LAGOS, Nov 30 (Reuters) &#8211; The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a $210 million loan to help Nigeria upgrade its dilapidated electricity transmission and distribution network.



The loan to Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) will support construction of 330KV double circuit quad transmission lines and sub-stations across the country, the bank said in a statement late on Friday.



The AfDB funded project will run across seven states and will improve the capacity of power grid where it is most constrained.



Nigeria privatised most of its power sector in 2013 but retained control of its monopoly grid, operated by TCN. Most of the country&#8217;s power generation is from thermal power stations that use gas.



The creaking power grid has often been blamed for hobbling growth in west Africa&#8217;s largest economy.



AfDB&#8217;s acting vice president for Power &amp; Energy, Wale Shonibare said implementing the project would increase evacuation from the south towards the north, where power supply is limited.



The project would also improve power export and regional power system integration to the West African Power pool, especially through Niger and Benin interconnections, he said.



The country&#8217;s power output stands at around 4,000 MW, the Nigeria Electricity System Operator has said. Total power generation capacity is about 7,000 MW but the transmission network cannot cope if plants operate at full tilt.



Nigeria&#8217;s privatized power sector typically does not use meters to provide invoices, bill collections are low and energy tariffs have remained fixed for three years.



The effect, say industry experts, is that electricity distribution companies recover so little revenue from customers that they pay less than a third of what they owe to generating companies &#8211; leaving the sector with ballooning debts. (Reporting by Alexis Akwagyiram Writing by Chijioke Ohuocha Editing by Christina Fincher)

AfDB approves $210 million loan for this West African nation’s power transmission project

By Patience
Koku, Nigerian farmer, owner of Replenish Farms and member of the Global Farmer
Network



When food
systems are supplied by rain-fed agriculture, changes in rainfall can throw not
only farming, but also food security, into complete disarray.



This is
what farmers are experiencing in Nigeria, where the rains come much later now
and stop earlier than they once did. Whilst some areas of the country deal with
unseasonably wet periods, other areas contend with prolonged and more frequent
droughts.



These
changes have put unprecedented pressures on Nigerian farmers, with many of them
finding it difficult to cope. 



Thankfully,
Nigerian farmers can learn lessons from food producers elsewhere, who have also
coped with changing conditions, and one proven solution is the adoption of
“no-till” farming.



No-till
farming is the practice of growing crops without disturbing the soil through
tillage, which allows the soil to breathe, naturally maintaining its moisture
and reducing &#8211; or even eliminating – the risk of soil erosion.



What is
needed now is nothing short of a no-till revolution, a new period of Nigerian
farming that will build resilience for farmers across the country, helping them
contend with new climate pressures. 



But to
scale up the practice of no-till in Nigeria, we must overcome three fundamental
barriers.



Firstly,
many farmers are reluctant to adopt new practices that could help maintain soil
health, even in the face of extreme droughts. 



Nigerian
farmers, like those anywhere, tend to be very cautious when changing what they
do on their farm, which are already beset with risk. 



These
practices, known as agroecology, are essentially <a href="http://www.fao.org/family-farming/detail/en/c/415959/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">farming practices designed to make
the most of nature’s resources</a>
whilst limiting the negative effects in return, but have yet to make a stamp in
the country.



Yet, we
have evidence from New Zealand, Argentina and many other countries of the
benefits of these approaches. Our colleagues in New Zealand, for example, have
shared stories about the impact no-till farming has had for them, including the
ability to <a href="https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/articles/6230-new-zealanders-benefit-from-no-till?v=preview" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plant seeds
within days of a harvest</a>
or <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/the-country/news/article.cfm?c_id=16&amp;objectid=12143141" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eliminating
soil erosion entirely.</a>



These types
of stories have the power to convince farmers of the need to work much more
closely with natural processes, since farmers more likely to adopt a new
practice once they can be sure it will work. 



Secondly,
even if farmers were willing to take on new practices, many are missing the
necessary funding and finance needed to help put these new techniques into
practice. 



At
Replenish Farms in Nigeria, I am working to solve this by encouraging farmers
to share resources. Crop farmers are giving their harvest residue to
pastoralists, for example, in exchange for manure that can be used to naturally
fertilize crops. 



This means
less pressure to use mineral fertilizers, lower costs and more support towards
increasing the organic matter in soil, which provides optimum conditions for
plant growth. 



Lastly,
when it comes to farming with minimal disturbance of the soil, specialised
planting machinery in Nigeria is often expensive or not suited to our soils. 



My company,
1Hectare1Family, is addressing this by working in collaboration with a number
of partners to find cheaper, more efficient tools. 



<a href="http://www.crossslot.com/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cross-Slot</a>, a New Zealand-based company, is one of these
partners. They make the right equipment for efficient no-till farming in New
Zealand and are advising us on how to achieve this in Nigeria. 



We are also
attempting to forge a collaboration with the Registrar of the National Soil
Science Institute, in the hope that we can provide smallholder farmers with
both the right training and equipment to be able to convert their practices to
no-till.



In the
first year of adopting no-till at Replenish Farms, just one per cent of
production used it. In the following season, that was quickly scaled up to
around 10 per cent. 



Next
season, we will be expanding it to more than 50 per cent &#8211; evidence of just how
successful no-till has been. 



But my farm
is not unique. The potential of Nigerian farming is huge when we embrace the
lessons of elsewhere and adapt them to help us meet our needs.

Op-Ed: Three challenges to overcome for more sustainable farming in Nigeria

By Cobus De Hart – Chief Economist West and North Africa, NKC African Economics



After trending lower for three consecutive months, headline inflation increased by a larger-than-anticipated margin in September. 



The
consumer price index (CPI) rose by 11.2% y-o-y last month compared to an 11.0%
y-o-y rise in August. While fairly broad-based, upward pressure stemmed
primarily from the food price channel, with the reading on the sub-index up by
30 bps to 13.5% in September. So-called core inflation (all items less farm
produce) also trended higher, rising from 8.7% to 8.9%.



Nigeria
decided to shut its border with Benin in late August, reportedly to clamp down
on smuggling. According to Reuters, this strategy has now been elevated to a
whole new level. 



On
October 15, the news agency quoted Hameed Ali, comptroller-general of the
Nigeria Customs Service, as stating: “All goods for now are banned from being
exported or imported through our land borders and that is to ensure we have
total control over what comes in.” 



Reporters
at the news conference in Abuja understood Mr Ali’s comments in the context of
stating that legal trade across land borders will also be stopped, at least
temporarily or until authorities come up with a plan on “how best the goods can
be handled when we eventually get to the point where this operation will relax
for the influx of goods”. 



While
not explicitly mentioned, certain points are reportedly equipped with special
scanners where goods will still be allowed to cross the border. 



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The
closure of the land borders will have a significant impact on both the monetary
and real sides of the economy. The latest inflation print, with upward price
pressures fairly broad-based but still disproportionally stemming from higher
food prices, may already be an indication of the effect of the partial border
closures announced in August. 



Again,
as has been the case with Nigeria on numerous occasions over recent years, the
appropriateness of the latest policy is highly debatable. 



One
can certainly see the merit of the case being made in favour of formalising
trade and ensuring the necessary rules and costs are abided by; however,
outright banning of all land-based trade seems extreme. 



The
real issue arguably reflects the ineffectiveness of border controls more than
the incentive for people to smuggle goods, with the latter partially stemming
from the domestic opportunity arising as a result of market inefficiencies and
a lack of capacity and competitiveness.



Regardless,
the land-border closure will now add significant upward pressure on inflation
in the coming months as food items in particular will be in shorter supply.
Exporters of certain goods will also be affected. The extent of the impact will
partly depend on the duration of the land-border closure and whether traders
can find alternative routes. 



Smugglers will likely be more capable of finding these alternatives, with the real burden then falling on the law-abiding poor.

Op-Ed: Nigeria’s disinflation trend ends, as does land-based trade

LAGOS (Reuters) &#8211; Global ride-hailing firm Uber Technologies Inc on Friday launched a pilot test of a boat service in Nigeria’s commercial capital Lagos to attract commuters seeking to avoid the megacity’s notoriously congested roads.



The United Nations predicts that Nigeria’s population will more than double to 400 million by 2050, which would make it the third most populous country in the world after China and India.



The combination of population growth and congestion has made Nigeria, and more broadly West Africa, attractive to foreign transport companies.



Uber’s chief business officer told Reuters in June the company planned to launch the service to carry travellers in the Lagos megacity of around 20 million people that is built on a lagoon.



The waterway service, UberBOAT, is operated in partnership with local boat operator Texas Connection Ferries and the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), said the ride-hailing firm.



“This initiative is aimed at providing commuters with an easy and affordable way to get in and out of the city’s business districts,” Uber said in a statement.



The pilot phase will operate on weekdays from 0700 GMT to 1600 GMT on a fixed route between two locations in the city.



Passengers will be charged a flat fare of 500 naira ($1.39) per trip, compared with about 300 naira by minibus for a similar journey in the commercial hub of the West African country where most people live on less than $2 a day.



At a press conference on Friday, Uber officials said there would be four trips a day, carrying up to 35 people on a boat, during the two-week pilot.



Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor of Lagos state, said the Uber boat service, and the use of waterways in general, were part of a raft of initiatives aimed at easing congestion that include a programme of road repairs.



“We want ferries that carry 60 to 80 people,” he said, referring to his hopes for the future use of waterways, on Thursday at a forum with businesses.



Uber’s boat initiative follows a number of motorcycle ride-hailing firms that have targeted West Africa as an area for expansion in the last few months.



Technology giant Google also launched a new feature in July that allows Nigerians to hear travel advice in a local voice on Google Maps. Another feature allows users in Lagos to seek directions from “informal transit” services, such as private minibuses.



Reporting by Alexis Akwagyiram and Nneka Chile; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise

Uber launches boat service in Nigeria’s megacity Lagos, what you need to know

By Victor Oladokun, Director Communication and External Relations, African Development Bank.



This
week, Nigeria and Nigerians at home and abroad, celebrate 59 years of political
Independence. It&#8217;s been a long chequered road with many ups and downs. Of
dreams come-true and of visions unrealized. While there is still much to do and
many mountains to climb, I just thought to scribble down a few thoughts about
what it is we love to love about this absolutely amazing country.



1.
Tenacity, a can-do spirit, and the Nigerian hustle at every level.



2.
Hardwork and a youthful entrepreneurial spirit.



3.
Diversity: 200 million people living together though tribe and tongue differ
significantly.



4.
Faith, Hope, Dreams &#8230; inspite of challenges



5.
Resilient Nigerian women



6.
Family and social gatherings for every occasion



7.
Happiness, humor, and the ability to laugh even when we are crying on the
inside. AY, Kenny Black, Bovi, Akpororo, SeyiLaw, Helen Paul, and&nbsp; Chigul.



8.
Lasgidi. A hotbed of innovation, creativity since &#8217;19-gbogboro.&#8217;



9.
Food: Suya, Designer Rice, pounded yam, Jollof Rice like none other, Moin Moin,
etc.



10.
Languages, especially pidgin English, which should soon be designated a
national and official language. If Prince Charly and Emmanuel Macron have tried
to impress us with their verbal dexterity, &#8216;wetin we dey wait for my people?&#8217;



11.
Art: Bruce Onabrakpeya, Ben Enwonwu, Yusuf Grillo, Aina Onabolu, Chinwe
Chukwuogo-Roy,&nbsp; and a younger generation of hyper realistic artists such
as 12 year-old Waris Kareem Olamilekan, Raji Bamidele, Chiamonwu Joy, and Arinze
Stanley.



12.
Music: Don Jazzy, Tiwa Savage, Frank Edwards, Cobhams Asuquo, Mercy Chinwo,
Onos Ariyo, Sinach, Jeremiah Gyang, Flavour &amp; Semah, and Timmy Dakolo.



13.
#Nollywood: Excellent storylines, highly improved production values, and all of
sometimes too obvious&nbsp; imperfections. A creative landscape waiting for the
best of money, technology, and people to organize systems and structures into
the multibillion dollar enterprise it deserves to be.



14.
My favorite Ondo Town Peeps: #Omatola, #MoAbudu,



15.
Awoof: newspapers, airtime, wifi. Man must connect by force by force.



16.
Fashion and textiles. From Balogun to Barcelona, we are strutting our stuff.



17.
Hospitality and generosity. You don’t appreciate it until you travel to other
parts of this great continent. 



18.
Parliamentarians with incredibly bad grammar but super native intelligence.



19.
Sports and physical strength. Still a wasted asset waiting for the addition of
tremendous value. Long may the memories of visionary administrators such as
Isaac Akioye and Sam Ogbemudia live. Waiting for the birth of a new generation
of visionary leaders to turn rough stones into fine diamonds.



20.
The heart breaking Super Eagles. They have you rejoicing when you least expect,
and weeping when you never thought you would.



21.
Abundant natural resources including solid minerals of every kind waiting to be
tapped, utilised, and to transform Nigeria&#8217;s development 



22.
Positive cultural values and humungous tourist potential. A low hanging fruit,
which with infrastructure and security can create millions of much-needed jobs
across a vast value chain.



23.
The endemic, unmistakable, Nigerian energy and buzz that no one can put down.
Naija no dey carry last.



24.
The Nigerian paradox: You want to get out when you are in and you want to get
back in fast when you are out.



25.
Diaspora Nigerians.



Long
may Nigeria and the indefatigable Nigerian spirit live. Happy 59th Independence
Anniversary!

Op-Ed: Celebrating Nigeria: 25 things to love about the West African country

LAGOS (Reuters) &#8211; Nigeria’s central bank plans to charge 12 banks a total of more than 400 billion naira ($1.3 billion) for failing to meet its minimum loan-to-deposit ratio requirement by a September deadline, three banking sources told Reuters on Thursday.



The central bank has been seeking to boost credit to businesses and consumers after a recent recession in Africa’s biggest economy, but lending has yet to pick up. With growth slow, banks prefer to park cash in risk-free government securities rather than lend to companies and consumers.



Nigeria’s economy is expected to pick up in 2019 with gross domestic product expanding close to 3%, up from 1.9% last year, according to the central bank.



In July, the central bank asked lenders to maintain a ratio of lending out at least 60% of deposits by September as part of measures aimed at getting credit flowing.



Bank chief executives plan to meet with the banking regulator in Abuja on Thursday to discuss the charges, the sources said.



The local units of Citibank and Standard Chartered Bank are among those affected, the sources said.



Other include top tier Nigerian lenders Zenith Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank, First Bank and United Bank for Africa.



The central bank did not respond to a request for immediate comment. The banks declined to comment.



Lenders have done little to expand borrowing in Nigeria, blaming a weak economy after a 2014 oil price crash and a currency crisis that made loans go sour. Analysts fear growing credit quickly could weaken asset quality and capital buffers.



The central bank has said loans rose 5.3% in the three months to the end of September to 16.40 trillion naira, due the new minimum requirement and increased the lending ratio target in what it said was a move to sustain the momentum.



In the last few months, the regulator has also capped interest-bearing deposits at the central bank and barred banks from buying treasury bills for their own accounts at an open market auction, to boost lending.



($1 = 306.40 naira)



Reporting by Chijioke Ohuocha; Editing by Jason Neely and Mark Potter

Here’s why Nigeria is planning to charge banks $1.3 billion

By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/oludara-akanmidu-495255">Oludara Akanmidu</a>, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/de-montfort-university-1254">De Montfort University</a>

Nigeria has received a legal hiding after a UK court awarded a private company a US$9.6 billion <a href="https://www.grantthornton.co.uk/insights/quantum-matters--record-usd6.6bn-award-against-nigeria/">judgment debt</a> against the West African nation. The ruling has generated significant attention in both domestic and international media. This is understandable given that the sum amounts to 20% of the country’s foreign <a href="https://thenationonlineng.net/9-6bn-judgment-fraudulent-target-on-our-foreign-reserve-fg/">reserves</a>. This means it poses a significant threat to its economy. 

The big question is: What went wrong? How did Nigeria end up in this costly situation? For the answer, we must look back to January 2010 and a gas supply contract that went horribly wrong.

<h2>The Background Story</h2>

On 11 January 2010 Process and Industrial Development (P&amp;ID), a company based in the British Virgin Islands, signed a contract with the Federal Government of Nigeria. This contract is called a gas supply and processing agreement. Nigeria’s government agreed that, over a 20-year period, it would supply natural gas (wet gas) to P&amp;ID’s production facility. 

In return, P&amp;ID would process the wet gas by removing natural gas liquids and return approximately 85% of it to the government in the form of lean gas. This lean gas was to be returned at no cost to the Nigerian government. 

Based on this agreement, Nigeria was supposed to arrange for the supply of wet gas to P&amp;ID’s gas processing facility which it intended to build in the country’s Cross Rivers State. This required the government to construct pipelines and arrange facilities for transporting the wet gas. The government failed to do this for three years. 

P&amp;ID viewed this failure as a repudiation of the contract. In simpler terms, this means that the government renounced their obligation under the contract. Consequently, in March 2013, P&amp;ID began an <a href="https://www.grantthornton.co.uk/insights/quantum-matters--record-usd6.6bn-award-against-nigeria/">arbitration</a> action against the government before a London tribunal.

Clause 20 of the agreement, which both parties signed, provided that any disputes were to be resolved by arbitration with the seat of arbitration being London, England or any other place agreed by the parties. Nigeria tried to contest this, but its appeal to have the tribunal sit in Nigeria failed.

At the tribunal, P&amp;ID <a href="https://pacer-documents.s3.amazonaws.com/36/194469/04516479471.pdf">claimed</a> that it had invested $40 million in the project even though it had not acquired the land or built any facilities for gas processing. It claimed damages of about US$6.6 billion dollars: the amount of the net income it would have earned over the 20-year period of the agreement. 

In response, the government argued that the damages claimed were not a fair and reasonable consequence of the government’s breach of the agreement. This is because P&amp;ID never commenced building the gas processing facility. It also argued that P&amp;ID should be awarded only three years’ worth of income as by that time, the company should have found some other profitable investment which would reduce its losses from the breach. 

Similarly, the government objected to the measure of estimated expenses and income stream which P&amp;ID used to calculate its damages claim. 

<h2>The tribunal’s decision</h2>

In July 2015 the tribunal decided that by failing to fulfil its obligations, the government had repudiated the agreement. P&amp;ID was therefore entitled to damages. 

In January 2017, the tribunal by a majority of 2 to 1 made a final award of US$6.597 billion together with interest at the rate of 7% starting from 20 March 2013 until payment is made. The 7% <a href="https://pacer-documents.s3.amazonaws.com/36/194469/04516479471.pdf">interest</a> reflects what P&amp;ID would have paid to borrow the money or earned by investing the money in Nigeria. 

Following the tribunal’s award of damages, in March 2018, P&amp;ID brought an action before the Queen’s Bench Division of the English Commercial Court. It wanted permission to enforce the damages awarded by the tribunal. Despite delays by the Nigerian government, on 16 August 2019, the court made an order enforcing the tribunal’s final award which now stands at about $9.6 billion. 

In making this award, the court noted that the damages awarded were purely compensatory and not intended to punish the Nigerian government. The court also confirmed that there were no public policy grounds on which the award should not be enforced. This decision converts the arbitration award to a legal judgement. 

This case perhaps highlights issues with Nigeria’s ability to effectively manage its oil and gas resources as well as its facilities. Between January and June 2019 alone, it is reported that Nigeria <a href="https://guardian.ng/news/why-crude-oil-losses-persist-despite-huge-surveillance-contracts/">lost</a> 22 million barrels of crude oil.

These losses have been largely attributed to pipeline vandalism and aged pipelines. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation recently spent billions on oil pipelines maintenance. But other problems, such as <a href="http://saharareporters.com/2018/11/20/exclusive-protests-nnpc-awards-1848m-contract-without-following-due-process">corruption</a> and fraud in awarding security surveillance contracts for pipelines, persist.

<h2>Next steps</h2>

The $9.6 billion appears to be the largest amount of damages awarded against Nigeria to date. Evidence however suggests this is not the first time that Nigeria has failed to meet its contractual obligations. In 2016 it was reported that investors in Nigeria’s power sector <a href="https://qz.com/africa/591036/investors-are-threatening-to-pull-out-of-nigerias-fragile-privatized-power-sector/">threatened</a> to pull out due to the government’s failure to meet its contractual obligations.

This case also demonstrates an ongoing issue with the government’s attitude to critical infrastructural projects. The <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309943763_Politics_of_Hydroelectric_Power_Development_in_Nigeria_A_Case_Study_of_the_Mambilla_Hydroelectric_Power_Project">Mambilla</a> hydroelectric power project is a case in point. In spite of the huge potential offered by the project, it has been plagued by several controversies ranging from corruption and embezzlement of funds to the “irregular” awarding of contracts, and a general lack of political will. 

The Nigerian government is yet to pay the judgement debt. <a href="https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/08/fg-alleges-conspiracy-in-9-6bn-judgment-debt/">Allegations</a> of domestic and international conspiracy surrounding the agreement continue to abound. For now, the government has said that it intends to appeal the amount awarded.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/122740/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important" />

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/oludara-akanmidu-495255">Oludara Akanmidu</a>, Lecturer in Law, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/de-montfort-university-1254">De Montfort University</a>

This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-how-nigeria-got-hit-with-a-9-6-billion-judgment-debt-in-london-122740">original article</a>.

Explainer: A UK court hit Nigeria with a $9.6 billion judgment debt, how did the West African country end up in this costly situation?

ABUJA (Reuters) &#8211; Shares of MTN Nigeria hit a three-month high on Friday after the telecoms company’s offices partially reopened following a shutdown due to anti-South African attacks in the West African country.



The local units of South Africa’s MTN Group and supermarket chain Shoprite, closed all stores and service centres in Nigeria after their premises were attacked following days of riots in their home country chiefly targeting foreign-owned, including Nigerian, businesses.



The violence in South Africa has strained relations between Africa’s two biggest economies, with Nigeria saying on Thursday it would recall its top diplomat to Pretoria.



MTN Nigeria said its stores remained closed on Friday but skeletal office operations were resuming, its spokesman said, adding that staff were asked to stay at home for safety reasons.



Shoprite stores remained shut except for one in an upmarket area of the capital Abuja, a manager there said.



Shares in MTN, Nigeria’s second-biggest listed firm, rose 5.03% to 139.80 naira each, a level last seen in June. Johannesburg-listed Shoprite shares were up 1.8%.



Prior to the shutdown, the telecoms firm last week launched a mobile money transfer service, targeting Nigerians without bank accounts, and said it planned to become a payment services bank once it obtains approval from the central bank.



Reporting by Chijioke Ohuocha; editing by Jason Neely and Emelia Sithole-Matarise

MTN Nigeria shares hit 3-month high after the telecoms company partially reopens

YENAGOA (Reuters) &#8211; A gas pipeline in Nigeria’s Delta state was shut down on Friday following a breach, according to state oil company NNPC and local authorities.



Locals in Otu-Jeremi in Ughelli South area of Delta state reported an explosion on the pipeline, though NNPC said the pipeline was shut down following a leak. Police said they were investigating the situation.



Two local residents said there was an explosion.



“NPDC are saying that it was a rupture and not fire, but my men have gone there to find out,” said Adeyinka Adeleke, a senior police officer in Delta state.



NNPC spokesman Ndu Ughamadu said the company had ordered the pipeline closed following a leak and that repair works would commence soon.



The pipeline flows from Oil Mining License 34, which is owned by Nigeria Petroleum Development Co, a subsidiary of NNPC, and Nigerian company ND Western.



OML 34 produces an average of 390 million standard cubic feet per day of gas, and 17,000 barrels per day of oil and condensates.



Gas processed from the field goes into the Escravos-Lagos Pipeline, which feeds Egbin power plant, the largest in Nigeria.



Reporting by Tife Owolabi in Yenagoa; writing by Libby George; Editing by Leslie Adler

A gas pipeline in Nigeria’s Delta state has been shut down, here’s why

LAGOS (Reuters) &#8211; Nigeria’s central bank has told lenders to stop processing milk imports on a credit basis, bankers said on Tuesday, after the bank last month said would ban access to foreign currency for the imports to spur local production.



Nigeria spends between $1.2 billion to $1.5 billion annually to import milk, the central bank says, which said in July it would add milk imports to its restricted list for dollar sales. The bank did not say when the ban comes into force.



In a circular to lenders, the central bank said milk imports will no longer be eligible under payment terms known as “bills for collection” which allowed the importer to buy on credit. Importers would need to fund their naira accounts and open letters of credit, bankers said.



Bankers said the central bank wanted to streamline payment modes for milk imports.



Industry groups had been lobbying the government against the bank’s planned dollar curb, arguing that domestic milk production was not enough to meet local demand.



Nigeria relies on imports for most of what its 180 million population consumes. In 2015, the central bank restricted access to forex for 41 items which it said can be produced in Nigeria.



The central bank has said the idea to add milk to the forex restriction list arose from the success of the currency restriction policy and the large amount spent on imports.



