Business
Lawyer Wants Buhari To Curb Diversion Of Nigerian Cargoes
70 unit Nissan buses donated for tricycle operators in Akwa Ibom State, recently.
Maritime activities closed last Friday with a Maritime Lawyer, Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), urging the Federal Government to device a strong port administration, to reduce cargo diversion to neighbouring ports.
Agbakoba, Principal Partner, Olisa Agbakoba Legal (OAL), made the plea in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.
He expressed concern about a situation where a large number of goods coming into the country were smuggled in.
“Eighty per cent of cars coming into Nigeria come through Cotonou and they are brought here; but if they are brought directly, these would create jobs.
“Benin Republic has a well-developed Ports and Harbour regime that gives the nation 30 to 40 per cent of its national incomes.
“Yet all the ocean-going vessels that call at Benin Republic are then trans-shipped into Nigeria.
“If people know that they can ship their things easily, the port business will grow. We are giving our maritime business to 17 other countries in West Central Africa,” he told The Tide source.
Agbakoba, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), expressed concern about the incursion of indigenous coastal trade (Cabotage) by foreign ships, saying that this would hinder job opportunities for Nigerians.
“In Cabotage, I started shouting that foreign vessels in our waters were going to 10,000 and Nigerians do not have anything, how do we get jobs?
“If the maritime sector is properly harnessed, it is a very strong source of alternative revenue. The maritime lawyer also noted that the nation was losing huge amounts of money due to lack of a law like the Ports and Harbour Bill, in managing the ports.
“The Ports and Harbour Bill has not been passed and without the bill, how can you talk about ocean and sea-going vessels or ports.
“The money we are losing from the absence of a law to manage our ports is incredible,” he said.
In the week under review, Mrs Jean Chiazor-Anishere, President, Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) Nigeria, lamented that there were no enough indigenous ship owners to benefit from the Local Content Act.
“Nigerians are not seeing the benefits as fast as they want to see it because we do not have enough ship owners who will benefit from the Local Content Act.”
“Of the very few ship owners we have, how many of them have supply vessels?
“How many of them have oil tankers and are looking at huge contracts?,” she noted.
“We have to change our mindset but the Federal Government too has to assist in terms of financing,” Chiazor-Anishere told reporters.
She urged the Federal Government to establish a maritime bank, to enable maritime operators to access loans on a single-digit platform.
Chiazor-Anishere also said that the maritime bank would provide avenues for job opportunities, as ship owners would have loans to procure more ships.
Also, during the week, a 21-member steering committee was inaugurated under the auspices of the Port Consultative Council (PCC), to draw an agenda for deliberation on the revival of the nation’s port industry.
At the inauguration in Lagos, Chief Kunle Folarin, Chairman, Port Consultative Council (PCC), said the committee would facilitate the “Roadmap and Modules” for the port industry, in the next four years.
“The ultimate goal of your assignment is to provide instruments that will guide and shape the Roundtable of a wider regime of participants,” he told the committee members.
“Members of the Roundtable will design the Roadmap that will regain the hope and aspirations of the maritime sector,” Folarin said.
According to him, the Roadmap and Modules will serve as the pillars for the policies, legal framework and economic targets that will propel the maritime sector and the port industry.
“We are all aware of the challenges we have faced in the maritime sector in the last two decades; the decline and the decay of both operational modes and infrastructure in the port industry.
“There is no time more appropriate than now to address this situation and work toward the re-engineering of the entire sector to be competitive and productive,” the maritime expert added.
MoniePoint Inc. a digital financial firm in Nigeria, has said it is empowering community pharmacists across the country with innovative payment solutions to improve access to drugs.
The financial firm said it had also provided loans for pharmacists under the aegis of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) to drive healthcare delivery in the country.
MoniePoint in a release titled, “Inside Nigeria’s community pharmacies: How Moniepoint drives healthcare access with payments and funding”, has reaffirmed its commitment to providing digital payment solutions to improve health outcomes in Nigeria.
The release examined how community pharmacies play a crucial role as vital access points for medical care in Nigeria, especially in areas with limited hospital or clinic access.
According to the release, the ACPN National Chairman, Ambrose Igwekwam, highlighted the critical role played by community pharmacies in Nigeria’s healthcare system over the years.
Igwekwam, however, expressed concerns over the challenges confronting the nation’s pharmaceutical industry which he said was hindering access to affordable medicines.
The pharmacist listed poor infrastructural systems, power, transportation, regulatory bottlenecks, importation dependency, and limited research opportunities as major challenges facing the pharmaceutical sector.
He also stressed the need for robust collaborative efforts with institutions like Moniepoint to strengthen the sector.
“As Nigeria continues to grow, improving local pharma manufacturing to meet the demands of this growth presents a key opportunity for us all.
“There is also the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, which is expected to boost our industry, especially when we start producing our drugs locally, which will provide the much needed foreign exchange from exports.
“We are also seeing advancements in digital health and technology which would hopefully deepen the practice of e-prescription in Nigeria”, the ACPN boss said.
Corlins Walter
In order to enhance customer service and streamline operations, the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) has called on stakeholders in the insurance industry to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The President of the institute, Yetunde Ilori, made this call at the 2024 Office Representatives Committee (ORC) Workshop, organised by the institute, with the theme “AI and the Future of the Insurance Industry”, in Lagos.
Ilori at the event, emphasised the importance of AI adoption, noting that it was not a threat to jobs but rather a tool to improve efficiency across the insurance sector.
“It is not about AI taking over our jobs, but about us using AI to simplify processes and give maximum satisfaction to all the customers we serve whether as underwriters, brokers, loss adjusters, or in educating our members”, she said.
The workshop, which brought players in the insurance sector together, aimed to address how AI could be leveraged to transform business processes and improve customer interactions.
The Chairman of the ORC, Monica Nwachukwu, underscored the role of AI in modernising the industry, adding, “AI can automate customer and claims processes, allowing insurers to provide faster and more efficient services to their customers”.
She explained how AI could help extract data from legacy systems, enhancing decision-making processes.
“By integrating AI with APIs, insurers can feed valuable data into AI solutions to improve operations and customer service”, she added.
In his address, the Managing Partner of A4S and Training Heights, Orlando Odejide, stressed the need for companies to align their strategies with future technologies like AI, especially as they prepare for 2025.
“Any organisation that wants to grow into the future must have its strategic plan in place. If your strategy for 2025 is not ready, it should be done by October”, he advised.
He encouraged participants to think critically about how AI could be integrated into their business models to ensure they remain competitive.
“The idea is for you to use this workshop as a platform to think about your organization and how AI can help streamline your processes and improve growth”, Odejide noted.
In order to gain global respect and recognition, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has reaffirmed its determination to pursue its goal in ensuring that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
The agency also reaffirmed its commitment to positioning Nigeria as a key player in the global space economy.
In a statement by the Director of Media and Corporate Communications, Dr. Felix Ale, NASRDA revealed that the Director-General of the agency, Matthew Adepoju, emphasised this during recent engagements at the 79th United Nations General Assembly and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Global Alliance Business Association international conference in Michigan, United States.
The statement noted that Adepoju outlined a forward-thinking agenda, stressing the importance of Nigeria’s space programme as a leader in research, exploration, and technological innovation.
“Our goal is to ensure that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
“We must foster collaborations with global space agencies to enhance our satellite capabilities and technological infrastructure”, he stated.
The NASRDA boss said the agency is focusing on enhancing satellite capabilities, expanding international collaborations, and leveraging space science for national development.
He said NASRDA will have no stone unturned in pursuit of excellence, ensuring the agency secures the necessary resources and recognition to propel it forward.
“The relationships we build today will pave the way for tomorrow’s advancements in space science.
“Innovation and progress thrive in an environment built on collaboration and inclusivity”, he stated.
He emphasised that with the support of the government, international partners, and a dedicated team, NASRDA is poised to make significant strides in the evolving global space landscape.
“We are on the brink of a new era for Nigeria’s space agency. Together, we will ensure our nation stands out in the global space economy”, he said.
Corlins Walter