Business
RMRDC Plans Business Clusters In 774 LGAs
The Director General, Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Professor Peter Onwua1u, said lastThursday that the council would develop business clusters in the 774 Local Government Areas of the Federation.
Onwualu said this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja that the council had already started the process of technologically developing those clusters.
“If you look around the country, there are so many naturally existing clusters in Nigeria, like the furniture cluster in Abuja, the leather cluster in Kano, the shoe and bag cluster in Aba.
“Our idea is to look at these clusters, study them, find out their challenges and see how we can assist them to function better and make them produce competitively.
“The whole idea is to inject technology into existing clusters and see how we can solve the challenges they have, using technology and in some cases, establish new clusters,” he said.
Onwualu added that the council was looking at finding research centres with developed technologies and injecting such technologies into clusters that require them, thereby making them competitive.
He said that the council in 2010, began the mapping out of the clusters, which involved a scientific identification and analysis of the existing clusters.
The director general said that the RMRDC had conducted a baseline study in all the states of the federation to identify such clusters.
Onwualu said that the council had already conducted an international training programme in collaboration with the Swedish International Development Agency and Pan-African Competitive Forum with him as the Chairman.
He said that it was difficult to start the development in all council areas and as such, two clusters were selected from each geo-political zone for the training, which a total of 30 clusters were trained.
“The concept of the cluster programme is to see to the emergence of one viable technologically based cluster in every local government area; it is a tall order but it is part of our vision 20:2020.
“Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) is now collaborating with us to inject technologies into these clusters and fund all projects on a 50-50 basis,” Onwualu said.
He said that the trainees were given templates and told to go back and analyse their problems, especially technologically based ones and come back with intended projects,
Onwualu added that the clusters had submitted their intended technologically-based projects and that the council was synthesising them for submission to CIDA.
He said that a pilot project had begun with the establishment of a technologically based Cashew processing cluster in Kogi, adding that four more would spring up in other states this year.
Onwualu added that one of the clusters to be developed was the organic fertiliser cluster in Enugu State and sheer butter processing plants in Kebbi State.
The director general said that the development of the clusters was going to be of economic importance to the country.
“When these clusters move into full production, they will begin to pay tax to the government.
“One of the aims of assisting them is to know exactly what they do and the quantity they produce with a view to accurately taxing them,” Onwualu said.
He said that the required technologies were not going to be totally imported as the council was partnering with some agencies in Nigeria, which could provide some of the technologies.
“We are already partnering with some agencies in Nigeria, which can have some of the technologies fabricated, it is when we cannot source them locally, that we will resort to importation,” Onwoalu said.
The Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT), the country’s satellite operator, has called for immediate promolgation of policy action that will enable the country to harness the potentials of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
NIGCOMSAT, also warned that Nigeria risks missing out on Africa’s projected $1.2trillion share of the global AI economy by 2030.
Managing Director of NIGCOMSAT, Nkechi Egerton-Idehen, disclosed this in a statement issued at the weekend following her participation in the Meeting of the National Council for Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy.
“Artificial intelligence is reshaping industries, economies, and societies worldwide, with projections that it will contribute up to $15.7trillion to the global economy by 2030. Africa stands to gain $1.2trillion of this if the right policies and innovations are in place”, Idehen said, citing a PricewaterhouseCoopers report.
The NIGCOMSAT MD underscored the transformative potential of AI in agriculture, highlighting its applicability in Benue State, widely regarded as Nigeria’s “food basket.”
According to her, machine learning tools could revolutionize agricultural practices by improving pest detection and optimizing planting schedules using satellite imagery.
“AI offers us the chance to not only flourish economically but also to achieve food security. However, we must ask ourselves if we are prepared to manage this technology responsibly”, she added.
Idehen also noted that internet access remains a significant barrier to AI adoption in Nigeria.
“For AI tools to be effective, basic digital infrastructure is essential. Addressing this gap must be a priority.
“AI is happening. We have the opportunity to manage this technology revolution responsibly, both in Africa and globally, through innovation and governance”, she said.
In August 2024, the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy released a draft National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, aiming to position Nigeria as a global leader in AI.
Corlins Walter
The Chairman of Emohua Local Government Council, Chief David Omereji, has said the council has so far spent over N1 billion for the electrification of communities in the area.
Omereji said this while addressing staff of the council at the council headquarters recently.
He said the move was part of his administration’s resolve to ensure peace and development of the LGA.
According to him, the Council spent about N29 million on monthly basis for the maintenance of the Emohua Local Vigilante group known as OSPAC, with each member being paid a stipend of N100, 000 monthly.
He diaclosed that 11 out of the 14 wards are currently enjoying electricity, while efforts are on to light-up the remaining ones.
“I also want to use this opportunity to inform the political class for purposes of records and for the understanding of the people that the Council under my watch have done more than enough”, he said .
The Emolga boss explained that all that have been achieved were through the personal effort of the Council, without support from anybody as rumoured in some quarters.
Omereji further reaveled that a number of other projects, including roads, fencing of schools, hospitals, courts premises, and reconstruction of some abandoned buildings at the Council Headquarters are being undertaken by his administration.
He enjoined the people of the area to support his administration’s drive to bring purposeful development to the LGA.
The Emohua Council boss, who reiterated his hatred for noise making, stated that his works would speak for him, and solicited the support of staff of the council and the entire people of the area.
He noted the fact that some people may not be happy with his achievements, saying that he would remain focused, while advising critics of his government to do so constructively with facts and figures.
King Onunwor
The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has raised some ethical questions over a Financial and Technical Services Agreement (FTSA) between Sahara Energy and West African Gas Limited (WAGL), an affiliate of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).
MOSOP said the agreement was not done in good faith, not in the interest of the Nigerian people, and did not follow due process.
Foremost Ogoni born activist and MOSOP leader, Fegalo Nsuke, who made this known in Abuja, weekend, described the Sahara-WAGL deal as fraudulent, deceptive and an insult on the intelligence and integrity of the Nigerian nation.
Nsuke called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to cancel that FTSA between Sahara Energy and WAGL, noting that the agreement is fraught with irregularities and deceptive.
“What Sahara and the NNPC did in the FTSA between Sahara and WAGL is shameful and depicts high level corruption in public service of our country.
“WAGL is an affiliate of Sahara and the NNPC. How then can Sahara go into an agreement with its own affiliate? It’s as good as going into an agreement with itself. This is deceptive and fraudulent”, Nsuke said.
He continued that “Sahara Energy is certainly not a company the Ogoni people want on their soil and we are calling on Mr. President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to terminate any deal between the NNPC and Sahara Energy over OML 11, and to allow for an inclusive arrangement that considers a fair treatment of the Ogoni people in the distribution of revenues from natural resource extraction on Ogoni soil.
“The last Ogoni Congress has been unequivocal on the Ogoni demand for justice and has given a clear path to resolve the three decade old conflict between all critical parties.
“It will be good to explore this path to peace and development for Ogoni and for our country”.
Nsuke accused Sahara Energy and the NNPC of frustrating the progress made by MOSOP to achieve a permanent solution to the Ogoni problem.
He urged a presidential intervention with deep consideration for a fair treatment of the Ogoni people in order to permanently address the problem.
He noted that Sahara Energy should give up on the Ogoni area to allow for an engagement in the interest of the country and the people.
Recall that MOSOP and Sagara Energy have recently been engaged in a row in what MOSOP describes as an unholy relationship between Sahara Energy and the NNPC over OML 11.
MOSOP expressly rejected Sahara Energy and called for a fair treatment of the Ogoni people in natural resource extraction in Ogoni.
It noted that Ogoni people, led by MOSOP, paid the sacrifice to take the oil from Shell, hence “the position of MOSOP must be taken into consideration in decisions relating to resumption of oil production in Ogoni”.