The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerian Newspaper

  • Tecno offers varsity scholarship to students

    Africa’s preferred smartphone brand Tecno, has offered scholarships to university students in Nigeria.

    The technology firm extended the gesture to the students during the ACADAFEST, a concert put together by ScholarX and iManage, organisations, celebrities and members of the public to sponsor 20 deserving students through university.

    Tecno Nigeria, PR and Strategic Partnership Manager Jesse Oguntimehin, who spoke on the gesture, said  Tecno is sponsoring three of the 20 students for the duration of their university education to the tune of N400,000 each per student.

    Read Also: Tecno Mobile sponsors BMW AutoFest

    “At Tecno, we have carried out various social activities such as our Give the Nigerian Child A Future initiative- where we visited selected schools around the country to empower bright students, awarding them scholarships for their academic excellence. We also provided pupils within these schools educational materials to ease their learning journey. There was also the annual Light Up Your Dream competition where we rewarded two young Nigerian Entrepreneurs with N1million each to grow their businesses,” he said.

    He said this year, in line with its determination to impact positively on its consumers, Tecno  decided to collaborate with the oraganisers for the maiden edition of the ACADAFEST where it awarded three Nigerian students scholarships reiterating the commitment to the development of the Nigerian society.

  • Calabar seaport: Reps summon Customs, NIMASA, Navy, others’ chiefs

    The ad-hoc committee set up by the House of Representative to determine why Eastern Ports are not put to maximal use has invited the heads of some key security agencies operating in Calabar seaport to appear before it in Abuja on Wednesday, September 26.

    The Committee chairman, Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub gave the order during the sitting of the ad-hoc committee at the conference room of Calabar Seaport, Nigeria Port Authority, Calabar at the weekend.

    He directed the clerk of the committee to immediately invite the Comptroller-General of Customs, Immigration, NIMASA, the Chief of Naval Staff and the Inspector General of Police to appear before the committee following questionable operations of illegal jetties within the Calabar port channel area, an act adjudged to be a huge economic sabotage to the country.

    Read Also: ‘Olokola Deep Seaport ‘ll earn $9b annually, create 1m jobs’

    The committee who was received in NPA Calabar by the Port Manager of Calabar Seaport Mrs. Marie Asien, in a meeting with stakeholders, frowned at the reports of the free operations of illegal jetties within the port area and further directed that “within one month, the security agencies responsible should ensure that no illegal jetty will be seen or reported as operating in Calabar Port area. We want to have the reports after one month in writing, address to the House of Representatives.

    “This committee came out on this national assignment. It is an ad-hoc committee formed by the House of Representative to investigate and find out why our Eastern Ports are not being used maximally. We stated from Lagos port to Warri port to Port Hart court Port, Onne Port and today we are in Calabar port.”

    He commended Calabar Port Manager for being frank in her briefing. “She has reduced most of our work. Most of the ports we visited, we had to struggle before they will open up to tell us certain essential things,” he said.

    However, the committee advised that NPA should increase the 10per cent rebate given to ships coming to Calabar port and ensure that the rebate is for all ships coming to the port, without any categorisation.

    “If the rebate can also be increased, that will be good. Our target is to see that Calabar Port is fully functional,” he said.

    The committee was also briefed about the myriads of problems hampering operations and functionality of Calabar seaport.

  • $9.6b verdict: P&ID offers to negotiate with Fed Govt

    • Nigeria to pursue case ‘to logical conclusion’
    • Delegation to allay investors’ fears

    Owners of Irish firm, Process and Industrial Developments Ltd (P&ID), which got a $9.6billion judgment against Nigeria, have made offers for settlement.

    The offers came after a Federal High Court in Abuja wound up the firm and its Nigerian affiliate following their guilty plea to fraud and money laundering.

    The Federal Government received five negotiation offers from individuals close to the firm, it was learnt on Monday.

    One of those interested in negotiation is Adam Quinn, son of P&ID’s owner, the late Michael Quinn.

    Already, the government has initiated moves to get him repatriated to Nigeria to face trial.

    The government has, however, put the offers on hold pending the outcome of the case before a United Kingdom court on Thursday.

    Red Also: Fed Govt, states sign MoU on SDGs

    Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami (SAN), Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu; and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Acting Chairman Ibrahim Magu yesterday spent hours briefing foreign lawyers on forensic investigation of the controversial gas project.

    It was learnt that the team met with major UK media organisation to explain Nigeria’s position on the matter.

    The delegation is expected to hold a crucial session with investors tomorrow to allay fears of likely collapse of the nation’s economy as a result of the judgment.

    A source, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, said: “Ahead of the legal battle on Thursday against P&ID, the Federal Government has received five offers from some individuals acting on behalf of the Irish firm for negotiation.

    “One of those seeking peaceful resolution of the row is Adam Quinn, who is a son to the late owner of P&ID. For security reasons, we want to keep other names under wraps.

    “The government has, however, decided to put these offers in abeyance, pending the outcome of Thursday’s sitting. We are not opposed to talks or negotiation, but, given a similar circumstance in the past, the government is a bit circumspect about any offer from the representatives/ associates of P&ID and other arbiters.

    “We want to pursue this case to its logical conclusion before we give any other option a thought.”

    Investigation confirmed that Malami, Adamu and Magu have spent quality time with the foreign lawyers engaged by the Federal Government.

    Another source added: “These three leaders on the delegation, who were saddled with the investigation of the gas contract awarded to P&ID, had considerable discussion with the offshore lawyers on their findings.

    “The report of the EFCC was presented to the foreign lawyers to underscore the fact that the gas contract was a scam. All the procedures, suspects’ statements, relevant documents and court judgments were made available to the offshore lawyers to strengthen Nigeria’s case.

    “We are building our case on the fraudulent contract, non-execution of any job and how the arbitration panel was misled into the award of the $9.6billion damages against the Federal Government.

    “We want the UK court to grant Nigeria’s request for a stay of execution of the judgment.”

    An official said: “Members of the delegation had audience with Reuters, AP, Financial Times, and other agencies. On Tuesday (today), the team will meet with BBC team to set the records straight that P&ID was just being smart in securing the $9.6billion award.

    “The impression out there in the international community was as if the nation defaulted or reneged on a contract when the entire process was invalid.

    “Part of the mandate of the delegation is to change the narrative that Nigeria violated contract terms with P&ID.”

    It was learnt that the delegation will hold a business session with investors in the UK on Wednesday.

    Malami confirmed some of the findings of The Nation on the activities of the delegation in London.

    He said: “It is simply that we met with our local and international legal teams in the High Commission office in London.

    “We took briefings from the teams in Nigeria and UK for the purpose of developing strategies targeted at setting aside the award.”

  • SON equips steel manufacturers for global competitiveness

    The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has equipped local steel producers for the global market.

    It said it is spearheading the harmonisation of standards within Africa and the West African sub-region, urging Nigerian steel producers to not only take advantage of the biggest market in Africa, but also the world over.

    Its Director-General, Osita Aboloma, at an emergency meeting with steel producers, said the meeting was basically to prepare operators of the organised steel sector on the need to adhere to quality for their goods to be acceptable within Nigeria and at the global market.

    Read Also: ‘Manufacturers urged on local raw materials’

    “If you adhere to standards in Nigeria, your goods will be accepted anywhere in the world because of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Nigeria has signed. Almost all the African countries that have subscribed to the agreement will use the harmonised standards to achieve seamless trade activities and for breaking technical barriers to trade,” he said.

    According to him, the steel sector is one of the most formidable sectors where the nation has the competitive and comparative advantage to earn lots of foreign exchange, while also creating wealth and job opportunities.

    Speaking on the raids the agency embarked on to ensure sanity in the steel sector, he said they were part of its conformity assessment activities to make sure goods are produced to meet global best practices.

  • DisCos blame TCN for interruptions despite $1.6b

    Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) have flayed the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) over its obsolete and collapse system that has caused inefficiencies and 5,311 interface disruptions in one DisCo in the first 18 days of this month.

    The Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), which represents 10 DisCos, except Yola DisCo said despite $1.6 billion multilateral funding of TCN, its equipment have caused over 100 electricity grid collapses since privatisation in 2013, and nine collapses this year.

    In a statement by ANED Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, Chief Sunday Oduntan, explained that it was responding to a recent TCN report that the DisCos misrepresented crucial power evacuation and distribution data.

    Read Also: DisCos to FG: Respect electricity contracts

    Presenting the facts, ANED said it owes obligation to the 10 DisCos who have invested about $1.4 billion in the networks, insisting that the DisCos had not rejected energy load as TCN claimed in its publication.

    ANED also accused TCN of falsifying data that conflicts the data presented to DisCos by the National Control Centre (NCC) which is under TCN and coordinate power allocation to DisCos.

    While TCN headquarter data published on September 20th, 2019, showed that 13,963megawatts (Mw) was delivered to DisCos between August 22nd and 24th of 2019, the NCC data actually showed it was 19,173Mw. ANED said indicated a conflicting difference of 5,208Mw data within the same company.

    “It raises questions as to the veracity and accuracy of TCN’s response, in terms of the energy that it delivered to the DisCos. How could TCN’s supposed sent-out or delivered energy exceed that recorded by its control centre, the singular source for such information,” ANED said.

    While urging TCN to focus on improving its network, the DisCos said except for February 1, 2016, when TCN wheeled 4,557Mw, it has never wheeled sufficient energy to meet the DisCo energy off-take assumptions specified under Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO) 2015.

    ANED said the $1.6 billion Federal Government-guaranteed and multilateral funds and grants that TCN has got is unavailable to the privatised Generation Companies (GenCos) and DisCos.

    Despite TCN saying it is implementing its Transmission Rehabilitation Expansion Programme (TREP) with the $1.6billion, “the reality is otherwise.

    The Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) continues to deal with, largely, a TCN that finds it difficult to move away from a PHCN-legacy of uncleared equipment containers, analogue-based and informal communications systems and frequent explosions and burnings of transmission sub-stations and transformers.”

    The DisCos said such substation fire recently put Agbor and Asaba towns of Delta State; and Oye, Ekiti State in blackout.

    “Over 100 partial and total system collapse recorded since privatisation and nine total system collapses so far this year; multiple transmission interface deficiencies with 5,311 TCN interface interruptions in one DisCo franchise area, from September 1 – 18, 2019.”

    Citing Siemens: Electrification Roadmap for Nigeria report of May 7, 2019, Oduntan said: “Today, power distribution by the DisCos to end-customers is limited by power infeed from TCN.

    “Rather than eliminate all of the bottlenecks of the transmission grid, TCN, vociferously and continuously, continues to crow about its computer simulated increase in capacity, ignoring the fact that it, currently, only averages a daily 3,700Mw of wheeled or transmitted energy to the DisCos, out of its tested transmission capacity of 5,500 Mw.”

    It also noted that TCN’s constant drumbeat of the need to re-capitalise the DisCos distracts from the fact that any such re-capitalisation cannot occur in an environment that lacks the following – respect for, or sanctity of contract; regulatory and policy certainty and consistency; ability of the sector operators to recover their costs of doing business; and an alignment of technical and commercial considerations.

  • Govt to inaugurate ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet’ campaign November 19

    The Federal Government has said it will inaugurate the “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet” campaign on November 19 as efforts towards achieving the national target of ending open defecation in the country by 2025.

    The Acting Coordinator, Clean Nigeria, Mrs Chizoma Opara said this yesterday in Abuja in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    NAN reports that “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet” campaign was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC)on May 8 to ensure all households are mobilised to provide their sanitation facilities.

    According to Opara, President Muhammadu Buhari will perform the national inauguration and kick-start the campaign.

    “In preparation for the inauguration, a date has been fixed and we have got confirmation from the State House that it is November 19 at the International Conference Centre in Abuja.

    “We are hoping that the date does not change as we are working towards that. This is because that day happens to be World Toilet Day. So, it will be a great opportunity to celebrate the campaign with that,” she said.

    The Acting Coordinator also said that in preparation for the inauguration of the campaign, the Minister of Water Recourses, Mr Sulieman Adamu, had begun an advocacy visits to state governors.

    Read Also: Clean power generation for Nigeria

    She explained that the advocacy visits would ensure that the governors buy into the Clean Nigerian campaign.

    “What the minister wants to do is to have the opportunity to engage with all the governors to get them to buy into the ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet’ campaign.

    “It is also to open up the statistics of the states with respect to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene sector, letting them know how the states are faring, within the country as a whole,” Opara said.

    According to her, part of the advocacy visit by the minister will ensure that states know their statistics in relation to open defecation.

    “It is also to let them know that Nigeria, being number two, is about to take up the number one position as the largest country with people defecating in the open.

    “I hope when governors start seeing these figures on open defecation in their states, it will trigger them to take action and to say they need to stop open defecation.

    “So, letters have been sent out to all governors for the advocacy visits that have commenced in August and will end in October.

    “The minister has also said any governor who wishes to actually pay him a visit in his office in Abuja can also do so. This is what Kaduna and Nasarawa states’ governors have done when they were within the FCT,” she said.

    NAN also reports that the “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet” campaign is aimed at mobilising high-level political support, resources and populace towards building a new culture of safe defecation.

    It is also to ensure that relevant government institutions and the private sector must provide sanitation facilities in public places such as schools, healthcare centres, parks and markets to realise total coverage and sustainable access for the populace.

  • World Bank, IFC agree to support Nigeria’s devt

    The World Bank Group and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), have promised to continue to support Nigeria in bridging its infrastructure gap.

    The two organisations gave the commitment in a statement issued by the World Bank’s Senior Communications Office in Nigeria on Monday in Abuja.

    The World Bank Vice President for Africa, Mr Hafez Ghanem, IFC Vice President for the Middle-East and Africa, Mr Sérgio Pimenta, and IFC Vice President for Economics and Private Sector Development, Mr Hans Lankes, were quoted to have discussed during a visit to Nigeria.

    The meeting discussed how the World Bank Group could help Nigeria leverage private and public investments and expertise for inclusive growth.

    Read Also: Slow growth, low investment’ll raise poverty, says World Bank

    According to Ghanem,  the bank can together with the private sector leverage government resources to bridge infrastructure gaps in Nigeria.

    “We have supported and seen success in transport, energy and power sectors using Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) models.

    “The Azura power project is an example of how we have attracted private sector investment in the power sector.

    “We are happy to work with the government of Nigeria on power sector reforms, which will create a better environment to attract more private sector financing,” Ghanem said.

    Pimenta said the financing needs of developing countries often surpassed their own budgets and available donor funding.

    He however, said that private sector resources and expertise could go a long way in bridging the gap.

    “In sub-Saharan Africa, we are increasingly seeing the private sector design sustainable business models that are creating jobs and lifting people out of poverty,” he said.

    According to the statement, the National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan (NIIMP), Nigeria faces a $100 billion annual investment gap in infrastructure.

    It added that the new approach to mobilise development financing, was also presented during a workshop with key business leaders and policy makers.

    According to it, under this approach, the World Bank Group’s institutions will work together to mobilise a range of financing solutions (both private and public) for projects in developing countries.

    This, it said, would help expand funding options for low and middle-income countries and enable them to benefit from global best practices and expertise.

    Participants at the workshop discussed how to crowd in private sector financing to solve Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit; identified the reforms needed to support PPPs and developed an action plan to generate future PPPs.

    The statement highlighted the World bank’s portfolio in Nigeria to be $11 billion invested across all sectors, while IFC’s portfolio stood at over $1billion in sectors including manufacturing, financial services and infrastructure.

    The World Bank Group delegation also met with senior government officials including Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, the Minister of Finance, Budget and Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, Minister for Aviation, Mr Hadi Sirika and the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti.

  • Edo okays N2.1b power proceeds for Benin Industrial Park

    The anchor investor in the Benin Enterprise and Industrial Park would soon be moving into the facility. This is because Edo State government has finalised plans to invest the N2.1 billion that will accrue from its divestment of 50 per cent of its equity in Edo-Azura Power Project, into the park.

    In a statement, Special Adviser to the Edo State Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said the N2.1billion would go a long way in building the needed infrastructure for the park to come on stream.

    The statement read: “The state government is going to divest 50 per cent of its equity in Edo Azura Power project. We will be investing the proceeds into the Benin Enterprise and Industrial Park project as we prepare to have the Anchor investor settle down to business.

    Read Also: We are adopting Edo-HIP to revamp Edo healthcare sector – Obaseki

    “The state government will be providing the needed infrastructure for the project, including access roads and other needed structures to ensure the smooth take-off of the facility.

    “We disclosed earlier that we have an anchor investor for the park. With the funds we now have, we have all that is needed to effectively kick-off. Nothing is going to be left to chance. As is characteristic of the governor, this is a masterstroke as we now have funds to begin the project. We expect other investors to cash-in on opportunities in the new industrial corridor.”

    He noted that the N2.1billion would be instrumental in ensuring that the state government meets its obligations to investors, by deploying the fund in constructing the access roads, clearing the environment as well as other physical structures to drive investment.

    He added that the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment for the Enterprise and Industrial Park is being conducted by the Federal Ministry of Environment, which would pave the way for the anchor investor to move into the facility.

  • IAAF tips Brume for WC medal

    The International Associations of Athletics Federation (IAAF) has tagged Nigeria’s Ese Brume as one of the medal contenders at the 2019 World Athletics Championships which begins on Friday in Doha, Qatar.

    Team Nigeria contingent will depart the country by noon aboard Qatar Airways to Doha for the 10-day tournament holding at the iconic Khalifa Stadium.

    The contingent made up of home-based athletes and coaches as well as officials will be led by the Technical Director of Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Sunday Adeleye. The foreign-based athletes will join the team in Doha.

    In its preview of the women’s long jump event, the IAAF acknowledged that Brume is the third jumper this season to soar beyond seven metres, which is beyond the qualifying standard.

    Read Also: IAAF dangles N2.6bn on Nigerians, others

    IAAF wrote, “The 23-year-old Nigerian, who was fifth at the 2016 Olympic Games, reached 7.05m in Bursa, Turkey, in late July in a competition that included wind-assisted marks of 7.03m (3.6m/s) and 6.91m (2.7m/s). Brume followed up with a victory at the African Games in Rabat with a 6.69m leap, her last appearance before Doha.”

    Brume is rated behind Germany’s Malaika Mihambo, who is unbeaten in the last nine competitions.

    According to ITTF, the 25-year-old German champion has leaped beyond seven metres in five of those six if her wind-aided 7.11m (2.2m/s) victory at the European Team Championships is included.

    Mihambo leads the world with 7.16m, owns the three best jumps in the world this season, five of the best six, and six of the best eight.

  • Quadri, Abiodun claim fifth Portuguese Super Cup

    Sporting’s Aruna Quadri and Bode Abiodun have propelled their team to their fifth Portuguese Super Cup title at the weekend.

    Sporting has dominated the men’s event of the Portuguese Super Cup since 2015 with Quadri and Abiodun leading the charge for the Lisbon-based team. Sporting again showed its superiority over GDCS Juncal in men and women finals of the competition.

    Quadri spearheaded the 3-0 routing of Juncal with a 3-0 (7-11, 6-11, 7-11) whitewash of Congo Brazzaville’s Saheed Idowu to lift the 14th edition of the competition named José Manuel Amaro Super Cup.

    Read Also: ETTU Champions League: Quadri bows to Assar in Germany

    A recovery from Juncal was thwarted in the second game with Portuguese international – Diogo Carvalho wading off the comeback with a 3-2 (11-6, 2-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-13) win over Russia’s Andrei Bukin.

    It was Abiodun that completed the drubbing when he took down Juncal’s David Bessa 3-1 (2-11, 11-7, 0-11, 7-11) in the last game.

    In the women’s finals, Sporting boosted by their Brazilian export – Bruna Takahashi teamed up with young Patrícia Santos and Bruna Marcelina to bash GD Toledos, which has the trio of Izabela Silva, Renata Corredoura and Anita Luís to claim their first Super Cup title.

    Attention will now shift to the Portuguese League which serves off this weekend.