Business
Dangote Plans $34.7 Billion Fresh Investment in Nigeria Economy
LAGOS – The President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has said that the Group is poised to make an additional investment totaling $34.7 billion in the economy by 2017.
He also said the cement arm of the group will commission an additional 10 million metric ton capacity in Nigeria by mid 2014 with an additional plan to also invest US $4.7 billion over the next four years in order to ensure that cement supply stays ahead of demand.
In a keynote address during the just ended Nigeria’53rd Independence Anniversary Lecture, organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, Dangote said, the Nigerian financial sector has demonstrated its ability to support big ticket industrial projects – the most recent being the US$9 billion refinery project by Dangote Group and is poised to invest $US 34.7 billion by 2017.
“Private sector participation is growing in areas such as fertilisers, petrochemicals, etc. “Indigenous entrepreneurs now dominate some sectors that were at inception controlled by foreign firms, federal and state government, namely, financial services, cement, petroleum marketing; the upstream oil & gas sector,” he said
Continuing, he said: “Agriculture continued as the lifeblood of the economy (accounting for 65 percent of GDP and 70 percent of exports).
Cocoa, cotton, groundnuts, oil palm products, and rubber were the principal export crops in the 1960s (and early 1970s). Agriculture largely provided the foreign exchange that was utilised in importing raw materials, capital & consumer goods; as well as funding basic infrastructure needs. Food security was achieved – not just because peasant farmers were able to produced enough to feed the entire population (but also because Nigerians had not yet developed the palate to consume what they did not produce.”
Dangote said in setting an agenda for the next decade, government should improve the business climate and continuously benchmark our business environment against “best-in-class” investment destinations, implement the recently unveiled Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan, support the new investors in the power sector to ensure they “hit the ground running” and provide the kind of outcomes Nigerians desire.
He said their investment in agriculture is driven by our desire to create jobs for thousands of Nigerians and that It will increase their workforce from its present level of 26,000 employees to 750,000 employees .
– VANGUARD
The World Bank has uncovered $32 million in unaccounted funds linked to a water infrastructure project in Nigeria, raising concerns about financial mismanagement in donor-funded initiatives.
The discovery was highlighted in the bank’s recently published FY2024 Sanctions System Annual Report, which revealed significant discrepancies in the project’s financial records.
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The missing funds were earmarked to bolster Nigeria’s water infrastructure, but irregularities in accounting prompted an investigation by the World Bank’s Integrity Vice Presidency (INT).
“INT followed up on risks identified regarding a project in Nigeria’s water sector and flagged to operations the risk, which was associated with $32 million of unaccounted funds,” the report noted.
In response, the World Bank engaged with key stakeholders, including the project’s task team leader, operations manager, and financial management specialist, to recover the funds and safeguard the project’s integrity.
As part of the resolution, the Central Bank of Nigeria has been requested to reimburse $22 million. Meanwhile, $6 million remains in the project’s account to cover ongoing operational costs.
The findings underscore the importance of transparency and robust financial oversight in large-scale infrastructure projects, particularly those funded by international institutions.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has issued a stern warning to Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) over the illegal sale of mint Naira notes to currency hawkers.
The apex bank, in a circular signed by the Acting Director of Currency Operations, Mr. Solaja Olayemi, on Friday, emphasized that erring banks would face stringent penalties.
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As part of its efforts to curb the abuse of the national currency, the CBN announced plans to conduct nationwide checks to seize mint notes sold by hawkers.
Banks found to have released such notes will be required to pay a fine of 10% of the value of the affected cash withdrawn from the CBN on the date in question.
Subsequent violations will attract an additional penalty incrementally increased by 5%.
The CBN also reiterated its commitment to enforcing the Clean Notes Policy, warning that banks involved in hoarding, diversion, or any actions that disrupt efficient cash distribution would face appropriate sanctions.
With the festive season fast approaching, the apex bank urged DMBs to enhance internal controls to ensure transparent cash distribution.
It highlighted the need for proper utilization of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) to ensure easy access to new notes by the public.
Furthermore, the CBN disclosed plans to intensify its mystery shopping and spot checks, working closely with law enforcement agencies to clamp down on any practices that undermine the integrity of the Naira.
Nigeria’s inflation rate surged to 33.88% in October 2024, up from 32.7% in September, according to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Friday.
The month-on-month increase of 1.18 percentage points marks yet another strain on the nation’s economy, with transportation and food costs cited as the main drivers of inflation.
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Steep Year-on-Year Increase
Compared to October 2023, when the inflation rate stood at 27.33%, the October 2024 figure reflects a significant rise of 6.55 percentage points. This sustained upward trend highlights the worsening cost-of-living crisis for Nigerians.
Month-on-Month Breakdown
Inflation on a month-on-month basis also showed an uptick, rising to 2.64% in October 2024 from 2.52% in September. The faster rate of price increases further underscores the growing economic pressure on households.
Food Inflation Soars to 39.16%
Food inflation, a major component of the headline rate, reached 39.16% in October 2024, up from 31.52% in the same month last year.
The increase was driven by higher prices of staple items, including: Cereals and Tubers: Guinea Corn, Rice, Maize Grains, Yam, Water Yam, and Coco Yam. Oils and Fats: Palm Oil and Vegetable Oil. Beverages: Milo, Lipton, and Bourvita.
On a month-on-month basis, food inflation rose by 0.30 percentage points to 2.94% in October, up from 2.64% in September.
Price hikes in Palm Oil, Vegetable Oil, Fish, Meat, and Bread categories were major contributors.
Annual Food Inflation Hits 38.12%
The average annual food inflation rate over the past 12 months climbed to 38.12%, a sharp increase of 11.79 percentage points from the 26.33% recorded in October 2023.
The consistent rise in inflation, particularly food and transportation costs, continues to erode the purchasing power of Nigerians.
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