Presidency Counts Blessings Of ‘The Buhari Administration At 6’

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*Says Nigerians will praise Buhari after his tenure in
2023

Mr Femi Adesina, the President’s spokesman, stated this in a
special write-up on the achievements of the President Muhammadu
Buhari administration as it clocks six years on May 29, 2021.

According to the presidential aide, this milestone affords the
opportunity to reflect and recount the impact that has been made
(and is being made) on different sectors of national life.

He said: “From infrastructure to finance, education, healthcare,
sports, anti-corruption, human development, housing, oil and gas,
foreign relations, and many others, the Administration is recording
giant strides, enough to make Nigerians proud.

“That is, those who are dispassionate and fair-minded, not
beclouded by political partisanship and undue cynicism.

“Some people claim: we don’t see what they are doing. We don’t
hear about it. Well, here it is. A Fact Sheet, a report card on the
Buhari Administration, just a bit of the successes, as the
milestone of six years is attained.

“As it is said, the past is but a story told. The future may yet
be written in gold.

“When the Administration breasts the tape in another two years,
by the grace of God, the applause will be resounding, even from the
worst of sceptics.

“Facts are undeniable, and always remain so. They are stubborn
things.’’

The presidency listed the achievements as
follow:

INFRASTRUCTURE

-Presidential approval, in 2020, for the establishment of
InfraCo Plc, a world class infrastructure development vehicle,
wholly focused on Nigeria, with combined debt and equity take-off
capital of N15 trillion, and managed by an independent
infrastructure fund manager.

– Establishment in 2020 of the Presidential Infrastructure
Development Fund (PIDF), with more than $1 billion in funding so
far.

– The Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) has seen
total additional inflows from the Government of around US$2 billion
under the Buhari Administration – since the original US$1 billion
which the Fund kicked off with in 2012

– Launch of the Nigeria Innovation Fund by the NSIA, to address
investment opportunities in the domestic technology sector: data
networking, datacenters, software, Agri-tech, Bio-tech, etc.

RAIL

– 156km Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge Rail nearing completion

– 327km Itakpe-Warri Standard Gauge Rail completed and
commissioned 33 years after construction began.

– Abuja Light Rail completed in 2018.

– Ground-breaking done for construction of Kano-Maradi Standard
Gauge Rail, and revamp of Port-Harcourt-Maiduguri Narrow Gauge
Rail.

– Financing negotiations ongoing for Ibadan-Kano Standard Gauge
Rail project.

ROADS

– Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF), investing
over a billion dollars in three flagship projects: Lagos-Ibadan
Expressway, Second Niger Bridge, Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano
Expressway.

– Executive Order 7 mobilising private investment into the
development of key roads and bridges like Bodo-Bonny in Rivers and
Apapa-Oshodi-Oworonshoki-Ojota in Lagos

– Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI), a
public-private partnership program to mobilise, in its first Phase,
over a Trillion Naira in private investment into the development
and maintenance of 12 Roads, amounting to 1,963km in length.

– More than 360 billion Naira worth of Sukuk Bonds raised since
2017 for dozens of critical road projects across all six
geopolitical zones.

PORTS

– Completion of New Terminals for International Airports in
Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt

– Construction of New Runway for Abuja and Enugu International
Airports

– Presidential approval for four International Airports as
Special Economic Zones: Lagos, Kano, Abuja and Port Harcourt.

– Approval for new private-sector funded deep sea ports: Lekki
Deep Sea Port (Construction already well underway, for completion
in 2022); Bonny Deep Sea Port (Ground-breaking done in March 2021);
Ibom Deep Sea Port; and Warri Deep Sea Port

– Development of capacity at the Eastern Ports:

In December 2017, Calabar Port commenced export of bulk cement
to Tema Port in Ghana
In 2019, three container ships berthed at Calabar Port, for the
first time in eleven years
Dredging of Warri Port (Escravos Bar—Warri Port channel)
completed in 2018
On October 30, 2019, an LPG Tanker operated by NLNG, berthed in
Port Harcourt – the first time ever an LPG ship berthed in any of
the Eastern Ports
On December 8, 2019, Onne Port received JPO VOLANS (owned by
Maersk), the FIRST gearless and largest container vessel (265.07
metres) to call at any Eastern Port in Nigeria.
On August 1, 2019, Onne Port’s Brawal Terminal received MSC
GRACE, its first container vessel since 2012.

POWER

Energizing Education Programme: Taking clean and reliable energy
(Solar and Gas) to Federal Universities and Teaching Hospitals
across the country. Four Universities completed and commissioned
already: BUK (Kano), FUNAI (Ebonyi), ATBU (Bauchi) and FUPRE
(Delta); others ongoing.

Energizing Economies Programme: Taking clean and reliable
energy (Solar and Gas) to markets across the country. Completed
projects include Sabon-Gari Market in Kano, Ariaria Market in Aba,
and Sura Shopping Complex in Lagos.

National Mass Metering Programme: Nationwide rollout of
electricity meters to all on-grid consumers, launched in August
2020. The Central Bank of Nigeria is providing 60 billion Naira for
the first phase, with a target of 1 million meter installations. So
far more than 500,000 meters have been delivered to the Discos, and
more than 280,000 installed.

