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• November 3, 2025
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ECOWAS Court to Implement Roadmap for Improved Efficiency, Effectiveness of Regional Court

ECOWAS Court to Implement Roadmap for Improved Efficiency, Effectiveness of Regional Court

Michael Olugbode in Abuja 

President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, Hon. Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves, has pledged to implement the recommendations of the five-day Judicial Retreat of the Court that ended on 31 October 2025 in Niger State, Nigeria

In his closing remarks, the President reaffirmed the readiness of the Court’s leadership to ensure the implementation of the outcomes in line with its strategic framework and timelines.  

He urged the staff members to be diligent in performing their duties and responsibilities and in supporting the honourable judges in the discharge of their judicial functions. 

During the retreat, presentations and discussions focused on six critical areas namely: annual performance report from October 2024 to October 2025, expedited procedures and provisional measures, comparative analysis of practices before other international and regional courts, applicability of procedural laws and the roles of the President, Judge Rapporteur, and Chief Registrar, review of previous retreat recommendations and their implementation, and presentation of the Manual of Disciplinary Procedure. 

Outcomes from the retreat included enhanced understanding of international and regional court practices, clarification of applicable procedural laws and institutional roles, adoption of the Manual of Disciplinary Procedure, and resolutions addressing inter-departmental collaboration, stakeholder engagement and external relations, Electronic Case Management System (ECMS), language services optimisation, among others.

Participants at the retreat, held from 26th to 31st October 2025 on the theme: Efficiency and Effectiveness: Streamlining Processes for a Dynamic ECOWAS Court, included the honourable judges, chief registrar, directors, heads of divisions and units, executive assistants to the honourable judges, registry and legal officers and some key support staff of the Court. 

The judicial retreat is an important annual activity of the Court that affords the judges and legal staff of the Court the opportunity to reflect, review and where necessary develop an implementable roadmap for the enhancement of the processes and operations of the Court.

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Michael Olugbode in Abuja  President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, Hon. Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves, has pledged to implement the recommendations of the five-day Judicial Retreat of the

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• November 3, 2025
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NSITF Plans Stricter Enforcement of Employers’ Compliance to ECS Act

NSITF Plans Stricter Enforcement of Employers’ Compliance to ECS Act

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja 

As part of measures to improve the safety and welfare of workers at the workplace, the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), has said it is considering enforcement of the law on mandatory enrollment in the social insurance scheme by all eligible employers in the country.

Under the Employee Compensation Act of (2010) all employees and employers in both public and private sectors are expected to register with NSITF.

The ECA provides for benefits like compensation for injuries and a rehabilitation program for employees with work-related disabilities, based on the principle that employers have a duty of care to protect their employees. 

However, NSITF said that due to poor compliance by organisations, it has decided to move from the current persuasion, advocacy and institutional accountability to carrying out strong enforcement to ensure compliance.

The Fund said it will be seeking for stronger legal backing which will lead to the review of enforcement provisions on the ECA to increase penalties for defaulters.

Managing Director and Chief Executive of the Fund, Barrister Oluwaseun Faleye disclosed this while speaking through the Abuja Regional Manager, Mrs. Bridget Ashang, at the annual conference of the Labour Correspondents Association of Nigeria, (LACAN) in Abuja.

In a paper titled, “Employees’ Compensation Enforcement: Issues and Challenges in the Oil and Gas Industry,” the NSITF’s boss said the Fund has faced challenges getting many operators in the Oil and gas sectors to register with the scheme.

His words: “In the oil and gas industry, where operations involve high capital, complex processes, and significant occupational hazards, the protection of workers through a strong and enforceable compensation mechanism is not only a statutory obligation – it is a moral duty and an ethical necessity.

“The Employees’ Compensation Act of 2010 was a bold, visionary step by government to protect Nigerian workers against the hazards of their occupations. It replaced the old Workmen’s Compensation regime with a no-fault, employer-funded social insurance system, a safety-net against deprivation and income insecurity.

“In the oil and gas sector, Nigeria’s economic mainstay, this mandate takes on an even deeper urgency. Here, the risks are higher, the stakes greater, and the consequences of neglect, often

devastating.”

Providing insight to the challenges of enforcement in the oil and gas sector, Faleye listed the issues as non-compliance and evasion, outsourcing and casualisation of workers, low awareness and weak sanctions, as well as poor safety culture in the sector as some of the.

To combat these problems, the Managing Director explained that the Fund had instituted numerous reforms including periodic inspection of employers’ records and documents, digitalization of registration and remittance processes.

Ather measures include; simplification of claims and compensation process, aggressive engagements with stakeholders, inter-agency collaborations and Safety and health measures to prevent workplace hazards.

Going forward, Faleye called for a review of enforcement provisions in the ECA to increase penalties for defaulters. 

He further advocated making ECS compliance as a precondition for licensing or renewal, and a unified labour data system for seamless monitoring. 

In addition, NSITF Boss recommended empowerment of labour inspectors through training and resourcing to penetrate even the most remote installations and naming and shaming of defaulters.

