The Senate has confirmed the immediate past Service Chiefs as Non-Career Ambassadors.
Those confirmed on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 are former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai; former Chief of Defence Staff, Gabriel Olonisakin; former Chief of Air Staff, Ibok Ibas; and former Chief of Naval Staff, Abubakar Sadique.
When President Muhammadu Buhari announced the removal of Ex-Service Chiefs of the country, it was greeted with joy as it was long expected.
The joy over the news was, however, cut short following the decision of President Buhari to give the Ex-Service Chiefs Ambassadorial Appointments, which was greeted from different quarters with disdain.
Many Nigerians urged President Buhari to rescind the decision and that the Senate shouldn’t confirm them.
But the Senate thought otherwise, and confirmed them.
Jaiz Bank Plc has launched the national Hajj savings scheme in the northeast and southeast regions of the country, intended to make hajj ritual, one of the pillars in Islam, seamless for Muslims in Nigeria traveling to Saudi Arabia to perform the hajj.
The development came barely three weeks after top Islamic leaders in the country lauded the scheme when it was launched in Oyo and Kwara states.
A statement from the Islamic, non-profit bank said efforts are ongoing to roll out the scheme in the North Central, North West, South West and South South..
The bank said it has already flagged off the sensitization campaign in Adamawa, Taraba and Ebonyi state in collaboration with the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria and the Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board..
Meanwhile, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the bank, Hassan Usman said the hajj scheme is a win-win for all the major stakeholders in the, adding that the scheme has achieved a milestone in its quest to ensure seamless travel for prospective hajj travelers in the country.
The bank quoted Ismaila Adamu, Divisional Head, Corporate Services, who represented the chief executive officer at the launching to have said that the Scheme was a significant milestone for all stakeholders in the hajj ecosystem in Nigeria.
According to him, “With such a scheme in place, intending pilgrims that do not have the wherewithal can gradually plan and actualise their dream without stress by saving gradually, adding that “Allah’s infinite mercy receive the reward for hajj because they were pilgrims by bringing intention (niyyat) and action (amal) together.”
On his part, the Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Zikrullah Kunle Hassan said prospective hajj travelers do not have to sell their belongings because the Scheme, through savings has made things easier for those who are prepared to take advantage of it.
After a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on the state of insecurity, Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, has revealed that in the next two months, peace and sanity will return to the country.
Lawan gave the two-month timeline for the country to achieve a more secure and peaceful environment, while speaking to State House Correspondents.
He said government is doing everything possible to secure all parts of the country and ensure peace returns before the rainy season sets in so that farmers and others can go about their normal lives in a secure environment.
He said the National Assembly would complement efforts to upgrade the Armed Forces by helping with the appropriation for the required equipment.
“I’ve come to meet with Mr. President, to discuss the issue of security of our nation, and in fact, there is nothing more important today or more topical, than the security of Nigeria.
“We had a very extensive discussion on the security of all parts of Nigeria and how we should go about improving the situation, we all have roles to play. Nobody would like to see the kind of things that we experience in various parts of the country in the form of insecurity.
“As political leaders, we have responsibilities to our people and we cannot shy away from that, we have to get our people secured, we have to secure the environment for them to earn their means of livelihood, we’ll like to see our farmers go back to farms before the rainy season starts.
“This means we have to secure the rural parts of Nigeria as well as the urban centres because we need businesses to flourish.
“So I believe that between now and probably the next two months, there will be a lot of activities to ensure that we recover and secure the environments for our people to lead a very normal life.
“We also believe that the government is headed in the right direction. You’ll recall that the National Economic Council approved of taking some funds from the Excess Crude Accounts with a view to giving more resources to our Armed Forces.
“This is a commendable effort and we are ready to help with appropriation to ensure that we acquire those security weapons for the armed forces of this country to end this insecurity in the northeast, in the northwest, in the southeast/South-south and southwest as well.
“We believe that this is also going to help empower and build the capacity of other security agencies like the police because the police need to be there.”
President Joe Biden’s recent warning to countries which have enacted discriminating laws against LGBTQI, that they stand to lose further financial assistance from the United States of America, USA, did not come as a surprise to many around the world who were acquainted with the administration of Barack Obama , under which the incumbent served as Vice President.
Former President Obama was a strong supporter of the rights of the LGBTQI.
