Posts in category: By Elvis Ebigwu

Hon. Abdulhamid Salawu is a catalyst for transformation in Somolu Local Government Area of Lagos State. His name resonates in the state as a model of purposeful and transformational leadership. As the Executive Chairman of Somolu Local Government, his performance in terms of service delivery has been quite amazing. As a result of this, his name has become synonymous with a new wave of change and progress in the community, in recent years. Hon. Salawu has overseen a transformative period, marked by unprecedented strides in infrastructure development, social service delivery, and economic empowerment.

Salawu’s leadership in Somolu is a testament to what visionary governance can achieve when driven by a genuine commitment to the well-being of the people. His time in office has brought about a renaissance in Somolu, creating tangible impacts that resonate in every corner of the local government area.

From improved infrastructure and healthcare services to youth empowerment, education, and economic development, Salawu has been making an indelible mark on the community. As a result of the way his name resonates with good governance, he has been getting accolades from far and near. Recently, the Lagos State House of Assembly lauded the administration in Shomolu Local Government over infrastructural developments in the area. Showering the commendation on the Chairman, Abdul Salawu, the lawmakers led by Honourable Babatunde Okanlawon, who represents Kosofe Constituecy 01, disclosed that the local government has provided lots of democratic dividends to the people.

Sometimes earlier on, in another development, Lagos State House of Assembly also commended Somolu Local Government authority over healthcare delivery, stating that the local government has done well in primary healthcare sector. As part of the oversight function of Lagos State House of Assembly, the House Committee on Health, paid a visit to Somolu Local Government.

His vision is rooted in community service. When Abdulhamid Salawu first took office, the vision was clear: to uplift Somolu through purposeful governance, addressing the most pressing needs of the residents while laying a foundation for sustainable development. Drawing from his background in grassroots politics and community engagement, Salawu understood that real change had to be rooted in service to the people. His approach was not about grandstanding or political theatrics, but about rolling up his sleeves and getting to work on the issues that mattered most to Somolu’s residents.

In his inaugural address, Salawu emphasized that his administration would prioritize education, infrastructure, healthcare, and youth empowerment, and he has stayed true to those commitments now.

In terms of infrastructure, he has given Somolu a new face. One of the most significant aspects of his administration has been the extensive infrastructural development projects that have reshaped Somolu’s landscape. Roads that were once impassable, due to potholes and flooding, have been rehabilitated and upgraded, making commuting within the local government area far easier for residents and business owners alike.

Key roads such as Alade Market Road, Bajulaiye Road, and the iconic Fola Agoro Road have all seen major improvements, including resurfacing, proper drainage systems, and road markings. These upgrades have not only reduced traffic and enhanced accessibility but also helped prevent the perennial flooding that used to cripple the area during Lagos’ notorious rainy seasons. In addition, street lighting projects have been initiated to improve safety and security in major parts of Somolu, making it easier for residents to go about their business even after dark.

Beyond roads, Salawu has taken steps to address Somolu’s growing population and its need for public spaces. The construction and renovation of parks and recreational centers have been a key part of this effort. For instance, the Somolu Youth Recreation Center was renovated and equipped with modern facilities, providing a safe space for youth to engage in sports and other productive activities. Such spaces have become crucial for fostering community engagement, promoting physical well-being, and offering alternatives to social vices.

Healthcare delivery is also crucial to Salawu’s leadership. And this has been another area of remarkable progress in Somolu Local Government. Recognizing the importance of accessible and affordable healthcare services, his administration has undertaken a series of initiatives aimed at upgrading the existing healthcare infrastructure and expanding healthcare delivery.

The renovation of the Somolu Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) stands as one of his administration’s crowning achievements. The once-neglected facility was transformed into a modern, well-equipped healthcare center capable of providing comprehensive maternal and child healthcare services, immunization programs, and basic treatments for common ailments. Salawu’s administration ensured that these centers were not only renovated but also staffed with well-trained medical personnel, and that essential drugs and medical supplies were made available.

In addition to upgrading healthcare facilities, Salawu’s administration launched periodic medical outreach programs across Somolu, offering free medical consultations, screenings, and medications to residents. These outreach progrrammes, which cater to hundreds of people at a time, have become vital in bridging the gap between the healthcare needs of low-income residents and their access to affordable medical services.

The COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted Salawu’s commitment to healthcare. His administration quickly mobilized resources to provide palliative measures to the most vulnerable in the community, and Somolu’s healthcare centers played a pivotal role in the local vaccination campaign. Salawu was at the forefront of efforts to educate residents about the virus, enforce safety protocols, and ensure that vaccines were accessible to all eligible individuals in the area.

