Author: Nationalmonitor

African startups raised US$3.9 billion across 506 deals in 2025, signalling a steadying pulse for the continent’s venture ecosystem after two years of global market adjustment, according to AVCA’s newly released 2025 Venture Capital Activity in Africa report. While overall capital deployment remains below previous the highs of previous cycles, deal activity stabilised in 2025. Early-stage resilience, rising domestic investor participation, and the expansion of venture debt shaped the year. A RECALIBRATED VENTURE MARKET Africa’s venture market entered 2025 in a phase of disciplined stabilisation. Deal volume rose 4% YoY, making Africa the only global region where venture activity did not decline. Seed and…

As registrations for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry examinations continue across Nigeria, Interswitch, one of Africa’s leading integrated payments and digital commerce companies, is simplifying the process for prospective candidates by providing secure, reliable, and widely accessible payment channels for the purchase of UTME ePINs. Purchasing an ePIN is one of the earliest and most critical steps in the registration process for these Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examinations. Given the time-sensitive nature of the registration window and the volume of transactions involved, dependable payment platforms are essential to helping candidates proceed smoothly without…

In a significant move to address the humanitarian crisis wrought by banditry and internal displacement, the Executive Governor of Zamfara State, His Excellency Dr. Dauda Lawal, has officially launched a comprehensive policy framework and action plan aimed at delivering durable solutions for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the state. The Governor attended the joint launch ceremony for the IDP Policy and the State Action Plan on Durable Solutions, an initiative simultaneously rolled out for both Katsina and Zamfara States in the nations capital Abuja today Feburary 16, 2026. The event marks a pivotal moment in the region’s approach to managing…

By Olawale Olurotimi Honourable Kanmi Ajibola of the Osun State House of Assembly has described Primate Elijah Ayodele as a true man of God, a mentor, and an exceptional philanthropist whose impact extends beyond the church into governance and public service.Speaking on Saturday, February 14, at Primate Ayodele’s birthday celebration in Lagos, Ajibola said his personal relationship with the cleric has been deeply inspiring. According to him, Primate Ayodele’s lifestyle of giving and dedication to humanity have set standards that even government institutions should emulate.“Since I have been in contact with him, he has been a good mentor and a…

In a significant recognition of his leadership and developmental agenda, Dr. Dauda Lawal, the Executive Governor of Zamfara State, has been awarded the prestigious New Telegraph Governor of the Year Award for Projects. This accolade comes just a day after he received the Governor of the Year award from Leadership Newspaper in Abuja. The gala ceremony took place at the renowned Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos on Friday, February 13, 2026, showcasing the governor’s exceptional contributions to the state. The award was presented to Governor Lawal by Aremo Olusegun Osoba, former Governor of Ogun State and a prominent chieftain of the…

In the spirit of the season of love, Wema Bank has announced the couple who will be getting a special celebrity artiste performance at their wedding on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2026: The bride, Rita Ndukwe and the groom, Jemil Adama. Inspired by the “Evolution” theme of its upgraded ALAT App tagged “ALAT: The Evolution”, Wema Bank launched its Valentine campaign on February 1, 2026, with a focus on celebrating the journey of love across four categories: self-love, friendship, romantic relationships and marriage. “Evolution Of Love, Powered by Wema Bank” called on singles, friends, lovers, and married couples to post…

Innovation in the fintech space is no longer about speed to market only. Today, it is more about who learns fastest, adapts quickest, and builds solutions that genuinely scale across real markets. As Africa’s digital economy accelerates, the companies that will endure are those that treat innovation not as a one-off moment, but as a continuous discipline embedded in how their teams think, collaborate, and build. At Interswitch, innovation has never been confined to a single team, department, or product line. It is engrained in the everyday curiosity of engineers, the bold thinking of product and design teams, and the relentless drive to solve real…

The Executive Governor of Zamfara State, Dr. Dauda Lawal, Ph.D., has reaffirmed his administration’s unwavering dedication to fostering tangible progress and rebuilding public trust in the governance of Zamfara State. His commitment to the state’s development was underscored during the recent Leadership Newspaper annual conference, where he was awarded the LEADERSHIP Newspaper Governor of the Year Award today Thursday 12th of February at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja. This award symbolizes recognition from the LEADERSHIP Newspaper, which aims to honor distinguished figures who have made significant contributions worthy of national admiration. According to a statement released…

Infinix, the innovation-driven smartphone brand, has officially launched the Infinix NOTE Edge in Nigeria, introducing a refined 3D-curved 5G smartphone designed to deliver premium aesthetics, dependable performance, and long-lasting battery life for young urban professionals and style-conscious users.Positioned as the latest addition to the Infinix NOTE series, the NOTE Edge blends elegant design with practical innovation in an ultra-slim form factor. Designed to support work, entertainment, creativity, and connectivity, the device delivers a balanced, all-around smartphone experience that brings advanced 5G capabilities and premium usability into the mainstream.Premium Design with Immersive Audio-Visual ExperienceThe Infinix NOTE Edge features a Pearl Light…

…First Refinery In The World to Attain This Feat The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has achieved a major operational milestone with the full restoration and optimisation of its Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) and Motor Spirit (MS) production block. Both units are now running at optimal performance, further strengthening the steady‑state operations of Africa’s largest oil refining facility. Following a scheduled maintenance exercise on the CDU and MS Block, the refinery has commenced an intensive 72‑hour series of performance test runs in collaboration with licensor UOP. These tests are designed to validate operational efficiency and confirm that all critical parameters meet global…