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Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has called for a fundamental overhaul of Nigeria’s education system, urging schools to focus on producing problem-solvers and innovators rather than graduates armed only with certificates.

Speaking on Thursday while delivering the 55th Convocation Lecture of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Mbah said education must become the driving force for restoring human dignity through experiential learning, innovation and inclusive prosperity.

Delivering the lecture titled ‘Restoring the Dignity of Man: Enugu’s Quantum Leap in Human Development and Inclusive Prosperity Through Experiential Learning,’ the governor described UNN’s motto as a timeless mission whose relevance has become even greater in the era of artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and the knowledge economy.

He argued that true development should be measured by citizens’ ability to transform knowledge into productivity and shared prosperity rather than by physical infrastructure alone.

‘True dignity exists when people possess not merely the freedom to aspire, but the capability to transform aspiration into achievement, potential into productivity, and possibility into shared prosperity,’ he said.

Mbah said Enugu’s education reforms were inspired by the Igbo apprenticeship system, which, according to him, embodies learning by doing, mentorship, trust, discipline and entrepreneurship.

‘Our purpose is not to romanticise the past, but to apply its deepest principle to the future. This is why we embraced experiential learning-not as a foreign educational idea, but as a modern expression of our knowledge tradition and a twenty-first-century development imperative,’ he said.

The governor explained that through experiential learning, the state seeks to democratise opportunities by ensuring that access to quality education, technology, healthcare, infrastructure, mentorship, capital and connectivity is no longer determined by birthplace, income, or social status.

He disclosed that the Centre for Experiential Learning and Innovation (CELI), Enugu, is driving reforms in curriculum development, teacher training, research, digital literacy, technical education and industry partnerships to bridge what he described as the ‘activation gap’ between knowledge and opportunity.

Mbah said his administration’s vision of growing Enugu’s economy from about $4.4 billion to $30 billion is anchored on human capital development rather than conventional infrastructure projects alone.

He noted that about one-thirds of the state’s annual budget has consistently been allocated to education, leading to the construction of 268 Smart Green Schools across the state’s 260 political wards, equipped with smart classrooms, laboratories, digital libraries, innovation studios, clinics, smart farms, solar power and internet connectivity.

According to him, over 23,000 teachers have undergone digital literacy training, while the state has approved the recruitment of 4,698 teachers to strengthen the Smart Green School initiative.

The governor added that students in the state’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges were already receiving practical industry training in ICT, mechatronics, aquaponics, precision welding, fashion and design through partnerships with industries, including the Enugu Haier Factory.

He also announced plans to establish three specialised universities dedicated to Artificial Intelligence and Technology, Education and Technology, and Agriculture, Agro-industrialisation and Technology, while new degree programmes in Automation, Artificial Intelligence and Mechatronics have already been introduced at ESUT and IMT.

To demonstrate the impact of experiential learning, Mbah narrated the story of Arinze Edeoga, a pupil of a Smart Green School in rural Owo community, who recently taught digital literacy to pupils in Enugu metropolis.

‘A village child became a teacher of urban peers. In Arinze, you see restored confidence, democratized opportunity and a child once defined by geography becoming a creator of knowledge rather than merely a consumer of it. You see the dignity of man,’ he said.

Mbah, however, said education reforms alone would not guarantee prosperity unless supported by investments in healthcare, electricity, roads, aviation, tourism and technology, stressing that Enugu’s development strategy integrates all sectors into a single human development architecture.

He cited projects such as the 300-bed Enugu International Hospital, the transport terminals, Enugu Air, the expansion of primary healthcare centre, the Enugu Command tourism infrastructure, and the proposed 660-megawatt power plant, as interconnected investments designed to unlock productivity, attract investment and improve citizens’ quality of life.

Mbah concluded by urging governments, universities, communities and the private sector to reject what he described as the ‘poverty of imagination,’ insisting that the future belongs to societies willing to invest boldly in human capability.

‘Let us measure leadership by the capabilities it develops in others, education by the lives learners become able to shape, and development by the dignity and opportunity it extends to every citizen,’ he said.

Meanwhile, in their various remarks, the Vice Chancellor of UNN, Prof. Simon Ortuanya and Chairman of the event and former Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo commended Mbah’s milestones in human capital development.

They noted that Mbah had, in three years, made a resounding impact in development across all sectors.

The event was attended by notable dignitaries, including the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai; Deputy Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Ezenta Ezeani; Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Udeh and Catholic Bishop of Nsukka Diocese, Most Rev Godfrey Igwebuike Onah and Senator Ikeje Asogwa.

On Friday, 3rd July 2026, Talented Women Network Africa, founded by Dr Amarachi Chinweoke Okuwobi, held the inaugural gathering of TWN Circle at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, under the theme Beyond Talent. Olanrewaju Alaka, Founder and CEO of Laerryblue Media, serves as Brand Director of TWN Circle, overseeing the brand and every dimension of the event built around it. Every decision carried a second purpose. The guest cap, the speaker lineup and the run of the show were not just logistics. They were brand and reputation strategy, applied to a room instead of a client.

