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Passengers Seize Arik Plane after 2 Days US Flight Delay

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Hundreds of New York, U.S-bound intending passengers on Arik Air at the weekend protested at the Muritala Mohammed Airport, Lagos over the failure of the airline to airlift them after two days of wait.

This the second time this year, the operations of the airlines has been disrupted by aggrieved passengers: the first being in late January when stranded passengers, who were scheduled to travel to Ibadan by Arik, blocked the boarding gate of the airport and did not allow  Arik and other airlines to board passengers to other destinations.

Intending travellers who were stranded at the airport since Friday, April 17 had to resort to violent protests, invading the tarmac and disrupting a scheduled Lagos-Accra flight of Arik Air early on Saturday.

Mr Ola Adebanji, spokesman of Arik Air told reporters that the issue had been resolved and that the Accra-bound aircraft later made the trip.

Adebanji explained that the U.S.-bound passengers could not depart as scheduled, due to malfunctioning of the browser, fuelling the aircraft.

He assured that the passengers would make their trip immediately the problem was fixed.

One of the stranded travellers, who identified herself simply as Tolu lamented her inability to make the trip on schedule.

She said that the management of Arik Air had kept them in the dark on the inability of the plane to depart on schedule.

Tolu said that the passengers were abandoned, instead of being lodged in a hotel and that they had no means to get in touch with their families.

She claimed that they were only given snacks and a bottle of water since Friday morning.

Another passenger, who also declined to mention his name, described the handling of the passengers by the airline as poor.

According to him, Arik Air has persistently abandoned intending passengers without tangible excuses while “the industry regulator, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) often looks the other way.”

He vowed to challenge the latest development in court.

Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu, director of Consumer Protection, of the NCAA, said that the duty of NCAA on passenger processing stopped at the boarding gate where Aviation Security takes over from.

Adamu, however, promised to investigate the matter, especially the non-protection of passengers who were supposed to be taken to hotel and offered amenities.


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Nigeria CommunicationsWeek believes that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. So since 2007, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and how they affect lives.

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Zamfara, Oracle Partner to Drive Digital Skills Development

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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.”

 


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Power Ministry, NAEC Partner to Unlock Nuclear Energy Potential

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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.


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Experts Urge Adoption of Digital Tools to Strengthen Nigeria’s Compliance Culture

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L-r: Okechukwu Eke, General Counsel at Moniepoint Inc; Senator Garba M. Maidoki, Chairman, Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance; Representative of the Nigerian Bar Association and Senator Ede Dafinone, Vice-Chairman,Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance, at the recent high-level workshop organized by the Senate in Abuja
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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.

 


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