General News
Tough Call against Mobile Phone on Wheel
Use of mobile phone when driving or riding is dangerous.
They are opposite sides of a coin.
Cell phone technology is supposed to help us carry out the tasks of daily life but using it while driving is dangerous and stupid.
Today, there are nearly 120 million telephone lines in the country, all playing integral roles in the lives and businesses of the owners.
But making or receiving call while driving is a significant distraction and increases the risk of the driver crashing and causing harm to other road users.
Despite warnings, mobile phone use while driving is still very common in Nigeria.
The massive increase in mobile phone use is not helping matters.
The cell phone is a life-saving communication tool in a vehicle in case of emergency.
However, actually using a cell phone while driving may be life threatening.
Many different studies have shown that when drivers use a cell phone while driving, it can be very dangerous.
There are two dangers associated with driving and cell phone use, including text messaging.
First, drivers must take their eyes off the road while dialing.
Second, people can become so absorbed in their conversations that their ability to concentrate on the act of driving is severely impaired, jeopardizing the safety of vehicle occupants and pedestrians.
The distraction of using a cell phone while driving is the same as fiddling with the radio, dealing with kids and pets, applying make-up, eating and so on.
Nigeria has banned use of mobile phone while driving but many have continued to ignore the law leaving tears, blood and avoidable damages in their wake.
According to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) road traffic accidents are a significant cause of injury and deaths in the country.
Many of the deaths are preventable and are caused by sheer recklessness.
Some of them are caused when drivers who use cell phones on wheels are distracted from the road.
A recent World Health Organisation’s ‘global status report on road safety’ also indicates that well over one million people are killed on the world’s roads every year, half of these being pedestrians and motorcyclists.
As many as 50 million people per year are injured in road traffic accidents, many sustaining severe permanent disabilities and loss of mobility.
That is why we welcome the new Lagos Traffic Bill, signed into law by Babatunde Fashola, governor of Lagos State because it will restore sanity on Lagos roads.
In essence, it is now illegal to drive or ride a vehicle while using a hand-held mobile phone.
The penalty is a three-year jail term or a fine of N20, 000 for first offenders and N30, 000 for subsequent offences or both for any other breaches subject to the discretion of the presiding magistrate.
FRSC should also enforce the penalty in the Act establishing it which stipulates that punishment for use of cell phone on wheels is a fine of N4, 000.
Other state governments must also follow in the step of the Lagos State government because life is precious and should not cut short by reckless loose ranting cell phone users.
The Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) must also review the convenience cell phones offer against the hazards they pose.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek however believes that there should be tougher sanctions against Nigerians who use mobile phones while driving because they kill tens of people daily.
But well meaning Nigerians must not wait for the law. They should start acting responsibly now and avoid putting other motorists and Nigerians in dangers.
The FRSC and NCC should embark on a nationwide public enlightenment exercise on the dangers of driving, smoking, talking and texting on the mobile phone while driving or riding.
Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA) has warned of possible floods in parts of Adamawa, Bauchi, Edo, Imo, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Kaduna, Plateau, Niger, Benue, and Borno states within the next seven days.
According to information posted on NIHSA X handle, the Agency announced medium flood advisory in force for the next 7 days across Adamawa, Bauchi, and 11 other States.
“Localised inundation is forecast along the main channel; named communities below sit on the projected footprint. Stations: Saminara on the Karam river, Waya Dam Site on the Waya river, Amber on the Amber river.
“Adamawa; Lemsa, Lamurde, Numan Exposure: 147 comm. 49 schis 40 hith 6 mkts17 relig. Bauchi-Bauchi, Ningi, Shira. Exposure: 4 comm. Kaduna; Chikun, Giwa, Igabi, Jaba, Jema’a, Kachia, Kaura, Kauru, +6 more. Exposure: 1 comm.
“Borno-Gubio, Mobbar. Exposure: 680 comm. 8 schls 6 hith 5 mkts 21 relig. Edo-Akoko-Ed, EtsakoEa, EtsakoWe, Ikpoba-Okha, Orhionmw, OviaNort, OviaSo.. Exposure: 3 comm.
“Imo-Aboh-Mba, Oguta, Ohaji/Eg, Okigwe, Owerri North, Owerri West. Exposure: 3 comm. 7 more states affected and severity LGAs”.
