Economy

Nigeria not in haste for ECOWAS Single Currency – Buhari

Published

7 years ago

October 25, 2017

…As ECOWAS President regrets the project has taken too long to actualize***

President Muhammadu Buhari may have indicated that Nigeria would not be in rush for the consumation of ECOWAS single currency by 2020.

The President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina who confirmed this also said President Buhari has subsequently urged ECOWAS member countries to tread carefully in pushing the agenda, drawing members’ attention to the challenges, being faced by the European Union in realising same goal.

Speaking at the 4th meeting of the Presidential Task Force on the ECOWAS Currency Programme, in Niamey, Republic of Niger, President Buhari also specifically called attention to what he perceived as the necessary economic fundamentals among countries which continued to differ over the years, and making it more difficult to pull through with the project by 2020.

“Nigeria advises that we proceed cautiously with the integration agenda, taking into consideration the above concerns and the lessons currently unfolding in the European Union.

Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun

“To that end, Nigeria will caution against any position that pushes for a fast-track approach to monetary union, while neglecting fundamentals and other pertinent issues,’’ he said.

The Nigerian leader noted that some of the obstacles to realising the roadmap for the implementation of a single currency include diverse and uncertain macro – economic fundamentals of many countries and unrealistic inflation targeting based on flexible exchange rate regime.

According to him, inconsistency with the African Monetary Co-operation Programme is another obstacle to the realisation of the roadmap.

The President said domestic issues in ECOWAS member countries relating to their constitutions and dependence on aids continue to affect the framework for implementing the single currency in the sub-region.

He observed that the ECOWAS Commission had anchored its pursuit of the new impetus to monetary integration on the information presented to the Heads of State, which were the basis for their recommendations.

“We are concerned that we have not properly articulated and analyzed a comprehensive picture of the state of preparedness of individual countries for monetary integration in ECOWAS by 2020.

“In previous meetings, we had specifically raised observations on the state of preparedness of the member states, the credibility of the union if anchored on watered down criteria, and the continuing disparities between macroeconomic conditions in ECOWAS countries, amongst others. And I would like to reiterate this concerns’’, President Buhari further counselled.

Buhari told the Heads of State that the conditions that pushed Nigeria into withdrawing from the process in the past had not changed.

“Nigeria had earlier withdrawn from the process because its key questions and concerns were ignored and till date, none of the issues has come up as an agenda issue to be considered by the Taskforce.

“Consequently, the Roadmap, which did not involve widespread consultation with national stakeholders, is not sufficiently inclusive,’’ he added.

The President therefore, suggested a thorough review of the convergence roadmap and the constitution of an expert committee on each of the subject areas to come up with acceptable time frame, defined cost and funding sources identified.

“This should also consider stakeholders such as the Ministries of Finance, Customs, Parliamentary groups, Tax Authorities, Immigration authorities to achieve comprehensiveness,’’ he said, advising that there should rather, be a push towards ratification and domestication of legal instruments and related protocols, while fiscal, trade and monetary policies and statistical systems, which had not gone far, could be harmonized.

He noted that the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) countries should make a presentation on a clear roadmap towards delinking from the French Treasury.

He also advised an examination of the African Union position on the same issue, which the African Central Bank Governors, in line with the African Union programme of monetary convergence, recommended a convergence deadline of 2034 for the establishment of Regional Central Banks in all sub-regions.

In his remarks, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Marcel Alain de Souza, said the single currency for the West African sub-region was a laudable and historical project.

He, however, regretted that the project had taken too long to be actualized.

The President said the creation of a Central Bank for the West Coast would accelerate the process.

According to him, Nigeria constitutes more than 70 per cent of the GDP of the West African region, with a population of 180 million, and would play a significant role in facilitating the process of realising a single currency for the sub-region.

Member-countries of the ECOWAS Task Force on Common Currency are ‎Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Niger.

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Economy

Nigeria Loses 50% Of Agricultural Produce Post-harvest – FAO

Published

1 week ago

September 28, 2024

Maritime First

Nigeria Loses 50% Of Agricultural Produce Post-harvest – FAO

Mr Ibrahim Ishaka, Food System/Nutrition Specialist at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, revealed that Nigeria loses around 50% of its agricultural products along the food supply chain.

Ishaka disclosed this in an interview with the Newsmen on the sidelines of an FAO-organised training in Yola on Saturday.

He explained that food waste posed significant challenges to Nigeria’s agricultural sector, impacting food security, economic growth, and environmental sustainability.

“Some of these challenges include technological barriers, inefficient harvesting techniques, pest infestations, and lack of access to modern farming tools, all of which contribute to losses during harvest, largely influenced by consumer behaviour,” he said.

Ishaka further highlighted additional factors contributing to post-harvest losses, including inadequate storage facilities, poor handling practices and poor transportation infrastructure.

“These factors result in significant losses, especially for perishable goods such as fruits and vegetables.

He also noted that inefficient food processing methods, improper packaging, inadequate storage, and unhealthy consumption habits further exacerbate food waste.

“The nutrition expert highlighted several FAO initiatives promoting nutritious and sustainable practices within communities, focusing on reducing post-harvest losses, improving hygiene, and ensuring sanitation.

“These initiatives include investing in post-harvest infrastructure, building community capacity, training, and empowerment programmes, among others.

“I firmly believe that the key to empowering people, particularly in the northeast region, lies in giving them the power to make informed decisions and the power to educate others,” he said.

