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PPP has Made Significant Contribution to Economic Growth and Human Capital in Lagos – George
The Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos State on Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), Mr. Ope George, has said that PPPs structure is a good vehicle that can be explored to stimulate national economic growth and human capital development.
He said the state government is leveraging PPPs strategically to deliver critical infrastructure assets that increase access to better and improved services for the over 21 million residents, and to further boost socio-economic growth and development of the state.
‘‘For us in Lagos State, considering our huge population of over 21 million we know the importance of catering for our people in terms of infrastructure needs, provide better roads, better hospitals, better schools, ferry services.
“So, our PPP projects cut across all the various infrastructural services and that is what we are trying to provide for the residents in the state,’’ he said.
George, speaking at a media interaction session, added that the engagement of local professionals such as engineers, architects, project managers and consultants, artisans like welders, aluminum fitters, plumbers and labourers at various PPPs project sites in various sectors and located in several wards in the five divisions has helped significantly in boosting human capital development.
He added that thousands of direct and indirect jobs were being created on an ongoing basis through the various infrastructure projects in the state, noting that opportunities and other value-added services propelled by PPPs also accounted for the high rate of migration into the state, a development that continues to exert pressure on existing social amenities and infrastructure in the state.
‘‘These projects create tens of direct and indirect jobs. If you consider the number of people that come into Lagos every day, those that live in Lagos and those from neighbouring states and towns who come to work at these project sites, you will find out that these projects have tremendous positive impact on the economy of individuals and Lagos State.
“Also, these projects help us develop our local capacity and human capital because the projects provide opportunity for our local engineers, professionals and artisans to put their skills and expertise to use. A lot of capital flights are being saved for the country as well,’’ he stressed.
The PPPs boss listed the ongoing construction of about 8,000 bed spaces at the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo as one of the PPPs projects in the education sector aimed to solve the accommodation problems faced by students of the institution, while the proposed construction of a medical park at the old site of the former School of Nursing on Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, is another example. The medical facility, to be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and staffed with specialists in various fields of medicine, is aimed to reduce medical tourism in Nigeria.
George added that the 5000-capacity Truck Park in Orile Iganmu is another PPP project, stating that though its construction is ongoing, operations have commenced and already yielding results in the gradual decongestion of Apapa traffic caused by trucks.
The adviser also revealed that the ongoing construction of the entire physical infrastructure for the smooth take-off of the red and blue rail services such as station terminals, ticketing points, bridges, access roads and other infrastructure was also by PPPs arrangements.
He dismissed critics of PPPs structure for their ignorance, explaining that public-private collaboration has greater benefits by helping government to provide and maintain basic amenities as well as meet other statutory obligations like payment of workers’ salaries and allowances while private capital helps in delivering capital projects that have long-term impact.
George restated that there were enormous opportunities for interested private capital investors to partner with Lagos State on PPPs projects, even as he assured them that the state was safe for investment. He said the state government has put in place the appropriate policy and legal framework that protects investors with the enactment of the Public-Private Partnerships Act.
Union Bank of Nigeria has secured certification under the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) version 4.0.1, a global standard for protecting payment card data.
The certification took effect on August 11, 2026, confirming that the bank’s systems for storing, processing and transmitting customers’ credit and debit card information meet stringent international security requirements.
PCI DSS certification is designed to reduce the risk of payment card data breaches and financial fraud while strengthening customer confidence in electronic payment systems.
The assessment covered key areas of Union Bank’s operations, including network infrastructure, card issuance, ATM and POS transactions, payment processing, reconciliation, settlement, chargebacks, dispute resolution and retail banking.
Union Bank was assessed and certified under the Service Provider category.
The certification process lasted a full year and involved quarterly assessments, with support from departmental, business and functional heads across the bank. Digital security firm Digital Encode supported the process, while the final independent audit was conducted by CyberCube, an accredited Qualified Security Assessor.
