Economy
Olam Agri Prioritises Food Fortification to Address Important Nutrient Gaps
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Consumers of the Olam Agri range of products have been assured of healthy food fortified with the important nutrients needed by the body.
The Senior Vice President of Olam Agri, Mr Ashish Pande, while speaking at the recently-concluded World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, stated that the company places a high priority on food fortification.
At the global event, he promised that Olam Agri would deliver one trillion servings of fortified food comprising wheat flour, edible oil, and rice to provide essential micronutrients to over 250 million people each day by 2030.
According to him, this is part of the organisation’s commitment to helping to raise the standard of public health as it contributes to meeting the growing demand for healthy foods across the African continent and beyond.
“Food fortification is at the core of Olam Agri’s purpose of transforming food, feed, and fibre for a sustainable future. In 2021, we produced more than 83 billion servings of fortified foods for consumers in Africa, which included fortified rice in Ghana and Cameroon.
“Our commitment goes beyond meeting regulatory requirements to addressing the important nutrient gaps faced by millions of people. By 2030, we pledge to deliver one trillion servings of fortified food – wheat flour, edible oil, rice to provide essential micronutrients to over 250 million people each day,” Mr Pande said.
Global food fortification actions are coming under sharp scrutiny. A discourse around the fortification of staple foods such as rice and wheat and how to build a consensus around unified strategies suitable for reducing malnutrition on a global scale garnered attention at Davos.
It is estimated that three billion people cannot afford a healthy diet annually. This unhealthy population is expected to rise by 267.6 million due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hence, reaching people with micronutrients such as Vitamin A, iron, zinc, iodine, and folate on a global scale is seen as strategic to halting the unfavourable rise in unhealthy diets.
WEF gathers global leaders and key decision-makers across the globe annually to initiate dialogue and drive cooperation that will help navigate the pressing challenges impacting the health of the global economy. This year, the forum mobilized food processors, partner governments, technical agencies, and key donors to address nutrition issues, as well as deepen collaboration and partnership in providing solutions to the issues.
For Mr Pande, there is a need for and advantages of partnerships between millers and technical partners to help address unhealthy diets.
“Thanks to our partnership with TechnoServe, we have installed premix facilities across our local food manufacturing facilities. The premix facility is automated, and the process is controlled to ensure the persistence of quality premix and consistent supply of nourishing foods across our operating markets,” he disclosed.
Diving into the barriers and solutions to scale fortification initiatives on the globe, the Vice Chairman of the Food System Champion Network and moderator at the WEF session, Mr Paul Newnham, said, “Millers are a powerful new ally in the global fight against malnutrition.”
“One in two children and two in three women face at least one micronutrient deficiency. Fortification has a critical role to play. From consumer education to regulatory frameworks, millers face key barriers in producing fortified foods. Millers need to be put on a level playing field, with equal partnerships between business and millers,” he added.
To round off the discourse on food fortification at the forum, a formidable initiative tagged Miller 4 Nutrition Global Coalition was launched.
According to Newnham, the initiative aims to gather millers of all sizes and diverse actors to improve nutrition worldwide.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Seplat Energy Plc will revive hundreds of Nigerian oil wells laying fallow after completing the acquisition of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPNU) from ExxonMobil.
The company said it aims to lift oil output to about 200,000 barrels a day, a move that will help boost Nigeria’s oil production levels, as it aims to reach 2 million barrels per day next year.
The transaction, according to Seplat, “is transformative for Seplat Energy, more than doubling production and positioning the company to drive growth and profitability, whilst contributing significantly to Nigeria’s future prosperity.”
The completion of the Seplat-ExxonMobil deal has created Nigeria’s leading independent energy company, with the enlarged company having equity in 11 blocks (onshore and shallow water Nigeria); 48 producing oil and gas fields; 5 gas processing facilities; and 3 export terminals.
Recall that the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) in October approved the deal as part of a series of approvals, while it blocked Shell’s asset sale of up to $2.4 billion to the Renaissance consortium.
The acquisition of the entire issued share capital of MPNU adds the following assets to the Seplat Group: 40 per cent operated interest in OML 67, 68, 70 and 104; 40 per cent operated interest in the Qua Iboe export terminal and the Yoho FSO; 51 per cent operated interest in the Bonny River Terminal (‘BRT’) NGL recovery plant; 9.6 per cent participating interest in the Aneman-Kpono field; and approximately 1,000 staff and 500 contractors will transition to the Seplat Group.
MPNU adds substantial reserves and production to Seplat Energy; 409 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMboe) 2P reserves and 670 MMboe 2P + 2C reserves and resources as at 30 June 2024 and 6M 2024 average daily production of 71.4 kboepd (thousand barrels of oil equivalent).
Business Post reports that Seplat will be part of the payment this year, and will defer some to next year,
Speaking on the transaction, the Chairman of Seplat Energy, Mr Udoma Udo Udoma commended President Bola Tinubu for supporting this transaction and appreciated the support and diligence of the various ministries and regulators for all the work to reach a successful conclusion.
“We are delighted to welcome the MPNU employees to Seplat Energy. We are excited to begin our journey in a new region of the country, and we look forward to replicating the positive impacts we have achieved within our communities in our current areas of operations.
“Seplat’s mission is to deliver value to all our stakeholders, and we treasure the good relationships we have developed with the government, regulators, communities and our staff.”
On his part, the chief executive of Seplat Energy, Mr Roger Brown, described the acquisition as a major milestone, adding, “I extend my thanks to the entire Seplat team for their hard work and perseverance to complete this transaction.
“MPNU’s employees and contractors have a strong reputation for safety and operational excellence, and I welcome them to the Seplat Energy Group.
“We have acquired a company with one of the best portfolios of assets and related infrastructure in a world-class basin, providing enormous potential for the Seplat Group. Our commitment is to invest to increase oil and gas production while reducing costs and emissions, maximising value for all our stakeholders.
“MPNU is a perfect fit with our strategy to build a sustainable business that can deliver affordable, accessible and reliable energy for Nigeria alongside attractive returns to our shareholders”.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Pension Commission (PenCom) is projected to close the year with over N22 trillion in pension assets impacted by challenges like inflation and monetary policies.
This is according to PenCom Director-General, Mrs Omolola Oloworaran, at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday.
She said as of October 2024, the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) had 10.53 million registered contributors and pension fund assets worth N21.92 trillion.
Speaking at the conference-themed Tech-driven Transformation Shaping the Pension Landscape, which showcased PenCom’s strategic commitment to innovation, she said that the numbers reflected the agency’s unwavering commitment to fund safety, prudent management, and sustainable growth.
She explained that the pension environment was impacted by the wider economic challenges facing the country, noting that the sector battled multi-year high inflation, Naira devaluation, and the lingering effects of unorthodox monetary policies by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Business Post reports that the apex bank hiked interest rates by 875 basis points this year alone to tackle persistent inflation which peaked at 33.8 per cent as of October.
She said that these challenges eroded the real value of pension funds and impacted contributors’ purchasing power.
“To address these issues, the commission has initiated a comprehensive review of its investment regulations.
“It is focusing on diversifying pension fund investments into inflation-protected instruments, alternative assets, and foreign currency-denominated investments.
“The goal is to safeguard contributor savings and ensure resilience against future economic volatility,” she said.
She restated the commission’s commitment to expanding pension coverage, particularly through the advanced micro-pension plan designed to encourage participation from the informal sector using technology.
“This initiative will make it easier for everyday Nigerians to save for retirement, aligning with our vision of inclusive growth and financial stability for all.
“The backlog in retirement benefits for retirees of the Federal Government’s Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) will soon be settled.
“The federal government recently disbursed N44 billion under the 2024 budget to settle approved pension rights.
“We are collaborating with the Federal Government to institutionalise a sustainable solution to ensure retirees receive their benefits promptly, eliminating delays,” Mrs Oloworaran said.
She said that PenCom’s technology-driven transformation aimed to make the CPS more accessible, reliable, and sustainable.
“From data management to seamless contributions and regulatory supervision, we are paving the way for a future where the pension industry serves all Nigerians effectively,” she said,
Mrs Oloworaran also said that the e-application portal for pension clearance certificates has replaced the manual processes and enhanced the ease of doing business in the sector.
“Since its deployment, 38,528 pension clearance certificates have been issued. This initiative ensures compliance and secures the future of Nigerians working in organisations that interact with the government,” she said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange closed flat on Thursday, December 12 after it ended the trading session with no single price gainer or loser.
As a result, the market capitalisation remained unchanged at N1.055 trillion as the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) followed the same route, remaining at 3,012.50 points like the previous trading session.
However, the activity chart witnessed changes as the volume of securities traded at the bourse went down by 92.5 per cent to 447,905 units from the 5.9 million units transacted a day earlier.
In the same vein, the value of securities bought and sold by investors declined by 86.6 per cent to N3.02 million from the N22.5 million recorded in the preceding trading day.
But the number of deals carried out during the session remained unchanged at 21 deals, according to data obtained by Business Post.
When trading activities ended for the day, Geo-Fluids Plc remained the most active stock by volume (year-to-date) with 1.7 billion units sold for N3.9 billion, Okitipupa Plc came next with 752.2 million units valued at N7.8 billion, and Afriland Properties Plc was in third place with 297.5 million units worth N5.3 million.
Also, Aradel Holdings Plc remained the most active stock by value (year-to-date) with 108.7 million units worth N89.2 billion, followed by Okitipupa Plc with 752.2 million units valued at N7.8 billion, and Afriland Properties Plc with 297.5 million units sold for N5.3 billion.
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