The African Development Bank (AfDB), has inaugurated a multinational project to create jobs and improve livelihoods for youth in three African countries.
This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Ezekiel Chukwuemeka, AfDB Group, Nigeria Country Department.
According to Chukwuemeka, the project will support young farmers in Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, who are attracted to urban farming.
The project is also known as Creating Sustainable Youth Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Through Urban Farming (SYMUF).
The SYMUF project received 937,000 dollars in grant funding from the Fund for African Private Sector Assistance, a multi-donor trust fund managed by the AfDB.
He said the bank was partnering with a consortium of incubation centres in participating countries to implement the project.
They are the Africa Projects Development Centre (APDC) in Nigeria, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA-Bukavu) in the DRC, and the African Agribusiness Incubation Network in Uganda.
Speaking at the inauguration in Abuja, Lamin Barrow, the Director- General, AfDB Nigeria Country Department said the bank was committed to promoting entrepreneurship.
Barrow was represented by Orison Amu, the bank’s Country Operations Manager for Nigeria.
“The bank is committed to creating jobs and providing incomes for African youths, who are attracted to urban agriculture but do not get jobs, capital, or credit to operate their agribusinesses.”
Barrow said the project would address unemployed youths and those in the early start-up stage who had not gained traction due to limited skills and financial resources.
Also, Alex Ariho, Chief Executive Officer of the African Agribusiness Incubation Network in Uganda, said the SYMUF project would help young African ‘agripreneurs’ overcome start-up incubation and management challenges.
“Working together with all the partners, we are committed to making the SYMUF Project one of the best projects sponsored by the African Development Bank,” Ariho said.
IITA-Bukavu’s Project Coordinator, Noel Mulinganya, however, said the bank has been “an important and tremendous partner over the years.”
Also speaking, Chiji Ojukwu, the Managing Director of APDC, Nigeria, said, “we are grateful to the African Development Bank for believing in the consortium.
“We are also grateful for giving us the opportunity to deploy our expertise in urban farming to develop young agripreneurs in these select African countries.
Also, Edson Mpyisi, AfDB’s Coordinator for the ENABLE Youth Programme, said, “this programme is designed to empower youth at each stage of the agribusiness value chain as ‘agripreneurs’ by harnessing new skills, technologies and financing approaches.”
Mpyisi further said the bank had invested more than 400 million dollars in 15 African countries under the programme.
Also, Damian Ihedioha, the bank’s Division Manager for Agribusiness, said, “the bank believes that Africa’s emerging vibrant wave of entrepreneurship must be supported and nurtured for the continent’s prosperity.”
SYMUF is expected to use business incubators and financial products to help transform start-up micro, small- and medium enterprises into bankable ventures.
The project is under the bank’s Empowering Novel Agri-Business Led Employment (ENABLE) Youth Programme.
It would also provide youths with agribusiness and technical skills, including climate-smart agriculture practices, technologies, market networks, and professional mentorship. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
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Buhari to inaugurate agro-industrial zones Monday
October 21, 2022 by Ese Ekama
Zones
By Temitope Ponle
Abuja, Oct. 20, 2022 (NAN) President Muhammadu Buhari will on Monday inaugurate the Special Agro-industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) initiative for Nigeria.
This is contained in a statement issued by Communication and External Relations Department of the African Development Bank (AfDB).
The SAPZ initiative is being done in collaboration with the AfDB, Islamic Development Bank (IsBD), and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
The government of Nigeria is contributing 18.05 million dollars.
Meanwhile, the AfDB would provide 210 million dollars, and the IsDB and the IFAD would provide combined funding of 310 million dollars.
The inauguration would be held physically and virtually.
It is also expected to herald the implementation of SAPZ phase 1 and send a message about Nigeria’s commitment to transform its agriculture sector, create jobs, and achieve food security.
Furthermore, it is expected to generate economic revenue.
According to the statement, the first phase of the Nigeria SAPZ programme is co-financed by key development partners to the tune of 538.05 million dollars.
The two-day event will bring together government officials, implementing partners, potential investors, farmers, agripreneurs, members of the diplomatic corps, and the development community.
The SAPZ would feature world-class facilities capable of attracting global investment, particularly, private sector interest, and driving a market-oriented agricultural transformation that would boost agro-processing capacity across Africa. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
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Kaduna-Abuja expressway construction to be completed by 2023, says Minister
October 21, 2022 by Hussaina Yakubu
Kaduna-Abuja expressway construction to be completed by 2023, says Minister
Inspection
By Hussaina Yakubu
Kaduna, Oct. 21, 2022 (NAN) The Minister of State, Works and Housing, Mr. Umar El-Yakub, said work on the Kaduna-Abuja highway, and Zaria-Kano road would be completed early 2023 to reduce negative effects on road users.
The Minister made this know on Friday during a courtesy visit to the government house in Kaduna.
“We are even hoping that some sections would be completed very early next year but our preference is to ensure that the entire road is completed,” he said.
El-Yakub noted that work was suspended due to security challenges on the expressway, adding that the contractors only mobilised their resources to zones two and three due to security situation in the area.
The Minister explained that appreciable progress has been made on sections II and III of the project covering Zaria-Kano, but lamented the difficulties faced by commuters on the Abuja-Kaduna section of the road.
He explained further that the Ministry of Works and Housing has discussed with the contractor who has agreed to do a quick fix on the bad sections of the road between Abuja and Kaduna in the short term to alleviate the sufferings currently faced by road users.
He disclosed that even while the palliative intervention is on, the contractor will fully mobilise back to the Abuja-Kaduna section of the project within a short period.
The minister commended Gov. Nasir El-Rufai and his team for the significant transformation of the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Minister is in Kaduna to inspect some of the ongoing federal government projects, including the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano dual carriageway, and the Kaduna eastern bypass, among others.
Earlier in her remark while receiving the minister and his team, the Kaduna State Acting Governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for initiating the projects.
She said the project which will greatly impact the economic and social lives of the people of Kaduna, the northwestern states and the entire country.
“Road construction will help ease movement and also to boost the fight against insecurity within the country,” she said (NAN)
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