NIGERIA: Wednesday Papers, September 12, 2012

COMPILED BY AMBROSE EHIRIM

CLICK ON LINKS TO READ FULL STORIES

China Offers Nigeria $1.1B Loan for Rail, Airports

China is offering Nigeria $1.1 billion in loans to help the West African nation build airport terminals, a light rail line for its capital city and communication system improvements, the country's Finance Ministry said Wednesday.

‘Nigeria accounts for 20% of foreigners seeking medical attention in India’

Over 20 per cent of foreign patients seeking medical treatment in India are from Nigeria, the National President of Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), Dr Godswill Okara, said a recent study had revealed.

False claim on Obama’s invitation: Tinubu must apologise to Nigerians - S/West PDP •PDP’s smear campaign, symptom of indolent, frightened govt - ACN

THE South-West chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) leader and former governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Tinubu, to apologise to Nigerians, for bringing the country into disrepute, with his lie that he was specially invited to attend the United States (US) Democratic Party convention.

Why Nigerian Police Will Continue To Sleep On Duty

Inspector-general of police Mohammed Abubakar appears not to be telling himself the truth. In an attempt to explain the deadly Lagos armed robbery incident that claimed some lives on Sunday, he had blamed his men, saying they were “sleeping on duty”.

RMB gets licence for business in Nigeria

RAND Merchant Bank (RMB) has received a merchant banking licence in Nigeria that marks the first step by its holding company, FirstRand, towards eventually investing in the country’s retail and commercial banking sector.

First Lady's Illness - Jonathan Ends Botswana Visit Abruptly

President Goodluck Jonathan was expected back home last night, cutting short his visit to Botswana by one day and lending credence to reports in the online media that he made a "hasty departure because his wife's health condition may have taken a bad turn."

Nigeria, Past, Present and the Future

In any case, the fact still remains that the problem of our backwardness as a nation in terms of human, socio-economic development could be associated with the malfunctioning of the system as the whole system is collapsing, compared to what was obtainable in the past.

Counting costs of terror attacks on telecoms’ facilities

THE activities of armed extremists in Nigeria took an alarming turn last week when they renewed their hostilities against rather unusual targets, the telecommunications sector.By last count at press time on Monday, over 25 mobile phone masts belonging to telecommunications operators and infrastructure service providers were attacked across northern Nigeria by the insurgents from Wednesday to Sunday.

Insurance Education in Nigeria not Doing Badly, says CIIN

The Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) has said insurance education in the country is not lagging behind international standards. Director-General of the institute, Mr. Adesoji Adepegba, gave this pass mark in his review of the challenges facing insurance educating in the country in an interview with THISDAY in Lagos recently.

Aregbesola, Ndukwe seek better investment profile for technology in Vision 20:2020 policy

MAJOR investments in advanced technology acquisition, adequate, but visible preparations have been described as very crucial to Nigeria’s realisation of her economic agenda-Vision 20:2020.

CBN Clarifies Decision to Abandon Polymer Banknotes

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) at the weekend shed more light on the proposed currency restructuring, saying that it resolved to discontinue printing the naira in polymer notes so as to take away the monopoly of printing the currency from the Australian firm - Securency International Pty Limited.

Victor Olaiya… 60 musical cheers for the highlife maestro

In its continuing effort to revive and perpetuate the highlife musical culture, Evergreen Musical Company has deemed it fit to celebrate highlife veteran, Victor Olaiya on the occasion of his 60th year on stage on Sunday, September 16, 2012 from 3 p.m. The venue is Lagos City Hall, Lagos.

The gains so far

Nigeria has come a long way but there is a longer way to go. In fairness to ourselves, we have evolved greatly as a people but we do not appreciate this because our achievements seem to be almost too minuscule for us to perceive.

Data credibility threatens FG loan access plan

The absence of a robust credit history of borrowers as well as the lack of a centralised national identity card system have been identified as significant impediments to banks retail segment lending, BusinessDay investigations have revealed.

Flours Mills Commits N10.4bn on Expansion

In a bid to meet the growing demand for its products and enhance shareholders value, Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, has invested $65 million (N10.4 billion) on its expansion drive. Chairman of the company, Mr. George Coumantaros, made this known during the inauguration of its ultra-modern milling complex, named ‘West Mills’ in Lagos.

Manufacturing growth rate drops in developing countries

Justice Akanbi at 80

Honourable Justice Mustapha Adebayo Akanbi (CFR) (rtd), a father, Wakilin of Ilorin, an elder (non-partisan) statesman, a man of impeccable integrity, an intellectual by all measures and an untiring judicial activist turns 80. His globally acknowledged courage, patriotism, pan Africanism and above all compassion for human advancement are worthy of celebration.

Between electronic payments and economic growth

In 2010, Moody’s analytics released a research report authored by its chief economist Mark Zandi, which details the link between the rise in the use of electronic payments and economic growth.

Cash transactions represent 80% of Africa’s financial operations – NSPMC

The Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company Limited (NSPMC) has noted that cash transactions represent about 70-80 percent of financial transactions in Africa, an indication that managing it efficiently and securely presents many challenges.

Imo awards N3b new stadia contracts

In its bid to reposition sports in the state, the Imo State Government has awarded fresh contracts valued at about N3 billion for the construction of two stadia in two zones of the state, the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Kenneth Emelue, disclosed