General
Ambode Honoured As Best Governor In New York
By Dipo Olowookere
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has received an award for Best Performing Governor in Nigeria at an event organised by the African Leadership Magazine and held at the Regis Hotel, New York, USA.
Mr Ambode, while speaking at the 2016 International Forum on African Leadership, said since he assumed office on May 29, 2015, efforts have been geared towards creating a conducive and friendly environment for investors and for businesses to thrive.
He noted that the State was gradually emerging as the choice destination for investors, assuring that his administration would continue to work round the clock not only to become a shining example for Africans in Diaspora but retain the State as investors’ haven.
Mr Ambode, who was represented by the Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mr Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti, apologised for his absence to receive the award, but said that he acknowledged the importance of the event hence his decision to send a powerful delegation including Durosinmi-Etti; the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Steve Ayorinde; his Special Adviser on Overseas Affairs and Investment, Professor Ademola Abass; and his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Habib Aruna, to represent him.
The Governor, in his remarks shortly after receiving the award, said the security and judicial reforms which he initiated at the commencement of his administration and the creation of the Office of Overseas Affairs and Investment were part of efforts to reduce the burden of bureaucracy and security concerns for would-be investors.
While stating that the State is open for business, Governor Ambode assured would-be investors that government would continue to invest in security, job opportunity and infrastructure which are the tripod upon which his administration was built.
He said that Lagos is also playing a leading role in the Nigeria economy, and as such must not shy away in ensuring that it takes the lead as Nigeria re-strategises to restructure its economy for greater prosperity.
“Lagos as the fifth largest economy in Africa is like a country and with the momentum with which the State is moving, it might soon emerge as the biggest economy in Africa. It is home to almost every religion, tribe and colour and accommodates the largest pool of black people all over the world, including Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, who is from Nigeria and has a home in Lagos,” Mr Ambode said.
Earlier, in his opening remarks, Publisher and Chief Executive Officer of African Leadership Magazine, Mr Ken Giami while thanking participants for finding time to honour the occasion, said the focus of the Forum was for good governance and how it could impact on the African continent.
“We have to connect, build bridges and cultivate both intra and inter African interests and connection, continue discussion and conversation on how to move Africa forward.
“A continent that has all the natural resources but still at the lowest ebb in the rank of other continents, needs trade and investment because there are many opportunities that abound in Africa. This is the time for countries all over the world to explore the resources that abound in the continent to make the world a better place for us,” Mr Giami said.
Other recipients of the African Leadership Awards at the event include the President of Malawi, Prof. Arthur Peter Mutharika; President of Burkina Faso, Mr Roch Marc Christian Kabore; Vice President of South Sudan, Mr Taban Deng Gai, among others.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the chief executive of Meta Platforms Incorporated (Facebook), Mr Mark Zuckerberg, to pay the $220 million fine imposed on the firm by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
Last Friday, the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal upheld the $220 million fine slammed on the company for the grave violations of Nigerian consumer, data protection and privacy laws and international human rights standards.
In a statement over the weekend, SERAP advised Mr Zuckerberg and Meta “to provide (in addition to the fine) justice and effective remedies, including adequate compensation and guarantees of non-repetition for the victims of the grave violations of Nigerian consumer, data protection and privacy laws and international human rights standards.”
It also told him and his organisation to “immediately” pay the $35,000 awarded by the tribunal to the FCCPC as cost of investigation, adding that they must “immediately halt the violations found by the tribunal and prevent their re-occurrence, as well as ensure the accountability of any person(s) responsible for the violations.”
In the letter dated April 26, 2025, and signed by its deputy director, Mr Kolawole Oluwadare, the group said, “As Chairman and CEO, you ought to ensure enhanced transparency, human rights due diligence, accountability and remediation by Meta to ensure that Nigerians’ human rights are not threatened or violated.”
Giving more context, SERAP noted that, “The tribunal’s judgment followed the administrative penalty imposed on Meta on July 19, 2024 by the FCCPC after concluding that the companies engaged in discriminatory and exploitative practices against Nigerians.”
“The tribunal’s judgment followed a 38-month joint investigation initiated by the FCCPC and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) into the conduct, privacy practices, and consumer data policies of Meta Platforms and WhatsApp.
“We would be grateful if these measures are taken within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions at the national, regional or international levels to compel you and Meta to comply with our requests in the public interest,” SERAP said.
By Dipo Olowookere
Eight persons, comprising four Nigerians and four foreigners, believed to have promoted the failed Ponzi scheme, Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX), in Nigeria have been declared wanted by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
Recall that a few weeks ago, several investors lost their hard-earned funds in the investment scheme, which the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said it did not authorise.
The platform crashed and went away with investors’ money after it made it impossible for them to withdraw their funds. It later asked them to pay an activation fee of $100 and $200, depending on what was in their wallets.
The crashing of CBEX triggered attacks on its offices, especially in Ibadan, Oyo State, by aggrieved investors, whose funds’ were trapped in CBEX.
Already, the EFCC has swung into action, arraigning the promoters of the investment scheme in court, though four of them are at large.
In a notice on Friday night, the agency said it was looking for the fugitive, asking members of the public with information about their whereabouts to come forward to aid their arrest.
The anti-money laundering organisation listed the wanted persons as Seyi Oloyede, Emmanuel Uko, Adefowowa Oluwanisola, and Adefowora Abiodun Olaonipekun, and listed Johnson Okiroh Otieno, Israel Mbaluka, Joseph Michiro Kabera, and Serah Michiro as the foreign accomplices.
“The public is hereby notified that the persons whose photographs appear above are suspected foreign accomplices wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for fraud allegedly perpetrated on an online trading platform called Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX)
“Anybody with useful information as to their whereabouts should please contact the Commission in its Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, llorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt or Abuja offices or through 08093322644; its e-mail address: info@efcc.gov.ng or the nearest Police Station and other security agencies,” the notice signed by its spokesman, Mr Dele Oyewale, stated.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria’s National Economic Council (NEC) has approved the establishment of Cotton, Textile and Garment Development Board as part of efforts to drive non-oil revenues.
This was disclosed by the Governor of Imo State, Mr Hope Uzodinma, while briefing State House Correspondents at the end of the 149th NEC meeting chaired by the Vice-President, Mr Kashim Shettima, on Thursday at Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He explained that in order to make the board function effectively, the council approved a proposal for Public-Private Partnership (PPP).
Mr Uzodinma stated that the chairman of the board would be selected from the private sector, adding that the body would be funded from import levies on textiles.
“The National Economic Council, among others things, received a representation from the members and leadership of Cotton, Textile and Garment Development Forum.
“These are private sector operatives who are into the cotton business, garment and textiles and the presentation highlighted their proposal on how to revitalise the cotton industry in Nigeria.
“The council endorsed the presentation and approved the establishment of a National and regional Offices for the board in each of the six geopolitical zones for proper coordination,” said Mr Uzodinma.
On his part, Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa said the council also received proposal from the Minister of Livestock Development on acceleration strategy for the livestock industry.
He said the presentation was on on a plan to transformation the livestock industry between 2025 and 2030, stating that the strategy was built on the national livestock growth acceleration plan, which is expected to transform the sector to create jobs, export products and serve as an engine room for internally generated revenue.
“The projection is that the strategy will generate between $74 billion down and $90 billion in that sector by the year 2035.
“It will be a direct partnership with the state governors, the private sector and foreign investors under a very sound federal regulatory umbrella,” said Mr Diri.
He added that the investment would be prioritised into five key pillars between 2025 and 2026, saying the pillars are: animal health and zones control, feed and further development, water resources management, statistics and information and livestock value chain development.
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