#Philanthropy:
How Odili Foundation fast-forwarded Xmas for Abuja IDPs
For the over 903 internally
displaced persons (IDPs) in the camp located in New Kuchingoro, behind Games
Village in the Kaura District, Abuja,
Christmas came to them a week before the celebration on Saturda, December 19,
2015. It was the day Atimoh Odili Foundation, an Abuja based non-governmental
organisation, visited the camp to show love to these Nigerians whose lives have
been devastated by the insecurity in the country’s North East region.
Published in
the Vanguard Newspaper on Sunday, January 10th, 2016
#Philanthropy:
Oritsejafor’s Christmas boxes for 486
Eagle Flight Micro Finance Bank
Limited, Warri, Delta State, in collaboration with the Word of Life Bible
Church, marked its 10th year anniversary with the donation of six brand new
cars, 20 tricycles, 100 grinding machines and 360 bags of rice to poor Nigerians.
Published in
the Vanguard Newspaper on Sunday, January 10th, 2016
#Health: Lassa
Fever Spreads to 10 States, FG Confirms 35 Deaths
The Federal Ministry of Health
has confirmed that out of the 76 victims of Lassa fever outbreak, 35 had lost their
lives.
This disclosure came as panic
spread across the country with 10 states said to be battling to curtail the
spread of the disease.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Sunday, January 10th, 2016
#Empowerment:
Etisalat Empowerment as Niche Strategy
Six years starting operation in
Nigeria, promoters of the Etisalat’s brand has consistently leveraged empowered
to impact on the economy.
Like other major operators in the
Global System of Mobile (GSM) Communications sector, the promoters of the
telecom brand have consistent in their efforts to grab substantial part of the
telecommunication market since it started operation a few years ago. As at the
time it got license of operation, not a few Nigerians dismissed it as an organisation
that was coming into a saturated market.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Sunday, January 10th, 2016
#HEALTH: Lassa fever infection on
the rise in Nigeria
The number
of people infected with Lassa fever has increased, as 40 people have died in
Nigeria across 10 states, Isaac Adewole, health minister, said on Friday.
In his
words, “The total number (of suspected cases) reported is 86 and 40 deaths,
with a mortality rate of 43.2 percent. So far, laboratory tests have confirmed
that 22 of the 86 suspected cases were Lassa fever and results were expected on
the remainder.
Published in the Business Day
Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#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
on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#BUSINESS: Stock market indices
down by 0.87%
Market
indicators of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Friday depreciated further
by 0.87 percent amid profit taking.
The News
Agency of Nigeria reports that the All Share Index shed 237.79 points or 0.87
percent to close at 27,028.39 against 27,266.18 achieved on Thursday.
Published in the Business Day
Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#BUSINESS #AID: CBN guarantees
Dangote Group of support to get FX for $14bn refinery financing
Central Bank
of Nigeria (CBN) has said it will assist the Dangote Group to access foreign
exchange (FX) to facilitate its 14 billion refinery project.
The CBN
governor, Godwin Emefiele, said this during a tour of the refinery projected to
refine 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day, on Sunday at its location within
the Lekki Free Trade Zone in Lagos.
Published in the Business Day
Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
INDUSTRY PULSE: First Bank
expands African footprint, unveils FBN Bank Senegal
First Bank
of Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of FBN Holdings Plc and Nigeria’s most
valuable bank brand today unveils FBNBank Senegal, formerly registered as
International Commercial Bank (ICB).
This
unveiling is part of the integration process following the agreement reached by
First Bank and International Commercial bank Financial Group Holdings Ag
(ICBFGH) for the acquisition of a 100 percent equity interest in ICB Senegal.
Published in the Business Day
Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#AGRIBUSINESS: Indorama begins
countdown to inauguration of $1.4 billion new fertilizer plant in PH
Indorama
Eleme Fertilizer & Chemical Limited (IEFCL), Port Harcourt, a sister company
to Indorama Eleme petrochemicals has begun countdown to the inauguration of its
US$1.4 billion 1.4 million metric tons (MT) new fertilizer plant in Port
Harcourt, which is slated for this first quarter (Q1 2016).
Published in the Business Day Newspaper
on Monday, January 11th, 2016
INDUSTRY
PULSE: Union Assurance becomes Ensure Insurance Plc
Union Assurance Company Plc has
successfully obtained the approval of both the Corporate Affairs Commission and
the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) to formally change its brand
identity to Ensure Insurance Plc.
The brand known as Union
Assurance Company Pls is now ‘rested’ and in its stead is a selfless,
responsive, innovative and ambitious brand now known as Ensure Insurance Plc.
Published in
the Business Day Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#SME: NASME
pledges to re-position SMEs in Ogun, engage 30,000 graduates in farming
Having emerged as the new
chairman of Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME) in
Ogun State, Yemi Oshifodunrin has pledged to swing into action and re-position
micro, small and medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs) in the state, with a view to
creating massive jobs for unemployment residents.
Published in
the Business Day Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#Charity: Succour
for Abuja IDPs as FIRS donates relief materials
Buoyed by the quest to keep delivering on corporate social
responsibility to the public, the Federal Inland Revenue (FIRS) under the
leadership of its chairman, Babatunde Fowler on Thursday donated several relief
materials ranging from food item, toiletries and host of others to the
internally displaced persons living in the Durumi camp in the Federal Capital
Territory (FCT).
Published in
the Business Day Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
INDUSTRY
PULSE: Bashir Haliru Binji appointed as acting MD of NAIC
Minister of agriculture and rural development has appointed
Bashir Haliru Binji as the acting managing director/CEO of Nigerian
Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC) with effect from January 2, 2016.
His appointment is sequel to the resignation of Bode
Opadokun, the former managing director of the Corporation.
Published in
the Business Day Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#SDGs: Rivers
plans sustainable employment programme
Rivers State government says it will soon come up with a
policy framework that will sustain employment generation and reduce
unemployment among, especially the people of the state.
Ephraim Nwuzi, commissioner for employment generation and
economic empowerment, who disclosed this in Port Harcourt, pointed out that the
present out that the present administration in the state would create a
conducive economic environment that would engender growth and empower the
citizens with diverse employment skill via vocational training, apprenticeship,
entrepreneurial and others schemes.
