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MRA Inducts NIPOST into its ‘FOI Hall of Shame’ for Violating FOI
Media Rights Agenda today named the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) into its “Freedom of Information (FOI) Hall of Shame” for the institution’s failure to comply with its duties and obligations under the FOI Act, thereby violating the public’s right of access to information.
Announcing the induction of NIPOST, MRA said in a statement in Lagos that the institution was in breach of several provisions of the FOI Act, including failing to designate an appropriate official to receive requests for information from members of the public; and failing to publish the title and contact details of such an official as required by the Act and the Implementation Guidelines issued by the Attorney-General of the Federation.
MRA also accused NIPOST of disregarding its statutory obligation to submit annual reports on its implementation of the Act to the Attorney-General of the Federation; failing to proactively publish the categories of information which it is required to publish by the Act, failing to provide appropriate training for its officials on the public’s right of access to information, among others.
NIPOST was established by Act No. 18 of 1987 to provide and operate facilities for the collection, dispatch and distribution of inland and overseas mail at reasonable cost; provide and operate facilities for remittance of money through the money or postal order systems; provide and operate philatelic services in Nigeria; print and provide postage stamps for payment of postage tariff and payment of stamp duties and to represent Nigeria in its relations with other postal administrations and other bodies concerned with postal services.
Sadly, MRA said, despite these very critical information and communication services which the institution is mandated to provide to Nigerians and other members of the public, NIPOST has chosen to conduct its business in secrecy and has consistently violated the provisions of the FOI Act since its enactment in 2011.
Mr. John Gbadamosi, MRA’s Programme Officer, said in the statement: “NIPOST, which used to be a department in the Ministry of Communications, should ordinarily constitute a critical pillar in the effective implementation of the FOI Act and stands to benefit from the existence of the Act if it is able to overcome its institutional shortsightedness, the historical incompetence that has dogged its activities and operations for decades and if its management has the resourcefulness to tailor its services to take advantage of a huge opportunity at the disposal of an institution hurtling into extinction as a result of its increasing irrelevance to the society it was established to serve.”
He noted that in addition to complying with the provisions of the FOI Act, as it is obliged to do under the Law, it is also in the enlightened self-interest of NIPOST to promote the Act and its implementation by other public institutions which would result in additional resources for it.
According to Mr. Gbadamosi, “the services that NIPOST was established to provide make it ideally suited to convey applications for information from members of the public all over the country to public institutions in different parts of Nigeria and similarly serve as the vehicle through which public institutions can deliver their responses to such requesters for information at affordable rates that would make it a preferred option for those who currently have to deliver such applications and responses either by courier or through hand deliveries and dispatches.”
Besides, he said, “the money and postal order systems, which are now virtually moribund, could also be easily revived and could become the most viable instruments for members of the public seeking to make payments to public institutions for requested information, which would provide NIPOST with desperately need revenue streams.”
Mr. Gbadamosi noted that although NIPOST claims to have eliminated the incidence of mail theft, pilfering, tampering and other forms of fraudulent activities as a way of boosting customers’ confidence, there remains a lack of transparency and accountability in the provision of its service to the public, which have largely remained inefficient.”
He accused NIPOST of non-compliance with its obligation under the Law to proactively publish 16 categories of information that it is required to publish by Section 2(3) and (4) of the Act, saying “additionally, there is no indication whatsoever that the institution has designated an official to whom requests for information should be sent while it has also not proactively published the title and address of such an official as the information is not even available on its website.”
Mr. Gbadamosi also pointed out the institution’s failure to comply with its obligation under Section 29 of the Act, which mandates NIPOST, like other public institutions covered by the Act, to submit to the Attorney-General of the Federation, on or before February 1 of each year, a report covering the preceding fiscal year of its implementation of the Act.
He said there was no indication that the NIPOST has provided the appropriate training for its officials on the public’s right of access to information or records held by the Bureau or trained them to effectively implement the Act, as it is required to do by section 13 of the FOI Act.
Mr. Gbadamosi called on the management of the Service to redeem the institution’s image by ensuring that it complies with its duties and obligations under the FOI Act.
MRA launched the “FOI Hall of Shame” on July 3, 2017 to draw attention to public officials and institutions that are undermining the effectiveness of the FOI Act through their actions, inactions, utterances and decisions.
LG Electronics has launched a new brand campaign, “Radio Optimism,” designed to help strengthen meaningful human connections and spread optimism through shared musical experiences.
This initiative aligns with LG’s brand promise, “Life’s Good,” and addresses the growing challenge of forming genuine relationships in a technology-driven world.
The Radio Optimism campaign seeks to counteract the disconnection often felt in an era dominated by superficial interactions, such as likes and comments on social media. By harnessing the power of music, LG aims to foster deeper bonds among individuals, promoting a more fulfilling life.
“As technology advances, meaningful human connections become increasingly vital to enrich our lives. LG continues its commitment to bringing optimism into customers’ daily lives, staying true to our enduring brand promise of ‘Life’s Good,’” said Kim Hyo-eun, head of LG’s Brand Management Division.
This campaign reinforces LG’s commitment to creating enriching experiences in digital spaces where today’s consumers spend significant time. Building on this mission, LG has continuously engaged with younger audiences through participatory campaigns that bring the Life’s Good philosophy to life.
Last year’s “Optimism your feed” campaign leveraged social algorithms to foster positivity on social media. This new initiative specifically seeks to address the paradoxical disconnection in an era of hyper-connectivity.
