General
Ikeja Electric Revamps Electrical Workshop at GTC Ikorodu
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The electrical workshop at the Government Technical College (GTC) in Ikorodu, Lagos State, has been revamped by Ikeja Electric Plc, a leading electricity distribution firm in Nigeria.
This is one of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives of the energy company aimed to boost technical education in the country.
According to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ikeja Electric, Mrs Folake Soetan, the organisation remains passionate about giving back to the communities where it operates.
“We care about our customers and we look for every opportunity to support them, through our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) platform, which has touched thousands of lives positively.
“We acknowledge the efforts of Federal, State and Local Governments in providing quality education for our children and raising the future leaders of tomorrow.
“No doubt, the responsibility being handled by the government is huge and demand is enormous. Government cannot do it all alone. That is why private organisations like Ikeja Electric throw their weight behind initiatives that support the government and drive development.
“At IE, we give back to the societies where we operate. Therefore, in line with our commitment towards education, we decided to rehabilitate the electrical workshop at Government Technical College (GTC), Ikorodu, in order to further enhance technical capacity building and create a conducive learning environment for the students,” Mrs Soetan said at the commissioning of the project on Tuesday, March 15, 2022, at the institution.
Speaking further, the Ikeja Electric chief noted that the philanthropic gesture demonstrated IE’s commitment to the goal of promoting quality education. There’s no doubt that education is the bedrock of development for any nation.
“Clearly, when technical skills are encouraged among young people, it helps a nation to develop in terms of technology, economy, manpower, self-sustenance, creation of jobs and reduction of unemployment,” she said.
While commending the company for the gesture, Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folashade Adefisayo, who was represented by Dr Funke Oyetola, Director of Policy, Planning, Research and Statistics in the Lagos State Education Ministry, expressed gratitude to the Disco for contributing towards improving the facility and adding value to the school while encouraging them to partner more with the state.
She commended the exemplary gesture by the firm, noting that the impact will definitely be meaningful to the recipients because the quality of learning will improve thereby enhancing the capabilities and potentials of the students for future challenges.
Similarly, the Executive Secretary of Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB), Ms Moronke Azeez thanked the Disco, saying the mission of the board was to provide industry response and gender-inclusive technical and vocational education.
According to her, the board was not only interested in the training of the students but was also engaging technical partners to help create startups and employment opportunities for them.
She said Lagos State currently has about 400 partners involved in the exercise, adding that there was a need for more private sector support of technical and vocational education in the state
In her remarks, the Principal of GTC, Mrs Kenku Adedoyin also applauded Ikeja Electric for expending resources and time in order to impact the lives of students and teachers.
According to her, the students feel very comfortable in the workshop as they are excited to learn because of the conducive environment.
“Therefore, we want to express our gratitude to Ikeja Electric for being our partner in progress in nurturing and supporting the talents that will graduate from this college. We want to reassure them that we will maintain it. And we believe you hear positive news about our students,” she said.
After unveiling the plaque, the guests toured the facility to witness the rehabilitation works carried out by Ikeja Electric. The DisCo noted that upgrading the Electrical Workshop was part of its contribution towards advancing technical education and capacity building among young talents.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has affirmed the final forfeiture of $13 million linked to a Lagos socialite, Ms Aisha Achimugu, and her company, Oceangate Engineering Oil & Gas Limited, to the federal government of Nigeria.
Delivering judgment, Justice Nwite held that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) established that the foreign currency was proceeds of fraud and unlawful activities.
The judge further held that Oceangate Engineering Oil & Gas Limited failed to establish how it came by the money, saying the anti-money laundering agency satisfied all requirements for the funds to be classified as proceeds of fraud and to be forfeited to the appropriate authority.
He dismissed the claims that the $13 million was gifts received into the Oceangate Engineering Company by Ms Achimugu, adding that the woman never came to the court to show cause why the huge amount of money should not be forfeited to the government.
He held that no single person who gave the monetary gift to Aisha Achimugu to the tune of $13 million was called to testify.
