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CREDICORP: We’ll Link Citizens’ Credit Scores to NIN For A Centralised Credit Bureau

CREDICORP: We’ll Link Citizens’ Credit Scores to NIN For A Centralised Credit Bureau

.Move aimed at combating corruption through account tracking and recovery of unpaid loans

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

The Federal Government on Tuesday disclosed that plans are underway to link citizens’ credit scores significantly to National Identification Number (NIN).
Through this, governnent will establish a centralised credit bureau for the whole country and build a comprehensive database of Nigeria’s credit profiles.
Addressing newsmen at the State House, Abuja, Managing Director of CREDICORP, Uzoma Nwagba, explained that linking credit scores to the NIN will have real-life benefits for Nigerians.
According to him, all lenders will be required to report loan repayments, guaranteeing that every Nigerian maintains an accurate credit score.
His words: “More importantly, there will be consequences for loan defaulters, but these will be subtle and structured rather than predatory. May be you want to renew your passport, but if something shows that you owe money somewhere, you may not be able to proceed. The same applies to renewing your driver’s license or renting a house. There is no hiding place.
“This system ensures that whether your money is in a commercial bank, FinTech, or microfinance institution, loans taken and not repaid will be tracked and recoverable.
“The essence is for everyone to have a credit score. We are gathering comprehensive financial and non-financial data to develop a structural algorithm that will score every Nigerian; there will be no hiding place for anyone again.”
Nwagba further stressed that CREDICORP’s mission include establishing credit infrastructure and pointed out its role in combating corruption and its key objective of driving industry growth by facilitating consumer credit to help Nigerians buy locally manufactured products, thereby promoting the Nigeria First policy.
He said: “The first goal is to improve the quality of life. This is not even my idea. It is what the President has always said. His second goal is to stem corruption. Again, it comes back to this idea that people who are faced with pressures to get into unsavoury practices of corruption is because they do not have the capital, the funding that they need to lead a decent life, but like that. Of course, but quite a bit of corruption, especially in the civil service, comes from the need to have a decent life and not having the upfront capital to deal with it. So you want to build a house, and you have to put in 40 million naira of effort.
“So, by people having more access to consumer credit, the pressures on their current active income reduce. So the second reason stems from corruption. The third reason is to catalyze industry, which is that if we can channel the consumer credit that we are giving to Nigerians to purchase locally manufactured goods with a more deliberate about that, then what would happen is that those industries can also grow, because you are now bringing purchasing power to them, and you create jobs, so improve lives, stem corruption, catalyze industry.”
The Managing Director tasked all financial institutions to partner with CREDICORP, disclosing that Nigeria needs about N183 trillion in credit to effectively develop the country level towards an efficient consumer credit facility.
“No government has that kind of money, so all financial institutions must commit to consumer credit. With the right infrastructure, lenders will be more relaxed and willing to provide loans, making credit more accessible.”
Nwagba also talked about government’s forthcoming consumer credit program targeting 400,000 Nigerian youths, noting that CREDICORP has already begun providing loans to National Youth Service Corps members through its YouthCred scheme.
He stressed that the initiative is designed to enhance the living standards of young Nigerians while equipping them with responsible credit management skills for the future.
Nwagba also revealed that all is now set for the official launch of the program, with all platforms, systems, and processes fully established.
“On the President’s announcement on youth cred, Youth cred is now, it is for the NYSC members and youth in general, the target is 400,000 Nigerians. All its platforms, systems, and processes have been set up. We are just essentially tightening up some sort of launch process. It has started, quite frankly”, he further stated.

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.Move aimed at combating corruption through account tracking and recovery of unpaid loans Deji Elumoye in Abuja The Federal Government on Tuesday disclosed that plans are underway to link citizens’

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INEC to PDP: Your 100th NEC Meeting Not In Compliance With Regulations, Guidelines of Political Parties

INEC to PDP: Your 100th NEC Meeting Not In Compliance With Regulations, Guidelines of Political Parties

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has told the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that its notice for its 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting is not in compliance with the requirement of the Regulations and Guidelines for political parties.

The Acting Secretary to the commission, Haliru Aminu, notified the party in a letter dated June 13, 2025, addressed to the National Chairman of the PDP with the requirement of part 2(12)3 of the Regulations and Guidelines for political parties, 2022.

