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WHO Chief Emerges Sole Candidate for May 2022 Election

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WHO Chief

By Adedapo Adesanya

The appointment of the next Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) will take place at the 75th World Health Assembly in May 2022 with the incumbent, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, set to return following his approval by member states.

The Director-General election process began when member states, through a circular letter sent by the WHO Secretariat in April 2021, were invited to submit proposals for candidates for the position.

The deadline for submission of proposals was September 23, 2021, and proposals from 28 WHO member states, from all WHO regions, were received by the deadline.

These were Austria, Bahrain, Barbados, Botswana, Cook Islands, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Oman, Portugal, Rwanda, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Tonga, and Trinidad and Tobago.

The end of October signified when WHO was scheduled to publish information on candidates, including the curricula vitae and other particulars of their qualifications and experience as received from member states, is to follow the closure of the last WHO Regional Committee meeting of the year.

WHO announced that a single candidate was proposed by member states by the deadline and that was Mr Ghebreyesus, who is the incumbent DG.

During the 150th session of the Executive Board in January 2022, the Board will conduct an initial screening to ensure that the candidate meets the criteria decided by the Health Assembly, interview him and then decide on the nomination by secret ballot. The nomination will be submitted to WHA75.

The appointment will take place at WHA75 in May 2022, also by secret ballot. The term of office of the next WHO chief will start on August 16, 2022.

A Director-General can be re-appointed once, therefore, Dr Ghebreyesus, the incumbent, is eligible to be proposed for the second term of five years till 2027.

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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SeamlessHR Raises $9m Series-A Extended Round After Three Years

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SeamlessHR

By Adedapo Adesanya

Nigerian human resources management company, SeamlessHR, has raised a $9 million Series-A extension round, three years after it raised $10 million Series A funding.

The company plans to use the new funding to drive its expansion across Africa, which may include acquisitions.

The fresh funding was backed the Gates Foundation and Helios Digital Ventures. This is a change from the norm as the raise in 2022 was led by TLcom Capital, with significant contributions from Capria Ventures, Lateral Capital, Enza Capital, Ingressive Capital, and some private investors.

The startup builds world-class cloud solutions to help organisations manage most HR processes on one platform, will be looking to acquire a firm in Nigeria and set its sight on new frontiers in Southern and East Africa.

The new round of funding brings SeamlessHR’s total fund raised to about $25 million.

Before it raised the $10 million in 2022, it raised an undisclosed seed round from the same investors and Consonance Investment Managers in 2020. SeamlessHR, founded in 2018, raised a $150,000 pre-seed round from Tofino Capital and Ventures platform in 2019.

Announcing the raise, Mr Emmanuel Okeleji, SeamlessHR’s Co-founder and CEO said the raise will allow it to continue serving both private and public entities.

“Over the last 5 years, we have expanded across the continent to become the dominant HR and Payroll Software for medium to large enterprises in Africa.

“While we continue to accelerate our work to optimize workforce productivity in both the public and private sectors across the continent, much of our attention will also be on empowering hardworking Africans with responsible credit products that will help them use their employment as collateral to enjoy a better life,” he said.

SeamlessHR comprehensive suite of tools covers everything from core HR functions and performance management to payroll and recruitment. In 2024, they added an e-procurement platform to their product offerings.

Among some of its customer base including PwC, Sterling Bank, and Lagos Business School as well as entities in Ghana and Tunisia.

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Lagos Assembly Names Four New Principal Officers After Obasa Ouster

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lagos assembly land use charge

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Lagos State House of Assembly on Friday named four new principal officers, following the impeachment of the former Speaker, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, on Monday.

Mr Obasa, who was ousted as Speaker in absentia, a position he has held for the last nine years, was replaced by Mrs Mojisola Meranda (APC-Apapa 1).

Mr Obasa was impeached on Monday over alleged gross misconduct by 32 out of the 40 members.

The Clerk of the House, Mr Lekan Onafeko, was also suspended over alleged gross financial impropriety.

The House also dissolved all the standing committees inaugurated by the former speaker.

On Friday, Mrs Meranda, while presiding over plenary as Speaker, said the appointment of new officers arose from the change in the leadership of the House.

“The House has named Mr Temitope Adewale (APC-Ifako-Ijaiye 1) as the new Majority Leader, while Mr Adedamola Kasunmu (APC- Ikeja 1) is the new Deputy Majority Leader.

“This House has also named the Chief Whip, Mr Setonjo David (APC-Badagry 2), while the Deputy Chief Whip is now Mr Babatunde Saani (APC-Kosofe 2),” she said.

Before Mr Obasa’s impeachment, Mr Mojeed Adams was the Majority Leader, while Adedamola Kasunmu was the Deputy Leader.

Mr Mojeed Adams, the new Deputy Speaker, was the former Chief Whip, while Mr Setonji David was the Deputy Chief Whip.

Business Post reports that three lawmakers, primarily Mr Obasa, Mr Adams and Mr Akinsanya, were absent at the first plenary presided over by the new leadership.

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CBN Okays Inclusion of Three Directors to Fidelity Bank Board

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Fidelity Bank Saturday banking

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

Fidelity Bank Plc has received the authorisation of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to appoint three directors to its board, a statement from the lender has disclosed.

Business Post reports that the bank picked Mr Abdullahi Sarki Mohammed as an independent non-executive director, Ms Obiaku Augusta Okam as a non-executive director, and Mr Sufiyanu Ibrahim Garba as an executive director, all effective January 14, 2025.

The company disclosed that the three directors were chosen to strengthen its leadership in a strategic move to sustain its impressive performance, as Mr Isa Mohammed Inuwa and Mr Chidi Agbapu retired from the board as an independent non-executive director and a non-executive director, respectively.

The chairman of Fidelity Bank, Mr Mustafa Chike-Obi, in a notice to the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited, welcomed the appointees to the board and looked “forward to leveraging their extensive experience to drive the bank’s strategic objectives and further its growth trajectory.”

Mr Mohammed brings over 36 years of experience in financial services, public administration, and human resources development, having held key leadership and executive roles at prestigious institutions including First Bank of Nigeria Plc and Polaris Bank Limited. His extensive expertise encompasses banking, public service, and business advisory.

On her part, Ms Okam boasts more than 30 years of impressive experience across the banking, financial services, real estate, and retail sectors. Currently the Managing Director/CEO of Skycurve Nigeria Limited, she has held leadership positions at Zenith Bank Plc and Nigeria International Bank Limited (Citibank).

As for Mr Garba, he has over 30 years of multifunctional and cross-border experience at leading financial institutions in Nigeria and the United Kingdom including executive and leadership roles at prestigious financial and non-financial institutions such as Access Bank Plc, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc and Keystone Bank Limited. His career background spans banking, financial services, public service, general management and business origination across a broad range of segments.

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