Business
Govt’s Excise Duty Puts 950,000 Manufacturing, Allied industries jobs at Risk of Layoffs
The increases in excise duty on sweetend beverages, beers, tobacco and single use plastics by the Federal Government will severely affect 950,000 direct and indirect employees in the manufacturing sector’s value chain.
Based on this, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has called on the Federal Government to reverse the 2023 Fiscal Policy Measures, and retain the 2022 -2024 excise duty roadmap as approved in the 2022 FPM.
This is to foster stability in the affected sectors and their value chain.
Otunba Francis Meshioye, President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), said that the government had better suspend the policy in the interest of the national economy.
At a press conference in Lagos, the previous day, the MAN President noted that companies in the affected industries support other businesses in their value chain, cutting across agriculture, logistics, bottling, labelling and packaging businesses, as well as factory and office staff, distribution, wholesale and retail businesses, catering for over 950,000 direct and indirect employees.
” For instance, over 37,000 sorghum farmers rely on the brewing sector for their livelihood. Unemployment rate which stands at 41 percent , puts about 489,000 existing jobs at risk and which will further widen the unemployment gap,” he said .
He explained that a crash in sale volumes and consequent cuts in production will severely impact
these businesses in the value chain, which will have a multiplier effect on the national economy.
” For instance, supplier transactions in the sector declined by over N260 billion by the end of 2022, when compared to 2021,” he said.
He said that retaining the 2023 FPM will have a negative signalling effect on current and prospective investors.
“A continuing decline in sale volumes will necessitate production cuts and a re-evaluation of investments in the sector. Specifically, if sales proceeds can no longer sustain
business overheads and operating expenses, businesses will be forced to scale
down their operations which would result in factory closures, job losses, a decline in exports and much more.
It is instructive to note that the Excise increase is a direct attack on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI),” he said.
Commenting on the introduction of the Single Use Plastics tax, he said that it is necessary for the authority to reverse the tax on Single Use Plastics and engage with relevant stakeholders
to facilitate ongoing initiatives, which have a better prospect of achieving the desired environmental objectives.
“A good example of this is the Food & Beverage Recycling Alliance, approved by the federal government,” he said.
Business
Geregu power plant : Otedola sells majority shares to MA’AM Energy Limited for $750 million
Geregu Power is currently valued at N2.85 trillion, trading at N1,140 per share and remains one of the most capitalised and profitable firms on the Nigerian Exchange.
• Femi Otedola
Femi Otedola has sold out his majority shares in Geregu Power Plc to an indigenous firm, MA’AM Energy Limited, an Abuja-based integrated energy company engaged in electricity generation and supply, energy trading and marketing.
The deal is valued at $750 million deal.
The power plant uploaded the filing on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) website.
According to the details cited, the transaction was consummated through the sale of Otedola’s 95 percent stake in Amperion Power Distribution Company Limited to MA’AM Energy Limited.
According to the NGX filing, Amperion Power Distribution Company Limited, the majority shareholder of Geregu Power, has undergone a significant restructuring of its ownership.
The document confirms that “MA’AM Energy Ltd has acquired a 95 per cent equity interest” in Amperion Power, effectively making it the new controlling shareholder of Geregu Power Plc.Consequently, the indirect controlling interest previously held by Calvados Global Services Limited and Otedola “has been transferred to MA’AM Energy.”
The transaction, which closed yesterday, was financed by a consortium of Nigerian banks led by Zenith Bank, with Blackbirch Capital acting as financial advisers.
While the sale involved Otedola’s stake in Amperion, Geregu Power clarified that this “does not involve the direct sale or transfer of shares of Geregu Power Plc,” meaning the company’s public shareholding structure on the NGX remains unchanged.
Geregu Power is currently valued at N2.85 trillion, trading at N1,140 per share and remains one of the most capitalised and profitable firms on the Nigerian Exchange.
Business
2026: CPPE foresees stronger growth for Nigerian economy, people and businesses
Dr Muda Yusuf, the CEO of CPPE, stressed that the periodic marginal appreciation of the Naira, strengthened business confidence, eased imported inflation and restored predictability to pricing, contracting and investment planning.
• Dr Muda Yusuf, the CEO of CPPE
The Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), has described 2025 as “a year of macroeconomic stabilisation,” for Nigeria; projecting that the economy will in 2026, transition more decisively from stabilisation to growth.
CPPE, in its review of the outgoing year, noted : ” The year 2025 marked a significant turning point in Nigeria’s macroeconomic trajectory following the turbulence associated with the early phase of the government reforms.
“Exchange-rate stability emerged as the most visible achievement, with the naira largely trading within the ₦1,440–₦1,500/US$ band.”
Dr Muda Yusuf, the CEO of CPPE, stressed that the periodic marginal appreciation of the Naira, strengthened business confidence, eased imported inflation and restored predictability to pricing, contracting and investment planning.
“Inflation decelerated sharply from 24.48 percent in January to about 14.45 percent by November 2025.
The slowdown was supported by currency stability, easing logistics pressures and improving supply conditions.
Several food items and imported consumer goods recorded outright price declines, contributing to improved consumer sentiment and reduced price volatility.”
Given the above, Dr Yusuf said that overall, 2025 laid a solid foundation of macroeconomic stability.
He said : ” The outlook for 2026 is reassuring, with expectations of stronger growth, easing inflation, improving investor confidence and a gradual shift toward more inclusive expansion.
He emphasised that if reform momentum is sustained and security challenges are effectively addressed, 2026 could mark the beginning of a more robust growth phase with tangible improvements in living standards.
Business
Nigerians consume 1.236 million terabytes mobile data Nov’25– NCC
The NCC said that seasonal factors, including holiday promotions and increased online activity, likely boosted November’s marginal rise over October.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) says that Nigerians consumed 1.236 million terabytes (1.24 petabytes) of mobile data in November 2025, a slight increase from October’s estimated 1.235 million TB.
NCC, in the November data reports, said ” Data usage climbed progressively from lower levels earlier in the year, around 983,000 TB in April amid post-tariff adjustments, to crossing the 1 million TB threshold by mid-year. June saw 1.044 million TB, July surged to 1.131 million TB (then hailed as a record), and August reached 1.152 million TB,” said the NCC.
According to the records, month-on-month gains averaged 1.8 percent in the second half, driven by recovering subscriptions, expanded 4G coverage, and insatiable appetite for video streaming, social media, and fintech services. This all-time high reflects Nigeria’s deepening digital integration.
MTN and Airtel, controlling over 85 percent of the market, benefited most, with users averaging higher per-subscriber consumption – MTN at around 13 GB monthly and Airtel nearing 10 GB.
The NCC said that seasonal factors, including holiday promotions and increased online activity, likely boosted November’s marginal rise over October.
Broader metrics reinforce the boom: Internet subscriptions hit 144.8 million in November, while broadband penetration reached 50.58 percent (109.7 million high-speed connections), up sharply from 45.61 percent in January. Active telephony lines rebounded to 177.4 million, adding 2.1 million month-on-month, pushing teledensity to 81.8 percent.
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