Tech

Tomato processing factory, largest in West Africa commissioned in Gafara, Ngaski LG of Kebbi by Spanish firm: another confidence vote in Nigeria

Published

1 year ago

March 10, 2024

Ekwutos Blog

New Tomato Processing Factory in Kebbi State

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Tomato processing factory, largest in West Africa commissioned in Gafara, Ngaski LG of Kebbi by Spanish firm: another confidence vote in Nigeria

A new tomato processing factory and farm expansion by the Spanish multinational group, GB Foods have been commissioned in Gafara, Ngaski LG of Kebbi state.

The commissioning took place Friday and was witnessed by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari and Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Muhammed Idris.

The company cultivates 1,500 hectares of tomato. It has 5,000 workers, 70 percent of whom are women. The tomato processing plant has capacity for 620 metric-tonnes per-day .

GB Foods plans to double the capacity of the plant in the next expansion phase. When completed, the farm and processing facility will be the biggest integrated tomato project in Africa.

Idris, who called on foreign investors to emulate the long-term commitment of GB Foods in Nigeria, said:

“This project is a good example of that. We thank GB Foods for believing and investing in Nigeria, and I want to assure you that you will receive all the support you require to continue to invest.”

“For those who say that it’s only bad stories coming out of Nigeria, this is a very good story to tell. At a time when the media is saying all foreigners, all investors are leaving the country, GB Foods is investing more and more here,” he stated.

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, who represented President Bola Tinubu, said: “This is a sign that there is confidence in Nigeria, under the able leadership of President Tinubu, for foreign investors to come and invest.”

He expressed the administration’s gratitude to Kebbi State for creating an enabling environment for business. “Let me say that this is the second time I’m coming to Kebbi State in a little over a month. First, I visited a Rice Mill, the largest in West Africa, and today I’m visiting the largest tomato factory in Africa, all in Kebbi State.”

After the farm visit, and a symbolic participation in the tomato harvesting process, Minister Idris joined his colleagues and other dignitaries for the commissioning and tour of the new plant.

The ceremony also had in attendance the Governor of Kebbi State, Dr. Nasir Idris; the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, and former Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu; members of the National Assembly representing Kebbi State, members of the Kebbi State Executive Council, the Emir of Yauri, Dr. Muhammad Zayyanu-Abdullahi, the Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria, H.E. Juan Sell, and senior executives of GB Foods, including the global CEO, Ignasi Ricou; Africa CEO, Vicenç Bosch; and General Manager, Nigeria, Vincent Egbe.

Rabiu Ibrahim
Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of Information and National Orientation

Tech

Gov Soludo is a greater supporter of Innoson group but our Office in Anambra was demolished without pre-notification from government— Innoson Group

Published

16 hours ago

April 18, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

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‎Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM) has expressed displeasure over the partial demolition of its Head Office, situated on the Owerri-Nnewi road.
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‎Mr Cornel Osigwe, Head of Corporate Communications at Innoson Group, who confirmed the demolition to newsmen, said that there was no pre notification ahead of the demolition which took place on Wednesday.
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‎He claimed that the office perimeter fence, some offices, stair case and the company’s showroom were affected by the partial demolition.
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‎According to him, there was no pre notification ahead of the demolition; it came to us as a surprise.
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‎“We did not know that the building itself was marked for demolition and if it was marked, they should have given us time to relocate.
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‎“The staff were working and they just saw the demolition vehicle demolishing the building while work was going on.
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‎“Some of our staff were trapped in the building, it took the efforts of our other staff to rescue those that were trapped while over 20 vehicles were also trapped.
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‎“A day before the demolition, there was an announcement that there was going to be a demolition and they were going to give one week for the houses that were marked for demolition to relocate.
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‎“The company was not aware that the company was marked for demolition, and even if it was aware.
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‎“There have been a public announcement that all the marked buildings have one week to relocate, but all those things were not considered
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‎“There were other buildings that were close to the head office and marked for demolition were not demolished but they came straight to our building and demolished it, making us to wonder if there was another ulterior motive to it,” he said.
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‎“Gov. Charles Soludo of Anambra has been a great supporter of Innoson Vehicle and Innoson has been a great supporter of the state government.

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‎“But the way and manner that everything happened makes us to wonder if the state government is aware that those handling the demolition have personal vendetta against the company,” he added.
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Tech

They only know how to drain data’ – Telecom consumers lament tariff hike, poor network

Published

5 days ago

April 14, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

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Some telecommunication services consumers in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT have urged Mobile Network Operators to improve their services to match the recent hike in their tariffs.

They made the call in separate interviews with NAN on Monday in Abuja.

The subscribers said despite the increase in subscription rates mobile networks could remain epileptic for hours.

In a publication dated February 6, 2024, the Executive Vice-chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr Aminu Maida, said that the commission would hold service providers accountable for poor service delivery.

Mr Ogah Paul, one of the subscribers said he had enough data on his network but could not access the internet because of the epileptic network.

He urged service providers to fix the problems surrounding the poor services.

“The only thing they know is to drain data without any good service delivery. I feel like crying because of a problematic network. I have been receiving server errors since morning.

“To even download and watch a video sent to me since, takes me almost one whole day. “I wonder if members of staff of the service providers are enjoying the service they render to us.

“We cannot make calls, access the internet or even receive calls,’’ he said.

According to him, unfortunately, the network providers put up some of the best adverts about their products and services which they cannot meet.

Mr Victor James, another subscriber said he had enough data but was not able to use it to his satisfaction.

“Why does their data plan not reflect immediately when you buy data? Sometimes it takes as much as 24 hours to reflect.

“I am tired of this. The network is really bad. I have enough data but I cannot use it the way I want.

“I hope the issues get resolved as soon as possible so that I can access my data without further delay,” he said.

However, Ms Josephine Tanko, told NAN that she had no problems with her network providers.

“It is fast and reliable. I think it is the network that gives the best internet speed and quality.

“It will always be my best that is why I will always choose it over any other network,” she said.

She called on networks that did not meet their subscriber’s expectations to ensure that they improved their services.

Tech

5 countries that produce the most cars

Published

6 days ago

April 13, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

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By Adegboyega Adeleye

The importance of cars in transportation cannot be overemphasised with some countries known for their production.

Transportation is required for work, school, and industry, with car production fast becoming a major producer of revenue and a player in the global was financial market.

Car production is one of the largest economic sectors internationally; however, some countries produce more cars than others. The list of countries by motor vehicle production is based on statistics by the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers.

The world’s car manufacturers put another 93.5 million vehicles on the roads in 2023, the last full-year numbers currently available.

This article will explore the top 5 countries with the highest car production.

1. China

China, the world’s biggest manufacturer overall, leads the world in car production. The country’s 2023 production totaled more than 30 million vehicles, adding up to more than 30% of all cars and trucks produced globally.

The largest domestic car manufacturers in China, known as the traditional “Big Four,” are SAIC Motor, Dongfeng, FAW, and Chang’an.

2. United States

The United States–a major automotive producer, known for its large vehicle market–is the second biggest auto manufacturing country with a volume of 10,611,555. This represents about 5.5 percent growth compared to the 10,060,339 produced in 2022.

The United States produces less than half of what China does, having manufactured about 1.8 million cars and 8.3 million commercial vehicles in 2022. The United States’ largest car manufacturers, referred to as the “Big Three,” are General Motors, Ford Motor Company, and Fiat Chrysler.

3. Japan

Japan ranked as the third biggest automobile-producing country in the world with a total volume of 8,997,440 vehicles manufactured in 2023. The country is a significant player in the global automotive industry, known for its engineering and quality.

After a sudden drop in production from 2020-2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Japan produced just under 9 million vehicles in 2023 (8,997,440)–a drop from its pre-COVID total of nearly 9.7 million in 2019.

However, the volume grew by 14.8 percent compared to the 7,835,519 produced in 2022.

Japan’s automotive industry is one of the largest industries in the world. The country’s automotive manufacturers include Toyota, Honda, Daihatsu, Nissan, Suzuki, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Isuzu, etc.

4. India

India is the fourth-largest automobile-producing country in the world with a total number of 5,851,507 manufactured in 2023. The volume of vehicles grew by 7.2 percent compared to 5,456,857 vehicles produced in 2022.

Although, India is not renowned in America or Europe as a vehicle manufacturer, the Asian nation produced 5.8 million cars in 2023– an annual increase of 7%. India’s export markets for vehicles include Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Mexico.

The nation is rapidly growing as an automotive market and producer.

5. South Korea

South Korea is the fifth-largest auto-producing country in the world. The country manufactured a total of 4,244,000 vehicles in 2023, representing a growth of 13 percent from a total of 3,757,049 vehicles produced in 2022.

The major South Korean automobile manufacturers include GM Korea, Hyundai Motor Group and its affiliate, Kia Corporation along with Renault Korea Motors.