News
EFInA Unveils Research Fellowship Programme to Deepen Financial Inclusion Impact

Enhancing Financial Inclusion and Advancement (EFInA) has selected three fellows for its inaugural EFInA Research Fellowship Programme, an eight-month initiative aimed at strengthening evidence on how financial inclusion policies, products, and services translate into real improvements in people’s lives and livelihoods.

The Fellowship marks a strategic shift in Nigeria’s financial inclusion agenda—from a longstanding focus on access and uptake to a deeper examination of impact and outcomes, including financial health, household resilience, livelihood sustainability, and women’s economic empowerment.
While Nigeria has recorded steady gains in expanding access to formal financial services, EFInA said questions remain about whether this access is delivering tangible benefits for households, small businesses, and underserved populations.
Launched under the theme “Evaluating the Impact of Financial Services on the Lives and Livelihoods of Nigerians,” the programme is designed to support applied, policy-relevant research examining how financial services function in practice across formal, informal, and digital channels, and the conditions under which they generate meaningful economic and social outcomes.
Speaking at the launch, Foyinsolami Akinjayeju, EFInA’s chief executive officer, said Nigeria’s financial inclusion journey has reached a critical inflection point.
“Financial inclusion must deliver real outcomes—better financial health, resilience, livelihoods, and women’s economic empowerment—not just access,” she said. “The EFInA Research Fellowship will generate rigorous, Nigeria-specific evidence on what truly works, what needs to change, and what can be expanded to deliver outcomes at scale.”
She added that the programme is deliberately structured to bridge the persistent gap between research and decision-making in the financial sector.
“By examining how policies, programmes, and financial products work in practice, the fellowship will produce insights that directly inform better policy choices and product design,” Akinjayeju said.
Each Fellow will receive a N4 million research grant to support fieldwork, travel, and research tools, alongside structured monthly mentorship from senior researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals. Fellows will also gain access to EFInA’s data assets, including its Access to Finance (A2F) survey reports, one of Nigeria’s most comprehensive demand-side datasets on financial inclusion.
Beyond funding, the programme places strong emphasis on research quality, relevance, and uptake. Fellows will participate in monthly capacity-building workshops covering research design, impact evaluation, gender-responsive analysis, and policy engagement. These sessions will be delivered in collaboration with institutions including Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), J-PAL, Lagos Business School, the Central Bank of Nigeria, and international development partners.
According to Oluwatomi Eromosele, EFInA’s research lead, the fellowship responds to a long-standing evidence gap in Nigeria’s financial inclusion ecosystem.
“Access alone is no longer sufficient,” she said. “The critical question is whether financial inclusion is translating into better financial health, greater resilience to shocks, improved livelihoods, and meaningful economic opportunities for women and underserved groups.”
She noted that EFInA is prioritising research that is both credible and usable. “We are investing in rigorous, Nigeria-specific evidence and translating findings into practical, decision-oriented outputs that directly inform policy, regulation, and product design,” Eromosele said.
The Fellows will explore research questions across priority themes, including financial health and household resilience amid economic and climate shocks; the role of financial tools in supporting MSME growth and informal livelihoods; women’s economic empowerment through digital and group-based savings mechanisms; and trust, service experience, and satisfaction across financial channels.
The 2025 EFInA Research Fellows are Sarah Edewor, an agricultural economist and development researcher; Abdulmumin Usman, a policy and political economy researcher; and Abdullahi Ibrahim, a measurement, evaluation, research, and learning practitioner.
A core objective of the Fellowship is to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on financial inclusion evidence drawn from other developing contexts such as India and Bangladesh, which EFInA says do not fully reflect Nigeria’s institutional, cultural, and market realities. By generating locally grounded evidence, the organisation aims to equip policymakers, regulators, financial service providers, and development partners with insights tailored to Nigeria’s context.
Fellows will present interim findings during the programme and showcase their final research outputs at EFInA’s Annual Research Symposium in May 2026. Final outputs will include peer-reviewed research papers, policy briefs, and practitioner-focused knowledge products disseminated to key stakeholders.
The EFInA Research Fellowship aligns with Nigeria’s National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS) 2024–2027, which places renewed emphasis on trust, innovation, consumer outcomes, and inclusive growth, and reflects EFInA’s broader mandate to strengthen evidence and support decision-making across Nigeria’s financial ecosystem.
News
Dangote Refinery Debunks Speculations on IPO

Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals (DPRP) has debunked recent circulation of unauthorised information regarding a potential Initial Public Offering (IPO).

