Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, hosted another enlightening edition of the UBA Business Series, bringing together some of Africa’s most dynamic digital entrepreneurs and influencers to discuss the secrets behind building impactful online communities.

This edition of the Business Series, which had the theme, “Content that Converts: Building Influence and Driving Growth Through Strategic Marketing,” was held at the Tony Elumelu Amphitheatre in UBA Head Office, Marina, Lagos on Thursday.

The very engaging session, shed light on how authenticity, consistency, and passion remain true cornerstones of success in the ever-evolving digital landscape, while the content creators shared first-hand experiences from their journeys across diverse industries and markets.

UBA’s Group Head, Digital Banking, Kayode Olubiyi, who welcomed participants and the panellists to the session, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to empowering entrepreneurs across Africa through knowledge-sharing and capacity-building initiatives such as the Business Series.

He emphasised that the quarterly event continues to serve as vital avenues for supporting innovation and entrepreneurship, equipping individuals with practical insights to grow their brands and businesses in a competitive digital economy.

In his keynote address, the Managing Director/CEO at Nitro 121, Dr. Lampe Omoyele, who said that “You can create something out of what appears to be nothing,” gave insight on key trends to develop content that creates Impact.

He noted that content creation should go beyond aesthetics or trends to focus on value, purpose, and agility as he pointed out that creators who aim to make a difference must develop a clear personal brand identity and remain consistent in delivering messages that resonate with their audience.

The panel session featured an impressive line-up of digital entrepreneurs and content creators, including Digital Creator and Actor, Elozonam Ogbolu; Digital Health Educator, Chinonso Egemba (Aproko Doctor); Kenyan Actress and Media Entrepreneur, Catherine Kamau; Content Creator, Nasiru Lawal (Nasboi) and Digital Influencer, Enioluwa Adeoluwa, who was also the moderator of the event.

Growth is very important, says Nasiru Lawal. “For the younger creators here, my best advice is this: please prioritise your growth. As a creator, the moment you become famous, you no longer move at your own pace; you move at the people’s pace. It is therefore important to ensure you grow consistently and then overtime, the recognition and the money begins to roll in.”

Elozonam Ogbolu who agreed with Lawal, had this to say: “Content creators have to engage their audience with proper storytelling, because brands are always out to carefully choose their creators. For the brands, you must pick your influencer or ambassador very deliberately and work together over time to grow. That is when you will see a proper return on investment.

In his submission, Chinonso Egemba, said, “If you’re building a business or doing content creation, treat content creation as a business. When you treat it as a business, it needs proper structure. Otherwise, it won’t last. If you don’t put structure in place, you’ll end up responsible for everything, and that leads to burnout. You have to build structure, because if you want longevity, structure is very essential.

For Catherine Kamau, it is important for content creators to find a balance and stay close to their community. “What I realized is I have a community that keeps me grounded, and that’s family. When you get famous, you tend to forget where you come from, you know, social media is an illusion and you start assuming that it is your real family until bad things happen to you. So please remember the real people in your life, because fame can get to your head, but those are not the people who are going to have your back when things go south.”

The creators while sharing their diverse experiences, they collectively emphasized that building a personal brand should take precedence over chasing financial gain. They also underscored the importance of originality, urging young creators to find their unique niche rather than replicating what others have done.

UBA’s Group Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications, Alero Ladipo, who commended panellists for taking time to share their useful insights at the event, took time to celebrate the UBA Management for organising conversations like this which according to her, ‘remain impactful and will impact not just the individual customers, but also the economies at large.”

United Bank for Africa is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees group wide and serving over 45 million customers globally. Operating in twenty African countries and the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting edge technology.

The Ogun State Police Command on Friday said its operatives had dismantled a notorious human trafficking syndicate operated by Cameroonian nationals who lured and kidnapped victims under the guise of visa processing.

The command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit carried out a raid on the syndicate’s hideout in Mowe, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, arresting two suspects identified as Ndzana Kamga Isidore and Tingue Stephen, while the principal suspect, identified only as Donald, remains at large.

According to preliminary investigations, the victims’ family members in Cameroon had paid a ransom of 3,600,000 CFA into the bank account of the fleeing suspect.

