The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Tinubu for Türkiye to deepen partnership

    Tinubu for Türkiye to deepen partnership

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu departs Abuja today for Republic of Türkiye to deepen bilateral partnership.

    He will be accompanied by ministers and top government officials.

    Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga noted that the visit will feature a Nigeria–Türkiye business forum, bringing together investors and private sector leaders from both countries to explore mutually beneficial investment opportunities and partnerships.

    The statement said the President would take advantage of talks with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, strengthening the cordial bilateral relations between the two countries while opening new fronts of cooperation across critical sectors of national development.

    Tinubu, Onanuga said will also hold strategic political and diplomatic engagements focusing on shared priorities in finance, communication, trade and investment. The leaders will also explore expanded collaboration in security, education, social development, innovation, and aviation.

    President Erdogan was in Nigeria from October 19 to 20, 2021 in line with the existing diplomatic ties between Nigeria and Türkiye.

    Read Also: Ex-IGP Okiro endorses Tinubu for second term, praises president’s leadership courage

    A major highlight of the state visit will be the signing of several memoranda of understanding (MoUs) covering areas such as scientific research, energy, technical cooperation, media and communications, military collaboration, and protocol arrangements, among others.

    Accompany the President for the bilateral engagements include: Foreign Affairs Minister Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar; Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN; Defence Minister Gen. Christopher Musa; and the Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, Jimi Benson.

    Others are: Women Affairs and Social Development Minister Hajiya Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim; Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; Culture and Creative Economy Minister Hannatu Musawa; National Security Adviser (NSA) Malam Nuhu Ribadu and National Intelligence Agency (NIA) Director-General (DG) Ambassador Mohammed Mohammed.

  • 100 new engineers complete Dangote Cement’s trainee

    100 new engineers complete Dangote Cement’s trainee

    Dangote Cement Plc has inducted 200 newly trained engineers and other professionals into its workforce.

    It followed the successful completion of its Graduate Trainee Programme, reaffirming the company’s commitment to job creation, skills development, and local capacity building in Nigeria.

    The trainees, drawn from various engineering, finance, IT and other disciplines, were formally inducted over the weekend after completing an intensive 18-month training programme, which entails both classroom and on-the-job learning, conducted at Dangote Academy and across the four plant locations in Nigeria and the Head Office.

    The Graduate Trainee Programme is a structured development journey designed to groom high-potential professionals for future leadership roles through cross-functional exposure, classroom instruction, executive mentorship, and hands-on project execution.

    During the programme, the trainees were deployed across Dangote Cement’s plants and operational locations, where they acquired practical industry experience and benefited from the mentorship of seasoned professionals within the organisation. The company noted that several of the trainees have since been integrated across its cement operations in Nigeria and other African countries.

    Dangote Cement stated that the induction of the engineers reflects its sustained commitment to providing meaningful employment opportunities and strengthening indigenous technical expertise across its operations.

    Read Also: Firm wins Dangote Cement’s largest distributor award

    In addition to the induction ceremony, the company honoured outstanding staff with Long Service Awards and Hall of Fame Employee Awards in recognition of their dedication and consistent demonstration of Dangote Cement’s core values of customer focus, entrepreneurship, excellence, and leadership. The award recipients, who received substantial monetary rewards, have each served the company for a minimum of five years.

    Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Cement Plc, Mr. Arvind Pathak, said the event was organised to celebrate employees who have made significant contributions to the company’s growth and success.

    “We are honouring some of our staff for their long service to the company, and we are also celebrating our graduate trainees who are officially rounding off their induction programme,” Pathak said.

    He commended employees for their resilience despite prevailing economic challenges, noting that Dangote Cement recorded strong performance in 2025 in spite of a difficult operating environment.

    “Despite the economic turbulence, your resilience and tenacity enabled us to overcome numerous challenges and achieve our objectives. More importantly, I thank you for your commitment and high performance, which have helped us retain our position as the dominant player in the cement sector—not only in Nigeria but across Africa,” he stated.

