General
Adesina to Receive Prestigious Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership
By Ichie Enyi Ejike Umunnabuike Jr
Come March 6, 2024, the Lagos Continental Hotel will host an unforgettable occasion when the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Mr Akinwumi Ayodeji Adesina, will be formally honoured and presented with the distinguished Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership 2023.
The Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership was first announced in December 2012, with the official award ceremony held on March 6, 2013.
Before Mr Adesina was announced as its fourth recipient, three other distinguished personalities had been conferred with the prestigious award – Noble Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka; former South African President, Thabo Mbeki; and the founder of the Afe Babalola University, Aare Afe Babalola.
The event also coincides with the birth anniversary of the late stateman in whose memory the award was instituted.
The award is an initiative of the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation set up in April 1992 to serve as the custodian of Mr Awolowo’s intellectual and leadership legacy. The foundation was established as an independent, non-profit, non-partisan organisation dedicated to immortalising the democratic and development-oriented ideals of the late sage.
According to its organisers, the award is a “prestigious, biennial, international prize structured to follow a rigorous process of nomination and subsequent screening by a Selection Committee consisting of some of the most outstanding Nigerians.”
They further said that the prize serves as a strong incentive for persons to pursue excellence in leadership and good governance and confers considerable honour and recognition to the recipient.
Speaking on the selection process which led to the choice of Mr Adesina as the 2023 recipient, the foundation said the call for nomination for the award was published for several months in 2023 and that, at the close of it, many nominations of eminent persons were received.
Mr Adesina, thereafter, emerged as a unanimous candidate for the 2023 award “after a careful, detailed and rigorous screening process, the Selection Committee… for possessing the attributes for the award to the highest degree”.
Expressing his delight about the award and being in the company of previous eminent recipients, Mr Adesina said, “I am delighted to have been selected as a recipient of the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership. Joining Nobel Prize laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka and former President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, prior winners of the prize, is such a great honour.”
The AfDB chief, a former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development President Goodluck Jonathan, is the eighth elected President of the bank and the first Nigerian to hold the post.
He was first elected to the position on May 28, 2015, by the Bank’s Board of Governors at its Annual Meetings held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. He was re-elected for a second term in 2020 following an excellent performance acknowledged by supporters and critics alike.
The High Five-point agenda of Mr Adesina’s presidency at the AfDB with the ambition to Feed Africa, Light Up Africa, Industrialise Africa, Integrate Africa and Improve the Quality of Life in Africa, was particularly lauded by the organisers as capable of putting the development of the continent directly in the hands of its people.
President Bola Tinubu is expected to grace the occasion, as well as President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania, who is expected to chair the event. Other great personalities expected at the event include Mr Yakubu Gowon (Chairman BOT of the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation), and Mr John Momoh, Chairman/CEO of Channels Television, who will read the citation of the awardee.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The South African Consulate General in Lagos, in partnership with Brand South Africa and the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), is hosting the 4th edition of the South Africa Focus Week in Lagos, Nigeria, from April 22 – 26, 2026.
The annual platform continues to grow as a strategic initiative aimed at fostering social cohesion between South Africans and Nigerians while positioning South Africa as a preferred destination for business, tourism, and education. Since its inception in 2023, South Africa Focus Week has attracted over 1,500 participants, bringing together stakeholders from across sectors, including trade and investment, arts and culture, tourism, aviation, and the culinary industry.
The 2026 edition holds particular significance as it coincides with the 30th anniversary of South Africa’s democratic Constitution, enacted in 1996, as well as 32 years of unbroken diplomatic relations between South Africa and Nigeria, established in February 1994. These milestones underscore the enduring partnership between the two nations, rooted in shared history and strengthened through formal agreements and ongoing collaboration.
The 2025 economic relationship between South Africa and Nigeria reflects a strategically significant, multi-dimensional partnership anchored in trade, energy security, investment flows, and strong institutional cooperation. While bilateral trade remains structurally imbalanced – with South Africa exporting US$468.48 million and importing $1.69 billion, resulting in a $1.22 billion deficit – this dynamic is largely driven by South Africa’s reliance on Nigerian crude oil, positioning the relationship as one of strategic interdependence rather than imbalance alone.
