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VP SHETTIMA AT NEC MEETING:
VP SHETTIMA AT NEC MEETING:
We Must Form Strong Alliance To End Poverty, Improve Lives Of Nigerians
*** As Council takes key decisions on flood, nutrition, state police, polio
*** Endorses N-774 Programme on Nutrition as states acknowledge receipt of N3b flood, disaster grant
By: Our Reporter
The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima has called for a formidable alliance among key players in government at all levels as well as development partners in the bid to wriggle Nigerians out of poverty and enhance the quality of life for all the citizens.
This, he said, will never happen if all those involved in the business of governance do not align with one another to create an environment where every Nigerian has the opportunity to thrive.
Senator Shettima who spoke on Wednesday during the 144th meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, suggested ways to address the immediate needs of the citizens, including building sustainable systems that empower them to become self-reliant and prosperous.
He however acknowledged that even though the problems inherited by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu cannot be solved overnight despite the long-term solutions in progress, Nigerians are in urgent need of quick, impactful measures.
“Our commitment to alleviating poverty and enhancing the quality of life for all Nigerians will never materialize if we do not align with one another. We must strive to create an environment where every Nigerian has the opportunity to thrive.
“This includes not only addressing immediate needs but also building sustainable systems that empower our citizens to become self-reliant and prosperous,” the VP stated.
He commended the efforts of development partners, particularly the co-chairman of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Mr. Bill Gates, and chairman of Dangote Group of Companies, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, who were at the NEC meeting, describing them as “two distinguished individuals whose commitment to Nigeria’s progress is unparalleled”
He said they have invested enormous resources into the welfare of Nigerians, spanning critical areas such as health, nutrition, agriculture, and education.
He stated: “Their philanthropy is not seasonal but a steadfast commitment that continues to shape our nation’s future. We did not survive the lowest points of our journey as a nation by the proactivity of the government alone; we did so because we remained partners in rain and sunshine.
“So, permit me to once again extend the nation’s deepest gratitude to our guests, whose empathy has always shone through whenever they are needed.
“Mr. Gates, in particular, has been a steadfast friend of Nigeria, contributing immensely to our nation’s inclusive economic growth and the well-being of our people in both tumult and tranquility. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has recently approved a significant investment—the Nigeria Cassava Investment Accelerator (NCIA).
“This initiative, championed by my office and hosted by the Lagos Business School in partnership with the Boston Consulting Group, sets out to revolutionize our cassava industry, an essential pillar of our economy and food security.”
For the state governments, the Vice President said as sub-nationals in the federation, they are all “stakeholders in redefining the future” of Nigeria.
He continued: “We are gathered here because none of us can fulfill the goals of guaranteeing the survival of our people in isolation. Whether by expanding access to quality education, improving healthcare, or offering skills training and job opportunities, it is clear that each one of us has the power to influence policy and decisions at various levels.
“Our success relies on recognizing the socio-economic threats that have pulled us down the development index and, more importantly, on our resolve to walk the talk.”
Underscoring how critical investing in food security is, VP Shettima expressed delight with the efforts and reforms made so far by state governors to boost agriculture.
“However, we must not overlook the state of nutrition in our nation, which has led to stunting and other health challenges. This is a crisis that demands our unified attention and action. The future of this nation hinges on the health and well-being of our children,” he added.
On his part, Mr. Bill Gates reiterated his bet on the incredible potential of Nigerians, noting that “Nigeria’s economic leaders have done some difficult, but necessary things, like unifying the exchange rate.
“The next great hurdle is raising revenue. I understand this is a politically sensitive area where Nigerians are struggling. Incomes have fallen. Prices have soared. And like in many other countries, people are protesting.”
Describing President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda as ambitious, Gate however said the Nigerian leader has “assembled a cabinet ready to meet the challenge,” adding that “with limited resources, putting the funds to the best possible use is key.
Council also took some decisions on issues of flooding, nutrition, state police and polio as follows:
Flood:
Council gave the green light for the full implementation of the approved recommendations from its Ad-hoc Committee on Flood, Erosion, Drought, and Desertification.
This decision comes after a recent memorandum submitted by the committee’s chairman, Governor of Kogi State, Ahmed Usman Ododo.
The report outlines a comprehensive Roadmap on Flood, Erosion, Drought, and Desertification, complete with detailed timelines.
Each MDA has been assigned specific responsibilities, with the creation of task forces recommended for inter-agency collaboration where necessary. The aim is to move away from the reliance on ad-hoc committees formed during the onset of the rainy season.
One of the report’s cardinal recommendations is the establishment of the National Flood, Erosion, Drought, and Desertification Management Council (NFEDDMC) under the Office of the Vice President.
The NFEDDMC will coordinate inter-agency efforts, ensure real-time information flow, and facilitate a unified response to natural disasters across the country. The Vice President will chair the council, which will include the following members: Governors of Kogi, Bayelsa, Oyo, Ebonyi, Bauchi and Jigawa States.