According to a Presidential Memorandum issued by Biden on February 8, his administration will sanction countries that are yet to make laws to accommodate Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer and Intersex (LGBTQI) persons.
Biden’s memo reads: “When foreign Governments move to restrict the rights of LGBTQI+ persons, or fail to enforce legal protections in place, thereby contributing to a climate of intolerance, agencies engaged abroad shall consider appropriate responses, including using the full range of diplomatic and assistance tools and, as appropriate, financial sanctions, visa restrictions, and other actions.
“All human beings should be treated with respect and dignity and should be able to live without fear no matter who they are or whom they love. The United States belongs at the forefront of this struggle – speaking out and standing strong for our most dearly held values.”
The memo directed US agencies working in foreign countries to work harder to combat the criminalisation by foreign governments of LGBTQ status or conduct and directs the State Department to include anti-LGBTQ violence, discrimination, and laws in its annual human rights report.
The US president also directed all its missions abroad to increase efforts to ensure that LGBTQ asylum seekers have equal access to protection, expanded training for US federal personnel, and potential increased use of priority referrals to expedite resettlement of vulnerable people.
It also instructs federal agencies to consider appropriate responses, including the full range of diplomatic tools, and potentially financial sanctions and visa restrictions, when foreign governments restrict the rights of LGBTQ people. His government will soon be “issuing a presidential memo to agencies to reinvigorate our leadership on the LGBTQI issues and do it internationally,” President Biden said.
The US position came amidst apprehension, among Nigerians of the growing number of homosexuals in the country, and their new found boldness to assert their rights amid public discrimination against them, apart from the law criminalizing homosexuals in the country, enacted by the former President Goodluck Jonathan administration.
President Joe Biden: Warns countries enacting laws against LGBTQI
The problem has even become worse, as the cyber space has, in the last few years, been awash with many Nigerians openly declaring their status abroad, which analysts say could serve as impetus for those living in Nigeria. But the development is likely to result in heartbreak for many Nigerians, particularly parents who, because of their religious and social inclinations, will not readily accept the fact that their children or wards are homosexuals, the same school of thought says.
That’s the quagmire that Doyin Okupe, a former Presidential Spokesman has found himself, following the recent public announcement by his son, Bolu, that he’s gay. The 27-year-old broke the news on January 23, when he said he could no longer hide his status after attaining puberty, adding that his status needed to be brought to light, to end perception about him once and for all, particularly in a country where stigmatization has prevented many gay persons from admitting their sexuality.
According to Bolu “From the age of 10 or 11 I knew I was different, and if you speak to more people in the LGBTQ community they will tell you the same thing. It starts around pre-puberty years.We would progress more as a society if we speak more to each other and judged less.”
Bolu also tried to rationalize the religious stereotype against gay persons. He said: “With regard to homosexuality being anti-Christ, this is not incorrect, as many have pointed out to me, It is clearly forbidden in the Bible; however, I would like to also mention that there are a lot of things that are also forbidden in the Bible that many Christians partake in.”
He said he will never stop being gay because “Sexual orientation is not something that one can ‘reconsider’. This is the way I am, and it is the way I have always been and will always be. I and many others in the LGBTQ (Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) community were born the way we are. Many may not understand this, but stop and think for a second, why would we intentionally choose this lifestyle when we know that we will be ridiculed and shamed by society?”
But for Bolu’s father, the announcement was blasphemous. While responding to his son’s “I am gay” message, Okupe said his son has chosen a life that’s not in tandem with his Christian belief. He said he would never accept his son’s new status, adding that he’s hopeful that Bolu will soon change his sexual orientation.
Okupe said “I have been aware of his new orientation for a while now. He knows that as a Christian and a witness for Christ (an evangelist), I am vehemently opposed to homosexuality as it runs contrary to the avowed precepts of my Christian faith. For me, I look beyond the surface or the physical. Here I see a major spiritual challenge ahead but I know as my God liveth, this whole saga will end up in praise to the Almighty Jehovah who I serve day and night.”
His son’s fate is now in God’s hands, Okupe who served under Jonathan when the anti-gay law was enacted said. “For it is written: Behold, the hand of the Lord is not shortened that it cannot save, neither is His ear dead that he cannot hear. Isaiah 59 vs 1.”
On January 13, 2014 former President Jonathan signed a law, the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act which criminalized and imposed severe penalties, including 14 years’ jail term for gay relationships among others.
No sooner than the law was passed, than the diplomatic relations between Nigeria and the United State suffered a hit as the President Obama administration withdrew some financial and military assistance to the country. The Government of Goodluck Jonathan even blamed the Obama administration for denying his government critical weapons and platforms to fight Boko Haram insurgency.
In fact, the former Nigerian leader said the law was one of the reasons the US failed to back his re-election bid in 2015.
The United States Government, as soon as the law was signed seven years ago, expressed its dissatisfaction through John Kerry, the Secretary of State, who said Washington was deeply concerned about the fate of gays in the country under the new law. .
“Beyond even prohibiting same sex marriage, this law dangerously restricts freedom of assembly and expression for all Nigerian. It is inconsistent with Nigeria’s international legal obligations and undermines … democratic reforms and human rights protections,” Kerry said in a statement at the time.
There’s an existing law in the country which prescribed jail sentence for sodomy, but the 2014 Act imposed serious punishment for homosexual behaviors, which many say pushed many gay persons and lesbians underground while others who could not stand discrimination, fled the country, to the US and Europe where homophobic behaviors and discrimination against homosexuals are not permitted. But the homosexual controversy has been on the front burner of the nation’s politics for some time.
Last week, a lesbian in Lagos who did not want her name to be mentioned for fear of what people will say, told the magazine that she’s frustrated living in the country. According to her, she will jump at any opportunity to leave the country for other nations where her status will not be used to judge her.
Some gay persons in one of the private universities the country also told the magazine that they are hoping that the US immigration policy under President Biden will help the ‘silent’ gay community in Nigeria. They said they are prepared to seek asylum to escape persecution.
On his arrival in the UK in 2007, Bisi Alimi who was forced to flee Nigeria, said the country has become a hell for homosexual persons. Alimi had declared his status in a national television, following which he was disowned by his family, arrested and imprisoned by the police.
Alimi narrates his experience in Nigeria “We had this party that got broken into and many people got beaten up and soaked in blood. But the next week we were all back for the party, because life has got to go on. You would meet people through friends or at parties. When I left Nigeria, [the website] Gaydar was quite popular but it was very underground – people would go to an internet cafe and minimise the window if someone walked past.”
That’s about 14 years ago. But the discrimination against LGBTQ in the country still remains, yet they seem to be growing in number, those familiar with the issue have said.
Recently, a 53-year-old Nigerian gay priest in the Church of England, Jide Macaulay, said he was preparing to marry his partner who currently lives in Nigeria. Criticizing the law in Nigeria which made it impossible for him to be married to his long time gay partner, Macaulay, who is a lawyer described the 2014 Act as “a great disservice and discrimination against same-gender-loving individuals.
In 2019, a former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgar, was tipped off that some persons were being initiated as homosexuals in a bar. The Police boss personally led his men to the venue where 57 persons were arrested. “It is the duty of everybody, not only the police, to ensure that such antisocial behavior, such social vices, such crimes, are checked so that we can create communities that protect our children from such deviant behavior,” Edgar said of the arrest.
Uche Maduagwu, a popular Nollywood actor declared himself “proudly gay”, last month in an Instagram post, where he said homosexuals should be respected for the choice they make for themselves. He had, last year, sent shock waves through the entertainment industry, when he alleged that he has been severally abused by senior colleagues in Nollywood.
He said “Honestly, anytime I remember how I was molested and raped by a male actor on my first movie location in Lagos, I cry bitterly.” He warned upcoming actors to beware of harassment because “your butt might pay heavily for it at night in your hotel room.”
Macaulay and others, frustrated with the Nigeria’s anti-gay law, are likely to become more assertive, even as apprehension is now high in the country, that LGBTOQI will now be more demanding of their rights leveraging on the support from their counterparts from other parts of the world, particularly in the US where lobbyists have the ears of President Biden.
Some critics of Biden insist that his appointment of gay and lesbians into his administration is an indication of his plan to pursue intersectionality across the world using US vast economic and political power.
