NIGERIA: POWER GENERATION REACHES RECORD 4350 MEGAWATTS

The Chairman, Presidential Task Force on Power, Mr Beks Dagogo-Jack on Tuesday disclosed that the nation’s power generation hit a new peak at 4350MW. This is despite the recent closure of the Escavros gas plant belonging to Chevron Nigeria Limited, which reduced the power output of the nation by 300MW for three weeks.

Although the task force chairman was delighted with the new record, he said authorities were not satisfied with it and were working hard to surpass the record. He also said this feat was possible due to the diligence of key operational players, especially the systems operator and the team from the management contractor for the Transmission Company of Nigeria, Manitoba Hydro International, who played strategic roles to produce higher levels of electricity generation.

Power generation in the country has been between 3000 and 3700MW for most of this year. This is despite the fact there is capacity for much higher generation, as the country is yet to enjoy the full benefit of the construction of more power stations due to insufficient gas supply. Power authorities are optimistic that the power generation could reach 6,873MW by the end of 2013.


 

Credit: The Herald Nigeria

THREE KEY TRENDS THAT WILL SHAPE NIGERIA IN 2013

Anna Rosenberg

Nigeria in 2013 will provide a mixed picture for investors. While the government’s 2013 budget promises to open new investment opportunities, challenges lie ahead. Renewed fuel subsidy reductions will impact consumer purchasing power while the security situation in Nigeria’s hot spot regions is likely to deteriorate.


Trend #1: The proposed 2013 budget creates investment opportunities
The Federal Government submitted the budget proposal to the National Assembly for approval. The 2013 budget aims to create long-term macroeconomic stability through continued investment in capital expenditure, deficit reduction, and the development of non-oil revenue sources.

A total budget expenditure of N4.92tr was proposed for 2013, a 5% increase over 2012. Within the budget, capital expenditure increased by 1.3% to N1.54tr while recurrent expenditure was reduced to N2.48tr. The fiscal deficit is projected to improve to 2.17% of GDP in 2013, from 2.85% in 2012, emphasising the government’s commitment to fiscal stability.

NIGERIA RAILWAY CORPORATION COMMENCES 1126KM LAGOS-KANO SERVICE

The Federal Government on Friday in Lagos inaugurated the Nigeria Railway Corporation’s Lagos-Kano intercity passenger train services and haulage of petroleum products.The NRC revitalized the Lagos-Kano service to complement the existing Lagos- Ilorin and Minna-Kano intercity train services.

The Minister of Transport, Sen. Idris Umar, said at the event that the government was still committed to revamping the transport sector, particularly railway services, because of its importance to Nigeria's economic development.

Umar said that the Federal Government had also awarded contracts for feasibility studies to open up other railway routes. He explained that the government was also rehabilitating the Eastern Railway Line from Port Harcourt -Maiduguri with spur lines from Kuru-Kafanchan -Kaduna and Kuru-Jos. The Minister also said that government was repairing the Zaria-Gusau-Kauran Namoda Rail Line.

NIGERIAN STUDENTS EMERGE WINNERS AT WRO CONTEST IN MALAYSIA

Nigerian students Mfoniso Moses, Mercy Ingibina Benjamin and Dapreye Zidafamor from Winners Academy, Bayelsa State; have emerged winners in the just concluded 2012 World Robotics Olympiad (WRO), hosted by the Ministry of Education in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. They came top ahead of three other African countries including Ghana, South Africa and Egypt.

Expressing delight at the performance of the students, the Managing Director of Arc Lights and the organizer of Robotic competition in Nigeria Mr. Tayo Obasanya said the Robotic competition challenged the junior category to build a robot that is capable of exploring rough terrain in search of useful resources, adding that the Nigerian students selected from Winners Academy Team were ranked second highest African team in the Elementary-Regular Category. The Elementary game also challenged pupils to build a robot that is capable of organizing objects back into their respective storage cells.

TONY ELUMELU: STOP EXAGGERATING, WE ARE NOT THAT CORRUPT

Chairman of Heirs Holding Limited, Tony Elumelu, on Monday warned foreign investors to stop making reports that tarnish the image of Nigeria, thereby discouraging intending investors from bringing their businesses into the country.

Elumelu was speaking at the Presidential Policy Dialogue at the 18^th National Economic Summit in Abuja. He noted that though corruption should be tackled with iron fists in the system, it should not be a major focus of reporting issues concerning the country.

“Without sounding a bit defensive, I think we tend to over blow the issue of corruption in Nigeria and in fact, almost all the speakers who have spoken today are talking about corruption.

NIGERIAN UNDERGRADUATE DESIGNS ROCKET PROPELLANT

Are you one of those worried that our universities do not produce researchers and innovators anymore? Well, there is still hope, in the form of 20 year old Moses Chijioke Idoko, a student of the department of Physics and Astronomy of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

He designed an amateur solid rocket propellant as his project defense to the amazement of the panel of assessors. The amateur rocket has a PVC-pipe as the motor casing, aluminum as the nose cone, ½ inch PVC-cover, aluminum and ½ inch diameter pipe as the nozzle. The propellant is made up of 325 grams of potassium nitrate (oxidizer) and 175 grams of sorbitol (sugar), making a total of 500 grams. The PVC-pipe is of ¾ inch diameter, and 65cm in length. The rocket motor igniter is a mixture of potassium nitrate and charcoal at 80/20 ratio, to form it into black powder (gun powder).

MEET FOLORUNSHO ALAKIJA, THE WORLD'S RICHEST BLACK WOMAN

Folorunsho Alakija is a Nigerian fashion designer and oil tycoon who is now the richest black woman in the world. She is reportedly worth at least $3.3 billion-contrary to the recently published Forbes Magazine ranking which put her net worth at only $600 million.

This new discovery makes Alakija $500 million richer than Oprah Winfrey whose net worth according to Forbes Magazine is estimated at $2.7 billion as at September 2012.

Alakija is the Owner of FAMFA OIL, a Nigerian company who owns 60% working interest in OML 127, an offshore oil company which produces 200,000 barrels of oil per day.

Alakija, 61, was born into a wealthy, polygamous Nigerian family. She started out her professional career in the mid 70s as a secretary at the now defunct International Merchant Bank of Nigeria, one of the country’s earliest investment banks. In the early 80s, Alakija quit her job and went on to study Fashion design in England, returning to Nigeria shortly afterwards to start Supreme Stitches, a premium Nigerian fashion label which catered exclusively to upscale clientele.

The business thrived, and Alakija quickly made a tidy fortune selling high-end Nigerian clothing to fashionable wives of military bigwigs and society women.

CHINYERE KALU: I FLEW A PLANE WITH WATER IN THE ENGINE

Chinyere Onyenucheya Kalu, was the first female commercial pilot in Nigeria. This achievement was not a mere feat in a male dominated arena. Although she says her decision to become a pilot has been very challenging, she does not have any regrets about opting for the profession.

In this interview with Vanguard, Chinyere who is now the Rector and Chief Instructor at the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology takes us down memory lane and speaks on some of the challenges she has faced in the course of her profession thirty years after she left the aviation school and the day she flew a plane with water in the engine.

NIGERIA SME REVOLUTION: FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SET TO REDUCE INTEREST RATES

The Federal Government is set to reduce the cost of accessing funds by SMEs within the lifetime of the current administration, as part of strategic efforts to create jobs, generate wealth and enhance economic growth.

NIGCOMSAT ASSURES NIGERIANS OF INCREASED BANDWIDTH AVALIABILITY

The Nigeria Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) has promised Nigerians of increased bandwidth availability, if its proposed bill to the National Assembly is signed into law.

WORLD AIDS DAY NOVELTY MATCH: OKOCHA SCORES HAT-TRICK AGAINST NOLLYWOOD STARS

Nigeria football maestro Austin Okocha has not lost his mastery of the round leather game as he netted a hat-trick over the weekend against selected Nollywood Stars in a novelty football match to commemorate this year’s World AIDS day.

CHECK OUT THE CAR MADE IN NIGERIA OUT OF BASKET

This is perhaps one of the most intriguing creativity to come out of Nigeria in recent times. On this occasion it comes courtesy of the ingenuity of 40 year old Ojo Obaniyi, a Cane Crafts artist from Ibadan, Oyo State. The Car accessories were essentially made out of basket and are really very impressive.

NIGERIA WILL BE AMONGST INDUSTRALIZED COUNTRIES BY 2020

Nigeria will be among the first 20 countries to be industrialized by the year 2020. This assertion was made by Jim O’Neill, Chairman of Goldman and Sachs.

O’Neill made this revelation at the end of a two day meeting of the Honorary International Investors Council (HIIC) held in London. He noted that Nigeria has recorded much economic growth in the last 14 years. The HIIC pledged, after the meeting to support the reform of the Goodluck Jonathan led administration.

Addressing a Press Conference after the meeting, the Coordinator of the Council, Baroness Linda Chalker, said that it is important to always have a positive perception of Nigeria despite the daunting challenges facing the country.



Source: Channels

A NIGERIAN, BUNMI AWONIYI APPOINTED TO SACRAMENTO SUPERIOR COURT

Bunmi Awoniyi, a certified Family Law Specialist has been appointed to the Sacramento Superior Court by the Governor of California, Jerry Brown. She fills the vacancy created by the conversion of a Court Commissioner position on December 3, 2011.

AMAZING FACTS ABOUT HIV/AIDS...YOU WILL BE STUNNED

People around the world are busy creating awareness about the HIV virus, so we thought we could share some amazing facts you probably never knew about the virus.

1. Contrary to popular belief, there are people who are immune to the virus. A small fraction of people of European descent are missing a key part of the white blood cells HIV needs to infect you. These people are immune to all the most common strains of HIV.
2. When exposed to HIV, not everyone gets infected. The percentage of people who get infected is reduced if they get massive doses of HIV drugs in the first few hours after exposure. 
3. HIV symptoms may not occur for up to 10 years after infection and more than 77% of the world’s infected people do not know they have HIV/AIDS.
4. An HIV infected individual can infect another HIV positive person with another strain of HIV or other diseases.
5. Women are eight times more likely to contract HIV than men.
6. The Aloe Vera Juice or substance in the Aloe plant called Acemannan has been effective against HIV/AIDS.
7. Infection with HIV may or may not have symptoms. Symptomatic patients may experience symptoms similar to the flu or vague symptoms of other diseases like diarrhea, headaches, rashes, dermatitis, sore throat and enlarged lymph nodes. Only a blood test sent to a laboratory can determine a positive diagnosis.
8. The HIV viruses are fairly large in size and possess a unique structure that gives it advantage over all other viruses, making it difficult to kill.
9. HIV is also known as a mutant super-virus thanks to its incredibly fast replication system that helps it mutate faster.
10. Cats suffer from a very similar disease known as Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV). Scientists have discovered an FIV vaccination and are hoping that this could lead to a breakthrough in treating HIV infected patients.

 

Credit: Trials Central

WORLD AIDS DAY: NIGERIA RECORDS DECLINE IN NEW HIV/AIDS INFECTIONS

Nigeria recorded 300,000 new cases in 2012., even as the country was ranked as number eight among 12 countries in the world that have recorded a decline in the new Human Immuno-deficiency Virus, HIV, infection rate.

NIGERIA: ERNST & YOUNG HONOURS DANGOTE, IBRU, OTHERS

President, Dangote Group, Mr. Aliko Dangote, Mr. Goddie Ibru, and others have been honoured with the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for West Africa held in Lagos.

NIGERIA SUCCESSFUL IN IMPLEMENTING HICC DECISIONS

The Vice President, Alhaji Mohammed Namadi Sambo, has said tremendous progress has been achieved in the implementation of the decisions of the Honourary International Investors Council in its twelve years of existence.

NOLLYWOOD TAKES CENTER STAGE AT EDINBURGH

The Nigerian film industry has gone beyond finding myriad ways just to entrench its importance and visibility in the global motion picture entertainment arena. Not long ago, there was Scotland Film Festival at which Nigerians were hosted by the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB).

2012: A BUSY YEAR FOR THE CAST AND PRODUCERS OF "MEET THE ADEBANJOS"

After years of unsuccessfully pitching the concept for ‘Meet the Adebanjos’ to mainstream British broadcasters, the show’s creators decided to raise their own funding and engage the world of the internet and social media. And that decision proved to be the best they ever made.

WHY SOUTH AFRICA’s TIGER BRAND INVESTED IN DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS

South African consumer goods giant Tiger Brands last month announced that it has bought a 63.35% stake in Dangote Flour Mills (DFM), one of Nigeria’s largest flour and pasta producers.

A NEW FARMING REALITY TV SHOW OUT IN 2013

A Nigerian company,  Hayzee Mind Concept, is now planning to launch a reality show where contestants will have to demonstrate their farming skills. The idea behind Corporate Farmers is to provide entertainment while showing Nigerian youths that farming can be a viable career. Hayzee Mind Concept hopes for the show to launch in the first quarter of 2013. 

ELEVEN YEARS ON. MTN STILL SEES POTENTIAL GROWTH IN NIGERIA

The South African based multinational telecommunications group, MTN, has a presence across sub-Saharan Africa and still sees potential for growth in some African countries it has been established in for years. In a recent KPMG Africa conversation series, Khumo Shuenyane – the group’s chief for strategy, mergers and acquisitions – said that the growth potential in Nigeria is still significant.

A NEW MOBILE APPLICATION AIMED AT TEACHING CHILDREN YORUBA

Omolabake Abimbola Adenle is a quantitative analyst at Morgan Stanley who lived alternatively between the US and Nigeria whilst growing up. Now based in London, Adenle has developed a mobile application, SpeakYoruba, aimed at teaching children of the African diaspora the West African Yoruba language.

NIGERIA LEADS SMARTPHONES MARKET IN AFRICA

Nigeria has been identified as the continent’s leader when it comes to smartphones penetration with a healthy 41 percent and is followed by South Africa with 31 percent while Kenya is a distant third with 7 percent.

BETWEEN THE PHCN AND BOKO HARAM

I have often wondered what Nigeria’s fate would have been if Boko Haram was like the Power Holding Company of Nigeria and vice versa. Would the country have been better than it is presently?

MEET THE INVENTOR OF NIGERIA'S FIRST LIMOUSINE TRICYCLE

Ibrahim Adekunle’s Limousine Tricycle was one of the five selected inventions on the BBC’s coverage of Maker Faire Africa, an exhibition for inventors which took place in Lagos recently. He is Adekunle Ibrahim a.k.a. Mr. Make People Happy, a 26 year old Blacksmith and Welder.  

His passion and knack for reconstructing and remodeling transport vehicles has put him on the international platform. The invention is a replica of the popular KEKE NAPEP but was further expanded to accommodate more seats and passengers.

Adekunle, who refers to his invention as Limousine Tricycle said he constructed the vehicle after cutting the regular tricycle into two and adding more seats and spare parts to make it look like a car. The Limousine Tricycle can contain between 10-13 passengers at a time.

He is popularly called “Mr. Make People Happy” because his invention always put smiles on the faces of people that come in contact with it. The invention took him 6 months to complete because of lack of finances but according to him, it will take only two days if all the materials are available.

This passionate and hard working genius operates from his little space under the Oregun-Opebi link bridge in Ikeja, Lagos. He wants support from the appropriate authorities to keep his dream alive.

Credit: Bella Naija

UNILAG RANKS 9TH AMONGST TOP 10 AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES

While students from across Africa continue to move abroad to study at leading learning institutions in America and Europe, Africa boasts its own league of great institutions. Among the top ten Universities in Africa is Nigeria’s University of Lagos who emerged in the 9th position in a recent ranking released by Africa.com.

THE NIGERIAN PRISONS GETS RE-BRANDED

The Nigerian Prison service has been renamed The Nigerian Prisons and Correctional Service following the third reading and passage of A Bill for an act to repeal the prison Act Cap. P29 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria to make comprehensive provisions for the administration of Prisons in Nigeria and for related purposes.

NIGERIAN POLICE IN OGUN RETURNS STOLEN N6.9M TO BANK

The Nigerian Police in Ogun State confirmed that they returned the sum of N6.9m stolen by armed robbers from an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) in Sagamu area of the state to the affected commercial bank.

The State’s Police Commissioner, Okoye Ikemefuna who did not mention the name of the bank stated this while parading a batch of 24 suspects for various offences at the Eleweran Police Headquarters in Abeokuta. Ikemefuna assured the residents of Ogun of the command’s eagerness to fight crime especially during the yuletide season.

NIGERIA'S FIRST RENEWABLE ENERGY MODEL VILLAGE COMMISSIONED

For those who think the Northern part of Nigeria is backward, well you might want to have a rethink. History was made on Monday 25th November 2012 when the first renewable Energy Model Village was commissioned in Danjawa, Wammako Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

Speaking at the epoch making event, the Director General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) Professor Abubakar Sambo who was represented by Professor Idris Bugaje, maintained that the absence of sustainable supplies of energy in rural communities was responsible for the marginalization of rural dwellers.

According to him, 80 percent of the rural dwellers lack access to sufficient energy, which has made life difficult for them. He said most of people in the rural area depend on wood for energy which is not environmentally friendly and causes global warming. The Director General stressed the need for the development of bio-fuel industry in rural areas to further boost their economies.

