Hydrogen, Lagos State Touch Thousands of Business Owners with “Healthy Heart, Healthy Business” Outreach

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

As part of its continued effort to support the growth and sustainability of Nigerian enterprises, Hydrogen Payment Services Company Limited joined forces with Ikeja Local Government Area and the Office of the Medical Officer of Health to deliver the impactful “Healthy Heart, Healthy Business” outreach on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at the Ikeja Local Government Secretariat.

The initiative successfully engaged a wide range of business owners through a combination of in-person participation and extensive digital awareness campaigns.

Participants benefited from a comprehensive range of free medical screenings, including blood pressure checks, ECGs, malaria and typhoid testing, urinalysis, packed cell volume (PCV), blood sugar monitoring, and more, highlighting the critical connection between good health and business longevity.

Kemi Okusanya, CEO of Hydrogen, commented on the initiative, affirming Hydrogen’s passion for the growth of businesses.

“At Hydrogen, we are deeply committed to the success of Nigerian businesses. As a payment solutions provider, we recognise that healthy entrepreneurs build stronger, more resilient enterprises.

This outreach exemplifies our belief in supporting entrepreneurs beyond just payments.”

Demonstrating this responsibility, Hydrogen donated Sphygmomanometers and Glucometers to indigent and high-risk attendees unable to afford these essential health monitoring devices, empowering them to manage their health beyond the outreach.

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) have become increasingly important in driving sustainable development across various sectors.

By leveraging the unique strengths of both government institutions and private enterprises, PPPs enable more efficient delivery of services, innovation, and expanded reach.

These collaborations foster shared responsibility and resource pooling, making it possible to tackle complex challenges that neither sector could effectively address alone.

Dr. Tawak O.F., Medical Officer of Health for Ikeja, spoke on this, saying, “This partnership with Hydrogen Payment Services Company Limited exemplifies the power of effective public-private collaboration in reaching the heart of our business community.”

“Entrepreneurs often overlook their health while striving for success, but initiatives like this remind us all that good health is an essential part of wealth. We commend Hydrogen for their commitment to not just powering payments, but also powering healthier, more resilient businesses through impactful community engagement,” She added.

Mary, one of the beneficiaries and a merchant in ‘Computer Village’, expressed her gratitude, saying that, “Most of us don’t think about regular hospital checkups.

Mainly, because the cost is too high and some things now are not covered by insurance. Today, Hydrogen and Lagos State have brought doctors for free to our doorstep, and we are very grateful.”

Hydrogen’s full team presence at the event reaffirmed the company’s dedication to forging genuine relationships and standing firmly with the business communities it serves.

Tunji-Ojo Calls for Innovation-Driven Public, Private Sector at Access Bank GLS

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

Hon. Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Interior, delivered a compelling charge to public and private sector leaders at the Access Bank Guest Lecture Series (GLS) held on Friday at the Bank’s headquarters in Victoria Island, Lagos. Speaking on the theme “Dare to Dream, Dare to Innovate,” the Minister outlined a sweeping vision for innovation-driven governance, ethical leadership, and urgent reform in the country’s correctional system.

L-R: Kemi Nanna Nandap, Comptroller General of Immigration; Paul Usoro (SAN), Chairman, Access Bank Plc; Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Honourable Minister of Interior; Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Chairman Access Holdings Plc; Bolaji Agbede, Acting Group Chief Executive Officer, Access Holdings Plc; and Roosevelt Ogbonna, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Access Bank Plc, at Access Tower, Victoria Island, during the Guest Lecture Series hosted by Access Bank in Lagos… recently.

In his keynote address, Tunji-Ojo drew on his background as an ethical hacker to illustrate how great leadership, like in cybersecurity, must be proactive, identifying and fixing vulnerabilities before they become crises. “Leadership is not about reacting to problems, it is about foreseeing and solving them before they occur,” he said. “And for that, you must always ask: What is your purpose? How will you execute it? And when is the right time to act?”

Dr. Tunji-Ojo showcased the transformation underway at the Ministry of Interior since he took office, including the clearance of a backlog of over 200,000 unprocessed passport applications and the elimination of ₦28 billion in legacy debt. These achievements, he noted, were realised without additional financial aid from the federal government. Instead, the Ministry deployed a strategy built on system integration, technology innovation, and financial self-sufficiency.

Among the innovations highlighted were the rollout of e-visa platforms, contactless passport renewals for Nigerians in the diaspora, advanced passenger information systems, and the commissioning of a Tier-4 data centre to support round-the-clock immigration services.

In one of the most resonant moments of the event, the Minister spoke passionately about the broken state of Nigeria’s correctional system. He revealed that over 4,000 inmates were being held in custodial centres nationwide simply because they could not afford to pay fines as low as ₦50,000. “This is not a legal crisis, it is a moral one,” he declared. “A society that punishes poverty more harshly than crime has lost its moral compass.”

Dr. Tunji-Ojo explained that the Ministry has since partnered with private donors to secure the release of many of these non-violent offenders and is now pursuing structural reforms that prioritise rehabilitation over punishment.

These include digital case tracking to prevent indefinite detention, vocational training programmes within correctional centres, and public-private partnerships aimed at improving living conditions and operational efficiency. “A correctional facility must correct, not condemn,” he said. “Justice without dignity is injustice in disguise.”

Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Chairman of Access Holdings PLC, who welcomed the Minister to the lecture series, praised his clarity of vision and decisive leadership. “What Dr. Tunji-Ojo has demonstrated is that innovation is not about big budgets, it is about big thinking,” Aig-Imoukhuede said. “His approach to public service reflects the same DNA of impact and excellence that defines Access Group.”

Aig-Imoukhuede noted that the Guest Lecture Series was designed to deepen the conversation around leadership, accountability, and service. “We cannot build the Nigeria we want without leaders who understand systems, value people, and are committed to sustainable change.

Today’s conversation has shown us what that looks like in action.”
The event brought together executives, policymakers, and thought leaders from across the country, reinforcing Access Bank’s role as not only a financial powerhouse but also a platform for national transformation through dialogue, vision, and collaboration.

In his final message, Tunji-Ojo encouraged participants to embrace a personal philosophy of excellence and purpose. “Let Access Bank not just be a financial institution, let it be a philosophy,” he said. “Let Nigeria not just be a country of potential, let it be a nation of performance. It is time to refine our genius, not just export it.”

Access Bank Secures DFIs’ USD 100 Million Facility led by German DEG for MSMEs and Gender Equality in Nigeria

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

Access Bank Plc has successfully closed a USD 100 million senior loan facility with a consortium of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), led by the German DFI DEG – Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH, and supported by FinDev Canada, Amsterdam-based asset manager ILX, as well as Austrian DFI OeEB, Oesterreichische Entwicklungsbank AG.

This significant financing will support privately-owned MSMEs, small corporates, and family-owned businesses across Nigeria, with a particular focus on promoting female entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.

At least 30 per cent of the facility will be dedicated to gender lens investing in the spirit of the 2X Challenge, ensuring that women-owned and women-managed businesses are prioritised. This initiative is crucial in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, where supporting women entrepreneurs and MSMEs can drive job creation and contribute to reducing inequality.

Roosevelt Ogbonna, Group Managing Director of Access Bank Plc, commented on the partnership, saying:

“At Access Bank, we remain steadfast in our commitment to driving economic transformation and fostering inclusive growth across all the countries we operate. This partnership not only strengthens our ongoing efforts to empower women in business but also reinforces our support for Nigeria’s MSME sector, which plays a pivotal role in the country’s economic development. Through strategic collaborations like this, we continue to enhance opportunities for underserved communities, and we look forward to building on this success to impact even more lives across Africa.”

This facility marks the fourth collaboration between DEG and Access Bank Group, but it is also the first time in their eight-year partnership that DEG’s has acted as the lead arranger. DEG’s investment in the deal amounts to USD 25 million, strengthening the long-term relationship between the two institutions.

Also, Roland Siller, CEO of DEG shared his thoughts on the partnership, stating that:

“This financing marks a major step in our ongoing commitment to supporting inclusive growth in Africa. By partnering with Access Bank, we are not just empowering women entrepreneurs and strengthening MSMEs but also investing in the future of Nigeria’s economy. This collaboration, which has blossomed over the last eight years, goes beyond just providing funding and speaks to our shared commitment in creating sustainable, long-term opportunities that foster job creation and innovation. At DEG, we are focused on helping businesses in developing and emerging markets thrive, offering not just financial support but also advisory services that help them scale and succeed. Our work with Access Bank is a clear example of how we can build stronger economies through impactful, sustainable investments.”

In 2024, Access Bank made significant social and environmental impact across the continent, touching millions of lives and earning multiple industry accolades. Through various corporate social investment initiatives in education, entrepreneurship, health, and the environment, the Group reached over 21 million individuals across Africa. Through its W-Initiative, the Bank disbursed loans to over a million women-led SMEs, advancing financial inclusion and gender empowerment.