News
Nielsen Commissions Projects, Marks Global Impact Day Worldwide
As part of efforts aimed at touching lives of people and making positive contribution to the society where it operates, Nielsen Nigeria, a member of the global brand which offers marketing research and consumer insights for businesses, has extended its philanthropic gestures to pupils of Local Government Primary School, Ikeja, Lagos.
The company recently donated a library, borehole and other items to pupils of the school.
Nielsen Nigeria noted that the donations were part of its CSR activities tagged Nielsen Global Impact Day (NGID) an event organised yearly to impact the lives of people and the society. Nielsen identifies Health, Nutrition and Education as key pillars that help humanity to thrive.
Local Government Primary School, located in Ikeja currently has 280 pupils and 30 teachers.
Pupils in the school hitherto suffered lack of water and good library, but Nielsen Nigeria under its 2015 NGID shouldered the responsibility to renovate the borehole and refurbish the library. The company also donated goody bags which contained useful hygiene items to the pupils.
The school now boasts of clean drinking water and a well-equipped library that is conducive for reading.
Speaking during the handing over of the amenities to the school, Mr. Lampe Omoyele, managing director, Nielsen West Africa, noted that the company deeply cares about contributing to its society through initiatives such as this.
He also said the NGID initiative is observed in over 100 other countries around the world by Nielsen.
“At Nielsen, we are keen about impacting the lives of people, community in our environment. We recognise that the government cannot do it all alone so we are proud to lend support that goes a long way to touch the lives of people. We realise that water is a necessity that is why we renovated the borehole to provide water. Also important to these kids is reading. When they have access to good books and library they learn properly so we donated books and renovated the library,” Omoyele said.
In her response, Mrs. Elizabeth Akapo, assistant head teacher of the school, expressed gratitude to the Nielsen for providing the facilities.
Her words: “Pupils hitherto would go outside the school premises far away to get their drinkable water every day because the borehole was out of order. Water is an essential necessity so the pupils and teachers need it.
They need water after meals and even for other uses while in the school, but the borehole had stopped working for months. With the boreholes restored by Nielsen, it is such a relief and delight for teachers and pupils.
“On the other hand, our school library was not pleasant to pupils to come in and read as it had old text books that were not in the curriculum. So the company out of concern renovated the library to make it appealing to pupils and equipped it with textbooks needed by pupils in line with the curriculum. Now pupils would be motivated to use the facility because it is attractive and well furnished. We deeply thank Nielsen for the love, care and support they have given to us,” she explained.
Mrs Bolanle Shittu, education secretary, Ikeja Local Government, also praised Nielsen Nigeria for touching the lives of pupils in the primary school. She noted that she is a product of the school which was founded in 1952.
She said: “The school has been receiving support from many people and organisations, but Nielsen’s impact was outstanding because it made so much impact in the lives of pupils and teachers.”
Some of the kids expressed appreciation to Nielsen Nigeria for alleviating their plight and giving them hope.
A primary six pupil, Favour Onoja, described the donations as timely and important, while Sunday Babatunde of Primary 5 noted that he felt so special and loved to be cared for by Nielsen Nigeria.
The pupils also entertained the Nielsen Team and other guests present with traditional dance, a playlet on gender discrimination and a debate on the topic ‘Females are better than males.’ Nielsen team also spent time with the pupils by reading books, mentoring and listening to the pupils in all the classes. The pupils were also served with free meals.
Other members of the Nielsen Nigeria team led by Mr. Omoyele include Omolola Oyebola, Associate Director, Human Resource West Africa; Ada-Obi Okafor, Quality Control& Training Manager among others. Guests present at the occasion were Mr. Muritala Mogaji, Chairman, School-Based Management Committee (SBMC); Mr. Ade Abatan, Director, Social Mobilisation Department, Ikeja Local Government; Mr. Patrick Souza and Mrs. Lanre Aina both from the Public-Private Partnership (PPP), Lagos SUBEB.
The United States will begin a partial suspension of visa issuance to Nigerians from January 1, 2026, following a new presidential proclamation aimed at strengthening border and national security.
The US Mission in Nigeria announced on Monday that the restriction will take effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time in accordance with Presidential Proclamation 10998, titled ‘Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States.’
