Africa is facing a growing challenge of managing its Waste and Natural Resources in a sustainable way. The current traditional Linear Economic Model, characterised by a take, make, dispose pattern that is extracting, consuming, and disposing of Materials, is inefficient, wasteful, and harmful to the Environment and Human Health.

According to the World Bank, Africa generated 174 million tonnes of Waste in 2016, and this is expected to increase to 516 million tonnes by 2050. Only 4% of this Waste is recycled, compared to 44% in Europe and 35% in China.

A Circular Economy, which aims to keep Materials in use for as long as possible and minimise Waste and Pollution, could offer a viable alternative that would enhance Africa’s Social, Economic, and Environmental Well-Being.

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates that a Circular Economy could generate $1.8trn of Value for Africa by 2030, creating 4.5 million new Jobs and reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 25%.

However, despite the potential benefits of a Circular Economy, many challenges and barriers hinder its implementation in Africa. One of the major problems is the lack of adequate Infrastructure and Regulation for Waste Management and Recycling.

Most African countries lack Formal Systems for collecting, sorting, and processing Waste, resulting in large amounts of Waste being dumped or burned, posing serious Health and Environmental Risks.

According to the Global Waste Management Outlook, only 19% of Africa’s Urban Population has access to Controlled Waste Disposal Services, and only 4% of the Waste is treated to reduce its Environmental impact. Moreover, there is a lack of clear Policies and Incentives to support Circular Practices, such as Extended Producer Responsibility, Eco-labeling, and Green Procurement.

Without a supportive Regulatory Framework, Companies and Consumers have little motivation to adopt Circular behaviors and preferences. For instance, only 12 African Countries have implemented bans or levies on Single-Use Plastic Bags, which are a major source of Plastic Pollution.

Another problem is the limited awareness and knowledge of the Circular Economy Concept and its benefits among Stakeholders. Many Businesses, Consumers, and Policymakers are unaware of the opportunities and advantages of shifting to a Circular Model, such as Cost Savings, Resource Efficiency, Innovation, and Competitiveness.

A Survey by the African Circular Economy Network found that only 58% of African Businesses are familiar with the Circular Economy, and only 24% have implemented Circular Practices in their Operations. Similarly, a Study by the African Development Bank revealed that only 35% of African Consumers are willing to pay more for Products that are Environmentally Friendly or have a longer Lifespan. Additionally, there is a lack of Capacity and Skills to implement Circular Solutions, such as Eco-Design, Repair, Remanufacturing, and Recycling. These require Technical Expertise, Financial Resources, and Access to Markets that are often lacking in the African Context. Therefore, there is a need for more Education, Training, and Awareness-Raising Initiatives to foster a Culture of Circularity and Sustainability in Africa.

Nigeria is one of the most Populous and Fastest-Growing Countries in Africa, with a Population of over 200 million and a GDP Growth Rate of 2.3% in 2019. However, it is also one of the most Wasteful and Polluting Countries, generating about 32 million tonnes of Solid Waste Annually, of which only 20% is collected and 10% is recycled.

The rest is either dumped in open Landfills, burned, or littered in the Streets, Waterways, and Oceans. This poses serious threats to the Environment, Public Health, and the Economy, as Waste Management Costs account for 20-30% of Municipal Budgets.

Moreover, Nigeria is highly dependent on the import of Raw Materials and Finished Products, which exposes it to Price Volatility, Foreign Exchange Fluctuations, and Trade Restrictions. A Circular Economy could offer a solution to these challenges, by reducing Waste Generation, increasing Resource Efficiency, and creating Value from Waste.

In Lagos, the Government has taken to support the Circular Economy through the Launch of the Blue Box Programme, an Initiative to improve Waste Collection and Sorting at the Household Level, by providing Blue Boxes to Residents for separating Recyclable Materials, such as Paper, Plastic, Metal, and Glass, from other Waste.

The programme also involves the establishment of Sorting Hubs, where the Recyclable Materials are further sorted and processed, and the Engagement of Waste Aggregators and Recyclers, who buy and transport the Recyclables to Recycling Plants. The programme aims to increase the Recycling Rate in Lagos from 10% to 50%, create 500,000 Direct and Indirect Jobs, and reduce the Environmental and Health impacts of Waste Mismanagement.

Besides Lagos, other States in Nigeria have also implemented or planned to implement similar Programmes to promote the Circular Economy. For example, Ogun State has partnered a Private Company to set up a Waste-to-Wealth Project, which converts Organic Waste into Biogas and Organic Fertiliser. Kaduna State has launched a Waste Management and Recycling Scheme, which provides Waste Collection Bins and Vehicles, and trains Youth and Women on Waste Sorting and Recycling. Delta State has initiated a Plastic Waste Management Project, which aims to collect and recycle Plastic Waste into useful Products, such as Furniture, Tiles, and Roofing Sheets. These programmes not only help to reduce Waste Generation and Disposal, but also create Income and Employment Opportunities for the Local Communities.

The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency(NESREA), has issued Guidelines and Standards for the Management of various types of Waste, such as Electronic Waste, Hazardous Waste, and Medical Waste. The Agency has also enforced the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Policy, which requires Producers and Importers of certain Products, such as Batteries, Tyres, and Plastic Bottles, to take responsibility for the Collection and Recycling of their End-of-Life Products.

Furthermore, the Government has introduced Incentives and Subsidies for Waste Management and Recycling Activities, such as Tax Waivers, Low-Interest Loans, and Grants. These Measures aim to create a Conducive Environment for the Growth and Development of the Circular Economy in Nigeria.

In addition, the Government has supported the Circular Economy in Nigeria by raising Awareness and Education among the Public and the Private Sector. The Government has organised Campaigns and Events, such as the World Environment Day, the Clean Nigeria Day, and the National Recycling Day, to sensitise the People on the Benefits and Practices of the Circular Economy. The Government has also collaborated with various Stakeholders, such as Civil Society Organisations, Academic Institutions, and Industry Associations, to provide Training and Capacity Building on Waste Management and Recycling.

Moreover, the Government has encouraged Innovation and Research on the Circular Economy, by supporting the Development and Adoption of new Technologies and Solutions, such as Biodegradable Packaging, Waste-to-Energy Systems, and Circular Design. These efforts aim to foster a Culture of Environmental Responsibility and Sustainability among the Nigerian Society.

Access Bank is one of the leading Financial Institutions in Africa, with a Vision to become the World’s most respected African Bank. As part of its Sustainability Strategy, Access Bank is committed to supporting the transition to a Circular Economy, by providing Financing, Advisory, and Capacity-Building Services to Circular Businesses and Initiatives.

Some of the Actions that Access Bank is taking to support the Circular Economy include: Access Bank contributes to the Development of a Circular Economy Policy and Framework for Nigeria, as a Member of the Nigerian Circular Economy Working Group (NCEWG), which will guide the Nation’s Operations and Investments in the Circular Economy. The Policy and Framework developed will outline the Objectives, Principles, Criteria, and Indicators for supporting Circular Businesses and Initiatives, as well as the Internal Circular Practices, such as Paperless Banking, Green Procurement, and Waste Management, that Nigeria will adopt. The Policy and Framework will also align with the National and International Standards and Regulations on the Circular Economy, such as the IFC’s Performance Standards and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Access Bank through the ACT Foundation supported the Lagos Business School (LBS) in the development of the Leadership Programme for Sustainable Waste Management (LPSWM) in 2019, an Initiative to drive Nigeria ‘s transition to Circular Economy and create Sustainable Communities by bringing Participants who work in the Waste Management Sector or run the their own Waste Focused Initiatives and Social Enterprises.

The Programme which is a Leadership and Enterprise Capacity Building Platform for Youth Empowerment in mitigating the Environmental and Health Implications of improper Waste Management; improve the Operational and Financial Viability of Waste Management Businesses.

Over the years of its existence, the Programme has delivered the needed Information and Tools to structure and effectively run a viable Enterprise, execute Initiatives, Projects and formulate better Policies.

Access Holdings in partnership with HACEY launched the Zero Carbon Africa Impact Programme, a Project that aims to guide and empower Africa’s Youth to harness Climate Action as both a catalyst for Sustainable Business and an Instrument for Environmental Preservation.

The Programme has multifaceted Objectives to nurture Climate Action Leaders and foster Climate-Resilient Communities. The Programme is empowering more than 700 Emerging Leaders with comprehensive Knowledge of Climate Action while strengthening the Capacities of Youth Networks across 6 Sub-Saharan Countries (Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Rwanda and Zambia) to monitor net-zero plans, implementation, and steadfastly contribute to National and Regional net-zero Targets.

Through a 12-Week Immersive Journey, the Programme continues to impart Knowledge, transfer Skills, and ignite a lasting commitment to a Sustainable and Green Africa. The Programme’s cornerstone, the Capacity Building Masterclass, delves into the nuances of Climate Change and its Interplay with Sectors such as Human Rights, Urban Planning, Global Public Health, Sustainable Investing, and more. This Knowledge Repository serves as a bedrock for Informed Decision-Making, driving the implementation of impactful Climate Interventions across Communities.

At the time of this Report, the Programme in its Fifth Week has completed four high-yield Courses relating to Climate Science, Global Energy, Sustainable Investing and Climate Change Mitigation. The Zero Carbon Africa Impact Program in sum envisions a future led by empowered high quality Young Leaders, thriving Green and Blue Economies. With a projected outcome of over 700 exceptional Young Leaders, 35,000 Community Advocates, and 28 impactful Climate Action Projects, the Programme cements its Role as a Catalyst for transformation, heralding a new Era of Sustainable Prosperity for Africa.

Credit Access Bank PR

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has emphasised the importance of Marital and Family Values in building a strong Nation.

He spoke at the Wedding of Victor Egbetokun, Son of Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, in Lagos.

Shettima urged Parents and couples to exercise patience and love in their Families, which would reflect positively on the larger Nigerian Society.

He identified key elements for a successful Union, including Communication, Patience, Tolerance, Perseverance, and Love.

Shettima acknowledged the challenges of letting go of Children as they come of Age, but celebrated the Beauty of Marriage, noting that it was not always smooth sailing.

The Vice-President praised the IGP’s Character, citing his ability to wield Power with Integrity.

He also congratulated the Newlyweds on behalf of President Bola Tinubu, wishing them a happy Marriage.

Similarly, Shettima, as a Special Guest at the Wedding of Keziah Kefas, daughter of Governor Agbu Kefas of Taraba State, in Jalingo, reflected on the bittersweet nature of Parenthood. 

Credit NAN: Texts excluding Headline

Justice Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun is a serving Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. She is the 5th and youngest female to be appointed as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. This Article examines her early Life, Education, and notable Achievements.

Justice Kekere-Ekun was born in London, the United Kingdom on 7th May 1958. Her Parents were both Indigenes of Lagos State, Nigeria. She is the eldest of eleven Siblings from both Parents. Her Father, Senator H.A.B. Fasinro, OFR, LL.D, was a fervent Muslim and a very dedicated Family Man of Noble Lineage. He belonged to at least three Royal Families in Lagos. He was a Legal Practitioner and very active in Politics. Throughout his Career, he worked for many years as a Crown Counsel in the old Western Region of Nigeria. He also became the Town Clerk of Lagos City Council (similar to being the Mayor of Lagos). In 1975, at the age of 56 years, he retired voluntarily from the Civil Service. He subsequently became a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 1983. His Tenure was however brought to an abrupt end with the overthrow of the Shehu Shagari-led Civilian Government in a Military Coup in December 1983. He was also an Author. He died at the age of 99 on 31st March 2019.

Her mother, Winifred Layiwola Ogundimu (née Savage), is a devout Christian. She studied Nursing in the UK, where she qualified as a Public Health Nurse before returning to Nigeria in December 1965. Upon her return to Nigeria, she built her career in the Civil Service of Lagos State and retired years later, at the age of 60. She is currently the Head of a large and prominent Lagos Family, the Savage Family.

Senator H.A.B. Fasinro and Winifred Layiwola Ogundimu both remarried when K.M.O. Kekere-Ekun was still young. K.M.O. Kekere-Ekun grew up in a Polygamous Home with her Father, Stepmothers, Siblings, and other Relations. One of her Stepmothers, who greatly influenced her Life, was a Teacher. She was brought up in an extremely strict and disciplined Environment at Home, where she was taught lasting Values such as hard work, integrity, contentment, and the ability to get on with People and cope with situations. It was always a full House with Extended Family and other School Children spending their Holidays, to earn extra Tutoring and a Disciplined Upbringing.

K.M.O. Kekere-Ekun was privileged with quality Education. She attended Private Primary Schools before proceeding in 1970 to Queen’s College, Lagos, which was one of the best Federal Government College for Girls in the Country at the time. She studied Law at the University of Lagos, Nigeria, from 1977 to 1980 and obtained her LL.B in 1980. Following this, she attended the Nigerian Law School from 1980 to 1981 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in July 1981. From 1981 to 1982, she was engaged in the compulsory National Youth Service at the Ministry of Justice, Benin City, Bendel State (now Edo State). Afterwards, she proceeded to the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) where she obtained a Master’s Degree in Law in 1983.

After qualifying as a Lawyer and obtaining a Master’s Degree in Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), she worked in Private Law Practice for a few years. As a result of the toll of the demands of Private Practice on her Domestic Responsibilities, she decided to join the Bench to be able to enjoy more predictable Work Hours. She applied and was appointed by the Lagos State Judiciary as a Senior Magistrate Grade II in December 1989. This marked the beginning of her Career on the Bench. She was subsequently appointed a Judge of the High Court of Lagos State on 19th July 1996. In September 2004, she was elevated to the Court of Appeal. As a Justice of the Court of Appeal, she served in five different Divisions across the Country. She was the pioneer Presiding Justice of the Makurdi Division of the Court of Appeal and also served as the Presiding Justice of the Akure Division of the Court of Appeal before her elevation to the Supreme Court on 8th July 2013. She is currently a Member of the Supreme Court Rules Committee and Chairman of the Supervisory Committee of the Litigation Department of the Court.

K.M.O. Kekere-Ekun served as Chairman of the Robbery and Firearms Tribunal, Zone II, Ikeja, Lagos, from November 1996 till May 1999, when the Tribunals were abolished. The Constitution of the Tribunal includes one Police Officer and one Military Officer. In the Process, the Police Officer gained significant insight into the requirements for conducting effective Criminal Investigations and Prosecutions. He was subsequently posted to the Police College (where Recruits are trained) as a Lecturer and was able to share a lot of what he had learned from his participation in the Tribunal Hearings. In recognition of her reputation for integrity and hard work, she was one of three Judges of the Lagos State High Court first selected to try Offences relating to Financial Crimes and Money Laundering under the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Establishment Act, 2004 and the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

In 2003, K.M.O. Kekere-Ekun served as a Member of the Ethics Curriculum Planning Committee of the National Center for State Courts (NCSC), in collaboration with the Department for International Development (DFID) and UNODC. This Committee produced the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees. She also chaired the Public Complaints and Training Committee that was part of the UNODC Pilot Project on strengthening Judicial Integrity and Capacity in Lagos State. This was from February 2003 till July 2004. The Public Complaints Committee investigated Complaints against Magistrates on the Performance of their Official Duties and became pivotal for the Reform of the Justice Delivery System in the Magistrate Courts. Moreover, she served as a Supervisory Judge in charge of the Apapa Magisterial District in Lagos State from October 2002 till July 2004. She also served as a Member of the Committee that drafted the High Court of Lagos State (Civil Procedure) Rules 2004 from April 2002 till December 2002. The new Civil Procedure Rules introduced Innovations in Case Management such as the Front-Loading Concept, Pre-Trial Conference, and the Application of ADR Mechanisms for the speedy dispensation of Justice. The Innovations have also been adopted by most States of the Federation and have proved particularly helpful in the speedy dispensation of Electoral Disputes.

From December 2001 till December 2004, she served as a Member of the Steering Committee of the Lagos State Multi-Door Court House, the first Court-connected Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre in Africa. At the Court of Appeal, she served on the Information Technology Committee, which was to facilitate the computerisation of the Court. Justice K.M.O. Kekere-Ekun is a Recipient of Prestigious Awards. She was a Recipient of the Merit Awards of the Lagos State Judiciary, in December 2003 and in September 2013. Again, she was twice awarded the Distinguished Trailblasers Awards by the Nigerian Bar Association Women Forum (August 2012 and 2014). She belongs to several Professional Associations and Groups, including the National Association of Women Judges; International Association of Women Judges; Body of Benchers – Life Bencher W.E.F. 8th February 2018; Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (Fellow); and International Dispute Resolution Institute (Fellow). She is also a Member of the Ikoyi Club 1938.

Justice K.M.O. Kekere-Ekun has been married to Akin Kekere-Ekun, OFR, since December 1983. His Work Ethic and Integrity have been a great motivating factor for her. Their Union is blessed with three Children who are all Graduates and excelling in their chosen Fields. K.M.O. Kekere-Ekun is passionate about self-examination, being the change that one wants to see in the World and setting your Standards early, starting every endeavour in the same manner as one means to carry on. These have been her Guiding Principles in her Personal and Professional Life.

Credit PRM Africa

Fuel Queues have resurfaced in Lagos as many Filling Stations ran out of Stock, leading to closures and long lines at the few Stations still dispensing Fuel.

Checks in Lagos revealed that most Filling Stations along Ikorodu Road were not selling.

However, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and NIPCO at Fadeyi Bus-Stop on same Road had long Queues.

In other Areas like Bank Anthony, only Total, Northwest, and NNPCL Stations were open, each with long Queues, while the Mobil Station at Salami Shaibu in Somolu Metropolis, closed due to chaotic scenes caused by Commercial Vehicles.

Illegal Fuel Hawkers were spotted along Ikorodu Road, Maryland, Gbagada, and Ogba, taking advantage of the situation.

Speaking under anonymity, some Marketers attributed the Supply difficulties to the inability of NNPC Limited to pay Importers since March.

They alleged that NNPCL, being the Sole Importer, was responsible for the scarcity.

Motorists and Commuters expressed frustration over the Fuel shortage, which has led to long Queues and a significant increase in Transport fares across Lagos.

The scarcity had caused persistent Traffic Jams around Fuel Stations on Ikorodu Road and in Ikeja, with Motorists queuing for hours to refuel at the few Stations still dispensing Fuel.

The Queues had been growing since last Wednesday amidst the issue to ease movement of Workers and Residents in Lagos.

Some Petrol Stations that dispensed Fuel sold it at Prices ranging from N618 to N800 per litre, depending on the Area, leading to an increase in Transport Costs.

Credit NAN: Texts excluding Headline

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, says the Aircraft on the Presidential Fleet are Sovereign Assets used solely for Sovereign Purposes and are therefore immune from attachment by any Entity.

Fagbemi said this in a Statement issued by his Special Assistant, Media on Thursday in Abuja.

He said that this followed an Interim Attachment of three Presidential Aircraft undergoing routine maintenance in France made pursuant to Exparte Orders issued by the Judicial Court of Paris.

“The Actions by France it would be recalled was on account of alleged Debt owed it by the Nigerian Government.

“The Office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, and the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice are currently weighing both Diplomatic and Legal Means.

“They have set in motion both Legal and Diplomatic steps to ensure the discharge of the inappropriate Orders against the Aircraft, which are covered by Sovereign Immunity.

“While further actions are being put in place to resolve the entire dispute through available Legal Means, the firm position of the Federal Government remains that the Aircraft in question are Sovereign Assets used solely for Sovereign Purposes and are therefore immune from attachment as Zhongshan has sought to do,’’.

He said the Orders were dated 7 March and 12 August, 2024 at the instance of Zhongshan Industrial Investment Company Limited, a Chinese Company seeking to enforce a Final Award granted in its favour on 26 March 2024 against Ogun State Government.

The Arbitral Award arose from an Arbitration Proceeding commenced in 2018 following a Contractual Dispute between the Chinese Company and Ogun State Government.

The Claimants say that though the Dispute originated from Engagements of Ogun State Government, the Consequential Enforcement Actions are being directed against the Federal Government and its Assets.

It claimed that this was in line with Extant Principles of International Law which holds that the Actions of a Substantial or Local Entity are attributable to the State or Country itself.

Credit NAN: Texts excluding Headline

Former Presidents Muhammadu Buhari, Goodluck Jonathan, who attended the Council of State Meeting on Tuesday physically, and other former Presidents who attended virtually, passed a Vote of Confidence in President Bola Tinubu.

Dele Alake, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, said this while briefing State House Correspondents at the end of the Council of State Meeting in Abuja.

“A lot of issues were exhaustively discussed at the Meeting, and the Governors were all in attendance as well as some Ministers who were invited to make Presentations.

“We made Presentations on our Roadmap, on what we’ve been able to achieve, the prospects and the challenges in our various Ministries. At the end, we all passed a Vote of Confidence in President Tinubu,” he said.

He said the Ministers of Solid Minerals, Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Trade and Investment, Budget and National Budget, Agriculture, Works and Attorney General were invited to make Presentations to the Council.

He said the Individual Presentations by the Ministers were well received based on the Feedbacks received.

Alake said the Council also discussed the recent Nationwide Protest, which he said was an attempt to effect a Change of Regime by Force.

“And so the Council thanked Nigerians at large for resisting an Unconstitutional Move to change the Government. If anybody is not satisfied with any Government, there’s an Election coming. So, wait for the Election,” he said.

He said Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser, also briefed the Council on the Security Situation in the Country.

“We were assured that nobody will be allowed to truncate our hard-earned Democracy.

“Any change of Government has to be through the Ballot, and not through the Barrel of the Gun, or through Insurrection, or through any other Unconstitutional Means.

“We were reassured on the readiness of all Security Agencies in the Country to secure our Territorial Integrity and to protect Nigeria’s Democracy,” said Alake.

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), said one of the Outcomes of the Council of State Meeting was the Unanimous Passage of a Vote of Confidence in President Tinubu.

“Members, especially those of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, were satisfied with the Presentation by Members of the Federal Executive Council.

“Members of the NGF also, like Members of the Council of State, passed a Vote of Confidence in Mr President,” said the Governor.

Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, said he gave an update on the progress of Macroeconomic Policies being implemented by the Tinubu Administration.

“These Policies are anchored on Eight Priority Areas; and the Results to date have been very encouraging.

“We looked at the Data, we reported on the Evidence of this half year, which we compared to the First Quarter and Second Quarter of 2023.

“And in broad terms, the Economy is growing. The Balance of Payments in particular, the Trade Balance and the Currency Balance are in surplus.

“The Exchange Rate is stabilising, and Inflation is not uncomfortably high. It is slowing and it is set to fall,” said Edun.

According to him, there has been support for the Economy from Foreign and Domestic Investors who are participating in important Private Public Partnerships, particularly in the Infrastructure Sector.

“So, we reported that we will ensure that the Interventions and the Measures to ameliorate the high Cost of Living for Individuals, for the Agricultural Sector, for Industry, for Small-Scale Businesses will continue to be implemented.

“On that basis, we reported an optimistic Outlook for the Nigerian Economy and the Nigerian Society in general,” said Edun. 

Credit NAN: Texts excluding Headline

By Chijioke Okoronkwo and Felicia Imohimi

The current Cost of Living Crisis vis-à-vis attendant agitations has accentuated the need to scale up Agriculture Budget.

Policy Analysts hold that the N362.9bn appropriated to the Agriculture Sector in the 2024 Budget fell short of the 2014 Malabo Declaration that African Countries should allocate at least 10 per cent of their National Budgets to the Agricultural Sector.

Stakeholders in the Agriculture Sector are taking proactive Measures to ramp up Agriculture Budget in 2025 in order to bolster Food Production.

The Stakeholders converged on Lagos recently under the Aegis of the National Stakeholders Consultative Meeting on 2025 Agriculture Budget.

They comprised State Ministries of Agriculture, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMFS), Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, ActionAid Nigeria, Oxfam, GIZ, Community of Agriculture Non-State Actors (COANSA) and ECOWAS Commission.

Underlining the thrust of the Event, Elizabeth Egharevba, Director, Economic Growth Department, Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, said the Annual event was to assist the country to achieve the Malabo Declaration.

Egharevba, represented by Olaitan Fatai, Deputy Director in the Ministry, said that the Meeting was strategic by bringing together relevant Stakeholders to contribute their inputs into the 2025 Agricultural Budget.

She identified the Forum as a milestone in the Country’s efforts at ensuring that it achieved the Malabo declaration and proffered Solutions to the Country’s Food Insecurity.

Egharevba said that the result was to reduce Food Importation, pressure on External Reserve and much needed hard earned FOREX that would be channeled to other vital Developmental Need.

“This Platform facilitates more inputs into the 2025 Agriculture Budget by creating Ownership, linking and integrating Programmes that will help Nigeria not only to achieve Food Security but lead to attain other Deliverables.

“I am confident that we are embarking on a Landmark Journey that will make us tackle Food Insecurity and enhance synergy between Agencies in the Agriculture Sector’’, she said.

Egharevba said the Forum had made significant impact in improving the Budget of Agriculture since its inception in 2016.

The Director said Agriculture Budget had risen to six per cent as against 1.3 per cent in 2016.

“The Appropriation to Agriculture at Federal Level had been increasing steadily although yet to achieve 10 per cent of the Total National Budget in line with the Malabo Declaration,’’ she said.

Egharevba said that Government had devoted more Resources to Agriculture in the 2025 Budget through the development of the Cassava Bio-Ethanol Value Chain Project with a PPP Arrangement.

According to her, the Project is designed to be implemented in the six Geopolitical Zones to ensure the development of the entire Cassava Value Chain.

Sharing similar opinion, Ibrahim Tanimu, Director, Planning and Policy Coordination in the Ministry, said the Sector needed diversification through Innovation and Technology to enhance Production and ensure Food and Nutrition Security.

Tanimu said the Ministry at the moment was collaborating with Ministry of Science and Technology for the Production of fabricated implement that could assist Farmers to increase Productivity.

“We need Mechanisation not heavy Machines but smaller Fabricated Machine that we can produce locally using our own Initiative.

“We are collaborating with the Ministry of Science and Technology on the Production of Smaller Implements that can assist our Farmers at affordable Price,’’ he said.

Azubike Nwokoye, Food and Agriculture Programme Manager, ActionAid Nigeria (AAN), identified the Meeting’s Objectives as to leverage understanding on the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP).

Nwokoye said the Meeting was also to leverage understanding on the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) and its connection to the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Targets.

“The Meeting seeks to strengthen Citizens’ Participation towards making 2025 Agriculture Budget responsive to Food Systems Transformation and Wealth Creation.

“To support effective Biennial Reporting by Nigeria to the African Union Heads of States and Government in line with the Malabo Declaration and Commitments of 2014,” he said.

Andrew Mamedu, Country Director, AAN, said such Budgets should provide Line Items for the implementation of the National Gender Policy in Agriculture that addressed specific challenges affecting Women Farmers.

Mamedu urged Governments to avoid lumping up Budget for Women Farmers and other Groups like Youths.

He said that recent survey conducted by AAN on the Capacity of Smallholder Women Farmers to contribute effectively to Agricultural Development revealed that they were challenged with poor access to Credit and Inputs.

The Country Director listed other challenges as Post-Harvest Losses, reduction support, Insecurity, lack of access to Irrigation Support, Training, Market Access, among others.

Mamedu said that the challenges contributed to the current high Cost of Food in the Country.

According to Mamedu, Smallholder Farmers contribute 70 to 80 per cent of Agricultural Production in the Country.

He regretted that challenges confronting Smallholder Farmers were not prioritised in spite of their huge contribution to National Food Security,

“The Federal and State Ministries of Agriculture should scale up Yearly Budget Lines for support to Smallholder Women and Youth Farmers; reflecting on what should be prioritised especially in 2025 Budget based on realities on ground.

