News
WorldStage Economic Summit 2016 to Address Nigeria’s Unemployment Challenges

With a total of 22.4 million Nigerians unemployed or under‐employed out of the 76.9 million total labour force, Worldstage Economic Summit (WES) 2016 (http://worldstagegroup.com/wes/) will be hosted in Lagos between September 7- 8, 2016 to address the unemployment challenges in the African biggest economy.
According to Mr Segun Adeleye, president/CEO, World Stage Limited (www.worldstagegroup.com), the organisers, “The alarming rate of unemployment in Nigeria is not only of great concern to the three tiers of government, but also to the private sector and other critical stakeholders of the economy on job creation. While some people see it as an indictment on the educational system that seems to be churning out ‘unemployable graduates’ it is also being seen as an economic deficiency, with economy having a limitation of the labour force it can sustain by its productivity.”
He said Nigeria’s unemployment rate of 10.4% represents about 14 percent of global unemployment in fourth quarter 2015, the 7th highest in the world with only Kenya, Congo and Djibouti having worse rates in Africa.
“This should be embarrassing when compare with countries such as Qatar (0.2%) unemployment rate, Cambodia (0.3%), Belarus (0.5%), Thailand (0.8%), Benin (1.0%), Madagascar (1.2%), Laos (1.40%) and Guinea Bissau (1.80%),” he said.
He said the statistics that job loss in Nigeria dropped by only 1.29% in Q4 2015 at a period when oil price crashed by 65% could only show that there are other inherent factors outside oil that shape the labour market, which will be reviewed at the summit.
On how an economic summit can address unemployment challenges, he said, “We are in an era where Nigeria’s economic problem can no longer be left in the hand of government to fix alone.
There are organisations and experts that have the knowledge of how to solve economic challenges of any kind, but in most cases, they are either not talking at the right forum, or they are not being heard. At WES 2016, the government side is going to be represented by ministers, members of the National Assembly, head of regulatory agencies, CEOs of public corporations, top official from state governments; and they will be interacting with representatives of the organised private sector along with local and foreign experts, to discuss series of the sub-themes through which the problem of unemployment in Nigeria will be tackled.”
He made reference to the challenges facing state governments to the extent that they can no longer pay salaries as at when due, saying these can be addressed with the right concept of how to explore economic potentials to create private sector jobs.
“With about 65 per cent drop in oil price since 2014, Nigeria’s main source of income, the revenue allocations to the Federal Government, States and the Local Government have dropped drastically with most states now finding it almost impossible to pay workers’ salaries. This has become one of the greatest challenges facing Nigerian economy, as the elected governments are becoming aware that they may not be able to deliver the electoral promises and dividend of democracy if an urgent solution is not found,” he said.
“Besides providing knowledge base for government on how to save billions of naira in revenue, diversify economy, create jobs and end the practice of committing the largest portion of income to the payment of civil servants’ salaries, WES 2016 will help review the economic potentials of the states and arrive at sustainable development strategy for them to be economically viable with or without revenue from federation account.”
He listed the objectives of WES 2016 to include; To identify and proffer solutions to the growing unemployment problem in the public and private sectors of Nigerian economy; To identify the employment generation potentials of every sector of the economy from ICT, Maritime, banking & finance, mining, aviation, construction, oil and gas and others and then address what they need to realise the full potential; To connect new entrepreneurs with financiers and skilled workers for them to be at the driving seat of job creation; To connect employers with job seekers and enhance migration of skills across all sectors; To generate a national unemployment data bank; To assist government on policies to make the economy productive, global competitive and generate jobs; To help review the economic potentials of the states and arrive at sustainable development strategy for them to be economically viable with or without revenue from federation account; To provide knowledge base for government on how to save billions of naira in revenue, diversify economy, create jobs and end the practice of committing the largest portion of income to the payment of civil servants’ salaries.
On how WES 2016 will not end like others past summits at home and abroad with nothing to show for them, he said, “When one deploys a conventional solution to a problem, the result will still be the same old story.
It’s easy for government agencies to announce that they want to create thousands or millions of jobs, but how they will do it is very critical, and has to be tested to be sure that they are on the right track.
They will need the right knowledge base to achieve it and carry other stakeholders along. Governments and institutions have to invest in time and knowledge to think outside the box on how to address economic challenges, and when the solutions are found, they have to try all possible best to apply them to achieve desirable result.
What is unique about WES is that it’s research driven. If the obstacle to job creation in a particular sector of the economy has to do with legislature, the National Assembly Committees involved will be at the WES 2016 and will be made to understand what is expected of them and why they must act fast.
The WSE will then do the necessary following up on all resolutions of the summit to ensure that they are not thrown into the dustbin.”
The expected participants at the summit include the Presidency, National Assembly, MGAs, State Governments, OPS- Oil and Gas, Banking, Insurance, Maritime, Aviation, Mining, Agriculture, Hospitality & Tourism, Entertainment, Construction, Power, ICT, Education, Transportation, Local and Foreign Investors, Media and Other Relevant Stakeholders.
WorldStage is the operator of WorldStage Newsonline, the online news (www.worldstagegroup.com) which is currently a leading source of business information in Africa. WorldStage is also the publisher of TrueColour, the African dream magazine that celebrates the positive side of Africa.
Kirusa Unveils MyGenie App Platform in Nigeria
Telecom and social media solutions provider Kirusa has launched myGenie in Nigeria, a free airtime App for prepaid Android users.
The myGenie app can be used to explore and download new and popular Android apps, and according to Kirusa, users will be rewarded with free airtime credits for downloading, installing, and using these Android apps.
“They can use the free credits to recharge their mobile numbers, or gift the airtime credits to their friends and family. What’s more, myGenie also provides free airtime credits when a user invites their friends to the app, and when their friends start downloading apps via myGenie,” said Kirusa in a statement.
Several apps, including InstaVoice, 474Recharge, Zambia Caller, APUS launcher, Super B Clearer, BBM, and UC Browser have been made available to coincide with the launch.
David Kruyt, App Owner, 474Recharge App, said, “myGenie is an altogether new way of promoting the app developer community. It is a simple way to reach out and get the app campaigns organised. The most exciting part is that myGenie helps in usage and retention of the apps by incentivising customers in Nigeria, making it a win-win for both app developers and customers.”
Inderpal Singh Mumick, CEO of Kirusa, shared on the launch, “Our vision is to grow the mobile ecosystem, and to fuel entrepreneurship in Nigeria, by creating a platform for the local app developers to reach out to their customers in a seamless manner, by assisting them in their app promotion efforts.”
According to Kirusa the platform is currently available to Android mobile users in Nigeria and will be extended to other African countries soon.
News
DHQ Indicts Brigadier General Abubakar Sadiq, 15 Others in Alleged Coup Plot againt Tinubu

Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has made public the full names of 16 officers of the Armed Forces of Nigeria indicted by a Special Investigative Panel over alleged serious misconduct, including an alleged coup plot against President Bola Tinubu.

The officers suspected to be involved in the coup plot include a brigadier general, a colonel, four lieutenant colonels, five majors, two captains, a lieutenant, a lieutenant commander and a Squandron Leader.
Major General Samaila Uba, director of Defence Information, disclosed this on Monday, stating that the panel had concluded its investigation and established that the affected officers had cases to answer.
According to him, the indicted officers will face a military Court Martial in line with established procedures and existing regulations.
Major Gen. Uba said the probe examined the circumstances surrounding the conduct of the officers and identified actions “inconsistent with the ethics, values and professional standards expected of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”
He stressed that the exercise was purely disciplinary and aimed at preserving internal discipline, cohesion and operational effectiveness, adding that the Armed Forces remain loyal to the Constitution and Nigeria’s democratic order.
- Brigadier General Musa Abubakar Sadiq (Nasarawa, 44th Regular Course)
- Colonel M. A. Ma’aji (Niger, 47th Regular Course)
- Lieutenant Colonel S. Bappah (Bauchi, 56th Regular Course)
- Lieutenant Colonel A. A. Hayatu (Kaduna, 56th Regular Course)
- Lieutenant Colonel Dangnan (Plateau, 56th Regular Course)
- Lieutenant Colonel M. Almakura (Nasarawa, 56th Regular Course)
- Major A. J. Ibrahim (Gombe, 56th Regular Course)
- Major M. M. Jiddah (Katsina, 56th Regular Course)
- Major M. A. Usman (Federal Capital Territory, 60th Regular Course)
- Major D. Yusuf (Gombe, 59th Regular Course)
- Major I. Dauda (Jigawa, DSSC 38)
- Captain I. Bello (DSSC 43)
- Captain A. A. Yusuf
- Lieutenant S. S. Felix (DSSC)
- Lieutenant Commander D. B. Abdullahi (Nigerian Navy)
- Squadron Leader S. B. Adamu (Nigerian Air Force)
News
Court Fines Airtel N210m for Unauthorised Use of ‘Nigeria Go Survive’ Song

Justice Ibrahim Ahmad Kala of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on Monday awarded a total of N210 million in damages against Airtel Networks Limited for copyright infringement arising from the unauthorised use of a musical work titled “Nigeria Go Survive.”

