News
National Library Develops App to Issue ISBN, ISSN Numbers within 48 hours
In line with President Buhari’s cardinal agenda of ‘ease of doing business’,The National Library of Nigeria (NLN) has launched an app that will enable publishers who apply for the International Standard Book Number and International Standard Serial Number to get the number within 48 hours.
Even as they have commenced this year’s national readership promotion campaign to promote reading culture.
The Chief Librarian/CEO of National Library of Nigeria, Prof. Lenrie Aina, who disclosed these during a press conference in Lagos, stated that the application was developed by staff of the National Library of Nigeria to make it easier for book publishers, authors and other interested persons or organisations to apply for, and obtain international standard numbers(ISSN & ISBN) for their publications within 24 hours, regardless of time and location, without necessarily visiting any of their offices.
According to Aina, the Act establishing the National library stipulates that all publications emanating from Nigeria should comply with international standard through the issuance of ISBN for books and ISSN for journals, newspapers and magazines.
“Before, if you apply for ISSN or ISBN, it involves a process; you come either to the headquarters in Abuja or to any of our branches. We have 27 branches in Nigeria and it takes a minimum of 10 to 30 days before you can get the number.
“But with this application, all you have to do is go to our website, stay in your offices and you will get the ISSN/ISBN within 48 hours.”
Aina also announced that the National Library of Nigeria has commenced this year’s national readership promotion campaign with the theme, “Reviving Moribund Culture of Reading in Nigeria for Sustainable National Development.”
The campaign which has already commenced in Anambra and Cross River will go around all the 36 states of the federation and Federal Capital Territory.
The campaign will feature reading competitions among secondary and primary schools; book parties in motor parks; advocacy visit to maternity homes to encourage nursing mothers to introduce reading to their children at early age and NLN/NYSC reading forums, a collaboration that will extend the campaign to all the local governments through the corps members.
Aina who pointed out the need for more people to cultivate the act of reading said prizes such as books, shelves, computers and reading tablets will be given out to student-participants across locations.
EFCC
The African Development Bank Group last week approved an investment of €6.5 million in the Saviu II fund in order to support technology start-ups through their seed phase and first institutional fundraising, mainly in French-speaking Central and West Africa.
The Bank will invest €4.5 million as equity and €2 million as a first-loss hedging tranche on behalf of the European Commission, under the Boost Africa Programme.
This participation of the Bank Group will enable the Saviu II fund to give priority to companies with a strong technological or digital component.
Saviu II, the second investment vehicle of Saviu Partners, plans to invest between €500,000 and €3 million in about 20 technology or technology-oriented business-to-business start-ups in the seed phase or carrying out first institutional fundraising.
The Saviu II venture capital fund aims to make at least 60% of its commitments in the French-speaking countries of West and Central Africa: Côte d ‘Ivoire, Cameroon, Benin, Senegal, Togo, Burkina Faso and Mali.
The fund can also co-invest in promising technology companies in East Africa that have a strong team and business model, and whose strategy includes entering the market in French-speaking West African countries and establishing a strong presence there.
In addition, the fund will devote a dedicated envelope to pre-seed investments, focusing on minority equity investments, usually in co-investment with studios, incubators or other ecosystem partners.
Nigerian Government has signed a $1.3 billion Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) via the Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF) to fund an alumina refinery, national geoscience mapping, and a strategic investment vehicle for mining growth.
Special Assistant to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Segun Tomori, said the refinery will process one million tonnes of bauxite yearly using a modern Bayer process, powered by an on-site gas-fired cogeneration plant.
Minister Dele Alake called it a transformative milestone boosting GDP, aligning with reforms that improve investment climate, regulations, and licensing to attract private capital. He directed agencies to fast-track permits.
The 20-year project at 95% utilization eyes 19 million tonnes total output, $1.2 billion annual GDP addition, $25 billion economic impact, and $8 billion forex earnings, per feasibility studies.
SMDF Executive Secretary Fatima Shinkafi termed it the agency’s biggest funding deal, supporting value-addition policy.
The partnership extends to geoscience mapping for mineral data, de-risking exploration, and a joint vehicle for mining assets.
Permanent Secretary Engr. Farouk Yabo praised the reforms. Shinkafi signed for government; AFC’s Franklin Edochie for the corporation, witnessed by AFC CEO Samaila Zubairu.
Tomori positioned it as Nigeria’s largest private mining investment and FDI magnet.
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