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Tag: production

  • Towards more food production

    Towards more food production

    As Nigeria and other developing countries are expected to witness rapid urbanisation by 2050, experts say food security challenges will  be immense. They advised the government to target its strategies at ending hunger, achieving food security and improving nutrition. But this can only be achieved when rural-urban linkages are strengthened. It was the main point during the launch of the International Food Policy Research Institute’s Global Food Policy Report  in Abuja. DANIEL ESSIET writes.

    As Nigeria  and other developing countries are expected        to witness rapid urbanisation by 2050, one major task will  be to produce enough food  for the teeming population, a report by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) has said.

    The report noted that food security challenges would increase.

    IFPRI, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Bioversity International, and other partners, released the report.

    It examines the impact of rapid urban growth on food security and nutrition, saying that food systems would be transformed to improve the future.

    The report was unveiled at the International Conference in Abuja.

    In his opening remarks, IFPRI Director-General, Dr. Shenggen Fan, pointed out  that  increasing   urbanisation is making the goals of ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture difficult to achieve. For instance, he maintained that rapid urbanisation in Nigeria affect food security challenges.

    Fan added that Nigeria, China, and India were expected to have 900 million urban residents by 2050.

    He said: “Helping policy makers, city residents, and rural smallholders in the developing world understand this changing environment, and how to respond to it, is absolutely necessary to achieve the sustainable development agenda.’’

    He stressed that cities should provide opportunities for rural smallholders to raise their incomes by connecting to larger urban markets and more wealthy urban consumers.

    “Urbanisation is driving huge changes in how small farmers connect with markets to sell their goods, global diets, and the way that food systems are governed,” Fan said.

    He added: “For urban consumers small farmers can provide an important source of diverse and nutritious foods. But the links between these areas in the developing world are often weak or broken, hindering growth and development.’’

    Fan stressed that rural infrastructure, including quality rural and feeder roads, electricity, and storage facilities, were essential for pro-poor growth, agricultural development, and improved livelihoods.

    According to him, inadequate rural infrastructure leads to isolation of communities and is associated with poverty and poor nutrition.

    On rice, Fan observed  that 60 percent of rice purchased in urban areas  in Nigeria  is imported, despite significant efforts to boost domestic production, attributing this to a weak value chain for postharvest processing of domestic rice. He said had created inconsistencies in labelling, quality, and taste that turn off urban consumers.

    He said: “The country imports close to 60 percent of the crop, despite producing enough rice to feed its population. Urban residents cite inconsistencies in quality, labeling, and taste as their main concerns —problems that arise from poor vertical integration in the domestic rice value chain.

    “Lack of standard seeds and milling facilities infrastructure along the value chain has led to consumers’ preference to consume imported rice.”

    In addition, he noted that the rice sector is characterised by highly fragmented domestic value chain, and that small and medium sized rice millers with varying skills and degrees of access to information and services produce 80 percent of local rice.

    Commenting on the report, Senior Research Fellow and Programme Leader, IFPRI’s Nigeria Country Strategy Programme, Dr George Mavrotas, added: “Africapolis: Measuring Urbanisation Dynamics in West Africa (2016) recently identified 1,236 agglomerations in Nigeria, of which more than 80 percent had more than 10,000 inhabitants in 2010.

    “The report also re-assessed the level of urbanisation in Nigeria at 46 percent, up from 31 percent since the previous urbanisation report on Nigeria back in 2008. This presents an enormous challenge and many opportunities for food policy in the country in the years to come.”

    He maintained that strong rural-urban linkageswould help propel economic development and improvements in food security and nutrition.

    In his welcome remarks, Chairman, Senate Committee on Media & Public Affairs, representing Niger North Senatorial District at the  National Assembly, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, congratulated IFPRI for putting together the report which emphasised the important links between food security and nutrition in an urbanising world.

