News
FG Re-Appoints Akpobolokemi, NIMASA DG for 2nd Term
President Goodluck Jonathan has re-appointed Mr. Ziakede Akpobolokemi, director general/chief executive officer of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), for another four year term.
The re-appointment, which was conveyed in a letter dated October 13, 2014 and signed by Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, secretary to the Government of the Federation, becomes effective December 23, 2014.
Akpobolokemi’s re-appointment has been widely acclaimed as recognition of his outstanding performance as the DG/CEO of NIMASA in the past four years.
In his first term, Akpobolokemi repositioned the maritime sector and made it an important pillar in the nation’s economy.
His activities resulted in a new wave of improved maritime safety and security, creating an enabling environment for maritime business as a great contributor to the nation’s economy to thrive, a remarkable development that has been widely acknowledged by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
Under his leadership, NIMASA achieved full maritime domain awareness through enhanced surveillance of the maritime environment with the introduction of a satellite surveillance system which covers the entire Gulf of Guinea and beyond.
The Agency has also procured various platforms and electronic surveillance equipment through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement for a round-the-clock monitoring of the Nigerian maritime domain.
As the nodal Agency for the implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) code, NIMASA has successfully ensured adequate compliance towards safe and secure port facilities in the country.
Akpobolokemi’s zeal to create a safe and secure shipping environment, led to the working agreements with the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force towards ridding the maritime domain of all forms of piracy and related crimes.
He has driven the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP), designed by the Agency to grow capacity to fill existing gaps for qualified manpower in the maritime sector.
Under NSDP, NIMASA has sponsored over 2,500 Nigerian youths to training in recognized maritime universities in the United Kingdom, Philippines, India, Egypt, Romania and Malaysia.
The capacity building initiatives of Akpobolokemi’s leadership have also resulted in the setting up of Institutes of Maritime Studies in the University of Lagos, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai, Niger State and Niger Delta University, Amasoma, Bayelsa State as a way of boosting manpower training in the long run. This is in addition to the establishment of a Nigerian Maritime University and NIMASA Shipyard and Dockyard, in Okerenkoko, NIMASA Science and Technical College, Okoloba, Delta State.
NIMASA under Akpobolokemi also launched several creative programmes, including the online verification of seafarers’ certificates, online sailing certificate and ship manifest as well as automating the process of ship registration in Nigeria.
Adedapo Segun, chief financial officer (CFO), Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), has explained why there is a missing sum of N210 trillion in the company’s audited financial statement spanning from 2017 to 2023.
According to Segun, the missing funds are cash calls requested by joint venture (JV) partners and settlement to the JVs.
He spokeat a session of the Senate Committee on Public Accounts chaired by Aliyu Wadada.
Segun was responding to an alarm raised by the committee over missing N210 trillion in NNPCL’s audited financial statement.
Recall that Wadada issued a one-week ultimatum to NNPCL to account for the missing N210 trillion.
Reacting, Segun said, “The N103 trillion and N107 trillion are made up of joint venture cash calls that have been requested by the JV operators and JV cash call payments made by NNPCL, which are yet to be reconciled because governance procedures were not done at that time.
“That is why you see the description reflecting those two items would be washed out because they are two sides of the same transaction, which is the cash calls by JV partners and the settlement by NNPCL.”
However, Habu Sadeik, a financial analyst, in a post on X on Thursday, said Segun’s response was unsatisfactory.
Saidik faulted NNPCL’s response about the fund discrepancies, noting that something is not right with the audited financial statement.
“Forget about the senators’ lack of knowledge.
“The CFO’s response is not satisfactory. Are you saying that cash calls worth hundreds of trillions are just appearing on your FS only in 2024 without 31 disclosure?
“If it’s a cash call, why hasn’t the disclosure said so?
“Which cash call is over 100 trillion?
“Something is definitely not right, and I hope they retrospectively correct that FS.
“Someone somewhere did a chef’s work,” he wrote on X.
