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FG to Scrap EFCC, 219 Other MDAs

Federal government is to scrap 220 parastatals, agencies and commissions in line with the recommendation of the Stephen Oronsaye-led presidential committee on the rationalisation and restructuring of the federal government’s parastatals and commissions.
Dr. Reuben Abati, special adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, told journalists after the weekly federal executive council (FEC) meeting yesterday that the council has began deliberations on the Committee’s white paper.
The Oronsaye’s committee considered suggestions, recommendations from different quarters and looked at 541 federal parastatals, commissions and agencies and recommended the abolition of 38 agencies, merger of 52 and reversal of 14 to departments in ministries.
The recommendation is contained in an 800-page report submitted to President Goodluck Jonathan by the Chairman of the Committee, Stephen Oronsaye last year.
The report stated that the average cost of governance in Nigeria is believed to rank among the highest in the world.
Oronsaye said: “For example, there are 541 Government Parastatals, Commissions and Agencies (statutory and non-statutory).
“Going by the recommendations of the Committee, the figure of statutory agencies is being proposed for reduction to 161 from the current figure of 263.
“The Committee believes that if the cost of governance must be brought down, then both the Legislature and Judiciary must make spirited efforts at reducing their running costs as well as restructuring and rationalising the agencies under them, since the three arms make up the government.’’
In the report, the Committee proposed the removal of all professional bodies/councils from the national budget in order to reduce the high cost of governance.
Oronsaye-led committee, specifically mentioned the case of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) which it said should not be in existence.
“One case that stands out clearly in this regard is that of the Federal Road Safety Commission Safety Corps, FRSC, which should not be in existence in its present form,” the committee said.
While recommending its scrapping, the committee noted that what the FRSC was set up to do was a replication of the mandates of two existing bodies namely: the Highway Department of the Federal Ministry of Works with respect to the maintenance of safety and orderliness on the highways and the role of the Nigeria Police Force in ensuring law and order on the roads.
The committee said the setting up of the FRSC to take over partially the functions already apportioned by law to the Federal Ministry of Works and the Nigeria Police Force as a result of seeming poor performance and/or to satisfy political and individual interests was a typical example of misadventure in the public sector at a great cost to government.
Similarly, the committee noted that the functions of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) were the traditional functions of the police.
The committee also noted that that an institution was inefficient and ineffective should not be a basis for the creation of new ones by the government, saying that the officers and men of the police had been reputed for performing exceptionally and winning laurels while on international peace-keeping and other missions.
The committee also noted the case where the Nigerian Communications Satellite (NigComSat) Limited, which was established as the commercial arm of the Nigerian Space Research Development Agency, NASRDA, with a sunset clause, had now expanded its scope and now in rivalry with its parent body.
The committee also noted the case of the Nigerian broadcasting agencies (NTA, FRCN and VON), which it said focused more on structures rather than acquisition of broadcasting software.
It stressed that the world over, countries had made efforts to manage the agencies responsible for their mass media communication by establishing and taking advantage of a single coordinating point.
Such reforms in the media sector have been underpinned by the efficient use of resources and collaboration in order to have synergy amongst the operators.
In the Environment sector, the Committee noted that the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) was created to perform a function already assigned by law to the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR.
“Besides being a clear case of latter-day overlapping functions of agencies, the continued existence of NOSDRA is tantamount to paying huge salaries to persons who do nothing but wait for spills to occur.
“This is despite the fact that there is a standard operating procedure for oil companies in Nigeria to clean up oil spill whenever it occurs.”
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GEFAS Launches Tech-Driven Hub to Mobilize Youth for Soludo’s Re-election