According to the mission, Nigeria is one of 19 countries affected by the measure.
Others listed are Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The proclamation provides for a partial suspension of visa issuance covering nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas, as well as F, M and J student and exchange visitor visas.
It also applies to immigrant visas, though with limited exceptions.
The statement read in part, “Effective January 1, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. EST, in line with Presidential Proclamation 10998 on “Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States,” the Department of State is partially suspending visa issuance to nationals of 19 countries – Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe – for nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas and F, M, J student and exchange visitor visas, and all immigrant visas with limited exceptions.”
US officials clarified that the policy does not apply to all travellers. Exemptions include immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran, dual nationals applying with passports from countries not affected by the suspension, and Special Immigrant Visas for eligible US government employees.
Other exempted categories include lawful permanent residents of the United States and participants in certain major international sporting events.
The US government emphasised that the proclamation applies only to foreign nationals who are outside the United States on the effective date and who do not hold a valid US visa as of January 1, 2026.
“Foreign nationals, even those outside the United States, who hold valid visas as of the effective date are not subject to Presidential Proclamation 10998. No visas issued before January 1, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. EST, have been or will be revoked pursuant to the Proclamation,” the statement added.
Visa applicants from affected countries may continue to submit applications and attend interviews. However, the US Mission noted that such applicants “may be ineligible for visa issuance or admission to the US” under the new rules.
The announcement comes amid a series of recent US policy decisions that have raised concerns among Nigerians seeking to travel, study or migrate to the country.
In October, the United States added Nigeria back to its list of countries accused of violating religious freedom, citing persistent insecurity and attacks on Christian communities. This was followed by Nigeria’s inclusion on a revised US travel ban list that imposed partial entry restrictions on Nigerians.
The US has also tightened immigration and visa policies affecting Nigerians. Earlier this year, the validity of most non-immigrant visas issued to Nigerians was reduced to single-entry visas with a three-month duration.
The pre-action notice was signed by Emmanuel Okpara, Esq., Litigation and Compliance Director, and Mus’ab Awwal Mu’az, Esq., secretary of the Association’s Steering Committee.
The dispute stemmed from a consent judgment delivered on November 3, 2025, by Justice J.K. Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CC/355/2025 between Meta Platforms, Inc. and the NDPC.
Following investigations conducted under the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), 2023, the NDPC had issued a Final Order against Meta Platforms, Inc., finding “widespread violations of the data protection and privacy rights of approximately 61 million Nigerians,” and imposing a remedial fine of USD 32,800,000.
The pre-action notice was signed by Emmanuel Okpara, Esq., Litigation and Compliance Director, and Mus’ab Awwal Mu’az, Esq., Secretary of the Association’s Steering Committee.
The dispute stemmed from a consent judgment delivered on November 3, 2025, by Justice J.K. Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CC/355/2025 between Meta Platforms, Inc. and the NDPC.
Following investigations conducted under the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), 2023, the NDPC had issued a Final Order against Meta Platforms, Inc., finding “widespread violations of the data protection and privacy rights of approximately 61 million Nigerians,” and imposing a remedial fine of USD 32,800,000.
The NDPC investigation stemmed from a petition filed at the commission on August 14, 2023, against Meta Platforms Inc. by the convener of Personal Data Protection Awareness Initiative, Ozoemena Nwogbo, regarding violation of the Nigeria Data Protection Act.
After its investigation, NDPC found Meta Platforms Inc. wanting and, on February 18, 2025, issued nine Final Orders against Meta Platforms Inc.
NDPC’s Order
The NDPC’s order nine reads, “Meta shall pay the naira equivalent of 32,800,000 USD (Thirty-two million, eight-hundred thousand United States Dollars) as a remedial fee. The naira equivalent shall be at the rate determined by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
“The details of the account for payment of the remedial fee are as follows: Account Name: Nigeria Data Protection Commission Fund Account. Account Number: 0020331265048 (300131267). Use RTGS for payment.”
The NDPC added, “Note that Meta has a right to seek a judicial review of this decision. The Commission will closely monitor Meta’s remediation process and its impact on data subjects for upwards of six months.”
However, the Final Order was subsequently set aside through Terms of Settlement, which were adopted by the court as a consent judgment on November 3, 2025, following a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/355/2025, filed by Meta Platforms Inc. against the NDPC.
