Mobile phone dealers and technicians have expressed support for the Nigerian Communications Commission’s Device Management System, aimed at curbing the use of stolen and counterfeit devices. However, industry stakeholders are calling for a longer transition period, clearer procedures for handling technical IMEI errors, and transparent guidance on associated costs. Concerns also remain regarding the system’s operational capacity to handle mass onboarding, with industry leaders advocating for a phased rollout to prevent potential trade bottlenecks.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is exploring the commercialization of an assistive walking stick prototype designed for the visually impaired. This initiative, part of the commission’s broader digital inclusion agenda, aims to transition research innovations into practical tools that improve accessibility. The NCC highlighted that digital inclusion requires a combination of accessible devices, affordable connectivity, and necessary digital skills to ensure meaningful participation in the digital economy.

Founded in 2013, Zedcrest Group has evolved from a Lagos-based fixed-income trader into an integrated African financial services ecosystem. Under Managing Director Adedayo Amzat, the firm has expanded its footprint through strategic moves, including the 2024 acquisition of RMB Nigeria Stockbrokers—now Zedcrest Securities—and the recent purchase of global payments firm Leatherback. The group currently operates across venture capital, investment banking, asset management, consumer finance, and fintech, with its subsidiary Zedvance Finance deploying over 312 billion naira in capital since inception.

Terra Industries has secured $2 million in contracts to provide autonomous security and surveillance systems for two Nigerian lithium mining companies. This deployment, marking the first major win for the firm’s new commercial division, includes 20 sentry towers and four Iroko drones managed by its proprietary ArtemisOS platform. These systems are designed to provide persistent surveillance and threat detection for remote critical infrastructure. Founded in 2024, the defense technology company recently extended its seed funding to $52 million to support its expansion into commercial sectors across the Global South.

Visa has launched an enhanced version of its A2A Protect solution, designed to stop account-to-account fraud before funds leave a customer’s account. This upgrade marks the first commercial integration of Featurespace technology following Visa’s acquisition of the firm. By utilizing advanced artificial intelligence and transfer learning, the system provides banks with real-time risk insights and a unified fraud score. The company reports that the solution can reduce fraud by over 50 percent while lowering unnecessary alerts by 40 percent. The tool is available via a single API, offering financial institutions immediate access to global intelligence on emerging scam hotspots and coordinated fraud.

Uber Technologies is undergoing a major strategic pivot, cutting 3,300 corporate jobs to redirect over $10 billion into autonomous vehicle partnerships and food delivery. The company, which recently exited its ride-hailing operations in Nigeria and Uganda, is facing increased investor scrutiny as robotaxi rivals like Tesla and Waymo expand. While Uber seeks to position its platform as the primary intermediary for autonomous fleets, its stock remains under pressure due to concerns over shifting industry economics and competition from the very partners it relies on for its future roadmap.

Nigeria’s digital lending sector is pivoting away from high-risk, unsecured nano loans as stricter regulatory oversight and rising operational costs reshape the industry. Under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission’s (FCCPC) 2025 Digital, Electronic, Online or Non-Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations, lenders are moving toward structured, longer-tenure financing tied to verifiable income. This shift, spurred by the recent court victory upholding the FCCPC’s regulatory authority, aims to curb unethical debt recovery while prioritizing sustainable lending models. Currently, there are 525 FCCPC-approved digital lenders, with the regulator intensifying efforts to remove non-compliant operators from mainstream platforms.

The Project Management Institute (PMI) has launched a refreshed Project Management Professional (PMP) certification exam. This update aims to align project management skills with the demands of an AI-driven work environment, shifting focus from traditional theory to strategic decision-making, stakeholder management, and value delivery. PMI emphasizes that as technical skills face obsolescence, project leaders must now bridge the gap between corporate planning and actual execution. This initiative comes as demand for skilled project professionals grows globally, with a specific focus on preparing Africa’s expanding workforce for future transformation projects.

The Insurance Sector Strengthening Program (ISSP) has officially launched in Abuja with the ambitious goal of increasing Nigeria’s insurance penetration from 0.5 percent to 10 percent of GDP by 2031. Backed by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), the five-year initiative aims to provide coverage to over 55 million beneficiaries, train 6,000 professionals, and connect 250,000 MSMEs to affordable insurance products. The program, which includes sponsorship from Leadway Assurance, Noor Takaful, and the African Reinsurance Corporation, also targets a significant increase in female and youth participation in the sector.

