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Global Meltdown Accounts for Drastic Drop in Federation Allocations

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In the wake of the growing global economic crisis, the Federal Government had defended its policy measures saying it was committed to pursuing and implementing human-face policy measures to cushion the effects of the recession on Nigerians and business entities.
Speaking at the opening of the 10th National Council of Finance and Economic Development Conference (NACOFED), Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan, who was represented by Dr. Sullivan Chime, the Enugu State Governor admitted that Nigeria was already affected by the global crisis which, according to him, was responsible for the sharp drop in Federation Account allocations from N435.40 billion in January 2009 to N285.58 billion in February 2009.
According to him, "Several measures are being put in place by the government to cushion the impact of the global recession. The government recently approved N350 billion towards increasing power generation from the present level of 3,000 mega watts to over 6,000 mega watts by the end of this year.
"The government also intends to release over N70 billion to resuscitate the ailing textile industry. These efforts of the Federal Government must be matched by other tiers of government to reduce the impact of the economic crisis”.
The Federal Government listed as its priorities the  building of robust and resilient economy, improving public financial management and enhancing the efficiency of government expenditure. The priorities also include eliminating inefficiencies, corruption, leakages and rent-seeking activities, including the downstream petroleum sector, and diversifying productive structures such as agriculture, small and medium enterprises, gas and solid minerals.
Dr. Mansur Muhtar, Minister of Finance, said the present administration would protect most vulnerable groups through appropriate and targeted social safety nets.
he Minister said that Government would enhance domestic resource mobilization through expanding the non-oil tax base by means of appropriate tax policy and administration, making substantial progress in reforming Customs services and ports, and deepening reforms to tap into the domestic capital market for overall development of the country.
Muhtar stressed that the federal revenue generating Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) would be strengthened to fully disclose their earnings, payments and remittances to the Federation Account, "Let me renew the Federal Government’s commitment to stay ahead of the curve, collaborate with sub-national governments, and do all we can to support growth that will help us weather the global crisis.
We will continue steer the economy through the current global difficulties, while making sure that we don’t waste the opportunities for economic renewal they present. We all have a stake to build competitive and prosperous economies at all levels of government in the country to usher in a new era of economic growth base which citizens deserve for future”.
Mr. Remi  Babalola, the Minister of state for finance assured that concerted efforts are being made to restore confidence in the nation’s financial sector, saying the regulatory agencies in the sector are now required to meet monthly to ensure that they are not working at cross purposes.
He urged banks to focus on their core banking functions rather than compete against one another in a destructive manner.

 

 


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Cellulant Taps Freddie Oduro to Lead Enterprise Payments Expansion in Ghana

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Mr. Freddie Oduro, New Country Manager for Ghana.
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Cellulant, a leading Pan-African payments company enabling seamless digital transactions across Africa, has appointed Mr. Freddie Oduro as its new Country Manager for Ghana.

Cellulant Taps Freddie Oduro to Lead Enterprise Payments Expansion in Ghana

Mr. Freddie Oduro, New Country Manager for Ghana.

Freddie’s appointment is a key step in Cellulant’s broader strategy to deepen its presence in priority markets by accelerating the acquisition of in-country enterprise businesses and strengthening its position as the payments partner of choice in Africa.

Freddie brings over a decade of commercial and strategic leadership experience in the telecommunications and financial services sectors, with expertise in  sales, business operations, and market expansion.

In his new role, he will drive merchant acquisition, strengthening partnerships, oversee collections and payout operations, while ensuring strong internal controls and regulatory compliance.

He joins Cellulant from Payaza and previously served as Sales Director at Cellulant, where he helped significantly expand the company’s footprint in Ghana.

Cellulant has been powering payments in Ghana for leading brands in sectors like e-commerce, utilities, oil and gas and retail, helping them offer their customers a wide range of secure digital payment options.

“We are happy to welcome Freddie back to the Cellulant family,” says Richard Gesimba, Chief Revenue Officer at Cellulant. “Ghana remains a critical market for us, with immense potential driven by rising digital payments adoption.

“As we sharpen our focus on in-country enterprise customers, Freddie’s leadership and industry insight make him the ideal person to steer our Ghana operations.”

The appointment comes at a transformative time for the company. Following a strategic shift between late 2023 and early 2024, focused on streamlining operations, doubling down on enterprise payments, and strengthening customer intimacy, Cellulant achieved profitability in 2024 and continues to build on this momentum.

The company now processes close to 4.5 million transactions daily for businesses across Africa, reinforcing its position as a fintech leader.

“I am honoured to return to Cellulant and lead the Ghana team at such a defining moment,” says Freddie, Country Manager for Cellulant Ghana. “Ghana presents a tremendous opportunity.

“We will ramp up our efforts to sign on more local merchants, strengthen our compliance and control frameworks, and introduce innovative solutions like Tingg Edupay, our automated school fee management solution that eliminates reconciliation delays by validating payments in real time and instantly updating student accounts.

“We will build on Cellulant’s strong foundation to deliver real value, reliability, and economic impact.”

Ghana’s digital payments sector continues to grow steadily, supported by increased mobile money usage and a progressive regulatory environment. Between January and October 2025, the value of mobile money transactions hit about GH¢ 3.6 trillion, up sharply from GH¢ 2.37 trillion in the same period of 2024.

Registered mobile money accounts now exceed 79 million, demonstrating strong consumer and business confidence in digital financial services and in turn creating many opportunities for payment innovation.

This leadership appointment underscores Cellulant’s commitment to building a resilient, high-performance organisation geared towards playing a pivotal role in the next era of Africa’s digital economy.

Looking ahead to 2026, Cellulant plans to further enhance the user experience on its payment platform, Tingg, and expand its  footprint across Ghana.


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Top Nigerian Startups Secure Funding Boost @ iHatch Demo Day Awards

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Nigeria’s startup ecosystem received a fresh injection of momentum as top emerging ventures secured funding and investor attention at the iHatch National Demo Day, where Interface Africa clinched the highest prize of $15,000.

The 4th cohort of the NITDA–JICA-backed accelerator brought together founders, policymakers, and venture stakeholders in Abuja, showcasing innovations ranging from clean-energy financing and digital food marketplaces to next-gen fintech tools.

The startups went rounds of running through state-level selections and regional competition. iHatch was established in 2021 as a strategic partnership to create an enabling environment for young Nigerians to develop and scale their innovative solutions.

The iHatch National Demo Day (4th Cohort), is an initiative by NITDA and JICA which provides a clear pathway for homegrown talent to contribute significantly to economic diversification and digital transformation.

After rigorous selection processes, the top founders converged to pitch their innovations, recognised the standout performers, which are:

Interface Africa with $15,000, the firm is driving Nigeria’s clean energy transition by enabling structured and affordable solar financing.

Ahioma with $12,000, the firm enhances food accessibility with a digital marketplace connecting consumers directly to trusted vendors.

Linia Finance with $10,000, the firm is helping Nigerians take control of their finances with tools for budgeting, tracking, and smart money planning.

Chapta got a laptop reward. They delivering an offline-capable school application ensuring consistent, accessible learning for students everywhere.

Softdrop also got a laptop reward, they solve logistics challenges through a modern delivery platform designed for speed, convenience, and efficiency.

 


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Fidelity Bank to Host Virtual Masterclass on New Tax Law

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Fidelity Bank Plc, a leading financial institution, will host a free virtual training on the Nigeria Tax Act 2025 (NTA) as part of its commitment to helping small businesses prepare for the upcoming legislation.

Fidelity Bank to Host Virtual Masterclass on New Tax Law

Fidelity Bank

The masterclass is scheduled for 10:00 AM (Nigerian time) on Friday, 12 December 2025. It will provide participants with clear insights into changes in the tax framework, the impact on income and business operations, and practical steps to avoid penalties in 2026.

Attendees will also learn strategies to stay ahead in an evolving regulatory environment.

The Nigerian government enacted major tax reforms on 26 June 2025 when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed four tax bills into law.

These Acts will take effect on 1 January 2026 and represent a significant overhaul of the country’s tax system.

The reforms aim to modernize and harmonize Nigeria’s tax framework, improve revenue generation, broaden the tax base, and create clearer rules for individuals, businesses, and government agencies.

“Our decision to host this masterclass reflects our commitment to empowering businesses with the right information ahead of the commencement of the new tax regime.

“Information is money and a well-informed business owner is already steps ahead in the race to success.

“This is why we are bringing experts to provide accurate details and demystify the tax act,” said Osita Ede, Divisional Head, Product Development, Fidelity Bank Plc.

Interested participants can register via https://bit.ly/2026TaxLawMasterclass .


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