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President Tinubu Commends UN, EU, Others For Supporting Nigeria’s 3MTT Project

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Tinubu Declines NDLEA Bill

President Tinubu Commends UN, EU, Others For Supporting Nigeria’s 3MTT Project

President Tinubu commends UN, EU, others for supporting Nigeria’s 3MTT project. 3MTT was launched in October 2023 with 1.8 million applications from 36 states and the FCT.

President Bola Tinubu has commended the United Nations (UN), European Union (EU) and other partners for supporting the actualisation of Nigeria’s Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) Project.

Mr Tinubu made the commendation at the 3MTT National Summit 2025, organised by the ministry of communications, innovation and digital economy on Thursday in Abuja.
3MTT was launched in October 2023 with 1.8 million applications from 36 states and the FCT, to close the skills gap.

Mr Tinubu said that from inception, 3MTT was designed to scale and drive sustained transformation of digital and technical skills across the country and urged the youth to remain focused on the larger goal.

Mr Tinubu, who was represented by the secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), George Akume, also commended other private sector operators, who gave 3MTT depth and credibility.

“IHS Towers, MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Google, Microsoft, Huawei, Moniepoint, the United Nations Development Programme and the European Union have each played a part in moving this initiative forward.

“Achieving this vision requires continued collaboration and shared commitment from government, industry and the development community and this government remains fully committed to its growth and expansion,” he said.

In her remarks, the UN representative to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS), Beatrice Eyong, said this gesture was a reform over retreat, courage over comfort, and the future over the past.

Ms Eyong said that through the Renewed Hope Agenda, Nigeria had set in motion a national transition anchored on confidence, competitiveness, and opportunity for the people, especially the youth.

“It is a signal to the world that Nigeria’s youth are ready to be the future, not to wait for it. It is a statement of Nigeria’s ambition in the global digital economy.
“Nigeria’s digital economy is now being built with clarity and speed, and we see that here today.

“When leadership meets courage, history changes. UNDP and the United Nations family, we are proud to be your partner on this journey,” she said.

The European Union’s (EU) Ambassador to Nigeria, Guatier Mignot, expressed delight at the EU’s contribution under the global gateway strategy, adding that it was not about providing aid, but leveraging investments from public and private sources.

Mr Mignot said that the gateway from Europe and Nigeria was to create jobs, prosperity and also empower the youth who were at the centre of EU’s work in Nigeria.

He said that the industry standards and certification opportunities paved the way for stronger commercial and economic ties between the EU and Nigeria in the sector. He noted further that this was a great opportunity for Nigeria and Africa, as well as for the partnership.

Tinubu Declines NDLEA Bill

Tinubu

“The Global Gateway is actually not about cooperation, it is not about providing aid, it is about leveraging investments from public and private sources. “What we bring to the table is not just the funding, it is also the EU’s tech business offer.

“The EU tech business, economic sector, innovation, and experience can help shape secure, sustainable, human-centric digital solutions for Nigeria,” Mr Mignot said.

Earlier, the minister of communications, innovation and digital economy, Bosun Tijani, said the first phase of the 3MTT project had produced 15,000 direct jobs with average earnings of over N250,000.

Mr Tijani said: “The jobs are direct jobs in terms of those that we can actually recall that got job opportunities, and this is already over 15,000 in the first batch of the training programme. In terms of income, we’re seeing a lot of these people.
“For some of them, their first job is already having over N250,000 in salary.

“For the future of this programme, we are banking on increased private sector collaboration, so that there are more job opportunities for those that are being trained.

“For a programme of this sort, significant funding is going to be required and for that funding, we must look for a strong endowment to make it happen.”

Economy

Lagos Assembly Strongly Seeks Suspension Of Makoko Demolition

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Lagos Assembly

Lagos Assembly Strongly Seeks Suspension Of Makoko Demolition

Lagos assembly strongly seeks suspension of Makoko demolition. The Lagos state house of assembly has called for the suspension of demolition activities in Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Shogunro waterfront communities following protests by displaced residents and growing public concern over the exercise.

The call was announced on Tuesday by Noheem Adams, chairman of an ad hoc committee set up by Mudashiru Obasa, speaker of the house, during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Lateef Jakande auditorium.

