News
NYSC DG inaugurates Think Tank Committee On Policy Thrust
Joel Ajayi
The Director General of National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General YD Ahmed has promised his readiness to take the Scheme to enviable heights with innovations.
He reiterated this on Wednesday while inaugurating a 13-man think tank committee that would drive the actualisation of his 5-point policy thrust.
Ahmed charged Members of the committee to work in conjunction with all the departments at the National Directorate Headquarters, Abuja, the NYSC Area Offices and other structures of the Scheme and also liaise with various NYSC stakeholders towards actualization of the policy thrust mandate.
He encouraged them to be diligent in their new assignment, adding that they were selected on merit.
According to him, I expect you to review the previous achievements and challenges of the Scheme and come up modalities to improve on them”, he said.
The focal points of the Director General’s policy thrust include; “Improving security, welfare of Corps Members and Staff to engender optimal service delivery to the nation. Providing enabling environment for research and development for the advancement of the Scheme.
Strengthening stakeholders’ engagement for the promotion of the frontiers of the Scheme.
Others include enhancement of capacity building to stimulate efficiency and higher corporate performance, and deepening the impact of the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme.
The Committee Chairman, Mr Omotade Ayodele, who is also the Director, Corps Welfare and Health Services in his response promised that the committee would do everything possible to achieve the Director General’s policy thrust.
News
AWESSA 2026: Customs Assures Border Cooperation for Women Entrepreneurs
By James Samuel, Abuja
The Nigeria Customs Service has said the nation’s borders must become gateways of opportunity for African women entrepreneurs, not obstacles that kill their businesses.
This was disclosed at the African Women’s Economic Sovereignty Summit and Awards (AWESSA) 2026 held at the Customs House, corporate headquarters of the Nigeria Customs Service in Abuja.
Representing the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, his representative, an Assistant Controller, said hosting the summit inside Customs premises was deliberate.
“That this summit holds within the Customs premises is no accident. It is a statement of intent,” he said.
“The border is where the promise of every African trader either comes alive or dies quietly. And the men and women of this Service have resolved that for every woman entrepreneur of this continent, that promise will never die.”
He said women account for an estimated 70% of informal cross-border trade in Africa and over half of agricultural labour, yet they face documentation, standards, finance and harassment challenges.
“Too often she meets the border as an obstacle rather than a gateway. Because she trades in small volumes, in cash, in informality without formal papers, capable business women are now trapped in informality, invisible to trade statistics,” he noted.
He added: “AfCFTA will not be delivered by treaties alone. It will be delivered at border posts, in conference halls, and in market stores.”
Also speaking, the Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, represented by a Director, said women are central to Nigeria’s non-oil export sector.
According to her, NEPC’s focus is now on building export- ready competitive enterprises through programmes like the Women in Export Initiative, Export Clinic, and Zero to Export.
“Our focus is no longer on encouraging exports alone, it is on building competitive export-ready enterprises. We are supporting women to move beyond production into value addition, quality assurance, standard compliance, branding and market positioning,” she said.
She said AfCFTA offers a market of over one billion people, but women need knowledge, certifications and institutional support.
“Empowering women economically is one of the most effective tools for achieving poverty reduction, food security, job creation and inclusive growth,” she stated.
The Convener, Helen Okon, who is the Publisher of Business Review Africa & Africa Today Magazine, as well as representatives of NAFDAC DG and NEXIM Bank MD, reaffirmed commitment to supporting women-owned businesses access standards, certification and finance.
The summit, with the theme of positioning women as drivers of trade and sustainable development, is part of activities marking the International Year of the Women Farmer.
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