Rite Foods Celebrates Mother’s Day, Honouring The Strength, Resilience, And Everyday Impact Of Women

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Rite Foods Celebrates Mother’s Day, Honouring The Strength, Resilience, And Everyday Impact Of Women

Rite Foods Limited, Nigeria’s leading food and beverage company, is
celebrating this year’s Mother’s Day by recognizing the
extraordinary strength, resilience, sacrifice, and nurturing spirit of
women and mothers whose everyday contributions continue to shape homes,
workplaces, communities, and the nation at large.

The Company also celebrates the remarkable women within its workforce
who seamlessly balance professional excellence with the responsibilities
of motherhood, bringing dedication, compassion, and strength to every
role they occupy.

Mother’s Day, observed globally on Sunday, 10th May, is a moment to
honour women whose firm commitment forms the foundation upon which
families thrive, and societies grow. From nurturing dreams and raising
future leaders to providing stability, care, and emotional support,
mothers remain the quiet force powering everyday life.

For Rite Foods, the occasion serves as a powerful reminder that behind
every milestone, achievement, and success story are women whose
sacrifices, resilience, and determination continue to inspire progress
both at home and in the workplace.

Speaking on the significance of the celebration, the Managing Director /
Chief Executive Officer of Rite Foods Limited, Seleem Adegunwa,
described mothers as one of society’s greatest pillars, whose impact
transcends generations.

“Mothers embody strength, selflessness, resilience, and love. They are
builders of families, shapers of values, and drivers of progress. Their
ability to give endlessly, nurture consistently, and rise above
challenges deserves not just recognition, but deep appreciation and
celebration. At Rite Foods, we are proud to honour women and mothers
whose contributions continue to inspire excellence every day.”

As a proudly people-focused organization, Rite Foods remains committed
to promoting an inclusive and supportive environment where women are
empowered to thrive, lead, grow professionally, and successfully balance
the demands of career and family life.

Beyond the workplace, the Company recognizes that some of life’s most
meaningful moments are created within the home, from packed lunch boxes,
shared meals  and quick breakfasts before school runs to moments of
refreshment and bonding. These everyday experiences, often made possible
by mothers and women, represent the heart of family life and human
connection.

Also read: https://brandspurng.com/2026/05/10/guinness-nigeria-makes-historic-amvca-debut-with-multi-brand-sponsorship/

Through its portfolio of quality brands, including Bigi Carbonated Soft
Drinks, Bigi Table Water, Fearless Energy Drinks, and Bigi and Rite
sausages, Rite Foods continues to play a role in creating refreshing,
convenient, and memorable moments for families across Nigeria.

Commenting further, the Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability,
Ekuma Eze, praised the resilience and invaluable contributions of women
within the organisation and beyond.

“The strength of women and mothers is extraordinary. Their resilience,
patience, compassion, and ability to hold families together while
excelling professionally are truly inspiring.

At Rite Foods, we celebrate women not only for what they do, but for who
they are, the backbone of families, the heartbeat of communities, and a
vital force in nation-building.”

Guinness Nigeria Makes Historic AMVCA Debut With Multi-Brand Sponsorship

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Guinness Nigeria Makes Historic AMVCA Debut With Multi-Brand Sponsorship

Guinness Nigeria Plc has stepped onto Africa’s biggest creative stage with a first-of-its-kind multi-brand sponsorship of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA), bringing Guinness, Malta Guinness, Orijin, and Smirnoff together across the 12th edition of the awards. The AMVCA became a showcase for the brands Guinness Nigeria produces locally, brought to the stage through the company’s sustained partnership with Diageo. The sponsorship marks a significant shift in how Guinness Nigeria shows up in the spaces where African creativity, storytelling, and cultural identity are being shaped.

Speaking at the event, Girish Sharma, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Guinness Nigeria Plc, reflected on what the moment means for the company and its brands. “Our continued collaboration with Diageo allows us to bring an exceptional portfolio of brands to the moments Nigerian consumers care about most. Showcasing Guinness, Orijin, and Smirnoff at a stage like the AMVCA matters because these are brands made here, by us, for the people shaping Africa’s creative and cultural future,” he said.

Rotimi Odusola, Corporate Relations and Legal Director at Guinness Nigeria, who presented the Best Indigenous Language award sponsored by Smirnoff Ice, spoke to the wider significance of the partnership. “Recognising excellence in indigenous language storytelling is a moment that sits close to who we are as a company rooted in Nigeria. Through Smirnoff Ice, we are honouring the creators keeping our languages, our stories, and our cultural identity alive on screen, and that is a privilege we do not take lightly,” he said.

Ramanathan Solayappan, Marketing and Innovations Director at Guinness Nigeria, spoke to the consumer thinking behind the multi-brand showing. “Each of our brands speaks to diverse parts of the Nigerian consumer’s life, and the AMVCA gives us one stage where all of those connections come alive at once. It is a reminder that marketing is about showing up meaningfully where culture is being shaped,” he said.

Also read: https://brandspurng.com/2026/05/09/power-sector-has-no-quick-fix-reforms-will-be-transparent-under-my-watch-new-minister-of-power-joseph-tegbe/

The decision to bring a full slate of brands to one cultural moment reflects Guinness Nigeria’s broader philosophy of showing up where culture is actively being shaped. Guinness, making its AMVCA debut, presented the Best Director category, reinforcing its support for the creators shaping the future of African cinema. Orijin brought its celebration of originality and African identity to the AMVCA Cultural Night, while Smirnoff added a playful, modern energy designed to connect with the younger audiences driving today’s creative culture. Malta Guinness extended its Every Side of You campaign into the AMVCA moment, celebrating the many sides of consumers as they show up across culture, creativity, and everyday life. Diageo also brought its Don Julio and The Singleton brands into the showcase, with Don Julio anchoring the celebration as headline sponsor.

The AMVCA partnership forms part of a wider cultural calendar for Guinness Nigeria in 2026. Alongside activations around major football experiences and heritage moments like the Ojude Oba Festival, the AMVCA reinforces the company’s growing focus on entertainment, sport, and culture as the spaces where consumer passion and community identity intersect.

Through Guinness, Malta Guinness, Orijin, and Smirnoff, Guinness Nigeria did not simply sponsor an event. It participated in the broader story of African creativity, ambition, and cultural influence.

Power Sector Has No Quick Fix, Reforms Will Be Transparent Under My Watch – New Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe

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Power Sector Has No Quick Fix, Reforms Will Be Transparent Under My Watch – New Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe

May 2026

The Ministerial-Designate for Power, Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, has
pledged to transform the power sector through high levels of
transparency in his reforms to resuscitate the sector, which has been
plagued by incessant national grid collapses and power failures

Tegbe, who spoke during the Senate screening on Wednesday, 6th May,
2026, acknowledged persistent challenges across the power value chain,
noting that while there is no “quick fix,” there is a “disciplined
path to solving it,” anchored on execution discipline and measurable
progress.

“We will not do things the way we used to do before. I will not
promise what I cannot deliver. We must close the metering gap and ensure
Nigerians can track performance through a transparent public
dashboard,” he said.

According to him, the sector must be properly structured, and the people
deserve to see real improvement. “We will come with clear milestones
and timelines. He further remarked, “We understand the issues. What is
needed now is honest engagement and firm execution. We will tell
Nigerians the truth. We must reduce system disturbances and strengthen
transmission, tariffs must reflect services, and tariffs must justify
service, and we must close the trust gap between operators and our
citizens.”

Tegbe added that broader reforms, such as restoring sector credibility,
improving gas supply, and accelerating metering, are expected to
materialize within the first year.

Also read: https://brandspurng.com/2026/05/09/meta-confirms-whatsapp-end-to-end-encryption-will-remain-despite-2026-rumours/

However, this is contrary to some reports in some national publications
that claim he promised fixing the power sector in 100 days, his views on
implementing reforms anchored on the renewed hope agenda and
transparency were well articulated

Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe is well known for his active performance and
incredible achievements in his previous appointments as the Director
General of the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership (NCSP), and the
Chairman of the National Tax Policy Implementation Committee (NTPIC)

With over thirty years experience in KPMG, Tegbe, who started as a Civil
Engineer, is an alumnus of Lagos Business School, Nigeria; INSEAD,
France; Harvard Kennedy S;chool of Government and Harvard Business
School.

