Business
Sterling Bank Abolishes Account Maintenance Fees
Sterling Bank, on Wednesday, announced the removal of account maintenance fees on all personal accounts, describing the decision as a “gift” to Nigerians in celebration of the country’s 65th Independence Day.
The decision, which follows the abolition of transfer fees on local online transactions in April 2025, was outlined in a statement shared by the bank. The bank said the policy would allow customers to keep more of their earnings, framing it as a step toward financial freedom.
“Every fee we remove is one less barrier between our customers and true financial freedom. This was the rationale behind eliminating transfer fees in April, and it is the same principle we uphold as we eliminate account maintenance fees,” Sterling Bank’s Managing Director, Abubakar Suleiman, said.
The statement highlighted that in 2024 alone, tier-1 banks in Nigeria earned over ₦650 billion from account maintenance and e-banking charges. “This decision cuts at the heart of a revenue model that has long cost Nigerian customers dearly,” the bank noted.
Obinna Ukachukwu, Sterling’s Growth Executive for Consumer and Business Banking, said the initiative was intended to strengthen long-term relationships with customers. “This initiative is about building lasting relationships that fuel sustainable growth. We put transparency and customer value first, and in doing so, we are building a foundation that serves both our customers and Sterling’s future,” he said.
Sterling Bank also framed the removal of fees as part of a broader strategy to make banking more inclusive and customer-focused. The April 2025 transfer fee abolition had already eliminated charges on all local online transactions, easing costs for individuals and small businesses. At the time, Ukachukwu described the move as a values-driven decision aimed at ensuring fair access to money.
“Access to your own money shouldn’t come with a penalty. This is more than a financial decision—it’s about redefining banking to put customers first,” Ukachukwu said.
The latest move aligns with Sterling’s positioning as a bank committed to transparency, customer value, and digital innovation, and it signals a continued effort to reshape banking practices in Nigeria.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has achieved a major operational milestone with the full restoration and optimisation of its Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) and Motor Spirit (MS) production block. Both units are now running at optimal performance, further strengthening the steady state operations of Africa’s largest oil refining facility.
Following a scheduled maintenance exercise on the CDU and MS Block, the refinery has commenced an intensive 72 hour series of performance test runs in collaboration with licensor UOP. These tests are designed to validate operational efficiency and confirm that all critical parameters meet global standards.
Chief Executive Officer, David Bird, noted that the seamless integration and strong performance of the units demonstrate the refinery’s advanced engineering and robust operational capabilities.
“Our teams have demonstrated exceptional precision and expertise in stabilising both the CDU and MS Block, and we are pleased to see them functioning at optimal efficiency. This performance testing phase enables us to validate the entire plant under real operating conditions. We are confident that the refinery remains firmly on track to deliver consistent, world class output.
This milestone underscores the strength, reliability, and engineering quality that define our operations. We remain committed to producing high quality refined products that will transform Nigeria’s energy landscape, eliminate import dependence, and position the nation as a net exporter of petroleum products.”
Bird added that the CDU and MS Block, which comprise the naphtha hydrotreater, isomerisation unit, and reformer unit, are now operating steadily at the full nameplate capacity of 650,000 barrels per day. He further confirmed that all remaining processing units will begin their respective performance test runs in Phase 2, scheduled to commence next week.
During the recent festive period, the refinery supplied between 45–50 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) daily. With the CDU and MS Block now fully restored, the refinery is positioned to comfortably deliver up to 75 million litres of PMS to the domestic market as required.
Expressing appreciation to customers and Nigerians across the country, Bird reaffirmed the refinery’s unwavering commitment to enhancing Nigeria’s energy security while supporting industrial development, job creation, and economic diversification.
Business
Corpreneurship Challenge: Unity Bank Announces Fresh Graduates of OAU, UNN, Others As Winners
Unity Bank Plc has announced winners in the 27th edition of its flagship Entrepreneurship Development Initiative, also known as Corpreneurship Challenge, following the conclusion of Business Pitch at the Batch C, Stream 2 edition of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation programme held across 10 states of the federation.
Notably, Corps Members who graduated from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), The Polytechnic, Ibadan, amongst several tertiary institutions, emerged from the latest round of the Corpreneurship Challenge business pitch. Participants pitched business ideas across diverse sectors such as fashion, agribusiness, footwear production, and services.
At the Lagos State NYSC Orientation Camp, Awolumate Fawaz Babatunde, a Civil Engineering graduate of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, emerged the overall winner after pitching a fashion design business, clinching the N800,000 grand prize. Ugwoke Daniel Ifechukwu, a graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, emerged first runner-up to receive N500,000.
In Rivers State, Abdur-Razaq Sayfullah Adebola, a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, topped the competition at the Nonwa Gbam Tai NYSC Orientation Camp with a footwear-making business plan. Meanwhile, Olatunde Esther Funmilayo of Olabisi Onabanjo University emerged as the winner at the Kwara State NYSC Orientation Camp after impressing judges with her deodorant production and services pitch.
More winners emerged from Abuja, Niger, Adamawa, Jigawa, Plateau, Kaduna, and Delta States, further expanding the geographical reach and impact of the initiative.
Speaking on the latest edition of the programme, Mrs. Adenike Abimbola, Divisional Head, Retail, SME & E-Business at Unity Bank Plc, said the Corpreneurship Challenge continues to reflect the Bank’s commitment to youth empowerment and enterprise development.
“The Corpreneurship Challenge has been driven by our commitment to boosting entrepreneurship among young people, especially fresh graduates. At Unity Bank, we recognise that many young Nigerians possess viable business ideas but lack the initial capital and support to bring them to life. The Corpreneurship Challenge was designed to bridge that gap by providing financial backing, mentorship, and confidence to fresh graduates at a critical stage of their lives,” she said.
She added that the quality of ideas presented by corps members across states underscores the growing entrepreneurial appetite among Nigerian youths.
“What we see every edition is innovation, resilience, and a strong desire among young graduates to create value and jobs. By supporting them early, we are not only helping individuals, but also contributing to the growth of the SME ecosystem and the broader economy,” Abimbola noted.
Over the years, the Unity Bank Corpreneurship Challenge has become a key feature of the NYSC orientation programme, delivered in partnership with the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) initiative. Since its inception, the programme has produced 638 young entrepreneurs nationwide, offering grants of up to N300 million to help corps members kick-start or scale their businesses.
The initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s drive to promote entrepreneurship and self-employment among graduates, particularly amid the shrinking availability of white-collar jobs.
Unity Bank said it remains committed to expanding the reach of the Corpreneurship Challenge and deepening its support for young entrepreneurs as part of its broader strategy to drive financial inclusion, job creation, and sustainable economic growth.
