Basketball

Basketball: Sports Minister Inaugurates NBBF Board, Resolves Crises

Published

3 years ago

October 6, 2022

Reconciliation Committee Constituted, Statutes to be Reviewed

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare Thursday inaugurated the Engineer Musa Kida led Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) board at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.

Dare described the inauguration as significant for the growth of basketball in Nigeria and a forward leap in the mandate of the Ministry in superintending and supporting federations for the development of Sports.

“For the records, this is the only board recognised by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and by extension, the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“Let that message go out clearly. To the President, the Vice-President and other members of the new board of the NBBF, the task of developing basketball is now under your watch, it now lies squarely on your shoulders.

“Our job at the Ministry is done. We expect you to deliver for our country, for our athletes and for basketball development. We believe that team work, understanding and cooperation are prerequisites for achieving the board’s goals and objectives.

“The Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, having noted the situation around the basketball Federation has approved the elective Congress of January 21st, 2022 and its outcome, and that is why we are here today,” the Minister affirmed.

Responding on behalf of the NBBF board, its President, Engineer Musa Kida expressed gratitude to the Minister for resolving the crisis that plagued the federation for over 5 years by recognising the outcome of the elective congress.

He revealed that to put the past aside and work together with all stakeholders, a reconciliation committee has been put in place to unite the federation for the task of repositioning basketball in the country, while the process for the review of its statutes and constitution has begun.

Kida assured the Minister that NBBF under his watch will develop basketball from the grassroots and restore the nation’s glory in international competitions.

The members of the board of the Nigeria Basketball Federation(NBBF) are;

Engineer Ahmadu Musa Kida(President), Babatunde Ogunade(Vice President), Abba Kaka, Professor Yakassai, Professor Adeyanju, Adamu Deshi, Ugo Udezue, Okoro Victor, Olumide Oyedeji, Suraju Yusuf, Felix Awogu, Colonel Sam Ahmedu(retired) while Njoku Peter is the Secretary General.

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Basketball

Senate Set to Endorse 30% Value Addition Requirement for Raw Materials

Published

3 weeks ago

May 20, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Nigerian Senate has assured Nigerians and Africans that the 30% raw materials bill would be passed this week and transmitted to the House of Representatives for concurrence.
Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio gave the assurance on Tuesday at the opening ceremony of the inaugural Africa Raw Materials Summit 2025, held on Tuesday in Abuja, with the theme, “Shaping the Future of Africa’s Resource Landscape.”

Speaking through the Chairman, Senate Committee on Science and Technology, Sen. Aminu Abbas, Akpabio said, “I can assure you that the 30% value addition bill before the Senate will be passed this week and transmitted to the House Representatives for concurrence.”

Earlier in his speech, he said, “In the Nigerian Senate, we have resolved to be proactive in addressing this structural imbalance. It is in this spirit that I reaffirm our full legislative backing for the 30% Minimum Value-Addition Bill, currently under consideration. This groundbreaking bill mandates that no raw material of Nigerian origin shall be exported without undergoing a minimum of 30% local value addition—whether through processing, refining, packaging, or industrial transformation.

“This legislation is not intended to stifle trade; rather, it is designed to ignite domestic enterprise, create jobs, attract capital, and build resilient value chains that benefit our people.”

“We must reject the historic pattern in which Africa merely supplies inputs while others reap the benefits of innovation, branding, and global market control.” he added.

“It is my hope that this model will be replicated across African nations, with regional centres of excellence established to share data, technologies, and best practices in raw material development.”

He used the opportunity to call on African countries to replicate the legislation in their countries to boost their economies.

“Permit me, therefore, to echo the call for the adoption of an Abuja Declaration on Raw Materials and Industrial Transformation in Africa. Let this declaration not merely reside in summit communiqués but become a living charter—a reference for executive action, legislative alignment, and investment mobilisation.

“Let it guide our representations at the African Union, the G20, and global trade forums where Africa’s voice must no longer be that of a supplier, but that of a producer,” he said.

The Minister of Science Innovation and Technology, Chief Geoffrey Innaji, speaking through the Minister of Transport, said “We are deploying digital tools, traceability infrastructure, and research-to-industry pathways to strengthen intra-African trade under AfCFTA. This is how Africa moves from extraction to transformation—from potential to prosperity.

“Let this summit send a clear message: Africa will no longer export its future in raw form. Our minerals will power industries, our crops will feed global markets, and our youth will drive innovation,” he said.

On his part, the Minister of State for Industry, John Owen, in his speech noted that, “with African continental free trade area, I believe that a lot of opportunities are already being opened to see how we can do much more than we are currently doing, and the statistics in terms of export trade should be less in terms of exporting raw materials and more in terms of exporting finished goods.”

Commenting on the Summit, the Director General Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Mounso, in his speech said, “Today, in the heart of Africa, we gather not merely for a summit, but for a solemn declaration: Africa shall no longer be the warehouse of raw potential, but the workshop of refined prosperity.”

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