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Agribusiness Sector in Nigeria Lacks Good Structure—Expert

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By Adedapo Adesanya 

The agriculture sector is set to get a huge boost as stakeholders have noted that they want to partner one of the top agricultural institute, Premier Agribusiness Academy, on capacity building for business sustainability and profitability.

This followed interest expressed by key agriculture stakeholders which include the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI), Rome Business School among others, at a recently concluded leadership training organized by Premier Agribusiness Academy in Lagos.

Speaking during the executive education course designed for CEOs, COOs, MDs, business owners and Managers, the Director-General of Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG), Mr Manzo Daniel Maigari, noted that the agribusiness sector in Nigeria lacked a comprehensive structure and was not developed enough.

He then said that major decision makers in the sector need to acquire efficient leadership tools like those taught at Premier Agribusiness Academy coupled with organized trainings to enable them make decisions that will develop their businesses and by extension, structure the sector.

The NABG DG lauded the quality of training and facilitators at the training academy said: “I don’t think there is any other academy providing top level management training like this in the sector. Premier Agribusiness Academy has come in handy to fill a gap that no one has been able to identify let alone meet.

“The Academy has created a niche for itself that nobody may be able to compete with both in terms of the quality of training and the trainer, Adm. Toromade Francis, a renowned and one of the best agribusiness experts in Nigeria”.

Another participant at the training, Mrs Veronica Obatolu, Executive Director, Institute of Agricultural Research and Training commended the Agribusiness school and highlighted ways the research institute can collaborate with the academy while expressing her desire to do so.

“There are so many ways our organization can collaborate with Premier Agribusiness Academy especially in the area of agricultural value chain. Our institute deals with so many agricultural crops starting from the beginning which is the soil until it gets to the consumer and I see many ways we can collaborate in terms of livestock, domestic improvement, processing and human capacity development,” she said.

Commenting on the importance of the training, Mrs Obatolu said, “The course ‘Critical thinking and problem solving skill for decision making’, is a good course that has given me a new perception regarding decision making, not just to focus on a particular method but to able to combine both critical and creative thinking in order to be able to make good decisions that will help in the upliftment of the organization that I am leading”

“I think that all leaders of agricultural organizations need to be part of it”.

On his part, Mr Egbebe Godwin, Chairman Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) Lagos State Chapter who was also a participant at the training said: “I am happy that I attended this course because it is needed to bridge the gap between agriculture and business so that we can have a successful practice of agribusiness.

“A lot of people know how to bring the concept of science and business together; they only know agriculture but there are ignorant of the business aspect of it.

“I am particularly delighted to have been a part of this training because it has exposed me to better ways to manage my business and also convince other PAN members to partner with Premier Agribusiness Academy to learn world’s best management practices that will help them develop their businesses and agriculture in Nigeria.

Mr Olufemi Oladunni of Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI), during his input revealed that functioning efficiently as a Chief Executive required a lot of creative and critical thinking to solve problems especially in the agriculture and rural development sector of the Nigerian economy.

He then expressed delight to have been a participant of the training and lauded Premier Agribusiness Academy for the initiative adding that, the knowledge he has acquired will help him function better and more efficiently as a Chief Executive Officer.

He expressed his intention to collaborate with the academy by introducing agribusiness components into the agricultural value chain, through the training of young members in experiential learning adding that, this knowledge will help them in delivering their mandate to the institute and country at large.

Mr Humphrey Akanazu, Country Director, Rome Business School noted that the knowledge impacted in Premier Agribusiness Academy trainings are skills that can be applied in any business environment not only agriculture.

“It is key for top management staff of companies and organizations to make quality business and management decisions and Premier Agribusiness Academy delivers top notch leadership and management trainings” he said.

Mr Francis Toromade, the Director-General of the academy, said the Premier Agribusiness Academy is school designed to bridge the gap between agriculture and business management in the Nigerian agricultural sector through quality training on human capital development, business management, marketing and sales of agricultural products, production, logistics, distribution.

He further revealed that another training session will take place on the January 16, 2020 at Lagos Sheraton Hotels, Ikeja, Lagos state.

Adedapo Adesanya is a journalist, polymath, and connoisseur of everything art. When he is not writing, he has his nose buried in one of the many books or articles he has bookmarked or simply listening to good music with a bottle of beer or wine. He supports the greatest club in the world, Manchester United F.C.

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Young Professionals for Tinubu Group Attracts Over 3,000 Nigerians

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Young Professionals for Tinubu

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

No fewer than 3,000 Nigerians have joined a dynamic and fast-growing youth-driven group known as the Young Professionals for Tinubu (YP4T).

The organisation is dedicated to leadership, policy engagement, and economic empowerment. It was established to support President Bola Tinubu’s vision for economic transformation.

Since its inception, YP4T has quickly established itself as a mobilising force for young professionals who see themselves not just as beneficiaries of development but as key drivers of it.

Across multiple states, its members are actively working to strengthen Nigeria’s economic, technological, and entrepreneurial landscape, ensuring that young people are not left behind in the country’s evolving growth story.

With an economy valued at over $440 billion and a youth population that makes up more than 60 per cent of Nigeria’s 200 million citizens, the impact of an organized and engaged professional youth network cannot be overstated.

“We are building a generation that is ready to lead, innovate, and contribute meaningfully to national growth. The rapid expansion of our network is proof that young Nigerians want to be involved in shaping the country’s future.

“The best way to honour the administration’s vision for national development is not just to support it but to become part of the execution—ensuring that policies translate into opportunities for people across the country,” the Regional Director of YP4T, Mr Alex Oware.

Another member of the movement, Mr Raphael Utoku, said, “I joined YP4T because I wanted to be part of something bigger than myself. Beyond the leadership discussions and the networking, I gained practical mentorship that has completely transformed my career path. It’s the kind of community that young professionals in Nigeria have needed for a long time.”

It was learned that through direct interventions in education, career development, and entrepreneurship, YP4T has already begun making a tangible impact.

In the past six months, the movement has facilitated over N50 million in small business support, connected more than 1,200 young Nigerians to industry mentors across finance, technology, and governance, and provided professional development training to over 800 early-career professionals.

Its education-focused initiatives have also led to the launch of the YP4T Scholarship and Skills Fund, which has supported university students and technical training beneficiaries in multiple states, ensuring that economic hardship does not derail potential.

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Customs Suspends 4% FOB Levy on Imports for Wider Deliberations

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Nigeria customs wale adeniyi

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Nigeria Customs Service has suspended the implementation of the 4 per cent Free-on-Board (FOB) value on imports following a series of blowbacks from key stakeholders.

According to a statement signed by the Customs’ spokesman, Mr Abdullahi Maiwada, the suspension will enable comprehensive engagement and consultations between the Minister of Finance, Mr Wale Edun and other stakeholders.

The FOB, which is a 4 per cent charge on imported goods, was meant to replace an older system where companies like Webb Fontaine handled import inspections for a 1 per cent fee. The move sparked heavy criticism from stakeholders like the Nigeria Employers’  Consultative Association (NECA).

According to NECA, the Nigerian business environment already struggles with multiple taxes, unpredictable policies, and economic challenges coupled with unsold inventories and growing unemployment, pleading that policies should “support businesses, not further suffocate them.”

“The timing of this suspension aligns with the exit of the contract agreement with the Service providers, including Webb Fontaine, which were previously funded through the 1% Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme (CISS). This presents an opportunity to review our revenue framework holistically,” Mr Maiwada said.

“Under the previous funding arrangement repealed by the Nigeria Customs Service Act (NCSA) 2023, separating the 1% CISS and 7% cost of collection created operational inefficiencies and funding gaps in customs modernisation efforts.

“The new Act addresses these challenges by consolidating “not less than 4% of the Free-on-Board value of imports,” designed to ensure sustainable funding for critical customs operations and modernisation initiatives. This transition period will allow the Service to optimise the management of these frameworks to serve our stakeholders and the nation’s interests better,” he added.

“The suspension period will allow the Service to further engage with stakeholders while ensuring proper alignment with the Act’s provisions for sustainable funding of these modernisation initiatives.

“We will communicate the revised implementation timeline following the conclusion of stakeholder consultations,” he said.

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National Grid Collapse Leaves Abuja, Lagos Residents in Darkness

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Mini Grids Programme

By Dipo Olowookere

Residents of Abuja and Lagos are currently experiencing blackouts after the national grid collapsed on Wednesday morning.

Electricity in two of the biggest cities in Nigeria went off a few minutes before noon on Wednesday, information gathered by Business Post showed.

This was confirmed by one of the energy distribution companies in the country in a message to customers within its franchise areas.

“Please be informed that we experienced a system outage today, February 12, 2025, at 11:34 am affecting all our feeders.

“Restoration of supply is ongoing in collaboration with our critical stakeholders. Kindly bear with us,” the message from Ikeja Electric said.

As of the time of filing this report, power had yet to be restored by the Disco, as electricity consumers switched to alternative power sources amid the scorching heat.

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