Abuja, Nigeria, June, 2026 — Meta today hosted the Nigeria Youth Safety Summit at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, bringing together government officials, civil society organisations, parents, educators, creators and youth leaders to discuss digital wellbeing priorities, strengthen partnerships, and promote safer online experiences. The summit, co-hosted with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, showcased Meta’s ongoing investments in youth safety through built-in protections, parental supervision tools, and digital literacy resources designed to help teens navigate the digital world safely and confidently.
Through keynote presentations, the Parents Learn & Brunch session held
in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social
Development, and panel discussions featuring parent creators and parents
participants explored practical approaches to supporting safer online
engagement. The summit also reinforced the importance of
multi-stakeholder collaboration in advancing digital wellbeing and
online safety for young people.
“At Meta, our goal is to provide teens with safe, age-appropriate online
experiences, and events like the Nigeria Youth Safety Summit reflect our
commitment to promoting safer and more positive digital experiences for
teens. With products such as Teen Accounts, Meta is putting the right
protections in place so teens can explore their interests and express
their creativity in a safe, age-appropriate space. We will continue to
build the safety features and tools that families need to support young
people online.”- said Sylvia Musalagani, Head of Safety Policy, EMEA at
Meta.
At the centre of Meta’s youth safety efforts are Teen Accounts, a
reimagined experience across Meta’s apps designed specifically for
teenagers. Teen Accounts include built-in protections that address
parents’ concerns by promoting age-appropriate experiences, limiting
unwanted contact, and encouraging healthier digital habits. Teen
Accounts are turned on automatically for all teens, with built-in
protections including private accounts, the strictest messaging
settings, sensitive content restrictions, limited interactions
(tagging/mentions only from people they follow), time limit reminders
after 60 minutes each day, and sleep mode between 10 PM and 7 AM. Teens
under 16 need a parent’s permission to change any of these settings to
be less strict.
“Child online safety is one of our central pillars and we are
steadfast in our mandate to safeguard the Nigerian child from
technology-enabled violence. Children cannot navigate the complexities
of the online world without informed adults guiding them because safety
begins with the parents. Safety is a shared tripartite responsibility
between parents, technological industries, and government. That is the
fundamental premise of today’s summit, a hands-on walk through of
parental supervision tools and Teen Accounts. We appreciate Meta for the
collaboration and for creating a platform for these important
conversations.”- said Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Honourable
Minister for Women Affairs and Social Development, Federal Republic of
Nigeria
Meta also provides parents with more ways to oversee their teens’ online
experiences through enhanced parental supervision tools. These features
allow parents to receive notifications when their teen reports content,
as well as to gain insights into who their teen has been messaging.
Parents can also set daily time limits for Instagram use, schedule
breaks at specific times of day or night, and monitor the
age-appropriate content topics their teen chooses to engage with based
on their interests.
“I want to thank Meta for this great achievement. At the ministry, one
of the things we provide to all Nigerians is the skills to succeed in
this digital world while making sure we protect them against emerging
threats. We see a strong connection between the objectives of this
summit and the goals of our National Youth Data Protection and Awareness
Training Programme. We believe that keeping young people safe online is
a shared responsibility. Government, technology companies, schools,
parents, social organisations, community groups, and young people
themselves all have a role to play. We encourage Meta to make the tools,
guides, and learning materials from this initiative more widely
available so that young people across Nigeria can continue to benefit
from this laudable summit.” – said Ayodele Olawande, Honourable Minister
For Youth Development, Federal Republic of Nigeria
Through a series of conversations centred around youth online safety and
wellbeing, the summit provided a platform for dialogue,
knowledge-sharing, and collective action aimed at strengthening
partnerships and advancing a shared vision for youth online safety.
For more information on Teen Accounts, Family Center and Meta’s youth
safety resources, visit Meta’s Family Center [1].
L-R: Oluwasola Obagbemi, Head of Communications, Sub-Saharan Africa, Meta; Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Minister for Women Affairs and Social Development; and Sade Dada, Head of Public Policy, Anglophone West Africa, Meta, during Meta’s Parent Learn & Brunch event on Thursday, June 25, 2026, in Abuja.L-R: Ahmed Yusuf Tanbuwal, Ag Director, Digital Literacy and Capacity Building Department, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA); Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Minister for Women Affairs and Social Development, and Sade Dada, Head of Public Policy, Anglophone West Africa, Meta, during Meta’s Parent Learn & Brunch event on Thursday, June 25, 2026, in Abuja.
JMG Limited is celebrating 28 years of delivering engineering excellence and creating positive social impact through infrastructure projects and community development initiatives across Nigeria.
