Business
‘Nigeria Requires Innovation To Drive Job Creation Agenda’
The Minister of Employ
ment and Labour, Dr Chris Ngige, says the country requires innovation that will drive the government’s diversification and job creation agenda.
He said this recently in Lagos during a factory tour of Erisco Foods Ltd in Lagos.
According to him, the innovation and diversification activities of Erisco Foods have increased job creation in the agricultural sector of the economy.
“We commend this great feat in manufacturing which is wholly Nigerian.
“The Nigerian economy needs this kind of innovation and diversification which has led to job creation in the agricultural sector.”
He lauded the management and urged it to ensure compliance with labour related matters, occupational, health and safety standards and statutory obligations.
The minister was represented by Mrs Olufunke Aleshinloye, General Manager, Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund.
Chief Executive Officer of Erisco Foods, Mr Eric Umeofia, urged the government to formulate policies that would support local manufacturers.
“We want to warn that until indigenous manufacturers are respected and supported, no meaningful economic diversification will be achieved in this country.
“Nigeria is the biggest importer of tomato paste in the world while over 75 per cent of fresh tomato harvested got wasted in the hands of our farmers yearly.
“This is due to the fact that there was no means of making use of them industrially.
“Seven out of the nine tomato processing factories have closed down and we may soon follow suit and shut down, God forbid, if the government fails to ban the importation of tomato paste.
“What we want is not waiver but a level playing field for all.”
According to him, tomato importers should be compelled to invest in tomato processing in Nigeria to boost development in the agricultural sector and employment opportunities in the country.
Umeofia urged the government to effect the NAFDAC report recommendation of Feb. 10, 2015 that stated that 91.1 per cent of all tomato paste imported and sold in the country were fake and substandard.
“It took European Union (EU) barely a month to take decision and place ban on the importation of some Nigerian food products till 2019. “This is food for thought for our government.”
According to him, his company’s conversion of fresh and dried tomatoes to paste will save the country one billion dollars spent annually on importation and earn foreign exchange for the nation through its export.
“We have a tomato paste processing plant with processing capacity of above 450,000 metric tons per annum, among other product lines.
“We have over 2,052 workers and set to employ over 50,000 youths in two to three years with over five million jobs for farmers indirectly in our Katsina, Jigawa and Sokoto State backward integration projects.
“We target to start production from our Katsina project in the first quarter of 2017 provided that we get support from our good people of Nigeria as nobody will love or build our country for us.”
He appealed to the government to prioritise allocation of foreign exchange to genuine manufacturers to improve productivity in the country.
Mrs Nike Akande, President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), commended Erisco Foods, saying that industrialisation is key to economic development, employment and increased revenue generation.
Comrade Issa Aremu, former Vice-President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), called for ban on tomato paste importation, adding that the country has achieved self-sufficiency in the production.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday said 33 banks have met new minimum capital requirements under its recapitalisation programme, raising a combined N4.65 trillion to strengthen the financial system.
The apex bank disclosed this in a statement marking the end of the exercise, which commenced in March 2024 and drew participation from domestic and foreign investors.
The statement was jointly signed by the Director of Banking Supervision, Olubukola Akinwunmi, and the Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Hakama Sidi-Ali.
The statement said “Over the 24-month period, Nigerian banks raised a total of N4.65tn in new capital, strengthening the resilience of the financial system and enhancing its capacity to support the economy.”
The regulator said local investors accounted for 72.55 per cent of the funds, while international investors contributed 27.45 per cent, reflecting continued confidence in the sector.
Commenting on the outcome, the CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, said in the statement, “The recapitalisation programme has strengthened the capital base of Nigerian banks, reinforcing the resilience of the financial system and ensuring it is well-positioned to support economic growth and withstand domestic and external shocks.”
It added that while 33 banks have complied with the new thresholds, a few others are still undergoing regulatory and legal processes.
The statement noted, “The CBN confirms that 33 banks have met the revised minimum capital requirements established under the programme.
“A limited number of institutions remain subject to ongoing regulatory and judicial processes, which are being addressed through established supervisory and legal frameworks.
“All banks remain fully operational, ensuring continued access to banking services for customers.”
The apex bank stressed that the exercise was executed without disrupting banking operations, ensuring uninterrupted access to services nationwide.
It further stated that key prudential indicators have improved, particularly capital adequacy ratios, which remain above global Basel benchmarks.
The minimum ratios were set at 10 per cent for regional and national banks and 15 per cent for banks with international licences.
The bank also said the recapitalisation coincided with a gradual exit from regulatory forbearance, a move it said improved asset quality, strengthened balance sheet transparency, and enhanced overall stability.
To preserve these gains, the CBN said it has reinforced its risk-based supervision framework, mandating periodic stress tests and adequate capital buffers for banks.
It added that supervisory and prudential guidelines would be reviewed regularly to strengthen governance, risk management, and resilience across the sector.
“The successful completion of the programme establishes a stronger and more resilient banking system, better positioned to support lending, mobilise savings, and withstand domestic and global shocks,” the statement said.
The Tide learnt that foreign capital inflows into Nigeria’s banking sector rose by 93.25 per cent year-on-year to $13.53bn in 2025, up from $7.00bn recorded in 2024, amid the ongoing recapitalisation drive by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics capital importation report showed that the banking sector remained the dominant destination for foreign capital, accounting for $13.53bn of the total $23.22bn recorded in 2025, representing 58.26 per cent of total inflows, up from 56.81 per cent in 2024.
The surge reflects heightened investor interest in Nigerian banks as they raised fresh capital to meet new regulatory thresholds introduced by the apex bank, with industry-wide recapitalisation activities driving large-scale inflows across all quarters of the year.
However, the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) recently raised concerns over weak credit flows to small businesses despite recent banking sector reforms.
The CPPE, led by a renowned economist, Dr Muda Yusuf, acknowledged that the ongoing bank recapitalisation exercise by the CBN has strengthened the financial system, but warned that the benefits have yet to translate into meaningful support for the real economy.
The facility will be disbursed through participating Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), which will in turn extend the loans to their customers, particularly SMEs, as they directly interface with businesses at the grassroots level.
The Executive Director of COMCIN, Mr. Micheal Ogbaa who represented the Chairman, Dr. Iredele Oyedele (FCA, FCCA), said the initiative is designed to strengthen micro-lending institutions and expand access to finance for grassroots entrepreneurs, particularly women and youths in the informal sector.
Ogbaa explained that COMCIN does not lend directly to individuals but works through its network of microfinance and cooperative institutions, which in turn provide loans to end users.
“We came together to advocate for the microfinance ecosystem. Commercial banks often exclude people at the grassroots, but our members are positioned to reach them. This facility will empower them to do more,” he said.
He noted that the loan scheme offers low interest rates and flexible repayment plans, making it more accessible to small business owners.
According to him, about 90 percent of beneficiaries are expected to be women, who play a key role in sustaining families and driving economic activities at the local level.
“Our focus is on traders, service providers, and players in the informal sector. These are the real movers of the economy. By supporting them, we are strengthening families and contributing to national development,” he added.
Ogbaa disclosed that eligible SMEs with proven integrity and business track records could access up to N5 million each through participating micro-lending institutions. The rollout has commenced in Lagos and will extend to Abuja, Enugu, and other regions, including the South-West, South-East, and North-East.
He said 12 micro-lending institutions have already benefited from the scheme, while 85 applications are currently being processed under the pilot phase.
“Our target is to reach at least 100,000 SMEs nationwide. We are building a platform that connects funding partners with credible micro-lending institutions, creating a reliable channel for financial inclusion,” Ogbaa said.
He added that COMCIN is also working to attract larger funding pools from development finance institutions and private investors, noting that successful implementation of the pilot phase would boost confidence and unlock more capital for SMEs.
“We have seen encouraging testimonies from early beneficiaries. As we demonstrate transparency and efficiency, more institutions will be willing to channel funds through us,” he said.
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