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Stanbic IBTC Bank Assures Agribusiness Owners Loans for Expansion

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By Aduragbemi Omiyale

One of the aspirations of agribusiness owners is to expand their operations but this has not been mostly achieved because of the paucity of funds.

However, Stanbic IBTC Bank has promised to solve this problem by providing financing solutions for agricultural enterprises to suit their requirements concerning the availability of resources to purchase mechanised farming equipment, as well as the enhancement of seasonal cash flow for industrial production.

The lender stated that it is supporting the sector because of its importance to the country’s economy as it is central to sustainable development and critical for generating employment.

The Head of Agribusiness at Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr Wole Oshin, said that Nigeria’s ambitions for accelerated and inclusive economic growth were contingent on achieving a vibrant agro-allied sector that can support extensive enterprise development and employment.

He stressed that Stanbic IBTC offered various credit facilities across the agricultural sector that aid value chain players to thrive.

“The available loan facilities are targeted at agribusinesses to provide short-medium term financing needs of crop and livestock producers, processors, their distribution chain and other value chain players. The loans provide revolving working capital (to meet day-to-day operational needs and purchase inputs like seeds, fertilizers, raw materials) and equipment finance solutions to farmers and agribusinesses,” Mr Oshin said.

According to him, some benefits of the Stanbic IBTC agribusiness finance include the availability of gap funding for unforeseen financial needs, maintenance of cash flow and flexibility of repayment terms based on the type of funding. He added that the facility was also versatile and can be utilised for funding resources for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), vehicles and farming equipment.

Furthermore, Mr Oshin added that Stanbic IBTC had intensified efforts towards the improvement of the agro-allied sector by offering free capacity-building sessions to SMEs in the industry, noting that most sessions helped in educating SME owners on key business skills.

He noted that Stanbic IBTC Bank equally provided financing solutions for agricultural enterprises to suit their requirements concerning the availability of resources to purchase mechanised farming equipment, as well as the enhancement of seasonal cash flow for industrial production.

“For instance, Stanbic IBTC committed ₦50 billion to launch a nationwide agricultural finance scheme. The Nigerian Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) and signed a memorandum of understanding to boost agricultural productivity and modernisation by facilitating increased bank lending to the sector,” he stated.

Mr Oshin said that Stanbic IBTC has committed these funds for the takeoff of the scheme. The first phase of the scheme is projected to impact thousands of lives through job creation and boost the revenue of farmers and businesses in the agro-allied industry, which is a testament to the financial institution’s efforts to drive inclusive economic growth through agriculture.

He explained that Stanbic IBTC envisioned that the programme would increase farmland output, diversify the revenue base, and provide vital resources and raw materials to the manufacturing sector. He said that the idea of providing financial solutions for agriculture and agro-allied industries as a strategy for accelerated economic growth is gradually beginning to take hold.

“Stanbic IBTC understands that funding the agro-allied industries is a sure way to diversify the Nigerian economy, as these industries are primed to spark off rapid enterprise development in Nigeria,” Mr Oshin noted.

Enhancing credit access to small farmers and agro-based enterprises at low rates of interest will have a far-reaching impact on the micro and macro economy. The growth of the agricultural sector is pivotal to economic development. Stanbic IBTC recognises this and that is why the organisation is intentionally developing initiatives and fostering partnerships that support players in the industry.

Aduragbemi Omiyale is a journalist with Business Post Nigeria, who has passion for news writing. In her leisure time, she loves to read.

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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Secure Electronic Technology

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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