General
Hope PSBank to Recruit Agents for Speedy NIN Registration
By Ahmed Rahma
A subsidiary of Unified Payment Services Limited, Hope Payment Service Bank, has commenced free National Identification Number (NIN) registration for Nigerians in all designated enrolment centres located in its regional offices across the country and its head office in Lagos.
To speed up this exercise, the company has disclosed that over 1,000 agents would be recruited, noting that this move would also support the efforts of the federal government to reduce the unemployment rate in the country.
Speaking at the press conference in Lagos to announce the NIN enrollment exercise, the Managing Director of Hope PSBank, Mr Ayotunde Kuponiyi stated that the bank was delighted to partner with FG through National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) on the NIN registration exercise.
He noted that this would afford Nigerians the opportunity to register and capture their biometrics seamlessly and quickly.
“We are committed to working with the Federal Government to ensure that every citizen enrolls for NIN as this would mean an easier identification process that had been lacking,” Mr Kuponiyi said.
He explained that Nigerians can register online through the bank’s platform and thereafter visit the nearest enrollment center to capture biometrics.
He further stated that the bank has intensified effort to rapidly expand the number of enrollment centers as it is currently recruiting thousands of agents that will set up centers for enrollment all across the country.
“The process of onboarding as an agent is very simple, prospective agents can log on to our website (www.hopepsbank.com) and enroll first as an agent of Hope Payment Service Bank and then register to become an agent for NIN registration,” he added.
While commending the federal government through the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy for expanding and extending the registration footprints to the bank, he assured Nigerians of the bank’s readiness to make the registration easier through the platform.
Nigerians can register for NIN enrollment by filling the NIN form on Hope PSbank website (www.hopepsbank.com) or Mobile app, and then go to any of its centres for data capturing by presenting just their phone numbers and means of identification.
Hope PSBank has seven regional offices across the geopolitical zones of the country located in Kano, Adamawa, Anambra, Oyo, FCT, Lagos and Rivers States. Its head Office is also located in Victoria Island, Lagos.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr Ekperikpe Ekpo, has expressed his frustration towards the partial progress in Nigeria’s flagship Decade of Gas Initiative, advocating that it must now be aggressively accelerated.
Launched by the late former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2021, the scheme is a national policy drive declaring 2021–2030 as the country’s “Decade of Gas.” with the goal of transforming Nigeria from an oil-dependent economy into a gas-powered industrial nation, using its vast natural gas reserves (one of the largest in Africa) for economic growth.
However, speaking recently at the 14th Practical Nigerian Content (PNC) Forum in Yenagoa, Mr Ekpo said the policy has delivered some gains in LPG penetration, CNG rollout, and gas commercialisation, but “not at the scale Nigeria urgently requires.”
“We have made progress, but not enough,” the minister admitted. “The pace has been slower than expected, and we must move with far greater urgency.”
He cited persistent infrastructure gaps, gas supply volatility, funding constraints, and delayed policy execution as major setbacks.
“Critical pipelines are behind schedule. Feedstock shortages still hamper power and industries,” he said. “These challenges have limited the full realisation of the Decade of Gas vision.”
The minister, however, outlined a renewed push to accelerate delivery through tighter regulatory coordination and investment incentives.
“We are strengthening inter-agency alignment to remove approval bottlenecks,” Ekpo said. “The PIA gives us the fiscal tools to unlock more capital into midstream and domestic gas programmes.”
He noted measurable progress in domestic LPG consumption, clean cooking expansion, and flare gas commercialisation, calling them “strong foundations that must now be scaled up.”
“Our goal remains clear: affordable gas for power, households, industries and transport,” he said. “We are not abandoning the Decade of Gas; we are intensifying it.”
Mr Ekpo said the government will prioritise early delivery of key projects such as OB3, AKK, NLNG Train 7, Brass Fertiliser, and several gas-based industrial hubs.
“These projects will determine whether the Decade of Gas becomes a transformative legacy or a missed opportunity,” he warned.
The minister urged industry players, financiers and host communities to recommit to the national gas agenda.
“We need every stakeholder on board,” he said. “Nigeria cannot afford to slow down at a time when global markets are shifting and opportunities are emerging.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
Electricity supply was restored to residents of some parts of Lagos on Wednesday morning following a blackout spurred by a jumper cut that occurred in the Powerline area of Mosan-Okunola Local Council Development Area (LCDA) late on Monday.
The Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) had announced a power outage in parts of its franchise, affecting the Ogba, Ikeja, and Alausa axis of Lagos on Tuesday.
In a message to customers, the DisCo said the power outage was due to a jumper cut at the Transmission Company of Nigeria’s (TCN) injection substation (ISS).
A jumper cut is an electrical fault that occurs when a jumper cable is damaged, disconnected, or intentionally severed.
The DisCo said the TCN’s technical team was already working to resolve the issue.
“Dear Customer, the current power outage is due to a 132kV jumper cut at the TCN Injection Substation (ISS),” the message read.
“The TCN technical team is already working to clear the fault to ensure supply is restored as soon as possible.”
Mr Kingsley Okotie, spokesperson of Ikeja DisCo, had also clarified that the power outage did not affect the entire franchise area of the company.
“It doesn’t totally affect the whole of our franchise. The message was sent to only customers in areas affected,” he said.
“We are still working to resolve the issues; that’s where we are at the moment.”
Our correspondent, who witnessed the development, reported that the jumper cut occurred around 11 pm on Monday, December 8, when a large spark occurred at the structure, leading to an immediate seizure of power supply. There was yet another minimal spark, but power was restored afterwards, likely from a back up source.
By Dipo Olowookere
The Governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, has left the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Mr Fubara, who was restored as Governor of the oil-rich state in September 2025, announced his defection to the APC at a stakeholders meeting at the government house in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
In March 2025, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency on Rivers State, suspending Mr Fubara and lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months due to political unrest in the South-South state.
It was gathered that on Monday night, the governor visited Mr Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja for a meeting.
His defection from the PDP comes a few days after 16 members of the Rivers Assembly formally joined the APC due to crisis in the PDP.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism9 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking7 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn