Economy
Nigeria Ready to Grow African Trade via Standardisation—SON DG
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Director General of Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mr Osita Aboloma, has expressed Nigeria’s willingness to continue to play its required role in ensuring the vibrancy of the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO).
ARSO is an organisation set up to promote development within the continent, through improved intra-African trade as well trading with the rest of the world.
Mr Aboloma, while speaking at the ongoing ARSO 56th Council Meeting taking place at Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, stated that Nigeria was also committed to the economic and social emancipation of Africa using the instrument of standardization as is being done in other continents of the world.
He noted the exemplary contributions of the founding fathers of ARSO of which Nigeria was one, for their vision in sharing and accepting common thoughts on the best ways to stimulate Africa’s development and competitiveness using the strong tool of standardization.
According to him, ARSO is playing a key role in the emancipation of the African Continent through facilitating the harmonization of National and regional standards and conformity assessment processes.
“I wish to add my voice to the need to sustain the existence and effectiveness of ARSO through our collective and selfless contributions” he said.
The SON DG reiterated that Nigeria will continue to support the effectiveness of organisation’s activities in promoting trade, particularly within Africa while also ensuring the competitiveness of its products in the international market place.
Speaking earlier, the President of ARSO who is also the Chief Executive of the Zimbabwe Bureau of Standards, Madame Eve Gadzikwa commended the Government and people of Burkina Faso for hosting the 56th Council meeting and 23rd General Assembly of the Continental standardization body.
The ARSO President stated the theme of the 2017 General Assembly as ‘Celebrating 2017 as the Year of Quality Infrastructure in Africa’ ‘Role of standardization for Better quality and Better life within a continental free trade Area.’
She disclosed that the ARSO five year strategic plan 2017-2022 seeks to build on new strategies to address the challenges of Quality Infrastructure in Africa, under the four goals, namely: to develop high-quality standards and related deliverables through ARSO members; to ensure that African standards are adopted and applied as national and sub-regional standards within the continent; to ensure that ARSO structures and operations are sustainable; and to ensure that Stakeholders are effectively engaged across the entire ARSO standardization community.
Madame Gadzikwa emphasized that the African Union (AU) and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) have variously expressed the need to reduce the Technical Barriers to trade among African Nations.
According to her, the two bodies have undertaken to emphasize on the responsibilities of the African countries, on the impact of standardization, in the expansion of global trade, regional integration as well as multilateral and bilateral free trade agreements.
They then called on the Continental Free Trade Area members to appreciate and recognize the important role of standards, metrology, conformity assessment and accreditation, urging them to harmonize their practices in these area to achieve mutual product recognition.
Also speaking at the occasion, the ARSO Secretary General, Dr. Hermogene Nsegimana enumerated the key programmes and activities of ARSO under the 2017-2022 as including; Technical Harmonisation Committee Meetings; the ARSO Conformity Assessment Programme (ARSO CACO); ARSO Documentation and Information Networks (ARSO DISNET); ARSO Consumer Committee (ARSO COCO); celebration of the African Day of Standardisation and National/continental Essay Competitions and ARSO Capacity Building and Training.
He commended the collaboration and support ARSO has been receiving from its member Nations and development partners towards the achievement of its set targets, promising to continue to promote openness and transparency in the activities of the secretariat.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The pre-registration training and examination for capital market operators (CMOs) for the second quarter of 2026 has been postponed.
Business Post gathered that the new date for the exercise is now Monday, June 15, 2026.
This information was disclosed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) through a circular on Monday, June 8, 2026.
The Nigerian capital market regulator stated that this postponement has also resulted in the extension of the deadline for registration to Friday, June 12, 2026.
In the notice today, the SEC expressed its regret for the inconvenience this action may cause operators, who had prepared for the initial date of the training and examination.
“Further to the recent circular on Q2 2026 Pre-registration Training and Examination, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) hereby informs all eligible applicants for the Q2 2026 Pre-registration Training and Examination that the commencement date has been postponed to Monday, June 15, 2026.
“Registration on the designated portal has also been extended to Friday, June 12, 2026. All other conditions contained in the circular remain unchanged.
“The commission regrets any inconvenience this postponement may cause and appreciates the understanding of all applicants,” the disclosure noted.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
One of the leading healthcare firms in Nigeria, Fidson Healthcare Plc, has listed additional shares on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited.
The new stocks absorbed into the stock market were 600 million units, raising the total issued and fully paid-up shares of Fidson to 3,000,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each from 2,400,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each.
The fresh equities came from the company’s rights issue of 600,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each at N35.00 per share.
They were issued to existing investors on the basis of one new ordinary share for every existing four ordinary shares held as of the close of business on Wednesday, November 12, 2025.
Confirming the development, the regulator in a notice said, “Trading licence holders are hereby notified that an additional 600,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each of Fidson Healthcare Plc were on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, listed on the daily official list of Nigerian Exchange Limited.
“The additional shares arose from the company’s rights issue of 600,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each at N35.00 per share on the basis of one new ordinary share for every existing four ordinary shares held as at the close of business on Wednesday, November 12, 2025.
“With the listing of the additional 600,000,000 ordinary shares, the total issued and fully paid-up shares of Fidson Healthcare Plc have now increased from 2,400,000,000 to 3,000,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
This news will surely excite local contractors with verified claims of N100 million or less, as the federal government has approved their payments.
This approval for the disbursement was given by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele.
This followed a verification and reconciliation exercise designed to ensure only validated claims qualify for payment.
The beneficiaries cover contractors across multiple ministries, departments and agencies. The release of the funds is expected to enable contractors to return to project sites, pay workers, settle suppliers and meet outstanding financial commitments.
In an announcement on Monday, the Federal Ministry of Finance also said this latest batch of payments would ease liquidity pressure on small businesses and accelerate economic activity nationwide.
It was noted that the payments for verified claims of N100 million below were strategically done to spread economic impact broadly rather than concentrate disbursements among a handful of large firms.
The payments form part of a broader push to clear inherited contractor obligations, with over N700 billion verified in recent months.
“For many beneficiaries, the release of funds represents more than a financial transaction. It provides the certainty needed to sustain operations, preserve jobs, complete ongoing projects, and contribute to economic recovery and growth,” the ministry said in a statement.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism10 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking8 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn