Newscast - Africa

The Federal Government has concluded plans to commence the inspection of Organizations for the grant of additional slots of expatriate quota facilities, renewal of expatriate quota positions, as well as inspection of places of worship for the issuance of licences to conduct statutory marriages and renewal of existing marriages.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, and Principal Registrar of Marriage in Nigeria, Dr Shuaib Belgore says this is pursuant to the Second Schedule of the Marriage Act, Cap 6, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
He added that the Ministry of Interior through its Citizenship and Business Department will henceforth be carrying out inspection exercises in organisations for the grant of additional slots of expatriate quota facilities, renewal of expatriate quota positions as well as the inspection of places of worship for issuance of licences to conduct statutory marriages and renewal of existing licences.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, says that Nigerian youths are the present and future leaders of the country, and as such, they should be given the necessary support to succeed.
The Speaker says all governing actions and policy priorities must ensure that young people can dream big dreams and achieve grand ambitions.
Gbajabiamila noted that there is a need to sample the opinions of stakeholders from across the country so that from the agglomeration of these multiple views, the National Assembly might fashion a legislative approach that serves the best interests of the country.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service has generated a record N6.4 trillion as revenue in 2021, the highest in its history.
This year’s revenue collection exceeded that of 2019 when the agency raked in N5.3 trillion under the administration of Babatunde Fowler.
Spokesman to FIRS Chairman, Oluwatobi Wojuola, says that despite the limitations faced in 2020 and 2021, the service achieved over 100 per cent of its collection target.
Wojuola stated that in line with the law, 2021 income tax revenue was a function of the outcome of business activities in 2020.

The United Arab Emirates will resume passenger flights from Nigeria and 11 other African countries on Saturday, January 29.
UAE’s National Crisis and Emergency Management Authority says entry into the UAE for arrivals from Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Nigeria, the Republic of the Congo, the Republic of South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zimbabwe is allowed again.
The country’s agency says entry procedures have been updated for flights originating from Ghana, Rwanda, and Uganda.
It added that passengers arriving from these three countries to the UAE must have a negative COVID-19 test obtained within 48 hours of departure from the approved labs in their respective countries.

The International Monetary Fund warned that the global economy is entering 2022 in a weaker position than previously expected as it downgraded its global growth outlook largely due to clouds gathering over the recoveries in the United States and China.
The IMF’s latest World Economic Outlook calls for the global growth to downshift from 5.9 per cent in 2021 to 4.4 per cent this year.
The Fund saw the US economy growing 4.0 per cent this year while China’s economy grew 4.8 per cent this year thanks to the country’s business-sapping, zero-tolerance COVID-19 policy, and ongoing stress in its heavily indebted property sector.

Microsoft Corp exceeded analysts’ expectations for second-quarter revenue on Tuesday, propelled by strong demand for its cloud-based services from more businesses migrating to hybrid work models due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Microsoft has become one of the most valuable companies in the world by betting heavily on corporate software and services, especially its cloud services and the movement to the web of its Outlook email and calendar software, known as Office 365.
Revenue from Microsoft’s biggest segment, which offers cloud services and includes Azure, its flagship cloud offering, rose 26 per cent, while the business that houses its Office 365 services increased 19 per cent in the quarter.

US President Joe Biden says he would consider imposing economic sanctions personally targeting Vladimir Putin if the Russian president orders a new attack on Ukraine.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged European allies to have sanctions ready to go if Russia invades Ukraine.
Russia has amassed some 100,000 troops within reach of Ukraine’s border but denies planning an invasion. Instead, it has cited the Western response to its military buildup as evidence that Russia is the target of aggression.

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe held a crisis meeting with captains of industry on Monday at which they pledged a commitment to work closely in curbing the parallel market exchange rate volatility.
The central bank governor, John Mangudya says both parties acknowledged the positive economic achievements made so far which include year on year inflation reduction to end the year at 60,7% from 348,6% recorded in 2020 with local manufacturing production going to 80% of products on the market were locally produced.
Mnagudya says the Bank should continue fighting inflation through restrictive monetary policy and building foreign exchange reserves as a way of augmenting the defence of the value of the local currency.

Kenyan growers and exporters dealing in the avocado export business face an indefinite ban on the export of Hass and Fuerta varieties.
Kenya Agriculture and Food authority director, Benjamin Tito noted that the ban, which took effect on November 15, 2021, is aimed at curbing the harvest and export of immature avocados.
The food regulator noted the ban will remain in effect in order to control the export of immature avocadoes which have negatively impacted the image of the commodity in overseas markets.
It further warned that exporters who use marketing agents without valid registration permits shall have their licenses revoked.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli has expressed Egypt's keenness on reaching a legally-binding agreement for filling and operating the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam to achieve the interests of all parties through striking a balance.
Madbouli says Egypt showed interest in resuming negotiations at the nearest chance with the aim of finding solutions to points of technical and legal differences and finding a fair and balanced agreement taking into consideration Egypt's water scarcity and its dependence on the Nile as the main water resource.
He says that Egypt always gives priority to achieving development in Nile basin countries, so it offered assistance to sisterly countries to provide stability for their peoples.