Flooding: Lagos Asks Some Residents Of Lekki, Ajegunle And Ikorodu To Relocate

    Tokunbo Wahab, commissioner for environment and water resources in Lagos, has asked some residents of Lekki and Ajegunle to relocate to “upland areas” over impending flash floods. 

Speaking in an interview with Channels Television on Tuesday, Wahab warned that the Ikorodu coastline also makes the red list.

In the early hours of Monday, houses and vehicles were submerged in some parts of the city following torrential rainfall.

During the interview, Wahab was asked to list areas that are prone to flooding.

He said the volume of rainfall will determine water levels in some parts of Lekki.

The commissioner added that Lagos will experience flash flooding owing to the “vagaries of climate change”, noting that the state government will provide resilient infrastructure to combat the scenario.

“We knew this was going to happen. NiMet (Nigerian Meteorological Agency) gave us a forecast as early as March and by April, we had commenced the advocacy and briefed Lagosians about five times in the past three months,” he said.

“We are going to have more rains this year than we had last year. And for those who stay on the lowland of Lagos, they may have to move to the upland pending when rain recedes.

“On the red, those around the Ajilete axis of Lagos, that’s Ajegunle, they have to move. Those around the coastlines of Ikorodu, around Majidun, they have to move.

“Some areas around the Lekki corridor, some not all… because their tidal level depends on the volume of the rain, they will be in amber, so they (referring to Lekki communities) are very few. 

“Epe has always been safe; Ikeja and Mushin will be safe. The whole land areas I just mentioned are those that are bordering the Ogun River — those staying around the Channels television station in Lagos down that road — the Isheri corridor.”

Wahab added that the Lagos state government will always tell residents the truth.

“Thankfully, the federal government, through the Ogun-Osun River Basin, had awarded the dredging of the Ogun River channels to help reduce the flooding; they should be on amber by now and the Ajilete corridor around the Agboyi-Ketu axis of Lagos,” he said. 

“We won’t tell Lagosians lies. Lagos will be exposed to the vagaries of climate change, and that means Lagos will have flash flooding.

“But as a state, we have to provide resilient infrastructure, and we have to tell our people to be responsible. If nature takes its course, what we can do is to mitigate its impact.”

 

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FirstBank Wins 2025 Euromoney ESG Award

FirstBank has retained the title of Nigeria’s Best Bank for Environmental, Social, and Governance at the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2025.

This marks the second consecutive win in the ESG category for FirstBank, affirming its leadership in sustainable finance and responsible banking across Nigeria, the organizers said in a statement.

The Euromoney Awards for Excellence are regarded as one of the most coveted accolades in the global financial industry. The highly competitive selection process involves rigorous analysis and assessment, measuring performance against strategic and impact-oriented criteria.

FirstBank said that it earned the award through its deepened sustainability commitments embedded across its operations and community initiatives. In 2024, FirstBank screened 237 transactions worth over N3tn for sustainability risks, integrating ESG considerations into its credit framework.

Highlighting some of its initiatives, the bank said that it commenced a tree planting campaign in partnership with the Nigeria Conservation Foundation, planting over 30,000 trees in 16 locations across Nigeria. This was the first phase of its 50,000-tree initiative, projected to absorb approximately 720 tonnes of CO2 by the end of 2025, contributing to climate resilience and supporting biodiversity preservation.

A statement by the lender read partly, “FirstBank has been proactive in gender inclusion through the Gender Market Strategy, disbursing over N43bn in FirstGem loans to women-led businesses in 2024.

The bank’s commitment to inclusive banking saw a significant increase in the worth of transactions facilitated by FirstMonie agents to over N9tn.

“The bank prioritises ESG/sustainability capacity building, evidenced by the training of over 9000 employees, and its webinars and workshops reaching over 2,000 SMEs and corporates. The bank’s investment in leadership for over 2,000 female employees through the FirstBank Women Network has demonstrated a dedicated structural commitment to cultivating a knowledgeable and diverse workforce catering to the dynamic ESG landscape.”

