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Jonathan Commends BPP For Saving N216bn In 2010

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14 years ago

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President Goodluck

Jonathan has commended the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) for saving N216.7 billion from the 2010 budget alone.

Jonathan, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, made the commendation on Monday in Abuja, at the fourth National Procurement Forum.

Jonathan said that his administration would give every necessary support that BPP required to sustain and improve on its achievements.

He urged the bureau to remain fair, firm and resolute and resist any form of intimidation or inducement in its resolve to enthrone a procurement regime.

“ I believe that the fight against corruption has now entered a critical stage and all public servants must take note that the old era has passed away.

“This is the era of transformation, transparency and accountability not just in words but by action, because the tools for public participation are now fully in place,’’ Jonathan said.

The President observed that delays in verification and certification of projects had drastically reduced as a result of steps taken by the government in response to widespread public complaints especially on budget implementation.

He urged public officers to work towards the transformation of the country and advised that they study the act on public procurement as well as to apply its provision in the conduct of government business.

“There will be no sacred cows for any infractions especially by those responsible for budget implementation at the federal level, Jonathan said, adding that ignorance of the law would never be accepted.

Earlier, the Director-General of BPP, Emeka Ezeh, had said the Bureau had recommended five federal agencies for investigation by EFCC and ICPC.

“The reform is to remind Nigerians of where we are coming from and the challenges we have been facing for the past 10 years.

He stated that the challenge faced by the Bureau was an institutional resistance by the elite who had refused the reform.

The Bureau, which became operational in 2007 through an act, establishes pricing standards and benchmarks.

It ensures the application of fair, competitive, transparent, value-for-money standards and practices for the procurement and disposal of public assets and services, for attaining transparency, competitiveness, cost effectiveness and professionalism in the public sector procurement system

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Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

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2 days ago

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September 22, 2025

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Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.

Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.

The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.

Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.

“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.

“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”

Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.

In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.

Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.

Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.

 

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NIS Ends Decentralised Passport Production After 62 Years

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2 days ago

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September 22, 2025

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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the disclosure during an inspection of the Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja, last Thursday.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
According to him, the centralised production system aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for improved service delivery.
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FG To Roll Out Digital Public Infrastructure, Data Exchange, Next Year 

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2 days ago

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September 22, 2025

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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced plans to roll out Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and the Nigerian Data Exchange (NGDX) platforms across key sectors of the economy, starting in early 2026.
Director of E-Government and Digital Economy at NITDA, Dr. Salisu Kaka, made the disclosure in Abuja during a stakeholder review session of the DPI and NGDX drafts at the Digital Public Infrastructure Live Event.
The forum, themed “Advancing Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure through Standards, Data Exchange and e-Government Transformation,” brought together regulators, state governments, and private sector stakeholders to harmonise inputs for building inclusive, secure, and interoperable systems for governance and service delivery.
According to Kaka, Nigeria already has several foundational elements in place, including national identity systems and digital payment platforms.
What remains is the establishment of the data exchange framework, which he said would be finalised by the end of 2025.
“Before the end of this year and by next year we will be fully ready with the foundational element, and we start dropping the use cases across sectors,” Kaka explained.
He stressed that the federal government recognises the autonomy of states urging them to align with national standards.
“If the states can model and reflect what happens at the national level, then we can have a 360-degree view of the whole data exchange across the country and drive all-of-government processes,” he added.
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