Business
Johnvents Secures $40.5mn from BII to expand
Benson Adenuga, head of British International Investment’s (BII) office in Nigeria, said the institution was providing long-term funding for the firm’s plant in Ondo state.
Johnvents, a Nigerian agribusiness and manufacturing firm, has gained $40.5 million from the UK’s development finance institution to more than double its cocoa processing capacity to 30,000 metric tons annually.
Cocoa is among the biggest non-oil exports in Nigeria and largely grown by small-scale farmers in the south of the country.
Benson Adenuga, head of British International Investment’s (BII) office in Nigeria, said the institution was providing long-term funding for the firm’s plant in Ondo state.
” We’re actually providing funding for them to acquire machines and refurbish and expand their factory,” Adenuga told Reuters. Johnvents exports processed cocoa butter and powder, including to Europe.
Adenuga said BII would also help the firm to have 90% of its cocoa certified under the Rainforest Alliance sustainability and traceability programme by 2027.
Business
Senate approves Tinubu’s $516.3m loan
The syndicated financing facility is being sought from Deutsche Bank, according to a letter of request Tinubu sent to the Senate last Thursday.
The Senate has approved the $516.3 million loan requested by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The money will be used for the construction of the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway (Section One, Phase 1A and B).
The approval was given on Wednesday after the Senate considered the report of its Committee on Local and Foreign Debts.
The committee, chaired by Senator Magatagarda Wamakko, recommended the approval of the loan.
The syndicated financing facility is being sought from Deutsche Bank, according to a letter of request Tinubu sent to the Senate last Thursday.
Business
Ibukun Awosika resigns from Cadbury board
The resignation takes effect from May 1, 2026, according to a statement signed by the company secretary, Afolasade Olowe.
Ibukun Awosika has resigned from the board of Cadbury Nigeria Plc, after more than 16 years of service.
The resignation takes effect from May 1, 2026, according to a statement signed by the company secretary, Afolasade Olowe.
The board expressed appreciation for her contributions since joining as a Non-Executive Director in October 2009 and noted that a replacement would be announced in due course.
Business
UAE announces exit from OPEC, OPEC+ amid Iran war tensions
UAE Energy Minister Suhail Mohamed al-Mazrouei told Reuters the decision followed a strategic review of the country’s energy direction.
The United Arab Emirates has announced it is withdrawing from OPEC and the broader OPEC+, delivering a significant setback to the oil-producing bloc and its de facto leader, Saudi Arabia, at a time when the ongoing Iran war has triggered a major global energy shock.
Reuters reported that the departure of the UAE, a longstanding member of OPEC, is expected to create uncertainty within the group, which has traditionally maintained a united front despite internal disagreements over geopolitics and production quotas.
UAE Energy Minister Suhail Mohamed al-Mazrouei told Reuters the decision followed a strategic review of the country’s energy direction.
This is a policy decision, it has been done after a careful look at current and future policies related to level of production,” said the energy minister.
When asked whether the UAE consulted with Saudi Arabia, he said the country did not raise the issue with any other nation.
The decision comes amid mounting tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, where Gulf producers have struggled to move exports due to Iranian threats and attacks on vessels.
The strategic waterway typically handles about a fifth of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.
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