Economy
Lagos Leads in Volume of Online Food Orders—Jumia Food Index
By Adedapo Adesanya
Retail giant, Jumia, has published its first Nigeria Food Index, showing the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on food trends in Nigeria with an increase recorded in online delivery.
The report, released today, showed that the online food delivery is changing habits in unexpected ways for businesses and consumers due to the pandemic, showing the growing popularity of fast food, coupled with the growing trends for convenience and value for money which have opened up opportunities for the food market in Nigeria.
The report indicated that the country’s agricultural sector experienced a major boom in 2019, significantly responsible for the 90.23 per cent contribution made by non-oil sectors to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The index further showed that the food and grocery retail market had total revenues of $44.9 billion, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.7 per cent in the last eight years.
Similarly, the report revealed that overall grocery retailing continues to expand, as consumers seek comfort and convenience when shopping for food. The food segment was the market’s most lucrative, with total revenues of $33.7 billion, equivalent to 75 per cent of the market’s overall value.
It also showed that online food delivery is gaining momentum through companies such as Jumia Food. With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for food rose significantly, especially online food delivery as a result of the lockdown and social distancing guidelines. This was because many people relied heavily on food delivery as opposed to physical shopping in grocery markets.
The report highlighted two major drivers of the growth observed in 2020 – demography and the COVID-19 lockdowns. While with a growing population averaging 18 years old, a new generation of Nigerian middle-class consumers are spending more money online on food and grocery services, the lockdowns induced by the COVID-19 pandemic also contributed to this evolution in habits.
The report further highlighted that, while most restaurants are popular in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Ibadan, Lagos leads in terms of volume of online food orders.
It also showed among others, that pizza, Chinese delicacies and shawarma are the most promising cuisines. In terms of peak periods, lunch leads in the time of orders with 65 per cent; weekdays record the biggest volume in orders, peaking on Wednesday at 16 per cent; males place more orders (56 per cent) than females (44 per cent) and Port Harcourt leads in delivery timing at 26 minutes.
The index also showed that while Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), Cold Stone Creamery and Pizza Hut come out as the most popular international brands in the country due to consumers’ proclivity to chicken-related orders, Chicken Republic, The Place, Kilimanjaro, Sweet Sensation and Drumstick are the most popular local food vendors due to the affordability of their offers.
Jumia explained that the positive trend recorded in the agricultural sector offers the prospect of increased jobs, greater prosperity, reduced hunger and improved opportunities for Nigerian farmers and entrepreneurs to participate in the global economy.
Over the years, Nigeria’s growing online audience has seen an increase in international brands setting up shop to tap into the growing middle-income segment. Direct investments from players such as KFC, Cold Stone Creamery and Pizza Hut have been achieved.
Online food delivery players such as Jumia have also played a key role in shaping supply chains and opening up the markets to new entrants. Local producers and restaurants have embraced this evolution and reached new consumers as well as grown their businesses in spite of these challenging times.
“This pandemic crisis has shown the world that online food delivery is not just a commodity, but a necessity. The food business adapted quickly to the new normal, by availing contactless and cashless deliveries,” said Mr Shreenal Ruparelia, Chief Commercial Officer, Jumia Food.
“We also started to provide support to local food vendors to keep their businesses running during this difficult time. With our food partners, we will continue to deploy capabilities across the food value chain to ensure consumers buy food online safely and at the right price, in line with the theme of this year’s World Food Day celebration of ‘Grow, Nourish, Sustain Together,’” added Mr Ruparelia.
Nigeria’s population is expected to double over the next 30 years at a growth rate averaging around 2.3 per cent a year. With its diversification plan from oil production, the country is set to witness growth in a large consumer market, such as the food and grocery retail market.
Jumia Food is Africa’s largest food delivery company operating in nine countries on the continent. The consumers can order restaurant meals, groceries, drinks, pharmacies, and supermarkets, having them delivered in less than 45 minutes.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government spent N3.14 trillion on servicing its domestic debt in the first quarter (Q1) of 2026, according to the Debt Management Office (DMO).
The figure, contained in the DMO’s latest domestic debt service report for Q1 2026, comprised N2.97 trillion in interest payments and N169.68 billion in principal repayments.
According to the report, the government spent N741.82 billion on domestic debt service in January before the figure rose to N967.67 billion in February.
Debt service increased further to N1.43 trillion in March, bringing total spending for the quarter to N3.14 trillion.
The March figure represented a 47.7 per cent increase from the N967.67 billion recorded in February and was 92.7 per cent higher than the N741.82 billion spent in January.
The debt office said interest payments accounted for approximately 94.6 per cent of the total domestic debt service during the quarter.
Treasury bills accounted for the largest share of interest payments at N1 trillion, while interest payments on Federal Government bonds stood at N1.96 trillion.
The government also paid N4.24 billion in interest on FGN savings bonds during the period.
The debt management body said the principal component of the debt service comprised N169.68 billion in repayments on local-denominated promissory notes.
Overall, domestic debt service rose significantly throughout the quarter, with March alone accounting for nearly half of the N3.14 trillion spent between January and March.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mr Emomotimi Agama, has outlined how the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) can leverage Nigeria’s capital market to raise long-term funds for critical infrastructure projects instead of relying solely on annual budgetary allocations.
According to Mr Agama, the capital market offers the FCT a sustainable financing model for roads, rail, housing, water, transport and other infrastructure through instruments such as infrastructure bonds, green bonds, real estate investment trusts (REITs), asset recycling and tokenised municipal securities.
Speaking at the Abuja Business and Investment Summit and Expo (ABIE 2026) in Abuja, the SEC chief noted that Abuja’s development demonstrates that economic growth is driven by investment, stressing that “cities are not built by budgets alone. Cities are built by capital markets.”
He advised the FCT to establish a long-term infrastructure bond programme backed by dedicated revenue sources such as ground rents, tenement rates, tolls, parking fees and land-use charges, noting that this would enable the territory to finance major projects without overburdening annual budgets.
“A budget can only spend what a single year has collected. A bond can spend what 30 years will collect,” Mr Agama said, explaining that infrastructure projects generate long-term economic value that can be used to service debt over time.
The SEC boss said the territory could also access cheaper financing through green and sustainability-linked bonds for projects including mass transit, light rail, solar-powered street lighting, waste-to-energy facilities and water infrastructure.
He further proposed the creation of an FCT Real Estate Investment Trust to unlock value from Abuja’s extensive property portfolio while giving ordinary Nigerians an opportunity to invest in the city’s real estate market.
Mr Agama also urged Abuja Investments Company Limited (AICL) to consider listing some of its businesses or establishing a listed infrastructure fund, saying this would raise capital without increasing government debt while improving corporate governance and transparency.
On the long-abandoned Millennium Tower project, he said the estimated over N400 billion completion cost should not be viewed as a budgetary burden but as an investment opportunity that could be financed through a special purpose vehicle and offered to investors via the capital market.
“The question is not whether Nigeria can afford the Millennium Tower. The question is whether we will let ordinary Nigerians own it,” he said.
Mr Agama further proposed an asset recycling programme under which completed income-generating public assets, including terminals, markets, commercial properties and the International Conference Centre, could be securitised or concessioned to institutional investors, with proceeds reinvested in new infrastructure.
He also called on the FCT to pioneer a regulated tokenised municipal bond programme that would allow citizens to invest as little as N10,000 through mobile phones in specific infrastructure projects.
According to him, the recently enacted Investments and Securities Act (ISA) 2025 has strengthened the legal framework for sub-national governments to access the capital market while providing enhanced investor protection and clearer regulation of digital assets.
Mr Agama disclosed that Nigeria’s capital market has grown significantly, with total market capitalisation exceeding N217 trillion as of May 2026, comprising about N160.5 trillion in equities and N56.7 trillion in bonds.
He said recent reforms, including the migration to a T+1 settlement cycle and regulatory measures to deepen market participation, have improved market efficiency and strengthened investor confidence.
The SEC DG assured the FCTA of the commission’s readiness to provide technical support for structuring and registering capital market instruments, saying the agency would work closely with the territory to unlock financing for infrastructure projects.
He added that Nigeria’s capital market remains critical to mobilising domestic savings for national development, insisting that “money is not scarce; delivery capacity is scarce, and financing follows delivery capacity.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
MTN Nigeria Communications Plc is awaiting regulatory approval from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to complete the planned transfer of a 60 per cent stake in its fintech businesses to its parent company, MTN Group, before the end of 2026.
The transaction involves MoMo Payment Service Bank Limited (MoMo PSB) and Y’ello Digital Financial Services Limited (YDFS), two businesses within MTN Nigeria’s financial technology portfolio.
The development follows the company’s earlier announcement in April that MTN Group, through its fintech subsidiary, would acquire a 60 per cent stake in both companies for N95.5 billion, as part of a restructuring aimed at reducing MTN Nigeria’s exposure to the loss-making fintech operations.
Under the proposed structure, MTN Nigeria would retain a 40 per cent interest, while MTN Group Fintech would hold 60 per cent.
The company had said the transaction would be implemented in two phases, with the second phase involving the creation of a financial holding company, Fintech HoldCo, which would ultimately own 100 per cent of MoMo PSB and YDFS.
However, the completion of the restructuring is subject to CBN approval, which Business Post gathered is expected to be concluded in the second half of 2026.
The proposed transaction is designed to redistribute the financial and operational risks associated with the fintech businesses between MTN Nigeria and its parent company.
MTN Nigeria had explained that the restructuring would allow MTN Group Fintech to share future capital requirements, losses, regulatory obligations and execution risks associated with the businesses, while MTN Nigeria would maintain a significant minority stake.
The planned investment has an implied value of N152.06 billion in capital injection into the fintech companies, with the N95.5 billion transaction value based on an intra-group debt-free and cash-free valuation.
MoMo PSB operates as a payment service bank, providing services including deposits, payments, transfers and digital wallets to individuals and small businesses through digital and mobile platforms.
YDFS, meanwhile, operates as a licensed super-agent, providing agency banking services such as cash deposits, withdrawals and bill payments through the MoMo network.
MTN’s decision to restructure the businesses comes as the telecommunications company continues to invest heavily in its core connectivity operations amid growing demand for data and digital services.
MTN Nigeria also said it had invested more than N1.6 trillion in network infrastructure since the beginning of 2025, including N620.5 billion in the first half of 2026 alone.
The company’s data business has also expanded significantly, with data revenue rising by 38.4 per cent to N1.70 trillion in the first half of 2026, overtaking voice revenue of N993 billion.
The growth in data services has been supported by a 9.3 per cent increase in active data subscribers to 55.7 million, while smartphone penetration rose to 66.4 per cent.
MTN’s Chief Financial Officer, Mr Modupe Kadri, said the company remained focused on maintaining investment in its core operations while managing cost pressures and strengthening its balance sheet.
The company’s fintech restructuring therefore comes against the backdrop of a broader strategy to optimise its businesses, allocate capital more efficiently and ensure that investments are aligned with areas offering stronger growth prospects.
Once approved by the CBN, the transaction will allow MTN Nigeria to reduce its direct financial exposure to the fintech businesses while retaining a 40 per cent stake and continuing to participate in their future growth.
The company is expected to provide further updates on the transaction as the regulatory approval process progresses, with completion targeted before the end of 2026.
