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HUNGER: AFDB Approves $134 Million Grant To Support Agriculture In Nigeria
The African Development Bank (AfDB) says it is supporting Nigeria with $134 million for the cultivation of rice, maize, cassava and soybeans to boost food production.
Akinwumi Adesina, president of the AfDB, disclosed this on Saturday after visiting the Centre for Dryland Agriculture (CDA) at Bayero University, Kano.
Adesina said the bank would support Nigeria in cultivating 300,000 hectares of rice and maize, 150,000 hectares of cassava and 50,000 hectares of soybeans during the 2024 planting season.
“This March, the AfDB is supporting Nigeria to cultivate 118,000 hectares of heat-tolerant varieties of wheat and another 150,000 hectares of maize,” Adesina said.
“We live in an era of climate change and yet only 3 percent of African agriculture is under irrigation. We have to make sure we help our farmers with information that is timely and appropriate.
“We have no alternative but to adapt to climate change; adopt better ways of using water, particularly in the cultivation of dry land crops that are more resilient and tolerant.”
The economist said the AfDB would provide grants for the CDA and collaborate with it to become a centre used for the prediction of weather patterns and the gathering of information that would make farmers plan better.
“We will work with the centre to become one of the centres of excellence in technology,” he said.
“We will also support youths to develop their business ideas into reality with our 20,000-dollar grant on `Agri Pitch’ and `Agri Hacking’.”
Adesina commended Sagir Adamu-Abbas, the vice-chancellor of Bayero University, and Jibrin Mohammed-Jibrin, director of CDA, for assisting farmers with access to technology in the face of climate change.
In his remarks, Mohammed-Jibrin said the CDA is renowned for its research and teaching in development initiatives, focusing on dry land agriculture.
“The centre is dedicated to improving livelihoods, resilience and sustainable use of natural resources in African drylands through training and demand-driven research,” he said.
He said the CDA had received several World Bank grants for research and had so far enrolled about 1,153 doctorate and masters’ degree students and trained farmers in agro-ecological practices.
CDA is a World Bank-supported centre established to serve as a regional training hub for the West and Central African sub-regions.
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Just in :INEC announces date for Anambra governorship election
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed the date for the Anambra governorship election.
Addressing representatives of political parties at the INEC headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, October 17, INEC national chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu said the election will be held on Saturday 8th November 2025.
Hear him: “As you are aware, the last governorship election in Anambra State was held on 6th November 2021. By the effluxion of time, the governorship election is due next year.
In compliance with the mandatory requirement of 360 days, the formal notice for the election will be published on 13th November 2024. Party primaries will be held from 20th March 2025 to 10th April 2025.
“The candidate nomination portal will open at 9.00 am on 18th April 2025 and close at 6.00 pm on 12th May 2025. The final list of candidates will be published on 9th June 2025.
“Campaign in public by political parties will commence on 11th June 2025 and end at midnight of Thursday 6th November 2025. Voting will take place in all the 5,720 Polling Units across the State on Saturday 8th November 2025.
In compliance with the mandatory requirement of 360 days, the formal notice for the election will be published on 13th November 2024. Party primaries will be held from 20th March 2025 to 10th April 2025.
“The candidate nomination portal will open at 9.00 am on 18th April 2025 and close at 6.00 pm on 12th May 2025. The final list of candidates will be published on 9th June 2025.
“Campaign in public by political parties will commence on 11th June 2025 and end at midnight of Thursday 6th November 2025. Voting will take place in all the 5,720 Polling Units across the State on Saturday 8th November 2025.
The candidate nomination portal will open at 9.00 am on 18th April 2025 and close at 6.00 pm on 12th May 2025. The final list of candidates will be published on 9th June 2025.
“Campaign in public by political parties will commence on 11th June 2025 and end at midnight of Thursday 6th November 2025. Voting will take place in all the 5,720 Polling Units across the State on Saturday 8th November 2025.
“In the coming weeks, the Commission will provide details of other electoral activities, including the registration of new voters, transfer of voters and the replacement of lost or damaged PVCs.
“The detailed Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2025 Anambra State Governorship election will be uploaded to our website and social media platforms before the end of this meeting.”
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Despite heavy hunger, World Bank Tells Nigerians Not To Oppose, Reverse Tinubu’s Economic Reforms
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Despite hunger, World Bank has urged Nigerians to support the ongoing economic reforms, warning that opposing or reversing them could have serious negative consequences for the country.
Speaking at the launch of the Nigeria Development Update (NDU) report in Abuja, the World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Dr. Ndiame Diop, emphasized that while the reforms may be challenging, they are crucial for the nation’s long-term stability.
Dr. Diop cautioned that rolling back these reforms would be detrimental, saying, “Reversing the reforms would spell doom for Nigeria.”
In the same vein, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, reiterated the importance of staying committed to the reforms. He stated, “Any effort that is not sustained will be a waste. Together with the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Minister of Budget and National Planning, we’ve been discussing how to stay on course.”
Edun further explained that the government’s focus is on reducing inflation while ensuring investments flow into critical sectors such as industry, where jobs can be created. “We are prioritizing market pricing and sat down with labor unions to explain why we cannot afford to let this opportunity slip.”
On the removal of subsidies, Edun noted, “Every day without subsidies means more funds available for education, healthcare, and other essential expenditures.”
Also speaking, Central Bank Governor Mr. Olayemi Cardoso highlighted the importance of promoting exports in light of the exchange rate adjustments. “The moderation in the FX rate should make our goods more competitive for export and discourage the importation of unnecessary goods,” he said
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