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Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation opens applications for 6th Cohort Programme

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Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation opens applications for 6th Cohort Programme

 

The Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation is pleased to announce that applications are now open for the sixth cohort of its transformative AIG Public Leaders Programme (AIG PLP).

This flagship six-month executive education initiative, delivered by the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government, is designed to empower high-potential public sector leaders across Africa with the tools, networks, and strategic insight required to deliver meaningful reform across African public institutions.

Applications are now open to qualified public servants from all English-speaking African countries and will close on Sunday, April 12, 2026. The programme commences in October 2026.

Since its inception in 2021, the AIG PLP has built a formidable reputation for creating tangible impact.

Alumni from the programme have gone on to design and implement more than 230 reform projects within their ministries, departments, and agencies across Africa.

An impact survey revealed that 62% of alumni have earned promotions or assumed expanded leadership roles post-training, demonstrating the programme’s direct effect on career advancement and institutional influence.

“Across Africa, the complexity of public sector challenges demands more than good intentions. It requires reformers who understand systems, can navigate institutional realities, and are equipped to implement sustainable change.

The AIG PLP is designed to meet this need,” said Ofovwe Aig-Imoukhuede, Executive Vice-Chair of the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation.

As part of the programme, a PLP alumna, Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, Executive Secretary of Lagos State DSVA, launched a secure self-reporting tool that allows survivors of domestic and sexual abuse safely document incidents and preserve evidence.

Survivors are already accessing support, and the tool ensures that crucial proof is protected until justice can be sought. This is one of over 230 impactful reform projects being implemented across sectors as diverse as healthcare, finance, agriculture, and education.

We are seeing proof every day that investing in the capacity and leadership potential of people, delivers the kind of transformation that policy alone cannot achieve.”

The AIG PLP is a blended learning experience that combines online sessions with an intensive residential module.

It is offered at no cost to selected participants, with the Foundation covering all costs of the programme including accommodation and feeding during the residential weeks.

Participants gain direct access to world-class faculty from the University of Oxford, and learn to tackle core public sector challenges such as: Negotiating in the public interest. Harnessing digital technology for governance.

Strengthening public organisations.
Upholding integrity in public life.
The curriculum culminates in a capstone reform project, where participants apply their new skills to a real-world challenge within their institution.

This practical component ensures that learning translates directly into actionable solutions.

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply early. For more details on the application process and to apply, please visit the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation website.

Business

Enough Is the New Powerful: Imperfectly Awesome Conversations IAC 4.0 Ignites Bold Conversation on Resilience, Tenacity and Authenticity

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Enough Is the New Powerful: Imperfectly Awesome Conversations IAC 4.0 Ignites Bold Conversation on Resilience, Tenacity and Authenticity

 

The fourth edition of the Imperfectly Awesome Conversations Summit is set to take center stage on Sunday, May 3, 2026, at the MUSON Centre, Lagos. Building on the growing momentum of previous editions, this year’s summit signals a deliberate and powerful shift from inspiration to activation with a structured intervention aimed at reshaping how individuals navigate identity, adversity, and personal growth in an increasingly demanding world.

 

Accordingly, IAC 4.0 is positioned as a catalytic platform designed to challenge existing narratives, provoke deeper thinking, and ultimately drive a new paradigm across leadership, personal development, and the broader communications ecosystem.

 

Convened by renowned marketing and communications leader, Omotola Bamigbaiye, the Imperfectly Awesome movement has steadily evolved from a deeply personal literary expression into a dynamic, living experience. Initially birthed through her book, Imperfectly Awesome, the initiative has, over time, transformed into an influential annual convergence where authenticity takes precedence and real-life journeys redefine success.

 

By centering the message of “being enough,” the summit challenges limiting narratives that hinder innovation, leadership, and inclusive progress. The summit will deliver two high-impact panel sessions:

* Resilience & Tenacity — examining how individuals and organizations can sustain performance and purpose amid disruption

* Authenticity: Embracing Your Whole Self — exploring the role of self-awareness and identity in effective leadership and lived experience

Additionally, a maiden edition of IAC awards to recognize and spotlight individuals and organizations whose journeys exemplify courage, consistency, and meaningful societal impact.

