General News
FG Cancels $717.7m World Bank Power Loan as Electricity Crisis Deepens
Federal Government has cancelled $717.7 million in undisbursed World Bank intervention financing designed to revive Nigeria’s struggling electricity sector.
The cancellation followed a formal request by the Federal Government and a joint decision by both parties to discontinue financing under the Power Sector Recovery Performance-Based Operation due to evolving sector realities and the inability to achieve key reform milestones.
The development followed an earlier warning by the Accountant-General of the Federation, Dr. Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, that Nigeria may reject loan facilities from the Bank if delays in approval and disbursement persist, stating that prolonged timelines could undermine the country’s willingness to proceed with such arrangements.
According to documents obtained from the World Bank, the development effectively terminates the remaining portion of a $1.52 billion power sector recovery programme. The cancelled amount represents the entire undisbursed balance remaining under the programme.
“The restructuring will result in the cancellation of the entire undisbursed balance in the amount of $717.7m equivalent, and no further disbursements will be made under the Program following approval of this restructuring,” the bank stated.
The Federal Government developed the Power Sector Recovery Programme as a framework to restore the sector’s financial viability and reduce its fiscal burden on public finances. The programme included plans to progressively eliminate tariff shortfalls, improve operational performance among power sector institutions, and strengthen regulatory oversight and accountability mechanisms.
The loan was approved on June 23, 2020, with original financing of about $752.5 million equivalent to improve electricity supply reliability, strengthen financial sustainability, and enhance accountability across the electricity value chain. Following initial progress, the World Bank approved an Additional Financing package of approximately $763.5 million equivalent on June 9, 2023, which became effective on June 19, 2024, extending the project’s closing date to June 30, 2027.
However, while the parent programme largely achieved its results and successfully disbursed its resources, the additional financing struggled significantly to meet critical reform conditions. High technical, commercial, and collection losses across the distribution segment, combined with inadequate cost recovery, created a recurring mismatch between revenues generated by the sector and its actual operating costs.
The World Bank noted that Nigeria’s electricity sector continues to face deep-rooted structural challenges despite years of reforms and financial support, citing weak distribution performance, transmission bottlenecks, underutilization of available generation capacity, and persistent financial imbalances.
Implementation of the original operation delivered notable results initially, reducing tariff shortfalls by 71 percent between 2019 and 2022 (declining from ₦581 billion to ₦166 billion), while regulatory cost recovery improved from 56 percent to 94 percent.
The anticipated reforms under the newer additional package failed to materialize due to major macroeconomic developments that dramatically altered the operating environment. The liberalisation of Nigeria’s foreign exchange market in June 2023 triggered a sharp depreciation of the naira, leading to a substantial increase in the cost of natural gas used for electricity generation. More than 70 percent of electricity supplied to Nigeria’s national grid is generated using natural gas, which is priced in United States dollars.
Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA) has warned of possible floods in parts of Adamawa, Bauchi, Edo, Imo, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Kaduna, Plateau, Niger, Benue, and Borno states within the next seven days.
According to information posted on NIHSA X handle, the Agency announced medium flood advisory in force for the next 7 days across Adamawa, Bauchi, and 11 other States.
“Localised inundation is forecast along the main channel; named communities below sit on the projected footprint. Stations: Saminara on the Karam river, Waya Dam Site on the Waya river, Amber on the Amber river.
“Adamawa; Lemsa, Lamurde, Numan Exposure: 147 comm. 49 schis 40 hith 6 mkts17 relig. Bauchi-Bauchi, Ningi, Shira. Exposure: 4 comm. Kaduna; Chikun, Giwa, Igabi, Jaba, Jema’a, Kachia, Kaura, Kauru, +6 more. Exposure: 1 comm.
“Borno-Gubio, Mobbar. Exposure: 680 comm. 8 schls 6 hith 5 mkts 21 relig. Edo-Akoko-Ed, EtsakoEa, EtsakoWe, Ikpoba-Okha, Orhionmw, OviaNort, OviaSo.. Exposure: 3 comm.
“Imo-Aboh-Mba, Oguta, Ohaji/Eg, Okigwe, Owerri North, Owerri West. Exposure: 3 comm. 7 more states affected and severity LGAs”.
NIHSA advised people in the affected areas to “do NOT cross flooded roads, bridges, or fast-moving water on foot or by vehicle.
“Clear drainage channels and river-mouth blockages; avoid building or living in the floodplain and move people, livestock and valuables from the floodplain to pre-identified higher ground,” NIHSA stated.
General News
First Trustees Advocates Estate Planning as an Essential Tool in Every Wealth Creation Strategy
First Trustees Limited, a subsidiary of FirstHoldCo Plc., and a leading provider of fiduciary and trusteeship services in Nigeria, is encouraging individuals, professionals, entrepreneurs, and investors to view Estate Planning not as an end-of-life exercise, but as a strategic investment tool for protecting, preserving, and transferring wealth across generations.
As more Nigerians focus on wealth creation through businesses, real estate investments, and other income-generating assets, experts are emphasizing that building wealth is only one part of the equation.
Equally important is creating structures that ensure those assets remain protected, properly managed, and seamlessly transferred to succeeding generations in accordance with the asset owner’s wishes. Importantly, Estate Planning is not solely for the wealthy, it is a prudent step for anyone with assets, dependants, or a business to protect, regardless of age, profession, or net worth.
Speaking on the importance of Estate Planning, Ereifemi Akeredolu, Managing Director/CEO, First Trustees Limited, noted that Estate Planning should be considered a core pillar of every long-term financial strategy.
“Many people focus on creating wealth but give litle thought to preserving it. Estate Planning is a wealth protection strategy that helps individuals safeguard their assets, secure their family’s future, and ensure that the value they build today continues to benefit future generations.”
Using tools such as Trusts, Wills, and advanced succession plans, individuals can build structures that support wealth preservation, business continuity, asset protection, and intergenerational wealth transfer.
For entrepreneurs and business owners, Estate Planning serves as a powerful tool for ensuring business sustainability, helping organizations remain stable and operational regardless of unforeseen circumstances.
First Trustees continues to emphasize and educate on the importance of Estate Planning as a comprehensive strategy for proactive planning. It remains one of the most important financial decisions an individual can make: it provides clarity, minimizes uncertainty, and protects assets from unnecessary erosion and disputes. It also creates financial security for loved ones, supports business succession and continuity, and facilitates long-term investment and legacy planning.
General News
Nearpays, Nigerian Fintech Becomes First African Startup to Win UN’s AI for Good Innovation Factory
Nearpays, Nigerian fintech, has won the AI for Good Innovation Factory grand finale — the first African startup ever to take the global title in the competition, which runs as part of the United Nations’ AI for Good Global Summit.
The competition drew more than 500 startups worldwide, each pitching AI solutions aimed at social and economic challenges.
The summit itself is organised by the UN through the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in partnership with several UN agencies, convening governments, researchers, startups, and technology companies around AI’s role in development.
Nearpays’ route to the title ran through Johannesburg, where it won the African regional competition, before advancing to the global finals in Geneva.
There, the company progressed through the semi-finals and claimed the grand finale — a first for the continent.
The company describes the win as bigger than a corporate milestone, calling it a victory for African innovation and proof that technology built to solve local problems can compete, and win, on the world stage.
Nearpays was founded to close a stubborn gap in African payments: small and medium-sized businesses that can’t afford or access traditional point-of-sale terminals.
Cost, availability, and deployment hurdles have kept many merchants — particularly in rural and underserved communities — locked out of digital payments.
Its answer is SoftPOS: an AI-powered platform that turns compatible Android smartphones into payment acceptance devices, letting merchants take contactless card payments with nothing more than their phones. AI is embedded across the platform, supporting payment processing, compliance, fraud detection, and business operations.
Crucially, the platform was built for African infrastructure realities — it works both online and offline, so merchants can keep accepting payments even without internet connectivity.
The company credited its team’s years of product development and customer engagement for the result, and thanked the UN, the ITU, and the AI for Good initiative for building a platform where innovators can apply AI to real-world problems.
It also said it hopes the win encourages more African founders to build technology that answers local needs while competing internationally.
For Nearpays, the title closes one chapter and opens another, as the company pushes on with expanding digital financial infrastructure across Afric
Next Currency Crisis May Turn $300Bn in Stablecoins into National Currencies
NIHSA Warns States of Possible Flood within Seven Days
FG to Raise N1.2 Trillion via Fresh Bond Offer – DMO
Gigbanc Nigerian Fintech Startup Closes Shop after 3 Years
Mbunabo, Nigerian Filmmaker Accuses Ghana TV Stations of Pirating Nollywood Films
NRC, Ponzi Scheme Collapses Resulting Loss of Billions of Naira
Nigeria Launches FreeTV Nationwide
NASENI Moves to Digitize CCB’s 5m Assets Declaration and Operations
Lebara Nigeria Launches Lebara Play, Africa’s First Telecom-Owned Micro-Drama Platform
CANAL+ Partners Samsung to Pre-Load DStv Stream on New Samsung TVs In Nigeria, Other African Countries
News3 days agoXora Finance, Fintech Firm Refuses to Hire Nigerians over Alleged Dishonesty
Telecom3 days agoNCC Advances Dig Once Policy, Engages Stakeholders on Cost-Based Framework for Duct Sharing
Telecom3 days agoNCC to Keynote Telecom Sector Sustainability Forum 7.0
News3 days agoHow Ponzi Scheme Victims can Seek Legal Remedies — Lawyers
General News3 days agoFG Secures Fresh $208.3m World Bank Loan for Cash Transfer
Telecom2 days agoMTN Nigeria Slashes Cost of Broadband Internet Router, Unwraps New Data Bundles for Low-Budget Users
News3 days agoPalmPay Nigeria Appoints Samuel Oluyemi as Chief Operating Officer
E-Financial2 days agoNigerians Accumulate $59Bn in Cryptocurrency Assets —FDC