Business
Oyo Attracted $65m Investment In Four Years – Ajimobi

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has said that his administration attracted investment worth $65 million to the state within four years.
He made the disclosure while unveiling the Transformation Industrial Park Project on the Ibadan-Lagos Expressway.
The Tide source reports that the governor unveiled the industrial park and flagged off the Phase 1 of the Polaris Pacesetter Free Trade Zone as part of activities marking his administration’s sixth year anniversary.
The Tide gathered that the industrial park has 162 plots of land, with the Free Trade Zone located on 4,000 hectares of land.
“From the National Bureau of Statistics figures on Foreign Direct Investment inflow into Nigeria over the period between 2011 and 2015, Oyo State attracted a total of $64.8 million investment.
“This places the state second only to Lagos State in the South West,’’ the governor said.
Ajimobi said his administration also attracted 34 new companies, while two others, Leyland Busan Motors Limited and Dizengoff, were resuscitated by their owners.
According to him, the companies have yielded a turnover of N32 billion and have created over 3,000 jobs.
The governor also said the industrial park had been divided into 162 plots of various sizes to accommodate medium and small scale industries.
“We assure investors that the paper processing for their plots would not exceed 30 days.
“ Let me state here that the first 20 allottees would enjoy 70 percent discount,’’ he said.
He assured the former land owners of the benefit from the investment through profit sharing.
Ajimobi said that the state was uniquely blessed with land mass and resourceful people, noting that 75 percent of the state’s land mass was arable.
“Our state is blessed with arable land and mineral resources. With all the blessings, the state was trapped in violence, decadence and culture of impunity.
“It was also tagged the dirtiest in the country until we came on board.
“Let me tell you that in the last six years, we have been able to make the state clean, safe and healthy for residents and investors,’’ he said.
Mrs Folake Akinleye, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Investment, Promotion and Public Partnership, said the park was established to elevate the state from its civil service status to an industrialised one.
This, he said, was in line with the restoration, transformation and repositioning agenda of the Ajimobi administration.
“With the unveiling of this park today, the state is set for better opportunities for investment, investors and industrialists from all over the world,’’ he said.
Chief Kola Akosile, the Chairman of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Oyo/Osun/Ondo/Ekiti branch, commended the governor for his doggedness and commitment to the tenets of Public-Private Partnership.
Akosile, who was represented by his deputy, Vikroam Gursahanei, said industrialisation was critical in driving development.
“Industrialisation provides the brightest hope for sustained growth, employment generation, improved savings and poverty alleviation,’’ he said.
Mr Olaitan Alabi, the Chairman of Oyo State Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, said that the efforts of the state government deserved commendation.
Business
Redeployed Customs Officers Assume Office At New Posts
Redeployed Zonal coordinators and controllers affected by the recent swapping exercise in the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) have since taken over their new posts.
Assistant Comptroller General and Comptrollers affected by the change of batons have gone into action in the respective Zones and Area Commands respectively.
As at Press time, ACG Bello Jibo, the new Coordinator, Zone A, has begun to hold forth at the Harvey Road Zonal Headquarters in Yaba, Lagos.
Comptroller Dera Nnadi, Jaiyeoba, and Shuaibu have resumed their duties as Customs Area Controllers of Tincan Island Port, Apapa and Idiroko Commands respectively.
Comptroller Timi Bomodi has also begun overseeing customs activities at Seme-Krake Border Command.
In an exclusive chat with The Tide, Chairman, Seme Chapter of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Clearing Agent (ANLCA), Chief Oyekachukwu Ojinma (aka Sule) described the outgoing Controller of the Command, Comptroller Dera Nnadi, as a very hard-working and dedicated man, while welcoming the new Customs Area Controller to the border post.
The ANLCA Chairman expressed his wish for a successful tenure of office for Compt. Timi Bomodi.
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
Business
‘Electricity Act Will Transform Power Sector’
Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has stated that the recently signed Nigerian Electricity Act, 2023, will play a fundamental role in transforming the power sector.
According to him, it will unlock the potential of the energy mix and promote the integration of renewable energy technologies into the grid system.
Speaking at the ongoing Nigeria Energy Conference and exhibition in Lagos, Adelabu said the Act aims to create an environment that supports sustainable growth and investment in the power industry by focusing on accelerated private investment and the promotion of renewable energy sources.
“As a game-changer that reformed the NESI, the Electricity Act will, undoubtedly, engender increased access to electricity and regulatory oversight, clean energy transition, improved service delivery, and infrastructural developments.
“In particular, the act will stimulate economic growth by creating a conducive environment for investment and competition. It will generate job opportunities, encourage entrepreneurship, and attract foreign direct investments”, he said.
The Minister called on operators in the power sector to intensify their efforts towards improving communication with the general public, emphasising that the Nigerian masses have a lot of roles to play in safeguarding power infrastructure.
He said issues such as vandalism, passing of meters, and damage to TCN and DisCo infrastructure must be addressed holistically to make significant gains in the power sector.
Adelabu emphasised that the power sector is a cornerstone for economic growth in the country and that the gains made over the years in the power sector can only be consolidated by unlocking equity investments and funds for power development.
He said: “Of course, a lot of investment is required in the power sector. In three weeks, I’ve seen humongous investments that have come into this sector.
“But what are the steps that are required for those investment opportunities to reap the benefit of those investments, additional investments in the form of equity and capex need to come into this industry.
“The power sector is not an industry for short-term players to invest in less than two to three years and expect to make maximum benefits.
“The industry requires medium to long-term investments. Investors must understand that the moment we can break even, we will start making profits in the power sector.
Adelabu also urged operators in the NESI value chain to improve their service delivery, adding that Nigeria’s energy expansion plan of 60,000 Megawatts by 2060 is an achievable target.
He, therefore, called on gas companies, GenCos, TCN, and DIScO to showcase their success stories in generating and transmitting power to the last mile that pays for all the segments of operators in the value chain.
Business
‘Nigeria Loses $1.5bn Annually To Malnutrition’
Minister for Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, has said Nigeria loses $1.5 billion of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually due to micronutrient deficiencies.
Bagudu therefore called for coordinated efforts to ensure a swift response with expected positive outcomes.
A statement released by the Ministry said the Minister disclosed this, last Tuesday, while speaking at the 53rd Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria in Abuja.
In the statement, Bagudu noted that the government was determined to tackle malnutrition through the inclusion of nutrition in the National Development Plan, and the Nigeria Agenda 2050.
“It is also a commitment to achieving optimal nutrition status for all Nigerians with particular attention to the vulnerable group as highlighted in the National Multisectoral Plan of Action for Food and Nutrition”, he said.
Bagudu, who urged experts in nutrition in the country to research and develop innovations that will boost nutrition, explained that doing this “would contribute towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ensuring Universal Health Coverage, and bringing about significant positive changes in the nutrition sector in Nigeria”.
He told members of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria “to prioritise innovation and research in the field of nutrition towards the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals, Universal Health Coverage and transformation of the landscape of nutrition in Nigeria.
“Nigeria currently requires nutrition professionals who have extensive knowledge, good communication skills to address nutrition education, emotional intelligence as well and a good understanding of self-motivation and drive to address nutrition dynamics”.
The Minister urged the NSN to embrace technology, leverage digital solutions, and invest in research and development to find sustainable and scalable solutions to Nigeria’s nutrition challenges.
He assured members of the NSN that his ministry would strengthen coordination and provide the required leadership for the nutrition sector.
The Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, in his goodwill message, said the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) had identified areas of key commitments for the realisation of a healthier citizen and country, including increasing budgetary spending on nutrition and strengthening the nutrition profile.
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