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Jonathan Inaugurates Council on MSME

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Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, President of Nigeria
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President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday inaugurated the National Council on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises

The President charged the council members to expand the frontiers of MSME, which he said was key to job creation in the country and needed for the country to attain “self-sufficiency.”

At the inauguration which took place at the presidential villa, Abuja, Jonathan also appointed Vice President Namadi Sambo as the Chairman of the council.

The President said: “This council shall have the mandate to develop, support, and grow small businesses in Nigeria. To underline the importance of this council, I have asked the Vice President to chair the council because of its strategic importance on small business development and the economy of the country at large.

“A National Technical Implementation Committee will be chaired by the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, to serve the National Council on MSMEs and fast-track the implementation of its mandate.”

He also expressed hope that in addition to the 10 states where MSME councils had already been set up, the MSME structure would soon be set up in other states of the federation.

He charged members of the council to make its priority the clearing of all encumbrances denying small business owners easy access to the N220bn provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)for the MSME purpose.

“The N220bn MSME fund provided by the CBN  which I launched a few weeks ago for small businesses, will begin to address access to finance for small businesses, and NEDEP will play a role to ensuring that MSMEs in the country are bankable and viable enough to access these funds, as well as other MSME funds available.

“An urgent priority I expect this Council to take up, is the development of a detailed Financing Value Chain Intervention strategy for MSMEs, so as to address the difficulties put in the way of small businesses in their strive to access finance,” President said.

He described Nigeria as having “the ninth largest work force in the world” and its people among “the most enterprising in the world”.

He added, “A 2010 survey carried out by SMEDAN and the National Bureau of Statistics, shows that there were 17.2 million MSMEs in Nigeria, employing over 32 million people.

“In addition, over 95 per cent of registered businesses in Nigeria are small businesses. If each of these businesses employs one more person, we would create over 17 million extra jobs, which would indeed be a revolution in Nigeria’s job markets. This is the unexplored power of small businesses.”


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Descasio Launches “Give to Gain” Leadership Insights Report, Hosts Executive Brunch for Women in Leadership

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In celebration of International Women’s Day, Descasio hosted an intimate executive brunch bringing together distinguished women leaders from its customer community for a thoughtful conversation on leadership, partnership, and shared growth.

Centered around the 2026 International Women’s Day theme, “Give to Gain,” the gathering created space for accomplished women in enterprise leadership to reflect on mentorship, collaboration, and investing in people as key drivers of sustainable growth.

Held in Lagos, the event convened leaders from organizations including Honeywell Group Limited, Finchglow Travels, NGCOM, and Eroton Exploration & Production Company.

Guests were personally welcomed at the start of the gathering by Mr. Dele Nedd, CEO of Descasio; who greeted each of the women leaders and expressed his appreciation for their presence before leaving the session to allow the women lead the conversation among themselves.

The gesture reflected Descasio’s leadership culture; one where women are not only recognized, but actively supported and empowered. It also underscored the company’s belief that meaningful progress in leadership requires partnership and allyship across the organization.

Rather than a traditional panel discussion, the brunch was designed as a candid and reflective exchange among peers navigating leadership in complex industries. Throughout the conversation, participants shared perspectives shaped by experience, responsibility, and the realities of leading teams and organizations.

A recurring theme in the discussion was the role of execution and accountability in leadership. For many organizations, strategy alone is not enough; consistent delivery is what ultimately builds credibility and trust.

Reflecting on this, Josephine Adebola, Data Compliance & Process Automation Manager at Finchglow Travels, emphasized the importance of reliability in leadership and the discipline required to translate vision into results. “Get it done on time and in full.

The conversation also explored the role of curiosity and continuous learning in shaping effective leaders. In rapidly evolving industries, the ability to ask questions, remain open to new perspectives, and keep learning is often what enables leaders to grow alongside their organizations.

Sharing her perspective, Tomi Otudeko, Chief Operating Officer at Honeywell Group Limited, reflected on how curiosity has shaped her leadership journey.

“Asking questions and continuously learning have always stood me in good stead as a leader.”

She also spoke about the importance of leading with empathy and understanding the people behind the roles within organizations.

“Everyone has multiple dimensions to who they are. Leadership has taught me to see people in their totality. That awareness doesn’t make a leader weak; it makes them more effective.”

Another important theme that emerged from the conversation was authenticity in leadership. In an environment where leaders often face pressure to conform to traditional expectations, remaining true to one’s identity while continuing to evolve is essential.

For Helen James-Eziashi, General Manager at NGCOM, authenticity and curiosity remain key guiding principles. “Be yourself, keep learning, and stay curious.”

The discussion also highlighted the role of self-awareness in sustaining leadership journeys, particularly in complex and high-responsibility environments. Understanding one’s values, motivations, and support systems often becomes the anchor that allows leaders to navigate uncertainty with confidence.

Reflecting on this, Ifeanyi Onyejekwe, IT Manager at Eroton, emphasized the importance of knowing what grounds a leader.

“Know who you are and understand what supports and sustains your leadership journey.”

According to Descasio, the event reflects its broader commitment to building strong partnerships and fostering meaningful leadership conversations across its enterprise customer community.

“For us, this was about more than marking International Women’s Day,” said Umama David-Ogebe, The HR Manager at Descasio. “It was about creating a space where leaders could learn from one another and reflect on the kind of leadership that builds strong organizations. The most meaningful partnerships grow from conversations like these.”

