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Nigerian capital market, credible platform for long-term finance – Ahmed

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Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed
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The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Dr Zainab Ahmed, says the Nigerian capital market is a credible platform for medium to long term finance for economic development.

Ahmed said this at a webinar organised by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development on Thursday.

The minister added that the nation’s capital market was a key catalyst for the development of the critical sectors of the economy.

The theme of the webinar was: “Financing the Solid Minerals Sector through the Capital Market and the Critical Role of Commodity Exchanges.”

Ahmed said the facilitation of funding and provision of structured market platforms such as the commodities exchanges portends significant addition for the mining and solid minerals sector.

She said the event and its theme were relevant to the economy given the need to diversify and grow the economy, and to enable the nation achieve sustainable development in the post COVID-19 pandemic era.

“The mining sector is strategically based as alternative source for revenue generation in the economic diversification plan of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“It also has the potential to create employment and develop rural settings for other benefits,” she said.

Ahmed noted that the mineral export guidelines by the Federal Government was formulated to address the need to keep accurate mineral trade data.

She said it was also to ensure effective monitoring of the evacuation of export proceeds, to optimise the collection of royalties, and facilitate the implementation of free shipment inspection policies.

She explained that the initiative of employing the commodities exchange in this regard would encourage responsibility accounting and fairness to governance.

The minister assured of the unwavering support of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning to ensure the achievement of the overarching objective of the Federal Government to develop the mineral potential of the country.

“The reality is that the nation stands to benefit more in an organised mining and solid mineral extractive industry and the capital market is here to contribute its quota.

“This webinar is a signal that with the appropriate collaboration amongst sectors, institutions, regulators and operators, we can exceed out targets sooner rather than later and Nigeria will reap huge benefits from such forums,” she added.

In a welcome address, SEC’s Director-General, Mr Lamido Yuguda, said with over 44 minerals found across the federation, the solid minerals sector would be instrumental in the on-going quest to diversify the economy.

Yuguda said: “We believe that the Nigerian commodity trading system and indeed the capital market can be the transformational patronage to bring about this positive changes in the sector.

“With opportunities provided for better access to marketing of produce, price discovery and valuable market information, a striving commodities trading ecosystem has the potential to foster inclusive mining prosperity.

“It will also enhance financial inclusion of artisanal miners, foster mineral production, stimulate exports and ultimately engendered economic development, amongst other benefits.

“Undoubtedly, greater connectivity of the mining sector and the commodities trading ecosystem will ensure that mineral commodities could be traded on transparent, efficient and organised trading platform provided by commodity exchanges.”

In his keynote address, Minister of State, Ministry of Solid Minerals and Steel Development, Dr Uchechukwu Ogah, described the webinar as timely because it came at a time that President Muhammadu Buhari, had put all the necessary machinery in place to revamp the sector for economic stability.

Oga, however, expressed disappointment that over 90 per cent of the artisanal miners and small scale operators’ contribution to employment was still very low with a Gross Domestic Production (GDP) contribution of 0.5 per cent.

“We eagerly want to change this through implementation of the roadmap to contribute about five per cent to the GDP by 2025.

“Inadequate funding has been the bane of underdevelopment; it is on this premise that I welcome this partnership with the SEC,” he said. (NAN)

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Business & Economy

Tinubu Approves Framework to Unlock $50bn Deep Offshore Investment

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a new investment framework aimed at attracting up to $50 billion in fresh investment into Nigeria’s deep offshore oil and gas sector.

The reform is designed to end project-by-project negotiations and introduce clear rules and incentives for large-scale offshore developments.

The framework, implemented through the Deep Offshore Oil and Gas Projects Incentives (Tax Remission) Order, 2026, is expected to revive major projects that have remained stalled for years.

One of the key projects targeted is the approximately $10 billion Bonga South West development.

The new framework will provide transparent eligibility requirements and implementation procedures, giving investors greater certainty while protecting Nigeria’s long-term economic interests.

It also allows NNPC Limited, as the government’s nominated counterparty under Production Sharing Contracts, to make the necessary amendments to eligible contracts to implement the incentives.

According to the Special Adviser to the President on Oil and Gas, Olu Verheijen-Arowolo, qualifying projects will be required to maximise activities within Nigeria where commercially and technically feasible.

She said the policy would help expand local engineering, fabrication, marine logistics, technical services and project management, while creating skilled jobs and strengthening domestic supply chains.

President Tinubu commended the Federal Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Nigeria Revenue Service, NNPC Limited, NUPRC, NCDMB and other industry stakeholders for their contributions to developing the framework.

The President said countries that attract long-term investment are those that provide certainty, stressing that the reform would create an investment environment based on clear rules, strong institutions and lasting partnerships.

He said the initiative would help attract capital, grow Nigerian businesses, create jobs and ensure that the country’s natural resources deliver greater long-term value.

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NERC Dissolves Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company Board Over ₦456.5bn Insolvency

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The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has dissolved the Board of Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (Kaduna Electric) with immediate effect over severe financial insolvency amounting to ₦456.5 billion.

NERC, in a statement, said the decision followed the company’s poor financial and operational performance.

According to the commission, Kaduna Electric remitted only 41.93 percent of its adjusted market invoices in 2025 and recorded aggregate losses of 71.88 percent.

The company also invested ₦2.48 billion against a required capital investment of ₦24.51 billion, while customer metering coverage remained below 36 percent.

To ensure continued electricity supply and operational stability, NERC has constituted an interim board of Special Directors chaired by Dr. Abdullahi Garba.

The commission also appointed Dr. Abubakar Umar Hashidu as Administrator of the company for an initial six-month term.

NERC further said Afrexim would coordinate a transparent 12-month competitive process to secure a competent replacement core investor for Kaduna Electric.

The commission assured electricity consumers across Kaduna Electric’s franchise area that distribution services would remain safe and uninterrupted during the transition.

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Subsidy Removal Best Thing That Happened to Nigeria — NRS Chairman

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
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The Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), Zacch Adedeji, has described the removal of petrol subsidy as one of the best economic decisions taken in Nigeria, saying President Bola Tinubu deserves commendation for the policy.

Adedeji made the remarks while appearing on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics on Sunday, August 9, 2026.

He said many of the positive economic developments being recorded by the government were linked to the decision to remove the subsidy, which he described as unsustainable and harmful to the country’s economy.

According to him, the subsidy regime had existed for decades and placed a heavy burden on government finances.

“All the good results that I will reel out soon come as a result of that courageous decision. So, it is not a mistake; it is the best thing that has happened to this country,” Adedeji said.

The NRS chairman said Tinubu inherited an economy facing several structural challenges, including an unsustainable petrol subsidy regime, an underperforming oil sector and a narrow tax base.

He said the administration had introduced major reforms to address these challenges and urged Nigerians to assess the policies based on their long-term economic impact rather than emotions.

Adedeji also challenged those seeking to contest the 2027 presidential election to explain how they would handle the country’s economic challenges differently.

He specifically questioned whether they would reverse the removal of fuel subsidy or the unification of the foreign exchange market.

The NRS chairman further argued that retaining the subsidy would have placed an even greater strain on Nigeria’s finances, particularly amid global energy market pressures.

He estimated that the subsidy bill could have risen to about ₦53 trillion, while the exchange rate might have reached ₦3,500 to the dollar.

President Tinubu announced the removal of petrol subsidy during his inauguration speech on May 29, 2023. The decision led to a sharp increase in petrol prices and contributed to higher transportation, food and production costs.

While the reform has increased government revenues and boosted allocations to the federal, state and local governments, its effect on the cost of living remains a major concern for many Nigerians.

 

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