The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) have resolved to enter into a partnership to simplify and fast-track business registration processes for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), a significant step towards the formalisation of the nation’s largely informal economy.

PRESIDENT of the National Union of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees, NUFBTE, Comrade Lateef Idowu Oyelekan, has been given 2010 distinguished worker of year award.

Airtel Nigeria has announced the appointment of Mr. Kehinde Adebo Lawanson, an Executive Director with First Bank Nigeria Plc, as a member of its Board of Directors in non-executive capacity.

In a move to close the gap between the official foreign exchange rate and the parallel market exchange rate, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) last week raised by 100 per cent the limit banks’ sale of autonomous foreign exchange to bureaux de change (BDCs). Consequently, each bank can now sell foreign exchange up to N1 million to BDCs per week.

Guinness Nigeria Plc, brewer of Guinness Stout has given the Guinness Eye Centre at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) a face lift.

A group of shareholders of Premier Breweries Plc have called on the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, to launch an investigation into the just-concluded rights issue of the company.

The average Nigerian is said to be hardworking, intelligent and resourceful, ready to impact the economy positively but one thing that has been a barrier is lack of basic infrastructure.

Wema Bank Plc has deployed Finacle as its bankingsolution aimed at strengthening its retail banking services over its 150 branches across the country.

Despite the tsunami that engulfed Nigerian microfinance banks in the last quarter of last year which led to the liquidation of 103 microfinance banks (MfBs) by the regulatory bodies, the sector is witnessing a new wave of confidence restoration with the registration of N200 million NAMBLAG Trust Fund for member MfBs.

A British Institution, the Association of Business Executives, ABE, has conferred its prestigious Association’s fellowship, FABE, on the Director- General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, NTD, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe.

The National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS) has called on the Federal Government to allow the Freedom of Information Act beam its searchlight on the N500billion loan to the manufacturing sector

The extent of official support to the three bridge banks created to assume assets of Afribank, Bank PHB and Spring Bank is key to restoring confidence in the banking sector, said Razia Khan of Standard Chartered.

New trends evolve every day, as brands often adopt consumer-engagement schemes as a means of rewarding consumer loyalty. These strategies are also serve as brand exposure to potential consumers, thereby strengthening their position in a very competitive marketplace.

Platinum Savings and Loans Limited has announced its plans to finance the construction of 10,000 residential houses in the next 5 years in various parts of Nigeria.

A new initiative by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) to collect National Housing Fund (NHF) contributions via e-collection platform of some 23 designated banks is expected to increase collections into the scheme by at least 300 percent.