Adams called on all state ministries to cease demolition work and promised compensation to the affected residents.
“On behalf of the speaker and all 40 members of the house, we are directing that all demolitions in Makoko, Oko-Agbon, and Shogunro communities should stop from today until further notice,” New Telegraph quoted Adams as saying.

He called for transparency by demanding the full list of taskforce members and the criteria used for engagement, insisting that residents must be actively involved in the process.

“That the taskforce that was constituted, we want to see the list of the taskforce because we want the residents to be duly involved and to be carried along. So we want to have the schedule of those task forces and the criteria for those that we are inviting,” Adams added.

Lagos Assembly

Lagos Assembly

“To the residents of Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Shogunro communities, as your representatives, we are giving you all assurances that they will stop demolitions henceforth and there will be compensations for all those whose properties have been demolished.”

Stephen Ogundipe, member of the ad-hoc, said there is need for clear communication, adding that residents targeted for relocation or redevelopment must be informed of the government’s plans in advance.

Babatunde Olajide, special adviser to governor of Lagos on E-GIS and urban renewal, confirmed that $2 million had been earmarked since 2021 to transform Makoko into a modern, internationally compliant water city.

He said enumeration of affected properties is underway and reiterated the administration’s commitment to handling the situation with a human face, prioritizing resident safety and fair compensation.

Yusuf Sagra, baale of Makoko, described the assembly’s decision as a “word of peace,” while Orioye Ogungbure, another leader of the community, praised the “democratic responsiveness” of the government.

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Crime

EFCC Arrests Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa for Alleged Naira Mutilation In Viral Video

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EFCC Probes Man

EFCC Arrests Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa for Alleged Naira Mutilation In Viral Video

EFCC arrests Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa for alleged naira mutilation in viral video. The Kano Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,   on Tuesday, February 3, 2026  arrested a Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa over alleged Naira mutilation.

Inuwa was arrested following a viral video circulated on social media platforms where she was seen conspicuously cleaning mucus from her nose using Naira notes.

EFCC Probes Man

EFCC

Following the release of the viral video, the Commission swung into action by tracing and subsequently arrested her to answer questions.
She is currently being held at the Commission’s detention facility while investigation is ongoing.

The suspect will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.

Dele Oyewale
Head,  Media & Publicity
February 3, 2026

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Economy

Access Bank Gets New Board Chair Ifeyinwa Osime

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National Bank Of Kenya

Access Bank Gets New Board Chair Ifeyinwa Osime

Access Bank gets new board chair Ifeyinwa Osime. Access Bank Plc has appointed Ifeyinwa Osime as chair of the board of directors, following the retirement of Paul Usoro, on January 29.

Access Bank Plc has appointed Ifeyinwa Osime as chair of the board of directors, following the retirement of Paul Usoro, on January 29, according to a statement to the Nigerian Exchange Ltd. on Monday.

Ms Osime, a legal practitioner, joined Access Bank’s board in November 2019 as an independent non-executive director and had chaired its Human Resources and Sustainability Committee and the Governance, Nomination, and Remuneration Committee. This role made her contribute significantly to the bank’s corporate governance, leadership development, and sustainability initiatives.

Additionally, Ms Osime is a director at Ebudo Trust Ltd. and a partner at McPherson Legal Practitioners, where she advises on corporate and commercial matters and contributes to strategic leadership.

She is also a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, the Women Corporate Directors, Nigeria Chapter, and the Chartered Institute of Directors, Nigeria, where she serves on the Executive Committee of the Women Sectoral Group.

National Bank Of Kenya

Access Bank Gets New Board Chair Ifeyinwa Osime

Beyond her professional responsibilities, Ms Osime is committed to mentoring youths and is actively involved in the Autism and Developmental Delays Support Community, reflecting her dedication to inclusion and social impact.
Speaking on her appointment, the group chairman, Aigboje Aig-lmoukhuede, said, “Mrs Osime is a principled and experienced leader with a deep understanding of the Bank’s strategy and values.

“She has demonstrated strong commitment to the bank’s vision and mission, and I am confident that, under her leadership, the bank will continue to advance its strategic objectives of delivering sustainable value to shareholders and other stakeholders in the pursuit of its vision to become the world’s most respected African bank.”

Mr Aig-lmoukhuede also congratulated Mr Usoro on the completion of his tenure and on his exemplary leadership, dedication, and significant contributions to the group, saying he remains a valued member of the Access family.

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