Business
17-Year-Old Entitlement Claim: Ex-Staff Files Motion to Compel MTN To Deposit Judgment Debt and Interest to Court of Appeal
17-Year-Old Entitlement Claim: Ex-Staff Files Motion to Compel MTN To Deposit Judgment Debt and Interest to Court of Appeal
Former expatriate staff of the MTN Group, Mr. Paul Odunewu, has filed a further-reply-affidavit and written address dated December 28, 2023, at the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, in support of his application praying the Court or an Order to compel the telecommunications giant MTN, to deposit with the Court the judgement debt and accrued interest as ordered by the National Industrial Court Nigeria (NICN), Akure Division.
In a judgement delivered by Honourable Justice Oyejoju Oyewunmi on September 17, 2017, the Court had found that termination of the employment of the former Network Group Operations Manager on February 28, 2006, was wrongful and malicious; and had ordered the company to pay Mr. Odunewu’s entitlements including share options valued at $13,144,512.00.
MTN had faulted the judgement of NICN and straightaway appealed on September 29, 2017, through their external Counsel, Professor G Elias & Co., vide a notice of appeal containing two grounds alleging that the trial Court breached their fundamental right to fair hearing. MTN also filed a Motion for Stay of Execution of the judgement, but Mr. Odunewu’s Counsel, Prof A. B. Kasunmu’s Chambers, opposed the Stay Motion on the ground that the initiating notice of appeal is not competent.
MTN Group Limited, South Africa (MTNG); MTN Nigeria (MTNN) and MTN International, Mauritius (MTNI) is the first, second, and third Appellant respectively, in this six-year-old appeal which had lasted more than 10 years from the Lagos State High Court to the NICN before judgement was delivered in September 2017.
In his application filed on January 8, 2020, with appeal number CA/1346/2017, Mr. Odunewu’s grounds of the motion include assertions that the Notice of Appeal filed by MTN on September 29, 2017, is highly incompetent and does not raise any substantial or recondite issues of law. Also, MTN have been facing huge fines from various Authorities in Nigeria for regulatory and tax infringements and the cumulative impact of these fines raises existential issues for MTN Nigeria and their ability to pay the judgement sum as due at the determination of the case. Furthermore, the Appellants (MTN) have not been prosecuting this appeal diligently and expeditiously.
Mr. Odunewu supported the motion with financial statements and press releases by MTN (among others). In 2019 MTN completed payment of ₦330 billion Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) fine, and MTN Group had paid $100 million to Lawyers within six months to negotiate the NCC fine. MTN Nigeria reported preferential shares redemption as of December 30, 2019, at a total amount of ₦148.19 billion (or US$399.59 million) in favour of MTN Group. This, consequently, reduced share capital of MTN Nigeria to ₦17.623 billion in 2019 compared to ₦65.145 billion in 2018. On the 24th of December 2018, MTN announced payment of $52.6 Million as a “notional reversal” of $1.0 billion private placement in 2008 based on certificate that did not have final approval and thereby resolved the $8.1 billion dividend repatriation issue with Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). A Nigeria Senate Committee had investigated MTN for capital flight and had reported that a total capital inflow of $1.24 Billion was injected for MTN operations in Nigeria for the period 2001 – 2016 whereas MTN Nigeria repatriated $13.92 billion from 2006 to 2016 in the guise of dividends/profit, repayment of loans and licenses/management fee. This meant that MTN, as of 2016, were repatriating US$11.00 for every US$1.00 that they injected into their business in Nigeria.
In a Reply-Affidavit dated February 4, 2022, one Temitayo Adeniyi, a Lawyer at Prof A. B. Kasunmu’s Chambers, deposed that MTN “substituted payment of the fines and associated costs with huge debt and are, therefore, running their operations in Nigeria with riskier financial structure than 2014 (before the 2015 NCC fine).” “In the current Nigerian climate of stronger regulatory oversight, MTN Group redeemed its preference shares and thereby reduced their exposure in Nigeria but created significant financial and economic risk to boost shareholder returns with much higher leverage in 2019 than 2018”. Furthermore, MTN “have not prosecuted this appeal expeditiously but instead they have been prevaricating to regularize the initiating Notice of Appeal dated 29th September 2017 thereby causing enormous delay to the determination of this Appeal. “The Appellants have failed or are unable to take advantage of this honourable Court’s ruling on the 17th of October 2018, that the Motion for Stay of Execution shall abide the determination of the appeal, which is adjourned to 27th February 2019.” He further deposed: “the entire appeal is a masterful delay tactic, cleverly designed by the Appellants to deny the Respondent from enjoying the fruit of the Judgement.”
