“As an advocacy group for fair and just treatment, MURIC should have verified the facts before making statements that are entirely flawed and has the potential to incite ordinary Nigerians against the NNPC Ltd.”
Business
Benue launches facilities for NIHOTOUR zonal campus
![](https://newstrends.ng/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Niger-NIHOTOUR.jpg)
By Ebere Chibuzor
The Benue State Government has kept faith with its promise to hand over of some structures and facilities to the Federal Government for the take-off of the North Central zonal campus of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR).
The Minister for Arts and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who made the statement at the official handing over of the facilities in Makurdi, said tourism had assumed an extraordinary growth globally.
Tourism, according to him, is a major catalyst for economic growth and social development of most countries with its attendant spiral effects along the long line of its value chain.
He further said that one of the prerequisites for the tourism industry to flourish and play the desired role in the socio-economic development of the country is the availability of trained personnel to run the sector.
This, he said, was what informed the setting up of NIHOTOUR by the Federal Government with the mandate of providing skill proficiency, technical upgrading and professional-based education for the hospitality, travel and tourism industries for both Nigeria and the West African sub region.
Mohammed expressed the appreciation of the Federal Government to the government and people of Benue State for making the desire to establish the North Central zonal campus of the institute a reality and called for renewed understanding between states, organised private sector and the Federal Government in the efforts to transform the socio-economic growth of Nigeria through tourism.
He reiterated the determination of his ministry to develop, project and showcase the country’s tourism potential and endowments because the benefits derivable therein are enormous in revenue generation, job creation, wealth redistribution, infrastructural development and inter-sectorial linkage incentives.
In his address at the occasion, the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Benson Abounu, stated the resolve of his administration to tap into the potential of tourism products and activities that the state had been endowed with to grow the economy and better the social activities of the people of the state.
Ortom said the handing over of the magnificent edifice to the Federal Government for use by NIHOTOUR was informed by the desire of his government to create the needed platform for youth empowerment and skill acquisition which the training centre would offer youths of the state as well as states within the North Central Zone to grow the economy through hospitality and the tourism industry.
Director General of NIHOTOUR, Alhaji Nura Sani Kangiwa, had earlier in his speech stated that the dearth of needed skilled and trained manpower to run the hospitality and travel-tourism industry in the country was responsible for the stunted growth and development of the industry, adding that with NIHOTOUR in place, it has the capacity to overturn the trends for the best to develop the sector.
He said the choice of Benue as the zonal campus and headquarter of the North Central Zone of the institute was informed by the place of the state not only as the food basket of the country, but a tourism haven of Nigeria.
He urged the state to explore the tourism potential the state is endowed with to grow its internally generated revenue to boost its economy.
Kangiwa pointed out the need for the state to produce its tourism development master plan which would be a guide in the appropriate development of the state’s tourism endowments in line with global best practices.
Business
Dangote Refinery can sell petrol to any marketer – NNPC
![](https://newstrends.ng/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Dangote-Refinery-Welcomes-First-Crude-Oil-Shipment-scaled.jpg)
Dangote Refinery can sell petrol to any marketer – NNPC
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has said it has no desire or intention to be the sole offtaker of petrol produced by the Dangote Refinery Limited, DRL.
NNPC Ltd said this while reacting to claim by the Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, which claims that the Dangote Refinery Limited (DRL) is being undermined by actions of the NNPC Ltd.
MURIC had in a statement issued on Friday claimed that recent changes to the pump price of petrol will prevent the Dangote Refinery from selling the product at lower prices to Nigerians.
The group also claimed NNPC Ltd. has become the sole offtaker of all products from the refinery.
However, Olufemi Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Ltd in a statement on Saturday dismissed the claims of MURIC.
While puncturing the claims of MURIC, NNPC LTD in the statement noted that the pricing of petroleum products from any refinery, including the Dangote Refinery Ltd. (DRL), is determined by global market forces.
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The company thefore noted that recent changes in PMS prices have no impact on the DRL or any other domestic refinery’s access to the Nigerian market.
Business
Forex: CBN sells $20,000 to each BDC at N1,580/$
![](https://newstrends.ng/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/dollars.jpg)
Forex: CBN sells $20,000 to each BDC at N1,580/$
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced plans to inject more liquidity into the foreign exchange market by approving the sale of US$20,000 to each eligible Bureau De Change (BDC) operator.
This move is aimed at meeting the growing demand for foreign exchange in the retail market, particularly for invisible transactions.
In a circular issued on September 6, 2024, and signed by Dr. W.J. Kanya, Acting Director of the CBN’s Trade and Exchange Department, the bank stated that eligible BDC operators would purchase the foreign currency at the rate of N1,580 per US dollar.
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The BDCs are permitted to sell the forex to end-users at a margin not exceeding 1% above the purchase rate.
To facilitate the process, the bank said eligible BDCs must make Naira payments into designated CBN deposit accounts and submit the required documentation at the appropriate CBN branches in Abuja, Awka, Kano, and Lagos for the collection of the approved $20,000.
This measure is part of CBN’s ongoing efforts to stabilize the forex market and meet demand for invisible transactions such as payment for personal travel, medical bills, and school fees.
Forex: CBN sells $20,000 to each BDC at N1,580/$
Business
Naira falls by N34 to dollar in 24hrs
![](https://newstrends.ng/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Naira-back-market-dollar-to-naira-scaled.jpg)
Naira falls by N34 to dollar in 24hrs
The Nigerian currency, Naira, has plummeted to an unprecedented low, trading at a staggering N1,639.41 per dollar at the official market on Thursday.
This marks a sharp decline from the previous day’s rate of N1,606, reflecting a dramatic loss of N34.
In a parallel trend, the black market also saw the naira fall, with the exchange rate reaching N1,645 per dollar, down from N1,640.
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The worsening exchange rates signal deepening economic challenges and growing concerns over the stability of the national currency.
As the naira continues its downward spiral, analysts and market watchers are closely monitoring the situation, with implications for both the economy and daily lives of Nigerians.
Naira falls by N34 to dollar in 24hrs
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