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IIM-Africa Says Tech Most Powerful with Information, Inducts UK Members

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The Premier Information Management Institute in Africa, the Institute of Information Management (IIM), recently held her maiden Induction/Investiture ceremony at Crowne Plaza, Battersea, London.

In his welcome address,President and Chairman of the Council,  Amb. (Dr) Oyedokun Oyewole, dwelled on the importance of technology as the most powerful tool when combined with knowledge and information.

In addition, he said the dream of the Institute is to help both public and private organizations in Africa develop the required frameworks, tools and culture needed to build capability and capacity by improving professionalism in the field of Information Management.

The theme of this phenomenal event was “Institutionalizing Information Management in Africa” a paper delivered by Partner, Eunoia Limited, UK, Mr. Neil Mc Callum.

In his keynote address, Mr Mc Callum addressed the need to re-model the way public sector information management systems work from the legislative framework, controlling information management to the structure/staffing of the organisations that implements/executes legislation.

According to him, “it is imperative for people, both decision makers and citizens to change their mind set on how they see and perceive information itself”. He said that for this to happen, there are two problems which, on the face of it would seem unlikely to occur simultaneously: An excessive concern about form and structure over content; and a failure to see information as an organisational resource.

“Information management has been neglected for decades. The insurgency of the social interactive media technology has totally changed the way we view, collect, disperse, archive, and retrieve information, as well as the entire information management process from back in the days.  We are therefore here today, to sensitise the populace on the need for a proper management and protection of records and information”.

Two Sub theme papers were delivered by Scott Sammons, Chairman, Information and Records Management Society (IRMS) UK and Mr. Femi Ogunremi on Data Protection Imperatives for Africa and Information Governance in Africa – The Role of health care practitioners respectively.

The high point of the event was the presentation of the Information & Records Management Society (IRMS) Fellowship Certificate to Amb. (Dr) Oyedokun Ayodeji Oyewole by Scott Sammons, Chairman, IRMS UK. A remarkable achievement by the IIM President being the first and only African to be inducted into the UK Information & Records Management Society (IRMS).

The ceremony which attracted dignitaries and professionals both from Nigeria and Diaspora cuts across board spanning, Information Technology, Manufacturing, Arts, Audio/Video Technology and Communications, Hospitality and Tourism, Administration, Health Care, Government Parastatals.

IIM also  recorded another feat by bringing together all that matters in the Diaspora to attend this monumental event with the aim of inducting and recognising those personalities who have excelled in their various fields and made substantial contributions to the development of Information Management & Technology profession both in Nigeria and in Africa.

New members were inducted into different membership grades. Amongst dignitaries present at this great event include: President / Chairman of Governing Council,  IIM-Africa, Amb. (Dr) Oyedokun Ayodeji Oyewole, Mr. Neil Mc Callum, Partner, Eunoia Limited UK (Keynote speaker); Scott Sammons, Chairman, Information & Records Management Society,(IRMS) UK who was one of the keynote speakers; Mr. Femi Ogunremi, CEO and Founder Monitor Health Care Ltd. UK; Amb. Toye Okanlawon, Dr. Oseni, Director LASRAB, HRH Prince Tade Olusile, Mrs Aisha Dania Ogieriakhi, the UK Coordinator for IIM Africa and a Business Support Administrator with UK Power Networks, one of the largest , distribution network operator for electricity covering South East England, the East of England and London. Mr Tai Oderinde Abeleshindogba, Dr Dayo Olomu (Anchor person); Chief Bimbo Roberts Folayan, HRH, The special guest of the occasion, The Royal father, His Royal Highness, Oba Makama – Olowu of Kuta was  however unavoidably absent.

The vision of IIM-Africa is to be recognized and respected as the premier information management institution in Africa, with influence on Information Management trends and educational requirements, driving the development of competent professionals’ for the ultimate recognition of information management as a professional field in various organizations globally.


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Ugo Onwuaso is an ICT enthusiast. He believes technology should be used for general good. He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the Lagos state University. Dear Reader, Your support matters. But we believe that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. That is why, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and finance and how they affect lives. Our incisive and analytical view of how technology news affects the daily life help individuals and organizations make up their minds. Quality journalism costs money. Today, we're asking that you support us to do more. Kindly support our effort to deliver technology and finance journalism to everyone in the world. Donate as little as N1,000. Bank transfers can be made to: UBA Plc 1017156876 Communication Week Media Ltd

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World Bank Maintains Nigeria’s Growth at 3.6% Amid Trade Tension

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The World Bank has retained Nigeria’s annual growth at 3.6 percent in 2025 despite heightened trade tension and uncertainty that has dragged the global economy’s GDP to its worst levels in decades.

The Washington-based lender sees Africa’s most populous nation’s GDP improving by 0.2 percent this year up from 3.4 percent recorded in 2024 with services sector being the major growth driver.

“Growth in Nigeria is forecast to strengthen to 3.6 percent in 2025 and to an average of 3.8 percent in 2026-27,” the development lender said in a report released Tuesday.

“Services activity will continue to be the main driver of growth, while the industrial sector will remain constrained by subdued crude oil production as last year’s slight rebound wanes.”

Nigeria saw its fastest growth in at least a decade last year, primarily driven by financial and telecommunication services, a recovery in the transportation sector, and a slight rebound in oil production.

That momentum is expected to continue this year amid global headwinds and escalating trade tension that cut World’s growth from 2.7 percent to 2.3 percent.

Nigeria’s macroeconomic indicators have been mildly affected by the trade faceoffs triggered by President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs that have shocked economies and shifted dynamics of the global markets.

While Africa’s biggest oil producer suffered a declining oil prices that saw the naira fall slightly in the past months, the local currency is gaining and so is inflation easing, thanks to reforms that have put the country in a better position to weather global shocks.

According to the World Bank, the country’s bold reforms, including floating of the naira and scrapping fuel subsidy, has strengthened Nigeria’s fiscal position and led to a surge in revenues at the state level, and higher remittances from government-owned enterprises.

“Domestic reforms have helped spur investment, supporting growth in the services sector, especially in financial services and information and communication technology,” the World Bank said.

The multilateral lender sees inflation declining “gradually” this year as the monetary authorities continue to remain hawkish in a bid to rein in rising prices and ensure the naira remains at its fair value.

In response to high inflation, the central bank raised its policy rate six times last year. Although inflation has cooled somewhat in recent months, it remains elevated relative to the central bank target and pre-pandemic trends.

But the CBN continues to monitor the trends and has remained committed to its core mandate of price control.

 


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Agriculture and its Potentials for Nigeria’s Economic Diversification

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By Diana Tenebe, Chief Operating Officer, Foodstuff Store

Nigeria is a nation that is blessed with arable land and a teeming youthful population. For so long the nation has been tied to the fortunes of crude oil. Oil revenues have dominated the sustenance of economic development. The overall annual GDP growth for Nigeria in 2024 is reported at 3.40%.

The oil sector’s contribution to real GDP in Q4 2024 was 4.60%, with an annual growth rate of 5.54%. The agriculture sector contributed 24.64% to real GDP in Q4 2024, and 20.97% to aggregate nominal GDP for the full year, though its growth was more modest at 1.2% to 1.76% across different quarters. The non-oil sector, which includes agriculture, contributed a substantial 95.40% to real GDP in Q4 2024, indicating a decreasing reliance on oil as the main economic driver.

Nigeria’s economy is primarily driven by its non-oil sectors, with agriculture serving as a significant foundation, even with its ongoing productivity and security hurdles. There’s optimism that agriculture could spearhead the nation’s economic diversification in the future, especially if it’s strategically developed to generate foreign exchange and government revenue.

Agriculture was the bedrock of the Nigerian economy before the oil boom. Agriculture was the undisputed mainstay of Nigeria’s economy, contributing over 60% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employing more than 70% of the population. Regions specialised in cashcrops like cocoa, palm oil, groundnuts, and rubber making Nigeria a significant global exporter. The revenue generated from these agricultural activities fueled infrastructural development, education and social amenities across the country. The oil boom in the 1970s led to a neglect of the agricultural sector and fostered an over-reliance on petrodollars and invariably led to the stifling of the development of a diversified economy.

Just weeks into office in July 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared a national emergency on food security, signaling a commitment to transforming agriculture into a modern, productive, and resilient engine of growth. Key initiatives include the immediate release of fertilizers and grains from national strategic reserves, a harmonisation of efforts between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Water Resources to enable all-season farming through expanded irrigation, and the proposed establishment of a National Commodity Board to stabilize food prices and strengthen reserves. The administration of President Bola Tinubu has embarked on significant reforms to position agriculture as an economic tool to drive diversification. The efforts are constantly challenged by the pervasive violence of bandits on Nigeria farmers.

One of the flagship programs is the Agro-Pocket Initiative under the National Agricultural Growth Scheme, targeting the cultivation of 750,000 hectares for staple crops like rice, maize, wheat, and cassava, providing targeted support and input vouchers to farmers. To cushion the effects of inflation, the administration also announced a 150-day suspension of duties and tariffs on essential food imports and facilitated the import of significant quantities of maize and wheat for small-scale processors. Furthermore, a new National Agricultural Extension Policy aims to deliver demand-driven, ICT-enabled, and market-oriented extension services, moving away from outdated methods.

The ambitious agricultural agenda faces a formidable adversary: widespread banditry and insecurity. Across various regions, particularly in the food-producing states, farmers are increasingly subjected to violent attacks, kidnappings, and extortion. These acts of violence have devastating consequences, forcing many farmers to abandon their farmlands, reducing cultivated areas, and disrupting the entire agricultural value chain. The fear of attack not only deters new investments but also jeopardizes the livelihoods of existing farmers, leading to reduced agricultural output and escalating food prices. The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) recently highlighted that “No Farmer, No Food: Attacks on Farmers Fuel Nigeria’s Hunger Crisis,” underscoring the direct link between insecurity and food insecurity.

The Tinubu administration acknowledges this critical challenge. The National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has reiterated the government’s commitment to returning displaced farmers to their communities and farms, emphasizing that sustainable peace cannot be achieved through kinetic responses alone. There’s a recognition that addressing the root causes of violent extremism, such as poverty and lack of opportunity, through inclusive, whole-of-government, and whole-of-society solutions, including integrated agricultural approaches, is crucial. The approval of Forest Guards is also seen as a transformative measure to enhance security for farmers.

Beyond the immediate crisis of insecurity, Nigeria’s agricultural sector still grapples with a myriad of systemic challenges. These include poor access to finance, with many farmers relying on informal lenders at exorbitant rates; high production costs, exacerbated by fuel subsidy removal; inadequate infrastructure, leading to significant post-harvest losses; and the impacts of climate change, such as erratic rainfall patterns and floods. Experts advocate for sustained investment in agricultural infrastructure, including irrigation systems, storage facilities, and rural road networks, to reduce post-harvest losses and improve market access.

Despite these hurdles, the potential for agriculture to drive Nigeria’s economic diversification remains immense. By focusing on value addition through agro-processing, leveraging modern agricultural technology (precision farming, irrigation, biotechnology, satellite imagery for yield prediction), diversifying crop production beyond traditional cash crops to include high-demand items, and investing in livestock and aquaculture, Nigeria can unlock significant economic growth. Public-private partnerships and accessible financial solutions, coupled with robust policy reforms, are vital to support smallholder farmers and attract necessary investments.

The journey beyond oil will be long and arduous, but agriculture offers Nigeria a tangible and sustainable path to economic resilience. President Tinubu’s reforms demonstrate a clear intent, but their success hinges on the government’s ability to effectively tackle the escalating violence against farmers. Without a secure environment, the seeds of diversification will struggle to take root, and the promise of a thriving agricultural sector will remain elusive. Only when farmers can work their lands in peace will agriculture truly become the robust engine Nigeria needs to diversify its economy and secure a prosperous future for its citizens.


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Nigeria Police Dismantle WhatsApp Scam Syndicate, Freeze Millions

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Nigeria Police Force has uncovered and dismantled a sophisticated cyber fraud syndicate that hijacked WhatsApp accounts belonging to high-profile Nigerians and used them to defraud their contacts.

The operation was carried out by the National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) following a complaint lodged on April 14, 2025.

According to Force Public Relations Officer ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the cyber intelligence team employed advanced digital forensics and investigative tactics to expose the syndicate’s inner workings.

Investigations revealed that the group relied on social engineering and mobile platform compromises to gain control of victims’ WhatsApp accounts.

During the course of the operation, police traced and froze illicit funds amounting to millions of naira across multiple Nigerian banks. A key suspect, Onajite Okoro, was arrested in Warri, Delta State.

He reportedly confessed to working with an accomplice known as “Chief Mallam Zaki,” whom he met through Facebook.

Okoro was found to have played a pivotal role in registering SIM cards, linking them to numerous bank accounts, and facilitating fraudulent transfers. Forensic analysis of his devices and financial records provided further evidence of his involvement in the scam.

Authorities say several other members of the syndicate are still at large, and efforts are underway to apprehend and prosecute them. Inspector-General of Police Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun reaffirmed the Force’s zero-tolerance stance on cyber and financial crimes, emphasizing the NPF’s commitment to staying ahead of emerging digital threats.

The police urged the public to strengthen their digital security by enabling multi-factor authentication, securing communication apps, and remaining cautious of unexpected messages, even from familiar contacts.

The Force reiterated its dedication to safeguarding Nigeria’s cyberspace and ensuring all cybercriminals are brought to justice.


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