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Economy

Nigeria, China Deepen Economic Ties at Changsha Investment Dialogue

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By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The recently concluded Nigeria-China Investment Dialogue in Changsha presented an opportunity for Nigeria and China to deepen economic ties.

The Director General of the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership (NCSP), Mr Joseph Tegbe, said the platform allowed both countries to explore new pathways for bilateral engagement.

Referencing President Bola Tinubu’s renewed foreign policy vision, the DG described the evolving Nigeria-China relationship as a deliberate alignment of interests and values.

He urged both nations to move beyond transactional engagements toward deeper, trust-based collaboration, saying, “Let us build a bridge between the Dragon and the Eagle—not only for trade and technology—but for trust, shared values, and a collective commitment to prosperity.”

He outlined a bold and forward-looking vision for a long-term partnership anchored on shared values, strategic alignment, and mutual respect.

Describing Nigeria and China as nations bound by ambition, ingenuity, and a collective will to rise, he drew a compelling parallel between the Eagle and the Dragon—national icons symbolizing strength, vision, and global leadership, noting that Nigeria and China, standing side by side, are not merely emerging economies but purposeful partners shaping the future of global development.

He commended the selection of Changsha as the host city for the dialogue, calling it both symbolic and strategic.

Citing its revolutionary legacy and its transformation into a modern industrial hub, the Director-General drew comparisons with Nigeria’s own developmental trajectory.

Just as Changsha contributed to the rise of modern China, he said, Nigeria’s future is being driven by visionary leadership and a vibrant, youthful population determined to build a strong and prosperous nation.

Mr Tegbe emphasized that Nigeria is not just a land of untapped potentials but a country firmly grounded in purpose. With a population of over 220 million, a GDP exceeding $400 billion, and a median age of just 18, Nigeria is strategically positioned to lead Africa into a new era of digital innovation, agricultural transformation, and industrial growth.

In agriculture, he highlighted Nigeria’s vast comparative advantage, noting that while China feeds 19 per cent of the world’s population using only 7 per cent of global arable land, Nigeria possesses over 70 million hectares of cultivable land—much of it yet to be utilized.

As one of the world’s leading producers of cassava, yam, palm oil, and sorghum, Nigeria offers a robust platform for agribusiness investment that can respond to global food security challenges.

Turning to technology, the DG noted Nigeria’s emergence as Africa’s leading innovation hub. With more than 122 million internet users and a thriving start-up ecosystem, the country accounted for over a quarter of the continent’s venture capital funding in 2024.

Citing companies like Paystack, Flutterwave, and Opay, he underscored Nigeria’s growing influence in the global digital economy. He described the country as a strategic entry point for Chinese investors looking to engage with Africa’s rapidly evolving tech landscape, underpinned by a youthful, tech-savvy population.

Mr Tegbe also pointed to ongoing macroeconomic reforms aimed at creating a more competitive and investor-friendly environment.

Efforts to improve the ease of doing business, streamline regulatory processes, and offer targeted tax incentives have been complemented by focused investment in priority sectors such as healthcare, education, housing, and retail.

These reforms, he explained, are part of a broader strategy to ensure inclusive, long-term development.

“The Nigerian spirit does not falter in the face of adversity. It adapts. It endures. It triumphs,” he affirmed.

Modupe Gbadeyanka is a fast-rising journalist with Business Post Nigeria. Her passion for journalism is amazing. She is willing to learn more with a view to becoming one of the best pen-pushers in Nigeria. Her role models are the duo of CNN's Richard Quest and Christiane Amanpour.

Economy

Petrol Supply up 55.4% as Daily Consumption Reaches 52.1 million Litres

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By Adedapo Adesanya

The supply of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, increased by 55.4 per cent on a month-on-month basis to 71.5 million litres per day in November 2025 from 46 million litres per day in October.

This was contained in the November 2025 fact sheet of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) on Monday.

The data showed that the nation’s consumption also increased by 44.5 per cent or 37.4 million litres to 52.1 million litres per day in November 2025, against 28.9 million litres in October.

The significant increase in petrol supply last month was on account of the imports by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited into the Nigerian market from both the domestic and the international market.

Domestic refineries supplied in the period stood at 17.1 million litres per day, while the average daily consumption of PMS for the month was 52.9 million litres per day.

The NMDPRA noted that no production activities were recorded in all the state-owned refineries, which included Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries, in the period, as the refineries remained shut down.

According to the report, the imports were aimed at building inventory and further guaranteeing supply during the peak demand period.

Other reasons for the increase, according to the NMDPRA, were due to “low supply recorded in September and October 2025, below the national demand threshold; the need for boosting national stock level to meet the peak demand period of end of year festivities, and twelve vessels programmed to discharge into October, which spilled into November.”

