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EFCC to Use Space Technology to Boost Asset Tracking, Investigations

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Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has partnered with the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) to deploy advanced space and geospatial technologies in investigations and asset management.

EFCC to Use Space Technology to Boost Asset Tracking, Investigations

Ola Olukoyede, executive chairman of the EFCC,

The move is expected to deepen transparency, strengthen asset recovery and curb economic sabotage according to a statement by Dele Oyewale, head, Media and Publicity, EFCC.

He said that the partnership was formalised through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Thursday in Abuja

The agreement is aimed at strengthening inter-agency collaboration, particularly in the areas of investigations, asset tracking and fraud risk assessment, marking a new phase of cooperation between the anti-graft agency and Nigeria’s space research and regulatory authority.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Ola Olukoyede, executive chairman of the EFCC, described the agreement as a practical demonstration of the power of collaboration among government agencies.

He noted that closer cooperation would make it easier for institutions to effectively deliver on their statutory mandates.

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According to Olukoyede, the MoU clearly defines the responsibilities of both agencies and establishes a framework for sustained cooperation.

He disclosed that a special monitoring and implementation team would be constituted to ensure the effective operationalisation of the agreement and to periodically review its impact.

“We will put a team together that will monitor the operationalisation of this MoU and also review the effectiveness of the platform from time to time.

“When agencies work together in the spirit of collaboration, it not only enhances efficiency but also encourages other ministries, departments and agencies to explore similar partnerships in the overall interest of national development”, he said.

Explaining the specifics of the partnership, the EFCC chairman said NASRDA would provide advanced technological tools to boost the Commission’s investigative capacity and asset tracking, while the EFCC would deploy its expertise to support the agency in fraud risk assessment.

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“We will support you in the area of fraud risk assessment, and you will support us in promoting our investigative capacity.

“Where our eyes cannot get to, with the aid of your technology, we will be able to get there”, Olukoyede said.

He noted that the collaboration would be particularly beneficial to investigations into illegal mining activities, which have been linked to economic sabotage and rising insecurity in parts of the country.

“With the technology you are going to support us with, we will be able to identify some of these areas,” he added.

Olukoyede further expressed optimism that the partnership would significantly enhance the EFCC’s asset management processes, stressing that asset recovery remains one of the core pillars of the Commission’s mandate.

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He explained that recovered assets are scattered across the country and exist under different legal statuses, including interim and final forfeiture.

“In some of these places, we may not have enough personnel to physically secure the assets. But with your support, we will be able to deploy geospatial technology and asset tagging devices to monitor both movable and immovable assets in a transparent and accountable manner”, he said

In his remarks, Matthew Adepoju, director-general and chief executive officer of NASRDA, welcomed the partnership, describing the MoU as a major milestone in the pursuit of justice and regulatory compliance within Nigeria’s space ecosystem.

Adepoju stressed that space-related activities are strictly regulated in developed economies and should be treated with similar seriousness in Nigeria, particularly in view of the potential misuse of satellite assets.

“You cannot go anywhere in Europe, continental America or the Far East and be doing business in the space ecosystem without the country ensuring that you are doing the right thing.

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“We know for a fact that some satellite assets are being used negatively in driving insecurity in the country”, he said.

He also raised concerns over the use of satellite-mapped data on Nigeria’s natural resources to aid illegal activities, especially illegal mining, which he identified as one of the drivers of insecurity.

 

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Ebere Melum-Nwogbo is a trained and practicing journalist. She is passionate about ICT and business journalism. She has over a decade experience spanning money and capital market as well as information technology

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Dangote Plans to Donate One-Third of Wealth to Charity as Legacy

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Aliko Dangote
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Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, plans to dedicate one-third of his wealth to charity as part of his succession plan, Halima Dangote, his daughter, has revealed.

Dangote Plans to Donate One-Third of Wealth to Charity as Legacy

Aliko Dangote

Halima, a trustee of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, disclosed this in an interview with Bloomberg published on Tuesday, saying the billionaire had secured the support of his family to commit 33 per cent of his estate to philanthropy.

According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Dangote’s net worth is estimated at $35.1 billion, meaning one-third of his current wealth would be worth about $11.7 billion if his fortune remains at that level.

Halima explained that her father views philanthropy as a key part of his legacy and has incorporated it into the family’s long-term succession plans.

She said Dangote had structured his estate to ensure that charitable giving continues across generations, particularly in areas such as healthcare and education.

“He sort of put all the structure in place whereby we focus a lot on health and education. He actually donated 25 per cent to the foundation. If you look at it, it is what we call in Sharia Code in Islam; it means he has donated 33 per cent of his whole inheritance to his foundation,” she said.

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Halima added that Dangote believes giving back is central to the success of his businesses and the family’s values.

She said the billionaire asked her, her two sisters, and his mother to sign the agreement allowing 33 per cent of his inheritance to be dedicated to humanitarian causes.

The planned donation builds on Dangote’s longstanding philanthropic activities through the Aliko Dangote Foundation, which was established in 1994.

According to Halima, the foundation received an endowment of $1.25 billion about a decade ago and has since received an additional $700 million in funding.

She said about 70 per cent of the foundation’s spending goes to programmes in Nigeria, while 20 per cent supports projects across Africa, with the remaining funds directed to initiatives in other parts of the world.

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The foundation’s interventions focus on healthcare, education, nutrition, and humanitarian support, including partnerships that contributed to the eradication of wild poliovirus in Africa.

Dangote’s planned charitable commitment adds to increasing global attention on billionaire philanthropy.

Although the proposed 33 per cent allocation is below the 50 per cent commitment associated with the Giving Pledge, it would rank among the largest philanthropic commitments announced by an African billionaire.

Earlier this year, Dangote was named among the world’s most influential philanthropists by TIME magazine’s inaugural TIME100 Philanthropy list, recognising the impact of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, which reportedly spends more than ₦50 billion annually on programmes across Africa.

 

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Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission Seeks Collaboration on Power Plants

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Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC), has said that there are plans for Nigeria to begin to generate electricity from nuclear sources.

Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission Seeks Collaboration on Power Plants

Mr Anthony Godwin Ekedegwa, chief executive, NAEC stated this when he recently visited Mr Umar Yusuf Girei, acting managing director, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA),in Abuja.

He was at NIWA’s office to solicit the support of NIWA in achieving the numerous advantages of using nuclear energy technology in the country.

According to him, the partnership of critical stakeholders in Nigeria will position the country well in developing and maintaining its nuclear power plant.

The NAEC chief said Nigeria intends to begin the generation of electricity from nuclear sources instead of fossil-based power plants and hydro-based power plants, stressing that for Nigeria to develop, there is a need for the country to diversify its energy needs.

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In his remarks, Mr Girei assured NAEC of his agency’s readiness to collaborate on the advancement of a nuclear power plant in Nigeria.

He promised the full support of NAEC for the success of a nuclear power plant in the country, saying that as the organisation saddled with the responsibility of regulating and developing Nigeria Inland Waterways, his entity is strategically positioned to play a critical role in the federal government’s quest for sustainable energy through the new technology.

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Pan-Africanism: Why Integration is Non-Negotiable for Africa’s Future

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In a powerful call for continental solidarity, Ralph Mupita, Group CEO of MTN, has asserted that the future of the African continent depends on the dismantling of xenophobic barriers.

Pan-Africanism: Why Integration is Non-Negotiable for Africa’s Future

Speaking at the Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation (KMF) Winter Seminar, Mupita framed migration as a fundamental characteristic of the African identity, urging South Africa and other nations to embrace integration over exclusion.

He emphasised that the survival of African enterprises depends on a borderless approach to trade and talent. “The digital economy we’re fast moving to knows no borders.” Mupita declared, noting that the mindset of exclusion is an outdated relic that hinders the continent’s ability to compete globally.

He argued that for Africa to leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the psychological barriers of xenophobia must be eradicated.

Providing a stark financial justification for this stance, Mupita highlighted MTN’s own operational reality as a blueprint for Pan-African success. “We earn about 80 to 82% of our earnings from outside South Africa,” he revealed, illustrating that the prosperity of South African-born entities is inextricably linked to their success across the rest of the continent. This figure underscores the interdependence of African economies and the danger of isolationist policies.

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Mupita’s stance was strong advocating for unity: “The future of Africa will not be determined by the borders that separate us, but by the economic opportunities that connect us. Governments must set predictable policy and regulations.

Businesses will follow and allocate resources and capital. Together, we can build a continent where opportunity is more evenly shared and prosperity is more widely created.”

Analysts observing the seminar noted that Mupita’s remarks come at a critical juncture where economic volatility often fuels nationalist rhetoric. By tying the fight against xenophobia to the balance sheet, MTN is positioning Pan-Africanism beyond the moral imperative to its function as a business necessity. The CEO stressed that “Migration is part of who we are,” suggesting that the movement of people is the primary engine for the movement of capital and innovation.

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