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Abuja Chamber Tasks Local Industrialists On World-Class Products

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The Abuja Chamber of
Commerce and Industry (ACCI), has urged indigenous industrialists and other manufacturing sector stakeholders to produce world-class products that would meet international standards at competitive prices.
The chamber’s President, Mr Tony Ejinkeonye, made the call in an interview with newsmen in Abuja, yesterday.
Ejinkeonye said that local firms needed to produce world-class products of international standard and at competitive prices in order to encourage Nigerians to patronise made-in-Nigeria goods.
According to him, industrialists and manufactures should identify and source appropriate technology for production that will enhance global competitiveness.
“The vision of any industrialist or manufacturer should be to produce world-class products that will meet international standards.
“Nigerians want value for their money and that is one of the reasons they resist sub-standard products produced locally.
“Therefore, manufacturers should build consumer confidence through consistent production of quality products,’’ he said.
Stressing the need to produce at competitive prices, he said, “high cost of finished goods is the reason some entrepreneurs would rather import products at cheaper rates from China than produce them in Nigeria.
“Product branding and packaging decisions are very important decisions in this age of globalization. Product packaging can play a role in the success or failure of the sales of the product.
“Therefore, I expect manufacturers to package their products in such a way as to attract the consumer to take a look at the product as it sits on store shelves,’’ Ejinkeonye said.

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Mile 2-Jetty Toxic Leakage: SEREC Worries Over Environmental Pollution 

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The Sea Empowerment and Research Center (SEREC) has raised alarm over the environmental pollution at Mile 2 Jetty following a sunken barge which cargo is leaking.
SEREC noted that the sunken barge has led to chemical pollution at the Mile 2 Jetty adding that the continued rainfall has worsened toxic leakage into the waterways, threatening marine life and public health.
In a Press Statement, the Head of Research, SEREC, Dr. Eugene Nweke, said the incident calls for immediate institutional reform of Nigeria’s barge operations.
According to him, independent findings showed that industrial chemicals stacked at a “shipping terminal and nearby bridge locations have been seeping into surrounding waters, with minimal visible regulatory response”.
He said the development was a wake-up call to strengthen the governance and administrative architecture of Nigeria’s barge operations adding that they are currently weakly coordinated across multiple agencies.
This, he said, has left gaps in safety enforcement, vessel standards, environmental control as well as emergency response.
In direct response to this and similar recurring incidents, SEREC strongly advocates the creation of a Directorate of Barge Operations and Logistics Services (DBOLS) within the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy to be headed by a Director and operationally driven by a Deputy Director of Barge Operations and Logistics Services.
This specialized Directorate would, “Enforce mandatory registration, inspection and certification of all commercial barges and tugs operating along Nigerian inland and coastal routes.
“Institute safety, loading, and environmental standards for barge construction, cargo handling and waste management.
“Develop digital traffic monitoring systems (AIS/GPS) for barge movements to prevent congestion and accidents”, Nweke said
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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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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