POLICE NEED 250,000 RIFLES, 1,000 APCS, 774 DRONES – IG

774 drones, 2m tear gas

The Inspector-General of Police on Tuesday said apart from inadequate personnel, the Nigeria Police Force needed no fewer than 1,000 armoured personnel carriers and 250,000 assault rifles with corresponding ammunition. He said the country needed 2 million tear gas canisters and smoke grenades; 200,000 riot gunners and smoke pistols, 1,000 tracking devices, and 774 operational drones. [PUNCH]

N30 billion

The federal government has approved N30 billion for the construction of two roads in Sokoto and Jigawa states connecting Nigeria’s borders with the Niger Republic. According to Fashola, the first contract of N9.5 billion is for the 47-km road from Balle Kurdella in Sokoto to the border in the Niger Republic while the second is for the 50-km road from Kunya in Jigawa at N19.76 billion.  [THECABLE]

$20m Tech Fund

The Federal Government approved of $20 million technology fund for young innovators. The sum was set aside by the Bank of Industry in furtherance of the drive to support Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. According to Laolu Akande, the CBN is also offering N90 billion soft loan facility for agriculture enterprises. [VANGUARD]

N14.4tn Additional

A former Director-General, Budget Office, Mr Bode Agusto, has said 200,000 wealthy Nigerians are the biggest tax evaders in the country. Agusto said if Nigeria increases non-oil tax revenue to 15 per cent of national income, it will generate an additional N14.4tn in revenues every year.” It also meant total government revenue would be 20 per cent of national income or N28.8tn per annum compared to the current figure of N10.4tn. [PUNCH]

$29.91 bn in 2019

About $29.91billion worth of investments were recorded in the Nigerian economy as at the end of 2019, the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) report has revealed. The amount is a 67 per cent drop from what was tracked in 2018, which stood at $90.89billion, which NIPC attributed to uncertainties around the 2019 elections in the country. [GUARDIAN]

N43bn Investment

The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has assured customers of providing 330,000 meters, this year and an investment of N43 billion in networks with the new tariff to boost electricity supply. This is as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) insisted that the DisCos must meter consumers. [DAILY TRUST]

200,000 mt Plastic Waste

Quoting from a recent report, Peterside said Nigeria is among the top 20 nations that contribute 83 per cent of the total volume of land-based plastic waste that ends up in the oceans/seas. It is estimated that over 200,000 metric tonnes of plastic waste from land-based sources in Nigeria, is discharged into the Atlantic Ocean each year. [GUARDIAN]