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Stakeholders Task CBN, NCC to Conduct Fintech Talent Needs Survey

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The Fintech specialists and other stakeholders have tasked the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Nigeria Security Commission to conduct a talent needs survey.

According to the professionals the survey will help the regulators to understand the type of manpower challenges the industry is facing and to assist the education and training institutes to develop relevant curricular.

The keynote speaker and President of the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON), Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu said the specific competencies identified by the survey would be a starting point for Fintech professionals, HR, educators and policy makers to understand what skills are needed in the industry.

The Fintech and Human Resources (HR) experts spoke during the Fintech Talent Summit – a co-located but focused event – within the annual Lagos Fintech Week 2020 which was held virtually last week.

Unanimous in their submissions, the specialists expressed the views that such a talent survey would empower the education and training centres to develop relevant programmes that will enable students to gain access to the Fintech and HR industry with maximum preparedness.

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“The Nigeria Fintech ecosystem has become a leading network in Africa’s financial service industry through innovative solutions in lendtech, insurtech and wealthtech among others.

“The industry is regarded as a dominant force in Africa. However, despite the huge potential of Fintech, access to and retention of best-in-class talents is a growing concern within the industry”, the mavens agreed.

According to a PwC report in 2017, 77 per cent of the Chief Executive Officers surveyed view skills shortages as business threats.

In his presentation, Mba-Uzoukwu explained that the skill shortages in the industry cut across hard and soft skills.  “Not only technical skills, but also specific communication and response behaviours that are highly valued in the Fintech industry”, he emphasized.

The PwC report highlighted the hard skills that are in shortfall to include communication, creativity, high emotional quotient (EQ), block chain, programming languages such as Python, C++, C#, GoLang, SQL, JavaScript and Java ML, AI, Deep Learning and cyber security.

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Speaking on the Community-as-a-Service (CaaS): Connecting with the right Talent for Current and Future Opportunities, Professor Abiodun Aibinu,   Head of Department, Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Minna, identified 10 skills that are relevant to the future of work.

He listed EQ, critical thinking, active learning with growth mindset and judgment as well as decision making. Others include interpersonal communication, leadership, diversity and cultural intelligence, technological and embracing skills.

Also, the Executive Director at Innovectives Group, Ayo Oladimeji said “for us as Fintech experts, our talent pool is our greatest asset.  And this goes a long way to determine growth and success of the venture.

“To grow and achieve the mission of the business, we must help our team members to thrive by providing an inclusive and progressive work atmosphere,” he added.

The Fintech and HR professionals that also spoke at the summit include the Director General, Ekiti State Directorate of ICT, Dr. Hakeem Bakare; founder, Programmos Limited, Amos Emmanuel; CEO, Spacepointe, Sayu Abend; and CEO, Computic Limited, Moses Braimah.

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Others include the founder and CEO of Riby Finance, Salami Abolore; Team Lead, Innfact Concepts, Akinbowale Alabi; the CTO, Inits Limited, Femi Taiwo and Head of Engineering at SystemSpecs, Mujib Ishola.

The faculty also had the CTO and Executive Director at Precise Financial Systems, Osifalujo Adedotun; Head, HR and admin, United Securities, Omobolanle Imafidon as well as the Chief Operating Officer, Automarket, Timi Tope Olagunoye.

Founder of Technology Times, Shina Badaru; Co-Founder/CEO, Ebanqo, Inc, Charles Ifedi; Group Head, Ringer One Africa Media (Roam), Tunde Adeniran; and Co-Founder, Social Lender, Bade Adesemowo were the others.

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Guinness Rolls Out Nationwide Consumer Rewards Promotion

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Guinness Nigeria has launched a nationwide National Consumer Promotion (NCP) tagged ‘Open For More’. This is a consumer rewards initiative that will see more than ₦400 million in cash and prizes won by consumers across the country.

The promotion, which runs nationwide, offers consumers the opportunity to win ₦1 million every day, ₦100,000 cash rewards for 1,000 winners, and a brand-new Toyota Land Cruiser Prado as the grand prize. The campaign is designed to reward loyal consumers while creating more opportunities for everyday Nigerians to celebrate life’s meaningful moments.

To participate, consumers are required to purchase specially marked bottles of Guinness Foreign Extra Stout or Guinness Smooth, check for the unique code beneath the crown cork, and enter the code at www.guinnessng.com/1759 for a chance to win.

Speaking on the launch, Ramanathan Solayappan, Marketing and Innovations Director, Guinness Nigeria, said the promotion reflects the brand’s longstanding relationship with consumers and its commitment to creating memorable experiences beyond the product itself.

“Nigerians have made Guinness part of their celebrations, milestones, and everyday moments for over seven decades. The ‘Open For More’ promotion is our way of rewarding that loyalty by giving consumers genuine opportunities to win prizes that can make a meaningful difference in their lives.”

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Solayappan added that the promotion was deliberately designed to make participation simple and accessible to consumers across the country.

“We believe, at Guinness, that there is always room for more possibilities, more progress, and more reasons to celebrate. Through this campaign, we are inviting consumers and beloved Nigerians over the age of 18 years to take part in an experience that goes beyond enjoying a Guinness. Every eligible purchase could open the door to something more.”

Beyond rewarding consumers, the promotion comes at a time when many Nigerians are placing greater value on opportunities that offer tangible returns. By putting more than ₦400 million in cash and prizes directly into the hands of consumers, Guinness Nigeria is creating a campaign that celebrates loyalty and delivers meaningful rewards that can support personal aspirations, family needs, and everyday goals.

As part of the campaign, winners will emerge weekly throughout the promotion period, with regular winner announcements and prize presentations aimed at ensuring transparency and public confidence in the process.

The Open For More National Consumer Promotion strengthens Guinness Nigeria’s commitment to rewarding consumers while creating excitement around the brand through meaningful and impactful experiences. Consumers are encouraged to look out for specially marked promotional packs and follow Guinness Nigeria’s official communication channels for updates, winner announcements, and further information on participation mechanics.

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Nigeria Lost N34 Trillion to Import Waivers in 2025, Customs Tells Senate

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Bashir Adeniyi, Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has disclosed that the value of Import Duty Exemption Certificate (IDEC) approvals granted by the Federal Government rose to about N34 trillion in 2025.

Nigeria Lost N34 Trillion to Import Waivers in 2025, Customs Tells Senate

Adeniyi made the disclosure on Monday during an investigative hearing of the Senate Committee on Finance in Abuja.

He said the import duty exemptions had significantly affected the service’s revenue generation, although many of the waivers were introduced to support critical national priorities.

According to him, about 60 per cent of the approved waivers were granted for the importation of military hardware in response to the country’s security challenges.

He said other beneficiaries included importers of compressed natural gas (CNG), electric and hybrid vehicles, healthcare equipment and medical supplies, industrial machinery, manufacturing inputs and food intervention programmes.

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“IDEC approvals reached about N34 trillion in 2025, about 60 per cent of which was rightly granted for military hardware procurements due to Nigeria’s prevailing security challenges,” Adeniyi said.

The Comptroller-General noted that the introduction of the IDEC scheme in March 2020 had remained one of the major fiscal policies affecting Customs revenue.

He said the service would have generated significantly higher revenue over the years if not for government fiscal measures and other external factors that reduced its revenue base.

Adeniyi, however, maintained that fiscal policy should not be evaluated solely on the basis of revenue generation.

He said government interventions through duty waivers were intended to stimulate economic growth, improve healthcare delivery, encourage industrial production and address national security concerns.

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He urged the Federal Government to strengthen monitoring mechanisms to ensure that beneficiaries of import duty waivers achieved the intended objectives, including reducing prices, increasing production and improving access to essential goods and services.

The Customs boss also disclosed that the service generated N7.28 trillion in revenue in 2025.

He added that out of the N11.04 trillion revenue target for 2026, the service had realised N4.5 trillion as of June 30.

Adeniyi expressed optimism that the service would continue implementing measures aimed at improving revenue collection while supporting government fiscal policies.

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DataPro Upgrades Dangote Cement’s Credit Rating to AA+

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DataPro Rating Agency has upgraded the long-term credit rating of Dangote Cement Plc to AA+ from AA, citing the company’s strong financial performance, market leadership and ability to meet its financial obligations despite Nigeria’s challenging economic environment.

In its latest rating report, the technology-driven credit rating agency also affirmed Dangote Cement’s short-term rating at A1, with a Stable Outlook. The ratings are valid until June 16, 2027.

DataPro said the upgrade reflects the cement maker’s sustained financial strength, resilient operating performance and dominant position in Nigeria and across Africa.

According to the agency, the assessment followed a comprehensive review of the company’s capital base, earnings, liquidity, corporate governance, regulatory compliance and the sustainability of its financial performance over the medium to long term.

It noted that Dangote Cement’s strong brand, leading market share, solid earnings, robust asset base and experienced management continue to strengthen its ability to meet financial commitments on time.

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The agency also highlighted the company’s outstanding financial performance in 2025.

According to the report, Dangote Cement posted N4.31 trillion in revenue during the year, representing a 20 per cent increase from the previous year. Profit before tax more than doubled, rising 109 per cent to N1.53 trillion, driven by higher sales, improved operating efficiency, lower finance costs and a stronger capital structure.

DataPro said the AA+ long-term rating indicates low credit risk and reflects excellent financial strength, business profile and operating performance relative to its rating benchmarks.

It added that the A1 short-term rating signifies good credit quality and shows that the company has a strong capacity to meet its short-term financial obligations as they fall due.

The rating agency, however, noted that the credit rating has a maximum shelf life of 12 calendar months in line with international best practice and should be used only as a reference, not as an offer to trade in securities or as a substitute for investors’ independent judgement.

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