General
Zoho Finance Platform Achieves 70% Growth in MEA Region
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Zoho Finance Platform has recorded about 70 per cent year-on-year revenue growth in the Middle East and African (MEA) region, data has shown.
“We’ve seen excellent adoption of Zoho’s finance suite of applications by businesses in the MEA region, and also across the world,” the President MEA, Zoho Corporation, Mr Hyther Nizam, said.
“Zoho’s finance platform offers businesses an unparalleled breadth and depth in terms of product capabilities. This enables businesses to customise the applications, extend their capabilities, and scale the solutions to evolve rapidly with their changing needs.
“The consistent global growth of the applications that we’ve seen over the years is a testament to this fact. We will continue to invest in the platform to make it a truly innovative solution that businesses can leverage to reach their full potential,” Nizam added.
Within the year, the platform created by the leading global technology company has supported more than half a million businesses across more than 160 countries.
Driving the Platform’s growth is the global expansion of its cloud-based accounting application, Zoho Books, which now supports 180 currencies, 17 languages, and is backed by a comprehensive global tax engine that solves country-specific tax compliance challenges.
The accounting application now supports 14 editions, including Kenya, where it complies with TIMS. Zoho Books witnessed 160 per cent growth in Nigeria.
Launched in 2011, Zoho Books is among the five highest-grossing Zoho products, with revenue growing 50 per cent globally.
The accounting application offers editions across the globe, including the US, UK, Canada, India, Australia, UAE, Kenya, and Mexico. Zoho Books is a government-recognised VAT-compliant solution in UAE (FTA), and also a VAT and e-invoicing-compliant solution in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (ZATCA).
Zoho’s Finance Platform includes solutions for accounting, inventory management, travel and expense management, and billing and subscription management. These applications are built on the same underlying platform, enabling instant interoperability, seamless data flow, and unification across systems.
Typically, businesses start using one of the finance products and then expand their usage to other applications within the suite. On average, customers using Zoho Books for more than one year adopt at least two other applications within the finance suite.
Powerful ecosystem
Beyond products and the platform, businesses can benefit from the strength of the ecosystem. Businesses can also connect with any third-party applications through APIs and Zoho Marketplace. This significantly reduces the need to invest in IT resources and enables them to quickly go to market with any change.
Zoho Finance Plus and Zoho Books Pricing
Zoho Books starts at N2,700 monthly per organisation. It also comes with a free plan.
Zoho Privacy Pledge
Zoho respects user privacy and does not have an ad-revenue model in any part of its business, including its free products. The company owns and operates its data centres, ensuring complete oversight of customer data, privacy, and security. More than 80 million users around the world, across hundreds of thousands of companies, rely on Zoho every day to run their businesses, including Zoho itself.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, has disclosed that the state government has not restricted the movement of people during the re-introduced monthly environmental sanitation exercise.
Responding to an enquiry by an X user, Faveo Autos, on Saturday, he said the exercise was not brought back to restrict the movement of residents, noting that arresting anyone during the sanitation was unlawful and not backed by law.
However, he encouraged Lagosians to use the period to keep their surroundings clean.
“What is the fine for movement during environmental [sanitation]?” Mr Wahab was asked by Faveo Autos today.
In his response, the Commissioner said, “For clarity, there is no restriction on movement during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise. Consequently, arresting anyone on the basis of movement during the exercise is unlawful and does not represent the position or policy of the Lagos State Government.
“The monthly environmental sanitation exercise was reintroduced primarily to restore and strengthen the culture of environmental cleanliness across the state.
“The initiative is backed by the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, 2017. However, the law does not provide for any restriction on movement during the exercise.
“Our focus is on encouraging Lagosians to embrace environmental sanitation as a civic responsibility and a shared commitment to maintaining a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable Lagos, rather than relying on enforcement measures.”
Life is full of unexpected moments that test our patience, strength, and perspective. Everyone experiences setbacks, disappointments, and periods of uncertainty. While these moments can feel overwhelming, they also provide opportunities for personal growth and self-discovery.
One of the most valuable lessons we learn is that difficult situations rarely last forever. Time, reflection, and a willingness to adapt often help us move beyond even the toughest circumstances. Maintaining a positive outlook and focusing on practical solutions can make a significant difference.
Relationships also play an important role in overcoming hardships. Support from family, friends, or mentors reminds us that we are not alone. At the same time, learning to let go of anger and resentment can free us from emotional burdens that prevent us from moving forward.
The only way out of the labyrinth of suffering is to forgive. It is nothing to die. It is frightful not to live. Everything was beautiful and nothing hurt.
Personal growth is not about avoiding challenges but about responding to them with resilience and wisdom. Every experience, whether positive or negative, contributes to the person we become. By embracing change and practicing gratitude, we can create a more meaningful and fulfilling life.
In the end, moving forward requires courage, forgiveness, and hope. When we choose to focus on what we can control instead of dwelling on the past, we open ourselves to new opportunities and a brighter future.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The establishment of four new army divisions has been approved by President Bola Tinubu, bringing the total to 12.
In a statement on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, it was stated that the President also authorised the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel to strengthen national security.
The new divisions created include 5 Division, with the headquarters in Makurdi covering Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi States; 9 Division, with the headquarters in Ilorin covering Kwara and Niger States; 10 Division, with the headquarters in Jalingo covering Taraba and Adamawa States; and 83 Division, with the headquarters in Benin City covering Edo, Delta and Bayelsa States.
It was disclosed that the establishment of the new Divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City will significantly improve command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, strengthen border security, enhance the protection of critical national infrastructure, improve counter-insurgency and internal security operations, and ensure faster military response to emerging threats nationwide.
Implementation of the new force structure will be done in two phases. The first phase, covering the establishment of the 5, 9, and 10 Divisions and the reorganisation of existing formations, will be completed by September 2026. The second phase, involving the establishment of the 83 Division and further reorganisation, is expected to be completed by December 2026.
The statement said the expansion of the Nigerian Army’s structure from eight to twelve divisions will improve the operational effectiveness of the security agency and strengthen national defence capabilities further.
Before now, the Nigerian Army operated 1 Division, with the headquarters in Kaduna covering Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States; 2 Division, with the headquarters in Ibadan covering Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo States; 3 Division, with the headquarters in Jos covering Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe States; 6 Division, with the headquarters in Port Harcourt covering Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States; 7 Division, with the headquarters in Maiduguri covering Borno and Yobe States; 8 Division, with the headquarters in Sokoto covering Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States; 81 Division, with the headquarters in Lagos covering Lagos and Ogun States; and 82 Division, with the headquarters in Enugu covering Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo States.
Mr Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s determination to continue investing in the Armed Forces, ensuring they remain adequately equipped, highly motivated, and fully capable of protecting the nation and guaranteeing the safety and security of all Nigerians.
He lauded the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, and all officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army for their dedication, professionalism, and steadfast commitment to defending Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
