Kukogho Iruesiri Samson Wins 2018 GTBank’s Dusty Manuscript Contest

Kukogho Iruesiri Samson has emerged the overall winner of the 2018 Dusty Manuscript Contest organised by Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) Plc with his winning manuscript titled Devil’s Pawn.

His work was selected ahead of The Orchid Protocol written by Onoche Emeka Onyekwena and The Other Side of Truth by Nneoma Anieto, which came first and second runner-up respectively.

Organized in partnership with Kachifo Ltd. and Okadabooks, the Dusty Manuscript Contest is the latest in a long line of GTBank’s YouREAD initiatives aimed at fostering the culture of reading and creating a platform for the appreciation of Africa’s literary excellence.

As part of the contest, Nigerians were invited to submit their unpublished stories and stand a chance to get publishing deals for their works.

The Dusty Manuscript Contest received over 1,000 entries and had a panel of four judges made up of authors; Eghosa Imasuen, Yejide Kilanko, Toni Kan and Assistant Professor of English, Dr. Ainehi Edoro-Glines.

As part of the prizes in the Dusty Manuscript Contest, the authors of the top 3 manuscripts received ₦1 million, ₦500,000 and ₦250,000 respectively, as well as publishing contracts with Kachifo Ltd.

The authors of the 10 manuscripts also received e-publishing contracts with OkadaBooks, while the authors of the top 20 manuscripts were hosted to a two-day intensive writers’ boot-camp to sharpen their literary and business skills.

Commenting on the Dusty Manuscript Contest, Mr. Segun Agbaje, Managing Director of GTBank Plc, said:

“At GTBank, we see Art as not just a medium for creative expression but also as a means of livelihood, and by organizing the Dusty Manuscript Contest we are helping budding writers share their stories with the world whilst providing them with a platform to build successful writing careers.”

The bank’s footprints in Corporate Social Responsibility are guided strategically by its decision to operate on four major pillars: Education, Community Development, Arts and the Environment, which it believes are essential building blocks for the society and prerequisites for economic growth and societal development.

Winners Of 2018 Digital Pay Expo Awards

Winners have emerged at the 2018 Digital Pay Expo Awards, which held at Eko Hotel & Suites, Lagos.

Digital Pay Expo brings together stakeholders in digital financial services to discuss key issues affecting the payments industry. The event focuses on Innovative Financial Services for the unserved segments of the society.

FarePay won the utility payment card award.

The smart payment solution introduced by, Sterling Bank Plc eliminates challenges associated with Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) such as facing long queues to purchase a ticket or handling exact cash fares for a trip.

FarePay cards are prepaid and reloadable through the user’s bank accounts and can be activated through an ATM or USSD. Card holders are no longer burdened with facing long queues for tickets or having to carry the exact fare for trips.

Out of seven award categories at the event, two cards were nominated for the most utility relevant card category with Sterling Bank’s FarePay card emerging as winner in the category. FarePay cards are built on a contactless payment technology, with a connected bus validator system linked to the users’ bank account allowing passengers to ‘tap in and tap out’ of BRT buses with ease.

Commenting on the award, Executive Director, Corporate and Investment Banking at Sterling Bank, Yemi Odubiyi, said:

“Barely a month after launch, we have facilitated over 30,000 trips within Lagos with the FarePay card and we are looking to replicate this system across the continent.”

Ecobank Nigeria emerged winner in two award categories, ePayment and Partnership, at the 2018 Digital Pay Expo Awards.

According to the Bank’s Executive Director, Consumer Banking, Carol Oyedeji:

“We are not in any way surprised at these awards. As a bank, we realised many years ago that payment drives the society and digital banking is the way to go. We put structures in place and today, we have become a clear leader in the industry.”

Winners Of 2018 African Child Foundation Awards

2018 African Child Laureate for Humanitarianism

Gamaliel & Susan Onosode Foundation (GAMSU) was named the 2018 African Child Foundation Laureate for Humanitarianism in Lagos, on June 15 2018.

The Award is in recognition of the activities of the Foundation in improving the standard of education in Nigeria, and contributing to the development of children in the society.

The Foundation was presented the prestigious African Child Prize Gold Medallion in commemoration of the achievement.

Receiving the award on behalf of the Foundation were the Secretary to the Board of Trustees, Mr. Spencer Onosode, and the Chief Operations Officer, Toyin Olanrewaju.

Mr. Onosode thanked the African Child Foundation for the Award, and expressed gratitude to the Board of Trustees of GAMSU for upholding Gamaliel Onosode’s legacy, and steering the Foundation towards tangible development of the Nigerian education system. He also expressed his appreciation to the Onosode Family for their consistent support, and reiterated the Foundation’s commitment to the collective development of children in Nigeria, and Africa as a whole.

The African Child Prize is awarded by the African Child Foundation to individuals and organisations who promote a positive attitude and an unyielding desire to enhance the quality of life in the community, striving to unite communities in collaborative efforts for Africa’s prosperity.

The African Integrity Prize for Integrity in Art

Michael Ugochukwu Stephen also known as Ruggedman has been honoured with the African Integrity Prize for Integrity in Art courtesy of the African Child Foundation.

African Integrity prize honours Africa’s best, noble men and women, companies and institutions with exceptional integrity.

Accounteer Wins Inaugural MEST Africa Challenge

Accounteer has emerged winner of the inaugural MEST Africa Challenge, taking home the grand prize of $50,000 equity investment.

Accounteer is a SaaS company offering accounting and payroll management software tailored to the needs of African SMEs.

Hosted by the Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) – which has now been active in Africa for 10 years – the first MEST Africa Challenge took place on June 20 [2018] at the MEST Africa Summit in Cape Town.

The MEST Africa Challenge was a highlight of the closing day of the MEST Africa Summit, which brought together stakeholders from Africa, Silicon Valley and Europe to network and discuss trends, challenges and opportunities affecting markets across the continent, under the theme “The Year of the African Scaleup?”

Four regional winners took to the stage to pitch live to an audience of leading global investors, entrepreneurs and executives, for the chance to win $50,000 investment.

Nigeria’s Accounteer was selected the winner – pipping to the post Ghana’s Cowtribe (a USSD-based technology that connects livestock farmers with veterinarians who can provide vaccinations); Kenya’s ​Data Integrated (a payment processing company for the public transport industry), and South Africa’s Swift Vee (a livestock and agricultural trading platform).

This was the first time the Summit has been held in Cape Town, following MEST’s expansion to South Africa in December, when it opened a new Cape Town incubator, as well as a new space in Lagos.

Aliko Dangote Named UNWTO’s First African Ambassador For Responsible Tourism

Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili of the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), has named Aliko Dangote an Ambassador for Responsible Tourism in the framework of the 61st Regional Commission meeting for Africa, celebrated in Abuja, Nigeria.

Continue reading Aliko Dangote Named UNWTO’s First African Ambassador For Responsible Tourism

Winners Of World Environment Day (WED) Inter-school Arts Exhibition 2018

Six secondary and primary schools have emerged winners in the World Environment Day (WED) 2018, inter-school arts exhibition organized by the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF).

The winners in the secondary school category are Mayors Height School, Epe Girls Senior Secondary School and Genesis High School as first, second and third positions respectively.

While Refiners School, Genesis Primary School and Learning Ladder Montessori School emerged winners in the primary category as first, second and third positions respectively.

About 11 secondary schools and seven primary schools (both public and private) across Lagos State participated in the WED inter-school arts exhibition competition.

The activities were organized to enable students to showcase their creative abilities in turning plastics waste into arts and crafts while learning about ways the government and other stakeholders are helping to reduce its production and adverse effect on the people.

NCF also hosted key stakeholders in the plastic industries for a session of deliberation.

The foundation has over the years used WED to grow environmental literacy among the youths and the students. Avenue is usually created for the participants to individually or collectively develop solutions to current environmental challenges.

The arts exhibition is an idea about up-cycling (converting waste plastics to arts and craft) rather than recycling.

NCF encouraged stakeholders involved in the production and consumption of plastics, as well as the policy makers to jointly explore sustainable alternatives.

Furthermore, to urgently reduce the production and excessive use of single-use plastics polluting our oceans, damaging marine life and threatening human health.

Plastic pollution involves the accumulation of plastic products in the environment that adversely affects wildlife, wildlife habitat, and humans.

The Chairman of the occasion, Chief Ede Dafinone said:

“Most of the plastic waste generated comes from deliberate dumping of garbage into waterways and mismanaged waste disposal.

More than 50 percent of plastic waste generated comes from inadequate management due to lack or infrastructure associated with an ever-increasing population.”

Ansel Ahabue Receives College Degree Before High School Graduation [2018]

17-year-old Ansel Ahabue has become a college degree holder before his high school graduation.

Having received an associate degree with honors at Georgia State University, Ansel Ahabue got his high school diploma on May 23rd [2018].

In the words of his Ansel’s mother:

“Prince Ansel, my blessed son, in whom I am well pleased! It is the Lord’s doing and it is marvelous in our eyes! Thank God for His Grace!!”