In a Further-Counter-Affidavit by MTN dated 18th February 2022, one Athanasius Akor, a Lawyer at G. Elias & Co, deposed: “the fact that there is an appeal against the judgement and a pending application for stay of execution are an exercise of the constitutional rights of the appellants”. He deposed that MTN “is not dissipating and is not repatriating its assets out of Nigeria”; and that MTN “conducted an offer for sale of its share on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NGX) which is a testament of its long term believe and its intention to remain as an active participant in the Nigerian economy.” He further deposed that the 2015 fine has been fully paid since May 2019 and that MTN Nigeria has been making profit and declaring dividends. Mr. Akor deposed that share price of MTN Nigeria jumped to ₦199.8 per share on 17th February 2022. He further deposed that Mr. Odunewu based his analyses on the MTN Nigeria 2018 Audited Account and not the latest 2021 Audited Financial Statement in which MTN Nigeria declared a revenue of circa ₦1.7 Trillion and a profit of circa ₦286 billion. Also “the Respondents has no financial issues that will prevent them from meeting their financial obligations or paying the judgement debt and accrued interest in the event that the appeal is determined in favour of the Applicant and against the Respondents”.
In a Further-Reply-Affidavit sworn to on 28th December 2023, one Ejike Mitchel Maduagwu, a Lawyer at Prof A. B. Kasunmu’s Chambers, deposed that MTN Nigeria “is still being investigated for other tax and revenue leakage matters. Meanwhile the Respondents have repatriated out of Nigeria their huge profit and replaced it with huge debt. The huge revenue, profit, and share price in 2021, as reported in the 2021 Audited Account, are unreliable indicators to determine the Respondents’ ability or willingness to pay the judgement debt or withstand future shock to their business, be it regulatory, economic, or political”. MTN Nigeria reported in their 2021 Audited Account that the demand notice for ₦242 Billion and US$1.3 Billion alleged revenue indebtedness is still undergoing review and reconciliation with both Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). House of Representatives’ (HOR) tax compliance check and alleged US$30 Billion revenue leakage against MTN Nigeria is still undergoing review.
Mr. Odunewu concluded that it is in the interest of justice to grant his application and “direct the Respondents to deposit with this honourable Court the judgement debt and interest accrued till a day of fund transfer; or in the alternative, we pray the Court to direct the Respondents to provide a Bank Guarantee to secure the judgment debt pending the determination of this appeal.”
The Industrial Court had found that MTN Group is the Parent Company and the life wire of both MTNN and MTNI that controls them and thus integral part of the both companies. Also, MTN Nigeria has no power of its own to act under its contractual agreement with Mr. Odunewu except as approved by its Parent Company, MTN Group. In 2017 NICN had ordered that the judgement sums of $13.47 million, ₦2.54 million, and £10 thousand be paid by the second and third defendants (MTNN & MTNI), “except the issue of costs which is to be paid by all the defendants (MTN sic)”. The trial judge had ordered MTN to make the payments within 30 days, failing which the sums would appreciate at 21 percent interest per annum.
Business
BUA Foods Records 91% Surge in Profit After Tax, Hits ₦508bn in 2025
BUA Foods Records 91% Surge in Profit After Tax, Hits ₦508bn in 2025
By femi Oyewale
Business
Adron Homes Unveils “Love for Love” Valentine Promo with Exciting Discounts, Luxury Gifts, and Travel Rewards
Adron Homes Unveils “Love for Love” Valentine Promo with Exciting Discounts, Luxury Gifts, and Travel Rewards
In celebration of the season of love, Adron Homes and Properties has announced the launch of its special Valentine campaign, “Love for Love” Promo, a customer-centric initiative designed to reward Nigerians who choose to express love through smart, lasting real estate investments.
The Love for Love Promo offers clients attractive discounts, flexible payment options, and an array of exclusive gift items, reinforcing Adron Homes’ commitment to making property ownership both rewarding and accessible. The campaign runs throughout the Valentine season and applies to the company’s wide portfolio of estates and housing projects strategically located across Nigeria.
Speaking on the promo, the company’s Managing Director, Mrs Adenike Ajobo, stated that the initiative is aimed at encouraging individuals and families to move beyond conventional Valentine gifts by investing in assets that secure their future. According to the company, love is best demonstrated through stability, legacy, and long-term value—principles that real estate ownership represents.
Under the promo structure, clients who make a payment of ₦100,000 receive cake, chocolates, and a bottle of wine, while those who pay ₦200,000 are rewarded with a Love Hamper. Payments of ₦500,000 attract a Love Hamper plus cake, and clients who pay ₦1,000,000 enjoy a choice of a Samsung phone or a Love Hamper with cake.
