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Python Nigeria Community Seeks to Connect Industry to Python Ecosystem

The Python Nigeria community is seeking to connect with industry in Nigeria to showcase its deep talent and skills. Python Nigeria is a 5,000-plus member, non-profit association, and a member of the Python Software Foundation (PSF). The PSF holds the intellectual property rights on the Python programming language.

This was disclosed by Pius Okigbo Jr., Chairperson of the Python Nigeria Community, at the plenary of its first PyCon Nigeria 2020, two-day, virtual conference which end on Wednesday, December 9th. The conference theme was fittingly, “Bridging the Sustainability Development Gap: Developing Sustainable Solution in a Post COVID-19 era.”
According to Mr. Okigbo, connecting and linking the community to industry represents a sustainable development approach to create value-added solutions that ultimately will lead to increased job opportunities and wealth creation.
“This year’s programme has been deliberately designed and packaged with the intent to connect our community to industry, share trending and innovative ideas, find ways to inspire our youth and celebrate our talent,” he said.
This, Mr. Okigbo said, a former President of the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON), is the reason why powerhouse corporations and foundations—MTN, UBA Foundation, KPMG, Africa Fintech Foundry and the Tony Elumelu Foundation—sponsored, and partnered with, the PyCon Nigeria 2020 virtual conference.
Lorena Mesa, the Chairperson of the PSF, in her keynote address highlighted what the Foundation is doing to connect communities, especially in Africa. According to her, “the Foundation as part of its mission is to promote, protect, and advance the Python programming language to continue to develop programming skills and software development capacity in Africa.”
She said the Foundation supports and facilitates the growth of a diverse and inclusive community of Python programmers that are being spearheaded by local groups, individuals and initiatives working at grassroots level across Africa.
Following Lorena Mesa’s keynote, Ewa Jadlowska, Executive Director at PSF, in her presentation on the second day, highlighted the massive impact the coronavirus pandemic had on their revenue in 2020.
Guido van Rossum, the creator of the python programming language 29 years ago, in his welcome address expressed delight in being part of the PyCon Nigeria 2020 conference. Guido van Rossum recently “unretired” to join the Microsoft Developer Division, “in its committed effort to contribute to and grow with the Python community.”
Wes McKinney on the second day of the conference, spoke about his journey in creating the Pandas library for data analysis in 2008, and made reference to his new project, Apache Arrow.
Dr. Sakinat Folorunso, a senior lecturer at Olabisi Onabanjo University, OOU, kicked-off the Day-1 sessions with a presentation about her joy in teaching artificial intelligence and machine learning, and touched on her research interests.
Ifeoma Okafor-Obi, the director of operation, Tony Elumelu Foundation, elaborated on the Foundation’s drive to build value-added entrepreneurship programs in Africa and offered a path for the Python Nigeria community to exploit.
The General Manager and Head of Digital Banking of UBA Plc, Sampson Aneke, represented the UBA Foundation and discussed the inevitable and seismic shift that is occurring in the banking sector through software technology.
Yomi Akinyemi of KPMP spoke on the drive for hiring python talent with data science skills to address the demands of their clients and what the python Nigeria community must do to meet its requirement for talent. Finally, the young MTN duo of presenters detailed the immense work they have done with python tools to handle their day-to-day operations.
The topics on Day-2 covered areas in Django, data analysis, artificial intelligence (AI), data science, machine learning, neural networks, python development optimisation, and for the first time, GeoAI—AI and geographic information systems.
In all, the PyCon Nigeria 2020 virtual conference was as “enriching and engaging” as promised by the organisers in seeking sustainable development solutions in a post Covid-19 era.
News
Africa Prudential Unveils Digital Growth Strategy

Africa Prudential Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable growth and digital transformation after posting another strong half-year financial performance, driven by robust growth in its core registrar business, technology-driven solutions and increased activity in Nigeria’s capital market.

Speaking during the company’s H1 2026 Investor Call on Tuesday, the management outlined plans to deepen revenue diversification and accelerate innovation as part of efforts to reduce reliance on interest income and strengthen long-term profitability.
The company reported gross earnings of ₦4.28 billion for the first half of 2026, representing a 27 per cent increase from ₦3.34 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.
Profit before tax rose by 22 per cent to ₦2.41 billion, while profit after tax climbed 18 per cent to ₦1.59 billion.
Net operating income also increased by 27 per cent to ₦4.21 billion, while total assets grew by 13 per cent to ₦46.53 billion. Shareholders’ funds similarly rose by 13 per cent to ₦12.52 billion.
According to the company, the impressive performance was driven by sustained growth in its registrar business, increased corporate actions across the Nigerian capital market, stronger treasury earnings supported by the prevailing interest rate environment and rising adoption of its technology-enabled products and services.African Mineral Wealth
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Catherine Nwosu, said Africa Prudential is steadily evolving from a traditional share registrar into a diversified technology and business solutions provider serving the broader capital market ecosystem.
Addressing concerns from investors about the sustainability of earnings if interest rates decline, Nwosu said the company was deliberately expanding its non-interest income sources.
“Interest rates influence our treasury income positively, but that is why we are deliberately diversifying our revenue streams. Our strategy is to grow recurring fee-based business lines such as our digital solutions, Know Your Customer (KYC) services, AGM technology, probate services and the SabiVest mobile app. Over time, this will reduce our reliance on interest income and create a more balanced and resilient earnings mix,” she said.
She noted that increasing activity in the Nigerian capital market presents fresh opportunities for technology-driven solutions.
“With capital market activity nearly doubling over the past year, demand for seamless digital investor experiences, improved market efficiency and stronger compliance standards continues to grow. We are investing in technology-enabled solutions that position us to capitalise on these opportunities while delivering sustainable value to our shareholders,” she added.
Looking ahead, the company identified five strategic priorities for the second half of 2026, including driving sustainable growth through its core registrar business and new revenue streams, accelerating technology-led product innovation, strengthening brand leadership, investing in talent development and reinforcing corporate governance.
The investor call attracted institutional investors, shareholders, analysts, regulators and other capital market stakeholders, reflecting strong interest in Africa Prudential’s earnings outlook, revenue diversification strategy and long-term growth plans.
News
IHS Nigeria Donates Business-Support Equipment to Empower People with Disabilities in Abuja Community

