General News
Big Cabal Media Delivers Future Of Commerce II, Showcases Strength of Africa’s Informal Economy

Over 5,000 people attended Big Cabal Media’s Future of Commerce 2022 event at the Balmoral Convention Centre in Lagos, Nigeria, last week. Tagged “Money on the Streets,” notable thought leaders around the continent and the world explored innovative ways in which startups and large corporations cater to the needs of Africa’s informal sector.

The hybrid event featured over 30 business leaders, technology experts, and commerce operators who discussed how social media, payments, and logistics are powering the growth of Africa’s commerce.
In his opening address, Tomiwa Aladekomo, CEO of Big Cabal Media, reiterated the company’s belief that the next wave of commerce on the continent is in unlocking value in the informal sector.
“The rapid evolution of fintech services is accelerating financial inclusion by driving efficiency, lowering transaction costs, and expanding outreach to new markets. We see this in a country like Kenya, a pioneer in mobile money services, where eight in ten adults have access to formal financial services,” Tomiwa stated.
Building on this, Tosin Eniolorunda, CEO and Founder of TeamApt, shared in his keynote address, the role technology must play in building trust in the informal market: “Businesses in the informal market have had several disasters while engaging with traditional corporate organisations, which has increased scepticism over time. To succeed, technological solutions must enable rapid settlements as well as decentralised and personalised customer service,” he said.
User adoption continues to be a challenge for most technology solutions including those developed to enhance financial inclusion. Dr Olabisi, Lead Research at KasuWaGo, recommended that these solutions must be simplified further to scale adoption. “We need to reimagine the use of technology for small businesses in the informal sector. Tech products could be built such that users won’t have to read much to interact with the app. That is a great way to scale adoption of such products,” he said.
With Africa accounting for 70% of the World’s $1 trillion mobile money market, mobile money is at the heart of Africa’s economic growth. This subject was discussed by speakers who unanimously agreed that mobile money will play a fundamental role in financial inclusion and market expansion opportunities for both medium-scale and well-established businesses.
Esigie Aguele, Co-founder and CEO of VerifyMe, commented on the business prospects and user integration of mobile money, saying, “Mobile money enhances the technological opportunities for all forms of payments and payment solutions. It enables us to go beyond open banking and create products that promote widespread financial inclusion.”
In addition to the deeply insightful sessions, attendees were able to network during breaks and were also entertained by the musical performance of Nigerian alte artiste, Bolaji Odojukan popularly known as BOJ.
Inspired by the recommendations from the Future of Commerce debut event last year, Big Cabal Media unveiled a “Commerce in Africa” industry projection report as one of the highlights of FOC 2022.
The Future of Commerce is an annual convergence of the world’s most prominent business executives, creative entrepreneurs, and interested enthusiasts to explore the key changes affecting how Africans buy and sell. It is hosted by TechCabal, Big Cabal Media’s flagship technology publication.
General News
Dangote Plans to Donate One-Third of Wealth to Charity as Legacy

Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, plans to dedicate one-third of his wealth to charity as part of his succession plan, Halima Dangote, his daughter, has revealed.

