By Ikenna Uwadileke

The Fertiliser Producers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN) has signed a second phase of agreement with Moroccos state-owned phosphate and fertiliser group, OCP.

A statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja by FEPSAN President, Mr Thomas Etuh, said that the agreement would sustain the gains recorded in agricultural productivity.

Etuh said that the agreement was signed by Gov. Muhammed Abubakar of Jigawa who is the Chairman, Presidential Fertiliser Initiative (PFI) and Mr Mustafa Terrab, Chairman of OCP.

He stated that the agreement was in line with President Muhammadu Buharis commitment to make Nigeria self-sufficient in food production.

Etuh said the agreement, which took the existing one signed in Dec. 2016 a step higher, would deepen the cooperation between the two organisations in technical support for blending operations.

He said that it would also deepen cooperation in agronomic assistance for enhanced fertiliser application and agricultural productivity.

The agreement aims to enhance earlier arrangement that has enabled Nigerian farmers access high-quality fertiliser at affordable prices.

It will also improve the agriculture industry by increasing the volume of raw material supplied to Nigerian blenders under the aegis of FEPSAN.

This new agreement will further include the provision of technical support by the OCP to the Nigerian fertiliser producers, especially given the expected increased appetite of the market for locally blended NPK fertilisers.

Unlike the initial agreement signed in 2016 and structured for a three-year life span, the new agreement shall be on a continuous basis.

The first phase of the agreement was signed during King Mohammed VIs visit to Nigeria and was pivotal to the commencement of the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative that started with eight blending plants in 2016.

Today, that number has increased to 42 accredited plants in different parts of the country, Etuh said.

He said that the first phase of the agreement helped to strengthen the private sector to stand on its own during the initial three-year period and would now give way to a new private sector-led initiative.

Etuh commended President Buhari for his initiative to revive moribund fertiliser blending plants in Nigeria for the benefit of Nigerian farmers and the national economy.

He also commended OCP Morocco for its support to Nigerias agricultural policy initiatives.

According to Etuh, the new agreement highlights the importance of cooperation among African countries towards the growth and development of the continent.

The FEPSAN president was optimistic that the new agreement would enable Nigerian blenders of NPK fertilizer to have access to improved supply of di-ammonium sulphate chemicals, critical for NPK fertiliser production.

He emphasised that with new blenders coming on stream, the country would be on the path of improved fertiliser market.

Etuh expressed belief that Nigerian farmers and players in the agricultural value chain would soon begin to reap the benefits of the agreement in job creation and improved gross domestic product for the country. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Chiazo Ogbolu

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said 20 ships at the Lagos ports were discharging bulk wheat, bulk gypsum, general cargo, frozen fish, container, butane gas and bitumen.

The NPA also said that it was expecting 17 others laden with petroleum products, food items and other goods from March 9 to April 23.

It said this in its publication, Shipping Position, a copy of which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday.

According to NPA, the ships are expected to arrive at the Lagos Port Complex.

The publication indicated that the ships contained frozen fish, general cargo, base oil, bulk salt, bulk wheat, petrol and container.

It added that another eight ships had arrived the ports, waiting to berth with containers, petrol, bulk clinker and automobile gasoline. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Fortune Abang
CORE Fundamental Inventors (CFI), an international Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), has empowered 100 young people through digital training to boost the Federal Governments drive on business innovations in Nigeria.

Igbereyivwe Israel, the group Chairman of CFI, while addressing participants at the maiden edition of the CFI empowerment initiative in Abuja, said that the aim is to support government in its drive to bring 100 million Nigerians out of poverty.

According to Israel, Nigerians are full of ideas today, but we do not have enough funds to harness these ideas, hence the free empowerment programme initiative for young people.

Israel said, So CFI is bridging the gap between investors and the entrepreneurs who lack adequate funds through digital training; currently we have some funds on ground and look at partnering government to help young people.

This is to help youths, because there are lot of innovations in Nigeria, but no one there has been able to bring these people together.

So this is a platform created to reach out to those in the street that have ideas, but do not have the funds to reach their goals; we want to support government in empowering at least 300 youths.

Those we know have ideas that can move Nigeria forward, we are still looking for other entrepreneurs and inventors, both local and international to partner with, so that we can really achieve targets.

We are going into core technology, digital training and partnering government to train young people, to enable them contribute meaningfully to the growth of Nigeria.

He explained that empowerment initiative seeks to enable young people become self-reliant, in terms of strategies of internet market place, crypto currency, internet-based residual income, entrepreneurship, inventions and technology branding.

In separate interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), a beneficiary, Ms Zahra Abubakar, expressed appreciation to CFI for the knowledge gained, which has improved her skills in technology.

Abubakar, a student of Kogi State University and overall winner in the competition at the event, said that the programme connected students with business experts.

Those with business ideas, but do not have funds to start and need support; we presented our business plans via power point and were assessed based on ways that is profitable to invest in.

I did a presentation on poultry farming, knowing that demands for poultry products is high and supply is low, so I pressed for more production and won.

The programme was free; if government can partner with CFI it would go a long way to reach other people across Nigeria, Zahra said.

Another beneficiary, Mukhtar Bala of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that the programme created avenues for young people, not just to innovate business ideas, but achieve targets.

Bala, decried the practice by young graduate who wait for government alone to provide jobs, saying platforms like CFI empowerment programme could enable people become self employed.

It is an avenue for us to bring up hidden talents among young Nigerians, people who search for start-ups entrepreneurs with marketable ideas and have no ability to sell such.

They brought us together to showcase ourselves to the world, so I think there is need for government to partner with CFI, to achieve desired goal, Bala said.

The programme started on Dec. 4, 2020 through application via www.cfinventors.org, www.cfinventors.com or and presentation of business ideas presented in digital form.

CFI seeks to promote the realisation of Nigeria business dream through human resource development.

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuella Anokam

The Federal Government has expressed preparedness to partner with Kano State Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KACCIMA) in rehabilitation of the state trade fair complex.

Chief Adeniyi Adebayo, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja during a courtesy visit to the ministry by Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje.

Adebayo, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Ifedayo Sayo, said that Kano State deserved a state of the art trade fair complex as the commercial nerve centre of Northern Nigeria.

The minister praised the governor for his giant strides in the development of the state, saying he could bear good testimonies of his excellent performance which attracted many industries.

He said Ganduje had sought the assistance of the Minister in the development of the trade fair complex and provision of infrastructure for the complex

The governor said his administration embarked on some infrastructure projects to attract investors into the state, which had yielded a lot with over 120 industries established and many others revived.

In his remarks, Ganduje pointed out that the state had not only become the commercial nerve centre of the Northern Nigeria but also for some West African countries, particularly Niger and Chad.

He lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline project, noting that Kano State was prepared to take advantage of the project.

Ganduje also commended the President for the construction of the Lagos-Ibadan-Kano railway project and the approval of modern railway station in Kano.

He assured the minister that his administration would provide enabling environment for private businesses to thrive.

According to him, this informed the establishment of the Kano Inland Dry Port to be completed in September this year.

The governor disclosed that his administration was constructing a dual access road to the dry port in addition to other infrastructure to the tune of N2.4 billion (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Jacinta Nwachukwu

The Nigerian Shippers Council says that the new Dala Inland Dry Port which is set to commence soon will boost trade viability in the country.

The Executive Secretary of the Council, Mr Hassan Bello, said this at the presentation of the reviewed full business reports for Dala Inland Dry Port on Tuesday in Abuja

Bello also noted that the construction of 284 km at 1.96 bilion dollars which cross-border Kano Katsina Jibia Maradi rail line would be integrated into the project.

He said that Lagos Kano Standard Gauge Railway would be in alignment with the Dala Inland Dry Port, adding that report from the project has been shown it to be viable.

The volume forecast is expected to be between 64,000 TEU (Low case) per annum throughput and 147, 000 TEU (High case) per annum throughput once it reaches its full market potential after three years of operation in 2026.

According to him, the market share analysis for the Dala Inland Dry Port has been limited to Kano State (40 per cent market share; the primary market) and surrounding states such as Bauchi, Katsina, Kaduna and Jigawa 15 per cent market share; the secondary markets.

He further said that the new Kano Katsina Maradi Rail line is expected to increase patronage from Republic Of Niger.

This optimism, he said, was attributed to increasing growing population, saying that Nigeria will pass the 206 million population mark and the economy is expected to shrink by 4.3 per cent as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But during 2021-2025, the economy is expected to increase annually by 2.5 per cent, impetus increasingly being accorded to multimodal transportation particularly Standard Gauge Railway construction from Lagos to Kano, he said.

He, however, said that the council had commenced consultation with different multi-lateral funding institutions particularly Afrexim Bank to assist investors access long-term funding for the construction of Dry Port in the country.

He also appreciated Kano State Government for its support to the project through the provision of land and other necessary facilities.

In his remarks, the Chairman, Dala Inland Dry Port, Alhaji Abubakar Bawuro, said that hopefully the Dry Port would commence operation in July as some of the infrastructure would be completed by June.

Bawuro, therefore, said that the report was very imperative as it would give direction to the activities of the dry inland port.

He said that those operating and grounding business in other countries would not have to bother to relate to the sea port again rather they can now discharge their goods and cargo in our dry port.

And then relate with us very close to home before relating to Lagos, Port Harcourt or Calabar once the report is implemented, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Dala Inland Dry Port on Aug. 11, 2020 signed an agreement with Private Public Partnership advisories to conduct the assignment with sub-consultants maritime transport solution (MTBS). (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Abdullahi Shugaba

Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State has urged the Military to fight bandits in the North-West and part of the North-Central of the country, simultaneously.

Masari made the call when he received the nations Service Chiefsled by the Chief of Defence Staff, Lt.-Gen. Lucky Irabor, at the Government House, Katsina, on Tuesday.

Lt.-Gen. Irabor led the Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-General Attahiru Ibrahim, the Chief of the Air Staff, AVM Isiaka Amao, the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo, on the visit.

Unless and until these criminals are simultaneously fought,no meaningful result will be achieved.

You will always find out that if you overpower them in one area, they move to another.

It is the same people that move to Zamfara and Niger states to continue with their criminalities.

The Governor, however, pledged to support the military in their operations in the state.

Earlier in a remark, the Chief of Defence Staff, Lt.-Gen. LEO Irabor, said that they were in the state to assess the operations of their officers in the area.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor, the service chiefs and other military officers later went into a close-door meeting. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Martha Nyam

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says it has recovered 11 stolen vehicles in Zone 4, in the last one year and handed them over to the Police for further investigation and prosecution.

Dr Kayode Olagunju, the FRSCZonal Commanding Officer,in charge of Plateau,Benue and Nasarawa, made this known in a statement by theActing Public Education Officer, Route Commander Olusegun Owoeye, in Jos.

Olagunju said: The stolen vehicles were discovered at the point of re-registration and uploading of the vehicle details to the National Data base across the zone.

The vehicles recovered were six Toyota Corolla; two Toyota Camry; one Toyota Tacoma; One Pontiac Vibe and one Mazda 323.

Olagunjuadvised vehicle owners to always follow the due process in the registration of their vehicles.

According to him, having correct vehicle details such as Chassis and Engine numbers, Vehicle Type, Make, Model and Owners details in the National Vehicle Central Data Bank will make re-registration of such vehicles, if stolen, impossible.

Such attempts are immediately flagged and the attention of security agencies attracted, the zonal commanding officer said.

He reiterated the importance of vehicles registration and number plate procurement as mandated in Section 10 (4) of the Federal Road Safety Commission (Establishment) Act, 2007 and Regulation 2 of the National Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 as amended.

Olagunju also enjoined vehicle owners to always abide by relevant Regulations such as Regulation 12 on Change of Vehicle Ownership; Regulation 13 on Change of Vehicle Colour; Regulation 14 on Replacement of engine of already registered vehicle and Regulations 36-39 on Vehicle Identification Number.

He said that these measures were to ensure the safety and security of vehicles which aid prompt retrieval of stolen vehicles.

The zonal commanding officersaid that most of the recovered vehicles were carted away during house robbery, armed robbery and from unmanned parking lots during public functions/ceremony at different locations across the country.

Olagunju also said that the corps had been collaborating with the Police, Boards of Internal Revenue and other sister agencies as part of efforts in ensuring safety of lives and property.

He assured the public that the corps would continue to deploy appropriate technology in tackling safety and security issues in the Road Traffic Safety and Administration Strategies.

Olagunju also urged members of the public to always verify identity of car ownership through National Vehicle Identification Scheme office (NVIS) or through the Information Verification Portal () before buying Second hand /Used Vehicles.

According to him, this is to avoid buying stolen vehicles, urging the public to promptly report any case of stolen vehicle to the appropriate authority for tracking and possible recovery.

He called on all road users to always observe traffic rules, regulations and COVID-19 protocols. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Remi Koleoso

Security stakeholders haves suggested the establishment of Federal Ministry of Peace and Conflict Management with parastatal agencies in each of the states as a solution to the insecurity ravaging the country.

Dr Olumuyiwa Apanisile of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-ife in his presentation stressed the need for everybody to be security conscious alaways.

Apanisile identified corruption, poverty, inequitable distribution of resources, ethnic and religious tension as some of the causes of violent conflict, noting that 434 lives were lost to conflict in the Southwest between 2016 and 2020.

He advised the participants to always be conscious of their community, stressing that, if you protect community security, you are protecting national security and therefore suggested that schools and campuses should be well fences and gates.

He said that government at all levels should make such a requirement before issuing licences to commence operations.

He further charged every Nigerian to always be proud of the country, saying, cultivate the habit of patronising made-in-Nigeria goods to improve the economy of the country and as well assist the small enterpreneurs to stay in their businesses.

Sustainable peace is a fundamental element required for development, it only becomes sustainable if it sustained for a long period of time.

He stressed the need for unity, equatable distribution of resources, well functioning Institutions, tolerance for diversity and human rights, security from physical harm and access to food and shelter

Source: NAN News

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ebonyi chapter has urged governors and the National Assembly to stop playing politics with the N30,000 minimum wage.

The NLC also tasked the governors and the lawmakers on prioritising the wellbeing of workers in the country.

Mr Ikechukwu Nwafor,the Chairman of the NLC in Ebonyigave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abakaliki.

NAN recalls that the N30,000 national minimum wage was signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

Nwafor, who described the minimum wage as right of workers,stressedthe need to take politics away from their wellbeing.

Politicising minimum wage is a crime against workers wellbeing and crime against humanity, he said.

On the nationwide rally slated for Wednesday byLabour Unions against a bill in the National Assembly to remove minimum wage from the exclusive list, Nwafor said the rally was a welcome development.

You all know that the issue of minimum wage has been a big issue in this country but this is a situation that has been taken care of by the law of this country through the minimum wage act.

It is very unfortunate that up till now, so many states are yet to implement the N30,000 for workers; some have paid fake wages like peanuts to its workers.

So, the issue on ground now is the bill sponsored in the national assembly requesting the removal of minimum wage from the exclusive list. We are going out tomorrow, being Wednesday to say that such move to remove it is not obtainable.

Minimum wage is the right of workers and should not be politicised as established by law. If the national assembly do that, what will be the faith of workers.

We are going out to tell the whole world that we are against any bill to remove workers salary from the exclusive list.

Look at theliving standards and cost of food items in the market. Electricity bill has been increased by over 100 per cent, fuel pump price has also increased, causing daily price change on food commodities across the country.

How do you want the workers to survive in this situation,includingchildrens school fees and house rent, the chairman stated. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari says Nigerian women will continue to have pride of place in his administration.

The president stated this when he hosted the Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Mrs Winnie Byanyima, at State House, Abuja, on Tuesday.

He said:Women hold strategic positions in this administration. The Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning is headed by a woman.

The Civil Service of the Federation is headed by a woman. And many others like that. We will continue to do our best to empower our women.

On infrastructure renewal, he noted that the country lost good opportunities, but we cant continue to cry over spill milk. We are now doing our best in concert with some developed countries.

The UNAIDS Executive Director described President Buhari as a Nigerian and African hero, noting that exploits by Nigeria in the control of the COVID-19 pandemic and HIV/AIDS were quite commendable.

I salute your leadership in Nigeria and Africa. It is very robust. I praise you for it, Byanyima added.

She implored Nigeria to be represented at the very highest level during the special meeting on HIV/AIDS by the United Nations in June.

According to her, the meeting, which holds every five years, is meant to renew the resolve by the world to eliminate AIDS by 2030.

The Executive Director asked that more women be helped to take part in active politics.

Nigeria has great women. I admire this country. Please open more space for them in active politics, she further said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News