General News
FG Slashes Business Registration Cost for SMEs by 60%

Federal government has reduced the costs of registering Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) with the Corporate Affairs Commission by 60 per cent.
Olusegun Aganga, minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, stated this while speaking at the 8th annual Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises finance conference.
The conference with theme ‘MSME financing in Nigeria: Past, present and future’ was conceptualised to look at the MSME finance sub-sector from a holistic perspective.
Aganga said the directive for the reduction of the business registration costs was given by President Goodluck Jonathan, adding that the development underscored the importance of the sector to poverty reduction, job creation and inclusive growth.
He said since SMEs account for about 80 per cent of businesses registered with the CAC as well as about 50 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product, there was need to remove all factors that would impede their development to nation building.
He said, “The administration of Mr President has made it a matter of importance to support MSME in certain key areas-access to affordable finance which we are doing here today, access to markets, formalization of businesses, skill acquisition, provision of infrastructure to reduce the cost of businesses for SMEs.
“Already, the president has approved a reduction in the cost of setting up SMEs by 60 per cent and the idea is to reduce the cost of doing business.
“So today if you are going to CAC to set up a company, then know that the costs have been reduced by 60 per cent already.”
He said the N220bn facility whose disbursement was flagged off at the event by Jonathan would help not only to empower SMEs, but address the access to financing needs of the sector in an efficient and sustainable manner.
Jonathan while speaking at the event commended the CBN for providing the fund for the development of the sector at an interest rate of nine per cent.
He added that the decision of the apex bank to set aside 60 per cent of the fund for women was in line with his administration’s commitment to women empowerment.
The president said MSMEs have been recognized globally as the engine of growth in any development-oriented economy.
He added that due to their inherent labour intensive production processes, they also provide a veritable platform for job creation.
He said, “All over the developed world, the contribution of MSME to GDP is on the average of about 47 per cent, this shows clearly how important the MSME are to us.
“With about 17.3 million SMEs in Nigeria, there is need for more concrete and concerted efforts to expand the activities of MSMEs in our country.”
He said the focus of this year’s conference which is geared towards enhancing access to finance was appropriate noting that a vibrant MSME sub sector was indispensable to achieving sustainable transformation in the Nigerian economy.
Jonathan said as Africa’s largest economy with excellent prospects of becoming one of the 20 largest economy in the world in the nearest future, it is imperative that the challenges confronting MSMEs are addressed “frontally at this time.”
The President said his administration had already instituted a number of reforms to improve the business environment and build strong institutions that would fast track the growth and progress of MSMEs.
He said, “Given that the structural transformation of the economy remains our core priority, we are investing heavily in critical infrastructure to promote job creation and inclusive growth.
“We are aware that inadequate infrastructure increase the cost of production by estimated 30 per cent making Nigerian goods under-competitive and we need to improve on that.
“The federal government believes that stable power supply is the bedrock of our industrial development. It will not only reduce the cost of manufacturing and services significantly, it will also engender investments and create jobs.”
He also said as part of measures to enhance the contribution of MSMEs to economic growth, the Federal Government will establish a wholesale development finance institution, which would provide long term funds of up to 15 years for industrial development.
He added that existing DFIs would be restructured for better performance and improved access to finance by the MSMEs.
He said the enormity of the task ahead requires immediate and dedicated action adding that this underscores the need to effectively disburse the N220bn MSME fund.
In his keynote address delivered at the event, Mr Godwin Emefiele, CBN governor, said the MSME financial gap, which is estimated at N9.6tr was one of the major reason why the apex bank intervened in the sector.
He said in view of the fact that cost and access to credit had continued to be an inhibiting factor to the survival and growth of many MSMEs in the country, the apex bank would be working with relevant stakeholders to establish a Secured Transaction and National Collateral Registry to facilitate the registration and acceptability of movable property as loan collateral.
He added that the bank would also encourage venture capital companies to fund MSMEs, as well as set up a National Credit Scoring System to improve access to information on borrowers to positively influence credit decisions,
“We would also enhance the operations of Credit Reference Bureaus. We believe that these efforts would improve the information available to potential lenders on persons seeking loans and therefore, help to isolate bad borrowers from credible ones,” he said.
He said going forward, the CBN’s focus would remain on sectors that can create jobs on a mass scale as well as reduce the country’s import bill and conserve the country’s foreign exchange.
For example, he said the bank would maintain a keen interest in supporting the creation of an enabling environment to trigger private sector investment to curb the growing trend of medical tourism, which has depleted the nation’s foreign reserves.
In the power sector, he said 36 power projects have received N115.73bn from the Power and Aviation Intervention Fund noting the apex bank would also carefully consider funding viable gas to power projects.
He said, “In fact, we are currently collaborating with the Ministries of Power and Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission and all relevant stakeholders to find innovative ways of dealing with the legacy gas to power debt.
“This is to ensure that the international oil companies and other producers of gas can significantly increase the production and supply of gas to power plants across the country.”
At the event, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc with a total loan exposure of N4.17bn for 14,752 projects was decorated by the president as the best performing bank in the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme.
Similarly, Sterling Bank Plc, with a total exposure of N6.16m in nine projects won the best performing bank in Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme.
Based on the guidelines of the MSME fund, each state of the federation would be able to access the sum of N2bn which would be administered to beneficiaries at an interest rate of nine per cent.
Already, the apex bank had signed Memorandum of Understanding with governors from Delta, Akwa Ibom, Osun, Oyo, Bayelsa, Gombe, Zamfara, Enugu, Ondo and Benue state to access the fund.
Also, two per cent of the fund would be made available for economically active physically challenged entrepreneurs.
General News
NIMC Disowns Fake NIN Portal

National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has warned Nigerians to disregard a viral online flyer claiming that a free portal has been opened for the correction of National Identification Number (NIN) data.

In a statement posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, the commission described the flyer as fake and cautioned the public against using any links associated with it.
“The public is hereby advised not to use the above for modifying their NIN data. All modifications should only be done via the official channel,” NIMC stated, directing users to its authorised self-service portal.
The misleading flyer, which has circulated widely on social media, carries the logos of NIMC and the federal government, falsely claiming that authorities had launched a special correction portal in response to a “high level of complain.”
It lists services such as name, gender, and date of birth corrections, and provides links redirecting users to a suspicious “gvly.xyz” domain—an address the commission says is not affiliated with any government platform.
NIMC noted that the flyer has since been marked “FAKE” in red, indicating it is being recirculated as part of efforts to debunk the misinformation.
The Commission reiterated that all NIN data modifications can only be carried out through its official self-service platform, urging Nigerians to remain vigilant and avoid falling victim to online scams.
General News
Moniepoint Acquires Orda Africa to Transform Africa’s $50Bn Restaurant Sector

Moniepoint Inc. (“Moniepoint” or the “Company”), Africa’s all-in-one financial ecosystem platform for individuals, businesses and their customers, today announced the acquisition of Orda Africa (“Orda”), a leading cloud-based restaurant management platform operating in Nigeria.

Moniepoint
Under the terms of this acquisition, Orda will become part of the Moniebook platform, Moniepoint’s all-in-one Point-of-Sale (POS) and business management platform. Since launching its business management tools product in 2025, Moniebook has rapidly become the go-to platform for thousands of African businesses seeking integrated financial and operational tools, seamlessly unifying payments and bookkeeping in one platform.
With Orda, restaurant owners can now gain access to this proven ecosystem that creates unprecedented opportunities to scale operations, optimize performance, and access credit, as well as the extensive reach of Moniepoint which has powered growth for millions of African businesses.
The acquisition comes as Africa’s food service industry experiences unprecedented growth, with the sector valued at $50 billion and Nigeria’s market alone projected to reach $19.31 billion by 2030, growing at 11.73% annually. With Orda’s restaurant-focused capabilities now part of the Moniepoint ecosystem, the platform is well-positioned to capture this opportunity.
Founded in 2015 by Tosin Eniolorunda and Felix Ike, today Moniepoint has grown into one of Nigeria’s leading distributors of financial services as well as a trusted platform for many of the country’s MSMEs especially in the informal sector.
The company has considerably expanded its offerings to include digital payments, business and personal banking, credit, cross-border payments, and business management tools with a customer base exceeding 20 million active businesses and personal banking customers and processes over US$250 billion in digital payments transaction value annually.
Tosin Eniolorunda, Co-Founder and Group CEO of Moniepoint Inc., said: “The food industry isn’t just about feeding people, it’s a major source of jobs and daily survival for many Africans. It highlights how vital the informal sector is, not just for the economy, but for everyday life across the continent.
Data has shown us that Africa’s restaurant sector is one of the continent’s most dynamic economic engines, yet the majority of food businesses still operate with manual processes and fragmented tools. By bringing Orda into Moniepoint, we are giving restaurant owners what they deserve: one simple platform that handles everything from managing their kitchen to growing their business. Our goal remains to create financial happiness for Africans, giving them the tools to reach their full potential and that’s exactly what we’ve built here.”
Founded in 2020, Orda was built to give Africa’s small and independent restaurants the tools they need to run more efficiently, providing a purpose-built software to businesses that had long operated without it.
Guy Futi, CEO of Orda, reassured existing customers: “Orda has found the perfect home in Moniepoint. We have spent years building deep expertise in restaurant operations, but we have always known that to truly transform the industry, we needed to connect that expertise with comprehensive financial infrastructure.
“That’s exactly what this integration delivers. For our customers, we are assuring a smooth transition with no disruption to the platform and retained access to the support you are used to. What changes is your access to opportunities.
“Over the coming weeks, being part of Moniepoint means you’ll have more tools, more reach, and more ways to grow your business than ever before”
Combining their respective strengths, Moniepoint and Orda deliver a purpose-built solution that empowers food businesses at every scale to manage orders, track inventory, pay suppliers, and access working capital, all in one seamless experience.
This move represents a demonstrated commitment to building a dedicated financial infrastructure designed around the unique complexity of Africa’s food economy.
For the millions of food entrepreneurs across the continent, from the everyday buka owner to the high-end restaurateur, this acquisition means less time managing multiple tools or carrying out arduous manual work and more time doing what they do best – feeding Africa.
General News
Tech Firms Sack over 45,000 so Far in 2026

