According to the 2022 Multi-dimensional Poverty Index survey conducted by the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and other partners – over half of the population of Nigeria is multidimensionally poor and cooks with dung, wood, or charcoal, rather than cleaner energy, with high deprivations apparent nationally in sanitation, time to healthcare, food insecurity, and housing.
Free-trade zones (FTZs) are designated areas within a country that foster economic development by offering duty-free privileges. In Nigeria, there are 46 FTZs, with 44 privately owned and two government-owned. While some of these zones face challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, legal disputes, and security issues, several functioning FTZs have significantly contributed to the country’s economy.
Those of us who have been on this journey for a while will know that in the early days, one of the most repeated values was “the work comes first” – I don’t regret saying that then (as I believe values need to evolve with the times) – but this year, it’s fair to say that is no longer the case. The work is still very very important, but not as much as the people. Gone are the days when you joined the team and “welcome to VIISAUS” meant all you got was a laptop, a chair, more tasks than you can handle
YAY! We made it to the end of the year and I think it’s fair to say this is the busiest since we started! While that is good news, it’s not the most significant news.
