Broadcasting
TETFund Joins the Science Granting Councils Initiative in Sub-Saharan Africa
The UK’s West Africa Research and Innovation Hub, has facilitated the joining of Nigeria’s Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) into the membership of the Science Granting Councils Initiative in sub-Saharan Africa
The Science Granting Councils Initiative in sub-Saharan Africa (SGCI) on Monday announced that the Nigeria Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has joined the initiative to advance research excellence in sub-Saharan Africa.
TETFund is an agency set up by the Federal Government of Nigeria to provide supplementary support to all levels of public tertiary institutions. It’s Research and Development (R&D) support is becoming an institutional reference and has changed Nigeria’s narrative in many aspects.
Nigeria is already a major producer of research in Africa, though a recent study suggests that it has the clear potential to do more, given the number of its universities (196), think-tanks and research professionals.
Speaking on the development, Prof. Suleiman Elias Bogoro, Executive Secretary Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), said: “National growth and competitiveness (in the context of globalized economy) depends very much on continuous technological improvement and innovation driven by a well-organized vibrant Research and Development System.
“We are confident that our admission into SGCI will open a new window of opportunities that will provide platforms that can serve as a fulcrum in achieving our goals of Nigeria’s transition to a knowledge economy in the 21st century.
“We are assured of quality partnerships and collaborations on the continent of Africa and beyond.”
Starting in 2015, the Science Granting Councils Initiative has been jointly funded by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), South Africa’s National Research Foundation (NRF), the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and the German Research Foundation (DFG). The initiative aims to strengthen the capacities of Science Granting Councils (SGCs) in sub-Saharan Africa in order to support research and evidence-based policies that will contribute to economic and social development.
Through this engagement with TETFund, facilitated by FCDO’s West Africa Research and Innovation Hub, Nigeria has become the 16th country in SGCI.
Initially it will join other SGCs through the SGCI Annual Forum, bilateral exchange visits and other activities to share lessons in managing research funds for maximum impact and to identify areas for future collaboration, such as joint research calls, as resources become available.
According to Dr. Dominique Charron, Vice-President, Programs and Partnership Branch at Canada’s International Development Research Centre, “with the largest population and economy in Africa, Nigeria’s participation expands the potential for the Science Granting Councils Initiative to achieve its goals of strengthening science systems and building alliances between science granting councils in multiple regions across the sub-continent and internationally.”
Executive Director, Strategic Partnerships at National Research Foundation-South Africa and SGCI Executive Committee Member, Dr Aldo Stroebel, added: “I am thrilled that Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) of Nigeria is joining the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI).
“This collaboration will allow us to work closely with the TETFund in advancing the Science, Technology and Innovation agenda in Africa.”
Speaking on FCDO’s involvement and the benefit to Nigeria, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ms Catriona Laing CB said: “Nigeria’s TETFund admission to the Science Granting Councils Initiative is a positive development that will better position Nigeria to maximise the commissioning and use of research for development, in line with critical national social and economic priorities.
“The UK champions the use of science to address global challenges, we are pleased to have supported the TETFUND to join the SGCI and will continue to work in partnership with them and other ministries, departments and agencies in Nigeria to better realise the benefits of science and research.”
Broadcasting
Obi, NDC Presidential Candidate Faces N50Bn Defamation Claim over Alleged Podcast Remark
Abayomi Arabambi, national vice chairman (South-West) of the Labour Party, has demanded a public apology, a retraction, and N50 billion in damages from Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), over an alleged defamatory statement made during a podcast interview.
The demand was contained in a letter issued by the law firm Neplus Ultra Attorneys and signed by Anderson U. Asemota, Peter O. Asimegbe, and Stanley C. Eziefulle on behalf of Arabambi.
According to the letter, the legal dispute arose from comments allegedly made by Obi during the interview, where he reportedly stated that Arabambi “does not have an address.”
Arabambi’s legal team described the statement as false, malicious, and defamatory, arguing that it portrayed their client as a faceless individual without legitimacy, credibility, or standing in public life.
The lawyers further claimed that the interview was widely circulated on television stations and digital platforms, exposing Arabambi to public ridicule and damaging his reputation.