The brief called for something distinct from a conventional conference: a room built for genuine conversation among high achieving women, not a stage for performance. As Brand Director, Olanrewaju’s mandate went beyond producing a single event. It was to take that vision and build it into a brand, covering guest list, speaker lineup, run of show, media plan and post event rollout, all of it consistent with what TWN Circle stands for.

Federal Palace Hotel was chosen for its prestige and its audio visual infrastructure, in keeping with the calibre of guests and speakers in the room.

Guest capacity was capped at 30 by design. Rather than open public registration, invitations were pushed through a curated WhatsApp broadcast list so the room stayed intentional and exclusive rather than filled by general sign up.

‘Capping the room at thirty was not about the venue. It was a decision about credibility. A room that lets everyone in has no signal value. A room people cannot easily get into is the one people talk about.’ Olanrewaju said.

The day was structured around three pillars: At Home, At Work, and In Your Community. Olanrewaju oversaw the process of matching each confirmed speaker and panelist to these themes and briefing them individually, with each brief covering the event’s purpose, the audience profile, and the length of their slot, confirmed weeks ahead of the event to allow proper promotion.

‘I did not select speakers for their titles. I selected women whose lived experience already answered the themes we built the day around, at home, at work, and in community. Credibility on stage has to be earned, not appointed.’ Olanrewaju explained.

The confirmed lineup: Dr Amarachi Chinweoke Okuwobi as convener and keynote speaker, with Biola Flow (Abiola Adediran), Dr Bolaji Mogaji, Princess Oghene and Toyin Bakare as speakers, and Mojisola Oladapo, CMO of Filmhouse Group, and Minister Anny on the panel.

Producing The Day

Olanrewaju led a small production team through the full run of the show, from red carpet arrivals through to send off. Peace Eze hosted, Olivia co-hosted and managed the red carpet, Obinna handled production, audio visual and photography, and Olanrewaju, as Brand Director, held oversight of the day end to end, without taking a stage role himself.

Media presence on the day included Arise Television, AIT and Guardian Woman, extending the reach of the room beyond the thirty guests inside it.

‘This was not my first time producing a room like this. I convene Apex Network on the same principle, quarterly gatherings for founders and executives built to stay curated rather than filled by open registration. Beyond Talent was that same discipline applied to a new room.’ Olanrewaju said.

The programme opened with red carpet arrivals and an on camera guest introduction moment, followed by the keynote, a full circle introduction round, speaker sessions interspersed with a music and networking break, the panel conversation, group photographs, and a closing send off.

The Outcome

Post event, the rollout Olanrewaju directed as Brand Director included distribution of the press release to media partners, release of edited photography and speaker highlight content across TWN Circle’s social channels, and a direct push to convert attendees into TWN Circle membership while the energy from the day was still fresh.

The room built for 30 outgrew its own cap before the day was done.

‘We built for thirty and the room outgrew the plan. That is not an accident. That is what happens when positioning is done properly before the first invite goes out.’ Olanrewaju added.

For Olanrewaju, Beyond Talent was proof of the same principle he applies to every client, reputation is infrastructure. Built with intention, it holds. Left to chance, it does not.

Olanrewaju Alaka is the Founder and CEO of Laerryblue Media, a PR, reputation management and authority positioning agency working with founders, executives and premium brands across Africa and the UK. He serves as Brand Director of Talented Women Network.

DANGOTE Petroleum Refinery has increased its ex-depot petrol price to N1,215 per litre from previous N1,075 per litre, representing 13.02 per cent increase, Nigerian Tribune has gathered.

This is coming following the resumption of gantry loading of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in naira after one week of suspension of truck loading.

Recall that the refinery suspended both coastal and gantry loading on Wednesday, July 15, after introducing a dollar-denominated pricing template for refined petroleum products.

This move generated controversy among Nigerians and disrupted supply across the downstream sector.

It also compelled marketers to source products from the private depots.

However, Nigerian Tribune’s survey shows that most filling stations in both Lagos and Ogun States are now sell petrol N1, 300 per litre from N1,220 per litre two days ago.

This is also coming as price of Brent crude hovered around $92 per barrel on Wednesday.

A source said that most marketers have now been notified of the resumption of gantry operations by Dangote Refinery, with loading expected to commence immediately under the revised naira pricing.

The news comes barely a day the refinery resumed coastal loading of PMS, introducing a new coastal price of $1,161.23 per metric tonne, up from the previous $1,044.62/MT, representing an increase of $116.61/MT.

The resumption of coastal loading has also been communicated to customers.

As at Monday, truck traffic across major private petroleum depots in Lagos surged as marketers scramble for petrol supplies amid growing expectations that wholesale prices could rise when Dangote commences operation.

However, with the resumption of coastal loading activities by the refinery, it is expected that the truck logjam will naturally disappear around Apapa depots Before the suspension, Dangote Petroleum Refinery had attributed its decision to migrate to Petrol’s dollar sale to the inability of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to honour its obligations under the arrangement.

According to the refinery, NNPCL only supplied 3 out 14 cargoes expected under the Naira for Crude arrangement.

This, the refinery said represented less than 25 percent of the expected volume of crude of the obligation.

According to an official of the refinery, crude volumes delivered under the arrangement were insufficient to support the refinery’s expectations.

However, NNPCL maintained it supplied all crude cargoes available under the naira-for-crude arrangement and had not withheld feedstock from the refinery.

Resetting your bank app credentials immediately breaks the chain of access for hackers using stolen passwords, credential stuffing, or mobile trojans to target your funds.

Therefore, with the surge in AI-assisted scams and phishing links, updating your login info ensures that compromised old data becomes useless to cybercriminals.

As banks strengthen their digital security systems, fraudsters continue to develop new tactics to steal login credentials, intercept one-time passwords (OTPs), and trick unsuspecting customers into revealing sensitive information. That is why it is crucial to treat your banking credentials like your house keys and replace them periodically.

For Nigerians who rely on mobile banking for transfers, bill payments, and savings, carrying out a bank app cybersecurity audit Nigeria is no longer optional.

A simple password reset, combined with stronger authentication settings, could prevent unauthorized access to your account and protect your finances from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.

Why resetting your login credentials matters

Many people create a banking password once and keep using it for years. While it may be convenient, it also increases the risk of compromise. If that password is exposed through a phishing scam, a leaked database, or malware on another device, attackers may attempt to reuse it across multiple services.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) directed financial institutions to strengthen cybersecurity governance, improve risk management, and protect customer information through comprehensive security controls. These expectations are outlined in the CBN’s Risk-Based Cybersecurity Framework and Guidelines for Other Financial Institutions, which emphasizes continuous monitoring, identity management, and customer protection.

Resetting your banking credentials periodically adds another layer of defence by reducing the window of opportunity for criminals who may have obtained older login details.

Phishing attacks are becoming more convincing

Fraudsters no longer rely on poorly written emails filled with spelling mistakes. Today, many phishing messages closely resemble genuine bank communications, complete with official logos, branding, and convincing language.

Customers may receive text messages claiming their account has been suspended, emails requesting immediate verification, or phone calls from individuals pretending to represent a bank’s security department.

The Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) and financial institutions regularly advise customers never to disclose passwords, PINs, OTPs, or card details through unsolicited messages or phone calls. Genuine banks do not request these credentials through such channels.

Security audit starts with your password

A proper bank app cybersecurity audit Nigeria begins with reviewing your login credentials.

Choose a strong password that combines upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and special characters. Avoid birthdays, phone numbers, names, or commonly used words that criminals can easily guess.

Most importantly, never reuse the same password for your banking app and other online services. If another platform experiences a data breach, criminals often test stolen passwords against banking and financial applications.

Password managers can also help generate and securely store complex passwords, reducing the temptation to reuse simple combinations.

Enable every security feature available

Strong passwords alone are no longer enough.

If your bank offers biometric authentication such as fingerprint or facial recognition, enable it. Likewise, activate two-factor authentication where available and ensure transaction alerts are sent to your registered phone number or email address.

Regularly update your banking application through the official Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Software updates frequently include security patches that address newly discovered vulnerabilities.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) also advises users to keep mobile operating systems and applications updated to reduce exposure to known cybersecurity threats.

Review the security of your device

Your bank app is only as secure as the device it runs on.

Install reputable mobile security software, avoid downloading applications from unofficial websites, and remove apps you no longer use. Public Wi-Fi networks should also be avoided when accessing sensitive financial services unless protected by a trusted virtual private network (VPN).

Lock your phone with biometric authentication or a strong passcode so that losing the device does not immediately expose your banking information.

Stay alert for unusual activity

Cybersecurity is an ongoing process, not a one-time task.

Review your transaction history regularly and investigate unfamiliar debits immediately. Enable instant debit and credit alerts so you receive notifications whenever money enters or leaves your account.

The earlier suspicious activity is reported, the greater the likelihood of limiting financial losses.

Completing a bank app cybersecurity audit Nigeria is one of the simplest ways to strengthen your digital security. Resetting your login credentials, enabling multi-factor authentication, updating your banking app, and remaining vigilant against phishing attacks can significantly reduce your exposure to cybercrime.

As digital banking continues to grow across Nigeria, protecting your account requires more than trusting your bank’s security systems. Safe online banking is a shared responsibility, and a few minutes spent reviewing your security settings today could prevent significant financial losses tomorrow.