Business
Bago Decries Cattle Rustlers Infiltration Of Niger
Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, has decried the infiltration of cattle rustlers into the state who rustle cattle to other states.
The Governor stated this during a stakeholders’ consultative meeting on the implementation of the State Trade Animal Movement Security and Veterinary Inspection Permit held in Minna.
He observed that negotiations with bandits in some states have given rise to cattle rustling, stressing that it is unacceptable and that he will seek the intervention of the President and the National Security Adviser on the issue.
Speaking on the issue of people bringing in slaughtered meat from the bush to sell, the Governor said necessary measures will be put in place through relevant authorities to ensure only meat slaughtered in recognised abattoirs is sold in the markets, and that livestock coming into the state must be vaccinated.
He also directed that no farmer should farm on the right-of-way beside the highway, and warned herders not to allow their animals to graze on people’s farms, pointing out that anyone found wanting will be dealt with.
Bago said the Animal Disease Control Act of 2022, Sections 18 and 19, has empowered the state, through the Department of Animal Health and Veterinary Services, to issue permits for the transportation of animals, poultry, and animal products, saying it is a practical tool to safeguard public health, improve market systems, and protect livelihoods.
He said the introduction of the Trade Animal Movement Security and Veterinary Inspection Permit systems is not to frustrate livestock operators but to secure the trade corridors, track animal health status, and strengthen veterinary compliance across markets, farms, and borders.
He disclosed that the state has 120,000 hectares of land for grazing reserves across the state, and it is working with the federal ministries of livestock and agriculture, as well as development partners, to bring in seeds for grasses to plant pastures for livestock to graze within the reserves, and that basic amenities would be provided.
Commissioner for Nomadic and Pastoral Affairs, Umar Sanda Rabe, described the consultative meeting as developmental and said it will ensure the well-being of animals, secure them, and provide room for improvement in the livestock industry. He also lamented the lack of examination of animals for possible diseases before slaughter, saying the checking of animals before they are slaughtered will curb the spread of diseases.
The President, National Association of Cattle Dealers, Processors, and Marketers of Nigeria, Alhaji Ilyasu Bulama, commended the tremendous efforts of the state governor in developing the livestock industry but stressed that the growing menace of cattle rustling has been largely affecting the cattle business.
He said the association had met with several traditional institutions and security agencies in that regard and expressed confidence that the implementation of the state trade animal movement permit by the state government would tackle the challenges.
Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Niger State Chapter, Umar Abubakar Lapai, said the idea of implementing the veterinary inspection permit will go a long way in ensuring healthy meat consumption, while the establishment of cattle ranches will help in addressing farmer-herder clashes.
In their separate remarks, representatives of the Butchers Association of Niger State, Shehu Sarkin Pawa, representatives of cattle breeders, Sadiq Abubakar, and Hussaini Bosso, who spoke on behalf of all Fulani heads across the state, expressed confidence in the efforts of the state governor in bringing an end to the farmer-herder crises.
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The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has asked companies in the oil and gas sector to undertake urgent review of salaries of their workers in view of the prevailing harsh economic conditions in the country.
Also, the pensioners of Chevron Nigeria, under the aegis PenCoN, have lauded the President of PENGASSAN, Comrade Festus Osifo and his executive on their unrelenting efforts toward addressing pension abnormalities faced by retired workers in the oil and gas industry.
The association also appealed to the federal government to take necessary measures to check banditry and terrorist activities in parts of the country.
PENGASSAN President, Osifo who addressed journalists shortly after the National Executive Council meeting of the association in Abuja, at the weekend, said that though a lot of success has been recorded in negotiating salary reviews for its members, there are still organisations that have failed to lift their workers from the present harsh economic situation.
He said within this period, PENGASSAN has signed numerous Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) which has brought smiles to the faces of its teeming members.
“This is because we recognise that our job, literally, is how to protect the job of our members, and how to enhance their pay,” he said.
Osifo said that operators in the oil and gas sectors always go for the best qualified professionals to carry out their operations.
“So, the same way they recruit the best, we also challenge them to provide the best condition of service and provide the best remuneration.