“Our client has had a known residential and business address, maintains professional and political affiliations within Nigeria, and has never been a person whose whereabouts or identity were unknown,” the letter stated.
The legal team maintained that the alleged publication caused embarrassment and harmed Arabambi’s public image and political standing.
As part of their demands, the lawyers called for an unreserved public apology to be aired on national television, published on Obi’s verified social media platforms, and carried as full-page apologies in national newspapers.
They also demanded the payment of N50 billion as compensation for the alleged injury to Arabambi’s reputation, dignity, political standing, and public image.
Broadcasting
Why We’re Partnering With NIHOTOUR To Bring Nigerians In South Africa Home – Steve Babaeko
When Nigerians began arriving back home on emergency flights following an ultimatum from anti-migrant groups in South Africa, Steve Babaeko, alongside The Nigerian Institute of Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), saw an opportunity to step up for his fellow citizens.
Steve Babaeko
The CEO of X3M Ideas explains that he saw a deep obligation, one that had nothing to do with advertising and everything to do with hospitality. For Babaeko, it was a reminder that an agency owes a duty of care to the community it exists within.
That conviction shaped the creative agency’s partnership with the Nigerian Institute of Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) for the newly launched ‘Welcome Home’ pilot programme at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos. Rather than simply crafting a messaging campaign around the crisis, X3M Ideas helped design a tangible, physical system.
“This wasn’t built as a campaign about a crisis,” Babaeko said. “It was a hospitality agency deciding what it owes its own citizens the moment they land.”
For Babaeko, what X3M has built is infrastructure, something returnees can physically walk through, use, and benefit from the instant they clear the arrival gate.
With the MMIA pilot now officially running, NIHOTOUR directs returnees to immediate support services and issues them a Returnee Card. This card grants individuals a free first night at partner hotels, immediate transport assistance from the airport, and fast-tracked business registration support.
Furthermore, the initiative features a dedicated Restart Desk to assist returnee entrepreneurs and tradespeople with job placement referrals and business registration. This operates alongside a public Homecoming counter that tracks the cumulative number of returnees welcomed, businesses restarted, and jobs facilitated.
Spotify has announced a partnership with Afro Nation Portugal as the festival’s official sponsor and exclusive streaming partner for the 2026 edition, in a move aimed at bringing African music and festival experiences to a wider global audience.
The collaboration will provide fans with a dedicated Afro Nation destination on Spotify, featuring official festival playlists, participating artists and selected performance videos after the event.
The 2026 edition of Afro Nation Portugal is scheduled to hold from July 3 to July 5 in Portimão, Portugal.
Spotify said the partnership would enable fans to engage with the festival before, during and after the live event, regardless of their location.
The streaming platform noted that the initiative aligns with its continued investment in promoting African music and supporting its growing international audience.
Speaking on the partnership, Spotify’s Content Marketing Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, Mr Rifumo Mdaka, described Afro Nation as a global showcase for African music and culture.
“Afro Nation is more than a festival; it is a global expression of African music, fan culture and creative influence.
“Our partnership is about helping that moment travel further through our first collaboration with Afro Nation of this nature.
“By bringing the festival to Spotify, we are giving fans a place to connect with the artists, performances and stories that define the festival long after the final set,” he said.
According to Spotify, the collaboration will also include exclusive festival content, artist discovery features, curated playlists and fan-focused storytelling.
The company said it would document the journey of a selected fan travelling to the festival as part of efforts to showcase the growing global appeal of African music.
Also speaking, Director of Global Partnerships at The Malachite Group and Afro Nation, Ms Clémence Blum, said the partnership represented a major step in expanding the festival’s global reach.
“Afro Nation has always been more than a festival. It is a platform built to celebrate African music, support artist breakthroughs and connect a global community through culture.
“Our partnership with Spotify reflects the shared role we both play in helping artists reach new audiences and giving fans deeper ways to engage with the music they love,” she said.
Spotify said selected live performances from the festival would be made available on the platform after the event, allowing fans around the world to relive the performances on demand.
The company added that the partnership reinforces its commitment to promoting African music, supporting artists and strengthening connections between creators and audiences across the globe.
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