The Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC) has reported a surplus of N2.32 billion for the 2020 financial year, indicating a surge of about 1,632% when compared to the sum of N134.16 million recorded in the corresponding period of 2019. This is according to the recent FY 202O financial result released on the council’s website. Despite posting a relatively moderate gain of about 62.1% in its gross earnings (N3.83 billion), the agency printed a massive boost in its bottom line, largely due to its ability to manage costs and significantly reduce its expenditure during the period under review. The agency’s total…
Author: Temitope N.
The Nigerian Communications Commission has announced the shutdown of all telecom operations sites in Zamfara to deal with the fast increase in insecurity. The NCC disclosed this in a statement on Friday evening, signed by its CEO, Prof. Umar Danbatta, viewed by Nairametrics. What the NCC said “The pervading security situation in Zamfara State has necessitated an immediate shut down of all telecommunications services in the State from today September 03, 2021,” the statement said. They added that the shutdown is to enable relevant security agencies carry out required activities towards addressing the security challenge in the state. “In line…
The Federal Government has insisted that it cannot afford the World Health Organisation’s ratio of one doctor to 600 patients, but Nigeria however needs to deploy medical manpower proportionately and adequately, especially in rural areas. This was disclosed by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, at the two-day quarterly meeting of the Nigeria Health Commissioners Forum, on Friday, in Abuja, themed “Building a stronger health sector in Nigeria through collaboration and strategic partnership.” What the Minister said: Ngige said, “We’re not a United Nations’ country, we are a developing country. So, when such figures are given I…
Petrol smuggling from Nigeria to neighbouring nations can’t be stopped except certain issues are brought to the table and death with. This was disclosed by the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Myele Kyari in a statement signed by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Garba-Deen Muhammad. According to the statement, Kyari mentioned that with a price difference of over N100 per litre between what is sold in Nigeria and in neighbouring countries, it was difficult to cage the activities of petrol smugglers. He said while the corporation was working in concert with other agencies to combat…
The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Hon. Dakuku Peterside, on Tuesday, disclosed that the total sum of N16 billion has so far been remitted into the Consolidated Revenue Fund in 2019. He added that the agency also released N2.5 billion to the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta State. “As of October 31, we had contributed N16bn into the Consolidated Revenue Fund. We have since increased our contribution and in that contribution, we have exceeded our budget target.” Speaking at the sideline of the budget defence, Hon Peterside affirmed that the Agency has achieved tremendous success…
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) revealed that critical infrastructure in Nigerian cutting across sectors including electricity, transportation, water, oil pipelines, telecommunications are increasingly under the threat of attacks by violent groups. This was disclosed by Mr Benito Eze, an Assistant Commandant-General in charge of Critical National Asset and Infrastructure, in a meeting with newsmen on Friday, according to NAN. The Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) revealed that critical infrastructure in Nigerian cutting across sectors including electricity, transportation, water, oil pipelines, telecommunications are increasingly under the threat of attacks by violent groups. This was disclosed by…
The port which is one of the several deep seaports that had been approved by the federal government and constructed by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation Ltd (CCECC), will be under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and would be at no cost to the government. According to a statement by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Mr Eric Ojiekwe, this was disclosed by the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, when he visited the proposed site for the project.
The illegal Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) plants were shut down for various reasons ranging from operating within densely populated areas and other approved locations to operating without approval from DPR and contravening the DPR guidelines for the establishment of LPG refilling plants and retail outlets among others. This disclosure was made by the Assistant Director, Operations, DPR, Lagos Zonal Office, Mrs Olubunmi Ogundare, on Friday, during a surveillance operation she led in Alimosho Local Government Area of the state. Ogundare said the affected LPG plants were sealed for not complying with the prerequisite safety standards and operating without pertinent approvals.…
Anambra State revenue has increased from about N10.4 billion in 2014 to N26.37 billion by 2019 and this is another 152 percent increase in the state’s IGR. “Enabling environment and ease of doing business measures that have been implemented in Anambra state has seen it become one of the fastest growing manufacturing hubs in the country.” He said “Nnewi which houses key local manufacturing companies including Innoson Vehicles Manufacturing, Tommy Tommy Industries, Chikason Group amongst others is evidence of the entrepreneurial ability of the Nigerian people and the drive that is possible but also importantly the enabling environment that states…
Speaking at a virtual cybersecurity conference organised by the American Business Council (ABC) in partnership with the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), Pantami said cyber-attacks are growing at a rapid rate with more malware being launched than ever before. Pantami noted the growing impact of cybercrime across the globe, especially with a large percentage of engagements that have been moved to online platforms as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. He called for concerted efforts to curb the rising influence of the menace in Nigeria and other parts of the…
According to the data, the gross component of the reserves climbed to $34.1 billion at the start of September while the liquid portion resumed the month at $33.84 billion. It was the first time the reserves would hit $34 billion since June 8, 2021, when the composite figure stood at $34.07 billion. The figures dipped to around $33 billion, raising concerns about the country’s ability to fund its rising imports. The recent rise came a few weeks after the board of governors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved the allocation of $3.35 billion to the country as part of…
Xi last month urged China’s wealthiest companies and entrepreneurs to strengthen philanthropy efforts and “give back to society”, in order to redistribute wealth as part of his “common prosperity” initiative. In response, Alibaba — which has already fallen foul of Beijing’s sharp scrutiny this year — said it would put money into areas including tech innovation, small and medium-sized businesses, the welfare of gig-economy workers and healthcare equality. Daniel Zhang, Alibaba chairman, said the group was “eager to do our part to support the realisation of common prosperity”. Shares in Alibaba slumped as much as 4 percent on the…
Initially, there were daunting issues, and the reason is simple. We are not used to a system where we contribute ahead of when we will need the services. It was a new thing to us, and we needed a lot of patience to be able to accommodate all the problems that arose when we commenced. With time people got a better understanding of the operations, especially the operators, the healthcare providers, who are in our network, got a better understanding, better ways of utilising the funds that are paid to them. So, things started smoothening out. The few issues we…
Leadership of Ewrokpe Community in Emede, Isoko South Council of Delta State, has rejected a health centre built and equipped by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs. Representatives of the ministry, who went to the state to commission the project, were reportedly stranded at the venue, as no community or council representative was on the ground to acknowledge and receive the project. State Project Coordinator, Port Johnson Reginald, stated that the council cited inappropriate fencing, and the Federal Government’s refusal to demolish an old post office which habours a poor widow and her son as reasons it could not accept…
The Kebbi Epidemic Rapid Response Team on Thursday said that 146 people have died following cholera outbreak in the state this year. The leader of the team and Permanent Secretary, Kebbi Ministry of Health, Dr Aminun Haliru-Bunza, disclosed this when the team briefed Gov. Atiku Bagudu and his Deputy, Col. Samaila Yombe-Dabai (Rtd), on the cholera outbreak in the state. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the team met the governor and his deputy at the Council Chambers of Government House, Birnin Kebbi, on Thursday. Haliru-Bunza, who is also the Chief Medical Director (CMD), Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital,…
The Lagos State Government says it will resume the administration of the second dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on Aug. 30. Mr Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, Director, Public Affairs in the state Ministry of Health, said this in a statement on Sunday in Lagos. Ogunbanwo said that administration of the second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine would hold across the 88 vaccination sites used during the first phase of the vaccination exercise. According to him, the vaccination will be for 20 days, from Aug. 30 to Sept. 24. He said that only persons who had received the first jab of the…
Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), a body representing the largest health professionals in the country, has asked federal and state governments to address all the demands of health workers with respect to welfare. It also called for the overhaul of health infrastructure to save the nation from an imminent shortage of manpower. It stated this, recently, during its National Executive Council meeting where it appraised the state of the nation and various issues affecting its members across public health institutions. National President of the union, Comrade Martin Egbanubi, in a statement, said the union was worried about the…
The Federal government has expressed its commitment to Human Capital Development (HCD) in the health sector to improve outcomes among other deliverables. Consequently, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) has inducted 879 foreign-trained doctors into its fold. MDCN said a total of 879 doctors were successful at the June 2021 assessment examinations organised by the council at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, and out of the 879 foreign-trained doctors inducted, 862 are medical doctors, while 17 are dentists. Speaking at the induction ceremony in Abuja, Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, observed that government considers the health…
ActionAid Nigeria, a non-governmental organisation seeking to eradicate poverty, has urged the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to renege on its plan to increase electricity tariff. NERC had directed the 11 Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) to increase their tariffs today. ActionAid Nigeria said the increase would erode the purchasing power of workers in formal and informal sectors and further impoverish the citizenry. Country Director, Ene Obi, in a statement in Abuja, said the increase is not only ill-timed but insensitive to the plight of Nigerians, whose lean disposable incomes are already decapitated. She said: “ActionAid’s position is hinged…
ActionAid Nigeria, a non-governmental organisation, has decried the alleged resolution by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) directing the 11 Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) to increase their tariffs from Wednesday (today), September 1, 2021. The group stated that an increase in electricity tariff will further erode the purchasing power of Nigerian workers in formal and informal sectors and will further impoverish more Nigerians. Their position was made known in Abuja, yesterday, by its Country Director, Ms. Ene Obi. She said: “The increase in electricity tariff is not only ill-timed but insensitive to the precarious plight of Nigerians whose lean disposable…