Friday, March 4, 2016
Video - Gunmen kidnap 3 schoolgirls in Lagos, Nigeria
Authorities in the Nigerian commercial city of Lagos are still searching for three schoolgirls abducted by gunmen at a private missionary school in the outskirt of the city. Unidentified gunmen stormed the Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary school at the Ikorodu area of the city Monday night and made away with three female students.
U.S. wants Nigeria to impose stiffer penalties on wildlife traffickers
The U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission in Nigeria, Maria Brewer, on Thursday called on the Nigerian government to urgently enact and implement more strident penalties for wildlife traffickers.
Brewer, who made the appeal in Lagos at an event to commemorate this year’s World Wildlife Day, said that such penalties should discourage traffickers from using Nigeria as a transit point.
“The Nigerian government should enact and implement more strident penalties for wildlife trafficking, penalties that will dissuade potential traffickers from using Nigeria as a transit point.
“Nigeria, by virtue of its size, location and market position, can play a critical role in saving the continent’s most precious natural resources.
“We believe that preserving the natural world and its inhabitants is critical to a prosperous and stable Nigeria,’’ she said.
The U.S. official noted that there were currently limited prohibitive regulations against poaching, trading and sale of wildlife products.
According to her, Nigeria is home to a wealth of wildlife, including a number of endangered species like pangolins, elephants, the Cross River gorilla, grey parrots and more.
Brewer also announced her Mission’s plan to support Nigeria in training, technical exchanges, information and public education to promote conservation, as well as in combating poaching and wildlife trafficking.
She also called on Nigerian communities and individuals to be active in wildlife conservation, and to desist from dealing with illicit traders and poachers.
Lawrence Anukam, Director-General of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), said that Nigeria’s size, borderline, numerous waterways and airports currently posed threats to her wildlife conservation laws.
Anukam also identified the non-harmonisation of States’ Wildlife Laws, as a major challenge to the Federal Government’s wildlife conservation efforts.
He also said that Nigeria had no sufficient research data on the state of her wildlife, for proper monitoring and conservation.
Premium Times
Brewer, who made the appeal in Lagos at an event to commemorate this year’s World Wildlife Day, said that such penalties should discourage traffickers from using Nigeria as a transit point.
“The Nigerian government should enact and implement more strident penalties for wildlife trafficking, penalties that will dissuade potential traffickers from using Nigeria as a transit point.
“Nigeria, by virtue of its size, location and market position, can play a critical role in saving the continent’s most precious natural resources.
“We believe that preserving the natural world and its inhabitants is critical to a prosperous and stable Nigeria,’’ she said.
The U.S. official noted that there were currently limited prohibitive regulations against poaching, trading and sale of wildlife products.
According to her, Nigeria is home to a wealth of wildlife, including a number of endangered species like pangolins, elephants, the Cross River gorilla, grey parrots and more.
Brewer also announced her Mission’s plan to support Nigeria in training, technical exchanges, information and public education to promote conservation, as well as in combating poaching and wildlife trafficking.
She also called on Nigerian communities and individuals to be active in wildlife conservation, and to desist from dealing with illicit traders and poachers.
Lawrence Anukam, Director-General of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), said that Nigeria’s size, borderline, numerous waterways and airports currently posed threats to her wildlife conservation laws.
Anukam also identified the non-harmonisation of States’ Wildlife Laws, as a major challenge to the Federal Government’s wildlife conservation efforts.
He also said that Nigeria had no sufficient research data on the state of her wildlife, for proper monitoring and conservation.
Premium Times
Nigeria to break up NNPC
Nigeria's loss-making state oil giant is to be broken up into 30 "profit-making" companies, the government says.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has been mired in corruption allegations and losing money for many years.
Despite pressure to sell it off, the government says that it can transform the NNPC into a profitable enterprise.
Nigeria is Africa's biggest oil producer, but the economy has suffered because of the declining oil price.
Can Nigeria defeat oil corruption?
Oil Minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu said that the NNPC's monthly losses have rapidly declined and now stand at $15m (£11m).
He told an audience in the capital, Abuja, that it would soon be in profit, an NNPC statement says.
Mr Kachikwu, a former top official at ExxonMobil, was appointed to head the NNPC last year after President Muhammadu Buhari won elections and was then also named junior oil minister.
Mr Buhari has vowed to tackle corruption in the country.
In 2013, then central bank governor Lamido Sanusi said that the NNPC had failed to account for billions of dollars of earnings.
Nigeria's government benefits from revenues from the sale of the country's oil by several private oil companies which also operate in the country.
Mr Kachikwu also announced that some oil producing countries will be meeting on 20 March to see if they can work together to end the instability in the oil price.
Nigeria has introduced foreign exchange controls and import bans in an effort to maintain the value of the currency, the naira, in the face of pressure over the declining oil price.
BBC
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has been mired in corruption allegations and losing money for many years.
Despite pressure to sell it off, the government says that it can transform the NNPC into a profitable enterprise.
Nigeria is Africa's biggest oil producer, but the economy has suffered because of the declining oil price.
Can Nigeria defeat oil corruption?
Oil Minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu said that the NNPC's monthly losses have rapidly declined and now stand at $15m (£11m).
He told an audience in the capital, Abuja, that it would soon be in profit, an NNPC statement says.
Mr Kachikwu, a former top official at ExxonMobil, was appointed to head the NNPC last year after President Muhammadu Buhari won elections and was then also named junior oil minister.
