NIGERIA AND GHANA QUALIFY FOR THE OLYMPIC RELAY

mong the other firms in Serena Ventures' portfolio are Parfait, Karat, and Calico. Williams told Bloomberg, "As it stands, our portfolio is 68% women or people of color, and that is unheard of in the VC world." Therefore, diversity and bringing people together are very important to me. We genuinely invest in every single person. We hear your story, regardless of how you appear. Williams claims that since she began investing, she has consistently closed additional deals and gradually increased the number of unicorns in her portfolio to sixteen.

 This put her in a better position to start a fund. Williams stated, "I tried to close more deals and in the end, I had about 16 unicorns in my portfolio." "I knew it wouldn't be easy for us to raise a fund the first time around, so that way I would have a good track record." 

As previously revealed by AFROTECHTM, Serena Ventures announced the establishment of its first fund in 2022 with a total of $111 million to help early-stage entrepreneurs. 

In response to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission's (NERC) May 2024 Supplementary Order on Tariff Increase on Band A Feeders, IKEJA Electric (IE) has declared a decrease in its Band A tariff, which would now be N206.80/kWh instead of N225/KWh.

 Group Customers are defined as those with a minimum of 20 hours of supply daily. 

According to the directive from the industry regulator, this is an 8.1 percent decrease from the prior rate. Today marks the immediate implementation of the NERC order. 

"We are a compliant Disco; we follow directives given by the regulators knowing it is in the best interest of all parties," stated Kingsley Okotie, Head of Corporate Communications at IE, confirming the utility's compliance. As we work to provide them with higher-quality services, we guarantee our clients that we will keep improving the way we provide our services. 

Jose Peseiro will be replaced as Nigeria's head coach by former international Finidi George. After the Portuguese left the Super Eagles following Nigeria's loss to Ivory Coast in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final in February, the 53-year-old was given temporary leadership of the team. George, who is also the club team's coach, supervised two friendlies last month. His team defeated Ghana 2-1 before falling to Mali 2-0. Following the approval of a suggestion from its technical and development committee, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) officially announced its appointment on Monday. 

George, a former winger for Ajax and Real Betis, assisted Peseiro for 20 months and is anticipated to stay in command of Enyimba till the end of the current campaign. Under his leadership, the team won the Nigerian championship last year. George was a member of the 'Golden Generation' that won the Nations Cup in 1994, the year the Super Eagles made their debut in the USA at the Fifa World Cup. George scored six goals in 62 international appearances for Nigeria. He will be under pressure to provide wins quickly because Nigeria's next two games in June are two potentially important World Cup qualifiers that will also take place in North America in 2026. 

After drawing their opening two games in Group C, the three-time continental winners Super Eagles need to get their season back on track. The game against Benin on neutral ground and the match at home against South Africa have been designated as "must-win encounters" by the NFF. George is said to have defeated Emmanuel Amuneke, a former teammate of the Super Eagles, and Domenec Torrent, a Spaniard who served as Pep Guardiola's coach and analyst at Manchester City, in the race for one of the most prominent positions in African football. The duration of his contract has not been disclosed by the NFF. 

George, one of the greatest wingers in Nigerian history, had a dazzling career both at the club and international levels. After joining Ajax in 1993, he won three league titles with them. In 1995, he also won the Intercontinental Cup, Uefa Champions League, and Uefa Super Cup with the Dutch powerhouses. Spells with Betis, where he finished second in the Copa del Rey in 1997, Mallorca, and Ipswich Town in England came next. However, he also achieved many things with the Super Eagles after making his international debut in 1991 against Burkina Faso.

George scored the goal that qualified Nigeria for the 1994 World Cup and later assisted in setting up the first goal ever scored by his nation in the final match against Bulgaria. He was also a member of the team that competed in the French competition in 1998. George was a member of the teams that placed second in 2000, won bronze in 1992, and took home the Nations Cup championship in 1994 as Nigeria defeated Zambia 2-1.

 After taking over at Enyimba, the most successful club in Nigeria, in 2021, he helped the team win the league two years later, giving them their first championship in four years. Super Eagles anticipate a fresh look under George Finidi George's selection by the NFF is not shocking, even if Emmanuel Amuneke was a strong contender to succeed Jose Peseiro and a favorite of the supporters. 

