News
Babachir Lists Buhari’s Expectations from ICT Professionals
Federal government has disclosed her readiness to partner the ICT sector in building applications to tackle multifaceted challenges facing the economy.
Engineer Babachir Lawal, secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), made the remark during a courtesy call on him in his office, by a delegation of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) led by the President, Professor Adesola Aderounmu.
The SGF’s message was re-echoed by Mrs. Ibukun Odusote, permanent secretary (Political) at the Presidency, during Aderounmu’s investiture as the 13th President of the Society held in Lagos at the weekend.
According to the Permanent Secretary, the SGF, who is also a member of the NCS, had told the delegates that in the era of change, the federal government believes that any economy not IT driven is primitive, hence every aspect of the nation’s economy and endeavour requires IT applications for productivity.
She said, “The President believes as a person, he might not have the capacity, but he has articulate people to rely on in driving the change mantra in four key areas including building an economy all of us will be proud of; fight corruption to a standstill; provide security and create employment opportunities for our teeming youths. The FG is looking at these directions with IT as major solution.
“There are many areas of governance that require IT interventions. Now, the federal government is not looking at individual solutions, rather a collective or industry constituted solutions.
In other words, it is the body like the Nigeria Computer Society (NSC) that the Federal Government hopes to work with due to the integrity it has created for itself over the years”.
On the headship of the Ministry of Communication Technology, Odusote said the SGF unequivocally informed the NCS delegation that, although nomenclature is not the problem, however, there is need for reinventing the Ministry’s set objectives for improved contributions to the economy.
Mrs Ibuku on her part urged the IT professionals to start engaging their brains and ensure youths are given adequate representations in future engagements, conferences and programmes.
“It is important we start engaging our brains and think of how to make best use of the opportunity we have now to engage the government for national development. At the same time, we the youths deserve adequate representation at least 45% representation during conferences and programmes organized by NCS because the future of the industry and the country deepens on them. NCS has golden opportunity,” the Permanent Secretary Said.
During the visit, Professor Adesola Aderounmu, president of NCS reiterated the members’ readiness to partner with the FGN in putting the country more firmly in the global IT map.
“This meeting is therefore an opportunity to immediately lay emphasis on a few critical issues for the benefit of our dear country:
Professionalism In Governance
“SGF Sir, as a professional to the core with immense experience in private and public sectors, we welcome your appointment which is in furtherance of our belief that the much awaited change is here.
“The Communication Technology Ministry, with other IT agencies in Nigeria, if well managed, is able to resolve Nigeria job crises and further create wealth for the nation similar to the IT revolution going on in India.
“Hence there is the urgent need for the Federal Government of Nigeria under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari to:
*Consider the appointment of seasoned IT professionals (registered members of NCS and CPN) to head the Ministry of Communication Technology and other IT agencies in the country;
*Give priority to the use of registered local IT professionals and registered local IT companies to execute IT jobs;
*Appoint seasoned IT professionals on the boards of MDAs to maximize and deepen the benefits of electronic governance and digital transformation in Nigeria;
*Direct BPP to amend the pre-qualification requirements for IT projects to include Evidence of registration with CPN and NCS in addition to the newly introduced pre-qualification requirements such as evidence of registration with PENCOM, and evidence of remittance of fund to ITF;
*Mandate MDAs to appoint IT professionals as directors of IT, direct all MDAs to establish IT career structure if not yet in place, implement the use of CPN registration as a condition to employ IT professional staff in MDAs to level 10 as approved and gazetted by the Federal Government of Nigeria (the Federal Government already implemented this condition for professionals in Engineering, Health, etc.);
*Mandate NCS in collaboration with NITDA to supervise all IT projects to be implemented in Nigeria.
IT Penetration
Aderounmu said NCS believes there is an urgent push for comprehensive broadband access all over the country; implementation and monitoring of local content policy to encourage MDAs to patronize indigenous software and hardware; establishment of IT parks using Public-Private-Partnership models and establishment of Digital Centres in all the 774 LGAs in collaboration with the State Governments.
Security
He said that NCS concurs with President Mohammadu Buhari on the harmonization of the national database for Nigeria.
“In addition we call for: Urgent deployment of IT to tackle Boko Haram and terrorism in Nigeria (NCS is ready to provide practical solutions using IT to solve the problem), and collaboration of critical stakeholders with NCS in pushing the details and implications of the cybercrime Act into the public domain, and begin full implementation,” he said.
He said the role of professional bodies in the attainment of economic development in Nigeria cannot be overemphasised.
“National policies, political, economic or financial, can only make the desired impact and make our dear country great, if implemented by qualified persons. We assure you that at Nigeria Computer Society, our doors are perpetually opened towards achieving the above briefly discussed issues of Professionalism in Governance, IT Penetration and Security,” the NCS President said.
PalmPay, Nigeria’s leading digital banking platform, has announced the launch of its ₦400 million festive rewards campaign, designed to reward users with cash prizes and fully sponsored international travel experiences for everyday transactions on the PalmPay app.
The campaign will run from December 17, 2025, to January 8, 2026. The campaign is designed to reward everyday transactions with extraordinary experiences. It runs alongside PalmPay’s Purple December brand campaign, which focuses on wrapping up the company’s key brand and community initiatives for the year.
At the centre of the rewards campaign is the PalmPay World Travel Carnival, an interactive card collection experience that allows users to earn city cards by completing transactions on the app. Users are required to collect five city cards – London, New York, Dubai, Sydney, and Cape Town and combine them into a World Card, which unlocks a share of the prize pool.
The more World Cards a user creates, the larger their share of the cash rewards. Any extra uncombined cards can be swapped with friends and other PalmPay users to help complete additional World Cards.
