Federal University Ndufu-Alike Goes Off-Grid; Nigeria’s National Grid Plan Challenged

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July 30, 2019

I have maintained that the biggest challenge with Nigeria’s national grid system is that it is losing its best customers. As banks, oil companies and universities go off-grid, providing electricity through DISCOs (distribution companies) will become harder. Dangote Group uses about 3,000 MW of power but none of those watts have ever been linked to national grid. No matter how you see it, that is lost revenue for DISCOs.

Now universities are joining the game: Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo in Ebonyi State is now GRID-free. Yes, it is a big deal to be free of national grid in Nigeria. Obafemi Awolowo University plans to do so, and many other universities will follow.

Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo power project

By the time these schools finish and the premium companies are done, DISCOs will not have good customers to provide services. Who will give them funding under that paralysis? No investor will invest in you only for you to power only those that will require disconnection threats before they pay. Yes, you will be left with below premium customers to serve.

The government must understand that it has only five years before national grid model will collapse at least for commercial purposes. Sure, mid-scale industrial customers will continue to prefer national grid but that cannot be banked upon. Most renewable energy sources (e.g. solar) used in Nigeria today are not optimized for such services. On residential segment, the best customers are going solar weekly and very soon they will replace their generators with solar panels. DISCOs have existential threats in Nigeria under this redesign.

Congratulations to Federal University Ndufu-Alike. You have done well. Now, deepen your program to higher heights; no more power issues.

Ice Cream Sellers Also Have Futures

By

Ajayi Joel

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July 30, 2019

4

Four days ago, I went to buy fuel for a generator. While returning, I decided to get ice-cream from an ice-cream seller who sold his ice-cream on a bicycle. A young man like myself, I mean will be in the same age range.

I decided to engage him in a discussion. I got suddenly concerned about him. So I asked, “How has the country been so far, and how have you been coping with the hardship in the country?”

He replied by saying, “Well, it’s not quite easy but I have been trying my best and also trusting God”. I decided to push the question further, so I asked, “What’s your plan for success, do you intend to spend the rest of your life riding ice-cream on this bicycle?”

I actually saw the shock on his face because he didn’t see that coming, I mean a random ice-cream patronizer asking such question. Then he opened up, he said, “I’m a secondary school dropout and I have an interest in fashion designing, so I bought a machine and some other things, and I have a little skill in it but because I want to further my skills and learn from a professional, so I decided to start selling ice-cream so as to save up”.

Not a bad idea right, but who saves up from selling ice-cream? I mean the profit is barely enough to feed oneself, pay for shelter, clothes talk less of saving up, except if I’m wrong though. So I decided to ask how long he has been saving up, that means how long has he been selling ice-cream.

His reply was shocking. He told me 2019 will make it his fourth year and I’m not kidding. So for four years he’s been trying to save up just to get professional knowledge or some sort.

Well, I knew I could help him, I had a temporary solution that could help him scale. Matter of fact, I have a solution that would help millions of youths in Nigeria. So I decided to let him on it by asking more questions.

The next question I threw at him was if he had an Android phone and he did. Matter of fact, he said he spends about two thousand five hundred naira to subscribe monthly on his phone to watch sports and live news.

Well, that’s it, you have a solution! You’ve got a phone and access to the internet, that’s it!

I told him that he could learn fashion designing online from different professionals to an extent. He could learn from YouTube. This young folk asked how it was possible to learn his dream skill on YouTube. So, I brought out my phone, went to YouTube, streamed some videos on fashion designing for him to see, and he was shocked and excited.

So I gave a break down, why don’t you spend a thousand naira on monthly subscription, then the remaining one thousand five hundred naira as a budget for night subscription. Since he said he closes from work by 5-6 pm, then sleeps from 8pm till the next day, he could reschedule his resting time so that he could wake up at least 3 hours at night to both download and practice what he learnt seeing his machine is at home.

I had to get his number so as to guide him and mentor him.

We have millions of youths out there who are unemployed and we can push the blame on the government, and all which is fine. However, I have discovered that lack of access to the relevant knowledge that is capable of equipping youths to be relevant in the labour market is the main problem.

