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eChurch Project Eyes 5,000 Churches in 6 Months
Neo-Skill Consulting Limited, the firm that developed eChurch project 1.0, first of its kind in Africa, is looking to build the future church which is technology driven and is aiming to reach out to over 5000 churches within the next six months.
Oluwaseyi Olaleye, CEO of the Company while speaking to pastors at a one day workshop in Ibadan, where the project was launched, said that it was borne out of the need to see churches/ministries align themselves with the 21st century phenomenon and adjusting to the shift in ministering through education and enlightenment on the proper use of internet technologies/applications to connect and engage conversations.
The trend, Olaleye said, will further boost and drive ministries, thus having the competitive edge of reaching greater audience outside the church, who are in the corridor of cyberspace.
According to research, the world has seen phenomenal increase in internet usage growth (less than 1 per cent in 1993) from 1993-2014, with about 40 per cent of the world’s population as at 2014 using the internet. This accounts for about 3 million of the world’s population.
Olaleye said, “The world is fast changing and so is everyone and everything. Technology as we know it today is the ‘game changer’; connecting the world in one place, as the world has become a global village and the internet the village square where the convergence takes place.
“The use of technology has become overwhelming in our world today, and to become an active player in this 21st century phenomenon, there is the need to adequately grasp every opportunity that technology offers. The internet is central to all these and opens windows of opportunities to individuals, businesses, corporations, churches etc.
“If they must compete in the 21st century, there is need therefore for churches to also imbibe the culture of technology. How can churches achieve this?
“eChurch Project is not all about introducing and exposing ministers of God to the cyberspace, but leverage technology tools that help engage conversations on a daily basis and reaching out to their congregations out of the four walls of the church thereby creating church without walls”.
He stated further that the project is targeting to hit 5,000 churches in Nigeria in the next 6 months.
According to Pastor Toyin Onamade, resident pastor of The Vantage Church, “leadership skills of this sort will help ministers to look beyond the horizon of what they see daily, and adjust to be able to lift the horizon. This is the way to go for churches and ministries in the 21st Century. We can’t run away from this change.”
For Francis Madojemu, facilitator and pastor, Bridge Network, “Ministers and pastors should know that the world has changed and we’re not going back. I think we live in this fantasy. It will take us a little time but we still have to go forward because it is a cheaper and more efficient way to evangelise”.
News
PalmPay Launches CSR Initiatives to Empower Women, Foster Financial Literacy in Northern Nigeria
In a strategic move to expand financial inclusion in Nigeria, leading mobile banking platform, PalmPay has launched a series of CSR programs across Kano and Kaduna. The CSR initiative named “Passing the Baton” represents the brand’s commitment to passing on knowledge and providing the resources individuals and businesses need to achieve financial independence and drive economic empowerment.
This initiative is a bold move by PalmPay to bridge the opportunity gap in the North by providing financial literacy training and micro-business branding support to 5,000 women-owned businesses in Kano and Kaduna. This strategic initiative reaffirms PalmPay’s commitment to inclusive development and economic empowerment, particularly in underserved regions.
“At PalmPay, we believe that real financial inclusion must be far reaching and cover the grassroots,” said Chika Nwosu, Managing Director of PalmPay. “Our new CSR program is focused on supporting gender equity by equipping women with the knowledge, tools, and visibility they need to thrive as entrepreneurs in their communities.”
Through this initiative, beneficiaries will receive free health insurance, hands-on training workshops, enhanced store branding to boost visibility, and branded merchandise to strengthen their business presence.
The initiative is part of PalmPay’s broader strategy to extend its innovative solutions, expand its footprint in Northern Nigeria, while building sustainable partnerships with local stakeholders for long-term impact.
In a show of support, His Royal Highness, the Emir of Kano, Dr. Muhammadu Sanusi II, has endorsed the initiative, calling on other stakeholders to join forces with PalmPay in ensuring the North benefits fully from the growing digital economy. PalmPay has received commendation from community stakeholders, as the initiative aims to serve as a model for similar projects across other northern states.
As PalmPay continues to scale across Nigeria, the company remains committed to bridging the financial inclusion gap and empowering underserved groups, particularly women and youth, through its innovative solutions and impact initiatives.
Anambra State has once again demonstrated its leadership in digital transformation, emerging as one of Nigeria’s top three states in the 2025 e-Governance Report published by the Panorama CIAPS Governance Performance Index (CGPI).
According to the report — a collaborative effort between Nigerian Panorama and the Commonwealth Institute of Advanced Professional Studies (CIAPS) — Anambra ranks alongside Lagos and Enugu as the leading states in adopting and implementing e-governance practices that foster accountability, transparency, and improved service delivery.
In his remarks, Professor Anthony Kila, Director of CIAPS, emphasized the importance of e-governance in shaping how governments interact with citizens. “The centrality of e-governance allows us to assess the performance of state governments in the country. How the government treats the digital world says a lot about them,” he said.
The report evaluated states based on a comprehensive set of criteria, including website security, up-to-date content, public engagement, availability of online services, policy updates, and user accessibility. Anambra’s performance reflects the state’s deliberate investment in digital infrastructure and its commitment to leveraging technology as a tool for inclusive governance.
Reacting to the recognition, the Managing Director/CEO of the Anambra State ICT Agency, Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, CFA, described the report as a welcome validation of the efforts being made under the leadership of Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR, to reposition Anambra as a liveable and prosperous smart mega-city.
“This is not just about being tech-savvy,” Agbata said. “It’s about using digital tools to create real impact — making the government more accessible, responsive, and transparent. Anambra is building a digital future that works for everyone.”
The CGPI Report recommended that all states intensify efforts to train public servants, maintain digital platforms effectively, and build user-friendly systems that keep citizens informed and empowered. For Anambra, this recognition serves both as a milestone and a motivation to scale new heights.
As the journey continues, Anambra remains focused on setting the pace for e-governance in Nigeria in line with the Governor’s mantra of Everything Technology & Technology Everywhere.
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