On gas, the average daily gas supply climbed to 4.684 billion standard cubic feet per day in November 2025, from the 3.94 bscf/d average processing level recorded in October.

The Nigeria LNG Trains 1-6 also maintained a stable processing output of 3.5 bscf/d in November 2025, but utilisation improved slightly to 73.7 per cent compared with 71.68 per cent in October.

The increase, according to the report, was driven by higher plant utilisation across processing hubs and steady export volumes from the Nigeria LNG plant in Bonny.

“As of November 2025, Nigeria’s major gas processing facilities recorded improved output and utilisation levels, with the Nigeria LNG Trains 1-6 processing 3.50 billion standard cubic feet per day at a utilisation rate of 73.70 per cent.

“Gbaran Ubie Gas Plant processed 1.250 bscf per day, operating at 71.21 per cent utilisation, while the MPNU Bonny River Terminal recorded a throughput of 0.690 bscf per day during the period. Processing activities at the Escravos Gas Plant stood at 0.680 bscf per day, representing a 62 per cent utilisation rate, whereas the Soku Gas Plant emerged as the top performer, processing 0.600 bscf per day at 96.84 per cent utilisation,” it stated.

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Economy

Secure Electronic Technology Suspends Share Reconstruction as Investors Pull Out

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By Aduragbemi Omiyale

The proposed share reconstruction of a local gaming firm, Secure Electronic Technology (SET), has been suspended.

The Lagos-based company decided to shelve the exercise after negotiations with potential investors crumbled like a house of cards.

Secure Electronic Technology was earlier in talks with some foreign investors interested in the organisation.

Plans were underway to restructure the shares of the company, which are listed on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited.

However, things did not go as planned as the potential investors pulled out, leaving the board to consider others ways to move the firm forward.

Confirming this development, the company secretary, Ms Irene Attoe, in a statement, said the board would explore other means to keep the company running to deliver value to shareholders.

“This is to notify the NGX and the investing public that a meeting of the board of SET held on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, as scheduled, to consider the status of the proposed share reconstruction and recapitalisation as approved by the members at the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) held on April 16, 2025.

“After due deliberations, the board wishes to announce that the proposed share reconstruction will not take place as anticipated due to the inability of the parties to reach a convergence on the best and mutually viable terms.

“Thus, following an impasse in the negotiations, and the investors’ withdrawal from the transaction, the board has, in the interest of all members, decided to accept these outcomes and move ahead in the overall interest of the business.

“The board is committed to driving the strategic objectives of SEC and to seeking viable opportunities for sustainable growth of the company,” the disclosure stated.

Business Post reports that the share price of SET crashed by 3.85 per cent on Tuesday on Customs Street on Tuesday to 75 Kobo. Its 52-week high remains N1.33 and its one-year low is 45 Kobo. Today, investors transacted 39,331,958 units.

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Economy

Clea to Streamline Cross-Border Payments for African Importers

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Clea Payment platform

By Adedapo Adesanya

Clea, a blockchain-powered platform that allows African importers to pay international suppliers in USD while settling locally, has officially launched.

During its pilot phase, Clea processed more than $4 million in cross-border transactions, demonstrating strong early demand from businesses navigating the complexities of global trade.

Clea addresses persistent challenges that African importers have long struggled with, including limited FX access, unpredictable exchange rates, high bank charges, fraudulent intermediaries, and payment delays that slow or halt shipments. The continent also faces a trade-finance gap estimated at over $120 billion annually, limiting importers’ ability to access the FX and financial infrastructure needed for timely international payments by offering fast, transparent, and direct USD settlements, completed without intermediaries or banking bottlenecks.

Founded by Mr Sheriff Adedokun, Mr Iyiola Osuagwu, and Mr Sidney Egwuatu, Clea was created from the team’s own experiences dealing with unreliable international payments. The platform currently serves Nigerian importers trading with suppliers in the United States, China, and the UAE, with plans to expand into additional trade corridors.

The platform will allow local payments in Naira with instant access to Dollars as well as instant, same-day, or next-day settlement options and transparent, traceable transactions that reduce fraud risk.

Speaking on the launch, Mr Adedokun said, “Importers face unnecessary stress when payments are delayed or rejected. Clea eliminates that uncertainty by offering reliable, secure, and traceable payments completed in the importer’s own name, strengthening supplier confidence from day one.”

Mr Osuagwu, co-founder & CTO, added, “Our goal is to make global trade feel as seamless as a local transfer. By connecting local currencies to global transactions through blockchain technology, we are removing long-standing barriers that have limited African importers for years.”

According to a statement shared with Business Post, Clea is already working with shipping operators who refer merchants to the platform and is also engaging trade associations and logistics networks in key import hubs. The company remains fully bootstrapped but is open to strategic investors aligned with its mission to build a trusted global payment network for African businesses.

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