Mr Buhari has vowed to tackle corruption in the country.
In 2013, then central bank governor Lamido Sanusi said that the NNPC had failed to account for billions of dollars of earnings.
Nigeria's government benefits from revenues from the sale of the country's oil by several private oil companies which also operate in the country.
Mr Kachikwu also announced that some oil producing countries will be meeting on 20 March to see if they can work together to end the instability in the oil price.
Nigeria has introduced foreign exchange controls and import bans in an effort to maintain the value of the currency, the naira, in the face of pressure over the declining oil price.
BBC
Thursday, March 3, 2016
Video - Former Super Eagle star striker Daniel Amokachi now coaching Finland club JS Hercules
For African football coaches, there are not many opportunities to take charge of a club outside the continent. Former Nigerian Super Eagles striker Daniel Amokachi is an exception to the rule, after making the decision to move to Finland's second-division as coach of JS Hercules. He now hopes that he can open doors for more African tacticians to take up coaching in Europe and further abroad.
Nigeria hosting event focusing on Africa's potential in the videogame industry
Africa’s gaming potential is to be explored and celebrated at WrB Africa, taking place on 11-12 April at The Sheraton Lagos Hotel, Nigeria.
As part of the WrB Series run by Clarion Events, WrB Africa is the first ever summit dedicated to exploring the exciting opportunities and encouraging a regulatory framework that will produce a thriving and sustainable gaming industry in Sub-Saharan Africa.
“We have launched WrB Africa for those seeking to unlock the huge potential of this region, but who may be unsure of the complexities of the regulatory environment. Perhaps they are already operating in one of the fast growing African regions but want to step up a level”, says Curtis Roach, senior conference producer on the event.
Delegates will be presented with a heavy-weight agenda and over 30 market-leading organisations to network with and to do business with, as well as the opportunity to learn directly from the leading companies based in East, West and Central Africa, in addition to the continent’s major regulators.
The speaker line-up includes a keynote session from Lanre Gbajabiamila, chief executive of the Lagos State Lottery Board (LSLB).
Other speakers include John Kamara, Director of Global Gaming Africa, Tarimba Abbas, Director General of Tanzania Gaming Board, Edward Lalumbe, COO of the Gauteng Gambling Board and Matthias Jacek Wojdyla, Head of International Affairs at FIFA.
Gbajabiamila is optimistic about the continued growth of gambling in Lagos and Nigeria, with technology and the public’s appetite for sport among the driving forces.
“The Nigerian gaming industry is an evolving one and gradually expanding. More states and individuals are becoming more aware of the opportunities that exist in the industry in terms of entertainment, revenue and employment.
“We are really pleased to be associated with WrB Africa, it’s a great event that the market demands and I’m excited at the opportunities that it will create for the Sub-Saharan gaming industry.”
Rory Credland, Event Director added: “It will be fantastic to bring together so many people from across the globe to talk about responsible gambling and how we can help to create a sustainable future for one of the Gaming industry’s high-potential markets.”
WrB Africa is taking place at The Sheraton Lagos Hotel, Lagos, Nigeria, from April 11th – 12th in Lagos, Nigeria. More information including the agenda, speaker list and booking details is available at http://Africa.WrBriefing.com
PCTECH
Related story: Nigeria's growing video game industry
Call of Duty Advanced Warfare gives authentic rendition of Lagos, Nigeria
As part of the WrB Series run by Clarion Events, WrB Africa is the first ever summit dedicated to exploring the exciting opportunities and encouraging a regulatory framework that will produce a thriving and sustainable gaming industry in Sub-Saharan Africa.
“We have launched WrB Africa for those seeking to unlock the huge potential of this region, but who may be unsure of the complexities of the regulatory environment. Perhaps they are already operating in one of the fast growing African regions but want to step up a level”, says Curtis Roach, senior conference producer on the event.
Delegates will be presented with a heavy-weight agenda and over 30 market-leading organisations to network with and to do business with, as well as the opportunity to learn directly from the leading companies based in East, West and Central Africa, in addition to the continent’s major regulators.
The speaker line-up includes a keynote session from Lanre Gbajabiamila, chief executive of the Lagos State Lottery Board (LSLB).
Other speakers include John Kamara, Director of Global Gaming Africa, Tarimba Abbas, Director General of Tanzania Gaming Board, Edward Lalumbe, COO of the Gauteng Gambling Board and Matthias Jacek Wojdyla, Head of International Affairs at FIFA.
Gbajabiamila is optimistic about the continued growth of gambling in Lagos and Nigeria, with technology and the public’s appetite for sport among the driving forces.
“The Nigerian gaming industry is an evolving one and gradually expanding. More states and individuals are becoming more aware of the opportunities that exist in the industry in terms of entertainment, revenue and employment.
“We are really pleased to be associated with WrB Africa, it’s a great event that the market demands and I’m excited at the opportunities that it will create for the Sub-Saharan gaming industry.”
Rory Credland, Event Director added: “It will be fantastic to bring together so many people from across the globe to talk about responsible gambling and how we can help to create a sustainable future for one of the Gaming industry’s high-potential markets.”
WrB Africa is taking place at The Sheraton Lagos Hotel, Lagos, Nigeria, from April 11th – 12th in Lagos, Nigeria. More information including the agenda, speaker list and booking details is available at http://Africa.WrBriefing.com
PCTECH
Related story: Nigeria's growing video game industry
Call of Duty Advanced Warfare gives authentic rendition of Lagos, Nigeria
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