The Kano State Government has indefinitely postponed the resumption date for both primary and post-primary schools for the 2024/2025 academic session.
The government cited “urgent reasons” for the postponement but did not provide specific details.
The decision follows a similar move by the Edo State Government, which also postponed school resumption due to rising petrol prices and challenges faced by parents and guardians.
Schools in most parts of Nigeria are set to resume on Monday, September 9.
Balarabe Kiru, Director of Public Enlightenment at the Kano State Ministry of Education, announced the postponement in a statement on Saturday.
He explained that the Commissioner for Education, Umar Doguwa, would announce a new resumption date soon.
Kiru stated, “I wish to inform pupils, students, and parents that the previously scheduled resumption dates of September 8 and 9, 2024, have been postponed.
“This decision is based on urgent reasons aimed at enhancing the learning environment for our children. A new date for resumption will be communicated in due course.”
[DailyTrust]
Nigeria and other African countries have been advised to be mindful of strategic national interest and take a more strategic approach to Foreign Direct Investment, FDI, from China and other global investors.
This is even as the President Bola Tinubu’s administration has been cautioned to be careful with Chinese deals.
The call was separately made by former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Kingsley Moghalu, and foremost Professor of Political Science, Bolaji Akinyemi.
The statements come on the heels of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in Beijing from Wednesday, September 4 to Friday, September 6.
The 9th Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit themed “Joining Hands to Advance Modernisation and Build High-Level China-Africa Community with Shared Future,” had Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu in attendance.
According to the Nigerian government, Tinubu’s high-profile visit to China was aimed at fostering economic ties and securing investments for Nigeria.
DAILY POST reports that China is Nigeria’s largest creditor, according to the Debt Management Office (DMO) among the five global powers, including France, Japan, India, and Germany.
Nigeria’s debt to China is primarily for infrastructure projects such as railways, highways, and power plants, with analysts fearing the debt burden poses challenges.
Speaking via a post on his X handle over the weekend, Moghalu stressed that the guiding hand of the state remains imperative even in the most capitalist economies.
The former Deputy Governor explained that foreign investment into African countries should be channeled to focus on electricity provision, education and skill development, amongst others.
He said: “As African heads of state and government meet with Chinese leaders in Beijing and China makes another round of investment and financing promises to African countries, US President @JoeBiden ‘s looming decision to block Japan’s Nippon Steel’s acquisition of U.S. Steel on “national security” grounds reminds us of the role of strategic national interest exceptions in the (overall, welcoming) stance of advanced economies (including China) to foreign direct investment. Note that Japan is an American ally.
“The lesson is that, while market forces have created the most wealth of nations in global history, the guiding hand of the state remains imperative even in the most capitalist economies.
“This, of course, presupposes that the state itself is a competent one in the first place. African countries need to take a more strategic approach to FDI from China and other global investors.
“All too often, and with very few exceptions such as Rwanda, Ethiopia and Tanzania, they trade and negotiate away their long term strategic interest in these transactions which also fail to deliver real development and transformation.
“Foreign investment into African countries should be channeled to focus on (a) electricity provision; (b) education and skill development; (c) single-digit financial credit, and venture capital that boosts wealth creation and jobs at the bottom of the pyramid; (d) agriculture value chains.
“This kind of focus would provide the strategic levers to industrialization and other kinds of infrastructure that can be provided through public-private partnerships, leaving governments to focus on social services such as health, basic education to boost literacy.”
On his part, while speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme, Akinyemi warned that Tinubu could not afford to repeat the mistakes of successive administrations in the country.
“Of course, we should be careful but don’t isolate the debt to China. There are also debts we owe the United States, there are also debts we owe even some of the medium-power countries.
“What we need to do is to be careful about two things: one, we shouldn’t default on that debt. A month before this African-Chinese Summit, Nigerian Sovereign Goods were being impounded all around the world at the instigation of a Chinese company.
“So, China is not going to serve us anything on global butter; we have to be careful that we fulfill our part of the bargain, not only to China but with all the other countries that we may be doing deals, it will impede on our status, our pride, our sovereign goods to be seized because we are defaulting from fulfilling our part of the agreements.”
