News
Experts Introduce Digital Platform TO Strengthen Peacebuilding
As part of efforts to strengthen responses to the nation’s growing security challenges, stakeholders in Nigeria’s peacebuilding and advocacy sector on Wednesday launched a new digital platform designed to document and track peace initiatives across the country.
Conflict Research Network West Africa (CORN-West Africa)
Conflict Research Network West Africa (CORN-West Africa)
The platform, known as the Nigeria Peace Web, was unveiled in Abuja by the Conflict Research Network West Africa (CORN-West Africa) to provide greater visibility for conflict resolution and peacebuilding efforts nationwide.
The initiative aims to systematically document, archive and map peace actions carried out by government institutions, civil society groups, traditional leaders, youth organisations and community actors working to prevent violence and manage tensions.
Speaking at the launch, the Executive Director of CORN-West Africa, Timipere Allison, said the platform was created to address a major gap in Nigeria’s peace and security landscape where violent incidents are widely tracked but peacebuilding efforts remain largely undocumented.
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According to him, while insecurity trends, armed actors and violent incidents are frequently monitored by national and international systems, the same level of attention has not been given to initiatives aimed at preventing conflicts.
“All across Nigeria, community mediators, faith leaders, women’s networks, youth groups, traditional authorities and state peace agencies work daily to prevent violence and manage tensions. However, much of this work remains undocumented and disconnected,” Allison said.
He explained that the Nigeria Peace Web was developed to bridge that gap by providing an open-source digital platform where data on peace actors, initiatives and events can be aggregated and analysed.
Allison said the platform would help stakeholders identify who is working on peacebuilding in specific locations, improve coordination among actors and reduce duplication of efforts.
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“It helps us see who is doing what, where and with whom, so that we can coordinate better and build on what already works,” he said.
He noted that the launch of the platform also marked the beginning of a broader conversation on how stakeholders across government, donor agencies, research institutions and civil society organisations can use the tool to strengthen peacebuilding practice in Nigeria.
According to him, the long-term success of the initiative will depend on sustained engagement from stakeholders who must contribute data, support verification processes and integrate the platform into their programmes.
Also speaking at the event, a panelist and lecturer in the Department of Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution at the National Open University of Nigeria, Temitope Olowolafe, described the platform as a knowledge management resource that provides a unified source of information on peacebuilding activities across Nigeria.
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Olowolafe noted that unlike existing conflict trackers that focus mainly on violent incidents such as kidnappings, attacks and fatalities, the new platform focuses on documenting efforts aimed at preventing violence and promoting peace.
According to her, the tool will also serve as a learning hub where researchers, policymakers, journalists and civil society organisations can access information on peacebuilding practices and replicate successful interventions.
She stressed the need for stronger community participation in governance and peacebuilding, noting that local communities must be empowered to play a more active role in managing their own affairs.
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Olowolafe argued further that strengthening local governance and community self-administration could help address many of Nigeria’s security challenges.
“It’s important that we start focusing on what is positive, focusing on what works, focusing on what we can learn from, because that’s the only way we can actually tackle the myriad of problems,” Olowolafe stressed.
Participants at the launch included representatives of the diplomatic community, policymakers at federal and state levels, civil society organisations, researchers and community-based peacebuilding groups.
News
N5m, N10m Zero-interest Loans: SheVentures Opens Applications For Women Entrepreneurs
First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has opened a new round of applications for its SheVentures proposition, offering zero-interest loans of up to ₦10 million to women entrepreneurs to ease access to working capital and support business growth.
The facility provides loans ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦5 million under a general category, and ₦5 million to ₦10 million for sector-specific businesses, with funding capped at up to 50% of an applicant’s average monthly turnover.
At the centre of the offering is a 0% interest rate, with all charges embedded in a transparent structure.
Repayment is structured over four or six months, allowing businesses to match obligations with their cash flow cycles.
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Yemisi Edun, Managing Director and Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), said the initiative reflects a deliberate approach to inclusive growth.
“Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively.
“Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.
This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs.”
“Access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs,” said Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo, Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB).
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“By removing the cost barrier and offering quick, flexible funding, this zero-interest loan is designed to safeguard existing jobs, enable businesses to invest in growth initiatives, and foster resilience in challenging economic conditions.”
Women-owned businesses account for a significant share of Nigeria’s small and medium-sized enterprises but continue to face high borrowing costs and limited access to credit.
Through these efforts, SheVentures tackles persistent financing gaps facing women-led businesses, combining targeted funding with broader support to empower women entrepreneurs, encourage business innovation, and enhance their ability to compete on a national scale.
Applications for the zero-interest loan are now open.Apply now.
News
Xenophobic Attacks: Oshiomhole Tells FG To Retaliate Against South African Companies In Nigeria
Senator Adams Oshiomhole has called on the Federal Government to retaliate against South African businesses operating in Nigeria following the recent attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.
Speaking during plenary on Tuesday, Oshiomhole said the Federal Government should consider revoking the working license of South African owned companies such as MTN and DSTV.
He argued that Nigeria must respond firmly to what he described as persistent hostility against its citizens.
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“I am not going to shed tears. If you hit me, I hit you. I think it is appropriate in diplomacy. It is an economic struggle,” Oshiomhole said.
He argued that while some South Africans accuse Nigerians of taking their jobs, Nigerians should return home and take over employment opportunities created by major South African companies operating in the country, including MTN and DSTV.
“When we hit back, the President of South Africa will not only talk but will also go on his knees to recognise that Nigeria cannot be intimidated.
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“We will not condone any life being lost. If a crime has been committed under the South African law they have the right to bring any such person to justice, but to kill our people as if we are helpless, we will not allow that,” Oshiomhole added.
DAILY POST reports that several Nigerians in South Africa have reportedly been attacked, and their businesses destroyed, in ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.
News
IGP Orders Officers Display Name Tag On Uniform, Gives Update On State Police
The Inspector General of Police, IGP, Tunji Disu, has ordered all police personnel to always have their name tags on their uniforms for easy identification.
Disu disclosed that only police personnel who are undercover are exempted from displaying their name tags.
Speaking on Tuesday, Disu said: “All police officers should have their name tags. All of us on the high table have our names apart from the undercover among us so if you look at all the Commissioners of Police we have our name tags, so it’s not our standard.
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“All the Commissioners of Police are here and that is why we called this meeting, we have list of things like this that we will want to discuss with the Commissioners of Police, we have told them earlier and we will still let them know that every that happens within their area of jurisdiction falls under their control.”
On the issue of state police, the IGP said: “Since we got the signal that the Federal Government of Nigeria intend to establish State Police and since we are the federal police, we decided to take the bull by the horn and put down our own side of what we believe on how the state police should be run.
“A lot of things were taken into consideration, a lot of comparative analysis was done and it has been transmitted to the National Assembly.”
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