15 small business owners in Nigeria get N75 million from Google’s Hustle Academy

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15 small business owners in Nigeria get N75 million from Google’s Hustle Academy 

Google’s Hustle Academy has awarded a combined N75 million to 15 small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in Nigeria. 

The SMBs will also get mentorship and regular support from Google’s initiative. 

A statement from Google on Thursday read: 

“Alongside the graduation, 15 SMBs have been chosen to receive support from the 75 Million Naira Hustle Academy Fund. This initiative aims to provide a combination of financial assistance, mentorship, and business tool access to some of the most promising Nigerian SMBs.” 

 

List of Recipients 

The recipients represent various industries and demonstrate the creativity of Nigerian entrepreneurs:

1. Ifeoma Augusta Anselem – Rae’s Clothing  

2. Femi Bolaji – Wauley Projects Limited  

3. Nafisa Abdulrazaq Sabo – Pinch N’ Dash 

4. Funmilola Moronke Agbayewa – Segunfunmi foods Nigeria Limited  

5. Chigozie Bashua – The Nut Place Limited 

6. John Samuel Andefiki – Kita Farm 

7. Hussaini Aliyu Baba – Lead Way Family Poultry  

8. Aminu Abdulkarim – A.A.K. Shoes 

9. Constance Ufuoma Edesiri – Stance Fashion Empire 

10. Chikere Onyinyechi Breakthrough – Clozetsales 

11. Anita Aletor – Rotela Business Synergy 

12. Ojo Femi Christopher – Foodlane ventures 

13. Angela Jidechukwu Nwabueze – Jelapetra Farms Ltd 

14. Eniola Robert – Ennie Wears  

15. Blessing Akpan – Inyene Agro Processing Factory Ltd 

Graduation ceremony for 5300 SMBS 

Also, it was announced that 5,300 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMBs) successfully graduated from Google’s Hustle Academy, demonstrating their dedication to improving their business acumen and expertise. 

Since the program’s inception in 2022, more than 10,300 entrepreneurs have taken part, and the commencement ceremony signifies the program’s prolonged influence. 

Developed to tackle the unique obstacles encountered by SMBs in Africa, the Hustle Academy programme provides these companies with strategic alliances and operational support.

As an expanding community of businesses committed to ongoing development and learning, this year’s graduation builds upon the momentum established with last year’s 5,000 graduates.

Quoted in the statement, Google West Africa Country Director, Olumide Balogun, said: 

“The passion and resilience shown by these SMBs are truly inspiring. The Hustle Academy is a testament to what focused training and resources can achieve. We are not just celebrating their graduation today; we are recognizing their potential to reshape and invigorate the Nigerian business landscape.” 

Tinubu Appoints Akawor As RMAFC Federal Commissioner

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Tinubu Appoints Akawor As RMAFC Federal Commissioner

The confirmation is subject to the approval of the Senate

President Bola Tinubu

 

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Ambassador Desmond Akawor to serve as a Federal Commissioner of the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

The confirmation is subject to the approval of the Senate, the presidential spokesman said in a statement on Thursday.

“The new RMAFC Federal Commissioner, who represents Rivers State, is being appointed following the tragic demise of the immediate past RMAFC Federal Commissioner from Rivers State, Hon. Asondu Wenah Temple earlier this month,” 

the statement read.

The President urged the new Federal Commissioner to deploy his robust experience across tiers of government toward the comprehensive reformation of processes that will ensure the most efficient and productive utilization of allocations to all three tiers of government in Nigeria.

Prior to the latest appointment, Ambassador Akawor served in various capacities as Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Korea; and Minister of State of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

He also served as the Sole Administrator of the Greater Port Harcourt Development Authority; Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta River Basin Development Authority, and Executive Director, the Nigerian Ports Authority (Engineering & Technical Services).

Source: Channel TV

Police Capture Seven Over Kano Protest

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Police Capture Seven Over Kano Protest

Gumel consoled the general public of security efforts set up, encouraging inhabitants to continue with their legal exercises.

The Kano State Commissioner of Police, Husaini Gumel.

 

In the wake of the Court of Appeal’s decision that affirmed the sacking of Governor Abba-Kabir Yusuf from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Kano State witnessed a surge of public unrest.

The Kano State Police Order affirmed the capture of seven people straightforwardly engaged with the protest, revealing insight into the circumstance.

Kano State Police Commissioner, Mr. Hussaini Gumel, in an explanation on Wednesday night, uncovered the subtleties encompassing the captures. He expressed, "We have prevailed with regards to halting the nonconformists and we have captured seven of them.

"We have conveyed Army cops in the area; we have since started a serious investigation and we will refresh you at the appointed time."

Gumel consoled the general public of security efforts set up, encouraging inhabitants to continue with their legal exercises.

He focused, "I'm interesting to occupants not to hold back to answer to the closest security outfit any individual or gathering taking part in any type of protest in and outside the city for brief activity."

The fights, drove by displeased appealing of the NNPP, appeared in the roads of Kano. Their response was set off by the appeal court's judgment bringing about the expulsion of the Governor, igniting dispute among appealing of the party.

The circumstance has stayed tense in the state, provoking elevated watchfulness from policing security organizations to prevent any further disturbance.

This improvement has made way for an unpredictable political environment in Kano, with residents enthusiastically anticipating further updates and potential ramifications coming about because of the Governor's excusal.

Before very long, the emphasis will be on the reaction from political circles and people in general as the outcome of the court administering keeps on unfurling, possibly reshaping the political scene of Kano State.

My Name Deserves To Be In Guinness World Records – Tinubu

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My Name Deserves To Be In Guinness World Records – Tinubu

The President quipped that he was determined to actively pursue the inclusion of his name in the revered Guinness World Records (GWR).

President Tinubu speaks at the 10th German-Nigerian Business Forum.

 

President Bola Tinubu says his past exploits paved the way for his emergence as president and that he deserves to be listed in the Guinness World Records (GWR).

Speaking to a group of investors on Tuesday at the 10th German-Nigerian Business Forum, Tinubu credited his success to overcoming investment obstacles in Nigeria.

The President said noteworthy accomplishments should be acknowledged and quipped that he was determined to actively pursue the inclusion of his name in the revered Guinness World Records (GWR).

“If you have the fear of various hurdles, just look at me — I am from the private sector, one of you. I was trained by Deloitte and worked for ExxonMobil until I got to become the treasurer of the corporation. So, define corporate governance in any way, and I am in it,” he said.

The former Lagos governor also stated that during his eight-year tenure, he successfully transformed the state from ground zero to become the fifth-largest economy in Africa.

“I governed Lagos for eight consecutive years and, today, I can brag, beat my chest that Lagos is on the horizon; it’s the fifth-largest economy in Africa from zero,” Tinubu said.

“That is a track record that I can use to assure you and that is the track record that got me into this office as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Emphasising his commitment to reforms, he humorously remarked that if not recognised, he would strive to insert himself into the Guinness Book of Records for his achievements as Nigeria’s president.

“Nigeria voted for me for reforms and from day one of my inauguration, I started the reforms. To me, if you didn’t mention me in the Guinness Book of Records, I’d strive to find a way to insert myself because I did it without expectation,” he said.

Source: Channel TV

‘Like Battle’: Indian Rescuers Strive To Free 41 Trapped Workers

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‘Like Battle’: Indian Rescuers Strive To Free 41 Trapped Workers

Rescue teams have specially fitted stretchers with wheels, ready to pull the exhausted men out through 57 metres (187 feet) of steel pipe -- once it is driven through the final section of the tonnes of earth, concrete and rubble blocking their escape.

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State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) personnel walk into the tunnel as rescue operation enters its final phase, to free workers trapped in the Silkyara under construction road tunnel, days after a portion of it collapsed in the Uttarkashi district of India’s Uttarakhand state on November 23, 2023. No

 

Ambulances were on standby Thursday as Indian rescuers dug through the final metres of debris separating them from 41 workers trapped in a collapsed road tunnel for nearly two weeks.

Rescue teams have specially fitted stretchers with wheels, ready to pull the exhausted men out through 57 metres (187 feet) of steel pipe — once it is driven through the final section of the tonnes of earth, concrete and rubble blocking their escape.

Emergency vehicles and a field hospital stood ready, AFP journalists at the site said, preparing to receive the men who have been trapped since a portion of the under-construction tunnel in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand caved in 12 days ago.

“We have done rehearsals on how to get people safely out,” National Disaster Response Force chief Atul Karwal told reporters Thursday.

“The boys will go in first,” he said. “We have put wheels under the stretchers so that when we go in, we can get the people out one by one on the stretcher — we are prepared in every way.”

But rescue efforts have been hit with repeated delays, including more debris falling, fears of further cave-ins and drilling machine breakdowns, as progress on Thursday was slowed by further mechanical problems.

 ‘Himalayan Geology is the Enemy’ 

“The 10 to 12 metres (32 to 39 feet) remaining… we don’t know what can come up, but we are ready to handle it,” Karwal said, adding that the trapped men were “keeping up their morale”.

Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the work was on a “war footing”, with a “team of doctors, ambulances, helicopters and a field hospital” set up.

Syed Ata Hasnain, a senior National Disaster Management Authority official, refused to say when the men might be freed.

“This is like battle,” the retired general told reporters. “You cannot put a timeline on it. In battle, you don’t know what the enemy is going to do.

“Here, the land is your enemy. 

Himalayan geology is the enemy… it is very challenging work.”

Experts have warned about the impact of extensive construction in Uttarakhand, large parts of which are prone to landslides.

“The rescuers and the workers stuck inside are at equal risk,” Hasnain added.

Prayers for Safe Release 

Inside the Silkyara tunnel entrance, an AFP journalist said the site was a flurry of activity.

Worried relatives have gathered outside the site, where a Hindu shrine has been erected, with a priest holding prayers for the safe rescue of the trapped men.

“The day they will come out of the tunnel, it will be the biggest, happiest day for us,” said Chanchal Singh Bisht, 35, whose 24-year-old cousin Pushkar Singh Ary is trapped inside.

