General
Ibadan Butchers Get April 30 Deadline to Relocate to New Central Abattoir
By Dipo Olowookere
Butchers in the 11 Local Governments of Ibadanland have been directed to relocate to the newly built multi-billion Naira central abattoir located in Amosun village, Akinyele Local Government, Ibadan.
This directive was given last Thursday by the Oyo State Governor, Mr Abiola Ajimobi, during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Ibadan.
The Governor said the butchers have till April 30, 2018 to comply.
Mr Ajimobi said apart from its state-of-the-art facilities that would promote the hygiene of the consumers of meat, the new abattoir was also capable of ending the incessant clashes between herders and farmers.
He said that the meeting was specifically called to find a lasting solution to issues surrounding the relocation of butchers in the state capital to the central abattoir and to dispel l the misgivings about the project.
Mr Ajimobi explained that the abattoir was a joint venture among a private establishment, C & E Consulting Ltd, the state government, the 11 LGs and 14 Local Council Development Areas in Ibadanland, as well as the butchers.
He stressed that the private partners would have 50 percent share; the LGs and LCDAs would have 36 percent; state government, 10 percent; while the butchers would have 4 percent in the ownership structure.
“We plan to develop your business through the central abattoir. I told those in charge of the arrangement that the butchers, state government, LGs and LCDAs and our private partners should co-own the facility.
“We are sure that the crisis between the farmers and herdsmen will not arise again, because cows will now be transported here directly instead of our towns and villages where grazing on farmlands had been generating tension.
“I’m also happy that this arrangement will bring about a change in the way butchers handle meat and it will improve the hygiene of the business. The facility is going to have health and sanitary officers that will ensure strict compliance with the basic hygiene of meat handling.
“So effective from May, we must actualize this project. A committee comprising of all stakeholders will start meeting immediately and I shall call for another meeting before the end of this month,” Mr Ajimobi said.
The Governor informed the butchers that each cow butchered at the central abattoir would attract a fee of N3,500, which will cover the use of the facilities at the centre.
He added that the state had entered into an agreement with the private investors to use the facility for 30 years, after which the total ownership would be transferred to the butchers.
Mr Ajimobi appealed for support and understanding of the butchers to comply with the relocation order, on the premise that the facility had suffered neglect for too long due to unresolved issues among the stakeholders.
The leaders of the butchers, Mr Biliaminu Elesinmeta, who is the Southwest Coordinator; and Mr Azeez Alagunfon, the state chairman, expressed gratitude to the Governor for allaying their fears about the project, and for the support of the government to the association in the area of financial empowerment and donation of a new bus to members.
They told the Governor that the earlier misunderstanding between them and the government was caused by lack of adequate information from the immediate past administration in the state on the benefits accruable to the butchers from the central abattoir.
Mr Elesinmeta, however, appealed to the state government to reduce the N3,500 cost attached to each butchered cow in the new facility, while he also solicited logistic support for the members located in different parts of Ibadan.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria–China Strategic Partnership (NCSP) recently hosted a high-level delegation from Newryton International Industrial Development Company Limited, a leading Chinese investment and industrial development consortium, to advance discussions on deepening bilateral trade, industrial cooperation, and development financing between both countries.
The Newryton delegation, led by Mr David Chen, Assistant Secretary-General of the China Hainan Investment Council, had earlier engaged with the Nigerian Association of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA). They were accompanied to the NCSP by Mr Joe Onyuike, Vice-Chairman of NACCIMA’s Agriculture and Livestock Trade Group, who conveyed NACCIMA’s support for the delegation’s engagements.
Discussions centered on the establishment of a Nigeria–China Trade and Investment Platform, including a proposed Promotion Centre in China to support Nigerian products, investors, and state governments.
The consortium also presented opportunities within Hainan Province’s Free Trade Port (FTP), which offers preferential policies that Nigerian businesses can leverage to expand exports and attract new investments.
In his address on behalf of Newryton, Mr Pong outlined plans to collaborate with NCSP in accessing FOCAC-supported financing for strategic investments in agriculture, energy, mining, solid minerals processing, and related sectors. The delegation identified aquaculture as a key area of interest and referenced the forthcoming Global Aquaculture Conference in Hainan Province, encouraging Nigerian stakeholders to participate.
