The lockdown imposed on Abuja, Lagos and Ogun states as part of the measures adopted by the Federal Government to contain the spread of the Coronavirus in the country has been extended by one week.

President Muhammadu Buhari announced the extension in a national broadcast on Monday night, adding that he has also approved a phased and gradual easing of the lockdown from May 4.

“Based on the above and in line with the recommendations of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, the various Federal Government committees that have reviewed socio-economic matters and the Nigeria Governors Forum, I have approved a phased and gradual easing of lockdown measures in FCT, Lagos and Ogun States effective from Monday, 4th May, 2020.

“However, this will be followed strictly with aggressive reinforcement of testing and contact tracing measures while allowing the restoration of some economic and business activities in certain sectors,” Buhari said.

New Measures Announced

Announcing new nationwide measures including dusk-to-dawn curfew and mandatory use of face masks in public from May 4, Buhari said, “There will be an overnight curfew from 8pm to 6am.

“This means all movements will be prohibited during this period except for essential services.”

The President also imposed a ban on non-essential inter-state passenger travel until further notice.

However, he said that partial and controlled interstate movement of goods and services would be allowed for the movement of goods and services from producers to consumers.

“We will strictly ensure the mandatory use of face masks or coverings in public in addition to maintaining physical distancing and personal hygiene. Furthermore, the restrictions on social and religious gatherings shall remain in place.”

He urged state governments, corporate organisations and philanthropists to support the production of cloth masks for citizens.

While stating that the lockdown in the FCT, Lagos and Ogun States would remain in place until these new ones come into effect on Monday May 4, Buhari said the Presidential Task Force would provide sector specific details to allow for preparations by governments, businesses and institutions.

He however said state governors may choose to adapt and expand the guidelines, based on their unique circumstances provided they maintain alignment with the guidelines issued above.

Total lockdown in Kano for Two Weeks

The President also ordered the enforcement of a total lockdown in Kano State for a period of two weeks effective immediately. He said the purpose of the lockdown was to curtail the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic to other neighbouring states.

“The federal government shall deploy all necessary human, material and technical resources to support the state in controlling and containing the coronavirus pandemic and preventing the risk of further spread to neighbouring states.”

Peace Obi

The highlights of the new nationwide measures announced by President Mohammadu Buhari during his third national broadcast on Monday night as part of the Federal Government’s efforts at curbing the spread of the novel Coronavirus in Nigeria are as follows;

• The lockdown imposed on Abuja, Lagos and Ogun states has been extended by one week.
• FG has approved a phased and gradual easing of the lockdown from May 4.
• Selected businesses and offices can open from 9am to 6pm
• There will be an overnight curfew from 8pm to 6am.
• This means all movements will be prohibited during this period except for essential services;
•  There will be a ban on non-essential inter-state passenger travels until further notice;
• There will be partial and controlled interstate movement of goods and services from producers to consumers; and
• We will strictly ensure the mandatory use of face masks or coverings in public in addition to maintaining physical distancing and personal hygiene.
• The restrictions on social and religious gathers remain in place.
• A total lockdown in Kano State for a period of two weeks effective immediately

Note also that State Governments, corporate organisations and philanthropists are encouraged to support the production of cloth masks for citizens.

For the avoidance of doubt, the lockdown in the FCT, Lagos and Ogun States remains in place until the new ones come into effect on Monday, 4th May 2020 at 9am.

The Presidential Task Force shall provide sector specific details and timing guidelines to allow for preparations by Governments, businesses and institutions.

State Governors may choose to amend adapt and expand based on their unique circumstances provided they maintain alignment with the guidelines issued on public health and hygiene.

Peace Obi

ADDRESS BY H.E. MUHAMMADU BUHARI,
PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA ON THE CUMULATIVE LOCKDOWN ORDER OF LAGOS AND OGUN STATES AS WELL AS THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY ON COVID- 19 PANDEMIC
AT THE STATE HOUSE, ABUJA

MONDAY, 27th APRIL, 2020

1. Fellow Nigerians    

2. I will start by commending you all for the resilience and patriotism that you have shown in our collective fight against the biggest health challenge of our generation.

