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Electricity Consumers Rue Crazy Bills

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Electricity consumers in
Lagos have condemned the recent outrageous bills received from electricity companies in spite of poor power supply in November.
Some consumers stated this in Lagos during an interview with newsmen.
They rued arbitrary and excessive billing of consumers when electricity supply was not regular.
Mrs Chinansa Oke, a resident of FESTAC Town, said the attitude of electricity companies amounted to cheating consumers.
Oke said that there was need for urgent measures to address the abnormalities in the billing system and save innocent electricity consumers.
“Last October, we had no electricity supply and I was billed N3,500 for the month. In November, supply was erratic throughout the month and they brought N8,500.
“I don’t know the criteria they are using to bill us.
“I spent N12,000 to buy petroleum and they still want me to pay for the power that was not regular,” she said.
Mr Bode Akinfenwa, a resident of Ilasamaja, said that he had applied for pre-payment meter in January but till now it had not been installed.
“After applying for pre-paid meter for almost 10 months, the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company kept giving us estimated bill.
“This is an injustice to the masses. Government should rescue us from the hand of these investors.
“The most frustrating part of it is that even if there is no electricity for most of a month, we are still made to pay the same bill we paid previously.
“Many electricity consumers appear to be at the mercy of these electricity companies because they are the only supplier of electricity,” he said.
Mrs Damilola Joseph, a frozen fish seller at Ijora Market, said that power outage had forced majority of frozen fish sellers out of business because it was difficult to operate without supply.
Joseph appealed to the electricity companies to find lasting solution to power failure so that Nigerians could restore confidence in them.
Meanwhile, Mr Pekun Adeyanju, Assistant General Manager, Public Affairs Division of IKEDC, told reporters that the management would begin installation of 500,000 smart meters in January 2015 to its numerous consumers.
Adeyanju said that this would eliminate the bondage of estimate billings being given to its consumers.

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“FCCPC Approves Sale Of Chivita|Hollandia To UAC Nigeria PLC 

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UAC of Nigeria PLC (UAC) has announced the completion of it’s in a press release on October 3, 2025, that it has completed the acquisition of Chivita|Hollandia (CHI Limited), following approval from the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).
Revealing this in a Press Release, at the Weekend, UAC said the transaction, first disclosed on July 30, 2025, involved the transfer of ownership of CHI Limited, a leading Nigerian food and beverage company best known for its market-dominant Chivita juice and Hollandia dairy brands, to UAC.
Commenting on the development, the Managing Director, CHI Limited, Eelco Weber, expressed optimism in the company’s future under UAC’s ownership.
“We are pleased to have received regulatory approval for this transaction. We look forward to a smooth transition and to seeing Chivita|Hollandia thrive under UAC’s ownership,” he said.
Group Managing Director of UAC, Fola Aiyesimoju, highlighted the strategic importance of the acquisition saying “We are excited to officially welcome the Chivita|Hollandia team and brands into the UAC family, and we are eager to work together to build on their strong legacy and market leadership”.
The acquisition is expected to strengthen UAC’s position in Nigeria’s fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, expanding its footprint into the growing juice and dairy markets.
UAC further said that the acquisition aligned with its growth agenda by adding two market-leading brands and a well-established distribution network to its por.
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PenCom Reintroduces Gratuity For Federal Civil Servants

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The National Pension Commission has said it has deployed a framework to restore gratuity for Federal Civil Service under the Contributory Pension Scheme.
Director-General of PenCom, Omolola Oloworaran, disclosed this at a Stakeholders’ Conference on the Workings of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) for Employees and Pensioners of Federal Government Treasury-Funded Ministries, Departments and Agencies, in Abuja, last Thursday.
Represented by the Acting Commissioner, Technical, PenCom, Hon. Hafiz Kawu Ibrahim, Oloworaran said, “Working with the office of the Head of the Civil Service, a framework has been developed to restore gratuity benefits for federal workers under CPS, in line with Section 4(4) of the PRA 2014.”
The PenCom DG added that “PenCom has enhanced pensions for over 241,000 retirees, representing 80% of those under Programmed Withdrawal. Monthly pensions rose from N12.157 billion to N14.837 billion, effective June 2025.
“Also, since July 2025, no retiree waits to access their pensions. Payments are now immediate, aligned with monthly salary releases from the Federal Ministry of Finance”.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, Ekpo Nta, stated that the Commission would partner PenCom to examine the current rate of retirement benefits and recommend appropriate mechanisms for periodic reviews of retirement benefits.
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CAC, SMEDAN To Register 250,000 MSMEs Free ……..As CAC Forfeits ?3b In Fees Nationwide

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The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) have announced a joint initiative to register 250,000 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) free of charge across the country, with CAC foregoing about ?3 billion in registration fees
The initiative, announced during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Abuja, at the Weekend, seeks to remove barriers such as high costs and bureaucratic challenges that have long kept many small businesses in the informal sector.
The Registrar-General, CAC, Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, SAN, explained that the scheme would eliminate the registration fee, helping entrepreneurs access official recognition and grow their businesses.
SMEDAN Director-General, Dr. Charles Odii, added that registration is just the first step, noting that registered businesses will benefit from continuous aftercare such as grants, training, and market access.
Together, the two agencies noted that CAC will forgo approximately ?3 billion in registration fees, while SMEDAN will provide continuous support to help these businesses thrive.
They added that this partnership supports the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope vision to boost Nigeria’s economy by empowering entrepreneurs.
CAC further disclosed measures to ease company registration with the steps as follows: 1. Visit the SMEDAN portal: http://portal.smedan.gov.ng., 2 Sign up and complete your registration on the portal., 3. When asked if you have a CAC number, select “No”., 4. Submit your details to complete the process., 5. Once registration is completed, you will be contacted with the next steps to finalise your free CAC registration.
It further clarified that MSMEs already on SMEDAN’s database without CAC registration automatically qualify for this free registration drive.
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