General
How Government Can Avert High-Rise Buildings Disasters
By Dipo Olowookere
One of the recent high-rise buildings disasters that shook the nation was the collapse of a 21-storey building in Ikoyi, Lagos, which was still under construction.
It drew the attention of many Nigerians because it claimed the lives of several persons, including the owner of the property as well as casual workers on the project said to cost billions of Naira.
It was later gathered that one of the reasons for the unfortunate incident was because the owner did not allegedly get approval to construct a 21-storey building as the approval was for a lesser number.
At a 2-day Tall Building Fire Safety Conference in Lagos, the Chief Executive Officer of Surveillant Fire Limited, Mr Adejola Jumade, advised the government to pay attention to the designs of high-rise buildings.
“When you talk of disaster, the first thing is design. What are the steps we take to ensure that the design we have for tall buildings is tailored toward safety?
“Aside from that, government agencies like Physical and Urban Planning need to ensure that mechanical and electrical designs are looked into critically to ensure that the fire design they have tailored to curtain fire in case of any issue,” he said.
He used the occasion to call for more partnership and collaboration for firefighters in the country to enable optimal performance, stressing the need for more investment in the fire service.
“Honestly speaking, the firefighters are trying their best with the limited capacity and facility they have. The local, state and federal agencies need to work together to ensure that people that need to follow regulations do so. Interagency rivalry needs to stop; we need serious collaboration,” he submitted.
On his part, Minister of Interior, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, said that the federal government was working out modalities for an armed escort for firemen on assignment to deter touts and miscreants’ attacks.
“There is the unique challenge of touts and miscreants attacking firemen and their equipment in a fire scene. This is deplorable. We are working out modalities for an armed escort for firemen on assignment to deter these undesirable elements,” the Minister, who was represented by the Acting Comptroller-General of the Federal Fire Service, Mr Samson Karebo, disclosed.
He said the government procured DG54 Aerial Platform Fire Fighting Truck with 54 metres height capacity to reach the 18th floor of high-rise buildings, which is “stationed in Lagos where we have the largest concentration of high rise buildings in Nigeria.”
“We are also working with the Nigeria Air Force to be able to deploy planes for aerial fire-bombing of bushfires, high rise buildings or other wildfires requiring aerial attacks. Between 2015 and 2020, the federal government provided 106 modern fire-fighting trucks to the FSS.
“Last year, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) also approved infrastructure upgrade comprising 44 fire-fighting engines, 15 water tankers, 15 rapid intervention fire engines (not conventional ones) that can go into the nooks and crannies to respond to distress calls and 20 basic life support ambulances,” Mr Aregbesola said.
Corroborating his views, the Director, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Mrs Margaret Abimbola Adeseye, appealed to Nigerians to be very conscious of things that can trigger fire outbreaks.
“Endeavour to switch off all electrical gadgets after use. We advise that people should be careful with cooking in the marketplace. Some people will leave their iron on the table without removing it from the socket when electricity come back it can result in a fire outbreak,” she said.
Mrs Adeseye called for more understanding with firefighters, saying it is not acceptable to attack firefighters, “regrettably, in some cases hoodlum use to attack firefighters without putting into consideration the distance they are coming from.”
“To tackle some of these challenges, the state government has commenced the renovation of 16 fire service stations with the construction of additional five fire service stations. This is the first of its kind that I am witnessing in my 25 years in service. This will help us to address the challenges of proximity,” she stated.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) has reaffirmed its determination to bridge the gap between education and employability in the country by sustaining its flagship Youth Empowered (YE) programme.
This initiative provides hands-on learning, real-world insights, and access to career-shaping opportunities to young Nigerians.
The 2026 edition of the scheme commenced on February 2 at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), with participants mainly young people between the ages of 16 and 35.
A statement from the organisation said this year’s rollout will expand to more tertiary institutions, including the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA). This follows a successful 2025 tour that reached seven cities across the country, including Makurdi, Jos, Benin, Kaduna, Asaba, Akure, and Port Harcourt.
