By Salisu Sani-Idris

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Thursday expressed the desire of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to deepen existing bilateral relations with the Republic of Cuba.

The Director of Information, Office of the Vice President, Mr Olusola Abiola, in a statement, said Shettima stated this during a courtesy visit to the Vice President of Cuba, Salvador Valdez Mesa at the Palace De Revolution, Havana.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Shettima is currently in Cuba to represent Tinubu at the G77+China Leaders’ Summit in Havana, Cuba, holding from Sept. 15 to 17.

Shettima during the visit traced the history of relations between Nigeria, Africa and Cuba, especially its support for Southern Africa.

“We hold Cuba in high esteem, especially your commitment to us in Africa,” he affirmed.

While commending the existing relationship between the two countries, Shettima reiterated the need for the two countries to re-commit to future relations.

“Our relationship has been very excellent over the years and this relations needs to be strengthened and upscaled.

“This is why I came with Ministers of Agriculture and that of Science, Technology and Innovation to explore future areas of partnership.”

The Vice President also stressed the need to explore opportunities in Science, Technology and Innovation as well as the agriculture sector.

Shettima, while delivering a special message to the President of Cuba, Miguel Diaz-Canel from President Tinubu, assured the commitment of Nigerian government towards deepening their mutual relations.

In his remarks, the Vice President of Cuba, praised Nigeria’s leadership role in Africa and the world.

He said Cuba takes its relations with Nigeria very seriously, noting that the support to Africa in past decades was due to the fact that Cuba considers itself as an African State.

He, therefore, expressed Cuba readiness to explore new areas of collaboration with Nigeria in such sectors such as health, biodiversity and agriculture.

He also thanked Nigeria for its participation at the upcoming Summit saying, “we attach great importance to your presence here.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Rabiu Sani-Ali

By Funmilola Gboteku

QNET, a direct selling E-commerce company says it has adopted a multifaceted approach to combat fraudulent and illegitimate practices linked to the direct selling industry in Nigeria.

Malou Caluza, the Deputy Chairperson for QNET, disclosed this during a roundtable in Malaysia with journalists from Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone.

She said that QNET also planned to tackle the issues of misconceptions about its wellness and fitness products in Africa, especially in Nigeria.

Caluza explained that at QNET, there was zero policy for any misrepresentation or unethical practices of Independent Representatives (IRs) promoting the business.

“We have a dedicated network compliance department that monitors our network of IRs.

“QNET provides comprehensive training programmes to equip IRs with the necessary skills and knowledge to operate ethically, avoid fraudulent practices and provide accurate information to potential customers.

“We have also joined forces with local law enforcement agencies to apprehend scammers misrepresenting our brand in Nigeria,” Caluza said.

She added that the company took the allegations of fraudulent practices very seriously, and would take strong action against anyone found to be misrepresenting QNET.

According to her, QNET’s main focus is to maintain a trustworthy and fraud-free environment for its business operations in Africa.

Caluza said that QNET had invested in comprehensive awareness campaigns to educate the public about the modus operandi of scammers and how to distinguish them from legitimate QNET’s independent representatives.

“QNET has adopted a multi-pronged approach to combat the issue through public education, adherence to strict guidelines, collaboration with authorities, monitoring systems, customer support and training initiatives,” she said.

She noted that these initiatives aimed at empowering individuals to make informed decisions and avoid falling victim to scams.

Caluza explained that by maintaining a strong moral compass, the company ensured that its representatives conducted business responsibly and transparently.

She, however, said that sometimes false allegations were made against some of the IRs, noting that several investigations are carried out before any IR is suspended or terminated.

Similarly, Biram Fall, the Regional General Manager for QNET’s Sub-Saharan Africa Operations, revealed that the company had invested heavily in the training and development of its independent representatives.

He said that the company had remained steadfast in its commitment to combat misrepresentation and empower individuals with the knowledge needed to distinguish legitimate opportunities from scams.

Also, the Chief Reputation and Transformation Officer for QNET, Trevor Kuna, said the company had implemented a robust monitoring systems to identify any suspicious activities or deviations from its policies.

According to him, regular audits are conducted to ensure compliance and to promptly identify and address any potential issues associated with scammers.