 

As anticipation intensifies, attention increasingly turns to the calibre of speakers confirmed for this year’s edition, these are individuals whose personal and professional trajectories reflect resilience, leadership, and transformative impact.

 

Leading the conversation will be Dr Segun Ogunsanya , Chairman Airtel Africa Foundation and  Mrs Godrey Ogbechie, Group Executive Director, Rain Oil Limited.  Additionally, Hon Mojisola Meranda, Deputy Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Moremi Ojudu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (South-West), O’tega Ogra, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital Engagement and New Media,  Dr Folayinka Dania, Chief Resilience Officer for Lagos State and CEO of the Lagos State Resilience Office, Princess Sarah Sosan, Former Deputy Governor of Lagos Sate and others whose presence is expected to bring strong perspectives on governance, inclusion, and purposeful leadership. Furthermore, panelists will offer critical insights into grassroots connection, deepen discussions around adaptability, systems thinking, sustainable leadership in uncertain environments. Citizen engagement, and the power of community-driven change.

 

Collectively, these speakers will not only share success stories; rather, they will unpack the realities behind those successes, moments of doubt, setbacks, recalibration, and eventual triumph. Consequently, attendees will engage with narratives that are honest, unfiltered, and deeply human, thereby reinforcing the summit’s core philosophy, which is, that imperfection, when embraced, becomes a powerful driver of growth.

 

Moreover, the 2026 edition introduces a sharpened thematic focus centred on courage over comfort, consistency over perfection, and action over Fear. Through this lens, the summit will actively encourage participants to move beyond passive inspiration and instead adopt deliberate, actionable mindsets capable of reshaping both personal and professional trajectories.

 

Attendance remains open to the public and notably, participation is free.

Interested individuals are encouraged to register via the official links:

[https://luma.com/5r5s19u9](https://luma.com/5r5s19u9)

About Imperfectly Awesome Conversations

Imperfectly Awesome Conversations is a purpose-driven platform inspired by Dr. Omotola Bamigbaiye’s work and philosophy. It is dedicated to fostering authenticity, resilience, and personal transformation by creating spaces where people can share their journeys, embrace their stories, and realize their inherent worth.

 

IAC 4.0 is deliberately designed to:

* Amplify underrepresented voices and lived experiences often excluded from mainstream narratives

* Promote practical inclusion as an everyday responsibility across workplaces and communities

* Advance mental well-being conversations by normalizing vulnerability and self-acceptance

* Encourage actionable change, equipping attendees to translate insights into personal and professional impact

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WEMA BANK CELEBRATES 81ST ANNIVERSARY AND 9TH ANNIVERSARY OF ALAT

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WEMA BANK CELEBRATES 81ST ANNIVERSARY AND 9TH ANNIVERSARY OF ALAT

…Set to Reward Hundreds of Customers, Launch 5 for 5 Season 5

 

Wema Bank, Nigeria’s oldest indigenous national bank, most innovative and pioneer of Africa’s first fully digital bank, ALAT, has simultaneously marked its 81st anniversary and the 9th anniversary of ALAT on Saturday, May 2nd, 2026.

 

Adopting a different approach from its grand 80th anniversary celebration in 2025, Wema Bank is set to celebrate its 81st anniversary this year by giving back to its customers. The Bank’s anniversary celebration features rewards for customers on the ALAT App in celebration of ALAT at 9 as well as rewards for Wema Bank customers at the launch event for the 5th Season of the Bank’s 5 for 5 Reward Initiative, happening on the Bank’s anniversary day, May 2nd 2026.

 

In line with the Bank’s 81st anniversary theme, “Your Future of Possibilities, Powered by Wema Bank”, the Bank will also rollout a specialised customer success initiative dedicated to helping different demographics of its customers to map out and build the future of their dreams. From businesses to students, working class women, creatives and more, Wema Bank will provide tailored, practical and strategic insights and support that will help these unique demographics access better opportunities, receive useful support and make accelerated progress towards meeting their goals.