This partnership is further elevated by the relative economic weight of both countries. According to IMF projections, South Africa’s economy is valued at approximately $443.6 billion, while Nigeria’s stands at around $334.3 billion in nominal terms for 2026. As two of the largest economies on the continent, their bilateral engagement constitutes a central axis of African economic activity, with disproportionate influence on the success of continental integration efforts.
Beyond trade, the relationship is reinforced by deep two-way investment linkages. South African firms -including MTN Group, Shoprite, and Standard Bank – maintain a strong presence in Nigeria, while Nigerian companies such as Access Bank and Paystack have established a growing footprint in South Africa. Although investment flows are asymmetrical and some Nigerian firms have faced operational challenges, these exchanges reflect an emerging bi-directional economic corridor that extends beyond goods trade into services, finance, and digital innovation.
Aligned with Brand South Africa’s mandate to build the country’s global reputation and competitiveness, the week-long programme will convene leaders from government, business, civil society, academia, and the media. Discussions will focus on leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a tool for market access and global positioning, with Nigeria serving as a key focal point.
The South Africa Focus Week has features a series of high-level engagements and cultural activities designed to deepen economic ties and promote collaboration: South Africa–Nigeria Infrastructure Investment Conference (April 22, 2026) which was held under the theme South Africa–Nigeria Partnership: Unlocking Infrastructure Opportunities,” the conference will bring together key stakeholders in infrastructure development to explore collaborative projects in road, rail, and transportation systems.
The forum also examined the role of Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) and facilitated discussions on project financing and implementation with institutions such as the DBSA and Nigeria’s Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).
This was followed by the 2nd Economic Diplomacy Roundtable (Thursday, April 23, 2026), which was hosted in partnership with MTN Nigeria under the theme Role of Technology in Infrastructure Development, the roundtable will convene senior government officials, private sector leaders, and industry experts to identify investment opportunities and strengthen strategic partnerships.
Friday, April 24, was for Arts and Culture Experience, which is a dedicated cultural day will showcase Lagos’ creative spaces and features a panel discussion on South Africa’s arts, film, music, and culture. The programme includes a South African film screening, engagements with filmmakers, and a networking reception aimed at fostering collaboration between the creative industries of both countries.
The event continues on Thursday, April 25, with Freedom Day Celebration and Closing Ceremony. This commemorative event will celebrate 30 years of South Africa’s Constitution, 32 years of freedom and democracy, and the enduring diplomatic relations between South Africa and Nigeria. The ceremony will also provide an opportunity to reflect on outcomes from the week and outline future areas of cooperation.
The celebration forms part of Brand South Africa’s Global South Africans Programme, which recognises and connects South Africans in the diaspora as ambassadors of the nation’s values and identity.
The week climaxes with the 4th edition of the South Africa Golf Tournament at Ikoyi Golf Club on Saturday, April 26, 2026, which will be done in partnership with Crossflex International.
According to a statement, the event aims to strengthen people-to-people relations through sports diplomacy, bringing together South African and Nigerian golfers in a spirit of camaraderie and collaboration.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The former chairman of the defunct Skye Bank Plc, Mr Tunde Ayeni, has been apprehended by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Spokesperson of the anti-money laundering agency, Mr Dele Oyewale, confirmed the arrest of the businessman on Friday but declined to provide further details, according to TheCable.
Mr Ayeni was accused of diverting the N36.5 billion and $30 million loans from Polaris Bank Limited to companies with which he has links.
He was alleged to have obtained the credit facilities for marine security, electricity distribution, and real estate projects, but moved them to telecom investments tied to NITEL/MTEL assets via a NATCOM account.
After the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) revoked the operating licence of Skye Bank in 2018, it nationalised it to Polaris Bank.
The EFCC has been looking into the alleged diversion of funds by Mr Ayeni, resulting in his arrest in Abuja on Thursday, April 23, 2026.
He is being grilled over the matter and would be arraigned in court once the investigation is concluded.
This is not the first time Mr Ayeni has been nabbed and probed by the EFCC, as this happened a few months after his bank lost its licence.
The then acting spokesman for the EFCC, Mr Tony Orilade, said Mr Ayeni was quizzed by detectives over issues related to fraud and embezzlement allegedly committed by him when he was Chairman of the bank a few years ago.
By Adedapo Adesanya
“We are fully committed to working with the new Commissioner of Police and giving all necessary support towards the successful discharge of his responsibilities.”
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