The Nation Newspaper

Category: Discourse

  • India investor to boost Nigeria health care sector with $100m investment

    India investor to boost Nigeria health care sector with $100m investment

    Nigeria-India investment relations got a boost, yesterday, when Indian Origin Healthcare Group Padiyath Healthcare revealed  that it has earmarked  investment worth $100 million in the Nigeria’s healthcare sector.

    This disclosure was made by Padiyath Healthcare Chairman Dr. Hazeeb Rahman Padiyath, during an address by visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in Abuja.

    According to Padiyath, the investments when completed will enable Nigerians access world class hospital at affordable cost.

    He disclosed that already the company is set to commission a world-class  hospital, in Abuja as part of the long term investment drive of the India company, in the country.

    According to him the first one is the “Padiyath Mayfields Hospitals”, a 300-bed tertiary care hospital which is being constructed in Suncity estates, Galadimawa, Abuja,” adding that “When commissioned it will be Nigeria’s largest private sector hospital”.

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    He told the visiting India PM that the “hospital brings in advanced diagnostic equipments like 3T MRI. 256 Slice CT Scan Machine which will be the first of its kind in western Africa along with Cardiac cathlab, 24 Super speciality centers of excellence, 25 bedded Intensive care unit, Operation theatre in emergency department itself in addition to the Operation Theater complex in the 3rd floor which can be lifesaving in times of emergency”.

    He said the project will be ready for unveiling by February 2025.

    The India investor disclosed that the second Hospital Padiyath Cancare Hospitals which will also be domiciled in Abuja will be a 200-bed hospital world class cancer institute.

    “This center will be a full-fledged cancer hospital with equipments like Pet Scan, Linear accelerator & Gamma knife,” Dr. Padiyath said.

    The Group Padiyath healthcare is true Indian multinational healthcare provider with operations in India, middle east & Africa, the company boss said.

    The Africa expansions are spearheaded by Dr. Padiyath. It is part of his vision to provide quality affordable healthcare across the Africa maintaining the principles of Padiyath Healthcare which says “Technology -Technique -Touch”.

  • Old students donate furniture, reflective sign post to alma mater at 45

    Old students donate furniture, reflective sign post to alma mater at 45

    The Old Students Association of Orin High School, Orin Ekiti in Ido Osi Local Government of Ekiti State have donated furniture  and a reflective signpost to the school.

    They made the donation as part of activities marking the school’s 45th anniversary.

    During the two-day event, an award of excellence was presented to the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Dr. Olabimpe Aderiye, an indigene of Orin Ekiti for her contributions to development of the school and community.

    Other beneficiaries are headmaster, Mr Ogunlade, best teacher, and outstanding pupil in 2023 WAEC examination.

    In a presentation, former Council Chair, an old boy,  Elder Benjamin Fatope, warned pupils against acts that could destroy their careers and bring disrepute to the school.

    He urged the pupils to work hard for excellence and take a cue from others who have excelled in their chosen careers.

    National President of the union, Evangelist Rotimi Ojo, said the old students would assist in infrastructure development of the school to enhance teaching and learning.

    He appealed to old students home and abroad to support the developmental projects initiated by the Alumni Association.

    Earlier, Chairman of the Publicity Committee, Elder Oluwatuyi Aroge, noted that the association would project the school to the world and making it compete favourably with others around the globe.

    The programme attracted old students, who used the event to reunite, reminisce on and strategise on how to support their school.

    The old students moved round town to sensitise members on the need to give their children sound education.

    Activities for the first day was rounded off with a novelty match

    Presenting the furniture on the second day, Ojo, said the donation was to give pupils a sense of belonging.

    He appreciated members who contributed to the project, and urged pupils and teachers to ensure proper maintenance.

    Mrs Aderiye, represented by former Executive Secretary of Ekiti SUBEB, Babafemi Jegede, thanked the association for the award, and hailed it for giving back to the school.

    Speaking on the reflective signpost, a pioneer student, Ben Fatope, said the project was conceived and executed by 1979-1984 set.

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    Other pioneer students at the event are Dayo Dada, director of Works at FMC, Ido Ekiti; Aroge, director of Primary Health Care and Health Secretary with Ekiti State Primary Health Care Agency; Mrs Susan Oludakinni nee Ilori; Femi Samuel; Mrs Funmilayo Alo; Makanjuola Michael; Kehinde Daramola; Mrs Olubunmi Ajayi nee Alasi; Theresa nee Omonijo; and Pius Daodu. They congratulated the awardees and urged them to continue to justify the confidence reposed in them.

    Chairmen of the Fundraising Committee, home and abroad, Akinola Bodunde and Dr. Kayode lge, hailed members for donating willingly and generously.

    “This milestone is not just a celebration of time, but a testament to the dedication, values, and commitment of everyone who was part of the journey

    “Over the years, our school has been a place where memories are made, knowledge is gained, and friendship formed. It has nurtured and inspired individuals, instilling in us the virtues of hard work, integrity, and resilience”

    He appealed to pupils to emulate these virtues.

    Other dignitaries present are permanent secretaries, retired executive secretaries, Area Education officers, community leaders, alumni, the academia and politicians.

  • ‘Our partnership is rooted in mutual respect and shared values‘

    ‘Our partnership is rooted in mutual respect and shared values‘

    • By Bola Tinubu and Emmanuel Macron

    In the present era, international relations are often framed as if there were only two possible outcomes for States: to dominate, or to be dominated; to vassalize, or to be vassalized.

    Nations are supposed to make a choice in favour of this or that hegemon, this or that bloc. The lesson we are learning from our experience as Heads of State of two countries whose bilateral relationship has been deepening over the last twenty-five years is quite different.

