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NCC Board Chairman Alleges Threat to His life by Agents of DG

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Tonye Jaja, chairman, Governing Board of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), has raised the alarm over alleged threat to his life by agents of John Asein, director general of the agency.

NCC Board Chairman Alleges Threat to His life by Agents of DG

He disclosed that an unnamed member of the NCC Governing Board had threatened his life through phone calls and SMS messages.

The Board Chairman, who made the claim in a statement, titled: “Notification of threats to my life and reputation in the line of duty as chairman of the Governing Board of the Nigerian Copyright Commission,” ‎said the development followed statements he submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission as part of ongoing investigations into allegations against Asein. ‎

According to Jaja, Asein is being investigated over alleged conflict of interest and abuse of office, among other offences.

The chairman of the NCC Governing Board also alleged that Asein and his agents have vowed to destroy his reputation through publications in the media.

The statement read: “Yesterday, I received a verbal threat during a telephone call and an SMS from one member of the Governing Board of the Nigerian Copyright (NCC).‎

“In a nutshell, he threatened that he will use online newspapers and other means to disgrace me and rubbish my reputation.

“His annoyance and threats is not an isolated incident, it is part of a coordinated onslaught of threats, publications of propaganda and other acts of reprisal targetted against me in my capacity as the Chairman of the Governing Board of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC).

“The persons behind this have gone to the illegal extent of forging certain documents and leaking government official documents to Online newspapers in their desperate attempts at smearing my hard earned reputation.

“The Office of the Inspector-General of Police is currently investigating one of such incidences.

“All this smear campaign is because I ‎was invited by the Code of Conduct Bureau and the ICPC as part of their investigation of Mr John Asein the Director-General of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) whom they are investigating for allegations of conflict of interest and abuse of office, etc.

“‎As a responsible and law-abiding citizen,  who could not disobey the invitation of the ICPC and the Code of Conduct Bureau, I went to the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and deposed to an affidavit to confirm the veracity of the written and oral statements that I submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau.

“Instead of these persons to apply the same steps of going before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) or any other court of Justice in Nigeria to swear an affidavit and oath on the pain of perjury, in support of any statements they are making, they have resorted to peddling fake news, falsehood and false, unsubstantiated allegations through the pages of online newspapers and other social media platforms.

“In recent times, their anger and onslaught has intensified because their attempts to “kill” and “bury” the investigations proved abortive considering that the ICPC, the EFCC and the Code of Conduct Bureau continued with the investigations which they had previously in an online newspaper described as the petition against Mr. John Asein as jokers.’”

The Governing Board Chairman added that anybody who is sincerely interested in knowing and verifying the truth of the allegations against Asein can make Freedom of Information requests to the Department of State Services, ‎Chairman of the ICPC,‎ Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and Inspector-General of Police through the Assistant Inspector General of Police in Charge of the Federal Investigations Bureau.

 


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IFC Invests in Lagos Free Zone to Support Industrial Growth and Economic Diversification

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IFC has announced an equity investment of up to $50 million in Lagos Free Zone Company to support the development and expansion of Nigeria’s first deep-sea port-based, private special economic zone, the Lagos Free Zone.

This investment is designed to address critical infrastructure gaps, attract local and global businesses, and contribute to Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda.

The funds will support the first phase of the 860-hectare Lagos Free Zone, focusing on land development, industrial facilities, and logistics infrastructure.

Owned by Singapore based Tolaram,a diversified multinational group with operations across Africa, Asia, and Europe, Lagos Free Zone strategically integrated with the Lekki Deep Sea Port and will provide an integrated industrial ecosystem for efficient import and export operations, serving as a gateway for Nigeria’s integration into global value chains.

With Nigeria’s economy projected to grow by 3.7% by 2026, investments in infrastructure are vital to ensuring sustainable growth. When fully occupied, Lagos Free Zone is expected to create approximately 30,000 direct, indirect, and induced jobs, while contributing significantly to Nigeria’s GDP upon completion.

“This investment reflects IFC’s commitment to fostering inclusive economic growth and sustainable development in Nigeria. Lagos Free Zone is poised to become a transformative hub for industrial activity, driving job creation and enhancing Nigeria’s competitiveness in global markets.

“We are proud to partner with Lagos Free Zone  in building the infrastructure necessary to attract global and local businesses, enabling Nigeria to achieve its full economic potential.” said, Dahlia Khalifa, IFC Regional Director, Central Africa and Anglophone West Africa.

The investment in Lagos Free Zone also reflects IFC’s commitment to sustainable development, with a focus on green infrastructure. Approximately 15% of the investment is earmarked for climate-related initiatives, including Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE)-certified buildings and climate-resilient infrastructure.

“IFC’s support represents a significant and positive recognition of our vision to establish  Lagos Free Zone as a world-class industrial hub. This investment allows us to scale up the existing infrastructure to attract more foreign and local tenants while promoting sustainability and creating economic opportunities for Nigeria.

“Lagos Free Zone, integrated with Lekki Deep Sea Port, facilitates ease of doing business in Nigeria and supports the Federal Government of Nigeria’s drive for economic diversification and infrastructure development.

