General
Osinbajo Tasks Military to Partner Private Sector on Research, Innovation
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Vice President, Mr Yemi Osinbajo, has advised the Nigerian Armed Forces to partner with the private sector on research and innovation.
Mr Osinbajo gave this charge at the weekend during the combined passing out parade for cadets of 64 Regular Course (Army, Navy, Air Force) 65 Regular Course (Navy and Air Force) and Short Service Course 44 (Army) where he represented President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Vice President said crimes in the world have taken new turns and security operatives have to always be a step ahead of criminals, especially terrorists.
He said last week’s bombing in a London tube suggest that tutorials for making the explosive devices used are available on the internet.
“How can the military get ahead of the curve on communications in the age of the fast, cheap and available communication for all?” he asked, pointing out that, “We must also answer the question of how to defeat the ideologies that promote mindless killings and anarchy.”
He further said the swift evolution in suicide bombings is a perfect illustration of the nature of the threats that nations face today, unpredictable, asymmetric, constantly adapting to changing conditions, driven by a compulsive need to inflict maximum damage with minimal effort.
According to him, “This is therefore the question we ought to be asking ourselves: Are our Armed Forces evolving with a similar speed and urgency, are they adapting with a similar nimbleness? How do we evolve rules of engagement in asymmetric warfare situations? Should we be redefining the borders of the Geneva Convention in the light of military engagements with armed militant combatants? Can we observe the same human rights rules where suicide bombers and persons determined to die and take with them as many innocent lives as possible are the enemy we must confront? What are the borders of the right to privacy and freedom of expression on the internet? What is the responsibility of Nations of the world in policing the internet which has become a virtual training ground for much good and as much evil?”
Mr Osinbajo said, “But just as important as these issues around conflict are the issues around how the military can in the process of innovating or thinking through use science and technology to add real value to the society and nation it has sworn to defend.”
“Let me speak briefly about the relationship between the military and scientific innovation, and how both have historically shaped and influenced each other.
“Centuries ago, inventions like the wheel, and gunpowder, forever changed the nature of war. National armies wasted little time taking advantage of these innovations in the endless battle to gain an edge over existing and emerging enemies.
“In a similar manner, the military has also spearheaded technology and practices that civilians have latched on to, to alter human civilization as we know it. The one that comes to mind most readily is the Internet, originating from the 1960s Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET) Project of the United States Department of Defense.
“Five decades on, the Internet has turned out to be perhaps the most definitive invention in the history of mankind, creating unprecedented social, economic and political opportunity. The American military has also been credited with the invention of GPS- Global Positioning System (GPS) now so common that every smartphone and cars use it to ascertain location.
“But this network of satellites was originally set up by the U.S. Department of Defense in the 1970s. President Ronald Reagan ordered GPS to be made available to civilians once it was completed, while President Bill Clinton later declared that the highest quality GPS signal should be available as well.
“How about RADAR? (an acronym for Radio Detection and Ranging,) this system uses radio waves to find speed, altitude, range, and direction of moving objects such as planes, ground vehicles, missiles, etc. Radar was developed before World War II for military purposes.
“Today, it’s used for a variety of purposes, both military and civilian, including air traffic control and weather forecasting. Inadvertently, it was discovered that microwaves transmitted from radar equipment during WWII could also cook food, which led to the post-war creation of the microwave oven.
“The use of Unmanned Aerial devices or drones today for surveillance, photography (and in Rwanda), the delivery of blood to rural medical facilities originated from the development of the devices by the military in the early 20th Century.
“The world I have just described is the one that today’s cadets are graduating into. Placed side-by-side with this contemporary context, the Cold War Era into which your predecessors – today’s Generals and Commanding Officers – graduated, almost feels like a model of orderliness and predictability.
“At this point let me say that I am pleased to note that the NDA has been positioning itself as a hub for innovation. I am already aware of inventions such as an Automated Pop-Up Target System, a Multi-Purpose Combat Mobile Robot, and a Perimeter Surveillance Robot, which the NDA has showcased at various science and technology exhibitions in the recent past. This is laudable and I urge you to sustain the culture.
“I would also like to urge you to collaborate more extensively with the private sector, for research and innovation. All around the country technology hubs are springing up that are attracting our Nigeria’s brightest talent, and breaking new technological ground. I am convinced that the military should make its presence felt in this area,” the Vice President said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria’s electricity distribution companies (DisCos) generated N196.13 billion in revenue in March 2026, despite billing customers a total of N246.43 billion during the month, according to the latest commercial performance report released by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
The figure represents a slight decline from the N196.68 billion collected in February, highlighting persistent challenges in revenue recovery across the power distribution segment, even as energy supplied to the grid continued to improve.
NERC’s March 2026 fact sheet showed that electricity billing rose by 1.71 per cent from N242.29 billion recorded in February, reflecting increased energy deliveries and customer charges. However, collection efficiency declined to 79.59 per cent from 81.17 per cent in the previous month, indicating that a significant portion of billed revenue remained uncollected.
The regulator disclosed that DisCos received 293.76 million kilowatt-hours of electricity during the review period, representing a 6.02 per cent increase compared to February. The development suggests a modest improvement in power availability across the distribution network.
Despite the increase in energy supplied, revenue recovery remains uneven across the industry. NERC reported that the average approved tariff for March stood at N124.30 per kilowatt-hour, while actual collections averaged ₦100.75 per kilowatt-hour, resulting in an overall revenue recovery efficiency of 81.05 per cent.
Among the eleven DisCos, Ikeja Electric emerged as the strongest performer, posting a revenue recovery efficiency of 99.30 per cent. Eko Electricity Distribution Company followed with 95.73 per cent, while Benin DisCo recorded 85.18 per cent.
At the lower end of the performance table, Kaduna Electric recorded the weakest recovery rate at 35.65 per cent. Jos DisCo and Yola DisCo also struggled, achieving recovery efficiencies of 53.53 per cent and 58.58 per cent, respectively.
Ikeja Electric also led in collection efficiency with 96.38 per cent, ahead of Benin DisCo at 90.97 per cent and Eko DisCo at 87.68 per cent. Kaduna, Jos and Yola remained the poorest performers in this category, underlining the persistent commercial and operational challenges facing power distributors in parts of northern Nigeria.
In terms of billing efficiency, Eko DisCo ranked first with 92.30 per cent, followed by Port Harcourt DisCo at 90.36 per cent and Ikeja Electric at 87.76 per cent. Yola DisCo recorded the lowest billing efficiency at 58.68 per cent.
The latest figures underscore the mixed realities within Nigeria’s power sector. While electricity supply and customer billing continue to improve, revenue collection remains a major obstacle to the financial sustainability of the industry.
Analysts note that stronger metering penetration, improved customer confidence, reduction in energy theft and more efficient collection systems will be critical if DisCos are to close the widening gap between electricity supplied, billed revenue and actual collections.
The March performance report comes as regulators and industry stakeholders intensify efforts to strengthen the commercial viability of the electricity market, attract fresh investment and improve service delivery across the country.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Interswitch has entered into a partnership with Geneva-headquartered banking software provider Temenos to offer managed banking services to financial institutions across the continent, deepening its push into banking technology.
The partnership will see Interswitch adopt Temenos’ banking technology across core banking, digital banking, payments, wealth management, and financial crime management.
This will enable the firm to provide cloud-hosted and on-premises managed services to lenders on the continent. The service will initially target Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, and other African markets.
“This is a pivotal moment for Interswitch as we accelerate our expansion beyond payments and reimagine digital banking for Africa,” Mr Jonah Adams, managing director for Digital Infrastructure and Managed Services at Interswitch, said in a statement.
By combining Temenos’ software with its existing footprint across the continent, Interswitch is positioning itself as a technology partner that can help banks upgrade critical systems without having to manage the complexity of large-scale technology deployments.
“By adopting Temenos’ cloud-native, composable platform, Interswitch gains the flexibility and scalability to accelerate its next phase of growth and deliver banking services that meet the needs of African markets,” Mr Adams added.
For Temenos, the deal strengthens its presence in Africa through a partner with deep relationships across the banking sector. It lost one of its banking customers, Sterling Bank, in 2024 after the tier-2 Nigerian bank switched to SEABaaS, a new custom-built core banking application.
“Interswitch is an important new customer and partner for Temenos in Africa,” said Mr William Moroney, Chief Revenue Officer at Temenos. “Interswitch’s strong presence across the continent also extends our reach and further strengthens our ecosystem and partner network.”
Founded in 2002, Interswitch built its reputation as one of Africa’s largest payments companies through products such as Quickteller and Verve, its domestic card scheme.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Tropical General Investments (TGI) Group and Singapore-based Wilmar International have agreed to combine their Nigeria and Republic of Benin operations into a 50:50 joint venture aimed at building a dominant integrated food and agribusiness platform across West Africa, targeting a market estimated at $12 billion.
The proposed merger will consolidate operations across several value chains, including agriculture, oil palm plantations, edible oils, edible nuts, rice, food manufacturing, and distribution, creating one of the region’s largest end-to-end food production and supply chains.
Under the arrangement, both firms will integrate their complementary strengths, with Wilmar contributing global expertise in palm oil, speciality fats, and large-scale agribusiness operations, while TGI brings established local manufacturing capacity, consumer brands, and an extensive distribution network across Nigeria and neighbouring markets.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Wilmar International, Mr Kuok Hong, said the partnership would enhance both firms’ ability to serve Africa’s expanding consumer base, describing Nigeria and Benin as strategic growth markets.
“For more than four decades, TGI Group has built a leading position in Nigerian food manufacturing and distribution. This partnership will leverage Wilmar’s global scale and expertise as well as TGI’s local knowledge to deliver innovative food solutions across Africa,” added TGI Group founder and chairman, Mr Cornelis Vink.
On his part, Vice Chairman of TGI Group, Mr Farouk Gumel, said the deal reflects confidence in Nigeria’s long-term economic prospects, adding that it would deepen domestic value addition, strengthen food security, support smallholder farmers, and create jobs.
Adding his input, Wilmar’s Africa Head, Mr Santosh Pillai, described the transaction as a strategic fit, noting that the combined entity would have the scale, local insight, and operational depth needed to better serve consumers in the region.
The companies said the transaction is expected to be completed in the 2026 financial year, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary conditions.
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