🇳🇬NigeriaWest Africa
DSS Director-General seeks stronger support for cybercrime prosecutions
via Punch Nigeria3 min read
Oluwatosin Ajayi, the Director-General of the Department of State Services, has called for increased judicial and public support in prosecuting cybercrime cases, stating that convictions would deter future offenders. Speaking in Abuja at the public presentation of legal publications and the Justice Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye Educational Foundation, Ajayi highlighted that security agencies are pursuing cybercrime cases, including those involving online attacks against public officials, to send a strong message to potential offenders. He emphasized the necessity of holding offenders accountable to foster societal change and condemned defamatory attacks on individuals via digital platforms, warning that unpunished acts could escalate to physical violence. Ajayi urged legal practitioners and stakeholders to support these prosecutions, including through amicus curiae briefs. He also acknowledged retired Justice Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye's contributions to addressing challenges in admitting electronic evidence. The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, represented by Solicitor-General Beatrice Jeddy-Agba, commended Justice Ajileye's scholarly work on electronic evidence, noting its importance in the technology-driven administration of justice. The Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, reiterated the commission's commitment to combating internet fraud and called for legislation to enable the use of Artificial Intelligence in investigations. Chief Wole Ola
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
The Lagos State Government has partnered with Made in Africa Brands Ambassador to enhance women exporters' access to financing, offering up to N5m, and to collaborate with the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service to improve packaging standards. This initiative aims to reduce the rejection of Nigerian products in international markets. The partnership was a key outcome of the SheExports Conference 2026, organized by MABA in conjunction with the Lagos State Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment. Flora Mbeledeogu, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Made in Africa Brands Ambassador, stated that the program prepares women entrepreneurs for global trade by focusing on product quality, packaging, certification, and traceability, addressing common reasons for export rejections. Lagos State Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Akinyemi Ajigbotafe, affirmed the state's commitment to supporting women-led businesses through the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund and expanding financial institution collaborations. The Lagos State Employment Trust Fund has already disbursed billions of naira in low-interest loans and grants, primarily to women entrepreneurs. Adaobi Onyedum, Director-General of the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce, highlighted Nigeria's untapped export potential, emphasizing the need for value addition over raw commodity exports. Ijeoma Okonkwo, Chief Executive Officer of Traxis Global, stressed the importance of preparedness, scalability, proper
The Federal Government is reviewing the National Building Code to introduce climate-smart construction standards, energy efficiency requirements, and disaster-risk reduction measures. Muttaqha Darma, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, announced that the revised code will integrate sustainable building materials and resilient design principles to reduce carbon emissions and improve building safety and durability. This initiative is part of broader reforms by the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development to align Nigeria's housing and construction sector with global climate commitments, including the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals. The Minister emphasized that Nigeria's rapid urbanization necessitates rethinking how cities and buildings are planned and managed. Beyond the building code review, the ministry has secured approval for the reviewed National Urban Development Policy and is finalizing National Physical Planning Standards. The ministry is also implementing climate-responsive housing under the Renewed Hope Estates and Cities Initiative, promoting designs that reduce energy consumption and incorporate resilient infrastructure. Stakeholders are urged to accelerate the nationwide adoption and enforcement of the revised code, expand green financing for affordable housing, encourage local production of climate-resilient building materials, and establish a National Urban Observatory. Grace Bitrus, Chairman of the National Multistakeholde
The Head of the Nigeria National Office of the West African Examinations Council WAEC, Amos Dangut, stated that there was no leakage of question papers in the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination WASSCE, despite logistical issues. Candidates in several states experienced delays in receiving question papers and answer booklets for Mathematics and Agricultural Science, leading to late examination sittings. WAEC attributed these delays to logistical and operational challenges, including a fatal road accident that claimed the lives of three officials. Dangut emphasized that the integrity of the examination was not compromised, citing innovations like enhanced cyber monitoring that reduced malpractice and prevented online leaks. He noted that the rate of examination malpractice significantly diminished this year. Some logistical challenges were linked to the late conclusion of candidate registration in April, which affected printing and preparation time. To prevent future recurrences, registration for the 2027 school candidates’ examination will begin in September and close in December 2026. Dangut reiterated WAEC's commitment to expanding Computer-Based WASSCE CB-WASSCE as a long-term solution to malpractice and paper leakage, as it eliminates the need to transport physical question papers. He also revealed that WAEC now operates a cyber monitoring center to detect real-time malpractice. Dangut urged stakeholders to settle outstanding examination fees within 10