General
British Council Reiterates Stronger Collaboration, Celebrates 80 Years of Impact in Nigeria
By Adedapo Adesanya
The British Council has reiterated that it will continue to strengthen its collaboration and operations in Nigeria as it marked its 80th-year presence in the country.
The British Council, the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities, was founded in 1934 and was established in Nigeria in 1944. Over the course of 80 years, it has serviced Nigeria through its involvement in businesses, creativity, and education among others.
Over 100 guests, partners, beneficiaries, staff and partners from the public and private sectors gathered to honour eight decades of the British Council’s contributions to Nigeria’s educational and cultural landscape at a commemorative event held at its Ikoyi, office in Lagos on Thursday, November 7. The event emphasised the organisation’s dedication to fostering impactful change under the theme Amplifying the Voices of the Future.
In his welcome address, Mr Chilufya Besa, Acting Country Director of the British Council, reflected on the organisation’s long-standing role in supporting Nigerian communities and youth.
“The British Council in Nigeria has been at the forefront of fostering connections, empowering communities, and creating educational and cultural exchange pathways that have shaped countless lives.
“We are proud of the countless young people who have become employable, business owners, job creators, and agents of change within their communities through British Council-led programmes.”
“Since our establishment in Nigeria, the British Council has alongside Nigeria’s leaders, educators, artists, and communities to create opportunities that resonate across generations.
“Together, we have empowered millions of people with skills, education, and connections that transform lives. These milestones underscores the strength of the UK-Nigeria relationship which we are proud to support and nurture.”
He lauded the stakeholders and partners that have helped advance the course of the British government towards its goals.
He noted that Nigeria’s teeming young population was a goldmine that needed to be utilised, and added that the British Council saw it fit to collaborate efforts that are aimed at building capacity for the future.
Mr Besa also noted that evidence of its operations has shown in African entrepreneurs tapping into sustainable creative businesses and that it will continue to support them in their journeys across education, film, music, art, and businesses.
Reflecting on the theme of the celebration, representing The Deputy High Commissioner, Simon Field, Deputy Head of Mission, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), added in his opening speech, “Amplifying the Voices of the Future is especially fitting for our 80th anniversary in Nigeria, as it indicates our commitment to empowering young people, who are Nigeria’s future leaders, creators, and innovators.”
“We remain committed to fostering deeper connections, creating opportunities for young people, and building a future that respects cultural heritage while embracing innovation and inclusivity,”
The event featured two fireside chats, each delving into the impact and future potential of youth empowerment in Nigeria. The first discussion which focused on Unlocking the Economic Potential of Young People Now and in the Future, was led by the Regional Lead for Creative Economy, SSA, and Head of Arts Nigeria at the British Council, Ms Brenda Fashugba. This insightful session examines strategies to boost youth economic engagement and equip young Nigerians for future success.
The second conversation focused on Enhancing Youth Voices in Delivering Effective and Sustainable Change, was moderated by Ms Edemekong Uyoh, Regional Head of Marketing, Cultural Engagement, SSA at the British Council, and emphasised the importance of youth perspectives in achieving sustainable development.
Adding to the evening’s inspiring atmosphere were performances by spoken word artists – Kehinde Adollo and King David Ayo-Loto, whose powerful pieces reflected the theme and the impact of the British Council’s 80 years in Nigeria. The event also showcased a live painting session by celebrated artist Haneefah Adam, whose artwork was presented to Acting Country Director Chilufya Besa as a commemorative gift.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has explained why it initiated a move to freeze the bank account of the Osun State government.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Governor of Osun State, Mr Ademola Adeleke, claimed that the anti-money laundering agency asked one of its bankers, First Bank, not to release funds to the state government.
According to the Governor, this was part of the strategies to frustrate his administration ahead of the August 15, 2026, governorship election in the state.
Reacting to the issue on Wednesday night, the EFCC, in a statement, said it has been investigating the state government since March 2026 over an alleged “fraudulent handling of Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) account to the tune of N11.0 billion.
The organisation noted that some officials of the state government, especially the Accountant General of the State, have had interview sessions with investigators of the EFCC.
“These ongoing investigations of the state government would not have warranted any placement of Post No Debit order on its account but for the precipitate and unwarranted movement of funds from the accounts to different suspicious accounts since August 2, 2026.
“The commission noticed huge transfers of funds into different corporate entities and had to swiftly halt the trend by freezing the accounts from which such heavy funds are being moved,” parts of the statement said.
In the disclosure, the agency noted that its preventive mandate is a public-inclined framework of safeguarding public funds, assets and resources, stressing that it cannot “watch idly while a state government’s account is being pillaged.”
“While the commission is fully aware of the impending governorship election in Osun State, it has a responsibility to act in defence of the sanctity of the funds of the state. It will be uncharitable for the commission to allow an excuse of an upcoming election to fold its arms to perform its legally-assigned functions,” it pointed out.
The EFCC disclosed that it is “keeping watch over the finances of other states like Osun State. Many of these states are on the investigative radar of the commission to ensure accountability and probity. The commission has always pointed out that it is non-partisan and non-sectarian but always working in the overall interests of Nigerians. The Osun State government account was frozen to save public funds from being looted.”
The organisation urged the public “to ignore false narratives and deliberate demonisation of the works of the EFCC. The interests of all Nigerians are greater and will always be protected by the commission.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has launched a mobile application designed to monitor fuel consumption patterns in real time across retail outlets nationwide.
The NMDPRA, established under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, is responsible for the technical and commercial regulation of Nigeria’s midstream and downstream petroleum operations. The deployment of the mobile application aligns with the authority’s broader efforts to leverage technology to improve regulatory compliance and strengthen accountability.
The pilot phase of the project began on August 1 in Abuja and its six Area Councils, the authority said in a statement published on X.
As part of the rollout, the Executive Director for Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure (DSSRI), Mr Ogbugo Ukoha, led a team alongside officials from the Abuja Regional Office to assess the readiness and operational performance of the digital platform at participating retail outlets.
According to the NMDPRA, the application captures inventory and compliance data in real time, enabling regulators to monitor fuel distribution more effectively while improving operational efficiency across the sector.
The authority said the platform would generate reliable, data-driven insights to support evidence-based decision-making, strengthen national energy security planning and enhance transparency in the downstream petroleum industry.
It added that the initiative is expected to provide significant value to government, investors, operators and other stakeholders by improving access to accurate fuel consumption and compliance data.
Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector has undergone significant changes since the deregulation of the petrol market and the removal of fuel subsidies, with regulators placing greater emphasis on data-driven supervision to ensure product availability, prevent supply disruptions and discourage sharp regional disparities in distribution.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
No doubt, moving money among African markets remains a slow, fragmented process that relies on multiple intermediaries and prolonged settlement cycles.
To solve this issue and drive the development of stablecoin-enabled payment services for businesses across the continent, Onafriq has joined forces with a leading stablecoin infrastructure provider, Privy.
The collaboration will enable Onafriq to create and manage embedded digital asset solutions for its partners and, in time, institutional clients where regulation allows. The initial phase focuses on cross-chain stablecoin transfers and treasury and settlement workflows, creating the foundation for future cross-border payment and liquidity solutions.
Integrating Privy’s secure infrastructure enables Onafriq to build the capabilities required to support a new generation of efficient digital payment services for banks, fintechs, and mobile money operators.
This partnership is a key component of Onafriq’s broader strategy to modernise pan-African payment infrastructure, enabling secure multi-modal wallets and more efficient movement of value across the continent.
The outcome will support a range of future institutional use cases, including stablecoin-enabled settlement, treasury management and liquidity services, as it reflects Onafriq’s commitment to driving Africa’s digital transformation agenda by investing in technologies that make financial services more efficient, connected and accessible.
It was gathered that Onafriq selected Privy for its enterprise-grade infrastructure to enable the seamless integration of digital asset wallet capabilities into its products, subject to regulatory approval, and deliver a simple user experience while abstracting the complexity of blockchain technology.
“At Onafriq, we keep investing in technology that makes payments faster and more accessible. Privy gives us a building block for faster settlement and better liquidity management. As demand for digital asset services grows, our goal is to ensure Africa’s payment ecosystem benefits securely and in line with regulatory frameworks,” the Group Chief Product and Innovation Officer at Onafriq,” Mr Luke Kyohere, said.
The chief executive of Privy, Mr Henri Stern, said, “Stablecoins will play an increasingly important role in the future of global payments, but real-world adoption depends on infrastructure that is secure, scalable and simple to implement. Working with Onafriq allows us to help build that foundation across Africa and beyond.”
