News
IT Professionals Still Missing In Modified National Confab List
Members of the national information and communication professionals are still conspicuously missing from the list of delegates to the proposed National Conference.
The inauguration of the National Conference will hold on Monday, March 17 at the National Judicial Institute (Along Airport Road,), Abuja, beginning from 4.30 pm.
Meanwhile, the Presidency on Thursday made adjustments to the delegates list, by way of “updates, changes and adjustments”.
The modifications, as announced in a statement signed by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, are as follows: Elder Statesmen, Dr. Kunle Olajide from Ekiti State replaces Chief Afe Babalola, SAN.
Traditional Rulers: His Royal Highness, Alhaji Ibrahim Yaro, the Etsu of Bwari replaces His Royal Highness, Alhaji Ismail Danlami Mohammed, Sarki of Karshi on the request of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria.
Women Groups (National Council of Women Societies): Mrs. Millicent Okoronkwo replaces Mrs. Love Ezema on the request of the National Council of Women Societies of Nigeria.
Political Parties (APGA): The nomination of Chief Chris Ejike Uche and Dr. Sagir Auwal Maidoya to represent APGA is withdrawn to allow the Party resolve the issue of its nominees.
Socio-Political/Cultural and Ethnic Nationality Groups: South West Geo-Political Zone- Prince Rabiu Oluwa replaces Supo Sonibare, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle replaces Barr. Niyi Akintola, SAN whose nameis retained in the Oyo State delegates list, among other changes and addendum.
However, the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) had express dismay over the nonchalant attitude of the conference conveyors who excluded IT professionals from the list.
NCS believes that the discussions on the future of the nation cannot be complete without IT applications.
Professor David Adewumi, president of the Society, told Nigeria CommunicationsWeek exclusively, that the exclusion of IT professionals should be a source of worry to every right thinking Nigerian.
He said it was puzzling that IT professionals are missing from the list which recognized students and market women.
Adewunmi said: “On the national conference, our perception in NCS is that the exclusion of IT professionals in the composition of delegates is a clear indication of marginalization of the industry by the government. That is why they never thought of including the all important agents of change; the present and future drivers of the economy.
“No gathering in the 21st Century, particularly those aiming at development and improvement of the lives of individuals, which will not involve the IT, technology and the professionals. I wouldn’t know the thinking in the government that made them to push the professionals to the background. We are still insisting that we should be part of the gathering; so that we can add impetus to the gathering, by looking at building IT for our future existence.
“They involved professionals drawn from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), others from among architectural body in the country. Students and market women made part of the list. We are using this medium to call on President Goodluck Jonathan to reconsider its position so that IT professionals can be represented on the national conference. We know that with IT being reflected on the national course a number of innovations and usage will reflect in building the future we crave for as a unified people,” he said.
“Should IT professionals not being recognized or engaged on the discussion, the implication for the country will not be palatable, in the sense that no country can survive today without a working IT ecosystem. I am sure the intention of the government is to ensure that all facet of the economy are improved upon. The improvement entails inter-tribal relationships, inter-ethnic and even inter-governmental, and then it should be inclusive. If we want to involve everybody without the IT, the implication may assume than what we are seeing today,” he argued.
Meanwhile, Anyim Pius Anyim, secretary general of the Federation while releasing the modified list comprising 492 delegates also announced that Invited to attend the inauguration ceremony are former presidents and heads of state; the leadership of political parties; members of the National Assembly; state governors; Hon. members of the Judiciary; members of the Federal Executive Council; members of the Diplomatic Corps; religious Leaders; and traditional Rulers.
Adedapo Segun, chief financial officer (CFO), Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), has explained why there is a missing sum of N210 trillion in the company’s audited financial statement spanning from 2017 to 2023.
According to Segun, the missing funds are cash calls requested by joint venture (JV) partners and settlement to the JVs.
He spokeat a session of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts chaired by Aliyu Wadada.
Segun was responding to an alarm raised by the committee over missing N210 trillion in NNPCL’s audited financial statement.
Recall that Wadada issued a one-week ultimatum to NNPCL to account for the missing N210 trillion.
Reacting, Segun said, “The N103 trillion and N107 trillion are made up of joint venture cash calls that have been requested by the JV operators and JV cash call payments made by NNPCL, which are yet to be reconciled because governance procedures were not done at that time.
“That is why you see the description reflecting those two items would be washed out because they are two sides of the same transaction, which is the cash calls by JV partners and the settlement by NNPCL.”
However, Habu Sadeik, a financial analyst, in a post on X on Thursday, said Segun’s response was unsatisfactory.
Saidik faulted NNPCL’s response about the fund discrepancies, noting that something is not right with the audited financial statement.
“Forget about the senators’ lack of knowledge.
“The CFO’s response is not satisfactory. Are you saying that cash calls worth hundreds of trillions are just appearing on your FS only in 2024 without 31 disclosure?
“If it’s a cash call, why hasn’t the disclosure said so?
“Which cash call is over 100 trillion?
“Something is definitely not right, and I hope they retrospectively correct that FS.
“Someone somewhere did a chef’s work,” he wrote on X.
PalmPay, Nigeria’s leading fintech company, has partnered with Globacom to launch the second edition of the “Recharge and Win Bonanza” campaign. The promotion, which runs from June 19th to August 8th, 2025, offers Nigerians the chance to win amazing prizes when they purchase Glo airtime and data via the PalmPay app.
According to a joint statement by PalmPay and Globacom, “A weekly live raffle draw will be held and streamed on PalmPay’s official social media channels throughout the campaign. Customers who make Glo transactions through the PalmPay app will be eligible to win prizes, including the iPhone 15 Pro, Infinix Hot 40, and other exciting items”.
To participate, interested customers can log onto http://bit.ly/PalmPaySms .
The statement added that all transaction above N500 gives participants an extra shot at winning, adding that daily social media challenges will also offer participants a chance to win cash prizes.
Additionally, PalmPay users can enjoy up to 6% cashback when they buy Glo airtime and data through the PalmPay app. As an added bonus, customers who have not subscribed to a Glo data plan in the last 90 days will receive a 100% bonus on their recharge during the campaign period.
Wayne Ruppel, Head of Billers at PalmPay Limited expressed excitement about the partnership, stating that, “This collaboration is a major step in our mission to deliver MORE – more support, more rewards, and more innovation to our customers.
Partnering with Glo, a leader in the telecommunications sector, is a testament to our shared commitment to improving everyday experiences for all Nigerians. We are excited to reward our users and encourage everyone to take full advantage of this exciting opportunity.
Globacom also expressed delight at creating additional value for its subscribers through unique customer-appreciation schemes.
“Our partnership with PalmPay on the “Recharge and Win Bonanza perfectly underscores our commitment to delivering exceptional value and experiences. Over the years, we have always sought innovative ways to enrich the lives of our customers. We, therefore, enjoin our subscribers to utilize the opportunity provided by the bonanza and enjoy the many benefits it offers”, the company stated.
PalmPay and Glo will collaborate throughout the campaign period to deliver exceptional customer experience, reward loyalty, and reinforce their shared mission to make digital transactions more accessible, rewarding, and secure for millions of Nigerians.
Lasaco Assurance Plc, has said it would continue to invest in technologies and systems that delivers tangible value to clients and drive industry innovation.
Mr Abiodun Razzaq, Managing Director of Lasaco Assurance, who stated this at the 2025 customer forum organised by the company for its northern region customers in Abuja, said the forum’s interactive session offered an invaluable platform for open and constructive dialogue.
He said the forum brought together a distinguished assembly of customers, including policyholders, brokers, corporate clients, and industry partners, to engage in a robust dialogue aimed at enhancing service delivery and aligning offerings with the evolving expectations of the Northern market.
In his opening remarks, Regional Manager (Northern Region), Lasaco Assurance, Mr. Kunle Hamza underscored the company’s unwavering dedication to stakeholder engagement as a foundational pillar of its growth strategy. He emphazised that customer insights remain integral to shaping policies, refining service processes, and reinforcing the company’s brand promise.
He provided a compelling overview of Lasaco assurance’s recent performance and strategic priorities. He highlighted the company’s consistent premium income growth, bold digital transformation agenda, and ongoing operational restructuring designed to ensure responsiveness and resilience in a dynamic insurance landscape.
Addressing the customers, Mr. Adedayo Adetokun, Head of Strategy, affirmed that Lasaco assurance was actively developing multiple digital platforms to cater forvarious customer segments—part of a broader digital innovation roadmap that positions the company for future growth. He noted that human capital development was also being prioritised with targeted investments in talent acquisition and training to enhance operational capacity.
In his closing remarks, Mr. Muyiwa Anwoju, General Manager, Sales, expressed the management’s deep appreciation for the feedback received.
He assured participants that all contributions would be meticulously reviewed, categorised, and integrated into the company’s improvement plans. According to Anwoju, this forum marks the beginning of a renewed customer engagement framework, one that would be expanded across other regions in due course.
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