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General News

GEJ Tells GMB to Extend Probe to Obasanjo, Others

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Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria’s president-elect and President Goodluck Jonathan
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President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday advised the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, not to single out his administration in any probe he may want to carry out after his inauguration on Friday.

The outgoing President who spoke at the valedictory session of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, advised Buhari to extend his probe beyond his regime or else, the probe will be seen as a witch-hunt.

The other administrations include those of Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (1998-1999), former President Olusegun Obasanjo (1999-2007) and the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (2007-2010).

Jonathan said such probe should cover how oil wells and fields were allocated in the past.

Jonathan said “Some people are even calling for the probe of this government. I agree in Nigeria there are a number of things that we will probe, very many things. Even debts owed by states and this nation from 1960 up to this time, they say it is Jonathan’s administration that is owing all the debt.

“I believe that anybody calling for probe must ensure that these probes are extended beyond the Jonathan administration; otherwise, to me, it will be witch hunting. If you are very sincere, then it’s not just the Jonathan’s administration that should be probed.

“A number of things have gone wrong and we have done our best to fix them. The Attorney General is aware of massive judgment debts. If we aggregate all of them, it’s almost going to $1 billion. How did we come to this kind of huge judgment debts?

“These issues should be probed. How do you allocate our oil wells, oil fields, marginal wells and all that; do we follow our laws? All these should be probed. And I believe all these and many more areas should be looked at.”

According to him, the fuel scarcity and workers’ strikes are acts of sabotage by those bent on bringing down his administration, despite having few days to go.

Jonathan said: “Even this last fuel scarcity, to me, one can clearly say it was an act of sabotage. This government has few days to go. That is definitely not the time you expect massive strikes, using marketers and unions; unions asking for increase in salaries at a time oil price has dropped and volumes have dropped.

“None of the International Oil Companies (IOCs) is increasing salaries but our unions wanted 11 per cent increase in allowances and so on and so forth and went on strike.

“There was 21 days reserve in this country. It is not as if we had no products but they just refused to lift. Diesel was deregulated long ago, so the issue was not the product but people who felt they must bring this government to its knees even when they know that we had few days to leave. But we thank God we are getting over it and God will see us through.”

The President also stressed that his administration had done its best for Nigeria.

His words: “One thing that is clear, I enjoyed working with all of you. I’m very pleased with all of you. I want to thank all of you for your various contributions to the development of our country. I want to thank those that have been with us, the Advisers, Special Senior Assistants, the secretariat, other senior government functionaries, including the media that covered proceedings every Wednesday.”

“As a cabinet, we have tried our best. I believe we have done well under a very difficult situation. There are a lot of criticisms; people say different things at different times. Some of those who make some statements know they are purely political.

“I have always throw, the challenge that those who criticise us should compare what we have done in the various sectors to what others have done. I may not need to enumerate but if you look at the rail system and what we have done within this period, the oil sector where there has been so much attack, one good thing we did was the Nigerian content law that revolutionised the oil industry.”

He went on: “There were a lot of fabrication going on in Lagos and other places but it was never like this before. Nigerians are playing key roles in the oil sector. People sometimes forget this. Even with that, maybe we have offended some people but the Nigerian local content has really helped so many Nigerians to play big in the oil sector.”

“The agriculture, power sectors and maybe in foreign relations, like the Minister of Foreign Affairs mentioned, from 1960 to date, we have been members of the Security Council as non-permanent members five times; out of these five times, two times was with the five years of our administration.”

“We have been an independent nation for years and we have been in the United Nations Security Council as non-permanent members five times, two within this administration. That shows clearly that the rest of the world appreciates our little contributions to global issue.”

President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday advised the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, not to single out his administration in any probe he may want to carry out after his inauguration on Friday.

The outgoing President who spoke at the valedictory session of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, advised Buhari to extend his probe beyond his regime or else, the probe will be seen as a witch-hunt.

The other administrations include those of Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (1998-1999), former President Olusegun Obasanjo (1999-2007) and the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (2007-2010).

Jonathan said such probe should cover how oil wells and fields were allocated in the past.

Jonathan said “Some people are even calling for the probe of this government. I agree in Nigeria there are a number of things that we will probe, very many things. Even debts owed by states and this nation from 1960 up to this time, they say it is Jonathan’s administration that is owing all the debt.

“I believe that anybody calling for probe must ensure that these probes are extended beyond the Jonathan administration; otherwise, to me, it will be witch hunting. If you are very sincere, then it’s not just the Jonathan’s administration that should be probed.

“A number of things have gone wrong and we have done our best to fix them. The Attorney General is aware of massive judgment debts. If we aggregate all of them, it’s almost going to $1 billion. How did we come to this kind of huge judgment debts?

“These issues should be probed. How do you allocate our oil wells, oil fields, marginal wells and all that; do we follow our laws? All these should be probed. And I believe all these and many more areas should be looked at.”

According to him, the fuel scarcity and workers’ strikes are acts of sabotage by those bent on bringing down his administration, despite having few days to go.

Jonathan said: “Even this last fuel scarcity, to me, one can clearly say it was an act of sabotage. This government has few days to go. That is definitely not the time you expect massive strikes, using marketers and unions; unions asking for increase in salaries at a time oil price has dropped and volumes have dropped.

“None of the International Oil Companies (IOCs) is increasing salaries but our unions wanted 11 per cent increase in allowances and so on and so forth and went on strike.

“There was 21 days reserve in this country. It is not as if we had no products but they just refused to lift. Diesel was deregulated long ago, so the issue was not the product but people who felt they must bring this government to its knees even when they know that we had few days to leave. But we thank God we are getting over it and God will see us through.”

The President also stressed that his administration had done its best for Nigeria.

His words: “One thing that is clear, I enjoyed working with all of you. I’m very pleased with all of you. I want to thank all of you for your various contributions to the development of our country. I want to thank those that have been with us, the Advisers, Special Senior Assistants, the secretariat, other senior government functionaries, including the media that covered proceedings every Wednesday.”

“As a cabinet, we have tried our best. I believe we have done well under a very difficult situation. There are a lot of criticisms; people say different things at different times. Some of those who make some statements know they are purely political.

“I have always throw, the challenge that those who criticise us should compare what we have done in the various sectors to what others have done. I may not need to enumerate but if you look at the rail system and what we have done within this period, the oil sector where there has been so much attack, one good thing we did was the Nigerian content law that revolutionised the oil industry.”

He went on: “There were a lot of fabrication going on in Lagos and other places but it was never like this before. Nigerians are playing key roles in the oil sector. People sometimes forget this. Even with that, maybe we have offended some people but the Nigerian local content has really helped so many Nigerians to play big in the oil sector.”

“The agriculture, power sectors and maybe in foreign relations, like the Minister of Foreign Affairs mentioned, from 1960 to date, we have been members of the Security Council as non-permanent members five times; out of these five times, two times was with the five years of our administration.”

“We have been an independent nation for years and we have been in the United Nations Security Council as non-permanent members five times, two within this administration. That shows clearly that the rest of the world appreciates our little contributions to global issue.”


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General News

SEC Advocates for Advanced Financial Inclusion by 2030

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The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has noted the need for Nigeria to harness its demographic dividend to advance financial inclusion through investments by 2030 for national survival or face deepening inequality.

Emomotimi Agama, Director General, SEC, said this at the United Capital Asset Management Investment forum held Wednesday in Lagos.

Agama, in his keynote address titled: “Advancing Financial Inclusion through Investments: Bridging Nigeria’s Knowledge and Wealth Gap,” said Nigeria must harness its demographic dividend to boost investment.

“Our theme, Advancing Financial Inclusion through Investments, is not aspirational; it is foundational to national survival.

“We stand at a pivotal moment. By 2030, Nigeria can either harness its demographic dividend or face deepening inequality. The knowledge-wealth gap is not merely an economic challenge; it is a moral imperative,” Agama said.

He said the term inclusion should be reframed as active financial involvement, where access meets empowerment, and capital becomes a tool for transformation.

Agama said that closing the financial inclusion gender gap could lift 700,000 Nigerians from poverty.

He said, “Nigeria has a great population yet we have a tiny drop of this number of persons involved in the capital market.

That’s one reason for poverty, because we are running from money. We have to do something. Our market capitalisation is an opportunity to do something, we all have.

“We need to change the narrative and move the market forward. We must reach out to make the difference. We are committed to protecting investors and developing the market. Our goal is to do the right thing no matter whose ox is gored. We will work by the principles of fairness and equity to change the market. We will provide a fair ground for everyone to aspire.

He noted that MTN Nigeria’s share offering drew 150,000 new investors – 75 percent women, 85 percent under 40. Agama recommended a four-pillar strategy for bridging the gaps.

He listed the four-pillar strategy as democratisation of financial knowledge, catalyse MSME Investment Channels, blended Finance Vehicles: Partner with Bank of Industry (BOI) to de-risk loans for women-led SMEs.

“We need to educate people about finances. As we drive this market, we do so for a purpose, I enjoin everyone to be the disciple and the apostles. Getting this market to move is a deliberate action,” he added.

 


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OpenAI Unveils New AI Agent for Software Developers

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OpenAI has launched Codex, which it regards as its most capable AI coding agent available to ChatGPT Pro, Enterprise, and Team subscribers.

Users will have ‘generous access at no additional cost’ for a few weeks, after which OpenAI plans to introduce pricing options and rate-limited access.

Codex, a cloud-based software engineering agent, can write features, answer questions about a codebase, fix bugs, and propose pull requests for review. Several tasks can run simultaneously, and users retain full access to their computers while the agent takes anywhere from one to 30 minutes to complete a task.

The research preview of Codex offers powerful code-writing, debugging, and collaboration features, which mark a major step in OpenAI’s push to automate software development.

“We imagine a future where developers drive the work they want to own and delegate the rest to agents—moving faster and being more productive with AI,” OpenAI said.

Since it is still in research preview, the tool remains in early development. “It currently lacks features like image inputs for front-end work, and the ability to course-correct the agent while it’s working,” the firm said in a blog post.

Additionally, delegating to a remote agent takes longer than interactive editing, which can take some getting used to, it stated. Over time, however, the company said using the service will feel more like asynchronous collaboration with colleagues.

The launch comes as part of a broader rise of AI tools for software engineers that are meant to handle repetitive, boring tasks rather than take over the whole gamut.

OpenAI is reportedly in talks to acquire Windsurf, a maker of AI coding tools, for around $3 billion, which is potentially its largest acquisition to date.

 

 


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Africa Gears Up For Digital Sovereignty At 13th Edition Of Digital Africa Conference 2025

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Africa’s digital destiny will on October 28-29, 2025, take centre stage at the 13th Edition of the Digital Africa Conference & Exhibition (DACE), to be held at Merit House, Abuja, under the theme: “Sovereign Intelligence: Africa’s Voice in the Global Digital Order.”

At a time when artificial intelligence (AI), smart systems, and data technologies are reshaping societies, economies, and governance structures worldwide, DACE 2025 is sounding a clarion call: ‘Africa must lead, not lag in this transformation.’

Organizers say the aim is to move beyond consumption and dependency, and instead position the continent as a proactive contributor to global digital norms and governance.

“This year’s conference is about shifting from passive adoption to active leadership,” said Dr. Evans Woherem, Chairman, Digital Africa Consult, organisers of the event. “Sovereign Intelligence is more than a concept, it’s a movement to ensure that Africa controls its digital resources, designs its own ethical frameworks, and asserts its voice in shaping global technology norms.”

A Defining Moment for Africa’s Digital Future

Woherem said the conference will serve as a high-level, cross-sectoral platform aimed at positioning Africa as a co-author of global AI governance standards, rather than a mere recipient, assuring that the conversations are expected to align closely with the African Union’s Continental AI Strategy, advocating for a united, self-determined digital ecosystem across the continent.

“The urgency of this moment cannot be overstated. As the world builds its digital infrastructure, much of the technology consumed in Africa is still imported, foreign-owned, and culturally disconnected. African data is often stored offshore, local languages and cultural contexts remain invisible in AI systems, and African experts are frequently excluded from global decision-making tables.

“This must change. Digital Africa 2025 is about taking control of our data, our narratives, and our technological development. Africa must move from being users of foreign systems to creators of our own,” Woherem added.

Key Objectives of DACE 2025

One of the primary objectives of this year’s event is to advocate for African ownership of digital infrastructure, data policies, and technology standards. Organizers hope to inspire African leaders and institutions to say yes to innovation and regulation built by Africans, for Africans.

Another major focus will be amplifying African voices on the global stage. This involves not only advocating for inclusion in international policy dialogues but also ensuring that African values, cultures, and wisdom shape the design and deployment of AI systems worldwide.

“The conference will also spotlight homegrown innovation. Startups and developers from across the continent will showcase digital solutions addressing local challenges in healthcare, agriculture, finance, and education. These practical examples will reinforce the message that Africa is already generating intelligent, scalable answers to complex problems,” said Nneoma Ofodile, General Manager, Digital Africa.

Empowering young Africans through digital skills, research opportunities, and leadership training is another key goal of the gathering. Organizers are committed to fostering a new generation of African tech leaders who can confidently shape global digital trends from a place of knowledge and ownership.

Regional cooperation will be front and centre, as DACE encourages cross-border collaboration on harmonizing laws, sharing infrastructure, and building integrated digital ecosystems. Sessions will explore how African nations can jointly develop policies and platforms that reflect the continent’s unique needs and aspirations.

While global partnerships will also be on the agenda, the conference aims to deepen Africa’s engagement with international institutions such as UNESCO, the UN, and the OECD, not as passive participants but as co-authors of global standards for ethical and inclusive AI.

Nneoma said that throughout the two-day event, attendees can expect high-level discussions on digital law, tech sovereignty, and innovation policy, alongside practical workshops for developers, educators, and youth. Innovation showcases will highlight the work of African tech hubs, while strategy sessions will promote cross-country digital alignment.

At the close of the event, a concrete roadmap is expected to emerge—outlining actionable steps toward achieving digital sovereignty across the continent. The conference will also aim to strengthen networks among African innovators, regulators, and thinkers, while increasing the visibility of African insights in international technology policy.

Above all, Digital Africa 2025 is about reclaiming agency. “This isn’t just a technology conversation,” Nneoma emphasized. “It’s about power, voice, and independence. Africa must not only catch up; Africa must lead.”

As preparations intensify, DACE 2025 is inviting visionary organizations, sponsors, and partners to join the mission of building a digitally sovereign and inclusive Africa.


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