Business

Why Fitch Is Impressed With Rivers Financials

Published

12 years ago

March 15, 2013

Rivers Opens For Business With Ibim Semenitari

On March 1, 2013, one of the world’s most respected rating agencies, Fitch, released new rating for Rivers State in both London and Milan. This was immediately echoed around the world by Bloomberg of London. Rivers State is one of the few states in Nigeria that have the guts to join the global rating system that tells you the truth in your face about your financials. The state is rated by both Fitch and Standard & Poor’s. The latter had earlier in November 2012, upgraded the financial rating of the state. Now, Fitch has come out with its own version and this has been causing positive ripples in investment circles around the world. The moment this latest rating was flashed by Bloomberg, some financial journalists began asking questions. Below are some of the questions they asked and the answers they got.

We hear Rivers State has received new rating, what are the details?

Yes, Fitch has upgraded Rivers State long-term foreign and local currency rating to a BB- stable from the previous B( +). This rating was released on March I, 2013, and so, Rivers State is one notch higher, as it were. This rating admits that there is a lot of stabilisation, and growth of the non-oil sector has played a key role in this. They do believe that our IGR has continued to grow, especially with the new measures put in place by the Ministry of Finance such as digitalisation of tax administration, tax harmonisation, autonomy for the Revenue Board, the one-stop-shop concept, and all efforts to reduce error. Basically, one of the things we clearly see is that Fitch is impressed with the financials of Rivers State.

When an organisation such as Fitch is impressed with a state, how does the citizen care about this?

Everybody knows that it means big. First, it means that people are looking to do business in an environment that is peaceful and conducive. The rating is interpreted to mean, ‘it’s good to do business with you: That is quite a message, especially in an era where people hardly understand the dynamics of an economy. Now, an agency like Fitch says it is good to do business with you. Remember that this is happening at a time most other economies especially in Europe and America are being down-graded by these top rating agencies. This shows that the ratings are no manipulation.

This rating has been consistent in the past couple of years. What could be those things that the administration is doing to sustain this rating?

You are aware of such measures as sanitising our financial system, trying to ensure that all the ministries reduced wastages, leakages and reduced cost especially by cleaning up our financial processes. There is also the biometric system which ensures that the real workforce is captured appropriately to reduce the incidence of ghost workers. There is effort in terms of how the budget is managed in relation to fiscal disciple. Yes, we are not there yet and nobody is, but every year we improve the system. This year, the governor has said it would be stricter, more improved fiscal discipline to ensure that, again, we are able to render accountable stewardship.

Are there tangible points of evidence to show that the investment community out there around the world is reacting to these positive ratings?

Yes, I will like to go by the rule of the thump. If you checked the hotels in Port Harcourt in 2007/8, they returned not more than 25 per cent occupancy rate. National average is about 51 per cent. But in Port Harcourt, by 2011 survey reports, it moved to over 65 per cent. Now, in fact, some hotels are recording 98 or 100 per cent occupancy rate. Novotel is at 100 per cent, Le Meridien and Golden Tulip are at 98 per cent. That tells you what is happening to this economy because the hotels are a good reflection of an economy.

When you look at air travel into the city and out, you hardly will be able to get a seat any day of the week. Clearly, you can see a reflection. Before, you would see an empty plane coming into Port Harcourt but now, most persons have to fight to get a ticket, including the international flights. In January 2013, when I was travelling for a conference outside Nigeria, I could not get a seat, and this was not the boom period, it was the middle of the month. Some persons had to fly to Lagos to get a flight. It was as bad as that. So, you have a situation where seats in airplanes are being sold out and hotel rooms are being sold out. Clearly, these ratings are doing something good for us.

Again, next year, Port Harcourt is the World Book Capital, that is something huge. We were pitched against Oxford, Moscow, etc, but Port Harcourt won. It is the first in Sub-Saharan Africa. The nearest that won it was Cairo, but it was during the system of handpicking. In 2014, Port Harcourt is hosting the Crans Montana Forum (May 2014). It is the first time it is going to be leaving Europe and this is heading to Port Harcourt . Investors are going to come along. Clearly, we have got to be doing something right here.

Culled from Business Day

Business

TTP Trains Customs Agents, Freight Forwarders On Eto App

Published

2 weeks ago

May 1, 2025

The Tide

In a concerted effort to tackle racketeering and reduce inflated transportation costs in the Nigeria’s seaports, Trucks Transit Parks Ltd. (TTP) has trained Licensed Customs Agents and Freight Forwarders on the use of its Ètò electronic call-up system.
The training was held recently at Customs Processing Centre (CPC) Auditorium, Apapa, Lagos, in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and supported by the leadership of the Joint Association of Licensed Customs Agents and Freight Forwarders (JALCAFF), Apapa Command.
Speaking at the event, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu expressed appreciation to TTP for facilitating the training and emphasized the need for customs agents to take personal ownership of the Ètò booking process.
“I want to thank TTP for this impactful training. I encourage all customs agents to begin doing their own bookings directly. By doing so, they can take back power from the unscrupulous elements exploiting their lack of knowledge, selling tickets at highly inflated prices,” Olomu declared.
He noted that empowering agents with hands-on training was key to dismantling racketeering networks that have plagued access to the ports and frustrated efficient logistics processes.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Apapa Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Chief Emeka Chukwumalu, said the engagement was critical to the ongoing push to reduce cargo transportation costs and ease business operations at the Apapa Port.
According to a freight forwarder, “The training is basically for us to have awareness of the operations of the Ètò call-up system through TTP. We also want to brainstorm on ways to reduce the high cost of cargo transportation in Apapa Port.
“This training opened our eyes to how simple it is to book tickets ourselves. We now know the right steps to follow and how to avoid falling victim to fraudsters.”
Earlier, Head of Operations at TTP, Mr. Irabor Akonoman, talked on common misconceptions about ticket pricing, reaffirming that the cost of Ètò bookings had remained consistent since its inception.
“The official price remains the same since inception. What people are paying higher amounts for is the manipulation by racketeers”.

Business

NECA Holds MSME Fair To Drive Growth

Published

2 weeks ago

May 1, 2025

The Tide

Towards strengthening small businesses and promoting a more supportive regulatory environment, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) says it will hold the 2025 edition of its flagship MSMEs Fair on Tuesday (May 6, 2025).
The event, themed, “Galvanising MSMEs for Economic Growth and Stability”, will take place at NECA House in Lagos.
According to NECA’s Director-General, Mr Adewale Smatt Oyerinde, the fair seeks to provide micro, small, and medium enterprises with essential tools, resources, and strategic networks to thrive in Nigeria’s challenging business climate.
He emphasised the vital role MSMEs play in national development, describing them as the “lifeblood of Nigeria’s economy.”
Oyerinde noted that the fair is designed to offer entrepreneurs practical solutions to navigate economic uncertainties, regulatory hurdles, and business scalability issues.
A major attraction of this year’s event is the keynote address by the CEO of FATE Foundation, Mrs. Adenike Adeyemi, a prominent advocate for MSME development.
She is expected to share transformative insights on innovative strategies for sustaining and growing small businesses in Nigeria.
A unique feature of the fair will be interactive sessions with key regulatory bodies. Entrepreneurs will engage directly with agencies responsible for licensing, compliance, taxation, and business registration.
NECA said these sessions aim to demystify bureaucratic processes and foster a more enabling business environment.
It also said the fair will provide a platform for entrepreneurs to exhibit their products and services, connect with potential investors, and explore new markets.
It added that participants would gain critical knowledge on digital transformation, access to finance, and strategies for sustainable business growth.
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· NECA stressed that the fair aligns with its broader mission of promoting enterprise development and economic resilience.
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· “By empowering MSMEs with the right support and information, the organisation aims to stimulate job creation, innovation, and long-term economic stability”, NECA said.
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· The 2025 MSMEs Fair is expected to attract a wide range of stakeholders, including financiers, tech experts, regulators, and industry leaders, all united in advancing the growth of Nigeria’s MSME sector.

Business

Over 2m Passengers Board Blue Rail Train – Commissioner

Published

2 weeks ago

May 1, 2025

The Tide

The Lagos State Commissioner for Transport, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, says over two million passengers have been transported on the Blue Line Rail since its launch, while state-run buses move an average of 42,000 commuters daily.
Osiyemi, who disclosed this during the Year 2025 Ministerial press briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, on Tuesday, noted that the Lagos State Transport Policy, launched in May 2024, was now in its implementation phase, focusing on inclusivity, safety, affordability, and sustainability.
“On rail development, Phase One of the Blue Line (Marina to Mile 2) has served over two million passengers, with Phase Two (Mile 2 to Okokomaiko) in progress.
“Phase One of the Red Line (Agbado to Oyingbo) is now operational with eight stations and additional rolling stocks procured, while Phase two (Oyingbo to link Blue Line at National Theatre) is underway”, he said.
The Commissioner said in the state-owned bus operations, over 60 million commuters have been served since 2019, with daily ridership exceeding 40,000.
He also said plans were on to deploy new buses with Quality Bus Corridors under construction, adding that the Abule=Egba Bus Terminal had also been commissioned.
“For water transport, 15 locally-built Omibus Ferries have been launched and are in operation, with the Ijegun Egba Terminal now open.
“The OMI EKO project, in partnership with the French Development Agency (AFD), will deliver 25 terminals and 78 electric ferries.
“Over 280,000 passengers have used ferry services in the past year, and 12 boats have been upgraded to meet safety standards”, he said.
On road infrastructure and traffic management, the Commissioner said 49 junction improvement projects had been completed, including ongoing ones at Ikorodu, Iju, as well as Allen-Opebi-Toyin axis.
He added that solar-powered Traffic Signal Lights, road markings covering 67.9km, new medians, laybys, and 3,941 parking lots had also been provided.
Additionally, Osiyemi announced that the deployed Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras had detected over 470,000 traffic violations and that the Vehicle Inspection Service issued over one million roadworthiness certificates.
He also said that the Lagos State Drivers’ Institute trained more than 32,000 drivers in the past 13 months.
The event marked the second anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term, showcasing major strides in the transport sector under the THEMES+ agenda.

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos