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Yahoo Finance Puts Ademola Bamgbose on EMpower Top 100 List
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A Nigerian, Dr Ademola Bamgbose, has made the list of EMpower Top 100 Ethnic Minority Future Leader Role Models 2020.
The list was compiled by Yahoo Finance and it is to celebrate the achievements of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) business leaders in Europe, the United States and Canada.
Dr Bamgbose is the International Arbitration Associate at Hogan Lovells, an American-British law firm co-headquartered in London and Washington.
The organisation was formed on May 1, 2010, by the merger of the American law firm of Hogan & Hartson and the British law firm Lovells.
The EMpower 100 Ethnic Minority Future Leaders list recognises the contributions and impact of inspirational individuals for their business achievements and for making a significant contribution to the inclusion of ethnic minority employees.
All the executives listed were nominated by peers and employees and reviewed by EMpower’s judging panel, which included the head of Yahoo Finance UK, Lianna Brinded.
As an international arbitration lawyer admitted to practice in Nigeria, England and Wales, Dr Bamgbose sits on the steering committee of both the BAME and Multicultural Networks at Hogan Lovells.
He mentors BAME lawyers and students and plays a leading role in Hogan Lovells’ diversity and inclusion agenda.
The legal practitioner co-founded Africa Arbitration, a platform designed to promote black practitioners across the globe. He is also Regional Representative (Africa) at the London Court of International Arbitration – Young International Arbitration Group, director of the Africa Arbitration Academy and Honorary Lecturer (international arbitration) at Nigeria’s premier university, University of Ibadan.
Commenting on this feat, he said, “I am very honoured and proud to be recognized on the EMpower Role Model Lists as an Ethnic Minority Future Leader for 2020 among other business leaders in Europe, the United States and Canada for our business achievements and contribution to the inclusion of ethnic minority employees.
“I am thankful for the recognition and also grateful for the opportunity to take a front seat in driving Hogan Lovell’s diversity and inclusion agenda.
“As a co-founder of Africa Arbitration, a platform designed to promote black practitioners across the globe, we are keen on highlighting the tremendous talents and depth of experience that Africa has to offer to the international arbitration community.
“Although we have had some great achievements so far, there is still a lot more to do. Now, more than ever, I’m proud to be part of the conversations we are having at Hogan Lovells, a firm that believes in creating a thriving, inclusive environment, about the change we need to effect and the work that still needs to be done.”
London-based banking associate at Hogan Lovells, Sengova Kailondo a member of the Steering Committee of the firm’s Multicultural Network, as well as the newly established employee network, Race and Ethnicity at Hogan Lovells (REAHL), was also named alongside Ademola in the list for his work in increasing the recruitment of employees from BAME and lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
As a global law firm, Hogan Lovells is committed to becoming a leader in diversity and inclusion (D&I), where all of its people can be themselves and feel empowered to succeed.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to vacate the court ordering the freezing of the bank account of the Osun Srate government.
In a statement today by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, the President said he’s “deeply embarrassed not by the EFCC’s exercise of its mandate backed by a court order” because of its timing, which is just a few days to the governorship election in the state next Saturday.
According to him, actions of an institution of State, especially at the Federal level, is always credited to me, as the President, even when I may not have had any prior knowledge of the action.
“Since assuming office, I have consistently maintained that anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies must be allowed to discharge their statutory responsibilities independently, professionally, without fear or favour, or political interference. I have therefore deliberately refrained from directing or interfering in the operational activities of the EFCC or any other investigative or prosecutorial agency because I firmly believe that strong democratic institutions, operating within the confines of the law, are indispensable to democratic good governance and the rule of law.
“As President, I am committed to allowing institutions of State to function and take any action they consider necessary in the interest of proper governance without the need for any prior approval. Indeed, that is why institutions are set up by law with clearly defined powers. While I am yet to be fully apprised of the facts which informed the action of EFCC in approaching the court to obtain the said order freezing the Osun State Government account, I am not in the slightest doubt that the timing of the action of EFCC is inauspicious, and therefore I feel compelled to intervene.
