The National Population Commission (NPC) has reassured Nigerians of the safety of its server and data as the 2023 National Population and Housing Census draws closer.

In a statement issued on Monday consequent to an earlier claim that the NPC server has been hacked, the NPC’s Director of Public Affairs Dr. Isiaka Yahaya reiterates the commitment of the commission to a credible and acceptable census. He added that the claim the commission’s server was hacked was completely false and misleading.

The statement reads in part: “We wish to assure the public that the security of the data for the 2023 Population and Housing Census is absolutely guaranteed.

“The commission is committed to upholding the highest standards of data protection and maintaining the trust placed in us by the Nigerian population.”

Yahaya explained that the Commission’s Chairman, Alhaji Nasir Kwarra’s visit to the United Nations to attend the 56th Session of the United Nations Commission on Population and Development was to the benefit of the country.

He said the chairman also presented Nigeria’s statement on ‘Population and Development’ at the global event and has since returned to the country ahead of preparations for the first digital Census in Nigeria.

“Over the years, it has been the standard practice for the Chairman of the Commission to attend the annual event on Population and Development in line with the mandate of NPC as the coordinating agency on population matters in Nigeria.

“Consequently, the public is advised to disregard the false statement trending online about the hacking of the commission’s server and the subsequent travel of the NPC Chairman to restore the purported hacked server,” he said.

He assured of the commission’s determination to continue to update the populace on developments regarding the 2023 Population and Housing Census as events unfold.

Yahaya solicited Nigerians’ support to ensure a secure and successful 2023 Census exercise.

A business has two choices for web pages: a landing page or a website. Both might look similar and share similar components, but they both have different uses and are designed differently.

If you, however, are a startup with a small budget, what would be the most suitable option for you? Just before you set up a business, read through this comparison guide to learn more about these two main options. You will eventually be able to understand which option will be easier to create and which is better for startup companies

An Overview of the Landing Page

A landing page can be either a part of a business website or designed separately with the aim to drive paid traffic to your business. It’s a short and simple page with a brief description of your latest offers. It has a call-to-action (CTA) or an email box where you can sign up for the program by dropping your email address. The page doesn’t have any navigation options.

The only purpose of a landing page is to advertise your product to your target audience and increase sales. People don’t randomly come across these pages: they rather click on the landing page link on social media, websites, emails, and other platforms and are redirected to these pages.

An Overview of the Business Website

Blogs, news pages, eCommerce platforms, and social media sites are all websites that have several web pages, each leading you to blogs, company page, products, and so on. The biggest difference between a landing page and a website is that the latter is optimized for search engines.

A website has a homepage that gives a quick description of what the business is about and what they offer to the user. Then, there are other pages that can be accessed from the homepage through navigation. It is a combination of images, videos, texts, and other media elements.

Which is Easier to Create?

Creating a landing page is a fairly simple process. You can use a website builder to get ready-made templates for your landing page and this is how it works: Select a name for your page, choose your keywords, and add your content to the page. Once you have included everything, click the publish button, and it’s done.

And what about building a website? When you’re using a DIY web builder product, setting up a website can be easy too. With a platform like Wix for example, you don’t need any background knowledge or experience. There are also loads of benefits that go hand-in-hand with using products like this, such as: Saving time and money, creating exactly what you have in mind, as well as feeling a large sense of satisfaction from your efforts. Since however, a website has more pages, compared to landing pages it’s a bit complicated to build.

Which is Better for a Startup?

A landing page can be created within hours and published on the same day. It’s neither costly nor time-consuming, making it the best option for startups. But, that only makes sense when you have established sources to drive traffic to a landing page and increase conversions. For instance, a social media influencer that has thousands of followers on Instagram can use a landing page to announce a special offer, instead of creating a website. That’s simple and cost-effective.