Last month the bank said it would extend low-interest loans to local milk producers to discourage imports.



Keen to reduce imports of products that can be produced locally and to conserve dollar reserves, the bank has also offered cheap credit to rice, tomato and starch importers for the same purpose.



Nigeria has been trying to shore up dollar liquidity on its currency markets and prop up the naira which has weakened in recent weeks after a fall in oil prices and foreign investors fled in the wake of lower yields on local debt.



President Muhammadu Buhari has made diversifying the economy away from oil a central policy, but a recent recession has slowed his plans, slashed government revenue and triggered a series of currency devaluations.



Buhari told the central bank this month to stop providing funding for food imports, his spokesman said.



Reporting by Chijioke Ohuocha; editing by David Evans

Nigeria’s central bank stops credit payments for milk imports, what you need to know…

By Ifeoluwa Adenike Alade, PhD candidate,&nbsp;University of Ibadan, Nigeria



Food
and nutrition insecurity
is a chronic problem for Africa. Despite decades of humanitarian and
development efforts, <a href="https://globalnutritionreport.org/nutrition-profiles/africa/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">one
in five</a>
Africans remain undernourished and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2019/jun/05/nearly-half-of-all-child-deaths-in-africa-stem-from-hunger-study-shows" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a
third</a> of
Africa’s children are stunted. 



One little-known
crop that is essential to food security on the continent is amaranth. This
leafy green vegetable is one of the most consumed in Africa and <a href="https://www.nap.edu/read/11763/chapter/3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">accounts for</a> up to 25 per cent of daily protein
intake in some countries, making it essential to their health and wellbeing.



What’s more,
it is a plant that is quick to grow, thanks to
its highly <a href="https://www.appropedia.org/Original:Amaranth_Modern_Prospects_for_an_Ancient_Crop_5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">efficient
photosynthesis process</a>,
and which &nbsp;thrives on degraded land even in hot
and dry weather, making it an increasingly important crop to mitigate the
impact of climate change on food production. 



But one threat
that holds back amaranth from making an even greater contribution to Africa’s
food security is the amaranthus leaf webber, a species of moth that is commonly
found in the tropics. The webber larvae are voracious pests, and a single leaf webber
infestation can destroy an entire field of amaranth.



To prevent
an infestation and protect their amaranth harvest, farmers rely on pesticides.
However, long-term pesticide use comes with challenges, including the
development of resistance among leaf webbers. 



So, what if
farmers had another tool to stop this pest? 



This
question motivated me to search for new crop protection techniques that could
be affordable, effective, and sustainable, and it turns out that nature may
have already come up with a solution. 



Many plants
have evolved ways to deter pests through releasing biochemicals that repel
harmful insects. By identifying the biochemical that targets leaf webber and
reproducing this as a crop protection product, we can effectively safeguard
crop harvests using the plant’s own biochemistry.



For amaranth
farmers, plant-produced repellents could be valuable new tool in the toolbox,
supported by other strategies such as pest monitoring and surveillance, using
complementary crops to repel pests and using existing pesticides when
necessary.



Taken
together, such <a href="https://croplife.org/crop-protection/stewardship/integrated-pest-management/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">integrated
pest management</a>
(IPM) can dramatically improve yields while also reducing labour and costs, by
ensuring that farmers use the most effective and sustainable combination of
crop protection techniques. 



To progress
this research, I am studying leaf samples of a group of amaranth species to
compare the levels of biochemicals with the abundance of leaf webbers. If leaf
webbers are less abundant on plants with certain biochemicals present, then I
will have detected a possible repellent.



The next
stage involves examining the genetic make-up of the amaranths that produce
these repellents to discover the blueprint for the most pest-resistant variety.




Crop
scientists can then develop a species that is no longer vulnerable to this
pest. This would be a huge boon for Africa’s food security, especially in the
rural areas that rely on amaranth, protecting both nutritious food supplies and
agricultural livelihoods.



Such a
solution is an example of how crop protection can be proactive rather than
reactive when it comes to defending vital crops against pests. 



And as one
of the next generation of crop scientists, my work is just a small part of an
increasingly innovative sector. 



Preventing
crop pests from striking is essential for Africa’s food security. And with new
research, techniques and technologies, we are better equipped than ever before
to do so sustainably.

Op-Ed: Progress in pest prevention offers hope for Africa’s food security

LAGOS, Aug 16 (Reuters) &#8211; A judge in London said on Friday he
would grant a firm called Process and Industrial Developments Ltd (P&amp;ID)
the right to seek to seize some $9 billion in assets from the Nigerian
government over an aborted gas project.



The
company was awarded $6.6 billion in an arbitration decision over a failed
project to build a gas processing plant in the southern Nigerian city of
Calabar. With interest payments, the sum now tops $9 billion &#8211; some 20% of
Nigeria’s foreign reserves



The
judge’s decision, issued on Friday, converts the arbitration award to a legal
judgement, which would allow P&amp;ID to try to seize international assets.



Lawyers
representing the Nigerian government argued the award should not be enforced
because England was not the correct place for the case, and even if it were,
the amount awarded was “manifestly excessive.”



Mr
Justice Butcher of the Commercial Court rejected these arguments and said he
would “receive submissions from the parties as to the precise form of order
appropriate.”



A
spokesman for Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari directed requests for
comment to the Ministry of Justice, which did not immediately respond. A
spokeswoman for the law firm representing the Nigerian government in London did
not immediately provide a comment on the ruling.



“P&amp;ID
is committed to vigorously enforcing its rights, and we intend to begin the
process of seizing Nigerian assets in order to satisfy this award as soon as
possible,” said Andrew Stafford, Q.C. of Kobre &amp; Kim, which represents
P&amp;ID.



The
case involves a 2010 deal in which the Nigerian government agreed to supply gas
to a processing plant in Calabar that P&amp;ID – a firm founded by two Irish
businessmen specifically for the project &#8211; would build and run.



In
2012, P&amp;ID took the government to arbitration over the failure of the deal
and won the award, which was based on what it could have earned during the
20-year agreement.



Stafford
said that with accrued interest, the award now tops $9.6 billion.



Legal experts told Reuters previously that assets used for diplomatic purposes – such as the Nigerian High Commission building in central London – are not eligible for seizure, but commercial assets are. 



