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Ashaka Cement Posts N20.7bn Turnover

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13 years ago

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The Ashaka Cement Plc in Gombe State, has  announced a gross turnover of N20.7 billion in its 2011 fiscal year, up from N19.1 billion in 2010.

The Chairman, Board of Directors, Alhaji Umaru Kwairanga, announced this at the 37thAnnual General Meeting (AGM) of the company in Gombe.

Kwairanga told shareholders that in spite of the persistent challenges in the economy and the attendant eroding effects of purchasing powers, which made 2011 so difficult, the company still improved.

The chairman also announced the approval of a 40 kobo dividend of 40 kobo per share, adding that it was as a result of the improvement in profit after taxation.

Also speaking at the occasion, the Managing Director, Mr Neeraj Akhoury, said that the company’s improved performance was due to the management’s focus on capacity utilisation of the plant.

“Gradually, we are beginning to record improvement in reliability on key areas of the plant with positive impact on cement production,’’ he said.

According to him, the support and encouragement received from the board, the dedication, hard work and diligence of staff and cooperation of stake holders are responsible for the positive result.

Akhoury assured that the company would remain committed to capacity building of its staff, adding that 25 graduate trainee engineers were recruited to take high responsibilities in future.

Speaking on behalf of the state government, the state Commissioner Trade and Investment, Alhaji Hamza Wurobokki, reiterated government continued support for the success of the company.

He challenged the company to upgrade the primary school in Ashaka community to a secondary school, just as the company was expanding its plant.

The Chairman, Independent Shareholders Association, Dr Faruk Umar,  observed that the company should review its strategies in order to improve its profit profile.

“For the company to compete favourably with other cement companies in the country, Ashaka Cement must look for an alternative source of power,’’ he advised.

He also advised the Federal Government to completely ban the importation of cement because the companies in Nigeria were capable of producing enough.

Reports said that the AGM is the first to be held in Gombe by the company.

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Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

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9 hours ago

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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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9 hours ago

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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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9 hours ago

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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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