Communications infrastructure company, IHS Nigeria, has donated business support equipment to empower people with disabilities within the Karonmajiji community in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. This is part of the company’s commitment to drive inclusive community development and sustainable livelihood support under its Project Empower initiative.

The equipment was distributed to beneficiaries during a ceremony held in the community on Monday, July 27. The initiative was conceived following a community needs assessment and is designed to empower active traders by providing them with business tools rather than cash grants, thereby strengthening their businesses and ensuring long-term economic impact and accountability.
Speaking at the event, Director, Sustainability, IHS Nigeria, Titilope Oguntuga, described the initiative as a reflection of the company’s commitment to advancing inclusive development by equipping persons with disabilities with the tools and opportunities needed to build resilient livelihoods.
She explained that rather than providing short-term financial assistance, IHS Nigeria adopted an asset-based approach by donating 50 pieces of business support equipment, including sewing machines, freezers, generators and hairdressing kits, to the selected beneficiaries.
According to her, the intervention is designed to create lasting value by supporting entrepreneurship, promoting self-reliance and strengthening household incomes, while contributing to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
In his opening remarks, the Chief of the Karonmajiji Disabled Community, Alhaji Sulaiman Muhammed Katsina, represented by the Secretary of the Community, Alhaji Mohammed Dantani commended IHS Nigeria for its commitment to empowering persons with disabilities through practical and sustainable interventions.
He described the initiative as a demonstration of genuine partnership with the community and expressed appreciation for the company’s continued engagement with the Association, noting that the donation of the equipment was a significant investment in improving the livelihoods of persons with disabilities and would create meaningful economic opportunities for the beneficiaries and their families.
The event brought together traditional rulers, government representatives, leaders and members of the Karonmajiji Disabled Community Association, implementing partners, including Field of Skills and Dreams Vocational Technical and Entrepreneurship (FSD VTE) Training Institute and other community stakeholders, reaffirming a shared commitment to promoting inclusion and sustainable community development.
Project Empower reinforces IHS Nigeria’s commitment to advancing sustainable development through strategic partnerships that promote economic inclusion, strengthen community resilience and create opportunities for underserved communities.
News
CIBN, ACAMB Push for Financial Inclusion, Women Empowerment

The Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIBN) and the Association of Corporate Communication and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB) have enjoined banks to further deepen and prioritize financial inclusion, women’s empowerment and sustained growth through strategic mandates and frameworks, aimed at closing the financial gap and empowering more small, and medium enterprise (MSME) owners.

Both organisations made this call during a courtesy visit to the newly invested 24th President and Chairman of Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Dr. Dele Alabi, Ph.D, FCIB, as part of plans to congratulate him on his investiture as well as seek a stronger alliance between both bodies.
The visit followed Alabi’s investiture where he unveiled his “IMPACT” Vision, themed “Consolidating Our Local Impact, Enhancing Our Global Relevance.”
The vision rests on six pillars: Inclusion across geographic, gender, and generational lines; Membership growth and quality; Professionalism and ethics; Accountability; Competencies and skills development; Technology, automation, and innovation. Other areas of shared interest, include women empowerment, financial inclusion and literacy, as well as MSME clinics, all of which are top on his agenda.
Alabi explained that under him, the institute will be prioritising financial inclusion and women empowerment, because of its realisation that women are often the primary financial managers and caregivers in families. Access to savings, micro-credit, and insurance acts as a safety net during crisis and allows them to significantly improve living conditions.
He added that CIBN would be happy to drive joint knowledge sharing and exchange sessions with CBN and ACAMB across various platforms. “Educating the public through public awareness programmes, with ACAMB as the rallying point, is central to what we do,” he noted.
ACAMB President, Jide Sipe, who led the delegation, spoke in unison with the CIBN president, as he noted that, closing the inbalances in financial access help economies grow faster, reduces inequality, and encourages greater civic participation by all.
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