General News
Mojisola Sayo-Kazeem Reflects on Leadership, Opportunity, Women in Tech @ IWD
As the world marks International Women’s Day, Mojisola Sayo-Kazeem, Head of Finance, Jumia Nigeria & Ghana, reflects on how giving opportunity, mentorship, and support helps women thrive and strengthens organisations.
The future of work is digital, and for women it presents immense opportunities to innovate, lead, and shape the global economy. Yet thriving in a fast-paced, data-driven environment requires more than ambition or technical expertise. It requires opportunity and leadership that intentionally creates space for people to grow.
Reflecting on my own journey, I am reminded of how powerful those opportunities can be. I joined Jumia in 2012 as an accountant and, over time, grew into my current role as Head of Finance for Nigeria and Ghana.
Each stage of that journey came with new responsibilities and lessons that shaped my leadership perspective. One thing has become clear: growth rarely happens in isolation. It flourishes in environments where people are trusted, challenged, and supported to reach their full potential.
One of the most defining pillars of my career has been working within an organisation that invests in talent and encourages merit-based growth. At Jumia, a guiding principle is simple: let the best people and ideas grow. When organisations prioritise capability and innovation rather than bias, they create environments where individuals can thrive, and leadership potential can emerge naturally.
Leadership plays a crucial role in making this possible. Good leadership sharpens growth and experience, not only for the leader but for the teams they support. I have benefitted from leaders who shared knowledge, offered guidance, and entrusted me with meaningful responsibilities. Those opportunities challenged me to expand my skills, strengthen my judgement, and grow into larger leadership roles.
One experience that stands out was leading my team through the launch of a new business line under the guidance of our CFO. It demanded greater accountability, transparency, and strategic thinking. Looking back, it was more than a professional milestone, it was an opportunity to deepen my expertise and strengthen my leadership capacity.
Moments like these remind me that opportunity is one of the most powerful investments leaders can make in people. I also recognise and commend the many leaders who are already creating pathways for women to grow, lead, and contribute meaningfully. Their commitment to fairness, mentorship, and inclusion continues to open doors for others.
But there is still more to be done. As we mark International Women’s Day, this year’s theme, “Give to Gain,” invites leaders to reflect and to act. It challenges us to go beyond good intentions and intentionally create opportunities for women to grow and thrive based on merit, not favouritism or bias. This means sharing knowledge, investing in development, offering mentorship, and trusting capable women with meaningful responsibilities.
When we do this, we strengthen the people and institutions around us. Teams become more confident and capable, organisations become more resilient, and leadership pipelines become stronger and more diverse.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme, Give to Gain, reminds us that generosity is not subtraction, it is multiplication. When people, organisations, and communities give time, knowledge, visibility, advocacy, and support, opportunities for women expand. And when women thrive, industries, economies, and societies thrive with them.
When we give, we gain. The question for all of us is simple: What will you give to gain gender equality?
Police in Abuja have uncovered a criminal group making fake diplomatic and government number plates.
Ahmed Sanusi, commissioner of Police FCT, stated this during a press briefing on Friday.
He explained that criminals use these fake plates to dodge security checks and enter restricted areas.
The investigation started soon after Sanusi took office.
He noticed too many unauthorized cars driving around with official government and diplomatic tags.
“I immediately ordered a comprehensive investigation into this disturbing trend,” Sanusi said. He noted that these individuals use the plates as a cover to commit crimes and avoid arrest.
The police have already arrested several people caught using the fake plates.
They have also figured out who is making them.
The manufacturers operate outside Abuja, and police are actively hunting them down.
Sanusi kept their names secret so they would not flee.
He stressed that this is a highly profitable illegal business.
Buyers pay between N500,000 and N1.7 million for a single fake plate.
“This will tell you that they are making such huge expenditure because they have an agenda,” Sanusi explained.
“Now they will face punishment that is bigger than both the cost they incur and the agenda they are planning.”
The commissioner urged residents to report any cars with suspicious diplomatic plates.
He reminded the public that real diplomatic tags follow a very specific format.
A diplomatic number plate in Nigeria is a special vehicle identification tag issued to foreign embassies, high commissions, and accredited international diplomats.
Gavi has approved $500 million to strengthen Nigeria’s immunisation programme, primary healthcare services and long-term vaccine financing.
The move followed high-level discussions between Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, coordinating minister of Health and Social Welfare, ]and Dr. Sania Nishtar, chief executive officer, Gavi in Abuja.
The funding, approved under the Gavi 6.0 programme, will support Nigeria’s efforts to accelerate routine immunisation, sustain polio eradication, expand HPV vaccination, strengthen primary healthcare services, and improve long-term vaccine financing.
Speaking during the meeting, Pate said Nigeria was strengthening its partnership with Gavi to accelerate immunisation, expand primary healthcare services, and ensure sustainable financing for vaccines.
He welcomed Gavi’s country-focused reforms, including the introduction of a predictable five-year funding envelope.
Pate said the US$500 million allocation will enable Nigeria to plan more effectively and deliver life-saving vaccines to more children and vulnerable populations.
The minister also revealed that quarterly visits to primary healthcare centreshad increased from about 10 million in 2023 to more than 45 million, reflecting significant progress in revitalising the country’s primary healthcare system.
Pate welcomed the announcement of a US$600 million pledge by the United States government to Gavi, describing it as a strong endorsement of the alliance’s leadership and the global value of vaccines.
He also commended Nishtar for prioritising Nigeria and praised the closer coordination among Gavi, World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF, World Bank, Gates Foundation, and other development partners, describing it as a model that has improved efficiency and aligned support with Nigeria’s health sector reforms.
The minister expressed appreciation to Gavi and its partners for their continued technical and financial support, while calling on state governments to invest more in healthcare and immunisation to complement federal efforts.
For many women, financial independence means the freedom to provide for their families and build a better future. Yet, this remains out of reach due to limited access to opportunities, business support, and secure payment solutions.
Like millions of women in Nigeria determined to be financially independent, Pricillia started with a single PalmPay POS terminal, and as an agent, every successful transaction provided a commission which brought her one step closer to achieving her dream.
Through consistency, discipline, and support from the payment platform, she reinvested her earnings and eventually opened her own provision store.
“I started as just a PalmPay agent with one POS. The consistency of the platform gave me the confidence to expand. With the income I earned, I was able to open my own provision shop.” Priscilla said.
For Priscilla, PalmPay was more than a payment platform. Its secure payment infrastructure gave her the confidence to serve her customers, build trust, and grow her income.
Today, Pricillia has joined the statistics of SMEs powering Nigeria’s economy and PalmPay continues to support her daily operations, helping her receive payments, as she works towards her next business milestone. Her journey is a reminder that when women have access to secure financial tools and opportunities, they can build lasting economic independence.
Speaking on Pricillia’s journey, Femi Hanson, Head of Marketing, PalmPay said: “Providing a secure platform that users can trust, whether for everyday payments or high-value transactions, is central to our vision of advancing financial inclusion. Priscilla’s story reflects our commitment to supporting the ambitions of Nigerians by providing a platform they can rely on to grow their finances. After all, seamless banking begins with security, and every successful transaction reinforces the trust our users place in us.”
Priscilla stands among thousands of PalmPay agents nationwide who are helping to expand financial access across Nigeria while earning commissions to create sustainable sources of income for themselves.
Every payment tells a story. It begins with trust, the confidence that your money is secure and that financial services are accessible. And when that opportunity reaches women, it creates ripple effects that transform families, strengthen communities, and drive economic growth.
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