News
PLABOMA Marks 2026 World Social Media Day, Unveils Unified Bloggers Website in Jos
The Plateau Bloggers and Online Media Association (PLABOMA) hosted an impactful 2026 World Social Media Day celebration in Jos, bringing together key stakeholders, media professionals, content creators, students and digital enthusiasts to promote innovation, creativity and responsible use of social media.
The event was held at Usiju World Event Center, under the theme “Digital Voices: Innovation, Creativity and Youth Engagement,” served as a platform for meaningful conversations on the growing influence of digital media, while highlighting the role of young people in driving innovation, collaboration and positive social change through online platforms.
Speaking during the event, Chairman of PLABOMA, Chief Matthew Oyerinde Tegha, has said social media has evolved beyond a communication tool to become a major driver of economic growth, innovation, job creation and civic engagement.
He said bloggers and content creators have a critical role to play in reshaping the narrative about Plateau State, urging them to use their digital platforms to promote the state’s tourism potential, cultural heritage, entrepreneurial successes and investment opportunities rather than allowing negative stories to dominate public discourse.
Tegha also called on the Plateau State Government, peace builders, entrepreneurs and business owners to work closely with bloggers and content creators in promoting Plateau’s tourism potential, cultural heritage and investment opportunities, saying such partnerships would help reshape the state’s image and drive development.
The keynote speaker and Plateau State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mrs. Kaneng Pam Hworo, challenged young people to use their digital voices as instruments for innovation, creativity and nation-building rather than spreading harmful content.
Speaking on the theme, “Digital Voices: Innovation, Creativity and Youth Engagement,” Hworo said social media has evolved beyond a communication platform into a powerful tool capable of shaping public opinion, mobilising communities and influencing national development. She noted that every post, video, podcast or livestream carries the potential to make a positive impact.
According to her, every smartphone has become a powerful platform, while every content creator has the capacity to serve as an agent of positive change. She urged youths to leverage their digital influence responsibly by promoting truth, creativity, innovation and values that contribute to the growth of their communities and the nation.
Also speaking, the Director of Press and Public Affairs to the Plateau State Governor, Dr. Gyang Bere, urged bloggers and content creators to use their digital platforms to promote peace, unity and responsible journalism, stressing that citizen journalism comes with the responsibility of protecting national security and fostering social cohesion.
He called on digital media practitioners to project Plateau State’s positive stories, including its development strides, tourism potential and resilient people, assuring them of Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s continued support for the media in advancing responsible digital communication and sustainable development.
Member of the PLABOMA Board of Trustees, Mr. Yakubu Taddy, cautioned social media users against irresponsible online activities, warning that what people post on digital platforms could have lasting consequences on their personal and professional lives. He urged content creators to be mindful of the information they share online.
Taddy also called for stronger collaboration among media and social media organisations to promote fact-checking and responsible journalism, encouraging bloggers and digital publishers to verify information before publication in order to curb the spread of misinformation.
A major highlight of the event was the unveiling of PLABOMA’s Unified Bloggers Website, a first-of-its-kind platform designed to connect over 30 active bloggers, strengthen collaboration and boost the visibility of digital journalism in Plateau State.
Stakeholders at the event commended PLABOMA for launching its Unified Bloggers Website: https://plaboma.com/ , describing the initiative as a major step towards strengthening collaboration among online publishers and promoting credible digital journalism in Plateau State.
They, however, urged the association to expand the platform’s focus by promoting Plateau State’s rich tourism destinations, cultural heritage and investment opportunities, noting that consistent positive storytelling would help reshape the state’s image and attract more visitors and investors.
The Secretary of the Plateau Bloggers and Online Media Association (PLABOMA), Mr. Ibrahim Kallamu, said social media has evolved into a powerful tool for communication, business, education, news dissemination and civic engagement, urging participants to leverage digital platforms responsibly to create opportunities, promote innovation and contribute to societal development.