(Reporting by Libby George, additional reporting by Felix Onuah and Camillus Eboh in Abuja; Editing by Mark Potter)

UK judge will allow firm to try to seize $9 billion in Nigerian assets in gas dispute, what you need to know

LAGOS (Reuters) &#8211; Africa’s largest oil refinery will not be finished until the end of 2020 due to problems importing steel and other equipment, executives at Dangote, which is building the facility in the Nigerian commercial hub of Lagos, told Reuters.



Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, imports virtually all its fuel due to sclerotic and underutilised refineries, and even the state oil company is looking to the 650,000 barrel per day (bpd) Dangote refinery to help address this. [nL5N1UN5IK]



Price caps force NNPC to import nearly all its gasoline at a significant cost and periodic fuel shortages are common.



Despite the delays at the congested Apapa and Tin Can Island ports in Lagos, a Dangote executive said the company could start using the refinery’s tank farms as a depot to warm up operations.



“We will be able to complete the (refinery) project by the end of next year &#8211; mechanical completion,” said Dangote Group Executive Director Devakumar Edwin, who oversees the project.



The company expects fuel production within two months of completion of the refinery, which could transform Africa’s biggest crude producer from a fuel importer into a net exporter, upending global trade patterns.



Billionaire Aliko Dangote, who built his fortune on cement, first announced a smaller refinery in 2013, to be finished in 2016. Dangote then moved the site to Lekki, in Lagos, upgraded the size and said production would start in early 2020.



Industry sources told Reuters last year that fuel output was unlikely before 2022.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">TRADING PLAN</h3>



Edwin also said during an interview at his office in Lagos that Dangote is setting up its own trading desk, with a senior team of three people and a staff of roughly 30 who will monitor international commodity prices.



“We are setting up a complete trading desk here with us. In the next three months the full desk will be set up,” he said.



Giuseppe Surace, the refinery’s chief operations officer, said the refinery’s tank farms will be finished this year and could be used as a warm-up for operations.



The tanks will be connected to five “single point mooring buoys” (SPMs), which will allow the refinery complex to pump crude straight into tanks from large ships at sea and pump products back out onto boats of any size.



The SPMs will be the primary method of supplying oil products from the refinery, Surace said, adding that the team were considering using the tanks as training or as a depot before the refinery’s production starts.



“We might do that. We will be ready to do that,” he said, though he added that no decision had been taken yet.



The team is in talks with NNPC, two other international oil companies and two large oil traders, all of whom are interested in supplying crude and buying products, Edwin said.[nL8N2539DB]



Edwin said the crude unit for the refinery, which set sail from China last month, would arrive by the end of October.



The trains at a fertilizer plant on the same site will start up by the end of this year, the executives said.



Reporting by Alexis Akwagyiram; editing by Libby George and Alexander Smith

Here’s why Nigeria’s huge Dangote oil refinery has been delayed until the end of 2020

By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nic-cheeseman-180800">Nic Cheeseman</a>, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-birmingham-1138">University of Birmingham</a>

There is growing concern about the potential for the message and media sharing platform WhatsApp to undermine democracy in a number of countries across the world including <a href="http://theconversation.com/whatsapp-skewed-brazilian-election-proving-social-medias-danger-to-democracy-106476">Brazil</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/may/13/big-tech-whatsapp-democracy-india">India</a>. 

Because WhatsApp is encrypted – and so offers users far greater protection from prosecution than Twitter or Facebook – it has become particularly notorious for spreading “fake news”. 

This is a major concern in Africa, where WhatsApp is the most <a href="https://qz.com/africa/1206935/whatsapp-is-the-most-popular-messaging-app-in-africa/">popular messaging app in 40 countries</a>. This is due to its low cost and the ability to easily share messages with both individuals and groups. 

But is this really how WhatApp is used? And if it is, to what extent does this compromise the quality of elections? 

A joint team from the Centre for Democracy and Development (Nigeria) and the University of Birmingham (UK) has spent the last few months researching the impact of WhatsApp on the 2019 Nigerian elections held in May. 

Their <a href="https://www.cddwestafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/WHATSAPP-NIGERIA-ELECTION-2019.pdf">report</a> comes to conclusions that are both troubling, as well as encouraging. 

The research reveals that the platform was used to mislead voters in increasingly sophisticated ways. But it also shows that Whatsapp strengthened democracy in other areas.

<h2>Misinformation and disinformation</h2>

The term “<a href="http://blogs.royalsociety.org/publishing/ignorance-can-be-fatal-countering-the-crisis-in-fake-news-and-fake-science/">fake news</a> has become widely used over the past few years. However, it is problematic because it lumps together very different kinds of information and behaviour. For example, we need to separate out deliberate attempts to mislead others by creating false stories (disinformation) from the innocent sharing of made up stories by people who believe it to be true (misinformation).

The 2019 Nigerian elections saw both disinformation and misinformation. We studied this by conducting 46 interviews in the states of Abuja, Oyo and Kano, as well as seven focus groups and a survey of 1,005 people.

During the course of conducting the research candidates consistently told us that they predominantly used WhatsApp to share information about their qualities and campaign pledges. But many WhatsApp users said that at a high proportion of the messages they received were designed to undermine a rival leader’s reputation – to &#8220;decampaign” them.

There were some high profile examples of disinformation. The most notorious story circulated on social media was that the president had died while undergoing medical treatment outside of the country, and had <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-46424562">been replaced by a clone from Sudan</a>. 

Other fabricated communications were less outlandish but no less significant. Many ordinary citizens shared these messages, in some cases because they knew they were false and wanted to amplify their impact, but in many cases because they thought they were true.

The most effective decampaigning strategies were those that shared messages that resonated with individuals because they contained an element of the truth, or played on recent experiences. 

<h2>WhatsApp takes over</h2>

The political influence of WhatsApp has expanded rapidly in line with its growing penetration. As a result, it has become part of the fabric of election campaigns and is now a key mechanism through which political leaders seek to communicate with their campaign teams and supporters. 

Fully 91% of the people we interviewed were active WhatsApp users; as one person put it:

<blockquote>
I use WhatsApp more than I use the toilet.
</blockquote>

In Nigeria, election candidates were already using the platform to <a href="https://www.academia.edu/32414216/The_Impact_of_Social_Media_during_the_2015_Nigerian_General_Elections">push messages in 2015</a>. But the people we interviewed agreed that the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2019/02/15/its-nigerias-first-whatsapp-election-heres-what-were-learning-about-how-fake-news-spreads/">2019 elections</a> saw a significant step up in terms of how the leading parties organised their social media strategy.

