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#Elections2015: IIM-Africa, RIMAF Seek Effective Management of Information
The Institute of Information Management (IIM) Africa collaboration with the Records and Information Management Awareness (RIMA) Foundation, have called on stakeholders, particularly the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), political parties and the media, to adhere strictly to the effective management of electoral processes and information, as part of their civic responsibility.
The duo made the call during a -one day Public Lecture with the theme: ‘Effective Management of Electoral Processes and Information: Roles and Responsibilities of INEC, Political Parties, Press and other Stakeholders’, to remind the stakeholders of their roles the citizens.
Speaking on the topic, Dr Sina Fagbenro-Byron, regional coordinator, SW DFID Nigeria, said that it is in the national interest that the elections are well administered and independently observed, with the full participation of all eligible voters, a low risk of violence, with the outcome broadly reflecting the wishes of the electorate.
Fagbenro-Byron, aligned his thought with the widely agreed views by analysts, experts and informed objective observers that, holding elections in Nigeria presents many challenges, including but not limited to: the large size of the electorate, the limited infrastructure, low literacy levels, and an environment that is characterised by violence and excessive patronage.
The Guest Lecturer also said that complex ethnic, religious and geographical divides, are part of the challenges faced in the country during elections.
He said, “An impressive democratic aspiration evident in the general population has been somewhat frustrated by successive elections, which have been regarded as highly problematic.
“Despite the challenges, however and since 2007, some significant improvements in the management and delivery of elections have been registered in all the stages of the electoral cycle. The electoral management body itself, INEC has undergone some internal improvements particularly in regards to the decentralised distribution of election material and discontinuation of the practice of using ad hoc polling staff; the judiciary has become more efficient in the speedy discharge of electoral causes and matters (Presidential Elections tribunal in 2003 took almost 2 years to result; 2007 took about 9 months and 2011, took about 4 months).
“The ordinary Nigerian citizen is more aware and the political parties appear to be getting more concerned with getting to know and responding what the people want. Delivering a credible election means ensuring groups and individuals with a “stake” (stakeholders) in the electoral process are fully satisfied by the manner in which the EMB has administered all procedural and operational aspects of the electoral process. This is critical to the successful performance and fulfilment of the EMB’s mandated functions”.
He added that, the more electoral stakeholders satisfied with the work and outcome of the administered electoral process, the more credible and reputable the EMB becomes.
According to the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), “Organizing an election is an extremely complex endeavour, as it involves dealing with multiple administrative and logistical issues and operations. An election may be defined as the largest, most costly and most administratively and logistically burdensome operation at a national level that a single country could ever undertake in times of peace.
Fagbenro-Byron enumerated, aside from administrative and logistical operations, organizing an election is a timebound and strictly regulated process such as multiple operations are run simultaneously all over the country; legal deadlines cannot be missed; limited financial resources for the electoral process must be allocated quickly, effectively and transparently; key operational and procedural decisions must be made quickly, with transparent standards and in full compliance with the established legal framework and operations exposed to security sensitivities may generate potential for political conflict.
He however, noted that, there are still several challenges which threaten the successful deepening of democracy in Nigeria.
“There is yet the fundamental issue of mutual trust amongst stakeholders and the apparent limited public confidence in the institutions and organisation charged with ensuring the proverbial ‘level playing field’. In this case the confidence that a reasonably good chance of fair participation may be eroded in the minds of the citizens.
In a nutshell, Fagbenro-Byron said that, all general elections are important and mark watersheds in the life of a nation, nevertheless the 2015 general elections, which will be held in a matter of weeks from today will be quite significant, too many and too controversial for us to go into in this paper and at this forum.
Building peaceful states and societies includes supporting the emergence of inclusive political settlements.
“It stresses the importance of allowing different groups in society to participate in the political process on equal terms, to prevent exclusion from becoming a source of conflict and fragility. One of the fundamental causes of political exclusion is the deliberate or unintended selective dissemination of information while equal access to adequate and accurate information amongst the wide diversity of stakeholders will help to ensure political inclusion. A hallmark of countries that fail is their inability to build and sustain inclusive political and economic institution”, he said.
Africa Prudential Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable growth and digital transformation after posting another strong half-year financial performance, driven by robust growth in its core registrar business, technology-driven solutions and increased activity in Nigeria’s capital market.
Speaking during the company’s H1 2026 Investor Call on Tuesday, the management outlined plans to deepen revenue diversification and accelerate innovation as part of efforts to reduce reliance on interest income and strengthen long-term profitability.