The rewards become increasingly premium as commitment grows. Clients who pay ₦5,000,000 receive either an iPad or an all-expenses-paid romantic getaway for a couple at one of Nigeria’s finest hotels, which includes two nights’ accommodation, special treats, and a Love Hamper. A payment of ₦10,000,000 comes with a choice of a Samsung Z Fold 7, three nights at a top-tier resort in Nigeria, or a full solar power installation.
For high-value investors, the Love for Love Promo delivers exceptional lifestyle experiences. Clients who pay ₦30,000,000 on land are rewarded with a three-night couple’s trip to Doha, Qatar, or South Africa, while purchasers of any Adron Homes house valued at ₦50,000,000 receive a double-door refrigerator.
The promo covers Adron Homes’ estates located in Lagos, Shimawa, Sagamu, Atan–Ota, Papalanto, Abeokuta, Ibadan, Osun, Ekiti, Abuja, Nasarawa, and Niger States, offering clients the opportunity to invest in fast-growing, strategically positioned communities nationwide.
Adron Homes reiterated that beyond the incentives, the campaign underscores the company’s strong reputation for secure land titles, affordable pricing, strategic locations, and a proven legacy in real estate development.
As Valentine’s Day approaches, Adron Homes encourages Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to take advantage of the Love for Love Promo to enjoy exceptional value, exclusive rewards, and the opportunity to build a future rooted in love, security, and prosperity.
Business
Why Nigeria’s Banks Still on Shaky Ground with Big Profits, Weak Capital
*Why Nigeria’s Banks Still on Shaky Ground with Big Profits, Weak Capital*
*BY BLAISE UDUNZE*
Despite the fragile 2024 economy grappling with inflation, currency volatility, and weak growth, Nigeria’s banking industry was widely portrayed as successful and strong amid triumphal headlines. The figures appeared to signal strength, resilience, and superior management as the Tier-1 banks such as Access Bank, Zenith Bank, GTBank, UBA, and First Bank of Nigeria, collectively reported profits approaching, and in some cases exceeding, N1 trillion. Surprisingly, a year later, these same banks touted as sound and solid are locked in a frenetic race to the capital markets, issuing rights offers and public placements back-to-back to meet the Central Bank of Nigeria’s N500 billion recapitalisation thresholds.
The contradiction is glaring. If Nigeria’s biggest banks are so profitable, why are they unable to internally fund their new capital requirements? Why have no fewer than 27 banks tapped the capital market in quick succession despite repeated assurances of balance-sheet robustness? And more fundamentally, what do these record profits actually say about the real health of the banking system?
The recapitalisation directive announced by the CBN in 2024 was ambitious by design. Banks with international licences were required to raise minimum capital to N500 billion by March 2026, while national and regional banks faced lower but still substantial thresholds ranging from N200 billion to N50 billion, respectively. Looking at the policy, it was sold as a modern reform meant to make banks stronger, more resilient in tough times, and better able to support major long-term economic development. In theory, strong banks should welcome such reforms. In practice, the scramble that followed has exposed uncomfortable truths about the structure of bank profitability in Nigeria.
At the heart of the inconsistency is a fundamental misunderstanding often encouraged by the banks themselves between profits and capital. Unknown to many, profitability, no matter how impressive, does not automatically translate into regulatory capital. Primarily, the CBN’s recapitalisation framework actually focuses on money paid in by shareholders when buying shares, fresh equity injected by investors over retained earnings or profits that exist mainly on paper.
This distinction matters because much of the profit surge recorded in 2024 and early 2025 was neither cash-generative nor sustainably repeatable. A significant portion of those headline banks’ profits reported actually came from foreign exchange revaluation gains following the sharp fall of the naira after exchange-rate unification. The industry witnessed that banks’ holding dollar-denominated assets their books showed bigger numbers as their balance sheets swell in naira terms, creating enormous paper profits without a corresponding improvement in underlying operational strength. These gains inflated income statements but did little to strengthen core capital, especially after the CBN barred banks from using FX revaluation gains for dividends or routine operations. In effect, banks looked richer without becoming stronger.
Beyond FX effects, Nigerian banks have increasingly relied on non-interest income fees, charges, and transaction levies to drive profitability. While this model is lucrative, it does not necessarily deepen financial intermediation or expand productive lending. High profits built on customer charges rather than loan growth offer limited support for long-term balance-sheet expansion. They also leave banks vulnerable when macroeconomic conditions shift, as is now happening.
