FRI FEB 23: #GovtAtWorkNG TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: President Muhammadu Buhari received the Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Ikenwoli, and a delegation of Delta State indigenes including former Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan and the Chairman of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, at the State House. President Muhammadu Buhari received the Ohinoyi of Ebira land, His Royal Majesty Dr Ado Ibrahim Atta III, and other Kogi State delegates, at the State House in Abuja. INFORMATION: President Muhammadu Buhari has assured the families of students reportedly abducted from the Government Girls Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State, that no effort will be spared to bring succour to them. The Presidential Committee on the North-East Initiative (PCNI) partnered with Pro Health Impact, an NGO, to carry out their medical outreach for IDPs. It involved inspecting hospital wards and providing medical services. This is ahead of the North-East Makeathon pitch stage in Abuja (24 February) and Yola (2 March). The Nigerian Army refuted claims that the Operation Deep Punch II was halted to allowed Boko Haram Leader, Abubakar Shekau, escape. Read full press statement here https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1392237340888587&id=354312648014400 The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) launched the Switch-On of Digital Terrestrial Services in Osun State, at the NTA Osogbo Premises. The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has received additional laboratory support from the Public Health Agency of Canada and Paessler Group in the University of Texas Medical Health Branch (UTMB). The support is geared towards controlling the Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria. Statistician General of the Federation, Yemi Kale revealed that the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) will publish the 2017 fourth quarter and 2017 Full Year Gross Domestic Product Report, on Tuesday 27th February 2018 at 9 am. The Athletics Federation of Nigeria has released the team list of athletes and coaches expected to represent Nigeria at the 21st Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia. The team comprises of both home and foreign based athletes, chosen strictly on merit. See full list here>>>> https://twitter.com/AFNNGA/status/966750330276007936 Check the published January 2017 Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) Report here>>> www.nigerianstat.gov.ng. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has published the Lassa Fever situation report as at 18 February, 2018. View the update here>>> http://ncdc.gov.ng/…/s…/aa28fc50dc99cb312b2e9160e852fd04.pdf The Nigerian Army will give out a 3 Million Naira cash reward for any credible information that leads to the arrest of factional Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau. Anybody with credible Info should contact any military location, or call the Nigerian Army Call Centre on 193. As part of its on-going Operation DEEP PUNCH II, the Nigerian Army is consolidating its hold on Sambisa Forest, by building roads and other facilities. It has just constructed a borehole in Sabil Huda in the Forest, for the use of troops and adjoining communities. The Nigerian Army began Exercise Ayem Akpatuma in order to tackle the cases of kidnappings, herdsmen/farmers’ clashes among others. This exercise covering Benue, Taraba, Kogi, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Niger states, will run till March 31, 2018. You can apply for Government Enterprise and Empowerment Program (GEEP) Market Money online via BOI Nigeria portal – http://apply.marketmoni.com.ng. To qualify, you must: belong to a registered association or corporative, have a valid BVN, and an existing business. The new edition of the PODECast Newsletter is out, visit: https://us13.campaign-archive.com/… Sign up for the Aso Villa Newsletter here: https://t.co/eoJOuRtWve

President Muhammadu Buhari received the Ohinoyi of Ebira land, HRM Dr Ado Ibrahim Atta 111, at the State House in Abuja.

Aso Villa Reads for 23/2/18 Everyday, we bring you the best stories the media is reporting about the Government of Nigeria. As Nigeria’s economy continues to improve, investors have become “more relaxed” about the country and are more willing to invest within Nigeria’s economic climate. According to Steve Brice, Chief Investment Strategist at Standard Chartered, the economy has improved and such that foreign investors are not as uncertain now as they were in 2016. This was reported on Business Day (Friday 23 February 2018, page 4) The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is working with Facebook to find avenues to increase voter education and keep citizens engaged during the election process to achieve peaceful elections in 2019. The large membership base of Nigerians on Facebook has motivated efforts by the two stakeholders to enable digital engagement of citizens on 2019 election processes, activities and information. Full details by Premium Times Nigeria on https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/259639-facebook-offers-help-nigerian-voter-education.html/amp?__twitter_impression=true Business Day (Friday 23 February 2018, page 6) reports that the Federal Government is set to launch its Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) laboratory next month. Also, the government is aiming to position itself on the 100th ranking, on the World Bank Ease of Doing Business Ranking by 2020 and to achieve this; it is set to invest in various projects worth $25 billion. The National Council of State approved the sum of $1 billion for agricultural investments across the country. The sum will be used mainly for crops, livestock, and farmers. This sum is an increase from the initial $200 million amount set for agricultural investment. Details are provided by The Guardian news on https://guardian.ng/business-services/council-of-state-okays-1-billion-for-agric-livestock-others/ The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursed a total of N655.18 billion to the three arms of government in January 2018. This is a 7.41% increase from the sum disbursed in December 2017 and signifies increase in revenue generation in Nigeria. This report is according to Business Day (Friday 23 February 2018, page 34). According to Daily Trust, the employment rate in Banks has increased as staff strength in banks has risen from 70,960 workers to 90,453 workers in Nigeria. Prior to the period between 2016 and early 2017, there were huge job losses in the banking sector, however the r5ecovery from recession provided job opportunities to the populace, causing increased employment rate from the 3rd quarter of 2017. Details are found at https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/banks-staff-strength-rose-by-19-493-workers-in-4-years--data.html Business Day http://www.businessdayonline.com/nigeria-dealmaking-off-record-start-2018-deals-hit-1-2bn-2/ reports that about $1.27 billion has been the returns on Mergers and Acquisition in the country for 2018, making it the highest level of returns on M&A that Nigeria has had since 2008. Nigeria has bagged the record for highest private equity deals in the whole of Africa for the last five years due to the availability of ample investment opportunities in the country. With a total of 112.14 deals worth $7.8 billion within the 5-year period, Nigeria beat South-Africa and Kenya to bag the record. This is reported by Business Day http://www.businessdayonline.com/nigeria-beats-peers-private-equity-deals-five-years/ .

President Muhammadu Buhari received Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Ikenwoli and a delegation of Delta State indigenes including former Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan and the NFF Chairman, Amaju Pinnick at the State House.

President Muhammadu Buhari, in his office, received in audience His Majesty Ogiame Ikenwoli, Olu of Warri, at the State House, Abuja.

PODECast: February 19, 2018 | Economic Progress, 2018 Eurobond, #IncrementalPower, #SecuringNigeria - https://us13.campaign-archive.com/?u=75402ebf06c61b541b396b504&id=84d299b9c7

PHOTOS: Federal Government delegation led by Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in Dapchi, Yobe State. Federal Government fully supporting and collaborating with Government Yobe State. Nigerian Army on ground to ensure the safe return of all the girls yet to be accounted for.

THUR 22 FEB: #GovtAtWorkNG Today's Highlights President Muhammadu Buhari presided over the National Council of State meeting, focusing on Security, the Economy, and other issues, at the State House, Abuja. President Muhammadu Buhari met with members of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) at the State House. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo attended the closing ceremony of the Nigeria Petroleum Summit, in Abuja. The Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, led a Federal Government delegation to Dapchi, Yobe State, on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari. The delegation met with the parents and guardians of the GGTC girls, the Yobe State Governor, and Military Commanders. Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola met with Stakeholders of the Bodo—Bonny Road & Bridges Project (Rivers State) INFORMATION Entries that qualified for the North-East Makeathon pitch stage will pitch in either Abuja (24 February) or Yola (2 March). The New Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) Quarterly Review is out: http://neiti.gov.ng/index.php/media-center/news/402-faac-disbursements-increased-by-25-percent-to-n6-41-trillion-in-2017 The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has published the Lassa Fever situation report as at 18 February, 2018. View the update via: http://ncdc.gov.ng/themes/common/files/sitreps/aa28fc50dc99cb312b2e9160e852fd04.pdf The Nigerian Army will give out a 3 Million Naira cash reward for any credible information that leads to the arrest of factional Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau. Anybody with credible Info should contact any military location, or call the Nigerian Army Call Centre on 193. As part of its ongoing Operation DEEP PUNCH II, the Nigerian Army is consolidating its hold on Sambisa Forest, by building roads and other facilities. It has just constructed a borehole in Sabil Huda in the Forest, for the use of troops and adjoining communities. The Nigerian Army began Exercise Ayem Akpatuma in order to tackle the cases of kidnappings, herdsmen/farmers’ clashes among others. This exercise covering Benue, Taraba, Kogi, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Niger states, will run till March 31, 2018. You can apply for Government Enterprise and Empowerment Program (GEEP) Market Money online via BOI Nigeria portal – http://apply.marketmoni.com.ng. To qualify, you must: belong to a registered association or corporative, have a valid BVN, and an existing business. The new edition of the PODECast Newsletter is out, visit: https://us13.campaign-archive.com/… Sign up for the Aso Villa Newsletter here: https://t.co/eoJOuRtWve

Aso Villa Reads for 22/2/18 Everyday, we bring you the best stories the media is reporting about the Government of Nigeria. Business Day http://www.businessdayonline.com/fg-gets-second-cancer-treatment-machine-national-hospital/ reports that“the Federal Government on Tuesday, in Abuja received delivery of the second Radiotherapy machine for Cancer treatment. The Elekta machine for Linear Accelerator (LINAC) is made up of several components to be coupled and installed soon. Receiving the machine on behalf of the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, at the National hospital, the Chief Medical Director (CMD), Jeff Momoh, said the Abuja Radiotherapy centre would be the only centre in West Africa running two Linear accelerators at the same time. This, the CMD explained, was to avoid running down the 1st machine which has currently treated over 200 patients.” According to Business Day (Thursday 22 February 2018, page 7) “the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) says it has imported 9.8 million metric tons of premium motor spirit (petrol) worth $5.8 billion to combat the fuel crisis that resurfaced since last year. This was disclosed by the group managing director of corporation Maikanti Baru, during a public hearing by the Senate committee on Public Accounts on Tuesday, at the National Assembly in Abuja. In a presentation by Baru, who was represented by the chief operating officer, finance and account Abdulrazaq Isiaka, NNPC, he stated that it carried out the massive importation in fulfilment of its statutory role of supplier of last resort to ensure that Nigerians do not suffer as a result of product unavailable.” Daily Trust reported https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/fec-approves-6-7bn-for-ibadan-kaduna-rail.html that the “Federal Executive Council yesterday approved $6.7 billion for construction of the Ibadan-Kaduna rail”. According to Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, at the FEC briefing, the “completion period of the project was three years.” The report also mentioned that “the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Musa Bello said the council awarded contract for the reconstruction of the Bill Clinton Drive Road for N1.9 billion. The minister put the completion period of the project at seven months. Bello said the council also awarded a supply of chemicals to FCT water companies for N273 million.”

President Muhammadu Buhari is presiding over a Meeting of the National Council of State, ongoing at the State House. #AsoVillaToday

President Muhammadu Buhari exchanges pleasantries with the Governors of Ekiti and Lagos States, and former President Obasanjo, ahead of the National Council of State Meeting at the State House, today #AsoVillaToday

Yesterday's FEC Briefing: After the FEC Meeting, Attorney General and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, Minister of Foreign Affairs Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of the FCT Mohammed Bello and Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi. briefed the press on Council approvals since 2015.