“National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro Pocket (NAGSAP) should be well funded and executed to address the Inputs gaps experienced by Smallholder Farmers, especially Women and Youth,’’ he said.

Memedu tasked Federal and State Governments on more Investment in Agriculture to address the Strategic Areas of Investment that would increase Agriculture Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to at least six per cent.

He listed the Strategic Areas as Extension Services, Access to Credit by Women and Youth in Agriculture and Appropriate Labour-Saving Technologies Inputs.

Memedu said Post-Harvest Losses Reduction Support such as Processing and Storage Facilities, Training and Market Access, Climate Resilient Sustainable Agriculture (CRSA), Agroecology, Research and Development, Monitoring and Evaluation also needed attention.

The Stakeholders, therefore, urged both the Federal and State Governments to ensure that the 2024 Budget and subsequent Budgets were Gender Sensitive.

It is Experts` opinion that massive and expeditious Funding is required for a turnaround in the Agriculture Sector.

They say that conscious and pragmatic Budgeting and its effective implementation will go a long way in boosting Food Security.

Credit NAN/Chijioke Okoronkwo and Felicia Imohimi

The Management of Realnews Magazine and Publications Limited, Publishers of Realnews Magazine Online, has selected Africa in World Shifting Geopolitics: Matters Arising on Demography, Technology, Artificial Intelligence, National Resources as the Topic for its 12th Anniversary Lecture Series coming up on Tuesday, November 19, 2024.

A Statement issued on Monday by the Online Magazine’s Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, Maureen Chigbo, reveals.

This Year’s Lecture Series according to the Statement, will be delivered by a revered African Diplomat, Academic, and Economist with Specialisation in International Relations and Political Science, who has served National Governments and International Organisations.

Seasoned Chief Executive Officers of Blue Chip Companies and Public Institutions will also feature as Chair of the Occasion, Guest of Honour, Keynote Speaker, and Panelists at the Lecture. Their names will be announced in October.

The Event is scheduled for 10 am at its regular Venue, Lagos Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja.

Realnews, a General Interest Magazine, is an Online Publication that thrives on Investigative Journalism with expertise in reporting the Business and Economy, Oil and Gas Sector as well as its attendant Environmental challenges.

“We aim to unearth Exclusive Stories about Real People and the challenges they face in their day-to-day Activities.

“We do this bearing in mind that Government can only act to influence the Lives of People positively if they are aware of their true situation.

“Hence, our objective is to use our Investigative Skills to ferret out Information in the Sectors we focus on and produce an Unbiased Report that will influence the Government and Decision-Makers to take actions that will make Society better.

“We are Seasoned Journalists who believe strongly in the Tenets and Ethics of the Profession.

“We sincerely believe that Journalism as the Fourth Estate of the Realm can contribute its quota towards building a Fair and Just Society where Fundamental Human Rights are respected and Citizens have the freedom to pursue their Interests anywhere in the World without hindrance.

“Our Editors have a combined experience of several decades in Active Journalism Practice and are highly dedicated to serving Humanity. Hence our motto: For God and Humanity,” says the Online Publication.

“The Realnews Anniversary Lecture Series was established to commemorate the Best Minds in our Society and to tap from them to enrich the Discourse in our National Development,” it added.

The Statement also chronicles past Lecture Series of the Online Magazine and their Keynote Speakers.

The 11th Anniversary Lecture Series of Realnews was delivered by Edwin Harris Jr., Director General of the ECOWAS Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering (GIABA) in 2023.

Buba Marwa, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Drug Abuse among Youths in Africa: Implication for Nigerian Economy and 2023 Election gave the Lecture in 2022.

In 2021, Simbi Kesiye Wabote, immediate past Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, delivered the  9th Anniversary Lecture Titled Nigeria in the Unfolding Integration of the African Market: The Oil and Gas Perspective.

Realnews 2020 8th Anniversary Lecture was delivered by Boss Mustapha, then Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 on Managing COVID-19 Pandemic in Africa: The Nigeria Experience.

Former President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana gave the 2019 7th Lecture on Beyond Politics: An Economic Narrative for West Africa while INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu spoke on Political Transitions and Africa’s Economic Development: Preparations for Nigeria’s 2019 General Elections at the 2018 6th Lecture.

The 2017 5th Anniversary Lecture on African Leadership in a Turbulent Era was delivered by Oby Ezekwesili, former Minister of Education and a past World Bank Vice President.

The 2016 4th Anniversary Lecture on Security and National Development in Plural Democratic Society was delivered by Mohammed Ibn Chambas, former United Nations Secretary General’s Special Representative to West Africa and Sahel.

In 2015, Realnews 3rd Anniversary Lecture was delivered by Chukwuma Soludo, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and current Anambra State Governor under the Theme: It’s The Nigerian Economy Stupid?

The 2nd Anniversary Lecture on Nigerian Democracy: Getting it Right in 2014 was delivered by Maurice Iwu, former

Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Realnews PR

Seplat Energy Plc, foremost Indigenous Energy Company, has reassured all Stakeholders of its commitment to driving and ensuring a Sustainable Business and creating increased Value for People and the Environment.

The Company also reiterated its resolve to addressing the dual challenges of ensuring Energy Security and meeting Climate Change Mitigation Targets.

The Director, New Energy, Seplat Energy, Okechukwu Mba, gave the assurance during a Panel Session at the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Nigerian Council’s 47th Nigeria Annual International Conference & Exhibition (NAICE) in Lagos, Themed “Energy Security: Exploring the Interplay Between Technology, Market Dynamics and Organisational Capabilities”.

Mba, who represented Roger Brown, CEO Seplat Energy Plc, at the Session, said every Molecule of Gas Seplat Energy produces is targeted at displacing Utilisable Diesel, and the Company’s new Gas Plant Developments now come with Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) installations, which promote Clean Energy and discourages the use of Biomass for cooking.

“We are committed to ending routine Gas Flaring by 2025, and all Projects aimed at making this a reality are on track,” Mba assured.

In a bid to end Gas Flaring as targeted, Seplat Energy has continued to progress efforts to secure Evacuation options for Unprocessed Associated Gas from the Sapele Flow Station. Alongside this, work has continued on the construction of the Sapele Integrated Gas Plant (SIGP), which is scheduled to be completed during H2 2024. Once operational, SIGP offtake has the potential to materially reduce Group Scope 1 Emissions.

Other ongoing key Flare-Out Projects, including the Western Asset Flares Out (Installation of VRU Compressors), Sapele LPG Storage & Offloading Facility, Oben LPG Project and Ohaji Flares Out Project, are on track for completion by their respective due dates.

The Seplat New Energy Director also referenced the Company’s Tree4Life Initiative, which recently saw the NEPL/Seplat Energy Joint Venture and the Edo State Government sign an Agreement that allocates 6,000 Hectares of Land from Edo State protected Forest Reserves to enable a Large-Scale Tree Planting Initiative by Seplat Energy Plc. This is in furtherance to increase Forest Cover and Carbon Sequestration efforts within the Region and ensuring a Sustainable Environment for Living.

The efforts by Seplat Energy and other Operators to drive LPG Penetration in Nigeria also received commendations from the 2024 SPE NAICE Participants and Organisers, as the moves are expected to boost supply of LPG in Nigeria and possibly bring down Prices of the Commodity, thus promoting accessibility and Energy Security.

Also speaking to Seplat Energy’s commitment to ensuring Sustainable Business Partnerships, Mba said all efforts are being deployed to check any form of Production Deferment and Downtime by ensuring strong Partnerships with Suppliers, who are continuously supported to succeed in delivering Value to Seplat Energy and its other Stakeholders.

On the current Opportunity available to Nigeria to ensure Energy Security, he said: “For Nigeria, it is important we use what we have (which is Gas) to address the Energy Challenges we have and further boost Energy Access for our People.”

Seplat Energy PR

By Olufemi Soneye

In its Editorial of 2nd August, 2024, the BusinessDay Newspaper, characteristically, launched another scurrilous and baseless attack on the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd). In the Editorial entitled: “NNPCL: Liability or Asset to Nigerians?”, the Newspaper set out to paint the picture of NNPC Limited that is a Liability to Nigeria instead of an Asset that it should be. It chronicled a litany of Issues which in its estimation have made the Company to lose its place as an Asset to the Nation. As to be expected, all the Issues it raised were either outright lies or unfair misrepresentation of facts. Let’s take a look at them one by one.

According to the Newspaper, NNPC Limited’s Status as an Asset is undercut by the opacity of its Operations and Corruption. The truth, however, is that this is a regurgitation of age-long allegations that have since been overtaken by the emergence of Mele Kyari as the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Company and the transition of the old NNPC as a Corporation into a Limited Liability Company under the Petroleum Industry Act.

One of the key thrusts of the Kyari-led Management since 2019 has been its focus on Transparency and Accountability. This was what gave rise to the Transparency, Accountability and Performance Excellence (TAPE) Management Philosophy under which the Company’s Audited Financial Statements began to be published annually since 2019. In fact, the same BusinessDay Newspaper that is so bent on hanging the tag of opacity on the Company actually honoured Kyari with its “Energy Executive of the Year” award in 2021 for turning the Fortunes of the Company around and entrenching the Culture of Transparency in the Company. But out of sheer mischief, the Newspaper has forgotten so soon and chosen to borrow some ignoble tricks from Josef Goebbel’s Playbook, that of repeating the lies of opacity and Corruption against the NNPC Limited frequently with the hope of sustaining the propaganda just so well the Public would believe the lies to be the truth.

The next point made in the Editorial is that of mismanagement of Resources and Inefficiency. In its bid to present a semblance of balance, the Newspaper acknowledged the role of Government interference in the Company. A bulk of the Legacy Problems, such as the age-long lack of maintenance of the Refineries, is traceable to Government interference. Any old Refinery Staff Member of the NNPC Limited will tell you that NNPC Engineers used to carry out the Turn-Around Maintenance of the Refineries until past Governments started dabbling in to influence Contracts for their Cronies.

However, with the PIA, all that is behind as the NNPC Limited now operates as a Limited Liability Company under the Company and Allied Matters Act (CAMA). As is presently constituted, the Company is owned by the Government through the Ministry of Finance Incorporated and the Ministry of Petroleum. But the PIA envisages that in no distant time, the Company will be listed on the Stock Exchange with Shares owned by Nigerians in their Individual Capacities. But prior to that time, the Management of the Company under Kyari has instituted a Management System encapsulated in the Performance Excellence Element of the TAPE Philosophy. Under this, the Company has made great strides in moving from a position of loss in 2019 to consistent profitability. This is in spite of the fact that the Company contends with monstrous odds in the form of Crude Oil Theft and Pipeline Vandalism.

The fact is: Companies like Saudi Aramco, with which the Newspaper tried to benchmark the NNPC Limited, do not contend with such odds that have very practical implications for Crude Oil Production. The Newspaper is only being disingenuous in blaming the Nation’s suboptimal Crude Oil Production on inefficiency in the NNPC Limited when it is common knowledge that the Security Challenges are not of the Company’s making. But even at that, the NNPC Limited has not fared badly in managing the bad situation to get the results that it has been posting in the past few years. The truth is that the current reality of the NNPC Limited, in terms of Management and Performance, does not reflect the picture of mismanagement and inefficiency that the BusinessDay tried to paint in its Editorial. The question that arises from all this, which the BusinessDay must answer, is: do Companies that have issues with mismanagement of Resources and Inefficiency make Profits as the NNPC Limited has consistently done in the past three years?

The other Issue that has stymied the NNPC Limited from being an Asset to the Nation, according to the BusinessDay, is its Monopolistic Control of the Petroleum Sector. Supporting its position, the Newspapers states: “The Corporation’s dominant position as the Sole Importer of Petrol and the Primary Issuer of Import Licenses for Diesel creates Market distortions”. This allegation, coming from a Business Newspaper like the BusinessDay, is very curious. For the Newspaper to state that NNPC Limited is the “Primary Issuer of Import Licenses for Diesel” shows how little it knows about the Oil and Gas Industry. It only means that the BusinessDay either does not know the difference between an Industry Regulator and an Operator or it just wants to take its mischief to a ridiculous level, hoping that the Public would swallow its lies hook, line, and sinker.

For the avoidance of doubt, NNPC Limited does not issue Import Licenses for Diesel or any Petroleum Product for that matter. This is because, NNPC Limited, as provided in Section 64 of the PIA, is an Operator just like any other Company that operates in the Oil and Gas Sector, and not a Regulator. The PIA makes Provision for the establishment of two Regulatory Agencies in the Sector. They are the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). The Newspaper actually acknowledged these two Regulatory Agencies in the Editorial. But how it came by the idea that the NNPC Limited issues Import Licenses to Marketers, a clear Regulatory Function, is really difficult to understand. This, however, goes to show that the Newspaper and its Editors know very little about the Subject Matter of their Editorial.

On the allegation that NNPC Limited runs a Monopoly in the Importation of Petrol, here are the facts that the BusinessDay failed to acknowledge in its Editorial. When the Downstream Sector was deregulated on 29th May, 2023, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration that Fuel Subsidy was gone, every Petroleum Marketer was automatically empowered to import the Product and sell at whatever Price(s) they chose. NNPC Limited only stepped in to close the gap as a Supplier of Last Resort, a role assigned to it by the Framers of the PIA to guarantee Energy Security for the Nation. NNPC Limited did not muscle any Marketer out of Petrol Importation to become a Monopoly. Besides, it does not look like the Company is making any Profit from being the Sole Importer of Petrol which is usually the major objective of Monopolists.

In fact, by playing this role of Sole Importer of Petrol at this time when others are not able to import the Product, NNPC Limited has proved to be a huge Asset to the Nation- much more of an Asset than the BusinessDay would want Nigerians and the World to believe!

Soneye, is the Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Limited.

