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Governors Sanwo-Olu, Abiodun, Bago, Ododo Unveil ₦500bn Fund to Tackle Food Shortage

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Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, alongside Governors Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Mohammed Bago (Niger), Ahmed Ododo (Kogi), and Agbu Kefas (Taraba), on Wednesday launched the ₦500 billion Produce-for-Lagos Off-Taker Guarantee Fund. The initiative aims to boost food production and supply, reduce dependency on imports, and significantly enhance agricultural productivity across the country.

 

 

 

 

The multi-billion-naira initiative was launched at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja.

Other personalities at the event include Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Olajide Owolabi, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, Minister for Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, Minister of State for Finance, Doris Annette, Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, the organiser, members of the State Executive Council, members of Governor’s Advisory Council, GAC, All Progressives Congress, APC, Tony Elumelu led captains of industry, traditional rulers, religious, community leaders, market leaders and associations, civil society organisations, among others.

According to Olusanya, the initiative is expected, among others, to reduce post-harvest losses in participating states by 40 per cent, create over four million jobs nationwide, cut national food imports by over 60 per cent, and drive an annual 25 per cent reduction in food prices and inflation.

“With the launch of the N500 billion Produce-for-Lagos off-taker Guarantee Fund and programme by Mr. Governor, I implore everyone to join us as we kickstart a bold vision to catalyze, empower, and scale food production, storage, logistics, marketing and distribution across the nation, creating jobs, boosting local economies, and securing our future food supply,” Olusanya said.

The commissioner urged farmers, players and stakeholders across Nigeria’s agricultural value chain to unite in building a food sovereign system.

Lagos, with an estimated 25 million people, Nigeria’s most populous city, is projected to reach a population of about 34 million by 2030, which will push annual food demand to approximately N7.96 trillion.

According to reports, with the current production levels, the state would need to import food worth about N3.38 trillion annually by 2030 to meet demand.

To bridge the gap and achieve 40 per cent local production, Olusanya said, the state must increase food output.

 

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Transfer: Real Madrid , Cucurella Reach Verbal Agreement 

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Chelsea reliable defender, Marc Cucurella may join Spanish giant, Real Madrid before the end of the current transfer window.if information from transfer journalist, Fabrizio Romano are anything to go by.

 

Romano In a latest transfer update, said Real Madrid has reached verbal agreement to sign Marc Cucurella from Chelsea.

“Verbal agreement in place between all parties, player too — he’s the left back wanted by Mourinho” the update read.

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Hakimi, Vinicius Barred From Speaking Spanish At World Cup

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FIFA has come under scrutiny after several high-profile players, including Achraf Hakimi and Vinicius Junior, were discouraged from speaking Spanish during media engagements at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States.

 

The issue first surfaced ahead of Morocco’s Group C clash with Brazil when a Spanish-speaking journalist attempted to question Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi in Spanish.

Despite Hakimi, who grew up in Madrid and speaks the language fluently, indicating he was comfortable answering in Spanish, event officials reportedly insisted that questions be asked in English.

Hakimi attempted to reassure organizers that language would not be a barrier, but officials maintained that no Spanish translator was available for the session. A compromise was eventually reached, with the reporter asking the question in Spanish while Hakimi responded in English.

The controversy intensified during Brazil’s media session when Vinicius Junior was also interrupted while responding to a question in Spanish.

The Real Madrid forward, who is more comfortable speaking Portuguese or Spanish than English, was reportedly asked by organizers to switch languages.

Rather than continue in Spanish, Vinicius opted to answer in Portuguese before turning his attention back to Brazil’s World Cup preparations.

The incidents sparked widespread debate among journalists and fans, many of whom questioned why Spanish—a language spoken by millions across North America—was effectively restricted at a tournament being hosted largely in the United States.

According to Spanish media outlet El País, FIFA only provides Spanish-language translation services at World Cup press conferences involving Spanish-speaking nations such as Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia, Ecuador, and Paraguay.

For all other teams, questions and answers are expected to be conducted either in English or the official language of the participating country.

The policy has generated criticism online, with many supporters arguing that multilingual communication should be encouraged at a global event like the World Cup.

The backlash was particularly strong in Vinicius’ case, as the Brazilian forward appeared visibly uncomfortable being asked to communicate in English.

The controversy overshadowed what was otherwise a highly anticipated encounter between Brazil and Morocco, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

With the issue now drawing international attention, FIFA may face increasing calls to review its media language guidelines as the tournament progresses.

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It’s Illegal’…Falana’s Bombshell Indicts Govs, FG.

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Human rights advocate, Femi Falana, has warned federal and state governments against negotiating with and rewarding terrorists.

 

According to Falana, the practice is illegal.

He stated this while delivering the keynote address at the Amnesty International Second Annual General Meeting in Abuja on June 13, 2026.

Falana claimed it is public knowledge officials of the Federal Government and some State Governments have been holding meetings and negotiating with terrorists and bandits, which has led to thousands of ‘repentant’ criminals being forgiven and given cash gifts of undisclosed sums of money.

Asserting that the “satanic Boko Haram sect and similar bodies have been proscribed” under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, Falana insisted that “their members and allies shall be prosecuted and not pampered and forgiven by the Nigerian State.”

Highlighting the legal consequences, he quoted Section 22 of the Act, stating: “A person who knowingly—(a) arranges, manages, assists in arranging or managing, participates in a meeting or an activity, which in his knowledge is concerned or connected with an act of terrorism or terrorist group, (b) collects, or provides logistics, equipment, information, articles or facilities for a meeting or an activity, which in his knowledge is concerned or connected with an act of terrorism or terrorist group, or (c) attends a meeting, which in his knowledge is to support a proscribed entity or to further the objectives of a proscribed entity, commits an offence, and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of at least 20 years.”

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