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Lagos, Four Others Get N23.7 Billion World Bank Intervention Fund

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World Bank has granted an intervention fund of about $158 million (equivalent of N23.7 billion) to Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Enugu and Cross Rivers states to support commercial agricultural development projects in the states.
Dr. Lucas Akaka, the bank’s project monitoring team leader disclosed the release of the fund at the weekend during a mission visit to Lagos, tasking the beneficiaries to speed up infrastructural development in their states to ensure effective implementation.
According to him, the World Bank earmarked a sum of $ 158 million for the sector improvement and development in five benefiting states including Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Enugu and Cross River states within a period of five years.
Akaka expressed misgiving at the snail pace of the project implementation, saying the project was designed “to be demand-driven, and beneficiary-oriented, towards achieving sustainability through organize associations’ involvement and public private participation.”
But the team leader acknowledged that the states “are making progress towards achieving its developmental objective, because when a project starts, you need time to prepare the ground to move. The staff members for the five states are in place, offices are in place and the project has two different components.”
According to him, the first relates to production and commercialization, while the other component relates to infrastructure and we focus on rural network of roads and energy.
He added that the state effort with respect to infrastructure improvement “is slow, though improvement is required in this area for this project to achieve its goal.”
In his response, Chief Enoch Arioso, Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives said the government’s commitment to the project implementation had been quite encouraging.
Arioso explained that the commitment of the Bank was further demonstrated in the unanimous vote by the State Executive Council for the approval of the sum of N168 million for the 2010 counterpart contribution to the project, listing the achievement of the project implementation in the state to include the registration of 292 commodity interest groups with over 2800 members.
Arioso said the state received no objection on commercial agriculture development plan to the tune of over N1 billion for implementation this year from the World Bank, adding that 66 sub projects were prepared out of which no objection were initially received for 21 sub projects valued at over N40million .
According to him, the Community Interest Group had implemented 18 approved sub- projects valued at about N36 million and another objection has been received for the additional 10 sub project valued at over N20 million.

 


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Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation to Open Portal for 1,000 University Tech Scholarships on Monday

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The Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation (LSEF), in collaboration with TD Africa, Konga Group, Zinox Technologies, and Task Systems, is set to officially launch its highly anticipated scholarship programme aimed at empowering 1,000 exceptional Nigerian indigent whiz-kids in the field of technology.

Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation to Open Portal for 1,000 University Tech Scholarships on Monday

Leo Stan Ekeh

The dedicated application portal, initially scheduled to go live on April 22, will now launch on  Monday,  April 27, 2026, following final technical enhancements to ensure a seamless, secure, and transparent application experience for prospective candidates nationwide.

This landmark initiative, first announced by Leo Stan Ekeh, Africa’s foremost tech icon and chairman of Zinox Group, forms part of his unwavering commitment to national development and youth empowerment.

The programme was unveiled on February 22, 2026, when Ekeh marked his 70th birthday. Rather than host an elaborate celebration befitting a man of his stature, he chose to channel resources into a cause that would create long-term impact for an economy, offering university scholarships to indigent but brilliant Nigerian youths to study Computer Science in federal institutions.

Building on a legacy of over 6709 beneficiaries trained over four decades by him and his companies, Mr. Ekeh at the time said the goal is to nurture a new generation of highly skilled technology professionals capable of supporting both the private and public sectors, while positioning Nigeria for greater competitiveness in the global digital economy.

This vision reflects his decades-long commitment to building sustainable  positive disruptive capacity within Nigeria’s technology ecosystem that shall alter the nation’s GDP.

The scholarship programme is designed to transcend mere financial support, offering beneficiaries access to a comprehensive ecosystem powered by the initiative’s distinguished partners. Beneficiaries will receive technical support, mentorship by very successful members of Nigeria Compute Society, and industry exposure to ensure that recipients are equipped with practical, market-relevant skills.

This multi-faceted approach ensures that scholarship beneficiaries gain not only theoretical knowledge but also hands-on experience and professional networks that will propel their careers in technology.

By leveraging the combined expertise and infrastructure of these industry leaders, the initiative is poised to deliver a transformative learning experience that prepares young Nigerians to compete effectively on the global stage. Beneficiaries will emerge as future-ready innovators capable of driving digital transformation across sectors and contributing meaningfully to Nigeria’s economic growth.

The initiative builds on the longstanding legacy of Leo Stan Ekeh, whose contributions to Nigeria’s technology landscape and by extension Africa have spanned decades and fundamentally reshaped the nation’s digital infrastructure. From pioneering indigenous computer manufacturing through Zinox Technologies to driving digital transformation across public and private sectors, Ekeh has consistently demonstrated a commitment to building sustainable technological capacity within Nigeria.

His investments in digital infrastructure, talent development, and indigenous innovation have positioned Nigeria as a formidable player in the global technology landscape.

This scholarship programme represents the latest chapter in that transformative journey, directly addressing the critical need for skilled technology professionals in an increasingly digital global economy.

As anticipation builds ahead of the April 27 launch, interested applicants are advised to visit the Konga.com website and click the Foundation banner on 1000 Tech Scholarships Awards where the application link and detailed participation guidelines will be published on the launch date. The organisers have assured that the selection process will be merit-driven, inclusive, and transparent, with a focus on identifying truly outstanding young talents from across Nigeria’s diverse regions.

 


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US Library Blames Hackers for Viral Posts Urging Violence in Nigeria

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Westerville Public Library, a public library that serves the community of Westerville, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus in United States is in the news after its social account urged violence against Nigerian politicians.

US Library Blames Hackers for Viral Posts Urging Violence in Nigeria

Library staff said the inflammatory messages were not written by any employees and moved quickly to purge the feed and regain control of the account, rattling regulars who are used to the library’s usually low-traffic presence in Uptown Westerville.

The Columbus Dispatch reported that the library’s X account first posted a message calling for the death of Nigerian politicians, starting with the country’s president.

According to the paper, most of those posts were wiped from the feed within about half an hour.

The Dispatch also noted that the account had been sitting dormant since 2024 before the violent statements suddenly went live, and its full report includes the timeline and language that circulated on the platform.

After the posts appeared, the library issued a short note on X that read, “Please disregard any recent posts you may have seen from the Westerville Library on this platform today. Thank you for your understanding.” As reported by The Columbus Dispatch, communications director Tamara Murray told the paper the account was hacked shortly before the messages were published and that staff were working to recover passwords.

The library did not immediately say whether law enforcement had been notified.

 

 


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IshowSpeed’s African Tour was ‘Spy Job,’ for Elon Musk-   Seun Kuti

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Oluseun Anikulapo Kuti, popularly known Seun Kuti, Nigerian musician, has claimed that IShowSpeed, American streamer’s African tour was was funded by Elon Musk, billionaire tech mogul.

IshowSpeed’s African Tour was ‘Spy Job,’ for Elon Musk-   Seun Kuti

Seun Kuti

According to the singer and the youngest son of Fela Kuti, Afrobeat pioneer, the tour aimed at testing the reach of Musk’s satellite across the African continent.

Seun Kuti also explained that the streamer’s tour was not just to see the beauty of Africa, but was a spy job for Elon Musk.

”They all have the agenda. All that was a spy job for Elon Musk. I hail him and we have our own people pursuing him with us“, he added.

IShowSpeed completed a landmark 28-day tour of Africa, visiting 20 countries between December 29, 2025, and January 27, 2026, aimed at experiencing local cultures and engaging with fans.

The trip, which featured live-streamed visits to nations including Nigeria, South Africa, and Ghana, saw him surpass 50 million subscribers. He described the experience as life-changing.


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