President Bola Tinubu has initiated an Agricultural Machinery Programme in Niger State. The initiative, spearheaded by the Niger State government, aims to revolutionize the agricultural sector through the deployment of cutting-edge machinery and technology for large-scale agro-value chain development. Addressing attendees at the inauguration ceremony, President Tinubu stated the need for Nigeria to bolster its capacity to feed its populace while also generating surplus for export. He applauded the leadership and dedication exhibited by the Niger State government in advancing the food security and agricultural mechanization agenda. President Tinubu articulated the need to address challenges such as crop…
Author: Omolemi Eboisetale
The European Union and Economic Community of West African States’ delegation to Nigeria have raised alarms regarding the subpar Value Added Tax (VAT) system in Nigeria. At the 4th session of the Steering Committee of the Support Programme for Fiscal Transition in West Africa held in Abuja, the Head of Cooperation of the EU and ECOWAS Delegation to Nigeria, Massimo De Luca, expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of VAT compliance. De Luca attributed the dismal compliance rates to corruption and poor implementation practices prevalent in the country. According to De Luca, while some companies may be willing to fulfill…
President Ahmed Bola Tinubu has called upon governors across the country to allocate land for herders to graze their cattle. President Tinubu made these statement during the flag-off ceremony of the agricultural mechanization revolution for food security and the commissioning of the renovated domestic terminal at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Airport in Minna, Niger state. He spoke about the need for collective action among governors to combat hunger and improve agricultural productivity. Tinubu said, “You must care for our people, re-orientate our farming population including livestock programme. I don’t see why Nigeria cannot feed all the pupils in our…
Tanzania’s Tanga Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Authority (Tanga UWASA) has made history by issuing East Africa’s inaugural Sub-national Water Infrastructure Green Bond, valued at TZS 53.12 billion. The 10-year project revenue bond, set to be listed on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange (DSE), offers investors an attractive interest rate of 13.5% per annum, payable semiannually. This initiative aligns with Tanzania’s Alternative Project Financing (APF) strategy, which was adopted in 2021 to diversify the country’s domestic revenue sources for financing essential national development projects across various sectors, including water, energy, healthcare, and agriculture. H.E. Philip Mpango, the Vice President…
Lagos State has formed an alliance with Africa Import & Export Solutions Limited and Export and Sell USA (AIES/E&S) to provide Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) with training on the procedures and opportunities associated with exporting to the United States of America. The recent training session, themed “Export to Wealth,” convened in Lagos, focused on the essential aspects of exporting to the USA. Topics covered included warehousing, dispatching, export licensing, leveraging profitability software, finding buyers, managing listings on Amazon, opening bank accounts, and filing trademarks. Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperative, Trade & Investment, Mrs. Folashade Ambrose-Medebem emphasized Lagos State’s commitment…
In tribute to International Women’s Day, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced it’s commitment to advancing gender equality. Led by Administrator Samantha Power, USAID has pledged to double its support for gender equality initiatives to a historic high of $2.6 billion. This was disclosed during the heels of the International Women of Courage Awards Ceremony held at the White House, where Fatima and 11 other women were honored for their dedication to driving progress within their communities. Among these trailblazers is Fariba Balouch, a fearless advocate for the marginalized Baluch community in Iran. Despite facing severe…
In a bid to demand the payment of four months of withheld salaries dating back to the 2022 nationwide strike, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) have jointly declared a 7-day warning strike. The decision was reached after a meeting of the joint action committee held in Akure over the weekend. According to Mohammed Ibrahim, the president of SSANU, who addressed journalists in Abuja on Monday, the strike action was deemed necessary as a last resort following numerous attempts through protest letters and communications with the Federal Government, which yielded no positive…
In response to recent allegations made by Senator Abdul Ningi regarding the 2024 budget, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has issued a statement debunking the claims of operating two versions of the budget. Senator Ningi, representing Bauchi Central, had falsely alleged that the Federal Government under President Tinubu was implementing a different budget from the one passed by the National Assembly. According to the statement released by the State House Press, President Tinubu presented a budget of N27.5 trillion to the National Assembly on November 29, 2023, which was widely reported. The budget consisted of N9.92 trillion for recurrent expenditure,…
The Presidency has revealed that President Bola Tinubu is set to inaugurate the long-awaited National Student Loan Scheme on Thursday. Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, disclosed this during an appearance on TVC’s program ‘Counting the Cost of Presidents Tinubu’s Reforms.’ Ngelale stated the importance of the initiative, stating, “Later this week, on Thursday, the President will launch the historic National Student Loan Programme. This is a major form of obligation reduction for Nigerians and families and young people at a time when Nigerians are feeling the pinch. We believe this is the way to go.”…
Former Nigerian aviation minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has leveled serious accusations against international communities and agencies, alleging their involvement in the recent surge of mass abductions in Nigeria. Fani-Kayode claims that these abductions are not only aimed at acquiring ransom money but also at destabilizing the country and undermining its leadership. The statement comes in the wake of several incidents of mass abductions across the country. Just recently, terrorists abducted 287 school children in Kaduna State, followed by the kidnapping of at least 100 Internally Displaced Persons in Borno State. Additionally, 15 Almajiri students were abducted in Sokoto State. …
The Ministry of Interior, under the leadership of Hon. Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has expressed concerns regarding the issuance of Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card (CERPAC) in Nigeria. In a meeting with CONTEC, the technology firm driving the project in Abuja on Friday, Dr. Tunji-Ojo noted that despite a population of over 200 million people, only approximately 50,000 CERPAC cards are issued annually, a figure deemed grossly inadequate. The Minister also drew attention to the significant disparity between the issuance of Expatriate quotas and CERPAC cards, and emphasised the urgent need to empower the Investigation and Compliance…
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Mr Adewale Adeniyi, on Saturday, said consultations are ongoing on the reopening of borders. This is as he noted that only President Bola Tinubu has the prerogative to reopen borders in the country. He stated this at an interaction session with members of the Kongolam border community in Mai’adua Local Government Area of Katsina State. Adeniyi, who was reacting to agitation for the reopening of the borders, assured that engagements and consultations were being made regarding the issue. “Once consultations are concluded, a decision will be taken on the matter,” he…