Solar Power Naija: Launched in April 2021 to deliver 5
million off-grid solar connections to Nigerian households. The
program is expected to generate an additional N7 billion increase
in tax revenues per annum and $10 million in annual import
substitution. In May 2021, the Rural Electrification Agency
announced the planned deployment of solar-powered grids to 200
Primary Health Centres (PHC) and 104 Unity Schools nationwide.

Presidential Power Initiative (PPI), aka Siemens Power
Program: A Government-to-Government initiative involving the
Governments of Nigeria and Germany, and Siemens AG of Germany, to
upgrade and modernize Nigeria’s electricity grid. Contract for the
pre-engineering phase of the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI)
was signed in February 2021, following the 2020 approval for the
payment of FGN’s counterpart funding for that phase.

Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP) has provided grants
for the deployment of 200,000 Solar Home Systems, impacting one
million Nigerians. The NEP is also delivering mini-grids across the
country.

HOUSING

– The Family Homes Fund Limited (FHFL), incorporated by the
Federal Government of Nigeria in September 2016, is the
implementing agency for the Buhari Administration’s National Social
Housing scheme.

– More than two thousand (2,000) hectares of land with titled
documents have been given by 24 States for the Buhari
administration’s Social Housing programme, with the capacity to
accommodate about 65,000 new homes.

– Under the National Social Housing programme, Nigerians will be
given at least a 15-year period with a monthly payment at 6 percent
interest rate, to pay for each housing unit. The Central Bank of
Nigeria is providing a N200 Billion financing facility, with a
guarantee by the FGN.

OIL AND GAS

The Buhari Administration has declared this decade the “Decade
of Gas.”

– Ground-breaking on 614km Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano Gas Project.

– Successful completion of Nigeria’s first Marginal Field Bid
Round in almost 20 years, expected to raise in excess of half a
billion dollars, and open up a new vista of investment in oil and
gas.

– Launch of National LPG Expansion Programme (including Removal
of VAT from the domestic pricing of LPG)

– Financial close and signing of contract for NLNG Train 7,
which will grow Nigeria’s production capacity by about 35%.

– Nigeria and Morocco have in 2021 signed an agreement to
develop a US$1.4 billion multipurpose industrial platform (Ammonia
and Di-Ammonium Phosphate production plants) that will utilize
Nigerian gas and Moroccan phosphate to produce 750,000 tons of
ammonia and 1 million tons of phosphate fertilizers annually by
2025.

It will be located in Ikot-Abasi, Akwa-Ibom State.

– Commissioning, in December 2020, of the new NPDC Integrated
Gas Handling Facility in Edo State, the largest onshore LPG plant
in the country, with a processing capacity of 100 million standard
cubic feet of gas daily, producing 330 tonnes of LPG, 345 tonnes of
propane and 2,600 barrels of condensate, daily.

– Establishment of a $350m Nigerian Content Intervention Fund,
to finance manufacturing, contracts and assets in the oil and gas
industry

– Financial Close on the following NNPC-involved projects:

A 10,000 tonnes per day methanol plant and a 500 million
standard cubic feet per day gas processing plant, in Odeama, Brass,
Bayelsa State.
The ANOH gas processing plant, with a processing capacity of
300 million standard cubic feet of gas, in Imo State. It is a Joint
Venture between Seplat Petroleum Development Company and the
Nigerian Gas Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). It also has the potential to
deliver 1,200MW of power when completed.
Comprehensive Rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery
(PHRC). Sign-off Ceremony of Engineering, Procurement &
Construction (EPC) Contract held in April 2021, marking the
commencement of site handover and full mobilization to site.

– Policy, Regulatory and Funding Support for the establishment
of Modular Refineries across the Niger Delta. When the
Administration took office in 2015 Nigeria had only one functioning
Modular Refinery.

Today there are at least six ongoing brownfield and greenfield
Modular Refinery Projects across the Niger Delta. In 2020 President
Buhari commissioned the first phase of the Waltersmith Modular
Refinery, in Imo State.

– Launch of the Nigerian Upstream Cost Optimization Programme
(NUCOP), to reduce operating expenses through process enhancement
and industry collaboration.

AGRICULTURE

– Anchor Borrowers Program (ABP): The Anchor
Borrowers Programme (ABP) of the Central Bank of Nigeria,
launched by President Muhammadu Buhari on November 17, 2015, has
made more than 300 billion Naira to more than 3.1 million
smallholder farmers of 21 different commodities (including Rice,
Wheat, Maize, Cotton, Cassava, Poultry, Soy Beans, Groundnut,
Fish), cultivating over 3.8 million hectares of farmland.

– Presidential Fertilizer Initiative: Launched as a
government-to-government partnership between the Nigerian and
Moroccan Governments, in December 2016, the Presidential Fertilizer
Initiative (PFI) produced ~12million 50kg bags of NPK 20:10:10
equivalent in 2020, bringing total production since inception to
over 30 million 50kg bags equivalent; and number of participating
blending plants increased to 44 from three at inception.

– Special-Agro Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ)
Programme: A partnership between FGN, AfDB Group, and other
stakeholders including IFAD and BOI.

Under the SAPZ programme, agro-processing centres will be
established across the country. The agro-processing centres will be
provided with basic infrastructure such as water, electricity and
roads as well as facilities for skills training. Seven (7) States
and the FCT selected for the pilot phase, due to commence 2021:
Ogun, Oyo, Imo, Cross River, Kano, Kaduna, Kwara.

