Moniepoint Inc, has signed a landmark ₦3 billion commitment to establish three Innovation Hubs across some of Nigeria’s most prestigious federal universities over the next three years. The initiative represents one of the most significant private-sector investments in Nigerian higher education in recent memory.

The Moniepoint Innovations Hubs will be built at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and Ahmadu Bello University (ABU). The three institutions were strategically selected to scale the impact of the interventions across Nigeria’s geographic regions and to reflect a commitment to ensuring that opportunity is not concentrated in a single city or region but is proportionally distributed across the country, in line with Nigeria’s diversity and potential.

Each hub will serve as a permanent centre for hands-on training in software engineering, data science, and artificial intelligence; design; robotics; product development; and entrepreneurship.

Open to students across all faculties, the programme will guide participants from curiosity to career readiness through structured, cohort-based learning, mentorship, and real-world project execution.

The initiative was formally announced today at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-ife in a ceremony attended by the Vice-Chancellors of all three universities, senior leaders from academia and industry, student representatives, alumni, and members of Nigeria’s broader innovation ecosystem.

Speaking on the initiative, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Moniepoint Group, Tosin Eniolorunda said, “When you look at the success of companies like Moniepoint, it’s easy to forget that it all started with the foundational training we received right here in Nigerian universities.

This initiative is about paying that trust forward. Nigeria’s digital economy cannot run on potential alone; it requires immense, localized talent density. By launching these Innovation Hubs beginning with OAU, UNN, and ABU Zaria, we are intentionally anchoring world-class technical skills across the country.

And this is just the first step as we look across other tertiary institutions. Before we built anything, universities like UNILAG and OAU built people like Felix and I, giving us our first formal training in the disciplines that became our careers.”

Furthermore, Eniolorunda continued, “Nigeria’s future will to a very large extent be built by Nigerians trained in Nigerian institutions. These three Hubs are my contribution to making that future credible by creating a solid pipeline for the emergence of great products and ideas.

“To truly scale our digital economy, we need high-density, industry-ready tech talent as a bulwark. We are investing these billions of Naira to ensure our tech ecosystem is powered by sustainable, homegrown excellence.”

Also speaking at the announcement ceremony, the Vice Chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University, Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire, stated, “Obafemi Awolowo University has always stood for excellence, and for the belief that knowledge must serve society. This partnership with Moniepoint Group is a powerful affirmation of that conviction.

“The Moniepoint Innovation Hub will not only expand what our students can learn but also transform what they believe is possible. We are grateful to Moniepoint for choosing to root this investment in our institutions, and we are committed to ensuring that every naira translates into opportunity for our students and for Nigeria.”

Beyond financial support, Moniepoint Inc will contribute deep industry expertise through curriculum development, mentorship, internship pathways, and expert-led learning experiences. The company’s engineering, product, and business teams will collaborate directly with each hub to ensure that training is not only globally relevant but also firmly grounded in the realities and demands of the modern African technology ecosystem.

The hubs are designed to be living institutions, not lecture halls, but launchpads of Nigerian excellence. Students will complete structured cohort programmes, work on live projects, and benefit from direct connections to Moniepoint’s network of engineers, investors, and industry leaders. The goal is not simply to teach skills, but to produce the builders and problem-solvers who will shape the next chapter of Africa’s digital economy.

The ceremony which attracted dignitaries from within and outside the University included Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academics, Professor G.A Aderounmu, Dean, Faculty of Technology, OAU, Professor L. E. Umoru, Dean of the Faculty of Science, OAU, Professor O.A Adesina, DVC Academic of UNN, Professor Kamoru O Usman, DVC, Advancement, Research & Innovation”, ABU, Professor Aliyu Sanusi, Former Head of Department, Mechanical Engineering, Prof. Obayopo, VP, People Operations, Moniepoint, Chinaza Nduka-Dike, SVP, Enterprise Network Sales, Ifeanyi Duru amongst others.

It will be recalled that Moniepoint Innovation Hubs builds on earlier investments by the Tosin Eniolorunda STEM Foundation in building a CAD/CAM laboratory at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, OAU valued at over 100m naira and the HatchDev Program at the University of Lagos championed by Moniepoint’s co-founder & Chief Technology Officer, Felix Ike in partnership with NiITHub innovation centre where about 500 young developers are trained annually.

The initiative reinforces Moniepoint’s broader mission to create financial happiness for every African, everywhere, a mission that, the company believes, requires investing not only in financial infrastructure, but in the institutions and talent pipelines that will drive Africa’s future prosperity.

Legend Internet Plc has announced the full and timely repayment of its Series 1 Commercial Paper under its N10bn multi-layered issuance programme, marking a key milestone in the company’s engagement with Nigeria’s debt capital market.

Aisha Abdulaziz, chief executive officer, Legend Internet Plc,

The repayment, completed on schedule and in full, underscores the company’s financial discipline and its continued commitment to maintaining strong investor relations in a tightening funding environment.

The Series 1 issuance had earlier attracted significant demand, recording a 119.7 per cent oversubscription at launch, reflecting strong investor appetite and confidence in the company’s credit profile, operational performance, and long-term expansion strategy.

Speaking on the repayment, Aisha Abdulaziz, chief executive officer, Legend Internet Plc, said the outcome reinforces the company’s credibility and operational strength.

“The successful repayment of our Series 1 Commercial Paper demonstrates Legend Internet’s unwavering commitment to meeting its financial obligations and maintaining the trust of the investment community.

This milestone further reinforces the strength of our business model, operational discipline, and long-term vision for building resilient digital infrastructure across Nigeria,” she said.

She added that investor confidence has remained central to the company’s funding strategy, saying, “We remain deeply appreciative of the confidence shown by our investors, advisers, issuing houses, and market partners during the issuance and throughout the tenor of the programme. Their support continues to position Legend Internet for sustainable growth and expansion.”

The Commercial Paper programme forms part of Legend Internet Plc’s broader capital strategy aimed at supporting broadband infrastructure expansion, strengthening working capital efficiency, and accelerating investment in Nigeria’s digital connectivity.

Legend Internet Plc operates as a digital infrastructure and broadband services provider, with a focus on fibre connectivity, enterprise solutions, and next-generation digital services designed to expand access and support economic inclusion across Nigeria

Federal government has launched GovGuideNigeria, an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered digital platform designed to streamline access to public service information through WhatsApp and the web.

The platform consolidates information from more than 35 federal ministries and over 60 government agencies, marking a significant step in Nigeria’s drive to expand AI-enabled public infrastructure and digital government services.

According to Bosun Tijani, Nigeria’s minister of communications, innovation and digital economy, the initiative aims to simplify interactions with government services, particularly for underserved communities that often face challenges navigating complex public-sector systems.

Developed in collaboration with the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Meta, and Publica AI, GovGuideNigeria uses conversational AI to provide real-time responses via WhatsApp and a web interface in English, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba.

Sade Dada, head of public policy at Meta, said the multilingual rollout highlights the growing use of natural language processing within African public institutions to improve digital inclusion and broaden access to services.

Ignatius Willie, chief executive of Publica AI, said the platform demonstrates how Africa’s next generation of digital public infrastructure can be developed locally using African languages.

GovGuideNigeria is intended to address longstanding challenges in Nigeria’s public information system, where citizens often struggle to access reliable guidance because of fragmented government websites, poor communication channels and the expense of travelling to physical offices.

Through AI-driven automation, users can obtain information on immigration procedures, documentation requirements, public programmes and agency-specific services through chat-based interactions.

The launch also reflects Nigeria’s broader ambition to integrate AI into digital governance, while strengthening partnerships between government agencies, global technology companies and local AI startups to modernise public service delivery.