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Bank MD Assures Purposeful Use Of Transit Buses

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13 years ago

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The Managing Director of Infrastructure Bank, Mr Adekunle Oyinloye, has said that buses acquired under the Federal Government’s Mass Transit Fund scheme are to be used strictly for mass transit purposes.

Referring to the launch of the transport service of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) which unveiled 150 buses for its service in Lagos, Oyinloye said that the total amount of N25 billion for the scheme, was a revolving loan.

TUC secured N2.5 billion out of the loan, repayable over five years.

In the statement, the managing director stated that as fund managers, the Infrastructure Bank had the responsibility to on-lend the fund to eligible transporters across the six geo-political zones of the country.

Such will be done in a sustainable manner that will meet the development goals of the Federal Government for the transportation sector.

Oyinloye said that the bank would also ensure that applicants for the scheme were capable of deploying  the buses effectively and efficiently to guarantee loan repayment, as well as to assist them in building managerial capacity.

He explained that the bank had also evolved stringent monitoring mechanisms for efficient utilisation of the buses to ensure the success of the scheme.

“It is a must for the beneficiaries of the scheme to ensure routine and timely maintenance of the buses through accredited suppliers and service centres across the country,” Oyinloye said.

He lauded the Federal Government for “its visionary intelligence’’ in creating the scheme which, he said, “has become a testament to government’s desire to better the lives of Nigerians’’.

Oyinloye also thanked the Lagos State government for putting in place the necessary infrastructure and regulatory framework which, he noted, were now attracting private sector investment to the transport sector.

He commended the initiative of TUC to incorporate a company for its transport project, noting that the achievement testified to the great things that could happen when good leadership combined with opportunity.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Chukwuemeka Wogu, had said on the occasion that the Federal Government would invest more in the marine and rail transportation sectors as soon as the national transportation policy was effected.

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Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

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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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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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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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