In a statement, DPRP noted that several online platforms and unofficial sources have published unverified, and in some instances inaccurate, information relating to a potential offering.
“Such reports do not originate from DPRP and should be treated with caution. All official updates regarding any potential transaction will be communicated strictly through DPRP’s formal public disclosures and announcements issued by its appointed advisers, in line with applicable laws and regulatory requirements.
“Accordingly, the public, investors, and all market participants are strongly advised to disregard speculative commentary and rely solely on verified information formally issued by DPRP or its authorised representatives,” the statement said.
The firm assured stakeholders that, when appropriate, comprehensive, and accurate details regarding any proposed transaction will be made available through official channels, including regulatory filings, authorised press releases, and coordinated communications by the Enterprise and its appointed advisers.
News
Descasio Launches “Give to Gain” Leadership Insights Report, Hosts Executive Brunch for Women in Leadership

In celebration of International Women’s Day, Descasio hosted an intimate executive brunch bringing together distinguished women leaders from its customer community for a thoughtful conversation on leadership, partnership, and shared growth.

Centered around the 2026 International Women’s Day theme, “Give to Gain,” the gathering created space for accomplished women in enterprise leadership to reflect on mentorship, collaboration, and investing in people as key drivers of sustainable growth.
Held in Lagos, the event convened leaders from organizations including Honeywell Group Limited, Finchglow Travels, NGCOM, and Eroton Exploration & Production Company.
Guests were personally welcomed at the start of the gathering by Mr. Dele Nedd, CEO of Descasio; who greeted each of the women leaders and expressed his appreciation for their presence before leaving the session to allow the women lead the conversation among themselves.
The gesture reflected Descasio’s leadership culture; one where women are not only recognized, but actively supported and empowered. It also underscored the company’s belief that meaningful progress in leadership requires partnership and allyship across the organization.
Rather than a traditional panel discussion, the brunch was designed as a candid and reflective exchange among peers navigating leadership in complex industries. Throughout the conversation, participants shared perspectives shaped by experience, responsibility, and the realities of leading teams and organizations.
A recurring theme in the discussion was the role of execution and accountability in leadership. For many organizations, strategy alone is not enough; consistent delivery is what ultimately builds credibility and trust.
Reflecting on this, Josephine Adebola, Data Compliance & Process Automation Manager at Finchglow Travels, emphasized the importance of reliability in leadership and the discipline required to translate vision into results. “Get it done on time and in full.”
The conversation also explored the role of curiosity and continuous learning in shaping effective leaders. In rapidly evolving industries, the ability to ask questions, remain open to new perspectives, and keep learning is often what enables leaders to grow alongside their organizations.
Sharing her perspective, Tomi Otudeko, Chief Operating Officer at Honeywell Group Limited, reflected on how curiosity has shaped her leadership journey.
“Asking questions and continuously learning have always stood me in good stead as a leader.”
She also spoke about the importance of leading with empathy and understanding the people behind the roles within organizations.
“Everyone has multiple dimensions to who they are. Leadership has taught me to see people in their totality. That awareness doesn’t make a leader weak; it makes them more effective.”
Another important theme that emerged from the conversation was authenticity in leadership. In an environment where leaders often face pressure to conform to traditional expectations, remaining true to one’s identity while continuing to evolve is essential.
For Helen James-Eziashi, General Manager at NGCOM, authenticity and curiosity remain key guiding principles. “Be yourself, keep learning, and stay curious.”
The discussion also highlighted the role of self-awareness in sustaining leadership journeys, particularly in complex and high-responsibility environments. Understanding one’s values, motivations, and support systems often becomes the anchor that allows leaders to navigate uncertainty with confidence.
Reflecting on this, Ifeanyi Onyejekwe, IT Manager at Eroton, emphasized the importance of knowing what grounds a leader.
“Know who you are and understand what supports and sustains your leadership journey.”
According to Descasio, the event reflects its broader commitment to building strong partnerships and fostering meaningful leadership conversations across its enterprise customer community.
“For us, this was about more than marking International Women’s Day,” said Umama David-Ogebe, The HR Manager at Descasio. “It was about creating a space where leaders could learn from one another and reflect on the kind of leadership that builds strong organizations. The most meaningful partnerships grow from conversations like these.”
To extend the impact of the discussion, Descasio has published “The Give to Gain Leadership Report: Insights from Women Leading Enterprise Organizations,” a curated publication capturing key reflections and leadership lessons shared during the session.
The report highlights themes including:
- The role of curiosity and continuous learning in leadership
• Building stronger teams through empathy and accountability
• The importance of authenticity and self-awareness in navigating leadership journeys
• How investing in people drives stronger partnerships and resilient organizations
The Give to Gain Leadership Report is now available for download Here.
News
World Backup Day: Research Reveals 84% of Users Store Sensitive Data Digitally

