Women farmers in Nigeria

By Itohan Abara-Laserian

An agritech focussed company,Farmcrowdy Limited (FC), says it is committed to impact 25,000 farmers across Nigeria through its Structured Financing of N5.7 billion.

Mr Oluwakotanmi Ojo, the Chief Financial Officer and Business Leader, FC Structured Finance, made this known at the firms fourth year anniversary in Lagos.

Ojo said 90 per cent of farmers in the country could not access loan facilities as a result of their inability to meet the criteria of commercial banks.

According to him, this is a threat to food security and sufficiency in the country.

Ojo said: Some of the challenges facing the farmers include: lack of information, high interest rates, lack of access to funds, among others.

Farmcrowdy Structured Finance has created a business solution to help farmers with access to loan, provide affordable interest rate facilities, farmers inclusion, market access ease, equipment and third party collaboration for farmers.

We want to impact farmers with the lowest single digit interest loans with the raise of N5.7 billion to finance 25,000 farmers nationwide.

We have currently cultivated 17,000 acres of lands.

This will enhance production of farmers and adequately lower the prices of food, he said.

Also, Mr Christopher Abiodun, a Co-Founder and Chief Lead of the Technology and Data arm, said the firm had built tools and platforms to support the agriculture sector.

According to Abiodun, the tools will help farmers predict yields, profits, and identify markets, among others.

He said: We have built input disbursement apps, farmers app, Farmcrowdy trader and e-commerce platforms.

We are committed to impacting farmers lives, and livelihoods positively, he said.

Commenting, Obiajuru Luya, the Business Leader of Farmcrowdy Aggregation, said that the model was to ease farmers access to urban markets and adequately reduce the effects of middlemen in the value chain.

Luya said that this model was to use a tech-powered network of agro commodity aggregation centres (102 centres in eight states) to aggregate some fresh commodities, from farmers to end buyers, and processors.

According to her, this model will also help farmers with the provision of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP).

In her remarks, Mrs Linda Obi, a Business Leader of Farmcrowdy Foods, said that it was an integrated fresh food supply ecosystem with over 800 customers, and over three thousands orders recorded in the pilot 22 weeks.

Obi said that customers were provided with traceable, high-end quality and fresh foods when they purchase from the Farmcrowdy Foods app.

Contributing, Onyeka Akuma, Founder of Farmcrowdy, said that the firm was borne out of the need to help Nigerias 38 million small-scale farmers to get access to funding, technical knowledge, and expertise they need to sell their produce.

Akuma said that about 90 per cent of the farmers were facing the challenged of how to get their foods to the market.

He recalled the challenges faced in the first year, saying that the firm began to gain international and funding attention to raise enough money for farmers in poultry, cassava and others.

According to him, the crowd funding company had to see to the challenge of farmers in getting funds to support their businesses and make marginal profits.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Farmcrowdy, prioritises empowerment of smallholder farmers, also officially rolled out its Farmcrowdy Foods, Farmcrowdy Technology/Data, Farmcrowdy Aggregation, Farmcrowdy Insurance and Farmcrowdy Marketing. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Jannik Sinner

Italys Jannik Sinner became the youngest first-time winner on the ATP Tour in 12 years on Saturday after edging Canadian Vasek Pospisil 6-4 3-6 7-6(3) to claim the Sofia Open.

Sinner, contesting his first ATP Tour final, served notice of his intentions early on when he forced Pospisil to save three break-points in his first service game.

He then went on to break the Canadians serve in the third game.

That was enough for the 19-year-old to claim the opening set and he looked set for victory when he broke Pospisil again early in the second.

But the Canadian fought back with two quick service breaks of his own to force a decider.

The match stayed on serve in the third set and headed to a tiebreak.

There, it was Sinner who kept his cool and sealed the victory when Pospisil sent a backhand beyond the baseline.

The Italian is the youngest winner on the mens tour since Japans Kei Nishikori won the Delray Beach Open at the age of 18 in 2008.

Sinner is the sixth first-time winner on the tour this year, joining Ugo Humbert, Casper Ruud, Thiago Seyboth Wild, Miomir Kecmanovic and John Millman. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Ramos misses a penalty kick during a crucial match with Switzerland

Spain captain Sergio Ramos missed two penalty kicks as Switzerland drew 1-1 with them in the UEFA Nations League on Saturday.

