News
Coca-Cola Foundation Champions Marine Plastic Collection through RESWAYE Project
The COVID-19 pandemic has hit the shores of almost every country in the world. While the immediate impact of the virus has been felt in major cities, the economic impact of the pandemic spreads quickly to rural areas.
In Nigeria, there has been significant economic impact for many, especially those living in the rural communities.
A ripple effect of the Coronavirus disease is the drastic increase in the use of plastic, the main component in hand sanitizer bottles, takeout containers and other products central to our new way of life, following the lockdown restrictions. This has further exposed the lapses in waste management and recycling.
As a result of the New World Project of The Coca-Cola Foundation titled RESWAYE (Recycling Scheme for Women and Youth Empowerment), much-needed comfort has been brought to these vulnerable communities through a Plastic buy-back scheme across 16 coastal communities in Ibeju Lekki. With considerable joy, these low-income communities exchanged their plastic for cash during a recent outreach led by Doyinsola Ogunye, founder of Mental and Environmental Development Initiative for Children (MEDIC).
MEDIC, the implementing partner of the RESWAYE project, is an NGO focused on building a sustainable environment and oceans through improved education and job creation for more resilient communities.
They stand for growth and are passionate about their work with communities, especially in areas around plastic pollution, recycling and empowering women & youths along the Atlantic coast in Lagos, Nigeria.
This has brought hope to the women and youths in these communities who earn decent wages from these recovered plastic bottles to better support their families in these challenging times.
Every year, eight million metric tons of plastic finds its way into the ocean, this is equivalent to a truckload of plastic being dumped into the ocean every minute.
This waste poses a clear and present danger to marine life, as well as coastal communities that are forced to deal with plastic bottles washing up on their shores.
The RESWAYE initiative buys back recyclable materials from women and youths to encourage a cleaner, more sustainable environment.
Amongst the 16 participating communities in Ibeju-Lekki, a total of over 72,000 kilograms of recyclable plastic waste materials have been recovered across Eti-Osa and Ibeju-Lekki communities in Lagos state.
Remarking on the initiative, Sebidat Sam, the Women Leader for the Okun Ise, Ibeju-Lekki community said “Na good thing, with this we clean the environment and also collect money to take care of our family”.
Speaking on behalf of The Coca-Cola Foundation, Nwamaka Onyemelukwe, public affairs, Communications & Sustainability Manager, Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, said, “By partnering with NGOs such as RESWAYE, Coca-Cola aims to develop an effective recycling system that meets the unique needs of local communities, making recycling more accessible for everyone while also encouraging the economic empowerment of women and youths”.
The giveback program also featured an education drive, a medical outreach and a financial empowerment program. With children and youths out of school due to closures mandated by the government in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19, the education drive provided out-of-school children with books and stationery to facilitate the continuity of education for all through remote learning.
The medical outreach in partnership with the Fola David Foundation provided residents of the communities with face masks and mosquito nets.
The program also created awareness on the importance of good hand hygiene through practical demonstration of best handwashing practices to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Basic financial literacy and account opening exercises were also conducted during the give back program.
Karim Aishat, a beneficiary of the program recalled her initial fear of the coronavirus and how the education she had just received will help her keep her family and community safe.
Speaking on working with the coastal communities, Doyinsola Ogunye, founder of MEDIC said, “Seeing our network of women and youth recyclers protect the shorelines and coastlines of Lagos state as they gather plastic waste has been deeply fulfilling.
“Economically empowering the women and youths during these turbulent times as they continue to preserve the environment is paramount”.
Coca‑Cola’s “World Without Waste” vision fosters collaboration with multiple stakeholders, including partners, government and civil societies like MEDIC, and promotes continued leadership in packaging waste reduction by helping to collect the same amount of packaging the company sells for reuse by end of 2030.
This vision also supports communities by helping them identify and better understand their existing recycling and collection challenges while engendering a recycling culture amongst residents.
National Population Commission (NPC) has commenced the nationwide digital registration of births and deaths under the Electronic Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (E-CRVS) system to strengthen legal identity management and improve demographic data.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lokoja on Tuesday, Mr Afolabi Yori, federal commissioner representing Kogi, said the initiative became operational nationwide on July 1, through the VitalReg platform.
