General
Interswitch Employees Donate Salaries to Fight COVID-19
In the wake of the novel Coronavirus pandemic, a lot of our realities have changed. New emotions have been evoked in us daily, amidst the disturbing depiction of the disease with all the disruption, death and fear it leaves in its wake.
Gradually we have imbibed new ways of interacting and new hygiene routines, among other things. However, one important outcome of the disease the world over, is a renewed sense of value, especially in relation to fellow humans.
Across the globe we have witnessed how good spirited individuals and organisations have donated to various governments at local, national and international levels, to support the fight against COVID-19.
These donations have ranged from cash donations, to the provision of much-needed personal protective equipment (PPE), medical supplies, logistical resources, infrastructure, and so on. We have also witnessed retired medical practitioners taking the risk to return to work to fill up the manpower gap. The outpouring of love is unprecedented…well, the impact of the pandemic is also unprecedented!
In Nigeria, the private sector intervention efforts started with the Coalition Against COVID (CACOVID), an initiative that was introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The coalition has helped set up isolation centres, renovated hospitals, sourced and provided medical supplies, fed indigent homes and inspired more people to make their honest contributions.
On the corporate side, one corporation that has indeed been inspired and risen to the occasion is the Interswitch Group, along with its employees.
The over 800 employees of the pan-African integrated payment and digital commerce company, agreed to sacrifice 10% of their monthly salaries for 3 months, as their own contribution to the on-going efforts to fight the scourge.
What we had seen prior to this was privileged individuals and corporates making donations, and of course that is to be expected.
What we however did not see coming was the employees of an organization deciding to voluntarily give up a percentage of their remunerations, to help others through these trying times. No, that is unusual. But that was what staff of Interswitch Group did.
The staff of Interswitch together raised N75 million, and then the organization and the board complemented that with their own contributions, bringing the total sum to N305 million. This huge sum will be deployed to support the COVID relief efforts of 23 state governments across the country.
Part of the money is also being used to provide relief food items to indigent members of the Interswitch immediate community.
Yet and another part will be set aside to support health workers on the front lines of the fight against the pandemic.
In a press release announcing this financial intervention, the Interswitch Group stated that its employees agreed to make this unusual gesture because they had the inspiration to make a difference in the fight against the pandemic.
And what a difference they are making! They have pooled together their little amounts of money to build a substantial mass of funds that is being deployed to make significant impacts in the lives of many.
While no individual donation might have amounted to millions, their collective donations amounted to quite puddle, and then attracted further donations from the board and the company, bringing the total amount to over N300 million.
In the bid make a difference, the Interswitch employees have redefined how we could all contribute to support the efforts to curb the virus.
They have shown how every amount of money is significant towards the fight against the disease. They have demonstrated that everyone can contribute, not only the billionaires.
The have made it crystal clear that every intervention worth its salt requires sacrifices, and for them, it is 10% of their monthly earnings for three months!
Mitchell Elegbe, the Group Managing Director/Founder of Interswitch said that the efforts by the company and its employees was consistent with the company’s mission of enabling the prosperity of individuals and communities across Africa.
With such sacrifice, the staff of Interswitch are indeed ensuring that the pandemic is checked, as well as safeguarding enabling environments and interactions that will bring about inclusive prosperity across the continent.
In a time where people are unsure of their future, careful about their spending and saving every extra kobo, these heroes are forfeiting part of their earnings to take care of their fellow citizens, providing support for their government and leaving an indelible mark in the sands of times.
So, as Nigerian workers take the center stage once again, and we celebrate them and their contributions to the economy, let us reflect on the sacrifices of this incredible workforce.
While this year’s celebrations will understandably be devoid of the usual pomp and pageantry, short on the usual speeches and demands from the trade unions, let us lift our glasses to these extraordinary workers of Interswitch, who are not making demands of their government or employers today, but instead are actively providing support.
Let us give it up to these heroes who will not be negotiating with their employers for pay rise, but will rather be voluntarily taking pay cuts, to help the indigent among us.
It is indeed a new lesson in giving which we hope will be imbibed, and further promoted, by many others, even as we all join forces to battle the COVID-19 pandemic.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Nigeria is currently experience a cut in power supply after the national grid collapsed for the 11th time in 2024.
This is the first time in over a month as the last time the nation witnessed a nationwide shut down in electricity supply was on November 7, 2024.
Before then, the country was experiencing an incessant collapse of the grid, which prompted the federal government to set up a team to address the issue.
However, just when Nigerians were thinking they will not witnessed another national grid collapse in the year, it issue reared its ugly head again.
On Wednesday afternoon, most of the energy distribution companies suffered power outage, prompting them to inform their customers of the situation.
One of the DisCos, Ikeja Electric Plc, in a message to electricity consumers under its franchise area, said, “Please be informed that we experienced a system outage today, December 11, 2024, at about 13:32 hours affecting supply within our network.
“Restoration of supply is ongoing in collaboration with our critical stakeholders. Kindly bear with us.”
Recall that on Tuesday, in a report, Google listed national grid as one of the top trending searches by Nigerians this year.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian LNG Limited (NLNG), which produces Nigeria’s Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) and natural gas liquids (NGLs) for export, is planning to replace all its vessels with modern ships within the next decade.
