Business
Uju Kennedy Ohanenye: conscientious public servant deserves commendation, not trial By Victory Oghene
Uju Kennedy Ohanenye: conscientious public servant deserves commendation, not trial
By Victory Oghene
The shark- infested and mine-lined Nigerian politics has often proved to be graveyards of men and women of conscience.
The examples are legion from professor Tam David West to Tai Solarin to Dr.Olu Onagoruwa. The trial and tribulation of the former Minister of Women Affairs , Uju Kennedy Ohanenye is the latest in the long line of public figures who have given an unblemished account of themselves but finding themselves being on trial, a classic case of irony.
Highlighting Ohaneye’s unprecedented pedigree is no longer news much of it is in public domain.
Sources at the ministry of women affairs told NATIONAL WAVES that “the sum of N350 million was approved for her for travels. She travelled with only two aides which is rare among ministers or high ranking public servants. In spite of that she only spent N21 million, returning the balance to Wale Edun, the minister of finance and sought for approval to enable her use it to empower women.”
It was gathered that the sum of
IN70million was earmarked for her by the office of the Vice President to travel to Bahamas, but in a manner so unlike some other high ranking government officials, she wrote to the Deputy Chief of Staff that her presence was not needed in that trip. Thirdly, she was said to have raised the sum of N550million through private donation for the empowerment of women shortly before she was relieved of her job. ‘She refunded the money to the donors when she was relieved of her job”, a ministry source familiar with the matter disclosed to this medium.
She was said to have also specifically returned N100million to Authur Eze. She also refunded donations from Tony Elumelu’s UBA and others.
Professor Adeagbo Moritiwon a political scientist told this medium that “her removal was not due to lack of performance or competence but more to do with politics prevailing over every other consideration. Her case is just like Ade Ojo.”
So why did the EFCC go after such a minister who has displayed exemplary conduct in office.
The mere fact that the former minister did not run away but honorably honoured the EFCC invitation testifies to no hidden agenda.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission were said to have quizzed her over alleged links to the misappropriation, violation of procurement processes, and diversion of public funds amounting to ₦138million.
Another source at the ministry said ” invitation does not mean guilt. If the EFCC had cause to raise an issue, then there is no crime in that. Inviting her to clarify matters is a routine thing. At the end of the day those who know her can bet on it that she will come out unscathed.”
The funds in question were allegedly misappropriated during the disbursement of the 2023 budgeted allocation for the ministry.
While clarifying her visit to the anti-graft agency via her x handle,
Ohanenye said that she was invited and as a law abiding citizen, honoured the invite of the anti graft agency.
“As a former public servant, I acknowledge that inquiries regarding past official activities are a standard part of ensuring accountability. In this spirit, I willingly honored the invitation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on March 6, 2025, concerning allegations of a 138 million Naira diversion.
“I arrived at the EFCC headquarters at 2:15 PM, and the substantive discussions commenced at 2:50 PM. During this time, I provided comprehensive clarifications regarding my actions and expenditures throughout my tenure as the Minister of Women Affairs.I rounded up by 6:50pm and left thereafter
“I commend the EFCC for their professionalism and hospitality, and I appreciate the opportunity to address the matters that have recently been circulating in the media.
“I extend my sincere gratitude to President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the privilege of serving my country and positively impacting the lives of many. I also express my appreciation to First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu for her steadfast support of myself and Nigerian women.
“I remain fully committed to cooperating with the EFCC and will be available for any further inquiries. It is the duty of every government official to be transparent and accountable for their time in office.
“During my tenure, my team and I executed our duties diligently, utilizing available resources effectively, and even supplementing with personal funds, demonstrating our dedication to the success of the Renewed Hope Agenda for Nigerian women and children.
“I assure that the facts and information will ultimately demonstrate the integrity of my actions”
While she held forte as Woman Affairs Minister, Ohanenye recorded a rare feat as regards her performance s
She explicitly understood that public service is for adding value to society.
Ohanenye profoundly had an in-depth perception of the purpose of government particularly Chapter II of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) which outlines the ‘Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy’ despite the fact the chapter as presently provided is not justiciable. Section 14 (2) supra provides thus; “It is hereby, accordingly, declared that; (b) the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government”.
It would be recalled that Ohanenye was among five ministers relieved of their duties following the 19th Federal Executive Council meeting held at the State House in October 2024.
In her place, President Bola Tinubu reappointed the former Minister of State for Police Affairs, Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, as the new Minister of Women Affairs.
Oghene a renowned Journalist writes from Lagos
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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