Business
Clam Pastor Wole Oladiyun Completes N200million World Class SOTERIA Hospital ‘My passion for the poor influenced it’
At last, CLAM church led by Pastor Wole Oladiyun has completed her world class hospital in Lagos at the church’s estate along Omole bus stop, Lagos, saying it is opened for the public. The project which began in 2009 was just completed last month and it would be commissioned today, Saturday, 13 June 2015. It has been named SOTERIA Hospital and the church says it’s not a profit making entity.
It would be recalled that APOSTLE Wole Oladiyun who is the shepherd-in-charge of fast rising Pentecostal church, Christ Livingspring Apostolic Ministry, popularly known as CLAM in an exclusive interview with Encomium Weekly on Thursday, June 28, 2012 opened up on why he has just completed a multi-million naira paediatric hospital in Ondo State allegedly worth over N50 million, a world-class general hospital which is near completion then at his headquarter at Omole, Ogba, Lagos and a multi-purpose hall said to cost about N500 million alongside the equipment which have been acquired.
It’s interesting to know that you just completed a standard paediatric hospital and a general hospital and a multi-purpose hall. What informed that and when will you unveil them?
First, I give thanks to God for the grace because every good gift comes from God. I want to say my background informed that and it was a mandate from God. I came from a very poor background and I have seen and suffered poverty in its real sense. But I had an enterprising father who was a lover of God. When he died, I asked myself how I would bail my family out of poverty. Thus, I became a man at the age of 11. I was engaged in all manners of trade in other to make my young mother survive the travails of poverty with seven children. She did all manner of odd jobs like selling firewood. That was where and when I pledged that as God blesses me, I will help humanity. Thus, when I found myself in the arena of serving God, it became a platform to serve humanity and wipe away tears. My own definition of prosperity is wiping away tears. Due to my late dad’s instruction, I have always known the fact that health is wealth. He even wanted me to be a medical doctor. I have gone round a lot and discovered that people are really dying of diseases. That triggered the desire within me to bring doctors together and give people free medicare. And the response has been overwhelming. In my hometown, I discovered they didn’t have provision for children and by God’s grace I have built a world-class children hospital which I will give to the Ondo community next month. And I am setting up a foundation so that they can keep children there. And this hospital at CLAM will be dedicated this year. When I was 50, that was three years ago, I promised God I will build a hospital and a maternity that will take care of women, children and every other person. And He heard my prayers. The money that came into my hands was ploughed into the project. As people blessed me, I invested on the humanitarian business.
What is the machinery put in place to ensure the hospitals are well managed?
That’s why we are setting up a foundation called, Wole Oladiyun Foundation. And I have told my children and foundation that while I am gone the family must maintain that place. I will soon embark on an eye and teeth clinic for the community.
As an apostle, what’s your take on the socio-political problems of the country?
First, Nigeria is a blessed country. I believe in Nigeria. The problems with Nigeria dates as far back as the era of the Sardauna of Sokoto, Ahmadu Bello, who is one of our political forefathers. Our political forefathers shouldn’t have allowed the British to bring about the amalgamation of the North and the South. What the British did then was divide and rule. They saw the Upper Niger as a backward place and Southern Niger as a productive place. Per capital income of Southern Nigerians as at then was over four million pounds while in the North, it was just below 400 pounds. And on the socio-political formation then, the security apparatus of Nigeria, showed that the Northerners were very wild. And they needed to be pacified. In other to get what they wanted, they looked at their system of government and fooled them to ensure that power remained in the North. They were using the money in the South to service the North. It would have been better if the North were left alone so we could have a Northern Nigeria and Southern Nigeria. It would have been a wonderful formation. The integration now brought together two strange bedfellows. There is no way this equilibrium could be maintained in all spheres. We have different outlooks. The culture and orientation differ a lot. In reality, we need to do something, it could be a national conference, regional government and state police of which I am an advocate. When you send a Kanuri man to Ondo, there would be clash of interests. Look at America, with over 50 states, they have regional and state police and still stay together. I believe National Conference is ideal where we would air our differences and tell them that our representatives at the House of Representatives are not bringing the dividends of democracy to the grassroots. They are using the local government to commit fraud. The senators are fraudulent. I owe them no apology because they have to change.
