Banking
Opeseitan’s SA&B Unveils Team of Global Media Experts
By Dipo Olowookere
A fully integrated African marketing communications company with a global vision set up by former image maker of Globacom Limited, Mr Olabode Opeseitan, SA&B Mega Resources Limited, has unveiled its team of global media experts.
A statement issued on Friday by Mr Opeseitan explained that the team is a convergence of professionals from competitive markets within and outside Africa.
SA&B is a firm which offers premium 360-degree communication and marketing solutions for clients which cut across innovative advertising, effective public relations, memorable events, bull’s-eye sponsorships, result-oriented promotions and inventive sports marketing.
It also offers various products in different aspects such as PR Grooming, Corporate Coffee Table Books, Biographies and Ideas Generation.
Mr Opeseitan, who revealed in the statement that the company launched its website, www.saandb.com, noted that the various appointed experts have several decades of experience and impeccable track records in their respective fields of Advertising, Public Relations, Marketing, Event Management, Journalism, Broadcasting and Documentary Production.
The team consists of the Media Adviser from India, Abhishek Dube, who has worked on several big brands, and Advertising Consultant, Kobby Acquah-Hayford, the Director of Advertising, TBWA, Ghana.
Also prominent in the team are the Documentary Production Consultant, Aderemi Ogunpitan who is also the CEO of continentally acclaimed IBST; the Marketing Consultant, Adenike Olufade, who is the immediate past Executive Director Marketing of NTA and now Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of DIGIMAGE Technologies & Warehousing Limited and Chief Executive Officer of DIGIMAGE Consult.
Other prominent members of the team are the Editorial Consultants made up of renowned journalists and wordsmiths, Remi Oyeyemi (North America), Ayopo Apesin (UK) and Dr Festus Adedayo (Nigeria), the Social Media Advisor, Joan Nwosu based in North America and the Broadcast Media Coordinator, Aanu Michael amongst others.
Abhishek Dube has well over 20 years’ experience in highly competitive markets of Telecommunications, Media, Technology and Automobiles across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and Latin America. He was a one-time Director of Marketing Communication in Globacom.
On his part, Kobby Acquah-Hayford has managed brands in Manufacturing, Aviation, Financial and Automobile sectors for well over 15 years. He has worked on global brands like PZ Cussons, Pepsi Cola, Nissan, Mercedes-Benz, Canon, Microsoft, Standard Chartered Bank, Acer and Stanbic Bank.
Aderemi Ogunpitan’s three decades of experience in content and production has made him work on world-class brands such as MTN, Airtel, Globacom, Chevron, Nestle, Dangote, Coca-Cola, Ford Foundation, Reuters, Nielsen, Citi Bank and Flour Mills. He has also created and produced content for various television titles including Big Brother Nigeria, Dragons Den Nigeria, The Apprentice Africa, Peak Talent Show, Glo Soccer Academy and Doctors Quarters, a TV series for MNET.
Adenike Olufade is a seasoned and accomplished Marketing and Business Administration expert with over 36 years of experience. As the immediate past Executive Director, Marketing at NTA, she coordinated all marketing activities in 105 NTA stations nationwide.
Remi Oyeyemi is an award-winning journalist and behaviour expert who has been involved in writing for about 30 years for numerous media organisations in both Nigeria and the United States of America.
Ayopo Apesin is an author, writer and journalist with over 20 years’ experience in Publishing, Marketing and Public Relations in competitive markets like Nigeria and the United Kingdom. He has successfully organised worldwide publicity for notable events like the Yoruba Heritage Awards, Nigerian Carnival UK and the Omo Oodua/ Ife Day carnival.
Dr Festus Adedayo is a seasoned journalist and columnist with about 20 years of experience cutting across Journalism, Research and Public Communication. He is known in the Nigerian public arena as a public commentator with an acerbic pen. He has served in various capacities including Deputy Editor and Editorial Page Editor, Nigerian Tribune, Special Adviser on Media to Enugu State Governor in 2003 and Special Adviser on Media to Oyo State Governor for four years from 2011 to 2015.
