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Nigerian Content Board Invested $5Bn in Local Content Devt
Ernest Nwapa, executive secretary of Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMD), said the board had invested $5bn in the country’s economy.
Nwapa explained that the fit was achieved as a result of the board’s insistence that oil and gas manufacturing companies are located in the country to ease the availability of facilities.
Speaking during the inauguration of Benkline Workshop in Port Harcourt on Saturday, Nwapa promised that the Federal Government would support every investment in the country.
He stated that the government was ready to confront any opposition to investment in the nation’s economy, adding that the amount of investment expected within the next five years would be enormous.
The NCDBM boss expressed the need for investors to do their businesses in a legitimate manner in order to ensure the sustainability of their investments.
He said, “This government is going to support every investment that is made here. If you tally the total value of where we have visited to commission facilities in the last four years, you will have $5bn worth of investments in this economy, just by insisting these things are done in our economy. So you can imagine where we would be in the next five years.
“Our commitment is that any investment that is made in Nigeria, we would wrestle anybody to the ground to make sure that work is put in there. If you want to continue in this business, you must do it the way it is done or even better than in other jurisdictions. That is the only guarantee that will make you have a sustainable business.”
Describing Bekline Nigeria Limited, an oil and gas equipment and service provider, as a trail blazer in original equipment manufacturing and services, Nwapa stated that the organisation was ahead of the board’s plan.
He said, “Several pumps from the Nigerian oil and gas industry had been moved out of the country for repairs in the past, but if we have a few companies like Benkline, there will be a reverse migration of technology into the country.
“The strategy we have adopted will attract other people. By the time the big operators begin to put their work here, even the indigenous companies that today have problems with doing things in Nigeria will have a rethink.
“We are challenging the indigenous producer to begin to partner and patronize local service companies so that the market will expand. The market in Nigeria is big on its own but we often fail to realize that Nigeria is often seen as salvation location by other African countries.”
Earlier, Mr. Larry Osai, chairman, Board of Directors, Bekline Nigeria Limited, pointed out that though the owners of the organisation had passed on, their legacies of being among the best in equipment manufacturing for the oil and gas sector.
Osai explained that the workshop established by the company would close the gap in equipment manufacturing and services, saying, “All these would not have been possible if we did not have a government that have put the Local Content Law in place.
“The partners we have today; FRAMO and Eurofiliales have done a lot for the growth of the company and we cannot be grateful enough.”
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Afreximbank and Ecobank Join Forces to Boost Trade and Compliance Across Africa
African Export-Import Bank and Ecobank Group have embarked on a collaboration aimed at simplifying trade and compliance for businesses in Africa by integrating Ecobank’s Single Market Trade Hub and Afreximbank’s MANSA Digital Repository Platform.
With the collaboration, African businesses will benefit from seamless shared services across the two platforms, with users of the Single Market Trade Hub able to easily leverage MANSA’s comprehensive database for efficient know-thy-customer (KYC) and customer due diligence (CDD) checks while MANSA platform users would, in turn, be able to directly connect to the Single Market Trade Hub to explore trade opportunities to expand their businesses across Africa.
The Ecobank Single Market Trade Hub connects registered businesses across Africa on a single platform, helping them benefit from opportunities in the unified market of 1.4 billion people created by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
It serves as a one-stop repository for the AfCFTA by providing small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) and corporates with insights about the agreement while its online match-making feature enables importers and exporters to upload their profiles and showcase goods and services they offer, or wish to source, with the aim of finding partners within Africa.
Once a match is found, connections are made via the platform and the transaction can be concluded leveraging on Ecobank’s trade and payment solutions in 35 African markets.
The MANSA Digital Repository Platform, or MANSA, is a one-stop-shop for due diligence matters on all African entities. As a centralised digital repository, MANSA seeks to eliminate information asymmetry and to increase intra-African trade and trade with the rest of the world.
It drives and promotes good governance culture among African SMEs and creates visibility for their businesses while also supporting African entities to expand, diversify and add value to their export products at both the local and international levels. Entities onboarded unto MANSA are allotted an Africa Entity Identifier (AEI) code which enables them to leverage other Afreximbank products and initiatives.
MANSA is also a key digital solution at the Africa Trade Gateway (ATG) marketplace which houses a suite of digital platforms designed as a single window to enable Afreximbank better deliver on its mandate, providing critical services to support and promote intra-African trade and the implementation of the AfCFTA. The platform enables African entities to accelerate their business activities at the ATG marketplace by working with verified information on trusted counterparties.
The new collaboration is, therefore, enabling Ecobank and Afreximbank to provide a central solution to the key challenge of KYC compliance and access to business across 35 countries in Africa. The improved interoperability is expected to further streamline cross-border trade and compliance in Africa, fostering greater financial and economic integration on the continent.
Afreximbank is a pan-African multilateral financial institution established to finance and promote intra- and extra-African trade.
Ecobank Group is a leading private pan-African banking group with unrivalled African expertise.
