Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) and Miva Open University, Abuja, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly promote digital technology and academic excellence in computer science and innovation.

Mr. David Daser,  president/CEO, DBI, and Professor Tayo Arulogun, vice chancellor, Miva Open University.

DBI, a Federal Government-owned ICT training institute with headquarters in Abuja and campuses across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones, hosted the signing ceremony at its headquarters.

The MoU marks a significant step in formalizing and strengthening the existing relationship between the two institutions.

Signing on behalf of their institutions were

Speaking during the event, Mr. Daser praised Professor Arulogun’s leadership and commitment to academic development, which he said made the partnership possible. He emphasized that unlike many MoUs that remain inactive, this collaboration is set to deliver tangible results.

“We value this partnership and are confident it will meaningfully contribute to Nigeria’s education sector. DBI is fully prepared to implement the agreement and drive an impact across our campuses in Enugu, Abuja, Kano, Lagos, Asaba, and Yola,” Daser said.

He added that the collaboration would strengthen DBI’s National Innovation Diploma (NID) program and other initiatives through shared resources and new opportunities.

Professor Arulogun, in his remarks, highlighted the need for greater collaboration among Nigerian universities, criticizing the prevalent “do-it-alone syndrome.”

“Many institutions prefer to operate in silos, but collaboration is key. Pooling resources and working together will enhance capacity and academic output,” he stated. “With this partnership, we are ready to hit the ground running  from student exchange to joint innovation projects like hackathons.”

He noted that hackathons provide platforms for discovering hidden talents and fostering innovation, and Miva is eager to integrate such activities into its academic programs.

Mr. Emeka Nzeih, head of Learning and Development, DBI, outlined the partnership’s key focus areas: student internships, real-world project collaborations, joint research in fields like AI, robotics, and cybersecurity, and shared access to DBI’s ICT labs and equipment for Miva’s students and faculty.

According to Nzeih, the initiative aims to enhance practical learning, foster innovation, and build capacity through collaborative training, research, and mentorship.

By 8 am on July 9, GTCO Holdings is set to commence trading on the London Stock Exchange.

As the group is set to list all its shares on the London Stock Exchange, becoming the first Nigerian banking entity to do so.

This is as the group launches a public offer of new ordinary shares to raise approximately $100 million on the London Stock Exchange.

The equity offering, which is an accelerated bookbuild and managed by Citigroup, began on July 2 and is to last until July 31.

On July 31, the group announced that it would cancel the listing of its Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs) on the UK Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Official List.

It will also cancel their admission to trading on the London Stock Exchange (LSE)’s main market.

In place of the GDRs, the group will list all its ordinary shares directly.

aims to admit all its shares to the equity shares category for international commercial companies under a secondary listing on the FCA’s Official List.

The shares will also begin trading on the LSE’s main market for listed securities.

According to a regulatory filing on the London Stock Exchange, the net proceeds from the offering will be used to recapitalize GTBank Nigeria.

Based on the prevailing exchange rate of N1,540 to the US dollar, the targeted $100 million equates to approximately N154 billion.

This capital raise is expected to position the Group to fully meet the N500 billion minimum paid-up share capital required by regulators for banks with international licenses.

As of now, both Zenith Bank and Access Holdings have already met—and exceeded—this threshold.

As part of their ongoing efforts to support the growth of Africa’s creative industries and drive job creation in the region, IFC and the African Development Bank have announced a collaboration with EbonyLife Media, Nigeria’s leading media company, to explore the conditions for the creation of a pan-African investment vehicle targeted at the region’s film sector.

The aim is to improve access to financing for productions that promote original African stories around the world. EbonyLife Media has built a reputation for bringing compelling African narratives to global audiences through innovative storytelling.

The company has produced some of the highest-grossing movies in the region and enjoys strategic collaborations with global media companies, including Sony Pictures Television, Westbrook Studios, Starz, Macro Film Studios and Idris Elba’s 22 Summers.

This effort is in line with IFC’s strategy to expand Africa’s creative industries, recognizing the sector’s potential to drive job creation – especially for youth – promote inclusive narratives, and stimulate economic growth across emerging markets.

Despite the growth of film production across the continent over the last few years, Africa’s film sector remains untapped. According to UNESCO, the sector currently supports approximately 5 million jobs and contributes $5 billion to the continent’s GDP.

However, the industry faces significant challenges that inhibit its growth potential, including persistent financing gaps, policy barriers and lack of a robust intellectual property regulatory framework and implementation, which results in up to 50 percent revenue loss to piracy by film producers in the region.

In this context, IFC, AfDB and Ebony Life are exploring ways in which they can crowd in more capital into African film productions and support the expansion of the film industry at scale in the continent, while working with governments to introduce protection of intellectual property and film incentives, essential to strengthen the economics of film production in the continent.

“Africa’s creative economy is a cultural asset and an engine for inclusive growth, youth employment, and global influence. Through this partnership, we aim to unlock new capital for the continent’s storytellers, helping them bring authentic African voices to international platforms while boosting job creation in one of the most dynamic sectors of the future,” said Dahlia Khalifa, Regional Director for Central Africa and Anglophone West Africa at IFC.

Ousmane Fall, The African Development Bank Group’s Director for Private Sector Operations, said: “This collaboration reflects the African Development Bank Group’s growing interest in creative industries as a growth sector supporting entrepreneurship and job creation for young people and women in Africa.

“By joining forces with EbonyLife, Nigeria’s premium media conglomerate, and IFC, a like-minded DFI institution, we are seeking to support the creation of a sustainable investment vehicle for film production in Africa”.

“This has been a long time coming. For nearly two years, I’ve been quietly laying the groundwork—defining and building an ecosystem designed to scale, to unlock opportunity, and to provide the vital capital African filmmakers need to create stories that resonate across borders and generations.

“Today, I am thrilled and deeply proud to welcome the IFC and AfDB on this journey. Together, we will identify ways in which we can catalyze a new era of African storytelling that can thrive on the global stage” said Mo Abudu, CEO, EbonyLife Media.