Since its establishment in June 1998, JMG has consistently evolved to
meet the changing needs of businesses and industries across Nigeria.
Today, the company delivers solutions spanning power generation [1],
electrical infrastructure [2], cooling systems [3], elevators and
escalators [4], compressed air solutions [5], and renewable energy [6]
technologies, supporting critical sectors of the economy with reliable,
future-focused engineering.
One of the company’s landmark contributions is the delivery of a
comprehensive electrical power infrastructure solution for the African
Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE) in Abuja, one of the continent’s
most advanced medical institutions. The project provides a reliable and
scalable power backbone capable of supporting critical medical
equipment, surgical theatres, and essential healthcare operations where
uninterrupted electricity is vital.
The company’s expertise in vertical transportation was also
demonstrated at the J.K. Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History in
Lagos, where advanced escalator and elevator systems were installed to
improve accessibility throughout the facility. The customised solution
addressed complex architectural constraints while enhancing mobility for
elderly and physically challenged visitors.
Beyond engineering projects, community development remains an integral
part of the organisation’s philosophy. Through interventions at
Primary Healthcare Centres in Ketu and Bariga, support has been provided
to improve access to healthcare services and strengthen wellbeing within
local communities.
This commitment extends to outreach initiatives for orphanage homes,
providing assistance, essential supplies, and support for vulnerable
children. Such programmes reflect a belief that sustainable development
should create lasting social impact alongside business growth.
According to Chief Commercial Officer Rabi Jammal, the company’s 28th
anniversary is not only a celebration of business growth but also a
reflection of the positive impact made possible through the trust and
support of customers, partners, and communities.
As JMG Limited looks to the future, it remains focused on strengthening
critical infrastructure, supporting communities, investing in technical
expertise, and delivering innovative solutions that contribute to
Nigeria’s industrial and economic development.
Zenith Bank Plc reaffirmed its commitment to advancing trade, investment and economic cooperation between Canada and Africa as the Headline Conference Sponsor of the 6th Canada-Africa Business Conference, held on Wednesday, 24 June 2026 at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Organised by the Canada-Africa Chamber of Business, the conference brought together a high-level Canadian business delegation representing 31 companies, alongside senior government officials, business leaders, investors, policymakers, diplomats and development partners. The gathering set out to strengthen commercial relations between Canada and Africa and to position Nigeria as a strategic gateway for Canadian businesses seeking opportunities across the continent.
The Canadian delegation comprised companies and institutions operating across financial services, security, mining and critical minerals, legal and professional services, infrastructure, technology, healthcare, education and clean energy. Among those present were GardaWorld, Dentons, Baywood Group, Element, Trilliant and other leading Canadian enterprises exploring commercial opportunities and strategic partnerships in Nigeria.
The Executive Director of Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Akin Ogunranti, who delivered the keynote address on behalf of the Group Managing Director/CEO, Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, OON, described the conference as a timely platform for deepening commercial partnerships between Canada and Africa amid shifting global economic realities. He underscored Africa’s readiness to lead the next phase of global economic growth, stressing that the continent now possesses the institutions, policy frameworks and partnerships required to turn its immense potential into shared prosperity.
“The question is not whether Africa is rich in potential. It is whether we can turn that potential into prosperity our people can feel. For the first time, the answer is yes, because of the machinery we are now building,” he said.
Representing the Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mr. Babatunde Onigbanjo, reaffirmed the State Government’s commitment to fostering an enabling environment for investment and international partnerships, and highlighted Lagos’ position as Nigeria’s commercial hub and gateway to African markets.
“Canada brings to the table considerable expertise, capital, innovation, and a strong tradition of institution building. Africa, and indeed Lagos, offer scale. We offer talent, creativity, market opportunities and an increasingly sophisticated business environment. Together, these strengths create a compelling foundation for transformative partnership,” he said.
Speaking at the event, the Deputy High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, Mr. Carlos Rojas-Arbulú, noted that the conference reflects the growing momentum in bilateral commercial collaboration between both countries. He said: “The relationship between Canada and Nigeria is not new. It is rooted in diplomacy, trade, education, culture, migration, and shared democratic values. But today, I believe we are entering a new chapter: one that is more ambitious, more practical, and more human.”
The Chair of the Board of the Canada-Africa Chamber of Business, Paula Caldwell St-Onge, highlighted Nigeria’s growing economic significance, saying: “Nigeria’s growth is not theoretical. It is already being built by Nigerian entrepreneurs, investors, financial institutions, innovators and companies whose ambition reaches across Africa and around the world.”
