Business
RSSDA, RSNC Seek Synergy To Boost Business Opportunities
As part of government
strategy to diversify the economy by maximising available resources to increase revenue base, the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) and the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation (RSNC) have begun exploring viable partnerships to boost business opportunities and accelerate profit inflows.
To this end, the Business Development Units of both Rivers State Government-owned organisations are to initiate engagement sessions to enable experts fine-tune mutually beneficial business collaborations to open windows for enhanced revenue into their financial dragnets.
Executive Director, RSSDA, Larry Pepple, said during a working visit to the RSNC, publishers of The Tide Group of Newspapers, Wednesday that a range of opportunities existed for viable partnerships that could turn around the fortunes of both government business outfits.
The chief executive officer said that at a time when government revenue allocation was grossly dwindling and chronically inadequate to meet ever-increasing needs, departments and agencies of government needed to think out-of-the-box with creative and innovative new ideas to broaden and enliven operational environment in order to open fresh sources to boost internally generated revenue.
Pepple said that in line with the vision of the founding fathers, the commercial printing arm of the corporation should have amassed a large chunk of the bustling business environment, but lamented the dearth of modern equipment to drive profit in a highly competitive climate.
He promised that professionals from RSSDA would work with RSNC staff to ensure that manageable facilities are overhauled and revived while efforts would be made to see how those that require complete replacement may be retooled, particularly the Exercise Book Printing Machine, and the Oldenburg commercial printing machines.
On the near-dormant Goss Rotary Machine, the RSSDA boss said that the agency’s experts would work with The Tide to procure and install the CTTP component of the hi-tech printing machine, so as to set the stage for a whole new era in state-of-the-art printing in Port Harcourt, and directed the Communications Unit of RSSDA to explore strategies to ensure that new printing requirements of the agency are domiciled with the corporation.
In his remarks, General Manager, RSNC, Celestine Ogolo, expressed gratitude to the executive director for the visit and the pledge to partner the corporation with a view to increasing its revenue profile, and assured that his management would synergise with any inward-looking government agency to explore alternative means of boosting revenue sources.
Ogolo pointed out that the corporation could not put the new Rotary Machine to effective use because the CTTP, a critical component of the facility, which enhances speedy return on investment, was not available, adding that if the CTTP is procured and installed, the corporation would be hub of commercial printing business East of the Niger.
The general manager further said that if the Exercise Book Printing Machine is overhauled and made to respond to the needs of modern environment, the corporation would reposition itself as the epicentre of commercial exercise books printing business and major supplier of the essential need for educational institutions, among others, in Rivers State and beyond.
He also regretted that the corporation could not compete favourably in the competitive commercial printing environment because all printing machines procured by the Alfred Diette-Spiff administration at the inception of the newspaper outfit in 1971, were now obsolete, easily breaking down, and expensive to maintain, adding that with new or rejigged printing machines, business would boom again, and revenue inflow would rebound.
Susan Serekara-Nwikhana
In a concerted effort to tackle racketeering and reduce inflated transportation costs in the Nigeria’s seaports, Trucks Transit Parks Ltd. (TTP) has trained Licensed Customs Agents and Freight Forwarders on the use of its Ètò electronic call-up system.
The training was held recently at Customs Processing Centre (CPC) Auditorium, Apapa, Lagos, in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and supported by the leadership of the Joint Association of Licensed Customs Agents and Freight Forwarders (JALCAFF), Apapa Command.
Speaking at the event, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu expressed appreciation to TTP for facilitating the training and emphasized the need for customs agents to take personal ownership of the Ètò booking process.
“I want to thank TTP for this impactful training. I encourage all customs agents to begin doing their own bookings directly. By doing so, they can take back power from the unscrupulous elements exploiting their lack of knowledge, selling tickets at highly inflated prices,” Olomu declared.
He noted that empowering agents with hands-on training was key to dismantling racketeering networks that have plagued access to the ports and frustrated efficient logistics processes.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Apapa Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Chief Emeka Chukwumalu, said the engagement was critical to the ongoing push to reduce cargo transportation costs and ease business operations at the Apapa Port.
According to a freight forwarder, “The training is basically for us to have awareness of the operations of the Ètò call-up system through TTP. We also want to brainstorm on ways to reduce the high cost of cargo transportation in Apapa Port.
