Connect with us

News

Nigeria Looks to World Bank to Tackle Challenges of National Capital Accounting

Published

on

Nigeria Looks to World Bank to Tackle Challenges of National Capital Accounting

By: Michael Mike

As the world marks the 2025 Environment Day, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has appealed to the World Bank for support on capacity building, data and in addressing the challenges poised by Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) in the country.

Head of Department, National Accounts Energy and Environment at the NBS, Dr. Baba Madu made the appeal at the 2025 Natural Capital Accounting (NCA) Conference on Thursday in Abuja with support from the World Bank in. collaboration with the NBS and the Federal Ministry of Environment.

Madu while noting that the NCA was a new area Nigeria must exploit to further boost the nation’s economy, said for Nigeria to grow and be at par with other developed nations, there was need to account for her natural resources.

He said: “NCA has been tasked with the crucial role of integrating natural capital into economic measurement. It is impossible to measure the economy accurately without accounting for natural resources. Issues such as environmental degradation, afforestation, desertification, and climate change all directly impact productivity.

“Productivity in turn, influences output—one of the core components of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). These environmental factors must be reflected across all economic activity sectors to present a more accurate picture of national output.”

While stating that Nigeria currently has data on NCA in Nigeria, the NBS official however raised concerns over the huge data gap from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the environment sector.

He said: “We are not doing badly but we need to improve on what we are doing. In terms of data sources, I can tell you there’s a big gap because these are new areas needed to be exploited.”

Programme Leader on Sustainable Development at the World Bank, Vina Vutukuru, said there was need to jointly
explore the vital role of national accounting in national development plans and to brainstorm on how Nigeria could institutionalize it.

He said: “Establishing the national capital accounting as part of the national account system will allow us to measure the economic value of ecosystem services such as clean air, water and biodiversity which are essential for our well-being and economic prosperity.”

Vutukuru commended Nigeria for having “very bold ambitions” as far as responding to climate change was concerned saying, “That shows the commitment of the policy makers here towards the issue of climate.

“But I think to back up that aspiration and the aggressive goals that Nigeria has set for itself, the foundational thing for those goals to materialize those objectives to come true is a very strong natural account system.”

Head of Media, National Council on Climate Change Secretariat (NCCCS), Chioma Azie who represented her Director General, Dr. Nkiruka Maduekwe at the event, described Nigeria as a very ambitious country, stressing that natural resources was instrumental to achieving all the objective of climate action.

She said: “Technology, policy reforms, behavioral changes has a role to play but natural resources is very key because they’re underpinning the mitigation and adaptation for climate action.

“If you look at Nigeria’s NDC, the NCA is an avenue to provide raw materials that we could use to develop mitigation and adaptation strategies.

“If you look at what we have done in terms of this NDC in 2020.which is the second leg of the NDC, we identified a lot of mitigation activities within this mentioned sectors of ours. In agricultural sector we talked about smart agriculture. What is smart agriculture without natural resources?

“We talked about biomass, what is biomass without natural resources? We also spoke about land use changes and that is natural resources, we talk about natural solutions and we talked about also afforestation, reafforestation. Those are mitigation potentials of our NDC. So, we cannot achieve our NDC without SEEA.

“What you cannot be able to account for is recorded as if it is not done so if we know what is existing in terms of the reservoirs we have for natural resources, it can inform the scope of the mitigation activities we’re going to be imputing in the NDC 3.0,” she said.

Nigeria Looks to World Bank to Tackle Challenges of National Capital Accounting

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

Immigration Comptroller General Advises Personnel on Excellent Service to Clients

Published

on

Immigration Comptroller General Advises Personnel on Excellent Service to Clients

By: Michael Mike

The Federal Government has charged personnel of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to continue to offer excellent services to its clients, declaring that efficient customer service is a right and not a privilege.

Comptroller General of the Immigration Service (CGIS), Kemi Nandap, gave the charge in Abuja when she declared open the 2025 SERVICOM Customer Service Week.

She assured that the Service is on an irreversible path of reform, modernization and improved transparency in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The CGIS noted that the week-long event, themed “Mission Possible” with the NIS sub-theme “Meeting and Exceeding Expectations”, was an opportunity for officers to recommit themselves to the principles of courtesy, timeliness and citizens-centered service delivery.

She said: “The Nigeria Immigration Service must not only meet expectations but exceed them. Every passport issued, every permit processed, every encounter at our borders is a test of our professionalism and integrity. We must continue to build public trust and prove that we are a Service that delivers”, the CGIS declared.

She noted that on assuming office in 2024, she raised concerns over negative practices that dented the Service’s image and challenged officers to “go back to the drawing board.”

Nandap said that directive resulted in far-reaching reforms, including the passport automation and contactless processing system, designed to minimize physical interaction and eliminate bottlenecks.

She highlighted that: “Others are the deployment of e-gates and body cameras at airports, enhancing border security while promoting transparency; Intensified sensitization campaigns across formations to combat corruption and entrench professionalism.

