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  • BREAKING: $9.6b award: UK court orders stay of execution, demands $200m security deposit

    The English Commercial and Arbitration has ordered a stay of execution of the $9.6billion damages secured against Nigeria by Process and Industrial Developments (P&ID) pending the determination of an appeal by the Federal Government.

    It however asked the government to make a security payment of $200million to the court.

    The court also granted Nigeria’s leave to file an appeal against the award.

    P&ID secured the damages against Nigeria following a failed Gas Supply Project Agreement (GSPA) contract between it and the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

    A brief by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN) from London said: “Stay of execution granted subject to payment of $200m  security payment to court pending the determination of the appeal the leave for which has been granted by the commercial court

    Read Also: Firms linked to P&ID ‘withdraw $700,000 in cash’

    “Application for leave to appeal against the award and enforcement of the award is granted.”

    The Nation had exclusively reported that the Federal Government had opted for a fight-to-the-finish legal battle against the Irish firm.

    The first leg of the war is applying for a stay of execution of the judgment when the court resumes later this month.

    It was also reported that applying for a stay of execution, the Federal Government will file an appeal against the judgment.

    Further findings by THE NATION revealed that the Act bars UK courts from attaching assets of a foreign state without the consent of the state.

    In an article, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP (the largest law firm in the world devoted solely to business litigation and arbitration) said the Act allows a written consent of a foreign state before the enforcement of a judgment which could lead to seizure of assets or freezing of accounts.

    The March 20, 2019 article was titled “Sovereign Immunity in the United Kingdom—Lexology”

    The firm  said in part: “Section 13(2) of the Act provides that:(a) relief shall not be given against a State by way of injunction or order for specific performance or for the recovery of land or other property; and (b) the property of a State shall not be subject to any process for the enforcement of a judgment or arbitration award or, in an action in rem, for its arrest, detention or sale.

    “Pursuant to section 13 of the Act, state assets ‘shall not be subject to any process for the enforcement of a judgment or arbitration award or, in an action in rem, for [their] arrest, detention or sale’ unless the state has provided its written consent (see, for example, Gold Reserve Inc v Venezuela [2016] EWHC 153 (Comm), finding that Venezuela had submitted to arbitration in writing by entering into a bilateral investment treaty (BIT) with Canada) or the assets in question are ‘in use or intended for use for commercial purposes’ (section 13(2)-(4)). These provisions apply in respect to states alone as defined in section 14 of the Act, and do not therefore extend to separate entities (see question 8).

    “See Hazel Fox and Philippa Webb, The Law of State Immunity (Oxford University Press, Oxford 2015), pp. 504-5.

    “This provision is subject to sections 13(3) and 13(4) of the Act. Pursuant to section 13(3), a state may provide written consent to the grant of any relief against it. It follows that a state may consent to the grant of interim or injunctive relief against it; however, the mere submission to the jurisdiction of the UK courts does not constitute such consent.”

    Details shortly…

  • Two children beaten to death ‘for defecating in public’

    Two children have been beaten to death in India after they were seen defecating in the open near a village council building, police say.

    The victims, a 12-year-old girl named Roshni and Avinash, a boy aged 10, were cousins from the Dalit (formerly Untouchable) community. Two men, brothers from the upper-caste Yadav community, have been arrested on suspicion of murder.

    The attack took place at around 6.30am on Wednesday in the village of Bhavkhedi, Madhya Pradesh state, at almost the precise moment when – 7,500 miles away in New York – India’s prime minister Narendra Modi was being honoured by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for his work to eliminate open defecation.

    The family of the victims in the Bhavkhedi attack told reporters they have no toilet in their home, and that despite being eligible have been unable to access funds to build one under Mr Modi’s flagship Swachh Bharat – or Clean India – programme.

    They, like millions of others living across India, had no choice but to defecate in public, a practice which is known to put women and children at risk.

    Police believe the children’s attackers took pictures of them on their mobile phones before “beating them mercilessly with lathis [sticks] resulting in their death,” local station chief RS Dhakad told the Hindustan Times.

    The children were rushed to hospital, but declared dead on arrival.

    Avinash’s father, a labourer named Manoj Balmiki, said Dalits faced abuse and discrimination in the village and that the two arrested brothers had already scolded the children on other occasions in the past.

    He said he had previously clashed with the pair, named by police as Hakim Yadav and Rameshwar Yadav, after cutting the branch of a tree next to a field owned by the brothers.

    “There is a lot of untouchability issues in our village,” Balmiki, 32 told Reuters, adding that previous altercations between the two families had involved “casteist slurs”. “Our children cannot play with their children,” he said.

    Police superintendent Shivpuri Rajesh Chandel said investigations were ongoing into “if the murder is related to superstition” linked to open defecation, “or untouchability”. The case is being treated as a possible violation of laws designed to protect Dalits and other caste and tribal communities subjected to discrimination.

    But the killings also highlight the shortcomings of the government’s sanitation programme, launched after Mr Modi’s first election victory in 2014, with the aim of making the whole of India “open defecation free” by 2 October 2019 – the imminent 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth.

    READ ALSO: Pastor, eight others jailed for defecating openly

    The government says it has helped build more than 100 million household toilets in the past five years, and a tracking website for the Swachh Bharat programme claims nearly 600,000 villages have achieved “open defecation free” status.

    Bhavkhedi itself was declared “open defecation free” in 2018, according to Anugraha P, the district’s top civil servant.

    Yet civil society groups have criticised the government’s record keeping track of its own progress, saying that plenty of households in rural areas still remain without access to toilets.

    A January 2019 study by the independent Research Institute for Compassionate Economics (RICE) found that as many as 23 per cent of rural schools surveyed had toilets that were unusable due to lack of water supply or failure to keep up maintenance. The study concluded that as much as 44 per cent of the rural population across four states “still defecate in the open”.

    During Tuesday night’s event with Mr Modi in New York, at which the prime minister was given one of four 2019 Global Goalkeeper Awards, Bill Gates admitted that “managing human waste is one of the world’s oldest and toughest challenges”, before saying India’s efforts could be a “model” for other to follow.

    “I would say most leaders are not willing to talk about [sanitation], in part, because the solutions aren’t that easy,” he said.

    (www.newsnow.co.uk)

  • Seven nabbed for threatening, kidnapping man in Adamawa

    The Adamawa State Police Command has arrested a gang of seven men for threatening to kidnap a man and going ahead to carry out the threat.

    The Spokesman of the Command, DSP Sulaiman Ngurore, gave the details of the incident on Thursday.

    He said, “On the 19th of this month, at about 10.00 hours, one Gloria Godwin, a female resident of Ujanda village in Gombi LGA, reported at the Gombi police station that at 1 midnight, an unknown person called her and threatened to kidnap her son, and dropped a letter written in Hausa language, demanding N5 million or they would go ahead and kidnap her son.”

    Ngurore said that when Mrs. Godwin failed to pay, they abducted her son, following which she reported to the police.

    READ ALSO: Kidnapping: Army dismisses three soldiers in Borno

    “Immediately she reported this to the police in Gombi, the Gombi DPO mobilised his men who, using intelligence and in collaboration with some volunteer contacts, they moved against the kidnappers.

    “They were able to rescue the son. They also succeeded in arresting seven suspects now reasonably determined to have been the kidnappers.”

    The seven suspects, according to the PPRO, are Abdullahi Musa, Bello Isah, Atiku Abubakar, Yahaya Isa, Mallam Tukur, Kabiru Bawa, and Alhaji Jambi.

    He said one Bello Alhaji, indicated as being a member of the gang, escaped arrest, and is currently being hunted by the police.

    He listed items recovered in the course of investigating the suspects to include one locally made pistol, three counterfeit N1,000 notes, two airtel sim cards, 14 cartridges of single-barrel guns, two bows and arrows, a copy of their treat letter, and two brand new motorcycles.

  • My husband wants to use me for money ritual, Police woman alleges

    A policewoman, Sgt. Wuraola Babalola, has petitioned a Mapo Customary Court in Ibadan, seeking the dissolution of her marriage of 14 years to Oladimeji, over alleged attempt to use her for money ritual.

    According to the petitioner, alleged that Oladimeji uses different kinds of charms whenever he wants to sleep with her.

    She alleged that Oladimeji has also turned her into his punching bag.

    ”At any slightest opportunity, he stripes me prevents my relatives from seeing me.

    ”He puts charms in my private part whenever he wants to sleep with me. He also surrounds my plate of food with charms, saying he uses it to protect me.

    “He has also buries different kinds of charms in the house chanting my name. My first child saw him do that.

    “I have evidence of all the charms and how he maltreats me on my cell phone,” she alleged.

    READ ALSO: Wife to Court: My husband wants to kill me with sex

    Oladimeji was not in court to answer to the allegations.

    The bailiff informed the court that he had on several occasions served hearing notices on Oladimeji, who lives in Oluyole Estate in Ibadan.

    After listening to the testimony of the petitioner, Chief Ademola Odunade, the President of the court, dissolved the marriage, on grounds of threat to life.

    He granted custody of the three children to the petitioner and ordered the respondent to pay N15, 000 as the monthly feeding allowance.

    The arbitrator ordered the clerk of the court to ensure that copy of the judgment is sent to Oladimeji.

    (NAN)

  • Senate to pass Petroleum Industry Bill in 2020

    Senate President Ahmad Lawan on Wednesday said the Senate will pass the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) before the end of 2020.

    The Bill is meant to overhaul the petroleum industry, entrench efficiency and transparency in the upstream and downstream sectors, bring operations in line with international standards.

    It also seeks to increase government revenue from oil and lay down a strengthened legal and regulatory framework for the Nigerian oil industry.

    But efforts to reform the nation’s petroleum industry in the last two decades have not yielded result.

    Lawan spoke about the bill while inaugurating the 70 Standing Committees of the Senate at plenary in Abuja.

    The Senate President urged security-related committees of the Senate to ensure the overall review of the nation’s security in “architecture and structure” to curb the rising security challenges in the land.

    He also urged the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government to cooperate with committees of the National Assembly to accomplish their tasks.

    Lawan said: “Our petroleum industry is almost stagnant; it has for long be in need of profound reform. Our oil and gas-related committees are, therefore, expected to work hard to take the lead in our determination to reform this vital sector.

    “It is the desire, indeed the design of this Senate, that the PIB is passed before the end of 2020.”

    The Senate President regretted that the nation’s security agencies had continued to perform below desired standards in providing tight security for all citizens.

    He said: “As security is a fundamental responsibility of government, no amount of investment is too much.”

    Lawan stressed that senators expected total cooperation of the Executive arm of government to enable them discharge their legislative duties.

    “The Senate expects the honourable ministers and heads of agencies of government to be forthcoming and responsive to the engagement requests of our committees.

    “Our committees will undertake regular oversights with a view to ensuring that government programmes and projects are properly executed for the benefit of our citizens,” he said.

    Lawan explained that as standing committees are the engine rooms of the legislature so are the MDAs to the Executive.

    “This is why there is need for cooperation, consultation, partnership and synergy between the two arms of government.

    “The MDAs are hereby called upon to harness the opportunity of the existence of the committees in the execution of their mandates. We must have a unity of purpose,” he said.

    Read Also: Saudi attack threat to global oil industry

    Lawan said the inauguration of Senate’s standing committees yesterday was to make the senators fully ready to perform their functions.

    Also yesterday, the Senate directed its committees on National Planning, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and the Diaspora to come up with a legal framework to regulate the inflow of aids into the country.

    It regretted that 60 per cent of foreign aids were usually lost to transaction costs, wastage and capital flight to the donor countries through the implementing contractors.

    The resolution followed the adoption of the prayers of a motion, titled: “The need to make development aids more effective to work for Nigerians,” sponsored by Senator Yahaya Oloriegbe.

    The Senate also directed the National Planning Commission to develop a policy framework that would create mechanisms for the development, cooperation and aid effectiveness in Nigeria.

    It also mandated all its relevant standing committees – that oversee Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) – who are beneficiaries of development aids/grants to request for, analyze and consider such aid/grants in the appropriation of funds for the MDAs’ activities.

    The Senate advised State Planning Commissions and Houses of Assembly to domesticate and implement Federal policies and laws that would enable the states to achieve aids effectiveness.

    Senate President Ahmad Lawan thanked his colleagues for their interventions.

    The Senate President described the issue of aids as an important item that would be part of the legislative agenda of the Ninth Senate.

    He said: “Let me say this is one of those very important items to form our legislative agenda because aids to Nigeria, particularly, should not be treated like it is treated elsewhere in other countries that are less than Nigeria.

    “We must be able to know exactly what the aids are coming for, and then streamline them with our national developmental objectives.

    “So, the Chairman of Diaspora and NGOs, you have the task of engaging the National Planning Commission together, of course, with the Chairman of the Committee on National Planning to ensure that we know what the processes and procedures are and the regulations and guidelines.

