From Mike Tayese, Yenagoa

‎Bayelsa Starlets Academy will like to strengthen their campaign in the ongoing N-Youth League when they take on FC Prague Nigeria of Abia State today Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at the Samson Siasia Stadium, Yenagoa, with kick-off scheduled for 10:00 a.

‎The encounter promises to be an exciting contest as both sides seek to make a strong statement in the competition.

‎‎The Yenagoa-based academy, which is affiliated to Spanish football giants, FC Barcelona, will be eager to showcase their growing quality, tactical discipline and attacking strength against a determined FC Prague Nigeria side.

‎‎Bayelsa Starlets Academy have continued to nurture young football talents through structured training and competitive football, providing promising players with a platform to showcase their abilities and pursue greater opportunities in the game.

‎The fixture is expected to test the Starlets’ organisation, creativity in midfield and efficiency in front of goal as they seek to impose their style of play on their opponents.

‎Having emerged as champions of the Nationwide League One (NLO) U-19 Youth League, Bayelsa Starlets will be keen to build on that achievement and maintain their impressive development trajectory.

‎For the academy, the encounter represents yet another opportunity to strengthen team cohesion, gain valuable competitive experience and demonstrate the progress made under its development programme.

‎The outcome could prove significant to both teams’ ambitions as the N-Youth League continues to provide a platform for the development and exposure of emerging football talents.

‎Speaking ahead of the fixture, Bayelsa Starlets Academy Head Coach, Gomo Onduku, expressed confidence in his team’s readiness for the challenge, noting that the players have continued to improve as preparations progressed.

‎Onduku added that the team has worked hard in preparation for the encounter and was determined to secure victory against FC Prague Nigeria.

‎Similarly, Bayelsa Starlets midfielder, Tengi Ibuama, said the team would approach the fixture with the seriousness of a cup final, stressing that their priority was to win every match in the zone.

‎The Starlets will now look to translate their preparations into a strong performance on home soil as they seek to maintain their positive momentum in the N-Youth League.

From Ayinde Akintade, Osogbo

The Osun State Government under the leadership of Governor Ademola Adeleke has signed two separate Memoranda of Understanding with Balou International Nigeria Limited and Alive-and-Kicking Nigeria Limited to boost industrialization at the Living Spring Free Trade Zone, Ede.

The MoUs were signed on behalf of the Osun State Government by the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Revd Dr.

In the first agreement, the Osun State Government signed with Balou International Nigeria Limited, the refurbishment and use of the Transit Camp Building at the Living Spring Free Trade Zone for multipurpose use.

The agreement was signed by the Chief Executive Officer of Balou International Nigeria Limited, Chief Ronnie Liu.

Under the agreement, the company will revive, rehabilitate and operationalise the Transit Camp as a fully functional industrial hub. The facility will provide accommodation for investors, a Chinese restaurant, showroom and office space.

As part of its industrialisation plan, the company intends to establish an Air Compressor Plant, an Electric Motorcycle Assembly Plant and an Industrial Tools Factory within the zone.

The partnership will also mobilise local and foreign investments into the Living Spring Free Trade Zone through the facilitation of Balou International Nigeria Limited, and create anchor industrial clusters in manufacturing, logistics, renewable energy, agro processing and ICT.

The development is expected to generate employment, promote exports, attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and increase the Internally Generated Revenue of Osun State.

In the second agreement, the government signed with Alive-and-Kicking Nigeria Limited, the establishment of a multi-sports balls production factory within the same zone. The MoU was signed by the Chief Executive Officer of the company, Dr. Bob Olukoya.

Under this agreement, both parties will collaborate to establish a 7-line balls manufacturing factory that will produce world-class standard footballs, basketballs, rugby balls, volleyballs, handballs, American footballs and tennis balls.

The project is designed to further promote and operationalise the Made-in-Nigeria policy within the sports sector, enhance local manufacturing capability, create massive direct and indirect employment and reduce dependence on imported sports balls.

