Folarin Kehinde

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) has announced the exploration of potential collaboration between the duo aimed at enhancing service delivery and connectivity across Nigeria.

Technical Adviser, Media and Communications to the DG/CEO
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Ayodele Babalola in a recent statement noted that the collaboration between NIMC and NIGCOMSAT underscores their collective dedication to leveraging strategic partnerships and innovative solutions to address challenges and meet the evolving needs of Nigerians.

Babalola explained that by harnessing NIGCOMSAT’s robust satellite-based internet services, NIMC aims to improve operational efficiency, enhance data management capabilities, and ultimately provide better service to the Nigerian populace.

“Recognising the critical role of internet connectivity in facilitating efficient operations, NIMC and NIGCOMSAT are exploring avenues for collaboration to provide reliable internet services to NIMC offices nationwide.”

“This initiative aligns with our shared commitment to leveraging technology to enhance access to essential services and promote digital inclusion.”

He added that as discussions progress, both organisations remain committed to fostering synergy, transparency, and accountability in the pursuit of their shared objectives.

“We believe that by working together, we can unlock new opportunities, drive progress, and contribute to the socio-economic development of Nigeria.”

MainOne, a leading provider of submarine cable systems, has revealed that the repair process for its damaged submarine cable may take up to five weeks.

The company disclosed this in a statement on Friday following a fault experienced on its network on Thursday.

Preliminary investigations conducted by the company have attributed the fault to an external incident, resulting in a cut along the West African coast, offshore Cote D’Ivoire, in the Atlantic Ocean.

The outage had significant negative impacts, particularly on Nigerian banks, as MainOne serves as a prominent internet provider for some of them.

The disruption left numerous major Nigerian banks offline, causing inconvenience to customers who were unable to access banking apps or utilise USSD services.

The company does not only support commercial and microfinance institutions with connectivity and hybrid cloud solutions. It also provides services to major telecom operators, ISPs, government agencies, small to large enterprises, and educational institutions.

MainOne has reassured its customers of its dedicated efforts to expedite the repair process and promptly restore network connectivity.

The technology firm revealed that it had a maintenance agreement with the Atlantic Cable Maintenance and Repair Agreement to provide repair services for its submarine cable.

The repair procedure involves inspecting and testing the cable joints for defects, followed by lowering the cable back to the seabed and guiding it to an optimal position.

It further explained that the process, which includes mobilising a vessel to retrieve necessary parts from Europe and transit to West Africa, is estimated to take approximately five weeks to complete.

The statement read in part, “We have a maintenance agreement with Atlantic Cable Maintenance and Repair Agreement to provide repair services for the submarine cable. First, identify and assign a vessel, the vessel has to retrieve the necessary spares required for repair, and then sail to the fault location to conduct the repair work.

“Next, in order to complete the repair, the affected section of the submarine cable will have to be pulled from the seabed onto the ship where it will be spliced by skilled technicians. Post repair, joints will be inspected and tested for any defects, and then the submarine cable is lowered back to the seabed and guided to a good position.

“This process might take 1-2 weeks for repairs while about 2-3 weeks of transit time may be required for the vessel to pick up the spares and travel from Europe to West Africa once the vessel is mobilised,.”.

Most submarine cable faults occur as a result of human activities such as fishing and anchoring in shallow waters near shore, natural hazards such as earthquakes, landslides, and then equipment failure

MainOne stated that given the distance from land, and the cable depth of about 3 km at the point of fault, any kind of human activity – ship anchors, fishing, and drilling among others had been immediately ruled out.

“Our preliminary analysis would suggest some form of seismic activity on the seabed resulted in a break to the cable, but we will obtain more data when the cable is retrieved during the repair exercise,” the operator said.

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Mrs. Zubaida Umar as the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

Umar’s appointment was contained in a statement on Friday evening by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale.

“President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Mrs. Zubaida Umar as the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA),” the statement read.

“Mrs. Umar is the first woman to be appointed as Director-General of this pivotal agency, and her appointment further underlines the President’s avowed commitment to gender inclusion.

“The new Director-General of NEMA has over 20 years of work experience in diverse fields, including Human Resources, and Finance and Administration. She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers and the Institute of Credit Administration.

“She holds ACCA certifications in Public Financial Management and Digital & Sustainability Financing.

“As Executive Director, Finance and Corporate Services at the Federal Mortgage Bank, Mrs. Umar drove the strategy and repositioning of the bank and successfully facilitated the transformation of the institution into a modern, digitized mortgage and financial service provider.

“The President expects that the new Director-General will bring the much-needed financial and operational discipline and refashion the agency into a performance-driven and proactive emergency response provider with a focus on prevention and climate change readiness in the execution of its core mandate,” it added.

In what could be described as a drama and a show of physical strength.

A senator of the All Progressives Congress has challenged troops of the Nigerian Army to push-up exercise.

Watch the video below….

Ghana High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Rawhide Bawa, has been confirmed dead.

He was 65 years old.

Leading reporters understands that Bawa died in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, on Thursday.

His remains have since been flown back to Ghana for burial in accordance with Islamic rites.

More to follow…

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike has appointed Hon Chidi Amadi as his Chief of Staff.

A statement signed by the FCTA Director of Press,Tony Ogunleye, said that Amadi has vast experience in public service and has held several strategic political positions, including PDP Chairman of Obio /Akpor Local Government Area and Chief of Staff to the Governor of Rivers State.

As Chief of Staff, the statement said that Amadi will play a pivotal role in supporting the FCT Minister in the formulation and execution of policies and programs aimed at advancing the development agenda of the FCT and will provide strategic guidance as well as ensuring the smooth functioning of the Minister’s office.

“He will be sworn into office on Monday, March 18, 2024,” the statement added.

President Bola Tinubu has directed the opening of Nigeria’s land and air borders with the Republic of Niger.

He also directed the lifting of other sanctions against the country with immediate effect.

“President Tinubu has also approved the lifting of financial and economic sanctions against the Republic of Guinea,” read a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale.

The statement is titled ‘Nigeria opens land and air borders with Republic of Niger, lifts other sanctions.’

Tinubu’s directive comes just days after the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government lifted economic and travel sanctions on Niger, Mali, and Guinea at its extraordinary summit on February 24, 2024, in Abuja.

ECOWAS leaders had agreed to lift economic sanctions against the Republic of Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea.

Consequently, the President has directed that the following sanctions imposed on the Republic of Niger be lifted immediately:

The House of Representatives Committee on Finance has raised concerns over the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited’s (NNPCL) failure to remit over $278 million.

Dr Mele Kyari, the Group Managing Director of NNPC, on Tuesday, faced questioning from the committee regarding the issue and the overall management of the oil industry.

Chairman of the committee, Hon. James Faleke, expressed concern about the lack of transparency in oil industry management, alleging that asset transfers are reducing the amount of oil revenue accruing to the Federation.

The committee received information from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) indicating a total cost figure of $48.71 per barrel for computing hydrocarbon and petroleum profits tax.

With crude oil currently selling at around $80 per barrel, Nigeria’s high production costs have raised concerns, making it one of the highest in the world.

The committee also sought clarity on the status of the $3.3 billion forward contract executed by NNPC.

Since the start of the 10th Assembly, the committee has closely reviewed figures from the oil sector.

Responding, Dr Kyari provided insights into the security challenges facing NNPC’s operations.

He mentioned collaborative efforts with NIMASA, the Nigerian Navy, and other stakeholders to combat oil theft.

Kyari disclosed the existence of over 5,000 illegal connections and the destruction of over 6,000 illegal refineries, posing significant risks to production.

The GMD stressed that security risks have hindered production optimization and discouraged investment in the industry.