Business
Heirs Insurance Travel Festival Draws Thousands, Signals a New Era for an Inclusive African Travel Ecosystem
Heirs Insurance Travel Festival Draws Thousands, Signals a New Era for an Inclusive African Travel Ecosystem
– Ambassadors Advocate Easier Visa Processes for Seamless Movement Across Africa
– Travel Creators Push for a Borderless Continent, Demand Visa Fee Refunds to Ease Financial Burden
Lagos, Nigeria – 1 December 2025 — The inaugural Heirs Insurance Travel Festival delivered an unforgettable experience on Saturday, November 29, at Harbour Point, Victoria Island, Lagos, attracting thousands of travel enthusiasts, diplomats, creatives, entrepreneurs, and young Nigerians. The event not only celebrated cultural diversity but also amplified calls for equity and reform in Africa’s travel policies and mobility systems.
Far beyond a cultural gathering, the festival served as a strategic advocacy platform, spotlighting the foreign policies, bilateral agreements, and structural systems that must evolve to unlock fair and expanded travel opportunities for millions across the continent. Through this initiative, Heirs Insurance Group positioned itself as a leading voice championing a more inclusive and accessible African travel ecosystem.
Centred on the theme “Promoting Cultural Diversity and an Inclusive Travel Ecosystem,” the festival opened with a high-level panel discussion on “Passport Power and Diplomacy.” Panelists included Ambassador Manuel Innocencio de Lacerda Santos Junior, a Brazilian diplomat with five decades of global service; Ambassador Jose Bamóquina Zau, Angola’s Ambassador to Nigeria and former Deputy Minister; and media executive Stephanie Busari, CEO of SBB Media and former CNN Senior Editor. The session was moderated by veteran broadcaster Jonathan Hanson.
Panelists underscored the urgent need for simplified visa processes, strengthened border systems, and harmonised travel frameworks to enable freer movement for Africans within the continent.
A creator-led session titled “Where Your Nigerian Passport Can Take You,” moderated by Heirs Insurance Group’s Chief Marketing Officer, Ifesinachi Okpagu, featured leading travel creators Zim Erobu, Adenike Tejuoso, and Steven Ndukwu. They advocated for a borderless Africa with fewer intra-African travel restrictions and called for visa fee refunds in cases of rejections—arguing that current systems unfairly deepen the financial strain on African travellers.
Speaking at the event, Ifesinachi Okpagu noted:
“The Heirs Insurance Travel Festival provides a platform to address critical challenges within the often-overlooked travel ecosystem, ensuring that travel and migration policies are equitable for all. We believe access, safety, and empowerment should be universal. This is why we are building platforms and partnerships that make global mobility and migration attainable for everyone. We also want to unify travel enthusiasts on one platform, aligning with our mission to improve lives.”
The festival marks a significant step in elevating conversations around Africa’s mobility challenges, while highlighting the company’s commitment to experiential engagement, innovation, and social impact.
About Heirs Insurance Group
Heirs Insurance Group is the insurance arm of Heirs Holdings, the leading pan-African investment company with operations across 24 countries and four continents. With a rapidly expanding retail footprint and a robust digital presence, Heirs Insurance Group—comprising Heirs General Insurance Limited, Heirs Life Assurance Limited, and Heirs Insurance Brokers—serves both corporate and individual customers nationwide.
The Group continues to champion financial inclusion and drive digital transformation in Nigeria’s insurance sector, reinforcing its mission to democratise access to insurance for all.
Nigeria’s Inflation Drops to 15.10% as NBS Reports Deflationary Trend
Nigeria’s headline inflation rate declined to 15.10 per cent in January 2026, marking a significant drop from 27.61 per cent recorded in January 2025, according to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report released by the National Bureau of Statistics.
The report also showed that month-on-month inflation recorded a deflationary trend of –2.88 per cent, representing a 3.42 percentage-point decrease compared to December 2025. Analysts say the development signals easing price pressures across key sectors of the economy.
Food inflation stood at 8.89 per cent year-on-year, down from 29.63 per cent in January 2025. On a month-on-month basis, food prices declined by 6.02 per cent, reflecting lower costs in several staple commodities.
The data suggests a sustained downward trajectory in inflation over the past 12 months, pointing to improving macroeconomic stability.
The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has consistently attributed recent economic adjustments to ongoing fiscal and monetary reforms aimed at stabilising prices, boosting agricultural output, and strengthening domestic supply chains.
Economic analysts note that while the latest figures indicate progress, sustaining the downward trend will depend on continued policy discipline, exchange rate stability, and improvements in food production and distribution.
The January report provides one of the clearest indications yet that inflationary pressures, which surged in early 2025, may be moderating.
Nigeria’s headline inflation rate declined to 15.10 per cent in January 2026, marking a significant drop from 27.61 per cent recorded in January 2025, according to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report released by the National Bureau of Statistics.
