Author: Gift Ifeanyi

A commercially focused law firm has encouraged Nigerian startups and small businesses to reassess their growth strategies and give greater consideration to debt-market instruments as a realistic and sustainable expansion pathway. The firm delivered this message during a roundtable at its Lagos office titled “Scaling Smarter: Debt Markets as a Growth Catalyst for Startups.” The session gathered regulators, credit-rating specialists, tax professionals, investors, and other market stakeholders for an in-depth discussion led by the firm’s partners. In its presentation, the firm outlined why debt market instruments are becoming a more compelling alternative to equity for emerging businesses. It argued that…

The leadership of the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex has pursued a strategy centered on broad collaboration, securing alliances across government agencies, business associations, financial institutions, and private-sector partners. The aim is to position the Nigeria International Trade Fair (NITF) as a shared platform where public institutions, investors, and small businesses collectively advance national trade objectives. A key component of this strategy is strengthened support for micro, small, and medium enterprises. Through partnerships with major national business groups and the Ministry responsible for industry and trade, the Fair is introducing tailored exhibition spaces, targeted workshops, and structured networking sessions. These…

Nigeria’s tourism authority has reaffirmed that its core objective is to develop a tourism landscape capable of generating revenue, supporting employment, and strengthening national identity. Speaking at the launch of Naija Flavour: Destination December 2025 in Abuja, the agency emphasized that tourism, arts, culture, and the creative economy form a central pillar of the government’s economic strategy. Scheduled for 13 December 2025, the event is designed as a large-scale cultural showcase featuring Nigerian cuisine, fashion, live theatre, music, and a marketplace dedicated to small and medium-sized businesses. Organizers describe it as a platform where creativity and enterprise converge to highlight…

Nigeria’s upstream regulator has set December 1, 2025 as the launch date for its next oil block auction, a move expected to broaden participation for domestic small and medium-sized enterprises across the petroleum value chain. According to the Commission, the bidding platform will be activated directly on its website on the opening day, with the entire exercise conducted through a digital interface designed to ensure openness and full alignment with the Petroleum Industry Act (2021). The new system will deliver instant outcomes to participants, eliminating the prolonged verification and approval periods that previously discouraged smaller players. The auction will unfold…

In the vibrant chaos of Africa’s entrepreneurial boom, a brilliant idea is not enough. The greatest challenge isn’t a lack of innovation, but a lack of a megaphone. While visionaries build the future, their stories often remain trapped in obscurity, unable to reach the investors, customers, and partners essential for growth. This is the chasm Pressdia was built to cross. More than a digital PR marketplace, it is a strategic architect for African business narratives, systematically connecting the continent’s most promising startups and SMEs with the verified media voices that can amplify them to the world. Democratizing the Spotlight “For too…

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria – In the dusty confines of St. Mary’s school, the return of 50 children has done little to quiet the anguish. Their escape from armed kidnappers last Friday and Saturday has been met not with celebration, but with a more piercing dread for the 253 students and 12 staff still held captive. The mass abduction, one of the worst in Nigeria’s history, has left this community suspended in a torturous limbo. While the Catholic Church and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) confirmed the escape, the news has only sharpened the focus on the massive scale of the…

ABUJA, Nigeria – Chariot Corporation (ASX: CC9), in partnership with Continental Lithium and C&C Minerals, has announced a strategic three-phase plan to systematically develop its Nigerian lithium portfolio, transitioning from existing artisanal mining operations to a structured, revenue-generating enterprise. The plan is designed to leverage the confirmed potential of the Fonlo, Gbugbu, Iganna, and Saki project clusters, where artisanal miners have been successfully extracting and selling high-quality, spodumene-rich ore since 2021, thereby validating both product quality and market demand. The structured partnership will see Continental Lithium, with its established local presence, manage on-ground mining and logistics. Chariot Corporation will spearhead project…

While Minister Edun’s address formally presented Nigeria’s reforms to the investment community, its underlying narrative conveyed a far more pressing argument: Africa is facing a decisive moment to avoid perpetual economic dependency. The international order is undergoing a fundamental restructuring, consolidating into exclusive blocs. The pathways to development that previously enabled the rise of Asian economies are closing. The choice for Africa is no longer about gaining a seat at an existing table, but about rapidly constructing its own. A Ticking Clock, Not a List of Grievances The four global shifts Edun outlined function not merely as challenges, but as…

The “Defunct Division” Defense: A Pre-Planned Alibi Notice a pattern? When asked for documentation on a $22.84 million overpayment, NNPC’s response is that the “Crude Oil Marketing Division (COMD)… no longer exists.” For a $1.93 million vessel charter scandal, the blame is placed on the “now-defunct PPMC.” This is not a coincidence; it is a systemic strategy. By constantly restructuring and “winding down” divisions, the NNPC builds a ready-made archive of institutional amnesia. It creates a corporate structure where accountability has an expiration date, and the paper trail is designed to dissolve. The “SAP Number” Shield: The Bureaucratic Runaround In multiple instances,…

The standard take is that this is a guide to paying taxes. But look deeper. This isn’t just a procedural update; it’s the quiet rollout of a new social contract between the Nigerian state and its people, built on the foundation of digital transparency. The old system was defined by opacity, middlemen, and distrust. The new system, TaxPro Max, isn’t just a portal—it’s a public ledger of civic participation. From Obligation to Transaction The shift is psychological. By making the process “simpler, fully digital, and free,” the government is reframing tax payment from a burdensome obligation into a clean, efficient transaction. The emphasis…