    From our shared perspectives, we can very confidently say that we see our relationship as a partnership between equals. Indeed, there are moments in history when countries find themselves driven by shared interests that are well understood and recognized by all. France and Nigeria find themselves at such a pivotal moment.

    When we have mutual interests, we work together. It is in our mutual interest to encourage private sector investment between our two countries.

    It is in our mutual interest to develop thriving creative and cultural industries that will generate jobs for Nigerian and French young people.

    It is in our mutual interest to make sure that the Gulf of Guinea is safe for all economic activities.

    It is in our mutual interest to strengthen our food systems so that they are stable, secure and not over-reliant on imports.

    We are glad that Nigeria and France are trusted partners, to each other and to many countries all over the world. This trust is invaluable. This trust rules out constraint or pressure.

    It rules out systematic alignment.

     It rules out over-reliance. It leads us to respect the vision that our two countries have of their respective strategic autonomy.

    We define strategic autonomy as the ability for States to pursue their own interests without over-reliance on another State, particularly with regard to their national security and foreign policy; to choose a future for itself without foreign interference.

    Although the term is fairly recent, the principle of strategic autonomy is deeply rooted in the history of France and Nigeria.

    It is also a principle that is widely supported by the citizens of both our countries.

    Today, we want to reiterate our firm commitment to promoting this principle of strategic autonomy, not only for our two countries, but also within the framework of the strategic vision that we are putting forward, as Nigeria, for Africa, and as France, for Europe.

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    We will not meet the challenges of today’s world by building blocs.

    We will meet these challenges by reforming and renewing global governance, by adapting existing frameworks so that they enable us to work together more effectively, to reach consensus and to focus resources on solving the crucial challenges that we face.

    To achieve this, we need global governance to be more inclusive and participatory. Even though progress has been made, more needs to be done to ensure that the entire world population, and particularly the African continent, feels truly represented in all fora.

    We need this renewed and reformed global governance to protect the achievements of previous generations such as the body of international humanitarian law that exists today and should be implemented in the same way, whether in Gaza, in Sudan or in Ukraine.

    We need it to step up our efforts to establish stronger health systems, education for all, sustainable and legal migration pathways.

    We need it to strengthen our resilience to climate change and to better protect biodiversity beyond national jurisdictions.

    Nigeria and France are proud to reaffirm today their commitment to work together in order to achieve these objectives, and to help bring together all stakeholders, fully aware of our shared interests and horizons.

    •Tinubu and Macron are both Presidents of Nigeria and France

  • 1.8m crude bpd milestone: Energy transformation on course under Kyari

    1.8m crude bpd milestone: Energy transformation on course under Kyari

    • By Ade Olusokan

    It is a major milestone in the history of crude oil exploration in Nigeria. The nation is gradually hitting the mark for the crude oil quota from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), thereby revving up the nation’s earnings and setting the country on the path of sustainable growth. 

    Under the visionary leadership of Mallam Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), the company has achieved remarkable milestones, transforming Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. Among these achievements is the recent attainment of 1.8 million barrels per day (mbpd) in crude oil production and 7.4 billion standard cubic feet (bscf) per day in gas production.

    Many detractors and critics of the NNPCL chief were shocked when the landmark achievement was announced recently. Unperturbed by the well-oiled campaign of calumny launched against him by elements who were jittery by his revolutionary plan for the nation’s oil corporation, Kyari remained committed to best global practices, innovation, collaboration, and resilience in steering the company and the nation’s energy sector toward sustainability and growth.

    Since assuming leadership, Mele Kyari has demonstrated a clear understanding of the challenges and opportunities within Nigeria’s energy sector. His tenure has been marked by bold initiatives and strategic decisions, aimed at ensuring that NNPC Ltd remains competitive and profitable in a rapidly evolving global energy landscape.

    Kyari’s leadership style emphasizes collaboration, innovation, and transparency. By fostering partnerships with key stakeholders and deploying cutting-edge technologies, the NNPCL, under his watch, has created a culture of accountability and efficiency within the company. This has not only led to increased production levels but has also restored confidence in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

    One of the most notable achievements under Kyari’s leadership is the recent increase in crude oil production to 1.8mbpd and gas output to 7.4bscf per day. This milestone is a significant improvement from the 1.43mbpd recorded in June 2024 when the Production War Room Team was inaugurated.

    The Production War Room, a strategic initiative envisioned and established  by Kyari, played a pivotal role in this success. The strategic team comprises g experts and key stakeholders, the team implemented a series of interventions across the production chain to address inefficiencies and security challenges. Through collaboration with government and private security agencies, as well as Joint Venture and Production Sharing Contract partners, the team restored production levels and set the stage for sustained growth.

    The success of the Production War Room and the subsequent production milestone would not have been possible without the collective efforts of various stakeholders. Speaking on the achievement, Kyari praised the team for their dedication and highlighted the importance of collaboration in driving progress.

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    “The team has done a great job in driving this project of not just production recovery but also escalating production to expected levels that are in the short and long terms acceptable to our shareholders,” Kyari remarked.

    Other stakeholders, including Chief Pius Akinyelure, Chairman of the NNPC Ltd Board of Directors, and Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum (Oil), also commended the team’s efforts and pledged continued support.

    In addition to an increase in crude oil production, the rise in gas production to 7.4bscf per day is also a testament to NNPC Ltd’s focus on diversifying Nigeria’s energy portfolio. As the world transitions to cleaner energy sources, natural gas is emerging as a critical bridge fuel. Nigeria’s abundant gas reserves position it as a potential leader in the global energy market.

    Under Kyari’s leadership, NNPC Ltd has prioritized gas development, aligning with the Federal Government’s Decade of Gas initiative. The company’s efforts in this area include expanding domestic gas infrastructure, promoting gas-to-power projects, and exploring opportunities for liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports.

