Let me to begin this write-up by wishing you a (belated?) Happy New Year! I wish all our readers a wonderful year. I must also thank those who have kept faith with this column, especially those who have found time to send feedback on the issues discussed here.

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has won the prestigious Airline Market Leadership Award at Air Transport World magazine’s 40th Annual Airline Industry Achievement Awards.

The move by the Federal Government to restrict the importation of fairly used vehicles (Tokunbo) into the country with a new automotive policy through a higher tariff regime is unsettling for many Nigerians, especially low income earners who depend on the vehicles for their daily transportation need as they cannot afford new cars because of high prices. While big car dealers see the policy as a good initiative to resuscitate the local automobile industry, private individuals expressed the fear that prices of imported vehicles may soar once the implementation of the new tariff regime from 35 per cent to 70 per cent begins.

Ini Onuk, is one of the gifted Nigerian women who believe women are the fragrance of life. She is a woman of many colours. A Lead Consultant/CEO, ThistlePraxis Consulting Limited; a prolific writer who has launched 2nd and 3rd books. In this interview with woman in her prime, she reveals how her company was able to introduce new innovation in 2013 which cut across every sector of the economy. She encourages women to go all out achieving and making impact in the society.

The naira appreciated marginally against the dollar at the official and parallel markets on Friday

Nigeria’s raw sugar imports dropped to 800,000 tonnes from 1.4 million tonnes recorded in the first quarter of 2013, an official document states.

Uncertainty around monetary policy following the appointment of a new Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN Governor and Policy Committee (MPC) will pose challenges to the performance of the capital market in 2014, says the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Oscar Onyema, has said Investor Protection Fund (IPF) would commence as soon the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approves the rules .

Nigeria is said to produce more cassava than any other country in the world. It is the third most important source of calories in the tropics, after rice and maize. Millions of people depend on cassava in Nigeria and Africa in general.
Cassava is grown by poor farmers, many of them women, often on marginal land. For those people and their families, cassava is vital for both food security and income generation.

The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Kano State branch, has honoured the Minster of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina.
The event, which was organised in collaboration with Kano State agro suppliers, was held at the Sheraton Hotel in Abuja.

The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, CIBN, has entered into a strategic partnership with Lagos Business School/Pan African University, with a view to producing skilled manpower to drive the banking and finance industry.

The Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP, has accused civil servants of impeding implementation of government policies, saying it considered and approved a total of 184 requests for projects valued at about N1.2 trillion in 2013.
BPP Director-General, Mr. Emeka Muoma Ezeh, disclosed this at the 2014 retreat for federal permanent secretaries organised by the office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation in collaboration with BPP in Lagos. He said the approval was made from 308 projects valued at N1.7 trillion received within the year.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has set a deadline of 2018 for banks to implement the Information Technology (IT) standards developed for the banking industry.

Nigerian Automotive Manufacturers Association, NAMA, said they are anxiously waiting for the implementation of the new national automobile industrial development policy by the Federal Government.

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria Plc, GSK, has announced the appointment of an interim Managing Director, Justin Korteasa following the voluntary resignation of Mr. Chidi Okoro, as the company’s Managing Director with effect from March 15, 2014.