She also acknowledged Zenith Bank’s role in advancing the conference’s objectives, stating: “Zenith Bank is not only one of Africa’s leading financial institutions, it is the capital behind what you see here today, and it represents the skill, ambition, discipline, innovation and excellence that this conference seeks to showcase.”
The conference featured high-level panel discussions on Canada-Africa commercial relations, investment opportunities across priority sectors, and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The sessions brought together policymakers, business executives and industry experts to identify practical pathways for strengthening commercial partnerships and accelerating sustainable economic development.
The conference is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s attractiveness as a destination for Canadian investment, while opening new opportunities for technology transfer, private sector collaboration, job creation and long-term economic growth. It also reinforces Nigeria’s position as a strategic hub for businesses seeking to access opportunities across Africa under the AfCFTA, supporting the country’s ambition to expand its role in regional and global trade.
(L-R) The Deputy High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, Mr. Carlos Rojas-Arbulú; Chair of the Board, Canada-Africa Chamber of Business, Paula Caldwell St-Onge; Executive Director, Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Akin Ogunranti; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mr. Babatunde Onigbanjo; the Asalu-Elemo of Ilemo Land, Alhaji Adedayo Thomas, Ph.D; DG/CEO Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr. Chinyere Almona; and President, Canada-Africa Chamber of Business, Garreth Bloor; at the 6th Canada-Africa Business Conference held at the Grand Ball Room, Eko Hotel & Suites, VI, Lagos.(L-R) Chair of the Board, Canada-Africa Chamber of Business, Paula Caldwell St-Onge; Executive Director, Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Akin Ogunranti; and The Deputy High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, Mr. Carlos Rojas-Arbulú; at the 6th Canada-Africa Business Conference held at the Grand Ball Room, Eko Hotel & Suites, VI, Lagos.
Companies depend on open source software. Supporting the projects that support your business shouldn’t be treated as charity; it should be part of sustaining the infrastructure, ecosystem, and user trust your products rely on.
AI is evolving super fast, boosting productivity but also causing burnout and a loss of human touch. We need to balance tech with authentic human insights.
Welcome to the June edition of WPBeginner Spotlight! If there is one story this month, it’s AI becoming more integrated into WordPress.
With the new WordPress Abilities API catching on fast, your favorite plugins are letting assistants like Claude and ChatGPT actually do the work on your site. They can build your forms, fix your SEO, and run your campaigns now, not just tell you what to change.
There is plenty more beyond AI, too: leaner databases, unlimited image compression, affordable translation into 110+ languages, and a first look at WordPress 7.1.
Let’s dig into the tools, updates, and community news affecting WordPress users this month.
WPBeginner Spotlight is your monthly roundup of important WordPress news and community updates.
Do you have an announcement? From product debuts to major updates or upcoming events, submit your details via our contact form for a chance to be featured in our upcoming issue!
WPForms Now Lets AI Assistants Build and Edit Your Forms 🤖
WPForms now allows external AI assistants like Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, and Gemini to actively build and edit forms on your website.
Earlier, the plugin introduced capabilities that allowed AI to read and understand existing form entries. Now, the development team has rolled out complete write support with a hands-free, conversational approach to form creation.
This workflow saves site owners, marketers, and developers time by eliminating manual setup steps.
Here is a look at what this new AI integration can do for your website:
Create Complex Forms in Seconds: You can ask your assistant to generate a complex layout, such as a lead generation form, and watch it appear in the builder moments later.
Modify Existing Fields: Users can add new dropdown options, rename specific labels, or mark questions as required without navigating the drag-and-drop editor.
Update Core Settings: The AI can easily change form titles, descriptions, and submit button text, while keeping sensitive email notification settings strictly off-limits.
To access this feature, users just need to update to WPForms version 1.10.2 and connect their dashboard to WPVibe, which is a free Model Context Protocol (MCP) server created by SeedProd.
Once the plugin is linked to a preferred AI client, administrators simply need to toggle the write access setting to begin issuing commands.
Because this technology relies on an open WordPress standard, users are never locked into a single AI assistant or closed ecosystem.
Plus, this core integration is completely free and works with eight fundamental field types in WPForms Lite.
WPVibe Now Lets You Connect Your WordPress Site to ChatGPT in One Click
Managing a WordPress site usually means a lot of clicking. You log in, open menus, and do everything by hand.
WPVibe changes that, and it just got much easier to start using. It is a beginner-friendly MCP server for WordPress, which is a secure bridge that connects your favorite AI chat to your self-hosted site.
There is no setup headache and no password to manage. You authorize the connection, and your AI starts working on your site.
Once connected, your AI can manage content, upload media, and inspect plugins. It can also run WP-CLI commands and build full pages, all through conversation.
Best of all, WPVibe is not tied to ChatGPT. It works with any MCP client, including Claude, Claude Code, and Cursor.
For more details, see our complete WPVibe review with detailed instructions.
Stop Database Bloat With Duplicator’s New DB Optimizer
Duplicator, a popular WordPress backup and migration plugin, released their new DB Optimizer plugin.
Your WordPress database fills up with junk over time. Old revisions, expired transients, orphaned data, and spam comments all pile up, making your backups bigger and your migrations slower.
DB Optimizer now gives you a safe way to see how cluttered your database is. And you can clean it up without touching any SQL.
The standout feature is a live health score from 0 to 100. It rates the real trouble spots on your database.
That includes Table Overhead, Transients (temporary cached data WordPress is supposed to delete but often doesn’t), Revisions, Autoload Size (data loaded on every page view), and Trash Items. Each one gets a color-coded grade, so problems are easy to spot.
From there, the Cleanup tab groups everything into clear categories. You see Posts & Pages, Comments, and Transients & Cache.
A summary bar shows how many items you can remove. It also shows how much space you will reclaim before anything is deleted.
You stay in full control of what goes and what stays. So there is no fear of deleting something you still need.
For anyone who backs up or migrates, this is the real payoff. A leaner database means smaller backups and faster transfers.
DB Optimizer is free in the Duplicator Pro and Elite plans or available standalone from $29 per year.
WordPress Launches “Protect The Shire” to Secure Every Plugin and Theme
WordPress.org just kicked off a major security initiative called Protect The Shire.
The goal is simple: Make all 78,000+ plugins and themes in the directory as secure as possible.
Before this change, each new plugin release would go live as soon as the developer hit the update button. That openness is part of what makes the directory thrive. However, it also leaves little room for review.
For you, the practical change is this: each new plugin release will now wait up to 24 hours before going out through auto-updates.
That pause gives the WordPress team time to review changes. It even has a new Wapuu helper named Gandalf on the job.
AI bots will handle a depth of review that was not realistic before. And the 24-hour window may shrink to minutes as the system matures.
Overall, this means safer auto-updates with very little downside. The plugins you rely on get an extra layer of checking before they reach your site.
AIOSEO Goes All-In on AI: Agent Control, New Image Models, and a Free REST API
All in One SEO just shipped one of its biggest releases yet. One of the most popular WordPress SEO plugins is leaning hard into AI features for all of its users, including the free Lite plugin.
Every post needs images, and switching between AI image generation tools can be time consuming. AIOSEO earlier released their AI image generator to solve this.
They have now updated the feature with two new models, one from OpenAI and one from Google. You create original visuals right inside the editor, with no stock library and no separate subscription.
This feature used to need a Plus plan and a separate addon. Now, any user gets full programmatic access to their SEO data.
It also exposes the same 28 SEO actions over HTTP, which is callable from any language or stack.
Charitable Makes Its Move: Big Updates as the Fundraising Category Shifts
Charitable has shipped a huge range of features across currency, automation, security, and peer-to-peer fundraising for nonprofit websites.
The timing is interesting. On the one hand, StellarWP is being dissolved as a brand. Their donation plugin GiveWP is being folded into Liquid Web’s umbrella, and the change creates some uncertainty for nonprofits.
Charitable has been doing the opposite. It is investing hard and quickly becoming the leader for WordPress fundraising.
Here is everything it rolled out:
🌍 Multi-Currency (new addon): Donors can now give in their own currency, right on your existing forms. They pick a currency from a dropdown and see amounts at live rates. Turn on geolocation and the form detects their currency automatically. Less friction means fewer abandoned international donations.
🔌 Automation Connect 2.0: This connects your donation forms to Zapier, Make.com, Slack, HubSpot, and thousands of apps. It fires on 17 events across donations and campaigns. So, you can add donors to your list or get a Slack alert on a big donation with no developer needed.
🛡️ DonationGuard: This protects your forms from card-testing bots in real time. Those bots run stolen cards and rack up processor fees. Instead of one pass-fail test, it weighs many signals at once. It then logs coordinated attacks as prioritized records on one screen.
🔔 PushEngage Integration. You can now reach donors with free web push notifications. Four built-in triggers cover the key moments, including the thank-you, goal milestones, a launch, and an ending-soon nudge.
🤝 Ambassadors 3.0.Charitable’s peer-to-peer tool has grown into a full platform. There are no yearly platform fees and no per-transaction cut. You get a guided setup wizard, a real-time dashboard, and fundraiser moderation. This is a direct answer to shrinking donor bases: turn your supporters into fundraisers.
📥 Donorbox Importer. You can switch from Donorbox to Charitable without losing your donor data. It brings your supporters, donations, and recurring plans into WordPress using CSV exports. So, you finally own your donor list and the SEO of every donation page.
💳 Gateway Processing Fee Tracking. You can now see your true net on every donation. Charitable records the exact Stripe or PayPal fee for each transaction, including gross, fees, and net on the record itself.
WordPress 7.1 Roadmap: Better Collaboration and Less CSS
The next WordPress core release already has a date. WordPress 7.1 is set for August 19, 2026.
The theme this time is working together. It will also open new functionality for everyone.
Notes are getting richer. You will get a suggestion mode and emoji reactions for async feedback. Real-time collaboration also remains a focus area, though a few strategic decisions are still being shaped.
There is also a new Guidelines feature planned. It will let you set your own writing and content rules that connected AI tools follow, so your team and any AI assistant work to the same standards.
A few quality-of-life upgrades stand out:
A free-form image cropper, plus support for more image formats
A new Identity section in the Site Editor for key site details
Recently used commands and suggestions in the command palette
The familiar admin bar inside the editors
An “On This Day” dashboard widget
Responsive and hover/pseudo-state styling you can set right in the Site Editor, without writing CSS
Expanded Unicode support is coming as well. This will allow email addresses, usernames, and slugs to better reflect WordPress’ global audience.
One note of caution. These plans are being actively pursued, but not every item is guaranteed for the final release.
Universally Translated 26 Million Words in Just Two Weeks
Making your website multilingual used to mean a developer, a pile of duplicate pages, and a translation bill that climbed every month. Universally takes a different route.
It is an AI website translation tool that translates your whole WordPress site into 110+ languages from a single line of JavaScript, with no developer and no manual file work.
And it is catching on. Syed Balkhi shared that in the roughly two weeks since launch, Universally translated 26 million words for its users.
For a small business, the appeal is the cost. There is a free plan for 2,000 words, and paid plans start at $7.50 a month with per-site pricing instead of the per-word billing that makes other tools expensive as your site grows.
It is also easy on your site. Because Universally serves the translations from its own infrastructure, it does not add duplicate pages to your WordPress database, so your database size, queries, and backups stay the same no matter how many languages you turn on.
You still get the search benefit, too. Every paid plan gives each language its own real URL, hreflang tags, and indexed pages, so your translated content can rank in other countries instead of hiding behind a browser widget.
WordCamp Europe 2026 wrapped up in Kraków, Poland, with talks and workshops on WordPress 7.0, AI, and the road ahead for the project.
AffiliateWP makes it even easier to pay your affiliates. With its rebuilt payout system, it can send payments in each affiliate’s preferred method (PayPal, Stripe, or store credit). You can pay everyone at once, and the plugin handles payment failures and retries.
WordCamp India will now become the fourth flagship WordCamp event, joining WordCamp US, WordCamp Asia, and WordCamp Europe. Calls are open to select a host city for 2027.
Advanced Coupons has introduced a new Bulk Store Credit Adjustment feature for WooCommerce stores, which lets store owners update, reset, or delete store credit balances for multiple customers at once. It also includes automated user email alerts, pre-execution confirmation screens, and a dedicated WP-CLI command for technical teams.
The official WordPress Swag store got a design update, with the catalog now front and center and a block-based cart and checkout.
New Tools & Plugins
Duplicator DB Optimizer: Database health scoring and safe cleanup before backups and migrations.
Fresh from delivering one of the most talked-about brand experiences at the 2026 Ojude Oba Festival, Seaman’s Schnapps further strengthened its commitment to celebrating culture, heritage and community as the Official Cultural Partner of Iwe Ala (The Book of Dreams), a Nollywood film inspired by the richness of Ijebu tradition and the enduring legacy of Ojude Oba.
The partnership culminated in a successful premiere recently, followed by the film’s nationwide cinema release, bringing together filmmakers, cultural enthusiasts, traditional leaders, industry stakeholders and members of the public to celebrate a story deeply rooted in Yoruba heritage, identity and values.
One of the most memorable moments of the evening was the ceremonial opening of the premiere by the Elegushi of Egushi Otta, Alayeluwa Oba Maroof Adio Alagbe, who offered traditional prayers for the success of the film and its impact on cultural preservation using Seaman’s Schnapps 75cl.
