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)

Tinubu’s new Nigeria and citizens responsibility

A news analysis by Ismail Abdulaziz, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

On assumption of office, it was clear that the new administration of President Bola Tinubu intends to rejig the nation’s ailing economy to make it robust enough to engender development and growth of the country.

Few months into the four year tenure of the administration, a lot have been initiated to drive the economy towards growth in order to extricate Nigerians from the economic woes of the past and give them a new life line for a prosperous future.

Tinubu came in with a pledge to make Nigeria great through a five point-agenda anchored on rule of law, security, and remodeling of the economy to provide jobs, address extreme poverty and ensure food security.

His target also involves giving prominence to women and youths in governance, and championing a credit culture to discourage corruption while strengthening the effectiveness and efficiency of the various anti-corruption agencies.

On economy, the president was emphatic that his target is having year-on-year higher GDP growth and significant reduction in unemployment.

These, he said, would be attained through instituting budgetary reforms to stimulate the economy without engendering inflation.

‘’Second, industrial policy will utilize the full range of fiscal measures to promote domestic manufacturing and lessen import dependency.

‘’Third, electricity will become more accessible and affordable to businesses and homes alike,” by doubling power generation and transmission and improving distribution networks while states will be encouraged to develop local power sources.

The administration has also made a significant commitment to local and foreign investors that the government would review all complaints about multiple taxation and various anti-investment inhibitions.

‘’We shall ensure that investors and foreign businesses repatriate their hard earned dividends and profits home,” the President said.

The measures taken so far, seems to have started generating dividend.

On November 24, 2023, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew to 2.54 per cent year-on-year in real terms in the third quarter of 2023, higher than the 2.25 per cent recorded in 2022.

In its 2023 Q3 Nigerian Gross Domestic Product Report, the NBS said GDP grew slightly by 0.03 per cent, higher than the 2.51 per cent reported in the second quarter of 2023.

It explained that the GDP growth was driven mainly by the services sector, which recorded a growth of 3.99 per cent and contributed 52.70 per cent to the aggregate national GDP growth.

Experts are of the opinion that the various efforts of Tinubu to woo genuine foreign and local investors will in the long run accelerate the administration’s quest to rejig and revamp the economy.

However, to ensure that the tenacity of the President pays off, institutional structures must be strengthened to drive governance policies to success.

No doubt, democracy thrives on information, constructive criticism and encouragement, so that government policies and programmes are assessed dispassionately and adjusted where necessary to meet set targets.

In this respect, government and private media organisations should be made to key into the national vision as enunciated by the administration.

This is necessary for them to appropriately provide the right information and content to galvanise the support of citizens and friends of Nigeria, and encourage everyone to contribute towards the successful delivery of the government agenda.

The recent appointments of new heads of federal government media organisations is the first step towards reinvigorating the information machinery of government

However, the most important aspects are providing the organisations the necessary funding and working tools to compete effectively in the fast changing information space.

This is important for the public media organisations to work in synergy with various government organs to properly inform the populace and make them understand what the government is doing to make life better and easier for all.

Thus, the ability of the media organisations to function to the satisfaction of the government and the people depends largely on the support they receive in terms of funding and conducive working environment.

There are still questions as to whether the government in taking steps to deliver the economic renewable it promised, or working hard enough to ease the current hardship brought about by the removal of fuel subsidy, sanitising the civil service, and addressing rising food inflation.

Even the Economic Intelligence Unit in its 2024 Outlook on Nigerian economy, expressed such fears, demanding for urgent action to prevent more Nigerians from falling into extreme poverty.

It is however encouraging that the president seems to be aware of these challenges and is making the right decisions to overcome the difficulties.

For a start, Tinubu has designed a performance bond for cabinet members with clear timelines for the delivery of government programmes and policies.

This is an important step that will offer citizens the opportunity to assess the performance of political appointees, and invariably, the government.

At a recent retreat for cabinet members, Tinubu was emphatic that they were not elected to bear titles.

“The responsibility we bear are not just titles, they are the hope and aspiration of millions of Nigerians.

“You might be ready to forget about the rest of the world but as a Nigerian, let’s go out there, let’s bond together and make sure our country fully recovers. Let me remind you that you are not here to make excuses, neither am I,’’ he told the ministers.

With this commitment from the president, what is required of Nigerians is to put the administration on its toes, support it as citizens desirous of seeing the emergence of a new Nigeria, and work collectively to provide solutions to accelerate growth and development in Nigeria.

Nigeria and Nigerians deserve a better life and the Tinubu administration must not be derailed, like other administrations before it; it should be supported by all patriotic Nigerians to provide sustainable solutions to existing challenges.

**If used, please acknowledge the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria (NANFeatures)

By Dorcas Jonah, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Angel (not her real name) is a native of Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and is the first child in a family of six, whose father is a farmer and mother a petty trader.

Angel loved gymnastics and wished to become a star, leading to her parents enrolling her in a coaching class at age five.

At 10, Angel was already doing well and representing her school in competitions.

But her dream of becoming a full-time gymnast was cut short when her gymnastics coach raped her when she turned 15.

“This is what big girls do. At 15, you should explore other things. Being my lover will make you grow big and strong,” was what her coach told her before she was abused.

Out of fear of stigmatisation her parents forced her into marriage, abruptly ending Angel’s dream of becoming a gymnast.

Angel’s story is the story of many young women who would have excelled in sports but whose dreams and aspirations were truncated simply because of their gender.

The abuse and discrimination women face in sports occur in different forms, such as physical, sexual, emotional and systemic, while they also face exploitation through athlete-trafficking.

For many Nigerian women, participation in sports presents an opportunity to escape poverty and create a better future for themselves, even though it comes with a heavy price for many.

Engaging in sports activities is a lifeline for the willing Nigerian girl-child.

It can provide a safe haven from poverty and crime, while also teaching valuable life skills such as teamwork, discipline and perseverance.

A recent study shows that there are 1.9 million fewer women than men playing sports regularly (at least once per week).

In spite of the importance of sports to women, many factors have continued to hinder their participation.

These include parental influence, discouragement, unavailability of standard facilities and equipment, coping with societal and academic stress, and poor government policies.

The scarcity of opportunities for women in certain sports is another facet of discrimination. Some sports traditionally dominated by men receive more attention, funding, and developmental resources. This creates barriers for women aspiring to excel in these fields, perpetuating gender imbalances and limiting the growth of women’s sports

A former Director of Sports, FCT Sports Council, Mrs Dilichukwu Onyedinma, said over time there has been systemic discrimination and mistreatment of women in sports.

She said that before the present generation, parents almost did not allow their girl-children to participate in sports at all, as they believed that some activities were meant for men.

As time went on and more women engaged in sports, it was difficult for government and other stakeholders to treat women equally as their male counterparts.

“Just as we realised that women can also do certain sports, society is also realising that there’s no difference between a man and a woman during competition.

“So, this is why all these differences in allowances and conditions of camping and the rest should not be there.

“We can’t rule out the fact that discrimination of women in sports has always been there. But, as we are coming up, society is realising that there’s no need for it.

”I think we have come a long way to understand that there shouldn’t be this discrimination and mistreatment of women,” she said.

Speaking of a deliberate policy for women in sports by government, Onyedinma said that there are no particular policies targeted at encouraging women in sports.

The FCT Gymnastics Coach, Rose Verissimo, corroborated Onyedinma, saying government has no policy for women in sports but it is rather busy focusing on male athletes.

“It is mostly the women that will go out and represent the country, win major trophies and bring pride and honour to the country, while the men don’t bring anything.

“But over time the men are the ones who are given special preference, good accommodation, allowances and vehicles.”

Verissimo, who is also the Technical Director of the Gymnastics Federation of Nigeria, said female gymnasts in the FCT have been topping the chart in terms of medals won for years now.

”But the FCT Administration has failed to recognise them as it should be.

“Women in sports in FCT are only considered when the men are okay. The men are enjoying the money more than the women and the women are suffering,” she lamented.

Verissimo’s point is not out of place, considering that the Nigerian women’s basketball and football teams have out-performed their male counterparts in the past two decades.

The same applies to the country’s Olympic contingents over the same period.

As Jide Alaka, a sports enthusiast, pointed out: “Tobi Amusan is Nigeria’s first-ever world champion and record-holder. All 12 gold medals Nigeria gathered at the Commonwealth Games in 2022 were also won by women.

“The World Athletics Championships yielded two medals — one gold, and one bronze. Female athletes won both.”

The President, Association of Former Female Athletes of Nigeria, Dr Toyin Aluko, said one major discrimination women face in sports is lack of encouragement from the men.

Narrating what she went through, Aluko said she first experienced it when she retired as a handball player and decided to go into coaching.

