By Sam Otuonye 

 Seplat Energy has strengthened its commitment to climate action and environmental sustainability through its Tree4Life Programme, which recently achieved a major milestone with the planting of 200,000 trees, reinforcing the company’s ambition to establish one million trees by 2030.

The Tree4Life Programme is a flagship reforestation and biodiversity conservation initiative that combines environmental restoration with community development. 

According to Seplat Energy’s 2025 Social Performance Report, the programme has established nurseries containing more than 175,000 seedlings and has trained more than 300 community members in tree planting, nursery management and sustainable land-use practices.

Beyond its environmental objectives, the initiative continues to deliver meaningful socio-economic benefits. More than 350 community members have been engaged through various project activities, including site preparation, planting operations, nursery management and logistics support, creating significant economic opportunities across participating communities. The programme has also supported community capacity building and sustainable agricultural practices, helping to strengthen local livelihoods while advancing conservation efforts.

Seplat Energy’s approach emphasizes close collaboration with host communities and key stakeholders to ensure the long-term success of restoration efforts. Through continuous engagement, the company is promoting shared ownership of forest protection and environmental stewardship across project locations.

Building on the momentum generated by the planting of 200,000 trees, Seplat Energy plans to scale up the programme from 2026 as part of a broader strategy to restore degraded landscapes, enhance biodiversity and contribute to global efforts to combat climate change. The company intends to sustain phased planting activities across the project area while strengthening maintenance programmes, survival monitoring and replacement planting to maximize long-term impact.

Future plans also include expanding environmental and social baseline studies, enhancing biodiversity monitoring and strengthening the measurement and verification of carbon sequestration outcomes in line with internationally recognized standards. These efforts are expected to support the programme’s long-term goal of planting one million trees by 2030 while creating enduring environmental and social value.

The Tree4Life Programme underscores Seplat Energy’s commitment to responsible energy development, environmental sustainability and inclusive growth, demonstrating how climate action can be integrated with community empowerment to create lasting benefits for present and future generations.

By Sam Otuonye 

The Federal Government of Nigeria, the European Union (EU) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) have signed a grant agreement to support the development of the country’s nationwide fibre-optic backbone.

The signing in Abuja on Wednesday marked a significant step towards expanding affordable broadband connectivity, strengthening institutional capacity, and accelerating Nigeria’s digital transformation.

The initiative, supported by the European Union and administered by the EBRD, provides up to €14 million in funding for project scoping, fibre-optic network design, project preparation, and capacity-building activities for Nigeria’s nationwide fibre-optic backbone programme. 

The project aims to deploy approximately 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic infrastructure nationwide to improve broadband access and support inclusive economic growth.

The ceremony brought together representatives of the Federal Government, the European Union, the EBRD and other stakeholders committed to advancing Nigeria’s digital development agenda.

In his address, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Abubakar Bagudu, welcomed the participating delegations and emphasised the importance of the partnership among the Federal Government of Nigeria, the European Union and the EBRD in advancing the country’s digital infrastructure and economic development priorities.

The minister highlighted the grant’s significance in supporting the design and preparation of Nigeria’s nationwide fibre-optic infrastructure project, noting that the intervention would extend beyond technical design to include capacity building, institutional development, and knowledge transfer.

He emphasised that these components are essential for effective project implementation, for strengthening national expertise and for promoting the long-term sustainability of investments in digital infrastructure.

Senator Bagudu also acknowledged the complementary responsibilities of the participating institutions, explaining that the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning would provide coordination and oversight, while the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy would share responsibility for technical implementation through established project coordination and implementation structures.

He further expressed appreciation for Nigeria’s longstanding relationship with the European Union and other development partners, recognising their contributions to the country’s economic reforms and development priorities.

The minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to sustained international cooperation, effective coordination and strategic partnerships to expand digital connectivity, strengthen institutional capacity and promote inclusive economic growth.

In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Dr Deborah Odoh, described the signing of the grant agreement between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the EBRD, supported by the European Union, as an important milestone in strengthening Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and implementation capacity.

Dr Odoh thanked the European Union and the EBRD for their continued support and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transparent coordination, effective implementation, and sustained collaboration with development partners.

She clarified that the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning would execute the grant agreements on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, while the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy would oversee technical implementation through its project implementation units.

The European Union leader to Nigeria, Mr Massimo De Luca, reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to strengthening its digital partnership with Nigeria through investment, effective collaboration and the timely implementation of projects designed to support the country’s digital transformation.

Mr Massimo emphasised the importance of sustained engagement between Nigeria and its international partners to advance shared development objectives and to support the expansion of digital infrastructure.

He also thanked the minister and all stakeholders whose contributions and collective efforts advanced the partnership, underscoring the value of continued cooperation in achieving development outcomes.

