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FG, Chinese Firm Sign MoU on Electric Bicycles, Renewable Energy

Federal Government on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a Chinese Company, Mutual Commitment Company Limited for the assembly of electric tricycles and establish a renewable energy training centre.
The MoU signing ceremony, facilitated by the Rural Electrification Agency, was attended by Adebayo Adelabu, minister of Power, and Mr Abba Aliyu, managing director of REA.
In a statement on Tuesday byBolaji Tunji, Adelabu’s spokesman, it was disclosed that the event took place in Beijing on the eve of the opening of the African-China Co-operation Summit.
Adelabu was quoted as saying that the MoU event was important and will go down as a memorable day for Nigeria.
He congratulated the REA and the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria on the event, saying it will aid in achieving Nigeria’s vision for the renewable energy sub-sector of the entire electricity sector value chain.
Adelabu added, “I know Nigeria and China have a lot of things in common, one of which is the fact that Nigeria and China are both high population countries and with a country with high population, you have so much pressure.
“The first pressure is that of energy access, and the second is job creation. So when you take steps to achieve both, it is a thing of joy. I am particularly happy that this is happening during the tenure of President Bola Tinubu, as it is in line with achieving the Renewed Hope Agenda of the administration for the country.”
The minister reiterated the fact that Tinubu has prioritised the power sector as the driver for all other critical sectors of the economy and, he is giving the sector all the support to ensure it delivers his electoral promises.
He highlighted that energy access and expansion is the government’s major priority because nothing can be achieved without a strong, stable, functional, and reliable electricity sector.
“We have relied so much on centralisation of our power sector for so long that it is not taking us anywhere,” he stated.
Adelabu revealed that almost 40 per cent of Nigeria’s population lacks access to energy with its attendant consequences.
“So, moving away from centralisation, we have decided to adopt the distributed power model to ensure that every Nigerian has access to energy.
“A lot of our population resides in rural areas, and a lot of our educational and tertiary health institutions are isolated, and they are still facing epileptic power supply.
“We have also found out that the adoption of the distributed energy model will expand the energy net for our rural dwellers, the rural businesses, our universities and tertiary health institutions; which is why the focus is on renewable energy which we believe is scalable and can exist in isolation of national grid that is currently facing lots of pressure,” he explained.
According to him, as Nigeria continues to expand energy access, the country also wants to achieve a transition to cleaner sources of energy that are sustainable and environment friendly.
He said the MoU would achieve the vision for the renewable energy sub-segment of the power sector.
“We will be able to produce jobs for our large youthful population that is growing every day.
“Our polytechnics, technical colleges, and universities are turning up graduates every year without assurance of job placement.
“This will go a long way to make it happen. At the same time, we will be able to achieve our energy access expansion,” he added.
He noted that northern African countries such as Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, and Algeria have achieved 100 per cent electrification of their countries and in South Africa, about 95 per cent.
“Unfortunately, Nigeria is still at 62 per cent, though there are still some African countries with worse levels of achievements, but this is not where we belong. If these countries can achieve this, why is it not possible for Nigeria with the level of our natural endowment?
“We have the gas, and the dams are also there for the hydropower electric. The wind, both desert and coastal, is there while sunshine is also effective. So, what are we waiting for?
“A step like today’s will enable us to move up on our level of electrification. This will consequently lead to growth in our Gross Domestic Product because of the economic activities that would be created.
“This will also save us foreign exchange expenditure on importation and create jobs for our people if we assemble these things locally,” he posited.
Earlier, the REA boss reiterated the importance of the ceremony as it is capable of delivering on the presidential mandate of building local capacity and creating more job opportunities.
“We will track this and ensure the delivery of the commitment within the tenure of the present administration.
“We will also track the economic factor that this initiative will drive, the level of GDP contribution, the employment opportunities provided, and the socio-economic activities that will crystallise,” Aliyu remarked.
He said the MCC is presently engaged in Nigeria with the construction of 12 megawatts and 3 megawatts power plants in Maiduguri and Kaduna, respectively.
The Vice Chairman of MCC, Yan Zhezhu, who spoke through an interpreter, expressed appreciation for the power minister’s commitment to Nigeria’s energy growth.
Credit: Punch
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RMRDC Urges Investors to Patronise Research Outputs, Embrace Domestic Resource Based Manufacturing

The Raw Material Research and Development Council (RMRDC) is wooing Nigerian investors to patronise its research outputs by embracing domestic resource based manufacturing that would end Nigeria’s industrial dependency.
The RMRDC made at the Nigeria Manufacturing and Equipment/Nigerian Raw Materials (NME/NIRAM) Expo 2025 through its Director Agricultural and Agro Allied Raw Materials Department, Raw Material Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Dr. Sab C. Ebiriekwe, and the Managing Director of Jola Global Industries Limited, Dr. Moses Omojola, who was formerly a director with RMRDC.
