Thread by @toluogunlesi

.@NigeriaGov Policy Highlights of 2021, starting with the first half.

[Got myself reacquainted with Facebook in the last 6 months. Much of what will follow has already made its debut there]

A long-ish thread (might take time to finish because we’re in Ogun today for #PMBinOgun)

Signing Ceremony of OML 118 Agreements between @NNPCgroup and Contractor Parties (Shell, Exxon, TOTAL and NAOC), to settle longstanding disputes on the field and also renew production for twenty years. NNPC says the dispute resolution will unlock $10bn of new investment.

Digital Switch Over (DSO) launch in Lagos, marking the transition from analogue to digital television broadcasting in the country’s most populous State (and nation’s commercial hub).

Microsoft launched a 3-pillar partnership with @NigeriaGov, covering connectivity (high-speed internet infra), skilling (upskilling 5m Nigerian over 3 years) and digital transformation (cloud-based tools to support fight against corruption; and protection of cultural heritage)

First Instalment of Ibori Loot received by @NigeriaGov from the UK Government (£4.2 million). It was committed to the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (#PIDFund), for investment in the Second Niger Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway & Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Expressway.

‘DEEP BLUE’ Maritime Security Project completed and commissioned; a multiagency collaboration led by @nimasaofficial. Comprising 3 Special Mission Helicopters, 2 SM Aircraft, 4 UAVs, 2 SM Vehicles, 17 Interceptor Boats, 16 Armored Vehicles and a Command & Control Center.

Plant Variety Protection Law (PVPL) assented to by PMB. According to experts, “The legislation brings Nigerian IP law further in line with international norms and it will benefit both Nigerians & Int’l companies... will attract new investment into the country’s seed industry.”

.@icrcng handed over Certificate of Compliance for @NigeriaGov’s Highway Development and Maintenance Initiative (HDMI) to @FMWHNIG. This was followed by the official Bid Opening Ceremony for the Value-Added Concession component of the HDMI. Twelve roads covered in first Phase.

The Nigerian Navy's brand new Landing Ship Tank (LST), a 100-meter long roll-on-roll-off landing craft, underwent its launching in Sharjah, UAE.

The last time Nigeria commissioned LSTs was in 1979. (@kfayemi’s PhD thesis highlights that generation of defence procurements)

86 new freight trains arrived Nigeria from China, for use on the new standard gauge rail lines. (Note that >600km of standard gauge rail lines already revamped / newly-constructed under PMB, for passengers & freight—and contracts approved for more than 1,000km of new lines).

DPR—later unbundled into Nig. Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Comm. (NUPRC) and Nig Midstream & Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA)—issued a Licence to Establish (LTE) to UTM Offshore Ltd for Nigeria’s first-ever floating Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) production plant.

Nigerian Communications Commission @NgComCommission signed MoU with Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) for use of the C-Band spectrum of the Nigerian Communications Satellite systems for 5G services in Nigeria; paving the way for rollout of 5G in the country.

Federal Executive Council (FEC) Approved establishment of the Nigeria Investment and Growth Fund (NIGFUND) - a multi-billion dollar investment fund set up and owned by the FGN but to be wholly funded and run by the private sector.

National Diaspora Policy adopted by Federal Executive Council (FEC), to formalize relations between Govt and the estimated 17 million Nigerians in diaspora. (Has since been followed by news of planned establishment of a Diaspora Intervention Fund to support @nidcom_gov’s mandate)

Completion and Commissioning of @NDDCOfficialNGR and @OfficialNCDMB Headquarters buildings, in Port Harcourt and Yenagoa respectively. The new NDDC HQ has been under construction since the mid-1990s; the new NCDMB HQ project includes a new, dedicated 10MW power plant).

President Buhari flagged-off construction on @nigeriaLNG Train 7 project (valued in excess of $10 billion), more than 12 years after Train 6 was completed.

.@NigeriaGov flagged-off freight services on the newly revamped Itakpe-Warri Standard Gauge Rail Line, with the transport of pipelines for the 600km+ AKK gas project.

President Buhari approved funding for the construction of Oxygen production plants in 38 locations across the country (one per State and the FCT; two in Lagos), as part of the health infrastructure response to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Nigeria’s Sovereign Wealth Fund, NSIA signed agreement with @ocpgroup of Morocco, Akwa Ibom Govt, @NNPCgroup, GACN, @OfficialNCDMB and @FEPSAN for development of a $1.4B Ammonia and Diammonium phosphate plant in Akwa Ibom that will utilize Nigerian gas and Moroccan phosphate.

ANOH Gas Processing Company, an Incorporated Joint Venture between Seplat and @NNPCgroup (NGC), successfully raised US$260m in debt to fund the completion of its Gas Processing Plant in Imo State.

.@cenbank and Bankers Committee signed contracts for restoration of National Theatre, Lagos, and development of the premises (including 44 hectares of adjoining land) into a world-class Creative Park that will support young Nigerians in Film, Fashion, Music & IT.

Work ongoing.

PMB approved estab of a Public-Private Partnership Infrastructure company (“InfraCo”) with initial seed capital of N1 Trillion. Infra-Co will be wholly dedicated to Nigeria’s infrastructure development. VP Osinbajo tasked with chairing Steering Committee to operationalize InfraCo

President Buhari appointed:

—New Service Chiefs for Army, Navy and Air Force; and new IG of @PoliceNG

—New @officialEFCC Chair, 40 year old Abdulrasheed Bawa. Also first non-police Chairman in history of Commission.

—New Chair/CE for @ndlea_nigeria, Brig Gen MB Marwa (Rtd)

Completion and Commissioning of @realREANigeria’s Energizing Education Programme (EEP) at ATBU (Bauchi) and FUPRE (Delta). A 1.2MW solar hybrid power plant delivered at ATBU, a 1.35MW solar hybrid power plant delivered at FUPRE.

[EEP is a @NigeriaGov initiative tasked with developing off-grid, dedicated and independent power plants, as well as rehabilitating existing distribution infrastructure, to supply clean and reliable power to 37 Federal Universities and 7 affiliated University Teaching Hospitals].

[In addition, it is providing street lighting for illumination and safety, as well as a world-class renewables training centre at each of the EEP beneficiary institutions].

President Buhari approved the postings of 95 Ambassadors-Designate to Nigerian Missions around the world. Including Nigeria's first-ever female Ambassador to the USA.

Governor of Rivers State acknowledged receipt of the largest-ever Federal road refund (78 billion Naira) to any State, approved by President Buhari.

In line with Section 867 of the recently-amended Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020, Minister of Trade and Investment @NiyiAdebayo_ approved the Companies Regulations 2021, to guide the conduct & regulation of Companies’ Registration under the Act.

.@cenbank issued approved Framework for Regulatory Sandbox Operations in Nigeria.

(A Regulatory Sandbox “is a formal process for firms to conduct live tests of new, innovative products, services, delivery channels, or business models in a controlled environment…”)

E-ticketing went live on Abuja - Kaduna Standard Gauge Rail Line. A 100% locally-developed solution, by @secureidltd and @TPSsolution.

.@cenbank announced 12-month extension of the 5% per annum interest rate dispensation for CBN interventions, to Feb2022. (Reduction of interest on all CBN interventions from 9% p/a to 5% was initially introduced March 2020, as part of economic stimulus response to COVID pandemic)