General News
Fresh Crisis in APC over Key Posts in Senate
The sharing of principal offices in the Senate appears to be creating a fresh crisis in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). According to the Punch, the principal offices are the Senate Leader; the Deputy Senate Leader; the Chief Whip and the Deputy Chief Whip.
While Bukola Saraki, President of the Senate, is believed to have recommended to the APC National Working Committee that the positions be allocated to the zones, some leaders of the party, especially those from the South-West, want them filled by the party’s hierarchy.
A senator made this known to one of Punch correspondents in Abuja on Thursday just as the APC NWC meeting on Thursday failed to agree on the modalities for brokering peace among aggrieved members of the party.
The senator warned that if the issue was not quickly resolved, the Senate and the APC might “face another round of crisis bigger than that that resulted from Saraki’s emergence as Senate president.”
He added, “The Senate President, had after wide consultations, suggested how the officers to occupy these posts could be appointed. He suggested the allocation of the four principal offices to some of the geopolitical zones.
“But some leaders, who are still angry with his (Saraki) emergence, turned down his suggestion. Some of the influential leaders from the South-West are insisting that the party should fill the offices. This is in spite of the fact that the chairman of our party (John Odigie-Oyegun) and other members of the NWC are in support of allocating the principal offices to zones. “The South-West leaders are even saying that allowing the party leadership to fill the offices, remained the only way to allow peace to reign in the Senate.”
A Senator from the North-Central , who is loyal to Saraki, confirmed the development on condition of anonymity .
He said that it was true that some APC leaders were insisting that the party should nominate the senators who would occupy the four principal offices .
He said, “By the Senate tradition, the party in majority normally sends the offices to the zones where the Senate caucuses would meet and choose among themselves in the zone, who occupies the offices.
“Some other leaders of the party are claiming that asking the party to produce the principal officers was a smart way to impose the Senate Leader, the Deputy Senate Leader, the Chief Whip and the Deputy Chief Whip on the Senate.”
The senator claimed that a “very influential “ leader of the party from the South-West had allegedly written Odigie- Oyegun that the leaders would fill the positions. “
He said, “Some of us were just called by some members of the NWC intimating us of details of a letter forwarded to the body that it should just fill the remaining four leadership positions in the Senate.
“In fact, the letter from the South-West leader is that the party must take charge and name its preferred candidates for the four offices.” It was further learnt that some senators had already met with some NWC members asking them to ignore the letter.
They were said to have insisted that the tradition remained that the zonal caucuses which did not produce the Senate President and his deputy should meet and nominate among themselves.
They added that it was when there were two or more nominations that, an election could hold and that whoever scored the highest votes would be the candidate.
Efforts to get the spokesperson for the pro – Saraki group, Dino Melaye, failed because his mobile phone was switched off. Spokesperson for the Senate Unity Forum, a group of senators loyal to Lawan, Kabir Marafa, argued that the choice of other principal officers who are not elected on the floor of the Senate, remained the sole business of the party leadership.
He said, “How can the executive of the party at the zonal levels determine who will be made the Senate Leader, the Deputy Senate Leader, the Chief Whip and the Deputy Chief Whip?
“It is the party executive that would determine all these. So the party would write the Senate President. That is the tradition. It cannot be done at the zonal level, it is absurd. There should be due process in whatever things we do.”
But when contacted, Lai Mohammed, National Publicity Secretary of the party, simply said, “No comment.”
Meanwhile, the leaders of the party will meet again on Friday following their failure to reach an agreement on how to end the crisis that arose due to the National Assembly leadership elections .
The meeting, which was held behind closed doors at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja started at about 5.20pm. It lasted for a little over an hour.
Details of the meeting were not made public as of 8pm on Thursday when this story was filed.
When approached for comments , Odigie-Oyegun, said, “We will meet again tomorrow to continue.” It was however learnt that the party leaders had been unable to get supporters of the Senate President and the APC’s preferred candidate for the Senate Presidency , Ahmed Lawan, to meet face-to-face.
One of our correspondents, who visited the APC secretariat observed that the posters and banners of a former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, had disappeared from the secretariat.
His banners were hitherto pasted side by side those of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.
Most of the banners were put up by individuals and groups supporting the APC. It is not clear what led to the disappearance of the posters and banners. – Punch.
National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Galaxy Space, Chinese LEO satellite player, to deploy direct‑to‑device (D2D) satellite services nationwide by the end of this year.
According to media reports, Galaxy Space will integrate its LEO satellite constellation into Nigeria’s telecom grid, which will allow existing smartphones and laptops to link directly to the satellites.
The MoU also covers technology‑transfer programmes, joint R&D labs and the co‑production of a CubeSat by Nigerian engineers.
Apart from the benefit of enabling mobile coverage outside of terrestrial network range, Dr Matthew Adepoju, director- general, NASRDA, said the deal with GalaxySpace would enable Nigeria to build up its domestic space technology sector.
“It is no longer acceptable that we must import every single device we need,” he told the News Agency of Nigera. “The time has come for us to produce our own technologies here at home.”
GalaxySpace, which designs and manufactures its own LEO satellites, currently has a test constellation of seven LEO satellites in orbit, and has said its “Mini-Spider” constellation will eventually comprise up to 1,000 satellites.
