News
Indian Firm Takes over NIS Job, Hijacks Sensitive National Security Project

Continental Transfer Technique Limited (CONTEC), an Indian firm, has hijacked a sensitive national security project – the Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card – which was supposed to be managed by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), according to Punch Newspapers.
Apart from controlling the sales of the residence permits to foreigners, each of which goes for $1,000 (about N250, 000) and is valid for two years, the company has also sidelined the NIS and it is the sole manager of the project.
The CERPAC project was for the automation of the issuance of residence permit (Green card) as well as Aliens Registration (Brown card) to expatriates who are either residing or working in Nigeria or visiting for long periods (that is beyond 56 days) and seamen who stay ashore beyond 28 days.
Punch findings indicate that the contract was awarded to CONTEC in 1999 by the Ministry of Interior on a build-operate-and-transfer basis and it took off in May 2002 after installation of equipment and systems by the contractor.
Investigations by our correspondent indicated that the project should have been handed over to the NIS in 2006, but this was not done as the firm had refused to train immigration service officers on the nitty-gritty of the project and had been using its own workers ever since.
Apart from controlling the production of the vital security cards, CONTEC also excluded the immigration service in the sale of the security document, according to sources.
The implication of this, according to NIS officers, is that the firm can unilaterally issue the CERPAC cards to foreigners and illegal migrants who may pose a security threat to the country.
Face-off over CONTEC’s incompetency
According to the contract agreement, the company was supposed to produce 900,000 CERPAC cards at the profit-sharing formula of 60 per cent for the Federal Government, 30 per cent for CONTEC and 10 per cent for the ministry for operational expenses.
But the firm failed to meet the target as it was producing only 37,000 cards per annum instead of 300,000.
Punch reported that the Federal Government had attempted to take over the project in 2007 following the inability of CONTEC to meet the production targets of 300,000 residence permits and 200,000 aliens’ registration certificates annually, but the move was resisted by the firm which demanded N5bn pay off.
Minister Calls for Revocation of Contract Agreement
In 2009, the then Minister of Interior, Godwin Abe, wrote a letter to then President Umaru Yar’Adua informing him about the need to review and possibly revoke the contract with the firm.
In the letter dated February 17, 2009 and obtained by our correspondent, Abe narrated how the CERPAC project was awarded to the detriment of the nation. He stressed that those who signed the contract agreement with the firm “did a disservice to our country as it was heavily skewed in favour of Messrs CONTEC.”
Abe further explained that he arranged for a meeting with the then Attorney-General of the Federation, Michael Andoaaka, adding that he was accompanied by the Minister of State, the Permanent Secretary, Comptroller-General of Immigration and Director, Finance & Accounts and the legal adviser.
At the meeting on April 17, 2008 with CONTEC, the minister stated that the sum of N3.67bn was offered as exit option to the firm, adding that he also offered to pay off the company the sum of N1bn.
He said, “CONTEC resolutely rejected our offer and even refrained from making a counter-offer, despite promptings from the members including the representative of the Attorney-General of the Federation, to indicate what they wanted.”
In spite of Abe’s advice to the government to either review or revoke the contract, checks showed that nothing had changed as CONTEC is still in control of the project and may remain so for a long time.
A brief on the NIS presented by the CG, Immigration Service, Martin Abeshi, to the Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazzau (retd.) on November 26, 2015 indicated that the reviewed contract agreement on the project favoured CONTEC.
Code of Silence
When asked for comment on the discrepancies in the project management, the spokesman for CONTEC, Tunde Ayansanwo, directed all inquiries on the project to the immigration service, stressing that it was being managed under a tripartite arrangement between the firm, the Federal Government and the immigration service.
He said, “The project is being managed under a tripartite arrangement between CONTEC, the Federal Government and the Immigration Service. So, we cannot comment on it, please direct your enquiries to the immigration service.”
The CG, Martin Abeshi, also declined to comment. He said questions on the project could best be answered by the ministry.
“I am sorry; this question can best be answered by the Ministry of Interior, not NIS please. NIS did not sign any contract with CONTEC,” he said in a text message.
The Director of Press, Ministry of Interior, Alhaji Isiaka Yusuf, in turn passed the buck to the immigration service.
Moro Turns Blind Eye, Inks New Deal
Findings indicate that past interior ministers had turned blind eyes to the anomalies observed in the contract as pointed out by Abe in his letter to Yar’Adua.
For instance, rather than address the discrepancies in the CERPAC project, the immediate past Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, awarded a new project to CONTEC in which he awarded a higher percentage of the profit to the company against the Federal Government.
Investigations reveal that Moro approved the award of an e-Pass biometric project to CONTEC on behalf of the NIS without advertising it for competitive bidding in violation of the Public Procurement Act.
According to Section 17 of the Act, requests for proposal for contracts must be advertised in at least two national newspapers of general circulation and the Federal Tender’s Journal, but this was not done.
More Profits for CONTEC
Moro, according to the document obtained by our correspondent, favoured the private firm in the sharing formula for the proceeds of the project which was based on Private-Public-Partnership arrangement.
Visitors who stay in the country beyond 56 days but not exceeding 90 days would pay a fee in the equivalent of $200 while 91 days to 180 days will attract a fee equivalent to $1,000 which must be paid to Sterling Bank Plc only.
According to the scheme, an aggregate stay by immigrants beyond 180 days but not exceeding 365 days would attract a fee equivalent to $2,000 while an over-stay without due permission from the Federal Government would attract a penalty which is 100 per cent of the prescribed fees.
An additional fee of N8, 000 will be charged for each application form by the receiving bank.
Parradang had, in his letter to Moro on the e-Pass project, proposed that the government should abolish the issuance of re-entry visa while adding a $100 fee to the $1,000 being charged for the Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card.
Parradang had proposed that the service provider, CONTEC be given 15 per cent of the $100 added to the CERPAC fee while NIS collects 15 per cent.
But Moro, who signed the letter, amended the sharing formula by giving 30 per cent to the service provider against the 15 per cent suggested by the immigration service.
Security Experts Weigh in
A retired Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, called on the Federal Government to investigate the observed discrepancies in the management of the CERPAC project.
He warned about the security implications of allowing a foreign private firm to manage such a sensitive project which has a bearing on national security, particularly now that the country is fighting an insurgency.
Tsav said, “The Federal Government must direct the company to hand over the project to the immigration service immediately given the security implications; allowing a private foreign company to handle such a sensitive national project have serious consequences because they could bring in anybody into the country.
“They can use the alien cards for diabolical purposes just like the way Nnamdi Kanu brought in transmitters for his Radio Biafra project. The government needs to find out the people behind the company.”
News
DHQ Indicts Brigadier General Abubakar Sadiq, 15 Others in Alleged Coup Plot againt Tinubu

Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has made public the full names of 16 officers of the Armed Forces of Nigeria indicted by a Special Investigative Panel over alleged serious misconduct, including an alleged coup plot against President Bola Tinubu.

The officers suspected to be involved in the coup plot include a brigadier general, a colonel, four lieutenant colonels, five majors, two captains, a lieutenant, a lieutenant commander and a Squandron Leader.
Major General Samaila Uba, director of Defence Information, disclosed this on Monday, stating that the panel had concluded its investigation and established that the affected officers had cases to answer.
According to him, the indicted officers will face a military Court Martial in line with established procedures and existing regulations.
Major Gen. Uba said the probe examined the circumstances surrounding the conduct of the officers and identified actions “inconsistent with the ethics, values and professional standards expected of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”
He stressed that the exercise was purely disciplinary and aimed at preserving internal discipline, cohesion and operational effectiveness, adding that the Armed Forces remain loyal to the Constitution and Nigeria’s democratic order.
- Brigadier General Musa Abubakar Sadiq (Nasarawa, 44th Regular Course)
- Colonel M. A. Ma’aji (Niger, 47th Regular Course)
- Lieutenant Colonel S. Bappah (Bauchi, 56th Regular Course)
- Lieutenant Colonel A. A. Hayatu (Kaduna, 56th Regular Course)
- Lieutenant Colonel Dangnan (Plateau, 56th Regular Course)
- Lieutenant Colonel M. Almakura (Nasarawa, 56th Regular Course)
- Major A. J. Ibrahim (Gombe, 56th Regular Course)
- Major M. M. Jiddah (Katsina, 56th Regular Course)
- Major M. A. Usman (Federal Capital Territory, 60th Regular Course)
- Major D. Yusuf (Gombe, 59th Regular Course)
- Major I. Dauda (Jigawa, DSSC 38)
- Captain I. Bello (DSSC 43)
- Captain A. A. Yusuf
- Lieutenant S. S. Felix (DSSC)
- Lieutenant Commander D. B. Abdullahi (Nigerian Navy)
- Squadron Leader S. B. Adamu (Nigerian Air Force)
News
Court Fines Airtel N210m for Unauthorised Use of ‘Nigeria Go Survive’ Song

Justice Ibrahim Ahmad Kala of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on Monday awarded a total of N210 million in damages against Airtel Networks Limited for copyright infringement arising from the unauthorised use of a musical work titled “Nigeria Go Survive.”

