Connect with us

Business

Power Sector: AFDB Approves $2m Reforms for ECOWAS

Published

on

The African Development Fund (AfDB) has approved a technical assistance grant of two million dollars to fund research that would contribute to electricity reforms for ECOWAS.

This is contained in a statement from the Communication and External Relations Department of the AfDB.

However, the fund was approved by the bank’s Board of Directors on June 24.

According to the statement, the grant from the African Development Fund, the concessional window of the AfDB Bank Group will go to the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority.

The ultimate objective is to stimulate cross-border electricity trade and improve energy access in the 15 countries in the region.

Mr. Solomon Sarpong, Project team leader at the AfDB said the project would facilitate regional electricity trade and help improve access to electricity.

“It will address major causes of fragility, such as infrastructure bottlenecks, youth unemployment, environmental challenges, gender inequalities, and regional development imbalances,” Sarpong said.

The project has five components.

The first involves selecting electricity regulatory principles and key performance indicators from the AfDB’s flagship Electricity Regulatory Index for Africa report, to be adopted by the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority.

The project would build capacity in member countries for collecting and reporting on these indicators on a common platform.

The second component would involve conducting a study in order to update a comparative analysis of electricity tariffs and their underlying drivers across the electricity value chain of ECOWAS.

The third involves developing a centralised database management system that would provide a platform for digitally collecting relevant energy information from member countries, storing, and disseminating them on a common digital platform.

The fourth component would assess and identify project bottlenecks and risks in ECOWAS member countries.

It would also recommend a coherent approach to progressively address ground-level barriers to investment in the power sector in pre- and post-establishment phases of the regional electricity market.

The final component focuses on programme management and capacity building, which would be co-financed with the Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority.

All components of the project would include gender-disaggregated data.

Established on May 28, 1975 via the Treaty of Lagos, ECOWAS is a regional organisation that promotes economic integration in the constituting countries. ECOWAS consists of 15 countries.

The countries are Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.

ECOWAS has an estimated population of 360 million people.

Comments

Business

Sedabuk Oil and Gas Ranks Among Africa’s 100 Safest Companies

Published

on

The Managing Director, Sedabuk Oil and Gas Industry Ltd., Engr. Adunola Oseni receiving the Certificate of Award presented to the company by The Emerging Elites Magazine International in recognition of its outstanding commitment to safety, integrity and excellence in business practices.

Sedabuk Oil and Gas Industry Limited has been listed among the 100 Safe Companies to Do Business With in Africa for 2025 by Emerging Elites Magazine International, in recognition of the firm’s integrity-driven operations, strict compliance culture, and employee-focused policies.

The award was presented to the Managing Director of the company, Engr. Adunola Oseni, at a ceremony attended by members of Sedabuk’s management and staff, alongside the editorial board and team of Emerging Elites Magazine in Lagos.

Presenting the award, the Editor-in-Chief of Emerging Elites Magazine International, Princess Olivia Chukwuma, said Sedabuk emerged after a “thorough, transparent and merit-based selection process” designed to identify African businesses that exemplify excellence and ethical conduct.

According to her, the 100 Safe Companies to Do Business With in Africa Award is an international initiative created to recognise indigenous African companies with proven records of integrity, safety, and best business practices, noting that awardees are continuously monitored and recertified every three years if standards are sustained.

The MD of Sedabuk Oil and Gas Industry Limited, Engr. Adunola Oseni, poses with the Certificate of Award shortly after the company was recognised among Africa’s 100 safest companies to do business with.

Chukwuma said Sedabuk was selected for its employee-centric culture, stressing that the company has no record of unpaid salaries since inception, maintains fair wages, and prioritises staff welfare through initiatives such as its “One Nutritional Meal a Day” programme, which she described as “rare and commendable” in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

She also cited the firm’s zero-tolerance policy for fraud, recalling a June 2022 incident in which a pump attendant was sanctioned for under-dispensing fuel while affected customers were compensated, an action she said “clearly reflects Sedabuk’s philosophy of integrity in service delivery.”

Other factors that earned the company the award, she said, include its reputation for honouring contracts, absence of contract-related court cases, strict adherence to safety standards, and voluntary compliance with regulatory obligations, taxes, and statutory dues without coercion.

“With these attributes and more, Sedabuk Oil and Gas has become a beacon of hope—a new breed of Nigerian company that is trustworthy, valuable, and safe to do business with,” Chukwuma said, as she inducted the firm into the Hall of Fame of the 100 Businesses Safe to Do Business With in Africa 2025.

MD, Engr.Adunola Oseni and staff of Sedabuk Oil and Gas Industry Limited during the presentation of a Certificate of Award by The Emerging Elites Magazine International, honouring the company’s adherence to safety standards and best business practices.

Responding, the Managing Director, Engr. Adunola Oseni described the recognition as “a validation of our core values and a strong motivation to do more,” adding that the award belonged to the entire workforce of the company.

