Feature/OPED
The Inefficiency of Fighting Insecurity Without State Police

By Jerome-Mario Utomi
From the dripping political and socioeconomic events in the country, it is abundantly obvious that the defective nature of the nation’s 1999 Constitution (as amended) that has discouraged and crippled development in the country is responsible for the mirage of problems confronting the nation.
Its weak provisions have more than anything else conspired with other socioeconomic challenges to make it possible for us as a nation to keep ‘‘doing the same thing over and over again and expects a different result.”
Take as an instance, when one takes a cursory look at insecurity in the country which includes but not limited to banditry, armed robbery, kidnapping among others, two things stand out. First, it did not start in the country under the present administration.
Remember the kidnap of Chibok schoolgirls on April 14, 2014. But it assumed a large scale shape under the present federal government.
Remember also the kidnap of the University of Maiduguri lecturers in July 2017, the kidnap of six aid workers on July 18, 2019, the Kankara schoolboys kidnap on December 11, 2020, among others.
Secondly, and more painful is the awareness that the present administration is still in the habit of tackling the challenge which has morphed to the ‘next level’ with the same thinking used when they were created.
Without a doubt, the painful part of the present discourse is that a peep into the present federal government (executive and legislative) will reveal that it is arguably gifted with the best trained and most highly skilled in various areas of endeavour.
Yet, they have been able to recognize that ‘extraordinary conditions call for extraordinary remedies” or figure out what their real responsibilities are so as to go ahead and perform it in ways that enhance the life chances of Nigerians.
This failure is most visible in their inability to understand why banditry is on the increase, why the existing police system no longer supports the original roadmap for crime control.
Such failure is exacerbated by the utter lack of political will to challenge the basic assumptions in the nation’s constitution in order to see why the creation of state police has become the only way to fighting criminality not just in Nigeria but across the globe.
Aside from the new awareness that globally, leadership/governance can no longer be viewed in a unitary way as such thinking is both old school and out-fashioned.
If objective analysis can replace emotional discussion regarding state police, it is glaring that there are no federal police or state police models, but there are fundamental differences between the two. While cultural and geographical homogeneity which are strong factors and advantages of state policing are lost in federal policing, state police depend on these factors and more such as historical and friendship to keep the society orderly and without anarchy. This value no doubt makes a productive policing without disorder and state governments have the capacity to fulfil this obligation.
To further arrive at the answer, one will again recognize that President Muhammadu Buhari is aware of this claim. The facts are there.
In August 2019, while he played host to the traditional rulers from the northern part of the country led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Mr President, going by reports stated that; “the ongoing reform of the police would include recruitment of more hands, cultivation of stronger local intelligence and networking with communities, traditional rulers and adequate training.
“This in specific terms will include recruiting more police officers from their local government areas, where they would then be stationed in the best traditions of policing worldwide.
“Working with the state governments; we intend to improve the equipping of the police force with advanced technology and equipment that can facilitate their work.”
From the virtues and attributes of his speech, he did not only underline the importance of but underscores the virtues and attribute of recruiting more police officers from their local government areas, where they would then be stationed in the best traditions of policing worldwide.
Precisely, this form of security design is what the pro-state police and nations’ restructuring advocates’ demands. Particularly as it is obvious that the vast majority of states can afford to equip their officers with the sophisticated security gadgets Mr President listed above.
The next question is; having seen the usefulness of recruiting, and allowing officer’s work in their familiar environments, what alternative is opened to the nation?
In my views, there is no alternative to having a state police that is adequately equipped and completely answerable and controlled by the state governors.
In fact, there are two major reasons that are President Buhari-specific to why the constitution urgently needs to be amended to accommodate state police.
First is that during his campaign in 2015, he promised to “initiate action to amend the Nigerian Constitution with a view to devolving powers, duties, and responsibilities to states in order to entrench true federalism and the federal spirit” notable Nigerians,.
The second and very fundamental is that on Monday 1, January 2018, Mr President among other things noted that ‘no human law or edifice is perfect, whatever structure we develop must periodically be perfected according to the changing circumstances and the country’s socio-economic developments.