He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria
(FCA); Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation (FCIT), and
Certified in Governance Enterprise IT (CGEIT).

His experience includes significant engagements within the power sector,
particularly in regulatory and institutional reform involving agencies
such as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the
Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company (NBET).

Meta Confirms WhatsApp End-To-End Encryption Will Remain Despite 2026 Rumours

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Meta Confirms WhatsApp End-To-End Encryption Will Remain Despite 2026 Rumours

Meta has dismissed widespread rumours claiming that WhatsApp will remove its end-to-end encryption feature in 2026, reaffirming that the messaging platform’s privacy protections remain fully intact.

The clarification follows a wave of online speculation triggered by recent security and moderation adjustments on Instagram, where the company adopted a standard encryption structure aimed at improving content monitoring and platform safety measures. The changes led to confusion among social media users, many of whom incorrectly assumed similar policies would be introduced on WhatsApp.

Brandspur Brand News reports that Meta continues to regard WhatsApp’s default end-to-end encryption as one of the platform’s strongest competitive advantages in the global messaging market. The company emphasized that private chats, voice calls, photos and shared files on WhatsApp remain protected from unauthorized access, including by Meta itself.

Also read: https://brandspurng.com/2026/05/09/lagos-emerges-as-west-africas-leading-digital-hub-with-374-million-data-centre-market/

The technology giant further stated that there are currently no plans to weaken or remove WhatsApp’s encryption protocols despite increasing regulatory scrutiny from governments and digital safety advocates across several international markets.

Industry analysts say WhatsApp’s encryption system remains central to user trust, particularly among businesses, financial institutions and individuals handling sensitive communications daily. The platform’s security framework has also become increasingly important as cybercrime threats and digital privacy concerns continue to rise globally.

Users have been advised to rely only on official in-app notifications and verified company updates regarding security policies, while ignoring misleading claims circulating across social media platforms and messaging forums.

With more than two billion users worldwide, WhatsApp remains one of the most widely used encrypted communication platforms, and Meta’s latest clarification is expected to reassure users concerned about the future of digital privacy on the application.

Lagos Emerges As West Africa’s Leading Digital Hub With $374 Million Data Centre Market

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Lagos Emerges As West Africa’s Leading Digital Hub With $374 Million Data Centre Market

Lagos is strengthening its reputation as West Africa’s foremost digital economy powerhouse following a major expansion in data centre investments valued at $374 million in 2024. The city’s fast-growing digital infrastructure is attracting global technology companies seeking strategic access to Africa’s rapidly expanding internet and cloud services market.

The rise of Lagos as a regional technology destination is being accelerated by the deployment of high-capacity subsea internet cables such as Google Equiano and Meta 2Africa. The advanced cable systems have significantly improved internet speed, reduced latency and expanded broadband capacity, creating stronger support for cloud computing, fintech services and enterprise digital transformation across West Africa.

Brandspur Banking News Desk reports that the rapid growth of local data hosting infrastructure is reshaping Nigeria’s financial technology landscape. Banks, fintech operators and digital payment platforms are increasingly shifting operations to domestic facilities to improve transaction speed, strengthen cybersecurity and comply with emerging data sovereignty regulations.

Also read: https://brandspurng.com/2026/05/09/americans-owe-record-1-68-trillion-for-auto-loans-as-delinquencies-surge/

The market is currently led by key operators including MainOne, Rack Centre and Medallion Communications, all of which are expanding Tier III-certified facilities to meet rising demand from international cloud providers and enterprise clients. Global technology firms such as Microsoft and Google are also deepening integration of Lagos into their broader African cloud infrastructure strategies.

Despite the strong momentum, industry operators continue to face major operational challenges linked to unstable electricity supply, rising energy costs and foreign exchange volatility. Many infrastructure providers are investing heavily in hybrid energy systems to maintain uninterrupted operations while navigating Nigeria’s complex power environment.

Industry analysts also warn that the widening shortage of skilled professionals in cybersecurity, cloud engineering and data infrastructure management could slow future expansion if talent development does not keep pace with investment growth.

With increasing investor confidence and sustained digital infrastructure expansion, Lagos is positioning itself as a strategic gateway for Africa’s digital economy and a model for emerging smart-city development across the continent.

