By Ifeoluwa Odunayo

In a renewed push towards a cleaner and more sustainable energy future, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority, Bamanga Usman Jada, on Monday held high level talks with the leadership of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas.

The strategic meeting focused on the ongoing Diesel Retrofit Program, as both agencies explored fresh opportunities to accelerate the adoption of compressed natural gas across Nigeria’s industrial and commercial sectors.

Discussions centred on harnessing the advantages of Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Free Zones to expand clean energy solutions, aiming to fast track the country’s energy transition agenda.

The engagement underscores a deepening collaboration among key stakeholders as Nigeria seeks to reduce its reliance on diesel and shift towards greener alternatives that promise economic growth alongside environmental sustainability.

Industry watchers see this alignment as a crucial step towards delivering affordable energy and positioning Nigeria as a leader in Africa’s clean energy space.

By Ifeoluwa Odunayo

The Federal Government is turning to advanced technology to safeguard the nation’s bridges, as it prepares to deploy robotic machines for underwater inspections across Nigeria.

This bold move, aimed at enhancing structural integrity and slashing maintenance costs, was unveiled by the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, during a stakeholders meeting on Section Two of the Lagos to Calabar Coastal Highway project on Sunday.

Umahi noted that the current dependence on human divers for underwater assessments is both costly and unsustainable.

“We are embracing robotic technology to revolutionise how we inspect our bridges.

“These machines will deliver real time visuals of the underwater conditions, allowing us to detect issues early and respond swiftly,” he explained.

The government is partnering with HITECH Construction Company, with its Managing Director, Mr Danny Abboud, leading the charge to procure the cutting edge equipment.

Experts say the adoption of robotic technology marks a significant step forward in modernising Nigeria’s infrastructure management, promising improved safety and efficiency in bridge maintenance nationwide.

By Ifeoluwa Odunayo

The Nigerian Senate has urged the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy to intervene in the recent hike in data costs, calling for urgent discussions with telecom providers to ease the financial burden on citizens.

The resolution followed a motion by Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (APC-Cross River) during plenary on Wednesday.

He noted that some telecom companies had raised data prices by up to 200 percent, making internet access increasingly unaffordable, especially for young digital entrepreneurs.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio backed the motion, stressing that affordable internet is essential for economic growth and innovation.

The Senate directed the minister to engage telecom providers on price reductions, develop policies for affordable data, and explore subsidized or free internet access for students, entrepreneurs, and tech innovators.

The Senate Committee on Communications was also tasked with investigating the causes of high data prices and proposing lasting solutions.