By Adedapo Adesanya

Nigeria and Morocco are set to sign a major intergovernmental agreement later this year to push forward the long-delayed Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline project, a multi-billion-dollar energy corridor expected to reshape gas trade across West Africa and Europe.

The agreement, expected to be signed in the fourth quarter of 2026 by President Bola Tinubu and King Mohammed VI of Morocco, follows the completion of preliminary technical studies for the ambitious project, according to officials from both countries.

The pipeline, also known as the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline, is projected to stretch about 6,900 kilometres along offshore and onshore routes across West Africa, making it one of the largest gas infrastructure projects on the continent.

With an estimated cost of $25 billion, the pipeline is designed to transport up to 30 billion cubic metres of gas annually once completed.

Discussions on the project gained fresh momentum during a telephone conversation between Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and her Moroccan counterpart, Mr Nasser Bourita.

The project would not only strengthen energy cooperation between the two countries but also improve regional economic integration and expand Africa’s access to European energy markets.

According to Morocco’s hydrocarbons and mining agency, ONHYM, part of the gas supply will support Morocco’s domestic energy demand, while large export volumes will be directed to Europe.

The project, first proposed about a decade ago, is seen as a strategic alternative gas supply route amid rising global energy security concerns and Europe’s search for more diversified energy sources.

Beyond the pipeline, Nigeria and Morocco are also exploring broader economic partnerships, particularly in fertiliser production and distribution to support food security across Africa.

Both countries also agreed on the need to revive the Nigeria-Morocco Business Council to strengthen trade and investment relations under the African Continental Free Trade Area framework.

Analysts noted that the project could significantly boost gas monetisation opportunities for Nigeria, expand regional infrastructure development, and deepen economic ties between West African nations and Europe if successfully executed.

The Impact Investors Foundation (IIF), Nigeria’s leading platform for unlocking impact capital, today hosted the 4th Gender Impact Investment Summit (GIIS). The landmark event featured the historic unveiling of the Inclusive Capital Scorecard, a Gender Equity and Social Inclusion Baseline report, which establishes a foundation and clear understanding for GESI integration practices in impact investment.

The summit, themed “From Commitment to Action: Strengthening Inclusive Gender Lens Investment for Nigeria’s Growth,” convened at a critical juncture for deepening Nigeria’s National Women Economic Empowerment policy. Building on the momentum of previous years, where over 50 organisations pledged support for inclusive capital, the 4th GIIS serves as the definitive platform to translate high-level pledges into tangible, measurable results for women, youth, and the over 35 million Nigerians living with disabilities.

The centrepiece of this year’s summit was the GESI baseline survey, which serves as a reference point for tracking progress, informing interventions, and strengthening accountability toward achieving the national inclusive capital roadmap. It also features a policy roundtable, where regulators, ministries and government agencies made actionable commitments to strengthen cross-sector collaboration, and accelerate policy implementation for women, youths and persons with disabilities (PwD) in key economic sectors, including climate resilient industries.  “The GESI Baseline Report is more than a document; it is the data-driven foundation required to fix structural barriers in our financial system,” stated Etemore Glover, CEO of the Impact Investors Foundation. “While women own nearly 40% of Nigerian businesses, they receive a disproportionately small share of formal credit. This report empowers stakeholders to identify acute gaps and benchmark progress as we move toward a truly inclusive economy.”

Ibukun Awosika, Chair of GSG Nigeria Partner and Vice Chair of GSG Impact, emphasised the significance of this milestone at the 4th GIIS: “By providing the data-driven foundation needed to benchmark progress, it demands that stakeholders not only mobilise inclusive capital at scale but also embed GESI and gender lens investment principles into every investment decision and policy. This summit is the definitive platform to close investment gaps, unlocking Nigeria’s full economic potential and ensuring our growth is truly equitable and transformative.”

The 4th Gender Impact Investment Summit (GIIS) acts as a vehicle to dismantle obstacles for women, serving as a catalyst for growth by actively driving impact to accommodate women, including those in the informal labour market. It moves beyond rhetoric to institutionalise accountability by encouraging organisations to not only track how capital is raised, but also the type of capital deployed, jobs created, enterprise growth, geographic reach, and measurable inclusion outcomes.

Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) are increasingly recognised as critical leverage points; by addressing the institutional gaps that leave women, youths and persons with disabilities-led businesses under-resourced, Nigeria can catalyse a new wave of data-driven investment and productivity.

The keynote address, ‘Turning Gender Equity into Economic Advantage,’ presented by His Highness Khalifa Muhammad Sanusi II CON, Sarkin Kano, stressed the need for the intentional dismantling of structural barriers that hinder women’s financial inclusion, noting that gender equality is not merely a social imperative but a critical economic lever for national prosperity.

To facilitate immediate economic impact, the 4th GIIS introduced enhanced Deal Rooms, operating both virtually and in-person. These rooms are specifically designed to provide a direct matchmaking pipeline, connecting investors with ready-to-scale, women-led enterprises, leading to a soft commitment of about $250,000 from investors.

In addition, the summit featured technical sessions which emphasised institutional capacity building, equipping both public and private sector actors with the GESI diagnostic tools, investment readiness tools and data capturing frameworks necessary to mainstream GESI and gender lens investing (GLI) into their core operations.

The economic urgency of this intervention is underscored by current data showing a stark inclusion gap: only 23% of Nigerian women have bank accounts, compared to 77% of men. By providing credible, first-of-its-kind data, the IIF is positioning the GESI Roadmap as a strategic necessity for sustainable national growth.

The summit featured high-level participation from financial institutions, Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), and policymakers. Through interactive panels and policy conversations, leaders were invited to move beyond discourse and lead in GESI integration, utilising the new report to influence future policy and investment strategies.

The 4th Gender Impact Investment Summit reaffirms IIF’s role as a strategic architect in the Nigerian investment market, dedicated to establishing actionable interventions that ensure no one is left behind in the pursuit of prosperity.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

A social media influencer, Ms Okoro Blessing Nkiruka, also known as Blessing CEO, has been arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The self-styled relationship therapist was brought before Justice D.I. Dipeolu of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Friday, May 15, 2026, over an alleged N36 million fraud.

The EFCC, in a statement today, said Blessing CEO is facing a two-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and stealing to the tune of N36.0 million.

“That you, OKORO BLESSING NKIRUKA, between July 14 and 17, 2024, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this court, did obtain the sum of N36,000,000.00 from Mrs Ifeyinwa Nonye Okoye under the false pretence of leasing a six-bedroom detached duplex situated at No. 1B, Tunbosun Osobu Street, Off Kuboye Road, Lekki, Lagos State, which representation you knew to be false, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006,” one of the charges read.

“That you, OKORO BLESSING NKIRUKA, between July 14 and 17, 2024, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this court, fraudulently converted to your own use the sum of N36,000,000.00 property of Mrs Ifeyinwa Nonye Okoye, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 383 and punishable under Section 390 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004,” another charge read.

At the commencement of proceedings, the defence counsel, Mr P.I. Nwafor, informed the court that the defendant had refunded part of the money to the petitioner.

“We have an application to make. The defendant approached the nominal complainant and refunded N24 million out of the N36 million.

“We are asking for a short adjournment to resolve the outstanding balance. The nominal complainant agreed that if the balance is paid, they can prevail on the EFCC to drop the case,” he said.

Responding, the prosecution counsel, Mr S.I. Suleiman, stated that the prosecution was not privy to any discussion between the defendant and the nominal complainant.

“The complainant here is the Federal Government of Nigeria, and we are here for the arraignment. We urge that the defendant take her plea, as that is the business of the day,” he said.

In his ruling, Justice Dipeolu held that “the defence and the nominal complainant can have discussions even during the pendency of the charge. It does not affect the proceedings before the court. The defendant will take her plea.”

After pleading not guilty, the prosecuting counsel applied for a trial date and prayed the court to remand her in a correctional facility pending trial.

But the defendant’s counsel informed the court that his client had only been served with the charge on Thursday, May 14, 2026, and that efforts were ongoing to file her bail application.

He, therefore, prayed that the defendant be remanded in EFCC custody pending the perfection of her bail conditions. This plea was granted, while the matter was adjourned till June 5, 2026, for the commencement of the trial.