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Nigeria: 25 states to get $500m W’Bank loan

Published

2 weeks ago

November 27, 2024

In Nigeria, 25 state governments will benefit from the $500m World Bank loan to strengthen hydropower and irrigation water resource management.

The Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation and the Ministry of Power signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the World Bank on Tuesday to execute the Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria project.

In attendance were Prof. Joseph Utsev, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, and Adebayo Adelabu, Minister of Power. Bolaji Tunji, Special Adviser to the Minister of Power on Strategic Communication and Media Relations, announced the development in Abuja.

Niger, Gombe, Sokoto, Enugu, Bauchi, Cross River, Nasarawa, Ekiti, Kebbi, Plateau, Ebonyi, Zamfara, Abia, Kwara, Imo, Taraba, Kano, Delta, Osun, Jigawa, Edo, and Kogi are the states.

The effort seeks to improve dam safety, water resource management, hydropower, and irrigation systems nationwide.

“The Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation and the Ministry of Power have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to implement the Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria project.

“The 500 million dollar World Bank SPIN project aims to enhance dam safety and improve water resource management for hydropower and irrigation across 25 states.

In his speech, Power Minister Adebayo Adelabu stressed the partnership’s role in sustainable hydropower development and energy security.

Even though the country has tremendous water resources, just 2% of its 14-gigawatt hydropower potential has been used, leaving huge chances unmet.

He said, “Hydropower currently contributes about 20% of Nigeria’s grid supply, with a potential estimated at 14GW (14000 megawatts) of which only 15 per cent has been tapped.

“This collaboration underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to leveraging our natural resources for sustainable development.

“Through SPIN, we aim to optimize water resources to provide clean and reliable energy while supporting irrigation and agriculture for enhanced food security.”

Adelabu highlighted the MoU as a key step toward harnessing renewable energy, optimizing natural resources, and diversifying the energy mix in line with the Nigeria Energy Transition Plan.

He noted the initiative’s potential to transform the energy landscape and provide sustainable power for millions.

He further stated that under the current federal government administration, measures such as the Electricity Act 2023 are decentralizing the electricity market and enabling subnational governments’ participation.

Adelabu stressed the role of decentralized power systems in enhancing reliability and reducing risks to the national grid.

He also pointed out northern Nigeria’s solar potential, with 8 to 12 hours of daily sunshine, and reaffirmed the commitment to leveraging hydropower and fostering partnerships for a sustainable energy future.

Utsev described the SPIN project as pivotal to boosting food production, creating jobs, and strengthening Nigeria’s economy.

He commended the World Bank as a trusted partner in the country’s development, highlighting the Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria project, which concludes in January 2025, as a foundation for innovative solutions in water and agriculture.

As Chairman of the SPIN Preparatory Team, Utsev reaffirmed the ministries’ and partners’ full commitment to the project’s success, expressing confidence in its potential to address Nigeria’s irrigation needs and deliver significant benefits to citizens.

“We are confident that the SPIN project will build on this legacy by boosting food production and meeting the irrigation needs of our growing population,” he added.

“Our collective efforts have brought us to this significant moment, and I am confident that SPIN will deliver the tangible benefits Nigerians are eagerly anticipating,” he said.

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Egypt’s November inflation drops to 25.5%, near 2-year low

Published

1 day ago

December 11, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

According to figures released Tuesday by statistics agency CAPMAS, Egypt’s annual urban consumer price inflation rate fell more than anticipated to 25.5% in November, the lowest level since December 2022.

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which caused international investors to pull billions of dollars out of Egyptian treasury markets, inflation started to rise sharply in early 2022.

In September 2023, headline inflation reached a record high of 38.0%. It dropped to 26.5% by October 2024.

In a Reuters survey last month, 15 economists’ consensus prediction was for annual inflation to gradually decline to 26.4%.

According to CAPMAS statistics, headline inflation decreased from 1.1% in October to 0.5% in November every month.

Compared to October, when they fell 1.1%, food costs fell 2.8% over the month, making them 23.3% more than they were a year ago.

An increase in the money supply has been a major contributor to inflation. According to central bank data, Egypt’s M2 money supply increased by 29.54% in October compared to the same month last year.

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Nigeria creates N20bn consumer credit fund for domestic automakers

Published

3 days ago

December 9, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

In an attempt to increase demand for cars built domestically, the Nigerian government has established a N20 billion consumer credit facility programme.

The goal of the programme, which is run by the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (Credicorp), is to keep customer interest rates to single digit.

The fund aims to remove obstacles that consumers face when purchasing cars on credit, according to Credicorp Managing Director/CEO Engr. Uzoma Nwagba, who spoke at the official launch/agreement signing between Credicorp and the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) in Abuja.

Nwagba said that the credit economy contributed to the creation of jobs and wealth for Nigerians as well as to the enhancement of residents’ quality of life.

According to him, the government is dedicated to helping the industry in order to guarantee its expansion and survival. According to him, the N20 billion fund was only the start, and if the initial support proves effective, the government intends to create a larger fund.

Earlier, Mr. Joseph Osanipin, the Director General of NADDC, stated that the industry’s expansion depends on the demand side of the car market being improved.

According to Osanipin, credit programs enable consumers to acquire brand-new cars of their choosing, but in the majority of prosperous nations, people do not pay cash for cars and other autos.

According to him, the program, which covers all types of autos such cars, vans, tricycles, and motorbikes, is available to all Nigerians and involves automakers that produce or assemble their goods entirely domestically.