Connect with us

Economy

Woodhall Finance House Launches Podcast, N1.5bn Creative Sector Fund

Published

on

Woodhall Finance House

By Adedapo Adesanya

Woodhall Finance House, in partnership with the UK Government’s Department for Business and Trade, Polaris Bank, and the Lagos State Government, has launched The Creative Currency Podcast, an initiative designed to serve as both a media platform and an economic catalyst for Nigeria’s creative economy.

According to a statement, the podcast launch was hosted by the British Deputy High Commissioner, Mr Jonny Baxter, at his Lagos residence.

The launch brought together senior policymakers, investors, development finance institutions, high-net-worth individuals, and leading creatives from across Africa.

By weaving together capital flows, policy frameworks, and compelling narratives, the initiative seeks to unlock sustainable growth within Africa’s most vibrant export ecosystem.

Positioned at the nexus of finance, culture, and diplomacy, The Creative Currency Podcast aims to drive investment, strengthen cross-border partnerships, and reinforce the UK-Nigeria creative network as a catalyst for economic transformation.

Speaking on the event, the British Deputy High Commissioner Mr Baxter emphasized the UK’s commitment to creative collaboration, “The UK is proud to support Nigeria’s creative economy through long-term partnerships that combine innovation, investment, and cultural exchange. Through the Creative Industries Technical Working Group – a direct outcome of the UK-Nigeria Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP) – and platforms such as The Creative Currency Podcast, we are deepening our commitment to creative collaboration.

“This is about creating real opportunities, building lasting partnerships, and empowering the next generation of African talent to thrive on the global stage.”

The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Bada Ambrose, emphasised the state’s position as Africa’s creative capital.

A panel on financing Africa’s creative economy featured Mrs Abimbola Ozomah, Executive Director, Polaris Bank, Sola Carrena, MD/CEO Helios Investment Partners, and Mrs. Mojisola Hunponu-Wusu, President of Woodhall Capital.

The discussion emphasized the need for innovative financial instruments, including blended finance, factoring, and creative bonds, to unlock the sector’s economic potential.

As a bold commitment to Nigeria’s creative industry, Woodhall Finance House announced a N1.5 billion Creative Sector Fund aimed at supporting export-ready creative enterprises and growth-oriented SMEs across fashion, film, music, beauty, and digital arts.

This was accompanied by a fireside chat exploring “UK-Nigeria Cultural Synergies to Drive Global Innovation and Transformation,” featuring Veekee James Atere, Creative Director Veekee James and Shoperikan, Shaffy Bello, Nigerian Film Actress and Singer and Mark Smithson, Country Director, UK’s Department for Business and Trade (DBT), who shared valuable insights on how cross-cultural collaboration can unlock new creative possibilities.

Commenting on the sector fund, Woodhall Capital Founder and President Mrs Hunponu-Wusu stated, “Creativity is no longer an abstract asset, it is a bankable commodity and must be treated as such by policymakers, investors, and financiers.

“Nobody can tell the Nigerian story like we Nigerians, and nobody is coming to save us. If we want to see real change, we must build our own table, design our own systems, and finance our own narratives.

“Our N1.5 billion Creative Sector Fund is our commitment to doing just that: backing bold ideas, scaling creative businesses, and turning cultural capital into economic power.”

The evening culminated in a cultural exchange under the UK’s Jollof and Tea campaign, a symbolic fusion of Nigerian and British identities through cuisine, conversation, storytelling, and high-level networking.

Guests connected over shared heritage and future ambitions, engaging in dynamic discussions around identity, investment, and the evolving global narrative of African creativity.

The Creative Currency Podcast is redefining the future of Africa’s creative economy, serving as a diplomatic instrument, transaction hub, and catalyst for structural reform. As global demand for African creativity continues to rise, platforms like this are essential for transforming visibility into viability and turning culture into capital, the statement noted.

Adedapo Adesanya is a journalist, polymath, and connoisseur of everything art. When he is not writing, he has his nose buried in one of the many books or articles he has bookmarked or simply listening to good music with a bottle of beer or wine. He supports the greatest club in the world, Manchester United F.C.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Economy

All On Invests $1m in Eja-Ice Nigeria Limited to Strengthen Cold-Chain Infrastructure in Off-Grid Markets

Published

on

All One Eja-Ice Nigeria Limited

All On, an impact investing company focused on expanding access to renewable energy solutions in Nigeria, has announced a $1 million investment in Eja-Ice Nigeria Limited, a provider of solar-powered refrigeration and cold chain infrastructure.

The investment will support Eja-Ice’s manufacturing and operational scale-up as the company enters its next phase of growth. It is expected to enable the expansion of its cold-chain solutions and improve access to reliable cooling services for households, small businesses, and institutions operating in off-grid and weak-grid environments.

Access to dependable cold storage remains a significant constraint across Nigeria, particularly in coastal and rural communities where limited energy infrastructure contributes to post-harvest losses and income instability for small-scale agro-producers.

By delivering energy-efficient refrigeration systems, Eja-Ice is helping to address these challenges while supporting the preservation of perishable goods and strengthening local value chains.

“All On’s investment in Eja-Ice reflects our approach of supporting solutions that improve energy access while enhancing livelihoods, reducing costs, and enabling businesses to grow. Strengthening cold-chain infrastructure is an important step towards building more resilient local economies and expanding opportunities in underserved markets,” the chief executive of All On, Ms Caroline Eboumbou, commented on the investment.

Eja-Ice’s integrated cold-chain model allows for greater control over product design, operational efficiency, and service delivery, ensuring that its solutions are tailored to the needs of underserved markets. The company’s systems are already supporting micro enterprises, cooperatives, and community-level infrastructure, particularly in areas where reliable electricity remains limited.

Also commenting, the founder and chief executive of Eja-Ice Nigeria Limited, Mr Yusuf Bilesanmi, said, “This capital raise is a huge step forward in our vision to power homes and businesses with products designed, assembled, and optimised right here on the continent. It’s not just about access to electricity—it’s about dignity, productivity, and opportunity for the over 600 million people across sub-Saharan Africa who are still off-grid.”

Through this investment, All On continues to advance its mission of closing Nigeria’s energy access gap by supporting the renewable energy ecosystem and businesses that deliver sustainable, market-driven solutions.

All One Eja-Ice Nigeria Limited $1m

Continue Reading

Economy

First Holdco Lists N45bn Private Placement Shares on Stock Exchange

Published

on

first holdco subsidiaries

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

Shares of First Holdco Plc worth N45.0 billion issued through a private placement have been listed on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited.

A circular issued by the Head of Issuer Regulation Department of the NGX Regulation Limited, Mr Godstime Iwenekhai, disclosed that the equities were admitted for trading at the stock market on Monday.

According to the notice, the additional shares brought for listing to rank pari passu with existing shares of the organisation were 1,021,334,544 units.

These stocks were sold to one of the company’s major shareholders at a unit price of N44.06, amounting to N45.0 billion.

The total issued and fully paid-up shares of First Holdco, as a result of this listing, are now 45,475,027,677 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each.

“Trading licence holders are hereby notified that an additional 1,021,334,544 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each of First Holdco Plc were on Monday, June 22, 2026, listed on the daily official list of Nigerian Exchange Limited.

“The additional shares listed on NGX arose from the company’s private placement of 1,021,334,544 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each at N44.06 per share.

“With the listing of the additional shares, the total issued and fully paid-up shares of First Holdco Plc have now increased to 45,475,027,677 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each from 44,453,693,133 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each,” the disclosure stated.

Continue Reading

Economy

AA Rano, Nipco, Matrix, Others Secure Q3 Petrol Import Permits

Published

on

Petrol Import Bill

By Adedapo Adesanya

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has approved fresh import licences for petrol and diesel for the third quarter of 2026 (July – September) to prevent potential supply shortages in the domestic market.

According to a report by global energy intelligence firm, Argus Media, the latest approvals were issued to major downstream operators amid declining fuel stock levels and concerns over reduced petrol production at the 700,000 barrels per day Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lagos.

The move comes as Nigeria continues to balance increasing local refining capacity with the need to guarantee adequate supplies of petroleum products across the country.

According to the Argus report, domestic firms, including AA Rano, AYM Shafa, Bono Energy, Nipco, Matrix Energy and Pinnacle Oil, received permits to import Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, during the July-September period.

The publication further reported that the same companies, with the exception of Nipco, were granted approvals to import Automotive Gas Oil, commonly known as diesel. The fresh approvals follow an earlier batch of petrol import permits issued by the regulator in May, covering about 720,000 metric tonnes.

Quoting a regulatory source, Argus noted that many of the companies granted the latest approvals were among those that had received permits in previous rounds. “These are some of the same ones that previously received the PMS permits,” the source was quoted as saying.

It was also claimed that AA Rano and Matrix Energy each received approvals to import 180,000 metric tonnes of petrol. AYM Shafa received approval for 120,000 metric tonnes, while Pinnacle Oil received a permit covering 150,000 metric tonnes.

For diesel imports, Argus reported that AYM Shafa obtained a permit for 60,000 metric tonnes, while Pinnacle secured approval for 45,000 metric tonnes. The report stated that the import approvals were issued only recently, after being delayed from an initial target date of June 15.

Continue Reading

Trending