The two projects are expected to position Osun State as a viable hub for sports equipment manufacturing, leather and rubber processing, and general industrial manufacturing in Nigeria and West Africa.

The initiatives align with the development goals of the administration of Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke to fully industrialise the state before the end of its tenure in 2030.

The Federal Government has assured Norway of Nigeria’s participation in the Blue Justice Initiative to strengthen satellite surveillance of its waters and intensify action against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr.

Oyetola said Nigeria was ready to partner with Norway to deploy satellite-based vessel-tracking technology to identify suspicious maritime activities, protect fisheries resources and strengthen enforcement against illegal fishing operators.

He expressed concern that foreign operators sometimes harvested fish illegally from Nigerian waters before rebranding the products and returning them to the country for sale at exorbitant prices.

The minister said illegal fishing undermined local livelihoods, deprived Nigeria of legitimate economic benefits and threatened the sustainable management of its aquatic resources.

He said satellite surveillance and improved intelligence sharing would enhance the government’s ability to detect suspicious vessel movements, investigate suspected offences and enforce fisheries regulations.

Oyetola said the government was also pursuing measures to boost domestic fish production, reduce dependence on imports, create jobs and conserve foreign exchange.

He said Nigeria was interested in deepening its longstanding relationship with Norway, particularly in sustainable fisheries management, aquaculture development, green shipping and technology transfer.

The minister said the development of domestic aquaculture remained a priority, adding that Nigeria required technical assistance, modern technology and capacity development to strengthen local production and support fishermen.

He expressed appreciation for Norway’s willingness to share its expertise and reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to join the Blue Justice Community, a network of countries collaborating to combat illegal fishing and other maritime crimes.

Earlier, Baera said Norway was introducing the Blue Justice Initiative to Nigeria as a practical mechanism for strengthening maritime surveillance, detecting illegal fishing and promoting cooperation among governments.

He said the Blue Justice Ocean Surveillance Programme provided participating countries with satellite-based Automatic Identification System (AIS) vessel-tracking data to monitor activities at sea and identify suspicious movements.

The ambassador said Norway had developed five satellites capable of monitoring maritime activities along the Nigerian coast and across West Africa, providing valuable information to help identify suspected illegal fishing and other criminal activities.

He said the initiative offered opportunities for governments to share intelligence, exchange experiences and improve their capacity to address maritime crimes.

Baera invited Nigeria to join the Blue Justice Community, saying participation would strengthen the country’s ability to protect its marine resources and improve maritime law enforcement.

He said Norway was also interested in expanding cooperation with Nigeria in aquaculture and fish farming, noting that the sector had helped diversify Norway’s economy beyond oil and gas.

The ambassador expressed the readiness of the Norwegian government to host a delegation from the ministry to explore practical opportunities for cooperation and support the development of Nigeria’s aquaculture industry.

He also reaffirmed Norway’s commitment to its longstanding stockfish trade with Nigeria, expressing confidence that the relationship would continue to grow.

Also speaking, Michelle Hovi, the Second Secretary, Political and Humanitarian at the Norwegian Embassy, said the Blue Justice Initiative provided participating countries with access to real-time and historical AIS data covering vessel movements for up to three years.

Hovi said the information could help maritime authorities track vessels, investigate suspicious activities and identify patterns associated with illegal fishing.

She explained that the initiative went beyond providing surveillance data, as it also offered technical guidance, information sharing and opportunities to train maritime officers to analyse and use the data effectively.

According to her, more than 40 countries are already participating in the initiative, and Norway would welcome Nigeria’s membership.

Hovi said the initiative would enable Nigeria to benefit from the experiences of other participating countries while strengthening its own maritime monitoring and enforcement capabilities.

The delegation presented a letter from the head of the Blue Justice Secretariat to the minister, alongside explanatory materials on the programme and its operations.

The meeting ended with both countries expressing their readiness to strengthen bilateral cooperation in maritime security, sustainable fisheries management and aquaculture development. (NAN)