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Economy

Ecobank Emerges Best Retail Bank in Nigeria

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**Assures Deployment of Robust Digital Platforms for Better Customer Experience

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Asian Banker, at its Middle East and Africa Regional 2020 Awards last Thursday, announced Ecobank Nigeria as the Best Retail Bank in Nigeria.

The organisers of the virtual event explained that Ecobank was selected for the honour because of its deployment of digital solutions to meet the needs of its customers even during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, adding that the bank also enhanced its customer experience through culture transformation across the various touchpoints.

“Ecobank encouraged its customers to avoid non-essential contact in achieving their banking needs by utilizing digital solutions to access their account, make contactless payments, transfer funds and carry out other banking transactions from the comfort of their home and offices without visiting the bank. The winning bank enhanced its customer experience through culture transformation across all Ecobank Affiliates,” the organisers said.

It was gathered that the ceremony last week attracted thought leaders and decision-makers across continents of the world.

The Chairman of the Asian Banker, Mr Emmanuel Daniel, said the annual awards are designed to identify emerging best practices in retail financial services, technology implementation and innovation.

The annual event also identifies implementation goals and challenges from which other financial institutions and technology companies could learn.

While congratulating the winners of the prestigious awards in the various categories, he stated that the process for selection was rigorous, transparent and conducted with the highest level of integrity.

Commenting on the awards, the Managing Director of Ecobank Nigeria, Mr Patrick Akinwuntan, described the award as a worthy recognition of Ecobank’s digital transformation landmark initiatives targeted at providing tailored solutions to payments and collections.

“We are pleased to be recognised as the Best Retail Bank of The Year in Nigeria. This confirms the strength of our brand in innovative banking products and digital solutions to deliver services to our teeming customers across the various segments,” Mr Akinwuntan said.

He disclosed that the bank provided uninterrupted services to its customers during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown through its 24/7 digital self-service solutions via Ecobank Mobile App, Ecobank Online, EcobankPay, Ecobank OmniPlus, Omni Lite and the RapidTransfer App.

The banker thanked the Asian Banker Award team for creating an opportunity to celebrate innovative ideas by members of the banking community, assuring that Ecobank will continue to deploy its robust digital platforms and enhance customer experience at every touchpoint.

Head of Consumer Banking at Ecobank Nigeria, Mrs Korede Demola-Adeniyi, while receiving the award said, “I feel honoured to receive this prestigious award for the Best Retail Bank in Nigeria for Ecobank.

“My appreciation goes to the organizers, the Asian Banker, for their support of the financial service industry in Africa. This award further underscores our commitment to providing practical financial solutions to the retail segment by making banking available and affordable to every Nigerian and generally across Africa.”

She added that “We believe in Ecobank, that Africans should have access to basic financial services irrespective of their social or economic status and it is indeed encouraging that our efforts are recognized and acknowledged.

“Our digital platforms enable you to bank 24/7 without visiting the bank and our award-winning mobile app is available round the clock for your needs. Thanks once again for the award, I also thank my colleagues across the bank for their commitment in making us serve our customers seamlessly.”

Modupe Gbadeyanka is a fast-rising journalist with Business Post Nigeria. Her passion for journalism is amazing. She is willing to learn more with a view to becoming one of the best pen-pushers in Nigeria. Her role models are the duo of CNN's Richard Quest and Christiane Amanpour.

Economy

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

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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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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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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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