Business

Federal High Court bars NBC from imposing fines on broadcast stations in Nigeria

Published

3 years ago

May 10, 2023

244 Views

A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, gave an order of perpetual injunction restraining the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) from imposing fines, henceforth, on broadcast stations in the country.
Justice James Omotosho, in a judgement, also set aside the N500,000 fines imposed, on March 1, 2019, on each of the 45 broadcast stations.
Justice Omotosho held that the NBC, not being a court of law, had no power to impose sanctions as punishment on broadcast stations.
He further held that the NBC Code, which gives the commission the power to impose sanction, is in conflict with Section 6 of the Constitution that vested judicial power in the court of law.
He said the court would not sit idle and watch a body imposing fine arbitrarily without recourse to the law.
He said that the commission did not comply with the law when it sat as a complainant and at the same time, the court and the judge on its own matter.
The judge agreed that the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, being a subsidiary legislation that empowers an administrative body such as the NBC to.enforce its provisions cannot confer judicial powers on the commission to impose criminal sanctions or penalties such as fines.
He also agreed that the commission, not being Nigerian police, had no power to conduct criminal investigation that would lead to criminal trial and imposition of sanctions.
“This will go against the doctrine of separation of powers,” he said.
Omotosho held that what the doctrine sought to achieve was to prevent tyranny by concentrating too much powers in one organ.
“The action of the respondent qualifies as excessiveness” as it had ascribed to itself the judicial and executive powers.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NBC had, on March 1, 2019, imposed the sum of N500, 000 each on 45 broadcast stations in the country over alleged violation of its code.
However, the Incorporated Trustees of Media Rights Agenda had, in an originating motions marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1386/2021, sued the NBC as sole respondent in the suit.
In the motion dated Nov. 9, 2021 by its lawyer, Noah Ajare, the group sought a declaration that the sanctions procedure applied by the NBC in imposing N500,00Q fines on each of the 45 broadcast stations on March 1, 2019 was a violation of the rules of natural justice.
The lawyer also said that the fines were in violation of the right to fair hearing under Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Articles 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (Cap AQ) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The group argued that this was so because the code, which created the alleged offences of which the broadcast stations were accused was written and adopted by the NBC, “and also gives powers to the said commission to receive complaints of alleged breaches, investigate and adjudicate the complaints, impose sanctions, including fines, and ultimately collect the fines, which the commission uses for its own purposes.”
They, therefore, sought an order setting aside the N500,000 fines purportedly imposed by the NBC on each of the 45 broadcast stations on Friday, March 1, 2019.
They also sought “an order of perpetual Injunction restraining the respondent, its servants, agents, privies, representatives or anyone acting for or on its behalf, from imposing fines on any of the broadcast stations or any other broadcast station in Nigeria for any alleged offence committed under the Nigerian Broadcasting Code.”
Delivering the judgment, Justice Omotosho decsribed the NBC’s act as being ultra vires.
He held that the fines imposed by the NBC as punishment for commission of various offences under its code were contrary to the law and hereby declared as unconstitutional, null and void.
The judge also made an order of perpetual injunction restraining the commission from further imposing fines on broadcast stations in the country.

Courtesy: (NAN)

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Business

Heineken boss resigns after ‘turbulent’ six-year stint

“I believe this is the right moment,” said Van den Brink, 52, after almost six years at the helm “during which he has guided the company through turbulent economic and political times”.

Published

6 hours ago

January 12, 2026

OCHEFA

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• Dolf Van den Brink

Dolf van den Brink said on Monday he would step down on May 31 as the chief executive of Dutch brewer Heineken.

Van den Brink unexpectedly announced his resignation, as the company grapples with lower beer sales and job cuts in a difficult economic environment.

“I believe this is the right moment,” said Van den Brink, 52, after almost six years at the helm “during which he has guided the company through turbulent economic and political times”.

The change of leader comes at a tricky moment for Heineken, the world’s second-largest brewer after AB InBev.

