By Aduragbemi Omiyale

Tuesday, May 6, 2025, will remain memorable in the family of Mr Pascal Dozie as stock market stakeholders gathered to honour him at the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Group House in Lagos.

The NGX Limited organised an Afternoon of Tributes and Special Closing Gong Ceremony in honour the man who established the defunct Diamond Bank, which later merged with Access Bank Plc.

One of his children, Mr Uzoma Dozie, while speaking at the event, said, “Beyond his professional achievements, he was a man of quiet wisdom and grace. His presence commanded respect, and his influence shaped minds and institutions alike. His absence will be deeply felt.”

Also, the chairman of NGX Group, Mr Umaru Kwairanga, said the deceased was “a banker, entrepreneur, economist, philanthropist and a builder of institutions.”

“His tenure as president of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) Council marked a pivotal chapter in our history. With foresight and steady leadership, he laid the foundation for a world-class Exchange that not only serves Nigeria but inspires confidence across Africa.”

Further, the chairman of NGX Limited, Mr Ahonsi Unuigbe, said Mr Dozie did not “just serve; he built, inspired, and transformed. The greatest tribute we can pay is to ensure the institutions he strengthened continue to thrive with integrity, transparency, and innovation.”

On his part, the chief executive of NGX Group, Mr Temi Popoola, remarked that, “Mr Dozie was not just an industry titan, but was a mentor, a visionary, and a nation-builder. His contributions were not just pioneering but transformative. To his family, we say thank you for sharing him with the nation. May his soul rest in peace, and may we all carry forward the light he ignited.”

In his tribute, a former president of the NSE council, Mr Raymond Obieri, said, “Pascal was the kind of leader who brought calm to chaos and vision to uncertainty. His leadership was never about power, it was always about purpose.”

The chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), Mr Olaniyi Yusuf, Mr Dozie was “not just a founding father of NESG but a compass for our mission to build a globally competitive Nigerian economy. His vision and principled leadership continue to guide us.”

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

One Mr Daniel Ameh living in Abuja has convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment for duping one Mr Inalegu Egwa of the sum of N35 million.

While delivering judgement on Monday, May 5, 2025, Justice S. M. Mayana of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Apo, Abuja, however, gave the convict an option of N1 million fine.

Mr Ameh found himself before the judge after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigned him on a one-count charge bordering on criminal misappropriation.

The commission said the offence was contrary to Section 309 of the Penal Code and punishable under the same section and to which he pleaded “not guilty.”

During the trial, the prosecution counsel, Mr Ibrahim Buba, presented three witnesses and tendered relevant documents, which convinced the judge, who passed the judgement.

Mr Ameh was directed by Justice Mayana to pay the sum of N22 million, in restitution to his victim.

Investigation revealed that in 2021, Mr Ameh advised Mr Egwa to register a Bureaux de Change (BDC) company, which the victim agreed and engaged the convict to do the registration for him in the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and to apply for the relevant licence from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Mr Egwa paid the sum of N36 million through the convict’s bank account for remittance to the CBN, but in 2022, the apex bank announced the cancellation of BDC registrations and directed all affected applicants to forward their account details for refund of payments they made.

Rather than inform Mr Egwa of the new development for the channelling of the refund accordingly, Mr Ameh kept his victim in the dark, received the money in his personal account and converted it to his use.

As part of its continued commitment to sustainability, Access Holdings PLC will be amongst the leading participants in the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) Regional Roundtable on Sustainable Finance for Africa and the Middle East.

Taking place from May 6-7, 2025, in Marrakech, Morocco, the event will bring together regulators, policymakers, and key stakeholders from the financial sector to discuss and shape critical sustainability issues, including climate mitigation and adaptation, nature-positive finance, just transition and financial inclusion, carbon finance, among others.

The Chief Brand and Communications Officer of Access Holdings; Amaechi Okobi; the Group Head of Credit Administration, Governance andProject Monitoring, Edmund Otaigbe; and Group Head of Products and Segments, Njideka Esomeju, will be contributing insights from their extensive experience in driving sustainability within the financial sector.

Among the discussions will be sessions dedicated to accelerating the transition of real economy sectors towards sustainability, addressing climate risks, and ensuring financial inclusion.

One of the focal points will be how financial institutions can support climate adaptation and resilience, particularly in vulnerable sectors across Africa and the Middle East. The event will further tackle the challenge of unlocking private finance for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), exploring innovative ways to align capital flows with regional sustainability needs.

Other high-level dialogues will explore regional collaboration to support sustainability goals, advancing action on climate adaptation, and the regulatory developments promoting sustainable finance across the region.

Panels will focus on topics such as financing and insuring MSMEs for climate resilience and fostering an inclusive transition by ensuring that vulnerable communities and underserved populations are not left behind in the push for green growth.

Prominent speakers at the event include Mahmoud Mohieldin, UN Special Envoy on Financing the 2030 Agenda; Louise Gardiner, Senior Operations Officer at the International Finance Corporation (IFC); Lily Burge, Policy Manager, Climate Bonds Initiative; Samuel Tiriongo, Director of Research and Policy, Kenya Bankers Association; Walid Ali, General Manager, Sustainability Department, Central Bank of Egypt; Yasser Mounsif, Director of Issuers, Moroccan Capital Market Authority, alongside other leaders in sustainable finance.

The UNEP FI Regional Roundtable promises to be a critical platform for deepening collaboration among stakeholders across Africa and the Middle East, with the shared goal of creating a resilient, sustainable future for the region.