Economy
Grooming Start-ups To Survive Nigerian Ecosystem
By Olukayode Kolawole
Starting a business in Nigeria, like many other countries, usually comes with many road bumps. It is not just enough to have a brilliant idea that can be built into a mega business; more is required than just a good thought process.
More often than not, entrepreneurs would always believe that raising enough capital to run a business is the most important factor.
After all, we all at a time attended that Economics class where we were taught that money is the most important element to drive a business to success.
At Jumia Travel, we believe there are other elements that are as important as capital for a business to grow.
Some of these will include, but not limited to, creating a comfortable environment for start-up owners and investors to relate, providing essential support to ensure that the business survives and caters to the socio-economic environment by creating jobs, providing substantial dose of mentorship, business advisory supports, peer learning network and enriching the development process for these start-ups.
There are a number of platforms created by individuals and some by a group of individuals who are committed to helping others grow their businesses.
These platforms have been created to provide necessary expert support in different areas that are affected by the businesses i.e. marketing, innovation, customer service, branding etc.
To mention but a few, Lagos Start-up, Start-up Friday, IC-Cube Start-up Conference & Exhibition, Nigeria Small Business Summit and Start-up Lagos Conference are some of the platforms that have provided start-ups with the needed intellectual infrastructure supports.
Just last week, the second edition of the Lagos Start-up Week was held at Oriental Hotel Lagos. It was a weeklong of activities – from paper presentation to panel discussions and Q&A sessions.
As a supporter of SMEs, Jumia Travel was among the many sponsors of the event.
As a form of recognition of its leadership position in the ecommerce industry, the company’s Managing Director in Nigeria Kushal Dutta was invited as a panellist to speak on the “The Future of Ecommerce, Retail and Payments in Nigeria”.
During the panel discussion, Kushal made some interesting revelations about digital penetration.
For instance, he made a distinction between internet penetration and e-commerce penetration.
According to Kushal, these two are often misconstrued to be same.
The success of e-commerce largely depends on internet penetration because if people don’t have access to the internet, it becomes impossible for them to transact on any ecommerce platform.
He stressed that because of the high penetration of the internet, it’s profitable to spend money on online promotions as it has the potential to impact ROI measurably through online sales.
A comparative look at the internet users in Nigeria between 2015 and 2016 clearly shows that the country is ripe for ecommerce businesses to thrive, if we were to judge by access to the internet.
As at July 1, 2016, there were about 86,219,965 internet users in Nigeria which is about 46.1% of the entire population.
The percentage is expected to grow by 2.63% by 2017 whereas there were only about 82,094,998 internet users in 2015 which represented 45.1% of the population.
A lot of aspiring entrepreneurs should look at venturing into ecommerce business as it’s evident that internet penetration in the country is growing astronomically.
Kushal also advised the participants against looking for investors when the business idea has not been properly thought through and no scalable model is already in place with a well-defined market.
This, he said, might prevent investors from investing their capital in the business.
He made reference to MTN’s involvement in Jumia’s business as a result of the scalable business plan that the organization has put in place. MTN was able to key into the vision after it saw its profitability circle as a business.
Even though the current climate of the Nigerian economy has been quite unconducive due to a number of reasons but top on the list the recession, aspiring entrepreneurs should be encouraged and groomed into becoming successful business owners.
True, there are platforms cropping up every day to cater to these needs. Yet, more and more collaboration still needs to be done. At least, that’s what we believe at Jumia Travel.
Olukayode Kolawole is the Head of PR & Marketing at Jumia Travel NG.
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By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections, Mr Peter Obi, has expressed worry over plans by the administration of President Bola Tinubu to spend about $11.6 billion on debt servicing.
In a post on his social media platform on Monday, the opposition politician criticised this move, saying it is not good for the country.
He also said this action “should concern anyone interested in the country’s economic future and long-term development.”
The former Governor of Anambra State kicked against the penchant of the government to borrow from various sources without anything to show for it.
“There is nothing inherently wrong with borrowing when it is guided by prudence and directed toward productive investment, he noted, stressing that countries such as Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, and Indonesia are all heavily indebted, yet their borrowings are largely channelled into education, healthcare, infrastructure, and innovation – sectors that generate long-term economic returns and sustain repayment capacity.”
According to him, “despite high debt levels, their obligations remain more manageable because they are tied to measurable productivity.”
He said, “Nigeria’s situation, however, is markedly different. A huge proportion of past borrowing has been directed toward consumption, with limited visible or sustainable developmental outcomes to justify the scale of indebtedness.”
“It is also important to note that a huge portion of the debt currently being serviced was accumulated under the Tinubu administration itself, while borrowing has continued at a significant pace. The administration’s recent external borrowing alone includes about $6 billion (from First Abu Dhabi Bank in the UAE—$5 billion, and UK Export Finance via Citibank London—$1 billion), a further $1.25 billion under consideration from the World Bank, and an additional $516 million arranged through Deutsche Bank, bringing the latest known external loan commitments to roughly $7.8 billion. In addition, domestic borrowing through monthly bond issuances continues to add to the overall debt stock,” the businessman also stated.
“Against this backdrop, Nigeria’s 2026 budget shows that health is N2.46 trillion, education is N2.56 trillion, and poverty alleviation is N865 billion, giving a combined total of about N5.885 trillion for these three critical sectors.
“By comparison, debt servicing at about $11.6 billion (approximately N17–N18 trillion, depending on exchange rate assumptions) is almost three times higher than the total allocation to health, education, and social protection combined. This imbalance highlights a troubling fiscal reality in which debt obligations increasingly crowd out investment in human capital and poverty reduction.
“Moreover, even within the limited allocations to these sectors, funds may not be fully released, and a significant portion of what is eventually released could be misappropriated,” he further stated.
Mr Obi said, “The central issue is not borrowing itself, but whether borrowed funds are being converted into measurable productivity, inclusive growth, and improved living standards. Without this, debt servicing shifts from being a temporary fiscal obligation to a long-term structural burden that constrains development and deepens economic vulnerability.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
Pathway Advisors Limited, an issuing house and financial advisory firm, has announced the successful completion of the Series 2 Commercial Paper issuance for Veritasi Homes & Properties Plc.
The Series 2 offer, issued under Veritasi Homes’ newly registered N20.00 billion Commercial Paper Programme, raised N16.76 billion, significantly above its initial N12.00 billion target on the back of strong institutional demand.
This issuance builds on the company’s track record in the Nigerian debt capital market and follows the recently concluded N10 billion 3-year 20 per cent Series 1 Fixed Rate Bond Issuance, further reinforcing investor confidence in Veritasi Homes’ strong credit profile.
The 364-day tenor instrument attracted robust participation from a diverse pool of institutional investors, underscoring sustained confidence in the Company’s financial strength, operating model, and governance standards.
Commenting on the deal, the Founder/CEO of Pathway Advisors Limited, Mr Adekunle Alade (MBA, FCA, M.CIod), noted that the outcome further validates investor appetite for well-structured transactions in the Nigerian capital market.
“The strong oversubscription speaks to the market’s confidence in Veritasi Homes’ performance, governance, and repayment track record. We are pleased to continue supporting issuers with strong fundamentals in accessing efficient funding.’’
He further highlighted that Veritasi Homes’ consistent market activities since 2022, including successful issuances and full redemption of matured obligations, continue to strengthen its reputation among institutional investors.
“Pathway Advisors Limited remains committed to maintaining its leadership position within Nigeria’s capital markets through the origination and execution of transformative, value-driven, and commercially viable transactions by deploying innovative financial solutions and facilitating strategic capital formation across critical sectors.
“We are committed to supporting credible corporates in accessing efficient short-term and long-term financing solutions within the Nigerian capital market,” he said in a statement on Monday.
Speaking on the transaction, the Managing Director/CEO of Veritasi Homes & Properties Plc, Mr Nola Adetola, described the outcome as a strong endorsement of the company’s fundamentals.
“This result reflects the resilience of our business model, our growing market reputation, and the continued trust of the investment community. We are grateful to all institutional investors for their confidence in Veritasi Homes.”
He added that the proceeds from the issuance will be deployed to support the company’s working capital requirements, enhance liquidity, and complete the ongoing development activities across its real estate portfolio.
Mr Adetola also commended Pathway Advisors Limited for its advisory and arranging role in the successful execution of the transaction.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has approved the transition to the T+1 settlement cycle for capital market transactions from June 1, 2026.
This is coming some months after Nigeria moved from the T+3 settlement cycle to the T+2 settlement cycle.
The T+ settlement cycle is the number of working days required to complete a capital market transaction, such as the trading of securities, shares, and others, from the first day the trade was executed by an investor.
In a notice on Monday, the SEC, which is the apex capital market regulator in Nigeria, said it was authorising the new system to “promote an efficient, fair, and transparent capital market.”
Under the new arrangement, equities and commodities traded by investors at the market would be cleared and settled by the Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) within one day.
The agency noted that the migration to a T+1 settlement cycle forms part of its ongoing market modernisation initiatives aimed at enhancing market efficiency and strengthening risk management. reducing counterparty exposure, improving liquidity, and aligning the Nigerian capital market with international standards and global best practices.
“Accordingly, all eligible trades executed in the Nigerian capital market shall settle one business day after the trade date (T+1),” a part of the statement noted.
It was stressed that “Friday, May 29, 2026, shall be the final trading day under the existing T+2 settlement cycle. Trades executed on Friday, May 29, 2026, and Monday, June 1, 2026, shall both settle on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. All trades executed from Monday, June 1, 2026, onward shall be subject to the T+1 settlement cycle.”
SEC tasked all capital market operators, securities exchanges, clearing and settlement infrastructure providers, custodians, registrars, issuers, and other relevant stakeholders to take all necessary measures to ensure full operational readiness and compliance with the new settlement framework.
“Market participants are expected to review and align their systems, processes, controls, and operational workflows ahead of the implementation date,” it further stated, promising to continue to engage stakeholders and monitor the implementation process to ensure an orderly and seamless transition.
The regulator said it remains committed to strengthening market integrity, enhancing investor confidence, and fostering the development of a modern. resilient and globally competitive Nigerian capital market.
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