The Federal Government has called on Nigerians to embrace skills acquisition and vocational empowerment, commending First Bank of Nigeria Limited (FirstBank) for its sustained investment in youth- and women-focused capacity development initiatives across the country.

The Federal Government explained through Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, alongside key stakeholders in the education, financial and development sectors.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony of 50 women from a vocational and entrepreneurship training programme sponsored by FirstBank Nigeria Limited in partnership with the African Projects Development Centre (APDC) in Gwagwalada, Abuja, a representative of the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Saratu Salawu, said skill acquisition is a critical tool for tackling unemployment, poverty and economic inequality in the country.

She also urged the graduates to make productive use of the skills acquired. “Do not sit back and wait for someone to arrange a job for you. It is important to have something meaningful you can do for yourself and your community,” she said.

Also, Mrs Nkechi Mathew, who represented the pioneer Mandate Secretary of the Women Affairs Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, described the graduation as proof that Nigerian women are prepared to contribute meaningfully to economic development.

Salawu, Mathew, as well as other guests and participants, commended the “You First Fashionistas Training Programme” by FirstBank and APDC, which was launched to equip participants with practical skills in fashion design, hair styling and makeup artistry as part of efforts to tackle youth unemployment and encourage entrepreneurship in Nigeria’s expanding creative and beauty industries. The training began on September 16, 2025, and will run until December 18, 2026, culminating in a grand fashion fair in 2027.

According to FirstBank, the initiative is capable of boosting economic growth by equipping beneficiaries with practical skills that enable them to create products, earn income and improve their livelihoods. The bank said participants had already begun producing clothes and other creative items for commercial purposes, adding that the programme was designed to move women into the active economy through income-generating skills in fashion, hair styling and makeup artistry.

The bank urged the graduates to become job creators rather than job seekers.

FirstBank added that the partnership with APDC aims to empower 200 women within one year through four cohorts of 50 participants each, describing the initiative as part of its commitment to sustainable economic empowerment and impactful corporate social responsibility.

Also speaking at the graduation ceremony, APDC Managing Director, Chiji Ojukwu, said the organisation established its vocational and entrepreneurship programmes to tackle rising youth and women unemployment in Nigeria.

He disclosed that APDC had trained about 10,000 youths in various sectors over the past eight years, with its fashion and beauty programme alone benefiting nearly 500 women across nine cohorts. Ojukwu said the initiative was designed to help beneficiaries become self-reliant business owners and employers, while revealing plans for a fashion fair to showcase trainees’ products and services to investors and customers.

He also noted that APDC, which began with agricultural training, now runs about 15 empowerment programmes and has received support from financial institutions, including FirstBank, as part of broader youth empowerment efforts.

NGX Regulation Limited (NGX RegCo) has successfully facilitated recoveries exceeding N500m for shareholders following the resolution of various complaints involving market operators.

The independent regulatory arm of the Nigerian Exchange Group recently achieved a major breakthrough by securing the restitution of N326.85m to a single investor over an unauthorised share transaction reported in 2025.

This resolution, which NGX RegCo achieved within a defined and disciplined timeframe, underscores a structured approach to addressing legacy issues, including unauthorised trades, reconciliation of disputed proceeds, and account discrepancies.

The success of these interventions is attributed to enhanced market oversight, including strengthened surveillance systems and the rollout of direct cash settlement mechanisms designed to prevent the misappropriation of funds.

Commenting on the development, NGX RegCo CEO, Olufemi Shobanjo, emphasised that these recoveries are the result of a purposeful regulatory framework.

“These outcomes reflect our intentional approach to strengthening market integrity and investor protection,” Shobanjo stated.

He further noted that the impact of these actions extends beyond simple financial recovery, saying, “Beyond the recoveries, they demonstrate the effectiveness of our oversight framework and our commitment to ensuring that all market participants operate within a fair, transparent, and equitable system.”

Looking toward the future of the Nigerian capital market, Shobanjo reaffirmed the organisation’s long-term objectives. “As we continue to enhance our regulatory processes, our focus remains on sustaining confidence and supporting the long-term growth of Nigeria’s capital market,” he stated.

Affected investors have responded with widespread approval, frequently commending the professionalism and transparency demonstrated throughout the resolution process. Many shareholders noted that the diligence shown by the regulator has significantly strengthened their confidence in the fairness and credibility of the market, effectively reinforcing the integrity of the broader financial ecosystem.

The Nigeria Customs Service has handed over several stolen luxury vehicles traced to Canada after intercepting them at the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos, in what officials described as a major breakthrough against transnational vehicle theft syndicates.

The recovered vehicles, which included exotic brands such as Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce, and Mercedes-Benz, were formally handed over to Canadian authorities during a ceremony held at the Tin Can Island Port on Monday, May 4, 2026.

The Deputy High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, Nasser Salihou, received the vehicles from the Customs Area Controller of the Tin Can Island Command, Frank Onyeka.

A statement issued on Sunday by the National Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, Abdullahi Maiwada, said the operation followed months of intelligence sharing between Nigerian authorities and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

According to the statement, Canadian authorities had traced several luxury vehicles stolen in Canada and illegally exported through international shipping networks before they eventually surfaced in Nigeria.

Internal Customs documents dated May 5, 2026, showed that the intercepted vehicles included a 2019 Lexus RX350, a 2019 Mercedes-Benz G550, a 2023 Land Rover Range Rover, a 2019 Lamborghini Huracán, a 2021 Rolls-Royce Dawn Convertible, a 2018 Lamborghini Aventador, and a 2026 Toyota Tundra.

The Service confirmed that all the vehicles had been stolen abroad before being smuggled into Nigeria.

The statement read, “As part of ongoing efforts to strengthen international confidence in Nigeria’s anti-smuggling and cargo intelligence system, the Nigeria Customs Service has formally handed over intercepted stolen luxury vehicles traced to Canada.

“The handover ceremony took place on Monday, May 4, 2026, at the Tin Can Island Port, where the Deputy High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, Nasser Salihou, officially received the recovered vehicles from the Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Frank Onyeka.

“The recovery followed months of intelligence sharing and operational collaboration between the NCS and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, after authorities in Canada traced a number of stolen high-end vehicles believed to have been smuggled into Nigeria via international shipping channels.

“Internal Customs document dated 5 May 2026 showed that the intercepted vehicles included a 2019 Lexus RX350, a 2019 Mercedes-Benz G550, a 2023 Land Rover Range Rover, a 2019 Lamborghini Huracán, a 2021 Rolls-Royce Dawn Convertible, a 2018 Lamborghini Aventador, and a 2026 Toyota Tundra, all confirmed to have been stolen and illegally exported before ending up in Nigeria.”

Speaking during the handover ceremony, Onyeka disclosed that one of the vehicles, a Toyota Tacoma, was secretly concealed inside a container carrying other automobiles before Customs officers intercepted it.

According to him, the suspicious consignment had not left Customs custody when intelligence from Canadian authorities triggered immediate enforcement action. “What looked like a routine cargo movement quickly became an international criminal investigation,” Onyeka said.

“Once intelligence reached us, we placed the consignment under enforcement watch and secured the vehicle pending confirmation from Canadian authorities.”

The Customs boss explained that officers swiftly isolated the affected container after receiving shipping documentation and intelligence reports from Canada through official diplomatic and enforcement channels.

He stated that the Nigeria Customs Service deliberately delayed the release of the vehicles until Canadian officials physically arrived in Nigeria to verify and recover them.

“We had people who wanted to step in on behalf of others, but this was too sensitive,” Onyeka stated. “We insisted the handover must be directly to the Canadian government to preserve the integrity of the process.”

He described the operation as a major signal of Nigeria’s growing capacity to combat international organised crime and stolen vehicle trafficking. According to him, criminal syndicates are increasingly using global shipping networks to move stolen vehicles across continents and disguise them as legitimate cargo.

Comptroller Onyeka said the successful interception demonstrated the Nigeria Customs Service’s determination to strengthen cargo profiling, intelligence gathering, and maritime enforcement.

He added that the operation also reflected the deepening security collaboration between Nigeria and Canada in tackling organised cross-border crimes.

“The recovery has further revealed the ongoing cooperation between Nigeria and Canada in intelligence sharing, cargo profiling and maritime enforcement, particularly in tackling organised cross-border crimes involving stolen assets, illicit trade and other fraudulent activities,” he said.

The development comes amid growing global concerns over rising vehicle theft syndicates exploiting weak international shipping controls to move stolen luxury automobiles into emerging markets.

Security experts say African ports have increasingly become targets for international car theft networks because of high demand for exotic vehicles and weak verification systems in some jurisdictions.

However, Nigerian authorities say recent improvements in cargo intelligence systems and international cooperation are helping to strengthen surveillance at the country’s seaports.

The Tin Can Island Port remains one of Nigeria’s busiest entry points for imported vehicles and containerised cargo, handling thousands of shipments annually.