General News
Cyber-bullying: Clear and Present Danger
With phone penetration at 96 million according to figures by the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) and mobile internet fast overtaking traditional ‘fixed’ internet in the country, the need to protect young consumers from threats such as cyber-bullying and harmful content is becoming an increasingly pertinent issue.
The same things that happen on the playground can also happen online including being cruel to other kids online.
And as the demand for stylish smartphones by younger Nigerians seems on the rise due to some special features and applications embedded in them, which allow for more efficiency and flexibility that aid productivity, the dangers of exposure to harmful contents are also becoming a source of worry.
Because reliable statistics are hard to come by in Nigeria, it is hard to estimate the number of younger Nigerians that own a smartphone, but it is believed that there are close to 25 million smartphone users in the country, out of which some 65 per cent are youth.
Majority of phone users in the country have received unwanted calls or messages on their phone from someone pretending to be someone else.
Issues such as hate crimes, religion, appearance or sexual orientation as well as rumor mongering have been spread freely with the smartphones.
Urgent attention must be paid to cyber-bullying. Nigeria must not carry on as if it does not matter.
It is sad that whilst young people could once escape bullying by leaving school or going home, today the bullies are only as far away as the PC or mobile phone.
And because parents and guardians are away from their children and wards most of the time, help for victims rarely come.
The NCC need to bark and bite. It must compel mobile phone providers to offer some parental control services, including blocking specific contacts or phone numbers and transferring text messages to a secure folder which can be used as evidence with the school or police.
We must act now because cyber-bullying is dangerous and can cause low self-esteem, skipping school, depression and even suicide.
Harmful content and online threats can be more harmful than face-to-face bullying, because there’s no escape. It can happen round the clock. Kids may be afraid to tell their parents, because they don’t want their online access to be restricted.
Apart from regulation, parents must begin to pay closer attention to their children.
Parents should talk calmly and frankly with their child and other family members about Internet activities.
Together with your child, set up some simple and fair rules about Internet use. This may include setting reasonable limits on the amount of screen time that your child is allowed.
Police in Abuja have uncovered a criminal group making fake diplomatic and government number plates.
Ahmed Sanusi, commissioner of Police FCT, stated this during a press briefing on Friday.
He explained that criminals use these fake plates to dodge security checks and enter restricted areas.
The investigation started soon after Sanusi took office.
He noticed too many unauthorized cars driving around with official government and diplomatic tags.
“I immediately ordered a comprehensive investigation into this disturbing trend,” Sanusi said. He noted that these individuals use the plates as a cover to commit crimes and avoid arrest.
The police have already arrested several people caught using the fake plates.
They have also figured out who is making them.
The manufacturers operate outside Abuja, and police are actively hunting them down.
Sanusi kept their names secret so they would not flee.
He stressed that this is a highly profitable illegal business.
Buyers pay between N500,000 and N1.7 million for a single fake plate.
“This will tell you that they are making such huge expenditure because they have an agenda,” Sanusi explained.
“Now they will face punishment that is bigger than both the cost they incur and the agenda they are planning.”
The commissioner urged residents to report any cars with suspicious diplomatic plates.
He reminded the public that real diplomatic tags follow a very specific format.
A diplomatic number plate in Nigeria is a special vehicle identification tag issued to foreign embassies, high commissions, and accredited international diplomats.
Gavi has approved $500 million to strengthen Nigeria’s immunisation programme, primary healthcare services and long-term vaccine financing.
The move followed high-level discussions between Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, coordinating minister of Health and Social Welfare, ]and Dr. Sania Nishtar, chief executive officer, Gavi in Abuja.
The funding, approved under the Gavi 6.0 programme, will support Nigeria’s efforts to accelerate routine immunisation, sustain polio eradication, expand HPV vaccination, strengthen primary healthcare services, and improve long-term vaccine financing.
Speaking during the meeting, Pate said Nigeria was strengthening its partnership with Gavi to accelerate immunisation, expand primary healthcare services, and ensure sustainable financing for vaccines.
He welcomed Gavi’s country-focused reforms, including the introduction of a predictable five-year funding envelope.
Pate said the US$500 million allocation will enable Nigeria to plan more effectively and deliver life-saving vaccines to more children and vulnerable populations.
The minister also revealed that quarterly visits to primary healthcare centreshad increased from about 10 million in 2023 to more than 45 million, reflecting significant progress in revitalising the country’s primary healthcare system.
Pate welcomed the announcement of a US$600 million pledge by the United States government to Gavi, describing it as a strong endorsement of the alliance’s leadership and the global value of vaccines.
He also commended Nishtar for prioritising Nigeria and praised the closer coordination among Gavi, World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF, World Bank, Gates Foundation, and other development partners, describing it as a model that has improved efficiency and aligned support with Nigeria’s health sector reforms.
The minister expressed appreciation to Gavi and its partners for their continued technical and financial support, while calling on state governments to invest more in healthcare and immunisation to complement federal efforts.
For many women, financial independence means the freedom to provide for their families and build a better future. Yet, this remains out of reach due to limited access to opportunities, business support, and secure payment solutions.
Like millions of women in Nigeria determined to be financially independent, Pricillia started with a single PalmPay POS terminal, and as an agent, every successful transaction provided a commission which brought her one step closer to achieving her dream.
Through consistency, discipline, and support from the payment platform, she reinvested her earnings and eventually opened her own provision store.
“I started as just a PalmPay agent with one POS. The consistency of the platform gave me the confidence to expand. With the income I earned, I was able to open my own provision shop.” Priscilla said.
For Priscilla, PalmPay was more than a payment platform. Its secure payment infrastructure gave her the confidence to serve her customers, build trust, and grow her income.
Today, Pricillia has joined the statistics of SMEs powering Nigeria’s economy and PalmPay continues to support her daily operations, helping her receive payments, as she works towards her next business milestone. Her journey is a reminder that when women have access to secure financial tools and opportunities, they can build lasting economic independence.
Speaking on Pricillia’s journey, Femi Hanson, Head of Marketing, PalmPay said: “Providing a secure platform that users can trust, whether for everyday payments or high-value transactions, is central to our vision of advancing financial inclusion. Priscilla’s story reflects our commitment to supporting the ambitions of Nigerians by providing a platform they can rely on to grow their finances. After all, seamless banking begins with security, and every successful transaction reinforces the trust our users place in us.”
Priscilla stands among thousands of PalmPay agents nationwide who are helping to expand financial access across Nigeria while earning commissions to create sustainable sources of income for themselves.
Every payment tells a story. It begins with trust, the confidence that your money is secure and that financial services are accessible. And when that opportunity reaches women, it creates ripple effects that transform families, strengthen communities, and drive economic growth.
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