The award comprises N200 million as general damages and N10 million as costs.
In addition to the monetary award, the court issued mandatory and perpetual injunctions restraining Airtel, its management, agents, servants, privies, successors-in-title and assigns from reproducing or further using the musical work, or any substantial part of it, for advertising, promotion, telemarketing, or other business purposes without the licence or authorisation of the copyright owner.
Justice Kala specifically ordered Airtel to remove “Nigeria Go Survive” from its list of songs used for advertising, business, telemarketing and promotional purposes across its network with immediate effect.
The judge held that Airtel’s use of the song without licence or authorisation amounted to restricted acts under the Copyright Act and constituted an infringement of the plaintiff’s copyright.
The judgment was delivered in suit No: FHC/L/CS/1822/2022, filed by Veno Marioghae Mbanefo, producer of the song.
In resolving the sole issue for determination, the court held that the plaintiff proved her case on the balance of probabilities.
Justice Kala noted that a perpetual injunction is granted after infringement has been established and is intended to protect the proprietary rights of the copyright owner and restrain continued infringement.
Accordingly, the court made the following orders: “That Airtel’s unauthorised use of “Nigeria Go Survive” for advertising, promotion and telemarketing amounts to copyright infringement.
“Mandatory injunction prohibiting Airtel from reproducing or using the musical work, or any substantial part of it, for business and promotional purposes.
“Perpetual injunction restraining Airtel from any further unauthorised use of the work.
“General damages N200 million awarded to the plaintiff for losses suffered as a result of the infringement. And N10 million awarded in favour of the plaintiff, considering the duration of the case, legal representation, expenses incurred, and the current value of the naira.
In the writ of summons filed by her legal team led by Clement Onwvenwunor, SAN, the plaintiff sought, among other reliefs, declarations that Airtel’s use of the song without attribution, licence or authorisation breached her statutory rights under Section 12 of the Copyright Act, Cap. C28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
She also claimed substantial damages for copyright infringement and, in the alternative, requested an order directing Airtel to render an account of profits allegedly made from the infringement under the supervision of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Airtel Networks Limited, represented by counsel led by Babatunde Amoo, urged the court to dismiss the suit.
However, after reviewing the exhibits and submissions of counsel, Justice Kala resolved all issues in favour of the plaintiff.
The court refused the plaintiff’s alternative prayer for an account of profits but granted all substantive reliefs relating to infringement, damages and injunctive orders.
News
Tech Executives Double Down on AI, Talent and Adaptive Strategies to Lead in the Intelligence Age

KPMG’s Global Tech Report 2026 reveals that organisations worldwide are moving beyond pilots and seeking to embed AI into core workflows and offerings, striving to scale investments. The new report identifies that while expectations are high and adoption is rapid; scaling can introduce additional complexity and returns vary widely.