    The NNPCL also played a key role in deepening the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration. These efforts include partnering with NIPCO Gas Limited to build 35 CNG stations across Nigeria, NNPC Retail has also trained over 1,000 auto mechanics on how to convert vehicles to CNG, aided with toolboxes,coveralls and generators among others. The PCNGi supports the deployment of CNG vehicles and helps individuals and businesses convert their vehicles into CNG. The initiative aims to: Reduce dependence on fossil fuels; Enhance energy independence ;Lower energy costs for citizens ;Provide economic relief; Reduce transportation cost and contribute to Nigeria’s national goals of reducing emissions and combating climate change

    The increase in crude oil and gas production has significant implications for Nigeria’s economy. As the country’s primary source of revenue, the oil and gas sector plays a crucial role in funding government initiatives and driving economic development. The recent milestone positions Nigeria to better meet its OPEC obligations while boosting foreign exchange earnings.

    Additionally, increased production capacity enhances Nigeria’s ability to attract foreign investments. With a stable and secure production environment, international investors are more likely to view Nigeria as a viable destination for energy projects.

    These remarkable feats didn’t happen in isolation. There were a number of factors that made the achievements possible.  Under Kyari’s guidance, NNPC Ltd prioritized the security of oil and gas infrastructure. Pipeline vandalism and theft had long plagued the sector, leading to significant revenue losses and production disruptions. To tackle this, the company worked closely with the Office of the National Security Adviser and other security agencies to monitor pipelines and protect assets. These measures have not only reduced theft but also ensured uninterrupted production.

    Another strategy the company adopted innovative approaches to maximize output from existing fields while exploring new opportunities. By leveraging advanced technologies and streamlining operations, NNPC Ltd has been able to optimize production processes and achieve higher efficiency.

    Kyari’s emphasis on collaboration has been a key driver of success. The coordinated efforts of Joint Venture and Production Sharing Contract partners ensured that resources and expertise were pooled to address production challenges. This partnership model has proven to be effective in driving sustainable growth.

    The establishment of the Production War Room demonstrated Kyari’s proactive leadership. By closely monitoring production activities and implementing targeted interventions, the team was able to swiftly address bottlenecks and sustain momentum.

    Buoyed by the current momentum, NNPCL under Kyari is confident in its ability to reach 2mbpd by the end of 2024. This ambitious target, declared NNPCL boss, has outlined a roadmap for achieving the goal, which includes further investments in infrastructure, exploration of new oil fields, and strengthening partnerships with stakeholders. The company is also exploring opportunities to leverage renewable energy sources, ensuring a balanced and sustainable energy mix.

    •Ade Olusokan writes from Ikeja, Lagos State

  • Battling the housing deficit in Nigeria—a new approach

    Battling the housing deficit in Nigeria—a new approach

    • By Kunle Oyatomi

    In mid-November Nigeria’s central government under President Bola Tinubu moved to take on the sore challenge of the housing deficit across the land. In one fell swoop, the Federal Executive Council, FEC, took the unprecedented step of approvingN250b investment fund to tackle the malaise, which had for long dimmed the economic prospects of the giant of Africa and the scores of millions of its citizens. It’s a real estate intervention intent to provide enduring succor and affordable mortgages to the people.

    The initiative was unearthed by Finance Minister, Wale Edun, after the weekly FEC gathering in Abuja, presided over by the president. Edun said the project fits into a strategy to stimulate ‘’long–term economic growth.’’ He described it as the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) Real Estate Investment Fund, explaining that it ‘’will offer low-cost mortgages to individuals seeking to own homes, with interest rates targeted at single-digit or low double-digit figures.

    The minister believes that at its peak, MOFI’s exceptional modus operandi will make it possible for the citizens ‘’access mortgages with interest rates ranging between 11 per cent to 12 per cent, a significant reduction from the current market rates that often exceed 30 per cent. The point being made is that no longer would the larger segment of the country not have an alternative in meeting their housing concerns. Also, no longer would they be fleeced by shylock land speculators and their bank sector conspirators. There’s more: this initiative will go in no little way to improve the living standards of the people, notably the low-income earners and the superannuated along with not in the net of the civil service.

    In a land where we have grim statistics and graphically gory images of countless people making the underbelly of bridges their homes all over the land, this is cheering news from the government of Tinubu. This intervention is meant for them, even if its long-haul is aimed at moving the national economy to an enviable plane. You can’t talk of a good economy if your policies don’t benefit the masses of the country you govern. What’s the point of your administration if your people don’t enjoy affordably decent housing in the 21st Century, an age where one of the indices of performance is habitable quarters for your people?

    Indeed, the huge housing shortfalls in the underdeveloped societies of the world are said to be responsible for its cyclical crises. These lead to the unintended erection of shanties and ghettos in the urban and semi-urban centres of the land. These are crime scenes that large crowds of young people drawn away from the rural areas to the towns and metropolis. They form dangerous gangs that become a law unto themselves. They threaten the peace of law-abiding citizens, as they outnumber the security personnel.

    Unscrupulous politicians reach out to them to unleash mayhem on their opponents during elections and when there are protests against so-called unpopular policies of the incumbent government. These homes of those deprived of decent habitation are n most cases no-go areas for the Police the people lean on for deliverance. Besides this toxic existence of theirs, these ‘homeless’ citizens put undue pressure on the urban facilities like housing, roads, schools, health centres, power etc. Because they are accommodated in the statistics of the inhabitants of the city, there’s no planning to capture them in the picture of the infrastructure for the landscape. You can’t plan for ghost and clandestine intruders and those who operate outside of the system, those who storm the urban areas and all they do is to establish slums, which in turn attract kindred spirits.

