News
Muslim Group Reacts to Suit to Remove Arabic from Naira

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Nigerian Islamic human rights organization, has described the suit challenging the Arabic inscription on the Nigerian currency (naira) as acrobatic religiosity.
MURIC made the assertion on Monday while responding to a suit filed by Malcolm Omirhobo, a Lagos-based lawyer.
Prof. Ishaq Akintola, director and founder, MURIC in a statement, said that “Omirhobo’s approach is not only naive, it is pedestrian and kindergarten. This suit against Arabic on naira manifests acute desertification of religious tolerance, exhibition of undiluted acrobatic religiosity, NAFDAC-registered gymnastic spirituality and Oxford cum Harvard-certificated ignorance”
Omirhobo had argued that the Arabic inscription on naira notes portray Nigeria as an Islamic state contrary to the country’s constitutional status of a secular state.
The lawyer also filed a similar suit against the Nigerian Army seeking the removal of Arabic inscriptions from its logo.
The cases are being heard before Justice Mohammed Liman at the Lagos High Court.
But according to MURIC: “How many times do we need to tell our Christian neighbours that Nigeria is not a secular but a multi-religious state. A secular state is one that does not recognise religion as in communist states. But Nigeria recognises all the religions in the country and the Constitution also begins with the words ‘under God’. Secular states do not recognise the existence of God.
“The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 says inter alia at its very beginning, ‘We the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria: having firmly and solemnly resolved : to live in unity and harmony as one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign Nation under God…’ So how can Nigeria be a secular state when we are ‘under God’? In addition, nowhere in the whole constitution was the word ‘secular’ ever used and we challenge anyone who can find that word from the constitution to mention the chapter, section and sub-section.
“Seeking to remove Arabic from the naira is the height of ignorance because Arabic is just a language like English or French, not a religion. By the way, what is on the naira is not even Arabic. It is ‘Ajami’ using Arabic letters as a form of transliteration. Even if Omirhobo single-handedly succeeds in removing Arabic from the naira, is he going to remove the numerals 5, 10, 100, 1000 indicating the denominations as well? If he cannot, then he still has a long way to go because even those numbers are Arabic.
“The numerical system (1, 2, 3, 4, etc) were invented by a Muslim mathematician by name Alkhawarizmi (died 850) in the 9th century. Nay and more than that. Whereas ancient Greeks had men like Plato, Aristotle, Euclide, Thales, Theodocius, etc whose scientific theories only managed to survive their times and Europe boasts today of scholars like Nicholas Copernicus, Francis Bacon, Galileo Galilei, Rene Descartes and Isaac Newton with their moribund and Godless postulates, the list of renowned Muslim scientists is endless.
“The truth is that religious fanatics have grown paranoia about Islam and they arrogate the Arabic language to the religion alone whereas this is not true. Their hatred for Islam and the Muslims is transferred to the Arabic language. This transferred aggression beclouded their perspicacity to the extent that they fail to realize that Islam is not synonymous with Arabic language.
“For instance, Israel’s currency has Arabic inscription on it. Nigerian Christians who go on pilgrimage to Jerusalem every year spend Israel’s money and see Arabic on it. Did they tear it into pieces in anger? They did not ask the Israeli authorities to remove the Arabic on their currency but when they return to Nigeria they maintain their hardline opposition to Arabic on naira. Where is objectivity? Is this not articulated religiosity?
“Again, hardly would any imported electronic gadget enter Nigeria without its manual containing an Arabic section. That is business sense, not religion. But Muslim-haters are swayed by emotion and they cannot separate the wheat from the chaff. Common sense is not so common. Of course there are still Christians who are moderate, liberal and realistic. They are the few exceptions who will not allow themselves to be led by the nose.
“One major argument against the removal of Arabic from the naira is that a large percentage of the Nigerian population will be cut off from our monetary system if Arabic is removed from the naira because Arabic is one of the local languages in Nigeria. It is used by the Shuwa Arabs in Borno State. Therefore Arabic cannot be a foreign language.
