General News
Red Star Has Retooled to Serve Outsourcing Sector, Banks- Obabori

The resent assigning of specific tasks to four divisions of Red Star Express Plc was in its preparedness to harness potentials in the outsourcing space of the economy, without compromising on the mandate as the credible indigenous company with penchant for pick-up and delivery of express documents and parcels, domestic and international, said Mr. Peter Olusola Obabori, the group managing director/chief executive officer.
In this interview Nigeria CommunicationsWeek, after his recent appointment as GMD, Obabori, said that the Group had since 2008 commenced the compartmentalization of its divisions, today, identified as Red Star Fright (RSF); Red Star Express (RSE); Red Star Support Services (RSSS) and Red Star Logistics (RSL).
Obabori, an astute management professional with long and outstanding Sales and Marketing career with an accounting and finance background, was previously the General Manager/Chief Operating Officer of Red Star Logistics Limited.
He joined the services of the organization in 1999. At various times, he served as the group’s Assistant General Manager in charge of Strategy and Business Development for over five years and later as Deputy General Manager Sales with the responsibility for the national sales management. Sola has a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc. Hons) degree in Accounting, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) in Business Administration from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
He is an alumnus of several advanced management and leadership programmes from world class institutions including -The School of Business Leadership of the University of South Africa, McGill Executive Institute, Canada; Lagos Business School, Nigeria; Harvard Business School, USA; Haas Business School of the University of California, Berkeley, USA; The University of Westminster, United Kingdom and FedEx Purple Academy, Belgium where he excelled as the Purple Star Award Winner in 2006, among others.
Red Star Express Plc’s Journey in Past 24 Years
“It has been a long journey. Twenty-four (24) years is also a length of time in the history of the company; we have seen it together. I have been here for seventeen (17) years; which means out of the twenty-four years I have seen ups and downs.
It is such a journey that has been rewarding to a very large extent, considering the amount of issues Nigeria has dealt with over the same period.
As I said during the anniversary: the owners/founders of this great company have done a great job, because, naturally, the mortality rate for companies is typically five years.
“I can mention many companies that came up during the same time Red Star Express was established, they struggle to stay alive for five years and there after they fizzled away; not because the owners didn’t have good intentions.
But, when you confront some issues that are bigger than you at some points, an economic circle that is tougher than you can contend with, sometimes, the best option is to give up and walk away from the fight.
So, staying around for this long means that we have to fight with many things and have been able to survive.
Emergence as Group Managing Director and Plans for the Company
“To me, it is a mixed basket of joy, but comes with serious responsibilities. You can be joyful of clinching a new job, but you must be conscious of delivering on the expectations.
There are big tasks on my hands; that is why the euphoria of been appointed the GMD has fizzled away as far as I am concerned.
I am settled to do the work before me. In terms of plans for the future: I have met a very good company on ground that has done very well in the environment.
Red Star has gone through many phases and it is listed company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) which puts us in the public domain.
“Therefore, we must not let down those who have put their investments here. That is why my number one role is to secure what is on ground and build on the foundations that have been laid in the last twenty-four years. So, we are looking at business expansions in various areas.
We are looking at various innovations and technologies to drive our businesses and we are doing serious investments in the company for future stability. One of the things we have found in companies like this is that for your future growth you must consider the strategic investment areas. That is way we are building a future for those that will later take over.
Plans for (Indigenous) Business Acquisitions
“There are possibilities to that effect. As a businessman you keep your ears and eyes wide open to opportunities. So, Red Star Express will respond with regards to opportunities.
At the global level it is happening in our industry; companies have to ‘swallow’ other companies. Such acquisitions have happened a lot in the banking sector in the last ten to fifteen years.
Some of them are done voluntarily, while others are through enforcement or policy direction. When government says you must have certain level of capitalization, people may have to respond by ‘swallowing’ smaller companies. In our industry it is usually voluntary. We are open to business opportunities and will keep monitoring situations in the industry.
