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Borno fashion hub to create 48,000 jobs annually – Shettima
Vice-President Kashim Shettima has said the newly established Borno Fashion Hub will generate 48,000 jobs annually for youth and women in the state.
He stated this at the inauguration of the fashion hub on the sidelines of the 6th Expanded National Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Clinics on Tuesday in Maiduguri.
Shettima said the Federal Government was commitment to empower youth and women through skills development and job creation.
According to him, the Borno Fashion Hub is one of the largest in the country, equipped with modern facilities to support the state’s budding fashion industry.
“This hub has the potential to create 48,000 jobs annually, which is a significant boost to youth employment in the region,” he said, adding that it would serve as a hub for innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship contributing to the state’s economic recovery after years of insurgency.
Shettima said the initiative aligned with the federal government’s vision aimed at strengthening the MSME sector, especially in conflict-affected areas like Borno.
He announced that a N300,000 unconditional grant would be provided to each of the outstanding MSMEs participating in the exhibition, as part of the government efforts to support small businesses and promote sustainable development across the country.
According to Shettima, the grants are non-repayable, reflecting the federal government commitment towards supporting the success and sustainability of small businesses in the region.
The Borno hub, he said, was part of the ongoing national initiative geared towards establishing an Expanded National MSME Clinics in the country.
Gov. Babagana Zulum said that his administration had adopted proactive measures to support SMEs, recognising its role in strengthening resilience amid challenges bedevilling businesses caused by prolonged insurgency in the state.
“The MSME Clinic will revitalise business activities in Borno State, create employment opportunities, and increase income sources for our people,” he said.
Zulum outlined the initiatives being implemented by his administration, including the disbursement of soft loans to empower entrepreneurs and construction of modern markets, establishment of vocational training institutions, and renovation of obsolete skills acquisition centres.
The governor said the MSME clinic would focus on five key areas: funding, skills development, infrastructure, access to markets and technology.
“Additionally, the clinics will provide business registration, training and mentorship services to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses.
“The expansion of this Clinic is not just a project; it is a demonstration of our belief in the creativity and resilience of the entrepreneurs in Borno State and Nigeria. When MSMEs thrive, they create jobs, reduce poverty, and drive innovation across sectors,” hesaid.
The governor urged entrepreneurs to utilise the resources provided by the MSME clinic to grow their businesses, enhance their skills, and explore new opportunities.
Temitola Adekunle-Johnson, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Job Creation and MSMEs, said the clinic was part of the national initiative to provide MSMEs with access to funding, training and market opportunities.
He noted that small business owners in Borno could now access N5 million loans through the Bank of Industry (BoI), to further support their growth.
“The clinic reflects a strong partnership between the Federal and State Governments and is designed to address the core challenges facing MSMEs, from access to funding to skill development,” Adekunle-Johnson said.
The MSME clinic is a flagship programme of the federal government designed to strengthen small businesses to bolster their role in job creation, driving innovation and boosting economic growth.(NAN)
By Abubakar Yunusa
Uba Sani, Kaduna state governor, says 10 communities received $25,000 cheques each from the community revolving fund to support farmer groups.
According to a statement by the state government, the cheques presented on Saturday amount to a total of N375 million.
Sani explained that the World Bank-assisted Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project provided the fund to help beneficiaries invest in climate-smart rain-fed agriculture.
The benefitting communities include Anchau, Kuzuntu, Kubau, Zuntu, Jenau, Likoro, Jaja, Hunkuyi, Kudan, and Danmahawayi.
Sani said the fund aligns with his administration’s commitment to rural transformation, which is designed to support registered farmer groups under the umbrella of community interest groups (CIGs).
“Kaduna state is proud to be at the forefront of initiatives aimed at combating climate change and ensuring sustainable livelihoods for our people,” he said.
‘’Over the years, we have implemented a range of strategic policies and programs designed to enhance ecological conservation, mitigate the impact of climate change, and promote economic resilience among our citizens.