My Fellow Nigerians,

1. I speak to you today with a heavy heart and a sense of responsibility, aware of the turmoil and violent Protests unleashed in some of our States.
2. Notably among the Protesters were young Nigerians who desired a better and more progressive Country where their Dreams, Hopes, and Personal Aspirations would be fulfilled.
3. I am especially pained by the loss of Lives in Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna and other States, the destruction of Public Facilities in some States, and the wanton looting of Supermarkets and Shops, contrary to the promise of Protest Organisers that the Protest would be peaceful across the Country. The destruction of Properties sets us back as a Nation, as scarce Resources will be again used to restore them.
4. I commiserate with the Families and Relations of those who have died in the Protests. We must stop further bloodshed, violence and destruction.
5. As President of this Country, I must ensure Public Order. In line with my Constitutional Oath to protect the Lives and Property of every Citizen, our Government will not stand idly by and allow a few with a clear Political Agenda to tear this Nation apart.
6. Under the circumstances, I hereby enjoin Protesters and the Organisers to suspend any further Protest and create room for Dialogue, which I have always acceded to at the slightest opportunity. Nigeria requires all hands on deck and needs us all – regardless of Age, Party, Tribe, Religion or other Divides, to work together in reshaping our destiny as a Nation. To those who have taken undue advantage of this situation to threaten any Section of this Country, be warned: The Law will catch up with you. There is no place for Ethnic bigotry or such threats in the Nigeria we seek to build.
7. Our Democracy progresses when the Constitutional Rights of every Nigerian are respected and protected. Our Law Enforcement Agencies should continue to ensure the full protection of Lives and Properties of Innocent Citizens in a responsible manner.
8. My Vision for our Country is one of a just and prosperous Nation where each Person may enjoy the Peace, Freedom, and Meaningful Livelihood that only Democratic Good Governance can provide – one that is open, transparent and accountable to the Nigerian People.
9. For decades, our Economy has remained anaemic and taken a dip because of many misalignments that have stunted our growth. Just over a year ago, our dear Country, Nigeria, reached a point where we couldn’t afford to continue the use of temporary solutions to solve long-term problems for the sake of Now and our Unborn Generations. I therefore took the painful yet necessary decision to remove Fuel Subsidies and abolish Multiple Foreign Exchange Systems which had constituted a noose around the Economic jugular of our Nation and impeded our Economic Development and Progress.
10. These Actions blocked the greed and the profits that Smugglers and Rent-Seekers made. They also blocked the undue Subsidies we had extended to our Neighbouring Countries to the detriment of our People, rendering our Economy prostrate. These decisions I made were necessary if we must reverse the Decades of Economic mismanagement that didn’t serve us well. Yes, I agree, the buck stops on my Table. But I can assure you that I am focused fully on delivering the Governance to the People – Good Governance for that matter.
11. In the past 14 months, our Government has made significant strides in rebuilding the Foundation of our Economy to carry us into a future of plenty and abundance. On the Fiscal side, Aggregate Government Revenues have more than doubled, hitting over 9.1 trillion Naira in the First Half of 2024 compared to the First Half of 2023 due to our efforts at blocking Leakages, introducing Automation, and mobilising Funding creatively without additional burden on the People. Productivity is gradually increasing in the Non-Oil Sector, reaching new levels and taking advantage of the Opportunities in the current Economic ambience
12. My dear Brothers and Sisters, we have come this far. Coming from a place where our Country spent 97% of all our Revenue on Debt Service; we have been able to reduce that to 68% in the last 13 months. We have also cleared legitimate outstanding Foreign Exchange Obligations of about $5bn without any adverse impact on our Programmes.
13. This has given us more Financial Freedom and the room to spend more money on you, our Citizens, to fund essential Social Services like Education and Healthcare. It has also led to our State, and Local Governments receiving the highest Allocations ever in our Country’s History from the Federation Account.
14. We have also embarked on Major Infrastructure Projects across the Country. We are working to complete inherited Projects critical to our Economic prosperity, including Roads, Bridges, Railways, Power, and Oil and Gas Developments. Notably, the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and Sokoto-Badagry Highway Projects will open up 16 Connecting States, creating thousands of Jobs and boosting Economic Output through Trade, Tourism and Cultural Integration.
15. Our once-declining Oil and Gas Industry is experiencing a resurgence on the back of the Reforms I announced in May 2024 to address the gaps in the Petroleum Industry Act. Last month, we increased our Oil Production to 1.61million Barrels per day, and our Gas Assets are receiving the attention they deserve. Investors are coming back, and we have already seen two Foreign Direct Investments signed of over half a billion Dollars since then.
16. Fellow Nigerians, we are a Country blessed with both Oil and Gas Resources, but we met a Country that had been dependent solely on Oil-Based Petrol, neglecting its Gas Resources to power the Economy. We were also using our hard-earned Foreign Exchange to pay for, and subsidise its use. To address this, we immediately launched our Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (CNG) to power our Transportation Economy and bring Costs down. This will save over two trillion Naira a month, being used to import PMS and AGO and free up our Resources for more Investment in Healthcare and Education.
17. To this end, we will be distributing a million Kits of extremely low or no cost to Commercial Vehicles that transport People and Goods and who currently consume 80% of the Imported PMS and AGO.
18. We have started the distribution of Conversion Kits and setting up of Conversion Centres across the Country in conjunction with the Private Sector. We believe that this CNG Initiative will reduce Transportation Costs by approximately 60 per cent and help to curb Inflation.
19. Our Administration has shown its commitment to the Youth by setting up the Student Loan Scheme. To date, 45.6billion Naira has already been processed for payment to Students and their respective Institutions
20. I encourage more of our vibrant Youth Population to take advantage of this opportunity. We established the Consumer Credit Corporation with over N200bn to help Nigerians to acquire Essential Products without the need for immediate Cash Payments, making Life easier for millions of Households. This will consequently reduce Corruption and eliminate Cash and Opaque Transactions. This week, I ordered the release of an additional N50bn each for NELFUND – the Student Loan, and Credit Corporation from the Proceeds of Crime recovered by the EFCC.
21. Additionally, we have secured $620m under the Digital and Creative Enterprises (IDiCE) – a Programme to empower our Young People, creating millions of IT and Technical Jobs that will make them globally competitive. These Programmes include the 3Million Technical Talents Scheme. Unfortunately, one of the Digital Centres was vandalised during the Protests in Kano. What a shame!
22. In addition, we have introduced the Skill-Up Artisans Programme (SUPA); the Nigerian Youth Academy (NIYA); and the National Youth Talent Export Programme (NATEP).
23. Also, more than N570bn has been released to the 36 States to expand Livelihood support to their Citizens, while 600,000 Nano-Businesses have benefitted from our Nano-Grants. An additional 400,000 more Nano-Businesses are expected to benefit.
24. Furthermore, 75,000 Beneficiaries have been processed to receive our N1million Micro and Small Business Single-Digit Interest Loans,  starting this month. We have also built 10 MSME Hubs within the past year, created 240,000 Jobs through them and 5 more Hubs are in progress which will be ready by October this year.
25. Payments of N1bn each are also being made to large Manufacturers under our Single-Digit Loans to boost Manufacturing Output and stimulate Growth.
26. I signed the National Minimum Wage into Law last week, and the Lowest-Earning Workers will now earn at least N70,000 a month.
27. Six months ago in Karsana, Abuja, I inaugurated the First Phase of our ambitious Housing Initiative, the Renewed Hope City and Estate. This Project is the first of six we have planned across the Nation’s Geopolitical Zones. Each of these Cities will include a minimum of 1,000 Housing Units, with Karsana itself set to deliver 3,212 Units
28. In addition to these City Projects, we are also launching the Renewed Hope Estates in every State, each comprising 500 Housing Units. Our goal is to complete a total of 100,000 Housing Units over the next three years. This Initiative is not only about providing Homes but also about creating thousands of Jobs across the Nation as well as stimulating Economic Growth.
29. We are providing Incentives to Farmers to increase Food Production at affordable Prices. I have directed that Tariffs and other Import Duties should be removed on Rice, Wheat, Maize, Sorghum, Drugs, and other Pharmaceutical and Medical Supplies for the next 6 months, in the first instance, to help drive down the Prices.
30. I have been meeting with our Governors and key Ministers to accelerate Food Production. We have distributed Fertilisers. Our target is to cultivate more than 10 million Hectares of Land to grow what we eat. The Federal Government will provide all necessary Incentives for this Initiative, whilst the States provide the Land, which will put millions of our People to work and further increase Food Production. In the past few months, we have also ordered Mechanised Farming Equipment such as Tractors and Planters, worth billions of Naira from the United States, Belarus, and Brazil. I can confirm to you that the Equipment is on the way.
31. My dear Nigerians, especially our Youth, I have heard you loud and clear. I understand the pain and frustration that drive these Protests, and I want to assure you that our Government is committed to listening and addressing the concerns of our Citizens.
32. But we must not let violence and destruction tear our Nation apart. We must work together to build a brighter Future, where every Nigerian can live with dignity and prosperity.
33. The task before us is a collective one, and I am leading the charge as your President. A lot of Work has gone into stabilising our Economy and I must stay focused on ensuring that the benefits reach every single Nigerian as promised.
34. My Administration is working very hard to improve and expand our National Infrastructure and create more Opportunities for our Young People.
35. Let nobody misinform and miseducate you about your Country or tell you that your Government does not care about you. Although there have been many dashed hopes in the past, we are in a new Era of Renewed Hope. We are working hard for you, and the results will soon be visible and concrete for everyone to see, feel, and enjoy.
36. Let us work together to build a brighter Future for ourselves and for Generations to come. Let us choose hope over fear, unity over division, and progress over stagnation. The Economy is recovering; Please, don’t shut out its Oxygen. Now that we have been enjoying Democratic Governance for 25 years, do not let the Enemies of Democracy use you to promote an Unconstitutional Agenda that will set us back on our Democratic Journey. FORWARD EVER, BACKWARD NEVER!
37. In conclusion, Security Operatives should continue to maintain Peace, Law, and order in our Country following the necessary Conventions on Human Rights, to which Nigeria is a Signatory. The Safety and Security of all Nigerians are paramount.
38. Thank God — and Thank you for your attention, and may God continue to bless our great Nation. Thank you very much.

By Gboyega Akosile

There is no gain saying that God in His infinite wisdom does not make mistakes - I know that most of the widely accepted Religions, in the World, Islam and Christianity, hold strongly to this Belief. He does as He pleases Himself in the Affairs of Man, with absolute precision.

This can be said of those that God has chosen and used to run the Affairs of Men in the World. From the days of Prophets, Kings, Queens and Rulers up to the present day Leaders, we believe that there is a Hand of God in their individual emergence as Controllers of Men’s Affairs.

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the 15th Governor of Lagos State is a good example of “Godsend” and a perfect description of God-does-not-mistakes.

Calm, humane, urbane, visionary and exemplary in many respects, Governor Sanwo-Olu personifies character, giving credence to what we describe as Omoluabi in Yorubaland.

I remember one of his Election Slogans, “When Lagos speaks, Sanwo-Olu listens”, which attracted some criticism from Naysayers who believed at the time that no Leader would fulfill such a promise. They dismissed it, concluding that it was a mere Political Talk.

Five years after, I see a Man who does not only listen to the yearnings of his People but takes immediate action to address their concerns. Yes, Sanwo-Olu listens!

In a space of five years, Governor Sanwo-Olu has touched many lives in a million ways than one could have imagined.

In fact, his THEMES+ Development Agenda was carefully and deliberately designed to help the course of Humanity. And he has painstakingly worked on each of the Pillars in ways that they directly impact the Lives of Lagosians.

It is common for Politicians to go to the Market with Bricks and Mortar- after all that is what the People can see and physically feel.

He has done more than enough of the Physical Infrastructure and millions of Lagos Residents can attest to such Projects as Roads, Hospitals, Schools, Museums etc that Governor Sanwo-Olu has constructed to make life abundantly easy for Lagosians.

Other Areas of his magic touch, which perhaps are more major in my estimation are those that are not necessarily Bricks and Mortar in nature but those that help to build the minds of our People. 

In education, Governor Sanwo-Olu revamped the Educational System in Lagos, and today, Lagos ranks among the top five in the West African Examinations Council’s Performance Index. He has created additional two State-owned Universities and he is already proposing a university of Medical Sciences. That to me is a bigger achievement.

The Health Sector has received so much attention that Lagos has been adjudged one of the best 10 Cities in Health Delivery across Africa. Work is still ongoing in Physical Infrastructure in the Health Sector. 

There are several other Areas like the Environment, Technology and Tourism, which have stood the Governor out as a Thinker and Doer. I consider most of these as the real deal because they provide the basis for the future of Lagos and her Residents.

Lagos State has grown increasingly in Global Livability Index, using some of the above factors as Parameters. The huge impact of the Country’s Economy has challenged most of the Leaders. In Lagos, Governor Sanwo-Olu has risen up to the challenge and has provided Leadership. 

As a Leader, he recognises the importance of Food Security in the State. He initiated the widely acclaimed Subsidised Food Market and the Ounje Eko Food Palliatives to cushion the effects of the Economic Downturn for the Vulnerable People in the State.

There are many sides to Governor Sanwo-Olu, that I have been privileged to witness firsthand. His genuine love for the Masses, his uncommon generosity, humility and simplicity are worthy of emulation. Perhaps these personal qualities are what endear him to the People he currently serves.

Today is his 59th Birthday and in celebrating, the Governor would be laying a Foundation for what would give birth to Sustainable Water Supply at the Lagos State International Water Conference as well as open Talks for Safety at the Lagos International Fire Safety Conference.

One would wonder why he would approve those very important Assignments on his Birthday, when others like him would prefer to stay at Home to receive Guests and probably party. It is because Governor Sanwo-Olu understands the enormity of the Tasks of Governance and the expectations of the People whose needs he must attend to at every hour of the day.

I want to wish my Boss, Mentor and Benefactor a Special Birthday full of happiness, peace and great health.

May God continue to direct every single of your steps as you work very hard to leave Lagos State better than you met it.

Congratulations, Sir.

