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NNPC Reconstitutes Anti-Corruption Committee

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The Nigerian  National  Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has restated its commitment to fighting corruption in the nation’s oil and gas industry.
Its Group Managing Director (GMD), Dr Maikanti Baru,  said this while  inaugurating  members of the corporation’s re-constituted anti corruption committee in Abuja, Monday.
Baru said that the Corporation was the first among MDAs to constitute the committee in October 2000,  following  the establishment  of  Independent Corrupt Practices and other Offences Commission (ICPC).
He said that the committee had consistently carried out its mission of eradicating official corruption through  various enlightenment  campaigns.
According to Baru, the  investigation of corrupt practices  had  helped  the NNPC to take some  actions resulting in dismissals and termination of appointments.
“NNPC is obviously ahead in the anti corruption war,” he said.
He said that the commission was also collaborating  with the Federal  Government’s anti corruption agencies like Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC,) Independent Corrupt Practices and other Offences Commission (ICPC ) and Code of Conduct Bureau.
Baru said it was important for Nigerians to appreciate the values of accountability and integrity in all areas of life, given the recently  launched “ change begins with me campaign” by the Federal Government.
“It is important to change from our old ways of doing business; NNPC has a zero tolerance for corruption, and we will continue to do business with transparency so as to retain the current progress made.
He  commended the previous committee members for their efforts in championing  anti corruption strategies  in the corporation.
The GMD, however, urged the new members of the committee to ensure that transparency and accountability became a way of life in the corporation.
He noted that the NNPC had also provided a whistle blowing platform, for members of staff to report any corrupt practices to the authority for investigation and necessary actions.
Baru also called on all Managing Directors of the various units in the Corporation to set up the anti-corruption committees in their various departments, adding that the selection of the new members was based on their track record of integrity.
Responding, the New Chairman of the committee,  Mr Mike Balami, urged members of the staff to always imbibe the virtues of integrity in the conduct of their duties.
He said that the corporation had provided conducive environment for members of staff, adding that there was no reason people should be involved in corrupt practices.
Balami said that the committee would remain committed to promoting the virtues of transparency and accountability in the corporation.

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Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

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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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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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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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