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Leading Oil Firm, Oando Plc Ensures Gender Equality

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Globalization has led to a discourse on leadership and management having different perspectives. Today, one of the discourses includes gender diversity in leadership positions across organizations.

While the African continent comes third after the United States and Europe, and first amongst other emerging regions in terms of women’s representation on boardrooms of top listed companies, some sectors are doing better than others.

In Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, the banking sector is leading the pack. In what many observers have described as a paradigm shift, the Nigerian banking sector is currently seeing a surge in the number of women at its top echelon. Presently, eight women serve as Chief Executive Officers (CEOs)/Managing Directors (MDs) of the country’s leading banks.

Other sectors, especially the energy sector, hitherto a male-dominated sector, are towing the line. Shell Nigeria unveiled its first female Managing Director for deep-water Nigeria, last year. Most recently, Oando Plc, Nigeria’s leading indigenous energy solutions provider appointed two seasoned professional women to its board of Directors, Mrs. Ronke Sokefun and Mrs. Nana Fatima Mede.

A review of Oando’s culture shows that it’s been conscious of the imbalance within the sector and as such, has always prioritized two things: strengthening indigenous capacity and ensuring gender parity wherever possible. Today 43 per cent of the company’s workforce is female, compared to 22 per cent across the industry. Of this, 33% of executive-level employees are female with the hope that its female representation on its board continues to grow.

In an interview published in 2020 for Africa Oil Week, an Oando Executive said “As leaders, our focus is on building the most desirable company in which to work and invest. To do that, not only do you require vision, ambition, and passionate people, you need a balance of ideas and characters – which you get by prioritizing gender parity.

Our desire to see a more gender-balanced company and in turn sector via proactive action has fuelled our commitment to making gender diversity a priority.

This commitment is effected in every part of our business, from the offering of benefits that encourage women to return to work after maternity leave to our charity, Oando Foundation focusing on educating the girl child; reverberations that can be felt not only within our business but also the community at large.

We have seen and reaped the benefits of a more inclusive business environment and thus inclusivity will always be a priority, one that we will champion until the industry achieves gender balance.”

Mrs. Sokefun, an Alumni of Oando, has over 35 years of work experience. In 2002, she moved to the Oando Group, where within a few years she rose to the position of Chief Legal Officer. During this period, she also sat on the Board of the telecom’s giant – Celtel/Zain (now Airtel) as an alternate Director. She served in this position until 2011 when she was called to public service in Ogun State and proceeded to serve as a 2-term Commissioner – holding diverse portfolios – under Senator Ibikunle Amosun’s 2-term administration as Ogun State Governor.

As conversations on climate change and harnessing sustainable energy sources continue to intensify, oil and gas companies are looking for ways to improve on their operations in line with global standards and requirements.

In line with this, Oando appointed Mrs. Nana Fatima Mede, who has served as a Federal Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment where she coordinated the formulation of the Nigerian Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) document on Greenhouse Gases (GHG) in relation to Climate Change – a document which was presented by the President at the Conference of Party (COP 21) in Paris, 2015. She will showcased her expertise on clean energy to support the company’s ambitions.

The growth of female representation across corporate boards shows that unlocking the potential of Africa’s successful transformation requires concurrently removing barriers to women’s leadership and participation.

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Eid al- Fitri – Obasa Felicitates Muslims, Urges Support, Prayers for President Tinubu

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Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa has extended a heartfelt felicitation to Muslim faithfuls across Nigeria and beyond on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

The Lagos Speaker seized the occasion to urge Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora to continue supporting and praying for the country and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

While congratulating the Muslim ummah on the joyous occasion of Eid al-Fitr, Dr. Obasa, in a statement by his media office, emphasised the need to uphold the festival’s inherent values of forgiveness, compassion, charity, and patience beyond this season.

“As we celebrate with excitement and enthusiasm, let us remember that Eid al-Fitr is a moment of thanksgiving, joy, and spiritual renewal. Importantly, let us hold on to the spirits of love, tolerance, kindness, and compassion that we learnt in the holy month,” Obasa stated.

The Speaker urged Nigerians to pray for the country and the President for his transformative efforts and relentless sacrifices to enthrone and entrench a better nation.

“In President Tinubu, we have a leader who is committed to the progress, prosperity, and peaceful co-existence of all. All we need to do as a people is support and pray for him. I do not doubt that his visionary leadership and Renewed Hope blueprint will guide Nigeria back to the right path,” Dr Obasa stated.

Though on recess, the Speaker reiterated the commitment of the Lagos State House of Assembly to promoting religious harmony and policies that will engender and ensure the development and overall well-being of Lagosians nay Nigerians.

