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Consumer Preference Critical to Agricultural Development in Nigeria – VC Wudil
Mukhtar Yahya Usman
The Vice Chancellor, Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil, Shehu Alhaji Musa has said consideration of consumption preference is critical to agricultural development in Nigeria.
Kano Focus reports that Mr Musa a Professor of agricultural economics and Extension worried that in spite of the huge deposited natural resource; Nigeria is still listed by Food and Agriculture Organization among nations who are technically incapacitated to meet its food demands.
The university don who made the submission while delivering the 46 series of Professorial inaugural lecture at Bayero University, Kano at the weekend emphasized on value addition, consumption pattern as key factors that determine agricultural viability in a country.
In the presentation titled: Crossing The Chasms of Agricultural Development in Nigeria: consumer Preference Studies, Market Integration Syntheses and Value Chain Diagnoses to the Rescue, Shehu dissected the clear demarcation between production and meeting consumer preference.
The Vice Chancellor submitted that given the enormous qualities and contributions of agriculture, the sector has not performed as expected essentially in the past four decades due to inadequate supply of inputs and the refusal to pay attention to the food demand, value chain and consumption pattern of consumers.
Shehu contended that Nigeria’s agricultural policy must pay quality attention to Supply-Response Model which creates smart integration between production, value chain addition and consumers preferences to attain sustainable agriculture and food sufficiency.
The university Don declared that despite policy interventions, the agricultural sector is still largely underdeveloped, principally because substantial concentration is devoted more on production, rather than on enhancing value addition across value chain segments.
He stressed that FAO prediction also came even when the Federal government Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) projected Nigeria’s self-sufficiency in tomato paste, rice and wheat by 2020; a the targets that was yet to materialize because of the large and continuous dependency on importation.
Besides, he posited that ERGP prediction also emphasized on increase in the value of agricultural production by 31 per cent with tendencies to boost the country’s revenue by N21 trillion by the end of 2020.
While applauding the border closure policy of government, the university administrator cautioned on the possible negative implication of the reopening of the Nigeria land borders on local production of products with competitive advantage.
He advocated deployment of technologies in the area of post-harvest and storage facilities to reduce produce damage especially in the Northern part of Nigeria just as he called for revamping of extension services to all agricultural clientele groups as well as improving budgetary allocation to agric sector to improve food sufficiency.
According to him “ Nigeria has great potentials of becoming the food basket of the West Africa sub-region given that she is endowed with a huge expanse of arable land, beneficial climate, abundant streams, lakes, forest and grassland as well as large, active population that can sustain a highly productive agriculture. But we have failed to recognize the significance of consumption pattern.
“In any economy, consumer preferences and demand constitute the bedrock, which influence the production decisions of producers, since consumer’s satisfaction is the major target of producers if they are to stay in business. The much talked about value addition in agriculture is founded on the preferences and demand of consumers,” he noted.
Chairman of the Professorial lecture and Vice Chancellor Bayero University, Kano, Sagir Adamu Abbas explained that the lecture series are designed to enable professors showcase the output and relevant of their research findings.
Mr Sagir who expressed satisfaction on the 46 edition of the professorial lecture posited that the presentation will add value to policy implementation on agriculture and improve body of knowledge.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (KSCHMA) has recorded 37% increase in number of its enrolees in the last 15 months.
KANO FOCUS reports that the Executive Secretary of the Agency Dr. Rahila Aliyu Mukhtar revealed this during a consultative engagement with organised labour on how to improve the healthcare service in the scheme.
She explained that, the primary services accessed by the enrolees under the scheme from 2022 to second quarter of 2024 stands at 1,852,485, while secondary healthcare services accessed stands at 28, 932 across the engaged healthcare providers.
In his remark, the Commissioner State Ministry of Health Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf assured government support and commitment toward the successful implementation of the scheme and general improvement of healthcare services.
On his part, the State Head of Service Alhaji Abdullahi Musa said Kano state government government attached priority attention to the welfare of workers, adding that, the Contributory Healthcare scheme was not meant for workers alone but all residents of Kano.
He also solicited the support and cooperation of labour unions in order to move KSCHMA to greater height.
Also speaking the chairman Nigeria labour Congress (NLC) Kano state council Comrade Kabiru Inuwa, said that, the union being the major contributor of the scheme would not fold it arms while their members suffered in accessing the needed care.
He reiterated their commitment to ensure that their members received what they deserved by the healthcare providers.
Highlight of the event include paper presentation and group work on implementation of the scheme; challenges and recommendation.
A statement sent to KANO FOCUS by the public relations officer of the agency Nura Muhammad Yusuf said the workshop was conducted with support from FCDO Lafiya.
Aminu Abdullahi
The United Nations Children’s Fund has trained over 40 educational stakeholders under the Educational and Youth Empowerment Project (EYE).
KANO FOCUS reports that the participants undergone two day training on school safety, security, and climate literacy to ensure effective teaching and learning as well as safety of schools in the North West.
The state education facilitator of EU EYE, Aisha Abdullahi, said that the programme is funded by the European Union and supported by UNICEF, while the education partners such as the federal and state ministry of education, SUBEB, and other education stakeholders implemented the program.
She explained that the two-day programme is to train EYE teachers from various local governments and schools who will step down the training to their colleagues on school safety.
On his part, Cacsar Akuduke Executive Director of Talents in Children Promotion, said a lot of schools are not safe, and the program tends to address the shortcomings, building more knowledge and awareness among the stakeholders in education in the provision of the necessary guidelines as contained in the minimal standard for safe schools.
He added that although there are no cases of violence or serious attacks in schools in Kano State, the training will assist the participants with precautionary measures.
In his message, the Kano State Commissioner of Education, Alhaji Umar Haruna Doguwa, who was represented by the Director of Education Support Services, Hajiya Halima Sadiyya Tukur, said that their efforts have significantly and vividly improved access to quality education for many children, particularly those in underserved communities by addressing challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, teacher training, and gender disparities in education, adding that UNICEF has helped in creating a brighter future for these young learners.
The commissioner said the positive changes resulting from government initiatives will undoubtedly have a long-term effect on the lives of children and the overall development of the state.
He corroborated that their commitment to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to learn and thrive is commendable.
Saves Africa’s $17bn Petrol Products Imports
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Nigeria must enhance its crude oil production capacity and effectively manage its crude supply to ensure adequate feedstock for domestic refineries, in order to transit from a net importer to a net exporter of petroleum products.
KANO FOCUS reports that Chairman of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals Company Limited, Aliko Dangote, made this assertion during his keynote address at a summit held in Lagos by the Crude Oil Refinery Owners Association of Nigeria (CORAN). The event attracted top government officials and key stakeholders from the midstream and downstream sectors.
Addressing Nigeria’s potential as a refining hub, Dangote expressed concern that, despite producing over 3.4 million barrels of crude oil per day, Africa imports around 3 million barrels of petroleum products daily. He noted that these imports, primarily from Europe, Russia, and other regions, are estimated to cost approximately $17 billion in 2023.
He urged that Nigeria could capitalise on this situation to become a net exporter of refined petroleum products, as the markets would be more competitively served from Nigeria.
“Both the crude oil and the petroleum products will travel shorter distances. The logistics costs of floating storage will be eliminated, and countries can purchase their petroleum product requirements just-in-time. Nigeria and Africa can become completely self-sufficient, and we can keep all the value on our shores. We have done it in cement, and we can certainly do it for petroleum products.
“It is worth noting that the Dangote Refinery already produces sufficient diesel and jet fuel to meet Nigeria’s demand. We recently started the production of PMS and will soon ramp up to meet Nigeria’s needs. Our refined products have been exported to diverse markets, including Europe, Brazil, the UK, the USA, Singapore, and South Korea,” he added.
Represented by Engr. Mansur Ahmed, Group Executive Director of Dangote Industries Ltd, Dangote emphasised that Nigeria must develop a refining capacity of 1.5 million barrels per day and prioritise domestic crude supply obligations to seize this opportunity. Acknowledging the arising and future challenges, he urged the government to incentivise investors, contrasting this with the Dangote Oil Refinery, which was built without any government incentives.
“…It is unfortunate that while countries like Norway are putting oil proceeds into a future fund, in Africa, we are spending oil proceeds from the future. We will also need to prioritise the implementation of domestic crude supply obligations. We will need to expand our crude oil production capacity to support demand from new refining capacity. The government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is taking active steps to achieve this through fast-tracking IOC divestments and other initiatives,” he stated.
Emphasising that global developments in the petroleum sector, particularly in Europe, will disrupt historical trade flows for refined petroleum products in Africa, Dangote stated that Nigeria is uniquely positioned to capitalise on this opportunity and become a significant player in the global oil industry. He called for consultation, collaboration, and cooperation among stakeholders.
“As a vibrant exporter of refined products, Nigeria will witness an improvement in its balance of trade and generate much-needed foreign currency. Nigeria’s potential as a refining hub is clearly not in doubt; let us work together to make it happen,” he urged.
The foremost industrialist noted that the summit’s theme, “Making Nigeria a Net Exporter of Petroleum Products,” would have seemed unrealistic a few years ago, and added that despite being Africa’s largest crude oil producer, Nigeria has historically relied on imports to meet its refined petroleum product needs.
However, he emphasised that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals is poised to transform Nigeria from a “net importer” to a “net exporter” of refined petroleum products, establishing the country as an emerging player in global downstream trade flows; with refined products already exported to various markets, including Europe, Brazil, the UK, the USA, Singapore, and South Korea.
Commending Dangote for this transformation, Chairman of IPPG/Waltersmith Refinery & Petrochemicals Co. Ltd, Abdulrazaq Isa, called on the government to support domestic refiners by ensuring the availability of crude, adhering to domestic crude supply obligations, and implementing effective pricing and monitoring measures to prevent smuggling.
Chairman of CORAN’s Board of Trustees and CEO of Integrated Oil & Gas, Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho (rtd), remarked that the Dangote Oil Refinery has set a high standard by producing Euro-V products, thus protecting citizens from exposure to high-sulphur products.
He noted that transforming Nigeria into a net exporter will bring numerous benefits but reiterated the need for increased investment to boost crude production, lamenting that Nigeria loses approximately $83 billion annually by not meeting its OPEC quota.
While acknowledging that tank farms remain essential despite local refining, Iheanacho urged the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), to consider cancelling import licences, as Nigeria can now meet its local demand, Chairman of Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN), Huub Stokman, stated that Nigeria is on the verge of becoming Africa’s refining powerhouse, which will significantly boost the economy.
The Chairman of CORAN, Momoh Oyarekhua, also expressed concern over challenges related to crude supply and stated that domestic refiners will work with regulators and stakeholders to address these issues.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lopkobiri, assured that the government would continue to refine frameworks to enhance crude production and support domestic refineries. His counterpart from the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, emphasised the Tinubu-led administration’s commitment to ensuring value addition for mineral resources before export.
Two panel sessions were held to discuss Nigeria’s downstream petroleum refining sector and its potential impacts, as well as policy strategies for achieving self-sufficiency in petroleum products.
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