Published in
the Business Day Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
INDUSTRY
PULSE: CBN Pledges to Provide Dangote Refinery with Forex
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN has pledges to meet the
foreign exchange requirements for the importation of equipment to the Dangote refinery,
petrochemical and fertilizer plant, which is being constructed by the Dangote
Group at the cost of almost $14 billion.
Speaking yesterday at the project site in Dangote Free Trade
Zone in Lekki area of Lagos, the Governor of CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, stated
that when completed, the project would generate $6 billion for Nigerian economy
yearly.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#Health: Lassa
Fever, Lagos Calls for Vigilance, Personal Hygiene
As part of efforts to prevent the spread of Lassa fever to
Lagos State, the state government has called on its residents to avoid contact
with rats and store foods in rat proof containers, as well as cook them
properly before eating.
In a statement by the state Ministry of Health, it said
residents should observe good personal hygiene, including hand washing with
soap and running water regularly, adding that wastes must be disposed properly
in other to discourage rodents from entering the house.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#CSR #Health: Etisalat, Traffina Maternal
Health Campaign Pictures
Etisalat Nigeria, in partnership with a non-governmental
organisation, Traffina Foundation for Community Health, recently held a
Community Support Initiative themed, “Etisalat Maternity Health Platforms
(ETIMATHEPs)”. This was a 4-day programme that featured talks on maternal
health delivered by a team of medical experts as well as distribution of free
Safe Delivery Kits which contained items and consumables that women need during
delivery.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#Economy: Nigeria Can Still Borrow to Fund
Developmental Projects, Say Experts
Economic analysts have said with a debt to groo domestic
product (GDP) ratio of 12 percent, Nigeria can still raise funds from the bond
market to finance developmental projects.
The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
(IMF), Ms. Christine Lagarde, who was in Nigeria last week reportedly cautioned
the federal government against borrowing, but instead look at increasing value
added tax (VAT) and other means to raise funds to finance the 2016 budget.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#Business: Foreign Exchange Restrictions,
Manufactures Decry Scarcity of Raw Materials
Manufacturers of Tomato paste
products in Nigeria have decried the shortage of the triple concentrate tomato
paste a major ingredients in the Nigeria market.
The manufacturers blamed the
shortage of the ripple concentrate used in the production of packed tomato
paste, on the listing of triple Concentrate among the 41 items banned from
accessing foreign exchange from the official window by the Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN).
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#ICT: With Dwindling Oil Prices, ICT Will Save Nigeria’s Economy, Says
Ekeh
The Chairman of Zinox Group, Mr. Leo-Stan Ekeh, has said that
in the face of the dwindling global oil prices, investment in Information and
Communications Technology (ICT) is the only solution that will save Nigeria’s
economy from total collapse.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
Industry
Pulse: BGL Group Summoned by SEC over Fresh N2.9bn Complaints by Investors
The Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) has invited BGL Securities
Limited, BGL Assets Management Limited and their sponsored individuals to
appear before the SEC Administrative Proceedings Committee (SEC APC) to provide
answer to fresh complaints from various investors.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#MSMEs: E-commerce,
Ecobank Enlists 62 SMEs on MyMall Platform
Ecobank Nigeria is expanding its
impact on the e-commerce industry by establishing MyMall Nigeria with over 62
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) operators already enlisted on the platform.
MyMail is an online trading
platform essentially for SMEs operators to sell and market their goods and
services. It is designed for all categories of products and can be accessed
from any part of the world.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
Industry
Pulse: CWG Plc Announces Changes in Executive Leadership Team
The Board of Directors of
Computer Warehouse Group Plc (CWG) has appointed Mr. James Agada as its new
managing director and chief executive officer.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
Industry
Pulse: AIB Elects TVC Director as Exco Member
The Association for International Broadcasting (AIB) has
elected the Director of Radio Services, TVC/CBS Nigeria, Mr. Richmond Dayo
Johnson as a member of the Executive Committee of the Association for a
two-year team, starting this month.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
Industry Pulse: Union
Assurance Plc Changes Its Name to Ensure Insurance
Union
Assurance Company Plc has announced that it has obtained the approval of both the
Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the National Insurance Commission
(NAICOM) to formally change its brand identity to Ensure Insurance Plc.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016z
#Award: Elshcon Group Clinches CILT Award
A frontline member of the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce,
Elshcon Nigeria Limited has clinches the Best Practice Transport/Logistics
prize at the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport CILT Nigeria Awards
for Excellence.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#Charity: Osinbajo, Belgore to
Grace Premiere of Airtel Touching Lives Season 2
The wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo and
former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Hon. Justice S.M.A. Belgore, GCON, among
others high profile invitees, have confirmed they would attend the premiere of
Airtel Touching Lives Season Two billed to hold on Thursday this week in Abuja.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#Health: Oral-B
Raises Brand Profile with 2016 Dental Tips
The Oral-Care brand of Procter & Gamble, Oral-B, has
restated its commitment to the continual improvement of the overall oral health
of the Nation. According to the promoters of the brand, Oral-B’s mission is to
enable all Nigerians to have stronger and healthier teeth, going into 2016 and
beyond.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#Aviation: Katsina Airport
Terminal to be Unveiled Soon
The Managing Director of the Federal Airport Authority of
Nigeria, Saleh Dunoma has said the Katsina airport terminal would be unveiled
any moment from now, as work at the terminal has been completed.
He said FAAN would continue to prioritise safety and security
in line with international best practices.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#Infrastructure:
NBC Moves Digitisation from Dream to Reality
…For the Digital Switchover
project, 2015 ended on a high note in spite of minor setbacks
The year started with the hope
that the Federal Government would fund the approved N51 billion digitization
budget for digital infrastructure development, acquisition and distribution of Set-Top-Boxes
(STB) to indigent citizens, national publicity, as well as other critical
components of the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting essential to
meeting the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) deadline of June 17,
2015. The sharp decline in Government revenue, which began towards the end of
2014 as a result of the fall in crude oil prices meant that the Government was
simply unable to make the available due to competing priority needs.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#CSR: Monitoring
and Accountability 2020 Impresses Stakeholders
A multi country CSR initiative
Performance Monitoring and Accountability 2020 (PMA 2020), powered by the Bill
& Melinda Gates Institute at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public
Health has shared the result of its second round survey in Abuja with family
planning stakeholders in Nigeria.
The data was believed by some
stakeholders to represent progress made under the Nigerian government’s LARC
Strategy for 2013-2015
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
Stakeholder
Action: Digital Switchover, Stakeholders Allege Lack of Transparency in Award
of Contract for Set-up-Boxes
Players in the telecommunications
industry at the weekend alleged lack of transparency and due process in the
award of contracts for the supply of set up boxes for the digital switchover by
the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC).
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#Investment:
Chinese Auto Firm to Set up Assembly Plant in Calabar
A Chinese truck manufacturing
company, SINO Truck of China, has completed arrangements to establish
arrangements an assembly plant in Calabar, Cross River State capital.
This was disclosed recently when
the company’s Head of African Division, Mr. John Wang, paid the state Governor,
Profession Ben Ayade, a courtesy call in his office in Calabar.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#Health: Lassa
kills one in Edo, spreads to Imo
The Lassa fever which is ravaging
10 states of the country has claimed its first casualty in Edo State.
The Commissioner for Health in
Edo, Dr. Eregie Aihanuwa, who confirmed this during a press conference on
Monday, also noted that five persons were hospitalised after showing the
symptoms of the deadly disease.
Published in
the Punch Newspaper on Tuesday, January 12th, 2016
#POWER: Fashola
unveils 10-point agenda for power sector
…Schedules monthly meetings with
Gencos, Discos, investors
MINISTER of Works,
Power and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola has unveiled a 10-point agenda
aimed at reforming the nation’s power sector.
According to Fashola, the agenda
include public engagement, especially around electricity tariffs; collection,
payment and debts; and generation capacity and maintenance.
Published in
the DailySun Newspaper on Tuesday, January 12th, 2016
#Technology:
NASSI to set up 37 technology villages in states, FCT
…FG building large, strong
economy-Onu
THE Nigerian
Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI) is to establish technology
villages in the 36 states of the federation and looks forward to creating over
two million job opportunities within two years with support from relevant
government agencies and financial institutions.
Published in
the DailySun Newspaper on Tuesday, January 12th, 2016
Industry
Pulse: Ambode swears in Fagbohun 8th LASU VC
LAGOS State
Government, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday administered the oath of office on
Professor Olanrewaju Adigun Fagbohun as the Eighth Vice Chancellor of Lagos
State University (LASU).
At the ceremony, the governor
said his administration will ensure that all the students in state
government-owned institutions of learning get quality education which will make
them become wealth creators and innovators capable of contributing positively
to the nation.
Published in
the DailySun Newspaper on Tuesday, January 12th, 2016
#Housing: A
laudable housing initiative
In furtherance of the plan to
reduce the nation’s housing deficit put at 17 million, the Federal Government
has unfurled a programme for the construction of 40 blocks of 12 flats each, in
each of the country’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Minister of Power, Works and
Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, who reiterated government’s determination to
build houses in all the states of the federation and the FCT, said the
buildings would be delivered in one year. Each state and the FCT will get 480
flats making a total 17,760 flats for the whole country.
Published in
the DailySun Newspaper on Tuesday, January 12th, 2016
#Industry: Proposed
salt plant excites C’ River communities
COMMUNITIES in Yala
Local Government Area of Cross River State have commended plans by the state
government to establish a salt plant in the state.
The communities, which included
Okpoma Gabu and Ijegun said government’s effort was a fulfilment of the
age-long dream of establishing a salt industry in one of the villages that have
large deposits of salt mineral.
Published in
the DailySun Newspaper on Tuesday, January 12th, 2016
#Environment:
Oil spillage spreads grief in Bayelsa
TOWARDS the end of 2015, two communities in Bayelsa State, Oruma in Ogbia
Local Government Area and Ikebiri in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area were
in the throes of crude oil spill, which inflicted pains on the people and
disrupted their means of livelihood.
Published in
the DailySun Newspaper on Tuesday, January 12th, 2016
Investment: BUA divests from
Flour Milling in US$275m deal
BUA Group, one
of Nigeria’s largest foods and infrastructure conglomerates has announced the
divestment of its flour business to Olam International in a deal worth
USD275million.
Published in
the DailySun Newspaper on Tuesday, January 12th, 2016
Philanthropy:
Foundation donates equipment to hospital
The Samuel Adegbite Foundation
(SAF) has donated 10 units of Electric Suction Apparatus to the Gbagada General
Hospital, Lagos.
The suction machines are
emergency medical equipment meant to save lives.
Published in
the Nation Newspaper on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
Empowerment:
10 varsities centres get World Banks’s $70m grant
THE Nigerian University System
(NUS) has secured over $70 million as grant from the World Bank to fund its 10
Africa Centres of Excellence (ACEs).
Executive Secretary, National
Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Julius Okojie, who said this in Abuja on
Monday, added that African universities submitted proposals where 19 centres
were selected out of which Nigeria secured 10 with support funding from the
World Bank.
Published in
the Nation Newspaper on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
#Unemployment
#Empowerment: Website for jobs launched in Abuja
THE AEI Network Ltd has launched
a website to provide jobs for the unemployed.
Launching the site in Abuja, its
Managing Director, Mr. Akwaowo Injang, said the initiative was to offer an
avenue for graduates to undergo customised marketing training, based on the company’s
field operational modules.
Published in
the Nation Newspaper on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
#Agric: Fed
Govt to assist Kwara in agric
FEDERAL Government is to assist
Kwara State in rice expansion programme to boost food sufficiency.
The Minister of Agriculture and
Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, who spoke yesterday in Ilorin when he
visited Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, said the state was identified with rice and
cassava production.
Published in the Nation Newspaper
on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
#Power: NNPC,
GACN, NGC promise improved gas supply to power plants
STAKEHOLDERS
in the
petroleum industry have promised to intensify efforts to resolve bottlenecks
associated with gas supply to the power sector.
Published in the Guardian
Newspaper on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
#Infrastructure:
Lagos votes N17.5b for construction of 114 roads
LAGOS State
Government yesterday flagged of the construction of 114 inner roads spread
across all the 20 Local Government councils and 37 Local Government Development
Area (LGA/LCDAs).
The project, estimated at the
cost of N17.5b, is the first phase of the state government’s plan to fix all
roads in the state and is expected to be completed within six months. The project
would commerce simultaneously in all the councils within the next seven days.
Published in the Guardian
Newspaper on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
#MSMEs: Ekiti
begins disbursement of N500m SMEs loan
EKITI State
Government will today begins the disbursement of N500 million Small and
Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) loan to 4,519 beneficiaries.
The N500 million is the first
tranche of the N2 billion the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) earmarked for the support
of small and medium scale enterprises in the state.
Published in the Guardian
Newspaper on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
#BUSINESS: NDIC
releases framework for insuring non-interest banking deposits
THE Nigeria
Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has developed a framework for insuring
liabilities on non-interest banking deposits in the country.
The development was sequel to the
successful take-off of the non interest banking in Nigeria, through the current
initiatives of Ja’iz, Stanbic IBTC and Sterling Banks.
Published in the Guardian
Newspaper on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
#Philanthropy:
Etisalat donates computers to boost ICT literacy in Zaria.
ETISALAT has donated
30 desktop computers to boost information and Communication Technology education
at the Nuhu Bamali Primary School in Zaria, Kaduna State.
The telecommunications firm
presented the computers to the school management led by the Headmistress, Hajia
Asmau Mohammed Lawan, during a recent commissioning of facilities which also include
blocks of renovated school building.
Published in the Guardian
Newspaper on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
#Power: Schneider
Electric, NAPTIN collaborate to bouy local capacity in power sector
SCHNEIDER Electric, in
partnership with the National Power Training Institute (NAPTIN), has buoyed the
local capacity in the power sector, with the graduation of trained electricians
at the NAPTIN Ijora regional training centre, Lagos.
Published in the Guardian Newspaper
on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
#Energy: Lonadek
moves to equip oil operators with cost engineering skills
LONADEK Oil and Gas
Consultants Limited (LONADEK) has unfolded plans to organise an Integrated Cost
Engineering, Estimating, Planning and Scheduling (AACE) programme to enhance
project management in the oil and gas sector.
Published in the Guardian
Newspaper on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
#Resources: Govt
set to take over Ajaokuta, other privatised steel firms
The Federal
Government will before the end of this first quarter of the year take over the
Ajaokuta Steel Company located in Kogi State as well as other government-owned
steel firms that were privatised in the past
Published in the Guardian
Newspaper on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
Stakeholder
Action: UNEP Report, Ogoni poised for ‘road demonstration’
The people of
Ogoni would be trooping out for road demonstrations across the country early February
if the Federal Government failed to commence the implementation of the
environmental impact assessment report of the United Nations Environment
Programme, UNEP, on Ogoniland.
Published in the Guardian
Newspaper on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
#Agriculture:
Olam, InViovo seal pact to penetrate agro-allied sector
OLAM International
Limited (“Olam”) and leading French feedstock company InVivo Animal Nutrition
& Health (“InVivo NSA”) have announced the sealing of a consulting
agreement to jointly develop expertise in animal feed in Nigeria.
Published in the Guardian
Newspaper on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
#MSMEs: BoI,
NASME to partner on improved financing for SMEs
TO further
improve access of small and medium enterprises to financing, the Bank of
Industry and Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME) have
sought measures to address financing gaps in the SME sector.
Published in the Guardian
Newspaper on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
#Philanthropy:
Rotary Donates $35 million To End Polio Worldwide
Rotary has
announced a whopping $35 million in
grants to support the global effort to end polio, including another $15 million
to support polio eradication efforts in five African countries.
This was contained in a press
release distribution by the African Press Organisation (APO) on behalf of
Rotary and made available to LEADERSHIP in Abuja yesterday.
Published in the Leadership Newspaper on Thursday, January 14th, 2016
Sustainable
Development: FG Okays $200m World Bank Loan For Lagos
The Federal Executive Council
(FEC) yesterday approved the sum of $200m for Lagos State to enable it complete
some of its infrastructural development projects.
Speaking to State House
Correspondents after the FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu
Buhari, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola pointed out
that this is not a new loan as it was approved in 2010
Published in the Leadership Newspaper on Thursday, January 14th, 2016
#Power: Schneider,
NAPTIN Boost Local Capacity In Power Sector
Schneider Electric in partnership
with the National Power Training Institute (NAPTIN) has graduated its first set
of trained electricians at the NAPTIN Ijora regional training center.
Published in the Leadership Newspaper on Thursday, January 14th, 2016
#Philanthropy:
Egbin Power Donates Training Equipment To UniAbuja, Others
Egbin Power Plc
has donated specialised training equipments to engineering faculties of four
Nigerian universities as a way of grooming engineers of the future.
Published in the Leadership Newspaper on Thursday, January 14th, 2016
#Security: UK
deploys forces to train Nigerian troops fighting B/Haram
The United
Kingdom is to deploy a team of military trainers to Nigeria to instruct forces
fighting the Boko Haram militants in the north east.
A statement by the British High
Commission spokesman in Abuja, Joe Abuku said more than 35 personal from the
second Battalion, the Royal Anglian Regiment (2 R ANGLIAN) would be deliver
infantry training to Nigerian military personal tackling the extremist group.
Published in the Daily Trust Newspaper on Thursday, January 14th, 2016
#Power: Power
firms struggle to survive as banks fail to invest
There are
indications that local power firms comprising Generation companies (Gencos) and
Distribution companies (Discos) are having hard time accessing funds from banks
to expand their investments two years after they took over the assets from
government.
Published in the Daily Trust Newspaper on Thursday, January 14th, 2016
#MSMEs: Fidelity
Bank SMEs deposit liability in excess of N120bn
Fidelity Bank Plc,
one of Nigeria’s most capitalised financial institutions, says it intends to
intensify support for Micro and Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through a
number of unique initiatives geared towards raising their level of
competitiveness in a challenging business environment.
Published in the Daily Trust Newspaper on Thursday, January 14th, 2016
#Economy: GE
to cut 6,500 jobs in Europe
General Electric
plans to cut 6,500 jobs in Europe over the next two years, including 765 in
France and 1,300 in Switzerland, the company said on Wednesday.
A GE spokesman in France said GE
was sticking to its pledge to create 1,000 net jobs in France in the next three
year as part of its acquisition of Alstom’s energy business.
Published in the Daily Trust Newspaper on Thursday, January 14th, 2016
#Philanthropy:
How Odili Foundation fast-forwarded Xmas for Abuja IDPs
For the over 903 internally
displaced persons (IDPs) in the camp located in New Kuchingoro, behind Games
Village in the Kaura District, Abuja,
Christmas came to them a week before the celebration on Saturda, December 19,
2015. It was the day Atimoh Odili Foundation, an Abuja based non-governmental
organisation, visited the camp to show love to these Nigerians whose lives have
been devastated by the insecurity in the country’s North East region.
Published in
the Vanguard Newspaper on Sunday, January 10th, 2016
#Philanthropy:
Oritsejafor’s Christmas boxes for 486
Eagle Flight Micro Finance Bank
Limited, Warri, Delta State, in collaboration with the Word of Life Bible
Church, marked its 10th year anniversary with the donation of six brand new
cars, 20 tricycles, 100 grinding machines and 360 bags of rice to poor Nigerians.
Published in
the Vanguard Newspaper on Sunday, January 10th, 2016
#Health: Lassa
Fever Spreads to 10 States, FG Confirms 35 Deaths
The Federal Ministry of Health
has confirmed that out of the 76 victims of Lassa fever outbreak, 35 had lost their
lives.
This disclosure came as panic
spread across the country with 10 states said to be battling to curtail the
spread of the disease.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Sunday, January 10th, 2016
#Empowerment:
Etisalat Empowerment as Niche Strategy
Six years starting operation in
Nigeria, promoters of the Etisalat’s brand has consistently leveraged empowered
to impact on the economy.
Like other major operators in the
Global System of Mobile (GSM) Communications sector, the promoters of the
telecom brand have consistent in their efforts to grab substantial part of the
telecommunication market since it started operation a few years ago. As at the
time it got license of operation, not a few Nigerians dismissed it as an organisation
that was coming into a saturated market.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Sunday, January 10th, 2016
#HEALTH: Lassa fever infection on
the rise in Nigeria
The number
of people infected with Lassa fever has increased, as 40 people have died in
Nigeria across 10 states, Isaac Adewole, health minister, said on Friday.
In his
words, “The total number (of suspected cases) reported is 86 and 40 deaths,
with a mortality rate of 43.2 percent. So far, laboratory tests have confirmed
that 22 of the 86 suspected cases were Lassa fever and results were expected on
the remainder.
Published in the Business Day
Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#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
on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#BUSINESS: Stock market indices
down by 0.87%
Market
indicators of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Friday depreciated further
by 0.87 percent amid profit taking.
The News
Agency of Nigeria reports that the All Share Index shed 237.79 points or 0.87
percent to close at 27,028.39 against 27,266.18 achieved on Thursday.
Published in the Business Day
Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#BUSINESS #AID: CBN guarantees
Dangote Group of support to get FX for $14bn refinery financing
Central Bank
of Nigeria (CBN) has said it will assist the Dangote Group to access foreign
exchange (FX) to facilitate its 14 billion refinery project.
The CBN
governor, Godwin Emefiele, said this during a tour of the refinery projected to
refine 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day, on Sunday at its location within
the Lekki Free Trade Zone in Lagos.
Published in the Business Day
Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
INDUSTRY PULSE: First Bank
expands African footprint, unveils FBN Bank Senegal
First Bank
of Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of FBN Holdings Plc and Nigeria’s most
valuable bank brand today unveils FBNBank Senegal, formerly registered as
International Commercial Bank (ICB).
This
unveiling is part of the integration process following the agreement reached by
First Bank and International Commercial bank Financial Group Holdings Ag
(ICBFGH) for the acquisition of a 100 percent equity interest in ICB Senegal.
Published in the Business Day
Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#AGRIBUSINESS: Indorama begins
countdown to inauguration of $1.4 billion new fertilizer plant in PH
Indorama
Eleme Fertilizer & Chemical Limited (IEFCL), Port Harcourt, a sister company
to Indorama Eleme petrochemicals has begun countdown to the inauguration of its
US$1.4 billion 1.4 million metric tons (MT) new fertilizer plant in Port
Harcourt, which is slated for this first quarter (Q1 2016).
Published in the Business Day Newspaper
on Monday, January 11th, 2016
INDUSTRY
PULSE: Union Assurance becomes Ensure Insurance Plc
Union Assurance Company Plc has
successfully obtained the approval of both the Corporate Affairs Commission and
the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) to formally change its brand
identity to Ensure Insurance Plc.
The brand known as Union
Assurance Company Pls is now ‘rested’ and in its stead is a selfless,
responsive, innovative and ambitious brand now known as Ensure Insurance Plc.
Published in
the Business Day Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#SME: NASME
pledges to re-position SMEs in Ogun, engage 30,000 graduates in farming
Having emerged as the new
chairman of Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME) in
Ogun State, Yemi Oshifodunrin has pledged to swing into action and re-position
micro, small and medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs) in the state, with a view to
creating massive jobs for unemployment residents.
Published in
the Business Day Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#Charity: Succour
for Abuja IDPs as FIRS donates relief materials
Buoyed by the quest to keep delivering on corporate social
responsibility to the public, the Federal Inland Revenue (FIRS) under the
leadership of its chairman, Babatunde Fowler on Thursday donated several relief
materials ranging from food item, toiletries and host of others to the
internally displaced persons living in the Durumi camp in the Federal Capital
Territory (FCT).
Published in
the Business Day Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
INDUSTRY
PULSE: Bashir Haliru Binji appointed as acting MD of NAIC
Minister of agriculture and rural development has appointed
Bashir Haliru Binji as the acting managing director/CEO of Nigerian
Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC) with effect from January 2, 2016.
His appointment is sequel to the resignation of Bode
Opadokun, the former managing director of the Corporation.
Published in
the Business Day Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#SDGs: Rivers
plans sustainable employment programme
Rivers State government says it will soon come up with a
policy framework that will sustain employment generation and reduce
unemployment among, especially the people of the state.
Ephraim Nwuzi, commissioner for employment generation and
economic empowerment, who disclosed this in Port Harcourt, pointed out that the
present out that the present administration in the state would create a
conducive economic environment that would engender growth and empower the
citizens with diverse employment skill via vocational training, apprenticeship,
entrepreneurial and others schemes.
Published in
the Business Day Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
INDUSTRY
PULSE: CBN Pledges to Provide Dangote Refinery with Forex
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN has pledges to meet the
foreign exchange requirements for the importation of equipment to the Dangote refinery,
petrochemical and fertilizer plant, which is being constructed by the Dangote
Group at the cost of almost $14 billion.
Speaking yesterday at the project site in Dangote Free Trade
Zone in Lekki area of Lagos, the Governor of CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, stated
that when completed, the project would generate $6 billion for Nigerian economy
yearly.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#Health: Lassa
Fever, Lagos Calls for Vigilance, Personal Hygiene
As part of efforts to prevent the spread of Lassa fever to
Lagos State, the state government has called on its residents to avoid contact
with rats and store foods in rat proof containers, as well as cook them
properly before eating.
In a statement by the state Ministry of Health, it said
residents should observe good personal hygiene, including hand washing with
soap and running water regularly, adding that wastes must be disposed properly
in other to discourage rodents from entering the house.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#CSR #Health: Etisalat, Traffina Maternal
Health Campaign Pictures
Etisalat Nigeria, in partnership with a non-governmental
organisation, Traffina Foundation for Community Health, recently held a
Community Support Initiative themed, “Etisalat Maternity Health Platforms
(ETIMATHEPs)”. This was a 4-day programme that featured talks on maternal
health delivered by a team of medical experts as well as distribution of free
Safe Delivery Kits which contained items and consumables that women need during
delivery.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#Economy: Nigeria Can Still Borrow to Fund
Developmental Projects, Say Experts
Economic analysts have said with a debt to groo domestic
product (GDP) ratio of 12 percent, Nigeria can still raise funds from the bond
market to finance developmental projects.
The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
(IMF), Ms. Christine Lagarde, who was in Nigeria last week reportedly cautioned
the federal government against borrowing, but instead look at increasing value
added tax (VAT) and other means to raise funds to finance the 2016 budget.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#Business: Foreign Exchange Restrictions,
Manufactures Decry Scarcity of Raw Materials
Manufacturers of Tomato paste
products in Nigeria have decried the shortage of the triple concentrate tomato
paste a major ingredients in the Nigeria market.
The manufacturers blamed the
shortage of the ripple concentrate used in the production of packed tomato
paste, on the listing of triple Concentrate among the 41 items banned from
accessing foreign exchange from the official window by the Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN).
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#ICT: With Dwindling Oil Prices, ICT Will Save Nigeria’s Economy, Says
Ekeh
The Chairman of Zinox Group, Mr. Leo-Stan Ekeh, has said that
in the face of the dwindling global oil prices, investment in Information and
Communications Technology (ICT) is the only solution that will save Nigeria’s
economy from total collapse.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
Industry
Pulse: BGL Group Summoned by SEC over Fresh N2.9bn Complaints by Investors
The Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) has invited BGL Securities
Limited, BGL Assets Management Limited and their sponsored individuals to
appear before the SEC Administrative Proceedings Committee (SEC APC) to provide
answer to fresh complaints from various investors.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#MSMEs: E-commerce,
Ecobank Enlists 62 SMEs on MyMall Platform
Ecobank Nigeria is expanding its
impact on the e-commerce industry by establishing MyMall Nigeria with over 62
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) operators already enlisted on the platform.
MyMail is an online trading
platform essentially for SMEs operators to sell and market their goods and
services. It is designed for all categories of products and can be accessed
from any part of the world.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
Industry
Pulse: CWG Plc Announces Changes in Executive Leadership Team
The Board of Directors of
Computer Warehouse Group Plc (CWG) has appointed Mr. James Agada as its new
managing director and chief executive officer.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
Industry
Pulse: AIB Elects TVC Director as Exco Member
The Association for International Broadcasting (AIB) has
elected the Director of Radio Services, TVC/CBS Nigeria, Mr. Richmond Dayo
Johnson as a member of the Executive Committee of the Association for a
two-year team, starting this month.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
Industry Pulse: Union
Assurance Plc Changes Its Name to Ensure Insurance
Union
Assurance Company Plc has announced that it has obtained the approval of both the
Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the National Insurance Commission
(NAICOM) to formally change its brand identity to Ensure Insurance Plc.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016z
#Award: Elshcon Group Clinches CILT Award
A frontline member of the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce,
Elshcon Nigeria Limited has clinches the Best Practice Transport/Logistics
prize at the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport CILT Nigeria Awards
for Excellence.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#Charity: Osinbajo, Belgore to
Grace Premiere of Airtel Touching Lives Season 2
The wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo and
former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Hon. Justice S.M.A. Belgore, GCON, among
others high profile invitees, have confirmed they would attend the premiere of
Airtel Touching Lives Season Two billed to hold on Thursday this week in Abuja.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#Health: Oral-B
Raises Brand Profile with 2016 Dental Tips
The Oral-Care brand of Procter & Gamble, Oral-B, has
restated its commitment to the continual improvement of the overall oral health
of the Nation. According to the promoters of the brand, Oral-B’s mission is to
enable all Nigerians to have stronger and healthier teeth, going into 2016 and
beyond.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#Aviation: Katsina Airport
Terminal to be Unveiled Soon
The Managing Director of the Federal Airport Authority of
Nigeria, Saleh Dunoma has said the Katsina airport terminal would be unveiled
any moment from now, as work at the terminal has been completed.
He said FAAN would continue to prioritise safety and security
in line with international best practices.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#Infrastructure:
NBC Moves Digitisation from Dream to Reality
…For the Digital Switchover
project, 2015 ended on a high note in spite of minor setbacks
The year started with the hope
that the Federal Government would fund the approved N51 billion digitization
budget for digital infrastructure development, acquisition and distribution of Set-Top-Boxes
(STB) to indigent citizens, national publicity, as well as other critical
components of the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting essential to
meeting the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) deadline of June 17,
2015. The sharp decline in Government revenue, which began towards the end of
2014 as a result of the fall in crude oil prices meant that the Government was
simply unable to make the available due to competing priority needs.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#CSR: Monitoring
and Accountability 2020 Impresses Stakeholders
A multi country CSR initiative
Performance Monitoring and Accountability 2020 (PMA 2020), powered by the Bill
& Melinda Gates Institute at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public
Health has shared the result of its second round survey in Abuja with family
planning stakeholders in Nigeria.
The data was believed by some
stakeholders to represent progress made under the Nigerian government’s LARC
Strategy for 2013-2015
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
Stakeholder
Action: Digital Switchover, Stakeholders Allege Lack of Transparency in Award
of Contract for Set-up-Boxes
Players in the telecommunications
industry at the weekend alleged lack of transparency and due process in the
award of contracts for the supply of set up boxes for the digital switchover by
the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC).
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#Investment:
Chinese Auto Firm to Set up Assembly Plant in Calabar
A Chinese truck manufacturing
company, SINO Truck of China, has completed arrangements to establish
arrangements an assembly plant in Calabar, Cross River State capital.
This was disclosed recently when
the company’s Head of African Division, Mr. John Wang, paid the state Governor,
Profession Ben Ayade, a courtesy call in his office in Calabar.
Published in
the Thisday Newspaper on Monday, January 11th, 2016
#Health: Lassa
kills one in Edo, spreads to Imo
The Lassa fever which is ravaging
10 states of the country has claimed its first casualty in Edo State.
The Commissioner for Health in
Edo, Dr. Eregie Aihanuwa, who confirmed this during a press conference on
Monday, also noted that five persons were hospitalised after showing the
symptoms of the deadly disease.
Published in
the Punch Newspaper on Tuesday, January 12th, 2016
#POWER: Fashola
unveils 10-point agenda for power sector
…Schedules monthly meetings with
Gencos, Discos, investors
MINISTER of Works,
Power and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola has unveiled a 10-point agenda
aimed at reforming the nation’s power sector.
According to Fashola, the agenda
include public engagement, especially around electricity tariffs; collection,
payment and debts; and generation capacity and maintenance.
Published in
the DailySun Newspaper on Tuesday, January 12th, 2016
#Technology:
NASSI to set up 37 technology villages in states, FCT
…FG building large, strong
economy-Onu
THE Nigerian
Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI) is to establish technology
villages in the 36 states of the federation and looks forward to creating over
two million job opportunities within two years with support from relevant
government agencies and financial institutions.
Published in
the DailySun Newspaper on Tuesday, January 12th, 2016
Industry
Pulse: Ambode swears in Fagbohun 8th LASU VC
LAGOS State
Government, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday administered the oath of office on
Professor Olanrewaju Adigun Fagbohun as the Eighth Vice Chancellor of Lagos
State University (LASU).
At the ceremony, the governor
said his administration will ensure that all the students in state
government-owned institutions of learning get quality education which will make
them become wealth creators and innovators capable of contributing positively
to the nation.
Published in
the DailySun Newspaper on Tuesday, January 12th, 2016
#Housing: A
laudable housing initiative
In furtherance of the plan to
reduce the nation’s housing deficit put at 17 million, the Federal Government
has unfurled a programme for the construction of 40 blocks of 12 flats each, in
each of the country’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Minister of Power, Works and
Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, who reiterated government’s determination to
build houses in all the states of the federation and the FCT, said the
buildings would be delivered in one year. Each state and the FCT will get 480
flats making a total 17,760 flats for the whole country.
Published in
the DailySun Newspaper on Tuesday, January 12th, 2016
#Industry: Proposed
salt plant excites C’ River communities
COMMUNITIES in Yala
Local Government Area of Cross River State have commended plans by the state
government to establish a salt plant in the state.
The communities, which included
Okpoma Gabu and Ijegun said government’s effort was a fulfilment of the
age-long dream of establishing a salt industry in one of the villages that have
large deposits of salt mineral.
Published in
the DailySun Newspaper on Tuesday, January 12th, 2016
#Environment:
Oil spillage spreads grief in Bayelsa
TOWARDS the end of 2015, two communities in Bayelsa State, Oruma in Ogbia
Local Government Area and Ikebiri in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area were
in the throes of crude oil spill, which inflicted pains on the people and
disrupted their means of livelihood.
Published in
the DailySun Newspaper on Tuesday, January 12th, 2016
Investment: BUA divests from
Flour Milling in US$275m deal
BUA Group, one
of Nigeria’s largest foods and infrastructure conglomerates has announced the
divestment of its flour business to Olam International in a deal worth
USD275million.
Published in
the DailySun Newspaper on Tuesday, January 12th, 2016
Philanthropy:
Foundation donates equipment to hospital
The Samuel Adegbite Foundation
(SAF) has donated 10 units of Electric Suction Apparatus to the Gbagada General
Hospital, Lagos.
The suction machines are
emergency medical equipment meant to save lives.
Published in
the Nation Newspaper on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
Empowerment:
10 varsities centres get World Banks’s $70m grant
THE Nigerian University System
(NUS) has secured over $70 million as grant from the World Bank to fund its 10
Africa Centres of Excellence (ACEs).
Executive Secretary, National
Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Julius Okojie, who said this in Abuja on
Monday, added that African universities submitted proposals where 19 centres
were selected out of which Nigeria secured 10 with support funding from the
World Bank.
Published in
the Nation Newspaper on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
#Unemployment
#Empowerment: Website for jobs launched in Abuja
THE AEI Network Ltd has launched
a website to provide jobs for the unemployed.
Launching the site in Abuja, its
Managing Director, Mr. Akwaowo Injang, said the initiative was to offer an
avenue for graduates to undergo customised marketing training, based on the company’s
field operational modules.
Published in
the Nation Newspaper on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
#Agric: Fed
Govt to assist Kwara in agric
FEDERAL Government is to assist
Kwara State in rice expansion programme to boost food sufficiency.
The Minister of Agriculture and
Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, who spoke yesterday in Ilorin when he
visited Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, said the state was identified with rice and
cassava production.
Published in the Nation Newspaper
on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
#Power: NNPC,
GACN, NGC promise improved gas supply to power plants
STAKEHOLDERS
in the
petroleum industry have promised to intensify efforts to resolve bottlenecks
associated with gas supply to the power sector.
Published in the Guardian
Newspaper on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
#Infrastructure:
Lagos votes N17.5b for construction of 114 roads
LAGOS State
Government yesterday flagged of the construction of 114 inner roads spread
across all the 20 Local Government councils and 37 Local Government Development
Area (LGA/LCDAs).
The project, estimated at the
cost of N17.5b, is the first phase of the state government’s plan to fix all
roads in the state and is expected to be completed within six months. The project
would commerce simultaneously in all the councils within the next seven days.
