The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has assured the public that it will continue with the alleged N70 billion corruption case against the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, during his tenure as the Governor of Zamfara State from 2019 to 2023.

The EFCC’s Acting Director of Public Affairs, Wilson Uwajuren, stated this while addressing protesters under the aegis of the APC Akida Forum who were at the Commission’s Headquarters in Abuja on Friday, to demand the reopening of the pending case.

Uwajuren told the protesters that once the EFCC opened an investigation, it would not be closed, and assured them that their demand would be looked into.

“I want to commend members of the APC Akida Forum for this peaceful protest. It is within your rights to protest. The Constitution guarantees the right of free expression and you have done that today. I want to assure you all that the EFCC does not close cases. Once we open an investigation into a case, we do not close such a matter. So I assure you that this petition will be looked into. Thank you very much,” he said.

Presenting a copy of their petition to the EFCC, Chairman of the group, Musa Mahmud, asked the Commission to reopen the investigation into the corruption allegations against Matawalle.

He said the call came amidst growing concerns about corruption in Nigeria and the bold steps taken by the APC administration regarding government officials suspected of embezzlement, including former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, among others.

Mahmud further urged the EFCC to investigate the $2.1 billion arms deal, which included Matawalle among the dishonourable Nigerians and companies that benefited from the former National Security Adviser’s NSA scandal.

“The APC AKIDA Forum is appealing to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to continue investigating Matawalle’s alleged mismanagement of public funds during his tenure as Governor of Zamfara State and his involvement in the famous arms deal scandal.

“As party loyalists, we want the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to investigate the matter and bring justice to those responsible for the mismanagement of public funds. This will serve as a deterrent to others considering engaging in corrupt practices in public office, especially considering what happened to the humanitarian minister.

The APC Akida Forum, as a political pressure group, commends the Federal Government for making bold decisions against corruption,” he added.

On May 18, 2023, the EFCC announced that it was investigating allegations of extensive corruption, fraudulent contract awards, and the misappropriation of more than N70bn by Matawalle.

Meanwhile, members of the Zamfara Alternative Forum had staged a similar protest at the EFCC headquarters in January, asking the commission to revisit the probe of the former governor.

Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA), held the second edition of its expanded Graduate Management Acceleration Programme (GMAP) class of 2024, where 398 young Africans were inducted into the UBA Tribe after a rigorous six-month hands-on-work and learning experience.

The event, which was held in a grand ceremony in Eko Hotel, Lagos on Thursday, was graced by esteemed guests, the UBA management, faculty members, mentors, and the graduating class.

The graduands are from six African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroun, Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia.

Addressing the gathering, UBA’s Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu, who congratulated all the graduates, expressed profound pride and admiration for their success having completed the intense capacity-building programme, combining learning with on-the-job training experience, garnered while rotating across several departments and units in the bank.

Elumelu took time to highlight the bank’s passion for youth empowerment in Africa, while bridging the unemployment gap, which according to him, remains one of the greatest challenges of the continent.

“For me these young UBA Graduates are a testament to who we are: a truly pan-African Group, that invests in African talent.This milestone is more than just numbers. It signifies UBA’s commitment to youth empowerment. Unemployment is the greatest challenge we face – a tragic and cruel betrayal of a generation. We know governments alone cannot create all the jobs we need – so it is up to us, the African private sector, to partner our government in improving lives and livelihoods. This is Africapitalism, and it is gratifying to see UBA play its part. UBA is dedicated to creating a positive impact, through the GMAP programme UBA is creating employment, boosting economic growth, and transforming lives across Africa,” Group Chairman said.

Continuing, he said, “At UBA, identifying these young ones, bringing them to the centre, training them, equipping them for the future and the task ahead, not just for a career in UBA, but wherever they end up remains our passion, because this is how we play our role as a Pan-African bank, in helping to empower the next generation, which is the African youth. We are helping to create employment and this for us is our driving force.”

Earlier in his speech, UBA’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Alawuba, commended the graduating class for their unwavering commitment and emphasized the program’s role in cultivating the next generation of UBA leaders.

“Your dedication, resilience, and unwavering commitment have been nothing short of inspiring. Each of you has demonstrated the qualities of a true UBA ambassador, and today, we celebrate not just your achievements but also the collective strength of our UBA family.

While recognizing the invaluable support extended by families and friends, the GMD said, “Let us take a moment to express our deepest appreciation for their steadfast support as the invaluable support of your families and friends throughout this journey. Their love, encouragement, and understanding have undoubtedly played a pivotal role in your success.”

UBA’s Group Head, Human Resources, Modupe Akindele, said the bank remains committed to nurturing talent and leadership within the organisation. She noted that the GMAP programme, which marked its second graduation will be a continuous initiative, as it culminates an intensive journey towards leadership excellence.

“Already, the programme has graduated over 1,100 graduates, that is about 700 in 2023 and now we have 398 graduates. The fact remains that at UBA, we believe in equal opportunity for all, regardless of age, tribe, gender, or background; and so, we will continue to pursue our dream to nurture these young ones to their full potential,” she added.

United Bank for Africa Plc is a leading Pan-African financial institution, offering banking services to more than twenty-five million customers, across over 1,000 business offices and customer touch points, in 20 African countries and across 4 continents.

With presence in the United States of America, the United Kingdom and France and more recently the United Arab Emirates, UBA is connecting people and businesses across Africa through retail; commercial and corporate banking; innovative cross-border payments and remittances; trade finance and ancillary banking services.

Transnational Corporation Plc (“Transcorp” or the “Group”), Nigeria’s leading, listed conglomerate with investment in the Power, Hospitality, and Energy sectors, has announced impressive Q1 financial results for the period ended March 31, 2024.

In its Q1 2024 unaudited results, Transcorp reported significant year-on-year growth, with revenue rising to N88.6 billion from N32.4 billion in 2023, representing a 173% increase.

The impressive results are largely driven by a remarkable 209% year-on-year revenue growth within the power business, highlighting significant strategic progress as part of Transcorp Group’s implementation of its integrated power strategy.

The hospitality business recorded a 68% year-on-year growth in revenue, driven by an increase in occupancy rate from 75% to 82% compared to the previous year.

The results show substantial growth across all financial indicators, reinforcing its market leadership and strategic positioning.

Highlight of Transcorp Group Results:

• Q1 2024 Revenue was N88.6 billion, a significant increase of 173%, compared to Q1 2023.
• Operating income increased by 479%, from N8.5 billion in Q1 2023 to N49.1 billion in Q1 2024.
• Operating expenses saw an increase of 40% year on year to N8.2 billion in Q1 2024, reflecting the impact of inflation and cost of operations.
• Net finance cost increased by 14% to N3.7 billion in 2024 from N3.2 billion in 2023 due to a slightly higher interest rate review in line with MPR.
• Profit before tax from ordinary business of the Group  surged by 1110%, amounting to N34.7 billion in Q1 2024, compared to N2.9 billion in Q1 2023 in the same period last year.
• Profit before tax inclusive of extra ordinary income was N45.7 billion in 2024 compared to N2.9 billion in 2023.
• The Group recorded extra ordinary income of N11 billion during the period from the realised gain from the sale of shares.
• Profit after Tax including the extra ordinary income improved 1832% year-on-year to N35.9 billion in Q1 2024, compared to N1.9 billion in Q1 2023 in the same period last year.
• Earnings per share of the Group was N61.12k in Q1 2024, compared to N2.58k in Q1 2023.
• On the balance sheet, total assets grew by 8.3%, from N530 billion in December 2023 to N574 billion in Q1 2024 due to the increase in operational activities.
• Shareholders’ funds increased by 20% from N187billion in December 2023 to N224 billion at the end of Q1 2024 due to profit accreted to retained earnings.

In response to the results, Dr. Owen D. Omogiafo, President/Group Chief Executive Officer of Transcorp, commented, “Our Q1 2024 results demonstrates Transcorp Group’s resilience and commitment to excellence. Despite the challenges, we achieved growth across all major indices, focusing on operational efficiency at both our power plants, and maximising opportunities within our hospitality business, showing our ability to adapt and succeed in changing markets. We will continue to deliver sustainable growth, operational efficiency, and value for our shareholders.”

This robust achievement is a further demonstration of the Group’s strategic focus and effective execution. Transcorp is dedicated to its transformation agenda, emphasising sustained growth and a relentless pursuit of long-term value for shareholders.