News
African Union Backs AfriLabs’ 2019 Annual Gathering in Ethiopia

AfriLabs, the largest pan-African network of 158 technology and innovation centers in 45 African countries has announced its partnership with the Division of Human Resource and Youth Development in the Department of Human Resource, Science and Technology within African Union Commission to host the 2019 AfriLabs Annual Gathering.
Every year, AfriLabs organises its Annual Gathering to provide a unique opportunity for tech and innovation hubs within the AfriLabs network and other stakeholders in the African innovation ecosystem like local innovators (entrepreneurs), corporates, investors, academia and developmental agencies to convene, network and share knowledge.
The fourth edition of the AfriLabs Annual Gathering themed ‘Connect: Towards an Integrated Innovation Ecosystem’ is scheduled to take place from the 28th – 30th of October 2019. The event will focus on building collaborative and sustainable systems and creating synergies that will pave the way for the African innovation ecosystem to thrive and contribute to the social and economic development of the African continent.
“This is a significant partnership that launches a deeper engagement between the African Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem and African member states, Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and other multilateral development organisations working with the African Union Commision and collaboratively moving towards our common vision of an integrated and prosperous African continent.
“We are calling on other partners and ecosystem stakeholders interested in contributing to the social and economic development of our continent to work with us and our community of innovation hubs across the continent to achieve a successful Annual Gathering 2019 and ultimately our vision for Africa said Executive Director, AfriLabs, Anna Ekeledo.
Also speaking on the collaboration, Commissioner of Human Resources, Science and Technology, H.E Prof. Sarah Anyang Agbor , said, “As we make concerted efforts to realising the development of the continent under the forward-looking 1 Million by 2021 Initiative, it gives us great pleasure to partner with AfriLabs on providing a unique opportunity for tech and innovation hubs. The efforts to effectively harness Africa’s demographic dividend can only be accelerated in collaborating with dedicated stakeholders. We remain grateful to these partners who are as invested as us in ensuring that the potential of youth on the continent is realised by tapping into these areas which recognise the importance of digital skills as an avenue to achieve sustainable economic development”.
This collaboration is part of a broader agreement with the HRST Department to support the ‘1 Million by 2021’ Initiative, launched by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat.
The initiative seeks to implement tangible interventions in the key areas of Education, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Engagement (4Es), and aims to reach at least 1 million youth by 2021 through these key areas.
AfriLabs will be partnering with HRST to support the initiative as well as the youth empowerment and development work on the continent.
In light of the foregoing, both parties have agreed to explore and implement mutually rewarding viable initiatives focused on, among others, the following areas of cooperation;
- Co-hosting the AfriLabs Annual Gathering 2019 and other relevant events.
- Collaboration on deploying digital skills training to African youth by curating training content, deploying through virtual and physical spaces including AfriLabs members hubs and labs.
- Collaboration on engagement platforms aimed at building and managing responsive innovation ecosystems.
- Technical Support and partnership with AUC through linkages with relevant AUC policy Organs, Members States and RECs to facilitate enhanced policy dialogues, and alternative learning pathways, resources and tools to enhance quality access to Education and Engagement Opportunities.
AfriLabs is the largest pan-African network of 158 innovation and Technology hubs across 45 African countries aimed at supporting the growth of technology hubs and their communities to raise high potential entrepreneurs that will stimulate economic growth and social development in Africa.
AfriLabs’ vision is African continent characterized by open collaboration, African made solutions and jobs for all driven by technology, innovation and entrepreneurship.
News
EFCC: Accusations Against Our Chairman Are Baseless and Misleading

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has strongly denied allegations of lack of integrity and transparency directed at its chairman, Ola Olukoyede, by columnist Steve Osuji.
In a statement issued by Dele Oyewale, spokesperson, EFCC. the commission described the claims as “worrisome and unjustifiable,” particularly criticizing the personal attacks on Olukoyede.
“More worrisome was his attack on Olukoyede for no justifiable reason. Allegations of lack of transparency, accountability and integrity deficit are wild and clearly off the mark,” Oyewale said.
He questioned the basis for the allegations and defended Olukoyede’s leadership since taking office.
“The question is: in what way has Olukoyede fallen short? Is it by insisting that the right things should always be done? By moving the nation’s anti-graft war forward radically and unprecedentedly?
“By bringing forth a preventive framework to tackle corruption and reaping bountiful gains for the nation?
“By recovering the globally-acclaimed 753 duplexes and other apartments, which are proceeds of fraudulent dealings for the nation?
“By launching the EFCC into a global map of accomplished anti-graft agencies? By handling 50,000 case files in one year?
“By embarking on a courageous internal cleansing system and other progressive initiatives to deepen and strengthen the anti-corruption fight?
“It is cowardly and uncharitable for any columnist to hide under vague and opaque cover to splash mud on Ola Olukoyede, arguably one of the finest breed of anti-graft czars around the world.”
Olukoyede, through the statement, reaffirmed that the EFCC has consistently submitted its annual reports to the National Assembly as required by law.
“Equally preposterous are claims of re-looting of assets by officers of the Commission. For the purpose of clarification, the Commission does not recover monetary assets into its covers and the non-monetary assets that are recovered are disposed of following clear pronouncements by court and proceeds paid into the Confiscated and Forfeited Properties Account account in the Central Bank in line with provisions of the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act, 2022.
“The EFCC does not operate in secrecy. All its operations are regularly communicated to the public, including public auction of assets. To deliberately cast the Commission in the mould of fraudulent engagements or criminality is not only mischievous but also untenable,” the statement concluded.
News
IHS Nigeria, UNICEF Donate Oxygen Plant to Bridge Health Gap in River State

