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Sanni lauds FG over appointment as NSPRI executive director
° As OYSCATECH felicitates governing council chair on appointment
The newly appointed Executive Director for Nigerian Stored Product Research Institute (NSPRI), Ilorin, Prof. Lateef Sanni has appreciated the Federal Government of Nigeria over his appointment as the Executive Director for Nigerian Stored Product Research Institute in Ilorin.
Prof. Sanni also extended his gratitude to the Almighty God for the opportunity.
According to him, “There is the need for one to sustain one’s excellence, integrity, and productivity. And I will make sure that I work together with other team players in solving so of the sustainable development goals and by God’s grace, success is ours.”
The Management of Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora under the leadership of Prof. Akinola Akinlabi, and the Governing Council Members of Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora have congratulated the institution’s Governing Council Chairman, Prof. Lateef Sanni over his appointment as the Executive Director for Nigerian Stored Product Research Institute (NSPRI), Ilorin
In a congratulatory message signed by the Registrar of Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora, Mr. Rasheed Fasasi Adenrele Adeniji, the Rector described Prof. Sanni as an erudite scholar, exemplary, visionary leader of an impeccable standard and exceptional international researcher whose leadership acumen have not only impacted the academia, industry, the international community and Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora in particular but the nation as well.
The Rector noted the remarkable contributions of Prof. Sanni at the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB), while serving as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Developments) and to building an Economically Sustainable, Integrated Cassava Seeds System Phase II (BASICS II) and Cassava Adding Value for Africa Phase I & II.
Prof. Akinlabi opined that Sanni will record unprecedented achievements in the new assignment, considering his intellectual capacity and professionalism with which he conducts the affairs of the Governing Council of Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora.
The Rector on behalf of the Management, Board of Studies, Staff, Students, and Alumni of Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora therefore, wishes Prof. Lateef Sanni God’s guidance, good health, and unparalleled success in his new assignment.
Prof. Sanni is a fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science, Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology, Institute of Management Consultants of Nigeria, and President, of the International Society for Tropical Root Crops.
Prof. Lateef Oladimeji Sanni until his appointment was the former Head of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Station in Abuja and Project Manager for Building an Economically Sustainable, Integrated Cassava Seeds System Phase II (BASICS II).
He is the Chairman, of the Steering Committee of African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD).
Prof. Sanni has over thirty years of experience in research, consultancy, and collaborations as a post-harvest expert on tropical roots crops mostly implemented by the Natural Resources Institute, United Kingdom, Association of African Universities, Council of Agricultural Research Forum, West and Central Council for Agricultural Development and International Institute of Tropical Root Crop with over seventy overseas trips to six continents.
Prof. Sanni graduated from the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta with a Bachelor of Science degree; Second Class Upper Division in the Department of Food Science and Technology in 1990. He obtained Masters’s and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Degrees at the Department of Food Technology, University of Ibadan in February 1993 and April 1999 respectively.
The distinguished Prof. Sanni received Harvard Business School, Boston, USA training on Leading Change and Organizational Renewal from 17th to 22nd March 2013.
Prof. Sanni joined the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (UNAAB), now FUNAAB in 1993 as an Assistant Lecturer and became Professor of Food Science and Technology in 2008.
As a distinguished scholar, Prof. Sanni has published over 109 Technical Journal articles; 30 Books, and 30 Conference proceedings.
He has supervised in collaboration with colleagues well over 100 undergraduates, 17 Masters and 24 PhD students.
Prof. Sanni is globally cited with 3,809.
He successfully served as the Country Manager for Nigeria in a Five-Country project, Cassava: Adding Value for Africa II (CAVA and CAVA II) projects sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation from 2008 to March 31, 2019.
Professor Lateef Sanni won the World Bank Facility for Academic Staff of Universities to the Natural Resources Institute, Kent, UK in 1995.
The International Foundation for Science, Sweden, launched Prof. Sanni Lateef as a leading contributor to multi-million dollar projects on cassava since 1999.
The erudite Professor was the leader (of Food Processing and Value Addition), Center of Excellence in Agriculture and sustainable environment in 2013 for the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.
Prof. Lateef served as the Resource Person, World Bank Sponsored project titled “Upscaling the Nigerian Flash Drying Experience for Sustainable Regional Trade and Income Generation in West Africa”(Ghana, Benin Republic, Sierra Leone, Nigeria).
He also served as the Country Manager for the European Union-African Caribbean Pacific (EU-ACP) Science Technology Capacity Building Project, Nov 2009 to October 2012 in collaboration with the Greenwich University/Natural Resources Institute, Chatham.
His wealth of experience made him serve as Project Coordinator, Cassava Value Chain Development project in West Africa, covering Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Benin Republic; a three-year project, sponsored by the Common Fund for Commodities from August 2008 to March 2012 and implemented by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, (IITA) Ibadan, Nigeria.
Prof. Sanni has won several awards, some of which include; the 2008 Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Award, Regional Technology Development in Sub-Saharan Africa, Outstanding Award-2006 Academic Accomplishment by Junior Chambers International, Abeokuta, Gateway Hotel, Abeokuta, Nigeria, and the Best Oral Presenter Award at the 7th African Crops Science Conference organized by African Crops Science Society, Entente, Uganda in December 2005.
Prof. Sanni also won the Research Productivity Award (Senior Academic Category) in January 2011 and the Most Outstanding International Ambassador Award of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta in January 2012, and the FUNAAB Students’ Union Award of Excellence in May 2013.
He was an editorial board member of the International Journal of Food Science, and Technology from 2005 to 31st July 2015 and is currently serving as a reviewer to so many international journals around the world.
As a true ambassador and alumnus of FUNAAB, Prof. Lateef Sanni was a member of, Governing Board of FUNAAB and former Dean, of the College of Food Science and Human Ecology, FUNAAB.
Prof. Lateef Sanni facilitated the donation of a Modern Garri Processing Factory worth sixteen Million Naira to the Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora on the bill of Cassava Adding Value for Africa II.
Prof. Lateef Sanni is a seasoned scholar, dynamic leader, Postharvest innovator on cassava and root crop development, a facilitator on the enhancement of skills for early career scientists, and a consultant to the Federal Government of Nigeria on the Cassava Value Chain, NGOs, and international bodies like FAO, UNIDO, and IITA.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has dismissed media reports suggesting that the recently resuscitated old Port Harcourt refinery has been shut down, labeling such claims as baseless and misleading.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye, clarified that the refinery, with a capacity of 60,000 barrels per day, is “fully operational.”
The facility resumed operations two months ago after years of inactivity.
“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,” Soneye said.
He added that preparations for the day’s loading operation are currently underway, emphasizing that the public should disregard the claims.
“Members of the public are advised to discountenance such reports as they are the figments of the imagination of those who want to create artificial scarcity and rip off Nigerians,” Soneye stated.
The old Port Harcourt refinery is part of the country’s efforts to revive its local refining capacity. Three years ago, the Federal Government approved $1.5 billion to rehabilitate the plant, which was initially shut down in 2019 due to operational challenges.
Despite being one of the largest oil producers globally, Nigeria has long relied on fuel imports to meet its domestic needs, swapping crude oil for petrol and other refined products. This dependency, coupled with government subsidies, has strained the nation’s foreign exchange reserves.
The recent return of the Port Harcourt refinery to operation follows the commissioning of the Dangote refinery, which began petrol production in September 2024. These developments are expected to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imports and address long-standing issues in the petroleum sector.
The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has declared that the era of armed and bank robberies in Lagos State is a thing of the past, attributing the success to the collaborative efforts between the police and the state government.
Egbetokun made this statement on Thursday during the 18th Annual Town Hall Meeting on Security organized by the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF). He noted that since 2007, only one bank robbery had been successfully executed in the state, which occurred in 2014.
“There was a time when armed robbery and bank robbery were common in Lagos. However, I can confidently say that since 2007, only one bank robbery succeeded, and that was as far back as 2014. The days of armed robbery and bank robbery are gone,” he said.
The IGP commended the Lagos State Government for its consistent support, emphasizing the critical role it has played in maintaining security in the bustling economic hub of the nation. He highlighted the challenges posed by the state’s continuous internal migration, with thousands of people moving into Lagos daily, creating additional security demands.
“What we are doing here today is the usual assistance the state government has been giving to the police. Without this, we would have been overwhelmed with insecurity in Lagos State,” Egbetokun added.
At the event, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu further demonstrated his administration’s commitment to security by donating over 250 brand-new patrol vehicles, along with hardware, communication gadgets, and protective gear to the police.
In his address, Sanwo-Olu outlined the government’s efforts to scale up the use of technology and data for improved security and traffic monitoring. He revealed plans to deploy drone technology for surveillance of waterways and densely populated areas.
“The EGIS component of our mapping and digitalization has almost been completed. Lagos is now properly mapped, and drone technology will be deployed to enhance monitoring, crowd management, and traffic assessment. This will ensure real-time responses to incidents,” the governor explained.
Chad announced Thursday that it was ending military cooperation with former colonial power France, just hours after a visit by French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot.
“The government of the Republic of Chad informs national and international opinion of its decision to end the accord in the field of defence signed with the French Republic,” foreign minister Abderaman Koulamallah said in a statement on Facebook.
Chad is a key link in France’s military presence in Africa, constituting Paris’s last foothold in the Sahel after the forced withdrawal of its troops from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.
“This is not a break with France like Niger or elsewhere,” Koulamallah, whose country still hosts around a thousand French troops, told AFP.
At a press briefing after a meeting between President Mahamat Idriss Deby and Barrot, Koulamallah called France “an essential partner” but added it “must now also consider that Chad has grown up, matured and is a sovereign state that is very jealous of its sovereignty”.
Barrot, who arrived in Ethiopia on Thursday evening, could not immediately be reached for comment.
– ‘Historic turning point’-
Chad is the last Sahel country to host French troops.
It has been led by Deby since 2021, when his father Idriss Deby Itno was killed by rebels after 30 years in power.
The elder Deby frequently relied on French military support to fend off rebel offensives, including in 2008 and 2019.
It borders the Central African Republic, Sudan, Libya and Niger, all of which host Russian paramilitary forces from the Wagner group.
Deby has sought closer ties with Moscow in recent months, but talks to strengthen economic cooperation with Russia have yet to bear concrete results.
Koulamallah called the decision to end military cooperation a “historic turning point”, adding it was made after “in-depth analysis”.
“Chad, in accordance with the provisions of the agreement, undertakes to respect the terms laid down for its termination, including the notice period”, he said in the statement, which did not give a date for the withdrawal of French troops.
The announcement comes just days after Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye indicated in an interview with AFP that France should close its military bases in that country.
“Senegal is an independent country, it is a sovereign country and sovereignty does not accept the presence of military bases in a sovereign country,” Faye told AFP on Thursday.
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