More than 45,000 jobs have been cut across the global technology sector in the first few months of 2026, according to data from RationalFX, signalling that the industry is still adjusting after a period of aggressive hiring rather than returning to a full growth phase.

“In 2025, automation, artificial intelligence, and sustained cost-discipline measures drove much of the downsizing, with entire departments restructured or eliminated in favour of leaner, AI-assisted workflows. This trend has continued full steam into 2026,” said Alan Cohen, analyst at RationalFX.
According to the report, if the current rate of redundancies is sustained, total layoffs in 2026 could surpass the 245,000 recorded in 2025.
The majority of these layoffs have been concentrated in the United States, with major companies continuing to trim their workforce despite stable core operations.
Amazon has announced approximately 16,000 job cuts this year, while Block has also reduced thousands of roles as it tightens operations and shifts focus towards artificial intelligence.
There are indications that further reductions may follow.
Meta is reportedly considering additional layoffs as it increases investment in AI infrastructure, while PayPal and Klarna are reassessing spending and hiring strategies amid ongoing uncertainty.
Established technology firms are also undergoing restructuring. Dell has reduced its workforce by around 11,000 over the past year as part of a broader reorganisation, while Salesforce has cut approximately 1,000 roles in 2026 while aligning its teams more closely with AI-driven products.
Outside the United States, layoffs have been smaller in scale but more geographically dispersed.
Australia has reported around 2,650 job cuts so far this year, followed by Sweden with roughly 1,923 and Netherlands with about 1,700.
Other markets have also been affected. Israel and India have recorded approximately 1,539 and 1,520 layoffs respectively, with Israel’s startup ecosystem particularly sensitive to tighter funding conditions, while in India, both startups and larger IT firms have reduced headcount as global client spending slows.
In Singapore, around 1,016 layoffs have been reported, reflecting a softer hiring environment across Asia’s major technology hubs, where companies are adopting a more cautious approach amid uneven demand.
Across Europe, job cuts have been comparatively limited but still noticeable.
The United Kingdom has recorded around 1,000 layoffs, while Czech Republic and Germany have seen smaller reductions.
The broader trend suggests that technology companies are shifting towards leaner operations and more defined priorities following years of expansion. Increasing investment in automation and artificial intelligence is also reshaping the types of roles in demand.
For employees, the impact is becoming increasingly visible, with hiring slowing and becoming more selective. While opportunities remain, companies are taking a more measured approach to recruitment compared to the rapid expansion seen in previous years.
Further credit… .storyboard18.com
E-Financial24 hours agoDLM SPV PLC Lists ₦9.00bn AAA-Rated Medium-Term Notes on FMDQ Exchange, Sets Benchmark in Corporate Bond Market
E-Financial2 days agoCBN Wins Central Bank of the Year Title @13th Global Awards
General News2 days agoTech Firms Sack over 45,000 so Far in 2026
News2 days agoMorney Launches in Nigeria as E-invoicing Drives Finance Digitisation
General News2 days agoJury Finds Elon Musk Liable for Misleading Twitter Investors
General News2 days agoRockefeller, Global Energy Alliance Cross $100 million Mark in Africa Electrification Push
Telecom2 days agoFG Taps Quest Merchant Bank for Advisory on 90,000km Fibre Project
News2 days agoDr Krishnan Ranganath to Lead UniCloud Africa in Continental Digital Infrastructure Push



















