General
COVID-19: Experts Advocate Collective Approach to Public Affairs Function
Communications and Public Affairs experts have advocated for collective and strategic engagement efforts to mitigate the negative effects of COVID-19 on businesses and governance.
They also emphasised that Public Affairs function as a management function has become the new deal breaker for organizations that want to thrive during this COVID-19 crisis period.
These were some of the resolutions advanced at a webinar held on June 10, 2010 and hosted by Re-Ignite Public Affairs Limited with the theme Managing the Public Affairs Function Post COVID-19.
The carefully selected panellists who are authorities in the field of communications, government relations, stakeholders’ engagement, financial communication, policy research and analysis representing various sectors shared their experiences with hundreds of participants from across the continent.
They included Sade Morgan, Corporate Affairs Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc; Ade Adefeko, Vice President, Corporate & Government Relations, Olam Nigeria; Emeka Oparah, Vice President, Communications & Corporate Social Responsibility, Airtel Nigeria; and Olufemi Awoyemi, Founder/ Chairman Proshare Nigeria.
The session was anchored by the President of African Public Relations Association APRA and Group Managing Director of CMC Connect Limited (Perception Managers), Yomi Badejo-Okusanya.
The panellists emphasized how core programmes under the Public Affairs function have become handy in moving businesses forward, engaging various stakeholders, creating corporate relevance and reinforcing brand equity in the face of the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking on the effect of the lockdown on her organisation, Sade Morgan, Corporate Affairs Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc described their experience in terms of “the good, the bad and the ugly”.
“This period has challenged the organizations to work differently with stakeholders. We have seen a lot of changes in the way we work; going digital as a country and this has brought about a lot of efficiency.
“This crisis has particularly put corporate affairs at the heart of the business, because we came in strategically to being at our optimal best for the growth of the business.
“By engaging our external stakeholders, we are securing business continuity in different ways; we are delivering communications on various internal engagement platforms to keep our human capital motivated,” she said.
With regards to Government Relations “we need to understand that government cannot do it all. To drive business continuity and keep economic activity going, Public Affairs role is to ensure that government has full visibility of what is going on with us in the private sector” Morgan pointed.
In his own submission, Olufemi Awoyemi, Founder/Chairman of Proshare Nigeria posited that the Public Affairs function, during this pandemic, has been at the heart of some of the most important issues of the day.
With lives at stake, the private sector has worked closely with government, which has been in a full listening mode, to address the challenge of lives at stake and livelihood palliatives to be delivered through such private sector led coalitions like the CaCOVID. Those who did nothing will be called out at a later date, he said.
“This is a teachable moment for anyone involved in the craft to understand that the rules of the game has been rewritten already and that public communications is back as No. 1, and that enhanced state involvement is here to stay. Putting a dedicated person in charge of governmental affairs reflects or engaging a dedicated Public Affairs professional is the best understanding that to get anything done now, and in the future, will require government engagement. For the professionals, this is a two-way street that is less travelled.
“For the Public Affairs function, it is now, more than ever before, about reputation management (not brand management) and being a deal broker; a minder for the firm”, Awoyemi stated.
For Ade Adefeko, Vice President, Corporate & Government Relations, Olam Nigeria, lobbying and engagement are key to business survival. “There is nothing that you need to get done in the future that will not require government engagement,” he said.
Adefeko debunked the wrong notion equating lobbying as bribery. “Lobbying is an accepted engagement tool that must be done professionally without pecuniary consideration. I have been doing this successfully for years.
“To do it effectively, you must bear in mind the end game from the beginning. Your objective must be defined, and your communication specific. Your set goals to what needs to be achieved must be highlighted.
“However, there is need for public affairs professionals to understand the mandate of government agencies for them to be able to design appropriate strategies in engaging the government”, Adefeko advised.
While Emeka Oparah, Vice President, Communications & Corporate Social Responsibility, Airtel Nigeria, charged public affairs managers to collaborate and coordinate at this trying time.
“This period has taught us to engage more, we can exchange contacts and resources. As a public Affairs person you should know what you want and where to go and get it. You should have a network of people of influence within your network.
“There is need for you to understand your organization and its people in order to be able to articulate issues for seamless business operations,” he said.
The moderator Badejo-Okusanya cued in some participants for their views and they included, Abdul Waheed Patel, Chief Executive Officer of Ethicore Political Lobbying, South Africa; Temitope Oguntokun, Director, Corporate Affairs + Legal at ABinbev; Tony Ojobo, immediate past Public Affairs Director of Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC); and Anthony Chiejina. Group Head, Corporate Communications for Dangote Group.
All panellists also agree that relationship management is key for a successful Public Affairs function and network of influence are part of critical success factors for Public Affairs practitioner.
Participants thoroughly enjoyed and indicated interest in participating in future public affairs webinars by Reignite Public Affairs.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has urged the federal government to review the fuel import licences recently issued to some marketers, saying the policy is driving up fuel prices, putting pressure on foreign exchange and creating instability in the downstream petroleum sector.
Speaking in Abuja, IPMAN’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Chinedu Ukadike, said the current import regime has not achieved its goal of making fuel more affordable. Instead, he argued that it has encouraged the importation of more expensive petrol while increasing the country’s dependence on foreign exchange.
