Author: Prima News

Angola is not a market that often comes up in African venture capital conversations. It does not appear in the funding trackers or the ecosystem rankings, nor is it typically represented on the conference panels. BFA Asset Management is trying to change that.  The Luanda-based firm, a spin-off from Banco de Fomento Angola (BFA)—the country’s second-largest private bank by assets—manages $600 million across public and private markets. Last year, BFA’s parent completed a $239 million IPO on the local stock exchange, the largest in Angolan history, drawing demand five times the shares available. In 2024, Angola’s sovereign wealth fund, FSDEA,…

Zenith Bank and Ford Foundation has honoured 19 Nigerian Women with Inaugural ‘Woman of Power’ Award.   NewsOnline Nigeria reports that Zenith Bank Plc, in partnership with the Ford Foundation, has honoured 19 outstanding Nigerian women with the inaugural Woman of Power Award in recognition of their resilience, leadership, and impact within their communities.   The awards ceremony, held on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at The Civic Centre in Lagos, marked the grand finale of Zenith Bank’s month-long activities commemorating Women’s Month. Earlier in the month, the bank had hosted an International Women’s Day seminar at the same venue.  …

Nigeria’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are facing a widening financing gap estimated at ₦48 trillion, a shortfall that continues to constrain business expansion, limit job creation and weaken overall economic growth. According to data, access to affordable credit remains a major challenge for SMEs despite their critical role in the economy. The sector accounts for a significant share of employment and contributes meaningfully to national output, yet many businesses remain locked out of formal financing. The funding gap reflects a persistent mismatch between the capital required by SMEs and what is available through the banking system. As a result,…

In the Nigeria Premier Football League, where passion fuels the spectacle, discipline remains the thin line between order and chaos. On 28, March, at the iconic Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, that line was reportedly crossed. Now, Bendel Insurance are to pay the price. A match overshadowed by disorder What should have been a routine Matchday 32 fixture against Plateau United has instead become a case study in how quickly control can slip. According to the NPFL Framework and Rules, Bendel Insurance failed in one of the league’s most fundamental requirements; security. The club did not provide adequate and effective matchday security,…

By Evelyn Usman For the Nigerian Army, March 2026 was a test of courage and resilience. One moment, troops celebrated Eid-el-Fitr with residents of Ngoshe, Borno State, after securing a Forward Operating Base. The next, they retrieved fallen comrades from Goniri, Yobe State, and Malam Fatori, Borno State, standing firm against relentless attacks.Nigeria’s war against terror has moved beyond bullets and bombs. It now spans fighter jets over Maiduguri, intelligence partnerships in Cairo, Egypt; training exchanges in Pretoria, South Africa; royal collaboration in Benue; and the quiet bravery of soldiers ensuring millions sleep in peace.This is the story of a…

Calvin Bassey Fulham defender Calvin Bassey is expected to return to action on April 11 after missing Nigeria’s March international friendlies due to a back injury. Bassey was originally named in Nigeria’s squad for matches against Iran and Jordan but pulled out shortly before the games. His withdrawal raised concerns, especially as he had just played the full 90 minutes in Fulham’s 3–1 Premier League win over Burnley before the international break. However, medical checks later confirmed that the injury is not serious. The defender is now set to resume full training in early April and could return to competitive…

Further attacks have been reported across the Middle East as the war enters a second month, with two more Indonesian peacekeepers killed in Southern Lebanon on Monday, following the death of a fellow ‘blue helmet’ a day earlier. On the diplomatic front, the UN has announced a taskforce to restore the flow of fertilizer and aid through the Strait of Hormuz, while the UN’s atomic watchdog confirms an attack on a heavy water facility at Khondab in Iran. Stay with us for live updates on this and UN agencies. App users can follow coverage here. Source link

To stay competitive, many small businesses need advanced wireless communication networks, not only to communicate but also to leverage technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and robotics. Often, however, the businesses lack the technical expertise needed to install, configure, and maintain the systems.Bhaskara Rallabandi, who spent more than two decades working for major telecom companies, decided to use his expertise to help small businesses. Rallabandi, an IEEE senior member, is an expert certified by the International Council on Systems Engineering. Invences CofounderBhaskara RallabandiFounded2023HeadquartersFrisco, TexasEmployees100In 2023 he helped found Invences, a telecommunications automation company headquartered in Frisco, Texas.Invences…

WAEC has released 2026 WASSCE Timetable.   NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, has released the timetable for the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE, for school candidates.   This Nigeria news platform understands that the timetable was published on WAEC’s X page on Monday.     According to the timetable, the examination will commence Tuesday, April 21, 2026, and end on Friday, June 19, 2026.   The examination will begin with Foods and Nutrition 3 (Practical) Planning Session and Home Management 3 (Practical) Planning Session.   See timetable below: Source link

Nigeria is targeting the connection of 5.2 million people to electricity by June 2026 under a $750 million renewable energy programme backed by the World Bank. The initiative is being implemented under the Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) programme, which focuses on increasing electricity supply to households and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises through private sector-led systems. According to recent project updates published by the World Bank, implementation is progressing, with early results already recorded across several indicators tied to electricity access and renewable energy deployment. The programme has so far provided electricity access to more than 3.6…