News
Marital Records Manually Archived @ Ikoyi Registry

In a world of vast technological advancement, records of marriages conducted in Nigeria’s premier civil marriage registry located in Ikoyi, Lagos are manually documented, a situation expert say could lead to loss of much treasured records, Nigeria Communicationsweek can report.
The Civil marriage is protected under the Marriage Act, Chapter 218 of Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 (An Act to make provisions for the celebration of marriages).
There are two types of marriage registries in Nigeria: the Ikoyi Marriage Registry is a federal institution under the Federal Ministry of Interior and covers all those resident in Lagos, South-South, South East and South West. All States have various Registries at the State and Local Government levels.
People exchange marital vows daily and it is shocking to know that the government is not taking full advantage of opportunities the smart office presents. Sadly, they do not even have a functional web portal.
A staff of the registry who does not want to be named told Nigeria Communicationsweek last week that: “We don’t have computers. Just look around our office, this typewriter we have here is archaic. It was left by the colonial masters. The colonial masters established this registry, they managed it and when they left, they left it to Nigerians.”
With advancement in technology, there are better ways the government could better the lot of the ministry after 52 years of the colonial masters’ exit from the shores of the country.
“In instances when people need to get something from their records, we search through our records, one after the other and this is tedious. The search may take a whole week, two weeks or four weeks,” said a worker at the registry who pleaded for anonymity.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered that several letters have been written to the federal government for actions to upgrade its archival infrastructure without response.
Oyedokun Oyewole, president of Records and Information Management Awareness Foundation (RIMA), a not-for-profit organization sensitizing the public on the benefits of proper records management with IT applications, said under the prevailing circumstance, valuable documents could get lost.
“If they do not have proper document control and management platform it could lead to loss of time, hence retrieving of documents will be cumbersome. There is also the tendency of loss of records and documents.
“In addition, there will be a waste of manpower. Due to the volume of work they generate most of the workers will be most times engaged on sorting out one document or the other, thereby reducing productivity, because lesser time will be given to other issues,” said Oyewole.
He stated that to address the situation, the registry need to have ICT infrastructure in place. The management would also need to carry out a research on current activities; capture the current manual processing which can be transferred to electronic process.
“They can even develop a wed portal which has multiple advantages. First, it will reduce the crowed that come for verifications; hence people can at different places check position of their papers or applications. By so doing the Registry would have enhanced its revenue base, because people need to buy scratch cards to log on the portal,” Oyewole enthused.
News
Zamfara, Oracle Partner to Drive Digital Skills Development

The Zamfara State government has signed an agreement with Oracle to invest in youth development, workforce capacity building and the digital economy under Oracle University’s Skills Development Initiative (SDI).
The agreement was signed at Oracle’s Offices in London, United Kingdom, with Governor Dauda Lawal representing the Zamfara State government.
A statement on Wednesday by the Governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, explained that the development will foster collaboration between the Zamfara Information and Technology Development Agency (ZITDA) and Oracle.
Secretary to the State Government, two Special Advisers and the Executive Secretary of ZITDA were also present at the event, along with Siobhan Wilson, Oracle UK Country Leader and Senior Vice President, EMEA.
The statement said, “Zamfara State government has signed a strategic agreement with Oracle to drive digital skills development across the state.
“Facilitated through the Zamfara Information Technology Development Agency, the collaboration will use the expertise and learning services of both Oracle Academy and Oracle University in their digital transformation efforts.
“The collaboration signifies a commitment to education and a strategic investment in the future of Zamfara’s youth, workforce and digital economy.
“Oracle Academy, Oracle’s global philanthropic educational programme offers a robust portfolio of technology education teaching and learning resources, including curriculum and software access, to educators and students worldwide.
“With the support of the Zamfara Information Technology Development Agency, these resources will be made available to validate higher education institutions across Zamfara.
“ZITDA will help lead efforts to integrate Oracle Academy offerings into Zamfara’s higher education curriculum, equipping educators with the tools and resources they need to guide students in learning hands-on tech skills and toward Oracle’s professional certifications and foster a new generation of tech-savvy leaders.
“In addition, Oracle University’s Skills Development Initiative, a global programme that provides access to world-class learning and certification programmes at no cost to eligible learners, will further expand opportunities for learners in Zamfara.
“Through a co-branded Learning Portal in collaboration with ZITDA, Oracle University plans to provide free access to digital learning paths and foundational certifications for eligible participants across Zamfara. This includes curated learning journeys offering over 200 hours of professional-level training in high-demand areas such as Cloud, AI, Data Science and APEX development.”
In his remarks at the ceremony, Governor Dauda Lawal restated that the collaboration with Oracle is part of his administration’s commitment to transforming Zamfara into a hub of innovation, education, and digital excellence.
He said, “on behalf of the government and the good people of Zamfara State, I extend my deepest appreciation to Oracle for believing in our vision and for partnering with us on this transformative journey.
“What we are doing today goes beyond technology, it is about giving hope, creating opportunities and unlocking the future. By investing in digital education and innovation, we are offering real alternatives to poverty, to joblessness and to despair. I sincerely thank Oracle for standing with us, believing in the power of partnership, purpose, and shared dreams.
“Today, we are not just signing a document, we are making a promise, promise that every child in Zamfara will have a fair chance to dream, to learn, and to succeed. A promise that technology will be our bridge to a stronger, more inclusive economy. And, a promise that Zamfara will not merely participate in the digital revolution, we will lead it.”
News
Power Ministry, NAEC Partner to Unlock Nuclear Energy Potential

The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu has expressed willingness to collaborate with Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission, NAEC, to facilitate the establishment of nuclear power plants in the country.
With power generation averaging 5,000 Megawatts for a population of over 230 million people, Chief Adelabu described nuclear energy as the energy of the future for Nigeria.
The Minister stated this in Abuja when the Acting Chairman of the Commission, Engr. Anthony Ekedewa, visited him.
A statement by the Ministry said the collaboration would boost power generation and stabilise the power sector as part of the reforms being undertaken in the sector.
As an advanced level of power generation, the Minister said the country would benefit significantly from a nuclear power plant especially, with the technology that will come in as it will make power generation less cumbersome.
He said the participation of the commission in the power sector was long overdue and promised to work with the agency.
Adelabu however advised against the proposed establishment of four power plants with capacity to generate 1200 MW each, by the Commission, explaining that modular nuclear reactor is the way to go especially with the way the government has decentralised the sector.
“This is an area that States can benefit from. A lot of investment has gone into the development of the commission over the years and Nigeria should start reaping from the investment”.
According to him, although the process is tedious and costly, the outcome is more beneficial to the country adding that nuclear power plant is an advanced stage of energy generation.
“I wish we are there already in this country, but we are not there yet. We should however ask ourselves, how much of the conventional source of energy have we exploited? Nuclear power plant tends to be at the lower end of concern over the years, but we have to understand that nuclear energy is the future of energy generation”, he added.
Earlier, Ekedawa briefed the Minister on the activities of the commission, which he said was established in 1976, by former President Olusegun Obasanjo as a military head of state.
He said, as a renewable energy, nuclear energy could power the entire country. He said the Commission is proposing the establishment of nuclear power plants with the capacity to generate about 1200MW.
“We want to work and partner with you in the area of power generation. We can be a base load for the country and we have two possible sites, Geregu in Kogi State and Idu in Akwa Ibom State. We have carried out the feasibility studies. This collaboration is part of our energy policy, but we are however limited by resources to undertake this project”, Ekedewa said.
News
Experts Urge Adoption of Digital Tools to Strengthen Nigeria’s Compliance Culture

At a recent high-level workshop organized by the Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance which brought together lawmakers, regulators, and leaders from Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to address Nigeria’s persistent challenges in regulatory adherence and governance, stakeholders have highlighted the urgent need for digital innovation to tackle deep-rooted compliance gaps and foster a culture of accountability across public institutions.
