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Gov’t inability to create enabling environment among others, reason Nigeria not harnessing opportunities in e-commerce value chain – Adebayo

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Nigeria is yet to fully harness the inherent opportunities in the e-commerce value chain, due to lack of adequate investment, information on opportunities in the sector and government’s inability to provide the required enabling environment, according to Otumba Niyi Adebayo, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment.

Adebayo stated this over the weekend in Abuja at a stakeholder dialogue on e-commerce and digital trade policy for Nigeria.

The minister noted that there is no better time than now to diversify the economy away from the oil sector by building a dynamic, profitable and efficient non-oil sector to reposition the economy on a sustainable growth path

The minister who was represented by the Director, Commodities and Export Department, of the ministry, Mr. Suleman Audu said Nigeria is actively participating in the on-going negotiation at the World Trade Organization (WTO), in order to boost e-commerce.

He Said: “Nigeria is yet to fully harness the inherent opportunities in the e-commerce value chain, largely due to inadequate investment, coupled with inadequate information on the opportunities in the sector and the inability of Government to provide the required enabling environment.

“As such, government have identified e-commerce as a major priority programme that will play a critical role in the promotion of commodity trade, especially with the realities of the unprecedented Covid-19 global pandemic.

“The Federal Government is also committed to developing an e-commerce strategy in line with the Federal Government’s Post COVID-19 recovery plan, to encourage investment in e-commerce value chain.”

He added that the Ministry is passionate about the growing investment opportunities in the e-commerce value chain which are capable of contributing significantly to the country’s GDP.

“Recently, the sector has grown from 14% in 2019 to 17% in 2020.

“The current e-commerce spending in Nigeria is estimated at about $13 billion per annum, and is projected to rise to about $75 billion in revenues per annum by 2025.

The market outlook for Nigeria’s e-commerce shows that the number of online shoppers in the country, which was at 76.7 million in 2021, is expected to hit 122.5 million by 2025.

“The figures from the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), also shows that Nigeria’s e-payment transactions increased by 85.5 per cent year-on-year to N171.99 trillion in August 2021,” he further stated.

Adebayo added that the Federal Government will continue to strengthen collaboration with the State Governments and continue to build synergy amongst relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies through harmonization and coordination of e-commerce activities under the National Advisory Committee on Electronic Commerce and Digital economy (NACEDE) platform.

He said the stakeholders are expected to brainstorm and come up with appropriate recommendations and ways forward for the development of e-commerce and digital trade policy in Nigeria which will stimulate trade across borders.

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Ibom Air Passenger Who Slapped Crew Lands in Kirikiri!

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In a dramatic twist to an in–flight scandal, Comfort Emmanson — the passenger accused of assaulting airline staff during an Uyo–Lagos Ibom Air flight — has traded her trip for prison bars.

The incident, which shocked fellow passengers, has now culminated in her being charged to court and remanded at the notorious Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos.

Tunde Moshood, Special Adviser on Media and Communications to Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo, SAN, broke the news on Monday via his official X handle.

“The more reason the flying public should be more careful… the unruly passenger on the Uyo–Lagos bound Ibom Air, Miss Comfort Emmanson, has been charged to court and she’s now cooling off in Kirikiri,” Moshood revealed.

Witnesses say the altercation left crew members shaken, sparking renewed calls for stricter penalties for in-flight misconduct.

 

 

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NASS Passes ₦54.99trn 2025 Budget

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National Assembly Complex Abuja.
National Assembly Complex Abuja.
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The National Assembly on Thursday passed the ₦54.99trn 2025 Appropriation Bill.

The bill was passed separately by the Senate and the House of Representatives.

A breakdown of the budget showed N3.645trn for statutory transfers, N14.317trn for debt servicing, N13.64trn for recurrent expenditure and N23.963trn capital expenditure (development fund), with fiscal deficit put at N13.08trn.

The Deficit-to-Gross domestic product (GDP) Ratio was put at 1.52%.

Last Week, President Bola Tinubu increased the 2025 fiscal year budget from an initial N49.7trn to N54.2trn, seeking approval from the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, Abubakar Bichi, while presenting the bill for consideration, stated that the committee met with the Presidential Economic Planning team to further discuss revenue projections and expenditure for the 2025 Appropriation Bill.

According to him, the 2025 Appropriation Bill was presented late, compared to that of 2024.

He urged the executive to present subsequent budgets to the National Assembly not later than three months before the next financial year, to maintain the January to December budget cycle.

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Court Sacks APC Governorship Candidate In Bayelsa

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Timipre Sylva
Timipre Sylva
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The Federal High Court, Abuja, has disqualified the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva, from contesting the November 11 Guber election in Bayelsa state.

The suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/821/2023 was filed on June 13, 2023, by Deme Kolomo, a member of the APC.

Justice Donatus Okorowo ruled that Sylva, having been sworn in twice and ruled for five years as governor of the state, would breach the 1999 constitution as amended if allowed to contest again.

The judge also declared that Sylva was not qualified to run in the November poll because if he wins and is sworn in, he would spend more than eight years in office as governor

Citing the case of Marwa vs Nyako at the Supreme Court, Okorowo noted that the drafters of the country’s constitution stated that nobody should be voted for as governor more than two times and that the parties to the suit agreed that Sylva was voted into office two times.

He further stated that the Supreme Court ruled in the case of Marwa vs Nyako that nobody can expand the constitution or its scope, stressing that if Sylva was allowed to contest the next election, a person could compete as many times as he wanted.

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