IHS Nigeria and its implementing partner, the United Nations Child Education Fund (UNICEF) has expressed satisfaction that the Oxygen Plant recently donated to Rivers State is helping to bridge the health Gap in the state and its environs.
This observation was made recently when officials from IHS Nigeria and UNICEF, carried out a project inspection visit to the plant located at the General Hospital in Eleme, Rivers State.
During the handing over of the oxygen plant to the Rivers State Government in 2024, the facility was reported to have a production capacity of 123 oxygen cylinders and 720,000 litres of oxygen every 24 hours.
The plant was built under a Public-Private Partnership involving UNICEF, the Canadian Government, IHS Nigeria, in partnership with the Rivers State Ministry of Health through the State Hospital Management Board.
Speaking during the visit to the facility yesterday, the Director of Sustainability at IHS Nigeria, Titilope Oguntuga, noted that the oxygen plant has saved lives and is helping to bridge health gaps in the eight other states where similar plants are located.
She further explained that the visit reflects the organisation’s commitment “not only to create opportunities for impact but to also continue supporting the healthcare industry by carrying out such interventions that directly impact individuals and saves lives. This plant is one of the nine oxygen plants we have built across the federation,” she said.
“We are particularly excited that it is helping to bridge health gaps—not just in Rivers State and its environs, but in all the states where the plants are currently located.”
Oguntuga informed that in terms of sustainability “we focus our intervention sustainability on four pillars; ethics and governance, education and economic growth, environment and climate change and finally, people and communities”.
She added that “the visit to the Rivers State oxygen plant is to have an assessment of how well the plant is functioning, the impact it is currently making and to generally understand how the operation is going”.
On his part, Chief of UNICEF Field Office, Port Harcourt, Dr Anslem Audu, stated that the plant has been very functional and useful to the people of Rivers State. According to him, “During the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of patients needed oxygen and oxygen was not available. So many children will come down with pneumonia and it will become an emergency, they will need oxygen, but oxygen is not available in the hospital. But with this plant now available no child will die because of lack of oxygen in the hospital. The era of lack of oxygen is no longer there.
Audu added that “You can practically visit any of the hospitals in Port Harcourt and find out that they have oxygen and the product is from this plant all thanks to IHS Nigeria, the Canadian Government and UNICEF”.
The UNICEF field officer, who confirmed that the plant is functioning optimally, said it is producing enough oxygen for the state’s needs.
In his words, “The partnership between these three organizations and the Ministry of Health in Rivers State has really worked, and we are reaping the benefits of the partnership.
He urged the implementing partners, especially the government, to also invest in the sustainability of the facility by providing a source of electricity for the plant to be more functional.
Earlier, the Medical Director Eleme General Hospital, Dr Leechi-Okere Clarabelle, noted that since the day of the unveiling, the plant has been functioning very well. Commenting on impact he noted that “We’ve had success stories whereby oxygen is distributed to public hospitals in the state, including the two teaching hospitals in the state and then we have also extended distribution to some private hospitals within the state.
“We have two hubs that serve as storage and distribution points because of the location of the plant. We produce here and store somewhere in Port Harcourt so that people who come from a far distance can get oxygen from these hubs.
News
JAMB Accuses Student of Securing Admission through Identity Fraud

Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has accused a 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidate of manipulating his identity and engaging in online blackmail.
Fabian Benjamin, head of public affairs, JAMB, issued a statement on the matter on Thursday.
He said one Chinedu Okeke, currently a 400-level Medicine and Surgery student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), gained admission in 2021 while claiming to be from Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos state.
JAMB said Okeke’s national identification number (NIN) records from 2021 confirm his Lagos origin.
The board stated it does not alter candidate information provided through NIN.
The board, however, said the 400-level student, who is facing potential challenges for incorrect credentials, is now claiming that it retrieved the wrong details for him from the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) in 2021.
“[This] is unequivocally false, aimed at fabricating a defence for his case,” Benjamin said.
“The evidence suggests that Chinedu altered his records as filled in 2021 before registering for the 2025 UTME, a fact confirmed by even his advocates.”
The board questioned why a 400-level medical student would seek to study mechanical engineering in 2025, especially with “inconsistencies in his claims.”
JAMB alleged that Okeke “took advantage” of Lagos state’s quota in 2021, thereby obstructing the admission opportunities for other deserving candidates from the state.
It added that he then “attempted to manipulate his details with the NIMC” to unjustly claim representation from Anambra state in 2025.
The board criticised “online advocates” for “actively reaching out to Chinedu’s parents to extract emotional narratives rather than factual clarifications, neglecting to seek information directly from the university.”
JAMB affirmed its commitment to maintaining accurate records and preventing candidates from exploiting loopholes.
It warned that if UNN confirms any inconsistencies, it would notify the Medical and Dental Council to consider delisting Okeke.
“When a nation trivialises illegalities, it breeds a future fraught with potential criminality,” Benjamin’s statement concluded.
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