The standard narrative is simple: the China International Import Expo (CIIE) helps Nigerian products, like cashews, find a market. But the real story is far more strategic. Nigeria isn’t just selling goods; it’s using the CIIE as a lever to execute a fundamental economic pivot—from a raw material supplier to a value-creating partner. This isn’t just about export growth; it’s about supply chain sovereignty. The “Cocoa Bean” Lesson The real significance of the $1.2 million cocoa deal isn’t the price tag. It’s the identity of the buyer: one of China’s largest cocoa bean processors. This signals a crucial shift. Nigeria is no longer…

While many will frame the upcoming AbilityX 1.0 conference as a noble event for disability inclusion, its true ambition is far more radical. This isn’t about charity; it’s a strategic move to position Nigeria at the forefront of a global economic shift by recognizing persons with disabilities as a critical, untapped market and innovation engine. The theme, “The Future of Disability Inclusion in Nigeria,” is a misnomer. The real theme is “The Competitive Advantage of Inclusive Design.” From “Beneficiaries” to “Architects” When the organizers state that persons with disabilities must be “active architects,” they are making an economic argument. The most successful…

The recent consultations between Egypt and Nigeria’s foreign ministers are typically framed as bilateral diplomacy. But a closer look reveals a more significant, strategic ambition: the deliberate formation of a geopolitical anchor for Africa. This isn’t just about strengthening ties; it’s about building an integrated power bloc capable of setting the continent’s agenda. Beyond Military Training: A Unified Security Doctrine The emphasis on military and security cooperation is the cornerstone. Egypt, a North African military power with deep counter-terrorism experience, is not merely offering training to Nigeria, a West African giant. They are beginning to align their security architectures. By combining Egypt’s…

At the 2025 Digital Nigeria Conference, the call from Dr. Vincent Olatunji of the NDPC was clear: stakeholders must unite to unlock the nation’s digital potential. But reading between the lines reveals a more ambitious, urgent mission—Nigeria is executing a digital sovereignty gambit. This isn’t merely about building a stronger ecosystem. It’s a strategic move to decolonize Nigeria’s digital space. The focus has shifted from simply participating in the global digital economy to preventing permanent digital colonization by foreign platforms that extract data, revenue, and intellectual capital. The real “vast potential” is not just growth, but control. From Market to Maker The…

Lagos, Nigeria – November 25, 2025 – Sheriff Deputies Limited (SDL) and Kleenrite Limited, two foundational pillars in Nigeria’s professional service industry, today jointly celebrate their historic anniversaries: Sheriff Deputies’ 25th Year in security leadership and Kleenrite’s 35th Year in hygiene excellence. Both pioneering companies, established by the late Mr. Charles Anyasi and currently led by his son, Dr. Island C. Anyasi, mark this occasion by announcing major, year-long national CSR campaigns: the ‘Secure Nigeria’ initiative and the ‘Kleen Up Nigeria’ initiative. A Legacy of Professionalizing Industries The late Mr. Charles Anyasi established a profound legacy of professionalization, believing that…

LAGOS — In a direct response to impending changes in national fiscal laws, First Bank of Nigeria Limited has organized a crucial capacity-building intervention for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The SMEConnect Webinar, scheduled for Wednesday, November 26, 2025, is strategically themed: “Strategies for SMEs: Securing Your Business Under the New Tax Law.” The event demonstrates the premier bank’s commitment to capacity building, bringing together top government and industry experts to help SMEs navigate mandatory tax compliance ahead of the new regulations. The Fiscal Policy Imperative The significance of the webinar is underscored by the lineup of high-profile speakers addressing…

LAGOS / CAPE TOWN — The global cultural force of African music, driven by the explosive rise of Afrobeats and Amapiano, is strategically converging with decentralized Web3 technology to solve the endemic economic crisis facing global music creators. This convergence represents a direct challenge to the established, yet economically stagnant, streaming revenue models that have historically exploited both Western artists and emerging African talent. The simultaneous maturation of music from the African diaspora (Hip-Hop, R&B) and the African continent (Afrobeat, Amapiano) creates a unique market opportunity. While streaming helped propel African artists like Wizkid, Burna Boy, and Major League Djz…

LAGOS — The National Films and Videos Censors Board (NFVCB) has concluded a major industry summit that articulated the strategic shift required for Nigeria’s motion picture sector to thrive in the competitive global digital environment. The two-day Peace Anyiam-Osigwe conference, which gathered an extensive delegation of film and television practitioners, centered on the theme “From Volume to Value,” signaling a consensus to move beyond high output toward quality-driven profitability. The core message, reinforced by NFVCB Executive Director Dr. Shaibu Husseini, was a regulatory commitment to quality assurance and empowering filmmakers to focus on generating verifiable value rather than mere production…

ABUJA — The Nigerian engineering sector has launched a seven-month, industry-backed incubator, the Nigerian Engineering Olympiad (NEO), specifically designed to address the critical skills gap and high rate of intellectual property (IP) dormancy in Nigerian universities. The initiative, a collaboration between the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), and energy-sector partners, is explicitly framed as a policy response to the ongoing brain drain and the industry’s reliance on expatriate talent. According to the NCDMB, up to 70% of engineering graduates currently lack the hands-on technical ability aligned with industry standards. The NEO aims…

LAGOS — In a significant move to elevate Nigeria’s professional landscape, the real estate sector is positioning itself as a key driver for international competitiveness. This was the central message at a major conference in Lagos on Saturday, where over 4,000 professionals from real estate, business, and youth development gathered to build capacity for a strategic “2025 Takeover.” The summit, hosted by the Ultimate Vibrant Realtors Group (UVRG), transcended typical industry networking. Its “Takeover 2025” theme was reinforced by high-level diplomatic and leadership figures who challenged attendees to look beyond domestic markets. Nigeria’s Special Envoy to Tanzania, Amb. Adeniran Michael…