Meeting - News Agency Of Nigeria

UNGA80: Shettima meets Guterres, Nigeria’s security council bid tops agenda

Salisu Sani Idris
Sep, Fri, 2025

Foreign

UNGA80: Shettima meets Guterres, Nigeria’s security council bid tops agenda

By Salisu Sani-Idris

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has met with the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres at the UN headquarters , New York to discuss key issues, including Nigeria’s quest for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the meeting was on the sidelines of the ongoing 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), where Shettima had presented the Nigeria’s national statement on behalf of President Bola Tinubu.

During the meeting, the vice-president emphasised the need for the UN to “support Nigeria even more, to achieve more,” highlighting that the country “is aspiring to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council.”

The two leaders also held bilateral discussions focusing on, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), climate change, collaboration to strengthen democracy in Nigeria and the African region.

Briefing newsmen shortly after the meeting, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar disclosed that the UN has a very strong presence in Nigeria, with many of its agencies domiciled in the country.

The minister said that the UN Secretary-General commended the vice-president for emphasising Nigeria’s need for a permanent position on the UN Security Council.

Also, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr ‘Bosun Tijani said the Nigerian delegation had a very cordial engagement with the UN Secretary-General.

He highlighted Guterres’ comments on artificial intelligence and his hope and expectation that Nigeria will continue to play a significant role in that field.

“He was extremely happy when we mentioned that Nigeria, just a few days ago, released our first multilingual and multimodal large language model—the first of its kind on the African continent, backed by any government.

“Even as we were leaving, he (Guterres) mentioned that he would love to see that Nigeria supports other African countries to ensure the continent is not left behind in artificial intelligence and that we can leverage it properly for development,” he disclosed.

On his part, the Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Yusuf Sununu, stressed that the vice president had fruitful discussions with the UN Chief.

According to hm, Shettima highlighted President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s efforts in addressing humanitarian crises and poverty reduction.

“He highlighted that we have one of the largest national social registers containing almost 18.9 million households, and we have reached over 8.1 million Nigerians through conditional cash transfers.

“He also highlighted the government’s efforts to promote inclusivity for people with disabilities,” the minister added.

Shettima, according to the minister, added the humanitarian ministry is affected by funding reductions by UN organisations.

He noted that the World Food Programme (WFP) has supported about 1.3 million Nigerians in receiving emergency food transfers, while the federal government is working earnestly to “fill the gap.”

The minister said that the UN Secretary-General assured Nigeria of continued support to improve the ministry’s capacity, authenticate its national social register, and secure more funding for intervention and poverty reduction activities.

“Generally, the Secretary-General thanked the Nigerian government, especially the President, for the ongoing support to the United Nations and assured us that the UN will continue to support Nigeria’s wishes and aspirations.” (NAN) (www nannws.ng)

Edited by Rotimi Ijikanmi

Putin rejects Zelensky meeting abroad, insists on Moscow venue

Lydia Beshel
Sep, Fri, 2025

Foreign

Putin rejects Zelensky meeting abroad, insists on Moscow venue

Meeting

Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected calls for a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky at a negotiating venue abroad.

If Zelensky wants to meet with him but at the same time demands that he travel somewhere for the meeting, then that is asking too much, Putin said at the economic forum in Vladivostok.

“The best place for this [for a meeting] is the capital of the Russian Federation, the heroic city of Moscow,” he said.

Zelensky had previously rejected plans for a Moscow meeting.

There are seven countries willing to host a summit, according to Ukrainian sources.

In Vladivostok, Putin insisted on Moscow as the venue for negotiations, as he had proposed during his visit to China earlier this week.

The safety of the guests would be guaranteed to 100 per cent, he said.

Ukraine’s security service (SBU) says it has foiled several assassination plots against the president since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Talks in Moscow would bolster the Kremlin’s negotiating position, which continues to see itself as having an advantage on the front lines.

Putin has argued that talks with Zelensky would be futile, claiming the Ukrainian president no longer has the legal authority to sign agreements.

Zelensky’s term officially expired last year.

But he continues to lead Ukraine via martial law, under which elections are suspended for the duration of the war, and the president’s mandate is automatically extended.

Putin, by contrast, has remained in power since 2012, bolstered by constitutional changes that allowed him to extend his term limits. (dpa/NAN)(www.nannew.ng)

(Edited by Emmanuel Yashim)

Rabi'u Sani Ali
Sep, Wed, 2025

Education

NTI hosts maiden National Education Quality Assurance Policy Committee meeting

By Hussaina Yakubu

The maiden edition of the National Education Quality Assurance Policy Committee meeting is currently underway at the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), Kaduna.

The meeting organised by the Federal Education Quality Assurance Service Department of the Federal Ministry of Education, billed to hold from Sept. 2 to 4.

