Telecom
Nova Merchant Bank’s Funke Okoya Appointed Chairperson, Women’s Empowerment Commission of Women in Finance Nigeria
Mrs Funke Okoya, an Executive Director, NOVA Merchant Bank has been appointed Chairperson, Women’s Empowerment Commission of the Women in Finance Nigeria.
Okoya’s appointment was announced along with four other new executives at a recent signing of the International Partnership/Affiliation with the Women Working for Change.
The Women Working for Change is an organ of the African CEO Forum, the largest international forum of the African private sector.
The newly appointed Exco Members were selected from committed Senior Executive members of the organisation and have been charged with the specific duty of chairing the Association’s five new Commission.
Mrs Okoya’s appointment as Chairperson is a major push for the capacity development of women in Nigeria and it is expected to drive initiatives that advance women’s cause, pursuit of financial literacy and inclusion for women while promoting gender parity.
Speaking at the event, the Chairperson, Women in Finance Nigeria, Mrs Toyin Sanni, said, “We are very excited about the launch of these important commissions under the leadership of these dynamic senior executives as well as the election of our new national secretary all of whom served creditably, over time at WIFNG.”
Funke Okoya who expressed excitement at the appointment said, “This appointment is designed to speak to the yearnings of women in Nigeria and further enrich the conversation around capacity building, provide access to finance, broaden value realization, add relevance, recognition and network for women.”
She added that the expanded executive committee demonstrates the association’s commitment to supporting women across the country by providing leadership and sustainable professional development for women, through creative coalition and partnerships with international women organizations like Women Working for Change.
Funke is an Executive Director, Investment Banking and Subsidiaries at NOVA Merchant Bank, and has been driving key initiatives that are transforming the Bank into leadership position.
While congratulating Mrs Okoya on her appointment, the Chairman of NOVA Merchant Bank, Mr Phillips Oduoza, said Funke has been at the forefront of gender diversity, sustainability and female inclusion adding, “As a board, we are glad for the recognition which will elevate the commission to the next level under her chairmanship.”
NOVA Merchant Bank is a leading merchant bank in Nigeria that offers an integrated suite of financial solutions covering Financial Intermediation, Wholesale and Investment Banking, Asset and Wealth Management, Trade Services, Transaction Banking, Cash Management and Digital Banking.
Women in Finance Nigeria (WIFNG) is a non-profit organization registered in 2016 to provide policy advocacy for greater representation of women in the financial sector and in financial roles in Public and Private Sector Organizations. WIFNG advocates for positive economic policies and is a platform for women in financial roles to collectively tackle workplace and societal challenges affecting women. WIFNG also provides Capacity Building, Networking and Economic Empowerment opportunities. In 2019, it established and registered its UK Chapter, WIFNG UK, a vibrant body for African women working in the United Kingdom Financial Services Sector.
Google has launched its Search Live feature globally to over 200 countries, including Nigeria, where AI Mode is available, enabling voice-and-camera conversations in users’ preferred languages.
Powered by the new multilingual Gemini 3.1 Flash Live model, it delivers natural, real-time interactions via the Google app on Android or iOS—tap the Live icon under the Search bar.
Ideal for hands-free help, users can speak queries for audio replies, follow-ups, or web links. Camera integration adds visual context, like troubleshooting a shelving unit, or pairs with Google Lens for real-world chats.
From the app or Lens, Nigerians can now explore, learn, or solve tasks instantly, boosting everyday productivity worldwide.
Clean and reliable power for telecom networks in Ethiopia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone will be expanded following a $45 million investment by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in IPT PowerTech.
The investment targets countries where limited power supply continues to slow digital connectivity and broader economic participation, the institution stated earlier this week.
To enable this expansion, the IFC is providing a $45 million corporate financing package consisting of an A-loan of $27 million and $18 million in blended finance.
The blended portion is sourced from the Canada-IFC Blended Climate Finance Programme and the IDA20 Private Sector Window Blended Finance Facility.
The initiative marks the IFC’s first direct infrastructure engagement in Liberia in a decade and in Sierra Leone in six years.
It will help scale solar- and battery-based power systems that reduce reliance on diesel and support greener, more resilient telecom networks.
By improving the quality and stability of power to telecom towers, the initiative will strengthen mobile coverage and ensure that households, schools, health centres, and small businesses can depend on consistent digital services, said the IFC.
The funding supports the modernisation, operation, and maintenance of 2 235 telecom sites across the three nations. More than 90% of these are located in off-grid or weak-grid locations.
With new solar and battery systems powering these sites, mobile networks will experience fewer outages and improved service quality.
Optimising the energy mix is estimated to reduce power costs for operators by up to 30% in Liberia, 26% in Sierra Leone, and 52% in Ethiopia.
This transition is also expected to cut emissions by more than 10 624 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Furthermore, the partnership will promote gender inclusion by expanding opportunities for women in technical, operational, and leadership roles within the sector, says the IFC.
This agreement reflects a shared vision for a greener telecom industry and empowers the company to scale its innovative energy platforms, according to Nabil Haddad, CEO of IPT PowerTech Group.
Reliable and affordable power for telecom networks is a cornerstone of Africa’s digital transformation, said Nathalie Kouassi-Akon, IFC regional director for West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea.
Through this partnership, the institution is supporting a scalable, private sector-led solution that enables mobile operators to reach underserved and fragile communities more sustainably, added Kouassi-Akon.
The project advances the World Bank Group and African Development Bank’s Mission 300 initiative, which aims to provide electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.
Expedier has unveiled “Expedier for Business,” an online pro-banking platform to simplify global payments, multi-currency transactions, and financial operations for expanding companies.
Kingsley Madu
The tool centralizes payments, invoicing, payroll, and treasury into one secure dashboard, tackling challenges like fragmented systems and poor visibility that hinder international scaling.
Kingsley Madu, Co-Founder and CEO of Expedier, said: “African businesses are increasingly global… Expedier for Business was built to simplify how companies manage money across borders while maintaining visibility, control, and compliance.”
Key features include customizable dashboards for payments, invoices, and workflows; support for USD, CAD, GBP, EUR, and more; virtual cards; automated payroll/invoicing; currency swaps; and real-time tracking.
Security measures cover two-factor authentication, KYC/KYB verification, and team access controls.
As cross-border trade and remote work boom in Africa, the platform aids firms dealing with international suppliers, teams, and customers. It is now available for organizations scaling globally.
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