Business
Billionaire, Femi Otedola, among writers shortlisted for BCA African Business Book 2026
The Business Council for Africa (BCA), in partnership with the Africa Finance Corporation, African Business and BrandComms, has unveiled an exciting and eclectic shortlist for the 4th edition of the BCA African Business Book of the Year Awards.
Femi Otedola, billionaire business mogul, was listed among shortlisted writers for this year’s honours. He made the list with his book, Making It Big: Lessons from a Life in Business.
The other shortlisted books and authors are: How we made it in Africa II, by Jarco Martiz; How Africa works, by Joe Studwell; Cultural Confluence in Organisational Change: A Portuguese Venture in Angola, by Allete Vonk; Afro-Optimism Unleashed, by Adeolu Adewumi-Zer; It’s About Tyme, by Adrian Saville, Bruce Whitfield; How Africa Eats, by Professor David Luke; Realizing Africa’s Potential: A Journey to Prosperity; by Landry Signé.
The annual competition celebrates the most compelling business writing examining and shaping Africa’s economic imagination – from leadership memoirs and sectoral deep‑dives to bold analyses of the continent’s future.
Now in its fourth year, the awards continue to spotlight the authors, thinkers and practitioners documenting Africa’s business and economic transformation with clarity, rigour and ambition.
Supported by Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), Africa’s leading infrastructure solutions provider, the shortlist reflects a continent in motion: from the boardrooms of Lagos and Johannesburg to the food markets of Accra, the banking corridors of Nairobi and the policy tables of Addis Ababa.
The judging panel, as in previous iterations, is made up of respected African business and thought leaders as well as media executives: Arnold Ekpe, Chairperson of BCA, and chair of the Judging Committee; Arunma Oteh, former Director General of the Nigeria SEC and Chair at the Royal Africa Society; Chris Ogbechie, former Dean of Lagos Business School; Moky Makura, CEO of AfricaNoFilter; Terhas Berhe, Managing Director and Founder of Brand Communications; Omar Ben Yedder, Publisher of African Business and New African magazine; and Anver Versi, Editor of New African and African Banker.
Commenting on the awards, Arnold Ekpe, Chairperson of BCA, commended the quality of this year’s submissions while emphasising the need for even more African business voices to emerge.
“We are excited to have the Africa Finance Corporation join us this year as our headline sponsor. As AFC approaches its 20th anniversary next year, it understands the importance of narrative and the significance of documenting first hand the business stories being created across the continent. These stories help deepen understanding of Africa’s evolving business landscape and economic transformation.”
READ ALSO: Femi Otedola’s Making It Big jumps to Number 1 on Amazon Best Sellers list
The winner and runners-up for this year will be unveiled at the awards ceremony scheduled to take place in London on 3 July, at the Institute of Directors. The winner will receive a trophy and $10,000. The second- and third-placed finalists will receive $5,000 and $2,500, respectively.
Last year’s winners included All Hands on Deck: Unleash prosperity through world class capital markets by Arunma Oteh; Africonomics: A History of Western Ignorance by Bronwen Everill; and Toni Kan’s Riding the Storm: The Untold Story of Africa’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic covering the African response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Business Council for Africa was established in 1956 to provide reliable intelligence to investors interested in African economies.
Today, it is a registered not- for-profit organisation dedicated to promoting African business, championing enterprise, and connecting the continent with global opportunity.
Its flagship initiatives include the Annual African Business Book Awards and the Annual RED Index. For more information, visit: www.bcafrica.org
BY NKECHI NAECHE-ESEZOBOR—Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc has disclosed an insider transaction involving one of its directors, Dr. Akinade Ogunbiyi, who sold more than 1.5 million shares in the insurance company in a deal valued at over ₦6.3 million.
The disclosure, signed by Jide Ibitayo, Company Secretary, filed with the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) and the investing public, showed that Ogunbiyi, a Non-Executive Director of the company, disposed of 1,507,309 ordinary shares of Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc between June 3 and June 9, 2026.
According to the notification, the shares were sold at prices ranging from ₦4.20 to ₦4.33 per share, placing the total value of the transaction at between ₦6.33 million and ₦6.53 million.
The transaction was reported as an initial notification of insider dealing in line with regulatory requirements that mandate directors and other insiders of listed companies to disclose transactions involving the securities of their companies.
Mutual Benefits Assurance identified the financial instrument involved in the transaction as its ordinary shares, traded on the Nigerian Exchange under the ticker symbol “MBENEFIT.”
Insider dealing notifications are a key component of market transparency and corporate governance, providing investors with information on share transactions undertaken by directors, executives, and other individuals with access to potentially price-sensitive information.
While insider transactions often attract investor attention, market analysts note that such dealings do not necessarily indicate changes in a company’s outlook, as they may be influenced by personal investment decisions, portfolio rebalancing, or other financial considerations.
The disclosed transaction took place in Lagos, Nigeria, and was executed over a seven-day period between June 3 and June 9, 2026.
Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc remains one of the companies listed on the Nigerian Exchange that regularly complies with insider dealing disclosure requirements, reinforcing transparency in the capital market.
The post Insider Dealing: Mutual Benefits Director, Ogunbiyi Sells Shares Worth Over ₦6.3 Million appeared first on Business Today NG.
The Federal Government has dismissed reports suggesting it plans to introduce new taxes on telecommunications services and petroleum products, saying the claims are false and misleading.
The Federal Ministry of Finance disclosed this on Wednesday in a statement signed by Maryann Duke, senior special assistant on communications and press secretary to the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele.
It said the reports, which linked the proposed taxes to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Article IV Consultation on Nigeria, do not reflect its position.
According to the government, the recommendations contained in the IMF report are advisory and do not constitute policy decisions or binding actions for Nigeria.
“The Federal Government is not considering the introduction of any new taxes on telecommunications services or petroleum products,” the statement said.
Fuel tax rules remain unchanged.
The government also clarified that existing tax arrangements on petroleum products remain in place.
It said the Value Added Tax (VAT) waiver on fuel has not been removed and is still active.
It also explained that any fuel surcharge can only take effect through a ministerial order published in the Official Gazette, adding that no such action is being considered.
According to the statement, the current arrangements have helped cushion the impact of global fuel price changes on Nigerian households and businesses.
READ ALSO: NRS launches Rev360 to ease tax compliance
Telecoms excise duty
On telecommunications, the government said the excise duty introduced before 2023 has already been repealed under the new tax laws.
It added that the tax is, therefore, no longer in force.
The ministry urged Nigerians, media organisations and businesses to disregard claims about new telecoms and fuel taxes.
It said Nigeria’s tax policy remains focused on improving revenue collection, supporting economic growth, and attracting investment, rather than increasing the tax burden on citizens.
The ministry added that any future tax changes would be communicated through official channels and implemented strictly in line with due process.
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