The spokesperson for the state police command, CSP Omolola Odutola, confirmed the development in a statement made available to journalists on Friday.

Odutola explained that “On 4th November 2025, at about 1030hrs, operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Eleweran, intercepted a distress call from a Cameroonian national (Kengne Maeva) who narrated how she had been deceived from Cameroon into Nigeria on 29th September 2025 by one Donald ‘M’, a fellow Cameroonian, who promised to process a Canadian visa for her.”

She added that “Shortly after she arrived at Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, she was received by the supposed ‘agency’ which provided transportation from Lagos to Mowe, Ogun State, where she and her younger sister, aged 23 years, were held hostage.”

According to the police spokesperson, “On 3rd November 2025, the complainant escaped from captivity and alerted the police, disclosing that more victims who fell for the same ploy were being held in a two-bedroom flat in the Pakuro area of Ogun State.”

Following the report, a tactical team from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit stormed the hideout, rescued Kengne Maeva unharmed, and arrested two suspects at the scene. However, the principal suspect is still at large.

The Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, has directed continuous surveillance and monitoring of similar criminal trends across the state.

He also instructed all tactical commanders to work closely with community stakeholders and Community Development Association (CDA) chairmen, especially in remote areas, to immediately report suspicious foreign nationals renting apartments directly to the police.

The command reiterated its commitment to safeguarding lives and property, vowing that criminal elements would not find a safe haven in the state.

In a related case, earlier report had it that Ghanaian police authorities had rescued a 15-year-old Nigerian girl trafficked from Enugu under the pretext of a cleaning job but later forced into prostitution.

One suspect, identified as Joy Ogbonna, was arrested in connection with the case, while the prime suspect remains on the run.

According to police reports, Ogbonna allegedly confined the victim, forced her into prostitution, and collected proceeds from the illicit act.

The incidents highlight the growing challenge of cross-border human trafficking and the urgent need for vigilance and collaboration between communities and law enforcement agencies.

The Nigerian Senate has ordered the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) not to extend the December 31, 2025 deadline for the production of alcohol in sachets.

The resolution followed a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (Cross River South) during Tuesday’s plenary session.

Presenting the motion, Ekpenyong said the directive was in line with global regulatory standards and international best practices aimed at reducing alcohol-related harm among Nigerians.

He recalled that in 2018, the Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), NAFDAC, and industry bodies including the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE) voluntarily signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to gradually phase out sachet and small-bottle alcoholic drinks.

Ekpenyong explained that the Federal Government, upon appeals from manufacturers, had already granted a one-year moratorium in 2024 to enable producers to exhaust existing stock and transition to compliant packaging alternatives.

However, the lawmaker expressed concern that some manufacturers were lobbying for another extension, which he said would undermine regulatory authority, endanger public health, and perpetuate the circulation of harmful alcoholic products in the market.

“As the December 2025 deadline approaches, certain manufacturers are lobbying for another extension, thereby undermining the regulatory process and jeopardizing public health,” Ekpenyong said.

“We cannot continue to expose our youths to cheap, easily accessible alcohol that destroys lives and endangers public safety.”

He warned that the continued availability of high-strength alcoholic beverages in sachet form has contributed to addiction, impaired cognitive development, school dropouts, domestic violence, and increased road accidents, particularly among commercial drivers and young people.

Ekpenyong further noted that manufacturers who had complied in good faith were now at a disadvantage against those who continued to produce non-compliant products, creating an uneven market.

Following extensive deliberation, lawmakers who contributed to the motion commended Ekpenyong for raising the issue, stressing the need for stricter enforcement and public sensitization.

Senator Anthony Ani (Ebonyi South) backed the call, describing the easy availability of cheap alcohol as a growing social menace.

“The easy availability of cheap alcohol is fueling social vices. We must act now to save our young generation from self-destruction,” he said.

In his ruling, Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the resolution as a timely step toward safeguarding public health and youth welfare.

He urged NAFDAC to ensure full enforcement of the ban by December 2025, warning that any further extension would undermine Nigeria’s anti-substance abuse efforts.

“This is a matter of urgency,” Akpabio said. “The agency must act decisively to protect Nigerians, especially our young people, from the dangers of unregulated alcohol consumption.”