Despite uneven results, the new coach passed the exam in the recent friendlies against West African rivals Ghana and Mali. Now, George has to live up to some lofty expectations. The 2026 World Cup qualifiers are the first event to be played, and they are much more significant since that the Super Eagles were not selected for the previous finals in Qatar. George's job will be to assemble a side that can win a fourth Nations Cup championship, surpassing this year's second-place result in Ivory Coast. 

Known for being a dynamic winger during his playing career, he is anticipated to introduce a fresh approach to the game by managing the quality group he has at his disposal and developing players in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL). George will keep juggling his responsibilities as head coach of the national team and the reigning NPFL winners Enyimba, who are now second in the standings with six games left. 

Meanwhile, Super Eagles supporters will argue about the NFF's continued disregard for Amuneke. With players like Victor Osimhen and Samuel Chukwueze, who are now essential members of the senior side, the 1994 African Player of the Year led Nigeria to victory in the Under-17 World Cup in 2015. The former forward for Barcelona also helped Tanzania earn a spot in the 2019 Nations Cup. 

A recent French story has highlighted Neymar's difficult time at PSG, including his arguments with teammates and his alleged loss of Kylian Mbappe's respect. Neymar ended his tenure at the Parc des Princes last summer after six years with the French powerhouses, having secured a lucrative transfer to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia. Some have said that the 32-year-old Brazilian international fell short of expectations during his time at PSG, and a shocking new article from L'Equipe has exposed the reasons why.

 The report claims that several alarming occurrences contributed to Neymar's final exit from the team. They talked to PSG employees and former players, who said that "at the end of his adventure, he sometimes showed up drunk at training."

Neymar dealt with similar accusations back in 2022, following a French journalist's remark that the Brazilian 'hardly trains anymore, he arrives in a sad state, nearly intoxicated.' The insider also revealed an alleged altercation between Neymar and one of the assistant coaches that occurred during Christophe Galtier's tenure with the team during training.

Neymar struck youth player Ismael Gharbi shortly after during the training, according to a witness, and then delivered a "blow to the head." They declared: "While he was on the ground, Neymar grabbed him and struck him in the head with a brush." All were taken aback. Ultimately, he wasn't all that pleasant. The publication further stated that Neymar was the driving force behind a brawl involving Sergio Ramos, Achraf Hakimi, and Lionel Messi on the training field.

According to the source, Messi and Hakimi fought before the Brazilian stood up to console his former Barcelona teammate. This was reported to L'Equipe. Ramos is reported to have calmed things down fast by telling Neymar, "If you get up, I'll come." The insider continued by describing how Neymar's connection with Kylian Mbappe, which was supposed to propel PSG to the top of the European league, finally soured. "Kylian liked Neymar at first, but after working with him every day, he lost the respect he had for him," a PSG staff member stated.

On the other hand, Neymar and Lionel Messi expressed displeasure upon realizing that the club had given Kylian the vehicle keys. Messi would say hello to you despite his introversion. "Not the Neymar. You got the feeling that he didn't think you were worthy. He declined to speak. It's unfortunate since he appears like a kind and giving person in private. He was never warm or friendly to me. He didn't try to speak French, even though he comprehended it.

Despite having the drive to play for his country, the Brazilian was 'fed up' with local football, according to the same source. Social media fans were startled to see Neymar on video playing online poker during his daughter's celebration earlier this week. The Al-Hilal celebrity and his former partner Bruna Biancardi brought their daughter Mavie into the world last year, and they just celebrated her six-month birthday.

"I have developed an intense love for the game since I started playing during the 2014 World Cup."I play aggressively when I play poker. My favorite hands are Jack-Five and a pair of tens, which I named after my shirt number. Poker and football have similarities in the ways you read your opponent and your play to decide when to attack. "I used to play it a lot while with Barcelona, and we play often at PSG," the player said. Neymar has not yet responded to the L'Equipe claims.

