Business
Ikeja Hotels Returns To Stock Exchange
The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has given the management of Ikeja Hotels the approval to resume trading after reviewing the two-year suspension placed on the shares of the company on Nov. 10, 2016.
According to a ‘facts behind the restructuring’ document released by NSE Executive Director Regulation, MsTinuade Awe, trading would commence on the shares of the company Monday (today).
The Tide source reports that the exchange, on Nov. 10, 2016, suspended trading on the shares of Ikeja Hotels due to a dispute among the major shareholders.
According to the NSE, the suspension, which is pursuant to the Provisions of Rule 15.45 of its Rulebook, is to safeguard shareholders of the company as the dispute has negatively impacted the company’s governance structure.
Ikeja Hotels Plc, which owns Lagos Sheraton Hotel, was embroiled in a crisis that led to removal of its chairman, Mr Goodie Ibru, early 2015 at an Extra-Ordinary General Meeting (EGM) by some shareholders.
Awe, however, said the new board had complied with the necessary regulatory requirements and had restored the company to the path of recovery.
The members of the board of Ikeja Hotels Plc are: Chief Anthony Idigbe, Dr. Alex Thomopolus, MrWaheedOlagunju, Mr Toke Alex Ibru, MrsFadekeAlamutu, Mr. KunleAluko, Mr. UfuomaIbru and AlhajiAbatchaBulama.
Awe said the exchange was satisfied with the work done by the company so far.
“We are satisfied with the work the Ikeja Hotels have done till date this is an appropriate time to lift the suspension on the trading of the shares of the company.
“The expectation on the direction of the Quotations committee of council is that the trading on the shares will be lifted on Monday.
“The company had its AGM to clear the backlog of certain AGMs. It was this consideration that led the Quotation committee of NSE to decide that it is an appropriate time to lift the suspension,” she said.
Chief Anthony Idigbe, the company’s Chairman, said while the forensic auditing of the company was expected soon, the management would unlock the inherent value of the company’s going concern.
Business
Agency Gives Insight Into Its Inspection, Monitoring Operations
Business
BVN Enrolments Rise 6% To 67.8m In 2025 — NIBSS
The Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) has said that Bank Verification Number (BVN) enrolments rose by 6.8 per cent year-on-year to 67.8 million as at December 2025, up from 63.5 million recorded in the corresponding period of 2024.
In a statement published on its website, NIBSS attributed the growth to stronger policy enforcement by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the expansion of diaspora enrolment initiatives.
NIBSS noted that the expansion reinforces the BVN system’s central role in Nigeria’s financial inclusion drive and digital identity framework.
Another major driver, the statement said, was the rollout of the Non-Resident Bank Verification Number (NRBVN) initiative, which allows Nigerians in the diaspora to obtain a BVN remotely without physical presence in the country.
A five-year analysis by NIBSS showed consistent growth in BVN enrolments, rising from 51.9 million in 2021 to 56.0 million in 2022, 60.1 million in 2023, 63.5 million in 2024 and 67.8 million by December 2025. The steady increase reflects stronger compliance with biometric identity requirements and improved coverage of the national banking identity system.
However, NIBSS noted that BVN enrolments still lag the total number of active bank accounts, which exceeded 320 million as of March 2025.
The gap, it explained, is largely due to multiple bank accounts linked to single BVNs, as well as customers yet to complete enrolment, despite the progress recorded.