NAFDAC Director-General, Mojisola Adeyeye, has attributed the persistence of counterfeit and substandard medicines in Nigeria to decades of regulatory gaps, specifically noting historical challenges in managing patent medicine dealers and the proliferation of open drug markets. Amidst mounting public scrutiny over fake consumer goods, Adeyeye defended the agency’s enforcement record, highlighting that over 7,200 products were removed from circulation between May and July 2026. The agency has secured 64 convictions for counterfeiting offenses during this period, with prison sentences ranging from one to seven years. NAFDAC emphasized that addressing the issue requires sustained, long-term regulatory reform and adherence to international standards, such as the Common Technical Document for drug registration, rather than short-term interventions. Furthermore, the agency urged the public to report suspected products through official channels instead of relying on unverified social media narratives, while clarifying the limits of its mandate regarding fresh agricultural produce and unbranded traditional foodstuffs.

A 2026 report by BudgIT reveals that most Northern Nigerian states face significant fiscal vulnerability, with Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) failing to cover personnel costs. Only Kaduna and Kwara states recorded surpluses in 2025, while others, including Yobe, Jigawa, and Kogi, reported significant deficits. Across 34 states analyzed, only eight managed to cover personnel expenditures with IGR. The data highlights a growing reliance on federal allocations, which rose from 68.7% to 73.3% of total state revenue between 2022 and 2025, underscoring structural economic weaknesses that limit investment in critical infrastructure.

For the first time on record, Nigeria’s non-crude oil exports exceeded crude oil earnings in the second quarter of 2026. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics shows non-crude exports reached N14.11 trillion, compared to N12.91 trillion from crude oil. This historic shift is driven largely by increased output from the Dangote Refinery, which has scaled refined product exports amid global supply constraints, and a surge in urea exports following price spikes. While this boosted the trade surplus to a record N12.60 trillion, economists warn that high domestic energy costs continue to pressure the local manufacturing and agricultural sectors.

FirstHoldCo Plc has been added to the FTSE Frontier 50 Index, effective September 21, 2026. This inclusion highlights the financial services group’s improved liquidity, market capitalization, and governance standards. The designation provides FirstHoldCo with greater visibility among global institutional investors and benchmark-tracking funds, validating the company’s recent strategic transformation and focus on long-term shareholder value.

The African Democratic Congress has called for an investigation into the alleged misappropriation of 33.75 billion naira in social intervention funds. The party cited a report from the Auditor-General of the Federation, which could not verify cash transfers to over 3 million households. The ADC termed the situation an organized racket and demanded the publication of beneficiary registers and payment trails to ensure accountability.

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, the presidential candidate for the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), has called for greater transparency in Nigeria’s petroleum value chain. Speaking at the inauguration of his campaign office in Abuja, Makinde argued that domestic crude supplied to local refineries should be priced to reflect Nigeria’s status as a producer, rather than at international market rates. He emphasized that the government must account for all costs—from production and refining to distribution—to ensure that petroleum benefits are measurable for citizens. The event was attended by Nigerian Democratic Congress presidential candidate Peter Obi, who praised Makinde’s qualifications, and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, who officially endorsed the campaign.

Nigerian farmers are increasingly switching from petrol generators to solar power to combat surging fuel costs and persistent national grid failures. With petrol prices rising over 400 percent since 2023, agricultural businesses are adopting solar irrigation, lighting, and cold storage to lower operating expenses and stabilize production. This shift toward renewable energy is seen as a necessary financial strategy to maintain competitiveness and food security in an environment of high inflation.

Schneider Electric is advocating for the increased use of blended finance models to electrify healthcare facilities across West Africa. The energy management group argues that relying solely on donor-funded pilots is insufficient to address the chronic power shortages that disrupt critical medical services, such as vaccine cold chains and surgical operations. By combining concessional capital with commercial investment, Schneider Electric aims to de-risk projects and scale up sustainable energy access. The company is actively engaging with stakeholders, including Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency, to transition from demonstration projects to commercially viable investments.

Sage Grey Finance is advocating for value-chain financing to unlock capital for Nigeria’s circular economy. Managing Director Temitope Runsewe noted that businesses in this emerging sector often struggle to attract investment due to a lack of established track records. To address this, Sage Grey is participating in a 10 million dollar Circular Economy Impact Fund. Looking ahead, the group plans to pursue a commercial banking license and eventually list on the Nigerian Exchange, aiming to deepen its access to local capital to support high-impact industries.

Neglecting preventive maintenance in favor of reactive, run-to-fail strategies significantly increases long-term operational costs and risks business continuity. Research suggests that unplanned repair costs can be three to ten times higher than those of a structured maintenance program. Facility managers are urged to implement rigorous asset registries and preventive schedules to avoid accelerated equipment deterioration, premature capital replacement, and revenue losses caused by unexpected downtime.