The fleet was officially inaugurated at the Gateway International Airport by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Prince Dapo Abiodun, the Governor of Ogun State.

This landmark initiative represents a major step forward in advancing sustainable transportation across Nigeria.

By reducing carbon emissions and offering affordable alternatives to fuel-powered vehicles, Spiro is supporting the government’s vision of a cleaner and greener environment.

“With rising fuel costs, our electric bikes provide a cost-effective solution for riders, passengers, and businesses,” said Kaushik Burman, CEO of Spiro. “We are proud to partner with both the Ogun State Government and the Federal Government to deliver eco-friendly mobility that empowers Nigerians to improve their livelihoods while protecting the environment.”

Governor Abiodun says the Spiro electric bikes will mitigate the sudden increase in fuel prices.

“Today we displayed over a 1000 electric mobility solutions because of our forward approach in energy transition supporting environmental sustainability, urban transportation while mitigating the short occasion by the sudden increase in fuel prices which we are currently witnessing.”

The introduction of these 1,000 bikes is expected to generate new job opportunities, lower transportation costs, and ease traffic congestion in Ogun State.

“In these challenging economic times, Spiro’s electric bikes offer practical relief,” added Burman. “By reducing transportation expenses, we are helping individuals and businesses save money, enhance productivity, and contribute to a more sustainable future for Nigeria.”

The inauguration ceremony was attended by senior government officials, industry stakeholders, and dignitaries.

Spiro’s expansion in Ogun State forms part of its broader strategy to roll out thousands of electric bikes nationwide, reinforcing its commitment to building a cleaner and more resilient transportation ecosystem in Africa.

Spiro is Africa’s largest electric mobility company present in eight countries, operating the continent’s most extensive and fastest growing network of battery-swapping for electric two-wheel vehicles. With more than 80,000 electric motorcycles, over 2500 battery swapping stations and more than 30 million battery swaps to date, Spiro has achieved over one billion kilometres of low-carbon emissions travel, transforming mobility and economies through substituting expensive imported fossil fuel-based transportation with affordable, accessible and sustainable solutions. Through its expanding regional production network and operational assembling facilities in Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria and Rwanda, Spiro is committed to delivering electric vehicles made in Africa by Africans for Africa and the world.

The investiture ceremony, held alongside the prestigious Ogun State IT Merit Awards (OGITMA) at Spices Events Hall, Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta, drew a gathering of industry captains, academia, and government officials to celebrate excellence in the tech sector.

New Executives Take the Oath

The atmosphere was charged with optimism as the President of the Nigeria Computer Society represented by Mr. Charles Onyeukwu, the deputy president, supported by the Southwest Coordinator, Mr. Tunde Ogunremi and the Executive Secretary, Mr. Adesegun Adekunle administered the oath of office to Mr. Tijani as the new Chairman, who in turn swore-in  his team.

Serving alongside Chairman Olatunde Tijani in the new administration is Dr. Oduntan Odunayo Esther, who assumes the role of Vice Chairman. The secretariat will be managed by Onaolapo Sodiq as General Secretary and Mahmood Zainab Adebowale as Assistant Secretary.

Ensuring the financial integrity of the chapter are Adekunle Temitayo Oluwadamilare (Treasurer), Raji Taiwo Arimiyahu (Financial Secretary), and Owoseje Abibat Motunrayo (Auditor). The executive team is rounded out by Idris Saheed as the Public Relations Officer, Sesan Michael Odubiro as the Social/Welfare Officer, and Obanla Olajide Olaitan as the Technical Director.

“Ise Ya”: A Mandate for Digital Inclusion

In his acceptance speech, Tijani described his election as a “call to service” and a mandate to elevate the chapter. Adopting the state mantra “Ise Ya” (It is time to work), he unveiled a transformative agenda focused on making every IT professional in Ogun State a catalyst for the digital economy.

He pledged to complete the chapter’s Secretariat, envisioning it as a “digital innovation hub” rather than just office space. His roadmap also includes revamping school competitions with AI and coding challenges to build a “world-class digital talent pipeline” and hosting annual policy roundtables to guide government decision-making.

Icons and Innovators: The 2025 Awardees

The event also served as a grand celebration of excellence within the IT ecosystem, with the OGITMA Committee, led by Ms. Abisola Akinsanya, commended for delivering a seamless event.