Businesses & Challenging Economic Situation, Competition in Industry
“Looking at present economic challenge, Red Star was founded in 1992; a very turbulent economic period also in Nigeria. In 1998 there was global economic meltdown, which was also a season we weathered together.
This is eight years after that cycle that saw the collapse of many banks. Therefore, permanent rejuvenation and focus are core areas that companies must emphasis.
Because if you dabble into various businesses to stay alive; even diversification can kill your business. I have studied many companies and when you are a master of one trade, you also get yourself into trouble. For us in Red Star, one of the keys that have taken us thus far is focus
“Red Star is a much focused company I met and I have inherited as the CEO to run the affairs. Since 2008 we have had a bit of compartmentalization of our business leading to- Red Star Fright (RSF); Red Star Express (RSE); Red Star Support Services (RSSS) and Red Star Logistics (RSL). So, we have four companies inside Red Star Group.
Why Red Star Group Was ‘Unbundled’
“The purpose of the compartmentalization is to ensure that the entities can focus on the area of growth that we consider core for the business segment. For example, freight is a mega area of expansion.
Sea freight market is huge, even though in Nigeria we are going through economic recession. In other words, the volumes of goods have gone down substantially. The Customs Service even confirmed that the volume of exports has depreciated by a very wide margin.
Also from the air port side, as an import dependent economy, the volume has reduced, which means for us to go up we have to deepen what is on ground. For instance, the RSSS is engaged in outsourcing services for the banking sector. I see companies outsourcing some of their services to enable them focus on core competencies.
“We have offices nationwide; so, there is a structure already in place to help companies manage services they can’t handle, and definitely, it is cheaper for them.
If you run a chemist company, must you run a dispatch session to be able to distribute your goods from company-to-company and homes? It makes a lot of economic sense for you to ‘offload’ that aspect of the business, because by the time you start buying trucks and other machinery, recruit staff, of course you are going to pull your self down.
“We have seen that happen to many companies who ended up burning their fingers. So, looking at these opportunities we created those divisions in our business to address the needs in our current economy. And we are responding well to the challenges.
In fact, if you want to do well in Nigeria look at the banks; they are deploying technology to equip their businesses and drive down costs. If you do same with your business the results will show you made the right decision.
Assessment of Nigeria’s Postal Industry
“The industry is a reflection of total state of the economy. If the economy does very well, it will also benefit from it. If the power sector runs very well, what will happen? Production will improve substantially.
To us, there will be more goods to deliver from one location to another. The industry is not operating in isolation of the rest of the economy; we are part of it. We oil the machine of distribution from the point of production to the level of consumption.
That is our job; intermediaries from the time the raw materials are sourced to the end production. As the middlemen, whatever happens at the two ends, we will take a share of it. Whether they do well or not, the impacts rest with us
“To a large extent, the industry needs re-organisation, but it does not imply we are no contributing to the economy.
I cannot boast that we have done better; we are reflecting the state of the economy in a larger scale. If you consider the investments in the industry, the workforce, taxes payable to the government-P.A.Y.E, corporate taxes; and structures put in place we have contributed to scaling-up of the economy.
We need to put up the figures together to understand what the industry is contributing to the economy in general. There people who are licensed today to just do delivery. They operate without belonging to any Association, because today if you can acquire a truck or two you have started…
…But That Raises the Issue of Quacks
No! They have licenses to operate but chose not to belong to any association, because they don’t want the challenges of unionization.
We were in a meeting few days again, and some of them are not willing to participate, because there are pressures they may not be able to face. Companies have gone down as a result of unionism…
Migration of Postal from Communications Ministry to Transportation
“Well, I don’t want to make categorical statement on this matter, but I know we do more of transportation than communications. In past it used to be post and telecoms (P&T). That classification has always been there; I am not in the position to change it. But, what do we do for a living- we move shipments from one location to another.
