Federal News

FG to Clampdown On E-Mail Fraudsters - Okonjo-Iweala
Nigeria, Italy sign MoU on human trafficking

As part of the reforms to build investors confidence in Nigeria, the nation's envoys, as well as trained law enforcement agents are to be co-opted into the war against e-mail scams. Theh e-mail scam is one method used to defraud victims by luring them with promises of business deals running into millions of Naira.

North Korea Offers Nigeria Missile Technology Deal
NORTH Korea has offered Nigeria missile technology but Abuja has not taken up the offer, a spokesman said yesterday, clarifying an earlier statement that Nigeria was seeking such weapons.

Bakassi: Annan to Host Nigeria-Cameroon Summit
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan will host talks at the end of this month between the leaders of Nigeria and Cameroon as part of continuing efforts to resolve the border dispute between the two countries, a UN spokesman announced yesterday.

Nigeria's Export to USA, Brazil, France, Others Up By 23.3%
The present administration's effort to discourage import and encourage export appears to be yielding the desired result as Nigeria exported N722.2 billion worth of goods to its trading partners in the fourth quarter of 2002. This represents an increase of 23.3 per cent over the N642.4 billion worth of goods exported in the third quarter of 2002.

However, the value of import for the fourth quarter amounted to N294.4 billion showing a slight increase of 7.6 percent from N273.6 billion import recorded in the third quarter of 2002.

Nigeria Tops SA for Direct US Investment
SA WAS the second-largest recipient of foreign direct investment from the US in 2002, second only to Nigeria, a report on US trade and investment with sub-Saharan Africa released yesterday said.

Nigeria to Work for Peace - Obasanjo
President Olusegun Obasanjo has said Nigeria will continue to work for global peace in the pursuit of common, mutual security and prosperity.

The President was speaking to the visiting Vice President of North Korea, Mr Yang Hyong Sop at State House, Abuja yesterday.

Atiku, Wife, Others Off to S/Arabia
VICE-PRESIDENT, Atiku Abubakar yesterday left Abuja for Saudi Arabia to join millions of Islamic faithful for this year's pilgrimage.

He was accompanied by his wife, Hajia Jemila Abubakar, two governors, Alhaji Danjuma Goje and Senator Rashidi Ladoja of Gombe and Oyo states, respectively as well as some of his aides.

Aside from being a religious trip, Atiku would hold discussions with King Abdul Azeez in Jedda as well as meet with the Saudi Crown Prince and that country's Defence Minister.

Govt Okays Regional, International Routes For Domestic Airlines
THE presidency has directed the Aviation Ministry to approve regional and international routes for domestic airline operators in the country.

Customs Seizes N87.9m Contrabands
The customs special squads in zones A & F have seized contrabands valued at N87.9 million in the first month of this year.

18,501 Seat-Belt Offenders Arrested
A total of 18,501 motorists were arrested in different parts of Lagos State in 2003 for driving without using their seat-belts.

A breakdown of statistics made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, yesterday by the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) showed that 3,653 arrests were made in the first quarter of the year under review.

NAFDAC Holds Campaign On 'Pure Water'
In a bid to control the proliferation of unregisterd packaged water , NAFDAC has embarked on an enlightenment campaign to expose manufacturers to the danger of the practices.

The Director General of NAFDAC, Dr. (Mrs) Dora Akunyili, told manufacturers of packaged water, printers and makers of materials for the packaging that they needed to have a thorough understanding of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards.

NAFDAC Destroys N48m Worth of Fake Drugs
UNWHOLESOME and expired foods as well as drug products worth over N48 million were yesterday destroyed by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Lagos,as part of its efforts to rid the country of fake and counterfeit products

'Open University Degrees Will Be Recognised'
Minister of Education, Professor Fabian Osuji, has assured students of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) that the degrees, diplomas and certificates they would earn would be equivalent to those obtainable in the conventional universities and other institutions.

Investment: Bill Gates, Toyota Boss, Others Visit Nigeria Soon
In pursuance of Federal Government's drive for Direct Foreign Investment (DFI), Nigeria is planning to set up an International Investors Council, which hopes to bring to Nigeria leading world businessmen like Microsoft President, Mr. Bill Gates, Mr. Mohammed Marakhan, a reputable international businessman and the Chief Executive Officer of the Japanese auto giant, Toyota Corporation.