Indeed, the recapitalisation exercise coincides with a turning point in the monetary cycle. The extraordinary conditions that supported bank earnings in 2024 and 2025 are beginning to unwind. Analysts now warn that Nigerian banks are approaching earnings reset, as net interest margins the backbone of traditional banking profitability, come under sustained pressure.
Renaissance Capital, in a January note, projects that major banks including Zenith, GTCO, Access Holdings, and UBA will struggle to deliver earnings growth in 2026 comparable to recent performance.
In a real sense, the CBN is expected to lower interest rates by 400 to 500 basis points because inflation is slowing down, and this means that banks will earn less on loans and government bonds, but they may not be able to quickly lower the interest they pay on deposits or other debts. The cash reserve requirements are still elevated, which does not earn interest; banks can’t easily increase or expand lending investments to make up for lower returns. The implications are significant. Net interest margin, the difference between what banks earn on loans and investments and what they pay on deposits, is poised to contract. Deposit competition is intensifying as lenders fight to shore up liquidity ahead of recapitalisation deadlines, pushing up funding costs. At the same time, yields on treasury bills and bonds, long a safe and lucrative haven for banks are expected to soften in a lower-rate environment. The result is a narrowing profit cushion just as banks are being asked to carry far larger equity bases.
Compounding this challenge is the fading of FX revaluation windfalls. With the naira relatively more stable in early 2026, the non-cash gains that once flattered bank earnings have largely evaporated. What remains is the less glamorous reality of core banking operations: credit risk management, cost efficiency, and genuine loan growth in a sluggish economy. In this new environment, maintaining headline profits will be far harder, even before accounting for the dilutive impact of recapitalisation.
That dilution is another underappreciated consequence of the capital rush. Massive share issuances mean that even if banks manage to sustain absolute profit levels, earnings per share and return on equity are likely to decline. Zenith, Access, UBA, and others are dramatically increasing their share counts. The same earnings pie is now being divided among many more shareholders, making individual returns leaner than during the pre-recapitalisation boom. For investors, the optics of strong profits may soon give way to the reality of weaker per-share performance.
Yet banks have pressed ahead, not only out of regulatory necessity but also strategic calculation.
During this period of recapitalization, investors are interested in the stock market with optimism, especially about bank shares, as banks are raising fresh capital, and this makes it easier to attract investments. This has become a season for the management teams to seize the moment to raise funds at relatively attractive valuations, strengthen ownership positions, and position themselves for post-recapitalisation dominance. In several cases, major shareholders and insiders have increased their stakes, as projected in the media, signalling confidence in long-term prospects even as near-term returns face pressure.
There is also a broader structural ambition at play. Well-capitalised banks can take on larger single obligor exposures, finance infrastructure projects, expand regionally, and compete more credibly with pan-African and global peers. From this perspective, recapitalisation is not merely about compliance but about reshaping the competitive hierarchy of Nigerian banking. What will be witnessed in the industry is that those who succeed will emerge larger, fewer, and more powerful. Those that fail will be forced into consolidation, retreat, or irrelevance.
For the wider economy, the outcome is ambiguous. Stronger banks with deeper capital buffers could improve systemic stability and enhance Nigeria’s ability to fund long-term development. The point is that while merging or consolidating banks may make them safer, it can also harm the market and the economy because it will reduce competition, let a few banks dominate, and encourage them to earn easy money from bonds and fees instead of funding real businesses. The truth be told, injecting more capital into the banks without complementary reforms in credit infrastructure, risk-sharing mechanisms, and fiscal discipline, isn’t enough as the aforementioned reforms are also needed.
The rush as exposed in this period, is that the moment Nigerian banks started raising new capital, the glaring reality behind their reported profits became clearer, that profits weren’t purely from good management, while the financial industry is not as sound and strong as its headline figures. The fact that trillion-naira profit banks must return repeatedly to shareholders for fresh capital is not a sign of excess strength, but of structural imbalance.
With the deadline for banks to raise new capital coming soon, by 31 March 2026, the focus has shifted from just raising N500 billion. N200 billion or N50 billion to think about the future shape and quality of Nigeria’s financial industry, or what it will actually look like afterward. Will recapitalisation mark a turning point toward deeper intermediation, lower dependence on speculative gains, and stronger support for economic growth? Or will it simply reset the numbers while leaving underlying incentives unchanged?
The answer will define the next chapter of Nigerian banking long after the capital market roadshows have ended and the profit headlines have faded.
Blaise, a journalist and PR professional, writes from Lagos and can be reached via: [email protected]
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