President Biden had recently appointed Jeff Marootian, the openly gay director of the D.C. Department of Transportation, as a key environmental advisor. Marootian will serve as Special Assistant to the President for Climate and Science Agency Personnel, a post under the executive Office of Presidential Personnel, which regulates and vets potential staff members who may work for the administration;.
Karine Jean-Pierre, a lesbian and former Chief of Staff to Vice President Kamala Harris has been appointed as Deputy Press Secretary; Pili Tobar, an immigration rights advocate and former aide to Senator Chuck Schumer, has also been appointed Deputy White House Communications Director.
Tobar, a lesbian, also worked as a Communications Director for the Biden campaign; Carlos Elizondo, a gay and Biden’s Social Secretary when Biden was Vice President, has also been appointed White House Social Secretary.
Fresh facts are emerging as to why former Governor of Imo State and, now, the Senator representing Imo West was not arraigned in Court, along with 14 of his aides/supporters.
Okorocha was arrested Sunday afternoon for unsealing and breaking into the Royal Palm Estate which was sealed and seized by the Imo State Government two days earlier.
The sprawling multi-billion Naira Estate was built by Okorocha’s wife, Nkechi, during her husband’s tenure as a Governor. But a Judicial Panel of Inquiry, set up by his predecessor, Emeka Ihedioha, and inherited by incumbent Governor Hope Uzodinma, found out that the Estate was developed with money from the State Treasury. The Government subsequently seized it after accepting the Whitepaper and gazetting it.
But Okorocha took a bunch of his aides and supporters to go and repossess the Estate. They were arrested and detained by the Imo Police Command.
But Monday morning when they were arraigned before a Magistrate Court, the Senator was absent, causing raised eye brows.
However, this magazine was told that his non- arraignment followed a number of interventions from some quarters
While he was in the custody of the Police, the Inspector General of Police IGP, allegedly, asked that he be given bail, Sunday night, on the grounds of his alleged failing health. Another source at the Police Command, alleged that he had a suspected stomach upset while in custody, causing him to visit the restroom, several times.
In deed, a number of people noticed that the once robust former Governor has lost a lot of weight, prompting speculations on the state of his health. But some also speculate ‘”he is only keeping fit.”
Aside from his health status, interventions also came, allegedly, from the Senate Leadership, the South-east Governors’ Forum, and the Sultan of Sokoto. The Chairman of the S.E. Governors’ Forum, Dave Umahi, who is also Ebonyi State Governor, confirmed the intervention of the Forum, saying some headway had been made.
It is not known yet if the interventions will stop the arraignment of Okorocha and what the fate of his already arraigned Aides/supporters will be.
They were each, on Monday, granted bail to the tune of five million Naira, only.
The Senate Committee on Petition, Ethics and Privileges have issued a warrant of arrest on the Management of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.
The decision of the Committee to issue the warrant of arrest was due to the Management’s failure to honour the invitation of the Senate Panel to account for how the sum of N2.6 Billion Palliative Fund released by the Federal Government was utilised.
The Senator Ayo Akinyelure led-Committee said that investigation of the alleged misappropriation of N2.6 billion palliative fund has been made difficult following the failure of the NDDC management officials to submit themselves to be interrogated.
The petition was at the instance of the NDDC palliative Chairman, Jackrich Sobomabo who insisted that the fund which was supposed to be disbursed under his supervision was diverted by the NDDC management.
Speaking after the warrant of arrest, Sobomabo lamented how he put his effort and resources in the management of the palliative before the NDDC management allegedly misappropriated the funds.
“I was appointed the palliative Chairman, but when the sum of N2.6 billion was released by the Federal Government, the NDDC management spent the fund without my knowledge.
“It’s unfortunate that they have been evasive when the Senate Committee wanted them to come and explain how the fund was spent.
“If they eventually come around and explain satisfactorily, I will be alright, but they must appear to explain how the fund was disbursed.
He expressed optimism that the Nigerian Senate would bring the perpetrators to book.
The activities of some rogue Fulani Herdsmen in the South West Region within their host communities have forced over 5000 Yoruba to scamper for safety to West African neighbour, Benin Republic.
The fleeing thousands of Yoruba people displaced by herdsmen,in Ogun State, have written letters to the Six South West Governors expressing their agony over displacement from their ancestral homeland.
The displaced people now in refugee camps in Benin Republic said the victims were shocked that heavily armed Fulani men invaded their indigenous land and sacked over 5000 of them including women and children.