The letter read: “Notice of 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Your Letter on the above subject refers. 

“The commission draws your attention that the notice is not in compliance with the requirement of part 2(12)3 of the Regulations and Guidelines for political parties, 2022 that provides ‘the National Chairman and National Secretary of the party shall jointly sign the notice of convention, congress, conference of meeting and submit same to the commission. Be guided. Please accept the assurance of the commission’s high regards.”

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, while speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of the commission’s office, said the commission has been grappling with inadequate office accommodation. 

He noted: “Our present national headquarters is severely congested. Commissioned in December 1997, it was originally planned to cater for eight commission members (a Chairman and seven full-time National Commissioners), ten Departments/Directorates and 500 staff. 

“Since then, the activities of the commission have become more extensive and the staff strength at the headquarters has more than doubled. Today, there are 13 full-time commission members (a Chairman and 12 National Commissioners), 22 Departments/Directorates and 1,048 staff. 

“Consequently, every facility is overstretched from offices to meeting rooms for the commission’s 15 standing committees and other activities, including regular engagements with stakeholders.”

Yakubu stressed that general staff meetings always take place outside the commission, adding that in response, the commission was compelled to rent two buildings in Wuse Zone II to ease the situation. 

The chairman added that over the last 10 years, the electoral body has made every effort to alleviate the situation until sometime last year when the Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory came to its rescue. 

According to Yakubu, “I wish to make it clear that this is not the first time that the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) is constructing an office for the Electoral Commission. 

“When the commission relocated its headquarters from Lagos to Abuja in 1991, it was the FCDA that provided it with offices in Garki to accommodate the national headquarters as well as the FCT office.

“When the facility became overstretched, the FCDA again built our present headquarters. The building in Garki now operates exclusively as our FCT Office. 

“In fact, today’s groundbreaking event is the third time in the last 34 years that the FCDA, in the discharge of its responsibilities, is stepping in to either provide office accommodation or alleviate the commission’s space constraint.

“As the end user of the facility, our technical department submitted the concept of the proposed building which is what the FCT is currently executing. 

“We made provision for offices, meeting rooms, conference rooms, a 1,000-seat auditorium and offices for some of our IT-based facilities such as the Election Monitoring and Support Centre (EMSC).”

Yakubu noted that beyond these facilities, the building plan has provision for a museum to serve as a repository for the physical and digital history of elections and electoral activities in Nigeria.

This, he said, would afford citizens, particularly students that regularly visit the commission on excursion, the opportunity to appreciate the evolution of our electoral history as is the case in many jurisdictions around the world.

Yakubu noted that the main building opposite the present site shall remain the national headquarters of the commission. 

He said when completed, the new building would  complement the main building.

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Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja  The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has told the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that its notice for its 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting is not

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Policy Innovation Centre Set to Host 2025 Gender, Inclusion Summit

Policy Innovation Centre Set to Host 2025 Gender, Inclusion Summit

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The Policy Innovation Centre (PIC) is set to host the 4th edition of the Gender and Inclusion Summit, christened GS-25, on September 3 and 4, 2025 in Abuja.

The summit is expected to convene over 1,000 in-person and virtual participants to explore urgent solutions for building a more inclusive society, a statement from the organisation stated.

With the theme: “New Voices and New Approaches for Accelerating an Inclusive Society,” this year’s summit, the organisation said, will spotlight bold strategies to address mounting challenges such as the shifting financial landscape.

Besides other issues to be discussed will include: Unequal access to equitable healthcare, economic inequality, housing insecurity, climate challenges, educational inequity, and the exclusion of marginalised groups, particularly women, persons with disabilities, and youth.

GS-25, according to the organisers, will feature interactive plenaries, roundtables, thematic breakout sessions, exhibitions, oral and poster presentations as well as a learning workshop.

Confirmed participants include policymakers, civil society leaders, development agencies, youth advocates, the private sector, academia, diplomats, and grassroots organisers — all working to co-create scalable and inclusive solutions aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Since its inception in 2022, the summit, PIC said, has become a premier pan-African platform championing gender-transformative policies, digital inclusion, and behavioural insights in governance. The 2025 edition is expected to build on this legacy, integrating evidence-based approaches and fresh voices into high-level dialogue.

“This summit is more than a convening. It’s a time to pause, reflect, learn, refuel, and refire. It’s a call to action to reimagine Africa’s development path through equity and inclusion,” said the Executive Director, PIC, Dr. Osasuyi Dirisu.

Some key themes for this year’s summit, he said, include advancing gender equity through education, women in leadership and governance, equitable access to healthcare, inclusive technology and digital rights.

Others are: Sustainable agriculture and food systems, creative economy and cultural inclusion as well as legal reforms with men as allies in gender justice. The summit will be held in a hybrid format to enable global participation.

PIC is Africa’s first national institutionalised behavioural initiative, supporting governments and stakeholders in making evidence-based, behaviourally informed decisions. An initiative of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), the PIC was established with support from the Gates Foundation.

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Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja The Policy Innovation Centre (PIC) is set to host the 4th edition of the Gender and Inclusion Summit, christened GS-25, on September 3 and 4, 2025

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EU, Nigeria Deepen Collaboration in Fight Against Transnational Crimes 

EU, Nigeria Deepen Collaboration in Fight Against Transnational Crimes 

Alex Enumah in Abuja 

The European Union (EU) and the Federal Ministry of Justice on Tuesday, deepened collaborative efforts against transnational crimes by smoothening legal processes for the investigation, arrest and prosecution of international criminals.

Speaking at a one-day high level meeting, which held in Abuja, the Vice-President of Eurojust (the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation), Mr José de la Mata Amaya, noted that crime is borderless, and as such would require effective collaboration among states and agencies to put criminals behind bars.

The meeting, which was hosted by the Federal Ministry of Justice, had in attendance the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ambassador Gautier Mignot, representatives of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC), other agencies for the prosecution of crime and representatives of the EU delegation to Nigeria.

Eurojust is an agency of the EU for international legal cooperation in criminal matters and is integrated by judges and prosecutors, whose task is to provide assistance, support, facilitate criminal cases, and criminal investigations that are handled by judges and prosecutors in the EU.

In his remarks, the Eurojust Vice-President  expressed strong belief that nations can achieve a lot and move faster when they work together in eradicating transborder crimes.

“Nigeria needs the support and assistance in the cases with the member states of the European Union, and indeed the member states of the European Union also need to strengthen and to enhance their cooperation with the authorities of Nigeria,” he said. 

The VP disclosed that as part of efforts to realize the goals of such cooperation, the EU and Nigeria signed a working arrangement; a strategic document that will pave the way towards reinforced cooperation. 

“Maybe in the future, it will allow us to sign an international agreement with the European Union and the authorities, the government of Nigeria. And for the time being, we ask to know better each other, to define which best practices are to enhance this cooperation; to identify also challenges, issues or problems that may exist in the member states where we are assisting the Nigerian authorities, but also in Nigeria where they assist the member states. 

“And the main aim of this endeavour will be to improve the number of cases that we have together, because that will mean that we are providing more assistance to the judges and prosecutors in the member states and also in Nigeria when it comes to their trans-border investigations. 

“We have reached a conclusion and we know for sure that if you wanted to do something, you can do it alone, but if you wanted to go farther, you have to go in a team. And that’s what we want to achieve with this working arrangement; to work like a team; respecting of course all the international conventions, multilateral and bilateral, that are in place when it comes to international legal cooperation, and respecting of course the guarantees and rights of the person under investigation, but together as a team. As colleagues, doing that, we will achieve a criminal justice goal that is finally our very common goal,” he added.

Meanwhile, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ambassador Mignot, described the meeting as a strong expression of the joint willingness from Nigeria on the one hand, and the UN agencies on the other, to fight crime, in particular transnational organised crime, in a more coordinated and efficient way. 

He thanked the UNODC, which he noted has been a very instrumental organisation in helping to start this cooperation and also facilitating its implementation.

Earlier, the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs Beatrice Jeddy-Agba, observed that the meeting was a follow-up on the working arrangements signed between the EU and Nigeria in 2023.

“This arrangement is primarily aimed at strengthening our joint efforts against transnational organised crimes, with particular focus on enhancing seamless judicial cooperation across international borders in the interest of international criminal justice,” she said. 

Jeddy-Agba stated that judicial cooperation is invaluable in helping countries resolve cases that may otherwise have failed due to jurisdictional issues, as well as insufficient grounds for advancing the request. 

The SGF however disclosed that in the coming days, the EU and Nigeria will open dialogue towards a better understanding of each other’s systems, identify challenges and areas where collaboration can deepen or become more effective. 

“We hope that this will broaden our collective vision and illuminate pathways for reinforced cooperation in international criminal justice matters between Nigeria and the European Union.

“We hope also that we are able to achieve our goal of practically implementing the working arrangement, hoping that it operates smoothly and efficiently for the effectiveness of tackling criminal activities between Nigeria and Europe, among others,” she added.

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Alex Enumah in Abuja  The European Union (EU) and the Federal Ministry of Justice on Tuesday, deepened collaborative efforts against transnational crimes by smoothening legal processes for the investigation, arrest

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Over 5000 Attend Africa’s First Global AI Summit for Children in Lagos

Over 5000 Attend Africa’s First Global AI Summit for Children in Lagos

The inaugural Kids Tech Fest, Global AI Summit for Children 2025, left everyone in awe and overflowing with gratitude. What was planned as a bold move in children’s digital empowerment became a historic moment in Africa’s tech story with over 5,000 attendees in person.

The Landmark Event Centre at Victoria Island Lagos overflowed with excited children, parents, and educators, creating a beautiful storm of learning, laughter, and inspiration.

The overwhelming energy told a big story: Africa is ready to raise a generation that thrives in the age of Artificial Intelligence.

At the conference, there were breakout sessions for parents and educators and for children where they were grouped according to their ages for an immersive experience. The children were not only taught the workings of AI, but topics like Plagiarism, cyber bullying and ethical AI were of huge focus.

Parents were enlightened on safeguarding children in the digital
age and why digital Literacy is a must for their children.

Beyond the conversations, there were two main highlight. The first was the launch of Bud AI, safe learning companion for children aged 6-17, providing the right guardrails including a child registration process that involves a parent’s emails and regular insight and feedback to the parent on child learning and activity on the app.

Parents were encouraged to visit www.budai.africa to join the waitlist.
The second highlight was the Launch of Future Minds Online AI Learning Community for children age 6-16, where they can learn to support their education, creativity and entertainment using safe AI tools. With this success, we are committed to returning even bigger, better organized, and deeply aligned with the dreams of the families we serve.

We’re already working to scale up infrastructure and programming to match this movement.
The vision for us is to raise the next generation of global AI innovators in Nigeria, Says Mrs Justina Nnam Oha the convener.

The conference is powered by Digital Equity Africa where Mrs Justina Nnam Oha is CEO and also the convener of the Children AI Summit. At the summit. She announced that this was first of
a conference series to happen all around Nigeria. She stated that her team will replicate this same initiative in every Nigerian State that is open to collaborate.

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The inaugural Kids Tech Fest, Global AI Summit for Children 2025, left everyone in awe and overflowing with gratitude. What was planned as a bold move in children’s digital empowerment

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Tinubu At Public Private Partnership Summit: What Matters To Average Nigerian Is Basic Infrastructure, Not Promises

Tinubu At Public Private Partnership Summit: What Matters To Average Nigerian Is Basic Infrastructure, Not Promises

* Vows to deliver sustainable, inclusive infrastructure for the citizenry

* Seeks deeper public, private sector partnership

Deji Elumoye in Abuja 

President Bola Tinubu has stressed the determination of his administration to fast-track approvals for viable infrastructural projects in the country, saying what matters to the average Nigerian is the availability of basic infrastructure such as power, roads, health facilities and quality schools.

He has, therefore, called for a more strengthened public-private sector partnership that emphasises innovation, efficiency, commitment and integrity above mere capital and investments.

Speaking Tuesday while declaring open the 2025 Nigeria Public-Private Partnership Summit held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, the president urged private sector partners to be focused and more committed, noting that Nigeria offers scale, demand and returns like no other African market.

Represented at the summit by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, President Tinubu said: “But we need more than investment. We need innovation, we need efficiency and above all, we need integrity. I urge you to look beyond the risks and recognise the immense opportunity to shape a nation that is not just rising, but ready.

