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National Economic Council Approves Nigeria Agenda 2050, Projects 163 Million New Jobs, 7% Real GDP Growth

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…as Osinbajo inaugurates Steering Committee on NDP 2021 – 2025

The National Economic Council on Thursday, in Abuja, endorsed the Nigeria Agenda 2050; a plan aimed at increasing real Gross Domestic Product growth by seven per cent, creating 165 million new jobs and reducing the number of people living in poverty to 2.1 million in 2050, from the 83 million people estimated in 2020.

This comes 29 months after the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), launched the National Steering Committee for the preparation of the Medium-Term National Development Plan 2021 – 2025 and Nigeria Agenda 2050.

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Its overarching goal is to take Nigeria through to an Upper Middle-Income Country and subsequently to the status of a High-Income country.

The council approved the agenda after its emergency session and first meeting in 2023 presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, after it was presented by the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning to State Governors and other members of the NEC.

READ ALSO: Buhari Bars Govt Officials From Using Private Emails

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The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, revealed this in a statement signed late Tuesda, titled ‘National Economic Council endorses Nigeria Agenda 2050’.

Speaking after the presentation and discussion by Council members, Osinbajo observed that the plan “captures a lot of the expectations for Nigeria in the future and hopefully implementation which is key if effectively done.”

The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clem Agba, said the Federal Government had taken unprecedented steps in ensuring the operationalisation of the plan, especially with the inauguration of the Steering Committee of the National Development Plan by the VP.

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Earlier on Tuesday, Osinbajo had unveiled the Steering Committee of the National Development Plan 2021 – 2025.

According to him, the Steering Committee will “provide the necessary policy guidance and leadership for effective and successful implementation of the plan.”

The launching comes 14 months after the President unveiled the National Development Plan on December 22, 2021.

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About two years earlier, on September 9, 2020, Buhari unveiled the National Steering Committee for the preparation of the Medium-Term National Development Plan 2021 – 2025 and Nigeria Agenda 2050.

The Nigeria Agenda 2050 is formulated against the backdrop of several subsisting development challenges in the country.

They include low, fragile and non-inclusive economic growth; high population growth rate, pervasive insecurity, limited diversification, macroeconomic and social instability, low productivity and high import dependence.

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The plan targets Nigeria’s long-term ambition to improve its per capita Gross Domestic Product from about US$2,084.05 in 2020 to US$6,223.23 in 2030 and US$33,328.02 in 2050, with rapid and sustained economic growth, job creation and poverty reduction.

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It also “projects annual average real GDP growth of 7.0 per cent.”

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“The real growth rate of the GDP of the first medium-term NDP 2021-2025 on average will be 4.65 per cent and this will increase to 8.01 per cent in the second NDP; subsequently, it is expected to increase to 8.43 per cent in the third.

“Consequently, the number of full time jobs created will be roughly 165 million during the Agenda period to spur poverty reduction.

“The number of people in poverty will decline from the roughly 83 million in 2020 to about 47.8 million in 2025 and to 2.1 million by 2050, thus taking a significant segment of the population out of poverty,” the statement read.
PUNCH

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Fuel Scarcity Imminent As NUPENG, Dangote Face-off Festers Business

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The stability in the distribution and availability of petroleum products being enjoyed by Nigerians is about to be aborted as a result of the seeming cold war between the management of the Dangote Refinery and one of the umbrella unions of workers in the oil industry, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).

NUPENG, in a statement jointly signed by Comrades Williams Akporeha and Afolabi Olawale, President and General Secretary, respectively of NUPENG and issued to newsmen in Abuja on Friday, the Union accused the management of Dangote Refinery of alleged anti-labour practices, inimical to the survival and means of livelihoods of its members under its Petroleum and Tanker Drivers Branch.

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The Union specifically expressed strong reservations about the position of Chairman of Dangote Refinery, Aliko Dangote, that drivers recruited for operations of its 10,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Trucks imported into the country would not be allowed to join any trade union.

The Union described the position taken by the management of Dangote Refinery as an affront on the right of association, guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution, and a breach of relevant international labour laws to which Nigeria is a signatory.

The NUPENG recalled several meetings it initiated, jointly with the leadership of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners ( NARTO), to prevail on Aliko Dangote to rescind his stance not to allow its drivers to join trade unions. The Union expressed regret that its appeals fell on deaf ears.

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READ ALSO:NUPENG Tanker Drivers Announce Strike Over CNG Trucks Dispute

“Arising from the unfortunate outcome of the meeting, the leadership of the Union has made several efforts to get relevant institutions of the country to make Alhaji Aliko Dangote and his cousin, Alhaji Sayyu Ali Dantata, follow the line of global best practices and decency, but all to no avail.

“To our utmost shock, Alhaji Sayyu Aliu Dantata’s MRS commenced the recruitment of drivers for the imported CNG Trucks on Friday, 29th August 2025. “The drivers being recruited are being forced to sign an undertaking not to belong to any existing union in the Oil and Gas Industry.

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“NUPENG is seriously concerned and disturbed with the unconscionable business practices of Alhaji Sayyu Aliu Dantata and Alhaji Aliko Dangote, who are scared of allowing unions to exist in their business outfits. To us, amassing wealth on the basis of enslavement, depriving workers of a union and a voice, amounts to creating filthy wealth.

“NUPENG will not stand idly by while these billionaires seek to destroy the livelihoods of thousands of workers, including tanker drivers.

“NUPENG stood in solidarity with Dangote Refinery during its construction and commissioning.

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“We did so in good faith, in expectation that it would create jobs, strengthen local capacity, and benefit the Nigerian people, under a conducive atmosphere for unions to thrive.

READ ALSO:Woman Allegedly Stabs Husband To Death Over Suspicious Neighbour In Delta

“Unfortunately, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has chosen to betray that trust by scheming to monopolise distribution, crush competition, and enslave the sector and raise prices, which would ultimately result in an attack on the living standards of the masses of ordinary Nigerians.

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“This is not philanthropy, it is economic sabotage!”
While appealing to relevant oil industry regulatory agencies to wade into the unfolding crisis, the Union dropped the hint that it would call on its members to down tools and shun loading of petroleum products, effective from Monday, September 8.

“We call on the Nigerian Midstream & Downstream Petroleum Authority (the Authority, for
short) to invoke its powers under Section 32(u) & (aa) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA). Under those two provisions, the Authority is empowered to promote competition and private sector participation in the midstream and downstream petroleum operations.

“The Authority has responsibility to identify, investigate, and prevent abuse of dominant positions and
restrictive business practices with regard to midstream and downstream petroleum operations.

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“Nigeria is a member of the international community and a member state of the International Labour Organisation. Nigeria has ratified Convention No. 87 of 1948, the Convention on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise, 1948. This Convention had
been ratified by Nigeria as far back as 17th October 1960. Under the Convention, workers have the right to join unions of their choice, for the protection of their employment and trade union rights, and without prior authorization of any employer or authority.

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“Indeed, by virtue of section 254C (2) of the Constitution of Nigeria, a ratified ILO Convention is a constitutional provision.

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“Therefore, any practice or policy by any employer that seeks to deprive workers of the right of association is an affront to the Constitution.

“Above all, the rights of association, including membership of trade unions, are guaranteed by Section 40 of the Constitution. Alhaji Aliko Dangote and his cousin, Alhaji Sayyu Aliu Dantata, should not be allowed to enslave Nigerian workers. They should be made to be lawful business persons and not lawless individuals or business outfits. Nigeria is a country of laws, not a lawless society.

“By this statement, we call on the Federal Government of Nigeria and its agencies, including well-meaning segments of the Nigerian society, to call the two trillionaire businessmen to order. They should be told to obey the laws of Nigeria. If they persist in their anti-union, tyrannical attitudes, NUPENG is set and ready to mobilise its forces to fight within the framework of the law.

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“Meanwhile, since Alh Aliko Dangote and his cousin have resolved to replace all Petroleum Tanker Drivers in Nigeria, and no one or institution can stop them, the members of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Branch of NUPENG will, from Monday, 8th September 2025, start
looking for alternative employment/skills and sources of livelihoods.

“We plead with the general public to bear any inconveniences our struggle against this tyranny and indecency may cause.“
(TRIBUNE)

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FG Offers Up To 16.54% Yield On September Savings Bonds

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The Federal Government, through the Debt Management Office, is offering investors annual yields of up to 16.541% on its September 2025 Federal Government of Nigeria Savings Bonds.

The DMO, in a circular on its website on Monday, announced that the subscription window opens immediately and will close on Friday, September 5, 2025, with settlement scheduled for September 10, 2025.

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Coupon payments will be made quarterly on March 10, June 10, September 10, and December 10 and will be paid directly to investors.

The DMO offered investors two subscription categories of the Federal Government Savings Bond.

READ ALSO:DMO Unveils July FGN Savings Bond As CBN Offers N250bn In Treasury Bills

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The first is a two-year bond, which will mature on September 10, 2027, and attracts an annual interest rate of 15.541 per cent.

The second is a three-year bond, set to mature on September 10, 2028, with a higher annual interest rate of 16.541 per cent.

The two-year bond interest rate rose to 15.541% in September 2025, up from 14.401% in August.

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Similarly, the three-year bond recorded an increase to 16.541% in September, compared to 15.401% in the previous month.

The FGN Savings Bond programme, launched in 2017, aims to deepen the domestic bond market, promote financial inclusion, and give retail investors access to secure, low-risk government securities.

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Each bond unit is priced at ₦1,000, with a minimum subscription of ₦5,000 and additional subscriptions in multiples of ₦1,000. Individual investors can subscribe up to ₦50 million.

On the status of FGN Savings Bonds, DMO noted it “qualifies as securities in which trustees can invest under the Trustee Investment Act; Qualifies as Government securities within the meaning of Company Income Tax Act (“CITA”) and Personal Income Tax Act (“PITA”) for Tax Exemption for Pension Funds, amongst other investors.

“Listed on The Nigerian Exchange Limited (and); qualifies as a liquid asset for liquidity ratio calculation for banks.”

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The office said the bond is “backed by the full faith and credit of the Federal Government of Nigeria and charged upon the general assets of Nigeria.”

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NNPCL Reduces Fuel Price After Dangote Refinery’s Adjustment

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The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has reduced its premium motor spirit pump price on Thursday, according to DAILY POST.

It was confirmed that NNPCL retail outlets in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, have reduced their pump price to N890 per litre from N945.

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This new fuel price has been reflected in NNPCL retail outlets such as mega station Danziyal Plaza, Central Area, Wuse Zone 4, Wuse Zone 6, and other of its filling stations in the nation’s capital.

READ ALSO:N5bn Damage: NNPCL Secures Appeal Court Victory Against Ararume

The latest downward review of fuel price in NNPCL outlets represents an N55 reduction in fuel pump price.

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It was reduced to N890 per litre this afternoon, down from N945,” an NNPCL fuel attendant told DAILY POST anonymously on Thursday.

This comes a Nigerian filling station, MRS Empire Energy, on Thursday adjusted their fuel pump price to N885 and N946 per litre, down from N910 and N955 per litre.

The latest fuel price reduction trend is unconnected to Dangote Refinery’s ex-depot petrol price adjustment by N30 to N820 per litre from N850 and the price of crude oil in the international market.

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