2.5 million Daily Egg Production Farm Underway in Nigeria

By: Michael Mike

A 2.5 million eggs per-day production poultry farm is to be built in Nigeria by the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC).

This is one of the major highlights of the ongoing visit led by the Director-General of the NCSP, Joseph Tegbe to China.

According to a statement on Monday, the delegation at a meeting with Chilwee Group scored a significant mileage during a visit to the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) Headquarters, where they explored opportunities for replicating a 2.5 million eggs-per-day production poultry farm in Nigeria using innovative funding models.

The statement read: “The Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership (NCSP) has made significant strides in strengthening bilateral relations and promoting economic cooperation between Nigeria and China. Recent agreements and investments in the energy, technology, and manufacturing sectors are poised to drive Nigeria’s socio-economic transformation.

“At the forefront of these developments is the agreement between the NCSP and Chilwee Group, a prominent Chinese manufacturer of cutting-edge batteries and power storage solutions. This agreement is expected to enhance Nigeria’s energy security, promote renewable energy, and reduce carbon emissions. Chilwee Group has committed to investing in Nigeria through a multifaceted approach, including sales, manufacturing, and potentially mining raw materials for the power storage value chain.

“In addition to the agreement with Chilwee Group, the NCSP has also made significant progress in other areas. During a recent visit to China, the Director-General of the NCSP, Joseph Tegbe, led a delegation to the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) Headquarters, where they explored opportunities for replicating a 2.5 million eggs-per-day production poultry farm in Nigeria using innovative funding models.

“Also, the NCSP facilitated a tripartite agreement between CPL Medical group, CSSC Haishen Medical Technology Co Ltd and China Habour Engineering Company over the renovation and upgrading of equipment in selected teaching hospitals across the country. While speaking at the agreement signing ceremony, Tegbe noted that the agreement represented an example of private-sector collaboration which the partnership hopes to promote.

The statement also revealed that the NCSP delegation also visited China Electronic Corporation, where Tegbe expressed optimism about cooperation between Nigeria and China in areas such as electronics equipment, public security surveillance, and identity management. He emphasized the potential for collaboration, stating that he has President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s mandate to identify top-priority projects that will drive Nigeria’s industrialization.

The NCSP delegation was also at Huawei, where they discussed opportunities for collaboration in the ICT sector, including training programmes and the deployment of smart city models. With the imminent deployment of the smart city model presented by Huawei to President Tinubu in Beijing, Nigeria is set to reap the benefits of the investments of Huawei in Nigeria and her partnership with the Tinubu-led administration.

These benefits include smart, qualitative education, better healthcare delivery, enhanced communications technology, improved security infrastructure, and digitalization of key government facilities. The NCSP also met with representatives from Loong UAV, a global leader in tactical drone solutions, to explore opportunities for cooperation in the field of drone technology.

The cooperation with Loong UAV is expected to bolster Nigeria’s domestic capabilities in drone technology, facilitating access to essential services and commodities in remote or hard-to-reach regions. This innovative use of drones could significantly enhance Nigeria’s logistical capabilities, creating new opportunities for economic growth and development.

According to the statement: “Overall, these agreements and investments demonstrate the NCSP’s commitment to driving Nigeria’s socio-economic transformation through targeted Chinese investments. By focusing on creating value-driven partnerships, strengthening Nigeria’s role in Africa’s industrialization, and coordinating initiatives that align with Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda and China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the NCSP is poised to unlock new opportunities for economic growth and development in Nigeria.”

2.5 million Daily Egg Production Farm Underway in Nigeria

ECOWAS Court Adopts New Instructions to the Chief Registrar and Practice Directions (2025)

By: Michael Mike

The Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS, has officially adopted the Instructions to the Chief Registrar and Practice Directions (2025), aimed at enhancing efficiency and procedural integrity.

According to a statement on Friday, these updates reinforce the Court’s commitment to providing effective access to justice for the citizens of the ECOWAS region.

The statement said the adoption of these updated guidelines stems from the recommendations of the Judicial Retreat held from 12 to 15 November 2023 and the Judges’ Retreat held from 15 to 19 November 2023.

According to it, the revised documents consolidate and supplement the Instructions to the Chief Registrar and Practice Directions of 2012, as well as the 2020 Practice Directions on Electronic Case Management and Virtual Court Sessions, addressing procedural gaps and improving case management.

The Key Highlights of the New Instructions and Practice Directions include: Streamlined Case Management: Applications must comply with specified page limits to ensure expediency: Initiating Applications and Statements of Defence are limited to 15 pages, Replies and Rejoinders to 10 pages, and other applications to 5 pages; Applications must adhere to technical specifications, including A4 paper size, Times New Roman font, and font size 12 or higher.

Monitoring and Compliance: The Chief Registrar is tasked with ensuring adherence to filing deadlines, issuing Certificates of Non-lodgement in cases of non-compliance, and delisting dormant cases where appropriate.
Expedited Procedures: Urgent applications for expedited procedures or interim measures are prioritized, with translations of pleadings given precedence.

Enhanced Language Accessibility: Parties requiring interpretation in non-working languages of the Court may formally request such services, with provisions for freelance interpreters under ECOWAS-approved conditions.

Compensation and Damages: Awards are to be made in the currency of the Respondent State, with flexibility for conversion using prevailing exchange rates published by the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID).

Preliminary Objections and Consolidation of Cases: Clear timelines and processes for raising preliminary objections and consolidating cases are outlined to streamline proceedings.

Intervention and Amicus Curiae Participation: Provisions for third-party interventions and submissions by amicus curiae ensure broader stakeholder engagement in cases.

According to the statement, the updates are issued under Article 12 and Article 100 of the Court’s Rules, empowering the Court to establish procedural guidelines and ensure the proper conduct of Parties, their Agents, Advisers, and Counsel. The new directives are grounded in the Court’s continuous efforts to address procedural challenges and uphold the principles of justice and equity.

ECOWAS Court Adopts New Instructions to the Chief Registrar and Practice Directions (2025)

African Gas Pipeline Project, Lake Chad Recharge Top Agenda As VP Shettima, WEF President Meet

** Nigeria on path of sustained growth under President Tinubu, Says VP Shettima

By: Our Reporter

The Nigerian government has called for collaboration with the World Economic Forum (WEF) to foster economic development and growth in the country and on the African continent.

Specifically, it sought partnerships with the global body on the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline (AAGP) in the bid to connect Nigeria to Morocco and other African countries as well as the recharging of Lake Chad to tackle the global food security crisis and other existential threats.

Vice President Kashim Shettima stated this on Thursday during a bilateral meeting with President of the World Economic Forum (WEF), Mr. Børge Brende, on the sidelines of the ongoing annual meeting of WEF in Davos, Switzerland.

On the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline, Senator Shettima said Nigeria will be in a vantage position to take advantage of the WEF platform to develop the gas project, pointing out that this will address the geopolitical challenges in Europe and the growing demand for energy due to artificial intelligence, data mining and storage.

He said, “We seek your collaboration in fundamental areas. One is on the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline (AAGP) which will connect Nigeria to Morocco and other African countries. The pipeline will transport natural gas from Nigeria to North Africa and Europe and is expected to improve energy security and economic growth in the region.

“With the geopolitical challenges in Europe from Russian gas problems and the rising demand for energy because of artificial intelligence, data mining and storage, we will be in a vantage position to take advantage of this opportunity.

“A lot of littoral states in West Africa who have discovered gas are more than willing to plug into the system and feed their gas to other end users. We are also exploring the area of undersea passage of the pipelines for it to be a win-win for everyone. We want to use the WEF platform.”

VP Shettima told the WEF President that while Nigeria is a country blessed with gas, the nation is exploring every option to maximise available opportunities for economic growth and create wealth for its growing population.

“Nigeria is a gas nation than an oil nation. Because of our population, we either take care of the young men and women, (our average is 16.9), or they take care of us in the next ten or twenty years down the line. This is why we are in a hurry to develop in our enlightened self-interest. Gas provides us with the utmost opportunity to generate wealth for our people,” he noted.

On recharging of the Lake Chad, the Nigerian Vice President said apart from addressing the food security crisis, it will also put Nigeria in a vantage position to generate clean energy and combat terrorism.

His words: “There is an incestuous relationship between economy and ecology in the Sahelian region. The challenges of Boko Haram and ISWAP might not be disconnected from the realities of existential threats we are facing.

“The Lake Chad hitherto was 25,000 sq. km but it has shrunk to 2,000 sq. km. There is the issue of the recharging of the Lake Chad from the Congo River basin which is the second largest river basin in the world, and the water is flowing into the Atlantic. We want to use your platform to recharge the Lake Chad.

“This will help us to successfully generate clean energy, a significant amount of hydropower annually, and there will be a canal of 2400 kilometres that will change the agricultural landscape of that sub-region. This will address the food security crisis that the world is facing.”

The Vice President also informed the WEF President about the ongoing reforms being undertaken by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying the Nigerian President has returned Nigeria to the part of sustained economic growth.

“Most importantly, we are talking about the present. My leader and my boss, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is someone who also grew up in the finance ecosystem. He was a financial controller for ExxonMobil; he was a transformative leader in Lagos State and in Nigeria, he is the most disruptive leader we have had in half a century.

“From the first week in office, he did the right thing – from the subsidy removal to the alignment of the exchange rates, tax reforms, and so many ongoing reform efforts. Our economy has turned the corner, we have crossed the Rubicon and we’re now on the path to sustained economic growth,” he stated.

The Vice President invited the WEF President to Nigeria to meet with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, while also intimating him of Nigeria’s readiness to host the WEF Africa.

Underscoring why fostering collaboration with WEF is germane to the growth of Africa, VP Shettima noted that apart from being the biggest economy in the continent, Nigeria is also the most populous nation in Africa, with 250 million people.

“And by 2050, we will be the third most populous nation on earth, surpassing the United States. By the end of the century, Nigeria will be the most populous nation on earth,” he added.

African Gas Pipeline Project, Lake Chad Recharge Top Agenda As VP Shettima, WEF President Meet