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The Group Managing Director of Benue Investment and Property Company Limited (BIPC), Dr. Raymond Asemakaha, on Sunday described the passage of the Benue State Startup Act as a major step towards positioning the state as a destination for innovation, entrepreneurship and investment. According to him, the new Startup Act will provide tax relief, establish innovation and incubation hubs and attract investors to support youth-led businesses and innovation across the state. Speaking in an interview with newsmen in Makurdi, Asemakaha, who sponsored the legislation, said the law would provide a framework for nurturing startups, promoting innovation and unlocking youth-led enterprise and wealth creation. He said the Act, which aligns with Nigeria’s Startup Act 2022, provides incentives including tax relief, incubation infrastructure, access to funding and improved ease of doing business. According to him, the legislation would help tackle youth unemployment by enabling young people to turn innovative ideas into sustainable businesses and become employers of labour. Asemakaha said the law would also attract Angel Investors, Venture Capitalists, Private Equity investors and other sources of capital into Benue while promoting technology adoption, research and development and intellectual property protection. He also said the Act provides for innovation and incubation hubs, including proposed facilities at the Galleria Centre in Makurdi, as well as a Benue Startup Fund to support innovative ideas and early-stage businesses. The GMD added that a single-window startup portal would simplify registration and regulatory compliance, while eligible startups would benefit from pioneer tax relief, waivers on business premises and signage fees and priority consideration in relevant government procurement. Asemakaha explained that implementation would begin with the development of the startup portal and establishment of the first set of innovation hubs, urging young entrepreneurs and technology-enabled businesses across the state to prepare for registration under the new framework.
NAFDAC orders manufacturers to recall sachet alcohol, PET drinks delow 200ml Oguntade Ismaila The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has ordered nationwide recall of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles below 200 millilitres, warning manufacturers that continued violations could lead to factory closures and revocation of product registrations. NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed this while addressing journalists at a press conference in Lagos on Monday, stressing that affected manufacturers must immediately withdraw the prohibited products from distributors, warehouses, retail outlets and other points across the supply chain. She said manufacturers would also be required to sign irrevocable compliance undertakings committing them to full implementation of the Federal Government’s directive. According to her, production lines used for the banned pack sizes must be dismantled, permanently disabled or reconfigured under NAFDAC’s supervision before any facility shut down for non-compliance could be reopened. The agency also directed affected companies to submit periodic compliance reports detailing their recall and disposal efforts. Adeyeye said the latest enforcement action followed the discovery that sachet alcohol and PET-packaged alcoholic drinks below 200ml were still being sold in parts of the country despite the expiration of the phase-out period. She warned that manufacturers and other operators who disregard the directive would face sanctions, including factory closure, suspension or revocation of product registration and other penalties provided by law. The enforcement is the culmination of an eight-year regulatory process which began in 2018 following growing concerns over the widespread availability of cheap, highly concentrated alcoholic drinks in small packages. NAFDAC said the products were considered particularly problematic because they were inexpensive, easy to conceal and readily accessible to children and young people. She said following consultations between the government, regulators and industry stakeholders, manufacturers were initially granted a five-year moratorium in December 2018 to phase out the affected products. The deadline was subsequently extended by one year to December 31, 2025, paving the way for full enforcement from January 1, 2026. Adeyeye said NAFDAC adopted a phased enforcement strategy, beginning with manufacturing facilities and subsequently extending operations to markets, motor parks, bars, warehouses and distribution centres nationwide. The agency said recent enforcement operations uncovered continued circulation of prohibited products, resulting in the closure of some facilities and sanctions against defaulting operators. NAFDAC also cited research indicating that almost half of underage alcohol consumers obtain alcoholic drinks through sachets and small PET bottles, reinforcing the agency’s position that stricter controls are necessary. Adeyeye stressed that the government’s policy should not be interpreted as a ban on alcohol consumption, but as a public-health intervention aimed at restricting children’s access to highly concentrated alcoholic beverages. She maintained that the agency would continue to monitor manufacturers and the wider supply chain to ensure that prohibited pack sizes do not return to the Nigerian market.
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Non-Governmental Organizations in Sokoto state (Save The Child initiative) in partnership with Action Against Hunger and International Alert conducted Quarterly Town Hall Meetings, Community-Based Dialogue in 20 political Wards in Sokoto state Blueprint reports that the project is funded by the European Union and is being implemented across 10 local government areas of the state According to the organisers, the dialogue was aimed at strengthening peacebuilding, dialogue and social cohesion, and addresses issues around natural Resources Management within communities. “The meetings were organized under the RECAP Project and brought together key community stakeholders, including representative from the youth groups, elders, farmers, herders, women mediators network, persons with disabilities, internally displaced persons (IDPs), religious leaders, community representatives and security agencies.” In her address, during the meeting, the RECAP Project Officer of Save the Child Initiative in Sokoto State, Tokara Lizkebe KB, emphasised that the engagement was aimed at identifying and addressing the root causes of conflicts within communities while promoting dialogue, collaboration, mutual understanding, and sustainable peace. She explained that bringing diverse groups together provides an opportunity for community members to openly discuss issues affecting them, understand different perspectives and collectively identify practical solutions to prevent and manage conflicts. Blueprint reports that the quarterly town hall meetings were held in Bodinga, Yabo, Tambuwal, Shagari, Wamakko, Dange Shuni, Gwadabawa, Kware, Sokoto North and Sokoto South Local Government Areas of Sokoto state. Participants were drawn from different wards across the local government areas of implementation, ensuring broad community representation and participation in the discussions. During the engagements, participants identified several factors contributing to conflict and insecurity in their communities. These included banditry, farmer-herder conflicts, scares natural resources like water, land misunderstandings among community members and unemployment, among other challenges. Participants also highlighted the importance of strengthening communication and dialogue among community members and ensuring that issues are addressed before they escalate into violent conflicts. Some participants expressed appreciation for the initiative, noting that the quarterly town hall meetings had enhanced their understanding of peacebuilding, natural resources management, conflict prevention and the importance of dialogue in resolving disputes. They emphasised that continued engagement among community stakeholders is essential to building trust, promoting peaceful coexistence, and creating safer and more resilient communities.
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