Ahead of World Backup Day, Kaspersky reveals the most popular ways to store important data and gives practical advice on how to keep it safe. Global research shows that zoomers and millennials keep nearly everything electronically, while almost one‑in‑three respondents over 55 y. o. still prefer good old‑fashioned paper.

Where do we store what matters?
Research* conducted by Kaspersky’s Market Research center shows that most people prefer to keep important info stored digitally.The majority of all respondents (84%) claim they store sensitive personal data like ID, financial details, healthcare related info or photo archive in electronic format.
When it comes to digital data storage, more than half (56%) say they keep their important records on a computer or a hard drive, 45% use cloud solutions and 20% entrust their data to government digital services.
Does digital mean safer?
Each storage method has its own advantages and limitations. Physical media can be lost or suffer damage, external hard drives are not always convenient to use on the go and cloud services, while being accessible, are vulnerable to unauthorised access. To maximise digital data security, Kaspersky experts advise adhering to the following best‑practice recommendations:
- Develop a backup strategy
There is no universal approach to data storage, nor is it necessary to back up every single file. Nonetheless, cultivating a regular backup routine is strongly recommended, particularly for sensitive data or files that cannot be regenerated or recovered through other means.
According to the popular 3-2-1 backup strategy you should have at least three copies of important data, store it on two different storage types, and make at least one copy off-side (cloud or external physical location).
The most sensitive data like passwords, ID or financial details requires special attention. Use a dedicated security solution like Kaspersky password manager, which apart from securely keeping users’ credentials and bank cards, has a special secret vault functionality aimed at storing important documents, for example, scanned Passports/IDs and PDF files, addresses and notes.
- Protect your vaults
According to Kaspersky’s data, 98% of all respondents take at least some measures to protect their personal data storages, which is a good sign. However, 36% of respondents use quick-to-remember passwords to safeguard their personal data.
Relying solely on simple passwords leaves your digital vaults vulnerable to brute‑force attacks. That’s why experts recommend enabling two‑factor authentication (2FA) wherever it is available or adopting passkey technology. Passkeys can be stored securely in a password manager and accessed seamlessly from any authorised device.
- Set up automatic backups where possible
Continuously remembering to perform backups can be cumbersome. To streamline the process, enable the built‑in backup service on every device you use (e.g., iCloud for iPhone/iPad/Mac, Google Drive/OneDrive for Android/Windows).
Test it once a month or two by restoring a single file, just to be sure the backup works. Kaspersky Premium allows users to make regular backups and restore information on Windows devices. Backup copies of data can be easily saved on removable drives or in cloud storage in an encrypted format.
“We all know backups are important, but most of us never do them because we try to back up everything at once and it gets overwhelming. The smarter approach? Treat backup like any other workflow. Tag your files – critical, important, low‑priority.
Automate real‑time backups for the critical stuff, schedule weekly or monthly backups for the rest. And for sensitive data like passwords and IDs, use our dedicated solution with a secret vault to keep it secure. When you automate and prioritise, you protect what really matters without getting overloaded,” comments Marina Titova, Vice President for Consumer Business in Kaspersky.
The study was conducted by Kaspersky’s market research center in November 2025. 3000 respondents from 15 countries (Argentina, Chile, China, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, UK, United Arab Emirates) took part in the survey.
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