Popular content creator and comedian, Mr. Sunday Agbaji, popularly known as Hilarious Sunnie, highlighted the transformative power of digital media, sharing his journey in content creation and encouraging young people to embrace creativity, consistency and originality. He noted that impactful digital content has the potential to educate, inspire, entertain and create sustainable economic opportunities.
Delivering his goodwill message, the Chairman of the Plateau State Internal Revenue Service (PSIRS), Dr. Jim Pam Wayas, urged young people and content creators to take advantage of the enormous economic opportunities offered by social media, stressing that impactful storytelling and content creation can be monetised to generate sustainable income while promoting positive narratives about Plateau State and Nigeria.
Representing the Director-General of the Plateau State Peacebuilding Agency, Dr. Julie Sanda, Mr. Kenneth Dakop, Team Lead, Strategic Communication, commended PLABOMA for promoting peace and positive narratives through digital media, describing the association as a strategic partner in advancing social cohesion and assuring it of the agency’s continued support in building a peaceful and united Plateau State.
Representing the Commander of Operation Enduring Peace, Maj. Gen. EF Oyinlola, Capt. CP Oteh commended PLABOMA for promoting responsible digital journalism and urged bloggers and content creators to use their platforms to support security efforts, promote peacebuilding and foster unity by sharing verified information and positive narratives about Plateau State.
The event ended with the presentation of awards to outstanding individuals and organisations, including PLASMIDA, PLASCHEMA, NUJ Chairman Mrs. Ayuku Pwaspo, Media Icon, the Plateau State Ministry of Information, Youth Engagement and Impact, and Godwin Okoko, in recognition of their effective use of social media to promote public engagement, innovation and community development.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, has announced a new date for the unveiling and inauguration of its National Campaign Council, NCC.
NDC had earlier slated the inauguration of the campaign council for Tuesday, 20th October, 2026.
But a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, disclosed that the event will now be held on Monday, 26th October, 2026.
"The shift is occasioned by the very tight schedule of our Presidential Candidate, His Excellency, Mr. Peter Obi, who has a very important engagement overseas.
"We apologize for any inconvenience caused by this shift and urge everyone not to lose focus on the goal of ensuring victory for our presidential candidate and all NDC candidates in the forthcoming presidential and general elections. A New Nigeria is POssible," the statement said.
2027: NDC sets new date to inaugurate National Campaign Council
By Mariam Hassan, Esther Nwabueze and Olaitan Idris
Traders and consumers on Sunday in Lagos, expressed concern over losses caused by spoilt fruits and vegetables, blaming the problem on heat, poor transportation and inadequate storage facilities.
They spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at Iddo Terminus, Mile 12, Balogun and Agboju markets.
A visit to the markets showed traders displaying fresh produce, including carrots, cucumbers, watermelons, cabbage, bananas and leafy vegetables, while some kept their goods under tables to shield them from sunlight.
Mr Taiwo Abdulhamid, a trader at Iddo Terminus Market, said he sometimes lost two to three kilogrammes of carrots from every 10 kilogrammes purchased.
Abdulhamid said the losses could cost him between N20,000 and N30,000, forcing him to discard spoilt produce or increase prices to recover part of his money.
Similarly, Mrs Mistura Olawale, a banana and pawpaw seller, said she lost about 10 per cent of her goods to spoilage before they reached the market.
Olawale attributed the losses to bad roads, poor transportation and overripe produce, calling for improved feeder roads and refrigerated transit vans.
At Mile 12 Market, Mr Rafiu Olamide, a seller of ugu and waterleaf, said more than 15 per cent of his vegetables sometimes spoilt within one or two days.
Olamide said vegetables worth about N80,000 could result in losses exceeding N10,000, adding that she sometimes sold slightly damaged produce at reduced prices.
Mrs Blessing Sunday, a banana seller at Balogun Market, Eko Idumota, said she sometimes lost bananas worth about N100,000 from a batch.
