Author: The Nation

Stakeholders in the agricultural sector have launched the African catfish value chain to promote its development, productivity, improve market access, as well as to ensure environmental sustainability.

The aim is to address the challenges facing the catfish value chain which will in turn boost its productivity in Africa

Speaking at the launch, the Representative of Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), Fred Kafeero, explained that the launch of the Africa catfish value chain strategy, through FAO flagship programme, the FISH4ACP, is a global fish value chain development programme set up by the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS).

Kafeero said the programme is implemented by FAO and funded by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

According to him, the strategy will reduce harm to human health and lessen the burden on the environment through the introduction of cleaner smoking technologies.

He said it was designed to reinforce Nigeria’s catfish value chain by offering a roadmap to make the sub-sector more resilient and efficient in providing affordable food to Nigeria, creating jobs and providing business opportunities.

Additionally, he noted that Nigeria has an estimated 285, 000 producers of which small-scale farmers represent over 60 per cent.

Read Also: Cash crunch: Catfish farmers lament low patronage

“For us at FAO, Nigeria is a very important and strategic member state in the development and upgrading of this value chain. Besides being Africa’s most populous nation, Nigeria is also the world’s largest producer of African catfish, with an estimated annual production of 1m tons (in 2021), worth around $2.6billion,” he said.

The International Partnership Officer, EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Urszula Solkiewics, said the EU and the German government have long recognised the importance of investing in the fisheries sector, both as a means of livelihood for communities and as a contributor to the overall economic growth of the continent.

Solkiewics, who was represented by Frank Okafor, said the African catfish strategy, developed under the Fish4ACP Program, reflects the joint commitment of supporting sustainable and inclusive growth in the fisheries sector.

“Through the Fish4ACP Program, we aim to strengthen the capacities of African countries to sustainably manage their fisheries resources, enhance the competitiveness of the sector, and foster regional cooperation,” he said.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Ernest Umakhihe, represented by Director of Special Duties, Fausat Lawal, said the Fish4ACP Initiative of the OACPS aims to ensure the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of fisheries and aquaculture value chains In Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific.

The National President, Fisheries Society of Nigeria (FISON), Dr. Ebinimi Ansa, said the launch of the strategy marks a significant milestone in the collective effort to harness the potential of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, by focusing on the value chain approach.

• Partners Navy on locating signal stations

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) yesterday inaugurated modern control towers for the Lagos and Tin Can Island Port complexes, aimed at its target of making the country Africa’s leading hub for maritime logistics and sustainable port services.

NPA’s Managing Director, Mohammed Bello-Koko, who spoke at the event, said the communication and data-generating facility enhances Nigeria’s capacity to collate, organize and distribute vessel data with relevant stakeholders in a consistent format.

He added that safety and security constitute critical operational preconditions towards the actualization of the regional hub status.

Bello-Koko said: “The commissioning of control towers signposts our unwavering commitment towards improving operational efficiency through aggressive infrastructure and equipment renewal.

“The multiplicity of functions including Vessel Traffic Management, Navigation Assistance, Advance Visibility, Safety and Security, Emergency Response, Communication, Resource Management and Disaster Risk Mitigation, amongst other crucial functions which a control tower enables, are the reasons why we placed the equipping of this facility on top priority as a management team.

“The commissioning of this communication and data-generating facility which enhances our capacity to collate, organize and distribute vessel data with relevant stakeholders in a consistent format is timely as it is coming at a time when the series of efforts geared towards having a Port Community System (PCS) necessary to make our ports more competitive and thus attractive of greater vessel traffic are beginning to crystallize.”

He described the status of the facility before he came on board as “decrepit and non-functional”.

Read Also: FG honours NPA boss Bello Koko with productivity award

He explained that the decision to invest so much towards making it the state-of-the-art and well-equipped edifice was made taking cognizance of the need to equip our highly cherished and well-trained marine talents with the right tools and comfort required to deliver efficient services to our stakeholders.

“Sustainably providing efficient port services in a safe, secure, and customer-friendly environment requires that we ensure and assure that we are up to date in terms of skill and equipment, and I would like to assure that beyond this commissioning, we are resolved to continually equip and re-equip this facility whilst training and re-training its users to be best-in-class.

“Let me seize this opportunity to implore all users of this facility to make the best use of this facility and I expect that we begin to realize commensurate value for money spent.”

On the need for sustainable operational efficiency, Bello-Koko said the NPA was partnering with the Navy for the rehabilitation, re-equipping and locating of its signal stations near the naval base for improved communication.

Additionally, a partnership with NLNG Ship Management Limited has been established to provide VTS (Vessel Traffic Service) aimed at enhancing operational efficiency, he said.

Bello-Koko said: “In keeping with our resolve to deepen synergy with sister agencies, we have constructed a building facility to provide operational comfort for government agencies that operate within the ports for both Tin Can and Apapa.”

He identified the benefits of the investment to include a reduction in the cost of training, improved capacity to monitor quality, speed, convenience and deepening of local content.

He added: “The commissioning of the control towers signposts our unwavering commitment towards improving operational efficiency through aggressive infrastructure and equipment renewal.

“Safety and security constitute critical operational preconditions necessary for the actualization of our strategic intent of becoming the maritime logistics hub for sustainable port services in Africa.”

In his remarks, NPA’s Executive Director of Marine and Operations, Onari Brown, commended the renovation of the building. He cautioned against using it for personal or private purposes, directing that it should strictly serve as a workplace for those on duty.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), university don and a group, Citizens Voice Against Corruption (CIVAC), have urged President Bola Tinubu to ensure the full rehabilitation of the nation’s refineries to ensure fair competition in the downstream oil sector and reduce the negative effect of fuel subsidy removal.

The Union’s National President, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, gave the advice yesterday at a Maiden Public Lecture and Groundbreaking ceremony of the union’s Secretariat at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University (AE-FUNAI), Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

He said the Lecture, entitled: “Reinventing Nigerian Universities for Research and Development: The ASUU Perspective” was to educate the public on the importance of research for nation building.

Osedeke decried the way the government had spent trillions of naira on repairing the refineries, advising that restoring them would ensure sustainable development not only in the oil industry but in all other sectors.

Read Also: ASUU to Tinubu, IGP: arrest killers of UI Prof

“Let me tell you, any nation that doesn’t promote education always invites crisis. On subsidy removal, we are an affiliate of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC); so, whatever action they are taking on this nationwide issue, we’ll support them and our next action depends on NLC.

“In fact, we don’t believe in fuel subsidies. There is no subsidy in this country. You cannot be exporting crude oil for the past 70 years and yet you cannot refine the crude oil and sell to your people.

“Sell it to your people at the Nigerian rate and not in Dollars. You see, something is wrong. So, there is need to rebuild our refineries and prioritize the nation’s education for sustainable development,” he added.

Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, Immediate Past President of the Union, who delivered the lecture, called for the full engagement of the lecturers and stakeholders in education for a better country.

Ogunyemi urged federal and state governments to embrace research and prioritize education and improve the quality of life of the citizens.

Prof Sunday Elom, Vice-Chancellor of AE-FUNAI, represented by Prof Ramanus Ejiaga, commended the union for organizing the lecture which he said was timely.

A university lecturer, Prof Comfort Onifade, urged the president to consider the modular refinery system, a simplified refinery requiring significantly less capital and facilities to process crude oil, as part of measures to tackle persistence fuel crisis in the country.

Prof. Onifade said modular refineries if harnessed properly could lead to the processing of crude oil to meet some aspects of the local demands for fuel and reduce the quantity of the product being currently imported.

The professor of Social Studies, Department of Communication and General Studies, Federal University of Agriculture (FUNAAB) Abeokuta spoke with The Nation shortly after delivering the institution’s 77th inaugural lecture titled, ‘Contemporary Socio-political Issues, National Development and Sustainability.’

She lamented that while the country’s four refineries were not refining crude oil into fuel which had compelled Nigeria into importing of the product with the attendant challenges, the workers at the non – functioning facilities kept drawing salaries monthly, declaring that the development does not make sense to any economist.

