News
TGI Cares Foundation Partners Jigawa iLearn Scholars
To transform young learners’ lives, the TGI CARES Foundation – philanthropy arm of TGI Group – has partnered with Jigawa iLearn Scholars, an NGO, to provide tech work tools to several students as they commence their BSc, MSc and MBA programs at prestigious Indian universities under the eVBAB Network Project.
The e-VBAB project which is an initiative of the Government of India, under the Third India-Africa Summit commitments, was created to offer 15,000 scholarships to African students and professionals to pursue courses offered by premier Indian institutions in emerging areas. The initiative offers certifications, diplomas, as well as undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses.
The TGI CARES Foundation supported the 29 beneficiaries enrolled on the e-VBAB project under the Jigawa iLearn Scholar’s platform with laptops and pocket MiFi to enable them attend classes, and access learning materials independently.
Farouk Gumel, Executive Director and Vice Chairman, Africa, of the Tropical General Investments (TGI) Group, revealed that the TGI Cares Foundation’s causes are centered around guaranteeing food security by supporting appropriate education, championing social interventions and providing relief in times of disasters. ‘Supporting these scholars sits well within the focus areas of our foundation.
The role of education cannot be downplayed in food security, it empowers the individual who will then go on to support their family. This creates a situation where, as more people get empowered, more people are pulled out of poverty”, he said.
Salim Ibrahim, a trainer with the Jigawa iLearn Scholars, acknowledged the tremendous impact of the equipment on their education. “These tools will enable them to access online resources, participate in virtual classes, and complete assignments on the go. It has allowed our Jigawa iLearn Scholars to remain connected with their teachers and peers, keeping their academic progress on track” he added.
iLearn is a complete Education Management Platform explicitly designed for Higher Institutions by providing full automation for managing online learning and content authoring with multimedia.
TGI Cares Foundation is the charitable foundation of TGI Group companies and its Promoter – Mr. Cornelis Vink MFR.
Tropical General Investments (TGI) Group is a global conglomerate with most of its investments in emerging markets. TGI’s investments focus on driving inclusivity and value addition using locally sourced raw materials, state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, and a highly skilled workforce to produce world-class products consumed locally and exported to global markets.
News
NCDC Activates Emergency Response as Lassa Fever Kills 190
Nigeria has launched an emergency response centre after recording 190 deaths from Lassa fever, a viral hemorrhagic illness, according to Nigerian Center for Disease Control (NCDC).
The disease, mainly transmitted to humans via contact with food or household items contaminated with rodent urine or excrement, has infected 1,154 people in six Nigerian states.
Jide Idris, head, Nigerian Center for Disease Control, said the agency’s risk assessment has categorized it as high, prompting the activation of the emergency Operations Centre to manage the outbreak.
“While the disease occurs throughout the year, peak transmission typically happens between October and May, coinciding with the dry season when human exposure to rodents increases,” he said at a press briefing in Abuja.
The centre will ensure seamless coordination of the control and management of the outbreak.
Symptoms of the virus – which can also be passed between people through bodily fluids of those infected – include fever, headaches and, in the most severe cases, death.
The World Health Organization classifies Lassa fever as a priority disease due to its epidemic potential and lack of approved vaccines.
News
2025 Budget: FG Earmarks N1.5Bn for Airports’ Internet, Others
Federal government has proposed to spend N1.5bn for internet services for passengers at five international airports in the country.
The project, “Provision/Upgrade of WiFi Services for Passengers in Five International Airports and some Domestic Airports” was listed as a new project in the 2025 appropriation.
In some parts of the world, access to the internet via Wi-Fi at airports is regarded to be a basic human right.
Such amenities are lacking in Nigeria.
But the 2025 budget presented to the National Assembly last week by President Bola Tinubu saw the sum of N105.953,496,365 being allocated to the Ministry of Aviation.
Apart from internet access at the airports, some other capital allocations were reinstated for the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).
In previous budgets, three agencies of the ministry including the apex regulatory agency, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA); the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and NAMA were exempted from the annual budgetary allocation.
In addition, the federal government deducts 50 per cent of the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), which is against the standard and recommended practices of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), which recommends that the funds generated by the agencies should be reinvested into improving infrastructure and boosting aviation safety.
News
Egueke, Former Bank Manager Jailed for $46,900 Fraud
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.
- Telecom2 days ago
Airtel Africa to Return $100m to Shareholders via Share Buyback
- Broadcasting1 day ago
Spotify’s ‘Detty December’ Hub and Spotify’s ‘Songs of December’ now live
- Broadcasting1 day ago
QNET Collaborates with Lagos Food Bank to Aid Vulnerable Children
- News2 days ago
Egueke, Former Bank Manager Jailed for $46,900 Fraud
- Telecom2 days ago
FG Gives Banks, Telcos Six-Month Deadline to Resolve N250Bn USSD Debt
- Telecom2 days ago
NCC Launches Initiative to Combat Fraud, Spam Messaging
- Broadcasting1 day ago
NERC Discloses $5.7 Million Debt Owed by International Customers for Q3 2024 Electricity Supply
- Broadcasting2 days ago
Africa Magic Announces Call for Entries for 11th AMVCA