Economy
Niger Governor Presents N108b Budget for 2017
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State has presented the 2017 budget to the state’s House of Assembly.
The appropriation bill tagged ‘Budget of Consolidation’, was presented to the lawmakers on Friday in Minna, the state capital.
Mr Bello told the Assembly that he plans to spend N108 billion for the 2017 fiscal year, pointing out that the budget was designed to give priority attention to youth and women empowerment; completion of on-going projects; enhancement of IGR; re-introduction of teachers’ colleges; transformation of education and development of waterworks.
According to him, the budget proposal of N108,074,298,251 is N22,982,176,118 or 21.27 percent higher than the outgoing fiscal year of N85,092,122,133.
He added that the budget will be financed from Statutory Allocation of N50,695,206,724 and the sum of N22,781,770,370 is expected from Capital receipts made up of expected drawn-downs from development partners projects grants and loans.
Other sources are N12,403,874,117 from internally generated revenue (IGR), the Value Added Tax (VAT) of N8,793,447,040 and N13,400,000,000 from refund of proceeds from Paris Club loan being carried over to the new year.
Like the out-going budget, the capital expenditure of the 2017 appropriation bill is to gulp N60,026,337,973 which is 55.55 percent of the budget size while the recurrent expenditure will consume N48,047,960,278 or 44.45 percent of the budget.
Sectorial allocation showed that the Economic sector has the lion share of the capital expenditure with a proposal of N34,447,707,984 followed by the social sector with an estimate of N17,849,444,257 while administration sector is allocated N6,649,185,732 and law and justice with N1,080,000,000.
A breakdown of the bill further showed that education sub-sector has a proposed capital allocation of N4,155,074,176; health care delivery is expected to gulp N2.05 billion, the sum of N1.3 billion is earmarked for infrastructure and transport while water suply and sanitation is allocated N1.16billion.
Mr Bello also proposed the sum of N1.09 billion for women development while youth and sports development is allocated N2.1 billion.
A retrospect of the 2016 budget by the Governor showed that the national economic crisis affected the efforts of the state government at meeting its projected revenue target for the year.
According to him, the approved revenue between January and October this year stood at N55.98 billion, representing 67 percent which implies that the outgoing budget recorded a 33 percent revenue shortfall.
The Governor then appealed to business organizations and individuals in the state to live up to their civic responsibility by paying up their tax promptly.
In his remarks, the Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly, Mr Ahmed Marafa, promised that the legislators will ensure the passage of the bill in a shortest and record time adding that they will intensify commitment in ensuring Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) comply to the budget provisions.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A festive campaign designed to blend culture, lifestyle, music, generosity, and digital engagement into one connected celebration that brings millions of Nigerians together across cities and communities has been launched by MTN Nigeria.
Known as VibeTide, this initiative will continue throughout the festive months with a rich mix of activities designed to meet Nigerians wherever they gather.
The campaign came alive this morning with Y’ello Santa, a multi-city activation that lit up Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, Ibadan, and Enugu with surprises, gifts, entertainment, and heartwarming interactions.
Thousands of Nigerians were celebrated and rewarded as MTN teams visited high traffic locations to create spontaneous festive moments. The turnout and excitement across the cities reflected the early momentum that the season typically brings.
To support the influx of returnees and tourists arriving for the holidays, MTN would introduce integrated bundles designed with the I Just Got Back (IJGB) community in mind.
Many travellers rely on mobile data the moment they land, using it to navigate busy cities, book rides, find events, make cashless payments, and stay connected to family and friends.
These affordable and reliable options ensure that visitors can settle in quickly and enjoy the festive experience without connectivity barriers. The bundles would be available through the yellotide portal, regular channels and the MyMTN app.
The dedicated portal for the initiative serves as the digital gateway for the entire campaign. It provides customers with access to exclusive event tickets, curated experiences, giveaways, and up to date information on all VibeTide activities, giving Nigerians an easy and personal way to stay plugged into the celebration.
YelloTide will run across November and December and extend into early 2026. It combines on ground activations, digital engagement, talent showcases, and community focused surprises that reinforce MTN’s commitment to celebrating Nigerians and powering shared experiences. Whether in bustling cities or in hometowns with family, MTN is placing itself at the heart of the celebrations, giving Nigerians more to enjoy and more to remember this festive season.
The Chief Marketing Officer of MTN Nigeria, Ms Onyinye Ikenna Emeka, said VibeTide was created to elevate the energy and emotion of the season, noting that it celebrates the joy Nigerians naturally bring to this time of year.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) has welcomed the introduction of a N20 billion collective insurance bond backed by a consortium of insurers to replace the long-standing container deposit system in Nigeria’s maritime trade.
The container deposit system allows shipping companies to charge importers of clearing agents a refundable fee (container deposit) whenever they take delivery of a container from the port for the purpose of unpacking and returning it after use. It serves as a guarantee that the importer will return the container to the shipping line in good condition within a stipulated, agreed period.
The new scheme, designed to protect international traders and freight-forwarders, marks a major shift toward an insurance-driven framework for container and cargo risk management, with agreed standard premiums now set for container indemnity, cargo-in-transit, and public liability coverages.
Speaking at an engagement with insurance stakeholders on Wednesday in Lagos, NACCIMA’s President, Mr Jani Ibrahim, represented by the group’s Director General, Mr Sola Obadimu, emphasised the critical role of insurance in enabling business operations from maritime and oil & gas to agriculture and exports.
The two-day event, which dedicated the first day to maritime stakeholders, held at NACCIMA’s secretariat, spotlighted how Section 203 of the newly assented Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act (NIIRA) 2025 outlaws the traditional container-deposit fee and ushers in an insurance-based mechanism for both laden and empty shipping containers.
The reform signals “a new era” in container-risk management, NACCIMA said.
To drive implementation, NACCIMA proposed setting up an Implementation Committee representing private-sector trade groups (including manufacturers, SMEs, employers), regulators and all maritime stakeholders.
According to the association, on-boarding is slated to begin January 2026.
“The private sector will take the lead in implementing the Container Insurance Law in the maritime sector, towards the complete elimination of the deposit fee, as stipulated in law,” Mr Obadimu said.
Business-owners were urged to support the shift to an insurance-model, with NACCIMA detailing its partnership with consulting firm FRM Communications Limited to digitise container profiling, map stakeholders and integrate into national trade-facilitation systems.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced that Nigeria’s capital market will officially transition to a T+2 settlement cycle for equities transactions from Friday, November 28, 2025.
The reform, aimed at aligning Nigeria with global best practices, is expected to enhance market efficiency, improve liquidity, and strengthen investor confidence ahead of the traditional year-end rally.
With the T+2 transition, Nigeria is taking a significant step toward a more efficient, competitive, and investor-friendly capital market as it braces for becoming an ambitious $1 trillion economy.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the SEC said the migration from the current T+3 (trade date plus three days) cycle had reached full implementation following months of preparation and rigorous stakeholder testing.
“The migration is expected to significantly enhance the Nigerian capital market by allowing investors quicker access to funds, improving overall liquidity, and reducing counterparty risk exposure,” the Commission noted.
The Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc, which serves as the market’s central counterparty, was praised for ensuring operational and technical readiness.
“Extensive testing with market participants has been successfully conducted without any reported issues,” the SEC said, adding that the initiative represents a “landmark change” in Nigeria’s market infrastructure.
Under the new settlement framework, all trades executed on Friday, November 28, 2025, will settle on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, while earlier transactions will continue under the existing T+3 system.
The SEC also reaffirmed its commitment to building a modern, transparent, and globally competitive market that continues to attract domestic and international investors.
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