    Besides Fan and Mavrotas, other panelists included Senior Advisor to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Andrew Kwasari; Deputy Director, Food and Nutrition, National Committee on Food and Nutrition, Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Roselyn Gabriel; Senior Program Officer for Nutrition, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Office in Nigeria, Dr. Victor Ajieroh; and Nutrition Specialist, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Dr. Bamidele Davis Omotola.

    IFPRI is a United States-based international agricultural research established in 1975 to identify and analyse alternative national and international strategies and policies for meeting the food needs of the developing world, with particular emphasis on low-income countries and on the poorer groups in those countries.

  • ‘Nigeria’s crude production hits 2.2mb/d’

    Nigeria’s crude oil production has risen to 2.2million barrel per day, the Group Managing Director (GMD), Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru, has said.

    Baru, who made this known at the sixth Sustainability in the Extractive Industries’ (SITEI) conference in Abuja, yesterday, said, Nigeria intends building  the country’s oil reserve to about 2.5mb/d and its subsidiary; the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), has already transformed from 15,000mb/d to 210,000mb/d.

    He said NNPC has identified seven critical gas projects in order to enhance power supply and stimulate industrial growth.

    Represented by the Corporation’s Chief Operating Officer, Oil and Power, Mr. Mohammed Saidu, Baru, attributed the increase in production to the peace in the Niger Delta.

    He said the calmness in the Niger Delta, and renewed efforts in the Northeast, are indications that the oil firm has renewed its strength for building oil reserves.

    Baru said: “Current production is building up, we are doing about 2.2 million barrels per day today, but of course, the intension is to build on that, sustain production and grow it up to about three million barrels per day in the next few years.

    “We have to grow the reserves; we have had little or zero exploration for the past years, but thank God we are now renewing that. With the calmness in the Niger Delta and some of the efforts in the Northeastern region, we have now renewed our vigor towards building the reserves.

    “And so in that way, we have gone back to the Benue Trough and the Chad Basin. Although the Chad Basin is slightly behind, in the sense that we were about to go back when security challenges erupted, we are just waiting for the final green light for us to go back there.

    “Again all these are towards building the reserves, for is you build up the production to about 2.3 or 2.5 million barrels per day, you need the reserves to sustain that volume. The NPDC has grown production from a mere 15,000 barrels per day to about 210,000 barrels per day as at today.”

  • CBN promises more support for food production

    CBN promises more support for food production

    The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, has promised better support for farmers to boost food production.

    Speaking while inspecting rice farms in Itane, Ketar Fulani and Gwadan Gwaji villages in Kebbi State, as part of the Federal Government’s efforts to make the country food sufficient, Emefiele stressed  the government‘s commitment to agricultural production, adding that the bank was ready to provide support to farmers and commercial banks as they advance agricultural development in the country.

    Emefiele, who was accompanied by  Kebbi State Governor, Senator Atiku Abubakar Bagudu and the representative of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Chief Audu Ogbeh, Alhaji Azeez Musibau Olumuyiwa, a director in the ministry, affirmed that the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) was yielding result due to farmers’ access to good seedlings, pesticides and fertiliser, as well as support from the state government.

    Emefiele, who expressed satisfaction with farmers who listened to the clarion call to embrace farming as a business venture, said the major objectives of ABP had been largely achieved.

    According to him, the objectives of the ABP include assisting rural small holder farmers to grow from subsistence to commercial production level, increasing capacity utilisation, creating jobs, reducing poverty, and increasing banks’ financing of the agricultural sector, among others.

    He expressed confidence that  Nigeria’s target to feed herself would be achieved.

    Observing that some farmers were yet  to register for the Bank Verification Number (BVN), Emefiele urged the farmers to do so to enable them  access  the ABP facility. He assured that the  facility would be spread to many people.

    Bagudu, who is also the chairman of the National Task Force on Rice and Wheat, said the objective of the tour was to see how farmers and processors were responding to the call by President Muhammadu Buhari to grow more food as well as the impact of ABP.

    Attributing the bumper harvest in all the 31 rice-producing states to the political motivation of the Buhari-led administration, as well as interventions of the CBN and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, he said the goal of making Nigeria self-sufficient was on course.

    Bagudu hinted that the state government was ready to provide paddies to millers on credit, urging the Federal Government to provide more silos as many farmers were still holding paddies at their homes.

    He praised the CBN for its intervention, assuring the bank that his government would continue to collaborate with the CBN to ensure thatABP’s objectives were met.

    Also, Ogbeh assured of the ministry’s commitment to working with the CBN to ensure the success of the agricultural intervention programmes, in line with the Federal Government’s aspiration.

  • Royal Prince Film Academy gears up for new production

    Royal Prince Film Academy gears up for new production

    Royal Prince Film Academy, one of Nigeria’s production power houses, is set to hit the cinemas with the untold story of slavery, drug abuse, human trafficking and child abuse.

    The film on human trafficking touches on all agencies of antihuman trafficking both local and international, according to the director and producer of this media trending film Prince Cres Ugo (AMP, DGN).

    “The academy film which stars actors like Sam Dede, Jerry Amilo, Gentle Jack, Hary B and many others is a global call to end human trafficking using the Nigerian art and the Royal prince film academy as the research center,” Ugo stated.

    The movie, he said, will be a blockbuster which, it is hoped, would shed light on the crimes and after consequences of the ills led by these gangs of criminals. He further revealed that the flick would make rounds at the cinema upon its release.

  • Cement production: Nigerian firm leads in push for Africa’s self-sufficiency

    Cement production: Nigerian firm leads in push for Africa’s self-sufficiency

    Africa is inching closer to self-sufficiency in cement production. A multinational, Dangote Cement Plc, is at the forefront of the ambitious drive, with plans to start production at its $300 million cement grinding plant in Congo. Assistant Editor OKWY IROEGBU-CHIKEZIE, who was part of a guided tour of facilities at the Congolese plant, reports.  

    With gradual closure in the demand and supply gap of cement in Africa, the construction industry is witnessing a dramatic turnaround. It is in the area of product manufacturing, importation, packaging and distribution.

    The turnaround is expected to throw the continent into the realm of self-sufficiency in cement.

    Besides, meeting the prevailing demand in the construction market, the revolution is saving the continent huge foreign exchange on importation, as well as boosting employment opportunities.

    In Congo Brazzaville for instance, an indigenous multinational, Dangote Cement Plc and Africa’s driver of self-sufficiency target in cement, plans to create more than 1,600 direct and indirect jobs. The company’s $300 million plant will soon begin cement production.

    According to Plant Director for Congo Operations, Mr. Ganapathy Balasubramanian, the multi-million dollar investment will significantly boost the economy of the Francophone nation and its neighbours after completion.

    The 1.5 million metric ton-capacity plant, located in Bouansa, Congo Brazzaville, is billed for completed soon. Balasubramanian also spoke of plans to boost to raise the plant’s production capacity by 1.5 million metric tons, bringing it to three million metric tons.

    Speaking during a guided tour of the ultra-modern plant, Balasubramanian said the factory, built on an 80-hectare land, will not only meet the nation’s cement demand, but cater for the export market in countries in Central Africa.

    The plant director, who put the project cost at CFA 133 billion (about $300 million), told reporters that factory will get it’s 20 megawatts power needs from Congo’s national grid.

    He also informed that the factory has a potential utilisation profile of 99 per cent when upon completion. The Congolese are the latest in the list of Africans to be excited by prospects of massive job opportunities and significant boost in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) following investment by Dangote Cement Plc.

    The Central African nation is the latest to join the clubof beneficiaries of the cement giant’s strategic investments across 16 African countries where it targets to achieve a total cement production capacity of 75 Million Metric Tonnes Per Annum (MMTPA) by 2019.

    Some of the strategic investments targeted at changing the narrative of Africa’s cement market from dependency on importation to self-sufficiency include: 1.5 million MTpa in Senegal, Zambia’s 1.5 million MTpa (Green-field projects), Tanzania’s 1.5 million MTpa, South Africa’s 2.2 millon MTpa, Ethiopia’s 1.5 million MTpa and Cameroun’s 1.5 million MTpa cement grinding plant.

    The company also has cement terminal operations in Ghana (3.0 million MTpa); Sierra Leone (0.5 million MTpa); Ivory Coast (1.0 million MTpa) and Liberia (0.5 million MTpa).

    It was learnt that many of the countries limestone deposits, the essential component for cement production in commercial quantity.

    The nationals are thrilled by the deposits because of their spin-offs, especially in the area of job creation.

    It was the same sentiment in Ethiopia where the inauguration of a 2.5 million MTpa cement plant in the East African country in 2015 was expected to create over 7, 000 jobs. There were also plans to double the plant’s capacity before the end of that year.

    At take-off, about 2,000 people were directly employed in the main plant operation and 5,000 others indirectly engaged.

    Speaking at the inauguration, President of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Alhaji Aliko Dangote,   charged African leaders to create a conducive environment for real sector growth, noting that doing so remained the best to create jobs and to reduce poverty.

    Dangote also stressed the need for genuine collaboration between the private sector and governments at all levels for the much-needed real sector growth, noting that there must be deliberate efforts to encourage Africans, not just foreigners alone, to invest in Africa.

    He said: “Take for example, my company, the Dangote Cement, is currently investing in 16 African countries, with plans to invest in many more over the next few years. We need to encourage this trend to see more investments in Africa by Africans.

    “Above all, there is the need to encourage the private sector to collaborate with governments across Africa, to address the issue of infrastructure deficit, which has plagued the continent for decades.”

    According to him, “manufacturing, and not trading, is the best way to grow an economy.”

    “This event, which we are witnessing today, attests to the fact that we took the right decision when we decided to transit from trading in our home country, Nigeria, into manufacturing, in 1996”, he said.

    Dangote, who is Africa’s richest man, noted that his investments in new cement plants and terminals across 16 African countries were in line with his company’s long-term vision to become one of the world’s biggest cement producers.

    “We envisage that by the time we complete all our ongoing African projects, we will be on track to achieving our target”, he said.

     

    Nigeria’s cement market leads

    No doubt, the Nigerian cement market where the multi-billion dollar investor started his investment drive across the continent remains the biggest and most impactful. The total production capacity of the company’s three plants is 20.25 MMTPA.

    The plants are: Obajana in Kogi State (10.25 MMTPA), Ibese in Ogun State (6.0 MMTPA) and Gboko in Benue (4.0MMTPA).

    The Obajana Cement Plant (OCP) is believed to be one of the single largest cement plants in the world with a combined 10.25MMTPA capacity. It added a fourth line of 3.0 MMTPA to two years ago. Apart from a 135 mw capacity power plant, the cement plant has a gas pipeline of approximately 90-kilometre length for natural gas supply.

    The company also recently inaugurated its factories in Okpella, Edo State and Itori, Ogun State. According to Dangote Group Executive Director, Strategy, Projects and Portfolio Management, Devakumar Edwin, the Okpella plant will have two cement lines, which will with capacity for three mmtpa each.

    On the other hand, the Itori plant, he said, will deliver approximately three mmtpa from two production lines. Both plants are expected to come on stream next year.

    He said the proposed plants would add 12 mmtpa to the company’s current local output of 31.25mmtpa, raising its total output to 41.25mmtpa.

    Explained that the company’s expansion drive, Edwin said it was targeted at reducing transportation and production costs, adding that it would on the long run bring down price and more employment opportunities for youths in the host communities.

    Other outlets of Dangote Cement are: Lagos Cement Terminal, Port Harcourt Cement Terminal, Onne cement terminal, Aliko Inland Cement Terminal and Continental Cement Terminal. The terminals have combined capacity of nine mtpa.

    On account of its local investments in Nigeria, Dangote Cement is said to control about 65 per cent of the market and over 30 per cent of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

    According to Dangote, the group’s cement production has surpassed Nigeria’s average total consumption of 20 million metric tonnes.

    The Nation learnt that Dangote’s strategy for Africa is to achieve a total capacity of 75 MMTPA by 2019. Officials of the company, who spoke in Congo, said that this will make the company a global force to reckon with in cement production.

    They hinged their optimism on the fact that the company has unique footprints in cement production across Africa.

    Experts have traced the rising demand for the commodity in Africa to massive infrastructural developments in many countries.

  • Pharmacists laud Fed Govt, M&B on vaccine production

    •Seeks ExpeditedMedicines’ Access Programme (E-MAP)

    The Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN) has praised the Federal Government for supporting local production of vaccines.

    The Federal Ministry of Health and May & Baker (M&B) have entered into partnership on vaccines production in the country.

    In a statement, PMG-MAN Executive Secretary, Dr Obi Peter Adigwe, said the partnership was the most sustainable and effective approach to ensuring national security and self-sufficiency in this critical area.

    Adigwe said: “Local medicines’ manufacturers in Nigeria have long been associated with the production of high quality, affordable medicines. It is on record that Nigeria still has the biggest cluster of World Health Organisation (WHO) certified companies in Africa, and incidentally, May & Baker is one of them.

    “Local medicines’ manufacturers are also at the forefront of innovative and contextual solutions to local healthcare issues, such as this commendable partnership that you have initiated. This is evidenced by our robust and comprehensive engagement with a wide range of policymakers and stakeholders”.

    Adigwe further canvassed the Expedited Medicines’ Access Programme (E-MAP), a proposed collaborative contractual partnership between the health ministry and local manufacturers.

    He said the E-MAP was in line with the administration’s vision and aspirations aimed at providing affordable, high quality medicines in a sustainable and cost efficient way.

    Adigwe said the programme design involved combining innovative manufacturing practices with contextual logistics and supply chain management that would achieve effective, cost efficient and timely provision of high quality medicines.

    He drew the attention of the Health Minister, Prof Isaac Adewole, to Acting President ‘Yemi Osinbajo’s Executive Order on local content in public procurement mandates to all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to give preference to local manufacturers.

    Adigwe stressed that Osinbajo specified locally manufactured medicines in Section 4F and the need to patronise them extensively.

    He said it was on account of this that his association was appealing to the health ministry to begin the relevant processes for the implementation of E-MAP. He added that the implementation will not only grow the capacities of local manufacturers, but also increase the possibility of job creation.

    The proposed vaccine production has been on hold since 1991, but was reactivated and upgraded to establish a company called Bio-vaccines LTD, which will be jointly owned by the Federal Government and May & Baker Plc.

    At the signing ceremony by the Federal Government and May & Baker Plc, last month, Adewole said it would further secure lives since the production of vaccines was now considered a security issue.

    He said: “We have considered vaccines as a security issue, it is not only health but we need to consider the security of all Nigerians particularly our children. So, with this agreement, we will be able to produce those command vaccines and from 2021 and beyond, every other vaccine that is necessary will also be out on board for administration to Nigerians”.

  • How we support gas production, by Shell

    How we support gas production, by Shell

    Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) Joint Venture is developing various gas projects to support domestic consumption, especially by industrial concerns and power generating firms, it was learnt.

    Shell, in a document obtained by The Nation, noted that several projects are ongoing, which will aid the development of about 2.8 trillion standard cubic feet (scf) of non-associated gas.

    Entitled: Shell’s role in supplying gas to markets, it shows the oil giant’s gas production dropped in 2016 compared to 2015 due to security issues.

    It said: “Shell companies in Nigeria have played a pioneering role in onshore, shallow and deepwater gas exploration and production and its delivery to domestic consumers and later, export markets since the early 1960s. Since 2010, the SPDC JV has also been producing at Gbaran Ubie integrated oil and gas plant in Bayelsa State, which has the capacity to process one billion standard cubic feet of gas per day for the domestic and export markets. Several projects are currently underway at Gbaran Ubie and nearby Kolo Creek and at Soku to develop around 2.8 trillion scf of non-associated gas. Natural gas in a reservoir which contains no crude oil is called non-associated gas.

    “This additional gas infrastructure will be used to sustain gas supply to the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) plant at Bonny and continue to fuel 225megawatts (Mw) capacity power plant built in Gbaran by the Federal Government under the National Integrated Power Project.

    “The SPDC JV also produced more gas in from the Agbada Early Gas Production Facility, which is expected to further boost gas availability on the eastern Niger Delta domestic gas network and enhance power generation by over 150Mw of electricity. In addition, the SPDC JV operated Okoloma gas plant supplies gas to the Afam VI power plant, which alone contributed approximately 12 per cent of Nigeria’s grid-connected electricity in 2016. Afam VI uses combined cycle gas turbine technology that burns 40 per cent less gas than plants using older open cycle technologies. This also contributes significantly to the reduction of greenhouse gas emission.”

    Shell companies in Nigeria, according to the report, remain committed to working with the Federal Government to increase gas supply to domestic market. For example, the Assa North/Ohaji South project in Imo State, which is a joint development involving SPDC, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Seplat Petroleum Development Company, a leading indigenous producer, has the potential to be one of the largest domestic gas projects in the country, supplying 600 million scf per day. This translates into almost 2,400Mw of potential electricity generation when it comes to fruition.

    Other Shell companies in Nigeria continue to play a crucial role in the national energy gas mix. The Bonga deepwater field operated by Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo) produces gas that is piped from the Bonga floating production, storage and offloading facility to the NLNG plant on Bonny Island, it added.

    Also Shell Nigeria Gas Limited (SNG) supplies natural gas as fuel for various industrial processes and power generation in Nigeria. In 2016, SNG distributed an average of 33 million standard cubic feet a day (mmscfd) of natural gas against 42mmscfd in 2015 to industries and factories in its areas of operation in Ogun, Abia and Rivers states.

    The lower supply volume in 2016 was due to damage to equipment from attacks on oil and gas facilities in the Niger Delta. SNG also supplies natural gas to private companies that specialise in the delivery of compressed natural gas to industries located far from existing pipelines. SNG carries out its operations with an all-Nigerian staff and engages the services of a range of Nigerian companies as contractors, it said.

     

  • Edo Fertiliser plant set to begin commercial production

    One of the achievements being bandied by supporters and admirers of former Governor Lucky Igbinedion was the construction of a Fertiliser Blending Plant in Auchi, Estako West Local Government Area. The supporters were quick to criticise immediate past Governor Adams Oshiomhole for failing to revitalise the plant built and commissioned by Igbinedion for the purpose of jobs creation.

    It was in 2003 that former President Olusegun Obasanjo commissioned the fertiliser plant but unknown to Obasanjo, bags of fertilisers displayed at the plant during the commissioning were purchased from the open market and rebagged on site. It was gathered that the plant was not working because one of the Chinese technical partners pulled out over an untidy contractual agreement and the mainframe computer unit which controls all the operations of the plant was reportedly stolen.

    Former Commissioner for Agriculture during Oshiomhole’s administration, Hon Abdul Oroh had this to say about the fertiliser plant, “If you look at the fertiliser company in Auchi, most of the equipment installed at the point of commissioning were all fraudulent because they were outdated and not useful and fertiliser were procured from somewhere and released as being products of the company.”

    However, 17 years after, the Edo Fertiliser Blending Plant is set to begin commercial production under the Godwin Obaseki administration. The plant has been revived and it targeted to produce 55,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser annually.

    The quest to revitalise the plant began in January when Obaseki led the Director-General of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Mr. Uche Orji and the President Fertiliser Producers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Thomas Etu, to the plant site with a view to reviving it to meet the Federal Government target of creating 250,000 jobs from all the 38 fertiliser blending plants across the country.

    Orji told reporters that the visit to the fertiliser plant was part of the Presidential Initiative on Fertiliser (PIF) whose purpose was to ensure that farmers in the country buy fertiliser at N5,500 before the next planting season.

    According to him, “Edo is one of the investors in the SWF. We are working on the PIF to import some components of fertiliser from Morocco and revive blending plants in the country.

    “The net effect is to create jobs and for farmers to get fertiliser for as low as N5,500. With this type of facilities in the state, Edo state has been missing lots of opportunities with a factory like this.

    “Once the governor and the investors have agreed, I don’t think it will take too long to get this plant running. Our objective as the governor has mentioned, is to put the raw materials into this plant and have it to start working.

    “The president has presidential initiative for fertiliser, and the idea is instead of importing finished fertiliser, we bring in the component and blend it locally. If you do that, price will come down significantly and luckily, Edo is a state that has lots of raw materials needed.

    “So this should be a natural advantage for Edo State to start which will employ alot of people. It will also at the same time, bring alot of advantages with it; bring down the prices of fertiliser for the farmers that is the idea of the presidential special programme,’’ he said.

    On his part, President of Fertiliser Producers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Thomas Etuh, explained that the initiative was to encourage local blending of fertilisers with a view to create jobs and save foreign exchange. Thomas said Nigeria will be saving $300m in foreign exchange in 2017 and $120bn in terms of subsidy on fertiliser.

    Last week, Obaseki accompanied by his Deputy, Philip Shaibu, visited the fertiliser plant of ascertain the level of work done. He was shown round the facility by Mr Ayodele Ejaoye, the General Manager of the Technical Company managing the fertiliser plant.

    Obaseki inspected the power plant, production line, storehouse, administrative building and the new line. He was assured that the plant was capable of producing seven tons of fertiliser per hour and prepared to be test run by mid June while commercial production starts by June ending.

    Addressing reporters after the inspection, Obaseki said the plant would employ about 120 direct and indirect workers when it became operational.

    Obaseki disclosed that talks were on with the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), to draw a dedicated 33KVA line to the plant in addition to standby 500KVA generating set that has been refurbished at the plant.

    He said :“I am quite impressed with the progress of work here because if you compared the situation now to what we met about two and half months ago, when we came here first, you’d find that there is significant difference.

    “We have been able to get the technical partners under the federal government fertiliser programme to start work here and they have made investment to revamp the plant. The equipment have been tested and manufacturers were brought to fix the faulty parts. They are also constructing a new line to meet up with the specification of the federal government fertiliser programme.”

  • Maize, Soy production get support

    As part of efforts to improve the productivity of Maize and Soy farmers in Nigeria, West African Soy Industries Limited (WASIL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Business Innovation Facility (BIF). WASIL is a member of WACOT/TGI Group.

    While the TGI Group with Rahul Savara as Group Managing Director, is an international investment and holding company with diversified interests and investments in Nigeria, Ghana, Republic of Benin, Morocco, UAE, South Africa and China, among other emerging markets, the Business Innovation Facility (BIF) is a five-year (2014 – 2019) DFID-funded market systems development programme that aims to improve the lives of the poor in three countries: Malawi, Myanmar and Nigeria.

    BIF works to identify and address constraints in selected markets, providing technical assistance (and some grant funding) to businesses and other market players.

    According to the General Manager, Corporate Affairs of TGI Group, Mr. Sadiq Kassim, “WASIL is currently working with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development and the Central Bank of Nigeria under the Food Security Programmeof the Federal Government to improve the productivity of maize and soy farmers in a replicable manner.

  • PSN, others back Fed Govt on vaccine production

    PSN, others back Fed Govt on vaccine production

    Stakeholders in the health sector have applauded the Federal  Government’s agreement with and a pharmaceutical giant, May and Baker (M&B)on vaccine production.

    To Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) President, Alhaji Ahmed Yakasai, the arrangement will ensure the ready avalability of vaccines, which are one the most effective ways of preventing infectious diseases.

