{"status":"ok","page":1,"per_page":10,"total":77521,"has_next":true,"next_page":2,"items":[{"id":77525,"news_src":"Disrupt Africa","news_src_id":null,"news_title":"Ghana’s Complete Farmer secures $2.4m convertible loan from IFC","image_url":"https://i0.wp.com/disruptafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/IFC-__-CF-2.jpeg?fit=768%2C511&ssl=1","resized_image":"thumbnail_IFC-__-CF-2.jpeg","description":"Ghanaian agri-tech startup Complete Farmer has secured a US$2.4 million convertible loan from the International Finance Corporation (IFC)  to scale up and finance inputs and agronomy services for farmers, complemented by US$480,000 in advisory to strengthen its systems and capacity to expand farmer financing.  Founded in 2017,  Complete Farmer  is an agricultural trading company connecting international commodity buyers with smallholder farmers across Ghana and Togo. The company works with more than 72,000 farmers and supplies international buyers, including Aldi and Lidl, and its operations are supported by more than 350 field agents and eight fulfillment centres responsible for aggregation, grading, quality control and export logistics. The startup has expanded beyond agricultural trading, developing a marketplace for farm inputs and equipment and a credit product that uses farm data to help farmers access financing. Complete Farmer  raised US$10.4 million in pre-Series A funding ","news_actual_url":"https://disruptafrica.com/2026/09/23/ghanas-complete-farmer-secures-2-4m-convertible-loan-from-ifc/","latitude":null,"longitude":null,"category_id":24,"news_location":null,"added_date":"2026-09-23 00:00:08","added_by":null,"utc_date_time":"2026-09-23 07:00:08","hash":null},{"id":77524,"news_src":"The Tide","news_src_id":null,"news_title":"NPCC Demands Faster Trade Processes ","image_url":"","resized_image":"","description":"","news_actual_url":"https://www.thetidenewsonline.com/2026/09/nppc-demands-faster-trade-processes/","latitude":4.82416700000000009396217137691564857959747314453125,"longitude":7.03361099999999961340790832764469087123870849609375,"category_id":25,"news_location":null,"added_date":"2026-09-23 00:00:07","added_by":null,"utc_date_time":"2026-09-23 07:00:07","hash":null},{"id":77523,"news_src":"The Tide","news_src_id":null,"news_title":"2027: For Violence-Free Campaigns","image_url":"https://www.thetidenewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/tinubu-80x80.jpg","resized_image":"thumbnail_tinubu-80x80.jpg","description":"Regrettably, the reports of assaults on the offices of some political parties in Rivers State are utterly condemnable and portend a dangerous precedent. Law enforcement agencies must not tolerate such criminality under any guise. Such brigandage does not represent the democratic ethos the nation professes to uphold. It is imperative that all political gladiators in the state, including the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, sheath their swords and allow rival organisations to canvass freely. The police and other security operatives must protect persons and property without partisan colouration.This descent is reminiscent of the 2023 experience in Rivers, which must not be allowed to recur. With campaigns for the 2023 elections about to commence fully, the state government, through Executive Order 21, prohibited the use of public schools for campaigns without approval from the Ministry of Education and demanded that applicants deposit a non-refundable N5 million as caution fees. Even when opposition figures opted for non-government facilities, they were obstructed or attacked. A presidential candidate was effectively prevented from campaigning in the state. Such conduct is unacceptable in a constitutional democracy and should not be repeated this year.The practice of denying political opponents access to public facilities or inhibiting them from erecting billboards and posters to reach their supporters is patently undemocratic and should be discouraged. Democracy, by definition, entails free and unhindered participation. When state apparatus is deployed to frustrate legitimate political expression, the essence of pluralism is defeated. Public assets belong to all citizens, not to the ruling party of the day, and must be made available on equitable terms.This intolerance is not peculiar to Rivers. In Lagos State, for instance, the campaign banners of a presidential candidate were reportedly removed on the orders of the authorities without cogent justification. Similarly, reports from the North indicate that the posters and banners of President Bola Tinubu are being destroyed, while campaign vehicles are vandalised. This pattern of mutual destruction was foreshadowed by the violence that marred the last general elections. Before the 2023 polls, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reported attacks on at least 53 of its offices nationwide, while the European Union Election Observation Mission stated that at least 21 persons were killed in electoral violence during the 18 March governorship and State Assembly elections. The nation cannot persist in this trajectory and expect progress.Nigeria deserves elections that conform to global standards, where outcomes reflect the genuine will of the electorate and inspire confidence. We hold the view that matters should be conducted properly and transparently. In the forthcoming polls, voters must be allowed to cast their ballots for candidates of their choice wi","news_actual_url":"https://www.thetidenewsonline.com/2026/09/2027-for-violence-free-campaigns/","latitude":4.82416700000000009396217137691564857959747314453125,"longitude":7.03361099999999961340790832764469087123870849609375,"category_id":25,"news_location":null,"added_date":"2026-09-23 00:00:07","added_by":null,"utc_date_time":"2026-09-23 07:00:07","hash":null},{"id":77522,"news_src":"The Tide","news_src_id":null,"news_title":"NDDC Tasks Contractors, Consultants On ADR For Faster Project Delivery","image_url":"","resized_image":"","description":"The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has charged contractors and consultants handling its projects across the Niger Delta to embrace Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms to ensure faster and sustainable project delivery.   The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, gave the charge while declaring open a three-day sensitisation programme recently in Port Harcourt, with the theme: Enhancing Capacity for Alternative Dispute Resolution, for NDDC contractors and consultants.   Ogbuku, who was represented by the Executive Director, Corporate Services, Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde, said the programme was informed by the recognition that while conflicts are inevitable in project implementation, their escalation can be prevented through early identification and professional management.   He noted that disagreements in the course of execution could arise from issues such as payments, variations, designs, project timelines, quality of work, measurements, access to sites, contractual obligations and relationships with host communities.   According to him, the ability to address such issues promptly could determine whether a problem is resolved within days or allowed to degenerate into a dispute lasting months or years.   The NDDC Chief Executive said the consequences of delayed projects go beyond the  Commission and its contractors, stressing that communities waiting for roads, bridges, schools, healthcare facilities and other interventions bear the ultimate burden.   He listed delayed completion, increased project costs, strained relationships, litigation, claims and loss of valuable time among the consequences of unresolved conflicts.   Ogbuku described contractors and consultants as critical first responders in conflict management because of their proximity to project sites, host communities and emerging challenges, and urged them to develop capacity to identify early warning signs and negotiate effectively.   He identified negotiation, zes early dispute avoidance as key to successful delivery.Mediation, conciliation, adjudication and arbitration as practical ADR mechanisms that could be deployed depending on the nature of disputes, adding that the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) emphasizes early dispute avoidance as key to successful delivery.   He stressed that ADR should not be seen as a means of avoiding accountability or compromising legitimate contractual rights, but as a mechanism for addressing problems intelligently, proportionately and early enough.   Also speaking, the Director of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Department, Mr. Godwin Ayewumi Ogedegbe, said the complex social, economic and environmental realities of the Niger Delta often generate tensions which, if poorly managed, could undermine development projects.   He said contractors must understand host community dynamics to ensure their interventions promote inclusion, trust and cooperation, rat","news_actual_url":"https://www.thetidenewsonline.com/2026/09/nddc-tasks-contractors-consultants-on-adr-for-faster-project-delivery-2/","latitude":4.82416700000000009396217137691564857959747314453125,"longitude":7.03361099999999961340790832764469087123870849609375,"category_id":25,"news_location":null,"added_date":"2026-09-23 00:00:07","added_by":null,"utc_date_time":"2026-09-23 07:00:07","hash":null},{"id":77521,"news_src":"The Tide","news_src_id":null,"news_title":"NIMASA Unveil Blue Economy Programme ","image_url":"https://www.thetidenewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/FREDO-0603-2020-MAR-14Y-80x80.jpg","resized_image":"thumbnail_FREDO-0603-2020-MAR-14Y-80x80.jpg","description":"The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has unveiled the bodys Blue Economy Accelerator Programme, NIMASA-BEAP, and the National Innovation Hackathon, a strategic initiative designed to attract young innovators into Nigerias marine and blue economy industry, stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as attract private-sector investment into the sector. The accelerator programme and innovation hackathon are expected to provide a structured platform for young Nigerians and innovative enterprises to develop solutions to some of the challenges and opportunities across Nigerias maritime and blue economy value chain. In his welcome remarks, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, described the initiative as a national development imperative aimed at positioning Nigeria to derive greater economic value from its maritime resources. According to him, the scale of Nigerias maritime economy presents a significant opportunity for economic diversification, job creation, innovation and increased participation of Nigerians in maritime value chain.  Nigerias maritime economy is a multi-billion naira frontier we have left largely untapped. We capture less than three percent of the value moving through our own waters. NIMASA-BEAP exists to correct that historic imbalance, Dr. Mobereola stated. He challenged young innovators and entrepreneurs to Lead this frontier. Do not follow it and see the maritime sector not merely as an industry, but as a frontier for innovation, investment and national economic transformation. Delivering the keynote address, the minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola CON commended NIMASA for the bold initiative saying it represents a paradigm shift from only regulating to engendering the implementation of the blue economy for the benefit of Nigeria. According to the Minister, I want to commend, the Director-General and CEO of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, and NIMASAs Executive Management Team, for the vision and institutional boldness this programme represents. This is not a routine government initiative. This is a paradigm shift from NIMASA as a regulator, to NIMASA as a catalyst. The NIMASA Blue Economy Accelerator sets a standard that I am proud, as Minister, to champion it before this audience. Represented by the Director, Marine Conservation and Innovation, Mr Shettima Hussein Shehu, the minister urged stakeholders including commercial banks, development finance partners and maritime stakeholders to key into the initiative by investing, mentoring and partnering with NIMASA to advance the blue economy sector. Participants at the event took turns to commend NIMASA for the novel initiative of NIMASA-BEAP and pledged their commitment to partner with the Agency to ensure its full realisation.  Representatives of the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping, First Bank, Zenith Bank, Fidelity Bank, Wema Bank, Shipowners Association of Nigeria (SOAN), ","news_actual_url":"https://www.thetidenewsonline.com/2026/09/nimasa-unveil-blue-economy-programme/","latitude":4.82416700000000009396217137691564857959747314453125,"longitude":7.03361099999999961340790832764469087123870849609375,"category_id":25,"news_location":null,"added_date":"2026-09-23 00:00:06","added_by":null,"utc_date_time":"2026-09-23 07:00:06","hash":null},{"id":77520,"news_src":"The Tide","news_src_id":null,"news_title":"Engineers, Critical To Bayelsas Development – Dep Gov","image_url":"","resized_image":"","description":"Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Dr. Peter Akpe, has described Engineers as master planners critical to the development of the New Yenagoa City project.   He stated this on Friday when members of the Yenagoa branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) paid him a courtesy visit at Government House, Yenagoa.   He said engineers occupy a strategic position in the development of any city, stressing that Bayelsa, as a fast developing state needs their professional expertise. Akpe said building collapse and failed projects were mostly due to failure to engage qualified engineers or compromise of standards by professionals.   By training, Engineers are the master planners. If we want to get the best of a city, engineers are the professionals in the plan.   Everybody and anybody can just do anything, but if we want to get the best, we need the engineers. Most of these failed buildings are because professionals were not engaged or standards compromised.   As Engineers, you have a very big role to play, especially in a state like Bayelsa, which is a rapidly developing state. So, no one should undermine you as a profession, he said.   He recalled the role played by local engineers, including Engr. Moses Dika and Engr Olice Kemenanabo, in the states gas turbine project, saying government holds the profession in high esteem.   The States number Two Man assured the NSE of governments support for its programmes, but said funding requests for training should be made collectively through the association and not by individual members.   Earlier, Chairman of the Yenagoa Branch of the NSE, Engr. Eluanatein Mac-Jokori, said the visit was aimed at strengthening strategic partnership with the State Government.   Mac-Jokori, who congratulated Dr. Akpe on his appointment as Deputy Governor, appealed for government sponsorship of members to attend NSE and COREN training programmes and other conferences.   He also solicited support for the promotion of engineering education and the construction of a 500-metre access road to the NSE Yenagoa flagship Engineering Resource Centre. Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,   Yenagoa","news_actual_url":"https://www.thetidenewsonline.com/2026/09/engineers-critical-to-bayelsas-development-dep-gov/","latitude":4.82416700000000009396217137691564857959747314453125,"longitude":7.03361099999999961340790832764469087123870849609375,"category_id":25,"news_location":null,"added_date":"2026-09-23 00:00:06","added_by":null,"utc_date_time":"2026-09-23 07:00:06","hash":null},{"id":77519,"news_src":"The Tide","news_src_id":null,"news_title":"Publisher Counts Losses As Fire Guts His Residence In Yenagoa","image_url":"","resized_image":"","description":"Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of a Bayelsa-based tabloid, Niger Delta Herald Newspaper, Dr. Francis Dufugha, has continued to relive moments fire gutted his resident in Yenagoa, the State capital on Wednesday.   The Tide gathered that the Publisher of one of Niger Deltas foremost tabloids lost properties worth millions of naira to a fire outbreak which gutted parts of his residence in the Okaka area of Yenagoa.   An eyewitness, Mr. Nimi Mienye, said the incident occurred at night.   Mieye told The Tide that smoke was first noticed coming from the kitchen area of the apartment and that the smoke emanating from the house prompted neighbours to raise the alarm.   According to him, no casualty was recorded in the incident as no occupant was in the house as at the time of the outbreak.   Dufugha was in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital for an academic assignment when the incident reportedly occured.   I was contacted and informed of the sad incident by my neighbours. My neighbours called to inform me of the sad news.   They said on seeing the heavy smoke coming out from my apartment, they forced their way into the house and mobilised to put out the fire before it could spread to other parts of the building and adjoining properties.   I want to thank God that no life was lost. Its quite an unfortunate and distressing development, the Publisher said.   But for the quick intervention of neighbours, which helped to prevent the spread of the fire, what could have happened would have been more devastating.   Property can be replaced, but human life cannot. I am deeply saddened by the incident, but I am also grateful to the neighbours who responded quickly and helped to put out the fire, Dufugha added.   The Publisher said the exact cause of the fire would need to be properly established, noting that the possibility of an electrical fault following the restoration of public power could not be ruled out.   Meanwhile residents of the area bout electrical safety, particularly the need to take precautions whenever public power supply is restored after an outage. and environs have renewed concerns about electrical safety, particularly the need to take precautions whenever public power supply is restored after an outage.   They called on authorities concerned and relevant emergency agencies to unravel the actual cause of the fire incident and assess the extent of damage to the property. Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,   Yenagoa","news_actual_url":"https://www.thetidenewsonline.com/2026/09/publisher-counts-losses-as-fire-guts-his-residence-in-yenagoa/","latitude":4.82416700000000009396217137691564857959747314453125,"longitude":7.03361099999999961340790832764469087123870849609375,"category_id":25,"news_location":null,"added_date":"2026-09-23 00:00:06","added_by":null,"utc_date_time":"2026-09-23 07:00:06","hash":null},{"id":77518,"news_src":"The Tide","news_src_id":null,"news_title":"C River Begins Bakassi Power Assessment","image_url":"https://www.thetidenewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/PIX-21112019-Cross-Rivers-State-80x80.jpg","resized_image":"thumbnail_PIX-21112019-Cross-Rivers-State-80x80.jpg","description":"The Cross River State Electrification Agency has commenced a comprehensive assessment of power infrastructure in Bakassi Local Government Area of the state.   Bakassi LGA has been without electricity for more than a decade.   