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$60m Buyout: Shareholders Want Forensic Audit of 7up

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By Dipo Olowookere

Both the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) have been urged to urgently to conduct a forensic audit of Nigeria’s 7Up Bottling Company.

This plea was made by Nigerian shareholders in the firm and it followed the planned buyout by Affelka, its parent company of 7Up.

This development is also coming at a time one of the leading indigenous oil firm in Nigeria, Oando Plc is facing a similar crisis, though the firm is preventing the regulator from conducting a forensic audit of its affair.

This issue allegedly led to the suspension of the regulatory chief, Mr Mounir Gwarzo, by the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun.

The shareholders want the capital market regulators to unravel circumstances surrounding the deal, which they believe is not totally clean.

Speaking with Daily Sun on telephone, the shareholders argued that they were unconvinced that the recent takeover notification of the company was not fraudulent scheme as there was no reason to suggest the firm was doing badly in its sector.

Recall that Affelka, majority shareholder of Seven-Up Bottling Company, had last week offered to pay $60 million (N19.33 billion) to buy out minority shareholders in Nigerian operation. According to the proposal, the buyout is aimed at restructuring the struggling company.

Affelka is the privately held investment firm owned by Lebanese El-Khalil family and it is offering to pay N112.70 per share for the minority stake of 171.5 million shares. This is an 18 percent premium to last Thursday’s share price of N95.50k.

“As of now, we have received an offer from the majority shareholder of the company. It’s a financial restructuring,” said Sunil Sawhney, Vice Chairman of 7Up Bottling Company.

He said the company has been making losses for some time and that the deal was aimed at restructuring the bottler, which distributes PepsiCo’s 7Up, Pepsi and Mirinda-branded drinks.

But minority shareholders in Nigeria rejected Sawhney’s explanation, pointing out that they seriously smelled a rat, and argued that the notification was out to short-change local investors.

According to Mr Gbadebo Olatokunbo, a shareholder activist, the 57 years old company is making good sales and profit with very good price at the NSE with the good result and return on investment in 2014.

“But suddenly, by the first half of 2015, something known only to its few foreign team within the company happened and the company started reporting losses.

“The drift continued and the same powers behind the scenes are now ready to buyout local investors at their price,” Mr Olatokunbo wondered.

He asked, “Why the renewed interest of the majority shareholders in a suddenly sick company? Why are they now interested in the takeover when the company wasn’t growing? How are we sure they weren’t the brains behind the unexpected bad results?”

Mr Olatokunbo stated that, “We are of very strong view that the proposed injection of $60 million is part of our profit on investments in 7Up, which was denied us and now about to be presented as a bailout-fund for a very solid 7Up Company, which we view with serious suspicion. It is a slap on our collective business senses and we hereby ask for a forensic audit of our company, 7Up, from 2014.”

In his own reaction, President of Nigeria Shareholders Solidarity Association (NSSA), Mr Timothy Adesiyan, said the news of the buyout offer was very disheartening.

“We thank God for the life of the former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, who made it possible for Nigerians to be part owners of these multinationals because it was during his tenure that a law was made, which made it possible for Nigerian shareholders to be part owners of these companies.

“But what is happening now is very disheartening because the gimmick is to shut out the local investors.

“The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) are not helping matters because most of the people there now don’t know what it took the former president to make Nigerians part owners of these multinationals,” he lamented.

He appealed to the Federal Government to look into the matter to stop foreigners from short-changing local investors because they are making money here.

For his part, Mr Boniface Okezie, National Coordinator, Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PSAN), blamed SEC and NSE for this issue.

According to him, “we saw it coming. Since SEC and NSE approved the delisting of NBC, we knew that others will follow suit. What are they restructuring?”

He explained that all boils down to short-changing local shareholders, adding that they are just after the buyout to delist from NSE and then, escape from corporate governance code because they are no longer listed.

Mr Okezie, however, urged the capital market regulators to subject 7Up to rigorous test to confirm some of its claims and also not to renege on its regulatory role of protecting minority shareholders.

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

NGX RegCo Cautions Investors on Recent Price Movements

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NGX RegCo

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

The investing public has been advised to exercise due diligence before trading stocks on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited.

This caution was given by the NGX Regulation Limited (NGX RegCo), the independent regulatory arm of the NGX Group Plc.

The advisory became necessary in response to notable price movements observed in the shares of certain listed companies over recent trading sessions.

On Monday, the bourse suspended trading in the shares of newly-listed Zichis Agro-allied Industries Plc. The company’s stocks gained almost 900 per cent within a month of its listing on Customs Street.

In a statement today, NGX RegCo urged investors to avoid speculative trading based on unverified information and to consult licensed intermediaries such as stockbrokers or investment advisers when needed.

It explained that its advisory is part of its standard market surveillance functions, as it serves as a measured reminder for investors to prioritise informed and disciplined decision-making.

The notice emphasised that the Exchange will continue to monitor market activities closely in line with its mandate to ensure a fair, orderly, and transparent market.

“NGX RegCo encourages all investors to base their decisions on publicly available information, including a thorough assessment of company fundamentals, financial performance, and risk profile,” a part of the disclosure said.

It reassured all stakeholders that the NGX remains stable, well-regulated, and resilient, saying the platform continues to foster an environment where investors can participate with confidence, supported by robust oversight and transparent market operations.

“Our primary responsibility is to maintain a level playing field where market participants can trade with confidence, backed by timely and accurate information.

“This advisory is a routine communication, reinforcing that sound fundamentals, not speculation, remain the foundation for sustainable investment outcomes. We are fully committed to preserving the integrity and stability of our market,” the chief executive of NGX RegCo, Mr Olufemi Shobanjo, stated.

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Economy

Stronger Taxpayer Confidence, Others Should Determine Tax Reform Success—Tegbe

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four tax reform bills

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The chairman of the National Tax Policy Implementation Committee (NTPIC), Mr Joseph Tegbe, has tasked the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) to measure the success of the new tax laws by higher voluntary compliance rates, lower administrative costs, fewer disputes, faster resolution cycles, and stronger taxpayer confidence.

Speaking at the 2026 Leadership Retreat of the agency, Mr Tegbe said, “Sustainable revenue performance is built on trust and efficiency, not enforcement intensity,” emphasising that the legitimacy and predictability of the system are more critical than punitive measures.

He underscored that the country’s tax reform journey is at a critical juncture where effective implementation will determine long-term fiscal outcomes.

The NTPIC chief stressed that tax policy must serve as an enabler of governance, and should embody simplicity, equity, predictability, and administrability at scale.

These principles, he explained, foster voluntary compliance, reduce operational friction, and strengthen investor confidence. He warned that ad-hoc adjustments or policy drift could undermine reform momentum, unsettle businesses, and deter investment, which thrives on predictable rules rather than shifting announcements. Structured sequencing, clear transition mechanisms, and continuous feedback between policymakers and administrators are therefore critical to sustaining reform credibility.

Mr Tegbe further argued that revenue reform cannot succeed in isolation. Achieving sustainable gains requires a whole-of-government approach, leveraging robust taxpayer identification systems, integrated financial data, efficient dispute resolution, and harmonised coordination across federal and sub-national levels. This approach, he said, reduces leakages, eliminates multiple taxation, and reinforces confidence in the system.

He noted that the passage of four new tax laws marks only the beginning of a broader reform agenda, describing the initiative as a systemic recalibration of Nigeria’s fiscal architecture, rather than a routine policy update.

He further asserted that the true measure of success will be the credibility of implementation, not the design of the laws themselves.

The NRS, he noted, functions as the nation’s “Revenue System Integrator,” with outcomes reflecting the strength of an interconnected ecosystem that encompasses policy clarity, enforcement consistency, digital infrastructure, dispute resolution efficiency, and intergovernmental coordination.

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Economy

NUPENG Seeks Clarity on New Oil, Gas Executive Order

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NUPENG

By Adedapo Adesanya

The National Union of Natural and Gas Workers (NUPENG) has expressed deep concern over the Executive Order by President Bola Tinubu mandating the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to remit directly to the federation account.

In a statement signed by its president, Mr William Akporeha, over the weekend in Lagos, the union noted that the absence of detailed public engagement had naturally generated tension within the sector and heightened restiveness among workers, who are anxious to know how the new directive may affect their employment, welfare and job security, especially as it affects NNPC and other major operations in the oil and gas sector.

It pointed out that the industry remained the backbone of Nigeria’s economy, contributing significantly to national revenue, foreign exchange earnings, and employment.

The NUPENG president affirmed that any policy shift, particularly one introduced through an Executive Order, has far-reaching consequences for regulatory frameworks, Investment decisions, operational standards, and labour relations within the sector.

According to him, “there is an urgent need for clarity on the scope and objectives of the Executive Order -What precise reforms or adjustments does it introduce? “Its implications for the Petroleum Industry Act -Does the Order amend, interpret, or expand existing provisions under PIA?

“Impact on workers and existing labour agreements-Will it affect job security, conditions of service, Collective Bargaining agreements or ongoing restructuring processes within the industry? “Effects on indigenous participation and local content development -How will it affect Nigerian companies and employment opportunities for citizens?”

He warned that without proper consultation and explanation, misinterpretations of the Executive Order may spread across the industry, potentially destabilising operations and undermining industrial harmony that stakeholders have worked hard to sustain.

“Though our union remains committed to constructive engagement, national development and stability of the oil and gas sector, however, we are duty-bound and constitutionally bound to protect the rights and welfare and job security of our members whose livelihoods depend on a clear, fair and predictable policy framework,” Mr Akporeha further stated.

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