By David Torough, Abuja

A telecommunications firm, ESDIAC Global, has said it does not impose storage charges on subscribers’ wallets, assuring customers that unused credits would not be deducted for keeping money in their accounts.

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the company, Austin Ugbebor, gave the assurance at the ESDIAC Global media parley, stakeholders’ engagement and official application launch held in Abuja.

Ugbebor said the policy was designed to protect customers’ money, explaining that subscribers would not be charged monthly fees for keeping money in their accounts, even when they did not make calls.

He cited the experience of a customer who had not used the platform for about 18 months but still had his previous credit balance when he returned.

He said the company also did not impose additional connectivity charges, adding that subscribers could report disputed transactions to its customer service department for investigation and refund where their complaints were justified.

On the cost of international calls, Ugbebor said the platform could offer cheaper services than conventional telecommunications providers, adding that its charges were subject to regulatory requirements.

He said the company maintained licences from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

The ESDIAC chief executive explained that the platform uses existing mobile network operators for subscriber authentication but also operates its own telecommunications infrastructure.

He said the application allows subscribers to call ordinary mobile phones and landlines, including numbers belonging to people who do not have the application or smartphones.

On data protection, Ugbebor said the company had measures to protect subscribers’ personal information, call records and financial transactions.

He said the company would not share subscribers’ information with other organisations without their approval, except where disclosure was required through appropriate legal processes.

He added that the company takes measures to ensure that subscribers’ data in Nigeria is not transferred outside the country without regard to applicable regulations.

Ugbebor also said the company would comply with directives from regulatory authorities whenever changes to telecommunications tariffs were required.

Also speaking at the event, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Economic Matters, Tope Fasua, said the platform could provide an alternative for Nigerians seeking to reduce their telecommunications costs.

Fasua said he had previously purchased an eSIM at Abuja airport for an international trip, but the service failed to work when he arrived in Bangkok, despite working in London.

He expressed hope that ESDIAC’s service would provide better value for travellers and other telecommunications users.

He said the platform could offer international calls at about N13 per minute, compared with more than N200 per minute on some conventional telecommunications networks.

By Tony Obiechina, Abuja

Premium vehicle hire and all-in-one travel booking are coming to Nigeria’s capital
GIG Mobility (GIGM) has announced plans to launch hireX, a premium vehicle hire and charter marketplace, and PASS by GIGM, an integrated travel and tours platform, in Abuja on Tuesday, November 4, 2026.

GIGM is West Africa’s largest intercity road transport company, operating over 40 terminals across Nigeria and Ghana.

Through intercity bus travel, the hireX vehicle hire marketplace and the PASS travel and tour platform, GIGM uses technology to make travel safer, simpler and more connected for millions of Guests each year.

The company explained that hireX by GIGM will offer chauffeur-driven vehicles by the hour or by the day, with upfront pricing and professionally vetted drivers, for executive movement, airport transfers, interstate trips, group travel and event transport.

Unveiling the plans on Sunday in the nation’s capital, Dr. Enahoro Okhae, Chief Executive Officer of GIG Mobility, noted that the organisation’s Abuja fleet will combine GIGM-owned vehicles with cars from verified partner operators.

According to him, PASS by GIGM will bring intercity bus tickets, flights, hotels, airport pickups and curated local and international tours into one app, so a whole trip can be planned in one place instead of across five different vendors.

Explaining the choice of Abuja for the new innovation Dr. Okhae, said: “Abuja runs on schedules: meetings, ministries, embassies, flights. The people who keep this city moving deserve transport that keeps up with them.

“For nearly three decades, Nigerians have trusted GIGM with their intercity journeys. On November 4, we bring that same trust to every part of the trip in the capital.”

Also providing further insights into the event, Jude Odum, Chief Operating Officer of GIG Mobility, said:
“We’re already working with organisations in Abuja ahead of launch. Corporates, embassies and NGOs that want one partner for executive transport, staff movement and travel management should talk to us now. Early partners will help shape how we serve the city.”

“From November 4, Guests can book hireX at hirex.gigmobility.co / GIGM app and PASS on the GIGM app and at www.gigm.com, he added.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin, Prof. Edoba Omoregie, SAN, has said that another set of graduates will be employed to shore up the school’s workforce after a 10-year freeze.

The VC, who stated this on Saturday, noted that a similar exercise was carried out last year after several members of staff retired or changed jobs, thereby opening spaces for new employees to come in.

Omoregie stated that for 10 years before he became the VC, it had become apparent that the school needed to recruit massively to take care of the shortfall.

He said, “For 10 years there was no employment in the school, but I have adopted a strategy that has put hundreds of graduates in paid jobs at the school.

“Another set of people would soon be employed into both the academic and non-academic sections after a similar exercise was carried out last year.

“Many workers were retiring, some resigning or others changing jobs, which created vacancies in the school, but past administrations did not replace them. They said the government placed an embargo on employment, but there was nothing like that. The government only said there will be no new commission in some universities, but you can use replacement based on attrition.”

He stated that about 400 spaces would open soon based on those who are retiring, noting that the appropriate body would be approached to ensure that those spaces were filled.

“Even from calculating those who were going to retire alone, we got over 400 spaces this year. So we calculated all that, approached the appropriate approving body for those who are leaving to be replaced, for those who have left to be replaced; that was what they didn’t do for 10 years.

“That was why our emolument cost plummeted significantly. UNIBEN used to have one of the highest numbers of employees, but our staff strength plummeted from about 8,000 to about 5,000 when I took office.”

“The last time any employment took place on this campus until last year was in 2015. So for 10 years, the university bled; they had to start moving non-academic staff into academic staff; they started recruiting adjuncts. You don’t run a university like that. Those gaps, by the grace of God, are now being filled.

“We did about 500 last year, and by the special grace of God, this year we are still going to do an equal number,” he added.

In July 2026, the institution launched a N100 billion Trust Development Fund to provide quality infrastructure, strengthen teaching and learning, and expand research capacity.

Speaking as the special guest of honour at the launch, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, said the initiative aligns perfectly with the Federal Ministry of Education’s Nigerian Education Sector Renewal Initiative, which, he added, seeks to reposition education through innovation, strategic partnerships, improved governance, quality assurance, digital transformation, expanded access and sustainable financing.