News
Picketing of NIMC: Management Debunks ASCSN’s Allegations
On Tuesday May 12, 2015, the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, made good its threat, widely published in the newspapers recently, to picket the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) over claims that Management planned to ‘sack over 1,000 staff’ who are members of the ASCSN, which NIMC management on Thursday debunked.
They further alleged impunity on the side of Management, claimed that the NIMC under the leadership of Chris ‘E Onyemenam, the director general, whom the Union wanted sacked by the Government, had not delivered on the mandate of the NIMC, in particular, the issuance of national eID Cards.
They further alleged financial misconduct, corruption and unfair labour practices.
During the picketing action, the ASCSN prevented staff members of the NIMC who are members of the Senior Staff Association of Communications, Transportation and Corporations, SSACTAC, from entering the office in Lagos, Minna and our Head Office here in Abuja. Picketing does not mean locking out staff members by another Union whose members have a criminal case to answer.
But a statement sent to Nigeria CommunicationsWeek by the management of NIMC read: “These allegations and claims are false and an unfortunate misrepresentation of facts. They are malicious and calculated to discredit the Board, Top Management and the person of the DG over the handling of disciplinary cases of staff members found to have falsified their service records. The current actions and utterances of the representatives of ASCSN, which signed an agreement with the Management of NIMC in 2012 over this issue is unfortunate and suspicious.
“It is not true that Management plans to declare redundancy or undertake any retrenchment. Rather, Management had administratively dealt with cases of falsification of service records by some senior members of staff.
“Due process was followed, including the proper convening and seating of a Disciplinary Committee with all Observer Status Offices duly represented, obeying all Court Orders regarding the administrative process since July 2014, responding to requests for explanations and clarifications, etc. from supervisory and other appropriate authorities of Government.
“Management has not behaved with impunity nor did it disobey any Court Orders. All due processes were followed and appropriate approvals obtained as necessary by NIMC Management in the discharge of its duties.
“Management has ensured that all Annual Accounts of the NIMC are audited and approved by the Board before submission to the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation as required by law. It is also published on our website as part of an annual report on the NIMC for each year. The 2014 Accounts that has just been approved by the Board will be published shortly.
“Management can confirm that the National Identity Management System (NIMS) has been in operation since February 23, 2012 with about 404 Enrolment Centres nationwide. The NIMS went live on a Pilot basis in 2012 and NIMC is currently focusing on a large scal deployment through various ways including harmonization and integration of other ongoing data gathering activties across MDAs and in the private sector”.
The statement also clarified that the NIMS infrastructure was first certified as ISO 27001:2005 compliant in 2014 and was recertified as ISO 27001:2013 compliant in April 2015.
The Card Personalization Infrastructure was audited and certified under the Global Vendors Certification Programme (GVCP) in 2014 and has just been audited for recertification a week ago.
“It is unfortunate that on a day the National eID Card is being internationally recognized as the ‘Best African Payment Initiative in 2014, it is being disparaged at home. The National eID Card is currently being distributed across the Federation from our State Offices. It is regrettable that some members of staff with questionable service records who have been slowing down the pace of the implementation of the NIMS are now bent on disrupting the smooth arrangement put in place for citizens to enrol and subsequently come to collect their eID Cards at their convenience and upon notification.
“Furthermore, it is not true that NIMC has planned to sack or retrench 1,000 workers. However 406 senior members of staff who falsified their service records and thus have been profiting from that fraud, have been formally reported to the appropriate offices for further action”.
According to the NIMC management, the issues at stake are as follows: falsification of Service Records to wit; fake appointment letters; fake promotion letters; fake conversion/advancement letters;
Did NIMC provide opportunity for fair hearing to the parties involved?
The statement read, “Yes we did, to wit- verification of staff service records; issuance of query to affected staff; analyses of response to query and verification of documents attached to response; invitation to attend a duly constituted Disciplinary Committee Meeting; obtaining necessary approvals for the recommendations of the Committee; implementation of the approvals – proper placement for those exculpated and issuance of dismissal letters for those found culpable in line with the Public Service Rules”.
They added that “Formal Report to appropriate authorities in respect of the criminal acts, for further action.
“Accordingly the action embarked upon by the ASCSN is an attempt to take attention away from the facts and issues as stated above.
“In respect of other allegations, we wish to state that NO staff member who is qualified and applied was denied the right to go on annual leave. It is also not true that female staff are discouraged from getting pregnant, it is in fact unthinkable. We have always followed due process in all our recruitment exercise.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Management has remained focused on implementing the NIMS, in particular, the Federal Executive Council approval in September 2011,” the statement read in part.
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on Mr. Bayo Bashir Ojulari, group chief executive officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPCL) Limited, to provide clarification regarding the missing N500 billion.
According to the World Bank, this sum was not remitted to the Federation Account between October and December 2024.
SERAP is urging accountability and transparency in addressing this financial discrepancy.
SERAP urged Mr Ojulari “to identify those suspected to be involved, surcharge them for the full amount involved, and hand them over to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigation and prosecution.”
SERAP also urged Mr Ojulari “to invite the EFCC and ICPC to investigate the spending and whereabouts of the N500 billion, and to ensure the full recovery and remittance of the money to the Federation Account without further delay.
Last week, the World Bank disclosed that out of the N1.1 trillion revenue from crude sales and other income in 2024, the NNPC only remitted N600 billion, leaving a deficit of N500 billion unaccounted for. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) also recently called for the subsidy removal savings to be transferred to the national budget.
In the Freedom of Information request dated 17 May 2025 and signed by Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP deputy director, the organisation said: “There is a legitimate public interest in explaining the whereabouts of the alleged missing N500 billion oil money and grave violations of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended]’
“The country’s oil wealth ought to be used solely for the benefit of the Nigerian people, and for the sake of the present and future generations.”
According to SERAP, Nigerians have the right to know why the NNPCL failed to remit the subsidy removal savings to the Federation Account.
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel the NNPCL to comply with our requests in the public interest,” the letter read in part.
“Without the full recovery and remittance of the missing N500 billion of oil revenue, the dire economic situation may worsen and Nigerians will continue to be denied access to basic public goods and services,” it read.
“The Freedom of Information Act, Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights guarantee to everyone the right to information on the whereabouts of the missing N500 billion of oil revenue.”
Hannatu Musawa, Minister of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy, has revealed that the ministry has secured over $300 million in investment commitments.
Musawa disclosed this at the Ministerial Press Briefing Session held on Friday in Abuja.
She emphasised that the government has set a goal of creating at least two million jobs within the creative industry by 2027.
According to her, “In just 18 months, we have secured over $300 million in investment commitments and established innovative funding mechanisms, including the Creative Economy Development Fund (CEDF).
“We have also initiated the development of key infrastructure projects, which are projected to generate at least two million jobs by 2027.”
The Minister further noted that President Bola Tinubu plans to unveil creative hubs across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones in the coming months, positioning Nigeria as a global hub for creativity.
“Beyond the numbers, we have elevated Nigeria’s global cultural standing while ensuring inclusivity, empowering rural communities, women, and young people to participate meaningfully in the creative economy,”.
The Minister highlighted the significant role the creative economy will play in Nigeria’s future, particularly the music industry.
She pointed out that the government has identified five key segments within the music value chain production, marketing, sales, and others—that can generate over 500,000 new jobs by 2030, representing a transformative opportunity for Nigeria’s economy.
“A key initiative in this drive is the $200 million Creative Economy Development Fund (CEDF), managed by the African Export-Import Bank (AfreximBank).
The fund aims to provide affordable financing to creative businesses and entrepreneurs, empowering them to innovate, expand their operations, and contribute to job creation across multiple sectors such as film, music, fashion, and tourism.
The minister said in addition to funding, the ministry is working on the Abuja Creative City project, which seeks to transform the capital into a vibrant hub for the creative sector.
“This project is expected to foster economic growth, create job opportunities, and showcase Nigeria’s diverse cultural heritage.
The Minister also emphasized the importance of effective policy formulation to foster the growth of the creative sector. Currently, the Ministry is evaluating 49 sub-sectors within the creative industries, with priority given to key areas such as music, film, fashion, art, and gastronomy.
