79th UNGA: US Chamber Of Commerce Commits $320m To Mortgage Financing, SMEs, Others In Nigeria

*** As VP Shettima assures of President Tinubu’s dedication to investor-friendly nation

By: Our Reporter

Nigeria’s participation at the 79th Session of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly recorded the first success on Monday, as the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration’s commitment towards mortgage refinancing and women empowerment received the support of the United States Chamber of Commerce with a commitment of about $320 million.

This is just as Vice President Kashim Shettima , who is leading the federal government delegation and representing President Tinubu at this year’s UNGA, has met with other members of Nigeria’s delegation to strategise on Nigeria’s engagements in New York.

At a US-Nigeria Executive Business Roundtable hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce, Nisha Biswal of the American International Development Finance Corporation announced that with a portfolio of $1 billion, it was investing $200 million in mortgage refinancing in Nigeria.

The sum of $100 million has been earmarked for FCMB to finance SMEs in Nigeria, with particular interest in women empowerment.

The US Chamber of Commerce also announced that $20 million has been approved for a firm, Robust International, for processing of cashew nuts in Nigeria.

Biswal said the American Chamber remained committed to working with Nigerians in the development and pursuit of sustainable economic policies.

Appreciating the gesture of the group, Vice President Shettima reiterated President Tinubu’s commitment to investor-friendly policies.

He stated: “I urge you to give Nigeria the benefit of the doubt. The current administration led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the most investor-friendly administration in the history of Nigeria. When fuel subsidy was an albatross around Nigeria’s neck, President Tinubu, from day one, hit the ground running by withdrawing the fuel subsidy and unifying the multiple opaque foreign exchange markets.”

Earlier on Monday, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, led other members to brief the Vice President on the activities and itinerary lined up for him in New York.

Tuggar outlined the programmes and activities, saying the Vice President is expected to deliver President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s national statement at the General Debate of the UN General Assembly.

Apart from President Tinubu’s national statement delivery, Vice President Kashim Shettima is also expected to meet with the Secretary General of the United Nations.

Aside other heads of states lined up to meet with the Vice President, there are also scheduled meetings with the head of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States; the President of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Director General of the International Atomic Agency, and multinational companies, among others.

Also on the itinerary of the Vice President is a meeting with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and a host of other international partners.

Top Nigerian officials present at the meeting included the Minister of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani; Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye; Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Geoffrey Nnaji; Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, and Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite.

Others are Minister of Solid Mineral Development, Dele Alake; Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Kunle Salako; Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar and Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed, among many others.

79th UNGA: US Chamber Of Commerce Commits $320m To Mortgage Financing, SMEs, Others In Nigeria

Seyi Tinubu donates over N500m to residents affected by flood…assures of 50 medical practitioners to handle health issues

By: Bodunrin kayode

Son of President Bola Tinubu, Seyi has donated N500m to residents of Maidugiri who were affected by the recent flood which left most of them in a state of shock and ruin.

Added to swelling the appeal funds for the residents, his recent visit to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, he also provided medical succor to hundreds of residents affected by the devastating flood that ravaged the city.

Accompanied by his kid brother Yinka, friends, and associates, Seyi expressed sympathy to Governor Babagana Zulum over the flood disaster and subsequent loss of lives by some residents who were taken unawares when the raging Dam water came knocking their homes in the wee hours of 10th September.

Seyi, known for his philanthropic efforts, especially towards youth empowerment, emphasized that this visit was just the beginning of his commitment to alleviating the suffering of young people impacted by the unfortunate flood.

He praised the resilience of the people of Borno State, who have faced numerous challenges in recent years, and expressed optimism that the state will emerge stronger from this tragedy.

Seyi’s donation included essential items such as food, medications, and household necessities.

Specifically, Seyi provided the following: Food Items: “cartons of spaghetti, tomato paste, groundnut oil, salt, bags of flour, rice, maize, Maggie, thousands of loaves of bread, and other staples

” Medical Supplies: critical prescriptions for almost 50,000 children and adults, including anti-malarials, anti-hypertensives, antiparasitics, anti-diabetics, analgesics, and antibiotics.

“Household Necessities: 10,000 pieces of mosquito nets, blankets, mattresses, kettles, wrappers, buckets, mats, sanitary pads, and wash kits.”

Seyi’s efforts were commended by Chidi, a transport and logistics expert, and Isaac Balami, a renowned aviator, who praised his empathy and commitment to supporting young people.

His visit and donation demonstrates his dedication to helping those in need and promoting unity and strength in the face of adversity.

About 50 doctors have been contributed to assist in health emergency managements.

Seyi Tinubu donates over N500m to residents affected by flood…assures of 50 medical practitioners to handle health issues

Moving Minds Alliance Urges World Leaders to Prioritise Early Childhood Development in Crisis Context at Summit for the Future

By: Michael Mike

As world leaders convene to reaffirm commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) , produce an inter-governmentally negotiated, action-oriented Pact for the Future and forge a new consensus on multilateral solutions at the ongoing Summit of the Future in New York, the Moving Minds Alliance (MMA) has urged for prioritization of early childhood development in emergencies (ECDiE) for refugee, displaced, and host community children aged 0-8 and their caregivers.

A statement on Sunday by Lola Ayanda, Network Communications Manager
Moving Minds Alliance – International Rescue Committee UK, said in 2023 alone, over 10 million children were displaced.

The statement quoted MMA Director, Tricia Young to have said: “While all children in low-resource settings can face immense obstacles to attaining their full potential, those displaced, especially in crisis and conflict zones, are at a higher risk of physical, developmental, mental, and emotional harm. Hence deliberate efforts must be made to address their holistic and nurturing care needs.”,.

According to the statement: Early childhood development programming in humanitarian contexts faces unique challenges due to its cross-sectoral nature, encompassing health, nutrition, education, WASH, and protection. This multifaceted approach often struggles to find a clear place within the typically siloed humanitarian system, resulting in peripheral implementation rather than integration into standard procedures.

It added that effective ECD programmes require coordination across five key domains of child development: stimulation, education, health, nutrition, and protection. This necessitates strong collaboration among all sectors and the inclusion of support for parents and caregivers to provide nurturing care.

Moving Minds Alliance (MMA) in its Position Paper therefore urged that the Future summit discussions should prioritise specific actions and commitments on for governments, funders and INGOs as follows:

Governments should develop Inclusive National ECDiE Policies by establishing and fund comprehensive policies that include refugee children and their host communities, with these policies prioritizing quality and gender-transformative services, ensuring that children in all their diversity have equal opportunities to thrive.

It posited that “by investing in integrated ECD programmes, governments can enhance social cohesion between displaced populations and host communities, reducing potential conflicts and contributing to national stability and security. By fostering a culture of equity, peaceful conflict resolution, non-violence, diversity, empathy, and positive relationships, we create enabling environments that support children’s optimal development. These nurturing conditions not only benefit the children themselves but also have far-reaching positive impacts on their families, communities, and countries.”

It added that donors, funders, and philanthropic organisations should invest in High-Impact ECDiE Interventions, meaning that donors should allocate at least 10% of humanitarian funding to ECDiE programmes, ensuring early, equitable, and quality investments that lay the foundation for long- term societal benefits, with this including supporting local ECD actors with cultural and community expertise and increasing unrestricted multi-year, flexible funding to local and refugee-led organisations supporting children in humanitarian and development settings.

It also stated that funders should prioritise direct funding to local, national, and community organisations, noting that these stakeholders understand their communities and have the on-the-ground knowledge and capability to implement culturally relevant and sustainable ECD programmes, which are crucial for addressing the needs of displaced and crisis-affected populations and host communities.

It advised that development and humanitarian partners should prioritize ECD in Crisis Response, stressing that humanitarian organisations must integrate holistic multisectoral ECD within their core programming, ensuring that children aged 0-8 and their caregivers receive comprehensive support, urging that this integration should span the health, protection, education, and nutrition sectors.

It also advised that there should be enhance accountability and effectiveness, which should be collecting and reporting data disaggregated by age, sex, and disability to identify gaps in service provision and ensure accountability, as the data-driven approach will inform the design and implementation of more effective programmes for young children in crisis contexts.

It also called for strengthening of capacity sharing and coordination, urging humanitarian actors to support successful local solutions rather than displace them, and that they should foster effective coordination and communication mechanisms that empower local actors, ensuring that ECD interventions are culturally appropriate and sustainable.

It said the implementation of these recommendations will not only advance progress towards multiple SDGs but contribute to building more resilient, peaceful, and prosperous societies, adding that: “As we approach the 2030 deadline for the SDGs, the integration of ECDiE into national and international development strategies represents a critical opportunity to “leave no one behind” and secure a brighter future for generations to come.

“By embracing the principles outlined in the Pact for the Future and prioritising integrated approaches like ECDiE, we can accelerate progress towards sustainable development, thereby creating a world where every child, regardless of their circumstances, has the opportunity to thrive and contribute to a more equitable and sustainable future.”

Moving Minds Alliance Urges World Leaders to Prioritise Early Childhood Development in Crisis Context at Summit for the Future