Hassan Taiye

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio has tasked the board and management of the South South Development Commission (SSDC) on carrying out developmental projects that will impact on the living standard of the people of the region while furthering the renewed hope agenda of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Senator Akpabio gave the charge when the board of the new Commission paid him a courtesy visit on Thursday in Abuja. He said the Commission is saddled with a lot of responsibilities to develop the South South and contribute to the economic development of the six States of the region.

A statement by the Special Assistant to the President of the Senate on Media/Communication, Anietie Ekong quoted Senator Akpabio to have said: “The ball is now in your court to add value to the South South region through this development Commission.

“You have a lot of responsibilities to develop the region. I want you to know that it is not a bonanza. It is a call to service. It is a call to put on your thinking cap to add value to the economy of the nation, to add value to the renewed hope agenda of the President who set up this Commission.

“I congratulate the President and I thank him for finding it necessary to give us the South South Development Commission. They say, one good turn deserves another.

“The Niger Delta has been good to Nigeria. We have kept the economy of the nation going and so giving us this opportunity to further develop other resources in the Niger Delta is also evidence that Nigeria also cares about us ” he said.

Akpabio thanked members of the two chambers of the National Assembly for passing the bill of the SSDC into law despite the initial hesitation because the region already had the Niger Delta Development Commission but assured that the mandate of the SSDC goes beyond the oil producing areas to cover every nook and cranny of the South South region.

He pledged the support of the National Assembly towards adequate funding of the development commissions across the six geo-political zones.

According to Akpabio, “We shall continue to support you to fully take off and execute big projects that we shall come and commission. We will support you to make sure you are adequately funded. You can count on me, my office and my colleagues. We will supoort you to succeed.”

The Chairman of the board of the Commission, Prince Chibudom Nwuche, thanked President Tinubu, the Senate President and the National Assembly for their efforts in passing the SSDC bill into law despite the challenges and difficulties. He said with the caliber of persons appointed into the management and board the SSDC will add value to the nation.

“Under my leadership as Chairman, I assure you that we shall keep faith in executing the core mandate of this Commission. We will work closely with you and the Senate and listen to guidance from our stakeholders. We will avoid the mistakes of the past and make sure our people feel the impact of governance,” he said.

The pioneer Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission Ms Usoro Akpabio praised the visionary leadership of Senator Akpabio and the Senate in birthing the Commission and promised that the interventionist agency will carry out regional economic drive across the entire six States of the region.

According to Ms Akpabio the vision of the Commission cuts across human capital development and infrastructural renewal in the region. “This Commission will align with other sister development agencies, and work with the states while we carry out our own independent mandate. We will unlock the potentials and the stranded wealth of the South South people.

“Ours is to be a role model for other developmental agencies in Nigeria because we will carry out sustainable development for the people. We will unlock the potentials of the South South people and at the same time we will use the opportunity bring out a lot of talents in the region across all sectors,” she assured.

Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has felicitated Hajia Bola Shagaya, MON, on her 66th birthday.

In a congratulatory letter signed by
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, President Tinubu described Hajia Shagaya as a distinguished Nigerian whose vision, enterprise, and leadership have advanced the private sector and contributed to national development.

He specifically applauded her dedication to philanthropy and women’s empowerment, values that continue to inspire a new generation of Nigerians.

President Tinubu wished the celebrant many years of good health and continued service to the nation.

End

By Hassan Taiye

In a bold move to boost cybersecurity and rebuild public confidence in the digital economy, the Federal Government of Nigeria has officially launched the National Digital Trustmark Initiative aimed to certify and verify legitimate online platforms operating in the country, curbing the proliferation of fraudulent websites and promoting secure digital interactions.

Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, announced the initiative in Abuja on Thursday said the trustmark initiative will serve as a visible indicator of credibility for e-commerce sites, fintech platforms, government portals, and other digital services that meet rigorous security and transparency standards.

According to him, the Trustmark would serve as a verifiable seal of authenticity for legitimate online platforms, ensuring Nigerians can transact safely and securely in the digital space.

The NITDA boss hinted that digital economy has been Nigeria’s fastest-growing sector for almost five years, surpassing oil and gas and other key sectors in its contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“The digital economy has already bypassed the oil and gas sector in terms of contribution to our GDP. Today, the services sector contributes over 58% to Nigeria’s GDP, and almost all these services are powered by digital technology,” he said.

He noted, while digitisation has created vast opportunities, it has also brought challenges such as cyber fraud, identity theft, and fake online platforms that erode public trust and discourage online transactions.

“Technology is a double-edged sword. As good actors use it to enhance productivity and efficiency, bad actors exploit it to cause harm.

‘Many people are discouraged from transacting online due to lack of trust and confidence. This also affects our international reputation, as Nigeria is often unfairly stigmatised as a hub for cybercrime,” he added.

Inuwa explained that the Digital Trustmark is part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to promote digital inclusion, protect consumers, and strengthen trust in the online economy.

The initiative was co-created by NITDA, the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), and GIZ, the German international development agency, to ensure collaboration between the government, private sector, and development partners.

Under the new framework, every verified company, e-commerce platform, government agency, and online business will display a Trustmark seal on their website.

The seal, which can be scanned or clicked for verification, will confirm that the platform is genuine, legally registered, and compliant with Nigeria’s data and cybersecurity standards.

The verification process, he said will include manual and automated checks such as corporate registration (CAC), Know Your Customer (KYC) documentation, and address validation. Once approved, the business will be issued a Trustmark certificate and a digital badge for display on its platform.

“The seal will make it easy for citizens to distinguish between authentic and fake websites. Many scammers clone websites that look exactly like banks or known brands. With the Trustmark, people can easily identify verified platforms and transact safely,” he said.

The project, currently facilitated by GIZ and NACCIMA, includes a steering committee for oversight, a Trustmark portal and mobile app for managing certification lifecycles, covering issuance, validation, revocation, and renewal and licensed verifiers who will onboard online sellers and platform owners.

The National Digital Trustmark initiative is designed to provide a verifiable certification mechanism or badge of trust for e-commerce and other online platforms in Nigeria. This initiative was originally initiated by NITDA but currently being facilitated by GIZ, a German international cooperation agency and NACCIMA (Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture). It is aimed to strengthen consumer confidence, promote fair competition, and elevate Nigerian businesses to global standards.
Trust, as we know, is the currency of the digital age. The National Digital Trustmark will serve as a seal of assurance, enabling Nigerians and enterprises to engage online with confidence, security, and pride.