Politically, WhatsApp was used in an increasingly sophisticated way at the presidential level. In 2019, the two main presidential candidates – President Muhammadu Buhari and opposition leader Atiku Abubakar – both had dedicated teams pushing out messages over social media: the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6B-DqX1o370">Buhari New Media Centre</a> and <a href="https://www.atikulatedyouthforce.com/membership">Atikulated Youth Force</a>. By forming hundreds of Whatsapp groups of 256 members, these organisations could send messages to tens of thousands of people at the touch of a button.

Buhari’s effort was better funded and particularly impressive. It established a network of local and regional representatives connected to a “central command” in Abuja. This enabled the campaign to rapidly send messages from the national to the local level, while also responding to hostile messages and rumours shared by its rivals.

While those in power typically had more money to invest in their campaigns, many opposition leaders pointed out that in important ways WhatsApp had created a more level political playing field. Those who had been involved in politics for some time explained that “fake news” was nothing new in Nigeria, but that in the past it was sometimes impossible to counteract these messages because there was no way to get airtime on government aligned radio. 

WhatsApp had changed this situation. Opposition leaders now have a cheap way of fighting back. It has also been used to coordinate anti-corruption campaigns and election observation, strengthening democracy. 

<h2>Evolution or revolution?</h2>

It’s also important not to overstate the significance of WhatsApp. Things look very different below the national level, for example, where campaign structures were less developed and a significant proportion of activity remained informal.

We found that while candidates for Governor and Member of Parliament did set up WhatsApp groups, they were much less organised. In many cases, candidates relied on existing networks and social influencers to get the message out.

Candidates were also keen to stress that while they used WhatsApp during their campaigns, they did not rely on it. Voters expect to see their leaders on the ground, and expected them to provide a range of services for the community. Advertising good deeds over WhatsApp could help a leader get credit, but only if they had fulfilled their responsibilities in the first place.

In other words, WhatsApp can amplify and complement a candidate’s ground campaign. But it cannot replace it.

<h2>Throwing out the water but keeping the baby</h2>

These findings suggest that solutions to the power of social media platforms like WhatsApp isn’t to ban them, or to allow governments to censor them. This would merely exaggerate the vast advantages of incumbency that ruling parties already enjoy. 

A better solution would be to promote <a href="https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2016/11/09/what-is-digital-literacy.html">digital literacy</a>, develop <a href="http://www.comminit.com/democracy-governance/content/guidelines-development-social-media-code-conduct-elections">social media codes of conduct</a> around elections, and empower WhatsApp uses to control which groups they are added to, and what information they receive.

The research was conducted, and publications authored by, Jamie Hitchen, Idayat Hassan, Jonathan Fisher and Nic Cheeseman.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/121064/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important" />

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nic-cheeseman-180800">Nic Cheeseman</a>, Professor of Democracy, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-birmingham-1138">University of Birmingham</a>

This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/whatsapp-played-a-big-role-in-the-nigerian-election-not-all-of-it-was-bad-121064">original article</a>.

With WhatsApp having played a major role in Nigeria’s elections does it undermine democracy ?

WASHINGTON (Reuters) &#8211; The U.S. State Department said on Tuesday it had imposed visa restrictions on Nigerians it said were involved in trying to undermine democracy in presidential and parliamentary elections this year.



The department did not name the individuals or say how many were affected by the visa restrictions. President Muhammadu Buhari won a second term in February in an election marred by delays, logistical glitches and violence.



“These individuals have operated with impunity at the expense of the Nigerian people and undermined democratic principles and human rights,” spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.



“The Department of State emphasizes that the actions announced today are specific to certain individuals and not directed at the Nigerian people or the newly elected government,” Ortagus added.



Reporting by Lesley Wroughton, Editing by Rosalba O&#8217;Brien

U.S. imposes visa restrictions on Nigerians involved in this…

ABUJA (Reuters) &#8211; Nigeria and German company Siemens have agreed a roadmap to increase Nigeria’s “reliable” power supply to 11,000 megawatts by 2023, President Muhammadu Buhari said on Monday.



The president of the West African country said that at present, “only an average of 4,000 megawatts reliably reaches consumers”. He said Nigeria would work with Siemens to achieve “7,000 megawatts of reliable power supply by 2021 and 11,000 megawatts by 2023”.



Reporting by Felix Onuah; writing by Alexis Akwagyiram; editing by Jason Neely

What you need to  know about Nigeria’s roadmap agreement with Siemens to increase power

<figure>
 <img decoding="async" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/280919/original/file-20190624-97794-3x3mhw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip">
 <figcaption>
 Doctors preparing to perform an operation.
 Shutterstock
 </figcaption>
 </figure>

By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/olayinka-stephen-ilesanmi-764219">Olayinka Stephen Ilesanmi</a>, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-ibadan-1955">University of Ibadan</a>

Brain drain is a major challenge facing the <a href="https://www.ajol.info/index.php/rejhs/article/view/165775">Nigerian health system</a>, leading to a dramatic reduction in the number of doctors in the country. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Nigeria is <a href="https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/social-issues-migration-health/international-migration-outlook-2015_migr_outlook-2015-en">one of the three leading African sources</a> of foreign-born physicians. 

Doctors leave for a variety of reasons depending on where they are in their careers. For example, many leave immediately after graduation. They usually leave for one or two reasons. Firstly, to pursue international residency training. Most in this category usually don’t return to the country. They prefer to work where their newly acquired skills can be put to better use. The second reason is if they fail to find a job or space for residency training. Most in this category also never return home to practice.

There are usually another two sets of leavers: those who leave five to 10 years after graduation – usually for better pay. Finally, there are those who leave after specialist training, which can be up to 10 to 15 years after graduation. Specialists – the most qualified and competent doctors – leave because of better prospects in other countries.

The <a href="https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5q36r5xq">exodus</a> has led to a <a href="https://print.ispub.com/api/0/ispub-article/6444">drop</a> in the quality of health care service due to the absence of skilled personnel. 

Nigeria hasn’t been able to get on top of the problem because nothing has been tried. The government doesn’t seem to be concerned. Nigeria was the only African country listed among the <a href="https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/2f74/1754ee67696ba66341f922cc2c5764b6c288.pdf">20 top exporters</a> of physicians in 2004, with a loss of 5 499 doctors up from 1 519 in 1991. 

