The hula cap is a popular traditional headgear in northern Nigeria. Its intricate designs are gaining traction beyond Nigeria's borders. Local producers are now exporting caps to countries like Chad, Cameroon, and even the United States.
Friday, September 27, 2024
Nigeria’s hula cap gains traction as foreign exchange earner
Nigeria ranks first in cassava production, yet imports
Although Nigeria is ranked number one in cassava production globally, she imported about $54, 200 in cassava in 2022, becoming the 121st largest importer of cassava in the world.
This was disclosed at the Ist National Conference of Industrial Cassava Stakeholders Association of Nigeria (ICSAN) titled “The Golden Crop: Harnessing the Economic Potential of Cassava for National Development through Industrialization,” which held at Ikeja, Lagos.
Delivering a keynote address at the conference on the theme, Prof. Lateef Oladimeji Sanni, President, International Society for Tropical Root Crops, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Executive Director, Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute, Ilorin and Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, also said Nigeria exported $733, 000 in cassava in the same year, making it the 61st largest exporter of cassava in the world.
After the President of ICSAN, Mr. Segun Ladele, gave the opening address, Prof Oladimeji further gave an insight into the cassava industry and its significance to Nigeria’s economy.
He defined industrialization as “the mass production of goods in a factory system, which involves some degree of mechanized production technology,” saying industrialisation enables the business environment, promotes private sector leadership, facilitates renewal for sunset industries, and encourages innovators.
According to Oladimeji, as at 2022, cassava was the 1063rd most imported product in Nigeria.
“Nigeria,” he said, “imports cassava primarily from United Kingdom ($49.2k), Brazil ($2.68k), Cameroon (1.91k), Niger ($321), and Belgium ($33).
He said Egypt is the only African country ranked among the world’s top ten highest exporters of cassava, with an export value of $81.8 million with less than 1% share (0.94%) of the total producers and export value of cassava in Africa and globally.
Apart from garri, lafun, fufu, etc., cassava products have a wide range of value chain such as in the making of bread, cake, candies, ice cream, beverages, fuel ethanol, animal feeds, furniture, paper and wood. All these lead to job creation, food security and incomes for farmers.
He identified some of the challenges facing cassava production in Nigeria as government inconsistent policy, increase in foreign exchange in the course of the project implementation, destruction of cassava farmland by cattle herdsmen, insecurity and communal clashes, lack of infrastructural facilities, little access to credit facilities, and lack of enough partnership and collaboration.
He proposed packaging differentiation, product diversification, regional standards and quality control, appropriate processing equipment, viable regulatory system, capacity building, and marketing channels as the way forward for the cassava industry in Nigeria.
He also prescribed that “government MUST be the catalyst, enabler and regulator of the cassava industry. There is the need for key players to ensure that private-led actions geared towards sustaining the development of cassava-based industries are initiated and advocated. There should be fair public incentives and funding within the geopolitical zone of the federation,” he said.
By Osa Mbonu-Amadi, Vanguard
Nigeria military says dozens of militia group leaders killed over past three months
Nigeria's military has killed dozens of leaders of armed militia groups and hundreds of fighters across the country following a renewed offensive in the third quarter of the year, a spokesperson said on Thursday.
Nigeria faces widespread insecurity including a 15-year Islamist insurgency in its northeast, separatist violence in the southeast, rampant oil theft in the Niger River delta and kidnapping for ransom by criminal gangs, known locally as bandits, in the northwest.
Military spokesperson Major-General Edward Buba said "troops offensive actions culminated in the neutralization of 65 notable terrorist leaders, commanders and combatants across all theaters of operations."
"Overall, in the third quarter of this year, troops neutralized 1,937 terrorists, arrested 2,782 suspected terrorists and other criminal elements as well as rescued 1,854 hostages," Buba said in a statement.
The fatalities include members of Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province, and different amorphous bandit groups. Among those killed was Halilu Sububu, who was declared wanted by the military in 2022 with a bounty of five million naira, Buba said.
Earlier in September, Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu ordered the minister of defense and top military chiefs to relocate to the northwestern Sokoto, one of the worst-hit states, to combat insecurity.
Since then, the military has stepped up actions against armed groups intensifying air bombardment and land operations.
By Ope Adetayo, Reuters
Nigeria faces widespread insecurity including a 15-year Islamist insurgency in its northeast, separatist violence in the southeast, rampant oil theft in the Niger River delta and kidnapping for ransom by criminal gangs, known locally as bandits, in the northwest.
Military spokesperson Major-General Edward Buba said "troops offensive actions culminated in the neutralization of 65 notable terrorist leaders, commanders and combatants across all theaters of operations."
"Overall, in the third quarter of this year, troops neutralized 1,937 terrorists, arrested 2,782 suspected terrorists and other criminal elements as well as rescued 1,854 hostages," Buba said in a statement.
The fatalities include members of Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province, and different amorphous bandit groups. Among those killed was Halilu Sububu, who was declared wanted by the military in 2022 with a bounty of five million naira, Buba said.
Earlier in September, Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu ordered the minister of defense and top military chiefs to relocate to the northwestern Sokoto, one of the worst-hit states, to combat insecurity.
Since then, the military has stepped up actions against armed groups intensifying air bombardment and land operations.
By Ope Adetayo, Reuters
Nigeria prison officials suspended over celebrity jail row
It follows claims by social media influencer Martins Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan, that some anti-corruption officials were bribed to drop money laundering charges against Bobrisky. She has dismissed the bribery claim.
Bobrisky, whose real name is Idris Okuneye, was released from prison last month after serving a six-month sentence for abusing naira, the local currency. But a court dismissed money laundering charges.
Nigeria was last year ranked 145 out of 180 countries in the Transparency International's perceptions of corruption index, with bribery named more prevalent in government offices.
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have ordered investigations into a viral video, which Bobrisky has called "false", allegedly linking her to the bribery allegation.
In the leaked video, someone who is purported to be Bobrisky is heard alleging that she paid $9,000 (£7,000) to EFCC officials to have the money laundering charges dropped.
It was also alleged that she paid some millions of naira to secure a private apartment near the prison where she allegedly served her jail term.
Bobrisky, who has nearly five million followers on Instagram, denied the allegations in an Instagram post.
"I didn’t pay any EFCC money, which is a very big lie. I served my term in full, and I came out. Discard any false information.”
In a statement on Thursday, the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire, and Immigration Services Board, said it suspended two prison officers linked to the bribery allegations, which have sparked widespread condemnation in the country.
Two other senior prison officials were also suspended over separate accusations.
“The suspension of these officers is to allow for further investigation on the various allegations while assuring that the outcome would be made public when concluded,” the statement added.
By Wycliffe Muia, BBC
Thursday, September 26, 2024
Nigeria urges permanent UN security council seat, debt cancellation
Nigeria on Tuesday demanded a permanent seat for African countries on the United Nations Security Council and called for the cancellation of its debt owed to international lenders.
Currently, the Security Council has five permanent members: the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia and China. All hold a veto on any Security Council resolution.
Addressing the UN's 79th general assembly in New York, Kashim Shettima, vice president of Africa's most populous nation, insisted that the "Security Council should be expanded".
"Our continent deserves a place in the permanent members' category of the Security Council, " said Shettima, representing head of state Bola Tinubu.
That should come "with the same rights and responsibilities as other permanent members", he added -- notably the power of veto.
Speaking to American broadcaster MSNBC, Nigeria's Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar said "Nigeria needs to be in that security council as a permanent member".
Nigeria's continental rival South Africa is also eyeing a seat at the top table.
Earlier in the month, the United States ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said Washington would support the creation of two additional permanent seats for African countries on the Security Council.
However, she said the new entrants would not have the right to veto.
The Nigerian vice president also called for a "reform of the international financial system", urging the cancellation of the debt Nigeria owed to multilateral institutions.
Shettima argued "nationalism" and self-interest were undermining the fight against various global issues, including terrorism, armed conflict, inequality, poverty, racism, debt, hunger and climate change.
He urged UN member states to recommit to multilateralism to "sustain the global body's relevance and resilience".
Shettima also denounced unconstitutional changes of governments in some African countries in recent years -- a reference to coups that have plagued fellow West African countries.
The juntas in Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso came to power in a series of coups over recent years and have pulled out of the regional bloc ECOWAS.
Shettima warned democracy was "fragile" if not supported by peace, security, and economic development.
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