Business and Economy
Opportunities for Youth Abound in Marine & Blue Economy – Oyetola
Ifedayo Abiola, Ile – Ife
The Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Alhaji @GboyegaOyetola, represented by the Managing Director, @NigerianPorts, Dr. @AbuDantsoho, said that the blue economy sector promises a wealth of benefits for the growing youth population of Nigeria.
The Minister disclosed this on Wednesday, at the 2024 International Conference, titled, ‘Advancing Entrepreneurship Education and Practice for Sustainable Development in Africa,” organized by the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Development Studies (IFEDS), Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State.
Other dignitaries at the Conference are the Vice Chancellor Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Professor Adebayo Simeon Banire, Director-General of @nimasaofficial, Dr. Dayo Mobereola and Dr. Richard Akinola, the Chief of Staff to the Minister.
The Minister highlighted the opportunities in the blue economy to constitute a spectrum of economic activities. Amongst these are maritime shipping; the construction and repair of ships; port infrastructure and services; coastal tourism; fisheries and aquaculture; generation of renewable energy offshore.
“Others are seabed mining; underwater cabling; marine biotechnology (in support of the pharmaceutical and chemical sectors); maritime education, research, and consultancy services; protection and restoration of marine habitats; water desalination and waste disposal.
He, however, called on academic institutions across the country to work together with the government to harness the numerous potential inherent in the nation’s ocean and coastal resources
“The Marine and Blue Economy represents a blue gold mine of entrepreneurial opportunities for African entrepreneurs and researchers. By harnessing innovation, embracing sustainability, and fostering collaboration between government, academia, and the private sector, we can create a thriving marine and blue economy that contributes significantly to Nigeria’s sustainable development.
“The Marine and Blue Economy represents a frontier of immense potential for Nigeria and indeed, all of Africa. It is a sector that, if harnessed correctly, can drive innovation, create jobs, and contribute significantly to our national and continental GDP”, the Minister said.
The minister, further stated that the blue economy sector promises a wealth of benefits for the growing youth population of the beloved nation.
According to him, the sector offered scope for innovation, sustainable growth, and fruitful entrepreneurial paths, saying the economic prospects offered by our blue economy are substantial and remarkable.
Nigeria has an expansive coastline of 853 kilometers along the Atlantic Ocean and a maritime area of 46,000 square kilometers within the Gulf of Guinea. Our marine resources are both vast and varied. Our exclusive economic zone spans over 200 nautical miles, achieving a recent extension of 16,300 square kilometers – approximately five times the size of Lagos State.
“Additionally, Nigeria features an extensive resource of inland waterways, with the potential to support an intra-regional trade sphere through a length of 10,000 kilometers. Strategically situated navigational routes link Africa with North and South America, Europe, and Asia, making the maritime sector a crucial catalyst of our nation’s economy.
“Thus, the blue economy sector promises a wealth of benefits for the growing youth population of our beloved nation, offering scope for innovation, sustainable growth, and fruitful entrepreneurial paths. The economic prospects offered by our blue economy are substantial and remarkable.”
Olasunmibo Aboluwade, Abuja
The Senate on Thursday failed to approve a Bill seeking to establish a foreign exchange market in Nigeria.
The proposed law was sponsored by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Sani Musa (APC Niger East).
The Bill also seeks to make provisions for the control, monitoring and supervision of transactions conducted in the Foreign Exchange Market.
The proposed law is titled, “The Foreign Exchange (Control And Monitoring) Bill, 2024 (SB. 353). It was read for the first time on Tuesday, February 20, 2024.
In his Lead debate, Musa described the bill as an important legislation that seeks to repeal the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and Miscellaneous Provision) Act, Cap. F34, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Musa said the proposed law would provide for the regulation, monitoring and supervision of the transactions conducted in the market and for related matters.
He said it would also contribute to the sound development of the National economy by striving to facilitate foreign transactions and maintain an equilibrium of balance of International payments.
He said, “The Bill seeks to stabilize the value of currency by ensuring the liberalization of foreign exchange transactions to maintain an equilibrium of balance of International payments.
“It will also stabilise the value of currency by ensuring the liberalization of foreign exchange transactions and of other foreign transactions by revitalizing
market functionality.
“The Bill attempts to expand Section (1) of the existing Act to incorporate three new provisions to make for clarity and to empower the Central Bank of Nigeria
to administer, control and manage all dealings and transactions in relation to foreign exchange matters.
“The newly introduced clauses will enable the CBN to determine the basic exchange rate of purchase and sale of foreign exchange.
“Clause 6 of the Bill introduces New Sub-clauses (2), (4) and (5) which require authorised dealers to render returns to the CBN on sources of foreign exchange in excess of USD 10,000 and utilisation of same.
“It also requires authorized dealers obtain prior approval of the CBN when seeking to import foreign currency notes.
“Part Ill of the Bill makes elaborate provisions for the grant of a licence to carry on business dealings in foreign exchange. In this part, provisions were made for refusal of licence, suspension or revocation of licence, review and appeal.
“Clause 18 (1) (a) and (b) were added to expand the scope of dealers in the market and where funds are purchased from the Bank. The market rate may be subject to rules and regulations prescribed by the Bank.”
Musa added that with the bill, the operation of domiciliary account shall be as prescribed by the Bank and that the powers of the CBN have been widened to prescribe how foreign exchange may be accepted for the payment for goods and services in Nigeria.
The Bill when passed into law, according to Musa, will contribute to sound development of national economy, facilitate foreign transactions and most importantly, and stabilize the value of the currency by ensuring the liberalization of foreign transactions and revitalizing market functionality.
Most senators in their various contributions expressed the fears that a fresh legislation seeking to monitor or control the activities of the foreign exchange market apart from what the CBN was doing, could be counter productive.
Some of the senators who expressed serious reservations over the proposed law are, Solomon Adeola (Appropriation Committee Chairman); Tokunbo Abiru (Chairman, Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions panel; and Aliyu Wadada (Chairman, Senate Public Account Committee) among others
For instance, a former accountant general of the Federation who is now the senator representing Gombe North, Ibrahim Dankwambo, noted that the law, if passed would confuse Nigerians.
He was of the opinion that any further law aimed at regulating the foreign exchange market should come from the executive arm of government to avoid crisis in the sector.
Also contributing, the Senator Adams Oshiomhole, said, “we have to be careful because we cannot speculate. Anything done in this house, Nigerians will take it very seriously, because we have the power to make laws.
“Senators who have spoken, had summarized and amplified meticulously, the contradictions and negative implications of passing the law.
“I believe that the Bill should not attract further hearing because we are trying to take over the monetary policy regulations of the CBN of we go ahead with it.
“If the executive arm of government likes, let them bring a Bill to further strengthen the regulatory powers of the CBN. It is not our work.”
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, who presided over the session, urged Musa to withdraw the proposed law for further consultations but the senator refused to do so.
Akpabio subsequently called for voice vote to determine it’s approval or rejection for second reading and majority of the federal lawmakers voted against it.
Olasunmibo Aboluwade, Abuja
The Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN), has banned the use of foreign currency denominated collaterals for naira loans .
This is contained in a memo by the CBN to all banks operating in the country.
The memo with references, BSD/DIR/PUB/LAB/017/004, dated April 8, 2024, was signed by Dr Adetona S. Adedeji, Acting Director, Banking Supervision Department .
It was titled, Letter to All Banks: The Use of Foreign-Currency-Denominated Collaterals For Naira Loans
Part of the letter read, “The Central Bank of Nigeria has observed the prevailing situation where bank customers use Foreign Currency (FCY) as collaterais for Naira loans.
“Consequently, the current practice of using foreign currency-denominated collaterals for Naira loans is hereby prohibited, except, where the foreign currency collateral is:
Eurobonds issued by the Federal Government of Nigeria; or Guarantees of foreign banks, including Standby Letters of Credit
“In this regard, all loans currently secured with dollar denominated collaterals other than as mentioned above should be wound down within 90 days, failing which such exposures shall be risk weighted 150% for Capital Adequacy Ratio computation in addition to other regulatory sanctions. Please be guided accordingly.”
Iseoluwa Ajoke, Abuja
The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) Tuesday inducted 24 new members into the institute just as the Minister for Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris inaugurated its 2023-2025 Governing Board.
Among those inaugurated as members of the institute were the former spokesman for the House of Representatives and current Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, to the President of the Senate, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh.
Also initiated into the institute was the Senior Special Assistant on Strategic Communications (Communications Adviser to the President of ECOWAS), Linda Akhigbe, Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz and Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Deputy Senate President, Ismail Mudashir.
The institute also admitted the Director General (Press Affairs) to the Governor of Gombe State, Mallam Ismaila UBA Misilli and top media and public relations managers in the government and private sector.
In his address at the occasion, the Information Minister, urged the NIPR Governing Council to work towards professionalising the institute and acting within the provisions of the law establishing it in order to end quackery in the profession.
He urged the new inductees to strive to build a better reputation for Nigeria stressing that “Reputation was one of the key pillars on nation building”.
Idris disclosed that he was “Impressed with the initiatives and programmes of the current Council led by Dr. Ike Neliaku, as contained in a document presented to me earlier before this event. I firmly believe that if we’ll implemented, they have the potential to transform both the institute and the country into a global reputational hub”.
While administering oath on the inductees, the National President of NIPR, Dr. Ike Neliaku said the institute stood for excellence and professionalism stressing that the era of quacks operating in the industry was over.
He said they have activated the compliance department of the institute to ensure that the NIPR Act of 2007 was fully complied with.
Neliaku disclosed that the institute had written to all government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) educating them on the need to comply with the provision of the law and desist from appointing non-professionals to man their communications and public relations units and departments.