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Aderounmu, Aladekomo: IT Industry Will Miss Seriki
As the family of Late Engineer (Mrs.) Florence Seriki, CEO of Omatek Ventures Plc, prepare to bid her farewell, eminent IT (and computer) professionals in the country have continued to pay tribute to her, among whom are Professor Sola Aderrounm, President, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) and Sir Demola Aladekomo, former President, NCS and Chairman of SmartCity Resorts Plc.
Professor Aderounmu described late Seriki, a Fellow of the Society, as a thoroughbred Professional, a planner, a visionary leader, astute manager, articulator and indefatigable lady.
“There is a limit of grief at the grave of the dead. The bodies of the martyrs like Florence are the most beautiful altars to honour. When one dies in the arms of the lord, death ends, prison is broken, at last with death life begins with Christ.
“Though, Sun shine on agony that words cannot paint, there are many sorrows, the bitterness of death, the tortures of jealousy, the anguish of suffering, but there is nothing that rends the heart and ruins a life than the death of the loved ones. Florence’s death will know doubts ruins many lives. Therefore, those of us mourning and shedding tears for her transition should stop doing so and instead think of the survival of her business and children.
“Engr. Seriki, it is no gain saying that the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) will conspicuously miss you. The IT industry will miss you. Your friends and colleagues in the IT industry will miss your friendly relationship.
“It is necessary to educate each other today on the need to be original and be of positive influence wherever we find ourselves. Let us remember that whatever we achieve in life is just by grace. We might have the grace to live long, even longer than Methuselah, but that longevity cannot overwrite the landmark successes of David and others that spent few years but great achievements. Whatever your hands find to do, do it diligently, because at a time (short or long) we shall all be in the status in which Engr. Seriki is right now”, he said.
On his part, Sir Aladekomo said, “Florence, rather than mourn when I heard the news of your death, what immediately came to my mind was ‘She did it her way’.
“You did the very best possible within your circumstances where others would have given excuses. You chose your path where others would have depended solely and wholly on others. You did it your way. What a joy to live your own way than live a life of obscurity in the shadow of others. Worthy life lived, Florence!
“Our paths crossed twice when we both served on the Board of OAU TECHExcel and Nigeria Computer Society (NCS). At OAU TECHExcel, we were trying to build a technology park at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife. You served as the Treasurer. You were your own person with very strong opinions and you were very energetic.
“You did not suffer fools gladly. You gave good account of yourself. Most times, we were on different sides of issues. We did not agree on a lot of issues, but I respected your positions that were backed with strong logic and passion. I salute your courage and unyielding spirit. Wish we could have more people who stand on principles and defend their territories instead of the yes-men and women we have in abundance.
“Dear Florence, rather than mourn your death, I celebrate a life well lived. I celebrate a woman of substance. A woman who survived where several strong men and women failed. I celebrate a woman who stood her ground and made an impact in our ICT profession and nation. You will be remembered in words. You will be remembered in deeds. When the roll call of real men and women who lived are called, you will be there, right up front where you fought to be. You fought it your way. You did it your way. Better to live a short life of purpose than one without impact and usefulness.
“Florence, yours was a life well lived!,” he wrote in a tribute circulated to the media.
These are what other elders and members of the profession had to say about her.
“———Very sad indeed that we have lost our ICT Amazon and Diva, the first Nigerian ICT woman entrepreneur and owner of a publicly quoted ICT company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. She was a rare model of diligence and hard work, an epitome of humility who believed in perseverance for success and she succeeded. We shall surely miss her and her smiles at every occasion. She was a great ambassador of the computer profession wherever she went. May her soul rest in perfect peace and to the family and us all, her Fellow Colleagues in NCS, the grace of almighty God to bear this very painful loss with fortitude”, Chief Don Etiebet, 3rd President, NCS.
“Dear Colleagues, That our Florence is gone is unbelievable. The good Lord giveth and the good Lord taketh. This time around He has taken one of our very best. Pray God grant her the choicest part of paradise. Also pray He kindly looks after those she has left behind. Amen. Condolences to us all” Alhaji Ladi Ogunneye, 8th President, NCS
“President NCS, Provost College of Fellows, All Fellows , All ITAN and All NCS Members
My condolences to all of us for the loss of our dynamic visionary. My spirit is low. She was my cherished daughter,” Dr Adeola Odeyemi, Former Provost, College of Fellows NCS.
