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UNIDO Lists Gains Of National Quality Infrastructure Project

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10 years ago

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The United Nations
Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), says that the National Quality Infrastructure Project (NQIP) will boost the competitiveness of the Nigerian economy in the international market.
The project was designed to put in place necessary infrastructure and international regulatory framework that will create global acceptance of Nigeria’s products and services.
The Chief Technical Advisor of UNIDO, Dr Charles Malata made this known in an interview recently with newsmen in Abuja.
“The main objective for the National Quality Infrastructure Project is to boost competitiveness of the Nigerian economy vis-a- vis the international markets.
“And all the work that is being done under the project is aimed at improving the competiveness of the local industry.
“On one side, what we are trying to do is ensure that the commodities that are produced can meet the best international standards, best international practices that are there.“
It would be recalled that some Nigerian products were disallowed from entering some international markets due to poor standards and quality.
Malata said that though there were Ministries, Departments and Agencies saddled with the responsibility of ensuring standardisation of products in Nigeria, there was still the need for an internationally accepted body.
He, however, said that for commerce and trade to thrive, there was the need for the introduction of an international accepted standard for assessing the quality of products made in Nigeria.
According to him, the project will soon be presented before the Federal Executive Council for adoption as a policy.
Malata stated that when adopted, the policy would also ensure the safety and health of consumers who consume the various locally produced products in the country.
“While doing that, we take recognition that we have a national market as well, and therefore, we need to ensure that the safety and health of the consumers at the local level is also protected,“ he said.
The policy is also expected to ensure accuracy and reliability of the outcomes of tests carried out on local products.
He said that the NQIP was being funded by the European Union (EU) and would be implemented in different out puts.
‘He said: ‘We have established a National accreditation body, we are about to set up a National Metrology Institute.
“We have organised the private sector so they can also establish certification and inspection bodies which deals with issues of quality, and we are at the moment running programmers to raise awareness on consumers’ issues.”

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Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

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8 hours ago

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September 22, 2025

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Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.

Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.

The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.

Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.

“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.

“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”

Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.

In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.

Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.

Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.

 

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NIS Ends Decentralised Passport Production After 62 Years

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8 hours ago

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September 22, 2025

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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the disclosure during an inspection of the Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja, last Thursday.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
According to him, the centralised production system aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for improved service delivery.
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FG To Roll Out Digital Public Infrastructure, Data Exchange, Next Year 

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8 hours ago

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September 22, 2025

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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced plans to roll out Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and the Nigerian Data Exchange (NGDX) platforms across key sectors of the economy, starting in early 2026.
Director of E-Government and Digital Economy at NITDA, Dr. Salisu Kaka, made the disclosure in Abuja during a stakeholder review session of the DPI and NGDX drafts at the Digital Public Infrastructure Live Event.
The forum, themed “Advancing Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure through Standards, Data Exchange and e-Government Transformation,” brought together regulators, state governments, and private sector stakeholders to harmonise inputs for building inclusive, secure, and interoperable systems for governance and service delivery.
According to Kaka, Nigeria already has several foundational elements in place, including national identity systems and digital payment platforms.
What remains is the establishment of the data exchange framework, which he said would be finalised by the end of 2025.
“Before the end of this year and by next year we will be fully ready with the foundational element, and we start dropping the use cases across sectors,” Kaka explained.
He stressed that the federal government recognises the autonomy of states urging them to align with national standards.
“If the states can model and reflect what happens at the national level, then we can have a 360-degree view of the whole data exchange across the country and drive all-of-government processes,” he added.
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