Business
Diri Pushes For Africa’s Sub-nationals’ Partnership On Economy … As Bayelsa, Angolan Province Synergizes On Fisheries, Agric
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has advocated for economic cooperation between states in Africa.
He said such cooperation would promote African unity, boost the economies of the sub-nationals, and reduce the economic dependence on the Western world.
The Bayelsa helmsman stated this at the weekend during a meeting with the Governor of the Province of Namibe in Angola, Mr. Archer Mangueira.
He noted that Bayelsa and Namibe shared similarities as coastal states bordering the Atlantic Ocean, and that both could benefit from areas that they had comparative advantage.
A statement made available to newsmen by the Chief Press Secretary to the Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, said Namibe has developed its marine economy to become the fishery hub of Angola and the southern African sub-region.
The statement also noted that the discussions between both leaders were centred around exploring the opportunities of collaboration in the marine sector, amongst others.
“We’ve discovered that relationship between governments has not been very cordial across the continent of Africa. We rather prefer to value our relationship with Europe and Asia.
“Among presidents and governors, we have not related so well and I think that this kind of visit will address such relationship within us in Africa, particularly between states and countries.
“Bayelsa has a whole lot of similarities with Namibe. Like your province, Bayelsa borders the Atlantic Ocean except that Namibe has low lands with a dual advantage of the Atlantic Ocean and the desert”, Diri said.
He continued that “Bayelsa is at the heart of the Niger Delta, which is the oil-producing region of Nigeria, and like Namibe, it is also in the southern flank of our country. The state is very rich in oil and gas, and, in fact, it is richer in gas than oil.
“Like Namibe, we are also interested in fisheries because of our aquatic location and having the longest coastline in Nigeria, which has remained largely untapped and undeveloped.
“So, as we speak, our government is constructing roads to hit the Atlantic Ocean on three fronts in order for us to actually explore the ocean as you have done in Namibe.
“From what we have seen, we can collaborate in fisheries, which is one area you can explore beyond Bayelsa.
“I have also seen that there is a developed and functional seaport here. We are trying to develop a deep seaport at a place called Agge, and we are looking out for investors that have the potential and resources to actualise this. So we are interested in collaborating with you on that.
“Also in agriculture, our land is very fertile for the cultivation of rice, plantain, cassava, bananas, potatoes and vegetables.
“We recently established a relationship with the South Korean Government, which has donated equipment to our state for mechanised farming.
“I believe that there many areas we can collaborate. Where you have comparative advantage, you produce, and where we have comparative advantage, we also produce.
“From our meeting, I’m aware that Namibe is also a potentially oil producing state. So, areas of collaboration include fisheries, agriculture, culture, tourism and potentially oil and gas.
“This meeting should be an eye opener for African countries and states. There is need to have this kind of bilateral relationship between states in Africa”.
Diri thanked his host, Mangueira, and his Vice-Governors, Ema Samali Henriques da Silva and Abel do Rosário Kapitango, for the warm reception accorded him and his delegation, saying it epitomised the true spirit of African brotherhood.
In his remarks, Governor of the Namibe Province, Mangueira, said he was excited about the visit and the prospects for collaboration and investments.
Describing Namibe as the Land of Happiness, Mangueira noted that there was a lot to learn and benefit from a huge country like Nigeria.
He said although the province grapples with erosion challenges, it was focusing on its tourism sector for economic development of the region.
“We also have a very rich ecological biodiversity and a desert that is considered the oldest in the world. We have had potential in the fishery industry since the colonial era.
“Unfortunately, we do not have the level of funding that we had previously. Nevertheless, it remains one of the most important sectors for our socio-economic development.
“The oil industry also holds a lot of potential and we look forward to your expertise and support. We equally have the mining sector apart from oil. At the moment, we are exploring the mining sector for marble and granite production.
“This year, we are looking at completing the modernisation of our seaport to make it possible for export of our minerals.
“We look forward to the expertise of Nigeria and learn how it developed its mining sector. We are privileged to be in an area that is abundant in many minerals. So, there is a lot of potential to invest.
“We would like to learn from Nigeria’s experience regarding the use of pesticides and the treatment of agricultural products. We are open to partnerships with Nigeria to develop our agricultural sector in Angola, cultivating crops like watermelons, bananas, and mangoes.
“We believe that cooperation between our countries is key to advancing towards development. Mutual cooperation can be an effective way to overcome underdevelopment.
“It is important to emphasise that, in forming partnerships, we should also seek investments in the financial sector. There are already movements in this direction in Angola, with the presence of banks and ongoing negotiations. South-South cooperation should be prioritised as should agricultural development initiatives.
“I firmly believe that the future of African development is intrinsically linked to the strengthening of the agricultural sector in our countries.
“Thus, I accept the governor’s invitation for us to work together to build an agenda that is not limited to meetings but results in concrete actions that benefit our regions and strengthen our relations”, the Namibe Governor said.
On the visit with governor Diri were a member of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Ebizi Brown, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Nimibofa Ayawei, and the Deputy Chief of Staff, Government House, Mr. Iroro Komonibo.
Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
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The Federal Government has approved a whooping $1bn credit facility to support Nigerian exporters and small scale businesses to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in order to boost production, competitiveness and intra-African trade.
The $1bn AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Credit Facility is also expected to address some of the financing gap being faced by Nigerian exporters and enhance the competitiveness of African businesses within the continental market.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, disclosed this during the second quarter 2026 meeting of the AfCFTA Central Coordination Committee held in Abuja.
According to a statement issued by the ministry’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Obilor-Duru Okechi, Oduwole said the financing facility represented a major opportunity for Nigerian businesses seeking to expand operations, modernise production processes and increase exports to African markets.
The statement partly read, “?The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating Nigeria’s export-led growth agenda under the African Continental Free Trade Area, unveiling opportunities for businesses to access a US$1 billion AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Credit Facility aimed at boosting production, competitiveness, and intra-African trade.”
She noted that despite the progress Nigeria had made in implementing the continental trade agreement, many local businesses continued to face obstacles that limited their ability to take advantage of the single African market.
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“Many businesses still face challenges relating to export documentation, certification, standards compliance and market access,” the minister said.
She explained that the Federal Government was addressing these bottlenecks through enhanced trade facilitation measures, simplified AfCFTA guidance tools, stakeholder engagement programmes and stronger collaboration with institutions such as the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council.
Oduwole stressed the need to strengthen Nigeria’s legal and regulatory framework by domesticating key AfCFTA protocols, particularly the Digital Trade Protocol, to position the country as a major player in Africa’s growing digital economy.
The minister also highlighted some of the gains recorded in Nigeria’s AfCFTA implementation efforts.
According to her, the expansion of Nigeria’s Air Cargo Corridor Initiative to Rwanda, increased collaboration with development partners and private sector players, as well as sustained engagement with state governments, were helping to deepen awareness and participation in the continental market.
In her welcome address and first-quarter update, the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, Mrs Patience Okala, provided details of the financing initiative.
Okala said the $1bn AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Credit Facility was targeted at large African businesses with a minimum financing capacity of $10m.
She revealed that the National AfCFTA Coordination Office was working closely with fund managers to facilitate access for eligible Nigerian companies and had begun assembling a pilot group of businesses to ensure that Nigeria maximised the opportunities provided by the facility.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has advised Nigerians against boarding boats that require constant bailing of water in the interest of their safety.
NIWA Area Manager for Cross River and Ebonyi, Mr Stanley Onuoha gave this warning in an interview with Newsmen in Calabar.
Onuoha who spoke on waterway
safety, said that passengers should take responsibility for their safety by inspecting boats before embarking on any journey.
According to him, repeated scooping of water from a boat is a clear indication that the vessel may be leaking.
“If you are entering a boat and see people using a bailer to remove water, it is the first signal that the boat is leaking,” he said.
He urged passengers to check the integrity of boats, including seating arrangements and other visible safety features.
The Manager restated the importance of using safety jackets, saying that damaged jackets may fail during emergencies.
He further said that passengers should ensure that safety jackets were appropriate for their body sizes in order to guarantee effective flotation.
Onuoha reiterated the need for passengers to fill manifests before departure to aid accountability during emergencies.
The NIWA official further advised travellers to monitor weather conditions and avoid boarding boats when the weather is unfavourable.
According to him, poor weather conditions can trigger strong tidal waves capable of affecting small boats commonly used on inland waterways.
He said that waterway journeys should be embarked upon between 6.00a.m and 6.00p.m for clearer visibility.
Onuoha said the Authority had continued to sensitise riverine communities to the need for safety precautions during waterway journeys.
He stated that sustained awareness campaigns and enforcement measures had contributed to safety waterway safety in Cross River.
CHINEDU WOSU
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