In a symbolic gesture reflecting the passing of cultural values from one generation to another, the monarch concluded the rite with Seaman’s Schnapps 20cl, which he presented to one of the film’s producers, Kene Egbue. The moment served as a powerful representation of the connection between older and younger generations and underscored the importance of preserving and transferring cultural heritage through storytelling and shared experiences.
Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Adeoluwa Owu, Iwe Ala is set against the vibrant backdrop of the iconic Ojude Oba Festival and explores themes of family, identity, legacy and betrayal through the story of a respected tailoring dynasty navigating conflict and protecting its reputation in the lead-up to the celebrated cultural event.
Featuring a stellar cast including Mercy Aigbe, Owobo Ogunde, Dele Odule, Demola Adedoyin, Tobi Makinde, Eniola Ajao, Aishat Isiaka, Tolu Otebiyi and Farooq Oreagba, the film has continued to generate excitement among audiences for its compelling storytelling, striking visuals and authentic portrayal of Yoruba culture.
As the Official Cultural Partner of the premiere, Seaman’s Schnapps played a key role in celebrating and amplifying the cultural significance of the film, reinforcing the brand’s longstanding commitment to preserving and promoting African traditions through meaningful experiences and platforms that connect generations.
Speaking on the partnership, Gbemileke Lawal, Marketing Manager at Nigerian Distilleries Limited, said cultural storytelling remains an important vehicle for preserving identity and inspiring pride among younger generations.
“At Seaman’s Schnapps, we believe culture is one of our greatest assets as a people. It shapes who we are, preserves where we come from and guides where we are going. Our role as the Official Cultural Partner of the Iwe Ala premiere reflects our commitment to supporting authentic stories that celebrate our heritage and inspire deeper appreciation of our traditions. We are proud to be associated with a project that shines a light on the beauty, values and enduring legacy of Yoruba culture.”
Also speaking on the collaboration, Nnenna Uche-Onyenacho, Senior Brand Manager, Seaman’s Schnapps, said the partnership reflects the brand’s continued commitment to championing platforms that keep culture alive through contemporary expressions.
“From cultural festivals to film, music and community celebrations, Seaman’s Schnapps continues to support initiatives that honour our traditions and strengthen cultural connections. Iwe Ala is a celebration of identity, legacy and the stories that define us as a people. Through our partnership with the premiere, we were able to contribute to a cultural moment that not only entertains but also preserves and promotes our heritage for future generations.”
The collaboration comes on the heels of Seaman’s Schnapps’ impactful presence at Ojude Oba 2026, where the brand captivated festival-goers through immersive cultural experiences and a landmark drone spectacle celebrating Seaman’s Bless Omo Agba. The partnership with Iwe Ala further demonstrates the brand’s commitment to supporting platforms that showcase the richness of Nigerian culture and elevate indigenous stories to wider audiences.
By serving as the Official Cultural Partner of the Iwe Ala premiere, Seaman’s Schnapps continues to reinforce its position as a proud custodian of culture, championing initiatives that preserve tradition, celebrate identity and strengthen cultural pride across generations.
As Iwe Ala continues its cinema run across the country, Seaman’s Schnapps remains committed to supporting initiatives that celebrate culture, preserve tradition and inspire meaningful connections through the stories that define who we are.
Rite Foods Limited, Nigeria’s leading food and beverage company, has partnered with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to reward seven exceptional Nigerian undergraduates with a total of ₦35 million in recognition of their outstanding academic performance during the 2025 admission exercise.
The seven beneficiaries, who emerged through a transparent and
merit-based selection process coordinated by JAMB, will each receive
₦5 million at the maiden edition of the Academic Excellence
Recognition Award Ceremony, scheduled to hold on Tuesday, June 30th in
Lagos.
Announcing the initiative, JAMB’s Public Communication Adviser, Dr.
Fabian Benjamin, said the award celebrates students who distinguished
themselves through exceptional performance in both the 2025 Unified
Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and their respective Post-UTME
or institutional screening exercises.
“The seven beneficiaries will each receive ₦5 million in recognition
of their exceptional academic performance. This partnership with Rite
Foods reflects our shared commitment to rewarding merit, promoting
academic excellence, and inspiring young Nigerians to pursue excellence
in their educational journey,” Benjamin said.
Speaking on the partnership, the Head of Corporate Affairs and
Sustainability at Rite Foods Limited, Ekuma Eze, said the company
remains committed to investing in initiatives that recognise excellence
and empower the next generation of leaders.
“At Rite Foods, we believe excellence should be celebrated and
encouraged. Through this partnership with JAMB, we are proud to reward
these exceptional students and reinforce the message that hard work,
discipline, and excellence will always be recognised. Beyond producing
quality brands, we are committed to creating opportunities that inspire
young Nigerians to achieve their full potential,” he said.
