In a strategic move to deepen cross border capital market integration, the NGX Chairman and founder & CEO of Petralon Energy, Ahonsi Unuigbe, recently concluded a working visit to the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) last week.
During high-level discussions, Ahonsi joined Hamed Ahmed Ali, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Financial Market (DFM), and Joel Tilly, AVP of Business Development for Africa, to explore opportunities for strengthening the existing MOU between NGX and NASDAQ Dubai, with a special focus on supporting Nigerian corporates that are evaluating dual-listing structures.
Since 2000, Dubai has undergone a remarkable transformation in the capital market, achieving over $1 trillion in combined market capitalisation by adopting a holistic approach that extends well beyond traditional exchange functions.
Through disciplined, commercial execution, the focus has shifted from merely facilitating IPOs to actively driving post-listing company performance and creating sustainable value across the entire corporate lifecycle. This has resulted in a sophisticated investment ecosystem where capital supply far exceeds quality deal flow.
Speaking on the opportunities ahead, Ahonsi noted; “The UAE presents a compelling case for African corporates, especially in the energy sector, with its advanced regulatory frameworks, deep capital markets, and strong sector expertise. At NGX, we are committed to leveraging these cross-border synergies to drive real value for both markets.”
DFM’s strategic vision of building institutional capacity across regions aligns with NGX’s ambition to position Nigerian companies on the global stage. By providing increased access to capital, the collaboration aims to support indigenous companies in scaling operations, improving governance, and enhancing investor confidence.
Ahonsi also added, “By bridging the information and access gap between Nigerian enterprises and international markets, we are laying the foundation for a stronger economic growth, investor participation, and long-term value creation”.
While there was enthusiasm about the potential opportunities for value creation, the parties also acknowledged the need for significant improvement in UAE-Nigeria bilateral relations. Strengthening these relations is seen as a critical enabler to fully realize the opportunities by reducing barriers that currently hinder seamless collaboration and integration between the two countries.
This engagement underscores NGX’s commitment to forging meaningful global partnerships that elevate the visibility and competitiveness of African markets in the global financial landscape.
…Seeks Doctors to Boost Healthcare Across State Hospitals
#KwaraRising
The Kwara State Hospitals Management Board has announced vacancies for qualified medical officers as part of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s healthcare expansion initiative. The recruitment aims to strengthen medical services in general and cottage hospitals statewide.
Eligible candidates must possess an MBBS/MBChB degree from accredited institutions, valid Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) registration, and NYSC completion certificate. Applicants should demonstrate clinical competence and readiness for deployment across Kwara’s healthcare facilities.
Interested doctors are required to submit their CVs, credentials, MDCN license, and NYSC documents either physically at the KW-HMB office on Fate Road, Ilorin or via WhatsApp to +2348057833718 before August 1, 2025.
“The recruitment reflects our commitment to improving healthcare accessibility for all residents,” stated the Board’s Executive Secretary. Successful candidates will join Kwara’s growing network of public health professionals delivering essential services.
…Team receives grand welcome in Ilorin after winning 2025 President Federation Cup and National Youth League
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Monday hosted Kwara United Football Club following their historic win of the 2025 President Federation Cup — the first time the state has claimed the title. The Governor also celebrated the club’s U-19 team, who won the inaugural National Youth League.
To mark the achievements, each senior team player was awarded five million naira and a plot of land at the Kwara Smart City. The Governor described the victory as a proud moment for the state and praised the players and management for their discipline and hard work.
Kwara United secured the President Federation Cup after a dramatic penalty shootout win over Abakaliki FC, following a goalless 90-minute final. The win is the club’s first in the competition, which predates the national football league and is widely regarded as Nigeria’s most prestigious domestic trophy.
The team’s return to Ilorin on Monday was met with widespread celebration. Residents lined the streets to welcome the players, who arrived in a long motorcade from Eiyenkorin to the Banquet Hall in Government Reserved Area, where the reception was held.
Speaking at the reception, Governor AbdulRazaq hailed the significance of the win, describing the Federation Cup as the biggest trophy in Nigerian football. “It is bigger than the League Cup. This has been in existence even before the League was formed. The trophy is in Kwara today. I must congratulate everybody who has made it happen,” he said.
He recalled the state of the club in 2019 when his administration took over. “Everything was down. We were owing players a lot of money, but today the story has changed,” the Governor said.
He dedicated the victory to the late Alhaji Yusuf Salami, who he said had invested his personal resources to bring success to the club but never lived to witness it. “May Allah grant him Alijanna Fridaous,” he added.
