Business
We overshot our budget due to protracted power outage – Organisers
The Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA) says it has overshot its budget for the 37th Enugu International Trade Fair due to the protracted power outage.
The Director-General of ECCIMA, Uche Mba, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu, on Wednesday.
Mr Mba blamed the development on the chamber’s dependence on its diesel-powered generators throughout the duration of the fair.
According to him, operating on diesel increased the fair’s daily costs, especially with the two-day extension.
“We have recorded a lot of unanticipated costs, particularly buying diesel at the present exorbitant price.
“The huge expenses incurred in running our generating sets also ate deep into our general budget for the fair,” Mr Mbah said.
He blamed the situation on MainPower Electricity Distribution Limited’s failure to meet its assurances to provide regular power.
“It is unfortunate. We even visited the company to seek its cooperation to ensure they provide stable electricity during the fair,” he said.
Speaking on the poor power supply, the spokesman for MainPower, Emeka Ezeh, said the company was experiencing challenges with energy allocation, which he said had dropped significantly.
Mr Eze also said that the situation had lingered since late last year, adding that “it is not peculiar to MainPower DisCo, but all other distribution companies in the country.
He said, “We did not and cannot deprive ECCIMA of power during its crucial fair.
“Rather, we serve them and all our other customers based on the energy allocation we received from the national grid.
READ ALSO: Enugu Tech Festival aligns with Tinubu’s policy on innovation – Igbo-Eze South chairman
“Unfortunately, with what is currently going on in the power sector, MainPower cannot deliver a constant supply because the energy allocation it receives from the national grid is not sufficient to do so.”
Mr Eze reiterated the company’s commitment to supporting ECCIMA and all its programmes and initiatives, including the ongoing trade fair.
“However, it would only be fair that ECCIMA appreciates the current power supply challenge, which is experienced across the country,” he said.
NAN reports that the theme of the 10-day fair is “Empowering Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises for Global Competitiveness”.
The event, which kicked off on 21 March 21, is expected to end on 1 April, after a two-day extension.
The Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, is set to deliver the Keynote Address at the upcoming 2026 Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum (NDSF) on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D). Scheduled for this Thursday, June 11, 2026, at the Banquet Hall, Welcome Centre Hotels in Lagos, the landmark 17th milestone edition will anchor its deliberations on the crucial theme: “Sustaining WSIS Vision with Multistakeholder Synergy in Nigeria.”
Dr. Maida’s address will focus on the regulatory frameworks required to preserve the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) vision through inclusive, multi-stakeholder partnerships. The high-level forum and its prestigious industry awards have rallied robust support from the foundational pillars of Nigeria’s telecommunications and digital infrastructure ecosystem.
Major public and private sector players are heavily backing the forum as part of their commitment to promoting critical national infrastructure and securing Nigeria’s digital possibilities. Among the leading sponsors driving this momentum are IHS Nigeria—the nation’s premier digital infrastructure champion boasting over 16,000 telecom towers and 15,000km of fiber optic cables—and data center colocation leader Digital Realty.
Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke, the Editor-in-Chief of host media organization ITREALMS Media Group, commended the immense institutional support flowing from the industry ahead of the event.
“Achieving sustainable internet governance and digital trust requires an intentional alignment of regulation and infrastructure,” Nweke remarked. “The active collaboration of the NCC, IHS Nigeria, and Digital Realty ensures that the 2026 forum will move beyond mere dialogue to produce clear, actionable policy recommendations for our digital economy.”
The event will be presided over by Dr. Olusola Teniola (hon), Director of Strategic Business Initiatives at ipNX Nigeria and former President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), who will deliver the Chairman’s Opening Speech on the 2026 NDSF blueprint.
A broad coalition of leading telecommunications, technology, and internet governance stakeholders have also thrown their weight behind the event. These include ICT infrastructure leader MTN Nigeria; the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON); premier software and DNS infrastructure firm Upperlink Limited; and the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), managers of the .NG country code Top Level Domain name.
The post NCC Chief Aminu Maida to Keynote 2026 DigitalSENSE Forum in Lagos appeared first on Business Today NG.
Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc has disclaimed responsibility for social media advertisements, asking the public to join WhatsApp groups that purportedly offer them investment opportunities with “guaranteed returns” in “high-quality stocks.”
The financial services group disclosed in a regulatory filing on Wednesday that such advertisements are fraudulent, false and unauthorised.
The announcement followed the circulation of social media posts featuring the image of Busola Jejelowo, the CEO of Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited, together with the Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers logo.
“They do not originate from Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC or any of its subsidiaries, and they have not been approved, endorsed, or issued by the group in any form,” the financial institution said.
“The use of our name, logo, brand identity, and the images of our executives in these materials is fraudulent and intended to deceive unsuspecting individuals,” it added.
The bank holding company disclosed that it has already reported the fraudulent activities to the Securities and Exchange Commission of Nigeria.
Victims
Stanbic IBTC Holdings advised people who have already fallen prey to such dubious schemes, or who have made payments or disclosed any personal or financial information, to report the matter immediately to the nearest law enforcement agency.
READ ALSO: FCCPC, NTDA to bolster consumer protection, tourism standards
It urged the public to be cautious of unauthorised communications by individuals purporting to be associated with Stanbic IBTC, especially when they relate to investments and promises of financial returns.
Customers should rely only on authentic and verified information about Stanbic IBTC communicated through its official communication platforms, it said.
“Such messages should be treated as suspicious unless independently verified through our official channels,” Stanbic IBTC Holdings stated.
“For authentic and verified information about Stanbic IBTC and its products and services, please rely only on our official communication platforms, including @StanbicIBTC on Facebook, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), Instagram, and YouTube.”
It further expressed its commitment to taking all appropriate steps to safeguard its brand and customers from fraudulent and deceptive activities.
-
Health1 day agoUnsafe food causes 53,000 deaths annually in Nigeria – Minister
-
News3 days ago
Presidency Defends Response to Adelabu Relatives’ Rescue and Ogbomoso Abduction
-
Entertainment3 days ago
Jerry Jallo Unveils ‘Creative Godfather’ Identity, Reinforces Commitment to Mentorship and Creative Development
-
News4 days ago
ROAD TO THE SHOWTIME BOWL: Titans Collide In Explosive Semi-Final Showdowns At Showtime Arena