The academic and leadership sectors were well represented, with Mr. Olaolu Olabimtan – Ogun State Commissioner for Budget and Planning and Professor Abayomi Arigbabu – Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology  honored as IT Ambassadors of the Year. Special Recognition Awards were presented to distinguished leaders including Sir Olujare Oyesola, KJW (CEO, JAROY), Prof. Olusola B. Kehinde (Vice-Chancellor, FUNAAB), and Prof. Oyedunni S. Arulogun (Vice-Chancellor, Chrisland University).

In a move to recognize industry giants, the coveted IT Legend of the Year award was bestowed upon Mr. Femi Williams, while EduTAMS emerged as the IT Company of the Year. Connectivity provider, I-World Networks was named Internet Service Provider of the Year, with Cybervilla taking home the honor for IT Hub of the Year.

Individual distinctions saw Mr. Michael Olubunmi Idowu recognized as the IT Solution Enabler of the Year, while Mr. Olalekan Adeeko was named IT Personality of the Year. The chapter also honored Mrs. Mahmood as the Most Distinguished Member.

A Call for Unity

The event was graced by past leaders, including Prof. Adesina Sodiya, the immediate past president of NCS, and Prof. Bukola Onashoga, former chapter chairmen, and Alhaji Abdulfattah Odusanya whom Tijani credited for laying the foundation of the chapter’s success.

He also paid a special tribute to his wife, Mrs. Adetoun Tijani, for her unwavering support.

Soliciting the support of the entire membership, Tijani concluded, “We will thrive only when our members are actively engaged… This is your administration — we are only stewards”.

That makes the ground-breaking of SNG Health’s new factory in Ogun State a huge relief, with Nigeria taking control of its own malaria defence. 

The joint venture between Vestergaard and Harvestfield Industries, SNG Health, will locally produce PermaNet Dual, with operations expected to start in April 2026 and an annual capacity of 10 million nets. The factory is projected to create about 600 skilled jobs.

The launch event on Monday, December 8, 2025, was attended by public-sector and international partners including PVAC, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Malaria Elimination Programme, the Swiss Consulate in Lagos, and the World Bank, among others. 

These stakeholders reiterated that this is industrial policy dressed as public health. Local manufacture means speed, stability and the chance to beat insecticide resistance at scale.

“Nigeria still bears 25% of the global malaria burden,” said Nicolas Schornoz, Vestergaard’s chief financial & operating officer. He added that producing dual-active ingredient nets locally will reduce import dependence and add resilience to a fragile supply chain. 

Prosper Ndayiragije, managing director of SNG Health, said: “Every net produced from this project structure will not just be a product, it’s a shield of protection, a symbol of hope and a tangible step towards a malaria-free future.” 

He noted that hiring is already underway, with seven staff on board and plans to expand to 80 permanent employees by February. Equipment and raw materials are en route. 

Harvestfield’s CEO, Martins Awofisayo, spoke on the firm’s partnership, reiterating that the project is homegrown industrialisation: “We are bringing the best to Nigeria. We are not coming to cut corners. This will be the best net production ever in Nigeria.” 

Harvestfield has been part of Nigeria’s malaria response for decades, and already has a solid local manufacturing footprint. 

Government officials also confirmed strong support for the project. Dr Abdu Mukhtar, National Coordinator of PVAC, stated: “When you produce, we will buy.” 

He linked the project to the President’s Nigeria-first procurement policy and pledged coordination on incentives, free-trade zones and licensing to help the factory thrive. That guarantee is important as local demand is the quickest path from startup to scale. 

Health officials including Dr Nnenna Ogbulafor of the National Malaria Elimination Programme stressed that nets must reach both campaigns and routine distribution points such as antenatal clinics and child-immunisation centres. 

“Since 2021 the programme has distributed about 150 million nets,” she noted; local manufacturing should make routine replenishment more reliable and equitable. 

International partners said the factory was part of resilience building. The World Bank’s Onoriode Ezire emphasised jobs and human capital, fewer workdays lost to malaria, greater productivity, and a healthier workforce. 

Switzerland’s Consul General, Cornelia Camenzind, celebrated the technology transfer and research pedigree that Vestergaard brings, noting that this is knowledge-sharing investment, not just a bricks-and-mortar one. 

PermaNet Dual is a dual-active net (pyrethroid + chlorfenapyr) designed to tackle insecticide resistance, which has reduced the effectiveness of older nets in many regions. 

Local production means faster responses to outbreaks, fewer logistical delays, and the potential for Nigeria to supply neighbouring countries if demand and quality standards are met. 

The plant’s planned capacity of 10 million nets per year is noteworthy but will require strong procurement, financing and distribution to make a huge impact on national coverage. 