“Furthermore, the Bible used by Christians in Israel, Egypt, Palestine, Libya, Syria and other Arab countries are printed in Arabic language only because that is the only language they understand. Does that make the Bible an Islamic Bible? Their church services are conducted in Arabic. Have those churches become mosques?
“Interestingly enough, God is called Allah in the Arabic Bible. If Arab Christians want to say ‘God is great’, they also say ‘Allahu Akbar’. To thank God they say ‘alhamdulilah’ just like Muslims. The population of Palestine is 12 million and 7% (about 840,000) of this number are Christians. Yet the language of this 7% is Arabic. Perhaps Omirhobo will like to apply to the International Court at the Hagues to reject them as Christians because they speak Arabic?
“Omirhobo’s argument that Arabic on naira notes portrays Nigeria as an Islamic state holds no water because if Arabic is Islam, then English is Christianity. Hence if Arabic on the naira note is Islamisation, non-Arabic letters on the same naira is Christianisation. By extension, if the use of Arabic is Islamisation, the use of English language in Nigeria, particularly as a lingua franca, is the mother of all christianisation.
“For equity, therefore, Nigeria should have two official languages: Arabic and English with priority and emphasis in that alphabetical order. But in their magnanimity, tolerance and wisdom, Nigerian Muslims have not come forward to demand that Arabic should be Nigeria’s second official language. For that reason alone, the plaintiff’s request for the removal of Arabic from the naira is frivolous, petty, selfish, myopic and parochial.
“Perhaps the plaintiff thinks Nigerian Muslims were the ones who initiated the inscription of Arabic on both the army badge and the naira notes. Omirhobo needs to be told that even the colonial masters inscribed Arabic on the currency printed by Britain and used in Nigeria. The words: ‘pound daya’, i.e. one pound was inscribed on colonial currency. Omirhobo may therefore need to sue the Queen of England.
“To continue along the lanes of history, it was not even Nigerian Muslim leaders who brought the idea of Arabic in the Nigerian currency in post-independence Nigeria. The man who initiated it was a Christian, a Urhobo officer by name General David Akpode Ejoor (rtd). He was the one who introduced the Arabic inscription and the Star emblem into the Nigeria Army crest. He was given the assignment and research led him to pick the Arabic words ‘nasrun minallahi’ (meaning ‘victory is from God’) and a committee made up of three ministers of the First Republic : Muhammadu Ribadu (Defence), Festus Okotie-Eboh (Finance) and Yar’adua (Works and Housing) approved his choice. Ejoor confirmed this in his book ‘Reminiscences’ (page 16).
“The Christian who took the Central Bank of Nigeria to court claiming the country has been Islamized because of the Arabic inscription on the naira note failed to see how heavily Nigeria has been Christianized by observing Saturday as a public holiday because of the Seventh Day Adventists and Sunday because of other Christians. But the Muslims are not given any day at all.
“MURIC appeals to Nigerians not to allow the fear mongers and merchants of hate continue to spread fear and sow discord among us. Many of those saddled with the task of uniting us have become instruments of division. Ex-President Jonathan is an example. He removed Arabic from the naira because he listened to hate preachers whom he took along on his futile but numerous trips to Jerusalem. They indoctrinated him into believing that Arabic on the naira implies Islamisation. Although he saw Arabic on Israeli currency on his trips to Jerusalem, yet he swallowed the lie hook, line and sinker. Of course it cost him his much-coveted second term because his action had been rightly interpreted as anti-Muslim.
“We charge Nigerians to open up their minds in order to avoid becoming victims of accidental civilisation or, worse still, educated illiterates. Arabic is not Islam and Islam is not Arabic. One is a language, the other is a religion. Let us learn to understand, to tolerate, to give, to forgive and to love.”
News
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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