 

Commenting on the Bank’s motive behind its approach to celebrating its 81st anniversary, Wema Bank’s MD/CEO, Moruf Oseni, said, “The world is rapidly evolving. Digital evolution and emerging technologies continue to present newer opportunities and realities. To thrive, one must be prepared to adapt where needed and ready to leverage the possibilities ahead; and this is what we want to help our customers achieve. With millions of individuals and businesses in our care, we have a deep sense of responsibility towards helping them make meaningful progress and our 81st anniversary presents the perfect opportunity for us to deepen our efforts towards fulfilling that responsibility”.

 

“We are building a smarter and more secure financial future for our customers, one where banking is effortlessly aligned with their goals, intelligently anticipating their needs and proactively providing the right solutions. Beyond banking solutions, we are curating opportunities, providing platforms, building an entire ecosystem engineered in the best interests of every unique Wema Bank customer. Our goal is for our customers to grow as we grow, to always be one step ahead, and to make accelerated progress towards their future of possibilities as we journey with them”.

 

“To every stakeholder who has been a part of Wema Bank’s 81-year journey: our investors, regulators, partners, esteemed customers and dearest employees; this anniversary is dedicated to you, and this is why we have chosen to celebrate this way. On behalf of the entire board and management of Wema Bank, I say THANK YOU for 81 historic years. We have, we are, and we will be with you, all the way. Happy 81st Anniversary to us all”, Oseni concluded.

 

Wema Bank has established a proven track record of empowering lives, supporting businesses and providing tailored solutions that meet real needs. From financial support to digital solutions, unique opportunities and customised service, Wema Bank continues to show that it is a Bank that truly cares, understands and is committed to helping individuals and businesses thrive and achieve their goals.

 

For more information on how to tap into the rewards curated by Wema Bank, isit wemabank.com

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BUA Chairman Abdul Samad Rabiu Rises to Become Africa’s Second Richest Man

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BUA’s Abdul Samad Rabiu Promises $1.5m Windfall, Goal Bonuses as Super Eagles Fly Past Algeria

BUA Chairman Abdul Samad Rabiu Rises to Become Africa’s Second Richest Man

 

LAGOS – In a notable reshuffle of Africa’s wealth hierarchy, Abdul Samad Rabiu, Chairman of BUA Group, has climbed to the position of the continent’s second richest individual. The development highlights the accelerating growth of his industrial empire and the increasing global relevance of Nigeria’s manufacturing sector.

 

 

Recent valuations show the billionaire businessman overtaking long-standing contenders to secure the number two spot, behind only Aliko Dangote. His rise has been driven largely by the strong market performance of his publicly listed firms, BUA Cement Plc and BUA Foods Plc, both of which have recorded significant gains on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX).

 

 

Rabiu’s ascent reflects years of strategic expansion and vertical integration. BUA Cement, Nigeria’s second-largest cement producer, has scaled up operations with new production lines to meet rising infrastructure demand. At the same time, BUA Foods has strengthened its leadership in key segments such as sugar, flour, and pasta, reinforcing its role in regional food supply.

 

Analysts note that his focus on essential goods has provided stability, helping his businesses maintain steady revenues despite broader economic fluctuations. By prioritizing domestic production, BUA Group has also reduced exposure to external shocks.

 

Philanthropy and Development Impact

 

Beyond business, Rabiu has earned global recognition for his philanthropic efforts through the ASR Africa Initiative, a $100 million annual intervention fund supporting education, healthcare, and social development across Africa.

BUA Chairman Abdul Samad Rabiu Rises to Become Africa’s Second Richest Man

 

His rise in the rankings is widely viewed as evidence of the power of African-driven industrialization—not only in building wealth but also in delivering meaningful social impact. As Africa’s economic landscape evolves, the shifting billionaire rankings underscore the growing influence of Nigeria’s private sector in shaping the continent’s future.

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