The Economic Community of West African States Commission (ECOWAS) has announced a donation of $380 million for public schools and health centres in 18 African countries.

The donation was announced by the Senior Adviser on the Regional Off-Grid Electricity Access Project at the ECOWAS Commission, El hadji Sylla, during a stakeholders meeting in Abuja.

According to Sylla, with the move, the ECOWAS aims to promote a new innovative chain to electrify public schools.

Sylla, who stated the goals of the initiative funded by the World Bank, the Clean Technology Fund, and the Dutch government, revealed that the project will kick off from Nigeria and Benin.

He noted that the project covers 15 countries in the ECOWAS region.

According to Sylla “The cost of the project is $380m, and we want to promote a new innovative chain to electrify public institutions. Our target is to electrify schools and health centres to improve service delivery.

“We are piloting the project in Nigeria and the Benin Republic. The project covers 15 countries in the ECOWAS region and four countries in the Sahel region,” Sylla said.

“We are targeting schools and health centres to improve service delivery,” Sylla said, adding that the project is expected to be completed in five years across all participating countries, with the pilot phase in Nigeria and Benin to be executed within 18 months.

In Nigeria, the initiative will begin with electrification projects in selected schools and health centres in the Federal Capital Territory, Niger, and Nasarawa states,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, who was represented at the meeting by Bem Ayangeaor, noted that electrification in Nigeria has seen significant growth.

He, however, attributed the growth to the grants and subsidies flowing into the sector.

“I do not doubt that the rural electrification space in Nigeria, thanks to grants and subsidies, has grown significantly and will soon reach a stage where public support leverages private sector financing at higher efficiencies than it is presently done.

“A stage where the private sector would be more excited in investing in the electrification space because of the benefits to be gained,” Adelabu said.

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has announced an increase in the monthly allowance of corps members in Nigeria.

The news was announced on Wednesday by the Director General of the NYSC, Brigadier-General Yusha’u Ahmed through the Acting Director of Information and Public Relations of the NYSC, Caroline Embu, following the federal government’s approval.

In a statement sighted by Investors King, the NYSC revealed that the monthly allowance of corps members has been increased to ₦77,000 after the recent increase in the national minimum wage.

This represents a 133.33 percent increase from the ₦33,000 previous monthly allowance.

According to Embu, the increase was in line with the enactment of the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2024 by the President Bola Tinubu-led government.

The service expects the increase to boost the morale of corps members and motivate them as they serve their motherland.

As detailed in the statement, the new allowance will take effect from July 2024.

The statement reads, “The Federal Government has approved the increase of corps members’ monthly allowance to N77,000 with effect from July 2024.

“This is in line with the enactment of the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2024.

This was contained in a letter from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, dated 25th September 2024 and signed by the Chairman, Mr. Ekpo Nta”.

“Before this, the Director General, NYSC Brigadier General YD Ahmed, had paid an advocacy visit to the Chairman in which he solicited for a robust welfare package for corps members.

“The NYSC boss is thankful to the Federal Government for the timely gesture and is optimistic that it will not only bring much-needed succour to the corps members but also boost their morale and motivate them to do even more, in their service to the nation.”