African Development

Construction of East-West Road to Cost N1trn Says Akpabio
African Development, Infrastructure, News, Nigeria

Construction of East-West Road to Cost N1trn Says Akpabio

Senator Godswill Akpabio, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs has said that the construction of the East-West road would cost N1 trillion. He restated the determination of the ministry to prioritise safety, efficiency and economic viability of the road as well as ensure return on investment. Akpabio disclosed this at the opening of the remote meeting of counterparts on the complementary programme for the East-West project held on Thursday. This is according to a statement signed by the Director, Press and Public Relations, MND, Patricia Deworitshe titled, ‘Akpabio inaugurates counterpart team to efficiency manage close to N1trn investment on the East-West road.’ It partly, “The Honourable Minister, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has reiterated the resolv...
Okonjo-Iweala Makes Final Two in WTO Race
Africa, African Development, Finance, News, Nigeria, Women Empowerment

Okonjo-Iweala Makes Final Two in WTO Race

  Former Minister of Finance Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has made it to the final stage of the race to the office of the Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Mrs. Iweala made the final cut with South Korea’s Yoo Myung-hee, Bloomberg reports. Okonjo-Iweala has experience working at international governance bodies as a former managing director of the World Bank and as a chairman at the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation. Yoo is South Korea’s trade minister. During her 25-year career in government, she has helped expand her country’s trade network through bilateral accords with the U.S., China and the U.K. WTO General Council Chairman David Walker will formally announce the results to the institution’s delegates today in Geneva. United Kingdom’s Li...
Update: ECOWAS Elects New Chairman
Africa, African Development, Breaking News, News

Update: ECOWAS Elects New Chairman

President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo has emerged as the new Chairman of the Economic Committee of West African States (ECOWAS), at the ongoing 57th ECOWAS Summit in Niamey, Republic of Niger. President Addo replaces Muhamadou Issoufou of Niger Republic and becomes the 35th president of ECOWAS.
Osinbajo Advocates Accessible, Affordable Distribution of COVID-19 Vaccine
African Development, Covid-19, News, Nigeria, Press Statement, Safety

Osinbajo Advocates Accessible, Affordable Distribution of COVID-19 Vaccine

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has said the distribution of COVID-19 vaccine should not be based on the highest bidder but rather be provided at an affordable and accessible manner. Osinbajo made the call while speaking at the virtual 2020 EURAFRICA Forum themed, “Towards a Realistic Euro-African Partnership During and Beyond the COVID-19 Era,” said his media aide, Laolu Akande. He said the approach would ensure contain the spread of the virus. Dignitaries such as UN Secretary-General, Mr. Antonio Guterre and the Prime Minister of Cape Verde, Mr Ulisses Correia Silva among others made presentations at the summit which aims to promote collaboration between Europe and Africa. Osinbajo said, “Europe should work closely with Africa to ensure that when a vaccine is finally deployed, i...
Inauguration Speech by Dr Akinwumi Adesina on His Election for a Second 5-Year Tenure
Africa, African Development, Agriculture, Finance, News, Nigeria, Press Statement

Inauguration Speech by Dr Akinwumi Adesina on His Election for a Second 5-Year Tenure

PROTOCOLS Your Excellency, President Alassane Ouattara, President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire Your Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Your Excellencies, Heads of State and Governments Excellencies former Heads of State and Governments Chairperson of the African Union Commission The Former Commonwealth Secretary General Honorable Niale Kaba, the outgoing Chairperson of the Bureau of Governors of the African Development Bank Group and Minister of National Planning of Côte d’Ivoire— Madam “Quiet Force” or “Force tranquille” The new Chairperson of the Bureau of the Board of Governors, Honorable Ken Ofori Ata, Minister of Finance of Ghana Governors of the African Development Bank, from 81 capitals around the world ...
AfDB Election: Adesina Re-Elected as President
African Development, Breaking News, Finance, News, Nigeria

AfDB Election: Adesina Re-Elected as President

President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwunmi Adesina has been re-elected for a second tenure. He was re-elected by the Board of Governors of the Bank at the ongoing AfDB’s virtual annual meeting in Abuja on Thursday. It was disclosed by President Muhammadu Buhari’s Personal Assistant on Media, Lauretta Onochie on Twitter. Onochie wrote, “Our very own Akinwumi Akin Adesina has been reaffirmed as the President of the African Development Bank. “Thank you to our supportive President @MBuhari who mobilized support for our own Adesina and why not! Adesina has been proven to be above boards.” Recall that Adesina was recently cleared of misconduct by an Independent Review Committee set up to probe his administration after a complaint by the United States.
A third of Africa’s Children Missed Virtual Learning, says UNICEF
Africa, African Development, Covid-19, Education, News

A third of Africa’s Children Missed Virtual Learning, says UNICEF

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has said the COVID-19 induced school closure has created a global education emergency occasioned by the inability of a third of children to access virtual leaning. UNICEF said about 1.5 billion children could not access learning at the peak of lockdowns intended to ameliorate the spread of coronavirus. Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director said, “For at least 463 million children whose schools closed due to COVID-19, there was no such a thing as remote learning. “The sheer number of children whose education was completely disrupted for months on end is a global education emergency,” she said in a statement. “The repercussions could be felt in economies and societies for decades to come.” According to the report released on Wednesday, ...
Africa, World Risk ‘Generational Catastrophe’ on Education, UN cautions
Africa, African Development, Covid-19, Economy, Education, Employment, Finance, Interview, Life, News, Press Statement, Safety, Science, United Nations, Youths

Africa, World Risk ‘Generational Catastrophe’ on Education, UN cautions

The United Nations (UN) cautions that Africa and the rest of the world could witness a “generational catastrophe” due to the closure of schools around the world amid the COVID-19 scare. This was disclosed by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in a communique. Reports suggest as at mid-July, at least 160 countries had closed their schools keeping more than 1 billion students at home while at least 40 million children have missed out on pre-school. Guterres said ensuring the safe return of students to classroom must be a “top priority”. “Now we face a generational catastrophe that could waste untold human potential, undermine decades of progress, and exacerbate entrenched inequalities,” said Guterres as he launched a U.N. “Save our Future” campaign. He further stated that, “...
APC Extends Olive Branch to Atiku, Saraki, Others after Dogara, Gemade’s Return
African Development, Economy, Employment, Finance, Interview, Legislature, News, Nigeria, Press Statement, Youths

APC Extends Olive Branch to Atiku, Saraki, Others after Dogara, Gemade’s Return

The All Progressive Congress (APC) has beckoned to aggrieved bigwigs who left the party to return to its fold in the spirit of reconciliation. The ruling party extended an invitation to heavyweights such as former vice president and presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 election, Atiku Abubakar, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, former senate president Bukola Saraki and others who left the party ahead of the 2019 election till date. The party made the call after the return of Senator Barnabas Gemade of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to the party at the weekend. Ealier, immediate past Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara decamped to the party after moving to PDP to contest 2019 election. APC said the return of the d...
PDP Seeks to Avert Defection of Ondo Deputy Governor to ZLP
African Development, Interview, News, Nigeria, Press Statement, Youths

PDP Seeks to Avert Defection of Ondo Deputy Governor to ZLP

Pressure mounts on Jegede to adopt him as running mate for governorship poll   There is a cloud of uncertainty in Ondo State over reports that Agboola Ajayi, the state’s Deputy Governor has joined the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) to form a third force ahead of the October 10, 2020 governorship election. Posters that the deputy governor had dumped the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to vie for the governorship position under the ZLP have been rife in the public and media landscape. However, Guardian reports the leadership of the PDP through the National Working Committee (NWC) have moved to avert Ajayi’s defection by attempting to impose him as the running mate of the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede. Ondo State PDP Director of Media and Publicity, Mr. Za...