Gerard Moreno came off the bench to grab a late equaliser for them to earn the draw.

The result relegated Switzerland and Spain lost top spot in Group A4 to Germany, who earned a 3-1 win over Ukraine and lead the standings with nine points.

Spain are second with eight points and must win Tuesdays showdown at home to Joachim Loews side in order to progress to the final four.

Ramos, who also became the most capped European player of all time, had scored all of his previous 25 penalty kicks.

But he was thwarted when Yann Sommer guessed the right way and repelled his penalty kick in the 58th minute to preserve Switzerlands lead.

The hosts had taken the lead in the 23rd minute through a brilliant strike on the half volley from Remo Frueler.

They could have doubled their advantage in the second half when Haris Seferovic rounded goalkeeper Unai Simon.

But Ramos came to his sides rescue and got back to clear the shot off the line.

Spain then earned a second penalty kick in the 79th minute which led to Swiss defender Nico Elvedi being sent off for a second booking.

However, Ramos was again outwitted by Sommer, who could not be fooled by the defenders chipped Panenka penalty kick and caught the ball.

It is the first time Spain have missed two penalty kicks in one match.

Substitute Moreno saved Ramos blushes in the 89th minute, lashing home a cross from Sergio Reguilon as Spain finally found a way past Sommer.

This was after firing 20 shots at goal to Switzerlands seven.

Football is like this, its a marvellous sport but sometimes its very unfair, said Spain coach Luis Enrique.

We were lacking a bit of freshness but I think we played well even though we couldnt do the most difficult thing, which is to score.

We deserved to win for our first half performance and for how we played in the second. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

NGolo Kante scores for France against Portugal

France handed defending UEFA Nations League champions Portugal a rare defeat on Saturday, winning 1-0 in Lisbon.

NGolo Kantes second half strike helped the world champions to reach the competitions final four at the expense of the holders.

Anthony Martial missed three clear-cut first half chances for France beforeKante scored only his second international goal in the 54th minute.

It was his first since 2016, and it helped to end Portugals run of five successive clean sheets.

World champions France went top of Group A3 with 13 points from five games, three ahead of Portugal and with the better head-to-head record to give them an unassailable lead.

It was only Portugals second defeat since the 2018 World Cup.

Given the quality of the opposition, its of course one of our best performances of recent times, France coach Didier Deschamps said of Portugal, who are the European champions.

We deserved the win and weve fulfilled our objective of finishing top. Im very proud of the players.They proved tonight that France are still a great team.

Antoine Griezmann set up Martials first chance in the 12th minute with a slide-rule pass but Portugals excellent goalkeeper Rui Patricio blocked it at point-blank range.

Martial then diverted Adrien Rabiots acrobatic effort onto the bar with his head and saw another effort brilliantly saved at close range by Patricio from Lucas Hernandezs cross.

At the other end, Cristiano Ronaldo forced a diving save from France captain Hugo Lloris and also wasted a free-kick which he drove straight into the wall.

France finally broke through just as Portugal appeared to be imposing themselves.

Griezmann slipped another ball through to Rabiot whose shot was parried by Patricio and Kante was on hand to score from the rebound.

Portugal had three chances go begging in the same attack, including a Jose Fonte header against the post.

Lloris made a one-handed save to parry a raking drive from Joao Moutinho, who then saw his cross evade three forwards as France held out.

I dont know what went wrong in the first half, it wasnt what I expected but it was my responsibility, said Portugal coach Fernando Santos.

We were better in the second half but then conceded the goal which settled the game we had three or four chances to equalise. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

NCDC Coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) update

By Abujah Racheal

The Nigeria Centre For Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed 112 new infections of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.

The NCDC made this known via its verified website on Saturday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria had so far tested 705,809 people since the first confirmed COVID-19 case was reported on Feb. 27 this year.

The health agency said that with the 112 new infections recorded in 14 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) the total confirmed cases nationwide have jumped to 64,996.

According to the centre, of the 112 new cases FCT and Oyo State had 27 each, followed by Bayelsa and Rivers with nine infections each and Delta with seven infections.

Edo, Kaduna and Ogun have five each; Anambra, Katsina, Ondo, Osun and Plateau reported three each; Niger two and Kano had one.

On the sunny side the NCDC stated that 93 coronavirus patients who were treated in some of the isolation centres were discharged in the past 24 hours.

It also said that since the outbreak of the pandemic in Nigeria 61,029 of the 64,996 confirmed coronavirus patients have been treated and discharged in isolation centres while 1,163 patients had succumbed to the disease nationwide.

The centre said that it had activated a multi-sectoral national Emergency Operations Centre at Level III to coordinate the national response activities in the country.

Source: NAN News

Brigadier-General Ahmed Taiwo, testifying at the Lagos Panel for EndSARS protests

By Moji Eniola

The Nigerian Army has given a graphic narration of the alleged dire security situation in Lagos that warranted them being invited to restore order in the state.

Brig.-Gen. Ahmed Taiwo, Commander of the 81 Division, Military Intelligence Brigade, Victoria Island, Lagos made the revelation on Saturday at the Lagos Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and Other Matters.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Taiwo was testifying before the panel about the Armys alleged role in the shooting of unarmed #EndSARS protesters on Oct. 20 at the Lekki Tollgate.

He said that Lagos had descended into a state of total chaos before the army was invited.

Taiwo who testified before the panel using a projector had shown graphic images of policemen being lynched, police stations being looted and burnt, as well as citizens resorting to cannibalism by eating the burnt flesh of the corpses of lynched police officers.

Many of us have lived through the 70s to the 2000s, and one thing I have said is that once a peaceful protest goes beyond three days there are hoodlums waiting in the wings to hijack it and cause mayhem and this was no different.

This state of affairs continued until Oct. 20 and even I was caught up in one of such mobs. The hoodlums I met are not the #EndSARS protesters we have come to see.

It is the task of the armed forces to intervene when the security task overwhelms the police and other paramilitary services.

Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu asked the army to intervene which was the correct thing to do, he said.

Playing a video of the siege of the palace of the Oba of Lagos by hoodlums, Taiwo said that the monarch and his family had to be rescued from the chaos by the Nigerian Army.

Both the Oba and his family were ferried to safety by the Nigerian Army, Taiwo said as he played a video recording of the monarch and his family being rescued and taken into a military pickup truck.

The business district areas were looted and offices were ransacked and destroyed. The hoodlums attempted to invade the Government House, but it was repelled.

They attempted to break into the Ikoyi Prison and it was repelled. The 81 Division had to support the Correctional Services and the Police.

They also burnt down the Igbosere High Court. The inmates had burnt part of the Ikoyi Prison, they all did this at the same time because they had gotten information about what was happening on the outside.

They burnt Shoprite and Spar Lekki was looted. What was shocking and saddening to me was that mothers were taking their children to loot, he said.

The officer said that he had received a distress phone call from the Managing Director of Spar pleading for the militarys assistance.

The MD was pleading and saying that let them loot the place, but they should not burn it down.

When we arrived, these looters had the temerity to come up to soldiers while holding looted goods and say come collect sir!

A man we arrested had looted household items and when we went to his house to recover the items he had already installed them, he said.

Taiwo said that while trying to restore order at Spar Lekki, he had met looters looting Shoprite Lekki and that he had ordered soldiers under his command not to shoot at them, but into the air.

I wanted to catch them and I did not want any casualty. All the looters our men arrested were taken to the 65 Battalion and we have people of almost every tribe there that day.

There was a voice note on social media purportedly from Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) saying Igbos should cause mayhem in Lagos.

This could not be further from the truth because from my assertion, most of the businesses affected were owned by Igbos, Taiwo said.

NAN reports that the Nigerian Army told the panel that financial institutions were the most targeted the by looters during the #EndSARS unrest, and that the army had evacuated about N2billion in two days for banks during the chaos.

He said the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt. -Gen.Tukur Buratai, had ordered that the captured looters should be treated humanely by the military.

They were fed three times a day and were given what the soldiers were eating. Some of them did not even want to leave, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Dr Isa Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy

By Olasunkanmi Onifade
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, on Saturday advised the Nigerian youth to develop their skills in order to drive innovation and entrepreneurship in the space sector.

Pantami gave the advice at the closing ceremony of Hackathon Actinspace Competition organised by NIGCOMSAT Limited in Abuja.

The minister, who was represented by the Managing Director, Galaxy Backbone, Prof. Mohammed Abubakar, said the competitions focus was critical to the needs of the space industry and humanity.

It gives us great opportunity to become major participants in the growing global digital economy thereby making ICT not just an enabler but a catalyst for economic growth, he said.

Pantami said the competition targeted the creativity of the participants and also sharpened their entrepreneurial initiatives.

He said the various teams that took part in the competition where challenged to conceive and design innovative services and products derived from space technologies and space acquired data.

The minister advised the youth to develop specialised skills in order to empower themselves, saying it would enable them in building a workforce and establishing startups for the communication industry.

He advised the six teams and 25 participants to work hard as they have demonstrated capabilities in different projects.

The Managing Director of NIGCOMSAT, Dr Abimbola Alale, said the competition had made the participants to be more creative and to bring out the best in them.

Alale said the digital skills could drive the nations digital economy.

She said there was a need to expand and domesticate the satellite ecosystem in Nigeria.

Mrs Alma Okpelefa, Chairperson, Local Organising Committee, said although the space technology appeared a bit abstract, the competition was meant to make the participants to understand the benefits of the sector.

Okpelefa, who named the winning group as Team Astromania from Kaduna State, said it would represent the country in France next year at a global contest.

The leader of the winning team, Mr Lamba Emmanuel, a student of telecommunication engineering of the Federal University of Technology, Minna advised the youth to continue to learn new ideas.

He said the team sought to harness car and satellite data to create a sort of Automatic Identification System (ADS) consisting a space segment and a ground station segment.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Actinspace is an international competition targeted at students of tertiary institutions, IT startups and entrepreneurs to utilise space technologies to create solutions that improve everyday life.

Source: NAN News

ICPC headquarters in Abuja

By Ikenna Osuoha

The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) has called for national unity in the fight against corruption and other sharp practices in the country.

Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, Chairman, ICPC, made the call during a courtesy visit by a delegation of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) led by its Managing Director, Mr Buki Ponle, to the commissions headquarters in Abuja.

Owasanoye, who condemned the widespread perception of the fight against corruption from tribal, religious or political perspectives, called for proper advocacy and sensitisation to correct the misconception.

When we arrest someone for stealing, it is either the people will see it from tribal or religious or political perspective.

Things cannot remain the same, this is where the collaboration with the media and the corruption agency comes in.

While our role is to prevent or block sharp practices while that of the media is to report accurately, we want the media to disabuse the minds of people about our operations, he said.

The anti-graft chief emphasised the critical role of the media in disseminating information as well as engaging people positively on the good intention of government.

Owasanoye gave an assurance of his willingness to work in partnership with the media in achieving the desired change and victory over corruption.

Earlier, Ponle had promised stronger collaboration with the ICPC in the fight against corruption, saying NAN would continue to mould public opinion positively using its various platforms.

Reiterating NANs vast reach with three foreign outstations, six zonal centres, 36 state offices and numerous district offices, Ponle said the agency is well positioned to partner ICPC in the campaign against corruption.

In the NAN delegation were Mr Obakhedo Idonije, Editor-in-Chief, Mr Mufutau Ojo, Special Assistant to the Managing Director and Mr Lawal Saleh, Chief Protocol Officer. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC)

By Ikenna Osuoha

Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), says Nigeria is losing about 60 per cent of its financial income to illicit financial flows.

Owasanoye said this when a delegation of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) led by its Managing Director, Mr Buki Ponle, visited the commissions headquarters in Abuja.

NAN reports that illicit financial flow, which is illegally transferring money to another country, often occurs through trade overinvoicing.

It occurs when exporters or importers deliberately misreport the value, quantity or nature of goods and services in order to evade taxes, take advantage of tax incentives, avoid capital controls or launder money.

According to the ICPC Chairman, illicit financial flow is undermining Nigeriss economic development.

He blamed the corrupt practice on delinquent expatriates who engage in all forms of sharp practices to evade tax and compromise their host countrys internally generated revenue.

Sharp practice like over invoicing for example is when a commodity that is sold at one dollar out there is tagged here in Nigeria, he said.

Owasanoye, who affirmed the readiness of the agency to tackle such criminal acts, called for support from Nigerians.

The ICPC Chairman said focus had remained on corruption among holders of public offices while illicit financial flow is worse.

The anti graft chief reiterated the need to end the criminality by foreign companies, saying it remains a threat to the countrys financial stability.

Earlier, Ponle had described corruption as a cankerworm that must be eliminated in the country if it must witness growth and development.

The managing director, who commended the ICPC management for its sustained campaign against corruption in the country, pledged to partner the commission in its campaign.

Ponle said NAN had evolved from a text-only agency to a multimedia outfit offering a bouquet of services which include audio, video and pictures.

He urged the ICPC to embrace the diverse products and services on offer by NAN which includes SMS, NAN General News Service, NAN PR Wire as well as its flagship NAN Forum.

NAN Forum is a popular interview platform for ministers, heads of MDAs and diplomatic missions as well as other leading members of the society.

The highlight of the occasion was the exchange of souvenirs and publications by Owasanoye and Ponle. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

L-R: Nasiru Dano, the Chairman, Lubrik Construction Co. (LCC) Ltd., Representative of COAS; Maj. Gen. Haruna Momoh, the Deputy Chief of Policy and Plans/Director Staff duties and Mohammed Hayatu, Tournament Manager, Guards Polo Club, Abuja during the groundbreaking ceremony of the new ultramodern club house

By Victor Okoye

Nasiru Dano, the Chairman, Lubrik Construction Co. (LCC) Ltd. has said that the company will soon embark on the construction of a befitting N500 million ultramodern club house for the Guards Polo Club (GPC), Abuja, as part of its commitment to give back to the society.

The project, according to Dano, who also doubles as the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Nigerian Army Polo Association (NAPA) said the gesture was part of LCCs Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and commitment to continue to support the Nigerian Army.

Beyond the Guards Polo Club in Abuja, we have also supported almost six or seven different polo clubs in the country.

So, we are looking at between 8 -12 months to complete the building and finishing of a world class club house here at the Guards polo club, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ground breaking ceremony for the proposed club house was held on the side lines of the ongoing Nigeria National Carnival Polo tournament at the club on Sunday.

Maj. Gen. Haruna Momoh, the Deputy Chief of Policy and Plans/Director Staff duties at the Nigerian Army Headquarters, who represented the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Tukur Buratai and performed the ceremony, described the project as a legacy that will stand the test of time.

Momoh expressed gratitude to LCC for their support and commitment, saying, On behalf of the COAS, officers and men of the Nigerian Army, I want to thank LCC most graciously for choosing to embark on this great project.

This indeed is a legacy that will remain in our memory for a long time to come. We look forward to the manifestation of greater things and partnerships in the years ahead, he said.

Chairman of Guards Polo Club, Amb. Sani Bala expressed gratitude to the company, saying that it was a great milestone for the club.

We are very delighted that the appeals we have been making to well-meaning Nigerians and corporate bodies alike to support the game of polo are yielding fantastic results.

LCC is coming with a lot of groups, companies and banks to build this wonderful club house. It is indeed going to be one of its kind in the country and we are really very happy, Bala said.

The chairman also revealed that plans were underway to bring about more developments in the club within the shortest possible time.

There are a lot of developments coming through. In addition to the new club house, we intend to have at least one or two more polo pitches so as not to put too much pressure on the existing one.

This is something that is going to happen with the collaboration and assistance of the NAPA.

We are very grateful to Gen. M.S. Aliyu who has been giving the push for the Nigerian Army to really participate fully in the game of polo, he said.

According to the chairman, there would be other recreational and sporting facilities in the club, such as squash and tennis courts, as well as a playing area for kids and a polo school to teach young players and organise a lot of other grassroots programmes.

The game of polo requires skill and horsemanship and, therefore, one must have drive and passion to learn the basic rules and rudiments of the sport, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News