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Ogun To Give N500,000, N10m Grants, Others To Business-oriented Youths

Published

1 year ago

August 13, 2024

The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, on Tuesday, disclosed that his administration is set to offer business-oriented youths in the state grants ranging from N500,000 to N10 million under the Ogun Youth Empowerment and Entrepreneurial Programme.

Abiodun stated that the grants will commence during the next phase of OGYES, which will soon be relaunched.

He said that the initiative would offer unemployed youth and women a wide range of opportunities and provide the beneficiaries with the cash they need to expand their businesses. He added that other youths would have access to interest-free digital loans.

The governor made this known during the Remo International Youth Day, with the theme ‘Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health,’ held at the Christ Apostolic Grammar School, Iperu-Remo.

Abiodun also disclosed that more youths would be trained in the area of Digital Training Enterprises and added that technical and vocational training would also be provided for other youths in the state.

He said: “The Ogun Youth Empowerment and Entrepreneurial Scheme that we will be launching in the next two weeks aims to do a few things; it is a programme directed at our Ogun State youths.

“We will identify, through a process, our young men and women who are entrepreneurs—those who have a flair for starting their own businesses or those who are already engaged in various businesses. We will support them with various grants.

“We will give them grants that will start from N500,000 to N10 million. This will allow them to have the cash they need to expand their businesses and provide cash flow for them. Others will have access to interest-free digital loans. All this we are unveiling in the next few weeks.

“We will also be training others in what we call Digital Training Enterprises—those who have a flair for ICT, those who want to improve their digital skills, and those who can become social media influencers and marketers.

“We will also be providing technical and vocational training. This is very important because today, Ogun State is a massive construction site. We will be training our youth to become construction experts and contractors—those who will have the zeal for building, painting, welding, and many other skills.”

The governor stated that his administration had concluded arrangements to introduce the Ogun Youth Agricultural Programme. He said that the state would replicate the Soilless Farm Lab currently in operation in Awowo, Ewekoro Local Government Area of the state.

He noted that the Ogun Youth Agricultural Programme would commence in Remoland, adding that the farm would be training 2,000 youths every three months and have 8,000 youths trained in Soilless Farm Lab technology yearly

The governor also promised that his administration would continue to ensure the development of the state, disclosing that he would join others to harvest the rice that was planted in the last three months in the state.

He said, “We started planting rice three months ago. That rice is due for harvesting this week. That means we can plant that rice four times a year.

“We must acknowledge that the future health and prosperity of our community depend on the active participation of young people like you.

“Our food systems are at a pivotal juncture, and the importance of a robust food system cannot be overstated—it impacts our health, environment, and economy. As we confront issues such as climate change, food shortages, and health crises, it is clear that innovative solutions prioritizing human and planetary health are essential.”

Speaking on the occasion, the Paramount Ruler of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, represented by the Onirolu of Irolu, Oba Sikiru Adeyiga, called on the youths of Remoland to work hard and not allow laziness to take charge of their lives.

He also called on the state government to help youths in the state who are interested in agriculture with tractors.

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Sports Development, Wasiu Isiaka, noted that the summit was designed to make a significant impact on the lives of youths in Remoland.

He acknowledged the Remo Growth and Development Foundation for the programme, which he said not only fostered dialogue but also served as an action and opportunity to gather data for policymaking.

The Chairman of the Remo Youth Association, Bidemi Solarin, called on the government at all levels to create avenues for youths to thrive in the agricultural sector and commended Abiodun for creating a ministry for the development of youths in the state.

News

JUST IN: PENGASSAN Strike May Trigger Nationwide Blackout, Thermal Plants Shut Down

Published

2 hours ago

September 28, 2025

Editor

Nigerians may face a nationwide blackout from Monday as power generation companies have raised the alarm over an imminent shutdown of thermal plants following directives from the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria.

The Executive Secretary of the Association of Power Generating Companies, Joy Ogaji, raised the alarm over the imminent blackout in a WhatsApp message on Sunday.

She revealed that gas suppliers had issued notices to halt supply to thermal power stations in line with PENGASSAN’s strike resolution.

“Good day, all. Thermal GenCos have received notification from our gas suppliers to shut down our thermal power plants following directives from PENGASSAN. The Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company has specifically requested GenCos to comply,” Ogaji said in the post.

She warned that the development could plunge the country into darkness, as hydroelectric dams alone cannot sustain the national grid.

“Please all be notified of the imminent darkness, as hydros alone cannot sustain the system,” she added.

The warning comes hours after PENGASSAN announced that it would commence a nationwide strike on Monday to protest the dismissal of over 800 workers at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

The oil workers’ union, after an emergency National Executive Council meeting on Saturday, directed its members in all oil and gas installations to down tools until the sackings were reversed.