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Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja  As part of measures to improve the safety and welfare of workers at the workplace, the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), has said it is

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Sterling HoldCo Reinforces Strong Earnings Momentum with 127% Profit Growth

Sterling HoldCo Reinforces Strong Earnings Momentum with 127% Profit Growth

Kayode Tokede

Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc has announced its unaudited financial results for the nine-month-period ended September 30, 2025, posting an impressive 127 per cent year-on-year growth in profit after tax to N62.3 billion.

The performance is testament to the Group’s robust earnings capacity, operational efficiency, and disciplined execution.

The group’s gross earnings rose by 44.1% to N341.7 billion (September 2024: N237.2 billion), driven by solid performances in both interest and non-interest income lines. Interest income grew by 38.7% to N262.4 billion, supported by an expanded earning asset base, while non-interest income surged by 65.1 per cent to N79.2 billion, reflecting the group’s continued success in diversifying its revenue streams.

Sterling HoldCo maintained a healthy balance sheet, with total assets rising by 15.5 per cent from N3.54 trillion in December 2024 to N4.09 trillion in September 2025, driven by growth in loans, investment securities, and liquid assets. Customer deposits also grew by 14.3 per cent to N2.88 trillion, while shareholders’ funds increased by 32.9 per cent to N405.5 billion, up from N305.2 billion in December 2024, highlighting the Group’s solid capital base and its capacity to sustain future expansion.

Commenting on the results, Group Chief Executive, Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc, Yemi Odubiyi,  said: “Our performance over the first nine months of 2025 demonstrates the strength and adaptability of our Group structure. The significant growth in profit after tax underscores the success of our strategy to operate as a diversified financial services Group delivering value through both our conventional, non-interest banking, and asset management subsidiaries.

“Our results highlight disciplined risk management, innovative product delivery, and an unrelenting focus on sectors that drive real economic impact. We are equally grateful to our shareholders and the investing public for their confidence in the group, as reflected in the resounding success of our recently concluded public offer of 12.58 billion ordinary shares. As we continue to invest in technology and operational excellence, our goal remains clear: to build a resilient institution that consistently delivers sustainable returns.

“With deepening synergies across its subsidiaries, Sterling HoldCo remains firmly on course to sustain its growth momentum through the final quarter of the year. The group is strategically positioned to scale its presence across Nigeria’s high impact sectors, advance financial inclusion, and power innovation that drives real-sector growth. Guided by its heritage of trust and a commitment to excellence, Sterling HoldCo continues to champion sustainable finance and technology-driven solutions shaping the future of African financial services.

Kayode Tokede

Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc has announced its unaudited financial results for the nine-month-period ended September 30, 2025, posting an impressive 127 per cent year-on-year growth in profit after tax to N62.3 billion.

The performance is testament to the Group’s robust earnings capacity, operational efficiency, and disciplined execution.

The group’s gross earnings rose by 44.1% to N341.7 billion (September 2024: N237.2 billion), driven by solid performances in both interest and non-interest income lines. Interest income grew by 38.7% to N262.4 billion, supported by an expanded earning asset base, while non-interest income surged by 65.1 per cent to N79.2 billion, reflecting the group’s continued success in diversifying its revenue streams.

Sterling HoldCo maintained a healthy balance sheet, with total assets rising by 15.5 per cent from N3.54 trillion in December 2024 to N4.09 trillion in September 2025, driven by growth in loans, investment securities, and liquid assets. Customer deposits also grew by 14.3 per cent to N2.88 trillion, while shareholders’ funds increased by 32.9 per cent to N405.5 billion, up from N305.2 billion in December 2024, highlighting the Group’s solid capital base and its capacity to sustain future expansion.

Commenting on the results, Group Chief Executive, Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc, Yemi Odubiyi,  said: “Our performance over the first nine months of 2025 demonstrates the strength and adaptability of our Group structure. The significant growth in profit after tax underscores the success of our strategy to operate as a diversified financial services Group delivering value through both our conventional, non-interest banking, and asset management subsidiaries.

“Our results highlight disciplined risk management, innovative product delivery, and an unrelenting focus on sectors that drive real economic impact. We are equally grateful to our shareholders and the investing public for their confidence in the group, as reflected in the resounding success of our recently concluded public offer of 12.58 billion ordinary shares. As we continue to invest in technology and operational excellence, our goal remains clear: to build a resilient institution that consistently delivers sustainable returns.

“With deepening synergies across its subsidiaries, Sterling HoldCo remains firmly on course to sustain its growth momentum through the final quarter of the year. The group is strategically positioned to scale its presence across Nigeria’s high impact sectors, advance financial inclusion, and power innovation that drives real-sector growth. Guided by its heritage of trust and a commitment to excellence, Sterling HoldCo continues to champion sustainable finance and technology-driven solutions shaping the future of African financial services.

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Kayode Tokede Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc has announced its unaudited financial results for the nine-month-period ended September 30, 2025, posting an impressive 127 per cent year-on-year growth in profit after tax to N62.3 billion. The