— Warn of national security, democratic, and economic risks if journalism continues to weaken Nigeria’s major media and journalism organisations have issued a joint call on the Federal Government and the National Assembly to urgently intervene to protect the Nigerian press from what they describe as the growing dominance of global digital platforms over the country’s information ecosystem. In a strongly worded statement released under the banner of the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO), the groups warned that Nigeria risks surrendering control of its democratic conversation, national cohesion, and information sovereignty to unregulated foreign technology companies if decisive action is not…
Author: Gbenga OWOYEMI
The power of perseverance, purpose and patient dreaming took physical form on Thursday at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, as the Wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, formally commissioned the Senator Oluremi Tinubu Dream Centre, an initiative designed to inspire students through storytelling, mentorship and reflection. The commissioning ceremony drew an array of dignitaries, including the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi; wives of some state governors; the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa; the Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire; royal fathers, university officials and students. The event…
The Federal Government has prohibited electricity distribution companies (DisCos) and installers from demanding any form of payment for meters, warning that officials caught extorting customers will face prosecution. Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, issued the directive on Thursday during an inspection of newly imported smart meters at APM Terminals, Apapa, Lagos. Adelabu explained that the meters were procured under the World Bank–funded Distribution Sector Recovery Programme (DISREP) and must be installed free of charge. He stressed that any request for money from consumers would be treated as a criminal offence. Welcomed at the Apapa Port Command of the Nigerian Customs…
Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, has commenced the early implementation of key aspects of the 2025 agreement reached between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government, positioning the institution as a pacesetter among Nigerian universities. The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Bond Ugochukwu Anyaehie, disclosed that the university has begun paying enhanced academic allowances, with funding sourced from its internally generated revenue (IGR). According to him, the first phase of implementation includes an increase in honoraria for the external assessment of academic staff. Prof. Anyaehie explained that the 2025 ASUU–FG agreement clearly delineates funding responsibilities between the Federal Government…
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has described radio spectrum as a critical national resource underpinning mobile connectivity, broadband services, satellite communications, emergency networks, financial platforms, and emerging smart technologies, as it unveiled a draft Spectrum Roadmap for 2026–2030 alongside new guidelines for opening the lower 6GHz and 60GHz spectrum bands. The draft roadmap and guidelines were formally launched on Monday in Abuja as part of the Commission’s broader strategy to expand broadband access, drive investment, create jobs, and strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy. Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, represented by the Head of…
New Horizons, an ICT training and solution provider, has positioned technology skills as a tool for social stability with the launch of a ₦50 million ($35,000) empowerment programme targeting Almajiri children, a vulnerable group often associated with street begging and social exclusion in northern Nigeria. The initiative, designed to curb unemployment while contributing to national security and economic inclusion, will equip participants with practical ICT and electronics skills that can translate directly into sustainable livelihoods, according to a report by ITWeb. Known as “Almajiris-to-Tech,” the 90-day intensive training programme is scheduled to begin on January 19, 2026, at the New…
Global investment in media content production is projected to reach $255 billion in 2026, representing a 2 percent year-on-year increase, according to new forecasts by Ampere Analysis. The growth, though modest, continues to be underpinned by sustained spending from global streaming platforms, which are steadily expanding their share of total content investment. Ampere Analysis notes that while overall expansion remains moderate, the continued shift toward streaming is widening the gap between global platforms and traditional broadcasters. Persistent advertising pressures are limiting the capacity of broadcasters to increase spending, further entrenching the structural imbalance within the content ecosystem. The report indicates…
The Federal Government has commissioned a state-of-the-art Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) Monitoring Centre on the Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos, marking a major upgrade in safety, security and infrastructure management on one of the country’s most critical transport corridors. Speaking at the commissioning, the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, said the project aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to rehabilitate and secure key federal bridges nationwide. He described the facility as a strategic intervention aimed at safeguarding lives, protecting infrastructure and ensuring efficient traffic management on the bridge. The newly inaugurated centre is equipped with high-definition CCTV cameras covering both…
In a major operation underscoring the nexus between border security and public health, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Seme Area Command, has intercepted a cache of contraband goods, including 10,000 bags of expired flour from Egypt and illicit drugs, valued at N1.99 billion, along the Lagos–Abidjan Corridor between September 1 and October 9, 2025. The Customs Area Controller, Wale Adenuga, disclosed this on Thursday during his maiden press briefing at the command headquarters in Seme, Badagry, Lagos State, where he explained that the expired flour, concealed in five trucks and valued at N1.2 billion, could have posed grave public health…
The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) has unveiled a new policy framework aimed at achieving a minimum of 30% value addition on all exports of local raw materials. The initiative is designed to boost the competitiveness of Nigeria’s Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and enhance the nation’s industrial base. Deputy Director, Process Equipment Maintenance Division of RMRDC, Engr. Obassi Ettu, disclosed this at the Business Session of the pre-9th Annual Conference of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) held in Lagos, on Wednesday. According to him, the policy became necessary because many of Nigeria’s raw materials have…