Economy
Nigerian Newspapers Rake N143b In Advert Revenue In 10 Years
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Advertising income for Newspapers in Nigeria hit N143.1 billion between 2006 and December 2015, revealing a wavy pattern that reached its peak in 2014 with N25 billion; and declined to 23.7 billion at the end of 2015.
According to a special edition of mediafacts in the last 10 years, by mediaReach OMD titled: mediafacts Nigeria 10 Year Trend Review (2006 to 2016), the N4.4 billion advert income in 2006 moved up to N4.8 and N4.9 billion in 2007 and 2008 respectively. The newspapers got N15.8 billion in 2009 and N16.5 billion in 2010.
The figure declined to N15.4 in 2011 and slipped further to N9.0 billion in 2012. The downward slope however changed in 2013 with an advert income of N18.5 billion and rose to its peak in 2014, hitting N25.8. The figure went down by N2.1billion in 2015 when the newspapers received N23.7 billion.
mediaReach OMD explained that the newspapers tend to mostly attract their highest advert patronage in the second and third quarters, with exception of 2013 and 2014 which had their highest spending in the fourth quarters of the year.
In terms of regional spending in the last ten years, the split is between Lagos and North, with Lagos constantly attracting the dominant share of advert spending year after year. The product analysis however shows that Glo has consistently dominated the list of press advertising, rising steadily in the last three years to tie with Guaranty Trust Bank ahead of others while MTN currently occupies the third position.
But in terms of advertising expenditure across board, the TV medium consistently enjoyed the lion share of advert budget over the years. It is followed by the Out of Home (OOH) medium except for 2014 and 2015, when the print medium followed the leading TV medium. The newspapers had however experienced the highest growth rate in terms of advert spends especially in the last three years.
For total advertising expenditure, the year 2013 enjoyed the highest spending with N103.8 billion, representing a marginal increase over year 2011 spending of N 102.8 billion. There was a decline in 2014 as compared to the high spending in 2013.
The general economic outlook during the period under review showed a Gross Domestic Product, GDP estimated at 6.1 per cent in 2014, owing to continued strong performance mainly in services, but also in industry. The oil sector was in decline, albeit at a slower rate than in the previous year. Also in 2014, oil and gas GDP was estimated to have declined by 1.3 per cent, relative to a decline of 13.1 per cent in 2013.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, mediaReach OMD, Mr. Tolu Ogunkoya, said: “Nigeria’s media is one of the most dynamic in Africa. Each of the 36 states has at least a TV station and one radio. There are hundreds of radio stations and terrestrial TV stations, as well as cable and direct-to-home satellite offerings.”
Not a few analysts however agree that the newspaper industry in Nigeria is caught in the web of great depression and recession. It has fallen victim to a combination of intertwined factors. The first is the tough economic environment, which has reduced advertising revenue, as well as the purchasing power of the reading public, and driven up the cost of production to an almost unmanageable level.
With a foreign exchange regime that is unstable, and virtually every input required for production imported from abroad, or sourced locally at cut-throat prices, an average newspaper which used to cost almost nothing in the 70s, is now priced beyond the reach of many Nigerians.
The mediafacts Nigeria 10 Year Trend Review is a ten year longitudinal review and trend analyses of year on year mediafacts, with key insights into annual statistical performance and the dynamics of key players on critical indices of the media, advertising and marketing industry in Nigeria.
mediaReach OMD has since 2001 through its publication; mediafacts been given insights into the Media and Marketing industry of Nigeria, Ghana, West and Central Africa regions. It also provides marketing media professionals with evidence based information that has become a veritable tool for practitioners and companies to compete for market space in these markets.
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By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The board of Presco Plc has proposed the payment of an interim dividend of N10 per share to shareholders of the organisation for the first six months of this year.
This information was conveyed in the unaudited financial statements of the company released to the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited.
In the results for the half-year ended June 30, 2026, the fully integrated agro-industrial firm said the cash reward reinforces its commitment to delivering consistent shareholder returns.
It further assured that looking ahead, it remains focused on disciplined capital allocation, operational efficiency and long-term value creation while navigating evolving market conditions.
A look at the key financial highlights of the results showed that revenue was relatively stable at about N199.0 billion in the first half of 2026 and the same period of 2025 amid a high-cost operating environment and softer crude palm oil prices.
However, the pre-tax profit rose by 9.3 per cent to N122.2 billion from N119.9 billion as result of a 31.9 per cent reduction in financing costs.
Further, the Edo State-based company posted an EBITDA of N123.1 billion, which yielded a margin of 61.9 per cent, as the organisation strengthened its balance sheet, reducing total liabilities by 42.5 per cent to N277.8 billion, while equity grew 13.8 per cent to N503.6 billion, with a current ratio of 345.6 per cent, which underscores robust liquidity.
“Our H1 2026 performance underscores the strength of our operational model in a challenging environment. The 9.3 per cent growth in profit before tax, driven largely by a 31.9 per cent reduction in financing costs, reflects our deliberate focus on cost optimisation and balance sheet discipline.
“With equity up 13.8 per cent and liabilities down by 42.5 per cent, we have further fortified our financial foundation.
“The proposed interim dividend of N10 per share signals our confidence in the business’s trajectory and our commitment to rewarding shareholders,” the chief executive of Presco, Mr Reji George, stated.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The ex-depot prices of the two major petroleum products in the country, Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, and Automotive Gas Oil (Diesel), have been slashed by Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The company, in a statement on Wednesday, disclosed that while petrol is now N1,165 per litre, diesel is now N1,570 per litre.
The energy firm said it slashed the prices to reaffirm its commitment to providing affordable, high-quality petroleum products to the Nigerian market.
The latest cut in the price of PMS represents N50, as it was previously sold to marketers at N1,215 per litre, while diesel witnessed an N80 reduction, as it was formerly being sold at N1,650 per litre.
Dangote Refinery stated that the downward price review reflects its ongoing efforts to enhance energy affordability, improve access to refined petroleum products, and support economic activities across Nigeria, saying it remains committed to ensuring stable supply while leveraging operational efficiencies to deliver value to consumers, businesses, and stakeholders.
As Africa’s largest refinery, Dangote Petroleum Refinery continues to play a pivotal role in strengthening Nigeria’s energy security, reducing reliance on imports, and supporting the nation’s economic development through the supply of world-class petroleum products.
The company reaffirmed its dedication to contributing to the growth of the Nigerian economy and passing on the benefits of improved operational efficiencies to consumers whenever market conditions permit.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Dangote Petroleum Refinery is preparing to raise about $5 billion through an initial public offering (IPO) expected to conclude in October, in what could become the largest stock market listing in Africa’s history.
The company has already submitted an initial application to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), with approval expected in the coming weeks. Once authorised, the refinery is expected to release its prospectus in September ahead of the public offer.
The primary listing will be on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited, although investors across Africa are expected to participate through structured investment instruments rather than a dual listing.
The proceeds will be used to expand the capacity of the 700,000-barrels-per-day refinery in Lagos and possibly support plans to replicate the project in Kenya as Dangote seeks to deepen Africa’s energy independence.
The proposed IPO comes after the refinery benefited from increased demand for refined products during the recent Iran conflict, supplying jet fuel across Africa and into Western Europe as global shortages disrupted markets.
As per Reuters, stock exchanges in South Africa, Kenya, Egypt, Ghana and Rwanda have held discussions with advisers to the transaction as interest in the offering continues to build across the continent.
Kenya alone could account for as much as $500 million of the targeted capital raise, driven largely by demand from institutional investors, including pension funds, the publication reported.
While the company is targeting a $5 billion raise, the final amount will depend on the outcome of the SEC’s review. If achieved, the offering would represent more than four per cent of the Nigerian Exchange’s current market capitalisation.
The IPO follows a $2.5 billion private placement completed last month, in which a six per cent stake in the refinery was sold, implying a valuation of about $40 billion.
That valuation, however, would place the refinery well above several listed global refining companies. Turkey’s Tupras, which operates a similar combined refining capacity across four facilities, has a market value of roughly $12 billion, while US-listed HF Sinclair, with a comparable processing capacity, is valued at around $16 billion.
Although the NGX generally requires companies on its main board to maintain a minimum free float of 20 per cent, there have been exceptions. Dangote Cement, for instance, currently has a free float of just over 12 per cent.
The publication also reported that investors outside Nigeria are likely to gain exposure through instruments such as global depositary receipts or exchange-traded products linked to the Nigerian-listed shares, rather than through a cross-listing on other African exchanges.
The founder of the 700,000-barrels-per-day capacity plant, Mr Aliko Dangote, said in April that the refinery aims to increase production capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day.
Mr Dangote is also pursuing plans to build another refinery in Lamu along Kenya’s coast in partnership with other East African governments, although it remains unclear whether part of the IPO proceeds will be allocated to that project valued at an estimated $17 billion.
