Economy
What UAE’s First Casino Will Mean For The Region
Dubai’s best escape from the city is the fourth largest emirate itself, the opulent Ras Al-Khaimah. There is plenty for everyone to enjoy and experience, from premium wellness centers and adrenaline sports facilities to the national museum that preserves the country’s 7000-year-long rich history.
Notwithstanding being a delightful home with many superb activities, the anticipation among locals and tourists is expected to grow much more as the prestigious Wynn Resort proudly released a statement last year regarding a multi-billion dollar project on Al Marjan’s island. Wynn CEO Craig Scott Billings revealed the plan of a hospitality and casino gaming resort, making it the Gulf Arab region’s first casino in the region.
The Wynn Marjan Vision
The Wynn Resort was slated to be the world’s second-largest gaming corporation in 2021, trailing only Bet365. And now, the Wynn Resort is officially lining up to throw the dice in the regal Ras Al Khaimah.
This complex, which is scheduled to open in 2026 on the hazy Dream Island, will have an 18.500 square meter casino game area. The complex will have 1,000 magnificent rooms and a first-class view of the sandy beach.
It will encircle an area of about 250.000 square meters, making Wynn Marjan one of the ten largest complexes in the world and doubling the size of its Las Vegas estate.
“The casino component, where at least for some period of time we will be operating on our own, which makes it quite exciting, is shaping up to be somewhat larger than Wynn Las Vegas, but with numerous pockets of energy and compression,” says Craig Billings noting that the property will be a five-star guaranteed experience and an action-packed stunner.
What Will the Resort Include?
Ras Al Khaimah Wynn Resort will have a taste of the familiar Las Vegas spirit. It is planned to have restaurants, spacious shopping malls, meeting lounges, conference spaces, fancy spa centers, boutique shops, gaming areas, etc.
The resort is expected to offer additional entertainment, including live performances, world-famous musicians, concerts, theater shows, and nightclub events. Billings stated during his latest conference call “We are advancing quickly on our planning for Al Marjan Island integrated resort in the UAE. We are in the late stages of programming for the resort. Given the pristine beach settings in the somewhat malleable nature of the man-made island, we have an incredible canvas with which to work and design something truly unique”.
Embracing the World of Gaming
With the launch of the Ras Al Khaimah Wynn Resort, the Gulf Arab countries’ long-standing ban on gambling will be lifted. In fact, reaching such a milestone would be a watershed moment in the UAE (UAE). Until now, inhabitants of this region could only play casino games on online sites like arabwinners.com. Naturally touching on a delicate matter, the local authorities are still carefully re-writing the region’s gambling legislation, attempting to further honor and regard the Emirates’ heritage, traditions, and culture.
Two new organizations have been established with this in mind: the Department of Entertainment and the Gaming Regulation. These bodies will be in charge of ensuring that the legislation is implemented thoroughly and smoothly.
What Will This Mean for the Region?
This massive project will undoubtedly have a huge impact on the Emirate’s hospitality sector and economic growth. It’s a game-changing deal for boosting tourism, encouraging investors for future initiatives, and pushing other resorts to modernize and provide a safe gaming environment. Furthermore, this might be a watershed moment for the UAE, as it has the potential to create 4,000 new job opportunities for locals.
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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