The two-day event, which held at the NAF Conference Centre in Abuja, themed “Consolidating Strategies for Strengthening Legislative Compliance by MDAs,” featured leading industry experts from EFCC, NBA, Ministry of Finance and key players in Nigeria’s financial sector, including fintech firms, championed the deployment of digital tools as essential for improving transparency and enforcing legislative resolutions.
In his opening remarks, the Senate President, represented by Senator Osita Izunaso emphasized that compliance is “fundamental to democratic governance, adding that it was not optional,” underscoring the Senate’s renewed commitment to robust enforcement and institutional reform.
Furthermore, he cited the constitutional provisions that granted legislative powers for lawmaking generally and to make laws for “peace, order and good government”. The workshop also highlighted, with a wide array of statistics, the high cost of non-compliance; root causes of non-compliance while attempting to proffer solutions.
Amidst calls for systemic reforms, Okechukwu Eke, General Counsel at Moniepoint Inc., delivered a keynote presentation focused on the responsibilities of fintechs in consumer protection and financial literacy.
Eke highlighted Moniepoint’s commitment to building a compliance culture that goes beyond mere formalities to drive genuine impact. “At Moniepoint, we believe innovation in financial services must go hand-in-hand with strong consumer protection and legal responsibility,” Eke stated.
He stressed the unique position of fintechs, which often serve vulnerable populations with low financial literacy, making robust consumer protection paramount. “Misuse or misunderstanding of products can cause significant financial harm,” Eke noted, adding that “legal compliance builds essential trust in digital financial services.”
The presentation outlined key legal responsibilities for fintechs, including transparency, data privacy, fair marketing, effective grievance handling, and responsible lending.
Other contributions advocated for leveraging technology to embed compliance more effectively. Suggestions arising from the workshop, supported by Moniepoint’s perspective, included empowering legislative oversight committees with real-time monitoring dashboards linked to MDAs and implementing Digital Compliance Tracking Systems.
These tools, it was argued, would allow for continuous monitoring and reporting, moving away from periodic checks towards a more dynamic and effective compliance regime.
The push for digital solutions aligns with Moniepoint’s drive to ensure that the rapid innovation characteristic of the fintech sector is matched by equally advanced methods for ensuring regulatory adherence and protecting consumers.
The call for enhanced digital oversight complements other recommendations from the workshop, such as regular reviews of legal frameworks to match innovation and strengthened collaboration between regulators like the CBN, FCCPC, NDPC, EFCC, and the National Assembly.
The workshop concluded with a reinforced commitment from legislative leaders, including Committee Chairman, Senator Garba M. Maidoki and Vice-Chairman, Senator Ede Dafinone, to pursue collaborative and innovative solutions for Nigeria’s compliance challenges.
They both averred that leveraging technology and cross-sector collaboration is vital for closing compliance gaps, enhancing oversight, and ensuring that resolutions passed by the National Assembly are fully implemented for the benefit of all Nigerians.
- E-Business1 day ago
Firm Finds Leaked Netflix, Roblox and Discord Accounts Registered on Corporate emails
- E-Financial2 days ago
CBN Spending on Naira Printing, Distribution up by 306 Percent
- News2 days ago
ABoICT Lecture 2025 to Focus on Governance, Standardization in Artificial Intelligence Era
- Telecom2 days ago
How MTN Employees Are Driving Social Change Through the Power of Corporate Volunteerism
- E-Business2 days ago
NDPC, Mastercard Partner to Strengthen Data Protection
- Telecom1 day ago
Sophos Warns of the Risk of Data Theft as Chinese Cars Flood France
- E-Financial2 days ago
PalmPay Reaffirms Commitment to Advancing Contactless Payments
- Telecom1 day ago
How Emerging Technologies Are Reshaping Trade – NITDA DG