“We will continue to uphold integrity, safety, and transparency in all our operations, remain committed to staff welfare and regulatory compliance, and set standards that others in the industry can emulate,” the Sedabuk boss said.

Continue Reading

Business

Sedabuk Oil & Gas Rewards Staff with Over ₦10m, Deepens Welfare Culture

Published

on

 

Sedabuk Oil and Gas Industry on Tuesday reinforced its reputation as a people-centred organisation as it rewarded outstanding employees with cash prizes totalling over ₦10 million at its 2025 Employee Recognition and Awards ceremony held in Lagos.

The event, which attracted over 300 staff members alongside top management officials from across the company’s divisions and subsidiaries, was organised to celebrate excellence, dedication, and loyalty within the Sedabuk workforce.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Managing Director, Engr. Adunola Oseni, described the occasion as one of the proudest moments in the company’s journey, noting that Sedabuk’s steady growth has been deliberately anchored on staff welfare and well-being. She said the company, from inception, made a firm commitment to put its people first, stressing that no organisation can truly thrive if its workforce is neglected.

Oseni disclosed that Sedabuk has never owed or delayed salaries since it commenced operations, describing prompt payment as a mark of respect and responsibility. She added that the company reviewed and increased salaries twice in 2025, improved wages across the board, and sustained its seven-year-old One-Day-Meal Programme to ensure employees do not work hungry.

The managing director announced cash awards spanning retail operations, station-based roles, marts, laundromats, and group-wide excellence categories, explaining that the initiative was not just about financial rewards but about recognising hard work and reinforcing a culture of appreciation. According to her, a loyal and motivated workforce remains the company’s most valuable asset.

She assured staff that management is entering 2026 with stronger welfare policies, better incentives, and more opportunities, with the aim of positioning Sedabuk as one of the best organisations to work in Nigeria. Oseni further urged employees to raise the bar in the coming year by working harder, smarter, and together.

Several employees emerged winners across key categories, including Pump Attendant of the Year, Station Captain of the Year, Mart and Laundromat Excellence Awards, and Special Recognition honours.

The highlight of the ceremony was the Group Chairman’s Spirit of Excellence Award, where Adediran Segun Aderonke emerged Sedabuk Star of the Year with a ₦2 million prize, while Ibiloye Olayinka won the Most Outstanding Employee of the Year award with ₦1 million.

In his remarks, the Group Head, Human Resources and Administration, Mr. Adeleye Olusanjo, lauded the managing director for her consistent leadership and unwavering commitment to staff welfare, assuring employees that more incentives and improved support structures are already being planned for 2026.

The event was attended by senior executives, including the General Manager, Finance and Strategy, Mr. Aderoju Sola; the Group Head, Operations and Logistics, Mr. Rufus Enioshunwa; and the Group Head, Corporate Audit, Risks and Ethics, Mrs. Tolulope Omotola, among others.

Established in 2018, Sedabuk Oil & Gas Industry Ltd operates over 12 petrol stations across Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo states.

Continue Reading

Business

SEC Flags Zugacoin, Samzuga GPT as Fraud Risks, Warns Nigerians

Published

on

By

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has raised a red flag over two cryptocurrency products — Zugacoin and Samzuga GPT — warning the Nigerian public to steer clear of them.

In a strongly worded statement issued on Wednesday, the apex capital market regulator described the digital assets as unauthorised crypto schemes with no legal backing or regulatory approval in Nigeria.

According to the Commission, neither the promoters nor issuers of Zugacoin and Samzuga GPT are registered to operate in any capacity within the Nigerian capital market.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that Zugacoin and Samzuga GPT are meme coins,” the SEC said. “Meme coins generally have no use case, intrinsic value, or tangible projects backing them.”

The regulator added that the only perceived value of such coins often stems from aggressive promotion by their creators or community hype, making them prime candidates for “pump-and-dump” fraud — a deceptive scheme where promoters artificially inflate the price of a coin through misleading information before dumping it at peak value, leaving unsuspecting investors with massive losses.

“Once the promoters dump their coins and stop hyping the coin, the coin price typically falls and investors lose money,” the SEC warned.

The Commission urged members of the public to avoid engaging in the purchase or promotion of Zugacoin, Samzuga GPT, or any similar crypto assets, noting that anyone who chooses to invest in such schemes does so entirely at their own risk.

To further safeguard investors, the SEC advised the public to always verify the legitimacy of any virtual, crypto, or digital assets and their promoters through its official platforms:

https://home.sec.gov.ng/fintech-and-innovation-hub-finport/registered-fintech-operators/

www.sec.gov.ng/cmos

This warning is the latest in the SEC’s ongoing crackdown on fraudulent digital asset operations targeting unsuspecting Nigerians amid a rise in crypto-related scams.

 

 

Continue Reading

Advertisement

Entertainment

Advertisement

MegaIcon Magazine Facebook Page

Advertisement

MEGAICON TV

Advertisement

Trending