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How Presidential Panel Sold Seven-Storey FRCN Lagos Building For N100m

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The Presidential Implementation Committee on Federal Government Landed Property has stated that it has the power to sell or lease out any property of the Federal Government without prior knowledge of the ministry, department, or agency using it.

The PIC made this known to an ad hoc committee of the House of Representatives, which is investigating the abandonment of Federal Government property across the country.

The Secretary of the PIC, Bala Sanusi, while speaking at the resumed investigative hearing of the committee, noted that it would be cumbersome for the presidential panel to inform all the MDAs of its intention to sell or lease out the over 25,000 property handed over to it.

Sanusi said this while responding to questions on the sale of a property located on 45, Martins Street, in Lagos State, which belonged to the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, to Seamens Traders Limited for N100m.

The Director-General of the FRCN, Mansur Liman, who also testified before the committee, had informed the lawmakers that the property was sold without the corporation’s knowledge.

Sanusi, however, told the committee that the six-storey building, sitting on 387 square meters of land, was sold as a burnt property in 2010, adding that it was gutted by fire before the sale and was also gutted by fire before it was handed over to the buyers in 2019.

When the lawmakers sought to know whether the property was sold at a give-away price of N100m because it was a burnt property, the PIC scribe however backtracked, saying he was not in a position to say whether it was burnt or not, since he was not the secretary of the PIC when it was sold.

Sanusi said, “I will inform this gathering that the mandate of this committee is by the President-in-Council. (The Federal Executive) Council gave us the mandate to lease Federal Government property in Nigeria and outside Nigeria.

“We are not selling, we are leasing and after the expiration of the lease, the property will revert back to the government. The mandate was initially restricted to Lagos. But later, (the) Council expanded the mandate of the committee to other states except for the FCT. We have been exercising this mandate for a long time.”

Chairman of the committee, Ademorin Kuye, said, “We want a report on all seized assets from our leaders, particularly Abacha, in and out of Nigeria. We need to know the state of those properties and to also know if the properties have titles.”

BIG STORY

BREAKING: EFCC Declares Yahaya Bello Wanted [PHOTO]

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Yahaya Bello, the former governor of Kogi state, has been declared wanted by the EFCC.

He reportedly evaded arrest yesterday when the commission visited his home to enforce arrest.

More to come…

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Hydrogen, CCHub Partner To Encourage Fintech Startup Success

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As the country faces economic challenges, the need for adaptive strategies in the fintech industry becomes paramount. In line with this, leading fintech startup Hydrogen Payment Services Limited (‘Hydrogen’) has teamed up with Co-creation Hub (‘CcHub’) to host an insightful event themed ‘Adapting Fintech Business Models to Economic Climates’.

The event is set to take place on Thursday, April 18, 2024, from 12:00 a.m. WAT at the CCHub office in Sabo, Lagos, will delve deep into the intricacies of Nigerian economic challenges and how these influence the fintech ecosystem. Participants will gain actionable insights on how to adapt fintech business models to volatile economic conditions by prioritising flexibility, agility, and customer-centricity.

This collaboration underscores the shared commitment of both entities to empower aspiring founders venturing into the fintech space amidst economic uncertainties. By leveraging their respective expertise and resources, Hydrogen and CcHub aim to equip
emerging entrepreneurs with the knowledge, tools, and support needed to thrive in today’s dynamic economic conditions.

Emeka Awagu, Chief Technology Officer at Hydrogen, commented on the strategic partnership with CcHUB: “Our alliance with CcHUB amplifies our shared commitment to pioneering transformative solutions in the Nigerian fintech sector. By leveraging Hydrogen’s technological expertise alongside CcHU’s innovative approach, we are primed to set a new standard for fintech excellence and drive impactful change across the industry.”

The event will feature a distinguished panel of industry experts and thought leaders. including Ina Alogwu, Group Director, Digital Transformation, ARM HoldCo; Emeka Awagu, Chief Technology Officer, Hydrogen; and Miracle Ezechi, Digital Marketing Manager, Hydrogen.

The panel discussion will be moderated to encourage an engaging and insightful conversation on the strategies and innovations required to thrive in the Nigerian fintech landscape amidst economic challenges.

Interested attendees are encouraged to register here and reserve a spot.

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ECONOMY: CBN Not Using Foreign Reserves To Defend Naira — Olayemi Cardoso

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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, asserts that the nation is not defending the value of the naira with its foreign reserves.

He made this known on Wednesday in Washington, DC, where he is attending the International Monetary Fund-World Bank Spring Meetings.

Cardoso said $600 million came into Nigeria’s reserves account within the last two days.

The naira has appreciated against the dollar in recent weeks, gaining over 40%, from about N1,900/$ to about N1,000/$1 now. But while the naira rebound, Nigeria’s foreign reserves are dwindling, dropping to about $32.29 billion on April 15 — the lowest level in over six years.

Cardoso said, “What you’ve seen with respect to the shift in our reserves is normal in any country’s reserves where for example, debt is due and certain payments need to be made because that is also part of keeping your credibility.

“Other times money comes in, it takes it up again. Between yesterday and today, about $600 million came into the reserves account. We are looking towards a market that operates by itself, willing buyers, willing sellers and price discovery.

“The shift in our reserves has really little or nothing to do with defending naira and that is certainly not our objective.”

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