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Survey Reveals Decline In Manufacturers’ Confidence In Economy 

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The confidence of Nigerian manufacturers in the nation’s economy has continued to decline amidst persistent harsh operating environment.
A survey carried out by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) on CEOs of manufacturing companies has revealed that high cost of production has negatively impacted the producers.
The group conducted a survey on MAN CEOs Confidence Index (MCCI) quarterly to measure changes in pulse of manufacturing activities in relation to the macro-economic situations and government policies.
MCCI is the weighted average of the  observed and expected changes in business conditions, employment and production level in the economy based on the perceptions of manufacturers in the quarter under review.
The result of the MCCI first quarter 2023 (Q1’23) survey shows that the aggregate index score of MCCI declined to 54.1 points in Q1’23 which is 0.9 points less than 55.0 points recorded in the fourth quarter of 2022 (Q4’22).
The survey further showed that Production and Distribution costs escalated by 24% in Q1’23, much higher than the 19% increase witnessed in the preceding quarter; Capacity utilization nose-dived further by 5%, similar to the contraction witnessed in the preceding quarter; and Volume of production contracted by 13% against the 1% growth recorded in the previous quarter.
Commenting on the report, Director General, MAN, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, called on the new administration of President Bola Tinubu to prioritise tackling the challenges confronting the manufacturing sector
In his words, “A critical evaluation of the analysis provides an inference that the performance in the first quarter of 2023 was much lower than what was obtained in the last quarter of 2022. Major performance indicators of the manufacturing sector all recorded unfavorable changes.
“Amidst the harsh business-operating environment evidenced by poor macro-economic indices, the underperformance was largely driven by the nationwide cash crunch in the first quarter of the year.
“The economic turmoil significantly crushed consumer patronage and disrupted the manufacturing value chain in most periods of the quarter”.
He further stated that “Although the quarter recorded marginal contraction, the performance indicates that manufacturers maintained their confidence in the economy since the index remains above the 50-point benchmark.

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Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

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September 22, 2025

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Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.

Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.

The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.

Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.

“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.

“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”

Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.

In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.

Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.

Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.

 

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NIS Ends Decentralised Passport Production After 62 Years

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September 22, 2025

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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the disclosure during an inspection of the Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja, last Thursday.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
According to him, the centralised production system aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for improved service delivery.
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FG To Roll Out Digital Public Infrastructure, Data Exchange, Next Year 

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September 22, 2025

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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced plans to roll out Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and the Nigerian Data Exchange (NGDX) platforms across key sectors of the economy, starting in early 2026.
Director of E-Government and Digital Economy at NITDA, Dr. Salisu Kaka, made the disclosure in Abuja during a stakeholder review session of the DPI and NGDX drafts at the Digital Public Infrastructure Live Event.
The forum, themed “Advancing Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure through Standards, Data Exchange and e-Government Transformation,” brought together regulators, state governments, and private sector stakeholders to harmonise inputs for building inclusive, secure, and interoperable systems for governance and service delivery.
According to Kaka, Nigeria already has several foundational elements in place, including national identity systems and digital payment platforms.
What remains is the establishment of the data exchange framework, which he said would be finalised by the end of 2025.
“Before the end of this year and by next year we will be fully ready with the foundational element, and we start dropping the use cases across sectors,” Kaka explained.
He stressed that the federal government recognises the autonomy of states urging them to align with national standards.
“If the states can model and reflect what happens at the national level, then we can have a 360-degree view of the whole data exchange across the country and drive all-of-government processes,” he added.
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