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Tag: Sahara Group

  • DDA3: Sahara Group advocates digital revolution 

    DDA3: Sahara Group advocates digital revolution 

    Executive Director at the Sahara Group, Tonye Cole has said the industrialisation of Africa in the next decade must be owned and led by Africans with key support from the private sector as well as regional and multilateral organisations.

    Citing the need for a robust “digital infrastructure”, Cole urged African leaders to commit to having a digital highway that connects the various nations. “It will form the basis upon which everything else will thrive. It will unleash jobs for our teeming youths, deliver education to the uttermost corners of the continent, connect farmers and entrepreneurs to the world, deliver healthcare to remote locations and inspire electrification projects across borders.”

    Cole who is also co-funder of the leading African energy conglomerate represented the Private Sector on a panel during a session on Africa at the recently concluded 72nd United Nations General Assembly in New York.

    Themed: “Third Industrial Development Decade for Africa (IDDA3, 2016-2025): From political commitments to actions on the ground,” the session sought to address, among others, the environmental, social and economic challenges and opportunities that the continent faces in its quest for sustainable development.

    According to Cole, a strategic digital revolution would also expose abuse and injustice, enhance law enforcement and justice, address inequality and transparency, build strong institutions and foster partnerships towards actualising sustainable development.

    In 2016, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) proclaimed the decade 2016-2025 as IDDA3 following a United Nations General Assembly resolution – signalling the need for collaborative efforts geared towards ensuring the continent fits into plans aimed at realising the 17 SDGs by 2030.

    Cole highlighted the continent’s youthful population, agriculture and education as avenues that can be explored to foster development in Africa.

    He said Sahara Group’s corporate responsibility interventions show that people empowerment is critical to achieving industrialisation.

    The panel was moderated by CNN News anchor Zain Asher. Introductory remarks were given by Li Yong, Director General,  UNIDO, and Ms. Amina Mohammed, former Minister for Environment of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations.

    Speakers on the panel included H.E. Mr Edgar Lungu, President of Zambia, H.E. Mr Hailemariam Desalegn, Prime Minister of Ethiopia and H.E. Mr. Mokgweetsi Masisi, Vice-President of Botswana, amongst many other notable dignitaries.

    Key messages ranged from forging strong partnerships amongst stakeholders of IDDA3, to building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusivity, establishing sustainable industrialisation and fostering collaboration and innovation amongst African countries.

  • Sahara Group hosts Harvard graduates

    Egbin Power Plc, an affiliate of Sahara Group, has flagged off the tour of the power operations of Sahara Group, an indigenous energy conglomerate, by 20 Harvard Kennedy School graduates.

    Led by Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, the graduates from the 2017 Masters in Public Policy Class learned about how continuing investments in technology, human capital, overhauls and upgrades were driving the transformation of the power plant, which is responsible for 25 per cent of power generated in Nigeria.

    An elated Arohi Sharma, the team’s Student Government President 2016-2017 said: “It is quite exciting and amazing to see the remarkable work that is going on at the power plant. This is my first time in a facility like this and I am personally looking forward to the emergence of a vibrant power sector in Africa with institutions like Egbin Power playing important roles in this regard.”

    Following the nation’s privatisation exercise, Sahara, through its power division, Sahara Power Group and sundry affiliations, acquired the 1320MW installed capacity Egbin Power Plant, Ikeja Electric Plc and generation assets at First Independent Power Limited in Rivers State. Sahara Power Group currently operates power generation facilities with a total of approximately 1,750MW of available capacity and working towards deploying a minimum of 5,000MW of electricity generation over the next five years.

  • Sahara Group advocates regional collaboration on power

    Africa should explore  policies and investment opportunities in the power sector to boost sustainable supply, affordability and off-grid rural power solutions, the Executive Director of Sahara Group, Tonye Cole, has said.

    He spoke at the World Economic Forum on Africa in Durban, South Africa. He said the involvement of the private sector in the continent’s power space had laid the foundation for significant improvement, which must now be enhanced by collaboration and support from governments.

    “We still have a lot of work to do in terms of harmonising regulations across borders, so that the regulations we have in Nigeria for example must be the same or close to that which will be in Benin, Togo and Ghana so that the West African Power Pool, for example, can work. When you add this to a regulatory approach where the government actually provides support for investors and operators through market reflective policies, we will be looking at fast paced growth in the power sector,” he said.

    Cole noted that effective collaboration would unite regulators and operators in the generation, transmission and distribution value chains of the sector to harmonise issues around Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), securitisations and tariff.

    “We must work towards creating a power sector that encourages cross-border collaboration to boost offshore investments, efficient pricing and policy reviews that will diversify prospects for off-grid power projects and rural electrification,” he added.

    He urged governments on the continent to provide incentives in for investors in the rural areas to accelerate inclusive growth and economic prosperity across Africa.

    “Power is critical to the ongoing economic development in Africa and for us at Sahara Group, we are continually reaching out to other stakeholders to ensure the quest of bringing energy to homes and businesses in Africa is sustained and ultimately, achieved.”

  • ‘Youths should be more involved in transforming Nigeria’

    A staff of Sahara Group, Africa’s leading energy and infrastructure conglomerate, Chinonso Izuka is blessed with a gift that brings melody to the hearts of many. It’s a uniquely textured powerful voice. She’s the voice behind the #NigeriaStartsWithMe theme song and her vocal chords have the potential to propel her to global stardom. The #NigeriaStartsWithMe initiative is one which seeks to rally young people to own major stakes in efforts aimed at transforming Nigeria. In this interview, Chinonso speaks passionately about her dream for a new Nigeria and expresses her desire to see the song ignite creativity, innovation and a sense of patriotism in Nigerian youths.
     
    Q: What is the #NigeriaStartsWithMe initiative about?
    C: The #NigeriaStartsWithMe initiative is a drive geared towards rallying Nigerian youths to develop practical and innovative ideas that would enhance the transformation of our country Nigeria. It is a movement to instill a desire for innovation, creativity and patriotism. It is an innovative dive to revive the Nigerian dream and place it in the hands of our youths who are Nigeria’s future. I am passionate about the initiative and see myself as an ambassador of everything great we want to see happen in Nigeria.  I am so happy that Sahara Group where I work is championing this cause as it has given me a platform to contribute meaningfully to the initiative. That new Nigeria we all seek is attainable; but to realise the dream, it must start with each one of us; especially the young people who will occupy leadership positions in Nigeria in the coming years and decades.
     
     
    Q:  How did you get the inspiration to write and sing the #NigeriaStartsWithMe theme song?
    C:  The actual origin of the theme song is from a song I composed for my organisation, the Sahara Group late last year which I sang at our 20th Anniversary End of Year Party in Abuja. When we flagged off the #NigeriaStartsWithMe initiative in March 2017, I thought some aspects of the message in the song was appropriate for the campaign.  After some tweaking, I came up with theme song. The inspiration came from my experience in Sahara where you’re driven to look inwards to come up with solutions that can change the world, whilst believing that it takes togetherness as well to achieve bigger and more sustainable goals. The song captures the essence of togetherness and deciding to give one’s best to Nigeria in spite of the seemingly insurmountable challenges we have as a nation. We are a creative and resilient people. In fact, each Nigerian has what it takes to come up with that idea or solution to our challenges as a nation. All we need is to see ourselves as agents of positive change. I believe the message of not giving up on Nigeria is one I had to share with every young Nigerian. It is disheartening to see brilliant youths being employed as trolls on the Social Media where they do the bids of people who would rather see Nigeria go under. We can direct our energies to confronting societal ills and contributing our quota to the development of our great nation. That’s the inspiration I hope the song transmits to every Nigerian – that at the end of it all, Nigeria starts with each one of us.
    Q: What do you think are the issues that we need to urgently need to address in Nigeria?
     
