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Bloomberg Restores Bill Gates to Billionaires’ List as Wealth Split Begins

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Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, has been restored to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index after an initial removal from the list following the announcement of his divorce.

On Monday, Bill and Melinda Gates announced that they were going through a divorce after 27 years in marriage.

Following the news, Bloomberg LP which maintains a real-time index on the wealthiest people on earth delisted Gates from its ranking.

After the news of the divorce went viral, Bloomberg said the couple controls $146 billion, which is now at stake and could be broken down to two units based on divorce papers.

Bloomberg delists Gates

The American news outlet said details of the possible wealth split have begun to emerge, with about $1.8 billion already transferred to Melinda French (Gates).

According to Bloomberg, Bill Gates’ biggest assets are in Cascade Investment, a holding company Bill created with proceeds of his Microsoft shares.

Bloomberg restores Gates

On May 3, 2021, the company was said to have transferred about $1.5 billion of Canadian National Railway Co. shares and more than $300 million of AutoNation Inc. stock to Melinda.

It is unclear how much more will be transferred to her as the divorce papers are worked out and signed by both parties.

THE BEZOS EXAMPLE

In the case of Jeff Bezos, the world’s richest man and MacKenzie Scott, his ex-wife, a 75-25 division of the couple’s 16% stake in Amazon.com Inc. was reached. This shot Scott to a net worth of over $60 billion post-divorce.

For the Gates, Bloomberg suggests that the case would be different as their wealth is more diversified and vested in numerous companies and the Gates Foundation.

The duo had said in a public statement that they would still manage the foundation as co-chairs, which may mean sharing the wealth of the foundation equally.

The Gates live in Seattle, a city in Washington state, and according to state laws, the divorce cannot be finalised until three months from when it was filed.

This means we may not know Bill Gates’ eventual wealth until sometime in August 2021.

TheCable

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Business

Glo Fetes Customers with New “More Data More Value” Offer

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Determine to enrich the digital experience of its subscribers, Globacom has introduced a new data offer, tagged “More Data More Value only on Glo”. The new offer gives customers as much as 10 percent more data across its bundles as the Nigerian telecom landscape shifts toward a data-led economy.

Globacom explained in a statement that “The new offer is designed to ensure that every Naira spent by a Nigerian consumer yields the highest possible digital return”, thus reinforcing the company’s long-standing reputation for affordability and empowerment.

“More Data More Value” offers a variety of weekly and monthly options planned to balance daytime and night-time usage. The weekly plan includes ₦1,000 option which provides 3.7GB of total data, consisting of 1.7GB main data and 2GB night data, while that of ₦2,000 offers 9GB in total, divided into 6.5GB main data and 2.5GB night data.

The monthly plan also comes with different options including that of ₦1,500 which delivers a total of 5.2GB (2.2GB main data paired with 3GB night data); the ₦2,000 option offering 6.25GB data, a combination of 3.25GB main data and 3GB night data and16.5GB, comprising 14.5GB main data and 2GB night data which goes for N5,000. There is also the ₦10,000 and N15,000 options, with N10,000 providing 42GB total, 38GB main data and 4GB night data, while ₦15,000 offers 64GB in total, consisting of 62GB main data and 2GB night data.

Glo’s enhanced bundles provide the necessary incentive for students, remote workers, and entrepreneurs to browse longer, whether for TikTok trends, Instagram aesthetics, YouTube streaming, or high-stakes gaming and stream without fear, ensuring their professional and social lives remain uninterrupted.

These improved bundles from Globacom give entrepreneurs, remote workers, and students the incentive they need to browse longer, whether for high-stakes gaming, YouTube streaming, Instagram aesthetics, or TikTok trends, and stream on end, while ensuring seamlessness in their social and professional lives.

Beyond individual users, the “More Data More Value” offer also extend its benefits to families and SMEs. With the reliance of small businesses and households on mobile hotspots for their daily operations, Glo has optimized its offerings to serve as the preferred network for high-volume usage.

The offer also serves as a driver of digital transformation through the Glo Café app. Customers are encouraged to utilize the app for seamless bundle subscriptions, as it allows them to manage their “more than 10% extra” data with ease, thus ensuring rewarding user experience.

“More Data More Value” offer underscores Glo’s commitment to providing the best value-for-money which gives Nigerians the benefit of not compromising on their digital lifestyle.

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Fidelity Bank Reports Gross Earnings of N434.95bn in Q1 2026

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Fidelity Bank Plc⁠ has reported a strong financial performance for the first quarter of 2026, with gross earnings rising by 37.9 per cent to N434.95 billion, driven by growth in its core banking operations.

The unaudited interim report and accounts for the three months ended March 31, 2026, released on the Nigerian Exchange, showed that the bank’s gross earnings increased from N315.42 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.

Interest income grew significantly by 22.8 per cent to N314.48 billion in Q1 2026, compared with N256.10 billion in Q1 2025, reflecting expansion in the bank’s core business activities.

With net interest income standing at N180.97 billion, the bank posted a profit before tax of N92.48 billion for the period. Profit after tax settled at N74.47 billion, while earnings per share remained strong at N5.69.

The bank also recorded notable improvements across key balance sheet indicators. Total assets rose above the N11 trillion mark to N11.35 trillion as of March 2026, compared with N10.46 trillion recorded at the end of December 2025.

Customer deposits increased from N6.89 trillion to N7.38 trillion during the review period, while shareholders’ funds rose by 27.5 per cent from N1.09 trillion in December 2025 to N1.39 trillion by March 2026, supported by earnings growth.

The Q1 performance further strengthened the bank’s earnings outlook following the successful completion of its recapitalisation programme in 2025.

The bank had earlier posted strong full-year results for 2025, recording growth across major income lines and balance sheet metrics.

According to its audited financial statements, gross earnings rose by 45.6 per cent from N1.04 trillion in 2024 to N1.52 trillion in 2025. Interest and similar income increased from N803.1 billion to N1.11 trillion, while fees and commission income grew by 44.7 per cent to N113.4 billion.

Net profit after tax for the 2025 financial year stood at N242.4 billion.

Total assets expanded by 18.6 per cent to N10.46 trillion in 2025 from N8.82 trillion in 2024, while customer deposits increased by 16.1 per cent to N6.89 trillion.

Net loans and advances, however, declined slightly by 2.4 per cent to N4.28 trillion, which the bank attributed to repayments of matured obligations by customers.

The bank also strengthened its capital position in 2025, with eligible capital rising to N561 billion, above the N500 billion regulatory requirement for banks with international authorisation.

Capital Adequacy Ratio improved to 30.94 per cent in December 2025 from 23.47 per cent recorded in December 2024.

Commenting on the results, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Fidelity Bank Plc, Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, said the Q1 2026 performance reflects the resilience and strength of the bank’s business model.

She stated that the successful recapitalisation exercise and the bank’s ongoing expansion had positioned Fidelity Bank for stronger growth and improved returns.

“We are on a stronger footing and confident that we will set new growth records that are reflective of our legacy and the future we are working on,” Onyeali-Ikpe said.

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UBA Commissions Innovation Hub, Business Office at UNILAG

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Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has deepened its longstanding relationship with the academic community and reaffirmed its commitment to innovation, youth empowerment, and nation-building by commissioning the UBA Innovation Hub and Business Office at the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

The landmark facility was commissioned by the Group Chairman, UBA, Tony Elumelu, represented by Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Alawuba, supported by other senior executives of the bank and members of the university leadership, led by the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos.

The commissioning marks another defining chapter in the enduring relationship between UBA and one of Nigeria’s foremost institutions of higher learning. The project also reflects UBA’s historic connection with the University of Lagos and Nigeria’s education ecosystem.

UBA was the first bank to establish a campus branch in Nigeria in the 1960s, pioneering financial inclusion and institutional banking support within the nation’s higher education environment.

Adding a personal dimension to the occasion, UBA Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu, himself an alumnus of the University of Lagos, described the commissioning as both symbolic and strategic.

“Returning to my alma mater for this commissioning makes this moment particularly meaningful. Universities remain the birthplace of ideas, innovation, and future leadership. Through this investment, UBA is reaffirming its belief in young people and in the role institutions like the University of Lagos will continue to play in shaping Africa’s future.”

He added that UBA’s philosophy of empowering people and building institutions remains central to its growth agenda across Africa.

The Vice Chancellor, Professor Folasade Tolulope Ogunsola, who emphasised that Elumelu remains “a son of the university”, commended UBA for sustaining a relationship built on impact, innovation, and institutional support.

“The Group Chairman of UBA, Mr Tony Onyemaechi Elumelu, CFR, one of Africa’s most celebrated entrepreneurs and philanthropists, is, in the truest and most meaningful sense, a son of this University,” Ogunsola said.

Ogunsola continued, “The intellectual rigour, the ambition, and the broadness of vision that he would go on to demonstrate as he transformed a struggling bank into a pan-African institution of global stature, that fire was sharpened here.”

The newly commissioned four-floor complex has been designed as a shared platform that promotes collaboration between academia and industry. Under the arrangement, UBA will operate its dedicated Business Office within the facility, providing direct access to innovative banking services, financial advisory services, enterprise support, and engagement opportunities for students, faculty, and the wider university community. The remaining floors of the complex will serve broader institutional and developmental purposes for the University’s use.

Also speaking, UBA’s Group Managing Director/CEO, Oliver Alawuba, noted that the Innovation Hub and Business Office represent an intentional investment in talent, enterprise, and future economic transformation.

“UBA continues to create platforms that connect knowledge with opportunity. This facility will provide students and the university community access to ideas, networks, innovation support, and financial services that help unlock potential and prepare future leaders for a rapidly changing world,” he said.

In another major highlight of the event, the University of Lagos announced the renewal of UBA’s sponsorship and support for the Professorial Chair in Finance, further strengthening collaboration between academia and industry and advancing thought leadership, research, and professional excellence in financial studies.

Alawuba stressed that the UBA Professorial Chair remains the bank’s most enduring academic contribution.

“Our most enduring academic contribution remains the UBA Professorial Chair of Finance, established in January 1972 as the first-ever Finance Professorial Chair in a Nigerian university. It was designed to strengthen finance education, deepen banking research, and support thought leadership in Nigeria’s financial sector. I am pleased that the Executive Management of UBA has approved an additional ₦61.67 million to further strengthen the Endowment Fund for the Chair and sustain its work through the current professorship tenure.”

The commissioning of the UBA Innovation Hub and Business Office reinforces the bank’s broader mission of enabling sustainable development through strategic investments in education, entrepreneurship, technology, and human capital across Africa.

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