The action could cripple crude production, fuel supply, gas distribution and now electricity generation, worsening the hardship faced by Nigerians.

With thermal stations accounting for more than 70 per cent of Nigeria’s electricity supply, industry experts say the shutdown will trigger widespread outages, stretch hydro plants beyond capacity and heighten the risk of a nationwide system collapse.

News

Customs Launches One-stop-shop To Cut Cargo Clearance To 48 Hours

Published

3 hours ago

September 28, 2025

Editor

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it has officially introduced its ‘One-Stop-Shop (OSS)’ initiative aimed at reducing cargo clearance time to 48 hours.

NCS spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, made this known in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Maiwada said the initiative was unveiled recently during a meeting between NCS management and Customs Area Controllers, chaired by the Comptroller-General (C-G), Adewale Adeniyi, in Abuja.

He said the meeting deliberated on the service’s modernisation agenda and the role of leadership in driving reforms across commands.

Maiwada quoted the C-G as describing the OSS as a “transformative shift” which aligned with global best practices and the Federal Government’s Ease of Doing Business policy.

Adeniyi said the reform was designed to sanitise operations, reduce duplication of efforts and ensure predictability in customs procedures.

“The OSS initiative will not only shorten clearance time from 21 days to 48 hours, but it will also strengthen trader confidence, restore transparency and make our operations more business-friendly,” Adeniyi said.

The C-G acknowledged the role of technology in customs operations but also emphasised the importance of physical engagement with officers.

“As much as technology has helped us, it has its limits. There are moments when physical presence, coming together under one roof, adds weight and value to our deliberations,” he said.

The NCS boss said the reform would be piloted at Apapa, Tin Can Island and Onne Ports before being rolled out nationwide.

He added that the initiative was constitutionally supported by the NCS Act 2023 and aligned with the World Trade Organisation’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).

“This is not just a policy. It is a statement of intent that reflects our determination to build a modern, transparent and trader-friendly Customs Service,” he said.

The spokesperson said that under the OSS framework, all customs units would work jointly on flagged declarations, eliminating multiple checks and reducing delays.

According to him, consignments cleared under the OSS will not be subject to re-interception, thereby reducing costs and enhancing trade facilitation.

He said the meeting also provided a platform to review the NCS accountability framework, including a new central dashboard that tracks clearance times, interventions and stakeholder satisfaction.

News

SEC Warns Nigerians Over AI-generated Investment Scams

Published

4 hours ago

September 28, 2025

Editor

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has warned Nigerians to be cautious of a rising wave of artificial intelligence (AI)-driven scams that are targeting unsuspecting investors with promises of guaranteed profits and fake celebrity endorsements.

The Commission, in a statement, recalled that platforms such as CBEX, Silverkuun, and TOFRO were operating illegally by advertising AI-powered trading systems that promised unrealistic returns.

“These platforms are not registered or regulated by the SEC, yet they continue to mislead the public with false claims of AI-driven investments. They pose serious risks to investors; hence, the Commission issued a series of disclaimers against their activities,” the Commission stated.

The SEC explained that fraudsters are increasingly turning to deepfake videos and AI-generated content to lure victims, noting that manipulated videos featuring politicians, celebrities, and television hosts are being shared through Facebook adverts, Instagram reels, and Telegram groups to give fraudulent platforms an air of credibility.

According to the Commission, “Scammers are exploiting AI to fabricate endorsements and testimonials that appear genuine. This has made traditional fraud detection methods less effective, hence the need for tech-enabled regulation and greater public awareness.”

To counter the growing threat, the SEC explained that it is adopting advanced surveillance systems capable of detecting fraudulent activity in real time, adding that partnerships with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) are being strengthened to enable data sharing and joint enforcement actions.

“We are moving from reactive to predictive oversight. This is essential in combating fraud and systemic risks in our market,” the Commission emphasised.

The regulator said it has also engaged social media companies to clamp down on misleading adverts and cautioned influencers against promoting unlicensed investment schemes.

“Any influencer or blogger found to be complicit in promoting illegal platforms will face regulatory sanctions or even prosecution,” the SEC warned.

The Commission urged Nigerians to take extra precautions before investing, stressing that any scheme promising daily profits, zero risk, or celebrity-backed endorsements should be treated with suspicion.

It stated: “Any investment that guarantees unrealistic returns or uses manipulated videos of public figures should immediately raise a red flag.”

The Commission further encouraged Nigerians to verify the registration status of any investment platform on its website, where a list of licensed Capital Market Operators is available.

It added that investors should confirm that registration numbers displayed on company websites match the details on the SEC portal and avoid platforms that only operate through Telegram or WhatsApp without a verifiable office address.