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Seinye Lulu-Briggs Named Year 2024 African Philantropist
The Chairman-cum-Chief Executive Officer of Moni Pulo Limited, Dr. Seinye Lulu-Briggs, has been named 2024 African Philanthropist of the Year at the prestigious African Leadership Magazine (ALM) Persons of the Year Awards, organized by the African Leadership Organization in Casablanca, Morocco.
The award recognises her extensive humanitarian work and commitment to social impact and nation-building.
Dr Lulu-Briggs, through the O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation, has provided healthcare, education, economic empowerment, elder care, and access to justice to over one million people in Nigeria over the past two decades.
Former President of Tanzania and chair of the advisory board of the African Leadership Organisation, Dr Jakaya Kikwete praised the honourees for their leadership and contributions to Africa’s development.
Also speaking at the auspicious event, President Andry Rajoelina of Madagascar and the Prime Minister of Uganda, Robinah Nabbanja both highlighted the importance of economic development, investment in social infrastructure, and inclusive leadership in shaping Africa’s future.
Accepting the award before an audience of political, business leaders and policymakers from across the African continent, Dr. Lulu-Briggs expressed deep gratitude to the organisers and framed her philanthropic work as a lifelong mission.
Quoting 2nd Corinthians 9:12, she highlighted the spiritual essence of service: “This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.”
She dedicated the honour to the communities her foundation supports, stressing that their strength and resilience serve as an inspiration to continue expanding her work.
With the O. B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation funding medical outreaches, scholarships, community emergency interventions as well as social welfare programmes for vulnerable groups in Nigeria, the industrialist highlighted the importance of sustainable and long-term humanitarian efforts, noting that philanthropy is a journey, not a final destination.
According to her, “This recognition is especially meaningful, coming shortly after receiving the 2024 Special African Business Leadership Commendation Award and my induction into the African Business Leadership Council at the House of Lords in the UK. These honours reaffirm that philanthropy is not an endpoint—it is a continuous commitment to uplifting others and transforming lives.”
The award comes a day after she delivered a moving address at the ALM Policy, Investment, and Development Breakfast Forum, where she called for industrialisation as the key to Africa’s economic transformation.
“Philanthropy can ease suffering, but industrialisation creates jobs and gives people the dignity of lifting themselves out of poverty. That is the true difference. Yet, philanthropy itself depends on economic strength. Without the means, our goodwill is limited to good intentions,” she said.
She pointed to financial barriers that limit business growth in Africa, citing her own experience of shifting bank policies that hinder business expansion. She called on policymakers and business leaders to implement innovative financing systems, industrial policies, and investment incentives to foster sustainable development.
The high point of the evening was the special recognition conferred on Dr. Seinye Lulu-Briggs by the State of South Carolina in the United States of America.
The members of the South Carolina House of Representatives honoured Dr. Seinye Lulu-Briggs with an official House Resolution, recognising her exceptional contributions to philanthropy and business.
The resolution, introduced by Representative Henderson-Myers and her colleagues, commended her for transformative leadership, sustainable business practices, and unwavering dedication to humanitarian causes.
It highlighted her achievements, including leading Moni Pulo Limited to five million man-hours without lost-time injuries, fostering sustainable development in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, and improving the lives of vulnerable populations through the O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation.
The resolution reads in part:
“With a heart dedicated to nurturing local talent and creating long-term societal impact, High Chief Dr. Lulu-Briggs continues to lead with compassion, fostering positive change in the communities she serves.”
The honour was officially presented on February 13, 2025, in the South Carolina House of Representatives, signed by Speaker of the House G. Murrell Smith, Jr. and Clerk of the House Charles F. Reid, underscoring international recognition of her impact.
With her latest honour as African Philanthropist of the Year, Dr Lulu-Briggs said the award serves as a renewed call to action, urging greater collaboration between business, government, and civil society. She expressed gratitude to her team, partners, colleagues, and family, acknowledging their role in the foundation’s success.
“I accept this award as a renewed call to action—to serve more, build more, and inspire more—because together, we can power Africa’s transformation,” she said.
Dr. Seinye Lulu-Briggs reaffirmed her commitment to expanding her philanthropic efforts while continuing to advocate for economic policies that promote job creation, industrial growth, and sustainable wealth.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
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RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.