Featured

Access Bank Lagos City Marathon: Runners throng Teslim Balogun Stadium for Sanwo-Olu forms

Published

7 years ago

January 20, 2020

Enthusiastic runners in their hundreds thronged the Marathon Village, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere on Monday as the distribution of Access Bank Lagos City Marathon forms purchased by the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for intending participants entered the final phase.

According to a statement signed by Olukayode Thomas, Head Communications and Media for the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, Sanwo-Olu purchased 20,000 forms to be distributed to Lagosians and Nigerians interested in the February 8 race.

Thomas noted that the kind gesture by the Lagos State Governor is very commendable as it will serve as an additional impetus to make more Lagos residents stay healthy and fit by taking part in either the marathon or 10km races all billed to take place next month.

Thomas said: “The Governor has again demonstrated that he has genuine intentions to make the Access Bank Lagos Marathon better than he met it, in just a few months in office, the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon moved from Bronze level to Silver, now he made available resources to purchase 20,000 forms for runners, this is really commendable and I hope everyone out there will make use of the opportunity, the governor has provided”

Apart, from the 20,000 forms purchased by the Lagos State Governor, other sponsors have also purchased large chunks of forms that are being distributed on merit to deserving runners across the country.

Meanwhile, the General Manager of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon Yussuf Alli has reiterated on the mission to get a Gold Label for the Lagos race after the 2020 edition.

Alli hinted that with the massive innovations being planned for this fifth edition, the World Athletics will be favorably disposed to upgrading the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon again.

“We are on track for this year’s race and I am very positive the global body will be impressed with what we have put in place in terms of equipment, security and of course the quality of athlete that would be on parade” Allis stated.

Among other things, Alli said there will be more transponder mats, improved water distribution along the route and improved security for volunteers at the water points at this year’s race.

Share on Facebook

Featured

Alake Inaugurates Nigeria-US Solid Minerals Committee, Dismisses $700bn Claim, Says No Assets Sold

Published

5 days ago

October 28, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, on Tuesday inaugurated the Nigeria-United States Committee on Strategic Cooperation in the Solid Minerals Sector in Abuja, dismissing reports that Nigeria sold $700 billion worth of solid minerals to the US.

The inauguration followed the strategic cooperation framework established between Nigeria and the United States during the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Head PRESS and Public Relations Department Mrs. Kania Maliki Andeyaba stated that, Alake in the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed with the US is a government-to-government platform to facilitate business-to-business engagements between American investors and Nigerian local operators, not a sale of assets.

Harping on the importance of the solid minerals sector to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic diversification agenda, he noted that the administration was committed to reducing dependence on a mono-product economy through the sustainable development of Nigeria’s vast mineral resources.

According to him, the Nigeria–US partnership as a strategic initiative to attract investment, promote technology transfer, strengthen local mineral processing and create employment opportunities.

“There is no sale of any Nigerian asset. There’s nothing exchanging hands,” Alake declared.

“We created a platform to facilitate mingling of US investment ventures with Nigeria’s local operators. It is in the public domain. We signed it in public and published it in four or five national newspapers.”

The Minister said reports claiming the US was coming to take over Nigeria’s minerals and security architecture were untrue at best and products of riotous imagination at worst.

Explaining the policy thrust, Alake said Africa has historically held the short end of the stick in global economic transactions, and Nigeria is determined to change that model.

“We have the resources, the critical elements the world needs to transit to clean energy. So we are creating a new paradigm — you bring your capital, expertise and technology, to match with our natural resources and create a win-win situation . The investor gains, Nigeria gains.’’he said.

Nigeria, he stressed, had operated a mono-cultural economy dependent on oil, while solid minerals were exploited informally — with ores taken “from pit to port” without value addition.

Alake said government has now made local processing mandatory, refusing to grant mineral titles to investors without a clear pathway to processing in Nigeria.

He said the policy led to the springing up of processing factories, including the largest lithium processing plant in West Africa commissioned recently in Nasarawa by the Vice President, and informed the formation of the African Minerals Strategy Group.

Alake noted that investor confidence has returned due to macro-economic reforms by President Bola Tinubu that guarantee security of tenure and repatriation of profits.

He charged the committee to discharge its assignment responsibly, saying its work is strategic to achieving the President’s $1 trillion economy target.

To this end, he told the Committee to ensure effective coordination, identify investment opportunities and translate the framework into measurable outcomes capable of positioning Nigeria as a competitive player in the global solid minerals industry.

In his welcome address, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr. Faruk Yusuf Yabo, said the inauguration translates growing bilateral engagements into a structured framework for practical cooperation and investment mobilization

Economic Officer at the US Embassy, Jonathan Baas, said President Donald Trump has prioritized three areas for US embassies — energy, artificial intelligence/super intelligence, and critical minerals.

Baas said Washington’s direction is to work with partners to secure critical supply chains while ensuring partners capture value.

“We just signed a contract today on looking into building AI data centres in Nigeria at the Nigerian Economic Summit. That’s the direction Washington wants us to go,” he said.

In his vote of thanks, CEO/Managing Director of Nigeria Solid Minerals Company, NSMC said that the committee

is expected to coordinate implementation, facilitate investment and monitor progress towards achieving the objectives of the Nigeria–US cooperation framework.

The inauguration reinforces the Federal Government’s commitment to repositioning the solid minerals sector as a key driver of economic diversification, industrial development and national prosperity under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Share on Facebook