    Pathak added that Dangote Cement remains Africa’s leading cement producer and is targeting a production capacity of 90 million metric tonnes per annum across the continent by 2030.

    “Through our collective determination, we have eliminated Nigeria’s dependence on imported cement and transformed the country into a net exporter of cement to several neighbouring nations,” he said.

    Acting Group Human Resources Officer, Mr. Ahmed Ladan Gobir, described the Graduate Trainee Programme as a strategic initiative aimed at equipping newly graduated engineers with world-class skills and deep industry exposure.

    “Nigeria’s greatest asset is its young people, and at Dangote Cement we are deliberate about empowering them with the skills, exposure, and opportunities required to succeed,” Gobir said.

    “Through initiatives such as our Graduate Trainee Programme, we are providing young engineers with the platform to build meaningful careers, contribute to national development, and emerge as the next generation of African industrial leaders.”

    Recognising four exceptional graduate trainees, the Programme Coordinator, Mr. Iyal H. Abdulkareem, said the awardees demonstrated outstanding hands-on industrial competence throughout the programme.

    According to him, their contributions included improving reporting and customer administration systems; undertaking raw and cement mill main drive alignments; carrying out preheater fan dynamic balancing; and developing templates for documenting and tracking key plant performance indicators (KPIs).

    The four engineers – Mary Nnana, Ahmad Sunusi Abdullahi, Ahmed Rufai Ahmed, and Ebenezer Afonja –a lso played key roles in the installation and commissioning of MIS servers at the Obajana Plant, as well as supporting the deployment of cement mill optimisation systems at the Obajana and Okpella plants.

  • Banks’ valuation rises to N17tr on recapitalisation

    Banks’ valuation rises to N17tr on recapitalisation

    The total market value of publicly listed banks has quadrupled as new capital raisings and capital gains lifted banks’ market capitalisation to above N17 trillion.

    Market data reviewed yesterday showed that banks’ valuation, which stood at less than N4 trillion prior to the recapitalisation exercise, closed weekend at more than N17 trillion.

    While the structure of the banks’ positions on the capitalisation table remained largely unchanged, most banks have seen three-digit growth in capitalisation, with Wema Bank recording the highest percentage growth of 1,686 per cent during the period.

    The data from the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) and analysed by The Nation’s Market Intelligence covered the period between February 23, 2023 and January 23, 2026. The ongoing recapitalisation programme was formally launched in March 2024, after initial head up by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    At the beginning of the period, all banks were valued below the trillion naira mark, but half of the banks in the survey are now valued substantially above trillion naira.

    Banks with highest valuations included Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO), N3.588 trillion; Zenith Bank, N2.916 trillion; First HoldCo, N2.178 trillion; United Bank for Africa (UBA), N1.940 trillion; Stanbic IBTC Holdings, N1.717 trillion; Access Holdings, N1.194 trillion and Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, which opens today with market value of N1.115 trillion.

    At the beginning of the period,  GTCO, Zenith Bank, First HoldCo, UBA, Stanbic IBTC Holdings, Access Holdings and Ecobank Transnational Incorporated were valued at N745 billion, N796 billion, N416 billion, N287 billion, N447 billion, N325 billion and N220 billion respectively.

    Read Also: All eyes on banks as N4.14 trillion recapitalisation drive heats up

    Wema Bank, which had seen the highest rise in capitalisation, had risen from N51 billion to N911 billion. Fidelity Bank has also risen from N146 billion to N954 billion. FCMB Group, which was initially valued at N85 billion, currently has a market value of N500 billion.

    The increase in market capitalisation comes from both new capital raisings and sustained price appreciation due to positive sentiments for banking stocks.

    Managing Director, GTI Capital Limited, Mr Kehinde Hassan, said the remarkable change in banks’ capitalisation underlined the success of the recapitalisation exercise.

    According to him, the sector-wide improvements in value showed the resilience of the banking sector as banks of all cadres were able to successfully increase their capital base.

    He added that the data reflected investors’ confidence in the banking sector and the overall outlook of the financial services sector and the economy.

