Monday, 30 July 2012

The 6 People You Need in Your Corner
Nothing incredible is accomplished alone. You need others to help you, and you need to help others. With the right team, you can form a web of connections to make the seemingly impossible practically inevitable.
The Instigator:
Someone who pushes you, who makes you think. Who motivates you to get up and go, and try, and make things happen. You want to keep this person energized, and enthusiastic. This is the voice of inspiration.

The Cheerleader:
This person is a huge fan, a strong supporter, and a rabid evangelist for you and your work. Work to make this person rewarded, to keep them engaged. This is the voice of motivation.

The Doubter:
This is the devil’s advocate, who asks the hard questions and sees problems before they arise. You need this person’s perspective. They are looking out for you, and want you to be as safe as you are successful. This is the voice of reason.

The Taskmaster:
This is the loud and belligerent voice that demands you gets things done. This person is the steward of momentum, making sure deadlines are met and goals are reached. This is the voice of progress.

The Connector:
This person can help you find new avenues and new allies. This person breaks through roadblocks into finds ways to make magic happen. You need this person to reach people and places you can’t. This is the voice of cooperation and community.

The Example:
This is your mentor, you hero, your North Star. This is the person who you seek to emulate. This is your guiding entity, someone whose presence acts as a constant reminder that you, too, can do amazing things. You want to make this person proud. This is the voice of true authority.

Friday, 27 July 2012


2 brothers caught with decomposing body parts of brother in Festac

How do you even begin to understand this? Two brothers, Toye and Tola allegedly slaughtered their younger brother, Akunbuyi, and sold his limbs. The full report when you continue...*viewer discretion advised*




The entire Festival Town in Lagos was thrown into pandemonium on Thursday evening as a decomposing body of a man was discovered inside a duplex on B Close, House 6 of 3rd Avenue. The decomposing body, it was gathered, was that of the younger sibling of two brothers allegedly living together in the duplex which was left for them by their deceased parents.

The corpse was identified as that of Akinbuyi Ajayi, 39, living in the same apartment with Toye Ajayi and Omotola Ajayi, who were identified as his brothers. He was allegedly killed by his brothers and his body kept in a room inside the flat. The corpse had been mutilated by the two brothers. A police source alleged that Toye and Omotola were selling the body parts of their brother for money, adding that the two were caught with some human parts which eventually led to a search on their apartment by law enforcement personnel.
Toye and Omotola were suspected to have chopped off the head, hands, private part and part of the two legs of Akinbuyi and allegedly sold them to suspected ritualists. The decomposing body of Akinbuyi was moved by the policemen attached to FESTAC Police Station led by the Divisional Police Officer, Mr. Mohammed Mu’azu, a Chief Superintendent of Police and officials of Amuwo Odofin Local Government council to a morgue, while the police took other items recovered from the house into custody.


Residents of FESTAC came out in their large numbers to watch the horrifying spectacle as the council officials and policemen removed the body. Apart from the body that was recovered from the house, charms, amulets, a pot filled with human blood and two large dummies of human beings were discovered. Some of the charms and amulets were concealed inside a carton with the inscription: Lord Krishna Agabarthi 999.

Omotola, who claimed to be an engineer denied knowing anything about the corpse. He claimed to be jobless, adding that he depended on goodwill of people to survive along with Toye. He denied knowledge of the death of his brother. He explained that Akinbuyi was arrested recently by sanitation task force, adding that the deceased spent three days in prison.

Omotola also said Akinbuyi was born in 1973 and that he usually went out and came in at will. He told the police that his brother’s killers must have committed the act before dumping the deceased inside one of the rooms. He further said their father died in a motor accident recently. Their father, he claimed, was the owner of the duplex where they live. Akinbuyi’s corpse was dumped in one of the rooms upstairs.

Toye described himself as a primary school teacher. When the police asked him where he teaches, he could not utter a word.

Must Read! – 26 Year Old Girl Who Had 26 Abortions Tells Her Sex Stories

I am 26 years old. I simply got into sex out of ignorance like millions of young people today. My addiction placed me as the highest abortionist in the world at age of 26 and now, I have a sad story to tell.
Until I found myself in a total mess, I never really had any Idea what premarital sex was all about. I never knew it was so useless and killing. Before I got into it, I use to think it was some fun and I dreamt of it more often than not. I wished with all my heart to have a boyfriend whom we would explore it together, little did I know that I was being nasty to myself.
Because of things I see on TV and magazine, I thought having sex was so much fun, I fantasized about it each time I felt lonely. Only if I had known that everything I see in movies and soap operas were just acting and make belief; only if I had known that there is nothing in sex after all, the only thing in it is self destruction; I think my life wouldn’t be this miserable.
It’s a pity i really had to learn the hard way and I really wish I had never been born, I wish I had not come out into this deceitful world where nobody cares about young people, all the so called adults do is how they would play on the intelligence of young people in a bid to exploit and use them to satisfy their insatiable sexual passion. I really feel bad about this wicked world.
My plight started when I was sixteen, then I was still a virgin and in secondary school, I was ignorant of many things but because I see it every day on the TV and internet. More so, a couple of so called Anti AIDS people visited us in school a couple of times for lectures, but all they did was introduce sex to us even more because they really had nothing but condoms to show.
Fine, they told us about AIDS, but at the same time, they also told us about condoms, they never really said anything real about sex, they said we could contact AIDS not through sex, but unprotected sex, which means there was nothing wrong with sex as long as you could use condoms, but all of that I now know very well are lies, and I wonder why men and women would enjoy telling teenagers deadly lies like that.
Even though I can’t blame those people totally for my plight because they weren’t really the ones that said I should go into sex, I still never forgive them for encouraging me and other young people like me into sex with their preaching of protected sex or condom. Even though I wanted to see what sex was really like and I fantasized about it, some were within me, I was still very scared of what may happen to me afterwards if l tried it, and it was that fear that actually kept me away from it until I was sixteen.
By the time I was sixteen, my fantasy had gotten enough boost to express itself with reliance to said to myself one day, “free yourself baby girl, there is nothing terrible in sex, can’t you see everyone is doing it, by the way, you can always use condoms nothing will happen”. So, I finally decided to let go of my fears and embrace in totality my silly fantasies, and that was how I took the very first step into this miserable life of illicit sex. I had absolutely no idea of what I was going into.
I finally agreed to date this guy who had been disturbing me for more than a year, his name was Andrew. Andrew was five years older than me. Both of us began enjoying sex, - we did it every seconds, every minute; -I became addicted that I do not love doing it with condom anymore. Within the period, I had 14 abortions for Andrew, and not only that, I cheated on him in several occasions, I felt doing it with other guys will give me better sensation but all were the same.
My school teacher got me and at the end of the day I had 6 abortions for him. And worst among was my sexual affairs with my close relations, which resulted to 5 abortions. Then I felt I was at the top of the world. I will never forgive my friends who introduced me into partying and sleeping with old men with potbelly and rough skin only in the name of sex.
Right now, all those men have gone, and then shadow of my past sexual life still follows me around. All this pills and tablets I took are now telling on my blood stream. At times I felt like committing suicide each time I remember what the doctor told me, “Tessy, I am sorry, your womb is automatically damaged on account of the several abortion you had”, “I’m sorry, you will never conceive again in your life, but just thank God, you don’t have HIV or AIDS”.
I therefore, advise every young girl reading this piece today, to over look every fantasy towards sex. Sex is good but it has time. And that is in marriage. Keep yourself away from men. Make friends with those who mean good for your future.

