Press Release: Nigeria Requires International Support To Mitigate Effects of Climate Change – President Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday in Paris appealed to the international community to support Nigeria’s commitment to reducing the negative effects of climate change.

In a submission to the One Planet Summit in the French capital attended by over 60 Heads of State and Governments, as well as representatives of non-governmental and private organisations, with the theme, “Climate Change Financing,” the President said, “we cannot implement our Nationally Determined Contribution without adequate financial, technical and capacity building support from the developed countries.”

While noting that “since the adoption of the Paris Agreement, we have been strengthening our national efforts towards the implementation of the Agreement and the Marrakech Call for Action,” and Nigeria had already ratified the Paris Agreement in May 2017, President Buhari, however, said the country’s “Nationally Determined Contribution to reduce our emission by 20% by 2020 and 40% by 2030,” cannot be attained alone.

According to him, “having just come out of recession we are under no illusion of the challenges that we face in Nigeria.”

President Buhari said “Nigeria recognizes that ensuring sustainable funding is a major constraint in efforts to implement the Nationally Determined Contribution,” adding that “to respond effectively to climate change mitigation and adaptation challenges, critical mass of financial resources beyond what we can provide from our national resources will be required.”

On steps Nigeria has taken to meet its national goal in this respect, he said the country has “embraced the issuance of the green bond as an innovative and alternative source of projects funding that would help reduce emissions and provide robust climate infrastructure, such as renewable energy, low carbon transport, water infrastructure and sustainable agriculture in line with the Paris Agreement.”

In furtherance of efforts to deliver on the country’s pledges, the President said the government was “tightening the existing governance structure in Nigeria for more effective implementation of climate change activities, including the additional responsibilities that are consequent on the adoption of the all-encompassing climate change treaty.”

He also stated that “Government is actively promoting technologies and practices such as sustainable land management, climate resilient agriculture, water efficiency, clean energy, and skills for reducing greenhouse gas emissions among others,” noting that sustaining these efforts will also require external support.

Other measures required, he said, included “accelerating Research and Development on facilitating Access to Climate Friendly Technologies, through technology pooling and collective approach to financing Research and Development, regulating restrictive practices in licensing agreements and anti-competitive uses of Intellectual Property and International Declaration on Climate Technologies.”

According to the President, “In Nigeria, we are looking at insurance-based proposals to deal with loss, damage and adaptation to the poor, vulnerable and hard-to-reach groups. Risk mitigation through insurance must benefit those groups who currently have negligible access to any form of indemnity coverage. Vulnerable groups will also benefit from new technologies and ways to make insurance schemes affordable, including through long term premium support.”

Recognising that “the adverse impacts of climate change such as temperature rise; erratic rainfall, sand storms, desertification, low agricultural yields, drying up of water bodies like Lake Chad, gully erosions and constant flooding are a daily reality in Nigeria,” President Buhari admitted that highly vulnerable communities lack the capacity to cope.

He said Nigeria would require external assistance in the following areas: “A long term solution for a source of clean power, which can be achieved through private investments to create economic competitiveness for industrialization, job creation and agricultural programmes throughout the country; and the inclusion of Nigeria in Climate Regional Programmes, especially strong financial support to our planned project for the replenishment of the Lake Chad.”

The President noted that “this long term solution will ensure sustained livelihood for rural and urban communities, and permanently address the conditions conducive to the spread of violent extremism and terrorism, and stem illegal migration especially of our youths abroad.”

In acknowledging that the external support must be sustained on a long term basis, President Buhari emphasised that “the changes that Nigeria and other developing countries need to make cannot be undertaken overnight.”

He said some fundamental restructuring of our economy was required, adding that “in this process, technology will be a powerful tool to simultaneously address climate change and advance development.”

The President said he looked up to the developed countries to jointly take a leading role in mobilising support for this action plan on addressing the challenges of climate change within the framework of the General Assembly of the United Nations.

In their remarks, the three co-chairmen of the plenary session, the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, the World Bank President, Jim Yong Kim, and the French President, Emmanuel Macron, stressed the imperative of a global comprehensive and speedy action, including private sector financing against the devastating impact of climate change.

President Buhari had before the summit, attended a luncheon hosted by his French counterpart in honour of visiting Heads of State and Governments at the Elysee Palace.

Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity)
December 12, 2017

Speech: VP Osinbajo’s Address at the Commissioning of the Petrolex Mega Oil City in Ibefun, Ogun State.

May I on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari, congratulate Mr. Segun Adebutu and his team for bringing to reality this vision for an integrated Petroleum Complex, here in Ogun State.

What he and the Petrolex team have done, what they have accomplished here is an impressive testament to the power of vision and dedication, and it really is a special pleasure to be here today to see for myself and commission this one-of-a-kind facility.

From the point of view of government’s downstream objectives in the petroleum sector, this investment is of special significance.

It ticks the boxes of strengthening our distribution infrastructure for petroleum products and meeting the target for reducing the importation of petroleum products and PMS to less than 20% by the end of 2018 and first quarter of 2019.

We expect that this space will be filled by investments in facilities such as this and this is why we are delighted this facility with a capacity to store 300 million litres of petroleum products – the largest of its kind in the country and am told, the largest in Africa and conveniently holding 4,000 trucks at a time, and a jetty capable of berthing 30million metric tons of cargo. This will substantially improve retail distribution in Nigeria and increase domestic storage capacity for petroleum products and the cargo coming in on barges from larger vessels for now will be stored and loaded from the gantry right here, this will decongest the Apapa and Ibafo tanker traffic and facilitate distribution from here to practically anywhere in the country.

But more cheering is the fact that this facility is still work-in-progress. The Tank Farm that we are commissioning today represents only the first phase of a much grander project: a ‘Mega Oil City’ which will include a 250,000 barrels per day Refinery, and this clearly, to date, will be the largest single line refinery in the country.

But perhaps of greater importance as a feature of our national economic objectives is that this facility again bears out a philosophical plank of our Economic Recovery and Growth Plan, which is that private capital must lead Nigeria’s economic revolution. And this is trite as the private sector is the nation’s major economic force and that the primary business of government is to create the environment that enables commerce to thrive unhindered.

And of importance also is the fact that significant local investments such as this send the strongest possible signal to foreign investors that not only is government saying that Nigeria is the investment destination in Africa, local smart money like Petrolex is also saying the same thing.

And may I also say that there is credible independent third party evidence that we are on the right track. A month and half ago the World Bank adjudged us to be one of the ten most improved economies in the world this year, from the point of view of our business and investment climate.

This facility also represents jobs – 10,000 direct and indirect ones. Each of these jobs will support not just the workers, but also their dependents, aside from the significant impact on the local economy here – by way of increased incomes traders, farmers, artisans, and landowners. There is of course the fact that economic activities moved to a place where no economic activity was hitherto.

The Federal Government is absolutely clear in its belief that industrialization is the key to achieving sustainable economic growth and creating jobs for millions of young people. The petrochemical industry is a logical and crucial component of this plan and we are doing all we can to provide an incentive regime that will drive investments in this sector. And we certainly would like to see credible investors like Petrolex prominently in this crucial space as well. And speaking to Mr Adebutu, already, there is a plan for a fertilizer facility here and also for the production of several other elements of the petrochemical industry.

We have recently published through the NIPC, Nigeria’s full list of business incentives and barely two weeks ago the President asked that I chair a committee to look into how to provide lower interest rates for the manufacturing industry. We understand clearly that without some kind of preferential interest rates for the manufacturing industry in Nigeria, we will not be able to make much progress and for that reason we are now looking very closely into how we can provide cheap credit for the local industries and I hope we will be able to achieve this in a short period of time.

Let me again express the Federal Government’s full support for this project and our pledge is that we will be with you every step of the way, supporting in every way we can.

I must congratulate the patriarch of the Adebutu business dynasty, Sir Kensington Adebutu on this special day, where you have seen the future of your progeny in your lifetime. This is a great blessing indeed for which we join you in giving thanks to the Almighty God.

Segun and the management and staff of Petrolex Oil and Gas deserve our commendation and congratulations on this landmark achievement and we all pray for the speedy and successful completion of the next phases of this project.

Nigeria eagerly awaits the full manifestation of this “Mega Oil City Project” and in a few minutes it will be my pleasure to commission the Petrolex Mega Oil City project.

Thank you all.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President
December 12, 2017

Press Release: Buhari’s Presidency Begins National Consultation on Farmers-Herders Conflict

Following his visit to Adamawa State on the 5th of December 2017 in the wake of the communal clashes in the area, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has today, Monday, 11th December 2017, commenced a series of national consultations with all relevant groups designed to find a lasting solution to the farmers-herders conflict in parts of the country.

Today’s meeting, the first in the series, held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, and had in attendance the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II; the Lamido of Adamawa, Muhammadu Barkindo Aliyu Musdafa; elder statesman, Mallam Ahmed Joda; and other leaders of the Fulani communities. Subsequent meetings would focus on other interest groups.

At the meeting, previous reports on the conflict were presented by the delegation and causes of the conflict were analysed. The meeting unequivocally condemned the acts of violence that has occurred, especially the killing of children and women, and highlighted the need for Law Enforcement and other Government Agencies to dutifully and objectively perform their Constitutional roles.

The Vice President assured the delegation of the Federal Government’s resolve and commitment to the entrenchment of lasting peace in all communities across the country and the resolution of all legitimate grievances.

He said “There is nothing much more important now, in showing our leadership, beyond preventing tragedy and destruction of everything we have built as a nation. The entire Nigeria enterprise is bigger than other interests. The overall objective is ensuring that our nation is not enveloped by another crisis.”

According to the Vice President, “We now have an opportunity to do something. We have the opportunity to resolve the issues and to build a nation where we and our children can live in peace.”

Already, following the Vice President’s visit to Adamawa State last week, several food items and relief materials have been distributed to all the affected communities in the State, including Shafaron, Kodomti, Tullum, Mzoruwe and Mararraban Bare in Numan Local Government Area. Others communities that have received relief materials are Dong, Lawaru and Kukumso in Demsa Local Government Area of the State.

In the next series of meetings, the Vice President will meet with the Batta, Bachama and other groups from Adamawa State; while meetings with stakeholders from other conflict-affected States would follow.

Also at the meeting were Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Musa Bello.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Publicity
Office of the Vice President
11 December 2017

Press Release: VP Osinbajo Attends MSME Clinic Launch in Osogbo

Nigeria’s future economic growth will be driven by small and medium-sized businesses, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.

Prof. Osinbajo said this during the launch of the nationwide MSME clinic in Osogbo, Osun State on Thursday. He added that the Buhari administration will continue to support small businesses nationwide through its economic initiatives.

The Vice President further said that there are enough resources to go round if the country and its people use its resources well, while urging Nigerians to tap into the potential in their communities to create wealth through entrepreneurship and MSMEs.

“It is pleasing to know that over 4,250 participants registered to take part in this MSME clinic and that there are nearly 206 exhibitors across the ago-allied, manufacturing and retail sectors,” Prof. Osinbajo said.

According to the Vice President “The small business is the engine of growth of the nation. We are here today, and I have seen for myself all the progress that small and medium businesses are making.

“I am confident that if we work together on this initiative, the business environment for MSMEs in our country will certainly improve significantly and by extension grow the economy.”

Also present at the event was Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola; the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole; Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Babatunde Fowler; among other government officials.

Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity
Office of the Vice President
November 30, 2017

Press Release: President Buhari Set To Participate in Counter-Terrorism Meeting in Jordan

President Muhammadu Buhari will December 2-3, 2017, join other Heads of State in Aqaba, Jordan, to review strategies in fighting terrorism, and reinforce joint security structures that will be more proactive in preventing attacks.

Tagged, AQABA RETREAT, the meeting, hosted by His Majesty, King Abdullah II of Jordan, is expected to be attended by West African Heads of State, representatives of governments of 48 countries and a number of key Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).

At the meeting, the President is expected to share Nigeria’s experience on terrorism and its spread across West Africa, with a view to soliciting more support for pre-emptive measures that will neutralise the activities of insurgents in the sub-region.

The Nigerian leader will also hold bilateral meetings with some Heads of State to strengthen relations.

President Buhari and his delegation will attend the official dinner to be hosted by King Abdullah II in honour of visiting Heads of State and their delegations.

The President will be accompanied to Jordan by the governors of Kogi, Osun and Niger States; the Ministers of Defence, Education, Foreign Affairs; the National Security Adviser, and the Acting Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency.

Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity)
November 30, 2017