According to Mr Ukadike, some importers plan to sell Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, for about N1,350 per litre, which is higher than the ex-depot price offered by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The IPMAN official questioned the need to import fuel at higher prices when locally refined products are available at lower costs, noting that the situation has made it difficult for independent marketers to plan their businesses because import costs continue to fluctuate.
Mr Ukadike also raised concerns about the quality of some imported fuel and called on regulators to ensure that only products that meet Nigeria’s standards are allowed into the country.
The association warned that continued fuel imports also increase demand for the US Dollar since importers pay for products in foreign currency. This, the association said, puts additional pressure on the naira and contributes to higher fuel prices.
The association stressed that Nigeria should focus on supporting local refining to improve energy security and reduce reliance on imported petroleum products.
It noted that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has helped maintain steady fuel supply despite global disruptions, including tensions in the Middle East.
According to IPMAN, greater use of locally refined fuel would reduce FX demand, strengthen the refining industry, create jobs and improve economic stability. It also said producing enough fuel for local consumption while exporting excess output would help Nigeria earn more foreign exchange.
The association called on the federal government, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited and the Presidential Committee on downstream reforms to engage stakeholders and adopt policies that support domestic refining.
IPMAN said strengthening local refining remains the best long-term solution for affordable fuel, stable supply and improved energy security in Nigeria.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has reiterated that the July 31, 2026, deadline for insurance companies to meet the new minimum capital requirements remains firm, warning operators against treating it as a mere formality.
The Commissioner for Insurance of NAICOM, Mr Olusegun Ayo Omosehin, who gave this warning, urged companies that have yet to meet the new minimum capital requirements to act with urgency.
Speaking on Friday at the investiture of Mr Akinjide Oluwarotimi-Orimolade as the 53rd President and Chairman of Council of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) in Lagos, Mr Omosehin said the recapitalisation exercise remained a critical pillar of the Commission’s ongoing reforms aimed at building a stronger, more resilient and consumer-focused insurance industry.
According to him, the new minimum capital requirement is designed to improve insurers’ claims-paying capacity, strengthen their balance sheets, support higher domestic risk retention and prepare the industry for a risk-based capital regime.
“With about 14 days to the July 31 deadline, we commend operators that have made significant progress in raising capital, engaging investors, strengthening governance and submitting for the Commission’s verification process.
“However, the deadline is not symbolic; it is regulatory, and the industry must treat it with the urgency it deserves,” he said.
The Commissioner assured stakeholders that the insurance sector regulator would maintain a transparent, fair and firm process, stressing that every operator must demonstrate financial soundness, regulatory compliance and operational readiness.
He added that stronger capitalisation must ultimately translate into better service delivery, prompt settlement of claims, improved consumer protection and greater public confidence in insurance.
Mr Omosehin noted that the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act (NIIRA) 2025 has provided a stronger legal framework for a more resilient, better-governed and responsive insurance market, adding that NAICOM’s reform agenda is focused on market conduct, policyholder protection, governance, insurance penetration, financial inclusion and responsible innovation.
He described professionalism as the foundation of a trusted insurance market, saying the industry’s growth depends not only on adequate capital and effective regulation but also on ethics, competence, innovation and public confidence.
“The strength of insurance depends not only on capital and regulation but also on professionalism, ethics, innovation and public confidence. A trusted insurance market cannot be built on capital alone. It requires competent professionals, ethical institutions, credible advice and fair treatment of policyholders,” he stated.
By Bon Peters
About 29,645 litres of premium motor spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, as well as industrial palm oil, edible palm oil and vegetable oil with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N26 million have been auctioned by the Eastern Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
The products were seized by the agency from some smugglers and auctioned on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at the Oron Outstation of the Command in Akwa Ibom State, in strict compliance with Section 119 of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Act 2023.
It was gathered that the command auctioned 14,720 litres of petrol and 14,925 litres of industrial palm oil, edible palm oil and vegetable oil, according to a statement issued over the weekend in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, by the command’s spokesman, Mr Joshua Iliya, a Deputy Superintendent of Customs.
It was disclosed that the exercise aligned with the service’s statutory mandate to transparently dispose of seized, forfeited, and abandoned goods after all due legal processes have been completed.
The petrol had a DPV of N11.4 million, 14,200 litres of industrial palm oil with a DPV of N14.1 million, 600 litres of edible palm oil with a DPV of N840,000, and 125 litres of vegetable oil with a DPV of N141,000.
Declaring the auction open, the Acting Comptroller of the Eastern Marine Command, Mr Esien Etim Esiet, stated that the items were intercepted during successful anti-smuggling operations within the command’s jurisdiction, adding that the seizures followed direct violations of the NCS Act and other extant laws governing restricted goods.
“This exercise reflects our unwavering commitment to transparency, accountability, and the prudent management of government assets,” he stated, reiterating that, “Beyond the lawful disposal of goods, this auction serves as a stark reminder that smuggling is an economic crime.”
“It undermines national development, threatens local industries, and deprives the government of critical revenue,” he averred, commending the resilience and professionalism of the command’s officers for securing Nigeria’s maritime borders despite operating in challenging terrains.
The customs officer assured bidders that the process was structured to be fair, open, and legally compliant while offering equal opportunity to all eligible participants.
