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Routine immunization: Dangote Foundation, KNSG, UNICEF, Billgate sign another MoU

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Commissioner of Health during the signing

 

 

Aliko Dangote Foundation, in collaboration with Kano State Government, United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding on routine immunization, RI, in the state.

The MoU was first signed in 2012, when Aliko Dangote Foundation, Kano State Government and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation decided to work towards improvement of health of women and children in Kano, second most populous state in the country.

Appraising the success of the first MoU, the three parties also signed second addendum in 2017 in a bid to improve on the goal earlier achieved.

However, the third Health MoU signing, this time around, has witnessed the involvement of UNICEF as the fourth participating party in the agreement.

Speaking shortly before the official signing of the MoU on Wednesday, at the Kano State government house, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Aliko Dangote Foundation, Zouera Yousefou, congratulated the Kano state government for achieving the objectives of the addendum ll.

Mrs Yousefou commended the state government for its efforts to sustain funding for all RI activities, thereby increasing the state’s RI budget by 22 percent over the past 6 years, despite challenges to the fiscal space.

The MD/CEO also noted with the signing of the third addendum, it is important to note that while the parties have made a lot of progress together, they remain far from achieving the target maternal and child health outcomes.

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“We need to ensure that we use the lessons learned from the prior years to develop and effectively execute better-suited strategies that ensure we fast-track progress and ultimately achieve the Health MoU addendum lll’s targets.

“One such area of improvement is the need to devolve the programme’s oversight to lower levels and ensure LGA health teams are responsible for driving implementation across the wards in their LGA.

“Wr need to ensure that our health teams at LGA and Ward levels have the autonomy and resources they need to deliver within their specific contexts while holding them accountable for the results,” she said

Mrs Yousefou also urged traditional rulers to remain tireless in their efforts to ensure the people take demand and utilize essential health services, including immunization, nutrition and maternal and reproductive health services.

The MD/CEO applauded the the effits of the Kano State government and encourage the administration to continue to improve it’s performance by ensuring timely release of funds for both RI nd PHC activities.

She restates the commitment of the Aliko Dangote Foundation in supporting Kano in its of ensuring all residents live long and healthy life.

In his remarks, the Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, said the state had achieved significant milestone in healthcare services to the citizenry.

According to him, his administration had not rest on its ores on repositioning the health sector in the state, though improvement of primary and secondary health facilities, as we as provision of qualified personnel to manage them.

Ganduje noted that signing of the health MoU addendum lll is the testimony to the commitment of the state towards improvement of healthcare services.

He assured the state’s promptness in donating counter funds in a bid to achieve the success of the programme.

Speaking earlier, the Country Director, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Jeremie Zoungrana expressed delight to witness the signing of the MoU.

He said the event was the perfect opportunity to implement new and advanced programmes in the area of RI, noting that Kano state had the potential to do better on that regard.

“With its commitment, technical, capacity and resources at its disposal, i believe Kano State has the potential to do better

“We will be committed to make sure that in this addendum lll will help in addressing the key issues raised during the review meeting.

“We will contribute our own quota in the improvement of health care in Kano State,” he said.

Mr Zoungrana urged the Kano State government to ensure timely release of resources for the success of the programme.

It was learned that each party would be contributing the sum of N185 million annually for the five years duration of the programme.

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Galaxy Backbone Unveils Ambitious 4-Year Digital Transformation Roadmap for Nigeria

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Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB), Nigeria’s foremost digital infrastructure and services provider, has unveiled a bold and comprehensive four-year strategic plan (2025-2028) aimed at accelerating the integrated digital transformation Strategy (|DTS) plan for government and businesses in Nigeria.

This strategy is designed to enhance digital service delivery, strengthen connectivity, and support
Nigeria’s vision of a fully integrated digital economy.

Developed in collaboration with key stakeholders, the strategy focuses on five core pillars that will drive efficiency innovation, and sustainability in Nigeria’s digital landscape.

Mr. Chidi Okpala Head, Corporate Communications in a statement said the first focuses on building a Resilient Digital Infrastructure; ensuring that govemment and businesses have access to secure, high-speed, and scalable digital platforms.

He said by building and maintaining a robust digital backbone, GBB aims to support the nation’s growing demand for seamless connectivity and data security.

He also said the second pillar, Integrated Digital Ecosystems; fosters coll aboration between
government, businesses, and local communities, creating a more connected Nigeria.

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He however said, through this initiative, GBB seeks to break silos and establish a unified digital
experience that enhances communication, innovation, and service delivery.

He added that to meet the evolving demands of governance and business, the strate gy prioritizes Innovative Service Delivery; ensuring that digital solutions are tailored to address economic, social, and administrative needs.

“By leveraging cutting-edge technologies, GBB is committed to driving efficiency, economic growth, and improved public service delivery.”

“Now, recognizing the critical role of trust in the digital era, the fourth pillar of the strategy places a strong emphasis on Digital Leadership & Trust.

“GBB is dedicated to fostering a culture of cybersecurity transparency, and accountability, ensuring that Nigerias digital infrastructure is not only efficient but also secure and reliable.”

“To sustain long-term impact, the fifth pillar, Financial Sustainability; remains a key priority.”

According to him, by investing in innovative technologies and expanding its digital services, GBB aims to drive revenue growth while ensuring affordability and accessibility for all users.

He also maintained that at its core, this strategic roadmap is designed to enhance government efficiency, boost economic development, and improve the overall digital experience for Nigerians.

