Economy
Guinness Nigeria Announces N12.6bn Loss in 2020, ‘Suspends’ Dividend Payment
By Dipo Olowookere
Shareholders of Guinness Nigeria Plc may not get any cash reward for the 2020 financial year ended June 30 because the company board did not recommend any dividend payment for approval at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) unlike in the previous years.
The reason for this action may not be far-fetched as the brewery giant had a bad fiscal year because the key performance indicators were not impressive, according to an analysis by Business Post.
In the 2019 accounting year, the board proposed a final dividend of N1.52 each and in the 2018 fiscal year, N1.80 was paid as a cash reward to the firm’s investors. However, in the just-concluded accounting year, no dividend was recommended by the board of directors.
During the year, the company’s revenue depreciated by 21 per cent to N104.4 billion from N131.5 billion in 2019 and this was significantly due to decline in the sale of the company’s products in the local market, Nigeria. Also, revenue from export was largely impacted in the period under review.
It is important to note that in the fourth quarter of the company’s financial year, its core markets; bars, restaurants, hotels, event centres and others were shut down by the federal government because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This may have largely contributed to the huge decline in the revenue generated.
In the results, the firm said its cost of sales reduced to N71.1 billion from N91.4 billion, while the gross profit dropped to N33.3 billion from N40.1 billion.
Also, other income decreased to N503.0 million from N781.5 million, while marketing and distribution expenses were pruned to N18.5 billion from N21.8 billion, with administrative costs rising to N14.3 billion from N9.9 billion.
In the year, Guinness Nigeria recorded an operating loss of 234 per cent, N12.8 billion, compared with the operating profit of N9.0 billion in the 2019 fiscal year, while the finance income reduced to N301.0 million from N750.9 million, with the finance costs jumping to N4.5 billion from N2.6 billion.
While the company had a loss before tax of N17.1 billion versus the pre-tax profit of N7.1 billion a year earlier, it printed a post-tax loss of N12.6 billion compared with the post-tax profit of N5.5 billion in FY’19, indicating a decline by 329 per cent, with the earnings per share at -N5.74 in contrast to N2.50 in 2019.
In the financial statements, Guinness Nigeria said during the initial phase of the lockdown imposed by the federal government, it obtained authorisation “from relevant government agencies to allow the continuation of trading activities, where possible.”
It further said following the easing of the lockdown, “our Benin site has been partially reopened to allow for the running of our spirit line and packaging line within the site.”
“Regarding our Ogba site, the Brew House team has returned to work as well. Within both sites, we continue to strictly control the number of persons on-site in order to ensure adherence to social distancing guidelines and the necessary PPEs (hand sanitizers, gloves, wipes, masks as required) have been provided to all employees.
“Transportation arrangements have also been made for essential employees required on-site and temperature checks continue to be observed before site access is granted to any employee,” it added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that Nigeria’s headline inflation rate in April 2026 rose to 15.69 per cent, beating analysts’ expectations of 15.95 per cent, as the fallout from the Iran war continued to affect the global economy.
The statistical office on Friday showed the headline inflation rate for April on a month-on-month basis was 2.13 per cent, while the food inflation rate in the review month was 16.06 per cent on a year-on-year basis.
The rise in prices comes as an energy price shock stemming from the continued conflict in the Middle East, which stoked food prices and affected relative exchange rate stability.
According to the NBS, “this can be attributed to the rate of change in the average prices of the following products: Millet whole grain, yam flour, ginger (Fresh), beef, garri, tam tuber, pepper (Fresh), cray fish, cassava tuber, Beans, Irish Potatoes, tomatoes (fresh), wheat grain (Sold loose), soya beans, guinea corn, plantain, carrots (Fresh) etc.”
“The average annual rate of food inflation for the twelve months ending April 2026, relative to the previous twelve-month average, was 17.55%, which was 17.05% points lower than the average annual rate of change recorded in April 2025 (34.60%),” the NBS said.
Analysts at Coronation Research had earlier projected that the inflation rate in Nigeria would be at 15.95 per cent on a year-on-year basis in April 2026. It added that the expected inflation rate signals a return toward the underlying disinflation trajectory and could be a pivotal data point in shaping Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) deliberations at the next policy meeting.
It also expects food inflation to further ease, as food and non-alcoholic beverages remain the dominant contributor to headline CPI, accounting for about 40 per cent of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) basket.
The MPC of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will meet this month, the first since the Iran War started in late February, to review core monetary policies and possibly make adjustments.
The committee reduced the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) by 50 basis points from 27.0 per cent to 26.5 per cent at its 304th Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting in February.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria’s 650,000 barrels-per-day Dangote Refinery hit its highest-ever monthly crude intake in April 2026, taking in about 635,000 barrels per day of crude oil, according to Argus tracking data.
Deliveries in the review month rose from 565,000 barrels per day in March, bringing the refinery close to its full installed capacity.
The increase followed the completion of maintenance work on one of the refinery’s crude distillation units earlier this year.
This indicates that the Dangote Refinery is steadily ramping up operations toward full capacity after a gradual start since late 2023.
The refinery received 21 separate crude cargoes in April — a record since operations began.
All supplies came from West Africa, mainly Nigerian crude grades, with one cargo from Cameroon.
Nigerian grades delivered included Bonny Light, Escravos, Qua Iboe, Bonga, Forcados, Brass River, Amenam, and others.
Cameroon’s Ebome crude was supplied to the refinery for the first time.
April receipts comprised 160,000 barrels per day of Bonny Light, 65,000 barrels per day each of Escravos, Qua Iboe and Bonga, 50,000 barrels per day of CJ Blend, then 25,000-35,000 barrels per day each of Nigerian Utapate, EA, Jones Creek, Amenam, Forcados, Brass River, plus 25,000 barrels per day of Cameroon’s Ebome.
The strong rise in local and regional crude supply could also reduce the refinery’s dependence on imported crude grades and strengthen Nigeria’s domestic fuel production capacity.
The Argus report said that no US crude was delivered in April, despite the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude previously being a major feedstock for the plant in 2025.
The refinery relied heavily on Suezmax tankers, with some vessels making multiple shuttle trips between offshore terminals and the refinery.
Average crude receipts in the first four months of 2026 climbed to 495,000 barrels per day, significantly above last year’s average of 375,000 barrels per day.
The data assessed Dangote’s April receipts at a weighted average of 35.1°API and 0.2 per cent sulphur content, compared with 37.2°API and 0.2 per cent sulphur in March. Receipts averaged 37.1°API and 0.15 per cent sulphur in January-April, compared with 36.8°API and 0.2 per cent sulphur across 2025.
The report also added receipts for May appear good as the refinery should get a cargo each of Qua Iboe and Odudu this week.
By Bon Peters
About 17 containers containing illicit items worth over N2 billion have been seized by the Area 11 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Onne, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, between January and April 2026.
In the period under review, the agency generated about N258 billion as revenue, a statement signed by the command’s acting spokesman, Mr Paul Istifanus Gimba, an Assistant Superintendent of Customs 1, disclosed on Thursday.
The Customs Area Controller for the Command, Comptroller Aliyu Mohammed Alkali, said last month, more than N77 billion was generated, noting that this reflects the command’s unwavering commitment to revenue generation, trade facilitation, and the enforcement of extant government fiscal policies.
He stated that in the second month of this month, his men intercepted an attempt to smuggle one 40-foot container declared to contain plumbing materials, with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N185.2 million.
According to him, upon examination, it was discovered that the perpetrators had concealed the original container number and replaced it with a fake one in an attempt to unlawfully remove the container from the port without payment of duty.
Furthermore, he hinted that in April 2026, the command intercepted six 20-foot containers carrying a total of 1,100 jerricans of Super Delicieux Vegetable Oil with a DPV of N494.0 million, in contravention of section 55 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, which prohibited the importation of refined vegetable oils and fats in order to protect and promote local industries, particularly domestic vegetable oil producers and agro-allied businesses.
The senior customs officer highlighted other items seized by his men during the period under review, including cartons of chilli cutters, ceiling fans, and food packs.
The Comptroller reminded all mischievous importers and their agents that the command remained unwavering in its resolve to combat smuggling and all forms of illegal trade practices at the port, even as he strongly encouraged all law-abiding traders to remain compliant and resist the temptation to engage in activities that contravene the law.
Mr Alkali praised the professionalism of the officers and men of the command as well as their vigilance and dedication to duty.
He also thanked members of the press for their continued partnership and commitment to disseminating accurate and reliable information about the activities of the agency to the public.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism10 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking8 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn