General
Chain Reactions to Unveil 2018 Edelman Trust Barometer Report Thursday
By Dipo Olowookere
One of Nigeria’s leading Public Relations and Integrated Communications Consulting Firms, Chain Reactions Nigeria, has fixed Thursday, May 31, 2018 for the unveiling of report of the 2018 Edelman Trust Barometer.
The event is slated to take place at the African-Asian Hall, Eko Signature, Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos by 11am prompt.
Chain Reactions Nigeria is the Exclusive Nigerian Affiliate and the Preferred West Africa’s Partner of Edelman, the world’s largest PR firm with presence in 65 countries across the globe.
Edelman Trust Barometer is the annual global trust and credibility survey conducted by Edelman Intelligence, the independent research arm of the Edelman global network.
The survey consists of 25-minute online interviews whereby respondents are asked questions on how much they trust the four mainstream institutions of society like government, business, media and non-governmental organisations to do what is right.
Since 2001, Edelman has been measuring trust in these four critical institutions of society across 28 countries, but this year is the first time Nigeria has been included in the survey.
The inclusion of an exclusive deck on Nigeria by Edelman Intelligence is on the heels of the significant impressions recorded last year when Chain Reactions hosted the presentation of the 17th edition of the annual global survey in Lagos, the first time ever in the history of Nigeria and since the survey was established in 2001.
Impressed with the positive impressions recorded with the presentation of last year’s Edelman Trust Barometer Report in Lagos, a delegation of senior Edelman executives to be led by the Managing Director of Edelman, South Africa, Jordan Rittenberry is scheduled to be in Nigeria to officially present the 2018 Edelman Trust Barometer Report in Lagos.
Rittenberry was also in Lagos last year for the launch of the 2017 edition, which attracted a large attendance of key representatives of government, CEOs of marketing communications firms, media executives and key representatives from non-governmental organisations.
Commenting on the significance of having exclusive data on Nigeria in this year’s survey, Managing Director/Chief Strategist of Chain Reactions Nigeria, Mr Israel Jaiye Opayemi, expressed delight that Chain Reactions is taking leadership and stepping ahead of its peers in helping to overcome dearth of reliable data required by organisations in the public and private sectors to develop strategy for their growth.
“Lack of trust is a major factor that impacts organisational reputation everywhere. It is affecting government and businesses alike. This bespoke report on how Nigerians trust their government, businesses, the media and non-governmental organisations operating in Nigeria will become the most useful manual in the hands of those saddled with running these institutions.
“This report will put quick insights and knowledge at the disposal of decision makers in government, business, media and non-governmental organisations on how to build or strengthen their trust equity.
“Last year, we made a promise to Nigerians to ensure we have a Nigeria-specific data in the 2018 survey, and we are glad to announce that together with our partners in Edelman, Chain Reactions has delivered on this noble promise. This is a demonstration of what we preach in business,” he said.
An 8-man panel comprising seasoned professionals, media practitioners, government officials and civil society activists will be discussing the survey report and its implications for Nigeria.
Respected Investment Analyst and CEO of Financial Derivatives, Mr Bismack Rewane, chairs the occasion. Lead Consultant/CEO of Thistle Praxis, Mrs. Ini Abimbola and Stanbic Bank’s Executive Head of Marketing and Communications, Mrs Nkiru Olumide-Ojo will be discussing growing trust for businesses.
Seasoned Journalist and Editor of BusinessDay newspaper, Mr Anthony Osae-Brown, and President, League of Online Publishers Association of Nigeria, Mr Dotun Oladipo will be discussing building trust for the media in the age of fake news.
Other respected personalities expected to lend their voices to the trust discourse at the event will include Publisher of Ovation Magazine and Columnist with THISDAY newspaper, Chief Dele Momodu as well as the Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Lagos State, Mr Kehinde Bamigbetan, who will represent Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and occupy a place on the panel for government.
Mr Opayemi added that the exclusive report would also help the key institutions of government, business, media and non-governmental organisations to future-proof their efficiency, value delivery and sustainability as they become more aware of how citizens perceive and trust them while they also take proactive steps to improve on their trust assets.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has explained why it initiated a move to freeze the bank account of the Osun State government.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Governor of Osun State, Mr Ademola Adeleke, claimed that the anti-money laundering agency asked one of its bankers, First Bank, not to release funds to the state government.
According to the Governor, this was part of the strategies to frustrate his administration ahead of the August 15, 2026, governorship election in the state.
Reacting to the issue on Wednesday night, the EFCC, in a statement, said it has been investigating the state government since March 2026 over an alleged “fraudulent handling of Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) account to the tune of N11.0 billion.
