General
Women Can’t Help in Nation-Building if Excluded by Law, Cultural Practices—Johnson
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The chairman of Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mrs Omobola Johnson, has lamented the imbalance in female representation in all facets of life, warning that it could hinder women from being part of nation-building.
She said this on Wednesday, March 2, 2022, when the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited hosted a digital closing gong ceremony to celebrate the accomplishments of female chairpersons of NGX listed companies and their affiliates who were appointed in 2021.
The event was organised in line with the exchange’s ongoing collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) which aimed to reduce the gender gaps in leadership, employment, and entrepreneurship under the Nigeria2Equal programme.
In her presentation, the businesswoman said, “It is quite ironic that we are celebrating the advancements we have made in corporate governance a day after the National Assembly voted very strongly against a bill that was seeking to address the imbalance in female representation in all facets of our national life.”
“Building a greater nation requires all hands to be on deck. Women want to be partners and collaborators on this journey and we cannot be if we are excluded by law, cultural practices and norms,” she submitted.
In her remarks, the Chairperson of NGX Real Estate Limited, Mrs Angela Adebayo, appreciated the board of directors of the bourse for the laudable initiative.
She acknowledged the transition of NGX Group of Companies from a company with less than 30 per cent female representation on the National Council of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) to a group of four companies with two female Chairs.
She also commended NGX for its continuous efforts in collaborating with renowned organisations such as the IFC and leveraging its platform to make gender issues front and centre in the economic agenda.
On her part, Mrs Catherine Echeozo, Chairman of NGX Regulation Limited, acknowledged and congratulated the board chairperson appointees being celebrated, highlighting the benefits of diversity. “Diversity is about tapping on the full breadth and depth of talent available and equipping companies with diverse talents and viewpoints so that they can better navigate and address challenges in an increasingly complex and competitive global environment,” she stated.
Commenting on the opportunities that corporate organisations can leverage from promoting gender equality, the chairman of Ecobank Nigeria, Mrs Bola Adesola, stated that, “As a pre-eminent Pan-African institution in over 33 African countries, our focus on gender balance supports our mission to contribute to the economic and financial development of our continent.
“This is so because one in four Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, in Africa is managed by a woman. Ecobank is very happy to continue to collaborate with NGX and IFC to Break the Bias. I would like to urge us all to diligently work against actions that threaten the human rights of half the population of our dear country.”
The Chairman of Access Bank Plc, Mrs Ajoritsedere Awosika, congratulated all the recent board appointees and highlighted the importance of celebrating female leaders as a critical step to inspiring younger professional women.
She said, “This closing gong ceremony is a laudable occasion where NGX has shown that evidently, there is a need to celebrate women in order for other women to come up.
“This celebration of women that NGX is implementing in partnership with IFC is going to go a long way to show other institutions the need to promote what is ongoing at all levels of human endeavour that women are actively getting into positions of service to make a positive difference.”
During his opening remarks, the CEO of NGX, Mr Temi Popoola, assured that the organisation will continue to provide the platforms to support issuers and market participants to achieve their gender goals and aspirations.
As for the Senior Country Manager for Nigeria, IFC, Mr Kalim Shah, the IFC will continue to invest in increasing women’s participation in corporate leadership, employment and entrepreneurship.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has pledged its commitment to provide the regulatory leadership, technical coordination, and stakeholder engagement required to successfully develop and implement a robust National Action Plan on maritime decarbonization in Nigeria.
The Director General of the agency, Mr Dayo Mobereola, made this known during the National Stakeholders’ workshop on the development of a National Maritime Decarbonization Action Plan, further describing the workshop as a critical step in actualising the Federal Government’s blue economy and climate objectives.
Represented by the Executive Director, Operations, Mr Fatai Taiye Adeyemi, the NIMASA DG underscored the significance of the IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project, a technical cooperation initiative /designed to support developing countries in implementing the IMO GHG Strategy.
According to him, the National Action Plan being developed will reflect national realities, leverage existing capacities, address identified gaps, and align with broader economic and environmental priorities of the federal government.
Mr Mobereola stressed that “this transition is not merely about compliance with international obligations, it is about safeguarding our marine environment, protecting public health, strengthening the blue economy, and ensuring that our maritime industry remains competitive and future-ready”, the DG said.
Also speaking at the event was the Technical Manager of the IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project, Ms Astrid Dispert, who highlighted that the overarching objective of the initiative is to advance a coherent and globally aligned regulatory framework to accelerate maritime decarbonization.
She also emphasised that NIMASA plays a pivotal role in driving the project at the national level.
The IMO GreenVoyage2050 Project provides technical expertise and institutional support to assist countries in developing and implementing National Action Plans that promote sustainable shipping practices, encourage investment in clean technologies, and strengthen capacity for long-term emissions reduction.
Through this collaboration, the federal government is advancing deliberate steps towards maritime decarbonization, reinforcing its commitment to global climate goals and ensuring a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future for the sector.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) has directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to comply with its digital submission process effective March 1.
The directive was contained in a circular signed by the Director-General of the Bureau, Mr Adebowale Adedokun, noting that the move was part of the bureau’s commitment to digital transformation and paperless governance.
It explained that the transition followed an earlier circular of Aug. 4, 2025, which introduced electronic submission procedures.
According to the bureau, it has successfully moved from physical filings to a dedicated e-mail service for document submissions and is now advancing to a more robust and integrated system.
The circular announced the inauguration of the BPP Digital Submission Portal, a web-based platform designed to enable MDAs submit procurement-related documents directly to the Bureau.
It stated that the automated platform would streamline the submission process, enhance transparency and ensure accelerated tracking of procurement-related documents and petitions.
“With effect from March 1, all MDAs will be required to use the portal to submit requests for ‘No Objection’ Certificates, approvals for ‘No Objection’ for special procurements, clarifications and status updates on submissions,” the bureau said.
It added that the portal would be hosted on the Bureau’s official website and would become fully operational from the effective date.
The bureau warned that physical submissions or manual hand-deliveries would no longer be prioritised and would eventually be rejected following the full transition to the digital platform.
It urged accounting officers to brief their procurement departments and ICT units on the development to ensure seamless processing of procurement activities from March 1.
It further advised MDAs to contact the Bureau via its official email for information on the onboarding process and integration into the portal.
The bureau emphasised that full compliance by all MDAs was required to ensure a smooth transition and avoid delays in the implementation of the 2026 fiscal year procurement processes.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Senate has asked President Bola Tinubu to remove the Registrar General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Mr Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, from office.
The Senate Committee on Finance, while passing a resolution in Abuja on Thursday, accused Mr Magaji, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), of failing to honour the Senate’s invitations to account for the finances of his agency.
“He refused on so many occasions to honour our invitation to appear before this committee.
“We have issues with the reconciliation of the revenue of CAC.
“Each time we invite him, he gives us excuses,” the Chairman of the committee, Mr Sani Musa, said as the committee passed the resolution.
CAC was part of a group of agencies that the House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) recommended zero allocation for the year 2026, for allegedly failing to account for public funds appropriated to them.
The committee, at an investigative hearing held two weeks ago, accused CAC and some other ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of shunning invitations to respond to audit queries contained in the Auditor-General for the Federation’s annual reports for 2020, 2021 and 2022.
The PAC chairman, Mr Bamidele Salam, stated that the National Assembly should not continue to appropriate public funds to institutions that disregard accountability mechanisms, saying this will create fiscal discipline and strengthen transparency across federal institutions and conform with extant financial regulations and the oversight powers of the parliament.
“Public funds are held in trust for the Nigerian people. Any agency that fails to account for previous allocations, refuses to submit audited accounts, or ignores legislative summons cannot, in good conscience, expect fresh budgetary provisions. Accountability is not optional; it is a constitutional obligation,” he said.
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