Dangote to FG: Make Law to Jail Sellers of Smuggled Textiles Without Option of Fine – Newstrends
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Dangote to FG: Make Law to Jail Sellers of Smuggled Textiles Without Option of Fine

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President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote

•Wants Nigeria to target 20% manufacturing contribution to GDP in 10yrs 

•Utomi: Textile industry victim of poor trade policy

The President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has thrown his weight behind the clamour for the revival of Nigeria’s ailing textile and manufacturing sectors by urging the National Assembly to pass a law that would penalise sale of banned textiles materials by imprisoning culprits without any option of fine.

Dangote made call yesterday, in Lagos, while presenting the Second Adeola Odutola Lecture titled, “Agenda Setting for Industrialising Nigeria in the Next Decade,” in commemoration of the 50th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN).

He said: “For the textile industry, I think the government needs to formulate a law by the National Assembly that will say that anybody selling banned foreign textile must go to prison without an option of fine. So, it will be just going to jail even if it is just for two years.

“The real problem in the textile industry is not basically lack of cheaper power. If you give them cheaper power but allowed the smuggling to continue the textile will not last.

“What is happening is that foreign companies are using us (Nigeria) as a dumping ground. That is why I do not like to import. Anytime you import you will be importing poverty and exporting prosperity and job opportunities outside.”

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He said government should apply the same force it mustered to enforce the ban on rice importation in the bid to end smuggling of textiles into Nigeria, adding that, “few decades ago textiles used to be the largest employer of labour after the federal government of Nigeria.”

Dangote, who is Africa’s richest man, also tasked the federal government on the implementation of its policies meant to protect the country’s industrial sector, especially textile manufacturing, without caring who would be offended.

He said as at today people would be sent to jail in India for selling foreign textiles anywhere.

“Also, if something is banned in the United States of America for example, there is no way it could be displayed for sale in a shop.

“But what is stopping the implementation of Nigeria’s government policies is the absence of the political will to make sure that we implement those policies no matter who is going to be upset by us,” Dangote said, adding that manufacturers should “meet with the government to find a lasting solution, especially now that government is desperate about job creation, to stamp out smuggling for our industries to stand. If we have a prosperous environment the insecurity will drop.”

He also said Nigeria should focus on enabling its manufacturing sector to achieve the following targets within the next 10 years.

“Nigeria needs to henceforth intensify efforts at promoting industrialisation with specific focus on the attainment of the following targets in the next 10 years: 15 per cent manufacturing growth; 20 per cent manufacturing contribution to the GDP; 15 per cent growth in export of manufactured products; 10 per cent increase in the share of manufacturing to total export machandise, stronger inter-industry linkage between SMEs and large corporations, improved manufacturing contribution to government tax revenue and 20 per cent increase in manufacturing employment,” he said.

Commenting on the comatose state of the country’s textile industry, the Founder of the Centre for Values in Leadership, Prof. Pat Utomi, ascribed the decline in textile manufacturing to bad trade policies.

Utomi said: “But to get straight to the point, the textile industry failed because of Nigeria’s trade policy. The lesson we shall take from this is that we should have a standing working group consisting of some real experts and manufacturers to put the government under pressure about its trade policies.

“I wonder if we still remembered that Nigeria Textile Limited (NTL) break even within one month of its operation in 1960. And in its first six months of production was exporting to Manchester, United Kingdom.

“So, why did the textile industry die? Because wrong trade policies where being made and there was not enough pressure to get the government to do the right thing.

“And the government people were not doing it out of wickedness but ignorance. So, we have to remember that Nigeria is our country and collectively we can get the experts, manufacturers and the government to sit together and plot our way.

“The global textile industry today is dominated by five firms. How can Nigeria align with them and provide incentives to them to make Nigeria their base? So that today we cannot be talking about jobs because the textile industry will be providing millions of jobs.”

The President of MAN, Mr. Mansur Ahmed, said in his welcome address that the choice of Dangote as the guest speaker for the lecture was, “clearly predicated upon our belief that only experienced industrialists are well equipped to do justice to the theme, visibly highlight essential advocacy issues, suggest workable solutions and point the sector to key industrial development agenda for the next ten year.”

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Lagos Rail Mass Transit part of FG free train ride – NRC

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Lagos Rail Mass Transit part of FG free train ride – NRC

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has disclosed that the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) trains are included in the Federal Government’s free train ride initiative for the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

The LRMT, which currently includes the Phase 1 Blue Line Rail and the Phase 1 of the Red Line Rail, operates under the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA).