“This targeted approach is aimed at driving sustainable development and further enhancing Nigeria’s cultural and economic standing on the global stage.
“Through these initiatives, the Nigerian government is taking significant steps to harness the untapped potential of its creative industries, paving the way for a more dynamic and inclusive economy.
As part of this effort, the Ministry, in collaboration with the private sector and led by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, is working on creating a clear policy framework not just for the creative economy but also for the art, culture, and tourism sectors.
The Nigerian government is working on a series of policy reforms National Intellectual Property Policy, which will soon be presented to the Federal Executive Council.
This policy aims to foster industry growth by securing intellectual property rights for creators. Additionally, the government is reviewing key policies such as the National Policy on Incentives for the Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy, which is designed to offer incentives and boost confidence among creative businesses.
Another important update is the review of the 2005 National Tourism Policy, intended to better support the tourism sector, which plays a crucial role in Nigeria’s cultural economy.
The government is updating the outdated 1988 National Policy on Culture and introducing a new Policy on Monetary and Credit Solutions to ensure financial support for creative businesses.
Alongside the Creative Economy Development Fund, these reforms aim to create a supportive environment for the sector to grow and position Nigeria as a major force in the global creative economy.
Musawa also announced the implementation of the Creative Economy Development Fund (CEDF), which aims to provide funding to creative businesses, drive innovation, and create jobs across multiple sectors.
Additionally, a global standard arena is under construction in Nigeria to host major music and cultural events, aligning with the country’s ambition to become Africa’s cultural hub.
Husk Power Energy Systems Nigeria Ltd (Husk Nigeria), a subsidiary of solar mini-grid operator Husk Power Systems Inc., has received a $5 million investment from The International Finance Corp. (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, with the support of the Government of Canada.
L-r: Ethiopis Tafara, Regional Vice President for Africa, International Finance Corporation (IFC), and Olu Aruike, Country Director, Husk Power Systems, Nigeria during the signing of a $5m investment meant to expand access to reliable, renewable energy in Nigeria through IFC’s $250m DARES platform in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire
The financing will support the rollout of Husk’s portfolio of solar hybrid mini grids in Northern Nigeria, helping address one of the country’s most urgent development challenges: access to electricity.
It marks the first investment under the IFC Distributed Access through Renewable Energy Scale-up (DARES) Platform, a $200 million debt facility approved in November 2024 to catalyze private sector solutions across West and Central Africa.
The DARES Platform complements the World Bank-financed Nigeria DARES Project, a $750 million initiative launched in December 2023 and implemented by Nigeria’s Rural Electrification Agency.
Together, these efforts aim to provide over 17.5 million Nigerians with new or improved electricity access through decentralized renewable energy (DRE) systems.
IFC’s financing package will enable Husk to develop and operate up to 108 mini-grid sites, resulting in around 28,750 new electricity connections and delivering clean, affordable energy to around 115,000 people and businesses.
The total project cost is estimated at $25 million. IFC’s $5 million package includes a $2.5 million senior loan from its own account and a $2.5 million concessional subordinated loan from the Canada-IFC Renewable Energy Program for Africa.
The facility is structured as a revolving loan, allowing Husk to repay and redraw funds multiple times during the project’s implementation.
“The DARES Platform is an innovative approach to tackling one of Africa’s most pressing challenges—energy access. By partnering with Husk, a leading renewable energy developer globally, through the first project under the DARES Platform, we are not only addressing the immediate electricity needs of underserved communities in Nigeria but also laying the foundation for a scalable model that can be replicated across the continent,” said Ethiopis Tafara, regional vice president of Africa, IFC.
“This innovative debt facility is exactly what the minigrid industry needs to scale — blended, long-term and affordable capital,” said Manoj Sinha, Husk co-founder and CEO.
“Access to working capital is critical for sustained and rapid growth. Adding 108 new communities to our minigrid portfolio with IFC support is an important step toward our goal of deploying at least 250MW of decentralized renewable energy projects in Nigeria.” said Olu Aruike, Manager, Husk Nigeria.
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