In continuation of its 2025 Annual National Food Intervention Programme, the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF), has distributed 50,000 bags of rice to poor and vulnerable families in Kebbi and Gombe States.

Flagging off the distribution of the intervention in Aliero Local Government Area of Kebbi State on Thursday(yesterday), the Kebbi State Commissioner for Special Duties, Alhaji Zayyanu Aliero, said the gesture was in line with the core values of the Foundation’s founder, Aliko Dangote.

“This is commendable gesture, especially as it will improve the living conditions of the poor and most vulnerable people in the state.

“The distribution is in collaboration between the Foundation and the state government to ensure that the food reaches the most vulnerable individuals in each of the 21 LGAs of the state,” he said.

The commissioner lauded the Foundation for the kind gesture, saying it was the second edition of the foundation’s gesture to the vulnerable people in the state.

He disclosed that,”Out of the 25,000 bags of the rice allotted for the 21 LGAs of the state, 20 LGAs would get 1,000 each while Birnin Kebbi LGA, which is the highest in population, will get 3,000 bags and the other vulnerable people will get 1,000 bags of the rice.

“The distribution formula we have adopted for all the LGAs is, 150 bags for persons living with disability, 100 for deaf, 100 for blind, 20 for leper, 10 for albino people; 120 for imams, 100 for traditional rulers, divorcees 100, widows 150, Dan-Agaji group 50, and other vulnerable 100,” he noted.

Zayyanu Aliero explained that the partnership had helped the government to reach vulnerable residents efficiently, through community structures that understood local needs.

The commissioner revealed that Gov. Nasir Idris,” has introduced various initiatives to mitigate the economic challenges facing the people in recent times in the state.”

On their part, the Chairman of Aliero and Gwandu LGAs, Abubakar Jadi, represented by his Vice Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar, and Alhaji Atiku Ahmad-Mandiya, lauded the foundation and the efforts of the state government for providing succour to the needies and the less- privileged members of the LGAs in the state.

They urged the beneficiaries to continue praying for the state and the nation, saying Gov. Nasir Idris’ administration remained committed to supporting vulnerable communities.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Alhaji Anas Gwandu, thanked Alhaji Aliko Dangote for providing the food item, while praising him for thinking it wise to intervene in the lives of the beneficiaries.

Anas appealed to other well-to-do individuals to emulate Dangote by supporting those in need.

“As I am talking to you now, we have more than 600,000 people living with disabilities and they need special attention and assistance.

“The gesture as such will alleviate some of the challenges face by the poor, widows, divorcees, and most vulnerable people in the society, hence they need for all our wealthy individuals to emulate the foundation’s gesture,” he urged.

Meanwhile, in Gombe State, the donation was handed over to the state government, through Abubakar Inuwa Kari, the Chief of Staff to Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, to oversee its distribution to the targeted beneficiaries, which includes widows, orphans, and other disadvantaged groups.

Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, Governor Inuwa Yahaya, represented by the Chief of Staff, Government House, Abubakar Inuwa Kari, expressed profound appreciation to the Aliko Dangote Foundation and the Chairman of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, for his continued generosity in assisting the needy, particularly in Gombe State.

He noted that the foundation’s intervention is in line with his administration’s commitment to supporting the poor and vulnerable, especially during the sacred month of Ramadan.

He further commended the timeliness of the Aliko Dangote Foundation’s donation, emphasising that the distribution would follow the existing framework used in previous exercises to ensure equitable reach.

“When the commodities were handed over to the state government, we already had an established distribution structure with standing committees that had successfully handled previous exercises,” he noted.

Governor Yahaya directed that the rice be distributed using the same formula, which has consistently ensured efficiency and transparency in reaching the intended beneficiaries.

He urged the committee members to ensure that this round of distribution benefits a different set of vulnerable persons from those who received aid in previous exercises.

“Let this palliative go to a different set of beneficiaries so that more people can also benefit from this gesture,” he instructed.

He further charged committee members across the LGAs and wards to uphold transparency and accountability in executing their duties, while calling on the general public to continue praying for the progress and prosperity of Gombe State and the nation.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the Gombe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Alhaji Abdullahi Haruna, reaffirmed that all donated food items would be distributed directly to the intended beneficiaries.

Speaking on behalf of the Chairmen of the 11 Local Government Areas of the state, Chairman of Gombe Local Government, Sani Ahmad Haruna, expressed appreciation to the Aliko Dangote Foundation for the continued support

Sani Haruna assured that the successes recorded in previous Ramadan distribution exercises would be replicated, guaranteeing that the items reach those in need.

In their separate remarks, representatives of various beneficiary groups, including the Secretary of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) in Gombe State, Saleh Damburam; Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Joseph Shinga ; the Acting Chairman of the Association of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), Abdullahi A. Bello; and representatives of civil society organisations, lauded the Dangote Foundation for the initiative.

They appreciated the foundation for recognising the targeted groups and coming to their aids, especially at this critical time.

“We are forwarding our appreciation to the Dangote Foundation, who in their wisdom donated these rice to be distributed to the people of Gombe state, particularly those in dire need,” Saleh Danburam, the state JNI secretary stated.

