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Courier Industry to Independent Regulator Soon
If there is any issue that operators in the Courier industry in Nigeria are very passionate about, it is the issue of having an independent regulatory authority to run the affairs of the industry.
They strongly believe that an independent regulatory authority is capable of turning the fortunes of the courier industry around just as it is being witnessed in the telecommunications or the pharmaceutical sectors of the economy.
These operators believe that the only reason why the growth in the courier sector is stunted is because it is still tied to the apron strings of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) better known for its moribund, bureaucratic and red tape nature.
They posit that as long as this continues the industry that has to do with speed and dynamism will remain in a docile condition for a very long time.
Some of them have often accused NIPOST of not wanting to let go because it is profiting from the status quo.
Though Dr Simon Emeje, senior assistant postmaster general in charge the Courier Regulatory Department (CRD) of NIPOST does not agree with all these, however he acknowledges the fact that it is a very serious problem in the industry which the government is looking at more seriously.
"The government is working on it. The draft postal bill and the draft National Postal Policy have been written and the government is fine-tuning some things in the documents. So, it is a development in the industry that both the operators and the general public are looking up to." He said
According to him, everyone wants to see the regulatory body established, because everybody has felt that having an independent body will do the industry a lot good, because so far, NIPOST is both a regulator and an operator. Globally, this is no longer, in practice.
Dr Emeje maintained that Courier operators still see them as a partial judge in the sense that they are a department in NIPOST.
He said that this is being addressed as the government is working on separating the regulatory body from NIPOST.
On why creating an independent regulator for the Courier industry had dragged on for so long? He had this to say: "the reason is because the issue met a misfortune along the way. At a time, they set up a ministerial committee on the Courier Regulatory Authority. When this was almost completed, and a stakeholders meeting was called, the week this was to take place, Alhaji Abubakar Argungu, former post master general died in October 2005 in a plane crash. This finally brought gown the tempo.
"April last year, the stakeholder’s forum was finally held. The draft postal bill and the draft national Postal Policy is now ready. The postal policy has been okayed but the government is fine-tuning the postal bill It had drafted because of one problem or the other. The postal policy is a document from which the bill is drawn.
"It is at a stage of fine-tuning for it to be submitted to the minister of information and communication. When that is done the minister will present it to the federal executive council from where it will go to the national Assembly to be passed into law.

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General News
Mayor of London Commits to Deepening UK-Nigeria Ties in Tech, Creatives and Trade

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has successfully concluded his visit to Lagos, Nigeria, aimed at strengthening the UK-Nigeria economic relationship and celebrating the deep cultural ties, shared vibrancy, and global influence of two dynamic cities – London and Lagos.
This visit marked the growing importance of Nigeria as a key partner in the UK’s global trade and investment strategy, particularly in sectors such as fintech, innovation, and the creative economy.
Alongside the visit, the Mayor of London led a trade delegation of 27 London-based companies in fintech, enterprise technology, and sustainability, supported by the Mayor’s growth agency, London & Partners. Under the leadership of Howard Dawber OBE, Deputy Mayor for Business and Growth, the agency facilitated a series of high-level engagements in Nigeria.
The delegation connected with Nigerian policymakers, investors, and creatives through curated events aimed at fostering collaboration and unlocking new business opportunities across Africa.
This visit marked the first official trip by a sitting Mayor of London to sub-Saharan Africa, underscoring London’s commitment to building long-term, cross-sector partnerships that support inclusive growth, digital transformation, and cultural exchange.
Mayor Khan’s engagements in Lagos commenced with participation in a panel discussion at the “Bridging Borders: How London and Lagos Can Shape the Future of Global Tech” tech event where he highlighted how London and Lagos can jointly shape the future of global innovation and encouraged Nigerian tech businesses to invest in London.
The Mayor of London also attended the Lagos Canvas Reception, a celebration of Nigeria’s flourishing creative sector which he co-hosted with Mo Abudu at the Ebony Life place.
The reception celebrated the status of Lagos and London as cultural and creative industry powerhouses and looked to encourage even greater ties between the creative industry ecosystems in both cities.
From the arts to fashion, music and film – central to the UK-Nigeria Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP) – which is expanding trade and unlocking new opportunities in the creative economy.
