Business
MY ENCOUNTER WITH HON. ROTIMI MAKINDE BY ADEBOYE ADEBAYO.*
Let me use this medium to specially Congratulates my adopted elder brother, Hon. Rotimi Makinde on his successful screening at the State of Osun House of Assembly and his eventual swearing-in ceremony as a member of the reputable statutory board of the Judiciary Service Commission, State of Osun.
I was at the gallery of the hallow chamber of the State of Osun House of Assembly to solidarise with him and expectedly as a reputable federal lawmaker, after a lot of positive comments and encomiums from honourable members of our dear house and the respected Mr. Speaker, he graciously and gratefully took a bow and go.
How I wish I am a lawmaker, my head swelled up. That short event at the House corrected some impressions I had about few of our honorable house members and it endeared few of them who are spectacular to me which I will make known soon.
Incidentally, last week Wednesday, I met my Egbon again at the Exco chambers of the Governor’s office being the day of State Executive Meeting, I had gone there to see if I could meet with Mr. Governor whom my meeting with is long overdue. I was looking for Mr. Governor and I met my Egbon waiting patiently to be sworn-in on that day. (Mo n wa owo lo, mo pade iyi lona). I could not wait because I didn’t plan it but usually going by his humane character he greeted me warmly, I wished him well, I greeted other members of the State Executive Council before I left.
I pray Almighty God in his mercy to grant Hon. Rotimi Makinde the needed wisdom, Knowledge and understanding to perform creditably well in this tasky but reputable new assignment, as our country is in dire need of a very robust and standard legal & Judiciary reforms for the development of our justice system and progress & growth of our Land.
Permit me to also Congratulate the Chief Judge of the State; Hon Justice Adepele Ojo and other members of the reputable commission and I wish them all very well in all their endeavours.
Honourable Makinde has always been a respectable member of many reasonable WhatsApp groups online and we have had cause to agree & disagree over issues of the State politics and National developments quite numbers of time. His presence on the media is powerful, he is not the type that dodges issues, he followed issues consciously and his very many blunt comments, observation and explanations have been helping some of us.
On a fateful day, he sought my attention after he had gone through one of my numerous works online, when I saw his comment seeking my attention I was humbled and heeded the call immediately.
Later on that same day he spoke with me on several issues, we had a long conversation on phone, on some issues, he corrected me, and advised me on some other issues. He encouraged on so many things that were bothering me before. He talked to me as a younger brother, man to man and as a young progressive politician. I was thrilled and I immediately remembered my last physical encounter with him. It was during the early days of Ogbeni Till day break program, it was a long day for all of us that fateful day and we were preparing again for another long night, I was under pressure to deliver on my duties and in the course of that I unintentionally harassed him, he was a bit furious that night but he didn’t allow the sunset to meet the anger in him. I saw this as a great trait and quality of a good leader, that a man I had once harassed was again talking like a loving brother to me , immediately I gave it to him that he is indeed a leader that is worthy of emulation. There and then I requested for a courtesy visit appointment and he gave me.
On the appointed day, I called the State Coordinator of Asiwaju Grassroots Foundation; AGF; Hon. Tijani Sikiru to accompany me to Ile – Ife to see my Egbon, he agreed to go and learn with me and we set out to his residence in Ife.
On getting there, he welcome us very warmly and immediately, alongside other visitors that we met there, he ushered us to his beautifully decorated and neat dinning room, we had a very delicious and refreshing breakfast before we retired to his private sitting for why I was there.
He had a very long, meaningful, scintillating, encouraging and hopeful discussion with us. We poured out our mind likewise himself on many issues after which we left.
My take aways from that encounter that day were; I saw a man of taste who is very neat, of high class and very humble going by the way he related with his guests, his domestic staff and all the people, young and old who came visiting.
I saw a man who loves Asiwaju Tinubu, who respects Baba Bisi Akande and I indeed saw a man who is in love with Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. Please my readers should not tell anybody this, ‘I doubt if Rauf Aregbesola can do any thing wrong in the face of Rotimi Makinde”.
I saw a man who loves progressive politics in its entirety with no apology about it, I saw a man who loves Ife to be great, by the numbers of people trooping to his house for political reasons, I saw a man who is working assiduously to make Ile – Ife belong to the progressive party totally and he is ready to bury his ego, status and ready to sacrifice to achieve that because he believes his home town will be better off under the fold of the progressives, I know what I mean because of what I saw.
I saw a team worker who is ready to work with anybody no matter your class either high or low to achieve any political aims of the progressive party.
I saw a man that easily forgives especially the young people, I saw in him a man that wants youths to be liberated politically and economically, I saw a man who is ready to do anything within his reach for the upliftment of humanity.
He shared a lot of experiences with us during his sojourn in the Theatre World, his days as an Accountant at the NNPC and his experience at the National Assembly among other journey of life but he loves Aregbesola so much and at no price can anybody take that away from him.
Hon. Makinde is my kind of person. We shared the same ideology about progressive politics and leaders. He thought me a lot of lessons about life. I wish I had this encounter with him before my lost election earlier this year.
Hon. Rotimi Makinde is a worthy leader, a dependable and trusted one that all youths in our political camp should continue to emulate and to always see as a worthy mentor that can be of immense benefits, he is very unlike numerous others in our political family.
The take aways from this encounter have indeed equipped, encouraged, challenged and braced up myself and my state coordinator of AGF for the political and life challenges ahead which is very important to me.
Thank you all.
*_Adeboye Adebayo is social & political analyst, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, National Publicity Secretary; Asiwaju Grassroots Foundation, AGF, Leader of the Youths and a Raufist to the core._*
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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