By Usman Aliyu, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

In the bustling and diverse landscapes of West Africa, where cultures intertwine and economies thrive, a shared struggle unites its peoples; the ordeal of cross-border digital payments.

According to the ECOWAS, the total trade of the region has averaged 208.1 billion dollars with exports and imports projected at 137.3 billion and 80.4 billion dollars respectively.

For years, individuals and businesses across the region faced formidable challenges in conducting seamless transactions, grappling with exorbitant fees, prolonged processing times, and the overall inefficiency of traditional payment systems.

This predicament hindered economic growth and left many business people in a state of financial uncertainty.

Amidst these struggles, the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) an initiative spearheaded by the African Union emerged as a tool for ameliorating burden and easing cross border business activities.

Inaugurated on Sept. 28, 2021 by the Afreximbank in conjunction with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the system is available to be used by businesses on the continent

The PAPSS, experts observe, would alleviate the burdens placed on West Africans by the limitations of existing payment infrastructure.

In Accra, Ghana, Mr. Charles Ifeanyi found himself desperately racing to Kotoka International Airport in the early hours of one Tuesday. An urgent need for a business trip to Lagos left him with no time to book his flight in advance.

With bated breath, he arrived at the airport, hoping for a miracle. Luckily, there were still available seats on Africa World Airlines (AWA). Unfortunately, Ifeanyi only had a Naira MasterCard, while the Ghanaian airline accepted payment in Cedis.

Frantically searching for a solution, Ifeanyi’s heart sank as he watched the flight depart without him. The event he was rushing to in Nigeria slipped through his fingers.

“In the process of trying to find a way out, I missed the flight as well as the event I was going for in Nigeria,” says Ifeanyi while narrating his ordeal to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Ifeanyi’s story is not unique. Dr Ken Ashigbey found himself facing a similar challenge during his recent stay in Abuja.

Upon checking out of his hotel and returning to Accra, he received an unexpected call from a concerned receptionist. It seemed he had underpaid for his stay, and money needed to be sent to Nigeria urgently.

Realising the obstacle before him, Ashigbey had to reach out to a Nigerian friend for assistance.

Ashigbey’s case reflects the experience shared by many in Africa – the urgent need for an integrated digital payment system that can propel economic growth across the continent.

“To send money to Nigeria became a problem. When I sensed the receptionist was in trouble, I had to call a Nigerian friend, who helped me to pay the money.

“That is the situation in Africa. There’s a need for an integrated digital payment system for Africa if we are to improve on our economic growth,” Dr Ashigbey says.

It is evident that across West Africa. Both businesses and individuals face immense cross-border payment challenges. This is a major roadblock which hinders regional economic growth and collaboration.

Experts and economists point to a myriad of issues plaguing the existing system, ranging from high transaction costs and lengthy processing times to the lack of interoperability among different national payment platforms.

The intricacies of navigating multiple currencies further complicate matters thereby stifling the potential for seamless trade and financial inclusion.

Mr Edward Karanja is a business analyst; he says PAPSS would play a critical role since it integrates local banks across Africa to enable transactional settlements.

“For starters, intra-Africa trade is the biggest goal for the African free trade agreement whose aim is to reduce the tariffs and non-tariffs trade barriers.

The settlement of payments is a key infrastructure to enable this growth,” says Karanja.

The analyst said that the new payment and settlement system aims to simplify and expedite cross-border transactions.

This, he said, would in return increase the volume of trade across Africa, thus growing the African economies.

By providing a centralised and efficient payment and settlement system, PASS, according to him, will reduce transaction costs associated with cross-border payments, especially the dollar conversion rates.

He says de-dollarisation of Africa of some sorts will build a reliance on Africa’s currency as opposed to foreign currencies, hence improving currency stability by lowering the risks associated with foreign currencies fluctuations.

Ade Adefeko, an economist, further shades light into the payment obstacles experienced by African business people.

Adefeko is the chairman, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA) Export Trade Group.

He said before the PAPSS, a buyer in Nigeria who intended to buy goods from a seller in Botswana would be required to pay the seller in a third currency from outside the continent.

The currency either US dollar, the Euros or the British Pounds, he said, is paid with extra charges to have the agreed sum processed and sent to the seller in Botswana.

Notwithstanding this payment, the buyer, according to him, will still have to wait several days for transactions to clear.

“Aside from time constraints, the process of currency conversation adds to the cost of doing business and in reality, the money has to leave Africa before being sent back to Botswana.

“This has been the situation until the introduction of the PAPSS. It has been conceptualised as a tool to address this by significantly reducing the constraints being experienced in African regional trade payments.

“With the operationalisation of PAPSS, the same business would only pay in Nigerian Naira while the seller will receive Botswana Pula. The PAPSS serves as the clearing, processing and settlement agent in the transaction“, he said.

He said this means that only the deficit between the two countries would be settled using the US dollar, Euros or the British Pounds.

“Whether for shopping, transferring money, paying salaries, dealing in stocks and shares or making high-value business transactions, the PAPSS real-time infrastructure provides a reliable, cost-effective answer for instant payments.

“It enables the efficient flow of money securely across African borders, thereby minimising risk and contributing to financial integration across the regions,” says Adefeko.

To facilitate instant payments across African borders in local currency, experts say, PAPSS supports three core processes. One of these is instant digital payment.

