By Adedapo Adesanya

Nigeria will roll out a contactless passport application system in Europe, the United Kingdom, and Ireland on Friday, February 7, as part of making the process more transparent and faster.

According to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) via its spokesperson, Mr AS Akinlabi, the initiative will allow Nigerians in the Diaspora to apply for and renew their passports online from the comfort of their homes.

“This initiative set for launch on February 7, 2025, will enable Nigerians in the Diaspora to apply for and renew their passports online from the comfort of their homes,” the NIS Comptroller General, Ms Kemi Nanna Nandap, was quoted to have said in the statement.

This was disclosed when she paid a courtesy call to the Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa in Abuja.

The NIS said the move followed “the roll-out of the contactless passport application system in Canada on 5th November 2024.”

“For emphasis, the Contactless Passport Application which is currently available on Google Play Store (NIS mobile), is designed to allow Nigerians to renew their passports without visiting any Passport Centre for biometric enrollment,” the NIS said.

“The Service reiterates its commitment to innovative and efficient service delivery to Nigerians anywhere in the world.”

“The launch of the contactless passport application solution in Europe is a significant step towards efficient, secure, and convenient travel document management for Nigerians in the diaspora,” Mrs Dabiri-Erewa said.

“NiDCOM will continue to support, monitor, and collaborate with the NIS to ensure the success of this initiative,” she added.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Google is celebrating the 20 years of the existence of one of its flagship applications, Google Maps, in February 2025.

Since its inception, Google Maps has been an essential tool for more than 2 billion monthly users, providing both comprehensive information and a vibrant community for sharing knowledge.

The application has fundamentally changed how we explore and navigate the world, shaping users’ understanding of the globe. Its rich and up-to-date information empowers users to confidently navigate, wherever their journey takes them.

“Google Maps has evolved from a basic mapping tool to a dynamic platform that helps people explore, navigate, and discover new experiences,” the Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Google West Africa, Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, said.

The evolution of the tool has brought a wealth of features to enhance every journey. Need a little inspiration? Ask Maps, powered by Gemini, for curated ideas on where to go. Travelling? The “Directory” tab helps you explore what’s available in airports. Want to get your bearings quickly? Augmented reality allows you to understand an area at a glance. Even everyday tasks, like finding the cheapest petrol station nearby, are made easier with Google Maps.

In Nigeria, Google Maps has been instrumental in helping people discover new places and navigate with confidence.

To mark this 20th anniversary, Google is unveiling the top reviewed places in Nigeria, showcasing the locations that have captured the hearts of Nigerian users.

These lists offer fascinating insights into popular choices for restaurants, cafes, visitor attractions, parks, and museums across the country.

“The top reviewed locations in Nigeria highlight the places that have captured the interest and attention of our users,” Kola-Ogunlade added.

See below the top ten list of most searched places in Nigeria:

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has sealed 19 illegal Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) and category D cooking gas outlets in Delta State.

According to the NMDPRA Coordinator in Delta, Mr Victor Ohwodiasa, the illegal gas outlets were sealed within the past two weeks in Orerokpe, Ogwashi-Ukwu, Warri and its environs.

The category D class of LPG operators were the ones within localities that refill gas from licenced gas plants for customers to pick up from them.

Mr Ohwodiasa, said the illegal gas outlets were shut over offences ranging from lack of prerequisite approvals to operate such facilities and unsafe locations.

“During the operations, about 28 illegal outlets were spotted by the authority. We tried to see if it is possible to have them regularised as they were wrongly sited.

“The outlet that was sealed in Ogwashi-Ukwu was a five metric tonnes refilling plant constructed on a roadside closed to a high tension cable.

“The authority looked at the environment, it was wrongly sited, on a right of way and has no approval. It was sealed and a relocation order issued immediately,” he said.

Mr Owhodiasa disclosed that other offenders were the ones doing what he called, “decanting,” meaning bottle-to-bottle transfer, which he said the NMDPRA does not allow that.

“What they are expected to do is “bottle swap”, bring your empty cylinder and go with a filled one,” he said.

The coordinator said the essence of the exercise was not to frustrate the small-scale gas business owners but to ensure they operate in a safe and secure environment.

Mr Ohwodiasa appealed to landlords not to allocate portions of their land to the LPG category D operators who want to do illegal business in their premises or properties.

According to him, the essence was to prevent possible fire outbreaks that could destroy lives and properties of the operators and the neighbours.

He said the NMDPRA was committed to ensuring lives and properties were adequately protected.

“Imaging someone storing cooking gas close to where welding operation is taking place or where a woman is frying beans cake or roasting corn. Once there is leakage, the resultant effect will be catastrophic.

“If the operator of the illegal outlet does not appreciate his life, we must ensure he does not kill himself and others by illegally operating such facility,” he said.

The NMDPRA Coordinator said the regulatory authority would continue to sustain the exercise in the state and assured that anybody found wanting would face the full wrath of the law.

He also said any offender who refuses to relocate his facility would be handed over to the relevant security agencies for prosecution.

The coordinator appealed to the public to report anyone transferring cooking gas from one cylinder to another to the NMDPRA for prompt action.

Mr Ohwodiasa assured that the regulatory body would continue to sensitise the operators, adding that the authority had annual stakeholders’ engagement with the gas plant owners and the category D operators.

He also said that the regulatory authority organise jingles on radios and televisions stations to educate people on the best ways to handle cooking gas because of its volatility.