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AICL expands youth enterprise drive, awards N9.75m to innovative startups across three sectors

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The Abuja Investment Company Limited (AICL) has reinforced its commitment to youth entrepreneurship and innovation by awarding a total of N9.75 million to nine outstanding startups at the 2026 Abuja Young Entrepreneurs’ Hunt, with winners emerging from the information and communications technology (ICT), creative and agribusiness sectors.

The competition, organised by AICL in partnership with the Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA), rewarded three winners in each of the three sectors, with cash prizes of N1.5 million, N1 million and N750,000 respectively to support business expansion.

Speaking at the event in Abuja on Tuesday, the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of AICL, Maureen Tamuno, said the initiative goes beyond cash awards by providing participants with mentorship, business visibility and access to investors that can help transform their enterprises.

According to her, every participant in the competition benefits from intensive training and mentorship throughout the selection process, equipping them with practical skills that can accelerate business growth irrespective of whether they emerge as winners.

“The level of training and mentorship they receive from professionals during the programme goes far beyond the competition itself. It gives them ideas on visibility, expansion and sustainability,” Tamuno said.

She noted that AICL maintains relationships with past participants through mentors and partner institutions that monitor their progress and provide continued guidance to ensure their businesses grow.

“We have mechanisms in place to follow up with them. That is why previous winners return every year to share their success stories and inspire new participants,” she added.

Tamuno said this year’s winners would also be given opportunities to pitch their businesses before investors and business leaders during the upcoming Abuja Business and Investment Expo 3.0, enabling them to secure partnerships, funding and wider market access.

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She recalled that participants from previous editions attracted support from successful entrepreneurs, with some receiving investment, mentorship and employment opportunities after presenting their business ideas.

“We create the platform that allows investors and successful business people to connect with these young entrepreneurs even after the programme,” she said.

Tamuno called on private sector organisations, philanthropists and development partners to collaborate with AICL and the Abuja Enterprise Agency to expand support for youth-led businesses.

She stressed that while access to finance remains a major challenge, entrepreneurs also face structural constraints such as inadequate electricity and limited access to long-term financing.

According to her, recent investments in renewable energy are beginning to provide practical alternatives for small businesses.

“We now have renewable energy solutions that are helping businesses reduce dependence on the national grid. One of our markets operates entirely on green energy, and we encourage entrepreneurs to take advantage of these opportunities,” she said.

Tamuno urged Nigerians to believe in the country’s economic potential, arguing that sustainable national development requires collaboration between government, private investors and citizens.

“No country started instantly and everything started working. Countries grow and evolve. Nigeria is evolving, we are advancing.

“All we need to do is to believe in Nigeria, to believe in what we do. And as we evolve, we begin to create that awareness and support and, you know, apprenticeship opportunities for a lot of people that want to come into the space. What we do in Abuja Investment is create the space,” she added

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She also highlighted the Abuja Business and Investment Expo 3.0, scheduled for August 5 to 7, as a platform that connects businesses with investors through business-to-business and business-to-government engagements.

Acting Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Abuja Enterprise Agency, Chudi Ugwuada-Ezirigwe, described young entrepreneurs as central to Nigeria’s future, noting that the competition was designed to nurture innovative businesses capable of creating jobs and solving societal challenges.

He explained that this year’s edition focused on ICT, the creative economy and agribusiness because of their high growth potential, while promising that future editions would accommodate additional sectors.

“The journey of a million miles begins with one step. We started with these sectors, but we intend to expand as more innovative business ideas emerge,” he said.

Ugwuada-Ezirigwe said the competition was widely publicised through digital platforms to ensure equal access for interested young entrepreneurs.

He encouraged participants who did not win to remain resilient, describing entrepreneurship as a journey built on innovation, determination and calculated risk-taking.

Chairman of the judging panel and economist, Paul Alaje, said the competition assessed both the viability of individual businesses and their broader economic impact.

According to him, judges evaluated innovation, sustainability, financial viability, scalability and the ability of businesses to create employment and substitute imported products.

He argued that supporting young entrepreneurs is critical to addressing poverty, unemployment and inflation.

“Our government will formulate policies, but citizens must apply those policies to create value. These businesses will generate employment, reduce imports, promote exports and contribute to economic growth,” Alaje said.

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He called on state governments across Nigeria to replicate the initiative, noting that empowering young people through entrepreneurship offers a sustainable response to unemployment and insecurity.

