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Sally Mbanefo Canvasses Agriculture Based Economic Revolution For Nigeria

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FOUNDER, Sally Mbanefo Foundation and former Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs. Sally Uwechue-Mbanefo, has emphasized the need for Nigeria to go back into agriculture, saying, “we need a green revolution for Nigeria to move forward.”
Mbanefo, who described Agriculture as “going back to basics” said this in her remarks and unveiling of the Agrillonaire – Youth-Oriented Agricbusiness quarterly, at the opening ceremony of the sixth edition of Agrikexpo and NABG Conference 2017, on Monday, at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.
She recalled that before the oil boom, through agriculture, Nigeria was the fourth largest economy in the developing world and major exporters of cash crops, cocoa, palm oil and groundnuts, among others.
Her words: “Our soil has been raped and oil is a curse to our dear nation! We extract oil from the s-oil; but do we add value to the soil by cultivating and reviving its dignity? Our decline began with oil boom.
“Over two third of the Nigeria’s population are youth. Nigeria is known as Africa’s giant, economically and demographically with the highest population – over 170 million people. But this giant is hungry.
“We complain about devaluation and crash in oil; yet every devaluation brings opportunities. Opportunities are abound in Nigeria. Please, dear youth, do not waste these opportunities. Take responsibility for Nigeria’s greatness. Start by helping to feed the nation. Be the generation that ends poverty in the country.”
Mbanefo enjoined the government to encourage the youth, saying “48% of the labour force in Nigeria are youth (between the ages of 15 and 30); 17.53% of the Nigerian youth are not educated, while female youth are the least educated, yet the quality of the education is in question; 79% of the youth are not computer literate; while 4.3% of the youth studied Agriculture.”
While calling on the government and the private sector to create more jobs for the youth, Mbanefo noted that “Unemployment affects the country – economically, socially and politically. Job creation is key to reducing unemployment because youth suffer the most.
“Youth employment programmes need to be sustainable and have a long term action plans, taking into account, talent and vocation to build passion.”
While saying that many youth are discouraged to explore agriculture due to lack of access to land, and only a very few of them inherited land; poor mobility and proximity of the lands to the market; lack of access to technology and finance, and slow mechanization.
Mbanefo, while noting referencing a recent survey, which showed that agriculture is the largest employer of labour in Nigeria, described good access to agriculture market as key to encouraging more people, especially the youth, into farming, while encouraging farmers to diversify, saying, “seasonal crop production discourage many farmers, especially the youth. During the low season for crops, try livestock, poultry and fish farming.”
She disclosed that her NGO, Sally Mbanefo Foundation is partnering with the Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG) while calling for investment in human capital. She noted that “My foundation has been working with the youth since 2007 and is ready to partner with organisations to further encourage the youth and empower them.”
Discussing the ways to encourage more participation in agriculture, especially the youth, Mbanefo said technology becomes key here, “to drive storage, processing and packaging.
While saying the growing hospitality industry, in Nigeria and other part of the world, created increased demand in agriculture, Mbanefo suggested the movement of agriculture to rural cities, and enjoined the government and the financial institutions in the country to give farmers access to micro credits with affordable interest rate.
She then encouraged the Nigerian youth to have passion, integrity, imbibe a culture of discipline, hard work, determination, perseverance and delayed gratification, to enable them succeed in life, giving the Group Chief Executive Officer of Dangote as an example.
However, the President, Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG), Alhaji Sani Dangote, earlier in his opening address described the conference as an opportunity for farmers and stakeholders in the Nigerian Agricultural industry to compare note, to propel agriculture growth in Nigeria and Africa, by encourage youth and women to get more actively involved in Agriculture.
Dangote, who described agriculture as wealth sustainable sector commended the participation of youths and private organisations in Agriculture in Nigeria.

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Iran War Disrupts Oil Supply, Global Loss Hits $50bn

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The global oil market has recorded losses exceeding $50bn following massive supply disruptions triggered by the ongoing Iran war, which has now stretched to nearly 50 days.

Data from energy analytics firm Kpler showed that more than 500 million barrels of crude oil and condensate have been wiped off the global market since the crisis began in late February, making it the largest energy supply disruption in modern history.

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araqchi, on Friday said the Strait of Hormuz had been reopened after a ceasefire agreement reached in Lebanon.

However, tensions escalated again on Saturday as Tehran warned it could shut the strategic waterway if the United States sustains its blockade of Iranian ports.

Also, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism that a deal to end the conflict could be reached “soon,” although he did not provide a definite timeline.

