AGP Executive Report

Telecom Infrastructure Crisis: MTN Nigeria CEO Karl Toriola says Nigeria suffers more fibre cuts daily than Saudi Arabia yearly, blaming vandalism and uncontrolled road construction, plus unstable power that forces generators at base stations. Fuel Market Watch: Dangote Petroleum Refinery cut petrol ex-depot price by N50 to N1,075/litre (fourth cut in a month), saying it’s passing lower crude costs to consumers while still processing higher-priced inventories. Construction Costs: Dangote Cement chairman Emmanuel Ikazoboh links persistently high cement prices to energy costs and FX pressure, with 50kg bags reportedly ranging ₦9,500–₦13,000. Power Sector Skills: FG launched “Power Force” to train 5,000 meter installers/technicians to speed smart metering, cut estimated billing, and improve revenue collection. Clean Cooking Push: Government inaugurated the National E-Cooking Steering Committee and set a policy framework to scale e-cooking adoption for a cleaner energy transition. Solid Minerals Industrialisation: Tinubu inaugurated a 6,000MT/day lithium processing plant in Nasarawa, creating 1,000 direct and 2,000 indirect jobs, as Nigeria doubles down on local processing. Oil Contractor Financing: Shell and nine Nigerian banks launched a $3bn contract finance facility to fund local oil and gas contractors in naira and dollars. Banking Impact: Bank of Industry says it disbursed N645bn in 2025, creating 1.68m jobs and funding 12,501 businesses. Energy Diplomacy: Nigeria was admitted into the International Energy Agency as an Association member, covering over 80% of global energy demand.

Lithium Push: Tinubu commissioned West Africa’s largest lithium processing plant in Nasarawa (6,000 metric tonnes daily; 3m tonnes annually), promising jobs and a shift from extraction to processing. Power & Jobs: Tinubu launched Power Force to train 5,000 youths to install smart meters, aiming to cut estimated billing and improve revenue collection. Downstream Pressure: Dangote cut petrol ex-gantry price by N50 to N1,075/litre and opened loading to all qualified marketers after cancelling a consortium. SME Credit via Data: Nombank’s MD says transaction data is becoming “new collateral,” processing about N250bn in merchant transactions daily to lend where traditional banks can’t. Climate Action for Work: FG and ILO inaugurated Phase II of the Social Dimension of Ecological Transition Project (2025–2029) to create green jobs and support sustainable local businesses. Education & Industry Skills: FG/AAAU reaffirmed aviation as a specialised education mission; engineering teams won NEO grants to commercialise innovations. Power Grid Upgrade: TCN handed a temporary national control centre to NISO to boost transmission coordination. Market Integrity: FactCheckHub flagged a viral “top 20 universities” infographic as misleading. Health Clarity: Lagos clarified HIV figures are newly diagnosed cases, not new infections. Petrol Pricing Clash: IPMAN warned it will shut stations if government regulates petrol prices in a deregulated market.

Road Infrastructure: President Tinubu flagged off the 125km Akwanga–Kaduna–Jos section of the 700km Akwanga–Bauchi–Gombe–Biu–Maiduguri superhighway, calling it a Renewed Hope legacy corridor to boost trade, safety and jobs across North-Central and North-East. Education & Human Capital: Kaduna’s data-driven out-of-school children mapping approach is being highlighted as a model for targeting the “who, where and why” behind school exclusion. Energy & Power Reliability: TCN declared force majeure on Lagos substations after flooding knocked out equipment, while the government renewed calls to curb vandalism and estimated billing. Energy Policy & Global Integration: Nigeria’s IEA associate membership was approved in what the IEA chief calls the fastest accession process ever, positioning the country in global energy planning. Finance & Regulation: CBN issued a new rule limiting payment suspension for failed banks to two business days, as it continues tightening the financial system after revoking 46 microfinance bank licences. Trade & Jobs Funding: The World Bank approved a 7-year Nigeria partnership framework and a $1.25bn package to expand electricity access, broadband, health and support farmers. Healthcare Investment: Airbus Helicopters and Kasi Healthcare signed Nigeria’s first H135 HEMS deal to strengthen emergency medical response. Consumer & Business Climate: Konga partnered Klump to launch Buy Now, Pay Later options for eligible purchases, easing cash-flow pressure for shoppers. Manufacturing Standards: SON in Imo presented MANCAP/PIS certificates to 14 manufacturers, pushing quality assurance and competitiveness.

Economic Decentralisation: VP Kashim Shettima urged states to lead Nigeria’s growth by unlocking local resources and comparative advantages at Jigawa’s J-INVEST 2026, while defending Tinubu’s reforms as making the country easier for business. Infrastructure & Transport: Tinubu flagged off the Akwanga–Kaduna–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe–Biu–Maiduguri superhighway, approving N111bn for the first phase, as Works Minister David Umahi framed it as a trade and security corridor. Energy & Power Reliability: Flooding knocked out Lagos TCN substations, triggering blackouts and force majeure; separately, the Navy uncovered an illegal crude storage hub in Rivers, recovering 20,500 litres. Oil & Gas Security: Tantita Security was credited with restoring peace and improving oil flow in the Niger Delta. Digital & Justice Modernisation: Supreme Court launched electronic case filing via the Nigerian Case Management System, moving appeals away from manual processes. Finance & Markets: NGX opened July in the red as profit-taking wiped N2.39tn off market value; IMPI said FX window unification saves Nigeria $16.8bn annually. Regulation & Consumer Protection: NMDPRA warned fuel marketers against cost-uncorrelated pump pricing after crude falls; Customs and NDLEA seized illicit drugs worth N53.39bn at Apapa. Tech for Industry: Google Cloud unveiled new Africa-focused investments and AI initiatives at its inaugural Africa summit. Agribusiness Push: Jigawa farmers renewed calls for tomato processing plants to cut post-harvest losses and stabilise prices.

Digital & Creative Finance: The Federal Government, via the Bank of Industry, has launched the $170.6m DICE Fund of Funds under the iDICE programme, appointing Kuramo Capital Management to mobilise $85.3m from private investors to match the FG’s $85.3m anchor for tech and creative start-ups across Nigeria’s 36 states and FCT. Skills & TVET: Nigeria and Singapore begin a “Train the Trainers” TVET capacity programme to upgrade pedagogy and assessment for 120 TVET teachers, with cascading training to boost skills education nationwide. Workforce Data Push: The EU backs Nigeria’s drive for an investor-ready workforce, stressing that skills mismatch and labour market data are key barriers to job creation and investment. Banking Stability: Fitch says Nigeria’s bank recapitalisation is cushioning the impact of rising bad loans after CBN withdrew regulatory forbearance, expecting impaired loans to ease by end-2026. Energy & Industry: Dangote targets 2.1m bpd refining capacity in Africa (1.4m in Nigeria, 700,000 in Kenya) and seeks a Congo partnership as it plans $46bn investment across refining, cement and fertiliser. Fuel Market Tension: Fuel marketers warn of shutdowns if FG enforces price control, as regulators push for transparent pricing amid crude price drops. Electricity Regulation: NEMSA and LASERC move to strengthen electrical safety and technical standards under the Electricity Act 2023 and Lagos electricity law. Cybercrime: A suspected POS fraudster was arrested after a botched high-value withdrawal using a cloned debit card and fake bank alerts. Economy Watch: Nigeria’s private sector PMI eased in June, but employment rose for the 13th straight month. Education Reform: FG proposes merging JSS and SSS to tackle the out-of-school transition gap affecting over 20m pupils.

Capital Markets: Norrenberger Advisory Partners says it executed N608.93bn transactions in H1 2026, with 20 capital market deals oversubscribed across debt and equity. Energy & Refining: Dangote Refinery imported 2m barrels of UAE crude in June—its first Middle East crude purchases—amid supply and shipping shifts. Power Sector: TCN scheduled a 10-hour outage in Ondo (8am–6pm) for transformer and line-bay transfer work, affecting BEDC off-take. Transport & Infrastructure: Tinubu approved 27 road projects worth over N3.9tn across 15 states, including Niger’s 409km dual carriageway under the tax credit scheme. Oil & Gas Partnerships: SNPC and Dangote began talks on a strategic refining and product-supply partnership to boost regional energy integration. Agribusiness & Food Security: NEMA warned five Kwara LGAs (Edu, Baruten, Kaiama, Moro, Patigi) face high flood risk, threatening agriculture and transport. Consumer Relief: Cooking gas prices reportedly dropped as supply improved, with Lagos/major cities seeing LPG around ₦1,100–₦1,350/kg. Skills & Research: FG inaugurated the Tertiary Institutions National Laureate Committee for a ₦365m annual research prize, and plans a National Skills Database to tackle unemployment. Maritime Logistics: NPA launched a multi-agency task force to curb renewed gridlock on Lagos port access roads.

SAP S/4HANA Risk: A consultancy warns that many SAP migrations stall without process mining, citing “process debt” and late, over-budget delivery trends as ECC support ends in 2027. Fuel Pricing Pressure: FG says it’s engaging petrol marketers and regulators to ensure crude price drops reflect transparently at the pump, while filling stations hint petrol could fall toward ~₦1,000/litre. Appointments & Governance: Tinubu swears in eight new federal commissioners (RMAFC and NPC), signaling fresh momentum for fiscal and population policy work. Capital Markets: Nigeria’s equities market slips again as investors lose about ₦2.34tn, with MTN, Unilever and others dragging performance. Cybersecurity: Mastercard launches an Africa Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence starting in South Africa and Nigeria to boost threat intelligence sharing. Food & Agriculture: FAO flags a widening fish supply gap across Africa; meanwhile the First Lady launches the North-West Food Bank in Jigawa to tackle child malnutrition. Security & Industry: NDLEA begins inducting AK-47s and pistols for armed anti-drug operations; in Plateau, a missing man is found dead at an illegal mining site. Infrastructure & Cities: Traders in FCT markets seek temporary access roads and better drainage as construction disrupts sales. Energy Prices Ease: Cooking gas prices begin easing in parts of Nigeria as supply improves, though reductions vary by location.

Aviation Expansion: United Nigeria Airlines has joined AFRAA, signalling deeper regional connectivity and more routes across West and Central Africa. Healthcare Funding: FEC approved about ₦93.9bn for major health interventions, including upgrading Kaltungo’s snakebite centre into a National Snakebite Research and Medical Centre, plus CNG-powered blood donation mobile clinics. Petrol Pricing Pressure: FCCPC and the Finance Ministry are pushing back on fuel price stickiness as crude falls, warning marketers against exploitative pricing while regulators engage industry players. Downstream Oil & Gas: NLNG signed a 13-year lifecycle services deal with Baker Hughes to support Train 7 expansion, while IPMAN urges NNPCL to speed up the Chinese technical equity partnership for Warri and Port Harcourt refineries. Agribusiness & Jobs: Tinubu commissioned a 40,000-tonne Benfruit concentrate plant in Benue, and Senator Mustapha flagged off ₦1.5bn agric inputs for Kwara farmers. Manufacturing Policy Clash: CPPE warns a Senate textile import ban could threaten ₦17tn industries and jobs, urging competitive reforms instead. Digital Skills for Industry: NCDMB and Cypher Crescent launched the Catch the Researchers Young programme for 500 undergraduates. Security & Public Safety: NDLEA inducted AK-47 rifles and advanced pistols for operations as it intensifies the fight against armed drug cartels.

Health & Labour: NARD extended its expired 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government by four more weeks, warning it may trigger industrial action if welfare and professional demands for resident doctors aren’t met. SMEs & Jobs: An Anambra First Lady, Nonye Soludo, used MSME Day to push sustained support for small businesses, framing them as engines for inclusive growth in an AI-driven future. Education & Skills: Nigeria hit a milestone as 24 universities made the 2026 Times Higher Education rankings, with UNILAG and UI among top performers. Consumer Protection (Fuel): FCCPC dismissed claims it approved 48 new digital loan apps, and separately warned fuel marketers over exploitative pricing despite crude price drops. Energy & Security: The Nigerian Navy recovered 22,870 litres of suspected illegally refined AGO in Rivers State, disrupting fuel theft logistics. Climate & Industry: Cross River’s Gov. Otu urged stronger global climate finance and support for subnational governments at Chatham House, while a report projects large job creation from Africa’s green transition. Aviation & Trade: United Nigeria Airlines was admitted as a full AFRAA member, boosting its regional connectivity push.

Credit & Industrial Policy: NICA urges the FG to recapitalise Credicorp and the National Credit Guarantee Company, strengthen the Collateral Registry, and fund credit access for startups, SMEs and productive lending to accelerate Nigeria’s $1tn economy. Consumer Protection & Oil Pricing: FCCPC says fuel price cuts are “token” despite crude dropping to about $73, warning marketers and refiners are not passing global relief to Nigerians; it also denies approving 48 new digital loan apps, pointing to a Federal High Court order suspending the 2025 digital lending rules. Textiles & Jobs: Experts advise phased textile reforms—reviving cotton production, improving power and roads, and financing manufacturers—before any stronger import restrictions; CPPE warns a textile import ban could hit N17tn value chains and 10m jobs. Power & Infrastructure: NDPHC says AI is improving predictive maintenance to cut outages; Lagos faces another grid-linked blackout as EKEDP loses national supply, while FERMA completes drainage and road repairs on the Old Abeokuta Motor Road. Agriculture: BOA begins fertiliser, maize seed and crop protection distribution to 500,000 smallholder farmers; Bangladesh ships its first hatching eggs consignment to Nigeria. Security & Governance: SGF Akume condemns the killing of Benue MACBAN chairman and orders swift prosecution; COAS unveils a new army doctrine and recruitment push against terrorism and banditry; NSCDC arrests suspected pipeline vandals in Edo. Local Content & Digitisation: SUPERNEWS Local Content Confab’26 gets major industry backing from NAICOM, NCC, NLNG, insurers and brokers ahead of July 7 in Lagos.

Textile & Jobs: CPPE warns the Senate’s push to ban textile fabric imports could disrupt supply chains and threaten about 10 million jobs, arguing local revival needs deeper reforms, not blanket restrictions. Mining Governance: South Sudan backs a continental minerals strategy after Abuja ratified the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG) charter, aiming for better policy coordination and value addition. Maritime & Trade: Nigeria’s Shippers’ Council pledges support for the EU-backed Sealink Project to boost coastal and inland waterway connectivity. Power Sector Leadership: Ikeja Electric appoints Ogochukwu Onyelucheya as Acting CEO from July 1 as Folake Soetan exits. Engineering & Skills: Nigerian Academy of Engineering inaugurates Prof. Umar Danbatta as president and inducts 12 fellows; Tinubu also lauds Nasarawa Polytechnic for technical education upgrades. MSMEs Push: Shettima says MSMEs drive 90% of businesses and 60m jobs, while Delta unveils reforms to improve land administration, dispute resolution and investor climate. Food & Agriculture: Nigeria’s cassava processing and ginger/food security initiatives get renewed attention as Benue commissions a Benfruit concentrate plant to strengthen its food value chain. Security & Industry Impact: Military-linked disclosures in Plateau point to illegal gunsmithing feeding militias for profit, while flooding preparedness ramps up across states. Markets: NGX ends the week bearish, down 1.65% WoW, as investors trim exposure in oil & gas and industrial counters.

Diaspora & Energy Safety: NiDCOM says Nigerian worker Jubril Akorede Abdulrahman injured in Qatar Energy’s Barzan gas facility explosion has been discharged and is recuperating after the June 21 blast. SME-Led Growth: Vice President Kashim Shettima tells Nigeria’s MSME Awards that MSMEs make up 90% of businesses and support 60m+ jobs, urging entrepreneurs to keep building an enterprise-led economy. EU Investment Push: The EU reiterates plans for bigger investments in Nigeria and deeper regional trade, calling Nigeria an economic powerhouse with access to 400m+ consumers. Agribusiness Support: Jigawa kicks off wet season farming with subsidised fertiliser for 90,000 farmers to tackle input costs and production pressures. Consumer Protection & Food Industry: NAFDAC flags off the “Read the Food Label” campaign to help Nigerians make safer food choices. Power & Utilities: LASERC warns Lagos electricity firms can’t recover charges older than 12 months (except meter tampering/illegal use). Telecom Manufacturing: NCC chairman pledges incentives to attract smartphone factories, aiming to cut device prices and boost local jobs. Markets: NGX sell-off wipes over N11tn in June as investors react to regulatory uncertainty and Dangote IPO speculation. Security & Agriculture: Gunmen attack a farming community in Zamfara, killing at least 15.

Mining & Industrial Policy: Nigeria launched EMERGE, an early-stage mineral exploration and research grant endowment, to unlock its estimated $750bn mineral wealth and boost mining’s GDP contribution, while regulators also push stronger cadastre systems and investor-ready data. Appointments & Governance: Tinubu named Abdulrazak Sa’ad Namdas as BCDA Director-General and appointed Patrick Obahiagbon and Chukwuma Umeoji to NDPHC executive roles. Telecoms & Consumer Tech: NCC seeks presidential backing for local smartphone factories; Glo expanded airtime lending with “Borrow Me Credit” upgrades to retain prepaid users. Digital Identity & Health Tech: Tinubu approved the National Health Technology and Data Analytics Office and appointed Obi Adigwe as pioneer coordinator, alongside the new NIMC Act to strengthen digital identity and data protection. Agriculture Finance: Farmers want FG interventions delivered closer to rural beneficiaries; BOA introduced stricter, data-driven credit profiling to curb middlemen diversion. Energy & Skills: NSE urged young engineers to build practical solutions for energy access, as Nigeria targets more power capacity and renewable mini-grids. Aviation & Consumer Protection: NCAA fined Saudi Airlines ₦6m over consumer rights breaches; FAAN says the Bi-Courtney airport dispute settlement will boost PPP confidence.

Digital Advertising Deal: Out There Media and Pulse Africa sign a strategic partnership to expand telco-linked mobile advertising across West Africa, starting with Nigeria and Ghana. Aviation Regulation: NCAA sanctions Saudi Airlines with a ₦6m fine for consumer protection breaches after earlier interventions at Abuja’s Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport. Food Safety Push: NAFDAC launches a nationwide “Read the Food Label” campaign to curb diet-related diseases, urging Nigerians to check sugar, sodium and ingredients before buying packaged foods. Agribusiness & Research: Oyo State to partner with IITA-CGIAR to advance cassava and cocoa value chains, focusing on bottlenecks and processing support. MSME Credit: SMEDAN unveils a ₦500m zero-interest Grow Fund for MSMEs, disbursed via associations to improve accountability and recovery. Power & Grid Disruptions: Kano, Jigawa and Katsina face a planned four-hour outage Sunday for grid maintenance, while Edo traders narrowly escape death after TCN power lines explode. Infrastructure & Transport: FG hands over Enugu airport to concessionaires under a PPP deal, while Abuja commissions Mabuchi-Ahmadu Bello Way link roads. Tragedy: Lagos records a building collapse in Alakija with nine deaths and 27 rescued; cause under investigation. Health Tech Governance: Tinubu signs the NIMC Act and approves a National Health Technology and Data Analytics Office to coordinate Nigeria’s digital health agenda.

Aviation PPP Push: Nigeria’s FG has concessioned Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, to Aero Alliance Limited under a PPP deal—first successful handover in 20 years, with Port Harcourt next. Power & Grid Reliability: TCN blamed a national grid voltage instability for a Lagos power disruption, with restoration steps underway after tripped lines. Renewables & Jobs: NASENI trained and equipped 50 women in Kano with solar installation and maintenance toolkits under the She-Powers Energy Initiative. Mining & Industrial Policy: AfDB urged Africa to stop exporting raw resources and instead prioritise local processing, value addition and stronger intra-African connectivity. Higher Education for Agriculture: NUC recognised Taraba State University of Tropical Agriculture, Science, Technology, and Climate Action (TSU-TASCA) to focus on agriculture, tech and climate solutions. Digital & Consumer Protection: WhatsApp will show a warning screen before chats with unfamiliar numbers to curb impersonation and phishing. Energy Prices: Dangote Refinery cut petrol (PMS) gantry price again by ₦50 to ₦1,125/litre. Local Governance Tech: Agora Policy launched an LGA Accountability Portal to track FAAC disbursements and improve grassroots transparency. Security & Migration: South Africa’s Ramaphosa vowed a firm response to anti-migrant violence ahead of June 30 marches. Business Finance: Neimeth shareholders approved an additional N30bn capital raise at its AGM.

Aviation & PPP: Nigeria’s Federal Government has formally handed over Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, to Aero Alliance Limited under a public-private partnership, with the concessionaire set to finance, rehabilitate, expand, operate and manage the airport—aiming to turn it into a regional aviation and logistics hub. Oil & Gas / LNG: NCDMB and NLNG reaffirmed their push for deeper in-country value addition as NLNG’s Train 7 expansion hits 90% completion, targeting a 2027 commissioning and a 35% capacity boost. Energy & Consumer Impact: Dangote Refinery cut its petrol gantry price again to ₦1,125 per litre, while households in Bauchi are shifting further to charcoal as cooking gas prices rise. Manufacturing & Agribusiness: Dangote Cement Ibese commissioned a cassava processing plant in Ogun to boost garri and fufu production, reduce post-harvest losses and support rural livelihoods. Finance: Jaiz Bank reported 2025 results with profit before tax up 28% to ₦31.24bn and assets crossing ₦1trn; Providus and Unity Bank moved into integration after final court sanction. Security & Governance: INEC warned against misinformation ahead of 2027 polls, and the PRP rejected state police plans after Senate passage, questioning Tinubu’s credibility to run the reform. Disaster: Lagos recorded eight deaths and 26 rescues after a three-storey shopping complex collapsed in Alakija.