Jane Egerton-Idehen, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT), has called on leaders of African public institutions to address financial weaknesses within their organisations before seeking fresh funding for reforms. Speaking during an episode of the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation Podcast, moderated by Fatima Kere-Ahmed, Acting Director of the Process of Crime Recovery Management Department at the Code of Conduct Bureau and an alumna of the Aig-Imoukhuede Public Leaders Programme, Egerton-Idehen emphasised that responsible management of existing resources is the starting point for attracting sustained investment.
Fix Internal Weaknesses First
Egerton-Idehen stressed that institutions must demonstrate sound financial practices before requesting additional funds. "It is so important you fix your financial fragility before you go and ask for more money," she said. She noted that reform leaders can begin by building straightforward habits around accountability. "It could be basic habits you consider as a leader like transparent, regular financial reporting," she added, explaining that institutions need to show they can deliver before expecting others to commit resources to them.
Egerton-Idehen said funders also want confidence that an institution can put capital to work effectively. "There should be some kind of evidence that the institution itself can actually execute that capital, absorb it, execute it," she said. She clarified that credibility does not depend on generating profit. "It doesn't have to be delivering commercial economic value. It could be clean audits, functioning structure. Those start to matter," she said.
Transparency Must Be Proactive
Egerton-Idehen went further, urging public sector leaders to share financial information without waiting to be prompted. "Publish your numbers before anybody asks them because that's how you also gain credibility," she said. "Don't wait for people to tell you. Disclose it even when you're not asked."
Also on the podcast, Kole Shettima, Africa Director of the MacArthur Foundation, weighed in on how funders evaluate institutions. Shettima said there is no guaranteed formula for identifying which reforms will succeed, and that financing decisions ultimately come down to the trust, experience, and credibility of the leaders and institutions involved. He argued that funders must be prepared to take calculated risks based on those factors.
FG Announces Year Next Generation Satellite Plan Will Be Completed
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the federal government confirmed that the country's next-generation satellite programme is now in its execution phase, with the NIGCOMSAT-2A and 2B satellites scheduled for launch in 2028 and 2029. The initiative forms part of a broader strategy to strengthen national connectivity, security, and the growth of the digital economy.
Speaking at the opening of the 2026 Satellite Week in Abuja on Monday, March 30, the Managing Director of NIGCOMSAT Limited, Mrs Jane Nkechi Egerton-Idehen, said the programme underscores Nigeria's commitment to using space technology for national development and security. She highlighted that the sector is entering a period of accelerated expansion. "The satellites will support real-time communication, intelligence gathering and connectivity in remote areas. They will enable applications such as precision agriculture and rural broadband expansion," Mrs Egerton-Idehen said.