Analysts warned that the scale of disruption could have prolonged effects on global energy stability, with shocks expected to linger for months or even years.

Providing context, Principal Analyst at Wood Mackenzie, Iain Mowat, said the 500 million barrels lost is equivalent to grounding global aviation demand for 10 weeks, halting all road transport worldwide for 11 days, or shutting down the entire global oil supply for five days.

Further estimates showed that the lost volume is nearly equal to one month of oil demand in the United States or more than a month’s supply for Europe. It also represents about six years of fuel consumption by the U.S. military and could power global shipping activities for approximately four months.

The crisis has significantly affected oil-producing nations in the Gulf, with output losses reaching about eight million barrels per day in March—roughly equivalent to the combined production of two of the world’s largest oil companies.

Jet fuel exports from major producers, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman, dropped sharply from 19.6 million barrels in February to just 4.1 million barrels recorded across March and April combined. Analysts said the shortfall could have powered about 20,000 round-trip international flights.

With crude prices averaging around $100 per barrel since the onset of the conflict, the lost volumes translate to an estimated $50bn in revenue. Experts noted that this figure is equivalent to about one per cent of Germany’s annual Gross Domestic Product, or roughly the size of the economies of smaller European countries.

Meanwhile, global onshore crude inventories have declined by about 45 million barrels in April alone, while total production outages have risen to approximately 12 million barrels per day since late March.

Industry experts cautioned that unless a lasting resolution is reached, the disruption could intensify volatility in global oil markets, worsen inflationary pressures, and further strain fragile economies worldwide.

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Oseni Secures Prestigious City People Political Award Nomination

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A member of the House of Representatives representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency and Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, Aderemi Oseni, has been nominated for a Special Award in Politics at the 2026 City People Political Awards.

The nomination was conveyed in a letter dated April 13, 2026, signed by the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of City People Magazine, Seye Kehinde.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued by Oseni’s media aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan on Thursday.

According to the statement, the lawmaker earned the nomination in recognition of his “outstanding contributions to politics in Oyo State, particularly in Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency.”

The organisers noted that Oseni emerged as a nominee following a comprehensive review of performances across sectors by the award’s selection committee.

Part of the letter read, “Having performed creditably well in your sector last year, the Organising Committee presented you as a nominee in your sector.”

The award ceremony is scheduled to hold on Sunday, May 3, 2026, at Etal Hall, Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos, at 4pm.

The City People Awards is an annual event that recognises individuals who have distinguished themselves in governance, public service and other sectors of national development.

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Kaduna Electric to prosecute, expose attackers of staff

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The Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company has announced a crackdown on individuals who assault its staff, warning that offenders will face prosecution and public exposure.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the company expressed concern over what it described as a “disturbing surge” in attacks on its field workers and third-party partners.

It noted that the affected personnel were mainly engaged in meter installation, revenue collection and maintenance of electricity infrastructure.

According to the firm, the increasing cases of harassment, physical assault and unlawful detention of its workers pose a serious threat to employee safety and the stability of electricity service delivery across its franchise areas.

The Deputy Managing Director, Abubakar Mohammed, said the company would no longer tolerate any form of aggression against its workforce.

“Let this serve as a clear warning to anyone who engages in the assault of our staff. Kaduna Electric will pursue every case to its logical conclusion,” he said.

“We will work closely with security agencies to ensure offenders are brought to justice and face the full weight of the law,” Mohammed added.

He further disclosed that the company would publicly reveal the identities of individuals found culpable.

According to him, names, photographs and other details of offenders would be published on the company’s official platforms as well as in national and local media.

“This measure is intended to ensure accountability and serve as a strong deterrent. Anyone who chooses to attack our personnel should be prepared not only to face prosecution but also public exposure,” he added.

The company stressed that assaults on utility workers attract serious legal and financial consequences, noting that offenders risk criminal charges that may lead to fines or imprisonment.

It added that perpetrators could also face civil liabilities, including compensation for medical treatment, psychological trauma and loss of work hours.
While condemning the attacks, Kaduna Electric urged customers to adopt peaceful and lawful means of resolving disputes.

It advised aggrieved customers to channel complaints through its customer service units or appropriate regulatory bodies.

The management reaffirmed its commitment to protecting its workforce and partners, stressing that a safe working environment is essential for delivering reliable and efficient electricity services.

Although disputes between electricity providers and consumers are often linked to billing issues, metering challenges and service delivery concerns, the company maintained that such matters must be resolved through dialogue, insisting that violence against its staff will no longer be tolerated.

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