She urged the new government at the centre to make the nation’s refineries work, build additional ones to cater for the increasing Nigerian population, instil good governance that punishes culprits of wrong doings in the oil sector and effective implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act((PIA).

The inaugural lecturer also identified corruption, insecurity, fuel crisis, gender based violence, ethnic and religious crises and women education as some of the contemporary socio-political problems hampering effective national development and urged the government to address them frontally.

Also, CIVAC called on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Unions Congress (TUC) to mount pressure on the government to put refineries in order.

In a press statement issued signed and made available to news men in Dutse, JIgawa State capital by group the national coordinator, Comrade Abdulrazaq Alqali, also appealed to NLC and TUC to look at other ways rather than strike action to achieve all the demands forwarded to the federal government.

According to the statement, the fuel subsidy removal has thrown Nigerians into serious difficulties, especially the common man, “but is the best option considering the national economic and alleged massive corruption attached to the fuel subsidy.

Comrade Alkali explained “the best option is the immediate revival and putting the Kaduna, Warri and Port-Harcourt refineries on to capacity and establishing more in the country.

“We urge Nigerians not to partake in the planned strike by the NLC and TUC against the removal of fuel subsidies by the Federal Government. Any confrontational action in this regard can be described as misguided, unwise and self-defeating.

“Industrial action may also increase more suffering to the ordinary people, “first. The intended strike and protest will put a halt on the operations of government offices, banks, shopping centres and schools, transportation workers and will also significantly affect the informal sectors including markets and local transportation services.

“This will cause untold hardship on Nigerians and have a significant damaging effect on an already struggling economy. Paralysing the country of more than 200 million people, the majority of the citizens live on daily wage will be highly irrational as well as a great threat to the security situation in the country”.

NIgeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) says the licencing of Deep Blue Industrial Park in Lagos has started a regime of zero fossil energy emission in the country.

The Managing-Director of NEPZA, Prof. Adesoji Adesugba, spoke while handing over the Declaration Licence to Mrs Anita Omoile, the Managing-Director/CEO of Deep Blue Industrial Park in Abuja.

Adesugba said NEPZA has fully keyed into the Federal Government’s eco-friendly initiative in the operation of the free trade zones’ ecosystem.

According to him, the Federal Government made history with the approval given for the first zero fossil energy emission zone in the South-West region at Imoore, Amuwo-Odofin area of Lagos measuring 115,503 hectares.

“This positions Nigeria as the leading continental hub for regional eco-friendly industrial activities and logistics services with free trade zone status.

“The new dispensation will still witness active manufacturing activities without the usual emission of destructive carbon energy into our space.

“This is in line with the Federal Government policy on promoting a green environment.

“The Deep Blue Industrial Park is a manufacturing space that promotes food processing, textile and garment production, renewable energy and electric cars as well as research and development services,” Adesugba said.

Read Also: FG begins zero fossil energy emission regime —NEPZA

He said that over 50 international enterprises are ready to move to the site in earnest.

On her part, Omoile expressed satisfaction in the seamless and speedy manner in which the approval was given.

She said that NEPZA under the management of Adesugba had taken the `ease of doing business’ policy of the government to a new level.

“Our partners across the globe are enthused with the development and this shows that the country is beginning to create the right business environment to attract the needed foreign direct investments,” Omoile said.

She said that the industrial park would generate over 10,000 jobs and inject an estimated $100 million annually into the economy.

Telecommunications and information services sector of Nigeria has contributed N2.508 trillion to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) in the first quarter (Q1) 2023, representing 14.13 per cent, according to stats from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

NBS report showed that the sector recorded a 4.3per cent increase in performance in the last quarter of 2022 when it recorded 13.55 per cent.  

When compared on a year-on-year basis, the growth showed a positive progression from 12.94 per cent in Q1 2022 to 14.13 per cent in Q1 2023, translating to an approximate growth by 9.19 per cent.