DAILY POST recalls that a French court recently ruled in favour of a Chinese company, Zhongshan Fucheng, to seize three presidential jets belonging to the Nigerian government.
The development followed a dispute between Zhongshan and the Ogun State government.
[DailyPost]
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, on Monday, debunked claims that the rate for Value-Added Tax (VAT) has been upwardly adjusted to 10 per cent from 7.5 per cent.
In a statement on Monday, Edun clarified that the current VAT rate, as stipulated in the country’s tax laws, remains at 7.5 percent.
He said: “The current VAT rate is 7.5% and this is what the government is charging on a spectrum of goods and services to which the tax is applicable.
“Therefore, neither the Federal Government nor any of its agencies will act contrary to what our laws stipulate.
“The tax system stands on a tripod, namely tax policy, tax laws and tax administration. All three must combine well to give us a sound system that gives vitality to the fiscal position of the government.
“Our focus as a government is to use fiscal policy in a manner that promotes and enhances strong and sustainable economic growth reduces poverty as well as makes businesses flourish.
“The imputation in some media reports on the issue of VAT and the opinion articles that have sprouted from them seem to wrongly convey the impression that the government is out to make life difficult for Nigerians. That is not correct. If anything, the Federal Government has, through its policies, demonstrated that it is committed to creating a congenial environment for businesses to thrive.
“In fact, it is on record that the Federal Government, as part of efforts to bring relief to Nigerians and businesses, recently ordered the stoppage of import duties, tariffs and taxes on rice, wheat, beans and other food items.
“For emphasis, as of today, VAT remains 7.5% and that is what will be charged on all the goods and services that are VAT-able,” Edun said.
[TheNation]
The Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned one Ibrahim Shuaibu before Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court, sitting in Kaduna State for fraud.
According to a Monday statement on EFCC X.com handle Shuaibu is facing prosecution on a seven-count charge, including criminal breach of trust, impersonation, and obtaining by false pretence, amounting to N100 million.
Count one of his charges reads, “That you, Nuhu Ibrahim Shuaibu (a.k.a Ishaku Abdulrazak) (M) and lIya Garba (now deceased) sometime in 2017 in Kaduna within the judicial division of this honourable court did conspire between yourselves to do an illegal act, to wit: obtaining money under false pretence and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 8(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
Another reads: “That you, Nuhu Ibrahim Shuaibu (a.k.a Ishaku Abdulrazak)(M) sometime in 2018 at Kaduna within the judicial division of this honourable court, with intent to defraud, obtained the total sum of N47,050,000.00 (Forty-Seven Million and Fifty Thousand Naira) from one Faisal Safiyanu, when you claimed to supply him petroleum products, which pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)(a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offenses Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
He pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges when they were read to him, prompting the prosecution counsel, M. Lawal to urge the court to fix a trial date. His counsel, AbdulKareem Audu failed to file a bail application.
Justice Khobo afterwards ordered the defendant to be remanded in the custody of the EFCC.
Shuaibu’s path to prosecution began in 2017 when he falsely represented himself as the Group Executive Director of NNPC, offering to help his victim acquire over 2,000 litres of petroleum products.
The victim subsequently transferred the agreed payment to Shuaibu’s bank accounts in instalments.
However, after receiving the funds, Shuaibu neither delivered the products nor refunded the victim’s money.
[Punch]
Ace comedian and entertainment guru Gbenga Adeyinka has stated that President Bola Tinubu has nothing to gain or lose if the country fails to progress under his leadership, adding that the president is still the right person to steer the affairs of the country.
Adeyinka, speaking on a podcast released by TheCable over the weekend, disclosed his membership in the All Progressives Congress, emphasizing that President Tinubu’s previous achievements as Lagos governor qualify him to tackle Nigeria’s economic issues and drive the nation toward success.
He said, “If I’m passionate about you, I’m passionate about you. That’s my problem. And I believe that, and please take this to the bank, if Asiwaju (Tinubu) cannot set Nigeria right, then we’re in trouble. With his capacity, with what he knows, with the fact that he has nothing to gain or lose anymore, if he cannot set Nigeria right, then we’re in trouble. I’m scared for Nigeria,” Adeyinka said.
“Even before the election, people were taking sides. Am I happy with the policies of the government? I suffer too. People should not forget that I’m a Nigerian too. Now, am I happy with the policies of Asiwaju? Some yes, some no.
“The man explained something. He said, we have two options. We go the way we are going. I’ll be attacked for this one, but I’ll say my mind. We go the way we have always gone. We keep borrowing money. We keep using our crude, for instance, I’m told has been used to borrow money. We can change that and have a better tomorrow. Or, we continue this way and everybody is happy, and your children suffer.
Adeyinka, who praised certain policies of the current administration, such as subsidy removal and local government autonomy, also criticized the government for being wasteful.
“Do I believe he should have ended subsidy, although he was not even the one that ended the fuel subsidy thing. I support fuel subsidy removal totally because of the amount of corruption that was in it.
“Do I think they’ve done a good job by tightening their belts when we need to tighten our belts? No. I believe that those cars that were bought for members of the national assembly was an unnecessary oppression of the people, of the people who are suffering. What else have they done? I see a lot of restructuring taking place.
“Local governments are to get their money directly. If you have a vibrant local government, you can build the country from bottom up, which is the way they do it abroad. Will governors allow the money get to the local government? Some governors have said no, nine or so.
“If you get the local government right, it’s like getting a family right. Society will be better. Should people have gone on the streets to protest? There’s a fundamental right of protest. Should they have said the summit should be cancelled? No.
“Those are constitutional issues that should be dealt with constitutionally. I think what should have been done is to ask for a constitutional review. You can’t use illegality to remove someone legally elected.”
Speaking further, Adeyinka urged the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, and others, such as Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress and Kingsley Moghalu to vie for National Assembly seats to help rewrite the country’s laws.
“There are some people who are professional politicians. That is their job. You now wake up and say you want to come and… they will not even give you ticket. With our current structure, it takes the grace of men for you to become president,” he said.
“That’s why when I see them Sowore, saying they want to be president, Fela Durotoye wants to be president, Peter Obi wants to be president, and there’s one very intelligent guy, Moghalu wants to be president… I think we need to get these young people into the house of reps, into the senate, to rewrite our laws.
“If Peter Obi becomes president of Nigeria with the same structure we have in place, there’s nothing he’s going to do.”
[Vanguard]
Sharon Ooja, the Nigerian actress, has revealed how she met Ugo Nwoke, her husband.
The film star tied the knot with Ugo in June.
Ooja shared her marriage testimony during a recent service at the Harvesters International Church, headed by Bolaji Idowu.
The movie star said despite her beauty and financial stability, she prayed tirelessly for a life partner until a transformative encounter with the Holy Spirit in the desert.
She said she was filming in the desert when the “Holy Spirit asked me to let go of my burdens” and to focus on personal growth.
The actress said “God gave me the best husband in the world” while encouraging other church members to trust God for their heart’s desires.
“Before I got married, I was one of those girls who felt I was playing God in my own life. I would think I knew it all. People think that because you are a beautiful girl you should get everything. Several times I would have conversations with God and say you have given me work, you have given me financial stability, and there is just one thing I am looking for,” she said.
“I had a conversation with pastor B about six years ago. He asked what I wanted in a man and I said someone that would take care of me. And he said I was looking for money, bank and that is not wanted for me. I needed to work on myself. I kept on building and growing.
“Fast forward, I was filming in the desert last year and I had a heavy encounter with the Holy Spirit. We were not with our phones because anytime we went into the desert there was no network. So, I was detached from people. And I remember the Holy Spirit telling me to leave my burdens here on a land where it will never grow. It is not a fertile ground. I prayed and I told God that I was ready.
“I thought I was wise but God stripped me. He gave me the best husband in the world. I am testifying this because when you are in line with the Holy Spirit, it is between you and Him.
Ooja previously revealed that Ugo proposed to her after two months of meeting each other.
She said her sister introduced them shortly after she had gone through a severe heartbreak.
The actress stated that she was initially hesitant but Ugo persistently tried to reach out to her.
[TheCable]
The Senior Prophet of Christ MercyLand Deliverance Ministry, Abuja, Jeremiah Fufeyin, has denied allegations suggesting that his ministry has been using the name of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control to mislead the public regarding spiritual items.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the church’s media arm, and signed by Sophia Iloyd, the church described the allegations as false and misleading.
The statement was in a response to NAFDAC’s statement on Sunday, alerting the public to the activities of Fufeyin’schurch claiming he had been using the agency’s name to deceive the public.
The church, however, said it is a law-abiding institution that respects the laws of the land, including those of NAFDAC.
It emphasised that it operates under the protections of Sections 38 and 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantee freedom of religion and expression.
“As a church, we are guided by our faith and the teachings of the Bible. We have been using spiritual items as an expression of our religious beliefs.
“The church strongly denied claims made in the publication, which suggested that NAFDAC was warning the public about the ministry’s activities.
“At no point has our church deceived the public. We have not produced or sold consumable items to the public, let alone used NAFDAC’s name to do so,” the statement read
It further clarified that the only complaint pending against the church is a petition by one Mr. Martins Vincent Otse, also known as Verydarkblackman, who the church has taken to court over various allegations.
Fufeyin’s church acknowledged receiving a letter from NAFDAC dated August 27, 2024, which invited the church’s spiritual head for an inquiry into its use of miracle and healing items.
However, the church claimed that it was given less than 12 hours to respond and had already communicated its position to NAFDAC via official correspondence.
The church also alleged that the complainant, Otse, forged receipts to back his claims against the ministry.
These receipts, it said, were different from the ones typically issued by the church’s accounting office and had discrepancies in dates and details.
“We have written to NAFDAC and informed them that the receipts submitted by the complainant are under police investigation. Despite this, NAFDAC has not responded to our letters or provided any feedback on the matter,” the statement concluded.
ome experts have expressed concern that the hike in the pump price of petrol could lead to malnutrition in the country.
The experts, who said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Abuja, said the situation could occur due to the increased cost of living for many households.
NAN reports that the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited Ltd, NNPCL Retail Management on September 3 approved the upward review of petrol pump price from N568 – N617 per litre to N897 per litre.
A development economist, Mohammad Nazifi noted that low income earners would be worse hit by the new price, because of the likely increase in cost of transportation which would also affect food prices.
Mr Nazifi said that the situation could lead to health challenges such as malnutrition and increased food insecurity in the country.
“The rising cost of food and other essentials can lead to malnutrition or food insecurity, particularly among vulnerable populations. These factors can exacerbate health inequalities and strain public health systems,” he said.
According to him, the increased price can contribute to inflationary pressure on the economy, causing the cost of production to rise.
“The increase in Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) prices contributes to overall inflationary pressure. Nigeria’s inflation rate is already high at 34.19 per cent as of September 2024.
“As transportation and production costs rise due to higher fuel prices, these costs are passed on to consumers, leading to higher prices across board.
“This can create a cycle of rising costs and wages, potentially leading to cost-push inflation, which further erodes purchasing power and can slow economic growth,” he said.
An economic expert, Mr David Ambi, who also spoke to NAN, said that petroleum prices were a critical determinant of inflation, particularly in economies that heavily rely on petrol for transportation and production.
JaizBank
He maintained that the rising fuel costs typically lead to higher expenses throughout the supply chain, which in turn affects the prices of goods and services, including foodstuff.
“This phenomenon is known as ‘cost-push inflation, higher transportation and production costs lead to more expensive goods, from food to consumer electronics,” he said .
A public analyst, Bulus Dabit, said that the increase in fuel prices could exacerbate poverty by reducing the purchasing power of citizens, particularly low-income households.