“This training opened our eyes to how simple it is to book tickets ourselves. We now know the right steps to follow and how to avoid falling victim to fraudsters.”
Earlier, Head of Operations at TTP, Mr. Irabor Akonoman, talked on common misconceptions about ticket pricing, reaffirming that the cost of Ètò bookings had remained consistent since its inception.
“The official price remains the same since inception. What people are paying higher amounts for is the manipulation by racketeers”.
Towards strengthening small businesses and promoting a more supportive regulatory environment, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) says it will hold the 2025 edition of its flagship MSMEs Fair on Tuesday (May 6, 2025).
The event, themed, “Galvanising MSMEs for Economic Growth and Stability”, will take place at NECA House in Lagos.
According to NECA’s Director-General, Mr Adewale Smatt Oyerinde, the fair seeks to provide micro, small, and medium enterprises with essential tools, resources, and strategic networks to thrive in Nigeria’s challenging business climate.
He emphasised the vital role MSMEs play in national development, describing them as the “lifeblood of Nigeria’s economy.”
Oyerinde noted that the fair is designed to offer entrepreneurs practical solutions to navigate economic uncertainties, regulatory hurdles, and business scalability issues.
A major attraction of this year’s event is the keynote address by the CEO of FATE Foundation, Mrs. Adenike Adeyemi, a prominent advocate for MSME development.
She is expected to share transformative insights on innovative strategies for sustaining and growing small businesses in Nigeria.
A unique feature of the fair will be interactive sessions with key regulatory bodies. Entrepreneurs will engage directly with agencies responsible for licensing, compliance, taxation, and business registration.
NECA said these sessions aim to demystify bureaucratic processes and foster a more enabling business environment.
It also said the fair will provide a platform for entrepreneurs to exhibit their products and services, connect with potential investors, and explore new markets.
It added that participants would gain critical knowledge on digital transformation, access to finance, and strategies for sustainable business growth.
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· NECA stressed that the fair aligns with its broader mission of promoting enterprise development and economic resilience.
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· “By empowering MSMEs with the right support and information, the organisation aims to stimulate job creation, innovation, and long-term economic stability”, NECA said.
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· The 2025 MSMEs Fair is expected to attract a wide range of stakeholders, including financiers, tech experts, regulators, and industry leaders, all united in advancing the growth of Nigeria’s MSME sector.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Transport, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, says over two million passengers have been transported on the Blue Line Rail since its launch, while state-run buses move an average of 42,000 commuters daily.
Osiyemi, who disclosed this during the Year 2025 Ministerial press briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, on Tuesday, noted that the Lagos State Transport Policy, launched in May 2024, was now in its implementation phase, focusing on inclusivity, safety, affordability, and sustainability.
“On rail development, Phase One of the Blue Line (Marina to Mile 2) has served over two million passengers, with Phase Two (Mile 2 to Okokomaiko) in progress.
“Phase One of the Red Line (Agbado to Oyingbo) is now operational with eight stations and additional rolling stocks procured, while Phase two (Oyingbo to link Blue Line at National Theatre) is underway”, he said.
The Commissioner said in the state-owned bus operations, over 60 million commuters have been served since 2019, with daily ridership exceeding 40,000.
He also said plans were on to deploy new buses with Quality Bus Corridors under construction, adding that the Abule=Egba Bus Terminal had also been commissioned.
“For water transport, 15 locally-built Omibus Ferries have been launched and are in operation, with the Ijegun Egba Terminal now open.
“The OMI EKO project, in partnership with the French Development Agency (AFD), will deliver 25 terminals and 78 electric ferries.
“Over 280,000 passengers have used ferry services in the past year, and 12 boats have been upgraded to meet safety standards”, he said.
On road infrastructure and traffic management, the Commissioner said 49 junction improvement projects had been completed, including ongoing ones at Ikorodu, Iju, as well as Allen-Opebi-Toyin axis.
He added that solar-powered Traffic Signal Lights, road markings covering 67.9km, new medians, laybys, and 3,941 parking lots had also been provided.
Additionally, Osiyemi announced that the deployed Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras had detected over 470,000 traffic violations and that the Vehicle Inspection Service issued over one million roadworthiness certificates.
He also said that the Lagos State Drivers’ Institute trained more than 32,000 drivers in the past 13 months.
The event marked the second anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term, showcasing major strides in the transport sector under the THEMES+ agenda.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos