News
Google Empowers Nigerian Newsrooms With Tools To Maximise Ad Revenue, Digital Innovation

Google has concluded two major events in Lagos geared towards equipping Nigerian media professionals with advanced digital tools to drive advertising revenue and newsroom efficiency.
The Google Ad Manager Academy 3.0, held on Friday at the Google office in Ikoyi, Lagos, brought together media practitioners across Sub-Saharan Africa in a hybrid format—both in-person and virtual.
The event focused on helping publishers fully unlock the potential of Google Ad Manager, understand new consumer insights, leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning, and implement yield optimization techniques to boost earnings across mobile and web platforms.
On Tuesday, the company also held Publisher Day NG 2025, featuring a hands-on workshop that introduced participants to Google’s suite of newsroom tools, such as News Consumer Insights 3.0, Gemini for News, NotebookLM, and Pinpoint.
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The sessions were designed to demonstrate how these innovations can enhance content research, audience engagement, and ad performance.
Attendees included editors, ad operations specialists, marketing managers, and journalists from leading media houses such as Vanguard, Channels TV, Silverbird TV, The Nation, BusinessDay, Pulse, Dochase among a host of others.
Speaking after the event, Onyinyechi “Nini” Eze, Strategic Partner Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa at Google, reflected on the growing interest among Nigerian news organisations in programmatic advertising.
“I think the Google Ad Monetization journey has been interesting for me. I’ve been in Google for three years and we had the Google Ad Manager Academy 3.0, so this would be our third edition. What I found really interesting is the amount of news companies and news agencies that are now coming on board with Ad Monetization, programmatic Ad Monetization,” she said.
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“Primarily, you know that the newsroom really adopt more of traditional advertising, but then now, you’ve seen from statistics that 80% is going programmatic. So this is where I find a lot of joy: to see that a lot of news organisations are actually now adopting programmatic advertising, which will potentially increase their yield.”
Asked about how the initiative aligns with Google’s broader vision for Nigeria, Eze said, “If you think about Google’s mission, it’s always about making our content more accessible. So if you think about the news, right? And you think about Google’s mission, it always tally because the news agencies are trying to ensure that they give out credible news, trustworthy news, and then making it accessible to everyone, so that everybody understands what’s going on.”
She emphasised Google’s commitment to supporting both large and small content creators with free tools.
SquirrelPR simplifies press distribution across Africa with launch of content marketplace
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“It could be you’re a blog, it could be you’re a small news outfit, but then we want a situation where we can showcase a lot of tools—these tools are free—so you can upskill yourself and then also sustain the news industry, the media industry as well.”
On the tools that stood out to participants, Eze mentioned, “From the Ad Monetization side, we have the Google Ad Manager platform, which is free. We also have AdSense, it’s also a free tool. We have AdMob. Starting your Ad Monetization journey is actually quite easy now. It’s really more about understanding what the tool can do and how it can monetize your platforms.”
She also highlighted tools from Publisher Day, such as News Consumer Insights 3.0, Google Ad Analytics 4, Gemini, and NotebookLM, saying “all these tools can help those news agencies: both small and large to actually sustain themselves and grow.”
Looking ahead to future editions and ongoing support, Eze said, “Google mission is to organise the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. This tally’s with the general news industry goals to drive credible, trustworthy news, making accessible to everyone. Google aims to support the media industry through its technologies and innovation to achieve their goals.”
News
Lagos Unveils Artisan Certification To Curb Building Collapse

The Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory has launched a new certification and training programme for artisans in the construction industry as part of efforts to stem the spate of building collapses in the state.
The initiative, known as the Certified Structural Integrated Programme, was unveiled at a stakeholders’ forum held in Ese-Offin and Badagry, where block moulders, bricklayers, concrete mixers, steel fabricators and welders converged to pledge support for safer construction practices.
In a statement on Thursday by the Lagos Government, General Manager of LSMTL, Olayinka Abdul, said the programme marked a decisive step in tackling recurring tragedies linked to substandard construction materials.
“Without artisans, there is no construction. But with you, we have the power to ensure every construction is safe, sound, and secure. We need to earnestly curb episodes of collapse in high-water-prone communities, and we do not want such in your community. It ends today,” he said.
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According to the statement, the CSIP is a five-year assessment programme aimed at certifying construction materials as fit-for-purpose.
It will also produce an official directory of approved block moulders, concrete mixers and steel fabricators, to whom developers will be directed for supplies.
“This is not just about enforcement; it is about partnership and empowerment. Together, we can forge an unbreakable alliance that makes Lagos a model for building safety and integrity,” Abdul added.
Technical experts at the forum highlighted the scientific backing for the initiative. Director of the Soil and Geotechnics Unit, Engr. Abimbola Adebayo, stressed the need for mandatory soil tests before construction.
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Similarly, Kayode Akinfeleye of the Technical Services Department advised builders to ensure architectural drawings are obtained and preserved, describing them as “a core requirement in the Lagos building process.”
Artisan guild leaders welcomed the initiative. Chairman of the National Association of Block Moulders of Nigeria, Alhaji Fabiyi Oyeleke, described frequent collapses as “disheartening” and commended the forum as a step in the right direction.
On his part, Chairman of the Lagos State Bricklayers Association, Mr. Fashina Aro, noted the peculiarities of Lagos’s swampy terrain and urged all stakeholders to ensure materials and soil tests are completed before bricklayers commence work on any site.
Building collapse has been a persistent challenge in Lagos, with many lives lost and substantial property damage over the years.
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In recent incidents, emergency responders have had to rescue workers from collapsed structures.
PUNCH Online reports that rescue teams pulled eight workers from the debris of a collapsed building in September.
Reports by the Building Collapse Prevention Guild show Lagos accounts for about 55% of recorded building collapse incidents in Nigeria over the past several decades.
In response, Lagos has taken steps to strengthen bodies like the Lagos State Building Control Agency, enhancing enforcement, monitoring, and regulation of building standards.
News
Edo deputy gov warns MOWAA Against encroachment