Startup companies that plan long-term growth in the digital market may not find a landing page effective. You need to use it on a business website to drive maximum organic traffic to your page. A website is optimized for search engines and is a great source of information for your visitors. People find your website when looking for answers to their questions and exploring solutions to their pain points. If they like your content, there’s a good chance they will navigate to the purchase page and become your loyal customer.

Can a Landing Page be a Website?

Knowing the differences between the two, you might wonder if one page can function as both. Can your landing page double up as your business’ website? While that’s possible, it’s not going to generate your desired results. The target audience for both is different, and the features of each are also unique.

If you are a startup planning to grow, you need a dedicated website with different pages. It gives information about the brand, services, and the purchase process. You can add a landing page to your website for better results, but a landing page can’t serve as your business website.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on the 28th of March, 2023 issued a new set of guidelines for Banks and Other Financial Institutions (OFIs) desirous of changing their  original business licenses to other business operations licensed by the CBN.

What this means in effect is that with these guidelines, licensed businesses like microfinance banks can switch their CBN licenses for other licenses like a Payment Service Bank , Mortgage Bank ,or Finance Company license.

This article will be looking at the provisions of these guidelines, with a focus on :

– Their objectives.

– Their applicability scope.

– Their eligibility criteria for operating license change.

– Definition of terms.

– Applicable restrictions/prohibitions.

– Requirements for license change.

What are the objectives of the CBN Guidelines?

The objectives of the guidelines are to provide clarity on the requirements for the change of the various license types for Banks and Other Financial Institutions (OFIs) in Nigeria.

What is the applicability scope of the guidelines?

The guidelines are applicable to :-

– Commercial Banks

– Merchant Banks

– Non-Interest Banks

– Microfinance Banks

– Primary Mortgage Banks

– Payment Service Banks (PSBs)

– Any other institution the CBN may designate from time to time

What are the eligibility criteria for a change of operating license under the Guidelines?

For a financial institution to be eligible for a license change, it must:-

1. Be under the supervisory purview of the CBN.

2. Have no adverse supervisory report to its application.

3. Satisfy any other condition which the CBN may stipulate from time to time.

4. Have been in operation for at least 5 years.

What are the definitions of some important terms most commonly used in the guidelines?

Some of the terms used by the guidelines and their meanings include the following:-

1. Conversion – The transformation of an institution from one license type to another under separate regulatory guidelines.

2. Re-categorization – This is a transformation of an FI license within the same license type e.g switching between different categories of Microfinance Bank licensing.

3. Re-designation – This is a transformation effected by the change of name, status or operational in framework due to the direct effect of policy change, new regulation, or a regulatory directive.

4. Transition period – This is the transformation period of a bank or OFI from its legacy operations to the operations of the new license.

5. Off-boarding – This is the process of discontinuing services to some customers that are not desirous of migrating to the new license type.

6. Integration – This is the process of an FI unifying its existing & new customers under a proposed new license type.

What are some of the notable prohibitions or restrictions imposed by the guidelines if any?

A bank or OFI shall not while processing an application for license change do any of the following :-

1. Expand or reduce its current banking network.

2. Roll out new products and services.

3. Carry out any new strategic banking activity but the settlement of rights and obligations shall continue until extinguished in accordance with existing terms and conditions.

4. Engage in any banking activity specific to the proposed new license.

5. Any other requirement that may be presented from time to time by the CBN. 

What are the requirements for a change of license type under the CBN Guidelines?

Applications for a change of licensing are processed in the 2 stages under the Guidelines which are:-

1. The Approval-In-Principle (AIP) stage.

2. The final licensing stage. 

The most important requirements for licensing change include :-

1. An application to the Director of the Supervisory department of the CBN in charge of the applicant company’s current business category.

2. A business plan duly approved by the FI’s shareholders at an Annual General Meeting or extra-ordinary general meeting & board of directors.

3. A board resolution.

4. Rationale for the change.

5. A Governance structure policy.

6. A risk management framework.

7. Evidence of Sharia compliance where applicable.

8. Any other requirements stipulated by the CBN.