The award comprises N200 million as general damages and N10 million as costs.
In addition to the monetary award, the court issued mandatory and perpetual injunctions restraining Airtel, its management, agents, servants, privies, successors-in-title and assigns from reproducing or further using the musical work, or any substantial part of it, for advertising, promotion, telemarketing, or other business purposes without the licence or authorisation of the copyright owner.
Justice Kala specifically ordered Airtel to remove “Nigeria Go Survive” from its list of songs used for advertising, business, telemarketing and promotional purposes across its network with immediate effect.
The judge held that Airtel’s use of the song without licence or authorisation amounted to restricted acts under the Copyright Act and constituted an infringement of the plaintiff’s copyright.
The judgment was delivered in suit No: FHC/L/CS/1822/2022, filed by Veno Marioghae Mbanefo, producer of the song.
In resolving the sole issue for determination, the court held that the plaintiff proved her case on the balance of probabilities.
Justice Kala noted that a perpetual injunction is granted after infringement has been established and is intended to protect the proprietary rights of the copyright owner and restrain continued infringement.
Accordingly, the court made the following orders: “That Airtel’s unauthorised use of “Nigeria Go Survive” for advertising, promotion and telemarketing amounts to copyright infringement.
“Mandatory injunction prohibiting Airtel from reproducing or using the musical work, or any substantial part of it, for business and promotional purposes.
“Perpetual injunction restraining Airtel from any further unauthorised use of the work.
“General damages N200 million awarded to the plaintiff for losses suffered as a result of the infringement. And N10 million awarded in favour of the plaintiff, considering the duration of the case, legal representation, expenses incurred, and the current value of the naira.
In the writ of summons filed by her legal team led by Clement Onwvenwunor, SAN, the plaintiff sought, among other reliefs, declarations that Airtel’s use of the song without attribution, licence or authorisation breached her statutory rights under Section 12 of the Copyright Act, Cap. C28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
She also claimed substantial damages for copyright infringement and, in the alternative, requested an order directing Airtel to render an account of profits allegedly made from the infringement under the supervision of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Airtel Networks Limited, represented by counsel led by Babatunde Amoo, urged the court to dismiss the suit.
However, after reviewing the exhibits and submissions of counsel, Justice Kala resolved all issues in favour of the plaintiff.
The court refused the plaintiff’s alternative prayer for an account of profits but granted all substantive reliefs relating to infringement, damages and injunctive orders.
News
Tech Executives Double Down on AI, Talent and Adaptive Strategies to Lead in the Intelligence Age

KPMG’s Global Tech Report 2026 reveals that organisations worldwide are moving beyond pilots and seeking to embed AI into core workflows and offerings, striving to scale investments. The new report identifies that while expectations are high and adoption is rapid; scaling can introduce additional complexity and returns vary widely.