    He said: “Such a high increase in minimum capital base could have played out in two ways- investors bailing out for fears of bank failing or investors digging in to increase their stakes. For most banks, investors were willing to increase stakes, even at higher prices. That’s how to measure confidence”.

    In March 2024, the CBN released its circular on review of minimum capital requirement for commercial, merchant and non-interest banks. The apex bank increased the new minimum capital for commercial banks with international affiliations, otherwise known as mega banks, to N500 billion; commercial banks with national authorisation, N200 billion and commercial banks with regional license, N50 billion.

    Others included merchant banks, N50 billion; non-interest banks with national license, N20 billion and non-interest banks with regional license will now have N10 billion minimum capital. The 24-month timeline for compliance ends on March 31, 2026.    

    Under the new minimum capital base, CBN uses a distinctive definition of the new minimum capital base for each category of banks as the addition of share capital and share premium, as against the previous use of shareholders’ funds.

    Ahead of the March 31, 2026 deadline, Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, in his last public update on the recapitalisation exercise, confirmed that 16 banks have met their new capital requirements. He also indicated that 27 other banks were raising funds.

    Deputy Governor, Economic Policy, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr Muhammad Abdullahi, said not less than 20 banks have met the new capital requirements. Abdullahi’s comment came on the heels of recent public confirmations by United Bank for Africa (UBA), Fidelity Bank and First Bank that they’ve met their new capital requirements after final clearance of their latest capital raisings.

    Nigeria currently has 44 deposit-taking banks across various licence categories.

  • Tribute to Yakubu Mohammed: A correction

    Tribute to Yakubu Mohammed: A correction

    • By Mohammed Haruna

    My attention has been drawn to one serious factual error in my tribute to Yakubu Mohammed. I said in the sixth paragraph that two of the three graduates who joined myself and Yakubu at the New Nigerian in 1976, namely Rufa’i Ibrahim and Sule Iyaji, were no longer alive.

    My attention was drawn to the fact that Iyaji is alive and well. Indeed, I spoke with him after I got his phone number from Professor Sam Egwu, INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner for Benue State, who first drew my attention to the error.

    Read Also: Tinubu condoles with Yakubu Mohammed’s family

    Not only did Iyaji confirm that he is well and alive, but he also reminded me that after his stint at Peugeot Automobile of Nigeria as its spokesman, he ventured into politics, where he eventually rose to be the Deputy Governor of Benue State when his Igala ethnic group was the second largest in the State after the Tivs. This was before the Igalas were carved into Kogi State.

    I have since apologised to Iyaji for pronouncing him dead while alive and well. I needed to apologise to him and his family in public.

  • Nigeria’s 88% AI adoption ahead of global average of 62 per cent

    Nigeria’s 88% AI adoption ahead of global average of 62 per cent

    Nigerians have emerged as global frontrunners in Artificial Intelligence (AI) adoption, significantly outperforming the rest of the world in digital engagement.

    According to a new report by Google and Ipsos entitled: “Our Life with AI: Helpfulness in the hands of more people,” Nigerian adults are leveraging AI tools at a staggering rate to fuel education, work, and entrepreneurship.

    The study reveals that 88per cent of Nigerian adults have used an AI chatbot—an 18-point increase from 2024. This adoption rate places Nigeria 26 percentage points ahead of the global average of 62per cent, signaling a nation that is aggressively integrating technology into its daily life.

    The report highlights that Nigerians view AI as a sidekick for personal and professional advancement rather than just a novelty. A total of 93per cent of Nigerians use AI to understand complex topics, which far exceeds the global average of 74 per cent.

    Additionally, 91per cent of respondents utilize AI tools to assist with their work-related tasks. In a standout finding, 80 per cent of Nigerians use AI to explore new business ventures or career changes, a figure that is nearly double the global average of 42per cent.

     “It’s inspiring to see how Nigerians are creatively and purposefully using AI to unlock new opportunities. This report tells the story of a nation that is actively shaping its future with technology,” Communications & Public Affairs Manager for Google West Africa, Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, said.