– The Green Imperative – a Nigeria-Brazil Agricultural
Mechanisation Programme aimed at boosting agricultural
production in Nigeria.

The National Assembly has approved a loan for the financing of
the program, which will involve the development of 632
privately-operated primary production (mechanisation) Service
Centers and 142 Agro processing (value addition) service Centres
across the 774 LGAs, and the reactivation of 6 privately owned
partially-operational or moribund tractor assembly plants
nationwide. It will also train 100,000 new extension workers.

SOCIAL INVESTMENT AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION

– In 2016, President Buhari launched the National Social
Investment Programme, currently the largest such programme in
Africa and one of the largest in the world. Currently, the National
Social Register of poor and vulnerable Nigerians (NSR) has 32.6
million persons from more than 7 million poor and vulnerable
households, identified across 708 local government areas, 8,723
wards and 86,610 communities across the 36 States of the country
and the FCT.

– From this number, 1.6 million poor and vulnerable households
(comprising more than 8 million individuals, in 45,744 communities
from 5,483 Wards of 557 LGAs in 35 states and the FCT are currently
benefiting from the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program, which
pays a bimonthly stipend of N10,000 per household.

– In January 2019, President Buhari launched Nigeria’s
Micro-Pension Scheme – which allows self-employed persons and
persons working in organisations with less than 3 employees to save
for the provision of pension at retirement or incapacitation.

– Establishment of Survival Fund, National Youth
Investment Fund, and National Special Public Works
Program (774,000 beneficiaries across 774 LGAs nationwide),
and the Central Bank’s Covid-19 300 billion Naira Targeted
Credit Facility (TCF) – more than 150 billion Naira disbursed
so far – to support millions of small businesses, households and
young people, with federal grants, loans and stipends.

– The Buhari Administration’s Survival Fund has provided its
grants (Payroll Support, Artisan and Transport Sector grants, and
General MSME grants) to more than 800,000 beneficiaries, since the
last quarter of 2020. It has also provided free business
registration to more than 200,000 MSMEs across the country.

– Presidential approval for the establishment of the Nigeria
Investment and Growth Fund (NIG-Fund), in 2021.

– As at the end of 2020, Development Bank of Nigeria (which
commenced operations in 2017) had disbursed 324 billion Naira in
loans to more than 136,000 MSMEs, through 40 Participating
Financial Institutions (PFIs). (57% of the beneficiaries are
women-owned MSMEs while 27% are youth-owned).

– Bank of Industry has disbursed more than 900 billion Naira in
loans to over 3 million large, medium, small and micro enterprises,
since 2015.

– In January 2019, President Buhari launched Nigeria’s Micro
Pension Scheme – which allows self-employed persons and persons
working in organisations with less than 3 employees to save for the
provision of pension at retirement or incapacitation.

EDUCATION AND HEALTH

– Since assuming office, the Buhari Administration has committed
more than N1.7 trillion of capital intervention to Nigeria’s
tertiary institutions, through various means, including TETFund –
with the universities taking the lion share of the total
amount.

– The Federal Government has disbursed more than 170 billion
Naira in UBE Matching Grants to States and the FCT since 2015, 8
billion Naira in Special Education Grant to States and private
providers of Special Education, and 34 billion Naira from the
Teachers Professional Development Fund to States and the FCT.

– Launch of the Alternate School Programme (ASP), designed to
ensure that every out-of-school child in Nigeria gains access to
quality basic education, irrespective of social, cultural or
economic circumstance, in line with the aspirations of Sustainable
Development Goal 4 (SDG-4).

– Presidential approval for a new (extended) Retirement age of
65 and Length of Service of 40 years for Teachers in Public Basic
and Secondary Schools in Nigeria (both effective January 1, 2021),
as well as a new Special Teachers Salary Scale (effective January
1, 2022), and also a new Special Teachers Pension Scheme.

– Reduction in number of out-of-school children, by 3,247,590,
as at 31st December, 2020, achieved through a World-Bank financed
program known as ‘Better Education Service Delivery for All’
(BESDA).

1,792,833 of that number achieved through formal schools while
1,454,757 are through non-formal interventions such as Almajiri,
Girl-Child, Nomadic/Migrant and IDPs Education).

– Under the World Bank-supported Innovation Development &
Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills (IDEAS) Project,
approved in 2020, US$200m will be invested in 6 participating
States (Abia, Benue, Ekiti, Gombe, Kano, Edo) as well as 20 Federal
Science and Technical Colleges nationwide. Implementation will be
stepped-up in 2021 to afford millions of Nigerian youths the
opportunity to acquire hands-on skills to effectively contribute to
national development.

– Presidential approval for the establishment of the
following:

* Federal Maritime University, in Delta State

* Nigerian Army University, in Borno State

Six new Colleges of Education (one per geopolitical zone:
Odugbo, Benue State; Isu, Ebonyi State; Ekiadolor, Edo State; Gidan
Madi, Sokoto State; Jama’are, Bauchi State; and Iwo, Osun
State).
Six new Federal Polytechnics in Kaltungo, Gombe State; Ayede,
Oyo State; Daura, Katsina State; Shendam, Plateau State, Ohodo,
Enugu State; and Ugep, Cross River State.
Under the phased implementation of the National Youth Policy, 6
Federal Science & Technical Colleges (FSTC) were established in
2020, as follows: FSTC Ogugu, Kogi State; FSTC Hadeija, Jigawa
State; FSTC Umuaka, Imo State; FSTC Igangan, Oyo State; FSTC
Ganduje, Kano State; FSTC, Amuzu, Ebonyi State. Five (5) additional
Federal Science and Technical Colleges (FSTC) will come on-stream
in 2021, and will be located in Bauchi, Plateau, Sokoto, Enugu and
Cross River States.