Owner of popular Lagos hangout threatens to publish names of debtors

Popular owner of the Posh Cafe in Victoria Island, Louise Priddy, has sent out a public warning to her debtors. The pretty half-caste, who made her name when she ran Bacchus Night club, sent this message via Facebook, where she wrote:
“I am telling all you big boys out there who owe me money but go to other clubs to spend until u get bounced from there and then u move on its ENOUGH..instead of clubbing why dont you get a job…its time to name and shame with pictures who owes me ……… get readyyyyyy MONDAY ……”
Already, people are keen to see this ‘list’ she will unveil. Priddy solely owns the venture, inside Alon Nelken’s Mega Plaza on Idowu Martins in V.I, put up for her by her husband, Mario.

Tuesday, 24 July 2012


Man Brutally Beats and Stabs His Wife For not Allowing Him To Marry A Second Wife

A 21yr old Mutorashanga   has been jailed for four months for beating up and stabbing his  with a knife after she objected on  marrying a  
The convicted, whose name is Ariyeri Apitoni was  on his own plea of guilty to the charge of contravening section 3 of the Domestic Act Chapter 5:16 when he appeared before magistrate on friday.
The court heard the couple had quarreled many times over the husband’s plans to marry a  .
Prior to the incident, the wife had abandoned her home after her husband insisted he would pursue his marriage plans of marrying a  wife and was now staying with her parents.
The State case was that on June , Cecilia Chifamba (22), who was on her way to visit a sick uncle at Munaka Farm, met her estranged husband who forcibly took her clothes and ordered her to join  back home.
On the same day at around noon, Apitoni proceeded to his in-law’s residence where he intended to “sweet-talk” Chifamba back home but she refused.
This incensed Apitoni who drew out a multi-blade knife from his pocket and stabbed the complainant once in the back before fleeing.
The wife sustained a deep cut as a result of the attack, the court heard.
The magistrate sentenced Apitoni to a four-month prison term or $300 fine.

Friday, 20 July 2012


Six women rape man to death in Benue State

His fame and financial breakthrough pushed him into having up to six wives. His love for sex equally contributed to his patronage of the most beautiful girls in Ugbugbu Owukpa, Ogbadibo Local government area of Benue State where a man who was identified as Uroko Onoja was allegedly raped to death by his 6 jealous wives in the early hour of Tuesday.
Trouble started on tuesday morning, precisely 3 am when Uroko returned from Ochanja, a popular joint in the small community of Ugbugbu and headed to the room of his youngest wife. The other wives who according to the youngest wife, Odachi had a meeting before Uroko returned home invaded her room with knives and sticks, demanding that their husband have sex with all of them at once. Uroko who resisted their attack was overpowered by the women who ordered that the sex march  begin with the youngest wife and to continue in that order to the top.
Our correspondent reported that Uroko stopped breathing when the fifth woman was making her way to the bed. “Suddenly, my husband stopped breathing, and they all ran out, still laughing, but when they saw that I could not resuscitate him, they all ran into the forest.
Uroko whose body has been deposited in a nearby Mortuary was until his death one of the famous persons in the village.  According to most young people in the community, he was a philanthropist who had contributed positively to the growth of the community.
When contacted, the village head, Mr. Okpe Odoh affirmed that the matter had been reported to the police and investigation was ongoing even as the youth of the community are helping the police in search of the escaped wives.
As at the time this report was filed, 2 of the wives have been arrested.

Wednesday, 18 July 2012


Pastor warns D’Banj against joining the Illuminati cult group

Dbanj21
Nigerian international music star, D’Banj has been warned by Pastor Wole Oladiyun of Christ Living Spring Apostolic Ministry (CLAM), Ogba, Lagos against joining the renowned cult group, Illuminati.
The Kanye West’s G.O.O.D Music artiste was given the stern warning on Thursday, July 12, 2012 at CLAM’s prayer session held at the church for celebrities against sudden death.
The man of God was reported to have warned D’Banj against joining Illuminati or risk going to hell.
There have been rumour flying round town that D’Banj had joined the cult group especially with his relationship with supposed members of the cult; Jay Z and Kanye West.
D’Banj is believed to have joined the cult in other to gain fame and popularity associated with Illuminati members. D’Banj first rose to stardom in 2005 after his debut single, Tongolo, which turned out to be a hit.
In 2012, he broke up with his long time friend and label boss, Don Jazzy.

Tuesday, 17 July 2012

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME
THANK U ALL FOR THE MESSAGES AND TEXT
GOD BLESS YOU ALL........

MUCH LOVE FROM HARLOBZY......

Friday, 13 July 2012

Bomber was a teenage boy - deputy state governor
* Islamist Boko Haram began insurgency in Maiduguri
* Sect often targets government, religious figures

By Ibrahim Mshelizza
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria, July 13 (Reuters) - A suicide bomber killed five people at the central mosque in the northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri on Friday, the military said, the latest attack in a region plagued by Islamist Boko Haram insurgents.
The blast narrowly missed the deputy governor of Borno state, Zanna Umar Mustapha, and Borno's Shehu (regional religious leader), Abubakar Umar Garbai El-Kanemi, who were attending Friday prayers.
"The suicide bomber was about 15 years old ... Fortunately we both escaped unhurt," Mustapha told reporters.
Six people were also injured in the attack, military spokesman Sagir Musa told reporters.
Boko Haram has killed hundreds of people this year in an insurgency against President Goodluck Jonathan, seeking to carve out an Islamic state in Africa's most populous country and biggest oil producer.
The sect often targets government officials, religious figures and places of worship, usually Christian churches.
Security experts believe Boko Haram's attacks on religious centres in central and northern Nigeria are an attempt to provoke wider religious conflict in the country.
Boko Haram claimed responsibility for attacks that killed more than 65 people in volatile central Nigeria over the weekend, including a ruling party senator, although security officials blamed localised ethnic clashes.

