Blogs

NIGERIA'S federal government has banned the export of wood and all allied products revoking all existing licences and permits to ship them as part of a clampdown on illegal logging and incessant deforestation.

Ayo Akinfe

[1] There are currently about 9m unemployed people in Nigeria. Between 4% and 5% of the population are without jobs. Most these are youths not trained or educated and lack the skills required in a modern economy

[2] Countries like Brazil and South Africa have successfully introduced public works programmes of late, soaking up millions of unemployed youths. Nigeria needs a similar sort of programme if she is to address her unemployment crisis

PRESIDENT Donald Trump appears to have delivered on his promise to attack Islamist militants killing Christians in Nigeria after it emerged that the US Air Force carried out a strike on a terrorist camp along the border with Benin Republic.

Ayo Akinfe

[1] Cotton production will be expanded to match Pakistan’s 2.3m tonnes through the provision of single digit loans and hybrid seedlings to farmers. Nigeria currently produces only 105,000 tonnes of cotton, which is not enough to sustain a local manufacturing industry

[2] A Nigerian Tailors Guild will be formed as part of a regulatory regime. Only registered members will be authorised to sew clothes for members of the public

NIGERIAN Football Federation (NFF) officials have written to Fifa alleging that the Democratic Republic of Congo breached its rules by fielding ineligible players in the recent World Cup play-off in a desperate last-ditch attempt to qualify for North American 2026.

Ayo Akinfe

[1] Nigeria needs to attract at least $50bn in foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2026 to avoid total economic collapse

[2] Where on earth we are going to get it from I do not know and I am surprised that nobody is even talking about it at the moment

[3] Waiting for investors to just come to Nigeria is utopian thinking. Nobody is going to just wake up and think of Nigeria. We need to be proactive when it comes to FDI

NIGERIAN striker Kelechi Iheanacho is set for another spell on the sidelines after picking up a hamstring injury during Celtic's Scottish League Cup final against St Mirren at Hampden Park yesterday.

Ayo Akinfe

[1] Every one of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas must have at least one industrial estate. Failure to establish one within one year of assuming office will make a local government chairman liable to face criminal, treason and economic sabotage charges

[2] No licences will be issued to any faith house to open a church or mosque unless such premises also involves the construction of an industrial complex which shall employ at least 50 people

NOTORIOUS terrorist and armed bandit Bello Turji has denied claims by former Zamfara State governor and current minister of state for defence Bello Matawalle that he collected N30m ($20,650) as part of a settlement aimed at getting him to lay down arms.

Ayo Akinfe

[1] Nigeria has a very weak foreign policy as her Ecowas neighbours defy Abuja at will and with impunity. Across Mali, Guinea, Chad, Burkina Faso and Niger Republic, military juntas have seized power in defiance of Nigeria. Once upon a time, the penalty for defying Nigeria was so severe, very few tried it across West Africa