Youth development and empowerment a crucial part of Salawu’s agenda. He focuses seriously on this. Recognizing that the future of Somolu lies in its young population, he has initiated several programs aimed at providing youth with the skills, opportunities, and platforms they need to succeed.

One of his administration’s flagship initiatives is the Somolu Youth Empowerment Scheme (SYES), which provides vocational training in various fields, including carpentry, tailoring, digital skills, and cosmetology. Hundreds of young people have benefited from this program, equipping them with the skills needed to start their businesses or seek gainful employment. Salawu’s administration also provides start-up kits and seed capital for select beneficiaries, ensuring that they can hit the ground running after their training.

Additionally, the local government has organized career fairs, mentorship programs, and entrepreneurship workshops, partnering with local businesses and industry professionals to inspire and guide young people. Through these efforts, Salawu has created an enabling environment for Somolu’s youth to thrive, reducing unemployment and fostering economic self-reliance.

Salawu has also promoted the inclusion of youth in governance. He appointed several young people to key positions within his administration, providing them with leadership experience and exposure to the workings of local government. This move not only energizes his administration with fresh ideas but also empowers the next generation of leaders who will continue driving Somolu’s development.

To Salawu’s administration, education is a foundation for sustainable development. So he has made education a central pillar of its development agenda. Understanding that education is the bedrock of any thriving community, Salawu has invested in improving the quality of education at both primary and secondary levels within Somolu.

One of his major initiatives was the renovation of several public schools in Somolu, many of which had been in a state of disrepair for years. Classrooms were rebuilt, roofs replaced, and learning environments enhanced with the provision of modern teaching aids and furniture. Salawu’s administration also ensured that sanitary facilities in these schools were upgraded, recognizing the critical role hygiene plays in creating a conducive learning environment.

In addition to infrastructural improvements, Salawu’s government has launched scholarship programs to support indigent students in Somolu. These scholarships, which cover tuition fees and other educational expenses, have helped reduce the financial burden on low-income families and enabled more children to complete their education. Salawu also introduced free school feeding programs in collaboration with state and federal government initiatives, ensuring that students in public schools receive nutritious meals that help them focus better in class.

Recognizing the importance of information and communication technology (ICT) in the modern world, Salawu’s administration has also rolled out ICT training programs in public schools, providing students with access to computer labs and training them in basic digital literacy skills. This initiative aims to prepare Somolu’s youth for the challenges of the 21st century, positioning them to take advantage of opportunities in the digital economy.

Beyond education and youth empowerment, a focus on economic empowerment and poverty alleviation is also on the agenda. Salawu’s administration has focused on economic empowerment and poverty alleviation, ensuring that the local economy grows in a way that benefits all residents. His administration has worked tirelessly to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Somolu, recognizing their vital role in driving local economic growth.

To this end, Salawu’s government has provided microcredit schemes for local traders and artisans, offering them access to low-interest loans and grants. This has enabled many small businesses to expand their operations, create jobs, and improve the economic vitality of the area. Additionally, the local government has organized business development workshops and capacity-building seminars, providing entrepreneurs with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed in today’s competitive market.

Salawu has also placed a strong emphasis on market development. Recognizing the importance of local markets to the economy of Somolu, his administration has worked to modernize several of the key markets in the area. Alade Market, for instance, was revamped with improved facilities, better sanitation, and enhanced security measures, making it a safer and more attractive location for traders and shoppers.

Salawu doesn’t joke with security, ensuring peace, safety and security to drive community development. As a result, his leadership has seen significant improvements in security within  diferrent communities in Somolu Local Government area. Collaborating closely with local law enforcement agencies and community stakeholders, his administration has worked to enhance the security architecture of the local government area. Streetlights, security patrols, and community policing initiatives have helped reduce the incidence of crime, making Somolu a safer place to live and work.

Furthermore, Salawu’s administration has promoted peacebuilding initiatives that foster harmony among different communities in Somolu. His government regularly engages with traditional rulers, religious leaders, and other community stakeholders to address issues of conflict and ensure that Somolu remains a peaceful and united community.

As Executive Chairman of Somolu Local Government, Abdulhamid Salawu’s achievements speak for themselves. His leadership has transformed Somolu into a beacon of progress in Lagos State, showing what can be achieved through visionary governance, dedication, and a genuine commitment to serving the people. Under his watch, Somolu is moving to new heights, and his legacy of service delivery and development will continue to inspire future generations.