The event was attended by key dignitaries including Chairman of the House of Assembly Committee on Sports Hon. Rukayat Shittu, Hon. Yusuf Abdulwaheed Gbenga of Shawo/Essa Constituency, Deputy Chief of Staff Princess Olubukola Babalola, Chairman of the State Sports Commission Coach Bola Magaji, Kwara United Chairman Kumbi Titiloye, State FA Chairman Malam Abdullahi Musa Thuraya, Head Coach Tunde Sanni, and APC chieftain Alhaji Yahya Seriki, among others.
In their remarks, Coach Magaji and Kumbi Titiloye thanked Governor AbdulRazaq for his strong support, noting that the administration’s commitment to the club laid the foundation for this historic success.
… Team Secures Continental Ticket After 49-Year Wait
#KwaraRising
Kwara State erupted in celebration as Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq announced a N5 million cash reward and plot of land for each Kwara United FC player following their dramatic President Federation Cup victory. The unprecedented package came as the team returned to Ilorin on Monday with Nigeria’s oldest football trophy, ending the state’s 49-year wait for glory since Alyufsalam Rocks’ 1976 final appearance.
Thousands lined the streets to welcome the champions during a victory parade culminating at the Banquet Hall GRA, where the Governor honored the squad that edged Abakaliki FC 4-3 on penalties after a tense goalless final in Lagos. Goalkeeper Suraju Aiyeleso’s heroic saves and stellar performances from Afeez Nosiru, Wasiu Alalade, Isa Gatta, and Wasiu Jimoh throughout the tournament proved decisive.
“This reward reflects the magnitude of your achievement in putting Kwara on Nigeria’s football map,” Governor AbdulRahman stated during the reception. The victory secures Kwara United’s debut in the 2025/26 CAF Confederation Cup, marking their first continental campaign.
Coach Tunde Sanni described the win as “a dream realized,” while players dedicated the triumph to loyal fans who supported them through years of near-misses. The celebrations signal renewed hope for Kwara football, with the “Afonja Warriors” now shifting focus to preparing for African competition.
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is a man of many firsts. Before public office, he established First Fuels Limited and NOPA Oil Services, becoming the first indigenous company to import crude oil and petroleum products into Nigeria. That groundbreaking feat was achieved at a relatively younger age.
After making a success of the private sector, AbdulRazaq ran consistently and progressively for public office, with the story ending up in another first. He emerged the first gubernatorial candidate to defeat the then-reigning dynasty in 2019, ushering in a new era in Kwara State.
Since being at the helm of affairs, Governor AbdulRazaq has gone on to achieve many firsts on the governance front. He has created the enabling environment for glittering records to be broken by the state, repositioning Kwara as a shining model of a first-generation state.
The victory of Kwara United Football Club at the recently concluded 2025 Federation Cup is the latest addition to the long list of firsts recorded under Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. The win has been widely celebrated by sons and daughters of the state because it is both historic and symbolic. Since the creation of Kwara State in 1967, no football club from the state has won the federation cup. The team officially will be representing Nigeria in the 2025/2026 CAF Confederation Cup.
As evident by his morale-boosting attendance in the stand yesterday, it is instructive to note that the recent win was not by happenstance, it is a reward for deliberate investments, intentional strategies, and quality attention paid to the sports sector by the sports-loving Governor AbdulRazaq. His attitude and approach to other sectors is similar, and there have also been fruitful results to show for it.
Just a day to the Kwara United historic win, Kwara students who represented the state at the 26th edition of the presidential debate (senior category) in Abeokuta, Ogun State, bested their peers nationwide to emerge winner of the coveted contest. Like the Federation Cup, that was also the first time Kwara students would be leading the senior category of the presidential debate. However, their juniors in the basic category have brought the trophy home three times in a row. They won the three in succession for the first time under Governor AbdulRazaq.
With his transformative policies and programmes in the education sector, especially the tech-based KwaraLEARN, Governor AbdulRazaq is actively supporting younger ones in Kwara State with facilities that give them a head start in school and life.
AbdulRazaq also cracked the glass ceiling. He appointed a 56.25% female majority cabinet, a first not only in Nigeria but also in West Africa. Under this category, he appointed the first female commissioner for finance in the history of the state. He also appointed the first female Chairman for the State Internal Revenue Service. And many others. Women now feel so empowered in the state, and are encouraged to aspire to anything they wish in life.