    Read Also: PwC Nigeria, CEOs, others brainstorm on economic outlook

    The sentiment toward AI in Nigeria is overwhelmingly positive, particularly in the academic sector. Roughly 91per cent of Nigerians believe AI is positively impacting how information is accessed and learned, compared to about 65per cent globally. Furthermore, 95per cent of respondents believe that university students and educators are the primary beneficiaries of this technological shift.

    While global sentiment remains divided on the risks of AI, Nigeria shows a distinct level of confidence as 80per cent of Nigerians are excited about the possibilities of AI, while only 20per cent express concern.

    In contrast, the global average is much more polarized, with 53per cent excited and 46per cent concerned.

    Among frequent AI users in Nigeria, this “excitement rating” climbs to 90 per cent.

    Through this rapid adoption and high optimism, Nigeria is positioning itself as a leader in the global digital economy, using AI as a catalyst to achieve national and personal ambitions.

  • ‘Why national grid is collapsing repeatedly‘

    ‘Why national grid is collapsing repeatedly‘

    • 60% of power plants unavailable
    • Report exposes Discos culpability

    The state of electricity supply in the country has become a source of concern for residents. After enjoying a relative supply for some parts of last year, especially in the second quarter, drawing applause from consumers, the euphoria that greeted this has gradually becoming worrisome.

    These concerns were more pronounced during the last yuletide, when several homes were left in the dark.  The situation, electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) often explain, results  from national grid collapses, low power generation, gas supply shortages, or maintenance work by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). These issues, alongside infrastructure decay and vandalism, invariably leads to load shedding and intermittent supply. 

    Top officials of some Discos spoken to who pleaded for anonymity attributed power failures to a mix of upstream generation deficits, national grid instability and localised infrastructure challenges.

    For a long time, there has been several horse-trading associated across the value chain over erratic power supply. For instance, it is common for DisCos often cite “system-wide disturbances” or “grid collapses” from the National Control Centre (NCC) as the reason for total outages across their franchise areas. Besides, many outages are blamed on “gas limitations” at thermal power plants and a general drop in power generation. This is because when generation drops, the energy allocated to DisCos decreases, forcing them to implement load shedding.

    In situations like this, most hide under the guise of the feeder banding system. Under this framework, priority is given to “Band A” feeders, which are mandated to receive 20+ hours of supply thereby often leaving lower bands with significant outages when total available power is low.

    Yet, is the technical faults and maintenance of equipment, equipment vandalism like destruction of transformers and theft of cables; planned maintenance, like upgrading or repairing transmission lines, are also factor readily given as excuses by service providers.

    After enjoying relative stability in national grid in 2025, the facility experienced a first major collapse at the weekend caused by the simultaneous tripping of multiple 330kV transmission lines.

    With this incident coming early in the year, stakeholders are worried that it may not be a good omen for the sector notwithstanding the several assurances by government. In 2024, 12 grid collapses were recorded; 12 in 2025 and one already recorded this year.

    More worrisome is that the epileptic power supply has remained irrespective of the fiscal appropriation to the sector under the President Bola Tinubu administration.

    A cursory look at these allocation indicate that in the last three years, there has been a consistent increase in fiscal allocation to the Ministry of Power aimed at resolving the underlying issues that have consistently impeded growth in the sector, including the consistent grid collapses each year.

    A breakdown of the figures in the three years showed that the power ministry got a cumulative allocation of N239.5 billion in 2023; N344.097 billion in 2024; N2.1 trillion in the 2025 budget. The allocation in 2025 represented the government’s desire to make the sector work.

    A further breakdown of the figures show that the power sector recovery programme received N810 billion from the budget; special intervention project got N269.74 billion, while the presidential power initiative (PPI) transmission project received N150 billion, all in an attempt to tackle the enormous challenges in the nation’s power sector from specific and targeted approach.

    The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, assured that the ministry has set the agenda for Nigeria’s power sector in 2026, suggesting that the country has done enough to stabilise its grid in the previous year.

