Business

Tony Elumelu Meets U.K. King Charles, U.S. President Biden, As World Leaders Convene for Climate Finance Forum

Published

3 years ago

July 10, 2023

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Investor and Philanthropist, Tony O. Elumelu, CFR, who also doubles as Chairman of Heirs Holdings, will join King Charles III of the United Kingdom and U.S. President Biden at the Climate Finance Mobilisation Forum in London today to help attract a new generation of capital to combat climate change.

Mr. Elumelu is one of Africa’s most prominent advocates for equitable climate finance and is a leading funder of young African entrepreneurs – through the Tony Elumelu Foundation – working to create sustainable climate solutions.

“Africa needs a just, fair, equal and a realistic strategy to address the inequalities that exist between Africa and the rest of the world,” Elumelu said.

Africa has a significant energy deficit and must prioritize the provision of a mix of both traditional and renewable energy. Emerging economies, particularly in Africa, will require an additional $1 trillion of investment per annum by 2030 to support a fair transition. To mobilise this scale of capital, the world needs bold actions and innovative new partnerships between public, private, and philanthropic actors.

Recent trends show a decrease in renewable energy investment to emerging and developing economies. Africa’s green revolution requires urgent, immediate and significant funding – funding that is larger than the resources available to African governments, and private sector. As Elumelu repeatedly champions, Africa has contributed the least to today’s climate crisis, but continues to suffer an outsized impact of climate change.

Elumelu, who will be representing the African private sector, was invited to the forum by Grant Sharps, UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, and John Kerry, the US Special Presidential Envoy on Climate. The invitation came at the request of King Charles III and US President Joe Biden.

“A Net Zero conversation that ignores, dismisses, or underestimates the continent’s current reality does us all more harm than good,” Elumelu said. “Climate finance investment should deploy capital to a mix of on and off-grid solutions that are required to deliver affordable, reliable, and accessible power in Africa.”

According to Elumelu, “Africans bear the harshest effects of the climate crisis and are the least responsible for creating this crisis in the first place.”

This meeting follows the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact, which Elumelu participated in Paris, hosted by H.E. Emmanuel Macron, the President of France. The Summit laid the groundwork for a new financial system suited to the challenges of the 21st century: a system that will boost investments in green infrastructure and create innovative solutions to climate vulnerability.

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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

3 days 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.

Business

Naira Exchange Today Rates Friday,July 17

Published

3 days ago

July 17, 2026

OCHEFA

48 Views

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

7 days ago

July 13, 2026

OCHEFA

87 Views

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.