Maritime
Philanthropist Vows To Champion Poverty Eradication In the N’Delta
A philanthropist in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, Ambassador Sebastian Gordian James, has pledged to develop programmes that will drive away poverty in the region.
Gordian, who is the Managing Director/CEO of Sabaplus Group, said this shortly after being inducted into the international World Peace Advocate (IAWPA) in Port Harcourt, thw Rivers State capital.
He said he would dedicate his new role as an Eminent Peace Ambassador of the IAWPA to driving programmes that eradicate poverty, empower youths, and promote peace in Nigeria.
At the official induction ceremony held at the IAWPA International Office in Port Harcourt, Ambassador James described his recognition as “a call to do more” and promised to invest in initiatives that will leave lasting impacts on communities.
“I don’t take this honour for granted”, he said after receiving his induction certificate.
“For me, this is a commitment to continue investing in my community by hosting programmes and events that will sustain peace, eradicate poverty, and provide young people with skills that prepare them for the future”, he added.
Amb. James stressed that skills development remains crucial for human capital growth, particularly in a country like Nigeria, which continues to struggle with high poverty levels.
He noted that his focus will be aligned with “Sustainable Development Goal 1 (No Poverty)”, adding that practical skill acquisition, especially in the digital economy, offers a pathway to economic independence.
“If our youths learn skills such as running Facebook ads, managing social media, or handling other digital tools, they can create income streams from the comfort of their homes”, he explained.
“This is why I will focus on organizing more programs and training sessions to equip them with relevant knowledge that reduces poverty and builds hope”, he added.
The Sabaplus Group boss emphasized that the recognition was not just a personal achievement, but also a reflection of the collective vision he shares with his mentors, team, and community.
He assured IAWPA of his readiness to contribute meaningfully toward the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) particularly in areas that directly impact human capital transformation.
“This honour is a call for me to sit up and ensure programmes are well-structured and properly positioned to achieve results. IAWPA can be proud that today they have found a son ready to play a critical role in shaping the future through initiatives that will transform lives and communities”, he stated.
He concluded by reaffirming his commitment to work with IAWPA and global partners to ensure peace, innovation, and sustainable development take root in Nigeria and beyond.
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The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has held its 7th Retreat Medical Outreach in Daura, Katsina State,
Customs said the Free medical outreach is aimed at providing free healthcare services to residents of the area.
Speaking during the event, Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs, Ahmad Tijjani-Abe, said the programme would provide general medical consultations, dental care, eye and ear care, as well as minor surgical operations for beneficiaries.
Tijjani-Abe said medical teams deployed for the exercise would also provide free medications to patients attending the outreach.
He added that the service would visit schools within the area to deworm students and distribute health kits and mosquito nets to help prevent malaria among children.
Also Speaking, Dr Ethelbert Ikechukwu, Medical Team Leader of the outreach said the exercise was part of the initiative of the Comptroller-General of Customs, which had been carried out in different parts of the country over the years.
According to him, the programme is designed to support communities where customs personnel operate by offering free medical consultations and medications to residents.
Ikechukwu further explained that patients whose conditions could not be fully managed at the outreach centre would be referred to appropriate medical facilities for further treatment.
Ikechukwu urged members of the public to take advantage of the exercise, noting that the medical teams comprised highly qualified healthcare professionals.
The outreach targets about 2,000 patients across various areas of medical care.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, says the Babajide Sanwo-Olu led administration has made significant progress in developing road, rail and water transportation infrastructure across the state.
Osiyemi made this known during the 2026 Ministerial Press Briefing in Lagos to commemorate the third year of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term in office.
He said the government remained committed to providing residents with an integrated multimodal transportation system that is seamless, safe, affordable, sustainable and inclusive.
According to him, the administration will continue to engage residents and invest in transport infrastructure to enhance mobility and support socio-economic development.
“Our promise to Lagos residents is to continue to provide and plan the best transportation system for all, in a manner that will boost the socio-economic development of the people and the state,” he said.
Osiyemi said the state was upgrading public transport infrastructure, including Bus Rapid Transit corridors and terminals, Quality Bus Corridors, rail projects and waterways facilities.
He said the Bus Rapid Transit BRT infrastructure from Doyin-Orile to Mile 2 along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway was 84 per cent completed, while the Iyana Ipaja Bus Terminal had reached 28 per cent completion.
According to him, the projects will improve mobility, reduce traffic congestion, enhance affordability and safety, and stimulate economic development.
Osiyemi said the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority was implementing several Quality Bus Corridor projects to improve mass transit efficiency and reduce travel time.
He listed the ongoing corridors as Mile 2, Alapere-Ketu, Ojuelegba, Cele and Abule Egba.
He said the projects feature dedicated and regulated bus lanes, modern shelters and terminals, improved pedestrian walkways and crossings, as well as traffic signal and junction improvements.
On rail transportation, the Commissioner said Phase II of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit Blue Line would extend the corridor from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko, with track construction, station development and power installation ongoing.
He said the 37-kilometre Red Line rail project from Marina through Oyingbo to Agbado was being strengthened with the procurement of 24 new coaches arranged in three sets of eight-coach trains.
According to him, each train set will carry more than 500 passengers.
He added that a feasibility study was ongoing for Phase II of the Red Line from Oyingbo to National Theatre to connect with the Blue Line.
Osiyemi said the 68-kilometre Green Line rail project would connect Marina to the Lekki Free Trade Zone through Victoria Island, Lekki, Ajah and Sangotedo, with about 17 stations.
He said the state had signed a Memorandum of Understanding MOU with China Harbour Engineering Company for the project.
According to him, the Green Line is designed to transport 35,000 passengers per hour, while the Federal Executive Council has approved funding for Phase I.
On water transportation, Osiyemi said the Lagos Ferry Services was nearing completion of a boat maintenance and dry dock facility at the Mile 2 Ferry Terminal.
He said boat trailers were also being constructed to facilitate dry-docking and repairs.
The commissioner added that solar-powered portable office cabins were being installed at Ijede, Ebute-Ero and Liverpool jetties to improve working conditions for staff.
He said the CMS Pontoon Jetty had also been upgraded to enhance passenger boarding and disembarkation.
By: CHINEDU WOSU
The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi, has called for a human-centred approach to digital transformation, warning that the success of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies will ultimately depend on ethics, leadership, and institutional accountability.
Adeniyi made the remarks while delivering the keynote address at the 4th Biennial International Conference organised by the Faculty of Communication and Information Sciences of University of Ilorin in collaboration with the Faculty of Philology, RUDN University.
The conference, themed “Disruptive Technology: Human and Artificial Intelligence in the Digital Economy,” brought together communication scholars, technology experts, researchers, policymakers, and heads of government agencies to examine the growing influence of artificial intelligence, digital innovation, and emerging technologies on governance, trade, education, and economic development.
Addressing participants at the University of Ilorin Main Auditorium last week , meAdeniyi argued that while artificial intelligence is reshaping institutions and economies globally, technology must remain accountable to society and aligned with public interest objectives.
“The digital age is, in the end, a human story, and the real test of our generation is not how powerful our machines become, but how wisely our societies choose to use them,” he said.
He noted that the world had already moved beyond the stage of anticipating disruption, stressing that digital payments, e-commerce platforms, artificial intelligence systems, and smart technologies had fundamentally altered global economic and governance structures.
According to him, the responsibility of public institutions is not merely to adopt new technologies, but to ensure that innovation strengthens transparency, efficiency, and public trust rather than weakening accountability mechanisms.
Drawing from the ongoing modernisation reforms within the Nigeria Customs Service, Adeniyi highlighted the deployment of the B’Odogwu Unified Customs Management System as a major milestone in the Service’s digital transformation agenda.
He disclosed that the platform generated more than ?230 billion at the PTML Command within its first eight months of deployment, while significantly improving cargo processing timelines and inter-agency coordination.
According to the Customs boss, compliant traders now complete cargo clearance procedures in less than eight hours under the digital platform, representing a major improvement in trade facilitation efficiency.
“The partnership, not the rivalry, between human and artificial intelligence is where the real value lies,” Adeniyi stated.
He maintained that while artificial intelligence can enhance operational efficiency, risk management, and data-driven decision-making, human expertise and institutional leadership remain indispensable in governance and enforcement operations.
“Technology changes processes; leadership and expertise still deliver the results,” he added.
The CGC further advocated deeper collaboration between universities, research institutions, and government agencies to develop practical, locally relevant solutions to emerging governance and digital economy challenges.
He urged academic institutions to move beyond theoretical scholarship and become active contributors to innovation, policy development, and institutional reform.
Adeniyi identified several areas where academia could support Customs modernisation efforts, including artificial intelligence-driven risk targeting systems, digital compliance mechanisms, governance of cross-border data flows, and public trust communication strategies.
He also challenged African governments to develop indigenous digital governance frameworks that reflect the continent’s legal systems, economic realities, and development priorities rather than relying solely on imported regulatory models.
The conference also provided a platform for high-level engagements between the Customs leadership, scholars, traditional rulers, communication professionals, and heads of government agencies on opportunities for collaboration in digital research, innovation, community development and capacity.
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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