Oworonshoki-Apapa Expressway: Tinubu commends Dangote, describes project 10th Wonder of the World

…We consider this project CSR – Dangote

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has described the newly commissioned Oworonshoki-Apapa Expressway as the Tenth Wonder of the World.

This is just as he commended the President of Dangote Industries Limited, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, for his selflessness in actualising the project.

President Tinubu, represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, enthused that the 37-kilometer road, which commenced in 2018 by the former administration and completed in 2024, is a win for all Nigerians.

He explained that the importance of Lagos State to Nigeria makes it very vital and as such must work for the benefit of all.

According to him: “Lagos is home to all, I thank Aliko Dangote for coming up with this initiative and in partnership with HiTech have delivered the Tenth Wonder of The World.

“Lagos is not the only state experiencing growth and development under the renewed hope agenda. I also congratulate the Minister of Works David Umahi for his passionate commitment to structural development across Nigeria,” he said.

Speaking on the “extremely poor” condition of the road before December 2018, Dangote stressed that the road “severely hampered the evacuation of goods and restricted access to the markets, paralyzing the shipping and manufacturing industries and disrupting supply chains across the entire economic landscape.

“Before the completion of this road, it used to take two weeks before we get to the port, and in about 18 months, we lost over N60bn in demurrage…The successful completion of this project is an example of the positive impact that can be achieved when the public sector collaborates with the private sector.” Dangote said

“Utilising the visionary framework of Executive Order 007 in Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme, the Dangote Group has been able to mobilise capital for the complete refurbishment of the entire 37 kilometers length of Apapa-Isolo-Oworonshoki road and its expansion to 10 lanes.”

Dangote added that the Group was privileged to partner with the Federal Government in the transformative efforts, reaffirming its commitment to national development and prosperity.

He also stated that the scheme must be revisited to make it more viable for the private sector participants. “In this case, we have so far recovered only 40 percent of our investments and the balance is not due until 2027, we consider this project merely as Corporate Social Responsibility.

“We believe that a more commercial interest rate recovery should be allowed given the high cost of capital in the Nigerian fiscal environment,” he said.

In his remarks, Engr Umahi also commended the Dangote Group for delivering a well-executed project, adding that the quality of the Dangote Cement is a testament to the value seen on the road.

“I was once trapped for 8 hours on my way to the airport and so, I understand how terrible the road was. We are celebrating this project today because it was well done and a display of new technology. It is fully completed with solar-powered streetlights.

“In the same vein, the Third Mainland Bridge wasn’t just another rehabilitation work, a road that has been standing for about 40 years… to ensure that our bridges last longer, I’m happy to announce that Mr. President has approved the ban on the excavation of sands 10 kilometers from bridges across Nigeria.”

The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat revealed that about 20 companies had relocated from the Apapa axis of the state owing to the condition of the road, “…the state of the road is unimaginable. We are grateful to Aliko Dangote, HiTech for the excellent job they did. It used to take over seven hours to drive from one end of the road to the other, it now takes around an hour,” he said.

Optiva Capital’s Dr. Kimemia Ignites Empowerment Movement at SheCan 5.0

The SheCan Conference 5.0 reached new heights over the weekend as thousands of women and young girls gathered for a day of empowerment, mentorship, and networking. Sponsored by Optiva Capital Partners, the event showcased a diverse lineup of speakers from various fields, making it the most memorable SheCan conference yet.

Dr. Kimemia, the CEO of Optiva Capital Partners, delivered an inspiring address on ‘Positioning for More’ in one’s career. She emphasized the importance of self-worth, motivation, and service in achieving career success. “You must have self-worth and believe in yourselves. You must believe in your ability to excel and get to the destination that you have set for yourselves,” she urged the attendees. Reflecting on her personal life story, Dr. Kimemia also highlighted the critical role of girl child education in promoting gender equality and women empowerment, stressing its ripple effect on families, communities, and society.

L-R Shaffy Bello, Actress; Optiva Capital Partners CEO, Dr. Jane Kimemia; SheCan Convener, Ezinne Ezeani; Founder, Lifecard International Limited, Grace Ofure Ibhakhomu; and Audrey Joe-Ezigbo, Deputy Managing Director, Falcon Corporation at the SheCan Conference 5.0 in Lagos.

The event began with a powerful rendition of the national anthem by singer Sandra Osamor, setting a tone of inspiration and patriotism. The anthem’s lyrics, especially those addressing the youth, resonated deeply with the audience, reinforcing the conference’s message of nation-building and the importance of youth involvement.

The SheCan Conference, now in its fifth year, brought together an array of speakers, including wealth management experts, financial advisors, entrepreneurial leaders, energy specialists, motivational speakers, and even a comedian who used humor to impart life-changing lessons on decision-making. This diverse mix ensured a comprehensive and engaging experience for all participants.
Ezinne Ezeani, founder of SheCan Nigeria, expressed her gratitude to Optiva Capital Partners and other sponsors for their continued support and belief in the organization’s vision. “We are thankful to Optiva Capital Partners and other companies for being our headline sponsor and helping us create an impactful platform for women to thrive,” she said.

Other notable SheCan Nigeria partners that graced the conference include, Wema Bank, Nigerian National Petroleum Limited and a host of others. The conference also had Audrey Joe-Ezigbo, Deputy Managing Director, Falcon Corporation, Grace Ofure Ibhakhomu, Founder, Lifecard International Limited and many others as speakers at the event.

Optiva Capital Partners is a premier wealth management company, and Africa’s largest firm in investment immigration. The company also specializes in investment advisory, insurance, and international real estate. Their commitment to empowering women aligns with the goals of SheCan Nigeria, a vibrant social movement dedicated to helping women achieve their full potential through collaboration and empowerment.

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FIRSTBANK PARTNERS WITH PROPARCO ON CLIMATE PERFORMANCE

First Bank of Nigeria Limited, in partnership with Proparco, a Development Finance Institution is mainstreaming climate initiatives into its business operations and strategy. This is aimed at achieving a holistic integration of climate action on Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions reduction through an articulated strategic pathway to position the Bank as an African Climate Bank.

The 130-year-old financial institution is currently implementing a mechanism to calculate its operational emissions across all its branches and offices. This includes calculating data on electricity use, diesel use, water consumption, waste management approach, fuel consumption, business travels, etcetera to determine the Bank’s emission baseline and innovative opportunities for operational emissions reduction. FirstBank is developing the required capabilities and competencies by investing in its employees and the right infrastructure for integrating climate action in the Bank.

In a two-day partnership strategy workshop sessions with IPC and Valoris, consultants from Austria engaged by Proparco in the climate mainstreaming project, FirstBank’s climate journey across all areas of implementation was reviewed to determine progress and empower strategic departments across the Bank’s operations, including: the Credit Risk teams; Human Capital Management & Development (HCMD); FirstAcademy, the Bank’s  learning institute; Corporate Banking; Personal Banking; SME Banking; Procurement; Branch Operations and General Services teams to deepen the understanding of climate risks in their processes.

The six workstreams for the implementation include: Identification of financed and avoided emissions to support reporting; supporting the measurement and analysis of operating emissions; integration of physical climate risk assessment; opportunity analysis; climate strategy and policy development; capacity building amongst staff to support strategy implementation.

Dr Martin Steindl, Managing Director, Valoris, Austria, said, “Amongst our various engagements with financial institutions on climate mainstreaming, FirstBank is the only organization that has been able to provide data both on the assets’ location of their portfolio and head offices of their clients. I am impressed with the progress we have collectively achieved.”

Reinforcing the Bank’s commitment to mainstreaming climate initiatives, the Ag. Chief Risk Officer, FirstBank, Patrick Akhidenor said ‘’FirstBank is intentional about redefining its climate footprint. We are identifying opportunities in climate finance to improve our portfolio and reduce the carbon emissions associated with our processes and operations. The Bank is executing a financed emissions calculation mechanism as well as creating climate finance opportunities, such as renewable energy and energy efficiency products for our customers.”

Nigeria has committed to reducing its GHG emissions to 20 percent by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2060. While this is ambitious, it sets the tone for businesses in Nigeria to at least support their GHG emissions reduction strategy with national plans and target. FirstBank is committed to achieving this goal and this is evident as the bank is a signatory to the Africa Business Leaders’ Climate Statement released in 2022 at COP 27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt by the Africa Business Leaders Coalition (ABLC).