Business
Shettima’s Investments Drive to Sweden: Gluwa, Ericsson Commit $100m, $19m for digital economy

Vice President Kashim Shettima, at a business forum in Sweden, on Thursday, marketed investments opportunities that abound in Nigeria, to Swedish investors.
During the event at Epicenter, Stockholm, Sweden, where he is currently on a two-day working visit aimed at boosting trade and bilateral relations between both nations, VP Shettima noted that Nigeria and Sweden have a time-honored history of cooperation, particularly in trade, technology, and sustainable development.
Shettima urged the prospective investors to to seize opportunities in Nigeria’s MSMEs, agriculture, digital economy, renewable energy, health and other critical sectors.
Shettima pointed out that the nation is now “an ambitious nation, bound by the limitless potential of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
VP Shettima assured that the Tinubu administration has done much within the last year to brighten Nigeria’s investment climate, creating vast investment opportunities.
He said, “Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, there is tremendous potential for collaboration between Nigeria and Sweden across multiple sectors.
Whether in finance, renewable energy, digital innovation, agriculture, or education, our partnership holds the promise of immense benefits for both nations.
I urge Swedish investors to seize the opportunities in Nigeria and work with us to build a prosperous and sustainable future.”
The Vice President urged the Swedish investors to deploy their expertise in technology and innovation to collaborate with Nigerian start-ups, driving growth and creating jobs, even as he stressed that the partnership between both countries can accelerate this transition.
On agriculture, he said while Nigeria is working to modernize the sector, Swedish expertise in agriculture technology could assist the nation in achieving this through investments in precision farming, mechanization, and value-chain development, with a view to improving productivity and food security.
In an address of welcome, the Vice President of Sweden, Edgar Luczak, Chairman, Partner & Head of Advisory, Epicenter, Sweden, noted that the future is digital and sustainable, assuring that the Epicenter was ready to engage not just in words but in action. According to him, through collaboration, both countries can build a stronger economy, create jobs, and most importantly, ensure a future for the generations to come.
“We hope we can take this opportunity to launch an accelerated programme that will not only follow in the footsteps of our other excellent programmes that we do with the likes of Google, Microsoft, Singapore, and other countries but create our own path to support Nigeria in its unique growth,” he added.
Gluwa Commits $100m
Mr. Akinola Jones, Director of Gluwa, a digital wallet service, said as part of its contribution to the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu administration, the company would train over 30,000 people in digital skills. Jones said they had already started training about 1,000 people in Jigawa state, adding that they are committing $100 million across Nigeria.
“We have a big vision for Nigeria, and I think our vision is banking the unbanked and connecting the unconnected. We see a situation where, once we launch our satellite in December this year, we can connect direct satellite to WiFi. This is going to be a very big win for Nigeria and a very big win for the technology ecosystem.
“We have given about $100 million in loans. It is not just about disbursing loans, it is not just about trying to grow portfolios, it is really about giving back. We are pushing for a lot of impact, and we are also working with the government and presidency to train people on digital skills,” he said.
Ericsson To Build $19m Tech Hub In Nigeria
The Managing Director of Ericsson Nigeria, Mr. Peter Olusoji Ogundele, has revealed the company’s plan to build a technology hub worth about $19 million in Nigeria.
He said, “Nigeria has enough youths that can come into that field. We can train them, Ericsson will also take part in it, and some of them we can export to the world, and we will be like another India. “
Ericsson was the first to have over 1,000 sites in Nigeria and continues to invest in the country. We have been here since 1978, and for us, our partnership is an enduring one.”
On her part, Ms. Anthonia Huard, Regional Director, North & West Africa, Energy & Transport Lead, said Nigeria has become the country’s focal point in Africa for optimal engagement.
“In order to be efficient in Africa, the organization focused on prioritizing markets of which Nigeria is one and matched the areas of focus of Sweden to the needs and focus of the countries for optimal engagement,” she stated.
Also, the Director, Project Accelerator, of Swedfund, Mr. Hakan Danhltor, expressed the organization’s commitment to reducing poverty and supporting sustainable development through investments in the private sector and in local private companies.
For her part, Mikaela Edstrom of the Swedish Export Credit Agency said the agency is closely watching the ongoing economic reforms taking place in Nigeria and views them as positive for the future. “We can, together with our sister organization, provide a world-class export credit system for Nigeria,” Edstrom pledged.
Vice President Shettima held bilateral talks with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maria Malmer Stenergard and Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden, Ebba Busch. These discussions focused on strengthening ties and exploring new areas of cooperation between Nigeria and Sweden.
Business
EU accuses online giant Temu of selling ‘illegal’ products
EU regulators believe Temu is not doing enough to protect European consumers from dangerous products and that it may not be acting sufficiently to mitigate risks to users.