Commenting on the award, the Chief Risk Officer of the Bank/Chairman of the FirstBank Sustainability Committee, Patrick Akhidenor, said, “We are honoured to receive this prestigious award for the second time in a row, which is a validation of our efforts to create a sustainable and inclusive future for all our stakeholders. Our approach to sustainability is hinged on three pillars: education, health and welfare; diversity and financial inclusion; and responsible lending, procurement, and climate initiatives.

“We remain focused on driving impact through purposeful initiatives and inclusive growth, ensuring that our ESG efforts continue to create meaningful change in communities across Nigeria and beyond.”

 

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Nigerian Marketing Awards Adds New Categories As 2025 Entries Open August 15

Entries for the 2025 edition of the Nigerian Marketing Awards (NMA) will officially open on Thursday, August 15, and close on Monday, September 30, 2025.

In its fourth year, the annual event celebrates excellence, innovation, and impact across Nigeria’s dynamic marketing landscape. This year’s theme is ‘Driving Impact, Inspiring Change.’

According to the organisers, early bird submissions completed by Thursday, September 5, 2025, will receive a 15% discount on entry fees.

The awards ceremony is scheduled to be held on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at the Jewel Aeida, Lekki, Lagos.

Two new categories have been introduced in the 2025 edition: Best Use of AI in Marketing and Best Spice Brand, reflecting current industry trends and consumer interests.

The full list of 31 categories includes:

1. Brand of the Year

2. Campaign of the Year

3. Best Rebrand of the Year

4. Brand Innovation of the Year

5. Excellence in Experiential Marketing

6. Digital Agency of the Year

7. PR Agency of the Year

8. Advertising Agency of the Year

9. Experiential Agency of the Year

10. Out-of-Home Agency of the Year

11. Financial Institution of the Year

12. Telecom Company of the Year

13. Best Use of Social Media

14. Best Alcoholic Brand of the Year

15. Best Non-Alcoholic Brand of the Year

16. Best Dairy Brand of the Year

17. Best Public Sector Marketing of the Year

18. Best Reputation Management of the Year

19. Best Social Responsibility Campaign of the Year

20. Best Influencer Marketing of the Year

21. Best Personal Care Brand of the Year

22. Best Use of Social Media in Food and Beverage

23. Best Food Delivery Marketing Campaign

24. Best Use of AI in Marketing(‘New’)

25. Best Spice Brand(‘New’)

26. Rising Star of Marketing

27. Marketing Student of the Year

28. Marketing Educator of the Year

29. Brand Manager of the Year

30. Marketing Journalist of the Year

31. Inspirational Marketing Leader of the Year

‘The Nigerian Marketing Awards 2025 promises to be bigger, bolder, and more impactful,’ the Awards Secretariat said. ‘We are excited to spotlight the ideas, campaigns, and individuals pushing the boundaries of excellence in marketing across Nigeria.’

 

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Interswitch Empowers Hospitality Industry With Tech Solutions

Interswitch empowers hospitality industry with tech solutions

Interswitch, a leading African technology company, has reaffirmed its commitment to transforming the continent’s hospitality sector through technology during its participation as an exhibitor at the Hotel Managers Conference Africa 2025, held recently in Lagos.

The two-day conference brought together stakeholders across the hospitality industry to explore new pathways for sustainable growth through technology, strategic partnerships, and global best practices. Interswitch’s participation spotlighted its comprehensive portfolio of payment solutions tailored to the evolving needs of hospitality businesses.

The company, in a statement on Sunday, said it showcased its Interswitch Smart POS, a high-speed, multifunctional terminal with innovative features relevant in the hospitality sector. In addition to Verve Cards, it boasts of international card acceptance from Visa, Mastercard, American Express, China UnionPay, Discover, Diners Club, and Japan Credit Bureau.

It also offers USD settlement for foreign transactions, allowing hotels to cater to international guests with ease. Additionally, the Smart POS includes a card-not-present feature, enabling secure remote payments for use cases such as pre-arrival deposits and incidental charges.

Also featured was the Interswitch Payment Gateway, which enables hotels to accept online bookings securely and process payments from major international card schemes such as American Express, Mastercard, and Visa cards. The gateway is designed for effortless integration with existing systems and provides USD settlement capabilities for international transactions, helping hospitality operators serve a broader customer base without complexity.

Interswitch also demonstrated its trusted bulk disbursement platform that simplifies payments to vendors, staff, and service providers, ensuring timely and efficient transactions with minimal manual input.

