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OnePort 365 Secures $5 million Seed Funding to Digitize Freight Management in Africa

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OnePort 365, a digital freight forwarding company that makes it easier to move cargo to, from and within Africa, has raised $5 million in seed funding to drive the end-to-end digitisation of freight management in Africa and support its expansion into new markets across the continent.

The seed funding round was led by Mobility 54 (the Venture Capital arm of Toyota Tsusho and CFAO Group), with participation from SBI Investment, Flexport, ODX, a Singaporean syndicate fund and other strategic angel investors. Samurai Incubate also re-invested after participating in the previous round.

With active operations in Nigeria and Ghana, and ongoing explorations in other markets, OnePort 365 is building an operating system for cross-border trade in Africa, helping traders to manage their freight processes through a digital platform that enables seamless freight forwarding and other value-added services.

With this new funding, OnePort 365 is positioned to further improve efficiency and lower overheads in cross-border trading across the continent, as well as deliver a wide range of new services that will increase profitability across the board.

Africa contributes an increasingly significant amount to global maritime trade, with a reported 12 percent of the 811 million containers handled at ports worldwide. Africa’s clearing and forwarding market is also growing, with latest figures suggesting a market size of $4.2 billion and a projected 12.5 percent growth with new services emerging.

However, a wide range of  challenges including congestion at ports, difficulty with accessing effective service providers and complex payment systems have resulted in increased costs, inefficiencies and many missed opportunities for traders.

With OnePort 365, traders no longer have to wait up to two weeks to compare the best rates from different service providers. With pre-negotiated rates, they can explore competitive offers on the platform and book freights in 30 seconds or less.

Traders can also connect with shipping and inland transportation vendors and manage the entire process (from booking to payment) on one single platform.

Traders get GPS-enabled, real-time visibility of their shipments and they can view all documents relating to the shipment via the platform, eliminating the laborious process of physically retrieving these documents from offices or shipping line centres.

The platform also leverages advancements in payment technology and the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) to power instant payments.

The platform covers air freight, ocean freight, inland haulage (trucking, barge, and rail), as well as Pay-As-You-Go warehousing, marine insurance, customs brokerage and more. Since OnePort 365 started operations in 2019, it has increased the number of twenty-foot equivalent unit containers (TEUs) by 140 percent and grown its revenue by more than 420 percent.

Commenting on the new funding Hio Sola-Usidame, CEO and founder of OnePort 365 said “we are super excited to have these investors onboard to support our mission to optimize cross-border trading across the continent.

With new regulations like the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement creating the potential for a new era of trade on the continent, we want to make it easier for traders to maximise the opportunity. We believe managing freights should be as easy as booking a flight or ordering a ride-hailing service and we are building the operating system to make this possible.”

Takeshi Watanabe, CEO of Mobility 54 Investment SAS said “we are delighted to support Hio and the OnePort 365 team as they embark on the journey of digitizing the end-to-end freight management process in Africa.

There is great potential to unlock significant commercial opportunities across the continent by addressing the longstanding challenges that have made it difficult to move freights into and around the continent, and we are confident that OnePort 365 has what it takes to succeed.”

Rena Yoneyama, Managing Partner at Samurai Incubate Africa said, “since the first day we joined the company as an investor in 2020, we’ve believed that this team is the one that could build a cross-border trading platform tailored for the African continent.  We’re very happy to back OnePort 365 again”.


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Karex, World’s Top Condom Maker to Hike Prices due to Iran war

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Karex, world’s largest condom maker, plans to raise prices by up to 30 percent due to supply disruptions linked to the Iran war.

Karex, World's Top Condom Maker to Hike Prices due to Iran war

This means that safe sex could get more expensive if the war continues to disrupt global supply chains, according to Goh Miah Kiat, CEO, Karex.

Kiat told old Reuters that rising freight costs and shipping delays have increased demand and forced the company to pass costs to customers.

Broader supply chain issues and higher oil prices could impact many everyday products that rely on petrochemicals.

“The situation is definitely very fragile, prices are expensive… We ​have no choice but to transfer the costs right now to ⁠the customers,” Goh told Reuters.

Karex joins a growing list of companies that are bracing for supply chain disruptions amid the ongoing war in Iran.

Based in Malaysia, Karex produces condoms, personal lubricants, gloves, medical catheters and probe covers.

The company manufactures male latex condoms including ONE, Trustex, Carex and Pasante, and it can produce over 5 billion condoms annually. Karex also exports to more than 130 countries, according to its website.

“We’re seeing a lot more condoms actually sitting on vessels that have not arrived at their destination but are highly required,” Goh said.

 


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Court Affirms FCCPC Authority over Consumer Protection

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Federal High Court in Abuja has upheld Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission’s (FCCPC) authority to investigate consumer complaints and enforce regulatory oversight in Nigeria.

Court Affirms FCCPC Authority over Consumer Protection

Tunji Bello, EVC/CEO, FCCPC

In a statement signed by Ondaje Ijagwu, director, Corporate Affairs, the Commission said that in the judgment delivered by James Omotosho on April 20, 2026, the court dismissed a suit filed by Air Peace Limited challenging the Commission’s statutory powers.

The ruling affirmed the Commission’s mandate under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act, 2018 to “receive complaints, assess matters brought before it, and take appropriate lawful steps, including investigation where necessary.”

Reacting to the decision, Tunji Bello, executive vice chairman and chief executive officer of the Commission, said; “the judgment reinforces the importance of regulatory oversight in safeguarding consumers and ensuring fair market practices.”

Bello explained that the case stemmed from complaints involving “unrefunded ticket fares, cancelled flights, and other service concerns affecting passengers.”

Bello stressed that consumers who pay for services are entitled to fair treatment, transparency, and redress in accordance with applicable law.

He also said that investigations conducted by the Commission are administrative processes aimed at establishing facts.

“It does not amount to a finding of liability or wrongdoing,” he said.

The FCCPC boss further reiterated the agency’s commitment to due process and constructive engagement with businesses, noting that the Commission would continue to operate in a “fair, professional, and transparent manner.”

Bello also urged companies operating in Nigeria to cooperate with lawful regulatory procedures and strengthen internal complaint resolution mechanisms to address consumer grievances promptly.

The Commission said it will continue to act within its statutory mandate to protect consumers, promote competitive markets, and build confidence in key sectors, including aviation.

 


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UK-Nigeria Trade Mission Builds on State Visit Momentum to Drive Commercial Outcomes

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L-r: Atam Sandhu, Chief Executive, DMA Invest; Steve Grey OBE, UK Export Finance Lead; Dr Richard Montgomery, British High Commissioner to Nigeria; Aisha Rimi, Chief Executive, Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission; Ayo Sotinrin, MD/Chief Executive Nigeria's Bank of Agriculture (BoA), and Lovina Kayode, Director, Investor Relations, Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission, at the UK-Nigeria Trade mission in Abuja, yesterday.
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Underscoring the strength of the UK-Nigeria strategic partnership, the UK has completed its first trade and investment mission to Nigeria since the recent State Visit, focused on turning high‑level agreements into practical commercial opportunities for businesses in both countries.

Supported by the UK Department for Business and Trade and delivered by DMA Invest in partnership with the Nigeria Investment Promotion Council (NIPC), the 2-day trade mission brought together 43 delegates from 30 British companies to build partnerships, deepen commercial engagement and pursue new opportunities across priority sectors with their Nigerian counterparts.

With trade between both countries now at a record £8.1 billion, and Nigeria established as the UK’s largest export market in Africa, the mission highlighted where UK expertise can add the more value to Nigeria’s reform‑driven economy.

Opportunities discussed spanned key sectors such as infrastructure; energy and power; water, environment and climate solutions; agriculture; finance and professional services; testing and certification standards; logistics and supply chains; and technology, including education, aviation and communications.

These sectors align closely with the priorities set out under the UK-Nigeria Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP) and reflect areas where UK capability, high standards and long‑term partnership approaches are well matched to Nigeria’s evolving market needs.

The mission also focused on challenging outdated perceptions of Nigeria, highlighting its shift towards a high‑potential, reforming economy, and energising businesses around new commercial opportunities supported by an improving macroeconomic outlook.

It encouraged UK and Nigerian firms to recognise complementary strengths and pursue new partnerships, reinforcing the message that both countries are open for business and natural partners for growth.

Dr Richard Montgomery, British High Commissioner to Nigeria, said: “This trade mission is a clear signal of intent. As the first UK business delegation to Nigeria since the State Visit, it shows how we are turning strong political alignment into real commercial action and long‑term partnerships for businesses in both countries.

“By bringing together UK companies and Nigerian partners across priority sectors and working closely with DMA Invest and the Nigeria Investment Promotion Council, we are backing ambition with delivery and making clear that the UK is committed, engaged and ready to do business with Nigeria for the long term.”

Aisha Rimi, Chief Executive Officer, Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission, said: “This trade mission represents a timely and strategic step in translating the renewed momentum from the UK–Nigeria State Visit into tangible investment outcomes for Nigeria. At the Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission, we are focused on facilitating partnerships that align with our national priorities and unlock value across key sectors of the economy.

The strong interest from UK companies reflects growing confidence in Nigeria’s reforms and its position as a leading investment destination in Africa. We remain committed to working closely with our partners to ensure that these engagements result in sustainable investments, job creation, and inclusive economic growth for both countries.”

Ronald Chagoury Jr. Vice-Chairman of Hitech and ITB, said: “As long-standing investors and operators in Nigeria’s infrastructure sector, Hitech and ITB are proud to support this UK–Nigeria Trade Mission and its focus on delivering tangible commercial outcomes.

“The successful close of a $1 billion ports transaction, backed by UK Export Finance, reflects both our execution capability and the strength of international partnerships when aligned with national priorities. We see this as a pivotal step in advancing Nigeria’s port infrastructure and a strong signal of confidence in the country’s reform agenda under the Renewed Hope framework.”

Atam Sandhu, Chief Executive, DMA Invest, said: “This UK–Nigeria Trade Mission demonstrates the value of bringing government, investors and delivery partners together in a structured, deal-focused environment. Our role is to convene the right stakeholders and translate strategic alignment into practical commercial outcomes.

The quality of engagement across infrastructure, energy, finance and related sectors reflects the depth of opportunity in Nigeria and the UK’s commitment to long-term partnership. We are proud to have supported this mission alongside the UK Department for Business and Trade and NIPC, and to help accelerate conversations that move projects closer to investment and delivery.”

All 43 delegates from 30 British companies participated in the UK-Nigeria Business Forum alongside senior representatives from the UK and Nigerian Governments, Nigerian businesses and the wider private sector.

The forum provided a platform for direct engagement with Nigerian companies, practical discussions, relationship‑building and the exploration of new partnerships aligned with Nigeria’s reform‑driven priorities.

This mission marks an important step in deepening the UK-Nigeria economic partnership. By strengthening relationships, building confidence and supporting deal‑making, it ensures that the momentum from the State Visit continues to translate into sustained commercial outcomes, long‑term investment and shared growth.


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