Also, Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem said, “This is a very painful loss. I can feel your grief personally. May her graceful soul rest in peace! Amen. May the good Lord grant us all the strength to live with this irreplaceable loss. Please, accept my profound condolences”
“Good night Flo, Amazon of IT industry, until we meet to part no more at the feet of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,” Nike Osofisan Former President and Chairman of Council CPN.
“This is unbelievable but true. I am still in shock. Florence was so full of life and very dynamicbut God moves in mysterious ways. My condolences to all of us in the industry and to the loved ones she has left behind. Rest In Perfect Peace Dearest Flo,” Sekinat Yusuf, Former President and Chairman of Council CPN, and many others.
Cross Section of attendees at the Commendation Service organized by NCS in honour of Late Engineer (Mrs.) Florence Seriki, CEO, Omatek Venture Plc held at the Faculty of Science, University of Lagos (UniLag) on Monday.
Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has announced plans to introduce a biometric identity verification system, known as V-Pass, to speed up passenger processing and enhance security at domestic airports nationwide.
This initiative is aimed at strengthening aviation security, reducing passenger processing time and eliminating dependence on physical identity documents.
A statement issued yesterday by Henry Agbebire, director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, FAAN, said the new facial recognition platform, developed in partnership with Verxid Technologies Limited, would enable passengers to verify their identities through biometric authentication, allowing them seamless access through airport security checkpoints and boarding gates.
According to him, the initiative formed the focus of a strategic meeting between FAAN and Verxid Technologies Limited, where both organisations reviewed deployment plans, security safeguards and measures to improve passenger experience.
The statement hinted that the authority centred on ensuring the successful rollout of the digital platform while maintaining high security standards.
The statement quoted, Adebola Agunbiade, director of Commercial and Business Development, FAAN, as describing the V-Pass as another milestone in the authority’s ongoing digital transformation programme.
According to her, the platform indicated FAAN’s commitment to deploying innovative technology that enhances passenger facilitation while reinforcing aviation security across domestic airports.
She assured that the system would provide every traveller with a secure digital identity through a one-time enrolment process.
Under the arrangement, Nigerian passengers would register using their National Identification Number (NIN) alongside facial biometric capture, while foreign travellers would enroll with their passports through Optical Character Recognition (OCR) supported by biometric authentication, the statement added.
FAAN said the system would verify passenger identities before they gain access to restricted airport areas and once again before boarding their flights.
The agency noted that the dual-verification process was designed to prevent identity fraud, impersonation and unauthorised access to airport facilities, while giving security agencies greater confidence in passenger authentication.
Passengers would be able to complete the verification process either through self-service kiosks or with assistance from trained FAAN personnel.
The deployment would also include electronic gates to automate access into controlled areas, reduce queues and improve passenger movement across airport terminals.
According to the developers, first-time registration is expected to take about one minute, while subsequent biometric verification would take less than 30 seconds.
Apart from passenger processing, the V-Pass platform would also provide airlines with secure digital access to flight schedules, passenger manifests and boarding statistics.
FAAN assured travellers that data protection remained a critical component of the project, stressing that the platform fully complies with the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR).
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has launched a new system to monitor how Bureau De Change (BDC) operators buy foreign exchange in the country.
Under the new arrangement, all licensed BDCs must report their foreign exchange purchases through a platform called the FX BDC Purchase Tracker (FXBT). The portal will allow the CBN to monitor transactions in real time or on the same day they take place.
The directive was announced in a circular dated July 15, 2026, and signed by the Director of the CBN’s Trade and Exchange Department, Aderinola Shonekan.
According to the apex bank, the new framework is designed to support its February 2026 policy that allows licensed BDCs to buy foreign exchange directly from authorised dealer banks in the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM).
The CBN said the initiative will improve transparency, strengthen compliance, increase liquidity in the retail forex market, and ensure proper participation by market operators.
A major feature of the framework is the FXBT portal, which will serve as a central database for tracking all foreign exchange purchases made by BDCs from banks.
Under the guidelines, every licensed BDC must register on the platform and submit transaction details either in real time or on the same day the transactions occur.
The CBN stated that the system will help regulators identify violations, detect suspicious transactions, monitor compliance with market rules, and improve confidence in the foreign exchange market.
The framework builds on the CBN’s February 2026 decision to allow licensed BDCs back into the official foreign exchange market. Under that policy, each eligible BDC can purchase up to $150,000 weekly from authorised dealer banks at market rates.
The apex bank said only BDCs with valid licences will be allowed to access foreign exchange through the framework. Operators whose licences have been suspended or restricted due to regulatory issues will not be eligible until those restrictions are lifted.
The CBN also directed banks to carry out thorough Know Your Customer (KYC) and customer due diligence checks before onboarding any BDC. Required documents include valid operating licences, Tax Identification Numbers (TIN), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) registration documents, and information on beneficial ownership.
Banks have also been warned not to sell foreign exchange to BDCs that fail to meet the required compliance standards.
To encourage fair competition, the CBN said BDCs can buy foreign exchange from any authorized dealer bank of their choice. Banks are prohibited from forcing BDCs into exclusive arrangements or charging referral fees that limit their ability to transact with other banks.
Under the new process, BDCs must submit electronic requests for foreign exchange through a bank’s designated portal. Banks are required to acknowledge requests within two business hours and communicate approvals or rejections immediately after processing.
Requests can only be rejected for valid reasons, such as incomplete documentation, exceeding weekly purchase limits, unresolved compliance concerns, or internal risk management issues.
The CBN also introduced stricter rules on how purchased foreign exchange can be used. All transactions between banks and BDCs, as well as between BDCs and customers, must be conducted through accounts held with licensed financial institutions. Third-party transactions remain prohibited.
In addition, BDCs are not allowed to keep unused foreign exchange purchased through the official market. Any unused funds must be sold back into the market within 24 hours after the permitted usage period expires.
The apex bank warned that failure to comply could lead to forfeiture of funds and suspension from the market.
BDC operators must also disclose any unused balances from previous allocations when applying for new purchases, while banks are expected to consider those balances when calculating weekly allocations.
Beyond reporting through the FXBT portal, BDCs must continue submitting weekly reports to the CBN. These reports must include details of foreign exchange purchased from banks, sales to end users, unused balances, and settlement records.
The CBN said the reporting requirements will improve transparency and help regulators better monitor foreign exchange flows in the retail market.
The bank warned that violations of the framework could attract penalties under the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020 and the Foreign Exchange Act. Sanctions may include fines, suspension from the foreign exchange market, withdrawal of BDC licences, revocation of banks’ authorised dealer status, and referrals to law enforcement agencies where necessary.
The CBN’s Trade and Exchange Department will oversee compliance through regular and surprise inspections carried out in collaboration with other departments.
The apex bank said the new directive is part of its wider efforts to reform the foreign exchange market, improve transparency, boost liquidity, and restore confidence in the system.
Concerns over compliance breaches, speculative trading, and abuse of foreign exchange allocations had continued even after BDCs were reintroduced into the official market earlier this year.
The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has announced the commencement of another exercise to remove 100,000 companies from Nigeria’s register of companies for failing to comply with statutory requirements under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), 2020.
In a public notice issued on Thursday, and dated July 15, 2026, the commission said the exercise was being carried out pursuant to Sections 692(3) and 692(4) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020.
The notice stated: “This is to notify the General Public and Esteemed Customers that the Corporate Affairs Commission has commenced another round of striking off names of companies from the Register pursuant to the provisions of Section 692 (3) and (4) of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020.”
According to the commission, the affected companies are listed on its official website.
“The list of the affected One Hundred Thousand (100,000) companies can be accessed at the Commission’s Website,” the notice said.
The CAC directed all affected companies to update their records by filing outstanding annual returns and beneficial ownership information within 90 days.
“The affected companies are hereby advised to take steps to file all outstanding Annual Returns (and by extension Persons with Significant Control/Beneficial Ownership information) and regularize their records within ninety (90) days of this notice,” the commission said.
It added that companies must send proof of compliance to the designated email address, [email protected], within the stipulated period.
The commission warned that failure to comply would result in the affected companies being removed from the register without any further notice.
“Please note that companies that fail to comply within the stipulated timeline shall be struck off the Register without further notice,” the notice stated.
The CAC reiterated its commitment to improving service delivery, saying, “The Commission remains committed to providing prompt and efficient services to the satisfaction of our valued customers.”
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