– Grants to State Governments: At least $2.5 million
disbursed to each State of the Federation and the FCT, under the
Saving One Million Lives (SOML) initiative, to improve health
outcomes.

– Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF): For the
first time since the National Health Act was passed in 2014, the
Federal Government in 2018 began including the 1% minimum portion
of the Consolidated Revenue Fund – amounting to 55 billion Naira in
2018 – to fund the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF).

The Fund is designed to deliver a guaranteed set health services
to all Nigerians, through the national network of Primary Health
Care centers.

– Passage of enabling legislation for the Nigeria
Center for Disease Control (NCDC), for the first time since it was
founded in 2011. President Buhari approved a grant of 5 billion
Naira for the NCDC in March 2020, as part of the response to the
Coronavirus pandemic.

– Tertiary Healthcare Upgrade Programme: A number of key
Federal Hospitals across the country are being upgraded to
effectively manage cancer and other major health challenges. Cancer
Radiotherapy machines and other equipment are being provided to
these hospitals. The National Hospital in Abuja has already
received two LINAC (cancer treatment) machines.

– Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) in March 2018
invested US$10m to establish a world-class Cancer Treatment Center
at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), and US$5m each in
the Aminu Kano University Teaching Hospital and the Federal Medical
Centre, Umuahia, to establish modern Diagnostic Centres. These
Centers have all been completed and are now operational.

– Launch in 2019 of a Cancer Treatment Support Programme,
‘Chemotherapy Access Partnership’, as a public-private partnership
between the Federal Government of Nigeria and a Private Sector
coalition, to enable Nigerians access lower-cost, high-quality
medications for the treatment of several types of cancer.

CREATIVE INDUSTRY AND SPORTS

SPORTS

– Long overdue renovation of the Lagos and Abuja National
Stadiums kicked off in 2020, ahead of concessioning for private
management.

– In 2018, the National Sports Festival held for the first time
since 2012.

– Nigeria national U-17 football team, the Golden Eaglets, won
the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the fifth time, in 2015. Their first
ever win was 30 years earlier, in 1985, when President Buhari was
military Head of State.

– Nigeria’s participation at the 2016 Paralympic Games yielded
her best gold medal result since Nigeria started taking part in the
Games in 1992.

– D’Tigress, Nigeria’s Female National Basketball Team won the
2017 FIBA Africa Women’s Championship, the continental championship
Cup, for the first time in 12 years, and earned qualification for
its first FIBA Women’s World Cup appearance since 2006.

– In 2018, D’ Tigress, Nigeria’s Female National Basketball Team
earned its first-ever win at the FIBA Women’s World Cup, and went
on to advance to the quarterfinals. The Team finished in 8th place
– the best ever performance by an African Team.

– In 2019, D’Tigress successfully defended its 2017 Afro
Basketball Women Championship Title.

– In 2020, D’ Tigress became the only female African Team to
qualify for participation in the 2020 Summer Olympic Games.

– Nigeria’s Women’s Football Team, the Super Falcons, won the
African Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) in 2016 and 2018.

– In 2018, Nigeria hosted a FIFA Executive Football Summit, one
of twelve worldwide.

– In 2019, the Super Falcons advanced to the group stage of the
Women’s World Cup, for the first time in 20 years.

– In 2019, Nigeria won its first Athletics World Championship
Medal in six years.

YOUTH AND CREATIVE INDUSTRY SUPPORT

– Establishment of the 75 billion Naira National Youth
Investment Fund (NYIF), approved by President Buhari in 2020

– Establishment of the Creative Industry Financing Initiative
(CIFI), by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in collaboration with
the Bankers’ Committee, to provide single-digit financing to young
Nigerians in the fields of Fashion, Film, Music and Information
Technology.

– In 20197, the Federal Government added Creative Industries to
the list of qualifying sectors for ‘Pioneer Status’ Incentives –
which grants relief from Corporate Income Tax for a specified
period of time.

– Presidential Approval for the handover of the National
Theatre, Lagos, to the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Bankers
Committee, for redevelopment into a world-class Creative Park
serving the theatre, film, fashion, music, and ICT sectors. The
handover has been done, and redevelopment work (valued at about 20
billion Naira) has now kicked off.

FISCAL, TRADE, MONETARY AND INVESTMENT
REFORMS

– The Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC) in 2017
completed a long-overdue revision of the list of activities that
can benefit from Nigeria’s Pioneer Status Incentive, which grants
beneficiary companies a 3 to 5-year tax holiday. The revision, done
more than 10 ten years after the last one, has modernized the List,
expanding the tax holiday incentives to qualifying companies in
E-commerce, Software Development, Animation, Music, Film and
TV.

– Restoration of Federal Budget to January-December cycle, with
the 2020 Budget, for the first time in 12 years.

