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Foundation to award N2m grants to young agripreneurs

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The Leventis Foundation Nigeria has pledged N2 million in grants to outstanding young agribusiness owners at the forthcoming Agricultural Youth Summit.

Mr Hope Usieta, Executive Director of the foundation, announced this on Tuesday in Abuja ahead of the 2025 summit scheduled for Nov. 6.

The 2025 theme is “Building Youth and Agripreneurs’ Resilience for Agribusiness through Targeted Upskilling and Innovative Agri-Finance”.

Usieta said the initiative, organised in partnership with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), would reward youth agribusiness owners who present the most viable ideas and pitches during the summit.

He said the initiative was a deliberate investment in youth-led agricultural innovation and entrepreneurship.

“Leventis Foundation has remained steadfast in our mission to train, empower, and mentor young Nigerians to become agripreneurs who can create jobs, boost productivity, and contribute to national food security,” he said.

According to him, the summit will provide a dynamic platform for learning, collaboration, and enterprise development.

“Through this summit, we aim to equip participants with practical skills, business insights, and access to innovative agri-finance tools that can help them start or scale their agribusinesses,” Usieta added.

He said the theme was informed by the challenges faced by young agripreneurs in building sustainable businesses and the need to develop solutions that promote resilience and innovation.

Usieta noted that the global agricultural system is undergoing rapid transformation driven by economic pressures, social change, and climate variability.

He stressed that Nigeria’s youth remain the country’s greatest resource for achieving a sustainable agricultural future.

According to him, the summit will bring together young agripreneurs, policymakers, development partners, financiers, and agricultural experts from across the country.

He said the event would feature expert-led workshops, panel discussions, stakeholder presentations, and exhibitions of youth-led agribusinesses designed to be hands-on and solution-oriented.

Usieta called for stronger partnerships to scale the impact of the initiative.

“The transformation we seek requires collaboration across the public and private sectors, donor agencies, agribusiness investors, and development institutions to expand the reach and impact of this initiative,” he said.

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CRMI Urges Strategic Repositioning After UAE’s OPEC Exit

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The Chartered Risk Management Institute of Nigeria (CRMI) has issued a Policy Advisory in response to the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) decision to exit the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), effective May 1, 2026.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Registrar /CEO
Chartered Risk Management Institute of Nigeria (CRMI), Mr Victor Olannye.

According to him “ This landmark development signals a significant shift in global oil governance, potentially leading to increased market volatility, geopolitical tensions, and energy supply chain disruptions. CRMI advises corporate members, public sector institutions, financial institutions, and individual risk professionals to reassess their risk management strategies and strengthen institutional resilience.”

Mr Olannye, Ph.D., highlighted Key Risks to include
Structural breakdown of OPEC’s cohesion Oil price volatility
Geopolitical instability
Energy supply chain disruptions Macroeconomic uncertainty
Contagion risk of other member states exiting OPEC

Implications for Nigeria according to the Registrar include Increased production flexibility, potential market share expansion, and enhanced revenue prospects.

On Risks: Exposure to price volatility, reduced supply management protection, heightened competition, and fiscal instability.
He highlighted Policy Directives to Corporate Organizations to ensure they Implement robust risk management frameworks, adopt dynamic hedging strategies, and diversify business portfolios while calling on Financial Institutions and Investors to Reassess energy-related risks, strengthen portfolio diversification, and enhance risk disclosure

He called on Public Sector and Policymakers to Strengthen fiscal buffers, accelerate economic diversification, and promote renewable energy transition

For Individual Risk Professionals, the CRMI is advocating Upskill in geopolitical risk analysis and energy economics, develop expertise in scenario planning and predictive analytics.

CRMI urged stakeholders to proactively reposition their strategies to navigate this evolving geo- economic environment.

“ The Institute anticipates possible scenarios, including fragmentation of global oil governance structures, increased market-driven oil pricing mechanisms, and acceleration of global energy transition initiatives” he added

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UNLEASH 2026: Dr. Elizabeth Jack-Rich Puts African Enterprise on Global Agenda

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Nigerian entrepreneur, business leader, and philanthropist Dr. Elizabeth Jack-Rich, Founder and CEO of Elin Group Limited, commanded global attention at the inaugural UNLEASH Global Business Conference 2026, held Friday at the prestigious Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center in Washington, DC.

Widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most respected businesswomen and philanthropists, Dr. Jack-Rich featured as both a key panelist and a keynote speaker — further cementing her status as one of Africa’s most influential voices on the global stage.

She joined a high-level Fireside Chat titled _“Leadership in the Age of Disruption: Identity, Power, & Impact,”_ alongside Denise Fall, Senior Leader in Immunology at Johnson & Johnson, and Tolani Alli, Creative Campaign Director at the World Bank. The session brought together accomplished women leaders to examine how identity, power dynamics, and purposeful leadership intersect in today’s volatile global business environment.

Described as insightful, energizing, and highly relevant, the conversation resonated strongly with young professionals and emerging leaders navigating volatility, sustainability challenges, and opportunities across emerging markets.

Beyond the Fireside Chat, Dr. Jack-Rich delivered a powerful keynote address that anchored key discussions on building resilient enterprises and leading with impact amid disruption.

Dr. Jack-Rich leads Elin Group Limited, a diversified conglomerate with strategic interests spanning:
– Real Estate Development
– Power Generation and Gas Utilization
– Agriculture
– Mining
– Maritime and Aviation — notably through Elin Air, where she stands out as one of the few female operators of private jet charter services in Nigeria
– *Logistics and Infrastructure*

Beyond her corporate achievements, she is the driving force behind the Elizabeth Jack-Rich Aid Foundation (EJRAID), through which she has executed numerous high-impact philanthropic initiatives focused on poverty alleviation, women and youth empowerment, education, and community development across Nigeria.

Themed _“Building For What’s Next,”_ UNLEASH 2026 was a one-day strategic summit co-hosted by three prominent student organizations at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School: the Africa Business Club, Women in Business Graduate Club, and Net Impact Club. The conference drew MBA students, young professionals, entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and policymakers for robust dialogue on leadership, innovation, sustainability, and strategies for thriving in an era of global disruption.

Her participation was widely applauded as a proud moment for Nigerian and African representation in global leadership conversations, with many attendees citing her journey as a blueprint for purpose-driven enterprise and impact.

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Dangote Sugar Seeks To Raise ₦500bn Capital Through Rights Issue

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Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc has announced plans to raise up to N500 billion through a Rights Issue.

The company said shareholders have approved the plan to raise capital through the issuance of ordinary shares.

The development was disclosed in a statement signed by the Company Secretary, Temitope Hassan, following the company’s 20th Annual General Meeting held in Lagos.

Subject to regulatory approval, the move is part of efforts to strengthen its capital base and support future growth.

“The Directors of the Company be and are hereby authorised to raise capital of up to N500 billion by way of Rights Issue through the issuance of ordinary shares, on such terms and conditions and at such time as the Directors may deem fit.”

The Rights Issue may be underwritten, depending on terms approved by the Board and regulatory authorities, the company said, noting that any shares not taken up by existing shareholders may be offered to other interested investors.

The company stated that the initiative is aimed at strengthening its financial capacity to support long-term growth objectives.

The capital raise move comes as Dangote Sugar’s financial performance reflects both growth and improvement.

In its 2025 audited results, revenue increased by 24.56% to N829.2 billion, driven largely by strong demand for 50kg sugar, which accounted for N807 billion of total revenue.

Retail sugar sales contributed N17.7 billion, while molasses and freight income added N4.02 billion and N66.4 million, respectively.

Cost of sales rose by 11.35% to N706.5 billion, largely due to raw material costs of N573.3 billion, resulting in a gross profit of N122.6 billion.

The company reported a pre-tax loss of N72.2 billion, an improvement from the N270.8 billion loss recorded in 2024.

Regional sales showed Lagos accounting for 55.82%, followed by the North at 35.35%, the West at 6.45%, and the East at 2.38%.

Dangote Sugar said its share capital will be increased to accommodate the new shares to be issued under the Rights Issue.

The Board has been authorised to allot shares and manage fractional holdings in line with regulatory requirements.

“Any unallotted shares after the exercise will be cancelled as permitted by law”, the notice added, stating that the capital raise ranks among the largest Rights Issues in Nigeria’s corporate history.

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