Business
Ambode Hails Longrich for Siting Manufacturing Plant in Lagos
Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Sunday said his administration had performed well.
NAN reports that the outgoing Lagos helmsman spoke at the pre-launch of a $50 million manufacturing plant in the Lekki Free Zone, belonging to Longrich, a Chinese firm.
He said that the facility was another success story of the efforts of the government in attracting investment and an eloquent confirmation of the strategic importance of the free trade zone to the state’s economy.
Ambode noted that no less than 25 companies had set up their manufacturing plants within the zone, saying that it was indeed gratifying that the efforts to drive investments were yielding positive results.
Ambode said that the most important thing to him was that whether in government or outside of government, factories were springing up in the zone, thereby creating job opportunities for the people and improving the economy of the state.
According to the Governor, one of the most fulfilling feelings in life was to see one’s efforts yielding positive results.
Ambode said: ”It gives me immense satisfaction to be here today to witness this pre-launch of Longrich Nigeria Manufacturing Plant to be located in the Lekki Free Zone in Lagos State, Nigeria.
”At the inception of this administration, one of our core focus areas was attracting investments to our state; to create employment opportunities for our people and wealth for our investors.
”Today’s event is one of those crowning moments that confirm that our efforts have been rewarded.”
He commended Longrich Group of Companies for the decision to site the $50million factory in Lagos of all the cities and countries in Africa, saying the state and the country stand to benefit immensely from the investment.
”I have been informed that this Lekki Longrich facility, upon completion, will not only be the hub for the distribution of the products to the African sub-region but will provide employment for at least 1,000 new workers in our state.
”It will boost the nation’s foreign exchange earnings from exportation of manufactured products to other African countries.
”If we go by the success story of Longrich in China and the company’s track record, there is no doubt that Longrich Nigeria will be modelled after the world class LONGLIQI Bio-Industrial Park in China which covers an area of more than 133 hectares and serves as location of LONGLIQI Bio-Science Co., Ltd,” Ambode said.
While describing the firm as a global brand with a range of top class quality products and unique business model, the governor lauded the fact that Longrich had created wealth for over 500,000 people.
These people, he added, were trading in more than 30 brands of the company, with the majority of the traders residing in the state.
Ambode assured the people that the state government would continue to play its role as business enablers, especially by providing the necessary infrastructure and services required to support all investors and businesses who decide to make Lagos their home.
”Our administration has embarked on massive and ambitious projects. We have introduced public sector reforms and policies aimed at making it easier to do business in our state.
”Our governmental institutions like the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Office of Public Private Partnership and Office of Overseas Affairs and Investment are more than ever before, in the fore front of providing an enabling business environment for local and foreign investments to thrive.
These are just a few indicators to assure you of our commitment to securing not just Longrich’s investment in the South-West quadrant of Lekki Free Zone but to secure and attract more investments to our state,” he said.
Daily Post
Access Bank Plc, a leading African bank, has received the IFC EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) Green Building Certification for its banking headquarters, called Access Tower, located in Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The EDGE Green Building certification program, supported by the Japan Government in Nigeria and globally funded by the UK Government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), with initial funding from Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, SECO, recognises Access Bank’s commitment to sustainable building practices and its efforts to reduce energy consumption, water usage, and embodied carbon in building materials.
Access Bank’s Head Office has achieved a 20per cent reduction in energy use, a 33per cent reduction in water use, and a 99 per cent reduction in embodied carbon in materials. The building features sustainability measures such as insulated roof, high-performance glass, fresh air pre-conditioning system, smart meters for energy, water-efficient faucets in bathrooms and kitchen, efficient water closets and low embodied carbon materials reflecting Access Bank’s commitment to environmental responsibility. The building implemented retrofits to meet the EDGE water standard by installing flow regulators in all their water closets, faucets and showers. These reductions in energy, water, and embodied carbon are expected to result in significant cost savings and a reduced environmental footprint for the Head Office.
Commenting on this feat, Gregory Jobome, Executive Director, Risk Management at Access Bank, said:
“At Access Bank, we have always understood that our purpose goes far beyond banking. We are architects of change, custodians of the future, and now, we stand proudly at the intersection of finance and environmental leadership. This building and this certification embody our vision to set a new standard for building, operating, and growing responsibly.
“Our collaboration with the EEN team was transformational, and together, we have shown that environmental performance and business performance are not rivals, but partners. We believe that in that partnership lies the future of banking, the future of corporate Africa, and ultimately, the future of our planet.”