Ramya Chandrasekaran, Group Chief Communications Officer of the QI Group, said that customers could reach out to its support network to report any suspicious behavior and seek guidance on the legitimacy of transactions or representatives.

Also, Nikhil Patel, Chief Legal Officer, QNET, said that there were three types of scammers, the ones not associated with QNET, current IRs and former IRs. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Oluyinka Fadare

By Funmilola Gboteku
The RYTHM Foundation, QI Group’s social impact initiative says it would be partnering with the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation to empower 400 disadvantaged women in the Northern part of Nigeria.

The Head of RYTHM Foundation, Santhi Periasamy, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview in Malaysia on Monday that it was necessary to train these women to make them useful to their communities.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that QI Group is a diversified multinational entity catering to various business lines in lifestyle, leisure, luxury, training, education, property development, management, logistics and e-commerce.

According to her, giving women greater economic empowerment means enabling them to increase their right to economic resources and their control over meaningful decisions that will benefit them.

Periasamy said that women’s economic empowerment also included women’s ability to participate equally in existing markets.

She added that these women needed access to decent work, and control over their own time, lives and bodies.

According to her, giving these women and girls access to education and trainings can also inspire their husbands to work harder.

She explained that education was one of the most powerful means available for providing women with the knowledge, skills and self-confidence needed to participate equally in society.

According to Periasamy, the foundation will be working in four locations in the North with their future partner, the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation.

She said that two of the locations would be in the North-Central, while the remaining two would both be in the North-Eastern and North-Western communities respectfully.

Periasamy said that it would select 100 girls and women in each of the location, bringing the total number of the people it would empower to 400.

“Before providing any form of empowerment, the four communities must have a common need for same intervention but it may, however, be heterogenous with specific needs that may not be critical in other communities.

“So, we have asked our future partner, the Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, to start up a comprehensive ground research, in order to do an assessment and advise RYTHM Foundation on the next steps to take.

“On this project, we will teach the women basic skills, by looking at the resources they have in their geographical locations, as these will determine what kind of training they will get.

“Once we embark on this project, our working partners will expose the women to financial literacy, how to run small businesses such as soap making, farming, textiles, bag making and other crafts skills, “she said.

Periasamy said that as the foundation engaged in transformative projects in Africa, it would extend its reach to various corners of the globe, touching lives and making a difference in diverse communities.

According to her, the main focus of the foundation remains resolute in advancing education, nurturing sustainable development, promoting social inclusivity, and fostering positive change

She said that by the time the project ends in three years, the women would have had enough money to run and sustain their businesses. (NAN)
Edited by Oluyinka Fadare

By Taiye Olayemi

Indian community in Nigeria has commended its Prime Minister, Narendra Modi for extending an invitation to President Bola Tinubu for the G-20 summit ongoing in New Delhi, India.

Mr Sanjay Srivastava, President, Afro Asian Community Development (AACD) in a statement, also commended the effort of Mr Pravin Kumar, General Secretary of AACD for attending the all-important meeting.

Srivastava, who is also President, People of Indian Origin Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Nigeria lauded Modi for inculcating the African Union as permanent member of G-20.

He said this was a step in the right direction, as it would enable Africans proffer lasting solutions to the global economy.

According to him, the move will also aid in fostering inclusiveness and establishing an impartial world order as disclosed by Tinubu.

Srivastava said: “Considering the fact that South Africa is the only African member of the group of the world’s 20 most industrialised nations, Nigeria’s move to join will be highly beneficial.

“For us, Indians living in Nigeria, this is a welcome development, it will enable Nigerians and all other nations of the G-20 to share great future ahead.

“This will enable Nigerians play vital role in contributing to shaping a more equitable world.” (NAN) (nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

 The UN Inter Agency Group on Youth has reaffirmed its commitment to investing in young people in the area of green economy to ensure Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The agency stakeholders made this known at the discussion organised by the UN Information Centre (UNIC), in Abuja on Saturday to equip young people with skills for the green economy.

The event with the theme: “Green skills for youth: towards a sustainable world” was put together to commemorate the 2023 International Youth Day.

Speaking, the UNFPA Resident Representative,  Ms Gifty  Addico, said that dialogue among youths to ensure achieve sustainable green economy has become important in line with global environmental challenges.

Adduce said, “As the world shifts to greener future, green skills are cornerstone of this transition, serving as tools that empower individuals to champion a resource efficient society.

“We are ensuring every interaction brings us closer to sustainable Nigeria, led by youth equipped with right skills.

“Our commitment to safeguarding the rights and well-being of our youths are embodied in transformative results ending preventable maternal deaths, ending unmet need for family planning, ending gender-based-violence and all harmful practices.

“We are committed to advocating for the rights of young people, empowering them with knowledge and skills to not only protect themselves but enable them make informed decisions.

“So they can realise their full potential and contribute to economic and social transformation.”

In separate interviews, Rownak Khan, Deputy Representative of UNICEF, described the event as apt in ensuring shared future for young people.

According to her, UNICEF remains grateful not just to have chaired the Inter Agency Group, but committed to ensure sustainable future for Nigerian youths.

Khan said, “It is important to come together to build a sustainable future for young people and the green skills basically comes how they future.

“Putting the lens of a climate resilient to work, sustainable employment and sustainable environment as well.

“This is a unique opportunity for all of us to provide adequate skills, so that the skills can be used for them to ensure a resilient future for the next generation.”

For his part, Mr Babatunde Adelekan, UNFPA Focal Aide for Youth, said the discussion was initiated to make youths become skilled in green economy.

“We intend to achieve this by giving young people the necessary information and linking them up with the ecosystem.

“Through opportunities, through training and building up skills, where they are able to utilize the various opportunities that are available.

“The green revolution is something that we must quickly tackle as a country, so that our vibrant, agile youths will be able to harness their full potential,” he said.

Meanwhile, Segun Tekun, National Project Officer, Social Protection and Youth Employment, International Labour Organisation (ILO), described climate as major problem that hinder development of young people.

“We agreed that climate change is a problem and that young people are the ones mostly impacted by it, we also agreed that there is the need for us to transit to the green economy economy.

“To transit to the green economy we need to create green jobs, the. In carrying out those jobs we need green skills,” he said.

The highpoint of the event was video presentation on green economy, U-report results on green skills and climate change.

Discussions were also centered on what green skills are, why they are important, green jobs, market development, requirement and career transition. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Julius Toba-Jegede

By Funmilola Gboteku

The Quest International University (QIU), a private research-led institution in Perak, Malaysia, has advocated African-Asian partnership to foster the use of herbal medicine.

The Chief Operating Officer of QIU, Nicholas Goh, made the call during a tour of the institution with journalists from Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone on Thursday.

Goh said it was necessary for Africans and Asians to leverage emerging technologies to boost the use of herbal medicine.

He said medicinal therapies based on traditional herbs and plant products had long been practiced widely in Asia and Africa.

Goh noted that this vast experience in Asia/Africa over a wide range of products, diversity of applications and treatments could be shared by Asian and African countries.

He explained that Asian countries could offer and extend support to African countries as they had a comparative advantage in this field.

“For instance, most developing countries are short of research facilities, so it is essential for us to form partnerships to move ahead in that area.

“I believe developing countries should not live by western standards, but strive to enrich their nations by not depending on imported medicine,” Goh said.

He added that the production technology and marketing capacities in these countries needed to be more vigorously developed based on their knowledge and extensive use of traditional medicinal practices.

Goh explained that it was common knowledge that the safety of most herbal products was further compromised by inadequate labeling and proper measurements.

He noted it was essential to work on the standardisation of herbal medicine so that it could compete with modern medicine.

Speaking on commitment of the university, he said the main aim was to provide quality education while maintaining affordability, facilitated by a team of experienced educators from Malaysia and abroad.

According to him, Quest is also focused on producing well-rounded graduates equipped with the skills and confidence to succeed in a rapidly changing job market.

“Research and innovation form the backbone of QIU, with special research projects focusing on sustainable construction materials, technology innovations, health intervention, and food sustainability initiatives,” Goh said.

Goh stressed the importance of students gaining first-hand knowledge of groundbreaking research by working alongside dedicated educators.

The chief operating officer said the university also had a huge passion for social responsibility, with students actively participating in community service and volunteering for good causes.

Goh said the university’s student body comprised 10 per cent international students and 90 per cent of local students.