After purchasing a sizable share in FC Como's women's squad, Eniola Aluko became the first African American woman to own a club in Italy,  Aluko was born in Lagos, Nigeria, in 1987, but when she was still a baby, her parents relocated to England. Eventually, she became a naturalized English citizen, rejected Nigeria, and began playing for the women's team. The 37-year-old was a winger for Charlton Athletic, Birmingham City, Chelsea, Atlanta Beat, and Juventus, among other teams. In addition, she made 102 appearances for the Three Lionesses, which helped them win silver in the 2009 Euros and bronze in the World Cup of 2015.

After ending her football career in 2020, Aluko engaged in several other pursuits. Before quitting her jobs last year, the former England Lioness held the roles of sporting director at Angel City and director of women's football at Aston Villa. Recently, she has also worked as a pundit. According to a recent update on her X page, Aluko joined Mercury 13, a $100 million ownership group that purchased the majority of FC Como, to become the first African woman to own a team in Italy.

Como Women just had its founding in 2020, and its stadium can hold 3,700 people. They presently compete in the Italian Serie A's top division. Sone Aluko, a former Super Eagles footballer, has a sister named Eniola Aluko.

After the organization revealed reward money to gold medalists at the greatest sporting event of the year, Nigerian Olympians Chioma Ajunwa and Enefiok Udo-Obong feel the World Athletics has made a great stride and is headed in the right direction, according to PUNCH Sports Extra. The two former sprinters added that they hoped other international sports organizations would follow World Athletics' lead and that the action would improve competitiveness in the athletics competitions in Paris.

There will be 48 athletics competitions in Paris, and the gold medal winners in relay races will split the prize money. World Athletics said on Wednesday that the international governing body has made available a total prize fund of $2.4 million for the Olympics in Paris this summer. The gold medallists would get $50,000 (N62 million).

It was also mentioned that this would also apply to the silver and bronze medal winners at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. "It's a great step for them to announce that there will be rewards for gold medallists but I would have loved them to give a token to other athletes who make the podium," said Ajunwa, the first-ever gold medallist from Nigeria in an interview with PUNCH Sports Extra.

The first time this happens, so Udo-Obong says, "It's a good move. It should be encouraged, but I also hope that international federations emulate the World Athletics by supporting their athletes at the Olympics."Professionals now compete in the Olympics, so gone are the days when people said it was all about amateurism. It makes sense for players to receive certain incentives because the TV money is also there. Lord Coe, president of World Athletics, described the choice as a "pivotal moment."

Coe stated, "We are committed to empowering the athletes and acknowledging the critical role they play in the success of any Olympic Games. The introduction of prize money for Olympic gold medallists is a pivotal moment for World Athletics and the sport of athletics as a whole." "I believe it is important we start somewhere and ensure some of the revenues generated by our athletes at the Olympic Games are directly returned to those who make the Games the global spectacle, even though it is impossible to put a marketable value on winning an Olympic medal or on the commitment and focus it takes even to represent your country at an Olympic Games."

The Lagos–Calabar Coastal Road Atiku erred once more – President Atiku Abubakar has been under fire from the Presidency, which claims that in his most recent public remarks about the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the former vice president showed a lack of comprehension. In a statement released on Sunday, Atiku, the opposition PDP's nominee for president in the general elections of 2023, attacked the Bola Tinubu-led government over the road project. Despite raising worries about the expense of the 700km road project, Paul Ibe, his media advisor, signed a statement on his behalf pointing out that the project lacked transparency. The message also inquired about the project's anticipated completion date.

In response to the statement, the Presidency noted that Atiku had failed to distinguish between the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Rail and the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway in his fruitless search for weaknesses in President Tinubu's administration. Bayo Onanuga is President Tinubu's special adviser on information and strategy.

In the statement made public on Monday, Mr. Onanuga stated that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway has received a great deal of praise for the significant economic impact it will have and for changing the game in terms of raising Nigerians' standard of living, particularly in the nine coastal states where it will pass. Significantly, the route will greatly strengthen the economies of agriculture and tourism.

