Business News

LCCI calls for economy reform

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, has called on the Federal Government to reform the economy as some of its policy portend more danger for the economy than benefit.

Published

11 months ago

September 22, 2019

Abiola Odutola

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, has called on the Federal Government to reform the economy as some of its policy portend more danger for the economy than benefit.

The President, LCCI, Mr Babatunde Ruwase, said, “We need the right mix of policies to achieve the desired outcomes. I am aware that some policy choices have been made by the present administration to promote economic diversification, stabilise the foreign exchange market and promote small businesses.

“Evidently, there are still some works to be done. There is a need for regular engagements and communication on policy issues to ensure quality feedback and enrich the policymaking process.”

Ruwase said there should be engagement on macroeconomic policies, and sectoral policies, which would include foreign exchange, trade, tax, energy, transport, industrial, agricultural, and ICT among others.

“The slow pace of reforms in the oil and gas sector, especially the fact that the Petroleum Industry Bill could not make it through the eighth National Assembly is a cause for worry. And the part that was passed was not signed by the President,” he added.

According to him, the indefinite closure of the country’s borders with its neighbouring African neighbours will ultimately hurt the economy and cross-border economic activities.

He said, “Nigeria’s economy had strong fundamentals, as the resources were enormous. The closure of the land borders has enormous implications for cross border economic activities around the country.

“The indications are now that the closure is indefinite. While we share the concern of government on issues of security and smuggling, we believe that the indefinite closure of land borders is not the solution to the problem.”

Ruwase, who acknowledge that the government had introduced some economic reforms to take the economy out of the woods, said a lot still needed to be done.

However, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was committed to creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

Adebayo said, “The relevant government agencies were working assiduously on initiatives and programmes to solve key areas of concerns, ranging from infrastructure, power supply to good road networks across the country.”

Abiola Odutola

Abiola has spent about 14 years in journalism. His career has covered some top local print media like TELL Magazine, Broad Street Journal, The Point Newspaper. The Bloomberg MEI alumni has interviewed some of the most influential figures of the IMF, G-20 Summit, Pre-G20 Central Bank Governors and Finance Ministers, Critical Communication World Conference. The multiple award winner is variously trained in business and markets journalism at Lagos Business School, and Pan-Atlantic University. You may contact him via email - [email protected]

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Coronavirus

FG approves N8.49billion to procure COVID-19 testing Kits, others

The fund is to procure 12 items in various quantities to strengthen the testing for COVID-19.

Published

3 hours ago

August 12, 2020

Abiola Odutola

President Muhammadu Buhari's full speech at China-Africa Extraordinary Summit on June 17, 2020

The federal government has approved N8.49 billion to procure 12 items in various quantities to strengthen the testing for COVID-19 by Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

The approval was given during the 11th virtual meeting of the Federal Executive Council presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday.

The approval was based on a memorandum presented to the council by the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire.

He was joined at the post-FEC press briefing by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed; and the Minister of Environment, Muhammad Mahmood.

He explained that the approval was made to further equip the NCDC to respond appropriately to the community transmission phase of the pandemic.

Coronavirus

COVID-19: Russia to start mass inoculation of vaccine this month as it insists on its safety

The vaccine is said to be undergoing Phase 3 trials, which is the final stage.

Published

5 hours ago

August 12, 2020

Chike Olisah

COVID-19: J&J starts vaccine trials on humans after success on monkeys

Russia has announced that it was going to start mass vaccination of the world’s first COVID-19 vaccine this month before the completion of clinical testing. This is just as it waved off concerns by the international community and some scientists about the safety of the vaccine.

These views were made known by the Russian Health Minister, Mikhail Murashko, on Wednesday, August 12, 2020, during a press briefing.

The Health Minister in his statement said, ‘’Western colleagues, who can sense the competitive advantage of the Russian drug, are trying to express some opinions that are completely unjustified in our view. This vaccine is a platform that is already well-known and studied,” he said, adding that other countries have developed antidotes under accelerated testing programs.’’

Murashko also said that the authorities plan to start inoculating medical workers and other risk groups within 2 weeks on a voluntary basis while pointing out that the vaccine will be made available to the general public from October.

Nairametrics had reported yesterday that the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, in a televised meeting, announced that Russia has registered the first COVID-19 vaccine in what they see as a propaganda coup amid the global race for the development of a vaccine against the coronavirus disease.

This announcement has raised a lot of international concerns with the German Health Minister, Jens Spahn, saying on Wednesday, that Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine has not been sufficiently tested, adding that the aim was to have a safe product rather than just being first to start vaccinating people.

He said in a radio chat that it’s not about being first but rather about having an effective, tested and safe vaccine.

Experts have expressed their concerns over Russia’s decision to grant approval before the final trials of the vaccine have been completed.

He said that as much as he will be pleased to have a good vaccine for the virus, he pointed out that the Russians are not disclosing much about this vaccine.

This vaccine which is developed by Gamaleya Institute in collaboration with the Defence Ministry and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), is said to be undergoing Phase 3 trials, which is the final stage.

However, a World Health Organization (WHO) database still lists the vaccine as still only in Phase 1 trial, which is the earliest stage.

The RDIF said that it can produce over 500 million doses of the new vaccine in a year in 5 countries, just as it disclosed that a minimum of 20 countries are currently interested in having access to these vaccines.

The WHO had earlier revealed that it is currently discussing with Russia and pointed out that in granting prequalification of the vaccine, a detailed review of data from clinical trials will be required.

Economy & Politics

FG completes 11 projects to drive Digital Economy

The government has been pushing the Digital Economy in a bid to diversify economic productivity.

Published

5 hours ago

August 12, 2020

William Ukpe

FG completes 11 projects to drive Digital Economy, FG orders NIPOST to stop cash transactions , Pantami moves to ban automatic voicemail service by telcos , Why Nigeria’s Data woes may not end soon , Pantami reacts to CBN’s ATM fee cut, keeps mute on directive to cut data cost , Pantami condemns FIRS move to collect stamp duty, MTN, Airtel, others disregarding Pantami’s voicemail, data directives on all front , FG warns State governments against RoW charge increase, FG reiterates commitment towards implementing broadband strategy ,FG reiterates commitment to 75% broadband penetration in 5 years

The Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy announced that it has completed 11 projects to drive its Digital Economy programme.

This was announced by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami, during the phase 2 commissioning of Nigeria’s Digital Economy drive.

The Nigerian Government has been pushing the Digital Economy in a bid to create growth and diversify economic productivity in the nation, starting with the Digital Economy drive which was added to the portfolio of the Ministry of Communications.

Nairametrics reported last month that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) also approved the creation of a Digital Economy Department, which will be responsible for promoting the digital economic agenda of the federal government. The department will renew the commission’s strategy for delivering its programmes and policies, and give the necessary push to promote the national digital economy.

The projects were launched with the supervision of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy and would be operated by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), National Information Technology Development Agency, (NITDA) Nigerian Postal Services (NIPOST ) and The Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) and would be located nationwide.