Adefeko said that participants would no longer need to convert local currencies into hard currencies as compliance, legal and sanctions checks are performed instantly within the system within 120 seconds.

Pre-funding, he told NAN, is the second process, where PAPSS guaranteed availability of funds to complete the originator’s transaction before effecting the movement of debits and credits between participants’ accounts

He said, net settlement; whereby PAPSS determines net position in local currency for all participating central banks daily, is the third process that the innovative digital payment system also supports.

The project has been piloted successfully and lives in the six countries that make up the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ), which are Nigeria, the Gambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana and Guinea.

To understand the broader implications of PAPSS, financial experts and economists who have closely monitored the region’s economic landscape react.

Edward, an economist with expertise in digital financial inclusion, underscored the significance of PAPSS in fostering economic collaboration.

“PAPSS is a testament to the potential for technology to break down barriers. By providing a common platform for payments, it encourages intra-African trade and bolsters economic integration,” Karanja said.

Similarly, Dr Aisha Ibrahim, a researcher specialising in financial technology, said PAPSS could facilitate financial inclusion.

She said the system was designed to be accessible to everyone, from small businesses to individuals.

The inclusion, she said, is crucial for bridging the financial gap and empowering communities.

Beyond the individual stories of transformation, she adds, PAPSS would instil a sense of unity in the diverse tapestry of West Africa.

According to hi, countries that were once isolated by financial borders will now find common ground in a shared payment infrastructure.

“It is not just about transactions; it’s about building bridges between nations. PAPSS is fostering a sense of unity among West African countries, encouraging collaboration in ways that were previously hindered by financial barriers,” Ibrahim said.

While PAPSS has undoubtedly made strides in addressing cross-border payment challenges, experts acknowledge that there are still hurdles to overcome.

Such hurdles include regulatory issues, cyber security concerns, and adapting to rapidly evolving technologies.

“The success of PAPSS relies on continuous collaboration and adaptability. Regulatory frameworks need to evolve to support this pan-African initiative, and stakeholders must remain vigilant against emerging threats in the digital landscape,” Karanja cautions. (NANFeature).

**If used please credit the writer and News Agency of Nigeria.

This report is produced under the DPI Africa Journalism Fellowship Programme of the Media Foundation for West Africa and Co-Develop.

A news analysis by Kayode Adebiyi, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Public financial management implies the elements of budget cycles built around auditing, accounting and reporting, budget formulation, execution and performance.

Its main focus is economic and governance reform programmes for developing economies emphasising transparency, accountability, fiscal discipline, predictability with the purpose of strengthening public finances.

Experts say that for a continent grappling with poor infrastructure and low budget performance corruption, Africa needs increasing number of experts in public finance management.

To advance this course, African Development Institute (ADI) of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group recently graduated the first cohort of trainees of its Public Finance Management Academy for Africa (PFMA).

The ADI is the AfDB’s focal point for capacity development support to member countries and it contributes to efforts to build sustainable capacity for institutional development effectiveness in the institution’s regional member countries.

The PFMA is an AfDB initiative aimed at providing comprehensive and structured capacity development in Public Financial Management to African countries.

The final phase of the executive training course on “Enhancing Accountability, Transparency, and Curbing Corruption and Illicit Financial Flows in Africa” took place from Dec. 11 to Dec. 13, 2023, which culminated in the graduation ceremony.

The programme brought together 145 public officials from 45 African countries and commenced in July 2022. 52 participants from 26 countries completed the programme and earned certification as Public Finance Management (PFM) experts in their respective nations.

According to the Public Finance Management Academy of the AfDB, it ran the course in collaboration with experts from the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and other related institutions.

The AfDB said in response to the challenges of Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs) money laundering, and terrorist financing, it developed several policy and strategic instruments.

These include its Policy on the Prevention of IFFs (2017) and the Action Plan for the Prevention of IFFS in Africa (2017-2021).

These policy and strategic instruments prioritise capacity building for African countries and regional economic communities (RECs) to effectively combat IFFs. Hence the establishment of the PFMA.

“Lack of accountability and transparency, corruption, and illicit financial flows (IFFs) create a vicious cycle of fiscal sinking holes in Africa’s public resources.

“As governments lose revenue to IFFs and corruption, they are forced to borrow, and the borrowed funds are in turn stolen because there are no measures to stop the outflow of public resources,” the bank said.

It believes that these challenges are primarily the result of fundamental public governance and structural weaknesses in African economies.

It also pointed out that part of the problems is a weak programme and project implementation capacity due to a critical skills gap and inadequate tools, as well as weak international cooperation efforts to curb corruption and IFFs.

The AfDB has also developed the Strategy for Economic Governance in Africa (SEGA), which highlights the importance of supporting countries in combating IFFs and money laundering.

The bank’s Chief Economist and Vice-President, Economic Governance and Knowledge, Kevin Urama, told the PFMA cohorts of trainees that the bank was committed to boosting fiscal discipline on the continent.

He said the strategic importance of PFM lies in enhancing economic governance and knowledge management to promote wealth creation and prudent management of public finances.

“Africa, despite its natural resource richness, often faces financial challenges due to mismanagement.

“Currently, African countries lose almost $90 billion in illicit financial flows annually, and much more in illicit resource flows and resource theft, poorly implemented fiscal policy incentives, and excessive dependence on commodity exports for foreign exchange earnings.

“This exposes countries to highly volatile global market prices and highly vulnerable supply chains. This situation is not acceptable,” he said.

Special Adviser to the President on Economic Affairs in the Office of the Vice President, Tope Fasua, said at the event that the AfDB’s efforts in responding to the public finance management needs must be sustained.

He also said the ADI has provided enhanced knowledge and capabilities among public officials working in critical sectors across the continent, which is hoped would improve financial responsibility.

In his valedictory speech, one of the PFMA graduates, Isaac Kurasha, reflected on the 18-month journey that began on March 2, 2022, and highlighted the rich experience and knowledge gained throughout the programme.

“The training enriched my understanding of the public financial management cycle, providing insights into various components,” he said. (NANFeatures)

**If used please credit the writer and News Agency of Nigeria

Features

How new NCC boss will navigate telecoms headwinds

An Analysis by Funmilola Gboteku, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

If any sector of the Nigerian economy prides itself as recording tangible achievements in recent times, certainly it must be the telecoms industry.

It is one of a few sectors where Nigerians have benefited from a fair price regime due to fierce competition amongst key players.

The competition in the telecoms sector and its overall wellbeing, is underlined by the number of active telephone subscribers, which has increased from under 150.7 million in 2015 to 218.9 million in 2023, resulting in a tele-density growth of 115.70 per cent.

Broadband penetration has also surged by 47.01 per cent as of July, translating to over 89.73 million subscriptions across 3G, 4G, and 5G networks, while general Internet subscriptions have soared to 159.5 million.

All these laudable achievements were due largely to the pivotal role of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC).

To cap it all, the NCC has licensed satellite earth stations, granted operating licenses for SpaceX Satellite and facilitated additional submarine cables like the Google 2,000km Equiano subsea Internet cable in 2022.

The telecoms landscape has now become so robust that telcos are listing on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Ltd., with MTN Nigerian becoming the first to be so listed.

However, as rosy as the telecoms industry’s outlook seems, it is still plagued by many challenges such as vandalism, securing equitable right of way (RoW) from government stakeholders, access to foreign exchange, multiple taxation and regulatory infractions.

To tackle these challenges, stakeholders in the telecom industry have urged the new Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, to take necessary steps to overcome these obstacles in order to sustain the telecoms sector’s growth trajectory, which has been a key driver of Nigeria’s socio-economic development.

Mr Jide Awe, a Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy Advisor and Founder, Jidaw.com, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the Maida leadership must focus on ensuring broadband penetration, integrating unserved and underserved areas into the digital revolution in order to build an inclusive digital economy.

In his opinion, key to achieving broadband penetration will be top-notch spectrum management, including the efficient allocation and timely spectrum auctions.

“Maida should also encourage infrastructure sharing among telecoms operators to reduce costs and expedite the expansion of broadband coverage.

“In line with the National Broadband Plan, he should encourage the provision of tax incentives, financial benefits, special incentives, and encourage Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to stimulate private sector investment in broadband infrastructure.

“Addressing Right-of-Way (RoW) challenges with state governments is crucial to reducing the obstacles that have hindered the rollout of broadband in several states,” Awe stated.

He was emphatic that the NCC boss should prioritise stakeholder engagement and collaboration, involving stakeholders in telecoms, ICT, government, private industry, education and research.

He said: “Instead of simply giving directives, Maida should listen, engage, develop and implement strategies with stakeholders, not to stakeholders.”

This, Awe added, should be done to create an environment of trust, openness and inclusion in policy and regulatory processes.

According to him, there is a need for effective and independent monitoring and evaluation of broadband expansion efforts.

On enhancing infrastructure, Awe stressed the need to improve the quality of service and ensure the security of infrastructure up to the desired standards of a dynamic digital economy.

He stressed the need to address right-of-way charges, multiple taxation, insecurity of telecoms infrastructure and bureaucratic bottlenecks faced by operators.

According to him, addressing these challenges is essential for consumer protection to ensure quality of service standards are met and that consumers receive the promised level of service quality.

“I urge him to also invest in training and skill development to ensure Nigeria has sufficient local capacity for the planning, deployment, and maintenance of services and infrastructure in the telecoms sector.

“He should additionally ensure that telecoms operators comply with data protection and privacy laws and regulations, such as the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA), to build trust and confidence among citizens in the adoption of broadband and telecom services,” he said.

Similarly, Chairman, National Association of Telecoms Subscribers (NATCOMS), Chief Adeolu Ogunbanjo, said there was need to set an agenda for the new NCC boss, noting that he inherited several unfinished projects from his predecessor.

Ogunbanjo said currently operators in the telecoms industry paid 49 different taxes and levies, stressing the need for the taxes to be reviewed in collaboration with Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

According to him, telecoms businesses attracted only 25.81 million dollars Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) in the second quarter of this year, compared to the 153.50 million dollars recorded in the same period last year.

Ogunbanjo said this represented a 494 per cent decline year-on-year,

and urged the NCC boss to set up a committee to liaise with FIRS to harmonise some of these taxes, because multiple taxation was detrimental to the growth of the industry.

On his part, Gbenga Adebayo, the Chairman, Association of Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) called for partnership with key stakeholders to secure executive and legislative actions on the declaration of telecoms infrastructure as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI).

Also setting agenda for the NCC boss, a telecommunications expert who declined to be named, said one of the issues affecting the sector was access to foreign exchange.

According to him, most of the equipment used in the telecoms industry are sourced abroad, which means that telcos will have to change naira to dollar to import them.

The telecoms expert, however, said the exchange rate of the naira to the dollar had skyrocketed over time, which was affecting the industry, stressing the need for the NCC boss and telcos to work with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to redress the situation.

“This means the CBN needs to work with telecoms regulators to address this issue so that operators can access dollar at a favourable rate,” he said.

Another worrisome issue which Maida’s leadership of NCC must confront headlong, according to the expert, is infrastructure deficit.

He said some parts of Nigeria did not have telecommunications services, noting that Maida needed to resolve the issue. “Digital economy should not be restricted to urban areas alone to avoid rural-urban migration.

“Looking at the urban areas in Nigeria, you will agree with me that they are overpopulated, and this is because those in the rural areas are migrating as well to feel the power of the digital economy.

“Also, that is why people from unserved areas move to places like Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, among others.

“Once a place becomes over populated, obviously crime rate increases, hence the need for NCC and telcos to encourage those in the rural areas by taking digital services to them.”

He, however, said the reason why most telcos were not taking digital services to the rural areas was because it was not commercially viable.

On quality of service, the telecoms expert said alot needed to be done, attributing poor services to vandalism of telecoms infrastructure and illegal shutdown of base stations in some states.

He appealed to Maida to collaborate with stakeholders in the industry to initiate a national campaign, starting from the rural areas on the importance of base stations.

Maida himself is not short of ideas. Upon assuming office, he promised to focus on ensuring that all Nigerians had access to affordable and reliable broadband internet services.

Maida said the pursuit of improved quality of service on the networks would be one of his priorities, as well as supporting the vision of the Federal Government and the Ministry of Communications, Innovations, and Digital Economy.

He said: “Considering the fact that many people are going more digital and virtual in everything they do, the telecoms infrastructure is now under much stress.

“President Tinubu’s vision emphasises the need to build more robust broadband connectivity that will not only facilitate seamless digital transactions but also serve as the bedrock for e-governance and other socio-economic initiatives.

“As such, we would align with this aspiration to increase broadband penetration to 70 per cent and to cover 90 per cent of the population by 2025.

“Therefore, we need to build a reliable telecoms industry with impressive quality of service (QoS) indicators with quality of experience (QoE) as our watchword and ultimate goal.”

Maida said the issue of Right of Way and ensuring the security of telecoms infrastructure, among others would be resolved.

With Maida’s avowed commitment, and stakeholders’ collaboration, there are expectations that the NCC will, indeed, sustain the growth trajectory of the telecoms industry toward attaining the country’s digital economic transformation agenda. (NAN)

Edited by Salif Atojoko

……………… If used, credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

By Kayode Adebiyi, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Recently, the Nigerian Senate issued a public hearing notice inviting stakeholders and the general public to contribute to the amendment of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015.

The Senate Joint Committee on ICT & Cyber Security, and National Security & Intelligence said the planned amendment of the act was to enhance the national cyber security programme in Nigeria.

It also said the move was to improve the protection of Nigeria’s cyberspace and critical national economy infrastructure in line with extant national security and digital economy strategic policy directives.

Nigeria is one of the 114 national governments that have adopted cyber security strategies and 118 that have established national Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs).

The Cybercrime Act was enacted in 2015 to provide an effective, unified and comprehensive legal, regulatory and institutional framework for the prohibition, prevention, detection, prosecution and punishment of cybercrimes in Nigeria.

It also ensures the protection of critical national information infrastructure and promotes cyber security and the protection of computer systems and networks, electronic communications, data and computer programmes, intellectual property and privacy rights.

Cyber security experts have pointed out that protecting critical national information infrastructure is a key component of overall national security and that a robust digital economy relies heavily on cyber security.

To underscore the importance of cyber security, in 2021, between 800 and 1,500 businesses around the world were affected by a ransom ware attack centered on U.S. information technology firm Kaseya.

The company provides software tools to IT outsourcing shops – companies that typically handle back-office work for companies too small or modestly resourced to have their IT departments.

The hackers who claimed responsibility for the breach demanded 70 million dollars to restore all the affected businesses’ data.

Cyber attackers now target critical national infrastructure such as oil pipelines, communication installations, hospitals and military facilities. Because of this, cyber security has assumed an important national security dimension.

To ensure that Nigeria wades off cyber security threats, the Federal Government, through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) also established the Nigerian Computer Emergency Response Team (ngCERT) and the National Digital Forensic Laboratory.

ONSA also launched and is implementing the National Cybersecurity Policy and Strategy (NCPS), especially in the area of developing a protection plan for Critical National Assets and Infrastructure (CNAI).

There is also the activation of the Cybercrime Advisory Council (CAC), which the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, chairs.

ONSA also organised sensitisation workshops across seven sectors to provide information, strengthen cybersecurity governance and coordination and build the capacity of relevant stakeholders on their responsibilities under the NCPS.

The sectors are telecommunications, defence and security, education, finance and capital market, energy, professional organisations, the private sector and judiciary.

Mr Jude Olabori, cyber security expert, said tapping Nigeria’s digital economic potential depends greatly on cyber security, which itself relies on collaboration and support.

“Section 41(2b) provides for conformity of the Nigerian cybercrime and cybersecurity laws and policies with regional as well as international standards.

“The objective is to support and be part of international cooperation in addressing the menace of cybercrime.”

He said considering the cross-border nature of cyber security threats, there is a need for synergy and effective collaboration with the international community to tackle the ever-increasing challenge.

The Nigerian government seems to be heeding that call for cooperation, as it achieved a milestone in cyber security and the fight against cybercrime by its accession to the Convention on Cybercrime in 2022 to enhance international cooperation.

The country has also actively participated in the development of the framework for responsible state behaviour in cyberspace through the UN Open Ended Working Group.

It is currently coordinating the Nigerian participation at the UN Adhoc Committee for the Development of Convention on Cybercrime.

ONSA anchored the first bilateral conversation on cyber security with the UK Government Departments as part of the Security and Defence Partnership.

In 2021, Nigeria facilitated the implementation of the Commonwealth Cyber Declaration with an ongoing effort in Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNII) protection, strategic communications, training on digital forensics, and development of tool kits for small and medium enterprises.

Stakeholders say the five pillars of the Strategic Agenda (2023-2027) of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy will only achieve the aim of boosting Nigeria’s economic growth if they are founded on adequate cyber security.

“The five pillars Dr Bosun Tijani wants to build the digital economy on are Knowledge; Policy; Infrastructure; Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Capital; and Trade.

“He has said he wants the ministry to emerge as a reputable public sector ecosystem that would enable Nigeria’s economic growth through enhanced productivity, facilitated by technological innovation.

“I can tell you that none of those pillars stands a chance in the absence of a strong and ever-evolving national cyber security,” Mr Charles Oluma, cyber security expert, said.

A 2020 Brief by the UNCDF put the economic cost of information and technology asset security breaches in 2020 at a staggering $4-6 trillion, an equivalent to about 4-6 per cent of global GDP.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda underscores the need to harness technology for socio-economic advancement.

To achieve that goal, experts say Nigeria must first tackle the challenge of increasingly becoming a focal point for cyber threats.

Indeed, a recent global study by Surfshark, an Amsterdam-based cyber security firm, ranked Nigeria as the 32nd most breached country in the first quarter of 2023.

Another report by Kaspersky indicated that Nigeria faced the second-highest number of cyber attacks in Africa and ranked 50th globally for online threats.

One estimate puts the global digital economy at over $11.5 trillion, or 15.5 per cent of global GDP.

The World Bank also said the sector has grown 2.5 times faster over the previous ten years than the GDP of the physical world.

However, as growth is experienced in the digital economy so is the cost of cybercrime, which has been projected to hit an annual $10.5 trillion by 2025, according to Cyber security Ventures.

Some experts commend the level of policy and legislative attention ONSA and the National Assembly are giving to the issue of cyber security.

They, however, warn that Nigeria’s journey towards maturity and competitiveness through the development of a digital economy based on the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy depends largely on progress in cyber security.

After all the vision of the NCPS is “a safe, secured, vibrant, resilient and trusted community that provides opportunities for its citizenry, safeguards national assets and interests, promotes peaceful interactions and proactive engagement in cyberspace for national prosperity.” (NANFeatures)

**If used please credit the writer and News Agency of Nigeria

By Justina Auta, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

As the world marks World AIDS Day many countries have spent several billions of dollars in several interventions as they strive to halt its transmission and mitigate its impacts 37 years after the case of the infection was detected.

In 2022, the Federal Government said Nigeria, for instance, has spent about 6.2 billion dollars in various interventions since 2005, according to the then Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha at the inauguration of HIV Trust Fund in Nigeria.

Also, the U.S. government says it has invested 7.8 billion dollars in Nigeria under the President Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), according to Melisa Jones, Mission Direction, USAID.

Funding seems to be paying off as recent figures indicate that HIV/AIDS prevalence in the country has been in decline recently

Mr Gambo Aliyu the Director-General of Nigeria’s National Agency for the Control for AIDS (NACA) said new HIV infections gradually declined from 103,404 in 2019 to 92,323 in 2021.

Aliyu told newsmen ahead of 2022 World AIDS that the decline was an indication that Nigeria would meet the UN of ending HIV/AIDS by 2030.

While Nigeria is seemingly making progress in cutting down the number of infections a hidden threat looms—mother-to-child transmission. Experts say it is now the leading channel of HIV/AIDS transmission.

They, therefore, warn that this trend if left unchecked could thwart Nigeria’s fight against the disease and consequently threaten the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), health components.

Sharing her experience at a meeting for women living with HIV recently in Abuja, Mrs Blessing, 36 years old mother of five said she is worried by her infected daughter’s reluctance to take her antiretroviral therapy (ART).

She said it usually takes lots of pleading, shouting and sometimes cajoling to make her take the drugs.

According to her, she tested positive shortly after delivering her last child. She said she noticed that the baby constantly fell ill and treatments were not yielding recovery as expected.

The situation is a product of mother-to-child transmission as Blessing did not know her HIV status even as she was pregnant because she did not attend antenatal.

“If I knew, I would have attended antenatal to enable me know my HIV status and take steps to prevent my child from contracting the disease from me,’’ she said.

Blessing’s experience is similar to that of many women who had knowingly or unknowingly contributed to the high number of mother to child HIV transmissions in the country.

Nigeria’s HIV intervention agency, NACA, a recent report said with an estimated 1.8 million persons living with HIV and AIDS, Nigeria has the second-largest burden of disease globally.

Aliyu also said that Nigeria was responsible for about 30 per cent of the world’s gap in Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT)

“Nigeria has the second-largest burden of HIV infection. Currently a total of 1.8 million persons are estimated to be living with HIV in Nigeria out of which about 1.63million are already on the lifesaving medication of ART.

“ Approximately 58 per cent are estimated to be female, and 42 per cent male.

“ The national average of mother-to-child transmission rate of 22 per cent is driven by a large number of states with transmission rates above 25 per cent and few states with rates below 15 per cent.

“Nigeria is responsible for about 30 per cent of the world’s gap in PMTCT,’’ he said.

The NACA chief said with community leaders’ engagement in HIV prevention, including PMTCT, Nigeria will be able to achieve the global target of ending AIDS by 2030.

“ Together, let us harness the collective leadership of communities and drive forward with unwavering resolve.

“Let our actions today shape a tomorrow where HIV/AIDS is a chapter of our past and where every individual can live a life of health, dignity, and hope,’’ he said.

Lending her voice to Aliyu’s Mrs Christy Awunor, Nassarawa State Nursing Coordinator, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) said arresting the spread of HIV in Nigeria would be a mirage if mother to child transmission graph continues its upwards curve

Citing the 2020 National Guidelines for HIV Prevention, Treatment and Care Awunor said there was an increase in the number of children contracting HIV from their mothers.

Awunor said this compelled AHF to key into PMTCT components of HIV prevention campaigns through mentorship of women.

“It is a cascade of its own and one of the components is mentoring mothers who are HIV positive and have children that are HIV negative because of the treatment.”

“And because they have passed through the process, it makes it easier for them to speak to other new mothers about the infection and how they can actually take care of themselves in order to have babies without the virus,”

`Mothers trained as counsellors advise and share their personal experiences on how to protect babies from being infected, it helps in reducing prevalence and increasing access to ART,’’ she said.

Experts say funding and sensitisation remain leading challenges facing PMTCT.

Amobi Ogah, Chairman, House Committee on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Control (ARM) agrees and assures that the parliament was working towards increasing budgetary allocation to NACA and to boost HIV prevention efforts, including mother to child transmission.

“I call on the global fund and other donor agencies and NGOs to increase their financial support and assistance to meet the 2030 targets of ending HIV/AIDS.

“The fact that national coverage of PMTCT is less than 50 per cent leading to about 22,000 cases of mother to child transmission of HIV every year in Nigeria has to change for the better“, she said.

Mr Abdulkadir Ibrahim, National Coordinator of the Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (NEPWHAN) advised the government against  largely depending on donor organisations and NGOS for support in ending the disease in the country.

Ibrahim urged the government to prioritise manufacturing ARV drugs to serve all the West African countries, thereby generating revenue, strengthening ties with other countries and creating easy access to ARV drugs.

“Government needs to go beyond relying on donors. What the government is putting on the table is actually small.

“We want this new administration to change the practice of importing drugs annually, we should look forward to manufacturing these drugs locally.

“I see no reason why Nigeria cannot move towards that direction; we have all the competencies that can make Nigeria serve the whole West African region; we can even generate income for the economy,’’ he said.

Although significant progress has been made in addressing HIV and AIDS, more needs to be put in place to meet the target of halting the spread and one area to prioritise in that regard is PMTCT. (NANFeatures)

**If used please credit the writer and News Agency of Nigeria.

Asks Usman Aliyu, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

The 28th session of the Conference of Parties (COP28) on climate change opens on Thursday in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

At the conference delegates from nearly 195 countries, leaders of business and finance, representatives of civil society and climate experts will gather to fast-tracking the transition to a clean-energy future.

Burning of fossil fuels, cutting down of forests and livestock farming are said to be increasingly driving the climate change through ozone layer depletion which has resulted in higher temperatures around the world.

These human activities add enormous amounts of greenhouse gasses to those naturally occurring in the atmosphere, thereby increasing the greenhouse effect and global warming.

Therefore, COP28 will seek to stress the importance of collective action to stop climate change and the critical role of finance in the low-carbon transition, according to media reports.

Obviously, the impact of climate crisis on life on the planet earth has been unprecedented.

Scientists say temperature records have been soaring as populations globally, especially in Africa, where heat waves and droughts have escalated.

Though, it is a fact that Africa contributes negligibly to the causes of climate change, it, nonetheless, stands out disproportionately as the most vulnerable region in the world.

This vulnerability, experts observe, is driven by the prevailing low levels of socioeconomic growth in the continent.

As the conference commences, the question is: What agenda is Africa bringing to the table? What are its core interest? How does it want to push for those interests?

As the world meets for global stocktake on climate change, stakeholders from Africa expected the political outcomes at the conference to reflect the peculiarities on the continent as well as continental and sub-regional-based climate solutions.

It is expected that African negotiators would demand real solutions and not one size-fit-all climate action.

Experts observe that local leaders are considered in the outcomes at the summit.

Mr Nnimmo Bassey is the Executive Director, Home of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), calling on agenda that are hinged on principles of justice.

“As long as we can remember, the demands for Africa have not changed. These days we nearly sound like a broken record because we have been asking for the same things since the beginning of the COP.

“However, African negotiators should continue to demand for real solutions. The core demand has been that climate action must be hinged on the justice principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR). This principle demands that those whose actions have most damaged the climate should take the most action to solve it“, he said.

According to him, the implication is that they are expected to cut emissions at source and support poor vulnerable nations with finance needed for adaptation and mitigation.

“African governments should recognise the colonial base of global warming and refuse to be sucked into the false circles of market environmentalism— including carbon markets and its variants.

“They should reject the failing voluntary emissions reduction currently enshrined in the Paris Agreement and insist on binding and enforceable emissions reduction.

“From the latest Emissions Gap report released by UNEP, it is clear that if nations carry out reductions they have volunteered as Nationally Determined Contributions, the world will be heading for a devastating 3 degrees Celsius temperature increase’’, he said.

According to him this is about pre-industrial levels. The best Paris Agreement target is 1.5C and already in 2023 that target has been reached in over 80 days.

“We also demand that the loss and damage fund should not be treated as aid or charitable donations but rather as a debt that is owed and must be paid,” he said.

Bassey, a foremost environmentalist in Africa regretted that Africa could not achieve much with COP27 even though it was hosted in Africa.

He described COP27 as lost and damaged and so will the 28 edition be efforts are not made to halt oil and gas exploration, which causes global climate and environmental degradation.

“It is extremely sad to see that at the end of the long negotiations and discussions about the Loss and Damage fund, it has been decided that the World Bank is to host the funds.

“We already are painfully aware of how the World Bank and other international finance institutions continue to fund fossil fuel extraction when they know that is the major driver of global warming.

“We also know that the bank will grab a big chunk of the funds and thereby leave poor vulnerable nations empty handed.

“We have a duty to speak up for Africa, including by rejecting business agreements that do not permit countries to withdraw from harmful contracts when they are revealed for what they are.

“We can also take a cue from the historical referendum which happened in Ecuador in August 2023 where the people overwhelmingly voted against oil extraction in Yasuni in their Amazonian region“, he said.

Some stakeholders such as Ibrhaim Joseph say Africa can consolidate on previous negotiations to advance its demands and contributions in Dubai. Joseph is a programme manager at the Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation (GIFSEP).

Joseph says said the Africa Climate Summit ACS held in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, provided a significant platform for African governments to interact with important stakeholders ahead of COP28.

“My prediction is that Africa will have a unified demand at this COP, which will be centred on carbon credits for Africa’s natural resources.

“Additionally, Africa will seek that all the pledges made at the summit will be actualised in time,” a media report quoted him as saying.

A former African Union (AU) climate adviser Faten Aggad says Africa’s vulnerability to impacts of climate change makes it necessary for the continent to push harder at the negotiation table.

The media recently quoted her as saying that: “Africa is vulnerable when oil prices crash and that confirms what the activists are saying.

“Whether we like it or not industry and trade are moving to renewables with major economies launching trade measures that threaten African countries interest.

“On the other hand, we are between a rock and a hard place.

“We are being sold this dream of renewables but we barely have any investments in it. Gas is the only option available to Africa.”

Where the Global Stocktake provides a roadmap for a decisive shift in the current incomplete approach to addressing climate change, the West African coalition of environmentalists said, COP28 remained the primary platform to execute this pivot.

They advocate regional consideration, particularly in the areas of adaptation, mitigation, finance, equity and implementation.

According to them, an optimal political outcome of the Global Stocktake at COP28 would provide an opportunity for West Africa to build and expand climate solutions that progress intersecting social, economic, and political priorities in the region.

These, the group said in an open letter ahead of COP 28, included reducing causes of forced migration, scaling sustainable development, and accelerating the Just Transition and green growth. NANFeatures

By Abiemwense Moru, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

According to the UNPFA access to safe voluntary family planning is a human right. Family planning is central to gender equality and women’s empowerment, and it is a key factor in reducing poverty.

“Yet in developing regions, an estimated 257 million women who want to avoid pregnancy are not using safe and effective family planning methods, for reasons ranging from lack of access to information or services to lack of support from their partners or communities,“ said a UNFP report.

The agency highlights the impact of this on global poverty alleviation saying it “threatens their ability to build a better future for themselves, their families and their communities”.

Experts say poverty is negatively associated with family planning utilisation. This claim is reflected in the low level of contraceptive use in societies with low socioeconomic conditions compared to the high-income countries.

This is contained in a study by Akinyemi and other scholars on Socio-economic inequalities and family planning utilization among female adolescents in urban slums in Nigeria.

In many Nigerian families spouses desire to undertake family planning options but are hindered by the cost of managing them.

To address this, Association for the Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP) in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) urged stakeholders to produce a legislation that would support family planning.

Dr Ejike Orji, Chairman, Technical Management Committee, AAFP, described family planning as critical in reversing maternal mortality and achieving demographic dividends.

He said making family planning budget to pass through the annual legislation and appropriation would give it constitutional backing and ensure that through oversight functions legislators would ensure that funds allocated to it were utilised.

Oji, therefore, recommends that “about one per cent of the annual budget for health should be set aside for family planning.

“There have been inconsistencies in the budget for family planning in the past, we need to make the funding a legislative affair for it to be sustained.”

He urged government at all levels to as a matter of necessity, prioritise family planning in their policies for a guaranteed health and wealth.

NAN reports that some countries such as the U.S. have legislations that aimed at expanding access to family planning.

Women are critical partners in any family planning effort and they expressed diverse views on the use of contraceptives.

Some women told NAN that family planning was a necessity yet a hectic journey which requires money to undertake and maintain, adding that they consider pregnancy prevention methods safe, while others said they are worried by its side effects.

Mrs Benita Sampson, a civil servant, said that her family planning method had been helpful because she does not entertain any fears of unplanned pregnancy.

“I use Nexplanon which is the arm birth control implant. I replace the implant every three years which is convenient for me.

“I sometimes forget I’m wearing it; it has been good because, unlike some other women, I usually see my menstrual cycle without hitches.

“It is, however, not a bed of roses. In September 2022, I went to replace my old implant and experienced bleeding for a month.

“The gynaecologist, however, told me that my body was just adjusting to the implant since I just finished a dose and was starting another.

“My menstrual cycle normalised after two months of that experience and I’ve been fine since then,” she said.

Mrs Chinonye Nwokenna, a mother of four, said she had an implant placed under her armpit for five years but had to remove it because she was gaining so much weight.

Nwokenna said she opted for the injection contraceptive, which was taken every three months but said that it had its side effects.

“I had to remove the implant in my arm because I was gaining so much weight. I take the injection once in every three months, but I usually come down with headache.

“I prefer the injection; the headache is not serious and is better than gaining weight,” she said.

But sometimes, it is not all good news as in the case of Mrs Joy Omoyeni, who said she was on the implant contraceptive for three years but still conceived her last child.

While some women have embraced contraceptives, others have rejected it, arguing that it is not necessary as far as the woman is married. Yet to some others, their faith forbids it.

Mrs Esther Ojukwu, a civil servant and mother of seven, said she would not go for any kind of family planning as it is against her religious belief and faith.

“I am a Catholic and the Catholic faith does not encourage family planning. I try in my own possible way to avoid getting pregnant, but if it happens, I have no choice,” she said.

On his part, Mr Joseph Malaki, a public servant, said he had a nasty experience with the use of contraceptive which was implanted on his wife.

He alleged that it caused his wife to suffer from fibroid which was later removed through surgery.

Mrs Jane Nnoli, a mother of three, said she would not undergo any family procedure due to fear of after effects.

Nnoli said she would rather abstain or use the withdrawal method as her husband does not enjoy the use of condom.

“I am afraid of family planning be it the implant, injection or any other form of family planning that has the ability to alter the way our my functions.

“I believe these contraceptives have long term effects on the user which the health care providers would not want to disclose,” she said.

Meanwhile, a Senior Community Health Officer, Mr Sabo Sunday, advised women to use the Long Acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARC), which is considered the most effective method of family planning.

“We advise women to use the Long Acting Reversible Contraceptive Method. Although it is a hormonal contraceptive, it is reversible and it has a better advantage in women.

“The implants are the most effective forms of reversible birth control available. They are more effective than birth control pills, the patch or the ring.

“The benefits include cost effectiveness, few contraindications, few side effects and privacy; they are also rapidly reversible,” he said.

Mrs Roseline Egudu, a nurse, told NAN that family planning helps women to alter their regular reproductive system, adding that some tests are carried out before placing them on their preferred choice.

“Tests are usually carried out before starting women on their preferred method.

“Some women experience memory loss, nausea, breast tenderness, heavy bleeding, headaches, weight gain, mood changes, prolong or irregular menstrual flow, among other side effects while others experience none.

“Family planning has helped a lot of families in spacing their children and also in avoiding unwanted pregnancies but in some cases it fails and some women get pregnant,” Egudu said.

She said some birth control pills stop ovulation and change the lining of the womb, which makes it difficult for fertilised eggs to be implanted.

Meanwhile, the Society for Family Health (SFH) has called for the expansion and funding of the provision of family planning services in Nigeria and other West African countries through the private sector.

The Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) made the call in a statement by Dr Jennifer Anyanti, Deputy Medical Director, Strategy and Technical, to commemorate the World Population Day 2023, celebrated every July 11.

Anyanti commended the Federal and state Governments’ commitment to scaling family planning services, adding that the organisation supports quality service provision and products through its network of primary care providers.

“Women, regardless of age or financial status should have access to the information they need to make informed decisions about their family planning options.

“The need for them to receive any service if needed pushes us to continue to advocate service provision in the private sector.

“This we do through community pharmacies, private clinics and hospitals, and Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors (PPMVs), also known as chemists,” she said.

According to her, the private sector plays a critical role in family planning and contributes to a total market approach to providing services for women.

“In Nigeria over 60 per cent of women obtain their contraceptive supplies from the private sector. We call on government to continuously create the enabling environment for the private sector to thrive.

“The government should ensure that regulation supporting private sector provision of contraceptives is supportive of growth, development and supplies through the private sector.

“This has a core role in addressing access to Family planning, one of the high impact interventions to address maternal and child mortality,” she said.

Speaking about the organisation’s interventions in family planning over the years, she said it had implemented programmes towards strengthening private sector capabilities in service delivery, demands generation, data quality and reporting.

Others are supply chain management including last mile delivery and building resilient health systems to improve access to sustainable markets for contraceptive services.

“We advocate that governments should continue to engage the private sector partners in developing policies and programmes that expand access to family planning information,” she said. (NANFeatures)