The organisation noted that some officials of the state government, especially the Accountant General of the State, have had interview sessions with investigators of the EFCC.
“These ongoing investigations of the state government would not have warranted any placement of Post No Debit order on its account but for the precipitate and unwarranted movement of funds from the accounts to different suspicious accounts since August 2, 2026.
“The commission noticed huge transfers of funds into different corporate entities and had to swiftly halt the trend by freezing the accounts from which such heavy funds are being moved,” parts of the statement said.
In the disclosure, the agency noted that its preventive mandate is a public-inclined framework of safeguarding public funds, assets and resources, stressing that it cannot “watch idly while a state government’s account is being pillaged.”
“While the commission is fully aware of the impending governorship election in Osun State, it has a responsibility to act in defence of the sanctity of the funds of the state. It will be uncharitable for the commission to allow an excuse of an upcoming election to fold its arms to perform its legally-assigned functions,” it pointed out.
The EFCC disclosed that it is “keeping watch over the finances of other states like Osun State. Many of these states are on the investigative radar of the commission to ensure accountability and probity. The commission has always pointed out that it is non-partisan and non-sectarian but always working in the overall interests of Nigerians. The Osun State government account was frozen to save public funds from being looted.”
The organisation urged the public “to ignore false narratives and deliberate demonisation of the works of the EFCC. The interests of all Nigerians are greater and will always be protected by the commission.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has launched a mobile application designed to monitor fuel consumption patterns in real time across retail outlets nationwide.
The NMDPRA, established under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, is responsible for the technical and commercial regulation of Nigeria’s midstream and downstream petroleum operations. The deployment of the mobile application aligns with the authority’s broader efforts to leverage technology to improve regulatory compliance and strengthen accountability.
The pilot phase of the project began on August 1 in Abuja and its six Area Councils, the authority said in a statement published on X.
As part of the rollout, the Executive Director for Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure (DSSRI), Mr Ogbugo Ukoha, led a team alongside officials from the Abuja Regional Office to assess the readiness and operational performance of the digital platform at participating retail outlets.
According to the NMDPRA, the application captures inventory and compliance data in real time, enabling regulators to monitor fuel distribution more effectively while improving operational efficiency across the sector.
The authority said the platform would generate reliable, data-driven insights to support evidence-based decision-making, strengthen national energy security planning and enhance transparency in the downstream petroleum industry.
It added that the initiative is expected to provide significant value to government, investors, operators and other stakeholders by improving access to accurate fuel consumption and compliance data.
Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector has undergone significant changes since the deregulation of the petrol market and the removal of fuel subsidies, with regulators placing greater emphasis on data-driven supervision to ensure product availability, prevent supply disruptions and discourage sharp regional disparities in distribution.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
No doubt, moving money among African markets remains a slow, fragmented process that relies on multiple intermediaries and prolonged settlement cycles.
To solve this issue and drive the development of stablecoin-enabled payment services for businesses across the continent, Onafriq has joined forces with a leading stablecoin infrastructure provider, Privy.
The collaboration will enable Onafriq to create and manage embedded digital asset solutions for its partners and, in time, institutional clients where regulation allows. The initial phase focuses on cross-chain stablecoin transfers and treasury and settlement workflows, creating the foundation for future cross-border payment and liquidity solutions.
Integrating Privy’s secure infrastructure enables Onafriq to build the capabilities required to support a new generation of efficient digital payment services for banks, fintechs, and mobile money operators.
This partnership is a key component of Onafriq’s broader strategy to modernise pan-African payment infrastructure, enabling secure multi-modal wallets and more efficient movement of value across the continent.
The outcome will support a range of future institutional use cases, including stablecoin-enabled settlement, treasury management and liquidity services, as it reflects Onafriq’s commitment to driving Africa’s digital transformation agenda by investing in technologies that make financial services more efficient, connected and accessible.
It was gathered that Onafriq selected Privy for its enterprise-grade infrastructure to enable the seamless integration of digital asset wallet capabilities into its products, subject to regulatory approval, and deliver a simple user experience while abstracting the complexity of blockchain technology.
“At Onafriq, we keep investing in technology that makes payments faster and more accessible. Privy gives us a building block for faster settlement and better liquidity management. As demand for digital asset services grows, our goal is to ensure Africa’s payment ecosystem benefits securely and in line with regulatory frameworks,” the Group Chief Product and Innovation Officer at Onafriq,” Mr Luke Kyohere, said.
The chief executive of Privy, Mr Henri Stern, said, “Stablecoins will play an increasingly important role in the future of global payments, but real-world adoption depends on infrastructure that is secure, scalable and simple to implement. Working with Onafriq allows us to help build that foundation across Africa and beyond.”
