General News
ITF to Train 2m Nigerians Annually

The Industrial Training Fund has lamented the huge indebtedness of government and private sector contributors to the funding of its operations.
Dr. Juliet Chukkas-Onaeko, Director General of the fund, disclosed this in Asaba, the Delta State capital at the opening of the 16th Management Retreat of the fund. But she did not give details of the indebtedness.
Chukkas-Onaeko said the failure of contributors to promptly remit their training contributions could hamper the fund’s efforts to meet the task given to it by the Federal Government to train two million Nigerians every year.
She said already ITF has trained more than 35,000 young people all over the country in the National Industrial Skills Development Programme component of the National Industrial Revolution Plan.
“However, the manpower requirements of the Federal Government‘s Transformation Agenda requires that we should do more,” she said.
The ITF DG said while the fund would not relent in providing its own service to government and the private sector, government and the private sector should know that they have to support the fund.
Chukkas-Onaeko said the Asaba retreat was organised to get its management staff to embrace change as an effective means of improving performance.
“Our ability to succeed as a corporate body is dependent on our willingness to accept change. As leaders in ITF, you are expected to be at the forefront of this change process,” she said. The theme of the retreat is, “Mastering the Art of Leading Change.”
The retreat was declared open by the Deputy Governor, Prof. Amos Utuama, who represented the Delta State Governor, said the state identifies with ITF’s social and economic empowerment programmes.
He demanded that ITF should sensitise the people more about its NISDP programme, which appears to be addressing poverty alleviation and capacity building of youths.
General News
Fortune Global Shipping Aims to Transform Nigeria’s Business Landscape

Fortune Global Shipping and Logistics Limited is set to transform the business landscape of the logistics industry through services in oil and gas logistics, project cargo and lots more.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the company, Dr. Eric Opah, in a statement said the organisation is expanding into more regions across the globe with its latest addition of a corporate office in Benin Republic, while the Abuja and Lekki free trade zones which follow soon will be part of asset acquisition to serve the clients better.
In the statement tagged, “Plans for 2025: Global Business Expansion, Exciting Benefits for Customers Top the List,” Opah said he remains committed to upholding and promoting global standards and will stop at nothing in providing value added services to support clients and help them thrive this year.
He said: “The organisation is expanding into more regions across the globe with its latest addition of a corporate office in Benin Republic, while the Abuja and Lekki free trade zones which follow soon will be part of asset acquisition to serve the clients better.
“Much more, the number one Africa logistics partner has reiterated the commitment to provide innovative and ‘value-centric’ services in oil and gas logistics, project cargo and lots more.
“We remain committed to upholding and promoting global standards and will stop at nothing in providing value added services to support our clients and help them thrive this year.”
General News
Investing in Innovation Africa Shifts Focus to Growth-stage Startups in Response to US Aid “stop-work” Directive

Investing in Innovation Africa (i3), a pan-African initiative for startups building the future of healthcare supply chains, has made a pivotal change to its third cohort selection to prioritize the immediate support for between five and seven growth-stage companies building the future of pharmacy care in Africa.
Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and sponsored by MSD, Cencora, Endless Foundation, HELP Logistics, Sanofi’s Global Health Unit and Chemonics, i3 is dedicated to facilitating the commercialization of promising early- and growth-stage companies.
Selected startups receive introductions to leading potential customers in industry, donor agencies and governments, grant funding, and tailored investment readiness support from leading accelerators Villgro Africa, IMPACT Lab, Startupbootcamp Afritech, and CcHUB.
This comes in response to the United States (US) State Department’s “stop-work” directive for foreign aid issued on January 25, which is anticipated to impact the distribution of essential medicine in Africa’s healthcare supply chains.
The order highlights and intensifies the need for locally-driven, market-creating approaches to health product distribution and service delivery across Africa.
General News
Fidelity Bank to Launch Dedicated SME Hub for Small Businesses and Creative Entrepreneurs

Fidelity Bank, a leading financial institution, has announced the imminent launch of its dedicated physical facility for Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (SME) and entrepreneurs in the creative sector.

Mrs. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, MD/CEO, Fidelity Bank Plc
Known as the Fidelity SME Hub, the multipurpose facility features training halls, meeting rooms, networking spaces, podcast rooms as well as music, photography and content production studios.
“For nearly four decades, Fidelity Bank has been at the forefront of supporting small businesses in achieving their potential and driving the nation’s economy. During this time, we have recognized that SMEs require more than just financial assistance. This realization has led to the implementation of various non-financial initiatives tailored to support this sector.
“The Fidelity SME Hub is our latest non-financial solution for SME growth. The facility is designed to foster innovation, collaboration, and capacity-building -vital elements necessary for strengthening Nigeria’s SME ecosystem and driving economic growth”, commented Dr Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Fidelity Bank Plc in a chat with journalists recently.
Located at the heart of Lagos, the Fidelity SME Hub will provide entrepreneurs with networking and stakeholder engagement initiatives as well as access to industry experts and mentors for hands-on guidance and business advice. A key feature of the facility is the Creativerse, a well-equipped space for entrepreneurs in the creative industry.
The bank has also announced the launch of dedicated courses to be hosted at the SME Hub in areas such as Financial Management & Investment Readiness, Digital Transformation & Technology Adoption, Marketing, Branding, and Business Growth Strategies. Furthermore, a fully-fledged creative academy will be established to cover courses on Music Production, the Business of Music, Website Design & Development, Mobile Videography, Disc Jockey and Photography. To see a comprehensive list of available courses or to apply, please visit https://www.fidelitybank.ng/smehub/.
Explaining further, Onyeali-Ikpe said, “Beyond empowering small businesses, the Fidelity SME Hub will also serve to bolster our non-oil exports drive as we empower SMEs to increase their contribution to Nigeria’s non-oil GDP thus supporting government’s economic diversification drive. Through our investment in Creativerse in particular, we anticipate that content creators will unlock new revenue streams in entertainment, digital media, and arts, an industry already contributing 2.3% to GDP.”
Ranked among the best banks in Nigeria, Fidelity Bank is a full-fledged customer commercial bank serving over 8.5 million customers through its 255 business offices in Nigeria and the United Kingdom, as well as through digital banking channels.
The bank has garnered multiple local and international awards, including the Export Finance Bank of the Year at the 2023 BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards, Best Payment Solution Provider Nigeria 2023, and Best SME Bank Nigeria 2022 by the Global Banking and Finance Awards. It was also recognized as the Best Bank for SMEs in Nigeria by the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2023 and the Best Domestic Private Bank in Nigeria by the Euromoney Global Private Banking Awards 2023.
- E-Business3 days ago
Firm Discovers New Crypto-stealing Trojan in AppStore, Google Play
- E-Business3 days ago
IBM Exits Nigeria and Ghana, Transfers Operations to MIBB
- E-Business3 days ago
UK Criminalises AI-Generated Child Abuse Images
- Telecom3 days ago
Reps Begin Probe of Telcos Over Illegal NIN-SIM Linkage
- News2 days ago
NOTAP to Relaunch Fruit Juice Production Initiative
- E-Financial2 days ago
FG Seeks Fresh $580m Loan from World Bank
- Telecom3 days ago
Zoho Corporation Expands AI Capabilities with New Zia Agents and Studio
- E-Financial3 days ago
NAICOM, World Bank Explore Opportunities for Collaboration