TEAM UNILAG WINS GOOGLE APPLICATION CONTEST

Three students of the University of Lagos have won the 2012 edition of Google Apps Developer Challenge for the Enterprise/Small Business Solutions category in sub-Saharan Africa. The students are Bolutife Ogunsola a student of Electrical/Electronics Engineering; Willie Francis Aniebiet a student of Systems Engineering and Michael Ifeoluwa Adeyeri

They created the Form+ application software; an interface that creates application forms by just dragging and dropping components. The user can create forms like Curriculum Vitae or Resume submission forms for businesses and coursework submission page for lecturers. The winners were rewarded with Chromebooks and $20,000 and a grant of $18,000 for their department.

FOURTEEN YEAR OLD NIGERIAN MAKES HER DEBUT IN THE FASHION WORLD

Tumisola Ladega is not your average teenager who is often burdened with the rigours of school work or worried sick over challenges of puberty. Her concerns are quite of a peculiar nature. At just  14 years old, she broke into the fashion world debuting her collections.

Tumisola was recently announced as the winner of the UK FDC Young Designer Award where she was selected to debut her collection at the 2012 FDC Young Designer Awards at the Pullman London Hotel, as well as in the Fashion Designers Expo in Florida, USA.

According to Joanna Marcella CEO and Founder of UK's Fashion Designer and Craft makers Young Designers Award, "Leading up to and during last years awards Tumi proved to be a very articulate and dynamic young designer who delivered totally on the brief that was set which was to design garment inspired by one of the great artist. Tumi chose Wassily Kandinsky, she is truly a worthy winner of this fantastic opportunity.”

NIGERIANS RULE FORBES AFRICA RICH LIST

For those who keep doubting that Nigeria is truly the giant of Africa, you need to hear this. Forbes Africa has recently released the list of 40 richest men in Africa and our own Aliko Dangote is on top of the list again. This time he made it alongside 10 other Nigerians.

Dangote topped the list for the second year running with a net worth of $12 billion from $10.1 billion in November 2011. According to the Forbes Africa report, his net worth was measured from the popular product like Dangote Cement, Sugar and Flour which operates in over 14 African countries and many others around the globe.

MEET AMARACHI UYANNE, AN 8 YEAR OLD BUNDLE OF TALENT

The fourth semi-final show of the continent’s biggest talent hunt show; Nigeria’s Got Talent had a lot of talents to be remembered for; but one spectacular act left the viewers in awe and admiration of what great talent Nigeria has to offer.

It was in the form of 8-year-old, Amarachi Uyanne who opened the show with a breath-taking ballet rendition of Brymo’s Ara before she switched to a contemporary dance performance which got the judges and audience on their feet with unending applauses.

NIGERIAN FEMALE STUDENTS INVENT A URINE-POWERED GENERATOR

 

Four Nigerian teenagers, Biola Eniola (15), Adebola Duro Aina (14), Abiola Akindele (14) and Oluwatoyin Faleke (14) Senior Secondary 2 students from Doregos Private Academy, Lagos have stunned the world with their invention of a urine powered generator. This unique invention was showcased at this year’s Maker Fair Africa which held from Monday 5th November to Tuesday 6th November 2012 in Lagos, Nigeria.

The system works by pouring urine into an electrolytic cell to separate the hydrogen. The filtered hydrogen then goes into a water filter for purification where it then be pushed into a gas cylinder. Afterwards, the gas cylinder pushes hydrogen into a cylinder of liquid borax in order to remove the moisture from the hydrogen gas. Lastly, the purified hydrogen gas is then pushed into the generator to provide power to the bulb.

NIGERIA: THE REAL STORY. IT'S INSPIRING!

This is a very educative and inspiring story about our country Nigeria. Its a must watch for every proud Nigerian out there. it will change your mindset about this great country. Enjoy!

WHO REALLY IS A TRUE NIGERIAN?

Is it the one who works tirelessly to ensure that the labour of our heroes past is not in vain or the one who has given up on a better Nigeria because they are too selfish to make a sacrifice?

Is it the one who is more interested in baking the national cake or the one who is more engrossed in eating the national cake?

Is it the one who blows up himself and many other innocent souls because of an unfounded ideology or the one who seeks peace and unity regardless of our diversity?

Is it the one who elopes in search of greener pastures or the one who realizes the land is green and assiduously waters it to flourish?

Is it the young woman who elopes with her lover because she can’t marry someone from another tribe or the bloke who breaks a promising relationship because the lady shares different religious beliefs?

Is it the neighbour who sexually abuses children or the one who corrects them when they go astray in the absence of their parents?