Business

African Alliance Insurance Pays N780m to Annuitants

Published

2 years ago

December 3, 2024

OCHEFA

440 Views

The interim management/board of African Alliance Insurance has paid about N780 million to annuitants.

The new management appeals to policyholders and other stakeholders are encouraged to remain confident in the brand as the new management and board is working tirelessly to restore the African Alliance to its rightful place of prominence and reliability in the Nigerian insurance ecosystem.

This was disclosed in a statement on Tuesday.

In October, the National Insurance Commission sacked the board and management of African Alliance Insurance Company.

The Commissioner for Insurance, Olusegun Omosehin, said that the action was taken to protect the confidence of the customers.

The new management said that the annuitants with genuine claims are being paid. Speaking on this development, the Managing Director/Chief Executive of African Alliance, Jacob Erhabor, affirmed the company’s dedication to fulfilling its contractual obligations. “We are taking deliberate steps to ensure that all genuine claims are paid promptly in the new dispensation”

This marks the beginning of a new era for the African Alliance. We understand the importance of trust in the insurance industry and we are fully committed to rebuilding confidence among our stakeholders. ”African Alliance will be great again,” Erhabor said.

The interim management/board said this initiative is part of a broader strategic plan to stabilise the company, strengthen its financial position, and enhance operational efficiency.

He added that the management was implementing robust measures to verify and authenticate reported claims to ensure that only genuine claims are settled by the company.

Business

Cybercriminals cloning DStv, other brands to steal bank accounts across Africa

According to cybersecurity company NordVPN, the campaign distributes Remote Access Trojans (RATs) and banking trojans, forms of malware that can give criminals control over infected devices and access to sensitive information.

Published

2 days ago

August 21, 2026

OCHEFA

27 Views

Cybercriminals are impersonating popular companies and government agencies across Africa in a campaign designed to take over smartphones and bank accounts.

More than 100 fake websites linked to the malware campaign have been identified since August 2025.

Brands including DStv, Takealot and South African Airways, as well as the South African Revenue Service (SARS), are being used to make fraudulent messages and websites appear legitimate.

The attacks are particularly concerning in South Africa, where Android dominates the mobile operating system market.

NordVPN said the attacks typically begin with social engineering, where criminals send convincing messages through SMS, WhatsApp or social media.

The messages may contain urgent offers or requests involving job opportunities, tax refunds, identity renewals or pension verification.

Victims are then directed to fake websites designed to closely resemble the official websites of trusted organisations.

The sites encourage users to download an Android application. Once installed, the malicious software can operate quietly in the background, including after the smartphone is restarted.

Business

Cement price hits N16,000 per bag

The current cement prices mark a steep rise from late 2024, when a bag sold for around N7,500.

Published

2 days ago

August 21, 2026

OCHEFA

33 Views

• Chairman of BUA cement, Abdul Samad Rabiu (ASR)

Cement dealers across Nigeria have announced fresh price increases, with a 50kg bag now selling for as much as N16,000 in some markets, up from N13,000 recorded by buyers just days earlier.

The current cement prices mark a steep rise from late 2024, when a bag sold for around N7,500.

By the third quarter of 2025, that had risen to about N9,000 before reaching the N12,000 to N16,000 range now seen across different locations.

Other building materials have followed a similar upward path. Blocks have climbed from around N600 to N1,100 each.

Sand has gone from N165,000 to N250,000 per 30 tonnes. Granite has risen from N530,000 to N780,000 per 30 tonnes.

Reinforcing steel now costs N1.15 million per tonne, up from N850,000.