Yori described the development as a landmark in Nigeria’s civil registration system, noting that it would modernise birth and death registration through a technology-driven platform that meets international standards.
He said the digital platform would improve service delivery, strengthen data integrity and ensure that every birth and death occurring in Nigeria was accurately documented and securely stored.
According to him, civil registration is more than an administrative process, as it provides reliable statistics that support public policy formulation, resource allocation and national development planning.
“Nigeria records an estimated five million births annually, yet millions of births and deaths remain unregistered.
“Birth registration coverage currently stands at about 57 per cent nationwide, while death registration remains below 20 per cent,” he said.
The commissioner said that the commission had established 4,011 functional registration centres across the country’s 774 local government areas and was working to expand the number to about 8,000.
He added that the commission was strengthening collaboration with stakeholders to improve the capacity of registration personnel and ensure prompt documentation of vital events through the VitalReg platform.
Yori said the platform would provide faster registration services, 24-hour online access, digital certificate issuance where applicable, and reduce paperwork, waiting time and unnecessary travel.
He disclosed that the platform was being operated under a Public-Private Partnership with Barnks-forte Technologies Ltd. as the commission’s technical partner to ensure system availability, cybersecurity and continuous technological improvement.
He called on parents, healthcare institutions, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations, development partners and the media to support the initiative by encouraging the prompt registration of births and deaths.
Earlier, Samuel Omonakpeme, director in Kogi, NPC State, described the commencement of the digital registration system as another milestone in efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s Civil Registration and Vital Statistics system.
Omonakpeme stated that the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s digital transformation agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 16.9, which seeks to provide legal identity for all.
He appreciated the Federal Government, the leadership of the commission, UNICEF and other development partners for supporting the implementation of the initiative.
The state director also urged parents, guardians, health institutions, community leaders, religious organisations and the media to mobilise public support for the timely registration of all births and deaths.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that ICT personnel of the commission, led by Ehimoni Kolawole, conducted a live demonstration of the digital birth registration process using the VitalReg platform.
The demonstration showed that the registration process captures the biodata of both parents, while at least one parent must possess a valid National Identification Number (NIN) to complete the registration of a newborn.
Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) has alerted its customers to a fraudulent message circulating on social media, falsely claiming that electricity consumers can receive an additional 20 per cent bonus units when recharging their prepaid meters through unofficial channels.
In a statement issued by the company’s management on Monday, YEDC described the claim as false and urged customers to disregard the misleading information, stressing that it did not originate from the company.
According to the statement, YEDC does not offer bonus electricity units through individuals, agents, personal bank accounts, phone numbers, or social media contacts.
The company advised customers to purchase electricity tokens only through approved cashless payment platforms, including the YEDC Pay App, OPay, Interswitch, and other authorised vending channels, or to visit the nearest YEDC office for assistance.
YEDC also cautioned customers against sharing their meter details or personal information, or making payments to unauthorised persons claiming to represent the company.
The company further urged customers to rely exclusively on information disseminated through its official communication channels to avoid falling victim to fraud.
The management thanked customers for their continued cooperation and reaffirmed its commitment to serving them.
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has disclosed that two foreign currency accounts opened in connection with the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) have remained inactive since their creation, with no funds deposited and no transactions recorded.
The revelation emerged on Monday during the ongoing investigation by the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee probing the circumstances surrounding the establishment and operations of the council.
Lawmakers are investigating allegations that the PFIPC was created and operated without a valid legal framework and outside the established procedures required for government agencies and institutions.
Appearing before the committee, representatives of both the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) distanced their institutions from the establishment of the council.
The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation stated that it neither created the council nor possessed the constitutional authority to establish federal agencies.
Representing the office, officials explained that the OHCSF is only responsible for approving administrative structures of government agencies after all necessary requirements have been fulfilled.
According to the office, records showed that the council submitted a request on August 6, 2025, seeking approval for its organisational structure.
However, the application was not approved because the required supporting documents were not attached.
