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NIMC Opens 404 Issuing Centres Nationwide

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11 years ago

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The National Identity Man
agement Commission has  said that it had set up no fewer than 404 enrolment centres nationwide.
The commission also said that cards were currently being issued at its state offices and the FCT.
The NIMC Director-General, Mr. Chris Onyemenam, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Abuja.
Onyemenam further said that efforts were ongoing to ensure that enrolment and card collection centres were established in local government areas that had not been provided with these services.
” The NIMC currently has over 404 enrolment centres nationwide and is working tirelessly to ensure that more of such centres are opened in all of the 774 local government areas.”
”The card builds a window to a social security benefit system and, therefore, it is a card every Nigerian should get.”
He urged all Nigerians to avail themselves of the opportunity of enrolment into the National Identity Database and be issued a National Identification Number (NIN), which he described as the single version of truth and the foundation identity”.
The director-general noted that NIMC had published newspaper advertorials indicating that the use of the NIN would become mandatory as from September 1, 2015, for all transactions offered by applicable government institutions.
Onyemenam added that the provision of the NIMC Act of 2007 states that transactions such as application for and issuance of an International Passport and opening of individual or group bank accounts, must be done with NIN.
”Any government agency, institution, bank, insurance company and all other institutions offering services or involved in transactions requiring the identity of an individual must first demand for the NIN.
”Any individual, institutions or body who fails to comply with the above has committed an offence under section 28 of the NIMC Act.”
He urged Nigerians to appreciate the full import of the NIMC mandate and understand that the three-decade-old problem of identity management in Nigeria had been resolved since 2012.
Onyemenam advised all Nigerians to avoid crowding the centres as NIMC would send an SMS to all enrollees whose cards were ready for collection.
He explained that anyone whose card was ready would receive an SMS to pick his /her card where he had registered.
Outlining the collection process further, he said: ” You must have received an SMS from NIMC.
”Go to the NIMC collection centre indicated in the SMS sent to you. (Take your NIN/Transaction Slip along).
”Receive your National e-ID Card in a sealed envelope. Open the envelop; take out the card, and sign on the space provided at the back.
”Do a Biometric Verification to confirm that it is your card. This also confirms that the card has been properly printed.
He said that, ”after biometric verification, you will be required to enter a four-digit number chosen by you to activate your National e-ID Card, adding that there is the provision for fund loading at the NIMC collection centre, as one can also do actual cash loading at any branch of Access Bank nationwide.”
The source reports say that NIMC targets about 100 million Nigerians for enrolment and card issuance.

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Business

Association Woos Govt, Coys On  Boat Operators  Employments

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1 week 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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1 week 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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Business

NIWA Harps On  Avoidance Of Leaking Boats

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1 week 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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