If you interpret that properly, the society should decide where we ought to belong. We move goods via trucks, bikes, and aircrafts.
If you look at that broad description of services we render, then where should we belong? At some point, our members belonged to the maritime unions, but after many years of squabbles they have migrated to post and telecoms union.
Red Star’s Expansion Plans
We have about 170 offices and agencies across the country. In terms of growth projection, the four pillars that I mentioned earlier, we are trying to deepen what each of them is doing currently.
Through RSSS we are providing shuttle services for banks and other organizations. We are trying to deepen such operations without having to mingle into what is not our operational area. People want faster service; technology helps to offer faster services and cut costs.
Red Star’s Five Year Plan
We may not draw a plan for you because this is public quoted company. Anything I say now can affect our operations at the stock market. It is easy to be killed when you have opened your arsenal. But one thing I can guarantee you is that Red Star is a forward-looking company.
We will not leave this company the way we met it. Our plan is to add as much Naira as we can, rave up the value of the company; a pact we have signed with the owners of the Company. Our reports are released quarterly; we will continue to work hard for the benefit of the shareholders.
Non-Passage of Postal Commission Bill
We are losing a lot (as a country) for non-passage of the all-important Bill. We do visit other countries and you would see a clear separation of roles between regulator and operator, enabling clear-cut policy direction as against the arrangement today where NIPOST is playing both rules. In the telecoms sector there is a clear direction on how things should be done.
Independence and control are part of critical areas that should be considered while passing the bill. I believe the industry will be given opportunity to make considerations to the Bill before passage. Ghana, Niger and other West African countries boast of a postal Commission.
Licensing & Renewal Fees Charged by NIPOST
Well, when the current fees were put forward, we had to fall in line. If you want to do survive you have to join hands with the government to sanitise the industry. Many (courier) companies had gone under, not just necessarily due to the licensing and renewal fees, but there are too many issues in this business ecosystem.
—
General News
FG Declares Admissions outside CAPS Illegal

Federal government has declared that any admission into tertiary institutions conducted outside the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS), will be deemed illegal.
Dr Tunji Alausa, minister of Education, gave the directive in Abuja on Tuesday at the 2025 policy meeting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
Alausa, therefore, warned universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across the country against illegal admission.
He said institutions and individuals involved in such practices would be prosecuted and severely sanctioned.
“Any admission conducted outside CAPS, regardless of its intentions, is illegal.
“Both institutions and the candidates involved in such practices will be held accountable.
“Sanctions may include withdrawal of institutional assets and prosecution of culpable officers or governing council members,” he said.
CAPS, introduced in 2017, automates the admission process to eliminate human interference and administrative bottlenecks.
Alausa, however, reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthen transparency, fairness, and accountability in the nation’s tertiary education system.
He explained that while the responsibility for initiating admissions rests with the academic boards of each institution, JAMB, as a statutory regulatory body is mandated to oversee and regulate the process to ensure fairness and equity.
The Minister urged vice-chancellors, rectors, provosts, and governing councils to intensify oversight functions to prevent unauthorised practices.
He assured that the Ministry would monitor compliance closely in collaboration with JAMB.
The minister also reaffirmed the policy mandating integration of the National Identification Number (NIN) into the JAMB registration process.
“The NIN requirement has proven vital in safeguarding the integrity of our admission system by curbing identity fraud and multiple registrations.
“Any abuse of the NIN system will be identified and punished,” he said.
He highlighted the need for data-driven policies in the admission processes.
The Minister also presented statistics showing a mismatch between available admission quotas and actual student intake across many programmes, especially in agriculture, education, engineering, and the health sciences.
“We have capacity, but we are not admitting enough students.
“We need to start closing the gap, so that more children can access tertiary education,” he said.
He also criticised the proliferation of underutilised institutions, revealing that over 120 universities in Nigeria received fewer than 50 applications in the current admission cycle.
“The problem is not about access, it’s about alignment and capacity.
