New Recipe Reinforces Brand Commitment to Delivering Better Taste Experiences for CustomersChicken Republic, Nigeria’s leading quick-service restaurant brand and a flagship brand of Food Concepts Plc, has announced the introduction of its improved Smokey Jollof recipe across restaurants nationwide, further reinforcing its commitment to continuous enhancement of customer experience through menu innovation and quality improvements.The refreshed recipe represents the latest evolution of one of the brand’s most popular offerings. Developed with a focus on richer flavour, greater consistency and an even more satisfying eating experience, the improved Smokey Jollof reflects Chicken Republic’s dedication to meeting the evolving tastes and expectations of its customers.As a customer-centric brand, Chicken Republic regularly evaluates consumer feedback, dining trends, and product performance to ensure its menu continues to deliver the quality and value to which customers have become accustomed. The updated Smokey Jollof is part of this ongoing commitment to continuous improvement.Speaking on the launch, Olumide Aniyikaiye, Marketing Director Food Concept, said:”At Chicken Republic, our customers are at the heart of every decision we make. We are constantly listening, learning and looking for ways to improve the experience we deliver. The improved Smokey Jollof is a reflection of that commitment. We’ve refined the recipe to deliver an even richer, more enjoyable taste experience while maintaining the flavour profile our customers know and love.”The improved Smokey Jollof is now available at Chicken Republic outlets nationwide, allowing customers to experience a more flavourful and consistent version of a fan-favourite menu item.This latest enhancement underscores Chicken Republic’s broader commitment to innovation, quality and creating memorable meal experiences for customers across Nigeria.”Great brands evolve with their consumers. This update is not about changing what people love, but about making it even better. We are confident that customers will enjoy the improved recipe and appreciate the attention we continue to invest in delivering quality meals every day,” Aniyokaiye added.

L-R; Sylvia Nwakwue, General Manager, Head of Transaction Services (Lagos & South-West Division), GTBank, LBS SMP 35 Alumnus; Chief Sir Raymond Ihyembe, KSS, OON, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Gresham Asset Management Limited, LBS CEP 2 Alumnus; Mitchell Elegbe, Founder and Group CEO, Interswitch Group and LBS Executive-in-Residence; and Jacinta Ifeoma Anakua, Head, Advancement, Lagos Business School (LBS), during a recent courtesy visit to Interswitch’s HQ to commemorate the Professor Albert Alos Endowed Chair in Strategic Management.

Lagos, Nigeria – June 30, 2026: Interswitch, one of Africa’s leading integrated payments and digital commerce companies, has been inducted as a founding corporate supporter of the Professor Albert Alos Endowed Chair in Strategic Management, Lagos Business School’s (LBS) first endowed chair, reinforcing its long-standing commitment to advancing leadership, knowledge creation and institutional excellence across Africa. Established ahead of Professor Albert Alos’ 87th birthday in September 2026, the landmark initiative honours his enduring contributions to management education and is dedicated to advancing Africa-focused research, strengthening faculty leadership, fostering thought leadership, and developing the next generation of responsible business leaders who will drive Africa’s growth on the global stage. Having transformed Africa’s payments landscape through innovation and technology for more than two decades, Interswitch believes that sustainable economic progress depends just as much on investing in the institutions that cultivate ideas, develop leaders and inspire enterprise. Its support for the Professor Albert Alos Endowed Chair reflects this conviction and highlights the vital role that collaboration between academia and industry plays in building globally competitive African economies. The announcement further deepens a longstanding relationship between Interswitch and Lagos Business School, built on a shared commitment to leadership development, innovation and enterprise excellence. Founder and Group CEO, Mitchell Elegbe, serves on the Lagos Business School Advisory Board and as Executive-in-Residence, where he contributes strategic insight to the School’s pursuit of excellence in management education while engaging students, executives and business leaders on innovation, entrepreneurship and building enduring African enterprises. Reflecting on the significance of the partnership, Elegbe said:”Building Africa’s future requires more than technological innovation; it requires strong institutions that cultivate leaders capable of solving complex challenges and creating lasting value. Our support for the Professor Albert Alos Endowed Chair reflects our belief that academia and industry have a shared responsibility to generate the ideas, research and leadership that will shape the continent’s next chapter. We are proud to deepen our partnership with Lagos Business School in advancing excellence, innovation and responsible leadership across Africa.” According to a statement released by the Lagos Business School,”It is with great pride that we welcome Interswitch Group as a founding corporate supporter of the Professor Albert Alos Endowed Chair in Strategic Management, Lagos Business School’s first endowed chair. This landmark initiative is dedicated to advancing Africa-focused research, strengthening faculty leadership, fostering thought leadership, and developing the next generation of responsible business leaders who will drive Africa’s growth on the global stage. Interswitch’s support reflects a shared conviction: that innovation, rigorous research, and deep collaboration between academia and industry are indispensable to building globally competitive institutions and driving sustainable development across Africa.” The company’s support for the endowed chair builds on a broader legacy of investing in initiatives that expand opportunity through education, innovation, entrepreneurship and talent development. Beyond enabling digital payments and commerce across Africa, Interswitch has consistently championed programmes that promote financial inclusion, STEM education, youth empowerment and entrepreneurial development, reflecting its belief that empowering people remains central to the continent’s long-term prosperity. As Africa’s economies become increasingly interconnected and digitally enabled, the need for locally grounded research, world-class management education and values-driven leadership has never been greater. Through this partnership, Interswitch is helping to strengthen the intellectual infrastructure needed to produce globally competitive institutions, nurture visionary leaders and equip African businesses to thrive in an increasingly complex global economy. By supporting the Professor Albert Alos Endowed Chair, Interswitch is investing not only in an academic institution, but also in the ideas, leaders and partnerships that will define Africa’s next generation of growth. It reflects the company’s enduring belief that the continent’s greatest competitive advantage lies not only in the technologies it creates, but equally in the strength of its institutions, the quality of its leadership and its capacity to innovate.