3. As at yesterday, 26th April 2020, some three million confirmed cases of COVID nineteen have been recorded globally with about nine hundred thousand recoveries. Unfortunately, some two hundred thousand people have also died as a result of this pandemic.

4. The health systems and economies of many nations continue to struggle as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

5. Nigeria continues to adopt and adapt to these new global realities on a daily basis. This evening, I will present the facts as they are and explain our plans for the coming month knowing fully aware that some key variables and assumptions may change in the coming days or weeks.

6. Exactly two weeks ago, there were three hundred and twenty three confirmed cases in 20 States and the Federal Capital Territory.

7. As at this morning, Nigeria has recorded one thousand two hundred and seventy-three cases across 32 States and the FCT. Unfortunately, these cases includes 40 deaths.

8. I will use this opportunity to express our deepest condolences to the families of all Nigerians that have lost their lives loved ones as a result of the COVID nineteen Pandemic. This is our collective loss and we share in your grief.

9. Initial models predicted that Nigeria will record an estimated two thousand confirmed cases in the first month after the index case.

10. This means that despite the drastic increase in the number of confirmed cases recorded in the past two weeks, the measures we have put in place thus far have yielded positive outcomes against the projections.

11. The proportion of cases imported from other countries has reduced to only 19% of new cases, showing that our border closures yielded positive results. . These are mostly fellow Nigerians returning through our land borders. We will continue to enforce land border arrival protocols as part of the containment strategy.

12. Today, the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has accredited 15 laboratories across the country with an aggregate capacity to undertake 2,500 tests per day across the country.

13. Based on your feedback, Lagos the State Government and the FCT with support from NCDC is have established several sample collection centers in Lagos and the FCT. They are also reviewing their laboratory testing strategy to further increase the number of tests they can perform including the accreditation of selected private laboratories that meet the accreditation criteria.

14. Several new fully equipped treatment and isolation centres have been operationalised across the country thereby increasing bed capacity to about three thousand. At this point, I will commend the State Governors for the activation of State-level Emergency Operation Centres, establishment of new treatment centres and the delivery of aggressive risk communication strategies.

15. Over ten thousand healthcare workers have been trained. For their protection, additional personal protective equipment have been distributed to all the states. Although we have experienced logistical challenges, we remain committed to establish a solid supply chain process to ensure these heroic professionals are can work safely and are properly equipped.

16. In keeping with our Government’s promise to improve the welfare of healthcare workers, we have signed a memorandum of understanding on the provision of hazard allowances and other incentives with key health sector professional associations. We have also procured insurance cover for five thousand frontline health workers. At this point, I must commend the insurance sector for their support in achieving this within a short period of time.

17. Nigeria has also continued to receive support from the international community, multilateral agencies, the private sector and public-spirited individuals. This support has ensured that critical lifesaving equipment and materials, which have become scarce globally, are available for Nigeria through original equipment manufacturers and government-to-government processes.

18. The distribution and expansion of palliatives which I directed in my earlier broadcast is still ongoing in a transparent manner. I am mindful of the seeming frustration being faced by expectant citizens. I urge all potential beneficiaries to exercise patience as we continue to fine tune our logistical and distribution processes working with the State Governments.

18.19. I have directed the Central Bank of Nigeria and other financial institutions to make further plans and provisions for financial stimulus packages for small and medium scale enterprises. We recognise the critical role that they play in Nigeria’s economy.

19.20. Our Security Agencies continue to rise to the challenge posed by this unusual situation. While we feel deeply concerned about isolated security incidents involving hoodlums and miscreants, I want to assure all Nigerians that your safety and security remains our primary concern especially in these exceedingly difficult and uncertain times. As we focus on protecting lives and properties, we will not tolerate any human rights abuses by our security agencies. The few reported incidences are regrettable, and I want to assure you that the culprits will be brought to justice.