Surprisingly, the displaced people said the Governor, Dapo Abiodun and President Muhammadu Buhari have remained silent and did nothing.
In a presss statement and letter to the South West Governors, signed by Mutiu Kolawole Ayinde, the Group Youth Leader said it saddens them that they are been treated like a nobody.
“There was arms build up for months. We wrote letters to the Ogun State Governor His Excellency Dapo Abiodun. He did nothing. We wrote to all the Yoruba State Governors. We didn’t even get any acknowledgment. Our Obas wrote, nothing was done. No Yoruba Governor visited us.
“His Excellency, Abiodun came when we were already counting our dead bodies in our fatherland. This is a big shame. The Governor also turned around to blame our people and exonorated Fulani the alien aggressors”, the letter stated.
The displaced communities said they have been separated from their wives and children.
“Some of our women and girls have been forcefully taken away. Some of our children killed, right in our own land. Our farmers cannot farm. Peasant farming destroyed. Over 5000 of us trecked for day and night. We now live in IDP camp in a smaller country of Benin. This is a catastrophy that is unimaginable. We can never imagine a situation where Fulani will come thousands of kilometers away and occupy our homeland and then displace us. We call on you to assist us to return to our fatherland.”
The communities said having taken over the forests, the terrorists have converted the space into ungoverned region.
Thousands of Yoruba had fled to Eegelu, Ipobe, Igana, Ibore, Owode- Benin and Iga all located in Benin Republic. On Sunday, two women among the refugees gave birth, one through cesarian operation.
Kolawole said men in the communities watched helplessly as wailing children and women cried without succor as they walked all night, compelled to say goodbye to their ancestral home that their generations had lived for over 1000 years.
The affected villages and towns were Ohunbe, Asa, Agbon, Isuku, kodera, Iselu, Iyana Meta, Ibeku, Eegelu, Ipobe, Igbo-oko and Iganna earlier subjected to ferocious attacks by armed Fulani men.
Kolawole said “We are dealing with terrorists who want to take over Yorubaland. If Lagos and other Yoruba States think they are less concerned, it’s a shame, a disgrace that is unexpected of any serious and responsible people anywhere in the world. It’s a surprise that normal life goes on across Yorubaland even when their territories have been taken over and they are surrounded by heavily armed Jihadists.”
It would be recalled that in an interview with Punch Newspaper, two of the displaced Yoruba, Monday Odu and Sina Adekanbi said some men followed their wives with the children while few men stayed behind in the villages.
Idowu said, “Since last week that suspected herdsmen attacked some villages, we did not sleep here because we are all afraid that they may come for us again.
“The people fled some villages in Benin Republic since Sunday. Few of us that stayed behind are sleeping in bushes for the fear of more attack.
“These people came back the same day the governor visited our area. The day the commissioner led a delegation to this place, they attacked us. The governor said he would provide security, but we have not anybody. There is panic everywhere.”
On the situation of the people that fled to Benin Republic, Idowu said they “are living in the bush, but, the Benin Republic Government takes care of them.”
He said, “They (Benin Republic) registered them and feed them free of charge, but they were left outside under a tree because Beninoise people don’t have big houses.
“Among those who went there, five pregnant women have given birth.
“One of them, Odu Monday; his wife gave birth through a caesarean operation. The man followed his wife to Benin Republic.”
Also Adekanbi said, “My wives are in the Benin Republic. Except a few of us who are men, all our wives and children have gone to Benin Republic. We don’t have family in that country. Their government only helped us.”
He added that the refugees were still afraid to come back, adding that the affected Nigeria villages had become desolate.
Adekanbi said, “Today is the market day, no one can go there. We don’t know when this will end.”
A near-tragedy was averted Monday morning in Owerri when Darlington Ibekwe, an Aide to a former Governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha’s slumped in Court.
Ibekwe was among 14 of the former Governor’s aides/supporters who were arraigned at an Owerri Magistrate’s Court on a six- count charge by the Police.
Trouble started on Sunday when Okorocha led scores of people, including son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, who was his former Chief of Staff and Governorship candidate under the Action Alliance, AA, to forcefully unseal an Estate, Royal Palm Estate, Akachi road Owerri which was sealed by the Government.
