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Prioritize Africa’s Youth And Leapfrog Traditional Development Paths – Tony Elumelu To African Leaders At World Bank Meetings
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During the annual spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Washington, DC, African philanthropist and entrepreneur Tony O. Elumelu insisted that prioritizing Africa’s youth by fixing the policy and regulatory issues impeding their innovations would also help attract foreign investors.
The Tony Elumelu Foundation Founder spoke alongside World Bank President Jim Kim and LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner in a fireside chat on advancing the digital economy in Africa. During the discussion, he sent a strong message on the importance of leveraging entrepreneurship to enable Africa to leapfrog traditional development paths
“I speak as someone who has supported young African entrepreneurs. I see enthusiasm, intellect, I determination, drive and discipline – you invest $5,000 and indeed they apply this to their purpose,” Elumelu said. “So why don’t we harness all of these people? Why doesn’t government replicate this model?”
When asked about the technological advancements of today, which will be responsible for shifting African development into overdrive, Elumelu was emphatic.
“It is our young people – the 60 percent of [African] people under the age of 30 who will come up with innovations that might help to pull Africa out of where it is today. We need to prioritize them, to give them support by removing the stifling policies holding them back. If we remove those, we will unleash their creativity onto the world.”
While moderating the discussion, World Bank President Dr. Jim Yong Kim, said policy makers in Nigeria and other African countries are ill-prepared to compete in the digital technology space. Elumelu conceded that without critical infrastructure, driving technological advancement would be difficult.
“You can’t talk about a digital economy in Africa without fixing critical infrastructure. Digital connectivity is a major issue in Africa and you can’t fix it if you don’t have reliable access to electricity,” Elumelu said. “So, if we want to truly address the issue of a digital economy in Africa, these challenges have to be fixed.”
Elumelu, who is also Chairman of the United Bank for Africa Group, also highlighted regulation, intellectual property and the need to incentivise investors, as other factors that would help drive the digital economy on the continent.
“Let’s fix policy issues and all these issues I have identified and investors will come to Africa,” Elumelu added.
About The Tony Elumelu Foundation
Established in 2010, The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) is the leading philanthropy in Africa championing entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs across the continent. The Foundation’s long-term investment in empowering African entrepreneurs is emblematic of Tony Elumelu’s philosophy of Africapitalism, which positions Africa’s private sector, and most importantly entrepreneurs, as the catalyst for the social and economic development of the continent. The Foundation’s flagship initiative, the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme, is a 10-year, $100 million commitment to identify, train mentor and fund 10,000 entrepreneurs, capable of changing the face of business across Africa.www.tonyelumelufoundation.org
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HabariPay Launches Maiden “HabariPay Impact Report 2025”, Showcasing Its Journey, Business Evolution, and Contributions to Digital Payments
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.
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ZENITHBANKPARTNERSLAWMA,LASWATOCOMMEMORATEWORLDENVIRONMENT DAY 2026 WITH TWO-PHASE LAGOS CLEAN-UP
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ZENITH BANK RENEWS COMMITMENT TO CHILDREN WITH EDUCATION, INCLUSION & OPPORTUNITY AT THE CORE
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Much more than commemorating the annual Children’s Day marked every May 27, Zenith Bank Plc is championing thenarrativethatchildrenarethetrueleadersoftomorrow.TheBankhasdeepeneditsinvestmentincarefullycuratedinitiativesthatelevatechildrenacrosseducation,financialliteracy,health,digitalinclusion,andsocialprotection,building a generation equipped to thrive and lead. For Zenith Bank, every child matters, and the Bank’s footprint reflectsa deliberate, pan-African strategy to nurture potential from the earliest age.Zenith Bank has been the financial institution partner to Kiddies Corner on Inspiration 92.3FM Lagos for over threeyears, anchoring the Tuesday edition and Zenith Financial Literacy Friday show. The programme blends spelling beecontestswithfinancialliteracyquestions,creatingawarenessandonboardingchildrenintotheZenithChildren’sAccount (ZECA). This partnership came alive at the Inspiration FM Children’s Day Carnival on Saturday, May 23, 2026,whereZenithBankhostedover1,000childrenandtheirparents,celebratingZECAwinnerswithgames,skits,andZenith Bank branded gifts.The Bank’s Zenith Financial Literacy Week, held quarterly, takes this mission into select schools across all 36 statesandtheFCT.Studentsaretrainedonsavings,budgeting,basicinvestments,anditsretailproducts,withthetopperformer in each school awarded N50,000. Complementing this is the Bank’s nationwide Financial Literacy ProgramundertheCBN-mandatedGlobalMoneyWeek,whichin2025alonereached3,622studentsacross22LGAs,deploying 137 bank employee volunteers as educators.In alignment with the United Nation’s (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 on Quality Education, Zenith Bankhasdonatedstate-of-the-artICTcentresandcomputersystemstoschoolsanduniversitiesnationwide,includingaComputerCentretoBamainaAcademy,Dutse,JigawaState.Itstransformativeinterventionsincludefullyequippedlibraries,vocationalfacilities,andlarge-scaleschoolrenovations,fromOjotaSecondarySchoolandVictoriaIslandSecondary School in Lagos to Hugallawa Primary School in Jigawa. Targeted financial support further breaks barrierswith N1 million cash donation to Louisville Girls High School, Ijebu-Itele, supporting girl-child education; infrastructureupgrades at Maryland Comprehensive Secondary School; a N1 million scholarship endowment for St. Francis CatholicSecondary School; and support for the North-East Children’s Fund to aid education in conflict-affected communities.Through its Primary Healthcare Centre Initiative across all 774 LGAs, Zenith Bank educates parents on early childhoodsavings during routine visits, linking health and financial well-being. The “PAD-A-QUEEN” Initiative commemorates theInternational Day of the Girl Child, reaching5,000 girls in 10 schools withsanitary pads, hygiene kits, and menstrualhealth education to keep girls in school and promote SDGs 3, 4, and 5.The Bank’s compassion extends to the most vulnerable. At Bethesda Home and School for the Blind, Idi Oro, Lagos,Zenith donatedbraille materials,food, and toiletries.For the2026 InternationalDay forStreet Children,it partneredwithBosco Child Protection Centre on medical check-ups, food, clothing, and counseling. Annual Christmas Charity Visits toorphanagesdelivercash,toys,andessentialsupplies,whilesupportfortheSmileandShineChildrenFoundation’sStrive Conference empowers over 2,000 adolescents with life skills and leadership training.Commenting on the Bank’s intentionality towards the development of children, Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, OON, GroupManaging Director/CEO, ZenithBank Plc, said, “AtZenith Bank, weare deliberate about initiativesthat elevate childrenbecausetheyarenotjustourfuture,theyareourpresentresponsibility.AsWhitneyHoustonsopoignantlysang,‘Ibelievethechildrenarethefuture,teachthemwellandletthemleadtheway.’Thatisthephilosophydrivingourinvestmentsineducation,financialliteracy,health,anddigitalinclusion.FromKiddiesCornertoICTcentres,fromPHCs to orphanages, we are teaching them well, equipping them early, and giving them the tools to lead. Zenith Bankrenews its commitment to every Nigerian child, to nurture their dreams, protect their dignity, and secure their tomorrow.”Championing youth expression, the Zenith Annual Youth Parade, hosted by the Bank for 19 years, stands as a flagshipCorporate Social Responsibilityinitiative. Bringing togetherthousands of childrenand teenagers in avibrant showcaseof unity and discipline, the parade has remained dedicated since inception to the vital mission of supporting, nurturing, -
andempoweringtheNigerianchild,reinforcingtheBank’sbeliefthatleadershipislearnedearlythroughteamwork,confidence, and celebration of young Nigerian identity.ForZenithBank,Children’sDayismorethanadateonthecalendar.Itisadailypledgetoempower,protect,andprepareNigeria’schildrenforleadership.Fromclassroomstocommunities, the Bank’s initiatives are teaching them welland letting them lead the way because the future belongs to children who are equipped today.

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