“I decided to go into coaching and I told my national handball coach who was still in service then about my intentions, but he told me to go into sports organising.

“In Nigeria, coaching is a male-dominated profession and, being a young girl taking interest in coaching, my national coach, who I felt should encourage me ended up discouraging me but I didn’t allow that to determine my future.”

She said when she was employed by the then National Sports Commission (now Federal Ministry of Sports Development), it was as a coach in training because the secretary to the National Institute for Sports (NIS) highly recommended her.

“During national and international competitions, the said coach won’t add my name even on the female teams. He will only put his name as the coach,” Aluko said.

She also said that she had studied the situation in Nigeria and that there are very few teams that have female officials, even in female teams.

Aluko also pointed at officiating as another area of sports, where women are having participation problems.

Also, Mrs Gloria Obi, Basketball coach, and head of technical, FCT Basketball Association said in contrast to their male counterparts, women athletes often encounter inadequate support systems.

She said this deficiency extends beyond financial backing to encompass coaching, mentorship, and sports science resources. The absence of comprehensive support hampers the holistic development of women in sports, contributing to a persistent gender gap in performance and achievement.

“The underrepresentation of women in various facets of sports, including leadership roles and decision-making positions, amplifies the mistreatment they face.

“The lack of diverse voices in governing bodies perpetuates outdated policies and practices that disadvantage women. Achieving true equality requires a shift in the structures that govern sports to ensure the inclusion of women at all levels,’’ she said.

Mrs Favor Adamu, a Guidance and Counseling Coach, said though engaging in sporting activities are of immense benefits to children as it develop life skills, discrimination abounds in it.

Adamu, highlighted the immense benefits of sports to children’s growth and development.

She noted that sporting activities have many benefits for children, even more than the physical activity during play.

According to her, it enables them benefits from the social side of working in a team, interacting with people from different backgrounds and environment.

” It helps them to cope well when it comes to success or failure, at times they win or fail, which is very common in any activity or competition and also teaches them how to cope when they fail or win. They learn not to throw tantrums or upset because they failed.

“These are lessons that they learn from engaging in sporting activities and translate it to their adulthood, especially in the workplace.”

According to her, most adults that take failure the hard way when they fail in any venture whether politics, business or relationship, were not exposed to sports at a young age.

The coach, however, added that cultural and social norms had hindered girls from exploiting sporting activities.

” Even girls that have that zeal and passion to excel in sports are discouraged either from their family or society from engaging in it.

” Some are even more qualified and play better than the boys, but they are not been encouraged to thrive in the career,” she lamented.

According to her, considering the benefits inherent in it, there is the need for the government to initiate policies that will encourage girls and women to engage in sporting activities.

After what was widely regarded as “best-ever” league in Abuja, the FCT FA Chairman, Adam Mohammed, said the focus would shift to putting a proper structure for women’s football in the FCT.

According to him, there’s no structure for women’s in the FCT, but we don’t want to adopt the ‘fire-brigade’ approach by rushing into a league.

“Rather we want to start by getting the sport to the girls in the secondary schools and then stage an inter-school girls’ competition that will eventually lead to setting up a proper league.”

However, the crux of the matter is what efforts has the Nigerian government put in place to address the situation?

It is indisputable fact that there are series of promises on the side of government to building a nation devoid of gender discrimination.

Through this, the Nigerian government says it will guarantee equal access to political, social and economic wealth-creation and opportunities for women and men.

It also said it is developing a culture that places a premium on the protection of all, including women and children.

It is however observed that there have not been much concrete evidence on ground on the side of government in fulfilling its promises of commitment.

A way out of this is what the Chairman of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) in the FCT, Bunmi Haruna, is proffering.

He said sports federations and agencies should provide an enabling environment for the inclusion of more women in sports governance in Nigeria.

Haruna said the contributions of women to the development of sports in Nigeria are well documented.

“This thereby makes it right to call on government, sports federations and parastatals to provide an enabling environment for more women to participate in sports governance in Nigeria.”

No doubt, women are battling so many hurdles just to participate in sports: from sex-testing to sexual harassment, and to wage differences, decision-making and management, the list is endless.

However, there are reasons to be hopeful.

For instance, the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand broke all sorts of records in the women’s game – ticket sales, viewership, sponsorship and participation.

Also, female national team players in the U.S., England, Brazil, Australia, Norway and New Zealand now earn equal pay as their male counterparts.

