Economy
Tether, Others Set Up Unit to Combat Crypto Crime
By Adedapo Adesanya
The trio of Tether, TRON, and TRM Labs have joined hands to establish the first-ever private sector financial crime unit to combat rampant illicit activities in the crypto industry, a move that will see action taken in the low-trust industry.
The initiative known as the T3 Financial Crime Unit (T3 FCU) is a first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at facilitating public-private collaboration to combat illicit activity associated with the use of USDT on the TRON blockchain.
This collaboration brings together the anti-financial crime expertise of TRM Labs, a leading blockchain intelligence firm; the technical expertise of TRON, a leading global blockchain and DAO; and external investigations team at Tether, the largest company in the digital asset industry, to create a safer and more secure crypto community for all.
According to a statement, the initiative has helped to freeze over 12 million USDTs associated with a blackmail scam, an investment fraud scheme, and others, 12 in collaboration with law enforcement.
“Police are aware of at least 11 victims impacted by the scams and expect to identify additional victims as the investigations unfold,” the statement added.
Stablecoins like USDT have drawn the attention of scammers, terrorist financiers, and other threat actors banking on its attractive low fees, lack of volatility, and ease of use to carry out illicit activities.
And as the TRON blockchain’s popularity and user base grow, drawn by its high throughput and low transaction costs, so too does its uninvited exposure to these criminal elements.
The establishment of the T3 FCU represents a significant step towards impeding the ability of malicious actors to launder and utilize the proceeds of crime, safeguarding the integrity of the TRON blockchain.
TRM will provide ongoing support to TRON and Tether in identifying transactions that have a connection to alleged illegal activities such as terrorism, sanctions evasion, theft, hacking, cybercrime, and fraud.
The firm will leverage its proprietary technology as well as its global network of expert investigators to generate intelligence and support TRON’s and Tether’s efforts to disrupt criminal activity and aid collaborations with law enforcement around the world.
By collaborating to proactively identify and disrupt illicit activity, the T3 FCU aims to promote security and prosperity across the TRON network and beyond.
“TRON originated with the belief that technology can be used for good and to empower people across the globe,” said Mr Justin Sun, founder of the TRON blockchain said.
“By collaborating with TRM Labs and Tether, TRON is helping to ensure that blockchain technology is used to make our world a better place, and sends a clear message that illicit activity is not welcome in our industry,” he added.
On his part, Mr Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether, said – “At Tether, safeguarding the integrity of the blockchain ecosystem is a top priority and a responsibility we embrace with being a key player in the digital asset space. This commitment drives us to take proactive measures to help maintain the security and trustworthiness of the ecosystem.
“We’re proud to have worked with TRM Labs and TRON in this pioneering effort. This collaboration underscores our dedication to joining with industry leaders and law enforcement to combat illicit activity, ensuring a secure environment for all users.”
“As adoption of stablecoins continues to rise, it’s critical that key industry players proactively evolve their capabilities to combat illicit activity and ensure a safe and secure environment,” said Mr Chris Janczewski, head of global investigations at TRM Labs. “TRM is proud to collaborate with TRON, Tether, law enforcement, and others who are committed to helping build a safer blockchain industry for all.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Nigerian maritime sector may soon witness the inflow of $600 million in investment from APM Terminals.
On the sidelines of the ongoing Africa CEO Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, the Regional President of APM Terminals for Africa-Europe, Mr Igor van den Essen, informed President Bola Tinubu that his company was interested in deepening its investment in Nigeria.
According to a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President of Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, the investment would be deployed in Apapa port modernisation, logistics infrastructure, and long-term private-sector investment in Nigeria’s maritime sector.
President Tinubu welcomed the investments, emphasising that Nigeria is repositioning itself for greater competitiveness through ongoing economic reforms and infrastructure modernisation.
He said the country is determined to move beyond structural bottlenecks and outdated systems, stressing the need for advanced technology, faster cargo processing, and improved operational efficiency across the nation’s ports.
He emphasised that Nigeria possesses the market scale, talent base, and economic potential to support globally competitive maritime and logistics infrastructure investments and called on other investors to take advantage of Nigeria’s reform outcomes.
Earlier, Mr Igor van den Essen lauded President Tinubu’s reform agenda and policy direction, which had strengthened investor confidence and created renewed momentum for long-term infrastructure investments.
He described Nigeria as a strategic stronghold within its African operations, referencing over 20 years of collaboration and substantial existing investments in the country’s port ecosystem.
He reaffirmed his company’s commitment to expanding investments in Nigeria and disclosed plans to support the development of world-class terminal infrastructure and technology-driven port operations.
He also commended Mr Tinubu for establishing the National Single Window (NSW), which has streamlined trade procedures, improved Customs coordination, and reduced delays in cargo clearance.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Dangote Petroleum Refinery has filed a new lawsuit against the federal government over the fuel import licences issued to marketers and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.
Last week, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) issued licences to six marketers for the importation of 720,000 metric tonnes of Premium Motor Spirit, known as petrol.
The marketers are NIPCO, AA Rano, Matrix, Shafa, Pinnacle, and Bono. The development comes amid claims by the NMDPRA that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery now supplies over 90 per cent of Nigeria’s daily petrol consumption.
Dangote said in the filing that the licences issued undermine its operations and contravene the law, which it argues allows imports only when domestic supply falls short.
Named in the suit against the country is the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi. The federal government can only be sued via his office.
The case signals renewed tensions almost a year after Dangote withdrew an earlier lawsuit challenging similar licences. That case sought to nullify import permits issued to the NNPC and several traders.
The new filing asks the Federal High Court in Lagos to set aside import permits issued or renewed by the NMDPRA, arguing they breach an earlier order to maintain the status quo.
Dangote ended the earlier lawsuit in July 2025 without explanation, leaving unresolved questions over competition and supply in one of Africa’s largest fuel markets.
Nigeria has long relied on petrol imports due to underperforming state refineries. However, Dangote’s 650,000 barrels per day capacity refinery was touted to end that dependence.
Despite the presence of the facility, imports have continued to cover supply gaps as the refinery ramps up output.
The NMDPRA did not issue a single import licence in the first quarter of 2026 because the Dangote refinery had the capacity to meet Nigeria’s petrol demand.
Business Post gathered that only upon intervention by President Bola Tinubu were the licenses granted for the second quarter by the NMDPRA.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that Nigeria’s headline inflation rate in April 2026 rose to 15.69 per cent, beating analysts’ expectations of 15.95 per cent, as the fallout from the Iran war continued to affect the global economy.
The statistical office on Friday showed the headline inflation rate for April on a month-on-month basis was 2.13 per cent, while the food inflation rate in the review month was 16.06 per cent on a year-on-year basis.
The rise in prices comes as an energy price shock stemming from the continued conflict in the Middle East, which stoked food prices and affected relative exchange rate stability.
According to the NBS, “this can be attributed to the rate of change in the average prices of the following products: Millet whole grain, yam flour, ginger (Fresh), beef, garri, tam tuber, pepper (Fresh), cray fish, cassava tuber, Beans, Irish Potatoes, tomatoes (fresh), wheat grain (Sold loose), soya beans, guinea corn, plantain, carrots (Fresh) etc.”
“The average annual rate of food inflation for the twelve months ending April 2026, relative to the previous twelve-month average, was 17.55%, which was 17.05% points lower than the average annual rate of change recorded in April 2025 (34.60%),” the NBS said.
Analysts at Coronation Research had earlier projected that the inflation rate in Nigeria would be at 15.95 per cent on a year-on-year basis in April 2026. It added that the expected inflation rate signals a return toward the underlying disinflation trajectory and could be a pivotal data point in shaping Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) deliberations at the next policy meeting.
It also expects food inflation to further ease, as food and non-alcoholic beverages remain the dominant contributor to headline CPI, accounting for about 40 per cent of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) basket.
The MPC of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will meet this month, the first since the Iran War started in late February, to review core monetary policies and possibly make adjustments.
The committee reduced the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) by 50 basis points from 27.0 per cent to 26.5 per cent at its 304th Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting in February.
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