International
Nigerians in New York bemoan shortage of passport booklets
Nigerians in New York bemoan shortage of passport booklets
Nigerians in New York, under the aegis of the Organisation for the Advancement of Nigerians (OAN Inc.), have expressed dissatisfaction over the shortage of passport booklets at Nigeria Consulates in the U.S.
They are calling on the Nigeria government to release adequate passport booklets for its missions in the U.S. and across the globe, noting that passport insurance is a basic service that every citizen should enjoy without stress.
Officials of the association who spoke at a virtual Town Hall meeting in New York, frowned at the shortage and urged the Nigeria government to ship enough booklets to missions abroad to enable them to clear backlogs.
According to the officials of OAN, the Nigeria Consulate in New York has a backlog of about 7,000 passports.
Mr Yinka Dansalami, Chairman, Board of OAN, said the members of the community had been calling and asking about the delay in getting their passports as some had applied close to five months without doing biometrics.
“We are very concerned about the development and the effect on the members, especially during this summer due to heavy holiday travels and during December,” he said.
Mr Francis James, a leader at the organisation said the shortage of the booklet had hindered the progress recorded in its advocacy work to ensure improved services at the Consulate.
He said the OAN had been engaging the Consul-General (CG), Amb. Lot Egopija, and he has been doing his best to improve on consular services until the challenge of shortage of passport booklets set it.
The official said prior to June 28, passport insurance had stopped for four weeks at the Consulate in New York.
“We know those who had their biometrics done as of Feb. 4 had not collected their passports because of shortage of booklets, the Consulate stopped on Feb. 3.
“We know the Consulate in New York has a backlog of about 7,000 passports that needed to be issued. We don’t have the numbers for our missions in Atlanta and Washington D.C.
“We suspect that the number could also be very high.
“We know that as of Wednesday, we received word that 2,000 passport booklets had been delivered so it means they will start processing passports from Feb. 4,” he said.
James said prior to the Feb. 3, the Consulate was already four months behind, meaning that those who did biometric as of June 28 would not get their passports ready until sometime in October.
“If your biometrics is done in August, your passport will not be ready until February 2023. Where in the world will take eight months for a citizen of a nation to get his passport?” he asked.
According to him, most of the issues are not within the control of Embassies and Consulates in diaspora but the way government has set up its Immigration Service under the supervision of Ministry of Interior.
In addition, he said the Centralised Portal recently inaugurated by the Nigerian Immigration Service, which made the Consulate in New York to discontinue its appointment portal was not friendly, noting that the earliest day one can get on the portal now is Oct. 28, that is, four months in advance.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, had on June 16 denied shortage of passport booklets in Nigeria, saying the country was contending with ‘human challenges.’
“We don’t understand what the minister meant by human challenges but whatever it is, it should be addressed because if not, Nigerians will be so frustrated, and they will not be able to travel home in December,” James said.
OAN Inc. was founded in 1989 by a group of concerned Nigerians to address the needs of the Nigerian community.
Nigerians in New York bemoan shortage of passport booklets
International
Nigeria Congratulates Trump on Election as US President
Nigeria Congratulates Trump on Election as US President
By: Michael Mike
The Nigerian government has congratulated the Republican candidate in the United States of America presidential election, Donald Trump for his victory at the poll.
The Nigerian government in a statement on Wednesday signed by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Eche Abu-Obe wish the 45th president who has been elected by the reason of the election as the 47th president great success.
The statement read: “Federal Republic of Nigeria wishes to congratulate incoming President Donald Trump on his victory as the next President of the United States of America.
“Nigeria wishes the 47th President of the United States of America great success in steering the affairs of the country and further assures of continued support and cooperation in matters of international peace and security.
“The Federal Republic of Nigeria applauds the Democratic contestant, Kamala Harris, for her efforts and contributions during her tenure as the Vice President of the United States of America.
“In the same vein, Nigeria also applauds outgoing President, Joe Biden, for his leadership and service to the American people.”
International
UK’s Royal Fleet Auxiliary Vessel Visits Nigeria
UK’s Royal Fleet Auxiliary Vessel Visits Nigeria
By: Michael Mike
RFA Lyme Bay, a United Kingdom Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) vessel, has arrived in Premiere Port (Apapa Quays) Lagos, Nigeria, as part of a Defence Engagement programme across West African partner nations.
The visit is part of the maritime co-operation agreed under the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership in February 2024.
A statement on Wednesday said whilst in Nigeria, Lyme Bay, will conduct a variety of Defence Engagement activities including ship tours and the hosting of national dignitaries. Operationally, the ship will facilitate maritime capability training utilising embarked UK Royal Marines boarding and search teams to conduct drills and interoperability training with their Nigeria Navy counterparts.
On completion of the visit, RFA Lyme Bay will participate in Exercise Grand African Nemo, a multinational maritime security exercise, involving Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian and Nigerian Naval forces off the coast of Nigeria.
Speaking on the Ship’s arrival, the UK Deputy Defence Adviser to Nigeria, Commander Jonathan Howe said: “The UK is committed to improving regional maritime security, as well as increasing Nigeria’s ability to constrain security threats ranging from piracy, violent extremist organisations. This deployment demonstrates our pledge to work with the Nigeria Government to tackle shared international security challenges and help improve maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.”
