Industry - NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

Muhyideen Jimoh
Dec, Sat, 2024

FG partners NACCIMA for business growth

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By Rukayat Moisemhe

The Federal Government is partnering with the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) to address key economic challenges and foster business growth.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, said this during an interactive session with members of the organised private sector on Friday in Lagos.

Oduwole outlined her vision for supporting businesses through consistent policies, enhanced access to credit, and actionable measures aimed at reducing economic constraints.

“We have discussed critical issues such as inflation, high interest rates, and the urgent need for single-digit interest rates to boost productivity for businesses across the country.

“Smaller businesses and financial inclusion, especially for underserved sectors, were also central to our discussions,” Oduwole said.

The minister emphasised the government’s commitment to tackling market barriers, ensuring investment retention, and creating a thriving business environment.

“As a champion of investment retention, I have assured NACCIMA that businesses in Nigeria will not only thrive but also inspire confidence in foreign direct investors.

“This administration is steadfast in its dedication to policy consistency,” she said.

Oduwole also reiterated the importance of trade facilitation and implementing trade agreements to benefit Nigerian businesses domestically and internationally.

She emphasised that NACCIMA plays a pivotal role in ensuring compliance with trade rules and expanding market access for businesses.

On export diversification, Oduwole stressed the need to go beyond goods to include services, technology, and the creative sector.

She commended NACCIMA for promoting inclusivity through its support for women and youth entrepreneurs across its 72 chapters.

The minister assured that measurable reforms would commence by January 2025, affirming President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to ensuring prosperity.

She said, “NACCIMA is explicitly mentioned in my mandate, which underscores the importance this administration places on your concerns.”

Commenting, Mr Dele Oye, NACCIMA President, welcomed the partnership, describing the ministry as a crucial link between the government and the private sector.

“The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment is vital to our operations, including trade fairs and certificates of origin.

“This collaboration will strengthen Nigeria’s position as a business hub and encourage both domestic and foreign investments,” Oye said.

Oye urged members to remain optimistic, restating the minister’s commitment to addressing policy challenges and creating opportunities.

“There’s a new wave of incentives and reforms on the horizon. I encourage our members to seize these opportunities and discourage emigration at a time when Nigeria’s business landscape is set for transformation,” Oye said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Oluwafunke Ishola

Philip Daniel Yatai
Nov, Fri, 2024

Aviation

Women in aviation pledge to advance safety, security in aviation sector

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By Gabriel Agbeja

The Women in Aviation International, Nigeria Chapter (WIA-N), a non-profit organisation, has pledged to advance safety and security in the aviation industry.

Its President, Nigeria Chapter, Mrs Rejoice Ndudinachi, made the pledge at the 2024 WIA Annual Conference in Abuja on Thursday.

Ndudinachi assured that Women in Aviation would continue to support and do all it takes to ensure safety and security in the aviation industry “and this, we have been doing and will continue to do.

“In every segment of Nigeria’s aviation industry, women are present and have been making a very significant impact, starting from engineering, management, aero- medical, media, regulation, training, meteorology and security to piloting.

“Ever since WIA was established, the level of commitment and dedication to duties by women in aviation has increased and this has contributed significantly to the numerous achievements that the industry has recorded.”

The president said the members would keep gaining knowledge by attending international WIA conferences on constant basis, urging them to support and cooperate.

“Today, we gather once again as a community of pioneers, advocates, and change makers in aviation. Women in Aviation, Nigeria Chapter is a non-profit organisation. It encourages the advancement of women in all aviation career fields and interests.”

She said the vision of the organisation was to promote public awareness of the accomplishments and contributions of women to aviation development.

According to her, the aims of WIA include fostering, promoting and engaging in aviation education, particularly as it relates to WIA.

Others, she said, were to cultivate, foster and promote interest and understanding among the public on the accomplishments and contributions of women in aviation.

“We also aim to encourage the young ones to build up their future in aviation.”

She said WIA-N had established and inaugurated about 17 Aviation Clubs in schools to provide a platform for networking resources and opportunities for women.

“In pursuit of our aims and objectives, we have embarked on public sensitisation programmes, WIA Scholarships, career talks, and other activities to help the young ones to take up a career in aviation.

“For example, Nigeria got the position of first winner and second winner during the September 2024 International girls in aviation day activity raffle draw. The girls made us proud.