“These reforms are already paying off,” she noted, citing improved national ratings, commendations and awards recently received by the NIS at government performance review retreats.

Nandap however urged NIS personnel nationwide to use the 2025 Customer Service Week as an opportunity to recommit themselves to exceeding public expectations, charging officers to uphold the Service’s reputation at all times.

She added that: “This celebration is not for fanfare. It is a solemn call to renew our pledge of service and to institutionalize transparency, courtesy and excellence as our standard culture.”

Earlier, Special Assistant to the CGIS on SERVICOM and Reform Champion, Barr. Muhammad Awwal Abubakar, a deputy comptroller of immigration, described the Customer Service Week as “a call to reflection, action and renewal.”

He emphasized that the global theme “Mission Possible” challenges public institutions to see obstacles as opportunities for innovation rather than excuses for inefficiency.

“Customer service is not a privilege given by government institutions but a right owed to the people. Our duty is to ensure that every interaction with the NIS leaves citizens and travelers with confidence in our integrity and efficiency”, Abubakar said.

The 2025 NIS SERVICOM Customer Service Week will feature activities across commands and formations nationwide, highlighting innovation, best practices and the Service’s ongoing transformation agenda.

Immigration Comptroller General Advises Personnel on Excellent Service to Clients

Continue Reading

Crime

Herdsman, 36 cows shot dead in fresh unprovoked attack in Plateau

Published

on

Herdsman, 36 cows shot dead in fresh unprovoked attack in Plateau

By: Zagazola Makama

A herdsman has been killed and 36 cows shot dead by unknown assailants in a fresh attack at Ndinn village, Fan District of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Zagazola Makama report that the incident, which occurred on Monday evening, is the latest undocumented violent attacks that have continued to claim lives and property in parts of the state.

Witnesses said the attackers ambushed the herder, identified as Abubakar Alhaji Woda, while he was grazing his cattle, and shot him dead before opening fire on his herd, killing 36 cows on the spot.

Residents described the attack as unprovoked and expressed concern over the growing wave of insecurity in rural parts of Barkin Ladi and neighbouring local government areas.

They lamented that despite several similar attacks in recent weeks, no arrests have been made, and the perpetrators continue to operate with impunity.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the FUYODA Riyom chapter coordinator, Muhammad Saidu, described the attack as “a heartbreaking reminder of the persistent insecurity and injustice faced by peaceful Fulani communities in Plateau.”

“We strongly condemn this act of violence and call on the relevant authorities to ensure that justice is served,” Saidu said.

He prayed for the repose of the deceased’s soul and called on the government to take decisive steps to restore confidence among pastoral communities who continue to suffer silent losses in the ongoing communal crisis.

“May Almighty Allah grant Abubakar Alhaji Woda Jannatul Firdaus, forgive his shortcomings, and comfort his family with patience and strength during this difficult time,” he added.

However, as of the time of filing this report, there has been no official statement from the Plateau State Government or security agencies regarding the attack.

Zagazola report that the recurring cycle of violence in Plateau State has often been reported only from the angle of reprisals, while several attacks on herders go undocumented or receive limited attention.

Community leaders have called on security operatives to fish out the perpetrators and ensure justice is served to prevent further escalation of hostilities in the area.

Herdsman, 36 cows shot dead in fresh unprovoked attack in Plateau

Continue Reading

News

Fact-finding committee says all ethnic groups involved in Plateau crisis

Published

on

Fact-finding committee says all ethnic groups involved in Plateau crisis

By: Zagazola Makama

Maj.-Gen. Rogers Ibe Nicholas (rtd), Chairman of the Fact-Finding Committee on Insecurity in Plateau State, says the crisis in the state involves both indigenes and non-indigenes across all ethnic and religious divides.

Nicholas, a former Commander of Operation Safe Haven, made this known while reacting to reports that the committee’s findings had indicted Fulani herdsmen as the aggressors in the prolonged conflict.

He clarified that the committee’s report, submitted last month to Governor Caleb Mutfwang, did not attribute blame to any single ethnic group, stressing that the violence in Plateau was a multi-dimensional problem involving various communities.

“The committee was set up by the state government to make findings and recommendations, which have been submitted to the government. The document is still classified until a white paper is issued,” Nicholas said.

He explained that during the committee’s engagements with community leaders across the state, it became evident that all sides had suffered and contributed to the cycle of violence.

“I think people need to be corrected based on the statement that Fulani are the ones causing the problem. The report did not say that,” he stated.

“While we are clear, everybody — all the ethnic groups in Plateau — are in one way or another involved in the crisis. In some areas, fingers have been pointed at particular groups, but our findings show that every community has played a part,” Nicholas added.

He further noted that many of the attacks in the state were reprisals triggered by earlier assaults, which often led to further bloodshed and destruction of property.

Nicholas maintained that the committee’s recommendations, once made public, would help guide the government in addressing the root causes of the conflict and fostering lasting peace in the state.

Fact-finding committee says all ethnic groups involved in Plateau crisis

Continue Reading

Trending

Verified by MonsterInsights