The award recipients represent Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, while
the seventh award will be presented to the highest-performing admitted
candidate living with a disability, reflecting the initiative’s
commitment to merit, inclusion, and national development.
The ceremony will bring together the Minister of Education, the JAMB
Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, vice-chancellors, heads of regulatory
agencies, education stakeholders, corporate leaders, students, and
members of the media.
EBC Financial Group says notes that unapproved Dangote share-offer halt by Nigerian government shows conduct controls must keep pace with T+1 settleme
LAGOS, June 2026 – Nigeria’s halt of a fake Dangote refinery share offer may be less about one rumoured deal and more a signal about where the country’s market reform now needs to focus. Nigeria has compressed the settlement cycle for eligible capital-market trades from three business days to one business day in under seven months, a technical change that speeds up the exchange of securities and cash after a trade is made. This case suggests the challenge now is making sure the licensed capital-market operators using that faster system follow the rules, which is a different kind of task from the technology upgrades already completed.
“Finishing trades faster is not the problem here, and the decision to speed them up looks like a sound reform,” said David Precious, Senior Market Analyst at EBC Financial Group. “Completing a trade in one day instead of three makes the market run more smoothly. The trade-off is that it leaves less time to catch a fake offer before the money has already changed hands. That is why careful checks may matter more than ever, and why they may need to happen before any money is taken, rather than after.”
On 23 June 2026, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a cease-and-desist directive stating that no application for an initial public offering (IPO) by Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE had been filed with or approved by the Commission. The SEC found that some licensed operators, including stockbroking firms and digital platform promoters, had been collecting advance payments from investors for the fake offer. It ordered them to stop all promotion, withdraw their marketing materials and refund the money collected within 24 hours. Operators who fail to comply face sanctions under Nigeria’s Investments and Securities Act 2025.
Timing is important here because the SEC intervention came just weeks after T+1 went live, showing that conduct failures by licensed securities intermediaries can become more serious when settlement timelines are shorter. The SEC directive came less than a month after Nigeria completed its move to T+1 settlement on 1 June 2026. T+1 means a stock trade must now be fully completed within one business day instead of three. This was the final step in a fast reform that took the market from a three-day cycle to a one-day cycle in under seven months, after first moving from three days to two on 28 November 2025, according to the Central Securities Clearing System. The SEC introduced T+1 to make the market more efficient, reduce the risk that one side of a trade fails to deliver, make it easier to buy and sell, and bring Nigeria in line with international standards. Those gains are real and worth protecting. But a faster system may also change how much damage bad behaviour can do.
How Nigeria’s Reform may be Shifting from Faster Technology to Stronger Conduct
Nigeria’s reform so far has focused largely on technology and rules: a shorter settlement cycle, upgraded clearing systems and a new securities law. This episode points to conduct supervision as the next pressure point in Nigeria’s capital-market reform. The weakness here did not appear to lie in the trading system itself. It appeared to lie in the behaviour of some of the licensed securities intermediaries and platforms operating on top of it. Licensed firms, rather than anonymous fraudsters, were collecting money for an offer the regulator had never seen. The people investors are meant to rely on appeared to be the ones moving ahead of the rules, and a faster market may give the least room to put that kind of mistake right.
The issue should not be framed only as retail investors responding to an online rumour. The SEC directive said licensed capital-market operators were involved in soliciting advance subscriptions, which puts the focus on regulated intermediary conduct as well as investor caution. The fake offer may also have spread easily for an understandable reason. A genuine Dangote share sale had long been expected, so a fake one could look believable. A trusted brand name and a widely anticipated deal may be exactly the conditions in which careful checking matters most, because they may also be the conditions in which investors feel most able to skip it.
Why is it Important for Nigeria’s Effort to Win Back Investor Trust
Nigeria has spent the past year rebuilding its reputation with investors. Currency reforms, stronger reserves and a sovereign credit rating upgrade have all been used to argue that the market is becoming more stable and more worth investing in. The faster settlement system may be seen as part of that same modernisation story. Such behaviour by licensed operators could work against it. Investors, both foreign and local, may not separate the quality of a market’s technology from the conduct of the people running it. They may treat both as one risk. A faster, cleaner trading system may count for less if licensed operators can still collect money for offers that do not exist.
This may be why the SEC basing its action on the Investments and Securities Act 2025 carries weight beyond this single case. As one of the first major enforcement actions under Nigeria’s updated market law, it could set an early example of how seriously rule-breaking will be treated as the market speeds up.
