News
N10Bn Satellites Idle as NASA Capture Images of Flooding
Nigeria’s multi-billion naira earth observations satellites were on recess and failed to provide update information and pictures during the recent heavy floods which killed 431 people and displaced 1.3 million more, a special Nigeria CommunicationsWeek investigation can now reveal.
As NigeriaSat-2 & NigeriaSat-X, the two satellites built with some N9.94 billion by Nigeria were slow in capturing data of the flooding; the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellites were busy capturing up to the second images of the ravaging flood.
NASA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States had on September 25, the International Charter “Space and Major Disasters” to produce maps of the flooding of the Niger and Benue River close to the city of Lokoja.
They were able to compare the image of the confluence of the Niger and Benue Rivers in southern Nigeria on October 11, 2012 and the images acquired October 8, 2010 to show the extent of the floods.
Back home, beyond the late pictures from NASRDA showing; Niger-Benue confluence [Lokoja] flood plain map, Nigeria; Niger-Benue confluence [Lokoja] flood plain map, Nigeria-2; Map of affected settlement by flood and Map of Nigeria showing some States affected by flood in 2012, the agency has not provided further insights.
National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), one of the Research Institutions under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology manages NigeriaSat-2 & NigeriaSat-X.
Information of NASRDA’s website merely said that “in recent times climate change and some anthropogenic activities have taken their negative toll on some Nigeria states by the way of flooding. The effect of the flood however, is felt both in Nigeria and its neighboring countries.
NASRDA intervened in the flood disaster management through the production of before and after flood maps of the most affected area along river Niger and Benue. The maps below are parts of NASRDA’s flood monitoring and management map products of the affected areas” the agency added.
NASA’s satellite however reported that it images from its observation “use a combination of visible and infrared light to better distinguish between water and land. Water varies from electric blue to navy, vegetation is bright green, and clouds range in color from nearly white to pale blue-green.
The contrast between the images is stark. In October 2012, flood water swamped areas that had been dry two years earlier. The Benue River was markedly swollen east of Lokoja, and flood water fanned out over a large area south of Idah” it said.
NigeriaSat-2 and NigeriaSat-X was designed to assist the Disaster Monitoring Constellation.
News
PalmPay Launches CSR Initiatives to Empower Women, Foster Financial Literacy in Northern Nigeria
In a strategic move to expand financial inclusion in Nigeria, leading mobile banking platform, PalmPay has launched a series of CSR programs across Kano and Kaduna. The CSR initiative named “Passing the Baton” represents the brand’s commitment to passing on knowledge and providing the resources individuals and businesses need to achieve financial independence and drive economic empowerment.
This initiative is a bold move by PalmPay to bridge the opportunity gap in the North by providing financial literacy training and micro-business branding support to 5,000 women-owned businesses in Kano and Kaduna. This strategic initiative reaffirms PalmPay’s commitment to inclusive development and economic empowerment, particularly in underserved regions.
“At PalmPay, we believe that real financial inclusion must be far reaching and cover the grassroots,” said Chika Nwosu, Managing Director of PalmPay. “Our new CSR program is focused on supporting gender equity by equipping women with the knowledge, tools, and visibility they need to thrive as entrepreneurs in their communities.”
Through this initiative, beneficiaries will receive free health insurance, hands-on training workshops, enhanced store branding to boost visibility, and branded merchandise to strengthen their business presence.
The initiative is part of PalmPay’s broader strategy to extend its innovative solutions, expand its footprint in Northern Nigeria, while building sustainable partnerships with local stakeholders for long-term impact.
In a show of support, His Royal Highness, the Emir of Kano, Dr. Muhammadu Sanusi II, has endorsed the initiative, calling on other stakeholders to join forces with PalmPay in ensuring the North benefits fully from the growing digital economy. PalmPay has received commendation from community stakeholders, as the initiative aims to serve as a model for similar projects across other northern states.
As PalmPay continues to scale across Nigeria, the company remains committed to bridging the financial inclusion gap and empowering underserved groups, particularly women and youth, through its innovative solutions and impact initiatives.
Anambra State has once again demonstrated its leadership in digital transformation, emerging as one of Nigeria’s top three states in the 2025 e-Governance Report published by the Panorama CIAPS Governance Performance Index (CGPI).
According to the report — a collaborative effort between Nigerian Panorama and the Commonwealth Institute of Advanced Professional Studies (CIAPS) — Anambra ranks alongside Lagos and Enugu as the leading states in adopting and implementing e-governance practices that foster accountability, transparency, and improved service delivery.
In his remarks, Professor Anthony Kila, Director of CIAPS, emphasized the importance of e-governance in shaping how governments interact with citizens. “The centrality of e-governance allows us to assess the performance of state governments in the country. How the government treats the digital world says a lot about them,” he said.
The report evaluated states based on a comprehensive set of criteria, including website security, up-to-date content, public engagement, availability of online services, policy updates, and user accessibility. Anambra’s performance reflects the state’s deliberate investment in digital infrastructure and its commitment to leveraging technology as a tool for inclusive governance.
Reacting to the recognition, the Managing Director/CEO of the Anambra State ICT Agency, Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, CFA, described the report as a welcome validation of the efforts being made under the leadership of Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR, to reposition Anambra as a liveable and prosperous smart mega-city.
“This is not just about being tech-savvy,” Agbata said. “It’s about using digital tools to create real impact — making the government more accessible, responsive, and transparent. Anambra is building a digital future that works for everyone.”
The CGPI Report recommended that all states intensify efforts to train public servants, maintain digital platforms effectively, and build user-friendly systems that keep citizens informed and empowered. For Anambra, this recognition serves both as a milestone and a motivation to scale new heights.
As the journey continues, Anambra remains focused on setting the pace for e-governance in Nigeria in line with the Governor’s mantra of Everything Technology & Technology Everywhere.
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