Connect with us

Business

Faith, Discipline and Hard Work Brought Me This Far- Now I’m Building Platforms That Will Outlive Me- AMB. TOSIN MICHEAL OWONIFARI

Published

on

Faith, Discipline and Hard Work Brought Me This Far- Now I’m Building Platforms That Will Outlive Me- AMB. TOSIN MICHEAL OWONIFARI

From the humble streets of Ise-Ekiti to the boardrooms of global influence, Amb. Tosin Michael Owonifari has carved a path defined by resilience, purpose, and visionary leadership. With roots in education, healthcare, and digital empowerment, he has evolved into a trailblazing entrepreneur and global development advocate. As the founder of T21 Global Group and an AU Agenda 2063 Ambassador, his mission is crystal clear — to build enduring platforms that empower generations across Africa and the diaspora. In this exclusive interview, he opens up about his journey, values, challenges, and the future he envisions for Africa and the world.
Tell us something about your background and academic adventure.? 
I was born in Ise-Ekiti, a town I carry with pride everywhere I go. I started my education in Nigeria and later continued in the United Kingdom, where I obtained a BSc in Oil and Gas Management (Second Class Upper). Over time, I’ve earned professional qualifications in Education, Internal Quality Assurance, Immigration Law, and most recently, I completed a Strategic Leadership & Ethics Programme at Liverpool Hope University. Education has shaped my path and continues to fuel my growth.
How palatable was your upbringing and family rapport?
I come from a humble, values-driven background where faith, discipline, and hard work were the order of the day. My family may not have had wealth, but we had love, structure, and support. That upbringing built the foundation of who I am today.
Were you ever an employee at the beginning?
Yes, and I’m proud of every stage. I started with cleaning jobs, kitchen porter roles, and even factory work when I first arrived in the UK. Later, I moved into tech as a Software Tester, then worked for over a decade in the NHS across roles like Data Quality Analyst, RTT Validator, Hospital Admin, and System Training. These experiences prepared me to understand people, systems, and leadership from the ground up.
What led you into entrepreneurship?
I saw consistent challenges — youth unemployment, digital skill gaps, healthcare staffing issues, and lack of access to global opportunities. I knew I had to act. So, I started T21 Services in the UK, and from there it expanded to Nigeria, and now operates globally as T21 Global Group.
Give us an overview of your companies?
Under T21 Global, we operate three entities:
🔹 T21 Services (UK)
•RTT Validation & Hospital Admin Training (CPD-certified)
•Remote Job Training & Placement
•NHS Workforce Support
•Immigration Advisory & Recruitment Services
•Civil Service Bootcamps & Public Sector Training
•Digital Inclusion Projects (with UK councils)
•Leadership & Ethics Courses (in partnership with universities)
•Diaspora Engagement & Talent Matching
🔹 T21 Consultancy Services (Nigeria)
•ICT Training & Federal Programmes (e.g., 3MTT)
•Remote Job Hubs & Global Talent Export
•Software & Web Development
•Certification & Testing Centre
•Startup Incubation & Innovation Hub
•Government Contracts & Policy Advisory
•Student Recruitment (UK, Canada, Hungary, Poland)
•Event Management & Capacity Building
🔹 Tosin Owonifari Empowerment Foundation (TOEF)
•Leadership Development & Mentorship
•Youth & Women Empowerment
•Community Development Projects
•Grants & Social Welfare Support
•Civic Engagement & Humanitarian Services
These three arms work hand-in-hand to deliver education, empowerment, employment, and investment.
What’s your present workforce at T21 Global?
We currently engage over 150 professionals globally — this includes permanent staff, part-time consultants, freelance trainers, developers, assessors, and remote workers across the UK, Nigeria, Europe, North America, and parts of Africa.
Faith, Discipline and Hard Work Brought Me This Far- Now I’m Building Platforms That Will Outlive Me- AMB. TOSIN MICHEAL OWONIFARI
From Ekiti to the world, how did you break the barriers?
I embraced my origin, not as a limitation but as a source of pride. I combined the values from Ise-Ekiti with global vision. I stayed consistent, kept building relationships, invested in learning, and never gave up — even when doors were shut. Hard work, faith, and purpose broke the barriers.
How easy was it at the beginning?
It was extremely tough. There were moments I had nothing but hope. Rejections, delays, financial struggle — I faced them all. But I kept pushing. I believed that every great vision must pass through the fire before it becomes gold.
How did you overcome the challenges of new terrain that you never anticipated?
I stayed teachable. I listened, partnered wisely, studied new systems, and always stayed open to learning. When I didn’t understand a terrain, I asked for guidance and built relationships with people who did.
Tell us something about your first ever award and how you felt.? 
It was an award for my contribution to youth development and digital inclusion. I was surprised and deeply honoured. It reminded me that even when you think no one sees you, your work is making an impact.
How many awards so far? Or you have lost count?
I’ve been blessed with several meaningful awards:
•Fellowship – Chartered Institute of Information and Strategy Management (CIISM)
•Speak-Up Champion – EKSU Alumni & Student Union
•Outstanding Media Support Award – FIBAN (Ekiti)
•Humanitarian Service Award – 2023
•Ekiti Parapo UK Presidential Award – 2023
•Several others from churches, communities, diaspora groups, and institutions
Every award reminds me to serve better and remain focused.
What’s your source of motivation?
Legacy. I want to build platforms that will outlive me — in people, in policies, and in systems. I’m motivated by the transformation of lives, especially young people who were once overlooked.
Have you ever failed? And how did you get over it?
Yes. I’ve had projects collapse, contracts lost, visa denials, and cash flow struggles. But I don’t let failure stop me. I always step back, learn, regroup, and move forward. Failure is part of the process, not the end of it.
Who is your number one supporter?
My wife, Chief Mrs. Jumoke Owonifari. Her unwavering belief, support, and prayers have been priceless. She’s been with me through every stage, and I’m grateful beyond words.
T21 Global operates on a wider range. How do you cope?
We run with clear systems and trusted leadership across departments. I focus on vision and strategy while my teams handle execution. We use digital platforms, weekly reviews, and regular audits to stay on track across regions.
Your recent Global Award as an AU Agenda 2063 Ambassador — what new terrain is it opening for you?
It’s a gateway to policy, diplomacy, and global development work. As the official AU Agenda 2063 Liaison Officer (UK – Merseyside), I now oversee:
•Investment and diaspora engagement
•Leadership and legislative training
•Talent export and youth development
•Government and NGO collaboration
It’s more than a title — it’s a platform for shaping Africa’s future across continents.
You are gradually becoming a Global African figure. Are you gravitating towards politics in no distance time?
Yes, but not for power — for purpose. I believe public office, when entered with vision and competence, can change lives at scale. If the opportunity comes, I’ll serve with integrity and results, not promises.
Have you been conferred with any chieftaincy title?
Yes, I’ve been honoured with the title of Otunba in an Ekiti community. The official installation will happen soon. I see it as a cultural responsibility to serve, protect, and uplift my people, not just a title.
What new thing is T21 Global cooking?
We are launching:
•A Global Talent Export & Diaspora Registry
•Remote Job Hubs across Nigeria & UK
•A Leadership & Legislative Academy for African public servants
•Diaspora-to-Africa Investment Matchmaking Portal
•Our first Africa Investment & Innovation Summit in the UK
These will shape the future of jobs, policy, and innovation in Africa and beyond.
Who is your hero?
I draw inspiration from values like integrity, service, and resilience — values that have shaped my journey. In global leadership, I admire Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, Barack Obama, and Prof. PLO Lumumba — leaders who lead with courage, wisdom, and a passion for people.
Faith, Discipline and Hard Work Brought Me This Far- Now I’m Building Platforms That Will Outlive Me- AMB. TOSIN MICHEAL OWONIFARI