What does this Mean for Licensed Platforms and Market Operators Moving Forward
The takeaway may be less about caution and more about building checks into the system itself. In a one-day market, verification may no longer work well as a slow step performed late in the process. It may need to act as a live safeguard at every point where an offer is promoted, where an account is opened and where money is taken. The standard implied by the directive seems straightforward; operators may be best served by taking no money, opening no accounts and promising no shares until an offer has been filed with the regulator, reviewed and approved. For Nigeria’s capital market, conduct standards may now need to keep pace with the faster settlement infrastructure already in place.
“Nigeria moved from three-day to one-day settlement in a short space of time, and that is an achievement,” Precious added. “The test of the reform may be less about the timeline and more about whether licensed securities intermediaries, platforms and advisers working within it can be trusted to act properly when there is far less room to correct a mistake. That may be the part of the journey that still lies ahead.”
Disclaimer: This material is for information only and does not constitute a recommendation or advice from EBC Financial Group and all its entities (“EBC”). Trading Forex and Contracts for Difference (CFDs) on margin carries a high level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors. Losses can exceed your deposits. Before trading, you should carefully consider your trading objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and consult an independent financial advisor if necessary. Statistics or past investment performance are not a guarantee of future performance. EBC is not liable for any damages arising from reliance on this information.
About EBC Financial Group
Founded in London’s esteemed financial district, EBC Financial Group (EBC) is a global brand known for its expertise in financial brokerage and asset management. Through its regulated entities operating across major financial jurisdictions—including the UK, Australia, the Cayman Islands, Mauritius, and others—EBC enables retail, professional, and institutional investors to access a wide range of global markets and trading opportunities, including currencies, commodities, shares, and indices.
Recognised with multiple awards, EBC is committed to upholding ethical standards and these subsidiaries are licensed and regulated within their respective jurisdictions. EBC Financial Group (UK) Limited is regulated by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA); EBC Financial Group (Cayman) Limited is regulated by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (CIMA); EBC Financial Group (Australia) Pty Ltd, and EBC Asset Management Pty Ltd are regulated by Australia’s Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC); EBC Financial (MU) Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Commission Mauritius (FSC); EBC Financial Group SA (Pty) Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA).
At the core of EBC are a team of industry veterans with over 40 years of experience in major financial institutions. Having navigated key economic cycles from the Plaza Accord and 2015 Swiss franc crisis to the market upheavals of the COVID-19 pandemic. We foster a culture where integrity, respect, and client asset security are paramount, ensuring that every investor relationship is handled with the utmost seriousness it deserves.
As the Official Foreign Exchange Partner of FC Barcelona, EBC provides specialised services across Asia, LATAM, the Middle East, Africa, and Oceania. Through its partnership with United to Beat Malaria, the company contributes to global health initiatives. EBC also supports the ‘What Economists Really Do’ public engagement series by Oxford University’s Department of Economics, helping to demystify economics and its application to major societal challenges, fostering greater public understanding and dialogue.
Honda Automobile Western Africa Limited (HAWA) has strengthened its commitment to education and corporate social investment by donating a brand-new Honda HR-V valued at ₦41.5 million as the grand prize for the 2026 Maltina Teacher of the Year Award, marking the first time the competition’s overall winner will receive a new vehicle.
The locally assembled SUV will be presented to Nigeria’s best teacher alongside a five-year manufacturer’s warranty and five years of complimentary scheduled servicing, expanding the rewards package for educators recognised through one of the country’s leading teacher excellence initiatives.
Brandspur Brand News reports that the partnership reflects growing private sector support for education and teacher recognition. Speaking during the launch of the 12th edition of the competition in Lagos, HAWA Managing Director Daisuke Mita said the company considers teachers essential to national development because of their role in shaping future generations and building human capital.
He noted that supporting the Maltina Teacher of the Year Award aligns with Honda’s broader commitment to creating lasting social value through initiatives that improve lives beyond its core automotive business. According to the company, the collaboration is designed to celebrate excellence in teaching while encouraging greater appreciation for educators across Nigeria.
The Honda HR-V selected as the top prize combines modern safety technologies, fuel efficiency, comfort and practicality, making it suitable for both professional and personal use. The vehicle will be assembled at Honda’s production facility in Ota, Ogun State, highlighting the company’s continued investment in local manufacturing and employment within Nigeria’s automotive sector.
The enhanced reward package is expected to further elevate the profile of the Maltina Teacher of the Year Award and encourage greater participation from educators nationwide. Industry stakeholders believe the collaboration could inspire more corporate organisations to invest in initiatives that recognise outstanding teachers while contributing to the long-term development of Nigeria’s education sector.
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