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Cascador Appoints Oyin Solebo as COO to Boost Operational Excellence

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Oyin Solebo Cascador

By Adedapo Adesanya

Cascador, a Nigeria-based initiative supporting growth-stage, mission-driven founders building scalable and impactful businesses, has appointed Ms Oyin Solebo as its Chief Operating Officer (COO).

According to a statement, Ms Solebo’s appointment signals a strategic shift toward strengthening the systems, discipline, and infrastructure required to help growth-stage companies scale sustainably.

The ex-Managing Director of the ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator is regarded as a seasoned investor and ecosystem builder with deep experience across venture capital, startup acceleration, and corporate innovation in Africa. Her appointment underscores Cascador’s ambition to become a central engine for entrepreneurial scale in Africa, where leadership, capital, and execution come together to unlock lasting impact.

At ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator, she led investments in and supported high-growth startups across multiple sectors. Across her career, she has built a reputation for translating bold vision into disciplined execution, helping companies move from traction to true scale.

Cascador, in the statement shared with Business Post, noted that her appointment marks a critical step in Cascador’s evolution as it moves from a leadership-focused programme into a platform designed to scale high-impact companies systematically.

“Oyin is a force multiplier,” said Ms Trish Thomas, CEO of Cascador. “She understands what it takes to build and run organisations that endure. As we expand our focus from developing founders to scaling companies, her operational expertise will be instrumental in helping us deliver on that vision.”

She fits perfectly into Cascador’s model, which backs founders who can multiply the value they receive, turning education into execution and capital into lasting economic and social impact.

Through its ScaleUp Program, Cascador equips growth-stage entrepreneurs with the leadership skills, strategic clarity, and access to catalytic capital required to scale sustainably.

The programme is designed for founders with proven traction—those capable of absorbing significant investment and deploying it effectively to drive growth, job creation, and long-term resilience.

Speaking on this, Ms Solebo noted that, “In Africa, we don’t have a shortage of founders, we have a shortage of companies that successfully scale.

“The difference lies in systems, discipline, and the ability to deploy capital effectively. Cascador has built a powerful foundation by investing in people. The opportunity now is to extend that into building stronger companies that can absorb capital, institutionalise operations, and grow sustainably,” she added.

Ms Solebo, as COO, will focus on strengthening Cascador’s operational infrastructure and scaling its platform capabilities. This includes optimising programme delivery, deepening alumni support, and building systems that enable founders to transition from learning to execution and from execution to scale.

Her role will be particularly critical in advancing Cascador’s ScaleUp Program and Catalytic Fund, which deploys $2–$5 million annually in tailored financing to high-performing alumni. The fund is designed not simply to extend their runway, but to back ventures that can transform capital into durable financial performance and measurable impact.

“What makes Cascador different is its focus on multipliers—founders who can take what they learn and amplify it across their companies, teams, and markets,” she said. “If we can consistently support those founders with the right combination of education, networks, and capital, the ripple effects are enormous—more jobs, stronger industries, and a more resilient economy.”

On his part, Mr Dave DeLucia, Founder of Cascador, emphasised the strategic importance of the appointment.

“Cascador has always been about multiplying impact through entrepreneurship. With Oyin, we are strengthening our ability to ensure that the hard work of our team and the deployment of capital ultimately translates into scaled, enduring businesses. She brings the operational discipline and ecosystem insight needed to take us to the next level.”

Looking ahead, Ms Solebo aims to position Cascador as a long-term scaling partner for its entrepreneurs. “We are building more than a program. We are building a platform,” she said.

“A platform that identifies high-potential founders, equips them to lead, and then supports them with the financial and non-financial resources required to scale. If we do this well, we won’t just transform individual companies—we’ll shape the future of the African economy.”

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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Jobs/Appointments

Tinubu Picks Joseph Tegbe to Replace Adelabu as Power Minister

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Joseph Tegbe

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Following the resignation of Mr Adebayo Adelabu as the Minister of Power a few days ago, President Bola Tinubu has nominated Mr Joseph Tegbe as his replacement.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, disclosed on Thursday that Mr Tegbe’s name has been forwarded to the Senate for confirmation.

His nomination is expected to strengthen further ongoing efforts to reform the power sector, enhance grid stability, and attract sustainable investment in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Upon confirmation, he is expected to bring his extensive expertise to bear to advance critical reforms and deliver improved outcomes for Nigerians in the power sector.

Mr Adelabu, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), resigned last week to pursue his dream of becoming the Governor of Oyo State.

His replacement is also from Oyo State. He is a fiscal and economic reform expert with over 35 years of experience spanning the public and private sectors, according to the statement today.