Also, Chairman of the state chapter of CAN, Joseph Shinga said, “I wish to express our deepest gratitude to the Aliko Dangote Foundation for extending this gesture to our people. On behalf of CAN, the youth wing and the ‘Zumuntan Mata we thank you all who sat down and brought out the sharing formula.”

Representative of the Gombe Network of Civil Society (GONET), Ibrahim Yusuf (3000) stated that the donation comes at a crucial time when the targeted beneficiaries are grappling with food and economic hardship.

The event featured the symbolic allocation of palliatives to six organizations, namely: JNI, CAN, FOMWAN, PWDs, CSOs, and Hisbah alongside the formal handing over to state and local government committees for onward distribution across LGAs, wards, and polling units.

By Adedapo Adesanya

Temile Development Company Limited (TDC) has secured a landmark contract with Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) for the construction of an 88,000 cubic meter Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC) as part of efforts to reinforce indigenous participation in the gas value chain.

The $250 million contract, signed in London this week, alongside a construction supervision agreement with NLNG Shipping & Marine Limited, NSML, raises TDC’s cumulative investments in the gas sector to over $450 million in the past four years.

According to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Mr Ekperikpe Ekpo, described the deal as a significant milestone toward achieving the federal government’s “Decade of Gas” agenda and praised the indigenous firm for its bold financial commitment.

“This project will bring Temile’s total investment to date in the gas value chain to over $450 million in the last four years. This is a significant and strategic financial commitment, reinforcing local participation in a sector critical to our national economic diversification agenda,” Mr Ekpo stated.

The Minister noted that the investment aligns with the objectives of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes economic development, poverty eradication, and wealth creation.

“We celebrate not just an investment in infrastructure, but a bold expression of belief in Nigeria’s gas potential and in the capability of indigenous companies to lead transformational change in our energy landscape,” Mr Ekpo added.

He also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing incentives that support sector growth and called on other oil and gas operators to recommit to collaboration, innovation, and local content development.

Speaking at the event, TDC boss, Mr Alfred Temile, expressed gratitude to the federal government and stakeholders, affirming the company’s strategic role in expanding Nigeria’s gas infrastructure.

“This deal reaffirms our role as a strategic stakeholder in Nigeria’s gas value chain development. TDC remains highly committed to driving critical investments in partnership with key sector players in support of Nigeria’s Decade of Gas initiative.”

With the new gas carrier set to enhance Nigeria’s export and transportation capacity, stakeholders believe the project will further strengthen Nigeria’s position in the global energy transition, while building domestic capacity and creating employment opportunities.

In a significant move aimed at accelerating Nigeria’s digital economy, Egbin Power, Nigeria’s leading power generation company, has been identified as the ideal location to host the nation’s first National Data Park and Compute Infrastructure.

The Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, made this announcement during his visit to the power Plant, where he was received by Group Managing Director, Sahara Power Group, Dr Kola Adesina and the CEO of Egbin Power, Mokhtar Bounour, among others.

The groundbreaking initiative, spearheaded by the Federal Government, aims to harness the power of reliable energy and cutting-edge technology to drive Nigeria’s digital economy forward. The collaboration between Egbin Power and the FG underscores a shared vision to enhance the nation’s technological capabilities and foster innovation in the digital sector.

Dr Tijani was given an overview of the plant and later accompanied by the management team on a tour of the facility. During the discussion, the Minister expressed confidence that Egbin Power has the right environment to host the Data Park, enabling the GenCo to play a crucial role in powering the digital economy.

He stated, “Without a digital economy, the growth we seek cannot be realized. Everything we need to truly power the digital economy exists here in Egbin Power—not only in terms of energy and water, but also in the excellence of the team that runs this facility. That is what is required to fuel the digital economy.”

The Minister highlighted the global advancement in artificial intelligence, emphasizing the need for Africa to catch up with this momentum. He stressed the importance of finding innovative ways to participate in this digital phenomenon. He further noted that Nigeria’s digital economy significantly contributes to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), emphasizing that an efficient data centre is vital for harnessing the capabilities of AI and data processing.

Commenting on the strategic collaboration, Dr Adesina said, “There is a nexus between the digital economy and power. Reliable power enhances the functionality of the digital economy, whether in terms of the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), data utilization, and more.”

He expressed commitment to supporting the establishment of a National Data Park and Compute Centre and other IT infrastructure required for the digital economy. He highlighted Egbin Power’s reliable energy, available land for expansion, and a conducive environment for such digital infrastructure.

“We are here to support the idea of building the Data Park or other IT infrastructure required within the digital economy. We have reliable power, the land and the right environment needed,” he said. Adesina also noted that, since the takeover, significant investments and technological innovations have been done to revitalise the plant, while expansion plans are in the pipeline to double its capacity.

Egbin Power’s CEO, Mokhtar Bounour, reiterated the plant’s dedication to consistent power generation for the national grid in spite of the challenges inherent in the power sector. “We are open to collaborations that will drive Nigeria’s growth and success. We will continue to push boundaries to deliver reliable power to the nation, facilitating socio-economic progress and ensuring our communities and stakeholders thrive,” Bounour stated.

The Minister also toured the Bright Gyimah Innovation Centre, located within Powerfields Schools, owned by Egbin Power. The Innovation Centre serves as a facility for students to acquire skills in Information Technology (IT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and to explore their creativity in arts, music, and culinary/hospitality fields.