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Nebo, Johnson Back Omatek Moves to Cut Nigeria’s Power Consumption By 85%

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Dr. Omobola Johnson, minister of Communication Technology and other dignitaries on a tour of Omatek facilities and the newly commissioned solar solutions, while Mrs Florence Seriki, chief executive officer, Omatek explains the processes.
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Professor Chindu Nebo, minister of Power and his counterpart in the Ministry of Communication Technology, Dr. Omobola Johnson, on Monday described as iconic, the moves by Nigeria’s integrated Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Omatek Ventures Plc, to address Nigeria’s lingering electricity supply challenge through deployment of solar (technology) solutions to reduce power consumption in Nigeria by as a much as 85%.

Giving credence to the relevance and efficacy of the solutions during the unveiling in Lagos, Nebo said that Omatek has demonstrated the heartbeat of the present administration in tackling the perennial power challenge through alternate power sources and distribution.

The Power Minister said,  “This kind of initiative makes it possible to live off-grid and this means you don’t need to be connected to the national grid before you can get efficient power supply to handle your home, office and industrial activities.

“Omatek has also demonstrated in line with Federal Government Policy. President Goodluck Jonathan has asked us to develop a renewable and energy efficiency policy which is at the final stage of implementation, we only the President’s approval to go ahead with the implementation.  With the implementation, we believe it is something that will liberate Nigeria.

“Nigeria has never had a renewable and energy efficiency policy and what Omatek has demonstrated here in terms of solar power supply and LED indicate that they know exactly what the government wants to do because this imitative is perfectly in tandem with the policy of the Federal Government of Nigeria”.

Nebo said that with regards to LED bulb, Omatek has shown that everyone, not just companies, every Nigeria can cut power consumption by anywhere from 70 to 90 per cent.

“In other words, if your electricity in a month is N10,000, you can reduce to N3000 if you use LED bulb  and this bulb conserves a lot of electricity. For a hundred watts of regular bulb, if you have a five watts of LED, it will serve you the same purpose, give you the same luminosity so at the end of the day, the whole country would benefit and what we are saying is this: If the whole of the country put LED in use, it will free us 1,200 megawatt of power for industry, manufacturing, SME and industrial revolution will further boom.

“So, this is a clarion call to all Nigerians to begin the process of modification of making all our offices LEDified, all homed lEDified. In fact, new housing estate shouldn’t get approval until they demonstrate that they will use LED all through because that is the only way we can save a lot of energy we waste a lot in this country. So, we should start doing the right thing now.

“Another of looking at it from the LED and conservation of LED is that when you free up 1, 200 megawatts of electricity for real-time good use- industrial, productive manufacturing functional use is like building a power plant. That kind of power plant would cost about half a trillion Naira and that is what you save and that is for the power plant. When that now comes down, it has multiplier effect”.

The event also witnessed the commissioning of the 12watts, 20 watts, 500 watts power solutions that replace the “I better pass my neighbour generator”, for small homes, shops, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), churches, rural electrification and rural system, street lighting implementation, schools and so son for students, farmers  among others.

According to the Minister, “we just commissioned is a home solution, whether it is small home, kiosk solution, shop solution, SME and big solution. It is solar powered light integrated with Inverter, The days of ‘I better pass my neighbour’ generators are numbered. ‘I better pass my neighbour’generators kill. Many lives have died. But with this new solar inverter integrated unit, one can get 24/7 power supply without having to use any fuel- no petrol, no diesel, no kerosene, no candle, nothing.

“You can light up your home with that and for bigger homes, you can get 500 watts, you can do a lot more things. But with 3 kilowatts, you can power your refrigerator, you fans and maybe, air condition. If you now move up to 10 kilowatts, that is for SME. I don’t see why evey SME cannot benefit from 10 kilowatt solution because it will solve all your power challenges as small business. Then, if you are a bigger ones, you can now move up t 50 kilowatts solution we have commissioned all these today.

“We thank Omatek for showing the way for Nigeria to follow in addressing its power challenge. We are actually at a point of a new era for the country where we would launch Nigeria into an industrial revolution.”

Also, Dr. Omobola Johnson, in her remarks during a visit to Omatke Factory said,  “I commend the management of Omatek for this initiative. We would continue to come up with policy that can help support your business through our local content initiative.

“More importantly, we urge Omatek to continue in its two lines of business: Computer assembly and solar technology solutions as the two are key to bridging digital divide and ensuring energy consumption efficiency in the country respectively.”
 
Already, Omatek, known for its innovations, has commissioned its 50KVA 3-phase off-grid solar solution factory that will represent the solar solution for factories, banks, telecoms firms, government and other organisations that require big power installations.
 