    C:  I think the issues that need to be urgently addressed in the country are security issues in which I believe that there should be major investment in ICT, intelligent building management systems, audio-visual processing and transmission systems, network-based control and monitoring functions in order to enhance security in the country. Also, the defective educational system, health care, youth unemployment and poverty are critical issues that need to be addressed.
    Q: What’s your impression of Nigerian music? Which aspects stand out the most for you and which areas do we need improvement?
     
    C:  I think the Nigerian music industry has evolved as a whole in recent times as diverse music genres are currently being accepted in the country. It a true mix of entertainment and culture.
    Q: Who are the Nigeria musicians that you look up to for inspiration and why?
    C: Wizkid is number one! He inspires me a lot because, besides his unadulterated talent and zeal for his career, he started from barely nothing years ago, pushed diligently all through the years and as we speak he’s the biggest Nigerian artist recognized in the world. Another Nigerian artist that inspires me is Tiwa Savage, I admire her drive and her as a person.
    Q: How long have you been singing? What is your genre of music, have you recorded any tracks?
    C: I have been singing since I got to be aware of myself, since I was a kid. I started singing and writing my own songs at an early age. However, professionally, I released my first official debut “Sunny Bobo” late 2014. I major in RnB, Afro Pop, and soft RAP music. I have my latest recording, “Escape” which is currently available in the market. It consists of an intro and 4 tracks on, with all songs written and composed by me. I also released a music video for “Sunny Bobo” which is being played on various platforms till date.
    Q: Seeing that you currently work for Sahara Group are you considering going into full time music?
    C: Music is a huge part of my being and I don’t see myself living without it, on the same page I love my career with Sahara Group so I take it a day at a time and observe how it would all unravel with time.
    Q: If you were invited to perform at a national event in Aso Rock, which Nigerian artist’s song will you sing and why?
    C: If invited for a National event in Aso Rock to perform, I would perform TY Bello’s “Green Land” because the song speaks positivity and fruitfulness. Something I believe #NigeriaStartsWithMe drives. I would definitely want to send a message across to the dignitaries that I have the opportunity and pleasure to entertain.
    Q: What message do you have for Nigerian youths on how they can transform the nation?
    C: Don’t wait for the government and anybody to set the platform for you. Take a step everyday towards your dreams and towards contributing to your environment positively. Every great movement and success starts with one step, one idea, one song, one meeting, one prayer, one partnership, one experiment, one speech, one invention, I could go on and on. It starts with a desire to stop whining and start seeing ourselves the solutions to challenges. The level of creativity being propelled by young people in Nigeria is amazing. You cannot imagine the impact we would have when we channel our creative energies into realizing the #NewNigeria dream – I can’t wait to live in that Nigeria!
    Q: Every artiste aspires to make global impact. Do you see yourself gunning for the Grammys someday?
    C: Most definitely! Lol….I will add that to my collection of something sparkly! We never say never at Sahara, so I will give my singing career my best shot. Beyond the Grammys, it is my desire to impact lives with my songs. That’s one achievement that will be invaluable to me.
    Q: Anyone in your life right now? Wedding bells?
    C: Hmmm… Let’s wait to see…  hahaha
  • Presidency, Sahara Group, others launch Advisory Group for SDGs

    Presidency, Sahara Group, others launch Advisory Group for SDGs

    A renewed drive for public-private sector collaboration is set to commence in Nigeria as Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo inaugurates the Private Sector Advisory Group (PSAG) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on Tuesday.

    The Group  aims at mirroring the Global Private Sector Advisory Group which established by United Nations Sustainable Development Fund (UNSDGF) in New York to effectively achieve the SDGs as a result of the numerous challenges faced during the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals.
    The PSAG in Nigeria will provide the Global PSAG with guidance and strategic support to achieve hitch-free implementation of SDGs in Nigeria. This will ultimately create a platform for more impactful and home-grown sustainable models and solutions to achieve the SDGs.
    Speaking on the initiative, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, said the PSAG would help the nation address and solve development issues sustainably.  “The Public Private Partnership (PPP) for Sustainable Development marks a new dawn in the implementation of pro-poor projects and  programmes in Nigeria,” she said.
    Tonye Cole, Executive Director and Co-Founder Sahara Group, said the PSAG would galvanise ideas and initiatives from various stakeholders to achieve accelerated and inclusive development across the nation. “We strongly believe that the achievement of the PSAG objectives will not only improve the global SDG ranking of Nigeria, it will also improve the standard of living across the nation through the provision of sustainable solutions to basic problems,” said Cole, who represents Sahara Group on the Global PSAG board of the UNSDGF.
    The Nigerian Private Sector Advisory Group is made up of 13  key partners who share high commitment in achieving the 17 SDGs and also have a track record of laudable milestones in the area of implementation of Corporate Social Responsibility projects.
    Some of these key partners include but are not limited to: Growing Businesses foundation (GBF), Lagos Business School (LBS), Sahara Group Limited, British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN), Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), PricewaterhouseCoopers Ltd. (PwC), Google,  Unilever Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, GT Bank, General Electric (GE), Dangote Group, Coco-Cola, Channels Television, Chamber of Commerce- Lagos/Kano, National Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI) and NASME. As the work progresses, the number of organizations that make up the PSAG are expected to increase to accommodate others that are keen on contributing their quota towards achieving the SDG’s in Nigeria.
    Stakeholders working under the aegis of the PSAG will collaborate on identifying areas of common interest to achieve the establishment of vibrant public-private partnerships in Nigeria.
    The Group will work closely with the Office of the Senior Special Adviser to the President on SDGs to ensure seamless implementation  of adopted development projects across the nation.

  • Sahara Group pledges to support young Nigerian innovators

    Sahara Group has pledged its support for the 30 young Nigerian innovators who emerged from the maiden Aso Villa Demo Day entrepreneurship development project to grow their business ventures.

     

    Executive director of group, Mr. Tonye Cole commended the Nigerian government for the Aso Villa Demo Day (AVDD) initiative, adding that it would boost the Information Communication Technology sector and unleash the creativity of youths in the nation.

     

    The AVDD was designed to discover and celebrate creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship with focus on economic diversification as well as inclusive enterprise by young Nigerians. The event produced 30 start-up innovators whom Sahara Group intends to further enhance their development through ‘Extrapreneurship’, its entrepreneurship platform.

     

    The Sahara Group “Extrapreneurship” framework is an integrated development and management programme designed to grow and sustain entrepreneurial ventures by linking them with strategic partnerships and networks.

     

    In addition to bringing the innovators on board the extrapreneurship platform, the top three winners from the AVDD project will receive financial support from Sahara. They include: Tracology, a patented smart payment systems for utility companies; RecyclePoints, a waste recycling and social benefit venture for sustainable development, and Shuttlers, a multi-staff bus service to assist commuters resolve daily challenges moving around big cities.

     

    “Sahara is indeed proud to be associated with the project which will inspire, challenge and empower young Nigerians to be part of the solutions to socio-economic challenges in their immediate environment. Through Sahara Foundation’s Academic Hub, business development experts and professionals from other disciplines will provide mentorship to the top 30 innovators,” Cole said.

     

    According to Cole, Sahara Group would always support initiatives geared towards investing in a future that guarantees sustained growth and development across the globe.

     

    “If we are going to become sustainable, and move from this generation to the next, we must understand what the next generation is all about. The future is digital and technology. A lot of Nigeria’s problems today can be solved through technical solutions sourced locally from young and creative talents. Sahara will continue to align with governments and organisations that share our passion for providing platforms to help young entrepreneurs succeed,” he noted.

     

    Nigeria’s Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo said the AVDD project has created a level playing field and connectivity for everyone to participate in wealth creation across the world.

     

    “It’s a new day. There’s so much hope and so much the young generation is going to do. I am looking forward to working with young Nigerians as part of government to ensure that all our plans, talents and abilities are put to the best possible use. We will support you all the way,” Osinbajo told the young innovators.

     

    Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, who was a one of the special guests at the AVDD, said he was inspired by what ideas the competition has produced.

     

    “I am really blown away by the talent of the entrepreneurs and young developers in this country, particularly the focus to build something that’s going to make a difference and bring change”, Zuckerberg said.

     

     

     

  • Sahara Group turns 20

    Sahara Group turns 20

    To inspire youths to achieve  their dreams and provide platforms to facilitate the socio-economic development worldwide is Sahara Group’s major goal, Mr Tonye Cole, its Executive Director and Co-founder has said.

    Sahara Group, an energy conglomerate with operations in eight countries across four continents, turned 20 years on Tuesday.

    On the milestone achieved by Sahara, Cole said while the company had witnessed significant successes in its core operations, it places more premium on its corporate responsibility achievements.

    He said Sahara recorded several sustainable interventions in the areas of education and capacity building, health, sustainable community development and the environment through the Sahara Foundation.

    “We are humbled by the impact we have made and remain committed to doing much more through collaboration with local, regional and global organisations that share our passion for bringing energy to life,” he said.

    Cole said Sahara was looking to upscale the reach and impact of its interventions in the countries where it has operations as well as other locations to enhance efforts aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s).

    “Sahara is, indeed, proud of the milestones we have recorded these past 20 years. We are blessed with unique staff and are excited about the future as we continue to spearhead innovation in the entire energy value chain. However, beyond the numbers, we will continue to cherish the privilege God has given us to be a blessing to millions of people across the globe. We celebrate all our friends and stakeholders who have made the Sahara story a phenomenal success and look forward to the future with excitement.”

  • ‘Food Africa’ project will enhance campaign against poverty – Tonye Cole

    ‘Food Africa’ project will enhance campaign against poverty – Tonye Cole

    Recently, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Fund (UN SDG-F), Sahara Group, Kaduna State Government and Roca Brothers, unveiled the Food Africa project in Kaduna to promote food security. In this interview with Assistant Editor, Seun Akioye, Mr. Tonye Cole, Executive Director and Co-Founder, Sahara Group speaks on the importance of the project which is ultimately expected to enhance inclusive growth in the African food industry. 

     

    How much of a threat would you say poverty represents to communities and nations across the globe?

    Poverty is a serious threat to communities and nations globally.  Apart from the fact that people die daily from starvation due to poverty, the constantly increasing gap between the rich and the poor has accounted for further strife, violence and conflicts in many regions of the world.  Some world bank reports have stated that nearly half of the world’s population – more than 3 billion people live on less than $2.50 a day, more than 1.3 billion live in extreme poverty – less than $1.25 a day and 1 billion children worldwide are living in poverty. According to UNICEF, 22,000 children die each day due to poverty. The statistics are very disheartening hence the need to develop sustainable solutions required to reduce the threat to humanity.

     

    How has Sahara’s corporate responsibility projects addressed the poverty menace?

    Through multiple partnerships with public and private sector organisations, Sahara has been involved in the implementation of several economic empowerment programmes within and beyond our locations across the globe.  Most of the projects involved provision of platforms for skill acquisition for indigent and disadvantaged beneficiaries to promote inclusion and socio-economic growth. The recently launched Food Africa project is another platform we believe will enhance the campaign against poverty on a massive scale given the involvement of local, regional and global partners.

     

    How did the Food Africa project emerge and what is the focus of the project?

    The Food Africa project, a very first of its kind is the product of a partnership between Sahara Group, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals- Fund (SDG-F) and the Kaduna State Government aimed at empowering the people of Kaduna State and alleviating poverty through food security. The project was birthed after the SDG-F looked to the private sector as a possible contributor to the success of sustainable goals particularly because they had observed in multiple countries across the world, many private companies had carried out very successful and thriving CSR projects with little or no involvement of the host governments. The agriculture initiative aims to integrate the entire food value chain – the farmer, wholesaler, retailer and consumer – using a forward/backward integration approach that would help improve the farmers, their farming techniques and reduction in farm produce wastages, thereby providing a sustainable source of food security, poverty eradication, skill acquisition and social inclusiveness. The target is to touch at least 500,000 beneficiaries (30% direct beneficiaries and 70% indirect beneficiaries) providing families with better nutrition and livelihood opportunities are estimated to benefit from the project over a five year period.

     

    Who are the partners involved in the project?

    The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal Fund (SDG-F), Sahara Group, UN specialized agencies, Kaduna State Government and Roca Brothers of Spain who were recently given the award of the best restaurant in the world. The SDG Fund and Sahara Group will be responsible for project design and will together provide the bulk of the co-financing, mobilize matching fund contributions and oversee the preparation of the work plan in agreement with all partners. They will jointly chair the bi-annual trustees committee, assume overall oversight of the project implementation, provide guidance to the project management office and oversee the appointment and development of the capacities of the processing facility management.  UN specialized agencies will assume responsibility for technical assistance in their core areas of expertise and implementing those activities agreed upon in the work plan. The Roca Brothers will contribute to overall technical oversight to the project. They provide their technical expertise, including the sharing of best practices in resource efficiency, recycling and recovering of waste as secondary resources to help optimize the operations of the processing facility. Kaduna State Government will provide the land upon which the facility will be constructed and other arable land within the identified Local Government Areas in addition to access to utilities and all-year round armed security for the facility.

     

    tonyeYou recently unveiled your extrapreneurship framework for corporate responsibility, how does the Food Africa project key into this?

    The extrapreneurship is a cross sectoral collaboration that identifies, creates and connects young people with business interests in emerging markets through skills training, mentoring and access to a network of committed stakeholders. In the same vein, the project provides a platform for partnership between the various stakeholders to offer trainings and mentoring services to rural farmers in Kaduna in order to help them develop and improve their farming techniques and methods to meet global standards, providing a platform to learn and understand the business and commercial aspect of agriculture value chain as well as also providing access to a network of committed product off takers.

     

    How will Sustainability be enshrined into the project?

    Considering the fact that Sahara has over the years nurtured businesses from incubation to maturity, we have along with our partners developed and designed an appropriate framework during the project conceptualization to ensure ownership of project by beneficiaries hence guarantying sustainability. The project beneficiaries will be empowered with the right skills, training, resources and network connections that will guaranty the sustainability of the project.

     

    How would you describe the formal launch of the project in Kaduna and what does this mean for Nigeria?

    Very symbolic! The enthusiasm expressed by the local farmers in Kaduna was palpable. They are eager to learn new ways of improving their work and collaborating to achieve the big picture of sustainable productivity for the benefit of all. I must commend the Kaduna State Government ably led by His Excellency, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai for providing the foundation and support for the commencement of the project. In fact, prior to the formal launch we had been working closely with the relevant ministries, agencies and organisations in the state. Everyone is excited about the expected outcomes from Food Africa and I can tell you that Sahara and other partners remain committed to ensuring that we record a resounding success that can be replicated elsewhere.  In addition, considering Nigeria’s position on the African Continent, it will afford us the opportunity to equally lead efforts that would stimulate stronger commitment and enthusiasm in other parts of the continent towards the attainment of the critical development action.

     

    What other projects is Sahara currently implementing under its extrapreneurship platform?

    The concept is gradually unfolding and we are currently collaborating with Kunle Afolayan, an award winning film maker on a project tagged ‘Grooming film Extrapreneurs with Kunle Afolayan’.  The project was designed to provide a platform to task youths in Nigeria to channel their creativity and innovation in film making to celebrate entrepreneurship in Nigeria using the theme -My Nigeria, My Platform…Seeing Nigeria through an entrepreneur’s eyes. Interested budding film talents are expected to send in 15-minute documentaries that highlight the story of Nigerian entrepreneurs, with a focus on how their activities are providing sustainable solutions, creating employment and promoting socio-economic development in the nation. All submitted documentaries will be screened by one of Africa’s best film makers, Kunle Afolayan and the overall winner will undergo a mentorship programme with Kunle for six months. Sahara Foundation is also in partnership with ENACTUS Nigeria to create a platform that will identify and reward business ventures while also improving the efficiency of extrapreneurs to ensure growth and sustainability.  This will be achieved by granting young and innovative individuals with business interest access to a network of mentors and angel investors who will guide them to success.

