Nordea, the largest bank in the Nordics, announced on Tuesday plans to reduce its workforce by around 1,500 employees as part of a broader cost-cutting programme. The bank, which operates across Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, aims to achieve at least €600 million ($690 million) in savings by 2030. To implement the strategy, Nordea said…
By Ayomide Otitoju Union Chrétienne de Jeunes Gens Togo (YMCA Togo) in partnership with Boeing [NYSE: BA] has provided entrepreneurship training to 738 high school students in Togo through the Junior Achievement (JA) Company Program. The initiative encouraged participants to develop business ideas addressing sustainability challenges in their communities. The program included modules on problem…
By Ayomide Otitoju The Bench has announced the 2026 recipients of the prestigious FHS Africa Awards, recognising outstanding contributions to the continent’s hospitality sector. Vimbai Masiyiwa, Co-Founder and CEO of Batoka Africa, will receive the Leadership Award, while Colin Bell, CEO of Natural Selection and former CEO of Wilderness, has been named recipient of the…
By Ayomide Otitoju African Export-Import Bank’s specialty insurance subsidiary, AfrexInsure, has appointed Lesley Ndlovu as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective 2026, succeeding Jonas Mushosho. The appointment comes as AfrexInsure seeks to strengthen its position in providing tailored insurance solutions for trade and trade-related investments across Africa, marking a key phase in its transition from…
By Ayomide Otitoju Nigus International Investment Limited and Elmirate Investment LLC (Elmirate Capital) have signed a strategic memorandum of understanding to develop a next-generation defence technology, satellite systems and advanced manufacturing platform in Nigeria, with planned investments of up to $200 million. The agreement aims to position Nigeria as a key hub for defence, aerospace…
By Ayomide Otitoju First Bank of Nigeria Limited has partnered with the Ministry of Finance Incorporated Real Estate Investment Fund (MREIF) to improve access to affordable homeownership in Nigeria through a new mortgage financing initiative. The programme, backed by a N1 trillion MREIF fund aimed at addressing the country’s housing deficit, is designed to provide…
By Ayomide Otitoju Dangote Industries Limited (DIL) and GCL Group, China’s leading private energy conglomerate, have signed a landmark US$4.2 billion, 25‑year natural gas supply agreement to power Dangote Group’s major expansion projects in Ethiopia. The deal, formalized in Lagos, is one of the most significant China–Africa industrial partnerships to date. Under the agreement, GCL…
By Ayomide Otitoju The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank Plc, Roosevelt Ogbonna, has called for stronger collaboration among policymakers, financiers, and businesses to accelerate trade within Africa and unlock the continent’s economic potential. Ogbonna made the call at the Access Bank Africa Trade Conference (ATC 2026) held in South Africa, where…
By Ayomide Otitoju Fidelity Bank Plc has hosted a virtual summit aimed at educating Nigerians in the diaspora on new tax policies and emerging investment opportunities in the country. The summit, held virtually on March 14, 2026, brought together Nigerians living across major diaspora markets including the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and the United…