Yetunde B. Oni, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Union Bank, said the certification demonstrates the bank’s commitment to protecting customer information.
“The security of our customers’ information is central to everything we do at Union Bank. This certification reaffirms that our payment systems and processes meet a rigorous global standard, and it reflects the discipline of colleagues across the Bank who work every day to keep customer data safe.”
The renewal also ensures that Union Bank maintains continuous PCI DSS certification, in line with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s requirement for banks to sustain compliance without interruption.
New data from CFA Society Nigeria is reshaping how the country’s financial sector thinks about talent development, with Access emerging as the single largest source of CFA candidates in Nigeria, distinction industry watchers say signals a deeper shift in how leading institutions are building investment expertise from within.
In its Where Nigeria’s Finance Professionals Work series, published in a national daily, CFA Society Nigeria placed Access first among employers of CFA candidates nationwide, with 82 candidates enrolled in the programme, more than double the 38 recorded at the next-placed institution and well ahead of every other bank or financial services firm on the list.
Access also ranked second among employers of CFA charterholders, with 11 professionals who have completed all three levels of the Programme and met its experience and ethics requirements.
For an industry that has long measured itself by balance sheet size and branch count, the rankings point to a different kind of competition: one over who is building the deepest bench of certified, globally credentialed talent.
CFA Society Nigeria compiled the data from its Salesforce Membership Database as at June 2026, and described the exercise as a way of recognising employers whose people “bring rigour, integrity and global best practices into the workplace every day.”
Analysts following the sector say the outcome is notable less for the ranking itself than for what it suggests about talent strategy across Africa’s financial services industry. A single institution developing more aspiring charterholders than the rest of the market combined raises the floor for professional standards nationally, not just within one balance sheet.
Every candidate who advances through the CFA Programme adds to a shared pool of ethics-trained, analytically rigorous professionals that Nigeria’s capital markets, pension funds and asset managers all eventually draw from.
Access Holdings Group Chief Executive Officer Innocent C. Ike, commenting on the rankings, framed the achievement in terms of institution-building rather than recruitment: “Every candidate on that list represents our commitment to building institutions and professionals that endure.”
The remark echoes a broader thesis increasingly voiced by market observers, that talent depth, not scale alone, is what will determine which African financial institutions earn lasting global credibility.
That distinction sits at the centre of Access’s stated ambition to become the World’s Most Respected African Financial Services Group. If the CFA numbers are any indication, the Group’s route to that goal runs less through square metres of branch network and more through the calibre of the people sitting inside it, a bet that Nigeria’s finance professionals, and the institutions that will one day hire them, are already placing alongside Access.
Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced plans to introduce Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) baggage tracking technology across domestic and international airport terminals to tackle the growing problem of delayed, misrouted and missing luggages
Michael Achimugu, director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, NCAA, disclosed this at a stakeholder engagement forum in Lagos.
Achimugu said the RFID-enabled system would replace the traditional barcode-based baggage tracking framework and provide airlines and passengers with real-time visibility of checked luggage from check-in to final collection.
According to him, the technology would improve baggage traceability, reduce mishandling and strengthen accountability across the baggage-handling chain.
Unlike conventional barcode systems, RFID technology allows baggage to be automatically scanned at multiple points without requiring direct line of sight, enabling real-time tracking of luggage throughout its journey.
Achimugu said issues involving short-landed, missing, lost or damaged baggage had remained among the major complaints from air travellers, alongside flight delays.
He said the introduction of RFID technology was therefore aimed at improving baggage-handling standards and restoring passenger confidence in the aviation sector.
The NCAA said the initiative also aligns with IATA Resolution 753, which requires airlines to track baggage at key points during the passenger journey.
The authority expects the technology to provide more accurate information on the location of luggage, facilitate quicker resolution of baggage-related complaints and improve the overall passenger experience.
The NCAA said the initiative would also strengthen accountability among airlines and other stakeholders involved in baggage handling at Nigerian airports.
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