Gboyega Akosile is the Special Adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu on Media and Publicity

By Kayode Adebiyi

Contrary to the Narrative of John Grisham’s Fictional Thriller, The Racketeer, this was a real-life, long-overdue gesture of genuine Friendship and Partnership, a testament to the shared interest in combating Trans-Border Crimes that pose a significant Global threat.

The Visit of one of the longest-serving Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Directors, Christopher Wray, to Nigeria last week signalled a new Era in cooperation between Nigeria and the United States.

With the increase in the growth and sophistication of Trans-Border Crimes and Criminal Networks in such Crimes as Cybercrimes, Online Fraud, Trafficking in Illicit Drugs and Money Laundering and Illicit Transactions, Government Agencies across the World are working closer for solutions.

Wray’s Historic Visit to Nigeria, marked by his Courtesy Calls on President Bola Tinubu and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, was a significant milestone. This was not only his first visit to Africa in his seven years as FBI Director but also a testament to the growing importance of Nigeria in the Global fight against Trans-Border Crimes.

Equally significant was Wray’s Inaugural Visit to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), where he held a crucial Meeting with the Chairman, Ola Olukoyede.

This Meeting, the first of its kind, underscored the importance of International Cooperation in combating Trans-Border Crimes and the confidence in the EFCC’s renewed Anti-Corruption efforts under Olukoyede’s Leadership.

There are perhaps a dozen Anti-Corruption Agencies in Africa, notable among them the EFCC, the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Hawks; the Kenyan Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC); the Ghanian Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO); and the Sierra Leonean Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), among others. Wray, however, visited only two – the EFCC and the EACC.

Wray’s Visit also aims to strengthen the Partnership between the FBI and the EFCC. In his remark during the Visit, Wray said: “We have had a Relationship over the years, and this is a reflection of how stronger than ever we are looking forward to taking our Partnership to higher and higher levels in tackling threats that affect the People of Nigeria and the People of the United States.”

In response, Olukoyede said in the fight against the “Bad Guys” and Trans-Border Crimes, the Commission was “willing to continue and develop Ideas that would be of mutual benefit to both Agencies and ensure that the Issue of Cybercrime will take utmost priority in our scale of preference and also ensure that Sextortion that has become a major challenge to us is taken very seriously.”

Wray’s Visit takes on a special meaning in the context of Statistics showing that apart from rising Cybercrimes, Illicit Drugs and Small Arms, Illicit Financial Flows also cost Africa around $88.6bn yearly.

Security Analysts hope a deeper Collaboration between the FBI and the EFCC will improve Capacity Building and Intelligence Sharing.

This genuine Collaborate among the two Agencies will mean that the Malcolm Bannisters of this World, the Fictional Character in Grisham’s Book, will have a hard time in the future.

Credit NAN/Kayode

By Kayode Adebiyi

As President Bola Tinubu Administration clocks one year, one of the promises he made during the Campaigns before his Election was to tackle Insecurity headlong.

During his Inauguration on May 29, 2023, the President promised to prioritise Security, saying neither prosperity nor justice could prevail amidst Insecurity.

“To effectively tackle this menace, we shall reform both our Security Doctrine and its Architecture.

“We shall invest more in our Security Personnel, and this means more than an increase in number. We shall provide better Training, Equipment, Pay and Firepower,” the President said.

According to Security Analysts, those promises were not just founded on emptiness, as they are captured in the President’s Campaign Manifesto dubbed the Renewed Hope Agenda.

The Renewed Hope Agenda of the President on National Security is hinged on three Components: fighting Terrorism and violent Extremism, ending Oil Theft and Illegal Exploration of the Country’s Resources, and stamping out violent Secessionist Agitations.

The President acknowledged in that Policy Document that the Fundamental Responsibility of Government is to protect the Lives and Property of its Citizens.

He, therefore, promised to mobilise Nigeria’s National Security, Military and Law Enforcement Assets to protect all Nigerians from danger and the fear of danger.

He also promised to expand and improve upon the use of Technology, enhance Recruitment of Personnel, and bolster existing Agencies and Systems to achieve his Fundamental National Security Goals.

What has been achieved in one year?

In line with his promise to seek Bilateral and Multilateral Cooperation, Nigeria hosted the Second Edition of the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership Dialogue, through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

The Event allowed Nigeria and the UK to reaffirm the two Countries’ deep and long-standing Security and Defence Relationship.

Nigeria also successfully hosted the High-Level Africa Counter-Terrorism Meeting, which brought together five Heads of Government, including the UN Deputy Secretary-General, and Leaders of other key Global Bodies.

Those Discussions focused on stability in the Sahel Region and garnered significant commitments to combat Terrorism and violent Extremism.

In the Area of Cybersecurity, which is a component of National Security, ONSA organised Sensitisation Workshops across seven Sectors.

The Sectors are Telecommunications, Defence and Security, Education, Finance and Capital Market, Energy, Professional Organisations, the Private Sector and Judiciary.

The aim is to provide Information, strengthen Cybersecurity Governance and coordination and build the Capacity of relevant Stakeholders on their Responsibilities under the National Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy (NCPS).

Along the line of the Provisions of the Renewed Hope Agenda, NSA Nuhu Ribadu also tackled three important National Security threats – Terrorism and violent Extremism, Oil Theft and Secessionist Agitation.

During an Inspection Tour of Oil and Gas Facilities in Abia and Rivers States Ribadu decried how the Country was still losing 400,000 Barrels of Crude Oil daily to Local and International Thieves.

According to the Director of Defence Media Operations,  Edward Buba, in the fight against Oil Theft, 1,437 Perpetrators were apprehended, with 363 neutralised. Additionally, 245 Kidnapped Hostages were rescued, leading to a marked decrease in Insurgent activities.

In less than a year, the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) puts Nigeria’s Oil Production at 1.28 million Barrels per day (bpd), signifying a 4.07 per cent increase from the 1.23 million bpd recorded in March 2024 — also indicating the first Month-on-Month Production Growth in the year.

Under the Tinubu Administration, the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) said its Counter-Terrorism and Insurgency Operations have led to the neutralisation of 9,303 Insurgents, the arrest of 6,998 Individuals, and the rescue of 4,641 Hostages.

The MNJTF also said that 9,562 Boko Haram/ISWAP Combatant Fighters and their Families surrendered to Security Forces.

Also, within a year, successful intelligence-led Operations have prevented numerous Terrorist Attacks and Criminal Activities.

High-profile Terrorist Commanders and their Associates were also said to be apprehended across multiple States, preventing potential catastrophic Incidents.

Confiscations include Illegal Items such as IEDs, Firearms, Ammunition, and dangerous Psychoactive Substances.

Available Media Content shows that Troops across various Theatres of Operations in the Country in separate Operations recovered over 21,000 Pump Action Cartridges, 440 Pump Action Rifles, and 228,741 Rounds of Ammunition within the past year, preventing potential attacks by recovering Suicide Jackets and Lethal Weapons.

On Regional Security and Stability, President Tinubu, as the Chairman of the ECOWAS, emphasised the importance of Regional and International Cooperation to effectively combat Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing, and the Financing of Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction.

To this end, his Government demonstrated the importance when the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) retrieved 20,000 Small Arms and 60,000 Units of Ammunition in Nigeria.

Police Reform is another Area in which the Administration has ticked the box.

As Chair of the Nigeria Police Council (NPC), the President set up a Constitutional Review Committee to carry out comprehensive Police Reforms.

The Committee, among other tasks, was charged to assess the lapses in the 1999 Constitution that are holding back Reforms of the Nigeria Police Force as well as enhance coordination and align Technology and Manpower Resources towards strengthening the Police.

As many Public Commentators have said, one year could be insufficient to analyse the performance of a Government, especially one carrying out Structural Reforms.

However, when it comes to National Security, there is a feeling that the Administration of President Tinubu was already putting in place Measures to sustain Security of Lives and Property of all Citizens.

Credit Kayode Adebiyi/NAN: Texts excluding Headline

By Monday Ijeh

Over the years, the dehumanising Working Conditions of Policemen, especially the Rank and File, has been a striking point.

Successive Administrations have largely ignored it and where remedial measures were taken they were grossly inadequate.

Promises to improve their Salaries, Barracks, Allowances and other Welfare Packages were often unfulfilled.

Security Experts say these challenges hindered Professionalism, effective service delivery in a system where success largely depends on Welfare of Personnel.

There have been calls for deliberate Policies to improve Police Welfare in the Areas of Housing, Promotion, Medics, Wards and Children’s Education, Pension and Gratuities.

The Experts also called on the Authorities to provide care for Families of Officers who died in Active Service.

Prominent Nigerians have called for better Welfare Package for Policemen and Women.

Former Bauchi State governor, Isa Yuguda says doing so would ensure effective and efficient Service Delivery.

Yuguda spoke during Public Presentation of a Book, Police and Administration of Criminal Justice in Nigeria, Contemporary Evaluation.

“There must be Incentive Package for Police Personnel to discourage them from accepting Incentives to do wrong and to ensure effective and efficient Service Delivery.

“Government must invest and not neglect the Nigeria Police to expect better Service Delivery,” he said.

To bridge the Working Equipment gap, some Governors have made donations to the Police Command in their States.

For instance, recently Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun used the occasion of visit by Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun to donate 25 new Patrol Vehicles and a state-of-art Surveillance Drones to the Police Command in the State.

The Lagos-Ibandan Expressway is one of the most difficult Areas to police in the Country with Kidnapping and Armed Robbery being a regular occurrence on the Road.

“One of the reasons why we took the decision to acquire this Drone was because of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

“It remains one of our most Vulnerable points for those that are travelling through Ogun State, being the Gateway to the rest of the Country and the West African Sub-Region”, the Governor told Egbetokun.

Upon the Appointment of Egbetokun as the 22nd Inspector-General of Police (I-G) by President Bola Tinubu on June 19, 2023 he identified the Welfare of Personnel as a cornerstone of his Reign.

Egbetokun held that a key aspect of enhancing Policemen Conditions was the provision of appropriate Housing during and after their Service and payment of Insurance Claims to Families of Officers who died in Active Service.

He said the current Housing Capacity meets only about 10 per cent of the Needs of more than 400,000 strong Workforce of the Nigeria Police.

The I-G, therefore, hinted on plans to establish N100bn Police Housing Fund to address the Housing Needs of Personnel.

Care and support have been extended to the Families of Deceased Officers as the I-G recently presented N1.6bn to Families of 727 of such Policemen.

He said the money was the Insurance Claims for the Deceased covering 2018/2019, 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 under the Group Life Assurance Policy of the Nigeria Police Force.

The Welfare and Professionalism among Police Personnel has received attention from the Highest Office in the Country.

President Bola Tinubu, at the maiden edition of the Nigeria Police Awards and Commendations Ceremony, stressed the need for more Training with the 21st Century Police expectations.

“In our tradition of honouring the Police Force in the life of this great Nation, we have approved the Adoption of the first week of April as Police Week. Furthermore, the last day of the week, the 7th of April, is hereby declared National Police Day in Nigeria.

“I must remind you that we don’t see you as just the Shields of the Nation. We don’t see you as Robots. We humanise you,” Tinubu was quoted by the Media as saying.

Tinubu lauded the conceptualisation of Police Veterans’ Foundation, an Initiative of Solomon Arase, a former I-G and Chairman, Police Service Commission (PSC).

“The conceptualisation of the Police Veterans’ Foundation is not only thoughtful but a great Initiative.  It is important we reflect on the Cost of Peace and Security in Nigeria’’ he said.

“This is to enable us fully appreciate and thank our Police Veterans, for placing the Nation’s Security before their own Lives,” he said.

He said the courage, sacrifices and commitment of the Veterans to Peace and Security, had created a huge debt that Nigeria cannot commensurately repay.

Mogaji Ibrahim-Olaniyan, National Chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), said the Appointment of Egbetokun by Tinubu as the I-G has led to giant stride to enhance the Welfare of Police Personnel.

According to him, the initiation of the Award Scheme was inspiring and motivating and enjoined Nigerians to support the current Police Leadership and urged the Federal Government to make Fund available for the Nigeria Police Operations.

While the past year has given Police Personnel a glimpse of hope concerning their welfare, observers say the authorities should match words with action.

They also call for more Equipment to bring the Police at par with its counterparts in other parts of the World. 

Credit NAN/Monday Ijeh: Texts excluding Headline

In Nigeria, a Young Tech-Savvy and Upwardly Mobile Population is teeming, and exploring derivable benefits of Digital Technologies. They are propelled by rapidly expanding Internet Access and steady Broadband Penetration, currently about 43 per cent. Our Digital Economy is poised for significant growth, positively impacting various Sectors and benefiting the Nation through enhanced Connectivity and Digital Skills.

Digital Transformation is happening Globally at a record pace. During the Covid-19 Pandemic, for example, Remote Work and Virtual Collaboration Tools took centre stage; Platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet became—and still are—essential for Meetings, Conferences and Team Collaboration. E-commerce and Online Retail have transformed how Consumers seamlessly order and receive Goods and Services.

Even traditionally Brick-and-Mortar Businesses are changing the ways they engage with their Customers through introduction of Digital Solutions to improve the Customer Experience. It is a no-brainer that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) are revolutionising our Lives for the better, whether in Education, Healthcare Delivery, Living, Public Services, Energy Management, and much more.

Suffice to say, that underpinning this Global Digital Transformation is the indispensable Role of Telecommunications Infrastructure. Universal, affordable, reliable and fast Telecom Services are becoming Social Rights, as Mobile Networks and Data-Centres form the backbone for Digital Transformation by enabling the storage and processing of large amounts of Data as well as the integration of Digital Technologies into numerous use cases.

For President Bola Tinubu, the Renewed Hope Agenda draws us all to a more promising outlook. Inherent in his Agenda is the pledge to embolden and support the Youth and Women by harnessing emerging Sectors such as the Digital Economy.

In delivering this vision, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani unveiled a Blueprint appropriately titled – “Accelerating our Collective Prosperity through Technical Efficiency” with the goal of supporting Nigeria’s Economic Growth by enhancing Productivity, facilitated by Digital Innovation.

Acknowledging the criticality of resilient Telecommunications Infrastructure to a robust Digital Economy, Tijani’s Strategic Agenda 2023 — 2027 sets targets to achieve a 50 per cent improvement in Quality of Service (QoS) by the end of 2024; to boost Nigeria’s Broadband Penetration rate to 70 per cent by the end of 2025; to deliver Data download speed of 25Mbps in Urban Areas and 10Mbps in Rural Areas by the end of 2025; to provide coverage for, at least, 80 per cent of the Country’s Population, especially the Underserved and Unserved Populations by the end of 2026; to reduce the gap of Unconnected Nigerians in Rural Areas from 61 per cent to less than 20 per cent by 2027; and to secure between 300 per cent to 500 per cent increase in Broadband Investment by the end of 2027. 

Drawing from the Strategic Agenda of the Ministry, Aminu Maida, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission, (NCC) has emplaced three Strategic Focus Areas for the Commission: The Consumers, the Industry and Licensees; and the Government.

Maida’s approach to delivering on President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda comes from the recognition that each of these Stakeholders has a unique perspective and different, occasionally-paradoxical expectations of the Commission. His goal is to forge a path that carefully balances each Stakeholder’s needs while meeting their expectations.

Consider the Consumers—who are central to Maida’s focus—for example. His approach focuses on ensuring that they receive an enhanced Quality of Experience, beyond the narrow and very technically-evaluated Quality of Service.

Quality of experience takes into account all touch points along the Consumers journey in using Telecom Services from selection, through on boarding, usage, support and even off-boarding. This means that, Consumers are empowered to make the right Network Selection, enjoy a seamless onboarding into the Network of their choice, enjoy quality Service at fair Costs, receive responsive Customer Service and enjoy protected off-boarding where they chose to leave the Network.

To address Consumer complaints on Data depletion, the Commission has directed Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to conduct an Independent Audit of their Billing Systems and is concluding a Consultation Process to simplify Tariff Plans. These Initiatives would provide enhanced transparency to the Consumer. 

The Commission, under Maida, rather than taking a National outlook on Data collection for Quality-of-Service Delivery, has adopted an approach where more Granular Data is collected from Operators and analysed to determine quality of Service at very small, local levels,  to allow the deployment of Optimised Solutions or Regulatory actions where needed. 

On the side of the Industry and Licensees of the Commission, Maida’s focus is aimed at forging a resilient Industry and enhancing the delivery of Regulatory Services. Since he came on board, the Commission has shown commitment to tackling Industry Debt Issues more seriously.

It has also embarked on critical Advocacy Initiatives to address long-term challenges in the Sector, including Advocacy for designating Telecom Infrastructure as Critical National Infrastructure, as well as successfully persuading over six States to waive Right of Way (RoW) Fees, even as he initiates Discussions with more States.

The Commission, under Maida’s Leadership, is equally engaging with the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms towards addressing Multiple Taxation Issues in the Telecoms Sector.

In order to ensure that the Industry is in line with current realities, the Commission is also undertaking a Review of its extant Regulatory Instruments and Licensing Frameworks. For instance, Quality of Service Regulations have been reviewed to incorporate Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for 5G and other Participants that are critical to the Quality of Service.

By achieving expected QoS KPIs, high-speed internet connectivity, and forging a resilient and innovative Telecommunications Industry, the Commission is actively supporting the Ministry's vision of boosting Economic Growth and Productivity through Technological Innovation, delivering on the promise of Renewed Hope for all Nigerians.

Credit NCC PR

We, the Heads of State and Government of Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, the Prime Minister of Mauritania, the Ministers of Defence, the National Security Advisors, and Senior Government Representatives of African Union Member States, the African Regional Economic Communities/Regional Mechanism, African Union Commission, the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, Africa’s Development Partners, and over twenty Civil Society Organisations converged at the High – Level African Counter – Terrorism Meeting, from 22nd to 23rd April 2024, in Abuja, Nigeria, under the theme: “Strengthening Regional Cooperation and Institution Building to Address the Evolving Threat of Terrorism in Africa”:

• Recognizethe continuing relevance of the instruments adopted by the African Union/Organization of African Unity (OAU), including the Communiqués of the African Union Peace and Security Council and the United Nations Security Council as well as relevant normative frameworks of all participating Regional Economic Communities/Regional Mechanisms, aimed at addressing the scourge of terrorism and violent extremism on the African Continent;
• Recallin particular the desire of the African Union to silence the guns on the Continent by the year 2030 and note the fact that the spread of terrorism and violent extremism in different parts of the African Continent poses a significant threat to peace, security, and stability in Africa, as well as hinder progress being made towards the achievement of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and African Union Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want;
• Acknowledgethat the growing activities of terrorist groups and the lethality of their attacks particularly in parts of West Africa and the Sahel, Central, Eastern and Northern Africa, is exacerbating insecurity in these regions;
• Notethat terrorist groups with affiliations to Al-Qaeda and/or Da’esh capitalize on local grievances, frequently rooted in inequalities, poor governance, lack of development, violations and abuses of human rights, as well as the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, to forge extensive operational networks and disseminate radical ideologies; Further notes that these groups exploit instability and conflict to escalate attacks across the continent and expand their zone of influence and control;

• Acknowledge the need to adequately address the root causes and structural drivers of terrorism, violent extremism in Africa and emphasize the imperative for greater collective action in addressing the challenges of terrorism and violent extremism on the Continent given its spiral effects;
• Guided by our desire to have an important platform for focused discussions, exchange of experiences, and identification of practical strategies to address the evolving threat of terrorism on the continent, consider the High–Level African Counter–Terrorism Meeting held from 22nd– 23rd April 2024, as one in the series of events being considered as a part of the Abuja Process for addressing terrorism concerns and underscore the following as its focus:

1. a) an African-led and African-owned approach to countering terrorism;

1. b) strengthening regional and sub-regional cooperation,;
2. c) encouraging prevention and effective counter measures to address the spread of terrorism, ;
3. d) build capacities of Member States critically challenged by terrorism and violent extremist tendencies.

• Recognised that the United Nations New Agenda for Peace seeks to enhance global peace and security through the building of trust, solidarity, universality and multilateralism, grounded in the UN Charter and further noting that the UN Summit of the Future, to be held in September 2024, in New York, presents an opportunity to build a more effective, inclusive, and renewed multilateralism tuned to the needs of the 21st century, including through forging international efforts to counter terrorism, and deepening investment in regional security and recognizing that the collective actions embodied in the “Pact for the Future,” of the Summit are intended to strengthen dedicated support to peace, security, and stability in Africa;
• Guided by the above understanding, the High – Level African Counter – Terrorism Meeting was organized around the following four sessions:

1. The evolving landscape of terrorist threat and operations in Africa;

1. Lessons Learned and Best Practices in countering terrorism and preventing violent extremism;

1. Enhancing regional capacities to counter and prevent terrorism on the continent;
2. Strengthening cooperation between international partners and African Member States affected by the scourge of terrorism.

       Hereby declare to undertake the following:

      ON THE EVOLVING TERRORIST THREAT LANDSCAPE IN AFRICA

• Unequivocally condemn all manifestations of terrorism and violent extremism on the Continent of Africa and expressly reaffirm our collective commitment to strengthening the security of African States in line with the Common African Defense and Security Policy and within the spirit of finding African solutions to Africa’s security challenges;
• Condemn in particular, increasing terrorist threat against vulnerable targets, including critical infrastructure and public places in some parts of the Continent;
• Urge international partners to similarly affirm zero tolerance for terrorism regardless of the motives, and to take appropriate practical measures to ensure that their respective territories are not used by terrorists for the organization and or financing of terrorist acts to be committed against other States or their citizens;
• Pay tribute to all African citizens and peace keeping and peace enforcement personnel who paid the ultimate sacrifice combating terrorist groups in the Continent and beyond;
• Acknowledge the existence of critical gaps in counter-terrorism capabilities of most African countries and highlight the intersection of socio-economic disparities, political instability, armed conflict, porous borders, lack of cross-border cooperation, and governance challenges in the evolution of terrorist activities on the Continent;
• Emphasise that only through unity and cooperation can Africa Member States be able to effectively counter terrorism on the Continent; In that connection, underscore the imperative for African Member States to prioritize countering terrorism within their territories and promoting balanced implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, adopted through consensus by all Member States of the United Nations, as well as the AU Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism (1999); Plan of Action on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism in Africa, (2002) and the Protocol to the OAU Convention on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism (2004), and Malabo Declaration on Terrorism and Unconstitutional Changes of Government in Africa (2022);
• Note the imperative for effective responses to issues of terrorism and violent extremism on the Continent including through implementation of comprehensive border strategies and national action plans;

;

• Agreed that climate insecurity could exacerbate fragile contexts as well as act as a risk multiplier in combination with other underlying drivers of violent extremism conducive to terrorism;
• Condemn the growing use of a variety of new technologies for terrorist purposes, including use of remotely operated systems, to prepare or conduct terrorist attacks;
• Express concerns over the undue targeting of youth online by terrorism groups, including through online gaming, gaming adjacent platforms and various social media platforms and in this regard, underscore the need for innovative approaches for countering online radicalization and exposure of African Youths to violent extremist tendencies and the recruitment efforts by terrorist groups. Also underscore the need to counter all mis/disinformation and hate speech leading to violent extremism, and encourage African Member States to leverage opportunities offered by digital tools, including artificial intelligence, to strengthen their counter-terrorism and preventive measures; Underline that respect for international humanitarian law, protection of civilians, ensuring humanitarian access and the prevention of the illicit sales of small arms and light weapons must be prioritized by all, in conflict contexts.

       ON COUNTERING TERRORISM AND PREVENTING VIOLENT EXTREMISM CONDUCIVE TO TERRORISM:         LESSONS LEARNED AND BEST PRACTICES

• Shared lessons learned and good practices from national, regional, and global experiences in combating terrorism and preventing violent extremism and resolve to explore ways to address conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, including prioritizing investments in education, integration of counter-terrorism and violent extremism efforts into broader agendas linked to the SDG 16 and relevant aspirations of Agenda 2063
• Reiterate the importance of promoting effective African-led and African-owned strategies for countering terrorism and in this regard, underscore the need to explore practical strategies for community-led approaches and meaningful/safe engagement of local communities, with the need for the United Nations, Africa’s Development partners and the international community to support such efforts that is grounded in local contexts and needs to ensure the achievement of the intended outcomes from their engagement;
• Emphasise the need for African Leaders to promote youth empowerment and engagement, at both the strategic and operational levels, as an imperative for success given their roles as positive change-makers;
• Underscore the need for the African Members States supported by the international community, particularly the United Nations and International partners to strengthen their respective control of arms and dual – use goods;
• Reaffirm the importance of adopting comprehensive national, regional, and continental strategies to tackle the escalating menace of terrorism and its underlying causes, as well as all the factors that contribute to its expansion and dissemination; and in this context, we emphasize the need for countries affected by terrorism to mainstream political solutions to their ongoing security and military measures, and Stress the urgency of developing a comprehensive Continental Strategic Plan of Action on countering terrorism in Africa, to consolidate coordination and enhance actions;
• Welcomed all African Member States that, at one point or the other, made efforts to address deep–rooted issues with genocidal potential, radicalization and violent extremism and in this connection, encourage peaceful settlement of underlying causes of inter and intra–community conflicts through the adoption of policies that discourages economic, religious and culture–based discriminatory practices/tendencies, the strengthening of inter and intra–community dialogues as well as the implementation of actions with potentials to consolidate social cohesion, promote the culture of peace, and prevent conflicts in societies;
• Underline the need to promote the meaningful participation, leadership, and representation of women, youth, victims of terrorist activities and/or people in special situations in decision-making processes related to counter-terrorism;
• Urge all United Nations and African Union Member States to enhance cooperation and collaboration in fighting the scourges of terrorism, radicalization and violent extremism and to deepen and intensify their collective security efforts, through joint operations, signing extradition agreements, as well as establishing platforms for sharing their experiences, best practices and lessons in preventing and combating terrorism, radicalization and extremism;
• Emphasise the need to address terrorist propaganda based on inter–religious tensions and the clash of civilizations narrative; express respect for all faiths and belief systems noting that distorted narratives based on the misinterpretation and misrepresentation of religion to justify violence are often leveraged to recruit supporters, particularly foreign terrorist fighters, mobilize resources and garner support from sympathizers of terrorism groups and activities;
• Call upon all external actors to cease support(s) to terrorist groups on the Continent and reiterate the request for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) from the Continent;
• Acknowledge the establishment of the United Nations Integrated Border Stability Mechanism (IBSM) in 2023, considered that Models based on the IBSM framework could be useful for intercontinental, regional and sub-regional efforts and underscore the need for good practices on the prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegration of FTFs to be strengthened and shared more widely, as has been done by UNOCT in collaboration with the Lake Chad Basin Commission in the past;
• Recognise that innovative approaches, including those leveraging advanced behavioural science, are crucial for effectively tackling violent extremism and radicalization across the continent and in this regard, underscored that such strategies, as embodied in the work of the UNOCT Behavioural Insights Hub in Doha, could contribute significantly to building resilient societies better equipped to withstand and recover from the threats of extremism and radicalization;
• Further recognise the importance of tackling terrorist financing through targeted and coordinated actions as well as the important role of international, regional, and sub-regional organizations in supporting African States, and in this regard, we welcome UNOCT’s commitment to deepening its support for FATF-Style Regional Bodies in Africa, particularly in the West African Sub – Region, as a way of by promoting the implementation of risk-based approaches to terrorist financing, and to ensure that resources are best allocated according to identified threats and documented vulnerabilities;
• Resolve to strengthen our individual and collective fight against local and external financiers and funding sources for terrorism and terrorist activities in Africa and promote improvement in the management of natural resources in every part of the Continent;
• Welcome the important role being played by International Centres for Counter Terrorism as independent think–and–do tanks shaping effective and evidence–based counter–terrorism and violent extremism policies, grounded in human rights and the rule of law across the world and in this connection, decide to upgrade the Nigerian National Counter–Terrorism Centre, Abuja, to a Regional Counter–Terrorism Centre;
• Request the United Nations, particularly the United Nations Office for Counter–Terrorism and the United Nations Security Council, as well as the African Union, in particular, the African Union Peace and Security Council and the African Union Counter Terrorism Centre, and indeed, international partners, including the European Union, to provide the needed support and resources to ensure the upgrade as well as its immediate take off and effectiveness as a centre of excellence on issues of counter terrorism in Africa.