The EDGE certification is a globally recognised standard for green buildings, designed to make buildings more resource efficient. The certification process involves a rigorous assessment of a building’s design and construction, including independent third-party audits, ensuring that it meets the highest standards of sustainability.
IFC’s EDGE program aims to promote green building practices globally by providing a standardised approach to designing and certifying resource-efficient buildings. The program has been utilised in nearly 200 countries, with over 100 million square metres in certified floor space, enabling developers worldwide to create buildings that reduce energy use, water consumption, and embodied carbon.
Globally, IFC collaborates with financiers, governments, developers, and building owners to accelerate green building development in emerging markets. In Nigeria, cumulatively, over 800,000 square meters of offices, homes, hospitals, retail stores, student accommodation, hotels, and mixed-use projects are EDGE-certified.
As the world celebrates International Women’s Day 2025, Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) continues to reinforce its unwavering commitment to gender diversity, equality, and empowerment.
This year’s IWD global theme, “Accelerate Action”, aligns perfectly with UBA’s drive to champion inclusion and create meaningful opportunities for women in the workplace.
On Wednesday, the bank graduated its latest cohort of 1,138 Graduate Management Accelerated Programme (GMAP) trainees, out of which 666, representing an impressive 58% were women.
UBA’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Alawuba, who pointed this out during the graduation ceremony which was held in Landmark Event Centre, said the milestone is a testament to UBA’s continued efforts in fostering a workplace where talent thrives – regardless of gender, background, or status.
He maintained that UBA stands out as a financial institution that does not just talk about inclusion but lives it, adding that “With a female-dominated Board and Executive Management team, UBA has consistently demonstrated that gender parity is a key pillar of its success. Our commitment goes beyond policies – it is evident in the tangible opportunities we create for women at every level of the organisation.”
While celebrating the womenfolk for their contribution to the bank’s growth and success over the year, Alawuba stated “At UBA, we do not just celebrate women- we amplify them. We believe that an inclusive workforce drives innovation, excellence, and long-term success. The fact that the majority of our new graduate trainees are women underscores our commitment to nurturing female talent and accelerating their progress in the corporate world.”
UBA has long been a champion of gender empowerment, investing in initiatives that support female professionals, entrepreneurs, and communities. From its mentorship and leadership programs to its women-focused financial services, the bank continues to set the pace for gender inclusion in Africa’s financial sector.
UBA’s Group Head, Human Resources, Modupe Akindele explained that the bank is passionate about helping its staff grow, regardless of their gender. According to her, UBA celebrates the resilience, strength, and contributions of women everywhere and remains committed to ensuring that every woman has the support, resources, and opportunities needed to thrive.
She said, “Our goal with GMAP is to show young professionals that their dreams are valid right here in Africa. We are not just providing jobs; we are creating pathways to leadership, innovation, and impact. This programme ensures that young people whether male or female, see the immense possibilities that exist within UBA and the African financial sector at large.”
United Bank for Africa is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees group wide and serving over 45 million customers globally. Operating in twenty African countries and the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting edge technology.
Bulk Data service from Globacom has continued to garner patronage from more enterprise clients across the country owing to its immense benefits.
With the offering, Glo Enterprise users can gift data to other customers with the Bulk Data offering, a self-service site designed for data allocation. Through it, a specific quantity of data can be freely utilized for specific users’ navigation of a mobile application or website at no cost to the users of the application or website. The service is paid for by the enterprise client.
A school’s bucket data plan allows institutions to buy bulk data for students’ instructional purposes. The Plan is good for ninety days. In contrast, the Gifted Data Plan is good for 30 days. As many Glo subscribers as the sponsor desires may receive data gifts from the Bulk Data sponsor.
Depending on which Pack the gifting customer has subscribed to, a sponsor can equally gift data in 200MB, 500MB, 1GB, 2GB, 3GB, 4GB, 5GB, or 10GB amounts.
Globacom has built the solution so that each sponsor can tailor the SMS notification that is sent to the beneficiary regarding the provided data. This sets this product apart from others available on the market.
While the recipients of the Bulk Data giving can check their own balance by dialing the USSD code, *127*0#, on their own devices, the gifted plans can be tailored to the sponsor’s requirements and preferences.
Only businesses that purchase large quantities of data, including corporations and educational institutions, are eligible for the Bulk Data service.
