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FG, UNIDO partner to strengthen Nigeria’s industrial future
The Federal Government has signed a Programme for Country Partnership (PCP) agreement with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) to drive Nigeria’s industrial transformation.
At the signing ceremony in Abuja on Wednesday, the Minister of State for Industry, Sen. John Enoh, emphasised the significance of the agreement in repositioning the country’s industrial sector.
Enoh said that the partnership aligned with Nigeria’s commitment to rebuilding its industrial base to achieve structural economic transformation.
He said that the Industrial Revolution Work Group (IWG) had been inaugurated to coordinate the revitalisation of key industrial assets and value chains.
According to Enoh, the partnership comes at a time when Nigeria is moving with clarity and urgency to rebuild its industrial base.
He said that it would boost economic growth, and also ensure structural transformation that empowers the people and reduces dependency on primary exports.
Enoh said that the IWG, which he co-chaired with the President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Francis Meshioye, was a stakeholder platform designed to address systemic bottlenecks and fast-track industrial zone development.
The minister said that the PCP aligned with the objectives of the IWG, focusing on agro-industrial transformation, SME development, green and digital transition, and skills for industrial competitiveness.
He expressed optimism that UNIDO’s technical expertise and global perspective would enhance Nigeria’s industrialisation efforts through infrastructure development and catalytic interventions.
“We welcome your presence at the table and look forward to integrating your insights into the group’s core operations.
“Nigeria is laying the foundation for the next chapter in its industrial history by modernising institutions, reforming policies, and strengthening coordination across all levels of government,” he said.
Enoh reiterated the government’s commitment to fostering multilateral and bilateral cooperation, urging all stakeholders to transition from agreements to tangible execution.
“As we sign today, we do so with resolve not for the ceremony, but for community-medium impact.
“Let us move together from potential to productivity, from agreement to execution, and from policy to prosperity,” he said.
The Minister Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Abubakar Bagudu, said that the PCP was expected to boost manufacturing, enhance access to renewable energy, and create opportunities for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
Bagudu said that it would also strengthen Nigeria’s participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring the successful implementation of the programme, adding that Nigeria remained open to international investments and partnerships.
“Nigeria is determined to achieve its economic vision, and we will stay the course,” he said.
The UNIDO Director-General, Gerd Müller, described the PCP as a new phase in Nigeria’s longstanding partnership with the organisation, which dates back 40 years.
“This initiative focuses on six key areas, including industrial policy, innovation and technology, value chain development, and sustainable energy solutions.
“It will directly support Nigeria’s National Development Plan and the African Union’s Agenda 2063,” Müller said.
The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mohammed Fall, emphasised that the signing of the PCP marked the beginning of a long-term collaboration to drive Nigeria’s sustainable development.
Fall acknowledged the challenges facing the country but reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to working alongside Nigerian authorities and development partners to implement impactful initiatives.
He highlighted the role of UNICEF and other UN agencies in supporting Nigeria’s economic and humanitarian efforts.
He assured stakeholders that the UN remained dedicated to helping Nigeria transition toward a more resilient and self-sufficient economy.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the signing ceremony was attended by representatives of Government, the European Union, UNIDO, and other key stakeholders in Nigeria’s industrial sector.
The National Universities Commission, (NUC), has given full accreditation to the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), for her Law programme.
According to the Public Relations Officer of ESUT, Mr Ikechukwu Ani, this is contained in a letter addressed to the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Aloysius Okolie, on Wednesday in Enugu by the NUC.
Ani said that in the letter, the Executive Secretary of NUC, Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu said the report was contained in the result of the October/November 2024 accreditation of academic programmes in Nigerian universities.
Ani disclosed that other programmes in the institution accredited by the NUC include Master of Science in Business Management; Education Computer Science; Education Physics and Agricultural Engineering.
Other accredited programmes he said were Quantity Surveying; Urban and Regional Planning; and Applied Microbiology.
He said that the letter quoted Section 10 (1) of the Education National Minimum Standard and Establishment of Institutions, Act CAP E3, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 as empowering the NUC to lay down minimum academic standards for all academic programmes taught in Nigerian universities.
He said the session also empowers the NUC to accredit such programmes.
An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, on Wednesday, remanded two persons, Olaitan Fasasi and Kehinde Tobiloba in a correctional facility over alleged attempted murder.
Fasasi, 40, and Tobiloba, 26, whose addresses were not provided, are being charged with conspiracy, attempted murder and membership of a secret society.
The Magistrate, Mr L.A Owolabi, did not take the plea of the defendants for want of jurisdiction.
Owolabi directed the police to forward the case file to the Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice.
He thereafter adjourned the case until May 31 for mention.
The Prosecutor, Josephine Ikhayere, told the court that the defendants committed the offences at about 5.02p.m on Feb. 15, at Mushin, Lagos.
She said that Fasasi, Tobiloba and others now at large, attempted to commit murder by shooting at a resident, Alfred Ademola.
“They armed themselves with a locally made gun. They belong to Eiye Confraternity, a group proscribed by law,”, she said.
Ikhayere said that the offences contravened Sections 230(1) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2012.
He said that the actions of the defendants also contravened Section 2(3)(a)(b)(c)(d) of the unlawful societies and Cultism Law of Lagos State Law.
Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has inaugurated a 10-member fact-finding committee tasked with uncovering the root causes of the persistent attacks plaguing communities across the state.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony on Tuesday in Jos, Governor Mutfwang charged the committee with conducting a comprehensive review of violent incidents from 2001 to date. “We thought that we should set up this high-powered fact-finding committee to look at the incessant attacks on our communities,” the governor stated.
According to Mutfwang, the committee is expected to perform an in-depth assessment of the recurring security breaches, determine the number of affected communities, and assess the extent of damage done over the years. “We want to understand the root causes and propose actionable recommendations for lasting peace, justice, and stability in the affected communities,” he said.
The committee’s mandate also includes establishing the number of casualties, identifying possible perpetrators and their motives, and uncovering potential routes used by bandits to access Plateau State. “Identify possible routes of bandits into the state and recommend measures to limit their access,” the governor added.
Chairman of the committee, retired Maj.-Gen. Rojas Nicholas, thanked the governor for the confidence reposed in the members. He pledged that the committee would approach its assignment with fairness and commitment. “We will do our best to produce a report that would befit its assignment,” Nicholas assured.
The committee is expected to submit its findings and recommendations in due course, with hopes that the report will provide a pathway to durable peace and security in the state.
NUC grants ESUT full accreditation for Law, 7 other programmes
Court remands 2 over alleged attempted murder
Plateau Governor Sets Up Committee to Probe Two Decades of Attacks
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