Geeks and Founders Alliance for Soludo (GEFAS) on Thursday 17th July, 2025 unveiled its new office space in a significant event that further strengthens the group’s mission to drive Governor Soludo’s “everything technology, technology everywhere” vision across Anambra State.
The unveiling was performed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu, who could not contain his excitement and amazement at the level of sophistication of the facility and the vibrancy of the young professionals and tech enthusiasts behind the initiative.
Prof. Chukwulobelu commended the GEFAS team for building such a dynamic platform, uniting diverse sectors under a common goal to support Anambra’s digital transformation and Governor Soludo’s re-election bid at the November 8 Governorship Poll, without requesting a dime from the government.
He noted that their efforts reflect growing youth support for his administration.
“Our goal is to secure victory in the upcoming election and continue delivering good governance to the people of Anambra. Anambra is APGA, and APGA is Anambra
There is no vacancy in Government House come November 2025,” he added.
He urged GEFAS members to remain steadfast and resilient in the face of opposition, adding that the government would collaborate with and complement GEFAS to ensure its vision is further integrated into governance for greater impact.
Also present to lend credence to the movement was the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters, Dr. Alex Obiogbolu, who described GEFAS as a strategic and dynamic angle to the campaigns.
He lauded the initiative, stating that it exemplifies the power of digital tools in modern political campaigning and governance, and expressed optimism that a second term for Governor Soludo would unlock even more innovative solutions for Ndi Anambra.
In her remarks, Ms. Odili Jombo, a coordinator with GEFAS, shared the impressive results of the Alliance’s outreach so far.
She revealed that the GEFAS Call Centre, with its team of 21 dedicated agents, has already reached over 20,000 Ndi Anambra, gathering valuable insights on citizens’ sentiments about Mr. Governor’s performance and their disposition towards the upcoming elections, an experience she described, has recorded more positives than negatives.
She further announced that GEFAS will soon unveil a mobile WiFi bus, among other top-tier initiatives designed to change the campaign landscape and further position Anambra as a leading tech state.
The event was well attended by top government officials, members of the media, tech stakeholders, and other well-meaning Ndi Anambra, many of whom expressed amazement at what GEFAS has created and pledged unwavering support for them and Governor Soludo’s continuity at the November polls.
Explaining the passion behind GEFAS, the Convener and MD/CEO of the Anambra State ICT Agency, Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, CFA, described the Alliance as a continuity-driven force working to align with Governor Soludo’s vision of moving Anambra from a departure lounge to a destination lounge.
“We believe that together, leveraging technology, we can drive the real change Anambra truly deserves,” he said.
With this milestone, GEFAS remains committed to driving technology-driven engagement that delivers practical impact and amplifies the Solution Government’s transformational strides.
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.
News
Festive Seasons Trigger 400% Spike in Livestock Prices Across Nigeria’s North East — Moniepoint Study

A new study by Moniepoint Inc., Africa’s leading financial technology company, has revealed that livestock prices in Nigeria’s North East markets surge by up to 400% during festive seasons, driven by high demand from cities like Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Onitsha.
The report, which focuses on informal market dynamics in Borno State, shows that traders at Kasuwan Shanu in Gamboru dispatch an average of 50 trucks daily during peak periods such as Eid al-Adha and Christmas, with goat prices rising by 400–470% and rams by over 230%.
Beyond seasonal spikes, the study highlights a shift toward investment-minded trading, where livestock is raised in advance to boost resale value. This approach is helping traders build more stable and profitable businesses, despite the region’s history of conflict and economic volatility.
Key findings include:
- 51.2% of traders source goods from Maiduguri, reinforcing its role in Nigeria’s food supply chain
- 45% of traders now accept digital payments, with mobile transfers and POS usage rising sharply since the 2023 cash crunch
- Informal credit and trust-based transactions remain dominant, often conducted via phone calls and voice notes, without formal contracts
Moniepoint CEO Tosin Eniolorunda said the company’s tools are helping bridge long-standing gaps in access to finance: “This shift isn’t just tech-enabled — it’s structurally impactful. We’re helping build an economy where everyone can participate.”
The study joins Moniepoint’s growing portfolio of thought leadership on Nigeria’s informal economy, following previous reports on Onitsha Market, community pharmacies, and women-owned businesses.
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