GalaxySpace said it has also signed multi-tier partnerships in Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
Last year, it also signed a deal with Hong Kong carrier PCCW Global to integrate its LEOsat connectivity with PCCW’s worldwide network, giving it access to over 3,000 cities across the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
General News
IHS Nigeria, United Nations Global Compact Host High-Level Dialogue on Sustainability and Greener Business Practices in Nigeria
IHS Nigeria, in collaboration with the United Nations Global Compact Network Nigeria, hosted a high-level private sector dialogue themed “Collaborative Strategies for Greener Business Practices, Innovation and Sustainable Development”.
The event, held in Lagos, brought together key players from different sectors including finance, law, telecommunications, biodiversity, and corporate sustainability to explore actionable pathways to achieve meaningful environmental stewardship in Nigeria.
The panel session offered bold perspectives on integrating sustainability into business frameworks across different sectors, whilst dispelling myths, and highlighting opportunities for organizations, and calling for collective action from all players within the business value chain.
Delivering a keynote address, Titilope Oguntuga, Director, Sustainability at IHS Nigeria, emphasized the urgency of environmental consciousness: “Sustainability is not a destination — it’s a collective journey.
“It requires courage to transform, vision to lead, and collaboration to scale. Nigeria stands at a crossroads. We can either be overwhelmed by the risks or rise to become a beacon of green innovation and inclusive growth in Africa. The choice is ours — and the time is now.”
Sylvie Josel, Lead, Biodiversity and Nature-Based Solutions at the United Nations Global Compact, joined virtually from New York and spotlighted nature as a strategic asset:
“Nature must no longer be treated as an afterthought. It underpins everything, from human rights to supply chains. Embedding biodiversity into a company’s core strategy isn’t just a risk mitigation measure; it’s a smart, future-forward business imperative”.
Lanre Babalola, Group Head, Climate Finance and Sustainability at the Bank of Industry (BOI), provided insights into how BOI is funding sustainable ventures and driving innovation: “We look beyond profitability; we look at environmental and social impact. Whether it’s plastic roads, biogas, or solar transitions, we support businesses that are not only bankable but capable of reshaping the future.”
From the legal perspective, Oyeronke Oyetunde, General Manager, Regulatory Affairs, MTN Group, drew attention to the regulatory challenges hindering sustainability adoption: “Our legal frameworks are trailing behind today’s sustainability realities. We need forward-thinking laws, reduced regulatory silos, and incentives that reward the right behavior. Sustainability can’t thrive where enforcement is weak, and taxation is excessive.”
Abimbola Agbejule, Head, Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility at Wema bank, spoke passionately about inclusiveness in sustainable development: “You don’t need to start big to make impact. MSMEs make up a huge part of our economy. Sustainability should be embedded in their day-to-day activities, and we must democratize access to knowledge, tools, and partnerships.”
The session was moderated by Gloria Okorie, Head of Programs at the United Nations Global Impact Center.
The event closed with a resounding call to action for stronger legal frameworks, deeper collaborations, and inclusive capacity building across sectors. The event further reinforces IHS Nigeria’s position as a leader in corporate sustainability and innovation in Nigeria.
“At IHS Nigeria, we recognize that true progress happens when sustainability is not an obligation, but a culture, lived every day, across every unit,” Titilope Oguntuga added.
Through initiatives like this dialogue, IHS Nigeria and its partners continue to champion solutions that protect the planet, empower people, and ensure long-term business viability.
Paradigm Initiative (PIN), a leading digital rights and inclusion nonprofit, has revealed in its 2024 Annual Impact Report that over 707 young individuals across 11 African countries have been empowered through its flagship LIFE Legacy Programme.
The initiative delivers training in life skills, ICT, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship—transforming underserved communities across the continent.
In 2024, the LIFE Legacy Programme ran 25 training cohorts across Cameroon, DRC, Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, South Sudan, Liberia, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. In Senegal, 60 laptops were distributed to local partners, while digital literacy programmes were launched in schools in Cameroon and Tanzania through the LIFE@School initiative.
PIN advanced its advocacy by supporting 29 legal cases in Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria. A notable success was the landmark judgment in Molehin v. UBA, where the bank was found guilty of violating data privacy laws.
PIN’s research and media efforts made powerful waves. The Londa digital rights report, covering 26 countries, was downloaded 8,457 times. Its fourth short film, Undersight, recorded nearly one million views on YouTube. PIN also developed an AI strategy report with TrustLaw and collaborated with the Centre for Democratic Technology to assess content moderation policies for Kiswahili across Kenya and Tanzania. A separate report highlighted the troubling deployment of surveillance technologies across Africa, which was referenced in direct advocacy engagements with a telecom operator.
The organisation’s advocacy also contributed to the adoption of the African Commission’s Resolution 580, which urges governments to avoid Internet shutdowns during elections—strengthening digital freedom across the continent.
Meanwhile, the Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (DRIF) convened in Accra attracted 1,004 delegates from 61 countries, strengthening regional collaboration and amplifying the voice of civil society. PIN’s strategic communications pushed its media reach to 1.43 billion and social media engagement to 8.8 million.
Alongside training and policy efforts, the organisation inspired young changemakers through youth-focused campaigns and hosted seven fellows under the Digital Rights and Inclusion Learning Lab (DRILL) fellowship.
Crowning a year of impact, PIN earned the maiden PrivCon Privacy Award in Nigeria and was recognised in the Social Innovation Category at the Nigeria Innovation Awards for its work connecting African youth to digital opportunity.
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