There are risks. Manufacturing at scale requires steady cash flow, regulatory certainty and market commitments. The speakers addressed these points, with government procurement pledges, donor interest and World Bank support all emphasised. 

Ultimately, execution in keeping the factory supplied with orders and sustaining quality over time, will determine success. If tackled effectively, SNG Health could be the first of many steps toward a self-reliant public-health industry in West Africa.

In March 2024, Nigeria signed the Yaoundé Declaration, pledging that “no one should die from malaria given the tools and systems available.”

The ground-breaking ceremony turns that pledge into action, building on the momentum from the memorandum of understanding that was signed between the Nigerian Ministry of Health and Vestergaard last year, and turning technological advancements into tangible progress for a malaria-free generation.

That’s the price it demands from telecom companies for laying fibre-optic cables. And in this theatre of the absurd, the state has managed to rank fourth in Nigeria for fibre coverage, with over 4,100 kilometres of cables beneath its soil—but at what cost? Ogun State charges the highest right-of-way fee in the country. For context, Gombe charges ₦500 per metre. That’s 18 times less.

We usually say Nigeria is a federation, but never has the fragmentation of policy been more visible than in the digital space. A document compiled by industry stakeholders in March 2024 reveals how states choose to treat broadband infrastructure. From Lagos to Yobe, it’s a roulette of fees, politics, and misplaced priorities.

Let’s get specific. Lagos, with its over 7,800km of fibre and reputation as the nation’s digital nucleus, charges ₦6,264 per metre. Osun, with 64km laid, somehow believes ₦6,850 is appropriate. Apparently, having little doesn’t mean charging less.

States like Sokoto, Jigawa, Kano, and Borno charge moderately, from ₦1,000 to ₦3,000 per metre. They seem to have realised what many others haven’t: infrastructure attracts investment, not the other way round.

In 2013, the National Economic Council proposed a standard right-of-way fee of ₦145 per metre to boost national fibre deployment. It sounded like progress. But like many Nigerian policies, it died in infancy—good on paper, ignored in practice. Today, most states charge whatever they please. Why? Because they can. There’s no law to stop them.

“The ₦0 right-of-way fee is based on executive order, but the ₦145 is law,” said Suleiman Isah, commissioner for Communications and Digital Economy in Niger State. “If the investment we attract in the next year or two outweighs what we made from fees, we’ll amend the law permanently.”

What Niger and a few other states are beginning to understand is that digital investment is a long game. Niger went beyond adopting the ₦145 benchmark, it took a step further—zero fee by executive order. And unlike others, they’ve committed to reviewing their law if it proves beneficial. That’s governance with foresight.

Meanwhile in Ogun…

Ogun State clearly didn’t get the memo pertaining the right-of-way fee. Or worse—it read it, laughed, and shredded it. The state charges more than nine times the NEC recommendation. One wonders if the goal is to build digital infrastructure or to bleed telecom operators dry. 

Ironically, despite laying thousands of kilometres of fibre, broadband reach is still abysmally uneven. Only 39% of Nigerians live within five kilometres of fibre networks, according to recent data. The rest? Digitally stranded.

The problem is bigger than just fees. Gbenga Adebayo, President of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), said:

“The era of state governments charging Right-of-Way fees should be over. When states impose these fees, they lose out on the broader benefits of digital infrastructure. Instead of charging right-of-way fees, states should require telecom operators to deliver social impact projects.”

Some states, even after “waiving” fees, sneak in new levies—education taxes, highway fees, building permits. They give with one hand and snatch with the other. What Does Progress Look Like?

Progress isn’t only about kilometres of cable. It’s about who benefits, how far the access spreads, and whether the investment environment makes sense. Delta, Enugu, Ebonyi, and the FCT have embraced the ₦145 model. 

Other states like Anambra and Benue have gone fee-free altogether to stimulate investment beyond the major cities.

In Anambra, fibre isn’t just concentrated in Onitsha and Nnewi anymore. The goal, officials say, is statewide coverage.

“If telcos judged every investment strictly by profit, only commercial zones would get infrastructure,” said Chukwuemeka Fred Akpata, MD of Anambra ICT Agency. “By waiving right-of-way, we’re encouraging deployment in underserved areas.”

Now compare that to Ogun, where the right-of-way fee is mouth-opening. The State charges the highest and still hasn’t cracked equitable access. Maybe it’s time we stopped applauding infrastructure by kilometre count alone.