– Introduction, since 2020, of annual Finance (Reform) Bills to
accompany the annual Federal Appropriation Bill

– Negotiation of the billions of dollars in arrears of Cash
Calls we inherited when the administration assumed office,
resulting in an agreement for a significant discount of more than a
billion dollars. Since 2017 the NNPC has commenced payment of the
arrears to the Oil Companies. As at Q4 2020, more than $3 billion
of the ~$5 billion arrears had been cleared.

– Launch of a Visa-on-Arrival Policy, as part of Ease of Doing
Business Reforms. In addition, a comprehensive reform of the
existing Visa Regime, leading to the rollout in 2020 of a new and
enhanced Visa Policy for Nigeria (including expansion from 6 visa
categories to 79; each tailored to a specific type of traveller –
36 Temporary Residence Visas, 15 Permanent Residence Visas, 24
Short Visit Visas, etc.

PRESIDENTIAL ASSENT TO LEGISLATIVE BILLS

– Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contracts
Act, 1993 (Amendment) Act, 2019, which will deliver increased
revenues to the Federation.

– Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC)
Bill, the first legislation in Nigeria’s history focused on curbing
anti-competition practices; establishing the Federal Competition
and Consumer Protection Commission.

– Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) Establishment Act,
2018

– Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Bill, an Executive Bill,
signed into law in 2019. The Bill facilitates the identification,
tracing, freezing, restraining, recovery, forfeiture and
confiscation of proceeds, property and other instrumentalities of
crime, as well as the prosecution of offenders in criminal cases
regardless of where in the world they might be.

– Bill establishing the Police Trust Fund, which will
significantly improve funding for the Nigeria Police Force
(2019).

– Nigeria Police Act, 2020 – the first comprehensive reform of
Police legislation since the Police Act of 1943.

– Repeal and Re-Enactment of the Companies & Allied Matters Act
(CAMA), 2020 – the first comprehensive reform since 1990.

– Not Too Young to Run Bill (2018) – a Constitution Amendment
Bill, to reduce the age of eligibility for running for elective
office in Nigeria.

– Nigerian Correctional Services Bill, 2019 – the first
comprehensive reform of prison legislation in close to five
decades

– Suppression of Piracy and other Maritime Offences Bill, 2019 –
the first anti-piracy legislation in West Africa.

– A Bill to grant financial autonomy to States’ Houses of
Assembly and States’ Judiciary (2018)

– Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020

– Finance Act 2019 and 2020

– The Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities
(Prohibition) Act, 2018.

EXECUTIVE ORDERS

– The Buhari Administration has, since 2017, issued a number of
landmark Executive Orders:

* Executive Order on Promotion of Transparency and Efficiency in
the Business Environment (2017)

* Executive Order on Promoting Local Procurement by Government
Agencies (2017)

Executive Order on Submission of Annual Budgetary Estimates by
all Statutory and non-Statutory Agencies, including Incorporated
Companies wholly owned by the Federal Government of Nigeria
(2017)
Executive Order on the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration
Scheme (2017)
Presidential Executive Order on Planning and Execution of
Projects, Promotion of Nigerian Content in Contracts, Science,
Engineering and Technology (2018)
Executive Order (and Amendment) on the Voluntary Offshore
Assets Regularization Scheme (VOARS) (2018)

* Executive Order on Road Infrastructure Development and
Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme (2019)

* Executive Order Implementing Financial Autonomy of State
Legislature and State Judiciary (2020)

SUPPORT TO STATES

– The Buhari Administration has extended more than N2 Trillion
Naira in bailout packages to State Governments, to enable them meet
their salary and pension obligations, especially in the face of
dwindling oil revenues in the first 3 years of the Administration.
The support has come in the form of the following:

– Budget Support Facility (Total of 614 billion Naira extended
to the States.

– Paris Club Refunds ($5.4 billion)

– Infrastructure Loans & Refunds: More than 700 billion Naira in
refunds for Federal Road projects embarked upon by State
Governments.

– Loan Restructuring for Facilities with Commercial
Banks: In 2015, the DMO restructured Commercial Bank loans
with a total value of N575.516 billion for 23 States to reduce the
debt service burden on the states. In exchange for their loans to
State Governments, the banks were issued 20-year FGN Bonds at a
yield of 14.83% per annum. The Restructuring Exercise benefited the
States through:

Reduction in the monthly debt service burden of States from
between 55% to 97% for various States;

* Interest rate savings for the States ranging from 3% to 9% per
annum;

* Longer repayment period for the loans now converted into
Bonds; and,

Freeing up of needed cash to run the machinery of
Government.

NIGER DELTA

– Take-off of the Nigerian Maritime University in Okerenkoko,
Delta State. The University was granted approval in January 2018 by
the National Universities Commission (NUC) to commence
undergraduate degree programmes effective 2017/18 session, and
commenced academic activities on April 12, 2018.

– Resumption of work on the 337km East-West Road project,
originally awarded in 2006. The Buhari Administration expects to
complete the project by Q1 2022.

– President Buhari approved 5 billion Naira in take-off grant
for the Maritime University.

– Ogoni Clean-Up: Setting aside of US$170m seed funding for the
Ogoni Clean Up, in an Escrow Account established for that
purpose.

