₦airaland Forum

Political Issues and events that will shape 2014

Without any iota of doubt, 2014 is going to be an interesting year in the political sector of Nigeria. Many people see this year as a crucial year where major decisions will be taken on the future of Nigeria. In 2014, many issues and events are expected to come up and bound to shape the […]...

http://politicaldelight.com/news/political-issues-and-events-that-will-shape-2014

G5 Defection: Tasks before PDP – GF

WITH the defection of five governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) and claims that more governors may leave soon, the leadership of the PDP Governors Forum (PDP-GF) has a mouthful of tasks to masticate.The post G5 Defection: Tasks before PDP – GF appeared first on Vanguard News....

http://politicaldelight.com/news/g5-defection-tasks-before-pdp-gf

Defection Is Political Miscalculation — Kaduna PDP Chairman

The Kaduna State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chairman Chief Abubakar Gaya Haruna yesterday described the said defection of members of his party to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as mere “political madness.” He said it was rather unheard of that some people who claimed to have built the PDP decides to leave......

http://politicaldelight.com/news/defection-is-political-miscalculation-kaduna-pdp-chairman

Police Arrest Suspected Members Of Gunrunning Syndicate In Kaduna

The Kaduna State Police Command on Saturday in Kaduna paraded seven suspected members of a gunrunning syndicate involved in the sale, manufacture and repair of locally made guns. The Commissioner of Police, Mr Olufemi Adenaike, said that the suspected gun-runners were arrested following a tip-off from a member of the public. Adenaike said that seven......

http://politicaldelight.com/news/police-arrest-suspected-members-of-gunrunning-syndicate-in-kaduna

Egypt: Brotherhood Supporters Clash With Security Forces At Azhar

[Aswat Masriya]A group of students, who support the Muslim Brotherhood, clashed with security forces on Saturday at Al-Azhar University where the protesters hurled fireworks and rocks at the forces, the state news agency said....

http://politicaldelight.com/news/egypt-brotherhood-supporters-clash-with-security-forces-at-azhar

South Sudan ceasefire talks open

Direct talks between teams representing the warring parties in South Sudan officially open in Ethiopia, despite earlier fears that the process had run into trouble....

http://politicaldelight.com/news/south-sudan-ceasefire-talks-open

Backlash against al-Qaida affiliate sees 'dozens of fighters' killed in Iraq and Syria

Attempt to push back group that claimed responsibility for bomb attack on Shia suburb in BeirutAl-Qaida's most significant and powerful affiliate in Iraq and Syria was under attack on multiple fronts on Saturday, even as the group claimed responsibility for its latest outrage – bombing a Shia suburb of the Lebanese capital, Beirut, two days ago.The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – known by the acronym Isil – was facing an assault in the western Iraqi province of Anbar, led by police and tribal fighters, after attempting to...

http://politicaldelight.com/news/backlash-against-alqaida-affiliate-sees-dozens-of-fighters-killed-in-iraq-and-syria

Nigeria, Others Step Up Fight Against Terrorists In Somalia

As it assumed duty as a non-permanent member of the United Nations (UN) Security Council in New York, Nigeria has teamed up with the world’s body organ to step up the fight against threats that Al-Shabaab, the major terrorist group, poses to stability in Somalia. Nigeria’s move came 48 hours after the deadly bomb attacks......

http://africagriculturalnews.com/news/nigeria-others-step-up-fight-against-terrorists-in-somalia

Agriculture: Transformation via foreign investments

In the past year, Nigeria’s agricultural potentials were tested, with food production rising significantly. Although there is a new economic growth momentum, there are regional disparities. To optimise the potentials, better coordination is needed among government agencies, DANIEL ESSIET reports. In the past one year, Nigeria recorded reasonable economic growth. The agricultural sector contributed to

http://businessdayonline.net/news/agriculture-transformation-via-foreign-investments

Lagos to promote seafoods production

The Lagos State government said it will support private investors to invest in aquaculture to achieve its aspiration of food security and economic development, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Prince Gbolahan Lawal, has said. Lawal, who spoke in Lagos, said the state government has developed guidelines and policies that would create favourable climate for ......

http://businessdayonline.net/news/lagos-to-promote-seafoods-production

Agric ministry to spend N300m on strategic communication in 2014

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will spend N300 million on strategic communications in 2014. According to the ministry, strategic communication is one of the numerous newly, introduced projects in the Ministry of Agriculture with the aims to communicate the objective of the agriculture transformation agenda to farmers and other stakeholders in the sector

http://businessdayonline.net/news/agric-ministry-to-spend-n300m-on-strategic-communication-in-2014

Cotton body keen to work closely with African growers

Indian Cotton Federation (formerly SICA – The South India Cotton Association) is hoping to establish direct linkage with the cotton grower/ginners in Africa and the buyer in India....

http://africagriculturalnews.com/news/cotton-body-keen-to-work-closely-with-african-growers

Nigeria: Presidency Claims Nigeria Has Reduced Food Imports By 40 Percent

[This Day]Nigeria has reduced its food imports by 40 per cent and increased its local production of rice, cassava, sorghum, cotton and cocoa from 25 to 56 per cent in the last two years....

http://africagriculturalnews.com/news/nigeria-presidency-claims-nigeria-has-reduced-food-imports-by-40-percent

Nigeria: Rice Consumption and Importation in Nigeria, No Solution in Sight

[Vanguard]Nigeria has been a major consumer and importer of rice in Africa. Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina recently revealed that the country spends over N356 billion on yearly importation of rice, out of which about N1 billion is used per day....

http://africagriculturalnews.com/news/nigeria-rice-consumption-and-importation-in-nigeria-no-solution-in-sight

Nigeria has not Banned Importation of Fish – Adesina

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Dr. Akinwumi Adesina has reacted strongly to reports in certain news media publications (AgroNigeria not being one of them) that the present administration has authorized a blanket ban on fish importation. He was however quick to add that as a responsible public office holder, he will not “stand idly and watch Nigeria’s fisheries sub-sector plunge down the drain while financing other nations’ economies through indiscriminate importation”. Adesina, who made these points in a press bulletin made available to AgroNigeria, went ahead to clarify...

http://africagriculturalnews.com/news/nigeria-has-not-banned-importation-of-fish-adesina

Africa: African Agriculture Needs Trade Not Aid

Food security needs Africa to move from aid-dependent fixes to profitable trade-driven agriculture, says David Bennett....

http://africagriculturalnews.com/news/africa-african-agriculture-needs-trade-not-aid

Nigeria: Experts Discuss Path to Indigenous Supply of Domestic Sugar Need

[This Day]A pathway to halting the billions of naira spent on importation of sugar into the country yearly has been provided by stakeholders in the sub sector of the economy....

http://africagriculturalnews.com/news/nigeria-experts-discuss-path-to-indigenous-supply-of-domestic-sugar-need

Global agricultural research partnership doubles funding to $1bn

CGIAR, the world’s largest agriculture research partnership, have announced that its funding has doubled from $500 million in 2008 to $1 billion in 2013. Offi cials say harvesting the fruits of this historic commitment could, among other benefi ts, lift 150 million people in Asia out of poverty by boosting rice production, provide 12 million

http://businessdayonline.net/news/global-agricultural-research-partnership-doubles-funding-to-1bn

LBS to boost competitiveness of agri-food sector

Academics from Lagos Business School, Pan Atlantic University, are part of an international team working on a ground-breaking project to develop the competitiveness of agri-food product supply chains across the country. Speaking with The Nation, an agribusiness consultant with the school, Mr Seyi Ifelaja, said LBS, was set to increase the capacities of managers of ......

http://businessdayonline.net/news/lbs-to-boost-competitiveness-of-agrifood-sector

Expert urges support for pig production

The Federal Government has been urged to support pig production through use of modern technologies. The publisher,Food Farm News, Mr Ayeni Oladehinde said in a statement that because of the lack of innovative approaches to animal nutrition in the pig market, volumes have decreased in recent years. He said the nation’s pig industry has slaughtered ......

http://businessdayonline.net/news/expert-urges-support-for-pig-production

Nigeria to reduce wheat importation by 20 per cent, save N127 billion- Minister

Akinwunmi Adesina

The Federal Government has concluded plans to substitute 20 per cent of wheat with cassava flour in bread production.

The Federal Government will cut down wheat importation by 20 per cent and save over N127 billion from its …...

http://businessdayonline.net/news/nigeria-to-reduce-wheat-importation-by-20-per-cent-save-n127-billion-minister

FG introduces new fish importation policies Jan 2014 — Adesina

MINISTER of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has denied that he authorised a blanket ban on fish importation, saying new policies on fish importation are, however, coming in January 2014.