Abdulhamid Salawu has proven that true leadership is not about personal gain or political ambition—it is about making a difference in the lives of the people you serve. In Somolu, his name will

Prof Muhammad Bello Abubakar- Chief Executive of Galaxy Backbone (GBB), custodian of the Nigerian government’s ICT infrastructure and shared services provider-is a critical thinker with the ability to untie knotty situations. His vision is to make GBB and its ICT infrastructure become the “new goldmine as oil and gas are now.” Additional to this revenue angle is the need to protect our infant digital industries in the e-commerce sector such as e-commerce companies like Jumia and Konga and others.
A man with strong leadership and management skills, Prof Abubakar is man who understands the power of partnerships at achieving goals. This he brews at the GBB now to give the agency more heft, and by extension the Nigerian economy.
“Galaxy Backbone is committed to looking for innovative ways to collaborate with other ICT companies. We are not here to compete, but to enable our partners and customers achieve more through the digital infrastructure services we offer them”. Says Abubakar.
He is a game changer who has brought much transformation into the Nigerian digital space and expanded opportunities for business to thrive as far as the raft of what have been undertaken by GBB is concerned. And his being at the helm of this agency of the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy has been a blessing to Nigeria. as he has breathed efficiency and global reckoning for the government’s technology company.
The Federal Government set up Galaxy Backbone in 2006. It is a technology company set up to help organizations in government utilize ICT better and in a more productive manner in such a way that the benefits and opportunities available in adopting technology is effectively utilized. This responsibility is not only meant for organizations in Abuja but for the whole of the country. So, it was given the mandate and responsibility of actualizing the National Information Communications Technology Infrastructure Backbone (NICTIB) project of the federal government aimed at connecting the 36 states of the country with high-speed fibre optic cables that will create job opportunities across the country and improve the standard of living of the people.

In that wise, it provides to public and private organizations mainly Internet connectivity for video conferencing, local and wide area networks (LANs and WANs), hosting services and cyber security. It also provides services in project management, capacity building and related consultancy services. GBB leverages its own infrastructure and people spread across the country to provide these services to organizations in both public and private sectors.

Prof Abubakar resumed office in January 2020 as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Backbone (GBB). A professor of Petroleum Geosciences with more than twenty years experience spanning academia, oil and gas exploration research, development and innovation institutions. He is a strategic thinker with strong leadership and management skills. He has an impressive exposure to global best practice in the field of energy.
Before his appointment as MD/CE of GBB he was the Executive Director and a Principal start-up for the establishment and development of the National Centre for Petroleum Research and Development of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, where he spearheaded a cutting edge research that developed the conceptual exploration model deployed in the successful oil and gas exploration in the frontier basin of the Northeast Nigeria. He was also a Research Consultant to NNPC on oil and gas exploration. His ICT training background in high end Cisco Academy Networking certification no doubt has equipped him for the leadership of the GBB. Thus he is well suited to head an agency like the GBB.
This professor of Petroleum Geosciences is a model of the fact the we need someone with critical thinking and the ability to navigate our public service through the stormy waters of this century to be at the helm of any central agency if there are ever going to be a chance to move forward.
He is an example of what heads of institutions and agencies of government should now be doing in their policy roles. These are to identify the needs and the problems in the public and come up with the appropriate policy actions to address these things.
As soon as he settled in office, Abubakar began work to implement the two policy frameworks guiding the mandate of the agency. The first is the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy, launched in November 2019. The second is the Nigeria National Broadband Plan of 2020-2025, launched in March 2020. Both were launched for the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy by President Muhammadu Buhari. The twin policies were coupled to accelerate growth and modernization of the Nigerian economy.
The two policies provided the framework for digital-led growth strategy for the Nigerian economy.GBB is currently preoccupied with operating an IT-based network that provides network connectivity to MDAs of government, saving government cost of maintenance and securing and protecting its data.
Apart from doing these, Prof Abubakar is at the forefront of taking the GBB to a global reckoning where it can be the primary competitor to all ICT providers in Nigeria and the West Africa sub region, in the long run, for he envisions GBB and its ICT infrastructure become “the new goldmine as oil and gas are now.”
He is also passionate about protecting our infant digital industries especially in the e-commerce sector. Right now, Nigeria’s two leading e-commerce companies, Jumia and Konga have started facing stiff competition from global giants like eBay and Amazon. The role of GBB would therefore be to ensure hardware infrastructure to foster rapid growth of this area.
Why is this? The growth of e-commerce has been quite impressive in Nigeria because of the surge in telecom investments and smartphone purchases which have fueled growth in internet usage from 20% in 2009 to 41% in 2014. Sometimes ago, it was reported that Nigeria has the largest online market particularly for apparel and footwear in Africa, which was envisioned to grow from US$104 million in 2014 to US$1,077 million in 2019, due to the activities of trusted e-commerce sites (online retailers), like Jumia and Konga.
This development can only be sustained if GBB work is supported with a sense of deliberate purpose. Hence GBB’s National ICT Infrastructure Backbone (NICTIB) project is being scaled up.
Prof. Abubakar highlighted the status of this project in an interview with the media. Phase one of the NICTIB project covered about 13 states, including the FCT. It started from Lagos, covered many states in the South East and South-South. The fiber-optic backbone of the Galaxy Backbone came from the landing point in Lagos, to Onitsha, extended to Akwa Ibom and Rivers, it came to Enugu, Benue State and then Nasarawa, through Lafia, Akwanga and then into Abuja, which is now the backbone that we have”.