The Escrow Agreement Signing Ceremony took place in April 2018.
The Clean-Up commenced in January 2019, with the handover of the
first batch of 21 sites to the selected remediation firms, after a
painstaking procurement process. As of March 2021, 16 of the first
21 sites had been certified cleaned.

– Approvals for the establishment of private-sector-led Modular
Refineries across the nine States of the Niger Delta – the first
three Refineries have now been completed, while construction is
ongoing on others.

ANTI-CORRUPTION AND TRANSPARENCY

EXPANSION OF TSA AND IPPIS COVERAGE

On August 7, 2015, President Buhari issued a directive
to all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to close their
accounts with Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) and transfer their
balances to the Central Bank of Nigeria on or before 15th
September 2015.

– The TSA system was launched in 2012, but failed to gain
traction until President Buhari’s executive order in August
2015. The TSA system has now been implemented in more than 90
percent of all Federal MDAs.

– This decision to fully operationalize the Treasury Single
Account (TSA) system—a public accounting system that enables the
Government to manage its finances (revenues and payments) using a
single/unified account, or series of linked accounts domiciled at
the Central Bank of Nigeria — has resulted in the
consolidation of more than 17,000 bank accounts previously
spread across DMBs in the country, and in savings of an
average of N4 billion monthly in banking charges.

– In spite of great opposition, the Buhari Administration has
expanded IPPIS coverage to the Armed Forces, as well as Federal
Universities and other academic institutions.

BVN DEPLOYMENT FOR SOCIAL INVESTMENT PROGRAMMES AND
OTHERS:

Considering that personnel costs are the Federal Government’s
largest expenditure line, the Federal Government has given priority
to the deployment of the BVN for payroll and pension
audits. The use of BVN to verify payroll entries on the
Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) platform
has so far led to the detection of 54,000 fraudulent payroll
entries.

– The Federal Government has also ensured the deployment of BVN
system to serve as the verification basis for payments to
beneficiaries and vendors in the Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP),
the N-Power Scheme and the Homegrown School Feeding Programme
(HGSFP)

OPEN GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIP

– In May 2016, President Buhari attended and participated in the
International Anti-Corruption Summit organised by the UK
Government. At that Summit he pledged that Nigeria would join the
OGP, an international transparency, accountability and citizen
engagement initiative.

– In July 2016, Nigeria became the 70th country to join the
OGP. Following this, Nigeria constituted an OGP National
Steering Committee (NSC), which went on to develop a National
Action Plan (2017–2019) that aims to deepen and mainstream
transparency mechanisms and citizens’ engagement in the management
of public resources across all sectors.

– In 2018, Nigeria was elected to lead the OGP, alongside
Argentina, France, and Romania. All four new members of the OGP
Steering Committee will serve for three years starting on October
1, 2018.

ASSET RECOVERY

– Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) has
helped anti-corruption agencies devise clearer strategies for
obtaining forfeiture of assets suspected to have been acquired
fraudulently, mainly from State Coffers, before prosecuting
suspected culprits. Part of this work has involved painstakingly
reviewing existing Laws (like the Money Laundering Act, 2004, the
EFCC Act, 2004 and the ICPC Act, 2000), to identify and highlight
sections directly conferring powers of forfeiture on Nigeria’s
anticorruption agencies. This advocacy has led to a significant
increase in the use of Non-Conviction Based Asset Forfeiture
Mechanisms by anti-corruption agencies

– ICPC scrutiny of practices, systems and procedures of MDAs’
personnel cost from 2019 to 2020, yielded 189 billion Naira in
recoveries from inflated personnel budgets.

– In 2019 alone ICPC also recovered 32 billion Naira worth of
Land, Buildings and Vehicles.

– ICPC’s audit of Constituency Projects covering 2015 to 2018
helped recover 2 billion Naira of diverted funds and assets.

SECURITY AND JUSTICE REFORM

– Nigerian Air Force has acquired 26 brand new aircraft since
President Buhari assumed office in 2015, and is expecting another
12 (the twelve Super Tucano currently on order from the United
States Government, due for delivery starting July 2021). The NAF is
also locally re-activating several previously unserviceable
planes.

– The Nigerian Navy has acquired close to 400 new platforms
since 2015, including 172 Riverine Patrol Boats (RPBs), 114 Rigid-
Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs), 2 Seaward Defence Boats (SDBs), 12
Manta Class/Inshore Patrol Craft (IPC), 3 Whaler Boats, 4 Barges /
Tug Boats, 22 Fast Attack Boats, 14 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
(UAVs), 4 Helicopters, 14 River Town Class, 14 House Boats and 4
Capital Ships.

– In line with the President’s directive, the Nigerian Navy has
established a Naval Base Lake Chad in Baga, Borno State, as well as
deployed 14 Naval Security Stations along the nation’s coastline in
areas prone to criminal activity.

– President Buhari signed into law, in 2019, the Bill
establishing the Police Trust Fund, which will significantly
improve funding for the Nigeria Police Force.

– Nigeria Police Force launched a new National Command and
Control Center in Abuja in 2019

– As part of Criminal Justice Reforms, President Buhari in 2020
granted amnesty to 2,600 prisoners nationwide, representing about
3.5 percent of all inmates, in a bid to decongest Nigeria’s prison
population.

