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Five Join Standard Chartered Women in Technology Incubator Programme

By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The prestigious Standard Chartered Women in Technology Incubator Programme (SC-WITI) in Nigeria has taken in five women who will get a $10,000 grant each, with business development advisory, mentorship opportunities and strategic business public relations.
The beneficiaries are Oluwadamilola Soyombo, founder of Skooqs; Bolarinwa Kemisola, founder of Nextwear Technology; Adegbite Adenike, founder of The Trillionbucks Company; Zita Agwunobi, founder/CEO of Iverify; and Wunmi Akinsola, founder of Fashtracker.
They emerged winners of the third edition of the scheme at a graduation ceremony held in Lagos recently.
Like the last two editions, the 10 young businesswomen in this cohort were shortlisted from over 1,000 applicants and went through a rigorous 16-week executive bootcamp during which they also interacted with business development coaches and executives from Standard Chartered.
At the end of the training period, five winners with the most compelling ideas were chosen. They will also receive portfolio advisory support for 10 weeks. They would be exposed to potential investors and join the global SCWIT alumni network to have access to additional networking events, resources, content, and business scaling opportunities.
“Today, we congratulate and celebrate these exceptional women who have gone above and beyond to prioritise the growth, sustainability and community impact of their businesses.
“As part of our Bold Stands, to Lift Participation initiatives like the Women in Tech incubator gives us the opportunity to unleash the full potential of female entrepreneurs who in turn are able to improve the lives of people around the world especially Nigeria.
“We continue to stand up for equitable access to financial support for women and small business. We are committed to accelerating the provision of quality financial services to women in Nigeria, purposefully connecting SMEs to international markets and building partnerships to expand the reach and scale of financial services.
“These are just some of the ways we continue to reiterate to our communities and customers that we are Here for good,” the Country CEO, Lamin Manjang said.
Also speaking, the Head of Corporate Affairs, Brand and Marketing, Dayo Aderugbo, stated that, “We are optimistic about the impact this programme will have on their businesses.
“Through the Women in Technology Incubator program, the bank focuses on capacity building for women-owned small enterprises, under our Futuremakers by SC Community Investment initiative, which we believe serves as a great opportunity to support greater diversity in gender representation within technology entrepreneurship for women in Nigeria.
“The resources the beneficiaries have received from the sessions are theirs for life and will certainly support the resilience of their businesses while creating employment for more women and youths in the country.
“We are excited about the endless growth opportunities and the ripple effect this growth will have on the economy. This initiative builds on the bank’s track record of increasing women’s access to entrepreneurial finance, employability and supporting adolescent girls and women through financing and capacity building.”
Launched in Nigeria in June 2019, the SC Women in Tech Incubator (SCWITI) was established to support and promote the economic and social development of women engaging in a technology-led enterprise.
Implemented for the bank by the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC), Pan-Atlantic University (PAU), the programme targets female-owned technology-driven businesses, including start-ups, and provides the shortlisted candidates with training, mentorship and knowledge exchange sessions with industry experts and thriving businesses in the country. To date, nearly half a million dollars has been invested in the program in Nigeria.
General
Tether Invests in Fizen for Global Stablecoin Utilization

By Modupe Gbadeyanka
To support innovative solutions that enhance financial accessibility and security in the digital asset ecosystem, Tether has made a strategic investment in a financial technology (fintech) company specializing in self-custody crypto wallets and digital payments, Fizen Limited.
This transaction will allow Fizen to integrate its innovative technology with Tether’s leadership in the stablecoin industry.
The objective is to accelerate digital asset utilization while upholding the utmost security standards. This will further solidify Tether’s role in advancing blockchain-based finance and its commitment to global financial inclusion.
According to the chief executive of Tether, Mr Paolo Ardoino, this investment in Fizen “underscores our commitment to expanding global access to efficient and reliable digital financial solutions that promote the informed responsible use of digital assets in everyday life.”
“At Tether, we recognize the crucial role of self-custodial payment infrastructure in driving real-world use cases.
“Fizen’s innovative model helps to bridge the gap between self-custody and digital payments, empowering users with greater financial independence while reinforcing our leadership as the most widely used stablecoin globally, advancing inclusive access to the financial system,” Mr Ardoino added.
Also, the chief executive of Fizen, Leo Vu, said, “Stablecoins like USD₮ will undoubtedly drive crypto payments and financial inclusion worldwide.
“The technology infrastructure is already in place, but we lack consumer-friendly applications with intuitive UI/UX to accelerate mass integration.
“Fizen is solving this by making crypto payments an intuitive part of daily transactions, allowing users to pay seamlessly without even realizing they are using blockchain technology.”
Fizen offers advanced payment technologies that facilitate seamless stablecoin transactions, making digital assets more accessible for consumers and businesses. It is one of the crypto companies delivering real value to consumers and businesses, bringing practical crypto use cases to life.
The World Bank’s Global Findex Report reveals that millions of individuals worldwide remain unbanked. People in this category consistently cite distance to the nearest financial institution and a lack of proper documentation requirements as the primary reasons they could not access traditional banking services.
This investment will enable Fizen to enhance its blockchain capabilities, facilitating the seamless integration of stablecoins across multiple blockchain ecosystems. It will also provide users access to a more efficient and user-friendly solution to store, transfer, and transact using stablecoins, eliminating restricted access or complicated documentation.
However, while stablecoins offer a compelling alternative for those excluded from traditional financial systems, their practical use in everyday commerce still faces hurdles despite clear advantages, such as lower fees, enhanced security, and near-instant transactions.
Merchant usage remains a key challenge. Through this investment, Fizen aims to bridge this gap by enabling users to pay seamlessly with stablecoins.
At the same time, merchants receive instant fiat settlements through known payment methods like QR codes and card readers. This eliminates the need for additional infrastructure, making digital asset payments more accessible and efficient for businesses worldwide.
Market projections for 2024 state that QR code payments are expected to surpass $3 trillion, with 2.2 billion users by 2025, driven by increasing smartphone penetration and the rising demand for frictionless, secure, and convenient digital transactions.
With this strategy and strong technological and business development foundations, the collaboration between Fizen and Tether looks to accelerate the widespread use of crypto payments at scale to usher in an era of seamless digital transactions.
General
Dangote’s Contribution to Nigeria’s Economic Growth Excites ECCIMA

