Business
Online publishers charged to stir Nigeria into seeking global financial inclusion
. . . As GOCOP President charges new members on ridding the media space of fake news
Nigeria must key into global financial inclusion and the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) must lead in the awareness that may help Nigeria achieve this.
The charge was handed down to GOCOP by Yusuf Mamman, Nigeria’s former ambassador to Spain, chairman of the 2024 Annual General Conference of GOCOP holding at Reverton Hotel in Lokoja, Kogi State capital.
This is as Maureen Chigbo, GOCOP President, has charged new members to join in the task of ridding the online media space of fake news.
The 8th annual conference has the theme, “Nigeria: Tackling Insecurity, Power Deficit, and Transitioning to Digital Economy.” The keynote speaker is His excellency Liyel Imoke, former governor of Cross River State, while Gov Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State is chief host.
In his opening remarks, the former ambassador said Nigeria cards rarely get recognized abroad, regretting that this has led to many hardships.
Mamman said the global financial system has gone cashless and Nigeria must be integrated, saying failure to get integrated could lead to what he called cyber balkanization.
He admitted that Nigerian youths spend huge sums on data, but wondered if this huge spending ever goes to seeking knowledge. “There is knowledge out there in the internet where people can learn most things to improve themselves, but we must be sure that is where the huge data being poured into the internet by Nigerian youths is going to.
“There is what I regard as the biggest university in the world; ‘University of Youtube’. This has caused huge transition in every aspect of life” He noted that many technologies including the Post and Telecommunication (P&T) system and photography have since transited to new techs.
The former ambassador noted that IT has caused quantum leap which he said has also brought threats in the form of misinformation. His worry thus is how Nigeria can safeguard morality and reduce sensationalism.
To GOCOP, the former Ambassador pointed to availability of multiple platforms. He urged GOCOP to find a way to embrace them to be relevant in the industry. He said GOCOP must find how to transit from online journalism to a kind of media convergence system where Youtube, he said, is king.
He urged Nigerians not to wish online space away, saying; “If you don’t want to get wet, don’t get into the water.”
He said the digital media world is now about ‘like, comment, and share’.
He commended the GOCOP members for sustaining the journey for eight years now, and recalled the early days of GOCOP. He said the new media is opening new frontiers and this is opening new opportunities and challenges. He said IT is an evolutionary process but as deep and wide as an ocean.
In her welcome remarks, the GOCOP President who commended the host government, past presidents of the Guild, said the fight against fake news has persuaded GOCOP to enthrone strict membership screening as well as the ombudsman system. GOCOP, she added, has also joined national media industry ombudsman system to escalate cases that may be beyond the GOCOP.
Some GOCOP partners delivered goodwill messages. The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) was represented by the Corporate Communications Division through Teleola Oyeleke, who commended GOCOP for sustaining the Guild, saying it was evidence of seriousness of the members.
He said: “We regard you as one of NCDMB’s critical stakeholders. That is why the board has been partnering this organization. We are glad to partner you people both as a group and as individual publsihers.”
He called on GOCOP to continue to support local content development, saying Nigeria is leading the drive in Africa.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) was represented by Dr Omoniyi Ibietan, Head of Media Relations, who said the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of the Commission, Dr Aminu Maida, held GOCOP in high esteem.
He said the digital space and role of online publishing were critical and now a reality. “You are important, not just for popularizing the NCC but for opening the democratic space. We are improving investment and productivity of the nation. That is why constructive ideas are always welcome to the NCC.”
The NNPC Foundation Limited/Gte, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), has won the CSR Champion Award (Health) 2025 instituted by the Independent Newspapers.
Biztellers reports that the award was presented during the Silver Jubilee edition of the Independent Newspapers Awards, themed “Game Changers: Breaking Barriers and Shaping Tomorrow,” held at Eko Hotel and Suites on Saturday, 18 April 2026.
The CSR Champion Award (Health) recognises the Foundation’s work in healthcare and its broader commitment to improving lives through social investment programmes spanning health, education, environment, and access to energy.Primary & Secondary Schooling (K-12)
The recognition follows a series of health initiatives delivered by the Foundation, including free cataract screening and surgeries that restored sight to over 6,000 Nigerians, including minors born blind; cancer and glaucoma interventions; medical outreaches to underserved communities; renovation and furnishing of three wards with 100 beds at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi; partnership and sponsorship of heart surgeries; and provision of dental health accessories to children in special schools, among others.
The NNPC Foundation noted that these results were made possible through the leadership and support of the NNPC Ltd. Management team, whose commitment has continued to strengthen the Foundation’s capacity to deliver social investments across the country.
Reacting to the award, the Managing Director of NNPC Foundation, Emmanuella Arukwe, described the recognition as a validation of the Foundation’s work and the trust placed in it by Nigerians. She noted that the award means so much to the company because it represents the confidence Nigerians have placed in its work and the value they see in purposeful social investment.
“It speaks to the resilience of the communities we serve, the dedication of our team, and the strength of partnerships that have enabled us to do meaningful work in health, education, environmental sustainability and access to energy,” she added.
In addition, Arukwe noted that “these results have also been made possible through the leadership and support of the NNPC Ltd. Management team, whose backing has been instrumental to the success of the Foundation’s work. We receive this award with gratitude, and with a renewed sense of responsibility to do more and reach further across the country.”
The NNPC Foundation Limited/Gte remains committed to advancing health interventions that improve outcomes and contribute to national development.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), through its Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI) Division, in collaboration with the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sonatrach, the Algerian National Oil Company, for cooperation in research, development, and innovation.
The agreement, signed by NNPC Ltd’s Executive Vice President, Business Services, Sophia Mbakwe, and Sonatrach’s Managing Director, Khodjah Mohamed, establishes a formal framework for joint work in research and technology exchange between the two national oil companies.
This was contained in the press statement issued on Thursday by Chief Corporate Communications Officer Mr. Andy Odeh.
According to the statement, the agreement, held during the opening ceremony of the 3rd Meeting of the African Petroleum Producers’ Organization (APPO) Forum for R&D Directors at the PTDF Tower in Abuja, Nigeria, brought together research and development directors from APPO member countries.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, represented by former Secretary General of APPO, Omar Farouk Ibrahim, said the forum was one of four measures introduced by APPO to address challenges from the global energy transition, which center on funding, technology, and markets.
“The R&D forum tackles technology and expertise needs, the African Energy Bank addresses funding constraints, and the Central African Pipeline System supports regional oil and gas market integration,” Lokpobiri stated.
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Earlier in his remarks, Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPC Limited, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, represented by the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, Adedapo Segun, said research and development must form a central part of the overall strategy in the African oil and gas industry.
He called for research and development centres to function as engines of industrial competitiveness. “Collaboration in research and development is of strategic importance. The cost of innovation might be high, but the cost of obsolescence would be greater,” he stressed.
Ojulari called for a unified strategic framework through which resources could be pooled, data integrated, and risks shared across member countries.
He further urged the rapid adoption of digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and advanced engineering to improve upstream, midstream, and downstream operations.
On his part, the APPO Secretary General, Farid Ghezali, urged African petroleum-producing countries to ensure research in the oil and gas sector produced solutions that are practical and directly relevant to the continent. “We must ensure that our research delivers solutions that are practical and of direct use to Africa,” he stated.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Prof. Shu’aibu Shehu Aliyu, highlighted the value of the partnership between NNPC Limited and PTDF in supporting decarbonization and environmental protection efforts across APPO member countries.
Chief Innovation Officer of NNPC Research, Technology and Innovation and incoming Chairman of the APPO R&D Directors Forum, Rasheed Ojulari, said the forum would give immediate priority to joint programs in the core areas of upstream optimization, artificial intelligence, decarbonisation processes, and industrial systems development.
The Nigerian Gas Association (NGA), has opined that a predictable fiscal and regulatory environment are ingredients essential to de-risking investments and accelerating project delivery in the oil and gas sector.
This was detailed in a statement released by NGA at the end of its maiden Legal Forum emphasised that investor confidence will be shaped by the robustness of commercial and contractual structures across the gas value chain, strengthened contractual clarity, and efficient dispute resolution mechanisms.
In his opening address, President of the NGA, Aka Nwokedi, underscored the urgency of aligning Nigeria’s legal architecture with its strategic gas ambitions, noting that the sector’s next phase of growth will be defined by the strength, clarity, and credibility of its regulatory environment.
“Nigeria’s gas resources present a defining opportunity for economic transformation, but realising this potential will depend on building a legal framework that is transparent, predictable, and globally competitive”, he stated.
Discussions throughout the Forum reflected a clear and consistent theme: that Nigeria’s opportunity now lies in execution.
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While the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) has established a transformative foundation for sector reform, participants emphasised that its true impact will be determined by disciplined implementation, regulatory coherence, and institutional alignment.
The need to eliminate ambiguity and strengthen enforcement emerged as central to unlocking sustained investment.
As global energy systems continue to evolve, the Forum reinforced natural gas as Nigeria’s most strategic lever for balancing economic growth, energy security, and emissions reduction. Participants highlighted that legal and regulatory frameworks must evolve accordingly, moving beyond policy intent to embed clear, enforceable standards on carbon management, ESG obligations, and sustainability.
“In an increasingly competitive global market, such clarity will be critical in attracting long-term capital.”
The Forum also acknowledged the policy direction of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in advancing gas development through infrastructure expansion and increased domestic utilisation.
Stakeholders noted that sustained policy stability will serve as a critical signal to both domestic and international investors evaluating long-term opportunities in Nigeria’s gas sector.
Beyond its technical depth, the NGA Legal Forum marked an important step in bridging the longstanding gap between legal frameworks and industry realities, creating a structured platform for continuous engagement, practical alignment, and forward-looking policy development.
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