Part of the Terms of Settlement entered between NDPC and Meta Platforms Inc. reads, “The applicant (Meta Platforms Inc.) and the respondent (NDPC) have come to a mutual settlement agreement that resolves the dispute underlying the applicant’s originating Summons.
“Pursuant to this agreement: (I) the applicant has agreed to provide specific remedial consideration to the respondent in support of protecting the rights of data subjects in Nigeria; and (II) the respondent has inter alia agreed to set aside and waive any rights to enforce or take steps to enforce the Final Orders against the applicant.”
The settlement terms specifically read, “In the light of the foregoing: The applicant wholly and completely terminates, abandons, withdraws, and discontinues the Originating Summons as well as any and all claims against the respondent connected to or arising from the matters or the subject matter thereof, except as the parties have otherwise agreed.
“The respondent: (I) sets aside the Final Orders against Meta; and (II) save and except as the parties have otherwise agreed, fully and firmly releases and discharges Meta from any and all claims, demands, actions, causes of action, contracts, obligations, suits, debts, costs, liabilities, which the respondent ever had, may now have, or May hereafter claim to have against Meta in respect of the matters.”
Association Alleges Illegality In Settlement
But the Data Privacy Lawyers Association contended that the consent judgment was entered into unlawfully, arguing that it was done without lawful statutory authority, in violation of the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, and in derogation of the constitutional right to privacy guaranteed under Section 37 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
The Association further said the action was taken “to the grave prejudice of millions of affected Nigerians and the public interest, as well as the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
In the notice, the Association warned that unless the issues raised are urgently addressed within the statutory notice period, it would approach the Federal High Court to seek multiple reliefs.
These include an order setting aside, vacating, and nullifying the consent judgment on grounds of fraud, collusion, material non-disclosure, lack of statutory authority, and violation of the NDPA, 2023.
It is also seeking a declaration that the consent judgment is “null, void, unconstitutional, and of no legal effect,” as well as a declaration that the NDPC lacks statutory authority to waive, compro
Other reliefs sought include an order restoring and reviving the Final Order against Meta Platforms, including the $32.8 million fine, and an order restraining any further reliance on or enforcement of the consent judgment.
The Association also asked the court for other orders the Court may deem fit in the interest of justice, public accountability, and the protection of constitutional rights.
In the interest of transparency and accountability, the Association urged the NDPC to provide a written explanation of the legal basis for entering into the Terms of Settlement, clarify the statutory authority relied upon to waive the remedial fine and set aside the Final Order, and take steps to remedy the issues raised.
The letter, the Association said, constitutes the requisite pre-action notice under applicable law.
It warned that unless the concerns are satisfactorily addressed within 30 days of receipt of the notice, it will proceed to institute legal proceedings without further recourse.
mise, or extinguish liabilities, sanctions, or remedial fines arising from established violations of the Act.
As Christians in Nigeria and around the world mark the birth of Jesus Christ, Globacom has extended warm Christmas greetings, describing the season as one of goodwill and togetherness.
Reflecting on the significance of Christmas in a message released on Tuesday, the technology company said the period offers an opportunity for renewal, calling on Christians to uphold the values embodied by Jesus Christ, including love, humility and compassion for humanity.
Globacom noted that the circumstances of Christ’s birth continue to offer timeless guidance for society. “The noble yet humble birth of Jesus teaches virtues such as obedience to God, humility, love for mankind and a strong commitment to the common good. We encourage Christians to consciously practise these virtues as true followers of Christ,” the company stated.
Against the backdrop of today’s social and economic challenges, the company emphasized the shared responsibility of people of goodwill to care for others and to give generously, pointing to Christ’s acts of compassion, including his feeding of multitudes as recorded in the Bible.
Beyond the celebrations, Globacom urged Nigerians to sustain the true spirit of Christmas by consistently demonstrating love, promoting peace and fostering harmony—values that defined Christ’s life and teachings.
The company also wished its customers and Nigerians at large a joyful Christmas, while reaffirming its commitment to delivering reliable, high-quality services throughout the festive period and beyond, urging customers to take advantage of its wide range of innovative products and services to stay connected and share the joy of the season with loved ones.
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