Banking
Winners Emerge At 2016 Techplus Gaming Competition
Nine winners have emerged from over 2000 gamers that competed in the gaming tournament at the recently concluded Techplus 2016 conference and exhibition held at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.
Players went head to head in three different games; FIFA 16 Soccer, Mortal Kombat and the latest version of Call ofDuty (Black Ops).
In the FIFA 16 Soccer gaming category, Bamigbola Oluwadare emerged as the overall winner after defeating 1,467 gamers, carting away a grand cash prize of N500,000.
Tari Ikoli Travis and Henry Andrew went home with N300,000 and N200,000 as 2nd and 3rd place winners respectively. The Mortal Kombat gaming category saw Richmond Boampong – from Ghana grab the first place prize of N300,000, while Micah Dipsy and Abdalah Abubakar were rewarded with N200,000 and N100,000 as 2nd and 3rd place winners respectively.
Obinna Akpen, Nonso Anumbo and Bolarin Olawadamilola won prizes for their skills in the Call of Duty gaming category, which was described as the best first-person shooter video game.
Speaking on the gaming track, Managing Director Connect Marketing Services, Tunji Adeyinka, organizers of the conference disclosed that, the competition is a brilliant opportunity for young people to sharpen their gaming skills. “Gaming is on a growth trajectory and Nigerians need to plug into the play not just as consumers but also as game-makers”
Adeyinka also noted that the competition offers young people the desired digital skills, knowledge and industry connections they need to become the next generation of game makers. This year, we are proud to display games made by Nigerians that are available online.
(R-L) Winner of Call of Duty game, Obinna Akpen, FIFA 16 Soccer winner, Bamigbola Oluwadare and other winners at the Techplus 2016 gaming finale at Eko Hotel, in Lagos
Adeyinka further revealed that Techplus has come at the right time to tap into the potential that exists in technology for job creation. His words; “We see our platform as a catalyst which will bring together the entire ecosystem. When we started we were hoping to create a platform that would allow companies, individuals and businesses in the tech space to bring together customers, clients and for all players to showcase their products and services. Before now, we had lots of talk shops, but this event is meant to be a practical opportunity to talk about technology and feel the impact that technology has on different facets of life both from a business perspective and from a consumer perspective”.
The theme for this year’s event was ‘A Connected World’. This could not have come at a more auspicious time as Cisco has predicted there will be 20.8 billion connected devices by 2020. Techplus’ goal was to highlight the increasing connecting nature of the world and identify Nigeria’s role in this new global reality through a variety of ‘tracks’
Bamigbola Oluwadare, one of the winners commended organizers of Techplus 2016 for creating the platform for young tech enthusiasts and introducing the concept of the live gaming competition which served to showcase local talent in the gaming arena. He promised not just to remain a player but also to be a voice in the world of gaming.
Techplus is a gathering of everything technology, providing a robust tripartite experience through its conferences, exhibitions and gaming structures whilst serving as a platform for knowledge sharing and networking for the consumers and businesses.
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.
