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Philips Foundation, Red Cross, UNICEF to Form New Co-creation Models
The Philips Foundation has formed global innovation partnerships with UNICEF and the Red Cross, led by the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Netherlands Red Cross.
Collaboration will be based on new types of co-creation models that enable the partners to identify opportunities for innovation based on shared value, while benefiting from a global reach of over 190 countries.
The Philips Foundation, which was established in 2014, will utilize the core expertise of Philips in research, design and technology to create solutions for addressing healthcare and lighting challenges in disadvantaged communities or those affected by disasters.
“In 2015, as the world prepares to define the Post-2015 Development Agenda, it’s clear that the only way to overcome many of the global challenges is through cross-sector collaboration,” said Ronald de Jong, chief market leader at Royal Philips and chairman of the Philips Foundation.
“We look forward to leveraging the expertise and people from each organization. Consolidating these efforts into these global partnerships under the Philips Foundation is a logical and exciting step in contributing to our company’s mission to improve the lives of 3 billion people by 2025.”
The Red Cross and the Philips Foundation will focus on exploring innovations and technology that could assist in providing immediate relief to people in regions affected by humanitarian crises including natural disasters.
Key areas of cooperation include exploring ways to improve healthcare, providing powerful solar lighting to enhance safety in affected communities, and understanding how existing technology or sustainable practices could be utilized in emergency management.
“As the world faces an unprecedented number of crises, the gap between the vast humanitarian needs and the ability to respond adequately is widening,” said Yves Daccord, Director-General of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
“We need to find more innovative ways of responding to needs that will enable us to bring aid more effectively and quickly to millions of people who require it. The partnership with the Philips Foundation will play a crucial role in helping us innovate and shape the future of humanitarian aid.”
The Philips Foundation and UNICEF have partnered to develop new healthcare innovations for the first 1000 days of children’s lives, from the moment of conception up until the age of two – as this is a crucial period for children to build the basis to be able to thrive.
To kick start the partnership, the Philips Foundation will support the global innovation agenda of UNICEF and intends to be a lead partner in the Maker Movement project in Nairobi, which is focused on developing and deploying solutions and new business models that improve access to healthcare for mothers and their children in low-resource settings.
“We work to give children the best start in life, because proper care at the youngest age forms the strongest foundation for a person’s future.
“The first 1000 days of a child’s life are crucial. Today, approximately 18 million mothers around the world still do not receive proper antenatal and neonatal care. Partnering with the Philips Foundation allows us to work with experts in cutting-edge healthcare technologies and adapt innovations to the realities of the regions and local communities we work in,” said Sharad Sapra, principal adviser and director of the UNICEF Innovation Center.
Additionally, the Philips Foundation will support Philips’ country organizations with local community programs and use innovation, products, expertise and employee support in the areas of healthcare and lighting.
According to a statement by Eeva Raaijmakers, Philips Group Communications, this enables the Foundation build on and complement existing Philips projects such as the community light centers program with the KNVB across Africa and Latin America, the Community Life Center in Kenya, the mobile obstetrical monitoring to reduce maternal mortality in Indonesia, and the Design for Empowerment program.
Royal Philips is a diversified health and well-being company, focused on improving people’s lives through meaningful innovation in the areas of Healthcare, Consumer Lifestyle and Lighting.
The Philips Foundation, on the other hand, is a registered charity and has been created to help enable lasting social change in disadvantaged communities through the provision and application of innovation, talent and resources.
Together with key partners the International Red Cross and UNICEF, the Philips Foundation seeks to identify the challenges where a combination of Philips expertise and partner experience can be used to create meaningful solutions that impact people’s lives.
UNICEF is notable for promoting the rights and wellbeing of every child.
Together with its partners, UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.
Also, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is the largest humanitarian network in the world.
Its mission is to alleviate human suffering, protect life and health, and uphold human dignity especially during armed conflicts and other emergencies. It is present in every country and supported by millions of volunteers.
The “Movement” is made up of the following components: the International Committee of the Red Cross, the National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
PalmPay, Nigeria’s leading digital banking platform, has announced the launch of its ₦400 million festive rewards campaign, designed to reward users with cash prizes and fully sponsored international travel experiences for everyday transactions on the PalmPay app.
The campaign will run from December 17, 2025, to January 8, 2026. The campaign is designed to reward everyday transactions with extraordinary experiences. It runs alongside PalmPay’s Purple December brand campaign, which focuses on wrapping up the company’s key brand and community initiatives for the year.
At the centre of the rewards campaign is the PalmPay World Travel Carnival, an interactive card collection experience that allows users to earn city cards by completing transactions on the app. Users are required to collect five city cards – London, New York, Dubai, Sydney, and Cape Town and combine them into a World Card, which unlocks a share of the prize pool.
The more World Cards a user creates, the larger their share of the cash rewards. Any extra uncombined cards can be swapped with friends and other PalmPay users to help complete additional World Cards.
Beyond cash rewards, the Carnival also offers Free Global Trips. In each round, the top two users with the highest number of eligible transactions (₦100 and above) and at least one World Card will win an all-expense-paid international trip.
The travel grand prize covers:
- Visa fees
- Round-trip international airfare
- 5-day, 4-night hotel accommodation
- Side attraction
- Meal expenses
- Airport pick-up and drop-off
- All transportation for scheduled tour activities during the trip
Winners will be determined through a transparent leaderboard system, with prizes credited automatically at the end of each round on December 25, December 31, and January 8.
