The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has said that an effective identity management is key to a secure and prosperous nation.

Tunji-Ojo said this on Monday during his address at the National Day of Identity 2024 programme.

“Today, alongside the Permanent Secretary, Dr Magdalene Ajani, I attended the National Day of Identity 2024 programme organised by the National Identification Management Commission (NIMC) under the leadership of Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, the MD/CEO of the organisation,” he said.

“The event was graced by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume who represented President Bola Tinubu.

“In my remarks, I stressed the significance of identity management as the ultimate gatekeeping responsibility of the government, one that goes a long way to determine how secure a country is.

“Effective identity management is key to a secure and prosperous nation. And for everyday we live, our identity will continue to shape how we are perceived in the comity of other nations.”

The event availed the NIMC as a government institution a unique opportunity to collaborate with some of the finest private sector players and stakeholders who shared stage with Tunji-Ojo not just as a speaker but also as panelists during various breakout sessions.

During the event, the minister unveiled the newly designed logo for the NIMC and led the presentation of awards to winners of the design competition ranging from primary school category to the tertiary category.

“Our government under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) will continue to explore innovative ideas as well as leverage technology to drive Digital Public Infrastructure that will enable Access to Services for Nigerians, as aptly captured by the theme of the event,” Tunji-Ojo said.

The NIMC and a smart card manufacturing firm, SecureID, meant have deepened their partnership to enhance the identity security in Nigeria.

SecureID disclosed this in a statement on Monday, adding that the partnership was initiated during a visit by the Director General of NIMC, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote to the company’s manufacturing facility in Lagos.

The Group CEO of SecureID, Kofo Akinkugbe, while addressing the press talked about the importance of local solutions in tackling the problems bedeviling Nigeria’s identity management.

“Identity management is an essential social infrastructure worldwide. We firmly believe that home-grown solutions are the most effective ways to overcome the unique challenges we face,” Akinkugbe said.

“Through strategic public-private partnerships, both the government and the private sector could unlock new opportunities for growth and success in this crucial industry.”

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and a smart card manufacturing firm, SecureID have deepened their partnership to enhance identity security in Nigeria.

SecureID disclosed this in a statement on Monday, adding that the partnership was initiated during a visit by the Director General of NIMC, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote to the company’s manufacturing facility in Lagos.

The Group CEO of SecureID, Kofo Akinkugbe, while addressing the press talked about the importance of local solutions in tackling the problems bedevelling Nigeria’s identity management.

“Identity management is an essential social infrastructure worldwide. We firmly believe that home-grown solutions are the most effective ways to overcome the unique challenges we face,” Akinkugbe said.

“Through strategic public-private partnerships, both the government and the private sector could unlock new opportunities for growth and success in this crucial industry.”

The NIMC DG on her part expantiated on the various advantages that robust identity management systems bring to the economy of any country.

“SecureID’s dedication to international standards not only strengthens Nigeria’s position in the global market but also underscores our collective mission of driving secure, reliable identity management solutions,” Coker-Odusote said.

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund) has disbursed over N5.093 billion in institutional fees to 59 federal and state tertiary institutions, even as it has commenced sensitisation campaigns to schools.

This comes as 45,440 beneficiaries have received institutional fees from the Fund.

The Guardian reports that NELFUND has so far visited 10 tertiary institutions including Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam, Anambra State; Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Imo State; Micheal Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State; Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho and Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt.

Institutions visited are the University of Calabar; Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Ekpene; University of Port Harcourt; Niger Delta University, Amasomma, Bayelsa State as well as Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Delta State.

The Fund indicated that the sensitisation campaign jointly organised with the leadership of NANS, was intended to enlighten the schools and their students about the programme, its intended objectives, and how they could leverage it to improve access to education.

Speaking at the University of Port Harcourt, NELFUND Managing Director, Akintunde Sawyerr, highlighted the importance of the programme in helping Nigerian students overcome financial barriers to education.

Sawyerr said the sensitisation programme was to encourage students who may be hesitant to apply due to a lack of understanding of the scheme.

He said the Fund has been empowered to reach every nook and cranny of the country, ensuring that no region is marginalised.

He stressed the need for students to take full advantage of the loan scheme, which provides both tuition and monthly stipends for applicants.

The MD who was accompanied to UNIPORT by staff of the Fund including Executive Director Operations, Mustapha Iyal; Director Corporate Communications, Oseyemi Oluwatuyi; Special Assistant to the MD, Nasir Ayitogo as well as Senate President of NANS, Babatunde Akinteye; reiterated the Fund’s commitment to equitable distribution of the facility.

“This is about investing in your future, not just providing loans. It is an opportunity for you to focus on your studies without the distraction of financial concerns,” he said.

“Together, we can build a brighter future for our nation, one student at a time. NELFUND is here to ensure that your academic journey is not hindered by financial limitations.”

The first phase of the interest-free student loan scheme which commenced on May 24, 2024, is expected to benefit no fewer than 1.2 million students.

As of the time of filing this report, 45,440 applicants from 59 federal and state institutions have benefitted from the scheme, while over N5,093,110,671 has been disbursed as institutional fees.

Some of the institutions include Alex Ekueme Federal University, Anambra State; Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Imo State; University of Ibadan; Delta State University, Abraka; Federal University Gusau Zamfara State; Bauchi State University; Yaba College of Technology, Lagos State; Niger State Polytechnic among others.

On his part, the Vice-Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt, Prof Owunari Georgewill lauded the Federal Government’s efforts to support students in furthering their education with ease.

While noting that the loan scheme was a significant step towards alleviating students’ financial burden, the Don encouraged them to take advantage of the opportunity and spend their monthly upkeep wisely.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has said that it will sell the petrol lifted from the Dangote Refinery for nothing less than ₦950 per litre in Lagos.

The NNPCL spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, disclosed this on Monday, in a statement titled, ‘NNPC Ltd Releases Estimated Pump Prices of PMS from Dangote Refinery Based on September 2024 Pricing’.

It said, “The NNPC Ltd has released estimated prices of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as Petrol (obtained from the Dangote Refinery) in its retail stations across the country. “The NNPC Ltd also wishes to state that, in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), PMS prices are not set by Government, but negotiated directly between parties on an arms length.

“The NNPC Ltd can confirm that it is paying Dangote Refinery in USD for September 2024 PMS offtake, as Naira transactions will only commence on October 1st, 2024.

“The NNPC Ltd assures that if the quoted pricing is disputed, it will be grateful for any discount from the Dangote Refinery, which will be passed on 100% to the general public.”

The company later shared an infographic, showing that the lowest price for the product would be nothing less than ₦950 in Lagos and its environs.

He explained that the price may go for as high as ₦1,019/litre in places like Borno State, and ₦999.22 in Abuja, Sokoto, Kano, and others.

In Oyo, Rivers and other areas in the South, it will be ₦960 per litre.

It would be recalled that the Dangote Group had disagreed with the NNPCL on Sunday that it was selling PMS at ₦898, but it failed to release its price list.

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This is as the loading of the first batch of petrol on Sunday commenced at the Dangote Refinery.

NNPCL spokesman Femi Soneye told Channels Television that 16.8 million litres of petrol have been lifted from the refinery

“We successfully loaded PMS at the Dangote Refinery today. The claim that we purchased it at N1,300 per litre or at N760 is incorrect.

“For this initial loading, the price from the refinery was N898 per litre. I can also confirm, in response to your inquiries, that we will receive 16.8 million litres.

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“As of 4 pm Sunday, we have loaded about 70 trucks today and it’s still ongoing,” he said.

Last December, Dangote, Africa’s leading industrialist, commenced operations at his $20bn facility sited in Lagos with 350,000 barrels a day.

The refinery, which was initially bogged by regulatory battles, hopes to achieve its full capacity of 650,000 barrels per day by the end of the year.

The refinery has begun the supply of diesel and aviation fuel to marketers in the country and now petrol.

The Ugandan Minister of Works and Transport, Katunba Wamala, has called on the Federal Government to review the visa regime between the two nations to promote inter-Africa connectivity.

The minister made the appeal at the inaugural launch of the Nigeria-Uganda Business Forum at the weekend in Abuja.

He applauded Nigeria for joining the Single Africa Air Transport Market, but said the visas were still expensive and represented a significant barrier to travel.

He said: “For instance, a Ugandan needs to pay about $200 to acquire a visa to Nigeria. This, on the average, represents two to four bed nights for someone wishing to visit and explore new places in Nigeria. Without visa fee, this money can still enter our respective economies due to increased travel and business.

“Therefore, we request a review of the visa regime between our respective nations so as to promote Inter-Africa connectivity.”

While applauding the commencement of direct flight from Uganda into Lagos and Abuja, Wamala said there was an urgent need to address the huge connectivity gaps that still plagued the African continent.

He pointed out that a study on underserved markets that was published recently by Airbus spotlighted West Africa as one of the most underserved markets by air services in Africa, saying the study exposed an existing air connectivity gap between East Africa and Abuja, as there had been no direct air service between the capitals of the East African community and Abuja.

He said the commencement of flight had opened a gateway for the people of Abuja and Nigeria in general to travel through Entebbe to other parts of Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, and called on Nigerians to harness the opportunities and develop cultural exchanges.

Nigeria’s Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Doris Anite, in her address also noted that the direct flight would unlock the economic potential between the two countries and reduce travel time, increase efficiency, and foster greater collaboration between businesses, and enable them to tap into new markets, access new customers, and explore new opportunities that abound in both countries.

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, Mr. Peter Obi, has flayed the presidency over what he described as a futile attempt to cast him in a bad light, using the American presidential election.

Obi spoke through his media office, in a statement titled, “Why desperate Obi traducers are kissing the dust.”. The statement was signed by his spokesman, Ibrahim Umar, in Abuja, yesterday.

It said desperate propagandists and presidential enablers were indulging in the distortion of facts all in a bid to destroy his impeccable image.

Umar said: “For these traducers, it would be a huge omission for a day to pass without finding something to negatively link Obi within the media space; if he and his family members are not being arrested imaginarily, he is being wickedly accused of sponsoring violence or twisting his public appearances in a manner to suit their dubious motives.

“Perhaps the most laughable of such delusions is the Presidency’s effort to ridicule Obi by dragging his name into the United States of America electioneering process, by scandalously linking him with the Republican Party Candidate, Donald Trump.

“We are very much aware of the motive behind these ridiculous comparisons, which is their uncanny way of currying favour so undeserved from the democrats.”

According to the statement, every discerning mind who wants to compare Obi and Tinubu and attempts to equate them with the two American presidential candidates, Trump and Harris, knows too well the similarities and parallels in terms of morality, transparency, good-standing antecedents and people-focused policies.

“The Presidency, by indulging in such clever-by-half comparisons, which are intended to discredit Obi, merely brings to the fore the glaring weaknesses of the incumbent administration and their crassness and inability to discern the realities and especially the pains and pangs their actions and policies foisted on the nation in the past year.”