The multi-billion Naira Estate, owned by Okorocha’s wife, Nkechi, was seized, and taken over by the Imo State Government, based on the recommendation of a Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Lands and Other Matters, set up by former Governor Emeka Ihedioha, and inherited by incumbent Governor Hope Uzodinma on assumption of office.
The IMSG accepted the Whitepaper on the report, had it gazetted and, subsequently, began its implementation.
Not only was the land on which the estate was built illegally and forcefully acquired, the Panel said, it was funded with money from the treasury of Imo State Government.
A viral video showed Okorocha ordering those who were at the estate with him to unseal and break the keys to the gate. They did so, and overwhelmed the security personnel kept by the gate to enforce the sealing order They, then, drove in.
The situation went out of hand when a reinforcement made up of Police and Government officials arrived. After some heated arguments, Okorocha and a number of others were arrested and taken to the State CID of the Imo Police Command. He was taken into custody, after making his statement.
Monday morning, 14 of his aides/ supporters were arraigned before Magistrate B.U.Adikaibe. It was while the case was on-going that Ibekwe slumped.
Some of those arraigned with him were Okorocha’s ADC while he was in office, Eberendu Chimechefulem, now a retired police officer, his Legislative Aide Steve Asinuobi and 11 others.
Altogether 14 of them were arrested and arraigned on a six-count charge, which included illegal entry, breach of peace, illegal possession of arms, wilful destruction of Government property and conspiracy.
Each of them was granted bail to the tune of five million Naira, only, with a surety who must be a recognised Traditional Ruler.
Nwosu escaped arrest on Sunday. But it is not known why Okorocha was not arraigned along with them.
However, this magazine gathered that he was granted bail, late last night, by the Police, allegedly on health grounds.
In addition, the South-east Governors’ Forum and a number of people were said to have intervened, and are still intervening on his behalf.
Counsel to the defendants is Eddy Onyema, while the State Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, S.E. Ibechem, is prosecuting.
The Debt Management Office, DMO has listed various projects across the country that will benefit from over $5 billion yet- to-be assessed loan from the Export-Import Bank of China, World Bank Group and other international development agencies. The loans have already been approved by the National Assembly and were supposed to have been disbursed last December, but were still being held by various development partners.
According to the DMO, $1.25 billion is still being expected from the Chinese Bank aside Agence Francaise de Development from where the country is expecting more than 500 million Euros and another $425 million from the European Development Fund, EDF.
The Office said the disbursement of the loans will take the country’s total foreign debt to close to $38 billion.
The agency has listed projects and agencies that would benefit from the undisbursed funds to include the Nigeria Greater Abuja Water Supply Project, Nigerian Supply of Rolling Stock and Depot Equipment for Abuja Light Rail Project, Nigerian National Information Communication Technology Infrastructure Backbone Phase II Project; Four Airport Terminals Expansion Incremental Project and the Nigerian Four Airport Terminals Expansion Ancillary Project.
Others projects are Nigerian 40 Parboiled Rice Processing Plants Project, Say No to Famine of Nigeria, Nigeria Transmission Expansion Project Phase I (NTEP-1), Nigeria Transmission Expansion Project Phase I (NTEP-1) (AGTF); Second Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence for Development Impact (ACE 3) Project; Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project; the Northern Corridor Power Transmission Project; and the Enhancing Vocational Training Delivery for the Power Sector in Nigeria.
They also include the Northern Core Dorsal Nord Regional Power Interconnector Project; the Ogun State Economic Transformation Project; the Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills Project; the Immunisation Plus & Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Service; the Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards Enhancement Project; the Power Sector Recovery Programme for Results Project; the Second Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence for Development Impact Project and the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project.
The Multi-Sectoral Crisis Recovery Programme for Lake Chad Recovery and Development PROLAC – Additional Financing; the Nigeria Covid-19 Preparedness and Response Project; the Edo State Basic Education Sector and Skills Transformation Operations; the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment Programme, AGILE Project; the Nigeria Digital Identification for Development Project; the Nigeria Digital Identification for Development Project; and the Nigeria Climate Adaptation Erosion and Watershed Project were also listed among the beneficiary projects.
Nigeria’s Public Debt Stock as at the last quarter of last year, according to DMO stood at over N32 trillion or $84 billion.