    But these challenges appear unresolved despite huge budgetary allocations to the power sector. Giving more insight into what may be the cause of the deep-seated challenges confronting the country’s electricity supply is a recent report by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) for the third quarter of 2025. The report, released recently, indicated that over 60 per cent of power plants installed generation capacity in the country remained unavailable for transmission to the national grid in the third quarter of 2025.

    Read Also: NDPHC restores additional 450MW of generation capacity to national grid

    According to the NERC report, the average Plant Availability Factor (PAF) of all 28 grid-connected power plants stood at 39.86 per cent, meaning that 60.14 per cent of installed capacity could not be dispatched to the national grid at any point during the quarter. The figure represents only a 0.26 percentage-point increase from the 39.60 per cent recorded in Q2 2025, highlighting how limited progress has been in improving the operational readiness of generation assets.

    “In 2025/Q3, the average plant availability factor for all grid-connected plants was 39.86 per cent, that is, at any point in time during the quarter, 60.14 per cent of the installed capacity across the 28 grid-connected power plants was not available for dispatch onto the grid,” the report read.

    The PAF measures the ratio of a power plant’s declared available capacity to its manufacturer-rated installed capacity and is widely regarded by regulators as a key indicator of the health of the upstream segment of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).

    It further noted that while 11 power plants recorded availability above 50 per cent, Ikeja Power Plant (Unit 1) emerged as the best-performing asset, posting a PAF of 99.24 per cent during the quarter. At the lower end, Sapele Steam Plant (Unit 1) recorded a PAF of just 2.66 per cent, while Alaoji Power Plant (Unit 1) failed to dispatch any electricity at all throughout the quarter.

    Significantly quarter-on-quarter improvements were recorded at Dadin-Kowa (+41.32pp), Zungeru (+33.29pp) and Okpai (+15.95pp), reflecting gains from improved hydrology and reduced outages.

    However, availability declined sharply at Ihovbor (Unit 2), which fell by 19.21 percentage points to 78.16 per cent, down from 97.38 per cent in Q2. Other plants that recorded notable drops included Geregu (Unit 1), Ibom Power, and Geregu (Unit 2).

    “Overall, 11 power plants had availability factors above 50 per cent, with Ikeja_1 power plant recording the highest availability factor at 99.24 per cent. On the other end of the spectrum, Sapele Steam_1 recorded a PAF of 2.66 per cent in 2025/Q3. Alaoji_1 power plant was not available to dispatch any energy onto the grid throughout the quarter.

     “Significant increases in PAF were recorded in Dadin-Kowa_1 (+41.32pp), Zungeru_1 (+33.29pp), and Okpai_1 (+15.95pp) power plants across the two quarters. Conversely, the PAF of Ihovbor_2 decreased significantly by 19.21pp during the quarter (78.16 per cent in 2025/Q3 compared to 97.38 per cent in 2025/Q2). Reductions in PAF were also recorded in Geregu_1 (- 12.79pp), Ibom power_1 (-10.34pp), and Geregu_2 (-8.41pp) power plants,” the NERC report said.

    The commission attributed the fluctuations in plant availability to mechanical outages, feedstock constraints, hydrological conditions and operational limitations, factors that have continued to undermine Nigeria’s generation capacity for over a decade.

    Beyond generation challenges, the report also highlighted weak energy offtake by electricity Discos, raising concerns over revenue recovery and market discipline. Under the Partial Activation of Contract regime, which came into force in July 2022, DisCos are required to off-take and pay for their Partially Contracted Capacity on a take-or-pay basis, even if they fail to utilise the power.

    In Q3 2025, average energy offtake by DisCos fell to 3,328.33 megawatt-hours per hour, representing a 7.10 per cent decline from 3,582.62MWh/h recorded in the preceding quarter.

    This decline occurred despite the fact that available contracted capacity dropped by only 2.43 per cent, suggesting that generation and transmission availability were sufficient to sustain previous offtake levels.

    Overall, cumulative DisCo energy offtake performance during the quarter stood at 87.39 per cent, down from 91.78 per cent in Q2, a 4.39 percentage-point decline.

     “All DisCos except Jos recorded a decline in their energy offtake performance during the quarter,” the report noted.

    The commission attributed the reduced offtake to a combination of infrastructure weaknesses, seasonal demand changes and commercial considerations.

    It noted that frequent network outages during the rainy season, driven by fragile distribution infrastructure, limited the ability of DisCos to evacuate power to customers.

    In addition, cooler weather conditions reduced domestic electricity demand, while some DisCos deliberately constrained supply to loss-prone feeders to minimise financial exposure.

    Under the Performance Monitoring Framework Orders issued in July 2024, DisCos are required to off-take at least 95 per cent of their available PCC or face regulatory sanctions.

    However, in Q3 2025, only Benin and Port Harcourt DisCos met the threshold, with offtake levels of 99.20 per cent and 95.65 per cent, respectively.

    The remaining nine DisCos, Abuja, Eko, Enugu, Ibadan, Ikeja, Jos, Kaduna, Kano and Yola, fell short, with Kaduna DisCo recording the lowest performance at 75.23 per cent.

     “The Commission has commenced the implementation of appropriate sanctions against defaulting DisCos,” the report stated.

    The figures reflect the persistent mismatch between installed capacity, available generation, and effective electricity delivery, a challenge that continues to frustrate households and businesses.

    Despite Nigeria’s installed generation capacity exceeding 13,000 megawatts, average operational availability and weak offtake mean that actual electricity delivered to consumers remains far below demand, reinforcing dependence on self-generation and driving up energy costs.

  • 20 vessels to discharge 10,273 containers at Lagos ports

    20 vessels to discharge 10,273 containers at Lagos ports

    Twenty vessels are set to berth at berth at Apapa, Tin Can Island, and Lekki Deep Sea Ports this week.

    According to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Shipping Position sighted at the weekend by The Nation, the vessels are laden with a combined cargo of 10,273 of 20-foot equivalent container units (FCL); 152,017.064 metric tons of bulk and petroleum products and 1,150 units of used vehicles.

    The report reveals APM Terminal Limited, Apapa, as the leading container handling facility, receiving seven container vessels, followed closely by Mediterranean Shipping Company with four vessels berthing a combined 1,420 FCL, while major shipping lines including Maersk, COSCO, CMA CGM, PIL, Hapag-Lloyd, and Lansal share the remaining volume.

    At the weekend, six vessels arrived across multiple terminals. A breakdown of the arrivals indicate that at Tin Can Island Container Terminal (TCIT), the MSC SUN F (IMO 9223904), a 143.11-meter container vessel managed by Mediterranean Shipping Company (Nigeria) Limited, berthed at MRS Oil and Gas Shipping terminal with 190 FCL, while the larger MSC INDIA (IMO 8918069), measuring 277.22 meters, arrived at TICT carrying 480 FCL.

    The MATRIX PRIDE (IMO 9228796), a 176-meter petroleum tanker operated by Tera Shipping Limited, berthed at KLT Phase 3a with 15,000 metric tons of AGO. In Apapa, the ANNA M (IMO 9146613), a 181.50-meter bulk carrier operated by Bluestar Shipping, berthed at Greenview Development at 3:38 PM to load 30,000 metric tons of clinker for export.

    The JIN GUANG LING (IMO 9487079), a 177.50-meter general cargo vessel managed by COSCO Shipping Lines, arrived at Eko Support Services at 3:40 PM with 23,257.064 metric tons of general cargo, while the AQUAMARINE (IMO 9968097), a 272-meter container ship handled by Lansal, berthed at APM Terminal at 3:51 PM with 2,060 FCL.

    Read Also: Lagos ports lead export-focused economy policy of Fed Govt

    Still, the LAKE WANAKA (IMO 9432892), a 182.80-meter vehicle carrier handled by Comet Shipping Agency, to Fivestars Logistics berthed at Tin Can Island with 200 units of used vehicles, while, five more vessels will berth today.

    At Tin Can Island Container Terminal (TICT), the MSC ANYA V (IMO 9297864), a 294.12-meter container ship operated by MSC, is scheduled with 430 FCL, while the SPIL KARTIKA (IMO 9353254), a 268-meter vessel managed by Hapag-Lloyd, is expected at Ports & Cargo Handling Services with 215 FCL.

