Economy

Lagos Targets 4% GDP Growth in 2019

Published

7 years ago

25/12/2018

**Dedicates 2019 Budget to Capital Projects
By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has said his administration hopes to achieve a 4 percent growth in its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2019.

Speaking separately on Monday evening at the Christmas Eve Dance of Yoruba Tennis Club and Island Club, two foremost social clubs in the country, Mr Ambode said next year’s budget would be dedicated towards the completion of ongoing infrastructural projects, creation of more jobs, supporting businesses to thrive, as well as strengthening the security architecture of the state.

The Governor said while it was gratifying that a lot of provisions had been made for capital projects in the 2019 federal budget, the state government would also concentrate on scaling up infrastructure, among other programmes to enhance growth and development.

“The economic outlook for 2019 is quite positive. A lot of provision has been made for capital projects in the 2019 federal budget, some of which will directly impact the economy of our state and will support our growth plans. On our part, we will concentrate on completing existing infrastructural projects, creating more jobs, supporting our businesses to thrive and strengthening our security infrastructure.

“According to IMF, the Nigeria GDP will grow from 1.9% in 2018 to 2.8% in 2019. Lagos on a stand-alone basis will achieve over 4% growth in GDP and this could be more if the congestion at the port and the negative effect this has on the economy is addressed. We expect that the high rate of unemployment will reduce with various social intervention programmes of the state and federal governments geared towards financial inclusion and liquidity support to micro, small and medium enterprises,” the Governor said.

While recalling the activities of his administration in the last three and half years, Governor Ambode said it was particularly fulfilling that the state had made tremendous progress in all sectors of the economy and had become more globally competitive and strategically positioned among the major city-states worldwide.

“Three and a half years down the line, our state has progressed in all sectors of the economy. We have charted a clear path to the destination we have all dreamt about and desired. Today, our Lagos has become more globally competitive and strategically positioned among the major city-states of the world. Our state has become a top destination for business and tourism and it can only get better.

“One of the key promises I made at my inauguration on May 29th, 2015 was to make our state work for all; to spread development from the already congested city centre to other parts of the state with massive infrastructural development. The thinking has been to make every part of the state economically liveable.

“We have undertaken projects in all sectors of the economy with the sole intention of making life better for our people. All of these and similar initiatives were made possible by the personal taxes of high net worth residents of our state represented at this gathering which account for a significant percentage of our IGR and I want to use this opportunity to thank you so much for providing the resources, which have empowered us to make a positive difference in the lives of all citizens of our state,” he said.

Besides, Governor Ambode said it was obvious that the State could not afford a break in trajectory of progressive governance at this point in time, and urged the people to continue to support the ruling party in the state.

He cited the recently launched Lagos Health Insurance Scheme designed to guarantee access to quality healthcare delivery for all Lagosians, saying it was instructive that the bill for the scheme was signed into law by his predecessor, Mr Babatunde Fashola, while the process for its implementation was kick-started by his administration.

“This is the beauty in continuity and we have the assurances of Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state that the initiative will be sustained.

“Lagos State cannot afford the risk of a break in the trajectory of progressive governance at this crucial stage of development. The future is bright and assured. We must maintain continuity of progress in the state,” he said.

Governor Ambode also commended the clubs for their immense contributions to the development of the atate, and charged them to continue to play key part in taking Lagos into a brighter and more prosperous future.

In their respective addresses, Chairman of Island Club, Mr Olabanji Oladapo and his counterpart in Yoruba Tennis Club, Professor Adetokunbo Fabamwo commended Governor Ambode for the various infrastructural projects executed in the clubs, saying it was laudable that the Governor kept his promise.

Economy

TotalEnergies Sells 10% Stake in Renaissance JV to Vaaris

Published

8 hours ago

14/01/2026

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

TotalEnergies EP Nigeria has signed a Sale and Purchase Agreement with Vaaris for the divestment of its 10 per cent non-operated interest in the Renaissance JV licences in Nigeria.

The Renaissance JV, formerly known as the SPDC JV, is an unincorporated joint venture between Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (55 per cent), Renaissance Africa Energy Company Ltd (30 per cent, operator), TotalEnergies EP Nigeria (10 per cent) and Agip Energy and Natural Resources Nigeria (5 per cent), which holds 18 licences in the Niger Delta.

In a statement by TotalEnergies on Wednesday, it was stated that under the agreement signed with Vaaris, TotalEnergies EP Nigeria will sell its 10 per cent participating interest and all its rights and obligations in 15 licences of Renaissance JV, which are producing mainly oil.

Production from these licences, it was said, represented approximately 16,000 barrels equivalent per day in company’s share in 2025.

The agreement also stated that TotalEnergies EP Nigeria will also transfer to Vaaris its 10 per cent participating interest in the three other licences of Renaissance JV which are producing mainly gas, namely OML 23, OML 28 and OML 77, while TotalEnergies will retain full economic interest in these licences, which currently account for 50 per cent of Nigeria LNG gas supply.

Business Post reports that the conclusion of the deal is subject to customary conditions, including regulatory approvals.

“TotalEnergies EP Nigeria has signed a Sale and Purchase Agreement with Vaaris for the sale of its 10 per cent non-operated interest in the Renaissance JV licences in Nigeria.

“Under the agreement signed with Vaaris, TotalEnergies EP Nigeria will sell to Vaaris its 10 per cent participating interest and all its rights and obligations in 15 licences of Renaissance JV, which are producing mainly oil. Production from these licences represented approximately 16,000 barrels equivalent per day in the company’s share in 2025.

“TotalEnergies EP Nigeria will also transfer to Vaaris its 10 per cent participating interest in the 3 other licenses of Renaissance JV, which are producing mainly gas (OML 23, OML 28 and OML 77), while TotalEnergies will retain full economic interest in these licenses, which currently account for 50 per cent of Nigeria LNG gas supply. Closing is subject to customary conditions, including regulatory approvals,” the statement reads in part.

The development is part of TotalEnergies’ strategies to dump more assets to lighten its books and debt.

Economy

NGX RegCo Revokes Trading Licence of Monument Securities

Published

18 hours ago

14/01/2026

Aduragbemi Omiyale

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

The trading licence of Monument Securities and Finance Limited has been revoked by the regulatory arm of the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Group Plc.

Known as NGX Regulations Limited (NGX Regco), the regulator said it took back the operating licence of the organisation after it shut down its operations.

The revocation of the licence was approved by Regulation and New Business Committee (RNBC) at its meeting held on September 24, 2025, a notice from the signed by the Head of Market Regulations at the agency, Chinedu Akamaka, said.

“This is to formally notify all trading license holders that the board of NGX Regulation Limited (NGX RegCo) has approved the decision of the Regulation and New Business Committee (RNBC)” in respect of Monument Securities and Finance Limited, a part of the disclosure stated.

Monument Securities and Finance Limited was earlier licensed to assist clients with the trading of stocks in the Nigerian capital market.

However, with the latest development, the firm is no longer authorised to perform this function.

Economy

NEITI Advocates Fiscal Discipline, Transparency as FG, States, LGs Get N6trn in Three Months

Published

18 hours ago

14/01/2026

Adedapo Adesanya

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has called for fiscal discipline and transparency as data showed that federal government, states, and local governments shared a whopping N6 trillion Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursements in the third quarter of last year.

In its analysis of the FAAC Q3 2025 allocation, the body revealed that the federal government received N2.19 trillion, states received N1.97 trillion, and local governments received N1.45 trillion.

According to a statement by the Director of Communication and Stakeholders Management at NEITI, Mrs Obiageli Onuorah, the allocation indicated a historic rise in federation account receipts and distributions, explaining that year-on-year quarterly FAAC allocations in 2025 grew by 55.6 per cent compared with Q3 of 2024 while it more than doubling allocations over two years.

The report contained in the agency’s Quarterly Review noted that the N6 trillion included 13 per cent payments to derivative states. It also showed that statutory revenues accounted for 62 per cent of shared receipts, while Value Added Tax (VAT) was 34 per cent, and Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) and augmentation from non-oil excess revenue each accounted for 2 per cent, respectively.

The distribution to the 36 states comprised revenues from statutory sources, VAT, EMTL, and ecological funds. States also received additional N100 billion as augmentation from the non-oil excess revenue account.

The Executive Secretary of NEITI, Mr Sarkin Adar, called on the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) FAAC, the National Economic Council (NEC), the National Assembly, and state governments to act on the recommendations to strengthen transparency, accountability, and long-term fiscal sustainability.

“Though the Quarter 3 2025 FAAC results are encouraging, NEITI reiterates that the data presents an opportunity to the government to institutionalise prudent fiscal practices that will protect the gains that have been recorded so far in growing revenue and reduce vulnerability to commodity shocks.

“The Q3 2025 FAAC results are encouraging, but windfalls must be managed with discipline. Greater transparency, realistic budgeting, and stronger stabilisation mechanisms will ensure these resources deliver durable benefits for all Nigerians,” Mr Adar said.

NEITI urged the government at all levels to ensure the growth of Nigeria’s sovereign wealth and stabilisation capacity, by committing to regular transfers to the Nigeria Sovereign Wealth Fund and other related stabilisation mechanisms in line with the fiscal responsibility frameworks.

It further advised governments at all levels to adopt realistic budget benchmarks by setting more conservative and achievable crude oil production and price assumptions in the budget to reduce implementation gaps, deficit, and debt metrics.

This, it said, is in addition to accelerating revenue diversification by prioritising reforms that would attract investments into the mining sector, expedite legislation to modernise the Mineral and Mining Act, support reforms in the downstream petroleum sector, as well as the full implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) to expand domestic refining and value addition.