” So, as part of its commitment to achieving these goals, GBB is actively engaging with government agencies, private sector players, and international and local partners to foster collaboration and accelerate implementation.”

He pointed out that through strategic partnerships, the organization is poised to lead Nigeria into a new era of digital excellence, ensuring that businesses and government institutions alike are equipped for the future.

Galaxy Backbone, through its IDTS plan, remains steadfast in its mission to drive Nigeria’s digital transformation through world-class infrastructure, secure connectivity, and innovative solutions that power progress.

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GBB to Train Over 300 Civil Servants on Govmail

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Abuja, Nigeria – Galaxy Backbone (GBB), the nation’s foremost digital infrastructure and services provider, is set to train over 300 civil servants, including Email Administrators and Heads of ICT, on the adoption, management, and administration of Govmail—the secure official email platform for Nigeria’s public sector. The training, which will be conducted in batches throughout the month of March 2025, aims to ensure maximum impact and effective knowledge transfer.

This initiative is in alignment with the Federal Government’s digitalisation agenda, which prioritizes secure, efficient, and technology-driven governance. By equipping civil servants with the necessary expertise to optimize Govmail, the government is ensuring seamless communication across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) while strengthening data security and operational efficiency.

Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, the Managing Director/CEO of Galaxy Backbone, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to driving Nigeria’s digital transformation through innovative and secure technology solutions. “As the nation’s leading provider of digital infrastructure, GBB is playing a pivotal role in ensuring that government communications are secured, professional, and aligned with global best practices. This training will enhance civil servants’ ability to effectively utilize Govmail in carrying out their official responsibilities,” he stated.

The training is being conducted in collaboration with the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), who has sent out a Circular to all MDAs informing them of this specialized training aimed at providing hands on experience with GOVMAIl features and ensure uniform adoption of and compliance with government approved digital communications standards. This further reinforces the government’s commitment to a digitally-driven public service. It would be recalled that the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation recently described Govmail as a ‘game changer’ for government communication. This underscores the significance of the platform in enhancing inter-agency collaboration, data sovereignty, and information security across all MDAs.
Through this capacity-building initiative, GBB is reinforcing its role as a key enabler of Nigeria’s digital transformation journey, ensuring that public sector professionals are well-equipped to harness the full potential of digital tools in their daily operations.

 

About Galaxy Backbone
Galaxy Backbone Ltd is a digital infrastructure and services company committed to providing secure and efficient digital solutions to support governance, service delivery, and national development for public and private sector organisatuons. GBB plays a critical role in the digitalisation of government processes, ensuring efficiency, security, seamless collaboration across MDAs and providing a platform for enabling digital services across corporate and public organisations.

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Signed:
Chidi Okpala
Head, Corporate Communications

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KEDCO Sees Improvement in Financial Performance Following Power Restoration, Appeals for Prompt Payment

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Kano Electricity Distribution Plc. (KEDCO) has reported steady improvements in financial and business performance following the restoration of power supply after a significant blackout during the September-October 2024 billing and collection cycle. This was disclosed in a press statement signed by Sani Bala Sani, Head of Corporate Communication at KEDCO.

According to Sani, the blackout had severely impacted KEDCO and three other distribution companies in the North East and North West regions, with KEDCO being the worst hit. “Recall that KEDCO, alongside three other distribution companies in the North East and North West had significant disruption to power supply in October, with KEDCO being the worst hit,” he stated.

The operations at KEDCO were initially affected on October 13th, 2024, with only 40% of their grid allocation being supplied after the Shiroro-Kaduna 330kV line incident. This situation was exacerbated by a total blackout on October 20th, 2024, during the peak of the revenue collection cycle. “Although the power supply was partially restored to a 40% level on 30th October, we were only availed with up to around 85% supply levels on November 14th and are anxiously awaiting the completion of the Shiroro-Kaduna repairs,” Sani explained.

The blackout resulted in KEDCO’s worst market performance of the year, posing significant financial and economic challenges for both KEDCO and its customers. “Having zero grid supply posed significant financial and economic challenges for KEDCO and its customers, with many customers resorting to costly backup sources or shutting down operations,” Sani noted.

Despite the challenges, KEDCO has seen improvements in power supply, which now stands at around 85%, leading to significant collections from last month’s arrears. Sani urged customers to cooperate by paying their current bills and outstanding arrears promptly to ensure business sustainability. “Thankfully, with the current power supply at around 85%, we have recorded significant collections from last month’s arrears and are appealing to our customers to continue to cooperate with us on prompt settlement of their current bills and arrears, for business sustainability,” he appealed.

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Sani also commended the resilience of KEDCO’s customers and vowed to continue improving the performance in supplying safe and reliable electricity. “We commend the resilience of our customers and vow to continue to improve our performance in supplying them with safe and reliable electricity,” he said. He thanked the Honourable Minister of Power for his timely intervention and the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) for their restoration efforts. “We equally acknowledge TCN’s restoration efforts and appreciate the Federal Government’s commitment to helping improve the redundancy and safety of the National Grid,” he added.

Looking ahead, KEDCO’s core investor and Board remain committed to driving investments and improving performance through embedded generation supply options via the Safe Grid and Utility 2.0 projects. “It remains our core investor and Board’s resolve to continue to drive investments and improved performance through embedded generation supply options in our network via the Safe Grid and Utility 2.0 projects,” Sani stated.

 

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