Participants in the 2026 programme will receive training across key modules designed to support personal, professional, and business growth, including Business Life Skills, Adaptability and Resilience, Financial Literacy, Customer Service and Communication, Sales and Negotiation Skills, and Workplace Ethics.
The sessions will also feature breakout workshops on Business Planning, Project Management, and Time Management, alongside the Director’s Grant Pitch Competition, where participants can pitch their ideas for a chance to win business funding.
In addition to skills development, NBC’s People and Culture team will be present throughout the programme to identify outstanding talent for future opportunities within the organisation, further strengthening the connection between learning, employment, and long-term career growth.
One of the participants at the UNILAG training, Waliat Adedogun, who received a cash grant through the Director’s Grant Pitch Competition to support her small business, said: “Youth Empowered gave me more than training; it gave me clarity and confidence. Winning the grant means I can finally take my business idea from a dream into something real. I now feel prepared to build, grow, and create opportunities not just for myself, but for others too.”
Since its launch in 2017, the scheme has impacted more than 70,000 young Nigerians, equipping participants with practical skills, confidence, and exposure needed to succeed in today’s dynamic workplace and entrepreneurial landscape.
This year’s programme is being delivered in collaboration with Fate Foundation as the implementing partner, with funding support from The Coca-Cola HBC Foundation.
Last year, 10 beneficiaries were selected for six-month paid internships across NBC locations in Lagos, Ibadan, Asejire, and Challawa, gaining direct industry exposure.
Additionally, three outstanding participants received sponsorship for an all-expenses-paid intensive culinary training programme and were awarded N1 million each to support the launch of their businesses.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections will take place on Saturday, February 20, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed.
In a notice for the 2027 general polls issued on Friday, the electoral umpire also disclosed that the governorship and state assembly elections for next year would be on Saturday, March 6.
Speaking at a news briefing in Abuja today, the chairman of INEC, Mr Joash Amupitan, expressed the readiness of the commission to conduct the polls next year, which is 12 months away.
The timetable issued by the organisation for the polls comes when the federal parliament has yet to transmit the amended electoral bill to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
This week, the Senate passed the electoral bill, reducing the notice of elections from 360 days to 180 days, while the transmission of results was mandated with a proviso.
Recall that on February 4, INEC said it was ready to go ahead with preparations for the elections despite the delay in the passage of the amended electoral law of 2022.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The pipeline network of the NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company Limited (NGIC) will witness a temporary reduction in gas supply for four days.
This information was revealed by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mr Andy Odeh, in a statement on Thursday night.
A key supplier of gas into the NGIC pipeline network is Seplat Energy Plc, a joint venture partner of the state-owned oil agency.
It was disclosed that the facility would undergo routine maintenance from Thursday. February 12 to Sunday, February 15, 2026.
The NNPC stated that, “This planned activity forms part of standard industry safety and asset integrity protocols designed to ensure the continued reliability, efficiency, and safe operation of critical gas infrastructure.”
“Periodic maintenance of this nature is essential to sustain optimal system performance, strengthen operational resilience, and minimise the risk of unplanned outages,” it added.
“During the four-day maintenance period, there will be a temporary reduction in gas supply into the NGIC pipeline network. As a result, some power generation companies reliant on this supply may experience reduced gas availability, which could modestly impact electricity generation levels within the timeframe.
“NNPC Ltd and Seplat Energy are working closely to ensure that the maintenance is executed safely and completed as scheduled. In parallel, NNPC Gas Marketing Limited (NGML) is engaging alternative gas suppliers to mitigate anticipated supply gaps and maintain stability across the network,” the statement further said.
“Upon completion of the maintenance exercise, full gas supply into the NGIC system is expected to resume promptly, enabling affected power generation companies to return to normal operations,” it concluded.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism10 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking8 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn