President of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), Mr. Steve Babaeko, will, on Saturday, deliver the keynote address at the inaugural report presentation and fundraiser of Tamilore Areola Foundation (TAF).

This was disclosed in a statement by the co-founder of TAF, Jeffrey Adebayo. The statement noted that Babaeko will be at the frontline of the event, which will mark the foundation’s second anniversary scheduled to be held at the Ikeja Golf Club.

The statement quoted Adebayo as saying Babaeko’s profile as a social entrepreneur and a member of the Ikeja Club make him the perfect fit for the keynote speaker role and align with the core principles of the organization as espoused by the late founder, Tamilore Areola.

“Our vision at TAF is fueled by a deep commitment to service and compassion, echoing Tamilore’s extraordinary ability to transform lives. Our mission resonates with her actions: to replicate her impact through our focus on charity, entrepreneurship, and healthcare.

“Mr. Babaeko is a social entrepreneur and philanthropist, who has shown commitment to advancing charity, entrepreneurship, and healthcare. Most recently, his public health advocacy titled “Soot Life Expectancy”, an initiative against the menace of soot caused by unwholesome environmental practices in Port-Harcourt, Nigeria made history by winning the health category of the Cannes Lions, an international advertising award,” Adebayo stated.

Adebayo also noted that the report presentation and fundraising event will coincide with the maiden edition of the foundation’s Charity Golf Tournament. Explaining the rationale for the Charity Golf Tournament, Adebayo said the late founder actively participated in golf in her lifetime and was able to build numerous friendships through it.

“Notably, golfers played a significant role during TAF’s Launch two years ago. This resonates deeply with our belief that the Charity Golf Tournament provides an ideal platform for presenting the foundation’s initiatives,” he added.

Lagos, Nigeria – Wema Bank, a leading Nigerian financial institution renowned for its innovative banking solutions and Africa’s first fully digital bank, is set to commemorate its 78th and 6th anniversary with a bang. The week-long celebration, which commences on May 1st, 2023, promises an array of exhilarating activities and competitions open to its employees, clients, and the public.

Kicking off the anniversary week is the virtual launch of ALAT Alumni, a platform for former Knights to rekindle relationships and foster a sense of community that the bank can leverage. In addition, the bank will release a cascade of ALAT balloons into the sky, and participants can take snapshots of the balloons and share them on social media with hashtags like #ALATAt6, #WemaAt78, and #SpotALATInTheAir to stand a chance of winning fantastic prizes.

The highlight of the celebration is the “Sounds of ALAT” competition, which seeks to uncover talented musicians in the entertainment industry and provide them with a platform to showcase their creativity. The victorious entry will become ALAT’s official theme song, and the winners will receive cash rewards of up to five million Naira.

Furthermore, the bank is organizing a balloon hunt for its customers, challenging them to locate balloons spelling out “Wema” and “ALAT” in different locations and post photos on social media using a specific hashtag to stand a chance of winning more prizes.

The festivities will also encompass the launch of the upgraded ALAT for business, the digital bank application for A fully revamped ALAT for Business platform to revolutionize the way business owners manage their business transactions.

Mabel Adeteye, Head of Brand and Marketing Communication Department, expressed her delight about the upcoming anniversary and its events. She added that the bank would dedicate the week to digital services, giving customers the opportunity to experience the convenience of ALAT’s digital banking solutions.

“We’re thrilled to celebrate our anniversary with our staff, clients, and the general public. We believe that these events and competitions will provide everyone with an opportunity to participate in the celebration and enjoy ALAT’s innovative banking solutions.”

January 14, Lagos, Nigeria:

Africa’s leading integrated payments and digital commerce company, Interswitch, has wrapped up its 20th anniversary celebrations with the Interswitch Ball event which took place at the prestigious Eko Convention Center, Victoria Island, Lagos on Saturday, 14 January 2023.

The event, which drew top government functionaries, representatives from the financial services sector, captains of industry, customers, employees, and other well-wishers, was an evening of good speeches and entertainment – a befitting end to months of celebrations.

Members of the Board of Directors of Interswitch, led by the Board Chairman and Lord Lieutenant of Greater London, Sir. Ken Olisa OBE were also present to add pomp and pageantry to the celebrations.
In his goodwill message, which was broadcast during the event, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo GCON, Vice President of Nigeria, commended the payment company’s pivotal role in shaping and growing Nigeria’s payment system over the past two decades. Speaking about Interswitch, he said:

“It’s incredible that what began as a noble idea, has in barely two decades, become something of an icon of technology and innovation, literally pioneering Africa’s ongoing fintech revolution. In 2002, only 569 million people were connected to the internet worldwide, and at that time, Nigeria had less than 200,000 people with internet access. It is therefore a testament to the quality of the talent and courage of the founders of Interswitch that they saw the future clearly and predicted the potentials of a nascent technology for scale and application.” His Excellency, Governor of Edo state, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, who was present to celebrate the milestone, congratulated the organization on the milestone and applauded Interswitch for being a laudable example of the good that can come out of Nigeria.
The anniversary celebrations, which kicked off in August 2022 with the launch of a campaign themed, ‘Never Stop’, have amplified Interswitch’s innovative milestones in the digital payment ecosystem, designing products and solutions that have, for two decades, continued to drive prosperity across Africa. 

The theme – Never Stop – has resonated across all of the Group’s activities; from Interswitch Connect which featured the launch of innovative tech solutions, to the launch of the Payment Innovation Jury report, and the commemorative editions of the biggest fitness event across Africa – VerveLife and InterswitchSPAK National Science Competition.
While addressing attendees, Mitchell Elegbe, Founder and Group Managing Director, Interswitch, shed more light on the fintech giant’s twenty-year journey, and its outlook for the future. He said:
“Two decades ago, we wondered what singular problem we could solve that would automatically solve other problems by extension. We identified the payments problem and set out to solve it, making a bold move to make commerce easy and trade blossom naturally by eliminating the mystery associated with cash, and the stigma associated with not having it. We ensured that cash was available in the exact time and quantity required, and transferrable electronically. We established a new paradigm, dethroning cash and enthroning commerce and connections. Twenty years after, the Central Bank of Nigeria is leading Nigeria towards a fully cashless economy, layered on the work we began two decades ago. “
From inception, Interswitch has continued to improve the Nigerian and African payment space by providing upscale technological systems and infrastructure for players in the payments sector. These systems are used to create solutions that boost business efficiency, as they deliver value to their customers.
In alignment with the Never Stop theme, Elegbe added that the Interswitch Group remains committed to its goal of pushing for excellence while building a payment ecosystem that empowers individuals and businesses to scale for own prosperity and national economic development.
Today, Interswitch switches payment in countries across Africa, owns Nigeria’s first indigenous payment card – Verve- and Quickteller, arguably the largest digital payment platform in Nigeria.

On the back of Interswitch’s wide range of APIs, the digital payment space across Africa has thrived, with the proliferation of fintechs and digital payment service providers on the continent. And the Good People of the Switch – as Interswitch employees are fondly called, don’t seem to be stopping, because they Never Stop!