E-Financial
Ogunsanya, Airtel MD Advices SMEs to Invest in Technology @ UBA Business Series

In adjusting to the new normal, business owners and operators of Small and Medium Scale businesses have been advised to invest massively in technology and find ways to source their raw materials or supplies locally, as this is expected to boost their activities and help them stay afloat especially in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Segun Ogunsanya, managing director/chief executive officer, Airtel Nigeria, who gave these tips at the UBA Quarterly Business Series on Tuesday, said that it is important that businesses redefine their activities to adapt to the new normal which most economies have found themselves as a result of the raging virus.
The UBA Business Series, organised by Pan-African financial institution, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, is a capacity building initiative held every quarter, where leading business leaders share insights on best business practices and how entrepreneurs can build a sustainable business empire especially in the challenging business environment in Africa.
This edition was moderated by Bankole Williams, chief executive officer, Lyd Consulting.
Ogunsanya spoke on the topic: ‘Strategies and competencies for adjusting to a Post COVID-19 Business Environment’, where he sought to equip business owners with the important and essential strategies on how to recover and rebuild their business concerns following losses incurred due to the pandemic which took the world by storm, forcing many businesses to re-examine their models and strategies in line with the new normal.
Giving essential strategies to business owners to help their businesses thrive and stay afloat, he said, “I must stress the need for business owners to invest in technology as it is very key in the new normal to ensure that our employees are able to deliver the goods and services to customers while remaining safe and keeping the customers safe also. Remember that the customer is still the king, so it is important to ensure that you configure all your operations to make sure that they are still able to transact their businesses and also encourage online payment for services because handling cash can also be dangerous. More importantly, look for ways to configure your businesses to what your customers actually need especially in this era of physical and social distancing.”
While giving examples of companies that have changed the direction of their businesses due to the limitations occasioned by Covid-19 pandemic, Ogunsanya told the over 2,000 participants at the webinar, that this period called for critical evaluation of businesses where SMEs should think of creative ways to ensure that they meet the needs of customers and provide services that customers are actually willing to pay for.
“If as a business you find out that a huge part of your key services are not in high demand as a result of lockdown rules, then it is important to reconfigure your services; find other needs that you can meet for customers; look for various things you can do differently, completely cut out wastes and costs that are irrelevant as well as areas where value is not being added to the customers and ensure that you have a digital roadmap” he said in response to a participant who wanted to know how to increase productivity.
Jude Anele, UBA’s group head, Consumer and Retail Banking, who spoke ahead of the webinar, said that far beyond banking services, UBA is interested in ensuring that customers and entrepreneurs run businesses that can stand the test of time, adding that the Business Series seeks to arm business leaders with all the knowledge and experience required to take their businesses to the next level. “it is always an opportunity to learn something new from the people who have the experience,” Anele said.
United Bank for Africa is a leading pan-African financial institution offering banking services to more than twenty million customers globally.
With footprint in 20 African countries and presence globally in the United Kingdom, the USA and France, UBA is connecting people and businesses across Africa through retail, commercial and corporate banking, innovative cross border payments and remittances, trade finance and ancillary banking services.
E-Financial
NAICOM, NCRIB Commit to Drive Penetration

Mr. Olusegun Ayo Omosehin, the Commissioner for Insurance (CFI), has reaffirmed the National Insurance Commission’s (NAICOM) commitment to strengthening collaboration with the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers (NCRIB) to enhance compliance, consumer protection, and broader insurance awareness across the country.
Mr. Omosehin, gave the assurance when he received a delegation from NCRIB, led by its President, Prince Babatunde Oguntade, alongside the incoming President and incumbent Vice President, Mrs. Ekeoma Ezeibe, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja, according to a statement.
Welcoming the delegation, the Commissioner commended the Council for its sustained partnership with NAICOM and applauded its role in advancing industry compliance and professionalism.
He congratulated Prince Aguntade, Mrs. Ezeibe, and Mr. Tope Adaramole, appreciating their contributions towards strengthening consumer protection and broker engagement.
The CFI further congratulated NCRIB on the successful passage of the Nigerian Insurance Reform Act (NIIRA) 2025, stressing that enforcement remains the real task ahead. He assured the Council that NAICOM would continue to rely on its collaboration to achieve effective implementation.
Highlighting industry priorities, Mr. Omosehin emphasized the need to expand insurance awareness, improve competence across the market, and ensure operators align with the Digitalization Regulation 2025.
E-Financial
African Parliaments Move to Plug $587Bn Annual Revenue Leakages

