Business
Nigeria undergoing economic reset, says Governor Soludo
Nigeria undergoing economic reset, says Governor Soludo
Nigeria’s economy is currently undergoing a reset with the removal of petrol subsidy and floating of the naira, Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, has said.
The governor said it was sensible to eliminate the ‘’debilitating scam’’ called subsidy which benefitted largely the urban elite.
He spoke on Thursday while giving the 13th convocation lecture of Abuja-based Veritas University.
Soludo, who was Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor between May 2004 and May 2009, commended Tinubu for ending ‘forex and electricity subsidies.”
The governor said, “Nigeria is undergoing a fundamental and disruptive reset. Hopefully, we have ended the debilitating scam called fuel subsidy as well as the forex and electricity subsidies.
“We have entered a ‘muddling-through’ phase which we must navigate carefully. Soon we must migrate from the destructive subsidies that benefitted largely the urban elite to a productive social contract that creates opportunity for all.”
Soludo urged Nigerians to sit up and craft a pragmatic new deal and an emergency national infrastructure plan similar to the United States (US) Marshall Plan to take the nation to great heights.
He said, “As we muddle through the shocks occasioned by the needed disruptive changes, we must sit and craft a pragmatic New Deal for Nigeria plus an emergency national infrastructure plan akin to the U.S Marshall Plan for Europe after the Second World war.
‘’Some elements of the new deal such as the minimum wage legislation, draft tax reform bill, and planned cash transfers are positive signs.
“This moment calls for historic coordination between the federal and state governments to agree on the critical elements of the augmented New Deal and Marshall Plan as well as their implementation to deliver outcomes within the shortest possible time.
“A key issue will be the ‘national plan’ for the deployment of the apparent ‘fiscal/subsidy windfall’.
“I say ‘apparent’ windfall because much of the nominal increase in fiscal revenues is largely money illusion. In the US, dollar terms and real purchasing power terms, much of the current revenue windfall is still far lower than in previous years.
“For example, a state that received N5 billion or $43.4 million as monthly federation account allocation in 2007/8 when the exchange rate was N118 to a dollar and a bag of cement sold for a few hundred Naira would need to receive at least N77 billion a month at current exchange rate and prices to be restored to its 2007/8 position. But the state does not get even a third of such.
“Fixing the oil output will be a critical game changer in the short to medium term. However minuscule or even non-existent the windfall in real terms, the federation must be seen to intentionally execute a new deal that pragmatically coheres with our peculiar federalism while urgently addressing the needs of the people.
“Besides the humongous investment to build infrastructure for the 21st century, we urgently need to prioritise our national investment in human capital — to transform our abundant human resources into productive capital. In the 21st and 22nd centuries driven by digitalisation, only societies that intentionally mine their human capital will triumph.
“Deploying our depleting natural resources to invest in the bridge to the future—human capital—will not only give our teeming population a stake in society but also secure their future.
“As a country, we must aim to remember this time in our history as the moment when we dared to remove the negative subsidies but deployed a part of the windfall to benefit our children and youths—via their education and health.
“At the minimum, we should set a national target to bring down the out-of-school children to zero within 5-8 years, and qualitative tuition-free secondary education to all Nigerian children within 10 years, while mainstreaming selected centres of excellence for the exportable labour force.”
The governor charged the graduating students not to fail the country.
He said, “The future you seek is in your palms, and only those who plan can control the future. As I look into your eyes, I can see hope.
“Nigeria may not have offered you much, but in fulfilment of your divine purpose on earth, you will be expected to give more than you have received.’’
Business
After Multichoice lost 243k subscribers, More customers threaten to leave
After Multichoice lost 243k subscribers, More customers threaten to leave
Multichoice Group, an African pay-TV operator, on Tuesday, announced that its Nigerian subsidiary lost 243,000 subscribers on its Digital Satellite Television (DStv) and General Entertainment on Television (GOtv) services between April and September 2024.
The company revealed these figures in its Interim Financial Results for the period ending 30 September 2024.
MultiChoice attributed this decline to Nigeria’s high inflation rate, which exceeds 30%, driven by the rising costs of food, electricity, and fuel, causing many customers to disconnect.
In its financial report for March 2024, MultiChoice had earlier reported an 18% subscriber loss in Nigeria.
The company further reported a 566,000-subscriber loss in the Rest of Africa (RoA) operations over the past six months, with Zambia and Nigeria contributing the largest shares to this decline.
“The group’s linear subscriber base declined by 11% or 1.8m subscribers YoY to 14.9m active subscribers at 30 September 2024.
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“The loss in the Rest of Africa has been primarily due to the significant consumer pressure in Nigeria, where inflation has remained above 30% for the majority of the last 12 months and, more recently, due to extreme power disruptions in Zambia.
“Of this decline, 298k related to Zambia and 243k related to Nigeria, with remaining markets on the continent reflecting only a minor decline of 25k,” It said.
Meanwhile more customers in Nigeria have threatened to switch allegiance.
While reacting to the story on a WhatsApp platform, a subscriber said: “They will lose more because I’ll soon leave them too.”
On X, @AGUNviews wrote: “They will lose more subscribers”
@Jaheim007: “The numbers are about to triple.”
@skyedron commented: “All anyone needs to acquire is the internet and a few clicks. Multi choice my foot.”
@ribaduabubakar2: “I subscribed to another platform and simply ignored them. They kept increasing the price as if someone would die without them. I am willing to give out my decoder and dish for free.”
@AbelFidelis4: “This is just the beginning. I stopped using DStv in 2022.”
@NdubuisiNC: “The downfall of this company in Nigeria will be televised and will be sweet to me. A company this big can’t improvise on their content?. Nigerians have cried for years about how boring it is, only football channels are what’s keeping most of us.”
@Ekoh4Ekoh: “They should be ready to lose more customers and it is good for them. They have to reduce their monthly subscription and make it pay as you go.”
@cashoggy: “They will still lose more subscribers. Internet and smart TV has rendered Dstv unattractive with their rate. Imagine paying 25,700 for a premium subscription when you can surf the Internet and watch all the programs for less.”
@rilwan_ola01: “They will suffer even greater losses.”
After Multichoice lost 243k subscribers, More customers threaten to leave
Business
XGT Smart Consults unveils renewable energy, others power solutions
XGT Smart Consults unveils renewable energy, others power solutions
XGT Smart Consults, a power solution firm, says it is ready to deliver renewable energy and other long-lasting energy solutions that will address the power challenges causing huge economic losses and discomfort.
The firm also says it has signed an agreement with an India-based company, ADM-Orient Solar Power, to achieve its goals.
This is contained in a statement by the XGT, revealing a holistic approach to energy provision.
It stated, “XGT Smart Consults is thrilled to announce a strategic partnership with ADM-Orient Solar Power (India) aimed at addressing one of Nigeria’s most critical issues – reliable power solutions.”
It stated that its target is to provide Nigeria with solutions to overcome the frequent power outages by empowering homes and businesses with reliable, renewable, and affordable power.
This, it said, would be achieved in conjunction with its partners through renewable energy systems, advanced electrical services, independent power production (IPP) solutions, portable natural gas generators, automation services, and the rental and leasing of CNG tube skids.
Managing Director of XGT Smart Consults Limited, Olu Harrison, said, “The objective is to provide reliable cost-effective and environmentally friendly energy to households and businesses throughout Nigeria.
“Understanding the intricacies of the energy crisis, XGT employs a holistic approach that integrates renewable energy solutions, independent power generation, and innovative technologies tailored to the specific requirements of Nigerian consumers.
“Our goal is to empower every Nigerian household and business by revolutionizing the production, distribution, and consumption of energy.”
According the statement, XGT specifically specializes in providing innovative renewable energy solutions designed to meet the unique climate and energy needs of Nigeria.
“Our wide ranges of solar and sustainable energy systems are suitable for individual homes, corporate settings, and community projects.
“By harnessing the power of renewable energy, XGT offers environmentally friendly alternatives that reduce reliance on the national grid and significantly cut energy costs,” it added.
The company’s Executive Director Toluwase Oni, gave more insights into the IPP for businesses, industries and communities/estates.
“XGT’s IPP solutions provide a solution to the urgent need for self-sufficient power generation, particularly in industrial and commercial sectors where power reliability significantly affects productivity and revenue.
“By establishing a network of captive/ localized, independent power systems, XGT Power-IPP empowers Industries, businesses and communities/estate to take control of their energy needs,” he stated.
Apart from the renewable energy sources, the firm said it offers a range of portable natural gas generators providing a flexible energy solution for areas with limited grid connectivity or for users in need of extra backup during power outages.
“These generators are designed with user-friendly features and portability in mind, enabling users to power essential operations without depending on traditional, often unreliable, grid infrastructure,” it added.
“In conjunction with these generators, XGT specializes in automation systems that optimize energy management to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and streamline operations.
“Automated controls enable businesses to remotely monitor and adjust energy usage, ensuring that energy is utilized intelligently and cost-effectively.”
As part of its services, it disclosed that the company offers rental and lease services for compressed natural gas (CNG) tube skids to interested industries in recognition of the increasing demand for CNG as a cleaner alternative to traditional fuels.
Business
Naira: Confidence in Nigeria’s economy drops, says CBN report
Naira: Confidence in Nigeria’s economy drops, says CBN report
Following continued depreciation in the value of naira, many businesses and their operators have lost confidence in the Nigeria’s economy.
Indeed, a survey by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) showed the Overall Confidence Index falling by 3.2 index points to 14.5 from 17.7 index points.
This was the highlight of the Business Expectation Survey, BES of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, for October which also showed decline in the Overall Confidence Index, OCI, for the current month, next month and the next six months.
According to the CBN the OCI for the current month, next month and the next six months fell to 1.4, 4.8, and 21.8 index points in the October BES from 3.2, 6.2 and 29 index points in the September BES.
The survey also indicates that the decline in confidence in the economy is being driven by firms’ expectation of further depreciation of the naira before the end of the year.
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The CBN said: “The overall confidence index (CI) on the macroeconomy indicates that businesses were optimistic in October 2024.
“Respondent firms expect the naira to depreciate in the current month, next month and next 3 months. However, they expect appreciation in the next 6 months.
“Top six business constraints high interest rate, insecurity, high/multiple taxes, inadequate power supply, unfavorable economic climate, financial problems.
“The optimism on business outlook in the current month is driven by the opinion of respondents from all the Sectors except the Industry Sector.
“Most Sectors expressed optimism on their own operation in the review month. The outlook of respondents on the Volume of Business Activities, the Volume of Total Order, Financial Conditions, and Access to Credit were all positive in the review month.
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