Aliko Dangote
Halima, a trustee of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, disclosed this in an interview with Bloomberg published on Tuesday, saying the billionaire had secured the support of his family to commit 33 per cent of his estate to philanthropy.
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Dangote’s net worth is estimated at $35.1 billion, meaning one-third of his current wealth would be worth about $11.7 billion if his fortune remains at that level.
Halima explained that her father views philanthropy as a key part of his legacy and has incorporated it into the family’s long-term succession plans.
She said Dangote had structured his estate to ensure that charitable giving continues across generations, particularly in areas such as healthcare and education.
“He sort of put all the structure in place whereby we focus a lot on health and education. He actually donated 25 per cent to the foundation. If you look at it, it is what we call in Sharia Code in Islam; it means he has donated 33 per cent of his whole inheritance to his foundation,” she said.
Halima added that Dangote believes giving back is central to the success of his businesses and the family’s values.
She said the billionaire asked her, her two sisters, and his mother to sign the agreement allowing 33 per cent of his inheritance to be dedicated to humanitarian causes.
The planned donation builds on Dangote’s longstanding philanthropic activities through the Aliko Dangote Foundation, which was established in 1994.
According to Halima, the foundation received an endowment of $1.25 billion about a decade ago and has since received an additional $700 million in funding.
She said about 70 per cent of the foundation’s spending goes to programmes in Nigeria, while 20 per cent supports projects across Africa, with the remaining funds directed to initiatives in other parts of the world.
The foundation’s interventions focus on healthcare, education, nutrition, and humanitarian support, including partnerships that contributed to the eradication of wild poliovirus in Africa.
Dangote’s planned charitable commitment adds to increasing global attention on billionaire philanthropy.
Although the proposed 33 per cent allocation is below the 50 per cent commitment associated with the Giving Pledge, it would rank among the largest philanthropic commitments announced by an African billionaire.
Earlier this year, Dangote was named among the world’s most influential philanthropists by TIME magazine’s inaugural TIME100 Philanthropy list, recognising the impact of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, which reportedly spends more than ₦50 billion annually on programmes across Africa.
General News
Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission Seeks Collaboration on Power Plants

Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC), has said that there are plans for Nigeria to begin to generate electricity from nuclear sources.

Mr Anthony Godwin Ekedegwa, chief executive, NAEC stated this when he recently visited Mr Umar Yusuf Girei, acting managing director, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA),in Abuja.
He was at NIWA’s office to solicit the support of NIWA in achieving the numerous advantages of using nuclear energy technology in the country.
According to him, the partnership of critical stakeholders in Nigeria will position the country well in developing and maintaining its nuclear power plant.
The NAEC chief said Nigeria intends to begin the generation of electricity from nuclear sources instead of fossil-based power plants and hydro-based power plants, stressing that for Nigeria to develop, there is a need for the country to diversify its energy needs.
In his remarks, Mr Girei assured NAEC of his agency’s readiness to collaborate on the advancement of a nuclear power plant in Nigeria.
He promised the full support of NAEC for the success of a nuclear power plant in the country, saying that as the organisation saddled with the responsibility of regulating and developing Nigeria Inland Waterways, his entity is strategically positioned to play a critical role in the federal government’s quest for sustainable energy through the new technology.
General News
Pan-Africanism: Why Integration is Non-Negotiable for Africa’s Future

In a powerful call for continental solidarity, Ralph Mupita, Group CEO of MTN, has asserted that the future of the African continent depends on the dismantling of xenophobic barriers.

Speaking at the Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation (KMF) Winter Seminar, Mupita framed migration as a fundamental characteristic of the African identity, urging South Africa and other nations to embrace integration over exclusion.
He emphasised that the survival of African enterprises depends on a borderless approach to trade and talent. “The digital economy we’re fast moving to knows no borders.” Mupita declared, noting that the mindset of exclusion is an outdated relic that hinders the continent’s ability to compete globally.
He argued that for Africa to leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the psychological barriers of xenophobia must be eradicated.
Providing a stark financial justification for this stance, Mupita highlighted MTN’s own operational reality as a blueprint for Pan-African success. “We earn about 80 to 82% of our earnings from outside South Africa,” he revealed, illustrating that the prosperity of South African-born entities is inextricably linked to their success across the rest of the continent. This figure underscores the interdependence of African economies and the danger of isolationist policies.
Mupita’s stance was strong advocating for unity: “The future of Africa will not be determined by the borders that separate us, but by the economic opportunities that connect us. Governments must set predictable policy and regulations.
Businesses will follow and allocate resources and capital. Together, we can build a continent where opportunity is more evenly shared and prosperity is more widely created.”
Analysts observing the seminar noted that Mupita’s remarks come at a critical juncture where economic volatility often fuels nationalist rhetoric. By tying the fight against xenophobia to the balance sheet, MTN is positioning Pan-Africanism beyond the moral imperative to its function as a business necessity. The CEO stressed that “Migration is part of who we are,” suggesting that the movement of people is the primary engine for the movement of capital and innovation.
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