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Tinubu Government Signs $158m Financing Deal To Boost Agriculture In Northern Nigeria

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Food Security

Tinubu Government Signs $158m Financing Deal To Boost Agriculture In Northern Nigeria

Tinubu government signs $158m financing deal to boost agriculture in northern Nigeria. The federal government has signed a $158.15 million financing agreement to implement the value chain programme in northern Nigeria (VCN).

The deal, signed at the presidential villa on Wednesday, aims to transform agriculture across nine states, according to a statement by Stanley Nkwocha, senior special assistant to the president on media relations (office of the vice president).

Nkwocha said the project is co-funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the French Development Agency (AFD), and the federal government.
He said the nine northern states include Borno, Bauchi, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Jigawa, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, Vice-President Kashim Shettima described the initiative as part of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to reducing poverty, restoring the dignity of farmers, and ensuring food security.

Shettima said the VCN will also help in sustainably reducing poverty, enhancing nutrition, and improving the resilience of rural and most vulnerable populations in the states.

“This is a declaration of faith in the north—not as a region of deficits, but as a place of abundance,” the vice-president said.

“What has brought us together today is an investment of $158.15 million, co-financed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the Federal Government of Nigeria, and other stakeholders.

“This reflects President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to prioritising what matters most—people, productivity, and prosperity.”

‘VCN WILL SERVE AS PIPELINE FOR RAW MATERIALS TO SAPZs’

Shettima said the programme will serve as a pipeline of raw materials to the special agro-industrial processing zones (SAPZs) being established across the country, and help shift Nigeria from exporting raw produce to value-added goods.

The politician also emphasised the need for self-sufficiency in food amid global trade tensions, noting that the VCN will promote the commercial cultivation of crops such as wheat and maize and support investment in irrigation, processing, and storage.

“What makes this programme exceptional is that it targets the underserved: women, youth, persons with disabilities, and returnees,” Shettima added.

“For a nation that has long relied on food imports, the message is clear: we must grow what we eat and produce what we trade.

“The VCN answers this call. By making wheat, maize, and animal feed viable for commercial cultivation and investing in irrigation, processing, and storage facilities in states like Kebbi and Jigawa, we are not just securing food—we are laying the groundwork for agricultural exports that can rival our oil.

“From farmer registration to market access, from input distribution to yield analysis.
“In regions where migration and insecurity are fuelled by joblessness, the VCN provides vehicles for enterprise, income, and dignity.”

Food Security

Food Security

On his part, Abubakar Kyari, minister of agriculture and food security, said the financing agreement represents a significant milestone in the efforts to transform the agricultural landscape in Nigeria under the ‘renewed hope agenda’ of the Tinubu administration.

He added that the participation of the nine states and the presence of other critical stakeholders underscore the commitment of the sub-nationals and the federal government in fostering inclusivity in agricultural development and economic empowerment.

The minister also expressed confidence that the VCN will deliver programmes and projects to improve agricultural productivity and the overall well-being of smallholder farmers, farmer groups, and women across the region.

Dede Ekoue, IFAD’s country director, said the project is expected to impact about 3.1 million household members and create more than 30,000 jobs.

In addition, it would support climate-smart agriculture, digital solutions, and improved post-harvest value chains, he said.

Crime

Brazil Fines TikTok $30m Over Failure to Implement Child Safety

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TikTok Not A Social Media Platform, Official Reveals

Brazil Fines TikTok $30m Over Failure to Implement Child Safety

Brazil’s data protection agency on Tuesday fined TikTok nearly $30 million for failing to implement child safety measures in what it said was a “powerful signal” to social media companies.
Eereporter.com

Brazil has taken a tough stance on the regulation of social media platforms, cracking down on disinformation and requiring users under 16 years to have their accounts linked to those of their parents.

An enforcement director with the ANPD data protection agency, Fabricio Lopes, told a press conference that TikTok “was not taking the necessary measures to prevent adolescents from accessing the platform and from having the data of these children and adolescents processed.”

This data was “being used to offer advertising to adolescents.”

He said the fine of 153.7m reais ($29.9 million) was a “powerful signal to other platforms regarding how seriously the ANPD takes this work” and that the agency hoped they “get the message.”

TikTok agreed last week to pay $400m to settle a lawsuit with the US Department of Justice over claims that the video-sharing platform collected children’s personal data without parental permission.

