SDGs: Reviewing the Private Sector Template for SDGs Attainment

As world leaders brain-stormed in New York, United States at the just concluded United Nations (UN) General Assembly, the question on the lips of many was how to make the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) work. A key component of the goals call for robust partnership with stakeholders across board. According to officials, the role of the private sector in formulating a workable framework for the SDGs is crucial for the attainment of the goals.

Published in Thisday Newspaper on Sunday, 11^th October, 2015

Inclusion: Enabling digital, financial inclusion for under-served in African continent

Although mobile connectivity is playing a key role in enabling the inclusion of underserved in the socio-economic development of many African countries, the journey to achieving full digital, social and financial inclusion in the region may be still far as a result of many challenges.

Published in Vanguard Newspaper on Sunday, 11^th October, 2015

Industry Pulse: Soyinka gives up UNESCO centre chair

Noble Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, on Saturday resigned as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding, two days to a hearing at the Federal High Court, Osogbo, in a case between the centre and the Attorney General of Osun State.

Published in Punch Newspaper on Sunday, 11^th October, 2015

Health: WHO – One in six Africans suffers mental disorder

The world Health Organisation has said one out of every six Africans suffers from mental disorder. In a statement issued by WHO, Moeti stated that many Africans battling with mental ill-health often did not get the required attention and treatment.

Published in Punch Newspaper on Sunday, 11^th October, 2015

SDGs: #Editorial Sustaining UN Development Goals

Fifteen years after the United Nations Millennium Declaration that committed an unprecedented number of nations to some select, time-bound development targets, the world is welcoming a new universal set of goals, targets and indicators designed, substantially, to build on the success of their predecessors. Tagged, Sustainable Development Goals, the UN’s new initiatives aim to complement as well as improve on what were achieved in the Millennium Development Goals that are approaching their terminal stages this year.

Published in Punch Newspaper on Sunday, 11^th October, 2015

HEALTH: FG DISPELS EBOLA OUTBREAK IN CALABAR, URGES SUSTAINED PUBLIC HYGIENE

The Federal Government last weekend dispelled speculation of a suspected fresh case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Calabar, Cross River, and urged Nigerians to observe good hygiene behaviour.

Published in the Business Day Newspaper, Monday, October 12, 2015

POWER: EGBIN POWER ASSURES ON AGGRESSIVE EXPANSION PROGRAMME

The Board of Egbin Power Plc has restated its commitment to carrying out its transformation and expansion programme on the plant to accelerate the nation’s drive towards sustainable power supply.

Published in the Business Day Newspaper, Monday, October 12, 2015

AGRICULTURE: ECOBANK STEPS UP N84BILLION FUNDING FOR AGRIC SECTOR

Ecobank, a leading bank in Agriculture and Export Finance across Africa with presence in over 36 countries plans to grow its current agricultural loan portfolio of N84 billion in Nigeria in the next four years.

Published in the Business Day Newspaper, Monday, October 12, 2015

SMEs: DHL EXPRESS TO FACILITATE GROWTH OF SMEs IN AFRICA

DHL Express, the world’s leading express logistics provider, will launch its Growing Beyond Borders entrepreneurial training program in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in the coming weeks – an innovative program specifically designed to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) understand the economic potential of international trade and the subsequent benefits to their businesses.

Published in the Business Day Newspaper, Monday, October 12, 2015

INDUSTRY PULSE: BASF WEST AFRICA EARNS TOP EMPLOYER NIGERIA ACCREDITATION

BASF West Africa has received 2016 certification as Top Employer Nigeria in the Top Employer Institute’s Africa category.

Published in the Business Day Newspaper, Monday, October 12, 2015

SMEs: EXAMINING OPPORTUNITIES IN BOI’S GRADUATE ENTREPRENEURSHIP FUND

Exactly one week today, the Bank of Industry (BOI) launched the 2 Billion Graduate Entrepreneurship Fund (GEF) with the target of ensuring that young graduates with viable business ideas receive training and finance

Published in the Business Day Newspaper, Monday, October 12, 2015

Economy: Poor leadership, huge debts stifle Unilever’s growth

The Down-turn in the economy and harsh operating environment are commonly blamed as being responsible for the poor performance of businesses in the country. This cuts across different sectors of the economy.

Published in Business Hallmark Newspaper on Monday, 12^th October, 2015

SME: FCMB Wins Award for Outstanding Support to SMEs

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has clinched the award of the “Most Outstanding SMEs Friendly and Sponsorship Commercial Bank of the Year”.

Published in Business Hallmark Newspaper on Monday, 12^th October, 2015

Power: TE Connectivity, NAPTIN partner to provide technical training for Nigeria’s power sector

TE connectivity (TE), a global leader in connectivity has entered into a strategic partnership with the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN) with a goal to provide critical expertise and workforce training essential for the country’s power sector.

Published in Business Hallmark Newspaper on Monday, 12^th October, 2015

Capacity Building: FirstBank organizes sustainability workshop for women-led SMEs

Lack of good succession plan has been identified as one of the reasons a lot of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) die after the death of their founders.

Published in Business Hallmark Newspaper on Monday, 12^th October, 2015

Industry Pulse: Nigerian wins Young Innovators Competition at ITU Telecom World 2015

A Nigerian, Ogbonnaya Bassey has been announced as one of the winners of the Single Board Challenge in the ITU Telecom World 2015 Young Innovators competition sponsored by Intel.

Published in Business Hallmark Newspaper on Monday, 12^th October, 2015

Health: IT to gulp $2.73bn in healthcare sector this year

Healthcare providers in the MENA region are on pace to spend $2.73bn on IT products and services in 2015, according to the latest forecast from Gartner.

Published in Business Hallmark Newspaper on Monday, 12^th October, 2015

SME: BoI, MSMEs bicker over intervention fund

The dwindling fortunes of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), in the country has been identified as an indication that the country has not found the right approach and strategy to tag the potential of the sector for its industrialisation. However, experts believe that Nigeria must begin to address seriously the challenges confronting the sector to be able to realise its economic and industrial potential.

Published in Business Hallmark Newspaper on Monday, 12^th October, 2015

Human Rights: Human trafficking now fastest growing crime

The National Agency for the Prohibition in Trafficking in Persons and other related matters says human trafficking is now the fastest growing and the most notorious crime in Nigeria.

Published in Punch Newspaper on Tuesday, 13^th October, 2015

Economy: N83.17bn manufactured goods unsold in 2014

The value of unsold finished products manufactured in Nigeria in 2014 was put at N83.17bn, according to data released by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria.

Published in Punch Newspaper on Tuesday, 13^th October, 2015

Economy: FG targets food experts by 2019

The Federal Government has disclosed plans to begin exporting over 10 million metric tonnes of food items to member countries of the Economic Community of West African States by 2019

Published in Punch Newspaper on Tuesday, 13^th October, 2015

Industry Pulse: GTBank wins corporate governance award

GUARANTY Trust Bank Plc. has been recognised for good corporate governance at the 2015 African Business Awards.

The event was held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York recently.

Published in Punch Newspaper on Tuesday, 13^th October, 2015

Security: Buhari demands report of $5m study on Lake Chad

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has ordered that the report of a study initiated by former President Olusegun Obasanjo be the shrinking of Lake Chad be made available to him with immediate effect. The Obasanjo administration had spent $5 million on the study.

Published in Daily Sun Newspaper on Tuesday, 13^th October, 2015

Security: #Boko Haram IDPs in N’East hit 5m - Dogara

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has said about 5 million Nigerians have been displaced by activities of Boko Haram in the North East.

Published in Daily Sun Newspaper on Tuesday, 13^th October, 2015

Industry Pulse: Briton wins 2015 Economics Nobel Prize

BRITISH-born economist Angus Deaton has won the 2015 economics Nobel Prize for his work on consumption, poverty and welfare that has helped governments to improve policy through tools such as household surveys and tax changes.

Published in Daily Sun Newspaper on Tuesday, 13^th October, 2015

Governance: Mo Ibrahim Index and Nigeria’s poor ranking

ONE year after it scored Nigeria high in the sub-categories of education, economic stability as well as free and credible elections, the annual Mo Ibrahim Index of Governance in Africa has reted the country’s education sector very low. Its 2015 index released recently in London, United Kingdom, showed that Nigeria’s performance in education and rural development has dipped significantly. It also called on Nigeria to urgently reverse the deterioration of these sectors if it is to be competitive and fulfil its potential.

Published in Daily Sun Newspaper on Tuesday, 13^th October, 2015

Community Development: Edo communities protest over bad roads, flood menace

Four communities in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State, recently took to the streets of Benin, demanding that the government did something urgently, about the poor condition of roads and other facilities in the area.

Published in Daily Sun Newspaper on Tuesday, 13^th October, 2015

Funding: Governors get briefings on World Bank’s $500m fund, others

NIGERIA Governors Forum’s (NGF) members were yesterday briefed by officials of Federal Ministry of Health and international organisations at the State House, Abuja on how to access $500 million fund for human development from the World bank.

Published in The Nation Newspaper on Wednesday, 14^th October, 2015

Economy: AfDB, AMF discuss member-states economic future

AFRICAN Development Bank (AfDB) Group President Akinwumi Adesina, and Director-General/Chairman Arab Monetary Fund (AMF), Abdulrahman Al Hamidy, have held talks on the economic challenges of their member-countries. They met on the sidelines of World Bank-International Monetary Fund (IMF) yearly meetings in Lima, Peru.

Published in The Nation Newspaper on Wednesday, 14^th October, 2015

Agric: Ecobank unveils four-year agric financing plan

ECOBANK plans to grow its agricultural loan portfolio of N84 billion significantly in the next four years, in line with the Federal Government’s agenda.