Health indicators may continue to decline in the absence of aggressive interventions to stop this. More doctors leaving the country will eventually lead to a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5427605/">shortage of Nigerian medical doctors</a>. This, in turn, will add to the stress and dissatisfaction among those remaining. The poor will not be able to access care while the rich will travel out of the country for medical care. 

African politicians – <a href="https://theconversation.com/african-politicians-seeking-medical-help-abroad-is-shameful-and-harms-health-care-82771">including Nigerians</a> – who have the responsibility of improving the country’s health system usually travel abroad for their medical needs. The usual destinations are Europe, North America and Asia. And ordinary citizens spend over <a href="https://www.imtj.com/news/nigeria-spends-1-billion-outbound-medical-tourism/">USD$1 billion</a> annually on what’s become known as medical tourism.

<hr>

 
 
 Read more:
 <a href="http://theconversation.com/african-politicians-seeking-medical-help-abroad-is-shameful-and-harms-health-care-82771">African politicians seeking medical help abroad is shameful, and harms health care</a>
 
 

<hr>


<h2>Reasons for leaving</h2>

Poor pay is a major factor for leaving, particularly for mid-career doctors who have families to support. 

Apart from pay packages that are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15375449">low</a>, actual payment of salaries is often irregular. In some states, government workers’ salaries aren’t <a href="https://guardian.ng/news/23-states-owing-workers-says-labour/">paid on time</a> every <a href="https://qz.com/africa/663626/nigeria-has-a-culture-of-not-paying-workers-and-its-not-about-to-change-anytime-soon/">month</a>. Delayed salaries were <a href="https://allafrica.com/stories/201806200428.html">reported</a> in Plateau State and <a href="https://punchng.com/n500m-monthly-loan-repayments-responsible-for-irregular-salary-in-kogi-govt/">Kogi State</a> among others. This is true for doctors too. 

Another major driver is poor working conditions. This includes having to work extra hours due to inadequate staff, lack of diagnostic facilities or to supplement monthly income. 

These problems spring from the Nigerian government’s low funding. In this year’s budget only <a href="https://www.budgetoffice.gov.ng/index.php/2018-budget">3.9% </a> was allocated to health. This is much lower than the estimated <a href="https://www.unicef.org/esaro/UNICEF_South_Africa_--_2017_--_Health_Budget_Brief.pdf">13.5%</a> of South Africa’s national expenditure dedicated to health. 

In 2001 African Union countries met and pledged to set a target of allocating at least <a href="https://www.who.int/healthsystems/publications/abuja_declaration/en/">15%</a> of their annual budget to improve the health sector and urged donor countries to scale up support. <a href="https://www.who.int/healthsystems/publications/abuja_report_aug_2011.pdf?ua=1">Ten years</a> after that commitment was made only Mauritius, Seychelles and Eritrea had met the target. 

The lack of funding has led to poor remuneration, the underfunding of hospitals which in turn means that medical facilities are inadequate and infrastructure is obsolete.

Other reasons for leaving relate more generally to a lack of infrastructure in the country which makes it difficult to ensure a good standard of living in a favourable environment that promises good future prospects for children. This includes the lack of social amenities such as a good health care system, quality education, roads, electricity and piped water.

<h2>What needs to be done</h2>

To reverse the brain drain, the Nigerian government should create a conducive environment that will ensure <a href="https://www.stearsng.com/article/why-are-medical-doctors-leaving-nigeria">employment opportunities</a> and reduce poverty. It must provide the needed infrastructure such as good roads and transport systems, affordable and functional education, water supply, security, stable energy in addition to good health care system.

On their own, these won’t be enough to prevent the brain drain among medical doctors – and other professionals. It would need to be supplemented by other strategies. These should include providing financial and other incentives to stay. Institutional capacity-building that promotes career development should be fostered, along with mentorship opportunities as well as efforts to improve <a href="https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5q36r5xq">working conditions</a>. 

A central human resource planning body should be instituted. This would ensure a continuous increase in the number of health care workers through careful coordination and prediction of number of <a href="http://seahipaj.org/journals-ci/mar-2016/IJIHCR/full/IJIHCR-M-2-2016.pdf">medical graduates</a>. 

Enforcement of Bill of Patients’ Rights in Nigeria as well as National Health Insurance are <a href="https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2019/03/28/experts-charge-fg-doctors-to-halt-brain-drain/">due for consideration</a>. Without policies that will lead to available and accessible health care for all the bill may not have its desired impact.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/117860/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important">

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/olayinka-stephen-ilesanmi-764219">Olayinka Stephen Ilesanmi</a>, Lecturer, Department of Community Medicine, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-ibadan-1955">University of Ibadan</a>

This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-nigerias-doctors-are-leaving-and-how-the-problem-can-be-fixed-117860">original article</a>.

Nigeria

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UK judge will allow firm to try to seize $9 billion in Nigerian assets in gas dispute, what you need to know

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What you need to know about Nigeria’s roadmap agreement with Siemens to increase power

Here’s why Nigeria’s doctors are leaving the country, and how the problem can be solved

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Nigeria

AfDB approves $210 million loan for this West African nation’s power transmission project

Op-Ed: Three challenges to overcome for more sustainable farming in Nigeria

Op-Ed: Nigeria’s disinflation trend ends, as does land-based trade

Uber launches boat service in Nigeria’s megacity Lagos, what you need to know

Op-Ed: Celebrating Nigeria: 25 things to love about the West African country

Here’s why Nigeria is planning to charge banks $1.3 billion

Explainer: A UK court hit Nigeria with a $9.6 billion judgment debt, how did the West African country end up in this costly situation?

MTN Nigeria shares hit 3-month high after the telecoms company partially reopens

A gas pipeline in Nigeria’s Delta state has been shut down, here’s why

Nigeria’s central bank stops credit payments for milk imports, what you need to know…

Op-Ed: Progress in pest prevention offers hope for Africa’s food security

UK judge will allow firm to try to seize $9 billion in Nigerian assets in gas dispute, what you need to know

Here’s why Nigeria’s huge Dangote oil refinery has been delayed until the end of 2020

With WhatsApp having played a major role in Nigeria’s elections does it undermine democracy ?

U.S. imposes visa restrictions on Nigerians involved in this…

What you need to know about Nigeria’s roadmap agreement with Siemens to increase power

Here’s why Nigeria’s doctors are leaving the country, and how the problem can be solved

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