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BusinessRe: Nigeria Beats Europe To T+1 Settlement Cycle On NGX For Faster Access To Funds by MCentral(op): 4:26pm On Jun 02
Osgilliat:
That explains why redemption request was executed same day yesterday. I was surprised.
Yes the Nigeria market is getting more sophisticated.
BusinessNigeria Beats Europe To T+1 Settlement Cycle On NGX For Faster Access To Funds by MCentral(op): 7:06am On Jun 02
Nigeria’s capital market officially transitioned to a T+1 settlement cycle, on June 01, 2026, meaning transactions will now complete within one business day after trade execution, giving investors quicker access to funds and securities and aligning the country with global market standards.

By completing this migration, Nigeria aligns its financial architecture with top-tier developed economies.

The country matches the United States, Canada, and Mexico (all of which moved to T+1 in May 2024), while stepping significantly ahead of the United Kingdom (UK) the European Union and Swiss markets which have scheduled their respective T+1 migrations for October 2027.

The Settlement Compression Journey

Nigeria’s post-trade market infrastructure has undergone an aggressive acceleration. Under the leadership of SEC Director-General Emomotimi Agama, the market squeezed a double-transition (moving from T+3 to T+2, and now to T+1) into less than seven months.

Following a recent announcement by the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the market moved from the previous settlement timeline to T+1, where “T” represents trade day and “1” represents one business day for settlement completion.

Key benefits for investors

Benefit Impact
Quicker access to funds Faster investment decisions and reinvestment
Reduced settlement risk Shorter transaction completion timelines
Improved market liquidity Smoother capital movement across the market
Greater investor confidence Nigeria aligns with global standards

Why it matters

While the shift may appear technical, its impact is simple and meaningful: a faster, more efficient and more secure market experience for investors.

With T+1 settlement, investors benefit from quicker access to funds and securities, enabling faster investment decisions and reinvestment opportunities. The shorter transaction completion timeline reduces settlement risk, while improved market liquidity supports smoother capital movement across the market.

Investor impact

The T+1 adoption strengthens Nigeria’s competitiveness as an investment destination by bringing the NGX in line with global market standards, including the U.S. market which also moved to T+1 in 2024. Greater confidence among local and foreign investors should follow as Nigeria demonstrates its commitment to modernizing market infrastructure.

The transition reduces the window for counterparty risk and settlement failures, which had been a concern in longer settlement cycles. For active traders and institutional investors, faster capital turnover means improved capital efficiency and the ability to redeploy funds more quickly into new opportunities.

Foreign portfolio investors, in particular, should find the T+1 cycle more familiar and predictable, potentially encouraging increased participation in Nigerian equities. The move supports broader efforts to deepen Nigeria’s capital markets and attract sustained foreign investment as the country pursues its expected frontier-to-emerging market reclassification by FTSE Russell.

https://moneycentral.com.ng/personal-fianance/investing/article/nigeria-beats-europe-to-t1-settlement-cycle-giving-investors-faster-access-to-funds-and-securities/
InvestmentSouth Africa, Nigeria Lead Top 10 African Stock Exchanges As NGX Surges 60% by MCentral(op): 3:15am On May 27
A major shifting of capital across the African continent has seen the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) leapfrog Morocco’s Casablanca Stock Exchange to become the second-largest equity market in Africa.

According to data compiled by MoneyCentral, South Africa’s Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) maintains its long-standing, dominant pole position with a market capitalization of $1.52 trillion. However, a spectacular 60.49% year-to-date rally has pushed the total value of the NGX up to $116.85 billion, pulling ahead of Morocco’s $114 billion valuation as international capital targets structural reforms in West Africa.

Top 10 Largest African Stock Exchanges (May 2026)

The continental equity landscape remains heavily concentrated within the top three regional hubs, which combined control over 90% of the top ten exchanges’ collective wealth.

Twin Growth Catalysts for the Nigerian Bourse
The NGX’s 60% performance surge is shaping up to be just the opening act for a massive structural expansion later this year, driven by two major market events:

The $50 Billion Dangote Refinery Mega-Listing

The upcoming Initial Public Offering (IPO) of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals complex is set to rewrite African corporate finance history.

The Scale:
With private placement demand already tracking above $2 billion and billionaires like Femi Otedola providing a $100 million anchor commitment, the asset is targeting a valuation of up to $50 billion.

The Index Impact:
Listing up to 10% of this energy monopoly would single-handedly add $50 billion to the NGX, expanding the bourse’s total value by over 40% toward the $167 billion mark and widening its lead over Morocco.

The September FTSE Russell “Frontier” Lifeline

Global index managers are heavily preparing for FTSE Russell’s upcoming reclassification of Nigeria back to Frontier Market status this September.

Passive Inflows:

The upgrade will trigger automated buy orders from global index-tracking funds that are mandated to hold Frontier assets.

Unlocking Deep Discounts:
These systematic cash injections will hit the market at a time when Chapel Hill Denham data shows Nigeria’s top commercial banks—boasting a massive ₦202 trillion asset base—are trading at deep credibility discounts of 0.36x to 0.45x Price-to-Book. The convergence of FTSE inflows and rock-bottom valuations is expected to drive a massive re-rating of local blue chips.

Why it matters

The NGX’s 60.49% year-to-date rally has propelled Nigeria past Morocco into second place, marking a historic shift in Africa’s equity market hierarchy. The JSE alone still accounts for roughly 87% of the total market cap of the top 10 exchanges, but Nigeria’s surge narrows the gap at the top.
https://moneycentral.com.ng/exclusive/article/south-africa-nigeria-lead-top-10-african-stock-exchanges-as-ngx-surges-60/
BusinessTop 10 Nigerian Banks’ Assets Hit ₦202 Trillion As Access, UBA, Zenith Dominate by MCentral(op): 12:35am On May 27
The combined balance sheets of Nigeria’s top ten commercial banks expanded to ₦202 trillion (approximately $147 billion) in the first quarter of 2026.

This monumental asset surge reflects broader financial system liquidity, the inclusion of newly acquired regional assets, and balance sheet adjustments forced by the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) newly completed structural recapitalization cycle.

What’s driving the numbers

Access Holdings led the pack with ₦53.43 trillion in assets, followed by United Bank for Africa at ₦33.13 trillion and Zenith Bank at ₦32.01 trillion.

FirstHoldCo Plc reported ₦26.87 trillion, Guaranty Trust Holding Company ₦18.75 trillion and Fidelity Bank ₦11.35 trillion.

Rounding out the top 10 were Stanbic IBTC HoldCo (₦9.7 trillion), FCMB (₦7.54 trillion; December 2025 figure), Wema Bank (₦5.23 trillion) and Sterling Bank (₦4.07 trillion).

Composition and implications

Investment securities, loans and advances, and cash and bank balances were the major components of the asset bases, underscoring a mix between liquidity buffers and interest-earning assets.

The concentration at the top — with Access Holdings’ balance sheet more than 1.6 times the size of the next largest lender — highlights the increasing scale advantage enjoyed by a few groups, a factor that can drive pricing power in corporate and wholesale markets.

The Top-10 Banking Asset Leaderboard (Q1 2026)

The industry remains heavily top-heavy, with the traditional “FUGAZ” elite five capturing 81.25% of the entire asset pool of the top ten banks.

Macro Implications & Investor Impact

Bigger balance sheets bolster capacity to underwrite large corporate credits and deploy capital across regional opportunities, but they also raise scrutiny on asset quality and capital adequacy as banks chase growth.

Investors will monitor how the largest lenders manage risk-weighted assets, provisioning and funding costs, particularly if macro pressures or higher interest rates test asset-quality resilience.

This scale of capital accumulation however provides a vital protective shield for Nigeria’s broader economic system as it enters the second half of the year.

Fund Syndication Moats:
The ₦202 trillion asset base allows the local banking industry to single-handedly anchor mega-scale real-sector projects. High-profile transactions like the upcoming $11 billion Dangote Refinery expansion can now be comfortably syndicated internally using localized trade finance structures.

The Frontier Inflow Window:
These immense asset sizes line up perfectly with FTSE Russell’s upcoming September reclassification of Nigeria back to Frontier Market status. Because Chapel Hill Denham’s recent data shows that banks like Access, UBA, continue to trade at steep discounts (0.36x to 0.45x Price-to-Book), these massive balance sheets make the Nigerian banking index an appealing target for incoming global index-tracking funds.
https://moneycentral.com.ng/exclusive/article/top-10-nigerian-banks-assets-hit-%e2%82%a6202-trillion-as-access-uba-zenith-dominate/

BusinessCoscharis Expands Into Japanese Manufacturing With Izumi Acquisition by MCentral(op): 3:07am On May 24
Coscharis Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Cosmas Maduka has expanded the Nigerian conglomerate’s reach into Japan’s manufacturing sector by taking a stake in Izumi Chain Mfg. Co., according to the company’s recent activity and public materials seen by MoneyCentral.

The move adds a new industrial dimension to a business empire that began in 1977 as an importer and distributor of Japanese auto spare parts and accessories. It also aligns with Coscharis’s long-running presence in automotive and industrial machinery, suggesting a push beyond distribution into direct production capabilities.

Industrial Link

Izumi Chain Mfg. is an Osaka-based manufacturer founded in 1916, with a century-long history in industrial, automotive, motorcycle and bicycle roller chains. Its product line includes standard roller chains, stainless steel chains, automotive timing chains and high-performance bicycle and track chains.

By deepening ties with a Japanese original equipment manufacturer, Coscharis is positioning itself closer to the source of precision components and hardware used across transport and industrial applications. That could help support quality control, sourcing and technical know-how for its broader business operations.

Nigeria Angle

The investment also carries symbolic weight for Nigeria’s manufacturing ambitions, where access to technology, reliable supply chains and industrial partnerships remain major constraints. A direct link to a Japanese OEM may help Coscharis bridge global production standards with local market needs.

Maduka’s reported move to spend time in Japan underscores how hands-on the strategy appears to be. It also signals that the company is treating manufacturing not just as a trading opportunity, but as a platform for long-term industrial expansion.
https://moneycentral.com.ng/markets/article/coscharis-expands-into-japanese-manufacturing-with-izumi-acquisition/Please

BusinessReforms Power Nigeria Stocks Past New Zealand As Bonds Crush EM Peers by MCentral(op): 2:10am On May 11
Nigeria’s stocks, bonds and naira are surging as investors embrace President Bola Tinubu’s economic overhaul.

