General News
IIM Africa Holds 2021 National Summit, 31st Investiture & Inaugural CDOIQ Symposium
All is now set for the 2021 National Summit of Institute of Information Management (IIM) Africa scheduled to hold on Saturday, November 13 in Abuja.
The occasion will equally feature 31st Induction/investiture and award, inaugural edition of the Chief Data Officer as well as Information Quality (CDOIQ) Nigeria Symposium.
According to Ambassador (Dr) Oyedokun Oyewole, President and Chairman of the Executive Council of the Institute who also doubles as the Country Chief Data Officer Ambassador for Nigeria “Across industries and roles, data is an important and precious business asset. There are many ways that data can bring value to an organization.
“To determine the financial impacts of data on any organization, there would be a need to look for specific ways the organization uses data to reduce costs, as well as ways that data drives revenue.
“Furthermore, value can be derived from data by using it to increase revenues, or generate income.”
Oyewole further stated that “to realize all of these values from data, there is a need for effective data leadership in every organization.
“By providing opportunities and platforms for data leadership Collaboration amongst like-minded leaders to connect, learn/teach, champion, mobilize, educate and help each other succeed on the journey to building data-driven organizations, bringing data to the forefront of decision-making.
“All of these are the opportunities that the Chief Data Officer & Information Quality (CDOIQ) program will facilitate, as we host the Inaugural Nigeria Symposium”.
In August 2021, the founding members of the Country Chief Data Officer (CDO) Ambassador programme, the MITCDOIQ Symposium (www.MITCDOIQ.org), the International Society of Chief Data Officers (www.isCDO.org) and the CDO Magazine (www.cdomagazine.tech) appointed Oyewole as the Country Chief Data Officer Ambassador for Nigeria and the first-ever Country Chief Data Officer Ambassador in Africa.
Ambassador (Dr) Oyedokun Oyewole, President and Chairman of Institute of Information Management (IIM) Africa
The theme of the twin event is “Promoting the keys to data value through organisational data leadership in an era of digital transformation and economy”. The event includes the induction of new members into various membership categories of the Institute of Information Management namely Graduate, Associate, Professional, Senior Professional, Fellow, Hon. Fellow and Corporate.
Certificates will also be presented to successful candidates at the Institute of Information Management Certification programs. Awards will be presented to deserving professionals who have contributed immensely to the data and information management industry.
And ultimately, Chief Data Officers Ambassadors for various organisations in Nigeria will be inducted.
Among the special guests of honour for the occasion are Mr. Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Professor Isa Ali Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy; H.E. Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, Minister of Finance and D.I. Arabi, Director-General, Bureau of Public Service Reforms at The Presidency.
Other special guests are Engineer Aliyu Abubakar Aziz, Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, National Identity Management Commission, and Mr. Inuwa Kashifu Abdullahi, Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and a host of others.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Chief Data Officer & Information Quality Program (Country CDO Ambassador)
The AMBASSADOR PROGRAM aims to act as a supporter, to mobilize, and provide education to the Data Industry Community, by seeking out fellow CDOs within the country to become part of the CDO Community. Mobilizing, assembling and making ready for action, to support the Data Industry. It also aims to Educate, by creating and sharing content for the benefit of the CDO Community.
MITCDOIQ Symposium
The MIT Chief Data Officer and Information Quality Symposium (MITCDOIQ), now in its 15th year, is one of the key events for sharing and exchanging cutting-edge ideas, content and discussions.
The purpose is to advance the knowledge and accelerate the adoption of the role of Chief Data Officer (CDO) in all industries and geographical countries. As data is a critical aspect of every organization, the symposium is focusing on the management and leadership of this critical element for the 21st century that will benefit every organization.
International Society of Chief Data Officers
The International Society of Chief Data Officers (isCDO) is the premiere, vendor-neutral, professional society of individuals who serve the role of the Chief Data Officers for their organizations. The Society serves as a peer-advisory resource for all members, as a society of CDOs, by CDOs, for CDOs.
CDO Magazine (www.cdomagazine.tech)
CDO Magazine is a publication that delivers insights essential to accelerating organizational adoption of the enterprise disciplines necessary to be successful in the new digital society. The Magazine grew out of MIT’s annual CDO and Information Quality Symposium (MIT CDOIQ), led since 2007 by the MIT Sloan School of Management, in partnership with the International Society of Chief Data Officers (isCDO) and ComSpark.
The Magazine’s vision and mission are to be the premier global publication, giving a voice to global leaders in strategic data management and analytics capabilities that form the foundation and core of the digital age.
Police in Abuja have uncovered a criminal group making fake diplomatic and government number plates.
Ahmed Sanusi, commissioner of Police FCT, stated this during a press briefing on Friday.
He explained that criminals use these fake plates to dodge security checks and enter restricted areas.
The investigation started soon after Sanusi took office.
He noticed too many unauthorized cars driving around with official government and diplomatic tags.
“I immediately ordered a comprehensive investigation into this disturbing trend,” Sanusi said. He noted that these individuals use the plates as a cover to commit crimes and avoid arrest.
The police have already arrested several people caught using the fake plates.
They have also figured out who is making them.
The manufacturers operate outside Abuja, and police are actively hunting them down.
Sanusi kept their names secret so they would not flee.
He stressed that this is a highly profitable illegal business.
Buyers pay between N500,000 and N1.7 million for a single fake plate.
“This will tell you that they are making such huge expenditure because they have an agenda,” Sanusi explained.
“Now they will face punishment that is bigger than both the cost they incur and the agenda they are planning.”
The commissioner urged residents to report any cars with suspicious diplomatic plates.
He reminded the public that real diplomatic tags follow a very specific format.
A diplomatic number plate in Nigeria is a special vehicle identification tag issued to foreign embassies, high commissions, and accredited international diplomats.
Gavi has approved $500 million to strengthen Nigeria’s immunisation programme, primary healthcare services and long-term vaccine financing.
The move followed high-level discussions between Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, coordinating minister of Health and Social Welfare, ]and Dr. Sania Nishtar, chief executive officer, Gavi in Abuja.
The funding, approved under the Gavi 6.0 programme, will support Nigeria’s efforts to accelerate routine immunisation, sustain polio eradication, expand HPV vaccination, strengthen primary healthcare services, and improve long-term vaccine financing.
Speaking during the meeting, Pate said Nigeria was strengthening its partnership with Gavi to accelerate immunisation, expand primary healthcare services, and ensure sustainable financing for vaccines.
He welcomed Gavi’s country-focused reforms, including the introduction of a predictable five-year funding envelope.
Pate said the US$500 million allocation will enable Nigeria to plan more effectively and deliver life-saving vaccines to more children and vulnerable populations.
The minister also revealed that quarterly visits to primary healthcare centreshad increased from about 10 million in 2023 to more than 45 million, reflecting significant progress in revitalising the country’s primary healthcare system.
Pate welcomed the announcement of a US$600 million pledge by the United States government to Gavi, describing it as a strong endorsement of the alliance’s leadership and the global value of vaccines.
He also commended Nishtar for prioritising Nigeria and praised the closer coordination among Gavi, World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF, World Bank, Gates Foundation, and other development partners, describing it as a model that has improved efficiency and aligned support with Nigeria’s health sector reforms.
The minister expressed appreciation to Gavi and its partners for their continued technical and financial support, while calling on state governments to invest more in healthcare and immunisation to complement federal efforts.
For many women, financial independence means the freedom to provide for their families and build a better future. Yet, this remains out of reach due to limited access to opportunities, business support, and secure payment solutions.
Like millions of women in Nigeria determined to be financially independent, Pricillia started with a single PalmPay POS terminal, and as an agent, every successful transaction provided a commission which brought her one step closer to achieving her dream.
Through consistency, discipline, and support from the payment platform, she reinvested her earnings and eventually opened her own provision store.
“I started as just a PalmPay agent with one POS. The consistency of the platform gave me the confidence to expand. With the income I earned, I was able to open my own provision shop.” Priscilla said.
For Priscilla, PalmPay was more than a payment platform. Its secure payment infrastructure gave her the confidence to serve her customers, build trust, and grow her income.
Today, Pricillia has joined the statistics of SMEs powering Nigeria’s economy and PalmPay continues to support her daily operations, helping her receive payments, as she works towards her next business milestone. Her journey is a reminder that when women have access to secure financial tools and opportunities, they can build lasting economic independence.
Speaking on Pricillia’s journey, Femi Hanson, Head of Marketing, PalmPay said: “Providing a secure platform that users can trust, whether for everyday payments or high-value transactions, is central to our vision of advancing financial inclusion. Priscilla’s story reflects our commitment to supporting the ambitions of Nigerians by providing a platform they can rely on to grow their finances. After all, seamless banking begins with security, and every successful transaction reinforces the trust our users place in us.”
Priscilla stands among thousands of PalmPay agents nationwide who are helping to expand financial access across Nigeria while earning commissions to create sustainable sources of income for themselves.
Every payment tells a story. It begins with trust, the confidence that your money is secure and that financial services are accessible. And when that opportunity reaches women, it creates ripple effects that transform families, strengthen communities, and drive economic growth.
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