Index to Nigerian Newspapers

The Lagos Small and Medium Enterprise Bootcamp empowered over 700 small business owners in its eighth edition, addressing challenges such as funding gaps, intellectual property protection, and brand visibility. Small and medium enterprises contribute significantly to Nigeria's gross domestic product and employment but face obstacles like access to capital and legal support. Key speakers emphasized the importance of legal documentation in securing business assets. The event included sessions on business model evolution and featured an exhibition and pitch competition with grants for entrepreneurs.

Nascon Allied Industries Plc has reported a 49 percent increase in revenue to N120.4bn for the financial year ended December 31, 2024. The company’s gross profit rose by 25 percent to N55.5bn and its profit after tax grew by 14 percent to N15.6bn, allowing the board to propose a doubling of dividend payments to two naira per share. At the same time, the company successfully lowered its overall debts and borrowings while maintaining a strong cash position and expanding its total assets. Alongside its business success, the firm engaged in social and environmental efforts by recycling industrial waste and completing twelve community development projects. The managing director attributed this positive performance to smart business strategies and market resilience, reaffirming a commitment to long-term growth and shareholder value.

Nine major Nigerian commercial banks disbursed sixty-one point six nine trillion naira in customer loans and generated two point three one trillion naira in net interest income during the first quarter of 2025. Financial reporting for the period reveals a forty-one point seven two percent year-on-year increase in net interest earnings compared to the same period in 2024, largely driven by the Central Bank of Nigeria's aggressive monetary policy tightening that raised benchmark interest rates to twenty-seven point five percent to fight inflation. While overall credit expansion showed only a marginal rise relative to late 2024 figures, individual institutions including Zenith Bank, First Bank Holdings, Guaranty Trust Holding Company, and Stanbic Investment Banking & Trust Company Limited posted sharp surges in net interest profitability, reflecting the broader impact of elevated lending rates across the national banking sector.