Economy
Business Travel Tips For Nigerians This 2017
By Nkem Ndem
Business travel is inevitable for most people in the Nigerian workforce. Aside from the fact that it contributes a lot to the economy and GDP of the country, it opens doors for the individual businessman or woman, opportunity seeker, and small scale business person or business owner.
In Nigeria, however, many companies view business travel simply as an expense and do not see the benefits that come from it. They, therefore, budget very little for it, making the trip in itself extremely tedious for the employee who gets the assignment to embark on the journey. The truth is, no matter the budget or destination, any Nigerian can survive a business trip by following certain rules. Jumia Travel offers 5 tips to aid Nigerians who regularly find themselves on the move for business.
Ensure you draft a packing list, and use it at all times
As a traveller, you already know what is essential to your trip and what is dispensable. However, before you set out on your journey, ensure you make a checklist where you include every item you will be travelling with, including personal documents and gadgets. This helps you remain organized and there is a very low risk of forgetting anything you need for the trip, or leaving it behind at your hotel. You really do not need to download an app or use software to do this; a pen and paper will suffice. Good thing is that once you make the list, you can always use it for every other business trip, only updating it where necessary.
Be punctual
Although some business trips might be impromptu, most are usually scheduled with ample time to make pre-arrangements. Do not leave your travel arrangements to the last minute and if the office is making the arrangements for you, ensure you follow up, making sure they keep you updated. Try and book your flight in advance. And on the day of the trip, get to the airport on time; check in on the way if you can, that way you limit every chance of missing your flight and dealing with the complications of a cancellation. Also ensure that you call ahead to notify the hotel and the car rental, and if you are being picked up by business partners at your destination, an early or scheduled arrival gives a good impression and hence a good start.
Make sure you keep your devices charging
When you are on the road, your devices should remain charged as they are what keeps you connected to your office and the contacts at your destination. Also, in this era of laptops and iPads, most of our information are stored as files on these gadgets. Charge these devices to full capacity before you set out on the trip, and even while on the trip, carry a travel charger and look out for ports where you can plug in and keep them charging. A great idea will be to pack a power bank which is very portable. Also, you can travel with extra batteries.
Stay on top of your expenses
When you are on business trip, usually your expenses are catered to by the office management. In most cases, there will be a budget while in other cases you would be asked to bring back a list of costs insured for reimbursement. Whatever the case, it is important to stay on top of your expenses. The office will not reimburse you for everything. Take a small jotter to record your expenses and ensure you write on the back of each receipt where you were or the reason for the expense. Keeping track of all your purchases and expenses will help you stick to your budget and will make writing a report easier.
Ignore the minibar and room service
The minibar poses a huge temptation for most business travellers as it is usually easy to just reach into the fridge and snack on something while working. But the thing about most minibars is that the price of the items in the minibar is highly inflated and never worth the convenience. Even the room service comes at an extra charge and also deprives you the chance to stretch your legs and drink in the ambiance of the hotel surroundings. The fact that you are on a business trip, does not mean you are confined to the hotel. Forget the minibar and room service, go out to local restaurants and stores far away from your hotel, mingle with others and explore in your free hours. Rather than spend more in the hotel, you will gain enriching experiences that you can share with your colleagues upon your return to the office.
Nkem Ndem is a PR Associate at Jumia Travel.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The deadline for filing of employers’ annual tax returns in Lagos State has been extended by one week from February 1 to 7, 2026.
This information was revealed in a statement signed by the Head of Corporate Communications of the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), Mrs Monsurat Amasa-Oyelude.
In the statement issued over the weekend, the chairman of the tax collecting organisation, Mr Ayodele Subair, explained that the statutory deadline for filing of employers’ annual tax returns is January 31, every year, noting that the extension is intended to provide employers with additional time to complete and submit accurate tax returns.
According to him, employers must give priority to the timely filing of their annual returns, noting that compliance should be embedded as a routine business practice.