This was disclosed by Mr Nnamdi Anowi, the General Manager of Production, NLNG, during the World Leaders’ Panel session on Tuesday in Berlin, Germany, as part of the 2024 World LNG Summit and Awards.
Speaking at the event themed “Achieving the Balance Between Energy Security and Decarbonisation,” he said the company which was incorporated in 1989 was making plans to boost its vessels to ensure proper transportation of gas for export.
“We are making significant strides in our shipping operations. Over the next 10 years, we aim to transition from our current steam-powered vessels to modern ships.
“Earlier this year, we took a major step by entering into a long-term chapter of our first modern ship Aktoras, and we are already planning to acquire a second ship next year,” he said.
On the critical issue of net zero emissions, Mr Anowi said that NLNG aspires to achieve net zero emissions by 2040.
According to him, this goal is attainable through implementing a combination of solutions that include operational efficiency, natural sinks/offset projects, carbon capture and storage (CCS), net zero expansion, digital solutions and shipping efficiency.
“Our pathway to net zero aligns with Nigeria’s target of reaching net zero by 2060, while many major players in the industry are aiming for 2050.
“We are actively expanding our initiatives in this area, including several low-carbon projects,” he explained.
Regarding Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Anowi noted that the company had committed 100 per cent of its LPG production (propane and butane) to the Nigerian market.
He pointed out the urgent need for cleaner energy, citing a report that revealed that not less than 100,000 Nigerians died yearly from smoke inhalation caused by cooking with firewood, predominantly affecting women and children.
“This underscores our commitment to sustainability. It’s important to recognise that about 80 per cent of Africans lack access to cleaner energy.
“When discussing sustainability, we can not overlook the necessity of providing energy to these communities,” he added.
He further elaborated on NLNG’s strategy, stating, “Our objective at Nigeria LNG is to maintain safety, enhance capacity, foster growth, and future-proof our business.
“The recent transformation programme includes a rebranding initiative, evidenced by the unveiling of a new logo and the company’s renewed purpose: providing energy for life’s sustainability.
Mr Anowi also noted that NLNG was working diligently to improve its production capacity from 23 million tons to 30 million tons through its Train 7 Project.
“We are actively engaging with stakeholders and the government to ensure our LNG trains are filled by the end of next year,” he said.
On sustainability, Mr Anowi explained that 75 per cent of NLNG’s emissions result from its operations, with the remaining 25 per cent coming from its shipping activities.
He emphasised the importance of measurement, reduction, avoidance and mitigation strategies in their sustainability efforts.
He said that the company was also exploring CCS opportunities through partnerships with the government and other international oil companies.
“We are in the early stages of CCS implementation, assessing potential reservoirs for this purpose,” he said.
In terms of renewable energy, Anowi said that NLNG was investigating solar power projects at its offices in Abuja and Port Harcourt as part of its broader sustainability initiatives.
“We are committed to abatement efforts and are collaborating with experienced private companies to explore carbon credit opportunities.
“We must balance sustainability with affordability and reliability in energy supply.
“The African region must progress at its own pace, prioritising immediate energy needs before addressing long-term sustainability goals,” he explained.
By Dipo Olowookere
Many events happened in 2024 in Nigeria but a few shook the nation because of their impact on residents of the country.
According to a report released by Google, the incessant collapse of the national grip, which plunged the nation into darkness, was among trending searches on its platform.
In the report made available to Business Post on Tuesday, the tech giant said this year’s results show a continued interest in the political and economic landscape, with searches related to the US elections, the new national anthem.
“The 2024 Year in Search offers a unique lens into the questions, interests, and conversations that shaped the lives of Nigerians this year.
“From cultural milestones to pressing concerns, these insights reflect how Search continues to be a valuable tool for users to navigate and better understand their world,” the Communications and Public Affairs Manager for Google West Africa, Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, stated.
Google’s 2024 Year in Search for Nigeria showcased the most popular searches, notable individuals, actors, musicians, topics, questions, and other subjects that captured Nigerians’ attention in the year.
Google’s Year in Search is an annual analysis that reveals the top trending lists and also spotlights what the world searches to see, learn, and do.
The music scene in 2024 was marked by a surge in popularity for artists like Shallipopi and Khaid, who also featured prominently in the overall personalities list. The top trending song was “”I Don’t Care” by Boy Spyce”, followed closely by “Ozeba” and “Commas” by Ayra”. Nigerians also showed a keen interest in understanding the lyrics of various songs, with “Ogechi lyrics”, “Ozeba lyrics”, and “Omemma by Chandler Moore lyrics” leading the searches in the lyrics category.
This year, Nigerians continued to demonstrate a strong interest in entertainment with movies like “A Tribe Called Judah”, “Treasure In The Sky”, and “Damsel” topping the movie charts. The top TV series that captured the interest of Nigerian netizens included “Supacell”, “My Demon”, and “Queen of Tears”. In the culinary world, Nigerians explored diverse recipes with “Pornstar Martini recipe” leading the searches.
Concerns about personal well-being and global events were also reflected in search trends. Questions like “How much is dollar to naira today?”, “How to get perfectly defined curls for African hair?”, and “Who won the US presidential election?” topped the list of queries. Nigerians were curious about the meaning of words like “demure,” “steeze,” and “pet peeves,” turning to Search for answers.
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