General
Private Equity Africa Honours Papa Ndiaye of AFIG Funds
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of AFIG Funds, Mr Papa Ndiaye, has been announced winner of the 2018 Outstanding Leadership Award.
He was bestowed with this honour at a ceremony organised by the Private Equity Africa (PEA) in London last Tuesday night.
PEA is the pre-eminent magazine on Private Equity in Africa. It is in recognition of PE professionals who have helped shape the industry.
“It is quite an honour to be recognized by my esteemed peers for Private Equity Africa’s Outstanding Leadership Award.
“I have had the privilege of seeing the African PE industry blossom from its very humble beginnings in the 1990s, and I firmly believe that the best years are ahead of us, particularly with African capital markets evolving rapidly and the African PE LP base broadening to include a more diverse base of local as well as international institutions in recent years,” said Mr Ndiaye.
“This award is a strong testament to the commitment and hard work of my colleagues at AFIG Funds, who have accepted the challenge of promoting private equity both in established and frontier markets on the continent.
“Thanks to their hard work and excellence, we have invested across 12 countries to-date and impacted the development of African blue-chip companies in several sectors, while providing healthy returns to our Limited Partners.
“I also thank my peers in the industry, whose support and friendship and contributions have been essential in fostering a collective vision for a stronger PE sector in Africa,” he added.
It has been a remarkable year for AFIG Funds with one of the company’s LP Old Mutual also being recognized for a House of the Year Award, as well as INJARO (an AFIG Funds strategic partner) for the Small Cap/VC category.
Ms Gail Mwamba, Awards Chair &Managing Editor of PEA said, “The Private Equity Africa awards celebrate industry leaders who are doing exceptional work on the continent, and highlighting their achievements helps develop the continent.
“The Outstanding Leadership Award is the only category that is voted on by industry peers. Papa was selected by the industry leaders for his consistent contribution to the growth of the industry. We would like to thank Papa for his contribution to the industry and congratulate him on winning this prestigious award,” Ms Mwamba said.
Mr Ndiaye has been a leader in the Private Equity landscape for three decades. Before AFIG Funds, he was a founding member and Investment Director of EMP (now ECP).
Prior to that, he had investment responsibilities in IFC’s Africa Department and helped launch several landmark funds in Africa. He also worked at Salomon Brothers in 1988 before joining JP Morgan’s Emerging Markets Group in 1992 in the Latin America M&A Group and served as Economic advisor to President Wade of Senegal in 2000.
In 2004, Mr Ndiaye was selected as a “Young Global Leader” by the World Economic Forum of Davos, and then as one of the “Frontier 100 CEOs” of the Initiative for Global Development in 2009.
By Dipo Olowookere
Nigeria’s Vice President, Mr Kashim Shettima, will run as the vice-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 presidential election.
President Bola Tinubu retained Mr Shettima as his running mate for re-election next year, according to the National Chairman of the APC, Mr Nentawe Yilwatda.
In a post on Friday on X, the ruling party chairman described this as “another significant milestone in the journey of our great party.”
He also said it reaffirms the party’s collective resolve to sustain the Renewed Hope Agenda and deepen the progress already being recorded across the country.
It was gathered that Mr Tinubu submitted his presidential nomination forms today through his Special Adviser on Political and Other Matters, Mr Ibrahim Masari.
The submission was done ceremony at the Continental Hotel, Abuja, attended by several party chieftains, including The event brought together an impressive array of leaders of our great party, including the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo State, Mr Hope Uzodimma; Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi State, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State, as well as other governors, party executives and critical stakeholders from across the federation.
“The All Progressives Congress remains focused on strengthening its grassroots support, consolidating the achievements of the Renewed Hope Agenda and working together to build a more prosperous, secure and inclusive Nigeria for all,” the party leader stated.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have regained their freedom after 56 days in captivity.
The development was disclosed on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on X. He revealed that eight of the kidnappers have been arrested and are now in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), while some others were neutralised during the operation.
“Finally, all the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Oriire, Oyo have been rescued by our security agencies,” he wrote.
He said no concession was made to the terrorists to secure the freedom of the abducted pupils and teachers.
Mr Onanuga explained that the kingpin whose release the kidnappers had demanded was neither freed nor spared, as he remains under prosecution for offences linked to his terrorist activities.
The abductions occurred on May 15, 2026, when armed men attacked three schools: Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School, in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area.
No fewer than 39 pupils and seven teachers, including a principal, were taken during the attacks. During the attack, a teacher, Mr Joel Adesiyan, was killed while attempting to escape.
Another teacher, Mr Michael Oyedokun, was reportedly beheaded in the kidnappers’ den.
The terrorists holding the victims had reportedly made a four-point demand before agreeing to free the captives, including the release of detained terrorist commanders, payment of ransom, two Hilux vehicles and the implementation of Sharia-related law.
The Oyo State Government had consistently maintained that no ransom would be paid to secure the release of any victims.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) embarked on a month-long strike in the state to press for the victims’ rescue before suspending the action in July.
It also drew federal intervention, with military and police authorities repeatedly assuring Nigerians that operations to secure the victims’ freedom were ongoing.
The President’s spokesperson said that security agencies would soon provide a comprehensive account of the operation.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The board of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) has approved a $260 million financing package for the construction of a 123-kilometre section of the Trans-Saharan Highway in Nigeria as part of more than $417 million earmarked for strategic projects across West Africa.
The approval was granted during the bank’s 99th Ordinary Session, chaired by its President, Mr George Donkor, according to a statement issued after the meeting. It was noted that the total financing will support five public and private sector projects spanning infrastructure, healthcare, housing, mining, financial resilience and regional connectivity.
EBID said the approved investments underscore its commitment to funding high-impact projects that drive economic growth, create jobs and improve living standards across the sub-region.
“The projects approved during this 99th Board Session demonstrate EBID’s unwavering commitment to financing development solutions that directly improve the lives of West African citizens.
“From clean energy and transport infrastructure to healthcare, housing and financial sector resilience, these investments will strengthen regional competitiveness and support sustainable and inclusive growth across our community,” said Mr Donkor.
That of Nigeria is to improve connectivity, facilitate trade, reduce logistics costs and support economic integration; West African CFA franc (XOF) 10 billion in a line of credit to Banque de l’Habitat de Côte d’Ivoire (BHCI) to expand housing finance and support SMEs operating across the housing and construction value chain; €80 million for the design, construction, equipment and maintenance of the 150-bed Regional Hospital of Ferkessédougou in Côte d’Ivoire under a public-private partnership;
XOF 12.82 billion (West African CFA Franc) for the renovation, operation and maintenance of the Symphonie Building in Abidjan under a public-private partnership and $47.4 million for Azumah Resources Ghana Limited to finance the procurement of long-lead process plant equipment and critical early-stage development activities for the Black Volta Gold Project.
“These approvals advance EBID’s Growth, Resilience and Optimisation (GRO) Strategy, which prioritises transformative infrastructure, human capital development, private sector growth and regional integration. Through these investments, the Bank continues to promote sustainable development and shared prosperity across West Africa,” the statement said.
