Janefrances Chibuzor, THEWILL

The initiative will provide a platform for women in business to share experiences, explore opportunities and build connections across entrepreneurship, investment, tourism and other sectors.

The Katsina State Government has launched the UK Government-funded Scaling Access and Learning in Education (SCALE) programme to strengthen foundational reading and mathematics skills among children in the state.

The South-East Zonal Council of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) has set a six-month target to develop a unified tourism circuit linking Enugu, Anambra, Abia, and Imo states.

The United Kingdom has awarded 68 Nigerians Chevening and Commonwealth scholarships to pursue master’s and PhD programmes in various fields in the UK in 2026.

The agreement followed a strategic meeting between the leadership of both organisations in Abuja on Wednesday, where they reaffirmed their commitment to closer collaboration and the professionalisation of Nigeria’s tourism, hospitality and travel sectors.

The hub, inaugurated on September 2, is one of 10 community-centred connectivity hubs supported by the UK Government through its Digital Access Programme. The Initiative for Digital Inclusion (IDI) is implementing the project.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)-licenced microfinance bank said millions of Nigerians now use its platform for services including loans, savings, money transfers, bill payments, cards and asset financing.

The airline is also increasing its Lagos operation to 21 weekly flights, while Kano will now have 11 weekly flights. The expansion means Ethiopian Airlines will serve five Nigerian cities — Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Enugu and Port Harcourt.

The seasoned diplomat has taken up his new role as His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Africa, returning to a region he knows from his previous assignment as the Deputy Trade Commissioner between 2019 and 2022.

Badaki, who spoke at the inauguration of the council in Enugu on Sunday, said the South-East had a major role to play in repositioning Nigeria’s tourism industry, urging the new leadership to prioritise collaboration, visibility and effective engagement with government and other stakeholders.