Numbers Don’t Lie, But They Do Mock

Nigeria’s broadband penetration stood at 45.61% as of January 2025. That’s promising—but it’s not enough. The GSM Association estimates that standardising right-of-way fees to ₦145 per metre across Nigeria could slash broadband rollout expenses by 15%. That’s not chump change. That’s money that could build infrastructure, hire engineers, reach the rural poor.

Instead, we’re stuck in a loop of states milking telecoms dry while claiming to support digital development. Some are waking up to the bigger picture. Others are doubling down on short-term revenue.

If we truly want to become a digital economy, we have to stop pretending that fees are policy. The path to progress isn’t paved with toll booths. It’s built on access, equity, and smart governance. And right now, only a few Nigerian states seem to understand that.

Until there’s a uniform, enforceable policy, Nigeria’s digital growth will remain a postcode lottery, fast in one state, frozen in the next.

At the premiere of Airtel Touching Lives Season 6, on Friday at Ebony Place, Victoria Island, Lagos, Sam Egube, commissioner for Budget and Planning, who represented Governor Sanwo-Olu, thanked Airtel Nigeria for truly showcasing love for humanity by supporting and building a better society for the poor.

He explained that what the telecom operator was doing impacts positively on the overall well-being of Lagos State.

“Lagos cannot be Lagos without its people like Airtel.” He said it was people like Airtel Nigeria and other corporate bodies that made Lagos what is today.

The commissioner encouraged individuals who were present at the event to start doing what Airtel is doing in their tiny spaces.

“Sometimes, it appears that philanthropy is for only wealthy people and that’s not true. No matter how little we have as individuals, there is more we can do.”

As an example, he explained that diaspora remittances in Nigeria were all aggregates of small tokens from millions of people but not large sums of money from a few wealthy people.

“Remittances are from millions of Nigerians who are helping to intervene in their homes and in their communities. These acts change people’s lives and make society a better place.”

Continuing, “during Covid-19, it was reported that Lagos State did extremely well, but the truth is that “Lagos is not Lagos without its people.”

He revealed that it wasn’t just the Lagos government but the private sector that contributed their quota during the period. “It was the combined effects of those actions that raised the implication of what was done. It’s the people of Lagos that made it happen.”

“We have seen Airtel behave truly like a Lagosian, other people can see and be encouraged to act in their various small spaces. Sometimes, you don’t really need too much money to touch people’s lives.”

The commissioner gave an account of how he intervened in the lives of widows who trade agricultural products in a certain rural community.

“At the end of everything, it was only N500,000 I needed to help those 25 widows in form of a cooperative and I am sure many of us can do it,” he said.

In a goodwill message delivered at the event, Bamidele Abiodun, wife of Dapo Abiodun, Governor of Ogun State commended Airtel for the bold steps it has taken over the years to help build the society.

“What Airtel Nigeria is doing is exemplary, this is showing love to humanity.”

She urged stakeholders to demonstrate kindness and express value for humanity while making society better.

“I encourage you to share these inspiring stories with the world. To me, this is not boasting rather it’s about setting an example for others to follow. Airtel cannot do it alone, they need partners and collaborations.”

The first lady revealed what her office and Ajose Foundation were doing to relate with many people from the grassroots and the communities.

Ajose Foundation was founded by Mrs. Abiodun to work in partnership with the Ogun State Government, civil society, and other organizations in making life better for the people of Ogun State while championing programs and initiatives toward meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

She suggested that the mobile operator expands the Touching Lives program.

“Expanding it will make it more far-reaching and further make the society a better place. I am also looking forward to partnering with Airtel through my foundation.”

In his opening remarks, C. Surendran, chief executive officer, Airtel Nigeria said the initiative focuses on giving succor and comfort to the poor and needy in the society.

Explaining the philosophy behind the initiative, the CEO said it’s all about inspiring the strong and the wealthy to support the vulnerable and the poor.

“Airtel believes that if you are committed to giving and making efforts to collaborate, we can solve the problems faced by the society in some parts of the country.”

Surendran highlighted some of the previous editions of the CSR initiatives had recorded milestone achievements, some of them include building schools, and boreholes, providing facilities for learning, refurbished cancer centers, setting up ICT facilities for underprivileged kids, giving scholarships, supporting individuals to fulfill their dreams, building hospitals and other things.

He revealed that Airtel was also partnering with UNICEF to provide Schools in rural areas to have access to education and digital learning. “We are providing 10 schools in Lagos State, and 10 schools in Kano State.