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Stallion Motors refutes Shutdown allegations

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Stallion Motors has refuted allegations that its operations were shut down owing to a court judgement arising from the company’s indebtedness to Nigerian Banks and Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria.

Mr. Anant Badjatya, group ceo, Stallion Motors, in a statement released on Friday stated that the news was completely baseless and false.

 

He explained that a few of their rented & leased properties were affected in the shut down because of the court’s ex parte order, which was done without any notice.

 

While stating that they will be unable to comment further on the matter because it’s under judicial consideration of which their legal team has appropriately taken it up with the judiciary.

 

The statement further stated that the company has banking lines with local banks for regular business operations like all other major conglomerates in Nigeria and clarifies that it does not owe N330B to the banks as specified by the media report.

 

According to the statement, “we enjoy a very good customer loyalty across businesses and have a sound financial position with more than N750B in assets with approximately N150B liabilities, most of which is a receivable from Federal Government, which translates into a very healthy debt to equity ratio.

 

“We are poised for further expansion with investments across business divisions; agriculture, aqua culture, auto, flexible packaging, logistics, business solutions etc.

 

“The published news articles as well as WhatsApp messages being circulated around are fake news being stirred up by business rivals.

 

“The entire incident started when a few of the Stallion showrooms in Victoria Island were sealed off on Tuesday 10th December as a result of ex parte order and this fuelled the media and public speculation”.

 

The statement further stated that no other properties have been affected anywhere else in the country, noting that some locations which were sealed off in VI are now open and working.

 

Stallion is completing its 50th year of establishment in Nigeria in 2019. It employs 4000 people directly and indirectly; it is one of the foremost conglomerates hugely invested in the country.

 

It  boasts of the largest installed rice milling capacity (working directly with more than 40000 farmers across Nigeria), largest and best equipped auto manufacturing and assembly plant in West Africa feeding its state-of-the-art nationwide dealer network for 9 global auto brands facilitating vehicle sales, leasing and after sales, the largest Tilapia aquaculture farm, largest cold storage capacity, fertilizer blending plant, state of the art flexible packaging plant, plastics factory, clearing, transportation logistics and warehousing solutions, a cutting-edge audio visual automation solution provider.

 

The philanthropic arm of Stallion, Stallion Empowerment Initiative focuses on education, healthcare, low housing and youth empowerment for the community.

 

It supports operation of 2 primary schools and 1 technical high school with 3600 students and a 75-bed hospital and low housing public estate respectively. The Foundation recently donated Naira 120M to the school and hospital for the upgrade of the facilities.

 

Likewise, in the auto sector, Stallion showed the conviction in the potential of Nigeria when it took over the moribund facility formerly used by Volkswagen of Nigeria (VON) and its German partners on the Badagry-Seme Expressway in Ojo, Lagos.

 

Stallion is the proud owner of VON. The company employs hundreds of employees in the sector and has invested more than N130B in auto sector from manufacturing to sales to service and after sales. Stallion is dedicated towards the well-being of the country.


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Ugo Onwuaso is an ICT enthusiast. He believes technology should be used for general good. He holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from the Lagos state University. Dear Reader, Your support matters. But we believe that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. That is why, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and finance and how they affect lives. Our incisive and analytical view of how technology news affects the daily life help individuals and organizations make up their minds. Quality journalism costs money. Today, we're asking that you support us to do more. Kindly support our effort to deliver technology and finance journalism to everyone in the world. Donate as little as N1,000. Bank transfers can be made to: UBA Plc 1017156876 Communication Week Media Ltd

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EFCC Arraigns Two FSDH Bank Officials Over $307k, €50k Fraud

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Lagos Zonal Directorate 1 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, arraigned two bank officials, Bakare Oladimeji Surajudeen and James Olukayode Imokwede, over an alleged $306,667.81 and €50,250 fraud before Justice Ismaila Ijelu of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja.
EFCC Arraigns Two FSDH Bank Officials Over $307k, €50k Fraud

EFCC

The defendants, who are both top officials of FSDH Merchant Bank Limited, were arraigned on a 10-count charge bordering on alleged stealing and retention of stolen property to the tune of $306,667.81 and €50,250.
The petitioner, FSDH Merchant Bank Limited, alleged that an internal audit uncovered unauthorized debits totaling $306,667.81 and €50,250, equivalent to N527,406,916.66 (Five Hundred and Twenty-Seven Million, Four Hundred and Six Thousand, Nine Hundred and Sixteen Naira, Sixty Six kobo), from its Letters of Credit (LC) payable accounts.
Investigations revealed that the defendants processed fraudulent transfers through the SWIFT platform to third parties.
One of the counts reads:
“That you, BAKARE OLADIMEJI SURAJUDEEN and JAMES OLUKAYODE IMOKWEDE, sometime in 2021 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly took the sum of N527,406,916.66 (Five Hundred and Twenty-Seven Million, Four Hundred and Six Thousand, Nine Hundred and Sixteen Naira, Sixty Six kobo), property of FSDH Merchant Bank Limited.”
Another count reads:
“That you BAKARE OLADIMEJI SURAJUDEEN AND JAMES Olukayode Imokwede sometime in 2021 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court dishonestly took sum of $306,667. 81 (Three Hundred and Six Thousand, Six Hundred and Sixty Seven dollars, Eighty one cents) property of FSDH Merchant Bank Limited”.
The defendants pleaded “not guilty” to all the charges preferred against them.
Following their pleas, prosecution counsel, H. U. Kofarnaisa, asked the court for a trial date and also prayed that the defendants be remanded in a Correctional facility pending trial.
Counsel to the first and second defendants, Oluwaseun Akintunde and Olajide S. Onasanya, informed the court that bail applications had been filed on behalf of the defendants and also urged the court to grant them bail on liberal terms.
They also prayed that the defendants be remanded in the EFCC custody pending the perfection of their bail conditions.
The prosecution counsel, however, opposed the prayers of the defence seeking the remand of the defendants in the EFCC custody, saying that “the EFCC detention facilities are overstretched.”
After listening to both parties, Justice Ijelu granted the defendants bail in the sum of N2 million each, with two sureties in like sum.
The court ordered that one of the sureties must be a relative, who is gainfully employed.
The sureties must provide evidence of tax payment in the last three years and must show proof of livelihood, with their residences verified.
The defendants were ordered to deposit their international passports with the court, and must not travel outside the country without the leave of the court.
The judge subsequently remanded the defendants in a Correctional facility pending the perfection of their bail conditions.
Justice Ijelu adjourned the matter till March 25, 2026, for the commencement of trial.

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AfDB Supports Francophone Africa Start-ups with €6.5M

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The African Development Bank Group last week approved an investment of €6.5 million in the Saviu II fund in order to support technology start-ups through their seed phase and first institutional fundraising, mainly in French-speaking Central and West Africa.

The Bank will invest €4.5 million as equity and €2 million as a first-loss hedging tranche on behalf of the European Commission, under the Boost Africa Programme.

This participation of the Bank Group will enable the Saviu II fund to give priority to companies with a strong technological or digital component.

Saviu II, the second investment vehicle of Saviu Partners, plans to invest between €500,000 and €3 million in about 20 technology or technology-oriented business-to-business start-ups in the seed phase or carrying out first institutional fundraising.

The Saviu II venture capital fund aims to make at least 60% of its commitments in the French-speaking countries of West and Central Africa: Côte d ‘Ivoire, Cameroon, Benin, Senegal, Togo, Burkina Faso and Mali.

The fund can also co-invest in promising technology companies in East Africa that have a strong team and business model, and whose strategy includes entering the market in French-speaking West African countries and establishing a strong presence there.

In addition, the fund will devote a dedicated envelope to pre-seed investments, focusing on minority equity investments, usually in co-investment with studios, incubators or other ecosystem partners.


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Nigeria Inks $1.3bn MoU with AFC for Alumina Refinery, Mining Push

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Nigerian Government has signed a $1.3 billion Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) via the Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF) to fund an alumina refinery, national geoscience mapping, and a strategic investment vehicle for mining growth.

Nigeria Inks $1.3bn MoU with AFC for Alumina Refinery, Mining Push

Special Assistant to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Segun Tomori, said the refinery will process one million tonnes of bauxite yearly using a modern Bayer process, powered by an on-site gas-fired cogeneration plant.

Minister Dele Alake called it a transformative milestone boosting GDP, aligning with reforms that improve investment climate, regulations, and licensing to attract private capital. He directed agencies to fast-track permits.

The 20-year project at 95% utilization eyes 19 million tonnes total output, $1.2 billion annual GDP addition, $25 billion economic impact, and $8 billion forex earnings, per feasibility studies.

SMDF Executive Secretary Fatima Shinkafi termed it the agency’s biggest funding deal, supporting value-addition policy.

The partnership extends to geoscience mapping for mineral data, de-risking exploration, and a joint vehicle for mining assets.

Permanent Secretary Engr. Farouk Yabo praised the reforms. Shinkafi signed for government; AFC’s Franklin Edochie for the corporation, witnessed by AFC CEO Samaila Zubairu.

Tomori positioned it as Nigeria’s largest private mining investment and FDI magnet.


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