General
FG Expresses Determination to End Illegal Mining
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Minister of Solid Minerals, Mr Dele Alake, has assured that the federal government was committed to ending illegal mining.
Mr Alake gave this assurance when he led a federal government delegation to pay a condolence visit to the Oyo State Government over last Tuesday’s explosion at Bodija Estate.
He admitted that some powerful Nigerians were behind banditry associated with illegal mining in the country, describing the Ibadan explosion as unfortunate.
The Minister said a lot of banditry, terrorism and insecurity, associated with the mining sector, were sponsored by illegal miners, who he didn’t name but alleged were powerful people in the society.
“There are lots of connivance among the strata of the society, both high, medium and low classes of the society, in the nation’s mining sector.
“But the federal government is working together with the state and local governments, as well as the host communities, who have efficient knowledge of the local terrain to address the issue.
“Illegal mining is not exclusive to the high class alone but cuts across the strata of our society. So, we are employing both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies and tactics to address the menace,” Mr Alake said.
He disclosed that the federal government would await the final report of the forensic investigations into the causes, effects and possible remedy to the Bodija estate explosion.
Mr Alake, however, said it was going to be after this that the government would make critical decisions on the unfortunate incident.
“It would be presumptuous for the federal government to take any solid pronouncement or categorical announcement now.
“We will examine all the forensic analysis reports, and all the investigations from all the agencies and various intelligence arms of the security agencies.
“They are all working round the clock to provide an authentic and viable forensic report to the federal government.
“When the reports are ready, the federal government will be on a solid platform to make an informed judgment and a categorical statement.
“The final forensic report will also help the federal government in making appropriate decisions concerning the victims of this ugly incident.
“Anything before then will be presumptuous and can be misleading at the end of the day,” he said.
The minister urged Nigerians to be conscious and always report suspicious movements and businesses in their environment, noting that failure to report early always leads to negative results.
“We need to be safety-conscious and develop the attitude of reporting atrocious activities in our neighbourhood.
“For example, no one will expect that such deadly explosives could be stored in an elite estate like this without suspicion,” he said.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Organisers of the CIO & C-Suite Awards Africa for 2025 have opened the portal for nominations, calling on interested parties to submit their entries on or before August 31.
A statement disclosed that nominations for the awards commenced on June 2. Entries will be received from about 15 African countries, an improvement from the previous year.
This expansion underscores a strong commitment to recognizing excellence and leadership across the continent, fostering collaboration, and inspiring the next generation of innovators.
It was stated that this year, nominations will come from Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Ghana, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Togo, South Africa, Angola, Zambia, Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt. They are expected to be submitted via www.thecioawards.ng.
CIO & C-Suite Awards Africa, now in its sixth edition, remains a prestigious platform to celebrate visionary leaders driving innovation, transformation, and impact across sectors through the strategic use of technology and enterprise leadership.
It has evolved into a truly pan-African initiative that honours outstanding Chief Information Officers, CTOs, CDOs, as well as other C-Suite Executives, and senior digital leaders who are shaping the future of their industries.
Nominations are now open across a wide range of sectors, including Education, Other Financial Institutions, Fintech, Media, Telecommunication, Technology Services, Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), Banking, Agriculture, Aviation, Public and Social Services, Energy and Health.
These categories reflect the diversity and dynamism of the African business landscape, and the Awards aim to celebrate leaders making a measurable impact in these fields.
All nominations will be reviewed by a distinguished jury comprising respected industry leaders and subject matter experts.
The awards process receives technical support from Deloitte Nigeria, while KPMG Nigeria serves as independent assurance partner, ensuring transparency, credibility, and alignment with global best practices.
Nominees will be evaluated based on innovation, leadership, impact, and strategic alignment with business goals.
Nominations are open to the public. Organizations, peers, and industry stakeholders are encouraged to submit nominations for professionals who exemplify exceptional leadership, strategic vision, and a commitment to digital transformation within their organizations and sectors.
“This year’s expansion reflects our deep commitment to showcasing Africa’s finest in technology and enterprise leadership. We are building a pan-African stage to spotlight those shaping the continent’s digital future,” the chief executive of Edniesal Consulting and convener of CIO & C-Suite Awards Africa, Ms Abiola Laseinde, said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigerian human resources business management startup, PaidHR, has raised a $1.8 million seed round to expand its operations in the country, with the funding support provided by Accion Venture Lab, Zrosk, Chui Ventures, and Zedcrest Capital.
PaidHR plans to deepen its market share within Nigeria, accelerate product development, and expand its customer success teams with the latest round of funding.
The new funding round brings PaidHR’s total investment to about $2.9 million.
The HR-tech startup raised $500,000 pre-seed in 2022 and an additional $600,000 in 2023.
Founded in 2020 by Mr Seye Bandele and Mr Lekan Omotosho, PaidHR provides a comprehensive platform for payroll, HRIS, compliance, performance management, and Earned Wage Access (EWA).
PaidHR’s cross-border payroll system supports 49 currencies, empowering businesses to pay employees in their local currencies and navigate the complexities of international HR management.
With over 200 businesses under its arm, the startup generates revenue through subscription fees and transaction fees from payroll processing.
In 2024, PaidHR reportedly processed N29 billion in salaries, nearly doubling the amount processed in 2023.
“We are proud to support the team as they deliver scalable, cost-effective solutions that help strengthen small businesses and enable employees to take control of their financial lives,” said Amee Parbhoo, managing partner at Accion Venture Lab.
The startup recently launched an employee wallet app that enables employees to access and spend their wages without needing to transfer funds to a bank.
PaidHR claims the wallet app currently processes over N1.3 billion monthly and is targeting an increase with the latest round.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has announced the restoration of bulk electricity supply to the Northeastern part of the country,
According to a statement signed by the TCN General Manager for Public Affairs, Mrs Ndidi Mbah, the supply was restored through the 330kV and 132kV Jos-Bauchi-Gombe transmission lines.
She said that the lines were initially switched off to enable TCN energise the new Bauchi Substation – one of the biggest substations in the region to the national grid.
”The transmission lines have now been reconnected back to the grid. Consequently, supply to the northeast has been restored since the June 19 at about 4.45 pm.
”With the project completed, bulk power transmission has been restored to Jos and Yola Electricity Distribution Companies, which supply electricity to customers in Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe, Damaturu, Adamawa, and Taraba states,” she said.
Mrs Mbah said that the connection of the new substation to the national grid had enhanced power reliability, diversified transmission routes, and improved emergency response capabilities in the North Eastern region.
According to her, TCN appreciate the patience and support of the affected customers during the outage.
Recall that last year, the Shiroro-Kaduna transmission line, which supplies power to Northern Nigeria, was vandalized by insurgents and in response, TCN, at the time, said it has partnered with the National Security Adviser’s office to secure the area.
Activities of vandals have been an impediment to electrifying Nigeria’s large population with disparity in access to power, especially in the country’s north, cited as a drawback in attaining economic power over the years.
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