“Osun State is only a few days away from its gubernatorial election. Therefore, nothing ought to be done to give an impression that the EFCC or indeed any other agency of the federal government is being used to interfere with the election.
“Based on the foregoing premise, I am duty-bound to issue a directive on this issue in consonance with the overriding public interest in preserving public confidence and the integrity, credibility, and fairness of our democratic process.
“Accordingly, I have directed the EFCC to immediately proceed to the court to vacate the order and discontinue whatever action it has instituted against the Osun State Government in this regard,” the statement stated.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has explained why it initiated a move to freeze the bank account of the Osun State government.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Governor of Osun State, Mr Ademola Adeleke, claimed that the anti-money laundering agency asked one of its bankers, First Bank, not to release funds to the state government.
According to the Governor, this was part of the strategies to frustrate his administration ahead of the August 15, 2026, governorship election in the state.
Reacting to the issue on Wednesday night, the EFCC, in a statement, said it has been investigating the state government since March 2026 over an alleged “fraudulent handling of Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) account to the tune of N11.0 billion.
The organisation noted that some officials of the state government, especially the Accountant General of the State, have had interview sessions with investigators of the EFCC.
“These ongoing investigations of the state government would not have warranted any placement of Post No Debit order on its account but for the precipitate and unwarranted movement of funds from the accounts to different suspicious accounts since August 2, 2026.
“The commission noticed huge transfers of funds into different corporate entities and had to swiftly halt the trend by freezing the accounts from which such heavy funds are being moved,” parts of the statement said.
In the disclosure, the agency noted that its preventive mandate is a public-inclined framework of safeguarding public funds, assets and resources, stressing that it cannot “watch idly while a state government’s account is being pillaged.”
“While the commission is fully aware of the impending governorship election in Osun State, it has a responsibility to act in defence of the sanctity of the funds of the state. It will be uncharitable for the commission to allow an excuse of an upcoming election to fold its arms to perform its legally-assigned functions,” it pointed out.
The EFCC disclosed that it is “keeping watch over the finances of other states like Osun State. Many of these states are on the investigative radar of the commission to ensure accountability and probity. The commission has always pointed out that it is non-partisan and non-sectarian but always working in the overall interests of Nigerians. The Osun State government account was frozen to save public funds from being looted.”
The organisation urged the public “to ignore false narratives and deliberate demonisation of the works of the EFCC. The interests of all Nigerians are greater and will always be protected by the commission.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has launched a mobile application designed to monitor fuel consumption patterns in real time across retail outlets nationwide.
The NMDPRA, established under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, is responsible for the technical and commercial regulation of Nigeria’s midstream and downstream petroleum operations. The deployment of the mobile application aligns with the authority’s broader efforts to leverage technology to improve regulatory compliance and strengthen accountability.
The pilot phase of the project began on August 1 in Abuja and its six Area Councils, the authority said in a statement published on X.
As part of the rollout, the Executive Director for Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure (DSSRI), Mr Ogbugo Ukoha, led a team alongside officials from the Abuja Regional Office to assess the readiness and operational performance of the digital platform at participating retail outlets.
According to the NMDPRA, the application captures inventory and compliance data in real time, enabling regulators to monitor fuel distribution more effectively while improving operational efficiency across the sector.
The authority said the platform would generate reliable, data-driven insights to support evidence-based decision-making, strengthen national energy security planning and enhance transparency in the downstream petroleum industry.
It added that the initiative is expected to provide significant value to government, investors, operators and other stakeholders by improving access to accurate fuel consumption and compliance data.
Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector has undergone significant changes since the deregulation of the petrol market and the removal of fuel subsidies, with regulators placing greater emphasis on data-driven supervision to ensure product availability, prevent supply disruptions and discourage sharp regional disparities in distribution.