“We don’t need to open new tertiary institutions in every ward. Instead, we must expand and strengthen the capacity of existing ones,” he said.
On his part, Sen. Shuaib Salisu, chairman, Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, called for stricter sanctions against institutions and administrators who undermine Nigeria’s admission process.
Salisu proposed the criminalisation of fraudulent admission practices.
He also warned institutions that exploit loopholes in the admissions system, allowing students to unknowingly pursue flawed admissions for years to desist from such practices.
He assured that the Senate Committee would explore legislation to criminalise such fraudulent practices, holding admission officers and institutional management accountable.
Salisu also called for an inclusive education system that drives peace and economic growth.
General News
BRICS Leaders Seek Inclusive Access to AI

To support a constructive debate towards a balanced artificial intelligence (AI) approach, the BRICS leaders have agreed on a set of guidelines to foster responsible development, deployment and use of AI technologies for sustainable development and inclusive growth.
The leaders of the BRICS nations – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – published a joint statement calling for a global governance framework for AI that is inclusive, representative and rooted in the principles of sovereignty, development and ethical responsibility.
The guidelines, which strictly refer to the use of AI in the non-military domain, should be applied through either domestic or applicable international frameworks, as well as through the development of interoperable standards and protocols, in inclusive, transparent and consensus-based processes, the statement reads.
BRICS is a political and diplomatic coordination forum for countries from the Global South. This year’s theme was “Strengthening global south cooperation for more inclusive and sustainable governance”.
The BRICS leaders’ statement positions AI as a transformative force for sustainable development and innovation, while also warning against uncoordinated governance models that could deepen global inequities, marginalise developing nations and fracture multilateralism.
It emphasises that AI governance should be anchored in the United Nations system to ensure inclusivity and legitimacy.
The BRICS countries warn against a fragmented regulatory landscape, advocating for co-ordinated multilateralism that includes the voices of developing countries – particularly from the Global South.
BRICS leaders reaffirmed their support for Digital sovereignty, saying each country must retain the right to shape AI policy and technology in line with its own development goals and legal frameworks. This includes capacity-building, data governance and technological autonomy.
“We firmly support the right of all countries to harness the benefits of the digital economy… to develop capacities in AI research, foster technological autonomy and innovation, ensure data protection, and promote their own digital economy,” the statement reads.
A major theme in the document is the need for fair, equitable and inclusive access to AI technologies. The BRICS leaders stress that all countries – regardless of economic standing – must be able to access and benefit from AI.
The group also called for global co-operation in building data governance frameworks that allow developing countries secure and equitable access to data, with full respect for privacy, intellectual property rights and national laws. This ties into support for open science, open innovation and open-source AI models that can fuel local innovation ecosystems.
On intellectual property, the statement advocates for a balance between proprietary rights and public interest to prevent exploitative data practices and ensure transparency in AI model development and deployment.
The BRICS countries voiced concern over algorithmic bias and the exclusion of underrepresented cultures and languages in AI datasets and models.
They called for ethical, transparent and accountable AI development that reflects cultural, demographic and linguistic diversity.
They also endorsed UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and called for international co-operation to develop inclusive datasets, tools to flag misinformation and mechanisms to mitigate bias – especially against vulnerable groups like women, children, the elderly and people with disabilities.
The BRICS nations stressed the importance of using AI as a tool for sustainable development, citing sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, education, energy and environmental conservation as priority areas.
They urged that AI development must be environmentally responsible, minimising carbon emissions and e-waste.
The potential of AI to enhance productivity and job creation was also recognised, as well as the risks of job displacement and exploitation. The statement calls for policies that safeguard worker rights, ensure compatibility between AI and human capabilities, and promote decent work in the digital economy.
“It is imperative to safeguard the rights and wellbeing of all workers, particularly those directly affected by the digital transformation… including generative AI,” the statement says.
The BRICS statement ends with a commitment to intensify co-ordination on AI governance and share the guidelines across international platforms. It extends an open invitation to other developing countries to contribute to and refine the emerging global framework for AI.
“We welcome contributions to further develop these guidelines, particularly from other developing countries, and will remain open to revisiting them.”
General News
Tech-driven Solutions Receive Commendation @ Maiden Insurance Week Hackathon

Mrs Yetunde Ilori, President of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN), has commended the innovative and technology-driven solutions presented during the institute’s maiden Insurance Week Hackathon competition.
Ilori gave the commendation after the completion of the competition on Thursday in Lagos, held at the College of Insurance and Financial Management in Asese, Ogun, as part of the Insurance Week organised by the CIIN.
She described the solutions as crucial to the industry’s transformation and relevance in the digital age. “This shows that the future is bright for the Nigerian insurance industry.
We are transforming as an industry, and digital innovation is at the heart of that transformation,” Ilori said. She noted that 19 teams initially applied for the competition, but only six were shortlisted.
The competition, which targeted young Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 29, engaged six finalist teams over a fourweek intensive innovation process, culminating in a demo day on Wednesday in Lagos.
The hackathon focused on real-world challenges in the sector, such as inclusive insurance, fraud detection, risk management, and improving customer experience.
It was designed to cultivate the next generation of insurance innovators, deepen insurance awareness, and promote financial literacy among Nigerians.
The teams that participated in the final stage of the competition were: Ifokanbale, Insurbridge, Insurvate, Team Aegis, Team Phoenix, and The Assured Team. Team Aegis developed “Hustle Guard,” a microinsurance solution for tricycle drivers covering health, life, and income, in an effort to demystify micro insurance in Nigeria.
The Assured Team presented “Kolo Plus by Card,” an unstructured savings plan with payment and interest features tailored to low-income earners. Team Insurbridge created “Smarter Claims,” a solution aimed at improving the insurance claims process.
Team Phoenix introduced “HerShield,” a solution focused on empowering women and building trust in the insurance sector. The Assured Team also developed additional ideas to drive insurance penetration in underserved and informal communities.
After an engaging pitch session before a panel of judges, Team Insurvate emerged as the overall winner with its solution, “Claim Central”, an end-to-end digital platform designed to streamline the insurance claims process from policyholders to insurers.
Team Aegis secured second place, while Team Phoenix came in third. The panel of judges included financial sector experts such as Norah Igwe, Tunji Andrews, Diana Mulili, Sakeenat Bakare, Ibraheem Babalola, and Prince Adeshina Adeyemi-Doro.
Also speaking, Mr Eddie Efekoha, Chairman of the Insurance Week, said the hackathon demonstrated a conscious effort to explore how technology can help distribute insurance products to all parts of the country.
“We believe this initiative will spark more interest among the youth to engage with insurance, not just as consumers but as creators and innovators,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the winning team, Mr Odunayo Ojeremi, leader of Team Insurvate, described the competition as highly competitive and rewarding. “We are excited and grateful for the opportunity.
“We didn’t expect to win, but we are glad our solution was recognised. We hope to improve ‘Claim Central’ and make it a platform that ensures seamless claims processing,” he said.
- Telecom2 days ago
Y’ello Care’s 21-Day Campaign Bridges Digital Divide for Thousands Nationwide
- General News2 days ago
Enugu Air Commences Operations Today
- E-Business2 days ago
Galaxy Backbone, Rural Electrification Agency Commit to Deepening Digital and Energy Access Across Nigeria
- Broadcasting2 days ago
NDPC Slaps Multichoice with ₦766M Fine for Data Privacy Violations
- News2 days ago
Lagos-Calabar Highway Gets $100M Push from ECOWAS to Drive Regional Growth
- Telecom2 days ago
20 Years of Digital Leadership: Layer3’s Legacy and the Road Ahead
- News2 days ago
NBS May Release Rebased Figures for Nigerian Economy July 11
- Telecom1 day ago
NCC Wins Global ICT Award for Digital Awareness in Schools