The review of travel restrictions by the United Arab Emirates on Nigerian travellers and citizens of 11 other African countries is one of the trending stories in Nigerian newspapers on Friday.
The Guardian reports that the United Arab Emirates (UAE), yesterday, rescinded its restrictions on Nigerian travellers and citizens of 11 other African countries.
The reversal, which takes effect on Saturday, will have Nigerians and others that had visited Nigeria welcomed in Dubai or on transit. The new update will also restore flight operations on the Lagos-Dubai-Lagos route.
Diplomatic spat between Nigeria and UAE has lingered in the last year with tit-for-tat measures from both ends. Recently, both parties agreed on friendly commercial air transport services until Omicron restrictions upset the cart.
With European countries relaxing travel protocols, the UAE has lifted a ban on passengers from Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Republic of Congo, South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
The National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Emergency Management Authority (NCEMA) said persons travelling from those countries would have to obtain a negative COVID-19 PCR test 48 hours prior to departure and a negative rapid-PCR test at the departure airport.
Passengers will also be tested on arrival. Those travelling from Uganda, Ghana and Rwanda will also have to take the three tests.
The newspaper says that the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, yesterday, charged cement manufacturers to take urgent actions to reduce the price of cement and building materials in the country.
Indeed, he urged cement manufacturers to pay more attention to satisfying their domestic demand to bring down the price of cement.
The governor, at the official commissioning of the new BUA Cement Sokoto Line 4 and groundbreaking for Line 5, however, reiterated the apex bank’s determination to provide immediate support for the importation of spares, plants and equipment needed to increase the production capacities of cement companies in the country.
In his words: “I want to appeal to our manufacturers to please take urgent actions in bringing the price of building materials in the country. Indeed, there have been calls from construction companies urging our cement and steel manufacturers to do something about the skyrocketing prices of these two essential items in the construction industry.”
He said the sector is one of the major sectors in the economy helping to create employment opportunities and growth in the country.
The Punch reports that the Federal Government has inaugurated the Nigerian Postal Service debit card, an agency banking platform, and 27 courier service vehicles.
The inauguration was made by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, on Thursday in Abuja.
The Nigerian Postal Service debit card and the agency banking platform will deepen financial inclusion and boost Nigeria’s digital economy, while the 27 courier service vehicles will make NIPOST and its partner, Speedaf Express, to compete favourably in the industry, according to the minister.
He added that a digitised economy would improve the ease of doing business and transparency, as well as fight corruption.
Pantami said, “NIPOST electronic debit card is the first of its kind in the country because it works online and offline, and it is the first time NIPOST comes with a solution like this because It is a multipurpose card for financial transaction, condition cash transfer, payment of bills and many more.
“The second product which is the NIPOST banking platform will allow the customers of NIPOST to conduct financial transactions. It is another innovative solution that will make our banking systems much easier and this is also in alignment with our proposal to come up with NIPOST microfinance bank.”
The newspaper says that President Muhammadu Buhari has said his regime remains prepared to support “serious investors” to set up businesses that will take advantage of the growing Nigerian market and the greater African region.
Buhari spoke on Thursday in Sokoto while inaugurating a new three-million-metric-tonnes-per-annum BUA Cement Sokoto Line 4 Factory.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.
Buhari said, “One of the key economic pillars of our administration has been to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive. This is necessary for job creation and our economy and national security.
“In the past few weeks, I visited Ogun and Kaduna states, where I observed many private sector investments in action. And today, I am here in Sokoto to commission this multibillion-naira project. Therefore, it is very clear for all to see that our policies are working. Progress is gradually being made in all parts of the country.
“We remain prepared to support serious investors to set up businesses that will take advantage of these opportunities through value addition to take advantage of the huge market here, as well as in the greater African region and the world at large,” he said.
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ThisDay reports that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved contracts worth N64.68 billion for 16 road projects to be executed in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing.
The Council also okayed the deployment of the Revenue Assurance Solution (RAS) for the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) to assist in its ability to block revenue leakage and wastage.
On hand to brief newsmen at the end of the weekly meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja, were the Ministers of the FCT, Mallam Mohammed Bello; Communication and Digital Economy, Professor Ali Isa Pantami; and presidential spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu.
Commenting on the approvals granted the Ministry of Works and Housing, Shehu, said roads and bridge projects sited across the six geopolitical zones were approved.
According to him, “the Minister of Works and Housing he requested for the approval of 15 projects, roads and bridges, all of which were approved. I’ll just give you like two or three of the projects he got approvals for.
“One is for the award of contract of the construction of phase two of the Ikot-Ekpene-Aba to Owerri Dualisation project and this is at the cost of N40,157,000,000.
The Sun says that Index manager FTSE Russell has announced that Airtel Africa plc would be joining the FTSE100 on Monday January 31, 2022.
Through its mobile telecoms and mobile money services, Airtel Africa Plc is transforming lives of over 122 million people across the 14 African markets in which it operates.
The Group floated on the London Stock Exchange in June 2019, and has since demonstrated significant growth in its customer base, revenues, profits, margins, and cash generation, as well as strengthening its balance sheet through reduced leverage.
This has been increasingly recognised by the market. The Group continues to invest in further execution of its growth strategy to deliver on the significant market potential afforded by the demographics and market dynamics across voice, data and mobile money services.
We continue to invest in infrastructure and distribution network across the countries where we operate supporting their economies and communities. Sustainability is at the core of our strategy, driven by our guiding purpose of ‘Transforming lives’ across Africa, with people, businesses and governments seeking access to more and better connectivity and improved financial inclusion.
GIK/APA