They pointed out that the Nigerian manufacturing sector is relying on importation for over 75 per cent of its industrial inputs while about 80 per cent of manufacturing firms in Nigeria are owned by foreigners.
Ebiriekwe said in his presentation titled “Harnessing Local Resources: Enhancing Value Addition Through Innovation in Raw Material Sourcing” that Nigeria is grappling with industrial dependency despite being endowed with vast natural resources, adding that no country industrialises sustainably without local raw material transformation through innovation.
He said that despite the abundance of local raw materials, only 35 per cent of local manufacturers in Nigeria could rely on steady access to local raw materials.
He added that a gap exists between research outcome and practical application as “only 5.0 per cent of research outputs reach commercialisation.”
According to him, Nigeria’s failure to beneficiate and industrialise its raw material is hindering its bid for economic diversification, jobs creation and export competitiveness.
“As value of industrial raw material imported in 2023 was N2.41 trillion; share of imported manufacturing inputs are over 75 per cent and non-oil export is dominated by unprocessed raw/agro products.”
Omojola, who retired as a director with RMRDC, said during the panel session that about 80 per cent of industries in Nigeria are owned by foreigners, especially Asians.
He asked: “How come Nigerians are going into manufacturing? I have lectured in the university and have worked in RMRDC for 25 years but I told myself that it will be disservice to leave RMRDC without taking home one project. And to the glory of God I am today a manufacturer in Ekiti State.”
According to him, manufacturing “is very stressful but more rewarding,” which is the reason Asians are coming to Nigeria? “When I ask my Asian friends why they are in Nigeria they will reply that Nigeria is good. And now that I have started manufacturing, I have known that Nigeria is good,” he said.
Omojola also challenged politicians to invest the money they have made from politics into manufacturing in order to create more jobs in the economy.
“We should be going into resource based industry. I produce vegetable oil. Today, Indonesia and Malaysia cannot bring in vegetable oil into Nigeria because our own price is cheaper than their own. Therefore, no imported vegetable oil can compete with us,” he said.
The Founder of AfricanFarmer Discovery Hub, Mr. AfricanFarmer Mogaji, said that chemical extracted from water leaf had been used to coat mugs by Oluwa Glass in Ondo State.
“That was innovation. But unfortunately, it was not scaled. In Ibadan, the shell of the cashew nut had been used in making brake pads. We can revisit these innovations at Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) level,” Mogaji said.
He also urged retire military generals to invest in manufacturing like their counterparts in Malaysia that funded Malaysia’s turn around.
However, the Managing Director of Spectra Industries Limited, Mr. Duro Kuteyi, said that absence of government’s policies that could protect the SMEs is one of the reasons Nigerians are not going into manufacturing.
Kuteyi said: “Unless government will come up with policy the way India is protecting its products and SMEs, it will take time for us to grow.
“I started using Nigerian raw materials to make products like natural cocoa powder that is good for diabetics, hypertension, etc. We also use soya as one of our basic raw materials.
“But as it is currently, SMEs are finding it difficult in the market place where they are competing with multinationals that are ready to kill them and kill them totally.
“A multinationals firm went to the market and offered generators to my customers to stop dealing on my products.”
The Managing Director of FACCO West Africa, Mr. Femi Adelayo, said that wealthy Nigerians should be encouraged to embrace manufacturing rather than buying houses in Dubai.
Adelayo also said that manufacturers should be supported with a holistic robust policy to ensure their survival and enable Nigeria to withstand the emerging global trade dynamics that is being characterised by punitive tariffs.
He appealed to the RMRDC to help his livestock feed manufacturing firm with raw materials that could substitute for maize and soya. He said: “We work in the feed mill industry where we produce livestock feeds. But maize and soya are major challenges. We will like RMRDC to help us to have alternative protein production.”
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Zinox Chairman Leo Stan Ekeh Donates State-of-the-Art Tech Experience Centre to Federal University Birnin Kebbi

Federal University Birnin Kebbi (FUB) received a significant boost in its quest to produce globally competitive graduates, following the donation of a multimillion-naira Tech Experience Centre by the Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation (LSEF).
The facility, donated by Mr. Leo Stan Ekeh, Chairman of Zinox Group and Founder of LSEF, was commissioned on his behalf by the President of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), Dr. Muhammad Sirajo Aliyu, FNCS.
The centre is equipped with the latest Zinox computers, powered by the iPower renewable energy suite, which features high-performance solar panels and certified lithium batteries. It is also connected to a 24-hour, non-disruptive satellite internet service powered by Starlink, a service that the LSEF has committed to funding for the next five years.
