Zenith Bank distributed 140 million naira among 10 African innovators following competitions at its fifth Tech Fair in Lagos, where over 2,000 contestants participated in hackathon and startup pitch categories. Trust Loop secured 30 million naira for digital identity verification technology, while Cubbes Technologies Limited claimed an equal amount for artificial intelligence education software. Eight additional finalists collected 10 million naira each and will receive mentorship through early 2026.
Group Managing Director Adaora Umeoji praised founder Jim Ovia for launching the initiative, citing humanity's accelerating pace from mastering fire through millions of years to reaching the moon within 66 years of powered flight. Lagos...
FSDH Merchant Bank has channeled over $3.9 million into enterprises led by women across a five-year span, delivering this update during its fifth Women in Business Initiative summit in Lagos. The institution worked alongside Bank of Industry, the International Finance Corporation, the Africa Growing Together Fund and WEAV Capital to create tailored financing packages for female business owners. Executive Director Stella-Marie Omogbai noted that capacity programs reached more than 500 women-led small and medium enterprises, while summits and masterclasses engaged an additional 2,000 participants.
Managing Director Bukola Smith reinforced the bank's mission to dismantle obstacles blocking women from credit and market opportunities. A...
Nigerian entrepreneurs attending an upcoming Lagos business summit will receive substantial technology resources alongside professional development support through a comprehensive assistance program. The Mentor Matchup Challenge organizers announced that eligible small enterprises can access cloud computing credits worth up to 50,000 dollars from Amazon Web Services, while participants will also obtain tablets and complimentary photography sessions to strengthen their corporate identity when engaging potential investors.
The two-day gathering at the Oriental Hotel in Victoria Island connects attendees with more than 30 business veterans for personalized consultations addressing operational obstacles. Exhibition spaces will showcase...
A Zimbabwean energy firm has illuminated the burial ground honoring provincial liberation fighters after local lawmakers highlighted security vulnerabilities at the memorial site. ZN Solar Solutions equipped the Bulawayo shrine with eight photovoltaic fixtures following appeals from Senator Molly Mpofu, who advocates for enhanced visibility to deter criminal activity around the hallowed ground.
Company executives Zenzo Ndlovu and Bridget Bhebhe revealed their broader community safety campaign has extended similar installations to schools, police facilities, and highway checkpoints stretching toward the Beitbridge border crossing. Mpofu expressed aspirations for future development at the sanctuary, envisioning commercial establishments...
A Zimbabwean legislator has raised alarm over hazardous excavation sites scattered across three provinces that threaten residents and animals during wet weather periods. Nonhlanhla Mlotshwa told parliament that vulnerable populations face mounting risks from unfenced mining cavities in Matabeleland South, Midlands, and Mashonaland West, where rainfall transforms abandoned workings into deadly traps.
Deputy minister Caleb Makwiranzou acknowledged widespread concerns while defending government protocols requiring seasonal closures and safety inspections through provincial teams. The official said authorities have issued warnings demanding operators secure dangerous locations, though he conceded enforcement responsibility falls to police...
Zimbabwean authorities in Plumtree have rolled out sweeping regulations targeting informal gold diggers after uncontrolled excavations threatened public safety and environmental stability. Local officials banned vertical shafts exceeding 1.5 meters unless operators implement terracing safeguards or secure mechanical equipment permits through provincial inspectors, while demanding immediate rehabilitation of riverbed sites through progressive backfilling as extraction advances.
The framework compels prospectors to register certified licenses with town administrators and remit royalties alongside environmental monitoring data quarterly, with impact assessment documents made accessible for citizen review at municipal headquarters...
Kenya's leader has challenged African Union nations to quit stalling institutional overhauls that demand zero funding, warning that paralysis disguised as fiscal prudence will ultimately damage continental interests more severely than immediate investment costs. William Ruto told reform committee chiefs gathered in Angola's capital that resistance cloaked in budget anxiety makes no sense when numerous transformative decisions require nothing beyond political will to execute.
The Kenyan head of state chairs an ad hoc panel examining eight priority adjustments spanning peace architecture revitalization, court operationalization, and parliamentary restructuring. Ruto pledged expert backing for recommendations while urging December...
Kenya's second-in-command has extended his stay in Mbeere North beyond the official campaign cutoff, coordinating voter mobilization efforts ahead of a closely watched parliamentary contest that analysts view as a preview of broader electoral dynamics. Kithure Kindiki spent Tuesday organizing polling agents and outreach teams for the United Democratic Alliance candidate Leonard wa Muthende, maintaining a physical presence while his predecessor, Rigathi Gachagua, departed the constituency early.
The deputy president sparked controversy by offering opposition contender Newton Kariuki alternative government employment should he lose, dismissing the challenger as misguided by unnamed political figures. Kindiki framed all aspirants as...
Kenya's head of state has paid tribute to Beryl Achieng' Odinga, whose death arrived weeks after her brother Raila passed away, praising her pioneering work as an urban planner who shaped Zimbabwe's development during the 1980s before returning home to lead water utility reforms. President William Ruto highlighted how the deceased blazed trails for professional women across Africa while steering transformative changes at Nairobi's sewerage company from 2020 onward.
Opposition figures joined the mourning, with Kanu leader Gideon Moi recognizing her dual careers in teaching and advocacy, while ODM secretary Edwin Sifuna pledged party solidarity during what he termed an exceptionally painful stretch for the bereaved relatives. Family...
