News
South-East Startup Boom Gains Momentum as 210 Ventures Advance in Funding Race
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By Gloria Ikibah
The South East Development Commission has moved 210 startups into the next phase of its venture capital programme, marking a major step in its push to boost innovation and enterprise across the region.
The shortlist emerged from a pool of more than 1,200 applications submitted by entrepreneurs from across the South East, reflecting growing interest in technology-driven business solutions.
In a statement signed by the Executive Director, Finance and Chairman of the programme, Rt. Hon. Stanley Ohajuruka, the selected group includes 128 startups placed in the Incubator Track and 82 in the Accelerator Track, each targeting different stages of business development.
He said the selection followed a rigorous and structured screening process designed to ensure only the most viable and scalable ideas progressed.
The Commission described the outcome as a significant milestone in its broader strategy to nurture innovation, support emerging businesses and strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
It also pointed to the strong quality and volume of applications as evidence of a rising wave of enterprise, particularly in sectors driven by technology and innovation.
Strict evaluation benchmarks were applied throughout the process, with emphasis placed on transparency, credibility and maintaining high standards as the programme advances.
The statement read:“The evaluation process was designed to ensure fairness, consistency, and alignment with the objectives of the program. Applications were first screened for eligibility, including demonstrable ties to the South East, the presence of a meaningful technology component, and full compliance with submission requirements.
“Eligible startups were then assessed across key criteria such as problem–solution fit, execution, market opportunity, and technology. For more advanced ventures, traction and revenue were critical considerations, while early-stage startups were evaluated based on validation and evidence of emerging demand.”
The Commission said the startups that made it to the next stage showed strong potential for growth and scalability.
“The startups advancing to this stage have demonstrated clarity of thought, tangible progress, and credible potential for scale. They now proceed to the next phase of the competition, which will involve a video pitch assessment designed to provide deeper insight into founder capability, strategic thinking, and execution readiness”, it added.
The Commission further announced that the competition will climax in May with a grand finale and investment ceremony.
“The competition will culminate in a Grand Finale scheduled for Monday, May 25, 2026, where top- performing startups will present their ventures before a live audience of investors, operators, policymakers, and other key stakeholders within the innovation ecosystem.
“This will be followed by an Investment Ceremony scheduled for Tuesday, May 26, 2026, where selected startups will receive funding and enter the next phase of structured support under the SEVCP.
“The South East Development Commission remains committed to building a strong pipeline of investable ventures, strengthening the regional innovation ecosystem, and creating pathways for startups to scale sustainably.
“We extend our appreciation to all founders who applied and to our ecosystem partners, Genesys Tech Hub, Startup South, and The Garage, for their role in supporting a credible and high-quality evaluation process. The work continues,” it stated.
News
Step-By-Step Guide To Apply For 2026 FRSC Recruitment
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has opened its recruitment portal for the 2026 nationwide recruitment exercise, inviting qualified Nigerians to apply for vacancies across its Officer, Marshal Inspectorate and Road Marshal Assistant cadres.
The application portal will remain open for four weeks, while the Corps has emphasised that the recruitment exercise is free of charge and warned applicants against paying anyone for employment.
Interested applicants are advised to ensure they meet the eligibility requirements for their preferred cadre before beginning the registration process.
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to apply for FRSC recruitment.
Step 1: Confirm your eligibility
Applicants must be Nigerian citizens by birth, medically, physically and psychologically fit, single, and of good character with no criminal record.
Male applicants must be at least 1.65 metres tall, while female applicants must have a minimum height of 1.58 metres.
Step 2: Choose your preferred cadre
Applicants should select the cadre that matches their qualifications.
Officer Cadre: B.Sc., B.A., HND, MBBS, LLB, B.Pharm or B.Eng., with a valid NYSC discharge or exemption certificate. Age limit: 18 to 35 years.
Marshal Inspectorate Cadre: ND, NCE, Registered Nurse/Midwife (RN/RM) or CHEW qualification. Age limit: 18 to 30 years.
Road Marshal Assistant Cadre: Minimum of three to five O’Level credits, including English Language and Mathematics. Age limit: 16 to 30 years.
Drivers and Riders: O’Level qualification, valid driver’s licence and relevant trade certificate where applicable. Heavy truck drivers must be between 26 and 40 years.
Step 3: Get your documents ready
Before starting the application, applicants should have the following:
National Identification Number (NIN)
Primary and secondary school certificates
Tertiary institution certificates and transcripts (where applicable)
NYSC discharge or exemption certificate
Local Government Certificate of Origin
Birth certificate or age declaration
Recent passport photograph
Valid email address and phone number
Step 4: Visit the recruitment portal
Go to the official FRSC recruitment portal at recruitment.frsc.gov.ng and create an applicant account using your email address, phone number and NIN. Applicants are advised to avoid unofficial websites.