“The increase in pump prices may disproportionately affect vulnerable populations such as the poor and marginalised, who may not have the means to absorb the additional costs,” he said.
Mr Dabit said that the decision to increase the prices had been criticised for being driven by external and personal economic interests rather than by scientific economic imperatives.
He said that any decision on such matters should involve consultations with citizens and be predicated on empathy, justice, accountability, patriotism, and nationalism.
Also, Charity Bello, the Secretary of Small-holder Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria, SWOFON, in Plateau, said that as long as petrol prices keep increasing, prices of food commodities would not drop.
Ms Bello said that food prices could stabilise if the government addresses insecurity in rural communities where most farming activities occur, in addition to the downward review of the cost of petrol.
NAN
Poland’s President Andrzej Duda said “very many” immigrants come to Europe expecting a free ride, in an interview aired Sunday on a US political affairs programme.
The comment comes against a background of Warsaw’s accusations against Moscow that it has tried to smuggle thousands of people from Africa into Europe by flying them to Russia and sending them to the Polish border via Belarus.
“If someone comes over to Poland in the false perception that one will stay here and get everything for free and will have a better life without working, well, we do not agree to such arrivals,” said Duda.
He was speaking to conservative news host Sharyl Attkisson on Sinclair Television’s “Full Measure” programme.
Asked by Attkisson whether great numbers of people were coming to Europe expecting a free ride, Duda said “yes”.
“I think that in very many cases, we have such a situation. That’s why there is such a reaction in the West of Europe,” he added.
The interview was also available online on the programme’s website.
Since summer 2021, thousands of migrants and refugees, mainly from the Middle East, have crossed or attempted to cross the border between Belarus — an ally of Russia — and Poland, a NATO and EU member.
In May, Warsaw announced it would spend more than 2.3 billion euros ($2.5 billion) on fortifying its eastern border with Belarus that it said Russia has used to destabilise the region with hybrid attacks.
The following month, a Polish soldier on patrol at the border was fatally stabbed through a five-metre-high (16-foot) metal fence that Poland had erected in 2022.
The Polish army also reported other attacks on troops at the border.
In July, Polish lawmakers voted to allow the security forces to use lethal weapons in response to active threats, including at the tense border with Belarus.
The soaring cost of domestic air travel in Nigeria is forcing many citizens to abandon air transportation, as one-way tickets now sell for over N200,000 on several routes.
Routes such as Lagos to Abuja, Enugu, Kano, and Owerri have seen unprecedented price hikes, with some flights costing as much as N650,000, depending on the airline and the time of booking.
A one-way economy class ticket from Lagos to Abuja, previously priced between N50,000 to N65,000, now ranges between N130,000 and N220,000.
Similarly, flights from Lagos to Kano and Lagos to Owerri have reached staggering prices, with tickets costing up to N650,000 and N600,000, respectively.
Business Day reports that the surge in prices is attributed to a combination of factors, including the scarcity of foreign exchange, increased maintenance costs, and the grounding of some domestic airlines, such as Dana Air.
According to the report, many airlines are struggling to maintain their fleets, with fewer aircraft available to meet demand, creating a virtual monopoly on certain routes.
Passengers like Patience Kofo, who used to frequently travel with her children from Lagos to Abuja, have been priced out of flying.
“I used to spend between N500,000 to N600,000 on return tickets, but now it costs over N1.5 million,” she said.
Similarly, frequent business traveller Musa Iyal had to cancel his trip after discovering that a one-way ticket from Kano to Lagos was priced at N230,000, citing that such high costs would erode his business profits.
With rising costs and reduced fleet availability, many Nigerians are turning to alternative forms of transportation, making air travel increasingly a luxury reserved for the wealthy.
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The Naira raced to N2,000 per dollar at the black market on Saturday despite the Central Bank of Nigeria’s sale of dollars to the Bureau De Change operators.
A BDC operator, Dayyabu Ashiru confirmed to DAILY POST that Naira was exchanged for N1,670 per dollar on Saturday from the N1665 exchange rate last Friday.
