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Amosun, Ogun State Governor Receives NCS’ Special IT Recognition Award
By peter oluka
Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has received, the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) Special Information Technology Recognition Award (SITRA) for the administration’s efforts in leveraging IT to enhance governance.
The Governor was recognized at the National Information Technology Merit Award (NITMA), with major achievements of the State in IT including, the creation of the Bureau of information technology to engender professionalism and facilitate growth; location of 5,000 capacity JAMB CBT centre in Abeokuta; capturing of properties via GPS coordinates, image into the properties database under the Land Use and Amenities Charge Scheme across the 57 LGAs and LCDAs.
Professor Sola Aderounmu, the NCS president, while presenting the award to the Governor represented by the Deputy, Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga, lauded the State for deploying international public sector accounting standards complaint software for budgeting and treasury measurement; computerization of local government payroll for the first time; deployment of BVN enabled payroll and pension solution for the civil servants, secondary and primary school teachers and State pensioners.
Other achievements of the State Government with regards the IT deployment include, NITDA-OGSG training for 40 IT professionals in the State with provision of 40 laptops for the participants who are largely members of NCS; implementation of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) project; support of the National Whiz kids competition for senior secondary students at the State level by approving the competition and providing public secondary schools equipped with CBT facilities as venue in the six years through the State Ministry of Education.
“This made two schools from Ogun State namely Baptist Boys High School, Saje Abeokuta and Iganmode Grammar School, Ota win the national Whiz Kids Competition in 2013 and 2014 respectively.
“The administration of Governor Amosun has also supported the Young IT Brains for Primary School Pupils and Ogun IT Talent Hunt for Junior Secondary School Students (these are programmes of the State Chapter of NCS), among other supports to Ogun State chapter of NCS”, he said.
Responding, the Governor thanked NCS for the award, saying that when they mounted the saddle of leadership in 2011, they recognized the position of the state to drive investment, trade and the economy at large hence the leveraging of technology to enhance governance.
“Today, IT has been included to boost e-governance, education, land matters, etc. Our plan in the coming year is to consolidate, integrate our enterprise solutions; leverage ICT in local governance by partnering private sector.
“We are at advanced stage to create innovation hubs, boost skills and software development, IoT enhanced our ICT ecosystem. I want to appreciate the NCS for this prestigious award conferred on me and my State”, the Governor said through the Deputy.
The Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIBN) and the Association of Corporate Communication and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB) have enjoined banks to further deepen and prioritize financial inclusion, women’s empowerment and sustained growth through strategic mandates and frameworks, aimed at closing the financial gap and empowering more small, and medium enterprise (MSME) owners.
Both organisations made this call during a courtesy visit to the newly invested 24th President and Chairman of Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Dr. Dele Alabi, Ph.D, FCIB, as part of plans to congratulate him on his investiture as well as seek a stronger alliance between both bodies.
The visit followed Alabi’s investiture where he unveiled his “IMPACT” Vision, themed “Consolidating Our Local Impact, Enhancing Our Global Relevance.”
The vision rests on six pillars: Inclusion across geographic, gender, and generational lines; Membership growth and quality; Professionalism and ethics; Accountability; Competencies and skills development; Technology, automation, and innovation. Other areas of shared interest, include women empowerment, financial inclusion and literacy, as well as MSME clinics, all of which are top on his agenda.
Alabi explained that under him, the institute will be prioritising financial inclusion and women empowerment, because of its realisation that women are often the primary financial managers and caregivers in families. Access to savings, micro-credit, and insurance acts as a safety net during crisis and allows them to significantly improve living conditions.
He added that CIBN would be happy to drive joint knowledge sharing and exchange sessions with CBN and ACAMB across various platforms. “Educating the public through public awareness programmes, with ACAMB as the rallying point, is central to what we do,” he noted.
ACAMB President, Jide Sipe, who led the delegation, spoke in unison with the CIBN president, as he noted that, closing the inbalances in financial access help economies grow faster, reduces inequality, and encourages greater civic participation by all.
Lagos State has become the first sub-national government in Nigeria to establish a comprehensive Greenhouse Gas Registry, a move aimed at strengthening climate governance, improving emissions accountability and accelerating the state’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
The Lagos State Greenhouse Gas Registry (LGHGR) was unveiled at the Central Business District, Alausa, Ikeja, at a ceremony attended by Prof. Akin Abayomi, commissioner for Health, members of the State Executive Council, representatives of the Federal Ministry of Environment, development partners, TPHG Technologies, the diplomatic and business communities, academics, civil society organisations and the media.
Describing the initiative as a landmark achievement in the state’s environmental sustainability drive, Dr. Babatunde Ajayi, general manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), said the Registry marks a defining moment in Lagos’ climate action journey and reflects Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to building a resilient, climate-smart and environmentally sustainable economy.
According to Ajayi, the digital platform will enable the state to accurately measure, monitor, report and verify greenhouse gas emissions across key sectors, providing credible data to guide environmental policies and climate interventions.
He said the Registry would strengthen evidence-based decision-making, improve transparency and accountability, support national and international climate reporting obligations, unlock carbon market opportunities and boost investor confidence in Lagos’ environmental initiatives.
Ajayi also commended TPHG Technologies for providing the technical expertise that made the pioneering project possible.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Abayomi described the Registry as a major milestone that positions Lagos at the forefront of climate governance and emissions accountability in both Nigeria and Africa.
He noted that climate change has evolved into a significant public health and governance challenge, stressing that access to reliable emissions data would enable the state to formulate evidence-based policies, attract climate financing, strengthen resilience and accelerate its transition to a low-carbon economy.
Providing insights into the technical framework of the project, Dr. Mofoluso Fagbeja, lead consultant and chief executive officer, TPHG Technologies, explained that the Registry was developed from the greenhouse gas inventory jointly undertaken by LASEPA and TPHG Technologies in 2022, using 2019 as the baseline year for emissions assessment.
He said the platform is designed to close critical emissions data gaps, particularly within the industrial sector, while supporting effective climate policy implementation, emissions management and sustainable development.
Fagbeja also disclosed that the greenhouse gas inventory estimated that poor air quality contributes to about 35,000 premature deaths annually in Lagos, underscoring the urgent need for stronger emissions control measures and cleaner environmental practices.
In a goodwill message, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, minister of Environment, represented by Mrs. Adenaike Olunimpe Oludunni, federal controller of Environment in Lagos, commended Lagos State for pioneering the initiative, describing it as a significant contribution to Nigeria’s climate commitments.
He said the Registry aligns with the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement and supports the Federal Government’s Energy Transition Plan, while reaffirming the ministry’s commitment to deeper collaboration with Lagos State on climate governance and environmental sustainability.
A recently released Henley Passport Index 2026, showed that Nigerian citizens can travel to at least 20 destinations outside the African continent where entry is allowed either visa-free, with a visa on arrival (VOA) at no extra cost, or via an e-visa.
This expanded access opens doors for Nigerian travellers to experience countries in the Caribbean, Asia, and beyond with greater ease.
Below is a comprehensive guide to countries outside Africa which Nigerian passport holders can visit without a traditional visa.
Visa-Free Countries outside Africa for Nigerian Passport Holders:
Barbados
Cambodia – Visa on arrival
Comoros Islands – Visa on arrival
Cook Islands
Dominica
Fiji
Haiti
Iran – Visa on arrival
Kiribati
Lebanon
Maldives – Visa on arrival
Micronesia
Montserrat
Niue – Visa on arrival
Palau Islands – Visa on arrival
Samoa – Visa on arrival
St. Kitts and Nevis
Timor-Leste – Visa on arrival
Tuvalu
Vanuatuul
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