Published in the Guardian
Newspaper on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
#MSMEs: Ekiti
begins disbursement of N500m SMEs loan
EKITI State
Government will today begins the disbursement of N500 million Small and
Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) loan to 4,519 beneficiaries.
The N500 million is the first
tranche of the N2 billion the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) earmarked for the support
of small and medium scale enterprises in the state.
Published in the Guardian
Newspaper on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
#BUSINESS: NDIC
releases framework for insuring non-interest banking deposits
THE Nigeria
Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has developed a framework for insuring
liabilities on non-interest banking deposits in the country.
The development was sequel to the
successful take-off of the non interest banking in Nigeria, through the current
initiatives of Ja’iz, Stanbic IBTC and Sterling Banks.
Published in the Guardian
Newspaper on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
#Philanthropy:
Etisalat donates computers to boost ICT literacy in Zaria.
ETISALAT has donated
30 desktop computers to boost information and Communication Technology education
at the Nuhu Bamali Primary School in Zaria, Kaduna State.
The telecommunications firm
presented the computers to the school management led by the Headmistress, Hajia
Asmau Mohammed Lawan, during a recent commissioning of facilities which also include
blocks of renovated school building.
Published in the Guardian
Newspaper on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
#Power: Schneider
Electric, NAPTIN collaborate to bouy local capacity in power sector
SCHNEIDER Electric, in
partnership with the National Power Training Institute (NAPTIN), has buoyed the
local capacity in the power sector, with the graduation of trained electricians
at the NAPTIN Ijora regional training centre, Lagos.
Published in the Guardian Newspaper
on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
#Energy: Lonadek
moves to equip oil operators with cost engineering skills
LONADEK Oil and Gas
Consultants Limited (LONADEK) has unfolded plans to organise an Integrated Cost
Engineering, Estimating, Planning and Scheduling (AACE) programme to enhance
project management in the oil and gas sector.
Published in the Guardian
Newspaper on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
#Resources: Govt
set to take over Ajaokuta, other privatised steel firms
The Federal
Government will before the end of this first quarter of the year take over the
Ajaokuta Steel Company located in Kogi State as well as other government-owned
steel firms that were privatised in the past
Published in the Guardian
Newspaper on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
Stakeholder
Action: UNEP Report, Ogoni poised for ‘road demonstration’
The people of
Ogoni would be trooping out for road demonstrations across the country early February
if the Federal Government failed to commence the implementation of the
environmental impact assessment report of the United Nations Environment
Programme, UNEP, on Ogoniland.
Published in the Guardian
Newspaper on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
#Agriculture:
Olam, InViovo seal pact to penetrate agro-allied sector
OLAM International
Limited (“Olam”) and leading French feedstock company InVivo Animal Nutrition
& Health (“InVivo NSA”) have announced the sealing of a consulting
agreement to jointly develop expertise in animal feed in Nigeria.
Published in the Guardian
Newspaper on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
#MSMEs: BoI,
NASME to partner on improved financing for SMEs
TO further
improve access of small and medium enterprises to financing, the Bank of
Industry and Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME) have
sought measures to address financing gaps in the SME sector.
Published in the Guardian
Newspaper on Wednesday, January 13th, 2016
#Philanthropy:
Rotary Donates $35 million To End Polio Worldwide
Rotary has
announced a whopping $35 million in
grants to support the global effort to end polio, including another $15 million
to support polio eradication efforts in five African countries.
This was contained in a press
release distribution by the African Press Organisation (APO) on behalf of
Rotary and made available to LEADERSHIP in Abuja yesterday.
Published in the Leadership Newspaper on Thursday, January 14th, 2016
Sustainable
Development: FG Okays $200m World Bank Loan For Lagos
The Federal Executive Council
(FEC) yesterday approved the sum of $200m for Lagos State to enable it complete
some of its infrastructural development projects.
Speaking to State House
Correspondents after the FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu
Buhari, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola pointed out
that this is not a new loan as it was approved in 2010
Published in the Leadership Newspaper on Thursday, January 14th, 2016
#Power: Schneider,
NAPTIN Boost Local Capacity In Power Sector
Schneider Electric in partnership
with the National Power Training Institute (NAPTIN) has graduated its first set
of trained electricians at the NAPTIN Ijora regional training center.
Published in the Leadership Newspaper on Thursday, January 14th, 2016
#Philanthropy:
Egbin Power Donates Training Equipment To UniAbuja, Others
Egbin Power Plc
has donated specialised training equipments to engineering faculties of four
Nigerian universities as a way of grooming engineers of the future.
Published in the Leadership Newspaper on Thursday, January 14th, 2016
#Security: UK
deploys forces to train Nigerian troops fighting B/Haram
The United
Kingdom is to deploy a team of military trainers to Nigeria to instruct forces
fighting the Boko Haram militants in the north east.
A statement by the British High
Commission spokesman in Abuja, Joe Abuku said more than 35 personal from the
second Battalion, the Royal Anglian Regiment (2 R ANGLIAN) would be deliver
infantry training to Nigerian military personal tackling the extremist group.
Published in the Daily Trust Newspaper on Thursday, January 14th, 2016
#Power: Power
firms struggle to survive as banks fail to invest
There are
indications that local power firms comprising Generation companies (Gencos) and
Distribution companies (Discos) are having hard time accessing funds from banks
to expand their investments two years after they took over the assets from
government.
Published in the Daily Trust Newspaper on Thursday, January 14th, 2016
#MSMEs: Fidelity
Bank SMEs deposit liability in excess of N120bn
Fidelity Bank Plc,
one of Nigeria’s most capitalised financial institutions, says it intends to
intensify support for Micro and Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through a
number of unique initiatives geared towards raising their level of
competitiveness in a challenging business environment.
Published in the Daily Trust Newspaper on Thursday, January 14th, 2016
#Economy: GE
to cut 6,500 jobs in Europe
General Electric
plans to cut 6,500 jobs in Europe over the next two years, including 765 in
France and 1,300 in Switzerland, the company said on Wednesday.
A GE spokesman in France said GE
was sticking to its pledge to create 1,000 net jobs in France in the next three
year as part of its acquisition of Alstom’s energy business.
Published in the Daily Trust Newspaper on Thursday, January 14th, 2016
