Business
‘Kaduna Targets 70 % Budget Implementation’
The Kaduna State
Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Muhammed Abdullahi, says the government is targeting 70 per cent implementation of its 2016 budget.
Abdullahi told newsmen in Kaduna yesterday that the achievement would be historic, as the state had never achieved up to 50 per cent budget implementation in the past ten years.
He said that it would be impossible to achieve the earlier target of 95 per cent in the implementation of the budget due to short fall in projected revenue during the year.
“Notwithstanding, in spite of the revenue shortfall, we are hoping that by the end of 2016, we can achieve implementation rate of 60 to 70 per cent.
“The state government is empowering the private sector with N108 billion worth of contracts, representing 62 per cent of the N172 billion provision in the 2016 budget as capital expenditure.
“A lot is happening in the state in terms of projects execution. We have currently about 70 adverts for tender and each would create about 100 jobs.
“For example, in the department of rural development, there is an advert that would be closing on Thursday for the award of contracts for construction of 16 rural roads and over 100 boreholes in rural communities.
“The contracts would be awarded in the next two weeks.
‘’Similarly, we are about to award a contract for the construction of 255 primary health care hospitals across the state and we just closed a tender for 150 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) projects, “he said.
The commissioner disclosed that the government had began preparations for the 2017 budget which would be presented to the State Assembly at the end of September.
Abdullahi said that the target was for the legislature to pass the budget early, so that its implementation would commence from January 1.
He explained that it would be a multi-year budget, which would run from 2017 to 2019.
“’We have received budget proposals from Ministries Department and Agencies (MDAs) and we have held revenue defence about three weeks ago on the budget.
“What this means is, we already have a revenue budget for the proposed budget.
“All revenue generating agencies in the state have defended what they proposed as revenues.
“For example, we already have a figure of what we think we will make as internally generated revenue for 2017.
“What we are working on now is the federal components in terms of estimated allocation, and to see whether or not we will be taking debt for 2017.
“Once the two are completed we will have finished revenue budget.”
On the expenditure aspect, the commissioner said his ministry was analysing the budget proposals of most of the MDAs.
government would also consult with the private sector and other stakeholders, to get their inputs into the budget.
“We are inviting key businessmen all across the state to tell us what they will like to see in the budget; what items in the budget they think would improve their businesses.
“This is because government exists to ensure that the state works and provide jobs, and we can only provide jobs when the privates sector is gainfully engaged.
“For the people of the state, we are holding a budget town hall meeting, specifically to consult with the people particularly in rural areas on what priorities they will like to see captured in the budget.
“When all that is done, we are hoping that when we summit the budget in September, by January 1, we will have the new budget in operation, “he said.
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