In case the route through the main tunnel entrance does not work, rescuers also started blasting and drilling from the far end of the unfinished tunnel, nearly half a kilometre (over a quarter of a mile) long.

Preparations have also been made for a risky vertical shaft directly above.

The workers were seen alive for the first time on Tuesday, peering into the lens of an endoscopic camera sent by rescuers down a thin pipe through which air, food, water and electricity are being delivered.

Though trapped, they have plenty of space, with the area inside 8.5 metres high and stretching about two kilometres in length.

The tunnel is part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s infrastructure project aimed at cutting travel times between some of the most popular Hindu sites in the country, as well as improving access to strategic areas bordering rival China.

Source: Channel TV

Reps Endorse 2024-2026 Medium Term Expenditure Framework

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Reps Endorse 2024-2026 Medium Term Expenditure Framework

The green chamber additionally endorse exchange rate of N700, N665.61 and N669.79 to USD$1 proposed by the leader for the period.

 House of Representatives. 

 

The House of Representatives on Tuesday approved the 2024-2026 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP).

The House endorsed a benchmark oil cost of USD$73.96, $73.76 and $69.90 per barrel, daily crude oil raw production of 1.78 mbps, 1.80 mbps, and 1.81 mbps, for 2024, 2025, and 2026 individually.

The green chamber additionally endorse exchange rate of N700, N665.61 and N669.79 to USD$1 proposed by the leader for the period: 2024 - 2026.

The lower chamber proposed the GDP (Gross domestic product) development rates at 3.76%, 4.22%, and 4.78% during the years 2024, 2025, and 2026 with an expansion pace of 21.40% in 2024, 20.30% in 2025, and 18.60% in 2026.

The MTEF/FSP document’s ancillary parameters for 2024–2026 were maintained as follows:

a) FGN recommended spending n26 trillion, with n16.9 trillion in retained revenue.

(b) A N9 trillion budget deficit.

(c) N7.8 trillion in new borrowings.

(d) N1.3 trillion worth of statutory transfers.

(e) An estimated n8.2 trillion in debt service.

(f) N243.6 billion in the sinking fund.

(g) N1.27 trillion in pension, gratuity, and retiree benefits.

(h) Total recurrent (non-debt) of N10.2 trillion; personnel costs (mdas) of N4.49 trillion; capital expenditure (exclusive of transfers) of N5.9 trillion.

The House likewise endorsed the proposal of its boards on finance, loan, and debts management that having found that the subsidiaries  of the Nigerian Postal (NIPOST) Service so made are sporadic and unlawful, they would be twisted up and deregistered immediately.

The House likewise said that the amount of N10 billion delivered by the Ministry of Financial for the proposed NIPOST rebuilding and recapitalisation be examined and the assets completely recuperated whenever laid out to be foolishly used.

The lawmakers also said that all tax waivers not directly linked to non-governmental/non-profit organisations should not be granted, while all tax waivers from 2015 to date should be investigated by the relevant committee of the House.

With X’s Musk Under Fire, Biden Joins Rival Threads

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With X’s Musk Under Fire, Biden Joins Rival Threads

"Folks, it's President Biden," said his first post, which he made on his 81st birthday. "You're hearing from me today from a new platform but my message to you hasn't changed."

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US President Joe Biden addresses the nation on the conflict between Israel and Gaza and the Russian invasion of Ukraine from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on October 19, 2023.

 

US President Joe Biden on Monday joined Threads, Meta’s social media rival to Elon Musk’s X, just days after the White House blasted the tech baron for pushing anti-Semitism.

“Folks, it’s President Biden,” said his first post, which he made on his 81st birthday. “You’re hearing from me today from a new platform but my message to you hasn’t changed.”

“I don’t see a dark, dismal, divided future for America,” Biden added. “I see an America about to take off.”

Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta, the home of Facebook and Instagram, launched Threads in July in a bid to depose Musk’s X, then known as Twitter, as the go-to platform for celebrities, companies and governments to make public statements.

The White House confirmed it had launched Threads accounts for the president, First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, her husband Douglas Emhoff and the White House itself in English and Spanish.

“Threads is an additional way we can communicate with the American people about this administration’s historic actions to create 14 million jobs, lower prescription drug costs, and protect freedoms and more,” a White House official said.

The official added that the launch had been in the works for several weeks.

But Biden’s debut on the platform comes only three days after a White House spokesman condemned Musk, the world’s richest person, for the “abhorrent promotion” of an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory.

Advertisers have also deserted X after the controversial Tesla and SpaceX tycoon last week replied to an anti-Semitic post on the platform with the words: “You have said the actual truth.”

The White House repeated its condemnation of Musk on Monday, but said there were no plans as yet to change US proposals to use a version of his Starship rocket for future Moon landings.

“That doesn’t mean that we accept or agree with or condone, in any way, that anti-Semitic rhetoric that he pushed,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told a briefing.

Meanwhile White House communications director Ben LaBolt promoted the president’s first Threads post — on X.

Source: Channel TV