“One of the most reliable predictors of happiness is having deep and meaningful relationships,” said Jean M. Twenge, Professor of Psychology at San Diego State University. “Yet today, many people are spending more time online and less time connecting in person. Social media in particular tends to create shallow relationships rather than the deep connections people need.
“It’s common for people to have hundreds of followers but no one to talk to in real life if they need support. We need to build more meaningful connections with those around us. That might turn around the pronounced decline in happiness that’s occurred over the last decade.”
A new global study* from LG on social connection reveals that 68 percent of people find it harder to make real friends, and a third reported having one or fewer meaningful connections in the past month, with 8 percent experiencing none at all.
Inspired by traditional radio’s unique way of connecting people through music and storytelling, the Radio Optimism campaign transforms this concept into an interactive platform where participants can create and send personalized songs to their loved ones.
Users can easily create new songs using AI-powered tools, which are thoroughly trained on a curated music dataset. These tools interpret user prompts to produce unique musical pieces and generate matching album art, providing an engaging and personalized experience. Once generated, these songs can be sent to recipients to deepen their connection and made available for others to discover worldwide.
According to the survey, nearly 9 in 10 respondents believe that meaningful connections lead to a more optimistic outlook on life. By providing a platform for individuals to express their feelings, this campaign aims to foster deeper connections and help individuals enrich their lives while spreading optimism in their own ways.
The campaign website is available in English and Spanish, with plans to support additional languages in the coming months to enable broader participation. The official website can be found at RadioOptimism.lg.com.
Nigeria’s electricity generation rose by 10.92% in the first quarter of 2025, driven by improved operational capacity and better availability of thermal and hydropower plants supplying the national grid.
This is according to the latest report from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) for Q1 2025.
Total energy generated stood at 10,304.47 gigawatt-hours (GWh), up from 9,289.95 GWh recorded in the previous quarter. The increase highlights stronger performance across multiple power plants, supported by improved grid dispatch conditions.
NERC noted that average hourly generation on the grid also grew by 13.39%, rising to 4,770.59 megawatt-hours per hour (MWh/h) from 4,207.41 MWh/h in Q4 2024—an increase of 563.18 MWh/h.
“The hourly generation and the total generation increased by 13.39% and 10.92% respectively in Q1 2025 compared to Q4 2024. This rise is linked to an increase in the cumulative available generation capacity of grid-connected plants,” the report stated.
A total of 19 power plants boosted their output during the quarter, contributing significantly to the overall rise in generation.
Thermal power plants were the main drivers of growth. Out of the 23 thermal plants connected to the grid, 16 recorded higher average hourly output compared to the previous quarter.
Top contributors included Delta_1, which added 157.58 MWh/h, followed by Geregu_2 (71.95 MWh/h), Egbin_1 (68.20 MWh/h), and Afam_2 (68.03 MWh/h).
Hydropower plants also supported the growth, though at a smaller scale. The five grid-connected hydro stations posted a combined increase of 54.93 MWh/h, marking a 4% improvement. Zungeru_1 led with a 23.55% rise, while Shiroro_1 and Kainji_1 grew by 12.21% and 4.80% respectively.
This first-quarter improvement reflects ongoing efforts to stabilize power supply through better plant maintenance, enhanced grid management, and more consistent dispatch across regions.
However, challenges such as fuel supply to plants, equipment reliability, and high operating costs continue to limit the full potential of Nigeria’s power generation capacity.
Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) and Miva Open University, Abuja, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly promote digital technology and academic excellence in computer science and innovation.
Mr. David Daser, president/CEO, DBI, and Professor Tayo Arulogun, vice chancellor, Miva Open University.
DBI, a Federal Government-owned ICT training institute with headquarters in Abuja and campuses across Nigeria’s six geo-political zones, hosted the signing ceremony at its headquarters.
The MoU marks a significant step in formalizing and strengthening the existing relationship between the two institutions.
Signing on behalf of their institutions were
Speaking during the event, Mr. Daser praised Professor Arulogun’s leadership and commitment to academic development, which he said made the partnership possible. He emphasized that unlike many MoUs that remain inactive, this collaboration is set to deliver tangible results.
“We value this partnership and are confident it will meaningfully contribute to Nigeria’s education sector. DBI is fully prepared to implement the agreement and drive an impact across our campuses in Enugu, Abuja, Kano, Lagos, Asaba, and Yola,” Daser said.
He added that the collaboration would strengthen DBI’s National Innovation Diploma (NID) program and other initiatives through shared resources and new opportunities.
Professor Arulogun, in his remarks, highlighted the need for greater collaboration among Nigerian universities, criticizing the prevalent “do-it-alone syndrome.”
“Many institutions prefer to operate in silos, but collaboration is key. Pooling resources and working together will enhance capacity and academic output,” he stated. “With this partnership, we are ready to hit the ground running from student exchange to joint innovation projects like hackathons.”
He noted that hackathons provide platforms for discovering hidden talents and fostering innovation, and Miva is eager to integrate such activities into its academic programs.
Mr. Emeka Nzeih, head of Learning and Development, DBI, outlined the partnership’s key focus areas: student internships, real-world project collaborations, joint research in fields like AI, robotics, and cybersecurity, and shared access to DBI’s ICT labs and equipment for Miva’s students and faculty.
According to Nzeih, the initiative aims to enhance practical learning, foster innovation, and build capacity through collaborative training, research, and mentorship.
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