General News
Dangote Cement Eye Expansion to South Africa

Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, is among those considering counteroffers for PPC Group Ltd. that could signal a bidding contest for South Africa’s largest cement maker, according to people familiar with the matter.
Dangote Cement Plc sees a bid for the Johannesburg-based company as a way to accelerate expansion outside of Nigeria, said the people, who asked not to be named as the matter is private. PPC will consider any rival offers to the joint approach by Canada’s Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. and domestic rival AfriSam Group Pty Ltd. and present them to shareholders in early October, one of the people said.
PPC shares jumped 2.9 percent to 6.38 rand as of 3:30 p.m. in Johannesburg, on track for the highest on a closing basis since April 25. That values the company at 10.2 billion rand ($792 million).
LafargeHolcim Ltd., the world’s biggest cement maker based in Jona, Switzerland, and Germany’s HeidelbergCement AG are also monitoring PPC’s situation, the people said. Titan Cement Co. SA of Greece is looking at the South African company, according to one of the people. The cement makers’ interest was sparked after Toronto-based Fairfax offered to buy 2 billion rand of PPC’s shares and support a merger with AfriSam earlier this week, the people said. The proposal “significantly undervalued” the business, PPC said at the time.
Spokespeople for Dangote, LafargeHolcim, HeidelbergCement, Titan, Fairfax and PPC declined to comment.
The future ownership of PPC is up for grabs after merger talks with AfriSam failed for a second time last month following two-and-a-half years of on-off negotiations. Both companies have been struggling with high debt levels, which Fairfax offered to resolve with its unexpected entrance to the saga this week. The Toronto-based company said it would recapitalize AfriSam, enabling it to settle outstanding loans, and buy 2 billion rand worth of PPC shares at 5.75 rand each.
PPC’s current share price of 6.38 rand suggests investors expect a higher offer to emerge.
The Fairfax proposal would give the Canadian company a stake of more than 30 percent stake in the combined entity, said two of the people. The value of the bid would rise when savings generated by sharing PPC and AfriSam infrastructure are taken into account, they said.
The Public Investment Corp., the biggest shareholder in both PPC and AfriSam, would prefer a higher cash component of more than 6 rand a share, the people said, adding that Fairfax hasn’t ruled out increasing its offer.
Aliko Dangote, who has interests in sugar, flour and packaged food businesses as well as cement, has a net worth of $11.4 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Dangote would be open to a sale of all or part of its cement operations in Pretoria-based Sephaku Holdings Ltd. unit to win regulatory approval for a takeover, two of the people said.
Separately, PPC said it had reduced capital expenditure targets for fiscal years 2018 and 2019. The company sees spending of as much as 900 million rand in year through March 2018, rising to as much as 1 billion rand the following year, PPC said in a presentation to investors on Friday. The cement maker also said debt would probably fall in the current year.
General News
FG Orders Installation of 5000 CCTV Cameras for Surveillance in Plateau

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the immediate installation of 5,000 CCTV cameras across identified flashpoints in Plateau State as part of urgent measures to address the worsening security situation in the state.

The President gave the directive during an emergency visit to Plateau on Thursday, where he held a brief stakeholders’ meeting at the Yakubu Gowon Airport following the recent killings in Angwan Rukuba, Jos, where at least 28 persons were killed by unidentified gunmen.
Tinubu also approved the formation of a delegation of key stakeholders to engage in further deliberations on lasting solutions to the security challenges in the state.
He condoled with families of the victims and directed that support be provided to cushion their losses.
President Bola Tinubu while expressing deep sympathy to families of victims said the installation of surveillance cameras was part of a deliberate move towards addressing the kind of attacks that befell residence of the recent attack in the State.
In his remarks, Governor Caleb Mutfwang appreciated the President’s visit and show of concern, but expressed worry over the recent wave of attacks in the state, describing the situation as disturbing and requiring urgent attention.
The meeting had in attendance, former Governors, serving and former National and State Assembly members, traditional rulers, government appointees as well as relatives of those killed in the Angwan Rukuba attack.
General News
FG Rolls Out N12Bn Digital Research Clusters to Boost Innovation Economy

Federal Government yesterday unveiled a N12 billion investment in digital economy research, marking a strategic shift towards knowledge-driven development as Nigeria positions itself as a key player in the global digital landscape.

Declaring the launch of the National Digital Economy Research Clusters under the Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth (BRIDGE) project, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, said the initiative mobilises over 200 researchers from universities and research institutions nationwide to produce data-driven solutions for pressing national challenges.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Tijani described the programme as an essential complement to infrastructure expansion, including the ongoing deployment of 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable across the country.
He stressed that sustainable growth in the digital sector now hinges on robust research, innovation and evidence-based policies rather than infrastructure alone.
“As Nigeria expands its digital economy, attention is shifting from infrastructure to the knowledge that drives it,” the minister stated, adding that the sector was emerging as a major contributor to national GDP.
The research clusters will tackle critical areas including connectivity, digital public infrastructure, skills development, job creation, online safety and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
Tijani explained that the project aims to bolster Nigeria’s research capacity while ensuring local insights guide policy and technology adoption.
The Federal Ministry of Education is collaborating to synchronise academic research with national priorities and advance specialised training.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, underscored universities’ evolving role as hubs of innovation and problem-solving beyond traditional learning.
The BRIDGE project aligns with broader government strategies to promote digital inclusion, spur economic growth and elevate Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global digital economy.
Observers note that the programme’s impact will depend on effectively converting research findings into implementable policies across sectors.
For the administration, the message is clear: a resilient digital economy demands not just infrastructure, but the intelligence to power it.
General News
Myitura Launches Women-Focused Healthcare Financing Solutions to Bridge Access Gap

In commemoration of Women’s Month, health-tech platform Myitura has released a new white paper addressing the critical gaps in healthcare financing for women in Nigeria.

Titled “Closing the Gap: Healthcare Financing for Women in Nigeria,” the report highlights how high out-of-pocket costs, limited insurance coverage, and socio-economic factors continue to prevent women from accessing timely healthcare.
According to the report, over 70% of healthcare expenses in Nigeria are paid out-of-pocket, disproportionately affecting women who often delay care due to financial and social constraints.
“When women can afford to take care of their health early, we don’t just save lives; we strengthen families, communities, and the economy,” said Chialuka Kelechi, MyItura’s Chief of Staff.
Key Insights from the White Paper:
- Preventable conditions often escalate due to delayed care
- Women are more likely to deprioritize their own health
- Affordable, structured healthcare financing can significantly improve outcomes
Introducing a Women’s Health Initiative
As part of its commitment, Myitura is launching affordable women-focused health packages (powered by Mediloan), starting at ₦58,180, designed to encourage preventive care and early detection.
The package provides access to:
- Fasting/Random Blood Sugar
- Urinalysis
- Electrolytes
- Urea
- Creatinine
- Pap Smear Submitted slides
- HIV I & II Rapid (Qualitative)
- Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Screening (Rapid)
- Hepatitis C Virus Screening (Rapid)
- Abdominopelvic Ultrasound
- Ongoing support via the Myitura platform
Access:
Women can access these packages by downloading the Myitura app, which makes healthcare more accessible and convenient.
Myitura is a health-tech platform focused on improving access to healthcare through financing, technology, and preventive care solutions.
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