The Interswitch booth attracted significant interest from key decision-makers and hospitality business owners, many of whom expressed interest in adopting the company’s integrated solutions to streamline their operational efficiency and elevate guest experience.

Commenting on the engagement, Vice President, Sales and Account Management, Interswitch,  Osasere Atohengbe, stated, “Our participation at HMC 2025 reinforces our mission to be a technology partner for hospitality businesses. We’re not just providing tools, we’re enabling transformation, and it was rewarding to connect directly with operators who are ready to take the next leap.”

With thousands of businesses across sectors relying on Interswitch’s trusted infrastructure, including industry leaders like Eko Hotels, Marriott Hotel, and The George Hotel, the company continues to lead innovation in digital payment solutions tailored for African markets.

Its engagement at the Hotel Managers Conference 2025 represents another key step in strengthening ties with the hospitality sector, while advancing its broader mission of inclusive growth through strategic partnerships and merchant-focused solutions.

 

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Banks Must Brace Up For Open Banking, Says KPMG

    KPMG has called on banks and financial institutions to urgently accelerate their preparedness ahead of the launch of open banking in Nigeria.

This was indicated in its latest report published on Thursday, which is titled ‘Modernising Core Banking Systems: Navigating challenges to achieve resilient transformation,’ a thought leadership piece which was the outcome of its recently held 2025 KPMG Core Banking Modernisation Summit.

There had been reports earlier this year that the Central Bank of Nigeria had approved the launch of open banking starting in August 2025. Recall that the apex regulator in February 2021 issued the regulatory framework for open banking in Nigeria.

Open banking allows a customer (end-user) to authorise their bank or financial service provider to share their financial information with other participants within the financial services system (e.g., other banks, third-party financial service providers) so as to develop more customer-centric services and financial products.

Open banking is powered by a technology called Application Programming Interface. With open API, participating banks and other financial institutions will be able to access information on other participants’ financial products and services, as well as personal information, transaction history, credit score, income ratings, etc., of other participants’ individual customers.

The thought leadership piece from KPMG partly read, “Open banking is currently serving as a powerful catalyst for the growth and innovation of Nigeria’s digital-first financial players by streamlining access to financial data and infrastructure through secure APIs.

“Open banking is an offshoot of the collaboration between traditional banks, neobanks, and fintechs, which seeded the growth of innovative financial products such as virtual accounts (offering digitally generated account numbers for seamless collections and automated reconciliations), card management solutions (including virtual and physical card issuance, tokenisation, and spend controls), payment rail integrations (connecting neobanks and fintechs to global and local payment networks for faster, cross-border transactions), and merchant payment gateways (facilitating secure, multi-channel payment acceptance for business).

“Open banking is paving the way for financial services innovation through ecosystem collaboration and partnerships. With the recent announcement of CBN’s push for the launch of open banking in Nigeria by August 2025, it is imperative for banks to ensure the readiness of their core technologies and operational processes to support open banking.”

The firm said open banking will impact data mobility and control as it allows customers to securely share their financial data with third-party providers, facilitating access to personalised financial services. Service integration and collaboration with APIs support seamless integration between banks and TPPs, resulting in the development of progressive financial products and services.

KPMG noted that open banking can boost financial inclusion by using alternative data sources (mobile phone usage, utility bill payments, social media activity) and extending access through digital channels, as well as drive core banking modernisation.

“Nigeria’s core banking systems are being reformed faster due to the need to accommodate API-driven data sharing and service integration,” the report affirmed.

KPMG asserted that the financial services landscape across West Africa is undergoing a shift, “As digital banking becomes the default and customer expectations accelerate toward real-time, personalised experiences, traditional institutions must confront a stark reality: legacy systems can no longer support the agility, innovation, and resilience that the future demands.

“Meanwhile, emerging digital challengers, free from the technical debt of outdated infrastructure, are redefining what modern banking looks like with intuitive platforms, frictionless service delivery, and rapid product evolution. For incumbent banks, the question is no longer whether to modernise their core platforms, but how to do so effectively.”

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Gridlock, Businesses Paralysed As Flash Floods Take Over Lagos Roads, Submerge Homes

Normal business activities were paralysed as residents and motorists battled with the effects of early Monday morning torrential rainfall in Lagos that caused significant traffic gridlock due to flash floods affecting roads and submerging various homes across the metropolis.

Recall that the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet, had earlier predicted thundery and rainy weather activities across the nation from Monday to Wednesday, warning of possible flash floods in some areas.

NiMet’s weather outlook released on Sunday in Abuja envisaged morning thunderstorms on Monday with moderate rains over parts of Adamawa, Taraba, Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Jigawa, Kano, and Katsina, in the northern region, as well as Lagos in the southwest States.

The agency envisaged cloudy skies over the southern region with chances of light rain over parts of Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Anambra, Abia, Ogun, Edo, Delta, Lagos, Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, and Bayelsa states during the morning hours.

According to it, light rains are expected over parts of Abia, Imo, Ebonyi, Anambra, Osun, Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Lagos, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom States later in the day.

The agency anticipated the high possibility of floods occurring over parts of Oyo, Ogun, Edo, and Delta States during the forecast period.

NiMet predicted morning thunderstorms on Tuesday over the northern region with moderate rains over parts of Taraba, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Kaduna, and Zamfara States.

NiMet urged the public to avoid driving under heavy rain, and states with the possibility of flash floods were told to activate the emergency response system immediately.

“Ensure warm clothing for the vulnerable persons due to low night-time temperatures, and ensure that loose objects are fastened to avoid collisions. 

“Disconnect electrical appliances from electrical sockets, and stay away from tall trees to avoid impact from falling branches and broken trees.

Airline operators get airport-specific weather reports (flight documentation) from NiMet for effective planning in their operations,” it said.

The agency advised the residents to stay informed through weather updates from NiMet by visiting its website, www.nimet.gov.ng.

In response to the downpour, Lagos State Government sued for calm from all residents as the state experienced heavy rainfall for over 14 hours with an assurance that the state has put in place resilient infrastructure to combat flash flooding.

Meanwhile, many roads, including Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Ikorodu Road, Apapa, Alimosho, Lekki axis, Agege, Oworosonki, Ikotun, as well as the Long Bridge, along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, among others have been submerged, resulting in traffic snarl and vehicles left stranded with houses and shops flooded. Most of the shops and markets around Ikeja, Agege, Maryland, Oshodi were seen shut as of 10 am.

Many motorists and commuters who dared to move out were stranded for hours on major roads in the metropolis due to the flooded roads and streets.

While the downpour, which started at about 12 midnight into early morning, continued intermittently on Monday. It witnessed heavily flooded roads both on the Island and Mainland sides of the state.

It was gathered that while traffic on some of the roads was standstill during the downpour, some others witnessed slow movement as motorists struggled to wade through the flash floods.

 

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Tinubu Rewards D’Tigress With $100,000, Flats, OON National Honour For Afrobasket Triumph

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has honoured Nigeria’s national women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, with a cash reward of $100,000 for each player, a flat each, and the prestigious Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) national honour, following their historic victory at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship.

Vice President Kashim Shettima announced the presidential rewards on Monday evening during a special reception held in their honour at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja.

In addition to the players, members of the coaching and technical crew were each awarded $50,000, a three-bedroom flat, and conferred with the OON national honour.

First Lady Oluremi Tinubu and the Wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, as well as the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, joined the Vice President to warmly receive the D’Tigresses on behalf of the President.

Speaking during the reception ceremony, the Vice President received the champions, describing their victory as a shining example of the nation’s talent, resilience, and unity.

“You have brought great pride to Nigeria. Your excellence on the court has once again put our nation on the global map for sporting greatness”, Shettima told the team.

The team clinched their fifth consecutive AfroBasket title—and seventh overall—by defeating Mali 78–64 in the final played at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

The remarkable win reaffirmed their dominance in African women’s basketball and continued an unbroken winning streak that began in 2017.

Monday’s ceremony drew top government officials, including the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Youths and Sports Development, Senator Garba Maidoki; and Chairman of the House Committee on Sports, Hon. Kabiru Amadou.

The recognition of D’Tigress follows a similar state reception President Tinubu hosted last week for the Super Falcons, after their record-extending tenth Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) victory in Rabat, Morocco.

 

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