The beneficiaries were those 60 years and above; those suffering
from ill-health that might likely lead to death; convicts serving
three years and above and have less than six months to serve;
inmates with mental health defect; and inmates with a pending fine
not exceeding N50,000 and with no pending cases.

– Presidential approval for commencement of Community Policing
Programme nationwide, and release of take-off funding. The
Community Policing Programme has now been enshrined into the Police
Act, 2020.

– The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) is deploying a
Migration Information and Data Analysis System (MIDAS) at five
International Airports. MIDAS is a global real-time border
management system developed by International Organization for
Migration (IOM), and is linked to INTERPOL & other watchlists. The
implementation of MIDAS at the International Airport in Abuja was
described by the IOM as “the largest deployment of MIDAS at any
airport globally, to date.”

DIPLOMACY AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Re-establishment of Nigeria’s position and influence in the
regional and global arena. Fragile/broken relations with the United
States, United Kingdom, South Africa, and with neighbouring
countries (Chad, Niger, Cameroon) have been revived and
strengthened since June 2015.

Major outcomes/results/manifestations of Nigeria’s renewed
visibility and respect on the International Stage include:

– The positions of Deputy Secretary-General of the United
Nations, Director-General of the World Trade Organization,
Secretary-General of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting
Countries (OPEC), African Development Bank, and African
Export–Import Bank are all currently held by Nigerians.

– The signing, in August 2016, of an MoU with the UK Government
on modalities for the return of Nigeria’s stolen assets in the
UK.

– The establishment of a Global Forum for Asset Recovery (GFAR),
hosted by the governments of the US and UK in December 2017, to
focus on assisting Nigeria and three other countries to reclaim
their stolen assets.

– Nigeria joined the Open Government Partnership (OGP) in 2016
and developed a National Action Plan, which is already being
implemented.

– In 2016 Nigeria signed an Agreement on the identification and
repatriation of Illicit Funds with the United Arab Emirates during
President Buhari’s Visit to that country.

– The Federal Government under President Buhari has successfully
engaged the governments of Switzerland, Jersey Island, United
States, United Arab Emirates, and Liechtenstein among others, in an
effort to ensure the repatriation of Nigeria’s stolen assets.

– A total of US$622 million in looted Abacha funds repatriated
to Nigeria in two tranches in December 2017 and April 2020.

The first tranche ($322m) is being disbursed as part of the
Buhari Administration’s Social Investment Programme interventions,
while the second tranche ($311m) is being invested in the
Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF), managed by the
Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA).

– Under President Buhari’s watch, Nigeria has been playing an
active and stabilizing role in OPEC. In 2017 Nigeria was able to
successfully negotiate a vital exemption from production cuts
agreed at the time, a move that helped shore up revenues and
foreign reserves.

– The Buhari Administration has mobilized International Support
for the War against Boko Haram, forging strong partnerships with
key countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom,
France and Germany, ECOWAS, the AU, the UN, and others. After years
of stalemate, the United States finally agreed to sell – and has
sold – weapons to Nigeria (12 Super Tucano Aircraft)

– Revamp of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF)
comprising troops from Nigeria and Chad, Niger, Cameroon and
Benin.

– The designation of President Buhari as the African Union (AU)
Anti-Corruption Champion for 2018

– The designation of President Buhari by ECOWAS Heads of State
as West Africa’s Covid-19 Champion in 2020.

– President Buhari’s interventions have helped restore and
strengthen democracy in The Gambia and Guinea Bissau. He authorized
the deployment of troops, fighter jets and warships to The Gambia
during the impasse that followed the December 2016 Presidential
elections.

– Successful evacuation and repatriation of more than 10,000
Nigerian migrants from Libya, with the support and partnership of
the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

BILATERAL RELATIONS:

CHINA

– Billions of dollars in concessional infrastructure funding for
critical road and rail projects. President Buhari’s April 2016
official visit to China has unlocked billions of dollars in
infrastructure funding, primarily for road, rail and port
projects;

– Implementation of a Chinese Yuan (CNY) 15 billion Currency
Swap Agreement between the Peoples Bank of China and the Central
Bank of Nigeria.

GERMANY

– Support for the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI), six-year
Programme to modernise Nigeria’s electricity grid, under a
Government-to-Government framework between the Nigerian and German
Governments; to be managed and implemented by Siemens AG.

– Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Nigeria
Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending
(NIRSAL) and Petkus Technologie of Germany, aimed at significantly
reducing the incidence/impact of post-harvest losses in Nigeria’s
Agriculture Value Chain.

– Signing of a MoU with Volkswagen of South Africa (VWSA) to
develop a joint vision for an automotive hub in Nigeria.

UNITED STATES (USA)

– Renewed cooperation in Security and Anti-Corruption. The US
Government has approved the sale of 12 Super Tucano Aircraft to
Nigeria, as well as repatriation of recovered looted monies and
assets stashed in the US. In 2020 the United States and the
Bailiwick of Jersey repatriated $311 million to Nigeria

– Nigerian and U.S. militaries collaborated to host, April 2018
in Abuja, the 2018 African Land Forces Summit, the largest
gathering of African Army chiefs, to discuss cooperation aimed at
improving security on the continent.

