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Gov.Udom Receives Post COVID-19 Economic Committee Report
Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has received the report submitted by the 20-member committee put together by his administration to reposition the state for the post COVID-19 economy.
The report was submitted on Tuesday, June 9, 2020 at an event which had in attendance the governor and members of the State Executive Council.
The committee which had Prof. Akpan H. Ekpo, a former Director General of the West African Institute for Financial & Economic Management (WAIFEM) as Chairman and Prof Emmanuel Onwioduokit, HOD, Economic, University of Uyo as Secretary; also boasts a number of prominent entrepreneurs including Leo Stan Ekeh, Chairman, Zinox Group; Udom Inoyo former Executive Vice Chairman of ExxonMobil as well as other eggheads from the corporate and academic circles as well as seasoned administrators in its fold.
The 142-page report was divided into nine chapters, each of which addressed specific areas of interventions or terms of reference on what should be done in rejigging and restructuring Akwa Ibom state to navigate the post COVID-19 world.
Equally important, the report was classified into three different time frames, namely the immediate, short term and long term interventions.
They include mental orientation of the people, especially the youths; focus on agriculture, industry and service as potential mainstay of the Akwa Ibom economy in a post COVID-19 world without oil; massive efforts to continue the industrialization process in the state, increased participation of the youth in the economy and stamping out of cultism/other criminal activities in the state; completion of the Science Park to serve as a Silicon Valley of sorts for Akwa Ibom state as well as for job creation and improvement of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR); massive investment in infrastructure; re-visitation of the state’s waterways transportation; full autonomy for the state’s internal revenue board by disengaging it from the public service and the establishment of clear targets for it; recapitalization of state-owned financial institutions such as the Akwa Saving & Loans Ltd. and provision of credit facilities for low-income housing for residents; set-up of an independent data generation institution to aid the state’s planning purposes; inauguration of an Economic Advisory Council to assist in the conceptualization, formulation and implementation of government policies; establishment of a Reserve Fund to see the state through lean periods; recommendation of an exit plan for the state’s commercial ventures; identification of low-hanging fruits that the state can immediately take advantage of and the creation of a 30-year strategic development plan to be passed into law in the state.
Receiving the committee’s report, Governor Udom heaped praises on the members of the committee for completing its work within the one-month time frame outlined.
Specifically, he singled out two non-indigene members of the committee – the Zinox Chairman, Dr. Ekeh and Prof. Vincent Anigbogu, Director-General, Institute for National Transformation – for special praise.
‘‘On behalf of the good people of Akwa Ibom State and the Executive Council, I want to appreciate the members of this committee, beginning from the Chairman, Prof. Akpan Ekpo, the Secretary, Prof Emmanuel Onwioduokit and most especially those our brothers, Prof. Anigbogu, Leo Stan Ekeh and our sister Mary of the Securities and Exchange Commission, as busy as she’s been who still created time to serve her state irrespective of her busy schedule.
‘‘I really want to appreciate all of them specifically and convey the gratitude of our own people.
“I want to say we are grateful to Prof. Anigbogu, to Leo Stan Ekeh and all the Akwa Ibomites who have served on this committee.’’
Reacting to the recommendations of the committee, the Akwa Ibom Governor disclosed that his administration will implement every single one to the letter.
He also commended the innovative ideas for repositioning the state and empowering the youths through ICT, even as he welcomed the idea of mental re-orientation.
‘‘The only way forward and the fastest approach; I believe when I read your report, I will see as one of the low-hanging fruits, is to drive our youths through ICT.
“For this, we have to work with our brother, Leo Stan Ekeh, a friend of the state, who in fact, we must give a local government which he will adopt as the one he hails from in Akwa Ibom; so that he can help us drive the aspect of youths and ICT.’’
Referencing the growth of platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Netflix, the governor affirmed that COVID-19 had created a number of business opportunities for people through ICT, noting that a lot more are coming.
‘‘I wouldn’t want Akwa Ibom to be left behind,’’ he declared.
On the 20-year strategic development plan for the state, Udom expressed excitement with the recommendation.
Also, he stated that the Executive Council was working on a similar proposal, noting that the proposal had undergone two reviews.
Subsequently, he assured of his commitment to conclude the economic plan as quickly as possible.
Equally important, he revealed the immediate set-up of a five-member implementation committee headed by the committee Chairman, Prof. Ekpo to see to the immediate execution of the report submitted by the committee.
Others include the Secretary, Prof. Emmanuel Onwioduokit; former Executive Vice Chairman, ExxonMobil, Mr. Udom Inoyo; Commissioner of Agriculture, Dr. Glory Edet and Hon. Eno Uwan.
