Summary (100 words) By Oluwatoyin Mathnuel Summary (100 words) The Central Bank of Nigeria’s cashless policy, designed to deepen financial inclusion and reduce cash dependency, has upended how small-scale and rural businesses operate. While digital payments have surged, poor infrastructure, high transaction costs, and low digital literacy threaten to exclude vulnerable groups. In rural markets, the cashless shift often stalls trade rather than accelerating it. Yet, with smarter incentives, better infrastructure, and digital education, Nigeria’s cash-lite transition could empower the informal economy instead of destabilizing it. IntroductionAcross Nigeria’s bustling markets and quiet farming towns, a transformation is underway. The Central…
Author: Oluwatoyin Mathnuel
In a swift, well-coordinated, and exemplary emergency response, operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), in the early hours of Monday, averted what could have resulted in an unprecedented fire disaster following the overturning of a gas-laden Howo white tanker truck along the main carriageway at Chisco, before the traffic light inward Victoria Island, Lagos. Preliminary investigations indicate that the incident occurred when the driver of the truck, fully loaded with Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) cylinders, lost control of the vehicle, causing it to overturn on the busy expressway. Given the highly volatile nature of the product, the…
Polaris Bank has launched the Adopt a Survivor Breast Cancer Support Initiative, a social impact programme aimed at empowering breast cancer survivors to rebuild their lives and livelihoods after treatment. While October is globally known for breast cancer awareness, Polaris Bank is extended focus to the recovery phase where many survivors struggle to regain economic stability. The initiative provides livelihood support to verified survivors, helping them restart small businesses and return to income-earning activities with dignity. Delivering the message of the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Polaris Bank, Mr. Kayode Lawal, to beneficiaries last Thursday at the Bank’s NGO Partner,…
Question: Let’s start this interview with a general introduction of yourself. Tell us about yourself as a customer of Fidelity Bank? Response: My name is Mrs. Francesca Ogbonnaya and I am from Delta State while my husband is from Ebonyi State, South – East Nigeria. I was born here in Kano State, which means I have been in the state for so long. I am a trader and as you can see, my business inside the market is trading. I sell fufu to different customers who buy and then resell in their restaurants or feed their families at home. I…
By Oluwatoyin Mathnuel It was a depth safety enlightenment campaign as Guinness Nigeria collaborated with the Federal Road Safety Commission ( FRSC) Nigerians safety during the ember months which has been tagged “notorious” with the theme Take Responsibility for Your Safety, “Stop Distracted Driving” . At a recent press conference held at the Lagos Command Headquarters Ojodu office of the commission, he speech of Corps Marshall Shehu Mohammed speaks volumes of the importance of safety to humanity : The Lagos sector Commander CC Ganiyu Kehinde Hamzat in the flagging off of this year Ember Months Public Sensitiation campaign protocols and…
By Adelani Okin The fact that the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and some Nigerians are surprised because of US President Donald Trump’s threat to perform a military action in Nigeria automatically shows that when true prophets speak, the people in power ignore their messages. It is a testament that they see the prophecies shared by credible prophets, but probably because they didn’t favour their government, they treat them as statements from opposition, totally ignoring them and think the prophets want their attention or money, which is totally a wrong perception. While it is true that there are some…
…Positions for Sustained Value Creation in Q4 and BeyondSterling HoldCo Delivers ₦341.7 Billion in Earnings as Profit Surges127%……Highlights Resilience and Operational Excellence Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc (“Sterling HoldCo” or “theGroup”) has announced its unaudited financial results for the nine-month-periodended September 30, 2025, posting an impressive 127% year-on-year growth in profitafter tax (PAT) to ₦62.3 billion. The performance is testament to the Group’s robustearnings capacity, operational efficiency, and disciplined execution. The Group’s gross earnings rose by 44.1% to ₦341.7 billion (September 2024: ₦237.2 billion), driven by solid performances in both interest and non-interest income lines. Interest income grew by 38.7%…
. First Bank of Nigeria Limited (FirstBank), Nigeria’s premier and leading financial inclusion services provider, has announced the launch of the Verve Flash Promo, a special initiative rewarding customers with free Verve cards. The campaign, which commenced on 6 October 2025, and will run until 30 January 2026, is exclusively targeted at FirstBank customers whose ATM cards have expired. The free cards will be issued daily to 131 customers on a first-come, first-served basis across the Bank’s branches, nationwide. FirstBank’s unwavering commitment to convenience, accessibility, and customer satisfaction. Speaking on the rewards to FirstBank customers, Chuma Ezirim, the Group Executive,…
In an emphatic manifestation of its relentless commitment to urban regeneration, environmental rectitude, and the safeguarding of public order, the Lagos State Government has executed a sweeping enforcement exercise that led to the dislodgement of illegal squatters, demolition of over 200 illegal shanties, and evacuation of derelict vehicles sprawling around Apapa Road, Ijora, and Costain under bridges. The large-scale clearance operation, meticulously coordinated through a synergy of inter-governmental agencies, was spearheaded by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Hon. Sola Giwa. The exercise strategically targeted the reclamation and sanitization of critical public spaces that had been desecrated by…
In a series of coordinated operations across Delta State, operatives of the Command have recorded significant successes in the ongoing fight against armed criminality, kidnapping, and illegal possession of ammunition. The latest breakthroughs, achieved through intelligence-led policing and swift tactical response, were recorded in Bomadi, Asaba, and Ubeji communities. On 30th October 2025 at about 1230 hrs, operatives of the Bomadi Division, under the command of DPO, CSP Adie Peter Bissong, while on a joint stop-and-search operation with the Bomadi Vigilante, intercepted a motorcycle along the Bomadi–Tuomo Road. The cyclist, who appeared uneasy, was conveying a 62-year-old woman, later identified…