This announcement was made by Ben Iloanusi, the Acting Managing Director of the NRC, during an interview on NTA News TV on Friday, following the launch of the initiative earlier that day.

While Iloanusi stated that Phase 1 of both the Blue Line and Red Line Rail projects are part of the program, LAMATA has yet to confirm this inclusion.

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Iloanusi outlined the other routes benefiting from the scheme, which include the Lagos-Ibadan Train Service, Kaduna-Abuja Train Service, Warri-Itakpe Train Service, Port Harcourt-Aba Train Service, and the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Mass Transit in Lagos. Notably, little was previously known about the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Mass Transit service until this disclosure.

“Let me mention the routes where this free train service is happening. We have the Lagos-Ibadan Train Service, we have the Kaduna-Abuja Train Service, we have the Warri-Itakpe Train Service, we have the Lagos Rail Mass Transit trains, we have the Port Harcourt-Aba Train Service, and we have what we call the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Mass Transit, which is also in Lagos,” he stated.

Iloanusi provided operational updates, stating that passengers nationwide can access free tickets online or, for those unable to do so, at train stations where they will be profiled and validated.

He noted that passengers using NRC-managed services (excluding the Lagos Rail Mass Transit) should reserve tickets via the official website, www.nrc.gov.ng, with a valid ID required. He also advised travelers to plan, arrive on time, and bring valid identification.

Lagos Rail Mass Transit part of FG free train ride – NRC

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NNPC denies claim of Port Harcourt refinery shutdown

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Port Harcourt refinery

NNPC denies claim of Port Harcourt refinery shutdown

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has denied claims in media reports that the newly refurbished Port Harcourt refinery has shut down.

The national oil company denied the claim in a press release issued by its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, on Saturday.

Soneye said the claim was false and urged Nigerians to disregard it. He stressed that the Port-Harcourt Refinery is fully operational.

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The statement read, “The attention of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has been drawn to reports in a section of the media alleging that the Old Port Harcourt Refinery which was re-streamed two months ago has been shut down. 

“We wish to clarify that such reports are totally false as the refinery is fully operational as verified a few days ago by former Group Managing Directors of NNPC.”

He noted that preparation for the day’s loading operation is currently ongoing, and added that claims of the shutdown are “figments of the imagination of those who want to create artificial scarcity and rip-off Nigerians.

NNPC denies claim of Port Harcourt refinery shutdown

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CBN permits BDCs to buy up to $25,000 FX weekly from NFEM

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CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso

CBN permits BDCs to buy up to $25,000 FX weekly from NFEM

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has granted Bureau de Change (BDC) operators temporary permission to purchase up to $25,000 weekly in foreign exchange (FX) from the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM). 

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has granted Bureau de Change (BDC) operators temporary permission to purchase up to $25,000 weekly in foreign exchange (FX) from the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM). 

This move, detailed in a circular dated December 19, 2024, is designed to meet seasonal retail demand for FX during the holiday period. 

The circular was signed by T.G. Allu, on behalf of the Acting Director of the Trade and Exchange Department. 

The arrangement will be in effect from December 19, 2024, to January 30, 2025. 

Under the directive, BDCs may purchase FX from a single Authorized Dealer of their choice, provided they fully fund their accounts before accessing the market.  

Transactions to occur at the prevailing NFEM rate 

The transactions will occur at the prevailing NFEM rate, and BDCs are required to adhere to a maximum 1% spread when pricing FX for retail end-users.

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All transactions conducted under this scheme must be reported to the CBN’s Trade and Exchange Department. 

The circular read in part:

In order to meet expected seasonal demand for foreign exchange, the CBN is allowing a temporary access for all existing BDCs to the NFEM for the purchase of FX from Authorised Dealers, subject to a weekly cap of USD 25,000.00 (Twenty-five thousand dollars only).

This window will be open between December 19, 2024 to January 30, 2025. 

“BDC operators can purchase FX under this arrangement from only one Authorized Dealer of their choice and will be required to fully fund their account before accessing the market at the prevailing NFEM rate. All transactions with BDCs should be reported to the Trade and Exchange department, and a maximum spread of 1% is allowed on the pricing offered by BDCs to retail end-users.” 

The CBN assured the general public that PTA (Personal Travel Allowance) and BTA (Business Travel Allowance) remain available through banks for legitimate travel and business needs.”

These transactions are to be conducted at “market-determined exchange rates” within the NFEM framework.

This initiative reflects the CBN’s strategy to stabilize the FX market and manage seasonal surges in demand.

CBN permits BDCs to buy up to $25,000 FX weekly from NFEM

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