Oil Income May Exceed $1b in January
Nigeria may have earned about $1.023 billion from crude oil this month, after exports of the commodity have averaged one million barrels per day (bpd).

FG Seeks New Source of Funding Infrastructure Devt
Following public opposition to the fuel tax, the House of Representatives yesterday hinted that the Federal Government is considering drawing some funds from the proceeds from the excess crude oil yield to fund the development of infrastructure in the country.

State News

Ogun, Ondo Govts to Establish Free Export Processing Zone
IN a bid to expand their economic bases, Ondo and Ogun state governments are planning to establish a free export processing zone in the boarder town of Olokola in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.

Already, over 10,000 hectres of land have been acquired for the first phase of the project and would be commissioned before the end of the year 2007.

Lagos Targets N10bn Internal Revenue By 2007
Basking from the euphoria of improved internal revenue generation, the Lagos State government has set for itself an ambitious target to raise the state Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from the N600,000 it inherited in 1999 to as high as N10 billion at the expiration of its two-term tenure in 2007.

Business News

Union Bank Posts N23b Gross Earnings in Six Months
UNION Bank Nigeria Plc has announced that the Group recorded N23.1 billion gross earnings in six months ended September 30,2003 up by 4.5 per cent from N22.1billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2002.

Economy Rakes in N71b From Money Transfer Yearly
THE Nigerian economy raked in over $480 million ( about N71.040 billion ) from money transfer business in 2003 making it one of the major foreign exchange earners during the period, after crude oil and gas. The Managing Director/Chief Executive of Afribank Nigeria Plc., Alhaji Kashim Njidda disclosed that money transfer accounts for at least $10 million ( about N1.48 billion) injected into the Nigerian economy every week.

Nigeria Sold $11.4bn Oil
CUMMULATIVE income from crude oil produced in Nigeria in the second half of 2003 is calculated at $11,383,029,000 (about 1.5 trillion naira).

NEPZA Proposes Used Car EPZ
NIGERIAN Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) plans to collaborate with the Cross River State government to establish a used car export processing zone in Calabar.

NEPZA MD, Mrs Felicia Umenyi, informed that the proposed EPZ will be fashioned after that of Dubai and may take off within the year if the plans are not jeopardized.

FG Spends N13b On Export Promotion
Export promotion activities in the country coordinated by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) cost the Federal Government N13 billion as at last December.

The amount used to finance 134 companies engaged in export of various products was a leap from the N863 million advanced as soft loans to 93 companies as at 2000.

Afribank to Reap From Travelex Money Transfer
AFRIBANK Nigeria PLC will begin to reap from the Travelex money transfer which generates returns of over $10,000 on weekly basis as it has been appointed as the first agent in Nigeria to market the product. Travelex money transfer is an international money transfer product which will enable Nigerians living abroad to send money to their relatives, clients and other residents in Nigeria.

Sport News

Morocco Shocks Super Eagles
Morocco caused a major upset in the African Cup of Nations when they earned a deserved 1-0 win over Nigeria in Monastir yesterday.

Pepsi Sets Aside N1m for Best Player
AN N1 million Pepsi largesse awaits any Super Eagles players that distinguishes himself at the ongoing 24th African Cup of Nations in Tunisia.

Other News

Drumbeat for J.P. Clark @ 70...
Whereas activities to celebrate the 70th birthday anniversary of African celebrated playwright and 1996 Nobel prize winner, Professor Wole Soyinka commenced in earnest last week , the literary tribe is breasting up again to celebrate the life of another of its own, this time around , Professor J.P. Clark-Bekederemo who will also be 70 years in April.

Ohanaeze Honours Zik, Ibiam Saturday
NIGERIA's first President, the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, former governor of defunct Eastern Region, the late Dr. Akanu Ibiam, are among departed Igbo leaders to be honoured by Ohanaeze Ndigbo on Saturday

Charity Organisation Donates $15,000 to Motherless Home
A US-based charity organization has donated a cheque of $15,000.00 for the purchase of beds and computers for the children of Ijamido Motherless Home at Otta, Ogun State.

Mrs. Mary of Durban, North Carolina, made the donation when the proprietor of the home, Mr. Daniel Obakoya visited her in her home at Durban, and lamented the poor state of the inmates of the home. He told the philanthropist that almost 90 per cent of the children at the home slept on the floor.