This year, Proparco, the Agence Française de Développement subsidiary dedicated to private sector financing, is adopting a new strategy for 2017-2020. Objective 2020: double its annual commitments to EUR 2bn in order to increase the private sector's contribution to devlopment. The objective is to triple its impacts on substainable development (employment, climate, innovation, education, health...

A Nigerian civil society group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has called on the President of the United States, Donald Trump (photo), to release the about $500 million worth of assets stashed in the US by late Sani Abacha, a former military dictator. According to the group, the call is in line with the United Nations Convention against Corruption which was...

New figures released by the World Health Organization (WHO) while observing this year’s World Cancer Day on Friday, showed that with more than 8.8 million cancer deaths recorded every year around the world, 80, 000 of these deaths are Nigerians. According to the WHO statistics, more than 100, 000 Nigerians are diagnosed with cancer every year while about 80, 000 die from the disease. This...

Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari (photo), on Sunday asked for an extension to his medical leave in the UK, a statement from the office of the presidency revealed. “President Muhammadu Buhari has written to the National Assembly today, February 5, 2017, informing of his desire to extend his leave in order to complete and receive the results of a series of tests recommended by his...

As part of efforts to further boost the Federal Government’s agriculture effort, BUA Rice Ltd, a subsidiary of BUA Group of Companies, has signed a partnership agreement with Kano and Jigawa Rice Farmers Association to develop an efficient outgrowers scheme. According to the Group Executive Director, Strategy and Innovation, Kabiru Rabiu, BUA is committed to the government’s programme of...

In 2016, Nigeria generated 97% of its tourism revenues from domestic travel while foreign travel accounted for 3% only, Jumia Travel reveals in its latest hospitality report for 2017. According to the managing director, Jumia Travel Nigeria, Kushal Dutta, despite the security issues in the country, a lot of Nigerians still choose to travel within the country. “This is a good sign that we...

The Office of the government amnesty programme has announced that federal government will soon pay all the outstanding cash stipends owed to former militants in the Niger Delta region, under an amnesty programme signed in 2009. This is coming after militants threatened to resume attacks on oil facilities should the government fails to make the payment. “We advise all to remain calm as all...

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has announced that it has received 128 bids from companies interested in swapping processed fuel for 800,000 bpd of unrefined crude this year. According to Maikanti Baru (photo), the Group Managing Director of NNPC, in exchange for the crude oil, Nigeria will get fuel with a Sulphur content of 50 parts per million (PPM). Nigeria, in 2016,...

The Nigerian Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh (photo), has said that the Federal Government is dedicated to supporting all agricultural investments so as to boost food production in the country. According to him, the government will continue to assist the agricultural sector considering the prevailing economic situation in Nigeria. “The federal government is determined...

DR Congo’s minister of land affairs, Félix Kabange Numbi, while meeting with his staff reiterated his commitment to curb land conflicts in the country, reports l’Agence d’information d’Afrique centrale. “Each of us must contribute to reducing land conflicts which tarnish the reputation of our ministry. We must make sure to quench all these conflicts across the nation. It is possible if...