By Bon Peters

The Ibeto Seaport and Terminals Area 5 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Friday, January 16, 2026, held a Reputation Management Cascade training for its personnel.

The seminar was aimed at strengthening ethical standards, professional conduct, and the institutional image of the service.

A statement issued by command’s spokesman, Mr Emmanuel Tangwa, a Chief Superintendent of Customs, disclosed that this was part of the service-wide driven programme to entrench integrity, accountability, and public confidence in customs operations.

The Customs Area Controller (CAC) for the command, Comptroller Usman Yahaya, described reputation as “a currency more valuable than money,” noting that “reputation like shadow follows an individual everywhere he goes.”

He said officers must consciously build their reputation with integrity and protect it with courage, as personal conduct ultimately reflects on the entire service.

Another speaker at the event, a Deputy Comptroller of Customs in charge of Revenue, Mr Jacob Onele, outlined the roles and responsibilities of leadership, senior management, public relations officers and officers at the command, zonal and field levels.

Speaking on Crisis and Reputational Risk Management, the Acting Deputy Comptroller for Administration of the command, Assistant Comptroller OE Ita, cited instances where officers’ actions negatively affected the image of the agency and explained practical steps for managing such situations to prevent reputational damage and restore public confidence.

The other speakers, including the chief examiner of the command, Assistant Comptroller MS Abdullahi; the team manager of the Customs Intelligence Unit, Deputy Comptroller HA Barka; and Deputy Comptroller BA Lawson Wadike, also aired their views on the topic of discussion, with the training providing an opportunity to a question-and-answer segment.

The participants commended the initiative and acknowledged its positive impact on their understanding of what reputation management is all about as officers noted that a single act of misconduct could stain the uniform of a thousand honest others reinforcing the lesson that reputation management begins with individual accountability.

By Adedapo Adesanya

Gradual electricity restoration has began across the nation after the country’s national grid recorded its first collapse in 2026 on Friday.

The first collapse in 2026 on January 23 came after a similar incident on December 29, 2025, which had caused widespread power outages across the country.

The prevalent grid collapse in the country has been attributed to a combination of technical faults, inadequate maintenance of transmission lines, and fluctuations in generation capacity.

Earlier today, electricity generation dropped sharply from over 4,500 megawatts to as low as 24 megawatts as of 1:30 pm.

Checks showed that all 23 power generation plants connected to the grid reportedly lost output during the incident, resulting in zero power allocation to each of the 11 electricity distribution companies from Lagos to Kano to Abuja.

Officials of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) had yet to issue a detailed statement at the time of filing this report by 4:40 p.m.

However, a notice from Abuja Electric Distribution Company (AEDC) to customers noted that “gradual restoration of supply” has commenced.

In Lagos State, several streets in the Orelope area of Alimosho Local Government also reported power restoration.

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

A Google Search report has revealed that Nigerians are deploying the platform to make findings on how to get better in 2026 so as to navigate the year seamlessly.

Data showed that in the first two weeks of January, there has been a 40 per cent spike in searches related to self-improvement, entrepreneurial growth and “becoming better” as they search for the tools needed to succeed in every area of life.

A few of the most searches on Google by Nigerians this year have been Starting a blog, Launching a podcast, How to start a business, and Opening a YouTube channel, among others.

For example, How to start a business emerged as the top-searched how to start query this month, seeing a significant 80 per cent increase as Nigerians look to build new ventures and drive economic opportunity.

Investing in the Better Me

Personal growth is a top priority for Nigerians this year, with searches for how to be a good/better person increasing by 20 per cent. This desire for improvement extends into the heart of the home and community, with people searching for ways to be better partners, husbands, wives, and listeners.

A Healthy Start to 2026

Well-being is at the forefront of the national conversation. Nigerians are forming new habits to stay energized, with searches for how to eat healthy and healthy diet rising by 40 per cent. Mental wellness is also gaining momentum, as searches for “how to meditate” spiked by 40 per cent during the same period.

The Quest for Mastery

Whether it is professional development or personal hobbies, the quest for mastery is on. Top mind for many are searches on how to improve communication skills, memory, and even English proficiency. In the world of leisure and skill-based learning, Nigerians are looking to get better at everything from chess and running to singing and even Fortnite.

“These trends are a powerful reflection of Nigeria’s collective ambition and our shared desire to grow.

“We see Search as a cultural mirror that captures the pulse of the nation, and remain committed to ensuring our tools, from Search to Gemini, provide the relevant and helpful insights Nigerians need to navigate their daily journeys and build a more prosperous future,” the Communications and Public Affairs Manager for Google West Africa, Mr Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, said.

The full list of Searches is below.