Others are Minister of State, Water Resources & Sanitation; Minister of State, Environment, Directors-General of Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency; Nigeria Meteorological Agency; National Water Resources Institute and National Emergency Management Agency
Also, Managing Directors of National Inland Waterways Authority; Niger Delta Development Commission and North East Development Commission are members.
The Governors expressed their appreciation to the Federal Government for the recent disbursement of N3 billion to each state to assist in addressing immediate challenges, particularly those caused by flood and other natural disasters.
State Police:
Council also issued a final call to state governments that have yet to submit their memorandum on the establishment of state police.
As of now, only four states—Adamawa, Kebbi, Kwara, and Sokoto—along with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have not made their submissions. The council has mandated that these remaining states submit their positions by Monday, September 9, 2024, or face being bound by the resolutions agreed upon by other council members.
Nutrition:
Council also received a presentation on the state of nutrition in Nigeria by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate. Following the presentation, the council approved several critical resolutions aimed at enhancing the country’s nutritional outcomes.
Council agreed to prioritize nutrition interventions in the 2025 budget across federal, state, and local levels, ensuring that sufficient funding is allocated to meet the nation’s nutrition goals.
Additionally, the council resolved to reinforce the functionality and financing of State and Local Government Committees on Food and Nutrition. The establishment and operation of Food and Nutrition Security (FNS) task forces at subnational levels will also be supported to ensure effective coordination, monitoring, and reporting.
Council also endorsed the N-774 programme as a primary platform for combating malnutrition within Nigerian communities and encouraged development partners to provide financial and technical assistance, particularly in the areas of annual results monitoring and scaling successful interventions.
The Accountant General of the Federation provided the council with an update on the Excess Crude Account which currently stands at $473,754.57, the Natural Resources Fund has a balance of N3,451,078,538.57, and the Stabilization Account holds N33,875,398,389.75.
Polio:
In response to a presentation by co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, Council resolved to establish a Committee on the Eradication of Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus (VDPV). This follows reports of VDPV cases in Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara States.
The committee will be chaired by the Governor of Gombe State and will include the governors of the five affected states. Other members include Minister of Health and Social Welfare, the Director-General of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, and representatives from the NEC Secretariat and UNICEF.
Additionally, the Special Adviser to the President on NEC & Climate Change, the Special Assistant to the President on Public Health, a representative of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, and the Director-General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum will also serve on the committee. The committee will be reporting monthly to NEC.
VP SHETTIMA AT NEC MEETING:
NISER, NiDCOM Advocate Stronger Diaspora Policy to Boost National Development
By: Michael Mike
The Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER), in partnership with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), has called for a more robust and coordinated diaspora policy framework to enhance Nigeria’s development prospects.
This call was made on Tuesday during a high-level validation workshop convened to review findings from a comprehensive diaspora study spanning six continents. The initiative aims to strengthen engagement with Nigerians abroad and maximize their contributions to the country’s economic and social growth.
In her opening remarks, NISER Director-General, Antonia Taiye Simbine, described the Nigerian diaspora as a critical national asset, noting that annual remittances exceed $20 billion—one of the highest in Africa.
She emphasized that beyond financial contributions, diaspora Nigerians bring valuable expertise, innovation, and international networks that can significantly enhance national competitiveness.
Despite these advantages, Simbine pointed to persistent challenges hindering effective engagement, including inconsistent policies, weak institutional coordination, regulatory constraints, and trust gaps between stakeholders.
She stressed that the validation workshop provides an opportunity to refine the study’s recommendations, ensuring they are practical, inclusive, and capable of driving meaningful impact.
Also speaking, NiDCOM Chairman/CEO, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, urged a strategic shift in how diaspora remittances are utilized. According to her, Nigeria must transition “from remittances for consumption to remittances for investment.”
Dabiri-Erewa highlighted the global competitiveness of Nigerians abroad, noting their contributions across key sectors such as healthcare, technology, and governance. She explained that the study’s findings would help shape a structured roadmap for diaspora engagement, anchored on improved policy coordination, investment-friendly systems, and technology transfer.
She further underscored the need for data-driven policymaking, adding that Nigeria must intentionally transform the challenge of “brain drain” into opportunities for “brain gain” and “brain circulation.”
Contributing to the discussion, representatives of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) emphasized the growing role of diaspora professionals in strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system. Speaking on behalf of the association’s president, Dr. Bala Muhammad Audu, Dr. Idris Liman noted that innovations such as locally available in vitro fertilisation (IVF) services—once largely accessed abroad—demonstrate the impact of knowledge transfer from Nigerian experts overseas.
He reaffirmed the association’s commitment to fostering collaboration with diaspora medical professionals to improve healthcare delivery and reduce the need for medical tourism.
Participants at the workshop collectively stressed that sustained and well-coordinated diaspora engagement could be transformative for Nigeria’s development. The validation process is expected to yield refined, evidence-based policy recommendations to guide government efforts in integrating diaspora contributions into national planning.
NISER, NiDCOM Advocate Stronger Diaspora Policy to Boost National Development
UK Launches Creative Fund to Strengthen Nigeria’s Film, Fashion, Music Industries
By: Michael Mike
The UK-Nigeria Tech Hub has unveiled a new Creative Fund aimed at boosting local production capacity across Nigeria’s film, fashion, and music industries.
The initiative, backed by the UK Government, is designed to address critical gaps in technical skills, infrastructure, and access to modern production tools within Nigeria’s creative sector.
The fund aligns with the goals of the UK-Nigeria Economic Transformation and Investment Partnership (ETIP) Creatives Working Group, launched in 2025, and follows commitments made during Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to the United Kingdom in March 2026.
Speaking on the launch, Director of the Tech Hub, Oyinkansola Akintola-Bello, said the initiative represents a shift from policy discussions to practical action.
She noted that while Nigeria’s creative industry already contributes significantly to the economy, more support is needed to enable creatives to produce high-quality work locally rather than outsourcing key technical processes abroad.
Funded under the UK’s Digital Access Programme and implemented by Tech4Dev, the Creative Fund draws on findings from a 2024 study of Nigeria’s creative ecosystem. The research revealed that the sector employs about 4.2 million people and contributes roughly $3 billion annually to the country’s GDP, despite facing structural challenges.
These challenges include limited access to formal financing, heavy reliance on self-taught skills, and the outsourcing of high-value technical work outside Nigeria.
The fund will support projects across film, fashion, and music, particularly those with strong potential for scalability, job creation, and local impact. It will also help cover technical gaps by funding access to specialists such as visual effects artists, sound engineers, and post-production experts, as well as digital tools like content delivery systems and AI-powered production technologies.
Country Manager for Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa at Tech4Dev, Abraham Akpan,, emphasized that the initiative prioritizes inclusion by supporting women-led and youth-driven ventures, as well as underrepresented groups in the creative economy.
He added that the fund is intended to ensure Nigeria’s creative growth is backed by sustainable local talent and infrastructure.
Applications for the Creative Fund are currently open and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Eligible applicants include creative companies, studios, production houses, fashion enterprises, and music labels with clearly defined technical needs and a commitment to co-investment.
The initiative is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s creative value chain and position the country as a hub for high-quality, locally produced creative content.
UK Launches Creative Fund to Strengthen Nigeria’s Film, Fashion, Music Industries
NESREA Shuts Down 30 Non-Compliant Facilities Over EIA Violations
By: Michael Mike
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), alongside members of the press, carried out an enforcement exercise in Abuja, sealing 30 facilities over non-compliance with Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) requirements in the construction sector.
In a speech delivered at the briefing, the Director of Environmental Quality Control, Elijah Udofia, said the affected facilities were found to have violated environmental regulations guiding construction activities, prompting decisive action by the agency.
“These violations were identified through NESREA’s routine inspections and compliance monitoring activities. In addition, these facilities also demonstrated unwillingness to fully comply with regulatory requirements relating to environmental documentation and responsiveness to compliance engagements. Where regulatory communication is clear, time-bound, and evidence-based, failure to respond constitutes a serious breach of compliance obligations and poses risks to both the environment and public health,” he said.
Udofia explained that the construction sector, while vital to national development, poses serious environmental risks when safeguards are ignored, including improper waste management, building on floodplains, uncontrolled emissions, and unsafe handling of materials.
He stressed that NESREA’s actions were in line with its mandate to enforce environmental laws and ensure public safety.
“Environmental compliance is not a choice. The regulations are designed to prevent harm before it occurs and to ensure that construction activities are managed responsibly from the start,” he stated.
He added that the agency moved from engagement to enforcement after the facilities failed to meet compliance requirements or respond adequately to regulatory concerns.
The director outlined the measures taken by NESREA, noting that the enforcement actions were aimed at stopping or curtailing environmentally harmful activities, compelling compliance through regulatory interventions, and ensuring that corrective measures are implemented within stipulated timelines.
“These enforcement steps are consistent with the agency’s powers under the NESREA Act and the National Environmental (Construction Sector) Regulations 2011,” he added.
Sending a strong warning to developers and contractors, Udofia emphasized that environmental documentation is mandatory and must be submitted as required by law. He also urged operators to respond promptly to compliance notices and implement proper environmental safeguards on-site.
“Dust control, waste management, erosion prevention, and safe site practices must be integrated into project execution—not added after problems arise. Compliance is part of project success,” he said.
NESREA also reassured the public that its enforcement actions are based on evidence and due process, not sentiment.
“We will continue to enforce the law fairly and consistently across the country,” Udofia noted.
He further called for cooperation from stakeholders to improve environmental performance across the construction sector.
“While we enforce compliance, we also call on stakeholders to cooperate with NESREA. Communities deserve clean and safe environments, and developers deserve predictable regulatory processes,” he said.
The agency concluded that the enforcement action should serve as a clear warning, reaffirming its commitment to strict enforcement of environmental regulations, especially where violations pose risks to public health and the environment.
NESREA Shuts Down 30 Non-Compliant Facilities Over EIA Violations
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