To extend the impact of the discussion, Descasio has published “The Give to Gain Leadership Report: Insights from Women Leading Enterprise Organizations,” a curated publication capturing key reflections and leadership lessons shared during the session.

The report highlights themes including:

  • The role of curiosity and continuous learning in leadership
    • Building stronger teams through empathy and accountability
    • The importance of authenticity and self-awareness in navigating leadership journeys
    • How investing in people drives stronger partnerships and resilient organizations

The Give to Gain Leadership Report is now available for download Here.


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World Backup Day: Research Reveals 84% of Users Store Sensitive Data Digitally

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Ahead of World Backup Day, Kaspersky reveals the most popular ways to store important data and gives practical advice on how to keep it safe. Global research shows that zoomers and millennials keep nearly everything electronically, while almost one‑in‑three respondents over 55 y. o. still prefer good old‑fashioned paper.

Where do we store what matters?

Research* conducted by Kaspersky’s Market Research center shows that most people prefer to keep important info stored digitally.The majority of all respondents (84%) claim they store sensitive personal data like ID, financial details, healthcare related info or photo archive in electronic format.

When it comes to digital data storage, more than half (56%) say they keep their important records on a computer or a hard drive, 45% use cloud solutions and 20% entrust their data to government digital services.

Does digital mean safer?

Each storage method has its own advantages and limitations. Physical media can be lost or suffer damage, external hard drives are not always convenient to use on the go and cloud services, while being accessible, are vulnerable to unauthorised access. To maximise digital data security, Kaspersky experts advise adhering to the following best‑practice recommendations:

  1. Develop a backup strategy

There is no universal approach to data storage, nor is it necessary to back up every single file. Nonetheless, cultivating a regular backup routine is strongly recommended, particularly for sensitive data or files that cannot be regenerated or recovered through other means.

According to the popular 3-2-1 backup strategy you should have at least three copies of important data, store it on two different storage types, and make at least one copy off-side (cloud or external physical location).

The most sensitive data like passwords, ID or financial details requires special attention. Use a dedicated security solution like Kaspersky password manager, which apart from securely keeping users’ credentials and bank cards, has a special secret vault functionality aimed at storing important documents, for example, scanned Passports/IDs and PDF files, addresses and notes.

  1. Protect your vaults

According to Kaspersky’s data, 98% of all respondents take at least some measures to protect their personal data storages, which is a good sign. However, 36% of respondents use quick-to-remember passwords to safeguard their personal data.

Relying solely on simple passwords leaves your digital vaults vulnerable to brute‑force attacks. That’s why experts recommend enabling two‑factor authentication (2FA) wherever it is available or adopting passkey technology. Passkeys can be stored securely in a password manager and accessed seamlessly from any authorised device.

  1. Set up automatic backups where possible

Continuously remembering to perform backups can be cumbersome. To streamline the process, enable the built‑in backup service on every device you use (e.g., iCloud for iPhone/iPad/Mac, Google Drive/OneDrive for Android/Windows).

Test it once a month or two by restoring a single file, just to be sure the backup works. Kaspersky Premium allows users to make regular backups and restore information on Windows devices. Backup copies of data can be easily saved on removable drives or in cloud storage in an encrypted format.

“We all know backups are important, but most of us never do them because we try to back up everything at once and it gets overwhelming. The smarter approach? Treat backup like any other workflow. Tag your files – critical, important, low‑priority.

Automate real‑time backups for the critical stuff, schedule weekly or monthly backups for the rest. And for sensitive data like passwords and IDs, use our dedicated solution with a secret vault to keep it secure. When you automate and prioritise, you protect what really matters without getting overloaded,” comments Marina Titova, Vice President for Consumer Business in Kaspersky.

The study was conducted by Kaspersky’s market research center in November 2025. 3000 respondents from 15 countries (Argentina, Chile, China, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, UK, United Arab Emirates) took part in the survey.

 


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NSCDC Unveils Digital Blueprint for Crisis Management

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The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has prioritised digital transformation in a new five-year strategic roadmap to tackle prevailing crises in the country.

The NSCDC operates with a comprehensive mandate to protect critical infrastructure, ensure community safety and respond to emergencies across the West African country.

It is also involved in intelligence gathering, combating vandalism, illegal bunkering and pipeline protection.

Prof Ahmed Abubakar Audi, NSCDC Commandant General, unveiled the plan this past weekend as his second term at the helm of the paramilitary agency resumed.

NSCDC spokesperson, Babawale Afolabi said Audi has underlined the urgent need to expand technology-driven operations as modern security challenges require smart, intelligence-led approaches.

“He noted that increased adoption of technology will not only enhance operational efficiency but also reduce exposure to operational hazards and minimise risks to personnel,” said Afolabi.

The NSCDC marked the official launch of the roadmap with an announcement that surveillance equipment and tech gadgets would be distributed to commands in all Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) – where the country’s government is officially located.

“This is in line with his vision to enhance operational readiness, ensure efficient service delivery, and build a positive organisational culture that will create a distinct and respected identity for the Corps within the nation’s security architecture,” Afolabi noted.

Nigeria continues with efforts to combat volatility, characterised by Islamist groups, bandits and kidnap-for-ransom gangs terrorising the world’s largest Black nation by population, estimated at 240 million.

The NSCDC also has a role to play in the 2027 general elections, with the country having a reputation for violent polls.

 


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