NIHSA advised people in the affected areas to “do NOT cross flooded roads, bridges, or fast-moving water on foot or by vehicle.
“Clear drainage channels and river-mouth blockages; avoid building or living in the floodplain and move people, livestock and valuables from the floodplain to pre-identified higher ground,” NIHSA stated.
General News
First Trustees Advocates Estate Planning as an Essential Tool in Every Wealth Creation Strategy
First Trustees Limited, a subsidiary of FirstHoldCo Plc., and a leading provider of fiduciary and trusteeship services in Nigeria, is encouraging individuals, professionals, entrepreneurs, and investors to view Estate Planning not as an end-of-life exercise, but as a strategic investment tool for protecting, preserving, and transferring wealth across generations.
As more Nigerians focus on wealth creation through businesses, real estate investments, and other income-generating assets, experts are emphasizing that building wealth is only one part of the equation.
Equally important is creating structures that ensure those assets remain protected, properly managed, and seamlessly transferred to succeeding generations in accordance with the asset owner’s wishes. Importantly, Estate Planning is not solely for the wealthy, it is a prudent step for anyone with assets, dependants, or a business to protect, regardless of age, profession, or net worth.
Speaking on the importance of Estate Planning, Ereifemi Akeredolu, Managing Director/CEO, First Trustees Limited, noted that Estate Planning should be considered a core pillar of every long-term financial strategy.
“Many people focus on creating wealth but give litle thought to preserving it. Estate Planning is a wealth protection strategy that helps individuals safeguard their assets, secure their family’s future, and ensure that the value they build today continues to benefit future generations.”
Using tools such as Trusts, Wills, and advanced succession plans, individuals can build structures that support wealth preservation, business continuity, asset protection, and intergenerational wealth transfer.
For entrepreneurs and business owners, Estate Planning serves as a powerful tool for ensuring business sustainability, helping organizations remain stable and operational regardless of unforeseen circumstances.
First Trustees continues to emphasize and educate on the importance of Estate Planning as a comprehensive strategy for proactive planning. It remains one of the most important financial decisions an individual can make: it provides clarity, minimizes uncertainty, and protects assets from unnecessary erosion and disputes. It also creates financial security for loved ones, supports business succession and continuity, and facilitates long-term investment and legacy planning.
General News
Nearpays, Nigerian Fintech Becomes First African Startup to Win UN’s AI for Good Innovation Factory
Nearpays, Nigerian fintech, has won the AI for Good Innovation Factory grand finale — the first African startup ever to take the global title in the competition, which runs as part of the United Nations’ AI for Good Global Summit.
The competition drew more than 500 startups worldwide, each pitching AI solutions aimed at social and economic challenges.
The summit itself is organised by the UN through the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in partnership with several UN agencies, convening governments, researchers, startups, and technology companies around AI’s role in development.
Nearpays’ route to the title ran through Johannesburg, where it won the African regional competition, before advancing to the global finals in Geneva.
There, the company progressed through the semi-finals and claimed the grand finale — a first for the continent.
The company describes the win as bigger than a corporate milestone, calling it a victory for African innovation and proof that technology built to solve local problems can compete, and win, on the world stage.
Nearpays was founded to close a stubborn gap in African payments: small and medium-sized businesses that can’t afford or access traditional point-of-sale terminals.
Cost, availability, and deployment hurdles have kept many merchants — particularly in rural and underserved communities — locked out of digital payments.
Its answer is SoftPOS: an AI-powered platform that turns compatible Android smartphones into payment acceptance devices, letting merchants take contactless card payments with nothing more than their phones. AI is embedded across the platform, supporting payment processing, compliance, fraud detection, and business operations.
Crucially, the platform was built for African infrastructure realities — it works both online and offline, so merchants can keep accepting payments even without internet connectivity.
The company credited its team’s years of product development and customer engagement for the result, and thanked the UN, the ITU, and the AI for Good initiative for building a platform where innovators can apply AI to real-world problems.
It also said it hopes the win encourages more African founders to build technology that answers local needs while competing internationally.
For Nearpays, the title closes one chapter and opens another, as the company pushes on with expanding digital financial infrastructure across Afric
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