Parliament has rejected the government proposal to move the National Forestry Authority (NFA) to the Ministry of Water and Environment. Parliament presided over by Speaker, Anita Among, voted against the second reading of the National Forestry and Tree Planting (Amendment) Bill, 2024 aimed at mainstreaming NFA to the Ministry of Water and Environment. The Chairperson of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, Dr Emmanuel Otaala, on Wednesday presented the Report on the Bill arguing that mainstreaming NFA would pose a threat to the forest cover which the authority has tried to keep ..read more

The Managing Director of Nigerian  Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello Koko on behalf of the Executive Management Team has signed the Mandate Letter to secure a $700m Citibank loan to be funded by the UK Export Finance, UKEF. The loan is to fully rehabilitate the Apapa and TinCan Island Port to accommodate modern cargo handling equipment and expand the port’s capacity. According to a release by the Authority, the Mandate Letter will be sent to the Ministers of Marine and Blue Economy, Finance & Coordinating Minister, and the Debt Management Office for review and final approval. “Dis ..read more

The Federal Government has inaugurated the National Single Window Steering Committee, with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) serving as a key member. The launch took place at the Presidential Villa Abuja on Tuesday, with President Bola Tinubu presiding over the inauguration. The Committee is composed of representatives from key federal ministries and agencies, including the Ministry of Finance, the Marine and Blue Economy, Transportation, Trade and Investment, as well as the Federal Inland Revenue Service. Other agencies involved are the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), the Centr ..read more

The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has initiated the enforcement of a price floor for petroleum products, setting the minimum price for petrol at ¢13.2 and diesel at ¢13.7. Effective from April 16 to April 30, 2024, this move is part of the NPA’s new pricing guidelines aimed at curbing price undercutting within the industry. In a circular issued to Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) and Petroleum Service Providers (PSPs), the NPA emphasized strict compliance with the new pricing regulations, including a minimum price of ¢10.52 for a kilogram of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). The implementation ..read more

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has hosted a delegation from the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) on a study tour. The delegation, led by Brigadier General Abdulrahman Idris, consisted of participants from the Senior Executive Course 46. “The purpose of the understudy was to give the participants an opportunity to interact with NITDA and gather relevant data aimed at providing recommendations and implementation strategies to support the digital economy and sustainable job creation, aligning with President’s administration agenda,” NITDA ..read more

Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) has officially kicked off its nationwide depot automation program, aiming to revolutionize operations and enhance efficiency across its facilities. The company in a statement released on Tuesday expressed enthusiasm about the initiative, stating, “The Company aims to load over 400 BRVs a per-day after the upgrade.” With a focus on staff engagement and morale, Managing Director, Dr. Edwin Provençal, highlighted the importance of phase 1, which will see the full automation of the Accra Plains Depot in Tema and the Kumasi Depot. He emphasized that this m ..read more

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has made its mark at the recently concluded Enugu International Trade Fair, held from April 5th to 15th, 2024. During the event, FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mrs. Obiageli Orah, took center stage in advocating for the organization’s role and responsibilities in serving the Nigerian public. Mrs. Orah highlighted FAAN’s commitment to enhancing the travel experience for passengers while emphasizing its crucial responsibilities in airport infrastructure development and maintenance. She shed light on FAAN’s role in provi ..read more

Rwanda’s headline inflation eased to 4.2 per cent in March 2024, from 4.9 per cent in February 2024, according to the latest Urban Consumer Price (CPI) Index published by the the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR). This was the fourth consecutive month that headline inflation eased into the BNR target range of 2-8 per cent. CPI is a measure of inflation that tracks changes in the average price of a basket of goods and services commonly purchased by consumers. According to the NISR’s latest CPI report, annual average inflation rate in Rwanda’s urban areas was 10.2 per cent betwee ..read more

The Government of Ghana has announced plans to tax the foreign incomes of resident Ghanaians. The decision comes after the withdrawal of the electricity value-added tax (VAT) resulted in a revenue shortfall of approximately GHc 1.8 billion. Finance Minister Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam assured citizens of the government’s commitment to fiscal consolidation. Acknowledging the challenges, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) emphasized the importance of taxpayer cooperation in implementing the new measure. The GRA boss highlighted a voluntary disclosure aspect allowing taxpayers to waive interest on thei ..read more

The Pharmacy and Poisons Board has been appointed to chair the First Continental Heads of Medicines Registration and Marketing Authorization Forum by the  African Union Development Agency-NEPAD’s African Medicines Regulatory Harmonization (AMRH). The newly appointed leadership includes Dr. Kariuki Gachoki from the Kenya Pharmacy and Poisons Board as the Chairperson, Dr. Chantel Noufionso from Benin as Vice Chairperson, and Senegal’s Mbagnick Diof, Nazalia Macuwele from Mozambique, and Bathusi Kgosietsile from Botswana serving as Rapporteurs. The leadership panel was elected during the his ..read more