20. I urge all Nigerians to continue to cooperate and show understanding whenever they encounter security agents. Furthermore, for their protection, I have instructed the personnel of the security agencies be provided with the necessary personal protective equipment for their own protection.
21.

21.22. As we continue to streamline our response in the epicenters of Lagos and the FCT, I remain concerned about the unfortunate developments in Kano in recent days. Although an in-depth investigation is still ongoing, we have decided to deploy additional Federal Government human, material and technical resources to strengthen and support the State Government’s efforts. We will commence implementation immediately.

22.23. In Kano, and indeed many of other States that are recording new cases, preliminary findings show that such cases are mostly from interstate travel and emerging community transmission.

23.24. Drawing from these, I implore all Nigerians to continue to adhere strictly to the advisories published by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. These include regular hand washing, social physical distancing, wearing of face masks/coverings in public, avoidance of non-essential movement and travels and avoidance of large gatherings remain paramount.

24.25. Fellow Nigerians, for the past four weeks, most parts of our country have been under either Federal Government or State Government lockdowns. As I mentioned earlier, these steps were necessary and overall, have contributed to slowing down the spread of COVID nineteen in Nigeria.

25.26. However, such lock downs have also come at a very heavy economic cost. Many of our citizens have lost their means of livelihoods. Many businesses have also shut down. No country can afford the full impact of a sustained lockdown while awaiting the development of vaccines or cures.

26.27. In my last address, I mentioned the Federal Government will develop strategies and policies that will protect lives while preserving livelihoods.

27.28. In these two weeks, the Federal and State Governments have jointly and collaboratively worked hard on how to balance the need to protect health while also preserving livelihoods, leveraging global best practice while keeping in mind our peculiar circumstances.

28.29. We assessed how our factories, markets, traders and transporters can continue to function while at the same time adhering to the NCDC guidelines on hygiene and social distancing.

29.30. We assessed how our children can continue to learn without compromising their health.

30.31. We reviewed how our farmers can safely plant and harvest in this rainy season to ensure our food security is not compromised. Furthermore, we also discussed how to safely transport food items from rural production areas to industrial processing zones and ultimately, to the key consumption centers.

31.32. Our goal was to develop implementable policies that will ensure our economy continues to function with while still maintaining our aggressive response to the COVID nineteen pandemic. These same difficult decisions are being faced by leaders around the world.

32.33. Based on the above and in line with the recommendations of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, the various Federal Government committees that have reviewed socio-economic matters and the Nigeria Governors Forum, I have approved for a phased and gradual easing of lockdown measures in FCT, Lagos and Ogun States effective from Monday, 4th May, 2020 at 9am.

33.34. However, this will be followed strictly with aggressive reinforcement of testing and contact tracing measures while allowing the restoration of some economic and business activities in certain sectors.

34.35. The highlights of the new nationwide measures are as follows;
a. Selected businesses and offices can open from 9am to 6pm;
b. There will be an overnight curfew from 8pm to 6am. This means all movements will be prohibited during this period except essential services;
c. There will be a ban on non-essential inter-state passenger travels until further notice;
d. There will be partial and controlled interstate movement of goods and services from producers to consumers; and
e. We will strictly ensure the mandatory use of face masks or coverings in public in addition to maintaining physical distancing and personal hygiene.

Furthermore, the restrictions on social and religious gathers shall remain in place. State Governments, corporate organisations and philanthropists are encouraged to support the production of cloth masks for citizens.

35.36. For the avoidance of doubt, the lockdown in the FCT, Lagos & Ogun States shall remain in place until these new ones come into effect on Monday, 4th May 2020 at 9am.

36.37. The Presidential Task Force shall provide sector specific details and timing guidelines to allow for preparations by Governments, businesses and institutions.

37. The above are guidelines. State Governors may choose to amend adapt and expand based on their unique circumstances provided they maintain alignment with the guidelines issued on public health and hygiene.

