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Lagos Economy’ll Record Landmark Achievements In 2018 – Ambode

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8 years ago

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Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has assured that the state would record landmark achievements in major sectors of the economy in 2018.
Ambode gave the assurance in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Habib Aruna in Lagos, Sunday.
He noted that the state witnessed a massive leap in terms of infrastructural development in the outgoing year, adding that the reforms in key sectors of the economy would take full flight from the beginning of 2018.
“We have good reason to be very optimistic about what 2018 holds in stock for our State and every Lagosian.
“The commencement and realisation of some of our reform programmes especially in the public transport, environment, tourism and health sectors will transform the landscape of the state and improve the quality of lives of all Lagosians,” he said.
Ambode said his administration would not rest on its oars, but will continue to up the ante on infrastructural renewal.
He said that the 2018 budget of N1trillion currently before the House of Assembly for approval, would  be dedicated to completing some critical projects currently ongoing as well as commence some new ones.
The governor listed some of the key projects to include the Oshodi Transport Interchange, reconstruction of the Oshodi International Airport Road, Pen Cinema Flyover, 181 Local Government Roads and other network of roads.
“Given the fact that 2018 will be last full fiscal year of this administration’s four year tenure, our major focus will be the completion of most of the ongoing projects.
“We will also pursue the objective of strengthening the financial base of our state through various measures aimed at boosting the state’s Internally Generated Revenue.
“We believe very strongly that this is achievable without necessarily increasing taxes but by widening the tax base and ensuring that all revenues due to the state are collected through technologically driven tax collection and management system,” Ambode said.
The gobernor urged residents to continue to support his administration’s quest to transform the nook and crannies of the state for good by voluntarily paying their taxes as and when due.
“The dream of a new Lagos which we all desire is unfolding and we all have a role to play in this project.
“Our government is open to new ideas and partnerships, and we will welcome suggestions for better ways to do things and improve on service delivery to the people.
“We will continue to provide responsible and responsive leadership which is the hallmark of sustainable development in modern, functional and livable cosmopolitan city like Lagos,” he said.

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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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