The company reported gross earnings of ₦4.28 billion for the first half of 2026, representing a 27 per cent increase from ₦3.34 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.
Profit before tax rose by 22 per cent to ₦2.41 billion, while profit after tax climbed 18 per cent to ₦1.59 billion.
Net operating income also increased by 27 per cent to ₦4.21 billion, while total assets grew by 13 per cent to ₦46.53 billion. Shareholders’ funds similarly rose by 13 per cent to ₦12.52 billion.
According to the company, the impressive performance was driven by sustained growth in its registrar business, increased corporate actions across the Nigerian capital market, stronger treasury earnings supported by the prevailing interest rate environment and rising adoption of its technology-enabled products and services.African Mineral Wealth
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Catherine Nwosu, said Africa Prudential is steadily evolving from a traditional share registrar into a diversified technology and business solutions provider serving the broader capital market ecosystem.
Addressing concerns from investors about the sustainability of earnings if interest rates decline, Nwosu said the company was deliberately expanding its non-interest income sources.
“Interest rates influence our treasury income positively, but that is why we are deliberately diversifying our revenue streams. Our strategy is to grow recurring fee-based business lines such as our digital solutions, Know Your Customer (KYC) services, AGM technology, probate services and the SabiVest mobile app. Over time, this will reduce our reliance on interest income and create a more balanced and resilient earnings mix,” she said.
She noted that increasing activity in the Nigerian capital market presents fresh opportunities for technology-driven solutions.
“With capital market activity nearly doubling over the past year, demand for seamless digital investor experiences, improved market efficiency and stronger compliance standards continues to grow. We are investing in technology-enabled solutions that position us to capitalise on these opportunities while delivering sustainable value to our shareholders,” she added.
Looking ahead, the company identified five strategic priorities for the second half of 2026, including driving sustainable growth through its core registrar business and new revenue streams, accelerating technology-led product innovation, strengthening brand leadership, investing in talent development and reinforcing corporate governance.
The investor call attracted institutional investors, shareholders, analysts, regulators and other capital market stakeholders, reflecting strong interest in Africa Prudential’s earnings outlook, revenue diversification strategy and long-term growth plans.
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IHS Nigeria Donates Business-Support Equipment to Empower People with Disabilities in Abuja Community
Communications infrastructure company, IHS Nigeria, has donated business support equipment to empower people with disabilities within the Karonmajiji community in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. This is part of the company’s commitment to drive inclusive community development and sustainable livelihood support under its Project Empower initiative.
The equipment was distributed to beneficiaries during a ceremony held in the community on Monday, July 27. The initiative was conceived following a community needs assessment and is designed to empower active traders by providing them with business tools rather than cash grants, thereby strengthening their businesses and ensuring long-term economic impact and accountability.
Speaking at the event, Director, Sustainability, IHS Nigeria, Titilope Oguntuga, described the initiative as a reflection of the company’s commitment to advancing inclusive development by equipping persons with disabilities with the tools and opportunities needed to build resilient livelihoods.
She explained that rather than providing short-term financial assistance, IHS Nigeria adopted an asset-based approach by donating 50 pieces of business support equipment, including sewing machines, freezers, generators and hairdressing kits, to the selected beneficiaries.
According to her, the intervention is designed to create lasting value by supporting entrepreneurship, promoting self-reliance and strengthening household incomes, while contributing to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
In his opening remarks, the Chief of the Karonmajiji Disabled Community, Alhaji Sulaiman Muhammed Katsina, represented by the Secretary of the Community, Alhaji Mohammed Dantani commended IHS Nigeria for its commitment to empowering persons with disabilities through practical and sustainable interventions.
He described the initiative as a demonstration of genuine partnership with the community and expressed appreciation for the company’s continued engagement with the Association, noting that the donation of the equipment was a significant investment in improving the livelihoods of persons with disabilities and would create meaningful economic opportunities for the beneficiaries and their families.
The event brought together traditional rulers, government representatives, leaders and members of the Karonmajiji Disabled Community Association, implementing partners, including Field of Skills and Dreams Vocational Technical and Entrepreneurship (FSD VTE) Training Institute and other community stakeholders, reaffirming a shared commitment to promoting inclusion and sustainable community development.
Project Empower reinforces IHS Nigeria’s commitment to advancing sustainable development through strategic partnerships that promote economic inclusion, strengthen community resilience and create opportunities for underserved communities.
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.
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