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“Youths are Africa’s future” says UBA CEO

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R-L: Dr. Yinka Adedeji, Divisional Head, E-Banking, UBA Plc presenting an Award to Samir Ibrahim, Co-Founder of SunCulture, Kenya, winner “the Future Africa Awards Prize in Agriculture,” at the Future Awards ceremony in Lagos recently
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Phillips Oduoza, group managing director and CEO of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc has said that the future progress of Africa, as a continent, is in the hands of its youthful population.

He said this during the Future Awards and Summit also popularly known as The Future Awards where hundreds of youths gathered at the prestigious Intercontinental Hotel, Lagos to celebrate youths excelling in different aspects of life.

UBA was a lead sponsor of the awards and summit as part of its commitment to the development of the next generation of future leaders in Africa.

Explaining why UBA was sponsoring ‘The Future Awards Africa’ Oduoza, represented by Dr. Yinka Adedeji, divisional, head, e-Banking UBA Plc, said  “Over 50 percent of Africans are youths. As a pan-African bank with operations in 19 African countries, UBA aligns its  vision to the aspirations of the continent’s youthful population by developing tailor made products that aligns with the aspirations and ambitions of the African youth. For example, our Next Generation account also known as “NextGen” is specifically targeted at youths and is about building the next generation of educated and enlightened professionals, employees, entrepreneurs, self employed persons, from all walks of life, early in their financial life cycle.” 

The Next Gen account, he said, allows account holders to have access to 24 hour online banking services on UBA’s highly acclaimed internet banking platform besides other privileges like free web portals, specially branded Mastercard, interest bearing savings accounts, career advisory, scholarships, work place experience schemes with the UBA Group, entrepreneurial skills development workshops and social media engagements.

He spoke  during the presentation of the prize for “the Future Africa Award in Agriculture,” won by Samir Ibrahim and Charles Nichols, founders of SunCulture, Kenya; a solar-powered irrigation kit which makes it simpler and cheaper for farmers to grow food. The kit replaces expensive diesel and petrol pumps.

UBA also endowed The Future Africa Awards “Young Person of the year,” which was won by Sangu Delle, Co-Founder, Cleanacwa, Ghana; a 27 year old entrepreneur from Ghana who built a Clean Water organisation that has impacted tens of thousands of people in rural Liberia and Ghana. The prize was presented by the representative of President Goodluck Jonathan, Bonni Haruna, Minister of Youth Development and two time governor of Adamawa state.

Rotimi Amaechi, governor of Rivers State; Obiageli Ezekwesili, former Minister of Solid Minerals, young entrepreneurs, students from different secondary and tertiary institutions, captains of industry, attended the awards ceremony.

One of the major highlights of the evening was the final phase of The Future Awards Africa’s #STOPEBOLA campaign, which was held via an auction on a custom piece by A-List haute couture designer, Lanre Da Silva Ajayi with a winning bid of N1Million on the dress. The proceeds will go to the UN Ebola Response Fund.

The awards which was hosted by Iyanya, Osas Ighodaro, Ice Prince and Flavia from Uganda, saw 10 outstanding individuals rewarded for their excellent work across different fields: business, entertainment, politics, science and technology and education.

The Future Awards, are a set of awards given by The Future Project (TFP), a social enterprise set up with a strong, practical commitment to human and capital development, especially in Africa.

The Future Project is the largest home-grown network of policy-makers, business people, and other stakeholders in Young Africa.

It is also committed to finding effective and innovative ways of addressing social issues. It has become one of the most respected private sector-driven development platforms with a history of verifiable impact, including in under-privileged and grassroots communities.


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NITDA Supports CAC AI Driven Transformation

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By Oluwole Alao

Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has pledged the Agency’s full support for the Corporate Affairs Commission’s (CAC) artificial intelligence–driven transformation as the Commission marked its 35th anniversary in Abuja.

Delivering a goodwill message at the celebration, which was held at the Ladi Kwali hall of the Abuja Continental Hotel, Inuwa commended CAC for its uncommon consistency and resilience, noting that while many organisations rise and fall after initial success, CAC has continued on a steady growth trajectory.

“We know organisations go up and come down, but some will keep thriving, thriving, and thriving, and today, this is what we are witnessing for CAC,” he said.

Reflecting on his early engagement with the Commission, the NITDA boss recalled that the Registrar General made organisational transformation a priority from the very start of his leadership, particularly in embracing digital innovation.

According to Inuwa, the current era demands more than basic digitisation, stressing that meaningful transformation can only be achieved through the integration of artificial intelligence into core operations.

“We are in the AI era, and the only way to transform today is to embrace and integrate AI into your operations. This is exactly what the Registrar General is doing,” he stated.

He assured CAC of NITDA’s commitment to working closely with the Commission to embed AI across its numerous processes, explaining that the technology would infuse intelligence into workflows, simplify company registration and business management, and strengthen cybersecurity.

“We will make sure you integrate AI into CAC processes. With AI, it will infuse intelligence in everything you do and make things easy for Nigerians to register companies and manage businesses,” Inuwa averred.

The NITDA DG added that deploying advanced AI tools would help CAC staff stay ahead of fraudsters and curb hacking and fraudulent alterations of company records, while also safeguarding the system through responsible deployment.

“At NITDA, we will make sure you deploy ethical and responsible AI in your operations, with the right guardrails in place,” he assured.

He further described CAC’s digital reforms as bold and impactful, noting that the Commission has reduced company registration timelines from several months to as little as 24 hours. He added that further integration of AI would enhance name search and reservation, automate filings, improve corporate governance, and significantly reduce fraud.

He also highlighted NITDA’s ongoing role in reviewing CAC’s digital and AI transformation roadmaps, providing guidelines, standards, training support, and safeguards to ensure sustainable, people-centred, and secure digital services.

The NITDA DG congratulated CAC management, staff, and members of the National Assembly for their support, expressing confidence that the partnership would further strengthen Nigeria’s digital business environment in the years ahead.

 


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U.S. Slams Nigerians: Overstays Jeopardize All Visas

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The United States has warned Nigerians that overstaying their visas could jeopardise travel opportunities for other citizens seeking to visit the US for education, business, or family purposes.

U.S. Slams Nigerians: Overstays Jeopardize All Visas

The warning came amid ongoing immigration crackdowns and tighter travel restrictions under the administration of President Donald Trump.

In a statement posted on X on Monday, Feb. 9, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria stressed that compliance with visa rules is essential to protecting access for Nigerians who travel responsibly.

“Visa overstays by Nigerian travellers can affect opportunities for their fellow citizens,” the Mission said. “Strengthening compliance helps protect access for students, business travellers and families who travel responsibly.”

The Mission also urged Nigerians to report cases of visa fraud to [email protected] or [email protected]


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CAC Pushes Single National Register to Curb Corruption Loopholes

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Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has urged creation of a unified national beneficial ownership register to bolster anti-corruption efforts and corporate transparency.

CAC Pushes Single National Register to Curb Corruption Loopholes

CAC

CAC Registrar-General highlighted how fragmented sectoral registers breed duplication, inconsistencies, and regulatory gaps during the Commission’s 35th anniversary Anti-Corruption Day in Abuja.

ICPC Chairman Dr. Musa Aliyu, via representative Demola Bakare, praised CAC’s role in fostering accountable business environments that drive sustainable growth.

Global evidence links transparent institutions to stronger economies, with clear rules, accessible data, and open operations as key pillars.

CAC’s oversight on company registration, disclosure, and compliance directly builds investor trust and national integrity, closing avenues for illicit financial flows.


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