Business
Nigeria’s Inflation Rises To 31.70% For Feb – NBS
The inflation rate has moved to 31.70 per cent in February, according to the latest data by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The Bureau released the figure on Friday, with the latest data showing a rise from the 29.90 per cent recorded in January 2024.
According to the ‘Consumer Price Index and Inflation Report’ for February, the hike represented a 1.80 per cent increase from what was recorded in January.
“In February 2024, the headline inflation rate increased to 31.70% relative to the January 2024 headline inflation rate which was 29.90%.
“Looking at the movement, the February 2024 headline inflation rate showed an increase of 1.80% points when compared to the January 2024 headline inflation rate,” the report read in part.
The data showed that on a year-on-year basis, Nigeria’s headline inflation rate was 9.79 per cent higher, compared to 21.91 per cent recorded in February 2023.
“This shows that the headline inflation rate (year-on-year basis) increased in February 2024 when compared to the same month in the preceding year (i.e., February 2023),” the NBS said.
Meanwhile, the food inflation rate in February was 37.92 per cent on a year-on-year basis. This was 13.57 per cent higher when compared to the rate recorded in February 2023 (24.35 per cent), according to the report.
“The rise in food inflation on a year-on-year basis was caused by increases in prices of bread and cereals, potatoes, yam and other tubers, fish, oil and fat, meat, fruit, coffee, tea, and cocoa,” the report read.
Friday’s figures come amid a push by authorities to combat the rising costs of living in the country. The removal of fuel subsidies on petroleum, and the floating of the naira were major triggers of the hike.
The rising costs of living have since triggered protests in several parts of the country, however, the government is assuring Nigerians of tackling the challenges.
Despite the rising inflation rates, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Yemi Cardoso, had earlier expressed optimism about a drop.
“Inflationary pressures are expected to decline in 2024 due to the CBN’s inflationary targeting policy aiming to rein in inflation to 21.4 per cent, aided by improved agricultural productivity and easy global supply chain pressures.
“The Nigerian foreign exchange market is currently facing increased demand pressures causing a continuous decrease in the value of naira,” he told members of the House of Representatives in February.
Business
Reps pass bill to give foreign investors Nigerian citizenship
The proposed legislation titled , “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to include Citizenship by Investment as one of the classes of Citizenship in Nigeria, provide for the Acquisition of Nigerian Citizenship by Qualified Foreign Investors who meet Specified Investment Thresholds and for Related Matters (HB. 2059)” was sponsored by the, Benjamin Kalu, the deputy speaker and some other lawmakers.
The House of Representatives has passed a bill to give foreign investors Nigerian Citizenship for second reading.
The proposed legislation titled , “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 to include Citizenship by Investment as one of the classes of Citizenship in Nigeria, provide for the Acquisition of Nigerian Citizenship by Qualified Foreign Investors who meet Specified Investment Thresholds and for Related Matters (HB. 2059)” was sponsored by the, Benjamin Kalu, the deputy speaker and some other lawmakers.
Business Day reports that the bill Is among the constitutional amendment bills which the Green Chamber is considering.
In the explanatory memorandum of the Citizenship by Investment Bill, it seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Cap C23 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 to introduce a new class of citizenship known as Citizenship by Investment.
The proposed alteration aims to attract foreign direct investment by granting Nigerian citizenship to individuals who invest in the Nigerian economy above a specified financial threshold or in strategic sectors critical to national development.
Business
FG Directs MAN, NECA, FRCN to Review 10% Financial Reporting Levy
Oduwole said the timeline for the suspension would not exceed 60 days, adding that the government is committed to addressing the concerns raised by the private sector.
The Federal Government has temporarily suspended the implementation of 10 percent financial reporting levy imposed on public interest enterprises by the Financial Reporting Council, for the next two months.
This was in response to the requests by the private sector’s operators – the like of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), and the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association and Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (NECA) calling for the suspension of the FRCN Act, which imposes on non-listed entities. a 10 percent penalty on unpaid dues for every month of default, accumulating until full payment.
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, announced the government’s decision at a Ministerial Consultative Meeting on the Financial Reporting Council Annual Dues for Public Interest Enterprises, yesterday in Abuja.
Oduwole emphasized that the government directed the Financial Reporting Council to pause in the implementation of the new annual dues.
She explained: ” A suspension request by the organised private sector would be in contravention of legislation duly passed by the National Assembly.
A pause is an administrative process simply to review, in line with what we discussed .
”Oduwole said the timeline for the suspension would not exceed 60 days, adding that the government is committed to addressing the concerns raised by the private secto
“We are a listening administration. The private sector has requested a range from three months to an indefinite suspension. We are not going to do that. So, at the most, 60 days is in my estimate.
“We are going to set up a technical working group comprising the FRC and the organised private sector who have formally written in, and this will be reviewed,’ she added.
Business
Police Investigates over N270m Thefts in UBA
CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, the command’s public relations officer, disclosed that the suspects conspired to illegally divert funds from domiciliary accounts into personal accounts before redistributing them to multiple destinations.
The Lagos State Police Command is questioning four officials of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) for alleged thefts of £138,924 (over N270 million) from international airlines’ accounts.
CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, the command’s public relations officer, disclosed that the suspects conspired to illegally divert funds from domiciliary accounts into personal accounts before redistributing them to multiple destinations.
The fraud was uncovered when the bank detected unauthorized transactions and alerted the police.
The arrested officials include Shuaib Oluwatobiloba Olaleye, 27, who was arrested on March 12, 2025, in Ogun State, with a Toyota Camry 2012/2013 recovered from him. Oladunjoye Adegoke, 33, was arrested on March 13, 2025, in Victoria Island, Lagos, with a Toyota Camry (Pencil Light) recovered.
Austin Alfred, 38, Supervisor of the bank’s Trade Services Department, and Jude Uzobuaku, 36, a processor in the same department, were also arrested for facilitating the illegal transfer of funds to foreign accounts.
Police investigations revealed that the stolen funds were initially funneled into an account belonging to one of the suspects before being distributed to multiple other accounts to evade detection. Authorities are now working to identify additional accomplices and recover the remaining funds.
The suspects are in custody and will face prosecution as the investigation continues.
The police have urged the public to report suspicious financial transactions, reiterating their commitment to tackling economic crimes.
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