General
FG Unveils Mercury Use, Solid Waste Management Strategy
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has reiterated its effort to eliminate poisonous gaseous emission in the air with the rollout of the National Action Plan (NAP) for the reduction and eventual elimination of mercury use in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector of the country.
The government also unveiled the national policy on solid waste management and national policy on plastics waste management.
The rollouts were done in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) with the presentation of Nigeria’s NAP on Mercury in the Artisanal and Small-scale Mining Sector (ASGM).
The NAP was successfully completed by the UNIDO, in collaboration with the Federal Ministries of Environment, Mines and Steel Development, Health and the World Health Organization (WHO), and it is an obligation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury to which is a signatory.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr Olamilekan Adegbite, said that NAP on Mercury in the ASGM was a well-articulated document that was put together based on baseline data obtained from surveys of ASGM operators across the Nigeria gold mining belt.
He said the document was even more important as it had become a demonstration of the country’s fulfilment of an important aspect of the Minamata Convention on Mercury.
According to Mr Adegbite, represented by the Director, Special Duties, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Mr Yisao Adegboje, the NAP on Mercury in the ASGM sectors in Nigeria was developed to provide relevant information on the plans of the government.
He said this will “facilitate the improvement of the formalisation and regulation of ASGM sectors, promote reduction of emissions, release, and risk of exposure to mercury, manage trade and preventing diversion of mercury and mercury compounds.”
He added that the document will involve stakeholders in the implementation and continuing development of the plan, and develop public health strategy on the exposure of artisanal and small-scale gold miners and their communities to mercury.
“The document also serves to promote the exposure of vulnerable populations, particularly children and women of child-bearing age, to mercury in ASGM; and providing information to artisanal and small-scale miners and affected communities.”
The Minister stressed the need for more collaboration and synergy to foster a more sustainable effort to promote public health and the environment against the harmful effects associated with mercury release.
On his part, the Minister of Environment, Mr Muhammad Abubakar said the documents would provide a proper tool for making the environment clean.
Mr Abubakar, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr Abel Enitan, said the government was aware that there were numerous challenges preventing the effective growth of the mining and waste sectors.
He said: “For the mining sector, the challenges exist majorly around funding and attraction of new investments, security situation around mining sites, the preponderance of artisanal and illegal mining operations, attendant environmental pollution and insufficient modern mining infrastructure.
“Those prominent in the waste sectors are problems varying from poor funding, lack of policy, inadequate legislation, limited infrastructure, low level of awareness on best waste management practices, poor recovery and recycling programme, and disposal techniques.”
He said to address these issues, the federal government was making concerted efforts to remove the barriers to the effective growth of these sectors, one of which is the development of these documents.
Speaking on the documents, UNIDO said it would chat a path to the future of gold mining and environmental sustainability in the country.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The chief executive of Netnaija Media Enterprises, Mr Emmanuel Analike, has been arraigned before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja by the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC).
The suspect appeared before Justice Suleiman Liman on Wednesday over allegations bordering on copyright infringement.
He was accused by the NCC of using his online platform to make movies and others not belonging to him available for users to download on the internet.
According to the agency, Mr Analike has infringed copies of audio-visual materials distributed online via his website for online users. Netnaija is an online movie and music download site.
The prosecution counsel, Ms Gladys Isaac-Ojo, who works with the NCC, told the court that the defendant committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 44 (1) (a) of the Copyright Act, 2022.
However, Mr Analike pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him, prompting his counsel, Nnemeka Ejiofor, seek his bail.
The lawyer informed the court that the application was filed on Monday and supported by 23 paragraphs of affidavits and a written address.
But the judge refused to give a bench ruling and adjourned the ruling of the bail application to Monday, March 9, 2026, ordering the remand of the Netnaija chief in Kuje Correctional Centre.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Entries for the 2026 edition of the world’s largest green business ideas competition, ClimateLaunchpad, have opened.
In 2025, the programme, organised by Climate KIC, received over 2,700 applications from 40 countries. The winning ventures gain prize money, investor connections, and access to a global cleantech network.
This year’s edition is expected to be bigger and better, with climate innovators, green venture builders, and entrepreneurs from around the world given the opportunity to apply.
Since its inception in 2014, the programme has supported nearly 5,000 ideas across 97 countries, and this year, it is expanding its presence in Asia with Singapore hosting both the regional final and global grand final for the first time.
Participants move through several stages, including an initial mini-course to refine the concept, an intensive multi-day Boot Camp led by expert trainers, targeted coaching to perfect value propositions and investor pitches, national and regional finals, and a place at the global grand final, with prizes and access to a global climate network.
“Strengthening ClimateLaunchpad’s presence in Asia marks a profound new chapter for this programme and for the climate innovation movement more broadly. Asia is where so much of the world’s climate and nature future will be shaped, through business leadership, public-private partnerships and long-term strategic thinking,” the chief executive of Climate KIC, Kirsten Dunlop, stated.
“We look forward to supporting this momentum with new business ideas and innovation ecosystem collaborations across more than a dozen countries.
“This expansion opens space for deeper cross-cultural connections and for first-time founders to turn sparks of imagination into solutions that serve both people and planet,” Dunlop added.
Also commenting, the chief executive of Better Earth Ventures, Ms Rebecca Sharpe, said, “We are proud to host ClimateLaunchpad’s regional and global grand final in Singapore and to convene an international group of climate entrepreneurs from more than 50 countries.
“Climate solutions are emerging from every corner of the world, and bringing them together creates the kind of cross-border exchange and collaboration this moment demands. Our focus is to ensure early-stage founders have the structure, ecosystem access and support needed to move from idea to credible impact.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria has finally approved the use of an alphanumeric digital postcode system for the country, 17 years after it was first considered.
According to the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Mr Bosun Tijani, the system was okayed at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday, chaired by President Bola Tinubu, in line with the ministry’s strategic blueprint.
He said working in collaboration with the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), the ministry will introduce a modern, geospatially intelligent addressing system that improves accuracy across the country and enables faster and more reliable mail and parcel processing.
“Beyond strengthening postal operations, the Digital Postcode System will also serve as an important national enabler supporting better national planning, improved emergency response, more efficient logistics and e-commerce, and the delivery of government services.
“As our digital economy continues to grow, foundational systems such as this play an essential role in building the infrastructure required to connect people, businesses, and services more efficiently across the country,” he said.
He noted that the approval represents another step forward in the Mr Tinubu-led administration’s commitment to building the enabling environment to support a modern, inclusive, and globally competitive digital economy.
On her part, Ms Tola Odeyemi, the Post Master General and chief executive officer of NIPOST, said the implementation is a foundational step toward building the digital infrastructure required for a modern economy.
“First conceptualised in 2009, this initiative is finally becoming a reality in 2026 under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani,” she wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
“A digital postcode system is more than a postal reform. It is critical national infrastructure that enables e-commerce, logistics, emergency services, financial inclusion, security, urban planning, and effective public service delivery,” she added.
By introducing an alphanumeric addressing framework, Nigeria will now be able to identify locations with far greater precision across cities, towns, and rural communities.
“This will significantly improve how goods, services, and digital platforms reach Nigerians everywhere.
“This milestone reflects a shared commitment by the Federal Government to strengthen Nigeria’s digital backbone and unlock new opportunities for innovation, commerce, and national development,” she further stated.
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