Nigeria’s NGX All-Share Index has rocketed 66% in dollar terms this year, with 12-month gains nearing 200% and a market capitalization of $104 billion that has surpassed New Zealand’s and now rivals Portugal and Ireland in size.

This historic outperformance by Nigerian capital markets is being driven by the aggressive execution of President Bola Tinubu’s economic agenda.

By dismantling long-standing distortions—such as the fuel subsidy and a fragmented foreign exchange regime—Nigeria has transitioned from a “credibility discount” to a primary destination for emerging-market capital.

Market Performance Snapshot

Nigeria’s financial indicators reflect a significant return of investor confidence, further bolstered by surging oil prices amid the ongoing Middle East conflict.

Local-currency bonds have returned 14% in dollar terms year-to-date, outperforming all major emerging markets except Argentina and Brazil, while the naira currency has strengthened almost 6% and ranks as Africa’s No. 2 performer behind Zambia’s kwacha.

Nigeria’s dollar bonds have returned 5%, compared with an average of 1.3% for emerging markets, according to Bloomberg indexes.

Economic growth will accelerate to 4.1% this year, compared with 3.3% when Tinubu came into office three years ago, according to the International Monetary Fund.

Investors Return

Foreign inflows into Nigeria equities surged to ₦181.8 billion in March 2026, more than doubling the February figure of ₦72.3 billion.

“Nigeria is transitioning from a credibility discount to an execution story,” said Romain Bordenave of Edmond de Rothschild.

Corporate Sector Stars

Sector leaders in cement, banking, and energy have seen triple-digit gains as they capture the “growth dividend” of the current administration.
Bua Cement Plc is up 140%, Zenith Bank Plc has climbed 104% and MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, a mobile-phone provider, has gained 57%. Oil and gas exploration company Seplat Energy Plc has almost doubled, while rival Aradel Holdings Plc has soared 172%.

Strategic Catalysts: FTSE and Dangote

Two major structural events are expected to institutionalize these gains and provide a massive injection of liquidity into the market by late 2026:

FTSE Russell Reclassification:
Nigeria will be reclassified to Frontier Market status in September 2026. This move will trigger automatic inflows from global index-tracker funds that have been on the sidelines.

Dangote Refinery IPO: Aliko Dangote has confirmed plans to float 10% of the refinery (valued between $25bn–$45bn) on the Nigerian Exchange, with secondary listings elsewhere in Africa. This listing alone could increase the total market cap of the NGX by over 30%.

Macroeconomic Outlook

The IMF projects Nigeria’s GDP growth to accelerate to 4.1% this year. This optimism is supported by:

Credit Rating
Upgrades: Upgrades from Moody’s and Fitch in 2025, which lowered the sovereign risk premium.

Oil Windfall:
Higher global crude prices have provided a fiscal buffer, supporting the naira and government revenue.
https://moneycentral.com.ng/exclusive/article/tinubu-reforms-power-nigeria-stocks-past-new-zealand-as-bonds-crush-em-peers/

BusinessFirstholdco Profit Rockets 72% In Q1 As ROE Crushes Tier-One Field by MCentral(op): 1:00am On May 08
FirstHoldco Plc delivered a masterclass performance in its first-quarter 2026 financials, recording a 72% year-on-year profit before tax (PBT) growth

Profit before tax (PBT) jumped to ₦321 billion from ₦186.47 billion in the corresponding period of 2025, supported by steady interest-earning capacity and robust fee income generation.

The first quarter of 2026 marked a definitive pivot for FirstHoldCo Plc, as the parent entity of Nigeria’s oldest commercial bank re-established itself as a financial powerhouse.

Emerging from a period of aggressive balance sheet restructuring characterized by massive legacy debt write-offs in late 2025, the group’s Q1 2026 performance represents a “phoenix-like” Strategic reset.

Post its 2025 balance-sheet cleanup, FirstHoldco’s Q1 2026 results also established the group as the second-largest Nigerian lender by absolute profit before tax, trailing only Zenith Bank.

In Q1, 2026, Zenith Bank reported PBT of ₦360.91 billion, FirstHoldCo ₦321 billion, GTCO ₦302.89 billion, Access Holdings ₦272.2 billion and UBA ₦160.65 billion.

This renaissance is not merely a product of the high-interest-rate environment currently prevailing in Nigeria, where the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has maintained its hawkish stance with a 26.5% Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) to anchor inflation.

Rather, it is the result of a deliberate “kitchen-sinking” of bad assets in the 2025 financial year, which saw the group take a historic ₦826.3 billion impairment charge to resolve historical asset quality concerns once and for all.

This strategic “cleansing” has liberated the balance sheet to capture the full upside of the current lending cycle, allowing FirstHoldCo to lead the market in the most critical measures of shareholder value creation.

The Profitability Outperformer: Return on Equity Leadership

FirstHoldCo’s standout metric for the first quarter of 2026 is its Return on Equity (ROE). This parameter serves as the ultimate barometer for management’s ability to generate earnings from the capital entrusted to them by shareholders.

For Q1 2026, FirstHoldCo delivered a post-tax ROE of 31.6%, effectively eclipsing the entire FUGAZ group. This represents a staggering turnaround from the 4.6% recorded in December 2025, which was heavily weighed down by the balance sheet reset.

The leadership in ROE is particularly noteworthy given the simultaneous recapitalization efforts across the industry, which naturally exerts downward pressure on ROE and indicates that FirstHoldCo’s earnings power is scaling faster than its capital dilution.

The Revenue Engine: Optimized Asset Mix

FirstHoldCo’s outperformance is structurally rooted in its superior asset yield, particularly within its loan book. Unlike some peers who have historically relied on the “carry trade” of government securities, FirstHoldCo has aggressively pivoted toward private sector credit. In Q1 2026, the group generated ₦466 billion in interest income from loans and advances to customers, representing a 28% increase from the prior year.

This growth in customer loan income is significantly higher than that of its closest rivals. FirstHoldCo is finding higher-quality lending opportunities in a tight liquidity environment.

Operational Resilience

FirstHoldCo’s Cost-to-Income Ratio (CIR) improved remarkably from 53.8% in late 2025 to 45.2% in Q1 2026. While it still trails GTCO (the industry efficiency benchmark at 30.9%) and Zenith (43.5%), it has significantly outperformed Access Corp (55.8%) and UBA (61.2%).

The improvement in FirstHoldCo’s ratio is even more impressive when considering that its total operating expenses rose 21% year-on-year to ₦298 billion. The key to this outperformance is “positive operating leverage”—the group’s net earnings grew by 41%, effectively “outrunning” its expense growth.

Recovery and Credit Quality

The most profound turnaround in FirstHoldCo’s financial profile is found in its “Other Non-Interest Income,” specifically the “Recoveries” line item. In Q1 2025, the group reported a modest ₦1 billion in loan recoveries; by Q1 2026, this figure surged by 1570% to ₦19 billion.

This outperformance in debt recovery is a direct consequence of the 2025 balance sheet reset. Having aggressively written off legacy non-performing loans (NPLs), the bank’s specialized recovery units are now clawing back value from these assets, which flows directly to the bottom line as non-interest income.

Balance Sheet Dynamics: Liquidity and Funding

FirstHoldCo’s balance sheet reflects a bank that is both liquid and well-positioned for the “normalization” phase of the economy. Total assets stood at ₦26.8 trillion in March 2026, a slight 2% decline from December 2025, primarily due to the strategic balance sheet management.

FirstHoldCo Resets and Positions for Growth in 2026 and Beyond

By taking the painful but necessary steps to reset its balance sheet in 2025, FirstHoldCo Plc has entered 2026 as a leaner, more profitable, and more efficient competitor.

Its leadership in ROE and PBT growth is not an accident of the market but a direct result of management’s focus on high-yield customer lending and aggressive asset recovery, making it the industry’s most efficient engine for creating shareholder value.

As the benefits of the group recapitalization takes hold and the market digests its Q1 results, the current valuation gap between FirstHoldCo and other tier-one rivals like Zenith and GTCO is expected to narrow.
https://moneycentral.com.ng/exclusive/article/firstholdco-profit-rockets-72-in-q1-as-roe-crushes-tier-one-field/

BusinessOpay Prepares $4 Billion US IPO, Eclipsing Zenith, GTCO Valuations by MCentral(op): 8:53am On May 06
OPay Digital Services Limited, the SoftBank-backed payments platform, has tapped Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, and JPMorgan Chase to lead its upcoming initial public offering (IPO) in the United States.

Targeting a valuation of approximately $4 billion, the listing marks a significant valuation step up for the platform and highlights the rapid growth of the African fintech ecosystem.

A target valuation of $4 billion (₦5.8 trillion) surpasses the market capitalizations of Nigeria’s largest traditional banks, including Zenith Bank (₦5.26 trillion) and Guaranty Trust Holding Company (₦5.08 trillion), underscoring fintechs’ disruption of Nigeria’s legacy banks amid a boom in digital lenders.

It would also be 4 times the valuation of Access Holdings (₦1.359 trillion), Nigeria’s largest lender by assets, with banking operations in 24 countries, who has just been ordered by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to sell stakes in foreign units over capital concerns from its rapid expansion.

OPAY, with over 40 million users, could sell shares later this year, the people said, requesting anonymity as talks are private. Representatives for the parties declined to comment.

Fintech Tops Banks

The impending public market debut highlights a shift in the valuation landscape between digital payments providers and traditional tier-one commercial banks in Nigeria who are struggling to grow profits.

Zenith Bank Plc, Nigeria’s largest lender by market capitalization, recorded a flat performance in the first quarter of 2026, with profit after tax settling at ₦314 billion, compared to ₦311.83 billion in the corresponding period of 2025.

Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO), a bellwether for the Nigerian banking sector, reported a 15.4% decline in Profit After Tax (PAT) for the first quarter of 2026.

