NEWS
Kwara First Lady Launches RHI’s ₦50m Grant For 1000 Petty Traders
The petty traders in Kwara couldn’t contain their joy on Thursday, August 22, 2024, at the Banquet Hall in Ilorin Kwara State after receiving business recapitalisation grants from the Renewed Hope Initiative’s Economic Empowerment Program launched by Her Excellency Professor Ambassador Olufolake AbdulRazaq, the First Lady of Kwara State.

The RHI’s Economic Empowerment Program is an initiative of the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu aimed at financially supporting the businesses of 1000 women petty traders in each of the 36 states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. At the launch, the Founder of Ajike Support Centre offered 1000 women the business recapitalisation grants.
Represented at the event by the State Coordinator of Renewed Hope Initiative and Chairperson Nigeria Governors Spouses Forum, Professor Olufolake AbdulRazaq, Senator Remi Tinubu highlighted the focus of the Nigerian government on women’s interests, particularly emphasizing economic empowerment. She emphasized the need for empowering the women in the country and acknowledged their dedication and hard work in various businesses.

Senator Oluremi Tinubu also appreciated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for providing substantial grants through various initiatives and empowerment programs. The First Lady assured the petty traders present of the government’s dedication to supporting their businesses and ensuring conducive business environments while implementing empowerment programs to safeguard the welfare of all citizens.
She added that she planned to introduce more initiatives aimed at enriching the lives of women, youth, and all citizens across Nigeria. The First Lady noted that the sum of N50 million naira had been disbursed to the 36 states and the FCT and that each shortlisted woman petty trader would receive a sum of N50,000 to boost her business while also expressing deep concerns about the challenges faced by women in their businesses and pledged to continue providing opportunities for them to thrive in their businesses.

