By Adedapo Adesanya

Farmers under the aegis of the All Farmer Association of Nigeria (AFAN) have warned of a looming food crisis in 2025, urging citizens to prepare for tough times ahead.

The association based the warning on the macroeconomic instability arising from the triple whammy of Naira volatility, insecurity, and climate change.

AFAN made the call via its National President, Mr Kabir Ibrahim, in a new year message.

Mr Ibrahim warned that Nigeria is on the cusp of experiencing a major catastrophe of food insecurity, adding, “If extreme care is not taken judging from the macroeconomic instability arising from currency volatility, insecurity, climate change and inequity.”

However, Mr Ibrahim emphasised the urgent need for the country to prioritise food sufficiency, particularly during the crucial first quarter of the year.

The AFAN President urged that stakeholders like the government and farmers must work together to get Nigeria out of the stranglehold of hunger and extreme poverty.

“While not trying to sound despondent, I hasten to say that the attainment of food sufficiency for Nigerians in the first quarter of 2025 may be the elixir for the continued existence of Nigeria as a working unit.

“I say this with all sense of responsibility having been involved in agricultural advocacy for the better part of my 66 years on earth.

“In 2024 we saw various efforts at stabilising Nigeria’s food system through various windows of support to the SHFs, the MSMEs, the SSPs and the vulnerable people but food inflation is still at an all-time high at 39.93 per cent which portends extreme hunger to a very good number of Nigerians.

“In 2025 we must coalesce as stakeholders/farmers with the government to get Nigeria out of the stranglehold of hunger and extreme poverty. We can only do this if we work as a unified body with common interests and operating from common ground.”

He noted that there is a possibility of tackling the crisis, only if the proper measures are put in place.

“It may appear ambitious but evidently doable through a collective resolve to extricate our country from looming existential challenges,” he added.

Business Post reports that President Bola Tinubu promised to tackle the food crisis, and reiterated it during his New Year’s message.

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

A leading life insurance service provider in Nigeria, Stanbic IBTC Insurance Limited, has passed a comprehensive audit, resulting in the issuance of an IQNET-recognised certificate.

This rigorous audit process assessed various operational aspects, financial practices, and adherence to regulatory standards, highlighting Stanbic IBTC Insurance’s dedication to exceeding industry best practices and fostering an environment of integrity and accountability.

The underwriting firm passed this audit after implementing and maintaining a Quality Management System by DQS Holding.

This system covers the scope of Life Insurance and fulfils the requirements of the following standard: ISO 9001:2015.

DQS Holding GmbH is the holding company of the worldwide DQS Group, a Frankfurt-based group that provides assessments and certifications of management systems and processes of any type.

This milestone marks a significant advancement for the company and reaffirms its commitment to maintaining the highest standards of compliance, transparency, and operational excellence in the insurance industry.

“We are thrilled to receive this certification, which recognises our commitment to upholding the highest standards of governance and accountability.

“This accomplishment reflects our exceptional team’s hard work and dedication and reinforces our promise to our clients and stakeholders,” the chief executive of Stanbic IBTC Insurance, Mr Akinjide Orimolade, said.

He further emphasised the importance of trust within the insurance industry, acknowledging that it is foundational to building long-lasting relationships with clients.

“In a sector where clients need to feel secured and valued, we understand that trust is crucial. Our team’s commitment to transparency and ethical practises has been paramount in establishing this trust,” Mr Orimolade added.

He reiterated that as part of its mission to provide quality insurance products and services, Stanbic IBTC Insurance Limited will continue to strive for excellence and uphold stringent industry standards.

The recent certification is an important milestone that further enhances the company’s profile as a leading insurer in the market. It reinforces our reputation for reliability and integrity while demonstrating our readiness to meet future challenges and opportunities in the insurance landscape.

“To that end, we are dedicated to investing in our people, processes, and technology to ensure we remain at the forefront of the insurance industry. We will continue to listen to our clients’ feedback, seek innovative solutions to their needs, and adapt our services accordingly. Our goal is to meet and exceed the expectations of those who trust us,” Mr Orimolade noted.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Some food items and cash worth N100,000 have been to about 500 widows and others each by a Lagos-based religious organisation, Dominion City.

The donation was made by the church during a programme themed Smile at Christmas: a Special Widows and Single Mothers’ Outreach.

Dominion City said this and other initiatives were parts of its efforts to support vulnerable individuals, uplifting communities, and fostering economic empowerment.

In November, it also empowered about 100 widows with diverse skills through one of its empowerment schemes known as Kingdomnomics, where the 10 best-performing women were provided grants of N100, 000 each to start the business they trained in.

Only recently, in December, the Christmas Outreach Program was embarked upon across the 32 satellite zones from the Lagos headquarter church with provisions of foodstuffs and clothes to over 2500 individuals on the Lekki-Epe axis in Lagos.

Every September in the past six years, the church has continued to leverage support for out-of-school children and some students through its Back-to-School Program where almost 500 children usually get education materials and a select number get scholarships.

The beneficiaries have expressed profound gratitude to the leadership of Dominion City Church for its kindness and generosity, with many describing the initiative as a divine intervention in their lives.

“There is a need to help people whom N100,000 can help them escape their current predicaments during this period of Christmas.

“Helping others to feed and survive is what the church is all about. Not living in affluence and a wasteful life while others are suffering,” the president of the church, Pastor David Ogbueli, stated.

Beyond giving out free cash, he emphasized the need for job creation that enables people to render services for wealth creation. According to him, for lots of things we are praying about, the answers are in the church.

He further encouraged some of the wealthy members to give lift to the youths by selecting about 10 individuals to mentor for one year while supporting others financially to become entrepreneurs.

Also, the resident pastor of the Lagos headquarters church, Pastor Shola Olapade, who is following in the footsteps of the president of the ministry, explained further and disclosed that the church is positioned to create leaders who will transform society.