Globacom, working in partnership with the Lagos State Government, has introduced M-Agric, an agricultural support service that guides users on the practical, step-by-step procedures of running profitable farming businesses in the key areas of livestock, aquaculture, cash crops, and value-added services, as part of its effort to fulfill its share of the food sustainability challenge in Nigeria.

The company disclosed in a press statement that M-Agric is a lottery service that offers helpful advice to customers who desire to grow their own food and generate additional revenue by taking advantage of the agricultural industry’s full potential.

According to Globacom, the M-Agric gives users the chance to answer trivia questions to win amazing cash prizes, farm equipment, and internship opportunities. Users can also choose to receive messages on their mobile devices on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis about agricultural tips.

Daily, weekly, and monthly subscription fees for the service are N50, N200, and N500, respectively. Both new and current prepaid and postpaid subscribers can try out this service for free for 24 hours. At the end of each week, a draw is held and those who have subscribed and answered the trivia questions correctly are eligible to enter.

The company revealed that the lottery service’s winners are chosen depending on how well they answer the trivia questions related to each agriculture package and the best scorers can win amazing rewards. Two winners will be chosen from among those who complete the trivia with perfect points, two winners will be chosen, and will receive amazing rewards.

In order to win in the lottery service, prospective M-Agric subscribers can opt in by calling *20791*2#. Globacom said that a subscriber can win quick airtime or cash prizes based on their performance in answering three simple questions on the topic they are given for the day.

Globacom introduced the agricultural support lottery service in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture with the aim of motivating and enabling youthful, astute, and knowledgeable Nigerians to take up farming as a means of boosting the nation’s efforts towards achieving food sufficiency and affordability.

Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, has revealed that Nigeria currently spends $600 million each month on fuel imports.

Wale Edun

Edun attributed this high expenditure to neighboring countries, extending to Central Africa, benefiting from Nigeria’s fuel imports.

Edun disclosed this information during an interview on AIT’s Moneyline program on Wednesday, August 7. He explained that this situation significantly influenced President Bola Tinubu’s decision to remove the fuel subsidy, as the country lacks accurate data on domestic fuel consumption.

According to a report by the National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria’s petrol imports were reduced to an average of one billion liters monthly after President Bola Tinubu removed the fuel subsidy on May 29 last year.

“The fuel subsidy was removed on May 29, 2023, by Mr. President, and at that time, the poorest 40 percent of the population was only getting four percent of the value, and basically, they were not benefiting at all. So it was going to just a few,” Edun said.

He further elaborated, “Another point that I think is important is that nobody knows the consumption in Nigeria of petroleum. We know we spend $600 million to import fuel every month, but the issue here is that all the neighboring countries are benefiting.

“So we are buying not just for Nigeria, but for countries to the east, almost as far as Central Africa. We are buying for countries to the North and the West. And so we have to ask ourselves as Nigerians, how long do we want to do that for, and that is the key issue regarding the issue of petroleum pricing.”

Edun emphasized that the welfare of Nigerians remains a key priority for the current administration, particularly ensuring food availability and affordability.

Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has fixed November 26 for the trial of Dr. Bright Ikechukwu Echefu and Dr. Felix Nnamdi Ignoanuga, said to be executives of the Telecom Satellites Television (TSTV), over fraudulent charges brought against them by the Federal Government.

Echefu who is the managing director and chief executive officer and Dr Felix Nnamdi Ignoanuga, the executive eirector of the telecoms company, were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on June 6, 2024, on nine count of alleged advanced fee fraud, tax evasion and money laundering.

The suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/254/23, had Telecom Satellites Limited and another company, Briechberg Investment Limited, also cited as 3rd and 4th defendants, respectively.

Justice Ekwo was supposed to have commenced trial of the defendants on July 15, 2024 but for an official engagement which took him out of Abuja.

The Registrar of the court had informed the lawyers, accused persons and other litigants that dates for their matters would be communicated to them by the Judge upon his return to Abuja.

In a notice of trial date communicated to the parties, Justice Ekwo said that November 26 has been scheduled for the EFCC to open their case against the defendants.

The November date was said to have been picked by the Judge following the yearly vacation of the Federal High that will end in October this year.

The EFCC, among other things, alleged that the defendants the two men had on May 18, 2020 committed money laundering bordering on tax invasion, unremitted VAT, Company income tax and Pay As You Earn (PAYE) deducted from the salaries of 165 workers punishable under section 15 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 as amended in 2012.

They were alleged to have diverted to their personal use, tax funds, to the tune of N33. 9M, N13. 5M and N19. 4M, payable to the federal government in breach of section 15 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act.

Alao, the EFCC alleged that they 1st defendant, Dr. Echefu, defrauded a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Turaki Kabir Tanimu, of the sum of N960m under false pretences.

The charge indicated that Echefu while acting as the Managing Director of Briechberg Investment Limited on May 18, 2020 with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N150M from Tanimu who is the Managing Director of Kalsiyam Farm as loan to acquire modern equipment for his telecom company.

EFCC added that the said loan was paid into Briechberg Investment Limited’s account number: 1015561485, domiciled at Zenith Bank.

On the same day, the accused person was said to have obtained another N380M paid into the same account for the same purpose while another N400M was also allegedly secured by the accused the same day and for the same purpose from Tanimu who is also the MD of BYI General and paid into the same account.

Still on the same May 18, 2020, Turaki SAN, while acting as Managing Director of K. T Turake made two payments of N15M each into the Briechberg Investment Limited bank account belonging to Dr Bright Ikechukwu Echefu for the same purpose.

As at the time the transactions took place, Turaki, SAN, who was present in court during the arraignment of the defendants, was a serving Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

It would be recalled however that the two accused persons pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.

Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, SAN, counsel to EFCC, applied for the defendants to be remanded in custody, however, following an application by their lawyer, Mr. Eyitayo Fatigun, SAN, the court okayed their release on administrative bail, earlier handed to them by the EFCC.

He, however, warned the defendant not to travel out of the country without the permission of the court, adding that the Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS, should be notified of the seizure of their international passports.