FirstBank Elephant Girls Crowned Zone 3 Champions, Qualify for WBLA Final Round

Lagos, 5 December 2025 — FirstBank Basketball Club of Nigeria, famously known as the “Elephant Girls”, have clinched the FIBA Africa Zone 3 title and secured qualification for the final round of the Women’s Basketball League Africa (WBLA), slated for 5–14 December 2025 in Cairo, Egypt.

The Elephant Girls delivered a dominant display at the Zone 3 Qualifiers in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, winning all three of their games. Nigeria’s sole representative at the tournament, the team outclassed tough opponents from Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Benin Republic, Ghana, and Togo.

Their flawless run featured a decisive 66–55 victory over home favourites CSA of Côte d’Ivoire and a thrilling 63–59 comeback triumph over FBA of Côte d’Ivoire, after recovering from a 20-point deficit in the second quarter.

This exceptional performance—driven by grit, discipline, teamwork, and mental fortitude—marks the Elephant Girls’ triumphant return to continental basketball after a six-year break. As Zone 3 champions and the only English-speaking team to advance, the squad has once again demonstrated FirstBank’s enduring commitment to elevating women’s sports in Nigeria and beyond.

Reacting to the qualification, FirstBank’s Group Head, Human Capital Management & Development and Chairman of the Sports Council, Olumuyiwa Olulaja, said:
“We are incredibly proud of the Elephant Girls for their outstanding performance. They have once again shown the world the strength, resilience, and excellence that define FirstBank.
“At FirstBank, we remain committed to supporting sports in Nigeria and Africa, and this victory is another major milestone in our mission to promote excellence at continental and global levels.”

The Elephant Girls earned the right to represent Nigeria at the WBLA Qualifiers after securing a Silver Medal at the Zenith Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) Women’s Premier League.

With their place in Cairo confirmed, the Elephant Girls are set to display their talent on the continental stage once more—flying the flag for Nigeria and the FirstBank brand as they chase history in the final round of the Women’s Basketball League Africa.

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.

Harmony Garden Alerts Public as Ex-Staff Faces Probe for Alleged Financial Fraud

Harmony Garden and Estate Development Limited has raised an alarm over an alleged multimillion-naira fraud involving one of its former staff members known as Fibiyisola Mustapha.

In an official statement issued by the company’s management, the firm disclosed that Fibiyisola Mustapha, whose photograph and phone number were earlier published has been disengaged from the organization and no longer represents the company in any capacity, either as staff or consultant.

According to Harmony Garden, Mustapha allegedly breached the company’s financial system, illegally accessed its account, and diverted funds running into millions of naira. The company added that the matter has been formally reported to the Nigerian Police Force, which has commenced investigations into the alleged theft involving Mustapha and Jorge Haus Consulting Limited.

The statement further noted that, rather than cooperating with investigators to resolve the matter, Mustapha allegedly resorted to blackmail and intimidation tactics. Harmony Garden claimed she boasted of leveraging her relationship with social media personality “VeryDarkMan” in an attempt to discourage the company from pursuing the case and seeking justice.

Despite the unfolding drama, Harmony Garden and Estate Development Limited reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, due process, and the protection of its clients, partners, and the general public.

The statement was signed by the Management of Harmony Garden and Estate Development Limited.