Development Plus Initiative

[Toby @TomolaGroup]

I have learnt more about people from some fictional characters than from entire self-help books.

A good novel gives you context. You see what people say, what they hide, what drives them and how one decision can shape an entire life.

Ten classics I would recommend:

1. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

2. The Joys of Motherhood by Buchi Emecheta

3. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

4. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky

5. The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

6. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

7. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

8. East of Eden by John Steinbeck

9. Beloved by Toni Morrison

10. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy

You may not agree with every character, but you will understand people a little better.

[Toby @TomolaGroup]

Okin Biscuits produced biscuits again in Offa.

First time in 17 years.

Thieves stripped the factory of cables, frequency drives, contactors, motors and other electronics. The line went dead. They rebuilt it. Yesterday they ran a technical trial and biscuits came off the line. The ovens are working.

It is not in the market yet. They were not testing colour, appearance or the original recipe. More calibration is still needed. IBEDC also connected the factory to a 33kV Band A line the same day.

Okin was that biscuit. Shortcake. Lunchbox. Church programme. Chief Emmanuel Adesoye started it in 1980. A lot of people from Kwara and beyond grew up on it.

If they bring back the real taste, this will be big.

[Nigeria Stories @NigeriaStories]

JUST IN: Thirty-three state governments spent at least N512.10bn on Government Houses, Governors’ Offices and travel and transport in the first six months of 2026, an amount about 4,713 times higher than the combined six-month salary of Nigeria’s 36 governors, an analysis of state budget implementation reports has shown on Monday

[Toby @TomolaGroup]

There are levels to financial progress:

• Financial stability means paying your bills without panic.

• Financial security means handling emergencies without borrowing.

• Financial freedom means making life decisions without being trapped by one salary.

• Financial independence means your investments can cover your living expenses.

Looking wealthy is not on the list.

Which level are you currently building towards?

[Olumide Adesina @olumidecapital]

Financial institutions shouldn’t be mixed with politics, even when their heads are nominated by the president, it erodes trust and amplify unnecessary drama

[Toby @TomolaGroup]

Nigeria’s refined petroleum exports to Europe surged 767% to 130,000 barrels a day in Q2 2026, from just 15,000 barrels a day in 2023.

Dangote Refinery is driving this after hitting 700,000 barrels a day capacity.

The same Europe that once supplied us with billions in petrol and diesel is now buying our refined products. Local supply has risen sharply while imports have fallen below 130,000 barrels a day.

This is what real industrial capacity looks like for Nigeria.

[Nurseinvestor @abalu_uthman]

Saw this and I love it. Nigerian youths gather here.

[Mazi Ndu @maziNdu4Real]

Money Market Funds (MMFs) are currently printing 18% to 22% per annum and here are some of the top-performing NGN funds you can park cash in

Meristem Money Market Fund
22.09% p.a. (Min: ₦5,000)

​Zedcrest Money Market Fund
21.62% p.a. (Min: ₦1,000)

​Chapel Hill Denham Money Market Fund – 20.73% p.a. (Min: ₦5,000)

​Coronation Money Market Fund 20.54% p.a. (Min: ₦10,000)

​AIICO Money Market Fund
20.24% p.a. (Min: ₦5,000)

​STL Money Market Fund
20.35% p.a. (Min: ₦5,000)

​First Ally Money Market Fund
20.01% p.a. (Min: ₦5,000)

​DLM Money Market Fund
19.68% p.a. (Min: ₦10,000)

​Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund
18.5% – 19.5% p.a. (Min: ₦5,000)

This is not a financial advice but it's wise to stop holding idle cash in zero-interest accounts. Make your liquidity work while it waits.

[Tuchel @Officially_Kriz]

Today's Spotlight: Kyari Bukar

He is the Co-Founder of Trans-Sahara Investment Corp, a Private Equity firm.

He is also the Chief Executive Officer of Inlaks Limited.