The UK Government has announced the appointment of Mr Peter Vowles as the next British High Commissioner to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Mr Vowles succeeds Dr Richard Montgomery CMG and is expected to take up his post in Abuja in September 2026. Dr Montgomery remains in post until that time.
Mr Vowles brings extensive diplomatic and development experience to the role, having served as His Majesty’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe from 2023 to 2026 and previously as Ambassador to Myanmar from 2021 to 2022.
He has held senior leadership positions across the FCDO and its predecessor department DFID, including as Transformation Director and Director for Asia, Caribbean and Overseas Territories.
Earlier in his career, Mr Vowles worked in international development across South Asia, Central Africa and East Africa, including postings in Bangladesh, India, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya. He began his career in Zimbabwe, where he worked in education and development.
Peter Vowles said: “I am honoured to be appointed as British High Commissioner to Nigeria. Nigeria is a country of immense importance to the United Kingdom, and I look forward to working closely with Nigerian partners to strengthen our relationship across trade, development and security.”
World Bank has ranked the Apapa and Tin Can Island Port complexes in Lagos among the world’s 20 most improved ports in its 2025 Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), released in June 2026.
The ranking places both ports in the “Top 20 Port Improvement Since 2020” category, reflecting significant gains in operational efficiency and vessel turnaround time.
The CPPI is a global benchmark used to assess the efficiency of container ports based on factors such as cargo handling speed, ship turnaround time and overall logistics performance.
According to the report, the improvement highlights ongoing reforms and modernization efforts within Nigeria’s maritime sector.
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mr Abubakar Dantsoho, attributed the recognition to ongoing policy reforms and infrastructure upgrades in the sector.
He said the development reflects the impact of economic policies of President Bola Tinubu and the support of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola.
“With the investor-friendly policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu providing the impetus for increased investment to drive our port infrastructure and equipment modernisation programme, coupled with the unflinching support of the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, we have all it takes to further enhance trade facilitation, improve competitiveness and boost the national economy,” he said.
The NPA said the recognition is expected to strengthen investor confidence in Nigeria’s maritime sector and enhance the country’s position as a regional trade and logistics hub.
It noted that improvements in port operations are already contributing to increased efficiency in cargo movement and reduced delays at key terminals.
The authority also pointed to ongoing efforts to modernise port infrastructure and expand digital systems aimed at improving service delivery.
Earlier in February 2026, the NPA said the federal government had intensified efforts to position Nigeria as a leading maritime destination through port rehabilitation and modernization projects.
It also highlighted public-private partnership initiatives, including developments at the Lekki Deep Sea Port, as part of broader reforms aimed at improving efficiency and attracting investment.
The CPPI ranking is expected to further boost Nigeria’s maritime profile and encourage additional investment in the sector.
As digital payment adoption continues to grow across Nigeria and emerging markets, the next phase will depend not just on innovation, but on the strength, reliability, and trustworthiness of the infrastructure behind it.
While the ecosystem has made clear progress in recent years, trust remains a critical issue for users, businesses, and operators alike. Questions around resilience, security, interoperability and transaction reliability continue to shape how the market evolves and how confidently digital payments can scale.
These issues will be central to the deliberations at Digital Pay Expo 2026, where fintech leaders, payment operators, and other ecosystem stakeholders will gather under the theme, “Seamless Digital: Fostering Pan-African Market Expansion in the Era of AI.”
PalmPay’s participation reflects its continued commitment to building trusted and scalable payment infrastructure, while contributing to the broader industry efforts to strengthen systems, standards, and partnerships needed to support long-term ecosystem growth.
Speaking ahead of the event, Olorunfemi Hanson, Head of Marketing and Communications at PalmPay Nigeria, said: “As the financial services ecosystem continues to grow, trust and reliability become even more important.
“The industry’s next phase will be shaped not only by innovation, but by the strength of the infrastructure supporting it. Digital Pay Expo provides an important platform to address the resilience, interoperability, and trust issues that will shape the future of digital payments growth across Africa.”
The event, scheduled to be held from the 17th to the 18th of June, 2026, will feature Chika Nwosu, Managing Director of PalmPay Nigeria, alongside other distinguished guests, including the Director-General, Payment System Management Department (PSMD), Central Bank of Nigeria. The event will examine how the industry can balance innovation, regulation, and scalability while strengthening trust across the digital payments value chain.
For PalmPay, this event reinforces its role in supporting a more resilient, secure and scalable payments ecosystem for Nigeria and emerging markets more broadly.
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