It is also on record that AbdulRazaq is the first Governor to implement the minimum wage twice in office. Before his coming, the implementation of minimum wage across cadres for civil servants is believed by many to be usually delayed and chaotic. In contrast, Kwara was one of the top 10 states to implement the last minimum wage in Nigeria.
AbdulRazaq is also the first Kwara Governor to construct two flyovers, the state-of-the-art infrastructure that have made bold additions to the artery and aesthetics of the state capital.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq also created KWASSIP, an innovative strategy to reduce poverty, empower the citizens financially, and promote social security. KWASSIP is Kwara’s first ever institutionalised social protection scheme—and it was equally dubbed the largest to be owned by a subnational government—with young, old, indigent, enterprising Kwarans benefitting hugely from it since establishment.
AbdulRazaq is the first governor to take budget preparation session outside of the traditional bureaucratic offices. In 2021, Kwara State Government began to host townhall meetings across the three senatorial districts with diverse stakeholders to gather imput and feedback from the citizens to make the budget process more inclusive and ensure it addresses the needs of the communities.
Access to information and awareness are key ingredients to fostering unity and strengthening democracy. The first radio, private or public, in Kwara North was also created by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. This helps to bridge the information gap between the government and the people in the hinterlands.
According to the Global Startup Ecosystem Index Report 2025 by @StartupBlink, Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, debuted in the world’s most comprehensive start-up ecosystem map for the first time ever this year. Right under AbdulRazaq, Kwara waltzed into 6th in Nigeria, and featured 885th in the global top 1000 ranking. Some development observers and temperate analysts have likened the transformation to one of the wonders of democracy for a state widely renowned as a conservative, traditional civil servant economy barely six years ago.
The haul of laurels for Kwara under Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq can only swell as he goes on to complete his term. But six years in, he is being the leader of many firsts in building sustainable growth and development.
•Abdullateef is the Senior Special Assistant on Communication to Kwara Governor
…Kwara United wins 2025 President Federation Cup, students top President’s School Debate in Abuja
#KwaraRising
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has celebrated what he described as a proud and historic weekend for the state, following two major national victories in football and education.
Kwara United Football Club emerged champions of the 2025 President Federation Cup after defeating Abakaliki FC on penalties at the Mobolaji Johnson Stadium in Lagos, the first time any team from Kwara has won the title since the state’s creation in 1967. On the same day, a team of secondary school students from Kwara won the Senior Category of the President School Debate Competition held in Abuja.
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In a statement issued on Saturday evening, Governor AbdulRazaq said both victories reflect the result of sustained investment and focus on youth development, sports, and education in the state.
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“I’m overwhelmed with joy as I joined the Harmony Boys of Kwara United this evening to bring home the 2025 President Federation Cup, the first time any team from our state has ever won the prestigious trophy since Kwara was created in 1967,” the Governor said.
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He praised the players, coaching crew, management of Kwara United, the State Sports Commission, and the supporters’ club, describing their performance as “a remarkable feat” powered by teamwork, discipline, and determination.
Governor AbdulRazaq also commended the state’s debate team, noting their consistent performance in the national competition. “For three unbroken editions, our pupils under the State Universal Basic Education have remained the national champions in the President School Debate Competition. I commend the Kwara contingents that have made us proud.”
He said the double victories were not accidental, but “deserving fruits of hard work and strategic investments” in key areas that directly impact young people and the future of the state.
“These achievements are proof that Kwara is on a steady rise. They show that our successes are not one-offs, but part of a larger, deliberate effort to place the state on the national and global stage for the right reasons,” he said.
The Governor congratulated all Kwarans at home and abroad, and reaffirmed his commitment to maintaining the momentum in delivering positive results across various sectors.
…Governors AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Flow 92.7 fm Chairman, Araba Femi Sanni, other dignitaries Join Fans at Thrilling Federation Cup Finals
The Mobolaji Johnson Sports Arena in Lagos was the stage for two dramatic Federation Cup finals, bringing an end to the 2025 edition of the national knockout tournament. After a gruelling series of matches since February, four clubs Kwara United, Abakaliki FC, Nasarawa Amazons, and Rivers Angels emerged to contest the men’s and women’s titles.
In the men’s final, Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) side Kwara United secured their first-ever major honour, edging past a spirited Abakaliki FC side in a tense affair. Despite both teams creating chances, poor finishing defined the match, with neither able to take full control in regular time. Kwara United eventually found the breakthrough, sealing a historic moment they have long waited for.