“Yes, today, a lot of companies will have achieved successes, but there are still few that we are still discussing at their CBAs, that we are not yet there.
“We still use this opportunity to call on these companies that are still foot dragging, that are still holding back, even with the massive devaluation that has occurred in our country, that still don’t want to fix the remuneration of our members.
“We are calling on them to do the needful, because for us in PENGASSAN we will push without holding back. We will push, using everything in our arsenal, to ensure that the needful is done,” he said.
Osifo spoke of the dispute with the Dangote Refinery group, saying there are still pending issues to be resolved.
“Gentlemen of the press, during the networking session, we also looked at the issues that are plaguing some of our branches, and you know that recently, we had some challenges in Dangote Refinery and PetroChemicals Ltd.
“And within this period, since our last National Industrial Action, we have been engaging them in a lot of conversations, but the issues are not fully resolved. There are still a lot of pending issues.
“Yes, the NEC decided that, yes, let us still consummate that process by pushing those issues, by engaging in dialogue to resolve the issues, and by also engaging all our social partners and stakeholders to get the issues resolved,” he said.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has launched the Regulatory Hub, a new centralized digital platform designed to streamline collaboration, strengthen oversight, and improve transparency across Nigeria’s financial and capital market ecosystem.
The Commission disclosed this in a statement posted on its website.
According to the commission, the platform connects key regulatory and security institutions including the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), and Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), enabling them to exchange information securely and in real time.
The launch of this regulatory hub comes ahead of the implementation of new tax laws in January 2026, with agencies such as the FIRS spreading its tentacles across sector to monitor compliance.
According to the SEC Director-General, Emomotimi Agama, the launch marks a significant step toward modernizing Nigeria’s regulatory framework through technology.
“The Regulatory Hub is a major step in our commitment to leverage technology for stronger regulatory synergy. By connecting regulators on one platform, we are building resilience, enhancing market integrity, and promoting investor confidence,” he said.
The SEC said the platform would help reduce bottlenecks in regulatory processes and facilitate faster, more informed decision-making across agencies.
Reinforcing the DG’s comments, the Executive Commissioner, Operations, Bola Ajomale, highlighted the operational benefits of the new system.
“The platform will significantly improve the timeliness and quality of regulatory decision-making. It provides a single window for regulators to share data, respond to requests, and collaborate seamlessly in safeguarding our financial and capital markets,” he said.
The commission believes the Regulatory Hub would support its broader mandate to strengthen investor protection, enhance market stability, and harmonize regulatory activities across the financial sector.
It urged stakeholders to initiate interest by emailing the Commission, adding that once registered, participants would be able to access the Hub and take advantage of its features.
Business
NAFDAC Decries Circulation Of Prohibited Food Items In markets …….Orders Vendors’ Immediate Cessation Of Dealings With Products
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised an alarm over the growing circulation of banned food products across markets in the country.
The agency, in a Press Release dated 6 December 2025, warned that these items including pasta, noodles, sugar and tomato paste are expressly listed on the Federal Government’s Customs Prohibition List and are illegal to import.
NAFDAC stated that the sale and distribution of such prohibited items violate national trade laws, compromise the integrity of Nigeria’s food control system, and pose significant public health risks, as they have not undergone the agency’s mandatory safety and quality evaluations.
Importers, market traders, and supermarket operators have therefore, been directed to immediately cease all dealings in these items and to notify their supply chain partners to halt transactions involving prohibited products.
The agency emphasized that failure to comply will attract strict enforcement measures, including seizure and destruction of goods, suspension or revocation of operational licences, and prosecution under relevant laws.
The statement said “The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised an alarm over the growing incidence of smuggling, sale, and distribution of regulated food products such as pasta, noodles, sugar, and tomato paste currently found in markets across the country.
“These products are expressly listed on the Federal Government’s Customs Prohibition List and are not permitted for importation”.
NAFDAC also called on other government bodies, including the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service(NIS) Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigeria Shippers Council, and the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), to collaborate in enforcing the ban on these unsafe products.
By: Lady Godknows Ogbulu