Business

BUA Foods Records 91% Surge in Profit After Tax, Hits ₦508bn in 2025

Published

on

BUA FOODS PLC RECORDS 101% PROFIT GROWTH IN H1 2025, CONSOLIDATES LEADERSHIP IN NIGERIA’S FOOD SECTOR …Revenue Rises to ₦912.5 Billion; PBT Hits ₦276.1 Billion

BUA Foods Records 91% Surge in Profit After Tax, Hits ₦508bn in 2025

By femi Oyewale

BUA Foods Plc has delivered one of the most impressive financial performances in Nigeria’s fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, recording a 91 per cent increase in Profit After Tax (PAT) for the 2025 financial year.
According to the company’s unaudited financial results for the year ended December 31, 2025, Profit After Tax rose sharply to ₦508 billion, compared with ₦266 billion recorded in 2024, underscoring strong operational efficiency, improved cost management, and resilience despite a challenging macroeconomic environment.
The near-doubling of profit reflects BUA Foods’ ability to navigate rising input costs, foreign exchange volatility, and inflationary pressures that weighed heavily on manufacturers throughout the year. Analysts note that the performance places the company among the strongest earnings growers on the Nigerian Exchange in 2025.
The company’s Q4 2025 performance further highlights this momentum. Group turnover stood at ₦383.4 billion, while gross profit came in at ₦151.5 billion, demonstrating sustained demand across its core product lines including sugar, flour, pasta, and rice.
Despite a year marked by higher operating costs across the industry, BUA Foods maintained disciplined spending. Administrative and selling expenses were kept under control relative to revenue, helping to protect margins.
Operating profit for Q4 2025 stood at ₦126.9 billion, reinforcing the company’s strong core earnings capacity. Although finance costs and foreign exchange losses remained a factor, reflecting the broader economic realities, BUA Foods still closed the period with a Net Profit Before Tax of ₦102.3 billion for the quarter.
Earnings Per Share Rise Sharply
Shareholders were among the biggest beneficiaries of the strong performance. Earnings Per Share (EPS) rose significantly, reflecting the substantial growth in net income and strengthening the company’s investment appeal.
Market watchers say the improved earnings profile could support sustained investor confidence, especially as the company continues to consolidate its leadership position in Nigeria’s food manufacturing space.
BUA Foods Records 91% Surge in Profit After Tax, Hits ₦508bn in 2025

By femi Oyewale
Industry Leadership Amid Economic Headwinds
BUA Foods’ 2025 results stand out against a backdrop of currency depreciation, energy cost spikes, and logistics challenges that constrained many manufacturers. The company’s scale, backward integration strategy, and local sourcing advantages are widely seen as key contributors to its resilience.
Outlook
With a 91% year-on-year growth in PAT, BUA Foods enters 2026 on a strong footing. Analysts expect the company to remain a major driver of growth in the consumer goods sector, provided macroeconomic stability improves and cost pressures ease.
For now, the 2025 numbers send a clear signal: BUA Foods is not only growing—it is accelerating.
Continue Reading

Business

Adron Homes Unveils “Love for Love” Valentine Promo with Exciting Discounts, Luxury Gifts, and Travel Rewards

Published

on

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.

 

Adron Homes Unveils “Love for Love” Valentine Promo with Exciting Discounts, Luxury Gifts, and Travel Rewards

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.

Continue Reading

Business

Why Nigeria’s Banks Still on Shaky Ground with Big Profits, Weak Capital

Published

on

*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]

Continue Reading

Cover Of The Week

Trending