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Nigeria, Focused On Vision 20:2020 Attainment – Envoy

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Nigeria is focused to become one of the world’s top 20 economies by the year 2020, Nigerian Ambassador to China, Aminu Wali, said in Beijing on Thursday.

Wali said at a reception organised for friends of Nigeria and Nigerians resident in China to mark Nigeria’s golden jubilee that the Federal Government had mapped out strategies for the achievement of the vision.

“I believe we will be there,” a correspondent  quotes him as saying.

The ambassador said it was a matter of pride for Nigeria to celebrate its golden jubilee and appealed to Nigerians resident in China to be good ambassadors of their fatherland.

“Every Nigerian in China is an ambassador because he or she is duty bound to promote the interests of the country as well as keep the good name of Nigeria.

“We ought to be proud to be Nigerians. A lot of things are happening in China which we need to address and see how best to give our country a good reputation,” he said.

Wali also urged Nigerians in China to cooperate with the staff of the Nigerian Embassy in order to promote the good image of their country.

“You have to support us in order to move our country forward and promote the good image of the country.

“I want us to learn from China. We know where the country was 25 years ago; we were in the same category but today they are ahead of us.

“We have a lot to learn and emulate from them (Chinese). They have been able to achieve progress in making life better for their people; we hope to aspire and be like China,” he said.

Wali later explained to newsmen the reason for the delay in marking the national day.

“It was not possible for us to celebrate on October 1 because we share the same birthday with the host country.

“If we want to get the attention of the Chinese Government, we have to organise our celebration after the Chinese must have resumed from their holidays,” he said.

The highlights of the celebration included cultural display, songs and music with the theme, “Music of our fatherland”, rendered by the Lagos-based Muson Cultural Group.

Meanwhile, some Nigerians in China told Tide source that they would wish their country to be like the U.S. and help other African countries to come out of poverty.

Maryam Mohammad, a 300 level student of Shenyan Aerospace University, said she was happy to witness the celebration of Nigeria at 50.

“I’m proud of my country. I want Nigeria to be number one country in the world and by the time we are celebrating our centenary anniversary, I want Nigeria to be greater than America.”

Pastor Andy Obiora, a businessman based in Beijing, said Nigeria had the potential to be greater than China or any developed country.

He stressed the need for the Federal Government to develop the country’s abundant resources in order to have success stories to tell when the nation celebrates its 100 years of existence.

The three-day activities to mark the golden jubilee began with a novelty match on October 12 and ended with a gala night for members of the diplomatic corps.

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Association Woos Govt, Coys On  Boat Operators  Employments

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2 weeks ago

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June 12, 2026

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The leadership of Bonny Maritime Boat Association has called on Rivers state Government and oil companies operating in the state to provide sustainable employment to unemployed boat Operators.
The Association also want the government, companies and other relevant employers of labour to provide trainings for boat Operators to enhance their skills
Safety Officer of the Association, Comrade Kingdom Kingsley made this known in  a  telephone interview with  The Tide.
He noted that most of the boat Operators and owners plying Bonny route lacks jobs due to the fleets of boats introduced by Bonny Road Transport that had taken over the passengers to the Island
He noted that passengers are no longer patronizing boats owned by the Association, thereby rendering the operators redundant
“Most of our operators can not afford to feed their families due to no jobs, we don’t want to indulge in crime, government should fix our members with  sustainable jobs to take care of their immediate needs”
He called on oil companies operating in the state to engage their skilled boat Operators in their companies to reduce the sufferings faced by the Association.
The Safety Officer called on the state government  to made funds available to unemployed youths in the state to start up business than roam the streets.
He noted that provision of funds to youths would reduce crime rates and reposition their mindsets for a better life
“The  youths of Rivers state are suffering, have no job to feed their families, thereby indulging in criminality daily”
“The youths need empowerment,  jobs,  recreational facilities and better things of life as citizens of this Nation”, Kingsley said.
CHINEDU WOSU
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FG Approves $1 Bn AFCFTA Credit Facility For Nigerian Exporters

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2 weeks ago

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June 12, 2026

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The Federal Government has approved a whooping $1bn credit facility to support Nigerian exporters and small scale businesses to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in order to boost production, competitiveness and intra-African trade.
The $1bn AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Credit Facility is also expected to address some of the financing gap being faced by Nigerian exporters and enhance the competitiveness of African businesses within the continental market.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, disclosed this  during the second quarter 2026 meeting of the AfCFTA Central Coordination Committee held in Abuja.
According to a statement issued by the ministry’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Obilor-Duru Okechi, Oduwole said the financing facility represented a major opportunity for Nigerian businesses seeking to expand operations, modernise production processes and increase exports to African markets.
The statement partly read, “?The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating Nigeria’s export-led growth agenda under the African Continental Free Trade Area, unveiling opportunities for businesses to access a US$1 billion AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Credit Facility aimed at boosting production, competitiveness, and intra-African trade.”
She noted that despite the progress Nigeria had made in implementing the continental trade agreement, many local businesses continued to face obstacles that limited their ability to take advantage of the single African market.
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“Many businesses still face challenges relating to export documentation, certification, standards compliance and market access,” the minister said.
She explained that the Federal Government was addressing these bottlenecks through enhanced trade facilitation measures, simplified AfCFTA guidance tools, stakeholder engagement programmes and stronger collaboration with institutions such as the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council.
Oduwole stressed the need to strengthen Nigeria’s legal and regulatory framework by domesticating key AfCFTA protocols, particularly the Digital Trade Protocol, to position the country as a major player in Africa’s growing digital economy.
The minister also highlighted some of the gains recorded in Nigeria’s AfCFTA implementation efforts.
According to her, the expansion of Nigeria’s Air Cargo Corridor Initiative to Rwanda, increased collaboration with development partners and private sector players, as well as sustained engagement with state governments, were helping to deepen awareness and participation in the continental market.
In her welcome address and first-quarter update, the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, Mrs Patience Okala, provided details of the financing initiative.
Okala said the $1bn AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Credit Facility was targeted at large African businesses with a minimum financing capacity of $10m.
She revealed that the National AfCFTA Coordination Office was working closely with fund managers to facilitate access for eligible Nigerian companies and had begun assembling a pilot group of businesses to ensure that Nigeria maximised the opportunities provided by the facility.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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NIWA Harps On  Avoidance Of Leaking Boats

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2 weeks ago

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June 12, 2026

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The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has advised Nigerians against boarding boats that require constant bailing of water in the interest of their safety.
 NIWA Area Manager for Cross River and Ebonyi, Mr Stanley Onuoha gave this warning in an interview with Newsmen in Calabar.
Onuoha who spoke on waterway
safety, said that passengers should take responsibility for their safety by inspecting boats before embarking on any journey.
According to him, repeated scooping of water from a boat is a clear indication that the vessel may be leaking.
“If you are entering a boat and see people using a bailer to remove water, it is the first signal that the boat is leaking,” he said.
He urged passengers to check the integrity of boats, including seating arrangements and other visible safety features.
The Manager restated the importance of using safety jackets, saying that damaged jackets may fail during emergencies.
He further said that passengers should ensure that safety jackets were appropriate for their body sizes in order to guarantee effective flotation.
 Onuoha reiterated the need for passengers to fill manifests before departure to aid accountability during emergencies.
The NIWA official further advised travellers to monitor weather conditions and avoid boarding boats when the weather is unfavourable.
According to him, poor weather conditions can trigger strong tidal waves capable of affecting small boats commonly used on inland waterways.
He said that waterway journeys should be embarked upon between 6.00a.m and 6.00p.m for clearer visibility.
Onuoha said  the Authority had continued to sensitise riverine communities to the need for safety precautions during waterway journeys.
He stated that sustained awareness campaigns and enforcement measures had contributed to safety waterway safety in Cross River.
CHINEDU WOSU
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