The committee heard that despite the rejection of the request, officials linked to the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC)/PFIPC later appeared during the 2025 manpower budget defence exercise and sought approval for staffing and recruitment arrangements.
The office disclosed that the council informed government officials that its activities were being carried out largely through personnel seconded or deployed from other institutions.
Lawmakers were told that the council requested approval for a total of 314 positions. The figure consisted of 14 existing officers and an additional 300 proposed positions.
The Office of the Head of the Civil Service further revealed that concerns later arose regarding documents presented by the council as evidence of its legal backing.
Officials told the committee that upon examination, the documents failed to display essential features expected of an enabling law or valid legal instrument establishing a government body.
Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, head of the Civil Service of the Federation, also rejected claims that her office deployed civil servants to work for the council.
She maintained that the office did not assign personnel to the body and did not provide office accommodation for its operations.
According to her, matters relating to the creation, supervision and oversight of government agencies fall under the responsibilities of other relevant institutions, including the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The Central Bank of Nigeria also provided details regarding accounts linked to the council.Nigerian current events
Hamisu Abdullahi, director at the apex bank, who represented the CBN Governor before the committee, explained that the bank opened two foreign currency accounts following a formal request from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
He told lawmakers that the request was received on July 30, 2025, and instructed the bank to create a United States dollar domiciliary account and a Pound Sterling domiciliary account.
Abdullahi stressed that the CBN only opens accounts for government agencies after receiving official authorisation from the Accountant-General’s office.
However, he disclosed that the accounts never became operational because the council failed to provide authorised signatories required for activation.
As a result, both accounts remained dormant from the day they were opened.
He informed the committee that neither account had received deposits nor processed withdrawals. The accounts also recorded no foreign exchange allocations, remittances, inflows or outflows.Governor election news
According to him, the balances in both accounts remain at zero.
The CBN official further stated that the council did not engage directly with the apex bank regarding the management or operation of the accounts after they were created.
Following the submissions, members of the committee demanded more information as part of efforts to determine the full scope of the council’s activities.
Hon. Abdulmalik Danga, chairman of the committee, directed the Central Bank to submit comprehensive records relating to both the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council.
The committee requested details covering the opening of the accounts, their operational history and any information connected to related banking activities.
Lawmakers also instructed the CBN to work with commercial banks to identify and provide records of any accounts linked to the entities under investigation.
However, the committee is expected to continue its hearings as more government agencies and officials appear before lawmakers to provide explanations on the controversial council and the circumstances surrounding its operations.
NPC Opens Nationwide Digital Birth, Death Registration Platform
FG Launches C.L.I.C.K.D., Consumer Credit Scheme for Tech Devices
Airtel Nigeria Expands Retail Footprint to Strengthen Customer Access Nationwide
Ovaloop Technologies Unveils Digital Tools to Formalize SMEs Operations Across Africa
Kaspersky Survey Highlights the Need for Smartphone Security
NRC, Ponzi Scheme Collapses Resulting Loss of Billions of Naira
NASENI Moves to Digitize CCB’s 5m Assets Declaration and Operations
Lebara Nigeria Launches Lebara Play, Africa’s First Telecom-Owned Micro-Drama Platform
CANAL+ Partners Samsung to Pre-Load DStv Stream on New Samsung TVs In Nigeria, Other African Countries
Tokenization, Blockchain Technology will Transform Financial Institutions – IMF
News2 days agoAdebutu, PDP Chieftain Accuses Nigerian Governors of Embezzling LG Allocations
E-Financial2 days agoNDIC Urges Youths to Shun Ponzi Schemes, Embrace Savings
E-Financial2 days agoAccess Holdings Sells 7.44% Stake in Ghana Unit
E-Business2 days agoSERAP to Sue NASS over Bill Empowering NDPC to Regulate Social Media
News2 days agoNIMASA Unveils Accelerator Scheme to Drive Innovation, Sustainable Growth
E-Financial2 days agoNRS Issues July 31 Deadline for e-Invoicing Compliance
News2 days agoICPC Secures Final Forfeiture of N941m Linked to IPPIS Fraud
News2 days agoeBusinessLife Advocates Greater Support for Girls in ICT as Students Showcase AI Innovations