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NIPC Launches Investment Certification Programme in Enugu

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The Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, NIPC, has launched the Enugu State edition of the Nigerian Investment Certification Programme for States, NICPS, a programme designed to prime the states to attract both local and foreign investments.

This came on a day the Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, said the state was quick to grab the investment certification opportunity co-signed by the Federal Government and the United Nations Development Programme to boost the state’s attractiveness to investors.

Speaking during a working visit to the governor on the sidelines of the flag-off programme, the Executive Secretary of NIPC, Aisha Rimi, said the “NICPS aims to identify and promote the unique investment opportunities within each state, enhance the image of the states as attractive destinations for investment, strengthen federal and state cooperation on investment promotion, and improve the services provided to investors, ultimately boosting investment inflows, creating jobs, and increasing state revenues.”

She said the agency was quick to launch the programme in Enugu State given the vast investment opportunities in the state and governor’s drive to harness them and also revive the state’s moribund assets.

“With its abundant natural resources, vibrant agricultural sector, and burgeoning industrial landscape, Enugu State stands to gain significantly from this programme. The State government’s efforts under your leadership, particularly in revitalising moribund industries, developing industrial parks, and improving infrastructure, align perfectly with the objectives of the NICPS.

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“We are particularly encouraged by the governor’s commitment to projects such as the recent signing of an MoU with Pragmatic Palms Limited and the rehabilitation of the state’s moribund industries, including NigerGas Co. Ltd, Niger Steel Company Ltd, and Sunrise Flour Mills Ltd, amongst others. These initiatives are crucial for encouraging investment and economic growth.

“An important factor in attracting investment is the availability and clarity of land titling. The Enugu Geographic Information Service (ENGIS) created by the present state government plays a crucial role in this area.

“ENGIS ensures that investors can confidently acquire and develop land by streamlining the land titling processes and maintaining accurate records.

“So, as we launch the NICPS in Enugu State today, I am confident that the programme will significantly enhance the State’s ability to attract both foreign and domestic investments. The NICPS will also build capacity for State officials and promote industrial and economic growth,” she stated.

Responding, Governor Mbah, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai, reiterated the administration’s determination to transition the state from a civil-service state to a private sector-driven economy.

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“When we sought to serve our people, we understood clearly that we must migrate them from a predominantly civil service state to a productive state that we must curate investment.

“So, we have to think outside the box on how we can drive investment that will create the economy that we want to leave behind for our people.

“Therefore, when your certification programme was introduced to us, we were quite excited because that was essentially going to irrigate the fertile ground we tried to provide for the investors.

“All of us here are marketing officers and investment officers for the state. Our appetite to have investors is insatiable. That is what we wake up every morning thinking of how to do.

“So, on behalf of a grateful state, we want to assure the NIPC that whatever is required of us as a government, we will leave no stone unturned until those last lines are met to open a floodgate of investments,” Mbah said.

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Throwing more light on the programme, the CEO of the Enugu State Investment Development Authority, Dr. Sam Ogbu-Nwobodo, said the state investment certification programme, when completed, would serve as a stamp of approval that the state is ready to receive and sustain investment.

“The certification gives NIPC the confidence that we are ready and it makes it easier for them to drive those investors to our state. And of course, it gives us an edge over the number of other competing entities, both states and nations.

“Investors will go where they are welcomed and the certification program will make us stand out in the crowd as one of the few places that you can say yes, they are ready, and then my investment is safe and I want to go there,” he explained.

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General News

Dangote Plans to Donate One-Third of Wealth to Charity as Legacy

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Aliko Dangote
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Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, plans to dedicate one-third of his wealth to charity as part of his succession plan, Halima Dangote, his daughter, has revealed.

Dangote Plans to Donate One-Third of Wealth to Charity as Legacy

Aliko Dangote

Halima, a trustee of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, disclosed this in an interview with Bloomberg published on Tuesday, saying the billionaire had secured the support of his family to commit 33 per cent of his estate to philanthropy.

According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Dangote’s net worth is estimated at $35.1 billion, meaning one-third of his current wealth would be worth about $11.7 billion if his fortune remains at that level.

Halima explained that her father views philanthropy as a key part of his legacy and has incorporated it into the family’s long-term succession plans.

She said Dangote had structured his estate to ensure that charitable giving continues across generations, particularly in areas such as healthcare and education.

“He sort of put all the structure in place whereby we focus a lot on health and education. He actually donated 25 per cent to the foundation. If you look at it, it is what we call in Sharia Code in Islam; it means he has donated 33 per cent of his whole inheritance to his foundation,” she said.

