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Alta Semper Quits Egypt’s Macro Group Pharmaceuticals

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Alta Semper Capital

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

After the successful competition of its initial public offering (IPO), Alta Semper Capital has exited Macro Group Pharmaceuticals, a leading cosmeceuticals manufacturer in Egypt.

Since Macro Group became a portfolio holding of Alta Semper in 2017, the latter has supported the former in nearly doubling its market share.

Today, its diversified portfolio encompasses 112 products across a variety of high-growth therapeutic areas, with Alta Semper boosting Macro’s top line to $27 million by the end of 9 months of 2021, three times its 2017 revenues, while ensuring profitability and increasing its EBITDA and bottom-line to $11 million and $10 million respectively during the same period, nearly 3x its 2017 levels.

It was learned that shares of Macro Group began trading on February 10, 2022, in a Reg S, 144 A initial public offering under the symbol MCRO:CA on the Egyptian Exchange and the final offer price stood at EGP 4.85 per ordinary share or 2.8 bn EGP (equivalent to $178 million).

The co-founder and CEO of Alta Semper, Afsane Jetha, while commenting on the development, stated that, “We are proud of our successful journey with Macro Pharmaceuticals and its tremendous growth on the financial, operational, organizational and social impact level during the tenor of our partnership.

“It has been a pleasure working alongside such a skilled and motivated management team as they established a leadership position in Egypt’s burgeoning cosmeceutical space, and we congratulate them on their continued success.”

On his part, the Managing Director and Head of North Africa for Alta Semper, Mr Ahmed Rady, who also serves as Vice Chairman of Macro Group, disclosed that, “Since our investment in 2017, we have worked alongside Macro’s relentless management team to supercharge sustainable growth, expand operating margins, and lay the foundations for a more impressive future.

“We have successfully grown gross profit margin from 63% in 2018 to 80% in 9M 2021, grown EBITDA margin from 21% in 2018 to 41% in 9M 2021, and have achieved an impressive EBITDA CAGR of 89% over the period of 2018 to 2020. In an industry that is witnessing transformational growth, we believe Macro Group will continue to shape what is a thriving and rapidly expanding market.”

Alta Semper’s shareholder base has played a strategic role in improving Macro Group’s financial capabilities, as well as its sustainability and governance practices.

The firm’s investors include institutions such as the International Finance Corporation, the investment arm of the World Bank, IDI Emerging Markets, and Mbuyu Capital Partners, in addition to expert individuals such as former Citigroup Chairman Richard Parsons and businessman and philanthropist Ronald Lauder, heir to the Estée Lauder cosmetics company.

“It is gratifying to see this positive investment outcome for a company dedicated to improving quality of life for millions of Egyptians,” said Richard Parsons, Founding Shareholder and Chairman of the Investment Committee of Alta Semper. “We have a longstanding commitment to investing on the African continent for positive change. The success of Macro Group is emblematic of the type of outcome we seek.”

Ronald Lauder, a Founding Shareholder of Alta Semper, added that “Our mission as investors is to advance entrepreneurial activity across Africa in a manner that serves as a catalyst for sustainable development and broadly improves the quality of life on the continent.”

Macro Chairman and Co-founder, Dr. Ahmed El Nayeb, concluded “I am extremely proud of the organization we have built over the last 18 years, from its humble beginnings to becoming the market leader in Egypt’s cosmeceutical space and the first of its kind to go public in Egypt. The IPO marks yet another significant milestone for our business and we will continue to deliver on our vision of regional leadership within the cosmeceuticals and nutraceuticals space.”

Alta Semper has overseen Macro Group’s Environmental, Social and Governance enhancements, which has resulted in increased female workforce representation with women comprising 42% of total staffing and occupying 18% of senior management positions.

Community outreach through Medical Convoys in collaboration with the Egyptian Ministry of Health has directly benefitted over 8,000 patients since 2017. With an eye on Sustainable Development Goals, the Company has been able to deploy training programs outside of the urban centre of Cairo, across more rural areas in Upper Egypt and the Delta.

In tandem, Environmental practices have been improved through energy efficiency initiatives, waste minimization and switching to raw materials with a lower environmental impact. Macro remains committed to enhancing its ESG practices as well as striving to contribute to the enhanced achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in the years to come.

Learn more at www.altasemper.com.

Aduragbemi Omiyale is a journalist with Business Post Nigeria, who has passion for news writing. In her leisure time, she loves to read.

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Economy

Petrol Supply up 55.4% as Daily Consumption Reaches 52.1 million Litres

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sufficient supply petrol

By Adedapo Adesanya

The supply of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, increased by 55.4 per cent on a month-on-month basis to 71.5 million litres per day in November 2025 from 46 million litres per day in October.

This was contained in the November 2025 fact sheet of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) on Monday.

The data showed that the nation’s consumption also increased by 44.5 per cent or 37.4 million litres to 52.1 million litres per day in November 2025, against 28.9 million litres in October.

The significant increase in petrol supply last month was on account of the imports by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited into the Nigerian market from both the domestic and the international market.

Domestic refineries supplied in the period stood at 17.1 million litres per day, while the average daily consumption of PMS for the month was 52.9 million litres per day.

The NMDPRA noted that no production activities were recorded in all the state-owned refineries, which included Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries, in the period, as the refineries remained shut down.

According to the report, the imports were aimed at building inventory and further guaranteeing supply during the peak demand period.

Other reasons for the increase, according to the NMDPRA, were due to “low supply recorded in September and October 2025, below the national demand threshold; the need for boosting national stock level to meet the peak demand period of end of year festivities, and twelve vessels programmed to discharge into October, which spilled into November.”

On gas, the average daily gas supply climbed to 4.684 billion standard cubic feet per day in November 2025, from the 3.94 bscf/d average processing level recorded in October.

The Nigeria LNG Trains 1-6 also maintained a stable processing output of 3.5 bscf/d in November 2025, but utilisation improved slightly to 73.7 per cent compared with 71.68 per cent in October.

The increase, according to the report, was driven by higher plant utilisation across processing hubs and steady export volumes from the Nigeria LNG plant in Bonny.

“As of November 2025, Nigeria’s major gas processing facilities recorded improved output and utilisation levels, with the Nigeria LNG Trains 1-6 processing 3.50 billion standard cubic feet per day at a utilisation rate of 73.70 per cent.

“Gbaran Ubie Gas Plant processed 1.250 bscf per day, operating at 71.21 per cent utilisation, while the MPNU Bonny River Terminal recorded a throughput of 0.690 bscf per day during the period. Processing activities at the Escravos Gas Plant stood at 0.680 bscf per day, representing a 62 per cent utilisation rate, whereas the Soku Gas Plant emerged as the top performer, processing 0.600 bscf per day at 96.84 per cent utilisation,” it stated.

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Economy

Secure Electronic Technology Suspends Share Reconstruction as Investors Pull Out

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Secure Electronic Technology

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

The proposed share reconstruction of a local gaming firm, Secure Electronic Technology (SET), has been suspended.

The Lagos-based company decided to shelve the exercise after negotiations with potential investors crumbled like a house of cards.

Secure Electronic Technology was earlier in talks with some foreign investors interested in the organisation.

Plans were underway to restructure the shares of the company, which are listed on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited.

However, things did not go as planned as the potential investors pulled out, leaving the board to consider others ways to move the firm forward.

Confirming this development, the company secretary, Ms Irene Attoe, in a statement, said the board would explore other means to keep the company running to deliver value to shareholders.

“This is to notify the NGX and the investing public that a meeting of the board of SET held on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, as scheduled, to consider the status of the proposed share reconstruction and recapitalisation as approved by the members at the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) held on April 16, 2025.

“After due deliberations, the board wishes to announce that the proposed share reconstruction will not take place as anticipated due to the inability of the parties to reach a convergence on the best and mutually viable terms.

“Thus, following an impasse in the negotiations, and the investors’ withdrawal from the transaction, the board has, in the interest of all members, decided to accept these outcomes and move ahead in the overall interest of the business.

“The board is committed to driving the strategic objectives of SEC and to seeking viable opportunities for sustainable growth of the company,” the disclosure stated.

Business Post reports that the share price of SET crashed by 3.85 per cent on Tuesday on Customs Street on Tuesday to 75 Kobo. Its 52-week high remains N1.33 and its one-year low is 45 Kobo. Today, investors transacted 39,331,958 units.

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Economy

Clea to Streamline Cross-Border Payments for African Importers

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Clea Payment platform

By Adedapo Adesanya

Clea, a blockchain-powered platform that allows African importers to pay international suppliers in USD while settling locally, has officially launched.

During its pilot phase, Clea processed more than $4 million in cross-border transactions, demonstrating strong early demand from businesses navigating the complexities of global trade.

Clea addresses persistent challenges that African importers have long struggled with, including limited FX access, unpredictable exchange rates, high bank charges, fraudulent intermediaries, and payment delays that slow or halt shipments. The continent also faces a trade-finance gap estimated at over $120 billion annually, limiting importers’ ability to access the FX and financial infrastructure needed for timely international payments by offering fast, transparent, and direct USD settlements, completed without intermediaries or banking bottlenecks.

Founded by Mr Sheriff Adedokun, Mr Iyiola Osuagwu, and Mr Sidney Egwuatu, Clea was created from the team’s own experiences dealing with unreliable international payments. The platform currently serves Nigerian importers trading with suppliers in the United States, China, and the UAE, with plans to expand into additional trade corridors.

The platform will allow local payments in Naira with instant access to Dollars as well as instant, same-day, or next-day settlement options and transparent, traceable transactions that reduce fraud risk.

Speaking on the launch, Mr Adedokun said, “Importers face unnecessary stress when payments are delayed or rejected. Clea eliminates that uncertainty by offering reliable, secure, and traceable payments completed in the importer’s own name, strengthening supplier confidence from day one.”

Mr Osuagwu, co-founder & CTO, added, “Our goal is to make global trade feel as seamless as a local transfer. By connecting local currencies to global transactions through blockchain technology, we are removing long-standing barriers that have limited African importers for years.”

According to a statement shared with Business Post, Clea is already working with shipping operators who refer merchants to the platform and is also engaging trade associations and logistics networks in key import hubs. The company remains fully bootstrapped but is open to strategic investors aligned with its mission to build a trusted global payment network for African businesses.

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