    It’s the reason the whole country was alarmed when a report recently claimed that Nigeria faces an acute deficit of approximately 28 millionn housing units. According to statistics, this puts the housing in grave turmoil, with experts warning that we would need 700,000 new homes annually to clear the backlog.

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    The World Bank, International Monetary Fund and our own National Bureau of Statistics agree. And they predict that if Nigeria is going to grow by over 200 million by 2050, a potential social crisis is lurking in the shadows if we don’t deal with the housing deficit, which is creating more cradles of time bombs in the form of slums.

    There’s incontrovertible evidence that the efforts of previous governments to tackle this disturbing issue have not failed because of the lack of ideas or failure to give attention to it. Not at all. Indeed, if we look back at the reports, we shall come across tomes of documents addressing the matter, both in military and civilian dispensations. Even the state administrations have not been wanting. So what has been the drawbacks?

    Experts say the main challenge over the decades is lack of funding the lofty ideas about solutions to the housing crisis. They argue that when the papers are presented at seminars, workshops and executive gatherings for a mortal blow to nail the scourge, there isn’t an accompaniment of strategic funding and monitoring. Therefore, while there would appear to be a grand bureaucracy around the issue, it soon runs into severe deadly storms and shipwrecks, being denied the necessary funding. Thus, it’s not that we failed to look in the direction of a social threat.

    Many believe that the Tinubu government has refused to follow the beaten track over the question of the vexed housing deficit. Unlike the others before him, Tinubu, after a study of why the earlier approaches crashed, has brought up a multibillion budget upfront to take the bull by the horns. He’s giving it Grade A attention in the hands of a minister he is directly supervising.

    Secondly, Tinubu is tying the resolution of the chaotic housing sector to his macroeconomic agenda. Now, as a strategist, this frees him from the tunnel vision that held down others and prevented a bold outlook. In so doing he is according the initiative its true honour: an inviolate human right input, a constitutional demand, the same way the citizens are entitled to food, security and education.

    Observers say this is where President Tinubu is poised for success, all things being equal, where others failed to see the provision of befitting housing for the people as a fundamental human right. He is thus bound by the force of the Constitution he swore on oath to respect. Others hardly saw the matter from that sacred and hallowed precincts and therefore did not go beyond the drawing board.

    •Oyatomi Esq. is on the Board of the Independent Media and Policy Initiative, IMPI, a think tank based in Abuja.

  • As MicCom Foundation for bursaries, scholarships returns

    As MicCom Foundation for bursaries, scholarships returns

    • By Gafar Atitebi

    In his first cabinet shake-up since he took over the reigns of government on May 29 last year, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu disengaged five ministers on October 23. It would not come as a surprise to any discerning mind that one of the affected ministries was education, the bedrock of development on which any imaginative government must place a premium.

    A nation whose population is made up of illiterates is as good as dead; only waiting to be consigned to the anthill of inglorious history.

    The foregoing informs the sarcastic saying that any nation that thinks education is expensive should try ignorance. It is an experiment that appears to have been put to test in some parts of the country with grave consequences in form of banditry, sectarian killings and other forms of terrorist acts.

    The seeds for the wave of insecurity that has engulfed some parts of the country, particularly the Northeast and the Northwest geo-political zones, were planted wittingly or unwittingly by parents and guardians who failed to send their children to school and thus turned them into willing tools for extremist religious groups, bandits and other anti-social elements who exploit their ignorance to recruit them for unwholesome activities that threaten the very foundation of our national existence.

    These anomalies informed the decision of MicCom Cables and Wires Limited to launch a foundation aimed at helping indigent children and youths whose educational future is in jeopardy. According to statistics from the UNICEF no fewer than 10.5 million children are out of school in spite of an existing law making primary and secondary education compulsory.

    Established in 1987 by patriarch and matriarch of the MicCom family, Dr (Prince) Tunde Ponnle (OON, OFR) and the late Engr (Mrs) Olufunke Ponnle, the MicCom Foundation for Educational Development (MIFFED) is focused on academic excellence, moral uprightness and the belief that education is the best legacy that parents as well as the nation can bequeath to their children and upcoming generations.

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    It was towards the foregoing end that MIFED saddled itself with the task of awarding bursaries and scholarships to deserving students in Osun and Oyo states every year from 1987 until the laudable programme was truncated by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, following restrictions that were placed on public gatherings and activities. It is instructive that the unsavoury development occurred immediately after the 2019/2020 annual awards presentation ceremony.

    Before then, more than 7,000 students from various educational institutions in the aforementioned states had benefitted from MicCom’s bursary and scholarship awards. They included secondary school students, undergraduates and postgraduate students of Osun and Oyo states origin.

    Besides financial assistance, the foundation also donated foodstuffs and Christmas gifts to the Schools for the Special Needs in Ikirun and Osogbo. These were besides a block of fully equipped classroom each donated to the two schools.

    The foundation had also donated textbooks to the secondary schools in Osun State through the Ministry of Education. It donated a motorised borehole to Saint James Middle School Osogbo upon the schools emergence as the best in the 2017/2018 session MIFFED Assessment examination.

    Also included in the foundation’s gestures was the donation of solar street lights to Methodist High School Ilesa, being the best school in the 2019/2020 Assessment examination.

    Other educational philanthropic accomplishments of MicCom Foundation include the institution of two prizes in four departments at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife; the donation of a science block to Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso; the equipment of a six-classroom block for Baptist Day School, Ada and the institution of the WAPCO Scholarship fund for workers’ children.

    Thus, it was a smooth sail for the foundation until two brutal incidents conspired to throw a spanner in the works. The first was the COVID-19 pandemic aforementioned, which locked down not just the entire nation but the entire world, while the second was the untimely demise Engr (Mrs) Olufunke Ponnle, a massive brain behind the founding of both MicCom and the foundation, who but for her passing in 2012 would have celebrated her 80th birthday this year.

