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
Dangote Refinery Ship 456,000 tonnes of PMS to African countries in February
The exports arrive at a moment of acute disruption in global energy markets, with several African countries that have historically depended on large refineries in the Persian Gulf now looking to Dangote as an alternative source.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has completed the sale of 12 cargoes of refined petroleum products totalling 456,000 tonnes to neighbouring African countries in February.
In a statement, the Refinery said that the shipments, sold on a free-on-board basis to international traders, have been delivered to Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Tanzania, Ghana, and Togo — a spread that signals the refinery’s ambitions extend well beyond its West African neighbourhood.
“This accomplishment underscores the Dangote Refinery’s capability to not only meet but exceed Nigeria’s domestic fuel demands.”
The exports arrive at a moment of acute disruption in global energy markets, with several African countries that have historically depended on large refineries in the Persian Gulf now looking to Dangote as an alternative source.
The refinery has framed its regional role in pointed terms, describing West Africa as a market long regarded as “a dumping ground for lower-quality fuels” and positioning its Euro 5-standard gasoline and diesel as a corrective to that history.
Business
Moniepoint buys Orda to capture Africa’s $50bn restaurant economy
Founded in 2020, Orda built software designed for small and independent restaurants that previously operated without digital systems.
Photo: Tosin Eniolorunda, Moniepoint co-founder and group CEO
Nigerian fintech company Moniepoint Inc. has acquired restaurant management startup Orda Africa in a move aimed at expanding its reach into Africa’s fast-growing food service industry, a sector estimated to be worth about $50 billion across the continent.
BusinessDay reports that the deal integrates Orda’s cloud-based restaurant software into Moniepoint’s business management platform, Moniebook, allowing food vendors and restaurants to manage orders, payments, inventory and accounting from a single system.
The acquisition highlights a wider shift among African fintech firms that are moving beyond payments to offer operational tools and credit to small businesses, especially those in the informal economy.
Tosin Eniolorunda, Moniepoint co-founder and group CEO, said that the food sector represents one of the most active but underserved parts of Africa’s economy.
“The food industry is a major source of jobs and daily survival for many Africans,” Eniolorunda said, adding that many businesses still rely on manual processes and disconnected tools.
The move reflects a growing competition among financial technology firms to control the digital infrastructure behind small businesses, particularly restaurants, which generate frequent transactions and require working capital.
Africa’s food service market is expanding quickly as urban populations grow and more consumers eat outside the home.
Nigeria alone is projected to see its restaurant market reach about $19.3 billion by 2030, growing at an annual rate of more than 11 percent.
Founded in 2020, Orda built software designed for small and independent restaurants that previously operated without digital systems.
The company’s tools help businesses track orders, manage kitchen workflows and monitor stock levels.
Guy Futi, Orda CEO, said joining Moniepoint would allow the company to connect operational data from restaurants with financial services such as payments and credit.
“To truly transform the industry, we needed to connect that expertise with comprehensive financial infrastructure,” Futi said, adding that customers would continue to use the platform while gaining access to new services.
Business
Dangote Petroleum announces N1,245 new price template for marketers
The new pricing, making it the fourth time since the Middle East war began, is set to take effect from midnight on March 21, 2026.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced a fresh hike in the ex-depot price of its petrol to N1,245 per litre from N1,175 per litre while the coastal price increased from N1,512,648 to N1,606,518 per metric tonne.
The new pricing, making it the fourth time since the Middle East war began, is set to take effect from midnight on March 21, 2026.
In a notice sent to marketers on Friday night the company explained that the revision reflects global market realities, including fluctuations in crude oil prices and increased shipping costs, which are beyond the refinery’s control..
” Please note that the revised price will apply to all unloaded gantry and coastal volumes and is effective from 12am on the 21st of March 2026,” it stated.
The latest adjustment is expected to ripple across the downstream sector, with pump prices likely to rise in the coming days as marketers pass on the increased cost to consumers.
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