The Omi Eko Project, a landmark €410 million sustainable water transport initiative aimed at easing road congestion and modernizing Lagos’ underutilized waterways, has named Dr. Segun Alabi as its new Head of Communications and Media.

The appointment was announced today, with Mr. Oluwadamilola Emmanuel, Special Adviser on Blue Economy to the Lagos State Governor and Project Coordinator, praising Dr. Alabi’s proven track record in corporate affairs and strategic communications.

“Dr. Alabi is a highly accomplished Corporate Affairs professional with diverse experience spanning Pay TV, financial services, real estate, business membership organisations, and the manufacturing sector,” Mr. Emmanuel stated.

In his new role, Dr. Alabi will oversee the development and implementation of communication strategies, media relations, and efforts to highlight the project’s goals of promoting efficient, eco-friendly urban mobility across the Lagos metropolis.

Most recently, Dr. Alabi served as Assistant Director of Corporate Affairs and Communications at the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), where he managed corporate communications, public affairs, and events. His expertise extends to reputation management, government relations, corporate social responsibility, stakeholder engagement, public policy advocacy, and digital media strategies.

Described as a strategic communicator skilled in leveraging information for organizational impact, Dr. Alabi holds a PhD in English from the University of Lagos, specializing in Language Use and Communication.

Expressing enthusiasm for the role, Dr. Alabi said: “I am excited to join the Omi Eko Project team. This opportunity is truly a dream come true. While the task ahead is enormous, it is certainly achievable.

”Backed by the European Union, French Development Agency (AFD), European Investment Bank (EIB), and private partners, the Omi Eko Project seeks to establish organized ferry routes, deploy electric vessels, and upgrade terminals to shift more commuters to waterways, reducing traffic and emissions while boosting sustainability.

About the Omi Eko Project:

The Omi Eko Project is a €410 million initiative to revolutionize waterway transportation in Lagos, unlocking the state’s vast inland waterways for safer, greener, and more efficient public mobility. Supported by international partners under the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, it represents a pivotal advancement in environmentally responsible urban transport for Africa’s largest city.

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has expanded its lexicon with the addition of new Nigerian words and expressions in its latest update, published in December 2025 and carried into 2026.

Ohibaba.com explains that “Nyash”, is a Nigerian pidgin, meaning buttock, while “Amala”, is a Yoruba word for yam -flour meal.

The update was announced on Wednesday via X by the OED and features widely used Nigerian and West African terms connected to food, music, everyday speech, markets and pop culture, highlighting the increasing global influence of African languages on English.

According to the OED, the December 2025 update introduced more than 500 new words, phrases and senses, while also revising over 1,000 existing entries as part of its quarterly review process.

Author and OED Head of Pronunciations, Catherine Sangster, said the update marked an important development in how pronunciations are documented across different varieties of English.

“With this update we introduce a new model for the transcription of Maltese English pronunciations; this is the nineteenth World English pronunciation model in our collection.

“We also celebrate a decade of OED having spoken pronunciations, which were first added in December 2015,” Sangster said.

News Central TV has inaugurated a new editorial board to “strengthen” independent journalism in the country.

Members of the newly inaugurated board include Femi Oke, an award-winning international journalist; Given Mkhari, a South African entrepreneur and media executive; Yemi Adamolekun, executive director of Enough is Enough Nigeria; and Sam Amadi, a lawyer and policy strategists

Others are Chidi Odinkalu, a human rights lawyer and activist; Olufemi Awoyemi, founder and chairman of Proshare Limited; and Kayode Akintemi, editor-in-chief and managing director of News Central Television.

Speaking at the event, Akintemi said that the board would play a critical role in steering the organisation through Nigeria’s complex media landscape.

He said the board reflects the organisation’s commitment to in-depth and investigative journalism, as well as giving voice to everyday Nigerians.

In an era of misinformation, we are strengthening our editorial independence to deliver credible news that empowers Nigerians and shapes Africa’s narrative,” he said.

According to the organisation, the board will oversee editorial policy, guide content strategy, promote investigative reporting and ensure adherence to ethical standards.