He's held Chairman/Director roles at:
• Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN)
• CRC Credit Bureau Ltd
• ARCA Payments Ltd
• Ventures Platform
• Sunu Assurance Plc
• National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD)
• Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG)
• Standard Chartered Bank
• Fidelity Bank
• Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc
• ValuCard Nigeria Plc (now Unified Payments)

• Chams Plc

He's a worthy mentor for many young people.

[Olumide Adesina @olumidecapital]

Sports betting has damaged the brain development of many 🇳🇬 youths, makes them particularly susceptible to dopamine-driven, impulsive behavior

[Toby @TomolaGroup]

A lot of people are carrying more than they talk about.

Bills. Family pressure. Career uncertainty. Health concerns. The fear of falling behind.

Yet they still show up and keep moving.

Be careful how quickly you call someone lazy, unserious or ungrateful.

You rarely know the full weight behind another person’s silence.

[Enitan Bello @enitandev]

Same day, same event.

Good afternoon, Tony 😍

[Osaretin Victor Asemota @asemota]

She is now a star. Chairman's special project.

[Toby @TomolaGroup]

Someone in their 20s who

• Works to increase their income
• Avoids expensive debt
• Saves before spending
• Buys assets consistently
• Refuses to finance appearances

Will enter their 30s with options many people are still praying for.

Not because they were lucky. They simply started taking money seriously before life became more expensive.

[Mazi Ndu @maziNdu4Real]

I’ve spent years investing in Nigerian Stocks and Real Estate

And ​I have learnt certain financial truths I wish I knew earlier

​First: Cash reserves are not just for bad days. They are weaponized capital ready to jump on deep market discounts

Second. ​Always track units and not naira value. Prices fluctuate daily, but your share count stays fixed. You must learn to measure success by total units owned in solid companies

Third: ​People always need space to live, trade, and farm. Physical demand lets you pass rising costs directly to the tenant

​Forth: Active income limits your compounding speed. You need dividends, yields, and commissions to keep buying when the market panics

[Suzanne Myada @swemyada]

Check out my latest article: Fixing the e₦aira: A Practical Roadmap for Youth Adoption and Real-World Use https://t.co/OxmrUNNei4 via @LinkedIn

#crypto #digitalmoney #digitalcurrency #CBDC #CBN #SEC #cryptoassets #stablecoin #digitalassets #digitalwallet

[Suzanne Myada @swemyada]

It's important to consider #culture and context.

We're a people of culture. We respect people, especially those older than us or leading us.

Calling Mr .@TonyOElumelu by his first name was totally inappropriate and disrespectful.

Respect is neither old fashioned nor outdated

[Toby @TomolaGroup]

Part of it is selection bias. The ones who stay quiet rarely make the news, so we mostly notice the loud ones.

For the loud ones, the show is the point. Economists call it conspicuous consumption. Expensive things become a shortcut to status and recognition.

The irony is that the attention they crave often creates the trail that exposes them.

[Toby @TomolaGroup]

If you are building generational wealth from nothing, your journey will look different.

You may be supporting your parents, helping your siblings, paying your own bills and still trying to invest. Progress may feel slow, but that does not mean you are failing.

Increase your income. Avoid lifestyle pressure. Build an emergency fund. Buy assets consistently. Protect what you build and teach your family what you learn.

Most importantly, do not risk everything because you feel late. The first generation builds without a safety net.

Your children may never understand how hard the first brick was to lay. Lay it properly anyway.

[Toby @TomolaGroup]

Someone who is 25 and someone who is 60 should not carry the same portfolio risk.

After building an emergency fund, a simple guide could look like this.

20s
80% growth, 15% fixed income, 5% liquidity

30s
70% growth, 20% fixed income, 10% liquidity

40s
60% growth, 30% fixed income, 10% liquidity

50s
45% growth, 40% fixed income, 15% liquidity

60 and above
30% growth, 50% fixed income, 20% liquidity

Growth assets include VTI or VOO, equity mutual funds, a diversified NGX stock portfolio and REITs.

Fixed income includes Treasury bills, FGN bonds and Sukuk.

Liquidity can sit in a savings account or regulated money market fund.

This is a guide, not a rule. Your goals and when you need the money matter more than your age.