Joan Nwosu has more than ten years of experience in Information Technology, Marketing and Project Management for multimillion dollar brands in Telecoms, ICT and Automobile in markets across Nigeria, Canada and the United Kingdom.
Aanu Michael is the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer at Be Happy Entertainment Limited; Aanu’s work experience of more than ten years, spreads across Broadcasting, Marketing, Brand Management, Corporate Communications, Event Management, Hospitality and Publishing. She was the presenter of ‘Good Morning Africa’, Mnet’s official breakfast show airing daily on Africa Magic DSTV Channel 154 & 155 and has presented over 300 episodes of the Nigerian segment of the programme. She is currently the presenter of The 411 on VoxAfrica.
Speaking on the unique advantage SA&B brings to its varied clients, Mr Olabode Opeseitan, the Founding Partner who is also the PR Advisor stated; “we are driven by our passion, our antecedents, our heritage and our diversity.
“It’s about our cumulative experience spanning over 30 years across channels, markets, cultures, and countries in Africa, Europe and North America. It’s also about the robust relationships we’ve maintained with top media personalities and other important stakeholders across the world. It is surely all about the trust our clients have had in us and the smartness of our ideas.”
Mr Olabode, who founded the multidimensional agency with other like minds in August, 2017, was appointed as PR Ambassador by the world’s largest entrepreneurship network, Africa’s Young Entrepreneurs (A.Y.E).
He has over 26 years of experience in key areas such as Strategy Development and Implementation, Media Relations, Reputation Management, Event Management, Sports Sponsorship and Promotions in competitive African markets; particularly in Nigeria, Ghana and Benin Republic.
He was until the end of July, 2017 the Director of Public Relations, Event & Promotions at Globacom where he worked for almost 14 years. He also worked at African Newspapers of Nigeria Plc for eight years, rising to the post of Editor, Tribune on Saturday.
He is a Fellow of World Press Institute in Macalester College, Minnesota, USA, Poynter Institute, Florida, USA and the Reuters Foundation, UK.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
About N2 billion is expected to be used to finance renewable energy products for customers by the end of 2026 in an effort to accelerate Nigeria’s clean energy transition.
To meet this goal, Sterling Bank is launching Sterling Solar Financing Hubs inside StarTimes retail outlets to embed on-the-spot solar financing at the point of purchase.
From the N2 billion earmarked for this initiative, N600 million has already been used up.
Under this programme, customers can now walk into participating outlets, select their preferred solar solution, receive financial guidance from dedicated Sterling Solar Financing Advisors, and begin the financing process immediately, subject to the bank’s credit assessment.
The first phase of the rollout commenced this July with five Solar Financing Hubs across Lagos, located in Lekki, Ikeja, Festac, Surulere, and Victoria Island.
The network will expand rapidly to 46 StarTimes outlets nationwide before the end of the third quarter of 2026, with a view to extending the model to more than 200 StarTimes locations nationwide.
Both parties have promised to continue working together to democratise access to clean energy financing, empowering more Nigerians to solarise their homes and businesses while contributing to a greener future.
“Sterling exists to enrich lives, and we believe that access to clean, reliable energy should be within everyone’s reach. Through this partnership with StarTimes, we are democratising access to solar by bringing financing directly to the point of need, enabling more families and businesses to transition to sustainable energy without the burden of prohibitive upfront costs. This is about unlocking opportunity, improving livelihoods, and powering Nigeria’s future,” the Divisional Head of Renewable Energy and Mobility at Sterling Bank, Mr Darlington Nwankwo, said.
Also commenting, the Vice President of StarTimes Nigeria, Mr Eric Xiao, said, “With the rollout of the Sterling Solar Financing Hubs, we are doing more than just selling solar products; we are building a sustainable energy ecosystem. By integrating StarTimes’ extensive service network with Sterling Bank’s professional financial services, we are significantly lowering the barrier for Nigerian households and small businesses to access clean energy.
“Moving forward, we will continue to deepen this partnership, ensuring that more Nigerians can enjoy reliable, affordable, and smart energy solutions, ultimately turning our vision of energy accessibility into a reality for all.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Nigeria Business Summit Regional Tour of Stanbic IBTC Bank made a detour to Jogor Centre, Ibadan, Oyo State, on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, to empower Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
The event brought together business leaders, development partners and government representatives to discuss pathways for sustainable enterprise development across the South-West.
Participants engaged in practical masterclasses on export opportunities; access to finance and business growth strategies; gaining actionable insights into market expansion; trade documentation; credit readiness; financial record-keeping; and structured financing solutions designed to support long-term business success.
The Head of Enterprise Banking at Stanbic IBTC Bank, Ms Olajumoke Bello, informed participants that the programme is part of the lender’s commitments to supporting MSMEs through practical business education, strategic partnerships and improved access to growth opportunities.
The Executive Director of Business and Commercial Banking at Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr Remy Osuagwu, on his part, said, “Our ambition is to be more than a financial institution to Nigerian businesses. We want to be a trusted growth partner, providing the financing, business insights and advisory support entrepreneurs need to build sustainable enterprises and unlock new opportunities.”
Similarly, the chief executive of Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr Wole Adeniyi, who reinforced the company’s commitment to enterprise development, highlighted the importance of providing businesses with the right support structures to enable sustainable growth and long-term competitiveness.
“At Stanbic IBTC, we believe that sustainable economic growth depends on the success of small and growing businesses. That is why we are focused on providing access to finance, practical advisory support and the connections businesses need to move from ambition to scale,” he stated.
The Oyo State Commissioner for Investment, Trade, Cooperatives, and Industry, Professor Soliu Adelabu, said the initiative was designed to support businesses and strengthen the state’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, praising the bank for its support for traders, entrepreneurs, and artisans in the state.
The Permanent Secretary in the Oyo State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Mrs O.M. Shotonwa-Roagess, highlighted the importance of strategic partnerships in expanding economic opportunities for women and vulnerable groups across Oyo State. She noted that the ministry remains open to collaborating with organisations such as Stanbic IBTC, development partners and the private sector to drive financial inclusion, entrepreneurship and sustainable economic empowerment.
The Nigeria Business Summit Regional Tour forms part of Stanbic IBTC’s broader commitment to empowering entrepreneurs through capacity building, financial inclusion and strategic business support, helping enterprises unlock new opportunities for growth and long-term success.
The Ibadan leg built on the momentum of previous tour stops in Katsina and Aba.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Yemi Cardoso, says Nigeria anticipates remittances from citizens living abroad to increase by two-thirds in 2026 as it seeks to bolster its foreign-exchange reserves to $1 billion monthly.
“We are expecting that by the end of the year, we will hit about a billion Dollars a month from diaspora remittances,” he said at the 14th Annual BusinessDay CEO Forum in Lagos on Thursday, themed From Stability to Shared Prosperity.
Mr Cardoso said remittances are expected to be boosted from more than $600 million currently, banking on the CBN’s deliberate target at remittances to diversify reserve sources beyond oil earnings.
According to him, the apex bank engaged Nigerians abroad, banks and international partners to identify barriers to official remittance flows.
He said the lender subsequently reviewed policies to ensure easier movement of funds into and out of the country.
Mr Cardoso described the approach as providing free entry and free exit for foreign exchange.
He said the reforms helped double diaspora inflows within one year and exceeded initial expectations, also projecting annual remittances could reach about $8 billion if the current momentum was sustained, adding that the development reflected growing confidence in Nigeria’s financial system and foreign exchange market.
Mr Cardoso said reforms introduced by the apex bank had restored stability in the foreign exchange market and improved investors’ confidence.
He identified exchange rate unification as one of the central bank’s major achievements under the reforms programme.
According to him, replacing multiple exchange rate windows with a market-driven system eliminated distortions and improved transparency.
Mr Cardoso said improved foreign exchange liquidity and stronger reserves were among the gains from the reforms.
He said Nigeria’s net external reserves had risen from about $3 billion at the start of the reforms to above $40 billion currently, noting that gross external reserves had grown to about $52 billion, representing about 10 months of import cover.
According to him, the reserves are designed to shield the economy from external shocks and excessive market volatility.
He said the reserves were not meant for routine interventions or day-to-day exchange rate management.