PalmPay, Nigeria’s leading fintech company, has partnered with Globacom to launch the second edition of the “Recharge and Win Bonanza” campaign. The promotion, which runs from June 19th to August 8th, 2025, offers Nigerians the chance to win amazing prizes when they purchase Glo airtime and data via the PalmPay app.
According to a joint statement by PalmPay and Globacom, “A weekly live raffle draw will be held and streamed on PalmPay’s official social media channels throughout the campaign. Customers who make Glo transactions through the PalmPay app will be eligible to win prizes, including the iPhone 15 Pro, Infinix Hot 40, and other exciting items”.
To participate, interested customers can log onto http://bit.ly/PalmPaySms .
The statement added that all transaction above N500 gives participants an extra shot at winning, adding that daily social media challenges will also offer participants a chance to win cash prizes.
Additionally, PalmPay users can enjoy up to 6% cashback when they buy Glo airtime and data through the PalmPay app. As an added bonus, customers who have not subscribed to a Glo data plan in the last 90 days will receive a 100% bonus on their recharge during the campaign period.
Wayne Ruppel, Head of Billers at PalmPay Limited expressed excitement about the partnership, stating that, “This collaboration is a major step in our mission to deliver MORE – more support, more rewards, and more innovation to our customers.
Partnering with Glo, a leader in the telecommunications sector, is a testament to our shared commitment to improving everyday experiences for all Nigerians. We are excited to reward our users and encourage everyone to take full advantage of this exciting opportunity.
Globacom also expressed delight at creating additional value for its subscribers through unique customer-appreciation schemes.
“Our partnership with PalmPay on the “Recharge and Win Bonanza perfectly underscores our commitment to delivering exceptional value and experiences. Over the years, we have always sought innovative ways to enrich the lives of our customers. We, therefore, enjoin our subscribers to utilize the opportunity provided by the bonanza and enjoy the many benefits it offers”, the company stated.
PalmPay and Glo will collaborate throughout the campaign period to deliver exceptional customer experience, reward loyalty, and reinforce their shared mission to make digital transactions more accessible, rewarding, and secure for millions of Nigerians.
Lasaco Assurance Plc, has said it would continue to invest in technologies and systems that delivers tangible value to clients and drive industry innovation.
Mr Abiodun Razzaq, Managing Director of Lasaco Assurance, who stated this at the 2025 customer forum organised by the company for its northern region customers in Abuja, said the forum’s interactive session offered an invaluable platform for open and constructive dialogue.
He said the forum brought together a distinguished assembly of customers, including policyholders, brokers, corporate clients, and industry partners, to engage in a robust dialogue aimed at enhancing service delivery and aligning offerings with the evolving expectations of the Northern market.
In his opening remarks, Regional Manager (Northern Region), Lasaco Assurance, Mr. Kunle Hamza underscored the company’s unwavering dedication to stakeholder engagement as a foundational pillar of its growth strategy. He emphazised that customer insights remain integral to shaping policies, refining service processes, and reinforcing the company’s brand promise.
He provided a compelling overview of Lasaco assurance’s recent performance and strategic priorities. He highlighted the company’s consistent premium income growth, bold digital transformation agenda, and ongoing operational restructuring designed to ensure responsiveness and resilience in a dynamic insurance landscape.
Addressing the customers, Mr. Adedayo Adetokun, Head of Strategy, affirmed that Lasaco assurance was actively developing multiple digital platforms to cater forvarious customer segments—part of a broader digital innovation roadmap that positions the company for future growth. He noted that human capital development was also being prioritised with targeted investments in talent acquisition and training to enhance operational capacity.
In his closing remarks, Mr. Muyiwa Anwoju, General Manager, Sales, expressed the management’s deep appreciation for the feedback received.
He assured participants that all contributions would be meticulously reviewed, categorised, and integrated into the company’s improvement plans. According to Anwoju, this forum marks the beginning of a renewed customer engagement framework, one that would be expanded across other regions in due course.
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