begin on what is being hailed as the first food native to West Africa to be sent to space.

As Oniosun told AFP on Friday, it could herald an era where space exploration reflects the planet’s diversity.

“When we talk about humans colonizing other planets, this is not just an American mission or a European mission—this is a global mission,” he told AFP.

And future African space explorers might enjoy a taste of home.

Experiments on extraterrestrial food, which is to say tested in space, have been going on for years.

Growing food in space is seen as a crucial part of long-distance space flight and long-term missions, where frequent resupply won’t be feasible.

Scientists at the University of Florida in the United States, and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, in the southwestern Nigerian city of Ibadan, will examine the seeds “to see the effects of exposure to space” and zero gravity, including on the seeds’ DNA.

Once planted, researchers will monitor their post-space performance and germination.

The seeds went up to the ISS on a SpaceX flight last week, as part of NASA’s partnership with private firms.

Oniosun said the inclusion of Egusi seeds marked an important step forward, both for those on Earth as well as future astronauts.

High in protein, they are typically used to prepare soups and stews across West and Central Africa.

Africa’s most populous country has a small space industry, but the launch of the seeds seemed to generate more excitement on social media and in newspapers than previous launches of Nigerian satellites, he said.

“The moment that we’re sending food that they love, a food that holds significant cultural contexts to Nigeria… everybody starts getting interested in the subject,” Oniosun told AFP.

“The launch of Egusi melon seeds into space is more than a symbolic gesture,” he added.

“The future of humanity among the stars must reflect the diversity and richness of life on Earth.”

Whether pounded yam—the key dish served alongside Egusi soup—will make its way to the final frontier remains to be seen.

 

 


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NITDA Deepens Digital Gender Inclusion with IgniteHer Bootcamp

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In a powerful demonstration of its commitment to the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has launched the second cohort of the IgniteHer Bootcamp for Women Entrepreneurs, a strategic initiative aimed at accelerating gender inclusion and economic empowerment through digital innovation.

The bootcamp, themed “Empowering Women Entrepreneurs for Growth and Innovation”, was launched in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and brought together selected women entrepreneurs from across Nigeria, both physically and virtually, for rigorous training in digital skills, innovation management, business development, and investor readiness.

The NITDA Director General, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, who declared the bootcamp open, reaffirmed the Agency’s role in aligning Nigeria’s digital development with the national priorities of reforming the economy for sustained inclusive growth and accelerating economic diversification through industrialisation and digitisation.

“Through IgniteHer, we are actualising President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by expanding women’s access to technology and economic opportunity,” he stated.

The DG, who was represented by the agency’s Acting Director of the Digital Literacy and Capacity Building department, Dr. Ahmed Tambuwal, noted that inclusive innovation is a cornerstone of NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2.0: 2024–2027), which supports national aspirations for inclusive growth, poverty eradication, and youth empowerment.

“We are not merely imparting skills; we are creating self-reliant entrepreneurs, change-makers, and leaders,” he added.

Inuwa disclosed that the IgniteHer Bootcamp is also a key component of the National Gender Digital Inclusion Strategy (NGDIS), through which NITDA is working to empower 12.7 million Nigerian women with digital literacy skills by 2027. He averred that the programme complements broader government efforts to bridge gender gaps, enhance productivity, and reduce unemployment, especially among young women.

Citing a report by the World Wide Web Foundation, the DG emphasised that closing the digital gender gap in Nigeria could unlock an estimated $13 billion in GDP growth over the next decade.

“This training is a step towards harnessing this economic potential and ensuring that women play an integral role in shaping the digital landscape of Nigeria,” he noted.

He therefore called on participants selected from over 12,000 applicants to seize the moment and shape the future of Nigerian entrepreneurship.

While highlighting NITDA’s leadership in strategic partnerships, the DG commended JICA and the Government of Japan for their ongoing collaboration in supporting digital empowerment through programmes like IgniteHer and the iHatch Incubation Programme, which provides startup support, mentorship, and innovation development to early-stage entrepreneurs.

“At NITDA, we believe that inclusive innovation is not just an ideal but a critical strategy that ensures the growth of a stronger economy, the development of smarter solutions, and the existence of more resilient communities. Through IgniteHer, we are dismantling barriers and replacing them with pathways to opportunity,” he concluded.

In his remarks, the Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Matsunaga Kazuyoshi, reaffirmed Japan’s long-standing commitment to innovation and gender inclusion in Nigeria. He announced that Japan, through JICA, is currently supporting two grant projects worth $30.9 million, focused on improving Nigeria’s startup ecosystem, strengthening the investment climate, and building an inclusive innovation hub.

The Ambassador also referenced the upcoming Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), themed “Co-create Innovative Solutions with Africa”, as further testament to Japan’s dedication to deepening Africa-Japan cooperation on digital transformation and entrepreneurship.

Lead Facilitator of IgniteHer, Hajiya Hafsat Salabi-Dange, described the programme as a catalyst for social and economic transformation. While praising NITDA’s visionary approach to development, she stated that the programme is a movement that is bridging the digital gender divide and fostering economic independence.

Encouraging the participants to remain curious, intentional, and bold, she said, “What you will gain here goes beyond business; it is a tool for community upliftment, national growth, and generational impact.”


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