To facilitate and deliver this service more effectively in the South Eastern region of the country, GBB went into partnership with Interra Networks and launched STORM; a Fibre Network and Data Hosting platform that would leverage its infrastructure in the delivery of services in Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi and Delta States. Through this relationship, services will get to end customers faster and more effectively. GBB’s commitment to the customer and its awareness that it cannot reach across to everyone on its own is prompting these new initiatives at partnering with the right partners in delivering its services.

The second phase of the project commenced this year and is currently well on its way. At the end of this second phase, GBB will have connected 21 additional states in addition to the 13 states it had earlier covered in phase one.

GBB’s contribution to the deepening of broadband penetration in the country and the enhancement of Nigeria’s digital economy is worth commending and one to be encouraged by organizations, State Governments, Ministries, Departments and Agencies across the different sectors of the Nigerian economy.

The organisation is investing heavily in cyber security solutions to ensure that anytime an organization or individual is on its platform, the security of its data is guaranteed. GBB maintains a critical Infrastructure that is essential to the development and sustainability of Nigeria’s digital Economy. Through this infrastructure its position in enabling organizations is strengthened.

One of the major achievements of Prof Abubakar is his decision to strengthen the operations of GBB’s regional offices. He is convinced that GBB cannot attain its mission without empowering the regions hence this initiative. This necessitated the appointment of a Group Head to manage these regions, spread across different parts of the country. The regional offices will ensure more effectiveness in the delivery and resolution of issues.

Equally important are the customer and stakeholders. Customer centricity is at the core of GBB’s values and reorganizational focus. In 2021, GBB organized the very first Customer Appreciation Day aimed at thanking and recognizing the efforts of all the organizations that have contributed in one way or the other to the development and successes achieved by Galaxy Backbone. The Customer Appreciation Day was the first since its inception and was well attended by GBB’s customers in Abuja and across a number of other states in the country. At that event Prof. Abubakar thanked customers for contributing immensely to GBB’s business and success and committed to addressing all issues that were discussed during the event.

A lot more attention is being paid towards customer satisfaction and operational excellence which include partneerships. From 2020 to date, not less than 10 partnerships and collaborations with the private sector have been achieved. Such collaborations include with DataSixth, SHELT Global Limited and Palo Alto on cybersecurity, Interra Networks and BCN on connectivity, Zadara on data centre and cloud services, Yahlink on satellite connectivity, New Waves in hosting services; all in addition to the enhanced collaboration with Huawei, MainOne and so on. These collaborations will further enhance public-private sector partnership, drive down the bandwidth price for the benefit of the end-user, contribute to the GDP of the nation and improve the standard of living of the citizens.

Indeed, Prof Abubakar has put GBB on a strong footing. This gives the institution a lot of resiliency. No wonder, early this year, when ICT and telecommunications organizations experienced an outage on its infrastructure, GBB ably rose to the occasion. The incident tested the tenacity of its facilities, its service reliability and its ability to manage customer experience. Most importantly, the outage tested the competence of the team at Galaxy Backbone, GBB. In all of these, the organization stood tall, as it resolved the outage and brought back the operations of the affected organizations to full normalcy.
What is critical is to have a partner who will be there to guide them through whatever challenge that could come up and resolve it promptly and adequately. This is what GBB continues to demonstrate in the lives of its customers and other stakeholders, as it deepens e-commerce and digital economy in Nigeria.