Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has congratulated the federal government to and people of Nigeria on the occasion of the country’s 66 independence anniversary.

Fubara also called on the people of the State to embrace peace and unity, describing them as indispensable pillars for the socioeconomic development of any society.

In a goodwill message issued on Fubara’s behalf by Onwuka Nzechi, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, he said the anniversary celebration offers an opportunity for the people to reflect on Nigeria’s journey since 1960 and to renew their commitment to peaceful coexistence.

The Governor noted that Rivers State, as the “treasure base of the nation” and a melting pot of diverse ethnic nationalities, has always thrived when its people lived in harmony. He said no meaningful development can take place in an atmosphere of rancour, division and political hostility.

According to him, while political differences are normal in a democracy, they must never be allowed to undermine the collective interest of the State. “We may disagree as politicians, but we must never disagree on the peace and progress of Rivers State,” he stated.

Governor Fubara stressed that since assumption of office, his administration has anchored its governance philosophy on peace, describing it as the most invaluable infrastructure. He said the relative peace enjoyed in the State today has made it possible for his government to attract investments and execute projects across the three senatorial districts.

He therefore appealed to youths, traditional rulers, political leaders and all stakeholders to be ambassadors of peace in their communities, wards and local government areas, stressing that no one benefits when the State is in crisis.

The Governor further urged Rivers people to continue to support the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, noting that national unity and sub-national cooperation are critical to achieving the goals of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Photo caption: From Left- Co-Founder/Group Executive, ABIS Group Dr. Illiyasu B. Gashinbaki; Deputy Vice President ACCI and former Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Aliyu Idi Hong; Cuban Ambassador to Nigeria Miriam Morales Palmero; Perm Sec Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs Dr. Onwusoro Madura Ihemelandu; Representative of Dangote Group Hashem Ahmed; President ACCI Chief Emeka Obegolu; Namibian High Commissioner to Nigeria Mr. Walde Natangwo Ndebashiya; and Mr. Abdulrazaq Sambajo of the Dangote Group, during a visit to the company pavilion at the 21st Abuja International Trade Fair on Tuesday.

Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), one of the sponsors of the 21st Abuja International Trade Fair, will spotlight the ongoing Initial Public Offering (IPO) of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals (DPRP) during the company’s Special Day.

The Dangote Special Day, scheduled for Friday October 2, will feature a high-level fireside and business interactive session bringing together representatives of Dangote Group, government, the organised private sector and business leaders to examine the transformative role of the Dangote Refinery in Nigeria’s economic development.

According to the company, the interactive session will provide prospective investors, entrepreneurs, business operators and other participants with an opportunity to engage directly with representatives of Dangote Group and gain a better understanding of the refinery’s ongoing IPO and its broader economic significance.

The session, themed “Dangote Refinery, Vision 2030, ACCI and the Economy,” will examine the refinery’s contribution to Nigeria’s energy security, industrialisation, trade, employment generation, taxation and economic growth.

Particular attention will be paid to how increased domestic refining capacity can reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products, conserve foreign exchange, strengthen local value chains and create new opportunities for businesses across the petroleum, petrochemical, logistics, manufacturing and services sectors.

The IPO will also feature prominently in the discussions, with participants expected to explore how the public offer can broaden participation in the ownership of one of Africa’s most significant industrial assets, deepen Nigeria’s capital market and provide eligible investors with an opportunity to participate in the country’s ongoing industrial transformation.

The fireside session will bring together senior representatives of Dangote Group, the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), government and the wider private sector.

The company said the session would also provide an opportunity to examine Dangote Group’s Vision 2030 and its implications for industrialisation, job creation, local content development, technology transfer, investment and economic diversification.

Beyond the fireside discussion, visitors to the Trade Fair will have the opportunity to engage with the Dangote Group at its pavilion, where the company will showcase a range of products and businesses spanning cement, sugar, salt and seasoning, packaging and other sectors.

Dangote Group’s sustained participation and sponsorship of the Abuja International Trade Fair reflects its continued support for platforms that promote trade, investment, entrepreneurship and stronger linkages between the private sector and government.

The 21st Abuja International Trade Fair, organised by the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is expected to bring together hundreds of exhibitors, businesses, investors, policymakers and members of the public, providing a platform for networking, market access, investment promotion and business-to-business engagement.

The company said it looks forward to welcoming participants to the Dangote Special Day and its pavilion to explore the Group’s products, investment opportunities and potential areas of business collaboration.

Photo caption: NiMet DG/CEO Prof. Charles Anosike speaking at the strategic dialogue.

Director General/CEO of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Prof Charles Anosike, has commended the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, CON, for his efforts towards promoting climate-smart agriculture.

Anosike also urged stakeholders in the agriculture and good sector, to develop a practical, inclusive and measurable roadmap for integrating weather and climate services into decision-making across the sector’s value chain.

The NiMet boss stated this in his goodwill message at a National Strategic Dialogue on the Preparation of the AGROW Component 2.2 – National Implementation Strategy and Digital Agriculture Architecture, organised by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security under the World Bank-supported Nigeria Sustainable Agricultural Value Chain (AGROW) Project.

The dialogue, held under the theme, “Building a Unified, Inclusive and Future-Ready Digital Agriculture Ecosystem for a More Productive, Resilient and Food-Secure Nigeria,” brought together key stakeholders to deliberate on strengthening Nigeria’s digital agriculture ecosystem.

Anosike confirmed NiMet’s commitment to strengthening weather and climate information services for farmers as part of efforts to build a more productive, resilient and food-secure agricultural sector in Nigeria.

He said the dialogue was important to NiMet given its mandate to provide weather and climate information that protects lives, supports livelihoods and enables informed planning across climate-sensitive sectors.

According to Anosike, climate variability, changing rainfall patterns and extreme weather events are increasingly affecting agriculture, making timely and reliable climate information critical to agricultural planning and decision-making.

He noted that NiMet provides Seasonal Climate Predictions, regular weather updates, agric meteorological services and impact-based advisories to help farmers make informed decisions on planting, water and input management, while reducing avoidable losses.

Some participants at the dialogue.

He emphasized the importance of digital agriculture as a critical pathway for translating climate information into practical, farm-level action and also highlighted NiMet’s partnerships with Tomorrow.io and MTN on the Digital Climate Advisory Services (DCAS) System, which is designed to deliver location specific weather advisories to farmers through mobile SMS.

The above, Anosike said, was in addition to NiMet’s collaboration with the Agricultural Innovation Mechanism for Scale (AIM for Scale) to strengthen the integration of AI-based weather forecasting with digital advisory systems.

He stressed the need for digital agricultural services to reach farmers through accessible and trusted channels, noting that collaboration with extension services, technology providers, telecommunications companies, community radio and farmer organisations would be essential for effective last-mile delivery.

The NiMet CEO also emphasised the importance of making such services responsive to farmers’ realities, including language, literacy, connectivity, affordability and gender inclusion, while involving farmers in the development of climate services.

He concluded his remark by expressing optimism that the dialogue would advance climate-smart, digitally enabled and farmer-centred agriculture, while reaffirming NiMet’s readiness to provide the technical leadership needed to strengthen climate services, support food security and build resilient livelihoods in Nigeria.