        ON ENHANCING REGIONAL CAPACITIES TO COUNTER AND PREVENT TERRORISM

• Recognise the importance of promoting and effectively utilizing existing instruments and delivering on previous commitments, including those from the AU Extraordinary Summit held in Malabo in May 2022 and in this regard, we reiterate commitment to the implementation of the decisions related to counter-terrorism in the Declarations of the 16th Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union on Terrorism and Unconstitutional Changes of Government;

• Call for the long-anticipated activation of the AU Peace and Security Council’s Sub-Committee on Counter-Terrorism to be immediately and fully operationalised to enable it fulfil its advisory mandate;
• Affirm that regional economic communities and regional mechanisms are the building blocks for Africa’s continental integration agenda, as well as its peace and security architecture, hence the need to harness the potential of these structures to help strengthen the coordination of counter-terrorism efforts and deliver impactful support where it is needed most.
• Welcome the regional mechanisms and initiatives established to address security challenges, including sub-regional security arrangements, such as the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) against Boko Haram; Recall that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has stressed the imperative of improved coordination of counter-terrorism efforts, calling for the operationalization of the ECOWAS Standby Force;
• Emphasise the need to further strengthen existing cooperation mechanisms at the regional and continental levels to enable them more effectively respond to the transnational nature of terrorism, and reiterated the imperative to connect counter-terrorism coordinators in various regions affected by terrorism on the African Continent for better coordination and the sharing of expertise and resources, where possible;
• Express the desire of Regional Economic Communities and countries affected by the scourge of terrorism to benefit from the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact virtual platform; Urge all African Union Regional Economic Communities/Regional Mechanisms to fully utilize the cooperative mechanisms established to address country–and region–specific issues, most notably the Sahel Fusion and Liaison Unit (UFL), the Nouakchott Process on the Enhancement of Security Cooperation and the Operationalization of the African Peace and Security Architecture in the Sahelo–Saharan Region, the Djibouti Process and the Accra and other initiatives established to respond to growing insecurity linked to violent extremism in the regions;
• Call for the enhancement of coordination mechanisms between the UN and regional organizations, economic communities/mechanisms, such as the African Union (AU), EAC, ECCAS, ECOWAS, IGAD, AIMC and SADC, toward the fostering of synergies in joint programming and the enhancement of information-sharing amongst all key actors;
• Welcome UNOCT’s capacity building programmes and work in the areas of fusion cells, border security, behavioural insights, countering the financing of terrorism, small arms and light weapons, investigations, cyber, preventing and countering violent extremism and protection of victims of terrorism;
• Welcome the ongoing commitment of the UNOCT’s to the enhancement of interagency coordination and information sharing and we emphasize the need for international and regional organizations as well as international partners to prioritize providing capacity-building support that responds to the reality of African Member States in different sub-regional arrangements, including through the work of the UNOCT Rabat Training Centre for Africa and the UNOCT Nairobi Office;
• Recognise the need for Africa to build strong and professional armies, equipped with the correct ideology of Non-Sectarianism; Pan-Africanism; and Nationalism, in order to defeat terrorism; and in this regard, reiteratesthe call for the immediate operationalization of the African Standby Force (ASF), the finalization of the Memorandum of Understanding between the AU and African Regional Economic Communities/Regional Mechanism on the ASF and the strengthening of coordination between the African Union Peace and Security Council, Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms on its utilization;

         ON STRENGTHENING COOPERATION BETWEEN INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS AND AFFECTED                       AFRICAN MEMBER STATES

• Emphasise the need to pursue a multidimensional approach in addressing the structural root causes and drivers of insecurity on the continent, including through the promotion of good governance, constitutionalism, human rights, adherence to the rule of law and democracy;
• Underscore the need for the promotion of the nexus between peace, security and socio-economic development, and the prevention of the illicit flow of small arms and light weapons into Africa, as well as addressing in a comprehensive manner, the devastating impact of climate change on livelihoods;

;

• Highlight the need to clearly identify priority threats and capacity gaps for targeted responses underscored the need to explore ways to bolster collaboration between international funding partners and African Member States to effectively prevent and/or counter terrorists activities on the Continent;
• Stress the importance of including non-traditional partners like the private sector, think tanks, and academic institutions, in identifying threats and co-designing initiatives;
• Underscore the need international partners to respect the sovereignty of African States facing terrorism challenges and to respect international law, particularly the regional ownership, and the enhancement of cooperation in all their assistance to African Member States facing terrorism challenges;
• Acknowledge the important efforts of the African Union Commission (AUC) in operationalizing the AU Peace Fund as the fund remain a critical instrument for addressing urgent peace and security challenges on the Continent; while commending contributions made by African Member States in this regard

• Underscore the need for coordinated efforts in countering terrorism in Africa as well as the role of adequate, sustainable and predictable funding in combating all forms of insecurity on the African Continent, particularly terrorism and violent extremism on the continent and in this regards, acknowledge the adoption of Resolution 2719 (2023) by the United Nations Security Council on financing of African Union-led Peace Support Operations and emphasized that although it fell short of the 100% access to UN assessed contribution that Africa requested as a way of guaranteeing predictable, adequate and sustainable financing of AU peace and security activities, Resolution 2719 (2023) could contribute to the funding requirement for combating terrorism and violent extremism in Africa, in all its forms and manifestations;
• Resolve to scale up efforts to combat transnational organized crime especially the deliberate proliferation of illicit arms in Africa, including through enhanced intelligence sharing mechanisms, border management, cooperation and control and we call on the United Nations system and Agencies to support the development/adoption of robust frameworks and legislative, as well as the enhancement of the operational capacities of African Member States confronted by the challenges of terrorism and violent extremism and to contribute towards the sharing of good practices for the effective elimination of the supply of weapons to non – state armed groups in Africa;
• Stress the urgent need for the improved deployment of greater support and resources towards strengthening cybersecurity activities in Africa and taking concrete steps to prevent the use of social media and other platforms by terrorists;
• Commend, in this regard, the UNOCT for reaffirming its commitment to integrating emerging technologies in the framework of its technical assistance to African Member States, helping them to prevent and counter cybersecurity related emerging threats in a human rights-compliant and gender-responsive manner, and leveraging the potential of these technologies to support counter-terrorism and violent extremism efforts across the continent;
• Emphasise the need for closer collaboration among national stakeholders, civil society, regional and sub-regional organizations as well as international partners, in delivering assistance and strengthening support and protection of victims of terrorism,;
• Stress the importance of strengthening the capacities of the African Union Commission (AUC) and its specialised agencies, as well as those of Regional Economic Communities/Regional Mechanisms to enhance the effectiveness of their respective Member States combating terrorism and violent extremism;
• Urge the AUC to continue providing technical assistance to its Member States through its Continental Counter-Terrorism Early Warning System and w encourage Member States and Regional Economic Communities/Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs) to improve their coordination, strengthen regional and continental efforts and regularly exchange experiences in their combater terrorism efforts;
• Welcome the commitment of the UNOCT, in coordination with other partners, to strengthen the development and implementation of dedicated packages of capacity building programmes and other forms of targeted supports to African States in the priority areas of assistance identified during the Meeting;

We fully concure that the Abuja Process is an African-led and African-owned series of meetings aimed at strengthening regional and sub-regional cooperation to counter terrorism and prevent violent extremism, strengthen coordination of counter-terrorism initiatives, share expertise, and mobilize resources for critical counter-terrorism programmes.

We thank the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, organisers of the High Level African Meeting on Counter Terrorism as well all Member States, international and regional organizations and civil society groups and international partners who participated in this event and contributed to the discussions.

Given that our objective is to make the process beneficial for all critical situations on the Continent, we decide that the dates and venue for the follow-up meetings of this Process will be made known in due course.

We request the African Union Peace and Security Council to consider and endorse this Declaration and to recommend same to the United Nations Security Council for appropriate action.

Adopted on this 23rd day of April, 2024 In Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria

In recent times the Naira, Nigeria’s Legal Tender, appears to be getting stronger after an all-time low of N1,900 in exchange to the Dollar in February.

The Currency started its gradual appreciation in March, peaking at N1,230 at the Parallel Market in the first week of April.

Trouble had started for the Naira when President Bola Tinubu, shortly after assuming Office on May 29, announced his Administration’s decision to float the Currency.

Tinubu’s plan was contained in a comprehensive Monetary Policy Reforms meant to ensure a single Exchange Rate for Naira.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), afterwards, adopted a clean Float Foreign Exchange Management Policy and announced immediate changes to Operations in the Nigerian Foreign Exchange (FX) Market.

As part of its Policies to ensure Economic recovery, the CBN announced the unification of all Segments of the FX Market.

Previously, there were Foreign Exchange Rates for different purposes such as Medical Tourism and Studies, Pilgrimages, the Parallel Market and CBN among others.

The FX Market Liberalisation Policy saw the devaluation of the Naira as the “Willing Buyer, Willing Seller” Model was introduced.

The Apex Bank abolished the hitherto Multiple Exchange Rate windows and collapsed them into the Business-based Investors and Exporters (I&E) Window.

Afterwards, the Naira, which had exchanged at N400 to the Dollar at the CBN-controlled Official Window and N700 to the Dollar at the Parallel Market, went on a free fall, to over N1,000 to the Dollar in Decembere 2023.

The Policy also worsened Inflation in the Country, evidenced by sky-high Costs of Goods and Services.

Some Stakeholders believed that floating the Naira at that time, even with so much Dollar Illiquidity, was ill-advised.

Others urged the CBN to employ Monetary Policy Tools to stabilise and strengthen the Naira and to also tackle Inflation.

Okechukwu Unegbu, a past President of Chattered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), urged the CBN to use its Monetary Policy tools to moderate the Exchange Rate and drive down Inflation.

“President Bola Tinubu already took some sensitive Policy Decisions, even before appointing the CBN Governor and the Finance Minister.

“Floating the Naira was a major error that has caused the Nation so much pain,” he said.

Bismarck Rewane, an Economist and Managing Director of Financial Derivatives, a Business Management Consultancy Firm, said that loose Monetary Conditions were totally different from tight Monetary Policy.

“You fight loose Monetary Conditions by tightening Monetary Policy.

“There will be an effect of that because Interest Rate will increase, People will save more and consume less, and the Currency will stabilise over time. There is no quick-fix,” he said

However, at the Meeting of its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) in February, the first to be chaired by Yemi Cardoso as Governor, the Apex Bank adopted an aggressive tightening of the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) by 400 Basis Points, from 18.75 per cent to 22.75 per cent.

Cardoso said that on-going Reforms at CBN would check rising Inflation and address distortions in the Foreign Exchange Market.

He listed some of the Reforms to include the Unification of the Foreign Exchange Market and the promotion of a Willing Buyer Willing Seller Model.

Carfoso said that other Reforms were removal of all limits on margins for International Money Transfer Operators (IMTO) Remittances, introduction of a two-way Quote System, and the broad Reforms in the Bureau De Change (BDC) Segment of the Market.

After that Meeting, the Naira began its progressive movement upward, an indication that the it responded positively to the MPC decision to tighten the lending rate aggressively.

Shortly after, the CBN announced revocation of Operational Licences of 4,173 Bureaux De Change (BDCs) for failure to observe some Regulatory Provisions.

The Apex Bank stated that it was revising the Regulatory and Supervisory Guidelines for BDC Operations in Nigeria, adding that compliance with the new requirements would be mandatory for all Stakeholders in the Sector.

Again, at its MPC Meeting in March, the CBN announced another aggressive Policy tightening, raising the MPR by another 200 Basis Points, from 22.75 per cent to 24.75.

Cardoso said that recent stability achieved in the Foreign Exchange Market were commendable and had started yielding results.

“The Committee noted with satisfaction the level of stability achieved in the Foreign Exchange Market in the last few weeks.

“This, in the view of Members, reflects the impact of the CBN’s recent Policy Actions and Reforms, as well as increased transparency in the Market.

“In addition, the Committee noted the efforts of the Apex Bank in offsetting verified Foreign Currency Obligations, an action that will greatly enhance Investor Confidence and attract Foreign Investments to Nigeria,” he said.

The President, Association of Bureau De Change of Nigeria (ABCON), Aminu Gwadabe, said that recent Monetary Policy Decisions of the CBN had made the Naira to gain value.

According to Gwadabe, the Dollar exchanging at between N1,300 and N1,900 was inorganic.

“I see the Naira maintaining its organic journey, which is N1,200 to the Dollar, ” he said.

He said that the CBN had taken a lot of measures to stabilise the Foreign Exchange Market by way of Treasury Bills that had attracted billions of Dollars, with the promise of almost $30bn coming in.

“The CBN has also fixed the Lending Rate to 24.75 per cent so as to reign in Inflation.

“The Apex Bank also raised the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) of Banks to reduce Liquidity that is chasing after the Dollar,” he said during a recent interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Gwadabe said the most effective measure was the inclusion of Bureaux De Change (BDCs) into the Official Foreign Exchange Window.

He said that the Security Agencies were also tracing Unearned Incomes that were used to chase Foreign Currencies.

“There is a lot of progress in that regard. A lot of Information on how stolen money is being moved around is being gathered.

“And now, there is deterrent. People are watching keenly now to know whether to speculate. The trajectory is sustainable,” he said.

The CBN recently sold N676.65bn through the Open Market Operation, (OMO), at a 21 per cent Interest Rate to manage Money Supply.