He added that QIU, which currently had close to 2,000 students from about 50 countries on its campus, offered 40 programmes and did not have any branch in any other country.

Goh emphasised that the university had not authorised any agent or anyone to collect money from applicants.

He warned against scammers exploiting prospective students and advised individuals to verify information through the university’s official website.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that other representatives present at the tour included the University Relations Director, Pauline Lee; Senior Manager Digital Communications Department, Loghun Kumaran; the Registrar, Muhammad MG Omar; and Prof. Zita Mohd Fahmi, Vice-Chancellor of the University. (NAN)

Edited by Salif Atojoko

By Ismail Abdulaziz

President Bola Tinubu has started a meeting with an investor in India as part of his official visit to the country ahead of the G20 Summit on Saturday and Sunday.

A statement by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, on Tuesday in Abuja, said the president entered the meeting immediately on arrival after a 15 hours long intercontinental journey.

The president met with Mr Prakash Hinduja, Chairman and CEO of the Hinduja Group of Companies, a conglomerate with a total asset portfolio exceeding 100 billion U.S. Dollars.

The president received the industrialist within 90 minutes of the his arrival in India.

Accompanied by Nigeria’s Ministers of Finance, Foreign Affairs, Industry, Trade and Investment, Tinubu said he was in India with a focus to better the Nigeria’s economic fortunes.

He said that Nigeria intends to attract investments with lucrative opportunities, jobs for its citizens and new revenue opportunities for the federal and sub-national governments.

“We are here for business. I am here to personally assure our friends and investors that there is no bottleneck that I will not break. Nigeria will become one of the most conducive places on earth to make good profits and create lasting jobs.

‘’With my support, there is nothing standing in your way of enjoying the unrivaled opportunities presented by our massive market and the ingenious, and hardworking nature of the Nigerian people. We are open for business,” the president said.

The Hinduja Group chairman told the president that he was a living witness to his landmark effort as Governor of Lagos in turning a coastal erosion and water encroachment crisis into a massive free trade zone where industry now thrives.

This, he said, was partially responsible for his excitement to partner with the Nigeria’s new president to create a win-win prosperity for Nigeria’s talented population.

“We believe in you as a leader who has done this before. You know what the challenges are. You know how to fix them.

”We are going to make investments into the billions of dollars under your leadership, because we see you are already addressing the systemic problems. I am ready now to sign an MoU and to begin execution.

”You tell me who to liaise with, and we will get to work immediately, particularly with respect to bus and automobile manufacturing in Nigeria, amongst other areas.

”I have had paperwork stalled in Nigerian bureaucracy for over one year, especially in FCT.

”But I knew that you would be purpose driven in this endeavour and God will help you to turn Nigeria’s rich promise into rich reality for all of its citizens,” Hinduja said.

The president directed thus: “Ministers of Trade and Finance, the two of you will follow this up immediately, and you will draw up the terms to the satisfaction of both parties.

”If there are any issues at all that require my intervention, they must be brought to my attention immediately.”

After the president assigned the task of concluding the agreement to the two ministers in collaboration with Hinduja Group Executives, who were present in the room.

The president concluded that his task of making Nigeria great could only be achieved through teamwork and not in isolation.

He added that when his investors are happy, Nigerians would rejoice by partaking in an inclusive economy where hard work is rewarded and excellence becomes the reputation of the nation.(NAN)

By Oladele Eniola

The British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Mr Jonny Baxter, says his first few weeks in Nigeria has revealed the people as passionate, full of energy, and with entrepreneurial spirit

Baxter, who is new in office, said this in his maiden media interview, with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, on Thursday.

“ I have been here for three and a half weeks so I’m still very new. Nigeria has been an absolutely amazing place to be and as you will know, Nigeria, is well known to UK.

“I was really looking forward to coming to Nigeria, particularly to Lagos, to enjoy the vibrant culture, the vibrant food, all of the things that Lagos produces and is well known for and I have been lucky enough to come across all those things.

“Meeting Nigerians has been fantastic and the welcome I have had has been absolutely incredible. I love the fact that all the Nigerians I have met have been passionate, have been full of energy for the things that they are talking about and things they care about.