“We buy at N1665 per dollar and sell at N1670”, he said.
DAILY POST recalls that the apex bank announced that it sold $20,000 each to legible BDC operators at N1580 per dollar rate last week.
Meanwhile, the appreciated last Friday at the official market to close the week at N1593.32 per dollar exchange rate.
Africa’s tech ecosystem is a vibrant yet challenging landscape, marked by extraordinary growth and significant hurdles.
The continent’s startups are at the forefront of innovation, but they face a complex web of regulatory and policy challenges that can stifle their potential.
Over the past few years, African startups have attracted nearly $5 billion in investment, fueling a surge in technological advancements and job creation.
In 2022, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa stood out with substantial funding, raising $896 million, $818 million, and $652 million, respectively.
This rapid growth has propelled Africa’s tech sector to a valuation of over $480 billion—an impressive 32-fold increase over the last decade, compared to Europe’s 17-fold growth to $20 trillion.
However, the expansion comes with its own set of challenges. The recent global slowdown in venture capital has affected Africa as well, with a 40% decline in funding from 2022 to 2023. This downturn reflects broader economic uncertainties and highlights persistent issues within the continent’s regulatory and policy frameworks. Fragmented regulations, bureaucratic red tape, and inconsistent policy implementation continue to pose barriers to startup growth and innovation.
In this context, certain key figures are leading the charge to address these issues and drive Africa’s tech revolution. They are at the helm of annual events that play a crucial role in fostering collaboration and building partnerships across the continent.
These events not only showcase the best of African tech talent but also serve as platforms for discussing policy reforms, navigating regulatory challenges, and connecting startups with investors and policymakers.
Meet the key figures behind the major events driving the continent’s tech revolution and fostering essential connections among startups, investors, and policymakers. Their efforts are instrumental in shaping the future of technology on the continent, creating a more conducive environment for innovation and growth.
9. Tom Jackson – Disrupt Africa/Africa Startup Summit
Location: Various African cities
Tom Jackson is a co-founder of Disrupt Africa, a leading platform covering African tech and startup ecosystems. A passionate advocate for African entrepreneurship, Jackson is known for his deep insight into the continent’s tech scene and his efforts to provide visibility for startups through media and events.
Disrupt Africa was founded in 2014. It is a media company and platform dedicated to promoting and supporting the African startup ecosystem. The organization has been instrumental in organizing events such as the Africa Startup Summit, which focuses on showcasing and nurturing African startups and fostering connections among entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders.
Also, the Africa Startup Summit is part of the broader Africa Tech Summit series. It focuses on providing early-stage startups with exposure and resources to scale, offering a dynamic space for networking, pitching, and knowledge sharing among innovators, investors, and policy-makers.
8. Christophe Viarnaud – AfricArena
Location: Cape Town, South Africa & satellite events in African cities
Christophe Viarnaud is the founder and CEO of AfricArena, a seasoned entrepreneur and investor with a passion for driving growth in Africa’s venture capital scene. With over 20 years of experience, he has been instrumental in bridging the gap between African startups and global investors, facilitating strategic partnerships and growth.
AfricArena is a premier tech conference aimed at connecting African startups with international investors. It offers a platform for startups to pitch their innovations while fostering relationships with venture capitalists, corporates, and tech leaders from across the globe.
7. Olumide Olayinka-Lagos Startup Week
With over 8 years of experience in start-ups, scale-ups, and established corporations, Olumide Olayunka, co founder of Lagos Startup Week specializes in launching innovative products and solutions for both B2B and B2C markets. As a seasoned Product Management leader, he has a proven track record of delivering high-impact, customer-centric products that address real-world challenges. His expertise spans Fintech, Ecommerce, and Logistics, where he has consistently driven growth and profitability through technology and digitization.
Lagos Startup Week, an event founded in 2017 celebrates and supports the startup ecosystem in Lagos. The week-long event features play host to about 5000 of Africa’s top founders and investors, through networking opportunities, workshops, panels, pitch competitions, and keynote speeches, aimed at fostering collaboration and growth within the entrepreneurial community,
6. Tom Cuthell – Africa Tech Festival (Incorporating AfricaCom)
Tom Cuthell is the Event Director at Informa Tech, spearheading the Africa Tech Festival and its flagship event, AfricaCom. Cuthell oversees other major tech events including London Tech Week and previously, he was Vice President of Global Festivals and Senior Director at Informa Tech Founders. His earlier roles include Portfolio Manager at KNect365, where he expanded maritime and energy events, and Senior Conference Producer at Informa. Olumide holds an MA in Imperial and Commonwealth History from King’s College London and a BA in History from the University of East Anglia.
Africa Tech Festival, which includes AfricaCom was founded in 2008 and is one of the most important gatherings for tech professionals, investors, and telecom leaders. The event highlights innovation, policy development, and infrastructure growth, especially in telecommunications and digital technologies.
5. Dr. Nick Bradshaw – AI Expo Africa
Dr. Nick Bradshaw brings 25 years of expertise in the technology sector, specializing in marketing complex technology solutions and advancing Enterprise collaboration software and cloud platforms. His career spans Europe, North America, and Africa, where he has served a diverse range of multi-billion-dollar global clients. Bradshaw successfully built and exited a digital practice and Microsoft Gold software start-up, Complexus, and has since consulted with numerous tech start-ups on Sales and Marketing operations across the UK, Europe, and Africa.
Following the exit of Complexus, Bradshaw founded the AI Media Group in 2017. AI Expo Africa is the continent’s largest AI and machine learning event, bringing together thought leaders, developers, and investors. The expo focuses on advancing the adoption of AI and related technologies in Africa, fostering collaboration and innovation in fields like healthcare, finance, and education.
4. Ehi Braimah – IoT West Africa
Ehi Braimah is the CEO of the Africa Infrastructure Event Centre (AIEC), a pivotal figure in advancing IoT infrastructure and solutions in West Africa. With extensive experience in tech event management, Braimah has been at the forefront of discussions and initiatives that push the boundaries of IoT in Africa.
IoT West Africa is a leading event focused on the development and expansion of the Internet of Things in the region. The event connects tech innovators, investors, and policy-makers, driving conversations around smart cities, IoT solutions, and the future of connectivity in West Africa.
3. Tomi Davies – Africa Early Stage Investor Summit (AESIS)
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Tomi Davies, co-founder and President of the African Business Angel Network (ABAN), is a renowned angel investor and startup advocate. With over two decades of experience, Davies has been instrumental in building early-stage investment frameworks across Africa, mentoring startups, and promoting angel investment.
AESIS is one of Africa’s leading early-stage investment events, gathering investors, venture capitalists, and high-potential startups. The summit focuses on enhancing the ecosystem for early-stage investing, promoting collaboration, and driving funding opportunities for startups across Africa.
2. Trixie LohMirmand- GITEX Africa
Location: Marrakech, Morocco
Trixie LohMirmand, Executive Vice President of Events Management at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), brings nearly 30 years of experience in the global events industry. At DWTC, she oversees the strategic and commercial growth of the organization’s major division, focusing on creative marketing, talent development, and expanding a diverse portfolio of international business and lifestyle events.
She is the CEO of KAOUN International. LohMirmand serves on the Board of UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, and The Marketing Society, and is President of the Singapore Business Council (UAE). She is also an Advisory Council Member at Nord Anglia International School Dubai. She was Vice President at Reed Exhibitions. LohMirmand holds an Executive MBA from The University of Manchester and has completed advanced leadership programs at Harvard Business School.
Gitex, or Gulf Information Technology Exhibition, is a leading technology event in the MENASA (Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia) region. Held annually in Dubai since 1981, Gitex showcases the latest in IT and telecommunications, attracting global participants. GITEX Africa, an extension of GITEX Global, highlights Africa’s technological advancements and promotes digital transformation. Its inaugural event in Morocco 2023 saw 1800 startups meet up with 1000 investors worth $1 trillion in assets.
1. Maurice Lévy – Viva Technology (VivaTech) Africa
Maurice Lévy, Chairman of Publicis Groupe, is a key figure in the global advertising and tech landscape. His leadership has transformed VivaTech into one of the world’s largest tech events, with a strong focus on promoting African startups and fostering global partnerships for the continent’s tech ecosystem.
Maurice Lévy was instrumental in transforming Publicis from a renowned French creative agency into a global powerhouse through major acquisitions, including Saatchi & Saatchi, Bcom3, and digital entities like Digitas and Razorfish. Under his leadership, Publicis grew to over 80,000 employees, generated $10 billion in revenue, and expanded to 104 countries.
VivaTech Africa founded in 2016 is part of the larger VivaTech event, which aims to promote tech startups and foster innovation across the globe. The event provides African startups with a platform to showcase their products and ideas, connecting them with investors and global tech leaders for collaboration and funding.
[Nairametrics]
Benue State governor, Fr. Hyacinth Alia has sacked the Vice Chairman of the state-owned Lobi Stars Football Club, Dominic Iorfa.
Governor Alia, in a statement by his Technical Adviser on Media, Publicity and Strategic Communications, Solomon Iorpev, said the Club will henceforth be under the leadership of the Benue State Sports Council.
The statement said the removal of Iorfa takes immediate effect.
The Governor also constituted a new board for the club with Dr. Philip Nongu as Chairman while Dr. Iorngulum Malu will serve as the Secretary.
Other members of the committee include Chief Solomon Andii, Harry Yachi, Francis Ejiga with Sir James Iorpuu as the representative of the state government.
The governor also directed that handover to the new board members should be made on Sunday.
[Leadership]
The US presidential race remains neck-and-neck according to polls released Sunday, two days before Kamala Harris and Donald Trump hold their first – and potentially only – televised debate.
The latest polling confirms that Trump retains locked-in support from about half of voters, despite the Republican’s historic status as a convicted felon and his role in instigating the unprecedented attempt to overturn his 2020 loss to Joe Biden.
Harris, who only jumped into the race after President Biden abruptly quit in July, has rapidly transformed herself from a little-noticed vice president into a serious contender.
However, the polls show she has not made a major breakthrough, leaving the race a toss-up.
A New York Times/Siena poll found that 78-year-old Trump is leading Harris nationally by 48 to 47 per cent, well within the margin of error.
US presidential elections are decided by tallying the results of state-by-state contests, rather than an overall national popular vote, meaning that a tiny handful of swing states typically decide the balance.
The poll found Harris, 59, narrowly ahead in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania and tied in four other swing states – Nevada, Georgia, North Carolina and Arizona.
A CBS News/YouGov poll put Harris ahead by one percentage point in Michigan and Wisconsin and tied in Pennsylvania.
The election is already chaotic, with 81-year-old Biden dropping out amid concerns over his age, Trump narrowly surviving an assassin’s bullet at a rally, and fears mounting that Trump will again refuse to concede if he loses in November.
However, the latest numbers confirm that each candidate retains a remarkably stable base of loyalists, almost evenly splitting the country.
One game changer could be Tuesday’s ABC News debate, the only one scheduled between the two.
Trump will be under pressure to rein in his characteristic use of insults and intimidation as he stands next to a mixed-race candidate vying to become the first female president in US history.
Harris will need to use the huge viewership to connect with Americans in a way that she was unable to as vice president and has had little time to accomplish in her super-condensed campaign run.
With Trump now the oldest presidential nominee in US history, she is pitching an optimistic, forward-looking message in contrast to Trump’s apocalyptic claims that the country faces terminal decline without him in the White House.
At the same time, Harris will have to solve the conundrum of how to debate Trump, who habitually makes false statements on nearly every topic and loves to get under his opponents’ skin.
Biden, in his only debate against Trump before dropping his candidacy, found himself entirely unable to cope.
Already, Trump has been subjecting Harris in his speeches to racist and sexist taunts, deliberately mispronouncing her name and calling her “crazy” and a “Marxist.”
[DailyTrust]