By Aduragbemi Omiyale

The Director of Strategic Business Initiatives for ipNX, Mr Olusola Teniola, has been inducted into the prestigious DigitalSENSE Africa Hall of Fame.

This was done at the 17th edition of the annual Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum, recently held in Lagos, themed Sustaining WSIS Vision with Multi-stakeholder Synergy in Nigeria.

The event brought together policymakers, regulators, industry leaders, civil society groups, and technology stakeholders to explore pathways for strengthening the nation’s digital future.

Mr Teniola’s inclusion in the group is as a result of his outstanding contributions to Nigeria’s digital ecosystem, spanning more than three decades of leadership in telecommunications, broadband advocacy, internet governance, and technology policy development.

The honour celebrates his enduring commitment to advancing digital inclusion, affordable connectivity, and multi-stakeholder collaboration in the country’s rapidly evolving digital economy.

Serving as chairman of the forum, Mr Teniola used the platform to challenge stakeholders to move beyond discussions and focus on tangible outcomes that will accelerate national digital development.

“As we deliberate today, we must be intentional about concluding with concrete, measurable, and actionable outcomes. We must identify practical steps that can be implemented, monitored, and evaluated. We must commit ourselves to actions for which we can be held accountable long after this event has ended,” he stated.

Highlighting the core principles of the WSIS vision, he noted that digital transformation must remain focused on people, inclusion, and sustainable development.

“Technology must serve people, not the other way around. The ultimate measure of digital transformation is the positive impact it has on citizens and communities,” he said, calling for a digital future in which every Nigerian has the opportunity to participate and benefit from the digital economy, regardless of location, gender, age, disability, educational background, or economic status.

He also underscored the critical role of technology in driving economic growth, improving governance, expanding access to education and healthcare, creating jobs, and fostering innovation across the country.

The DigitalSENSE Africa Hall of Fame is reserved for distinguished individuals whose contributions have significantly shaped the continent’s digital landscape.

Mr Teniola joins an elite group of industry leaders recognised for their impact on technology development, policy advocacy, and infrastructure growth.

His induction reflects not only his personal achievements but also ipNX’s continued commitment to building world-class digital infrastructure, enabling connectivity, and creating possibilities for Nigeria and the African continent.

Speaking on the significance of the recognition, the forum organisers described Mr Teniola as a leading voice in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem whose work has consistently advanced broadband expansion, internet affordability, and stakeholder collaboration.

By Adedapo Adesanya

Ikeja Electric Plc has announced a widespread power outage across several parts of Lagos following severe flooding at the Oworonshoki 132/33kV Transmission Station.

In a public notice issued on Tuesday, the electricity distribution company said the flooding affected two power transformers and several 33kV/11kV feeders, resulting in outages across multiple communities.

The affected feeders include Ladilac, Bariga, Alapere, Oworo, Gbagada, Pedro, GTB, Anthony, Agboyi, Ifako, Araba, Hospital and Bakare.

According to the company, the disruption was caused by floodwaters that submerged critical transmission infrastructure at the Oworo Transmission Station.

“Ikeja Electric is working closely with the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to restore supply as soon as the transmission facilities are back in service,” the notice stated.

The electricity distribution company apologised to customers for the inconvenience and appealed for patience while efforts are underway to restore normal power supply.

The development comes amid heavy flooding in several parts of Lagos, which has disrupted transportation, businesses and other economic activities across the state.

In flooding-related development, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has alerted Lagos residents and other coastal states to a heightened risk of flash flooding on Tuesday, June 30.

The warning was contained in NiMet’s Tuesday Weather Outlook for June 30, 2026.

The update, which sustained rainfall across the southern region throughout the day, comes following forecasts of widespread rainfall across southern Nigeria.

According to the agency, continuous rainfall could trigger flash flooding in coastal and low-lying communities, particularly in Lagos and other states along Nigeria’s southern coastline.

The forecast also outlined expected weather conditions across the northern and North Central regions while advising residents and key sectors to take precautionary measures.

NiMet forecast thunderstorms accompanied by light rainfall over parts of Ondo, Ogun, Edo, Lagos, Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom states during the morning.

The agency added that rainfall would intensify later in the day, with moderate rainfall expected across the entire southern region during the afternoon and evening.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, has pledged immediate intervention to address the prolonged gas leak and worsening environmental pollution in Bille.

His response came after residents and civil society groups staged a peaceful protest at the Government House in Port Harcourt on Monday.

The demonstrators, led by the Pilex Centre for Civic Education Initiative (PCCEI) and the Lekeh Development Foundation (LDF), urged the Rivers State Government to act decisively over what they described as a growing environmental and public health emergency affecting Bille and other oil-producing communities in the Niger Delta.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Communications, Mr Honour Sirawoo, the governor assured the protesters that their concerns would receive urgent attention, stressing that the environmental degradation and its impact on residents’ livelihoods could not be ignored.

On behalf of the governor, he praised the protesters for choosing dialogue over violence despite the hardship caused by the pollution, noting that the inability of residents to access clean water, fish or carry out other legitimate economic activities demanded an immediate government response.

He reaffirmed that protecting lives, property, and the environment remains a core responsibility of his administration, adding that fishing and farming, the main sources of income for many coastal communities, depend on a healthy ecosystem.

According to him, the state government will not allow the matter to be overlooked.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Mr Courage Nsirimovu, Coordinator of the PCCEI, said the gas leak has triggered a severe ecological and health crisis in Bille.

He added that nearby communities, including Rukpokwu, Ebubu and Elelenwo, are also experiencing environmental challenges linked to pollution.

The group called for the immediate relocation of residents from the affected areas pending remediation efforts and demanded greater transparency in the management of environmental remediation funds provided under the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act.

The environmental crisis in Bille has continued to worsen since late 2025, when residents first reported persistent gas seepage from rivers, creeks, mangrove forests, boreholes and abandoned water facilities.

The seepage, often accompanied by a strong sulphur-like odour, has since spread across several parts of the community, with local leaders reporting dozens of emission points, some of which have allegedly caught fire, raising fears over the combustible nature of the escaping gas.

The incident has severely disrupted fishing activities, polluted water sources, damaged mangrove ecosystems and reduced aquatic life, leaving many residents without their primary means of livelihood.

Earlier this year, the federal government directed the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to investigate the incident.

Preliminary assessments suggested the seepage could be linked to underground geological processes, although detailed geotechnical studies are still ongoing to determine the exact cause and recommend permanent solutions.

Human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, have also continued to press both regulators and oil operators to accelerate investigations and implement urgent measures to protect affected communities.