Business
Notore Nets N26bn Revenue
Leading Nigeria’s agro-allied and chemical company, Notore Chemical Industries Plc, has recorded group revenue of N26.28 billion for the six-month period ended 30th June 2022, a 178.7 per cent growth compared to N9.43 billion for the corresponding period in 2021 half-year.
The company also reported N2.6billion net profit before tax in the same period, representing 116.4 per cent improvement on year-on-year analysis, according to a statement.
According to the statement, the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Notore Chemical Industries Plc, Mr. Ohis Ohiwerei, said the modest growth in revenue is attributable to improvements in plant reliability and increased production output, a positive outcome of the Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) programme implemented in most part of last year.
“Notwithstanding, operating income for the period was N10.85 billion, a significant increase of 328.7 per cent as compared to a loss (N3.30 billion) in 2021H1.
“This was as a result of increased profitable operations during the period. The Group reported a net profit before tax of N2.60 billion during the period as compared to a loss of (N15.84 billion) for 2021H1 (an improvement of 116.4% YoY), a significant milestone towards its drive to a return to profitable business operations.,” he said.
He continued that Notore showed remarkable progress and achieved important milestones during the period as it strives towards return to profitability and repositioning for a great future.
“The period witnessed an increase in Plant reliability and relatively stable operations, resulting in significant increases in production output and sales.
“The production of Notore NPK fertiliser has continued to ramp up, with significant increases in NPK production output and sales anticipated in the second half of the on-going year.
“Additionally, the sale of Notore seeds to Nigerian farmers to enhance the yields of farm produce continued in furtherance of our corporate vision to be a significant contributor to the development of Africa.
“Notore intends to continue to expand into other products to further diversify the company’s revenue streams and boost profitability.
“As part of measures to return the Group and the Company to profitability and improve working capital, Notore had during the period, successfully restructured a substantial part of its short-term loans into fixed long-term loans, thus boosting its debt service management,” he noted.
On the company’s outlook given the disruptions in the international market, he said whilst the Russian-Ukraine war has had some disruptive impact on the dynamics of global fertilizer markets during the period, the domestic fertilizer market demand is quite robust and is expected to continue to grow, considering the Federal Government’s strong and decisive policy focus on agriculture as one of the keys to unlock the diversification of the Nigerian economy.
According to him, “While leveraging the company’s robust supply chain and distribution network, Notore is well positioned to continue to serve our customers in all our markets. With the achieved improvement in Plant reliability and increased production output and sales, the Company intends to sustain its current trend of profitable operations all through the remaining period of the ongoing financial year.”
Business
FG Approves ?758bn Bonds To Clear Pension Backlogs, Says PenCom
Business
Banks Must Back Innovation, Not Just Big Corporates — Edun
Edun made the call while speaking at the 2025 Fellowship Investiture of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) in Lagos, where he reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to sustaining ongoing reforms and expanding access to finance as key drivers of economic growth beyond four per cent.
“We all know that monetary policy under Cardoso has stabilised the financial system in a most commendable way. Of course, it is a team effort, and those eye-watering interest rates have to be paid by the fiscal side. But the fight against inflation is one we all have to participate in,” he said.
The minister stressed the need for banks to broaden credit access and finance innovation-driven enterprises that can create jobs for young Nigerians.
“The finance and banking industry has more work to do because we must finance their ideas, deepen the capital and credit markets down to SMEs. They should not have to go to Silicon Valley,” he said.
The minister who described the private sector as the engine of growth, said the government’s reform agenda aims to create an enabling environment where businesses can thrive, access funding, and contribute meaningfully to job creation.
Business
FG Seeks Fresh $1b World Bank loan To Boost Jobs, Investment
The facility, known as the Nigeria Actions for Investment and Jobs Acceleration (P512892), is a Development Policy Financing (DPF) operation scheduled for World Bank Board consideration on December 16, 2025.
According to the Bank’s concept note , the financing would comprise $500m in International Development Association (IDA) credit and $500m in International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) loan.
If approved, it would be the second-largest single loan Nigeria has received from the World Bank under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, following the $1.5 billion facility granted in June 2024 under the Reforms for Economic Stabilisation to Enable Transformation (RESET) initiative.
The World Bank said the new programme aims to support Nigeria’s shift from short-term macroeconomic stabilisation to sustainable, private sector–led growth.
“The proposed Development Policy Financing (DPF) supports Nigeria’s pivot from stabilization to inclusive growth and job creation. Structured as a two-tranche standalone operation of US$1.0 billion (US$500 million IDA credit and US$500 million IBRD loan), it seeks to catalyse private sector–led investment by expanding access to credit, deepening capital markets and digital services, easing inflationary pressures, and promoting export diversification,” the document read.
The document further stated that Nigeria’s private sector credit-to-GDP ratio stood at only 21.3 per cent in 2024, significantly below that of emerging-market peers, while capital markets remain shallow, with sovereign securities dominating the bond market.
To address these weaknesses, the DPF will support the implementation of the Investment and Securities Act 2025, operationalisation of credit-enhancement facilities, and introduction of a comprehensive Central Bank of Nigeria rulebook to strengthen risk-based regulation and consumer protection.
The operation also includes measures to deepen digital inclusion through the passage of the National Digital Economy and E-Governance Bill 2025, which will establish a legal framework for electronic transactions, authentication services, and digital records.
Beyond the financial and digital sectors, the programme targets reforms to lower production and living costs by tackling Nigeria’s restrictive trade regime. High tariffs and import bans have long driven up consumer prices and constrained competitiveness, particularly for manufacturers and farmers.
Under the proposed reforms, Nigeria would adopt AfCFTA tariff concessions, rationalise import restrictions, and simplify agricultural seed certification to increase the supply of high-quality varieties for maize, rice, and soybeans. The World Bank projects that these measures will help reduce food inflation, attract private investment, and enhance export potential.
The operation is part of a broader World Bank FY26 package that includes three complementary projects—Fostering Inclusive Finance for MSMEs (FINCLUDE), Building Resilient Digital Infrastructure for Growth (BRIDGE), and Nigeria Sustainable Agricultural Value-Chains for Growth (AGROW)—all focused on expanding access to finance, strengthening institutions, and mobilising private capital.