By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Dangote Industries Limited (DIL) has been commended for its contribution to the growth of Nigeria’s economy and general Arica’s development.
This applause came from the Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture (ECCIMA) during the Dangote Group Special Day at the 2025 Enugu International Trade Fair.
The Deputy President of ECCIMA, Mr Eric Chime, who was at the event, said the conglomerate, through its various investments, has contributed to the growth and development of the domestic economy.
“We are highly delighted to welcome Dangote Plc once again to their special day at the ongoing trade fair. Their continued presence and commitment have been instrumental to the success of this annual gathering.
“Dangote’s contribution to the Nigerian economy is enormous spanning virtually every sector, from cement and food production to their recent game-changing entry into the oil and gas sector through the Dangote Refinery,” he stated.
He emphasized that the impact of the refinery, especially in regulating petroleum product prices, deserves national recognition and support.
“We call on the Federal Government to continue to support Dangote Group in its efforts to put smiles on the faces of Nigerians,” he urged.
Mr Chime further praised the president of DIL, Mr Aliko Dangote, for his visionary leadership and relentless drive for innovation, noting that the Dangote business empire represents a perfect example of what entrepreneurial excellence can achieve through research, resilience, and dedication.
In his remarks, the Deputy Regional Director for Southeast at Dangote Cement Plc, Mr Ayirioritse Okerentie, expressed gratitude to ECCIMA for providing a viable platform to engage stakeholders and show case Dangote Group’s contributions to Nigeria’s economic development. He said that the theme of the Fair, “Developing Nigeria’s Industrial Sector/SMEs for Economic Advancement & Global Recognition” speaks directly to the core mission of Dangote Group.
“As Africa’s largest indigenous manufacturing conglomerate, we are focused on Production, Prosperity, Power, and Pride. We believe the industrial sector, and by extension SMEs, can play a transformative role in job creation, import substitution, and overall economic advancement.
“The industrial/manufacturing sector has the capacity to impact significantly on the economy especially in the creation of jobs, provision of goods, reduction in imports of finished products and adding of value to our raw materials. It is generally accepted that a nation’s economic wellbeing is largely dependent on the industrial/manufacturing sector,” Mr Okerentie said.
“The industrial/manufacturing sector is labour intensive, could create millions of both direct and indirect employments for people of diverse skills such as administrators, accountants, engineers, technicians, marketing & sales among others.
“It can also create indirect employment for supply chain actors in other sectors of the economy such as raw materials suppliers, logistics and transportation, farmers, and miners,” he added.
General
The LOGIC Church Plans ‘Jesus + Nothing Worship’ for Good Friday

By Dipo Olowookere
On Friday, April 18, 2025, all roads will lead to the headquarters of the Love of God in Christ (LOGIC) Church in the Lekki area of Lagos State for an uplifting evening dedicated to expressing the message of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ in music.
The day, which is Good Friday, has been set aside to celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is the cornerstone of Christian faith.
Christian faithful from across the global will gather for the hybrid programme tagged Jesus + Nothing Worship, a platform that provides worshippers an opportunity to connect with the essence of the Gospel in worship.
Soul-lifting singers expected to minister on that day include Neon Adejo, Greatman Takit, Victor Thompson, Timi Dakolo, Samuel Giveson (SMJ), Noble G, Steve Hills, and Lily Perez.
Others are Joxie, Anderson Qozan, Pastor Victor Paul, EmekaSongz, Flo, Dorcas Moore, Magpsalms, Mera Owili, Gerald Bishung, Phebe Lion, and the vibrant Evolution Children’s Choir.
The Lead Pastor and Apostolic Head of the LOGIC Church, Apostle Flourish Peters, while commenting ahead of the event, said, “As a Christocentric faith community, this event is a great way to celebrate the gift of Christ, who laid down his life for our redemption. Good Friday is a great time to have a worship celebration like this.”
“Nothing speaks to the culture of a people like the music they listen to. Jesus + Nothing Worship will contribute to shaping and mainstreaming a culture of christocentric worship, where the Gospel of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection is platformed through worship,” he added.
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