– Tougher enforcement –
This month, the ANPD also ordered popular streaming platform Discord to suspend livestreams and video calls after a teenage girl was allegedly encouraged to take her own life during a broadcast.

The agency told AFP that an appeal filed by Discord on Monday against the suspension is under review.

ANPD director Lorena Coutinho said the agency had, last week, initiated proceedings to verify the compliance of 22 social media networks and platforms with a law passed this year to protect children and teens online.

In addition to the fine, the ANPD ordered TikTok parent company ByteDance to delete data collected in violation of regulations.

Coutinho said TikTok had committed to suspend all adverts for users who are not logged in.

TikTok has committed to “implementing a compliance plan to improve the protection of children and adolescents,” the ANPD said.

Brazil Fines TikTok

Brazil Fines TikTok

The platform will be required to automatically apply stricter privacy settings to accounts belonging to children under the age of 16, strengthen parental supervision systems, and implement stricter content filters.

TikTok did not immediately respond to requests for comment from AFP.

In 2024, the platform X was blocked for 40 days in Brazil, until the social media network owned by the world’s richest person, Elon Musk, complied with the Supreme Court’s orders to remove accounts spreading disinformation.
Eereporter.com

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Economy

Umahi Leads the Way as Tinubu Orders Immediate Action on Benin-Agbor-Asaba Road Intervention

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Umahi

Umahi Leads the Way as Tinubu Orders Immediate Action on Benin-Agbor-Asaba Road Intervention

The Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Umahi, CON, has moved swiftly to address the worsening condition of the Ifaki-Kabba-Ado Ekiti road in Ekiti and Kogi States, and Benin-Agbor-Asaba Roads following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive for urgent intervention to ease the hardship being faced by motorists and commuters.
Eereporter.com

Umahi, who expressed deep concern over the deplorable condition of the road and the suffering of road users who have spent hours and, in some cases, days on the route, said the Federal Government was determined to take immediate corrective measures while working towards permanent solutions.

“President Tinubu, GCFR, has directed the Federal Ministry of Works to urgently intervene and ensure that necessary corrective actions are taken to restore movement on the affected roads as quickly as possible.” Said Umahi

The Minister, in response to the directive, has already set machinery in motion for immediate action.

As part of the intervention, Umahi directed the Minister of State for Works to lead a team of ministry officials to the Ifaki-Kabba-Ado Ekiti axis to assess the situation and commence urgent remedial works.

The assignment is already on as of 10 a.m. on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, with officials of the Ministry on the ground to begin the intervention.

While the intervention team moved into Ekiti and Kogi States, Umahi himself headed to Benin, Edo State, alongside members of the National Assembly Works Committees, to initiate a similar coordinated intervention on the Benin-Agbor-Asaba road.

The Benin meeting is expected to bring together key stakeholders, including representatives of the Edo and Delta State Governments and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), with the aim of finding immediate solutions to the challenges confronting motorists on the strategic corridor.

Umahi also took responsibility for the unfortunate situation on the affected roads and apologised to commuters who have been stranded or delayed for several hours and days.

Umahi

Benin-Agbor-Asaba

He assured road users that the Federal Government’s response would go beyond temporary relief, with immediate measures being pursued alongside permanent solutions to restore the affected roads and improve their long-term reliability.

Francis Nwaze
Senior Special Assistant to the Honourable Minister of Works (Media)
August 25, 2026
Eereporter.com

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Economy

NNPC Cares: Boost for Nationwide Medical Access as NMSL Deploys Laparoscopic Instrument in Abuja

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Medical

NNPC Cares: Boost for Nationwide Medical Access as NMSL Deploys Laparoscopic Instrument in Abuja

NNPC Medical Services Limited (NMSL) has deployed articulating laparoscopic instruments at its main hospital in Utako, Abuja. The machine is an advanced surgical equipment designed to enhance precision and flexibility during laparoscopic procedures.
Eereporter.com

The latest deployment widens the range of procedures available at the medical facility and represents a boost for healthcare access in the country.

Medical

NNPC

Acting Managing Director / Chief Operating Officer, NMSL, Dr. Dickson Bada, received the equipment from SQI Limited, represented by Dr. Emmanuel Otitoloju.

NNPC Limited continues to invest in its medical facilities, which are open to the public nationwide, towards improving healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
Eereporter.com

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