🇳🇬NigeriaWest Africa
Abia State aims to become a global manufacturing brand, says Governor's Chief of Staff
via Punch Nigeria2 min read
Pastor Caleb Ajagba, Chief of Staff to the Abia State Governor, stated that Governor Alex Otti is working to transform Abia into a globally respected manufacturing brand. Ajagba made these remarks during the flag-off ceremony of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Competitiveness and Industrial Productivity Programme Quality Assurance Assessors Training Programme in Aba. He emphasized that the training is a significant step in repositioning Abia, especially Aba, as a leading hub for fashion, garment, and leather production in Nigeria and Africa. The state government is committed to fostering enterprise growth through infrastructure development, policy support, access to finance, and quality standardization. Ajagba acknowledged the contributions of partners like Ethnocentrique Limited and the Mastercard Foundation. Adedapo Conde, MCIPP Team Lead, highlighted the Quality Assurance Assessors programme as crucial for strengthening the skills ecosystem and transforming Aba into a global skills delivery and export hub. Conde also praised Governor Otti's leadership and support, reaffirming Ethnocentrique Limited's commitment to the state's vision. The event was attended by various dignitaries, including Chinwe Kalu Uba, Special Assistant to the Governor on Industry and SMEs, and Dr. Christopher Okoro, Rector of Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic. Certificates from the Corporate Affairs Commission and SMEDAN were presented to business owners during the ceremony.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 10 countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
Must ReadGloria Onosode, Director of Enterprise Sales at FairMoney Business, states that the success of women-led businesses is fundamentally linked to Nigeria achieving its $1 trillion economy target by 2030. She emphasizes that these businesses must transition from passive roles to become primary growth drivers and strategic participants in their industries, integrating into the digital value chain for better record-keeping and data-driven decisions to access formal credit. Women now lead approximately 72% of Nigeria's 39.6 million MSMEs, making them key engines of job creation and community stability. Despite this, Nigerian women entrepreneurs face a credit gap estimated at over N2.9 trillion. Onosode highlights that digital empowerment for these enterprises is a macroeconomic necessity, not just a social initiative. FairMoney Microfinance Bank offers tools to help women move from informal savings to digitized, interest-bearing products. Research indicates that women reinvest up to 90% of their income into their families and communities, particularly in education, healthcare, and nutrition, demonstrating a significant multiplier effect. Onosode concludes that the resilience of women entrepreneurs will be the deciding factor in realizing Nigeria's economic aspirations.
Nigeria and Saudi Arabia have initiated discussions to review their Bilateral Air Services Agreement BASA to enhance aviation cooperation and improve arrangements for the 2026 Hajj operations. Nigeria's Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, led a delegation to Riyadh for high-level meetings with Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Transport and Logistics Services, Saleh Al-Jasser, and the President of the General Authority of Civil Aviation, Abdulaziz Al-Duailej. The talks focused on updating the existing BASA framework to reflect current global aviation realities and addressing operational issues affecting airlines from both countries, particularly concerning the annual Hajj airlift. Both nations agreed on the necessity to revise the agreement to ensure fairness, efficiency, and mutual benefit. Discussions also revisited the 2015 Memorandum of Understanding, specifically the sharing formula for the annual airlift of pilgrims by designated airlines, aiming to address concerns about equity and efficiency in passenger allocation. The Nigerian delegation also advocated for better slot allocation for Nigerian carriers and improved operational conditions to support seamless Hajj operations. Decisions from these meetings, especially those impacting the 2026 Hajj operations, have been communicated to designated airlines for immediate implementation.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission FCCPC has issued a warning to companies and legal advisers against completing mergers and acquisitions without prior approval. The commission stated that transactions meeting prescribed thresholds under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018 must be notified and cleared before implementation, with non-compliance attracting sanctions. This obligation applies to various business combinations, including acquisitions of shares and assets, joint ventures, and other arrangements defined as mergers. The FCCPC emphasized that the notification regime is crucial for assessing whether proposed transactions could prevent or lessen competition in Nigerian markets or raise public interest concerns. Businesses are advised to engage early in the transaction lifecycle, including pre-notification consultations, to ensure regulatory certainty and compliance, as failure to notify a notifiable transaction will result in stiff penalties. This warning comes amidst increased dealmaking activity in Nigeria. In a separate development, the FCCPC signed a Memorandum of Understanding MoU with the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency LASCOPA to enhance consumer protection nationwide. Tunji Bello, the Executive Vice Chairman of the FCCPC, stated that the partnership aims to decentralize consumer protection and accelerate complaint resolution, as many consumer disputes are local and require rapid intervention at the state level.
The Raw Materials Research and Development Council RMRDC has introduced an upgraded national raw materials database in Abuja, aiming to provide real-time data on Nigeria’s resources, enhance industrial planning, and improve investment decision-making. Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, the Director-General of RMRDC, stated that this platform, formally known as the Nigerian Statistical Information System for Products, Raw Materials and Products, is a significant advancement in Nigeria's pursuit of a data-driven industrial economy. He highlighted that the new system is a second-generation RMRDC database, offering improved capabilities for policy, investment, and manufacturing decisions compared to its predecessor, the Raw Materials Management Information System, which had limitations in integration, dynamism, and alignment with global classification systems. The upgraded platform now integrates with major national and international data institutions, including the Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigerian Geological Survey Agency, Nigeria Customs Service, and the National Bureau of Statistics, along with 16 internal RMRDC databases. This integration provides real-time insights into the availability, quality, and characteristics of raw materials across the country, supporting pricing and investment decisions. The initiative addresses challenges such as fragmented resource data, import dependency, and limited industrial utilization of local materials, incorporating agricultural produce, minera