General News
Sona Group Seeks Enhanced Palliatives for Industrial Sector
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Sona Group Nigeria has re-echoed the need for improved infrastructural to serve as palliatives for Nigeria’s industrialization.
The industrial sector is hugely impacted by dilapidated road and other logistics quagmire, poor power supply, multiple taxations, insecurity, high cost of production, to name a few.
The Group comprising of Euro Global Foods and Distilleries Ltd; Food, Agro and Allied Industries Ltd; Golden Auto Engineering and Transport Co. Ltd., Shongai Packaging Industry Ltd., Shongai Technologies Ltd., Sona Agro Allied Foods Ltd., Sona Group Nigeria Ltd., Sona Industrial Gases Ltd and Techblow Nigeria Limited, said enhanced infrastructure will not only bring succour to the nation’s manufacturing sector, rather will create enabling ground for job creation.
Mr. Peter Akinola Oyaniyi, group executive director for the Group, while speaking to journalists at their office in Ogun State, at the weekend, said that Sona has been apt in industrialization of Nigeria using technology and home grown raw materials, adding that the nation’s economic buoyancy revolves round functional and productive industries.
Oyaniyi Said, “We believe that industrialization remains the best option for solving the country’s youth unemployment, and the right path to national greatness. In Sona Group Nigeria, we see industrialization as the key that will free Nigeria from further retrogression. To achieve that, we have to improve on the existing infrastructure as a nation”.
He added that the Group which has been in operation for over three decades in Nigeria is notable for keeping to the Government’s regulations and international best practices, and has over the years earned a reputation of ‘Turn around Experts’ in Nigeria.
“Sona Group, Nigeria is one of Nigeria’s fastest growing Groups. The Group is presently in the business of manufacturing Plastic and Glass Container. It started business in Nigeria decades ago. The Group’s strategy has been to acquire existing sick units and turn them around. After the unit is acquired, we bring in new investments, modern technology, state-of-art machines and modern management techniques that help to turn the business perspective”.
Nodding in agreement to Oyaniyi’s prognosis, Mr. Subramanian Murugesan, managing director, Sona Agro Allied Foods Limited, said that Nigeria pursues industrial policy that is innovation-driven to foster skills upgrade, enhance industrial growth and produce world class exports, it must make conscious efforts to address challenges before the sector.
According to him, the bottlenecks experienced at both the sea and airports should be addressed, maintaining that, “roads need to be improved to enable companies meet up with supplies or demands of the market too and help in the reduction of costs on maintenance of vehicles.
“The truth is that these costs are transferred to the customers; sometimes jerking up the cost of goods by about 8%, compared to 2% obtainable in other markets. We believe that as a developing economy the infrastructure need to be improved.
On Sona Agro Allied Foods Limited activities in the market, he said they have well laid out plan for continuous expansion to meet the ever expanding requirement of the Nigerian snacks market.
Murugesan said, “Presently, the Company is well managed by professional managerial talent, the best of the industry in Nigeria, both expatriate and local managers. The quality standards of our products are of highest level meeting specifications laid out by NAFDAC and SON agencies of Nigeria”.
Sona Agro Allied Foods Limited also manufacture other snacks such as Cereal based cheese balls snacks, extruded snacks, health snacks bars for healthy conscious people.
On his part, Mr. Katikala Ramanjananeyulu, managing director of Sona Industrial Gases Limited, a leading name in the Industrial Gases sector in Nigeria, deals in Oxygen, Nitrogen, Acetylene, Medical Oxygen and Argon gases, and recently introduced the other gases such as Carbon Dioxide, Helium, Amonia, Cooking Gas, Calibration and all mixture gases.
“With our fleet of vehicles, we reach out to all our customers needing industrial gases in compressed form or Liquid as they demand,” he said.
Ramanjananeyulu said that the Company established in a secured environment, invests in R&D and hopes to achieve breakthrough in manufacturing resources through the introduction of newly acquired plants, which will bring total modification of the Acetylene production facility and currently boasts of 170 customers in Nigeria, while looking out for others to give discount on medical oxygen as life saving gas to supply hospitals in Nigeria as part of its corporate social responsibilities (CSR).
Challenges facing their operations, he said, include, high rate of customs duty, cumbersome procedure for clearance of imported materials, high cost of importation due to the devaluation of Naira, among others.
There was a presentation by Techblow Nigeria Limited which produces all kinds of blow moulding products ranging from 500ml to 50 litre Plastic Jerry Cans, Plastic Coolers, Cosmetic Jars, Pharma Bottles, Yoghurt Bottles, and other containers to cater to the needs of the Foods, Beverages and Chemicals industries, and other retail sectors.
Also, Shongai Packaging Industry Ltd, incorporated in 1977, and today produces rugged industrial pallets and rated as among Nigeria’s 50 fastest growing companies.
The company was initially conceived to produce plastic crates and beer labels; but now mulls mainly four (4) manufacturing division, Injection Moulding Division; Blow Moulding Division (Extrusion Blow & Injection Blow); Label Printing Division and Crate printing /Container Printing Division.
Mr. Sudhanusu Shina, managing director, Food, Agro & Allied Industries Limited, said the Comapny is one of the most modern malting plants in Nigeria to process Raw Sorghum into Sorghum Malt and Malt Derivatives.
“We produce a range of quality sorghum malt and malt extract, Distillery, Confectionery and Malted Food Industries.
“Our commitment to customers’ satisfaction, and to adopt latest technology in malting earned recognition as a leader in the industry within short period of going into production. Adherence to strict quality control and continued development helped us to get of ISO 9001:2008 Certification in 2010”.
Re-emphasizing the manufacturing expert’s advocacy, Mr. Felix Aighobahi, the Group’s sales director, said that the country’s policy should include the establishment of many-side economic structure, the build-up of its own independent and solid bases for raw materials, modernization of all sectors of the national economy and the training of its own technical cadre.
Max Air is set for resumption of service, two months after suspending flight operations due to a tyre burst incident involving one of its aircraft at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano.
A statement by the airline’s management said that the carrier would resume flight services on March 21, 2025.
When the airline suspended operations in January, it said that it would close domestic operations for three months.
With this, the airline was expected to resume in April.
However, the airline in a statement on Monday, said that its resumption was due to a successful operational evaluation, adding that this strategic pause allowed it to reinforce its commitment to safety, compliance and operational excellence.
The statement added: ‘During this period, we worked closely with aviation authorities to ensure that all statutory requirements were met, while enhancing our service delivery standards.
“As we return to the skies, passengers can expect improved travel experiences, increased efficiency, and the unwavering hospitality that Max Air is known for. We sincerely appreciate the patience and support of our valued customers during the temporary suspension.”
Max Air, had in January, suspended its domestic flight operations, following a tyre burst incident involving one of its aircraft in Kano.
The affected Boeing 737-400 aircraft, with registration number 5N-MBD, suffered a tyre burst while landing at MAKIA at about 10:51 p.m. on 28 January 2025.
Although all 53 passengers on board were evacuated safely, the aircraft was temporarily grounded before the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), reopened the runway the next day.
During the suspension period, the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) said that it would conduct a comprehensive safety and economic audit of the airline.
Mr. Michael Achimugu, director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, NCAA, in a statement released to the media, also stated that the regulatory body would support the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau’s (NSIB) probe while also conducting its own assessment of the airline.
He noted that the NCAA was already carrying out an organisational risk assessment for all scheduled airlines, including Max Air, before the latest incident.
“However, as a result of this incident, Max Air is suspending its domestic flight operations for three months, effective from midnight on 31 January 2025, to allow for an internal review of its operations.
“The safety audit will involve a re-inspection of Max Air’s organisation, procedures, personnel, and aircraft, as specified by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations,” Achimugu had said.
He added that the economic audit would assess the airline’s financial health to ensure it can sustain safe flight operations.
Africa’s gaming industry generated $1 billion in revenue in 2024, according to the 2025 Africa Games Industry report, published by KPMG in collaboration with Maliyo Games, highlighting efforts to digitize African culture through gaming.
The collaboration aims to improve the gaming industry in Nigeria by incorporating African culture into digital games.
Nigeria is Africa’s fastest-growing gaming market with revenue reaching $185 million in 2022. The country is positioned to play a central role in the continent’s gaming industry, and the report provides insights into the market’s evolution over the last 12 to 18 months.
Lawrence Amadi, partner, Tech Assurance, KPMG West Africa, speaking during the launch at the KPMG Tower in Lagos, recently, captured key developments in the industry and how gaming could be tailored to reflect African culture.
