Banking
Goldberg Lights Up 2016 Osun Osogbo Festival
The 2016 edition of the annual Osun Osogbo Festival received a boost with the participation of Goldberg produced by the Nigerian Breweries Plc.
The company said it decided to be part of the festival because of its continuous effort to promote and sustain cultural and traditional values and institutions.
The Goldberg brand team graced the Corporate Forum, put together by the organizers of the festival, to express its support for the annual event on Thursday, August 4, 2016. The programme was organized in Osogbo.
Tayo Adelaja, Public Affairs Manager, West and Mid-West, Nigerian Breweries Plc, said the company was committed to partnering with the organizers of the festival, an age-old festival that continues to put Nigeria on the world tourism map.
His words: ‘this partnership is consummated in the cultural ethos of the Yorubas because it is one between two historical brands: Osun Osogbo, a 600 year-old festival that truly reflects the traditional culture of the Yoruba race and Goldberg, the fastest growing beer brand in the South Western region of Nigeria.’
Adelaja also stated that, as a socially responsible organization, Nigerian Breweries has been good partners with people from the region and will remain committed to Winning with Nigeria by championing causes that add value to the society such as the Osun Osogbo Festival. ‘We have made a commitment to deliver superior customer value through our products and social responsibility footprints,’ he said.
Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun Larooye II, commended Nigerian Breweries Plc for taking its social responsibility footprints with keen interest that add value to society. He said “Goldberg is truly a brand that identifies with the cultural values of people.”
He showered royal blessings on the Goldberg team; assuring them of a safe time in the ancient city and his support for their activation over the duration of the festival.
Funso Ayeni, Senior Brand Manager, Regional Mainstream Brands, Nigerian Breweries Plc, revealed the brand’s plans of uplifting the town with exciting communication materials that will create a memorable beer experience to excite and reward its loyal consumers in the town during the Festival. ‘We plan to activate a 15-day Goldberg Beer Village where indigenes and visitors will be exposed to an unforgettable and befitting experience with lots of music, comedy, traditional performances and rewards,’ he said. He further buttressed that the corporate partnership will not only enhance commercial activities in the town, but will increase trade transactions especially at the beer village where thousands of guests will be visiting daily, thereby impacting positively on the economy of the town and state.
The Goldberg brand also sponsors relevant community festivals that showcase and celebrate the rich traditions of the people of South West Nigeria. For the third year running, Goldberg will be part of the Osun Osogbo festival as the “OFFICIAL BEER SPONSOR” in the beer category.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A collaboration to enable fast money transfers into Nigeria has been entered into between Flutterwave and Xoom, PayPal’s international digital money transfer service.
The partnership allows Xoom transfers to be converted by Flutterwave and settled locally in Naira, enabling quick transfers directly into recipients’ bank accounts at Access Bank, UBA, Zenith Bank, First Bank, GTBank, and additional participating banks across Nigeria.
The deal also enables Xoom’s global network with Flutterwave’s local payout infrastructure, allowing users globally to send funds directly into Nigerian bank accounts with improved speed and efficiency.
Nigeria is the leading remittance recipient in Sub-Saharan Africa, receiving over $20 billion in personal remittances in 2024. Despite this volume, receiving international payments has historically remained complex due to FX constraints and settlement delays. This collaboration helps address those challenges in a market of more than 232 million people, where the ICT sector is projected to contribute 21 per cent of GDP by 2027.
By combining Xoom’s expansive reach with Flutterwave’s local compliance and banking partnerships, the two companies are providing a more accessible financial corridor for the continent.
Xoom, a PayPal service, is a fast and secure international digital money transfer service that enables consumers to send money, pay bills, and reload phones for friends and family in approximately 160 markets globally.
As part of PayPal’s global payments ecosystem, Xoom leverages advanced fraud protection, compliance capabilities, and a trusted global network to help millions of customers move money quickly and securely across borders.
“We’re excited to have been chosen by Xoom for their Nigeria expansion. Millions of Nigerians rely on money from abroad to support everyday needs, whether it’s families receiving help from loved ones, freelancers getting paid for their work, or individuals earning income from the global economy. This helps make it easy and more reliable for people in Nigeria to receive funds and stay connected to opportunities beyond borders,” the chief executive of Flutterwave, Mr Olugbenga GB Agboola, stated.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
An initiative known as Nigeria Lightning Rounds, designed to expand funding opportunities for Nigerian startups and small businesses by connecting founders with local and international investors, has been launched by ProvidusUnity Bank, in partnership with US-based global venture firm and accelerator, gener8tor.
Scheduled to be held on July 15, 2026, Nigeria Lightning Rounds will feature carefully selected startups engaging with targeted investors who have expressed interest in supporting Nigerian innovation.
Participating founders will have the opportunity to pitch their businesses through focused 15-minute virtual sessions facilitated by gener8tor and ProvidusUnity Bank’s networks.
The program will focus on high-growth sectors including fintech, healthtech, manufacturing, sustainability, and AI, but welcomes SMEs from all industries, with intending participants urged to apply via https://www.gener8tor.com/lightning-rounds/nigeria.
“We recognise that access to capital remains one of the biggest challenges facing entrepreneurs in Nigeria. Through our partnership with gener8tor, we are creating a platform that connects promising Nigerian founders with investors who can provide the support required to scale their businesses,” the Head of Business Development at ProvidusUnity Bank, Mr Ernest Elue, stated.
“The partnership reinforces ProvidusUnity Bank’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by supporting innovation, enabling access to opportunities, and creating pathways for businesses with high-growth potential,” he added.
Also commenting, the Director of Lightning Rounds at gener8tor, Ms Elizabeth Larios, said, “gener8tor is thrilled to partner with ProvidusUnity Bank to extend the Lightning Rounds model into Nigeria.
“This collaboration reflects our commitment to building equitable ecosystems and driving capital to the most promising and underrepresented entrepreneurs.”
Lightning Rounds are a signature initiative of gener8tor’s investment platform, which has facilitated thousands of investor-startup meetings globally. The format is optimised to eliminate friction, reduce bias in early-stage fundraising, and help founders secure capital from investors aligned with their mission and stage. gener8tor’s previous Lightning Rounds for Nigerian Founders in 2025 featured 18 participating Investors and led to 50 investment meetings facilitated.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The verification of the depositors of the 46 microfinance banks, whose operating licenses were revoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over a week ago, has commenced.
The exercise, aimed at refunding those whose funds were trapped in the small lenders, is being conducted by the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC).
In a statement on Thursday, the agency said its staff members have been positioned at the offices of the affected banks across the country to attend to depositors.
It was disclosed that depositors of the defunct banks, who had their Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs) linked to their accounts in the failed banks, will be paid through their alternative accounts in existing banks.
However, depositors whose BVNs were not linked to their accounts in the failed banks have been encouraged to visit the affected banks’ offices with proof of account ownership, a passport photograph, verifiable means of identification (Driver’s Licence, Permanent Voter’s Card, International Passport or National ID Card) and BVN.
NDIC also stated that depositors can alternatively file their claims online through its website: www.ndic.gov.ng, to complete the Pre-Verification Claims Form by clicking on the Search Bar, and typing Pre-Verification Claims Form; opening the Form and filling in their details. They can also do so by clicking the link: https://ndic.gov.ng/ndic-pre-verification-claims-form/ or by visiting any of the NDIC offices closest to them to file their claims.
For further enquiries, the corporation can be reached on any of the following lines: 09037273810, 09038197064, 08104220807, 09064657140.
