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FG, IFAD Recommend Scaling-Up Commodity Alliance Forum

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The Federal Government and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) have recommended the scaling-up of commodity alliance forum in all the states of the country.
The recommendation is aimed at enhancing farmers’ access to market as well as transforming the nation’s food system.
They made the recommendation  Wednesday in Abuja at the Wrap-up workshop of the FG/IFAD Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) 10th Supervision Mission.
The Country Director, IFAD Nigeria, Dr Dede Ekoue,  identified Commodity Alliance Forum (CAF) operational in VCDP implementing states as an effective platform to enhance farmers’ access to market, and strengthening the agro industry.
Ekoue identified CAF’s capacity building for youths and women empowerment as key strength that have propelled VCDP to its current level of excellence across the nine participating states: Ebonyi, Enugu, Taraba, Kogi, Nasarawa, Anambra, Benue, Ogun and Niger.
She explained that VCDP had leveraged on the power of collaboration through CAF, which successfully applied the Public Private-Producer Partnership (4Ps) model, setting an example for effective market-led value chain development, especially in the rice sector.
According to her, the result has been global and regional recognition for VCDP’s effectiveness, notably the recent praises from the Vice President of Nigeria at the UN Food Systems Summit stocktaking in Rome
She therefore recommended youth and women empowerment, adding “We have seen that youths are very happy to have the support of the VCDP and it is helping them to increase their income along the value chain.
“For example, in seed entrepreneur, there are young people that have been trained, we also have youths providing some services like mechanisation to farmers which is very important.
“Women have also shown that they are really happy about the programme because it does not only allow them to have access to input but also work within the community to improve gender equality using household approach called Gender Learning Action System”.
While lauding all participating states for paying their counterpart fund, the Country Director, however, urged all states covered by the programme to pay up their counterpart fund.
Similarly, Mr Bukar Musa, the Director, Programme Coordinating Unit, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAF), said the VCDP’s commitment to capacity building for farmer organisations in both technical and business aspects were remarkable.
Musa said the commitment combined with improved access to production inputs had yielded impressive results.
“We have witnessed a staggering increase in yields with cassava recording a 100 per cent improvement and rice production seeing an incredible 200 per cent increase.
“We have witnessed increased yields, improved livelihoods and enhanced food security as a result of the programme’s interventions. This is a testament to the transformative power of targeted investments in agriculture and value chain development” he said.
He added that the VCDP had played a pivotal role in promoting youth and women entrepreneurship and employment across the entire value chain.
In the same vein, Dr Fatima Aliyu, the National Coordinator FGN/IFAD-VCDP, said the supervision mission examined and assessed the various facets of the VCDP’s implementation, learning from both successes and challenges.
Aliyu said these processes had been valuable in shaping the future direction of the programme and ensuring that “we continue to deliver impactful results.
“The main objective is to access the implementation of the additional financing one and two of the project, assess programme implementation”.
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MoneyPoint Empowers Pharmacists With Payment Solutions 

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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

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Embrace AI, CIIN Urges Insurance Operators 

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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.

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NASRDA Reassures On Strengthening Nigeria’s Space Capability 

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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

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