Off-grid solutions, on-grid solutions as well as LED bulbs were also displayed at the event, at Omatek factory at Oregun in Ikeja, and well attended by key stakeholders from the private sector who earlier in the day carried out facility tour of the Solar Installations implemented by Omatek at the Greenwood School, Corona and the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
 
Addressing the large audience that graced the event, Mrs Florence Seriki, chief executive officer, Omatek, said “These are all-in-one installations assembled locally and packed with Omatek’s solar, inverter, battery, controller in all-in-one carton and cane be self-installed.
 
“Omatek Solar Solution, which is a hybrid solution that provides 24 hours lighting/power Solution by use of our solar-led bulb-inverter hybrid solution; whilst providing 70 – 90 per cent cut/deduction in power consumption and drastically reducing power consumption by an average of 85 per cent on the overall grid; thus enhancing growth in the real sector and general economic development”.
 
According to her, “We have installed these solutions in schools, homes, offices and factories and proud to inform you that the education sector welcomed not just provision of power and green energy, the hostels and all reading areas have 24 hours lighting and this bridges the digital gap in our schooling system, as students had stopped reading in darkness.”
 
She also explained that, already, Omatek has almost completed the setup and the establishments of two local factories that will manufacture solar panels and the LED bulbs, saying only the all-in-one solutions are currently being produced locally.
 
Capturing key benefits inherent in the solar solutions, Seriki explained that the solutions “provides 24-hours alternate power/green energy for businesses, homes; provides 24-hour lighting solution to all; provides 24 hour solar energy and lighting solution for students, hostels, SMEs, homes, hostels, SMEs, small homes, shops; reduces power consumption by an average of 85 per cent by all; and well as providing affordable solar solution for continuous/uninterrupted lighting system.”
 
In addition, Seriki said the solar solution promotes safe and clean environment; reduces in fire risk by use of the LED solution and materials particularly used as well as bridging digital gap in the education system and enhance modern living and reduces cost of living and running businesses considerably.
 
“The Omatek LED bulbs will not require replacement for three to five years whilst the solar will last 25 years.  Duration of the batteries are for five to 10 years,” she added. ‎


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NIMC Disowns Fake NIN Portal

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National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has warned Nigerians to disregard a viral online flyer claiming that a free portal has been opened for the correction of National Identification Number (NIN) data.

NIMC Disowns Fake NIN Portal

In a statement posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, the commission described the flyer as fake and cautioned the public against using any links associated with it.

“The public is hereby advised not to use the above for modifying their NIN data. All modifications should only be done via the official channel,” NIMC stated, directing users to its authorised self-service portal.

The misleading flyer, which has circulated widely on social media, carries the logos of NIMC and the federal government, falsely claiming that authorities had launched a special correction portal in response to a “high level of complain.”

It lists services such as name, gender, and date of birth corrections, and provides links redirecting users to a suspicious “gvly.xyz” domain—an address the commission says is not affiliated with any government platform.

NIMC noted that the flyer has since been marked “FAKE” in red, indicating it is being recirculated as part of efforts to debunk the misinformation.

The Commission reiterated that all NIN data modifications can only be carried out through its official self-service platform, urging Nigerians to remain vigilant and avoid falling victim to online scams.


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Moniepoint Acquires Orda Africa to Transform Africa’s $50Bn Restaurant Sector

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Moniepoint Inc. (“Moniepoint” or the “Company”), Africa’s all-in-one financial ecosystem platform for individuals, businesses and their customers, today announced the acquisition of Orda Africa (“Orda”), a leading cloud-based restaurant management platform operating in Nigeria.

Moniepoint Acquires Orda Africa to Transform Africa's $50bn Restaurant Sector

Moniepoint

Under the terms of this acquisition, Orda will become part of the Moniebook platform, Moniepoint’s all-in-one Point-of-Sale (POS) and business management platform. Since launching its business management tools product in 2025, Moniebook has rapidly become the go-to platform for thousands of African businesses seeking integrated financial and operational tools, seamlessly unifying payments and bookkeeping in one platform.

With Orda, restaurant owners can now gain access to this proven ecosystem that creates unprecedented opportunities to scale operations, optimize performance, and access credit, as well as the extensive reach of Moniepoint which has powered growth for millions of African businesses.

The acquisition comes as Africa’s food service industry experiences unprecedented growth, with the sector valued at $50 billion and Nigeria’s market alone projected to reach $19.31 billion by 2030, growing at 11.73% annually. With Orda’s restaurant-focused capabilities now part of the Moniepoint ecosystem, the platform is well-positioned to capture this opportunity.

Founded in 2015 by Tosin Eniolorunda and Felix Ike, today Moniepoint has grown into one of Nigeria’s leading distributors of financial services as well as a trusted platform for many of the country’s MSMEs especially in the informal sector.

The company has considerably expanded its offerings to include digital payments, business and personal banking, credit, cross-border payments, and business management tools with a customer base exceeding 20 million active businesses and personal banking customers and processes over US$250 billion in digital payments transaction value annually.

Tosin Eniolorunda, Co-Founder and Group CEO of Moniepoint Inc., said: “The food industry isn’t just about feeding people, it’s a major source of jobs and daily survival for many Africans. It highlights how vital the informal sector is, not just for the economy, but for everyday life across the continent.

Data has shown us that Africa’s restaurant sector is one of the continent’s most dynamic economic engines, yet the majority of food businesses still operate with manual processes and fragmented tools. By bringing Orda into Moniepoint, we are giving restaurant owners what they deserve: one simple platform that handles everything from managing their kitchen to growing their business. Our goal remains to create financial happiness for Africans, giving them the tools to reach their full potential and that’s exactly what we’ve built here.”

Founded in 2020, Orda was built to give Africa’s small and independent restaurants the tools they need to run more efficiently, providing a purpose-built software to businesses that had long operated without it.

Guy Futi, CEO of Orda, reassured existing customers: “Orda has found the perfect home in Moniepoint. We have spent years building deep expertise in restaurant operations, but we have always known that to truly transform the industry, we needed to connect that expertise with comprehensive financial infrastructure.

“That’s exactly what this integration delivers. For our customers, we are assuring a smooth transition with no disruption to the platform and retained access to the support you are used to. What changes is your access to opportunities.

“Over the coming weeks, being part of Moniepoint means you’ll have more tools, more reach, and more ways to grow your business than ever before”

Combining their respective strengths, Moniepoint and Orda deliver a purpose-built solution that empowers food businesses at every scale to manage orders, track inventory, pay suppliers, and access working capital, all in one seamless experience.

This move represents a demonstrated commitment to building a dedicated financial infrastructure designed around the unique complexity of Africa’s food economy.

For the millions of food entrepreneurs across the continent, from the everyday buka owner to the high-end restaurateur, this acquisition means less time managing multiple tools or carrying out arduous manual work and more time doing what they do best – feeding Africa.


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Tech Firms Sack over 45,000 so Far in 2026

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More than 45,000 jobs have been cut across the global technology sector in the first few months of 2026, according to data from RationalFX, signalling that the industry is still adjusting after a period of aggressive hiring rather than returning to a full growth phase.

Tech Firms Sack over 45,000 so Far in 2026

“In 2025, automation, artificial intelligence, and sustained cost-discipline measures drove much of the downsizing, with entire departments restructured or eliminated in favour of leaner, AI-assisted workflows. This trend has continued full steam into 2026,” said Alan Cohen, analyst at RationalFX.

According to the report, if the current rate of redundancies is sustained, total layoffs in 2026 could surpass the 245,000 recorded in 2025.

The majority of these layoffs have been concentrated in the United States, with major companies continuing to trim their workforce despite stable core operations.

Amazon has announced approximately 16,000 job cuts this year, while Block has also reduced thousands of roles as it tightens operations and shifts focus towards artificial intelligence.

There are indications that further reductions may follow.

Meta is reportedly considering additional layoffs as it increases investment in AI infrastructure, while PayPal and Klarna are reassessing spending and hiring strategies amid ongoing uncertainty.

Established technology firms are also undergoing restructuring. Dell has reduced its workforce by around 11,000 over the past year as part of a broader reorganisation, while Salesforce has cut approximately 1,000 roles in 2026 while aligning its teams more closely with AI-driven products.

Outside the United States, layoffs have been smaller in scale but more geographically dispersed.

Australia has reported around 2,650 job cuts so far this year, followed by Sweden with roughly 1,923 and Netherlands with about 1,700.

Other markets have also been affected. Israel and India have recorded approximately 1,539 and 1,520 layoffs respectively, with Israel’s startup ecosystem particularly sensitive to tighter funding conditions, while in India, both startups and larger IT firms have reduced headcount as global client spending slows.

In Singapore, around 1,016 layoffs have been reported, reflecting a softer hiring environment across Asia’s major technology hubs, where companies are adopting a more cautious approach amid uneven demand.

Across Europe, job cuts have been comparatively limited but still noticeable.

The United Kingdom has recorded around 1,000 layoffs, while Czech Republic and Germany have seen smaller reductions.

The broader trend suggests that technology companies are shifting towards leaner operations and more defined priorities following years of expansion. Increasing investment in automation and artificial intelligence is also reshaping the types of roles in demand.

For employees, the impact is becoming increasingly visible, with hiring slowing and becoming more selective. While opportunities remain, companies are taking a more measured approach to recruitment compared to the rapid expansion seen in previous years.

 

Further credit… .storyboard18.com

 


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