Opay, founded by Chinese billionaire Yahui Zhou, last raised $400 million in 2021 at $2 billion from SoftBank Vision Fund, Sequoia Capital and others.

The company brought on board James Perry, a former Citigroup managing director, as CFO in late 2025 to manage US regulatory compliance and financial reporting requirements.

Africa Fintech Surge

Nigeria’s fintech scene—home to unicorns like Flutterwave, Moniepoint and Interswitch—thrives on fixing bank glitches, outages and fraud. Rising demand for mobile financial services is also prompting Airtel Africa Plc to plan spinning off its mobile money unit.

Industry Implications and Strategic Context

Market Consolidation: A recent CBN directive that limits Point-of-Sale agents to work with a single financial institution has consolidated OPay’s dominance in the domestic payments space, creating an operational moat against network fragmentation.

Broader Fintech Momentum: The OPay listing serves as a bellwether for other African fintech unicorns, such as Flutterwave, Moniepoint, and Interswitch, which are exploring global public markets. According to McKinsey & Co., African fintech companies could generate $47 billion in revenue by 2028.

Previous Funding: The company raised $400 million in August 2021 at a $2 billion valuation. Opera Limited, an early investor holding a 9.5% stake, valued its position at $294.6 million in recent regulatory filings, signaling that the IPO is a continuation of the platform’s sustained growth.

https://moneycentral.com.ng/exclusive/article/opay-prepares-4-billion-us-ipo-eclipsing-zenith-gtco-valuations/
BusinessAccess BankTo Sell Stakes In Foreign Units After Cbn’s 10% Capital Cap by MCentral(op): 8:46am On May 06
Access Holdings Plc (parent company of Access Bank) plans to sell down equity in select overseas subsidiaries to meet new Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) rules capping foreign investments at 10% of shareholders’ funds, Access Bank CEO Roosevelt Ogbonna said on an investor call.

The lender, with banking operations in 24 countries, currently holds 19.4% in foreign units—exceeding the limit. “We’re looking at divestments” but will retain control and strong value creation, Ogbonna said Tuesday, with a 12-month compliance window.

Pan-African Pullback

Access led Nigeria’s post-2016 recession push abroad, snapping up assets from Standard Chartered Plc, Atlas Mara Ltd., and KCB Group Plc to counter naira weakness and non-performing loans. Last year, it paused acquisitions to integrate holdings.

Strategic Implications

The CBN’s curb forces a recalibration for Africa’s expansionist Nigerian banks. Access’s pivot preserves control while freeing balance-sheet room amid tightening global funding.

The bank is also considering the refinancing of a $500 million Eurobond due in September and a $500 million perpetual bond due in October. Officials noted that the move is intended to extend the maturity profile of the debt rather than address liquidity pressures.

Access Holdings Plc reported full-year 2025 profit growth of 15.6% even as bad-loan impairments more than doubled and total comprehensive income plunged 58%, prompting the group to skip its dividend payout.

Profit after tax climbed to ₦743 billion from ₦642 billion, supported by interest income of ₦3.27 trillion (up 5.4%) and net fee gains of ₦585 billion (up 40.9%). Net gains on fair-value instruments soared to ₦1.049 trillion from ₦416 billion, lifting pretax profit to ₦1.007 trillion.

https://moneycentral.com.ng/exclusive/article/access-holdings-to-sell-stakes-in-foreign-units-after-cbns-10-capital-cap/
BusinessDangote Refinery Diesel Exports Surge To 50,000bpd As Global War Premium Rises by MCentral(op): 4:42am On Apr 04
After hitting a two-year low in early 2026, Dangote Petroleum Refinery’s diesel exports have staged a massive rebound in March, now averaging 50,000 barrels per day (bpd).

This surge coincides with a period of extreme global supply anxiety as the U.S.-Israel-Iran war continues to paralyze traditional Middle Eastern shipping lanes.

With the refinery hitting its full 650,000 bpd nameplate capacity in February 2026, Nigeria’s “megarefinery” is now being re-rated by global markets as a critical alternative to the disrupted Persian Gulf supply.

The March Rebound: From 2-Year Lows to 50,000bpd


The early 2026 dip in exports was largely attributed to the refinery prioritizing the Crude-for-Naira domestic mandate. However, the reaching of full capacity has unlocked a surplus for the international market.

Displacing the “Old Guard”: The End of European Dominance

For decades, West Africa was the primary dumping ground for European refined products. The March data suggests a permanent shift in the regional energy balance:

Import Displacement:
Dangote is now supplying a dominant share of the West African diesel market, effectively pushing out more expensive cargoes from Europe.

Logistics Advantage:
While European refiners struggle with high energy costs and Middle Eastern crude disruptions, Dangote’s proximity to regional neighbors like Ghana, Togo, and Ivory Coast offers a significant “freight alpha.”

Quality Parity:
Producing Euro-V standard diesel, the refinery is increasingly attracting interest from European buyers looking to replace lost Middle Eastern volumes.

Strategic “Alternative Supplier” Status

According to analysts from S&P Global Energy, the refinery’s timing could not be more strategic.

[b]The War Specter: [/b]As the Strait of Hormuz remains at a virtual standstill, the “global thirst” for diesel has turned toward the Atlantic Basin.

[b]Refining Margin Surge: [/b]With global diesel cracks (the difference between crude and refined prices) widening due to war-induced scarcity, the refinery is capturing a significant “premium” on its 50,000 bpd export volume.

[b]Regional Risk Mitigation: [/b]By anchoring West African supply, Dangote is preventing the “energy contagion” that has seen East African nations like Zambia and Tanzania scramble for fuel.


https://moneycentral.com.ng/markets/article/dangote-refinery-diesel-exports-surge-to-50000bpd-as-global-war-premium-rises/
BusinessMtn’s ₦1 Trn Capital Expenditure And ₦878 Bn Tax Payment Drive Economic Impact by MCentral(op): 9:28am On Feb 27
MTN Nigeria Communications Plc has released its audited 2025 financial results, revealing a corporate performance that serves as a cornerstone for the Nigerian economy.

Beyond the headline recovery from a 2024 deficit, the company has emerged as one of the nation’s largest private-sector taxpayer and its most aggressive infrastructure investor.

The 2025 financial year was the first full period governed by the Nigeria Tax Act 2025 (signed June 26, 2025). MTN Nigeria emerged as a primary contributor to the new fiscal framework.

The Tax Pillar: ₦878 Billion Contributed to National Development

Fiscal Contribution: MTN paid ₦878.7 billion in taxes and levies, one of the highest on record for any single private entity in Nigeria, and was recognised by the Nigeria Revenue Service for tax compliance and transparency, demonstrating MTN’s track record of sound governance.

Applying the 15% Minimum ETR: In line with Section 57 of the new Act, MTN adhered to the 15% minimum effective tax rate (ETR), ensuring that large-scale profitability directly supports the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS).

Simplified Levies: The company transitioned its various sector-specific charges to the new 4% Development Levy, which replaced the Tertiary Education Tax and NITDA levies.

The Capex Pillar: ₦1 Trillion Infrastructure Bet

MTN more than doubled its capital expenditure from ₦443.5 billion in 2024 to ₦1 trillion in 2025. This was not just a network upgrade; it was a strategic pivot to strengthen service quality and user experience in line with MTN Nigeria’s commitment to its customers and the government, while positioning the business for growth in an increasingly data-driven market.

MVNO Strategy: MTN is now onboarding Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), allowing smaller players to lease its 24,300 tower sites and fiber network. This allows MTN to earn high-margin wholesale revenue while bypasssing the cost of retail subscriber acquisition.

Network Resilience: A significant portion of the ₦1 trillion was spent on improving power backup and fiber redundancy to combat the fiber cuts the company faced during the year.

2025 Financial Scorecard: From Deficit to Dominance

The recovery was fueled by an explosion in data demand and the stabilization of the Naira, which allowed for the reversal of previous revaluation losses.

Active data users increased by 11.6% to 53.2 million
Service revenue increased by 55.1% to N5.2 trillion
EBITDA increased by 108.9% to N2.7 trillion
EBITDA margin increased by 13.6pp to 52.7%
PAT of N1.1 trillion, up 377.9% (FY 2024: negative N400.4 billion)
Earnings per share of N53.07 kobo (FY 2024: negative N19.05 kobo)

Strategic Outlook: 2026 Road Map

With the ₦15 per share dividend resumption, MTN has signaled that its “Ambition 2025” strategy has successfully transitioned the business into a sustainable growth phase:

Targeting the “Bottom of the Pyramid”: Through MVNO partnerships, MTN will reach rural and underserved communities that were previously commercially unviable for a large MNO to serve directly.

Speed: MTN was recognised as Nigeria’s best mobile network at the 2025 Ookla Speedtest Awards, along with other independent crowdsourced benchmarks that continued to validate its leadership in speed and latency.

Data Led Growth: Data revenue increased by 74.5%, making it the largest contributor to MTN’s service revenue. This growth was supported by an expanded active user base, increased usage and higher traffic. The number of active data subscribers grew by 11.6%, while smartphone penetration rose by 7.9pp to 66.1%, reflecting the rising demand for high-speed connectivity. Data traffic increased by 34.0% and average usage per subscriber rose by 20% to 13.1GB. In addition, 4G population coverage improved by 2.1pp to 84.6%. These results underscore the effectiveness of MTN’s accelerated network investments and commitment to delivering a superior quality of service and user experience.

https://moneycentral.com.ng/economy/article/mtn-nigerias-%e2%82%a61-trillion-capital-expenditure-and-%e2%82%a6878-billion-tax-payment-drive-economic-impact/
Foreign AffairsRe: Africa's Biggest Countries By Population by MCentral: 11:43am On Feb 25
Georgry:
South Africa and Egypt are out producing Nigeria who has up to 4 times their population, Nigeria is, simply put, not a productive country.

however population doesn’t create productivity systems do. Nigeria has almost four times the people, yet these countries produce more because their infrastructure actually works.

Nigerians are naturally productive people, but how far can productivity go when the most basic structures are missing? Look at electricity alone.

The epileptic power supply is destroying small businesses. A friend running a dry-cleaning shop is spending huge amounts on generators and fuel every week. In Nigeria, the cost of energy compared to income is one of the highest anywhere in the world.

The same thing applies to transportation. Why can’t someone stay in Auchi and easily sell to a bigger market like Benin, which is just about 126 km away? A trip that should take under three hours becomes a major challenge simply because the roads are terrible. Bad infrastructure closes markets and suffocates growth.

Access to capital and high initial start-up cost due to inflation is also a problem, it will cost you over 1 million naira to start a dry cleaning business (basic business) Not because the business is naturally expensive, but because you're forced to provide power, water, security, and other things the system should already have and come to think about it, how many people has 1 million naira in Nigeria?

Nigeria’s problem isn’t that its people are lazy or unproductive. The real challenge is that we are operating in an environment where you must first build your own mini-government before you can run a simple business. Until basic infrastructure is fixed, productivity will remain low, and growth will continue to be slow.
Auchi to Benin is 1hr
PoliticsEllah Lakes ARPN Acquisition Stays On Track For Q1 2026 Despite Funding Hit by MCentral(op): 2:47pm On Feb 20
Ellah Lakes Plc announced today, February 20, 2026, that its ambitious ₦235 billion Public Offer failed to meet the minimum subscription threshold.

Despite a high-profile marketing campaign and a bullish stock market environment, the company will not allot any shares and will instead refund all applicants.

The capital raise was intended to de-leverage the balance sheet and finance a massive expansion into the palm oil and cassava value chains.

Why the Offer Failed: A Market Reality Check

While the broader NGX has been rallying, Ellah Lakes faced specific headwinds that likely dampened investor appetite:

The “Minimum Threshold” Gap: Under SEC rules, if a public offer does not hit a certain percentage of its target (usually 80-90%), the offer is deemed void.

Valuation Friction: The subscription price of ₦12.50 was seen by some institutional investors as aggressive, given the company’s recent reporting of a ₦2.27 billion loss due to surging operational expenses.

Liquidity Timing: The offer period (Nov 10 – Dec 19, 2025) coincided with the final push for the Banking Recapitalization which mopped up significant institutional liquidity.

The ARPN Acquisition: Still on the Menu

Despite the failed capital raise, CEO Chuka Mordi confirmed that the acquisition of Agro-Allied Resources & Processing Nigeria Limited (ARPN) is still moving forward:

Target Date: The deal is expected to close by the end of Q1 2026 (March 31).

Strategic Value: ARPN is viewed as the “missing piece” for Ellah Lakes’ vertical integration, providing the processing capacity needed to turn raw oil palm and cassava into high-value industrial products.

Financing Pivot: With the public offer off the table, the market expects Ellah Lakes to explore alternative financing, potentially including convertible debt or a strategic private placement with a development finance institution (DFI).

The Road Ahead: Operational Efficiency Focus

Mordi emphasized that the company is shifting its immediate focus back to the “ground level”:

Yield Optimization: The priority is now increasing the yield per hectare at existing plantations.

Vertical Integration: The company remains committed to diversifying its product mix to mitigate the impact of rising costs.

Shareholder Confidence: While the failed offer is a setback, the commitment to transparency and the ongoing ARPN deal suggest that the “long-term transformation” story is still alive, albeit on a different funding timeline.

Commenting on the update, Chuka Mordi, Chief Executive Officer of Ellah Lakes Plc, said:

“Ellah Lakes’ strategic direction remains focused on driving operational efficiency, maximising the productivity of our existing plantations, and achieving a significant increase in yield per hectare over the coming years. We are also committed to diversifying our product mix and enhancing vertical integration across palm oil and cassava, positioning the Company for sustainable growth and long-term value creation. In parallel, the acquisition of ARPN represents a complementary milestone that, once completed, will strengthen our operational footprint and support the Company’s broader transformation agenda. We remain disciplined in executing the transaction responsibly and securing the appropriate capital structure. We are confident that, upon closing, this transaction will mark a transformative milestone in Ellah Lakes’ growth journey and create sustainable value for our shareholders. We look forward to providing further updates as we progress toward completion by the end of Q1 2026.”

https://moneycentral.com.ng/exclusive/article/ellah-lakes-arpn-acquisition-stays-on-track-for-q1-2026-despite-funding-hit/
PoliticsRabiu’s Rise: BUA Chairman Fortune Hits $12.3bn As Foods, Cement Surge On NGX by MCentral(op): 9:42am On Feb 19
BUA Group Founder and Chairman, Abdul Samad Rabiu’s net worth reached a record $12.3 billion, marking a staggering $2.3 billion gain in the first six weeks of the year alone.

While Aliko Dangote remains Africa’s richest individual, the “Rabiu Rally” is being driven by a unique phenomenon on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX): the rise of BUA Foods Plc as a multi-trillion Naira heavyweight.

Rabiu, who turned 65 this year, now sits as the 4th richest person in Africa and 273rd globally, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

In Africa, he is behind Nicky Oppenheimer of South Africa in 3rd place (216th globally) at $14 billion and Johann Rupert & family of South Africa in 2nd place (145th globally) with net worth of $18.9 billion, and Aliko Dangote remains Africa’s richest individual in 1st place at $32.7 billion (75th globally).

The Engines of Wealth: Foods and Cement

Rabiu’s fortune is almost entirely anchored in two listed entities where he maintains “super-majority” control, allowing him to capture nearly every Naira of value created:

He holds a 98% stake in BUA Cement, Nigeria’s second-largest producer, and 93% in BUA Foods, which saw a 91% profit leap last year amid expansions like a new Sokoto plant.

See MoneyCentral video on BUA Group’s strides below:


[url]https://www.youtube.com/embed/kYN94VJASlE%22[/url]

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kYN94VJASlE?feature=share

₦507 Billion “Profit Leap”

The explosive growth in Rabiu’s net worth is backed by the strongest fundamental performance in BUA’s 38-year history:

91% Profit Surge: BUA Foods reported a ₦507.7 billion after-tax profit for FY 2025, nearly doubling its 2024 results.

Rice Revolution: While sugar and flour remain the core, revenue from the Rice segment grew by an incredible 1,612% to ₦98.1 billion as the company’s massive integrated rice mill hit full capacity.

FX Mastery: Unlike competitors who struggled with currency volatility, BUA Foods slashed its FX losses by 90% (from ₦172bn to ₦16bn) through proactive hedging and a shift to local raw material sourcing.

Strategic Expansion: The 20 Million Tonne Target
[
Rabiu is not “cashing out” at the peak; he is doubling down on infrastructure:

Cement Capacity: Following a January meeting with SINOMA China, BUA is breaking ground on a new manufacturing line in Northern Nigeria to push group cement output toward 20 million tonnes annually.

Sugar Backward Integration: The first phase of BUA’s Lafiagi Sugar Project is set to come online in mid-2026, enabling the refining of 220,000 metric tonnes of sugar from locally grown cane.

Regional Hub: Rabiu has signaled that BUA Group is moving beyond Nigeria to become a dominant food and infrastructure supplier for the entire Sahel and West African region.

Stock Gains

Steady Rally on NGX: BUA Cement is up 13.73% YTD, while BUA Foods is up 5.77% so far in 2026. BUA Foods has a market capitalisation of N15.2 trillion ($11.25 billion), while BUA Cement’s market cap is N6.87 trillion ($5.08 billion).

https://moneycentral.com.ng/exclusive/article/rabius-rise-bua-chairman-fortune-hits-12-3bn-as-foods-cement-units-surge-on-ngx/
PoliticsIMF Projects Dangote Refinery To Add 1.5% To Nigeria’s Non-Oil GDP In 2026 by MCentral(op): 9:03am On Feb 07
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has identified the Dangote Petroleum Refinery as a primary driver of Nigeria’s economic diversification, projecting that the facility will boost the country’s non-oil GDP by approximately 1.5% in 2026.

This “refinery dividend” is expected to be a key factor in helping Nigeria reclaim its position as Africa’s third-largest economy, with total GDP projected to hit $334 billion.

Beyond simple fuel production, the IMF’s outlook emphasizes the “multiplier effect” of the $20 billion project, which acts as an industrial anchor for the broader economy.

The Multiplier Effect: Employment and Linkages

The refinery’s contribution to non-oil growth is driven by its deep integration into the domestic supply chain:

Job Creation: The project is estimated to support over 100,000 direct and indirect jobs, significantly impacting the services, logistics, and retail sectors.

Forward Linkages: The refinery provides essential feedstock for a new wave of industrialization:

Petrochemicals: Production of polypropylene and polyethylene for the plastic and packaging industries.

Agriculture: Integration with the fertilizer plant to secure urea supply for the farming sector.

Manufacturing: Reliable access to industrial solvents and chemicals for pharmaceutical and textile firms.

Infrastructure and Real Estate Boom

The sheer scale of the Lekki-based complex has triggered a localized “Gold Rush” in infrastructure development:

Connectivity: The refinery necessitated the construction of the world’s largest sub-sea pipeline network (1,100 km) and major road upgrades in the Lekki-Epe corridor.

Property Value: Real estate analysts have noted a surge in property demand in the surrounding Ibeju-Lekki area, as a massive migration of skilled professionals and ancillary businesses moves into the free trade zone.

Strategic Import Substitution

By shifting Nigeria from a consumer of foreign-refined fuel to a producer, the refinery fundamentally alters the nation’s fiscal math:

Forex Preservation: At full capacity, the refinery is expected to save the country roughly $10 billion annually in foreign exchange, relieving pressure on the Central Bank’s reserves.

Naira Stability: Reduced dollar demand for fuel imports is a core pillar of the IMF’s “constructive” outlook for the Naira in 2026, which in turn lowers the cost of doing business for non-oil manufacturers.
https://moneycentral.com.ng/energy/article/imf-projects-dangote-refinery-to-add-1-5-to-nigerias-non-oil-gdp-in-2026/

PoliticsHow Policy Flip-Flops Are Making Nigerians Poorer by MCentral(op): 8:40am On Jan 21
By Blaise Udunze
Nigeria’s deepening poverty crisis is no longer speculative; it is now statistically inevitable.

Although the latest Consumer Price Index figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) suggest that headline inflation is cooling and growth indicators show tentative improvement, regrettably, more Nigerians are slipping below the poverty line.