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  • African Foods: New pilot initiative in Kaduna to boost inclusive growth

    African Foods: New pilot initiative in Kaduna to boost inclusive growth

    • United Nations SDG Fund, FG, Kaduna Government, chefs Roca Brothers and Sahara Group launch a joint platform to create jobs, promote gender equality and reduce food waste

    As Nigeria embraces a challenging economic diversification process, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Fund (SDG-F) is working in Kaduna to pilot an innovative approach aimed at revamping the food sector to creating new jobs for young people, increase farmers’ revenues, improve productivity, enhance nutrition and reduce food loss through more sustainable production practices.

    To achieve this, the UN Goodwill Ambassadors, brothers Joan, Josep and Jordi Roca of restaurant El Celler can Roca, ranked among the best chefs of the world, UN Agencies, the Sahara Group and Nigerian government authorities will partner on the Food Africa project. Launched in Jere, the initiative is set to revolutionize the food industry in Kaduna and beyond.

    For the project kick-off Josep Roca met with young women and men that will be the driving force of this programme. A Center of Excellence, specialized on agriculture and agro-processing training, will contribute to expand it to other regions in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa through regional exchange of best practices.

    Food for SDGs

    Nigeria has been an avid proponent and early adopter of the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which were approved at the United Nations in September. Under the leadership of Princess Victoria Orelope-Adefulire, Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, plans and policies are now underway to achieve these goals by 2030.

    In Africa, agriculture remains a vital source of employment and income generation. In Nigeria the sector contributes to an estimated 70% of employment in Nigeria, but only 22% of GDP, thus indicating a significant potential for productivity gains. Despite a strong reliance on farming and agriculture, malnutrition is often prevalent in many regions and invariably an estimated 50-70% of   harvests can be lost due to the lack of appropriate storage facilities and limited market information.

    On top of that, climate-change, could result in falls in output of up to 30%, according to the World Bank estimates. The recent state of emergency declared in Kaduna over tomato shortages and soaring prices caused by the moth tuta absoluta exemplifies climate and environmental pressures to agricultural production to come.

    Revolutionizing the food industry

    In order to tackle these pressing challenges, the SDG Fund, a mechanism established by the UN to advance the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is engaging governments, UN Agencies, civil society and the private sector on issues critical to enhancing food security and nutrition.

    The pilot Food Africa project in Kaduna will provide a backward and forward integration approach for food supply chain management. The program will introduce more sustainable practices in the value chain, reduce crop waste and improve smallholder farmers’ profitability. Recognizing the link between the gaps in skills and structural unemployment in the region, the project will promote income generating opportunities and technical support to promote trade of local goods and services.

    The program will feature an agro processing facility and serve as a Center of Excellence to increase farmers’ receipts and reduce food loss. The center will provide training in the food industry on issues linked to food safety, business planning and product diversification. Designed as a hybrid public-private facility, the program will eventually be sustained and managed by the communities local farmers.

    Unique collaboration

    UN Goodwill Ambassadors Master Chefs Roca Brothers will contribute their valuable knowledge in sustainable conservation, food preparation and distribution techniques. The Rocas will provide skills training for young women and men as well as providing technical oversight and sharing best practices. The renowned chefs will play a key role in showcasing how local food production can be cultivated for new markets and consumers. “It is an honor for us to be part of this vibrant, promising and collective project and contribute with our cooking, our imagination and our passion to advance the sustainable development goals”, Josep Roca affirmed while in Jere. He added “we are doing this on behalf of all chefs, not only ourselves”.

    Several specialized UN Agencies will provide expertise on food production (FAO), labour and employment (ILO) and international trade (ITC). An early warning Geographical Information System (GIS) will also be available to connect farmers with agricultural extension services and provide real time market data.

    Sahara Group, a leading African energy conglomerate and member of the SDG Fund Private Sector Advisory Group and major co-financier of the project will bring its business perspective to the program to ensure the viability of the facility’s operations. “We are excited to showcase this new project which will go a long way to shine the spotlight on the links between agricultural training, food security and improving nutritional livelihoods in our communities” said Tonye Cole, Executive Director and co-founder of the Sahara Group.

    Kaduna State Government will provide the land for the constructed facility as well as farmland and personnel. The state government will collaborate with other state-level stakeholders to improve local infrastructure including rural roads to allow greater access to the facility and farmland.

    It is expected that 5,000 women and men of Kaduna will be directly impacted with new job prospects, increased income and additional skills to compete in the thriving food industry. In addition, an estimated 500,000 residents will indirectly benefit from the Food Africa Project which is designed to be scaled-up in the region and eventually replicated in other parts of Sub-Saharan Africa.

  • Government, UN, Sahara Group host workshop SDGs

    Government, UN, Sahara Group host workshop SDGs

    The Federal Government, United Nations and Sahara Group are set to host a private sector forum to create awareness on collaborations to support the development of a Universal Sustainable Development Agenda in Nigeria.
    The results of the workshop will inform a new UN global report on business and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) being prepared by the UN Sustainable Development Goals Fund (SDG-F).
    The workshop tagged: Business Contribution to a Universal Sustainable Development Agenda; holds on July 14, 2016 at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.
    Participants include: Heads of public sector parastatals, private sector organisations and multilateral agencies.
    Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on SDGs, Princess Victoria Orelope-Adefulire, said the workshop would highlight how businesses can effectively contribute towards achieving the SDGs in Nigeria through mobilisation of financing for the United Nations SDG Fund initiative.
    Orelope-Adefulire said participants would exchange ideas on how to articulate a Universal Agenda in different private sector industries and contexts; incorporate and implement the SDGs into the core business activities and operations; and address challenges peculiar to Nigeria with regards to achieving the SDGs.
    The Nigerian President’s aide said the government was hopeful collaboration with the private sector will hasten the attainment of the SDGs and ultimately drive diversification of the Nigerian economy, wealth creation, revenue generation opportunities, improved child and maternal care as well as gender equality opportunities.
    “The desired aim would be to work closely with the private sector to develop initiatives that would address the peculiarities of nationalizing the SDGs in Nigeria in line with the Universality Agenda. Ultimately we hope to set a strong foundation for developing a framework for further discussions scheduled for the last quarter of the 2016,” she noted.
    According to Tonye Cole, Executive Director and Co-Founder, Sahara Group, achieving multi-sectoral collaboration in the private sector remained a critical requirement for driving the SDGs in Nigeria.
    Cole said it was imperative for the private sector in Nigeria to coalesce efforts geared towards the SDGs to enhance scale, impact and sustainability of the various initiatives across the nation. “Private businesses in Nigeria have really been doing a lot to promote the SDGs in Nigeria. However, when you consider the ground we need to cover, a collaborative approach becomes the only sustainable solution. We will be exploring this approach at the workshop and I am confident that the outcomes will launch us further in our quest for attaining the SDGs through shared ideas, resources and platforms.”
    He noted that Sahara, a leading African energy conglomerate, was eagerly looking forward to Nigeria’s private sector heeding the “clarion call” to spearhead a continent-wide movement to institutionalise and implement the SDGs in Africa through collaboration. “Having been a part of the maiden forum held last year in New York, I see this workshop as Nigeria’s best shot at sustainably attaining the SDGs within the prescribed timeline of the United Nations.”
    Director, SDG-F, Paloma Duran highlighted that for SDGs to be achieved by 2030 it is necessary to work differently. In particular, “businesses and private sector should be at the core of sustainable development efforts”. For doing so, “we need first to listen from businesses and learn how public and private sector can work better jointly for SDGs”.