The judge further held that the burden to establish genuine ownership of the money was not established by the applicant to counter the claims of the anti- graft agency that the money was the proceeds of fraud based on its investigation.
According to the judge, Oceangate Engineering Company did not show the business it undertook that fetched it the money, nor did it show whether any payment was made to it by any of its customers.
Justice Nwite had, on August 22, 2025, granted the anti-graft agency’s motion ex parte for an interim order forfeiting the sum of $13 million linked to Oceangate Ltd to the Federal Government over allegations that the fund was proceeds of unlawful activity.
The judge had then directed the commission to publish the order in a national daily for interested people to show cause within 14 days why the fund should not be permanently forfeited to the federal government.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has inaugurated a 17-member Planning Committee to coordinate the National Flag-Off of the Energise Commercialisation Now (ECoN) Initiative, a flagship programme aimed at transforming research outputs into economic value.
Speaking at the inauguration in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, Mr Philip Ndiomu Ebiogeh, described the initiative as a strategic intervention to convert Nigeria’s vast research and innovation outputs into market-ready products, scalable enterprises, and job-creating opportunities.
He noted that ECoN will mobilise stakeholders nationwide to identify bankable innovations and accelerate their transition from laboratories to the marketplace, stressing that the country must move beyond theoretical research to practical solutions that drive industrial growth and national prosperity.
The Permanent Secretary disclosed that the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Mr Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, had earlier briefed the First Lady, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, on the initiative and proposed her as a champion of the programme, with the national flag-off scheduled for Kano State.
He explained that Kano was deliberately selected due to its historic role as a commercial and industrial hub, offering strong potential to attract investment, stimulate enterprise, and create jobs.
The Committee is chaired by the Minister, with the Permanent Secretary as Co-Chairman, while the Director-General, National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency, NBRDA, and the Director-General, Sheda Science and Technology Complex, SHESTCO, serve as Alternate Chairmen.
Members include Professor Nnayelugo Ike-Muonso, Dr Kazeem Kolawole Raji, Dr Jummai Adamu, Dr (Mrs) Obiageli Amadiobi, Dr Kabiru Mu’azu, Dr Anwal Mustapha, Engr Ibiam Oguejiofo, Mr Moses Fatogun, Mr Adamu Sulaiman (a representative of SMEDAN), Dr Prince Lawrence Eze, Mr Sani Garba, Dr Muhammad Mustapha, Dr Chioma Okeke, Mr Luther Onyemkpa, Mr Charles Egumgbe, and Dr Nwankwo Nnenna serving as Secretary.
The national flag-off is proposed for late April or early May 2026, subject to Presidential approval.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to positioning innovation as a key driver of economic diversification and sustainable development, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Switzerland-headquartered global shipping giant, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), has complied with the directive of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to suspend the implementation of its new tariff pending consultations with stakeholders.
In a customer advisory titled Temporary Suspension of New Tariff Implementation, the shipping line stated that the tariff regime in place before the recent increase would remain effective until further notice.
Business Post reported a few days ago that freight forwarders picketed the offices of MSC, protesting the recent increase in shipping line tariffs. They blocked the regulators from accessing the MSC premises to address the matter.
Despite the protests, the council’s attempt to engage the aggrieved freight forwarders in discussions was resisted, as the protesters insisted that there was no basis for dialogue and vowed to continue the protest until the increased charges were immediately reversed.
In the latest directive, the shipping company said, “We wish to inform our esteemed customers that the recently implemented tariff adjustment has been temporarily suspended, following a directive from the NSC. This suspension is pending the conclusion of ongoing engagements and resolution with the regulator.”
“Accordingly, the tariff regime applicable prior to the recent increase will remain in force until further notice, as mandated.”
The company further assured customers that updates would be communicated once a final decision is reached by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council.
“We remain fully committed to regulatory compliance, transparency, and protecting the interests of our customers. Further updates will be communicated promptly once a definitive position is issued by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council. We appreciate your understanding and continued cooperation,” the advisory added.
NSC had warned that prolonged industrial disputes within the maritime sector could disrupt port operations and negatively impact trade and economic activities.
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