In a virtual address, a representative of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy expressed appreciation to the European Union delegation, Nigerian partners, colleagues and other stakeholders for their contributions to the successful organisation of the signing ceremony.

The speaker highlighted the importance of the agreements in strengthening institutional cooperation, promoting innovation, developing technical skills, and supporting sustainable development.

The address further emphasised that the partnership demonstrates what Nigeria, the European Union and other development partners can achieve through coordinated efforts and a shared commitment to national development.

The representative expressed optimism about the project’s potential impact, describing the initiative as a key foundation for deeper cooperation and future achievements in Nigeria’s digital sector.

By Sam Otuonye 

In a bold move to secure Nigeria’s digital space Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled Type Approval Compliance framework, introducing a Device Checker service that enables consumers to verify communications devices by dialling *315#.

The Commission said the initiative would strengthen consumer protection, safeguard telecommunications networks and help identify counterfeit, cloned and other non-compliant devices seeking access to Nigerian mobile networks.

Speaking at a news conference on the Commission’s Technical Standards and Network Integrity initiatives in Abuja, on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, the Director of Technical Standards and Network Integrity, Engr. Edoyemi Ogoh, said the framework was designed to ensure that communications devices sold and used in Nigeria met the required technical standards.

Ogoh explained that Type Approval was an existing regulatory requirement, adding that the Commission was deploying technology to improve compliance monitoring and enforcement.

He said telecommunications had become central to Nigeria’s economic and social development, supporting business, financial transactions, education, healthcare, public services and personal communication.

“Type Approval is not merely a regulatory requirement. It is a vital mechanism for protecting consumers, safeguarding network performance and preserving confidence in Nigeria’s digital economy,” he said.

According to him, the enhanced framework followed consultations with original equipment manufacturers, importers, dealers, telecommunications service providers, government agencies and industry associations following the issuance of the Type Approval Business Rules in August 2024.

He added that the NCC had worked with the Nigeria Customs Service and other stakeholders to onboard devices already in stock and ensure newly imported equipment underwent the required verification.

Earlier, the Director of Public Affairs at the NCC, Nnenna Ukoha, urged media organisations to intensify public awareness of the Device Checker and other regulatory initiatives.

Ukoha said the media engagement was organised to give journalists insights into the Commission’s regulatory activities, industry developments and issues affecting telecommunications stakeholders.

She stressed that effective communication was essential to ensuring that regulatory policies achieved their intended objectives, particularly among consumers at the grassroots.

According to her, even well-designed regulations could have limited impact if their objectives and benefits were not adequately communicated to the public.

She therefore urged journalists to provide accurate and balanced information to help Nigerians understand the Device Checker, its benefits and their responsibilities when purchasing communications equipment.

The NCC said consumers could check a device by dialling *315# and following the prompts or visiting its official portal at www.ncc.gov.ng/devicechecker.

For a device other than the one currently in use, consumers may need its 15-digit International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, which can be obtained by dialling *#06#.

The Commission advised Nigerians to verify devices before making payment, particularly when buying second-hand phones.

However, it clarified that consumers purchasing devices from Nigerian sellers were not expected to obtain Type Approval themselves, as compliance responsibilities rest primarily with manufacturers, importers, suppliers and businesses placing devices on the market.

The enhanced compliance system took effect on October 7, 2026.

 According to the NCC, devices already connected to Nigerian mobile networks before implementation were automatically verified and generally require no action from their users.

The framework covers smartphones, feature phones, cellular tablets, eligible Internet of Things (IoT) devices, SIM-enabled point-of-sale terminals, cellular laptops and other equipment designed to connect to Nigerian mobile networks.

Addressing privacy concerns, Ogoh said the system was designed for device identification and regulatory verification, not surveillance.

He explained that although the framework uses device identification information, including IMEI numbers, it does not allow the Commission to listen to calls, read messages, access photographs, contacts, financial information or other personal files.

The Commission also said the Device Checker does not track users’ physical locations or movements.

The NCC said devices confirmed to be non-compliant with applicable requirements could be denied access to Nigerian mobile networks.

It explained that counterfeit phones imitate genuine products without the original manufacturers’ authorisation, while cloned devices use IMEI numbers assigned to other legitimate devices.

However, the Commission cautioned that an unsuccessful verification result did not automatically mean a device was counterfeit. 

Consumers were advised to seek clarification from sellers and resolve outstanding verification issues before completing purchases.

It also warned Nigerians against fraudsters exploiting the process, urging them to use only the official *315# channel and NCC website and never disclose one-time verification codes to sellers, callers or other individuals, even as clarified that international roaming with foreign SIM cards would not be affected.