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Leadway Assurance Pledges Transformative Role to SMEs
Leadway Assurance said it has chosen to go beyond risk underwriting to play the role of transformative partner for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the country.
The underwriting firm played this role by empowering SMEs with practical strategies on how to navigate risks inherent in Yuletide season.
Leadway recently organized a webinar session for SMEs titled, “Driving Increased Sales During the Festive Season.”
Speaking on the reason for the session, the underwriting firm said it realized that as momentum into the 2024 festive season continued, businesses, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs), face paradoxical realities of increased sales opportunities and consequent cocktails of business risks.
It said recognising the fact that with consumer spending and holiday making increasing businesses for SMEs, there were the possibilities of risk from these spikes in commercial activities such as – theft, accidents, burglaries, fire outbreaks, frauds, and system failures.
Against this backdrop Leadway said it has reaffirmed its position as a transformative partner to SMEs by empowering businesses with practical strategies for navigating the complexities of the season.
“This aligns with the brand’s mission to deliver robust risk management and business solutions to bolster economic growth, Head of the Retail Division at Leadway, Umashime Oguzor-Doghro said.
As connected to insurance, Oguzor-Doghro said: “Insurance was often seen as a reactive tool, but at Leadway, we position it as a strategic asset. With our competitive risk management solutions—spanning property, transit, and employee coverage, we enable businesses to operate with confidence, knowing they are protected from the unforeseen.
What sets us apart is our free advisory service, which ensures businesses are fully equipped before they even take up our insurance products.” he added.
In addition to risk management, Oguzor- Doghro said the webinar championed collaboration as a catalyst for success, adding that Leadway’s partnerships with event managers and SME stakeholders aim to ensure seamless operations during the festive season, reinforcing the company’s role as more than just an insurer but a reliable business ally.
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Mastercard, MTN, and Arifu Launch Digital Skills Program for African Small Businesses
Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, MTN Group Fintech and Arifu have partnered to support about one million small businesses in Cote’ D’Ivoire and Uganda, to digitize their operations, increase the use of digital financial services and access digital marketplaces through the MoMo Coach chatbot.
This program, part of the Center’s global Mastercard Strive initiative, aims to enhance the resilience and growth of small businesses by providing essential digital skills. It is one of the ways Mastercard Strive has disseminated chatbot-ready business building content for small businesses in the region, which is currently also available in Kenya and Nigeria.
Small businesses in sub-Saharan Africa, especially those impacted by the pandemic, have faced significant barriers in adopting digital tools. As of December 2022, only 27.65% of businesses in sub-Saharan Africa had adopted digital tools to enhance their efficiency, showing a slight improvement from 19.44% in August 2020. A lack of relevant skills continues to limit their growth and access to essential financial services. MoMo Coach addresses these gaps by providing free, accessible upskilling content via popular messaging platforms.
Supported by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and delivered by Caribou Digital, this program equips small businesses with digital skills, enabling them to adopt digital tools, access capital, and engage more effectively in digital marketplaces. The program aligns with Mastercard Strive’s broader goal of reaching 18 million small businesses around the world to go digital, get capital, and access networks and know-how.
“Small businesses are vital to Africa’s growth and create opportunities for a more resilient and inclusive regional economy. We are delighted to catalyze a partnership between MTN Group Fintech and Arifu to equip almost one million small business owners with the digital skills and knowledge essential for thriving in an increasingly digital economy, setting them up for success.” said Subhashini Chandran, Senior Vice President of Social Impact for Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa
The MoMo Coach solution, powered by Arifu’s Grasp Platform, uses mobile messaging to deliver micro-learning experiences. It is accessible across multiple channels, including WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, SMS and MoMo. This gives small business owners and entrepreneurs flexibility in accessing practical, actionable tips to unlock growth opportunities in the digital economy.
Serigne Dioum, CEO of MTN Group Fintech, further adds: “Empowering small businesses with digital skills is key to driving inclusive growth in Africa. Through MoMo Coach, we are unlocking opportunities for entrepreneurs to thrive in the digital economy, strengthening communities, and shaping the future of business across the continent.”
The program has been rolled out in Côte d’Ivoire and Uganda, reaching over 930,000 MTN customers, merchants, and agents, with more than 75,000 small business owners accessing free digital courses and over 45,000 actively engaging with MoMo Coach. Courses offered include “How to Start Your Business,” “Money Management,” and “Grow and Secure Your Business.” These courses are based on insights derived from MoMo merchants and agents, and they address key challenges like affordability and access to relevant business knowledge—enabling small business owners to navigate the digital landscape.
Aminata, a 31-year-old business owner from Gôh-Djiboua, Côte d’Ivoire, is one of the many beneficiaries of MoMo Coach. Selling shoes and clothing since 2022, she says: “There’s a lot of competition, but MoMo Coach helps me sell better. Before, I used all my profits to buy new stock, which left me using my capital for expenses. Now, I split my profits: one part for business growth, another for expenses, and some savings for other projects.” She has also started using WhatsApp to increase her sales, noting: “My income has increased. When I post my goods, I sell more.”
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