Business

Borno Tops Road Crash Death Index – FRSC

Published

9 years ago

April 21, 2017

Borno State topped 2016 road traffic road accident death index with 15 deaths in every 10 cases, according to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
This, the agency said in its 2016 Annual Road Traffic Crash Report, was 300 per cent above the national average of five deaths in every 10 crashes recorded within the period.
Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, attributed the increase in the number and severity of crashes in Borno in 2016 to increase in motorisation in the state.
“This indicates an improvement in economic activities within the state that was hitherto destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents,’’ he said in a cover letter accompanying the report.
The report showed that the 2016 national average represents a 16.7 per cent reduction in the six deaths per 10 crashes recorded nationwide in 2015.
According to the report, Borno is followed by Yobe with 11 deaths per 10 crashes, while Delta and Oyo ranked third with 10 deaths each.
Gombe and Ondo recorded nine each; Kogi and Jigawa witnessed eight, and the FCT and Bayelsa recorded the least severity index with two deaths per 10 crashes.
Meanwhile, 9,694 road traffic accidents involving 15, 682 vehicles were recorded in 2016, resulting in the death of 5,053 persons, while 30,105 others sustained various degrees of injuries in the period under review.
This represents a decrease in number of crashes by 0.4 per cent and fatalities by 7 per cent compared to the 9,734 crashes and 5,440 deaths recorded in 2015.
Oyeyemi attributed the decrease to “concerted efforts by the FRSC and massive logistics support from the Federal Government’’.
He noted that the highest fatality rate was recorded between December and March, indicating the “routine impact of festive periods on road safety and traffic density in the country’’.
Analysis of the 2016 casualty figures on gender basis showed that 79 per cent or 3,970 of the dead were men, while 1,083 representing 21 per cent were women.
Furthermore, 22,705 males constituting 75 per cent were injured, while 7,400 persons sustained varying degrees of injuries in the female category, which accounted for 25 per cent.
According to the report, 357 children representing 7 per cent were killed in the various road traffic accidents recorded in the year under review.
It said 56.6 per cent of all the vehicles involved in road crashes within the period were commercial, 41.6 per cent private and 1.7 per cent government vehicles.
Diplomatic vehicles accounted for 0.1 per cent, cars 34 per cent and motorcycles 20 per cent, the report said.
The report said most of the accidents occurred as a result of speed limit violation.
It said that speed limit violation accounted for 34 per cent of the crashes, while loss of control and dangerous driving accounted for 15 and 9 per cent.
On state-by-state basis, the FCT recorded the highest accidents with 1,373 cases involving 6,965 persons resulting in 253 deaths and injuries to 2,700 persons.
“Kaduna State was next with 715 reported cases involving 5,392 persons out of which 505 died and 2,849 others sustained varying degrees of injury.

Business

Agency Gives Insight Into Its Inspection, Monitoring Operations

Published

3 days 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

3 days 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

6 days 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