The European Union accused Chinese-founded online shopping giant Temu on Monday of breaking the bloc’s digital rules by not “properly” assessing the risks of illegal products.
AFP reports that TEMU, wildly popular in the European Union despite only having entered the continent’s market in 2023, Temu has 93.7 million average monthly active users in the 27- country bloc.
EU regulators believe Temu is not doing enough to protect European consumers from dangerous products and that it may not be acting sufficiently to mitigate risks to users.
Evidence showed that there is a high risk for consumers in the EU to encounter illegal products on the platform,” the European Commission said in its preliminary finding.
It pointed to a mystery shopping exercise that found consumers were “very likely to find non-compliant products among the offer, such as baby toys and small electronics.”
Business
BUA Cement records N580.3bn half-year revenue

BUA Cement Plc has reported a revenue of ₦580.3 billion for the first half of 2025, reflecting a significant rise from ₦363.9 billion recorded during the same period in 2024.
The company made the announcement in a corporate disclosure filed with the Nigerian Exchange Ltd. on Friday.
Also, the company’s gross profit rose from N109.3 billion to N285.8 billion and the profit after tax soared to N180.9 billion up from N34.3 billion.
The earnings per share grew from 101.15k to 534.18k.
Business
Aliko Dangote retires

Foremost entrepreneur and founder of Dangote Cement Plc, Aliko Dangote has announced his retirement as a Director and the Chairman of the Board of Directors, effective July 25, 2025.
He is relinquishing his position as chairman and retiring from the board so as to focus more attention on the Refinery, Petrochemicals, Fertiliser and Government Relations, in order to drive the company’s five-year business trajectory to a superlative height.
The board of Dangote Cement Plc has therefore announced the appointment of Mr. Emmanuel Ikazoboh, an independent non-executive director, as the new Chairman, Board of Directors.

In the same vein, Hajiya Mariya Aliko Dangote was also appointed to the Board of Directors of the Company while Prof. Dorothy Ufot retired from the Board.
Reputed as Africa’s leading investor, Aliko Dangote leaves giant footprints as he retires from the board.
His vision and tenacity redefined not just a company, but the entire cement industry landscape by becoming Africa’s largest cement producer and largest exporter of cement and clinker in Sub Saharan Africa.
Aliko Dangote’s journey with cement began with a bold dream: to make Nigeria and Africa self-sufficient in cement production.
Through strategic investments in state-of-the-art plants, and a commitment to local content, he not only met that goal but exceeded it.
Dangote Cement Plc has 52.0Mta capacity across African continent with Nigeria accounting for 35.25Mta.
Currently, additional greenfield plants are coming up in Cote Ivoire (3.0Mta) and Itori, Nigeria (6.0 Mta) and on completion this year will push total capacity to 61.0Mta.
Under his visionary leadership, Dangote Cement Plc recorded the highest revenue and Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) in the history of the company.
According to the unaudited results for the six months ending 30th June 2025, the group revenue went up by 17.7 percent, from N1,760 billion at the same period in 2024 to N2,071.6 billion, representing the highest revenue in the history of the company.
Group Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) grew by 41.8 percent to N944.900 billion from N666.22 billion.
EBITDA (Nigeria Operations) grew by 82.4 percent to N845.4 billion. Profit before tax went up from N292.96 billion to N730 billion indicating 149 percent increase while profit after tax surged by 174.1 percent to ₦520.5 billion, in contrast to N189.90 billion in the same period at the preceding period.
In the six months, export volumes from Nigeria increased by 18.2 percent, with 18 successful clinker shipments made to Ghana and Cameroon.
Aliko Dangote’s legacy will be counted in the millions of jobs created, the infrastructure built, and the confidence restored in African industrial potential.
He has proven that Africa can produce, compete, and lead on the global stage. It is on record that subsidiaries under Dangote Group paid over N402 billion in taxes in 2024, making it the highest taxpayer in the country.
The new Chairman of the Board of the Company, Emmauel Ikazoboh in his acceptance speech, said he is truly honored to accept the role of Chairman of Dangote Cement Plc while pledging to uphold the highest standards of leadership and dedication in this role.
He described the company as a beacon of African enterprise, which has consistently demonstrated resilience, innovation, and a commitment to excellence.
Over the years, Dangote Cement Plc has not only become the continent’s leading cement producer but has also played a vital role in driving economic growth and development across numerous African nations.
Giving an insight into what his tenure holds for the company, he said, “my vision for Dangote Cement Plc is built upon a foundation of sustainable growth, operational efficiency, and unwavering commitment to our core values.
We will continue to focus on the following key priorities, Operational Excellence, Strategic Expansion, Sustainability, Innovation and Community Engagement.
Part of the strategies he intends to introduce include driving down costs through the implementation of robust cost-reduction strategies to navigate inflationary pressures and enhance competitiveness.
The company he stated will accelerate efforts to adopt alternative fuels and technologies, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and contributing to a more sustainable future.
Regarding staff welfare, he promised that the company will continue to invest in training and development, fostering a culture of excellence and empowering employees to reach their full potential.
Emmanuel Ikazoboh was previously the Group Chairman of Ecobank Transnational Inc., the Pan-African banking group. He started his professional career at Akintola Williams Deloitte.
He first became the Managing Partner for francophone offices in Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire and later became the Managing Partner of the Deloitte firm in West and Central Africa until 2009.
In 2010 he was appointed by the Securities and Exchange (SEC) as an Interim Administrator to carry out capital market reforms of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Central Securities Clearing System Plc. (CSCS).
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