Business
NoisePollution:Lagos Tackles Churches, Others
Ahead of efforts of the state government to reduce noise pollution in the state, the Lagos State Government has appealed to various religious organisations and other concerned groups like musical centres and video clubs to minimise the volume of noise emanating from their activities in the interest of public health.
According to the state authorities, the health and convenience of other people it was noted, should be put into consideration in the course of their religious or business activities.
The warning was contained in a communiqué issued at the weekend after a 3 day Performance Review Retreat organised by the State Ministry of the Environment at the Peninsula Resort, Ajah to appraise the performance of the ministry in 2009 and reposition it for the challenges of 2010.
Earlier in his welcome address, Commissioner for the Environment, Dr Muiz Banire explained that the 3 day retreat was designed to assess performance so as to see areas that would need improvement to enhance efficient service delivery.
He stated further that the on going re-engineering of the environment is a fundamental factor in the Mega city project of the state government, stressing that the environment must be totally rejuvenated and protected against any form of degradation.
Banire disclosed that the state government has adopted a holistic and sustainable approach in recovering the environment from the rot it was to its enviable status through a systematic implementation of various programmes on beautification, effective waste management and sanitation.
Participants noted at the retreat that following enlightenment campaign on the negative consequences of noise pollution on the health of the people such as human hearing impairment, restlessness, high blood pressure, lack of concentration, body fatigue, loss of sleep, resultant hypertension and subsequent death, the ministry had been inundated with complaints from the public about noise pollution.
Surveys conducted by the state government, in some public schools in the state indicated that more than 60 percent of pupils in schools have their hearing impaired as a result of their daily exposure to noisy environment.
While condemning the current degenerating level of noise pollution in the state and its implications on the health of the citizens, the participants urged the state government to urgently put the level of noise generated in the state under check to reduce the health bill incurred by the government on the over 15 million residents on daily basis.
On the constant perennial flooding in some parts of the state despite government’s huge investment in the Flood Free Lagos (FFL) programme, participants decried the encroachment and degradation of the wetlands in the state.
“A situation where the wet land which serves as buffer for storm water when the tides are high in the lagoon are sand filled, compounds the flood management problems of the state.
The communique therefore “implored the government to do everything possible to protect the wetlands and separate any illegal structures or contraventions from its drainage alignments or on wetland areas that could undermine the current de-flooding effort of the government”.
On global warming and climate change, the state government said “it was taking the campaign against desertification to the international arena by sponsoring an expedition to London through the Sahara Desert”.
“The expedition tagged Desert Warriors will see 15 people embark on the journey to London by road. They will be educating communities along the route on the importance of planting trees to protect the environment and curb desertification. They will also plant trees as they go on.
The flood-free campaign of the state government, Banire noted has been very successful as it was evidenced in the less flooding experienced last year despite the intensity of the rain. He assured that the year 2010 would be more interesting as his Ministry has lined up various activities and programmes to further make Lagos environment more conducive for economic growth, healthy living and exploration of its tourism potentials.
Considering the enormity of the task that must be done on daily basis and the need to manage stress effectively, the commissioner advocated that gymnasiums and fitness facilities should be put in strategic locations in the high blood pressure and sudden death Secretariat to give workers enough time to rest while at work. This he said would help to reduce incidence of high blood pressure and sudden death often occasioned by restlessness.
The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, John Enoh said this at the 8th annual induction and conference of the Chartered Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria (CIPMN).
He explained that abandoned projects continue to lock up public funds that could have been used for infrastructure development, industrial growth, job creation and essential social services.
Represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Chris Osa Isokpunwu, he said the impact goes beyond financial losses, as incomplete projects affect communities and limit access to important public services
He cited examples of that remain unopened, schools that cannot accommodate students, roads that fail to connect communities and electricity projects that have not delivered their intended benefits.
The Registrar-General and Chief Executive Officer of CIPMN, Henry Ifeanyi Mbadiwe, also identified poor project management as a major challenge affecting development in Nigeria.
He revealed that the institute had developed a project management curriculum for Nigerian universities, which has received approval from the National Universities Commission (NUC). The programme is expected to enable universities to offer project management as a bachelor’s degree.
Mbadiwe further referenced findings by the Presidential Projects Assessment Committee, which identified 11,886 ongoing federal capital projects in 2011, with an estimated financial commitment of ?7.78 trillion.
He noted that inadequate planning, supervision, accountability and implementation were among the factors contributing to the abandonment of projects across the country.