The report also showed that month-on-month inflation recorded a deflationary trend of –2.88 per cent, representing a 3.42 percentage-point decrease compared to December 2025. Analysts say the development signals easing price pressures across key sectors of the economy.
Food inflation stood at 8.89 per cent year-on-year, down from 29.63 per cent in January 2025. On a month-on-month basis, food prices declined by 6.02 per cent, reflecting lower costs in several staple commodities.
The data suggests a sustained downward trajectory in inflation over the past 12 months, pointing to improving macroeconomic stability.
The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has consistently attributed recent economic adjustments to ongoing fiscal and monetary reforms aimed at stabilising prices, boosting agricultural output, and strengthening domestic supply chains.
Economic analysts note that while the latest figures indicate progress, sustaining the downward trend will depend on continued policy discipline, exchange rate stability, and improvements in food production and distribution.
The January report provides one of the clearest indications yet that inflationary pressures, which surged in early 2025, may be moderating.
Alpha Morgan to Host 19th Economic Review Webinar
In an economy shaped by constant shifts, the edge often belongs to those with the right information.
On Wednesday, February 25, 2026, Alpha Morgan Bank will host the 19th edition of its Economic Review Webinar, a high-level thought leadership session designed to equip businesses, investors, and individuals with timely financial and economic insight.
The session, which will hold live on Zoom at 10:00am WAT and will feature economist Bismarck Rewane, who will examine the key signals influencing Nigeria’s economic direction in 2026, including policy trends, market movements, and global developments shaping the local landscape.
With a consistent track record of delivering clarity in uncertain times, the Alpha Morgan Economic Review continues to provide practical context for decision-making in a dynamic environment.
Registration for the 19th Alpha Morgan Economic Review is free and can be completed via https://bit.ly/registeramerseries19
It is a bi-monthly platform that is open to the public and is held virtually.
Visit www.alphamorganbank to know more.
GTBank Launches Quick Airtime Loan at 2.95%
Guaranty Trust Bank Ltd (GTBank), the flagship banking franchise of GTCO Plc, Africa’s leading financial services group, today announced the launch of Quick Airtime Loan, an innovative digital solution that gives customers instant access to airtime when they run out of call credit and have limited funds in their bank accounts, ensuring customers can stay connected when it matters most.
In today’s always-on world, running out of airtime is more than a minor inconvenience. It can mean missed opportunities, disrupted plans, and lost connections, often at the very moment when funds are tight, and options are limited. Quick Airtime Loan was created to solve this problem, offering customers instant access to airtime on credit, directly from their bank. With Quick Airtime Loan, eligible GTBank customers can access from ₦100 and up to ₦10,000 by dialing *737*90#. Available across all major mobile networks in Nigeria, the service will soon expand to include data loans, further strengthening its proposition as a reliable on-demand platform.
For years, the airtime credit market has been dominated by Telcos, where charges for this service are at 15%. GTBank is now changing the narrative by offering a customer-centric, bank-led digital alternative priced at 2.95%. Built on transparency, convenience and affordability, Quick Airtime Loan has the potential to broaden access to airtime, deliver meaningful cost savings for millions of Nigerians, and redefine how financial services show up in everyday life, not just in banking moments.
Commenting on the product launch, Miriam Olusanya, Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank Ltd, said: “Quick Airtime Loan reflects GTBank’s continued focus on delivering digital solutions that are relevant, accessible, and built around real customer needs. The solution underscores the power of a connected financial ecosystem, combining GTBank’s digital reach and lending expertise with the capabilities of HabariPay to deliver a smooth, end-to-end experience. By leveraging unique strengths across the Group, we are able to accelerate innovation, strengthen execution, and deliver a more integrated customer experience across all our service channels.”
Importantly, Quick Airtime Loan highlights GTCO’s evolution as a fully diversified financial services group. Leveraging HabariPay’s Squad, the solution reinforces the Group’s ecosystem proposition by bringing together banking, payment technology, and digital channels to deliver intuitive, one-stop experiences for customers.
With this new product launch, Guaranty Trust Bank is extending its legacy of pioneering digital-first solutions that have redefined customer access to financial services across the industry, building on the proven strength of its widely adopted QuickCredit offering and the convenience of the Bank’s iconic *737# USSD Banking platform.
About Guaranty Trust Bank
Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) is the flagship banking franchise of GTCO Plc, a leading financial services group with a strong presence across Africa and the United Kingdom. The Bank is widely recognized for its leadership in digital banking, customer experience, and innovative financial solutions that deliver value to individuals, businesses, and communities.
About HabariPay
HabariPay is the payments fintech subsidiary of GTCO Plc, focused on enabling fast, secure, and accessible digital payments for individuals and businesses. By integrating payments and digital technology, HabariPay supports innovative services that make everyday financial interactions simpler and more seamless.
Enquiries:
GTCO
Group Corporate Communication
[email protected]
+234-1-2715227
www.gtcoplc.com
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