Wrapping up his visit to Lagos, Nigeria, the Mayor of London will continue his historic trade mission with stops in Accra, Johannesburg and Cape Town to bang the drum for the capital as a place for investment, innovation, and cultural exchange – strengthening ties with countries across the African continent for economic growth.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I am delighted to be visiting Nigeria and Africa this week – the first visit of its kind by a Mayor of London – to bang the drum for the capital and further develop the strong ties between our countries.
“Africa has the world’s fastest growing populations and is seeing major economic growth across many of its economies. Over the next decade there are huge opportunities to deepen partnerships with London. I will be working tirelessly throughout this visit to drive trade and investment across critical sectors including finance, education, health, tech creative and sustainability.
“Londoners of African heritage have played, and continue to play, a huge role in making London the greatest city in the world, and this trip is an opportunity to celebrate our shared heritage, history and culture with the African continent – as we build a better and fairer city for everyone.”
British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Mr. Jonny Baxter, said: “The Mayor of London’s visit underscores the UK Government’s commitment to strengthening economic and cultural ties with Nigeria. From trade to fintech and fashion, our collaboration is driving innovation and growth.
“Through the UK-Nigeria Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership, we’re committed to unlocking new opportunities that benefit both our economies, and this visit is a powerful step forward in that journey of inclusive growth.”
UK Minister for Africa, Lord Collins of Highbury, said: “Sir Sadiq’s visit marks an exciting moment for the UK’s relationship with countries across Africa and is a strong demonstration of our commitment to deepening our ties with the continent.
“Strengthening our trade, investment, and cultural ties is not only vital for shared economic growth, but also for fostering long-term partnerships that are rooted in respect and open up opportunities for all.”
News
HCSF Describes Galaxy Backbone as a Strategic Partner in Civil Service Digitalization Reforms

In a significant move towards accelerating the Federal Government’s digital transformation agenda, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, paid a strategic working visit to Galaxy Backbone (GBB) Limited, Nigeria’s foremost ICT infrastructure and shared services provider.
The visit, which took place at GBB’s National Shared Services Centre (NSSC) and Corporate Headquarters in Abuja, forms part of the HCSF’s efforts to deepen collaboration and assess the technological infrastructure supporting the government’s ongoing digitalisation reforms across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
Accompanied by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE), Mr. Adeladan Rafi’u Olarinre, and a delegation of Permanent Secretaries and Directors from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service, the visit featured an extensive tour of GBB’s cutting-edge Digital Infrastructure facilities. These included its Network Operations Centre (NOC), Security Operations Centre (SOC), and Uptime Institute Certified Tier III Data Centre; all built to ensure a secure, scalable, and sovereign digital infrastructure for Nigeria’s public sector.
In his welcome address, Mr. Adeladan Rafi’u Olarinre described Galaxy Backbone as a critical institution under the supervision of FMCIDE, tasked with providing the nation’s core digital infrastructure and shared ICT services. “Today’s visit is an important opportunity to showcase the significant progress GBB has made in building the infrastructure necessary for a truly digital government,” he said.
“I believe this engagement will foster stronger alignment and collaboration between MDAs and GBB as we move towards a more connected and efficient public service.”
The Managing Director/CEO of Galaxy Backbone, Professor Ibrahim A. Adeyanju, expressed appreciation for the visit, noting its alignment with GBB’s mandate to support Nigeria’s digital transformation goals.
“A visit of this nature by the Head of the Civil Service is highly symbolic,” he remarked. “It reinforces the central role that the Civil Service plays in national development and highlights the importance of strategic ICT infrastructure in driving effective governance.”
He went on to emphasize that GBB’s mission to design, build, and manage Nigeria’s digital infrastructure aligns seamlessly with the Civil Service’s digital reform agenda.
“Our platforms; including the 1Government Cloud, GovMail, and our extensive fibre optic network present in 28 states, are designed to support a digitally enabled, secure, and efficient government,” Prof. Adeyanju added.
He also called for greater collaboration with the Office of the Head of Service to drive the adoption of GBB’s infrastructure, particularly the fibre optic connectivity already terminated at Federal Secretariat buildings across 28 states of the country. He further appealed for support in expanding Local Area Networks (LANs) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) secretariat buildings to integrate more MDAs into the digital ecosystem.
In her remarks, Mrs. Walson-Jack commended the world-class infrastructure and strategic digital solutions developed by Galaxy Backbone, stating that her perception of the agency had been greatly enhanced following the tour.
