TalkComms has launched the ‘Founder Circle’ masterclass, a two-day intensive training programme designed to bridge the gap between academic theory and industry practice for communications professionals in Africa. Held in Lagos, the inaugural session covered crisis management, digital media, and strategic communications, featuring industry experts from organisations like Legit.ng and BusinessDay. The initiative, spearheaded by Oluwasegun Ogundairo, aims to foster a long-term community for continuous learning and professional development across the continent.

Consolidated Hallmark Insurance Limited, a subsidiary of Consolidated Hallmark Holdings Plc, has confirmed it surpassed the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) recapitalization threshold. As of the second quarter of 2026, the company reports a shareholders’ fund of N58 billion, total assets of N89.9 billion, and a profit before tax of N25.9 billion. This milestone strengthens the firm’s capacity to underwrite larger risks and maintain its commitment to timely claims settlement.

Emmanuel Odama, founder of Tour Buddy NG, argues that unlocking Nigeria’s tourism potential requires a shift from merely promoting attractions to comprehensive destination development. He identifies the lack of sustained infrastructure investment, professional management, and public-private collaboration as primary barriers to attracting long-term capital. Odama emphasizes that creating commercially viable tourism ecosystems—which integrate hospitality, local engagement, and reliable data—is essential to transforming transit points into sustainable economic assets.

Seychelles, Mauritius, and Gabon lead Africa in GDP per capita for 2026, according to new data. While larger economies like Nigeria often dominate GDP discussions, smaller nations with strong sectors like tourism, energy, and financial services currently generate the highest average income per resident. The top ten list also includes Botswana, Equatorial Guinea, South Africa, Libya, Algeria, Cabo Verde, and Namibia.

Coronation Infrastructure Fund (CIF) has launched its Series II offer, aiming to raise 20 billion naira to support critical infrastructure projects in Nigeria. The issuance involves 186.9 million units priced at 107 naira each under the fund’s 200 billion naira shelf programme. Managed by Coronation Asset Management Limited, the fund intends to use these proceeds to expand its assets under management from the current 9.2 billion naira to over 30 billion naira. The offer has received regulatory approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Parts of Lagos are experiencing prolonged power outages due to grid instability and the failure of two critical 330-kilovolt transmission lines. Ikeja Electric, the primary distribution utility for the affected areas, confirmed that reduced generation and transmission faults have significantly hindered supply. The utility is currently working with stakeholders to restore power, though no specific timeline for a full recovery has been provided. This incident highlights the recurring issue of infrastructure bottlenecks in Nigeria’s power sector, which frequently impact urban economic activity.

Zedcrest Wealth has launched the Zedcrest Wealth Academy Scholarship in partnership with ProductDive and AltSchool Africa. The initiative provides tuition support for product management and cybersecurity students, while simultaneously mandating financial literacy training through the Zedcrest Wealth mobile application. The program aims to integrate career-focused skills development with practical wealth management education to empower Nigerians to build long-term financial security.

Magen Doxa Umerim Capital Limited has received formal approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to operate as a fund and portfolio manager in Nigeria, effective July 28, 2026. The Lagos-based firm aims to provide regulated investment services to individual, corporate, and institutional investors, leveraging a mix of research, risk management, and technology-driven solutions to support wealth growth and preservation.

India’s Hindustan Petroleum Corp (HPCL) has secured two million barrels of Nigerian Utapate and Okwuibome crude grades for delivery in late September. The transaction, sourced through commodities trader Glencore for the HPCL Rajasthan Refinery, marks a significant international endorsement of Nigeria’s newer crude offerings. Utapate, introduced in July 2024, is valued for its low sulphur content and favourable refining characteristics. This deal supports Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to boost crude oil production and stabilize export revenues.

The Kogi State Government has announced that the 25-hectare Lokoja Ultra-Modern Market is on track to become a national commercial hub. Scheduled for completion by next year, the project aims to consolidate seven existing markets, improve traffic safety, and support the administration’s Urban Renewal Agenda. The facility will include banking services, warehouses, and technology hubs, with the state government projecting significant growth in internally generated revenue and job creation.

Data Factory Global has launched the Data Factory Marketplace, a new platform offering access to curated, ready-to-use public datasets across sectors including healthcare, economics, and education. The service aims to reduce the time organizations and researchers spend on data preparation by providing standardized, high-quality information for decision-making and product development. According to CEO Chibby Jonathan, the platform is designed to provide immediate, actionable insights for businesses and innovators.