Americans Owe Record $1.68 Trillion For Auto Loans As Delinquencies Surge

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Americans Owe Record $1.68 Trillion For Auto Loans As Delinquencies Surge

Breaking reporting shows Americans are now carrying a record $1.68
trillion in auto loan debt, with monthly payments soaring nearly 40%
since 2018 and subprime delinquencies reaching their highest levels in
more than three decades.  As consumers struggle under rising vehicle
prices, extended loan terms, elevated interest rates, and shrinking
affordability, automotive retail analyst Zach Shefska, CEO of CarEdge
whose metrics are cited in the reporting, is available to discuss what
is rapidly becoming one of the most urgent and underreported financial
pressure points facing American households.

According to the report, average monthly car payments have climbed to
roughly $680, with some estimates nearing $760 per month. Meanwhile,
more borrowers are taking on seven-year loans or longer just to afford
transportation. CarEdge has been closely tracking the affordability
crisis and recently analyzed Fitch ratings data showing subprime auto
delinquencies are now more common than at any point in 32 years, with a
record number of borrowers falling more than 60 days behind on payments.

Also read: https://brandspurng.com/2026/05/08/rihanna-video-sparks-fresh-tyla-and-ayra-starr-fan-war-after-met-gala-moment/

Zach can provide practical consumer insight, market context, and
forward-looking analysis on where the auto market may be heading next.

* Why auto debt is quietly becoming America’s next major household
financial crisis
* How pandemic-era vehicle inflation permanently reshaped car
affordability
* Why consumers are getting trapped in dangerous long-term loans
* The real monthly cost of vehicle ownership most buyers underestimate
* How dealerships and lenders normalize unaffordable payments
* Why used cars are no longer providing the affordability relief
consumers expect
* What rising delinquency rates signal about broader economic stress
* Whether repossessions are likely to continue rising in 2026
* The warning signs consumers should recognize before financing a
vehicle
* Practical strategies buyers can use right now to avoid overpaying
* Which vehicles and market segments still offer relative value
* How shrinking inventory and elevated interest rates continue
pressuring buyers
* What consumers should negotiate before signing financing paperwork

* Why many Americans are effectively financing transportation like a
mortgage

Rihanna Video Sparks Fresh Tyla And Ayra Starr Fan War After Met Gala Moment

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Rihanna Video Sparks Fresh Tyla And Ayra Starr Fan War After Met Gala Moment

A social media post by Barbadian music icon Rihanna has triggered renewed rivalry between fans of Nigerian Afrobeats star Ayra Starr and South African singer Tyla following the 2026 Met Gala.

The online debate gained momentum after a viral clip from the fashion event appeared to show Tyla standing nearby while Rihanna engaged in a separate conversation. The moment quickly sparked speculation across social media, with some users claiming the global superstar intentionally ignored the South African singer.

The controversy intensified after Rihanna shared a post featuring Ayra Starr’s track, “Who’s Dat Girl,” shortly after the Met Gala appearance. Several fans interpreted the music choice as a subtle endorsement of the Nigerian singer amid ongoing comparisons between both African stars.

Brandspur Brand News reports that reactions flooded X, formerly Twitter, as fans dissected Rihanna’s post and reignited long-running debates surrounding Ayra Starr and Tyla’s growing global influence in African music.

Some users described Rihanna’s song choice as deliberate, while others mocked Tyla over the now-viral interaction at the Met Gala. Supporters of Ayra Starr celebrated the development online, arguing that Rihanna’s use of the track carried symbolic meaning.

However, many fans defended Tyla and criticised attempts to create unnecessary rivalry between the two artistes. Others insisted the situation had been exaggerated by online fan communities seeking to fuel cross-border competition between Nigerian and South African music supporters.

Also read: https://brandspurng.com/2026/05/08/fidelity-bank-provides-critical-funding-support-to-abuja-special-needs-orphanage/

Tyla had previously addressed the Met Gala interaction, dismissing claims of tension between herself and Rihanna. According to the singer, she chose not to interrupt Rihanna because the award-winning artist appeared occupied at the event.