He assured that under his leadership, the state legislature will continue to work together in peace and harmony with the primary objective of ensuring economic prosperity while supporting initiatives that enhance the socio-economic growth of the state and Nigeria at large.

Concluding, Dr. Obasa said, “On behalf of my family, colleagues, and the management and staff of the Assembly, I wish our Muslim brothers and sisters a beautiful, bounteous, and blessed celebration.”

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Hon. Bisi Yusuf Felicitates Muslims on Eid, Calls for Unity and National Progress

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As Muslims across the world celebrate Eid-el-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, the Baba Adeen of Alimosho Federal Constituency, Hon. Bisi Yusuf, has extended his warm greetings to the Muslim faithful.

In his Eid message titled “Eid Mubarak!”, Hon. Yusuf emphasized the enduring blessings of Ramadan and expressed optimism that the prayers offered during the sacred period would bring divine favor to individuals, families, and the nation.

“The prayers we made—for ourselves, our families, and our great nation—will not go unanswered, In Sha Allah,” the Alimosho All Progressives Congress apex leader assured.

He urged Muslims to continue upholding the core values of Ramadan, including peace, love, patience, and charity, stressing that these principles are essential in fostering unity and driving national progress.

“By lifting one another, strengthening our communities, and working for national progress, we bring positive change to our land,” the two-term former chairman of Ayobo-Ipaja Local Council Development Area stated.

Hon. Yusuf also prayed for the prosperity of Nigeria and divine guidance for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as he steers the country toward a brighter future.

“May Allah bless our dear nation and guide President Tinubu as he leads us toward a brighter and greater Nigeria,” he added.

The three-term member of the Lagos State House of Assembly concluded his message with a heartfelt Eid greeting to all Muslims: Barka Da Sallah!

 

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Tinubu Signs Historic N54.99 Trillion Budget of Restoration, Promising Economic Revival

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President Bola Tinubu on Friday signed the N54.99 trillion 2025 Budget of Restoration into law, emphasizing that discipline and diligence would guide its implementation. The signing ceremony, held in Abuja, was attended by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbass, and Senate Committee Chairman on Appropriation Sen. Solomon Adeola.

In his address, President Tinubu expressed optimism about Nigeria’s economic future, stating, “Today, we take another bold step in our nation’s journey of economic recovery, stability, and growth with the signing of the 2025 Budget of Restoration. We reaffirm our commitment to securing our future, rebuilding prosperity, and ensuring that every Nigerian shares in the dividends of governance.”
Reflecting on the challenges faced in the past year, the President highlighted the government’s economic discipline and reforms that have yielded positive results. He pointed to a national GDP growth of 3.86% in the final quarter of 2024, marking the fastest growth in three years. Revenues also surged to N21.6 trillion from N12.37 trillion, while the fiscal deficit was reduced from 6.2% in 2023 to 4.17% in 2025.
“These achievements were made possible through economic discipline and strategic reforms,” Tinubu noted. “Forex reforms have restored investor confidence, and we are witnessing the stabilization of our markets. The minimum wage increase to ₦70,000 has also boosted the purchasing power of workers. Infrastructure development is progressing rapidly, with key projects such as the 750km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the 1,068km Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway,” he added.

The President expressed gratitude to the National Assembly for their swift passage of the budget and called for continued collaboration in its implementation. “We have no dust on our faces or tears in our eyes. We walked together as brothers and sisters. Though the initial outlook was turbulent, we can now see signs of progress,” he said.

He also outlined priority areas in the budget, such as national security, infrastructure, energy, healthcare, education, and human capital development. An increased allocation for agriculture and food security was highlighted as crucial for boosting local food production and preventing hunger across the nation. Additionally, more funds for social welfare programs are set to support vulnerable groups, including youth and women.

However, the President made it clear that the budget’s success hinges on fiscal responsibility. “We cannot spend what we do not have,” he said. He emphasized the need to ensure that every naira spent is backed by actual revenue, with a focus on expanding government earnings and fostering public-private partnerships.
Tinubu also pledged accountability from all government agencies, promising that each department would be held responsible for ensuring prudent spending and delivering value for money. He further explained that efforts would be made to redefine amendments within the Appropriations Act to ensure smooth budget implementation.

Senate President Akpabio assured Tinubu of the National Assembly’s full support, acknowledging that the President inherited a struggling economy and has successfully navigated its recovery through his leadership and expertise.

Finance Minister Wale Edun added that the successful passage of the budget was the result of continuous collaboration and analysis between the executive and legislative arms of government.
As Nigeria embarks on the implementation of the ambitious budget, all eyes will be on the government to fulfill its promise of economic restoration and growth.

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