He also reiterated that electronic filing through the LIRS eTax platform remains the only approved method for submitting annual returns, as manual filings have been completely phased out. Employers are therefore required to file their returns exclusively through the LIRS eTax portal: https://etax.lirs.net.
Describing the platform as secure, user-friendly, and accessible 24/7, Mr Subair advised employers to ensure that the Tax ID (Tax Identification Number) of all employees is correctly captured in their submissions.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The chief executive of Airtel Africa Plc, Mr Sunil Kumar Taldar, has disclosed that the company is still on track to list its mobile money business, Airtel Money, before the end of June 2026.
Recall that Business Post reported in March 2024 that the mobile network operator was considering selling the shares of Airtel Money to the public through the IPO vehicle in a transaction expected to raise about $4 billion.
The firm had been in talks with possible advisors for a planned listing of the shares from the initial public offer on a stock exchange with some options including London, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), or Europe.
However, so far no final decisions have been made regarding the timing, location, or scale of the IPO.
In September 2025, the telco reportedly picked Citigroup Incorporated as advisors for the planned IPO which will see Airtel Money become a standalone entity before it can attain the prestige of trading on a stock exchange.
Mr Taldar, noted that metrics continued to show improvements ahead of the listing with its customer base hitting 52 million, compared to around 44.6 million users it had as of June 2025.
He added that the subsidiary processed over $210 billion in a year, according to the company’s nine-month financial results released on Friday.
“Our push to enhance financial inclusion across the continent continues to gain momentum with our Mobile Money customer base expanding to 52 million, surpassing the 50 million milestone. Annualised total processed value of over $210 billion in Q3’26 underscores the depth of our merchants, agents, and partner ecosystem and remains a key player in driving improved access to financial services across Africa.
“We remain on track for the listing of Airtel Money in the first half of 2026,” Mr Taldar said.
Estimating Airtel Money at $4 billion is higher than its valuation of $2.65 billion in 2021. In 2021, Airtel Money received significant investments, including $200 million from TPG Incorporated at a valuation of $2.65 billion and $100 million from Mastercard. Later that same year, an affiliate of Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund also acquired an undisclosed stake in the unit.
The mobile money sector in Africa is expanding rapidly, driven by a young population increasingly adopting technology for financial services, making the continent a key market for fintech companies.
By Dipo Olowookere
A cryptocurrency investor and owner of Polyfarm, Mr Bamu Gift Wandji, is currently cooling off in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
He was handed over to the anti-money laundering agency by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on Friday, January 30, 2026, after his arrest on Monday, January 12, 2026.
A statement from the EFCC yesterday disclosed that the suspect was apprehended by the NSCDC in Gwagwalada, Abuja for running an investment scheme without the authorisation of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which is the apex capital market regulator in Nigeria.
It was claimed that Mr Wandji created a fraudulent crypto investment platform called Polyfarm, where he allegedly lured innocent Nigerians to invest in Polygon, a crypto token that attracts high returns.
Investigation further revealed that he also deceived the public that his project, Polyfarm, has its native token called “polyfarm coin” which he sold to the public.
In his bid to promote the scheme, the suspect posted about this on social media platforms, including WhatsApp, X (formally Twitter) and Telegram. He also conducted seminars in some major cities in Nigeria including Kaduna, Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja where he described the scheme as a life-changing programme.
Further investigation revealed that in October, 2025, subscribers who could not access their funds were informed by the suspect that the site was attacked by Lazarus group, a cyber attacking group linked to North Korea.
Further investigations showed that Polyfarm is not registered and not licensed with SEC to carry out crypto transactions in Nigeria. Also, no investment happened with subscribers’ funds and that the suspect used funds paid by subscribers to pay others in the name of profit.
Investigation also revealed that native coin, polyfarm coin was never listed on coin market cap and that the suspect sold worthless coins to the general public.
Contrary to the claim of the suspect that his platform was attacked, EFCC’s investigations revealed that the platform was never attacked or hacked by anyone and that the suspect withdrew investors’ funds and utilized the same for his personal gains.
The EFCC, in the statement, disclosed that Mr Wandji would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.
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