“This visit has opened my eyes to the enormous potential and capacity that Galaxy Backbone brings to Nigeria’s digital journey,” she said. “I now see GBB not just as an ICT agency, but as a strategic partner in the realisation of our dream to build a modern, agile, and paperless civil service.”
She specifically praised GBB’s support for the “War Room” initiative, the widespread deployment of GovMail — currently serving over 34,000 civil servants, and the agency’s high-speed fibre connectivity provided during the 2025 International Civil Service Week hosted by her office.
Reaffirming her office’s commitment to achieving a fully paperless civil service by December 31, 2025, the Head of Service expressed optimism that this goal is attainable with stronger collaboration and technical support from GBB.
She also highlighted several strategic areas where partnership with GBB is critical, including:
- Full implementation of the 1Government Cloud to host and manage MDA operations.
- Adoption of an Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS) to streamline records and workflow automation across MDAs.
- Synergy between the 1Government Cloud Academy and the Civil Service Academy to enhance capacity development.
- Training and onboarding of civil servants on innovative tools such as Service-Wise GPT – Nigeria’s AI-powered platform designed to transform public service delivery.
Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim Sani, Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Services at GBB, in his vote of thanks, expressed deep gratitude to the Head of Service and her delegation for taking the time to visit and engage with the team. He reiterated GBB’s unwavering commitment to partnering with all stakeholders to deliver inclusive, resilient, and forward-looking digital solutions for the Federal Government.
E-Financial
PalmPay Named Among CNBC and Statista’s World Top 300 Fintech Companies 2025

PalmPay, a leading neobank and fintech platform focused on emerging markets, has been recognised in CNBC and Statista’s 2025 Top 300 Fintech Companies in the World list. This marks the second year in a row that PalmPay has earned a place among the world’s most innovative and impactful financial technology firms.
The selection is based on a rigorous evaluation of thousands of companies globally, assessing growth, innovation, market penetration, and impact. This year’s list includes a mix of global leaders – including Revolut, Nubank and Ant Group – alongside rising stars from high-growth markets, underscoring the growing influence of emerging-market fintechs like PalmPay.
PalmPay’s inclusion reflects its continued momentum as one of Africa’s leading fintech platforms. With over 35 million registered users and up to 15 million transactions processed daily, the company offers a comprehensive suite of digital financial services tailored to the needs of underserved communities.
In its main market, Nigeria, PalmPay operates as a full-service neobank, offering consumer financial services such as transfers, bill payments, credit, savings, and insurance – all accessible through its user-friendly app and supported by a nationwide network of over 1 million agents and merchant partners. The company also provides POS and API-driven B2B solutions tailored to the needs of merchants and enterprise clients.
“To be recognised as one of the world’s top fintech companies by CNBC and Statista is a powerful affirmation of our mission to build a more inclusive financial system,” said Sofia Zab, Founding Chief Marketing Officer at PalmPay.
“Through cutting-edge technology, deep local distribution, and a customer-first mindset, we’ve built Nigeria’s leading neobank. As we scale PalmPay to more emerging markets, including Tanzania and Bangladesh, our focus remains on closing financial access gaps for everyday consumers and businesses, while expanding the partner ecosystem that fuels our reach and impact.”
As part of its broader expansion strategy, PalmPay recently launched in Tanzania and Bangladesh through a smartphone device financing model that serves as an entry point to digital financial services.
“PalmPay is building a neobanking platform tailored to the realities of emerging markets,” said Jiapei Yan, Group Chief Commercial Officer at PalmPay. “We are creating the infrastructure for a connected digital economy – where people and businesses can thrive through reliable, inclusive financial tools.
This recognition from CNBC and Statista affirms our progress and also the scale of the opportunity ahead. As we expand across more emerging markets, we are committed to creating lasting value for our users, partners, and the communities we serve.”
PalmPay’s inclusion follows another major recognition earlier this year: the company ranked #2 overall and #1 in the financial services sector on the Financial Times – Africa’s Fastest-Growing Companies 2025 list. The ranking, based on revenue growth between 2020 and 2023, highlighted PalmPay’s rapid scale and market traction across Africa.
PalmPay currently operates in Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, and Bangladesh, and is expanding its presence across Africa and Asia through device financing, digital banking, and B2B payment services. Backed by a robust neobanking platform and a partnership-led approach, the company is committed to shaping the next chapter of inclusive financial growth.
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