The real definition of education is the access to the knowledge that makes one relevant in the society per time and we can see that the school is defaulting in that. But my blame is not on the school, matter of fact, there’s nobody to blame, there’s only action to take and it’s not directed at university students alone, it’s for everyone, any age, any group, any class. My mission is to connect Africans to the right source of knowledge that will equip them either they go to university, they are in the university or are through with university education.

What’s your own role?

Steps To Register A Company With Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Commission

By

Stanley Alieke

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July 30, 2019

1

The importance of registration of a business with the government through the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) can’t be overemphasized.

Owners of businesses may think that registration of their businesses with the government through CAC is a waste of time or think its another way the government extorts money from businesses. But when you register your business, you are doing yourself a whole lot of good than you are doing the government.

The registration of business is statutory provided for in Part B of the Company and Allied Matters Act (CAMA). Since it is a legal requirement for businesses that operate in Nigeria, it is needed to accord your business a legal status.

So for those interested in doing business in Nigeria, both foreigners and fellow country men and women, here is the process you go through to register your business with the federal government of Nigeria.

Pick A Name

First you need to pick a name and check for availability of proposed company name. Some names are prohibited; reserved to be used by the government. Also, some names can’t be used because they have been used by another business or they are similar to the name that has already been used by another business.

Pre-Registration Form

The next step is to complete pre-registration form called CAC1. This can be done online by filling the form on the Company Registration Portal (CRP)

Then you pay filing and stamp duty fees; the stamp duty fee which is also referred to as registration fee costs N15,000. This is the only money legally required of you by the government while registering your business.

Upload Documents

You proceed by preparing the signed scan copy of your pre-registration documents for upload as follows:

The registration form (Form CAC1.1)
Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association (MEMART)
Recognized form of identification for Director(s)/Subscriber(s) of the company’s shares and Secretary of the company.
Evidence of payment to CAC i.e. the receipt of payment of the stamp duty fee or the registration fee.

You will have to upload those scanned documents for processing.

Receive your Certificate of Incorporation

Finally, submit the original copies of the documents uploaded to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) office you had selected. They will be exchanged for your Certificate of Incorporation and the Certified True copies (CTC) of the documents you submitted with the Corporate Affairs Commission.

The Certificate of Incorporation that is issued to you is the evidence that shows that your business has been registered with the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Corporate Affairs Commission and its duly incorporated.

There are numerous benefits your business or corporation enjoys when it’s registered with the government through the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and incorporated. Some of those numerous benefits are;

Your business will be incorporated as you will be issued a Certificate of Incorporation by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
Your business acquires a legal status, can sue and be sued and will be a full fledged legal person.
When your company is registered, accessing loans and grants becomes very easier either from the banks or from the government.
A registered business has the capacity by the reason of its incorporation to employ full-time employees and staff and pay them salaries and other remunerations.
Your business will have the opportunity to seek for intern especially from National Youth Service Commission.

The body or agency established and empowered by the Federal Government of Nigeria to incorporate or register businesses or corporations is the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

The Call for Nigerian Indigenous Vessels: NIMASA Needs to Re-Strategize

By

Oko Ebuka

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July 30, 2019

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Regardless of topping the chart on Port State Control inspections carried out in West and Central African Countries, 2018 by Abuja MoU, with a total of 636 inspections as a maritime institution of authority, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, can only boast of 2 ship flag inspections within the same period as against the total of 350 ship flag inspections amounting to 174% difference carried out by Liberia in the corresponding year.

Apparently, this report portrays NIMASA as an energetic workforce in fight against substandard vessels which operates in the country’s seaport, kudos to this current administration on that aspect. But on the other hand, the report equally reveals the need to facilitate the accessibility of the Capital Vessel Financing Fund, CVFF, in order to encourage the indigenous shipowners come on board.

The CVFF fund is government funding assistance for ship acquisition under the Cabotage Ship Fund established under the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage Act. 8) in 2017, by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, with concluded plans to disburse $100 million Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund, CVFF, to indigenous shipowners at a single digit interest.

However, the deplorable situation has generated worries and hot debates on the gloomy mysteries preventing the disbursement of the fund as well as whether NIMASA fully understand the importance of having indigenous ship owners, which according to maritime experts, is the only way to compete favorably with foreign investors.

The level of worries registered on the faces of potential indigenous investors can be seen through their comments on the need for the acceleration in disbursement of CVFF fund to enhance their participation in the maritime business.

Former Chairman, Indigenous Shipowners Association of Nigeria, ISAN, Chief Isaac Jolapamo, hinted on the need for democratization and localization of the maritime industry which is a panacea to the meted frustration being experienced by intended ship owners who have been striving to invest in the shipping business as he rightly put that some of the prospective ship owners are not where they were supposed to be because they were denied the cargo..

On the issue of discrimination and favoritism against the indigenous ship owners, he also pointed out that foreigners have advantage over Nigerians in their own country which according to him is regretful and discouraging especially when the government officials who indulge in such atrocities are still holding public offices without blemish. He said: “I have an instance of one of us here who was taking out of NNPC system when he was handling a shipment for them for $350,000 but it was handed over to foreigners for $550,000 and the people who are doing this are still making waves, they are getting promoted in the government circle.”

In his paper presentation, tagged “Innovative Concepts and Sustainable Approaches to Effective Ship and Maritime Infrastructure Financing in Nigeria: A Critical Review”, Professor Fabian, a director of Kenner Partners, stated that Nigeria’s maritime industry is still at its infantile stages in terms of funding and must source funds in other ways aside from the federal government.

I quite agree with him because the financial burden of the federal government is becoming unbearable especially on the issue of petroleum subsidy and the need to offset the debts already incurred by the current administration, especially as the debt profile according to Debt Management Office (DMO), has reached N24.4 trillion.

Prof. Ajogwu however, advised NIMASA to be transparent in disbursing the CVFF loan and bring in other innovative ideas to facilitate the local vessel ownership.

However, from the information gathered, NIMASA said to have remitted US$124 million for the Capital Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF), into the Treasury Single Account (TSA), in the last capital year of 2018, which is in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), but could not be accessed due to some logical reasons as defended by the Director General, NIMASA, Dakuku Peterside.

According to Dakuku, the funds cannot be disbursed as directed by the then Honorable Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, due to some issues generated in the past concerning similar funds which must be clarified.

He said: “the Honorable Minister of Transport, who has the final authority to approve the disbursement of CVFF, I’ve been engaging with him, his desires will still come to CVFF, he doesn’t want the way of similar funds was disbursed in the past. And so, he has ordered a quick review of the guidelines, as soon as the fund was reviewed with the guidelines, we will commence the process of disbursing the CVFF.

The trudging face of the Ministry of Transport can be clearly seen as the Ministerial appointments are still without portfolios hence the gloomy face of handling the issue if the former Minister is not reinstated. On this premise, however, I must say that there is essentiality for NIMASA to go back to their drawing board and re-strategize.

Therefore, the need to call for foreign investors is now, to enable national individuals who wish to navigate their business acumen towards shipping industry, to be given a level playing ground as leverage, by establishing a relationship between them and other promising private financial institutions duly regulated by the country’s maritime authority.

Nigerian Universities Need Cultural Management Strategy for Improved Learning and Students Unionism

By

Mutiu Iyanda

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July 30, 2019

0

Similar to what is obtainable in other democracies, institutions of learning in Nigeria are expected to create and manage knowledge for the growth of individuals, businesses and society in general. The realisation of this depends on the extent to which human and material resources are appropriated in line with organisational structure.

Like other nations in the world, roles are assigned to individuals on a needs basis and as the job titles suggested towards knowledge creation and management in relation to status, authority and power. Hence, there are managers and subordinates. The execution of tasks by the managers and subordinates is mostly driven by culture. This is in two folds; organisational and societal culture.