Lyme Bay’s Commanding Officer, Commander, Capt James Wingrove RFA, said: “It is a great privilege to bring RFA Lyme Bay alongside in Nigeria. The opportunity for my ships’ company and embarked forces to visit the region presents an exciting prospect whilst the ability to train alongside our Nigerian counterparts to hone skills, improve capability and demonstrate our interoperability is extremely valuable”.
UK’s Royal Fleet Auxiliary Vessel Visits Nigeria
International
UK-backed AFEX Celebrates 10 Years of Driving Agricultural Growth and Food Security Across Africa
UK-backed AFEX Celebrates 10 Years of Driving Agricultural Growth and Food Security Across Africa
By: Michael Mike
A leading commodities player in Africa, AFEX, with support from the UK Government, has significant achievements across Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, and Côte d’Ivoire, as it commemorates its 10th year reshaping the agriculture value chain in Africa, contributing to building sustainable food systems and creating lasting impact for farmers, agribusinesses, and communities.
Through their operations providing capital and storage infrastructure to farmers, processors and other parts of the value chain, AFEX has remained steadfast in its mission to enhance food security, reduce post-harvest losses, and introduce liquidity into agricultural markets through efficient market structures.
Established in 2014 as the first private commodities exchange in Nigeria, AFEX has directly supported smallholder farmers by providing them with access to finance, high-value market opportunities, and crucial extension services. This has not only improved the livelihoods of these farmers but also enhanced their productivity and overall output. Within the same period, AFEX has also grown its presence across the continent, expanding from Nigeria into Kenya, Uganda, and Côte d’Ivoire, and establishing regional commodity markets that facilitate cross-border trade while strengthening food systems throughout these regions.
In Nigeria, AFEX has expanded its farmer network to over 500,000 and traded over 1 million metric tons of essential crops such as maize, rice, sorghum, and soybeans. This trading volume has made a significant contribution to improving food availability and stability in its operational areas. Furthermore, through its financing platform, AFEX has injected over $250 million into agricultural value chains, ensuring that farmers have access to the capital they need to scale their production.
Since expanding into Kenya and Uganda in 2021 and 2022, AFEX has been bullish in the pursuit of their strategic Pan-African expansion goal to penetrate 8 African countries in the next decade, promoting the efficient trade of commodities in Africa while supporting the AFCFTA’s objectives to boost regional trade integration on the continent. Today, its East African operations have impacted over 30,000 farmers through financing and storage services, traded over 12,000 metric tonne and traded about KSH1,600,000,000. In its newest market, Côte d’Ivoire, announced at the beginning of 2024, AFEX has onboarded over a thousand farmers, and disbursed maize inputs across 155 hectares, boosting productivity and food self-sufficiency.
Commenting on the anniversary, the UK’s Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Mr. Jonny Baxter, said: “The UK is proud to have provided early-stage funding to AFEX 10 years ago, and to see the company grow with such success, enhancing agricultural productivity and bolstering food security in Nigeria. The agricultural sector stands as a vital pillar to Nigeria’s economy, playing a significant role in job creation and investment potential. We look forward to continuing to support Nigeria’s agriculture sector and the opportunities this provides for its economic growth.”
Group CEO, AFEX, Ayodeji Balogun, reflected on the company’s 10-year journey, stating, “These past 10 years have been about creating innovative solutions for African agriculture and developing sustainable ecosystems that empower farmers. As we mark this milestone on World Food Day, we are reminded that our mission is more critical than ever. Our goal is to continue building the infrastructure and platforms that will secure Africa’s food future.”
Speaking about British International Investment’s $26.5 million commitment to AFEX in 2023, Nigeria Coverage Director of the UK’s development finance institution (DFI), Mr. Benson Adenuga said: “We are delighted to partner with AFEX to provide the necessary support to scale into a pan-African champion, driving agribusiness and strengthening food systems in multiple countries across the continent. Our commitment will support AFEX to construct 20 warehouses in strategic locations in Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda, increasing storage capacity for up to 200,000 farmers and underlining our mandate to support ambitious businesses in Africa”.
A key element of AFEX’s impact lies in its investment in infrastructure. Over the past decade, the company has developed a robust network of more than 200 warehouses across Africa, providing secure storage for agricultural produce and reducing post-harvest losses by up to 30% in some regions. By reducing post-harvest losses and improving productivity, AFEX is playing a critical role in enhancing food security, addressing the challenges of climate change and promoting sustainable agricultural practices across Africa. This commitment mirrors the global call to action on World Food Day to ensure that food systems are inclusive, resilient, and capable of feeding future generations.
AFEX is a platform business that enables efficient trade for commodities in Africa. Solutions start at producer level, ensuring improvement in productivity and livelihoods while building up commodity volumes in the right quality and quantity for local and regional trade.
Operating through three business units, AFEX addresses the challenges faced by smallholder farmers, providing better access to inputs, credit facilities, micro-insurance, storage services, training, and markets. Partnership with different key players across the agricultural value chain – including processors, logistics service providers, financial institutions, and regulatory authorities – makes its goal of supporting Africa’s food security possible.
A range of clients and members also trade physical commodities and commodity contracts through AFEX’s technology platforms, as AFEX continuously bridges the gap between the capital market and the commodities market, thus unlocking finance for production, trade, processing and export of commodities.
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