General News
Napep Begins Disbursement of N72m in Oyo State
The Federal Government through its National Poverty Eradication Programme (Napep) has formally commenced disbursement of a whooping sum of N72million to 500 families identified as among the poorest in Oyo State, as part of efforts to eradicate abject poverty in the rural areas.
The disbursement which is under Napep’s Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) has been earmarked to be in stages for one-year duration just as the beneficiaries have been picked from ten local governments being used as pilot councils for the scheme in Oyo State. A total of 50 families are benefiting from each of the ten pilot Local Governments where the CCT, meant to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger among the populace in the next few years, is targeted at individuals and households in the rural areas.
Addressing beneficiaries in the Ibadan North East Local Government Area while presenting cheques to them during the occasion, Alhaji Bashir Ashimi, Oyo State Napep coordinator, said that a total of N250,000 would be disbursed to each beneficiary Local Government every month under the scheme to cater for the 50 selected families from the respective council area..
He explained that while every family registered under the scheme would take home N5,000 every month, another N7,000 was being set aside monthly for the beneficiaries under the poverty reduction index to acquire equipment after the year long training.
Alhaji Ashimi, however compelled the beneficiaries to enroll their children in school as well as ensure that they are effectively immunized against the killer diseases stressing that failure to do this may lead to their disqualification from the scheme.
To underscore his point, he noted that many people are on the waiting list and any beneficiary that fails to send their children to school and immunize them will forfeit their slot.
He stressed President Umar Musa Yar’Adua administration’s commitment to the success of the poverty eradication scheme, Alhaji Ashimi noted that Napep had alreeady selected 12 states including Oyo State from the six geo-political zones of the country for the pilot scheme. The ten Local Government Areas in Oyo State earmarked to benefit in the pilot phase of the CCTs, according to him, included Ibadan North East, Ibadan South West, Ona Ara, Ibarapa Central, Ogbomoso North, Oyo East, Iseyin, Saki West, Atiba and Atisbo.
Hon. Olugbenga Adewusi, chairman of Ibadan North East local government, commended Napep for the kind gesture and implored the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the money to cater for both educational and medical needs of their children.
Hon. Adewusi remarked that if the beneficiaries lived up to expectation, this would serve as inspiration to the Napep officials who brought the laudable programme to the local government area to put more efforts in eradicating poverty not only in the council but Oyo State in general.
PalmPay has opened a new office at 33 Old Yaba Road, Lagos, reinforcing its commitment to innovation, customer service, and operational growth in Nigeria.
The new office represents a continued investment in PalmPay’s people, operations, and infrastructure, supporting the company’s ability to deliver reliable financial services at scale. Designed to accommodate PalmPay’s growing team, the workspace enables closer cross-functional collaboration while strengthening service delivery nationwide. Located in Yaba, one of Lagos’s most established commercial and technology corridors, the office further anchors PalmPay within Nigeria’s innovation and financial ecosystem.
Speaking at the office launch, Managing Director Chika Nwosu highlighted that the new workspace reflects PalmPay’s long-term vision and dedication to excellence. “This new office represents an important step in our growth journey and our commitment to building secure, reliable, and inclusive financial solutions for our users,” he said.
The launch event was attended by PalmPay’s leadership team, employees and customers, who toured the facility and marked the company’s continued growth and progress.
With the opening of its office at 33 Old Yaba Road, PalmPay continues to strengthen its presence in Nigeria and reaffirm its mission to drive financial inclusion through innovative digital solutions.
PalmPay is a leading digital banking platform driving financial inclusion and economic empowerment in underserved emerging markets. Through its secure, user-friendly, and inclusive suite of financial services, PalmPay empowers individuals and businesses with tools to manage and grow their money.
PalmPay offers a comprehensive range of products, including mobile payments, savings, and micro-insurance via its app and mobile money agent network.
Since launching in Nigeria in 2019 under a Mobile Money Operator license, the platform has grown to over 35 million app users and processes up to 15 million transactions daily. PalmPay has operations in Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, and Bangladesh.
The Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc has announced the signing of a chain of contracts with major airlines for the provision of total handling solutions.
In a statement on Tuesday, the company announced the signing of contract renewals with Air France, KLM and Virgin Atlantic, as well as the African operator, RwandAir.
NAHCO also signed fresh contracts with United Nigeria – Regional, Bellagio and Malaikair.
According to the statement, the contracts with Air France and KLM are for three years and will run till 2028, respectively. The duration of the contract with Virgin Atlantic was also put at three years.
The duration for the RwandAir contract is for three years, effective 1 October 2025.
The statement read, “The new contract with United – Regional would be for a period of five years, effective from 1 August 2025. For Bellagio and Malaikair, the contracts are for three and five years, respectively.
“Bellagio Air, Nigeria’s rising star in aviation, is redefining air travel with a blend of luxury, efficiency, and reliability. Headquartered in the vibrant city of Ikeja, Lagos, Bellagio Air is committed to providing world-class service across key domestic and regional routes.”
The Group Executive Director, Commercial and Business Development, NAHCO Plc, Saheed Lasisi, who expressed his delight with the new contracts, said NAHCO is already ready to exceed customers’ expectations.
According to Lasisi, NAHCO’s more than 46 years of unblemished excellent service delivery puts it heads and shoulders above any other service provider in the industry.
“This is what we have been doing for almost half of a century. We will continue to delight our customers and make our stakeholders happy by exceeding expectations in all aspects of our service offerings. We are always willing and ready to do more,” Lasisi added.
The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, NAHCO Plc, Olumuyiwa Olumekun, added that with the new fleet of equipment the company is deploying, service delivery will only be better.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled a forward-looking strategy that places satellite-enabled mobile connectivity at the heart of the country’s drive to bridge its long-standing coverage gaps.
The draft Spectrum Roadmap for the Communications Sector for 2025 to 2030 lays out how satellite technologies could help deliver reliable voice and data services to millions of Nigerians who live beyond the reach of conventional mobile networks.
The direction is outlined in the Commission’s draft Spectrum Roadmap for the Communications Sector covering the period.
The proposed approach highlights non-terrestrial networks as a complement to existing mobile infrastructure, especially in areas where terrain, insecurity, or high costs limit the deployment of base stations.
The NCC said D2D satellite technology, which allows standard mobile phones to connect directly to satellites, is gaining traction globally as a means of delivering voice and data services without reliance on ground towers.
According to the regulator, the technology could help close persistent coverage gaps in rural, riverine, and border communities that remain outside the reach of conventional networks.
It also noted that satellite-backed connectivity could improve network reliability by providing alternative links during fibre cuts, power failures, or other disruptions affecting terrestrial systems.
The Commission added that wider adoption of D2D services could support emergency communications, public safety operations, Internet of Things applications, and services such as smart agriculture in underserved regions.
It also pointed to potential investment opportunities through partnerships between mobile network operators and satellite companies, including more efficient use of shared spectrum resources.
Beyond D2D services, the roadmap places emphasis on Low-Earth Orbit satellites to expand broadband access to remote parts of the country.
It also proposes better utilisation of Geostationary Orbit satellites and the exploration of high-altitude platforms, such as stratospheric balloons, to support mobile backhaul and rural connectivity.
The policy signals come shortly after Airtel Africa announced an agreement with SpaceX to introduce Starlink-powered direct-to-cell services in Nigeria.
The NCC’s roadmap is expected to shape future spectrum allocation, licensing decisions, and technology adoption across the telecommunications sector.
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