By Philomina Attah

The Director-General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), Mr Dasuki Arabi, has reaffirmed the value of the longstanding Nigeria-Gambia partnership.

He spoke in Abuja, during a visit by Gambian public service officers studying Nigeria’s ongoing public service reforms.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the visit aimed to strengthen collaboration and share innovative strategies in advancing African public sector excellence.

Arabi thanked the Gambian Government, noting the deep historical and cultural ties between both nations.

He highlighted the significance of the study visit as a platform to share best practices and address common reform challenges.

Arabi outlined Nigeria’s reform journey, tracing its development from post-independence efforts to present-day digital initiatives.

He detailed the four pillars of the National Strategy on Public Service Reforms (NSPSR), coordinated by the Office of the Secretary to the Government.

He said the most effective pillar had enabled full digitalisation of federal financial transactions, improving transparency and efficiency.

He cited innovations like IPPIS, GIFMIS, TSA, and BVN, which he said have reduced corruption by over 70 per cent and eliminated ghost workers.

Arabi reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to e-governance, with a master plan to achieve 100 per cent paperless service delivery by 2030.

He added that technologies like AI, blockchain, and data systems were improving service quality and enhancing data protection.

He named agencies such as FIRS and CAC as examples of Nigerian institutions delivering world-class services.

Arabi noted that national ID integration has streamlined business registration, tax processes, and access to public services, cutting delays by over 90 per cent.

He said BPSR initiatives include annual perception surveys, impact assessments, and a website scorecard to boost digital governance standards.

A self-assessment tool, he explained, helps ministries and departments track and improve performance in real time.

Arabi also praised Nigeria’s open government efforts, which have earned it top rankings in Africa and globally.

He called for sustained reforms and deeper collaboration between Nigeria and Gambia in achieving shared goals.

Mr Pateh Jah, Permanent Secretary at Gambia’s Ministry of Public Service, expressed appreciation for the knowledge shared by the Bureau.

He emphasised the importance of learning from successful strategies to enhance Gambia’s service delivery.

Jah highlighted Gambia’s ongoing reform efforts to build a more transparent and citizen-focused public sector.

He acknowledged both progress made and challenges faced in modernising the Gambian civil service.

“Our goal is to adapt Nigeria’s reform experiences to suit our own needs,” Jah stated.

He admitted that the lack of an integrated personnel and payroll system had caused inefficiencies in Gambia.

“To fix this, Gambia is developing a Human Resource Management Information System to align payroll and personnel records,” he said.

He added that a national identification number is being introduced for all citizens, from birth to death.

“With a single ID, citizens can access services without presenting multiple documents,” Jah explained.

He also stressed the value of regular citizen feedback for improving public service performance.

Prof. Victor Ayeni, Director at Governance and Management Services International, UK, also spoke at the event.

He described the visit as a celebration of African innovation and intercontinental learning.

Ayeni said Gambia’s decision to learn from Nigeria reflects confidence in Africa’s home-grown solutions.

He said Africa must move past the idea that reform models must always come from abroad.

He pointed to Nigeria’s reforms, including offering identity cards at supermarkets in London, as inspirational.

Such progress, he said, proves that African nations can lead and learn from each other.

He also praised Gambia’s cautious and thoughtful approach to reform implementation.

“Nigeria can learn from Gambia’s deliberate and measured governance style,” Ayeni said.

He expressed hope that the exchange would spark further collaboration between the two nations. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo

By Ese Williams
Dr Akinwunmi Adesina says serving as President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) is the greatest honour of his life.

Adesina said this at a breakfast meeting held for the media to declare open the AfDB 2025 Annual Meetings in Abidjan.

“It has been a decade of relentless purpose, of enduring passion, and of tireless service. I thank you for walking on this journey with me,’’ he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adesina, a Nigerian Development Economist and Agricultural Development Expert, became president of the bank 10 years ago.

This was after serving as Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture from 2011 to 2015, transforming the sector by attracting private sector investments as well as supporting youth and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

Adesina is dedicated to transforming agriculture in Africa from a subsistence activity to a viable business that attracts investments.

He is also passionate about ending poverty, hunger and malnutrition in Africa and lifting millions of people into the middle class.

“When I was elected in 2015, I did not have any grey hair then. Now my hair has turned several shades of grey.