Beyond cash rewards, the Carnival also offers Free Global Trips. In each round, the top two users with the highest number of eligible transactions (₦100 and above) and at least one World Card will win an all-expense-paid international trip.
The travel grand prize covers:
- Visa fees
- Round-trip international airfare
- 5-day, 4-night hotel accommodation
- Side attraction
- Meal expenses
- Airport pick-up and drop-off
- All transportation for scheduled tour activities during the trip
Winners will be determined through a transparent leaderboard system, with prizes credited automatically at the end of each round on December 25, December 31, and January 8.
Participation is simple:
- Complete tasks on the PalmPay app, such as Airtime, Data, Transfers, and other specific transactions listed in the app, to earn cards.
- Collect all five city cards.
- Swap cards with friends to complete your collection.
- Combine cards to form a World Card and earn cash rewards.
- Perform more transactions to climb the leaderboard for a chance at the global trip prize.
To ensure fairness, PalmPay has instituted strict rules: no cheating, bots, fake accounts, or manipulation. Any violations may lead to disqualification or account bans. Additionally, the Free Travel Prize is limited to one per user throughout the campaign.
Speaking on the launch, Femi Hanson, Head of Marketing & Communication, “This festive rewards campaign is about turning everyday banking into meaningful value for our users. With the World Travel Carnival as the headline activation, we are reinforcing PalmPay’s promise of being the smarter way to bank—where smart financial decisions unlock bigger opportunities.”
The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to conduct a nationwide energy survey aimed at closing long-standing data gaps in Nigeria’s power sector. The initiative is expected to guide policy, attract investment, and accelerate universal electricity access.
Signed in Abuja, the agreement establishes a National Energy Survey based on the Multi-Tier Tracking Framework (MTF), a globally recognized methodology that measures electricity access not only by grid connection but also by quality, affordability, reliability, and usage of electricity and clean cooking solutions.
The survey will be implemented under the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) of the World Bank. Dr. Abba Aliyu, REA Managing Director/CEO, said the partnership underscores REA’s commitment to evidence-based rural electrification planning and will generate detailed insights on electricity access and off-grid solutions nationwide.
Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, Statistician-General of the Federation/CEO of NBS, emphasized that reliable statistics are essential for effective policymaking, assuring that NBS will provide technical oversight, sampling expertise, and quality assurance to meet global standards.
The survey will assess energy access, household affordability, expenditure patterns, and the adoption of off-grid technologies such as solar home systems, mini-grids, and clean cooking solutions. REA will provide sector expertise and policy alignment, while NBS manages regulatory approvals, methodology, and technical supervision.
Funded and technically overseen by the World Bank, the exercise will run for 18 months, with the resulting data expected to improve national energy planning, programme targeting, and private sector investment, particularly in underserved and rural communities.
Officials said the collaboration reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening inter-agency coordination, enhancing energy data availability, and advancing Nigeria’s goal of universal electricity and clean cooking access.
The Stakeholders in Blockchain Technology Association of Nigeria (SiBAN), the nation’s foremost self-regulatory body for the blockchain industry, has completed its election cycle, heralding the beginning of a new executive council dedicated to scaling Nigeria’s digital economy.
The highly anticipated elections concluded recently with the emergence of a new leadership team poised to champion industry standards, foster innovation, and drive widespread adoption of blockchain technology across the country.
The newly elected executives, who will officially assume their roles in January 2026, represent a blend of legal, financial, and technical expertise critical for navigating the evolving regulatory landscape.
Leading the charge is Mela Claude-Ake, a lawyer, who has been elected the President of SiBAN to succeed the outgoing President, Obinna Iwuno, whose tenure was marked by significant achievements, including facilitating crucial reforms and forging strategic partnerships with regulators and other critical stakeholders in the digital asset industry. Mr. Iwuno will formally hand over the reins to the new council in January 2026.
Other elected to the executive council are Chimene Chinah – Vice President 1, in charge of Blockchain education and adoption; Oroke Cornelius – Vice President 2, in charge of membership, strategic partnerships, and funding; and Ayo Shonibare – Vice President 3, in charge of policy, regulation, and ethics.
Others are Ugochukwu Peters – Vice President 4 in charge of digital asset operations and capital markets, Mbene Vivian – Chief strategy officer in charge of projects and incubation, Olufunmilayo Tugbobo as Financial Secretary/Chief Financial Officer, and Chiemeka David Ohajionu as Chief Communications Officer.
The newly elected council’s structure reflects SiBAN’s commitment to addressing key pillars of the blockchain ecosystem: from grassroots education and fostering innovation through projects, to establishing robust regulatory frameworks.
In his acceptance speech, Mela Claude-Ake emphasized the vital role SiBAN plays in shaping the future of finance and technology in Nigeria.
“The trust placed in this new council is not one we take lightly. We inherit a great foundation built by the outgoing team. Our mission now is to accelerate. We stand at a critical juncture where the potential of blockchain to revolutionize every sector, from finance and governance to supply chain, is undeniable. This new council will focus relentlessly on advancing smart, collaborative regulation, democratizing blockchain education, and protecting the interests of all stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria remains a leader in the African digital economy space,” he assured.
He added that he is humbled by the opportunity to be the face of one of Nigeria’s youngest and most promising sectors — blockchain tech.
“As a tech enthusiast I am excited at the possibilities. The ecosystem needs careful nurturing by the government. My administration will be focused on building new bridges for the blockchain sector internationally and domestically, establishing trust with the public and unifying the sector. I enjoin all blockchain stakeholders in Nigeria, connected to Nigeria or of nigerian heritage to join hands together with my administration in building the industry of our dreams.”
The industry now looks forward to the handover ceremony in January 2026 and the initiatives the new SiBAN leadership will unveil to solidify the association’s role as a catalyst for innovation and a respected partner to the Nigerian government.
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