Reviewing the recent projections from PwC’s Nigeria Economic Outlook 2026, it is alarming, which reveals that no fewer than two million additional Nigerians are expected to fall into poverty next year.

This is expected to push the total number of poor people to about 141 million, roughly 62 percent of the population and the highest level ever recorded in the country’s history.

This grim outlook persists despite eight consecutive months of easing inflation and modest economic recovery, and as one can perceive, the contradiction is telling.

The fact remains that macroeconomic signals are improving on paper, yet lived reality continues to deteriorate. It is glaring that the widening gap between policy metrics and human outcomes exposes a deeper truth in the sense that Nigeria’s poverty crisis is not simply the product of external shocks or temporary adjustment pains.

It is the cumulative result of fragile policymaking, inconsistent reforms, weak institutional coordination, and a failure to sequence economic changes with adequate social protection. With these, it becomes clearer that poverty in Nigeria is no longer an unintended side effect of reform; it is increasingly its most visible outcome as identified today.

It would be recalled that the current administration in 2023, when it assumed office, promised a bold economic reset. At this point, the nation witnessed the fuel subsidy removal, exchange-rate liberalisation, and tighter fiscal discipline being introduced swiftly and applauded internationally for their courage and long-term logic.

Notably, these reforms unleashed an economic storm whose aftershocks continue to batter households and currently resulting to the cost of a bag of rice that sold for about N35,000 two years ago now costs between N65,000 and N80,000, while a crate of eggs has risen from N1,200 to over N6,000 and basic staples like garri, tomatoes, and pepper have drifted beyond the reach of ordinary Nigerians. For millions, the economy did not reset; it snapped.

Inflation, often described by economists as a “silent tax,” has punished productivity, mocked thrift, and rewarded speculation.

Reports from the NBS’s December 2025 disclosed that headline inflation eased to 15.15 percent and according to it, this is due to a rebasing of the Consumer Price Index, down sharply from 34.8 percent a year earlier, this statistical moderation has brought little relief to households.

Food inflation, at 10.84 percent year-on-year, and a marginal month-on-month decline may look reassuring on spreadsheets, but for families spending 70 to 80 percent of their income on food, such figures feel detached from reality.

These figures are not only implausible but also insulting to those whose lives have been torn apart by the skyrocketing prices. With the realities facing the larger populace, Nigeria must be using another mathematics.

Nigeria may have changed its base year, but it has not changed the harsh arithmetic of survival.

PwC’s data underscores this disconnect, as nominal household spending rose by nearly 20 percent in 2025, real household spending contracted by 2.5 percent, reflecting the erosive impact of rising food, transport, and energy costs.

The painful part of it, is that Nigerians are spending more money to consume less, and this is to say that growth, hovering around 4 percent, is not strong enough to absorb shocks or lift households meaningfully. As analysts note, Nigeria would require sustained growth of 7 to 9 percent to make a significant dent in poverty. That is to say that anything less merely slows the descent.

The structural weakness of the economy is compounded by policy inconsistency. Nigeria’s economic landscape is littered with abrupt shifts, subsidy removals without buffers, currency reforms without stabilisation mechanisms and trade policies that oscillate between restriction and openness. For households and small businesses, which employ most Nigerians, this unpredictability makes planning impossible.

The economy has constantly being faced with price volatility, income shocks, and lost jobs because these are the ripple effects of every policy reversal. Uncertainty itself has become a poverty multiplier.

Nowhere is this fragility more evident than in food systems and rural livelihoods, and this has been where insecurity has merged with policy failure to create a new poverty spiral. Across farmlands in the North and Middle Belt, crops rot unharvested as banditry and insurgency force farmers off their land.

Nigeria’s largely agrarian economy has been crippled by violence that disrupts planting cycles, destroys infrastructure, and displaces communities. The result is both income poverty for farmers denied access to their livelihoods and food inflation that erodes purchasing power nationwide.

For record purposes, earlier last year, the NBS Multidimensional Poverty Index showed that 63 percent of Nigerians, about 133 million people, are multidimensionally poor, with poverty heavily concentrated in insecure regions. Findings showed that about 86 million of the poor live in the North, and this is where insecurity is most severe.

This record showed that rural poverty stands at 72 percent,c compared to 42 percent in urban areas, and while the states most affected by banditry and insurgency record poverty rates as high as 91 percent. Insecurity is no longer just a security problem; it is one of Nigeria’s most powerful poverty drivers.

The economic cost of insecurity in Nigeria today is staggering.

This is because the conservative estimates suggest Nigeria loses about $15 billion annually, which is roughly equivalent to N20 trillion, due to insecurity-induced disruptions across agriculture, trade, manufacturing, and transportation. At the same time, security spending now consumes up to a quarter of the federal budget.

In just three years, over N4 trillion has been spent on security, which crowded out investment in health, education, power, and infrastructure. Every naira spent managing perpetual violence is a naira not invested in preventing poverty, even as poverty deepens, the state’s fiscal response reveals a troubling misalignment of priorities.

The 2026 federal budget, estimated at N58.47 trillion, ironically allocates just N206.5 billion to projects directly tagged as poverty alleviation and this only amounts to about 0.35 percent of total spending and less than one percent of the capital budget. In a country where over 60 percent of citizens live below the poverty line, this allocation borders on policy negligence.

Worse still, over 96 percent of this already meagre poverty envelope sits under the Service Wide Vote through the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy, largely as recurrent provisions. All ministries, departments, and agencies combined account for barely N6.5 billion in poverty-related projects.

This fragmentation reflects a deeper institutional failure, that is to say, poverty reduction exists more as a line item than as a coherent national mission.

Where MDA-level interventions exist, they are largely palliative and scattered, grain distribution in select communities, tricycles and motorcycles for empowerment, and small scale skills acquisition for women and youths.

The largest such project, a N2.87 billion tricycle and motorcycle scheme under a federal cooperative college, accounts for nearly half of all MDA-based poverty spending. The fact remains that the various interventions may offer temporary relief, and they do little to address structural drivers of poverty such as job creation, productivity, market access and human capital development.

Even the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation illustrates the problem just as its budget jumped sharply in 2026, much of the increase went into administrative and capital items, office furniture, equipment, international travel, retreats, and systems automation rather than direct poverty-fighting programmes. This reflects a familiar Nigerian paradox: institutions grow, but impact shrinks.

International partners have been blunt in their assessments. The World Bank estimates that Nigeria spends just 0.14 percent of GDP on social protection, which is far below the global and regional averages.

Only 44 percent of safety-net benefits actually reach the poor, rendering the system inefficient and largely ineffective. PwC similarly warns that without targeted job creation, productivity-focused reforms, and effective social protection, poverty will continue to rise, undermining domestic consumption and straining public finances further.

Fiscal fragility compounds the crisis. The N58.18 trillion 2026 budget carries a deficit of N23.85 trillion, with debt servicing projected at N15.52 trillion, nearly half of expected revenue. The public debt has ballooned to over N152 trillion.

The contradiction here is that Nigeria is borrowing not to expand productive capacity but to keep the machinery of government running. The truth is not far-fetched because, as debt crowds out development spending, households are forced to pay privately for public goods, education, healthcare, water, deepening inequality and entrenching poverty across generations.

To be clear, not all signals are negative. This is because opportunities exist if reforms are sustained and properly sequenced. Regional trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area could diversify exports and create jobs. But reform momentum without inclusion and institutional capacity risks becoming another missed opportunity.

This is the central tragedy of Nigeria’s moment. The country is attempting necessary reforms in an environment of weak buffers, fragile institutions, and low trust. Poverty is therefore not accidental. It is the predictable outcome of inconsistency, reforms without protection, stabilisation without security, and budgets without people.

Nigeria faces an undeniable choice. It can continue down a path where fragile policies deepen deprivation and erode trust, or it can build a disciplined, coordinated framework that aligns reforms with social protection, security, and inclusive growth. Poverty is not destiny.

But escaping it requires more than courage in reform announcements; it demands consistency, compassion, and the political will to place human welfare at the centre of economic strategy.

Blaise, a journalist and PR professional, writes from Lagos and can be reached via: blaise.udunze@gmail.com


https://moneycentral.com.ng/markets/article/how-policy-flip-flops-are-making-nigerians-poorer/
PoliticsArthur Eze’s Atlas Oranto Faces Setback As Senegal Revokes Offshore Licenses by MCentral(op): 11:26pm On Jan 20
The Senegalese government has officially revoked an offshore oil exploration license held by Atlas Oranto Petroleum, the firm owned by Nigerian billionaire and philanthropist Prince Arthur Eze.

The decision, announced by the Senegalese Ministry of Energy and Mines in January 2026, marks a hardening of the country’s stance toward “dormant” exploration assets as it seeks to accelerate its emergence as a regional gas powerhouse.

The Senegalese government revoked the Cayar Offshore Shallow exploration licence after determining that Atlas Oranto Petroleum, the holder, had failed to provide the required bank guarantees and carried out only minimal exploration work since the block was awarded in 2008, despite multiple extensions.

The block, covering approximately 3,600 square kilometres north of the Dakar peninsula, is considered oil-prone but underexplored, with several leads identified through seismic surveys but no wells drilled to date.

Under the supervision of Minister Birame Souleye Diop, the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum formally withdrew the licence in September 2025, citing the company’s repeated failure to meet financial and contractual obligations.

Senegal’s government has reclaimed control of the acreage, framing the decision as part of a broader effort to enforce compliance and implement stricter screening of petroleum rights holders under President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s administration.

Governments across the continent are under increasing pressure to ensure that petroleum rights translate into investment, drilling and production rather than being held for speculative or financial optionality.

The Senegal decision has drawn renewed attention to Atlas Oranto’s wider regional footprint, where its execution record has faced scrutiny in several jurisdictions including neighboring Liberia.

https://moneycentral.com.ng/exclusive/article/arthur-ezes-atlas-oranto-faces-setback-as-senegal-revokes-offshore-licenses/
PoliticsRe: Nigeria Dollar Reserves Hit 8-year High Of $45.9 Billion by MCentral(op): 5:20am On Jan 20
VeeVeeMyLuv:
But gap is getting wide again

N1,490 black market
N1,423 official rate
You dont really need to patronize the black market any more.
Most transactions can be done through your bank. Just fund your naira account and make your purchase in naira and the bank will convert near the official or NAFEM rate.
Basically the Naira has become a convertible currency once again after the dark days of Emefiele when all the banks stopped the use of Naira cards for foreign or dollar purchases.

Now you can do as much as the naira equivalent of $10,000 a month or more, depending on your bank
PoliticsNigeria Dollar Reserves Hit 8-year High Of $45.9 Billion by MCentral(op): 1:17am On Jan 20
Nigeria’s gross foreign exchange (FX) reserves have surged to $45.9 billion, marking their highest level since August 2018.

This milestone, achieved in January 2026, signals a significant stabilization of the nation’s external balance sheet and provides the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) with a massive “war chest” to defend the Naira and support the ongoing economic expansion.

Drivers of the $45.9 Billion Surge

The rapid accumulation of reserves is the result of a “perfect storm” of orthodox monetary policies and market conditions:

The “Refinery Effect”: With the Dangote Refinery meeting over 70% of domestic fuel demand, the CBN has effectively ended the $1.2 billion monthly drain previously required for petroleum imports.

Crude Oil Volume Recovery: Under the NUPRC’s “Volume Recovery Mandate,” Nigeria’s crude production has stabilized above 1.5 million barrels per day (mbpd), significantly boosting dollar inflows from oil royalties and taxes.

Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI) Inflows: High-interest rates (with the MPR at 27.25% in late 2025) lured yield-hungry global investors back into Nigerian Treasury Bills and OMO (Open Market Operation) bills, injecting billions in “hot money” into the reserves.

Strategic Implications for the Naira

The $45.9 billion figure provides a psychological and fundamental boost to the currency markets:

Reduced Volatility: With reserves at this level, the CBN has the firepower to intervene in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) to smooth out volatility and prevent speculative attacks on the Naira.

Import Cover: Nigeria now boasts over 9 months of import cover, well above the international benchmark of 3 months, enhancing the country’s sovereign credit rating.

Investor Confidence: The “reserves rally” is expected to trigger a further decline in Nigeria’s Eurobond yields as international lenders perceive a lower risk of default.

The Path to $50 Billion?

Analysts forecast that if oil prices remain above $60 and domestic production climbs near the 2.0 million bpd target, Nigeria could see its reserves touch $50 billion by the fourth quarter of 2026. Those would be levels last seen in 2009, under the Presidency of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

MoneyCentral estimates that reserves have been rising at a pace of roughly $500 million a month over the past year based on CBN data.
https://moneycentral.com.ng/markets/article/nigeria-dollar-reserves-hit-8-year-high-of-45-9bn-signals-new-era-of-exchange-rate-stability/

PoliticsDangote Gasoline Surge To 200,000 BPD Ends Nigeria’s European Fuel Reliance by MCentral(op): 1:49pm On Jan 16
Nigeria’s Dangote refinery supplied 32 million liters/day to the Nigerian market equivalent to 200,000 barrels per day (b/d), 36% less than its projected output for December, the country’s downstream regulator (NMDPRA) said Jan. 15.

This surge represents a critical turning point, as the refinery now satisfies approximately 60-70% of Nigeria’s total domestic gasoline demand from a single facility.

Since starting up its operations in 2024, the 650,000 b/d Dangote plant has been the only domestic refinery in Nigeria to consistently produce gasoline, the main fuel type used in the African economic powerhouse.

Breaking the Import Dependency

For decades, Nigeria relied on “Direct Sale Direct Purchase” (DSDP) swaps to meet its fuel needs. The 200,000 b/d milestone effectively renders large-scale gasoline imports from Northwest Europe obsolete.

By injecting 200,000 b/d directly into the domestic market via sea-borne shuttles to Atlas Cove and truck loading at the Lekki hub, the refinery has slashed the “dead time” associated with importing fuel from the ARA (Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp) region.

Analysts estimate that this level of domestic production is saving the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) approximately $1.2 billion monthly in retail fuel import costs.

The sustained 200,000 b/d output is creating a “supply cushion” that has stabilized pump prices across major Nigerian cities.

If Dangote continues to scale toward its 650,000 bpd nameplate capacity, Nigeria is expected to become a net exporter of gasoline to the West African sub-region (Ghana, Togo, and Benin) by mid-2026.

The NNPC Limited has reportedly reduced its external import orders for Q1 2026 by 85%, relying almost exclusively on the Lekki-based refinery for national energy security.

Supply Chain Transformation

The 200,000 b/d volume has also tested and proven Nigeria’s domestic distribution infrastructure:

The refinery’s gantry is now handling over 3,000 trucks daily, leading to calls for the urgent rehabilitation of the Lekki-Epe expressway and increased use of coastal vessels to reach the Calabar and Port Harcourt depots.

With local production dominating, the “Dangote Price” has become the de facto benchmark for the Nigerian market, decoupling local pump prices from the volatile Atlantic Basin import premiums.

Waltersmith Modular Refinery to Start in January

As the Nigerian energy landscape enters a period of rapid industrialization, the Waltersmith Petroman Oil Limited modular refinery is set to commence its highly anticipated Phase 2 operations in January 2026.

This expansion marks a critical step in the company’s evolution from a niche producer to a major regional energy supplier.

The January 2026 restart represents the commissioning of the refinery’s second phase, which is set to double its output. The refinery began operations in 2020 with a 5,000 bpd capacity, with the expansion to double capacity to 10,000 bpd.

The Nigerian Midstream & Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) granted a License to Construct (LTC) for Phase 2 in late 2024.

Unlike Phase 1, which focused primarily on diesel (AGO), naphtha, and heavy fuel oil, the 2026 expansion includes specialized units for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS/Gasoline) and Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK).

Waltersmith plans to expand further to a total capacity of 40,000 to 50,000 bpd by adding more modular units.

They are working to secure sufficient crude oil supply, including from their own upstream operations and nearby sources.

The expansion is a key part of Nigeria’s strategy to reduce reliance on imported petroleum products by building local refining capacity.
https://moneycentral.com.ng/markets/article/dangote-gasoline-surge-to-200000-b-d-ends-nigerias-european-fuel-reliance/

BusinessRe: Only Sterling Bank, FCMB Yet To Meet CBN N500bn Recapitalisation Requirement by MCentral(op): 1:37pm On Jan 16
seunmsg:
The Adenuga and Balogun family can’t rescue their banks?
Maybe they are not as liquid as thought. Glo as been shrinking in market share
BusinessOnly Sterling Bank, FCMB Yet To Meet CBN N500bn Recapitalisation Requirement by MCentral(op): 10:49am On Jan 13
As the March 31, 2026 deadline for the banking sector recapitalisation programme approaches; requiring commercial, merchant, and non-interest banks to increase their minimum paid-in capital, Sterling Bank and FCMB Group are the only NGX listed banks yet to achieve full compliance.

Recent developments however, highlight steady progress across the sector as most other banks meet their respective requirements.

Last week, key players including First HoldCo Plc, UBA, and Fidelity Bank announced capital raises that enable them to meet the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) N500bn minimum requirement.

First HoldCo Plc met the requirement through a combination of a Rights Issue, a Private Placement, and proceeds from the divestment of its merchant banking subsidiary.

In the same vein, Fidelity Bank announced the successful completion of a N259bn Private Placement on December 31, 2025, which increased its eligible capital from N305.5bn to N564.5bn, subject to regulatory approval.

This follows an earlier N175.9bn capital raise in 2024, indicating the bank’s proactive approach to meeting the new capital regime.

Also, UBA crossed the N500bn threshold after completing a N178.30bn Rights Issue in September 2025, alongside a N239.00bn capital injection, which collectively lifted its capital base comfortably above the regulatory minimum.

Overall, 9 of the 11 NGX listed banks including Zenith bank, Wema Bank, UBA, Stanbic IBTC, Jaiz Bank, Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO), First HoldCo, Fidelity bank and Access Holdings, have now met the recapitalisation requirement, while the remaining institutions continue efforts toward compliance.

This broad progress indicates the underlying strength of the Nigerian banking system, particularly in terms of fundamental soundness, liquidity, and balance-sheet resilience.

“Looking ahead, we expect the recapitalisation exercise—through stronger capital buffers to enhance banks’ risk-absorption capacity and better position them to support credit expansion, especially to large corporates and infrastructure projects critical to economic growth,” analysts at Meristem Securities said.

“For institutions yet to meet this requirements (Sterling Bank, FCMB), they are likely to face heightened regulatory pressure and may experience short-term constraints on asset growth and dividend payouts.”

https://moneycentral.com.ng/exclusive/article/only-sterling-bank-fcmb-yet-to-meet-cbn-n500bn-recapitalisation-requirement-as-deadline-nears/
PoliticsJim Ovia Touts N20m Zenith Bank Startup While Ignoring Steep Barrier To Entry by MCentral(op): 2:02am On Jan 10
Jim Ovia, the Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc’s retelling of its 1990 founding—a ₦20 million startup that became a pan-African heavyweight—is a staple of Nigerian corporate lore.

Yet, adjusted for the era’s exchange rates, the ₦20 million figure reveals a more exclusive point of entry: a $5 million capital requirement that effectively limited bank ownership to the “one percent of the one percent.”

The bank’s early years coincided with a “Wild West” era for Nigeria’s financial services.

As Ovia navigated the bank toward its current market-leader status, the broader industry was reeling from systemic rot. By 1994, widespread allegations of foreign-exchange infractions and “round-tripping” forced the hand of the military regime under Sani Abacha.

The resulting Failed Banks Tribunal became a reckoning for an industry where bankers were accused of exploiting the spread between official and parallel currency markets.

Ovia Ignores Steep Barrier to Banking Entry

Ovia made the disclosure in an interview shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, where he reflected on the bank’s modest beginnings and its rise to become one of Africa’s leading banks. (See video below).

According to him, the ₦20 million start-up capital was equivalent to about $5 million at the exchange rate of ₦4 to a dollar at the time, highlighting how different the economic realities were in the early 1990s.

He noted that about 20 years later, Zenith Bank’s shareholders’ funds had grown to approximately $4 billion, describing the transformation as an exceptional return on investment.

“From about $4 million to $4 billion. You can do the math; that’s thousands of percentage points in returns,” Ovia said, adding that such growth is rare in developed economies.

The Capital Paradox: ₦20m vs. $5m

In 1990, when Jim Ovia led a group of investors to establish Zenith Bank, the Nigerian Naira was in a state of rapid transition following the Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) of the late 1980s.

The Math: In July 1990, the official exchange rate was approximately ₦7.90 to $1. At this rate, ₦20 million was equivalent to roughly $2.53 million.

The Claim: Some historical accounts and recent discussions suggest the startup value was closer to $4 million or $5 million. This discrepancy often arises from using the rates just before 1990, where the Naira was significantly stronger at (N4.02 per dollar in 1987) or by accounting for additional shareholders’ funds raised before the initial license was granted.

The “Infractions” Era: The 1990s are often described by financial historians as the “Wild West” of Nigerian banking. The liberalization of the sector led to a proliferation of new banks (over 120 by 1991) that focused heavily on foreign exchange (FX) round-tripping. Banks would buy FX at the official rate and sell it at a premium on the parallel market, leading to the “distress era” where dozens of banks eventually failed.

Zenith Bank’s Path from $5m to $4bn

Jim Ovia has frequently pointed out that Zenith Bank succeeded because it chose a different path during this “era of infractions,” focusing on technology and corporate banking rather than just FX arbitrage.

This narrative provides a fascinating contrast between the “bootstrapping” lore of Nigerian banking and the harsh macroeconomic realities of the 1990s.

Ovia stressed that Nigeria, despite its challenges, still offers unique opportunities for high returns.

“These kinds of numbers, these kinds of returns, you don’t get them in Europe or America. You can get them in Nigeria,” he said.

Ovia, however, acknowledged that the journey was not without difficulties, noting that entrepreneurs often face adversity regardless of where they operate.

He explained that Zenith Bank frequently had to provide its own infrastructure, including access roads, independent power supply and water facilities, to function effectively.

FX Breaches and AML Lapses: Inside Zenith Bank’s Compliance Struggles

Zenith Bank’s ascent from a ₦20 million startup to a Tier-1 powerhouse has been accompanied by a persistent trail of regulatory friction.

Far from escaping oversight, the bank has frequently found itself in the crosshairs of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), particularly as regulators pivoted from the “failed bank” era of the 1990s to the high-tech, anti-money laundering (AML) focus of the 21st century.

While Jim Ovia’s early years were spent navigating the “Wild West” of 1990s banking—characterized by military-era Failed Bank Tribunals—Zenith’s modern challenges are defined by massive monetary penalties for procedural and systemic lapses.

The 2024 Regulatory Hammer Zenith Bank recently faced one of its most expensive years on record. In 2024, the CBN imposed a staggering ₦15.42 billion (approx. $9.6 million) in fines. The lion’s share of this—₦14.64 billion—stemmed from infractions uncovered during a foreign exchange (FX) examination. This massive penalty highlights the bank’s vulnerability to the CBN’s “zero tolerance” policy for market practice breaches.

Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and “Know Your Customer” (KYC) The bank has struggled to align its massive scale with stringent AML protocols. Significant penalties have been incurred for:

Weak Customer Onboarding: Failure to properly vet documentation for new accounts. (N322 million fine paid in 2024)

Lax Monitoring: Lapses in the spot checks required for Anti Money Laundering (N103.2 million paid as fine in 2024).

https://moneycentral.com.ng/exclusive/article/jim-ovia-touts-n20m-zenith-bank-startup-while-ignoring-steep-barrier-to-entry/
BusinessTony Elumelu’s Wealth Hits $3.2 Billion On Heirs Energies ‘crown Jewel’ by MCentral(op): 1:07am On Jan 06
Tony Elumelu, CFR, the Nigerian Billionaire investor, financier and philanthropist, who has spent decades preaching “Africapitalism,” is finding it increasingly difficult to downplay his personal balance sheet.

His net worth has climbed to $3.2 billion, after surging last year, according to an analysis by MoneyCentral, fueled by a breakout performance at Heirs Energies. The integrated energy company has emerged as the “crown jewel” of Elumelu’s sprawling portfolio, following a series of strategic acquisitions that have repositioned him at the center of Africa’s power and oil sectors.

While Elumelu, 62, easy going body language, suggests that his billionaire status is merely incidental to his mission of infrastructure building and job creation, the raw data tells a more aggressive story of net wealth growth. His Tony Elumelu Foundation remains his primary vehicle for soft power, but it is his high-stakes deal-making and execution in the energy space that is currently driving the soaring valuation of his holding company, Heirs Holdings.

For the Nigerian markets, the surge in Elumelu’s net worth serves as a barometer for the country’s industrial recovery.

Despite his focus on the next generation of entrepreneurs (by empowering 10,000 Africa entrepreneurs over 10 years with up to $5,000 seed funding each), the recent billion-dollar scale of his operations has made the “modest” chairman impossible for the African private equity and institutional investment community to ignore.

Source of Wealth
Heirs Energies: Gross Asset Value $3.52 billion. Less Net Corporate Debt (~$770m.). Estimated Equity Value: $2.75 billion. (A breakdown of the Heirs Energies equity valuation is given below)

United Bank for Africa (UBA): Equity Value of Elumelu’s 16.3% Stake in NGX listed UBA: $192 million.

Transcorp Group: Equity Value of Elumelu’s 35.93% Stake in NGX listed Transnational Corporation Plc (Transcorp Group): $114 million.

Real Estate: Mr. Elumelu owns “extensive” Nigerian property (Forbes, 2024). There are no specifics, so we assign a $75 million conservative estimate for a billionaire’s portfolio.

Cash & Investments: Mr. Elumelu has got liquid assets especially with major dividends coming from all his investments. For Instance if UBA maintains its N5 per share total dividend paid for the 2024 FY, Mr. Elumelu would earn approximately N33.4 billion ($23 million) in dividends from UBA alone for Full Year (FY) 2025. Dividends from Heirs Seplat stake (Seplat paid 16.5 cents a share in 2024) could bring in an additional $20 million in FY 2025.

We estimate cash holdings at a conservative $50 million.

Heirs Insurance Group (Heirs Insurance, Heirs Life Assurance): The fast growing Heirs Insurance Group combined earned Insurance Revenue rose to ₦31.4 billion in 2024, from ₦20.5 billion in the previous year, indicating a 53% increase.

The firm could garner a valuation of 1.94 times sales comparable to AXA Mansard Insurance.

This would value it at N61 billion or $42 million.

Elumelu’s Total Estimated Net Worth: $3.22 billion.
The Rise of Heirs Energies
The most recent driver of Mr. Elumelu’s $3.2 billion net worth valuation is the $500 million acquisition of a 20% stake in Seplat Energy Plc, announced on December 31, 2025. Seplat Energy stock trading in London rose by 10.72% on the news.

This deal makes Heirs Energies the largest shareholder in one of Nigeria’s most prominent independent oil and gas producers.

With this singular deal, Heirs Energies has completed its transition from an ambitious upstart to a dominant “indigenous major.”

Based on the company’s recent Seplat Energy acquisition and the doubling of production at its flagship OML 17 asset, a Sum-of-the-Parts (SOTP) valuation places the company’s enterprise value at approximately $3.4 billion.

This represents a significant leap from its 2021 entry valuation of about $1.1 billion, driven by operational excellence and aggressive M&A in the final quarter of 2025.

Heirs Energies Growth Drivers in 2025
MoneyCentral estimates that Heirs Energies has seen its value grow by an estimated 35% in 2025 alone. This growth was realized through three primary channels:

The Seplat Acquisition ($500M): This “end-of-year” surprise transformed the company’s balance sheet. By becoming the largest shareholder in Seplat, Heirs Energies now has a claim on Seplat’s massive ANOH Gas processing revenue and its stable dividend stream.
Operational Turnaround (OML 17): Production at OML 17 averaged 50,000 barrels per day in late 2025, up from 25,000 bopd at the time of acquisition. Daily gas production has also increased to 150 million standard cubic feet (scf). This “brownfield excellence” has significantly improved the Net Present Value (NPV) of the asset.
Capital Optimization: The $750 million Afreximbank facility secured in December 2025 provided the liquidity needed to fund the Seplat deal and refinance older, more expensive debt, lowering the company’s weighted average cost of capital (WACC).
As of December 31, 2025, MoneyCentral’s valuation of OML 17’s 2P (Proven + Probable) reserves has undergone a significant re-rating. While the asset was acquired in 2021 with an estimated 1.2 billion barrels of oil equivalent (boe), Heirs Energies’ “Brownfield Excellence” strategy has successfully matured contingent resources into the 2P category.

The current 2025 reserve base now exceeds 1.5 billion barrels of oil and 2.5 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of gas, making it one of the largest and most valuable onshore blocks in Sub-Saharan Africa.

OML 17: 2P Reserve Valuation Breakdown (2025)
The valuation is calculated based on a Sum-of-the-Parts (SOTP) approach, applying an Enterprise Value per 2P barrel (EV/2P) multiple that reflects the low-cost nature of the asset (Unit Operating Cost at less than $15/bbl).

Fig 1: Heirs Energies 2025 Asset Valuation Breakdown

lumelu’s Net Worth
Source: MoneyCentral Research
Note on Valuation Logic: The 45% net interest reflects Heirs Energies’ stake alongside the NNPC (55%). The $4.20/bbl multiple for oil is considered “premium” for Nigerian onshore assets due to Heirs Energies’ success in securing flowlines and achieving an industry-leading Unit Operating Cost (UOC) of $14.80/bbl.

Why the Heirs Energies Valuation Grew in 2025
The growth in OML 17’s valuation this year is not just about the volume of oil in the ground, but the velocity at which it is being extracted and the security of the infrastructure.

Reserve Maturation: Through “rigless through-tubing” interventions on over 40 dormant wells in 2025, Heirs Energies moved approximately 200 million boe from “contingent resources” (2C) into “probable reserves” (2P).
The Gas-to-Power Premium: The doubling of gas output to 135 MMscf/d in late 2025 has turned the 2.5 Tcf gas reserve into a high-yield annuity. Heirs now supplies feedstock to five power plants, supporting over 400MW of electricity in Nigeria.
The “Brownfield” Discount Narrowing: In 2021, the market discounted OML 17 due to underinvestment by previous owners (Shell/Total/Eni). In 2025, with production hitting 55,000 bopd, the “execution risk” has been removed, raising the asset’s valuation multiple.
The “Africapitalism” Premium
By integrating energy (Heirs Energies), power and Hospitality (Transcorp), and finance (UBA), Elumelu has created a self-sustaining ecosystem built on Africapitalism.

Investors now view his portfolio not as a collection of stocks or assets, but as a critical infrastructure play on Nigeria’s economy, leading to a “conglomerate premium” that has led to easier access to finance and pushed his net worth past the $3 billion mark.

It is often said that a Goldfish has nowhere to hide, while in the holy book (Bible) it says: “people do not light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.”

That bright shining light that cannot be hidden in Africa today, is Nigeria’s Billionaire tycoon, Tony Elumelu, CFR.

https://moneycentral.com.ng/energy/article/tony-elumelus-net-worth-hits-3-2-billion-as-heirs-energies-crown-jewel-propels-diversified-portfolio/
PoliticsDangote Accuses NMDPRA CEO, Farouk Of Spending $5M On Kids' Fees, Seeks Probe by MCentral(op): 1:47am On Dec 15, 2025
Africa’s richest man and President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has made a bombshell allegation against the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Farouk Ahmed, stating that he spent $5 million on school fees for his children in Switzerland and is also engaged in economic sabotage against Nigeria, by approving massive petrol imports.

The NMDPRA regulates one of the Dangote Group’s major businesses, the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lagos.

The central financial allegation is that Engr. Ahmed public sector salary could not have financed spending over $5 million on his children’s education in elite schools abroad, specifically prestigious Swiss schools, the implication of that being alleged corrupt earnings.

Dangote also accused the NMDPRA leadership of economic sabotage for continued issuance of import licenses for refined petroleum products, undermining the domestic downstream oil sector and Nigeria’s economy.

“The regulator Farouk put 4 of his children through elite secondary schools in Switzerland and paid tuition fees of $5 million over a 6-year period on his children’s education, however his income as a public servant does not match his ability to pay those fees,” Dangote said in a press briefing in Lagos.

“He (Farouk) has worked all his life in the public sector, so how did he make such an amount of money to educate his children overseas and pay such a huge amount of money? The downstream must not be destroyed by one person for personal interest.”

Dangote alleged that import licenses covering approximately 7.5 billion litres of PMS (Petrol) were issued for Q1 2026, despite significant local production capacity, which forces local refiners to buy crude at a premium and struggle to compete with subsidized or deliberately encouraged imports.

The NMDPRA said last week that the Dangote Refinery evacuated 23.52 million litres per day of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) or petrol on average in the month of November, adding that the figure fell short of the planned Dangote Refinery domestic PMS or petrol supply of 35 million litres a day.

Dangote however disputed the NMDPRA figures stating that the regulator was only reporting what had been evacuated from the refinery and not the total output that was produced.

“There is more than enough to supply the market,” Dangote said.

Farouk must be investigated says Dangote
Dangote said the NMPDRA Chief Executive Officer (CEO)Farouk Ahmed must be investigated by the appropriate authorities such as the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to ascertain if his earnings as a public officer matches his high profile expenditure.

“Let the legal process take its place. The CCB needs to see if his (Farouk’s) salary matches the $5 million spent on his children’s school fees. He must not compromise his government job at the cost of Nigerians, when a lot of people cannot pay N100,000 school fees in Sokoto State where he comes from,” Dangote said in the press briefing with MoneyCentral in attendance.

Dangote said that very few foreigners are operating in Nigeria’s downstream sector due to the corrupt practices and regulatory uncertainty hindering the sector.

“The NMDPRA issued a reckless amount of licenses for petrol imports to the tune of 7.5 billion liters for the first quarter (Q1) of 2026,” Dangote said.

“Farouk should not be allowed to continue to destroy the economy of Nigeria. He should be investigated by the Code of Conduct Bureau. I will not be able to afford sending four of my kids to school abroad for six years for $5 million in Switzerland.”
https://moneycentral.com.ng/markets/article/dangote-accuses-nmdpra-ceo-farouk-of-spending-5m-on-kids-school-fees-and-economic-sabotage-seeks-probe/

PoliticsRe: Breakdown Of Abia 2026 Proposed Budget. by MCentral: 1:40am On Dec 01, 2025
DomPerignon:
A budget that relies on federal handouts and federal guarranteed debt is what you are praising.

Compare the IGR projected income to federal allocations and tell me why we should not refer to Abia as a hopeless welfare state dependent on FG handouts.
Abia sends more he the centre in form of oil and gas earnings than it receives back
Christianity EtcRe: When People Die. Where Do They Go. I Want To Know. by MCentral: 12:31am On Nov 22, 2025
KingAzubuike:
There is a parallel universe out there. Because energy cannot be destroyed, life continues in the parallel universe. The kind of life you will continue there depends on the choices you made prior to your death in this dimension.

For example, if you are young and died from a car crash on earth, in a parallel universe you would have remained indoors instead of going out that day. Meaning you would not be involved in a car crash.

If you died from old age on earth, in a parallel universe, you'd roll back the years albeit, certain decisions you made on this dimension would be different from the choices and decisions you made in that parallel universe. For example, I a parallel universe, you would have married a different woman.
Abacha would bot have died and would have still been ruling nigeria.
Or Nigeria would have still been under the British colony.
We might even still be in 1920 instead of 2025
Flying cars might be existing in a parallel universe.
Your mother might have married a different person and hence the way you look in this dimension might be different from the way you would have looked in another.
Sounds like a neat theory, But can/will you remember your past life when u enter the new dimension?
PhonesRe: MTN And Airtel Capture 85% Of Nigeria Telecomms Market, Squeezing Out Globacom by MCentral(op): 12:45am On Nov 16, 2025
CodeTemplarr:
I feel for Glo.
Yes sad ending. However if they reform or one of his sons or daughters takes over they could rescue it.
PhonesRe: MTN And Airtel Capture 85% Of Nigeria Telecomms Market, Squeezing Out Globacom by MCentral(op): 9:20am On Nov 14, 2025
muyico:
glo work with weather
if rain fall
they re network fall
They have not invested to upgrade their networks. MTN and Airtel will invest over N1 trillion in Capex this year alone.
PhonesRe: MTN And Airtel Capture 85% Of Nigeria Telecomms Market, Squeezing Out Globacom by MCentral(op): 7:26am On Nov 14, 2025
Jamie248:
Globacom is nothing but a money-laundering and tax evasion scheme
This is the real culprit

"Globacom has been unable to upgrade its network as fast as peers MTN and Airtel especially after the recent dollar scarcity and resulting naira devaluation, leading to a bleeding of customers.

MTN Nigeria and Airtel Africa also have stock market listing which enables them to raise capital, while Globacom is still closely held by Nigerian billionaire businessman Mike Adenuga."
PhonesMTN And Airtel Capture 85% Of Nigeria Telecomms Market, Squeezing Out Globacom by MCentral(op): 2:46am On Nov 14, 2025
MTN Nigeria (MTNN) and Airtel Africa both multinational majority owned firms, have solidified their hold on Nigeria’s telecommunications market with a combined 85.86% market share, squeezing out local player Globacom.

MTN Nigeria, a subsidiary of MTN Group South Africa had the largest share of subscribers at 90.33 million or 52.12% market share as at September 2025, according to data from industry regulator NCC.

This is up from 39% market share in 2023.

Airtel Africa had 58.47 million subscribers equivalent to a 33.74% market share/ Airtel Africa plc is majority-owned by the Indian telecommunications company Bharti Airtel.

Globacom share fell to 21.39 million subscribers or 12.34% market share.

The fourth major player T2 mobile had 1.8% market share or 3.11 million subscribers.

Globacom has been unable to upgrade its network as fast as peers MTN and Airtel especially after the recent dollar scarcity and resulting naira devaluation, leading to a bleeding of customers.

MTN Nigeria and Airtel Africa also have stock market listing which enables them to raise capital, while Globacom is still closely held by Nigerian billionaire businessman Mike Adenuga.

“MTNN (and Airtel Nigeria) gained scale with an 86% combined market share (vs. 66.3% in FY23), which was driven by USD scarcity (before Naira devaluation) as this lowered sector wide USD investment capacity,” said Silha Rasugu, Equity Analyst at Emerging and Frontier Capital, in Nov. 13 note to clients.

The demand for data in Nigeria is being propelled by an entrenched digital lifestyle among a young, mobile-first population and the proliferation of platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, which is drawing customers to MTN and Airtel who have made investments to gain superior data networks.

MTN Nigeria’s capital expenditure (CAPEX) surged by 248.05 percent to N757.41 billion as at September 2025, as investments were directed toward capacity expansion to ease congestion, deployment of additional sites to extend coverage, rollout of fibre-to-the-home network and development of a new data centre.

Further, soaring adoption of remote-work tools, fintech apps, and ecommerce platforms has made data indispensable, diminishing sensitivity to price hikes.

MTN Nigeria recorded a 20.8% year-on-year (YoY) surge in average data usage in 9M, 2025 despite the 40% increase in data prices.

“This underscores MTNN’s firm grip on the data market and its ability to sustain growth despite challenging conditions,” said investment firm, Cardinal Stone Partners.

https://moneycentral.com.ng/exclusive/article/mtn-and-airtel-africa-capture-85-of-nigeria-telecomms-market-squeezing-out-local-player-globacom/
PoliticsRe: Lagos Revenue Hits ₦2.3 Trillion, But Massive FX Losses Hamper Infrastructure by MCentral(op): 2:46pm On Nov 11, 2025
Madmohamed1:
We knew where the IGR are coming from , don't come here to bust out.

Lagos is like a prodigal son who want to take everything away from his brothers.
The point is that despite making over N2.3 trillion in revenue, the state spent only N323 billion or 14% of that on Capital Expenditure.
'That's why we don't have much on ground to show.

Capex should really be around 40% of revenues to have impact.

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