Nigeria CSR Reports: CSR NEWS SUMMARY ISSUE 160

#Event: Nigerian-British Chamber Seeks Sustainable Development through Infrastructure

Given the current state of recession in Nigeria, the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) wants the country to achieve sustainable development through infrastructure. The chamber has, therefore, concluded plans to hold its third quarter advocacy roundtable on infrastructure for the year in Lagos.

Published in the Business Day Newspaper on Monday, November 28, 2016

#Education: Africa’s Biggest Company Sees Education as New Growth Market

Naspers Ltd. plans to expand in education software as Africa’s biggest company by market value searches for a repeat of the profitable bet it made on Tencent Holdings Ltd. of China.

Published in the Business Day Newspaper on Monday, November 28, 2016

#Economy: Households Hurt As Income Contracts for Second Consecutive Year

Average incomes in Nigeria contracted for the first time in 7 years in 2015, and may have stretched to negative 3 percent this year, pushing more households deeper into a poverty hole. GDP per-capita income, which measures the average income earned per person in a given area, fell 17.57 percent to $2,640 per annum

Published in the Business Day Newspaper on Monday, November 28, 2016

#MSMEs: Nigerian Small Businesses to Attract $2 Million Credit Facility

Nigerian medium and small enterprises could attract up to $2 million from Grassroots Business Fund (GBF or the Fund), an investment fund that aims to aims to reduce poverty by building companies which provide sustainable incomes and cost-savings for poor populations in lower-income countries.

Published in the Business Day Newspaper on Monday, November 28, 2016

#StakeholdersAction: NBCC Says Economic Prosperity Hangs On Manufacturing Sector Performance

Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) says economic prosperity of Africa’s largest oil producer depends on the performance of the manufacturing sector.

Published in the Business day Newspaper on Monday, November 28, 2016

#Health: First New HIV Vaccine Trial Begins In Africa

Ahead of the World AIDS Day 2016 on Thursday, scientists have launched the first Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) vaccine efficacy study anywhere, for over seven years, in South Africa. According to the United States National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the study, called HVTN 702, is to test whether an experimental vaccine regimen safely prevents infection among South African adults. It involves a new version of the only HIV vaccine candidate ever shown to provide some protection against the virus.

Published in Guardian Newspaper on Tuesday, November 29, 2016

#Health: Don’t Cut Health Budget, Minister Appeals To National Assembly

Stressing That The 33 Percent Cut In The 2016 Budget Posed Serious Funding Challenge And Portrayed Nigeria As A Country That Pays Lip Service To Serious Issues, The Minister Of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, Has Enjoined The National Assembly Not To Tinker With The Ministry’s Estimates In The 2017 Appropriation Bill To Be Presented By President Muhammadu Buhari.

Published In Guardian Newspaper on Tuesday, November 29, 2016

#StakeholdersAction: Stakeholders Strategise To Make Debt Capital Market Attain World Class Position By 2020

While announcing the establishment of the Debt Capital Market Development (DCMD) project would transform the nation’s DCM into a world-class functioning market by 2020, the FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange (FMDQ) has unveiled strategies to achieve the set objectives.

Published in Guardian Newspaper on Tuesday, November 29, 2016

#Economy: ‘Ebonyi Will Generate Over N6b From Local Rice Soon’

Going by the assessment of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ebonyi State would soon become a hub for local rice production and supply in the South East and generating more than N6 billion yearly. Agriculture minister, Chief Audu Ogbeh, who made the disclosure at the weekend in Abakiliki, Ebonyi State, said the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is revolutionary in the management of the sector’s strategy.

Published in Guardian Newspaper on Tuesday, November 29, 2016

#StakeholdersAction: Elumelu Urges Government to Encourage Entrepreneurs

Worried by the alarming rate of unemployment in Nigeria, Chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group, Tony Elumelu, has urged government at all levels to create an enabling environment in ensuring the transformative growth of entrepreneurship in the nation and across the African continent.

Published in Guardian Newspaper on Tuesday, November 29, 2016

#Health: HIV/AIDS - FG Develops Plan to Eliminate Mother-To-Child Transmission

The Federal Ministry of Health has developed a National Operational plan for the Elimination of Mother-to-Child transmission of HIV (2017-2018), aimed at halting the spread of the scourge by 2030. Dr Deborah Odoh, the Assistant Director, HIV/AIDS Division of the ministry made this known at the National Conference on HIV Prevention in Abuja on Wednesday.

Published by the Vanguard Newspaper on Wednesday, November 30, 2016

#Infrastructure: Kano State Govt. Signs $1.8bn Light Rail Contract with Chinese Firm‎

The Kano State Government has signed contracts valued at 1.8 billion dollars with China Railway Construction Group C18 for the construction of light rail line in the state.‎ ‎Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje signed the contract in a brief ceremony on Wednesday in Kano.

Published by the Vanguard Newspaper on Wednesday, November 30, 2016

#Economy: FEC Approves 2017 Budget Estimate for Submission To NASS – Udoma

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved the 2017 budget proposal for onward submission to the National Assembly for final approval. The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Mr Udoma Udo Udoma, made this known when he briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the FEC meeting.

Published by the Vanguard Newspaper on Wednesday, November 30, 2016

#Oil: OPEC Cuts Output By 1.2 Million Barrels per Day, Exempts Nigeria

After seven hours of deliberation, the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has agreed to reduce oil production by around 1.2 million barrels per day from Jan. 1, 2017. However, Nigeria and Libya were exempted from the cut, while Indonesia suspended its membership after refusing to agree to the deal.

Published by the Vanguard Newspaper on Wednesday, November 30, 2016

#IndustryPulse: 3,000 Workers Lose Jobs in Steel Sector – Union

The National Union of Iron and Steel Workers on Wednesday said 3,000 of its members lost their jobs in the last quarter of 2015 following closure of steel companies. Mr Kasimu Kadiri, General Secretary of the union said in Lagos that the current economic recession had increased the number of unemployed people.

Published by the Vanguard Newspaper on Wednesday, November 30, 2016

#Infrastructure: Reps Urge FG to Complete Warri-Kaduna Rail Project

The House of Representatives on Wednesday urged the Federal Government to complete the country’s rail central corridor from Warri Port to Kaduna on standard gauge. The House also mandated its committees on Land Transport and Appropriation to engage the Minister of Transportation and relevant agencies for the project’s inclusion in 2017 budget.

Published by the Vanguard Newspaper on Wednesday, November 30, 2016

#Health: Thousands Get Free Chevron Mosquito Nets, Malaria Treatment n Delta

Efforts at kicking out malaria from Nigerian gained a boost yesterday in Koko, headquarters of Warri North Council, with free distribution of three thousand mosquito nets to residents as more were diagnosed and treated for various malaria ailments in the Delta state locality.

Published by the Vanguard Newspaper on Wednesday, November 30, 2016

#Philanthropy: Gates Donates $2m To Governors’ Forum

The Nigeria Governos’ Forum and Bill Medlinda Gates Foundation on Thursday in Abuja, announced a new partnership, which they said was aimed at strengthening cross-state policies in Nigeria. The policies, it was stated, would also strengthen financial resources that they said would benefit the poorest people in the country. Chief Strategy Officer at the Gates Foundation, Mr. Mark Suzman, made the announcement at a press briefing.

Published by the Punch Newspaper on Thursday, December 1, 2016

#Infrastructure: Lagos to Start Rent To Own Scheme on December 8

The Lagos State Government on Thursday said it would commence its ‘Rent to Own and Rental Housing schemes’ with 12 housing estates on December 8. The Commissioner for Housing, Mr. Gbolahan Lawal, told a news conference in Alausa that the policy was in response to the yearnings of residents for affordable and decent housing. He said that the `Rent to Own’ policy would target low-income earners in both formal and informal sectors, while the `Rental Housing’ policy would cover the working class.

Published by the Punch Newspaper on Thursday, December 1, 2016

#Education: Private Varsities Lack Quality Manpower to Perform – Former VC

Former Vice-Chancellor of Uthman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto, Prof. Riskuwa Shehu, says private universities in Nigeria lack qualified academic and non-academic staff to offer quality education. Shehu, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Ilorin said that most senior teaching staff in private universities were either employed on sabbatical, visiting or on adjunct basis. He said such situation existed because the institutions had difficulty in attracting quality staff.

Published by the Punch Newspaper on Thursday, December 1, 2016

#IndustryPulse: Terror Attacks Loom at Nation’s Airports over Porous Security

Security experts in the aviation industry yesterday warned that terror attacks were imminent at airports around the country. The experts, after a close look at happenings in and around the aerodromes, said that the news of another stowaway on Arik aircraft suggested that attacks might just be closer than the authorities were aware.