Policy - News Agency Of Nigeria

Philip Daniel Yatai
Feb, Thu, 2025

Nigeria needs disruptive strategy to make significant progress – Nwala

By Philip Yatai

A lawyer and policy strategist, Dr Oracle Nwala, says Nigeria needs a disruptive strategy to achieve its governance and development goals for the benefits of all citizens.

Nwala stated this at the official unveiling of his book entitled, “Disruptive Strategies: Unveiling Personal Definitive Strategists”, in Abuja on Wednesday.

The author, an eminent member of the global legal community with over 25 years of experience in Nigeria’s legal and policy space, said that disruptive strategy would move the country forward.

Nwala, a member of the Senior Executive Course 43, National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos, defined disruptive strategy as essentially doing something the way it works with no regard to laid down procedures.

He added that it also entails looking at a system and taking decisions that work to get the needed results.

He recalled that President Bola Tinubu had disrupted Nigeria’s economy with the removal of fuel subsidy on the day he was inaugurated as president of the country.

Nwala said that the action was paying off with the economy gradually picking up and things getting better by the day.

According to him, what Nigerians need is continued disruption.

“Let us disrupt things that are not working; let’s disrupt things that are not helping us. The philosophy, the ideas and everything we have thought about and are not working let’s jettison them.

“Artificial Intelligence has disrupted the technology space and now young people are doing much more than we have ever done – this is disruption,” he said.

At a personal level, the author said that the book unveils the untapped potential within each individual to chart a unique path to success and fulfilment.

He added that by advocating a paradigm shift, the book underscores the importance of prioritising personal strategy alongside traditional business approaches to succeed.

“Disruptive Strategy empowers readers to confront life’s challenges with confidence and resilience, unlocking their full potential and achieving lasting fulfilment.

“Serving as a roadmap for those ready to break free from the ordinary, transcend limitations and embrace a life of purpose and achievement, the book is an invitation to seize control of your personal journey and thrive in the modern world.

“Whether redefining your personal or professional path, disruptive strategy combines real-world insights, practical tools and a deeply personal methodology to help you build resilience, think strategically and dominate your niche,” he said.

The book reviewer, Prof. Ahmed Okene, Provost, National Defence College, Abuja, said that disruptive strategy was simply querying existing norms or methods to achieve results.

Okene said that the book, made up of 12 chapters and 331 pages, provides a step-by-step guide on how to adopt disruptive strategy to achieve personal, governance, entrepreneurship, economy and other goals.

“In terms of governance and leadership, applying disruptive strategy means you will have to question the existing status quo to achieve desired results.

“People are used to doing things in a certain way; the way it is done but with disruptive strategy, you will have to query what you see; disorganise the system to reorganise it for it to work.

“In governance, you will have to think from a perspective that others have not thought of before,” he said.

One of Nwala’s coursemates at the National Institute, Mr Mukhtar Galadima, described the book as an eye opener in governance, leadership and personal life.

Galadima, the Director of Development Control, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), said: “What the book is simply saying is, don’t always follow protocol. Whatever will give you results, do it.

“The most important thing is getting the desired results.

“The FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, my boss, is applying this disruptive strategy and you can see the results,” he said. (NAN)

Edited by Muhammad Lawal

GB Foods tasks FG on continued support for tomato policy

Tosin Kolade
Feb, Thu, 2025

Agriculture , Food Security

GB Foods tasks FG on continued support for tomato policy

By Rukayat Moisemhe

Mr Vincent Egbe, Managing Director, GB Foods, has called on the Federal Government to ensure effective implementation of the National Tomato Policy to enhance development of the tomato ecosystem and support its competitiveness.

Egbe made the call during a three-day industrial tour by the Minister of State for Industry, Sen. John Enoh, on Wednesday in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the National Tomato Policy (2022–2026) is designed to cut down on post-harvest losses.

It will also curb import of tomato concentrates through increased import tariff from five per cent to 50 per cent and an additional $1,500 levy per metric tonne.

The GB Foods Managing Director said that Nigeria had a shortfall in tomatoes supply in spite of being the 13th largest producer of tomatoes in the world.

He said that, to be fully self-sufficient, Nigeria should be producing a total 10 to 12 million metric tonnes of tomato annually.

Egbe said the company would continue to embrace innovations targeted at celebrating local tomato flavours.

He, however, noted some shortfalls that had plagued the tomatoes industry, such as low production levels, poor infrastructure, weak market linkage and poor access to finance.

He emphasised the need to address the sector’s key challenges and secure essential support for its progress.

This, he said, could be achieved by stopping disruptions from regulatory authorities, providing incentives and fiscal support for local manufacturers and infrastructure support.

“One hundred per cent of everything done in Nigeria is manufactured in Nigeria with 55 per cent local sourcing of Nigerian ingredients.

“We would continue to invest to feed the consuming population, seeing that government is looking to grow the production base of manufacturing.

“We would continue to key into the agenda of government to accelerate contributions to the country’s economy,” he said.

Egbe also revealed the company’s plan to establish Nigeria as an industrial hub for West African markets with ongoing tomatoes distribution and logistics investments, and tomato processing expansion.

He reiterated the company’s commitment to sustainability by fostering right nutrition, preserving environmental balance and investing in local communities’ prosperity.

“We see Nigeria as the future driver of a prosperous Africa, and so we are investing here on a rate of 7:3 i.e. seven here in Nigeria and 3 in other parts of Africa.

“What we are doing in Nigeria is consistent with who we are and we would continue investing in tomatoes backward integration to develop the tomatoes ecosystem in Nigeria,” he said.

Responding, the minister said that the company occupied a critical space in the food industry.

He said that while Nigeria might be passing through a phase, it still had opportunities.

Enoh assured that the Federal Government would continue to support local manufacturers and made in Nigeria goods.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ijeoma Popoola

Stakeholders seek review of gender policies on agricultural export

Tosin Kolade
Dec, Thu, 2024

Agriculture

Stakeholders seek review of gender policies on agricultural export

By Felicia Imohimi

The Farmers Aggregators Initiative of Nigeria (FAIN), an NGO, and other stakeholders have called for a comprehensive review of existing gender policies and laws on agricultural export.

They made the call at a summit on Mainstreaming Gender in Agriculture organised by FAIN in Abuja.

The theme of the summit is “Mainstreaming Gender into the Agricultural Sector for Women and Youth Empowerment: Developing a Roadmap for Understanding Gender Policy and Export Trade in Line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).’’

Mr Cornelius Agenyi, Chief Executive Officer, FAIN, said the summit was aimed at enhancing gender mainstreaming within agriculture by promoting the active participation of women and youths, addressing vital sectoral issues and contributing to the fight against food insecurity.

Agenyi called for the collaboration of government, international organisations and private sector to ensure that gender-sensitive policies were not just in place but effectively implemented.

He specifically urged them to prioritise land rights, access to finance and equal representation in leadership roles.

According to him, the summit will also provide a platform for exchanging knowledge, sharing experiences and discussing best practices.

He said that FAIN was committed to empowering women and youth through modern agricultural practices that fostered sustainable livelihoods, thereby aligning with SDGs 1, 2 and 5.

Agenyi said that the initiative collaborated with more than 41 MDAs and government agencies and was endorsed by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security as well as the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.

“Mainstreaming gender was more than just a policy, but a mindset, an approach that seeks to remove barriers and create an environment where both women and men could contribute equitably to agricultural development.

“Incorporating gender perspectives in agricultural business is not only a matter of justice; it is a strategic economic move.

“Studies have shown that when women have equal access to resources; they invest their earnings in their families, communities and economy, fostering greater growth and development.

“By empowering women in agriculture, we unlock untapped potential that drives productivity, innovation and sustainable development,” he said.

Col. Abdulmumini Aminu(retired), Chairman, Board of Trustees, FAIN, called for decisive actions towards visible support for Nigerian women to succeed in agricultural sector.

Aminu, who was represented by Mrs Modupe Jemibewon, Secretary to the board, identified funding as a major challenge to efforts in boosting women farmers’ participation in agriculture.

He, however, urged President Bola Tinubu to take up the challenge of maintaining gender into agricultural business in line with the renewed hope agenda.

Mrs Folashade Joseph, Managing Director, Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC), identified women as indispensable to achieving food security, yet their potential remained underutilised due to systemic barriers.

According to her, empowering women societies can only be achieved by improving food security and addressing broader goals of poverty reduction, gender equality and sustainable development.

She listed some objective areas towards SDGs as improved or enhanced stakeholders understanding of gender policies and their impact on agriculture and export trade as well as promoting gender equality and increased women participation.

Joseph, however, said there was need to conduct a comprehensive review of existing gender policies and laws relating to agriculture and trade.

“In viewing gender policy, there is need for stakeholders’ engagement including government officials, farmers, exporters, women and youth to raise awareness and gather input; to provide tracing and capacity building programmes for stakeholders on gender sensitive agriculture and export trade practices,” she said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo

Former lawmaker urges consistency in climate policy implementation

Rabi'u Sani Ali
Dec, Thu, 2024

General News

Former lawmaker urges consistency in climate policy implementation

By Joseph Edeh

Former member of the House of Representatives, Sam Oniugbo, has urged African nations to be consistent in the implementation of policies aimed at mitigating the impact of climate change.

The climate change advocate, who participated in the just-concluded CoP29, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

He said that many African countries were trying to enact Climate Change Acts, to guide them in policy directives.

“More importantly, there must be consistency in policy pronunciation and implementation. To avoid policy somersault there must be a framework to guide its implementation,“ he said.

He said that African nations went to the CoP29, to negotiate for a good deal and not to beg for money.

The former lawmaker said to have access to money from the international bodies, it was important to follow due process and stringent conditions.

Onuigbo said that the 54 African nations contribute only three per cent to climate change, but they bore the brunt of climate change.

“Africans are on the disadvantage side, we are not supposed to be bearing the devastation coming from climate change.

“Climate change is human activities like pushing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. This has been done by developed countries who have been using coal and fossil fuel over the years,“ he said.

He said that Africa and other developing nations at CoP29 demanded the developed world to contribute 1.23 trillion dollars per annum to tackle the issues of climate change.

“After a long negotiation what was approved was 1billion dollars per annum and to now work to attain the 1.23 trillion over a period of time,“ he said.

On the part of Nigeria, he said President Bola Tinubu was working assiduously to mitigate the impact of climate change on Nigeria.

“Tinubu had clearly said that Nigeria will use climate change to attract investments to the country

“He also said that the developed world must bring money to the activities of climate change,“ he said.

Onuigbo said that to achieve that he had attended several meetings in Dubai on the issue of tripling renewables and activities of the carbon market.

He said the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) policy of the current government was a far-reaching action to tackle climate change impact on the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Onuigbo sponsored the Climate Act in the 9th National Assembly. It provides the legal and administrative framework for Nigeria’s climate change policies and actions. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Uche Anunne

FG to strengthen policy towards sustainable growth in transportation sector

isaac aregbesola
Nov, Sat, 2024

General News

FG to strengthen policy towards sustainable growth in transportation sector

By Gabriel Agbeja

The Federal Government has restated its commitment to strengthening national policy towards sustainable growth in transportation sector.

Dr Segun Obayendo, the Chairman Governing Council, Chartered Institute of Transport Administration (CIOTA), said this at a news conference on the forthcoming 6th National Transport Conference in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference, which has “Sustainable Transportation in a Disruptive Era: The Challenges of Developing Economy” as its theme, is scheduled for Nov.12 to Nov. 13 in Abuja

Obayendo said the effective policy and regulatory framework would be institutionalised to advance transportation sector in the nation to reduce congestion and enhancing urban and rural connectivity.

He added that such effort would tackle current challenges and promote sustainable growth in the transportation sector.

“The theme itself encapsulates the dual challenge of maintaining sustainability while navigating through a period of unprecedented disruption in the transport sector.

“We are at a juncture where traditional methods meet innovative technology, where the environmental imperatives intersect with economic growth and where policy meets practice.

“This summit will dissect these layers, offering insights from global experts, local innovators, and policymakers, “ he said.

According to him, Nigeria’s roads and highways form the backbone of the country’s transport network, as these arteries handle 90 per cent of all passengers and freight traffic.

He said the government had also determined to have robust national data bank of the transportation sector.

“This data bank will serve as a hub for collecting, analysing, and disseminating transport-related data to support informed decision-making and policy formulation in the transport sector.

“The objectives include monitoring of transport and logistics activities in Nigeria, providing transport intelligence to stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry of Transport and its agencies.

“Other are to offer data analytic services to support evidence-based planning and policy decisions.”

He said the data bank would enhance transport planning and policy formulation, improved transport infrastructure development, increased efficiency in transport operations and better decision-making for stakeholders.

In his remarks, Prof. Samuel Odewumi, Chairman, Planning Committee for the upcoming 6th National Transport Conference, said the conference aimed to revamp transportation infrastructure in developing economies like Nigeria.

According to him, conference aims to be a platform for robust discussions as the resource persons would present case studies, data-driven analysis and forward-thinking solution.

“ The stakeholders will also deepen efforts to propel transportation sector into a new era of efficiency, sustainability and inclusiveness, “ he said.

According to him, the major focus of the conference would be current state of transportation in developing countries; human and cultural issues in transportation as well as destructive technologies, innovations and governance. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Deji Abdulwahab

Broadcasters want policy to guide ethical, responsible broadcasting

Philip Daniel Yatai
Nov, Mon, 2024

General News

Broadcasters want policy to guide ethical, responsible broadcasting

By Emmanuel Mogbede

The Society of Nigerian Broadcasters (SNB) on Monday in Abuja emphasised the need for a National Information Policy as a foundation to guide ethical and responsible broadcasting across the country.

Mr Ismail Sani, Vice-President (North-Central Zone), of the SNB, in a statement, said that such policy would ensure consistent and fair dissemination of accurate information to the public.

He said it would also ensure equal access to reliable information across regions of Nigeria, including rural areas.

“It will also promote media independence balanced with accountability to support the industry’s role in national development,” he said.

Sani said that the SNB, at its recent National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Lafia, resolved to collaborate with government bodies, regulatory authorities and private sector partners.

He said the essence was to advocate for priorities to create a broadcasting environment that would serve public interest, support national development goals and uphold the integrity of the Nigerian media on local and international platforms.

“While recognising the risks associated with the profession, the SNB called for stronger security measures to protect broadcasters, including physical security, for those working in challenging or high-risk environments.

“The SNG also called for cyber-security measures to protect data and infrastructure from digital threats, safeguarding the integrity of information,” he said.

He reiterated SNB’s commitment to welfare and continuous professional training programmes to equip broadcasters with skills in emerging technologies, ethical journalism and industry best practices.

Sani assured Nigerians that the society would pursue welfare initiatives aimed at supporting broadcasters’ well-being, enhanced job security and improved working conditions to promote motivation and long-term dedication to the profession.

He appealed to government at all levels to provide appropriate incentives to media houses to ameliorate the cost of energy that had forced some broadcasting stations to reduce hours of transmission.(NAN)

Edited by Ephraims Sheyin