“The projects that emerge from this summit must not gather dust on paper or linger in bureaucratic limbo. We will fast-track approvals for viable projects. We will ensure coordination across ministries, departments, and agencies to enable swift implementation.

“We do this because we know that what matters to the average Nigerian is not promises, but power in their homes, roads to their farms, access to clean water, modern hospitals, and quality schools. We must build. We must deliver. And we must do it together.”

Observing that a 21st-century economy cannot be built on 20th-century infrastructure, the president pointed out that the “old model of public-only infrastructure funding is no longer sustainable”.

“Our national aspirations far exceed what public budgets alone can deliver. That is why we must innovate, and why we must work together. We are not looking for investors to carry burdens. We are offering opportunities to create value. We seek long-term partners who are ready to help us bridge our infrastructure gap with purpose and precision,” he added.

President Tinubu recalled that his administration, on assumption of office two years ago, was quite aware “that a functional relationship between the public and private sectors would be the magic wand of transformation”.

He reaffirmed that government is still fully committed to that very public-private partnership that is passionate about delivering sustainable and inclusive infrastructure.

According to him, “We have strengthened the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) and enhanced its capacity to regulate, superintend, and de-risk PPP transactions. We are determined to deliver infrastructure that is both sustainable and inclusive.

“Our economic reforms have laid a stable foundation. From the removal of unsustainable subsidies to the liberalisation of the foreign exchange regime and the optimisation of government revenues, we have acted boldly and responsibly.

“We are streamlining bureaucratic bottlenecks and improving transparency in our project pipelines. We have aligned our processes with global best practices and investor expectations.”

Declaring the summit open, the president urged participants to ensure the event is “remembered not for fine speeches, but for bankable projects, signed deals and enduring progress”.

Earlier, the Minister of Interior, Mr Tunji Ojo, commended the ICRC for championing game-changing projects across diverse sectors, noting that with President Tinubu and Vice-President Shettima in the saddle, Nigeria is taking its rightful place in the comity of nations.

Also speaking, the Director General of the ICRC, Dr. Jobson Ewalefoh, said the summit is a rallying call for transformation, a platform for strategic convergence, and a bridge between national aspirations and tangible development.

He said: “This summit brings together the finest minds from government, private investors, development partners, and civil society to co-create new frameworks, de-risk bankable projects, and strengthen our institutional alignment towards project delivery. It is a testament to Nigeria’s readiness to lead, not just follow, in the evolving global PPP ecosystem.”

On her part, the Regional Director, Central Africa & Anglophone West Africa, IFC, Dahlia Khalifa, applauded the ongoing reform in Nigeria’s PPP framework, acknowledging IFC’s collaboration with authorities across key sectors to achieve the country’s overall objectives and strengthening the existing relationship between the organisation and Nigeria.

She added that Nigeria under President Tinubu has demonstrated strong commitments to timely and transparent resolution of disputes arising from PPP projects which is evident in the ongoing efforts to restructure the country’s PPP framework.

Also, Vice-President for Private Sector, Infrastructure & Industrialisation at the African Development Bank, Solomon Quaynor, said the theme of the summit implies that partnerships are not just optional but are essential.

He said the infrastructure deficits “demand that the government and the private sector work together in commercially viable PPPs”, adding that the bank is working with other partners on the Lagos-Abidjan highway project to boost regional economic integration in West Africa.

“PPPs are complex long-term projects. They need to be designed properly and designed to survive different political administrations because by their very nature, they are long-term,” he stated.

On his part, the Director & Global Head, Project Preparation, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), Zitto Alfayo, explained that the government’s limited fiscal space has necessitated PPPs, saying the Federal Government’s bold market reforms have positioned Nigeria to absorb the shocks of the outside world.

“With this clear demonstration of commitment from the Nigerian government, the onus is now on the private sector to drive the adoption of PPP. Since its inception, Afreximbank has disbursed over $50 million in Nigeria, capitalising investment in various sectors including energy, transport and logistics, manufacturing, healthcare and financial services,” he noted.

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* Vows to deliver sustainable, inclusive infrastructure for the citizenry * Seeks deeper public, private sector partnership Deji Elumoye in Abuja  President Bola Tinubu has stressed the determination of his