The theme of the meeting is: “Improving Education Quality Assurance Policies, Processes, and Practices in Nigeria.”

The Minister of Education, Mr Tunji Alausa, who inaugurated the meeting on Wednesday in Kaduna, described it as timely and paramount.

Alausa was represented by Abel Enitan and Ayodele Samson, Permanent Secretary in the ministry, and Director/Coordinating Evaluator, Federal Education Quality Assurance, Kaduna State Office, respectively.

He emphasised that it’s time to move beyond merely ensuring access to education and focus on the quality of education.

The minister said the committee was conceived not as another bureaucratic framework, rather a strategic intervention to reposition Education Quality Assurance, as the cornerstone of Nigeria’s national educational agenda.

“We are here to review, refine, and revitalise the policies, processes, and practices that govern how we ensure quality at the basic and secondary levels of education,” he said.

He said the focus in the future must be on harmonising regulations and standards across the education sector.

According to Alausa, this is to strengthen monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, as well as planning to leverage technology for real-time data collection and analysis.

This, he said, would ensure inclusiveness and accessibility of quality assurance to basic and secondary education institutions, especially in underserved areas.

Also, Adegboye Adekunle, Director, Federal Education Quality Assurance Service Department, said the establishment of the committee marked the culmination of an extensive peer review, stakeholder engagement, and robust deliberations.

He said the exercise aimed at addressing the foundational pillars of Nigeria’s educational system, and identified disparities in learning outcomes as some of the challenges in the sector.

The director stressed the need for curriculum modernisation, teacher quality and welfare, infrastructure deficits.

Adekunle highlighted the urgent need to align education with 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, creativity and digital literacy.

He said the meeting would provide strategic direction, oversight, and technical leadership in the formulation, implementation, and monitoring of a comprehensive quality assurance framework for all levels of education in Nigeria.

”Together, let us build an education system that we can all be proud of-one that nurtures talent, fosters innovation, and drives national transformation.”

Also, Prof. Sadiya Sani-Daura, Director/Chief Executive Officer, NTI, said the deliberations would yield valuable insights and strategies to strengthen the country’s quality assurance framework.

Highlights of the event featured paper presentations by resource persons and technical sessions.

The meeting is being attended by representatives of the FCDO/PLANE, Quality Assurance Directors from various states, and other stakeholders. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

Nigeria delegation attends IMF Spring Meeting

Ismail Abdulaziz
Apr, Tue, 2025

Economy/Business

Nigeria delegation attends IMF Spring Meeting

By Nana Musa

Mr Wale Edun, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of Economy has led the Nigeria’s delegation to the 2025 International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring Meeting holding in Washington DC.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting, holding from April 21 to April 26 in the US capital, is being attended by delegations from 190 countries.

In the Nigeria’s delegation are Chief Executive Officers of financial institutions, representatives of the private sector, Civil Society Organisations, Non-Governmental Organisations and other stakeholders.

The meeting aimed at promoting global macroeconomics financial stability, along IMF’s long-standing mission would provide policy advice, surveillance of member countries’ economies, and financial assistance to countries facing balance-of-payments issues.

The meetings will focus on building a better balanced and more resilient world economy that can better withstand economic shocks and promote sustainable development.

The specific activities of the meeting also include analysing the world economy, holding bilateral consultations with member countries, and providing support to countries navigating economic challenges.

It will also discuss the global economic outlook, global financial stability, and poverty eradication

At the meeting, the IMF is also expected to release its World Economic Outlook and Global Financial Stability Report.

The World Economic Outlook will provide analysis and projections of the global economy, the global financial stability report, assess the global financial system and highlight systemic issues.

The meetings will also discuss the need for reforms to the global financial architecture to support developing countries as well as poverty eradication and inclusive economic growth

Other key area of discussion at the meeting is how to address the economic impacts of climate change on the nations.

NAN reports that IMF and the World Bank are two intergovernmental organisations, often referred to as the Bretton Woods Institutions that were established in 1944 to rebuild the global economy after World War II.

While the IMF focuses on maintaining the stability of the international monetary system, the World Bank aims to reduce poverty and promote development in developing countries..

The IMF also acts like a financial policeman, ensuring the global financial system functions smoothly, while the World Bank is like a development banker, helping countries invest in their future

Specifically, the IMF conducts economic surveillance, both at the national and global levels to monitor the health of its 190 member countries.

The IMF provides loan to member-countries struggling with a balance of payments crisis and offers advice on how to improve the their financial regulations

The World Bank on its part, focuses on reducing poverty and promoting sustainable development in developing countries.

It lends money to developing countries for development projects, provides policy advice and technical assistance, and promotes knowledge sharing and innovation to help countries tackle development challenges. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ese E. Eniola Williams