Leadway Holdings has officially unified its pension subsidiaries, Leadway Pensure and PAL Pensions, into a single brand, Leadway PFA. The consolidation creates a pension industry giant managing over N3 trillion in assets for 1.2 million Retirement Savings Account holders. The new entity operates on a fully integrated technological infrastructure, with management confirming that all contributor records and PINs remain unaffected by the transition.

Sunbeth Global Concepts Limited has achieved investment-grade credit ratings from Agusto and Co. and Intelligence Africa. Agusto and Co. assigned an A2 short-term and BBB long-term rating, while Intelligence Africa issued a BBB plus long-term rating and A2 short-term rating, both with a stable outlook. The agencies highlighted the company’s strong foreign currency earnings as a leading non-oil exporter, its integrated business model, and solid operational profitability as key factors in their assessments. The ratings validate the company’s financial discipline and governance as it expands its commodity trading and processing operations across Africa and international markets.

A new report by BudgIT highlights a critical disconnect between Nigeria’s policy rhetoric and its fiscal commitments regarding girl-child education. An analysis of 2025 and 2026 education budgets across six states—Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Kaduna, Kano, and Oyo—reveals that direct state funding for girls’ education remains minimal, with most projects heavily reliant on international grants like the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment. The report argues that failing to prioritize this sector hampers long-term economic productivity, citing World Bank data suggesting that limited education for girls results in global losses of up to 30 trillion dollars in lifetime earnings. BudgIT urges state legislatures to shift education spending from the margins to the center of policy to drive sustainable economic growth.

Regency Alliance Insurance Plc has raised N6.04 billion through a combination of a rights issue and private placement to meet the new N15 billion minimum capital requirement under the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act 2025. The company confirmed that all necessary regulatory approvals have been obtained, proceeds have been transferred to the Central Bank of Nigeria, and all documentation has been submitted to the National Insurance Commission for final verification. This follows the July 31 deadline for industry recapitalization.

Kelechi Ohiri, Director-General of the National Health Insurance Authority, has identified human capital development as the critical prerequisite for Nigeria to attain a 1 trillion dollar economy. Speaking at the BusinessDay CEO Forum in Lagos, Ohiri argued that healthcare must transition from being viewed as a social cost to a strategic economic investment. He emphasized that workforce productivity relies on proactive health measures, including preventive care and mental health, rather than just treating illness. Ohiri urged policymakers and corporate leaders to prioritize investments in health and education to unlock a demographic dividend and ensure long-term economic resilience.

TGM Academy, a new institution established by That Good Media, has launched in Lagos with the ambitious goal of training and certifying 10,000 talent managers across Africa by 2030. Founder Toyosi Etim-Effiong announced a 2.5 billion Naira funding initiative to support this workforce development, aimed at professionalizing the management of creative talent to drive sustainable economic growth. The academy will focus on building ethical leadership, global partnerships, and structured career pathways for African creatives. During its inaugural roundtable, stakeholders from the creative, diplomatic, and corporate sectors emphasized that such institutional infrastructure is essential to elevating African talent on the global stage.

Gold has transitioned from a record-breaking rally to a range-bound market, shedding roughly 25% from its January peak of $5,595 to below $4,000 by mid-July. This shift is driven by institutional profit-taking, as high interest rates and elevated bond yields make non-yielding assets like gold less attractive. While central banks maintain a structural bid for the precious metal, large institutional sellers are creating a cyclical ceiling that retail momentum strategies struggle to navigate. Market participants are advised to move away from trend-following and toward precision-based strategies that respect defined support and resistance levels, emphasizing the critical need for high-quality execution and robust broker infrastructure to manage the volatility and liquidity spikes inherent in this distribution zone.

A new INTERPOL report identifies Nigeria as a central hub for both the origin and targeting of cybercrime in Africa. The 2026 assessment reveals that Nigeria recorded over 5,800 ransomware detections in 2025, with domestic institutions like the Nigeria Customs Service and the National Bureau of Statistics suffering significant operational disruptions. Beyond ransomware, the report notes that criminal networks are increasingly utilizing AI to conduct sophisticated business email compromise schemes and international money laundering, contributing to a continental rise in cybercrime losses, which reached 484 million dollars in 2025.