He is a former Senior Partner and Head of Advisory Services at KPMG Africa, where he led wide-ranging initiatives in fiscal policy reform, institutional transformation, and governance. He has also advised key government institutions and private sector organisations on strategic reforms, regulatory frameworks, and investment structuring.

He is at present the Director General and Global Liaison for the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership (NCSP), where he is responsible for strengthening bilateral development cooperation between Nigeria and the People’s Republic of China.

The NCSP also coordinates engagements with public sector stakeholders to advance economic and social development in line with FOCAC objectives.

Mr Tegbe’s experience includes significant engagements within the power sector, particularly in regulatory and institutional reform involving agencies such as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET).

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Tinubu Elevates Bianca Ojukwu to Foreign Affairs Minister

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Bianca Ojukwu

By Adedapo Adesanya

President Bola Tinubu has named Mrs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu as Nigeria’s new Minister of Foreign Affairs, the latest in the cabinet reshufflement.

Mrs Odumegwu-Ojukwu replaces Mr Yusuf Tuggar, who recently resigned to pursue the Bauchi governorship election ambition in 2027 under the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Mr Sola Enikanolaiye has been appointed as the new Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, the position previously occupied by Mrs Odumegwu-Ojukwu.

In a statement on Wednesday night, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, disclosed that until his nomination, Mr Enikanolaiye, from Kogi State, served as senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and International Relations.

He is a career diplomat with over three decades of service in Nigeria’s foreign service.

He has previously served as permanent secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and held diplomatic postings in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Belgrade, Ottawa, London and New Delhi.

President Tinubu said the appointments are part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s foreign policy architecture, improve efficiency and deepen global engagement.

He urged the appointees to promote Nigeria’s national interest, advance economic diplomacy, strengthen regional stability and ensure the welfare of Nigerians abroad.

“The President noted that these appointments are part of ongoing efforts to reposition Nigeria’s foreign policy architecture for greater efficiency, strategic engagement, and stronger global partnerships,” the statement read.

Recent ministerial changes under President Tinubu reflect a cautious but deliberate attempt to recalibrate governance and strengthen economic management. In a minor cabinet reshuffle approved in April 2026, key portfolios were affected, most notably the removal of Finance Minister, Mr Wale Edun; and the Housing Minister, Mr Ahmed Musa Dangiwa.

Their exits paved the way for new appointments, including the elevation of Mr Taiwo Oyedele to oversee the critical finance ministry, a move widely interpreted as an effort to inject fresh direction into the country’s economic policy framework.

Beyond the cabinet reshuffle, the administration has also undertaken broader leadership adjustments across strategic sectors, particularly in energy and regulation, signalling a pattern of continuous review within government ranks, including the replacement of Mr Saidu Mohammed with Mr Rabiu Umar as the chief executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

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Tinubu Sacks Saidu Mohammed, Appoints Dangote Cement’s Rabiu Umar as NMDPRA CEO

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NMDPRA fee regulations

By Adedapo Adesanya

President Bola Tinubu has nominated Mr Rabiu Abdullahi Umar as the new chief executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), replacing Mr Saidu Mohammed.

This decision follows ongoing efforts to restructure the regulatory framework of Nigeria’s midstream and downstream oil sector.

The appointment was announced by Mr Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, with the nomination subject to Senate confirmation.

The NMDPRA is responsible for the technical and commercial regulation of petroleum operations, including gas processing, transportation, and retail.

Mr Abdullahi, until his appointment, was the Group Sales and Marketing Director at Dangote Cement, part of the Dangote Group, which has interests in food, cement, energy, and other ventures.

He started his career in Oando Plc and rapidly rose to hold different management roles within the marketing business, and led the Sales and Marketing Transformation plan successfully.

In 2014, he moved to Lafarge Africa as the Energy and Power Director and subsequently managed the Strategy and Business Development portfolio for West Africa, where he led the development and execution of critical projects within Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon. In 2016, he became the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Ashaka Cement Plc and spearheaded the turnaround of the business until his departure in 2019 to join Dangote Industries Ltd as Group Chief Commercial Officer.

A graduate of Accounting from Bayero University, Kano and an Alumnus of Harvard Business School. He is also a member of the Institute of Directors.

According to the Presidency, Mr Abdullahi’s appointment was made pursuant to the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, aimed at strengthening regulatory effectiveness in the midstream and downstream petroleum sector, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Pending Senate confirmation of the new nominee, the most senior official of the NMDPRA will oversee operations in an acting capacity.

“President Tinubu thanks the outgoing Authority Chief Executive for his service and wishes him well in his future endeavours.

“The President remains committed to ensuring capable leadership in key regulatory institutions to advance energy security, sector reform, and sustainable economic growth,” the statement added.

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