    Still, the significance of the milestone age is not lost on the family members and other well wishers, who have decided to honour the deceased matriarch with a posthumous birthday bash coordinated by her daughter and accomplished medical consultant based in New York, USA, Dr (Mrs) Temitope Imevboren. The momentous event by Dr. Imevboren and her team will feature award of bursaries to deserving students, honours for the parents of the awardees and luncheon for dignitaries from Osun and Oyo states.

    The late female engineer reputed for excelling in a male-dominated profession was not only a co-dreamer, co-actualiser and co-driver of the foundation, she was also the very pivot on which its wheel rotated.

    Underscoring her impact on both MicCom and the foundation in an interview he granted a national newspaper, Dr (Prince) Tunde Ponnle said it is the reason why he has set October 29 of every year apart to celebrate her since her departure on October 29, 2012.

    Dr Ponnle said: “Whatever I am or whatever MicCom is today, we did it together. Because of me, she studied engineering as well.

    “So when we started our engineering business, we were together. She did one thing and I did the other. She was managing the factory while I was going out for marketing.

    “In everything, we were really, really compatible. We were so close that my children thought I would not last one year after her death. So that calls for remembering her every year.

    “The first seven years when I was alone was terrible. I moved to the village and played golf. But golf is not something you do 24/7. Even if you play it every day, it is only for four hours. So when you are back to the house you are lonely.

    “In the village, there is no one at your level. So it was a very lonely life until maybe the lady herself sent somebody exactly like her to me in the person of my present wife (former Osun State Deputy Governor, Titi Laoye Tomori).”

    From the foregoing, it was a natural consequence that the death of the female engineer would cause a lull in the foundation’s activities before the ugly incident was compounded by the outbreak of COVID-19.

    Thankfully, the ugly times are over as MIFED’s donors have returned to the drawing board for necessary re-strategising and repositioning with a view to put it on a stronger footing to address her core aims and objectives.

    We hereby thank God the Almighty that the Foundation is now back to continue her service to God and humanity. It is in this regard that we solicit for your maximum cooperation towards ensuring the success of the 2025/2026 edition where the Foundation will pay the WAEC fees of successful candidates from different schools.

    Each school is therefore enjoined to present their five best students in SS2 for our assessment examination at a date that will soon be communicated to you. The awards will be based purely on merit.

    •Atitebi is the executive secretary of MicCom Foundation for Educational Development (MIFFED)

  • The universities and the farmers

    The universities and the farmers

    Text of Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, University of Ibadan, Chief Bisi Akande at the institution’s 76th Foundation Day anniversary and 2024 Convocation

    Protocols:

    Naturally, Man is a most purposeful producer of his needs. Water and food are the most basic needs of man and his essential wants are food, shelter and clothing. Following scavenging, man discovered agriculture or farming as his first major occupation for the production of his needs. That is to say, man’s first main occupation has been farming specifically for the production of the foods he eats. Also, byproducts of agriculture provide the materials for the construction of his house, for the making of his clothing and the herbs for the treatments of his health challenges. Hence, man meets his basic needs from his efforts in farming.

    The regularity of man’s productivity in farming depends on the robustness of his health which, in turn, determines his strength and his energy to carry out his tasks as a farmer. The quality and the level of the working of man’s mind determines the type and the quantum of the yields of his products. The degree of the level of the development of man’s mind also determines the fashion and the sophistication of the tools he would fabricate for his farming. Here comes the impact of the standards and the quality of the types of his education.

    Primarily, for man, the object of production is consumption. Therefore, man is first and foremost the producer and the consumer. It is only when there are surpluses over and above his immediate needs that he keeps something apart for his secondary objective, which is to assist him in building the capital necessary for his future productions. In other words, it is after having enough for himself that man’s economic interests begin. It has been a well recognized fact, therefore, that man, as an economic activist, is supposed to be the initiator, the innovator, the accelerator, the investor, the producer, the consumer, the exchanger, the distributor and the creator of his own needs and wants and, also, of the tools he uses to achieve them.

    Nigerian peasant, representing some 80% of the population, still uses the farming tools consisting of the hoes and cutlasses which were fashioned in the shapes now variably prevalent in our different cultures since the global spread of iron roughly between the eighth and the fifth centuries before Christ. Any wonder, then, that the Nigerian Youths are not enthusiastic in undertaking the drudgery of using such archaic farm implements? And any wonder, therefore, that our people are now hungry and starving? And where are the impacts of the Nigerian educational systems, up to the University level, in all these deficits in the types of Nigerian farmers’ affordable tools and in the production innovations in agriculture that now make the farmers poverty ridden and the citizenry hungry?

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    But are we saying that there are so much disconnects between the Nigerian Universities and the Nigerian agriculture that our farmers are so incapable of feeding our nation? Just as the government collaborates with the investors to found computer villages in some cities, may I suggest that our educational institutions together with the investors should collaborate with every state to found farming-villages in every local government with a view to attracting our young graduates into agriculture? The multiplier effects would result in the innovative fabrication of modern farming implements, in the illustration of practical demonstrations of the essence of academic institutions in using sciences, technologies and management techniques for the promotion of plenteous nutritional agricultural yields and in the attractiveness of business investments in profitable agro-allied industries among the generality of our society.

    Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for being part of our University’s 76th Foundation Day Anniversary and of the 2024 Convocation Ceremonies; and, thank you for listening.

  • FAAN and Tinubu’s aviation reforms

    FAAN and Tinubu’s aviation reforms

    By Yakubu Dati

    Since she shattered the glass ceiling to emerge the first female Managing Director of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs Olubunmi Kuku has taken bold steps to mainstream the economic reforms of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led administration in the aviation sector.

    She introduced a number of initiatives that are bound to improve passenger traffic in the sector with accompanying increase in revenue; non-aeronautical revenue and overall positive performance that will  contribute a significant chunk to the the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) figure of N2.43 trillion internal revenue generated by the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in 2023.

    This she has done through re-engineering productivity in all the departments, enhancing efficiency of personnel through adequate training and deploying the right tools for service delivery in a critical sector like aviation.

    The Bola Tinubu administration has left no one in doubt that it is no longer going to be business as usual but that all sectors must rise to contribute their quota to the overall economy.

    It is in achieving this that Mrs Kuku has proven her capacity and competence to deliver and deep appreciation of the need to make Nigeria work by seamlessly keying into the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by mainstreaming safety in airports beyond just compliance to encompass financial, reputational, and operational advantages.

    As the helmsman of FAAN, she realized early enough that the onerous task of applying revenue from just two viable airports to service and operate 26 others across the length and breadth of the country was not sustainable.

    Being a financial wizkid with a Bsc in Finance and MBA in International Finance & Strategic Management from the University of Illinois and DePaul University’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business, respectively, she rolled her sleeves and applied her over two decades of remarkable career marked by strategic insight and innovative thinking into handling the situation.

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    Rather than allow things to drag, Kuku set out to diversify FAAN’s revenue streams by aiming to increase non-aeronautical income through the building of strategic partnerships and incentives to boost airport revenue generation.

    She quickly connected the dots between revenue and safety standards and thereafter embarked on massive manpower training to build safety standards.

    During her first week in office, she signed the reviewed FAAN Corporate Safety Policy that spelt out her commitment to accountability and responsibility to safety.

    In barely 11 months after assumption of duty as the Chief Executive of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mrs Kuku walked the talk by clocking in about 2,000 man hours in training an unprecedented 3,219 number of staff and critical stakeholders across six safety-critical courses.

    The experienced technocrat prioritized airport safety as a multifaceted springboard to significantly contribute to passenger confidence, operational efficiency, compliance with regulations, economic growth, and the overall well-being of both travelers and staff.

     Kuku is creating the necessary foundation to reposition FAAN to ultimately contribute to a safer and more reliable flying experience in tandem with Minister Festus Keyamo’s master plan to standardise aviation infrastructure.

    As a team player, she has earned the respect and admiration of her management team who keyed into her policy of empowering staff and stakeholders with prerequisite training in adhering to procedures and technology in line with regulatory bodies like NCAA, ICAO, ACI and other sister agencies to enhance world class protocols based on the latest industry advancement and best practices.

    That wise, staff have benefitted from a curriculum of courses in comprehensive strategies and practices through  continuous training and safety education through ICAO mandatory programs including safety, security personnel, operations, and aerodrome fire-fighting.

    These trainings majorly focus on Airside Operations and Safety Compliance Training (AOSCT), Global Reporting Format (GRF), Aerodrome General Safety Awareness (AGSA) Course, emergency protocols, crisis management, and safety procedures.

    With the Airport being a hub for activities that facilitates global connections, courses were introduced in Runway Maintenance, Safety Management Systems (SMS), Safety Drills, Upgraded Infrastructure and Technology.

    To further boost its commitment to protecting human lives, securing infrastructure, and fostering confidence among travelers and employees alike, trainings were conducted in Reporting Systems, Foster a Safety Culture, Employee Engagement, Coordination and Communication, Public Information/Messaging, Regular Safety Audits and Assessments amongst others.

    Maintaining a safe Airport environment is a dynamic process that requires constant vigilance and a culture that encourages everyone, from frontline employees to senior leaders, to take ownership of safety standards, therefore Intensive training was conducted in Improving Runway and Taxiway Design, Implementation of Comprehensive Safety Management Systems.

    Aviation stakeholders have applauded Kuku’s dogged pursuit beyond compliance with standards, to boosting confidence of travelers and the airport community. The massive renovation of Terminal 1, popularly known as GAT from her lean resources has brought relief and comfort to passengers.

    She has also embarked on the reconstruction of the International Airport road; roads leading to the airside; as well as drainages.

    Surveillance systems are also being installed to boost safety and passenger confidence and comfort.

    Her recent initiative to think out of the box and successfully engage the Lagos State Government to partner in the construction and rehabilitation of roads within the airport vicinity to ease the stress of passengers has received high applause.

    She explained, “We understand that travelers trust us with their well-being, and this is the reason why every investment we make, every policy we put in place, is about ensuring safe and reliable travel for all.”

    Compliance with safety regulations reassures airlines, government bodies, and investors, fostering better relationships and support.

    It also encourages more travelers, which stimulates growth in tourism and related industries, ultimately improving its Internally Generated Revenue and contributing to the national purse!

    Kuku’s giant strides has not only received recognition in Nigeria with several awards in her kitty including FAAN being ranked among the Top 5 Most Improved Agencies in Nigeria by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), the global aviation industry is shifting its focus to Nigeria.

    The prestigious global body, Airport Council International (ACI ) honored the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria with two prestigious safety awards during her Africa Conference held in South Africa.

    Her eventual appointment into the Board of ACI, is a further affirmation of her standing as a global ambassador.

    These are no mean achievements awards in less than just one year in office.

    • Dati, a former General Manager, Corporate Affairs of FAAN writes from Abuja

  • Delta’s Sheriff plans big, budgets N936b for 2025

    Delta’s Sheriff plans big, budgets N936b for 2025

    It’s that time of the year when individuals and organisations start planning for the next year. In Delta State, the governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, is prepared for 2025 with the state’s budget. Christened ‘Budget of Fiscal Consolidation’, Oborevwori is set to administer Delta State in 2025 with Nine Hundred and Thirty Six Billion Naira (N936bn). By Nigerian standards, N936bn is a huge budget but it’s Delta after all – the ‘Big Heart’ state.