Mastercard has expanded its global lifestyle platform, Priceless.com, to Africa, unlocking a new way for Mastercard cardholders around the world to explore the continent’s most iconic destinations. The platform brings together culturally rich journeys across nine African markets, including South Africa, Kenya, Morocco, Mauritius, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Zimbabwe, offering travellers access to Africa through a premium, curated lens. From wildlife encounters beneath African skies to hidden galleries and exotic coastal festivals, Priceless Africa ignites travel as a powerful passion point. Cardholders can now discover a one-of-a-kind Africa shaped by creativity, heritage and deep community connection. Each experience is curated across Mastercard’s leading passion categories: culture and creativity, culinary, nature and wildlife, and adventure, enabling travellers to securely and seamlessly explore what they love most. Mastercard offers a range of travel benefits, including hotel and flight savings, airport lounge access, and seamless booking across leading travel platforms, car rentals, and e-hailing services. The result is a seamless, secure, and truly rewarding journey at every touchpoint. The launch comes as Africa’s travel sector continues to expand, making it one of the fastest-growing tourism regions globally. The region welcomed 81 million international tourists in 2025, marking an 8% year-on-year increase, according to UN Tourism. As more travellers seek authentic, purpose-driven experiences, Mastercard and its partners are supporting this growth through curated experiences across key passion points, alongside secure and seamless payments that enhance the travel journey. Peak travel seasons offer unique moments for Mastercard and its partners to support travellers through distinctive Priceless experiences, alongside secure and seamless payments that enhance every step of the journey. Ahmed Abdel-Karim Hussein, Executive Vice President, Integrated Marketing & Communications, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, said: “Africa is one of the most culturally diverse and creatively inspiring destinations in the world, and today’s travellers are seeking moments that are deeply human and rooted in local culture. With Priceless Africa, we are opening the door to authentic, unforgettable experiences, while ensuring Mastercard’s secure and seamless payments support every step of the journey, connecting people to their passions as they discover the continent’s extraordinary spirit.” Priceless Africa brings together the moments that define the continent. Cardholders can rise over Amboseli in a sunrise hot air balloon, walk Cape Coast Castle by candlelight, trek with mountain gorillas through Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park or Uganda’s Bwindi forests, share a Bedouin dinner in the Agafay Desert, hike Mauritius’ Le Morne Brabant before a home-cooked Creole lunch, sail Menai Bay aboard a traditional dhow, track rhinos on foot through Matobo Hills, head into the bush with the Kruger K9 anti-poaching team or design a one-of-a-kind piece with one of Accra’s leading fashion houses. Every market, every passion, all curated and bookable in one place. Experience of availability varies by market and is subject to change.The launch is anchored by Mastercard’s “You Have To Be Here” travel campaign, a continent-wide creative platform built to inspire cardholders to discover Africa through curated storytelling, content series and always-on travel inspiration. This campaign launched on 18 June and will run until December 2026. Priceless Africa is now live on Priceless.com in select markets, with rollout across all nine markets and additional experiences continuing throughout 2026 as Mastercard expands its footprint into even more African markets.