38.39. These revised guidelines will not apply for to Kano State. The total lockdown recently announced by the State Government shall remain enforce for the full duration. The Federal Government shall deploy all the necessary human, material and technical resources to support the State in controlling and containing the pandemic.

39.40. I wish to once again commend the frontline workers across the country who, on a daily basis, risk everything to ensure we win this fight. For those who got infected in the line of duty, be rest assured that Government will do all it takes to support you and your families during this exceedingly difficult period. I will also take this opportunity to assure you all that your safety, wellbeing and welfare remains paramount to our Government.

40.41. I will also recognise the support we have received from our traditional rulers, the Christian Association of Nigeria, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and other prominent religious and community leaders.

Your cooperation and support has significantly contributed to the successes we have recorded to date. I will urge you all to please continue to create awareness on the seriousness of coronavirus among your worshippers and communities while appealing that they strictly comply with public health advisories.

41.42. I will also thank the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and the Presidential Task Force for all their hard work to date. Through this collaboration, I remain confident that success is achievable.

42.43. I also wish to thank corporate organisations, philanthropists, the UN family, the European Union, friendly nations, the media and other partners that have taken up the responsibility of supporting our response.

43.44. And finally, I will thank all Nigerians again for your patience and cooperation during this difficult and challenging period. I assure you that government shall continue to take all necessary measures to protect the lives and livelihoods our citizens and residents.

I thank you for listening and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Managing Director of LADOL Free Zone (LADOL) Dr Amy Jadesimi called for a collaborative effort in the fight against the spread of Coronavirus across the countries of the world. Adding that working with other African countries can help in winning the battle against COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr Jadesimi, a Supergroup founding member of the African Influencers for Development Initiative (AIDI), a coalition set up with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) disclosed recently.

African Influencers for Development Initiative is a coalition of current and future development champions in African business, academia and the arts, supported by the UNDP, focuses on co-discovering and co-implementing innovative solutions for some of Africa’s biggest challenges

She said, “Working with the African Union, AU and or otherwise collaborating with other African countries will help us get through this crisis. We should help our smaller neighbours, both because this is the right thing to do morally but also because from an epidemiological perspective, if we don’t eradicate this virus or the threat it poses, every country in Africa remain at risk.”

“The economic ramifications may be as devastating for us as the health crisis, which is why the Government’s quick action in setting up funds to protect SMEs and Nigerian jobs is very reassuring.”

LADOL’s MD further said that working with the AU will also enable the coming together of the best minds on the continent to work together to come up with the solutions Africa needs in the short, medium and long-term.

She said “We could also collectively bargain for the materials, equipment and machinery we need and disseminate the same across the continent. Negotiating as the AU or a regional collective would greatly strengthen our ability to purchase the right preventatives such as sanitizers, gloves, face masks and even test kits.”

Adding that Africa could as well manufacture the machinery and equipment needed for treatment.

“In fact, some materials and equipment can be manufactured locally today in African countries which will be easier for us to purchase and learn from, to increase our local manufacturing capabilities.”

“I often say to people that being a Nigerian is what maintains my faith in humanity and times like this really reinforce that belief – despite the fear, the challenges and the uncertainty we are coming together as a nation and supporting each other through this,” she said.

Jadesimi believes that Nigeria as the most populous nation in Africa has unique challenges, responsibilities and opportunities.

She commended the Federal and state governments for rising and acting far quicker than some western governments to the challenge of COVID-19.

Peace Obi

 …Says Our collective humanity is at stake

African Development Bank Group President Akinwumi Adesina said that accelerated global health and economic effort is needed to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa.

Stating that “one death is one too many” and that “our collective humanity is at stake,” Adesina urged U.S. and African government officials and corporate executives to forge new and sustainable partnerships that would endure beyond the pandemic.

He made the call during a global Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) webinar. The CCA is a leading U.S. business association that promotes business and investment between the United States and Africa. 

Urging participants to be their brother’s and sister’s keepers, Adesina said there was a compelling need to pay attention to underlying global inequalities, and the impact on rich and poor countries.

Corporate Council on Africa President and CEO Florie Liser lauded the African Development Bank’s proactive leadership role in responding to the crisis in Africa.

The COVID-19 pandemic threatens to erase Africa’s unprecedented growth and economic gains over the last decade, she said. 

The webinar was moderated by Citi Bank’s Peter Sullivan, who said the pandemic was unprecedented in terms of its health, social, economic, and financial impact. “The crisis has significantly hurt economic activity across multiple sectors, including tourism, transportation and commodities.”

Adesina highlighted the Bank’s recent $3 billion “Fight COVID-19” bond, the largest ever US dollar-denominated social bond. The bond, oversubscribed at $4.6 billion, is listed on the London Stock Exchange. The Bank also launched a $10 billion COVID-19 Response Facility to assist African governments and businesses.

The Bank’s response package includes $5.5 billion earmarked for African governments, $3.1 billion for countries that fall under the Bank’s concessionary African Development Fund and $1.4 billion for the private sector.

Fielding several questions about Africa’s healthcare system, Adesina said the region needs to more than double spending in the sector. He cited the acute shortage of facilities and pharmaceutical companies on the continent as development and investment opportunities.

While China is home to 7,000 pharmaceutical companies, and India 11,000, Africa, by contrast, has only 375, even though its population is roughly equal to half of the combined population of both Asian giants.

Adesina urged multilateral institutions to align and step up their collective efforts with regard to Africa’s debt, manage their ratings, and work together with rating agencies.

While COVID-19 infection rates are relatively low compared to the rest of the world, there is a growing sense of urgency given the acute absence of healthcare infrastructure on the continent.

With an eye on the present crisis and beyond, Adesina called for urgent, new and resilient partnerships that will help leave no one behind.  

Peace Obi

Africa is at an energy cross-road. On one hand, the most talented, better educated, most entrepreneurial and competitive generation the continent has ever had is rising and taking on leadership positions that will propel African companies to become more competitive.

After many turbulent decades, most corners of the continent have found the necessary political and economic stability to strategize for a better future making use of their natural resources and wealth. Nowhere else on planet Earth are economies and populations expected to grow faster than in the mother-continent.

After such a long time dealing with the problems of the past, Africans can look to the future with the promise of a better life. After all, when it comes to natural resources such oil, gas, coal, diamonds, rare earths, woods, or agricultural potential and legacy-free technological development, there is no place like Africa. Over the last decade, most of the world’s biggest oil and gas discoveries took place on the African continent, and rapidly developing indigenous companies are ensuring these resources serve Africans and African economies more than they ever did before, resources that will power industries, light homes and create wealth.

Our time to rise is finally here

I have had the chance to witness this with my own eyes. From Equatorial Guinea to South Africa, from Angola to Mozambique and from Kenya to Senegal, the energy industry, the one I know best and the one closest to my heart, is revolutionizing life. Political leaders are willing to learn from the mistakes of the past to improve resource management, contract negotiations and environmental protection policies. 

Most of all, they have developed local content policies that potentiate the participation of Africans in these industries. Oil and gas training programmes and university degrees that cater to the industry like engineering are now more common than ever. These programs are educating and giving opportunities for numerous Africans to find work in the industry and further, to start their own companies within the industry’s supply chain. While the drive to strengthen the integration of the energy sector and other extractive industries with the rest of the economic system is far from complete, it has certainly been fundamental in developing Nigeria’s indigenous upstream sector or in building a truly native gas industry in Equatorial Guinea. In Nigeria for example, this critical mass of local talent has been instrumental in the establishment of regional energy giants like Seplat Petroleum, Sahara Energy, Atlas Petroleum International Limited and Shoreline Natural Resources, whose influence is felt more and more beyond Nigeria’s boarders.

Local content clauses in contracts are the way African leaders assure that the exploitation of the local natural resources has a trickle-down effect on the local economy, through job-creation and increasing local participation in the value chain the industry brings with it. Furthermore, most recent localization strategies for the oil and gas sector have been successful in developing truly native associated industries, particularly within the natural gas supply chain. As the Africa Energy Chamber has advocated since its establishment, we are finally seeing petrochemical plants, fertilizer plants and gas-fired power plants popping up across the continent. An African natural gas economy is growing where before the plague of flaring stood unmatched.

Intra-African trade in both natural gas and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is also likely to rise significantly, on the back of rapid urbanization and development across the continent which is set to increase energy consumption on the continent by more than 50% before 2040, This will speed up wealth creation and capacity building across borders.

Following the oil price crash of 2014, many countries across Africa have sought to reposition themselves to attract investment into their energy sectors through the introduction of varying incentives. These incentives ranged from granting tax breaks to potential investors to reducing bureaucracy affecting the sector. On the other hand, the recent global climate change discourse which has also intentionally sought to demonize and simply hinder investments into Africa’s oil and gas sector, poses a new challenge to the growth of the sector in Africa.

Worryingly, these two issues are taking attention away from the need to ensure that the African energy industry benefits Africans at large and fulfils its transformative potential to raise the continent out of poverty.

The African energy transition will not be made in the West

The issue of climate change has come to dominate the global debate over the energy sector. An energy transition is necessary to tackle the effects of CO2 emissions on a planetary scale. While Africa has contributed only a miniscule part of those emissions, it stands to suffer the most from the effects of this change, and must as well prepare for a progressive shift in its energy structure. In many ways, the channelling of natural gas for power generation and the upgrading of oil and gas infrastructure and equipment to improve efficiencies and reduce the industry’s carbon footprint is already going a long way to achieve that. New renewable energy projects from Kenya to South Africa will also help balance out the continent’s energy matrix as it expands its electrification rates to reach every African in every corner of the continent.

Many international and foreign institutions have already started to share their expertise and support with African governments and many foreign investors have started to develop their own projects in the mother-continent. Wind farms, solar parks, geothermal drilling, hydropower plants, etc, are taking advantage of each region’s available resources. Here too, these renewable resources must be used for the benefit of Africans, and they must be developed with the participation of Africans and in a manner that is sustainable economically and to a scale that is capable of supporting the growth of the industry that provides for good-paying jobs.

It is fundamental that these new technologies and sources of energy suit the communities which they are meant to serve. Climate concerns cannot sideline discussions over local content and localization strategies. They must go hand in hand, be one and the same, or else we may again find ourselves dependent on foreign knowledge to provide for our energy needs. Such dependence is unlikely to lead to the mass scale of development with the potential to lift large swaths of the population out of poverty.

Education programs and employment clauses are a fundamental step of the energy transition and not a secondary aspect of it. Market-driven local content frameworks need to be designed for capacity building, employment generation and overall enforcing a value-adding multiplying effect in our economies.

This debate is now more important than ever, as Africa opens up to new industries and to greater trade integration. As more and more African nations gain the expertise to explore their natural resources for the betterment of their economies and their people, we need to see further integration and cooperation between them, so that the continent can take advantage of synergies that different regions and industries can offer.

Already, we see examples of gas-poor countries like South Africa investing in natural gas and LNG projects in gas-rich Mozambique with the aim of reducing their growing energy deficit. As demand rises, exploration will accelerate and so will the use of the vast gas resources, including those that continue to be wasted through flaring. The African Continental Free Trade Zone is an ideal platform to promote the development of an intra-African natural gas trade that will promote widespread economic growth and access to power. Again, it is fundamental that these developments are pegged to well implemented and designed local content policies, so that Africans can truly benefit from the exploitation of their continent’s resources, and by so doing, ensure that Africa’s energy transition will be driven and made sustainable by those that will transition with it.

Verner Ayukegba is the Senior Vice President with the African Energy Chamber and Director of Operations at DMWA Resources, a pan-African energy marketing & investment firm.