General
Elegbe Tutors Companies on Crisis Management
Companies have been advised to have a crisis management plan in order to prepare for potential crisis and keep their businesses afloat.
This call was made by the founder and Group Managing Director at Interswitch, Mr Mitchell Elegbe, who stressed that the impact of coronavirus pandemic, which has left businesses across the globe counting losses, was a wake-up call for companies to take proactive measures to handle crisis.
Speaking during a WIMBOARD Institute webinar tagged The role of a Board in Anticipating and Managing Crisis last Thursday, he said decision makers must take a long-term view of the business and plans for seasons.
Using the Interswitch Group as a case study, he disclosed that prior to the novel coronavirus disruption, the firm had developed a proactive crisis management plan that has enabled it navigate the business environment seamlessly, was and continue to offer top-notch services to its esteemed customers, during the pandemic.
He disclosed that while it is true that the company did not envisage the coronavirus outbreak, the board was not caught unprepared by the impact of the pandemic.
He explained that as far as the Interswitch Group’s board was concerned, the group’s vision is captured as a landing zone and a well-defined plan is put in place.
Not unmindful of multiple risks that had propensity to crystallize along the way, the board proactively set out to identify and activate triggers that would help achieve the vision and mitigate traps that could potentially have detrimental effect on the actualization of the business’s vision.
He added that at Interswitch, four major indicators were tracked as potential crisis traps: organizational disruption, unrehearsed major market province, technology lag or solution failure and poor business practices or governance.
“The interesting thing about COVID-19 is that it threw up all four challenges simultaneously and the impact was major.
“However, because we track these things from time to time, we envisaged its possibility and were able to navigate the business in a way that has helped us cope with the current situation,” he said.
Describing an effective board during a crisis, Mr Elegbe explained that having a supportive board with people of different backgrounds, bringing different perspectives to bear during a crisis especially as it concerns the external environment, is critical to an effective board and gives the CEO lots of confidence to navigate the crisis.
While describing the role of a founder during a crisis, he explained that they are highly integral as they are accountable to the board and their role is to manage the business for profitability.
He opined that in a crisis, founders should be more focused on getting the solution that would steer the business out of the crisis and still remain in business post-crisis.
WIMBOARD Institute is one of the four platforms of the Nigeria Women on Boards (WIMBOARD) program that was launched in 2012. The WIMBOARD Institute is targeted at providing training, education and opportunities for prospective and serving Board members.
Other speakers on the webinar included: Ibukun Awosika, Chairman Board of Directors, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Oyeyimika Adeboye, Managing Director, Cadbury Nigeria; Bisi Lamikanra, Partner & Head of Advisory Services, KPMG Nigeria; Audrey Joe-Ezigbo, Deputy Managing Director, Falcon Corporation. The Webinar was moderated by Cecilia Akintomide, Independent Non-Executive Director, FBN Holdings Plc.
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.
By Adedapo Adesanya
President Bola Tinubu has called on Nigerians to embrace religious tolerance, peace, and unity, urging citizens of all faiths to reject violence and intolerance amid ongoing security challenges across the country.
In his 2025 Christmas goodwill message issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Mr Bayo Onanuga, the President emphasised that no Nigerian should suffer discrimination or violence because of their religious beliefs, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to safeguarding freedom of worship and national cohesion.
“As your President, I remain committed to doing everything within my power to enshrine religious freedom in Nigeria and to protect all people of different faiths from violence,” Mr Tinubu said, noting that all Nigerians have the constitutional right to live, worship, and pursue their aspirations in safety and dignity.
The President acknowledged growing concerns around religious intolerance and insecurity, revealing that he had engaged extensively throughout the year with leaders of Nigeria’s two major faiths.
In the last few months, the country faced a spate of attacks including kidnapping of school children and armed terror, involving the death of a high ranking army personnel.
He also said the government would continue to build on these engagements to strengthen collaboration with religious institutions, prevent conflict, and promote peaceful coexistence.
President Tinubu described Christmas as a period for reflection on the message of Jesus Christ as the Prince of Peace, urging Nigerians to draw inspiration from values of love, compassion, and goodwill that cut across all major religions.
He commended Christians in Nigeria for their contributions to national development, particularly their role in caring for the vulnerable and promoting harmony within communities.
“The love for God and love for humanity is at the heart of all the great faiths. These shared values must continue to bind us together as one indivisible and resilient people,” he said.
Reiterating his administration’s stance on security, the President said the government’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s unity and stability has remained unwavering since he assumed office in 2023. He stressed that the state would not tolerate violence targeted at any group on the basis of ethnicity or belief.
President Tinubu also appealed to Nigerians travelling during the festive season to exercise patience and discipline on the roads, wishing them safe journeys and returns.
Expressing optimism about the country’s future, the President said that with faith in God and collective resolve, Nigeria would overcome its challenges and build a nation that future generations would be proud of.
He concluded by wishing Christians in Nigeria and around the world a Merry Christmas and Nigerians a happy New Year in advance.
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