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FIRSTBANK SPOTLIGHTING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE AGRICULTURE VALUE CHAIN

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BY OBINNA EMELIKE (BUSINESSDAY)

In 2017, the Nigerian agriculture sector witnessed a revolutionary discourse on the economic benefits of sustainable agriculture value-chain as an alternative source of economic development and foreign exchange with the launch of FirstBank Agric Expo. 

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It was a first-of-its-kind initiative that afforded the bank the opportunity to aggregate top players in the agricultural sector under one roof for easy relationship establishment, as well as, enlighten customers and prospects alike about FirstBank’s readiness to support their Agricultural businesses.

The event, which was oversubscribed by 100 percent in its maiden edition because of its relevance, also positioned the bank as a thought leader in the agricultural financing space in the country. For leading that discourse and opening the agricultural financing space, the bank’s agric portfolio recorded a growth of N11.65billion as a direct impact.

Riding on the success of the maiden edition, the bank has gone ahead to further engage key policy influencers, agriculture service providers, primary producers, exporters and top players in the agric value chain, among others in the 2018 edition, as well as promising a better engagement in this year’s edition of the expo.

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Considering the falling oil prices and the urgent need to diversify the economy, the FirstBank Agric Expo is imperative. Expressing his delight on FirstBank’s leading role at not just promoting Agriculture but diversifying the Nigerian economy, Adesola Adeduntan, CEO, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, sees opportunities beyond economic diversification in the non-oil sector, which agriculture leads. “As Nigeria expands opportunities in its non-oil sector, especially Agriculture, we remain committed to the growth of the agricultural sector and its contribution to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product”, the CEO said.

Also, the bank is venturing into the agric financing space in order to promote entrepreneurship and employment opportunities bearing in mind that agriculture has potential to take millions of unemployed off the streets when the right investment are made and thoroughly coordinated.

So, the bank is using the FirstBank Agric Expo, which is now in its third edition to “build the agribusiness economy, which is capable of delivering sustained prosperity by meeting domestic food security goals, generating exports, supporting sustainable income and creating employment opportunities”, Adeduntan assured.

Ironically, Nigeria, according to Audu Ogbeh, former Minister of Agriculture, spends about $22 billion annually to import food into the country.

But with sustained gains from the Agric Expo, more funds would be available to agric entrepreneurs to improve production, and reduce the high importation of food that has negatively impacted Nigeria’s Balance of Trade.

With more funding, the bank assured that Nigeria can be self-sufficient in producing things it has comparative advantage on, especially rice, the staple food, which can be grown across the country. 

As well, improved funding in the agric sector will result in more entrepreneurs, more investments, more hands in the farms, more food produced, huge foreign exchange earnings from exportation, as well as, less crime in the country. Though the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report stated that the value of agricultural exports rose by 115.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2018, the country can double the value if agric entrepreneurs are financed and guided, which makes the First Bank Agric Expo very imperative.

As a continuous financier of credit worthy agro-allied businesses, the bank is rolling out the drums once again to hold the third edition of the agric expo. Like the previous editions, the expo will hold on August 30, 2019 at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos with the theme, “Agricultural Value Chain – Spotlighting Opportunities and Managing Risks” and would have Professor Benedict Oramah, president, AFREXIM Bank, as the keynote speaker.

It will host over 600 delegates and over 60 exhibitors who will display the latest technology in farm equipment, tools and machineries, as well as, packaged finished agricultural produce, logistics and supply, thereby keeping the participants and sundry agribusiness practitioners abreast with new opportunities in the Agricultural industry.

Besides the plenary session, the expo will feature three masterclasses with in-depth analysis on specific areas of Agribusiness, facilitated by enterprising Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). The masterclass facilitators include; Leonard Anyanwu, Group Executive Director, Saro International Limited; Segun Ogunwale, Team Lead, Kominity Digital and Bamidele Ayemibo, Managing Director, 3T Impex Trade Centre, who will provide insight, as well as, share success stories and experiences.

For the agric entrepreneur looking to grow your business, there are many reasons to be at the expo as FirstBank has a large base of agribusiness clients across Nigeria who you will likely meet.

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Dangote crashes Diesel price to N1,000 per litre

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Dangote reacts to EFCC’s visit to its Headquarters

Dangote crashes Diesel price to N1,000 per litre

 

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In an unprecedented move, Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced a further reduction of the price of diesel from 1200 to 1,000 naira per litre.

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While rolling out the products, the refinery supplied at a substantially reduced price of N1,200 per litre three weeks ago, representing over 30 per cent reduction from the previous market price of about N1,600 per litre.

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This significant reduction in the price of diesel, at Dangote Petroleum Refinery, is expected to positively affect all the spheres of the economy and ultimately reduce the high inflation rate in the country.

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Coalition of Civil Society for Good Governance, Others Are Purveyors of falsehood Says AAS Legal Team As Jesam Micheal Exposes Their Sponsors (Video)

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Coalition of Civil Society for Good Governance, Others Are Purveyors of falsehood Says AAS Legal Team As Jesam Micheal Exposes Their Sponsors (Video)

 

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The lawyers of Afriq Arbitrage System, Barr. Obeten and Barr. Henry have called out the Coalition of Civil Society for Good Governance led by Comrade Okpanachi Jacob as Purveyors of falsehood.

 

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This is not unconnected to their ungodly collaboration with individuals like Prince Humble Eteng, Michael Okoh, Okoi Daniels, Engineer Awajioma who have been slammed with a ten million dollar Lawsuit for nefarious activities to injure the longstanding reputation the organisation has maintained on charges bothering on cyber bullying, attempt to life and property, lies and unlawful incitement and instigation against the CEO of the company , Jesam Micheal, his family and organisation.

 

In a global conference on Tuesday, April 16th, 2024, the legal representatives described their actions as inappropriate, unfounded and a campaign of calumny to malign the integrity of the organisation and management.

 

 

According to Barr. Obeten the matter is in court and the security agencies have picked Abayomi Olusesan who has admitted to committing the heinous crime of stealing investors funds to the tune of $87m. So why accuse the CEO, Jesam Micheal of defrauding the company of the said amount?

 

Speaking further, Barr Henry reiterated their stand to take legal actions against the group for being biassed despite knowing the truth and for misleading the general public by allowing themselves to be used by agents of falsehood.

 

In conclusion, the CEO of Afriq Arbitrage System, Jesam Micheal wondered why a reputable group like CCSGG could be used by Prince Humble Eteng, Michael Okoh and others. He showcased the official court documents which confirmed that Abayomi admitted stealing the investors fund to the tune of $87m which he said was also captured in video evidence. He revealed that some of the properties he bought with part of the money has been collected, remaining the main money which he promised to return to the company. However, after being granted bail, he reneged on his promises and was picked up again by the relevant authorities.

Sadly, his cohorts, Prince Humble who is not even an investors connived with MICHEAL OKOH, PRINCE HUMBLE ETENG,OKOI DENOCK, TOCHUKWU NWOYE, DINGCHI YARLING, Engineer Awajioma and Others to fabricate all sorts of lies against Jesam and AAS.

 

” We will not take the laws into our hands but they should be ready to face the wrath of the law of the land. These are the same people who dragged us to the security agencies and when we got there with facts they ran away and became fugitives, Out of frustrations, they devised a kangaroo world press conference to disseminate all manners of fabricated lies and deceits”

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Afriq Arbitrage System Slams $10 million Lawsuit Against Micheal Okoh, Prince Humble Eteng, Hajj Ibrahim, Engineer Awajioma and Others (Video)

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Jesam Micheal, the Rise of the Moon Among Stars, A Game Changer By Femi Oyewale 

Afriq Arbitrage System Slams $10 million Lawsuit Against Micheal Okoh, Prince Humble Eteng, Hajj Ibrahim, Engineer Awajioma and Others (Video)

 

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The board of directors of Afriq Arbitrage Systems after an emergency meeting condemned in strong terms the attitudes of Prince Humble Eteng, Michael Okoh, Okoi Daniels, Engineer Awajioma and others about their nefarious activities to injure the longstanding reputation the organisation has maintained and in a final resolution, resolved that the above parties be sued for defamation and has slammed a ten million dollar lawsuit with a suit number w/2011/2024 against them at the High court of the Federal capital territory in the Abuja judicial division on Monday, April 15th, 2024 on charges bothering on cyber bullying, attempt to life and property, lies and unlawful incitement and instigation against the CEO of the company , Jesam Micheal, his family and organisation.

 

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In the lawsuit through the legal representation of Jesam Michael and AAS by Barrister Ovat the service required the defendants to appear In court within 14 days, else judgement will be issued against them in absentia.

 

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It would be recalled that few days after series of cyber bullying against the CEO of Afriq Arbitrage System, Jesam Micheal and his Family by MICHEAL OKOH, PRINCE HUMBLE ETENG,OKOI DENOCK in collaboration with one TOCHUKWU NWOYE, DINGCHI YARLING, Godwin, Benjamin Uwanga and Findins, Jesam escaped assassination attempt as gunmen numbering over ten, armed with sophisticated weapons invaded his lounge in Lagos seeking for him.

 

Afriq Arbiritage System, Slams $10 million Lawsuit Against Micheal Okoh, Prince Humble Eteng, Hajj Ibrahim, Engineer Awajioma and Others (Video)

 

Information available to us revealed that when the hardened criminals invaded the lounge on Friday, April 5th, 2024 where Jesam was billed to address his workers, they were demanding for him and when they learnt he couldn’t make the meeting as expected, they descended on the staff and customers threatening to kill them in his stead. They also went away with the company’s properties such as laptops, equipment and gadgets of staffers and customers.

 

Micheal Okoh who has been ranting on Social media against the CEO of Afriq Arbiritage System has been exposed along with Prince Humble Eteng, Okoi Denock as partners in crime with Abayomi oluwasesan who is in prison for defrauding the financial platform to the tune of $87 million dollars

 

According to reports, Micheal Okoh is an investor in AAS who has benefited from the scheme and has withdrawn over three thousand dollars which he never disclosed to his gullible followers until the evidence was uncovered and exposed to the community.

 

Aside from that, information revealed that Micheal Okoh, Prince Humble And Okoi Denock have been working in tandem with Abayomi in plotting the loot from AAS and threatening the life of Jesam Michael and his family. In a series of life threatening messages the plotters swear to eliminate him and his family for standing on the path of truth, justice and for arresting Abayomi in recovering the loot. Also, these revelations are not unconnected to the fact that these people engineered Abayomi not to return investors money back to the community.

 

However, the long arm of the law will soon reach them as Abayomi who has willingly confessed to the heinous crime he committed to the company is arrested and taken to court where he is Remanded and Micheal Okoh and his cohorts we learnt are also on the radar of the security operatives for collaboration and cyber bullying.

 

 

 

Sadly, the threat to life of the CEO and his family by these people should not be taken lightly as just as Mr Micheal Okoh said in his video that he will bring him down, same day, gunmen were sent to invade AAS lounge on the same day he was to address his workers for the year.

 

 

According to the security officer of the company, the ugly incident has never happened before on any of their investments until this brazen threats from Mr Okoh and others.

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