“We hereby emphasise that the claim projecting a total ban on fish import is not true and did not originate from the minister, who has emphasised that at no time did he announce a total ban on the importation of frozen fish into the country.

“A responsible minister will not stand idly and watch Nigeria’s fisheries sub-sector plunge down the...

http://businessdayonline.net/news/fg-introduces-new-fish-importation-policies-jan-2014-adesina

Lagos empowers 400 graduate farmers with N1 billion

The Lagos State Government has spent N1billion to support some 400 graduate farmers trained under the state’s Agricultural Youths Empowerment Scheme (AGRIC-YES). The support, according to Gbolahan Lawal, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Co-operatives, was to “give them a headstart in their farming businesses”. He added, “We are currently operating a modern farm settlement scheme […]The post Lagos empowers 400 graduate farmers with N1 billion appeared first on The Nigerian Telegraph....

http://businessdayonline.net/news/lagos-empowers-400-graduate-farmers-with-n1-billion

Nigerian government to provide incentives to 10,000 dry season rice farmers in Bauchi

Farmers would receive fertilisers and rice seeds

The Federal Government on Monday said it would provide incentives to 10,000 dry season rice farmers in Bauchi State as part of effort to ensure food security in the ...

http://businessdayonline.net/news/nigerian-government-to-provide-incentives-to-10000-dry-season-rice-farmers-in-bauchi

‘Investment in palm oil key to economic growth’

The Federal Government has identified investment in palm oil as key to sustainable economic growth capable of creating over 3.5 million jobs by 2015 in the country. The country was the world largest producer and marketer of palm produce between 1961 and 1965, contributing 39 percent of the world production but has since lost its

http://businessdayonline.net/news/investment-in-palm-oil-key-to-economic-growth

Southwest set to revive agric sector, agrees on backward integration policy

Governors of South West states recently converged on Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, over a backward integration policy on agricultural production aimed at re-positioning the agricultural sector of their respective states. This is towards driving socio-economic growth and enhancing integration plans of the South West states. The South West backward integration policy, according to official

http://businessdayonline.net/news/southwest-set-to-revive-agric-sector-agrees-on-backward-integration-policy

Phones constitute 83% of marketing information to farmers

GSM phones now constitute about 83 percent of the agricultural marketing information outlets farmers use in accessing information on sales of farm produce. This is according to a recent study on the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) for accessing information for sales of farm produce. The study, published in the Journal of Agricultural Science

http://businessdayonline.net/news/phones-constitute-83-of-marketing-information-to-farmers

Revenue From Export Of Farm Produce ‘ll Surpass Oil – Oduah

It has been projected that revenue that will accrue from the export of farm produce by Nigerian farmers through the perishable cargo programme would surpass oil revenue in the next 10 years.

It would also empower farmers who constitute 85 per cent of Nigeria’s work force and eliminate poverty in the country by 60 per cent.

http://businessdayonline.net/news/revenue-from-export-of-farm-produce-ll-surpass-oil-oduah

Bank Pledges More Support for Agric Sector

[This Day]Stanbic IBTC Bank has restated its commitment to the development of the agriculture sector of the economy. The bank described agricultural finance as an area of strength for its parent company, the Standard Bank Group, adding that it was committed to deploying such expertise in Nigeria to support the sector's development....

http://businessdayonline.net/news/bank-pledges-more-support-for-agric-sector

Chike-Obi: AMCON won’t invest N500b Sinking Fund

The Banking Sector Resolution Cost Fund (Sinking Fund) standing at about N500 billion is being kept with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Chief Executive Officer of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) Mustafa Chike-Obi has said. He told The Nation that there is no possibility of investing the fund because it was established ......

http://businessdayonline.net/news/chikeobi-amcon-wont-invest-n500b-sinking-fund

Adamawa receives $11m from Sovereign Wealth Fund

Receiving certificates for the two amounts in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, Governor Murtala Nyako said that the introduction of the fund was laudable as it would enhance development...

http://businessdayonline.net/news/adamawa-receives-11m-from-sovereign-wealth-fund

Tech in China 2013: VCs are chasing online education, finance, and mobile

While big Chinese Internet companies poured money into acquisitions and investments, this year was more about VCs on the lookout for new markets or games changers....

http://africanfinancialnews.com/+/tech-in-china-2013-vcs-are-chasing-online-education-finance-and-mobile