From the above realities, nation restructuring vis-a -vis state police should be viewed as those structures that must periodically be perfected according to the changing circumstances and the country’s socio-economic developments.
Certainly, if providing adequate security for the masses is the government priority, it should be the collective responsibility of the country’s citizens to contribute to the success of the process.
What the masses are saying and wanting in my understanding is that the padding of the second schedule of the exclusive legislative list, of our 1999 constitution with about 68 items has made Abuja suffer ‘political obesity’ and need to shed some weight via power devolution.
As noted in my previous intervention, the over blotted exclusive list has made our nation to currently stand in an inverted pyramid shape with more power concentrated at the top and the base not formidable enough making collapse inevitable if urgent and fundamental steps are not taken.
What the proponents of state police/restructuring are saying is that majority of the items are too trivial for the federal government to handle and should serve the greater good of the people if left in the hands of both the state and the local government.
This is the hub of the masses expectation. Items such as police and some government security services, mines and minerals; including oil fields, oil mining geological surveys, control of parks, stamp duties, public holidays, taxation of incomes, profits and capital gains, and insurance among others to my mind should find their ways back to the states and the local councils.
Above all, while we keep in mind these lessons learned from our nation’s politicization of law enforcement, and think about the broader threat of insecurity in the country which has obviously become a reality to worry about, I must quickly conclude that as a nation, we will be sadly mistaken if we feel that the nation will defeat criminal activities without state police.
Jerome-Mario Utomi is the Programme Coordinator (Media and Policy), Social and Economic Justice Advocacy (SEJA), Lagos. He could be reached via jeromeutomi@yahoo.com/08032725374.
Feature/OPED
Collaboration Made Easy Using a Work Management Platform

By Firas Jadalla
Effective collaboration between security operators, teams, and other departments is essential for the smooth functioning of any organization. However, as organizations grow in complexity, it becomes increasingly challenging for teams to coordinate. Factors such as staffing shortages, high turnover rates, and outdated collaboration tools exacerbate these challenges.
When staff rely on multiple disconnected tools for dispatch, reporting, and task tracking, operations often become fragmented, leading to delays and gaps in communication. In critical areas like safety and security, these inefficiencies can have serious consequences.
Work management solutions bridge these gaps by managing, tracking, and documenting activities, streamlining processes, and fostering real-time collaboration. Built specifically for security teams, these solutions enhance communication, boosts productivity, and improves overall operational efficiency through workflow automation.
Organizations in Africa and the Middle East operate in high-security environments where seamless collaboration is essential. A robust work management platform enables swift response and coordination across complex operational landscapes.
This growing need for integration is driving more organizations to align their security and IT departments. According to a recent Genetec report, 78% of end users in the META region indicate that these departments now work collaboratively, reflecting a shift toward a more unified security approach.
Overcoming barriers to effective collaboration
Over time, many organizations accumulate a patchwork of databases, spreadsheets, and standalone systems to communicate, create reports, and track activities. Some still rely on outdated paper-and-pen processes, which aren’t only time-consuming but also prone to errors. These disjointed methods hinder information sharing and coordination.A digital work management platform consolidates these fragmented systems, offering teams a unified view of activities accessible on both desktop and mobile devices. To take full advantage of their security system data, security teams need to consider more than a generic work management solution.
An ideal work management solution for security teams should accommodate security activities such as guard tours, patrols, and maintenance inspections. It should also seamlessly integrate with existing security systems. For instance, a video operator should be able to create a work request with an attached camera snapshot and route it to the appropriate team in just a few clicks. To ensure trustworthy audits and reporting, the work management system should be built with strong cybersecurity measures and ensure that data can’t be manipulated after the fact by applying blockchain principles.
Benefits of work management systems
Implementing a work management system can transform security operations in several ways:
- Improved Communication: Teams gain real-time visibility into task progress, responsibilities, and pending assignments. Updates and alerts can be shared seamlessly to request assistance or provide situational awareness.
- Enhanced Collaboration: Every team member contributes to shared goals rather than isolated tasks. Custom API integrations can connect with other systems, such as employee apps, further fostering teamwork.
- Time Savings: Built-in reporting tools automate activity logs and compliance audits, freeing up time for other critical tasks.
