The Niger State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Aminu Yusuf, in this interview with Jimoh Babatunde talks on the efforts of the state government to position agriculture as a leading economic activity. Here is an excerpt.

Miss Abimbola Jasmine Akinnuoye is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Sephsons Nigeria Limited, a public relations outfit. The 2008 graduate of Accountancy from Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, in a chat with Vanguard recently spoke on why she ventured into the world of public relations and the challenges she has had to face. Excerpts:

The Federal Government may have decided to hand over the oil and gas assets of the Shell Petroleum Development Company , SPDC, to a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC.

The Ondo State government has introduced a mortgage system that will enhance the capacity of its indigenes to own their own homes.
State Commissioner for Land & Housing, Alhaji Sikiru Basaru, stated this int Akure, the State capital, during a facility tour of some of the housing schemes being undertaken by the state government. He encouraged indigenes of the state to take advantage of the mortgage system to subscribe to the houses.

As part of strategies to expand market share and reach more customers, companies under the Dangote Group have decided to offer discount in all their goods as they storm the two international trade fairs kicking off this week in both Lagos and Kano.

For Insurance companies in Ghana to actively and effectively participate in oil and gas business in that country, they must endeavour to shore up their capacity and capital adequately in order to write the risk without inhibitions.

Golf anywhere in the world has the reputation of being an elitist game. No wonder Grand Oak Ltd and its gin brand _ Lords Dry Gin, in a bid to create an experience around the brand, facilitated two Nigerian Golfers as part of the recently concluded Ryder Cup which held in the 2010 course at the Celtic Manor Resort, South Wales England, United Kingdom.

The mortgage sector is said to account for less than five percent of total funds for housing development in Nigeria.Mr. Sonnie Ayere, a Principal Partner at Dunn Lorren Merrifield and Adekunle Omotola & Co, said this at the recently concluded Kuramo Conference organised by the Lagos State Government, in Lagos, where issues of housing development and options for sustainable mortgage financing in the country were addressed.

A Primary Mortgage Institution (PMI) has sealed a N1.7 billion deal with the Cross River State government for the construction of 610 housing units at the Akpabuyo Civil and Public Housing Estate.

The Federal Housing Authority (FHA) is exploring the possibility of engaging private investors, both local and international, in the rehabilitation of some of its dilapidated housing estates across the country.