The percentage of telecom contribution to GDP was calculated from 46 distinct sectors of the economy, which constitute telecom and information services baskets.

The telecom industry has continued its show of positive outlook, which is credited to the innovative and predictable telecom regulatory environment promoted and implemented by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

One of the key highlights of the telecom industry performance within the period under review was the generation of $820.8 million for the Federal Government from the fifth generation (5G) licences fees paid by MTN Nigeria, Mafab Communications and Airtel Nigeria for one slot each in 3.5Gigahertz (Ghz) spectrum band auctioned by the regulator.

Read Also: ‘How tourism sector can contribute to nation GDP’

Following the issuance of the licences in December 2021 to MTN and Mafab, both companies have launched 5G services. Airtel, which got its licence in December 2022, is set to launch services this month.

Another major development in the sector was the launch of Starlinks broadband services, satellite-based wireless broadband services with potential nationwide coverage. This followed the issuance of licence to the Elon Musk-owned SpaceX by the Commission. The services are now available in different parts of the country.

According to figures from the NCC, the number of phone subscribers as at April 2023 stood at 223.6 million subscribers, scoring a teledensity of 117 per cent. 

Internet subscribers for the same period were 157 million while Broadband subscriptions stood at 92 million, translating to 48 per cent broadband penetration in the country.  

• Collects N25.1tr oil tax

Nigeria earned N109.6 trillion from non -oil tax in 12 years, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)  report contained in a document entitled: “Tax -To- GDP Ratio.”

The report noted that in the period between 2010 and 2021, the country also earned N25.1tr from oil tax.

NBS said in 2010, Nigeria collected N6.8tr, N9.4 trillion in 2011, and N8.4tr in 2012 non- oil taxes.

According to NBS, non-oil tax earned the country earned N9.2 trillion in 2014, it collected N7.8 trillion in 2015, and N7.1 trillion in 2016.

The document said non-oil taxes earned the country N8.7 trillion in 2017, N10.6 trillion I’m 2018, and N12.5 trillion in 2019.

It also said Nigeria earned N11.1 trillion from and N11.1 trillion in 2020 and N16.7 trillion in 2021oil taxes.

From the oil taxes, NBS said in 2010, Nigeria earned N1.4 trillion, in 2011 it earned N3.1tr, and N2.6tr in 2013.

The report said the country collected N2.4tr from oil taxes in 2014, and also N1.4 trillion, and N1.2tr in 2015 and 2016 respectively.

Read Also: FG earned N109.6tr non-oil tax in 12 years – NBS

NBS added that in 2017, Nigeria earned N1.5 trillion,  N2.5 trillion in 2018, and N2.1 trillion in 2019 from oil taxes.

The document said in 2020, the country collected N1.6tr from oil taxes and in 2020, it earned N2.1 trillion from the commodity.

Total tax revenues from non-oil and non-oil taxes in the period under review was N142.4 trillion, according to NBS.

The bureau noted that in 2010, Nigeria earned total revenues of N8.3tr, in 2011, the country collected N12.5 trillion, and in 2012, Nigeria earned N11.6 trillion total revenues in 2013.

NBS said in 2014, the country collected N11.7 trillion total tax revenues, N9.2 trillion in 2015 and N8.4 trillion in 2016.

According to the bureau, in 2017, Nigeria earned N10.2 trillion total tax revenues and N13.2 trillion in 2018 and N14.7 trillion in 2019.

Total tax revenues Nigeria earned in 2020 was N12.7 trillion and N18.8tr in 2021.

The document said total revenue to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2010 was 15.28 per cent, in 2011, 19.98per cent in 2011 and 16.25 per cent in 2012.

NBS notes that in 2013, revenue to GDP was 13.87 per cent, in 2014; 2015 and 2016, it was 13.21 per cent, 9.78 per cent and 8.28 per cent respectively.

According to NBS, in 2017; 2018 and 2019, total revenue to GDP was 9.02 per cent; 10.36 per cent; and 10.20 per cent.

It added that total revenue to GDP in 2020 was 8.40 per cent and 10.86 per cent in 2021.