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Emotions Pour as Dignitaries Eulogise Late Herbert Wigwe

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Profile of Herbert Wigwe

By Adedapo Adesanya 

It was an emotional rollercoaster at the tribute event held on Monday night to celebrate the late group chief executive of Access Holdings Plc, Mr Herbert Wigwe.

Dignitaries from government, corporate organisations, and royalty paid tribute to the late titan who died alongside his wife, son, and a former group chairman of the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Group Plc, Mr Abimbola Ogunbajo, on February 9 in the United States.

The event which was monitored by Business Post was divided into six segments – Young Hebert, the banker, the entrepreneur, the CEO, the builder and the ambassador.

These personalities relished adventurous and courageous stories from Wigwe’s early childhood and later his successful sojourn and success stories from GTBank and later the acquisition of Access Bank.

A friend of the deceased, Mr Aliko Dangote, was in tears as well as Mr Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, his long-term business partner and co-founder of Access Bank and Mr Femi Otedola, in an emotion-laden voice, also expressed the qualities of Mr Wigwe.

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, who first spoke for the governors reiterated his encounter with the late banker.

“It is a tough season for all of us,” Mr Abiodun said, noting that “words were not enough to describe how larger than life Wigwe was as he achieved so much within a short lifetime.”

“Herbert was loyal to his friends, way ahead of his time ever forward-looking,” he stated.

He said Mr Wigwe believed in the country Nigeria, and he was patriotic, adding that he met him about 30 years ago and thanked Wigwe for believing in him and being supportive of his programmes and projects.

He also said the projects included Gateway International Airport and the Epe/Ijebu-Ode Road projects, among others.

He described Mr Wigwe as a bridge builder, selfless, bold and courageous. He said it still felt like a bad dream that Herbert was gone, saying he was happy he honoured the invitation to see Mr Wigwe’s new home.

He disclosed that Mr Wigwe had a street named after him in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon saying, “he lived more than a life in one lifetime.

In an unprepared speech, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos narrated his last conversation with Wigwe on Thursday, February 8, where lofty ideas were discussed.

“This was the last conversation that I will keep on my phone for a long time,” he said.

He promised to immortalise the late founder of Access Bank, Dr Herbert Wigwe, who was born at the Island Maternity Hospital in the state.

He said that Wigwe was a man who always had good stories and supported several projects of his administration driving him to take up new challenges.

“Herbert was one of the very first people that supported my ambition generously,” he added.

He said it was unbelievable how a man could give so much, including his words of encouragement. Sanwo-Olu revealed how Wigwe collaborated with other partners to cushion the effects of COVID-19 during the dreaded global pandemic.

“Herbert led from the front, encouraged and stood with the state government. I have indeed lost a big friend,” he added.

He said Mr Wigwe and Mr Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, the former group managing director of Access Bank, took a trip with him to Cairo to pursue visions of Lagos.

He also said Mr Wigwe had a special history of Isale Eko, and Lagos would immortalise him, haven being born in Island Maternity Hospital.

He said if places of birth mattered, Mr Wigwe should be of Isale Eko origin, noting, “Herbert has transcended beyond borders.

“Lagos will not forget Herbert Wigwe. We will support the family,” he said.

The Minister of Finance, Mr Wale Edun, narrated Mr Wigwe’s contributions to sports and various sectors, including supporting his personal and family visions.

“Herbert gave me his time and thinking, what I valued most; the man is never short of ideas,” he noted.

Mr Olayemi Cardoso, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN), lauded Mr Wigwe’s hard work, broad knowledge base and role in shaping banking reforms further.

He said that Mr Wigwe’s commitment to reform and his genuine concern for the well-being of Nigerians garnered significant recognition.

The CBN Governor said he and the deceased recently discussed the way out of the country’s economic impasse, adding that the banker’s demise had left a vacuum in the banking sector and the economy.

On his part, the former CBN Governor, Mr Lamido Sanusi, emphasised the immense value of Wigwe’s contributions and the challenges that could arise in finding a suitable replacement.

Mr Sanusi recognised Mr Wigwe’s influence and the long-lasting imprint of his work, saying that further solidified the remarkable nature of his contributions.

For Mr Ibrahim Dankwambo, the former Senator for Gombe North and former governor of Gombe State, eulogised saying “from Him we come, to Him we shall return” and reeled out good times with the late founder, saying he was handed over to him as a brother by his father.

Mr Dankwambo, a former Accountant-General of the Federation, shared hilarious moments and described Mr Wigwe as a detribalised Nigerian.

Tributes of President Bola Tinubu, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, President Emmanuel Macron of France, and former US President Bill Clinton were read at the event.

Also, friends, associations, professional colleagues, Access Bank management from Nigeria, Ghana, and the UK as well as staff took turns to eulogise the patriotism, friendship, and mentorship qualities of Wigwe.

Adedapo Adesanya is a journalist, polymath, and connoisseur of everything art. When he is not writing, he has his nose buried in one of the many books or articles he has bookmarked or simply listening to good music with a bottle of beer or wine. He supports the greatest club in the world, Manchester United F.C.

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QNET’s Global Reach in 100+ Countries: What International Access Means for Local Distributors

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QNET

Global scale means market access and international supply chains. For individual distributors in direct selling, it can shape everything from product availability to income stability and long-term opportunity.

QNET, the multinational wellness and lifestyle direct selling company, positions its business model around that idea: connecting locally based independent distributors to an international operating platform. With activity spanning more than 100 countries, the company sits within a direct selling industry that, according to the World Federation of Direct Selling Associations (WFDSA), has stabilized after several relatively volatile post-pandemic years.

Global Reach Within a Stabilizing Industry

The WFDSA’s latest global report estimates worldwide direct selling retail sales at roughly $163.9 billion in 2024, essentially flat year over year. That flat performance, however, masks gradual improvement beneath the surface. Nearly half of reporting markets showed growth in 2024, and average market growth rates rebounded to positive territory.

The report estimates more than 104 million independent sales representatives globally in 2024, a figure that has remained largely stable year over year.

This stabilization sets a backdrop for companies like QNET. A global footprint is no longer about rapid expansion alone; it is increasingly tied to resilience: operating across regions with different economic cycles, consumer behaviors, and growth trajectories.

For distributors, this matters because opportunities extend beyond individual effort. They are often shaped by the health of the company’s broader channel and product reach.

A Platform Designed for Distributed Entrepreneurship

QNET’s model centers on local execution supported by centralized infrastructure. Products—ranging from nutritional supplements and wellness devices to home and lifestyle solutions—are sold through the company’s proprietary e-commerce platform. Independent distributors do not manage warehouses, shipment logistics, or customer service systems.

As Ramya Chandrasekaran, who heads communications at QNET, explained in a recent interview, the company views direct selling as a form of accessible “micro-entrepreneurship.” The idea is to reduce the operational burden typically associated with starting a business, allowing distributors to focus on product education, customer relationships, and market development.

Why Global Scale Changes the Distributor Equation

One practical benefit of international reach is product continuity. WFDSA data shows that wellness products account for roughly 29% of global direct selling sales, making it the largest category worldwide. In the Asia-Pacific region, the largest direct selling region by sales, wellness represents more than 40% of total category share.

QNET’s emphasis on wellness and lifestyle products places distributors in line with the strongest demand segments globally. Instead of relying on narrow local trends, distributors operate within product categories that have shown consistent global interest.

International scale also supports consistency in training, compensation structures, and digital tools. Distributors in different countries access identical back-end systems, tracking referrals, commissions, and orders through the same platform. This standardization reduces friction and uncertainty, particularly for individuals operating in markets where informal commerce is common.

Workforce Shifts

The WFDSA’s report highlights notable shifts in the global direct selling workforce. Women continue to make up more than 70% of participants worldwide, and representation among individuals aged 35 to 54 remains the largest cohort.

Independent Distributors increasingly value flexibility, long-term viability, and support systems that allow them to operate sustainably rather than aggressively scale. QNET’s emphasis on digital access, centralized operations, and gradual business building reflects those priorities.

For many participants, especially those balancing work with caregiving or other responsibilities, direct selling infrastructure offers a way to stay engaged at their own pace.

Training, Exposure, and Cross-Market Learning

QNET’s international conventions and training programs connect distributors across regions, creating informal networks for peer learning. Events that draw participants from dozens of countries expose distributors to varied approaches to sales, customer engagement, and market adaptation.

This mirrors one of WFDSA’s broader conclusions: direct selling increasingly functions as a global learning ecosystem, with companies providing tools and education that help individuals navigate uncertain economic conditions.

For distributors, exposure to cross-border experiences can recalibrate expectations, reinforcing that success often comes from steady engagement rather than rapid recruitment or short-term activity.

International Access, Interpreted Locally

Despite its global scale, QNET’s business ultimately plays out in local communities. Distributors adapt messaging around wellness, home quality, and lifestyle enhancement to cultural norms and household priorities. The international platform provides reach and structure, but relevance is built locally.

That balance, global systems supporting local relationships, defines much of modern direct selling. The WFDSA describes the industry not as a single growth story, but as a framework that can scale proportionally with economic conditions across regions.

For QNET distributors, international presence does not guarantee income or uniform outcomes. What it offers is access: to resilient product categories, standardized systems, training resources, and a global marketplace that extends beyond any single region. For local distributors navigating today’s uncertain global economic environment, that is an important foundation to maintain.

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FCCPC Unseals Ikeja Electric Headquarters

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Ikeja Electric

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has unsealed the headquarters of Ikeja Electric Plc in the Lagos State capital after a week under lock and key.

According to a statement on Friday, the electricity distribution company committed to a binding undertaking to comply with the remedial process following consumer rights violations.

The statement signed by Mr Ondaje Ijagwu, Director of Corporate Affairs at the commission, Ikeja Electric undertook to resolve all consumer complaints referred to it by the FCCPC within agreed timelines

The headquarters was earlier sealed on December 11, 2025, because Ikeja Electric allegedly failed to comply with a directive by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to unbundle a Maximum Demand account into 20 individual accounts for a customer who had been without power for over two and half years.

The FCCPC noted that following the resolution, any breach of the undertaking would expose it to renewed and escalated enforcement action under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act.

Reacting, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Mr Tunji Bello, said the Commission’s intervention was necessary to enforce the provisions of the FCCPA (2018).

“Our responsibility is to ensure that consumers are treated fairly and that service providers comply with lawful decisions and directives. Enforcement is not an end in itself. Where compliance is achieved and credible commitments are made, the Commission will respond appropriately,” he said.

Clarifying further, Mr Bello said the outcome reflects the commission’s balanced approach to regulation.

“We intervene decisively where consumer harm persists, and we de-escalate where enforceable compliance is secured. What remains constant is our duty to protect consumers and uphold regulatory accountability,” he said.

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All On’s Clean Energy Access Transforms Over One Million Lives

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All On

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The decision by a leading impact investment company focused on expanding clean energy access, All On, to support over 50 clean energy businesses and provide grants and technical assistance to more than 80 enterprises in Nigeria is already yielding positive results.

This is because the organisation’s Impact Evaluation Report indicated that more than one million lives have been transformed through clean energy access.

The report covered from 2018 t0 2024 and it was discovered that the interventions of All On enabled the connection of over 230,000 households, businesses, and public facilities to reliable energy solutions, while strengthening the operational capacity of energy providers and improving affordability and service reliability for end users.

Prior to the commencement of All On’s operations in 2016, nearly half of Nigeria’s population lacked access to electricity, and the sector faced an estimated 92 per cent annual funding gap.

In response, the group adopted a bold, risk-tolerant strategy—deploying catalytic capital, innovative financing instruments, and ecosystem-building initiatives to unlock private sector participation and drive progress toward universal energy access.

Central to these achievements is All On’s holistic support model, which combines rigorous, tailored due diligence, deep sector expertise, and active ecosystem engagement.

This approach has positioned All On as a trusted partner capable of delivering both commercial viability and systemic impact.

Flagship initiatives such as the Demand Aggregation for Renewable Technology (DART) programme have further amplified results by reducing procurement costs for supported businesses by up to 50 per cent, enabling developers to scale faster and pass cost savings on to consumers due to access to reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy solutions.

In the report, it was revealed that half of supported households reported improved air quality, enhanced safety, and reduced noise pollution, contributing to better health outcomes and improved quality of life, alongside measurable environmental benefits.

“This report confirms that our approach is delivering real results. By combining patient capital, technical assistance, and ecosystem support, we are enabling scalable and sustainable energy solutions for Nigeria’s unserved and underserved communities,” the chief executive of All On, Ms Caroline Eboumbou.

The company plans plans to scale proven models, strengthen local capacity, and expand its reach—particularly in underserved regions such as the Niger Delta.

“While the progress to date is encouraging, our work is far from done. As we look toward 2030, we remain committed to deepening our impact and creating even more meaningful connections across Nigeria,” Ms Eboumbou added.

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