- Operational Efficiency: Routine tasks, incident management, and resource tracking are streamlined. Tasks are assigned to personnel with the appropriate skills, tools, and knowledge, ensuring readiness and precision.
- Workflow Automation: Automations simplify recurring tasks, such as setting reminders, generating reports, or notifying team leads when new requests are added.
- Resource Optimization: Features like work ticketing and asset management enable efficient resource allocation and management of internal and external requests.
- Mobile Support: Field officers benefit from mobile apps that enhance situational awareness, communication, and access to standard operating procedures on the go.
Today, governments in Africa, for instance, are heavily investing in smart security solutions as part of their national digital transformation strategies. A centralized work management platform not only supports these efforts but also helps businesses align with evolving security regulations, ensuring compliance and streamlining reporting processes.
Tips for successful implementation
Every organization has unique workflows, so selecting a customizable work management system is crucial. It’s important to choose a solution that’s customizable and intuitive to minimize the need for extensive training.Integration is another key factor.
A platform that deeply integrates with your existing security ecosystem provides a cohesive view of operations and eliminates the need for manual data transfers or redundant processes.A well-designed work management system can break down silos, empower teams, and boost efficiency. To ensure a successful deployment, adopt a lean and agile approach: start small and gradually incorporate more features as your team becomes comfortable with the platform.
With initiatives like Kenya’s Konza Techno City, Nigeria’s Eko Atlantic City and Abuja Centenary City, organizations are increasingly integrating AI-driven security and IoT-enabled monitoring into their operations. A work management platform with automation capabilities supports these advanced security frameworks.
Firas Jadalla is the regional director for Middle East, Turkey & Africa at Genetec Incorporated
Feature/OPED
From Struggle to Stability: How FinTech is Helping Nigerian SMEs Overcome Cash Flow Challenges

When Mrs Agbaje started her school in Ibadan twelve years ago, she didn’t envision a tech-enabled future. Her dream was simple—provide affordable, quality education to children in her community. For the most part, she made it work. But as the school grew, a new challenge took root. It wasn’t infrastructure. It wasn’t teacher retention. It was something far more basic: getting paid.
Each new term brings the same pattern. Parents promise to pay fees “by next week.” Some follow through. Many don’t. As the term wears on, Mrs Agbaje finds herself juggling spreadsheets, reminder texts, and awkward conversations in car parks or at school gates. Meanwhile, salaries must be paid, books restocked, diesel bought. More often than not, she dips into personal savings to keep things running.
Her story is common across Nigeria. Small businesses—whether they’re schools, salons, logistics firms, or cooperative groups—are constantly navigating the emotional and financial toll of delayed payments. And it’s not just a matter of inconvenience. A recent study by MacTay Consulting found that Nigerian SMEs wait between 60 to 120 days on average to receive payment for services or products already delivered. That kind of delay is more than a hiccup. It threatens livelihoods. It blocks growth. It’s a silent killer.
For Chuks, who runs a car hire service in Enugu, the issue is tied to his bigger corporate clients. They insist on “net 30” or “net 60” terms—industry-speak for “we’ll pay you in a month or two.” That might be manageable for a large fleet with strong cash reserves, but for someone like Chuks, every week matters. With fuel prices rising and maintenance bills stacking up, he’s often forced to park cars because he doesn’t have the cash to fix them—even when work is lined up.
What links these stories is the reality that small businesses operate in a system where money is constantly in motion but rarely on time. Customers often mean well, but their own financial instability creates a domino effect. And the existing tools to manage payments—handwritten ledgers, POS machines, WhatsApp reminders—were never designed for structure. They’re patched solutions to a systemic problem.
Even digital banking, for all its advancement in Nigeria, hasn’t solved this issue. Many SMEs still operate informally, managing finances through personal bank accounts or apps not tailored to business needs. The result is a messy web of follow-ups, reconciliations, and emotional strain. Business owners become debt collectors, chasing down what they’ve already earned, time and time again.
What’s often missed in conversations about entrepreneurship is just how deeply this problem cuts. Payment delays mean rent can’t be paid on time. It means holding off on hiring a new staff member, or letting go of a part-time assistant. It means saying no to growth opportunities, not because they’re not viable, but because the cash flow isn’t predictable enough to take the risk.
And when you zoom out, the implications are national. Small businesses make up over 90% of enterprises in Nigeria. They contribute nearly half of the country’s GDP and employ a significant portion of the workforce. Yet, their greatest enemy isn’t market competition—it’s irregular income. This is a structural inefficiency that deserves far more attention than it gets.
Slowly, however, change is beginning to show. A quiet revolution is underway—one where technology is stepping in not as a trend, but as a tool for financial stability. More SMEs are beginning to explore digital solutions that streamline payments and reduce friction between businesses and customers.
Among these solutions is PaywithAccount, a new tool launched by Nigerian fintech company OnePipe. Designed specifically for businesses with recurring payments—schools, cooperatives, service providers—it allows them to automate collections directly from customers’ bank accounts. With full consent and transparency, payments can be scheduled, reducing the need for repeated follow-ups or awkward reminders.
For Mrs Agbaje, this has made a significant difference. Parents receive structured payment plans, reminders go out automatically, and debits happen based on prior agreement. She now spends less time tracking who has paid and more time planning curriculum upgrades and engaging with teachers.
The benefit isn’t just financial—it’s emotional. When business owners don’t have to chase payments, they gain time, clarity, and confidence. They can plan ahead, restock inventory, or finally invest in that expansion they’ve put off for years. And for customers, the experience feels more professional, more trustworthy. Everyone wins.
Technology won’t solve every problem for Nigerian SMEs. But smart, well-designed financial tools are starting to remove some of the biggest roadblocks—quietly and effectively. And that’s the point. The best systems aren’t flashy. They work in the background, reducing stress, restoring dignity, and enabling business owners to focus on what truly matters.
For Ope Adeoye, founder of OnePipe, the issue is personal. “Every Nigerian knows someone who runs a business—a cousin, a friend, a neighbour. When they suffer from late payments, it affects whole families and communities. Fixing this isn’t just a business goal—it’s a social one.”
In a country as dynamic and entrepreneurial as Nigeria, the challenge is rarely about lack of ideas. It’s about systems that help those ideas survive. And one of the most overlooked systems is the way money flows—or fails to.
As more SMEs embrace tools that put payment on autopilot, a future of stability—rather than constant survival—starts to feel possible. And in a nation powered by small businesses, that kind of shift could move mountains.
Feature/OPED
How AI is Revolutionizing Sales and Business Development for Future Growth

By Olubunmi Aina
Many experts have highlighted the growing impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across the financial industry, and I would like to share my perspective on a key functional area that typically drives business growth and profitability— sales and business development professionals and how AI is impacting their work.
Sales and business development professionals are often regarded as the engine room of an organization, thanks to their eye for business opportunities, ideation and conceptualization, market engagement and penetration expertise.
AI is enabling sales and business development professionals to automate tasks, take meeting notes, analyze data, and personalize customer experiences, all of which are embedded within CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems. A CRM with an AI tool is what forward-thinking businesses are leveraging to manage leads, customer data, customer interactions, notify and remind professionals to take action when due, drive growth and profitability.
This is why it is crucial for these professionals to invest heavily in AI knowledge to remain globally competitive. This can be achieved through self-study, attending industry events, or consulting with leading technology companies that have embraced AI, such as Interswitch Group, AI In Nigeria, and Revwit.
Most importantly, to maximize the potential of AI, sales and business development professionals must pay close attention to customer interactions. and ensure they collect high-quality data. Feeding the data repository or CRM Systems with valuable insights and data from real customer engagement is key to getting AI to produce near accurate insight for effective results.
AI will continue to be a key driver of business growth and decision-making in the years ahead. If you are yet to embrace it, now is the time. Keep learning!
Olubunmi Aina is the Vice President, Sales and Account Management at Interswitch Group
-
Feature/OPED5 years ago
Davos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism9 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz2 years ago
Estranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking7 years ago
Sort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy2 years ago
Subsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking2 years ago
First Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Sports2 years ago
Highest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn
-
Technology4 years ago
How To Link Your MTN, Airtel, Glo, 9mobile Lines to NIN