NIRSAL MFB Disburses N503bn To 881,081 Nigerians, Businesses
A microfinance bank belonging to the Nigerian Incentive-based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL MFB), said 881,081 Nigerians and businesses have secured loans valued at over N503 billion from its lending scheme.
According to insidebusiness.ng, the firm has also clinched several awards from over 23 bodies and establishments, for its efforts in resuscitating the economy recently battered by the COVID-19 pandemic; through the provision of liquidity for seriously impacted households and businesses.
NIRSAL MFB in a statement noted that most of the loans were from the COVID-19 intervention fund released by the federal government to cushion the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on households and small businesses.
Figures from NIRSAL MFB shows that the bank has disbursed N503,273,000,000 as loans to 1,053,215 beneficiaries. Some of the beneficiaries include individuals and families whose breadwinners lost their jobs in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is made up of 612,321 households that received loans ranging from N250,000 to N1 million totalling N240,083,000,000; 103,185 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) between 2020 and December 2021 received loans valued at N104,023,000,000.
Households that are Non-Interest Beneficiaries (NIB) of the NIRSAL MFB loans numbering 21,027 have so far secured facilities amounting to N9,091,000,000. Small and Medium Enterprises under the Non-Interest scheme (NIB SME) numbering 2,710 have accessed N1,057,000,000, while 31,067 Agric Small Medium Enterprises Scheme (AGSMEIS) beneficiaries have accessed N116,001,000,000 from NIRSAL MFB in one year.
105,244 Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) successful applicants have received loans amounting to N31,001,000,000 while 5,527 Nigeria Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) have also drawn down N1,009,000,000 loans.
Chelsea Defeats Tottenham Hotspur To Win Carabao Cup Semi-Final First Leg
Chelsea deservedly beat Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final, but had so many chances they should have already sealed their place at Wembley.
Kai Havertz gave Chelsea an early lead when he ran onto Marcos Alonso’s throw and fired home with Davinson Sanchez unable to keep the shot out on the line.
The Blues’ second was a comedy own goal as Japhet Tanganga headed the ball into team-mate Ben Davies’ shoulder and it flew into the net.
Romelu Lukaku, back in the team after a one-game exile for comments he made in an interview, had several chances and headed wide from close range.
Spurs, who changed to a back four after a torrid first half, had to wait until the 50th minute for a shot, with Harry Kane’s free-kick saved by Kepa.
But the chances continued to come for Chelsea with Hugo Lloris denying Lukaku, Hakim Ziyech and the returning Timo Werner.
Spurs will need to be much better in a week’s time in the second leg to have any chance of reaching Wembley.
Liverpool and Arsenal play in the other semi-final with their games on 13 and 20 January after the first leg rearranged because of Covid cases in the Liverpool camp.
Tottenham have looked much improved since former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte replaced Nuno Espirito Santo, only losing once in 11 games before this.
But the wait for a first trophy since the 2008 League Cup will surely go on – with many problems of their own making at Stamford Bridge.
Emerson Royal did not control a pass from Tanganga and Alonso nipped in to set up the opener.
And the second saw Ziyech swing in a free-kick with Spurs’ defenders doing the rest for him.
Most of the pre-match chat had been about Lukaku, who has apologised for an interview which saw him dropped for Chelsea’s draw with Liverpool.
He was involved on plenty of occasions, with several shots – including an effort straight at Lloris in injury time – and a good pass to Ziyech which the Moroccan should have finished.
Encouraging too was the return of Werner after injury, although he replaced Havertz, who broke his finger while scoring the opening goal, at half-time.
The only real downside for Thomas Tuchel’s side, who played 4-4-2 because of a lack of defensive options, is that they did not score with more of their 19 efforts to wrap up the tie.BBC Radio 5 Live analysis
Former Chelsea winger Karen Carney: “Chelsea controlled everything tonight. They were back to their usual Chelsea self. It was a really good performance.
“Thomas Tuchel will be happy right now with the clean sheet and win but tomorrow when he reflects on it he’ll think ‘we’ve still left them in the tie’. It should have been done and dusted.
“With how poor Spurs were, they should have really gone for them. They should have put the whole semi-final to bed.”
Ex-Republic of Ireland striker Clinton Morrison: “Spurs aren’t out of it but it was comfortable for Chelsea. They were in second gear. It didn’t look like a semi-final for Spurs.
“It looked like they were going through the motions. They’re still in it if they can get the first goal next week.
“It was a flat performance. Who really thinks this is a big cup competition to win? Harry Kane was chasing things down but I didn’t see many others. You want to get to a final and lift some silverware.
“If Chelsea wanted to go to that next level, they could have. There was a lot left in the tank. 2-0 flattered Spurs.”