    “If we are not satisfied, then we have to come up with a legal framework that will ensure that if there is any aids to us as a country, our people benefit from the aids.”

    In his lead debate, Senator Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe, who represents Kwara Central, urged the Senate to know that Nigeria, a developing country, receives aids from bilateral developed countries and multilateral organisations.

    The senator noted that the aids cover health, education and water, among others.

    He urged the Senate to note that Nigeria is not an aid-dependent country “as the donor support to the country is about five per cent of the national budget. However, in real monetary terms, this is a large amount”.

    Most senators supported the motion.

    The four prayers in the motion were unanimously approved when Lawan put them to voice vote.

    Also, the Senate received report of its ad hoc committee on the Ninth Senate Legislative Agenda.

    Committee Chairman Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central) presented the report.

    The consideration and adoption of the report will take place today.

    “This is to enable Senators time to read and digest the report for effective contributions during its debate,” said Lawan.

    The Senate President, on assumption of office, pledged to design a legislative agenda that would ensure effective performance of senators.

    Aliero listed many areas that would ensure youth empowerment, reduce youth unemployment, boost poverty alleviation to ensure that 100 million Nigerians are lifted out of poverty in the next four years, as part of the plank of the agenda, among others.

    The senator representing Kebbi Central said the Senate would also work to further block revenue leakages, back anti-corruption agenda of the Federal Government and make procurement processes less cumbersome.

    He said the Open National Assembly policy would ensure that its budget always remains in the public glare.

    “By throwing open the budget of the National Assembly, Nigerians will know that we have nothing to hide,” Aliero said.

  • Bayelsa graduates back Diri on guber race

    Educated youths under the auspices of the Bayelsa Forward Movement (BFM) have declared support for the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the November 16 governorship elections, Douye Diri.

    BFM Coordinator, Alfred Kemepado, and other leaders of the group, also promised to work against the Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief David Lyon.

    A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei quoted Kemepado to have made the declaration during a solidarity visit to Government House, Yenagoa on Thursday.

    Kemepado, who described the choices in the forthcoming election as a contest between good and evil, said that the enlightened youth populace would not allow Bayelsa to descend on a pitiable mission to Egypt after tasting the soothing air of restoration.

    Kemepado said that the Nigerian system created an unacceptable situation that foisted servitude and deprivation on the inhabitants of the Niger Delta, who are the original owners of the oil.

    He explained that the oil firms encouraged the creation of armed militia groups in the Niger Delta in the guise of oil surveillance contractors to perpetrate instability in the region.

    Kemepado said that it was an aberration for the oppressive system to deprive indigenes of the area of ownership rights only to use them as some glorified pipeline security servants.

    He said tha Bayelsa youths would not vote those who would celebrate an arrangement that foists oppression on the region.

    READ ALSO: Diri: I will preside over government of continuity

    He said that the BFM comprising graduate youths, would take the message to all the communities of the state to ensure the sustenance of the PDP legacy of development in Bayelsa State.

    He said that the Bayelsa Youth populace would not allow the state to be taken over by agents of darkness and gun-wielding youths come November 16, 2019.

    He commended the governor for his developmental exploits in all the critical sectors of the state and for the opportunity given to the youths to serve.

    In his remarks, the State Governor, Seriake Dickson, said that the State was almost in the promised land and would not retrogress to Egypt.

    He said that the group of highly educated and enlightened youths would not be deceived by fake promises from insincere politicians using deceit as their most potent political tool.

    He recalled that some politicians were behind a rumour that the APC candidate paid electricity bills for the people of Yenagoa when nothing of that nature occurred.

    He said that he would drive in a convoy to Aguobiri in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area in October and do the ground breaking ceremony for the Oporoma bridge.

    He called on the youths to be firm and not to allow their state to be taken over by darkness.

  • Kwara Court remands FBI wanted suspect in custody

    Kwara state High Court sitting in Ilorin, the state capital has remanded wanted United States Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) suspected internet fraudster in custody.

    Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had late last month paraded the 36- year- old Joseph Oyediran in Ilorin for benefiting about N60 million from internet fraud via Western Union Transfer.

    The Ilorin zone of the EFCC on Thursday arraigned Oyediran before Justice Mahmood Abdulgafar on a-five count charge bordering on internet fraud and other fraud related offences, obtaining money
    under false pretence.

    Count two of the charge reads: “That you, Joseph Oyediran (Joe MG, Morris Graves), sometime in May 2015, within the jurisdiction of this honourable Court, with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N1,421,968.000 from one Andrea Smith a white American woman on the false pretence that you were Joe MG a white American man in love with her, a representation you knew to be false punishable under section 1(3) of the Advance Fee fraud and other fraud related Offences Act no.14of 2006.”

    READ ALSO: EFCC arrests two suspects on U.S. FBI wanted list

    Oyediran however pleaded not guilty to all the five count charge leveled against him by the anti-graft body.

    When the matter was called prosecuting Counsel Sessan Ola said “my Lord, we have a five count charge before this honourable court dated 19th day of September 2019. W urge the court to accept the charge and allow the accused person to take his plea.

    Accused counsel M.A Bello however did not object to the application.

    Thereafter, Mr. Ola further said that “in view of the defendant’s plea of not guilty, we are asking for a trial date to enable the prosecution to prove its case, we also pray your Lordship to remand the defendant in prison custody pending the hearing and determination of this matter.

    Justice Abdulgafar concurred with the prosecuting counsel and subsequently adjourned the case till October 9th for commencement of trial.

  • Rohr picks Azeez, Olayinka for Brazil game, as Omeruo, Abdullahi, Awaziem return

    Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr has invited midfielder Ramon Azeez and forward Peter Olayinka into Nigeria’s 23-man squad for the Oct. 13 friendly with five-times world champions Brazil in Singapore on Sunday.

    Ademola Olajire, Director of Communications, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), disclosed in a statement on Thursday that Rohr is also having defenders Kenneth Omeruo, Abdullahi Shehu and Chidozie Awaziem back from injury.

    “Otherwise, the squad is largely unchanged from the side that was forced to a 2-2 draw by Ukraine in Dnipro on Sept. 10,’’ he said.

    Olajire said goalkeepers Francis Uzoho, Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Maduka Okoye were also retained in the squad.

    “But England-based Leon Balogun and Russia-based Bryan Idowu are however left out of those called up for the defence.’’

    The NFF spokesman said Azeez, a former under-20 national team captain now with Spanish La Liga side Granada was called up just as English side Leicester’s Kelechi Iheanacho was left out.

    “Girondins Bordeaux’s Joshua Maja will sit this one out, with his place taken by another new boy, Olayinka,’’ he said.

    Olajire disclosed further that England-based midfielder Wilfred Ndidi also returns after missing the Ukraine encounter with injury.

    “Alex Iwobi, Oghenekaro Etebo and Scotland-based Joseph Ayodele-Aribo, who scored on his debut against Ukraine, are all back in midfield, with Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon, Samuel Kalu, Paul Onuachu and Emmanuel Dennis all back in the frontline.

    “Substantive captain Ahmed Musa is still down with injury,’’ he added.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that all invited players are expected to arrive in Singapore on Oct. 9.

    Read Also: Brazil good test for Super Eagles, says Rohr

     

    Nigeria and Brazil will face each other at the Singapore National Stadium at Kallang in Singapore on Oct. 13.

    The clash is coming 23 years after Nigeria, on their way to winning Africa’s first Olympic football gold medal, spanked Brazil 4-3 after extra time in the Atlanta Games’ semi-finals.

    The match was played at the Athens Stadium in the State of Georgia, U.S.

    THE INVITED PLAYERS

    Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (Omonia FC, Cyprus); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Heartland FC); Emil Maduka Okoye (Fortuna Dusseldorf, Germany)

    Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy); Abdullahi Shehu (Bursaspor FC, Turkey); Chidozie Awaziem (CD Leganes, Spain); William Ekong (Udinese FC, Italy); Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England)

    Midfielders: Alexander Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Anderson Esiti (PAOK Salonica, Greece); Oghenekaro Etebo (Stoke City FC, England); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Ramon Azeez (Granada FC, Spain)

    Forwards: Victor Osimhen (Lille OSC, France); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain); Samuel Kalu (Girondins Bordeaux, France); Paul Onuachu (KRC Genk, Belgium); Emmanuel Dennis (Club Brugge, Belgium); Peter Olayinka (SK Slavia Prague, Czech Republic).

    (NAN)

  • France pays tribute to former president Jacques Chirac

    France’s National Assembly and Senate stood in silence on Thursday to mark the death of former president Jacques Chirac.

    Chirac, who ruled France from 1995 to 2007, “is now part of France’s history,” National Assembly president Richard Ferrand said in an official statement.

    The conservative Chirac was best known abroad for his staunch opposition to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

    At home, perhaps his greatest legacy was his acknowledgement, for the first time, of the French state’s role in the wartime round-up and arrest of Jewish people to Nazi death camps.

    But he also knew many political setbacks, including the 2005 rejection by French voters of a proposed constitution for the EU.

    Later the same year, he suffered a minor stroke, and in the closing months of the year the country saw severe rioting by frustrated youths from minority backgrounds.

    In 2011, he received a two-year suspended sentence over allegations that, as mayor of Paris in the 1990s, he put party members on the city payroll without them actually working.

    Tributes to the former president came from left and right, with Ferrand also recalling his commitment to arts and the environment.

    Read Also: France’s inhumanity to Africans

    “Personally, I cannot forget the last message he addressed to us when he left power, in which he exhorted the French people never to compromise with extremism, racism, anti-
    Semitism, or the rejection of others,” Ferrand wrote.

    Interior Minister Christophe Castaner spoke of “the strong emotion that touches, at this moment, the French people.”

    European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker was “devastated” to hear of the death of Chirac, whom he counted as a great friend, a spokeswoman said.

    The leader of the EU executive has “no words to express his grief,” according to commission spokeswoman Mina Andreeva.

    Chirac, who suffered from severe memory problems, had disappeared from public life in recent years. His wife Bernadette, who survives him, has also faded from public view.

     

    (dpa/NAN)

  • Nigerians seek collaboration, knowledge sharing for better global future

    A new survey has revealed Nigerians believe collaboration and knowledge sharing are critical to creating a better world future.

    Commissioned by Expo 2020 Dubai and conducted by YouGov, the Global Optimism Outlook Survey tracked people’s priorities for the future, looking at sustainability, economic growth, technology, travel and more.

    More than 20,000 people across 23 countries were surveyed, broken down by geographic region, gender, employment, marital status and income.

    80 per cent of Nigerians believe knowledge gathering, learning and access to education would be effective at unlocking opportunity in the future followed by access to resources (77 per cent) and collaboration across national borders and cultures (76 per cent).

    On nationwide economic development, 46 per cent and 45 per cent of respondents cited access to education and knowledge will encourage Nigeria’s growth.

    The survey also revealed that 96 per cent believe that greater collaboration and communication between individuals and communities can help in shaping a better future.

    Technology consistently appeared as having a role to play in future development and collaboration, with respondents saying they believe tech advancements will continue to build communities (96 per cent) and connect people globally (95 per cent).

    Trade was also ranked highly among respondents. Seventy-four per cent said they would like to experience free trade for all, while 93 per cent said they were optimistic about the future of global trade.

    Seventy-seven per cent of Nigerian business owners and entrepreneurs between the ages of 30-39 proved to be the most optimistic.

    This income and age group are keen to drive the country’s sustainable sector in line with growing the economy, and believe this can be achieved if businesses across countries are allowed to trade freely.

    When asked what they would mostly like to experience in the 2050, sustainability was front of mind for Nigerians.

    Seventy-one per cent said carbon-free travel and universal clean energy transportation followed by sustainable infrastructure and architecture (68 per cent).

    Tech featured again with 74 per cent, 61 per cent and 63 per cent saying they would like to experience high-tech solutions, cloud computing, big data and Artificial Intelligence (AI), and e-commerce respectively.

    READ ALSO: ‘Where you are born determines your future’

    UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General of Expo 2020 Dubai Reem Al Hashimy said: “In just over a year, Dubai and the UAE will be bringing the world together for the World Expo, in a spirit of collaboration, and creating an open global dialogue that allows us to look towards the future with renewed optimism.

    “We developed the Global Optimism Outlook Survey to help us understand what the citizens of the world believe will shape a better future.

    “People from around the world have spoken, and we are listening. The results show that we are more connected than we may believe.

    “That dialogue, communication and collaboration are essential, and that we are united in our desire to create a happier, more inclusive, cleaner planet.

    “Whether you’re sitting in South America, China, or here in the UAE, we’re connected in our passions for a better future,” she added.

    Overall, South America with 74 per cent is the most optimistic region followed by Africa at 64 per cent.

    The Middle East (60 per cent) Asia (57 per cent), North America (50 per cent) and West/East Europe (50 per cent) followed in that order.