Economy
Ways Firms Can Optimise Human Capital—PwC Nigeria
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Organisations that will thrive in a constantly disrupted and divergent world will require adaptability, rethinking their employer value proposition and leveraging organisational data more effectively.
Human Resources department needs to take a more prominent role in enabling their organisations build these capabilities.
This was the overriding consensus that emerged at a breakfast meeting hosted by PwC’s People & Organisation (P& O) team on the theme Disruption in HR: Revving your game with strategic reward which recently held in Lagos.
The firm says that the current environmental realities present an opportunity for discerning HR leaders to deliver greater value.
The options open to HR leaders looking to achieve better results from their workforce and sustain employee engagement formed the crux of discussions at the breakfast meeting, which was well attended by HR leaders across industries.
Dr Bert Odiaka, PwC Nigeria Partner and Advisory leader, in his opening remarks at the event clearly illustrated the changing landscape when he noted: “The average tenure on a job for Millennials who will constitute 75% of the workforce in 2025 is now about five years. This is a major departure from the employment for life philosophy of older generations.”
The breakfast meeting featured presentations from various subject matter specialists drawn from across the firm. The discussions also addressed questions around how HR can be more innovative and flexible with rewarding and engaging employees in the face of shrinking budgets while also helping them increase their pay-outs through tax efficient reward.
Esiri Agbeyi, PwC Nigeria Partner and P & O Tax unit leader, commenting on the tax presentation made during the event highlighted that:
“HR leaders must help their organisations achieve a strategic balance between rewarding employees and costs to other relevant stakeholders. They can achieve this by adopting a multi-competency approach that considers the entire business and core strategic values.
“As an example, paying attention to tax advantages or leakages in determining a reward policy is critical to mitigating extra costs to both employees and employer, more so when such employees are internationally mobile and can pick up more costs in the host countries due to difference in tax treatments or the absence of a double tax treaty.
“We typically find this with long term incentive schemes such as share schemes where the cost consequences of accounting, tax and even foreign exchange implications should not be overlooked.”
Ibironke Tolu-Ogunpolu, PwC Nigeria P& O Advisory Competency Leader comments: “Drawing on our research on disruptive developments across various sectors and the future of work, we’ve identified key priorities for optimising talent – or human capital – today, while building for the future. Some of these include developing dynamic models for the workforce of the future, maximising the potential of digital talent exchange, digitising the work place to fuel productivity and integrating data analytics for decision making support. It is also important to redesign jobs and compensation models to reward contribution to business value.”
During the session, other presenters, Seyi Onasanya and Ade Ogunsanya, Senior Manager and Manager respectively of the P & O team also announced PwC’s upcoming 2016 REMbenefit and REMChannel Policies Survey. The survey which seeks to explore how benefit policies and practices compare between employers in Nigeria, will be published early 2017 and is now open for participation.
Speaking on the reward survey, Seyi explained that one way organisations around the globe retain talent is through robust and value adding benefit structures. Benefits form one of the key elements of any value proposition and it is essential for organisations to understand the landscape of current and future benefit trends in Nigeria and globally. PwC aims to achieve this through the survey findings, which will be published as a report and serve as a guide for Nigerian employers in decision making.
The breakfast meeting ended on a positive high with many participants welcoming the opportunity to share experiences, and discuss various trends that impact their contributions as HR professionals with subject matter specialists from PwC. They also welcomed the insights shared on best practice and ways they can better align their people strategy to help their organisations remain competitive today and in the future.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is seeking a reduction in import duty exemptions, which rose to N34 trillion, limiting its ability to increase its revenue generation threshold.
The Comptroller-General of the Customs Service, Mr Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed that the value of import duty exemption certificate approvals increased to that level in 2025, describing the policy as one of the major factors restricting its revenue generation.
At an investigative session of the Senate Committee on Finance with revenue-generating agencies in Abuja on Monday, Mr Adeniyi explained that government fiscal policies have continued to impact the revenue-generating capacity of the Customs Service, both positively and negatively.
“The NCS would have generated significantly higher revenue over the years if not for government-approved import duty waivers and other external factors affecting collections,” he said.
He added that the Import Duty Exemption Certificate scheme, introduced in March 2020, accounted for about N34 trillion in approvals in 2025, with nearly 60 per cent covering duty-free importation of military hardware due to Nigeria’s prevailing security challenges.
Other government-backed duty waivers, he noted, covered the importation of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), electric and hybrid vehicles, healthcare equipment and medical supplies, industrial machinery and manufacturing inputs, as well as food import intervention programmes.
While acknowledging the impact of the waivers on Customs revenue, Mr Adeniyi argued that fiscal policy should not be assessed solely on the basis of revenue generation but also on its broader economic and social objectives.
