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Tag: Jumoke Oduwole

  • Fed Govt: non-oil exporters key to economy

    Fed Govt: non-oil exporters key to economy

    Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, has stressed importance of non-oil exports in the drive to grow the economy, saying this is why President Bola Tinubu administration is prioritising solid minerals.

     She spoke at a Stakeholder Reception hosted by Segilola Resources Operating Limited (SROL) on the sidelines of Nigeria Mining Week in Abuja.

     The minister said the sector was important to the economy. “Non-oil export is crucial to the economy. It’s a priority  of the President; it’s a priority of Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment. It is what we need for the economy’’, she said.

     “We need productivity in the sector and the competitiveness, and we need to encourage firms.”

    Read Also: ‘I’ll hold your hands through thick and thin,’ Adeniyi Johnson tells son

    She acknowledged SROL as a Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) export champion. Oduwole, commending SROL for its resilience and contributions to economic diversification, said: “… we’re proud of you for the work you do, for the perseverance, for the indefatigable spirit of Nigerian entrepreneurs. Keep serving and building the economy.”

    Chief Financial Officer of Thor Explorations Limited, owners of SROL, Chris Omo-Osagie, noted Thor/SROL’s achievements as a top non-oil exporter.

    It won 2024 Responsible Resourcing Award for Labour at Mining Indaba, and CIPM Oscar Award for HR Best Practice in Mining Industry.

     SROL Country Manager, who was keynote speaker, Austin Menegbo, noted the company’s dedication to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and its commitment to responsible mining.

     The reception also featured ESG panel discussion and video showcasing SROL’s transformative social initiatives.

     One of such is the community medical outreach, which provided healthcare services to 2,000, including residents of Imogbara, Odo-Ijesha, and Iperindo, as well as inmates from the local prison system.

    Services ranged from consultations and advanced diagnostics to medication distribution, surgical bookings, and health awareness campaigns designed to promote long-term wellness. Other dignitaries at the event included: Engr. Obadiah Simon Nkom, Director General of the Mining Cadastre Office; a Deputy Director of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC); and representatives from VUKA, PWC and other notable organisations. End.

  • FG pledges commitment to ease of doing business in Nigeria

    Dr Jumoke Oduwole, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industry, Trade and Investment‎, says the Federal Government is committed to ensuring Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria.

    Oduwole said this on Tuesday, during a stakeholders sensitization workshop held in Kano.

    The presidential aide, who is also the Coordinator of the Enabling Business Environment Secretariat, said government was taking measures to reduce the duration of doing business.

    She said that the secretariat had made tremendous progress in that regard.

    According to her, the main focus of the Federal Government is on Small and Medium Scale businesses, as they are the major drivers of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

    ‎Oduwole said that the secretariat had been able to achieve many things within a short period.

    “We have been able to achieve some things on starting a business, things such as uploading of forms and just simplifying the process.

    “We are basically trying to ensure that Nigeria is a progressively easier place to do business and ‎we are also trying to save on cost and time and amount of documentation.

    “When it is easier to start a business, easier to access credit and easier to pay your taxes, then we know that the reforms are working,’’ Oduwole said.

    ‎She said that the Federal Government had extended Ease of Doing Business from the two pilot states of Lagos and Kano to FCT, Kaduna, Gombe, Ogun and Abia states respectively.

    Earlier, Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, said that the state government had keyed into the Federal Government’s initiatives on Ease of Doing Business.

    He said that the Kano ‎Land Bureau had digitized its records and introduced the systematic Land Title Registration (SLTR), and had reduced the time line for a search to one day.

    The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Commerce, Mr Ahmad Rabiu, ‎added that registration of Deed of Assignment had also been automated at the Land Registry.

    “We introduced all these in order to ease process of doing business in Kano and Nigeria in general’’ he said.

     

     

  • CAC Designs Portal For Company Registration To Curb Fraud

    CAC Designs Portal For Company Registration To Curb Fraud

    The Acting Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission ( CAC ), Lady Azuka Azinge yesterday in Kano said the Commission has introduced online registration method aimed at curbing the menace of fraudsters and middle men.

    Speaking during a sensitization progarmme in Kano, Lady Azuka said the online registration method will go a long way in removing hiccups and ambiguities hitherto associated with registration of companies in the country.

    According to her, the sensitization visit is organized in collaboration with the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council ( PEBEC ).

    She added that its intention was to bring together the management of the Commission, stakeholders and members of the public to interact on issues pertaining to the current reform initiatives of the Commission to provide enabling business environment in the country.

    “The Kano sensitization programme which is the second in the series is in pursuant to the 60 days Action PLAN OF THE Federal Government on Ease of Doing BUSINESS IN Nigeria. The first visit was held in Lagos on the 19th October, 2017.”

    In her goodwill message, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, Senior Special Assistant to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, on Trade and Investment, represented by Ms Rebecca Dokun, a Reform Leader with EBES, hailed the CAC reform initiatives and urged stakeholders and members of the public to take advantage of the Company Registration Portal (CRP) to register their business directly without hitches.

  • Presidential panel ratifies two days for new business registration

    The Presidential Ease of Doing Business panel has reduced the number of days required for registration of new businesses in Nigeria from 10 to two days.

    The panel also approved 24-hour timeline for company registration from when application form was completed and all required documents made available.

    Those were among highlights of a report presented at a Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), on Monday at the Presidential Villa.

    The report was presented by Dr Jumoke Oduwole, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Trade and Investment and came as reforms targeting the end of the 60-day Action Plan on Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria.

    According to the recommendations prospective business owners can now search on Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) portal   (www.cac.gov.ng) to avoid duplication of names and prevent selection of prohibited names.

    Also it is now optional for SMEs to hire lawyers to prepare registration documents for companies.

    The Council, established by President Muhammadu Buhari, is chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

    However, Monday’s meeting was chaired by Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi, as the Vice President was busy with the work of the Presidential Investigative Panel set up for two top government officials.

    According to the report, CAC has introduced single incorporation form (CAC1.1) to save time and reduce costs while the agency has introduced document upload interface on its website to enable e-submission of registration documents.

    Other aspects of the reforms actualized in the last 60 days include the Integrated FIRS e-payment solution into CAC portal to enable e-stamping while the reform empowers CAC internal lawyers to certify company incorporation forms and conduct statutory declaration of compliance for just N500.

    According to the report, the PEBEC listed “dealing with construction permits, getting electricity, registering property, getting credit and paying taxes,” as some of the areas where the council recorded progress in the past 60 days.

    The report also highlighted the completed reforms on the “Entry and Exit of People,” indicator which includes Simplified Visa-on-Arrival process, Infrastructural improvements at the Abuja airport, and the new Immigration Regulation 2017.

    It also indicated that the completed reforms were being closely monitored to ensure diligent implementation with minimal disruption while pending reforms were being escalated to ensure completion in the coming weeks.

    On Trading across Borders, some of the completed reforms include palletisation of imports, advanced cargo manifests, reduction in documentation requirements and scheduling of Joint Physical Examination by the Customs Service.

    The National Action Plan contained initiatives and actions implemented by responsible Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), the National Assembly, a number of State Governments, as well as some private sector stakeholders.

    The Council emphasised that with the conclusion of implementation of the Action Plan, it would move into the next phase.

    That phase would involve “deepening existing reforms; completing and implementing pending initiatives; engaging with the public; validating completed reforms and kicking-off medium-term reforms.”

    The Council would also begin “sub-national reforms across Nigeria’s 36 states; trading within Nigeria; initiatives and reforms improving business processes and regulations within Nigeria; and ease of movement of goods within and across regions in Nigeria.”

    Ministers at the meeting included Foreign Affairs Ministers Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of State for Industry Trade and Investment Aisha Abubakar, and her counterpart in Budget and National Planning Zainab Ahmed.

    Other government functionaries at the meeting included the Head of Service, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, and several heads of MDAs.

  • CAC introduces 24-hour company registration process

    CAC introduces 24-hour company registration process

    The Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC),  Mr Mahmud Bello, says the commission has started operating 24 hours company registration process to make startup of business easier in Nigeria.

    Bello said this at the CAC Customers’ Forum in Kano, organised in collaboration with the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).

    The registrar-general made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja

    He said that the aim of operating the new system was to ensure that business owners in Nigeria conveniently registered their businesses online within 48 hours.

    According to him, series of reforms has been implemented by the commission this year to make it quicker, cheaper and more convenient for Nigerians to start businesses.

    “CAC, as an agency of government involved in the startup of business, has keyed into the Federal Government’s vision to make Nigeria an easier place for businesses to start and thrive.

    “Our reforms are designed with the MSMEs in mind. For us, a customer is a king and must be treated with royalty,” Bello said.

    Bello said that manual application and registration processes would be gradually phased out in the course of the year.

    According to him, the manual registration phase out will  start with Lagos and Kano as from April 30, where all submissions should be done online.

    Also, the  Secretary of PEBEC, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, said the council was committed to providing complete support to CAC and all other MDAs to implement the reforms.

    According to Oduwole, the reform is to actualise the Federal Government’s mandate of making businesses work in Nigeria.

    The high point of the event was a demonstration session by the commission on its latest reforms such as document upload Interface which enabled e-submission of registration documents in CAC registration Portal.

    The demonstration also involves the integration of the FIRS e-payment solution into the portal to enable e-stamping.

    Accordingly, the participants were given a walk-through of the public search window and the single incorporation form.