The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Bayelsa State Government plan to construct a power plant in the State, in a bid to resolve the country’s power challenges. The planned power plant would be constructed at the state’s industrial park, according to the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Maikanti Baru (photo). He said the collaboration would establish an avenue to share...

Indonesia has said it is ready to help Nigeria develop its palm oil industry, according to Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister, Retno Marsudi. She disclosed this during an official visit to her Nigerian counterpart, Geoffrey Onyeama, in Abuja on Monday. During the meeting, the Asian minister said the Indonesian government has invited Nigeria to join the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries...

According to the National Tourism Office of Tunisia, the number of tourists’ arrivals in the country, between January and May 2017, soared 46.2% as compared to the year before over the same period. The figure thus stood at 1,527,891 over the period reviewed. The surge is mainly due to an increase of 60.2% to 1,148,037 of the number of Maghrebian tourists from January to May 2017, as compared...

Senegal now has an installed power-generation capacity of 1,000 MW, revealed Makhtar Cissé, director of SENELEC, the country’s power utility. This capacity was at 660 MW. “It is a real boost,” said the official while adding: “Service quality will improve five times. Work done is extremely important and it costs FCFA7 billion (about $12 million). It aims at installing 200...

In Morocco, the managing director of the national agency for land conservation, cadaster and cartography (ANCFCC), Karim Tajmouati, said during a board meeting that in 2016, “9% more land titles have been issued and a 25% increase in registered areas was recorded the same year, as compared to the year before”. This was reported in a statement released to this effect. The statement also...

The Federal Government of Nigeria is increasing its initial $500 million loan application from the Chinese government to $774 million to complete the East-West road in Niger Delta, according to the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Uguru Usani (photo). “No administration, to the best of my knowledge, within a democratic setting, has been more committed than this present...

According to the World Bank, long-term growth outlook for developing economies is compromised by a slowdown in investments, due to a weak global economy. Amongst regions that receive the least investments is sub-Saharan Africa where the recent poor performances of leading commodity exporters like Nigeria, South Africa and Angola hampered efforts to reduce poverty. In its latest release of...

As he is facing criticism regarding land reform he intends to implement in his country, South Africa’s President, Jacob Zuma told the parliament that the reform aims not to disfavor white land owners, but rather to balance the distribution of lands so that the black community is not left out. “I do not hate whites. It will all be done within the law. We will not do it like Zimbabwe,”...

Sénélec, Senegal’s power utility, loses each year $27 billion (about $46 million) due to electricity theft. “Not only do the thieves risk their lives, but the lives of populations also. It is an issue that must be tackled. Electricity theft must be appropriately punished and punitive measures must be integrated in the penal code,” said Makhtar Cissé, Senelec’s director. In...

In Mauritania, local anti-slavery Ngo, Initiative pour la Résurgence du mouvement Abolitionniste (IRA), declared in a statement relayed by the press on June 1 that land rights of village communities should not be trampled upon under the pretext of developing agro-industry. The organisation, denouncing a land spoliation attempt explained that “the governor of Boghé, Abderahmane Ould Mahfoudh...