The assessment team, led by the AIG Chief Enene Okon (retd.), inspected power facilities in the 10 wards of the local government to determine the condition of existing infrastructure and identify the interventions required to reconnect communities to the national grid.   During the inspection, the engineers assessed transformers and other power facilities in various communities, identifying some units requiring repairs and others needing complete replacement.   The exercise, according to the team, is expected to provide the technical baseline for the state governments planned intervention in the area.   Speaking during the inspection, Okon commended the State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, for what he described as the administrations commitment to the development of Bakassi.   He cited the proposed power restoration, sustained efforts to maintain peace and security, and the planned Bakassi Deep Seaport project as some of the initiatives expected to boost development in the area.   Okon described the assessment as a significant step towards addressing the prolonged electricity crisis in Bakassi, despite what he said was skepticism and opposition from some quarters in the communities.   He also urged residents to maintain their support for the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying continued political alignment will help sustain government attention and development in the area.   The team received a warm reception in several communities, with youths joining the delegation as it moved from one ward to another.   Residents expressed optimism that the assessment would be followed by concrete action to restore electricity in the local government area.   Meanwhile, residents of Ekong/Ekeya community in Ward 12, Calabar South Local Government Area, have appealed to the government to extend a similar intervention to the community, which has been without electricity for about 10 months.   A community representative, Ndabu Okposin David, urged the government to use the current electioneering period to provide the community with a new transformer.   Okposin said the community had contributed significantly to electoral outcomes in the state and deserved government attention.","news_actual_url":"https://www.thetidenewsonline.com/2026/09/c-river-begins-bakassi-power-assessment/","latitude":4.82416700000000009396217137691564857959747314453125,"longitude":7.03361099999999961340790832764469087123870849609375,"category_id":25,"news_location":null,"added_date":"2026-09-23 00:00:05","added_by":null,"utc_date_time":"2026-09-23 07:00:05","hash":null},{"id":77517,"news_src":"Akelicious","news_src_id":null,"news_title":"Umuahia Premier Club Debunks Endorsement of Aguocha for 2nd Term","image_url":"","resized_image":"","description":"Two days after reports circulated online that the Umuahia Premier Club, Umuahia Branch had endorsed the member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency, Hon. Obi Aguocha for a second term, the Club has debunked the report, describing the purported endorsement as unauthorised and a departure from its non-partisan traditions.In a rejoinder issued on Sunday and signed by its Branch Chairman, Premier Ako Obioma, and Branch Secretary, Premier Chuka Agomoh, the club said its attention had been drawn to a purported endorsement of a candidate contesting for elective political office on the platform of a particular political party.The leadership said the club is, by its founding philosophy, a socio-cultural, non-partisan and unifying organisation established to foster fraternity, mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, cultural solidarity, and the collective advancement of its members and communities.It is therefore not the character, tradition or mandate of the Club to adopt or endorse partisan political candidates, the statement read.The club said the purported endorsement constituted a significant departure from its established traditions and ethos, warning that it could generate avoidable disaffection, suspicion, and division among members who are entitled to hold divergent political preferences.It is acknowledged that the candidate purportedly endorsed is a member of the Club and is entitled, like every other citizen, to participate in the political process and pursue his legitimate political aspirations. However, membership of the Club cannot, in itself, constitute a basis for transforming the Club into a political platform or committing the collective identity of the Club to the political ambition of any individual member, the statement said.The club clarified that the gathering held on Sunday, September 20, 2026, was convened as its monthly general meeting and not as a political meeting or a forum authorised to deliberate upon and endorse a political candidate.It noted that the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Financial Secretary, Legal Adviser, and four National officers from the branch were reportedly absent from the meeting, adding that the circumstances under which the purported endorsement was made required careful scrutiny.It is particularly disturbing that the meeting took place at the residence of the candidate concerned, thereby creating circumstances in which his political associates and party supporters were able to take advantage of the gathering to introduce and advance a partisan agenda that was neither part of the scheduled business of the Club nor sanctioned by its leadership, the statement read.The club further said a considerable number of those present were either relatively new members or persons not yet sufficiently conversant with its established procedures and conventions.In view of the foregoing, the purported endorsement, to the exten","news_actual_url":"https://www.akelicious.net/umuahia-premier-club-debunks-endorsement-of-aguocha-for-2nd-term/","latitude":4.82416700000000009396217137691564857959747314453125,"longitude":7.03361099999999961340790832764469087123870849609375,"category_id":25,"news_location":null,"added_date":"2026-09-23 00:00:05","added_by":null,"utc_date_time":"2026-09-23 07:00:05","hash":null},{"id":77516,"news_src":"The Tide","news_src_id":null,"news_title":"RSG Distributes Relief Materials To Obio/Akpor Flood Victims  …Urges Residents To Maintain Sanitation","image_url":"","resized_image":"","description":"Rivers State Government has distributed materials worth millions of naira to flood victims in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the State.This is as the State Government also appealed to residents of the area to maintain good sanitation and ensure their drainages are clean to prevent flooding.The Deputy Governor of the State, Prof. Ngozi Odu, who is also the Chairman of the 2026 Flood Prevention and Management Committee, gave the charge last Friday while handing over relief materials for flood victims to the Chairman of the council, Hon. Dr. Gift Worlu, at the Local Government Secretariat, Rumuodomaya.Odu, who was represented by the Rivers State Head of Service, Dr. Inyingi Brown, said residents must ensure their gutters are clean and report people who dump waste into drainages, noting that indiscriminate refuse disposal is a major cause of flooding.So, let us help one another, we have to police the environment together, she said.The deputy governor disclosed that the governor has introduced a new initiative under the Contributory Health Insurance Scheme, where every flood victim will be enrolled for free healthcare.According to her, the Rivers State Government was not only giving relief materials but also taking care of the victims personal health.In the past few weeks, we had flooding in some communities in Obio/Akpor Local Government. The State Governor is deeply saddened about the incident and because of that, we are here to sympathize and empathize with the local government. We are praying that a lasting solution will be found and it will not become a recurring incident. On behalf of the Governor, we are here to distribute relief materials to the affected victims.Some of the items include for the non-perishable items, we have 200 mattresses, 200 pillows, 100 blankets, 50 bedsheets, 200 towels, 200 plastic buckets, 200 bedroom slippers, 200 creams, 200 soaps, 200 toothbrushes, 200 pieces of toothpaste, 50 packs of washing soap detergent, 200 serving plates, 200 sanitary soaps, and 200 tablespoons.For food items, we have 150 bags of 25kg rice, 500 bags of 10kg beans, 30 bags of 25kg salt, 40 gallons of 10 litres palm oil, 14 cartons (196 packets) of seasoning cubes, 5 cartons (300 packets) of groundnut oil, 107 bags of 25kg garri, and 200 cartons of Indomie (40 pieces per carton). These are just some of the items the governor has brought to you.I am very happy, you can see the quality of items we brought. It shows that we have a listening governor. Our governor is a listening governor.I hope that with these items, the victims of the flood will have a sense of belonging, that the governor of the State is thinking about them.We came with the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment. Their duty is to check the flood and erosion department, to check the cause of the flood and see if there are measures to prevent future occurrence.We are not only presenting pallia","news_actual_url":"https://www.thetidenewsonline.com/2026/09/rsg-distributes-relief-materials-to-obio-akpor-flood-victims-urges-residents-to-maintain-sanitation/","latitude":4.82416700000000009396217137691564857959747314453125,"longitude":7.03361099999999961340790832764469087123870849609375,"category_id":25,"news_location":null,"added_date":"2026-09-23 00:00:05","added_by":null,"utc_date_time":"2026-09-23 07:00:05","hash":null}]}