‎• Zenith Bank GMD, Dame Dr Adaora Umeoji

An official opening ceremony of Zenith Bank Plc Côte d’Ivoire is scheduled for Wednesday, April 29, 2026, and is expected to draw senior government officials and regulators from Nigeria and , as well as business leaders and members of the diplomatic community.

The subsidiary will be led by Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Cédric Tano, who said the bank’s entry into Côte d’Ivoire comes at a time of strong economic growth and increasing regional integration, adding that it aims to combine global best practices with local market insight to support businesses, facilitate cross-border trade and contribute to economic growth in Côte d’Ivoire and the wider WAEMU region.

In a statement, the bank said that the subsidiary was licensed in December 2025 by the Ministry of Finance and Budget of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and regulated by the UMOA Banking Commission, will operate from its headquarters at SCI Wall Street, Avenue Noguès, Plateau, Abidjan.

The bank said that the new subsidiary is positioned to support cross-border trade and investment, with a focus on corporate banking, trade finance, local and offshore banking services, and structured financial solutions for businesses operating across Africa and internationally.

‎Group Managing Director, Dame Dr Adaora Umeoji, said the expansion reflects the vision of the bank’s Founder and Chairman, Jim Ovia, to build a global brand with a strong presence across Africa and key international markets.

•Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II

The Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, on Friday, responded to a question asked by the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, about a fresh $516 million foreign loan President Bola Tinubu was seeking the Senate ‘s approval to borrow.

Emir Sanusi’s remarks come amid reports that the Federal Government has increased its 2026 borrowing plan by ₦11.31 trillion, pushing total projected borrowing to ₦29.20 trillion.

Speaking during an interview published by News Central TV on Friday, the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, said : ” We’ve removed the subsidy. We’re now spending it. .. If you’re not paying the subsidy and you’ve got the money, why are we still borrowing and borrowing? What are we borrowing for?”

In response, the presidency stated that the Tinubu administration is borrowing to invest in the critical sectors of the economy, especially infrastructure.

Bwala wrote on X, “Your Royal Highness, we are simply borrowing to invest in the critical sectors of our economy, the chiefest of which is INFRASTRUCTURE. The infrastructure deficit requires a yearly investment of at least $30B-100B, and what we have is insufficient, hence the borrowing “

Africa’s leading industrialist and President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has said the refinery in Lagos can be replicated in East Africa with the right support.

Dangote made the pledge at the infrastructure summit – the Africa We Build Summit 2026 – on Thursday in Nairobi, Kenya.

The proposed refinery Dangote was referring to would be built in Tanga, Tanzania. A pipeline would be linked to Kenya’s Mombasa port to serve the entire East African region. Kenya, Uganda, and neighbouring eastern African countries would benefit

Dangote said: “I can give commitment to the two presidents that were here; if they will support the refinery, we’ll build the identical one that we have in Nigeria – 650,000 barrels per day.”

The presidents he was referring to are Kenya’s President William Ruto and Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni.

The proposed refinery Dangote was referring to would be built in Tanga, Tanzania. A pipeline would be linked to Kenya’s Mombasa port to serve the entire East African region. Kenya, Uganda, and neighbouring eastern African countries would benefit.

On the readiness, Dangote said: “There is nothing that can stop it. We have done the one in Nigeria and that’s why we are taking the bold move which was started already. Piling has started, while building to a scale – 1.4 million barrels per day will give us the largest refinery – world number two.

“It is 10% of entire United States of America’s refining capacity.
And this is coming with lot of, you know, petrochemicals. If we look at it today in Nigeria, if not because we have polypropylene, all the plants, all businesses would collapse.

“Cement is packed in polypropylene, flour, rice, grains, everything. So nothing… and the cost now has shot up between just 45 days – from $900 to 3$3,000. There is no way you can afford that. You can’t afford it.

“So, that is why we must learn how to build self-sufficiency. Right now, we have big financial institutions that are very hungry for big ticket items. And we’re also big in terms of our own vision.

“So, it is possible. Africans can do it. Let us not be scared. No. Let us not come and be convinced, as I know somebody needs to carry our own material to go and produce and bring the items here.

“I must really thank the President of Uganda for taking this bold move: stopping the export.

They will be forced. They would come (and) produce. Why do you have to take your material (away), then you’ll bring it back? We have educated people. We have big financial institutions. It’s not like before. Things have changed.”