Findings by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) revealed that the CBN has sold Treasury Bills worth over N1trn since the First Quarter of 2024.

This is a move to mop up Excess Cash Liquidity in the Economy in a bid to further strengthen the Naira and also to tame Inflation.

The Apex Bank is projected to spend around N1.01trn in Interest Rate to defend the Naira.

Primarily, the move targets the management of the Banking System’s Liquidity to prevent an oversupply of Naira, which could trigger Inflationary pressures.

Also, it aims to provide an avenue for the CBN to stabilise the Financial Market by offering competitive Returns to Investors, thus aligning the Country’s Monetary Policy with its Economic Objectives.

The CBN also announced that it had processed and cleared an inherited backlog of $7bn in Foreign Exchange Claims to Beneficiaries, a step that has improved Investors’ Confidence in the Nigerian Economy.

However, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) complained about the effect of high Interest Rate of CBN’s Treasury Bill.

The LCCI Director-General, Chinyere Almona, said that such high Interest Rate was drying up Funds from the Private Sector into Government’s Treasuries.

She urged the CBN to reconsider its decision on Interest Rate hike.

She said that the objectives of the Apex Bank to curb Inflation and stabilise the Exchange Rate were commendable.

She, however, said that there was a need for such objectives to be achieved without impeding Private Sector endeavours and Economic expansion.

As Naira continues to respond positively to various Monetary Policy measures by the CBN, Stakeholders are hoping that the Currency sustains its upwards trajectory.

Most Nigerians project, at least, a two-digit Exchange Rate against the Dollar and other strong Currencies in the not too distant future. 

Credit Kadiri Abdulrahman/NAN

As 2023 draws to an end, it is gladdening that there was no Civilian Plane Crash recorded. This is noteworthy for a Country that used to with witness such mishaps at intervals.

In the Aviation Sector, safety is the ultimate.

In spite of the success story, some other challenges persist. Experts and Airport Users say the state of Infrastructure at the Airports need to improve.

In 2023 many Airlines groaned under high Operational Costs which have stifled their expansion.

Flight delays and or cancellations, poor Customer Care, epileptic Cooling System, and Conveyor Belt Issues, Poor Funding, and Insecurity are among other challenges experienced in the Sector.

Some of these challenges pose a major threat to the smooth Operations of the Airports and hinder them from handling certain Services.

Recently, Musa Nuhu, the Director-General of Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that many Airports cannot handle Night Flights because of some of the highlighted challenges.

“All manners of security risks including kidnapping, robbery and others are evolving rapidly in many parts of the Country.

“The evolving security challenges make Night Operations dangerous because many Airports, by reason of Construction and Operational requirements are located mostly on the outskirts of Towns’’, he told NAN.

Some Stakeholders argue that Aviation should not be seen as a mere Sector but as a Business Model capable of generating Revenue for those operating in it.

They say that it must be made competitive with the required Infrastructure on ground to make the Business thrive.

An Aviation Expert, Olumide Ohunayo, said Nigeria has the highest number of Domestic Airlines in Africa, not by number of Aircraft but by Registered Operators.

“In the number of Equipment, we are behind; we have the highest Attrition Rate. We have crossed the ICAO Registration Process, our Airlines are IOSA Certified.

“We have the highest Attrition Rates, as our Airlines are not viable out there. Those operating are yet to obtain profit margin. We have been absent on the International Routes despite numerous BASA in place.

“We have increased the number of Airports in the Country over the years, although most of them are under used because of the limitation of Sunset Airport Policies which has reduced usage“, the Vanguard quoted him as saying.

BASA is an Air Transport Agreement between two Countries that allows Designated Airlines to operate Commercial Flight, covering Transportation of Passengers and Cargoes.

To achieve that objective, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Buhari Abdulatif, says it is important for the Federal Government to improve Aviation Business Environment to make it attractive to Foreign and Local Investors.

Abdulatif, told a Retreat organised by the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development recently at Warri, Delta State that Government should address the issue of high Cost of Aviation Fuel and other Operation Logistics.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, said the Government is conscious of the need to upgrade the Sector to make it the Hub of Air Travel in Africa.

According to him, the Aviation Industry is a main key for Sustainable Growth and Development of all other Sectors in the Nigerian Economy.

He said the Federal Government was ready to intensify efforts through Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) to tackle the challenges militating against the Industry.

Keyamo said his priority Agenda would be fine-tuned into Actionable Programme and projects by all Department and Agencies under the Ministry.

“These Agenda are: to ensure strict compliance with Safety Regulations and continuous upward movement of Nigeria’s Rating by the ICAO.

“Others are support for the growth and sustenance of Local Airline Businesses whilst holding them to the highest International Standards in the Aviation Industry, and improvement of Infrastructure in the Aviation Industry.

“It also includes the development of Human Capacity within the Industry and optimising Revenue Generation for the Federal Government, “ recent Media Reports quoted him as saying.

In the coming years, Stakeholders in the Industry expect the Federal Government to also leverage International Agreements and Instruments to stimulate growth in the Nation’s Aviation Industry.

“Government must direct the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to monitor closely the Foreign Exchange Earnings on Commercial Aviation including the Earnings on Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA)“ says John Ojukitu, Secretary General of Aviation Round Table, in a Media Interview.

Some Operators in the Sector canvass the review of BASA to enable Government identify Areas that need improvement and renegotiate such Terms.

“Currently, the Multiple Entry Points and Frequencies of Foreign Airlines are commercially disadvantageous to Nigerian Airlines and do not achieve fair reciprocity“, says Nick Fadugba, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), African Aviation Services.

Fadugba who is also the Chairman of the African Business Aviation Association (AfBAA) said this during a Webinar.

As 2024 approaches, Stakeholders expect that the challenges of the past years including underutilisation of Airports, dearth of Professionals, Financial Instability leading to bankruptcy of Airlines would be addressed.

Doing these will enable the Sector fly at the right altitude.

Credit NAN/Gabriel Agbeja

On November11 Residents of Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi will return to the Poll to elect new Governors that will run the Affairs of the States for the next four years in an off Election Circle Exercise.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is expected to conduct the Elections in 10, 510 Polling Units spread across the three States.

In Bayelsa, the Election will take place in 2,244 Polling Units, while it will hold in 3,508 Polling Units in Kogi. Imo has 4, 758 Polling Units where the Election will hold.

INEC has targeted about 5.4 million Voters for the Elections, with Bayelsa having 1.05 million Voters; while 2.4 million Voters are expected in Imo. Kogi has about two million Voters.

INEC has been engaged in series of activities in the past few months toward ensuring the successful conduct of the Elections.

However, some Stakeholders have expressed concerns over the ability of the Electoral Umpire to conduct hitch-free Elections in these States, going by the experiences of the 2023 General Polls.

Although the Umpire insists that it did a good job in the Polls, many Nigerians, particularly those on the Opposition side think otherwise.

They cite the some logistics challenges, especially late arrival of Election Materials and Election Officials in Polling Units as examples of areas that need improvement.

There is also the reoccurring problem of malfunctioning of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) in Polling Units, leading to delay in the accreditation of Voters and voting.

In some Polling Units, voting was delayed for many hours, as Voters remain on queues to perform their Civic Rights of electing their Leaders.

Although INEC has reassured of its resolve to address the challenges, Stakeholders say the Commission must buckle up, if it wants to conduct hitch-free, free, fair and credible Elections.

Yabagi Sani, the National Chairman, Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) tasked INEC to strengthen its capacities to ensure hitch-free Elections in the three States.

He expressed optimism that INEC would strive to rebuild trust between itself, Political Parties and the Electorate by ensuring hitch-free Polls.

“We in IPAC believe that INEC has learned some lessons and they know that there is a huge deficit of trust between the Commission and Nigerians.

“This happened because INEC was over ambitious and wanted things to work very well during the Presidential Election, but underlined conditions did not allow them to achieve the high standards they set for themselves.

“So INEC will have to go back to its drawing board and take a look at things that went wrong and correct them.

“And this doesn’t mean that they should throw away their Technological Advancements because they served their purpose and there is nothing wrong with the use of Technology,” he said.

Sani said that the use of Technology was not the problem of INEC in the conduct of the 2023 General Elections but the conducts of its Officials, Political Parties and their Agents, as well as the conduct of Nigerians.

He advised the Commission to improve on its Technology usage in order to set a better standard for Nigeria in the Global scene as the largest and strongest Democratic Country in Africa.

‘’INEC must show a good example in the November11 Off-Cycle Governorship Elections, it should show that we have Technology and we can use them perfectly,’’ he said.

Sani said that all hands must be on deck to ensure that Electoral Officers are not pressured by Governors to falsify results in the Elections.

“As we approach the Off- Cycle Elections in Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi States in November, all hands must be on deck to ensure the Resident Electoral Commissioners and Returning Officers are not pressured by some Governors and INEC itself to falsify results in their States.

“The Adamawa State 2023 Governorship Election result declaration saga and the embarrassment caused INEC and the Nation at large is a case in point.

“The prosecution of the Adamawa REC in Court by INEC is highly desirable and commendable.

“Equally desirable is action by all relevant Security Agencies to check the misuse of State Resources in violation of the Electoral Act 2022,” he said.

Hamzat Lawal, the Chief Executive Officer, Connected Development (CODE), a Civil Society Organisation, corroborated Sani’s claim, urging INEC to improve on its logistics management, ahead of the November Elections.

Lawal, also the Founder, Follow the Money, said that INEC must strive hard to close the logistics gaps observed in the 2023 General Elections to achieve a successful Off-Cycle Elections.

“If we in CODE are saddled with the responsibility of undertaking Electoral Management, first, we will invest heavily in Logistics, which is one impediment.

“The second is Human Capital Development and training of Ad Hoc Staff in time, not a few weeks to Elections, this is because these are two major gaps we faced in the last Elections.

“This is an Off Circle Election so there should be no pressure on the Commission,” he said.

Emmanuel Njoku, the Director, Democracy and Governance, CODE, said there is a need for INEC to seek for more Electoral Reforms to tackle some issues in organising Elections in Nigeria.

Bayo Balogun, a Member of the Yiaga Africa Observer Mission at the just concluded Liberia’s Election, urged INEC to take lessons from the smooth conduct of the Election, toward improving on the November11 Off-Cycle Elections.

Balogun, is also the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters.

He said that INEC needs to change the Format of its Ballot Papers to include Photographs and Names of Candidates to improve the quality of Electoral Preferences and reduce Invalidated Votes.

“We also noticed that the Liberian National Elections Commission (NEC) displayed high devotion to Rules and Procedures throughout the Elections.

“Polling Officials displayed excellent knowledge of the Rules and enforced the Guidelines at all Election levels,” he said.

Balogun also urged National Assembly to strengthen the Electoral Laws by making Electronic Transmission of Results mandatory in future Elections in Nigeria.

He said this should include the upload of Polling Unit-Level Results and Results Sheets at different levels of Results Collation.

Balogun urged Political Stakeholders in Nigeria to demonstrate firm commitment to Democracy and Nation-Building by upholding National Values such as Patriotism, Integrity and Public Interest in Electoral Politics.

Mahmood Yakubu, INEC Chairman, acknowledged some challenges in the conduct of the last Elections as the Commission is working hard to ensure that the Elections are free, fair and credible.

“We are giving our words to Nigerians that we must open Polling Units at 8.30a.m on the dot on the Election Day.

“Therefore, Registration Area Centres (RACs) must be activated for commencement of Voting at 8.30a.m.,” Yakubu said at the Kogi Local Government (LGA) Office of the Commission during INEC Mock Accreditation for the Election in Lokoja on October14.

He said one of the main concerns of the Commission is the prevailing security challenge in the Country.

Yakubu said that the Commission is working with the Security Agencies to provide Secured Environment for peaceful and credible Elections.

“Wherever you go in Nigeria, you are sure to see two Government Offices. One is INEC. You will see an INEC Office in the LGA headed by an Electoral Officer, an Electoral Officer (EO).

You will also see the Police Office headed by a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for the Local Government.

“So, we are everywhere working together. And I’m happy that we are working together as we prepare for the Elections,“ he said.

Yakubu said that INEC plans to deploy 46,084 Officials comprising of both Permanent and Ad Hoc Staff for the conduct of the Elections in the three States.

“While we are leaving no stone un-turned in other areas of preparation for the Governorship Elections, the Commission plans to deploy 46,084 Regular and Ad Hoc Staff for Exercise.

“We are also finalising arrangements for Vehicles and Boats for Land and Maritime movement of Personnel and Materials,” he said.

Yakubu said that such massive deployment requires a Secured Environment which he said was beyond the Commission’s immediate responsibility.

“On our part, we will continue to deepen our engagement with the Security Agencies and more Meetings are planned in the next few days.

“Similarly, the Commission will hold series of Meetings with Stakeholders at the National Level in addition to ongoing engagements at the State Levels,” he said.

The INEC Chairman expressed confidence that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) would perform better in the November11 Elections.

“Last week, we conducted a Mock Accreditation involving Actual Voters in Designated Polling Units in the three States; we had two objectives for the Exercise.

“Firstly is to test the efficacy of the BVAS for Biometric Authentication of Voters; secondly, to upload the Result to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV). Both Tests were successful.

“We look forward to improved performance of the BVAS in Voter Accreditation and Result uploading in the forthcoming Elections,” he said.

Yakubu said that all Non-Sensitive Materials for the Elections had been delivered to the three States, so far.

He said that the Elections would involve 5,409,438 Registered Voters in 10,510 Polling Units spread across 649 Electoral Wards in 56 Local Government Areas (LGAs).

He said that other preparatory activities, including Training, were on course, while valuable lessons learnt from the 2023 General Elections would be used to improve performance of the November11 Elections.

As preparations for the Elections hit top gears it is important that all INEC Personnel, Stakeholders and Politicians in the affected States cooperate with INEC to ensure hitch-free Polls. Failure should not be an option. 

Credit:  Ali Baba-Inuwa/NAN