Cadbury Nigeria @60 Fireside Chat With Dr Christopher Kolade: Here are the key points

Dr. Kolade also stressed the significance of prioritizing people and responsibility over status, citing a personal experience at Cadbury Nigeria.

Published

1 year ago

February 20, 2025

OCHEFA

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Dr Christopher Kolade, the first indigenous CEO, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, has charged the company’s management and staff to live up to expectations in the discharge of their duties.

Dr Kolade gave the encouragement during a fireside chat to commemorate Cadbury Nigeria 60th Anniversary.

The former chairman, emphasized the importance of adhering to core principles, as a company does not perform better than its people.

He drew inspiration from Winston Churchill’s leadership during World War II, highlighting the need for leaders to adapt to changing contexts.

Dr. Kolade also stressed the significance of prioritizing people and responsibility over status, citing a personal experience at Cadbury Nigeria.

According to him, human capital aligns with the company’s commitment to sustainable growth and development.

The former CEO, who left the company 23 years ago, noted that,“people are the most important resource in the management of a business company.

Citing his personal life philosophy, he recalled that he begins with God the creator; proceed with Him; trust, follow and Obey Him daily and totally rely on Him for the outcome.

“Your responsibility leads to your status. Without responsibility no status. If you don’t know your responsibility people will push you to the wrong part,” he said.

The distinguished diplomat, academic and corporate leader, noted that change is inevitable but good principles remain constant.

“Times change -and so do many other things; Good principles remain constant. Leaders are tenants of time.”

The former CEO, who left the company 23 years ago, noted that,“people are the most important resource in the management of a business company.

“People look at status rather than responsibility..

He noted that every human activity faces at least four questions: the What, How, Who and Why.

He urged the audience to consider the following seven simple principles:

“This business company gives something to people.“People are seeking to obtain some value that they consider to be of appropriate quality and worth to themselves.

“People make business resources productive. “Each person can give or demand his/her best.

“People can usually do better because they can (desire to) learn and apply the fruits of learning.

“Success, failure and mistakes are learning opportunities.

“The Company does not perform better than its people.” He emphasised that people go the extra mile for the benefit of the company.

BUA Foods target expansion into noodles industry

Rabiu described the expansion programme as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s industrial future, emphasising that the company’s growth ambitions are driven by a commitment to national development rather than scale alone.

Published

6 hours ago

July 17, 2026

OCHEFA

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Chairman of the Board of Directors of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu disclosed that it’s food arm – BUA Foods is going into new sectors such as instant noodles because “we see it as a very important sector because of its affordability and its accessibility.”

Rabiu made the disclosure in Abuja on Thursday during the 5th Annual General Meeting of BUA Foods.

He also disclosed that as part of efforts to boost food sufficiency, “we are doubling our wheat milling capacity from over a million to over two million, wheat per annum. And that is huge.”

“We are also tripling the capacity of our edible oil business. In fact, we are setting up a brand new oil mill in Port Harcourt.

“Our ambition has never been to become bigger simply for the sake of size. We are building scale because Nigeria needs strong indigenous companies capable of competing at the highest level, investing for the long term and creating lasting value,” he said.

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Naira Exchange Today Rates Friday,July 17

Published

7 hours ago

July 17, 2026

OCHEFA

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BLACK MARKET RATES

US DOLLAR (USD) Buy ₦1, 417 Sell ₦1,423

GREAT BRITISH POUND (GBP)Buy ₦1,900 Sell: ₦1,920

EURO (EUR) Buy ₦1,600 Sell ₦1,615

CANADIAN DOLLAR (CAD) Buy ₦1,020 Sell ₦1,080

SOUTH AFRICAN RAND (ZAR) Buy ₦75 Sell ₦90

UAE DIRHAM Buy ₦350 Sell ₦370 CHINESE YUAN Buy ₦190 Sell ₦205

GHANA CEDI (GHS) Buy ₦95 Sell ₦110

WEST AFRICAN CFA Buy ₦2, 300 Sell ₦2, 400

CENTRAL AFRICAN CFA Buy ₦2,150 Sell 2,250

AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR Buy ₦800 Sell ₦900

CBN OFFICIAL EXCHANGE RATES

US DOLLAR (USD) ₦1,381.53

GREAT BRITISH POUND (GBP) ₦1,866.17

EURO (EUR) ₦1,582.68

SWISS FRANC (CHF) ₦1,710.03

JAPANESE YEN (JPN) ₦8.51

CHINESE YUAN (CNY) ₦204.05

WEST AFRICAN CFA (XOF) ₦2.40

WEST AFRICAN UNIT ACCOUNT (WAUA) ₦1,876.60

SAUDI RIYAL (SAR) ₦367. 87

SOUTH AFRICAN RAND (ZAR) ₦84.08

Business

IEA ratifies Nigeria as an Association Country

In response, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas) Ekperikpe Ekpo, said : “I am elated with the decision of the IEA Members to officially welcome Nigeria to the IEA Family as an Association country;

Published

4 days ago

July 13, 2026

OCHEFA

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Photo: Nigerian Minister of State for Petroleum Resources ( Gas) Ekperikpe Ekpo (left) and the IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol, at the event. Credit: IEA

The Governing Board of the International Energy Agency (IEA) has unanimously agreed for Nigeria to join the IEA Family as an Association country.

“I am thrilled that Nigeria is joining the IEA – it is Africa’s most populous country and a major international energy player. Nigeria becoming part of the world’s energy authority marks a milestone for global energy governance. I am very thankful to President Tinubu and Minister Ekpo for their trust in the IEA,” said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol.

Emphasising that Nigeria is home to over 240 million people and one of Africa’s largest economies, Faith Birol acknowledged that Nigeria is a major producer of oil and natural gas and is one of the continent’s most dynamic renewable energy markets.

“As Nigeria works to strengthen energy security, support economic growth and expand energy access, deeper cooperation with the IEA will bring important benefits for both sides. We look forward to building on our already strong partnership and welcoming Nigeria to the IEA, ” he said

“It is an honour for Nigeria to join this leading energy agency and I will take this opportunity to encourage the African continent to embrace the IEA, as we all work together to achieve key development goals including universal energy access and industrialisation.”

The IEA Governing Board’s decision builds on a strong history of engagement and collaboration between Nigeria and the IEA since 2014.

In September 2025, the IEA, Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources and the African Energy Commission (AFREC) jointly convened a Regional Roundtable on “Turning Methane Pledges into Action” in Abuja, bringing together energy stakeholders from across the region to advance efforts to reduce methane emissions from the energy sector.

As an Association country, Nigeria and the IEA will work more closely across a wide range of energy issues, including on the Agency’s engagement in sub-Saharan Africa.