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Nigeria, China Opens $2b Maritime Investment
The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, is set to advance a Nigeria/China Maritime Strategy aimed at unlocking over $2 billion in shipping investment.
The initiative, expscted to accelerate indigenous vessel ownership and position the country as a regional maritime hub, has been formally presented to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
The $2 billion investment deal is the result of a strategic collaboration between the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership (NCSP) and the Global Investment Advisory Community (GIAC), through its Nigerian operator, Anabel Capital.
The strategy is designed to catalyse local participation in the maritime industry by capitalising Nigerian-owned shipping companies and linking them with Chinese shipyards, charter firms, and investment banks.
It also outlines substantial investment in vessel acquisition, maritime training institutions, and the procurement of modern training vessels.
According to the economic blueprint, the initiative will deliver $2 billion in vessel investments, $20 billion in freight contracts for Nigerian operators, $200 million for maritime training, and $50 million for training vessels.
The programme is expected to create over 2,000 new maritime jobs annually, train 25,000 globally certified Nigerian seafarers, and build a robust local shipping ecosystem.
Minister Oyetola described the strategy as a “game changer” that aligns with the Ministry’s overarching priorities for sectoral reform and economic growth
He stressed the need to rapidly build indigenous capacity, deepen public-private collaboration, and transition toward Nigerian ownership of commercial vessels.
Also present at the meeting were Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Olufemi Oloruntola; Managing Director/CEO of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Mr. Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji; Director-General of the NCSP, Mr. Joseph Tegbe; Managing Director of Anabel Capital, Dr. Nicholas Okoye; and Project Manager at NCSP, Ms. Lela Omo-Ikirodah.
The Nigeria–China Maritime Strategy forms part of broader efforts to translate strategic diplomacy into high-impact, private-sector-driven economic outcomes, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
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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.
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.
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.