- 68 percent of organisations surveyed aim to reach the highest level of AI maturity by the end of 2026, yet only 24 percent are there today.
- 88 percent are investing in building agentic AI into their systems.
- 74 percent say their AI use cases are delivering business value, but only 24 percent achieve ROI across multiple use cases.
- 90 percent plan to grow partnerships and tech ecosystems over the next year, yet 53 percent still lack the talent needed to bring their digital transformation plans to life.
- 78 percent agree they must take more risks on emerging technologies to stay relevant.
The report asks: Can ambition match reality, and can organisations keep one eye on the next wave of innovation while delivering on today’s agenda?
“The future belongs to leaders who turn intelligence into advantage. Our research shows organisations are pushing past the early phase of ‘AI roulette’, placing scattered bets on multiple technologies, and are now increasingly focused on delivering value. When ambition meets disciplined execution, value compounds.
“Our 2026 Global Tech Report provides a synopsis of the critical things that high performers are doing better than most; a checklist for tech leaders looking to improve their organisational performance, emulate the high performers, and deliver higher ROI”. – Guy Holland, Global Leader, CIO Center of Excellence, KPMG International
”As Africa enters the Intelligence Age, the differentiator is no longer access to technology, but the ability to build the skills, governance, and operating models required to scale it responsibly. While organisations are accelerating AI adoption to drive productivity and growth, the real determinant of value lies in workforce readiness, executive alignment, and disciplined execution.
Those that invest early in digital skills, human-AI collaboration, and adaptive leadership will be best positioned to translate innovation into sustainable commercial and economic impact.” – Marshal Luusa, Partner: Technology & Innovation Lead, KPMG One Africa
Key findings from the report
Tech maturity accelerates: Leaders set their sights on the top
Half (50 percent) of global tech leaders surveyed expect to reach the highest level of technology maturity in 2026, compared to only 11 percent today. This surge in optimism is fuelled by a move from isolated experiments to integrating AI and advanced technologies into core systems and scaling their impact.
High performers, those organisations leading in technology maturity, process maturity and value, are already reaping the rewards, reporting an average ROI of 4.5x, more than double the industry average of 2x. These leading organisations have progressed beyond pilot programs, prioritising the scaling of innovation and continually adapting to maintain a competitive edge in a fast-evolving environment.
Other organisations reporting higher ROI include smaller firms (3.6x), those with fewer cost pressures (2.6x), and transformation‑focused organisations (3.2x). The ROI pattern is equally nuanced: rather than a single investment ‘sweet spot’, clear ROI ‘zones’ emerge, from early quick wins to accelerating, enterprise‑wide value as maturity increases.
The age of agentic: AI adoption surges but innovation drives real business value
AI is now seen as a strategic necessity, not just industry hype. Sixty-eight percent of respondents are aiming for the highest level of AI maturity in their organisations. Eighty-eight percent of companies are already investing in agentic AI – autonomous digital agents transforming operations and decision-making. Seventy-four percent of respondents report that their AI initiatives are creating measurable business value, such as improved efficiency and reduced risk.
However, only 24 percent say they are scaling AI and achieving ROI across multiple use cases. This highlights the need for organisations to evolve KPIs beyond traditional financial and productivity metrics and build enterprise-wide alignment to fully realise AI’s potential.
The shift from AI experimentation to large-scale deployment is underway, with leaders working to embed AI into products, services, and value delivery.
Talent and agility power success: Human potential remains central
Human expertise remains central to digital transformation initiatives. Organisations are making significant investments in upskilling their workforce, building adaptive teams, and fostering cultures that embrace change.
Despite the rapid adoption of agentic AI, organisations still expect 42 percent of their tech workforce to remain permanent human staff by 2027 – only a five‑point drop from 2025.
High-performing companies plan to retain even more permanent human talent, with 50 percent remaining in place by 2027, revealing the continued importance of human expertise alongside AI. Despite these efforts, 53 percent of organisations report they still lack the talent needed to realise their digital transformation strategies.
Ninety-two percent of organisations surveyed anticipate that managing AI agents will become a critical skill within five years. The most successful organisations prioritise both technological advancements and people, empowering employees to innovate and adapt.
Strategic partnerships fuel growth: Ecosystems expand for the future
To overcome challenges and accelerate learning, 90 percent of organisations plan to grow partnerships and tech ecosystems over the next year. Strategic alliances are enabling access to specialised expertise, rapid innovation, and shared best practices.
As agentic AI and other advanced technologies become mainstream, organisations recognise the importance of building robust ecosystems that foster co-creation and continuous improvement. Nearly one-third of tech executives are planning to increase investment in centers of excellence, supporting cross-functional teams and controlled experimentation.
Preparing for tomorrow’s breakthroughs: Leaders embrace bold risks
The future is arriving fast, with quantum computing and Artificial Superintelligence (ASI) on the horizon. Leaders are already preparing for these breakthroughs, with 78 percent of organisations agreeing they must take more risks on emerging technologies to stay relevant.
The report urges organisations to maintain strategic foresight, invest in ethical frameworks, and build resilient, future-ready workforces. By balancing ambition with rational thinking and disciplined execution, tech executives are positioning their organisations to turn disruption into durable, compounding value.
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