General
UNIC Lagos Unveils World’s First Complete Braille of UDHR
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Lagos Nigeria, on Monday, December 11, 2017 launched the first complete braille version of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) to mark the 2017 International Human Rights Day and the beginning of the year-long campaign to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the UDHR.
Launching the braille at the National Human Rights Commission headquarters in Abuja was the Resident Coordinator of the UN system in Nigeria, Mr Edward Kallon, with the support of the Solicitor-General of the Federation, Mr Dayo Akpata (Esq); the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Christopher Thornley; and the Acting Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, Mrs Oti Ovrawah.
To the admiration of the audience, two students of Abuja School of the Blind, Miss Jacinta Odili and Mr Honesty Ayama read UDHR Articles One and Seven respectively from the braille.
Explaining the rationale behind the UNIC Lagos initiative to produce the Braille Version, Mr Kallon said, “In strengthening the efforts to leave no one behind and deepen universal access and usage of the UDHR, the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Lagos, Nigeria, initiated and produced the Braille Version of the UDHR for the blind. We have heard of UDHR in sign language as well as in audio format. But, this Braille Version probably is the first of its kind in the world.”
According to him, this effort aligns with the directive of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that making global development inclusive of people with disabilities “must be an enhanced priority”. Delivering the message of the UN Secretary-General on the International Human Rights Day, the Resident Coordinator urged people and leaders everywhere to stand up for all human rights – civil, political, economic, social and cultural — and for the values that underpin our hopes for a fairer, safer and better world for all.
In her remarks, Mrs Ovrawah called on human rights defenders, activists, CSOs and NGOs to stand up for the rights of all, the IDPs, the refugees, the trafficked and those still in the captivity of Boko Haram and those in ‘slavery’ and held in bondage in Libya.
At the observance of the International Human Rights Day on the same day in Lagos, the Director of UNIC Lagos, Mr Ronald Kayanja made a public presentation of the Braille Version of the UDHR at the event jointly organised with the Zonal Office of the National Human Rights Commission, and held at Ikeja Local Government Council Secretariat.
“The Braille Version of the UDHR”, he explained, “therefore, aims to foster unity within diversity and enhance a sense of inclusiveness amongst the visually challenged, whose rights as human beings are enshrined in and protected by the UDHR.”
He disclosed that in Nigeria, the UDHR has been translated into Edo, Efik, Ibibio, Hausa, Igbo, Kanuri Yerwa, Tiv, Yoruba and Pidgin English. “This gives credence to the need to leave no one behind,” he emphasised.
Mr Kayanja later led participants, who were mainly secondary students, to read and affirm the Human Rights Pledge to defend the rights of others as part of commemorating the 70 years of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). ‘When another’s human rights are denied, everyone’s rights are undermined. So I will stand up,’ they affirmed.
The UDHR is a milestone document in the global history of human rights, and is infused with values and ideals drawn from the world over. Drafted by UN representatives from diverse cultural and technical backgrounds, the Declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948 as a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations.
In 70 years of its existence, the UDHR has proven to be resilient and critical to the well-being of the human race. Its appeal is unprecedented, and it cuts across regions and races. In 1999, the Guinness Book of World Records declared the UDHR to be the most translated document in the world. Today, with 505 translations, it still is.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has confirmed the collapse of five transmission towers along the Ikot Abasi–Eket 132kV Double Circuit Transmission Line.
This was attributed to severe acts of vandalism, as TCN disclosed that the structure collapsed after vandals removed critical structural bracing members.
The affected towers were N9, J4, N10, N11 and N12, the organisation said in a statement on Friday.
It explained that the extensive damage was discovered during a routine joint line patrol conducted on August 9, 2026, by TCN linesmen.
Further inspection revealed that structural members from seven additional towers along the same transmission corridor had also been removed and stolen. The towers, J3, N8, N13, N14, N15, N18 and N19, are now structurally compromised and pose a risk of further collapse.
TCN condemned this act of sabotage and reiterated its commitment to working hard to maintain a robust and reliable national grid.
The statement said that to mitigate the impact on electricity supply, the network has been reconfigured to prioritise supply to Ekim transmission station, leaving Ibom Power as the only station without supply.
TCN said it is mobilising an urgent intervention to complete the reconstruction of the affected sections of the line, with security agencies also notified to aid investigations and prevent further acts of vandalism along the line route.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Tajudeen Abbas, has urged all relevant government agencies to promptly initiate actions for the full implementation of the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency Act, 2026, following its signing into law by President Bola Tinubu.
The bill, sponsored by Speaker Abbas, was aimed at repealing the Nigerian Shippers’ Council Act, Cap. N133, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and establish the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency to ensure effective economic regulation of Nigerian ports while safeguarding the interests of shippers, service providers, and users of regulated port services. With the President’s assent, it has now been enacted as an Act of Parliament.
The legislation represents one of the landmark achievements of the 10th National Assembly. It reflects the Speaker’s commitment to legislative excellence, institutional reform, and sustainable economic growth, according to a press statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Speaker, Mr Musa Krishi.
The bill underwent a rigorous and inclusive legislative process, including extensive stakeholder consultations and a public hearing. It was passed by both Chambers of the National Assembly and subsequently assented to by the President.
The Act provides a robust legal and institutional framework to ensure effective economic regulation of Nigerian ports by fostering transparency, competitiveness, and efficiency in port operations; protecting the rights and interests of shippers, service providers, and other port users; and aligning Nigeria’s port regulatory system with global best practices, thereby enhancing the ease and cost-effectiveness of doing business.
Despite receiving presidential assent, the Act has yet to be fully operationalised.
He warned that any further delay would undermine the legislative intent of the reform, prolong the exposure of port users to arbitrary charges and operational inefficiencies, and deny the nation the anticipated benefits of increased revenue, improved trade facilitation, and stronger investor confidence in the marine and blue economy sector.
The Speaker urged the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, in collaboration with all relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the federal government, to take the necessary administrative, institutional, and financial measures for the prompt implementation of the Act.
He said this should include the formal transition to, as well as operational empowerment of, the Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency to discharge its statutory mandate effectively.
The full implementation of the Act is critical to unlocking the economic potential of Nigeria’s ports, reducing the cost of doing business, strengthening trade competitiveness, and positioning Nigeria as the leading maritime and logistics hub in West and Central Africa.
The statement noted that the Speaker reaffirmed the 10th House’s commitment to exercising the necessary legislative oversight to ensure this landmark legislation, along with others assented to by the President, is fully implemented and achieves its intended goals for the benefit of the Nigerian people.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Federal Ministry of Youth Development (FMYD), through the Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA), has partnered with Cascador, a Nigeria-focused platform for growth-stage founders, to provide funding and support for the next generation of Nigerian youth entrepreneurs.
The announcement coincides with International Youth Day 2026, whose global theme this year — Different Contexts, Common Aspirations — calls on institutions to close the gap between young people’s circumstances and their opportunities. The pilot is an early step toward NiYA’s broader ambition to train and empower 7 million Nigerian youth within two years.
The NiYA and Cascador Founders Programme will begin with a pilot cohort of 20 early-stage Nigerian youth founders, including entrepreneurs without formal business registration or established financial records.
Over four weeks, participants will undergo intensive training focused on business fundamentals, investment readiness and pitch preparation. At the end of the programme, the eight top-performing founders will receive non-dilutive funding of up to N5 million each from Cascador, alongside an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution to help them structure, manage and scale their businesses.
The funding and support will be presented at a Pitch Day organised by NiYA and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development.
The Minister for Youth Development, Mr s Ayodele Olawande, said the partnership would enable NiYA to move beyond training by helping young people transform ideas into investable businesses and achieve sustainable economic participation through business preparation and access to capital.
“The pilot is deliberately designed to test a model that can go beyond one cohort. If young founders can be identified early, prepared properly, connected to credible capital and supported to build stronger business systems, then access to opportunity becomes less dependent on background or existing networks. That is the larger objective: to build a youth entrepreneurship ecosystem in which readiness, ideas and execution can increasingly determine who gets the opportunity to grow.”
The pilot will run in-person in Abuja with virtual touchpoints and 1:1 mentorship. All 20 graduates retain NiYA alumni status, with priority consideration for future opportunities.
NiYA and FMYD have already shown what real commitment to Nigeria’s youth looks like — the platforms, the reach, the ambition to train millions. What we’re building together now is the missing piece, a practical bridge from the ideation stage to real capital-readiness. When a Ministry so dedicated to its young people asked Cascador to help build that bridge, it was an easy decision,” said Trish Thomas, CEO of Cascador.
Ms Oyin Solebo, COO of Cascador and former Managing Director of the ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator, highlighted the partnership’s impact, saying, “This is what innovative capital deployment looks like: a government building real investment readiness at scale, and a partner meeting that foundational work with non-dilutive funding at exactly the moment it’s needed. Partnerships like this open doors that neither of us could open alone.”