- 68 percent of organisations surveyed aim to reach the highest level of AI maturity by the end of 2026, yet only 24 percent are there today.
- 88 percent are investing in building agentic AI into their systems.
- 74 percent say their AI use cases are delivering business value, but only 24 percent achieve ROI across multiple use cases.
- 90 percent plan to grow partnerships and tech ecosystems over the next year, yet 53 percent still lack the talent needed to bring their digital transformation plans to life.
- 78 percent agree they must take more risks on emerging technologies to stay relevant.
The report asks: Can ambition match reality, and can organisations keep one eye on the next wave of innovation while delivering on today’s agenda?
“The future belongs to leaders who turn intelligence into advantage. Our research shows organisations are pushing past the early phase of ‘AI roulette’, placing scattered bets on multiple technologies, and are now increasingly focused on delivering value. When ambition meets disciplined execution, value compounds.
“Our 2026 Global Tech Report provides a synopsis of the critical things that high performers are doing better than most; a checklist for tech leaders looking to improve their organisational performance, emulate the high performers, and deliver higher ROI”. – Guy Holland, Global Leader, CIO Center of Excellence, KPMG International
”As Africa enters the Intelligence Age, the differentiator is no longer access to technology, but the ability to build the skills, governance, and operating models required to scale it responsibly. While organisations are accelerating AI adoption to drive productivity and growth, the real determinant of value lies in workforce readiness, executive alignment, and disciplined execution.
Those that invest early in digital skills, human-AI collaboration, and adaptive leadership will be best positioned to translate innovation into sustainable commercial and economic impact.” – Marshal Luusa, Partner: Technology & Innovation Lead, KPMG One Africa
Key findings from the report
Tech maturity accelerates: Leaders set their sights on the top
Half (50 percent) of global tech leaders surveyed expect to reach the highest level of technology maturity in 2026, compared to only 11 percent today. This surge in optimism is fuelled by a move from isolated experiments to integrating AI and advanced technologies into core systems and scaling their impact.
High performers, those organisations leading in technology maturity, process maturity and value, are already reaping the rewards, reporting an average ROI of 4.5x, more than double the industry average of 2x. These leading organisations have progressed beyond pilot programs, prioritising the scaling of innovation and continually adapting to maintain a competitive edge in a fast-evolving environment.
Other organisations reporting higher ROI include smaller firms (3.6x), those with fewer cost pressures (2.6x), and transformation‑focused organisations (3.2x). The ROI pattern is equally nuanced: rather than a single investment ‘sweet spot’, clear ROI ‘zones’ emerge, from early quick wins to accelerating, enterprise‑wide value as maturity increases.
The age of agentic: AI adoption surges but innovation drives real business value
AI is now seen as a strategic necessity, not just industry hype. Sixty-eight percent of respondents are aiming for the highest level of AI maturity in their organisations. Eighty-eight percent of companies are already investing in agentic AI – autonomous digital agents transforming operations and decision-making. Seventy-four percent of respondents report that their AI initiatives are creating measurable business value, such as improved efficiency and reduced risk.
However, only 24 percent say they are scaling AI and achieving ROI across multiple use cases. This highlights the need for organisations to evolve KPIs beyond traditional financial and productivity metrics and build enterprise-wide alignment to fully realise AI’s potential.
The shift from AI experimentation to large-scale deployment is underway, with leaders working to embed AI into products, services, and value delivery.
Talent and agility power success: Human potential remains central
Human expertise remains central to digital transformation initiatives. Organisations are making significant investments in upskilling their workforce, building adaptive teams, and fostering cultures that embrace change.
Despite the rapid adoption of agentic AI, organisations still expect 42 percent of their tech workforce to remain permanent human staff by 2027 – only a five‑point drop from 2025.
High-performing companies plan to retain even more permanent human talent, with 50 percent remaining in place by 2027, revealing the continued importance of human expertise alongside AI. Despite these efforts, 53 percent of organisations report they still lack the talent needed to realise their digital transformation strategies.
Ninety-two percent of organisations surveyed anticipate that managing AI agents will become a critical skill within five years. The most successful organisations prioritise both technological advancements and people, empowering employees to innovate and adapt.
Strategic partnerships fuel growth: Ecosystems expand for the future
To overcome challenges and accelerate learning, 90 percent of organisations plan to grow partnerships and tech ecosystems over the next year. Strategic alliances are enabling access to specialised expertise, rapid innovation, and shared best practices.
As agentic AI and other advanced technologies become mainstream, organisations recognise the importance of building robust ecosystems that foster co-creation and continuous improvement. Nearly one-third of tech executives are planning to increase investment in centers of excellence, supporting cross-functional teams and controlled experimentation.
Preparing for tomorrow’s breakthroughs: Leaders embrace bold risks
The future is arriving fast, with quantum computing and Artificial Superintelligence (ASI) on the horizon. Leaders are already preparing for these breakthroughs, with 78 percent of organisations agreeing they must take more risks on emerging technologies to stay relevant.
The report urges organisations to maintain strategic foresight, invest in ethical frameworks, and build resilient, future-ready workforces. By balancing ambition with rational thinking and disciplined execution, tech executives are positioning their organisations to turn disruption into durable, compounding value.
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