“ I have really noticed the entrepreneurial spirit and those things are just brilliant to be around, as you can’t help but be uplifted by it. And you know, I’ve been so lucky to meet an incredible group of people already,” he said.

He said that in his short time in the country, he had been able to visit the beach, amongst other exciting places.

“So I went I went out to a beach and I sat quietly for a while and read Jagua Nana, which is quite an old book by Cyprian Ekwensi, and really enjoyed doing that,” he said.

The envoy said that it was fantastic, when after tweeting about it afterwards, he got brilliant responses from Nigerians and suggestions on other things he could do.

He said he had also enjoyed his visit to the Lufasi Nature Park, where he got to see both the amazing work that had been done there, and also the children and the students who were enjoying the place of peace in the city that is alive all the time.

“Suddenly, there is this green space where you can sit down and enjoy the trees, hear the birds and that was a lovely, lovely trip, so I’ve enjoyed all of that,” he said.

On Nigerian cuisine, he said, “everyone has asked me about Jollof rice, and I already had Jollof rice, and I really enjoyed it. That has been fantastic.

“There are some things that I haven’t tasted, but I’m looking forward to eating more Nigerian food and just experiencing what there is,” he said.

He reiterated his commitment to strengthening the bilateral relations between both countries.

Baxter, before becoming the British Deputy High Commissioner (DHC) in Lagos, served as His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of South Sudan from January 2021-July 2023.

He was Deputy Director, Finance and Performance Department at the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office – FCDO (then DFID) from 2018-2020.

He has held various senior positions in the Department of International Development (DFID).

These include running the Human Development Department from 2017-2018, Principal Private Secretary to the Secretary of State from 2014-2016, and head of the Higher Education Taskforce Secretariat from 2013-2014 all at the DFID Headquarters, London.

Prior to these roles, he did postings in Sudan, Iraq, Guyana and Tanzania.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Oluwole Sogunle

By Oladele Eniola

The United Kingdom issued some 132,000 visas to Nigerians in the first half of the year, Jonny Baxter, British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He revealed the number in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday.

Baxter, however, could not readily give the total number of applications received from Nigerians during the period.

“In the first half of the year, we granted approximately 132,000 visas, and those are all sorts of visas which include visit, work and study visas.

“In the previous full year before that, we issued about 324,000. The UK, in that year, issued about three million visas, and of those three million visas, 324,000 were issued to Nigerians, which is about 10 percent.

“ If you think about Nigeria’s population, relative to the world, that’s actually a higher proportion of Nigerians taking up those visas and coming to the UK which I view is a good thing.

“The UK has a huge number of Nigerian students in the country, and in terms of foreign students in the UK, Nigeria is second only to India.

“We welcome and value the many Nigerians that we have coming to the UK to study or settle, as long as they are coming through legal routes, and it is important that the country’s rules are followed and respected,” he said.

Baxter reiterated that change in the rules of students bringing dependents was a necessity, based on an international challenge.

“ In 2019, Nigerian students going to the UK brought in 1,500 dependents. By 2022/2023, that number had risen to 52,000 dependents, that’s a massive increase.

“ Nigeria is not unique, as it has happened for many other countries and indeed, this change on the dependents is an international challenge.

“It is not surprising that a country, Britain in this case, that is facing that kind of change to the numbers of people coming in the country, wants to look at the policy and would want to change and amend their policy.

“This is definitely not a case of saying that we don’t want students to come, we definitely want students still to come, and the new policy would come in in January 2024.”

He explained that UK government reviews its visa fees on a regular basis, noting that increments are taken when it becomes a necessity.

“What the British government has decided to do is they review fees all the time, and they’ve decided that because of the cost of processing visas, those costs that people applying for visas need to pay should go up as well.

“The other thing that I think is probably not often recognised is that, for some of those people who are going to the UK and are in some limited circumstances, those people will access services when they are in the UK and those services cost money.

“So, part of the money out of the fees in the visa process will be to pay for those services that in certain circumstances, some people may need to access when they’re there. So for me, that’s an entirely justifiable thing.

“But I completely understand it is important for us to explain it so people understand reasons for increment,” he said.

He advised the public to always apply for visa well ahead of their scheduled travels, noting that there are processes and time frames in granting visas. (NAN) ( www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Oluwole Sogunle