Economy
Understanding Payday Loans: What You Need to Know Before Borrowing
Payday loans have become a popular option for individuals in need of quick cash to cover unexpected expenses or make ends meet until their next paycheck. These short-term loans are typically marketed as easy, fast, and convenient, making them appealing to borrowers in financial emergencies. However, before taking out a payday loan, it’s crucial to understand how they work, their potential risks, and whether they are the right solution for your financial situation.
What Are Payday Loans?
A payday loan is a type of short-term borrowing typically meant to be repaid on the borrower’s next payday, hence the name. These loans are often for smaller amounts, usually ranging from £100 to £1,000, depending on the lender and your ability to repay. Payday loans are generally easier to qualify for than traditional bank loans, as they often don’t require a credit check or collateral. Instead, lenders assess the borrower’s income and employment status to determine eligibility.
How Do Payday Loans Work?
When you take out a payday loan, you agree to repay the amount borrowed plus interest and fees by a specific date, usually on your next payday. In many cases, the lender will require you to provide a post-dated cheque or authorize them to withdraw the repayment amount directly from your bank account on the agreed date.
The key selling point of payday loans is their accessibility. For people who have poor credit or don’t qualify for conventional loans, payday loans offer an alternative to get fast cash. Lenders often approve payday loans within hours, and funds are typically available the same day or the next.
The High Cost of Payday Loans
While payday loans can be helpful in a pinch, they come with significant costs. One of the most important things to know before borrowing is that payday loans tend to have extremely high interest rates. In the UK, for example, the interest rate for payday loans can be upwards of 1,500% APR. This means that even though you’re borrowing a small amount for a short period, the total repayment can quickly become unmanageable.
In addition to high interest rates, payday loans often come with extra fees for late payments or rolling over the loan into the next pay period. This can create a cycle of debt, where borrowers find themselves unable to pay off the loan and end up renewing it, leading to even more fees and interest.
When Are Payday Loans a Good Option?
Payday loans are designed for short-term financial emergencies, such as unexpected medical bills, car repairs, or essential household expenses. However, they should only be considered if you’re confident you can repay the loan in full on your next payday. If you’re unsure, or if you’re borrowing to cover ongoing expenses rather than a one-time emergency, a payday loan may not be the best option.
Alternatives to Payday Loans
Before opting for a payday loan, it’s worth considering alternative solutions that may be less costly and carry fewer risks. Some alternatives include:
Personal Loans – These typically have lower interest rates and more flexible repayment terms.
Credit Cards – Using a credit card might be a better option if you can pay off the balance quickly.
Borrowing from Friends or Family – This can be a more affordable and flexible option, though it requires open communication and clear repayment terms.
Conclusion
Payday loans can provide quick relief for financial emergencies, but they come with high costs and significant risks. Before borrowing, it’s essential to understand the terms of the loan, your ability to repay, and the potential long-term consequences. Exploring other financial solutions may help you avoid the debt trap that payday loans can sometimes create. If you decide to proceed with a payday loan, use it responsibly and only for short-term needs.
Economy
Petrol Supply up 55.4% as Daily Consumption Reaches 52.1 million Litres
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.
Economy
Secure Electronic Technology Suspends Share Reconstruction as Investors Pull Out
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.
Economy
Clea to Streamline Cross-Border Payments for African Importers
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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