President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has been appointed Grand Patron of the Global Entrepreneurship Festival (GEF), as organisers seek to strengthen connections between established business leaders and emerging entrepreneurs across Africa and beyond.

The appointment was formally presented during a visit by the GEF Board to Dangote, where he was also recognised for his contributions to entrepreneurship, business development and economic transformation.

Dangote to Support Global Entrepreneurship Drive

The festival said Dangote’s experience in building businesses and investing across major sectors of the African economy would add value to its entrepreneurship platform.

Speaking after receiving his certificate of appointment, Dangote highlighted the importance of connecting entrepreneurs and businesses to explore opportunities for collaboration.

He said the platform could help bring entrepreneurs from North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa and other parts of the world together to identify areas where businesses can work together.

GEF Targets Stronger Business Connections

The appointment is part of the festival’s broader effort to connect established business leaders, investors, institutions and policymakers with emerging entrepreneurs.

GEF President, Dr Summy Smart Francis, led the delegation that presented the appointment to Dangote. The organisation said his involvement would strengthen efforts to promote enterprise development, investment and collaboration.

GEF Vice Chairman, Dr Elizabeth Jack-Rich, was also credited with facilitating the engagement between the festival’s leadership and Dangote.

Festival to Hold in Egypt

The 2026 edition of the Global Entrepreneurship Festival is scheduled to take place in Cairo, Egypt, from November 6 to 8.

The three-day event is expected to bring together entrepreneurs, investors, innovators, business leaders, policymakers and institutions from Africa and other parts of the world.

The festival is designed to provide opportunities for networking, investment discussions, mentorship, knowledge sharing and business partnerships.

Dangote is also listed among the speakers for the 2026 edition on the festival’s official website.

Focus on Africa’s Next Generation of Entrepreneurs

With Dangote taking on the Grand Patron role, the festival organisers are seeking to deepen links between established African enterprises and the continent’s emerging generation of entrepreneurs.

The initiative comes as GEF positions the Cairo gathering as a platform for entrepreneurs and investors to exchange ideas, build partnerships and explore opportunities across markets.

Troops of the Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, have rescued 31 kidnapped victims during separate operations in Katsina and Kebbi states.

The operations, conducted on September 14 and 15, also led to the death of two suspected terrorists, the arrest of two others and the recovery of ammunition, a motorcycle, camouflage clothing and other items, according to the task force.

10 Kidnap Victims Rescued in Katsina

In Katsina State, troops of Sector 2 rescued 10 kidnap victims following reports of abductions in Unguwan Daudu and Unguwan Chibauna communities in Funtua Local Government Area.

The victims comprised three males and seven females, including an infant.

According to the military, troops launched a hot pursuit after receiving the reports and engaged the suspected terrorists in a gun battle, leading to the successful rescue of the victims.

The rescued persons were subsequently taken into military custody for further action.

21 Victims Rescued in Kebbi

In Kebbi State, troops responded to a distress call following the abduction of civilians from Fafala Village in Kangiwa Local Government Area.

Acting on what the military described as credible intelligence, the troops conducted a fighting patrol towards Fafala and Dandikwa, where they engaged the suspected terrorists in a heavy exchange of fire.

The gun battle reportedly forced the attackers to withdraw, allowing the troops to rescue 21 victims.

The rescued victims were later reunited with their families.

Two Terrorists Killed in Katsina

The military also reported a separate operation in Katsina on September 15, during which troops foiled an alleged plan to attack communities in Matazu and Kankara local government areas.

The troops reportedly moved towards a suspected terrorist hideout and engaged the group with superior firepower.

Two suspected terrorists were killed, including Abbah Alhassan, whom the military identified as a known terrorist kingpin. Other suspected terrorists reportedly fled into the surrounding bush.

Items recovered from the area included 10 rounds of ammunition, a motorcycle, a cutlass, camouflage clothing and Indian hemp, among other items.

Two Suspected Terrorists Arrested

In another operation in Katsina, troops arrested two suspected terrorists around the Yantumaki general area of Dan Musa Local Government Area.

Preliminary interrogation, according to the military, indicated that the suspects were allegedly associated with a suspected terrorist kingpin identified as Mannori.

The two suspects remain in custody for further investigation.

Military Urges Public Vigilance

The Joint Task Force said the operations demonstrate its continued efforts to rescue kidnapped victims, disrupt terrorist networks and restrict the activities of armed groups across its area of operation.

The task force also thanked members of the public for their support and urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to security agencies.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Republic of Benin Customs have launched a technology-driven system aimed at making cross-border trade between both countries faster, more transparent and easier for traders.

The initiative, known as the Customs Declaration Exchange System (CDES), is designed to connect the operations of the two customs administrations while improving coordinated enforcement and harmonising border procedures.

New Digital System Targets Border Delays

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, announced the initiative during the Joint Nigeria-Benin Customs meeting on the assessment of the One Stop Border Post at the Seme-Krake border in Lagos State.

The meeting was themed “Leveraging the Nigeria Customs Service Trade Modernisation Project to Advance Seamless Cross-Border Trade and Shared Responsibility.”

Adeniyi said the system is expected to improve interconnectivity between the two customs administrations and establish a framework for more accountable joint governance.

Focus on Women Traders

The Customs chief said the digital system would particularly benefit women who participate in informal cross-border trade.

According to Adeniyi, women account for more than 70 per cent of informal cross-border traders along the corridor. He said many women traders face challenges including harassment, extortion and delays while moving goods across the border.

The CDES is therefore expected to simplify procedures for small consignments and make information about customs requirements available in languages traders can understand.

A dedicated complaint channel is also expected to provide women traders with a way to report cases of poor treatment at the border.

System Could Reduce Repeated Customs Checks

Adeniyi said one of the major measures of the system’s success would be whether traders and transporters could avoid unnecessary duplication of customs procedures.

He gave the example of a truck carrying goods from Cotonou to Lagos, saying the objective was for it to clear the border once rather than undergo repeated processes on both sides.

He also said the system should eventually allow traders to cross the border within an hour rather than spending an entire day dealing with border procedures.

Nigeria, Benin Customs Plan System Interconnectivity

The technical team working on the project has presented processes for deploying the CDES across both countries.

The two administrations are also considering co-locating their customs administrations and systems at the border, which would allow officers on either side to access relevant information and coordinate decisions more effectively.

Adeniyi said connectivity between the systems would be critical to the success of the project.

He added that within about three months, the systems should begin working once the necessary technical connections and administrative cooperation are established.

Benin Customs Expresses Readiness

The Director-General of Customs in Benin Republic, Colonel Raouf Aboudou, expressed confidence in the initiative and pledged his administration’s cooperation.

Aboudou said the system was developed jointly by the two customs administrations and expressed optimism that it would improve trade between Nigeria and Benin.

He stressed that the success of the project would depend on joint commitment rather than policy declarations alone.

Potential Boost for Regional Trade

The initiative could also serve as a model for digital customs cooperation beyond the Nigeria-Benin corridor.

Adeniyi said that once the two countries achieve full interoperability, they would have created a possible template for online border crossings across ECOWAS and the wider African continent.

The move also aligns with broader efforts by West African customs administrations to harmonise procedures, strengthen digital interoperability and improve coordinated risk management.

For traders and transporters operating along the busy Nigeria-Benin corridor, the expected benefits include fewer delays, clearer customs requirements and more predictable border procedures.