Business
CEO Connect Forum Nigeria: Accelerating Creating Shared Value for Sustainable Business Practice in Nigeria
L-R: Rashidat Adebisi, Chief Client Officer, AXA Mansard Insurance; Adeolu Adewumi-Zer, CEO, ZER Consulting Africa and Shared Value Nigeria; Jessica Chivinge, Chief Strategy and Commercial Officer, Vitality Health International, South Africa; Tiekie Barnard, CEO, Shared Value Africa; Patrick Akinwuntan, Former CEO, Ecobank Nigeria and Faculty, Lagos Business School who represented the Dean, Lagos Business School; Karen Basiye, Director, Sustainable Business and Social impact, Safaricom, Kenya; and Ayodele Olojede, Divisional Head, Retail and SME, Wema Bank, unveiling Shared Value Nigeria at the maiden edition of the CEO Connect Forum Nigeria held in Lagos recently
Shared Value Africa (SVA), in collaboration with Lagos Business School Sustainability Centre and ZER Consulting Africa, proudly hosted the CEO Connect Forum Nigeria and the official launch of Shared Value Nigeria. The event was convened to foster dialogue among CEOs and business leaders on integrating the Creating Shared Value (CSV) approach to sustainability as a fundamental business strategy in Nigeria and beyond.
The forum was held in person at The Wheatbaker Hotel in Ikoyi, Lagos on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, providing a unique opportunity for high-level business executives to engage and discuss leveraging societal challenges as avenues for business innovation and growth through the CSV framework. The event featured keynote addresses and discussions from esteemed local and continental leaders, who shared practical perspectives on embedding shared value into business operations.
Tiekie Barnard, CEO and Founder of Shift Impact Africa and Shared Value Africa set the tone of the forum. She emphasised that creating shared value can be a game changer for Africa. “Shared Value Africa was started six years ago with the aim of strategically addressing societal challenges through a business management concept developed by Professors Michael Porter and Mark Kramer at Harvard. Shared value is first and foremost about profitability and not CSR or philanthropy. Businesses should serve all stakeholders, not just shareholders, weaving its purpose around the intersection of people, profit, and planet,” she said. She added that, “The CSV approach can enhance reputation, attract investment, and is a long-term commitment to addressing societal issues. It is our dream at Shared Value Africa for every organisation on the continent to practise shared value.”
L-R: Godfrey Adejumoh, Head, Communication and Sustainable Business, Unilever Nigeria; Kate Onsati, Operations Lead and Kenyan Office Rep, Shared Value Africa; Adeolu Adewumi-Zer, CEO ZER Consulting Africa and Shared Value Nigeria; Tiekie Barnard, CEO, Shared Value Africa; Afomre Ubogu, Corporate Affairs Specialist, Unilever Nigeria; and Abam Inyang, Senior Associate, Communications, LBS Sustainability Centre at the Shared Value Africa CEO Connect Forum Nigeria held in Lagos recently.
Adeolu Adewumi-Zer, Founder of ZER Consulting Africa and CEO, Shared Value Nigeria, spoke on ‘Value Creation as a Business Imperative.’ She shared her discovery of shared value three years ago, pointing how it connects profit with purpose. “Shared value offers a bridge to sustainable growth, providing long-term profitability while addressing societal needs. Launching Shared Value Nigeria will foster partnerships, enabling businesses to achieve success while improving the Nigerian society and economy.”
Rashidat Adebisi, Chief Client Officer at AXA Mansard, who were major sponsors, addressed the importance of responsibility towards future generations and stakeholders. She mentioned that at AXA Mansard, they have redefined their purpose to focus on inclusion and biodiversity. “One of the biggest challenges we should address is what do we leave for the next generation. How do we ensure that we are responsible for our stakeholders? At Axa Mansard we did rethink our purpose to ensure that we are doing what matters. Purpose is beyond making money for us, our purpose is hinged on two key pillars which are inclusion and biodiversity. We have run programmes with women like the SHE Initiative to ensure that our business accommodates more women and we are working with other organisations to create more shared value in critical sectors like healthcare,” she said. Programmes such as the SHE Initiative have demonstrated the value of including more women in business, increasing their participation from 15 to 34 percent. AXA Mansard continues to work with organisations to create more shared value in healthcare, defining, mapping, and partnering to ensure their activities create value.
Karen Basiye, Director of Sustainable Business and Social Impact at Safaricom delivered the first keynote speech themed, ‘The Business Case for Shared Value.’ She indicated that businesses can create shared value by leveraging resources and expertise to tackle societal challenges, resulting in mutual benefits. Examples from Safaricom include the mobile money initiative, M-PESA in Kenya which revolutionised digital mobile money payments and installing masts in refugee camps, both of which have driven profits and societal benefits. Safaricom also created a mobile health wallet for specific health savings, reinforcing the importance of responsibility towards people and the planet.
L-R; Ireti Samuel-Ogbu, CEO Citibank Nigeria; Toju Egbebi, Corporate Affairs Manager, Nestlé Nigeria and a guest at the recent unveiling of Shared Value Nigeria at the Shared Value Africa CEO Connect Forum held in Lagos recently.
Jessica Chivinge, Chief Strategy and Commercial Officer at Vitality Health International, spoke through her presentation themed, ‘The Pursuit of Shared Value in the Health Sector.’ She highlighted Vitality’s approach to shared value through client, employee, and societal initiatives. She added that engaging employees to innovate and rewarding clients for healthy lifestyles were key strategies that unlocked value across the entire value chain.
The event concluded with an engaging Q&A session, where the audience interacted with the speakers and shared reflections, learnings and implementable actions. The CEO Connect Forum was proudly supported by AXA Mansard, Zenith Bank Plc, Wema Bank Plc, Unilever Nigeria and Nestlé Nigeria.
Lagos Business School is Africa’s leading management education institution and the LBS Sustainability Centre is a globally recognised knowledge hub that brings together the theory and practice on business and sustainability for the advancement of business performance and development outcomes. For more information about the initiatives and upcoming events by the Lagos Business School Sustainability Centre, please contact sustainabilitycentre@lbs.edu.ng. Together we can work towards a sustainable future for businesses on the continent. See our programmes at https://lbssustainabilitycentre.edu.ng/training
Shared Value Africa is the regional partner of the global Shared Value Initiative. Operated by Shift Impact Africa Group, a Shared Value consultancy, advocacy and training firm based in Johannesburg, its purpose is to grow the community of African Shared Value leaders. Shared Value Africa has been at the forefront of championing Creating Shared Value (CSV) on the continent via policies and practises that enhance the competitiveness of organisations while simultaneously advancing the economic and social conditions in the communities in which they operate. For more information, visit svai.africa.
Business
Verve Expands Into UEMOA: Connecting Millions to Seamless Digital Payments Across West Africa
Verve, Africa’s largest domestic payments card and token brand, has taken a significant step towards expanding its Pan-African presence by officially launching card acceptance across countries in the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) region, including Senegal, Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, and Togo, among others. This marks a significant milestone in Verve’s journey to building a truly interconnected African payment network.
This expansion is powered by a strategic partnership with GIM-UEMOA, the regional payment switch facilitating interoperability and financial inclusion across the UEMOA region, connecting banks and financial institutions in Francophone Africa. GIM-UEMOA provides the ideal platform to scale Verve’s reach in the region, offering a seamless connection between financial institutions, businesses, and consumers. At its core, this partnership is about expanding access, unlocking opportunity, and driving shared progress.
Through this collaboration, Verve is enabling millions of new users and businesses to access seamless, secure, and inclusive payment experiences, while reinforcing its commitment to innovation that meets the continent’s evolving financial needs.For consumers, this means the ability to use Verve cards across borders, connect with a wider network of merchants and services, and participate more fully in Africa’s growing digital economy. For businesses and financial institutions, it opens the door to new growth opportunities by providing access to a broader, digitally enabled customer base.This isn’t Verve’s first bold step. Over the years, the brand has formed strong alliances with global platforms such as Google, AliExpress, Temu, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Spotify, among others. These partnerships allow Verve cardholders to easily access digital content, lifestyle perks, and everyday functionality, positioning Verve as not just a payment card, but a trusted lifestyle companion.In keeping with its commitment to consumer engagement, Verve continues to celebrate and reward its users through initiatives like the Verve GoodLife Promo, a campaign that rewards cardholders with exciting perks for everyday transactions. With the expansion into UEMOA, users across these new markets, including tourists, visiting consumers and entrepreneurs, can now look forward to the same rewarding experience that Verve cardholders enjoy in other parts of Africa.As Verve’s presence grows across the continent, so does its promise to deliver more value, convenience, and memorable experiences to users in every market it enters. This expansion into the UEMOA region brings Verve closer to its vision of connecting Africa through secure and inclusive digital payment solutions. It’s not just about where Verve cards can go, it’s about what they can empower people to do.Whether you’re a bank looking to broaden your digital offerings, a business aiming to reach more customers, or a consumer ready to experience smarter payments, Verve is here to empower your next step. Join the revolution!
Business
Interswitch Group Bolsters Talent Ecosystem in Africa, Hosts Fourth Edition of Career Fair.
Interswitch Group, one of Africa’s leading integrated payments and digital commerce companies, has reinforced its commitment to harnessing a robust talent pool by empowering the Nigerian workforce to pursue personal and professional success. The company affirmed this as it announced the Interswitch Career Fair 4.0 set to hold at the Landmark Event Centre, in Victoria Island, Lagos on Saturday, May 10, 2025. The highly anticipated Career Fair event, tagged “The Talent Paradox: Enabling the Talent Ecosystem in Africa” aims to spotlight the various resources and insights available to skilled, career-driven individuals and young professionals to strategically align them for the workplace of today and the future. Going into the fourth edition, the event will host experts from Interswitch Group including Franklin Ali, Group Chief Human Resources Officer and Oremeyi Akah, Chief Customer Officer, alongside other industry experts including Lanre Basamta, Co-Founder, Optimus AI Labs; Isioma Utomi, CEO, Catalyst Experience Solutions; Adora Ikwuemesi, CEO, Kendor Consulting; Olushola Olaleye, Business Consultant and Gloria Babarinde who will draw from their prolific experiences and expertise to unravel the theme in a panel session. The event will also feature other engaging segments such as keynote and thought leadership sessions bordering trends and masterclasses on upskilling and thriving in the workplace amongst other pertinent discussions. Attendees can also look forward to the job fair where potential candidates can have face-to-face interactions with the expansive pool of hiring experts on ground. The Fair also presents an opportunity to network with like-minded individuals as well as a resourceful platform for the active exchange of knowledge and ideas. Mitchell Elegbe, Founder and Group Managing Director at Interswitch, underscored the essence of the Interswitch Career Fair 4.0 event, highlighting that the programme is a pathway to recognize and equip emerging talents and raise transformative leaders that consistently innovate to solve Nigeria’s biggest challenges and impact the African labour market overall. According to Elegbe, “The Interswitch Career Fair reflects our deep-rooted commitment to nurturing African talent. This platform was conceptualized to cast the spotlight on individuals ready to lead, manage effectively, and create meaningful impact wherever they go. It’s more than just an event—it’s a launchpad for career advancement, connecting high-potential professionals with the right opportunities.”Also commenting on the programme, Franklin Ali, Group Chief Human Resource Officer, Interswitch, said that “This Career Fair goes beyond simply matching people with jobs—it’s designed to equip ambitious talent with the tools and skills needed to excel in the ever-evolving world of work. As a company that values the power of collaboration, we’ve joined forces with respected partners like ALX, Philips Consulting, Udemy, GLSS and Pluralsight to enrich the experience and broaden what’s possible for every attendee.Interswitch Group, which recently bagged the 2024 ‘Happiest Workplaces around the Globe’ award, remains unwavering in its mission to Inspire Africa to greatness. Interested participants are encouraged to follow Interswitch’s social media handles for more information about the upcoming Career Fair.
n a bold move, President Donald Trump has raised tariffs on Chinese goods from 104% to 125%, while temporarily suspending tariffs on numerous other countries.
Trump revealed his decision on Wednesday, stating that the tariff freeze would apply to all nations previously affected by the duties.
The announcement follows his shock move earlier this month, when he introduced a 10% baseline tariff on all countries, with rates reaching as high as 50% for the “worst offenders.”
The tariff on Chinese imports, which started at 10% in March, has escalated progressively through 20%, 54%, 104%, and now to 125%—all in retaliation against China’s countermeasures.
In response, Beijing has implemented an 84% tariff on US goods, set to take effect on April 10.
Additionally, China has issued travel warnings for its citizens planning to visit the United States.
Trump criticized China’s actions as a “lack of respect” and emphasized that the US could no longer tolerate such behavior.
“At some point, hopefully soon, China will realize that the days of exploiting the U.S.A. and other countries are over,” he said in a statement.
The White House also mentioned that more than 75 countries have reached out to negotiate a resolution to the ongoing tariff dispute.
Trump confirmed that the suspension for these countries, as well as China’s new tariff hike, would go into effect immediately.
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