Business
Nigeria Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund flags off 10th edition of Maltina Teacher of the Year Competition
Nigeria Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund flags off 10th edition of Maltina Teacher of the Year Competition
The Nigeria Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund has announced the call for entries for the much-anticipated 10th edition of the Maltina Teacher of the Year competition.
Entries for the competition open on Thursday, May 16, 2024, and will close on Friday, July 19, 2024. The competition remains a platform to appreciate and reward teachers for their significant contribution towards the development of the education sector in Nigeria, while inspiring excellence in teaching.
To participate, eligible teachers can visit the dedicated website (www.maltinateacheroftheyear.com) to complete the entry form online. Alternatively, they can download the form, complete it, scan it, and email the completed form to maltinateacheroftheyear@heineken.com
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony held in Lagos today, Managing Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Hans Essaadi who was represented by the Human Resource Director, NB Plc, Grace Omo-Lamai explained that the flag-off of this year’s edition represents the beginning of another journey to appreciating and celebrating the tireless efforts and dedication of teachers.
Essaadi stated that the company through the Felix-Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund remains unwavering in its commitment to supporting teachers in shaping future leaders and changing the lives of students for the better in Nigeria.
“The Maltina Teacher of the Year competition presents an opportunity to express our gratitude to teachers for the sacrifices they make, the extra hours they invest, and the guidance and mentorship they provide to ensure the success of our youth. Through this competition, we aim to recognize the efforts of teachers in the countless ways they have shaped our future. We acknowledge their selflessness, their passion for teaching, and their relentless pursuit of the growth and development of our nation,” he said.
He stated that it was exciting to note that other corporate organizations have come on board to be part of this transformative initiative, adding that Union Bank of Nigeria Plc and Woodhall Capital Foundation have been enlisted as main partners while First City Monument Bank and Alert Group are supporting partners for the competition.
In her keynote address, the Corporate Affairs Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Sade Morgan, disclosed that the competition remains a veritable platform to reward and inspire teachers for their invaluable contribution to the development of education and society at large.
Morgan stated that the platform aims to recognize and appreciate teachers for the stewardship of our most precious national resource – the youth.
“Indeed, our teachers continue to play their role effectively and, as such, deserve to be appreciated, recognized, and celebrated for what they have done, and what they continue to do, to make society what it is today, particularly in the human and national development,” she said.
She disclosed that secondary school teachers in both public and private schools are eligible to participate in the 10th edition of the Maltina Teacher of the Year competition.
Speaking on the reward earmarked for the winners, she noted that the overall winner for the 2024 edition would receive a trophy, a total cash prize of N10 million, and a capacity development training opportunity abroad while his/her school receives either a block of classrooms or a computer laboratory.
“The first runner-up of the competition will equally receive a trophy and a total sum of N3,000,000, while the second runner-up receives a trophy and a total sum of N2,500,000. All State Champions will be rewarded with recognition plaques and a cash prize of N1, 000,000 each”, she added.
In her remarks, Winner of the 2023 Maltina Teacher of the Year Competition, Adeola Adefemi while praising NB Plc for the competition stated that her emergence as winner has attracted pride, fame, and fortune.
According to Adefemi, the success has become a confidence booster and attraction to several global opportunities in the teaching profession.
Goodwill messages of support were delivered by representatives of the corporate partners and key stakeholders in the education sector, such as representatives of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), and the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).
The Maltina Teacher of the Year competition was established in 2015 and funded through the Nigerian Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund, which was set up in 1994 to facilitate an active contribution to the development of the education sector in Nigeria in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal, SDG No.4.
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ABOUT THE MALTINA TEACHER OF THE YEAR COMPETITION
In 2015, Nigerian Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund introduced the Maltina Teacher of the Year, a national competition, to identify, honor, and reward outstanding teachers in Nigeria.
Maltina Teacher of the Year is proudly endorsed by the Federal Ministry of Education and other education stakeholders including the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPPS), and Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).
ABOUT NIGERIAN BREWERIES-FELIX OHIWEREI EDUCATION TRUST FUND
The Nigerian Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund was set up in 1994 with a startup capital of 100 million Naira to enable sustained quality education through structured intervention in the sector.
The Fund has footprints across the six geographical zones in Nigeria at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of education. Through the Fund, NB Plc has constructed and furnished over 400 classrooms, sanitary facilities, and libraries in 74 communities across the country. The Fund has also granted scholarships to deserving students in tertiary institutions
Business
Forging a Continental Future: Nigeria and South Africa Unite to Unlock Africa’s Mineral Wealth
Forging a Continental Future: Nigeria and South Africa Unite to Unlock Africa’s Mineral Wealth
By George O. Sylvester, Reporting from South Africa
CAPE TOWN, April 17, 2025 – In a landmark move aimed at reshaping Africa’s economic future, Nigeria and South Africa signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate in the solid minerals sector. The agreement, reached during the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC), represents a strategic alliance focused on harnessing Africa’s vast mineral wealth for mutual benefit and sustainable development.
The deal marks a bold shift towards intra-African cooperation, at a time when global competition for mineral resources—especially critical minerals for green technologies—is intensifying. With the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) now operational, this bilateral partnership lays the groundwork for a new continental approach to resource governance and economic diversification.
A Tale of Two Giants
Nigeria, long regarded as a mono-economy reliant on oil (which accounts for over 85% of its export revenue), has begun to prioritize the mining sector as a vehicle for economic diversification. According to the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), the country’s solid minerals sector contributed a mere 0.63% to GDP as of 2022, despite holding an estimated $700 billion in untapped mineral reserves including gold, lithium, columbite, iron ore, and uranium.
In contrast, South Africa’s mining sector, which contributed approximately 7.5% to GDP in 2023 (StatsSA), is globally renowned for its depth, technological sophistication, and regulatory framework. With over 100 years of mining history, it boasts world-class infrastructure and expertise in areas such as deep-level mining, beneficiation, and environmental management.
The union of Nigeria’s raw potential and South Africa’s technical prowess could become a game-changer—not just for both economies but for Africa’s collective push toward industrialization and self-reliance.
Key Components of the MoU
1. Joint Geological Mapping
Using satellite imaging, geospatial technologies, and AI-powered mineral detection tools, both countries will collaborate on large-scale geological surveys. This effort is critical in Nigeria, where over 80% of the land remains geologically underexplored, according to the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA).
2. Data Exchange and Transparency
A core pillar of the agreement is real-time data exchange between the NGSA and South Africa’s Council for Geoscience. This will enhance transparency, reduce investor risk, and improve planning. By adopting South Africa’s data management frameworks, Nigeria aims to move toward international best practices in resource classification and public disclosure.
3. Capacity Building and Technology Transfer
To reduce Nigeria’s dependence on foreign consultants, South Africa will assist in training geologists, metallurgists, and mining engineers through academic exchanges, short courses, and certification programs. Nigerian professionals will also be trained in advanced techniques such as Elemental Fingerprint Technology, which determines mineral origin—crucial for combatting illegal mining and smuggling.
4. Exploration of Agro and Energy Minerals
The MoU includes joint ventures in exploring agro-minerals like phosphate and potash (needed for local fertilizer production) and energy minerals like lithium and cobalt—essential components of electric vehicle batteries and clean energy storage systems. Nigeria’s nascent lithium reserves in Nasarawa and Ekiti states could prove critical as the world pivots toward decarbonization.
Economic Potential
According to PwC’s Nigeria Mining Sector Report, the solid minerals industry could contribute up to $27 billion annually to Nigeria’s GDP by 2030, if adequately developed. This partnership is expected to catalyze investment and attract global mining companies previously hesitant about Nigeria’s regulatory unpredictability.
Already, projections suggest the MoU could generate over $500 million in direct foreign investment during the first phase. Furthermore, the Nigerian Ministry of Solid Minerals forecasts the creation of 3 million jobs across the mining value chain—ranging from exploration and extraction to logistics and beneficiation.
For South Africa, this is a strategic economic expansion. With its traditional mining output slowing due to resource depletion and labor unrest, South Africa is seeking new avenues for growth. By investing in West Africa, it not only expands its mining footprint but deepens its diplomatic influence and commercial engagement with Africa’s largest economy.
Institutional Support and Structural Reforms
Nigeria’s reforms have not gone unnoticed. The introduction of the Electronic Mining Cadastral System (EMC+) has streamlined licensing and reduced corruption, enabling a transparent “first come, first served” process. In 2024 alone, over 1,500 mineral titles were processed electronically—a significant improvement from previous years marred by bureaucracy.
Moreover, the Nigeria Minerals Decision Support System (NMDSS) has made investor-relevant data—such as infrastructure availability, environmental regulations, and geoscience—accessible through a centralized portal. These tools are modeled after global standards, including Australia’s Geoscience Portal and South Africa’s SAMREC Code.
Diplomatic and Regional Impact
This partnership is more than a commercial endeavor; it is a diplomatic signal. Both countries, which combined account for over 30% of Africa’s GDP and nearly 300 million people, are demonstrating leadership in Pan-Africanism. The agreement comes at a time when Africa must assert control over its mineral wealth, especially with rising concerns over neocolonial extraction by foreign powers.
As Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the WTO, noted in 2024:
“Africa cannot be the source of raw materials for global value chains without being part of those chains.”
The Nigeria-South Africa MoU embodies this vision. By focusing on value addition, local content development, and environmental sustainability, the partnership seeks to reverse the continent’s historical pattern of extractive exploitation.
A New African Vision
Underpinning this alliance is a deeper aspiration: a unified African response to global economic challenges. With AfCFTA aiming to boost intra-African trade by over 50% by 2030 (UNECA estimates), resource-rich countries must lead the charge. If this mining collaboration succeeds, it could set a precedent for other sectors—agriculture, energy, technology—where African synergies remain largely untapped.
It is also a message to African youth, millions of whom face unemployment despite living in the most resource-endowed continent on Earth. The partnership can create meaningful employment while fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and skills development.
Conclusion
The Nigeria-South Africa mining partnership is not just a bilateral deal—it is a continental statement. It reflects a long-overdue shift in how African nations view their resources, their allies, and their future. By choosing cooperation over competition and value creation over mere extraction, both countries are redefining what African leadership means in the 21st century.
This agreement could well be remembered as a turning point—when two of Africa’s most influential nations chose not only to collaborate but to lead.
As the late Kofi Annan once said:
“Resources are not curses. Mismanagement is.”
This partnership offers Africa a rare opportunity to get it right.
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