Edo State deputy governor, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, has warned management of Museum of West African Arts (MOWAA) to adhere strictly to laid-down demarcation between the museum and the Edo Specialist Hospital (ESH).
Idahosa, who gave the warning when he visited the site on Thursday, expressed displeasure over MOWAA’s alleged encroachment on ESH land despite earlier directives.
The deputy governor stressed that governor Monday Okpebholo had mandated him to ensure compliance with the demarcation lines.
“Governor Okpebholo asked me to advise and also warn the MOWAA management to stick to the demarcation lines between the ESH and the MOWAA institution,” the deputy governor said.
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During the visit, Idahosa supervised the demolition of parts of the obsolete tuberculosis building at the hospital and monitored debris clearance to facilitate the hospital’s expansion project.
Recounting earlier efforts, he said: “Few weeks ago, we were here to give demarcation on the boundary between MOWAA and the ESH.Apparently, the MOWAA management decided to encroach on the land given to ESH.
“We came to let them know that the Edo State Government is firm on it, and we have given them the right coordinates. We have also sealed the part that belongs to the ESH, so MOWAA, at this point, can no longer encroach.”
Idahosa emphasized that the government’s priority remains the security and health of Edo people, noting that compliance with lawful boundaries is in the interest of both institutions.
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“This is not a witch hunt. The governor is fair enough to allow MOWAA to continue with whatever we met on ground. He has not encroached or done anything contrary to the law. Hence, they should also stick and abide by the law,” he said.
The Chief Medical Director of ESH, Dr. Anthonia Njoku commended Okpebholo for protecting the hospital’s expansion interest.
Similarly, the Managing Director of the Edo State Development and Building Control Agency, Mr. Imoisili Igabali noted that negotiations had been ongoing with MOWAA over the demarcation and that a temporary perimeter wall had been set up in the meantime.
“As an agency, our responsibility in the state is to ensure that development in the state is done according to laid down rules and regulations,” Igabali stated.
News
Police Begin Enforcement Of Tinted Glass, Siren Regulations In Edo, Delta

The Zone Five Police Command have begun enforcing the ban on the unauthorised use of sirens and tinted glass permit regulations.
NAN reports that the zone five command located in the South-south Geo-political Zone comprises Edo and Delta.
This is contained in a statement by the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tijani Momoh, in Abuja.
The exercise, the command said, is in line with the existing laws and directives of IGP Kayode Egbetokun, which apply to all vehicles with tinted glasses, whether factory or non-factory fitted.
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Momoh quoted the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the zone, Salma-Dogo Garba, as saying that the enforcement would also affect the subsisting ban on the unauthorised use of sirens.
According to Garba, there will also be strict enforcement on the use of revolving lights, Police SPY and unallocated official number plates, as well as the use of unregistered vehicles.
“In view of the above, motorists yet to register their vehicles with tinted glasses are strongly advised to do so at www.possap.gov.ng.
“Thereafter, they should proceed to their state command headquarters for physical verification.
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“Those who are not desirous of obtaining the tinted glass permit are advised to remove such tints or replace the factory-fitted glasses with transparent ones, as legally provided by the Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Act 2004.”
The AIG warned field operatives and their supervisory officers to ensure that the exercise was carried out with utmost professionalism, devoid of any form of harassment or extortion of motorists.
He stressed that any officer found wanting would be duly sanctioned, while the concerned supervisory officer would be held liable.
Garba further urged motorists to cooperate with the Police during the exercise in order to ensure public safety and national security.
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He also charged residents to promptly report any form of harassment, extortion, or other unprofessional conduct to the nearest police station, the commands CRUs, or the ZPPRO.
NAN reports that the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, announced that strict enforcement of the Tinted Glass Permit requirement will begin across Nigeria on Thursday.
The directive comes under the authority of the Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Tinted Glass) Act, 2004, a law intended to bolster security and curb criminal behaviour.
Under the new mandate, all vehicles with tinted windows are expected to carry valid and verifiable permit documents, which must be presented whenever requested by law enforcement.
NAN
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