Business
NAFDAC presents alcohol survey reports backing ban
Rivers and Lagos State lead in the consumption of alcoholic drinks sold in sachets and Polyethylene Terephthalate bottles among minors and underage persons.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Tuesday made a publication presentation of alcohol consumptions survey.
This is in response to the MAN , NECA, FOBTOB, among other industrial stakeholders querying its recent ban on sachets alcohol in packet sizes and PET bottles.
NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said during the presentation of the survey reports that the study was conducted in collaboration with the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria and carried out by Research and Data Solutions Ltd, Abuja, surveyed 1,788 respondents across six states between June and August 2021.
“Rivers and Lagos State lead in the consumption of alcoholic drinks sold in sachets and Polyethylene Terephthalate bottles among minors and underage persons” , she said.
The agency said that the report examined access to alcohol and drinking frequency among minors (below 13 years), underage (13–17 years), and adults (18 years and above).”
Alcohol remains “one of the most widely used substances of abuse among youths” and noted that “the availability and easy access to alcohol have been identified as a contributory factor to the increasing alcohol consumption among minors.”
54.3 per cent of minors and underage respondents obtained alcohol by themselves.
Nearly half (49.9 per cent) purchased drinks in sachets or PET bottles, with Rivers State recording the highest rates — 68.0 percent for sachets and 64.5 percent for PET bottles.
Lagos followed with 52.3 percent and 47.7 percent, respectively, while Kaduna recorded 38.6 percent sachet and 28.4 percent PET bottle consumption.
“The proportion of drinks procured in sachets was higher among males (51.4 percent) compared to females (41.5 percent), and more in rural (50.1 percent) compared to urban (45.3 percent) locations.”
The report also revealed that minors and underage respondents also accessed alcohol from friends and relatives (49.9 percent), social gatherings (45.9 per cent), and parents’ homes (21.7 per cent).
It said that among those who bought alcohol themselves, 47.2 percent of minors and 48.8 percent of underaged respondents procured drinks in sachets, while 41.2 percent of minors and 47.2 percent of the underaged bought PET bottles.
On consumption frequency, 63.2 percent of minors and 54.0 percent of underage persons were occasional drinkers, but 9.3 percent of minors and 25.2 percent of underages respondent reported drinking daily.
The report urged stricter regulation, noting that “access to alcohol by children can be limited if pack sizes that can be easily concealed are not available.”
Business
TCN improves Power Supply to Apapa corridors by additional 208MW
The upgrade replaces an outdoor transformer that had served as a stopgap after the original facility, commissioned in 1985, was decommissioned.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Mr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz , says from now Apapa Causeway, Ijora, Amukoko, Ajegunle, Apapa Wharf, Tin Can Island and other major commercial areas, will be having improved power supply.
Abdulaziz made the declaration on Monday during the commission of Ijora and Apapa Road transmission substations in Lagos by additional 208MW .
The project is aimed at improving the volume and reliability of electricity available to distribution companies for onward supply to homes, businesses and industries.
Abdulaziz said that the projects, sponsored by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the World Bank respectively, in partnership with TCN, underscored the Federal Government’s commitment to modernising the transmission network and improving grid stability.
He commended the Ministry of Power, JICA, the Government of Japan, Lagos State Government and other stakeholders for supporting the projects, while appealing for additional grant assistance to upgrade other critical sections of the transmission network.
Speaking at the commissioning, Minister of Power, Mr. Joseph Tegbe, said that the projects were part of the Federal Government’s efforts to address longstanding transmission constraints and infrastructure decay that have limited the country’s ability to fully utilise available generation.
The upgrades increased the Ijora substation’s capacity by 112MW, from 90MVA to 230MVA, following the installation of two new 100MVA transformers.
At Apapa Road, a new Gas Insulated Substation (GIS) added another 96MW, raising the facility’s capacity from 60MVA to 180MVA.
The upgrade replaces an outdoor transformer that had served as a stopgap after the original facility, commissioned in 1985, was decommissioned.
Business
CBN’s Sidi-Ali wins 2026 overall Spokesperson of the Year Award, courtesy of NSA
•Mrs Hakama Sidi Ali.
The Ag. Director of Corporate Communications of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mrs. Hakama Sidi-Ali, has won the 2026 edition of the National Spokespersons Award (NSA).
The recognition was announced during the 6th National Spokespersons Awards and the 4th Economic Confidential Annual Lecture, organised by Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), publishers of PRNigeria, Economic Confidential and Spokespersons Digest, held in Abuja, recently.
The organisers stated: “With the latest honour, Sidi-Ali completed an unprecedented hat-trick at the National Spokespersons Awards, becoming the first communications professional to progress from winning a sector-specific award twice consecutively to claiming the overall Spokesperson of the Year title.
Business
Naira Exchange Rates Tuesday,18 August
BLACK MARKET RATES
US Dollar (USD) Buy ₦1,405 Sell ₦1,413
Great British Pound (GBP) Buy ₦1,880 Sell: ₦1,900
EURO (EUR) Buy ₦1,580 Sell ₦1,600
Canadian Dollar (CAD) Buy ₦1,020 Sell ₦1,080
South African Rand (ZAR) Buy ₦75 Sell ₦90
Ghana Cedi (GHS) Buy ₦95 Sell ₦110
West African CFA Buy ₦2, 300 Sell ₦2, 400
CENTRAL AFRICAN CFA Buy ₦2,150 Sell 2,250
CBN Exchange Rates
US Dollar (USD) ₦1,349.54
Great British Pound (GBP) ₦1,830.11
EURO (EUR) ₦1,564.79
Swiss Franc (CHF) ₦1,667.74
Chinese Yuan (CNY) ₦200.19
West African CFA (XOF) ₦2. 39
West African Unit Account (WAUA) ₦1,855.18
Saudi Riyal (SAR) ₦359.44
South African Rand (ZAR) ₦83.31
-
Politics3 days agoKebbi Governor picks new running mate , Ibrahim Augie
-
Politics3 days agoOsun poll: ADC’s Salaam, Tambuwal Hail Adeleke for Second Term Win
-
Sports2 days agoCameroon Win First WAFCON Cup Title
-
Entertainment2 days agoUS Actress Hayden Panettiere Dies At 36
-
Politics2 days agoBREAKING: Edo Assembly Speaker Agbebaku Resigns
-
News2 days agoEdo Assembly Speaker Agbebaku Resigns Amid Impeachment Plot (Video)
-
Business3 days agoNaira Exchange Rates Monday,17 August
-
News2 days agoDefence Headquarters say X Account Compromised