According to Mr. Ekeh, the Tech Experience Centre is dedicated to the use of students and knowledge workers at FUB, with the aim of equipping them with the digital skills and resources required to compete with their peers globally and contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s economic development.
This centre is one of several cutting-edge technology hubs donated by the Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation to tertiary institutions across Nigeria. It supports the Federal Government’s vision to upgrade the nation’s higher institutions to world-class standards.
For over 25 years, Mr. Ekeh and the Zinox Group have consistently invested in promoting digital education by donating tech laboratories and innovation hubs. In recent years, the Foundation has delivered and equipped centres at St. Augustine University, Lagos, and Imo State University and refurbished older facilities it had donated in the past. According to Mr. Ekeh, the next phase will see the Foundation extend similar interventions to secondary schools across the country.
He called on politicians, government agencies, and wealthy Nigerians to intentionally invest in the nation’s education sector, stressing that a well-educated populace is the Foundation for national development.
Mr. Ekeh expressed his appreciation to the Chairman of the University Council, the council members, Vice Chancellor Professor Muhammad Zaiyan Umar, members of the University Management, staff, and students of FUB, as well as the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, for their support in accommodating the LSEF’s vision.
Speaking on behalf of the university, Professor Muhammad Zaiyan Umar, Vice Chancellor of FUB, expressed deep appreciation to Mr. Ekeh and the LSEF for the generous donation.
“This Tech Experience Centre will make a remarkable difference in the academic and research output of our students and staff. We are grateful for Mr. Ekeh’s vision, generosity, and long-standing contributions to this institution and to digital education in Nigeria. This facility is more than a building with computers; it is an investment in the future of our graduates and the growth of our nation.”
Speaking on the sidelines of the commissioning, Mr. Chimezie Orisakwe, Head of Corporate Communications for the Zinox Group, highlighted Mr. Ekeh’s sustained promotion of digital learning across Nigeria — from interventions in the media sector to landmark projects with the media, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the National Population Commission (NPC), and others.
He also highlighted Mr. Ekeh’s reflection on the current state of Nigeria’s education sector, warning that many institutions, both public and private, face severe funding deficits. This, he noted, raises the risk of closures, which would deprive graduates of the enduring legacy of their alma maters.
To address these challenges, the Zinox Chairman proposed that the Federal Government adopt a college system and reclassify existing universities. He recommended granting approvals for specialized professional colleges affiliated with reputable universities, similar to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) model with the University of Lagos.
Ekeh emphasized that the quality of an institution’s academic content now matters more than its physical size. Those passionate about establishing tertiary institutions must be focused on their core mission, be willing to invest adequately, and possess the mental and financial capacity to sustain standards.
He further urged that educational institutions be regulated even more stringently than banks, given their central role in producing the human capital that drives both the public and private sectors.
“Educational institutions are not limited liability companies that can be liquidated at will. Their true profit is not in short-term returns but in the quality of graduates they produce, men and women who can lead this nation and give back to the institutions that shaped them,” Ekeh stated.
The donation to FUB is the latest in a long list of interventions by the Zinox Group to support Nigeria’s technological advancement. Through the Leo Stan Ekeh Foundation, the Group has also funded thousands of scholarships, donated modern digital learning facilities nationwide, extended non-interest loans to budding entrepreneurs, and supported churches, hospitals, and humanitarian causes.
News
No More Leaks: FIRS Slaps ₦5m Fine on Info Disclosure

Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) Act has introduced strict penalties for the unauthorised disclosure of confidential information and documents by its staff, with offenders facing fines of up to N5 million, imprisonment for up to three years, or both.
The NRS Act is one of four bills recently signed into law by President Bola Tinubu, alongside the Nigeria Tax (Fair Taxation) Law, the Nigeria Tax Administration Law, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Law. The regulations will take effect on January 1, 2026.
In Part VI of the NRS Act, covering miscellaneous provisions, the law designates all internal records—including institutional information, memoranda, and communications—as confidential.
“Without prejudice to the provisions of any other Act concerning data privacy or data protection, institutional information or communication, all internal information, communications, documents or memoranda of the Service are confidential,” the law states.
It further warns that, “Except as otherwise provided under this Act, any other law or any enabling agreement or arrangement or as otherwise authorised by the Executive Chairman or management of the Service, any person who discloses or attempts to disclose institutional information, communication, document or memorandum of the Service is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding N5,000,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or both.”
The provision applies to all officials and individuals involved in the administration of the Act. The NRS also specified that business records, tax returns, notices, assessments, and documents relating to a person’s assets, liabilities, or profits must be “treated as secret.”
Exceptions to the confidentiality rule include disclosures authorised by the service, those mandated by court order, or situations where the information is needed for the enforcement of Nigeria’s tax laws.
The development follows a February 20, 2024, warning from the federal government cautioning civil servants in ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) against leaking sensitive documents to the public.
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