Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc has announced the 2026 rollout of its social impact initiative called #BeatTheDistance.This is a nationwide intervention aimed at supporting school children in underserved communities through the provision of bicycles to ease their daily commute to school. Marking the second edition of the initiative, GTCO will distribute 3,000 bicycles to schoolchildren across six states in Nigeria-Ebonyi, Jigawa, Benue, Oyo, Akwa Ibom, and Ekiti. The programme builds on the impact of its inaugural rollout in 2019 and underscores the Group’s commitment to improving access to education through practical, community-focused interventions. By helping to reduce the transportation challenges faced by students who travel long distances to attend school, the initiative seeks to improve school attendance, support learning outcomes, and create opportunities for young people to pursue their education with greater ease and confidence. Speaking on the initiative, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, Mr Segun Agbaje, said: “Education remains one of the most powerful tools for transforming lives and creating opportunities. Through the #BeatTheDistance Initiative, we are supporting students whose determination to learn is often tested by the distance they travel each day to access education. By providing these bicycles, our goal is to create an environment where more children can achieve their full potential by reducing fatigue, improving attendance at school, and expanding learning outcomes for children of school age. He further added: “At GTCO, we believe that meaningful impact comes from addressing real challenges within communities. #BeatTheDistance is one of the ways we are investing in the future by supporting young people and helping to create conditions that enable them to succeed. We remain committed to initiatives that promote inclusion, expand access to opportunities, and contribute to sustainable development.” The initiative forms part of GTCO’s broader commitment to social impact and sustainable development, particularly in the areas of education, youth empowerment, and community advancement. By helping students spend less time commuting and more time learning, #BeatTheDistance continues to deliver practical support where it is needed most, empowering young people to pursue their education and unlock their full potential. About GTCO Plc Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc is a leading financial services group with operations across Africa and the United Kingdom. Renowned for its strong corporate governance, innovative financial solutions, and customer-centric approach, the Group provides a wide range of banking and non-banking services including payments, funds management, and pension fund administration. GTCO Plc is committed to delivering long-term value to stakeholders while driving growth and development across its markets.
Author: Abimbola Ogunaike
. By Segun Adewale in Gombe Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has formally presented Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nomination forms to the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates for the 24 State House of Assembly constituencies in the State, declaring the party fully prepared for the 2027 general elections. The Governor also presented INEC acknowledgement slips to the party’s senatorial and House of Representatives candidates who had earlier received, completed and submitted their nomination forms in accordance with the electoral guidelines issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission. Speaking during the presentation ceremony held at the Banquet Hall…
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The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, says the Commission is committed to complying with the tenets of the Public Procurement Act in project delivery. Ogbuku, who stated this in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, during a Capacity Building Training on Public Procurement for NDDC Executive Management and Directors, said it was necessary to ensure management staff understand the details of the procurement process. The Managing Director noted that the Commission’s contract award letter was digitised to prevent the circulation of fake award letters, acknowledging that many directors and service providers had been in trouble…
Senior Technical Assistant on Print and Digital Communications to Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, Abdurrahman Ahmed Bundi, has emerged winner of the Digital Communication category at the 2026 National Spokesperson Awards (NSAwards), earning national recognition for his contributions to government communication and digital media engagement. Bundi received notification of the award in a letter dated July 13 while overseeing the editorial production of Governor Zulum’s flagship publication, The 7th Verdict. The organisers said Bundi emerged victorious after a highly competitive selection process described as one of the toughest since the awards were established. According to the award organisers,…
The Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership has launched the Alhaji Gidado Idris Institute of Governance and Public Policy, a new research platform aimed at strengthening public institutions and improving governance in Nigeria, while announcing four senior leadership appointments to drive its expanding policy agenda. The institute, named after the late Alhaji Gidado Idris, one of Nigeria’s longest-serving senior civil servants who served as Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Permanent Secretary under successive military and civilian administrations, is expected to serve as the Centre’s flagship platform for governance research, policy innovation and institutional performance. The announcement, made…
I A coalition of environmental experts, traditional leaders and academics on Tuesday, 14 July, 2026 issued a stark warning that Nigeria could be heading towards another resource curse unless it radically reforms the governance of its burgeoning solid minerals sector, cautioning that the global race for critical minerals risks replicating the environmental devastation, conflict and inequality that have characterised decades of oil exploitation in the Niger Delta. The warning came at the Third Nigeria Socio-Ecological Alternatives Convergence (NSAC) in Abuja, where participants argued that the country’s renewed enthusiasm over recent discoveries of lithium, rare earth elements, gold, platinum group metals…
In a bold move to reposition Nigeria for the global clean energy revolution and reduce its dependence on crude oil revenues, the Federal Government on Tuesday validated the country’s National Hydrogen Policy, a landmark framework expected to drive investment, industrialisation, job creation and the transition to a low-carbon economy. The validation of the policy marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s quest to become a leading producer of hydrogen in Africa and an active player in the rapidly expanding global hydrogen market, which experts believe will be central to achieving net-zero carbon emissions and powering future industries. The policy, developed after…
The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) has condemned the latest expansion of United States economic sanctions against Cuba, describing the measures as a humanitarian crisis that continues to inflict hardship on ordinary citizens rather than political leaders. In a statement issued on Tuesday, 14 July, 2026, the rights organisation said the recent decision by the U.S. government to extend sanctions to additional Cuban institutions, including the Ministry of Tourism and other strategic entities, represented a further escalation of a policy that has adversely affected the Caribbean nation for decades. The group argued that while countries may pursue…
The United States has expanded its sanctions against Cuba, targeting the country’s Ministry of Tourism and nine other state-linked entities in a fresh escalation of Washington’s decades-long economic pressure campaign against the Caribbean nation. The latest measures, announced by the U.S. State Department, add 10 Cuban entities to Washington’s sanctions list, extending restrictions to organisations involved in tourism, fuel imports, exports and foreign trade operations. Among those sanctioned are ENETEC S.A., Coreydan S.A. and the Foreign Trade Business Group (GECOMEX), all of which play roles in Cuba’s international commercial and energy sectors. The move marks another step in the Trump…