General
Traditional Rulers Trained On Land Negotiations Skills
By Dipo Olowookere
A two-day seminar to sensitize African traditional leaders on the risks and opportunities of large-scale land based investments (LSLBIs) kicked off Wednesday in Accra, Ghana, with more than 50 traditional authorities and community leaders from across Africa.
Organized by the Land Policy Initiative (LPI), the event will equip traditional leaders with key principles for negotiating land investment deals that are sustainable and beneficial to African people and communities.
Mr Hubert Ouedraogo, lead land expert from the Land Policy Initiative Section of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), explained that the focus on traditional leaders is a strategic move.
“It is important to engage traditional leaders in such activities because land rights in most African communities are customary law based, and are governed by traditional institutions,” said Mr Ouedraogo.
Africa harbours an estimated 60 percent of the world’s arable lands but the continent is still a net importer of food and agricultural produce. Meanwhile, the continent’s youths are fleeing massively to Europe as economic migrants. These are clear indications that Africa’s rich land resources are not properly harnessed to meet the needs of its growing population and rapid urbanization.
Also, the need for developed countries to access natural resources critical to their economic competiveness and sustainability has fuelled increasing demand for African farmlands. This has resulted in a phenomenon of large-scale land acquisitions across Africa. Consequently, African governments are blamed for giving away the continent’s land resources at the expense of poor local communities.
Speaking at the opening of the seminar, Ghana’s minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Nii Osah Mills, said his country has established several customary lands secretariats – institutional structures to facilitate efficient and effective administration of customary lands.
“When the Ghana Land Policy was launched in 1999, a prime place was provided for capacity development of traditional authorities,” Said Mr. Mills. “ Under the Ghana Land Administration Project, Customary Land Secretariats are encouraged and supported by my ministry to enable customary landowners to have proper administrative structures to manage their lands.”
AUC’s representative, Laila Lokosang, also emphasized the importance of recognizing and protecting the customary based land rights of African people.
“If Africa is to feed its rapidly growing population, then land rights of African farmers, the majority of whom are smallholder farmers, need to be secured,” said Mr. Lokosang. “Protecting the customary based land rights of African people, including those of women, is a key determining factor for Africa’s development.”
Speaking on behalf of the Ghanaian National House of Chiefs, Nene Akuaku III described the seminar as a first-of-kind opportunity for traditional leaders.
“I understand it is first of its kind for traditional authorities to meet and deliberate on land issue. I will therefore entreat all of us to use this opportunity to share experiences learn and document lessons for future considerations.”
The seminar is part of several activities carried out by the LIP under the auspices of the AUC, AfDB and ECA, to provide guidance to African governments, traditional leaders and other stakeholders on how to make land related investments benefit local people and economies.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said the petition to recall the Senator representing Kogi Central, Mrs Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, did not meet the requirements.
In a statement on Thursday, the electoral commission said the petition did not meet the requirements of the constitution.
“The petition for the recall of the Senator representing the Kogi Central Senatorial District has not met the requirement of Section 69(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended),” INEC wrote on its X handle.
INEC cited Section 69(a) of the Constitution, which stipulates that a petition to recall a senator needs the signatures of more than one-half of the registered voters in the lawmaker’s constituency.
“The total number of registered voters in the Kogi Central Senatorial District is 474,554. More than one-half of this figure (i.e. 50%+1) is 237,277+1, which is at least 237,278 voters,” the statement issued by INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information & Voter Education Committee, Mr Sam Olumekun read in part.
“Across the 902 Polling Units in 57 Registration Areas and five Local Government Areas that make up the Senatorial District, the Commission ascertained 208,132 signatures/thumbprints from the submission made by the petitioners.”
The development comes some days after the electoral body rejected the petition to recall the embattled lawmaker, citing missing addresses and other issues.
The petitioners later submitted the missing items, and on March 26, the body confirmed that it has received the contact addresses, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses of representatives of those who submitted the petition for the recall of the suspended senator.
INEC added that the next step was to scrutinise the list of signatories submitted by the petitioners to ascertain that the petition is signed by more than one half (over 50 per cent) of the registered voters in the constituency.
With this, INEC has concluded that the petition has yet to meet all requirements for the recall of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan as enshrined in amended 1999 constitution.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector have been encouraged to enter for the 2025 GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize for a chance to win $160,000 set aside by the organisers.
Applications for the contest opened today, Thursday, April 3, and will close on Tuesday, June 10, a statement made available to Business Post said.
The competition, in its seventh edition, is for promising young co-founders and founders across Africa who have launched businesses across the continent’s agrifood value chain “from seed to fork”.
Judges will be looking for innovative, scalable, and impact-driven agripreneurs not more than 35 years who have built tech-savvy, sustainable businesses tackling food security, job creation, and equitable economic growth.
Participants must be a citizen of an African Union member country, and must serve as a founder or co-founder of a legally registered venture operating in Africa, which must be registered by June 10, 2025.
In September 2025, GoGettaz finalists will pitch their businesses live on stage in Dakar, Senegal during the annual Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) taking place from August 31, to September 5, 2025.
Two grand prizes of $50,000 each will be awarded to the most outstanding male and female-led agribusinesses. An additional US$60,000 in Impact Awards will recognize businesses excelling in key areas such as technology, innovation, nutrition, food security, improving rural livelihoods, climate resilience, gender equity, natural resource conservation, and job creation.
“I am continually amazed by the ingenuity and determination of the young entrepreneurs we meet through the GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition each year.
“Their ability to leverage technology and innovative business models showcases the immense potential of the agrifood sector and the pivotal role of entrepreneurship in sustainable development.
“As we launch the 2025 campaign, we are inspired by the opportunity to empower and support young entrepreneurs who are enhancing job creation, uplifting communities, and nourishing Africa’s growing population,” the chief executive of Yara International and co-founder of GoGettaz, Svein Tore Holsether, stated.
Also, the another co-founder of GoGettaz and chairman of Econet Group, Mr Strive Masiyiwa, said, “Africa’s youth are brimming with creative energy and ideas to solve myriad problems with innovative solutions.
“They aren’t waiting around for the perfect conditions; they are seizing the moment and embracing technology to revolutionize the agrifood industry across the continent,” he noted. “They are launching remarkable ventures, but to ensure they can grow and scale, our youth need the right support, access to capital, skills, and enabling environments to grow their young businesses into multimillion-dollar pan-African and global agribusinesses.
“Our amazing young entrepreneurs deserve both recognition and support, which is why GoGettaz exists.”
The GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition is an integral part of the Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF), the world’s premier forum for African agriculture and food systems, bringing together stakeholders to take practical action and share lessons that will empower Africa’s young leaders for food systems transformation.
With the 2025 AFSF theme Africa’s Youth: Leading Collaboration, Innovation and Implementation of Agri-Food Systems Transformation, the GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize competition is set to empower youth entrepreneurs from across West, Northern, Southern, Central, and Eastern Africa who looking to showcase, grow, and scale, their agrifood businesses.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Members of the public have been warned against buying, selling, leasing or letting of Hampton Harbour landed property, emphasising that doing so could be very risky.
This caveat is from Structured HQ Legal (SHQ) via a statement to Business Post on Thursday afternoon through one of its representatives.
The company stressed that the property is currently under legal scrutiny, cautioning that any individual or entity engaging in transactions related to Hampton Harbour does so at their own risk, emphasising further that unauthorized dealings could lead to significant financial loss and expose parties involved to legal consequences.
“The public is strongly advised to exercise caution and ensure due diligence before engaging in any transactions concerning Hampton Harbour.
“Prospective buyers, investors, or stakeholders must seek formal confirmation and approval from Structured HQ Legal or Baggeren International Company Limited to avoid financial and legal risks,” a part of the notice stated.
The legal organisation warned that any person(s) who proceeds with any dealings in relation to the Hampton Harbour property risks both financial loss and potential legal actions noting that such transactions may result in criminal and civil liabilities for trespass or fraud.
The landed property measuring at 19.5 hectares is located at Elegushi Royal Family Land in Ikate, Eti Osa, Local Government Area of Lagos State with reference number 376/376/2777GC. The property is said to belong to the Baggeren International Company.
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