“Some of us may be familiar with Nintendo and Xbox, but what we are doing with this report is different. We are seeing the emergence of games that are custom-built for our culture. Games like WatKing and Downpour Drivers feature elements that people on the continent can relate to. This makes gaming more meaningful, and that is why this partnership is important,” he said.
Also emphasising the significance of the partnership, Amadi added, “The collaboration you see here brings KPMG and Maliyo Games together. Maliyo is a leading game development company in Africa, and we’ve chosen to partner with them because it is important to work with an industry front-runner.”
Hugo Obi, founder and CEO of Maliyo Games, highlighted the importance of developing games that resonate with African audiences.
“We are a mobile game development company based in Lagos, focused on creating African-inspired games. We take the games we play traditionally and digitize them. This is important because the games industry generates more revenue than the music and film industries combined,” Obi said.
He added that Africa generated $1 billion in gaming revenue in 2024. “That is how much money people are spending on games. And when I say games, I am not talking about gambling but the kind of games people play casually. The ability to create and develop games locally is important for economic growth,” he noted.
Obi also spoke about Maliyo’s collaboration with Disney to develop Watch Rising Chef, a cooking game centered around African cuisine. “Your family members abroad can now prepare jollof rice, fried chicken, and plantain on their mobile phones or tablets,” he said
He stressed the importance of building a gaming industry that is recognised and understood. “This industry is not mainstream yet. Many people play games, but very few understand how they are made or their economic impact. By partnering with KPMG, we aim to mainstream this knowledge and make it accessible,” he noted.
Beyond economic benefits, gaming also has positive social impacts. Obi pointed out that games enhance cognitive skills, problem-solving abilities, and social connections.
“Gaming is a form of entertainment that brings joy to players. In a world where people are constantly working and dealing with stress, gaming offers a form of escapism,” he added.
He also addressed misconceptions about gaming demographics. “Many assume that gaming is for children, but the data suggests otherwise. The average gamer is 18 years and 37 years old, male and female.
“This is because gaming devices are often registered under parents’ names. People of all ages engage in gaming, and there are different games for different age groups,” Obi said.
Jumia, pan-African e-commerce platform, has launched its highly anticipated annual ‘Tech Week’ campaign, bringing consumers amazing deals on the latest gadgets and smart devices.
Under the theme “Future is in Your Hands,” this year’s campaign is designed to inspire Nigerians to embrace cutting-edge technology and innovation. Running from March 17th to March 30th, 2025, the campaign offers millions of customers access to unbeatable discounts on a wide range of tech essentials, including smartphones, laptops, home appliances, and entertainment systems.
In partnership with leading global and local brands such as Xiaomi, Oraimo, Binatone, Itel, SilverCrest, Ecoflow, Tecno, Realme, Skyrun, Century Appliances, Hisense, PZ Cussons, Unilever and Nivea, Jumia is committed to ensuring a seamless shopping experience with the best deals on high-quality tech products.
“We’re excited to present Jumia Tech Week 2025, a platform to enable Nigerians to have access to high-quality devices. With the rapid growth in digital adoption across the country, this campaign is designed to put the latest innovations within reach, helping customers stay connected, productive, and entertained. Our strategic partnerships with top brands allow us to deliver premium products at the best prices, making tech upgrades accessible to all,” said Sunil Natraj, CEO, Jumia Nigeria.
Commenting on the partnership with Jumia for Tech Week, Sylvie Zeng, Head of E-Commerce, Xiaomi, said “Xiaomi is focused on bringing cutting-edge technology to everyone, and Jumia Tech Week 2025 is the ultimate opportunity to experience our diverse range of innovative products at unbeatable prices.
“From the high-performance Poco series to the reliable and stylish Redmi smartphones, and a wide selection of AIoT devices designed to enhance your smart home, Xiaomi offers powerful, beautifully crafted technology for every need. This Tech Week, don’t miss out on the best deals to upgrade your lifestyle with Xiaomi, exclusively on Jumia!”
With over 142 million active internet subscribers reported in January 2025, Nigeria continues to witness an accelerated digital transformation. Jumia Tech Week caters to this dynamic shift, offering consumers a trusted platform to explore and acquire the latest tech essentials conveniently.
Beyond amazing discounts, Jumia Tech Week 2025 features exclusive flash sales, brand days, exciting giveaways, and interactive games throughout the campaign. Consumers can enjoy a seamless online shopping experience with secure payment options and pay-on-delivery services, ensuring accessibility for all.
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