The “Water” hitmaker also recalled an earlier meeting with Rihanna, describing the encounter as friendly and brief before the singer stepped away to answer a call from partner A$AP Rocky.

Ayra Starr has also repeatedly dismissed rumours of conflict with Tyla. In previous interviews, the Nigerian singer described Tyla as a close friend and criticised efforts to constantly pit female musicians against one another.

Despite repeated clarifications from both artistes, online fan rivalry between supporters of Ayra Starr and Tyla continues to dominate social media conversations, especially around awards, streaming achievements and international recognition within the Afrobeats and Amapiano scenes.

Fidelity Bank Provides Critical Funding Support To Abuja Special Needs Orphanage

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Fidelity Bank Provides Critical Funding Support To Abuja Special Needs Orphanage

Leading financial institution, Fidelity Bank Plc, through the Fidelity Helping Hands Programme (FHHP), has funded critical support for the JKS Special Needs Academy in Abuja to ensure continued shelter and care for vulnerable children.

The intervention was facilitated by a group of the bank’s newly recruited employees known as Team Valorem, as part of their induction activities. Through the FHHP, employees are empowered to actively contribute to social development by dedicating their time, resources and skills to impactful projects. Projects executed under the initiative are employee-driven, with teams encouraged to identify causes, contribute fifty percent of the project funding, while the bank matches the contribution.

Speaking during the outreach, Divisional Head, Brand and Communications Division, Fidelity Bank Plc, Dr Meksley Nwagboh, highlighted that the initiative aligns with the Bank’s CSR pillars focused on health & social welfare, and youth empowerment.

“This intervention reflects our belief that building a better society is a shared responsibility. Through the Fidelity Helping Hands Programme, we empower our employees to actively contribute to meaningful social causes. The funding provided will secure the orphanage’s accommodation for an additional year, ensuring a stable and safe environment for the children. This support guarantees that these children continue to have a place they can call home,” Nwagboh remarked.

He also commended caregivers at the facility for their dedication and called for increased focus on empowerment and skill development for children with special needs.

“Beyond providing basic needs, we must provide these children with opportunities to develop skills and become self-reliant. Everyone, regardless of their physical or socio-economic status, has a role to play in the society,” he said.

In her response, Director of JKS Special Needs Academy, Mrs. Nifemi Ajileye, expressed deep appreciation to Fidelity Bank and its staff for the timely intervention.

Also read: https://brandspurng.com/2026/05/08/banking-beyond-the-balance-sheet-union-banks-asbon-recognition-and-nigerias-small-business-economy/

“We are truly grateful to Fidelity Bank for this support. It will significantly improve the welfare of the children under our care and help us sustain our operations,” she said.

Ajileye highlighted the high cost of caring for children with disabilities, stating that, “Many of the children require continuous medical attention and therapy, which are quite expensive. Support like this helps us bridge critical gaps and continue delivering quality care. This support from Fidelity Bank is timely and it means the world to us and to these children. It will help us continue our work and secure a better future for them,” she added, while calling for sustained support from other organisations.

As an institution with a heart for people, Fidelity Bank continues to demonstrate its commitment to social responsibility by driving inclusive growth and social impact through initiatives that empower communities and improve lives across Nigeria.

Ranked among the best banks in Nigeria, Fidelity Bank Plc is a full-fledged Commercial Deposit Money Bank serving over 10 million customers through digital banking channels, its 255 business offices in Nigeria and United Kingdom subsidiary, FidBank UK.

The Bank is a recipient of multiple local and international Awards, including the 2024 Excellence in Digital Transformation & MSME Banking Award by BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards; the 2024 Most Innovative Mobile Banking Application award for its Fidelity Mobile App by Global Business Outlook, and the 2024 Most Innovative Investment Banking Service Provider award by Global Brands Magazine. Additionally, the Bank was recognized as the Best Bank for SMEs in Nigeria by the Euromoney Awards for Excellence and as the Export Financing Bank of the Year by the BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards.

Banking Beyond The Balance Sheet: Union Bank’s ASBON Recognition And Nigeria’s Small Business Economy

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Banking Beyond The Balance Sheet: Union Bank’s ASBON Recognition And Nigeria’s Small Business Economy

Union Bank of Nigeria has been named winner of the Best SME Growth Banking Initiatives Award (2025) at the Nigeria National SME Business Awards, organised by the Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria (ASBON) in partnership with the Lagos State Government through the Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment.