Step 5: Verify your account
After registration, check your email for the activation link sent by the FRSC and verify your account before proceeding with the application.
Step 6: Complete the application form
Log in to the portal, choose your preferred cadre and accurately fill in your personal information, educational qualifications, contact details, next-of-kin information and work experience where applicable.
Step 7: Upload your credentials
Upload scanned copies of the required documents and passport photograph, ensuring all files meet the specified requirements.
Step 8: Submit and print your acknowledgement slip
Review your application carefully before clicking the submit button.
Applicants are advised to print the completed application form and acknowledgement slip immediately after submission, as both documents will be required during the screening and Computer-Based Test (CBT) for shortlisted candidates.
The FRSC reiterated that the recruitment exercise is free and urged applicants to report anyone demanding payment or promising employment in exchange for money.
News
Ooni debunks report over conferment of chieftaincy title on Baba Ijesha
The Permanent Chairman of the Southern Nigerian Traditional Rulers Council (SNTRC), Arole Oodua Olofin Adimula and the Natural Head of the Oduduwa race worldwide, the Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has rubbished reports circulating on social media alleging that he conferred a chieftaincy title on popular Nollywood actor and comedian, James Olanrewaju, popularly known as Baba Ijesha.
In a statement on Saturday by the Director of Media and Public Affairs, Ooni’s Palace, Otunba Moses Olafare said the Ooni clarified that although he warmly received the actor and his wife at the Ile Oodua Palace on Wednesday to celebrate the birth of his son and presented him with a brand-new car and cash gifts as a demonstration of his fatherly love and royal generosity, no chieftaincy title was conferred on him.
According to him, the expression “Awada Konge Oduwa,” which Baba Ijesha later described on his social media pages as a chieftaincy title, was merely a light-comedy remark made by the Ooni during a relaxed interaction in recognition of the actor’s outstanding career as a comedian.
The remark was never intended to constitute a formal installation or conferment of a traditional title.
The Ooni noted that Baba Ijesha, as an indigene of Ile-Ife and a proud son of the source, is deserving of honour and could be considered for a chieftaincy title in the future.
However, no such title has been conferred on him.
“The conferment of chieftaincy titles in Ile-Ife remains a sacred traditional process governed by established customs, consultations and traditional rites, which are publicly conducted in accordance with the age-long traditions of the source. None of these customary procedures took place during the actor’s visit to the Palace, “he said.
While appreciating Baba Ijesha for acknowledging the royal kindness extended to him and his family, the Ooni urged media organisations and members of the public to disregard reports claiming that the actor has been installed as the “Awada Konge Oduwa” or conferred with any chieftaincy title.
The Ooni reaffirmed his commitment to celebrating and supporting deserving sons and daughters of Ile-Ife and the Oodua race at large while preserving the sanctity, dignity and integrity of the revered traditional institution of chieftaincy.
News
Presidency Orders DSS, EFCC To Probe Govt Officials Linked To PFIPC Scandal
The Presidency has called on security and anti-graft agencies to identify, arrest and prosecute government officials who may have collaborated with Prince Matthew Adeniyi Adeyemi in the alleged operation of two fictitious federal government agencies.
Adeyemi is accused of creating the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council using allegedly forged documents purportedly linked to the Presidency.
In a statement on his verified X handle, the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, said investigators must go beyond Adeyemi and expose the internal network that allegedly enabled him to operate for an extended period.
Ajayi urged the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate all officials within public institutions who may have aided the alleged scheme.
According to Ajayi, much of the public debate has ignored the fact that government institutions detected the alleged fraud and acted on it.
He said officials of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, working with officers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, first discovered inconsistencies in Adeyemi’s operations and reported the matter to the appropriate authorities.
“Contrary to the anything-goes narrative being promoted, it was the system itself that raised the red flag and dealt with it administratively,” Ajayi said.
He, however, acknowledged that the suspect could not have operated for long without help from insiders.
“What is not in doubt is that internal collaborators enabled Adeyemi to get this far. That is precisely what investigators from the DSS, the Police and the EFCC must now unravel.
“The criminal network within the affected institutions must be dismantled and everyone found to have played a role should be arrested and prosecuted,” he said.
The Presidency had earlier disowned the disowned the two organisations, insisting that they did not exist as government agencies.
It also maintained that the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, neither authorised Adeyemi’s activities nor had any connection with them.
“In Nigeria, the easiest and most believable allegation anyone can throw at a public officer is corruption.
“Once that accusation is thrown into the mix, the water is polluted, the lines are blurred and everyone is kept busy arguing over distractions rather than the real issues,” he wrote.
He described Adeyemi as “an irredeemable con artist” who was using allegations against the Chief of Staff as “his last straw” to avoid criminal liability.
The Presidency insisted that the case should not be framed as evidence of complicity at the highest levels of government, but as an alleged fraud uncovered by the system itself.
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