Banking
YEA5: Fidelity Bank Trains Kano Youth on Business Skills
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Over the weekend, more than 200 undergraduates in Kano States received training in various skill areas including, Fashion Designing, Makeover, Henna Design, New Media Marketing, Baby Bag Making, Bead Making, etc.
The empowerment programme was organized by Fidelity Bank Plc in partnership with Gazelle Academy and Bayero University Kano.
The week-long entrepreneurship training programme, which was put together in consistent with the bank’s unbridled commitment to youth empowerment in Nigeria, came up under the Fidelity Youth Empowerment Academy stream 5 (YEA 5).
It is part of the lender’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives primarily targeted at creating a new breed of entrepreneurs amongst Nigeria’s boisterous youth population.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the fifth edition of the YEA 5 held in Kano State, the bank’s Deputy Managing Director, Mr Mohammed Balarabe, said that the skills acquisition programme seeks primarily to offer undergraduates of tertiary institutions with vocational skills and enterprise training needed to become thriving business owners.
Whilst stating that the programme teaches students vocational skills as an alternative to white-collar jobs, Mr Balarabe explained that the initiative will guarantee financial independence among the youths and ultimately alleviate poverty.
“Since its inception, four editions have held successfully at institutions in Enugu, Birnin Kebbi, Anambra and Rivers states with over 2,000 participants. In essence, we have succeeded in making entrepreneurs out of students who will be financially responsible and independent,” he said.
Mr Balarabe commended the students for their commitment and performance during the course of the training programme.
The DMD, while quoting John Maxwell, stated that, “Successful and unsuccessful people do not vary greatly in their abilities. They vary in their desires to reach their potential.” He challenged the students to go out there and fulfill their dreams.
The Director, Public Affairs of BUK, Malam Ahmed Shehu who commended Fidelity Bank for the initiative called on other corporate organisations to emulate the bank in giving back to the society through laudable youth empowerment programmes like YEA5. Shehu also lauded the bank for consistently delivering unmatched financial services to the university community and the citizens of Kano State.
Speaking in the same vein, Muna Onuzo, Founder, Gazelle Academy thanked the participants for their zeal and active participation as evidenced by the number of things ranging from bags, clothing apparels, beadworks, cocktails that were made by them and on display for visitors who thronged the school to witness the closing ceremony.
“We give our students the ability to stand and build their business. We start by teaching them the skills of the trade and then we empower their mind so that the inner disabilities won’t limit them from actualising their true potential. We also teach students how to run a business that is clean, sustainable and viable,” she explained.
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.
