Business
Presidential Port Standing Task Team Has Restored Orderliness, Seamless Cargo Handling Operations In Nigerian Seaports – National Coordinator, Fadipe | By Olabode Adeyeri
Presidential Port Standing Task Team Has Restored Orderliness, Seamless Cargo Handling Operations In Nigerian Seaports – National Coordinator, Fadipe | By Olabode Adeyeri
The National Coordinator of the Presidential Port Standing Task Team (PSTT) and Director, Nigerian Shippers Council, Mr. Fadipe Moses Olayemi says the Team has resolved bottlenecks in the Nigerian Seaports and its Corridors for efficient operations and enhanced service delivery within the port ecosystem.
Fadipe who oversees all the costal ports of the federation (Apapa, Tin can, Onne, Calabar, Warri and Port Harcourt), spoke with Citizen NewsNG Correspondent in an exclusive interview in Lagos.
According to him, the Presidential Port Standing Task Team was set up to implement and ensure compliance with the Nigerian Ports Process Manual (NPPM).
The Nigeria Port Process Manual is a document that spelt out the trajectory of the activities by various port agencies in the maritime industry as captured in their Standard Operation procedures (SOP’s).
The PSTT comprises Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NPA) as lead agency, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offence (ICPC), Department of State Service (DSS) and Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
With his dedicated Team of Professionals, Fadipe has continually demonstrated resilience and hard work in the discharge of his duty.
He has restored orderliness and Seamless Operations in the Nigerian Seaports amidst numerous challenges.
On each day at his duty Post, He sets target for himself and his Team Members. A practice commended by stakeholders in the Maritime industry.
Fadipe’s office is a hive of activity. In his timeline, there is no official closing time during field operations.
Known for his unrelenting spirit, Fadipe does not sit back in his office to give instructions or directives; but he goes round the Ports across the country for On-the-Spot assessment.
“Sometimes, My Team and I spend a larger part of the day on the field to ensure an effective and hitch-free Port Operations”, He said.
Continuing, he said: “We are very civil in our operations. You will never see us use total force except if we had explored all avenues”.
“Our Outfit can arrest anybody that breaks the law; even security agents. We are always at the Ports to ensure that things are done right”, He stated.
According to Fadipe, efficient Port Operation is vital to the economic development of Nigeria.
The National Coordinator stated that the PSTT has records (Pre-arrival notification) of all the vessels coming into the Nigerian waterways in its Realtime and Automated Tracking Computer systems.
“The Technology adopted is really helpful and it curbs sabotage. In the past, it takes an average time of about 5 hours for Vessels to move from anchorage to the berth as against a maximum of 90 minutes presently”, He said.
“It will interest you to know that we started this activity in March 2021. In 2020, we had about 121 Infractions and in 2019 we had 266 cases and before 2019 there were interventions, so we decided to put the outfit as a permanent one”
“When PSTT began operation, we had 40 infractions throughout 2021 and keeps reducing every year and As at today, we had near zero because every stakeholder pays for their misdemeanor”.
“The Vessel captains who are afraid before to come to the Nigerian Ports are now bold enough to come to Nigerian Seaports. when they arrive they know the Government Agency to contact in real time”.
Fadipe stated further that there had been improved Turn-around-time of vessel cargo evacuation has improved significantly.
According to him, in the past, the average number of containers examined per day was 125 but today, they handle 230 per day.
“PSTT collaborates with the various stakeholders both government and private organisations to achieve more because we really need to bring sanity back into the industry with our collective efforts”, Fadipe said.
“Apart from Lagos Ports, we (PSTT) are in Rivers State with a State coordinator of covering Portharcourt and Onne and we are gradually moving to Calabar and Warri Ports. We are definitely spreading out and also, we keep engaging with stakeholders because we cannot do it alone. We have been collaborating with the Media too”, He emphasized.
Fadipe hinted that he lectures his Members of Staff and Security Agencies attached to the PSTT every day before they embark on field operations.
“Today, other countries of the world are willing to understudy how we were able to get to this stage of efficient Ports Operations on vessel boarding and rummaging in Nigeria”, He said.
“Recently, at a conference in Denmark, Nigeria was adjudged the best country with Ports Operations system”, Fadipe recalled.
Citing the Challenges on the Job, Fadipe said the PSTT has been ambushed at different times and held hostage for several hours by heavily armed state actors during field operations but they triumped.
“The risks of the job are too high but in our little way, we will continue to do our best”, He vowed.
In his parting words, Fadipe said: “In life, what do you want to live for, what do you Stand for? what do you want to be remembered for? Nothing comes easy in life but if you are passionate, you persevere and believe that what you are doing will benefit many people, God in His infinite mercy will make you overcome. I want to be remembered for Positive change”.
He however charged the Stakeholders to support the Federal Government in its efforts to ensure an efficient and transparent Maritime Industry. He also enjoined them to operate within the stipulated Operational procedures and Standards.
With decades of experience in the Maritime Industry, Mr. Fadipe Moses Olayemi has distinguished himself among his Contemporaries.
Citizen NewsNG research reveals that since Fadipe assumed as the National Coordinator of Presidential Port Standing Task Team, the PSTT has delivered on its mandate with its meagre resources.
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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