Business
Tuface Becomes Tinubu’s Brand Ambassador on MSMEs, Jobs Creation
Job Creation and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Secretariat (Office of the Vice-President) has entered into a partnership with Mr. Innocent Idibia (Tuface)to galvanise public support for the MSMEs sector.
The partnership agreement was signed by Tuface and Mr Tola Adekunle-Johnson, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Job Creation and MSMEs, on Friday in Abuja.
Adekunle-Johnson said the coming on board of Tuface as a job creation and MSMEs Brand Ambassador would promote ideas and initiatives under the National MSMEs Awards.He added that the partnership would promote the Expanded National MSMEs Clinics, Shared Hubs for MSMEs Initiative as well as other related activities around job creation.
The presidential aide also expressed hope that Tuface’s craft and goodwill would help promote the participation of citizens in all programmes aimed at creating jobs and supporting businesses.
We thought of how best we can sustain the momentum of creating jobs and promoting all the activities of the MSMES, awards, hubs, and the single-digit loan.
“And in trying to consistently promote this, we looked at areas that are of interest to some of our target audience, and you will agree with me it is the entertainment or creative industry.
“Today we are unveiling who I regard as an icon, a legend in the game, he has been consistent with his craft and a very creative man in the person of Mr. Innocent Idibia (Tuface).
This partnership with Tuface will help galvanise private sector support for public sector initiatives aimed at creating jobs and supporting businesses,” he said.
In response, Tuface, appreciated President Tinubu’s administration for its support to the youth and small businesses.
He promised to create more awareness in the country on MSMEs, especially among the youth.He also expressed gratitude to the government for the confidence reposed on him.
He also expressed gratitude to the government for the confidence reposed on him.“I appreciate the vote of confidence, I appreciate the kind words, for me I’m excited about this. It is a very good move in a good direction.
“Most of our youths today, there are so many things going that they can easily be deviated from following the right positive trajectory of life.
“But with this, people might even under estimates the power and value that this will bring to both the individuals, their communities and the country as a whole. So, for me I really commend this initiative, I commend the show of concern and show of support from the government towards young people, small businesses,” he said.
Also, Mrs Sarah Ajayi, Deputy Director, Office of Trade and International Relations, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), said: “entertainment is what attracts the youth. Most of them are given to entertainment, so having Tuface as our brand ambassador is a good one.”
On his part, Mr Chukwuemeka Nwakile, Acting Group, Regional Manager, Access Bank Plc., restated the commitment of the bank to empower the youth in the area of job creation.
“For us in Access Bank it is a very familiar and top terrain for us, and rest assured that we will never apply the break at this point. We will go all out to ensure that the job creation mantra of the government is not just by word of mouth but by action,” he said.
The Director-General, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Segun Ajayi-Kadir, has described the rift between Dangote Refinery and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) as unfortunate, and a needless attack on private enterprise.
He noted that the strike had far-reaching implications on residents and businesses, as factories suffered cuts in production schedules, with a hike in transportation fare.
Fielding questions from reporters at MAN House, yesterday, while announcing the association’s coming Annual General Meeting (AGM), he revealed that imported products, which were not suffering disruption, were likely to fill the gap and if the rift rears its head again, it would affect daily workers and people in the logistics value chain that rely on the products made in those factories.
Meanwhile, PENGASSAN has said it decided to suspend its two-day strike to protect the jobs of its members in Dangote Refinery.The President, Festus Osifo, explained that the union was unsatisfied with the posting of about 800 sacked staff to Dangote’s subsidiaries to prevent job loss.
Business
FG Spends $2.86bn on External Debts Servicing – CBN
By August 2025, debt service climbed to $302.3m, which was $22.35m or 8 per cent higher than the $279.95m of August 2024.
The Federal Government spent a total of $2.86 billion to service external debt in the first eight months of 2025.
This was disclosed in the international payment data from the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The figure shows that external debts accounted for 69.1 percent of the country’s total foreign payments of $4.14 billion in the period.
In the same eight-month stretch of 2024, debt service stood at $3.06 billion, representing 70.7 percent of total foreign payments of $4.33 billion.
The figures show that while the absolute value of debt service fell by $198m between 2024 and 2025.
The share of debt in overall foreign payments has remained persistently high, with about seven out of every ten dollars leaving the country used to meet debt obligations.
The monthly breakdown highlights the volatility of Nigeria’s repayment schedule:
In January 2025, $540.67m was spent compared with $560.52m in January 2024, a fall of $19.85m or 3.5 per cent.
February 2025 recorded $276.73m, slightly below the $283.22m in February 2024, down by $6.49m or 2.3 per cent.March 2025 surged to $632.36m against $276.17m in March 2024, an increase of $356.19m or 129 per cent.
In April 2025, payments reached $557.79m, which was $342.59m or 159 per cent higher than the $215.20m of April 2024.
May 2025 stood at $230.92m, sharply lower than the $854.37m in May 2024, a drop of $623.45m or 73 per cent.
June 2025 rose to $143.39m compared with $50.82m in June 2024, a rise of $92.57m or 182 per cent.
July 2025 fell to $179.95m, down by $362.55m or 66.8 per cent from $542.5m in July 2024.
By August 2025, debt service climbed to $302.3m, which was $22.35m or 8 per cent higher than the $279.95m of August 2024.
Business
ECOWAS Bank okays $308.63m for Nigeria, Guinea
The bank gave the approval during its 93rd Ordinary Session convened at the it’s headquarters in Lomé, the Togolese capital.
ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), has approved $308.631 million for the implementation of various projects in Taraba State, Nigeria, and a $40 million credit line for Vista Bank, Guinea, to bolster trade-related activities, including import-export operations and commercial value chains.
The bank gave the approval during its 93rd Ordinary Session convened at the it’s headquarters in Lomé, the Togolese capital.
President and Chairman of Board of Directors of the bank, Dr. George Agyekum Donkor, said the newly approved financing would advance strategic public and private sector initiatives, aligned with EBID’s mandate to promote sustainable development throughout the Economic Community of West African States by strengthening regional integration and fostering economic diversification.
The approved facilities include the $98.18 for a 50 MW Solar Photovoltaic Power Plant in Taraba State, Nigeria, , which will augment the supply of reliable, clean electricity to spur inclusive economic development, alleviate energy poverty, and improve environmental sustainability.
Anticipated benefits include direct electricity access for roughly 390,000 individuals, enhanced power reliability for at least 200 public institutions, the creation of 400 direct jobs during construction, and approximately 50 permanent operational roles.
The bank noted that an estimated 1,200–1,500 indirect jobs were expected to emerge across supply chains, maintenance services,and small businesses.
Another facility is the $79.219 million modern rice processing complex and 10,000-hectare irrigated rice production unit also in Taraba State.
Also included is the $91.232 million facility for Taraba State Industrial Park, an initiative conceived to accelerate local industrialisation and economic diversification through the establishment of a modern, integrated industrial ecosystem.
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