THREAT SPREADS
The attacks in Nigeria's "Middle Belt", where the largely Christian south meets the mostly Muslim north, would be a new development in the sect's insurgency and its greatest effort yet to divide the country along religious lines.
Jonathan, a southern Christian, has come under intense pressure to stem the spread of violence in the north, where his opponents say he is out of touch.
He sacked his defence minister and national security adviser last month, pledging to introduce new tactics to fight "terrorism" but gave no details.
Critics say Jonathan's heavy-handed military approach has aggravated the violence and there have been calls for him to engage with northern power brokers, although Boko Haram has said several times it is not interested in dialogue.
"We don't know what to do now because we thought our call for dialogue would work but as you can see we have to think of other ways," Borno Deputy Governor Mustapha said.
Boko Haram first launched an uprising in 2009 but a military crackdown stemmed the violence.
The group revived its insurgency in early 2010, hitting military and government targets in and around Maiduguri.
Since Jonathan's election victory in April last year the sect's violence has escalated and spread with attacks, including several suicide bombings, in major cities across the north and the capital Abuja.
The United States last month named three alleged leaders of Boko Haram as "foreign terrorists", the first time it has blacklisted members of the sect.
Security sources say the sect has linked up with al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, sending a few dozen fighters to Mali for training.

(Writing by Joe Brock; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

Tuesday, 3 July 2012


“It’s complicated” – Oba of Benin explains alleged snubbing of President JonathaN


According to the statement released by the Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, “the palace would like to make it clear that the Omo N’Oba did not shun President Jonathan and the PDP members that came with him.
“In fact, it is the respect and love Omo N’Oba has for the president that made him to still manage to see the president in a private chamber in the palace, despite a complicated situation that day.”
The statement was released as a reaction to a picture and news of the president waiting on the Oba.
The statement continued, “three weeks ago, Omo N’Oba waited for over two hours in his open office, where he received Vice-President Namadi Sambo and the PDP chieftains that were in Benin for political rally.”

Monday, 2 July 2012


A WORD FOR DELITE.... A WORD TO ALL THAT IS CONCERNED ... A WORD FOR REFRESHING...

NEVER IGNORE.. CONSIDER VERY WELL..

Friday, 29 June 2012


We Are The Choices We Make


I tend to agree with him because most people in this world are basically living their lives for others… and I don’t mean that in a good way, I am not talking about  how you want to be blessed so that you can be a blessing to others… which is good, but unfortunately that isn’t what I’m up at this time of the night to talk about

We live our life on a subconscious or even conscious level to please others… we were born and as toddlers all we sought for was the approval of our parents, we channel our energy into doing all they expect from us just to get that smile of approval or that twirling in the air as they raise us up high in the air whilst we giggle in excitement.

We went to school and sought for the approval of our teachers…and getting good grades became our goal because we heard our father say ’My boy is going be tops in his class’… or even just because we wanted to get in his good books…we are in high school and there was this underlying need to get the approval of our friends…we do all the things we can think of to be one of the ‘cool kids’

… then we grow up go to the university, graduate, and begin doing things to get approval from the society…we become doctors even though our passion is fashion designing, we get married at 26 even though we
know we are settling for less but we do it anyway because someone passed the memo that age 30 is the cut off mark for ladies and they have to make sure they marry the ‘available’ man who wants to marry them now now now before it’s too late, so we do even though we know he doesn’t tick even half of your check list…we go to all the meaningless social functions on weekends even though all we want to do is curl up and sleep on Saturdays because we really need to rejuvenate after a hard work week, at least for health reasons, but no…we still go for the meaningless functions anyway so that we can grace the pages of City People. And so on and so forth… our decisions are lined up with family/friends/colleagues and societal expectations so that we are not perceived as social misfits.
Doesn’t it give you a headache just thinking about it? When exactly do we start living for ourselves?  When exactly do we start doing the things we want because and just because it’s what we want to do and damn what anybody has to say about it good or bad. Infact damn the consequences of the actions…whether it results good or bad… at least you made them for yourself!!! Yourself!!!!!!!!!

When do we start living our lives for our own self??? Are we so far gone that we forget that we are responsible and accountable for every choice we make, we are the ones responsible for how we choose to live our lives, good or bad, regardless of whom or what influences these decisions? So why don’t you make these choices yours… why don’t you do it because it brings you fulfilment… what are we so afraid of? Why are we so afraid of not getting the necessary approvals from our circle of influence??

A dear  of mine said the following lines to me recently:

Choose your path; don’t let your path choose you
Choose your friends don’t let your friends choose you
Make things happen, so that what happens around doesn’t define you
Because either way you will be held responsible and accountable for your actions
So why not be the cause and sole reason for those actions’    (I paraphrased)

My advice: Don’t waste your time living someone else’s life…because you see…ultimately…we ARE the CHOICES we make.

So do you really want to be the product of someone else’s opinion?
Let me know
Nutty Jay
Nuttyjay.blogspot.com

Wednesday, 6 June 2012


The Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) is still pushing for the establishment of a stabilization fund for the nation capital market as a way out of the downturn that has lasted over four years.  A senior council member of the CIS disclosed this in an interview with THISDAY last Monday, saying the forbearance being planned by the Federal Government would not solve the liquidity problem in the market.
The Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had last week reiterated the Federal Government plan to work out a forbearance package for stockbrokers as part of measures to stimulate confidence in the Nigerian stock market and increase liquidity. Okonjo-Iweala gave the assurance at the annual meetings of the African Development Bank (AFDB) in Arusha, Tanzania.
But the leading stockbroker explained that while the move by the government was a good development, he said it did not mean debt forgiveness. Debt forbearance does not mean debt forgiveness. It only allows the debtor to negotiate with the creditor so that they could agree on the repayment terms. I believe some brokers are already enjoying forbearance despite the fact the government has not formally unveiled its package. What the market really needs is a Stabilization Fund that would ensure direct injection of funds into the market, the broker said.
The outgoing President of  CIS,  Mr. Mike Itegboje, had last March  restated the need for a stabilization fund, saying that would  bring back the much needed investor confidence into the market. According to him, the fund would go a long in addressing the margin loans overhang, which had been posing  a huge challenge to brokers. He had noted that since the global meltdown, some countries had made use of such funds to cushion the effect of the meltdown on the market.
We as stockbrokers are again renewing our call for a stabilization fund for our market. This fund is very necessary as it would help to mitigate the losses incurred by investors and stockbrokers in the capital market in the last few years. And so, we want the federal government to look into this issue as many countries have taken the route of this fund for their market and Nigerian should not be an exception. Itegboje suggested that the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) could take up the challenge of ensuring that such funds were properly used in the market.

SEC Restates Commitment to Investor Protection

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has restated its commitment to the protection of investors in the Nigerian capital market, saying its current efforts are geared towards the building of a market that is transparent and efficient. The Executive Commissioner, Operations, SEC, Ms. Daisy Ekineh, stated this at an investor conference  organised by the Association of Assets Custodians of Nigeria in London last month.
In a paper delivered on her behalf by Director, Research and Planning, SEC, Mrs. Bibiana Okoroafor, Ekineh said the commission was also collaborating and engaging with fellow regulators and supervisors to build a stable financial system through information sharing and capacity building. According to her, the apex regulator of the Nigerian capital market has embarked on several reforms that would transform the market.
The continuous and faithful implementation of the forgoing   will lead us to building a world class market, a market that is transparent, efficient, dynamic, technology driven where investors are protected, and commands trust and confidence of investors, she said. Speaking on some of the specific efforts being made to deepen the market and improve its liquidity, Ekineh said SEC had cleared 10 market makers appointed by the Nigerian Stock Exchange, approved rules for securities lending, and approval of new products.
Apart from encouraging investors to patronize the Collective Investment Schemes (CIS), the first   Exchange Traded Funds (ETF) had been registered and listed on the NSE. The Commission has ensured the introduction of Custodian Services for CIS. We have also commenced listing discussions with oil and gas companies and telecommunications firms. SEC will also continue to collaborate with Bureau of Public Enterprise on the listing of privatized and other prospective ones, she said.
The commissioner added SEC was promoting the take-off of Over-the-Counter (OTC) market and designing a framework for the introduction of sukuk (Islamic Bond). She told the foreign investors that the Commission would continue to support NSE’ initiatives towards strengthening the market, adding that efforts were being made to restructure and strengthen the Abuja Securities and Commodity Exchange (ASCE) to deliver on its mandate. According to her, the reconstitution of Capital Market Committee (CMC) Sub-committees was also meant to strengthen the effectiveness of the capital market.
These committees are: Investor Confidence; Fixed Income; Rules; Fund Management; Technology and infrastructure; Commodities exchanges; Product development and Advocacy group to interface with relevant institutions and authorities in Nigeria with a view to addressing current challenges in the market.

WDAS: Dollar Supply Increases by 27% in May

The amount of the United States dollar offered by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) at its regulated bi-weekly forex market increased by 27 per cent to $1.370 billion in May, THISDAY findings have shown. Data compiled by THISDAY, showed that the amount reflected an increase by $290 million, as against a total of $1.080 billion offered by the apex bank at the official market in April.
Just like the previous months, the CBN did not publish the amount of dollar demanded by dealers throughout the eight auctions held in May. In the month under review, THISDAY checks also revealed that out of the eight auctions observed at the Wholesale Dutch Auction System (WDAS), while the apex bank offered $150 million to dealers at four separate auctions, $200 million to market participants twice, it offered $250 million once. It also offered $120 to the auction held on May 7.
The naira oscillated around the N155 to a dollar bank in May. The highest value it attained in the month under review was the N155.69 to a dollar it closed at five separate auctions in the month under review, while its lowest value in the month was N155.75 to a dollar.
The relative stability observed at the forex market was attributed to the gradual build-up of Nigerias external reserves. The forex reserves maintained an upward trend throughout last month as it gained a total of $961million to $37.668 billion as at May 31, as against the $36.707 billion it was on May 2, THISDAY findings also showed. FSDH Securities Limited had attributed the performance of the local currency to the increase in the forex earnings as a result of rise in oil price and oil output and reduced dollar demand from oil marketers.

Diamond Bank wants firm to wind up over N4.2b debt

The Diamond Bank of Nigeria Plc has instituted a winding up petition against an Italian construction giant, Gitto Construzioni Generali Nigeria Limited at the Federal High Court, Lagos over N4.2 billion unpaid debt. The matter brought under the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2004 and in the application for winding up pursuant to sections 408, 409 and 410 of the CAMA Cap C. 20, laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is praying the court to wound up the company because its unable to pay the bank the sum of N4, 226, 970.246.58 being a cumulative debt owed to them.
According to a 26 paragraph application brought by the counsel to the petitioner, the bank said it first granted the firm an overdraft facility and an invoice discounting facility totaling N650 million on October 25, 2004 in addition to a N1.0 billion revolving bonds/guarantee facility.
About eight months later, the bank claimed that it gave another round of facilities to the company through an offer later dated June 24, 2005. The offers include N48, 879,120.00 bank guarantee facility, and N39, 103,296.00 vehicle lease facility increasing the bonds/guarantee facilities to N4 billion.
The petitioner said, the purpose for the above facilities were amongst others to enable the respondent take immediate delivery of 13 units of Toyota vehicles from Elizade Nigeria Limited pending payment and to accommodate the respondents new request for bonds and guarantees for contracts awarded or being pursued by the respondent.
The banks disclosed that the tenure of the facilities were 90 days for bank guarantees, 18 months for vehicle leasehold while the bonds were to mature along with the respondents existing N2.2 billion bonds and guarantee facility.
Diamond Bank insisted that in January 9, 2006, it offered another round of facilities to the firm. They are a N255, 249,000.00 lease-in-processes and a N255, 249, 00.00 lease finance facility. The facilities were tenured for 90 days for the lease-in-process facility and 12 months for the lease finance facility and were granted to enable the petitioner re-finance the 80 percent exposure under the crystallized lease-in-process facility and also to establish a confirmed letter of credit on behalf of the respondent for the importation of one unit of dredging equipment worth 2 million Euros, it stated.
The petitioner also alleged that it granted additional facilities in different sums of money to the respondent for different purposes on April 11, 2006, February 1, 2007, July 26, 2007 and March 25, 2010. According to the bank, at the expiration of the facilities, the respondent failed to meet up to its obligations as contained in the offer letters, prompting the bank to forward several demand letters requesting the firm to pay up the debt to which they have refused to comply with.
Index Summary
BusinessDay Afrinvest-30 Index
5-Jun-12
4-Jun-12
change
Index Points
1,069.13
1,078.79
-0.90%
P/E
11.9x
12.0x
P/BV
1.8x
1.9x

Dividend Yield(%)
4.5
4.6

BA-30
NSE ASI
YTD change
7.95%
4.35%

Thursday, 17 May 2012


Govt to enforce patronage of local products on MDAs

THE Federal Government may soon put in place a policy that would enforce local content in goods purchased by Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) in the country.
The policy, government said, would compel governments at all levels and their agencies to patronise made in Nigeria products.
Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, said yesterday that the extension of the local content to goods procured by governments organisations was aimed at increasing the productive capacity of local industries for job creation, wealth generation and, ultimately, economic growth and development.
Aganga spoke during the ongoing workshop on Enhancing the Productivity of Industries, in Lagos, on Tuesday.
He said that his ministry was working with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria to ensure that local manufacturers also got higher shares in the supply of goods to be procured by the government.
We are looking at the list of things that are procured by the Federal Government because the government is the biggest spender in the economy. So, we are looking at the items that are procured locally. We are working with the industries to find out which of these items are available locally, so that our local manufacturers can be patronised.
One of the highlights of the workshop today is how we can put in place an institutionalised framework  that will allow us to match the government, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and innovators  to possibly have an off-take agreements with them so that manufacturers can use that to raise funds needed to grow their businesses.
He added: We are thinking of reviewing our local procurement procedures to differentiate between locally manufactured products and the ones that are imported. Where there is a differential of about 15 per cent, we will review that to see if 15 per cent is the right number, or whether some sectors should be less or more. We are working with MAN to come up with the right number in this regard, he said.
The minister said the Federal Government was considering a new paradigm that would boost the development of the steel industry, as part of industrial revolution.
Aganga said that his ministry would partner the Ministry of Solid Minerals and Steel Development  to implement a backward integration policy that will enable the country  explore and process the abundant iron ore deposits across the country, in order to support industrial growth and development.
We are also embarking on an industrial revolution that is anchored on areas where we have comparative and competitive advantage, such as agri-business, solid minerals and petrochemicals. Also, we are concentrating on growing the industries that are labour-intensive so that we will be able to create jobs for our teeming population. For example, in the mining-related industry, we are collaborating with the Ministry of Mines and Steel to develop the chain in the steel sector.
There is no industrialised country without growth in its iron and steel industry. In Nigeria, we import raw materials for the steel industry, yet we have them a lot. As part of our industrial revolution, we need to embark on big strategies, working with the Ministry of Solid Minerals and Steel Development, to process the raw materials used for the steel industry.

Lagos woos investors to Island West development scheme

GOVERNOR Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has called on private investors to help the state government in the implementation of the Lagos Island West Re-development Scheme.
Fashola made the call in Lagos at the 2012 Lagos Architects Forum organised by the Lagos Chapter of Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA).
The theme of the forum was Lagos 3.0: Urban Mass Housing and Homes in Lagos.
The governor said that the focus of the forum was topical because the state government was trying to make some interventions in the housing sector through the scheme.
According to him, the state government intended to lead by example by encouraging investors in that field.
The documentary presented here today on First Cities, Future Cities is relevant to what the Lagos State Government is doing in the scheme, where we are hoping that almost all of the buildings would go high rise.
The government also has what we call Lagos Homes, where the state wants to replicate a particular design that unifies particular families in a whole setting. A block of four flats having a whole family in one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom.
The government is doing all these, to encourage some other investors in the field to come in, Fashola, who was represented by Mr. Toyin Ayinde, the commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, said that the government had respect for professionals in the state, especially those in the construction and housing industry.
According to him, it is this respect that produced the 2010 Law on Physical Planning and Physical Regulations in the state.
Fashola said that the government was interested in the outcome of the forum and he wished them fruitful deliberations.
Charles Majoroh, a former President of NIA, said that the state government should focus attention on mass housing development for the middle class.
In his paper on Urban Housing Projection The Role of Numeracy in the Desire for Home Ownership, Majoroh said the middle class housing satisfaction was the interface between the high and low class.
Without making the middle class and their families satisfying housing wise, there is no way we can have a thriving lower class. The middle class is the engine of any country.
The ability of this class to satisfy the need to own their houses go a long way in providing accommodation for others; satisfy the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and provide massive employment opportunities, he said.

Santuraki flays alleged plans to merge DFIs

THE Managing Director of Bank of Agriculture (BOA), Mohammed Santuraki has condemned moves by the regulatory authority to merge any of the Nations Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), including the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) and the Bank of Industry (BOI).
Santuraki said such merger would not only be counter-productive, but would amount to policy summersault, capable of derailing the programmes articulated for the DFIs to boost Nigerias economic growth and development within the shortest period.
The Managing Director, who spoke in Kaduna during the Cotton-Value-Chain stakeholders meeting held at Asaa Pyramid Hotel, argued that the situation in the Deposit Money Banks (DMBs), where merger and consolidation became the order of the day should be a food for thoughts for those pushing the idea of merger of DFIs in Nigeria.
Santuraki said: There are scores of DFIs in India and other developing economies of the world, nobody has considered merging them because they are playing their roles in various ways, how can anyone suggest a merger of the only four DFIs we have in Nigeria in the name of consolidation.
According to him, If consolidation and merger of deposit banks from more than 80 in Nigeria to about 25 and later to about 12 has not really worked, how can it then work in Development Finance Institutions; it will be counter-productive.
Santuraki further posited at a meeting attended by commissioners of Agriculture in the cotton-growing states across the nation, cotton farmers, expert and professionals from academic institutions, and other development partners, that there is need for concerted efforts on ways to improve on cotton production in the country.
However, he lauded the initiatives of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, for coming up with the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk-Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), saying the package was an eye opener for stakeholders to take advantage of and ensure the development of the nations agricultural system.
According to Santuraki considering the windows of opportunities thrown open by the CBN, there is no way Nigeria farmers can produce food crops the way and manner our fathers produced in the 50s, stressing that beyond enhancing the process of lending to farmers for mass production, the CBN and other financial institutions are also looking into storage and marketing issues for farmers.
He assured participants at the stakeholders meeting which was organised by the BOA that the nations Development Finance Institutions are ready to look critically into all inhibitions standing in the way of Nigeria large scale and small farmers with the aim of addressing them holistically, stressing that matters such as insurance cover for agriculture loans, and other risks in the sector would be addressed.
Besides, Head of the National Integrated Project Implementation Office of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Jude Uzonwanne said there has been a critical study of the problems facing all categories of farmers in the country, but assured that in a short while the critical issues standing in the way of farmers would be addressed.
Nzonwanne, who presented a catalogue of problems facing farmers and an outline of aids, as financial and technical antidote put together by experts and other professionals, said all hands should be on deck for the success of the initiative, which is aimed at supporting about 54,000 cotton farmers across Nigeria.

Shell starts repair of 60,000bpd Nembe Trunkline

THE Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) has commenced repair of damaged Nembe Creek Trunkline (NCTL), which resulted in a deferment of some 60,000 barrels of oil per day of production after shutting it down on May 4th, 2012 because of the activities of crude oil thieves.
The company said yesterday that on May 13th, SPDCs pipeline repair team disconnected two six-inch lines through which thieves were stealing crude from the 97-kilometre line.
Shell stressed that the repair team will tackle eight other illegal bunkering points as it continues to re-assert the integrity of the facility, which was commissioned in 2010 at a cost of $1.1 billion to replace an older pipeline.
Vice President, Health, Safety and Environment, Shell Sub-Saharan Africa, Tony Attah, noted that this is a difficult work requiring careful planning and digging up several sections of the line in swamp and land, investigating illegal bunkering points and deciding whether to clamp them or do sectional replacement.
According to him, when you add the cost of repairs to the facility downtime and loss of revenue, it becomes clear how crude theft has denied Nigeria of badly-needed revenue.
He lamented also that the Trans Niger Pipeline has also been suffering from crude theft leading to frequent shutdowns for repairs and integrity checks.
Clearly, we are concerned by these increasing cases and appeal for concerted efforts to stop the crime for the sake of the environment, the Nigerian state and the communities themselves, he said.
In December last year, the NCTL was shut down for one month to repair damaged pipeline by  oil thieves. The latest shutdown has led to the declaration of force majeure on export of Bonny Light.
Managing Director of Shell Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC), Mutiu Sunmonu, had said recently that Nigeria was losing about 150,000 barrels of oil per day and $5 billion yearly, through crude oil theft.
He explained that the SPDC joint venture suffers a daily loss of 43,000 barrels to thieves and illegal bunkering, adding that the trend negatively impacted on the environment, beside depleting  the countrys revenue.
According to him, this is a serious attack on the state the people, the economy, and the environment. Since, we calculated the crude theft quantities based on volumes produced from flow stations and what is received at terminals, it is true that additional oil is stolen between wellheads and flow stations.

50 independent power providers get license

The National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) says the Federal Government has given licence to more than 50 independent power producers to ensure stable power supply under the new dispensation.
Eyo Ekpo, the NERC Commissioner for Marketing, Competition and Rates, who spoke on Wednesday, said the new tariff regime would attract more investors.
He said that the new tariff had been categorised in favour of low- income households and small and medium enterprises.
Ekpo said that some consumers' bills would increase by as low as 11 per cent under the new tariff regime.
He said that the bills of certain category of consumers, classified as special customers’’ including hospitals and street lights, would increase by less than 11 per cent.
Ekpo said that those in the R1 category, consisting of rural dwellers and the urban poor, would pay lower tariffs as they would still continue to enjoy subsidy from the Federal Government.
He said that those in the C1 group, consisting artisans and small businesses, would also pay low tariffs in line with the governments policy of providing power to small and medium enterprises.
In working out the tariff, we place the burden differently. We are to cross-subsidise those who cannot pay, he said. As such, the cost of power to those in the R1 and C1 categories will still be low since they will enjoy part of the cross-subsidy.
The commissioner said that NERC was charged with the statutory function of effecting major reviews of electricity tariff every five years.

Oriental Energy, Afren exploration discovers oil in Ebok

Oriental Energy Resources and AfrenNigeria an independent oil & gas company listed on the Main Board of the London Stock Exchange, with a diversified portfolio of production, development and exploration assets, have announced that its Ebok North Fault Block exploration well, offshore south east Nigeria, has succesfully made a new oil discovery.
Ebgert Imomoh, chairman of Afren, while giving insight into the stage by stage process that led to the finding, said the Ebok North Fault Block (Ebok NFB) exploration well was spudded on 12 April 2012 by Afren and Oriental Energy Resources (Oriental) after which it reached a total vertical (and measured) depth of 4,320 ft, with the Transocean Adriatic lX jack-up drilling rig.
The well was targeting a separate fault block structure located to the north of the main Ebok field, and has successfully encountered good quality oil in the same Tertiary reservoir sands, equivalent to those that have been developed and are in production at the main Ebok field development. The discovery of significant oil pay at this location underlines the high-grade prospect that exists across the wider Ebok/Okwok/OML 115 area, and represents an important step towards unlocking the full volume and value potential of what is a core hub of Afrens portfolio.
The well will now be suspended whilst Afren and Oriental determine the optimal development solution for the new discovery, which will likely incorporate synergies using the existing production, storage and off-take infrastructure at the main Ebok field. The Transocean Adriatic IX rig will next be deployed to commence the drilling of early production wells at the recent Okoro East discovery.
Commenting on the development Imomoh, saidWe are delighted to have continued our run of exploration success this year with the Ebok NFB well, which follows on from the Okoro East discovery also offshore south east Nigeria and the Simrit-2 exploration well in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, giving us a year to date exploration success rate of 75 per cent (100 per cent of operated exploration).
The proximity of Ebok NFB to existing infrastructure at the main Ebok field production hub means that we can quickly monetise these newly discovered volumes. We now look forward to the test results from Simrit-2 discovery in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, followed by exploration drilling in East Africa.

Manufacturers hit, pull out on security concerns

Nigerias manufacturing sector is bearing the brunt of the ever growing state of insecurity in the northern part of country, brought about by the activities of Boko Haram, the Islamic militant group, and businesses are pulling out of the region.
Investors and much of the skilled labour force, apparently worried by the continued bombings, are taking flight, while would-be investors are tagging the region a no- go area. BusinessDays findings show that the Fast Moving Consumer Goods sub-sector, which has witnessed spectacular growth since 2008, faces prospects of much lower earnings, following increasing security threats from the Islamic militant group.
BusinessDay investigation further reveals that escalating costs of sales and operating costs are already eroding profit margins of consumer goods companies like Flour Mills, Nestle, Cadbury and Dangote. According to our findings, input costs in Nestle rose by 30 per cent of sales year-on-year from N43.9 billion in 2010 to N57.2 billion. Also, marketing and distribution expenses increased by 10 per cent, cost of sales rose in Flour Mills of Nigeria increased from N103.0 billion in the third quarter of 2010 to N123.22 billion in the corresponding period of 2011.
For Dangote Sugar, cost of sale increased from N50.70 billion in 2010 to N68.90 billion. This rise in sales costs cannot be removed from the state of insecurity up North, which has come with high cost of transporting products to the region a large market for consumer products.
Commenting on the impact of the state of insecurity in the North on his company, Keith Richards, managing director of Promasidor Nigeria Limited said, You know with the borders closed, a lot of formal and informal exports are not happening. People are not coming from Chad, Niger, Cameroon and Mali. So you see a downturn in demand. The North is important to us. A lot of our brands are doing very well here.
Now consumption is plummeting. In 1st Quarter 2012, our milk sales volume declined by 14.3 percent, powdered beverage sales by 3.7 percent, and tea by 9.1 percent. But our seasoning products sales grew by 7.1 percent. And I know all the businesses in the FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) are affected too, especially with products like beer, soft drinks and tobacco.
According to informed industry sources, sales of packaged products are 30 percent up in Lagos area, whereas they are 50 percent down in the North. The East is not doing badly, and South-West is flat. The sources also said that GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), and Cadbury have relocated from Maiduguri to Jos, GSK and Chi are pulling out of Kano.
Cedric Bra, analyst at Euromonitor International, a consumer market research organization, has warned that the growing modern retail market in Nigeria risks being compromised due to security concerns in northern parts of the country.
Procter & Gamble (P&G) which has an expansive distribution network in the North is affected by the shutting down of stores, stemming from the crisis.
But Manoj Kumar, P&G chief for West Africa, says the company is up to the task. We have been here for 20 years. All sorts of crisis have come and gone. We are therefore not worried like other companies who have spent a few years operating in this terrain. The crisis has not dampened our commitment and enthusiasm in Nigeria.
The World Investment Report (WIR) of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has said that the Nigerias domestic economy has lost N1.33 trillion Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to the Boko Haram crisis. According to the report, FDI flows to Nigeria fell to $6.1 billion (N933.3 billion) in 2010, a decline of about 29 per cent, from the $8.65 billion (N1.33 trillion) realised in the 2009 fiscal year.
Similarly, the 2010 annual report by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) showed that the total foreign capital inflow into the Nigerian economy was $5.99 billion. The records show that FDI represented about a 78.1 per cent drop from $3.31 billion in 2009.
Closely related to the FMCG issue, is the impact of the crisis on food supplies from the North to the South. Nigerians in the southern part of the country may need to brace up for an impending food supply problem and accompanying higher prices in the coming months, as food supplies from the North, which account for over 70 per cent of national consumption, are dwindling by the day, on account of the Boko Haram crisis.
BusinessDay found out that supply of yam tubers , a food product for which Nigeria is world number one producer, has also dropped from 50 trucks to 15, a 70 per cent drop; onion from 50 trucks to 10; and pepper 80 to 20, a 75 per cent fall.
The Nigerian Union of Road Transport Workers vice-chairman, Issa Umar, attributed the problem to security issues, bad roads and high cost of diesel. Cost of hiring these trucks has also gone up by about 113.3 per cent and prices of food items have gone up by over 50 percent said Ahmed Yusuf, secretary-general, Shukura Yam Sellers Association, Mile 12.
Usman Muttaka, professor in the Department of Economics of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria stated that investors are now becoming wary of coming to do business in the country, especially in the north, because of the current security challenge. The decline in investment has been attributed to the increasing insecurity in the country, as well as infrastructural decay.
The naira continued its downswing against the United States dollar at the interbank for the third consecutive day as it fell by 90 kobo to close at N158.90 to a dollar, as against the N158 to a dollar it stood on Tuesday.
While some experts attributed the development to increased demand for the greenback by offshore investors who sought to reduce their exposure to the domestic market, others hinged it on rise in demand for the dollar by oil importers.
In all, data obtained from Financial Market Dealers Association (FMDA), showed that the local currency dropped by a total of N1.05 in the last three days.
On the other hand, at the Wholesale Dutch Auction System (WDAS), yesterday, the local currency closed at N155.69 to a dollar, the same value it was on Monday.
But the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) increased the volume of dollar supplied to the 19 banks that participated in the auction to $200 million, from $150 million on Monday.
In his opinion, Emerging Markets Strategist, Standard Bank Plc, Samir Gadio, said the naira primarily came under pressure because of increased forex demand from offshore investors that sought to reduce their exposure to the Nigerian market as well as profit-taking by investors.
Gadio revealed that the apex bank had intervened in the interbank market on Tuesday; a move he said, helped in reversing intraday losses on that day.
The central bank has been virtually out of the interbank market in 2012 and the proactive intervention would indicate that it is somewhat worried about the sudden jump in $/N and will attempt to prevent the build-up of further negative pressure, he explained, in an interview with THISDAY.
On her part, the Sub-Saharan Africa Economist, Renaissance Capital (RenCap), Yvonne Mhango, who also spoke in an interview with THISDAY, said the risk against the naira was gradually building up because some of the fuel importers that did not import the petroleum product, had commenced importation.
That suggests that we are going to be seeing increased demand for forex and we could see a slowdown in the build-up of the forex reserves we have seen since the beginning of the year, Mhango added.
Commenting on the rise of inflation rate to 12.9 per cent inflation in April, Gadio said the market as well as the apex bank had anticipated the increase.
In fact, the most likely scenario is still that investors will be gradually positioning for an attractive duration trade going forward given the forthcoming shift to a more accommodative monetary policy stance later this year (if dollar/naira stability is ensured) and a decline in inflation post-third quarter 2012.
The main intermittent upside risk to bond rates may actually come from the switch auctions planned by the Debt Management Office and designed to exchange liquid on-the-run instruments for off-the-run short term securities, although even this possibility is ambiguous in light of the intrinsic demand for fixed income instruments amid a limited pool of investable assets in Nigeria, he added.
Worried by the low patronage of locally manufactured computers and its accessories, the Federal Government has promised to protect all Information Technology (IT) products, through new policy formulation and implementation.
National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
The government agency responsible for the implementation of IT policies for the country, dropped the hint in Lagos at a one-day retreat on IT Hardware Standards Development, organised by NTDA.
 
Director-General of NITDA, Prof Cleopas Angaye, in his remarks, said there was need to benchmark practices and processes against international standards to make local IT products competitive and marketable within and outside the country.
The retreat, he said, was NITDAs initiative to give impetus to the buy-made-in-Nigeria policy of the Federal Government, which made it mandatory for all government agencies to patronise locally developed hardware and software.
The directive was however blatantly violated because of governments weak action towards the development local hardware and software.
According to Angaye, At the end of the retreat, there will be issuance of new guidelines that will protect local IT products, and it will be regarded as economic sabotage if government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) do not patronise Nigerian IT products.
He said after the issuance of the new policy, it would become an offence punishable by a prison term and fine under the NITDA Act, for public procurement of non-made-in-Nigeria computers and IT products, where certified local brands exist.
Angaye insisted that public funds should only be expended on locally manufactured products, and that for Nigerians to benefit from the planned policy, multinational companies would be invited to set up production or assembly plants in Nigeria.
With more than half the population of West Africa Nigeria has a large enough market to justify foreign direct investment in Information Technology. Instead, one finds that all the multinational firms operate only marketing and sales promotion offices. The transformation of Nigeria into a developed economy cannot be achieved by being a consumer nation, he said.
Between 2002 and 2007 several Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) were accredited by government to operate in the Nigerian IT manufacturing spectrum, but owing to the expediency of the time, no strict guidelines or standards were prescribed for them.
According to Angaye the landscape has since changed, as the industry has since grown and the operating Federal Government accreditation of  local OEMs and computer assembly plants has since expired. New companies have also joined the industry. There is need therefore to review the guidelines under which they operate and under which new entrants are admitted.
Angaye said, in giving accreditation to local OEMs, the intention of the Federal Government was to develop the indigenous IT industry, create employment through local assembly of computers and build the capacity of IT entrepreneurs, but this can only be achieved if Nigerians patronise local brands, explaining that the policy was mandatory for the public sector where the products to be procured were manufactured or assembled in Nigeria.
Angaye who frowned at the display and use of non-made-in-Nigeria computers in government offices and for government business where certified local brands are available, said the action was not only an unpatriotic act but also an act of sabotage and disregard for both government policy and extant statute.
He said a monitoring unit had been created within NITDA to undertake regular checks to ensure compliance to the regulation throughout the Federal Public Service.
NITDA, he said, would seek the collaboration of the Federal Ministry of Education to ensure that the accreditation of schools and renewal of accreditation would depend partly on the establishment of Information Technology laboratories equipped with locally manufactured IT products.
As the World Bank rounds up its seven-year assistance worth $120 million for the sustainable development of Nigerias solid minerals sector, stakeholders are playing Oliver Twist. They are clamouring for an extension of the project to enable a second phase to start as soon as possible.
One of the project objectives is to establish a basis for poverty reduction and rural economic renewal in selected areas of the country through the development of non-farm income-generating opportunities through small-scale and artisanal mining and to diversify from oil sources of income.
The second is to increase the governments long-term institutional and technical capacity to manage Nigerias mineral resources in a sustainable way.
At the end of project stakeholders workshop in Abuja, Minister of Mines and Steel development, Mr. Musa Mohammed Sada, said: The view of the ministry is that the SMMRP (Sustainable Management of Mineral Resources Project) is closing at a wrong time in that government is not quite ready for disclosure. The World Bank intervention needed to continue till the opportune time when government will be in a position to take over seamlessly and build on project achievements.
He stated that as mining was very capital-intensive, government was taking its time to operationalise the Solid minerals Development Fund as provided in the Solid Minerals and Mining Act 2007.
The sector also requires adequate funding from annual appropriations to the level that donor support will no longer be required, he said. Until we reach a comfortable level for the sector, we believe that the World Bank assistance will still be needed. Accordingly, we hereby make a case for SMMRP Project II to enable intervention (in) some other critical areas in pursuit of solid minerals development, as a stop gap to keep momentum and forestall collapse of the lofty achievements of SMMRP, he said.
He however gave the verdict that the project achieved its purpose and expressed his appreciation to both committees of the National Assembly on Solid Minerals Development for the wonderful support they accorded the project and the ministry at large. He also thanked the World Bank for making all its achievements possible.
Among the achievements were the use of $10 million dollars from the $120 million for micro-grant as a poverty alleviation scheme targeted at artisanal and small scale miners and mining communities, with 245 mining cooperatives benefiting, and the upgrade of the National Geosciences Researches Laboratory, which it supported with state-of-the-art facilities.
The World Bank fund was also used in the promotion of Nigerias minerals endowment, revision of Geodetic Network and Cartographic Coverage, environmental management capacity building programmes and train the trainers course in governance, accounting, finance and taxation in the mining sector.
The project also facilitated the establishment of the Nigerian Institute of Mining and Geosciences, geological information gathering for investment and national planning; and training and capacity building contents under which the World Bank Project trained 10,000 Nigerians from both public and private sectors in various components of the sector.
Similarly, it engaged in the provision of field vehicles, civil works and technical equipment for the ministry and its agencies as well as the development of selected minerals for import substitution and provision of livelihood in mining communities.
The project also undertook baseline data collection, provision of legal and regulatory framework and administration of mineral titles through the establishment of the Mining Cadastre Office which is fully equipped for the transparent and efficient grant and management of mining titles, in line with international best practices.
Index Summary
BusinessDay Afrinvest-30 Index
16-May-12
15-May-12
change
Index Points
1,124.16
1,124.56
-0.04%
P/E
12.2x
12.1x
P/BV
1.9x
1.9x

Dividend Yield(%)
4.2
4.3

BA-30
NSE ASI
YTD change
13.51%
8.65%