In Nigeria, one organisation that is facilitating equality and a level-playing field in sports participation is the Fund, Educate, Empower and Develop (FEED) Sports.

FEED Sports is a non-governmental organisation that supports sports and education in Nigeria and has provided support to over 5,000 school children, including girls.

This is by introducing them to the sport of fencing and supporting them through school.

But stakeholders insist there should be more, just like in other aspects of national life.

They say government at all levels should be deliberate about the inclusion and participation of women in sports, as well as the eradication of all forms of abuses and discrimination.

They also suggest a horizontal and vertical collaboration by the government, the private sector and international organisations for Nigeria to come up with a national policy for women in sports.

Also, adequately punishing all forms of gender biases and abuse against women in sports will serve as a deterrent and increase the willingness to participate.

And this is why organisations such as FEED Sports should be supported as a way of promoting sports and encouraging girls to participate in sports in safe, secure and free environments

Mrs Bose Aderogba, coach of FCT Hockey Association  submitted that economic disparities between male and female athletes are stark and pervasive. From pay gaps to sponsorship opportunities, women often find themselves on the less lucrative side of the spectrum.

Aderogba said this financial inequality not only affects the athletes individually but also undermines the perceived value of women’s sports as a whole, perpetuating a cycle of underinvestment and neglect.

She said that the inter-sectionalist of motherhood and sports introduces unique challenges for women athletes. Many face hurdles in terms of maternity leave, contractual obligations, and the fear of career setbacks.

Recognising and addressing these challenges is essential for creating an environment where women can pursue both their athletic and family aspirations without compromise.

Ms Adaora Jack, the Executive Director, Gender Strategy Advancement International (GSAI), said that the government inactions to addressed the mistreatment and discrimination of women in sports have been a great concerned to GSAI over time.

This concern prompted GSAI to organised a two days training for female journalists in Abuja, to raise voices so that government at all levels and organisations would pay more attention to women participation in sports.

The workshop was to urge the media to bring the mistreatment and discrimination against women into limelight and find solutions to these problems.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that GSAI’s mission is centred on five pillars; gender advocacy, accountability, gender justice, gender driven research and partnership, aiming to position women’s rights as a national priority through the powerful tool of media.

Given the slow pace of curbing SGBV there is an urgent need for the government to be intentional and enforce total implementation of policies that will ensure elimination of mistreatment of women in sports in the society.(NANFeatures).

** If used, please credit the writer and News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

By Chijioke Okoronkwo, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

By most accounts, food inflation is a global challenge which bites harder in poor and developing countries.

In Nigeria, experts say reason for the worrying level of food inflation is not farfetched-the removal of fuel subsidy and floating of the exchange rate come top even as the government makes efforts to address the situation.

Perceptive analysts have tried to establish the nexus between the twin challenge of food inflation and food insecurity and their mutual inclusivity

According to them, same variables—high cost of fuel, conflicts, drought, climate change, insecurity, inter alia—must be tackled headlong while dry season farming needs to be ramped up.

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that food inflation rate in October 2023 was 31.52 per cent on a year-on-year basis, 7.80 per cents points when higher compared to October, 2022 records which stood at 23.72 per cent.

To this end, governments at all levels are exploring the potentialities in dry season farming with a view to reaping bountifully therefrom.

Sen. Abubakar Kyari, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, said the Federal Government was targeting to increase wheat production by over 70, 000 hectares across the nation’s wheat production zones through via dry season farming.

According to Kyari, a yield of 875,000 metric tonnes is expected for the nation’s food reserve.

Kyari listed the ministry’s focal areas which hinges on integration, sustainability, and resilience to its challenges.

He said that these spanned the immediate, short, medium and long term.

“The most pressing actions we are currently handling is preparation for the next dry-season farming beginning from November.

“To this end, some preparatory activities have been carried out and many others are at the advanced stage’’, he said at a while marshaling out the way forward for the nation’s agriculture sector at a news conference.

He further said this included certification of available planting materials for some food security crops in readiness for dry-season farming; aggressive promotion and preparations for dry season farming.

“Also, the implementation of the dry season wheat production starting in November as part of the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP), projects funded by the African Development Bank.

“Under this scheme, the target is to produce wheat over a 70, 000 hectares across the wheat production zone of the country.

“This is with an expected yield of 875,000 metric tonnes for our food reserve; blending of appropriate fertilizers to support this year’s dry season farming.

