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Shippers Council Sign Pact On ICD

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16 years ago

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The Nigeria Shippers Council (NSC) has signed an agreement with the Oyo State Government for the final take-off of the Inland Container Deport (ICD) project in the state.

NSC management and the concessionaire, Catamaran Logistics Limited in Erunmu, Egbeda Local Government, Ibadan, Oyo state, signed the agreement with the Oyo State government.

Chief Executive Officer and the Executive Secretary of NSC Captain Adamu Biu while speaking at the ceremony, said the event marks a day the management of NSC is moving concessionaire to the site to begin operations.

He disclosed that the construction work at the ICD site would be completed in 30 months, adding that the state government had mandated the management of NSC to begin work with effect from January 1, 2010, even as he pointed out that this is the only place in the country that this type of ICD is in place.

While thanking the community for their maturity and sense of belonging, Biu pointed out that his organisation would make sure that the project becomes a reality soon, noting that due to the proximity of the site to a rail way, that operations could take off immediately it is completed without waiting for the rail system.

He reiterated the determination of the Federal Government towards building a railway system for easier carriage of cargoes across the country.

Meanwhile, the state commissioner for tourism and commerce, Hon. Kola Balogun has stressed that the project is so important to the state government because all that is required are already in place.

Thanking the management of NSC for their dedication, determination and focus for the take-off of the project, the commissioner however, urged all shippers to come to Erunmu Ibadan as their last destination in terms of dry ports.

Chairman, Egbeda Local Government Area, Engineer Kolawole Oke, in his welcome address earlier said the project was the result of a vision well conceived, adding that the Erunmu was chosen as the site of the project to strategically serve the entire south-west for its commercial activities. 

He noted that the dry port would further heighten economic activities in the zone, even as he posited that the project would further boost employment for the jobless youths in the area.

On his part the Managing Director of Catamaran Logistics Limited, Mr Layi Are thanked both federal and state government for their commitment to the project.

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Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

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23 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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23 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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23 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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