“Grey from 10 years of unrelenting drive to push Africa forward. Grey from our tireless efforts to turn the Bank into a globally respected financial institution where it was ranked as the best multilateral financial institution in the world.

“Grey from leading the Bank to achieve the largest capital increase in its history, raising the capital of the Bank from 93 billion dollars in 2015 to 318 billion dollars today – an unprecedented achievement.

“Grey from leading the Bank to achieve the highest replenishment of the African Development Fund in the history of the Fund, as we successfully raised 8.9 billion dollars for its 16th replenishment.’’

“Grey from working side by side with my staff to lead on global financial innovations such as the launch of hybrid capital instruments and synthetic securitisation, becoming the first ever multilateral financial institution to do so globally.”

He said he enjoyed the challenges of the banks collective work to ensure that it serve the people of Africa with passion, dedication, accountability, to help Africa develop with pride.

NAN reports that the 2025 meetings are being held under the theme: “Making Africa’s Capital Work Better for Africa’s Development.”

Key highlights of the sessions include the Presidential Dialogue, the launch of the African Economic Outlook, and in-depth thematic discussions aimed at mobilising capital and building stronger institutions.

The Annual Meetings which opened on Tuesday will end on Friday.(NAN)(www.nanng.com)
Edited by Sadiya Hamza

By Sarafina Christopher

Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, said on Saturday that tea trade between China and Nigeria is thriving and enhancing trade relations between the two countries.

Yu said this in Abuja during the “2025 Tea for Harmony Yaji Cultural Salon” event with the theme “Tea in Nature’s Whisper: Aroma of Picturesque Jiangnan.”

The ambassador affirmed that tea Trade between China and Nigeria  had blossomed in recent years, with the introduction of Hainan Baisha tea to the Nigerian market in 2024.

According to him, this marks a new chapter in the collaboration between the two nations in relation to the tea industry.

“The tea fragrance crossing thousands of miles shows that a small tea leaf can not only nourish the body but also warm the soul, becoming a ‘green envoy’ that promotes economic, trade cooperation, and cultural exchanges between China and Nigeria,” he said.

“From the sweet tea stalls on the streets of Lagos to the mint tea found in the historic city of Kano, tea is not just a beverage but an important social bond.”

Highlighting the significance of tea in Chinese culture, the envoy explained that the Chinese tea ceremony embodies five millennia of philosophical wisdom, emphasising harmony, purity, and elegance.

“The ethos of China’s tea ceremony, such as ‘harmony is precious’ and ‘making friends through tea,’ resonates profoundly with Nigeria’s cultural values, acting as a spiritual bridge between our two great civilizations,” he said.

He also pointed out the upgrading of bilateral relations to a during a meeting last year between both countries’ heads of state in Beijing, aimed at deepening cooperation through a three-year initiative called the “Ten Partnership Actions for Modernisation,” which focuses on culture, tourism, and education.

Furthermore, the Ambassador noted that 2026 has been designated the “China-Africa Year of Cultural and People-to-People Exchange.”

As part of this initiative, he noted that Nigerian students are learning tea art and opera in China while showcasing their own music and dance in Chinese cultural settings.

Conversely, Chinese volunteers are promoting the Chinese language and tea culture in Nigeria, while also engaging with local languages and customs.

Yu also expressed the Embassy’s commitment to enhancing cooperation in various fields to strengthen the friendship between the two nations.

Also speaking, Mrs Huang Yun, Leader of the Zhejiang Delegation, Researcher-Librarian of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Centre said that Tea and drama are cultural genes engraved in the blood of the Chinese people.

“Zhejiang, the land that gave birth to Lu Yu’s “The Classic of Tea” and Yue Opera “Butterfly Lovers”, today presents the poetic beauty of green mountains and dear waters and the lingering Wu dialect into a cup of tea and a piece of drama to Nigerian friends.

The event is themed, “Tea in Nature’s Whisper Aroma of picturesque Jiangnan”, interpreting the oriental philosophy of “symbiosis between man and nature”,” She said.

NAN reports that the highlight of the event is performances by artists from the Chinese delegation from Zhejiang, including elegant Yue Opera and pipa music,

The exhibitions of Chinese calligraphy, painting, and photo displays showcasing Zhejiang’s culture and tourism. (NAN)

Edited by Emmanuel Yashim