Lawmakers from several African countries converged in Abuja on Monday to collaborate on strategies to block the annual revenue leakages of $587 billion, as reported by the African Development Bank (AfDB) in May this year.
This comes as Nigeria’s National Assembly reaffirmed its commitment to establishing the National Assembly Budget and Research Office (NABRO)—an independent, non-partisan budget office designed to support evidence-based budgeting, comparable to the United States Congressional Budget Office (CBO).
The urgency to curb the $587 billion (approximately ₦887 trillion) lost to capital flight across Africa was brought to the fore at the opening session of the 8th Conference of the African Network of Parliamentary Budget Offices (AN-PBO), held in Abuja.
In his keynote address, Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the House of Representatives, stressed that there was no better time for African legislators to confront the continent’s fiscal and governance challenges through effective and efficient legislation.
According to him, revenue leakages—particularly those resulting from corruption, illicit financial flows, and systemic inefficiencies—must be addressed through enhanced budget scrutiny and oversight.
“According to the African Development Bank, Africa loses over $587 billion annually to capital flight—money that flees the continent through corruption, illicit trade, mispricing, and profit shifting by multinational corporations,” Abbas said.
“Corruption alone is estimated to drain about $148 billion annually, while other illicit financial flows—such as trade malpractices and smuggling—siphon away tens of billions more. This is money that should be building roads in Lagos, equipping hospitals in Nairobi, or improving schools in Accra. Instead, it vanishes.”
He noted that Nigeria presents a cautionary example of both the scale of the problem and the urgent need for reform.
“In our public procurement processes—which account for a significant portion of government spending—Nigeria loses an estimated $18 billion annually to financial crimes, roughly 3.8% of our GDP. These leaks could fund countless social programmes.”
Abbas emphasised that budget leakages undermined the effectiveness of government programmes and must be stopped to ensure better outcomes for citizens.
“That is why we are increasing oversight hearings, audit inquiries, and strengthening anti-corruption legislation. Oversight is essential to ensure that limited resources are deployed for the public good,” he stated.
He also highlighted the lack of institutional capacity in many African parliaments, which hampers their ability to effectively scrutinise budgets and monitor public expenditure.
“Without access to high-quality fiscal data and independent economic analysis, legislators cannot adequately hold the executive accountable on complex macroeconomic issues such as debt sustainability and investment efficiency.”
This, he explained, is precisely the gap that Parliamentary Budget Offices (PBOs) are intended to fill.
Abbas stated that Nigeria was responding to these challenges through reforms aimed at strengthening the legislative ‘power of the purse’ and ensuring greater accountability in public finance.
“One of the most significant advancements is our effort to establish the National Assembly Budget and Research Office (NABRO) as an independent, non-partisan body to support our legislature.
“Let me assure this audience that the National Assembly is fully committed to NABRO’s realisation, full funding, and independence,” he further said.
He added that beyond NABRO, the Nigerian legislature was pursuing a broader fiscal governance agenda: “We are revising our Fiscal Responsibility and Finance laws to enhance budgetary discipline and transparency. We are also empowering our Public Accounts Committees to take decisive action on audit findings.”
Earlier in his remarks, Barrister Kamoru Ogunlana, clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), described the conference as a critical platform for peer learning and capacity building, aimed at institutionalising evidence-based public finance management.
“I encourage us all to use this conference not only as a platform for exchange, but as a springboard for innovation and renewed commitment to fiscal responsibility,” he said.
Representatives from 16 African countries participated in the conference, including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Tanzania, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, Liberia, The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Cape Verde, among others.
E-Financial
JustMarkets Unveils Revamped IB Program with Flexible Commissions, Enhanced Partner Benefits

JustMarkets, a global multi-asset broker, presented a new version of its Introducing Broker Program.
The upgraded IB structure is designed to give even higher returns, more partner transparency, commission flexibility, long-term growth, and clearer rules, adapted to the current macroeconomic environment.
Let’s see why this program is so groundbreaking and what benefits it offers to each partner.
Benefit #1. Income for 100% of client trading volume
The standout change is the shift from a fixed-per-lot payout to a percentage-based commission model, allowing partners to earn:
Up to 45% of the spread on Standard, Standard Cent accounts.
Up to 30% of the spread on Pro accounts.
Such a flexible system helps partners to get rewards for 100% of client trading volume, including scalping, intraday, and other short-term strategies often excluded under traditional fixed-lot programs.
Benefit #2. Higher spreads in times of market volatility
Under the percentage-based model, spreads can increase during periods of market volatility. As a result, commissions will increase, too. Regardless of what traders prefer: gold, oil, Forex, or digital assets, partners can benefit directly from market movement, which makes this program exceptionally profitable during active trading conditions.
Benefit #3. No longer bound by strict MTP rules
Perhaps the biggest frustrations for IBs have been the Minimum Trading Point requirement, which filters out a huge portion of eligible trades. JustMarkets has fully removed it, meaning every completed trade went straight to the partner earnings. This creates a better, more predictable revenue stream, especially valuable for high-frequency traders.
Benefit #4. More tools, transparency, and rewards
JustMarkets has also improved its Partner Area with real-time reporting tools, updated commission details, and full visibility into client spreads directly in the trading terminal. This change aimed to build more trustful broker-traders and broker-partners relationships by showing exactly how commissions are calculated.
To further support growth, the program offers loyalty rewards worth up to $500,000, including cash bonuses, luxury gadgets, and even cars. Nigerian partners also benefit from naira-friendly deposits and withdrawals, as well as access to marketing assets like banners, landing pages, and analytics.
A program built for long-term partnerships
JustMarkets is strengthening its commitment to partner success with a next-level IB program built for today’s market dynamics. This upgrade removes outdated requirements like the MTP, ensuring that every trade contributes to partner earnings. It also features a flexible, percentage-based commission system, offering up to 45% of the spread for all instruments, from gold and oil to Forex and digital assets.
According to Yasser Mansour, who is JustMarkets Senior Key Account Manager, all these changes were made with partners and traders in mind:
“We did everything to deliver a fairer, more adaptable, and more rewarding partnership model. Our team believes that traders and partners are the heart of every innovation and service we work on. The revamped IB program is a great tool for partners to get new opportunities, grow their businesses, and succeed in highly volatile markets. Our sincere aim is to provide the most transparent and rewarding partnership environment for partners and traders worldwide.”
To start using the JustMarkets Trading app, simply register and download it on your Android or iOS device.
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