Ishaka mentioned the establishment of several FAO-supported centres that produce and distribute locally nutritious foods, such as ‘tom brown,’ to combat malnutrition and food insecurity in the region.

“These centres are run by local communities, promoting community-led initiatives to improve food security.”

He expressed optimism that the training would have a long-lasting impact on participants and their communities, enhancing overall well-being and food security through the adoption of best nutrition practices.

This initiative is part of the “Emergency Agriculture-Based Livelihoods Sustenance for Improved Food Security” programme, targeting Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe, with support from USAID.

Economy

Oil, Gas Industry Owes FG $6bn, N66bn – NEITI Report

Published

2 weeks ago

September 27, 2024

Maritime First

Oil, Gas Industry Owes FG $6bn, N66bn – NEITI Report

The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), says outstanding collectable revenues due to the Federal Government in the oil and gas industry have risen to 6.071 billion dollars and N66.4 billion as of June 2024, respectively.

NEITI disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja at the public presentation of its 2022 and 2023 Independent Oil and Gas Industry Reports.

It was reported that the report is being prepared by the NEITI Board and National Stakeholders Working Group (NSWG).

The report was unveiled by Mr Ola Olukoyede, Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alongside Sen. George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman, NSWG, NEITI and other dignitaries.

The breakdown of the report showed that outstanding liabilities were 6.049 billion dollars and N65.9 billion in unpaid royalties and gas flare penalties, due to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) as collectable revenues by Aug. 31, 2024.

It also provided a detailed analysis of the information and data regarding who owes what in outstanding revenues due to the government.

A further breakdown showed outstanding petroleum profit taxes, company income taxes, withholding taxes, and Value Added Tax (VAT), due to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), amounting to 21.926 million dollars and N492.8 million as of June 2024.

On fuel importation, the latest NEITI report disclosed that a total of 23.54 billion litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) were imported into the country in 2022, while 20.28 billion litres were imported in 2023.

This represented a reduction of 3.25 billion litres, or a 14 per cent decline, following the removal of the fuel subsidy.

A detailed 10-year trend analysis (2014–2023) in the NEITI report showed that the highest annual PMS importation into the country, 23.54 billion litres, was recorded in 2022, while the lowest, 16.88 billion litres recorded in 2017.

The NEITI report also disclosed that a total of N15.87 trillion was claimed as under-recovery/price differentials between 2006 and 2023, with the highest amount, N4.714 trillion, recorded in 2022.

On crude production, fiscalised crude production in 2022 stood at 490.945 million barrels, compared to 556.130 million barrels produced in 2021, representing an 11 per cent decline.

However, in 2023, NEITI’s independent report revealed total fiscalised production of 537.571 million barrels, and 46.626 million barrels or a 9.5 per cent increase from total production recorded in 2022.

A 10-year trend (2014–2023) of fiscalised crude oil production in Nigeria showed the highest production volume of 798.542 million barrels was recorded in 2014, while the lowest, 490.945 million barrels, was recorded in 2022.

The NEITI report further provided detailed information and data on crude lifting, disclosing that in 2022, total crude lifting was 482.074 million barrels compared to 551.006 million barrels lifted in 2021.

“In 2023, total crude lifting stood at 534.159 million barrels, representing an 11 per cent increase of 58.08 million barrels,” the report stated.

On oil theft and crude losses, a total of 7.68 million barrels of crude were either stolen or lost in 2023, representing a significant drop of 79 per cent (29.02 million barrels) compared to 36.69 million barrels either stolen or lost in 2022.

NEITI’s independent industry report carefully reviewed all aspects of the regulatory framework for the oil and gas industry.

This included the legal framework, fiscal regime, roles of government entities and reforms, as well as laws, Petroleum Industry Act (PIA 2021) and regulations relating to addressing corruption risks in the oil and gas sector.

The event was supported by the European Union and the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruprion (RoLAC) programme being implemented by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IIDEA).

Economy

EKO BRIDGE REPAIRS: LASG Rolls Out Diversion Plan Beginning Monday

Published

3 weeks ago

September 13, 2024

Maritime First

EKO BRIDGE REPAIRS; LASG Rolls Out Diversion Plan Beginning Monday

The Lagos State Government on Friday announced that traffic will be diverted away from Eko Bridge to facilitate emergency repairs by the Federal Ministry of Works.

The diversion, according to the Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, will commence on Monday, 16th September 2024, and will last for 8 weeks.

“The repairs will be carried out in four phases, during which the bridge will be intermittently fully or partially closed, depending on the work schedule”, Osiyemi stated, advising Motorists to use the following alternative routes during the repairs:

*Motorists heading to the Island from Funsho Williams Avenue can make use of the service lane at Alaka to connect to Costain and access Eko Bridge to continue their journeys.

*Alternatively, Motorists heading to the Island can access Costain to connect Eko Bridge to link Apongbon for their destinations.

*Motorists can also connect Apongbon inwards Eko Bridge to link Costain to access Funsho Williams Avenue.

*Motorists can also make use of Costain inwards Alaka/Funsho Williams Avenue or alternately go through Apapa Road from Costain and link Oyingbo to access Adekunle to link Third Mainland Bridge for their desired destinations.

*In the same vein Motorists heading to Surulere are advised to use Costain to link Breweries inward to Abebe Village to connect Eric Moore/Bode Thomas to get to their destinations.

The Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, assures that Lagos State Traffic Management Authority officers will be deployed to the rehabilitation areas and alternative routes to minimize travel delays and inconvenience.