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NASRDA Expresses Commitment to Developing Indigenous Technology
The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) over the weekend says it is committed to developing the country’s indigenous technology in basic space technology.
The Director-General of the agency, Prof. Seidu Mohammed, said this at the Space Centre Week and Exhibition of the agency’s Centre for Basic Space Science (CBSS) in Nsukka, Enugu State, with the theme “Basic Space Science for Development”.
Represented by Dr Spencer Onu, the Director, Centre for Satellite Technology Development (CSTD), Mohammed said that the agency was taking steps to ensure that projects and actions were in line with Federal Government’s effort to make Nigeria a knowledge-based economy.
The director-general said that the agency was into production of scientific tools like a telescope to aid sustainable scientific research in the country.
A telescope is an optical instrument designed to make distant objects appear closer which also contains an arrangement of lenses, curved mirrors and lenses.
Telescope also collects rays of light and magnifies focused objects.
Mohammed said that although the cost of funding the production of the telescope was high, the centre would deploy available resources to develop the tool.
He added that “we believe that the telescope proposed by CBSS is very useful and functional to our requirement.
“It has been under construction for four years now but we have to intervene now because two years ago, money was allocated for it but was not approved by the National Assembly.
“Without a telescope, we cannot meet up in terms of research with high impact factor in the global space.
“With the telescope, a lot of high impact researches can be done in Nigeria and other parts of the world.”
The NASRDA boss said that Nigeria needed to leverage on its location on the planet which is close to the equator and utilise the telescope for astronomy.
He further said that basic space science was the first principle in space science “and anything you are doing on the first principle, you are indigenising it.”
Prof. Pius Okeke, the pioneer Director of CBSS, said that the centre was moving in the right direction toward advancing basic space science in spite of minimal funds.
According to him, basic space science is the study and research on the fundamental science of space which leads to the ability to unfold hidden treasures in space.
Okeke said that basic space science required will, motivation and determination to diversify into areas of research yet to be tapped for discoveries.
Similarly, Okeke said the government needed to be willing to properly fund basic space science projects.
He said “it is no longer necessary to educate government about the importance of fundamental research for any developing nation.
“No one builds a house from the air without foundation. Fundamental research in space science should be the starting point for successful development of space technology.
“The temptation to pursue after only application for immediate benefit should be discouraged.”
The former director added that there should be capacity building of scientists in the sector to underscore the country’s dynamics of space science “because no country would disclose the secret of its space science and technology.”
He added that efforts to explain behaviours of several astronomical objects with current physics like neutron stars, climate changes, ionospheric phenomena, cosmic rays, among other objects, was no longer effective.
He called on scientists to be at the front burner of initiating new laws of physics because most revolutionary discoveries of the future come from basic space science.
Highlights of the event included award of recognition to some outstanding staff of CBSS.
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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