Among the standout innovations was Plastic Abdullahi Suleiman, winner of the creative category, whose business converts plastic waste and sand into durable interlocking paving stones without using cement.

Suleiman said the innovation was inspired by Nigeria’s growing plastic waste challenge and poor road infrastructure.

“We are turning plastic waste into stronger, more affordable interlocks. We believe this innovation can help solve both environmental pollution and road construction challenges,” he said.

Another winner, Ridwanllah Adeleke, Chief Executive Officer of Cyber Vigil and winner of the ICT category, said the recognition validated the company’s cybersecurity solutions designed to identify vulnerabilities in digital systems.

He urged government agencies to partner with indigenous cybersecurity firms to strengthen the protection of critical public infrastructure against data breaches.

Also speaking, Pamela Azeminor, first runner-up in the creative category, said the prize money would be invested in purchasing equipment for her fashion training academy.

She noted that access to finance remains one of the biggest obstacles facing young entrepreneurs, adding that the competition would enable her business to acquire machines capable of preparing fashion designers for global markets.

The Abuja Young Entrepreneurs’ Hunt forms part of AICL’s broader strategy to stimulate innovation, strengthen the startup ecosystem and position entrepreneurship as a catalyst for inclusive economic growth and job creation in the Federal Capital Territory.

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Two Oyo commissioner, special adviser resign

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Two senior officials in the Oyo State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning have resigned their appointments from Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration.

The officials are Ayobami Ojo, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, and Simeon Oyeleke, the ministry’s Special Adviser on Budget and Economic Planning.

In separate letters dated November 2, and addressed to Mr Makinde, both officials said their resignations would take effect immediately, while thanking the governor for the opportunity to serve but did not give specific reasons for their decisions.

In his letter, Ojo referred to his appointment letter dated 22 June 2026 and formally announced his resignation as commissioner.

“With reference to your letter dated 22nd June, 2026 (SP.S.662/2/VOL.IV/192), I respectfully write to formally resign my appointment as Honourable Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, with effect from today, 2nd November, 2026,” he wrote.

He described his time in government as an honour and said he appreciated the opportunity to serve the state.

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Oyeleke also tendered his resignation with effect from 2 November.

In his letter, he thanked Mr Makinde for the confidence reposed in him and the opportunity to contribute to the administration’s policies and development programmes.

He also expressed appreciation for the governor’s leadership, support and encouragement during his time in office.

“I remain grateful for the opportunity to have been part of this administration and to have contributed to its laudable achievements. I also remain committed to the peace, progress and development of Oyo State,” he wrote.

The latest resignations come amid a series of exits of political appointees and other officials from the Makinde administration in recent months.

It would be recalled that Segun Ogunwuyi resigned as the governor’s chief of staff on 12 October, a position he had held since July 2021. His resignation took immediate effect, although he did not state a reason for his departure.

A few hours after Ogunwuyi’s departure, Makinde appointed Bashorun Akinwole, popularly known as Wolekanle, as his replacement.

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On the same day, Tara Adefope, the Director-General of the Oyo State Due Process Office, also resigned from her position, while in late October, Kabiru Salami, the governor’s Executive Assistant on Security Coordination, also tendered his resignation.

Other officials who have left the administration include Funmi Arulogun, a Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Matters, who resigned in August, citing personal and political considerations.

Babatunde Oduyoye, a member of the Oyo State Advisory Council, also resigned in July, while Fatai Owoseni, a former Commissioner of Police who served as the governor’s Special Adviser on Security resigned in May.

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Good morning! Nigerian Newspapers Headlines: Campaigns: OK Movement insists on independence

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1. The OK (Obi/Kwankwaso) Movement has declared that it will maintain its independent identity while mobilising support for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and its candidates ahead of the 2027 general election. 

Movement’s leader John Ughulu said the group remained committed to its original mission of securing the election of former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and erstwhile Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

Speaking in an interview, Ughulu dismissed suggestions that the movement’s decision to campaign independently would undermine its support for the NDC, insisting that the focus should be on achieving a common  political objective.

2. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid got a big boost at the weekend with endorsements from across the country. His achievement, the need for consolidation, national cohesion, and other reasons were adduced for the show of solidarity. The presidential election is billed for January 16, 2027

3. The Federal Government has vowed to crack down on inflated public contracts and procurement violations, warning heads of government-owned agencies, corporations, councils, authorities and commissions that they risk sanctions for breaching procurement regulations. The government raised the alarm over contract awards that exceed approved price benchmarks.

