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QNET joins the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment for Youth Employability Training in Nigerian
QNET, a global lifestyle and wellness-focused direct-selling company, has joined the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment’s Employability Training Programme to empower Nigerian youth. This initiative is part of QNET’s ongoing “Say No!” awareness campaign to combat fake job offers leading to illegal migration across Africa.
The training, held in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, brought together young individuals seeking employment opportunities.
The two-day programme featured a curriculum designed to equip participants with essential skills for safely navigating the job market.
Highlighting the Critical Need for Fraud Prevention and Skills Development at the event, Biram Fall, QNET’s regional general manager, addressed the participants on recognizing and avoiding fraudulent job offers.
According to him, “We are proud to partner with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in this critical initiative, as the unemployment rate of 53.4% remains alarmingly high.
“Investing in robust training and continuous education programmes is essential for creating a resilient and competent workforce.
“By doing so, we are protecting them from financial loss and boosting their employability against scams and fraudulent activities.”
He also highlighted the challenges QNET faces in Nigeria and other West African countries, where miscreants use the QNET name to lure unsuspecting youth into fake job offers.
He outlined the steps the company is taking to combat this through extensive public education programmes.
“We have witnessed first-hand the devastating impact of these criminal activities on young people who have fallen victim to fake job scams being propagated in our name.
“It is alarming to note how people with ill intentions are able to defraud unsuspecting victims who are just looking for a job to improve their life.
“We’ve realised that the only way to combat this rising menace is through the power of education. That is why this training program by the FMLE is such a powerful platform,” he said.
On the Ministry’s Dedication to Youth Empowerment, Miss Augustina Uka, Senior Labour Officer at FMLE, spoke about the Ministry’s dedication to empowering youths: “Our commitment to enhancing the employability of young Nigerians is unwavering.
“The Ministry has created the National Electronic Labor Exchange (NELEX) project, an innovative electronic platform designed to transform FMLE’s employment exchanges into a robust database of employable manpower in Nigeria to facilitate job exchange and labour mobility.
“We aim to provide the necessary tools and resources for the Nigerian youth to succeed in the competitive job market. Through our collaboration with QNET, we understand the company and their aim to help people live better lives by educating and empowering youths with the knowledge on how to identify and avoid fake job offers, such as the Say NO! Awareness campaign.
“FMLE wishes to work closely with QNET moving forward to help deliver on the mandate of the Ministry, which is to create an enabling environment for job creation, leading to increased employment opportunities and economic growth in Nigeria.”
Akam Comfort Dufang, a participant in the training programme, shared her experience: “The training programme taught us employability, entrepreneurship, and management skills, and helped us identify available job opportunities in Nigeria.
“Also, I had heard of QNET before and believed it was a fraudulent company, but through this programme and hearing from a QNET representative about their efforts to combat misinformation, my perspective has changed.”
Another participant shared his story about nearly falling victim to a job scam. He was offered a lucrative salary but was asked to pay an upfront fee before starting.
He even sold his laptop to make the payment. Fortunately, he was saved by the news that the person offering the job had been arrested by the police. He expressed gratitude for the invaluable education received.
QNET’s Commitment to Positive Social Impact
QNET remains committed to making a positive impact on society by supporting training programmes like the FMLE initiative to enhance employability among Nigerian youth and foster a safe, informed job market.
Over the past two years, QNET’s FinGreen financial literacy programme has equipped over 1,350 Nigerian youth with essential skills for financial independence. Additionally, QNET has collaborated with agencies like the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) to expand awareness efforts, educating youth on the dangers of fake job offers and human trafficking.
In Nigeria, QNET operates through its franchise partner Transblue Limited.
Fidelis Egueke, former bank manager, , has been convicted and sentenced to six months in prison by an Asaba, Delta State Chief Magistrate’s Court for defrauding a victim of $46,900.
Chief Magistrate Callistus Isioma Moeteke found Egueke guilty of a single charge brought against him by the police under case number CMA/295c/2024.
Raphael Eze, prosecutor, of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Asaba, said Egueke, a former Asaba branch manager of a tier-one bank, fraudulently obtained $46,900 by using two Certificates of Occupancy (CofOs) as collateral.
One of the land titles, however, was not his, and the other was fake.
After receiving the money, Egueke used it for personal expenses and failed to repay the victim as promised.
The prosecution argued that Egueke’s actions violated Section 419 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap C21, Vol.1 Laws of Delta State, Nigeria, 2006.
Despite denying the offence, Egueke failed to present evidence of repayment during the trial.
Chief Magistrate Moeteke determined that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Egueke was convicted and sentenced to six months imprisonment.
However, the court also gave him the option to pay a fine of N350,000 in lieu of serving the prison term.
The court ordered Egueke to pay N30 million in restitution to the victim within six months of his conviction.
The charge against Egueke stated that, in 2016, he fraudulently obtained a credit facility worth $46,900 (approximately N60 million) from Chief Jude Ndudi by presenting false documents, including land titles that did not belong to him, in violation of Section 419 of the Criminal Code Law.
Egueke is also facing trial before a Lagos Federal High Court on charges related to a separate fraud case involving N179.498 million.
He is being prosecuted by the Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID), Annex Alagbon-Ikoyi, Lagos.
This holiday season just got a whole lot more exciting! PalmPay, one of Africa’s leading fintech platforms, operates Nigeria’s most used mobile wallet and has teamed up with Jumia, the continent’s e-commerce giant, to launch a festive campaign that’s all about convenience, rewards, and enhancing your shopping experience.
Running from December 11th to 28th, 2024, this holiday campaign is set to reward shoppers who use the new “Pay with PalmPay” feature on Jumia with cash prizes. Every purchase made using the direct payment method automatically enters participants into a draw, giving them a chance to win exciting cash rewards while enjoying the seamless shopping and payment process.
A Strategic Partnership To Enhance Digital Payments
The integration of the “Pay with PalmPay Wallet” feature on Jumia marks a major milestone in the partnership between the two industry leaders.
Speaking at the media announcement, Mr. Chika Nwosu, Managing Director of PalmPay, highlighted the broader mission driving this collaboration: “We are thrilled to join forces with Jumia to redefine convenience for shoppers. At PalmPay, our mission has always been to drive economic empowerment through accessible and user-friendly financial services. This partnership is a natural step forward in achieving that goal.”
Beyond the holidays, this partnership with Jumia m,k is a signal of bigger things to come. Mr. Chika added: “This is more than just about payments—it’s about creating value for our customers. We are excited about the opportunities this partnership will unlock in 2025, including campaigns and innovative initiatives that will further transform the online shopping landscape.”
Sunil Natraj, CEO of Jumia Nigeria, highlighted the shared vision between both companies, stating: “At Jumia, we are dedicated to creating value for our customers by ensuring a convenient, reliable, and secure shopping experience. This partnership with PalmPay strengthens our commitment to enhancing the digital payments within our platform. By integrating PalmPay, we are providing more options for customers to access affordable and quality goods with the convenience of cashless transactions.”
How to Join the Holiday Fun
Participating in the campaign is simple. When shopping on Jumia, select the “Pay with PalmPay” option at checkout, and your entry into the draw is automatic. It’s that easy!
Bonus Entry: Share a screenshot of your purchase on X (formerly Twitter) using the hashtag #PalmPayXJumia to increase your chances of winning. Additional winners will be selected from participants engaging with the campaign on Twitter.
Whether you are shopping for gifts, or gadgets this festive season, PalmPay and Jumia are making sure your experience is not only seamless but also rewarding.
To learn more about the campaign, stay tuned to the official X accounts (formerly Twitter) of @palmpay_ng and @JumiaNigeria. for updates, announcements, and more chances to win.
Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC), has revealed that none of the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), in the country complied fully with ethical standards, policies, and anti-corruption measures in the passing year.
This was following the findings from the Commission’s Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard (EICS) for the MDAs.
The Commission warned that henceforth, non-compliant MDAs will face necessary actions, including enforcement, to ensure adherence to government directives.
According to the EICS scorecard released on Thursday in Abuja by Demola Bakare, ICPC spokesperson, no MDA out of 330 MDAs that were assessed through physical deployment by ICPC teams achieved full compliance.
The EICS serves as a preventive tool used to assess and enhance the compliance of MDAs with ethical standards, policies, and anti-corruption measures.
Findings from the report indicated that no MDA achieved full compliance, while 29.55 per cent of MDAs captured attained substantial compliance, and 51.62 per cent had partial compliance.
The report also observed that 15.91 per cent showed poor compliance, while 292 per cent were non-compliant.
According to the report, common gaps included a lack of whistle-blower policies, strategic plans, and effective stock verification units, adding that many MDAs failed to conduct any forms of system studies or render financial and audit reports.
Commenting on the report, Bakare noted: “This year, 2024, the tool covered 323 responsive MDAs, with 15 MDAs non-responsive and categorised as high corruption risk.
“It is imperative to inform you that this initiative has yielded some positive and value-driven impacts, and these are, but not limited to, increased awareness and compliance with anti-corruption measures, enhanced competition among MDAs to meet criteria, and improved procurement processes and data reliability.
“The Commission recognises the MDAs with substantial compliance and will continue deploying these tools to promote integrity and accountability.
“Non-compliant MDAs will face necessary actions, including enforcement, to ensure adherence to government directives. We are certain that these efforts will continue to underline ICPC’s dedication to enhancing good governance and preventing corruption.”
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