Whether corporate or societal culture, in countries with high power distance, subordinates are expected to respect their managers or supervisors while carrying out the assigned duties. When counterproductive work behaviours are perceived, the subordinates cannot escape the wrath of the managers. In most cases, failure to perform the assigned duties is seen as a breach of trust. From the university environment to business premises, power distribution is determined by context. It is interactional and situational in nature.

As students, lecturers and authorities working towards knowledge creation and management in the country, it is imperative to reflect on the effects of power distribution on learning and unionism. The reflections are driven by the recent study conducted in collaboration with a colleague and happenings in the universities.

Classroom Engagement

The first place most students experience power is the classroom. Both the lecturers and the students need to come together before knowledge could be created and managed. In our study, we found that age, gender and ethnic groups of the students, who participated in the study, facilitated the expected respect and obedience to the lecturers in the classrooms.

This is a reflection of the Nigerian society where cultural upbringing and values demand that young ones remain quiet when elders are talking. One of the consequences is hindrance to contribute or ask questions in the classroom. Beyond this, some strict cultural rules and personal beliefs prevent students from contributing during classroom interactions, our study reveals.

Students at lower levels are more likely to respect their lecturers. This does not mean that those at the higher levels disrespect their lecturers. Our study suggests that familiarity of the students with their lecturers reduces the degree to which they key into the anticipated hierarchal context for engagement.

The issue is complicated because the lecturers and students must interact for any meaningful learning to take place. According to one of the lecturers who participated in the study, while interacting, there must be mutual respect. In a situation where students do not respect the lecturers the atmosphere of learning will not be conducive and the listeners (who are the students) will find it difficult to assimilate the course.

On suggestions for improvement among students and lecturers, one of the lecturers said both students and lecturers must understand that they need each other. Hence, nobody will exist without the other and nobody knows all things. While the lecturer passes the knowledge with humility, the student must also receive it like a child for the purpose of scholarship. Students on their own part would want lecturers to be open to ideas and come down to the level of students while still maintaining their respect and integrity.

Thesis/Project Engagement

In a recent article published on this platform, the writer captured a typical power distribution during students’ engagement with their lecturers while writing the thesis (for postgraduate) and project (for undergraduate). “So, what do we do? We go home, sit down and try to unravel what our supervisors meant by “recast”, “expand”, “rephrase”, “expunge”, “explain”, “What is the relationship?” or whatever is written.

We were even happy when we see things like that, trust me. It was better than seeing two long strokes running through the page with captions such as “not accepted”, “redo”, “cancelled”, “rejected” and things like that. Honestly, course works were more fun in school than writing projects. Truth is that in course work you don’t have to get your lecturers ‘angry’ by asking questions.”The writer’s position was further explored using real time data that established public interest in thesis, project, explain, cancelled and rejected within education sector between 2014 and 2018.

Civic Engagement

University or any higher institution of learning is not created for academic purposes alone. It is a place where many politicians in the society honed their political skills and knowledge through unionism. The need for unionism has been premised on the fact that student rights must be ensured by the authorities, while their entitlements such as better living condition must not be jettisoned.

When there are obvious reasons for the students to agitate for improved living conditions or protect their interest, authorities usually exercise authority, expecting the students to respect it. Since the establishment of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in 1980, many battles have been fought, won and loss by the association.

In most cases, authorities believed that student unionism is impeding the expected function of the institution. Over the years that students and institutions have had frictions, students on their part believe that unions make administration easy. Despite this position, administrators believed that students cannot be nurtured for the positive benefits of the society in environments where there is no respect for authority.

Strategic Options

One of the solutions to the emerging issues is a formulation of cultural management strategy. Authorities need to have the strategy as part of the overall strategy for knowledge creation and management. It would be better some training courses be held for the lecturers and the students to get acquainted with the classroom cultural management strategy. Lecturers who appropriate collectivistic teaching and supervision strategies such as small group and discussion during teaching and thesis or project supervision less need to be encouraged to increase the use of the strategies.

Federal University Ndufu-Alike Goes Off-Grid; Nigeria’s National Grid Plan Challenged

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Ice Cream Sellers Also Have Futures

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