Sunday, who spends N300,000 or more purchasing bananas in batches, said intense sunlight contributed to spoilage and could take one to two weeks to sell her stock.
She said selling groundnuts alongside bananas helped cushion the losses, adding that she hesitated to complain to suppliers about damaged fruits for fear of losing their patronage.
Mr Shuaibu Tukur, a carrot seller at Carrot Site, Mile 12, said transportation challenges affected the quality of supplies sourced from Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Bauchi, Jos and Sokoto.
He said journeys from Sokoto to Lagos could take about 20 hours under favourable conditions but extend to two days, depending on road conditions.
Mr Aminu Usman, a tomato seller at Mile 12 Market, said overcrowding during transportation caused tomatoes to press against one another and break.
Usman said carefully selected tomatoes sold for about N45,000, while damaged or less visually appealing ones, locally called “Eesha”, sold for about N19,000.
He called for improved transportation and handling practices to reduce breakages and financial losses.
Beyond traders’ losses, consumers said spoilage often forced them to discard food purchased with money they could ill afford to waste.
Mrs Yusuf Halima said she could lose between N15,000 and N25,000 worth of fruits and vegetables monthly, particularly tomatoes and leafy vegetables.
“Sometimes, I buy N5,000 tomatoes hoping they will last me for two weeks if I blend and store them, but if there is no light for two days, my freezer defrosts and everything spoils,” she said.
Halima said she now bought produce in smaller quantities, adding that traders sometimes raised prices to recover losses from damaged goods.
Another consumer, Mr Joshua Edward, said he discarded between 20 and 30 per cent of the fruits and vegetables he purchased weekly.
“If I buy vegetables or fruits for N10,000 weekly, at least N2,000 to N3,000 worth goes to the bin because it wilted, grew mould or started smelling,” he said.
Edward said the experience had reduced his bulk purchases, in spite of additional transportation costs from visiting markets more frequently.
Ms Precious Taiwo, a consumer at Gate 3, Mile 12, said she had lost about N6,000 to spoilt mangoes and bananas, discouraging her from buying fruits as frequently.
Ms Eunice Tosin, a student interviewed at Agboju Market, Festac, said tomatoes and bananas sometimes spoilt shortly after purchase, forcing her to cut off affected portions.
Mrs Onoseme Paulina, a consumer at Iyana Oba, said carrots sometimes deteriorated by the following day, causing losses of about N500 on some occasions.
Paulina expressed concern that some sellers concealed deteriorating carrots beneath fresh ones, adding that she discarded affected produce because of safety concerns.
Mr Eddy Oloye, an engineer and farmer with a personal farm in Lusada, Agbara, said inadequate storage, poor transportation and ineffective preservation methods contributed to post-harvest losses.
Oloye said discarded produce also created environmental nuisance but could be reused as animal feed or processed into other products through effective recycling systems.
He called for government and private-sector support for improved transportation, preservation facilities and training in proper produce handling.
Ms Ebube Agbim, a vegetable seller on Joseph Lambo Street, Costain, said poor packaging and storage contributed to the deterioration of scent leaf, ugu and waterleaf.
Agbim estimated that affected vegetables could be worth about N3,000 daily, although her actual loss was approximately N1,500.
Mr Jubril Useni, a trader at Small Garage, Mile 12, said heat, overcrowded vehicles and prolonged journeys sometimes damaged pepper, green pepper, ground beans and spring onions before they reached the market.
The traders and consumers called for improved transportation, better storage and affordable preservation facilities to reduce waste, protect earnings and make fresh produce last longer. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
===========
Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma
-
News2 days ago
NUCAP: Nigeria targets 20 million people with 3,700 telecom towers – Technology Times
-
News2 days agoGunmen storm Plateau mining site, kill two persons
-
Business2 days ago
NCC Launches Internet Governance Working Group to Sustain Stakeholder Dialogue
-
News3 days ago
2027: Adebayo’s camp faults Tinubu’s reported campaign absence