‘’With the support of ACReSAL, the State Government unveiled a 10-year Climate Change Policy, trained 500 women, youth, and school-feeding vendors in the production of biomass briquettes as an alternative to wood fuel.”
Also, Sani said his administration disbursed loans in Kudan and Kubau local governments under phase one of the initiative, covering a total of 82 CIGs.
He further explained that phase two would commence in the second quarter of the year, including four local governments in the central and southern senatorial zones, alongside two area councils in the northern senatorial zone.
According to the governor, the concluding phase of the implementation will cater to the remaining 11 local government areas in the state.
Joy Agene, the task team lead of the ACReSAL project, praised the government for its commitment to environmental sustainability, saying that the state remains one of the best-performing sub-nationals in the country.
Balarabe Lawal, minister of environment, also spoke at the event, stressing that the community revolving fund is a loan, not a grant, and must function as an investment fund for community and farmer groups.
‘’The loan is intended for communities, facilitating circulation among farmers and sustained through groups that ensure the loan remains active within your community via timely repayment, thereby enabling other farmers to reap the benefits,’’ he said.
“The ACReSAL project constitutes a significant component of the Federal Government’s aim to rehabilitate one million hectares of degraded land, contributing to the overarching goal of restoring four million hectares by the year 2030.
‘’The initiative will additionally contribute to diminishing the susceptibility of countless individuals living in extreme poverty in northern Nigeria, thereby enhancing their capacity to engage in the stewardship of their surroundings.”
At the event, Sani announced the procurement of the amphibious excavator, otherwise known as a swamp buggy, to prevent and control erosion, deepen waterways, and maintain and clean rivers.
Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has assured the people of the oil-rich state that his administration will implement the Supreme Court’s verdict after carefully reviewing its Certified True Copy (CTC).
This followed the Friday judgment of the apex court, which declared the LG election in the state on October 5, 2024, invalid.
In a state broadcast on Sunday, Fubara revealed that he has met with his legal team, who expect to obtain the CTC by Friday, March 7, 2025.
He emphasised that his government is committed to upholding constitutional principles and will act by the law.
Meanwhile, the governor has directed the Heads of Local Government Administration (HLGAs) to immediately take control of the 23 local government councils across the state following the Supreme Court’s ruling that nullified the local government elections on October 5, 2023.
Fubara stated that the civil servants would oversee affairs until the State Electoral Commission conducts fresh elections.
He also instructed the outgoing chairmen to formally hand over to the HLGAs by Monday (tomorrow).
Amid ongoing political uncertainties, the governor urged residents to remain calm and assured them that his administration remains committed to governance and due process.
The Supreme Court, in another judgment on Friday, barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Accountant General of the Federation and other agencies from releasing funds to the government of Rivers State until it purges itself of what the court described as flagrant disobedience to court orders.
In the judgment delivered by Justice Emmanuel Akomaye, the five-man panel of the court unanimously dismissed Fubara’s cross-appeal challenging the validity of the House of Assembly presided over by Martin Amaewhule as the Speaker.
In dismissing Fubara’s appeal, the court ordered Martin Amaewhule to resume sitting immediately with other elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Suspected bandits posing as operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have reportedly abducted 10 people from White Hill Hotel on Shiroro Road, Chanchaga Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State.
A security analyst and counter-insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, quoted intelligence sources as saying that the incident occurred at about 4:58 a.m. on Tuesday, February 27, 2025.
The armed men reportedly stormed the hotel, claiming to be EFCC personnel on an official operation.
It was gathered that the suspects disabled the hotel’s CCTV cameras before entering guests’ rooms one by one and forcibly taking away 10 individuals to an unknown destination,” the report said.
According to the report, the Assistant Commissioner of Police, State Intelligence Department (Acpol SID), confirmed that investigations were ongoing to identify the perpetrators and locate the abducted victims.
“The public has been urged to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity, as authorities intensify efforts to uncover the details surrounding the attack,” Makama added.