    He said:“That struggle has been on since 2004. The joint venture agreement as declared by the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole shortly after the  Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting last Wednesday, would involve counterparts funding in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model between the government and M and B.

    “We want to note that the Federal Government deserves commendation for acceding to our calls to look inward in solving the hydra headed problems of vaccines and medicines shortage in Nigeria. This would go a long way in guaranteeing availability of vaccines for use in routine immunisations and vaccines for use during national emergency as observed recently during outbreak of meningitis.

    “May and Baker as one of the few Nigerian Pharma companies with the World Health Organisation (WHO) pre-qualification GMP certification, will surely be able to enhance its capacity utilisation and explore opportunities in exportation of vaccines to global markets,” said Yakasai.

    He called on the firm to take full advantage of the opportunity to fulfill its vision of “improving the quality of life, throughout and for all lives”.

    “If you go to Yaba, the production laboratory there is dead. A lot of money will be spent, more than the $2.5 billion signed will supply only 20 per cent of the vaccination needed in the country, but with time it will expand to satisfy local needs and West Africa region, and then the globe,”he said.

    Yakasai continued: “Parents want to do everything possible to ensure that their children are healthy and protected from preventable diseases. Vaccination is the best way to do that. Vaccination protects children from serious illness and complications of vaccine-preventable diseases which can include amputation of an arm or leg, paralysis of limbs, hearing loss, convulsions, brain damage, and death.

    “Vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles, mumps and whooping cough are still a threat globally. Aside from the fact that vaccines such as yellow fever vaccine will be readily accessible same will also be affordable. I don’t want to say vaccine production is like a cartel, but that Nigeria will be a self sustaining country in the areas of vaccine provision is gladdening.”

    Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) President Dr Mike Ogirima believes that outbreaks of preventable diseases occur when many parents decide not to vaccinate their children. “Vaccination is safe and effective. All vaccines undergo long and careful review by scientists, doctors, and the federal government to make sure they are safe. Vaccine production had been on in the country, but got stopped. We are happy it is now picking up. It is all a win-win situation,”he said.

    According to him, Nigeria has been producing vaccines at the vaccines production laboratory in Yaba and was exporting to other countries until the place was shut down several years back for rehabilitation, which never took place.

    “May and Baker entered into a joint venture with the Federal Government to take over the facilities of the Federal Vaccine Production Laboratory (FVPL) in Yaba for the purpose  of resuming vaccine production, which had stopped due to the inability of the FVPL to cope with operational challenges.

    “The project was, however, delayed due to the non-ratification of the agreement by successive governments. Now under a new partnership arrangement with 49:51 equity participation in favour of May and Baker, things are set to take shape under the auspices of the company jointly set up- Biovaccines Nigeria Limited.

    “The country will be better for it. Now under a new partnership arrangement with 49:51 equity participation in favour of May and Baker,things are set to take shape under the auspices of the company jointly set up – Biovaccines Nigeria Limited,” Dr Ogirima said.

    Former Lagos PSN Chairman Olumide Akintayo was happy that vaccines would be readily available in the country “to address these diseases – diphteria, haemophilus inflenzae tybe b, (Hib disease – a major cause of bacterial meningitis), Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Human Papillomavisus (HPV – a major cause of cervical and other cancers), Influenza, measles, meningococcal, Mumps, Pertussis (Whooping Cough), Pneumococcal (causes bacterial meningitis and blood infections), Polio, Rotavirus, Rubella, (German Measles), Tetanus (Lockjaw), and Varicella (Chickenpox). It will also create employment.

    “The country will no longer be at the mercy of global R and D vaccine manufacturers as experienced during the Ebola period, because R and D costs millions of dollars and no manufacturer will want to just give out its product just like that without recouping its investment.

    “As pharmacists we are happy because a whole range of skilled pharmacists across areas of specialty and sub-specialty will be engaged. That should make the government develop the petro-chemical sector. The basic raw material we need as a nation is Benzene-zinc. With the right things done, over a million jobs can be created from the pharmaceutical industry,” he noted.