Author: Gift Ifeanyi

Nigeria is reshaping the way sustainability reporting is understood—no longer treating it as a bureaucratic checkbox but as a tool to attract capital, lower financing costs, and boost investor confidence. At the 2nd Regulatory Roundtable on ISSB Standards in Abuja, Rabiu Olowo, Chief Executive of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC), underscored this shift, noting that the country intends to demonstrate how transparent, high-quality disclosures can give businesses a competitive edge. “This is not about filling out forms,” Olowo emphasized. “It is about credibility, competitiveness, and building an economy that investors can trust.” Nigeria has become the first African…

Africa’s race to attract global capital and establish itself as a hub for large-scale infrastructure is being championed by one of Nigeria’s rising business figures, Oluwaseun Olatunji. Through his fast-growing conglomerate, Brookfield Group Holdings (Africa), Olatunji is building a cross-continental enterprise while pushing for policies that give local entrepreneurs the freedom to compete on the world stage. Though born in Ile-Ife but originally from Ijebu-Ode, Olatunji’s story reflects grit and foresight. After earning a diploma in Computer Science from Obafemi Awolowo University, he expanded his career in the UK, Canada, the US, and the Middle East before returning to Nigeria…

Nigeria’s ambition to hit 5% GDP growth in 2025 is running into one of its toughest challenges: logistics costs that swallow up as much as three-quarters of a product’s value — nearly ten times the global average. But global food giant PepsiCo and logistics powerhouse DP World believe they’ve found a way to tackle that obstacle while creating jobs and boosting manufacturing. Their latest move: a $20 million expansion of PepsiCo’s Lagos facility, which now produces Cheetos, one of the world’s most popular snack brands valued at over $1 billion annually. Launched officially on August 20, 2025, the new plant…

A new wave of opportunity is opening for young Nigerians as the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, in partnership with Investonaire Academy, rolls out a large-scale financial education initiative set to train 100,000 youths annually. The programme aims to transform how young people engage with money, business, and investment by offering free access to practical lessons in entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and global trade. Beyond theory, participants will explore the dynamics of global markets—ranging from commodities and gold to equities and foreign exchange—while sharpening their skills in portfolio management, risk evaluation, and long-term wealth creation. Training will be delivered primarily online…

Agriculture-focused enterprises across Africa are set to gain new momentum following a $10 million investment into the Social Enterprise Fund for Agriculture in Africa (SEFAA). The funding comes from the Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund and is administered by Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA), Mauritius, reinforcing a shared vision of driving inclusive growth across the continent. Managed by Sahel Capital, SEFAA was created to unlock capital for small and medium-sized agribusinesses that are typically underserved by traditional finance institutions. These enterprises are the backbone of rural economies and food systems, yet they often struggle to secure funding despite their strong…

Nigeria has become the heartbeat of Africa’s fintech story. The country now hosts more than 430 active fintech firms, and the industry expanded by nearly 70 percent in the past year. Yet, beyond the excitement of rapid growth, the real challenge is how these companies adapt to the financial habits, trust concerns, and day-to-day realities of Nigerians. Sustainable progress in the sector will depend on intentional consumerism—a deliberate focus on designing products that truly serve users. Building trust in a sceptical market Decades of fraud, Ponzi schemes, and failed financial promises have made Nigerians cautious. Many still approach digital banking…

As Nigeria positions itself for stronger foreign investment, the conversation is shifting beyond policy and infrastructure to a more fundamental driver—human capital development. At the heart of this movement is Associate Professor Humphrey Akanazu, Executive Principal of Docenti Global Business School, who is championing international-standard education tailored to Nigeria’s realities. Akanazu, who helped introduce the Rome Business School model into Nigeria before co-founding Docenti, believes that quality education is a strategic investment tool. Instead of spending tens of thousands of dollars abroad and uprooting careers, Nigerians can now access globally recognized qualifications and skills at home—without disconnecting from their professional…

Nigeria’s ambition of transforming into a $1 trillion economy by 2030 may be more fantasy than forecast, according to investment analysts at Afrinvest. The firm warns that unless the country dismantles its most persistent barriers—runaway inflation, crippled oil output, and chronic power shortages—President Tinubu’s trillion-dollar promise will remain out of reach. Reform measures such as subsidy removal, currency liberalisation, and aggressive revenue drives have opened a path for growth, but Afrinvest argues that progress is crawling at 3–4% annually, far below the 7% momentum required to hit the 2030 mark. The message is clear: without deeper, targeted reforms in energy,…

Back in 2018, when agency banking in Nigeria was still in its infancy, Bello Kano and Tayo Akintoye pooled ₦400,000 ($285) to start a point-of-sale (PoS) business. What began as two friends experimenting with payments soon evolved into something much larger. Within three years, their small stake had ballooned into ₦50 million ($35,700). Their secret? A combination of customer trust, bold innovation, and an uncanny ability to see value where others didn’t. Kano’s first breakthrough wasn’t in payments—it was in community building. By designing and constructing affordable shops for roadside vendors in Kano State, he created what would later be…

Nigeria is racing against time. Inflation is climbing, supply chains are stalling, insecurity and climate shocks are worsening, and an overreliance on imports keeps the country at the mercy of global trade disruptions. From COVID-19’s aftershocks to tariff wars and the threat of future pandemics, the cracks in Nigeria’s economic foundation are glaring. But within this chaos lies a paradoxical opportunity: waste. Every year, Nigeria produces over 32 million tonnes of solid waste, yet only a fraction is recycled. The rest ends up clogging drains, polluting ecosystems, or fueling health hazards in overcrowded dumpsites. Ironically, the very people who salvage…

At the sixth edition of the Wealth Summit in Lagos, billionaire industrialist Dr. Cosmas Maduka, Chairman of Coscharis Group, delivered a blunt but inspiring charge to young Nigerians: take ownership of your future. Speaking to an audience of entrepreneurs and innovators, Maduka emphasised that long-term success is built on discipline, savings, and relationships—not luck. “Only a fool spends everything he has. Start saving from childhood. True wealth is not money in hand, but access, networks, and the value you create,” he said. Maduka’s story, which drew nods across the room, underscored his point. Orphaned at ten, he began hawking spare…

For many Nigerian entrepreneurs, the biggest hurdle to scaling is not the brilliance of their ideas but the struggle to secure funding. To address this, the Grooming Endowment Trust (GET) has unveiled the fourth edition of its Accelerated Programme, opening doors for small businesses and startups to access up to ₦2 million in equity-free grants. Unlike traditional funding schemes, GET’s initiative combines capital with mentorship, training, and investor access—a model designed to set young businesses on the path to sustainable growth. What the Programme Offers The Accelerated Programme is built on the GET Compass framework, a support system tailored for…

Nigeria is pouring an astonishing $10 billion each year into food imports — from wheat and rice to sugar, fish, and even tomato paste. For a nation blessed with fertile soil and abundant youth power, this dependence has become a paradox the government says can no longer continue. Speaking at the First Bank Agric and Export Expo 2025, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Abubakar Kyari — represented by his aide Ibrahim Alkali — lamented the heavy import bill and urged a total rethink of how agriculture is financed. Despite agriculture contributing 35% to GDP and employing over a third…

Nigeria has positioned itself as the largest hub for stablecoin use in Africa, with transactions valued at nearly $22 billion between July 2023 and June 2024, according to fresh insights from Yellow Card, a major digital payments and stablecoin infrastructure provider. The report, Stablecoin Adoption in Emerging Markets, reveals how Nigerians are increasingly turning to dollar-backed tokens as protection against the naira’s turbulence and persistent shortages in foreign exchange supply. Stablecoins now represent 43% of total crypto transaction volumes across Sub-Saharan Africa, cementing their role as a financial lifeline. “Stablecoins are no longer just speculative tools; they’ve become essential for…

Nigeria is set for a major fiscal shake-up as the Federal Government initiates a long-overdue review of the nation’s revenue allocation framework — the first comprehensive reform in over three decades. Mohammed Shehu, Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), revealed the plan in Abuja, describing it as a “historic reset of fiscal federalism” designed to align resource distribution with the growing responsibilities of state and local governments. The country’s current formula — 52.68% for the Federal Government, 26.72% for states, and 20.60% for local councils — has remained largely unchanged since 1992, with only minor executive…

Lagos became the heartbeat of women-led enterprise from August 6–8, as over 80 female entrepreneurs converged for SheConnectsAfrica 2025, a three-day intensive workshop that redefined how women can seize opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Far from being another conference, the programme delivered hands-on training, expert-led discussions, and problem-solving clinics aimed at equipping women with the skills to expand their businesses across borders. From navigating tariffs and regulations to mastering financial access and compliance, participants left with practical strategies they could immediately apply. “This was about more than theory—we designed every session to leave women with tools…

Nigeria’s economy runs on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). They make up nearly all businesses in the country and provide jobs for most of the workforce. Yet, despite this dominance, their economic impact falls short — contributing less than half to the nation’s GDP. By comparison, SMEs in South Africa generate over 50 percent of their country’s output. The problem is not creativity or ambition; it is the absence of structure. The Hidden Weakness No One Talks About From the bustling streets of Lagos to the entrepreneurial hubs of Abuja, Nigeria brims with energetic founders, bold ideas, and an endless…

Every year, Nigeria’s universities, polytechnics, and colleges release thousands of graduates into the labour market. Decades ago, these young professionals were hot commodities — courted by both government and private firms with attractive job offers even before graduation. But today, that pipeline of opportunity has collapsed. It is no longer just a weak economy shutting down industries and limiting new jobs. A more painful truth lies beneath: too many graduates are leaving school ill-equipped for the modern workplace. Employers say the gap is less about certificates and more about skills — a verdict that has thrown the issue of graduate…

The Agbaja Leaders of Thought have called on local and foreign investors to seize opportunities at the 9th Mile Industrial Park in Udi, Enugu State, positioning it as a future engine of economic growth. Speaking at a press briefing in Enugu ahead of the Agbaja 2025 Summit scheduled for November 26–27, the group highlighted the industrial and cultural potential of the region, which spans Udi, Ezeagu, Oji-River, Igboetiti, and parts of Enugu North, South, and East. Rev. Ugo Chime, a trustee and past chairman of the summit planning committee, described 9th Mile as an industrial jewel endowed with natural resources…

Nigeria’s push to strengthen offshore energy operations has received a boost with ARCO Marine & Oilfield Services Ltd expanding its fleet through the commissioning of a new Surfer vessel. The addition signals not just a milestone for the company, but also highlights the intensifying competition in the country’s maritime logistics space. In less than two years, ARCO Marine has doubled its active fleet from five to ten vessels, a remarkable pace that underscores its determination to lead in offshore transport and support services. The company is not slowing down either—plans are already underway to scale the number to fifteen by…