The recognition arrives at a moment when the relationship between Nigerian banks and Nigerian small businesses is being quietly redefined. Awards in this space have historically rewarded scale and product breadth. The ASBON criteria, by contrast, ask a more practical question: which banks are actually making it easier for entrepreneurs to operate?

WHY THIS AWARD, AND WHY NOW?
Across Nigeria, growth is no longer the only measure of success for a small or medium-sized enterprise. For most owners, success now looks like stability. Cashflow that holds up. Payments that clear without disruption. Financing that arrives in time to seize an opportunity rather than rescue a crisis. Operations that are not slowed by administrative friction.

That shift in what SMEs need has changed what they look for in a bank. The institutions earning their attention are the ones that take the daily reality of running a business in Nigeria seriously, not those with the longest catalogue of products. It is in that environment that the ASBON recognition reads as something more than ceremonial.
Union Bank’s SME work over the past year has been organised around a small number of practical priorities, and many of the issues SMEs cite as their biggest pain points sit at the centre of them.

FASTER ONBOARDING, MORE USABLE DIGITAL TOOLS
Account opening and customer onboarding have long been one of the slowest stages of business banking in Nigeria. For an entrepreneur trying to receive payments, pay suppliers, or qualify for a tender, days lost at this stage are days lost from the business itself.

Union Bank addressed this directly with enhancements to its Union360 platform and the rollout of a Straight-Through-Processing (STP) Digital Onboarding Platform. The intent was simple: cut the time between an SME deciding to bank with Union Bank and actually being able to transact. The improvements have meaningfully shortened onboarding, raised digital activity among SME customers, and brought in a notable cohort of new business clients.

Behind those improvements is a recognition that Nigerian SMEs are increasingly multi-channel by default. A small retailer may take payments by transfer, POS, mobile money, and online checkout in the course of a single afternoon. The bank that supports them has to be reliable across all of those rails, not just the ones that photograph well in product brochures.

FINANCING THAT MEETS BUSINESSES WHERE THEY ARE
Access to credit remains the most frequently cited barrier for Nigerian SMEs, particularly for businesses without conventional collateral or a long paper trail of audited accounts.
Union Bank’s response has been less about loosening criteria and more about widening the range of evidence that counts.

Consistent transaction history, active account use, and clear cashflow patterns now carry meaningful weight in how the Bank assesses a small business. For a generation of entrepreneurs whose operations are real but whose paperwork is light, that is a material change.

The Bank’s SME lending over the review period reflected this orientation, with funding directed at working capital, inventory, equipment, and the kind of operational expansion that sits between mere survival and genuine scale.

THE HUMAN SIDE OF THE WORK
Digital infrastructure matters, but it does not replace the value of someone an entrepreneur can actually call.

Union Bank’s SME engagement is supported by a network of relationship managers, direct sales agents, and branches across the country. The Bank’s “Adopt, Engage and Grow” campaign was designed to reach SMEs at this human level, not as a once-a-year touchpoint, but as a sustained relationship that meets businesses where they are, both physically and operationally.

The approach reflects a basic truth about small business banking in Nigeria.

Entrepreneurs operate under pressure that is rarely visible from a head office. The institutions they trust tend to be the ones whose people understand that pressure, respond when it matters, and treat the relationship as ongoing rather than transactional.

Also read: https://brandspurng.com/2026/05/08/polaris-bank-supports-the-launch-of-naccima-call-center-to-drive-growth-for-nigerian-exporters/

UNION BANK OF NIGERIA AND ASBON
Union Bank’s recognition is also tied to its partnership with ASBON, through the SME Empowerment Challenge run jointly by the two organisations.

The Challenge encouraged entrepreneurs to open or reactivate business accounts, maintain proper transaction records, and develop structured plans for growth. On its surface, it was a campaign. In substance, it was an attempt to nudge a behaviour that Nigerian SMEs themselves often identify as one of the hardest to sustain: the discipline of running the business as a business, with clean books, separated finances, and a clear view of where it is going.

