The World Bank under the Global Financing Facility (GFF) has issued a $40 million grant to improve Primary Health Care (PHC) system in the North East of Nigeria. This was disclosed by the Director of the Health Planning, Research and Statistics department of the Ministry of Health, Akin Oyemakinde, at the initial interactive forum between Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and the...

The Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN) has said that the country might turn to solar to generate more of its power. According to the Executive Secretary of REAN, Godwin Aigbokhan, Senators in Abuja are expected to make a decision on the allocation of $30 million to solar projects in the 2017 budget, this month. This, he said, will be used to fund off-grid solar projects,...

The Government of Sokoto state in partnership with the World Bank is committing N9billion ($28.8 million) to renovate the collapsed Lugu Dam and revive the Wurno Irrigation Scheme in the state. Out of the $28.8 million, the state will be committing $4.2million while the World Bank will provide the remaining $24.6million. “The people here who are mostly farmers have been...

The Federal Government of Nigeria plans to conclude negotiations with China regarding the Lagos-Calabar rail project worth $11.117 billion in June 2017, Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, revealed. “The federal government has already provided its portion of funding for the Lagos-Calabar route and expects that negotiations with the foreign component of the funding will be finalized within...

The Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) has approved the takeover of Etisalat, Nigeria’s fourth largest telecoms operator, by local banks over non-payment of debt. The telecom firm in 2015, obtained a loan facility worth N541.8billion ($1.7billion) from a consortium of banks which includes Guaranty Trust Bank, Access Bank and Zenith Bank. Etisalat was to use the facility to finance a...

Nigeria has unveiled the much-awaited Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) that will help it tackle its current economic crisis and achieve sustained diversification. The medium-term plan for 2017-2020 released on Tuesday by the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma (photo), targets job creation, improved foreign exchange inflow, 10 GW of power generation, stable...

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has revealed plans by the Federal Government to sell N1.13 trillion (about $3.6 billion) worth of treasury bills between March 16 and June 1, 2017. This will be used to plug the deficit in the nation’s budget, manage the liquidity shortfall in the banking system and curb the rising inflation in the economy. The apex bank aims to auction a 91-days bill...

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in its Merchandise Trade Intensity Index/Re-Exports report released on Tuesday, revealed that Nigeria's export in the fourth quarter of 2016 was valued at N5.28 trillion. According to the report, export stood at N2.97trillion while import stood at N2.30trillion resulting in a trade surplus of N671.3 billion. It explained that in terms of trade by...

The Government of Bauchi State has revealed plans to assist rice farmers across the state in cultivating 4, 000 hectares of staple crops. Yakubu Kirfi, state commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, who spoke on behalf of the governor, during the launching of the 2017 Fadama III additional financing for dry season rice farming in Bauchi, said the state cultivated 2,500 hectares in...

Nigeria intends to attract private investments to its government-owned airports as the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, prepares for closure to undergo maintenance after years of desertion, according to Hadi Sirika (photo), the Minister of aviation. “All government-owned airports will be offered to investors who have the wherewithal, the know-how, the technology, the capacity,...