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CBN Governor Flags-off YEDP Training for Corps Members

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Godwin Emefiele, Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria
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Mr. Godwin Emefiele, Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has flagged-off the formal training of successful National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members under the Youth Entrepreneurship Development Programme (YEDP).

Performing the ceremony at the NYSC orientation camp, Kubwa, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Emefiele stressed the importance of small businesses to building a strong economic base that is resilient to global fluctuations.

Declaring the training open, the CBN Governor expressed optimism that tapping the potentials of the youths was vital to the stimulation of sustainable and equitable socio-economic development in the country.

While citing the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) figures that put youth unemployment rate at 42.24 per cent in the first quarter of 2016, he lamented that entrepreneurship among Nigerian youths had been hindered by low capacity and funding despite the abundance of prolific opportunities.

Continuing, he observed that the challenge of accessibility funds had made many youths to jettison their laudable ideas in pursuit of white collar jobs, while many educated youths had been exposed to societal ills, as their dreams from their academic pursuit could not be realized.

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Mr. Emefiele declared that the CBN decided to intervene in the situation to prevent a further degeneration in the employment situation in the country. He therefore charged the youth corps members selected to receive facilities under the YEDP to judiciously utilize the funds by engaging in productive ventures such as rice, cassava and tomatoes farming. This is even as he emphasized that the credit facility was not a grant but a loan that would be repaid at a single digit interest rate.

Also speaking, Brigadier General Sule, director-general of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)  said the YEDP was a milestone in the NYSC programme, coming at a time the economy was faced with serious challenges that could best be tackled by the promotion of private enterprise.

While commending the CBN/Heritage Bank intervention, which he described as a turning point in the history of youth entrepreneurship in Nigeria, Gen. Kazaure encouraged other financial institutions to emulate the CBN and Heritage Bank in financing youth business enterprise.

The NYSC DG therefore urged all Corps members, irrespective of their course disciplines, to key into the opportunities provided by the Collaboration and become budding entrepreneurs through skill acquisition, self-employment, wealth creation and employment generation.

In his remarks, Mr. Ifie Sekibo, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Heritage Bank, urged the successful Corps members to use this opportunity to realize their dreams by judiciously utilizing the funds.

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Speaking on behalf of other Corps members, Mr. Success Obi pledged to prudently expend the credit facilities for the said purpose.

The Youth Entrepreneurship Development Programme (YEDP) was launched on March 15, 2016 with the aim of providing timely and affordable credit to assist youths in implementing their business ideas, thereby providing the mechanism of stimulating growth, reducing unemployment as well as addressing youth restiveness.

More than 10,000 youths have submitted their applications for the YEDP. One thousand, five hundred and forty seven (1,547) Corps members scaled the rigorous selection process to emerge as the first batch of trainees in the pilot phase of YEDP training.

The pilot phase of the YEDP, which is sponsored by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in collaboration with Heritage Bank, took place simultaneously in seven centres of Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Osun, Lagos, Plateau, Katsina and FCT for Corps members selected from the 36 states and FCT.
 
 

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Africa Prudential Unveils Digital Growth Strategy

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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.

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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.

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“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.

 

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IHS Nigeria Donates Business-Support Equipment to Empower People with Disabilities in Abuja Community

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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).

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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.

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CIBN, ACAMB Push for Financial Inclusion, Women Empowerment

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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.

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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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