They also expressed readiness to strengthen cooperation in vocational training and employment under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Welcoming the delegation on behalf of the Director-General, Martins Olajide, NCSP’s Head of Internal Operations, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to fostering mutually beneficial partnerships.
He highlighted NCSP’s strong interest in the proposed Nigeria–China Trade and Investment Platform and the development of the Nigerian Oil Palm Industrial Park as a flagship demonstration project.
Also speaking at the meeting, Ms Judy Melifonwu, NCSP’s Head of International Relations, underscored the opportunities presented by China’s zero-tariff policy and the forthcoming NAQS–GACC protocol on the export of Nigerian aquaculture products. She noted that these frameworks would significantly enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness in emerging global markets.
Both parties expressed commitment to advancing discussions toward a structured cooperation framework covering all priority areas.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The United Kingdom–Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (UKNIAF), established in 2019 as part of a 16-year legacy of UK-funded infrastructure support to Nigeria, convened over 100 senior stakeholders on Tuesday, December 2, to review its progress and formally close out its current phase of operations.
The event brought together representatives from federal and state governments, development partners, development finance institutions, and the private sector to reflect on UKNIAF’s work across the power, infrastructure finance, and roads sectors. Discussions focused on institutional reforms, capacity development, and the sustainability of tools and processes introduced over the past six years.
Since inception, UKNIAF has delivered targeted technical assistance designed to embed evidence-based reforms, data-driven decision-making, and improved institutional performance. Its interventions have mobilised significant financing, strengthened regulatory and planning systems, and enhanced investor readiness across multiple infrastructure markets.
In the power sector, participants highlighted landmark achievements including the development of Nigeria’s first Integrated Resource Plan, which outlines a least-cost and low-carbon pathway for expanding electricity supply. UKNIAF also supported the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in building advanced real-time data capabilities for tariff monitoring, grid management, and outage tracking. The programme enabled pioneering states to establish their own electricity markets following constitutional reforms.
In infrastructure finance, UKNIAF was recognised for strengthening project preparation systems and enabling access to capital. Notable accomplishments include supporting the mobilisation of $75 million from the African Development Bank to the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) programme in two states, and accelerating mini-grid and solar deployment through improved technical standards at the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).
UKNIAF also designed a national project preparation facility, for which N21 billion was allocated in both the 2024 and 2025 budgets to build a pipeline of bankable projects.
Speaking on this, Mr Frank Edozie, UKNIAF Team Lead, described the programme’s close-out as a “handover for sustained delivery,” emphasising that strengthened institutions now hold tools that make Nigeria’s infrastructure landscape more transparent, climate-smart, and investor-ready.
On his part, the Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, commended the programme, noting that its technical assistance and advisory services had helped lay the foundation for a sustainable and inclusive electricity supply industry.
Mrs Cynthia Rowe, Head of Development Corporation at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in Nigeria, praised the partnership, highlighting achievements ranging from state-level electricity market reforms to unlocking major financing and designing Nigeria’s Climate Change Fund.
Enugu State Secretary to the State Government, Professor Chidiebere Onyia, underscored the lasting influence of the programme, stating that UKNIAF’s impact continues through the expertise and leadership transferred to national and sub-national institutions.
The close-out event reaffirmed stakeholders’ commitment to sustaining tools, reforms, and knowledge products developed under UKNIAF, while strengthening collaboration among public, private, and development actors in the infrastructure ecosystem.
Participants included federal and state agencies such as the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Federal Ministry of Power, Ministry of Finance, NERC, REA, and the Transmission Company of Nigeria, alongside development partners including the African Development Bank, World Bank, and IFC, as well as private sector and civil society stakeholders.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The gantry price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, has been slashed by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The Lagos-based oil facility brought down the ex-depot price of the petroleum product by 15.58 per cent or N129 per litre to N828 per litre.
Though the company had yet to release an official statement on this development, real-time market data on Petroleumprice.ng on Friday showed the new price.
Punch reports that data from the platform also showed fresh reductions across several private depots following the refinery’s latest review.
Sigmund Depot cut its ex-depot price by N4 to N824 per litre, Bulk Strategic dropped its price by N3, and TechnoOil slashed its by N15.
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