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NEPZA Grants Licence for $2.5b Maritime Africa Economic City

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By Dipo Olowookere

The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) has granted a licence to Nigeria’s largest Free Trade Zone and Mega Port project – the Maritime Africa Economic City otherwise known as the Badagry Free Zone.

NEPZA is responsible for the facilitation of investment into Free Zones in the country.The Maritime Africa Economic City, which is being developed by a consortium of top local and international companies, is part of the moves Nigeria hopes to use to retain its regional hub status for maritime and other business investment activities.

Managing Director of NEPZA, Mr Gbenga Kuye, officially handed over the licence to the Project Director of the Zone, Patrick Bird, in Abuja.

Speaking on the development, Bird said: “Today marks a tremendous milestone in the development of the Badagry project. With NEPZA, we intend to develop Maritime Africa Economic City into one of the most successful special economic zones in all of Africa.

“The benefits of having this approval are enormous for our clients and despite the current downturn in the economy; we are still fielding a lot of interests from domestic and foreign companies wanting to set up in Badagry.

“We thank NEPZA for their continued support. This is going to be a great partnership to the benefit of Nigeria,” he said.

Bird highlighted some of the benefits of the new Free Trade Zone to include various tax advantages, 100 per cent repatriation of profits and dividends, immigration incentives, round the clock operations, and fast-track cargo clearance procedures.

The $2.5 billion Maritime Africa Economic City will be developed on a 1,100 hectare of land with over six kilometres of quay wall, including a container terminal, roll-on-roll-off (RORO) terminal, general cargo terminals, oil service centre and refined products import terminals.

It will also include a power plant, oil refinery, industrial park, warehousing and inland container depot functions as well.

The Zone is connected to Lagos by the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, which is currently being upgraded and expanded by the Lagos State Government as well as the Porto Novo Creek, allowing for the barging of cargo between the existing port system of Lagos and the new facility.

A rail line will also be developed in the future to connect the new Free Trade Zone for even more seamless transit of goods.

Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, had recently described the Badagry Free Zone and Mega Port project as a major turning point that would go a long way to bring about global growth to Nigerian waters and by extension the nation’s economy.

Mr Ambode said the project would also complement the emergence of Lagos as the fifth largest economy in Africa.The Federal Government approved the construction of the proposed Mega Port and Free Zone at the Federal Executive Council meeting of August 3, 2016.

Also, speaking in support of the project, Minister of Transport, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, said the project will boost Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the country.

The Minister of Information, Mr Lai Mohammed, said the approval showed that Nigeria is still a preferred investment destination in Africa despite the challenges it currently faced.

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, while thanking President Muhammadu Buhari for granting the approval, said: “There are bigger vessels now being built across the world that require larger depths and drafts to berth.

“Now some of our competitors on the continent like Djibouti are building bigger ports, so if we don’t build this port, we risk becoming uncompetitive and we risk a threat to our maritime hub status in the sense that we may become a transhipment port instead of a port of original destination.”

http://guardian.ng/business-services/nepza-grants-licence-for-2-5b-maritime-africa-economic-city/

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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EvaluatePR to Explore ‘PR After the Algorithm: Trust, Truth & Intelligence in 2026’

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EVALUATE PR

P+ Measurement Services, Nigeria’s leading independent media intelligence and PR measurement agency, will host the 31st edition of its flagship thought-leadership platform, EvaluatePR, on Friday, March 27, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. (WAT).

Themed PR After the Algorithm: Trust, Truth & Intelligence in 2026, this virtual session will convene professionals across public relations, communications, and media measurement to explore how algorithms, artificial intelligence, and digital ecosystems are reshaping reputation management, media influence, and audience trust.

With the increasing role of automation in communications, the event will challenge professionals to rethink how credibility is built and sustained in a fast-evolving digital landscape, while emphasising the need for transparency, ethical measurement, and strategic intelligence.

The session will feature a distinguished lineup of speakers representing diverse expertise across global communications, media intelligence, and analytics: Felicia Nugroho – Director, Analytics & Insights, Maverick Indonesia / Chair, Asia Pacific & International Board Director, AMEC; Cyrille Djami – Founder & Publisher, CommsOfAfrica; Strategic Communications, Editorial and Influence Consultant; Amrita Sidhu – Managing Director, Medianet / Director & Board Representative, AsiaNet / Board Member, AMEC; and Satira Osemudiamen Oreweme – Principal Consultant, Satira Media & Public Relations Limited.

Together, they will lead insightful discussions on how communicators can navigate the intersection of technology and trust, maintain authenticity in automated environments, and leverage data-driven intelligence to deliver meaningful communication outcomes.

Participation in the session is free, with access available via the official registration link: https://bit.ly/4stWjUh

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Indigo Wins Another SABRE Africa Award

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Integrated Indigo Limited SABRE Africa Award

Integrated Indigo Limited, one of Nigeria’s leading full-service marketing communications consultancy firms, has once again proved its mettle as an agency to reckon with, not only in Nigeria but also across the continent, by winning another award at the 2026 Superior Achievement in Branding, Reputation & Engagement (SABRE) Awards recently held in South Africa.

Indigo won in the Industrial/Manufacturing category for its impactful ‘Women on Wheels’ campaign executed for Lafarge Africa Plc. The award-winning ‘Women on Wheels’ campaign was designed to challenge gender stereotypes and promote inclusivity within the industrial and manufacturing sector, while amplifying Lafarge Africa’s commitment to empowering women through innovative and purpose-driven initiatives.

Last year, the agency emerged as the winner for its effective communication strategy and execution on the Nigerian Breweries Plc Rights Issue.

Commenting on the win, the Managing Director/CEO, Integrated Indigo Limited, Bolaji Abimbola, explained that the success of the campaign was driven by a shared vision between the agency and Lafarge Africa Plc, noting that the win reflects the agency’s long-standing commitment to delivering impactful and purpose-driven campaigns that go beyond traditional communications.

Abimbola added that such recognitions serve as both validation and motivation for the agency to continue pushing boundaries, challenging norms, and delivering innovative solutions that create real value for clients and society at large.

“We are thrilled to receive this recognition for our ‘Women on Wheels’ campaign. This win is a testament to our consistency and dedication to breaking new ground by relentlessly pushing bold ideas, building impactful collaborations, and fostering strong partnerships. We are proud of the impact this campaign has created and grateful to our clients for trusting us to bring this vision to life,” he said.

Abimbola also commended the Integrated Indigo team for their creativity, passion, and resilience, noting that the award reflects the collective effort of a team committed to excellence and innovation.

“I would like to celebrate our incredible team for their commitment and drive. This achievement belongs to every individual who contributed to making this campaign a success. We remain focused on pushing boundaries, delivering value, and continuing to create meaningful impact for our clients and the communities we serve,” he added.

As it celebrates this milestone, Integrated Indigo reaffirms its commitment to delivering innovative communication solutions, pushing boundaries, and creating campaigns that generate lasting impact.

The 2026 Africa SABRE Awards shortlist includes more than 120 campaigns, selected from over 500 entries in this year’s competition, which recognises Superior Achievement in Branding, Reputation and Engagement. The campaigns were evaluated by a jury of industry leaders. The 2026 Africa SABRE Awards took place on March 17 in South Africa.

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Moniepoint Acquires Orda to Explore Africa’s $50bn Restaurant Economy

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Moniepoint DreamDevs Initiative

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

A leading cloud-based restaurant management platform operating in Nigeria, Orda Africa, has been acquired by the continent\s all-in-one financial ecosystem platform, Moniepoint Incorporated.

The acquisition of Orda comes as Africa’s food service industry experiences unprecedented growth, with the sector valued at $50 billion and Nigeria’s market alone projected to reach $19.31 billion by 2030, growing at 11.73 per cent annually.

With Orda’s restaurant-focused capabilities now part of the Moniepoint ecosystem, the platform is well-positioned to capture this opportunity.

Business Post gathered that Orda will now become part of the Moniebook platform, the all-in-one Point-of-Sale (POS) and business management platform of Moniepoint.

Since launching its business management tools product in 2025, Moniebook has rapidly become the go-to platform for thousands of African businesses seeking integrated financial and operational tools, seamlessly unifying payments and bookkeeping in one platform.

With Orda, restaurant owners can now gain access to this proven ecosystem that creates unprecedented opportunities to scale operations, optimise performance, and access credit, as well as the extensive reach of Moniepoint, which has powered growth for millions of African businesses.

“The food industry isn’t just about feeding people; it’s a major source of jobs and daily survival for many Africans. It highlights how vital the informal sector is, not just for the economy, but for everyday life across the continent,” the chief executive of Moniepoint, Mr Tosin Eniolorunda, said.

Data has shown us that Africa’s restaurant sector is one of the continent’s most dynamic economic engines, yet the majority of food businesses still operate with manual processes and fragmented tools.

“By bringing Orda into Moniepoint, we are giving restaurant owners what they deserve: one simple platform that handles everything from managing their kitchen to growing their business.

“Our goal remains to create financial happiness for Africans, giving them the tools to reach their full potential, and that’s exactly what we’ve built here,” he added.

Also commenting, the chief executive of Orda, Mr Guy Futi, said, “Orda has found the perfect home in Moniepoint. We have spent years building deep expertise in restaurant operations, but we have always known that to truly transform the industry, we needed to connect that expertise with comprehensive financial infrastructure.

“That’s exactly what this integration delivers. For our customers, we are assuring a smooth transition with no disruption to the platform and retained access to the support you are used to. What changes is your access to opportunities. Over the coming weeks, being part of Moniepoint means you’ll have more tools, more reach, and more ways to grow your business than ever before.”

Moniepoint was established in 2015 by Mr Eniolorunda and Mr Felix Ike. The firm has considerably expanded its offerings to include digital payments, business and personal banking, credit, cross-border payments, and business management tools, with a customer base exceeding 20 million active businesses and personal banking customers and processes over $250 billion in digital payment transaction value annually.

On its part, Orda was formed in 2020 to give Africa’s small and independent restaurants the tools they need to run more efficiently, providing a purpose-built software to businesses that had long operated without it.

Combining their respective strengths, Moniepoint and Orda are expected to deliver a purpose-built solution that empowers food businesses at every scale to manage orders, track inventory, pay suppliers, and access working capital, all in one seamless experience.

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