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Old Mutual Seals $700m Investment Deals In Nigeria

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The dwindling Nigerian economy is expected to receive a huge boost with the pumping of about $700 million into it.

It is no longer a secret that the economy is struggling and businesses in Nigeria finding it very hard to survive, including citizens.

An Anglo-South African financial services firm called Old Mutual has declared its intention to invest in the real estate and agriculture sectors in Nigeria.

On Friday, the company signed agreements with Nigeria’s sovereign wealth fund to inject a huge amount of money into the two sectors, one of which the government is paying attention to as another major source of revenue for Nigeria.

It was learnt that Old Mutual and Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) would jointly raise a $500 million fund to invest in real estate and another $200 million to spend on agriculture projects in the country.

Business Post gathered that each of the two parties is expected to put down $100 million as initial commitment for the real estate fund and $50 million for the agriculture fund.

The other amounts would later be made available as the initial funds yield the expected results.

Both parties hope these interventions would boost the sectors and improve the economy of Nigeria, which is undergoing crisis at the moment.

“We are looking at office towers, commercial real estate; we are investing equity in agriculture. We are looking at farming with emphasis on export,” the Chief Executive Officer of NSIA, Uche Orji, said on Friday after sealing the deals.

Also speaking at the occasion, Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, said the Federal Government was doing everything possible within its power to revamp the economy.

She noted that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government was committed to the growth of different sectors of the Nigerian economy.

Mrs Adeosun also pointed out that the government was aware of the problems facing the country, especially in the areas of poor infrastructure and access to capital.

She said because of these problems, the Federal Government was making efforts to diversify its revenue base and focus on other neglected sectors.

“The most important thing is infrastructure. The problem is that it is cheaper to move goods from China to Lagos, than move it from Kano to Lagos and that’s because we don’t have the infrastructure,” Mrs Adeosun observed.

The Chief Investment Officer of Old Mutual, Hywel George, while also speaking at the event, disclosed that the new funds, which will stay invested for up to 12-years, will target returns of around 20 percent.

George explained that a successful real estate investment in Nigeria can earn a return as high as 30-35 percent, while rental income yields in cities such as Lagos and Abuja can easily reach 10 percent.

In 2011, the Nigerian government established the NSIA with $1 billion of seed capital in an effort to manage oil export revenues.

The real estate sector in Nigeria has remained untapped. The country has for a long time relied heavily on the oil sector.

Since 2015, the price of crude oil in the international market has dropped, which has badly affected the Nigerian economy because it is her only source of revenue.

The Buhari administration, since coming into power in May 2015, has intensified efforts to look into other sectors, including agriculture, which used to be the country’s major source of income before oil was discovered.

Dipo Olowookere is a journalist based in Nigeria that has passion for reporting business news stories. At his leisure time, he watches football and supports 3SC of Ibadan. Mr Olowookere can be reached via [email protected]

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Economy

SEC Postpones Q2 2026 Pre-registration Training, Examination for CMOs

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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.

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Economy

Fidson Lists Additional 600 million Shares on Stock Exchange

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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.”

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Economy

FG Approves Payments to 1,240 Contractors to Ease Liquidity Pressure

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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.

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