“We look forward to driving growth and delivering lasting impact through this transformative collaboration with the IFC”. Added, Adesuwa Ladoja, MD/CEO at Lagos Free Zone Company

Lagos Free Zone is already home to several manufacturing brands like Kellogg’s, Dano Milk, Colgate, BASF, ADM, and Tata International.

This investment aligns with Nigeria’s ongoing economic reforms and IFC’s strategic frameworks, including the World Bank Group’s Nigeria Country Partnership Framework (2021–2025) and its 2015 Climate Action Plan, both of which prioritize economic diversification, the development of competitive clusters, and investments in climate-resilient infrastructure.

By addressing infrastructure bottlenecks and enhancing connectivity, IFC’s investment in Lagos Free Zone will unlock new opportunities for businesses and strengthen Nigeria’s position as a regional economic leader.


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NOTAP to Relaunch Fruit Juice Production Initiative

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National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) is set to revive the technology transfer project on fruit juice production.

NOTAP to Relaunch Fruit Juice Production Initiative

This initiative, originally launched in collaboration with the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), is based in Paiko, Niger State, North Central Nigeria.

During a courtesy visit to the RMRDC headquarters in Abuja, Dr. Obiageli Amadiobi, director general, NOTAP hinted at this development while leading the office’s management team.

According to a statement provided to journalists by Solomon Nshem, deputy director, Public Relations, NOTAP, the fruit juice project, which began in 2019 with a pilot plant, has enormous economic potential for the country, particularly when domesticated in the six geopolitical zones of the country, and as such, needs to be revived immediately.

According to Dr. Amadiobi, the project will succeed and align with the current administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to create wealth, jobs, and self-reliance for the country by combining the technological expertise of both organisations.

In accordance with Presidential Executive Order No. 5, the Director General also urged cooperation with the RMRDC on a number of its flagship initiatives, including the NOTAP Research Laboratory Upgrade Project, Intellectual Property Technology Transfer Offices (IPTTOs), the NOTAP Industry Technology Transfer Fellowship (NITTF), and the Database of Nigerian Professionals.

Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, director general, RMRDC, responded that he is impressed with the project’s concept but that an audit of the pilot plant’s status and a determination of the business operation requirements are necessary.

According to him, the council can also work with NOTAP to upgrade its labs, train RMRDC employees on intellectual property rights, and conduct research and development commercialisation drives with universities.

During the conference, it was decided that in order to ensure the project’s success and cooperation, both agencies’ employees must visit the Paiko site on-site for evaluation and other follow-up meetings

The partnership between NOTAP and RMRDC is anticipated to improve intellectual property creation, R&D commercialisation, technology transfer, and industry connections for research in order to accelerate the country’s technological progress.

 

 


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Senate Expresses Shock over Billions of Naira missing from FG Coffers

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Senate has raised the alarm that billions of naira have left the federal government’s coffers unaccounted for, with critical revenue-generating agencies refusing to honour its Summons.

Senate Expresses Shock over Billions of Naira missing from FG Coffers

The Senate has however expressed anger as these revenue-generating agencies undermine its summon to answer queries raised by the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation (OAGF) about financial transactions.

Addressing Journalists yesterday in Abuja, Senator Aliyu Ahmed Wadada, SDP, Nasarawa West, Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Accounts, explained that the unaccounted funds form part of the resources required for development, stressing that affected agencies needed to account in line with legislative provisions that empower the parliament to investigate them.

According to Wadada, the Auditor General’s report which was submitted to the Committee has unravelled rots in some agencies of government, that it takes only irresponsible parliament not to conduct public investigations, even as he was appalled at how these agencies conspire together and have taken the decision not to honour Senate Committees’ invitations.

The Chairman, Public Accounts Committee has named the Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL as among the top government organisations that have vehemently refused to honour the Senate when invited.

Wadada has however threatened that the Senate would report heads of these agencies to President Bola Ahmed after another magnanimous opportunity.

Flanked at the briefing by all members of the Committee, Wadada said: “All efforts to get Nigerian Customs Service to the table to know how did this happen, what is the way forward. We are still where we were from the day before yesterday to now.

“The Central Bank of Nigeria, I have a course on one of the issues that I’ve got to do with Central Bank of Nigeria, I have a course to take it on the floor of the Senate.

“It is important for Nigerians to know, under the so-called Ways and Means. What happened under Ways and Means why Central Bank of Nigeria, debited borrower and credited borrower.

“Consolidated revenue funds account is government’s account. And the TSA is also the government’s account. And in charging the interest, instead of the interest to be charged to the treasury account, they went again ahead to charge the Treasury account.

“They went again ahead to Treasury account. charge Consolidated Revenue Funds account which now have amounted to over 6 trillion.”

According to him, there was correspondences between the Committee and Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy and the Debt Management Office, DMO because of the faulty documents which they were not ready to answer to and have been evasive, adding that the report of the Auditor General for the Federation which the affected agencies are running away from covers 2019 till date.

The chairman of the Committee disclosed that Nigeria Satellite Communications Limited had been invited nine times, but failed to appear, Nigeria Police Force; Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, among others as snubbing Senate’s invitation.


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