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
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) says it recorded a 30 per cent reduction in gas imbalance on the country’s Western Network following the conclusion of its first-half 2026 Nigerian Gas Network Reconciliation (NGNR) Workshop.
The workshop brought together gas transporters, suppliers, shippers and off-takers to reconcile gas volumes traded between January and June 2026, while introducing a Network Entry/Exit Point Measurement Infrastructure Audit Template aimed at improving metering accuracy and accountability across the gas transmission network.
In a communiqué issued after the workshop, the authority said participants also reviewed the performance of the Nigerian Gas Transmission Network, assessed progress on major pipeline infrastructure projects, and received updates on the ELPS Gas Shrinkage Factor and Hydraulic Modelling Project.
Discussions focused on addressing metering gaps, improving network visibility through Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) integration, and enhancing system reliability ahead of the commissioning of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Pipeline System.
The workshop adopted key resolutions, including the execution of outstanding Network Exit Agreements, mandatory submission of measurement audit templates and closer collaboration among industry stakeholders to improve network pressure management.
Speaking at the closing session on behalf of the authority’s chief executive, Mr Rabiu A. Umar, the Director of Transportation Systems and Networks, Mr Joseph G. Musa, said the biannual reconciliation exercise had become critical to promoting equitable gas transactions, transparency, investor confidence and efficient network operations.
Mr Musa noted that since the NGNR process was introduced in 2023, it had significantly improved gas measurement, strengthened regulatory compliance through consequence management, reduced operational imbalances and contributed to a more reliable domestic gas supply.
The workshop concluded with participants adopting the reconciled H1 2026 gas volumes, reaffirming the authority’s commitment to a transparent, efficient and reliable domestic gas market.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
An investment that supports growing food and agriculture companies across Africa that strengthen agricultural value chains has been made by Swedfund.
The organisation is putting down about $12 million to strengthen climate resilience in African food systems through the Acumen Resilient Agriculture Fund II (ARAF II).
By improving access to markets, finance and essential services, these companies help smallholder farmers become more resilient to climate and economic shocks.
Over 30 million smallholder farmers operate across Sub-Saharan Africa, accounting for 80 per cent of all farms and producing 70 per cent of the region’s food (IFAD). Yet many face limited access to finance, quality inputs, reliable buyers and market information. At the same time, they are among those most exposed to climate change and weather-related shocks, which threaten harvests, incomes and food security.
The investment has an ambition to reach around four million smallholder farmers through ARAF II’s portfolio companies. It also aims to meet the criteria of the 2X Challenge, which promotes investments that support women’s economic empowerment.
ARAF II invests in businesses that address key gaps in agricultural value chains, from improving market access and reducing post-harvest losses to expanding financial and digital services for farmers. By helping these businesses grow, the investment aims to improve productivity, strengthen local value chains and increase the resilience of food systems.
Swedfund invests alongside other development finance institutions and investors to help mobilise long-term capital for businesses that often struggle to access financing despite their potential to strengthen food security, climate resilience and economic development across Africa.
“Climate change is already affecting the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers across Africa. Investing in businesses that improve access to markets, finance and agricultural services helps farmers strengthen their resilience, increase productivity and build more stable incomes. That is essential for more resilient food systems,” the Investment Director of Food Systems and Strategic Investments at Swedfund, Ms Helen Hagos, said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to order a probe into the alleged diversion, disappearance and misapplication of more than N6.79 billion in public funds within the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs.
The grave allegations are documented in the latest Annual Report of the Auditor-General of the Federation published on September 9, 2025.
SERAP said, “Anyone suspected to be responsible—including contractors, companies and public officials implicated in the report—should be promptly prosecuted, while all missing public funds, firearms and ammunition should be fully recovered, secured and properly accounted for.”
In the letter dated August 1, 2026, and signed by SERAP deputy director, Mr Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “The Auditor-General’s findings suggest a grave betrayal of the public trust and raise serious concerns about corruption and the management of public funds, police exhibits, firearms and ammunition.”
SERAP said: “The report also raises serious concerns over missing firearms and ammunition, the unauthorised use and release of police exhibits, failures to properly account for exhibits, and the insecure storage of firearms, creating significant risks to public safety and national security.”
According to the group, “The diversion of funds meant for policing, abandoned security projects, missing firearms and ammunition, and the misuse of police exhibits undermine the operational effectiveness of the Nigeria Police Force, weaken public confidence and may contribute to Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.”
The letter, read in part: “The report documented numerous alleged financial irregularities within the Nigeria Police Force and the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs, including payments for projects that were never executed, abandoned contracts, inflated contract costs, and irregular procurement.”
“The report also documented unretired cash advances, unsettled insurance claims, payments for services allegedly not rendered, and other suspected diversion and misapplication of public funds amounting to over ₦6.79 billion.”
“The allegations also include missing firearms and ammunition, the unauthorised use and release of police exhibits, failures to properly account for recovered firearms and other exhibits, and the insecure storage of firearms, posing serious risks to public safety and national security.”
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within seven days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal action to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest.”
Some of the others include: N499,875,500.00 for the construction of Police College Phase II, Bashar, Plateau State; N12,931,000.00 for the rehabilitation of Block B, Department of Logistics and Supply (Works) building, Garki; N111,635,864.64 for the construction of 12 one-bedroom transit camp units and rehabilitation of the administration block at the NPF Pre-retirement Skills Acquisition Centre, Kudana, Kaduna State; N4,011,627.89 inserted as taxes to inflate a contract; N1,938,299,452.00 for 14 ongoing projects that were abandoned; N5,050,000.00 in monetary exhibits released without proper authorisation; N112,026,424.00 for outstanding allowances paid to officers to cover 2020 liabilities; and N6,000,000.00 as annual payment to the Inspector General of Police’s Senior Special Assistant on Revenue and Tax Matters.
Others include N10,080,000.00 as cash advances for the provision of office equipment and accessories for the NPF Database Management Centre; N438,066,845.73 for the supply of bulletproof vests, ballistic helmets and procurement of a Styr Punch Vistar troop carrier; N18,000,000.00 for the training of women in cosmetology and provision of empowerment kits in Ondo Central Senatorial District, Ondo State; N258,989,999.75 for the procurement of 10 JAC patrol vehicles for NPF outpost stations in Kano State; N30,853,250.00 as security allowances for personnel attached to the Ministry of Police Affairs; N681,406,593.18 for the settlement of insurance claims through insurance brokers; N1,628,108,434.18 for outstanding insurance policy liabilities for 2020/2021; N57,484,515.30 for the procurement of video cameras, customised umbrellas, gift bags and customised towels for the Nigeria Police Force Public Relations Office; N7,760,409.56 in withholding tax and value added tax that was not deducted from contracts awarded.