He, however, urged the federal government to establish stronger monitoring mechanisms to ensure beneficiaries of duty waivers deliver the intended economic outcomes, including lower consumer prices, increased local production and improved healthcare access.
The committee also expressed displeasure over the absence of several heads of government agencies invited to the hearing, including the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Industrial Training Fund (ITF), and the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Mr Sani Musa, warned that the affected chief executives must appear at the committee’s next sitting or face severe sanctions under the Senate’s rules.
In the competitive world of online trading, finding a trading brokerage partner that balances reliability, technological innovation, and accessible conditions is essential. Headway broker has emerged as a significant player, currently serving over 4 million users globally.
In this article, we take a detailed look at what makes this broker for trading a notable option for both novice and experienced traders.
Headway Regulatory Foundation and Safety
Safety is the cornerstone of any trading relationship. Headway broker operates under the regulation and licensing of the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA). This regulatory oversight ensures that the broker adheres to strictly defined standards for transparency and operational conduct, providing traders with an added layer of security and confidence when managing their portfolios.
Trading Platforms and Instruments
Efficiency in trading Forex and other markets is driven by the tools at your disposal. Headway provides a robust technological trading ecosystem:
Industry-Standard Platforms: The broker fully supports MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), the most widely used platforms for technical analysis and automated trading.
Proprietary Mobile App: For traders who prioritize mobility, Headway offers its own custom-built trading app. It is readily available for download on both Google Play and the App Store, allowing for seamless account management and trading on the go.
Diverse Market Access: Traders have a wide range of opportunities with access to over 300 trading instruments, ensuring plenty of choice for different strategies and asset classes.
Trading Account Types Offered by Headway
Headway broker understands that every trader enters the market with a different level of experience:
Three Account Tiers: To ensure inclusivity, the broker offers three distinct types of accounts (Cent, Standard and Pro), tailored to suit different levels of expertise and capital requirements.
Demo Account: For those looking to refine their skills without financial risk, Headway provides a comprehensive demo trading account. This is the perfect environment to practice strategies, understand how the platform works, and gain confidence before transitioning to live trading.
Customer Support and Incentives
Headway supports its user base with comprehensive resources and financial incentives:
24/7 Technical Support: Market fluctuations happen at any time. Headway provides round-the-clock technical support for the traders, ensuring that help is always available whenever a question or issue arises.
150$ No Deposit Bonus: To help new traders get started, Headway offers a $150 no deposit bonus. This is an excellent way to test the broker’s execution speed and trading environment with zero initial risk.
IB Partnership Program: Beyond individual trading, Headway fosters growth through its Introducing Broker (IB) partnership program. This allows partners to build their business and earn commissions by referring new traders to the platform.
Conclusion
With its combination of FSCA regulation, a vast range of instruments, and modern platforms like MT4, MT5, and its own proprietary app, Headway FX broker provides a comprehensive environment for modern traders. Whether you are using the demo account to hone your skills or taking advantage of the 150 no deposit welcome bonus, this broker offers the stability and tools needed for your trading journey.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange rose by 0.40 per cent on Monday, July 13, buoyed by buying interest in 11 Plc, Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc and UBN Property Plc, which offset the profit-taking in Food Concepts Plc, the parent company of Chicken Republic.
11 Plc gained N20.69 to end at N227.64 per share compared with last Friday’s price of N206.95 per share, CSCS Plc grew by N1.83 to N91.48 per unit from N89.65 per unit, and UBN Property Plc added 1 Kobo to sell at N1.81 per share versus N1.80 per share.
On the flip side, Food Concepts Plc depreciated by 24 Kobo to close at N2.45 per unit, in contrast to the preceding session’s N2.69 per unit.
As a result, the market capitalisation increased by N9.2 billion to N2.587 trillion from N2.578 trillion, and the NASD Security Index (NSI) improved by 15.33 points to 4,311.67 points from 4,296.34 points.
Yesterday, the volume of securities traded by investors surged by 615.9 per cent to 9.1 million units from the previous 1.3 million units, and the value of securities rose by 997.1 per cent to N320.4 million from the preceding session’s N29.2 million, while the number of deals decreased by 12.5 per cent to 28 deals from last Friday’s 32 deals.
At the close of trades, Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) Plc remained the most active stock by value on a year-to-date basis, with 3.4 billion units valued at N8.4 billion, followed by Infrastructure Credit Guarantee (Infracredit) Plc with 2.3 billion units worth N6.5 billion, and CSCS Plc with 73.9 million units exchanged for N5.2 billion.
GNI Plc also closed the session as the most traded stock by volume on a year-to-date basis, with 3.4 billion units sold for N8.4 billion, followed by Infracredit Plc with 2.3 billion units traded for N6.5 billion, and Resourcery Plc with 1.1 billion units transacted for N415.7 million.
