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AfDB Deepens Partnership with Enugu Govt on Investment
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has reiterated its commitment to partnering with the Enugu State Government in the areas of investment, infrastructure, and other projects that would attract development and transform the lives of the citizens in the state.
This was even as the President of Skipper Seil Group, a globally renowned engineering, power and infrastructure company, Jitender Sachdeva, lauded Enugu State governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, over the positive steps taken in the energy sector, assuring that the company would partner to assist the state in developing its infrastructure.
Speaking at the Government House, Enugu, on Thursday, during a meeting with the governor at the Government House, Enugu, the Director-General of AfDB’s Nigeria Country Department, Lamin Barrow, said Nigeria was strategic to the development bank’s programmes.
He said that phase one of some of the programmes, especially in the area of Special Agro-Processing Zone (SAPZ) which was worth about $18 million had been approved.
He explained that the African foremost development and financial bank was in the process of rolling out the second phase, which would integrate the needs of Enugu State Government.
Barrow further said the phase two of the programme would support the implementation of the SAPZ project, which the state had already undertaken, pointing to agro-allied crops such as cassava, maize, among other strategic staples where the state commands competitive advantage.
“What the SAPZ is doing is to help develop value chains for these crops, adding value to primary crops, help in reducing post-harvest losses, develop strong linkages with stakeholder farmers, training and creating financial support for the farmers’ activities, but most importantly, driven by anchor private-sector investors”, he stated.
The DG of the AfDB also said the bank would assist the state in de-risking investment flow in its efforts to strengthen and enhance production, and drive agricultural produce beyond food security to export for the state and Nigeria in general.
On his part, Skipper Group President, Jitender Sachdeva, said his company had already concluded plans with the governor to construct the green special agro-allied industry zone, which also falls within the AfDB’s programme.
He said the infrastructure, which the company was collaborating with AfDB to step up, would facilitate the ease of doing business in the state and ensure self-sustained green electricity for each factory operating in the state.
“We are here for you in terms of infrastructure, power, agro-processing zones, among other projects. With the kind of energy, positivity, simplicity I have seen in you, around you, I can assure you we are going to start immediately,” he concluded.
Reacting, Governor Mbah expressed excitement over the choosing of Enugu State by the AfDB and other development partners for the second phase of the Special Agro-Processing Zone, saying his administration had already committed huge capital in the sector and would be ready to explore the opportunities AfDB presented to the state.
He assured the AfDB that Enugu had fulfilled all the pre-conditions for the project to take off.
“I want to inform you that Enugu State is ready and we have prepared all the prerequisite documentations, and all the surveys you need to be able to get started with this project.
“We have done the environmental and social impact assessments. We have identified a sizeable land that will host a Special Agro-Processing Zone, putting aside over 1000 hectares very close to the city that would be used for the Special Agro-Processing Zone. We have also done the feasibility studies”.
While underscoring that the state has a fertile land, almost performing better than other states in the cultivation and production of soya beans, cassava, rice, maize, cashew nuts, pineapple, among other food crops, the governor reiterated the effort of his administration to continue to make the state attractive to investors and tourists.
He explained that the state was full of economic and investment opportunities, calling on investors to see Enugu as their first choice for investment in the country, and promised that the ongoing state of emergency declared on the health sector would guarantee a healthy workforce.
The governor equally expressed interest in working with the bodies in the power sector to drive the state’s industrial revolution, insisting that Enugu was being positioned to play leadership role in the power industry given the recent enactment of the Enugu State Electricity Law.
“We’re now ready to play the role of a regulator in the electricity value chain, whether it’s generation, transmission or distribution. So in terms of the ease of obtaining your operating license, your construction licenses, you do not need to go beyond the state when we are in the position to provide those licenses, generating license, transmitting license and distributing license.
“We now have the regulatory commission to provide those licenses. In terms of the demand, you also have a huge demand for electricity. We have quite a number of industries here and we’re also even on the verge of bringing more because we’re already talking to some prospective investors,” he concluded.
This year’s Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership lecture will focus on Governance, Standardization and cybersecurity in artificial intelligence era.
The lecture which will herald Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership Awards (ABoICT Lecture 2025) hold on May 24, 2025 at Four Points by Sheraton and will be delivered by Prof. Adewale Obadare, Chief Visionary Officer, Digital Encode – Cybersecurity and GRC Expert.
