Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (“GTCO” or the “Group”) has announced the 2026 rollout of its social impact initiative called #BeatTheDistance.This is a nationwide intervention aimed at supporting school children in underserved communities through the provision of bicycles to ease their daily commute to school.

Marking the second edition of the initiative, GTCO will distribute 3,000 bicycles to schoolchildren across six states in Nigeria—Ebonyi, Jigawa, Benue, Oyo, Akwa Ibom, and Ekiti. The programme builds on the impact of its inaugural rollout in 2019 and underscores the Group’s commitment to improving access to education through practical, community-focused interventions.

By helping to reduce the transportation challenges faced by students who travel long distances to attend school, the initiative seeks to improve school attendance, support learning outcomes, and create opportunities for young people to pursue their education with greater ease and confidence.

Speaking on the initiative, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, Mr Segun Agbaje, said: “Education remains one of the most powerful tools for transforming lives and creating opportunities. Through the #BeatTheDistance Initiative, we are supporting students whose determination to learn is often tested by the distance they travel each day to access education. By providing these bicycles, our goal is to create an environment where more children can achieve their full potential by reducing fatigue, improving attendance at school, and expanding learning outcomes for children of school age.

He further added: “At GTCO, we believe that meaningful impact comes from addressing real challenges within communities. #BeatTheDistance is one of the ways we are investing in the future by supporting young people and helping to create conditions that enable them to succeed. We remain committed to initiatives that promote inclusion, expand access to opportunities, and contribute to sustainable development.”

The initiative forms part of GTCO’s broader commitment to social impact and sustainable development, particularly in the areas of education, youth empowerment, and community advancement. By helping students spend less time commuting and more time learning, #BeatTheDistance continues to deliver practical support where it is needed most, empowering young people to pursue their education and unlock their full potential.

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  ZenithBankPlcreaffirmeditscommitmenttoadvancingtrade,investmentandeconomiccooperation

  betweenCanadaandAfricaastheHeadlineConferenceSponsorofthe6thCanada-AfricaBusiness

  Conference, held on Wednesday, 24 June 2026 at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

  OrganisedbytheCanada-AfricaChamberofBusiness,theconferencebroughttogetherahigh-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 andcritical minerals,legal andprofessional 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

  thecontinent now possessestheinstitutions,policy frameworks andpartnershipsrequiredtoturn 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.

  RepresentingtheGovernorofLagosState,HisExcellencyMr.BabajideSanwo-Olu,thePermanent

  Secretary, Ministryof Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade andInvestment, 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 bringstothe tableconsiderable expertise,capital, innovation,and astrong traditionof institution

  building.Africa,andindeedLagos,offerscale.Weoffertalent,creativity,marketopportunitiesandan

  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

  thattheconferencereflectsthegrowingmomentuminbilateralcommercialcollaborationbetweenboth

  countries. He said: “The relationship between Canada and Nigeria is not new. It is rooted in diplomacy, trade,

  education,culture,migration,andshareddemocraticvalues.Buttoday,Ibelieveweareenteringanew

  chapter: one that is more ambitious, more practical, and more human.”
• TheChairoftheBoardoftheCanada-AfricaChamberofBusiness,PaulaCaldwellSt-Onge,highlighted

  Nigeria’sgrowing economic significance,saying: “Nigeria’s growth isnot theoretical.It is alreadybeing 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 oneof Africa’s leadingfinancial institutions, it isthe capital behindwhat you seehere today, and it

  represents the skill, ambition, discipline, innovation and excellence that this conference seeks to showcase.”

  Theconferencefeaturedhigh-levelpaneldiscussionsonCanada-Africacommercialrelations,investment

  opportunitiesacrossprioritysectors,andtheimplementationoftheAfricanContinentalFreeTrade Area

  (AfCFTA). The sessions brought together policymakers, business executives and industry experts to identify

  practicalpathwaysforstrengtheningcommercialpartnershipsandacceleratingsustainableeconomic

  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-

  termeconomicgrowth.ItalsoreinforcesNigeria’spositionasastrategichubforbusinessesseekingto

  access opportunities across Africa under the AfCFTA, supporting the country’s ambition to expand its role in

  regional and global trade.

HabariPay Limited, the fintech subsidiary of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (“GTCO” or the “Group”), has unveiled its maiden HabariPay Impact Report 2025, providing stakeholders with a comprehensive account of the company’s evolution, innovation journey, business performance, and impact on the digital payments landscape.The report captures HabariPay’s transformation from a newly established fintech venture into one of Nigeria’s leading payment infrastructure providers, highlighting the milestones, strategic decisions, and investments that have shaped its growth. It showcases the company’s contributions to enabling digital commerce, supporting businesses, strengthening payment infrastructure, and expanding financial access through technology-driven solutions.The HabariPay Impact Report 2025 also highlights the company’s strong financial and operational performance, the growth of the Squad platform, and the development of infrastructure that powers payment acceptance, switching, transfers, merchant services, and value-added solutions. The publication further explores the role of innovation, talent development, and ecosystem partnerships in driving the company’s success.Speaking on the launch of the report, the Managing Director of HabariPay, Eduofon Japhet, said: “As a technology-driven company, we believe that impact extends beyond financial performance. It is reflected in the businesses we enable, the merchants we support, the infrastructure we build, and the opportunities we create for the next generation of innovators. The HabariPay Impact Report 2025 captures this journey and demonstrates our commitment to creating sustainable value for customers, partners, and the broader economy.”She further added: “The HabariPay Impact Report 2025 represents more than a reflection on our achievements; it is a testament to the deliberate investments we have made in building sustainable payment infrastructure, empowering businesses, fostering innovation, and creating long-term value for our stakeholders. As we look ahead, we remain committed to expanding our capabilities, deepening our impact, and shaping the future of digital payments through technology-driven solutions that are secure, scalable, and inclusive.”The report also showcases HabariPay’s investments in innovation through initiatives such as the Take on Squad Hackathon and the Squad Hackademy, both of which are helping to develop future technology talent and accelerate the creation of practical solutions to real-world challenges.Looking ahead, the publication outlines HabariPay’s vision for the future, including continued investment in payment infrastructure, merchant solutions, digital innovation, and intelligent technologies that will shape the future of financial services.
To access the HabariPay Impact Report 2025, please click the below: https://squadco.com/impact-report/About HabariPayHabariPay Ltd is the fintech subsidiary of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO), one of the largest financial services institutions in Africa with direct and indirect investments in a network of operating entities located in 10 countries across Africa and the United Kingdom.Licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), our goal is to support SMEs, micro merchants, large corporations, and other fintechs (Tech Stars) with the tools they need to thrive in an evolving digital economy and expand beyond their current market reach. HabariPay’s solutions include Squad, a full-scale digital payments toolkit to make in-person and online payments simpler, HabariPay Storefront, an e-commerce website to facilitate online purchases, Value-Added Services to help merchants access cost-effective and flexible airtime and data bundles to run their businesses, as well as a switching infrastructure that enables tech-focused businesses to optimise cost and make transactions more efficient.HabariPay’s contributions to Accelerating Digital Acceptance in Africa have not gone unnoticed–it received Mastercard’s Innovative Mobile Payment Solution Award at TIA 2022 for its innovative payment solution, SquadPOS.