“This year, we organised ‘Girls in Aviation Day’ in almost all the airports in Nigeria with the support of aviation agencies, particularly with the support of these beautiful role models and vision achievers in the house,“she said.

She said the organisation gave handsome gifts to outstanding children to inspire them to pursue careers in aviation.

She said the theme, “Connect, Engage, Inspire“ perfectly encapsulated the essence of the organisation`s mission, vision, and the journey it had embarked.

“As women in aviation, we have a unique opportunity and responsibility to inspire. We inspire each other by sharing stories of perseverance, innovation, and leadership.

“We also inspire the younger ones to take up a career in aviation, `she said. (NAN)

Edited by Deji Abdulwahab

Rabi'u Sani Ali
Nov, Sat, 2024

Agriculture

FG, IFAD-SAPZ to boost Nigeria’s agro-industrial dev’t

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By FeliciA Imohimi

The Federal Government and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)-Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) programme have pledged to make all states across the country agro-industrial hubs by 2026.

Dr Dede Ekoue, Country Director, IFAD, made the pledge at the 1st joint Federal Government/IFAD Supervision Mission Wrap-Up of SAPZ on Friday in Abuja.

Ekoue said the gesture would be achieved through the implementation of the project in all states of the federation.

She said that the accelerated pilot intervention in Kano had proven to be highly effective model, laying strong foundation for the project’s future success and ensuring tangible benefits were reaching the targeted rural smallholder farmers.

The country director said the project had so far reached 1000 beneficiaries in Kano out of the 7,398 profiled farmers between September 2024 and September 2025 in the state.

She described the progress achieved so far at the early phase as a strong indicator of its potential to achieve its goal in upcoming years.

“We have already reached over 1000 beneficiaries under the pilot project, which demonstrates our commitment to the targeting strategy and our goal of inclusivity.

“The project is on the right path to meeting the SAPZ’s gender and youth representative targets, with 44.5 per cent of the beneficiaries being female and 28.8 per cent youth.

“As we progresses, we are on track to meet the 50 per cent female and 40 per cent youth representation targets in the targeted areas of Kano and Ogun States.’’

Ekoue identified the target of reaching 24,000 beneficiaries across Ogun and Kano by 2025 as ambitious and achievable.

She called for concerted efforts of all stakeholders to accelerate the pace of implementation and prioritise scaling up successful intervention.

“We must continue to strengthen our partnerships; leverage new technologies and adapt quickly to the changing agricultural landscape,” she said.

Ekoue identified other achievements of the project as capacity building for farmer-based organisations, establishment of demonstration plots, partnerships with local institutions, strong collaboration with state and local government and private sector engagement.

She said the project has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Commodity Alliance Federation.

According to her, the gesture is as an important step towards enhancing the livelihoods of farmers by opening new pathways to market opportunities.

Dr Kabir Yusuf, National Programme Coordinator, SAPZ, said the project’s overall development objective was to support the development of SAPZ in high food production areas to supply the domestic food market and create exportable surpluses.

According to him, it is also to capacitate smallholder farmers, small agro-processors and traders and community-based service providers including women and youth.

Yusuf said the programme was being piloted in Kano and subsequently, Ogun.

He said it would be implemented across the 36 states of the federation through the bye-in of the government.

“If the SAPZ project is implemented across all the state it will directly or indirectly create at least 500,000 jobs in each states outside the jobs that will spring up along the value chain.

“l am optimistic that as we have reach our pilot target group, we will rich our target in 2025 and the issue of food security will be history

“We will at that point develop infrastructure for our processing industry and by the end of 2026 we will have full fledge SAPZ and agro-Industrial development across the country,’’ he said.

Mr Musa Bukar, Director, Project Coordinating Unit, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMFS), said the supervision mission was to access the level of implementation of the project in Kano and identify key bottleneck.

“The mission is also to make recommendation on way forward to accelerate progress.

“SAPZ has successfully foster collaboration with key stakeholders including the Kano State ministry of agriculture, agro-pastoral development programme, among others.

“These efforts help assure that the project aligned with local needs and provides a strong foundation for the project’s successes and quality improvement,’’ he said.

Tabi Karikari, Chief Agro-Industrial Officer, African Development Bank (AfDB), who identified SAPZ as a game changer, said it was accelerated for its capacity to change any rural communities from zones of misery to becoming zones of prosperity. (NAN)( www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo