General
Ecobank Gets Applause for Environment Protection
Ecobank Nigeria’s environmental sustainability initiatives targeted at removing non-biodegradable elements particularly plastic bottles from the streets of Lagos has continued to generate commendation, recognition and goodwill from government officials, corporate organizations and well-meaning individuals.
At the weekend, Ecobank was also presented with the 2019 CSR Marble Award of Excellence at an event organized by a renowned public relations outfit, AS+A Communications in Lagos.
Speaking at the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) forum, exhibitions and awards ceremony in Lagos State, the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotosho, said the award for Ecobank was well deserved, stressing that the Bank has demonstrated high degree of consistency in tackling environmental issues and thereby enhancing healthy living across the country.
Specifically, the Commissioner said Ecobank’s current efforts at removing plastic bottles from the streets of Lagos is assisting the government to make the environment safer for people to live, urging other Corporate organizations to emulate the Pan African Bank.
According to him, “We are impressed with what Ecobank is doing in the state ecosystem. Its collaboration with relevant government agencies as part of its CSR initiatives to get rid of used plastic bottles from streets is making the state safer for people to live and do business. I implore other Corporate organizations to partner with us to make the ecosystem safer for habitation.”
Speaking in the same light, President, African Public Relations Association (APRA), Mr. Yomi Badejo-Okusanya commended Ecobank for raising the bar of CSR activities in the protection of the environment. He advised the Bank not to relent in its efforts until a livable environment is achieved.
Managing Director, AS+A Communications, the organisers of the event said Ecobank deserves the award based on its past and current efforts in the protection of the environment. According to her, “annually, we recognize and honour socially responsible personalities and institutions of high esteem in areas of national development and most especially their land mark achievements in the area of human capacity development as well as other social and environmental development initiatives. Ecobank fit this description. We salute the bank’s initiatives and we believe this award would further spur them to do better in helping humanity.”
Responding, the Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Patrick Akinwuntan, said the award validates the positive impact of Ecobank’s CSR strategy, noting that the award further reinforces the bank’s determination to support in the protection of the ecosystem.
According to him, it is a deliberate policy of Ecobank Nigeria to embark on sustainable projects that impact people and the environment. He noted that in May this year, Ecobank informed Lagos residents to exchange plastic bottles for cash at designated locations across the state.
The collectors are incentivized with N30 for every kilogram of plastic bottle collected. The bank he is said had set a target to remove 4 million plastic bottles, and so far, over 2 million plastic bottles have been successfully exchange for cash.
Mr. Akinwuntan also disclosed that a week tagged ‘Ecobank sustainability week’ was set aside in May, during which symposia was organised for secondary schools’ students to create awareness on tackling plastic wastes and other environmental issues amongst other activities that focus on environmental sustainability.
The bank Managing Director dedicated the award to staff and customers of the bank, who he said have worked relentlessly towards maintaining high sustainable standards that has earned them the award. He assured that Ecobank will continue to embark on initiatives that impacts the people, environment and the economy.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The United States government gave some terrorists in Nigeria a Christmas gift that sent many of them to the great beyond.
On Thursday, December 25, 2025, the United States President, Mr Donald Trump, directed his country’s military to launch air strikes on camps of members of the dreaded Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Sokoto State.
According to Mr Trump, the military action, which he threatened to carry out a few weeks ago if the Nigerian government does not stop the killing of Christians in the country, occurred on Thursday night.
“Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!
“I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was.
“The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing.
“Under my leadership, our country will not allow radical islamic terrorism to prosper. May God bless our military, and Merry Christmas to all, including the dead terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues,” Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
In a video on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Department of War of the United States posted the below video of the air strikes;
https://twitter.com/DeptofWar/status/2004351717131903272
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The presidency has reacted to speculations that Mr Femi Gbajabiamila has been removed as the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu.
It was alleged that Mr Gbajabiamila has been replaced with the President’s Principal Private Secretary, Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola.
Mr Muri-Okunola went to Abuja to take up this role after leaving as the Head of Service of the Lagos State Civil Service.
Reacting to the reports on social media on the purported removal of Mr Gbajabiamila, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, the presidency said no such change has been made.
In a statement signed on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, members of the public were advised to disregard the report as “there is absolutely no truth to this story.”
“The Chief of Staff remains in his position. The Principal Private Secretary likewise remains in his role. Hakeem Muri-Okunola has not replaced Femi Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff.
“The viral claim is a fabrication by mischievous purveyors of fake news whose sole aim is to create disharmony within the government.
“We reiterate that news media should always verify their information before publishing or sharing on social media,” the statement said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The new chief executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, has assumed office with a clear message to advance the country’s upstream oil and gas sector in line with the mandate of the commission as enshrined in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
According to a statement signed by Mr Eniola Akinkuotu, the Head of Media & Strategic Communications at the upstream regulator, the NUPRC boss made this assertation during her first town hall meeting with management and staff on Tuesday December 23, 2025.
She further disclosed plans to make the commission a business enabler and re-ignite investments in the upstream sector.
Recall that President Tinubu nominated Mrs Eyesan to take over the NUPRC after the abrupt resignation of her predecessor, Mr Gbenga Komolafe as well as his counterpart in the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr Farouk Ahmed.
In her new capacity, Mrs Eyesan also set a firm production ambition of growing Nigeria’s output and increasing gas production.
“The goal is that we must enable the industry, we are regulators. We must enable the industry from our interactions with the stakeholders, from our interactions with everybody.
“My main objective is to ensure that we make a difference. I believe the NUPRC is at the Center of the industry,” she said.
The commission boss who has served for over three decades in the oil and gas sector, promised to entrench digitisation, transparency and efficiency in operations.
The NUPRC head said with the support of staff and management, the NUPRC will become the gold-standard regulator in Africa. She also promised capacity development, stronger technical depth and sustained engagement with stakeholders, unions and professional teams.
On leadership style, Mrs Eyesan promised an open-door policy and frequent staff engagement, while also soliciting for support and cooperation as the industry embarks on the next phase of transformation.
“If we work together we can unleash opportunities, I don’t see impediments only opportunities,” she added.
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