Business
Engage Professionals On Project Execution – Expert
An engineering expert, Engr. Simeon Michael Wariboko has reiterated the need for the public to always engage or seek professional advice before they execute or embark on construction projects.
Engr. Wariboko made the assertion in a paper titled, “The Role of Civil Engineering professional on safety of construction project in the society,” presented during the Okrika Grammar School (OGS) Old Boys Association Class” 91 Dinner and Award Presentation to Teachers held at the Okrika Local Government Council Multi-purpose Hall, Sunday.
According to him, studies have shown that Nigeria leads the way among countries that ignore the use of professionals in every aspect of the nation, adding that lack of professionalism had also been the brain behind the decline in educational standard in the country.
He opined that it is now evident that Nigerians seek educational qualifications in order to show that they have paper qualification for their ago and to serve as a basics and foundation to go into any field of career, but expressed dismay that observation had shown that private individuals do not engage professionals in the execution of their projects.
The expert, who dealt into planning a project, cutting a building project, causes and consequences of project failures (building collapse) as well as consequences of building collapse disclose that God after creating the heavens and the earth without form or void later re-align, re-design and re-construct his original creation, and stressed that when God want to build a house for himself as written in first Kings chapter 6 verse 1-3, followed the same model.
“Therefore it is important for us to have a safe project; we must plan adequately before embarking on such project”. Engr. Wariboko said and noted that Civil Engineers believed that God is a Civil Engineer and the Father of all engineers.
He posited that studies have showed that 60% of collapse buildings are privately owned and do not engage the services of professionals for reason that they are expensive not knowing that it is more expensive to use non-professionals, advising that people should protect their lives and property by consulting qualified Civil Engineer.
Collins Barasimeye
Business
Agency Gives Insight Into Its Inspection, Monitoring Operations
Business
BVN Enrolments Rise 6% To 67.8m In 2025 — NIBSS
The Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) has said that Bank Verification Number (BVN) enrolments rose by 6.8 per cent year-on-year to 67.8 million as at December 2025, up from 63.5 million recorded in the corresponding period of 2024.
In a statement published on its website, NIBSS attributed the growth to stronger policy enforcement by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the expansion of diaspora enrolment initiatives.
NIBSS noted that the expansion reinforces the BVN system’s central role in Nigeria’s financial inclusion drive and digital identity framework.
Another major driver, the statement said, was the rollout of the Non-Resident Bank Verification Number (NRBVN) initiative, which allows Nigerians in the diaspora to obtain a BVN remotely without physical presence in the country.
A five-year analysis by NIBSS showed consistent growth in BVN enrolments, rising from 51.9 million in 2021 to 56.0 million in 2022, 60.1 million in 2023, 63.5 million in 2024 and 67.8 million by December 2025. The steady increase reflects stronger compliance with biometric identity requirements and improved coverage of the national banking identity system.
However, NIBSS noted that BVN enrolments still lag the total number of active bank accounts, which exceeded 320 million as of March 2025.
The gap, it explained, is largely due to multiple bank accounts linked to single BVNs, as well as customers yet to complete enrolment, despite the progress recorded.