Mr. Onanuga asserts that the administrations of former Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan never gave contracts for the construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway to any company at any revised or variable amount, despite the assertions made in Atiku's endorsed press release. Therefore, the cost comparison issue is avoided. Lagos-Calabar Coastal Rail was the winner of the contract. The rail was intended to be a component of the national rail network using standard gauge.

For $11.17 billion, the contract was given on August 4, 2021, by the Federal Executive Council, which was chaired by Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, the former vice president. The six-year deal was supposed to be finished. The endeavor was not successful. The coastal train project between Lagos and Calabar has long been planned. The fact that it failed to take off during the 16 years the PDP-led administration was in power was further evidence of its incompetence. There are two different projects: the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Rail and the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. Regretfully, the former Vice President's understanding of the two programs is unclear.

President Tinubu deserves appreciation for his audacity in taking on this revolutionary endeavor rather than being demonized, as Atiku Abubakar tried in vain to do. Ad banner 728x90_2 by Dangote (1) We are aware that, despite his late age, Atiku Abubakar will stop at nothing to fulfill his unwavering dream of becoming president of Nigeria. But we don't anticipate a former Nigerian vice president to carry on sowing seeds of discord and engaging in polarizing politics as he ages. Ignorant of the significant influence that the Coastal route would have on the movement of goods into and out of industrial zones, Atiku questioned the decision to begin construction on the route from Lagos rather than Calabar.

We don't know what the former vice president is trying to accomplish with this claim. Is it not common knowledge that a trip of a thousand miles starts with a single step? Whatever the project's starting point—Lagos, Calabar, Warri, Sapele—any patriotic Nigerian should be pleased that this significant undertaking, which has been in the works for several decades, is now moving forward. As a leader and patriot, President Tinubu will keep advancing national development by advancing infrastructure throughout the nation. We urge former Vice President Atiku to fulfill his obligations as an assumed statesman and to stop wasting time on activities that don't further the cause of nation-building.

If the Acting National Chairman Umar Ililya Damagum does not step down right now, no less than sixty members of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in the House of Representatives have vowed to quit the organization.

Among other things, they demanded that he be replaced right away by a member of the North Central by the party's constitution.  The members charged Damagum with giving the All Progressives Congress (APC) control over the PDP's leadership structure.

Ikenga observed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would not be in office now if he had not been steadfast in his opposition throughout the years.  They stated that before totally ruining the celebration, Damagun needed to leave. The MPs threatened to quit the PDP and join other political parties if their demands were not granted.

10 lessons from Great at Work

1.         Give the rest to others and concentrate on your abilities. Determine your key talents and concentrate on your strongest areas of expertise. Give more difficult or seasoned people responsibility for different duties.

2.         Say no to commitments that don't align with your priorities. Refusing demands is acceptable, even if they are made by your supervisor or clients. Prioritize your work and focus on the tasks that are most important to you and your team.

3.         Take breaks throughout the day. Get up and move around every 20-30 minutes to avoid burnout and stay focused. Take longer breaks for lunch and at the end of the day to recharge and come back refreshed.

4.         Get rid of all the distractions in your office. Go to a quiet workspace, turn off your phone, and shut down your email. You'll be able to concentrate better and produce more as a result.

5.         Establish reasonable objectives for your group and yourself. Avoid trying to take on too much at once as this will only lead to disappointment. Divide complicated activities into smaller, more doable segments.

6.         Make use of modern technologies. A plethora of tools and resources are at your disposal to facilitate more productive work. When feasible, automate chores and learn how to make the most of these technologies.

7.         Use delegation well. Be explicit about your expectations when assigning jobs, and make sure you give the required assistance. Make sure the jobs are being completed on time by checking in frequently and giving comments.

8.         Establish rapport with your coworkers. Having positive working connections with your coworkers can increase productivity and enjoyment at work. Try to establish a connection with your coworkers by getting to know them.

9.         Look after your own needs. Eat well, get enough sleep, and work out frequently. Taking care of yourself will make you more effective and productive at work.

10.       Honor your accomplishments. Spend some time appreciating all of your successes, no matter how tiny. This will support your motivation and goal-focused persistence. You may realize your full potential and learn how to work smarter—rather than harder—by paying attention to these teachings.