Published in The Nation Newspaper on Wednesday, 14^th October, 2015

Trade: Solid minerals to boots Africa’s $110b inter-trade market

Nigeria stands to earn about $50 billion from her abundant solid minerals if the necessary framework is put in place to harness the resources. Indeed, the nation has been estimated to process over 400 solid minerals, 40 of that the sector could add as much as $50 billion to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by climbing from 0.3 per cent to 10 per cent growth in the next three to five years, if the necessary investment is made. Besides, optimal utilisation of the solid minerals could also create over one million direct and indirect jobs within Nigeria and far increase Africa’s inter-trade activity, which currently stands at $110 billion.

Published in The Guardian Newspaper on Wednesday, 14^th October, 2015

Economy: Osinbajo to head Nigeria’s economic team

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) is to over-see Nigeria’s economy and also co-ordinate the activities of the entire ministries and soon to be inaugurated federal cabinet in addition to his schedule as the Number Two citizen of the country.

Published in The Guardian Newspaper on Wednesday, 14^th October, 2015

Investment : Oando invests $1 billion on facility expansion

In its quest to meet the needs of the energy market, Oando Marketing has invested a whooping sum of $1 billion to expand its facilities in Apapa axis of Lagos State.

Published in The Guardian Newspaper on Wednesday, 14^th October, 2015

Local Content: NCDMB calls on IOCs to patronise local firms

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, has called on all International Oil Companies, IOCs, operating in the country as well as the management of the local refineries to patronise indigenous oil services and procurement firms, to boots local content.

Published in The Guardian Newspaper on Wednesday, 14^th October, 2015

Economy: Osinbajo to head Nigeria’s economic team

Published in The Guardian Newspaper on Wednesday, 14^th October, 2015

Local Content: NCDMB calls on IOCs to patronise local firms

Published in The Guardian Newspaper on Wednesday, 14^th October, 2015

Community Development: Under new MOU, Shell, NLNG provide N3bn for Bonny development

Under a new memorandum of understanding, MoU, signed by Nigerian LNG Limited, NLNG, and Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, SPDC, with the Grand Bonny Kingdom in Rivers State, the two companies would be providing N3 billion annually for the development of the kingdom.

Published in The Guardian Newspaper on Wednesday, 14^th October, 2015

Infrastructure: NDDC flags-off Ibeno road construction, to build desalination plant

The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has flagged of the construction of the second phase of the N10.4 billion seven-kilometre Iko-Atabrikang – Opolom – IwuoAchang Road in Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom state.

Published in The Guardian Newspaper on Wednesday, 14^th October, 2015

Investment: Standard Chartered leads $1.2b NNPC-Chevron’s JV financing

STANDARD Chartered, the parent company of Standard Chartered Bank of Nigeria has brokered a $1.2 billion Joint Venture (JV) funding for the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Chevron, which has a 60-40 per cent interest in the project respectively.

Published in The Guardian Newspaper on Wednesday, 14^th October, 2015

Power: Lagos seeks UK partnership on rural electrification

The Lagos State Government yesterday sought the partnership of UK development partners on solar power supply to the rural communities of the state.

Published in Daily Trust Newspaper on Thursday, 15^th October, 2015

Investment: Firms to build $1.2bn fertilizer plant in Kogi

HOMAG International Merchant Nigeria Limited will build a fertilizer plant worth $1.2 billion in Kogi State, Daily Trust gathered.

Published in Daily Trust Newspaper on Thursday, 15^th October, 2015

Agric: Jigawa farmers get N1bn loan

Managing Director of Bank of Agriculture, Professor Danbala Dauju, yesterday said his bank has disbursed a loan of about N1 billion to 6,548 farmers in Jigawa State.

Published in Daily Trust Newspaper on Thursday, 15^th October, 2015

Labour #Agric: NDE trains 25 unemployed youths on commercial agric in FCT

The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has commenced training of 25 unemployment youths in the FCT on gardening and poultry production under the Commercial Farmers Training Project (CFTP) of the Rural Employment Promotion (REP) Department of the Scheme.

Published in Daily Trust Newspaper on Thursday, 15^th October, 2015

Charity: Victims Support Fund Gives N30m To JUTH, Plateau Specialist Hospital

The Victims Support Fund (VSF) set up by the federal government headed by Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd) to address the plight of victims of insurgency has presented cheques worth N30million to two tertiary health institution in Jos, the Plateau State capital.

Published in Leadership Newspaper on Thursday, 15^th October, 2015

Risk: 180 MFBs Implement Enterprise Risk Mgt Framework – NDIC

Official of the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) have said that only about 180 of the total Micro Finance Banks (MFBs) in the country representing 20 percent of the banks have implemented the Enterprise Risk Management framework meant to boost the operation of the financial institutions.

Published in Daily Trust Newspaper on Thursday, 15^th October, 2015

SMEs: Fidelity To Launch Online Marketplace For SMEs

In the coming weeks, Fidelity Bank Plc will be launching the GreenMall, an online market place with fully integrated e-commerce capabilities for online payment engine, delivery logistics, advertising boards, and business networking opportunities, etc. for SMEs.