Business

Inflation Pushing Truckers Out Of Business, Group Laments

Published

3 years ago

September 1, 2022

Editor

As the inflation rate bites harder, truckers have said that about half of their members are leaving the job for other businesses.

In an exclusive chat with The PUNCH in Lagos on Wednesday, former Dry Cargo Chairman of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, Abdullahi Inuwa, said that the sector was riddled with a lot of challenges.

Inuwa fingered drop in cargoes, high cost of truck maintenance and diesel as reasons for the dwindling fortunes of the sector.

“From my own side, the work is not friendly because of drop in activities. This is coupled with the high cost of maintaining trucks, diesel and other activities. Some people who have, for instance, 10 trucks may be managing to maintain five now to have money for other businesses. I have to park 0my trucks for now. I am currently not doing port operations now. So, about 50 per cent truckers have parked their trucks pending when things will improve. Some are looking for other ways of survival. I started seeing this development in November 2021. You are aware that earlier this year, there was scarcity of empty containers in Europe, coupled with lack of access to forex.”

He also accused the Federal Government of focusing more on generating revenue than encouraging trade.

“Our government’s approach to tariffs, especially the Customs, is not encouraging. They don’t think of encouraging the industry because they are always increasing tariffs and targeting gaining more revenue.”

Inuwa said that the situation is worse for truckers who were not resident in Lagos because they had to pay for parking for the number of days they would stay, with little or no cargo to go back with.

Corroborating Inuwa’s submission, the Head of Operation, NARTO, Mr Stephen Okafor, said that truckers were not breaking even, noting that other sectors had increased their rates except the trucking sector.

According to him, “I know a whole lot of people have actually left the business. People are actually going out of business and if it continues like that, a whole lot of people will still leave.”

Also speaking, the President of the Council of Maritime Truck Unions and Associations, Mr Adeyinka Arowoyewun, said, “The level of importation has drastically reduced due to so many factors which have to do with the exchange rate, war in Ukraine and Russia, and the policies of government vis a vis increase in tariff. I agree that importation has reduced and a lot of truckers have actually abandoned that business.”

Business

CBN Sets POS Maximum Transactions In Fresh Guidelines

Published

49 minutes ago

October 8, 2025

Editor

The Central Bank of Nigeria has rolled out fresh guidelines for agent banking, known as Point of Sales, across the country.

The apex also in the guidelines pegged daily POS transactions at N1.2 million per agent and N100,000 per individual.

CBN disclosed this in a circular signed by its Director of the Payments System Management Department, Musa Jimoh.

The guidelines further mandate all financial institutions to publish the list of all their POS agents on their website and to display it in their branches.

CBN noted that the guidelines would take effect from April 1, 2026.

“The Guidelines aim to establish minimum standards for operating agent banking in Nigeria, enhancing agent banking to provide financial services and promoting financial inclusion, encouraging responsible market conduct and improving service quality in agent banking operations.

“This circular takes effect from the date of release, while the implementation of agent location and agent exclusivity shall be in effect from April 1, 2026.

“POS agents are restricted to a maximum of N1.2 million per day. Individual customers are limited to N100,000 in daily transactions.

“These limits are intended to curb misuse, enhance financial integrity, and protect consumers within the agent banking framework,” it stated.

Business

Naira Records First Appreciation Against US Dollar At Official Market

Published

55 minutes ago

October 8, 2025

Editor

The Naira recorded appreciation on Wednesday against the United States dollar at the official market, the first time in three days this week.

The Central Bank of Nigeria’s exchange rate data showed that the Naira strengthened to N 1,470.62 per dollar on Wednesday, up from N1,471.09 traded on Tuesday.

This means that the country’s currency firmed up slightly by N0.47 against the dollar on a day-to-day basis.

Monday and Tuesday, the Naira recorded negative sentiment at the official foreign exchange market.

However, at the black market, the Naira remained unchanged at N1,500 per dollar on Wednesday, the same rate exchanged on Tuesday.

The apex bank data indicated that the country’s external reserves, a determinant of the exchange rates, stood at $42.57 billion as of October 7, 2025.

Business

SEC Warns Nigerians Of AfriQuantumX Ponzi scheme

Published

1 hour ago

October 8, 2025

Editor

Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has named AfriQuatum, with a claimed worth of N76 billion, as a Ponzi scheme.

The regulator also urged the public to be cautious about investing with the firm.

SEC disclosed this in a recent statement.

According to the SEC, any person who places an investment or engages with the entity does so at his or her own risk, adding that its operations exhibit characteristics commonly associated with fraudulent Ponzi schemes.

“The attention of the Securities and Exchange Commission has been drawn to the activities of AfriQuantumX, which holds itself out as an investment platform trading on and selling cryptocurrency and stocks to investors in Nigeria.

“The Commission hereby informs the public that AfriQuantumX is not registered by the Commission either to solicit investments from the public or operate in any capacity within the Nigerian capital market,” SEC stated.