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Ekiti, AfDB to Partner for Infrastructural Development

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The African Development Bank (AfDB) has expressed its readiness to provide technical and financial support for Ekiti State Government to upgrade its infrastructure, including fixing the Ado Ekiti-Akure road, which is currently in a terrible state.

Other projects, which the AfDB is willing to support, are the Ekiti Airport, the Ekiti Knowledge zone (a smart city to promote knowledge economy) and the agriculture processing zone project, all geared towards improving infrastructure and socio– economic development of the state.

A statement in Ado Ekiti on Sunday by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Yinka Oyebode, said these are some of the highlights of a high level meeting between the Ekiti State government team led by Governor Kayode Fayemi and the AfDB President, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, at the organisation’s headquarters in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire at the weekend.

The meeting, which was attended by top officials of the AfDB, including its Senior Vice-President, Charles Boamah; three Vice-Presidents, Celestine Monga, (VP and Chief Economist); Vivienne Banke (VP Agriculture, Human and Social Development) and Ms Bajabulile Tshabalala (VP Finance and Chief Finance Officer); and Senior Director for Nigeria, Ebrima Faal; among others, reviewed the project proposals tabled by Governor Fayemi and resolved to provide necessary support to the government to actualise them, in line with the Bank’s mission of supporting national and sub national governments’ development plans.

As a follow-up to the meeting, a team of technical experts from AfDB headquarters would be in Ekiti State in the next few weeks for further discussion and assessment of the various projects. The visit and other activities that would follow would prepare the ground for the bank’s final decision.

Speaking at the meeting, Governor Fayemi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), said his administration decided to seek AfDB’s support for the projects that are crucial to the infrastructure and industrial development of Ekiti State so as to improve the fortune of the state, reposition it as a destination of choice for investment and create jobs.

Specifically, he said the state needed to upgrade its infrastructure and invest in agric business, which will in turn provide jobs for its teeming population of youths, which he put at 75 per cent of the state’s total population. He added that setting up a smart city to promote knowledge economy is also crucial to the administration.

Fayemi said: “These are our local priorities. If you can support us, it will enable us to do some other things through our own limited resources.

“We have aligned our priorities to the AfDB’s priorities which apply to us, such as lighting up Africa; Feeding Africa; Industrialise Africa etc. All these apply to us as our plan is to make Ekiti a destination of choice for her citizens and all those who will like to live, work and invest in the state.

“To achieve this, we need to invest heavily in infrastructure. We want to fix the roads, have our small cargo airport that will aid agriculture and open our landlocked state to domestic and international markets and ultimately create jobs that our state urgently needs for its vibrant and educated youth population.”

The AfDB President, Dr Adesina, said the bank is excited about the plans for job creation, especially for the youth and the plans to improve the stock of infrastructure, adding that the menace of kidnapping and banditry in the country would be arrested with more investments and job opportunities for the youths.

He said government must find a way to create jobs for the teeming population of unemployed youths, in order to secure the future of the country.

“Our job is to support and we have been supporting Nigeria. We are willing to support you,” the AfDB President added.


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TCN Reveals N8.8 Billion Expenditure on Restoring Destroyed Transmission Towers

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Federal Government has revealed that N8.8 billion has been spent to repair and restore power transmission towers across Nigeria that were destroyed by vandals and bandits.

The announcement was made on Wednesday by the Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Engr. Suleiman Ahmed Abdulaziz, during the Quarterly Power Sector Working Group meeting in Abuja.

Engr. Abdulaziz, represented by the Executive Director of Transmission Service Provider (TSO), Engr. Olugbenga Emmanuel Ajiboye, disclosed that 128 transmission towers have been destroyed since January 13, 2024. He lamented the recurrence of vandalism despite the arrests of perpetrators, citing ineffective prosecution as a significant challenge.

“Till date, we have spent about N8.8 billion, by our estimation, to put them back to full and functional use,” Abdulaziz said. “It is so sad that each time the vandals were caught and taken to police for prosecution, police would incident them for theft instead of vandalism, and they will be bailed. If they are charged for vandalism, they cannot be bailed, but this is where we are.”