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4. The African Democratic Congress has rescheduled its presidential campaign kick-off in Sokoto State to Wednesday, November 4, despite alleging threats, attacks on its members and attempts by the state government to frustrate the event. The party said its decision to proceed with the campaign was a demonstration of its determination to exercise its constitutional rights despite what it described as growing political intimidation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

5. Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have neutralised four leaders of the Islamic State West Africa Province, including two Arabs, a commander and several of their foot soldiers in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State. The Army said they were neutralised on October 31, 2026, by combined troops of the Joint Task Force deployed to Kukawa following a massive ISWAP terrorists attack on their locations.

6. United States President, Donald Trump, has agreed to grant an immediate visa to the mother of a 15-year-old Ghanaian boy shot dead in New York, following a request by the city’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani.
Mamdani announced the development on Saturday after speaking with Trump, saying the visa would allow the teenager’s mother to travel to the United States and attend her son’s funeral.

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7. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested two Nigerians based in Europe after they allegedly ingested 200 wraps of cocaine weighing 3.46kg while attempting to travel from Abuja to Paris, France. The suspects, identified as Aliocus Odife and Sam Blackborn, were arrested on Wednesday during the outward clearance of an Air France flight, AF 832, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

8. Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted a 100-level female student of Plateau State University, Bokkos, while another person sustained injuries during an attack on off-campus student residential areas in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State. It was learnt that the incidents, which occurred on Saturday evening at about 8:40pm, had heightened concerns over the safety of students residing outside the university campus.

9. An early-morning fire outbreak at the weekend destroyed no fewer than 110 buildings and structures at Kofar Ruwa Timber Market in the Kano metropolis. The Kano State Fire Service, while confirming the incident in a statement on Sunday, said the inferno razed 75 permanent buildings and 35 temporary structures across different sections of the market.

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10. The immediate past National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, has declared his readiness to align with President Bola Tinubu or former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 presidential election, while ruling out support for the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi.

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Relief as suspected Ebola cases in Adamawa tested negative

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The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has said that there are currently no laboratory-confirmed cases of Ebola  in Adamawa.

The NCDC had on Saturday said that there were two suspected cases of Ebola in the north-east state, adding that the individuals had been isolated while contact identification was ongoing.

But in a statement on Sunday, the director-general of NCDC, Jide Idris,
said samples collected from the two individuals, who had symptoms suggestive of Ebola, tested negative after two rounds of testing.

“The report was received by the Adamawa State Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) in the early hours of 30 October 2026, following the identification of two individuals presenting with symptoms suggestive of Ebola, requiring further investigation,” the statement reads.

“Hence the alert that was released early this evening. The individuals have been isolated, and appropriate public health measures have been initiated.

“Samples were collected for laboratory testing to establish the cause of the illness. Fortunately, the samples turned out negative for EBV after two rounds of testing.”

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Idris commended the Adamawa health commissioner and his team for their “proactive approach”, adding that the NCDC was working closely with the state government to investigate the report of suspected Ebola cases.

“Currently, there is no laboratory-confirmed Ebola case in Adamawa state,” he said.

“The index case previously confirmed in the Federal Capital Territory remains the only confirmed case reported in Nigeria to date.”

He urged the public to remain calm and avoid sharing unverified information or speculating about the situation.

“The public is encouraged to obtain information from official government and public health communication channels,” he said.

Idris described Ebola as a serious infectious disease that requires prompt identification, appropriate clinical management and effective infection prevention and control measures.

“Anyone experiencing symptoms such as fever, severe weakness, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea or unexplained bleeding, particularly following relevant exposure, should seek immediate medical attention and inform healthcare workers of any relevant travel or contact history,” he said.

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“Individuals should avoid self-medication and follow the advice of healthcare professionals.”

Nigeriaconfirmed its first Ebola case in more than a decade on October 20, after a 42-year-old Swiss woman tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain in Abuja.

The patient, who had travelled from Uganda to Nigeria, was subsequently isolated and treated by Nigerian health workers.

On Monday, the federal governmentevacuated the patient to Switzerland aboard a medical plane.

Her husband, who was identified as a close contact, was also evacuated to Switzerland.

Ali Pate, coordinating minister of health and social welfare, said the patient was clinically much improved, stable, conscious and communicating, with her laboratory test results approaching baseline levels.

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