News
Pantami Extols Legislations as Crucial for Citizen’s Identity Protection

Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami FNCS FBCS FIIM, the Honorable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, has said that it has become imperative to implement legislations that will ensure the protection and confidentiality of citizens data as part of the government’s responsibility to protect the lives and property of Nigerians.

Prof. Pantami made his assertion when he flagged off the “National Validation on Data Protection Bill” workshop organised by the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (NDPB) in collaboration with the Nigeria Digital Identification for Development (ID4D) at the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) Conference Centre, Abuja.
In his keynote address, Pantami said that as part of efforts to sustain the country’s digital economy growth, it was crucial to have legislation that would ensure data protection considering the amount of data being generated in the country daily.
He said, “We know the data generated today is mind-boggling and we must therefore have regulations in place to ensure confidentiality and privacy of data being generated”.
Speaking enthusiastically about the journey so far on the implementation of the data protection bill, the Honorable Minister disclosed that the process began when he was the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the subsidiary legislation, Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) was enacted on 29th January 2019 based on the provision of NITDA Act 2007.
While speaking with an utmost sense of modesty, Pantami revealed that unprecedented achievements have been made with the NDPR in the areas of creating awareness, job creation, and revenue generation for the government amongst many others.
He however noted that despite all the exploits made through the NDPR, it was necessary to have principal legislation to fully institutionalise data protection in the country, an initiative which birthed the establishment of the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau on the 4th of February 2022.
“In order to ensure privacy and confidentiality of our citizen’s data, the administration of His excellency and my principal, President Muhammadu Buhari approved the establishment of NDPB”, he mentioned.
Emphasising on the importance of data in any economy globally, Pantami stated that; big data analytics, datafication, internet of things just to mention a few of the innovations that come with the emergence of the fourth Industrial revolution are all dependent on data.
He hinted that the reason for developing and implementing the NDPR was to ensure that there was no vacuum while in the process of enacting the principal legislation of Nigeria’s data protection law.
“In the past three years in Nigeria, we discovered that the quantity of data being generated increased by 202%, so it is necessary that there are legislations in place to ensure that these data are secured, confidential and private”, he noted.
Speaking on the well-established statutory foundation of data protection in the country, Pantami made references to Section 37 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, Section 6 Article A of the NITDA Act, Sections 26 and 29 of the National Identity Management (NIMC) Act 2007, Section 3 of the Child Rights Act 2013 and Section 13 of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act all who mentioned data protection within the provisions of their laws.
The Honourable Minister then thanked the legislative arm of government, development partners, Federal Ministry of Justice and all stakeholders for their support to the Bureau and the Ministry thus far in the process of actualising the enactment of the principal data protection legislation.
“It is necessary to organise this national discussion where we brought together the legislative arm of government, private sectors among others to review all we have been doing critically and if we agree based on what is recommended to me, it will be transmitted to the Federal Executive Council and thereafter if approved, transmitted to Mr. President and the National Assembly so that we can kick-start the process”, he concluded.
Present at the event for the presentation of the Data Protection Bill for review were the Chairman, Senate Committee on ICT and Cybercrime, Senator Oseni Yakubu; Senator Ibrahim Hadejia; House Committee Chairman on ICT, Hon. Abubakar Lado Suleja; other distinguished members of the National Assembly, NITDA Director General, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE who was represented by the Agency’s Director for Information Technology Infrastructure Solutions (ITIS), Dr. Usman Gambo Abdullahi, NIMC DG, Engr. Aliyu Aziz, the Country Director, World Bank Nigeria, Dr. Shubham Chaudhuri, the Country Director, French Development Agency, Mr. Xavier Muron, the hosts of the event; the National Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer (NC/C.E.O) of NDPB, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, the Coordinator, Nigeria ID4D Project, Mr. Solomon Musa Odole and other relevant stakeholders.
News
Guinness Rolls Out Nationwide Consumer Rewards Promotion

Guinness Nigeria has launched a nationwide National Consumer Promotion (NCP) tagged ‘Open For More’. This is a consumer rewards initiative that will see more than ₦400 million in cash and prizes won by consumers across the country.

