Author: The Whistler Newspaper

The Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Emomotimi Agama, has said the Commission is targeting about 20 million retail investors through deeper integration between fintech platforms and the banking system as part of efforts to expand participation in Nigeria’s capital market.

Agama disclosed this at the FSDH Investor Conference 2026 held in Lagos, where he outlined the Commission’s strategy to position data, artificial intelligence and technology-driven regulation at the centre of investment decision-making in Nigeria’s financial markets.

According to him, the future of investing will increasingly depend on the quality of intelligence and data available to investors rather than the volume of capital under their control, as global financial markets move into what he described as the era of “intelligent investing.”

He said advances in artificial intelligence, real-time analytics, distributed ledger technology and algorithmic systems are already reshaping how investments are priced, allocated and protected across global markets.

“We are at the threshold of what scholars and practitioners are calling the era of intelligent investing , a paradigm in which data does not merely inform decisions, but actively participates in them,” Agama said.

The SEC DG noted that the Commission had embarked on what he described as one of the most extensive regulatory reform programmes in its history to ensure Nigeria remains competitive in the rapidly evolving global investment landscape.

He explained that the reforms are designed to create a forward-looking capital market structure capable of supporting intelligent investing through faster settlement systems, tokenised securities, digital assets regulation and deeper derivatives markets.

According to him, the Commission’s seven-pillar capital market infrastructure strategy includes plans to achieve T+1 settlement cycles, strengthen digital asset oversight and establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for tokenised securities.

Agama also revealed that the SEC is developing governance standards for artificial intelligence applications within the capital market to ensure transparency, accountability and investor protection.

“We are developing AI governance frameworks for capital market participants — frameworks that demand explainability, accountability and algorithmic fairness. An investor in Nigeria deserves to know not only what decisions were made on their behalf, but how those decisions were reached,” he said.

He stressed that intelligent investing must not be limited to institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals, adding that technology-driven investment solutions have the potential to democratise wealth creation opportunities for artisans, small businesses and low-income earners previously excluded from formal financial systems.

The SEC boss said the Commission’s fintech-bank integration strategy would significantly broaden retail participation in the capital market and deepen financial inclusion across the country.

Agama further emphasised the need for stronger collaboration among regulators, financial institutions, fintech companies and investors in building a resilient and technology-driven investment ecosystem.
He said Nigeria’s adoption of intelligent investing frameworks and digital finance reforms would improve market transparency, strengthen investor confidence and position the country as a leading investment destination in Africa.

The SEC DG added that the Commission was intensifying investor protection measures through enhanced enforcement mechanisms, financial literacy initiatives and the establishment of a dedicated Investor Protection Department.

“Confidence is the ultimate asset in a capital market. Every disclosure we enforce, every fraud we prosecute, every investor we educate adds to the stock of market confidence,” he said.

Agama also noted that Nigeria’s growing participation in African capital market integration initiatives and digital finance programmes would help mobilise long-term investments into infrastructure, gender finance and other critical sectors of the economy.

He commended FSDH Merchant Bank for providing a platform for stakeholders to discuss the future of intelligent investing, noting that collaboration and data-sharing would remain critical to building globally competitive financial markets in Nigeria.

SEC Targets 20 Million Retail Investors Through Fintech Integration is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

After Trump’s first night in Beijing, he will meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping to discuss a range of thorny issues, including tech, trade, and Taiwan.

The post Trump receives grand official welcome in China appeared first on Tribune Online.

The Kano State Hisbah Board has arraigned two women and a man before a court over alleged involvement in immoral conduct at the Sheikh Muhammad Nasiru Kabara Housing Estate, popularly known as Bandirawo Housing Estate, along Daura Road in Kano. The suspects were reportedly arrested during an operation led by CSH Hafizu Garba Adakawa. One […]

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The World Bank Group and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet have launched a new partnership aimed at ensuring electricity access across Africa translates into jobs, higher incomes and broader economic growth, as development institutions intensify efforts to tackle energy poverty on the continent.

The partnership, unveiled on Wednesday in Nairobi, will establish a regional Centre of Excellence focused on promoting the productive use of energy across African economies.

The initiative seeks to help governments integrate electricity access into agriculture, small businesses and other productive sectors capable of generating employment and stimulating local economies.

According to the World Bank, expanding electricity access alone will not deliver sustainable economic transformation unless energy is effectively linked to productive activities that increase incomes and improve livelihoods.

Lead Energy Specialist at the World Bank Group, Dana Rysankova, said the initiative would strengthen the implementation of Mission 300, a continent-wide electrification programme targeting electricity access for 300 million additional Africans by 2030.

“This new Centre of Excellence will help countries unlock the full economic potential of electrification by promoting productive uses of energy that create jobs, improve livelihoods and strengthen local economies,” she said.

Mission 300 is jointly led by the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank Group, with support from The Rockefeller Foundation, Sustainable Energy for All and the Global Energy Alliance.

The programme has already connected more than 45 million people to electricity since July 2023.

Despite progress recorded in expanding access to electricity across Africa over the past decade, hundreds of millions of people on the continent still remain without power, particularly in rural and underserved communities.

Development experts say one of the major challenges facing electrification projects is low energy consumption after connections are made.

In many communities, electricity use remains limited to household lighting and mobile phone charging, weakening the financial sustainability of power projects and discouraging large-scale investments.

The new Centre of Excellence is expected to address these challenges by helping governments and development partners incorporate productive energy use into national electrification strategies while improving coordination between public and private sector stakeholders.

Managing Director of Powering Opportunity at the Global Energy Alliance, Makena Ireri, said electricity access must become a catalyst for economic opportunity across Africa.

“When farmers are able to process and store their produce, and small businesses can power machinery and expand operations, energy access becomes a driver of income growth and employment,” she said.

Under the partnership, participating countries will receive technical assistance, policy support, market development initiatives and access to knowledge-sharing platforms designed to accelerate productive energy use.

The initiative will also support implementation of Mission 300 National Energy Compacts and Compact Delivery and Monitoring Units across participating countries.

Officials said the programme would prioritise support for smallholder farmers, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, and underserved communities in more than 20 African countries.

The Centre is expected to develop practical tools, improve investment coordination, strengthen financing pipelines and support local businesses through improved access to capital and market opportunities.

World Bank Pushes Job-Centred Electrification Drive In Africa is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Google has unveiled Googlebook, a new laptop platform designed for its Gemini artificial intelligence system, marking its latest push to expand Android beyond smartphones into premium personal computing devices. Announcing the product on its official blog, the company said Googlebook is “a new category of laptops designed for Gemini Intelligence,” combining Android’s app ecosystem with […]

The post Google unveils new AI-powered laptop platform, Googlebook appeared first on Tribune Online.

Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, has revealed why he is trading his speakership for a shot at a seat in the Agege Federal Constituency. Obasa made the disclosure on Tuesday at a stakeholders’ meeting in Agege, Lagos, convened ahead of the All Progressives Congress primaries. The sixth-term lawmaker said consultations with constituency […]

The post 2027: Why I’m dropping Lagos speakership to contest Reps seat — Obasa appeared first on Tribune Online.

Rivers State Governor, Sim Fubara, has cleared the air on his purported defection from the All Progressives Congress, APC, to the Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC.

Speaking with journalists on Wednesday, Fubara said he is still a member of the APC, stressing that nothing has changed.

He called on the members of the public to disregard any rumour in the social media suggesting that he has left the APC.

“I’m a member of the APC, and nothing has changed. Whatever happens, what is important is supporting the overall interest of the party,” he said.

I’m a member of the APC, and nothing has changed. Whatever happens, what is important is supporting the overall interest of the party.

– Governor Fubara speaks after fake rumours of his defection to the NDC circulated in the media pic.twitter.com/jiGzNxNu2G

— Nigerian Affairs Journal (@NigAffairs) May 13, 2026

2027: Fubara clears air on ‘defection’ to NDC

The Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, CP Ikioye Orutugu, has canvassed the seizure of buildings used for criminal activities and converting them to police bases or residences, instead of demolishing them.

The Commissioner stated this Wednesday during a press briefing to update members of the public on recent groundbreaking breakthroughs by the command.

Orutugu, among other breakthr,oughs mentioned the recent rescue of three kidnap suspects from Nkpor, including a medical doctor, which led to the burning down of a duplex where they were kept, which was owned by the kingpin, whose name was given as Fabulous.

Anambra operates 2025 Homeland Security Law, which empowers the state government to demolish any property used for or suspected of being proceeds of crime. Many such buildings have been pulled down previously, and the empty land taken over as government property.

But CP Orutugu, while addressing journalists said it was not the best thing to do, insisting that the government should rather acquire such buildings and designate them as police posts or residences of police personnel.

He said: “In the case of the kidnappers of the Medical Director of Crown Hospital, Onitsha, the doctor was rescued alongside two other persons, but unfortunately, one of our police operatives paid the supreme price.

“We also restored peace in the area by stationing operatives there, when we heard that some indigenes mobilized to the home of the kidnapper and set it ablaze.

“We want to appeal to the government to stop demolishing or destroying such buildings. They should rather designate them as police post or even residences of police operatives. Some of these operatives you see here are not living in very comfortable places, so they need such buildings.”

Meanwhile, Orutugu gave a rundown of the successes registered by the command. They include: arrest of kidnappers, cultists, armed robbers, child traffickers, sexual predators, separatist agitators and other criminal elements.

Another major breakthrough was a strategic clearance operation on 7th May 2026 in Owerre-Ezukala, Orumba South Local Government Area.

He said: Recall that the camp was earlier destroyed by a Joint Security Team. Before the confession, one Nnamdi Nkemdilim Ogbonna, male, aged 37 years, allegedly one of the top commanders of the proscribed secessionists group, is in custody as well as intelligence received over time points on how some escaped gang members were attempting to regroup. 

“The offensive operation led to the recovery of one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) with about 2,000 rounds of live chain ammunition, two fabricated rocket launchers with 25 propellers, 10 locally made Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), one locally made Beretta pistol, two pump-action guns, three hand grenades, 10 rounds of K2 live ammunition, one gas cylinder and one black Ecolac box. 

“The operatives also dislodged the armed criminals and sustained operational dominance in the area to prevent any regrouping,” he said.

The Commissioner stated that the command remains committed to sustaining ongoing operations against all forms of criminality and ensuring the safety and security of Anambra people.

“We urge residents to remain law-abiding, vigilant, and continue to support security agencies with credible and timely information. The Command also appreciates the support of the Inspector- General of Police, the Anambra State Government, sister security agencies, community leaders, and the good people of the State for their cooperation and partnership in the fight against crime.”

Anambra CP canvasses seizure of buildings used for crime, instead of demolition

A coalition of civic organisations, development advocates, and grassroots movements has called on the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kwara State to present a credible governorship candidate in the 2027 general elections for improved development. The coalition, according to its coordinator, Abubakar Abdulhamid, and the Assistant Women’s Leader, Tajudeen Shifau, comprises organisations such as the […]

The post Kwara 2027: Coalitions call on ADC to present credible guber candidate appeared first on Tribune Online.

A former Minority Leader at the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Maria Nwachi, has declared interest in the 2027 National Assembly polls to represent Ebonyi South Senatorial District.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, she said the delay in her declaration was due to ongoing consultations to ascertain the most suitable platform to actualise her ambition of representing her people.

The former female lawmaker, who represented Afikpo North-East between 2015 and 2019, said she would run on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

She said she was motivated to join the race in order to deliver effective representation for her people.

She added that she would adopt a community-based approach in the discharge of her legislative duties if elected.

She further said her decision was driven by the need to strengthen federal representation for the zone and ensure that the voices of her constituents are adequately heard in national discourse.

She said, “This is to inform the people of Ebonyi South District and my supporters that I am contesting to represent them at the Red Chambers of the National Assembly and the objective is to make laws that will change the narratives.

“As a community-driven person, I have all it takes to offer the people a special kind of representation in the National Assembly that will impact their lives positively.”

“I possess the competence, credibility, and capacity to deliver results. I am of the opinion that leadership must be measured by its impact on the people.

“I am contesting this election to touch lives. I am contesting to further liberate my people and unify them. I am running to restore transparency and accountability in the zone. And I can’t do it alone without their support. This is why I am seeking their support. In the next couple of days, we will further engage and inform our people of the party we are going to use in this election,” she added.

Ex-Ebonyi Female Lawmaker Seeks PDP Ticket For Senate Race is first published on The Whistler Newspaper