UNITED KINGDOM (UK)

– 2018: Nigeria commenced the implementation of Automatic
Exchange of Tax Information (AETI) protocol with the United
Kingdom. This Protocol will provide the Nigerian Government with
data on bank accounts, property and trusts held in the UK by
Nigerian nationals, and will support the Voluntary Assets and
Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS) by allowing Nigerian tax
authorities to check the accuracy of declarations received
regarding overseas assets and income.

– 2018: Launch of a UK-Government funded £13 million education
programme that will provide training for teachers, school
equipment, and security for schools, for 100,000 children living in
parts of the Northeast affected by Boko Haram.

– 2021: Repatriation by the United Kingdom of GBP 4.2 million
being recovered loot from the Ibori family, to Nigeria.

SOUTH AFRICA

– The SA-Nigeria Bi-National Commission was in 2019 elevated
from Vice Presidential to Presidential Level, as a symbol of a
renewed commitment to cooperation between Africa’s two largest
economies.

MOROCCO

– The Presidential Fertilizer Initiative, PFI (which
involves a partnership with the Government of Morocco, for the
supply of phosphate, as well as technical assistance), has resulted
in the revitalization of more than 40 blending plants across
Nigeria.

– As part of the PFI, in 2018 Nigeria and Morocco signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (between OCP of Morocco and the Nigeria
Sovereign Investment Authority) on the establishment of a Basic
Chemicals Platform, specifically to develop a significant Ammonia
Production Plant in the Niger Delta. In March 2021, contracts were
signed by NSIA and OCP for land acquisition, joint venture equity
investment, and gas supply for the project.

RUSSIA

– Government-to-Government Arms Deal involving the supply of 12
Attack Helicopters to Nigeria

– Resuscitation Deal for the Ajaokuta Steel Rolling Mill, agreed
by Presidents Buhari and Putin, during the Russia Africa Summit in
2019. The Russian Government has agreed to support the completion
and full operationalization of the plant.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (UAE)

– Nigeria has signed and ratified an Extradition Treaty with the
United Arab Emirates that allows extradition of Nigerians who flee
to the UAE after committing crimes in Nigeria.

SAUDI ARABIA

– During the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in 2019,
President Buhari met separately and held extensive talks with the
King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin
Salman, MBS; as well as the leadership of ARAMCO and the Saudi
Sovereign Wealth Fund.

– One of the outcomes of the Saudi Visit was the agreement by
the two governments to set up a joint Saudi-Nigeria Strategic
Council, made up of government officials and businessmen from both
countries, and which will focus on economic growth and development,
investments in oil and non-oil sectors, and security
cooperation.

INTERNATIONAL APPOINTMENTS HELD BY
NIGERIANS

– Designation of President Buhari as the African Union (AU)
Anti-Corruption Champion for 2018, and by ECOWAS Heads of State as
West Africa’s Covid-19 Champion in 2020.

– Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations
(UN), appointed 2017

– Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General of the World Trade
Organization (WTO) (first African and first woman to hold the
position, elected 2021)

– Akin Adesina, President of the African Development Bank,
elected in 2015 and re-elected 2020.

– Benedict Oramah, President of African Export-Import Bank
(Afreximbank), re-elected for a second term in 2020

– Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, Secretary-General of the
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC); elected 2016,
re-elected 2019.

– Chile Eboe-Osuji, President of the International Criminal
Court (ICC), 2018–2021.

– Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, President of the 74th Session of the
United Nations General Assembly, 2019–2020.

– Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner, African Union Commission’s
Department for Political Affairs & Peace and Security, elected
2021

CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE

“In Nigeria, we are taking a two-step approach. First, to
protect the lives of our fellow Nigerians and residents living here
and second, to preserve the livelihoods of workers and business
owners to ensure their families get through this very difficult
time in dignity and with hope and peace of mind.” – President
Buhari

– The President in March 2020 set up an Economic Sustainability
Committee chaired by Vice President Osinbajo, to develop a
comprehensive economic plan to respond to the disruptions and
dislocations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

– The ESC produced an Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) that is
being implemented and has been credited with helping Nigeria exit
the Covid-induced recession faster than expected.

– The President in March 2020 set up a Presidential Task Force
on Covid-19, chaired by the Secretary to the Government of the
Federation, to coordinate Nigeria’s multi-sectoral
inter-governmental approach to COVID-19. The PTF has since April
2021 transitioned into a Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on
Covid-19

President Buhari also approved the following, in
2020:

– Establishment of a 500 billion Naira COVID-19 Crisis
Intervention Fund, for the upgrading of health facilities
nationwide, finance a national Special Public Works Programme, as
well as any other interventions that may be approved in the
future.

– Launch of the Export Expansion Facility Programme, designed to
ameliorate the impact of the pandemic on exporting businesses. The
goals are market development (22 identified export markets),
capacity building, export aggregation, and trade facilitation.

– Release of special intervention grants of 10 billion Naira and
5 billion Naira to the Lagos State Government and the Nigeria
Center for Disease Control (NCDC) respectively, to facilitate the
Covid-19 Response.

– A three-month repayment moratorium for all Social Investment
Programme microcredit loans (TraderMoni, MarketMoni and
FarmerMoni), with immediate effect.

– A three-month moratorium for all Federal Government funded
loans issued by the Bank of Industry, Bank of Agriculture and the
Nigeria Export Import Bank.

– Presidential approval for Expansion of National Social
Register (official database for implementation of the Conditional
Cash Transfer programme) by 1 million additional households.