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Halima added that Dangote believes giving back is central to the success of his businesses and the family’s values.

She said the billionaire asked her, her two sisters, and his mother to sign the agreement allowing 33 per cent of his inheritance to be dedicated to humanitarian causes.

The planned donation builds on Dangote’s longstanding philanthropic activities through the Aliko Dangote Foundation, which was established in 1994.

According to Halima, the foundation received an endowment of $1.25 billion about a decade ago and has since received an additional $700 million in funding.

She said about 70 per cent of the foundation’s spending goes to programmes in Nigeria, while 20 per cent supports projects across Africa, with the remaining funds directed to initiatives in other parts of the world.

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The foundation’s interventions focus on healthcare, education, nutrition, and humanitarian support, including partnerships that contributed to the eradication of wild poliovirus in Africa.

Dangote’s planned charitable commitment adds to increasing global attention on billionaire philanthropy.

Although the proposed 33 per cent allocation is below the 50 per cent commitment associated with the Giving Pledge, it would rank among the largest philanthropic commitments announced by an African billionaire.

Earlier this year, Dangote was named among the world’s most influential philanthropists by TIME magazine’s inaugural TIME100 Philanthropy list, recognising the impact of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, which reportedly spends more than ₦50 billion annually on programmes across Africa.

 

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Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission Seeks Collaboration on Power Plants

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Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC), has said that there are plans for Nigeria to begin to generate electricity from nuclear sources.

Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission Seeks Collaboration on Power Plants

Mr Anthony Godwin Ekedegwa, chief executive, NAEC stated this when he recently visited Mr Umar Yusuf Girei, acting managing director, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA),in Abuja.

He was at NIWA’s office to solicit the support of NIWA in achieving the numerous advantages of using nuclear energy technology in the country.

According to him, the partnership of critical stakeholders in Nigeria will position the country well in developing and maintaining its nuclear power plant.

The NAEC chief said Nigeria intends to begin the generation of electricity from nuclear sources instead of fossil-based power plants and hydro-based power plants, stressing that for Nigeria to develop, there is a need for the country to diversify its energy needs.

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In his remarks, Mr Girei assured NAEC of his agency’s readiness to collaborate on the advancement of a nuclear power plant in Nigeria.

He promised the full support of NAEC for the success of a nuclear power plant in the country, saying that as the organisation saddled with the responsibility of regulating and developing Nigeria Inland Waterways, his entity is strategically positioned to play a critical role in the federal government’s quest for sustainable energy through the new technology.

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Pan-Africanism: Why Integration is Non-Negotiable for Africa’s Future

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In a powerful call for continental solidarity, Ralph Mupita, Group CEO of MTN, has asserted that the future of the African continent depends on the dismantling of xenophobic barriers.

Pan-Africanism: Why Integration is Non-Negotiable for Africa’s Future

Speaking at the Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation (KMF) Winter Seminar, Mupita framed migration as a fundamental characteristic of the African identity, urging South Africa and other nations to embrace integration over exclusion.

He emphasised that the survival of African enterprises depends on a borderless approach to trade and talent. “The digital economy we’re fast moving to knows no borders.” Mupita declared, noting that the mindset of exclusion is an outdated relic that hinders the continent’s ability to compete globally.

He argued that for Africa to leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the psychological barriers of xenophobia must be eradicated.

Providing a stark financial justification for this stance, Mupita highlighted MTN’s own operational reality as a blueprint for Pan-African success. “We earn about 80 to 82% of our earnings from outside South Africa,” he revealed, illustrating that the prosperity of South African-born entities is inextricably linked to their success across the rest of the continent. This figure underscores the interdependence of African economies and the danger of isolationist policies.

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Mupita’s stance was strong advocating for unity: “The future of Africa will not be determined by the borders that separate us, but by the economic opportunities that connect us. Governments must set predictable policy and regulations.

Businesses will follow and allocate resources and capital. Together, we can build a continent where opportunity is more evenly shared and prosperity is more widely created.”

Analysts observing the seminar noted that Mupita’s remarks come at a critical juncture where economic volatility often fuels nationalist rhetoric. By tying the fight against xenophobia to the balance sheet, MTN is positioning Pan-Africanism beyond the moral imperative to its function as a business necessity. The CEO stressed that “Migration is part of who we are,” suggesting that the movement of people is the primary engine for the movement of capital and innovation.

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