Before the curtain of the event dropped, the First Lady of Kwara and Chairperson Nigeria Governors Spouses Forum, Ambassador Professor Olufolake AbdulRazaq and other dignitaries present presented N50,000 cash support to 50 petty traders while noting that other beneficiaries would receive their grants through their various bank accounts.
Some of the dignitaries present at the event include the spouse of the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, the spouse of the Chief Justice of Kwara State, Chairperson House Committee on Women Affairs, members of the State House of Assembly, the Chief of Staff to the Kwara State Governor, Secretary to Kwara State Government, State Commissioners, Special Advisers, and Assistants to the Governor, APC women leader and executives, and top government ally among others.
The event was also graced by women’s groups and associations, the youth in the state, the media, members of civil society organizations, the beneficiaries of the Renewed Hope Initiative, and voluntary organizations. The list is inexhaustible.
NEWS
ONEDOSH Raises $3M Pre-Seed to Build the Global Stablecoin Payment Rails
Money should move without borders. It doesn’t, yet.OneDosh has closed a $3M pre-seed to build the stablecoin-powered payment infrastructure the global economy has been waiting for.Founded in February 2025 byJackson Ukuevo—Co-Founder & CEO Godwin Okoye — Co-Founder Babatunde Osinowo – Co-FounderOneDosh wasn’t built from theory. It was built from friction, blocked cards, frozen accounts, slow cross-border transfers, and currency constraints experienced firsthand by the founding team while living and traveling globally. The conclusion was clear: the problem isn’t demand. It’s infrastructure.Today, OneDosh is live in the United States and Nigeria, two of the most active remittance and stablecoin corridors in the world.Users can move money from the U.S. to Nigeria, store value in stablecoins, and spend globally using stablecoin-powered cards on Apple Pay and Google Pay, anywhere Visa is accepted.But this is just the beginning.Under the hood, OneDosh is building foundational stablecoin rails, infrastructure that connects wallets, cards, and countries into a single, programmable infrastructure. As stablecoins become the default settlement tool for global payments, these rails become inevitable.The OneDosh team brings experience with executing innovative solutions, with experience at organizations like Zero Hash, Plaid, and Amazon, spanning compliance, payments, andlarge-scaleproductdevelopementThis pre-seed accelerates corridor expansion, deepens liquidity partnerships, and enables senior hires, positioning OneDosh at the intersection of stablecoins, global spending, and real-world payments.The opportunity is not speculative. The behavior already exists.The rails are being laid now.Borderless money isn’t a vision anymore. It’s happening, and OneDosh is building it.
NEWS
MultiChoice Names Omotosho CEO as Ugbe Retires
MultiChoice Nigeria, a Canal + company, has announced a leadership transition, as Chief Executive Officer, John Ugbe, retires after a distinguished tenure. He will be succeeded by Kemi Omotosho, who will be appointed Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria, effective January 2026.Ugbe steps down after nearly fifteen years at the helm, during which he steered the business through significant industry and market shifts, strengthening operational foundations and long-term resilience.Omotosho brings over 20 years of leadership experience across media, telecommunications, and digital businesses in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa. She has held several senior roles within the MultiChoice Group, including Executive Head of Customer Value Management in Nigeria and Group Executive Head of Customer Value Management for Rest of Africa, providing functional leadership across more than 50 markets. Most recently, she served as Regional Director for Southern Africa, with full P&L responsibility for a seven-country portfolio.With a proven record of leading complex organisations, driving disciplined growth and building high-performing teams, Omotosho will lead MultiChoice Nigeria’s strategy, operations and stakeholder engagement, building on the foundations laid by her predecessor.Speaking on her appointment, Omotosho said, “It is a privilege to be entrusted with the leadership of MultiChoice Nigeria at this important moment. Nigeria remains one of the Group’s most strategic and dynamic markets. I look forward to working with our teams and partners to deepen our relationship with consumers, champion local storytelling and the creative economy as well build a future-ready organisation that delivers sustainable value.”The company said Ugbe’s retirement and Omotosho’s appointment follow a structured and orderly transition, ensuring continuity and stability.
NEWS
Fidelity Bank Champions Tree Planting Initiative at Elegushi Beach
In line with its commitment to environmental preservation and sustainable development, leading financial institution, Fidelity Bank Plc, has partnered with Greenfingers Wildlife Initiative, to plant trees at Elegushi Beach, Lekki, Lagos.
The intervention was implemented as part of the bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, Fidelity Helping Hands Programme (FHHP). It was funded and administered by the newly inducted employees, referred to as the Vault Class, who selected this initiative for their community impact project. The bank provided matching financial support to ensure the project’s successful execution.
Speaking during the event, Divisional Head, Brand and Communications, Fidelity Bank Plc, Dr Meksley Nwagboh, highlighted the bank’s resolve to consistently champion initiatives that preserve the environment and reduce the impact of climate change.
“Environmental preservation is a key CSR pillar for us at Fidelity Bank. We believe that protecting the earth is a shared responsibility. That is why this initiative is not a one-time activity, but part of our ongoing efforts to promote sustainable best practices,” Nwagboh said. “We are committed to ensuring that our environment, including marine habitats, remains protected from pollution and degradation.”
In addition to planting trees, the Fidelity Bank team conducted a beach clean-up exercise to remove waste materials from the shoreline and surrounding marine areas. Nwagboh further noted that the bank continues to support environmental conservation through various initiatives nationwide and remains a proud partner of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF).
“Tree planting is an integral part of our climate action and resilience plan, and our goal is to consistently expand our environment-friendly operations.” Nwagboh added. “We are delighted for this partnership with Greenfingers Wildlife Initiative. It is one we intend to nurture, as we believe there’s more to be done to protect our environment.”
Also speaking at the event, Mr. Chinedu Mogbo, Founder of Greenfingers Wildlife Initiative, commended Fidelity Bank for its proactive commitment to environmental sustainability. He emphasized that the partnership aligns with the NGO’s mission to foster safer, cleaner environments for both humans and wildlife.
“Our partnership with Fidelity Bank is driven by a shared mission to create a safer, greener environment for both humans and wildlife. Beyond enhancing environmental safety, planting trees contributes to beautifying our surroundings and restoring balance to nature.” Mogbo stated.
The exercise marks another significant step in Fidelity Bank’s environmental CSR efforts aimed at promoting sustainable living across communities, combating climate change, protecting biodiversity, and conserving aquatic ecosystems.
Ranked among the best banks in Nigeria, Fidelity Bank Plc is a full-fledged Commercial Deposit Money Bank serving over 9.1 million customers through digital banking channels, its 255 business offices in Nigeria and United Kingdom subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited.
The Bank is a recipient of multiple local and international Awards, including the 2024 Excellence in Digital Transformation & MSME Banking Award by BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards; the 2024 Most Innovative Mobile Banking Application award for its Fidelity Mobile App by Global Business Outlook, and the 2024 Most Innovative Investment Banking Service Provider award by Global Brands Magazine. Additionally, the Bank was recognized as the Best Bank for SMEs in Nigeria by the Euromoney Awards for Excellence and as the Export Financing Bank of the Year by the BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards.
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