Nigeria is a big country, geographically and in terms of population. Like most developing countries, it has a few sprawling metropolises and then the rest of the country is rural. This article explores how the advent of the internet is changing the face of rural Nigeria
ORGANIZATION of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) will soon make efforts to convene before the next scheduled meeting in June as the slump in oil prices is hurting producers, including the world’s biggest exporter, Saudi Arabia, said Emmanuel Kachikwu, Nigeria’s minister of state for petroleum resources.
It is possible. Before we delve into the idea of triple taxation, a brief discussion on double taxation is necessary. Generally, tax treaties afford taxpayers with relief from double taxation. The Philippines currently has tax treaties with 42 other states. To date, 39 of these treaties are in force (the treaties with Kuwait and Nigeria being the most recent additions). All these treaties are bilateral in nature and, as such, may only allow so much relief as its two signatory states can afford — relief from their respective taxing powers, and logically so.
MANILA, Philippines – The Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), the country’s biggest power distributor, has formally expanded its foothold in Nigeria, Africa last Nov. 1, its chairman said. “Nov. 1, I believe was the turnover date. We’ve sent our people there early October. It was a team of two groups, a total of 12 Filipinos,” said Meralco chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said. Meralco has partnered with Lagos-based Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing Ltd., a special purpose vehicle, for the takeover of two distribution utilities in Nigeria – Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company Plc. and Yola Electricity Distribution Co. Plc. The IEDM-led consortium tapped Meralco as technical partner for two power firms privatized by the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Meralco has taken a five-percent equity in IEDM, amounting to $31.500. Pangilinan said IEDM tapped Meralco because it does not have any background experience in distribution system. In announcing the partnership last August, Pangilinan said Meralco also has the option to increase its stake to 20 percent. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 Meralco president Oscar Reyes said the distributor views the deal in Africa as a way to bring its power retailer brand overseas. IEDM approached Meralco in 2011 after it was referred by a European advisory firm. Aside from Nigeria, Reyes said Meralco would continue to be on the look out for opportunities overseas. In April, Meralco completed the purchase of a 70 percent stake in an 800-megawatt liquefied natural gas project in Singapore for $488 million. Meralco subsidiary Read More …
Associated Press 9:36 pm | Monday, February 18th, 2013 BAUCHI, Nigeria — A shadow Islamic extremist group has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of seven foreign workers in northern Nigeria. In a statement Monday, the group that calls itself Ansaru claimed the kidnapping of the one British citizen, one Greek, one Italian, three Lebanese and one Filipino on Saturday night. Ansaru also threatened that Nigerian and European authorities shouldn’t “act contrary to our conditions.” The short statement offered no conditions, suggesting ransom demands would follow. The kidnapping happened in Jama’are, a town about 200 kilometers (125 miles) north of Bauchi, the capital of Bauchi state. Nigeria’s predominantly Muslim north has been under attack by the radical Islamic sect known as Boko Haram over the last two years. Ansaru is a new group that recently sprung up in the region.
Newly recruited female marines participate in an assault drill at a river inside the marine headquarters in the town of Ternate, Cavite city, south of Manila February 5, 2013. (MNS photo) MANILA, Feb 6 (Mabuhay) – A Filipino seaman of a Marshall-flagged chemical tanker was shot on board the vessel by a pirate in Nigeria, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Wednesday. DFA Spokesman Raul Hernandez said the Filipino, whose identity he declined to disclose, was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. “The family of the fatality has already been informed of this sad development,” Hernandez told a press briefing. The vessel Pyxis Delta, hijacked on February 4, had eight other Filipino crewmembers. They are all safe on board the ship, which is anchored off the coast of Nigeria, Hernandez said. (MNS)
By Tarra Quismundo Philippine Daily Inquirer 5:18 pm | Wednesday, February 6th, 2013 DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO MANILA, Philippines—A Filipino seafarer was killed when an unidentified group of pirates hijacked a chemical tanker off the coast of Nigeria on Feb. 4, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday. Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez, the DFA spokesperson, said pirates shot and killed the Filipino seaman when they boarded the Pyxis Delta, a tanker registered in the Marshall Islands, on Monday. He was rushed to the nearest hospital but was declared dead upon arrival at the facility, Hernandez said. Eight other Filipino crewmen who were also aboard the ship at the time of the hijacking are safe and are expected to be repatriated soon, Hernandez said. “They are safe and in good health but we don’t have a full report and details about the incident,” he said. The hostage-taking was apparently resolved immediately but Hernandez said the DFA has received only a sketchy preliminary report from the seamen’s local manning agent in Manila. Details remain unclear as to how long the pirates held the ship and how and why they finally let go of the vessel and its crew. The Pyxis Delta is now anchored off the Nigerian coast with its crew still on board, Hernandez said. At least 23 Filipino seamen are still in the hands of pirates on three hijacked ships in Somalia, some already for months, the DFA said.