General News
FG Strengthens Electronic Waste Management Enforcement
The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) is working in collaboration with the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) to effectively drive regulation of electronic waste management in the Country.
This resolution was made during a courtesy visit of the Management of NESREA led by the Director General, Dr. Aliu Jauro to the office of SON in Abuja.
Dr. Jauro acknowledged the existing collaboration between the two organisations since NESREA came into existence, especially in the areas of standards development, adoption and review which has contributed immensely to his agency’s regulatory efforts in environmental standards.
He however expressed concern about the negative effects of Electronic Waste (e-waste) in Nigeria following the influx of obsolete and near end of life electronics into the country, thus requiring closer attention.
The NESREA Chief Executive referred to the two agencies’ active participation in an inter-ministerial consultative committee set up by the Federal Government in 2009 to strategize on curbing the influx of electronic waste and near end of life electrical/electronic equipment and products which safe disposal poses serious challenge to the Nation in view of the hazardous materials contained in them.
Dr. Jauro also expressed concern about recyclers of Electronic waste materials across the country whose activities are carried out in unsound environmental manner, thus impacting the environment and human health negatively.
The NESREA boss therefore sought SON’s support to enhance the effective regulation of e-waste and mitigate the negative effects in Nigeria by making the lists of all Electrical/Electronic Equipment (EEE) and products certified under the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) for locally manufactured products and those imported under the offshore conformity assessment programmes (SONCAP) available to NESREA.
As stated by him, “this will provide NESREA with the inventory of importers of Electrical Electronic Equipment (EEE) to enable the Agency follow-up and ensure that the goods are appropriately recycled at the end of the life cycle and disposed of properly and in environmentally sound manner.”.
Responding, SON’s Director General, Mallam Farouk Salim identified e-waste as a threat to health and the environment when not handled properly, lamenting the general ignorance of the dangers by the larger population while the recyclers prioritize their financial gains over public good and operate freely due to lack of consequences for their negative activities
According to the SON Chief Executive, “the country has become a dumping ground for so many toxic materials thus exposing the citizens to diseases like cancer without knowing the source.”
He therefore acceded to a joint Committee to workout appropriate measures to integrate areas of common interests between the two organisations in order to curb the consequences of the prevalence of e-waste in Nigeria.
Salim posited that the proposed committee should consider strengthening existing standards, work towards engendering far reaching regulations of e-waste and its effects on the environment as well as greater consequences for people responsible for the menace through the legislature.
It was therefore agreed that SON and NESREA harmonize both Agency’s roles on a take back system in line with the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programme; and also for SON to provide necessary inputs to the Sanitation & Waste Control and the EEE Sector Regulations which are currently under review by a Technical Committee.
Mallam Salim promised NESREA the needed support in its continued effort to regulate e-waste and near-end of life EEE in the country as well as designing an environmentally sound management programme on e-waste.
MultiChoice, a CANAL+ company, has retained the distribution rights to 12 Warner Bros. Discovery thematic channels following the signing of a new multi-year, multi-territory agreement between CANAL+ Group and Warner Bros. Discovery, marking a significant expansion of their long-standing partnership.
MultiChoice
The new deal, which spans several regions across Africa and Europe, covers the distribution of HBO Max as well as the renewal of selected Warner Bros. Discovery thematic channels. It represents a major milestone in the companies’ international collaboration and strengthens content offerings across MultiChoice Group territories.
MultiChoice disclosed that this agreement builds on earlier partnerships concluded in Europe. “It builds on the landmark agreements concluded in France in 2024,including the renewal of the exclusive pay-TV window for Warner Bros. Pictures films just six months after their theatrical release in France and the integration of HBO Max within select CANAL+ group offers – as well as in Poland in 2025, with the renewal of the distribution agreement for 22 thematic channels (including TVN 24 and Eurosport) and 4 free-to-air channels (including TVN).”
Under the renewed arrangement, MultiChoice Group will continue to distribute 12 Warner Bros. Discovery thematic channels across its territories, with some channels offered on an exclusive basis. CNN International and Cartoon Network will remain exclusive to South Africa while being distributed non-exclusively in other markets. Cartoon Network Porto will be exclusive in Angola and Mozambique and non-exclusive elsewhere. Other channels such as Discovery Channel, TLC, HGTV, Food Network, TNT Africa, Travel, ID and Cartoonito will be offered on a non-exclusive basis.
According to the partners, the deal reinforces CANAL+ Group’s channel portfolio on the continent. “This agreement enables CANAL+ Group to strengthen its entertainment, kids, news, and documentary channel offerings in African markets.”
The agreement is also expected to improve access for CANAL+ Group subscribers to Warner Bros. Discovery’s premium content through HBO Max and selected channels, including globally recognised series and films, further extending the studio’s international reach while consolidating MultiChoice’s content offering in key markets.
Nigeria Police Force has suspended nationwide enforcement of its tinted glass permit policy, hours before its scheduled rollout, in compliance with a Delta State High Court order.
Tinted glass permit
The policy, set for January 2, 2026, aimed to curb vehicle-related crimes but faced legal challenge from a private citizen against the Inspector-General of Police, the force, and Delta Police Commissioner.
An ex parte injunction issued in December 2025 restrained enforcement pending suit determination, prompting the hold announced by spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin on January 1.
Police entered appearance, filed preliminary objections, and sought injunction vacation; hearing adjourned to January 20, 2026.
The Nigerian Bar Association condemned initial police plans as “executive recklessness,” accusing disregard for rule of law, while police insisted no permanent bar existed on statutory duties.
IGP Kayode Egbetokun reiterated adherence to law while prioritising public safety via intelligence-led strategies during proceedings.
Mr. Thompson Sunday, the Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), has reaffirmed the Corporation’s strict compliance with fiscal and financial regulations, including the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) 2007, noting that the NDIC has consistently remitted the required percentage of its earnings to the Federal Government.
Mr. Sunday made this known during a courtesy visit to the Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), Dr. Armstrong Takang, as part of NDIC’s ongoing engagement with key stakeholders following his formal assumption of office in July 2025.
According to him, NDIC takes financial accountability and transparency seriously, stressing that the Corporation complies fully with statutory remittance obligations, including the payment of 20 per cent of gross earnings or 80 per cent of net surplus to the Federal Government, as applicable. He added that NDIC also submits its financial statements ahead of statutory deadlines.
The NDIC MD/CE explained that this culture of compliance aligns with the Corporation’s role as a key institution within Nigeria’s financial safety-net, charged with protecting depositors and promoting confidence in the banking system. He emphasized that adherence to fiscal discipline remains central to NDIC’s credibility and effectiveness.
Mr. Sunday further disclosed that NDIC also complies with the Federal Government’s 50 per cent cost-to-income ratio policy, although he noted that the policy poses operational constraints. He explained that the deductions affect NDIC’s ability to build a strong Deposit Insurance Fund, which is needed to respond effectively to bank failures.
He stressed that international best practices under the Core Principles for Effective Deposit Insurance issued by the International Association of Deposit Insurers (IADI) require deposit insurers to maintain adequate funds to reimburse depositors when banks fail without recourse to government, adding that the NDIC is seeking an exemption to strengthen its capacity in this regard.
Mr. Sunday described MOFI as a critical stakeholder, noting that the Federal Government, through MOFI, holds a 40 per cent equity stake in NDIC. He said sustained collaboration with MOFI is essential to ensuring that NDIC continues to meet its obligations to government while effectively safeguarding depositors’ funds.
In his remarks, Dr. Takang commended the NDIC for its exemplary collaborative spirit and acknowledged the Corporation’s compliance with fiscal regulations. He assured that MOFI would continue to engage the Federal Ministry of Finance on NDIC’s behalf, noting that a strong NDIC is vital to sustaining confidence in Nigeria’s financial system.
Both institutions reaffirmed their commitment to continued cooperation, transparency and accountability, with Mr. Sunday reiterating that NDIC remains focused on balancing regulatory compliance with its overriding mandate of depositor protection and financial system stability.
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