Aso Villa Reads For Tues. Feb 22, 2022
Every day, we bring you the important stories the media is reporting about the Federal Government of Nigeria
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has explained that its various intervention programmes were geared towards the diversification of the economy from oil. The apex bank said Nigeria’s over-reliance on oil in a mono economy always placed the country on the edge especially when there is fluctuation in the prices of oil globally. Governor of the apex bank, Godwin Emefiele, made this known in Asaba during the opening of a two-day CBN Fair for stakeholders in Delta State.[The Sun]
The implementation of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development, NOGICD, Act has created over 50,000 direct jobs in the local economy over the past 11 years. The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, Simbi Kesiye Wabote, disclosed this in Lagos. He hinted that the level of Nigerian content in the oil industry hovered around five percent before the enactment of the NOGICD Act in 2010, however, the focused implementation of the Nigerian Content Law resulted in an increase to 26 percent in 2016 and 42 percent as at December 2021. Wabote explained that NCDMB had launched the Nigerian content 10-Year Strategic Roadmap in 2017, with a target to achieve 70 percent Nigerian content by 2027[Vanguard]
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Mr Isa Pantami, has revealed that the Federal Government has created a digital academy that will see to the training of over 500,000 Nigerians in digital skills nationwide. He stated this in Abeokuta, Ogun State, during the 5th edition of the TechSummit Ogun, 2022 tagged “Disruptive Innovation: Production And Distribution of Creative Content” organised to guide emerging creatives and content creators to all sorts of opportunities in the industry.[Tribune]
President Mohammadu Buhari has commissioned a multi-purpose Sports Complex which includes a mini stadium christened “Professor Habu Galadima Sports Complex” at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru, Plateau State. The complex was donated by a former participant of the Institute who is a philanthropist and the Group chairman, Capital Express Holdings Limited, Chief Tony Alector.[Tribune]
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has directed prospective candidates for the 2022 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) to check their National Identification Number (NIN) status using the short code *346# before proceeding for registration. The directive was contained in a notice by the commission. The commission asked candidates to use the code using the mobile number used during enrollment. [Business Day]
About 24 solar mini-grids are to be deployed this year under the Mini-Grid/Interconnected Mini-Grid Acceleration Scheme, also known as (I)MAS, the Federal Government has said. It said private sector investors would deploy the grids by receiving support from the Federal Government through its Rural Electrification Agency, European Union and German Government to provide electricity in Nigeria. It disclosed this in a statement issued by the REA in Abuja where it announced that eight local solar mini-grid developers had received grants through the agency with the financial and technical support of the EU and Germany within the framework of the Nigerian Energy Support Programme.[Punch]
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said that the Federal Government was focusing on new vision for strengthening infrastructural development, especially with rapid urbanisation, pressure on cities, and the difficulties of allocating scarce resources, faced by governments at all levels. As part of the new vision, the federal will collaborate with state governments to strengthen efforts at ensuring the wholesome development of communities across the country. Osinbajo stated this at the construction flag-off of the Angiama-Oporoma Bridge, on the Yenagoa-Oporoma-Ukubie road, in bayelsa State.[Business Day]
Nigeria’s Sovereign Sukuk which debuted in 2017 has demonstrated how borrowing can be better utilised to strategically fund infrastructure, promote financial inclusion and create depth in the domestic securities market. The Sukuk issuance has been progressive, with about N612.557 billion realized so far from those well oversubscribed, four consecutive deals and whose proceeds are meant to help the federal government fund road infrastructure. The latest in the series was a N250 billion issuance in December 2021 and was about 346% oversubscribed. The proceeds would be utilized by the Ministry of Works- like in the past three. And for the first time, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the Niger Delta Ministry have equally received part of the funds for some road projects in the oil-rich Niger Delta as well as the country’s capital city.[Business Day]
Vice President of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo has said that the administration of justice system is the foundation of democracy, law and order and commerce. Osinbajo said when the system of administration of justice fails, these pillars of governance and orderly society also collapse. He spoke recently on the theme “Administration of Justice: The Ideal Standard, The Nigerian Reality and our Potential” at the 20th Memorial Anniversary Symposium of Bankole Olumide Aluko (SAN) who died on 18th February, 2002. [Business Day]
