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Microsoft Backs Poverty Eradication
Poverty eradication programme of the Federal Government is getting more boost as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation over the week embarked on inspections of projects undertaken by the National Poverty Eradication Programme (Napep) with the intention of finalizing partnership arrangement with the country.
The move which was said to be a sign of the acceptability of Napep’s innovative programmes for poverty eradication both locally and internationally afforded the US based global foundation opportunity of assessing some Napep initiated projects in order to find ways to Partner with the Nigerian government agency in the fight against poverty in Nigeria
Mrs. Amdo Amolo Ngweno, senior projects officer for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, who undertook the inspection visit on behalf of the foundation held a meeting with Dr. Magnus Kpakol, national co-ordinator of Napep and special assistant to the President on poverty eradication, and other top management of the programme where she outlined the focus and area of emphasis for partnership by the Gates Foundation.
Dr. Kpakol elucidated on the mandate of Napep as the apex of Federal Government’s organization monitoring and coordinating the country’s poverty eradication efforts. He further emphasized President Yarâ’Aduaâ’s dream of ensuring that every Nigerian must be able to participate in the economic development process to eradicate poverty and ensure economic development.
Kpakol briefed the representative of the Bill Gates Foundation on the flagship programmes of Napep. These are the Village Solution Scheme and the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme all of which are designed to ensure economic development at the grass root through financial empowerment.
"Poverty can be fought to a stand still by ensuring that there is mass participation in the developmental process and in this regard Micro credit has become a tool in the fight against poverty, Our programmes are unique, our COPE Scheme with the conditionality of ensuring that the children of beneficiaries are in school addresses the fundamental issue of education as a weapon to break the shackle of intergenerational transfer of poverty, This can be sustained through partnerships with such credible groups as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation," he said.
Mrs. Ngweno enumerated the areas of emphasis for the Foundation and these include support for Agricultural processing, and financial services delivery to the poor. She commended Napep’s Village Solution Scheme and the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme as the likely areas where the foundation could be of assistance.
Consequently Mrs. Ngweno undertook a visit to two project sites for the Village Economic Development Solution and the COPE projects. These are Kiyi in Kuje local government area in FCT and the TRIMM Integrated Farms on Keffi road in Nassarawa State.
At KIYI the representative of Bill Gates Foundation saw the 10 beneficiaries of the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme and visited two of them in their homes.
At TRIMM Integrated Farms on Keffi road she also saw the anchor project of the farm under the Village Solution Scheme. She lauded the two NAPEP programmes as worthy of support by the Foundation.
It is hope that the visit of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and its validation of NAPEP projects would open new vistas of collaboration which would in turn unleash a potent force in the fight against poverty in Nigeria.
The Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIBN) and the Association of Corporate Communication and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB) have enjoined banks to further deepen and prioritize financial inclusion, women’s empowerment and sustained growth through strategic mandates and frameworks, aimed at closing the financial gap and empowering more small, and medium enterprise (MSME) owners.
Both organisations made this call during a courtesy visit to the newly invested 24th President and Chairman of Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Dr. Dele Alabi, Ph.D, FCIB, as part of plans to congratulate him on his investiture as well as seek a stronger alliance between both bodies.
The visit followed Alabi’s investiture where he unveiled his “IMPACT” Vision, themed “Consolidating Our Local Impact, Enhancing Our Global Relevance.”
The vision rests on six pillars: Inclusion across geographic, gender, and generational lines; Membership growth and quality; Professionalism and ethics; Accountability; Competencies and skills development; Technology, automation, and innovation. Other areas of shared interest, include women empowerment, financial inclusion and literacy, as well as MSME clinics, all of which are top on his agenda.
Alabi explained that under him, the institute will be prioritising financial inclusion and women empowerment, because of its realisation that women are often the primary financial managers and caregivers in families. Access to savings, micro-credit, and insurance acts as a safety net during crisis and allows them to significantly improve living conditions.
He added that CIBN would be happy to drive joint knowledge sharing and exchange sessions with CBN and ACAMB across various platforms. “Educating the public through public awareness programmes, with ACAMB as the rallying point, is central to what we do,” he noted.
ACAMB President, Jide Sipe, who led the delegation, spoke in unison with the CIBN president, as he noted that, closing the inbalances in financial access help economies grow faster, reduces inequality, and encourages greater civic participation by all.
Lagos State has become the first sub-national government in Nigeria to establish a comprehensive Greenhouse Gas Registry, a move aimed at strengthening climate governance, improving emissions accountability and accelerating the state’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
The Lagos State Greenhouse Gas Registry (LGHGR) was unveiled at the Central Business District, Alausa, Ikeja, at a ceremony attended by Prof. Akin Abayomi, commissioner for Health, members of the State Executive Council, representatives of the Federal Ministry of Environment, development partners, TPHG Technologies, the diplomatic and business communities, academics, civil society organisations and the media.
Describing the initiative as a landmark achievement in the state’s environmental sustainability drive, Dr. Babatunde Ajayi, general manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), said the Registry marks a defining moment in Lagos’ climate action journey and reflects Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to building a resilient, climate-smart and environmentally sustainable economy.
According to Ajayi, the digital platform will enable the state to accurately measure, monitor, report and verify greenhouse gas emissions across key sectors, providing credible data to guide environmental policies and climate interventions.
He said the Registry would strengthen evidence-based decision-making, improve transparency and accountability, support national and international climate reporting obligations, unlock carbon market opportunities and boost investor confidence in Lagos’ environmental initiatives.
Ajayi also commended TPHG Technologies for providing the technical expertise that made the pioneering project possible.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Abayomi described the Registry as a major milestone that positions Lagos at the forefront of climate governance and emissions accountability in both Nigeria and Africa.
He noted that climate change has evolved into a significant public health and governance challenge, stressing that access to reliable emissions data would enable the state to formulate evidence-based policies, attract climate financing, strengthen resilience and accelerate its transition to a low-carbon economy.
Providing insights into the technical framework of the project, Dr. Mofoluso Fagbeja, lead consultant and chief executive officer, TPHG Technologies, explained that the Registry was developed from the greenhouse gas inventory jointly undertaken by LASEPA and TPHG Technologies in 2022, using 2019 as the baseline year for emissions assessment.
He said the platform is designed to close critical emissions data gaps, particularly within the industrial sector, while supporting effective climate policy implementation, emissions management and sustainable development.
Fagbeja also disclosed that the greenhouse gas inventory estimated that poor air quality contributes to about 35,000 premature deaths annually in Lagos, underscoring the urgent need for stronger emissions control measures and cleaner environmental practices.
In a goodwill message, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, minister of Environment, represented by Mrs. Adenaike Olunimpe Oludunni, federal controller of Environment in Lagos, commended Lagos State for pioneering the initiative, describing it as a significant contribution to Nigeria’s climate commitments.
He said the Registry aligns with the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement and supports the Federal Government’s Energy Transition Plan, while reaffirming the ministry’s commitment to deeper collaboration with Lagos State on climate governance and environmental sustainability.
A recently released Henley Passport Index 2026, showed that Nigerian citizens can travel to at least 20 destinations outside the African continent where entry is allowed either visa-free, with a visa on arrival (VOA) at no extra cost, or via an e-visa.
This expanded access opens doors for Nigerian travellers to experience countries in the Caribbean, Asia, and beyond with greater ease.
Below is a comprehensive guide to countries outside Africa which Nigerian passport holders can visit without a traditional visa.
Visa-Free Countries outside Africa for Nigerian Passport Holders:
Barbados
Cambodia – Visa on arrival
Comoros Islands – Visa on arrival
Cook Islands
Dominica
Fiji
Haiti
Iran – Visa on arrival
Kiribati
Lebanon
Maldives – Visa on arrival
Micronesia
Montserrat
Niue – Visa on arrival
Palau Islands – Visa on arrival
Samoa – Visa on arrival
St. Kitts and Nevis
Timor-Leste – Visa on arrival
Tuvalu
Vanuatuul
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