Strange Happenings: The Day It Rained Fish in Teiran

On May 24th,2020, a strange incident occurred as a social media viral video showed fish falling from the sky like rain in Yasuj, Iran. This rare happening, which many attributed to storms or tornadoes, involves fish falling during rainfall. Similar occurrences of animals raining down have been reported globally, including snakes.

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Numerous videos are going viral on social media, capturing the extraordinary sight of fish raining from the sky in Yasuj, a city in western Iran. These clips depict fish falling onto the ground, as well as one showing a man catching fish as he witnesses this rare event. Although fish rain isn’t a new phenomenon, it’s still fascinating to understand how it happens.

Source: www.economictimes.indiatimes.com

News

UNICEF Tasks Bauchi Youths on Tree Planting

The United Nations Children’s Fund, Bauchi Field Office, has renewed its commitment towards imbibing tree planting culture among the younger generation in the state.

The Chief of UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Nuzhat Rafique, made this known during a tree planting campaign to mark World Environment Day 2025 at the College of Education Technical Dass on Thursday.

Rafique, who stressed the importance of involving youths in environmental sustainability, noted that they are the leaders of tomorrow and needed a safe and healthy planet to inherit.

“Our land is our future. So are the generations our future. They need to be restored,” she said, emphasising the need for the youth to be actively engaged in tree planting and environmental conservation.

According to Rafique, “Climate change poses a significant threat to children and the environment, and it is essential to involve youth and communities in sustainability efforts.

“Youth are the pillars of communities and nations.

“If youths are involved, everything will go well. They are the energy of the future, and they must be well-aware, engaged, and on the right path to reach their full potential.”

She added that the UNICEF works with youths through various engagements, including WASH activities and climate change initiatives, to promote environmental sustainability and tree planting culture among young people.

Rafique further stressed the need for continuous tree planting and environmental conservation efforts, saying, “We want youth and communities to grow plants every day, and that should continue for years to come.”

Also speaking, the Chairman Dass Local Government Council, Mohammad Jibo, who acknowledged the support of UNICEF, RUWASA, and ACRESAL on the campaign.

He noted that the campaign marked a significant milestone in the community’s efforts to promote environmental conservation.

Jibo maintained his dedication to environmental conservation, saying, “We must work together to protect our environment and ensure a livable future for generations to come.

“I commend the efforts of Dass College of Education and our development partners for organising this initiative,” he concluded.

News

Nigerian Firm Unveils $5bn Cooperative Trust Fund to Boost Agriculture Investment

As part of measures towards boosting Agriculture, a $5 billion Assured Invest Cooperative Trust Fund has been launched by a company known as Mechanized Agricultural Investment and Services (MAIS) Limited to “unlock the full economic potential of our people, farmlands, small businesses, and national future”.

The fund is described as one of the most transformative financial vehicles ever created for the cooperative sector in Africa.

While speaking at the launch in Abuja over the weekend, Chief Vision Officer, MAIS, Mr. Benjamin Aduli, said the fund remained,“A bold declaration that cooperative capital—when properly structured, transparently governed, and purposefully deployed can unlock the full economic potential of our people, our farmlands, our small businesses, and our national future.”

He observed that for decades, the Nigerian cooperative system had been treated as an afterthought—underutilised, underfinanced, and underestimated.

He said, “Today, that era ends. With this Fund, we are shifting from marginalisation to mobilisation.”

He said the fund was particularly historic given that it is demand-driven.

“Unlike traditional financing models that are supply-driven—flooding the market with unsolicited capital, this fund responds only to verified cooperative demand – It is tailored to the real, structured needs of cooperative members—whether that’s a rice farmer in Lokoja, a housing cooperative in Enugu, an MSME cluster in Kaduna, or a youth cooperative in Abeokuta” he said.

Aduli further explained that the fund is backed by institutional capital, governed by cooperative law, not securities law, and driven by clear cooperative use-cases: food production, mechanisation, housing, education, clean energy, and digital inclusion.

He said, “It is not a public investment scheme. It is a secured cooperative financing framework, created by members, for members, and through members.

“The fund will be administered transparently with the oversight of trustee banks, insurance underwriters, and cooperative federations—including our partners.”

He listed the partners to include,

Cooperative Financing Agency of Nigeria (CFAN), National Agricultural Cooperative Organisation (NACO), Cooperative Housing Federation of Nigeria (COHFON), and Akilaah National Cooperative Federation (Akilaah).

Aduli also said the company would begin onboarding verified cooperative societies nationwide to participate in the fund subject to its terms and conditions.

He said, “We encourage federations, unions, primary cooperatives, and affiliate networks to engage with the Maistrade Ecosystem, access onboarding kits, and take advantage of this generational opportunity.Together, we are building more than a financial fund—we are building a new era of economic justice, where membership equals access and contribution guarantees returns.

“Let me thank every single partner—especially our banking allies, technology partners, and the leaders of Nigeria’s cooperative renaissance—for believing in this vision and walking this journey with us.Let history remember this day not just as a launch, but as the day Nigerian cooperatives stood up—not to beg, but to build.”

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Cross River Boosts Coffee Farming as UK Grants Duty-Free Access to 3,000 Nigerian Products

Over 3,000 Nigerian products, including cocoa and cashew, can now enter the UK market either duty-free or at reduced tariffs. This is according to the United Kingdom.

The Country Director for the UK Department for Business and Trade, Mark Smithson, announced this move, which is part of the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS), in a recent video released by the UK in Nigeria.

Smithson in a statement said, “Up to 3,000 products from Nigeria qualify for low tariff or no tariff access to the UK through the Developing Countries Scheme, one of the most generous trading schemes in the world,”.

Speaking further, he said the UK has simplified the process for Nigerian exporters by making it easier to trade a variety of goods, including cocoa and textiles, among others. He encouraged Nigerian exporters to take advantage of the opportunity.

“The UK is open and looking to do business with Nigeria. So why don’t you go to the website and find out more about the Developing Countries Trading Scheme and begin to trade with us?”

The DCTS, which was introduced in 2023, replaced the UK’s previous Generalised Scheme of Preferences. It is designed to cut tariffs and simplify trading rules for over 60 developing countries, including Nigeria.

In a related development,Cross River State government, in partnership with a leading agribusiness firm, JR Farms, has launched an ambitious project to cultivate 30 million coffee seedlings across the state.

A statement to the media on Monday noted that the initiative, which was flagged off in Calabar on Thursday, signals a renewed national drive to position Nigeria as a competitive player in the global coffee market. With its focus on job creation, rural development, and climate resilience, the project is expected to become one of the largest coffee cultivation projects in West Africa.

In his speech at the event, Governor Bassey Otu described the initiative as a strategic move to reintroduce and reposition Cross River as the coffee capital of Nigeria and an emerging player in the international coffee market.

“With 30 million robust and climate-appropriate seedlings being distributed across our 18 local government areas, this project offers much more than cultivation. It is about creating jobs, generating wealth, building sustainable livelihoods, promoting agro-industrial development, and restoring our ecological balance.

“We are particularly proud of the strategic partnership with JR Farms, whose global footprint in the agrifood space and expertise in coffee value chains bring tremendous value to this initiative. Through their involvement, we are assured of technical support, market access, and international best practices in every aspect of implementation,” Otu said.

In his remarks, Olawale Rotimi-Opeyemi, JR Farms CEO and founder stressed the significance of the project, noting that after nearly a decade of working in the coffee value chain across East Africa, engaging over 4,000 farmers, his company was excited to bring that experience home to support Nigeria’s coffee industry transformation.

Olawale, who commended the Cross River state government’s commitment to agricultural development, said the 30 million coffee seedling cultivation project would engender prosperity for the people, ensure rural development, create jobs for youth and women, and place the state on the global map of coffee production.

The JR Farms CEO disclosed that with years of operations in Nigeria, Rwanda, France, and Zambia, his company would deploy its extensive wealth of experience in coffee production and global marketing to ensure the long-term success of the project and help Cross River become a major player in the international coffee market.

He explained that farmers across the state would be trained through a “Train-the-Trainer” model covering agronomic practices, ethical production, and the economics of coffee farming. According to him, 11,000 coffee farmers across the state have been onboarded under the project.

Olawale added that JR Farms would work with the State Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation Development to establish coffee washing stations in different parts of the state for post-harvest processing and also open communication channels for real-time technical support for farmers.

News

Afreximbank Partners Lagos on export program for SMEs

The Africa Export-Import Bank has partnered with Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade, and Investment, to launch the Lagos SMEs Export Readiness Programme for Small and Medium Enterprises.

This was in a statement as part of efforts to scale the SMEs beyond national borders under the African Continental Free Trade Area.

The Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade, and Commerce, Lagos State, Mrs. Folashade Ambrose, speaking during the opening ceremony, described the launch as a defining chapter in Lagos State’s collective commitment to expanding the frontiers of international trade participation for our Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises.

According to Ambrose, the initiative’s launch is a bold step towards transforming Lagos-based businesses into globally competitive exporters, building wealth, creating jobs, and amplifying Lagos State and Nigeria’s economic prosperity, and disclosed that a total of 253 successful SMEs have been shortlisted for the program.

“The concept of export readiness is not just a trending term but an economic imperative.

In an era marked by regional integration and the African Continental Free Trade Area operationalisation, we cannot afford to keep our vibrant enterprises confined to domestic markets.

“Our MSMEs must evolve from local champions to continental contenders. Nigeria, and Lagos State, in particular, have long been regarded as the economic engine of West Africa. But being an engine is not enough if we are not propelling forward. This program is the vehicle that will drive us into new markets, beyond borders, and into the Centre of Intra-African commerce,” she said.

She appreciated their esteemed partners Afreximbank and ImpactHER for their collaboration, commitment to facilitating trade and industrialization across Africa, and empowerment of women-led businesses on the continent, she noted that the week-long training has been meticulously designed to demystify the export process, build practical skills, and create a clear pathway to cross-border trade participation.

Speaking further she stated that the training, which kicks off on July 4, 2025, will offer participants the opportunity to be immersed in high-value sessions covering export documentation and regulatory compliance, product packaging and labelling standards for international markets, trade finance and export credit guarantees, understanding logistics, customs, and border procedures, market entry strategies, especially under the AfCFTA, digital trade and e-commerce opportunities, and gender-responsive exporting for women-led MSMEs.

“And that is not all. At the end of this training, 20 outstanding participants will be selected to represent Lagos at the Intra-African Trade Fair scheduled to be held in Algiers, Algeria, in September 2025. The Fair is a gateway to over 1.3 billion consumers and provides a chance to engage buyers, investors, partners, and policy influencers from across the continent. Our selected trainees will become Lagos’ Export Ambassadors,” she said.

In his remarks, the Director of SME Development at AfreximBank, Mr. Ody Akhanoba, while congratulating all the lucky beneficiaries of the initiative, noted that the selection is a testament to their dedication to building successful export-orientated businesses and a reflection of the bank’s commitment to expanding into the international market. Akhanoba explained that empowering SMEs with the resources they need via capacity training presents a significant opportunity to increase Africa’s share of exports.

“We are at the edge of turning on the SME’s capacity to be more competitive in the market. With that in mind, we have taken concrete steps to promote the participation of SMEs in the African landscape through strategic interventions, such as facilitating trade and finance, capacity building, and market access,” he added.

He observed that the bank has contributed significantly to providing training capacity to over 3,000 African SMEs through tailored incubator and accelerator programmes similar to the newly launched Lagos State/AfreximBank Accelerator Programme.

In a sepoerate remark , the representative of ImpactHER’s founder, Clementina Uzogor, explained that the six-week training programme, comprising four weeks of training and two weeks of mentorship, is meant to enhance and scale participants’ export businesses and provide a platform to network with trade experts and other Nigerian MSMEs.

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