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Trump wants 50% U.S. ownership of TikTok

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U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday told his supporters that he wants Chinese-owned short-form video app TikTok to be at least 50 per cent owned by U.S. investors.

On the eve of his swearing-in, Trump told a rally in Washington that he would allow the app to continue operating in the U.S., “but let the United States of America own 50 per cent of TikTok.”

“TikTok is worth nothing, zero without an approval,” to operate, Trump said.

“If you do approve, they’re worth like a trillion dollars, they’re worth some crazy number.

“I’m approving on behalf of the United States, so they’ll have a partner, the United States, and they’ll have a lot of bidders and the United States will do what we call a joint venture,” Trump added.

The popular app blocked access for U.S.-based users for about 12 hours on Sunday. This was due to a new U.S. law mandating TikTok either be sold by its current Chinese owners, ByteDance, or else be banned in the country, was set to come into force.

The app came back online after Trump, who is set to take office on Monday, said that he would issue an executive order reinstating the platform in the U.S.

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Lagos Airport Perimeter Fencing Materials Shouldn’t Be Purchase from Outside Nigeria – MAN

The Director- General maintained that the appeal became necessary as Nigerian manufacturers, regrettably, lost out in similar situations in the past.

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The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) says the Federal Government should ensure that the fencing materials for the Lagos Airport should not be procure from outside Nigeria.

The association made the appeal to the government on Monday, through its Director-General, Segun Ajayi-Kadir.Ajayi-Kadir noted that the Lagos Airport fencing project presents a clear chance for the government to demonstrate that the Nigeria First Policy is not just an aspiration, but an intentional policy of government that will be matched with unfettered implementation.

MAN, he said , therefore calls on the Federal Government to urgently intervene by ensuring that the fencing materials for the Lagos Airport are sourced from competent Nigerian manufacturers.

“This is not a call to influence the award of the contract, but a patriotic appeal to align procurement decisions with national interest for the collective benefit of our economy and the well-being of the people,” he said.

The manufacturers emphasized that it has become a matter of national interest for the project’s contractor to ensure strict adherence to the Executive Orders 003, 005 and the imperatives of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Nigeria First Policy.

” In particular, we strongly maintain that, in considering the procurement of Clear Vu fencing, indigenous manufacturers should be given priority consideration and it should NOT be purchased from outside Nigeria.

“While we acknowledge the competence of the foreign manufacturer, MAN emphasizes that Nigerian companies have the proven capacity and technical expertise to produce fencing materials of equal — if not superior — quality that meet international standards.

“The Director- General maintained that the appeal became necessary as Nigerian manufacturers, regrettably, lost out in similar situations in the past.

In this particular instance, despite MAN’s advocacy, fencing materials for an airport project were imported from South Africa.

That decision discouraged local industries and contradicted the government’s stated local content policies.

We strongly believe that this administration has the opportunity to correct past errors. “

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MTN Group says it’s under US investigation

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South African mobile operator MTN Group said Monday it was under US investigation over its activities in Iran and Afghanistan, at a time of icy ties between Washington and Pretoria.

Africa’s biggest telecoms company is already facing court challenges in South Africa by Turkey’s Turkcell, which accuses it of winning the Iranian market through corruption.

In 2006, MTN was chosen over Turkcell to become the 49 percent minority shareholder in Iranian government-controlled mobile phone carrier Irancell.

MTN had been made aware of a US Department of Justice (DoJ) grand jury investigation relating to its former subsidiary in Afghanistan and Irancell, the company said in a statement.

“MTN is cooperating with the DoJ and voluntarily responding to requests for information,” said the statement accompanying the group’s financial results.

Grand juries typically decide whether or not to formally lay charges in a case and take it to trial.

The South African multinational is also facing a court case in the United States from US veterans wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as relatives of soldiers killed in action, the statement said.

“The plaintiffs’ complaints allege that MTN supported anti-American militias in Iraq and Afghanistan .

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UBA Secures N5bn BoI MSME fund for disbursement to key sectors

The facility provides a maximum loan amount of N5 million per obligor, with a three-month moratorium on principal repayments, ensuring businesses have ample time to stabilise before they begin to service the loans.

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•GMD/CEO UBA), Oliver Alawuba.

United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has secured a N5 billion loan facility from the Bank of Industry (BOI), to boost key sectors of the economy and support the growth of sustainable and viable businesses in the country, especially the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) owned by women.

The facility disbursed through the Federal Government’s MSME Fund, is designed to stimulate key sectors of the economy, while offering affordable financing to support businesses, with a primary focus on Green Energy, Education, Healthcare, and Women-Owned Enterprises.

UBA’s Group Managing Director/CEO, Oliver Alawuba, who spoke about the facility emphasised the bank’s commitment to fostering economic growth by empowering MSMEs, which he described as the “livewire of any developing economy.

He said, “At UBA, we recognize the pivotal role MSMEs play in driving economic development, and how they make up a sizeable portion of what drives our economic growth.

It is in this vein that we have decided not to rest on our oars by facilitating initiatives dedicated to empowering businesses with the financial support they need to thrive.”

Alawuba maintained that, “by offering loans at a competitive 9% interest rate with a three-year tenor, we are removing the traditional barriers that hinder SME growth in Nigeria and Africa. And by this, our message to business owners is simple: Don’t let this once-in-a lifetime-opportunity elude you.

”The facility provides a maximum loan amount of N5 million per obligor, with a three-month moratorium on principal repayments, ensuring businesses have ample time to stabilise before they begin to service the loans.

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