    The governor described the 2025 budget as people-focused, particularly intervening in cushioning the economic hardships faced by Deltans.

    “The 2025 budget contains several initiatives planned to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal on our people and all the attendant economic challenges it has brought upon us,” Oborevwori said on Thursday as he presented the budget to the House of Assembly.

    “These include deliberate provisions to strengthen our social protection interventions and safety nets, basic rural infrastructure, agriculture and food security, the agro value chain, and MSMEs. The 2025 Budget focuses on continued provision of physical infrastructure, human capital development, job creation, wealth creation, and poverty reduction in our dear state. The state government intends to achieve these through prudent management of our resources and prioritising expenditures on health, education, agriculture, water resources, environment, housing, as well as women and youth empowerment programmes. In 2025, we propose to spend N230 billion on Road Infrastructure; N67.42 billion on Education; N30.55 billion on Health; N11.03 billion on Water Resources; and N7 billion on Agriculture.”

    That the governor has allocated N230bn or about a quarter of the budget to roads should not come as a surprise to those following events in the state. His administration is focused on opening up the state via roads and linking up the rural and urban areas across the state. Speaking recently at an event at Sapele Club, Delta State Commissioner for Works (Rural and Riverine Roads), Mr Charles Aniagwu, who represented the governor, elaborated on the road projects in the state.

    “By the grace of God, I have been saddled with the responsibility of supervising some of the roads we are doing in Sapele at the moment,” Aniagwu said at the function. He informed his audience that the contract to repair the Okirighwre-Benin Road has been awarded and it would be completed before May 2025. The commissioner also said the administration is “fast-tracking the construction of the Ughelli-Asaba Expressway” while the 2.7km Issele-Azagba-Otulu Road project in Aniocha North local government area has been handed over to the contractor to commence work. These road construction works would definitely require serious financing. And the budget would ensure the roads come to fruition.

    Education takes the next chunk in the budget at N67.42b. This is also in line with the administration’s vision to ensure that educational institutions in Delta State are globally competitive. With 1,142 public primary schools and 489 public secondary schools in Delta State, it is the goal of the Sheriff administration to ensure noo child is deprived of basic education. “Delta State’s vision on education is to provide unfettered access to Basic Education to all Children of Pre-Primary, Primary and Post Primary school age for a qualitative, functional and free education that will equip them for purposeful living,” said the Executive Assistant to the state Governor on Education Monitoring, Clement Siakpere, a month ago.

    “The mission is to ensure the provision of qualitative, functional free and compulsory education to all children of school age, irrespective of religion, sex, culture and disability including the 2nd chance (Adult) learners.”

    This goal comes with financial implications which the 2025 budget would attend to.

    Delta State has also re-energised its foray in agriculture, focusing on crop production, livestock and aquaculture. Its investment in the Delta Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus, D-CARES, saw it partnered with the Africa Union Development Agency, New Partnership for African Development (AUDA NEPAD), in a deal whereby about 6,000 farmers were empowered. The Delta State government supported this effort with N1bn counterpart funding. And subsequently, more farmers would need more of government’s support.

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    “Our farmers must receive the necessary support to continue their vital contributions to our economy,” Oborevwori said in September while addressing farmers.

    “Agriculture remains a key pillar of our development strategy, and, through this disbursement, we aim to enhance food production, increase household incomes, and ultimately improve the livelihood of thousands of Deltans.”

    In 2023, Delta partnered with Afritropic, an Agriculture based Service Provider, to establish greenhouses in the farm settlements at Mbiri, Ika North East LGA, at Kpakiama, Bomadi LGA and Deghele, Sapele LGA. The yield from this effort is bountiful. And with this budget, Delta State would be able to do more for Delta farmers. Oborevwori is just doing what he had promised to do while campaigning.

    The state has also slated N30.55b on improving healthcare with interventions in hospitals, primary healthcare centers, and disease prevention initiatives in the 2025 budget. As it stands, more than two million Deltans have keyed into the state’s health insurance scheme. Contributors pay N7, 000 a year to access medical services in 560 public and private hospitals across the state. In July, the Director-General of the Delta State Contributory Health Commission (DSCHC), Isaac Akpoveta, disclosed that the scheme covers “the bills of over 300 Cesarean Sections (CS) monthly at the cost of over N500,000 but it has been a silent activity of the government that people are not aware of.”

    The health insurance scheme also includes free medical care to children below the age of five years under the scheme.

    Earlier, the Delta State Commissioner for Economic Planning, Mr. Sonny Ekedayen, spoke on the budget’s focus.

    “Our focus areas remain clear: agriculture; support for micro, small, and medium enterprises; youth empowerment; tourism; entertainment; social safety nets through poverty alleviation; physical infrastructure; healthcare; and education,” Ekedayen said.

    According to Ekedayen, the 2025 budget is committed to fiscal integrity and would be funded without any borrowing. He stated that a significant proportion of the budget would be funded by Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocation, while internally generated revenue will serve as a secondary source of funding. He said that the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR) is projected to reach at least N140 billion.

    It should be noted that the 2025 budget is N211 billion more than the 2024 approved budget of N725 billion, indicating an increase of 29%. It is also praiseworthy that the government has planned that 62.75% of the budget which amounts to N587.4 billion would be allocated to capital expenditure while N348.7 billion or 37.25% of the budget would go to recurrent expenditure.

    The capital expenditure translates to building, constructing or repairing ‘giving’ projects. They would involve building and repairing roads, schools, hospitals, purchasing equipment and other solid interventions in assets. This means the administration is focused on acquiring goods that would yield beyond the Oborevwori administration. These are the stuff posterity is made of. One that should be emulated by other states in the country.

    •Akpomedaye writes from Warri

  • MultiChoice: Subscriber Base Dip Reflects Difficult Consumer Environment

    MultiChoice: Subscriber Base Dip Reflects Difficult Consumer Environment

      By Julius Aboyewa

      A business news item with some prominence last week was the interim financial results of the pay television company, MultiChoice Group, with Nigeria being one of its most significant markets. The most arresting item in the results is the announcement of the loss of 243,000 subscribers on MultiChoice’s DStv and GOtv services within the six months (April to September 2024) covered by the result released last week.

      Also of public interest, albeit to a lesser extent domestically, is MultiChoice’s loss of 298,000 subscribers in its Zambian market, which was attributed to persistent power outages induced by drought. Although there were declines in the company’s other markets in the Rest of Africa (RoA) and South Africa, they were relatively low at 25% and 5%, respectively.

      Also reflected in the results was the $21 million trapped in the distressed Heritage Bank, which has had its license revoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria. This splurge of negative information understandably sparked a mix of reactions, notably wildly unreasoned but with a smattering of clear-headed ones. The previous analysis, which focused only on subscriber losses and the $21 million, ignored other aspects of the results and reached an apocalyptic conclusion.

      That strain of analysis blamed the subscriber base decline on the tariffs charged by the company.It was indifferent to the local economic conditions, which have significantly diminished purchasing power not only among MultiChoice subscribers, but also for users of other services and goods.

      It could not have been otherwise, given that the country’s inflation rate has been consistently above 30% for over a year, with the latest figure of 33.88%. The inflationary pressures have been aggravated by drastic and continuous dip in the value of the naira, which caused businesses, including MultiChoice, huge foreign exchange losses. The pay television company’s losses from a dollar-denominated intergroup loan stood at 2.1 billion Rands within the period covered by the results.

      It is quite clear that during tough economic times, consumers reduce spending on non-essential items, the category into which pay television services are included. This is supported by the recent

       CBN Household Expectations Survey, which stated that at this time, Nigerians focus on food, household necessities, education, transportation, electricity, and medical care.

      “The Buying Condition Index for high-ticket items like consumer durables, motor vehicles, and real estate suggests that most respondents believe the current month is unfavorable for purchasing these items. Additionally, consumers do not anticipate the next three to six months will be ideal for acquiring such products,” the report noted.

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      There is ample evidence that businesses are bleeding on account of the rough economic weather. Guinness Nigeria Plc reported a net loss of N12.2 billion for Q1 2025 (ending September 30, 2024). This represents a dramatic 568% decline from the N2.6 billion net profit recorded during the same period the previous year. The company cited declining sales volumes, a reduced gross profit margin, and foreign exchange revaluation losses amounting to N8.4 billion as the primary causes.

      Nestlé Nigeria Plc reported a significant pre-tax loss of N255.4 billion for the first nine months of 2024. This represents a 381% increase in losses compared to the N56.65 billion loss recorded during the same period in 2023. Meanwhile, Airtel Group generated revenue of $2.37 billion for the half-year ending September 30, 2024, marking a 10% decline from $2.62 billion in the same period in 2023. The company’s operating profit fell by 20%, and it faced a $151 million loss attributed to the devaluation of the naira. These figures highlight the decline in consumer spending on calls and data services.

      Some analysts, who seemingly paid inadequate attention to the results and/or heard voices in their heads, , attributed the outcomes recorded by MultiChoice to the increasing consumer adoption of streaming services like Netflix and Prime and MultiChoice’s failure to diversify.

      Neither, going by the results, has any factual basis. While there is no debate that streaming services are rising in popularity, Showmax, MultiChoice’s subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service platform is enjoying popularity, reporting 50% year-on-year growth and a 30% increase in paying subscribers. This is attributed to its transition to the Peacock technology stack, which has allowed it to establish partnerships with major distributors like Kenya’s M-PESA and South Africa’s Capitec to enhance adoption. The tariffs of the streaming services have similarly been affected by local economic conditions. Netflix, for example, has hiked the tariff of its premium package to N7,000 from N4,000 monthly.

       The results, contrary to the claim that MultiChoice has focused solely on traditional pay television, show forethought and bold diversification footprints.

      “We are proactive in our focus to right-size the business for the current economic realities and industry changes. We have successfully been implementing our strategy over the past few years, achieving key milestones such as our investment in KingMakers [MultiChoice’s gaming division],” Calvo Mawela, CEO of MultiChoice Group, stated.

      MultiChoice is expanding into the insurance and financial services sectors through a partnership with Sanlam. The partnership is expected to spawn an accounting gain of between $144.4 million and $182.9 million. Moment, the company’s fintech venture, is also experiencing significant growth, as it currently processes nearly 30% of MultiChoice’s total payments, achieving payment volumes of $242 million across 40 African countries since it was launched.

      In gaming industry, BetKing Nigeria has risen to the second position in the online betting sector. Though the industry experienced a 48% revenue decrease, Betking’s overall revenue rose by 10%. Irdeto, MultiChoice’s global technology division, has shown capability to make significant contributions through the expansion of It offers digital security services to address the increasing demands of online and streaming platforms.

      The alarming predictions made by certain analysts and doomsayers fail to recognize that the economic conditions in Nigeria, particularly the soaring inflation, have forced consumers to tighten their belts. As a result, consumer behavior has shifted significantly. Days of wine and roses are no longer around. For now, at least.gy

      •Aboyewa, public affairs analyst, writes from Lagos