That discipline matters because it is the gateway to almost everything else. Loans, grants, supplier credit, partnerships, and public sector contracts all depend on a business being able to show how it actually operates. By building that habit alongside ASBON, Union Bank invested in something that outlasts any single campaign cycle.

WHAT THE AWARD ACTUALLY SIGNALS
There is a tendency to read awards as endpoints. This one reads better as a signpost. Nigerian SMEs are operating in one of the most demanding business environments on the continent. They are also, collectively, the largest source of employment in the country and the most direct route to broad-based prosperity. The banks that serve them well, with patient infrastructure, accessible financing, real human engagement, and a partnership posture toward the wider SME ecosystem, have a role to play that goes well beyond commercial performance.

Union Bank’s recognition at the ASBON SME Awards 2025 is, in that sense, an acknowledgement of a posture as much as a portfolio. The work it points to, faster systems, more accessible credit, sustained engagement, and a habit of building alongside SME institutions rather than around them, is the kind of work that compounds quietly over years.

For a bank, that is the most useful kind of award to win. Not the one that celebrates a moment, but the one that confirms a direction.

Polaris Bank Supports The Launch Of NACCIMA Call Center To Drive Growth For Nigerian Exporters

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Polaris Bank Supports The Launch Of NACCIMA Call Center To Drive Growth For Nigerian Exporters

Polaris Bank, Nigeria’s leading digital retail and commercial bank, has proudly facilitated the launch of the NACCIMA Export Support Call Center, a vital initiative designed to provide comprehensive support to Nigerian exporters, especially those operating in the non-oil sector and enhance their ability to access global markets. This partnership marks a significant step in the Bank’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s export ecosystem.

Chris Ofikulu, Executive Director of Polaris Bank, in his address, emphasised the Bank’s commitment to empowering Nigerian businesses for global markets. He highlighted the importance of the NACCIMA Call Center as a key resource for exporters, offering valuable information, knowledge, expert guidance, and advisory services to navigate the complexities of international trade.

“Today, we are marking a pivotal moment in our mission to empower Nigerian businesses for global markets,” said Chris Ofikulu. “Through this collaboration, we are equipping exporters with the tools, infrastructure, and expertise needed to thrive in global markets.”

The NACCIMA Call Center, supported by Polaris Bank, will act as a key platform where exporters can access real-time information, technical assistance, and regulatory advisory services. This strategic initiative is in alignment with Polaris Bank’s vision to drive trade facilitation, improve market access, and support Nigeria’s economic growth.

Also read: https://brandspurng.com/2026/05/08/global-ranking-local-identity-how-guinness-conquered-nigeria-by-becoming-nigerian/

Polaris Bank’s contribution includes providing advanced infrastructure such as laptops, a fully equipped workstation, internet-enabled modems, and high-capacity printers to support the operations of the center. This donation is aimed at ensuring the center runs smoothly and effectively meets the needs of Nigerian exporters.

During his speech, Ofikulu highlighted the importance of initiatives like the NACCIMA Call Center, emphasizing its role in bridging gaps for exporters, especially those in the non-oil export sector. “By offering exporters the right support, we are unlocking their potential to compete globally. This center is not just a call center; it is a catalyst for success, providing exporters with the resources, knowledge, and access they need to excel,” he added.

The partnership between Polaris Bank and NACCIMA also ties into the Bank’s broader mission to support Nigeria’s export sector. Polaris Bank provides a comprehensive range of solutions for exporters, including stock refinancing, working capital support, and advisory services on regulatory processes such as NXP documentation. Through its digital platform, VULTe, the Bank facilitates seamless intra-African trade, enabling faster and more efficient payments via the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS).

“We are excited to be part of this transformative initiative, which empowers Nigerian businesses to scale and compete on the global stage,” Ofikulu concluded. “Our focus on innovation and our dedication to supporting SMEs are central to our role in shaping the future of Nigeria’s export sector.”

Polaris Bank’s collaboration with NACCIMA reinforces its ongoing commitment to advancing Nigeria’s economic landscape by enhancing export readiness, improving access to finance, and supporting the growth of SMEs. The unveiling of the NACCIMA Call Center is a prime example of the Bank’s continuous dedication to driving positive change within Nigeria’s export ecosystem.

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