Highlighting the severity of the situation, Abdulaziz noted the challenges faced during the restoration of the Shiroro-Mando-Kaduna transmission towers. “We had to get full military escorts for our contractors to restore the transmission lines and towers.

“In some cases, they would only allow us to work for two hours a day, and at times, they declared the area unsafe for operations.

“How can we deliver electricity to Nigerians under these terrible circumstances?”

The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, represented by his Chief Technical Adviser, Mr. Adedayo Olowoniyi, outlined the government’s plans to collaborate with international partners to improve electricity access.

He revealed ongoing efforts with the World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB) to provide electricity to 50 million Nigerians by 2030 as part of the larger “Mission 300” initiative, which aims to bring electricity to 300 million Africans.

“Nigeria has a large population that is without electricity, and this is a great opportunity for us to be part of this process,” Adelabu said.

He added that the government’s strategy involves public and private sector partnerships focusing on solar systems, mini and micro grids, and grid extensions.

The Minister also announced that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to sign the Compact document for the Mission 300 project in Tanzania in January 2025. “The most important thing is that we have to drive the process by ourselves,” he emphasized.

The Nigerian power sector continues to grapple with numerous challenges, including vandalism, banditry, and insufficient infrastructure. The Federal Government has also faced criticism for inadequate security measures around critical power assets.


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Asein, DG NCC Seeks IP Policy for Every University

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Dr. John O. Asein, the Director-General, Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has again stressed the need for every University to have an Intellectual Property (IP) Policy so as to maximize their innovative and creative potentials.

Dr. Asein made this point while formally presenting the revised Model Intellectual Property (IP) Policy to the General Assembly of the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVCNU) in Abuja on 30th October 2024.

According to him, the Model Policy, which was developed by the Commission in collaboration with the CVCNU in 2021 was reissued as part of the Commission’s renewed effort to promote its adoption and implementation.

The Director-General thanked the immediate past Secretary General of CVCNU Prof. Yakubu Ochefu for supporting the initiative and working with the Commission to promote the sustainable use and effective management of IP in Nigerian universities.

Dr. Asein also called on tertiary institutions, as centres of learning and research, to introduce their faculties and students to the subject of intellectual property in line with global trends and to make Nigerian universities globally competitive.

To this end he assured Vice-Chancellors of the Commission’s readiness to help in the development and implementation of their policy.

“The Commission will work with other agencies, including the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to begin the intellectual property ranking of universities and celebrate those that excel in the respect, generation, use and commercilaisation of IP”, the Director-General assured.

Speaking on the WIPO Distance Learning (DL) courses on IP, the Director-General urged universities to infuse the WIPO DL 101 course, which is available online for free, into the General Studies course to give students basic knowledge of IP and equip them in their respective courses of study.

Receiving the copies on behalf of Nigerian Vice-Chcnellors, the Chairman CVCNU, Prof. Lilian Salami (Vice-Chancellor, University of Benin) commended the collaborative efforts of the Commission and AVCNU in developing the Model IP Policy and assured the Director-General of CVCNU’s continued commitment to working with the Commission, particularly in promoting better IP culture in universities.

The Model IP Policy was developed with the help of a team of Nigerian experts and with the support of the Nigerian University Commission (NUC), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the National Office of Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP).


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Court Orders Arrest of Echefu, Businessman over Alleged $651,280 Fraud

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A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Bwari area council, Abuja has ordered the arrest of Dr Bright Echefu, chief executive of Briech Intelligence Fusion Limited, a security company, over an allegation of $651, 280 fraud.

Court Orders Arrest of Echefu, Businessman over Alleged $651,280 Fraud

Echefu is said to have allegedly defrauded BCG NEEDS Company of the said amount under the pretence of supplying drones and accessories.

The court ordered Disu Olatunji, commissioner of Police, federal capital territory (FCT) to arrest Echefu and his company.

Echefu is also the managing director and chief executive officer of Telecom Satellite Television, according to Leadership Newspaper.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had earlier arraigned the businessman at the federal high court over allegations of tax evasion, money laundering, and advanced fee fraud.

Okechikwu John Akweke, presiding judge, ordered Echefu’s arrest after the motion was moved by John Paul Eze Esq. of O. J. Law Consult.

Akweke said the order is to compel Echefu and his company appearances before the court in line with Section 113 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.


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