“While making provisions for next year farming season well in advance; providing Train-the-Trainer for extension agents involved in dry season farming. This will be in collaboration with wheat producing states and other partners such as flour mills’’, he said.

The minister further said that arrangements were also at advanced stage for dry season farming of rice, maize and other horticultural crops.

“The most pressing actions we are currently handling is preparation for the next dry-season farming beginning from November 2023,” he said.

He said that the ministry would hold the National Agriculture and Food Security Summit in November, to bring all stakeholders together for development of National Action Plan for Food Security.

Prof. Joseph Utse, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, said the Federal Government would cultivate 500,000 hectares of irrigable land for dry season farming as part of efforts to boost food security in the country.

Utse called for the cooperation of state governments and communities to make land available to the 12 basin authorities across the federation, to boost food production.

At the sub-national levels, conscious efforts are also underway.

Some state governments have taken up the challenge of boosting food sufficiency through dry season farming.

Consequently, Alhaji Musa Bosso, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development in Niger, said that the state government would mobilise 250,000 farmers to engage in mechanised agriculture during the upcoming dry season.

He said it would be done under the government policy of allocating 10,000 hectares of land to farmers in each of the 25 local government areas of the state for wet and dry season farming.

“This is another way of increasing food production; creating jobs and wealth among our people; which will also ensure food security for the state and the nation,’’ he said.

According to him, the ministry is ready for the upcoming dry season farming, adding that the ministry has been selling improved seeds, pesticides, herbicides and fertiliser to farmers.

Bosso also said the government planned to utilise water from Kainji, Shiroro, Jebba and Zungeru hydro dams for dry season farming.

Dry season farming comes with lots of challenges and same state government says they are working out logistics to address them.

In Borno, Gov. Babagana Zulum has deployed 313 tractors to assist farmers in rural areas across the state alongside 100 trucks of fertiliser, sold at a subsidized rate of 25 per cent discount.

Zulum also announced the procurement of 471 ploughs and harrows to be used by the tractors for all-season farming.

The governor said the 313 tractors deployed under the system – one each to the 313 wards in the state – would be rendering free services to farmers who, however, would contribute in fueling them.

In Yobe, the future even looks more promising.

The state’s Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Ali Mustapha, said the government had provided 3,000 metric tonnes of fertilisers and agro chemicals for irrigation farming.

“We distributed up to 3,000 metric tonnes in Bursari, Bade, Jakusko, Fika, Gulani and Geidam Local Government Areas.

“This is the initiative of Gov. Mai Mala Buni to provide necessary materials for irrigation farming to areas designed for the scheme,” he said.

In Adamawa, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Prof. David Jatau, said the government was committed to irrigation farming, considering the delay in rainfall recorded this rainy season and the latest flood caused by released of excess water from Lagdo Dam which affected farmlands.

“The only option left to us now is to take advantage of the opportunity given by government to support dry-season farmers with inputs, including seeds, fertilizers and agro chemicals at subsidised rates,” he said.

Jatau urged the people to key into dry- season farming, particularly rice, wheat and maize productions.

Deserving no less attention, Mrs Adegbemisola Fayoyin, the Permanent Secretary of Osun Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, said the state would soon commence distribution of seedlings, fertilisers and other inputs ahead of dry season farming.

Fayoyin said the state government had started making preparations for dry season farming and would roll out plans immediately after the rainy season.

“We are waiting for a nod from the state government in the areas of funds and other logistics for the dry season farming.

“We are also waiting for the rainy season to end so that we can commence full preparation for the dry season farming.

“The ministry is also awaiting some support from the state government in the area of funds so we can hit the ground running.

“Our targets are mostly poor women farmers; we want them to get seedlings and other farm inputs for dry season farming,’’ she said.

More so, in Ekiti, Gov. Biodun Oyebanji recently disclosed his government’s plans to improve agricultural productivity through provision of improved seed and seedlings, fertiliser and enhanced extension services to guarantee food security in the state.

Oyebanji said the plans also included expansion of rural and feeder roads to boost the distribution of agricultural produce to both existing and new markets, and to deepen agricultural value-chain.

Mr Abayomi Monilari, President, Ondo State Farmers Congress, said that it had become imperative for all farmers in the state to prepare themselves for the dry season rather than relying on the government.

Stakeholders are of the view that ramping up dry season farming will bridge the gap between food supply and demand; and in multiplier effect, force down the prices of food. (NANFeatures)