Business

Lagos-Abidjan Expressway Project Begins 2014 –Jonathan

Published

13 years ago

March 4, 2013

President Goodluck Jonathan said last Saturday in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire that the construction of Lagos to Abidjan Expressway would commence next year.

The president made the disclosure at the Nigerian-Cote d’Ivoire Investors Forum on the sideline of his state visit to that country.

He said that the construction of the road was imperative to enhance free movement of goods and persons and reduce the encumbrances currently posed by the local customs and police to business men.

He said that the construction of the road was “dear to the heart of the ECOWAS leaders”.

Jonathan was speaking on the sideline of the 42nd ECOWAS Summit in Yammoussoukro, there was a meeting of the leaders of Nigeria, Togo, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana on how to actualise the project.

“We have charged the Ivorian Minister of Infrastructure and the Nigerian Minister of Works to work with the ECOWAS Commission that within two weeks they must come up with a blueprint and preliminary information on the project.

“We will discuss the issue in Addis Ababa in May when we go for AU meeting.

“This is because we want a situation where the desk-work will be completed this year and by next year, we want physical construction.

“We believe that when we have this express road the issue of movement, interference by Customs and Police will be minimised because that will be an ECOWAS road.

“The laws regulating the use of the road will not be the laws regulating that of the roads in Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire or Ghana.

“It will be an international standard and everything will be done in such a way that movement of goods, services and so on will not be interfered with by local restriction.”

Jonathan said that the projects would not be financed with public funds but by development partners and some viable banks which would re-coup their funds through tariffs and toll fees.

“It is a viable project that banks and business men within and outside the region will key into and which will generate enough money in short time.

Jonathan further explained that the project when completed would integrate the entire region.

“Togo has seven million, Benin Republic, eight million, Cote d’Ivoire, 25 million, Ghana 26 million and Nigeria about 167 million.

“When you add all these together, it gives you about 236 million out of the projected 287 million of ECOWAS.

“So, these five countries, by the time you traverse from Nigeria to Cote d’Ivoire, then you will easily integrate the entire sub-region.

“You will so integrate the system in such a way that you can key other countries along, that is why we decided that we must work with our business men and women to develop an express road from Lagos to Abidjan,” he said.

The president noted that there were lots of investment opportunities in the sub-region which were yet to be harnessed for development.

He identified the major challenges to development as lack of technology and exportation of raw materials without adding values.

“When you export crude oil you export job opportunities because those who refine the crude oil and turn our gas to petrochemical create a lot of jobs.

“Like now, we are supposed to be exporting finished products not crude oil and gas but we are still doing that.

“Cote d’Ivoire is just going to the oil industry, they should not make the mistakes Nigeria made from the beginning they must think about exporting finished products not exporting crude oil.

Jonathan noted that economic growth should not be reduced to paper work but realities that would affect the lives of the citizens.

Business

Agency Gives Insight Into Its Inspection, Monitoring Operations

Published

1 week ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

The Director, South South Zone National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Pharmacist Chujwuma P.Oligbu has said its thorough implementation of its core mandate of monitoring has no link with witch-hunting or fault finding as perceived at some quarters.

Oligbu, made this known when he spoke as as guest at the maiden Rivers state Supermarkets stakeholders’ Seminar/Workshop in Port Harcourt recently.

Rather, he said they were mere opportunities for education, correction and continuous improvement.

The Agency’s South South Boss, noted that Supermarket operators who maintain transparent records, cooperate during inspections, and promptly address identified gaps demonstrate professionalism and commitment to public health standard.

He listed the deserving essence of supermarket operation to include the key aspects of supermarket operation that deserves emphasis is product sourcing.

“Supermarkets must ensure that all regulated products stocked on their shelves are duly registered with NAFDAC and sourced from legitimate manufacturers or distributors”, he said .

According to him, the presence of unregistered, expired, counterfeit, or improper labelled products undermines consumer confidence and poses serious health risks.

He pointed out that such has the likelihood of exposeing supermarket operators to legal sanctions that could damage their reputation and financial stability.

The NAFDAC Operator, further enlightened the participants that mere registration of a particular product with the Federal agency do not guarantee absolute consumption safety.

“Temperature control, cleanliness, pest control, stock rotation, and proper shelving are not optional practice; they are essential components of compliance”, he said.

The South South zonal director also told the operators of supermarket that their employees rotine training on the basis of the product they display for sale is of utmost importance.

In her presentation a Breast Milk Nutrition Expert , Professor Alice Nte of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), was against the body’s prime attention to breast milk substitute or baby milk in supermarkets as well as its advertisement or promotion.

Nye jerked up the importance of mothers breast milk to the newborn baby and added that it help in fighting against childhood diseases, infections and combating cancer in breastfeeding mothers.

Meanwhile, NAFDAC Deputy Director, South – South Zone , Mrs. Riter Chujwuma educated the participants on the guidelines for global listing, and the need to adhere strictly to rules guiding global listing to avoid confiscation of their imported products.

By: King Onunwor

Business

BVN Enrolments Rise 6% To 67.8m In 2025 — NIBSS

Published

1 week ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

The Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) has said that Bank Verification Number (BVN) enrolments rose by 6.8 per cent year-on-year to 67.8 million as at December 2025, up from 63.5 million recorded in the corresponding period of 2024.

In a statement published on its website, NIBSS attributed the growth to stronger policy enforcement by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the expansion of diaspora enrolment initiatives.

According to the data, more than 4.3 million new BVNs were issued within the one-year period, underscoring the growing adoption of biometric identification as a prerequisite for accessing financial services in Nigeria.

NIBSS noted that the expansion reinforces the BVN system’s central role in Nigeria’s financial inclusion drive and digital identity framework.

Analysts linked the growth largely to regulatory measures by the CBN, particularly the directive to restrict or freeze bank accounts without both a BVN and National Identification Number (NIN), which took effect from April 2024.

The policy compelled many customers to regularise their biometric records to retain access to banking services.

Another major driver, the statement said, was the rollout of the Non-Resident Bank Verification Number (NRBVN) initiative, which allows Nigerians in the diaspora to obtain a BVN remotely without physical presence in the country.

The programme has been widely regarded as a milestone in integrating the diaspora into Nigeria’s formal financial system.

A five-year analysis by NIBSS showed consistent growth in BVN enrolments, rising from 51.9 million in 2021 to 56.0 million in 2022, 60.1 million in 2023, 63.5 million in 2024 and 67.8 million by December 2025. The steady increase reflects stronger compliance with biometric identity requirements and improved coverage of the national banking identity system.

However, NIBSS noted that BVN enrolments still lag the total number of active bank accounts, which exceeded 320 million as of March 2025.

The gap, it explained, is largely due to multiple bank accounts linked to single BVNs, as well as customers yet to complete enrolment, despite the progress recorded.

Business

AFAN Unveils Plans To Boost Food Production In 2026

Published

2 weeks ago

January 9, 2026

The Tide

The leadership of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has set the tone for the new year with a renewed focus on food security, unity and long-term growth of the agricultural sector.

The association announced that its General Assembly of Farmers Congress will take place from January 15 to 17, 2026 at the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industries, along Lugbe Airport Road, in the Federal Capital Territory.

The gathering is expected to bring together farmers, policymakers, investors and development partners to shape a fresh direction for Nigerian agriculture.

In a New Year address to members and stakeholders, AFAN president, Dr Farouk Rabiu Mudi, said the congress would provide a strategic forum for reviewing past challenges and outlining practical solutions for the future.

He explained that the event would serve as a rallying point for innovation, collaboration and economic renewal within the sector.

Mudi commended farmers across the country for their determination and hard work, despite years of insecurity, climate-related pressures and economic uncertainty.

According to him, their resilience has kept food production alive and positioned agriculture as a stabilising force in the national economy.

He noted that AFAN intends to build on this strength by resetting agribusiness operations to improve productivity and sustainability.

The AFAN leader appealed to government institutions, private investors and development organisations to deepen their engagement with the association.

He stressed the need for collective action to confront persistent issues such as insecurity in farming communities, climate impacts and market instability.

He also urged members to put aside internal disputes and personal interests, encouraging cooperation and shared responsibility in pursuit of national development.

Mudi outlined key priorities that include increasing food output, expanding support for farmers at the grassroots and strengthening local manufacturing through partnerships with both domestic and international investors adding that reducing dependence on imports remains critical to protecting the economy and creating jobs.

He stated that the upcoming congress will feature the launch of AFAN’s twenty-five-year agricultural mechanisation roadmap, alongside the announcement of new partnerships designed to accelerate growth across the value chain.

Participants, he said wi also have opportunities for networking and knowledge exchange aimed at transforming agriculture into a more competitive and technology-driven sector.

As part of its modernisation drive, AFAN is further encouraging members nationwide to enrol for the newly introduced Digital ID Card.

Mudi said the initiative will improve transparency, ensure proper farmer identification and make it easier to access support programmes and services.

Reaffirming the association’s long-term goal, he said the vision of national food sufficiency by 2030 remains achievable if unity and collaboration are sustained.

He expressed optimism that with collective effort, Nigeria’s agricultural sector can overcome its challenges and deliver a more secure and prosperous future.

Lady Usendi