The Nigerian governors will attend and participate in a three-day leadership retreat in Kigali, Rwanda, designed to provide a platform for public officials to collectively reflect, learn, and share perspectives on effective leadership and complex challenges. The retreat, which is organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), will provide participants with enhanced leadership skills, knowledge, and the mindset necessary to cultivate the leading of others. This information was made available to journalists by the NGF media department. According to UNDP’s Lealem Berhand Dinku in the invitation letter, the retreat is part of the organization’s commitment to improving governance in Africa and other regions of the globe. By emphasizing experiential learning, exploration, and reflection, according to Dinku, participants will be endowed with the necessary skills and competencies to lead in environments that are highly complex and uncertain. “In today’s dynamic world, the multitude of megatrends – ranging from invisible threats to democratic governance, the impact of an increasingly digital and innovation-driven society, a looming job crisis, a growing youth population with an elusive youth dividend, the rapid pace of urbanisation, a highly globalised world, and rising climate change – pose immense challenges for African nations. “A novel approach to leadership is required to transform these obstacles into opportunities. This necessitates the cultivation of skills that facilitate attentiveness and self-awareness. These competencies are essential for ensuring that leaders can comprehend, lead, and make informed decisions for the benefit of their constituents, according to the UN agency. “Effective leadership is indispensable for navigating the complexities of the emerging global order. State governors will play crucial roles in shaping their states’ and the nation’s futures. This proposed programme intends to equip them with the necessary leadership skills to lead with excellence, promote inclusive governance, drive innovation, establish collaborative relationships, and address emerging challenges. By investing in leadership development, we can equip them to lead the transformation of their respective states and, subsequently, Nigeria. Sessions on’re-imagining and exploring the future of Nigeria,’ ‘opportunities and challenges of contemporary leadership in a ‘new’ world,’ and ‘the future of development as influenced by digital transformation, big data, disruptive innovation, and emerging technologies’ will be facilitated by facilitators of international renown. Governors Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, and Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, former President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, senior minister and special adviser to the prime minister of Ethiopia Arkebe Oqubay, among others, are scheduled to speak at the retreat.

Prospective renters in Nigeria can now breathe a sigh of relief as a rental solution that simplifies renting and facilitates access to residences has entered the real estate market. The Rent Now Pay Later solution is a rent-financing initiative that provides low-interest, collateral-free loans of up to N3 million. Spleet, a property technology (proptech) company, is promoting the solution, which, according to its representatives, was designed to help renters locate a home and pay monthly, quarterly, or annually. The company has raised $2.6 million in funding, led by MaC VC, to expand its property management offerings. In Nigeria, it is challenging to rent an apartment. In addition to the tension of finding a suitable residence, there is also the financial burden of exorbitant rent that must be paid one or two years in advance. A low-to-moderate income apartment can cost between $1,000 and $5,000 per year in rent. Nationwide, rents are generally high, especially in urban areas, because landlords and developers also face challenges deriving from inflation and rising construction costs, resulting in price increases for housing in major cities. The majority of tenants in the country spend up to forty percent of their income on housing costs alone. Akinderu Moruf-Fatai, a former commissioner for housing in Lagos, verified this at a recent real estate forum. “Rent Now, Pay Later was designed to provide current and prospective Spleet members with access to credit facilities in order to make advance payments for their homes on a flexible repayment schedule. Akintola Adesanmi, co-founder and chief executive officer of Spleet, explained in Lagos that members can access up to N3 million with a 12-month repayment schedule. “At Spleet, we believe that people should be able to affordably rent a suitable residence, and all of our efforts are geared toward making this a reality. This program is available to all current and prospective Spleet members,” he added. Adesanmi explained further that existing or prospective tenants must create a Spleet account and then visit the Spleet Marketplace to view their carefully curated apartment options in order to become members of Spleet and take advantage of the credit facilities it provides. “When a member discovers an apartment he likes, he should click on ‘Pay with RNPL’ under the payment options; fill in the required information, including his bank statement and employment history, to assist the team in determining his eligibility. This requires between 24 and 72 hours,” he explained. When the applicant’s loan application is approved, he will be able to relocate into his Spleet home, he stated. The CEO disclosed that RNPL is designed for young to middle-aged salaried individuals seeking a flexible and convenient way to pay for an apartment, and that 4 percent per month interest is levied on the loan amount or approved amount on a reducing balance basis. “We recoup the loan we extend through a clearly defined procedure. Applicants for loans agree to monthly direct debits from their associated bank account. The applicant must also make an equity contribution equal to 16,67% of the monthly rent in order to satisfy the eligibility requirements, he explained. Continuing, he stated, “We provide a two-month grace period (interest will continue to accrue daily for each missed payment), but if the applicant is unable to repay the loan after the grace period expires, Spleet will initiate the eviction process.” The rental market in Nigeria is very active, and a variety of products that facilitate renting and homeownership have emerged. One of these products is Rent-to-Own, which allows a lessee to move into a house that has already been paid for by a seller, and then continue to pay rent on the house until he has paid enough to own it. Alpha Mead Development Company (AMDC), a subsidiary of Alpha Mead Group, has a product on the market called ‘Rent4Less’ that was created in response to the country’s economic challenges. In recognition of the fact that more than 80 percent of Nigeria’s growing population lives in rented housing, the company’s former managing director, Damola Akindolire, stated in an interview, “we are happy that we have not only solved a major problem with Rent4Less, but also demonstrated that we can accelerate growth and replicate this success across Africa.”