    In Apapa, the KOTA LOCENG (IMO 9628336), a 266-meter vessel operated by PIL, is scheduled at APM Terminal at 12:31 PM with 498 FCL, followed by the STAMATIS B (IMO 9280811), a 261-meter container ship managed by Lansal, at 3:54 PM carrying 2,060 FCL.

    At Lekki Deep Sea Port, the SPRING C (IMO 9308027), a 238.86-meter vessel operated by CMA CGM DELMAS, is expected at 3:15 PM with 480 FCL.

    The report further indicated that for the rest of the week, vessels berthing with full cargo will include the COOPER ISLAND (IMO 9668910), a 190-meter bulk carrier operated by Bluestar Shipping, is scheduled at Greenview Development at 12:24 PM with 50,560 metric tons of gypsum, while the MAERSK CASABLANCA (IMO 9525467), a 249.12-meter container vessel handled by Maersk Nigeria, is expected at APM Terminal at 3:54 PM carrying 1,078 FCL. At Lekki, the CMA CGM ZEPHYR (IMO 9882487), a 366-meter vessel, is scheduled at 3:18 PM with 980 FCL.

    On Thursday, four vessels scheduled are scheduled for Apapa, that is, the ILONA (IMO 9225641), a 299.98-meter container ship operated by COSCO, is expected at APM Terminal at 3:44 PM with 982 FCL. The SL AREMU (IMO 9293947), a 176-meter petroleum tanker managed by Integrated Shipping Services, is scheduled at New Oil Jetty at 3:53 PM carrying 15,000 metric tons of aviation kerosene. The FEDERAL TIBER (IMO 9644483), a 190-meter bulk carrier operated by Samcham, is due at Apapa Bulk Terminals at 3:55 PM with 35,000 metric tons of fertilizer.

    At Tin Can Island, the GRANDE NIGERIA (IMO 9246580), a 214-meter RoRo vessel operated by Grimaldi Agency, is expected at Ports & Terminal Multiservices with 400 units of used vehicles and containers.

    The schedule will be rounded off with the GREEN COSTA RICA (IMO 8912120), a 131.25-meter refrigerated cargo vessel handled by APS, expected at Greenview Development in Apapa at 3:47 PM carrying 5,250 metric tons of frozen fish.

    Stakeholders are ecstatic that the increasing volume of cargo berthing at the country’s seaports is a reflection of the confidence now reposed in the sector. Besides,, they argued that it is a reflection of the present administration’s commitment to its economic reforms, which they claim is already bearing positive fruits.

  • JMG completes upgrade in Kano

    JMG completes upgrade in Kano

    Electromechanical solutions provider JMG Limited has successfully delivered an engineering upgrade for Quick Buy Supermarket in Kano.

    This marks the completion of a fully integrated solution that combined power generation, Heated Ventilation Air Conditioning (HVAC), and electrical infrastructure into one coordinated project.

    This installation reinforces JMG’s position as one of the leading generator companies in Nigeria, a top HVAC company in Nigeria, and a trusted electrical engineering provider, capable of executing complex, multi-division projects under a single umbrella.

    The Quick Buy Supermarket required a partner with the technical capacity to manage power reliability challenges, cooling demands, and electrical safety concerns simultaneously.

    Instead of engaging multiple contractors, the Supermarket chose JMG for its ability to deliver a turnkey, end-to-end solution that assured continuity, efficiency, and long-term operational stability.

    The company in a statement, over the weekend, explained that at the core of the upgrade was the installation by JMG POWER of a fully synchronized power generation system consisting of two FG Wilson 550kVA generators and one FG Wilson P330kVA unit integrated with the grid.

    This configuration now provides uninterrupted, stable energy for the Supermarket’s 24/7 operations, supporting lighting, cooling, point-of-sale systems, and essential equipment.

    Complementing the power infrastructure, JMG CLIMA, JMG’s Climate Solution division, delivered a comprehensive HVAC solution designed for performance, reliability, and indoor comfort across the entire supermarket.

    Read Also:JMG recommits to power innovations

    The installation, the statement noted, includes Trane rooftop units for large-area cooling, combined with ducted systems, VRF technology, standing units, cassette units, and 14 inverter split air conditioning units to provide flexible and energy-efficient cooling for specific zones and operational areas.

    The HVAC system also incorporates extractor-integrated ducting and zoning controls to ensure efficient airflow and consistent temperature distribution throughout the facility.

    This project highlights JMG’s capability as a full-service HVAC company in Nigeria serving commercial and retail environments.

    JMG’s electrical division, JMG ELECTRA, finalized the project with a new electrical installation built to enhance safety, load stability and long-term performance.

    The electrical backbone now supports the entire power and cooling system with improved reliability, reduced fluctuations, and a stronger supply architecture designed to meet future growth.

    Branch Manager at JMG Kano, Nader Allam, said: “Quick Buy’s project highlights what makes JMG unique, the ability to combine solutions, here as power, cooling and electrical expertise into one complete, coordinated solution.

    “It is a true turnkey installation that strengthens reliability and prepares the supermarket for long-term growth.”

    Allam said with all systems now fully deployed, Quick Buy Supermarket benefits from round-the-clock operational continuity, more efficient cooling, enhanced indoor comfort, and a safer electrical network all delivered by one trusted partner.

    The project stands as a strong example of how JMG integrates multiple engineering disciplines to meet the complex needs of commercial and industrial clients across Nigeria.

    JMG continues to expand its portfolio of large-scale, multi-division projects, strengthening its position as Nigeria’s trusted provider for diesel or gas generators, HVAC systems, solar power, air compressors, electrical and elevators and escalators.

    This multi-technology capability demonstrates JMG’s unique ability to deliver complete, end-to-end solutions from a single source for commercial and industrial clients nationwide.

  • Cashew association suspends revenue collection

    Cashew association suspends revenue collection

    The National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) has suspended all forms of revenue collection in its name with immediate effect, pending institutional reforms and the harmonisation of its governance structures.

    The resolution was part of key decisions unanimously adopted at the NCAN Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Stakeholders’ Forum held in Abuja.

    In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the association also condemned what it described as increasing foreign encroachment across Nigeria’s cashew value chain, warning that such practices undermine local farmers, processors, exporters and the country’s economic interests.

    In a communiqué  signed by the NCAN Secretariat, with Mr. Olarotimi Ayeka listed as Secretary and Mr. Ademola Bamidele Adesokan as President, NCAN rejected calls for a ban on cashew nut exports, stressing that it would instead engage government authorities to promote value addition, improved seeding, respect for contract agreements by foreign buyers, and stronger support for cashew farmers.

    Read Also: NCAN: we’re Nigeria’s apex cashew body

    On policy direction, the AGM expressly opposed any proposal for an outright ban on the export of Raw Cashew Nuts (RCN), noting that such a move could disrupt livelihoods.

    The association said any policy intervention must strike a balance between value addition, farmer welfare, export competitiveness and national interest.

    In a major leadership shake-up, the AGM dissolved the Ojo Ajanaku–led administration, citing loss of confidence and legitimacy.

    Members and stakeholders present at the meeting endorsed and ratified Mr. Ademola Bamidele Adesokan as the new President of NCAN. The association said an official gazetted communiqué reflecting the leadership transition would be issued before the end of the week.

    The AGM further resolved to undertake a comprehensive review and amendment of the NCAN constitution to reflect current industry realities.

    The planned amendments include provisions to ensure that only bona fide cashew stakeholders can become president, prevent any president from exceeding constitutionally defined tenure, and establish a clear, transparent and enforceable leadership succession framework.

    As part of its immediate directives, NCAN ordered all revenue agents and representatives nationwide to cease revenue collection activities on behalf of the association.

    It warned that any individual or group that defies the directive would be reported and treated as acting illegally.

    The communiqué also disclosed that all state police commands have been formally notified of the resolutions through the Office of the Inspector-General of Police.