Business
NB, Consolidated Breweries Merger, Good For Real Sector – Stakeholders
Some investors’ and capi
tal market operators at the nation’s bourse say the proposed merger between Nigerian Breweries (NB) Plc and Consolidated Breweries, will attract more foreign investors to the real sector of the economy.
The stakeholders said in separate interviews in Lagos that the merger between both companies would provide another impetus for foreign investors to review their interests in Nigeria.
According to them, the affirmation of the proposed merger at the December 4, separate Court Ordered Meetings (COM) will further leverage the Nigerian real sector operations.
The Chairman, Nigeria Professional Shareholders Association, Mr Godwin Anono said that the shareholders would support the merger because of the enhanced profitablity that would result from the exercise.
He said that the shareholders would support all the resolutions of the COM to ensure speedy conclusion of the merger plan.
Anono said that the merger would stimulate economic growth and development of the capital market.
He, however, called on other shareholders to support the merger which he described as a welcome development in the Nigerian capital market.
The President, Nigeria Shareholders Solidarity Association (NSSA), Mr Timothy Adesiyan expressed shareholders readiness for the consolidation.
Adesiyan said that the merger would turnaround the fortunes of both companies in terms of robust growth and return on investment.
The NSSA boss called on the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to ensure protection of the minority shareholders in the merger process.
The President, Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria (ASHON), Mr Emeka Madubuike said that the merger would increase the depth of the capital market.
Madubuike said that the merger would enhance the overall prospect of the company’s business in terms of profitability and wider market reach.
“We are expecting a much stronger NB with robust dividend at the completion of the seamless merger,” Madubuike said.
He said that the company’s brand will be stronger with international quality at the completion of the exercise.
The Managing Director, Standard Union Securities Ltd., Mr Sehinde Adenagbe said that the synergy would be good for the shareholders.
Adenagbe said that the business combination was a good development for the capital market and would increase the market capitalisation of the nation’s bourse.
He said that investors should use the opportunity and increase their stake in the company to benefit from the enlarged market share.
Adenagbe said that Consolidated breweries would complement the existing breweries of NB to ensure adequate supply of products to the market.
Heineken, the majority shareholder in Nigerian Breweries in 2005 acquired a controlling stake in Consolidated Breweries.
Heineken had earlier said that the merge was part of their long term strategy of positioning their businesses in the fast growing Nigeria beer and malt drinks.
The proposed merger was recently approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Under the arrangement of the merger, four shares of NB would be exchanged for five shares of Consolidated Breweries or a cash consideration of N120 per share of Consolidated Breweries held.
Executive Chairman, Rivers State Internal Revenue Service, Onene Osila Obele-Oshoko (middle), delivering an address, during the media dinner organised by RIRS in Port Harcourt recently. With her are board member, Sir Nelson Wali (left) and another board member, Mr. Christian Ogbowu. Photo: Egberi A. Sampson
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”.
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.
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