The sixteenth edition of the award ceremony according Ken Nwogbo, editor-in-chief of Nigeria CommunicationsWeek the organizers of the event, “is a special edition to recognise and celebrate organizations and individuals in the ICT industry that have contributed to the growth of the sector.
“Most of these organizations and individuals have consistently being voted by our readers as leaders in their areas of operations and we have decided to reward them in this special edition, tag: ‘ICT Growth Edition 2025’ he said,”.
He added that, an AI governance framework outlines policies, principles, and practices to guide the ethical and responsible development and deployment of AI technologies, ensuring transparency, accountability, and fairness.
“In the AI era, cybersecurity faces both new threats and opportunities, as AI’s capabilities are used by both defenders and attackers to launch sophisticated attacks and defenses.
“This requires a proactive approach, including AI-powered security tools, robust data security, and ethical AI development, emphasizing real-time monitoring, threat intelligence, and collaboration among cybersecurity professionals and AI researchers.
“Artificial intelligence transforms cybersecurity by automating responses to risks, detecting unusual activity, and even foreseeing possible dangers before they occur.
“While AI has various perks, such as better efficiency and faster risk identification, it also has challenges. Without proper oversight, these systems can be misused or make errors. Strong governance and ethical frameworks ensure AI technologies are used responsibly and effectively.,” he said.
The Africa’s Beacon of ICT Merit and Leadership Distinguished (ABoICT Lecture 2024) is designed to explore efforts to put Nigeria on the global Information and Communications Technologies map.
The lecture series however is reserved for distinguished achievers in the ICT sector.
Past lecturers included Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, then executive vice chairman, Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC); Uche Orji, managing director/chief executive officer, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA); Biodu Omoniyi, Managing Director/CEO, VDT Communications; Ayotunde Coker, Managing Director, Rack Centre Limited; Peter Adedayo Arogundade, managing director and chief executive officer, Sidmach Technologies Nigeria Limited; Dr. Oluseyi Akindeinde, founder, Hyperspace & NeuraL AI and John Obaro, CEO and founder of Systemspecs; Prof. Isa Pantanmi, minister of Communications and Digital Economy; among others.
Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man and president of Dangote Refinery, has insisted that the ‘cabal’ in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector is still fighting against the success of his 650,000 barrels per day plant.
Aliko Dangote
Dangote disclosed this, according to Semafor, a global news platform, at an investor forum in Lagos at the weekend.
He said, “For a very, very long time, those that have made a lot of money from government-subsidised oil imports into Nigeria were the ones trying to sabotage the $20 billion worth of refinery situated in Lekki, Lagos.”
He further stressed that “those groups have funded resistance to the Bola Tinubu government’s removal of petrol subsidies and are opposed to the refinery operating easily in the country.”
However, Dangote was confident that the battle between him and the groups would be won, priding himself on being a long-time fighter.
“We’re fighting, and the fight is not yet finished. But I have been fighting all my life, and I am ready and 100 percent sure I will win at the end of the day,” he was quoted.
Recall that Dangote Refinery kicked off the sale of petrol in September 2024, which had led to a significant drop in fuel imports into Nigeria.
In May 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced the removal of the fuel subsidy during his inauguration speech.
Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN) has welcomed the decision of the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal (CCT) upholding the $220 million fine imposed on Meta Platforms Inc. by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
In a statement signed by its President, Mal. Kabiru A. Yusuf, and General Secretary, Mrs. Angela Emuwa, NPAN described the ruling as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to enforce digital accountability and protect the rights of its citizens.
“The decision affirms the importance of compelling global digital platforms to adhere to Nigeria’s laws and respect the rights of users,” the association said.
NPAN noted that the fine, resulting from a 30-month investigation spanning 2021 to 2023, was imposed due to Meta’s alleged unauthorized data sharing and discriminatory practices affecting Nigerian users.
The association also emphasized that Nigeria’s regulatory action aligns with global trends, citing similar penalties imposed on Meta in Europe, as well as actions against other tech giants such as Amazon, TikTok, Google, and Apple.
As an advocate for media freedom and fair digital practices, NPAN reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding intellectual property and ensuring fair remuneration for publishers in the evolving digital landscape.
It further urged sustained collaboration among government agencies, civil society, and industry players to strengthen Nigeria’s digital regulatory environment.
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