An average politician is not interested in alleviating the pains of the people as we do. Rather, he is interested in what he can get from the people. We lack moral values. We have to go back to the basics. We have to go back to family values. I told my children that there is nothing in this world. Therefore, whatever they can do for God and humanity, they should do. Be exact and contented with what you have. You can’t sleep on three beds. We should eliminate greed. That’s how I live my life. My members can attest to it that the tithe and offering I collect are ploughed back into the ministry’s projects. That is the secret of the success of this ministry. I am very open and accountable. People queried why I do that and I tell them I am accountable. If I send you to buy Tom Tom, you have to bring a receipt or sign for it so that I can account for all the money spent. We also need a mindset revelation by changing the way we think. Our thinking is lopsided.
But it’s obvious that the clergy are some of the godfathers of these politicians, what’s your take on that and the Boko Haram issue?
God is the way out for Nigeria. Our problem surpassed Boko Haram. Where we have different men and women of God, definitely there will be divergent views about issues. Your primary value system will determine your orientation. The primary value system affects every man and woman of God. I can only speak for myself and those who are aligned with my vision.
Talking about vision, it’s interesting to know that few days to the Dana Airplane crash, you informed your church that God showed you a revelation of a plane crash in Lagos…
One thing about me is that I don’t like blowing my trumpet in the public. Visions are meant to build faith not to create fear. The only reason I announced the plane crash before the incident was because I made concerted efforts to get in touch with the airline owners and warned them of the impending doom and that they should not fly any ailing plane but was not successful. Thus, I informed the church so we can pray and see if we can get someone who has their connection. As to the vision, all I know is that God speaks to me. Over the years, I keep records. But we are very careful and that is why we don’t air such on TV because prophecies are meant to better the lot of this country and not to create fear. God has revealed to me a model on how to better the lot of this country and I have written them down. We are too reactive instead of being proactive in dealing with issues. I don’t indulge in such. I don’t agree with issues where they say the Presidency asked the clergy to come for emergency prayer of 30 seconds to change issues. I don’t do such. As a prayer priest, prayer is a serious issue. We need serious intercession in Nigeria. There are sins in this country, how can someone be stealing money and still say he/she is fasting and praying. Ask anybody here, I declare it openly that if you are a thief or fraudulent person don’t pay tithe and give offering. I have returned so many people’s cheques once I know it was gotten fraudulently. Even so called men and women of God lack the fear of God. At the Villa they sent some people here to verify if one man would become president and I said he would not and that if he should try it, he would have fractured legs. They said I should pray to change the vision and I said I can’t do such because that’s not God. The youths are angry and that’s why I empowered them because if we let them loose a great revolution would erupt. Let Nigeria go on one year leave of not stealing and it will be a paradise. We steal too much.
Have you ever had an embarrassing moment?
I make mistakes and I correct them. I make mistakes in my judgements. I am a core administrator. I mind details a lot. I have embarrassing moments in many ways in terms of temptation, women and men have tempted me and even people with money have tempted me. But God’s grace has helped me to overcome and that’s why I can say it openly that I have no skeleton in my cupboard. My members know that I don’t toy with women because God has blessed me with a good woman and we work together. And I am open. If I have challenges, I declare them open to my people so they can pray along with me. The higher you go, the higher the temptations. The greatest temptation I have ever had is people come here to tempt me with dangerous money and I have always said no. I can’t take blood money.
How do you cope with such a huge ministry like CLAM?
God has been helping us a lot. It’s a full gospel ministry where you are trained to be a total person. My area of strength is soul winning and prayer. My mentor in prayer is Dr. D. K. Olukoya of MFM. My father, Dr. Aboderin trained me and Pastors Adeboye, Ashimolowo love me as their son. We are now 14 years and will soon start a world class farm settlement in September.
The raging issue in Christendom is the separation of Rev. Okotie and wife, Stephanie, what is your reaction? Is it permissible for Christians to walk in and out of marriage?
Bob Marley sang a song that every man has the right to decide his own destiny but on judgement day, there is no partiality. I used to be a reggae DJ (laughs). I don’t want to talk about Rev. Chris Okotie, because he is a senior minister of God but I would rather be praying for him. I would only talk about the Biblical standard. The Bible does not permit nor allow divorce. No other thing. If the Bible has said that, the onus is now on you to follow the injunction of the Bible or not. I will pray for Rev. Chris because he has labored in Christendom. He is a lover of God who must make heaven. God is merciful. Nobody is perfect. We have our strength and weaknesses. Where we have not done well, God can give us another chance. However, the Bible does not support divorce.
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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