The promotion, which runs nationwide, offers consumers the opportunity to win ₦1 million every day, ₦100,000 cash rewards for 1,000 winners, and a brand-new Toyota Land Cruiser Prado as the grand prize. The campaign is designed to reward loyal consumers while creating more opportunities for everyday Nigerians to celebrate life’s meaningful moments.
To participate, consumers are required to purchase specially marked bottles of Guinness Foreign Extra Stout or Guinness Smooth, check for the unique code beneath the crown cork, and enter the code at www.guinnessng.com/1759 for a chance to win.
Speaking on the launch, Ramanathan Solayappan, Marketing and Innovations Director, Guinness Nigeria, said the promotion reflects the brand’s longstanding relationship with consumers and its commitment to creating memorable experiences beyond the product itself.
“Nigerians have made Guinness part of their celebrations, milestones, and everyday moments for over seven decades. The ‘Open For More’ promotion is our way of rewarding that loyalty by giving consumers genuine opportunities to win prizes that can make a meaningful difference in their lives.”
Solayappan added that the promotion was deliberately designed to make participation simple and accessible to consumers across the country.
“We believe, at Guinness, that there is always room for more possibilities, more progress, and more reasons to celebrate. Through this campaign, we are inviting consumers and beloved Nigerians over the age of 18 years to take part in an experience that goes beyond enjoying a Guinness. Every eligible purchase could open the door to something more.”
Beyond rewarding consumers, the promotion comes at a time when many Nigerians are placing greater value on opportunities that offer tangible returns. By putting more than ₦400 million in cash and prizes directly into the hands of consumers, Guinness Nigeria is creating a campaign that celebrates loyalty and delivers meaningful rewards that can support personal aspirations, family needs, and everyday goals.
As part of the campaign, winners will emerge weekly throughout the promotion period, with regular winner announcements and prize presentations aimed at ensuring transparency and public confidence in the process.
The Open For More National Consumer Promotion strengthens Guinness Nigeria’s commitment to rewarding consumers while creating excitement around the brand through meaningful and impactful experiences. Consumers are encouraged to look out for specially marked promotional packs and follow Guinness Nigeria’s official communication channels for updates, winner announcements, and further information on participation mechanics.
News
Nigeria Lost N34 Trillion to Import Waivers in 2025, Customs Tells Senate

Bashir Adeniyi, Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has disclosed that the value of Import Duty Exemption Certificate (IDEC) approvals granted by the Federal Government rose to about N34 trillion in 2025.

Adeniyi made the disclosure on Monday during an investigative hearing of the Senate Committee on Finance in Abuja.
He said the import duty exemptions had significantly affected the service’s revenue generation, although many of the waivers were introduced to support critical national priorities.
According to him, about 60 per cent of the approved waivers were granted for the importation of military hardware in response to the country’s security challenges.
He said other beneficiaries included importers of compressed natural gas (CNG), electric and hybrid vehicles, healthcare equipment and medical supplies, industrial machinery, manufacturing inputs and food intervention programmes.
“IDEC approvals reached about N34 trillion in 2025, about 60 per cent of which was rightly granted for military hardware procurements due to Nigeria’s prevailing security challenges,” Adeniyi said.
The Comptroller-General noted that the introduction of the IDEC scheme in March 2020 had remained one of the major fiscal policies affecting Customs revenue.
He said the service would have generated significantly higher revenue over the years if not for government fiscal measures and other external factors that reduced its revenue base.
Adeniyi, however, maintained that fiscal policy should not be evaluated solely on the basis of revenue generation.
He said government interventions through duty waivers were intended to stimulate economic growth, improve healthcare delivery, encourage industrial production and address national security concerns.
He urged the Federal Government to strengthen monitoring mechanisms to ensure that beneficiaries of import duty waivers achieved the intended objectives, including reducing prices, increasing production and improving access to essential goods and services.
The Customs boss also disclosed that the service generated N7.28 trillion in revenue in 2025.
He added that out of the N11.04 trillion revenue target for 2026, the service had realised N4.5 trillion as of June 30.
Adeniyi expressed optimism that the service would continue implementing measures aimed at improving revenue collection while supporting government fiscal policies.
News
DataPro Upgrades Dangote Cement’s Credit Rating to AA+

DataPro Rating Agency has upgraded the long-term credit rating of Dangote Cement Plc to AA+ from AA, citing the company’s strong financial performance, market leadership and ability to meet its financial obligations despite Nigeria’s challenging economic environment.

In its latest rating report, the technology-driven credit rating agency also affirmed Dangote Cement’s short-term rating at A1, with a Stable Outlook. The ratings are valid until June 16, 2027.
DataPro said the upgrade reflects the cement maker’s sustained financial strength, resilient operating performance and dominant position in Nigeria and across Africa.
According to the agency, the assessment followed a comprehensive review of the company’s capital base, earnings, liquidity, corporate governance, regulatory compliance and the sustainability of its financial performance over the medium to long term.
It noted that Dangote Cement’s strong brand, leading market share, solid earnings, robust asset base and experienced management continue to strengthen its ability to meet financial commitments on time.
The agency also highlighted the company’s outstanding financial performance in 2025.
According to the report, Dangote Cement posted N4.31 trillion in revenue during the year, representing a 20 per cent increase from the previous year. Profit before tax more than doubled, rising 109 per cent to N1.53 trillion, driven by higher sales, improved operating efficiency, lower finance costs and a stronger capital structure.
DataPro said the AA+ long-term rating indicates low credit risk and reflects excellent financial strength, business profile and operating performance relative to its rating benchmarks.
It added that the A1 short-term rating signifies good credit quality and shows that the company has a strong capacity to meet its short-term financial obligations as they fall due.
The rating agency, however, noted that the credit rating has a maximum shelf life of 12 calendar months in line with international best practice and should be used only as a reference, not as an offer to trade in securities or as a substitute for investors’ independent judgement.
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