Its most recent quarterly results, published in October, showed a steep decline in the amount of beer sold, with Europe and the United States driving the drop.

Van den Brink acknowledged at the time that the firm was dealing with a “challenging environment, resulting in a mixed performance”.

Heineken posted total net sales of 7.3 billion euros ($8.5 billion) for the third quarter, down from 7.6 billion in the second quarter.

Business

Global oil reserves: Nigeria down to 11th position in latest rankings

According to report, Nigerian oil reserves haven’t grown significantly for years, failing to replace daily extraction.

Published

12 hours ago

January 12, 2026

OCHEFA

19 Views

Stagnation in Nigeria’s crude oil reserve for decades has placed the country to 11th position on the global rankings of oil producing countries.

The United States occupy the 10th position with 45 billion barrels of proven oil reserve.

Crude oil reserve data computed from OPEC’s Annual Statistical Bulletin 2025, reveals that Nigeria sits as the 11th country with 37.28 billion barrels proven oil reserve in the world.

Likewise, official figures from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) places it at 37.28 billion barrels as of January 2025.

In a report published recently by Visual Capitalist.com, Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves, accounting for an estimated 303 billion barrels of proven oil reserves, the largest of any country.

These reserves account for roughly 17% of the global total, well ahead of Saudi Arabia 267 billion barrels ; Iran 209 billion barrels, Canada 163 billion barrels , and Iraq 113 billion barrels.

Chart credit: Visual capitalist.com

According to report, Nigerian oil reserves haven’t grown significantly for years, failing to replace daily extraction.

Oil theft, vandalism, and insecurity hinder efforts to reach full production potential.

Nevertheless, the NUPRC aims to boost reserves and production, with plans to attract investment for new exploration and development.

Business

Wema Bank Plc launches major upgrade to its flagship digital banking platform, ALAT by Wema.

Published

12 hours ago

January 12, 2026

Charles Flames

21 Views

Wema Bank Plc has officially launched a major upgrade to its flagship digital banking platform, ALAT by Wema, introducing cutting-edge features including voice banking, Tap and Pay contactless payments, and predictive uptime capabilities.

Tagged “ALAT: The Evolution”, the revamped app (also referred to as ALAT 2.0) marks a significant step forward in Nigeria’s digital banking landscape. The upgrade integrates an AI-powered voice assistant called SAW (Smart ALAT by Wema), enabling users to perform banking tasks using natural voice commands—such as checking balances, transferring funds, or reviewing transactions—similar to popular assistants like Siri or Alexa.

This hands-free functionality aims to reduce friction, boost accessibility, and deliver a more intuitive experience for everyday users.

The update also rolls out Tap and Pay, a secure and convenient contactless transaction feature that allows quick payments by tapping compatible devices together. Complementing these innovations is predictive uptime, a transparency tool that forecasts service availability, helping build greater customer confidence in the platform’s reliability.

Announcing the launch, Mr. Moruf Oseni, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Wema Bank, described the upgrade as more than a technical enhancement.

“ALAT: The Evolution is a clear demonstration of our commitment to redefining digital banking in Africa,” he said. “By understanding the future of banking and listening closely to our customers, we have upgraded ALAT by Wema to a digital banking platform that is smart, intelligent, and dependable.”

Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, Chief Digital Officer at Wema Bank, emphasized the user-focused design: “With ALAT: The Evolution, we set out to enhance not just functionality but the overall banking experience. By integrating voice banking, contactless payments, and predictive reliability, we are delivering a platform that is built on powerful technology and responds intelligently to customer needs.

“The upgraded app is now available for download or update on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Existing users can simply update their app and log in with their current credentials—all account information and transaction history remain intact—while new customers can onboard seamlessly.

Since its debut in 2017 as Africa’s first fully digital bank, ALAT has transformed financial services for millions of Nigerians. This latest evolution reinforces Wema Bank’s position as a pioneer in innovative, customer-centric digital banking amid growing competition in the sector.