The minister called for stronger project management structures across ministries, departments and agencies to improve planning, monitoring and evaluation.
He added that the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment had introduced a 90-day implementation reporting cycle to strengthen transparency and monitor the progress of government programmes.
Ikenga said the company remained committed to Nigeria’s power sector and would continue investing in its operations despite the challenging business environment.
He spoke in Lagos at the third edition of the Shell Power Conference, themed “Powering Nigeria’s Progress: Turning Ambition and Action into Sustainable Impact”.
The Transcorp Power chief said the company would sustain electricity generation, invest in its facilities and deliver value to shareholders.
“Transcorp Power is a long-term player, not a short-term player. This year has been challenging, but what is important is getting power to schools, hospitals and businesses to power progress,” he said.
Ikenga said the company’s focus on operational efficiency and investment had strengthened its contribution to Nigeria’s electricity supply.
He disclosed that since acquiring the Ughelli Power Plant in Delta State in 2013, Transcorp Power had quadrupled its available generation capacity.
He also said the company became the first privatised power generation firm to receive a post-privatisation discharge certificate after fulfilling all its privatisation obligations.
The company’s unaudited results for the nine months ended September 30, 2026, showed a profit before tax of N83.1 billion, while its profit-before-tax margin rose to 31.2 per cent from 29.6 per cent recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.
Its total assets rose to 11.7 per cent amounting to N629.5 billion, while shareholders’ funds grew 8.9 per cent to N199.8 billion. Cash and cash equivalents also rose to N10.3 billion, supported by improved collections.
On the company’s contribution to grid stability, Ikenga said Transcorp Power’s black-start capability enabled it to restart operations without relying on electricity from the national grid.
He explained that the capability allowed the company to support power restoration following grid disturbances, helping to restore electricity supply to homes, businesses and industries.
Ikenga noted that Nigeria had an installed electricity generation capacity of about 13,000 megawatts, with an estimated potential of 50 gigawatts, adding that realising the potential would require effective coordination across the entire value chain.
“Everything in the value chain has to work,” he said.
He called for stronger collaboration among federal and state governments, regulators and private-sector operators, alongside increased private investment, to build a sustainable electricity market.
This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by his Senior Special Assistant on Communications and Press Secretary, Maryann Duke.
The statement said Oyedele pointed to “improved digital systems, including electronic invoicing, as a key driver behind a record of N33tn in government revenue collected between January and October 2026.”
The minister said the performance demonstrated the potential of technology to improve revenue administration, strengthen compliance and increase efficiency across government institutions.
Speaking on the theme, ‘Digital Sovereignty and Ethics: Guarding the Economy for the Next Generation,’ Oyedele warned that Nigeria risked losing substantial economic opportunities if it continued to depend heavily on foreign digital infrastructure.
Citing Nigerian Communications Commission figures, he disclosed that the country recorded more than 157 million active internet subscriptions as of May 2026.
He explained that these connections generated significant volumes of information through financial transactions, healthcare, education and taxation.
However, citing estimates from the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, Oyedele said as much as 90 per cent of the country’s data was hosted abroad.
According to him, the situation has implications for foreign exchange expenditure, employment opportunities, technological skills and Nigeria’s control over information generated by its citizens.
He compared the country’s reliance on foreign digital infrastructure with its historical dependence on imported refined petroleum products, warning against a situation where Nigerian data would be processed abroad and the resulting services sold back to domestic users.
The minister consequently advocated greater investment in local data infrastructure, technical expertise, cybersecurity and predictable regulations to enable Nigerian businesses to capture more value from the digital economy.
He clarified that digital sovereignty should not translate into technological isolation but should strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to participate competitively in international markets.
Addressing graduating students, Oyedele urged young Nigerians to become developers of technological solutions rather than remain primarily consumers of products created elsewhere.
He identified artificial intelligence as both a disruptive force and an opportunity for innovation, advising graduates to acquire relevant digital skills alongside critical thinking, creativity, sound judgement and integrity.
The minister also cautioned against irresponsible online behaviour, explaining that digital footprints increasingly influence employment prospects, commercial relationships and professional credibility.
Oyedele outlined five priorities for graduates, including continuous learning, value creation, integrity, responsible digital citizenship and active participation in national development.
“Your degree is evidence of what you have learned. Your competence will demonstrate what you can do. Your character will reveal who you truly are,” he told the graduating students.
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