By Dipo Olowookere

Ms Idu Okwuosa-Okeahialam has been appointed as the new Managing Director of Royal Exchange Plc after successfully undergoing the necessary process prior to her appointment.

Her appointment was approved by the board of the company, a statement from the organisation to the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited disclosed.

It was stated that Ms Okwuosa-Okeahialam will assume the new position from Wednesday, May 21, 2025. She is expected to support the company’s continued growth and success.

Royal Exchange expressed confidence that the new leader of the management team is armed with the requisite skills and experience to make a meaningful contribution to the board.

She is expected to provide strategic leadership while exploring new opportunities for the business.

Ms Okwuosa-Okeahialam is a finance professional with over 15 years’ core experience spanning across various industries including oil & gas; banking; and financial services.

She is experienced in funds management, compliance and risk administration, sales, client relationship management and customer experience.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Mr Abdallah Simba has been chosen to lead the operations of Japan Tobacco International (JTI) in Nigeria effective Thursday, May 1, 2025, succeeding Mr Thomas Adams, who has led the Nigerian business successfully over the past four years.

The new General Manager of the organisation in Nigeria recently served as the Country Manager for Slovakia, where he successfully led profitable multicategory growth and operational strengthening, positioning the business for long-term sustainability.

A statement from the tobacco firm said Mr Simba’s appointment underscores its commitment and ambition to deepen its footprint in the Nigerian market.

“I am delighted to lead JTI Nigeria at this time. Nigeria is an important market with tremendous potential, and I look forward to working with the amazing team here to continue to grow our business in a sustainable manner,” Mr Simba said of his new role.

Mr Simba brings nearly two decades of commercial and strategic leadership experience to the role, having held key positions across multiple markets and at JTI’s global headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

He joined JTI in Tanzania in 2005 in Marketing before taking on an international assignment in Ireland in 2009. He later transitioned into broader commercial roles, leading various Sales and Trade Marketing capabilities with increasing responsibility.

In 2013, Mr Simba moved to JTI’s global headquarters in Geneva, where he progressed into senior roles within the Global Commercial Strategy function.

In these roles, he led the optimization of business models, guided market strategies, and up-skilled commercial teams across a wide range of markets.

The new General Manager for Nigeria holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Southern New Hampshire University in International Business.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The outsourcing industry in Nigeria could grow more than $1.8 billion by 2028 from the $980 million it recorded in 2023, stakeholders in the sector have projected.

However, despite recording an impressive annual growth rate of 12.56 per cent, the sector is weighed down by financial inefficiencies.

This was one of the reasons critical players in the landscape brainstormed recently in Lagos to on payroll solutions for sustainable growth.

The gathering was called by a leading human resource and payroll technology company, SeamlessHR, in partnership with the Association of Outsourcing Professionals of Nigeria (AOPN).

More than 30 chief executives of Nigeria’s top outsourcing companies gathered at Four Points by Sheraton, Lagos, on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, for the event themed Enhance Business Efficiency Through Automation and Immersive Workflows.

They agreed that thin margins, inconsistent client payments, and outdated payroll systems have created conditions where salary delays are frequent and talent attrition is on the rise.

Across the industry, many workers now view delayed wage disbursements as normal, with employees often waiting weeks or even months to be paid. For outsourcing firms, the consequences extend beyond cash flow.

Delayed salaries damage brand perception, undermine operational efficiency, and threaten long-term growth. The urgency for innovation in payroll and financial operations has never been greater.

Another key focus of the discussion was the transformative impact of SeamlessHR’s Embedded FInance for employers and employees.

SeamlessHR’s solution enables workers to access earned wages on-demand, bypassing the traditional pay cycle. Through seamless integration with payroll systems, employees can withdraw accrued earnings in real-time to address emergencies or manage cash flow gaps.

Additionally, low-interest salary advances and built-in financial tools empower staff to avoid exploitative lenders and plan their finances with confidence.

“Outsourcing companies face daily liquidity issues, irregular cash flow, and growing payroll obligations.

“SeamlessHR’s Embedded Finance closes that gap by integrating capital into the payroll system to ensure people get paid on time, operations run seamlessly, and CEOs sleep better at night.

“When employees no longer stress about delayed salaries, their engagement and output improves dramatically,” the Director of Embedded Finance at SeamlessHR, Oke Egbi, stated.

Also commenting, the president of AOPN, Mope Abudu, said, “This roundtable addresses a critical challenge in our industry. As key contributors to Nigeria’s economy, we cannot afford to be left behind in the wave of digital transformation shaping the future of work.

“The outsourcing sector must lead in efficiency and innovation, and the integration of intelligent systems that support workforce management.

“Today’s theme speaks directly to that need. By exploring solutions like embedded finance, we open new opportunities to enhance value delivery and improve operational efficiency across our industry. I extend my gratitude to SeamlessHR for bringing this event to life.”