Abakaliki FC, who will compete in Nigeria’s third-tier league next season, had captured the hearts of fans after eliminating several big-name clubs via penalty shootouts en route to the final. But the Cinderella story fell just short at the final hurdle, as their shootout luck ran out when it mattered most.
In the women’s final, Rivers Angels held off a determined Nasarawa Amazons side to retain the title they won last year. It was a contest full of grit and experience, with Rivers showing once again why they are a force in women’s football. Nasarawa, without key players Rachael Unachukwu and Sikiratu Isah due to national duty, gave a solid performance but couldn’t break through the Rivers defence.
Among the dignitaries that saw the games were several dignitaries including the Governor of Lagos State. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Kwara state Governor Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, There was Senator Sadiq Suleiman Umar representing Kwara North alongside Flow 92.7 fm Chairman, Araba Femi Sanni.
There were also Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the National Sports Commission, the former Deputy Governor of Nassarawa state who is currently the Director General of the National Directorate of Employment, Silas Ali Agara,
With both finals now concluded, this year’s Federation Cup delivered memorable moments, new champions, and further proof that Nigerian football continues to rise at all levels.
…Mobile Courts to Sanction Offenders at Major Markets
#KwaraRising
Kwara State has announced immediate enforcement of environmental laws through mobile courts, with Ilorin Central Market (Oja Oba) as the first implementation site. Environment Commissioner Hajia Nafisat Musa Buge issued the stern warning during a ministry meeting in Ilorin, signaling an end to leniency for environmental offenders.
The commissioner revealed a multi-agency enforcement strategy involving Environmental Health Officers and security personnel. “Violators dumping refuse illegally or trading on walkways and road medians will face magistrates at mobile courts,” Buge stated. “Those unable to pay fines will serve correctional time with their wares confiscated.”
The crackdown coincides with flood alerts from NiMET and NEMA, prompting the commissioner to caution residents against blocking waterways. She urged property owners to regularize documents with Kwara State.
On the Passing of Chief Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo
I join countless Nigerians in mourning the loss of Chief Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo — former Governor of Kwara State, Senator, Minister of Communications, and one of the towering figures in Nigeria’s democratic journey.
Chief Adebayo was not only a national icon but also a personal mentor who introduced me to politics. It was under his guidance that I learned the true meaning of politics rooted in ideology, principle, and service. Through him, I came to understand that public life is not about expediency, but about values and unwavering integrity.
During our time in exile in Canada, he led the NADECO group with unmatched discipline and clarity of purpose. Working closely with him was an honour and an education. He was a true “general” in the pro-democracy struggle — calm under pressure, deeply thoughtful, and always guided by reason and restraint.
One vivid memory stands out: the morning General Abacha passed, Chief Adebayo called me and, in his typically cautious and deliberate manner, urged me to verify the news through my contacts before reacting. That moment captured the essence of who he was — a man of wisdom, principle, and sound judgment.
His life was a masterclass in statesmanship. Kwara has lost a great son, and Nigeria a voice of reason, dignity, and moral clarity.
On behalf of myself, Flow FM 92.7, and the many others he mentored and inspired, I extend heartfelt condolences to his family, the good people of Kwara State, and the entire nation.
Chief Adebayo’s legacy will live on in the many lives he touched, and in the values he stood for.
On the Passing of Chief Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo
I join countless Nigerians in mourning the loss of Chief Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo — former Governor of Kwara State, Senator, Minister of Communications, and one of the towering figures in Nigeria’s democratic journey.
Chief Adebayo was not only a national icon but also a personal mentor who introduced me to politics. It was under his guidance that I learned the true meaning of politics rooted in ideology, principle, and service. Through him, I came to understand that public life is not about expediency, but about values and unwavering integrity.
During our time in exile in Canada, he led the NADECO group with unmatched discipline and clarity of purpose. Working closely with him was an honour and an education. He was a true “general” in the pro-democracy struggle — calm under pressure, deeply thoughtful, and always guided by reason and restraint.
One vivid memory stands out: the morning General Abacha passed, Chief Adebayo called me and, in his typically cautious and deliberate manner, urged me to verify the news through my contacts before reacting. That moment captured the essence of who he was — a man of wisdom, principle, and sound judgment.
His life was a masterclass in statesmanship. Kwara has lost a great son, and Nigeria a voice of reason, dignity, and moral clarity.
On behalf of myself, Flow FM 92.7, and the many others he mentored and inspired, I extend heartfelt condolences to his family, the good people of Kwara State, and the entire nation.
Chief Adebayo’s legacy will live on in the many lives he touched, and in the values he stood for.