Participation is simple:
- Complete tasks on the PalmPay app, such as Airtime, Data, Transfers, and other specific transactions listed in the app, to earn cards.
- Collect all five city cards.
- Swap cards with friends to complete your collection.
- Combine cards to form a World Card and earn cash rewards.
- Perform more transactions to climb the leaderboard for a chance at the global trip prize.
To ensure fairness, PalmPay has instituted strict rules: no cheating, bots, fake accounts, or manipulation. Any violations may lead to disqualification or account bans. Additionally, the Free Travel Prize is limited to one per user throughout the campaign.
Speaking on the launch, Femi Hanson, Head of Marketing & Communication, “This festive rewards campaign is about turning everyday banking into meaningful value for our users. With the World Travel Carnival as the headline activation, we are reinforcing PalmPay’s promise of being the smarter way to bank—where smart financial decisions unlock bigger opportunities.”
The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to conduct a nationwide energy survey aimed at closing long-standing data gaps in Nigeria’s power sector. The initiative is expected to guide policy, attract investment, and accelerate universal electricity access.
Signed in Abuja, the agreement establishes a National Energy Survey based on the Multi-Tier Tracking Framework (MTF), a globally recognized methodology that measures electricity access not only by grid connection but also by quality, affordability, reliability, and usage of electricity and clean cooking solutions.
The survey will be implemented under the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) of the World Bank. Dr. Abba Aliyu, REA Managing Director/CEO, said the partnership underscores REA’s commitment to evidence-based rural electrification planning and will generate detailed insights on electricity access and off-grid solutions nationwide.
Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, Statistician-General of the Federation/CEO of NBS, emphasized that reliable statistics are essential for effective policymaking, assuring that NBS will provide technical oversight, sampling expertise, and quality assurance to meet global standards.
The survey will assess energy access, household affordability, expenditure patterns, and the adoption of off-grid technologies such as solar home systems, mini-grids, and clean cooking solutions. REA will provide sector expertise and policy alignment, while NBS manages regulatory approvals, methodology, and technical supervision.
Funded and technically overseen by the World Bank, the exercise will run for 18 months, with the resulting data expected to improve national energy planning, programme targeting, and private sector investment, particularly in underserved and rural communities.
Officials said the collaboration reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening inter-agency coordination, enhancing energy data availability, and advancing Nigeria’s goal of universal electricity and clean cooking access.
The Stakeholders in Blockchain Technology Association of Nigeria (SiBAN), the nation’s foremost self-regulatory body for the blockchain industry, has completed its election cycle, heralding the beginning of a new executive council dedicated to scaling Nigeria’s digital economy.
The highly anticipated elections concluded recently with the emergence of a new leadership team poised to champion industry standards, foster innovation, and drive widespread adoption of blockchain technology across the country.
The newly elected executives, who will officially assume their roles in January 2026, represent a blend of legal, financial, and technical expertise critical for navigating the evolving regulatory landscape.
Leading the charge is Mela Claude-Ake, a lawyer, who has been elected the President of SiBAN to succeed the outgoing President, Obinna Iwuno, whose tenure was marked by significant achievements, including facilitating crucial reforms and forging strategic partnerships with regulators and other critical stakeholders in the digital asset industry. Mr. Iwuno will formally hand over the reins to the new council in January 2026.
Other elected to the executive council are Chimene Chinah – Vice President 1, in charge of Blockchain education and adoption; Oroke Cornelius – Vice President 2, in charge of membership, strategic partnerships, and funding; and Ayo Shonibare – Vice President 3, in charge of policy, regulation, and ethics.
Others are Ugochukwu Peters – Vice President 4 in charge of digital asset operations and capital markets, Mbene Vivian – Chief strategy officer in charge of projects and incubation, Olufunmilayo Tugbobo as Financial Secretary/Chief Financial Officer, and Chiemeka David Ohajionu as Chief Communications Officer.
The newly elected council’s structure reflects SiBAN’s commitment to addressing key pillars of the blockchain ecosystem: from grassroots education and fostering innovation through projects, to establishing robust regulatory frameworks.
In his acceptance speech, Mela Claude-Ake emphasized the vital role SiBAN plays in shaping the future of finance and technology in Nigeria.
“The trust placed in this new council is not one we take lightly. We inherit a great foundation built by the outgoing team. Our mission now is to accelerate. We stand at a critical juncture where the potential of blockchain to revolutionize every sector, from finance and governance to supply chain, is undeniable. This new council will focus relentlessly on advancing smart, collaborative regulation, democratizing blockchain education, and protecting the interests of all stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria remains a leader in the African digital economy space,” he assured.
He added that he is humbled by the opportunity to be the face of one of Nigeria’s youngest and most promising sectors — blockchain tech.
“As a tech enthusiast I am excited at the possibilities. The ecosystem needs careful nurturing by the government. My administration will be focused on building new bridges for the blockchain sector internationally and domestically, establishing trust with the public and unifying the sector. I enjoin all blockchain stakeholders in Nigeria, connected to Nigeria or of nigerian heritage to join hands together with my administration in building the industry of our dreams.”
The industry now looks forward to the handover ceremony in January 2026 and the initiatives the new SiBAN leadership will unveil to solidify the association’s role as a catalyst for innovation and a respected partner to the Nigerian government.
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